Beaumont School board members have in their hands a $433 million bond proposal. A community advisory bond committee that has been working on the proposal since last year turned over recommendations to the board after three and a half hours of debate.

After almost a year of trying to come together on what's best for Beaumont schools, the BISD bond committee fulfilled tonight's goal to "get to yes," but not without addressing seven key issues that have plagues the process.

Executive committee members got together with Superintendent Dr. Carrol Thomas over the weekend to identify those seven challenges and come up with solutions for the committee to consider as a whole tonight. Those challenges are rezoning Roy Guess Elementary and Austin Middle schools to Westbrook, what to do with South Park... overcrowding plans, maintenance concerns, sports facility issues, putting together a schedule for building and the overall cost along with how to present it.

Those challenges had solutions that sparked passionate responses including the idea to leave South Park as a historical building only if other property could be found to build a new South Park on, along with concerns over the multi-purpose/sports facility getting passed by voters.

But in the end, the $443 million dollar proposal was recommended to the board with the understanding that those seven challenges be a top priority for trustees.

Select committee members will continue to work with trustees to get that "best dollar value" for the bond and to solve some of the seven challenges presented tonight with the proposed solutions the full committee agreed upon at the meeting. The last day for the district to put the bond on the November ballot is September 9th.