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Post by Mavchamp on Aug 10, 2022 16:29:06 GMT -6
MISD has announced that they are looking at a possible school bond in the future.
This is a HUGE difference than the big bond of 2016. Prior to that bond.... MISD was in dire need of multiple brand new campuses for grades K-8. It was a HUGE bond. It took twice to get it passed....but it passed.
Now EVERY SINGLE student from Kindergarten to 8th grade in MISD is in a BRAND NEW SCHOOL. There aren't many school districts in Texas at the 5A level that can say that.
The last 4-5 years MISD has invested about $10 million in improvements at the High School, now our oldest facility. New science labs have been installed. Ceiling and floor improvements have been made. A new main entry vestibule/atrium was built.
The Performing Arts Auditorium received an absolutely incredible renovation. Maverick Stadium has gotten several upgrades (restooms, stadium lights, pressbox, new turf, new track, video scoreboard). The Gym got a major renovation. The covered pavilion has been a game changer for multiple sports and other curricular activities. Softball and baseball got upgrades to their facilities. The last project was the new Ag Barn.
SO.... what's left?
Obviously classroom upgrades are on the docket. A new Career and technology building is in talks, having outgrown their current space. The Band and chior areas all need renovations.
But what about athletics? What's left in your opinion?
Practical needs..... and wish list? I'm curious to know what thoughts are out there.
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Post by Mavchamp on Aug 10, 2022 16:43:58 GMT -6
My wish list:
1. New gates/ticket booths/entryways/gates/fences at Maverick Stadium. Something like what we've seen at Rose Stadium's ticket booths. Some wrought iron gates. Some new ticket booths. Maybe a big lighted sign above the East Wall that welcomes people to Maverick Stadium.
2. New concrete from the gates to the stands.... and under the stands.
3. Build a concession area behind the scoreboard.... no more concessions under the stands. Move them behind the West endzone and scoreboard. Jacksonville did it with their renovation and so did Whitehouse. Fantastic idea.
4. New Bleachers on home and away side. Red Stadium chairs. It would be great if we did the entire home side like they did in Longview....but at least do it for sections B, C, and D. But at least new bleachers on both sides.
5. Expand Tennis to 10 courts.
6. Softball and baseball both need real entrances.... like football... with wrought iron. Ticket booths.
7. Baseball.... this is a real wish list. Get rid of the current pressbox and put STANDS behind homeplate. Put the pressbox above those stands. Keep the stands on both baselines...but homeplate stands would be a game changer. Especially if they were covered. RESROOMS. And then the BBQ area... which has become a Maverick mainstay. Finally.... make the dugouts....actually dug out.
8. MISD needs to get the lifecenter pool up and running for the swim team again. Building one on campus would be very expensive. Getting the life center pool up and running again just makes sense. Easy "cheap" fix Vs. building a facility.
There's my wish list. Improbable. But it's my hope.
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Post by Observer on Aug 10, 2022 17:28:17 GMT -6
My wish list: 1. New gates/ticket booths/entryways/gates/fences at Maverick Stadium. Something like what we've seen at Rose Stadium's ticket booths. Some wrought iron gates. Some new ticket booths. Maybe a big lighted sign above the East Wall that welcomes people to Maverick Stadium. 2. New concrete from the gates to the stands.... and under the stands. 3. Build a concession area behind the scoreboard.... no more concessions under the stands. Move them behind the West endzone and scoreboard. Jacksonville did it with their renovation and so did Whitehouse. Fantastic idea. 4. New Bleachers on home and away side. Red Stadium chairs. It would be great if we did the entire home side like they did in Longview....but at least do it for sections B, C, and D. But at least new bleachers on both sides. 5. Expand Tennis to 10 courts. 6. Softball and baseball both need real entrances.... like football... with wrought iron. Ticket booths. 7. Baseball.... this is a real wish list. Get rid of the current pressbox and put STANDS behind homeplate. Put the pressbox above those stands. Keep the stands on both baselines...but homeplate stands would be a game changer. Especially if they were covered. RESROOMS. And then the BBQ area... which has become a Maverick mainstay. Finally.... make the dugouts....actually dug out. 8. MISD needs to get the lifecenter pool up and running for the swim team again. Building one on campus would be very expensive. Getting the life center pool up and running again just makes sense. Easy "cheap" fix Vs. building a facility. There's my wish list. Improbable. But it's my hope. That's a great list. I'd vote for it. But people tend to balk at spending money on athletic facilities. If MISD wants to get MHS completely renovated on a bond, they would be wise not to include any money for athletic facilities. I know people that voted no on the first bond because 5 million was set aside for the stadium. I couldn't believe they would vote no over 5 million dollars out of 225 million. But they certainly did. I'd love to see all those athletic upgrades. But I think it's more important to finish the school first. Maybe consider making one proposition about school renovation and another about athletics. Might be the best chance. It's hard to get athletic bonds passed in East Texas. It took Pine Tree 4-5 times to get their stadium built. I think Gilmer and White Oak failed athletic bonds too. Longview failed a big one last spring by a landslide. Passing a school bond is probably doable. An athletic bond is a longshot. Which is sad considering both are needed. And you are correct about how lucky we are to have new schools for all the other grades. I moved to Marshall in 2018 from a town that every building was almost 70 years old. |
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Post by Mavchamp on Aug 10, 2022 17:48:50 GMT -6
Absolutely agree that finishing the needs at the main school is #1 priority.
I also agree it's hard to pass athletic improvements in this part of the state sadly.
BUT....... a couple of things work in our favor:
1. Bond/Bonds will be MUCH smaller than the one that failed
2. The mantra of the opposition to the first bond was RENOVATE....NOT REPLACE!!!! Well.... that's what they are doing. Renovating MHS....not replacing.
3. The first bond....which was a HUGE bond..... failed by a paper-thin margin. The second bond passed in a landslide victory. That bodes well for a smaller bond.
4. The bond won't raise taxes. In fact... MISD just lowered the tax rate. We can get all this work done without raising taxes.
5. When this is done.... MISD will be set in facilities unless we see some explosive growth....which is not something we are seeing happen by much of anyone in East Texas.
I hope MISD gives it a try. We aren't in the dire straits we were in 7 years ago. We're in a MUCH better place. We have ONE campus needing attention....and it's not a replacement. That's better than trying to replace 8-9 campuses like we were last time.
Here's to hoping it all works out for the best of the students.
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Post by Observer on Aug 10, 2022 18:02:15 GMT -6
They definitely should try. No harm in trying. If it fails, they continue doing what they've been doing and do it a bit at a time. But to be honest, it makes more economic sense just to do it all at once. It would be cheaper in the longrun.
MHS needs attention, but it's not falling apart by any stretch of the imagination. It just needs some TLC. Total opposite of what was wrong with the old MJHS and all those old elementary schools.
There is a lot of pride about all the new schools now. Teachers, students, citizens. Lots to be proud of. But there's definitely more work to be done.
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Post by Mavchamp on Aug 10, 2022 18:06:57 GMT -6
They definitely should try. No harm in trying. If it fails, they continue doing what they've been doing and do it a bit at a time. But to be honest, it makes more economic sense just to do it all at once. It would be cheaper in the longrun. MHS needs attention, but it's not falling apart by any stretch of the imagination. It just needs some TLC. Total opposite of what was wrong with the old MJHS and all those old elementary schools. There is a lot of pride about all the new schools now. Teachers, students, citizens. Lots to be proud of. But there's definitely more work to be done. Agree 100%. I hope they try it. Hope it all passes. Otherwise I need to win the lottery and donate the money to MISD..... lmao |
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Post by Naysayer on Aug 11, 2022 12:03:29 GMT -6
Marshall isd has no interest in making Maverick Stadium one of the top venues in the area. They always low-ball everything and go with the lowest bidder with the worst work.
Renovated the restrooms, but they are still crappy. New stadium lights but the stands are too dark. New pressbox made of siding instead of concrete. Won't powerwash the stands. Wont replace bleachers that are rusting and falling apart. Concessions are a joke. The fences and gates look like they belong on a prison instead of a proud football program. All the improvements are great, but don't every expect anything spectacular to be built by the district. They are cheap.
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Post by Observer on Aug 11, 2022 19:06:24 GMT -6
Marshall isd has no interest in making Maverick Stadium one of the top venues in the area. They always low-ball everything and go with the lowest bidder with the worst work. Renovated the restrooms, but they are still crappy. New stadium lights but the stands are too dark. New pressbox made of siding instead of concrete. Won't powerwash the stands. Wont replace bleachers that are rusting and falling apart. Concessions are a joke. The fences and gates look like they belong on a prison instead of a proud football program. All the improvements are great, but don't every expect anything spectacular to be built by the district. They are cheap. Absolute garbage. The improvements to all the athletic facilities have been great. And there will be more to come. |
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Post by Mavchamp on Aug 12, 2022 15:17:07 GMT -6
Marshall isd has no interest in making Maverick Stadium one of the top venues in the area. They always low-ball everything and go with the lowest bidder with the worst work. Renovated the restrooms, but they are still crappy. New stadium lights but the stands are too dark. New pressbox made of siding instead of concrete. Won't powerwash the stands. Wont replace bleachers that are rusting and falling apart. Concessions are a joke. The fences and gates look like they belong on a prison instead of a proud football program. All the improvements are great, but don't every expect anything spectacular to be built by the district. They are cheap. The school board has done a fantastic job with all the improvements without bond money. We have one of the best baseball, softball, and gyms in the region. Sure....Maverick Stadium still needs some work. It's not done yet. And our new schools are 5 star facilities across the board. MHS will be too when it's finished. Hopefully with a bond. I support MISD 100% |
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