From The KMIL  News Room

(CAMERON)  The Cameron School Board reviewed proposed plans for a new high school complex during a special workshop Thursday night in the lobby of Yoe High School.    The estimated cost of the total package is $17.8 million, including engineering fees, miscellaneous costs, furniture, fixtures, equipment and a 2% contingency.  However, with the state cap of 50 cents per $100 valuation for debt service, the district could only issue approximately $11 million in bonds.  Should the district qualify for Instructional Facility Allotment funds, the bond issue could max out at around $15 million.

Trustees agreed to present the proposed information to the public during a town meeting on February 7^th.  The board will then go out to the public for input at various community meetings and events, then bring public opinion back for review at a second town meeting with the time and place to be announced.  Depending on public opinion, trustees are expected to cut back or eliminate some of the proposals within the project to bring the cost down to the approximate $15 million dollar ceiling.   The IFA funds would pay for $4 million, leaving the district’s taxpayers responsible for the remaining $11 million.  That amount would require a 38 cent local tax increase in order to service the debt.  A homeowner who has an $80,000 home, with a $15,000 homestead exemption, would pay an additional $240 per year.     Homeowners 65 and older, would have no tax increase on their homestead.  EDA funding could reduce the local burden almost 20 cents, but those funds won’t be announced until the summer of 2003.

The initial proposal includes the following:

The first town meeting will be held Thursday, February 7^th, at 7 p.m. in the Yoe High Gymnasium.  KMIL will broadcast the meeting live for those who cannot attend.

Thursday's meeting was held in the Yoe High School Lobby in hopes the public would attend and tour the facility.  Only one citizen attended.

Prior to the workshop, the board heard a presentation from Ray Churchman on the implementation plans for a TIF Community Grant project.  Churchman, who is a counselor and technology specialist with Cameron ISD, said the total project cost is $550,586.00, of which $500,000 will be funded by the grant itself.  The grant will finance the construction of a fiber optic ring around Cameron, with high speed internet drops to 21 locations.  

Fiber optic drops will be established at Temple College, Cameron City Hall, Milam County Judge’s Office, Bea’s Kitchen, Cameron Police Department, Cameron ISD, Cameron Chamber of Commerce, Cameron Public Library, Milam County WIC, and the Texas Cooperative Extension Office.  Wireless access will be provided to William’s Trace Apartments, Williams Civic Center, Templo De Alabanza, Cameron Fire Department, Central Texas Hospital, Cameron Head Start, Cameron Housing Authority, Cameron Nursing Home, True Love Baptist Church, St. Monica’s Catholic Church, and the Youth Exposition Building.  The grant will finance 124 computers at the locations with each location providing specified times for public access.