Willis Independent School District has placed a $115.4 million bond proposal before voters, scheduled for a decision on the November 5 ballot. This bond package is composed of three separate propositions, aiming to fund a new student activity center, athletic complex with community room, and an aquatic center, as Community Impact reported. Each proposition mirrors those previously rejected by the electorate in May.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the school district experienced low turnout in the prior vote, with only 12% of Willis voters, or 4,200 residents, casting their ballots. Willis ISD Board President Kyle Hoegemeyer highlighted the district's rapid enrollment expansion, projecting a doubling in numbers within the next decade, ushering a pressing need for upgraded and expanded facilities. The bond propositions include Proposition A, earmarked for a 120,000-square-foot student activity center costing $27 million, Proposition B for a $68.8 million athletic complex, and stadium, and Proposition C commanding $19.6 million for the development of an aquatic center.
"This being a presidential election year, we see it [as having] a greater voter turnout," said Hoegemeyer during an August 19 meeting, further noting that almost 19,000 voters turned out in the 2020 election. The district leadership remains hopeful that the increased turnout associated with a presidential election year would bolster the bond's chances of passing, as per Community Impact.
The proposed bond is poised to replace nearly 50-year-old Yates Stadium and address a need for an aquatic center that has been in discussion since 2020. However, due to the complications posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, plans had been previously stalled. Hoegemeyer further insists that stadiums, once seen as luxurious additions, have transitioned over the past few years to a necessity—especially with new developments like The Woodlands Hills ushering in a larger district population. Despite the district's pressing needs, voters have been hesitant to approve new spending, leaving Willis ISD to continuously reevaluate and present their propositions to the public.
The Houston Chronicle highlights that if voters approve all propositions, a potential tax increase of 1 cent to the interest and sinking rate could unfold, which is intended to service the debt on these new facilities. In direct contrast, even as Willis struggles to gain approval for its bonds, nearby Splendora ISD managed to pass a historical bond in 2022, although without the inclusion of a new performing arts center—a need still expressed by Superintendent Jeff Burke.
