Construction updates provided at YISD School Board meeting March 10

Construction updates were given at the Yoakum Independent School District meeting March 10.

The first updates included the finalizations for the baseball field.

“We got the backstop and bleacher metal coverings erected,” Weaver and Jacobs Representative Shawn Brandt said. “It’s done, the whole mainframe is up. They were working all day on the backstop net. It should be completed now. It’s pretty big and we’re very happy with how it turned out and how it looked. It’s 31 feet tall to the top of the large, galvanized beam.”

“Everything is pretty much done except the roof. It’s on sight, but with the high winds, they didn’t get the roof panel set. The weather is supposed to be good this week, so it’ll be knocked out. We also filled in all the concrete from the end of the batting cages to the connecting sidewalk to the bleachers. We also added a couple more gates.”

Turfing is also done at the field.

“The baseball field is a lot finer film than the football field,” Brandt said. “It is close to replicate actual grass.”

Storm drainage is also being worked on around the softball field.

Brush is currently being cleared off so the construction workers can get going on the softball field.

The Career and Technology Education (CTE) building and the maintenance building is also coming along.

“We are completely done with the walls on the CTE building, they have been completed,” Brandt said.

He also shared , “Hopefully next week, we will be constructing brick on the outside of the building. We will also have windows installed as well. For the maintenance building, we aim on completing that by the end of May.”

Other items on the agenda include:

• The district ordered the cancellation of the May election. No candidates put their name into the ballot and board member Rodney Svec will be reprising his role.

• Board members approved pay dates for the 2025-26 school year.

• Board members approved an extension of the depository contract with the Yoakum National Bank.

• It was reported the tax assessor collector collected $13.4 million in Maintenance and Operations and $5.9 million in Interest and Sinking.

• There will be a Texas Association of School Board (TASB) leadership workshop for the board members June 12-14.

• A TASB update was given including rules on the use of copyright materials and an update on the gifted and talented handbook.