They’re moving dirt around at Farmersville High School.

They have erected fences and are starting to get to work to keep the promise made to Farmersville Independent School District voters who in May 2021 approved a $65 million bond issue to upgrade and expand all four of the campuses within the FISD.

It’s been a slog, with inflation and those dreaded supply chain issues plaguing delivery of construction material needed for project. FISD Superintendent Micheal French reported to the school board that delays and inflation had pushed the construction cost estimates $13 million more than the bond issue had authorized.

The work, though, has begun. French and his FISD administrative team have pledged that the district’s constituents will receive everything they approved when they endorsed the bond issue in 2021, but it might take a little longer to complete the work.

Even though the high school work will be the last job completed, FISD is getting ready to finish work at its three other campuses, in addition to opening a special education office next to the Technology Center the school district opened during the just-completed school year.

“It’s moving along well at Tatum,” said Jason Gomez, deputy FISD superintendent, in explaining the work that is about to finish at the elementary school. He said the contractors hope to have the Tatum task finished by October or November. The bond issue is paying for construction of an office and classroom wing addition. The district also is installing enhanced security features at all campuses, while also upgrading its playground to accommodate children with special needs, Gomez said.

For the full story, see the July 28 issue of The Farmersville Times.