dazed2010

Wow! You find that paragraph to be insulting? There really is no hope for some people.

The content isn't as insulting as the way the author wrote the article...its possibly the worst writing I've ever read.

THE college in College Station is the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, a k a Texas A&M, home of the Aggies

And nothing is more Texas cow townie than Catalena Hatters (203 North Main Street, Bryan; 979-822-3353; www.catalenahats.com), where real cowpokes get their headgear and the place to start going native for the weekend. The rows of hats include pink felt numbers that would have made Annie Oakley proud and classic 10-gallon models that will have you staggering out on Bryan

Not a bad travel article, but it's very superficial. Maybe I'm too suspicious of the NY Times, but they can't write anything about Texas without letting their elitism show through. Why was it necessary to write "you

Wasn't saying it was a suburb of Houston, just that it more resembled a miniature version of a Suburb of Houston than a miniature version of Houston itself.

Your thread title is a bit adversarial. The Texas A&M Health Science Center, which is no longer under the umbrella of Texas A&M University(C.S.), wishes to move off the A&M main campus and create a distinct campus of its own. What better way to do this than to move to a great Bryan location?

Choosing a piece of land adjacent to the campus of Texas A&M will not help them to create the separate identity they are looking for.

I think you're trying to read too much into how I titled the thread...lol...I'm not trying to get fights started, just explain what is happening...and, indeed, Bryan is trying to lure the HSC away from a site in College Station. Whether that's a bad thing or not, I'll leave that for the people who read the story to decide.

-Justin

Isn't this the same Texags.com that started a "supposedly" gang fight rumor at the newly opened Premier theatre back in may?

There pretty good at starting rumors...then again, they're right more than they are wrong, IMHO.

For those that haven't been reading the thread at Tex Ags, now they're saying its Pasado's.

-Justin

A&M center talks tabled by regents

http://www.theeagle.com/stories/092206/am_20060922004.php

By HOLLY HUFFMAN

Eagle Staff Writer

Texas A&M University System regents postponed public talks about the future site of the Health Science Center after hearing a presentation from Bryan city leaders urging the board to move the facility north.

The regents had planned to discuss naming a 150-acre site near the George Bush Presidential Library as the new home for the system's growing Health Science Center. The site was recommended by Health Science Center President Nancy Dickey.

But the item was pulled from the agenda late Thursday, just hours after regents heard a proposal from Bryan Business Council Executive Director Dennis Goehring, who asked the group to consider building the facility in Bryan.

Regent Erle Nye described the city's proposal - which includes an undisclosed Bryan site that the city does not yet own - as "very interesting." But he said it was not what prompted the panel to delay the discussion.

Nye said the item was withdrawn from the agenda because board members had yet to come to a consensus on one site. He said that the meeting was running late, and the agenda had been worded incorrectly, which means regents could have discussed the item but would have been prohibited from taking action on it.

"The city [of Bryan] is very impressive in their approach," Nye said, noting that regents would select a site based on "what is ultimately best for the students, for the university and for the community."

The Health Science Center is planning to double its enrollment, which is why the facility is in need of a new home. Nye, chairman of the regents' buildings and physical plant committee, said the system had been searching for a new location for about nine months and had looked at about six sites during that time.

"Some made news, some didn't," Nye said of the locations.

In May, the regents heard a presentation on three potential sites - the land Dickey is recommending off George Bush Drive, 53 acres off Earl Rudder Freeway South and the 130-acre Bryan Municipal Golf Course.

The city of Bryan offered its golf course as a potential site during its first attempt to lure the A&M facility to Bryan. At the time, Dickey expressed concerns about the site, saying it was in an "economically depressed neighborhood."

Nye said Thursday "at least two or more" sites were under consideration by the Board of Regents. He declined to name them but acknowledged that one location was in Bryan.

Dickey could not be reached late Thursday for comment, but Nye said she appeared interested in the Bryan site.

Goehring said he thought the meeting had gone well for the city and was not surprised to learn regents postponed discussion of the George Bush Drive location.

"For the first time, they had the opportunity to see what we could really offer to the system in terms of acreage and facilities," Goehring said, declining to give further detail on the proposal. "We wanted to present a plan that really complemented what the Health Science Center wanted to do. We have all the same objectives; the only difference is a few feet.

"It is a very good day for the city of Bryan," he said.

Nye said he hoped the regents would make a final decision by the end of the year and stressed the importance of a quality decision over a quick decision. He likened the process to purchasing a house. Buyers looking at several lots compare various aspects, such as the quality of surrounding schools, the property tax rate and neighborhood hazards before making a decision, he said.

The Board of Regents is going through a similar, albeit much more complicated, process as it tries to determine which location is the best fit for the facility. The outcome will affect the Health Science Center for years to come, he said.

"We simply haven't gotten to the point where we're ready to make a decision yet," Nye said. "It's important we get it right."

College Station is becoming less and less dependent on the University for its livelihood.

A&M is turning into a Mini-Houston.

More like a mini-suburb of houston.

-Justin

Watkins accepts Bryan job

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...w_post&f=66

David Watkins will start his new job as Bryan city manager Oct. 30, city officials announced Tuesday.

Watkins, 52, of Auburn, Ala., made the decision after spending two days this week talking with department directors and touring the city. The terms of his contract, including his salary, will be determined at Tuesday's Bryan council meeting.

He was one of more than 200 applicants for the job and was added to a list of four finalists last month. Clearwater, Fla., Assistant City Manager Garry Brumback, manufacturing manager Theo Vaults and Bryan Deputy City Manager Joey Dunn also were considered for the position.

The new city manager has more than 30 years of city government experience, including 19 years as manager of Lenexa, Kan. Watkins replaces Mary Kaye Moore, who retired from Bryan earlier this year. Bryan Texas Utilities Group Manager Kean Register has served in the interim.

Mayor Pro Tem Mark Conlee said he thinks the council found the best fit for the job.

"I think we got really lucky," Conlee said. "We felt like we got a top-notch guy."

Watkins' professional experience set him apart from the other finalists, Councilman Ben Hardeman said.

"We had some other good candidates, but he's really been down the road before," Hardeman said.

Watkins, who is married and has two grown daughters, also was a candidate for city manager in Lawrence, Kan. He was a finalist for assistant city manager posts in College Station, Arlington and McKinney.

"Bryan has some momentum going," he said Tuesday afternoon, when reached for comment at a Houston airport on a return trip to Auburn. "I think I can help them take advantage of that momentum."

He said he's impressed with the caliber of the staff in Bryan.

"A city manager is only as good as his staff," he said. "A manager is a coach, a mentor. I came back to Bryan this week because I wanted to see what talent I'd be working with."

Department directors ought to be empowered to make decisions without constantly consulting with the city manager, Watkins said.

"The world moves too fast now," he said. "There are too many issues to have a choke point where decisions are given a thumbs up or thumbs down. If a manager understands parameters, then that manager should feel free to do what they need to do. I want people who are confident and competent to make decisions."

Watkins said he thought all of the department heads he met were competent and capable.

It's too soon to make judgments about potential organizational restructuring, Watkins said.

"We're all under the microscope," he said. "You really need a good six months to get the lay of the land. Everybody will be coming in at first with a project that they weren't able to get through before. We'll spend some time talking about those things before I make any determinations."

Councilman Jason Bienski said he thinks the council members will have individual meetings with the new manager once he gets settled.

"We'll talk about some of our goals and objectives and visions for the future," Bienski said. "There's plenty to tackle. We'll also be looking to him for his ideas and suggestions."

The councilman added that he thinks Bryan will make progress under Watkins' leadership in areas such as economic development and code enforcement and improving the city's image.

"Only time will tell what lies ahead of us in the job Mr. Watkins will do for the city, but I feel confident in his ability to lead us in the right direction," Bienski said.

Watkins said his priorities include establishing respect with the council, developing a framework with the staff and making himself visible to the public.

"The role of a manager is to provide a strategic overview," he said. "I think a manager should spend a lot of time with the mayor and council working with visioning and communication and making sure they're informed, not about minutiae, but about the things they're going to be asked about in the community."

Do you know exactly where? That intersection is pretty packed right now. I'm curious where it would fit.

No...I'm not sure...

A new circuit city is being built on University near Hwy 6...and the people over at Texags.com are speculating that a Chuy's Mexican restaurant may be coming...

They also seem to think that a new, larger circuit city will force Best Buy to move to a larger location as well....

-Justin

Questions remain on plans for new Bryan high school

http://www.theeagle.com/stories/091706/sch...20060917025.php

By HOLLY HUFFMAN

Eagle Staff Writer

Construction crews have begun groundwork at the site of the future Rudder High School. Bryan school officials armed with shovels even turned some dirt during a formal groundbreaking ceremony last week.

But the process is far from complete, and there is more than just physical construction work lies ahead.

Attendance boundaries must be drawn to divide high school students between Bryan High and its new rival campus. Educators must finalize curricula for the two schools and decide which academic programs and extracurricular activities will be housed at each.

And then there is construction. Architects have drawn plans for the new campus being built on Old Reliance Road just east of the freeway, and site work has begun. But Assistant Superintendent Mike Kristynik said construction companies won't begin bidding on the job until October, and it will be mid-month before trustees select a winner.

The estimated cost is $46.3 million - nearly $4 million more than originally allocated for the project. But with the high cost of diesel fuel and construction materials, even that figure remains fluid until a final contract is signed, Kristynik said.

Despite the unknowns, both Kristynik and Superintendent Mike Cargill say they have every intention of moving forward.

"It is a risk without knowing the total cost," Kristynik said Thursday when asked about preparing the site and holding a ground-breaking ceremony before signing a contract. "I have seen nothing but commitment from Cargill and the board of trustees to get the project done. We're committed to trying to figure out how to make this happen."

Rudder is the largest of three major construction projects - and about a dozen smaller projects - outlined in a 2005 bond package. The other two large projects include a new middle school being built near North Earl Rudder Freeway and Texas Avenue and the rebuilding of Bonham Elementary on land adjacent to its current Wilkes Drive campus.

Bonham is set to open next fall. Rudder and Davila Middle School are expected to open in 2008.

"This is going to be a real key year, setting attendance zones, naming personnel, picking colors and a mascot," Cargill said Friday, moments before he and nine other city and school officials grabbed shiny silver shovels and pushed them into the ground at the Rudder campus. "This will be a very fast and furious year."

Growing the school

Rudder is expected to open with about 750 students - 425 freshmen and 325 sophomores - and grow to its 1,600-student capacity within about eight years, according to Kristynik's projections. That figure includes about 250 seats reserved for students transferring for academic or sports programs. Junior and senior classes will be added each year as the sophomores advance through school, he said.

Those future Rudder High sophomores - now in eighth grade - will be identified this year after attendance zones are drawn and will be considered the inaugural class at the school. They will spend their freshman year at the Bryan High campus but will be separated in their own wing and will be instructed by Rudder teachers and administrators.

Kristynik and Cargill said they will work with that class to determine the colors and mascot for Rudder High.

Cargill said he is excited to move forward with the construction.

"This is a historic day when you stop and think about what this means to our school district," he said during the Friday afternoon groundbreaking. "It is just a wonderful step forward."

What and where

Some decisions already have been made. Rudder High School won't open with a swimming team, Kristynik said, because the swimmers practice at the Bryan Aquatic Center, which is adjacent to Bryan High. The wrestling team will remain at Bryan High because it isn't feasible to have such a small team split between two campuses, he said.

Meanwhile, Viking gymnasts will make the move to Rudder High, where a new gymnasium is being built, Kristynik said

With Rudder blueprints laid out before him, Kristynik pointed to different parts of the school and identified their purpose. There will be three shop areas designated for agriculture science, auto tech and construction trades and four classroom suites - one for each grade level if the board chooses to organize the school that way.

Rudder will offer a comprehensive suite of academic classes and sports teams such as football, baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer and tennis, Kristynik said. It also will house the district's criminal justice and culinary arts programs.

Space also is designated in the blueprints for the Hammond Oliver High School for the Human Sciences, currently located on Memorial Drive. But there are problems to be solved. The program includes juniors and seniors, and when the school first opens, there won't be any junior- or senior-level classes to accommodate them, Kristynik said.

And it remains unclear whether Rudder will have an ROTC program, he said, noting that such programs must be federally approved.

"Right now, it's just labels on paper," Kristynik said, explaining that changes still could be made.

Drawing the lines

Though trustees have not made a final decision, it appears attendance boundaries will be the main determining factor in whether a student attends school at Bryan or Rudder. Lines have yet to be drawn, but Kristynik said he thinks the district likely will be split into north and south zones. Doing so provides two sections that are fairly equal in both population and socio-economic status, he said.

A rezoning committee is expected to be named and begin meeting next month, and Kristynik said he hopes to have new boundary lines drawn before Thanksgiving. Ideally, the district could then hold several public hearings and have the plan adopted by December, Kristynik said.

The new zones would go into effect by fall 2008, which would give parents and educators more than a year to plan for them, he said.

Right now, the district's plan is to provide all students with transportation to either school, Kristynik said. That could be done by picking up students on a particular bus route and then having the bus make stops at both schools, he said.

"All of us want to avoid potential horror stories," Kristynik said. "We want our patrons, our parents and students, to be served, and we want them to be happy with the service we provide them."

I'll say it again, I'm really impressed with how the school board is doing right now. They seem to have thought this through pretty well.

Wrecks highlight need for Texas 6 widening

http://www.theeagle.com/stories/091806/local_20060918003.php

By APRIL AVISON

Eagle Staff Writer

The undivided stretch of Texas 6 that claimed four lives last week was flagged for improvements several years ago, a state transportation official said Sunday.

The Texas Department of Transportation began construction this year on a $100.3 million project to widen about eight miles of roadway from F.M. 159 to the Navasota city limits, encompassing the area where three teens and a Deer Park man were killed in a multi-vehicle accident Friday.

The crash happened when a man driving a Mack truck south on Texas 6 stopped to make a left turn into a construction site, causing a chain-reaction collision involving three vehicles behind him. At least one of the vehicles in the pileup skidded into the northbound lane and collided with an oncoming car. A sixth vehicle, also going north, was able to avoid the fiery wreckage, but crashed into a ditch, according to Department of Public Safety officials.

Bruce Edward King II, 18, of College Station, Bryson Rashad Thompson, 18, of Bryan and Sarah Alexandra Nichols, 17, of Bryan were killed in the wreck, along with Augustin Zermeno Hernandez, 32, of Deer Park.

The driver of the Mack truck, William Grays of Hearne, declined comment Sunday, as did Phillip Murrell of Brenham, who was driving a pickup behind Grays and escaped the wreckage with minor injuries.

When the accident occurred, Grays was turning into a site operated by T.J. Lambrecht Construction, a contractor working on TxDOT's widening project. TxDOT spokesman Bob Colwell said Sunday that the project is ahead of schedule, with a completion date planned in 2011. By the time it's complete, the expansion project will have been talked about for almost a decade, Colwell said. The road eventually will be widened to a four-lane divided thoroughfare with frontage roads.

"We understand that we've had some problems out there," Colwell said. "We really believe once this portion is widened, it will be a lot better. We're very proud of the work the contractor is doing for us."

Until the work is complete, motorists should drive a little slower than the posted 70 mph speed limit along the highway, especially when planning to turn, Colwell said.

"One of the things they could do is signal far in advance and slow down," he said. "Everyone that drives that roadway needs to pay attention and get off the accelerator."

That stretch of highway has a history of deadly accidents.

The drivers of two 18-wheelers died in March at "the exact same spot" where the accident occurred Friday afternoon, South Brazos County Volunteer Fire Chief Emily Staples said.

The tanker trucks were traveling south near the F.M. 2154 intersection when one truck struck the other from behind. Both trucks caught fire, and drivers Clarence Lee Sweed of Washington and Garl W. Roberts of College Station died at the scene.

Visibility is one problem, public safety officials have said. When a driver is coming up over a hill, they may not be able stop in time to avoid rear-ending another vehicle.

Colwell said the state has made attempts to create a safer roadway.

"We have put up changeable message boards, added some turn lanes at different locations and we've got extra law enforcement out there," he said. "We will continue to look at it and see if there are any improvements we need to make.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families."

Staples said she doesn't blame the state for the accidents that have occurred in the area.

"I don't know what else TxDOT can do," Staples said Sunday evening. "They've put up those great, big signs that say 'watch for turning vehicles.' The inside lane is for passing only. That's a law. If people would stay in the outside lane, their chances of having an accident would go down by 70 percent."

Staples said she's not sure how to make people more aware of the danger of driving too fast on the narrow road.

"Most of the people involved in the accidents have traveled that road 100 times," she said. "Everyone knows how dangerous this road is, and until it's completed, it's going to be that way.

"That's why they're fixing it."

She said she hopes the recent publicity about the highway will inspire motorists to use more caution.

"It's been a really horrible weekend for a lot of people," Staples said. "It's taken a toll. I wish that everybody would understand there is not anything that important to get to that it costs a life."

It would be really nice to have a Fry's in town. I wonder if we could support such a monster of an electronics store...

This is something that should have been done a long time ago. It looks like the current school board finally cares more about students than football...this is a new thing for Bryan ISD.

College Station picks development director

http://www.theeagle.com/stories/090806/local_20060908013.php

A Carrollton man was selected Thursday as College Station's new economic development director, touted by the city manager as the man who will lead efforts to recruit new businesses and retain old ones.

David Gwin, community development manager in Carrollton, will start his new job Oct. 2. His salary will be $102,000.

"I think he's going to be a really good fit for the organization and the community," said City Manager Glenn Brown, who selected Gwin from a pool of more than 30 applicants. "His enthusiasm is really contagious."

Gwin, 41, replaces Kim Foutz, who resigned in February to take a job as assistant city manager in Temple.

Gwin has been in Carrollton since 2001, but previously worked as a planner in Arlington and Garland. Brown said that type of experience could be useful in College Station. Gwin has degrees in political science and geography from Oklahoma State University.

"When I looked at what I wanted to accomplish with our economic development department, he was, by far, the best fit," Brown said.

The city manager said Gwin's application stood out from the others because of his experience in community development, a department he'll oversee in College Station. Gwin, a certified planner, also has experience working with business retention programs and attracting retail projects, Brown said.

Gwin designed and implemented a "proactive and aggressive business retention and expansion program" in Carrollton, according to his resume. He also implemented a $2.5 million grant-funded plan to renovate and expand an aging publicly-owned facility into a community service complex, his resume states.

In College Station, the new economic development director will be the lead staff liaison on the city's hotel-convention center project. College Station has tried for almost a decade to partner with a developer to build a hotel-convention center.

Two deals have fallen through over the years, but negotiations are ongoing between the city, hotel developer Drake Leddy and landowner Jack Culpepper. A facility is tentatively planned for a site near University Drive and College Avenue.

"The hotel-convention center will be a new challenge for [Gwin], and he's very excited about it," Brown said. "That's going to be one of his priorities."

Another priority will be hiring an assistant director to replace Charles Wood, who recently accepted a position with the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce in Florida.

Gwin, reached for comment in Carrollton on Thursday, said he believes his experience in economic and community development, urban planning and neighborhood reinvestment will be beneficial to College Station.

Gwin has spent about 14 years in the Dallas metroplex, and said he said he believes there are similarities between Carrollton, which has a population of about 118,000, and College Station, which has about 82,000 residents.

"I'm ecstatic," he said. "I think this is a great opportunity and a great community."

College Station, TxDOT consider Hwy 6 toll roads

http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage...gepublisher.com

Because of construction and subsequent traffic, Highway 6 is being used as a north and south route for local traffic, instead of regional traffic, said Kevin Fogle, transportation planner for the city of College Station.

As a solution, there have been talks about adding toll roads to Highway 6, said Bob Colwell, public information officer of the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT).

"Making toll roads will help us to do projects faster," he said.

Colwell said adding toll roads could happen in the near future, if the public supports the issue.

"We want to do what the public wants," he said.

When it comes to completing construction projects in a timely manner, money is a big problem, Colwell said. Toll roads would help get more money and contribute to the solution, he said.

"The estimated cost of maintaining and constructing road improvement over the next 25 years is $1 billion," Colwell said.

Fogle said money has been an imperative issue in completing construction throughout town.

"We are struggling to find money for road improvement," Fogle said. "We need $40 million just to get caught up."

Not only are city officials looking to add toll roads to Highway 6, but there is also serious consideration of expanding it to six lanes, Fogle said.

"Highway 6 is supposed to be used for regional traffic, but because there is so much traffic inward in town, people use Highway 6 locally as an alternate north and south route," he said.

The city of College Station and TXDOT are working together to find a solution to this problem, Fogle said.

"There are only three north and south routes throughout the city," he said.

In order to complete these alternate routes and fix the current north and south routes, money has to be acquired, Fogle said.

"The Texas Avenue project alone is costing an estimated $17 million," he said.

Fogle said when there is an increased capacity on one road, there is usually a balance, because people will take alternate routes, but with the current problem of lack of alternate routes, traffic flow has stayed congested.

"If we create alternate routes it will improve traffic flow," he said. "If we sit back and not do anything, it will continue to get worse, it is just a waiting game to find the money."

Jason Jarrell, a senior civil engineering major, said money is a factor, but if toll roads are created, then traffic will just be pushed inward into town, because no one would want to use the toll roads.

"Any city you go to, there will be construction and traffic, it's just a fact of life," he said. "But I don't think toll roads are necessarily a good solution to the problem."

Ric Williamson, chair of the Texas Transportation Commission, said, in his letter regarding the strategic plan for 2007-2011, there will have to be options explored through out the state of Texas.

"The Texas transportation system does not meet the needs of our rapidly increasing population," Williamson said. "We believe reducing congestion, improving air quality, enhancing safety, encouraging economic opportunity and preserving the value of our transportation system are goals shared by all Texans - we intend to reach these goals by using every financial option granted to us."

Bryan ISD to Begin Building Rudder High

http://www.theeagle.com/stories/091206/sch...20060912007.php

By HOLLY HUFFMAN

Eagle Staff Writer

Bryan school trustees are moving forward with ground work and paving at Rudder High School despite worries the final price tag for campus construction could be almost $4 million higher than originally planned.

School board members voted Monday to hire Brazos Paving and Brazos Valley Services to begin site construction, which includes grading, drainage work and asphalt and concrete paving. The cost for the work is nearly $4.8 million, district administrators said.

"July of 2008 will be here before we know it," Assistant Superintendent Mike Kristynik said, pointing to the school's estimated completion date and the need to move forward with plans. "We have a lot of work to do."

Building Rudder High School is the largest part of a bond issue that was overwhelmingly passed by voters early last year. The $104 million bond package also calls for a fourth middle school, a rebuilt Bonham Elementary School and renovations at about a dozen campuses.

A groundbreaking ceremony already has been held for the new Bonham campus, which is being built adjacent to its current Wilkes Drive location. It is expected to open in fall 2007.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for Rudder and Davila are upcoming; the high school's is on Friday and the middle school's is later this month. Rudder is being built on Old Reliance Road near North Earl Rudder Freeway while Davila is being constructed near the freeway's intersection with Texas Avenue. Both are expected to open in fall 2008.

Trustees in recent weeks have expressed concern about the construction expense for Davila and Rudder, both of which are expected to cost more than originally thought.

The board last week approved a $21.5 million contract for Davila. That's $4.5 million more than the amount school officials allocated for the project. And while a contract for Rudder has yet to be developed, administrators Monday estimated the project would cost about $46.3 million -or about $3.7 million more than anticipated.

However, Monday's approval of the site construction contracts for Rudder High actually ended up coming in under budget. The $4.8 million project was expected to cost $5.5 million, administrators said.

Blaming increased costs on skyrocketing gas prices, a high demand for construction materials and hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Kristynik told trustees they should move forward with the projects. An attempt to delay plans and return to the drawing board could end up costing more money because of inflation, he explained.

"If we step back and punt who knows? If we delay things a year, will things really come down in price?" he asked trustees. "Even though it's unpleasant, we really don't have a lot of choice."

Meanwhile, Superintendent Mike Cargill pledged that while some projects might be postponed, all bond construction and renovations would be eventually completed - even if the district has to dip into its savings to do so.

Additional bond projects are planned for Milam and Kemp elementary schools, the Carver Early Childhood Center and Long and Rayburn middle schools. Work already has begun at Milam, where the air conditioning system was re-routed this summer to allow for construction of a new classroom wing. Work on the remaining schools is scheduled through 2009.

Cargill said projects that directly affect students - such as construction of new classroom wings at Milam and building work at Carver - would be a higher priority than cosmetic work, such as the new paint and flooring planned for the two middle schools.

Construction bids for the high school will be returned in October, and administrators said Monday they should have a better handle on financial situation facing the district at that time.

School board President David Stasny said he hoped the community would remain patient with the district and stressed that trustees and administrators were simply trying to do what was best for Bryan schools.

"We really hope we can get the word out. We're doing everything we can to do this right," Stasny said.