Bastrop school board members on Thursday will decide whether to call a proposed $85 million bond election for May, just six months after voters turned down a $75 million bond proposal and 13-cent tax ratification election.

"We need to plan for growth," Bastrop schools Superintendent Steve Murray told the board Monday night. "We’re not getting any smaller. We’re not going to get smaller."

School board members were scheduled to consider calling a bond election at a Monday special meeting, where trustees called an election in May for the Place 3 and 4 board seats. Trustees decided to table a decision on calling a bond election until Thursday night, a day before the deadline to call an election.

The proposed $84.7 million bond would address expansions and renovations of school campuses, furnishings, technology, food service equipment, roofing repairs and improvements to extracurricular facilities, according to the proposal.

The bond would raise property taxes by $38.63 annually for a $100,000 home or $90.13 for a home valued at $200,000, according to the school district. The bond would raise property taxes by 5.15 cents per $100 valuation. The existing property tax rate is $1.44 cents per $100 valuation.

"We already told them no," resident Bryan Morrison said on the Advertiser’s Facebook page. "I am going to recommend a state law barring this behavior. If it doesn’t pass the first time, there needs to be at least a couple years before they can try again."

Still, others feel with the school district is in need of campus expansions, repairs and upgrades.

"We’re retired and don’t enjoy paying taxes any more than the next person, but we believe in supporting our schools," resident Linda Piazza said. "Our nation’s future is in our children’s hands."

The proposed bond would add 12 new classrooms, teacher space and a MakerSpace as well as improve flooring, ceiling and lighting in classrooms at Bastrop High School. The $12.7 million expenditure would also improve and renovate other facilities at the campus.

Cedar Creek High School would see the completion of its Phase 2, which would allow classroom expansion and construct a new agriculture facility at a price tag of $10.9 million.

New classrooms would be constructed at Bastrop and Cedar Creek middle schools and the cafeterias would be expanded. Track improvements and turf installation are also proposed at the schools. Improvements to both schools would cost about $11 million.

The Colorado River Collegiate Academy and Genesis campus would be converted into a third middle school and there would be renovations to the academic wing, science building, fine arts and locker rooms, as well as the addition of a competition gym. The improvements are estimated at just over $13 million.

Mina Elementary would see the addition of four new classrooms as it Bastrop Intermediate gets converted into the elementary school, as well as renovations to the main building to make space for kindergarten and first-grade classes. Cedar Creek Intermediate would be converted into the district’s seventh elementary school, with renovations to the main building to make space for kindergarten and first-grade classes. Both proposals are estimated at $6.5 million.

The Gateway school campus, Career Pathway Development and the maintenance facility at Lovers Lane would also see improvements and renovations.

Districtwide furnishings, technology, roofing repairs and food service equipment are estimated at $10 million.

Improvements to extracurricular facilities are estimated at $5.9 million.

Officials will consider whether to call for an $84.7 million bond election or breakdown it down into two proposal: a $78.8 million bond for campus improvements and $5.9 million bond for extracurricular facilities improvements.

Murray said if school board members decide not to call a bond election in May, "we’re going to make it, whatever we’ve got at hand, make it work. That’s what we always do." But he cautioned that it’s important for the district to try and stay ahead of the growth.

In November, voters turned down the $75 million bond by a vote of 54 to 46 percent. Voters also turned down a 13-cent tax by a vote of 64 to 36 percent.

Murray said the bond proposal was increased by about $10 million because the district added new projects that were left out of the November proposal

He said a May election would have less "extraneous factors" felt in the presidential election in November and officials would kick off and educational campaign to better inform voters on the bond proposal.