The Harker Heights City Council and the Killeen Independent School District Board of Trustees ill meet for a joint workshop session at 3 p.m. today.
“It has been at least three years since we had a joint meeting,” City Manager Steve Carpenter said. “There are a number of reasons why we need to communicate with each other and let each other know what is going on with each other.”
According to the city agenda the meeting will focus on concerns about transportation facilities, infrastructure, land usage, projected growth, future sites for new school and joint facilities agreements.
“While we have different purposes our operations effect their operations and vice versa,” said Mike Helm, Killeen Independent School District Board of Trustees president.
For instnace if Killeen Independent School District was going to build a school in Harker Heights, it could affect traffic counts, require street improvements and much more, Helm said.
The growth of Harker Heights will be the main issue discussed Carpenter said, but the agenda is broad enough that the two entrities can discuss other issues as well.
“I know our presentation is growing to focus on the growth that we have had and the growth that we have seen coming”, he said.
Killeen Independent School District aims to have the meetings with the other governing entities –Killeen City Council, Nolanville City Council and even the Central Texas College Board of Trustees — as well, so it can stay abreast of their operations, Helm said.
“Both the city and the school district have their own purpose … but having said that it is always better to keep the other parties informed than it is to surprise them,” he said.
Helm said he didn’t foresee any major issues being discussed at the meeting since the district is not currently planning another school in Harker Heights.
“It will probably be mostly good will and some exchange of information,” Helm said.
The workshop meeting will be at the Killeen Independent School District Administration Building, 200 N. W. S. Young Drive in Killeen.
by Mason Canales
Killeen Daily Herald