BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING
CSISD Board Room
March 18, 2008
7:00 p.m.
President
Tim Jones called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with seven members present.
B. DECLARATION
OF QUORUM
President Tim Jones declared
a quorum was present with seven members.
President Jones, Vice-President Mary Broussard, Secretary Randall
Pitcock, Trustees Charlotte Slack, Marc Chaloupka, Garland Watson and Steve
Aldrich were present.
C. RECOGNITIONS
C-1. Pledge
of Allegiance to the American Flag and the
Superintendent Eddie Coulson
recognized Oliver Hadnot, Principal of College Station Middle School. Mr. Hadnot recognized 8th Grader
Chaiss Matthews and 8th Grader Celina Malave. The students led the audience in the pledges
of allegiance and the moment of silence.
C-2. Campus
Artwork
Trustees enjoyed and
complimented the student artwork displayed in the Board Room. The work was provided by art students from
C-3. Staff
a. Best Practices Award –
The LEAP program (Learning
Effective Actions for Problem Solving) was the recipient of the Best Practices
Award by Texas Association for Alternative Education state conference. Staff members Linda Olivarez, teacher, and
Chad Gardner, case manager, were recognized.
b. Educator of the Year –
C-4. Students
a.
Sea O’Shea finished 2nd
in the 100 Breaststroke and 14th place of Brett Cast, Sean O’Shea,
Benjamin Jackson & Stephen O’Shea, placed 8th. The 200 freestyle relay, consisting of Jack
Burley, Stephen O’Shea, Benjamin Jackson & Sean O’Shea, finished in 13th
place. Congratulations to Jack Burley,
Brett Cast, Benjamin
D. BOARD
D-1. Board
Directions and Reports/Announcements/Superintendent Reports
Trustee Charlotte Slack
reported regarding her participation in Leadership TASB and her recent
attendance of a session in
Trustee Slack also reported
that she will be meeting with State Board of Education Representative Don
McLeroy to discuss legislative issues that affect public education.
Trustee Marc Chaloupka
reported that he had attended the Grassroots Legislative Meeting in
·
Dropout Rates:
Helping district prevent students from dropping out
·
Salaries and
Benefits: Securing more funding for teacher salaries and benefits
·
Property
Appraisal Caps: Limiting the increases in property appraisals
·
Impact Fees:
Factoring the cost of new development on school districts
·
Adequacy:
Providing adequate funding to educate all children at state standards
·
Transportation
Allotment: Updating current funding formulas for school transportation
·
Career and
Technology Education (CATE) Programs: Funding and Accountability for CATE
programs
·
Educational
Technology: Allowing textbook funds to be used to cover educational technology
·
Moratorium on
unfunded mandates: TASB supports funding the actual cost of any required
programs and services imposed by current laws, rules, and regulations and
opposes the imposition of any new unfunded or underfunded mandates
·
Retroactive Fuel
Compensation: TASB shall support legislation that provides local district,
retroactively if necessary, with state funding for increases fuel and energy
costs
Superintendent Eddie Coulson
introduced Hector Silva, newly hired Director for Transportation. Mr. Silva began work for CSISD on March 3,
2008 and came to us from
Dr. Coulson announced that
the Education Foundation’s “Fifty Men Who Can Cook” fundraiser is scheduled for
4/11/08 at 6:30 p.m.
Dr. Coulson also announced
that the District-wide Health and Wellness initiative is sponsoring a CSISD
Family Fun Run on 4/19/08 at
Dr. Coulson updated the
Trustees with information that CSISD has two processes that have begun
work. The Long Range Education Planning
Committee (LREPC), led by Dr. Coulson, began its strategic planning work on
3/24/08. The Rezoning Committee, led by
Executive Director Clark Ealy and Deputy Superintendent Greg McIntyre began its
work on 3/27/08.
Trustee Steve Aldrich
reminded his colleagues of the Creek View Elementary groundbreaking scheduled
for Thursday, 3/20/08.
E. HEARING OF
CITIZENS
1. Ann Heuberger addressed the Board of Trustees
regarding Principal Terresa Katt and her presentation that pertains to brain
research. Terresa presented recently at
the Mid-Winter conference.
F. HEARING OF EMPLOYEES
1. Mary Howell, CSEA President, addressed the
Trustees regarding salaries.
Trustee Charlotte Slack
asked that the Board have a philosophical discussion about salary prior to any
recommendation and approval of the 2008-2009 budget.
G. CONSENT
AGENDA
Agenda Item D – BOARD: Agenda Item D-2:
Consider approval of 2008-2009 Board Meeting Dates – approved
annually; Agenda Item H – APPROVAL
OF MINUTES – February 19, 2008 Board Workshop Minutes, February 19, 2008
Regular Board Meeting Minutes; Agenda
Item I - CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: Agenda
Item I-2: Consider approval of 2008-2009 District
Improvement Plan – considered annually, Agenda Item I-3: Consider approval of a Texas Education
Agency Staff Development Waiver for the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011
school years – will allow CSISD to provide staff development for teachers for
ten days each school year; Agenda
Item J - PERSONNEL: Agenda Item J-1:
Consider approval of Resignations; Agenda Item J-2: Consider approval of Employments;
Agenda Item J-3: Consider approval of
Professional Contracts; Agenda Item
K - BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS: Agenda Item K-5: Consider authorization of
purchase of a school bus equipped to accommodated special needs students
through the Texas Local Government Statewide Purchasing Cooperative (TASB
Buyboard) for a total cost of $83,200 – to be funded with IDEA funds; Agenda
Item K-6: Consider approval of
Monthly Financial Reports – Reports covering the month ended February 29, 2008; Agenda Item K-7: Consider approval of
Monthly Budget Amendments – Amendments covering the period since last Board
Meeting;
The administration pulled
Agenda Item L-1: Consider approval of
Notice of Election because the candidates are unopposed and the school
board election will be cancelled.
MOTION 3858: I move approval of the Consent Agenda, as amended. The motion was made by Trustee Marc Chaloupka
and seconded by Vice President Mary Broussard.
The motion passed with seven ayes and zero nos.
I. CURRICULUM
AND INSTRUCTION
I-1. Receive
Report regarding the Center for Alternative Programs from Principal Leslie
Schueckler
Superintendent Eddie Coulson
recognized employees who reported regarding the Center for Alternative
Programs.
Teacher Laurie Rath reported
about
Social Worker
Teacher Linda Olivarez
reported regarding LEAP which is the disciplinary alternative campus for
students age 6 through Grade 6.
K. BUSINESS
AND OPERATIONS
K-1. Consider
approval of the Quarterly Investment Report for the three months ended February
29, 2008
Superintendent Eddie Coulson
recognized Deputy Superintendent for Business and Operations Mike Ball. Mr. Ball reported that The Public Funds
Investment Act (The Act) requires that a quarterly report of all District
investments be provided to the Superintendent and Board of School
Trustees. The Act further requires that
each investment officer receive at least ten hours of continuing education in
investment responsibilities. Both
Michael Ball and Rhonda Cumbie have complied with that requirement.
MOTION 3859: I move approval of the Quarterly Investment Report as
presented. The motion was made by
Trustee Steve Aldrich and seconded by Trustee Marc Chaloupka. The motion passed 7-0.
K-2. Consider
approval of Engagement Letter from Pattillo, Brown & Hill, L.L.P.,
Certified Public Accountants, for the annual financial and compliance audit for
the fiscal year ending August 31, 2008.
Dr. Coulson recognized
Deputy Superintendent Mike Ball who reported that a Request for Qualifications
(RFQ) for audit firms was advertised to the public during portions of the
months of January and February 2008. A
briefing meeting was held for firms interested in submitting
qualifications. Four auditing firms were
represented at that meeting. One firm
actually submitted qualifications in response to the RFQ. That firm was the incumbent audit firm,
Pattillo, Brown & Hill, L.L.P. That
firm was then asked to submit an engagement letter for consideration by the
Board of Trustees. The firm has
submitted an engagement letter to perform the audit services for the current
year. The professional qualifications of
this firm are appropriate for an audit engagement of the size and complexity of
College Station ISD. During past audit
engagement with College Station ISD, the work performance of this firm has been
satisfactory and consistent with professional standards for audit firms.
MOTION 3860: I move approval of the Engagement Letter from
Pattillo, Brown & Hill, L.L.P., Certified Public Accountants, for the
annual financial and compliance audit of the financial statements of
K-3. Consider
approval of an Interlocal Agreement and associated Resolution with the Region
IV ESC Cooperative for Section 125 Plan Services and Supplemental Insurance
Products
Superintendent Coulson recognized
Deputy Superintendent Mike Ball who reported that the Internal Revenue Service
has recently issued final regulations that will impact the way Internal Revenue
Code Section 403(b) Plans assume much more responsibility for plan
administration than is currently required.
Region IV ESC has formed a
Cooperative that provides Sec. 403(b) Plan administration along with the
administration of Sec. 125 Plans that involve voluntary employee contributions
for supplemental insurance and other products and services.
It is believed that this
Cooperative will provide employees with better products from which to choose
and that it will enable the District to remain in compliance with the new
regulations related to Sec. 403(b) plans.
MOTION 3861: I move approval of the Interlocal Agreement with the
Region IV ESC Cooperative for Section 125 Plan Services and Supplemental
Insurance Products and the associated Resolution that authorizes the Deputy
Superintendent for Business and Operations to execute the agreement on behalf
of the District, as presented. The
motion was made by Trustee Marc Chaloupka and seconded by Vice President Mary
Broussard. The motion passed 7-0.
K-4. Consider
approval of an Interlocal Agreement and associated Resolution with the Region X
ESC Cooperative for Section 457 Plan Participation and Administration
Superintendent Eddie Coulson
recognized Deputy Superintendent Mike Ball who
reported that the Internal
Revenue Service has recently issued final regulations that will impact the way
Internal Revenue Code Section 403(b) Plans assume much more responsibility for
plan administration than is currently required.
It is also expected that the choices of investment vehicles available to
employees for placing their funds will be much more limited after January 1,
2009, the effective date of the new regulations.
Region X Education Service
Center has formed a Cooperative that provides employees of participating
Districts access to a Sec. 457 Retirement Plan.
This plan would provide new options for employees as they choose where
to invest their own retirement funds.
It is believed that this
Cooperative will provide employees with additional investment choices at a time
when their options for Sec. 403(b) Plans will be limited by the market responses
to the new Internal Revenue Service Regulations.
MOTION 3862: I move approval of the Interlocal Agreement with the
Region X ESC Cooperative for Section 457 Plan Participation and Administration
and the associated Resolution that establishes a Section 457 Plan and
authorizes the Deputy Superintendent for Business and Operations to execute the
agreement on behalf of the District, as presented. The motion was made by Trustee Steve Aldrich
and seconded by Trustee Charlotte Slack.
The motion passed 7-0.
M. EXECUTIVE
SESSION
None
O. ADJOURNMENT
Without
objection, President Jones adjourned the meeting at 8:11 p.m.
TIM JONES RANDALL
PITCOCK
PRESIDENT SECRETARY