NEDERLAND — Nearly 120 Nederland residents filled the Nederland High School cafeteria this week seeking information about the coming $155.6 million bond election.

The meeting lasted around three hours and concluded with a tour of the high school.

The meeting was the first of seven the Nederland Independent School District will host with hopes of better informing community voters.

According to a district spokesperson, all of the meetings will follow a similar format. Attendees were encouraged to submit questions on note cards, which were picked up throughout the presentation.

NISD Superintendent Robin Perez opened the meeting by talking about the work the Citizens Advisory Committee did over the last seven months to prepare bond proposals. The group, comprised of about 80 members, toured all campuses, talked among themselves and looked at survey data to come up with the proposals.

After the introduction, Decisive Campaigns’ Geoff Tonini joined the discussion via speakerphone to talk about his work with the survey and interpretation of the data.

NISD’s tax consultant and RBC Capital Markets Managing Director Dusty Traylor talked about the impact the bond would have on property taxes.

Members of IBI, the architect company assigned to work on the projects if they pass, spoke about he process of building a new high school.

The final hour was spent answering audience questions, which ranged from “Why did the board decide to go with a new high school over new elementary schools?” to “How much will the architectural group make from the projects?”

Jeff Sadighi said he went to the meeting seeking to be convinced the bond was a good idea, but wasn’t satisfied.

“They set themselves back with me,” he said. “It’s just a shame. I deal with business people. No one in business wants to spend $155 million without knowing exactly what you are going to buy. They just told us we have to pass the bill to find out what’s in it. That didn’t go over so well with Obamacare, so I don’t think it will go over well in Nederland.”

Sadighi said he submitted a question that was not answered.

“It got ignored,” he said. “I asked if the proposed buildings would be compliant with the Green New Deal (a proposed program to address clean-energy jobs and infrastructure as well as the economy as a whole). That could be something that is coming right around the corner.”

Sadighi said he believes in education, but he does not believe the bond is an efficient use of money.

“When I went to school, there were 35 kids in a class,” he said. “My peers are smarter than the peers that come out of school now. I would love to be convinced. Unfortunately, they are going to have to do this again, I think, with a more reasonable approach. If we can meet in this building why would we tear it down?”

Sadighi said he plans to attend other scheduled meetings.

Nick Lagusis, who was involved in the CAC, said he supports the bond even though it didn’t turn out the way he wanted it to.

“I think the meeting was great,” he said. “I think they answered a lot of questions that people were asking. I think there is a lot of false information out there. There is also true information. I understand that there are people out there on fixed incomes. Is this the best bond we could’ve put forward for the taxpayers of Nederland? I can’t say ‘yes,’ and I can’t say ‘no.’”

Lagusis said he believes the CAC could’ve come up with a better bond proposal.

“Who’s to say another one would’ve made everyone happy?” he said. “You’re not going to make everyone happy.

“I’ve been on this thing from the beginning. I still would rather see new elementary schools than a new high school, but I’m not willing to hold the students hostage anymore like we’ve done for the past four years.

“I’m not 100 percent happy with it, but I do support it for the kids. They deserve better.”