[00:00:07]
[A. CALL TO ORDER]
IT'S NOW CALL TO ORDER.WE HAD HOPED WE WOULD BE HOLDING THIS MEETING IN OUR NEW BOARDROOM ON AIRPORT FREEWAY THIS MONTH, BUT WE NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME TO TEST AND FINALIZE THE SYSTEMS IN THE ROOM.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING OUR FIRST MEETING AT THAT LOCATION ON THURSDAY, JULY 23RD.
[B. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS]
DR. STINSON, PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THE MEETING WAS DULY CALLED.AND A NOTICE OF THE MEETING WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
YES, MRS. SANDERS-WISE, WE DID POST AND ADVERTISE THE MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW.
[C.1. DISCUSS AND HEAR COMMENTS ON THE 2026-27 BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE]
THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS AND HEAR COMMENTS SPECIFIC TO THE 2026-27 BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE.GLENN IS HERE TONIGHT TO DO OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR BUDGET.
WE'VE HAD WORKSHOPS AND OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE BOARD, SO WE HOPE TO HAVE A PROPOSAL TONIGHT FOR YOU TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SANDERS, VICE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND THE WASHINGTON SENATE AND CABINET.
WE ARE HERE FOR THE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING AS REQUIRED BY LAW.
THE FIRST SLIDE IS JUST A DESCRIPTION OF A FEW OF OUR REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE STATE LAW.
WE MUST HOLD AN ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE AND THAT NOTICE OF THIS MEETING MUST BE PUBLISHED 10 TO 30 DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING.
THIS MEETING NOTIFICATION WAS PUBLISHED IN THE TARRANT COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORDER ON JUNE 11, 2026.
WE DID POST THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALONG WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE.
TAX CODE DOES REQUIRE THAT THE TAX CALCULATIONS BE ATTACHED TO THE BUDGET.
AND SO A PLACEHOLDER WAS PROVIDED UNTIL THE FINAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT VALUES ARE RECEIVED.
AND WE DID COMPLY WITH THE NEW HOUSE BILL 1522, WHICH REQUIRES A POSTING OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON THE WEBSITE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND A TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT THAT YOU HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THROUGH OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
ADDITIONAL BUDGET REQUIREMENTS REQUIRE THAT THE BOARD...
APPROVE THE BUDGET ADOPT THE BUDGET FOR OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OUR 199 BUDGET AS WE COMMONLY REFER TO IT OUR INTEREST IN SINKING FUND OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND OUR CHILD NUTRITION BUDGET AND OUR ACCELERATED LEARNING BUDGET THOSE THAT BUDGET IS FOR REMEDIATION FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS THE BUDGETS ARE APPROVED AT BOTH THE FUND AND FUNCTIONAL LEVEL SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE TWO UNDERLYING NUMBERS THE FIRST NUMBER IS THE FUND LEVEL AND THE SECOND NUMBER IS THE THE FUNCTION LEVEL.
AND OUR DEADLINE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THESE BUDGETS IS JUNE 30TH.
HERE ARE A COUPLE OF DATES RELATED TO OUR TAX RATE.
WE DID RECEIVE OUR PRELIMINARY VALUES ON APRIL 28TH.
THE VALUES WILL BE CERTIFIED BY JULY 25TH IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW, AND THE TAX RATE WILL BE ADOPTED.
IT'S PLANNED TO BE ADOPTED AT THE AUGUST 27TH.
THE TAX RATE IS REQUIRED TO BE ADOPTED AFTER OUR BUDGET IS ADOPTED.
KATIE IS GOING TO TALK JUST A MINUTE ABOUT OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
WE'VE DONE MUCH BETTER THAN THE PROJECTIONS OF OUR DEMOGRAPHER.
BUT ON THE TAX VALUE GROWTH, REALLY THE 3.17% AND HOW THAT NUMBER WAS...
CALCULATED FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT WAS A PRETTY EASY AND FLAT LEVEL OF INCREASE.
WE HAD TO POST ALL OF OUR NOTICES OVER A MONTH AGO AND WE'VE JUST NOW GOTTEN A NEW UPDATE THIS WEEK FROM THE TARRANT APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND SO RIGHT NOW WE DO NOT THINK THAT WE WILL PROBABLY BE AT THAT LEVEL.
NOW THERE'LL BE SOME NEW VALUES OBVIOUSLY THE CERTIFIED VALUES.
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO NOW IS PROJECTIONS BECAUSE WE WILL NOT RECEIVE THOSE CERTIFIED VALUES UNTIL THE END OF JULY, WHICH WE WILL COME BACK WITH SOME UPDATES FOR THE BOARD.
BUT I JUST WANT TO ALERT YOU ON THAT, THAT AT THIS POINT WE ARE THINKING THAT THAT VALUE CHANGE WILL BE LOWER THAN THE 3%.
WE ARE ALL GOOD AS A DISTRICT.
WE HAVE THE CONSERVATIVE NATURE OF THIS BOARD, AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE HAS HELPED US KEEP OURSELVES WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
THERE ARE NO CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, BUT YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT WHEN JOSH MCLAUGHLIN IS HERE AT 7.
IS THERE A REASON WE DO THE BUDGET FOR THE DEBT SERVICE IN AUGUST AND WAIT UNTIL OCTOBER FOR THE GENERAL FUND? WHY AREN'T THEY DONE AT THE SAME TIME? BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN AUGUST WHEN THAT'S UPDATED.
WHENEVER SCHOOL STARTS, THERE'S...
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FOR SOME STUDENTS, AND SO OCTOBER IS THE MONTH THAT EVERYTHING'S DUE TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY FOR THE GENERAL FUND, AND THEY DO LOOK AT THAT AND CHECK TO SEE WHERE OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS ARE AT THAT TIME.SO WE JUST DON'T HAVE WE CAN DO IT IN AUGUST, BUT THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK IN OCTOBER AND DO IT AGAIN.
I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, SO YOU'RE PROBABLY REFERRING TO SNAPSHOT DATE IS THE GENERAL TERM FOR IT.
AND LIKE KATIE SAID, TYPICALLY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL FINALIZE WHAT THEY CONSIDER THEIR FINAL ENROLLMENT NUMBER WHEN YOU JUST HAVE TO PICK A DAY.
AND TYPICALLY IT'S THE END OF OCTOBER, OCTOBER 30TH OR 31ST.
I THINK IT'S LIKE THE LAST FRIDAY MAYBE.
IT'S WHATEVER THAT LAST FRIDAY IS.
YES, THE LAST FRIDAY IN OCTOBER.
YEAH, SNAPSHOT DATE, AND THAT'S WHEN WE...
REMAINING BULLETS ON THIS SIDE.
JUST TO REVIEW AGAIN THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE DISCUSSED INITIALLY IN OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP, WE DID REDUCE OUR PAYROLL PROJECTIONS BY APPROXIMATELY 2% BASED ON VACANCIES, UNDERSPENDING, AND THAT MIDPOINT NUMBER THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
OUR INSURANCE REDUCTION IS $600,000, WHICH WAS GREAT NEWS FOR THIS YEAR, AND WE DID INCLUDE AN OPERATING TRANSFER OF $1.4 MILLION FROM THE FUTURE NEEDS FUNDS FOR THOSE ONE-TIME CAPITAL PROJECTS.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR COMPENSATION INCREASE THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD IS 3% OF THE BASE SALARY OR MIDPOINT AT THE HIGHER OF THOSE TWO, AND THE APPROXIMATE COST IS $6.3 MILLION.
THIS BUDGET DOES INCLUDE THAT, AS WELL AS THE INCREASE IN THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION FOR HEALTH INSURANCE FROM $260 TO $300 PER ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE, AND THE APPROXIMATE COST IS JUST OVER $650,000.
OUR CLERICAL LEVELS 1 THROUGH 5 AND MANUAL TRADES 1 THROUGH 4 WILL REMAIN AT THAT $360 CONTRIBUTION LEVEL FOR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT REQUIREMENTS.
HERE IS JUST A SNAPSHOT, A LARGE OVERVIEW OF OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OR GENERAL FUND BUDGET AT THAT TAX RATE, EXPECTED TAX RATE OF .7828.
FOR THE DEBT SERVICE, FUND, WE BASE OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND BUDGET ON OUR REQUIRED ANNUAL DEBT PAYMENT AND THE TAXABLE VALUE OF THE DISTRICT THAT KATIE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
WE DO PROPOSE THAT THAT TAX RATE WILL REMAIN AT .39964.
AND OUR CHILD NUTRITION FUND IS BASED ON OUR FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT RATE.
THIS IS THE SECOND OF TWO YEARS THAT FREE AND REDUCED STUDENTS ARE REIMBURSED AT THE FREE LEVEL.
SO REDUCED STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO EAT FREE AGAIN GOING INTO THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
THE PRICE OF OUR STUDENT MEALS, AND THE NUMBER OF OUR STUDENTS.
THIS CHART GIVES YOU A GLIMPSE OF ALL THREE OF THOSE CHARTS.
THIS IS THE SAME THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP.
AND THEN OUR AFFIRMATION FOR 26-27, WE DO AFFIRM AS AN ADMINISTRATION THAT OUR BUDGET ADDRESSES THE EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS, PROVIDES FAIR AND MARKET-APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND REFLECTS...
A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR AND FUTURE YEARS.
JUST A QUICK REVIEW OF OUR FEDERAL ALLOCATIONS FOR OUR ENTITLEMENT GRANTS FOR 25-26.
THE ESSA GRANTS INCLUDE TITLES I THROUGH IV, AND WE ARE ROLLING TITLE II AND TITLE IV INTO TITLE I THIS YEAR AT THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY.
AND THEN OUR PERKINS GRANT IS FOR OUR CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, AND IDEA GRANTS ARE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYONE HERE.
I HAVE AN ASSISTANT HERE TODAY.
THERE IS NO ONE PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK CONCERNING THIS ITEM.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
[C.2. DISCUSS AND HEAR COMMENTS ON THE 2025-26 STATE COMPENSATORY FUNDING]
ITEM NUMBER TWO.DISCUSS THE 2025-26 STATE COMPENSATORY FUNDING.
GLENN IS ALSO HERE TO PRESENT THAT PRESENTATION.
THIS IS OUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING AS REQUIRED BY LAW, A REVIEW OF OUR 2025-26 STATE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION PROGRAM.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO HOLD THIS HEARING TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK IF THEY ARE DUE DESIRE.
AND SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ROLES AND THIS IS JUST THE ICEBERG TIP STATE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION IS A LARGE PROGRAM TO SERVE OUR AT-RISK STUDENTS AND DOES REQUIRE CROSS DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION
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SO DAVE LIAMSON IS ON THERE HE WORKS WITH OUR PEMS CODING AND UPLOADING THE REPORTS MARI CRUZ-POLIT PROVIDES GUIDANCE INSTRUCTIONALLY FOR THE STATE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION I OVERSEE EXPENDITURES AND FINANCIAL REPORTING.MIKE CHARLIN ALSO IN TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS OUR PEMS PROCESSES.
THE PROGRAM IS BASED ON 17 STUDENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
THESE ARE ALSO LOCATED ON OUR BOARD POLICY AND OUTLINED IN TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.
THE FUNDING REQUIREMENTS YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT IN 2526, BERKELEY ISD IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE JUST OVER 20 MILLION IN STATE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION ALLOTMENT.
IN THE PAST, WE WERE REQUIRED TO SPEND AT LEAST 55% OVER A THREE YEAR AVERAGE ON STATE COMPENSATORY ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.
THIS WAS REMOVED IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINNING WITH THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR.
HOWEVER, OTHER REQUIREMENTS REMAIN INCLUDING THIS PUBLIC HEARING, AND THE ADOPTION OF THE ACCELERATED BUDGET, WHICH WE'LL SEE TONIGHT IN YOUR ACTION ITEMS. IN 25-26, BIRDVILLE REPORTED 13,520 STUDENTS, OR 61.11% OF THE STUDENTS AS AT RISK.
OUR FUNDED PROGRAMS INCLUDE MAINLY POSITIONS, AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT ON THE SIDE OF THE CHART.
POSITIONS, INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITATORS, DIFFERENT TEACHERS, SOME OF OUR COUNSELORS, AND ATTENDANCE OFFICERS.
AS WELL AS A LOT OF OUR SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE USED TO SERVE OUR AT-RISK STUDENTS AND TO PROVIDE REMEDIATION IN THOSE CONTENT AREAS.
FOR 26-27, WE DO EXPECT TO EXPEND OUR ALLOCATION IN A SIMILAR FASHION AS THIS YEAR WITH A MAJORITY OF THE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL STAFF POSITIONS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AND MONITOR THOSE AT-RISK STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THEM WITH THE EDUCATION THEY NEED.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BOARD? THANK YOU, DR.
IF THERE IS NO ONE PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK CONCERNING THIS ITEM, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
[D. CLOSED SESSION]
WE WILL NOW CONVENE INTO CLOSED SESSION AS AUTHORIZED BY THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551, SPECIFICALLY .074, PERSONNEL, .072, REAL PROPERTY.POINT 071, CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY.
[E. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION]
FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.AND WE WILL NOW RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION.
WE HAD HOPED WE WOULD BE HOLDING THIS MEETING IN OUR NEW BOARDROOM ON AIRPORT FREEWAY.
HOWEVER, WE NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME TO TEST AND FINALIZE THE SYSTEMS IN THE ROOM.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING OUR FIRST MEETING AT THAT LOCATION ON THURSDAY, JULY 23RD.
AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A COMBINED DONATION THAT IS BEING PRESENTED FOR ACCEPTANCE AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA LAID IN THE MEETING.
MULTIPLE DONORS PROVIDED FUNDS AND ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN COMBINED.
WITH THE TOTAL VALUE OF $38,720 USED FOR HONORING THE CAMPUS AND DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTS AT THE GOLDEN GALA IN MAY.
THOSE WHO DONATED $2,500 OR MORE ARE BOB AND SUSAN GRIGGS IN SYRACUSE.
OR INSURICA, TEXAS GRADUATION SUPPLY, BURVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, HKS ARCHITECTS, N2 ARCHITECTURE INCORPORATED, AND THE LINK AND RECREATION CENTER.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, PLEASE ACCEPT OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THESE AND ALL OTHER DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR OUR CAMPUS AND DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR, GOLDEN GALA.
[F. INTRODUCTION OF MEETING]
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON COLBY BLANKENSHIP, SUMMER SCHOOL LEAD.TO INTRODUCE THE STUDENTS WHO ARE WITH US TONIGHT.
PRESIDENT BRENDA SANDERS-WISE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND DR.
STINSON, IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU BOWEN LAKOTA, SON OF NATHAN AND CASSIDY LAKOTA, AS WELL AS ALDEN PARKS, DAUGHTER OF BILLY AND CATHERINE PARK.
BOWEN WILL NOW LEAD US IN THE PLEDGES, FOLLOWED BY ALDEN, WHO WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT EXPRESSION.
WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED
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STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC OF WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, ONE INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.I, UNDER THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE...
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR SAFELY BRINGING US ALL HERE TOGETHER TODAY.
PLEASE BRING WISDOM TO ALL OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS AS THEY DISCUSS OUR NEW SCHOOL YEAR TODAY.
HELP US TO TREAT EACH OTHER WITH KINDNESS, RESPECT, AND UNDERSTANDING.
PLEASE GUIDE US TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THE DISTRICT SO ALL STUDENTS CAN SUCCESSFULLY LEARN AND GROW.
THANK YOU, BOWEN, AND THANK YOU, ALDEN.
[G. AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS]
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS.GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, DR.
IT IS MY HONOR TO SHARE SOME EXCITING RECOGNITIONS WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
SO LET'S BEGIN BY INVITING MR. PHIL BECKMAN, OUR MANAGER OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, TO SHARE ABOUT OUR DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL PRO DEBT.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, TRUSTEES, DR.
WE ARE PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTINUED GROWTH AND POSITIVE IMPACT OF ALL PRO DAD CHAPTERS ACROSS BIRDVILLE ISD.
ALL PRO DAD PROVIDES FATHERS AND FATHER FIGURES WITH MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR CHILDREN, BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS, AND SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGH REGULAR SCHOOL-BASED GATHERINGS AND ACTIVITIES.
WITH US FROM ALL PRO DAD IS CHAPTER SPECIALISTS.
WHAT BEGAN AS A PARTNERSHIP AT A FEW CAMPUSES HAS EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
TODAY, ALL PRODAD CHAPTERS ARE ACTIVE AT HALTOM HIGH, NORTH RICHLAND, NORTH RIDGE, AND NORTH OAKS MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS WEST BIRDVILLE, GREEN VALLEY, SMITH, SNOW HEIGHTS, NORTH RIDGE, THOMAS, AND FOSTER VILLAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT TO ENCOURAGING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, MENTORING, AND POSITIVE ROLE MODELING, THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE HELPING STRENGTHEN...
SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND CREATE LASTING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND THE IMPORTANT ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES.
PLEASE JOIN US IN THANKING THE LEADERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND PARTICIPATING FAMILIES OF ALL PRO DAD FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO SUPPORTING BERVILLE ISD STUDENTS.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, MR. BECKMAN, AND THANK YOU TO OUR ALL PRODAD PARTNERS FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
NEXT, PLEASE WELCOME MR. BARRY NORTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, TO INTRODUCE SOME HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-ATHLETES WHO'VE EARNED COMPETITIVE HONORS IN GYMNASTICS.
PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT OF THE CENTER OF THE WISE, DR.
STINSON, BOARD, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.
AS I ALWAYS TELL YOU, EVERY TIME WE COME, WE GET TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE KIDS THAT HAVE HAD SUCCESSES.
AND WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THREE OF OUR STUDENTS TONIGHT, BIRDVILLE STUDENTS, ONE FROM EACH HIGH SCHOOL THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASTICS COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE MEET.
IF WE CAN HAVE YOU GUYS COME UP.
JAMARI MCARTHUR FROM BIRDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL COMPETED IN THE FLOOR VAULT AND ALL-AROUND COMPETITION.
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ROWAN CONNIFF FROM RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL QUALIFIED TO COMPETE IN THE FLOOR RINGS AND THE HIGH BAR COMPETITION.AND ADELA SMITH FROM HOUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL COMPETED IN THE UNEVEN BARS.
COACHES, CAN YOU ALL COME ON UP? COACH YANCEY WAS NAMED THE REGION 4 WOMEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR AND COACH DUSTIN CONNIFF.
OUR FINAL RECOGNITION THIS EVENING IS FOR SOME MORE TALENTED STUDENTS.
THESE ARE FROM OUR THEATER PROGRAMS. PLEASE WELCOME MR. MARK MCGAHEE, INCOMING DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS, TO INTRODUCE OUR BETTY BUCKLEY AWARD WINNER.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE.
CELEBRATE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS HERE, SO PRESIDENT SANDERS-WISE AND BOARD, DR.
STINSON AND CABINET, FROM OUR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL THEATER PROGRAMS. A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
THE BETTY LYNN BUCKLEY AWARDS ARE NAMED AFTER FORT WORTH'S OWN TONY AWARD WINNING BEST ACTRESS WHO IS AN ALUMNUS OF BOTH FORT WORTH ISD AND CASA MINANA.
THE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM HAS CELEBRATED THE BEST IN HIGH SCHOOL THEATER SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2000.
A PANEL OF DISTINGUISHED JUDGES.
COMPRISED OF LOCAL THEATER PROFESSIONALS AND EDUCATORS, VOTES FOR A WINNER IN EACH OF THE 17 AWARD CATEGORIES FOR HIGH SCHOOLS ENTERING PLAYS AND MUSICALS INTO THE COMPETITION.
SINCE THE INAUGURAL BUCKLEY AWARDS IN 2001, BERVILLE ISD HIGH SCHOOL THEATER PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN REGULARLY RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL BEST PLAY AND BEST MUSICAL AWARDS.
IN THIS YEAR'S PLAY COMPETITION, 39 SCHOOLS ENTERED IN A TOTAL OF 40 PRODUCTIONS.
PROUD TO RECOGNIZE STUDENTS AND DIRECTORS FROM RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL, BERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR RECEIVING TOP HONORS IN SEVERAL AWARD CATEGORIES.
BEFORE WE PRESENT THESE AWARDS, WE'D LIKE TO ASK ANY PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF THE STUDENTS BEING HONORED TONIGHT TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
FIRST RECIPIENT HERE IS MS. KYLIE MARTIN.
SHE WON FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY IN BURVILLE HIGH SCHOOL'S MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.
HOW ABOUT ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HER? NEXT IS RAYMOND HERNANDEZ.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY IN RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL'S MOON OVER BUFFALO.
UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT HE'S DEFINITELY BE RECOGNIZED, IS MR. JACK LAYTON, BEST SCENIC DESIGN FOR RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL'S MOON OVER BUFFALO.
LET'S GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
OUR FINAL STUDENT RECIPIENT IS MR. OLIVER MORGAN, BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY IN RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL'S MOON OVER BUFFALO.
OUR FINAL AWARD GOES TO RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL IN THE DIRECTION OF JORDAN CHAMBERS AND EMMA HOWARD FOR...
WINNING BEST PLAY FOR MOON OVER BUFFALO.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR TALENTED HONOREES THIS EVENING.
I LOVE THAT WE GET TO CELEBRATE KIDS EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER.
AND PRESIDENT SANDERS-WEISS, THIS CONCLUDES THE RECOGNITIONS FOR THE MEETING.
AND CONGRATS TO ALL THE STUDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT FOR THIS PART OF THE MEETING.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD MEETING.
OR FEEL FREE TO LEAVE AT THIS TIME.
[H. PUBLIC COMMENTS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD]
[00:25:20]
WE'RE NOW AT THE PART OF OUR MEETING WHERE WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.FOR THOSE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK REGARDING GENERAL TOPICS, PLEASE NOTE THAT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS LIMITED TO THIS OPEN FORUM.
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TONIGHT, EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND LOCAL BOARD POLICY, BED, PERSONAL ATTACKS ON THE STAFF OR STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.
THE BOARD SHALL NOT DELIBERATE OR ACT.
REGARDING ANY ITEM THAT IS NOT A TOPIC ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ERIC KRILL.
MR. KRILL, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
ERIC KRILL, 11325 GALE RIDGE TERRACE, FORT WORTH, TEXAS.
MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD, GOOD EVENING.
TRUSTEE DAVIS, YOU ASKED ME TO COME BACK IN SIX MONTHS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE WITH TAD.
I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE IT.
BUT THE 2027 BUDGET WAS SENT OUT TO STAFF LAST WEEK.
IT SHOWS THE CHIEF APPRAISER IS PROPOSING A 3.6% INCREASE FOR THE ENTITIES.
THAT BUDGET WILL BE VOTED ON MOST LIKELY AT OUR NEXT MEETING, AUGUST 12TH.
AND YOU HAVE 30 DAYS IF YOU...
DON'T LIKE SOMETHING IN IT TO PASS A RESOLUTION DISAPPROVING OF IT.
AT LAST MEETING, WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE 2027-28 REAPPRAISAL PLAN AND AS THINGS CURRENTLY STAND, WE WILL BE REAPPRAISING FOR 2027.
THERE WILL BE NO REAPPRAISAL FOR 2028.
THE PLAN IS TO STAY WITH THE BIANNUAL REAPPRAISAL.
THE THREE PUBLICLY ELECTED POSITIONS, THEY ARE UP THIS FALL, THE FOLLOWING PERIOD FOR THOSE.
POSITIONS OPEN LATE JULY, RUN THROUGH MID-AUGUST, AND ALL THREE POSITIONS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER.
I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE REAPPRAISAL PLAN AND WHY IT MATTERS, AND ESPECIALLY TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT AREN'T PART OF RECAPTURE.
SO ASO ISD, THIS YEAR, WE HAD EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT RECEIVED ITS MAXIMUM FUNDING.
NO SCHOOL DISTRICT LOST STATE FUNDING, BUT THERE WERE TWO THAT FELL WITHIN THE GRACE OF THE PROPERTY VALUE STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE COMPTROLLERS.
ONE OF THEM WAS AZLE AND THE OTHER ONE WAS CARROLL.
SO AZLE, SINCE THEY FAILED 2025, WILL BE FOUND IN GRACE.
THEY'LL BE STUDIED AGAIN THIS YEAR.
I PUT FORTH A MOTION THAT FAILED FOUR TO FIVE TO REQUEST AZLE TO BE REAPPRAISED THIS YEAR IN THE HOPES THAT THEY WOULD PASS THE PROPERTY VALUE STUDY, BUT IT FAILED.
SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW? AZLE WILL BURN UP BOTH YEARS OF GRACE, AND THEY WILL NOT QUALIFY FOR GRACE AGAIN UNTIL 2031.
IF ANYBODY FAILS IN 2027 AND THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT DOESN'T DO A REAPPRAISAL, THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT WON'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRACE UNTIL 2033.
SO GRACE IS, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW WHAT I DO, I'M A FIREFIGHTER FOR A LIVING.
GRACE IS YOUR GUYS' INSURANCE POLICY.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE ANY INSURANCE.
JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AND IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO PUT...
TAD'S BUDGET, AT LEAST ON YOUR AUGUST MEETING.
THAT WAY, IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THE GOAL TONIGHT IS TO PRESENT FACTS THAT CAN BE VERIFIED THAT I HAVE INCLUDED IN EACH OF YOUR PACKETS.
FOR 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, BECAUSE THE YEAR END IS NOT UNTIL THE 30TH, SO I CAN'T SPEAK ON 25-26.
FOR 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR, GYMNASTICS ENROLLMENT WAS 63 STUDENTS, AS SHOWN
[00:30:01]
IN DISTRICT RECORDS, PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.HAS REMAINED REMARKABLY CONSISTENT SINCE AT LEAST 2018, WITH ENROLLMENT GENERALLY RANGING BETWEEN 50 AND 60-PLUS STUDENTS.
THE DATA DOES NOT SHOW A PROGRAM EXPERIENCING DECLINING PARTICIPATION.
SECOND, LET'S TALK ABOUT COST.
THE ACTUAL AMOUNT SPENT ON GYMNASTICS PROGRAM DURING 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR WAS $91,276.48.
DIVIDING THAT AMOUNT BY 63 STUDENT-ATHLETES RESULTS IN A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1,449 PER STUDENT.
THAT IS LESS THAN HALF OF THE $3,000 PER STUDENT FIGURE THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
THIRD, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF QUALIFYING FOR STATE AND NATIONAL COMPETITION.
GYMNASTS DO NOT JUST SIMPLY SIGN UP AND ATTEND THESE EVENTS.
ATHLETES MUST QUALIFY THROUGH COMPETITION AND EARN THEIR PLACE.
THIS YEAR, THREE BISD GYMNASTS QUALIFIED TO REPRESENT TEXAS ON THE TEXAS TEAM AT NATIONALS.
THOSE ATHLETES HELPED TEAM TEXAS WIN THE GOLD MEDAL.
THAT ACHIEVEMENT REFLECTS NOT ONLY THE DEDICATION OF THOSE ATHLETES, BUT ALSO THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM THEY REPRESENT.
THE STORY OF DAVID AND GOLIATH REMINDS US THAT SUCCESS IS NOT ALWAYS MEASURED BY SIZE.
SOMETIMES THE SMALLEST GROUP PRODUCES SOME OF THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
GYMNASTICS MAY BE ONE OF THE SMALLER ATHLETIC PROGRAMS IN BIRDVILLE ISD, BUT ITS ATHLETES CONSISTENTLY ACHIEVE RESULTS THAT BRING PRIDE TO THIS DISTRICT AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I'M NOT HERE SIMPLY TO DISCUSS A PROBLEM.
I'M HERE TO ASK THAT WE CONSIDER SOLUTIONS.
ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION IS UTILIZING AVAILABLE SPACE IN EXISTING DISTRICT FACILITIES.
SEVERAL CAMPUSES HAVE MORE THAN ONE GYMNASIUM.
ANOTHER SOLUTION WOULD BE INCORPORATING A DEDICATED GYMNASTICS TEAM.
SPACE INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE NEW CAMPUS THAT WILL BE BUILT AS PART OF THE NORTH OAKS WATAUGA CONSOLIDATION PROJECTS.
THESE OPTIONS WOULD ALLOW BISD TO CONTINUE SERVING STUDENT ATHLETES WHILE PRESERVING A PROGRAM THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED CONSISTENT PARTICIPATION, COMPETITIVE SUCCESS.
TONIGHT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE DECISION BE BASED ON ACCURATE INFORMATION, DOCUMENTED FACTS, AND A WILLINGNESS TO EXPLORE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS.
OUR GYMNASTS HAVE ALREADY DONE THE HARD PART.
THEY QUALIFIED, THEY COMPETED, THEY REPRESENTED BISD, TEAM TEXAS, AND THIS COMMUNITY WITH EXCELLENCE.
NOW WE ASK THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THEIR FUTURE RECEIVE THE SAME COMMITMENT IN RETURN.
MS. ANNE PRICE TO COME FORWARD.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS ANNE, STUDENT GYMNAST IN BIRDVILLE ISD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS ALWAYS MADE BIRDVILLE ISD SPECIAL IS THE OPPORTUNITY IT PROVIDES THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE GYMNASTICS.
IN A TIME WHEN MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FACING DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS ARE BECOMING HARDER TO PROTECT, BIRDVILLE ISD HAS THE CHANCE TO SHOW WHAT IT MEANS TO INVEST IN ITS STUDENTS.
GREAT DISTRICTS ARE NOT DEFINED BY THE PROGRAMS THEY CUT.
THEY ARE DEFINED BY THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY FIGHT TO PRESERVE.
THAT IS WHAT MAKES A SCHOOL DISTRICT SPECIAL.
NOT JUST THE PROGRAMS THAT SERVE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS, BUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALLOW EVERY STUDENT TO FIND WHERE THEY BELONG.
GYMNASTICS IS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS LOOK LIKE OTHER SCHOOL SPORTS.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, GYMNASTICS IS A SPORT.
IT IS A DEMANDING COMBINATION OF STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, DISCIPLINE, FOCUS, AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS.
GYMNASTICS TEACHES ATHLETES HOW TO PERFORM UNDER PRESSURE, HOW TO STAY COMPOSED WHEN ALL EYES ARE ON THEM WHILE HAVING EVERY STEP, LANDING MOVEMENT EVALUATED.
HAVING THEIR COACHES, TEAMMATES, JUDGES, AND EVERY OTHER SPECTATOR AT THAT MEET WATCH EACH TURN ON THE APPARATUS TEACHES THEM HOW TO HANDLE BOTH SUCCESS AND DISAPPOINTMENT WITH GRACE.
THESE ARE NOT JUST GYMNASTICS SKILLS.
OUR GYMNASTICS PROGRAM REPRESENTS OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT.
STUDENTS FROM HALTOM, RICHLAND, AND BIRDVILLE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THEIR FEEDER MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
COME TOGETHER TO PRACTICE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN COMPETITION.
THAT KIND OF COLLABORATION IS EXCEPTIONAL.
IT BREAKS DOWN SCHOOL BOUNDARIES AND CREATES CONNECTIONS
[00:35:01]
BETWEEN STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW EACH OTHER.WHEN YOU LOOK ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE, YOU'RE GREETED WITH A STATEMENT THAT AFFIRMS YOU BELONG IN BIRDVILLE ISD.
IS THIS THE MESSAGE WE ARE SENDING TO OUR GYMNASTS? I ALSO WANT TO RESPECTFULLY SHARE THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS NOT ALWAYS RECEIVED THE SAME VISIBILITY AS OTHER ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. THIS IS NO FAULT OF OUR GYMNASTS WHO REPRESENT BISD AT THE DISTRICT, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL.
BUT A LACK OF VISIBILITY SHOULD NEVER BE MISTAKEN FOR A LACK OF VALUE.
I ASK YOU TONIGHT TO SEE THESE ATHLETES, NOT JUST THE BUDGET, BUT THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD ON THIS TEAM.
THOSE WHO WERE TOLD THEY CANNOT CONTINUE AND THOSE WHO WERE NEVER GIVEN THE OPTION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AT THIS TIME, JILL RICHARDS, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO TOMORROW, I STOOD BEFORE THE BOARD WHILE MY SON WAS RECOGNIZED FOR HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPRESENTING BIRDVILLE ISD.
HE HAD COMPETED AT STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL, FINISHING SECOND IN THE NATION IN ALL AROUND.
I NEVER IMAGINED THAT ONE YEAR LATER I WOULD BE BACK HERE, NOT TO CELEBRATE THE PROGRAM, BUT TO ASK YOU TO KEEP IT ALIVE.
MY SON'S JOURNEY BEGAN IN THIS DISTRICT'S GYMNASTICS PROGRAM.
AS A SEVENTH GRADER, HE WAS NOT AN ELITE ATHLETE WHEN HE STARTED.
HE WAS SIMPLY A KID WHO WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THIS GYMNASTICS PROGRAM.
TODAY HE COMPETES IN AN NCAA MEN'S GYMNASTICS TEAM.
THAT OPPORTUNITY BEGAN RIGHT HERE BECAUSE BIRDVILLE ISD CHOSE TO INVEST IN A PROGRAM THAT GAVE STUDENTS A PLACE TO GROW.
BUT THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT MY SON.
OR PRODUCING COLLEGE ATHLETES.
THE GREATEST GIFT THIS PROGRAM GAVE HIM WASN'T THE MEDALS OR THE RECOGNITION.
IT WAS THE WORK ETHIC, THE RESILIENCE, THE DISCIPLINE, AND THE PERSEVERANCE HE DEVELOPED EVERY DAY IN THE GYM.
GYMNASTICS TEACHES YOU THAT FALLING ISN'T FAILURE.
IT TEACHES YOU TO GET BACK UP, TO KEEP WORKING.
TO BELIEVE THAT SUCCESS IS EARNED THROUGH DEDICATION AND PERSISTENCE.
THOSE ARE LESSONS THAT EXTEND FAR BEYOND SPORTS INTO EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE.
IF THIS PROGRAM IS ELIMINATED, FUTURE STUDENTS WON'T JUST LOSE A SPORT.
THEY'LL LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER WHAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF.
THEY'LL LOSE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN BUILD CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER, AND LIFELONG SKILLS.
EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO, THIS BOARD CELEBRATED THAT THIS PROGRAM HAD HELPED A STUDENT ACHIEVE.
TODAY, I ASK YOU TO REMEMBER THAT THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS DIDN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
THEY HAPPENED BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM EXISTED.
PLEASE GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT MY SON WAS GIVEN.
THIS TIME, I ASK GRACE PEREZ TO COME FORWARD.
AND I FAILED TO MENTION THAT PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
I'M TRYING TO CORRECT AN ERROR.
HI, MY NAME IS GRACE PEREZ, BUT EVERYBODY CALLS ME SHELLY OR NANA.
AND I LIVE AT 5700 NORTH BEACH STREET, HALTON CITY, TEXAS, APARTMENT 1401.
I'M ALSO DYSLEXIC SO THINGS ARE GOING TO BE BACKWARDS.
MY GRANDSON IS PART OF THE GYMNASTICS TEAM AND I AM HERE TODAY TO BEG FOR HIS PROGRAM TO BE RETURNED.
HE WILL BE ENTERING INTO THE NINTH GRADE AND I RECEIVED AN UNFORTUNATE PHONE CALL ON MAY THE 30TH TELLING ME THAT HE COULD NO LONGER BE IN THE GYMNASTICS CLASS, WHICH BROKE MY HEART.
LEX IS A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD AND HIS GYMNASTICS PROGRAM HELPS HIM TEACH HIM HOW TO BALANCE, HOW
[00:40:03]
TO COORDINATE, AND TEACHES HIM DISCIPLINE.HE WENT FROM BEING A NON-CONFIDENT YOUNG MAN TO A CONFIDENT YOUNG MAN.
HE IS THE MOST IMPROVED MALE GYMNAST IN THE EIGHTH GRADE.
AND IT WAS SO UNFORTUNATE THAT THEY SAID THAT HE CANNOT CONTINUE.
AND THE ONLY REASON WE LIVE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IS BECAUSE OF THE GYMNASTICS PROGRAM.
WE LEARNED ABOUT THE GYMNASTICS PROGRAM FROM KRAMER'S WORLD OF GYMNASTICS, AND WE WERE SO EXCITED FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO TRY OUT.
AND WHEN HE DID TRY OUT AND HE MADE THE TEAM, YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE JOY ON THAT YOUNG MAN'S FACE.
AND NOW ALL THAT JOY IS GONE, AND IT BREAKS OUR HEART.
SEAN SIMS. 6040 ASHBURY STREET, NORTH RICHLAND HILLS.
MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DR.
AS I ALREADY SAID, MY NAME IS SEAN SIMS. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT.
I TAUGHT AND COACHED MEN'S GYMNASTICS AT RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL FROM 1993 TO 1995, AND AGAIN FROM 1998 TO 2004.
BELL HIGH SCHOOL AND SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASTICS COACHES ASSOCIATION.
I UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICT HAS DECIDED TO PHASE OUT ITS GYMNASTICS PROGRAM.
PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO ENCOURAGE THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT TO RECONSIDER THAT DECISION AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES BEFORE ELIMINATING A PROGRAM THAT HAS SERVED STUDENTS FOR GENERATIONS.
GYMNASTICS HAS A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL HISTORY IN BIRDVILLE ISD.
ACROSS RICHLAND, HALTOM, AND BIRDVILLE HIGH SCHOOLS, THE PROGRAM HAS PRODUCED 34 STATE CHAMPIONS ON THE BOYS' SIDE, ONE OF WHICH I COACHED, 19 GIRLS' STATE CHAMPIONS, AS WELL AS SEVEN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS. COUNTLESS DISTRICT AND REGIONAL CHAMPIONS AND NUMEROUS ALL-STATE AND ALL-AMERICAN ATHLETES.
BUT THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT TROPHIES.
MY CURRENT PRINCIPLE OFTEN SPEAKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING STUDENTS FIND THEIR NICHE, A PLACE WHERE THEY BELONG, WHERE THEY CAN DEVELOP CONFIDENCE, DISCIPLINE, FRIENDSHIPS, AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE.
FOR SOME STUDENTS, THAT PLACE IS FOOTBALL, BAND, THEATER, ROBOTICS, OR STUDENT COUNCIL.
AND RESEARCH SHOWS, AS I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE, THAT WHEN A STUDENT HAS A NICHE, THEY TEND TO PERFORM BETTER ACADEMICALLY AND HAVE LESS DISCIPLINE ISSUES.
WHEN A PROGRAM IS ELIMINATED, THOSE STUDENTS LOSE MORE THAN A SPORT.
THEY LOSE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER THEIR STRENGTHS AND CONNECT WITH THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASTICS IN THIS AREA WAS BUILT ON THE BELIEF THAT GYMNASTICS DEVELOPS COORDINATION, BODY AWARENESS, FLEXIBILITY, DISCIPLINE, AND ATHLETICISM THAT BENEFITS STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES, WHETHER THEY CONTINUE IN GYMNASTICS OR PURSUE OTHER ACTIVITIES.
HEB RIGHT NEXT DOOR IS REBUILDING BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING BRAND NEW GYMNASTICS GYMS ON EACH OF THE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES.
THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU IS NOT SIMPLY WHETHER TO KEEP A SPORT.
IT IS WHETHER FUTURE STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT GENERATIONS OF BIRD BOWL STUDENTS HAVE HAD TO CHALLENGE THEMSELVES, EXCEL, AND FIND WHERE THEY BELONG.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU REVISIT THIS DECISION AND PRESERVE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENTS WHO WILL COME AFTER US.
DAMIAN OUR FRESHMAN FROM THE GYMNASTICS TEAM.
WE WERE VERY PROUD OF HIM AS BE A PART OF THE TEAM THAT PLACED FIRST AT EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL MEET THIS PAST SEASON.
WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THE WORD GYMNASTICS MANY THINK OF THE ONLY ONLY OF ELITE ATHLETES OR OLYMPICS BUT GYMNASTICS HAS SOMETHING VALUABLE TO OFFER THAT EVERY YOUNG MAN REGARDLESS OF HIS ATHLETIC ATHLETIC ABILITY.
FIRST GYMNASTICS BUILDS A STRONG FOUNDATION OF FITNESS.
IT DEVELOPS STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, BALANCE, COORDINATION, AND BODY CONTROL.
IT IMPROVES PERFORMANCE IN NEARLY EVERY SPORT, FROM FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL TO WRESTLING AND TRACK.
IT ALSO TEACHES STUDENTS HOW TO MOVE SAFELY, CONFIDENTLY, AND REDUCING RISK FOR INJURIES.
SECOND, GYMNASTICS BUILDS CHARACTER.
[00:45:02]
HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.STUDENTS FALL THEY MAKE MISTAKES AND THEY TRY AGAIN.
THAT PROCESS TEACHES PERSEVERANCE, DISCIPLINE, PATIENCE, AND RESILIENCE.
THESE ARE QUALITIES THAT MATTER NOT ONLY IN SPORTS, BUT ALSO IN THE CLASSROOM, FUTURE CAREERS, AND EVERYDAY LIFE.
GYMNASTICS ALSO HELPS IMPROVE CONFIDENCE.
THE UNIQUE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT COMES IN MASTERING A HANDSTAND OR CARTWHEEL VAULT AFTER WEEKS OF PRACTICE.
EACH ACHIEVEMENT SHOWS STUDENTS THAT HARD WORK LEADS TO PROGRESS.
UNFORTUNATELY, REMOVING GYMNASTICS FROM THE CURRICULUM FOR INCOMING FRESHMEN AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKES AWAY THESE OPPORTUNITIES, THE CRITICAL STAGE IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
FRESHMAN YEAR ESPECIALLY IS WHEN STUDENTS ARE ADJUSTING TO A NEW SCHOOL, BUILDING CONFIDENCE, AND DISCOVERING NEW INTERESTS.
ELIMINATING GYMNASTICS MEANS THAT FEWER CHANCES TO DEVELOP PHYSICAL LITERACY, RESILIENCE, AND SELF-CONFIDENCE IS ALSO ELIMINATED.
ITS ABILITY TO HAVE EXPOSURE FOR THE SPORT THAT MANY STUDENTS MAY NEVER HAVE A CHANCE OR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD PRIVATE CLUBS OR TRAINING.
RATHER THAN REDUCING OPPORTUNITIES, WE SHOULD BE EXPANDING THEM.
SCHOOLS SHOULD PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES TO HELP THEM GROW PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY.
IN SCHOOL BECAUSE IT STRENGTHENS BOTH THEIR BODY AND MIND.
IT TEACHES DISCIPLINE, BUILDS CONFIDENCE, AND DEVELOPS LIFELONG FITNESS SKILLS.
TAKING AWAY THE OPPORTUNITY OF UPCOMING FRESHMEN AND MIDDLE SCHOOLERS DOES NOT JUST REMOVE THE CLASS, IT REMOVES THE CHANCE FOR STUDENTS TO BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE THAT WILL BENEFIT THEM FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND I ASK THAT EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE GYMNAST PLEASE STAND.
THESE ARE YOUR JUDGMENTS FOR VERBAL ISD.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING TONIGHT.
[I.1. BOK Financial Advisors Update [Josh McLaughlin, BOK Financial]]
OF THE MEETING IS NOW CLOSED, AND WE WILL MOVE TO PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD.THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SANDERS-WISE.
WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR THIS EVENING, JOSH MCLAUGHLIN, HERE TO DO A BOND OVERVIEW WITH YOU.
SO, MR. MCLAUGHLIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
PRESIDENT SANDERS WISE, SEE YOU AGAIN.
BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO FINANCE THE BONDS, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE DISTRICT MANAGES ITS DEBT PORTFOLIO.
AND THROUGH TOOLS SUCH AS REFINANCING BONDS AT A LOWER RATE OR PREPAYING BONDS PRIOR TO FINAL MATURITY, THE DISTRICT HAS SAVED TAXPAYERS MORE THAN $55.9 MILLION OF INTEREST COSTS SINCE 2012.
SOMETHING TO BE VERY PROUD OF.
IN TERMS OF TAX RATES, THE BOARD KNOWS THIS WELL.
EACH AND EVERY YEAR, THE BOARD STOPS TWO DIFFERENT TAXES.
ONE IS ITS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE, WHICH FUNDS THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOL.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE INTEREST AND SINKING FUND THAT YOU USE SOLELY TO PAY THE REQUIREMENT OF VOTER-APPROVED BONDS.
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT OUT WHEN I'M HERE, YOU'VE DROPPED YOUR TAX RATE BY OVER 19 CENTS, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE FAR RIGHT, THE COMPOSITION OF YOUR CURRENT TAX RATE IS ROUGHLY 40 CENTS FOR THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE.
AND THAT'S THE NUMBER WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON TONIGHT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR OUTSTANDING BONDS AS THEY STAND RIGHT NOW, AS OF JUNE 15TH, YOU HAD ROUGHLY $535 MILLION OUTSTANDING.
THOSE WERE REPAID ESSENTIALLY OVER A 23-YEAR PERIOD.
YOU'LL NOTICE YOUR BOND PAYMENTS GO DOWN OVER TIME.
THAT IS PART OF THE REASON WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS BOND PROGRAM FOR NO TAX RATE INCREASE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT YOUR BONDS, OUT OF THE $530 MILLION, ROUGHLY $400 MILLION IS CALLABLE PRIOR TO FINAL MATURITY.
THE REASON WE BRING THIS UP, AS YOU'LL NOTICE, HIGHLIGHTED IN SORT OF THE ORANGE, IS YOUR 2016 BONDS.
[00:50:02]
BASED UPON PREVAILING MARKET CONDITIONS, WE CAN POTENTIALLY REFINANCE THOSE AT A LOWER RATE, WHICH WILL BE PART OF THIS FINANCING PLAN.THE GOALS OF THE FINANCING PLAN, QUITE SIMPLY, ARE FIRST, THAT WE WOULD IMPLEMENT THE ENTIRE PROGRAM WITHOUT AN INCREASE TO THE TAX RATE.
SECOND ONE IS MAKE SURE WE MAXIMIZE YOUR FUTURE BOND CAPACITY, MAINTAIN A BOND PAYMENT PERIOD OF 30 YEARS OR LESS, MAXIMIZE STATE FUNDING ASSISTANCE TO THE EXTENT WE CAN, AND SHORT-TERM PROJECTS.
AGAIN, WE ARE NOT GOING TO FINANCE A DEVICE OVER 30 YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO FINANCE IT OVER THE USEFUL LIFE, GENERALLY THREE TO SIX YEARS.
WHILE THIS PARTICULAR BOND PROGRAM OR FINANCE PLAN DOES NOT INCLUDE THE USE OF VARIABLE RATE BONDS, I WANTED TO INTRODUCE THE CONCEPT TONIGHT.
DEPENDING ON HOW WE HAVE FUTURE GROWTH IN YOUR TAX BASE, WE MAY NEED TO IMPLEMENT THIS PARTICULAR PRODUCT IN THE FUTURE.
NOW, WHEN I SAY VARIABLE RATE, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CHANGES EVERY WEEK OR EVERY 60 DAYS.
TYPICALLY, THIS IS A THREE- TO A FIVE-YEAR LOCKOUT PERIOD.
AND WHEN IT CONVERTS, IT DOES NOT CONVERT TO 15 OR 20 PERCENT.
IT GENERALLY CONVERTS TO SEVEN UNLESS WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL REMARKETING.
TO DATE, SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE HAVE NEVER HAD A FAILED REMARKETING.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT PART OF THE FINANCING PLAN.
I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE A CONCEPT.
IF WE EVER GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN A FINANCING PLAN, WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY COME TO THE BOARD, GO THROUGH THE OPTIONS.
EXPLAIN ALL THE BENEFITS AND THE POTENTIAL PITFALLS, AND WE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD UNLESS WE GET BOARD APPROVAL.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE FINANCE PLAN FOR YOU TO REFINANCE DEBT IN THE FUTURE AND SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY.
THIS GIVES YOU A LOOK AT THE PROPOSED PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW THIS WELL WITHIN THE 2026 BOND PROGRAM.
UNDER FEDERAL TAX LAW, THE RULE IS WE CAN ONLY ISSUE WHAT WE THINK WE CAN REASONABLY EXPEND WITHIN ESSENTIALLY A THREE-YEAR PERIOD.
YOU'LL NOTICE WHAT ESSENTIALLY WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TAKING THIS BOND PROGRAM AND WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE IT IN FOUR INSTALLMENTS BASED UPON THE PROJECTED CASH FLOW.
THE FIRST INSTALLMENT, ROUGHLY $168 MILLION, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE EACH YEAR WHERE WE WOULD COME BACK IN THE SUMMER OF EACH YEAR TO SELL ADDITIONAL BONDS AS NEEDED.
APPROPRIATE TO ASK QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG ON PER SLIDE, YOU DON'T WAIT TO THE END.
THE FIRST ONE, HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE GOING TO SPEND $37.8 MILLION ON THAT NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS NOT EVEN GOING TO START UNTIL 2027? THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $37 MILLION THIS FIRST YEAR.
I THINK IT'S WITHIN THREE YEARS, RIGHT? IT'S WITHIN THREE YEARS.
WHEN I BUILT IT, WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THIS AND TRYING TO BUILD IT, I WAS JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WERE GOING TO BE COMING SOMETIME IN THIS NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE I WASN'T EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE TIMING WOULD BE.
I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH CASH TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT PURCHASE ORDER THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT IN PLACE WITH THE GMP.
SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME OTHER WORK AND ALL THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE AHEAD OF TIME.
SO WE WERE JUST BREAKING IT OUT, TRYING TO GET IT OVER THE THREE-YEAR PERIOD.
I DON'T SEE, I MEAN, WE'RE BORROWING MONEY THAT WE, NO WAY WE CAN SPEND DURING THE 26, 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND WE WILL BE GENERATING INTEREST ON THAT TO HELP WITH THE TALK.
OUR JOB IS NOT TO GENERATE INTEREST.
HIS JOB IS TO SELL BONDS AT A TIMELY RATE.
MANNER, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE BORROWING MONEY ON THAT EARLY.
AM I MAKING MYSELF CLEAR? YES, SIR.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK AND READJUST THE CASH FLOW AND REDUCE DOWN THIS DISBURSED ISSUANCE IF WE NEED TO DO THAT.
YOU DON'T WANT TO BACK END ALL I THOUGHT THIS WAS BUILT ON THE FACT THAT WE WERE GOING TO SPREAD IT OUT.
WE'VE GOT THREE YEARS TO DO THIS.
THAT'S HOW WE DID THE FINANCING PLAN, YES, SIR.
SO YOU'RE SAYING WE HAVE TO BORROW THE $37 MILLION TO KEEP OUR TAX RATE THE SAME? NO, SIR, I'M NOT.
THIS WAS THE CASH FLOW THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE DISTRICT'S ADMINISTRATION BASED UPON THEIR PROJECTIONS AND WHEN THEY WOULD NEED THE MONEY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
SHOULD THAT NOT OCCUR, SO IF WE REALLY DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY
[00:55:02]
IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 MONTHS, THEN WE COULD OBVIOUSLY DOWNSIZE IT.TO GO TO VICE PRESIDENT TOLBERT'S QUESTION ABOUT MAINTAINING...
NO MATTER HOW WE SELL THESE BONDS, WHETHER IT'S IN ONE INSTALLMENT, FOUR INSTALLMENTS, SIX INSTALLMENTS, IT WILL BE STRUCTURED TO MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL TAX RATE.
WE DON'T ALWAYS, WE COULD STRUCTURE EACH INDIVIDUAL YEAR IN THE BOND PAYMENT TO MAINTAIN THAT PARTICULAR TAX RATE.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY A FUNCTION OF HAVING TO SELL $168 MILLION THE FIRST YEAR.
IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT THE RIGHT DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT IN YEAR 26, 27, AND 27, 28 TO MAINTAIN YOUR CURRENT TAX RATE.
I UNDERSTAND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
IT'S GOING TO BE SPENT ALL IN ONE YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THAT SUCKER UP NEXT AUGUST OF 27.
SO IT WILL DEFINITELY BE SPENT.
AND SOME OF THE OTHERS MAKE SENSE AS WE GO ALONG, THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING.
BUT THAT ONE JUST KIND OF CAUGHT MY ATTENTION THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND $37.8 MILLION ON THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL DEAL THAT EARLY.
I GUESS I WOULD JUST ASK THE STAFF NOT TO LET YOU FINISH YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT MAYBE POTENTIALLY REVISIT THAT.
I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, IT'LL SIT IN OUR ACCOUNT, WE'LL MAKE SOME MONEY, BUT WE'RE ALSO PAYING INTEREST ON IT IMMEDIATELY, TOO.
SO JUST MAYBE POTENTIALLY REVISIT THE SCHEDULE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, BECAUSE EVEN IF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPENS UP NEXT AUGUST 27, LIKE WE'VE PLANNED AND SCHEDULED, IT'LL TAKE FOUR, FIVE, SIX MONTHS TO DO ASBESTOS ABATEMENT AND GET THE BUILDING EVEN TORN DOWN BEFORE WE START THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SHOULD BE SIX MONTHS INTO THE PROBABLY THE NEXT YEAR ANYWAY.
SO ANYWAY, JUST REVISIT THAT ONE ON THE CASH FLOW NECESSITY.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH JOSH ABOUT THIS AS WELL.
WE PLAN ON REVISITING ALL OF THE BOND ISSUANCES EVERY YEAR.
THIS WAS JUST THAT PRELIMINARY PIECE THAT WE PUT IN PLACE.
SO WE ACCELERATED OUR BONDS LAST TIME, AND, YOU KNOW, WE DID VERY WELL THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
BUT TRADITIONALLY, I'LL JUST BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'M AN ACCOUNTANT AT HEART, AND I LIKE TO HAVE MY CASH IN MY HAND WHEN WE DO THE POS.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PIECE, WE WILL BE DOING PROBABLY A PO BEFORE NEXT AUGUST, AND I WANTED TO HAVE A GOOD PIECE OF THAT IN MY HAND BEFORE I DID THAT PURCHASE ORDER.
SO IF THE BOARD, WE CERTAINLY DISCUSSED IF YOU WANTED TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, THAT'S JUST FROM THE YEARS I'VE WORKED ON THESE, THAT'S JUST THE DIRECTION I TYPICALLY GO.
WELL, THAT RECOMMENDATION DOESN'T HOLD WATER.
FIELDS AND CASH IT IN HAND YET.
I'M JUST ASKING MAYBE POTENTIALLY REVISIT AND LOOK AT THE MIDDLE.
WE WILL CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, SIR.
RESPECTFULLY, UNLESS I KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE SAUSAGE WAS MADE, I HATE TO GO BACK IN AND SAY YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE RECIPE OUT.
SHE'S BUILT THIS OVER 30 YEARS AND...
I HATE TO GO IN AND PICK ONE PART OUT BECAUSE I'M AFRAID IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A JENGA PUZZLE AND IT'LL START FALLING DOWN ON OTHERS.
I GOT TO BE HONEST, I TEND TO, SHE'S DONE INCREDIBLE WORK ALL THE TIME SHE'S BEEN HERE, AND I TEND TO THINK THAT THIS IS ALL PART OF A WELL-THOUGHT-OUT PLAN.
I MEAN, IF WE WANT SOME NIGHT WHERE SHE HAS TO COME IN AND EXPLAIN HOW SHE DID ALL THIS STUFF, THAT'S FINE.
BUT I'M NOT REALLY ASKING HER TO REDO IT.
I'M JUST GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I'M NOT DOUBTING KATIE'S CAPABILITIES AND RECOMMENDATION HERE, BUT IT'S A PRELIMINARY, SO YOU JUST SAY IT AGAIN, PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION.
I KNOW, BUT ARE WE GOING TO GO IN AND SIT WITH HER FOR SIX HOURS WHILE SHE EXPLAINS ALL THIS TO US? SEE IF WE CAN SHAVE OFF $10 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M WILLING TO DO.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S MY JOB, NUMBER ONE.
YOU'RE AN ELEVATED CONSTRUCTION LAWYER.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'D KNOW HOW TO TELL HER TO DO HER JOB.
THERE'S NO ATTEMPT AT ALL ON MY PART TO TELL HER HOW TO DO HER JOB.
I JUST DIDN'T SEE HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $38 MILLION IN YEAR ONE.
THAT'S A LEGITIMATE QUESTION TO ASK.
I DON'T THINK SHE'S DISAGREEING WITH THAT.
THE TAX LAW SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY IT WITHIN THREE YEARS, AND SHE'S SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO MEET THAT STANDARD.
ONE OF THOSE IS FOUR YEARS OUT.
THE OTHER ONE'S FOUR YEARS OUT.
IT'S AT 85% WITHIN THREE YEARS.
THAT'S AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT SLIDE IS WHAT I'M READING.
AND IT IS HER ISSUE AS WELL, EACH ISSUE THAT THREE-YEAR CLOCK STARTS.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO SOLVE IT.
MAYBE HERE'S NOT THE TIME TO SOLVE IT.
I'M NOT SURE WE'VE GIVEN, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE IN GIVING HER DIRECTION IN REDOING IT.
[01:00:05]
ALL RIGHT.SO, THE WAY THE FINANCING PROGRAM IS DESIGNED, THE FIRST INITIAL INSTALLMENT WOULD BE FOR THAT FIRST INSTALLMENT OF $168 MILLION.
AFTER THIS SERIES OF BONDS IS ISSUED, YOU'D HAVE ROUGHLY $307 MILLION LEFT.
IT WOULD BE ISSUED JUST LIKE WE ARE SHOWING HERE, UNLESS THAT CHANGES OVER TIME.
AGAIN, WE WANT THIS FINANCING PLAN TO BE DYNAMIC ENOUGH WHERE IF YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE PROJECTS, YOU CAN, OR IF YOU WANT TO DEFER PROJECTS BASED UPON NEED, YOU CERTAINLY CAN.
THE SECOND COMPONENT WOULD BE THE REFINANCING THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
RIGHT NOW, OUT OF THAT $11 MILLION 2016 BONDS, IT'S OUTSTANDING AT AN AVERAGE INTEREST RATE OF 5% IF YOU REFINANCED IT TODAY.
THE NEW INTEREST RATE ON THAT PIECE WOULD BE ROUGHLY 3.32, WHICH WOULD SAVE TAXPAYERS AN ADDITIONAL $713,000 OVER THE LIFE OF THOSE BONDS.
PLEASE NOTE, WE ARE NOT EXTENDING THE LIFE OF THE MATURITY.
WE'RE JUST TAKING EXISTING MATURITIES, REFINANCING AT A LOWER INTEREST RATE.
IN TERMS OF ASSUMPTIONS, AGAIN, THE TAX IMPACT, THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASE TO THE TAX RATE.
YOU'LL SEE THE INTEREST RATE ASSUMPTIONS THERE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY 5% ON ALL THE FUTURE SALES, AND THEN CURRENT MARKET RATES PLUS 25 BASIS POINTS AS OF JUNE 12TH.
THE REASON WE SAY PLUS 25 BASIS POINTS IS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE US ANOTHER MONTH BEFORE WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SELL THE BONDS.
WE STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND GET THE RATING AGENCIES, VISIT WITH INVESTORS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN I HIT HERE ON THIS OTHER SLIDE, WE REALLY WANT TO WAIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR CERTIFIED VALUE THIS YEAR SO WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH STRUCTURE YOUR BOND PAYMENT IS FOR NEXT YEAR.
IN TERMS OF YOUR BOND REPAYMENT, THIS IS OVER A 30-YEAR PERIOD, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY DONE, WHICH HAS BEEN 25 YEARS.
THE THOUGHT IS BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGER BOND PROGRAMS THE DISTRICT HAS DONE, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE FIRST INSTALLMENT IN 30 YEARS, BUT THAT WILL BE THE TERM OF THE ENTIRE BOND PROGRAM.
SO WHEN WE COME BACK NEXT YEAR IN 2027, WE WON'T EXTEND THE FINAL MATURITY.
IT WILL GO TO 29 YEARS AND THEN 28 AND 27 AND ON.
SO BY THE TIME WE GET DONE WITH THE FINANCE PLAN, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY SITTING AT OUR 25-YEAR AVERAGE.
AGAIN, SHORT-TERM PROJECTS, WE'LL PAY THOSE OVER THEIR USEFUL LIFE.
EXCUSE ME, HOW LONG DOES THE STATE ALLOW US TO GO? I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO 30 THIS TIME.
OKAY, AND WE'RE GOING NOT VERY LONG.
WE'RE STILL NOT GOING OUT TEN YEARS THAT THEY WOULD ALLOW.
WHICH SAVES QUITE A BIT OF MONEY FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
YES, AND THE REALITY IS THE VAST MAJORITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE WILL SICK AT THE 30-YEAR PERIOD, OR THEY'LL SICK EACH INSTALLMENT OVER 30 YEARS.
GIVEN THE MATURITY OF BIRDVILLE ISD AND THEIR TAX BASE, WE DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARY.
BUT TO ACCOMMODATE THE LARGE SIZE AND TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THE FINANCE PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO START INITIALLY WITH A 30-YEAR PERIOD AND HOPEFULLY WORK IT.
IN TERMS OF STATE FUNDING ASSISTANCE, BASED UPON YOUR WEALTH PER STUDENT, YOU GET NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING OUT OF EITHER THE IFA OR EDA STATE FUNDING PROGRAM.
BUT YOU DO GET HOLD HARMLESS MONEY, WHICH IS SET ASIDE FOR THE INCREASES IN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THAT HAS PASSED THE LEGISLATURE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS PARTICULAR BOND PROGRAM DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS FUNDING ASSISTANCE.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE CUTOFF WAS AUGUST 31ST, 2025.
THIS IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST DRIVER NOT ONLY OF YOUR BOND CAPACITY AND YOUR TAX RATE, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY HOW MUCH YOU COULD ISSUE CURRENTLY FOR 2025.
25-26, YOUR TAX VALUE WAS ROUGHLY $13.4 BILLION FOR PURPOSES OF THIS FINANCE PLAN.
THE FIRST YEAR WE LOOKED AT ROUGHLY $13.6 BILLION, WHICH WAS ABOUT 92.5% OF YOUR INITIAL PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE FROM TAD.
I WILL BE FULL AND FAIR DISCLOSURE, THAT IS A LITTLE HIGH AT THIS POINT, GIVEN THE LATEST RUN FROM TAD.
BASED UPON YOUR CURRENT VALUE, EVEN IF IT GOES DOWN, YOU HAVE MORE THAN $200 MILLION OF BOND CAPACITY AT YOUR CURRENT LEVEL.
SO WE ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
IN TERMS OF COMPOSITION OF YOUR TAX BASE, ROUGHLY 60% IS RESIDENTIAL.
AND YOU CAN SEE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS HOW MUCH YOU HAVE IN ROUGHLY NEW CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
SO EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE A MATURE DISTRICT, YOU'RE STILL GETTING CLOSE TO $200 MILLION A YEAR OF NEW TAX VALUE.
I SHOW YOU THIS FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES IN TERMS OF HOW WE'VE GROWN YOUR VALUES GOING FORWARD.
IF YOU LOOK OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, YOU'VE GROWN ON AN AVERAGE OF 5.6% YEAR OVER YEAR, WHICH IS ROUGHLY $640 MILLION.
[01:05:03]
WE'RE GROWING YOU OVER THE NEXT SIX YEARS BASICALLY AT HALF THAT AMOUNT, OR 2.35.WE ARE HOPEFUL THIS IS CONSERVATIVE.
BUT AS YOU'VE HEARD EARLIER, TAD REAPPRAISING EVERY OTHER YEAR.
I'M NOT SURE HISTORY TELLS US MUCH WITH THEM GOING FORWARD.
SO THIS IS A LEARNING PROCESS, NOT ONLY FOR THEM, BUT FOR US AS WE DESIGN YOUR FINANCE PLAN.
IN TERMS OF THE FIRST SALE, THE $168 MILLION, RIGHT NOW WE ANTICIPATE AN INTEREST RATE OF 4.69%.
THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF ALL COSTS.
THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS IN TOTAL WOULD BE ROUGHLY $350 MILLION.
YOU WOULD SEE THAT YOU'RE AMORTIZING ROUGHLY $12.6 MILLION IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, MORE THAN ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR SHORT-TERM TECHNOLOGY, ROUGHLY $29 MILLION IN THE FIRST 10 YEARS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FINANCE PROGRAM ALTOGETHER, RIGHT NOW WE ANTICIPATE, A, MAINTAINING YOUR TAX RATE AT $39.64.
YOUR TOTAL BOND PAYMENTS ARE ABOUT 57.8 MILLION.
LESS THAN WHAT WE PROJECTED AT THE TIME OF THE BOND ELECTION.
WE HAVE ROOM TO GO DOWN FURTHER IF WE CAN IMPLEMENT FUTURE BONDS LESS THAN THE 5% INCREASE OR INTEREST RATE THAN WE HAVE PROJECTED HERE.
IN TERMS OF BOND REPAYMENTS, ROUGHLY $18 MILLION IS GOING TO BE REPAID OVER THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, $67.7 MILLION OVER THE FIRST 10 YEARS.
SO, AGAIN, WE ARE BETTER NOW THAN WHAT WE HAD TOLD TAXPAYERS AT THE TIME OF THE BOND ELECTION.
WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU IN A FEW MINUTES TO APPROVE A PARAMETERS ORDER, WHICH THE DISTRICT HAS HISTORICALLY DONE.
THIS ALLOWS THE ADMINISTRATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A BOND SALE WHEN WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE.
THOSE PARAMETERS ARE FROM THE BOND PROGRAM.
WE CANNOT SELL ANY MORE THAN $168 MILLION.
THE INTEREST RATE CANNOT EXCEED 5%.
THE FINAL MATURITY CANNOT EXCEED THAT FEBRUARY 15, 2056, WHICH IS THAT 30-YEAR PERIOD.
AND WE WOULD HAVE ESSENTIALLY A YEAR TO GET THAT DONE.
BECAUSE THERE'S A REFUNDING COMPONENT, YOU'LL SEE THOSE PARAMETERS THERE AS WELL.
WE CANNOT REFINANCE ANY MORE THAN THAT $11 MILLION.
THE INTEREST RATE CANNOT EXCEED 3.75%.
WE HAVE TO SAVE AT LEAST $500,000.
AND AGAIN, WE CANNOT EXTEND THE FINAL MATURITY OF THOSE BONDS.
UNLESS WE ACCOMPLISH EACH ONE OF THOSE PARAMETERS, WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITH A BOND SALE.
VIEWING THE FINANCE PLAN, ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE PARAMETERS ORDER, IT WOULD BE OUR GOAL TO GET EVERYTHING WRAPPED UP, THE RATINGS, THE INVESTOR CALLS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS BY JULY 24TH.
SO WHEN YOU GET YOUR CERTIFIED TAX VALUE, ESSENTIALLY, HOPEFULLY ON THAT DATE, WE COULD BE IN A POSITION THE FOLLOWING WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER TO GO OUT IN THE MARKET, LOCK IN THE INTEREST RATE ON YOUR BONDS.
AND RIGHT NOW, THAT'S RECEIVING ITS FUNDS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I THINK IT'S SLIDE 12 THAT YOU HAD.
I JUST, IT WASN'T SO MUCH A QUESTION, AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT, BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD A NEGATIVE? WHAT YEAR WAS THAT, KATIE? THAT WAS 2015, I THINK, BUT THIS IS RELATED TO THE $140,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
AND WE DID GET HOLD HARMLESS ON THOSE DOLLARS.
YES, NOT FOR THIS ONE, BUT YES, SIR, BUT THAT'S WHY IT WENT DOWN.
BECAUSE THE STATE RAISED THE HOMESTEAD EXAMPLE.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF WITH INTEREST RATES EXPECTED TO INCREASE, IS IT PERHAPS A REASON TO SELL BONDS THIS YEAR RATHER THAN NEXT YEAR BECAUSE NEXT YEAR INTEREST RATES, PERHAPS LONG-TERM RATES, WOULD BE HIGHER? AND SO...
IS IT A LITTLE BIT OF RISK AVERSE OR SAVINGS OR WHATEVER YOU SAY? DOES THAT GO INTO IT? YES, SIR, IT DOES.
SO THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT ARGUMENT IS WE ARE NOT ISSUING $300 MILLION OF BONDS AND INCURRING THAT INTEREST COST.
IN TERMS OF FORECAST OF FUTURE INTEREST RATES, IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY AND WHO YOU TALK TO.
LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN THE FED MET,
[01:10:01]
WE WERE FORECASTING TWO, THREE INTEREST RATE HIKES BY EARLY NEXT YEAR.WELL, THE PCE INDEX CAME OUT TODAY, AND WHY IT WAS HOT, MEANING IT WAS INFLATIONARY, SEVERAL ECONOMISTS TODAY SAID, WELL, MAYBE INFLATION IS NOW PEAKED.
THE MARKET REACTED IS NOW ONLY PRICING IN ONE BETWEEN NOW.
THE REALITY, MY CRYSTAL BALL IS NOT THAT GOOD.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, I DID GET MY UNDERGRAD DEGREE.
NO ONE THERE KNOWS WHAT INFLATION IS GOING TO DO OTHER THAN...
WE ARE DELIVERING THE FIRST SALE AT LESS THAN THE 5% INTEREST RATE THAT WE COMMUNICATED TO VOTERS AT THE TIME OF THE ELECTION.
SO THIS ALLOWS YOU TO START MOVING FORWARD WITH PROJECTS AT A REDUCED COST AT A REDUCED INTEREST RATE.
IF WE THOUGHT INTEREST RATES WOULD MATERIALLY GO HIGHER, THAT'S WHERE WE COULD INTRODUCE THE VARIABLE RATE BONDS.
BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE BORROWING LONG-TERM DEBT AT THE SHORT END OF THE YIELD CURVE, WHICH A GIVES YOU BORROWING CAPACITY, B IT LOWERS YOUR INTEREST COST.
SO WE HAVE SEVERAL LEVERS THAT WE CAN PULL IF LONG-TERM INTEREST RATES GO UP IN THE FUTURE.
MR. KUNKEL, I MET WITH A LENDER YESTERDAY, MY WIFE AND I DID, AND HE SAID SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF A RATE LOCK IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER WE CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE.
I MEAN, NOBODY CAN PREDICT THE FUTURE, NOT EVEN THE PROFESSIONALS.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO LOCK IT OR SELL THEM SOONER THAN TO WAIT.
RATES WILL GO UP, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN.
HE WAS ACTUALLY THINKING THEY WOULD STAY PRETTY STAGNANT OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THANK YOU.
[J.1. Proposed 2026-27 Budget Amendment for 2025-26 Incomplete Projects [Katie Bowman, Associate Superintendent]]
PROPOSED BUDGET.PRESIDENT, I'M SORRY, I'M A LITTLE GETTING MYSELF BACK TOGETHER HERE.
EVERY TIME THIS YEAR WE HAVE INCOMPLETE PROJECTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF JUNE.
FOR THE 25-26 BUDGET YEAR, WE HAVE A LIST OF THOSE.
THESE WILL BE THE LARGEST AMOUNT WE HAVE AS PROJECTS ARE CLOSED OUT AND ITEMS ARE RECEIVED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THEN WE WILL HAVE A LOWER AMOUNT NEXT MONTH THAT WE BRING BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ROLLOVER.
SO THERE WILL BE UNSPENT DOLLARS FROM THE 25-26 BUDGET ROLLED INTO THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
[K.1. Consider Personnel Items as Discussed in Closed Session]
THANK YOU.AT THIS TIME, WE WILL CONSIDER ACTION ITEMS. CONSIDER PERSONAL ITEMS AS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.
BEFORE WE CONSIDER THE PERSONAL ITEMS, I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT STINSON HAS ACCEPTED 31 RESIGNATIONS AND TWO RETIREMENTS.
SO I HEAR A MOTION FOR THE PERSONAL ITEM.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD APPROVE AND ADOPT ALL PERSONNEL ITEMS AS PRESENTED AND RECOMMENDED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT.
DISCUSSIONS? QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? RATING? MOTION PASSES.
[K.2. Consider Birdville ISD Proposed Local Policy Update Affecting Local Policy Listed (Third Reading) [Dr. Skip Baskerville, Associate Superintendent]]
THANK YOU.CONSIDER BURVILLE ISD PROPOSED LOCAL POLICY UPDATE AFFECTING LOCAL POLICY DNA.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL, EVALUATION OF TEACHERS.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD APPROVE THE REVISIONS TO THE BURVILLE ISD POLICY DNA LOCAL.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AND EVALUATION OF TEACHERS AS PRESENTED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
[K.3. Consider the 2026-27 Accelerated Learning Budget [Katie Bowman, Associate Superintendent]]
MOTION PASSES.CONSIDER THE 2026-27 ACCELERATED LEARNING BUDGET.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? IT'S SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN ACCELERATING LEARNING HIS WHOLE LIFE.
I MOVE THE BOARD APPROVE THE 26-27 ACCELERATED LEARNING BUDGET AS PRESENTED.
I SECOND EVERYTHING AFTER WHAT HE SAID AT THE FIRST.
[K.4. Consider the 2025-26 General Fund, Debt Service Fund and Child Nutrition Fund Revised Budgets [Katie Bowman, Associate Superintendent]]
MOTION PASSED.CONSIDER THE 2025-26 GENERAL FUND, DEBT SERVICE FUND, AND CHILD NUTRITION FUND REVISED BUDGETS.
YEAH, MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE 2025-26 GENERAL FUND, DEBT SERVICE FUND, AND THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND REVISED BUDGETS AS PRESENTED.
[01:15:01]
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.[K.5. Consider the 2026-27 General Fund, Debt Service Fund, and Child Nutrition Fund Budgets [Katie Bowman, Associate Superintendent]]
RAISE YOUR HAND.CONSIDER THE 2026-27 GENERAL FUND, DEBT SERVICE FUND, AND CHILD NUTRITION FUND BUDGETS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE 2026-27 GENERAL FUND, DEBT SERVICE FUND, AND CHILD NUTRITION FUND BUDGETS AS PRESENTED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? JUST VERY QUICKLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION, BUT I DO THINK IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE WORK SESSIONS OVER THIS WITH STAFF TO GET TO THIS POINT.
SO THAT'S THE REASON THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT A QUARTER-BILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET IS BECAUSE WE'VE DONE ALL THIS WORK BEFORE TONIGHT, BUT AGAIN, STAFF, YOU KNOW, KATIE, YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND MS. GLENN, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY, REALLY DONE A SPECTACULAR JOB.
IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS BASED ON OUR BUDGET CYCLE WITHOUT SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM TAD.
AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WE GET FROM TAD IS NOT ALWAYS.
WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING, AND SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO WITH THE LIMITED INFORMATION YOU HAVE.
I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION WITH THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE, AND YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE ON.
AND IF IT'S NOT RIGHT OR WHATEVER, YOU CAN ALWAYS SAY, HEY, THAT WAS ALL INFORMATION I HAD AT THE TIME, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, AND NOW WE'LL JUST SEE THE WRATH OF TAD.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY I'M REALLY PROUD OF...
THAT IN THE 2026-27 SCHOOL BUDGET CHILD NUTRITION FUND, WE'RE NOT GOING UP AGAIN ON THE MEAL PRICES.
AND IT'S BEEN MANY, MANY YEARS NOW.
HOW MANY YEARS? I THINK 10 YEARS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THIS MORNING, 10 YEARS SINCE WE'VE INCREASED OUR PRICE.
AND WHEN WE DID BEFORE, IT WAS BECAUSE THE FEDS MADE US DO IT.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT WITHOUT INCREASING PRICES.
AND WITH AWARD-WINNING FOOD, RIGHT? YES.
ONE LAST COMMENT ABOUT THE BUDGETING PROCESS.
IT'S A CHALLENGE, PARTICULARLY THE THINGS THAT AUSTIN KEEPS PUTTING UPON US.
NOT GETTING REAPPRAISALS DONE EVERY OTHER YEAR AND HAVING THE ABILITY STILL TO FIND, BECAUSE OF SOME GOOD DECISIONS MADE IN PAST YEARS, ABLE TO GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES SOME WELL-DESERVED RAISE.
NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE TO GIVE, BUT WAY MORE THAN WHAT SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS ARE DOING IN THEIR AREA.
WE WANT TO STAY COMPETITIVE WITH IT, AND WE'RE DOING THAT.
WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS, THOUGH, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE OF SOME GOOD DECISIONS IN THE PAST OF KEEPING OUR FACILITIES UP.
I THINK IT WAS VERY EVIDENT BECAUSE OF WHAT THE BOND ELECTION DID.
OUR VOTERS SAID, YOU ARE MANAGING OUR MONIES CORRECTLY.
WE FOUND ADDITIONAL SAVINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BY COMBINING TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN TIME.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN EASY...
TASK STILL FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS BECAUSE AUSTIN IS STILL TRYING TO, IN MY MIND, THEY'RE STILL JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS, HOW CAN WE MAKE YOUR LIFE MORE MISERABLE AS FAR AS FUNDING OF SCHOOLS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME IT.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME IT BECAUSE WE'VE WORKED HARD, OUR STAFF HAS WORKED HARD, KATIE, DR.
GLENN, ALL THE OTHERS, AND DR. STINSON HAS BEEN THERE IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.
I'D SAY THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER.
PROBABLY WON'T BE OVER FOR A WHILE IN AUSTIN.
YOU MIND IF I JUMP IN ONE THING BEFORE DR.
TINSON SAYS SOMETHING? BECAUSE YOU'LL ECLIPSE ME IF I LET YOU GO FIRST.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT, YES, THE LEGISLATURE, IF YOU TALK TO THE LEGISLATURE, THEY WILL SAY THAT THEY PUT A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THAT WAS ALL FUNNELED, TARGETED, AND HAD TO BE PAID TO JUST TEACHERS, NOT TO THE TEACHER'S AIDES, NOT TO THE NURSES, NOT TO LIBRARIANS, NOT TO THE CUSTODIANS, NOT TO BUS DRIVERS, NOT TO ANYBODY ELSE.
SO, YES, THE TEACHERS WERE ABLE TO HAVE THAT.
ANYBODY THAT RUNS ANY KIND OF BUSINESS KNOWS THAT THE RECEPTIONIST AT THE FRONT, THE CUSTODIAN THAT CLEANS OUT AT NIGHT, THAT'S WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS, IS EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO BE PAID WELL.
AND THEY SAID, NOPE, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY, BUT YOU HAVE TO USE IT FOR IN-CLASSROOM TEACHERS, AND END OF STORY, NOT TALK ABOUT IT.
AND THEN, UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD A LUNCH WITH THE GUY THAT'S VERY INFORMED ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE, AND HE BASICALLY SAID IT'S GOING TO BE A TIGHT YEAR AT THE LEGISLATURE.
THE DATA CENTERS ARE NOW LIKE THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
THEY GOT CAUGHT FLAT-FOOTED, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A LOT OF THEIR ENERGY.
AND I FLAT-OUT SAID, DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY MORE MONEY
[01:20:01]
FOR SCHOOLS? HE SAID, I DON'T THINK Y'ALL ARE GOING TO GET ANY MONEY.SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS BUDGET, IT'S A DEFICIT BUDGET.
AND THEN THINK ABOUT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AFTER THIS, IF THIS GUY WHO'S PRETTY MUCH IN THE KNOW SAYS, WE'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO REALLY ASK FOR A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET MORE MONEY BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET MORE MONEY.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GETTING THIS MONEY, BUT THEY'VE DECIDED TO DESTROY PUBLIC ED, I'LL JUST SAY IT, AND THEY'RE DOING A PRETTY DANG GOOD JOB.
STINSON? I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE POSITIVE HERE, AND JUST TAGGING ON TO HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO BUILD A BUDGET, THAT ACTUALLY KATIE BOWMAN AND DR.
EARLY OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, AND BY THE TIME IT GETS TO DECEMBER, JANUARY, WHERE WE'RE HOLDING OUR BUDGET MEETINGS WITH YOU, THEY'VE ALREADY DONE ALL OF THE BACK WORK.
SO IT'S A YEAR BACK THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PROJECT, AND WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS THE WORD PROJECT, BECAUSE THEY EXPECT US TO BUILD, NOT JUST US, BUT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, TO BUILD A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET BASED ON STUDENT ENROLLMENT, OF WHICH YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL...
AND SO IT'S THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG IN TERMS OF HOW WE HAVE TO BUILD BUDGETS, AND IT'S GUESSWORK DEPENDENT UPON, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US TO MAINTAIN A STRONG DISTRICT, AND YOU DO THAT, AND OUR COMMUNITY DOES THAT, AND OUR STAFF DOES THAT.
BUT THE DIFFICULTIES THAT LIE WITHIN, AND WE CAN PARSE OUT LINE ITEMS, ET CETERA, BUT BUILDING A BUDGET BASED UPON STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
OF APPROXIMATELY 22,500 STUDENTS AND YOU NEVER KNOW FROM YEAR TO YEAR YOU KNOW A HUNDRED HERE A HUNDRED HERE WHICH GREATLY AFFECTS OUR BUDGET SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT IN THAT YOU KNOW I THINK THAT STAFF WORKS REALLY HARD IN OUR AND AND THAT GOES FROM EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID TO THE CUSTODIAN THAT CLEANS THE CAMPUSES THAT MAKES AND THE BUS DRIVERS THAT MAKE THE KIDS FEEL GOOD ABOUT COMING TO SCHOOL HERE TO TO KATIE AND MISSY THAT ARE BUILDING OUR BUDGET EACH AND EVERY YEAR BASED ON NUMBERS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
SO IT'S A DIFFICULT TASK, AND I THINK THAT THEY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB.
I'D JUST LIKE TO BACK THAT UP WITH KUDOS TO KATIE BOWMAN, DR.
GLENN, AND YOUR STAFF, AND THE BOARD, AS WELL AS DR.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST DEPARTMENTS AS FAR AS KEEPING US IN LINE, AND THE BOARD SUPPORTS, AND WE SOMETIMES DISAGREE.
HOWEVER, WE DO SUPPORT WHAT YOU GIVE US, AND WE DO BELIEVE IN YOU.
BEFORE WE GO ON, I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS, TALKING ABOUT WE'RE REALLY GLAD THE TEACHERS GOT THAT $5,000, BUT THE THING IS ABOUT IT IS THAT WAS THE STATE TAKING SIX YEARS TO GIVE THEM THAT $5,000.
AND WHEN YOU DIVIDE THAT $5,000 BY SIX YEARS, THAT'S LESS THAN $900 A YEAR RAISE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE WHEN THE STATE PASSED THAT BUDGET.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S JUST...
A GRAND AMOUNT AND I YOU KNOW AS A TEACHER I NEVER GOT A FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR RATE BUT I REALLY THINK IT'S A SHAME THAT THE STATE DOESN'T VALUE ITS BEST INVESTMENT EDUCATION IS THE BEST INVESTMENT IT PAYS OFF THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT THANK YOU CONSIDER
[K.6. Consider All Matters Incident and Related to the Issuance and Sale of “Birdville Independent School District Unlimited Tax School Building and Refunding Bonds, Series 2026,” Including the Adoption of an Order Authorizing the Issuance of Such Bonds and Establishing Procedures and Delegating Authority for the Sale and Delivery of Such Bonds [Katie Bowman, Associate Superintendent]]
ALL MATTERS INCIDENT AND RELATED TO THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BURBLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT UNLIMITED.TAX SCHOOL BUILDING AND REFUNDING BONDS, SERIES 2026, INCLUDING THE ADOPTION OF AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF SUCH BONDS AND ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES AND DELEGATING AUTHORITY FOR THE SALE AND DELIVERY OF SUCH BONDS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? YEAH, MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD ADOPT AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BIRD VAULT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT UNLIMITED TAX SCHOOL BUILDING AND REFUNDING BONDS, SERIES 2026, AS PRESENTED.
SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? I WANT TO SAY HOW TREMENDOUSLY PROUD I AM THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, I MEAN, STEP BY STEP OVER THE LAST 10 TO 12 YEARS, I MEAN, FACILITY BY FACILITY ESSENTIALLY REBUILD THE DISTRICT AND DO IT WITHOUT, WELL, ACTUALLY, I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT WITHOUT RAISING TAXES, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WHILE LOWERING TAXES.
THAT'S TREMENDOUS. I MEAN, DISTRICT TO OUR SOUTHEAST THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IS REBUILDING TWO HIGH SCHOOLS, AND THEY'RE DOING IT BY HIKING TAXES TREMENDOUSLY.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT THAT, AND I'M TREMENDOUSLY PROUD OF THE BOARD PREVIOUS TO ME. I KNOW I'M ONE OF THE NEWER GUYS. THE CONSERVATIVE FINANCIAL
[01:25:01]
PLANNING THAT'S HAPPENED IS GREAT. I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF IT NOW. I'M JUST VERY PROUD OF IT. THANK YOU, MR. DREES. I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR?[L. CONSENT ITEMS]
PASSES. UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU.NEXT, WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL ITEMS IN THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED WITH ONE MOTION UNLESS THEY ARE REMOVED BY A TRUSTEE FOR DISCUSSION. IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT A BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD APPROVE ALL ITEMS IN THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SECOND. SECOND.
THANK YOU, MR. DILKS. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
CONSENT ITEMS. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORTS TO THE BOARD ARE REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW. ARE THERE ANY BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT CONCERNING THESE ITEMS? OUR
[N. FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS]
NEXT REGULAR MEETING WILL BE ON THURSDAY, JULY 23RD. AND WILL BE HELD IN OUR NEW BOARDROOM LOCATED AT 8555 AIRPORT FREEWAY. THE BOARD MEETING WILL OPEN AT 5.30 P.M. FOR CLOSED SESSION AND WILL RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION AT 7 P.M.AS WE HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? SO MOVED. SECOND. THANK YOU.
YES. KELVIN DOOL. AND RICHARD DAVIS, SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? UNANIMOUSLY.
PASS. MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 8.14 P.M. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.