College of the Mainland's $250M bond passes by just four votes

Voters in College of the Mainland's taxing district approved the college's $250 million bond proposal by four votes. The money will go for projects on COM's Texas City campus including renovation and construction of four buildings.

The fate of a $250 million bond proposal for College of the Mainland was determined by four votes.

"It was a nailbiter because it was a lot closer than we anticipated," COM spokeswoman Diane Burkette said Thursday, reflecting on passage of the bond proposition, which was annouced this week once a final vote total was determined after consideration of provision ballots.

The May 6 referendum passed 2,941-2,937, authorizing bond sales to fund construction of four buildings and renovations to existing facilities at the college's Texas City campus.

"On Election Night, we were up by three (votes in favor of the bond), but at the time were told there were outstanding mail-in and provisional ballots; so we had to wait six days later to allow for a certain amount of time," Burkette said.

Of the 13 provisional votes considered for the bond election, one vote, which was in support of the bond proposition, was added to the total.

The package is projected to add $32.72 per year in property taxes on a home in the college's taxing district that is valued at $100,000. The district includes the Dickinson, Hitchcock, La Marque, Santa Fe and Texas City school districts.

Another bond election in the county on May 6 — a $120 million package for Dickinson ISD — was approved with more than 60 percent of support from voters.

The package was part of a master plan to address enrollment growth and accommodate needs in areas including studies related to maritime operations and petrochemical industry, which are significant economic drivers in the region. Bond money will also go to boost expansion to meet training needs in other rapidly growing industries such as healthcare, aerospace/aviation, hospitality and logistics.

The first phase of that master plan was realized with approval of another bond package in 2018 that allowed COM to rebuild half the main campus, add programs and increase enrollment.

It was the first large-scale bond for the college, which was established in 1966.

"Prior to that (2018) bond, we were at a place where we were unable to grow or move or expand or do anything to meet the demands of the growing community," Burkette said. "We were physically out of space, we had no room for classes and couldn't grow and add any new programs. We had buildings with structural issues because of their age and decline. We were basically stuck. That bond breathed new life and gave a second life to this college and this community."

The 2023 COM bond package will fund construction of a 50,000-square-foot, three-story classroom building, a 134,000-square-foot library/classroom building, a 50,000-square-foot public services center and a 20,000-square-foot corporate and continuing education facility.

The COM bond package also will fund infrastructural improvements and demolition of a learning resource center building, college services building, racquetball court and firing range.

"Voters agreed to invest in College of the Mainland, which now allows us to create innovative learning environments, provide new programs to meet our emerging workforce demands and accommodate our growing enrollment," college president Warren Nichols said in a press release.

The major industries in Galveston County include aerospace/aviation, healthcare, petrochemical, transportation and logistics, hospitality, and tourism. COM is the major community college in the region.

"We currently do (education for) two of those industries — petrochemical and healthcare — well at this college," Burkette said. "That means that 60 percent of the workforce and training that is needed in this community cannot be accessed."

"This bond is going to be a game-changer," she said.

This is not the closest election staged in Galveston County.

Dickinson Mayor Sean Skipworth, who won re-election to a second term on May 6 by defeating Kevin Edmonds, won his first election to the office in 2021 when a ping pong ball bearing his name was drawn out of a black top hat after a runoff election between him and Jennifer Lawrence resulted in a tie at 1,010 votes.

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