Nixon-Smiley voters approve $37.9 million bond package

Voters in Nixon-Smiley CISD approved all five measures on the Saturday, May 6 ballot — four of them by fairly wide margins — in a move that will allow the district to issue a total of $37,928,850 in bonds in complete but unofficial returns.

School district voters also re-elected Aly Tschoepe to another term for Place 6 on the Nixon-Smiley Consolidated ISD Board of Trustees.

Before the election, Superintendent Jeff VanAuken had said the district agreed to split the measure into five parts, none of which would require any increase to the district’s tax rate due to anticipated property valuations, which are expected to support the issue.

Proposition A calls for issuing $20,839,150 in bonds, which would be used to build a Transportation and Maintenance Building at the district’s 10^th Street property as well as remodeling of the 600 Building on the high school campus. It would also pay for safety upgrades across the district, roof replacements, parking improvements, new school buses and technology upgrades. Prop A was approved by a 304-126 margin.

Proposition B calls for issuing $7,886,700 in bonds, which would be used to build a new Career Technical Education facility and Agriculture and Animal Science facility for students as Nixon-Smiley CISD continues to expand its offerings. Prop B was approved by a 311-130 margin.

Proposition C calls for issuing $4,555,150 in bonds for upgrades to the baseball and softball stadiums and to the high school weight room. Prop C was approved by a 270-172 margin.

Proposition D calls for issuing $2,779,100 in bonds, and would be used to build a new Mustang Stadium football field concession stand and restroom facility, the addition of a press box as well as upgrades to the ticketing booths and a repair and resurfacing of the track. Proposition D passed by a 260-184 margin.

Finally, Proposition E calls for issuing $1,868,750 in bonds, to be used to replace the grass football field at Mustang Stadium with synthetic turf. It passed by a very close vote of 237-211.

Tschoepe, who has served as the board secretary, defeated challenger Loyce Adcock-Rice by a 233-157  margin. Tschoepe received nearly as many early and absentee votes (153) as Adcock-Rice got total votes.

Chris Villasana, who serves as the Place 4 Trustee, was re-elected without opposition Saturday.