Nederland Bond

[James Mosley]

Does anyone know what the athletic budget for NISD is?

Yes - $20,000 less than last years budget, or the same amount CARE spent to help our kids. ;D What's your point smitty, I guess CARE thinks we need to cut the athletic budget? Great idea! ??? I can't wait to hear some of the recommendations made by the CARE board spokesperson. I can hear it now, Example being, so you say our maintenance budget runs around $450,000 a year and we need more money in that budget, this is easy, let's cut this budget and that budget, and this salary, and cut this job, let's do away with that program, O.K., now that should do it,  ???What, what was that you said Mr. chairman, we need millions to get that repaired. Man, I guess we need to put together a bond to get us back in shape....

One thing I will agree on is our maintenance budget is way too small to take care of our schools and buildings. But, there is not enough major budget cuts or budget moves which can be made that would help properly fund it. That is what the freaking bond was for.

We are so fortunate that CARE was not around when the Performing Arts Building was done, we wouldn't have it today.

This is gonna be fun keeping up with.

[Bulldog1985]

This debate could go on forever, whether you are for or against. My point is that when you have big money to get out your opinion you will get folks out to vote. I believe the bond should have gone 50/50 if there was even money for the both sides.

And the bond was not DOA before CARE. The election was supposed to be last November, there would have been 50% less voting and the vote for the bonsd would have been very close.

by the way smitty, who cares what the athletic budget is. All school district have a budget for all sport (girls and boys) band, choir, and etc. What do want to cut out programs the are very important for the kids. By the way, there is an average of 5000, to 6000 fans in the stands on Friday night. That brings in dollars to all the programs. Football alone can pay for itself. Most coaches teach classes and then coach sports after school. There are some equipment needs every year, but the booster help with some of that. Friends of soccer raises money. What is your point?

[Titletown2]

I'd like to comment from an outsiders perspective. The next time you all go to a playoff site for any sport, and you look at that schools facilities and say, " Wow, these are first class facilities, I wish we had this, " I hear that at all the playoff games I attend, remember that you had chance to get "first class" facilities and didn't want to spend the money to get it. However, you are not the only ones not willing to spend the money it takes to have top notch facilities, whether it be schools or athletic venues. Orange voters won't approved anything that will improve their athletic facilities. As an educator, it's nice to know that the Nederland voters don't want their kids to have the best possible facilities because they don't want to pay 50 cents per $100 in property taxes. Your purple neighbors stepped up when it was time to improve their facilities.

[KFDM COOP]

Good post!!!

[PURPLE 4EVER]

agree...

It will be hard for the parents of Nederland to explain to their kids why their friends at PN-G are going to new schools and have much better facilities.

As a parent telling your child that you don't have the same thing because you didn't want to pay for it probably won't fly.

As time passses on the repairs and costs for rebuilding will only increase.

[LHS_1989]

It looks like state-wide 74% of bond issues passed even during these economic times.

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[UNLV]

Lumberton is really about to experience some major growth.

[adminbaberuth]

We must revise.

Bond was slam dunk no.

Test scores are great at Nederland.

[KFDM COOP]

It looks like state-wide 74% of bond issues passed even during these economic times.

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Yes they did! Even little ole Palestine.

[James Mosley]

agree...

It will be hard for the parents of Nederland to explain to their kids why their friends at PN-G are going to new schools and have much better facilities.

As a parent telling your child that you don't have the same thing because you didn't want to pay for it probably won't fly.

As time passses on the repairs and costs for rebuilding will only increase.

No need to explain, most young couples moving into this area will start their children in schools like PNG. Remember CARE was doing this for the kids, just so happens it was the kids in the other districts. ;D

[Bulldog1985]

Yep, the test scores are great for now. Just wait until all the good teachers  decide they want to work in a plce with better facilities and they do not have to spend their own money for the students, then the score will go down, attendance will go down and then Lumberton and PNG will be 5A school. Ndedeland will be a spiralling down.

Teachers spend a lot of their own money for their student to have supplies. How many of you know that???? Do you know that there will be a bond just to repair what we have? Taxes are going to up, unless we keep voting down bond proposals. Time is running out, something has to be done.

[Guest Penny]

This will get done, unless there truly is a contingent in this community that wants to see Nederland fail. 

[adminbaberuth]

With our test scores so high, teachers pay no where near our competitors and our buildings in repair it's a little strange the bond went down so bad.

Why and don't say care because i think they had little effect.

[Bulldog1985]

This not a national election where people watch 24 hour news channels and some nationals issues are not affecting voters.

This is small community and when an organization can send news letters, set up a phone tree to call just about every registered voter pushing their agenda, how can you say they did not have an impact? Thousands of dollars were spent to dfeat the proposal with a professional consultant. The message that went out everyone consistanly was VOTE NO! you hear that enough with all the spin, I guarantee you it gets voters out.

Also, all I kept hearing was that 3 million of the 120 million was going for a new press box and turf. If folks do not know why it was in there, that alone can get a lot of NO VOTES! All the no voters probably did not know that the press box is not up to code with the disability act and requires an elevator and bathroom. Did they know that the turf has a quick payout and there are over 60 school games a year. Soccer season is played in the wattest part of the year and the field gets tore up. The new "play safe" turf last twice as long as the older model.

This could go on forever.

[James Mosley]

With our test scores so high, teachers pay no where near our competitors and our buildings in repair it's a little strange the bond went down so bad.

Why and don't say care because i think they had little effect.

CARE group was the biggest reason this bond failed, period. They got their message out to the whole community, they ran a better campaign. I will never agree with them but they did have the biggest impact on why it failed.

[GoBigBlue1997]

I have been mostley a lurker on this thread, just reading peoples opinions for both sides of the issue.  I am amazed at some of the things that have been suggested and the direction that this topic has turned to.  To suggest that we pay our teachers "Less" to help the budget for repairs is crazy to me!  Nobody deserves to make less because the "Tax Payers" do not want to pay for the repairs, upgrades, etc.  I understand that the budget has not bben properly regulated in the past and I believe that we are all at least a little responsible for that either directly or in-directly.  My question is this:  Where are we going to get the money for reairs, new schools, and upgrades if Tax Payers do not pay for it?  Refineries are no longer in Nederland; Our Hospital closed, Businesses have moved across the street and new ones are built on the other side of Hwy 69, so where is the money going to come from?  The school system is all that Nederland has left.  If the school system begins to fail and people begin to move out of Nederland,  this could have some dramatic effects to the community.  When I got married, my wife would not live anywhere except Nederland.  She is from here and was adamant about living here, saying how great a community it was, and how great the schools are for our kids (who we now have 4 & 1), so there was no other place we were going to live.  When she said this weekend that she saw a house in Lumberton that she liked, to say that I was surprised would be a huge understatement.  Because that is where I am from, of course it made me happy, but it was bittersweet.  I have lived in Nederland for six years now and have grown to really like it.  I hope Nederland will do the right thing soon and if you think of it as waiste, at least we are waisting it on our kids and the future of our community.

[smitty]

Is it "who cares" or is it "you don't know?"  My point is:  you probably don't know the answer.  Any wonder this bond failed?!

This debate could go on forever, whether you are for or against. My point is that when you have big money to get out your opinion you will get folks out to vote. I believe the bond should have gone 50/50 if there was even money for the both sides.

And the bond was not DOA before CARE. The election was supposed to be last November, there would have been 50% less voting and the vote for the bonsd would have been very close.

by the way smitty, who cares what the athletic budget is. All school district have a budget for all sport (girls and boys) band, choir, and etc. What do want to cut out programs the are very important for the kids. By the way, there is an average of 5000, to 6000 fans in the stands on Friday night. That brings in dollars to all the programs. Football alone can pay for itself. Most coaches teach classes and then coach sports after school. There are some equipment needs every year, but the booster help with some of that. Friends of soccer raises money. What is your point?

[Let’sGetAlong]

With our test scores so high, teachers pay no where near our competitors and our buildings in repair it's a little strange the bond went down so bad.

Why and don't say care because i think they had little effect.

I don't teach in Nederland but i am aware of their pay. What school district (that teachers want to go teach at) even competes (in this area) with Nederlands pay besides PNG??? LCM is somewhat close but come on now...but I do think Nederland needs new facilities.

[smitty]

Listening to all this post bond analysis, I can tell the pro-bonders haven't learned from the massive defeat.  They are still spouting the talking points.  Talking points, I might add, that got this thing defeated.  The superintendent didn't learn anything from it.  The surviving board member didn't learn anything from it.  Did you see his comments in the PA News?  Appalling!  

So if it comes up again, does anyone really think the results will not be the same with these same arguments on the pro-bonder side?  CARE only exposed the flaws in the bond issue.  This was there right.  But if you think CARE was lying 100% of the time, well, then, keep the same attitudes and bring the bond issue back.  But you also insulted 3,200 of your fellow citizens by saying they fell for CARE's 100% lies.  Gets a little ridiculous when you think about it.  

But as I've said before:  Do you know the definition of insanity?!

[Titletown2]

Voters in S.E.Texas are gonna have to quit getting hung up on the amount spent on athletic facilities as a part of bonds. Football Stadiums, Baseball/Softball Fields, etc., are all part of the school campus and should be considered as such. The Nederland voters were hung up on 3 million dollars for field turf and a pressbox? That's 3 million out of 120.3 million or around 2% of the total bond. That means 98% of the bonds go for new schools and repairs. Why does the bond need reworked. You either want pay for top of the line facilities or you don't. That field turf would pay for itself in time just in the savings from not doing maintaince on the feild. The rising cost of maintaining the old builings you now have should've justified building new ones.

[James Mosley]

Smitty I know the budget for the athletic department, so what is your point?

And yes, I feel confident 3200 got it wrong. And yes, although it was a small percentage of the bond, the football facility upgrades cost us votes, everyone knew that going into the vote. Poor campaign on our part, great campaign on CARE's part. New board members will soon find out and join sides with us pro-bonders. Give it time.

[smitty]

James, my friend, I don't see a figure.

Smitty I know the budget for the athletic department, so what is your point?

[smitty]

Looks like 3,200 people don't agree with you.  Sorry.

Voters in S.E.Texas are gonna have to quit getting hung up on the amount spent on athletic facilities as a part of bonds. Football Stadiums, Baseball/Softball Fields, etc., are all part of the school campus and should be considered as such. The Nederland voters were hung up on 3 million dollars for field turf and a pressbox? That's 3 million out of 120.3 million or around 2% of the total bond. That means 98% of the bonds go for new schools and repairs. Why does the bond need reworked. You either want pay for top of the line facilities or you don't. That field turf would pay for itself in time just in the savings from not doing maintaince on the feild. The rising cost of maintaining the old builings you now have should've justified building new ones.

[Bulldog1985]

Smitty, I never said that CARE lied 100% of the time, it is a campaign. Each side spins the facts to suite their opinion. CARE had the money and a paid consultant to defeat the bond. Why do you think they hired a consultant? They are goingto take everything negative to to defeat the issue. It is a lot easier to sell something negative than something positive. I am not being critical of the 3200 NO VOTERS, that is their right. The information they were force fed was not 100% accurate. Thats why they spent 20g's get their opinion out.

[smitty]

I'm looking for a total figure.

James, my friend, I don't see a figure.

Smitty I know the budget for the athletic department, so what is your point?

I told you 20,000 less than last year. Am I right about that smitty?