NORMANGEE, Texas — This Saturday, many in the Normangee community will help decide whether or not the city’s school district will move forward with renovations after the issue failed to pass last fall.
In November Normangee ISD tried passing a bond issue to improve parts of their district and it's a measure that the district says failed by 38 votes. It’s something Mark Ruffin, the Normangee ISD Superintendent, said was necessary to bring back up.
“We’re going to take ownership of that and based on the fact that we didn’t communicate it clearly. We didn’t make sure that our stakeholders knew what it was and what it wasn’t," said Ruffin.
Leading his district for several years now, Ruffin said the renovations would increase classes, create more space for the cafeteria and create a new connector to the buildings.
All to help accommodate the growth their district is seeing.
“Normangee ISD is growing, like a lot of school districts around us, like the state of Texas is growing. So creating additional classroom space is important for us," said Ruffin.
The bond, should it be passed, would cost the district just roughly $18,600,000 with a tax rate increase of roughly 10 cents for those in the area.
With their high school, Ruffin said roughly 80 percent of their students are involved in some capacity with agriculture. The bond would expand the size of their AG shop and get ready for a new greenhouse.
“The opportunities that those things provide our kids like getting industry-based certifications, being career ready when you leave here. When you graduate as a Normangee panther," said Ruffin.
At the end of the day though, Ruffin said staying informed and showing up to vote is what’s most important.
“It’s not our job to tell someone how to vote, it’s only our job to make sure they have the information so that they’re voting as their heart pleases," said Ruffin.
As a reminder, this Saturday, May 7 is Election Day.
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