EPISD Bond 2016
The EPISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted on a citizens- driven recommendation for a bond referendum of $668.7 million.
Here is a look back at how thus unfolded:
2014 a nationally recognized engineering firm visits all 90 plus campuses and reports on facility condition, capacity and data supporting ongoing declining enrollment.
2015 the state-appointed Board of Managers approves a Facilities Modernization Plan.
2016 the elected Trustees hires two architects to validate and prioritize over 30 projects worth $1.2 billion. An 80-person, district-wide Facilities Advisory Committee is formed. The facilitator was chosen due to her successful, transparent work with YISD. The committee visits schools, reviews data and builds consensus for projects totaling $668.7 million. Their recommendation to the Trustees is unanimous.
The EPISD annual operating budget is just under $500 million. The Trustees has demonstrated the ability to drive down costs while driving resources to classrooms. Despite deficits, we have passed two balanced budgets in the last 2 years. Over the last four years we have lost 4400 students (which equates to $26 million in annual operational funds) yet provided two moderate salary increases, increased dual language classes by over 400%, implemented new project-based learning programs in 8 Schools, added 21 new fine arts teachers and placed $12 million in our general reserves.
In 2015-16, 18,000 laptops were successfully distributed to high schoolers and teachers, with the goal of migrating to EPISD teacher-created digital textbooks. [These were the first in the state developed by a public school district.] It saved $2 million in textbook purchases the first year.
The bond recommendation includes capital necessary to expand Laptops to middle schoolers and eliminate additional textbook expenditures. Bond money for technology and other short term assets will have debt terms equal to the life of the asset (e.g., facilities have 30 year debt, buses have 10 year debt and Laptops have 3 year debt).
The bond recommendation includes consolidations that will realize $9 to $18 million per year, every year, in costs associated with operating underutilized schools.
The recommendation also includes capital for school buses to replace many of our buses which have far exceeded their recommended mileage.
The bond recommendation includes money to rebuild or partially rebuild 7 of our 10 high schools. Our schools are on average over 50 years old, and in such poor condition that it has become more cost-efficient to rebuild than remodel.
The state of Texas does not fund for school buildings. Communities must rely on local property taxes. Other Texas cities such as Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio have made similar investments in their legacy, urban school districts. Our teachers and students in El Paso also deserve safe, comfortable and modern learning environments.
The trustees are sensitive to the impact of this investment. The process was fair and impartial. It is time to invest in our schools, our community, and, most importantly, our children.
Dori Fenenbock
President
EPISD
Board of Trustees
elpasospeak 
That’s a very wordy piece, albeit showing a pretty poor grasp of grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. I have to wonder where the lady went to school, and I just hope it was not within the confines of the EPISD. “A nationally recognized engineering firm visits?” Really? Why did those visits take place, again? Architects were hired. At what expense? How were they paid? Laptops were distributed? So what? And, once again, while acknowledging a decrease in enrollment, apparently no thought is given at any time to why it might behoove the District to find ways to offset the concurrent loss of revenue (other than a massive bond issue). Once again, I am so glad I do not live within the boundaries of that District.
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Given the continuing sprawl of the developer-run city, it is not too difficult to see that in a decade or so EPISD will return with a new bond. Maybe all the school districts in the county should be merged? Meantime this familiar line of persuasion – we have to do it for our children – does not change my vote – on behalf of all the El Pasoans who don’t get a “senior citizen” hold and who simply cannot pay more taxes.
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Dori;
This would be easier to trust if the board had not hired Team Mountainstar from City Hall. That act alone says the fix is in, to expect crony deals as campuses are consolidated and surplus property becomes available. And should I even mention the fuzzy math estimates and business cases for these, because that’s what Team Mountainstar is good at.
Get rid of them and then ask us to trust you.
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I agree with our school board president in this post. EPISD schools are in need of repair. The tax increase does not bother me. I’m tired of people fighting about which side of town gets more. Yes Coronado get a lot, but it needs a lot. Plus the last bond had plenty of monies for non-westside schools. This is about facilities need, not dividing up money. Our children need better facilities and we all live in this community together. Some of our beloved schools need to close due to enrollment. Beal and Zavala need to deal with reality and stop fighting. I am also very impressed with Ms. Fenenbock. She is in the community, listening, talking, and leading.
Here is why I’m voting ‘no’. EPISD has not demonstrated ability to manage this size of bond to me. I’m skeptical, because funds from the previous bond remain. Show me a little more solid plan, complete a few high need projects, then show me the result. Also, I don’t like some bond elements like neighborhood internet. I don’t want new athletic facilities at this time. I’m skeptical of the K-8 model and an administrator saying “trust me it will work” doesn’t address my concerns. I’m open to the model, but need thoughtful answers.
I’m sad because with a more thoughtful and modest approach, EPISD could have passed a bond, experienced success, and gone back to voters with positive results. With those results and resulting trust, another bond could be passed. So, if this bond fails, please quickly put together a plan and much smaller bond then come back to me. I want to believe and I want to vote yes, but just can’t at this time.
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I echo the Wizard’s comments. Many of us don’t oppose money for the schools or the taxes. However, this plan is sketchy, and the amount is beyond the capacity of the district to manage. I’m hoping that the voters will vote down this bond and force the district to return with a more humble and more thoughtful proposal. YISD had this experience and it appears to have benefitted the district.
There also are issues with the Superintendent’s management of the district. Multiple first person accounts and my direct observation suggest that, when dissent is present, he ignores criticism or retaliates against the dissenter. This dynamic creates a climate of fear and does not position the district (and the use of the bond funds) for success. I am hoping that the trustees are aware of this dynamic and finding solutions to this obselete management approach. Change may be needed.
Lastly, the hiring of the current district CFO doesn’t pass the smell test. It’s very odd when an appointed manager gets hired for a major district position one year and one day after her term as a manager has ended. Keep in mind, this position was not posted for others to apply. Considering significant public criticism of her performance at city hall, this decision is a major red flag for the financial accounting of bond funds.
I will vote “no” and hope that I’m not alone. I think Brutus will agree …our kids deserve better.
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“It is time to invest in … our children.”
By God, ya know, I KNEW that ‘our children’ ploy would be included somewhere in her diatribe. I ask again, why oh why is it necessary for the school to buy the kids such items as a laptop computer? When it became necessary for my kids to have one, I BOUGHT them (just as I paid for their clothes, food and other necessary items). Entirely too much money is spent for items that are the PARENT’S responsibility, while the parent’s on rely the TAXPAYER to provide for the kids. Ya know, kids are kinda like a shiny new bass boat. Nice to have, but if you can’t afford the cost and the maintenance, then you shouldn’t buy the boat!
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Ms. Fenenbock,
How do you justify your PAC using a misleading photo of a bus that is not an EPISD bus in its advertising? It reinforces the belief that EPISD is not honest in its communications.
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I was going to pose the same question. That is unethical at best.
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And the Kids First of El Paso Video at this link. So the bond is to create jobs for small businesses! Also, a child’s voice is used to say that if you are over 65 your taxes won’t go up. Didn’t mention the Homestead Exemption and doesn’t take into account people who may own more than one property. Watch the video! Then tell us whether this bond is on the up and up. You might have to scroll down to Tuesday when they posted the video. So is it two PACs or one and which one was the one that paid off Mark Smith for the work he did before the Times caught on?
https://www.facebook.com/2016EPISDbond/
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The video is called Vote Yes For Us, El Paso Kids and was posted on October 25. You have to scroll down to that date to see it or click on videos. It looks like it is the second to the last video posted. Go look!
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I just looked at the Facebook Page. It is not the video with the El Paso Rising logo on it. It is the one with the Brown background and two kids at the left jumping. That’s the one that talks about the bond being to create jobs. Be sure to watch them both though.
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Well the endorsement from the El Paso Times was all I needed to confirm my No Vote. They didn’t have a front page picture of it!
Sent from my iPhone
>
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Ms. Fenenbock, Oy Vavoy!
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So nice that Dori Feninbock is so full of hubris she thinks she can feed the BS to the rest of us. I’d like her to explain why she galavants around the nation with the superintendent at her side like a lap dog viewing “programs” to bring back but really spending most of their time drinking and socializing.
Or how about that ridiculous laptop comment? 3/4 of our incoming students didn’t get laptops for 5 weeks due to the mismanagement of funding. Two almost million dollar software programs were not paid on time leaving our teachers without their curriculum and principal’s unable le to evaluate teachers. The Chief Financial Officer was behind that because she is unqualified for the job and it was just gifted to het by the Superintendent who has played the salary hopping game with most of the employees now in his cabinet. He doesn’t even write his own blogs. C’mon…. our kids des we’ve better than this backscratchung self serving people who call us leaders.
Two more things:
1. The bond committee had no choice of the projects. It was a rubber stamp of what the districh already decided. Ask any committee member who was duped into it. Nice try Dori, multiple committee members have conplained of this.
2. The superintendent won’t even attend bond meetings at most of the schools. What commitment is that? He will only attend scripted meetings like the town hall where he can be insulated and let Dori do the talking. Again, nice try Dori. NOT buying this.
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Ms Fenebock, I have been a supporter or your and admire your leadership, however, many voters believe that the bond is simply to large. It appears that you put everything on your wish list in that bond. But there is nothing that shows me that my children will get a better education.
Unlike others who have commented here, the increased taxes are an issue for me and for my parents who have not reached the magic age to get a tax freeze. I hope the bond fails and I hope you will then come back with something more realistic. The only people I know who support the bond are those in the construction, development community and those with household incomes much greater than mine.
I wish you the best in the future, but, please, pare that wish list down.
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It’s presumptuous and wrong of you to suggest that others of us are not affected by increased taxes.
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Property tax increases have a big effect on commercial businesses too not just home owners.
When taxes or utility rates go up so does the cost of living in terms of goods and services, like groceries and medical.
The increase in the cost of living effects everyone including seniors.
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What needs to be done is for the episd community to check out cabreras and the staff that work directly below him, whether salary or hourly and see where the money is spent, before voting for the bond. The district has way too many new jobs and are being filled by people from the el paso times and the city. I’m voting no to the bond. The money needs to go to our children not to pay for top administrators (Carmen Arrieta)……
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Stuart Meyers. A prominent El Paso developer who would benefit greatly from tax considerations from friendly people in city government and gave $25,000 to the El Paso Rising pac is married to Ms. Fenenbock’s sister? Nah. Don’t worry. There’s nothing going on. http://www.elpasoinc.com/magazine/article_a0187f88-6a24-11e6-a1dd-9fcbe7f6db23.html
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Gosh, if by some strange chance EPISD were to locate its new administrative offices downtown, that would coincidentally benefit the new owners of the Camino Real Hotel, who coincidentally are Ms. Fenenbock’s extended family. That would be a mighty convenient place for those out of town visitors to EPISD’s headquarters. But I’m sure that thought hasn’t crossed her mind or the minds of her in-laws.
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I VOTE that all who have or will vote yes for the EPISD bond be the ones, and the only ones. to pay for this.
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