Commerce ISD making progress on bond projects
Feb. 4—Commerce residents who have driven down State Highway 224 these last few months have probably noticed the construction going on around Commerce High School.
Back in November 2021, Commerce voters approved two bond issues for Commerce ISD, one totaling $62.5 million (for a new middle school, agriculture facility, and several upgrades to the high school's baseball and softball fields) and another amounting to $5.5 million (for a multi-use facility that is to include an artificial turf field for football and marching band practice).
Commerce ISD voters approved the larger bond by a vote of 59.68% to 40.32%. The lesser bond amount passed 55.47% to 44.53%.
In terms of progress on the projects, the Lady Tigers softball team actually began practicing on their new turf field two weeks ago. The district also released a video last week, showing the progress on the roof of its multi-use facility, which will provide shade for the new football practice field. CISD plans to have the multi-use facility ready for use sometime next month.
"The (multi-use) facility will provide a covered area that will allow our students to practice in a safe environment during wet seasons, stormy weather, and in the heat of the summer," Commerce ISD stated in an update. "Currently, our students are squeezed into the gym, spread out in the hallways of the school, or unable to practice at all."
Contractors are also beginning construction of the agricultural facility, which also will house some of the district's vocational programs, such as welding, and they plan to have the building completed by August. Work on a new parking lot for the baseball and softball fields (which will also serve as a marching band practice "grid" in the fall) is also in its early stages.
Although the district broke ground on the new middle school (which will be located directly next to the existing high school) in August, the school is not scheduled to open until Fall 2024.
The district is also in the bidding process for the construction of new restrooms and a new concession area for the baseball and softball fields.
Throughout the process, Commerce ISD has regularly posted updates on the projects and expressing gratitude to voters for approving the bond, which had a property tax impact of about $18.88 per month for a $200,000 home.
"We are still so very thankful to our Tiger community," a post on Commerce ISD's Facebook page said. "Completing building projects with a high inflation rate and higher cost of goods has been a challenge, but it's a challenge that we are grateful to have. Many districts around us wish for these challenges today."
Indeed, bond referendums in many area school districts, including Greenville, Quinlan and Terrell, failed in November 2022. Most recently, the fast-growing Royse City ISD announced plans for an $863 million bond referendum in May.
Passage of the bond referendum for Commerce public schools was not something school officials took for granted.
"Without your faith and trust in us, we would not be building better educational and athletic facilities for our Tigers. Thank you," the district said.
