Is it frugal for Comal ISD to build three swimming pools at a time of recession? Is Comal ISD being fiscally responsible with taxpayer money?
A CHANGE from the STATUS QUO...VOTING NO to government trickery.
Jan.2010 - Is the fact that Comal ISD is requesting bids for POOL SERVICES an indication that taxpayers will be spending more $$money for pool maintenance?Will Comal ISD still have a BALANCED BUDGET after they finish installing and begin maintaining the three (not-competition size) swimming pools at Canyon Lake High School, Canyon High School, and Smithson Valley High School?
Did Comal ISD superintendent and school board forget to include information about the swimming pools in the publications sent out to the stakeholders aka taxpayers? oops! While stumping for the school bond, when asked if the School Bond would include Swimming Pools, was
Comal ISD superintendentMarc Walker's response NO.? 
10/09 -source:
KGNB radio---- Did Comal ISD superintendent Marc Walker say that our Comal ISD Swimming Pools are ready for our students to swim in, even though construction for classrooms is not even close to being completed????
Did Comal ISD superintendent Marc Walker say that our Comal ISD swimming pools are not for competition? Jan.2009-Did ComalISD fully intend to build a Swimming Pool at Canyon Lake High School "knowing" Canyon Lake HIgh School did Not have a swim team?- “I can’t say enough about how efficient and thorough our team has been in stretching our bond dollars,” Comal ISD superintendent Dr. Marc Walker said.⇒Texas 'State Representatives'and Texas'House Representatives'Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott and Texas Governor Rick Perry
Will Comal ISD still have a balanced budget after they install the three swimming pools at the high schools? At what cost?
May 2009-Source:KGNB radio-Schools in Session; Did Comal ISD Superintendent Marc Walker announced that the Johnson Ranch Elementary School is ready to open even though there are no homes built in the Johnson Ranch subdivision to date?read more WERE taxpayers told the SCHOOL BOND included swimming pools in our high schools? Would building a centralized facility in our district with a 'competition' size swimming pool be a more fiscally responsible way of spending taxpayer money for our children's education? Do Comal ISD superintendent Marc Walker and school board members have "secrets" or do they just cover themselves with the same blanket when it comes to accountability with the taxpayer? 
Is Comal ISD in Comal County, Texas Leasing\selling our school district buildings\property PAID by taxpayers to bring in money for the swimming pools at our three high schools? Superintendent Marc Walker contends that spending money to build new schools is due to growth in the district.?
Is Comal ISD failing in providing adequate security for our students?
Do our Comal ISD teachers pay for their supplies with their own MONEY$$?
Does Comal ISD control the tax rate AND control the DISTRICT APPRAISAL members? Does the School Board Vote in the Majority of APPRAISAL DISTRICT members to make sure property taxes magically go up every time CISD feels they need to go on a shopping spree?
Will Comal ISD still have a balanced budget after they install the three swimming pools at the high schools? At what cost?
While stumping for the school bond, when asked if the School Bond would include Swimming Pools, was Comal ISD superintendentMarc Walker's response NO.? jan29,2009- Notice of Regular Meeting, The Board of Trustees Comal ISD Comal County - → ITEM 12, at the bottom of the AGENDA. - Consider and Take Action to Extend the Employment Contract of the Superintendent Marc H.Walker.. read more
THANKS to the excellent reporting of KGNB radio, here is an excerpt regarding “Swimming Pools” in Comal ISD Comal County read below
2008-11-19: CISD To Avoid Imminent Domain on GR Land
It looks like the Comal ISD may have reached a settlement with property owners in Garden Ridge, staving off the imminent domain takeover of land on FM 3009 for an elementary school that would replace the aging Comal Elementary school. CISD Superintendent Dr. Marc Walker tells us that they have reached a verbal agreement with the property owner that should keep the imminent domain proceedings from moving forward. The land is located next to the Garden Ridge City Hall, and will offer both the city and the school district extra parking and other infrastructure amenities. (question...... handshake Deal?) In other CISD News: Superintendent Walker also told us that by the end of summer next year, each of the three high schools in the CISD will have their own brand new swimming pool. The money to pay for those pools will come from a large donation by the Vintage Oaks subdivision, plus the sale of land off of 281. Each pool will cost about 300-thousand dollars a piece, and will be half-sized Olympic-style outdoor swimming pools. And finally: Coming up tonight, the CISD School Board meets at 6pm at the CISD Support Services Building. -KGNB News
So much for Comal isd demographics
Question: How much was the donation from Vintage Oaks? Is there a deal in the making regarding school issues?
Are Marc Walker and school board members on a "MORE GOVERNMENT SPENDING" spree, using proceeds from the sale of property off Hwy 281 originally purchased with TAXPAYER money for a future high school?
Has The district now sold the property and is using that money to build swimming pools in all of our high schools? What happened to funding our school programs with all the necessities? What about compensating our good teachers for tutoring our children? What about paying our teachers extra to drive school buses to transport our children to their internship programs? Comal ISD provides programs yet the programs are not fully funded. Why does Comal ISD continue to not care about our children's future? Special Ed,Art, Band, Ready Set Teach programs, Culinary, etc, What about respecting our senior citizens who are on a fixed income?IS it take, take, take with no accountability. ⇒Of course on the issue of new swimming pools for our high schools, school board member Frank Baker
says The board has considered (in numerous open meetings and publicly) that a half-size Olympic pool be built at all three high schools. We are currently getting estimates on them, but we are estimating all three to come in around $500,000. In the boards opinion, this is a small price tag for the benefits we will get from it. Not only will it benefit our students in the form of exercise, competition, etc, we plan to let the public use them in the form of swim classes in the summers. I feel this is long overdue. Districts our size around the state have pools and I feel this is something that will be beneficial to our community. As far as liability, you can bet we will take measures and safeguards to protect the taxpayer's money. As far as 'like educating our children', the district is improving daily and I can promise you our academics are getting more rigorous and our kids are not lacking for things in the classroom. Jan.2009: IS the Johnson Ranch Residential Development Project delayed, again, YET,the Johnson Ranch area CISD elementary school PK-5 project going forward? With the recent downturn in the economy, does Comal ISD need to remain as aggressive in its new building projects? On August 2008: Thomas Bloxham, assistant superintendent of Support Services, provided a construction update on the 13 Bond 2005 projects. Rahe Bulverde Elementary’s renovation has been delayed because the new Johnson Ranch area elementary in Bulverde is getting started later than anticipated. The district was trying to get Johnson Ranch open in August 2008 but was delayed due to city(Bulverde,Tx) and developer issues over the last couple of years. The school will open in August 2009 instead. Once it opens, the district will move a large portion of Rahe Bulverde’s students to the new school (Johnson Ranch) making it safer for RBES to undergo a major renovation.
► Do new Comalisd building projects, lead to underfunding of Curriculum? contact:
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(830)221- 2079
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Assistant Superintendent for Academics and Student Services
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jan2009- Is Comal ISD
building SWIMMìNG POOLS in all of our high schools by the next school year? YES, SAYS Kari Hutchinson, the Comal Independent School District Communications Director.-source: New Braunfels,Tx, KGNB radio;Jan2009 AND.... If comal isd understands they have funding problem, and continue to blame Legislators and the Texas Education Agency, then why aren’t they taking responsiblility by being FRUGAL with taxpayer money?How is this showing good stewardship to the taxpayers?Homeowners are stuggling with the economy. Read more
On August 2008: Thomas Bloxham, assistant superintendent of Support Services, provided a construction update on the 13 Bond 2005 projects. Rahe Bulverde Elementary’s renovation has been delayed because the new Johnson Ranch area elementary in Bulverde is getting started later than anticipated. The district was trying to get Johnson Ranch open in August 2008 but was delayed due to city(Bulverde,Tx) and developer issues over the last couple of years. The school will open in August 2009 instead. Once it opens, the district will move a large portion of Rahe Bulverde’s students to the new school (Johnson Ranch) making it safer for RBES to undergo a major renovation. With the recent downturn in the economy, does Comal ISD need to remain as aggressive in its new building projects?
So much for Comal isd demographics Did Comal ISD Superintendent Marc H.Walker and School Board members make a deal with developers?What are the specifics when spending taxpyers $$$? ⇒ DID Comal ISD make a deal with developers in maintaining the swimming pool in the Johnson Ranch PUBLIC elementary school subdivision (LOCATED IN BULVERDE,TEXAS)?using taxpayer money?
IS Comal ISD superintendent Marc Walker and board members planning another school BOND?YES,says Comal ISD School Board President BILL SWINT. source: KGNB News: New Braunfels, TX Comal County: Schools in Session (Comal ISD)10\08 Were taxpayers told that the SCHOOL BOND included swimming pools in our high schools?NO
Do SCHOOL BONDS also pay for 'certain' athletic facilities? like swimming pools?
Do Superintendents and board members know exactly where to get the voters to vote for school bonds? YES. CAN School Boards vote to use District money$$ to provide additional voting places particularly at the schools? ARE Employees 'encouraged' to vote? YES; Early voting was the largest voter turnout in Comal ISD. Were the majority employees? How much does Comal ISD pay for travel and lodging to conventions when on-line education is available? - IS Comal Independent School District the 'largest" employer in COMAL COUNTY? Are Taxpayers willing to give Comal ISD a BLANK CHECK aka school bond with no accountability? The only oversight,the chosen ones by the superintendent and School Board?
IS it time to send the message to school districts. NO MORE SCHOOL BONDS? as reported in our local newspapers.. January 15, 2009 Comal Independent School District has a “don’t ask , don’t tell” policy?.
Not to be confused with the military policy referred to by the same catch phrase, does CISD continue to support a policy of not telling taxpayers what is happening with their tax money unless specifically asked?
In a recent edition of “Schools In Session” on KGNB radio, CISD Director of Communications Kari Hutchison, in speaking about projects funded by the most recent bond, did not divulge any information about the swimming pool construction planned for the district’s three high schools until asked by host David Ferguson. Even then, no specific information outside the estimated completion date was discussed.
Information provided by a CISD board member reveals that the pool construction is estimated to cost taxpayers $500,000 and will provide “half-size Olympic” pools. One has to wonder if this means that we will be building 50-yard football facilities in the future.
And anyone who has built, or has planned on building, a pool might question what kind of facility can be built for $500,000. And what is the estimate for ongoing maintenance costs?
In searching the CISD Web site, no information regarding the planned construction of swimming pools was found.
With the latest dismal economic forecasts, and Ms. Hutchison’s comment that the CISD fund balance will be “in jeopardy” in the near future, is construction of swimming pools prudent use of taxpayers’ money?More information can be found at www.accesscomalisd.com .
Comal Independent School District
NEWS RELEASE - Contact:Jason Gordon; Release Date: Jan. 19, 2009-
Comal ISD makes excellent on Bond 2008 and Bond 2005 projects
The Comal ISD continues to make excellent progress on construction projects funded through Bonds 2005 and 2008.
Just this year, through Bond 2005, CISD opened brand new Morningside Elementary in southeast New Braunfels and Timberwood Park Elementary in San Antonio last August, and has completed expansion projects at Arlon Seay Elementary, Mountain Valley Middle (formerly Mountain Valley School) and Smithson Valley Middle.
Also through Bond 2005, Johnson Ranch Elementary in Bulverde and Oak Creek Elementary in New Braunfels will open this August, and an elementary in Avery Park subdivision in New Braunfels will open in 2010. In fact, due to strong fiscal Management, both Avery Park Elementary, and a new school at the former site of the Bulverde campus which will become Rahe Bulverde Elementary School, will house K-5 grade students under one roof. These projects that were not in the original Bond 2005 plan but were added, at no additional cost to the taxpayer, through bond savings and interest accrued.
“I can’t say enough about how efficient and thorough our team has been in stretching our bond dollars,” Comal ISD superintendent Dr. Marc Walker said. “It’s because of this effort, and the constant support of our community members and parents, that we are able to continually provide our students with superior learning environments as the Comal ISD continues to grow at a rapid rate.”
Probably the best news coming out of both bond issues — 2005 and 2008 — is that the debt service tax rate paying for the bonds has not gone up. In fact, it’s decreased by 3 cents because of the growth in Comal County and the refinancing of bond debt.
To learn more about the progress with Bond 2005 visit the district’s website at http://www.comalisd.org/Growth/Bond_2005_Status.asp. Updated construction PowerPoints, slide shows, and publications are on the site. The major projects in Bond 2008 involve Smithson Valley High and Canyon High. Expansions at SVHS, including 20 new classrooms, an expanded agriculture department, a new performing arts center, and athletic department upgrades, and CHS, which will have 31 new classrooms, major upgrades in the career and technology and athletic departments, and a new performing arts center, will take several years to complete. Together both projects are budgeted at $75 million.
New competition-sized swimming pools will also be built at all three high schools during their respective expansion projects. (Where are the specifics?) The pools will be built for approximately $325,000 each and will be financed through donations, land sales, and/or bond interest money. Vintage Oaks subdivision has already pledged a donation of at least $200,000. The goal is to have the SVHS and CHS pools open in fall 2009, while the CLHS(canyon lake high school)pool will open at a later date.
Also through Bond 2008, Comal ISD will add new science labs and a library to Canyon Middle, a new cafeteria and science labs to Church Hill Middle, new classrooms and a new wood shop building to Smithson Valley Middle, and new classrooms and an expanded library at Spring Branch Middle.
The cost of these expansions is budgeted at a total of $23 million. Three new elementary schools also will be built thanks to Bond 2008, one off of FM 306 near Canyon Lake, one at the corner of Borgfeld Road and Bulverde Road in San Antonio, and one in the Garden Ridge area. The budget is $16 million per school. Garden Ridge is scheduled to be completed by August 2010, the FM 306 elementary is scheduled to open in 2011, and the Borgfeld Road/Bulverde Road location is tentatively scheduled for completion in August 2013.
Additional Bond 2008 upgrades have decreased the student-to-computer ratio through mobile labs, and will include air conditioning in all elementary and middle school gyms, standardizing all elementary playgrounds, will improve parking at Specht Elementary, will add an agricultural barn at Canyon Lake High, and will provide interactive whiteboards, iPods, document cameras, and
wireless internet connection to all campuses.(IS COMAL ISD “STILL” SAYING THEY ARE PROVIDING OUR CHILDREN WITH TECHNOLOGY?)
199 Main Plaza, New Braunfels, Texas 78130
Phone: 830-620-5569 Fax: 830-608-2026
Is Comal ISD in Comal County, Texas Leasing our school buildings to bring in money for the swimming pools at our three high schools? Superintendent Marc Walker contends that spending money to build new schools is due to growth in the district.? IS Comal Independent School District is the 'largest" employer in COMAL COUNTY?
Do we want extravagant buildings or do we want better education for our children?
Will Comal ISD still have a Balanced Budget after they install the three swimming pools at the high schools? At what cost?
Is it frugal for Comal ISD to build three swimming pools at a time of recession?
Is Comal ISD being fiscally responsible with taxpayer money?
COMAL ISD Superintendent Marc Walker contends that spending money to build new schools is due to growth in the district.? - Then he SAYS that there has NOT been enough growth?
Are our Texas Public School Districts "Sacred"?
Do Public School District Officials have the power over the people to abuse their positions?
When are Texas Public School District Officials going to take 'responsibility' for their actions when it comes to 'not' being Frugal in spending taxpayer money? Isn't teaching our children to be 'responsible citizens ' what we should be doing?Source: New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung newspaper
Apr.2009-source:KGNB news-Did Comal ISD Superintendent Marc Walker (finally) admit to a budget shortfall in the millions for the Comal ISD budget? Is this 'after'quietly planning for swimming pools in our three schools? Did Comal ISD superintendent Marc Walker (finally) admit to NOT notifying the taxpayers about building swimming pools in our three high schools while stumping for the school bond? Did he also admit that the pools are not for competition?
Jan.2010 - Is the fact that Comal ISD is requesting bids for POOL SERVICES an indication that taxpayers will be spending more $$money for pool maintenance? Will Comal ISD still have a BALANCED BUDGET after they finish installing and begin maintaining the three (not-competition size) swimming pools at Canyon Lake High School, Canyon High School, and Smithson Valley High School?
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