The needs of Nederland ISD continue to be the same as they were before the nation’s economy fell into a recession.

Aging schools are still in need of repair and upgrades, and Central Middle School still needs heating, ventilation and air conditioning work.

With hopes the third quarter of 2009 will yield a better economic outlook, NISD Board of Trustees are asking financial advisors to take a second look at figures associated with a $126 million bond that was postponed in late September.

Once the numbers are reanalyzed, they will be put before the Nederland ISD Citizens Bond Committee for recommendation on whether to go forward with a May 2009 bond election.

In order to place the issue on the ballot for a May election, the bond must be called by March 1.

The committee has a challenge ahead. It has about a two week window in which to get the numbers from the district’s financial advisors, RBC Capital Markets, come to some sort of decision on whether to keep the bond as originally planned or make changes. The Board of Trustees will then receive word of the committee’s recommendation by February.

The committee must also decide whether to keep the bond as one proposition or make changes.

Laura Clark, a committee member with young children in the district, said there is no way to predict the next step without having the new numbers available.

“I have to see the numbers, see the hard facts,” Clark said after a bond workshop Thursday night. “When we get the numbers from LANWalton (bond planners), we can make a decision.”

Jimmy Collins, co-chairman of the committee, said there are no assurances in today’s market.

“We just have to wait for the numbers,” Collins said.

Superintendent Gail Krohn said she feels a bit better about the future of the bond after hearing Duncan Lamme, of RBC Capital Markets, speak. Lamme told the group that a much better market is expected in the third quarter of 2009.

Lamme did add that from a bond issue perspective there are a lot of challenges but the bond can be done.

The bond was placed on the back burner Sept. 29 about a week after Hurricane Ike struck the coast. Ike’s destruction, mixed with the bleak economic outlook, caused trustees to postpone a November election calling for a $126 million bond proposition.

mmeaux@panews.com