[00:00:03]
[A. CALL TO ORDER: Establish a quorum]
AND WELCOME TO OUR JANUARY 27TH, 2025, REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF THE HAYSCISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES HERE AT THE MEREDITH KELLER BOARDROOM.WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT IS IN ATTENDANCE AND EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU LISTENING ONLINE.
THIS MEETING IS OFFICIALLY CALLED TO ORDER.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL ADJOURN TO A CLOSED SESSION
[B. CLOSED SESSION]
IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551, SUB CHAPTERS D AND E OR TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 418.183F.[C. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION]
GOOD EVENING TO OUR GUESTS THAT HAVE JOINED US WHILE WE WERE IN CLOSED SESSION.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AGAIN TONIGHT, WHETHER YOU'RE IN PERSON OR ONLINE.
THE QUORUM HAS ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED.
WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO OUR PLEDGES LED BY BOARD SECRETARY, VANESSA PETRI.
[D. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO UNITED STATES AND TEXAS FLAGS]
>> YES. LOVE HAVING THE EXTRA VOICES.
THANK YOU, STUDENTS, FOR JOINING US ON THAT.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS GOING TO BE READ BY BOARD PRESIDENT, BYRON SEVERANCE.
[E. MISSION STATEMENT]
>> HAYSCISD MAKES IT 100% POSSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SEVERANCE. TEAM,
[F. SOCIAL CONTRACT]
OUR SOCIAL CONTRACT TONIGHT WILL BE READ BY TRUSTEE COURTNEY RUNKLE.>> THE BOARD WILL SERVE AS DISTRICT AMBASSADORS, ASSUME POSITIVE AND NOBLE INTENTIONS, COLLABORATE AS A TEAM, AND RESPECT THE BODY CORPORATE, PROMOTE DISCUSSION AND VALUE EACH OTHER'S PERSPECTIVES AND BE PROFESSIONAL.
>> THANK YOU, MS. RUNKLE. TEAM THAT TAKE US DOWN TO LETTER G IN OUR AGENDA,
[G. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT]
OUR SUPERINTENDENT REPORT, DR. WRIGHT.>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I JUST HAVE A QUICK UPDATE ON OUR ENROLLMENT IN ATTENDANCE AS I GAVE MY FULL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT AT LAST WEEK'S MEETING.
OUR ENROLLMENT AS OF TODAY IS 24,406 STUDENTS, AND OUR ATTENDANCE IS 93.71%.
>> TEAM, ANY QUESTIONS ON MY LEFT? QUESTIONS ON MY RIGHT? EASY ENOUGH. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD.
SINCE WE HAVE SUCH A FULL HOUSE, WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR PUBLIC FORUM AFTER WE HAVE OUR CAMPUS RECOGNITION IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYBODY.
TEAM, WE'RE ON LETTER I, AGAIN.
[I. CAMPUS RECOGNITION - Blanco Vista Elementary School]
WE'RE EXCITED THAT BLANCO VISTA IS HERE TONIGHT.OUR DEPUTY ACADEMIC OFFICER, MS. MARY NOBLE, IS GOING TO DO THE INTRODUCTIONS.
WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TURN ON THE MIKE THERE.
THERE WE GO. WE WANT PEOPLE ONLINE TO HEAR YOU.
GOOD EVENING, DR. WRIGHT, PRESIDENT VELA, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I AM SO EXCITED TONIGHT TO PRESENT TO YOU MS. LIZETTE SALINAS, PRINCIPAL OF BLANCO VISTA, AND THE STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES OF BLANCO VISTA.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M LIZETTE SALINAS RODRIGUEZ.
I'M THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF BLANCO VISTA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. WRIGHT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR ALLOWING OUR WONDERFUL KIDDOS, OUR STAFF THAT'S IN HERE, AND OUR FAMILY AND OUR FRIENDS TO SHARE JUST A LITTLE SNIPPET ABOUT WHAT BLANCO VISTA IS ABOUT.
HERE WE GO. OUR MISSION AND VISION IS THAT WE GIVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY IN A DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT TO ENSURE ALL OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE MOST OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS, AND TO BE A WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUAL AND THAT THEY START BELIEVING IN THEMSELVES SO THEY THEMSELVES WILL BE LEADERS, NOT ONLY FOR TODAY, BUT TOMORROW AND ALWAYS.
YOU ASK, WHO ARE WE? WE'RE ON 2951 BLANCO VISTA BOULEVARD, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT DECEIVING.
WE JUST ADD ANOTHER FOUR KIDDOS TOMORROW THAT ARE WAITING.
WE DO HAVE LOTS OF BILINGUAL STUDENTS COMING FROM MULTIPLE CAMPUSES.
THEIR HOME CAMPUSES ARE FROM KYLE, TOBIAS,
[00:05:02]
FUENTES, COHEN, AND OVERFLOW PRE K BILINGUAL STUDENTS.WE HAVE 328 STUDENTS, BUT WE INVITE EVERY STUDENT WITH AN OPEN HEART AND READY TO TEACH THEM ALL ABOUT EACH OTHER AND ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO BE AT SCHOOL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR ATTENDANCE IS 95.61, WHICH IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT FROM THE YEARS PAST.
THANK YOU FAMILIES FOR BRINGING OUR KIDDOS TO SCHOOL.
MY BELIEF IS WORK HARD AND YOU CAN PLAY.
WE HAVE A BALANCE OF LOTS OF FUN ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES FOR OUR KIDDOS, OUR STAFF, AND THAT HAS REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO OUR 95.6% IN ATTENDANCE.
OUR PLC. WE SAID, HOW ARE THE KIDS DOING IN SCHOOL? WHAT ARE WE DOING? OUR TEACHERS ARE PHENOMENAL.
EVERY TUESDAY, WE HAVE OUR PLCS.
YOU CAN SEE OUR CALENDAR, WE PLAN IT OUT, AND OUR TEACHERS ARE THE DRIVERS OF WHAT HAPPENS.
THEY TRULY LOOK AT THEIR DATA, WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT IS NOT WORKING, HAVING CONVERSATIONS.
BESIDES THAT TUESDAY CONVERSATION THAT THEY HAVE, IT LEADS ON TO OUR THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE STAFF MEETINGS.
WE HAVE CONTINUOUS GROWING AND LEARNING WHERE THEY BRING WORK EXAMPLES AND THEY LEARN AND GROW FROM EACH OTHER.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN SEE IN THE POWERPOINT, ONE OF OUR, I CALL IT CHALUPAS AND CHATS.
WE'RE HAVING LUNCH AND WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR KIDDOS, WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER, AFTER SCHOOL TRAINING.
OUR PLC, WHICH IS OUR 15-DAY CHALLENGE, TYPE A, SO WE COLOR CODED LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE KNOW EXACTLY WHEN OUR ASSESSMENTS ARE, WHEN OUR CBAS ARE, AND THEY TRULY HAVE EMBRACED THAT 15 DAY-CHALLENGE AND HAVE TAKEN OFF FROM PRE K ALL THE WAY TO FIFTH GRADE, AND OUR TEACHERS HAVE TRULY APPRECIATED THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DOING THE PLC.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TEACHERS TO HAVE THAT. THANK YOU.
ALSO, TOO TO HELP OUR BILINGUAL STUDENTS WHO HAVE TO TAKE TOPAZ, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE EMBEDDED ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES AND STATIONS.
THE FUN PART. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE CHALLENGE OF BEING PRINCIPAL, AND I HAVE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT THIS FOR MANY YEARS AND WILL MAKE FULL CIRCLE THE SONG THAT OUR KIDS WILL BE SINGING LATER ON, IS THAT EVERY STUDENT AT BLANCO VISTA HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CLUBS BECAUSE SO MANY OF OUR KIDS HAVE TO GET ON THE BUS AT 5:30 TO COME TO OUR SCHOOL.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE 804 STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME PARTICIPATE IN THE CLUB.
IT WAS FROM DEBATE CLUBS TO OUR KINDERGARTNERS HAVING A COOKING CLUB, THE [INAUDIBLE] CLUB, THE BIKES THAT WERE DONATED FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE HAD THE CHESS CLUB.
WE HAD KARAOKE, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT CLUBS, AND EVERY STUDENT AND EVERY STAFF MEMBER WAS IN CHARGE OF A DIFFERENT CLUB.
IT MADE MY HEART SO SO HAPPY TO SEE ALL THOSE KIDS.
THEY HAD SOCCER. WE HAD DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMING INTO THE SOCCER AND DOING THINGS.
WE HAD BASKETBALL THIS SEASON.
EVERY STUDENT ON EVERY OTHER FRIDAY, WE HAVE CLUBS.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT BEING 100% HAYS BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES.
HAVING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ON FRIDAYS EVERY OTHER WEEK REALLY MOTIVATES THEM TO COMING TO SCHOOL.
I HAVE THIS THING CALLED SOS, SAVE ONE STUDENT.
WE HAVE DESIGNATED OVER 86 STUDENTS ON OUR CAMPUS, AND EVERY STAFF MEMBER, EVERY LUNCH MONITOR, CUSTODIAN, HAS BEEN PAIRED UP WITH A STUDENT.
EVERY MONTH THERE'S A DIFFERENT FOCUS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER WAS JUST GETTING TO KNOW THE KIDDOS, AND SIMPLE CONVERSATIONS WERE CAMI IS ENJOYING MANY DIFFERENT MULTIPLICATION AND JUST DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS.
STUDENT B, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM WITH, MATH WAS THE FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER? THEN THIS MONTH FOR JANUARY, EACH STUDENT HAS OPPORTUNITY TO SET GOALS AND SO FORTH.
SOS, SAVING ONE STUDENT AT A TIME, OUR PBIS, OUR RAW BOARDS, WITH OUR MERGE ENTRY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S VERY COLORFUL PLAYGROUND.
BECAUSE WHEN I GOT HERE FIVE YEARS AGO TO BLANCO VISTA, I KEPT SAYING, WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THAT SPACE? RIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED, SOME PARENTS AND MYSELF AND SOME SPECIAL ERA TEACHERS GOT TOGETHER AND WE PAINTED, AS I CALL IT OLD SCHOOL GAMES, I HOPSCOTCH, TWISTER, FOUR SQUARES, JUST DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT'S NOT NORMALLY WHAT THE KIDDOS ARE NORMALLY GOING NOWADAYS.
[00:10:05]
STAFF HIGHLIGHTS. EVERY WEEK, WE DO BVES TEA, IT'S TEACHING, ENGAGING ACTIVITIES.EVERY FRIDAY, WE SEND OUT A ROLL.
WE TAKE DIFFERENT SNIPPETS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM SO THEY CAN SEE THAT.
WE CELEBRATE EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN.
I WANT TO SAY THAT 98% OF OUR TEACHERS ARE TEA DESTINATION.
THAT MEANS ONLY THREE OF OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT, AND THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NEW TO OUR CAMPUS.
I'M EXTREMELY PROUD THAT THE HARD WORK IS TRULY PAYING OFF, AND THERE'S SOME GETTING COMPENSATED.
I'M SO PROUD OF OUR STAFF FOR ALWAYS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND. IN RETURN.
WE DID SPIRIT WEEK IN OCTOBER, WHERE THE KID'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY ARE YOU DRESSING IN ALL MIXED UP COLORS AND WHY ARE YOU WEARING ALL BLACK AND WHY ARE YOU CARRYING THAT NOT SUCH A CUP ANYMORE? REALLY TRY TO BRING LIFE TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE I KNOW WE COMING DAYS KIND OF CHALLENGING SOMETIMES BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF OBSTACLES, BUT ANYWAY, TRY TO MAKE LIFE FUN.
WE HAVE LITTLE GAMES ARE GOING ON IN THE GYM.
TRY TO GET EVERYBODY ALL TOGETHER ACROSS WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT, DRESS UP DAYS, MULTICULTURAL ACTIVITIES.
THEN IN JANUARY, BECAUSE I LOVE SPORTS IS [INAUDIBLE].
WE GOT TOGETHER, AND IN HERE IS EVERYBODY'S GOAL THAT THEY PUT FOR THIS YEAR.
SPECIFICALLY, WE READ THEM OUT COMING AT OUR NEXT PLC.
HOW CLOSE ARE WE GETTING TO REACH THOSE GOALS? IT'S LIKE RUNNING THE MARATHON.
WHERE ARE WE AT TO ACHIEVING OUR GOALS? SCHOOL CELEBRATIONS.
WE DID LOTS OF FUN SCHOOL SCHOOL CELEBRATION, BUT ONE, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, TWO THINGS IS THAT WE DID OUR FIRST HISPANIC HERITAGE MARKET DAY WHERE THE KIDDOS, THEY WENT AND LEARNED ABOUT DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT FOODS, DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THEY GOT TO PURCHASE THINGS.
WE HAD [INAUDIBLE] WE HAD OUR MATH INTERACTIVE BOARD THAT WAS GOING ON THAT CHANGES EVERY NINE WEEKS.
THEN OUR STUDENT COUNCIL HAD A FOOD DRIVE, AND THEN IN OCTOBER, WE DID IN SOCKTOBER, AND WE DONATED 114 SOCKS TO OUR HAYS CLOSET.
VERY PROUD OF OUR WINNING FOURTH GRADE CLASS THAT WON AND CONTRIBUTED A LOT OF THOSE SOCKS.
WHILE YOU'RE REALLY HERE IS TO HEAR IT FROM A STUDENT'S POINT OF VIEW, SO LET'S TAKE IT AWAY. COME ON, KIDDOS.
>> HELLO MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
MY TEACHER'S NAME IS MS. MIEZEL [PHONETIC].
MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT BLANCO VISTA ARE THE TEACHERS AND SCIENCE BECAUSE THEY MAKE ME FEEL SMART.
>> MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. I'M 5-YEARS-OLD.
MY TEACHER IS MS. MERKISEN [PHONETIC], AND I LIKE TO PLAY OUTSIDE AND READ.
MY TEACHER IS MS. STELE [PHONETIC].
I LIKE ABOUT BLANCO VISTA IS SPECIALS BECAUSE IT'S FUN.
MY TEACHER IS MS. STELE, AND MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT BLANCO VISTA IS MATH BECAUSE I LIKE NUMBERS.
MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT BLANCO VISTA IS LEGO CLUBS BECAUSE I GET TO BUILD.
>> HI. MY NAME IS DAVID SUTTON.
I'M IN FIFTH GRADE IN MS. MAG MADEL'S CLASS.
BLANCO VISTA IS SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE MY TEACHERS MAKE LEARNING FUN.
[00:15:01]
MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT BLANCO VISTA IS ALL THE EVENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE ENJOYABLE FOR EVERY GRADE LEVEL, AND THEY ARE VERY FUN, AND SOME OF THEM ARE COMPETITIVE.THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE WHY BLANCO VISTA IS SPECIAL TO ME.
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS TESARNA [PHONETIC], AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE IN MS. MAG MADEL'S CLASS.
MY SCHOOL IS SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE SINCE I'VE STARTED KINDERGARTEN AT BLANCO VISTA, I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM MY PREVIOUS AND CURRENT TEACHERS.
MY FAVORITE CLASS IS ART CLASS BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL HAPPY.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE WHY BEING A WILDCAT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS ALEXANDRA CARTER.
I'M IN FIFTH GRADE IN MS. HORTON'S CLASS.
EVER SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE, IT HAS BEEN VERY FUN TO ENJOY ALL THE INCREDIBLE MOMENTS AT THE SCHOOL.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON OUR SERVICE PROJECTS.
WE HAVE DONE OUR CANNED FOOD DRIVE, PACKS FOR HOPE, AND ANIMAL SHELTER DONATIONS.
WE HAVE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN HELPING HANDS, GRANDPARENTS DAY, VETERANS PROGRAM, AND PANCAKES WITH SANTA.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MANY OTHER EVENTS IN THE FUTURE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LESSI ARISA, AND I AM IN FIFTH GRADE IN MR. STEPHY'S CLASS.
MY SCHOOL IS SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE OF THE TEACHERS AND MY FRIENDS.
MY TEACHERS MAKE LEARNING FUN.
MY FAVORITE THING IS THE AWARD CEREMONIES BECAUSE I LOVE TO SEE WHAT I ACCOMPLISH.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE WHAT BEING A WILDCAT MEANS TO ME.
HEARING IT STRAIGHT FROM THE KIDDOS.
HERE, I'M GOING TO LEAVE OVER TO MS. MOORE, OUR FABULOUS MUSIC TEACHER.
I TRULY BELIEVE IN FINE ARTS, STARTING THEM YOUNG AND KEEP THEM GOING BECAUSE IT'S A DEVELOP WELL ROUNDED INDIVIDUAL. [BACKGROUND]
>> WHEN YOU CRY BE SURE TO DRY YOUR EYE, BECAUSE BETTER DAYS ARE SURE TO COME, AND BETTER DAYS ARE SURE TO COME, DON'T LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVE WON, AND WHEN YOU WALK, WALK WITH PRIDE, DON'T SHOW THE THE HURT INSIDE, BECAUSE THE PAIN WILL SOON BE GONE, AND WHEN YOU DREAM, DREAM BIG, AS BIG AS THE OCEAN BLUE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU DREAM IT MIGHT COME TRUE, WHEN YOU DREAM, DREAM BIG, WHEN YOU LAUGH BE SURE TO LAUGH OUT LOUD, BECAUSE IT'LL CARRY ALL YOUR CARES AWAY, AND WHEN YOU SEE, SEE THE BEAUTY ALL AROUND AND IN YOURSELF, YOU SEE ALL YOURSELF, IT WILL HELP YOU FEEL OKAY, AND WHEN YOU PRAY, PRAY FOR STRENGTH TO HELP YOU CARRY ON WHEN THE TROUBLES COME YOUR WAY, AND WHEN YOU DREAM, DREAM BIG,
[00:20:02]
AS BIG AS THE OCEAN BLUE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU DREAM IT MIGHT COME TRUE, WHEN YOU DREAM, DREAM BIG.DREAM. DREAM. WHEN YOU LAUGH BE SURE TO LAUGH OUT LOUD BECAUSE IT WILL CARRY ALL YOUR CARES AWAY.
WHEN YOU SEE, SEE THE BEAUTY ALL AROUND AND IN YOURSELF, AND IT'LL HELP YOU FEEL OKAY, WHEN YOU PRAY, PRAY FOR STRENGTH TO HELP YOU CARRY ON WHEN THE TROUBLES COME YOUR WAY, WHEN YOU DREAM, DREAM BIG, AS BIG AS THE OCEAN BLUE , BECAUSE WHEN YOU DREAM IT MIGHT COME TRUE, WHEN YOU DREAM, DREAM BIG. [APPLAUSE]
>> A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR FABULOUS WILDCAT CHOIR.
THANK YOU, MS. MOORE. MS. HILL, AND MS. AUDITORY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, PARENTS FOR COMING AND SUPPORTING OUR WILDCATS AND OUR TEACHERS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING, AND IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. [BACKGROUND]
>> YOU GUYS MIGHT COME BACK OVER HERE. I THINK IT REAL EASY.
[00:25:13]
>> WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT? WE ARE NOT QUITE DONE WITH BLANCO VISTA.
IF YOU'RE STILL AROUND, WE'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY GIVE THE BOARD A CHANCE TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS, OR I KNOW WE'LL DEFINITELY ALL MAKE COMMENTS.
I'LL START ON MY LEFT, MR. SEIBEL.
>> FIRST. GREAT. MS. SALINAS, IT'S JUST SO WONDERFUL TO SEE THIS AS A FAVORITE THING TO DO.
I KNOW WE SAY THAT EVERY TIME BUT I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ACTUALLY SEEING YOUR SHOWCASE AND GETTING TO THE NITTY GRITTY STUFF ABOUT HOW WE'RE IMPROVING THE SCHOOL AND YOU'RE DOING SO MANY GREAT THINGS.
JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU SAID UP THERE, SAVE ONE STUDENT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, OF COURSE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON ACADEMICS, AND GROWTH, AND MAKING SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR LIFE AFTERWARDS, BUT JUST THE LOVE AND CARE THAT YOU HAVE FOR EACH ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS ON CAMPUS IS EVIDENT.
98% OF YOUR STAFF TIA RECOGNIZED.
FOR EVERYBODY OUT THERE, YEAH.
WHAT A HUGE THING, NOT JUST FOR YOUR STAFF, BECAUSE THEY'VE OBVIOUSLY SHOWN THE GROWTH THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING FOR THE STUDENTS, BUT JUST ALSO FOR YOUR PARENTS WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL GROUP OF TEACHERS THAT YOU GET TO HAVE EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN, AND IT'S JUST SUCH A BLESSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE.
I'LL JUST SAY PERSONALLY, I LOVE ALL THE STUDENTS THAT JUST MATH SCIENCE, A LOT, A LOT OF THOSE, AND WE SAW SOME GREAT MATH SCIENCE SCORES WHEN YOU PRESENT A SHOWCASE AS WELL, BUT THEN OBVIOUSLY, THEIR WRITING ABILITY IS UP THERE, TOO.
WRITING AND PREPARING THEMSELVES FOR SPEAKING IN FRONT OF US IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO FOR ANYBODY, LET ALONE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, SO JUST APPLAUD YOU AND ALL YOUR EFFORTS AND JUST KEEP GOING. IT'S A GREAT JOB.
>> YES. THANK YOU. BLANCO VISTA HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN AMAZING PLACE.
OVER 16 YEARS, IT'S BEEN AMAZING.
THE CULTURE IS FANTASTIC, AND YOU ARE GROWING YOUR STAFF AND YOUR STUDENTS, AND THAT IS AMAZING, AND THE CULTURE THERE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO SEE JUST THE POSITIVITY THAT'S THERE.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN AN EXCITING YEAR FOR YOU.
>> YES, SIR. IT'S BEEN 18 YEARS AND WAITING.
>> IT'S BEEN A WHIRLWIND TOO, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY I JUST THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARENTS.
I KNOW IT'S MONDAY. THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO RUN LATE.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I APPRECIATE ALL THE ADULT TALKING IN THE ROOM, BUT WHEN THE KIDS COME OUT AND GET TO COMMUNICATE WITH US, AND TALK TO US, AND SING FOR US, THAT FOR ME IS MY FAVORITE PART BECAUSE THAT'S KIDS GETTING ENGAGED IN THE ABILITY TO TALK TO ADULTS, INTERACT IN PUBLIC, EVEN AT THIS YOUNG AGE, I THINK IT'S REALLY SETTING THEM UP, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THEM.
>> START YOUNG, BUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE.
>> I RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE KIDS, TOO.
WE USED TO HAVE ANOTHER BUSINESS IN KYLE THAT I RECOGNIZED SOME OF THESE KIDS, SO IT'S NICE TO SEE, AND I REMEMBER BLANCO VISTA WAS ALWAYS A GOOD PARTNER FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS WHEN WE WERE IN BUSINESS BACK IN THE DAY, SO I WANT TO JUST SAY, THANK YOU.
I LOVE THAT I CHANGE OUR MISSION STATEMENT TO HAYS MAKES EVERYTHING 100% POSSIBLE.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE SEEING IT IN OUR CHILDREN THAT ARE ABLE TO COME UP HERE AND ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE ENGAGED WITH AN ADULT, AND THEY'RE INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE INTENTIONAL INSTRUCTION THAT YOU'RE HELPING PROVIDE FOR EVERY SINGLE KID.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. NICE JOB. CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL SALINAS FOR COMING AND YOUR ENERGY IS INFECTIOUS.
YOU COULD TELL YOUR LOVE FOR THESE KIDS.
I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THE PRINCIPAL IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THEIR STAFF AS WELL, AND THE STAFF SEEMS FANTASTIC AND THEY'RE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
JUST THE BEAUTY OF DIVERSITY THAT YOU HAVE AT YOUR SCHOOL, SO MANY KIDS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, WE TRULY CELEBRATE THAT.
YOUR ADA, 95.61% IS FANTASTIC.
>> YES, THAT WAS ONE OF MY MISSIONS WAS TO GET OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL.
WHAT CAN WE DO? WORK HARD AND STILL HAVE TIME TO PLAY.
>> YES, AND YOU'RE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB AND IT SHOWS THAT THEY LOVE COMING TO SCHOOL.
THEY LOVE COMING TO THE SCHOOL THAT YOU RUN, AND THEY LOVE TO BE WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS.
[00:30:04]
I LOVE THE CLUBS AND THE FOCUS ON CLUBS.I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS A DEBATE CLUB.
>> FIFTH GRADE, AND THEY CONTINUE, THEY SAY, "CAN WE DO IT AGAIN?" AND WE'RE WATCHING AND IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING TO WATCH.
GOT TO START THEM YOUNG FOR UIL, COME SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADE, AND FUTURE LAWYERS, WHO KNOWS?
>> ABSOLUTELY, AND WE NEED SOME GOOD LAWYERS OUT THERE, TOO.
BUT AGAIN, I LOVE THE MENTORS, THE SOS PROGRAM, EVERY KID NEEDS THAT MENTOR ON CAMPUS, BEING CREATIVE WITH YOUR SPACE, CREATING THE OLD SCHOOL GAMES, HOPSCOTCH, ETC, I LOVE ALL THAT.
I HEARD ONE OF THE STUDENT COUNCIL LEADERS SPEAKING ABOUT SERVICE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING.
YOU'RE FOSTERING LEADERSHIP THERE AND DREAMERS, AS THE SONG MENTIONED,.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. I'M ALL ABOUT TEACHING KIDS TO LEARN NOT ONLY ABOUT THEMSELVES, BUT GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S ONLY FOR THIS YEAR, BUT TO TEACH THEM A LIFE LEARN.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WHEN YOU GO BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL OR SECONDARY, WHATEVER POST SECONDARY, JUST GIVING BACK WHEN YOU CAN.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S YOUR FIRST YEAR IN THIS ROLE.
YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO VISIT.
>> IT'S LIKE THE SONG. IT'S BEEN A DREAM AND SO WAITED MANY YEARS.
THIS YEAR 31 FOR ME, BUT I'VE BEEN, AS I TOLD DR. WRIGHT, ONE OF MY CONVERSATIONS IS THAT WHEN BLANCO VISTA WAS BEING BUILT, I WAS LITERALLY DRIVING BY THERE AND PUTTING IT ON MY VISION BOARD THAT SOMEDAY THAT I WOULD BE THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER, AND IT CAME TO PASS.
I TRULY BELIEVE IN DREAMS. THAT'S WHY SAID THE SONG REALLY TIED INTO IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME, THE RIGHT PLACE, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
>> IT WAS GREAT. YOU'RE MAKING SUCCESS A REALITY, THOUGH.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME.
>> MS. SELINA. THIS IS SO GREAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING AND TO ALL OF OUR WILDCATS AND FAMILIES AND STAFF THAT CAME OUT TONIGHT.
FIRST, I WANT TO START WITH CHOIR.
WE WERE IN THE BACK AND THERE WERE TEARS BEING SHED.
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL, YOUR CHOIR TEACHER, YOUR STAFF IS DOING AMAZING AND INVITE US TO MORE THINGS.
>> I WILL DEFINITELY INVITE YOU.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO COME SEE SOME MORE EVENTS FROM CHOIR.
THAT JUST SPEAKS VOLUME OF YOUR CAMPUS THAT MEANS KIDS WANT TO COME TO CLASS AND THEY WANT TO BE AT SCHOOL.
THAT'S GREAT. TO TOUCH ON MR. FLORES, 100% CLUBS.
I LOVE THAT YOU GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLUB.
IT'S SO HARD, WITH TODAY, WITH PARENTS BEING MOVED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS TO TAKE KIDS AFTER SCHOOL OR TAKE THEM EARLY AND WHATNOT.
TO GIVE YOUR FAMILIES THAT OPPORTUNITY, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR STAFF WAS INCLUDED, NOT JUST OUR TEACHERS.
EVERY TA, EVEN CUSTODIANS ARE HELPING WITH THE BIKE CLUBS, HELPING MAKING SURE THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO WRITE SCOOTERS AND ELECTRIC BIKES AND SO FORTH SO EVERYBODY'S INCLUDED.
I'M ALL THAT EVERYBODY'S A TRULY 100% HAZE.
>> THAT'S YOUR STAFF AND TEACHERS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
>> FIND THOSE BIKES FOR THOSE KIDDOS WHO CAN'T AFFORD BIKES SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SPONSORS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. YOUR SOS, SAVE ONE STUDENT AND PARTNERING OR MATCHING, EVERY STUDENT WITH AN ADULT ON CAMPUS IS PRETTY PHENOMENAL. THAT'S IMPORTANT.
TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S CONSTANTLY CHECKING IN ON A KID AND JUST SEEING WHERE THERE ARE IS SUCH A GREAT THING TO START AND TO CONTINUE.
THE TIA RECOGNIZED, GREAT JOB.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. I THINK YOU SAID THERE'S JUST THREE.
>> THREE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE NEW.
>> THERE WILL BE NO SURPRISE TO US THAT WE'LL SEE THAT AND ABSOLUTELY.
WE MAY HAVE TO GO OVER THERE AND CHECK OUT SOME HOOP SCOTCH AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
>> YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THE DREAM BIG WILDCATS, THAT SONG VERY JUST IT RESONATES WITH US ALL.
GREAT JOB WILDCATS. TO THE STUDENTS THAT ARE STILL HERE, IT IS NOT EASY COMING AND SPEAKING TO ADULTS AND IN THIS SETTING, YOU GUYS DID AN AMAZING JOB AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU.
GREAT JOB, AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE ON SUCH A LATE NIGHT.
>> I NEED TO COME TO BLANCO VISA MORE OFTEN.
BLANCO VISA IS REALLY SPECIAL TO ME.
BUT BEFORE I TALK ABOUT THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THE CLUBS, I DON'T THINK A LOT OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE FIGURED OUT THE EVERY OTHER FRIDAY.
THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET CLUBS GOING.
BRAVO, TO YOU FOR FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THAT EVERY OTHER FRIDAY CONSISTENTLY AND HAVING ALL THE STUDENTS IN THERE.
WE ARE NOT DOING THAT AT ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMITMENT.
WE'RE DOING IT IN PIECES AND POCKETS, AND WE'VE GOT SOME NEW PRINCIPALS ALL OVER THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE.
I ALSO LOVE WHAT YOU DID TO THAT SPACE.
[00:35:03]
IT IS A WEIRD CUT OUT SPACE.WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER CAMPUSES THAT HAVE THAT SAME THING, AND I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY HAS REALLY FIGURED OUT THE BEST WAY TO USE IT.
I REALLY APPLAUD YOU FOR BEING CREATIVE AND SEEING, LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO THERE? GREAT JOB. ALSO A GOOD JOB ON THE ATTENDANCE.
MY SON WENT THERE, THE FIRST YEAR IT OPENED, AND I WAS PTA PRESIDENT, THE FIRST YEAR THAT SCHOOL OPENED, AND MS. BOSKEZ WAS THERE.
BACK THEN, STAND UP, MS. BOSKEZ.
SHE WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL TEAM.
SHE TAUGHT MY FIRST GRADE SON, WHO IS NOW 24-YEARS-OLD AND SHE'S AN AMAZING GYM IN OUR DISTRICT.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER ORIGINAL TEACHERS THAT WHEN THAT STAND UP.
>> MS. PIDIA. YES. IT'S A GREAT CAMPUS.
IF YOU EVER KNOW I WANT TO KNOW WHY THE WILDCATS ARE NAMED THE WILDCATS YOU CAN ASK THOSE FOLKS.
THEY WILL KNOW WHY. IT'S A FUNNY STORY.
BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THE LEGACY OF BLANCO VISTA IS STILL VERY STRONG.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A MULTICULTURAL, DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
MY SON WAS IN THE BILINGUAL PROGRAM THERE, AND WE LOVED, LOVED OUR TIME AT BLANCO VISTA, EVEN THOUGH WE OPENED IT AND HE WAS IN FOURTH GRADE, WE WEREN'T THERE VERY LONG, BUT IT'S A SPECIAL PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
>> THANK YOU. I LOVE WHAT I DO.
>> IT'S CLEAR. YOUR PASSION COMES THROUGH AS AN EDUCATOR AND BEING A FIRST YEAR PRINCIPAL IS NO JOKE.
I'M GOING TO LOOK AROUND IT. IT IS NO JOKE.
YOU CLEARLY ARE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE, AND IS RAISING IT AND EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION FOR LEADING OUR KIDS APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SEND A SIDE NOTE.
I'M REALLY PASSIONATE BECAUSE MY MOM, I'D SIT IN MY SHOWCASE TWO WEEKS AGO.
MY MOM TAUGHT TILL SHE WAS 89.
SHE ONLY QUIT BECAUSE MY DAD LOST HIS SIGHT AND COVID CAME IN.
OTHERWISE, SHE'LL BE TEACHING.
IF SHE CAN GET UP, THAT'S MY PASSION TO CONTINUE HELPING, NOT ONLY MYSELF, MY TEACHERS, BUT MY FAMILIES, AND THE KIDS IS MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE OUT THERE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
SHE'S MY DRIVER. MY FAMILY IS, SO THANK YOU.
>> SHARE THAT STORY WITH YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR STAFF.
>> MS. SALINAS, I GET TO GO LAST AFTER THEY SAID ALL THE WONDERFUL COMPLIMENTS.
GREAT JOB, BLANCO VISTA. GREAT JOB.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST YEAR AND JUST LEADING WELL.
THAT'S REALLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF ANY MEETING THAT WE DO OR ANY VISIT THAT WE DO, 100% HAZE.
THE CLUBS LOVED HEARING ABOUT THAT.
I'M GOING TO BE THE ONE TO MAKE AN ASK OF SOMETHING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT'S YOUR PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN YOUR CLUBS?
>> WE HAVE ARRANGING TO EQUALLY BALANCE.
WE HAVE ABOUT 17 KIDS PER CLUB.
>> SOME CLUBS ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE POPULAR THAN OTHERS.
>> LIKE THE ESPORTS IS LIKE 22, BUT TO BALANCE OUT EVERYBODY'S OPPORTUNITY FROM THE LEGOS, THE DEBATE TO THE BYTE CLUB AND THE YOGA CLUB. I'M LIKE, WOW.
LIKE, YOU SEE SECOND GRADERS TRYING TO DO YOGA? WOW. IT'S LIKE, AMAZING.
I'M LIKE, I NEED TO BE IN HERE NOW.
THEN KINDERGARTEN DOING COOKING CLUB WITH, JUST WATCHING WITH LITTLE HATS AND UTENSILS MAKING PIZZAS.
LIKE, IT WAS PHENOMENAL JUST TO WATCH AND THEY'RE SO EXCITED, AND WHEN THEY GET PICKED UP LIKE, NO, I STILL DID DO MY STUFF.
ON FRIDAYS I ALWAYS ENCOURAGING KIDDOS TO COME TO SCHOOL ON FRIDAYS.
>> AWESOME. WELL, GREAT IDEAS, GREAT ENERGY, STAFF, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I KNOW SEVERAL OF THE STUDENTS LEFT, BUT THEY DID A GREAT JOB AS WELL.
JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SHOWCASING YOUR CAMPUS AND YOUR STUDENTS FOR US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, EACH AND TI FOR GIVING THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS BEEN IN MY HEART AND MY DREAM FOR MANY YEARS.
I WAS AT HAYS IN 2002 AT HEMPHILL, AND THEN WE OPENED UP TO BE A INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AND THEN I HAD TO LEAVE TO SAN ANTONIO AND I SAID, I'M COMING BACK AND COMING BACK.
I WAS STALKING THE BLANCO VISTA STREET BACK AND FORTH FOR 10 YEARS.
TEN YEARS PLUS, SAID, I'M GOING TO COME BACK, I'M GOING TO COME BACK, AND NEVER TOOK IT OUT MY VISION BOARD UNTIL IT CAME.
THAT'S WHY MY GOALS ARE HERE BECAUSE I SAID IF I KEEP BRINGING WHEREVER I GO, THESE DREAMS, AND THESE GOALS IN HERE WILL COME TRUE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR MAKING MY DREAM COME TRUE.
>> THANK YOU. TEAM, THAT'S ALL WE'RE GOING TO DO TONIGHT.
WE ARE NOT ADJOURNED. I'M TOTALLY KIDDING.
AGAIN, YES, GREAT JOB TO BLANCO VISTA.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME THE LIBERTY OF REARRANGING OUR AGENDA.
WE'RE GOING TO AHEAD BACK UP TO LETTER H, OUR PUBLIC FORUM.
[H. PUBLIC FORUM ]
WE DO HAVE ONE PRESENTER, ONE SPEAKER TONIGHT.[00:40:02]
I'M GOING TO INVITE NATE SMITH UP TO THE LECTOR AND MIKE.YOU GOT FIVE MINUTES, SIR, SO WELCOME.
EXCUSE ME REAL QUICK. I'M SORRY.
LET ME READ THE DISCLAIMER HERE.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT BLANCO VISTA, ANYWAYS.
ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD IN PUBLIC FORUM MUST HAVE COMPLETED THE GREEN SHEET LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE MEETING PRIOR TO THE BOARD RECONVENING IN OPEN SESSION.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE BOARD MEETINGS IS LIMITED TO THE PUBLIC FORUM PORTION OF THE MEETING AS PROVIDED IN BOARD POLICY BED LOCAL.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE AUDIO AND VIDEO OF PUBLIC FORUM IS RECORDED AS PART OF THE RECORDING OF THE ENTIRE MEETING AND IS PUBLISHED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE WITHOUT ALTERATION.
A PERSON WHO CHOOSES TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC FORUM IS CONSENTING TO THE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF THEIR COMMENTS.
MR. SMITH YOU, NOW HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
NO, I'M TOTALLY KIDDING, FIVE MINUTES, SIR.
>> I WAS ACTUALLY GLAD WE HAD THE QUESTION SIDE OF IT, BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW ALL OF THAT, BECAUSE IT WAS WONDERFUL.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. WRIGHT, CABINET MEMBERS, AS WELL AS DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS NATE SMITH, AND I'M CURRENTLY THE DIRECTOR OF BANDS AT LEHMAN HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN IN THE DISTRICT FOR NOW 14.5 YEARS GOING ON 15 IN MAY.
MY WIFE TEACHES IN THE DISTRICT.
MY DAUGHTER IS ACTUALLY ABOUT TO BE A FRESHMAN AT LEHMAN, SO I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS AS QUICK AS I CAN, SO I CAN GET OVER TO PARENT NIGHT SO I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE A FRESHMAN DAD. THAT'S SCARY.
TONIGHT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE NEARING IS A VOTE BY YOU ALL ABOUT THE UPCOMING BOND ELECTION.
I WANTED TO DO MY PART TO ADVOCATE FOR THE FINE ARTS PROGRAMS AT LEHMAN HIGH SCHOOL.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AND CONGRATULATE YOU AND PASS FBOC MEMBERS FOR YOUR EXTREME AND EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS TO GET THE DEDICATED ORCHESTRA AND MARIACHI CLASSROOMS ROLLING.
THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO OUR CAMPUS.
THE LATTER OF WHICH THE MARIACHI PROGRAM SHARED ONE OF ITS SPACES WITH THE LEHMAN BAND FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
IT WAS REALLY NICE TO REGAIN THAT FOR THE BAND SIDE.
IT WAS NICE FOR THE MARIACHI TO HAVE THEIR SIDE AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE IMMEDIATE USE SPACES, WE ANXIOUSLY AWAIT THE COMPLETION OF THE BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED AUDITORIUM.
I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THAT IN ITS FULL GLORY, WHICH WE WILL FINALLY PROVIDE OUR THEATER PROGRAM WITH THE SPACE TO THRIVE AND GROW AND ALSO PROVIDE A PERFORMANCE VENUE FOR ALL OF OUR FEEDER PATTERNS TO UTILIZE.
MUCH LIKE THE ORCHESTRA AND MARIACHI ROOMS, HOW THEY FREED UP SPACE FOR OUR BAND PROGRAM, THIS NEW AUDITORIUM WILL RELIEVE SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE ON OUR DISTRICT PAC, WHICH IS THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL LEVEL PERFORMANCE VENUE IN THE DISTRICT.
WHILE WE CELEBRATE THIS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS ON OUR CAMPUS AND IN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE IS STILL MUCH MORE WORK TO BE DONE TO BRING LEHMAN HIGH SCHOOL INTO THE FUTURE OF FINE ARTS.
OUR FIRST PRIORITY AS A CAMPUS IS TO GET THAT FINE ARTS GYMNASIUM ADDED TO THE CAMPUS IN ORDER TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON OUR GYMS AND BENEFIT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION.
IN THE CURRENT AVAILABLE FACILITIES ON OUR CAMPUS, OUR DANCE, INDOOR DRUM LINE, HELLER GUARD, MARCHING BAND, CHEER, VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, WRESTLING, OFF SEASON SPORTS, AND EVEN OUR JROTC PROGRAMS COMPETE FOR USE IN THOSE TWO GYMS. THIS CAN OCCUR BOTH DURING THE NORMAL SCHOOL DAY AND DURING EXTRACURRICULAR HOURS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE RECENT UPDATES TO TEMPERATURE THRESHOLDS BY THE UIL HAS ALSO RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL PRESSURES ON THE GYM USAGE DUE TO THE OUTDOOR PROGRAMS HAVING TO COME INSIDE DUE TO EXTREME HEAT AND COLD.
OFTEN THIS LEADS TO ANOTHER PROGRAM BEING DISPLACED FROM WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THEIR CLASSROOM SPACE OR IN THE COMBINING OF THOSE SPACES TO THE POINT WHICH MAKES TEACHING AND LEARNING DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.
AFTER SCHOOL, ATHLETICS PROGRAMS DO AND SHOULD TAKE PRIORITY IN THESE SPACES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE GAMES.
BUT FOR THE FINE ARTS PROGRAMS THAT ALSO NEED THOSE SPACES, THEY MUST DECIDE TO EITHER COMBINE WITH ANOTHER GROUP IN THE OTHER GYMNASIUM, PRACTICE IN THE CAFETERIA IF IT'S AVAILABLE, OR END UP PRACTICING IN OUR MAIN HALLWAY.
EACH OF THESE ALTERNATIVES POSE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES TO TEACHING AND LEARNING AND TO THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS.
HALLWAYS ARE NARROW WITH LOW CEILINGS AND HARD FLOORS UNSUITABLE FOR DANCING AND STUNTING.
CAFETERIAS, WHILE LARGER, ALSO HAVE RELATIVELY LOW CEILINGS, HARD FLOORS, AND COME WITH THE ADDITIONAL NECESSITY TO MOVE TABLES, THEN PUT THEM BACK, TAKING AWAY FROM PRACTICE TIME.
COMBINING IN A SINGLE GYM FOR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HEAVILY BASED ON MUSIC, SUCH AS DANCE, COMPETITIVE CHEER, COLOR GUARD, AND INDOOR DRUM LINE, RESULTS IN A CACOPHONY OF EQUIPMENT, MUSIC, AND VOCALIZATIONS THAT WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE TO FOCUS, NOT TO MENTION THE DANGER THAT IS PRESENTED, IF NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR A SOUND CUE WITH THE MUSIC WHILE YOU'RE THROWING EQUIPMENT INTO THE AIR OR TUMBLING ACROSS A MAT.
WHILE THERE MAY BE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE WORK AND THE PROJECTS CURRENTLY GOING ON AT LEHMAN, AND HOW WE WILL MAKE IT ALL WORK WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT,
[00:45:04]
I WANT TO ASSURE ALL OF YOU THAT WE WILL MAKE IT WORK.WE ALWAYS HAVE, AND WE ALWAYS WILL.
LEHMAN IS MY LOVE, IT IS MY LIFE.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS SCHOOL, AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE STUDENTS, SO MUCH SO THAT MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO LEHMAN, AND I WANT THE BEST FOR HER AS WELL.
SORRY. I BELIEVE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT IT'S A NEEDED FACILITY AT ALL THREE COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS. I THINK WE KNOW THAT.
IT'S ALREADY INCLUDED FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IN THE PLANS FOR HIGH SCHOOL NUMBER 4.
I HOPE FOR YOUR CONTINUED ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE LHS FINE ARTS GYM AND ITS INCLUSION IN THE UPCOMING BOND ELECTION SO THAT THE VOTERS CAN DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. I KNOW WE WILL GET TO OUR BOND DISCUSSION A LITTLE BIT LATER IN OUR MEETING.
[J. CONSENT AGENDA ]
LETTER J OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA IS BEGINNING ON PAGE 12.LOOK IN LEFT, AND WE NEED THE ITEMS PULLED OR ANY QUESTIONS LOOKING RIGHT? DO YOU SUGGEST MOTION IS THAT THE HAYSCISD BOARD TRUSTEES.
THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYSCISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOVED BY MS. PETREA.
SECOND BY MR. FLORES ANY DISCUSSION? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 7-0. TEAM,
[K.1. Consideration and possible action to adopt an order calling for a school bond election to be held on May 3, 2025]
WE ARE NOW IN LETTER K FOR OUR ACTION ITEMS.>> ITEM K-1, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDER CALLING FOR A SCHOOL BOND ELECTION TO BE HELD ON MAY 3, 2025.
MR. SAVOY IS COMING UP HERE TO GIVE US SOME INFORMATION.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. WRIGHT, DO YOU HAVE YOUR PAPER IN FRONT OF YOU? WHAT'S IN RED ON THERE IS WHAT WE CAPTURED FROM, WHEN DID WE LAST MEET, TWO DAYS AGO? THURSDAY, I THINK.
AGAIN, THE SUMMARY ON THE CHANGES WE MADE WE REDUCED THE AMOUNTS ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS IN PROPOSITION A THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING CUTTING AND USING BOND INTEREST MONEY.
WE REDUCED THOSE AMOUNTS ACTUALLY, SO THEY STILL APPEAR ON THIS BOND SO THAT BOND INTEREST FROM THIS BOND CAN BE USED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLARITY NECESSARILY.
SOME OF THE PROJECTS, THERE WASN'T AN ITEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREVIOUS BOND THAT HAD BOND INTEREST LEFT NECESSARILY.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD NEVER HAD ANY BOND ITEM TO MOVE PORTABLES, SO THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER BOND INTEREST NECESSARILY TO MOVE PORTABLES.
INSTEAD OF TAKING IT OFF OF HERE, WE JUST REDUCED THE PRICE DOWN AND SO THAT THE BOND INTEREST THAT'S GENERATED FROM THIS BOND CAN BE USED FOR THOSE ITEMS SO THAT ACHIEVES THE GOAL OF USING BOND INTEREST ON THERE AND ALSO REDUCING THE PRICE.
WE DID ADD THE LEHMAN HIGH SCHOOL FINE ART GYM TO PROPOSITION A, AS YOU SEE IN RED THERE.
SO THAT BUNDLE OF THINGS FOR LEHMAN HIGH SCHOOL, THEN WE JUST ADJUSTED THE PRICE TO REFLECT THAT.
DOING ALL OF THAT WITH PROP A, WE STILL KEPT IT AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD BELOW 500 MILLION.
WELL, PROP DIDN'T CHANGE FROM OUR DISCUSSION.
WE DID ADD BACK THE EXPANSION OF A SUBVARSITY STADIUM AT HIGH SCHOOL FOUR.
SO IT GOES IN TANDEM, IF YOU WILL.
HIGH SCHOOL FOUR WOULD COME WITH THE STANDARD STADIUM AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES.
I WOULD SEE NO MORE THAN 1,000, SIT FEWER THAN 1,000 STUDENTS. TEXAS LAW.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE BOND MONEY TO THEN POTENTIALLY EXPAND THAT INTO WHAT WOULD BE A SECOND COMPETITION SHARED STADIUM FOR THE DISTRICT.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ITS OWN PROPOSITION.
THE CLEANEST WAY TO TRY TO DO THAT AND USE ANY BOND MONEY ON IT WOULD BE TO PUT IT ON.
THIS WAS AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT WAS CONSIDERED, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER IN THE DECEMBER VERSION, AND THEN WE TOOK IT OFF BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WELL, MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER WAY AROUND IT.
BECAUSE IT WAS RELATIVE TO THE OTHER PROPOSITIONS, THE SMALLEST ONE.
BUT WE WENT AHEAD AND STUCK IT BACK ON THERE ANYWAY, AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'LL RECOMMEND THAT IT GO ON THERE, AND THEN WE'LL LET THE VOTERS DECIDE.
WE'RE NOT PREDECIDING FOR THE VOTERS BY NOT EVEN PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT.
THEN WE DID NOT DO ANYTHING WITH THE TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE,
[00:50:02]
AGAIN, THE TECHNOLOGY PROPOSITIONS, YOU CAN'T JUST USE BOND INTEREST ON THE WHOLE LAST BOND.IT HAS TO BE WITHIN A PROPOSITION.
TECHNOLOGY PROPOSITIONS ARE USUALLY PRETTY SMALL, SO THEY DON'T GENERATE A LOT OF BOND INTEREST.
THERE WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TO MAKE MUCH OF A DENT ON THAT.
AGAIN, THERE AREN'T SPECIFIC EXACT THINGS NECESSARILY FROM PREVIOUS BONDS TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT COULD IN OTHER WORDS, WHICH IS THE ONE I'M LOOKING AT HERE? PRINT SHOP MACHINES, COPIERS.
WE HAVEN'T DONE A BOND FOR THAT BEFORE, SO YOU CAN'T JUST USE BOND INTEREST ON A PREVIOUS BOND TO BUY COPIERS BECAUSE THAT ITEM NEVER APPEARED ON A PREVIOUS BOND.
WE JUST LEFT IT AT THE 16.2 MILLION.
THAT IS WHAT WE DID. WE CAPTURED ALL THE CHANGES WE HAVE.
THE 38 PAGE SOON TO BE EXPANDED TO PROBABLY 80 PAGES, ONCE WE GET ALL OF THE POLLING LOCATIONS FROM TRAVIS COUNTY THAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LITTLE AREA IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE ALSO DO IN CALDWELL COUNTY.
THEN, OF COURSE, OUR HAYES COUNTY SITES WILL ADD ALL THAT MATERIAL ONCE THEY DETERMINE WHERE THOSE SITES FOR EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY VOTING WOULD BE.
SHOULD YOU ADOPT THIS? YOU JUST NEED TO ADOPT THE ORDER.
FOR THE RECORD, THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE PRESENTED ORDER, PROPOSITION A WOULD BE $498,937,541.
PROPOSITION B WOULD BE $396,063,095.
PROPOSITION C WOULD BE $6,096,071.
THOSE WOULD BE THE TOTALS FOR THE PROPOSITION IF YOU ADOPT THE ELECTION ORDER AS IT IS, AND I ALSO DO WANT TO INTRODUCE AND MENTION THAT OUR BOND COUNSEL WHO'S BEEN WITH US FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, MAYBE MORE THAN THAT, MR. JERRY KYLE IS HERE, IN CASE THERE ARE ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BOND PRIOR TO ADOPTION OR NOT ADOPTION OF A SCHOOL BUILDING BOND ELECTION ORDER FOR THE MAY 3, 2025 ELECTION.
>> MR. SAVOY, THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING?
>> NO. I JUST APPRECIATE THE INPUT FROM THE BOARD AND FROM THE FBOC MEMBERS AND CABINET IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE TRIED TO TAKE ALL THE INFORMATION AND SYNTHESIZE IT AND REALLY PUT TOGETHER WHAT WE THINK IS A PACKAGE THAT IS NEEDED IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
>> TEAM, I KNOW THIS IS SOME NEW INFORMATION TONIGHT FROM LAST MEETING, SO I'LL START ON MY RIGHT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, MR. FLORES.
>> THANK YOU. ONCE AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, TIM, THE FPOC MEMBERS, EVERYBODY THAT HAS WORKED SO HARD ON THIS.
I WAS OUT THE LAST MEETING AT CRAZY FOMO.
I WAS WATCHING THE MEETING, BUT IT WAS SUCH A GREAT DISCUSSION BY MY FELLOW TRUSTEES, AND I APPRECIATE THAT DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO THANK STARTING WITH LEHMAN.
THANK YOU, TRUSTEE PETREA FOR ADDING THE FINE ARTS GYM TO THE LEHMAN HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION PROJECTS.
I THINK AS WE HEARD FROM OUR SPEAKER, IT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE CRANES AND THE CONSTRUCTION THAT GO ON.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THEY'RE NOT HINDRANCES OR OBSTACLES TO MANY OF THE STUDENTS OR STAFF THAT GO THERE.
WHEN THEY SEE THE CRANES, THEY SEE PROGRESS.
THEY SEE US ADAPTING TO THE NEEDS OF THE FUTURE.
I DO WANT TO REITERATE MY SUPPORT.
I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK LAST TIME BUT I PROMISE YOU, I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT.
THE WATER TOWER UTILIZATION, I WANT TO THANK MR. BEAU FOR POINTING OUT HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THE WATER TOWER WITH OUR FORENSIC..
>> FIRE TOWER. APOLOGIZE. THE FIRE TOWER.
WITH OUR FORENSIC SCIENCE PROGRAMS, AND I KNOW THAT, OUR FIRE TOWER ACADEMY THEY'RE GOING TO UTILIZE THAT.
MOST OF THE TIME WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THAT YEAR ROUND AND THAT'S THE FIRE TOWER.
AGAIN, I KNOW THAT WE SEPARATED THE STADIUM, BUT BOB SHELTON IS GOING ON, I THINK IT WAS BUILT IN 1969, SO THAT MAKES IT ABOUT WHAT, 56-YEARS-OLD? IT IS GETTING UP THERE. IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE, AND MAYBE IT'S TIME TO BUILD THAT NEW STADIUM, AND WE'RE GOING TO LET THE VOTERS DECIDE.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE BUILD A MODERN FACILITY THAT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES DESERVE.
I WANT TO REITERATE TRUSTEE RUNKLE'S POINT FROM A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION ON THE OUTDOOR PAVILIONS ON THE IMPACTS MULTIPURPOSE FACILITIES AND THE COMMUNICATION AND REALLY EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR THAT FOR OUR KIDS.
[00:55:03]
BUT WITH THIS GROWTH THAT WE'RE HAVING WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY.THERE'S MANY DISTRICTS THAT ARE CLOSING SCHOOLS, LOSING STUDENTS, AND WITH THIS GROWTH, REALLY, WE DO HAVE A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL.
AGAIN, I'M FULLY PREPARED TO VOTE ON THIS.
I DO WANT TO URGE THE PUBLIC TO REALLY ATTEND OUR BOND TALKS AND OUR DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE DISTRICT AND TO REALLY BE WISE ABOUT WHERE FOLKS ARE GETTING INFORMATION FROM.
THERE'S GOING TO BE INFORMATION ONLINE, BUT REALLY, YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THE DISTRICT YOU SEE, AND IT'S OUR JOB TO INFORM AND TO LET THE VOTERS DECIDE.
BUT I'M FULLY PREPARED TO VOTE ON THIS.
I WANT TO THANK MY TRUSTEES AGAIN FOR SUCH A GREAT DISCUSSION LAST MEETING, AND YEAH, I'M SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. THANK YOU.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK OUR FEOC AND MY SPECIFIC APPOINTED BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL.
A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO THESE BONDS, AND YOU GUYS HAVE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME AND EFFORT ATTENDING CAMPUSES AND TALKING TO ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC FULLY UNDERSTANDS JUST HOW MUCH YOU GUYS PUT INTO THE WORK YOU DO ON THE FBOC COMMITTEE, BUT I HOPE THAT THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY AND GIVE OUR DISTRICTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THEM AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING A LOOK AT THE BOND INTEREST, MR. RAU, AND MR. CLEAVER, AND TEAM AND ADJUSTING SOME OF THESE NUMBERS.
SOMETIMES, WE JUST WE GO THROUGH THESE THINGS AND WE REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT I PRIDE OUR DISTRICT IN SO MUCH IS THAT WE REALLY LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE LISTEN TO OUR STAFF, AND WE WORK OUT WAYS TO TRY TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS.
I LOVE THAT WE'RE DOING IT IN ALL OF THE PROPS THAT WE'RE DOING.
IT GIVES IT UP TO THE VOTERS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS.
THEY GET TO VOTE OR NOT VOTE. WE HOPE THEY DO VOTE.
I WILL JUST SAY WHAT I SAID LAST TIME, AND THAT IS THESE AMOUNTS ARE THE MAX DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
SO WE DO EXPECT THEM TO BE LOWERED.
WE WANT YOU TO SHARPEN YOUR PENCIL AND SPEND YOUR MONEY, LIKE IT IS MONEY COMING OUT OF YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNTS AND OUT OF YOUR OWN POCKETS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR TAXPAYERS EXPECT.
WITH THAT, I AM HAPPY TO VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT AND MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR FBOC.
THIS IS A LOT OF WORK, AND I KNOW IT FEELS MESSY AND IT GETS TO THE END AND YOU'RE LIKE, THAT'S NOT EVEN WHAT WE SAID.
BUT I THINK IN PARTNERSHIP, WE DO REALLY GOOD WORK.
TO GET US HERE, THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE FOLKS IN THE ADMINISTRATION, THIS BOARD, PEOPLE THAT HAVE WEIGHED IN.
IT'S NOT EVERYBODY GETS WHAT THEY WANT, BUT MAN, IT FEELS LIKE PROP A, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GETTING A LOT OF GREAT STUFF.
I APPLAUD THE ADMINISTRATION FOR GOING BACK AND FIGURING OUT HOW WE COULD GET THE FINE ARTS GYM IN HERE AND GET THIS UNDER 499999, WHICH YOU HAVE DONE BEAUTIFULLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST IN CASE ANYBODY THOUGHT I WAS JUST BABBLING ON ABOUT A FINE ARTS GYM.
MR. SMITH CAME OUT AND SAID A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TOO.
THAT WAS VERY VALID AND HEAR HIS PERSPECTIVE AND JUST FROM A BAND DIRECTOR.
HE COULD HAVE ASKED FOR A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, AND HE RECOGNIZES THAT THAT FINE ARTS GYM IS A PRIORITY FOR THEM.
I DO WANT TO ASK JERRY KYLE SINCE HE CAME ALL THE WAY HERE, A QUICK QUESTION RELATED TO THE BONDS, AND MUNICIPAL BONDS.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT DISCUSSION FROM MR. TRAILER, BY THE WAY.
HE'S SCHOOLED EVERYBODY, JUST REMINDED PEOPLE ABOUT BONDS AND HOW THEY WORK.
WHY DOES IT SAY THIS IS A TAX ON THE BALLOT EVEN THOUGH WE LOWER THE TAX RATE, THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT, SAY, WE PASSED THIS $498 MILLION BOND FOR ALL THESE PROJECTS? DO WE HAVE TO SELL EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF THAT RIGHT AWAY?
>> NO, MA'AM. THIS IS JUST AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE THE BONDS.
THIS WILL STILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION TO ISSUE BONDS WHEN AND AS NEEDED AND IN THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE NEEDED.
>> RIGHT. JUST THIS ONE BUCKET IS APPROVED, SO THEN WE CAN JUST DO THEM AS WE'RE READY TO DO THESE PROJECTS, ESSENTIALLY?
>> THERE'S NOTHING OBLIGATING US TO JUST DO THE WHOLE BOND.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TIM, FOR PACKAGING THIS ALL TOGETHER AND PRESENTING THIS BACK TO US IN A VERY CLEAR AND CONCISE FORM. I APPRECIATE THAT.
I DO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, LIKE WE ALL HAVE THE FBOC, AND ALL OF THE WORK.
[01:00:02]
I CAME FROM THE FBOC.I GET PRETTY PROTECTIVE OF THE FBOC.
I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF IT NOW, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE GET TO THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS.
WHEN WE START TO ADD THINGS BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WORKING WITH US THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
YOU GUYS DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
NOW THAT WE'VE ADDED A COUPLE OF THINGS BACK IN HERE, MAX, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO JUST CONFIRM AGAIN THAT FROM A BOND CAPACITY STANDPOINT, THAT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED AND DO IN 2027 AND BEYOND, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THOSE PROJECTS WITH THE BOUND CAPACITY THAT WE NEED IN THE FUTURE ASSUMING THAT EVERYTHING ON THIS BOND PASSES.
>> BASED ON WHAT NATE AND I LOOKED AT THE OTHER DAY, I THINK IF THIS ALL PASSES, I THINK WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 300 MILLION TO WORK WITH IN 2027, SOMEWHERE RIGHT AROUND THERE.
>> SO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WILL BE GOOD TO MANAGE ALL THE PROJECTS WE HAVE COMING UP IN OUR 10 YEAR PLAN DOWN THE ROAD? GREAT. I'M AWESOME.
AGAIN, TIM THANKS A LOT FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
BACK AND FORTH, TAKES A LOT TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S WORK DOING THAT, SO THANK YOU ALL.
>> YES. THANK YOU, FBOC, AND THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
THIS IS MY FIRST PROCESS GOING THROUGH THIS, SO IT'S BEEN ENLIGHTENING TO JUST SEE HOW IT ALL WORKS. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS.
I WISH EVERYTHING WAS CHEAPER, AND IT WAS JUST A LOT MORE AFFORDABLE.
I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF OVERBURDENING OUR TAX BASE FOR THE SAME TIME, IT'S GROWTH.
I THINK THE NEED IS EVIDENT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LOVING OUR COMMUNITY AND COMING TO JOIN US AND SEE ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
IT'S EXCITING, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT OUR DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT IN EVERY CORNER AND REACH OF OUR DISTRICT ACROSS THE BOARD.
REAL QUICK QUESTION, THEN, SINCE WE HAVE NOW SPLIT THE STADIUM EXPANSION.
IF PROP C WERE TO NOT PASS, WHAT DOES OUR CAPACITY LOOK LIKE FOR BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOUR COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS, VARSITY LEVEL, FOOTBALL, AND OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE HELD AT A VARSITY LEVEL STADIUM?
>> THERE'D BE MULTIPLE OPTIONS TO EXPLORE AT THAT POINT.
ONE WOULD BE, CAN YOU SCHEDULE GAMES FOR FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS AT SHELTON STADIUM? I'M TOLD YES, YOU CAN.
ALTHOUGH THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, I THINK IS AS THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY GAMES, AND THEN ONE AWAY AT ANY TIME.
YOU COULD ALWAYS COME BACK OUT AT A LATER BOND IN 2027 AND REASK THE VOTERS, MAYBE FIND OUT WHY IT DIDN'T PASS IF IT DOESN'T PASS.
THERE'S SOME OTHER FUNDING OPTIONS AND STUFF IN THERE.
BUT THE FIRST STEP REALLY IS BASICALLY PUTTING IT ON THERE FOR THE VOTERS BECAUSE IF YOU'RE USING BOND MONEY FOR IT, IT HAS TO BE ITS OWN PROPOSITION TO EXPEND IT BEYOND THE 1,000 SEATS.
THAT'S A NEW LAW THAT CAME INTO PLACE, I THINK TWO SESSIONS AGO.
>> THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I'M READY TO VOTE ON THIS AS WELL.
AND JUST THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK, GETTING US TO THIS POINT AND A LOT MORE WORK MOVING FORWARD FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. IT REALLY DOES TAKE MONTHS AND YEARS TO FORMULATE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR OUR DISTRICT.
I KNOW OUR FACILITIES AND BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE DID A WONDERFUL JOB OF LAYING THAT OUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH STAFF.
THEY CAME OUT WITH REALLY THOUGHTFUL RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I KNOW NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT.
WE SEE THAT OF COURSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH FOLKS NOT UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS AND THINKING THESE WERE, OH, EVERYTHING'S LAST MINUTE OR WE DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN. THERE IS A PLAN.
THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND PLANNING THAT OUT FOR THE FUTURE REALLY HELPS US KEEP EVERYTHING IN CHECK, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT BOND CAPACITY AT A LATER DATE TO FUND OTHER FACILITIES THAT WE MIGHT NEED.
I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE, JUST UNDERSTANDING THERE IS A PLAN FOR EVERYTHING.
I APPRECIATE THOSE THOUGHTFUL RECOMMENDATIONS AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR COMMUNITY THAT OFFERED SOME FEEDBACK, WE WERE ABLE TO TWEAK SOME THINGS.
NOW I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD AND VOTE ON THIS. THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, TEAM. GOOD INPUT.
THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYSCISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT AN ELECTION ORDER, CALLING FOR A SCHOOL BOND ELECTION TO BE HELD ON MAY 3RD, 2025 AS PRESENTED.
MOVED BY MISS OROSCO, SECONDED BY MR. FLORES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRY 7, 0.
[01:05:03]
>> MR. PRESIDENT, MAY I ADD THAT THE NEXT STEPS NOW, WE'LL PUT THIS CHART AS A TEMPORARY CHART UP ON THE WEBSITE.
WE WILL THEN HAVE MORE DETAILED, HOPEFULLY, AS SOON AS WE GET IT DONE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, I'M HOPING MAYBE EARLY NEXT WEEK, INFORMATION FACT SHEET FOR THE BOND FOR VOTERS.
DR. WRIGHT MAX OF OUR FINE ARTS AND ATHLETICS, AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN THIS WILL THEN GO ON DIFFERENT SPEAKING PRESENTATION PLACES, AND THEY'LL TALK TO DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE GOING TO BE TURNING OFF THE BOND TALK FEATURE BECAUSE THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR FEEDBACK TO MAKE CHANGES ON THE POTENTIAL ELECTION ORDER.
THIS IS NOW SEALED WITH A VOTE ON THE BOND ELECTION ORDER.
THE NEXT FEEDBACK WE'LL GET ON THESE PROPOSITIONS AND THE AMOUNTS WILL BE DIRECT FROM THE VOTERS ON MAY 3RD AND DURING EARLY VOTING AS TO WHETHER THEY SAY YES OR NO ON EACH OF THE PROPOSITIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OVERVIEW, SIR. TEAM,
[K.2. Consideration and possible adoption of a Resolution regarding Compensation of Hays CISD Staff due to District-wide Closure for Inclement Weather]
WE ARE ON ACTION ITEM K2, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION REGARDING COMPENSATION OF HAYSCISD STAFF DUE TO DISTRICT WIDE CLOSURE FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER.MS. COURSON, ARE YOU GIVEN US A QUICK OVERVIEW ON THAT? I KNOW WE SPOKE ABOUT IT BRIEFLY LAST WEEK.
>> YES. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND SUPERINTENDENT DR. WRIGHT.
EB LOCAL PROVIDES THE SUPERINTENDENT THE AUTHORITY TO CLOSE SCHOOLS FOR REASONS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
ON JANUARY 21, 2025, HAYSCISD WAS CLOSED DUE TO FREEZING WEATHER.
ALIGNED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO BEING AN UNRIVALED EMPLOYEE FRIENDLY ORGANIZATION, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND BOARD MUST ENSURE THE EMPLOYEES OF HAYSCISD SCHEDULED TO WORK ON JANUARY 21, 2025 ARE PAID IN THE JANUARY PAY ROLL.
THE RESOLUTION FORMALIZES THE APPROVAL OF THAT COMPENSATION ALIGNED WITH DA LOCAL IN THE WAKE OF THE EMERGENCY.
>> THANK YOU, MS. COURSON. I'M LOOKING TO MY LEFT.
TEAM, THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYSCISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE RESOLUTION REGARDING COMPENSATION OF STAFF AFFECTED BY INCLEMENT WEATHER ON JANUARY 21ST, 2025, AS PRESENTED.
MOVED BY MR. SEVERANCE. SECOND BY MS. RUNKLE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 7, 0.
TEAM, THAT TAKES US DOWN TO ITEM K3.
[K.3. Consideration and possible approval of a Master Lease Agreement for Employee Affordable Housing - Upward Communities]
THIS IS ON PAGE 23 OF YOUR AGENDA BOOK THERE, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF A MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT FOR EMPLOYEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UPWARD COMMUNITIES.WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS.
DR. WRIGHT, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING?
>> YEAH, THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK UPWARDS COMMUNITY FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE GREAT BENEFITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE BEST EMPLOYEES THAT WE CAN IN ALL POSITION CLASSIFICATIONS.
THIS IS ONE MORE STEP THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HOPEFULLY FULFILL THAT DREAM AND THAT VISION OF KEEPING PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT AND MAKING THEIR LIVES HIGHER QUALITY.
BUT I WANTED TO CLEAR UP SOME MISCONCEPTIONS THAT PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR PEOPLE THAT HAVE JUST TALKED TO DIFFERENT ONES OF US IN THE COMMUNITY, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, WHY ARE YOU GETTING IN THE HOUSING BUSINESS WHEN YOU'RE NOT PAYING TEACHERS ENOUGH MONEY? WHY AREN'T YOU DOING THIS, OR WHY AREN'T YOU DOING THAT? WHY ARE YOU USING DISTRICT MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS? WELL, LET ME CLARIFY.
WE ARE NOT USING A SINGLE PENNY OUT OF THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION BUDGET FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE ARE NOT GETTING INTO OUR BONDED INDEBTEDNESS, AND WE'RE NOT USING ANY OF OUR BOND CAPACITY TO GET INTO THIS BUSINESS.
WE ARE SIMPLY OFFERING THIS AS A BENEFIT, AND UPWARDS COMMUNITY, BY THEIR BENEVOLENCE IS ACTUALLY UTILIZING THEIR OWN SEED MONEY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN TO THE TUNE OF AROUND $90 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH CLEARER I CAN BE, BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, A GREAT BENEFIT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH A FAST GROWTH DISTRICT.
OUR EMPLOYEES DON'T HAVE PLACES THAT THEY CAN READILY MOVE INTO.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE OVER 1,000 OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT LIVE OUTSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
THIS WOULD PROVIDE AT LEAST A THIRD OF THOSE TO HAVE A PLACE TO COME.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN 10 YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO DOUBLE OUR CAPACITY FROM OUR CURRENT 24,000 TO 48,000.
WE ADD ROUGHLY 1,000 TO 1,200 STUDENTS PER YEAR,
[01:10:03]
WHICH MEANS WE ADD ABOUT 100 NEW POSITIONS PER YEAR.WE'RE LOOKING, AT THE BEGINNING, TO START WITH 300 UNITS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY HESITATION OR RESERVATION ABOUT BEING ABLE TO FILL THOSE BECAUSE I THINK THE PRODUCT THAT UPWARD COMMUNITIES IS GOING TO PROVIDE IS GOING TO BE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE, AND I BELIEVE WE'LL HAVE A WAITING LIST.
WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE A FAIR PROCESS.
BUT TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT WE'RE MISMANAGING FUNDS AND WE'RE USING MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION FUNDS OR INTEREST INS FUNDS IS JUST NOT TRUE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TO CLARIFY.
I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE THE FIRST IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND IN THE UNITED STATES TO ENTER INTO A PROJECT SUCH AS THIS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
YOU GUYS LOVE TO BE ON THE CUTTING EDGE.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE ISSUES WITH BEING PIONEERS, BUT ALSO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GREAT REWARDS.
WE ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT FOR THEM THAT WE CAN OFFER ON TOP OF PAY.
NOW, WE NEED TO GET THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO PONY UP, RAISE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP UP WITH INFLATION AND PRICE ESCALATION.
BUT IF THEY DON'T, AND SOMETIMES I'M A LITTLE PESSIMISTIC WITH THEM, THIS IS AT LEAST ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN HELP OUT OUR EMPLOYEES, ANOTHER BENEFIT JUST LIKE WE OFFER DENTAL, WE OFFER OUR EAP SYSTEM, WE OFFER ELC, WE OFFER SO MANY THINGS.
THERE WILL BE A LINE ITEM IN YOUR BUDGET THAT YOU WILL APPROVE EVERY YEAR, BUT IT WILL BE AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
THE FUND WILL BE PAID ENTIRELY FROM THE EMPLOYEES IN THEIR MONTHLY LEASE PAYMENT, AND IT WON'T COME FROM ANY DISTRICT FUNDS.
I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH ON THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, PRESIDENT VELA.
>> YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR THAT INPUT, DR. WRIGHT.
TEAM, I LOOK TO MY LEFT. MR. SEIBEL?
>> I PERSONALLY DON'T LOVE BEING ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF THINGS.
BUT I WILL SAY, THAT'S JUST MY RISK ADVERSE NATURE, AS I MENTIONED ON THURSDAY NIGHT, WHICH WAS JUST A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M JUST GENERALLY CONFIDENT IN WHAT UPWARD COMMUNITIES IS PROVIDING OUR DISTRICT AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AS RISK ADVERSE PERSON, THE RISK MITIGATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE IN THE LEASE AGREEMENT FOR BOTH PARTIES INVOLVED, THAT THIS IS A GREAT THING FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS ONE THING I LOVE BEING ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF BECAUSE I THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LIGHTHOUSE AND A BEACON FOR EVERYBODY IN DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THE NATION TO EMULATE, AND THAT MAKES ME VERY PROUD. THANK YOU.
>> YES. WAY BACK WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD IN 2016, WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT BEING AN EMPLOYEE FRIENDLY ORGANIZATION, AND WE ARE THERE, AND WE ARE JUST ADDING TO THAT, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CUTTING EDGE AND ARE PIONEERS AND ARE THE BEST IN THE STATE.
I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE OFFERING FOR OUR STAFF, AND I AM READY TO VOTE YES ON THIS.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO ME.
I KNOW LAST WEEK I HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK I PROBABLY ASKED 1 BILLION QUESTIONS, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR ALL THE WORK FOLKS.
THAT'S FINE. BUT I HAD TO MAKE SURE, I HAD TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE FIRST AND IT'S INNOVATIVE AND NO ONE'S EVER DONE IT BEFORE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE LIKE, OKAY, SO WALK ME THROUGH IT IN DETAIL AND LEVEL AND LEVEL.
I GOT A LOT OF EDUCATION OVER THE PAST FOUR DAYS ON WHAT THIS THING LOOKS LIKE.
I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE FUNDS TO REWARD OR BENEFIT YOUR EMPLOYEES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BASED ON JUST WHATEVER RESTRICTIONS ENVIRONMENT YOU LIVE IN.
THIS IS JUST GOING TO BE ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OUR EMPLOYEES A WAY TO HELP THEMSELVES LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT IF THEY NEED TO, HELP THEM OUT WITH SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I LOVE IT. WE'RE NOT IN THE HOUSING BUSINESS.
WE ARE JUST HELPING FILL THE LEASES FOR THIS MODEL, AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE REALLY GOOD AT DOING THAT, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING THAT FOR OUR STAFF THAT THEN GETS TO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT NOT CURRENTLY LIVE HERE.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL BRINGING THIS TO US.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE WONDERFUL.
I KNOW WE'LL PROBABLY STILL HAVE SOME MORE UPDATES AS WE GET THIS PROCESS GOING DOWN THE ROAD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING THOSE TO FUTURE AGENDAS JUST TO KEEP
[01:15:03]
US UPDATED ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TIMELINE.THEN IF THIS THING, WHICH I FEEL LIKE HOPEFULLY IT PASSES TONIGHT, THAT I CAN'T WAIT TO GET SOME SURVEYS SENT OUT AND START LOOKING AT SOME OF THIS INTEREST SO WE CAN REALLY THEN UNDERSTAND AND GAUGE WHAT THIS INTEREST LOOK LIKE.
I HAVE A FEELING IT'S GOING TO BE SPECTACULAR.
THANKS FOR BRINGING IT TO US. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I WANT TO THANK UPWARD COMMUNITIES FOR BEING PATIENT WITH US.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING EVERY SINGLE QUESTION THAT WE HAD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MR. SEVERANCE, I'M GLAD YOU GOT YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
I DO LIKE TO BE INNOVATIVE AND OUT IN FRONT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BEING EMPLOYEE FRIENDLY.
BUT SINCE MS. OROSCO BROUGHT UP THE POLL ON ANOTHER ISSUE LAST WEEK, I'M GOING TO BRING IT UP NOW BECAUSE WHEN I VOTED YES TO DO A $5 MILLION INVESTMENT, THE PUBLIC SKEWERED ME, EVISCERATED ME.
IT WAS TERRIBLE. I THOUGHT FOR SURE, I WOULD NEVER BE RE-ELECTED.
IT WAS THE DUMBEST DECISION THIS DISTRICT COULD EVER MAKE.
WHY WOULD YOU PUT $5 MILLION INTO A SWIMMING POOL? I THINK HISTORY HAS JUDGED THAT THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.
WE HAVE TOP NOTCH SWIM PROGRAMS, WE HAVE WATER POLO PROGRAMS. EVERYONE LOVES CAMP MOODY.
EVERYONE. I DON'T BEGRUDGE ANYONE FOR DOUBTING THAT DECISION THAT THE BOARD MADE BACK THEN, BUT I WANT TO JUST TELL THIS BOARD, YOU MAY GET CONTINUAL CRITICISM.
YOU MAY BE WITH PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW ALL THE FACTS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. IT REALLY DOES ON PAPER.
THAT YOU MIGHT HEAR SOME MORE THINGS ON FACEBOOK, AND SO STAY STRONG.
KATIE ARMSTRONG, THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO TAKE UP HORSE ON FACEBOOK.
I DO APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THE FULL STORY, AND DON'T SIT IN ALL OF OUR MEETINGS AND HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IT'S HARD FOR US TO CONTINUALLY KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THE RUMORS, FRANKLY, AND FALSE INFORMATION, AND MISINFORMATION.
WE JUST CAN'T DO IT. STAY STRONG, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M EXCITED TO VOTE ON THIS, BUT JUST I AM CONFIDENT THAT HISTORY WILL JUDGE THIS BOARD VERY, VERY POSITIVELY, THAT WE DID SOMETHING INCREDIBLY INNOVATIVE AND HELPFUL TO TEACHERS AND STAFF.
>> AGAIN, THANK YOU. I KNOW MY FELLOW TRUSTEES HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION ON THIS LAST MEETING, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
I LISTENED TO EVERYTHING AS LONG AS I COULD STAY AWAKE.
MY WIFE YELLED AT ME TO STOP IT AND GET SOME REST.
BUT I TRULY APPRECIATE IT, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE REALLY KNOW WHY.
IT'S TO RETAIN QUALITY TEACHERS RIGHT IN THE COMPETITIVE MARKET.
IN A TIME WHEN NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO INTO TEACHING, THIS IS A WAY TO RETAIN QUALITY TEACHERS.
ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES RIGHT NOW IS THE COST OF LIVING, AND HAYSCISD, INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE, AND NOT DOING ANYTHING, WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE AND ADAPTING TO THE CURRENT CONDITIONS.
WE REALLY ARE TAKING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH AND DOING WHAT WE CAN.
TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO REALLY SAY, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST RAISE TEACHER PAY? WELL, IF YOU HAVE NOT KEPT TRACK, IN 2021, WE RAISE TEACHER PAY BY 4%, 2022, 7%.
WE HAD COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS IN '23 AND '24, 3% AND 1%.
WE WANT TO RAISE TEACHER PAY IF THE STATE WOULD DO ITS JOB UP IN AUSTIN.
WE WANT TO DO BOTH AND PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS AT BELOW MARKET RATES.
IN ADDITION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE UPDATES ON THIS, AND I'M SURE THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE HOW IT'S GOING.
I AM 100% READY TO VOTE ON THIS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS TEACHER FRIENDLY, AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF MAYBE GETTING A GAUGE, WHAT TEACHERS WANT IN THIS COMMUNITY, DO THEY WANT MORE GREEN SPACE, MORE SWIMMING POOLS.
LET TEACHERS DECIDE WHAT THIS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND REALLY SHAPE IT, BUT I DO SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO VOTE ON THIS, AND I APPRECIATE UPWARD COMMUNITIES DOING A LOT OF THE HARD WORK AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I DO WANT TO BE INNOVATIVE GOING FORWARD AND BEING ON THE CUTTING EDGE.
BUT I'M PREPARED TO VOTE YES ON THIS.
>> YES, I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW LAST WEEK I DID SHARE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS.
I WAS, THIS IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
WHAT ARE WE MISSING HERE? MR. SEVERANCE ASKED ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS, AND I APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT OUR TEAM WERE RECEPTIVE TO OUR SUGGESTIONS AND ARE TAKING THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION INTO MOVING FORWARD.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO PRESIDENT VELA FOR CONSULTING WITH OUR BOARD ATTORNEY.
[01:20:01]
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO LAST WEEK, TOO, AND I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE IN VOTING ON THIS TONIGHT AFTER GETTING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.I JUST WANT TO SAY, I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING OUR SURVEYS TO OUR STAFF TO SEE WHERE THEY LIE.
AS SOON AS YOU GUYS START PUTTING THAT INFORMATION OUT, PLEASE SHARE WITH THE BOARD AND CONTINUE TO KEEP US UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
THANK YOU, UPWARD COMMUNITIES FOR WANTING TO PARTNER WITH HAYSCISD.
AGAIN, THIS IS A HUGE RISK THAT YOU GUYS ARE TAKING, AND WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE TAKING IT ON US.
WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP, AND WE KNOW THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF THIS, AND WE THANK YOU.
>> I'M SORRY, I JUST NEEDED TO DO A POINT OF CLARIFICATION IN REGARDS TO THE POOL.
IT WAS CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, WE GAVE A 0% INCREASE TO OUR STAFF IN COMPENSATION BECAUSE WE SAID WE DIDN'T HAVE MONEY, BUT WE HAD THE FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE POOL.
JUST TO PUT THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OUT THERE, I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT CLARIFICATION.
THAT IS IT OR WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THAT.
BUT THAT'S WHY IT WAS CONTROVERSIAL AT THE TIME.
BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD CHOICE.
>> THANK YOU. YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT WE WANT TO BE INNOVATIVE AND WE WANT TO BE FIRST, THE CLICHE, THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM, BUT THOSE AT ARE RISK REVERSE, THE SECOND MOUSE GETS THE CHEESE.
I'LL LET YOU THINK ABOUT THAT DURING BREAK OR SOMETHING.
I THINK WE'VE HAD ENOUGH ATTORNEYS THAT HAVE WAITED.
WE SAID THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE BUDGET NEUTRAL. I DON'T KNOW.
WE MAY NEED TO PUT A REIMBURSEMENT CLAUSE IN THERE BEFORE WE SIGN OFF. I'M KIDDING.
BUT GREAT QUESTIONS, GREAT DISCUSSION, GREAT INPUT FROM EVERYBODY FROM JASON AND HIS TEAM THAT WANT TO PARTNER WITH US, DR. WRIGHT, THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
SUGGESTED MOTION SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ.
THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYSCISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES DELEGATE AUTHORITY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE A MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT AND ANCILLARY AGREEMENTS WITH UPWARD COMMUNITIES OR A SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED MEETING, AND AUTHORIZE DR. WRIGHT TO EXECUTE THE MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT AND ANCILLARY AGREEMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT AS DISCUSSED AND PRESENTED.
SECOND BY MS. ROSCO, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
[APPLAUSE] TEAM, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST TAKE A QUICK BREAK, SO LET'S BE BACK ON THE DIAS IN 10 MINUTES.
TEAM, WE'LL COME BACK FROM THAT LITTLE STRETCH OF THE LEGS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
TEAM, I KNOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR ACTION ITEMS,
[L.3. Update on Hays CISD Child Nutrition Services]
BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST IN OUT OF RESPECT FOR SOME OF OUR PRESENTERS.WE'RE GOING TO GO TO INFORMATION ITEM L3, DATE ON HAYSCISD CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES ON PAGE 38.
MR. BEAU YOURE GOING TO DO AN INTRODUCTION FOR US? HE SAYS, YES.
>> THOMAS, OUR FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR WILL BE PRESENTING.
>> WELCOME, THOMAS. YOU CUT ME OFF.
>> HEY, THOMAS GO AHEAD AND PRESS THE ICON TO TURN ON. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU, SIR.
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND DR. WRIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO DO A QUICK PRESENTATION ON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE USDA.
NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM ACTUALLY IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM.
IT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM AND WITH THAT A LOT OF FEDERAL RULES AND APPLICATIONS.
THERE'S REQUIREMENTS ON SODIUM, SUGARS, FATS, SATURATED FATS.
WITH THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BAD REPUTATION TO WITH CAFETERIA FOOD, BUT I THINK THE HAYSCISD STAFF DO TRY VERY VERY HARD TO PROVIDE DELICIOUS MEALS THAT THE KIDS GET EXCITED ABOUT ON A DAILY BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCREASE PARTICIPATION.
WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION FROM LAST YEAR, WHICH IS ACTUALLY VERY VERY GOOD, EVEN WITH THE INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT.
BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON WAS THE SODIUM REQUIREMENTS.
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN GETTING MORE AND MORE STRICT AS TIME GOES ON, AS WITH THE WHOLE GRAIN REQUIREMENT.
THIS DISTRICT IS WHOLE GRAIN RICH, MEANING 80% OF THE MENU IS WHOLE GRAIN.
ADDED SUGARS AGAIN ARE SOMETHING WE REALLY TRY NOT TO DO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
MOST OF THE THINGS YOU SEE ON THE MENUS,
[01:25:01]
ACTUALLY ARE ZERO SUGAR.IF YOU DON'T MIND TURNING TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.
THEN THE SMART SNACKS. A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THE SNACKS WE HAVE IN THE SCHOOLS. HOW CAN YOU DO CHIPS? HOW CAN YOU DO ICE CREAMS? THOSE ARE PROOF AGAIN, THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS WITH THE USDA.
IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK IN THE BACK, IT LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT IT'S REDUCED FAT.
THERE'S LESS SODIUM, THERE'S LESS FAT, EVEN WITH THE ICE CREAMS, LESS SODIUM, LESS FATS.
BUT THERE'S DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR EVERY GRADE LEVEL. IT'S A BALANCE.
WE TRY TO PLEASE THE KIDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO KEEP THEIR PARTICIPATION HIGH, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET A WELL BALANCED MEAL AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DANCE WE DO.
ONE MORE THING TOO, THE ADULT MEAL PRICING.
I DO GET TO ASK THIS QUITE A BIT IS FOR THE ADULT MEAL PRICES.
IT'S THE SAME MEAL, BUT IT'S FIVE DOLLARS FOR THE DISTRICT, WHEREAS THE STUDENTS, IT'S TWO DOLLARS AND NINETY CENTS, IN HIGH SCHOOL AND TWO DOLLARS AND SEVENTY CENTS IN ELEMENTARY.
ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THIS IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM, AND SO SINCE THEREFORE, IT IS SUBSIDIZED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, NOT A HAYSCISD RULE, BUT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SELL THE ADULT MEAL FOR LESS THAN WHAT THE STUDENT PAYS, PLUS EVER ALL THE BENEFITS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPLIES TO THAT.
LAST YEAR, IF YOU REMEMBER, OVERNIGHT, ACTUALLY, WE HAD TO INCREASE THE PRICE BY DOLLAR.
WE WENT FROM 375 WHAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY TO NOW IT'S FIVE DOLLARS.
WE DID THAT OVERNIGHT BECAUSE WE HAD A TRIANGULAR AUDIT, AND THE STATE OF TEXAS CAME OUT AND SAID, YOU'RE ACTUALLY WRONG IN DOING THIS.
YOU NEED TO INCREASE YOUR PRICING.
AGAIN, THIS WASN'T A DECISION THAT WAS MADE BY ANYONE HERE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS TOLD TO US BY THE STATE, SAID, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO, AND WE JUST COMPLIED.
WE UNDERSTAND, OF COURSE, IT'S THE SAME PORTION, BUT WE TRY TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AGAIN, WE TRY TO KEEP IT TO WHERE WE HAVE AN APPEAL FOR ALL THE CAMPUSES, ESPECIALLY ALL THE STAFF, BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT.
RIGHT NOW, I THINK THE CPI CAME OUT AND THEY SAID THE COST OF FOOD WAS INCREASED BY 3.6%. I DON'T THINK SO.
IT'S GOT TO BE HIGHER THAN THAT, AND EVERYONE FEELS THE PINCH ON THAT, AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE IN THIS DISTRICT.
WE DO TRY VERY HARD BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNITIES AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT IT'S UNFORTUNATE TO SAY, BUT THEY'RE ONLY HOT MEALS WITH US IN CHILD NUTRITION AND OUR STAFF RECOGNIZE THAT, AND THEY DO A VERY VERY GOOD JOB, AND THEY WORK VERY HARD AND THEY CARE A LOT ABOUT THE KIDS.
IF YOU COME TO VISIT THE CAMPUSES, THE MANAGERS KNOW THE KIDS ON A NAME BY NAME BASIS, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE.
THEY KNOW THEM PERSONALLY, AND THEY ALL TRY VERY VERY HARD TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND JUST BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU, THOMAS. WE'LL DEFINITELY TURN IT OVER TO THE BOARD.
I'LL LOOK TO MY LEFT, MR. FLOSCUS [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU, THOMAS. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD NUTRITION WORKER IN THE DISTRICT FOR WHAT THEY DO, EVERYBODY WHO SERVES OUR KIDS EVERY DAY.
ONE GREAT THING I SAW WHEN I WAS AT SLI LAST YEAR, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE PRESENTER WAS, BUT THEY JUST SAID, WHY DON'T WE WE CELEBRATE IN OUR DISTRICT, THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WE SERVE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THE NUMBER OF KIDS WE SERVE MEALS TO.
I THINK WE TEND TO FORGET AND TAKE FOR GRANTED SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT YOU GUYS PROVIDE WITH MANY KIDS, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST MEAL THEY HAVE, ALL DAY.
I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT Y'ALL DO.
I DO WANT TO ASK, REMIND ME HOW MANY CP CAMPUSES WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT.
>> OKAY. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THAT NUMBER COULD EXPAND, IS THAT?
>> IT DEPENDS COMPLETELY UPON WHETHER OR NOT HOW MANY PEOPLE RECEIVE FEDERAL BENEFITS, AND THAT'S HOW IT'S DETERMINED.
IT'S DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY'RE RECEIVING TNF, SNAP, MEDICAID.
ALL THOSE PLAY A PART INTO WHETHER OR NOT A CAMPUS CAN BE CP.
APPLICATIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
IT REALLY ISN'T. IT'S GOT TO BE A FEDERAL BENEFIT, AND THEN THEY GET PUT ON THE LIST, AND WE RECEIVE THAT, AND WE LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF IT'S EVALUATED AND SEE IF IT'S A GOOD FIT FIRST.
>> BECAUSE THIS IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, TRACKING THE NUMBER OF MEALS, TELL US HOW STRICT THEY ARE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERY KID THAT COMES IN GETS THAT MEAL, PUTS IT IN THE SHARE CARD OFF THEY DON'T WANT, BUT EVERY KID HAS TO TAKE A MEAL.
A LOT OF PRINCIPALS AND CAMPUSES SAY, WELL, I'LL JUST HAVE TA TO COME PICK UP THE MEALS AND WE'LL DELIVER IT TO THE KIDS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO COUNT IT AT THE POINT OF SERVICE.
IF WE DO DO THAT, THERE NEEDS TO BE TRAINING WITH USDA GUIDELINES AND ROSTERS, AND THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, HOW MANY WE SERVE? IT'S ABOUT 12,000 LUNCHES A DAY, ABOUT 5,000 BREAKFASTS AND ABOUT 600 DINNERS.
[01:30:03]
>> WOW. REMIND US WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF THOSE NUMBERS ARE OFF? IF MAYBE KIDS AREN'T TAKING THEM OR, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES YOUR FUNDING COULD BE A JEOPARDY.
>> WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
IF THE PARTICIPATION DECREASES, THEN THE FUNDING DECREASES, AND SO MY DEPARTMENT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW, NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THE DISTRICT THAT HAS A MY BUDGET LINE ISN'T A FIXED LINE, WHEREAS IT'S A VARIABLE LINE THAT CAN CHANGE THROUGH THE YEAR.
YOU CAN GO UP OR DOWN, DEPENDING ON HOW WE DO.
THE AIM IS TO TRY TO YOU, KEEP PARTICIPATIONS HIGH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE A GOOD EMPLOYER IN THAT AREA.
>> AWESOME. MY LAST QUESTION IS, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES KIDS WILL THEY USED TO CALL THEM LIKE WITH THE REPLACEMENT MEALS.
BUT WE GIVE THOSE KIDS THE QUALITY LUNCH, AND THAT'S OUR POLICY.
>> LAST YEAR, HAYSCISD ADOPTED A POLICY, WE'RE NOT DOING AN ALTERNATE MEAL BECAUSE THERE ARE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY DO DO ALTERNATE MEALS.
IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, SAY A CHEESE SANDWICH AND A JUICE, YOU HAVE THE CHILD GROWTH OF THE LINE, PICK WHAT THEY WANT, THEY GET TO THE LINE, AND THEY'RE OUT OF BALANCE, AND THEY GET TO THE FRONT, AND THAT TRAY GETS TAKEN FROM THEM.
THEN THAT TRAY GETS TAKEN FROM THEM AND THEY GET HANDED AT CHEESE SANDWICH AND JUICE.
FOR EVERYONE HERE, I THINK YOU CAN AGREE IT'S ONE IS WASTEFUL BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE TAKING THAT TRAY AND THROW IN THE TRASH, AND THE ONLY REAL PURPOSE IT REVISE IS EMBARRASSING THAT CHILD.
WHEN IN ACTUALITY, IT'S NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THEIR ACCOUNT.
WE DON'T DO THAT IF A CHILD GOES TO THE LINE AND THEY'RE OVER THEIR BALANCE.
WE HAVE A BUTTON THAT WE HIT AND THE POINT OF SALE, AND IT'S A MODIFIED MEAL AND THEY TAKE IT AND THEY GO.
IT'S NOT A SPECIAL ALTERNATE MEAL.
IT'S IT'S THE SAME EXACT MEAL AS IF THEY'RE GOING TO GET AS IF THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
>> THANK YOU, AGAIN. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU AND THE STAFF ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LARGE JOB THAT USUALLY SOMETIMES GOES WITHOUT THANKS, BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
>> YES. I WANTED TO THANK PRESIDENT BEA FOR ADDING YOU ON OUR AGENDA.
AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM CHILD NUTRITION, SO THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.
I KNOW WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WHYS AND WHY YOU CHOOSE THE MENUS THAT YOU DO AND OUR REGULATIONS AND WHAT WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY.
I LOVE THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT SO EVERYONE COULD UNDERSTAND THAT.
YOU DID A TASTE TESTING THIS YEAR, DID YOU NOT? CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? SOME OF THE WAYS THAT YOU GO ABOUT THE DISTRICT TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND THEIR INTERESTS?
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE TODAY AT CHAPA.
WE HAVE ONE THIS AFTERNOON AT CHAPA, AND WE'RE TRYING TO INTRODUCE THE STUDENTS TO WHAT WE SERVE AT BREAKFAST BECAUSE MONDAY MORNINGS ARE TOUGH.
WE UNDERSTAND AND SO WE ACTUALLY SERVED THE SMOOTHIES BREAKFAST, SMOOTHIES WE HAVE THIS MORNING, AND WE LET THEM SAMPLE THOSE IN THE AFTERNOON.
WE'RE ALWAYS TAKING FEEDBACK FROM THE KIDS BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AGAIN.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE KIDS WANT AND WHAT THEY LIKE, BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT, IT'S JUST MY GUESS.
ANOTHER THING WE DID LAST YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS YEAR IS WE HAD A FLAVOR FEST, AND WHAT THAT IS, ESSENTIALLY, IS IT'S A TRADE SHOW FOR STUDENTS.
WE BRING IN VENDORS THAT WE USE, AND THEY HAVE SPECIAL PRODUCTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT, AND WE BRING THEM TO A CAMPUS, AND WE BUST IN STUDENTS FROM AN ELEMENTARY CAMPUS, A MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS, AND THE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS, AND THEY COME AND WE GET DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM THE KIDS RIGHT THERE.
THEN DEPENDING ON HOW THEY RESPOND, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ENDED UP ON THE MENU, AND THEY HAVE THIS YEAR.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS.
THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET IT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WELL, I LOVE THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THAT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT MY SON LOVES THE ORANGE CHICKEN, SO WHOM [OVERLAPPING].
THE ORANGE CHICKEN, AND THEN THE PIZZA.
AT JOHNSON, THEY GET TO CREATE THEIR OWN LITTLE PIZZA OVER THERE.
YOU'RE DEFINITELY GETTING SOME KIDS THAT ARE LOVING YOUR FOOD AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE CHANGING.
SOON, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING AT THE CHILD NUTRITION CENTER, AND IT'S GOING TO BE CALLED THE HELEN AKALA CHILD NUTRITION CENTER.
I KNOW THAT'S COMING UP THIS YEAR.
LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR MOBILE TRUCK. HOW'S THAT GOING?
>> WE HAVEN'T ANYTHING WITH IT YET BECAUSE OF THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, BUT WE ARE PLANNING SOME EVENTS WITH IT, SO.
>> WONDERFUL. WILL YOU PLEASE KEEP US UPDATED ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE WE'D LOVE TO COME CHECK IT OUT.
I WAS PRETTY EXCITED TO SEE IT AT THE THE HAYS EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
THAT WAS SO NEAT. THANKS AGAIN FOR PRESENTING.
IT'S SO GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS DEFINITELY TAKE CARE OF US ON BOARD NIGHTS, AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
THANKS FOR FEEDING OUR KIDS AND TAKING CARE OF THEM.
ALSO THANKS FOR TOUCHING ON THE MODIFIED MEAL SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN HEAR THAT WE CERTAINLY DON'T EVER WANT A CHILD TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE LESS THAN ANOTHER,
[01:35:04]
AND SO WE WILL NEVER EVER DO THAT AS A DISTRICT. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU. I LOVE CHILD NUTRITION.
YOU HAVE PARTNERED SO WELL WITH US IN OUR DISTRICT FROM PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CLASSROOM.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, IF YOU WILL.
I KNOW YOU DID IT AT BUDA, TOBIAS, AND ANOTHER CAMPUS, I THINK AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, WHERE YOU'RE GROWING PLANTS.
STUDENTS ARE GROWING PLANTS, AND THEY'RE USING THOSE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND EATING THEM.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?
>> I KNOW I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO CHECK IT OUT.
>> WE PAIRED WITH THE GREEN BRONX MACHINE.
WHAT THAT IS IS AN ORGANIZATION BASED AT IN NEW YORK, AND IT'S A SUPERINTENDENT ACTUALLY FROM NEW YORK CITY IN THE SOUTH BRONX.
WHAT HE DID WAS HE CREATED A CURRICULUM THAT IS [INAUDIBLE] APPROVED ALONGSIDE A HYDROPONIC PROGRAM.
WE'RE TAKING THE HYDROPONIC TOWERS THAT WE HAVE, PUTTING THEM IN THE CLASSROOM WITH THE STEM TEACHERS, AND THE STEM TEACHERS ARE TAKING THAT AND USING THE CURRICULUM TO GROW FOOD IN THE CLASSROOM.
FOR EXAMPLE, MS. CURLEY AT BUDA DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.
IT WAS AMAZING. SHE GREW ENOUGH SALAD SO THAT WE COULD SERVE SALAD FOR PIZZA DAY.
THE KIDS HARVESTED IT, THEY BROUGHT IT DOWN, WE WASHED IT.
IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR THAT THE KIDS WERE EXCITED TO EAT SALAD, WHICH YOU NEVER HEAR.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DOING NOW, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE EXPANDING ON AS WELL.
IT'S HAYSCISD, WE INNOVATE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
WE KEEP PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERREACH, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH AS MUCH AS WE CAN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM.
>> I THINK IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR KIDS, AND THAT SUPERINTENDENT WAS FULL OF ENERGY.
I THOUGHT THEY WERE TWINS FOR SURE.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR KIDS.
ALSO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PARTNERING WITH OUR HAYS CISD CLOTHES CLOSET OR HAYS HOPE2GO, AND ALWAYS BEING A THOUGHT PARTNER AND BEING A PARTNER WITH US ON MAKING SURE WE REMOVE BARRIERS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY ON THAT HALF. THANK YOU.
>> I'M GLAD YOU GET TO COME AND HANG OUT WITH US TONIGHT.
>> I WAS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT TO MS. OROSCO ABOUT THE HYDROPONIC PROGRAM AND THE PARTNER WITH HAYS CLOTHES CLOSET.
THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT ARE MANDATED THAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT OUR CHILD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT IS JUST DOING BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR KIDS.
I KNOW WE DON'T GET TO BRAG ON CHILD NUTRITION VERY OFTEN, BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'M PROUD, AND I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW YOU A FEW YEARS NOW, THAT YOU DO THIS FOR US.
NOT ONLY ARE YOU KEEPING, HOT MEALS AND BREAKFAST FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS THAT NEED THEM, YOU'RE ALSO DOING SOME INNOVATIVE THINGS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
YOU'RE JUST DOING IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO, AND YOU WANT US TO BE INNOVATIVE, AND I LOVE THAT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
I'LL BRAG ON LIKE, MY SON WENT TO OLD BUDA ELEMENTARY, AND THE LUNCH LADY THERE, MS. B, SHE'S NOW AT BUDA ELEMENTARY.
IF YOU GO UP AND ASK HER, SHE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU HIS STUDENT NUMBER THAT HE HAD TO PUT IN EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR HIS LUNCH.
SHE CAN STILL TELL YOU HIS NUMBER.
WHEN KIDS ARE WITH ELM GROVE, SHE WENT TO ELM GROVE, AND THEN SHE COULD ALSO GIVE YOU MY DAUGHTER'S NUMBER AS WELL.
JUST DON'T ALWAYS FORGET ABOUT THE FOLKS IN OUR LUNCH STAFF AND OUR LUNCH PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY MAKING SURE OUR KIDS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED AT LUNCHTIME, AND THAT CAN'T BE OVERLOOKED AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.
WE'RE STILL FRIENDS TODAY, AND SHE CAN TELL YOU HIS NUMBER, 725, WHATEVER IT IS.
SHE JUST RATTLE IT OFF. SHE STILL SAY IT.
THANKS FOR COMING TONIGHT AND GIVING US THIS INSIGHT. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SAYING THAT.
AGAIN, WE'RE REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE AN EXCELLENT STAFF HERE.
THE STAFF ALL REALLY CARE. I'M JUST REALLY LUCKY.
>> I'M GLAD, TRUSTEE SEVERANCE, THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP JUST BECAUSE OVERALL, GETTING TO SIT ON THE SIDE OF DAIS AND ACTUALLY GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES AND EVERYTHING.
THOMAS, YOU AND YOUR STAFF JUST CARE SO MUCH ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, AND IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT ABOUT EVERY ASPECT OF OUR DISTRICT AND HOW MUCH WE POUR INTO EACH OF OUR STUDENTS.
I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT ENOUGH IN MY HOUSEHOLD OF FOUR TO TRY TO FIND THINGS THAT ALL FOUR OF US CAN AGREE ON TO LIKE.
SO I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR A HOUSEHOLD OF 24,406 PLUS STAFF TO TRY TO FIND SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY AGREES ON.
BUT OVERALL, IT'S NOT ANY SECRET THAT WE HAVE AN OBESITY PANDEMIC IN THE COUNTRY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE JUST STRUGGLE WITH TRYING TO FIND HEALTHY NUTRITIOUS MEALS IN OUR VERY ACTIVE GO,
[01:40:01]
GO, GO AMERICAN SOCIETY AND TRYING TO DO THAT.I JUST APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS IN TRYING TO MEET THESE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES AND NUTRITIOUS MEALS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, DOING ALL THAT YOU DO AND PROVIDING THE FEEDBACK AND TRYING TO RECEIVE THE FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS AND STUDENTS AS TO WHAT THEY ENJOY EATING THAT IS ALSO NUTRITIOUS AS WELL.
AGAIN, AS MANY OF YOU POINTED OUT, FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, THESE ARE THEIR ONLY HOT MEALS OF THE DAY AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
I JUST CONTINUE TO APPLAUD YOU AND YOUR EFFORTS IN DEALING WITH ALL OF THESE ISSUES.
>> THOMAS, I WANT TO ECHO A LOT OF THE COMPLIMENTS THAT THE TEAM IS PAYING AGAIN TO YOU AND THE STAFF.
IT'S GREAT TO BE PARTNERS WITH YOU GUYS, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO.
THE TAKEAWAYS FOR EVERYBODY LISTENING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE KIDS, WE NEED YOU TO BE THERE AT SCHOOL, SO ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT.
EATING YOUR MEAL IS IMPORTANT, INCLUDING YOUR VEGETABLES, AND APPARENTLY, MR. SEVERANCE'S KIDS NEVER KNEW THEIR NUMBER, AND SOME LADY HAD TO MEMORIZE THAT, SO THAT'S MY TAKEAWAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
>> ALL RIGHT, TEAM, ALWAYS EXCITED TO HEAR FROM OUR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.
[K.4. Consideration and possible approval of Ratification of an Emergency Expenditure - Lennox]
LET'S GET BACK IN OUR ACTION ITEMS. WE'RE GOING TO BE ON ITEM K4, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF THE RATIFICATION OF AN EMERGENCY EXPENDITURE FOR LENNOX.ON PAGE 27, WE HEARD ABOUT THESE LAST WEEK.
LET ME MAKE SURE I HAVE ENOUGH LIGHT THAT I CAN READ THIS.
THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE RATIFICATION OF THE EMERGENCY EXPENDITURE IN THE AMOUNT OF $52,050 AS PRESENTED.
MOVED BY MR. SEIBEL. SECOND BY MR. SEVERANCE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES, 7, 0.
[K.5. Consideration and possible approval of Ratification of an Emergency Expenditure - Trane]
POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF A RATIFICATION OF AN EMERGENCY EXPENDITURE TRAIN.THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE RATIFICATION OF AN EMERGENCY EXPENDITURE FOR THE AMOUNT OF $65,114 AS PRESENTED.
MOVED BY MR. FLORES. SECOND BY MS. PETREA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES, 7, 0.
TEAM, THAT TAKES US DOWN TO K6,
[K.6. Consideration and possible approval of a Non-Standard Service Agreement for Water with County Line Special Utility District at Ramage Elementary School]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF A NONSTANDARD SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR WATER WITH COUNTY LINE SPECIAL UTILITY DISTRICT AT RAMAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.ON PAGE 27 OF YOUR AGENDA BOOK, THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE NONSTANDARD SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR WATER WITH COUNTY LINE SPECIAL UTILITY DISTRICT AS PRESENTED.
MOVED BY MR. SEVERANCE. SECOND BY MR. FLORES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M HEARING SOME QUESTIONS. MS. RUNKLE.
AM I HEARING ANOTHER MOTION? THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING TO DO. AM I HEARING AN AMENDED MOTION?
>> I'M SORRY. CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT? THERE'S A DIFFERENT MOTION IN OUR FOLDER?
[01:45:10]
WAIT. I'M SEEING THE SAME THING. HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?>> THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN OUR DAIS FOLDER.
>> IT SAYS, AND ALLOW THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE DOCUMENTS AS NECESSARY AND CONVENIENT.
HE DIDN'T READ THAT IN THE FIRST.
>> IN MY BOARD BOOK, IT HAS A CORRECT ONE.
CAN YOU READ THE INCORRECT ONE SO I CAN AMEND IT.
I'M GOING TO AMEND IT REAL QUICK, BUT MINE WAS THE SAME.
WHEN YOU READ, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU READ WHAT WAS THE OLD ONE, NONSTANDARD SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR WATER AND COUNTY LINE SPECIALTY UTILITY DISTRICT AS PRESENTED.
I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION TO READ BY INSERTING, AND ALLOW THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE DOCUMENTS AS NECESSARY AND CONVENIENT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. SEVERANCE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] NOW GO BACK DOWN.
>> NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK DOWN.
THE NEW SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE NONSTANDARD SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR WATER WITH COUNTY LINE SPECIAL UTILITY DISTRICT AS PRESENTED AND ALLOW THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE DOCUMENTS AS NECESSARY AND CONVENIENT AS DISCUSSED.
>> MOVED BY MS. OROSCO. SECOND BY MS. RUNKLE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES, 07, 0. MS. RUNKLE?
>> I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT ON K4, THAT WE HAD THE CORRECTED MOTION ON THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS ALSO IN OUR DAIS.
DID WE DO THE CORRECT MOTION ON THAT AS WELL? GOT IT.
>> GOOD QUESTION. WE WANT TO CLARIFY THINGS.
[K.7. Consideration and possible approval for further consideration the Design Development of 2023 Bond Bid Package 12 for projects at Tom Green Elementary, Hemphill Elementary, Kyle Elementary, Simon Middle School, and Wallace Middle School]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION, THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OF 2023 BOND BID PACKAGE 12 FOR PROJECTS AT TOM GREEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HEMPHILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, KYLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SIMON MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WALLACE MIDDLE SCHOOL.I KNOW WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION AROUND THIS LAST WEEK, SO I WILL LOOK TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M LOOKING LEFT. I'M LOOKING RIGHT.
THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT FOR 2023 BOND BID PACKAGE 12 PROJECTS AT TOM GREEN ELEMENTARY, HEMPHILL ELEMENTARY, KYLE ELEMENTARY, SIMON MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WALLACE MIDDLE SCHOOL AS PRESENTED.
MOVED BY MS. OROSCO. SECOND BY MR. FLORES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES, 7, 0.
TEAM, THAT TAKES US TO ITEM K8,
[K.8. Consideration and possible approval of the expenditure of Bond Interest Earnings for the Advancement of 2025 Bond Projects]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF AN EXPENDITURE OF BOND INTEREST EARNINGS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF 2025 BOND PROJECTS.AGAIN, I KNOW WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION AROUND THIS LAST WEEK, SO I'LL LOOK TO MY RIGHT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY QUESTIONS? MS. PETREA.
>> I KNOW WE TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT THIS, AND I HAD SOME CONCERNS AND JUST WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM MAYBE MR. ANDRES ABOUT THE TIMING.
I REALLY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT DOING THIS FOR HIGH SCHOOL 4, NOT AS STRONGLY FOR THE OTHER PROJECTS, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE ME TO AMEND THE MOTION JUST TO SEE IF PEOPLE ON THIS DAIS WOULD BE UP FOR THAT CHANGE, BUT THEY MAY NOT, OR JUST CHANGE THE MOTION IN GENERAL, IF WE HAD SOME CONSENSUS ON THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH JUST HIGH SCHOOL 4.
NOT TO SAY THAT THIS WILL JUST GET THROUGH WITH MY NO VOTE ON THE FULL.
WHAT'S THE SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE FOR HIGH SCHOOL 4 IF WE VOTED THIS DOWN TODAY?
>> IT WOULD BE IN JEOPARDY FOR OPENING IN 2029.
>> POSSIBLY, BECAUSE THE REAL WILDCARD FOR US RIGHT NOW IS THE PERMITTING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
[01:50:01]
[OVERLAPPING]>> THAT IS A WILDCARD, AND WE HAVEN'T ENCOUNTERED THAT WILDCARD BEFORE. YOU PROBABLY HAVE THOUGH.
>> HAVE YOU IN YOUR DEALING WITH THEM?
>> YES, WE HAVE. TYPICALLY, THEY WILL TELL YOU SOMEWHERE AROUND 18 MONTHS TO GET A PERMIT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
>> WE'VE TRIED TO PLAN FOR THAT.
BUT THIS NEW POPPER PROCESS THAT I MENTIONED LAST WEEK IS SUPPOSED TO SPEED THAT UP, AND THEY'VE TOLD ME IT COULD BE AS SHORT AS 12 MONTHS.
BUT THE PROCESS IS SO NEW THAT NOBODY CAN LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND SAY, YES, IT'S GOING TO BE 12 MONTHS.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO PLAN FOR THE WORST, HOPE FOR THE BEST, ESSENTIALLY.
>> I DON'T WANT TO BE THE CAUSE OF HIGH SCHOOL 4 NOT OPENING IN FALL OF 2029.
I WANT TO GO ON RECORD TO SAY THAT.
BUT SOME OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS, I'M NOT SURE, ARE REALLY TIME-SENSITIVE, IF I'M BEING HONEST.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A ZILLION PROJECTS GOING ON IF ALL THESE BONDS PASS, BUT I DO CARE ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL 4 OPENING ON TIME.
YOU HAVE WORKED SOME MIRACLES, AND I THINK I MIGHT BE JUST TAKING THAT FOR GRANTED A LITTLE BIT WITH SUNFIELD OPENING MIRACULOUSLY ON TIME AND OTHER PROJECTS YOU GUYS HAVE ALWAYS JUST DELIVERED IN TERMS OF OUR TIMING.
BUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN THING DOES SCARE ME, SO I WANT TO HEAR WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK.
IF THE REST OF THE BOARD IS LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH ALL THIS, THEN MAYBE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, WITH THE WAY THIS MOTION IS WRITTEN, I'M GOING TO VOTE NO, BUT IF WE WERE TO CARVE OUT HIGH SCHOOL 4, THEN I'D BE INTO IT.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO LEHMAN HIGH SCHOOL.
JOHNSON AND HAYS, PARTICULARLY WITH HAYS HAVING THE FINE ARTS PORTION OF THAT TAKEN OUT, THAT'S ACTUALLY SAVED US ABOUT SIX MONTHS ON OUR CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE, IF THAT ONE WERE TO PUSH TILL MAY, THAT'S WHY THE DATES WE SENT OUT DOES NOT PUT THAT OPENING IN JEOPARDY.
FOR LEHMAN, PUTTING THE FINE ARTS GYM BACK IN HAS PUSHED THAT BACK OUT TO A THREE-PHASE PROJECT, WHICH PUSHES IT BACK OUT TO 26 MONTHS AS OPPOSED TO 18.
FOR LEHMAN, I WOULD PUT THAT ONE ON THE LIST OF ONES THAT WOULD POSSIBLY IN JEOPARDY FOR OPENING IF WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
>> BY HAVING BASICALLY HOW MUCH?
>> TO CLARIFY, IT'S A MULTI PHASE PROJECT.
THE WHOLE PROJECT WOULDN'T BE NOT OPENING ON TIME BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO OPEN IN THREE SEPARATE PHASES.
I BELIEVE THE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
GAVE, I THINK THE ACADEMIC EDITION IS FIRST.
WHATEVER THE FIRST PHASE, THE FIRST TWO PHASES WILL PROBABLY THEY WOULD OPEN ON TIME, IT WOULD BE THE FINAL PHASE THAT WE OPEN ON TIME.
>> FOR US IN OUR TRANSMITTAL HERE, THOSE AREN'T SEPARATED OUT LINE ITEM LIKE LEHMAN AND JOHNSON AND HAYES ARE JUST LUMPED INTO ONE FOR US.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH LEHMAN.
OR ELSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT 26 MONTHS VERSUS 18 MONTHS.
MAYBE WE CAN LIVE WITH THAT. I DON'T KNOW.
>> YES. BUT JOHNSON AND HAYES HIGH SCHOOL, THERE'S NOT A SCHEDULE CONCERN IF THOSE DELAYED UNTIL MAY.
>> WELL, LET'S HEAR FROM OTHER PEOPLE.
>> I GUESS I'M JUST NOT REALLY BUYING THAT WAITING THREE MONTH IS GOING TO SET US AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A HIGH SCHOOL TILL PAST 2029.
I SHARE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DELIVERED BEFORE.
I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH TAKING MONEY FROM OUR TAXPAYERS WITHOUT HAVING THEM WEIGH IN ON THIS BOND YET.
I COULD BE WILLING TO COMPROMISE ON THAT, BUT NOT THE OTHER PROJECTS.
I SHARED THIS LAST MONTH, AND I STILL SHARE THAT SAME SENTIMENT.
I'M JUST NOT BUYING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN HIGH SCHOOL 4 UNTIL PAST 2029 FOR THREE MONTHS OF A HOLD UNTIL THE VOTERS VOTE.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE WHAT'S THE WORD STRONG ARMED FOR THAT? I'M JUST NOT BUYING IT.
>> I DO WANT TO CLARIFY ONE THING IS THAT WE'VE BEEN ON HOLD SINCE DECEMBER AND WE WOULDN'T START UP UNTIL MAY, SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A SIX MONTH DELAY.
>> WELL, WE'RE USING BOND INTEREST MONEY FOR BOND ITEMS THAT HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN GONE TO THE VOTERS YET.
I AM NOT ON BOARD FOR THIS FOR ALL OF THESE PROJECTS.
IF WE WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL 4 AND HIGH SCHOOL 4 ONLY, I'M WILLING TO DO THAT,
[01:55:02]
BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO USE BOND INTEREST MONEY FOR ALL OF THESE PROJECTS.I JUST NOT. I WILL VOTE NO IF IT'S ALL.
>> AGAIN, THIS WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD FRIDAY NIGHT.
I WASN'T HERE FOR IT, I GUESS I HAD COMPLETE FOMO AGAIN.
BUT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE RELUCTANCE AND, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND HOW I CAN GIVE SOME FOLKS PAUSE.
HOWEVER, I AM FULLY ON BOARD TO VOTING ON THIS, VOTING YES ON THIS, ALL OF IT, AND I DO HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE WILL BE IN A GOOD PLACE AFTER MAY 3RD.
I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE DESIGN FEES.
NOW, IF WE ADVANCE THESE DESIGN FEES, AND LET'S JUST SAY THE BOND DOES FAIL ON MAY 3RD, AND WE GO TO 26 AND WE START GETTING READY FOR THE 27 BOND.
WOULD THESE DESIGN FEES STILL BE UTILIZED ON THAT BOND? THESE ARE NEEDS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, HIGH SCHOOL NUMBER 4, HILL ELEMENTARY, HEMPHILL TOM GREEN, JOHNSON LEMAN, THEY'RE ALL NEEDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT FORWARD SOONER OR LATER, CORRECT? CAN WE THE DESIGN FEES ARE UTILIZED? WE GET THOSE DESIGNS GOING FORWARD, AND WE STILL USE THEM THAT WAY IT'S NOT WASTE,.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'D BE THE GOAL WITH OUR MASTER PLANNING, WE'D BE ABLE TO PUT THESE ON THE SHELF AND PICK THEM UP WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT.
>> THIS IS NOT MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT FORWARD, AND IT'S GOING TO BE LOST, CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. I BELIEVE IN THE MASTER PLANNING, IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THOSE ELEMENTS AND WHERE THEY ARE DRAWN ARE THE RIGHT ONES, THEN IT WOULDN'T BE A WASTE.
>> WE COULD UTILIZE THESE BOND FEES THEN AND NOT HAVE TO SPEND THIS MONEY THEN ON DESIGN FEES? THAT'S CORRECT.
>> YOU'D HAVE PLANS THAT ARE COMPLETE.
>> IF WE DON'T UTILIZE THIS AND WE DECIDED IT WILL THE COST BE MORE LATER TO SPEND ON DESIGN FEES THAN NOW.
>> IT'LL STILL BE A PERCENTAGE OF CONSTRUCTION, BUT IF THE CONSTRUCTION IS MORE, THE DESIGN FEES WOULD BE MORE.
>> I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN OF NOT WANTING TO, BE RECKLESS WITH TAXPAYER MONEY AND I DON'T I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS SUCH.
BUT I AM FULLY, I DO HAVE CONFIDENCE AGAIN, THAT THAT WE SHOULD MOVE THIS FORWARD, AND I CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT TO DELAY CONSTRUCTION OR HAVE TO GO WITH THE COMPRESSED TIMELINE.
WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST WITH BASEBALL FIELDS, WHAT THAT CAN DO TO PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I AM PREPARED TO VOTE, YES ON ALL OF THIS.
>> YES, I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AS WELL.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE SHOVEL READY.
I CAN VOTE YES ON ALL OF IT OR EXTEND AN OLIVE BRANCH HERE TO MY FRIENDS ON THIS SIDE AND DO HIGH SCHOOL 4 FOR THE 3.2, AND THEN THE 993 FOR THAT SECOND PIECE, JUST BECAUSE WE CANNOT BREAK IT DOWN.
THAT WOULD BE POINT $4.2 MILLION AND CHANGE.
THAT I AM WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD NOW FOR THE SAKE OF OUR TIMELINES.
I KNOW THE KYLEMENTRY, AND PILL AND TOM GREEN.
THAT PHASE, IT IS NOT COMING UP FAST, LIKE THE OTHER ONES.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT ON THE BACK BURNER.
I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE DO NOT TO EXCEED THE 4.20 7507 IS WHAT I ADDED IT TO.
THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION, TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
>> THANK YOU. HERE'S THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.
RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT CAPACITY FOR ME, HIGH SCHOOL 4 WE NEED IT ALMOST, PRETTY QUICKLY.
THE OTHER THREE HIGH SCHOOLS, HAYES, JOHNSON AND LEHMAN, I KNOW JOHNSON'S ECONOMIC EXPANSION IS GOING ON NOW, AND I KNOW THAT WITH THESE DESIGN FEES, I KNOW THE ECONOMIC EXPANSION FOR HAYES HIGH SCHOOL AND LEHMAN WOULD ALSO BE GOING AT THE SAME TIME.
I THINK I WOULD FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE ADVANCING ALL HIGH SCHOOL PROJECTS FORWARD, BUT I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO THE GROUP THAT FOR THE KYLE HEMPHILL AND TOM GREEN, AS IT STANDS NOW HEMPHILL, WOULD BE OPENING AUGUST OF 2026 IN THE CURRENT SCHEDULE.
IF WE PUSH THIS BACK TO MAY, THEN THAT TURNS INTO AUGUST 27 OPENING.
THEN FOR TOM GREEN AND KYLE, THAT OPENING, BOTH OF THOSE OPENINGS WITHIN ALL THREE OF THOSE PROJECTS WILL BE DELAYED UNTIL AUGUST OF 2027.
[02:00:02]
I FEEL LIKE IF WE DON'T ADVANCE THOSE, WE COULD BE AT RISK OF PUSHING OUT A YEAR.HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE, WE GOT ON F MAX, PUT THAT TOGETHER.
IT LOOKS LIKE TOM GREEN AND KYLE WOULD BE OPENING IN FEBRUARY OF 27, SO MID SCHOOL YEAR.
MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO, FOR SURE ADVANCE THE HIGH SCHOOL DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND THEN IF THE BOARD, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO CHALLENGE OUR CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS TOO.
I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU WENT BACK TO THEM AND ASK THEM TO COMPRESS THE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE, IF WE WERE COMPRESSED WITH THIS DELAY UNTIL MAY ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, AND OUR CONTRACTORS SAID WHAT? W THEY BE WILLING TO COMPRESS THEIR TIMELINES, IF NEED BE, IF WE HAD TO DELAY THESE A BIT ON THE KYLE ELEMENTARY HEMPHILL AND TOM GREEN PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY.
>> YOU'RE ASKING IF THEY COULD JUST BUILD FASTER?
>> COMPRESS THAT. IF WE COULD JUST MAX YOU WORK MAGIC.
I KNOW OUR CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON TIME, AND USUALLY THEY'RE ON THEY'RE EARLY.
I FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT THAT EVEN IF WE POSTPONE THE KYLE ELEMENTARY HEMPHILL AND TOM GREEN DESIGN FEES THAT I FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT SAME SCHEDULE, BUT I'M NOT A CONSTRUCTION, BUT I TRUST MAX AND THAT TEAM.
THAT'S MY $0.02. AS ES BRONSA SAID, THE BRAND SHOULD BE TO KEEP ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL FEES IN THERE AND VOTE ON THAT TO BREAK THEM APART AND THEN PUSH THE OTHERS.
BUT IF THAT AGAIN, FOR ME, I COULD SAY YES TO ALL OF THEM, MOVING FORWARD TO KEEP THE PROJECTS GOING, TOO.
THAT'S JUST STILL TAKING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE BOARD, BUT THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. THANKS.
>> I'M JUST AS DR. WRIGHT LIKES TO SAY, THROW THE SKUNK ON THE TABLE.
I JUST REALLY NOT HAPPY WITH BEING PUT IN A POSITION, TO BE HONEST BECAUSE I HOPE THAT WE NEVER DO PARTIAL DESIGN FEES AGAIN, FRANKLY, BECAUSE IT'S PUT US IN A BAD SPOT RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S JUST UNCOMFORTABLE.
I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE RUNKLE, TRUSTEE PETRI.
I DIDN'T LIKE THIS LAST MONTH IN TRYING TO USE TAXPAYER MONEY AHEAD OF TIME WITHOUT KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO.
WITH THAT SAID, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF IF THESE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE DONE, IT'S A MATTER OF WHEN.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT ALLOWS ME IF EVERYBODY ELSE WANTED TO HAVE THEM ALL DONE NOW, I WOULDN'T LOSE SLEEP OVER AND I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
MY CONCERN ON THE I'M WITH EVERYBODY IN HIGH SCHOOL 4.
I THINK WE HAVE TO I DON'T THINK I WORRY OVERALL ABOUT COMPRESSION. YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT.
IT'S NOT JUST COMPRESSION OF TIMELINES.
IT'S COMPRESSION OF MULTIPLE PROJECTS TRYING TO BE DONE AT ONE TIME.
I WORRY ABOUT THAT BEING ABLE TO DELIVER THE EIGHT MILLION PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU GUYS HAVE A MASTER SCHEDULE OF ALL THESE PROJECTS GOING ON.
HIGH SCHOOL 4, THE OTHER THREE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES, GETTING THEIR PROJECTS DONE.
MY OTHER ONE IS THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE HEMPHILL.
BECAUSE JUST LOOKING AT THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENTS, 2026, 27 SCHOOL YEAR, THEY'RE PROJECTED TO HAVE 1053 STUDENTS WITH THE CAPACITY OF 720.
THEY WOULD BE IN A REAL WORLD OF HURT IF THIS WEREN'T TO BE IN PLACE YET.
IF THAT'S DELAYED TO THE 27, 28 OPENING, THEY'RE PROJECTED TO HAVE 12 67 AT THAT POINT.
NOW THAT'S PRIOR TO RAMAGE OPENING, SO THERE'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF SHIFTING THAT'S HAPPENING THERE, BUT THAT'S MY CONCERN WITH HY PILL, NOT DOING THAT ONE, PARTICULARLY.
KYLE, TOM GREEN. THOSE TWO PROJECTS, I THINK THEY HAVE CAPACITY.
IT'S MORE OF JUST, IT'S A RENOVATION AND UPGRADING FACILITIES VERSUS CAPACITY ISSUE.
THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT CUTTING HEMPHILL OUT OF THE ELEMENTARY SIDE IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE CAPACITY AT THAT SCHOOL FOR THE 26, 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
BUT I THINK KYLE AND TOM GREEN, MY PREFERENCE OVERALL WOULD BE TO REMOVE THOSE AT THIS STAGE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOL 4, AND POTENTIALLY HEMPHILL, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THAT FINANCIALLY BROKEN DOWN, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT REALLY DOES PROCEDURALLY HERE FOR THIS EVENING'S ACTIONS, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE.
>> YES, JUST WANT TO POINT SOMETHING ELSE TO, MAX, I THINK YOU PRESENTED SOME INFORMATION TODAY ABOUT THE DOLLAR COST OF ESCALATION IF WE DON'T APPROVE THESE TONIGHT AND IF WE WERE TO WAIT AND THEN APPROVE IT IN MAY.
HOW MUCH MORE WOULD THAT COST US IN ESCALATION FEES IF WE WAITED UNTIL MAY?
>> LAST WEEK, I SAID, MAYBE 2%, BUT WE RAN IT AT 1.5%, AND IT WAS RIGHT AT $9 MILLION OF ESCALATION.
[02:05:01]
IF WE WAIT, IT'LL BE NINE MILLION MORE DOLLAR. WE CAN SAY THAT.>> WE COULD SAVE $9 MILLION BY ADVANCING THE $6 MILLION DESIGN FEES TODAY, ASSUMING.
THANKS. THAT'S GOOD CLARIFICATION TO KIND OF HELP, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.
>> I DON'T LIKE BEING PUT IN THIS PREDICAMENT, EITHER.
HOPEFULLY, THIS IS THE LAST OF THAT.
ACTUALLY, NO, LET'S GO TO KYLE ELEMENTARY.
CURRENTLY, IT'S ON THE SCHEDULE. WHO WANTS TO SPEAK? CURRENTLY, IT'S ON THE SCHEDULE TO BE COMPLETED WHAT DAY? AND THEN IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, IT'S GOING TO BE TO PUT IT UP.
PUSHED OUT UNTIL WHEN. I JUST WANT TO HAVE A REAL CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.
>> YES, MA'AM. WE PROVIDED THIS ALL TO YOU AND I GO THROUGH IT NOW.
>> YES, MA'AM. WE'LL GET IT UP ON THE BOARD SO THAT WE CAN SEE YOU.
THIS IS THE CURRENT SCHEDULE, AND SO YOUR QUESTION WAS FOR WHICH CAMPUS?
IF WE HOLD THIS OFF, WHAT DOES THIS PUSH IT OUT TO?
>> KYLE ELEMENTARY CURRENT TAKES US TO FEBRUARY, MARCH OF 2027. SO THAT'S CURRENT.
>> THEN THE DELAY TAKES US TO SEPTEMBER OF 2027.
>> HEMPHILL, ORIGINAL WAS AUGUST SEPTEMBER OF 2026, AND IN THE DELAY, IT TAKES US TO AUGUST SEPTEMBER OF 2027.
>> TOM GREEN ORIGINALLY, THAT FEBRUARY, MARCH OF 2027 AND TOM GREEN WITH A DELAY IS AUGUST SEPTEMBER OF 2027.
>> I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO BE THE BOARD MEMBER THAT DELAYS THESE PROJECTS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT AT TOM GREEN, THERE ARE THINGS OVER THERE THAT NEED TO BE DONE, SPECIFICALLY, A SECURITY COMBINE OF THE BUILDINGS.
IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO PICK ONE ELEMENTARY AND NOT PICK OTHER ELEMENTARIES.
I DON'T LIKE THIS POSITION THAT WE'RE IN.
I DON'T WANT TO BE IN THIS POSITION AGAIN.
I TRUST OUR FEOC, AND I TRUST WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
THIS JUST FEELS JUST REALLY BAD.
I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE WILL OF THE BOARD BUT I'M GOING TO BE VERY CLEAR I DON'T LIKE IT.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT PROJECTS, AND I DON'T WANT TO EXTEND THEM OUT A VERY LONG TIME BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES AND ARCHITECTS TELLING US THAT THEY CAN'T DO THINGS WHEN WE'VE SEEN YOU GUYS DO THINGS IN RECORD TIMES BEFORE SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT.
I WILL GO WITH THE WILL OF THE BOARD TO NOT JACK THIS UP, BUT IT JUST STINKS SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT.
>> TEAM, I WANT TO CHIME IN HERE, AND THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.
WE ALL SEE THE NEED, THE GROWTH.
OUR DEMOGRAPHER HAS BEEN SPOT ON DR. WRIGHT EVERY TIME YOU GIVE US A SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
I HOPE THE PUBLIC AND OUR VENDORS, JASON, THIS IS NOT DIRECTED AT YOU OR ANYBODY, WE HOLD OURSELVES UP TO A HIGH STANDARD.
WE TALK ABOUT WE'RE IN THE SOLUTIONS BUSINESS, DR. WRIGHT, WE TALK ABOUT THAT.
WE'VE TAKEN A LONG, HARD LOOK ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS YEAR INTERNALLY AND SO WE'RE NOT ASKING ANYTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE OURSELVES OF OUR VENDORS.
THE NEED IS THERE. WE SEE THAT.
TO EVERYBODY'S POINT, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE DELAYS THAT ARE INTENDED.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT THIS BOARD IS SAYING.
IF YOU WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH HAYS CISD, THEN YOU'VE GOT TO DELIVER THE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WE EXPECT OF OURSELVES AND THAT IS NOT AN EMPTY THREAT.
THAT IS JUST WE'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO DO BUSINESS.
NOW THE NEEDS AND THE CHALLENGES OF THE CITY, MUNICIPALITIES, GETTING PERMITS AND ALL THOSE GREAT THINGS TO OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH, WHOEVER IT MAY BE.
WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A NEW CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN YET.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION, MS. PETREA.
BUT AGAIN, WE'VE GOT TO BE STRATEGIC AND WE'VE GOT TO DELIVER.
I ALSO SAID LAST WEEK ABOUT THE FORWARDING OF THE FEES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ON THE LAST BOND, WE ACTUALLY DID THAT, AND IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AT THAT TIME.
BUT JUST LIKE YOU HAVE AN ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE FREEWAY OUT HERE AND YOU'VE GOT AN EXIT RAMP, THEY DON'T ALWAYS LINE UP, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE'RE FACING.
WE HAVE THE NEED FROM THE GROWTH.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE OVER SPECULATORS
[02:10:03]
OF A BOND THAT HASN'T PASSED YET TO THOSE THAT ARE ECHOING THAT SENTIMENT AND THEN WE'RE HAVING TO TRY TO FIND THIS MASSAGED CALENDAR OF THE LOGISTICS AND THE BUREAUCRACY, OF ALL THESE JUST VESTED INTERESTS.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CRYSTAL CLEAR TO OUR COMMUNITY WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FINANCIALLY AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING THAT HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN BLESSED YET BY THE VOTERS.
WHAT DO WE DO IN THE EVENT IF THESE THINGS DON'T PASS ANYWAYS.
WE KNOW THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT. WE HAVE THOSE PLANS, IF WE WILL, ON THE SHELVES TO BE USED AT A LATER DATE.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN A BOARD THAT HAS STEPPED IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS OF THIS DISTRICT.
I KNOW THAT OUR LEADERSHIP, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER CONTENTIOUS POINT THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING NOW.
YOU'VE HEARD SOME GREAT COMMENTS.
WE'VE HEARD SOME OLIVE BRANCHES BEING EXTENDED.
I THINK WHAT THE BOTTOMLINE IS HERE IS THAT WE DO HAVE A NEED AND WE NEED TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
I'VE HEARD FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT ITERATIONS.
I CAN EITHER READ THE MOTION AS IS, KNOWING THAT WE'VE HAD EVERYBODY CHIME IN WITH OUR CONCERNS OR WE CAN HEAR A MOTION THAT HAS A HYBRID OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.
AGAIN, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CONTESTED THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN QUITE SOME TIME.
DR. WRIGHT, YOU WANT TO CHIME IN. YES SIR.
>> JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF QUICK POINTS.
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT MAX AND TIM AND THE TEAM HAVE RESTRUCTURED THE 25 BOND NOT TO USE OUR CURRENT INTEREST.
RANDY REPORTED TO YOU THAT WE HAD $13.1 MILLION SITTING OUT THERE.
BUT NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTACH, SHOULD THE ITEMS PASS IN THE VARIOUS PROPOSITIONS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE 25 BOND INTEREST MONEY TO AUGMENT EACH OF THOSE LINE ITEMS. WITH THAT, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO ALL OF THIS, WHICH WOULD KEEP US ON SCHEDULE FOR ALL PROJECTS AND WE WOULD STILL HAVE A CONTINGENCY FEE LEFT OVER IN THE BOND INTEREST, WHEREAS IF WE WOULD HAVE DONE BOTH, AND THIS WOULD HAVE REALLY CONCERNED ME.
BUT NOW THAT WE'VE CHANGED THAT PROGRAMMING, IT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER.
AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAX AND NATE HAVE DONE WITH OUR ARCHITECTS, THE STANDARD AI FEE FOR ARCHITECTS IS 8% IN THE NATION.
IN OTHER DISTRICTS, PRIOR TO COMING TO HAYS, I USED THE THOMAS J HENRY APPROACH; YOU DON'T PAY UNLESS YOU WIN.
BUT THE REASON AND THE RATIONALE FOR THAT WAS WE PAID EIGHT PERCENT BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO GET A HIGHER FEE, BUT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO GET PAID UNTIL AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE.
BUT NOW WE HAVE FEES THAT ARE AS LOW AS 5.5 PERCENT, SIX PERCENT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SAVE OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY.
I HATE THAT WE ASK FOR PARTIAL FEES.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK FOR PARTIAL FEES ANYMORE.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM ALL IN.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'VE HEARD THAT BECAUSE WE ASKED FOR PARTIAL FEES, IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS NOW, WE'RE GOING TO PAY NINE MILLION DOLLARS MORE LATER AND THE MATH JUST DOESN'T ADD UP FOR THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE ALL OF IT JUST BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE BALANCE NOW SINCE WE DIDN'T TAKE IT TO USE IT TO BUY DOWN PROPS SO THAT'S JUST MY TWO CENTS.
>> THANK YOU, DR. WRIGHT FOR THAT INPUT AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE CLEAR THAT WE KNOW THAT WITH THE SHUFFLING AROUND OF THINGS AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO THIS.
TEAM, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THE MOTION AS IS.
THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE OF BOND INTEREST EARNINGS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF 2025 BOND PROJECTS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6,794,511 AS PRESENTED.
MOVED BY MR. FLORES. SECOND BY MS. OROSCO.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MS. PETREA.
>> AGAIN, I'M GOING TO VOTE NO ON THIS TONIGHT, BUT I THINK YOU'VE GOT SUPPORT, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'LL MOVE FORWARD, BUT WE GOT TO DO IT DIFFERENT NEXT TIME, BUT I WOULD'VE BEEN IN SUPPORT IF IT WAS JUST THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU, MS. PETREA. ANYBODY ELSE? WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 6-1 WITH MS. PETREA VOTING NO.
I WANT TO SAY IT AGAIN THAT DR. WRIGHT,
[02:15:04]
TWO YEARS AGO, PREVIOUS BONDS, WE DID THE RIGHT THING BY ADVANCING FEES AT THE TIME.THAT WAS THE RIGHT FORMULA FOR WHAT WE NEEDED.
WE'RE IN SOME PINCH POINTS, AND SO TO THIS BOARD'S POINT, JUST LIKE WE HOLD OURSELVES TO A HIGH REGARD WHEN IT COMES TO SOLUTIONS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE, WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE HOLD OUR VENDORS AS WELL, KNOWING THAT THERE'S STILL CHALLENGES WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES THAT WE DO BUSINESS WITH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION, TEAM.
[K.9. Consideration and possible adoption of the updated Board Operating Procedures]
THE NEXT ITEM IS A BOARD MATTER.THIS IS ITEM K9, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF THE UPDATED BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
TEAM IN YOUR DIAS FOLDER, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THAT VERY COLORFUL AND UPDATED BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, THAT IS A DRAFT.
THAT IS JUST A DRAFT, BUT IT ENCOMPASSES ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT WE DISCUSSED LAST WEEK.
I KNOW THAT WE WENT PAGE BY PAGE, SECTION BY SECTION, SO I WILL SEE IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD. MS. RUNKLE.
>> THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS TO OUR ADVISORY TEAM COMMITTEE THAT TOOK ON THIS AND THEN MRS. GLORIA FOR MAKING THE CHANGES.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY BECAUSE THIS FINAL ONE THAT WAS IN OUR DIAS, IT DOESN'T HAVE WHAT WAS CHANGED IN HERE, SO I AM JUST WHO MADE THE CHANGES? WAS IT MS. GLORIA? I'M JUST TRUSTING THAT EVERY CHANGE THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING HAS BEEN DONE BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN RED OR HIGHLIGHTED SO I WOULDN'T KNOW.
>> I THINK WE'RE JUST CHECKING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET AN UPDATED.
>> I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO HERE BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T HIGHLIGHTED OR NOTED.
>> WE INCLUDED ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS AND EDITS WE AGREED WITH.
USING THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STYLE BOOK GUIDE.
THERE ARE SOME WORDS THAT ARE NOT CAPITALIZED THAT ARE IN IT.
I KNOW THAT WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION TODAY LIKE JOB TITLES ARE NOT CAPITALIZED UNLESS THEY PRECEDE AN ACTUAL PERSON'S NAME WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BOARD ITSELF HAS A CAPITAL B BECAUSE IT IS THE HIGHEST GOVERNING AUTHORITY OF OUR DISTRICT.
>> WELL, IT'S VERY PRETTY. GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, MS. RUNKLE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON MY RIGHT? QUESTIONS ON MY LEFT. MR. SEVERANCE.
>> I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I APPROVE THE FORMATTING OF THIS VERSION THAT STOOD BEFORE US.
I THINK IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD, AND I ALSO FEEL LIKE IN ALL SERIOUS, I LIKE THE PICTURES.
I KNOW IT'S NOT DONE, BUT I JUST SO FAR, I REALLY LIKE THE PICTURES THAT ARE IN THERE.
NO, THERE'S NO GRAY. WE'RE GOOD.
EVERYBODY'S GOOD. BUT YEAH, IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK.
I APPRECIATE WHAT WE DID ON THIS.
I KNOW WE'RE STILL A VERSION PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON BUT IT LOOKS GOOD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
>> ANYBODY ELSE ON THE LEFT? AGAIN, GOOD JOB TEAM. I KNOW WE HAD THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK AND WENT LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM.
THANK YOU MS. RUNKLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE SUGGESTED CHANGES CAPTURED AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A DRAFT IN OUR HAND.
THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE REVISED BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AS DISCUSSED AND PRESENTED.
MOVED BY MS. PETREA. SECOND BY MR. SEVERANCE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 7-0. GOOD JOB, TEAM.
WE GO THROUGH ALL OF OUR ACTION ITEMS.
[L.1. Update on District Safety & Security Initiatives]
LET'S GET TO OUR INFORMATION ITEMS. INFORMATION ITEM L1? ANY UPDATES? I'M LOOKING AT CHIEF SKROCKI.SHE'S SAYING, NO? SHE'S ON TOP OF IT OVER THERE.
GOOD DEAL. WE'VE HEARD LOTS OF DISCUSSION ON OURS SO THIS IS INFORMATION ITEM NUMBER 2,
[L.2. Update on District Bond, Construction, and Renovation Projects]
UPDATE ON DISTRICT BOND CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION PROJECTS.MR. CLEAVER, WE'RE UP TO DATE?
>> YES, SIR. WE ARE VERY UP-TO-DATE. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU.
>> WE ALREADY DID OUR TOWN ATTRITION.
[L.4. Quarterly Investment Report]
QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT, MR. BROWN, WE HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH FROM YOU LATELY, BUT WELCOME BACK. WE'RE GOOD? FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, SO TEAM,[L.5. Financial Statements]
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF OUR INFORMATION ITEMS? WE'LL MOVE ON TO YOUR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, [INAUDIBLE].[M. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES]
I WILL LOOK TO MY LEFT, MS. OROSCO.>> I'M SORRY. I WROTE IT DOWN AND I LOST IT IN ALL THESE MILLION PAPERS THAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME SO LET ME TRY TO RECAP MY QUESTION REAL QUICK.
PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION ON OUR WELDING PROGRAM AND WHAT IT ENTAILS,
[02:20:07]
MAKING SURE TO INCLUDE THE TITLE, WHAT CAMPUSES HAVE THE WELDING PROGRAM, TA CRITERIA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WITHIN THAT PATHWAY, SO IF YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE WELDING PROGRAM.>> I'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED A SIMILAR QUESTION, SO YOU SHOULD BE IN GOOD SHAPE THERE.
>> GOOD DEAL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE LEFT? MR. SEVERANCE?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. I WAS WONDERING ON OUR DETAILED INVESTMENT OF HOLDINGS ON RANDY'S QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SEPARATE OUT ON THE BOND PROJECTS ORIGINAL OR OUTSTANDING DOLLARS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN USED IN THE BOND, AND THEN A SEPARATE ENTITY ON BOND INTEREST ACCUMULATION AS A SEPARATE ITEM, NOT RELATED TO WHAT WE'VE EARNED IN INTEREST ON EACH BOND ITEM, BOND GROUPING, LIKE 2021 CONSTRUCTION.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SEPARATE THAT OUT TO LOOK AT IT ORIGINAL VALUE BOND INTEREST, AND THEN HOW MUCH WE'VE EARNED IN BOND INTEREST?
>> ON THE INVESTMENT REPORT OR ON THE FINANCIALS?
I'M JUST LOOKING AT PAGE 48 AS A REFERENCE.
IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT, SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BEGINNING PART VALUE AND THE PERIOD EARNINGS OF ALL THE BUCKETS WITHIN OUTSTANDING BONDS.
WE'RE 100 PERCENT. I CAN DO THAT.
>> THANKS, RANDY. APPRECIATE IT. GREAT ANSWER.
>> [INAUDIBLE] THAT QUESTION AS WELL SO WE WILL MAKE SURE WE HAVE A FOLLOW UP.
>> BUT SOME OF THE INFORMATION, TRUSTEE SEVERANCE, MAY BE IN THE FINANCIALS ON THE BOND EXPENSE REPORT TOO AS IT'S BROKEN OUT.
BUT I CAN GET WITH YOU OFFLINE.
>> I BELIEVE YOU. JUST LIKE A SUMMARY, JUST IT'S ON ONE PAGE, MAKE IT EASY SHOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE ON THE LEFT? ANYBODY ON MY RIGHT? OKAY TEAM, I KNOW THAT MS. PETREA AGAIN HAS
[N. RECAP OF QUESTIONS]
BEEN DILIGENTLY CAPTURING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS, SO WE WILL NOT GET A RECAP.[O. UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS]
THERE IS A CHANGE.IT IS GOING TO BE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025 AT 5:30 P.M. RIGHT HERE IN THE MEREDITH KELLER BOARD ROOM.
UNLESS THERE IS DISSENT, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 9:08 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.