The Port Arthur News
November 26, 2007 09:45 pm
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By Amy Moore
The News staff writer
NEDERLAND — Athletic Director Larry Neumann wants to make big changes in Bulldog country.
The outspoken coach made his opinions known Monday night at a special meeting of the Nederland ISD board of trustees where the topic of a possible bond proposal was discussed.
“We need to talk about a new high school,” he said. “We need to think 15 years down the road. We need a community and an ISD we can be proud of and I say build a new high school before we do anything else.”
With multi-million dollar bonds recently passed in neighboring districts of Port Arthur, Beaumont and PN-G, Neumann said focusing on the small needs in the district will make for mediocrity — something he’s not willing to support.
“We need to see how we stack up with other districts. I’m a taxpayer and I won’t vote for a mediocre bond,” he said.
Former band director for Nederland High School, Val Rose, who serves as chair of the high school subcommittee, suggested several ways to improve the campus. He noted, though, that some problems cannot merely be patched and should be replaced altogether.
“All things certainly need to be considered,” Rose said. “The high school itself is in pretty good shape as it is, but there are some physical problems and I don’t know if all of them can be solved.”
Rose listed problems in the high school that include air conditioning issues, needed safety upgrades, spacing problems that could be solved with floor plan restructuring and general equipment replacements.
Noting these items, Rose added that now is as good a time as any to bring a bond before voters.
“We need to match what’s going on around us,” he said. “We need the community behind us and in Nederland, citizens get a lot for their dollar. I don’t know what they’ll vote for but now’s a good time to find out.”
Board member George Hawkins said that of the citizens he’s spoken with about a possible bond, each one says a bond is needed to upgrade facilities in the district.
Mark Byars, co-chair of the athletics subcommittee, said a bond would help repairs problems created when many of the district’s buildings were constructed in the 1970s. Hawkins added that without careful consideration, the district could make the same mistakes that were made 30 years ago.
To ensure that doesn’t happen, Neumann said that board and bond committee members need to be “long sighted” when considering a bond in the district. His biggest fear, he said, is passing a bond that citizens will regret 10 years down the road.
“We’re looking 20 to 25 years out,” Byars told the trustees. “We’re not looking at a price tag or at what the community will vote for, but what’s best for Nederland kids. We’re thinking big.”
Byars presented his subcommittees finding to the board highlighting issues such as a new competition stadium located at the high school, more parking, dressing rooms for both male and female athletics, Westernaires changing and practice area as well as ADA upgrades.
Superintendent Gail Krohn said the board members are looking to put the bond issue before voters on the Nov. 2008 election ballot.
The NISD trustees will meet again at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5 and Thursday, Dec. 6 to further discuss the bond issue and decide what the next steps will be.
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