A town hall meeting on the proposed Ector County ISD bond came down to a dispute over where to put the proposed new high school in it and the tax burden for people in West Odessa who feel their voices haven’t been heard.
Lisa Wyman of the political action committee for the bond, Odessans for Education, and Superintendent Scott Muri gave the bond presentation and were peppered with questions by some of the 60 people in attendance at Kellus Turner Park Sheriff’s Annex Wednesday night.
The meeting was hosted by Commissioner Precinct 1 Mike Gardner.
Gardner polled people before the meeting to see if they would vote for the bond and the majority said they would not.
Muri said a demographic study showed the growth was going toward northeast Odessa. West and south Odessa are growing, as well but not as fast.
Shirley Kelley, a 77-year resident of Odessa, said she has put up with no roads and no schools and never did anything about it, but now she is.
Others said some residents had no electricity, no internet and no running water.
Kelley said they have needed a high school for years. Students are bused from early morning to late evening every day.
“That’s a lot of time to be on the bus, especially for our little ones,” Kelley said.
“We have west side elementary schools, but no mention of middle schools or a high school in this area. I feel like my community out here needs some help and some backing,” Kelley said.
Attendees also said there was no West Odessa representatives on the bond committee. There was one, he didn’t feel his voice was being heard.
Tommy Ervin, president of Ector County Utility District, urged people to stand up for West Odessa, register to vote and tell them to put the career and technical education faculty out here.
Wyman and Muri said the committee noted the need for two high schools, two middle schools, one on the east side and one on the west side, and three elementary schools.
Wyman said the needs would have totaled $1 billion.
The presentation showed the district has 32,000 students, 4,200 employees, 62 percent poverty, 78 percent hispanic, 15 percent white and 4 percent African American.
Permian and Odessa High schools have about 4,000 students each and 1,800 in prekindergarten 3 and 4 year olds.
Officials said a new high school would relieve the overcrowding at OHS and PHS.
Muri said ECISD also is leading a ConnectEctor task force to bring affordable high-speed broadband to all families in Ector County.
He said today the district feeds every single child, free of charge and their economic status doesn’t matter.
Muri said the district has seen a 13 percent increase in kindergarten readiness; a 40 point increase in SAT scores, which is 15 points higher than the state; the highest graduation rate in 20 years; the college, career military readiness is at 63 percent, which is above the regional score and equal to the state score.
He said results are happening in ECISD has a lot of work to do, but they are starting to see the fruits of their work.
With the tax ratification election passed in 2018, raises were given to all employees and the starting teacher salary was raised to $57,000.
New school buses were purchased to help replace an aging fleet. Forty-seven new buses were bought in two years.
The TRE also paid for roof repairs and replacements from hail storms in 2016 and 2017 at 27 schools and administrative complexes. The final 3 projects will be bid this semester.
Attendees also wanted to know where the career and technical center was going to be built. Muri said a location has not been chosen.
Next year, CTE will turn 181 welding students away.
The new CTE center would consolidate the current program into one building. Muri said ECISD is doing this in conduction with Odessa College. Adults could also attend at night for reskilling and upskilling.
Those students could also take dual credit courses, earning high school and college credit at the same time.
People also said students from Midland would go to the new high school and are the wealthiest in the area.
There will also be a bond oversight committee to make sure the proceeds are spent the way they were intended.
Those attending also said they thought Midland students would attend the Parks Bell school.
Muri said about 150 Midland County students go to school in ECISD and the money follows the child under state law.
