SMITHVILLE I.S.D.
BOARD BRIEFS

AUGUST 19, 2002

The Smithville I.S.D. Board of Trustees met in regular session on Monday, August 19, 2002 beginning at 6:00 P.M.  Items discussed or acted on by members included the following:

1.      Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget and Proposed Tax Rate – The school is required by state laws and board policies CCG [Legal] and CE [Legal] to conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget and proposed tax rate.  Any taxpayer of the District may be present and participate in the meeting.  The Board held the public hearing as required by law.  There was no participation from the public at the hearing.

2.      Public Communications – There were no communications from the public.

Consent Agenda

 Peggy Walicek motioned to approve items 3 through 11 as listed on the Consent Agenda.   Mike Morgan seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.  The Consent Agenda consisted of the following:

 3.       Minutes of the July 15, 2002 regular board meeting and the August 5, 2002 special board meeting

4.      Disbursements for the month of July 2002

5.      Financial Statements for July 2002

6.      Investment Report

7.      Tax Collection Report

8.      Bastrop Special Education Cooperative Shared Services Agreement

9.      Regional Day School for the Deaf Shared Services Agreement

10.  Revise and update authorized representative for Texas Education Agency National Lunch and Child Nutrition Programs

11.  Budget Amendment

12.  Construction Status Report – Steve Rogers from Best Construction, along with Dale Murphree, superintendent of the junior high field house project, was present at the meeting to brief the Board on progress of the construction projects.At this time, the Board called a special meeting for September 30, 2002.

13.  TAAS End of Course Summer TAAS Testing Report – Board Policy EKB [Legal] requires the Superintendent to report all assessment test results to the Board, with appropriate interpretations.  Deborah Mayer, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, reported to the Board the results of the end of course tests given the last two weeks of the school year, as well as the Exit-level TAAS administered in July.

14.  Superintendent’s Report – Mr. Sage reported to the Board on the first day of school and enrollment figures.

15.  Tentative September Agenda Items – The tentative items scheduled for the September board meeting are:

a.  Approval of District and Campus Improvement Plans
b.  Site-Based Committee Membership Reports
c.  Class Size Report
d.  Teacher Certification Status Report
e.  Construction Status Report
f.  Red Ribbon Week Proclamation

 16.  Adoption of 2002-2003 District Budget – The Board is required to adopt and operational budget before the beginning of the fiscal year, which begins September 1^st.  The proposed budget is $13,271,068 and represents a 6% increase over last year’s budget.  Mike Morgan made a motion to approve the proposed 2002-2003 district budget as amended.  Peggy Walicek seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.  (There was a request by the Board to add an explanatory note in the budget regarding surplus funds).

 17.  Adoption of the 2002-2003 Tax Rate – The Board is required to set a tax rate within 60 days of receiving the certified tax roll but no later than September 30^th.  Peggy Walicek motioned to approve a resolution setting the tax rate at $1.7177 which includes a $1.4617 M&O tax rate and a $0.256 I&S tax rate.  Linda Rooks seconded the motion, and it carried 6-0.

 18.  Review update [Legal] policies and act on [Local] policies – The District contracts with the Texas Association of School Boards to assist the District in the development and maintenance of Board policy.  The policy services division of TASB does periodic updates to our Board policy manual to keep our policies consistent with State laws, recent court decisions, attorney general opinions, and TEA rules.  Mr. Sage provided the Board with the most recent update, Update 68, and briefed them on recommended changes included in it.  Linda Rooks motioned to approve Board Policy Update 68 as presented.  Mike Wittrock seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.

 19.  Policy for the employment of retired employees – Due to the increasing practice by school districts of rehiring retired employees, the Superintendent is seeking to provide a fair and consistent process for placing retired employees on the payroll of the District.  After discussion, the Board expressed its desire to place retired employees on a pay scale reflecting their years of experience.  No action was taken.

 20.  Bids for deleted equipment – After an extensive review of property and equipment owned by the District, the Board authorized Bobby Hennesey to solicit bids for the equipment no longer of use to the District.  Mr. Hennesey obtained bids, following proper bidding procedures, and presented the highest bids to the Board.  Linda Rooks made a motion to award bids for deleted equipment to the highest bidder as presented.  Peggy Walicek seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.

 21.  Request from Vocational Ag. Department to begin plans for a school facility to house animals for student projects – The Vocational Ag. Department staff met with the Superintendent expressing their desire to construct a facility in which students could house animals for F.F.A. projects.  The proposed site for the project is a corner of the acreage being used for the new high school.  They also proposed a fund raising activity that includes baling and marketing hay harvested from the unused land areas around the new high school site.  The Board expressed their support for both proposals with a motion by Mike Wittrock to approve the Ag. facility proposal and the hay marketing proposal as presented.  Peggy Walicek seconded and the motion carried 6-0.

 22.  Consider a fund raising request from the Vocational Ag. Department to bale and market hay harvested from the new high school property – included in the above item.

 23.  Consider the use of canine detection for alcohol, drugs and weapons on Smithville ISD campuses – In order to maintain the campuses at Smithville ISD as a safe, drug free environment, the Superintendent is recommending the employment of an impartial, non-political agency to provide canine detection to the District.  Craig Williams motioned to approve using a third party source for canine detection of drugs, alcohol and weapons on S.I.S.D. property.  Mike Morgan seconded, and the vote passed 6-0.

 24a.Resignations of certified personnel – Mr. Sage advised the Board of the resignation of

Hollie Erickon, a teacher at the elementary, effective October 11, 2002

 24b.Employment of certified personnel – Peggy Walicek motioned to employ

Cindy Cogdell as a teacher at the high school.  Linda Rooks seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.