With about $14.7 million of Ector County ISD’s $424,263,000 bond spent so far, the Bond Oversight Committee on Tuesday got its quarterly update.
Projects are anticipated to be finished in 2028 and they include everything from a new middle school and career and technical high school to improvements on life and safety items like public address systems, surveillance cameras and bells.
Chief Financial Officer Deborah Ottmers said they still have to sell about $165 million in bonds and plan to do that in August 2025.
Only three of the bond oversight committee members were in attendance along with ECISD Board President Chris Stanley and trustee Tammy Hawkins. Other top officials from the administration, including Interim Superintendent Keeley Boyer, were on hand to lead the meeting and answer questions.
Executive Director of Operations Sam Magallan said the proposed site for the transportation facility includes 35.12 acres of industrial property located at 8860 and 8866 Northwest Loop 338.
It has 20,500 square feet of total office space and 74,500 square feet of total warehouse/shop space, according to the board recap from the Oct. 15 meeting.
Magallan said the current transportation facility sits on 10 acres. He said it is a Weatherford site.
Weatherford plans to move because it found a larger site.
The district is still in negotiations for the property.
Anthony Sorola, associate superintendent of Athletics, Human Capital and Operations, said the asking price is about $5.5 million for the property.
Director of Construction Christopher Bartlett said the district is working with Parkhill architects on the ag farm.
Parkhill has shown them samples of other ag farms they have designed, particularly in Lubbock, but also in Plains.
The budget is $7.5 million.
The PHS auditorium renovation will include the addition of a two-story scene shop.
It is still in the design phase and construction is expected to be complete in May 2026.
The Permian JROTC facility is also still in the design phase with construction expected to be complete in January 2026.
They shoot Air Soft rifles. There will be six firing lanes and a viewing area. The budget is $1.5 million.
The Transition Learning Center has an $8 million budget and it is also in the design phase, but that is expected to end in November. Construction is expected to be complete in December 2026.
The Odessa High and PHS baseball field lights are nearly done.
Bartlett said new risers arrived over the summer and have been set up at Bonham Middle School.
The next set will be ordered soon for Ector Middle School.
Requests for proposals have been made for maintenance items such as general construction, roofing and electrical.
Magallan said requests for proposals have also begun for HVAC, plumbing, asphalt, masonry and fire protection.
Bartlett said they have had to go outside the Permian Basin for bidders, but they are trying to keep it as close to home as possible.
Midland ISD is currently building for a $1 billion bond so there is competition.
Sorola noted that every project has an advisory committee and they have had good participation from parents and community members.
The next bond oversight committee meeting will be in January 2025, but a date has not been set yet.
There will be an update from PBK architects on the middle school and career and technical high school in January.
The bond oversight committee is expected to report to trustees in February or March.
Hawkins said the architects are listening to ECISD stakeholders and that “makes my heart feel good.”
