Chapel Hill ISD Superintendent Lamond Dean holds a press conference to thank the community for their support of passing the $113.9 million bond.

Chapel Hill ISD is looking to the future and preparing for big projects after voters on Saturday approved a $113.9 million bond package.

“We are extremely grateful to the voters in our community who have come together to invest in the future of the students in our schools,” said Chapel Hill ISD Superintendent Lamond Dean.

The school district held a press conference Monday morning at the Chapel Hill ISD Administration Building to thank the community for their support and discuss next steps.

“We want to give a big thank you to the voters in our community who showed their support of our schools and our students,” Dean said. “We believe that the district’s facilities represent the commitment the community has to its children.”

Chapel Hill voted in favor of each part of the bond package, which included three propositions for various facility improvements.

The unofficial results showed 56.34%, or 1,009, voted in favor of Proposition A, which will provide $94.84 million for a new junior high, new career tech facility and elementary classroom additions; 53.54%, or 954, voted in favor of Proposition B, which will allocate $13.595 million for the construction of a new multipurpose activity center; and 55.16%, or 983, voted in favor of Proposition C, which will provide $5.485 million for a new operations facility.

“The passing of the bonds is a significant achievement for our schools, and we are committed to ensure that these bonds will be used effectively, efficiently to meet the needs of our students and our community,” Dean said.

The district has ensured their commitment to be open and accountable throughout the process.

“We recognize that we have a responsibility to be transparent… and we will work together to ensure the project is completed on time and under budget,” Dean said.

In efforts to keep the community informed, the district will provide updates on the bond website, as well as social media channels with sources such as video, photo galleries and news articles.

They also plan to hold public meetings to discuss progress, as well receive feedback from the community.

Toward the end of the project, the district will offer tours and open houses.

“These actions will help us ensure that the community is kept informed and up-to-date of the bond projects, which is critical in maintaining transparency in the Chapel Hill community throughout the entire process,” Dean said.

The last time a bond measure was passed for Chapel Hill ISD was 16 years ago. In 2022, a $125.24 million package was narrowly rejected. Prior to that, in 2015 another school bond, that time at $45 million, was defeated as the third package in three years to be turned down. Previously, a $21 million bond in November 2014 failed and in May 2013, voters couldn’t get on board with a $31.2 million bond, according to previous reporting from the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Dean credited a “team effort” within the community for the bonds finally passing.

“We knew that there was obviously a need in our community. Our facilities were aging, they were getting older,” he said. “We have a lot of educational opportunities in our district that we provide but have been hindered before truly reach its full potential with the facilities we have.”

Property tax rates will increase by .27 cents, or for a home valued at $100,000, the tax bill is estimated to increase no more than $13.53 per month.

The superintendent and the rest of the school board are understanding of hesitant voters due to the impact on the local economy.

“There’s so much unknown… it makes them uneasy but I think our community will get a chance to see the impact that new facilities and opportunities our students will have,” Dean said.

He said the preliminary work will include spending a few months designing the facilities and hiring contractors, which could take up to six months.

All-in all, it is estimated to take between 18 to 24 months to complete.

“We look forward to getting started on these important projects and continue to provide our students with high quality education,” Dean said.