Local church helping to prevent suicides: Page 9A
of 2018 t s e B
2018 page1B
FORTCHOICE BEND STAR READER'S AWARDS Readers’ Choice
RESULTS ARE IN
Thank you for voting!
WEDNESDAY • JUNE 27, 2018
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 41 • No. 44
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Six new schools, upgrades, security measures, stronger programs on tap By Theresa D. McClellan THERESA@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
When the Fort Bend ISD asked voters to approve a bond in 2014, they got what they asked for but didn’t ask for what they needed. District officials said that decision left a half million dollars worth of ideas and improvements on the table four years ago. This time, school officials said they will not hold back, which is why voters could be asked to approve a $1.7 billion bond. School leaders say they know a bond that big is going to be a hard sell. For that price tag, voters can expect six new schools, upgrades to the older schools, new security measures, and stronger educational programming to address the rampant growth and edu-
cational disparities in various parts of the district. If the district decides to pursue such a bond, it could cost the owner of a $300,000 home an additional $300 a year. The decision could also mean a jump in taxes and the numbers are still being crunched. During a fiery, six-hour school board meeting on June 8, where some parents expressed distrust of the board and trustees challenged the administration about “bad data,” the administration painted a better picture of the problems of an aging school district as they hammered out more details of the proposed bond which is expected to be ready for board approval in August, in time for a November election. One big change is that the bond will cover six years instead of four. Another change is that the district is up against
a Rubik’s cube of variables, aptly described by Trustee Kristin Tassin. “The number is big and shocking and we will have to raise taxes to support it. It is nothing we want to consider, but it is what we are faced with,” she said. “With property taxes not being able to fully fund education; with state shares declining and (the state) is funding 30 percent; even if we raise your taxes, the state is going to claw back even more than they claw back now,” Tassin said. “They (state officials) are talking about capping tax rates and making it harder to pass bonds and talking about cutting education funding. We are talking about adding safety and security in schools, more personal counselors and we are talking about marshals and needing fencing and personnel to run metal detectors and 86 percent plus goes to salaries and
benefits and only 2 percent is central administration. That is the state we are in,” said Tassin. Administrators painted a dreary picture of the structure of schools with the average age of buildings at 25 years. “We have 20 facilities 37-plus old and 40 over 20 years. We are an aging district with a lot of need out there. If you are going to maintain your assets, you have to invest $320 million,” said Oscar Perez, the district’s chief operations officer. Perez, Steve Bassett, the district’s chief financial officer, and Beth Martinez, chief of staff and strategic planning, gave reports and fielded questions from the board. With proposals to build four new elementary schools, a middle school
SEE BOND, PAGE 8B
Clancy’s The big kaboom! lowers the Skeeters, Star hosting July 4 fireworks, concerts at Constellation Field boom in By Joe Southern Reader’s Choice poll Jay Miller remembers well JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
By Joe Southern JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
The votes have been cast and the ballots tallied and now is the time to reveal the 2018 Fort Bend Star Reader’s Choice Awards. Out of 114 categories, numerous places of business have been recognized by the Star readers as the best at what they do. When it comes to restau ra nts, Clancy’s lowered the boom on the competition. Topping the list with a Sean record-setting Bielstein win in 11 categories was Clancy’s Public House in Richmond. The Irish pub was also a finalist in five more categories. “It was great,” owner Sean Bielstein said of the wins. “I’ve got a great staff and an executive chef I can trust.” Bielstein said his customer base has been loyal and stuck with him through the ups and downs of starting a restaurant a few years ago. “We do our best to take care of our customers and do everything for them,” he said. “Our customer base has stuck with us.” In February Bielstein updated his menu that he called, “a little too Pintresty.” This summer he will make another change. “In August we’re going to have a new brunch buffet that’s going to blow people’s socks off,” he said. Clancy’s won for Best Irish Restaurant, Best Bar, Best Sports Bar, Best Happy Hour, Best Wine Bar, Best Caterer, Best Date Place, Best Hamburger Joint, Best Hot Wings, Best Place to Host a Party, and Best Service. One Reader’s Choice winner finds the owner going out on top, as Ann Sill has retired recently from Ann Moody Sill Dance Studio. “That’s the third time we’ve won it,” Sill said. “I’m very appreciative of the readers who chose us.” The first winner in a new category this year for best pharmacist is Ed’s Pharmacy. “It’s courteous service and being here the last 45 years with the same faces,” said owner Ed Sziy. He said he’s now serving third-generation customers. “We get people from all over the place,” he said. To see the complete list of winners and finalists, be sure to see page 1B in today’s paper. To get the best products and services in Fort Bend County, be sure to visit each of the winners.
the thrill of going to a Fourth of July fireworks show when he was a little kid. Even now the sight of the colorful explosions still brings out the kid in him and he’s probably seen more fireworks displays than the average person. For the past 20 years as a professional baseball executive, he has been lighting up the skies with Friday night fireworks everywhere he’s been. Now in his third season as president of the Sugar Land Skeeters, that means fans can marvel as Constellation Field is lit up after every Friday home game. “Fireworks connect you to family,” he said prior to the show June 15. “What you’ll see tonight is a lot of families (at the ballpark),” he said. Miller uses a company out of Dallas called Pyrotecnico to put on the displays. He has been using them at each Minor League and Major League team he’s been with, including the Texas Rangers. He said he was one of the pioneers of Friday night fireworks and now they’re entertainment staples at baseball parks around the country. “You want people to stay for the whole game and when there’s fireworks after the game, they stay for the whole game,” he said. Miller estimated that between Friday nights, special events, and Independence Day that the Skeeters host 15-20 fireworks shows a year. “The Fourth of July is the biggest show of the year and that will last around 15 to 20 minutes,” he said.
Stephen Lockett, a pyrotechnician with Pyrotecnico, lights off the fireworks June 15 after the Sugar Land Skeeters game at Constellation Field.The baseball club and the Fort Bend Star are teaming up to present the Independence Day show in Sugar Land next Wednesday. (Photo by Joe Southern)
In order to make emergency budget cuts this year, the City of Sugar Land cancelled it’s annual Independence Day celebration. Miller couldn’t let that happen, so the Skeeters teamed up with the Fort Bend Star and will host the 4th Fest on July 4. The team is away that day but the stadium is sure to be full. Gates to Constellation Field open at 4 p.m. and the opening act, the Cory Green Band, will begin performing at 6 p.m. They will be followed by Mike and the Moonpies and the night will close out with a performance from Jason Boland and The
Stragglers and a post-concert fireworks show. “We’re excited about that,” he said. Other attractions at the 4th Fest include a zip line, mechanical bull, a rockclimbing wall, face painting, trampolines, inflatable slides and much more. Vendor booths are available through the Skeeters’ partnership with the Fort Bend Star. For more information and to reserve your vendor space, call 281-690-4200. Setting off fireworks has changed significantly over the years. Although larger displays still use shells fired
If you go:
What: 4th Fest When: Wednesday, July 4, 6-10 p.m. Where: Constellation Field Concerts: Cory Green Band, Mike and the Moonpies , and Jason Boland and The Stragglers. Post-concert fireworks Tickets: Residents must have a Sugar Land water bill to receive up to four free tickets to the event or take advantage of our Sugar Land resident rate at only $7 per ticket for children or adults. Non-Sugar Land residents can purchase tickets at any time through the TDECU box office or at sugarlandskeeters. com. Tickets for children 12-and-under will be $8 and adult tickets will be $10. Parking for the event will be $5 per car. Website: sugarlandskeeters.com
from mortars, the ballpark displays are launched from cases of tubes that are wired together and connected to an electronic control box.
“They’re similar to the boxes that your can get
SEE FIREWORKS, PAGE 10B
School district exploring options to improve safety, security at schools By Theresa D. McClellan THERESA@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Fort Bend ISD is getting serious about safety. Led by FBISD Police Chief Dave Rider, the district has a 40-member committee that includes students, teachers, security experts and two board trustees, Board President Jason Burdine and Board Secretary David Rosenthal. The committee focuses on prevention and preparation first and then response, explained Rider. “No single security measure will solve all the things we want to accomplish. We have a multidisciplinary team,” said Rider, who gave a presentation to the board on all the issues the committee is exploring. They have four more meetings before they present actual recommendations to the board on what is seen as wants and needs. Among the issues the committee is exploring: Staffing: They want to look at increasing personnel to include 11 additional
officers for each feeder pattern in the elementary schools. “To decrease response time to elementary schools and allow secondary emergency staff to remain on campus. They don’t want to pull the middle and high school officers off campus.” Technology: They are exploring some of the recommendations from Gov. Greg Abbott including technology that gives them the ability to identify a threat. For example, if someone has made a threat to the school, they can use facial recognition technology to show when that person arrives on a campus. “We’re looking at giving students and staff an immediate app to report through their cell phone. Facial recognition software is a preventative measure, others are using. If they express a threat, we can find their face and dispatch help immediately,” said Rider. Social Issues: With 76,000 students,
they understand they need a child abuse investigator as they are conducting interviews at least once a day. Security: • Fencing around portable classrooms. Looking at where gates can be locked from outside and have crash bars in use to get out. • Metal detectors and their feasibility, including the time it takes for students to get through them. Ensuring that everyone coming through is screened. • Door locks to secure classrooms. • Student ID badges. The mandatory badges could be bar coded to include additional information for students to use in lunch lines, for library books and maybe carry health information. • Arming staff for personnel already licensed to carry and/or including a school marshal program in place. All of these issues will be thoroughly discussed before recommendations are made to the board. They have four more meetings before they bring their recommendations. “The capital outlay in these 13 to 14 items is $8.6 million in funds. Our next step is for the committee to prioritize
topics. The FBISD staff will come up with plans and add to the master plan. We are seeing architects implement school safety and we want to be a leader in safety and security in Texas,” Rider said. Another piece of the security is community awareness called CRASE training, Civilian Response to an Active Shooter Event that the chief would like to see provided to the community. The chief added that the mental health component is another piece of security and managing threats. Burdine said he is proud of the chief and he feels good about the direction the committee is headed. “I have a few concerns about the metal detectors because they are costly, take a few people to man and students who come to school early before school starts are propping open doors, that’s tough to navigate,” said Burdine. “But when a shooter enters our building, we’ve already lost,” he added. “So whatever we can do; optics, mental health, whatever is needed we will support. Safety first.”