Trustees reviewed two reports that address critical needs of the district at the regular monthly meeting of the Bullard Independent School Board Monday, March 15.

Jerry Parker presented the district’s Long Range Planning Committee report which highlighted three specific areas within the district, including the Bullard Primary School campus, the Bullard Intermediate School campus and the need for a sports complex.

Parker, who was appointed to chair the Long Range Planning Committee, said the Bullard Primary School campus has several issues, including access, transportation, foundation, sewer, mold, water leaks and electrical problems. He also said the classroom sizes and the restroom facilities are “inadequate,” and that the campus does not present a “good workplace” for the students and hard-working faculty and staff.

“It was not a pretty site,” Parker said. “The situation out there is critical, urgent. It needs a new location, a new building, a new school.”

Parker said some of the buildings at the Bullard Intermediate School campus are “in good shape.” However, the campus also has problems that include electrical issues, the road condition and traffic control is a problem and the campus is spread out too much to provide proper security.

“We need to bring the buildings under one roof, bring the campus together,” he said.

Parker also said the committee recommends construction of a new gymnasium or sports complex at the high school. The gymnasium at the high school, while not that old of a building, is undersize and creates security problems, according to the committee.

The board also approved a contract with BWR, an engineering consultant firm in Tyler. James Cowart, principal senior vice president, civil engineering, and K. Brook Fletcher, project engineer with BWR reported on the traffic issues within the district.

BRW will provide a thorough inspection and study of the traffic flow at each BISD campus. Cowart said it might mean requesting the Texas Department of Transportation install signal lights at specific intersections, such as F.M. 2493 (South Houston Street) and Panther Crossing and at F.M. 344 (West Main Street) and Bullard School Drive. BWR also will study the existing road structure at each campus to determine the optimum traffic flow for private vehicles and school busses picking up and dropping off students.

“We’ve got to do something,” said BISD Board of Trustees President Dr. John Alexander. “We’ve been talking about this for a long time.”

Trustees tabled a proposed agreement with Walch Consulting regarding guidance for a tax redistribution election.