NEWTON, Texas — Voters in Newton County have said yes to a $26.5 million Newton Independent School District bond to pay for improvements at all the district's campuses.
That $26,500,000 bond package, in the form of a 20-cent tax increase, will make the much-needed improvements possible according to district officials.
The bond passed with 1,073 votes, or 54.7%, voting for the bond.
"I'm very excited for our students and our community and I'm excited for the future," Newton ISD superintendent Michelle Barrow told 12News Wednesday morning.
The district will soon be posting a timeline of the upcoming bond projects soon, she added.
It's been 20 years since they've had a bond and upgrading their schools is long overdue Barrow told 12News prior to the election.
"You can look at it like a McDonald's meal a month,” Barrow said more than a month before the election.
With the proposed bond, a home valued at $100,000 would see an increase of $122 a year or $10 a month.
Emilee Gerngross and Bill Simmons are part of a committee that toured the schools and saw the need for renovations.
"As a parent, my most important thing is I want my kids to learn, but I want him to come home to me at the end of the day, and I want them to have long, fruitful lives long after school,” Gerngross said.
In addition to a new building at the high school, the bond will increase security measures.
The elementary school already has an enclosed entrance way or foyer for visitors. When they come in, there’s a separate set of doors they have to be entered into, according to Barry.
“Our middle school campus needs something like that as well. They do not have one and then the high school campus that would be included in the new part of the building,” She said.
The bond will also pay for additional bathrooms at the middle school and renovations in the old high school building, which would be connected to the new building.
“Our air conditioners, a lot of them are like 20-25 years old,” Simmons said. "Constantly working on air conditioners, constantly spending money on something that if you had something new, it wouldn't take near the maintenance and cost the money that's doing right now."
Some of the races to watch in Southeast Texas were the Jefferson County races for Texas State Rep District 22, 317th District Judge, County Judge, County Clerk and Precinct Two Justice of the Peace.
Voters in Newton County had a $26.5 million bond to decide on.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.