SMITHVILLE I.S.D.
The Smithville I.S.D. Board of Trustees met in regular
session on
1. Employees of the Month for January – The Board congratulated Bernardita Redoblado,
teacher at the junior high, and Connie Arellano, a member of the Food Service staff, for being chosen as employees of the month for January.
2. Communications from the Public – There were no public communications.
Consent Agenda – Kamron Saunders moved to approve items 3 through 8 as listed on the
Consent Agenda. Mike Wittrock seconded, and the motion carried 6-0. The Consent Agenda included:
3. Minutes of the
4. Disbursements for the month of January 2006
5. Financial Statements for January 2006
6. Investment Report
7. Tax Collection Report
8. Budget Amendment
9. Superintendent’s
Report – The Superintendent updated the Board on important issues
pertaining to the district including gifts, donations and bequeaths to the
District as of
10. Report on Board Member Continuing Education Hours – Board Policy BBD [Legal]
requires the Board President to announce the name of each Board member who has
completed the required continuing education, who has exceeded the required hour of
continuing education and who is deficient in the required continuing education. The
following board members have exceeded the required continuing education hours: Mike
Morgan, Michael Goertz and Peggy Walicek. The following board members have not
completed the required continuing education hours: Craig Williams, Kamron Saunders, Mike
Wittrock and Howard Burns.
11. Tentative March Agenda Items – Tentative items to be included on the March agenda are:
a. Employees of the Month
b. Superintendent’s Report
c. Teacher contract reviews/extensions
d. Approve textbook selection
e. consider adoption of 2006-2007 school calendar
f. Consider adoption of FNAA [Local] – student distribution of non-school literature, and
FNAB [Local] – student use of school facilities for non-school purposes
g. Outstanding students for the 4th six-weeks
h. Set special board meeting date to canvass election results
12. Consider contractural
agreement with Perdue,
L.L.P. to provide taxable value appeals for property taxes – In order to attempt to
maximize the
district’s state funding ability by determining local values and their
relationship to the values established by the State Property Tax Board, the
Superintendent is recommending employment of Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins
and Mott, L.L.P.. This law firm specializes
in property tax collection and related issues, and their purpose will be to
watch, protect, and defend the district’s assessed value by monitoring local
values in relation to state property tax values, and to file timely, meaningful
appeals to the SPTB as necessary. Kamron
Saunders moved to employ Perdue,
13. Consideration and approval of a financial advisory contract of First Southwest Company – First Southwest has represented the school district for many years in discussions surrounding the sale of bonds for the construction of new additions in the district. Their current contract is expireing. In order to keep First Southwest as our financial advisor, the district needs to renew the contractural agreement with them. Mike Wittrock motioned to employ First Southwest as financial advisors of the district. Mike Morgan seconded the motion, and it carried 6-0.
14. Consideration
and action with respect to Order Authorizing the Issuance of Smithville ISD
Unlimited Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2006; Authorizing the Levy of an Ad
Valorem Tax in Support of the Bonds; Approving an Official Statement;
Authorizing Execution of a Bond Purchase Agreement, and Escrow Agreement and a
Paying Agent/Registrar Agreement and Authorizing Other Matters Related to the
Issuance of the Bonds – Due to
our exceptional financial rating, the District has been given an improved bond
rating. First Southwest, financial
advisors for the District, have rebid our interest rate, thus enabling us to
refinance our bond series at a lower interest rate, creating a substantial
savings for the District. Mike Morgan
moved to authorize First Sothwest to proceed with the Order Authorizing the
Issuance of Smithville ISD Unlimited Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2006. Kamron Saunders seconded, and the motion
carried 6-0.
15. Request for waiver of facility use fees by International Women’s Day coordinators –
The Superintendent has received a letter from Carrie Knox, representative of International
Women’s Day,
requesting that the district waive normal facility use fees for their use of
Brown Cafeteria for an IWD celebration specifically for the women of
16. Review and approval of staffing patterns for 2006-2007 – In order to address staffing
needs for the upcoming school year, the Superintendent, along with other administrative
staff, has drafted a projection for staffing requirements that will best meet the educational needs of students for 2006-2007. A motion was made by Kamron Saunders to approve the 2006-2007 staffing pattern as presented. Mike Wittrock seconded, and the vote passed 5-1 with Mike Morgan opposing.
17. Review and approve Update Policy 77 – Included in the board packet were vantage points
from Board Policy Update 77, a document recommended by the Texas Association of School Boards to help keep our district policies up to date. A motion was made by Craig Williams to approve Update 77 as presented. Mike Morgan seconded the motion, and it carried 6-0.
18. Consider
a State Waiver to
states that schools may not start prior to the week of August 21st without a state waiver. Both 2006-2007 draft calendars, which will be considered for approval by the Board in March, have start dates prior to August 21st. Therefore, the District must appeal to the state to waive the mandatory start date. Howard Burns moved to allow the District to pursue a state waiver to begin school prior to August 21st. With a second by Kamron Saunders, the vote passed 60.
19. Order of Election for School Board Members Places 3 and 4 – School Board members
serve three-year
staggered terms of office. Each year the
Board must call an election to elect places whose three-year term is
expiring. The next regular election of
the Smithville ISD Board of Trustees will be held on
20. Consider purchase of two buses for 2006-2007 – In order to provide adequate vehicles for
transportation services, the Superintendent is requesting that the Board consider approving the purchase of two new buses for the 2006-2007 school year. Howard Burns motioned to approve the purchase of two 77-passenger buses to be used for student transportation services next year. Kamron Saunders seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
The
Board entered executive session at
action taken.
21. Deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property – The Board discussed
this item in closed session. Mike Wittrock moved to authorize the Superintendent to
negotiate the possible purchase and/or sale of properties owned by the District. Kamron Saunders seconded the motion, and it carried 6-0.
22a.Review performance evaluations of administrative personnel – This was done in closed
session. No action was required.
22b.Consideration of administrative contract extensions – Kamron Saunders entered a
motion to approve contracts for administrative personnel as recommended by the
Superintendent. Mike Morgan seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
22c.Resignations of certified personnel – The Superintendent advised the Board of the
resignation of Mary Liz Singleton, junior high principal.
23. Adjournment – The
Board adjourned its meeting at