SALADO, Texas — Voters within Salado ISD took to the polls this week to cast their early votes on two propositions unanimously approved for a bond election by the SISD school board.
Prop A is for $236 million for the construction of a new Salado High School building and would relocate the elementary school to the current high school building.
Superintendent Michael Novotny said the district continues to grow, the fourth fastest in the Education Service Center Region 12, and overcrowding has become a concern.
"We would either have to add onto the high school or build a new high school," Novotny said. "Adding on would be simple if it were just classrooms but there are several other areas that are also overcrowded."
Those areas include the cafeteria, athletic areas like the gymnasium, weight room, locker room, front office, library and hallways.
Novotny said despite the needed renovations, the proposals would not raise the tax rate for local voters.
"The only way to expand the hallways would be to knock out one wall of classrooms. One it would be very expensive, and two it would be very difficult with classes in session," Novotny said.
A committee of community members that the district assembled analyzed the facilities and developed a long-range plan, Novotny said.
Prop B is a $34 million project to build a new stadium to accommodate the growth of the school. Originally a 1A class, Salado has expanded to 4A since the current stadium was first constructed in 1979.
"The numbers now are about six times as many, roughly 2,400 students," Novotny said. "This would be a new stadium and we already have the land for it."
Texas law requires the two projects be listed under two different propositions, Novotny said, because extracurricular facilities that are not part of the school, current stadium or current auditorium have to be listed as separate propositions on a ballot.
Early voting will run until Nov. 3 and election day is Nov. 7 where polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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