Board raises facility rental rates under new law and names combined Lobit campus

The Dickinson ISD board approved updated facility rental rates and approved a recommendation to combine two Lobit campuses under a single elementary-school name.

Mister Boone and district operations staff presented proposed rental-rate adjustments and told the board that new state law (Senate Bill 2986) gives districts more leeway to charge fair-market rates for facility rentals. Staff recommended a commercial rental range of $19 to $42 per square foot (typically including utilities) and adopted a general facility rental rate of roughly $0.06 per square foot (presenters said facility rental rates commonly range from $0.05 to $0.08 per square foot). Staff said increases reflect inflation and higher utility and air-conditioning costs; the new rates would take effect immediately upon board approval.

The board also approved a recommendation to combine Lewis G. Lobit Elementary School and Elvis C. Lobit Middle School into a single campus. District administration recommended the new campus name be Lewis G. and Elvis C. Lobit Elementary School, and the board approved the change for accountability reporting with the Texas Education Agency.

Both actions passed unanimously, and staff were directed to implement the rental schedule and to update campus and accountability records with TEA.