C.I.S.D. board votes 3-2 to change location of agricultural facility

Student leaders in Canutillo Independent School District’s chapter of Future Farmers of America told ABC-7 they are “incredibly disappointed” after board members voted to change the location of where a controversial multi-purpose agriculture and science facility will be built.

“They’re basically telling us we can’t have what we wanted and we can’t have what we needed in order to be successful in order to have our program,” FFA Chapter Vice President Marissa Cereceres said.

The barn was originally set to be built on a 25 acre plot of land near Gonzalo & Sofia Garcia Elementary School with a price tag of roughly $800,000. During Monday’s meeting, board members voted to have the location moved to a 4 acre plot of land behind Canutillo Middle School. The area used to be a place for agricultural learning.

“All of the facilities there are run down,” FFA Chapter President Patrick Guerrero said. “They’re from the 80’s and 90’s. It’s not something that we can go in there now and be productive using we would have to go through, refurbish everything, tear down buildings.”

According to district records, the vote to build the facility at Garcia Elementary School passed unanimously back in November, with two members choosing not to vote. Board President Blanca Trout voted in favor, along with four other trustees.

However on Monday, the measure to move its location was approved in a vote of 3-2. Trustees Laure Searls and Annette Brigham voted against it. Board President Blanca Trout was one of three who voted in favor. Trout told ABC-7 she was new to the board in November and was not fully informed on the situation, that’s why she later switched her stance on the issue.

“I understand that there is a lot of improvement that needs to be done over there but we have the land, the electricity, we have the water,” Trout said.

Trout said moving the location to Canutillo Middle School can open the door for younger students to possibly use the center as well, as part of the STEM Academy. “We need to think about the future of our children,” Trout said.

She added that some parents she spoke with recommended the move.

However, FFA students say the location is not accommodating to their needs.

“I go through Bosque every morning to get to school and I can tell you those roads get backed up. Those roads are not big enough for a tractor and its farm equipment to go down,” Cereceres said.

Controversy surrounding the facility began a few months ago after some questioned Searls role in the project.

Searls lives just down the road from where it was supposed to be built near Garcia Elementary.

She is also part of the civic group, ‘Save The Valley’, a group aimed at limiting development. At a board meeting, Trustee Armando Rodriguez said he believes Searls pushed for the project to limit development in her neighborhood. Searls has denied the accusation.

Monday, Searls told ABC-7 that was political jargon. He called this recent vote ‘insulting’, and said the focus should be on the heartbroken children and parents.

Trout said the vote was not political.

“All I want is to benefit the kids,” Trout said.

The district said the price tag for the project will somewhat change now that the location has moved, and they are working with the contractor to see what the difference will be.

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