The Eanes Independent School District has issued two formal notices to terminate its contracts with Mr. Jeff Buch, who is operator and partner of both the Westlake Athletic Center (WAC), LLC, and WAQUA, LLC.
Since 2015, Eanes ISD has contracted with Mr. Buch to operate a ground lease for the Westlake Athletic Community Center (WACC). In a unique public-private partnership on district property adjacent to Westlake High School, the plan permitted the construction and operation of the WACC facility for 10 years until January 2026, at which time ownership of the building would transfer to Eanes ISD. The agreement was to provide Eanes ISD students with increased and improved access to multi-purpose facilities for athletics, fine arts and extracurricular programs.
The original contract allows Eanes ISD to cease this relationship should the District need “any or all of the property for educational uses.” Eanes ISD plans to repurpose the current WAAC facility to address a growing need for high school programming in health sciences and career-technical education. This realignment not only matches the district's vision but also creates new opportunities for state funding and strategic partnerships to benefit students and the wider community.
“Some collaborations are only meant to last for a finite amount of time, particularly if they no longer fulfill the expectations or long-term goals of the school district” said Dr. Jeff Arnett, Superintendent of Schools. “Our plan for how these facilities can benefit the Eanes ISD community is underscored by the priorities of providing a safe, clean, well-maintained learning environment, while also generating feasible and reliable revenue opportunities.”
The termination will take effect 270 days from issuance of the notice, at which time the District will reclaim the WACC for educational purposes as an extension of the high school campus and curricula.
Like the WACC contract, Eanes ISD entered into a maintenance and operations agreement with WAQUA, LLC, to manage a new aquatics center built with community support of the 2019 Bond and $4 million of restricted real estate funds.
Unfortunately, the aquatic center has not been managed at a level consistent with the district’s standards for cleanliness and maintenance. Eanes ISD’s documented reasons for termination of the WAQUA agreement, as of Aug. 1, 2025, include:
- Repeated, continuous failure to maintain the facility in a safe, clean and functional condition suitable for public school athletics.
- Failure to properly support District athletics through adequate facility management.
- Noncompliance with local and state safety regulations.
- Lapses in maintaining the safety and security of the facility and its occupants.
- Inadequate staffing and vendor support to fulfill contractual obligations.
- Noncompliance with required financial reporting.
- Breach of the revenue sharing agreement.
Eanes ISD has been in consistent written contact with Mr. Buch on these issues. Since late 2024, Mr. Buch has verbally alluded to inconsistent financial offers contingent on Eanes ISD relinquishing control over all District facility rental management, a condition the District cannot accept given the state of the facilities for which he has been responsible.
“We are committed to being good financial stewards for Eanes ISD and safeguarding the community’s investment in our facilities to meet the evolving educational needs of students,” said James Spradley, Board of Trustees President. “As with all school district properties and partnerships, we must ensure they align with the future of education in Eanes ISD.”
View the termination notices for WACC and WAQUA online. The original agreements for both WACC and WAQUA are also available online.
