[00:00:06]
>> GOOD EVENING. I HEREBY CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF
[1.0 Call to Order]
THE CROWLEY ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND CERTIFY THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 551.041 SUB-CHAPTER C, GOVERNMENT CODE IS EMITTED BY THE 73RD LEGISLATURE PURSUANT TO PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING AND A QUORUM IS PRESENT.I REQUEST THE OFFICIAL ROLL CALL PLEASE.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 1 NEDRA ROBINSON?
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 2 DR. LATONYA WOODSON-MAYFIELD.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 3 DR. MIA HALL.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 4 JUNE W. DAVIS.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 5 DARYL DAVIS II.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 6 GARRY GRASSIA.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 7 KELICIA STEVENSON.
>> SUPERINTENDENT, DR. MICHAEL MCFARLAND.
>> THANK YOU, MR. KUHRT. I EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO EVERYONE PRESENT FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
THE MONTHLY MEETINGS OF THE BOARD ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE PLEASED THAT YOU'VE JOINED US AS WE CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENT, REVIEW INFORMATION, AND MAKE POLICY DECISIONS RELATED TO THE EFFECTIVE OPERATIONS OF CROWLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE WILL BE CONFINED TO THE TIME DESIGNATED FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
THE FORUM AND COURTESY ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS IN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND COMMUNICATION DEVICES WHEN WE BEGIN OUR PROCEEDINGS.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING AND FOR YOUR INTERESTS IN CROWLEY ISD SCHOOLS.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO STAND FOR AGENDA ITEM 2.0, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEDGE] ] THANK YOU AND YOU MAY BE SEATED.
AGENDA ITEM 3.0, OUR CELEBRATIONS AND BOARD POINTS OF PRIDE.
[3.0 Celebrations / Board Points of Pride]
THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENT AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE.AT THIS TIME, IF THERE ARE ANY BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO PRESENT A POINT OF PRIDE, PLEASE DO SO. FIRSTLY, DAVIS.
>> THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUMMER FINE ARTS CARE IN CROWLEY ISD, SUMMER IS FOR SINGING AND ALL THINGS FINE ARTS.
THAT'S WHY, OVER 100 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN OUR FIVE DAY FINE ARTS CAMP FROM JUNE 12TH THROUGH JUNE 16TH.
STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO SELECT FROM SIX AREAS, WHICH INCLUDED CHEER, THEATER, COMPUTER, ART, MUSIC AND PERCUSSION.
IN CROWLEY ISD, EXCELLENT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.
>> WELL, I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT ON MONDAY, THE CROWLEY ISD FAMILY ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE OF THE TEXAS HEAT AND EXCELLENCE WAS ON DISPLAY AS THE PALAKI FAMILY WALK ALONGSIDE OUR BELOVED DR. OGILVIE AND OUR FORE FRONT COMMUNITY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AT THE ANNUAL WALK FOR FREEDOM ON JUNETEENTH.
WE ARE PROUD OF OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED AND PROUD OF OUR COUNTRY FOR HONORING THIS DAY AS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY.
CROWLEY PRIDE, UNIFY AND IF I HADN'T SEEN YOU OUT THERE YET, I'M STILL LOOKING FOR YOU IN THE NEXT YEAR.
[APPLAUSE] I DID HEAR DR. OGILVIE SHE'S 96 YEARS OLD, SO IF SHE CAN DO IT, SHE DID SAY ANYBODY.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU TRUSTEE HALL, ANYONE ELSE?
SUMMER IS [INAUDIBLE] IN CROWLEY ISD, SO WE CAN USE THEM IN OUR SUMMER SCHOOL OFFERINGS FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNERS AND WE
[00:05:03]
EVEN CREATED A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR GT STUDENTS.STUDENTS WERE INTRODUCED TO VARIOUS PATHWAYS SUCH AS [INAUDIBLE], IRRIGATION AND BIOENGINEERING, WHERE THEY CREATED PROSTHETIC LIMBS.
BECAUSE IN CROWLEY ISD, EXCELLENCE IS FOR EVERYONE. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE SUMMER ATHLETICS CAMP.
IN CROWLEY ISD, SUMMERTIME IS TRAINING TIME IF WE ARE HELPING OUR ATHLETES PREPARE TO WIN IN THE '23, '24 SCHOOL YEAR.
THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 24TH, DALLAS COWBOYS, TYLER SMITH WILL POST A FREE YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMP AT OUR CROWLEY ISD MULTI-PURPOSE STADIUM FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGES EIGHT THROUGH 16.
BECAUSE IN CROWLEY ISD, EXCELLENCE CAN BE ME. [APPLAUSE]
>> THEN IN THE FIELD OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION, PROMOTION AND EXCELLENCE, GO HAND IN HAND AND IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT OUR OWN MATT HOOVER HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO MANAGE THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IN JUNCTION CITY, KANSAS.
HOOVER'S AWARD-WINNING GRAPHIC DESIGN SKILLS, WEB DEVELOPMENT WORK, AND PHOTOGRAPHY HERE IN CROWLEY ISD DID NOT GO UNNOTICED AND ALTHOUGH WE WILL MISS HIM, WE APPRECIATE HIM FOR ALL HE HAS DONE HERE IN CISD.
GO BE GREAT. WE'LL MISS YOU MATT [APPLAUSE]
WE WILL DEFINITELY MISS YOU. TRUSTEE STEVENSON.
>> WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN THE SUMMER.
I HAVE ONE TO DISCUSS AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE THINGS WE HAVE.
SUMMER TIMES HERE IN CROWLEY ISD AND FOR MONDAY, JUNE 5TH TO THURSDAY, JUNE THE 29, HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE INTERVENTION AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR INDUSTRY-BASED CERTIFICATION EXAM OR PROGRAMS SUCH AS ADOBE, MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, COSMETOLOGY, AND PHARMACY.
BECAUSE IN CROWLEY ISD, EXCELLENCE IS PERSEVERANCE.
PLEASE, IF YOU KNOW OF ANY OF THOSE STUDENTS, PLEASE ASK THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THIS SUMMER.
>> YES. ABSOLUTELY. [APPLAUSE] THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS, THEY'RE PLANNING ON GRADUATING WITH THESE CERTIFICATIONS.
MANY OF THEM, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE BECOMING JUNIORS AND SENIORS, THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE THEIR NINTH GRADE YEAR.
GETTING THESE EXTRA HOURS IN, THESE ARE REQUIRED HOURS, SO TO ADD THIS AVAILABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS IS A HUGE BENEFIT.
THEN THE FINAL ONE THAT WE'LL MENTION, AS WE ALL KNOW FOOD INSECURITY IS REAL.
IT'S A SERIOUS SUBJECT AND CHILDREN DEFINITE NEED NUTRITIOUS MEALS TO LEARN, TO GROW, AND THRIVE, EVEN WHEN SCHOOL IS OUT.
WITH THE SUMMER MEAL PROGRAMS, CHILDREN AND TEENS AGES 18 AND YOUNGER, AND THE ENROLLED STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES UP TO 21 YEARS OLD CAN CONTINUE TO EAT HEALTHY THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AT NO COST, AT ANY PARTICIPATING MEALS SITE BECAUSE, IN CROWLEY ISD, EXCELLENCE NEVER QUITS.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PLUS AND A POSITIVE FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND KUDOS TO CROWLEY ISD.
>> IF I COULD JUST MAKE A SMALL NOTE HERE.
THERE WAS A THING RUNNING THROUGH ALL OF AND THE WORD IS EXCELLENCE [OVERLAPPING] BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE ARE AND WE ARE IN CROWLEY ISD.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE THAT NOTE, POINT THAT IN.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE WILL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 4.0,
[4.0 Superintendent Report]
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, DR. MCFARLAND.>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS.
DEFINITELY, I THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING TIME TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
I WANTED TO REALLY JUST START OFF, AS YOU KNOW, WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING HERE IN A FEW MINUTES AND TALK ABOUT OUR FINANCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE A FALL.
[00:10:02]
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS JUST GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW ABOUT FINANCIAL CONTEXTS HERE LOCALLY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE AS WE'RE MAKING THE DECISION, WE UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT AROUND.WHAT YOU SEE AS YOU DRIVE AROUND OUR CITY, YOU SEE QUITE A BIT OF GROWTH.
WE HAVE ABOUT 26 PERCENT INCREASE IN A ASSESSED PROPERTY.
YOU CAN SEE IT WHEN YOU DRIVE AROUND.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT'S EXCITING BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING IN, WE HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES MOVING IN, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPANIES MOVING THIS WAY.
IT'S AN INCREASE IN OUR ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE OF 26 PERCENT.
WELL, THE STATE HAS A FORMULA AND REALLY IT'S CALLED TAX COMPRESSION, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS AS WE INCREASE IN LOCAL ASSESS PROPERTY VALUE, THE STATE ACTUALLY COMPRESSES THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GENERATE.
OUR TAX RATE IS WHAT WE SAID TO GENERATE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY, THE STATE ENSURES THAT EVERY DISTRICT ACROSS THE STATE HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT WITHIN A RANGE.
WHEN THE LOCAL PROPERTY VALUE INCREASES, AND IT WILL CALL AS THE CURRENT TAX RATE TO GENERATE MORE FUNDS THAN WHAT THE COMPRESS RANGE IS THEN THEY ACTUALLY DROP OUR LOCAL TAX RATE.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US IS THAT OUR LOCAL TAX RATE WILL DROP ABOUT EIGHT CENTS.
AGAIN, FOR OUR LOCAL PEOPLE HERE.
WHAT THEY WILL DO AGAIN IS THE STATE THEN WILL ADJUST WHAT THEY GIVE US.
THE REALITY IS THE ONLY REAL WAY TO INCREASE REVENUE TO OUR DISTRICT IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY IS WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
THE FORMULA IS AND IT HAS A LOCAL PROPERTY VALUE INCREASE THE AMOUNT THE STATE GIVES US DECREASED SO THAT BALANCES OUT.
REALLY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE AND WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
THE CHALLENGE THAT WE ALL ARE FACING AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'RE FACING HERE IN ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.
THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE IS ACTUALLY DOWN ABOUT THREE PERCENT OR SO IN SOME CASES MORE THAN ABOUT THREE PERCENT IS ABOUT WHAT IS HERE IN CROWLEY ISD AND REALLY ACROSS THE STATE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE GET PAID BASED ON OUR WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
IF WE HAVE 17,000 STUDENTS ENROLLED, WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY BUDGET BASED ON 17,000 STUDENTS.
BUT WE ACTUALLY GET PAID BASED ON OUR WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE AND THAT NUMBER IS MORE LIKE 14,800 OR SO.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN WHAT WE ACTUALLY GET FUNDED ON AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO EXPENSE.
IT CREATES A SITUATION WHERE IT REALLY PUTS US IN A VERY TIGHT BUDGET SITUATION, EVEN IF IT LOOKS AROUND US AS WE'RE FLUSHING REVENUE, THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
ALSO, WHAT WE DO HERE IN CROWLEY ISD IS THAT WE GIVE AN ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY SEVERAL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY REMOVED THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION NOW.
WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY DISTRICT THAT STILL HAVE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
THE REASON I'M SHARING THIS IS THAT IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNOR'S INTENT IS THE GRANT ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
IF THAT HAPPENS, WHAT THAT DOES IS IT MAGNIFIES THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE LOSING AS A DISTRICT BECAUSE WE WILL LOSE FUNDS, IF PROPERTY TAX RELIEF OCCURS THAT MEANS FUNDS WILL COME OUT OF THE DISTRICT CONFERENCE AND THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ALSO CAUSE THE DISTRICTS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
AGAIN THESE ARE THREE FACTORS THAT IMPACT LIVES IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.
YOU'LL BE HEARING HERE IN A SECOND, A BUDGET.
WE HAVE HAD A PEARBUDGET IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT IS POSSIBLE, BUT IT IS A BUDGET THAT IS EXTREMELY TIGHT.
NEVER BEEN TIGHTER THAN WHAT IT IS NOW.
WE WILL BE EVALUATING ALL OF OUR EXPENSES.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT 88 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET IS IN PERSONNEL.
WE WILL BE EVALUATING EVERY REQUEST, EVERY PERSONNEL RELATED EXPENSE.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.
WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS, WHERE WE ARE BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE ON RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT IS THE REALITY THAT WE FACE.
I'VE ALWAYS WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE CONCEPT.
BOARD, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I KNOW THIS WILL BE OUR PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT THE BUDGET, ABOUT ANY QUESTION ASKED.
[5.0 Public Hearing]
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 5.1 AND THIS IS AGAIN TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET AND THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.>> MR. FISHER, MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. FISHER, IS HERE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM. MR. FISHER?
>> THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MADAM BOARD PRESIDENT, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
DESPITE THE CHALLENGE THAT THE CURRENT EMBODIES, I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE DISTRICT'S ACADEMIC PLAN IN NUMERIC FORMAT.
[00:15:04]
THAT IS WHAT I REFER TO AS THE BUDGET.WE ARE SO PROUD TO BE FOCUSED ON EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.
THE POLITICS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND US, WE HAVE LITTLE TO NO CONTROL OF, BUT WE ARE FOCUSED ON OUR EXCELLENCE, WHAT WE ARE ASPIRING TO DO IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
I AM PLEASED TONIGHT TO BRING TO YOU THE PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BOTH THE BUDGET AND ULTIMATELY, MAKE REFERENCE TO THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.
BOARD, WE ARE REQUIRED BY TEXAS EDUCATION CODE TO POST THE PUBLIC MEETING.
THE INTENT TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING, WE'RE REQUIRED TO POST THAT NO SOONER THAN 30 DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING AND NOT LATER THAN 10 DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING.
YOU SEE THAT OUR POSTING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS.
JUST A QUICK RECAP, IF YOU WILL, A COUPLE OF REMINDERS OF WHERE WE ARE AND HOW WE GOT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
DUE TO HOUSE BILL 3 THAT WAS PASSED JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, YOU'LL RECALL, DR. MCFARLAND, YOU ALLUDED TO THE TAX COMPRESSION, AND SO YOU SEE THE RESULT OF IT HERE.
OUR TAX RATE FROM LAST YEAR WAS 0.9841, THE M&O TAX RATE.
THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO THE TAX RATE THAT OUR CITIZENS RECEIVE; THERE'S THE M&O COMPONENT AND THERE'S THE DEBT SERVICE COMPONENT.
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS IS UTILIZED TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE TEACHER SALARIES, UTILITIES, NORMAL EXPENSES THAT OUR DISTRICT INCURS.
OUR I&S TAX RATE IS USED TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE DEBT, IT'S USED TO EXPIRE OR RETIRE ALL OF THE DEBT THAT THE DISTRICT TAKES ON.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THAT OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE WAS 98 CENTS LAST YEAR.
IT WAS DROPPED, IF YOU WILL, TWO YEARS AGO TO 94 CENTS IN 2022, '23.
WE ANTICIPATED THAT THE TAX RATE WILL GO DOWN, DR. MCFARLAND MENTIONED THE WAY THAT THE STATE FUNDING FORMULA WORKS.
WHEN YOUR LOCAL TAX VALUES RISE, THE STATE CONTRIBUTION WILL DECREASE BUT ALSO, YOUR TAX RATE WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE RISE IN YOUR ASSESSED VALUATIONS.
BASED UPON THOSE CERTIFIED TAX VALUES, THE STATE CALCULATED OUR TAX RATE AT 94 CENTS FOR THE YEAR 2022, '23.
NOW, HOUSE BILL 3 WILL REQUIRE THAT THE STATE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OUR TAX RATE UNTIL SOMETIME IN AUGUST.
THEREFORE, AFTER RECEIVING ALL OF OUR CERTIFIED VALUES, TEA WILL PROVIDE US WITH THAT TAX RATE AS I SAID IN AUGUST.
THE APPROVAL WILL BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD IN AUGUST AND I JUST WANT TO, DR. MCFARLAND TOOK ALL OF MY THUNDER, BUT HE MENTIONED THE 10% OPTIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO OUR TAXPAYERS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A GREAT BENEFIT TO OUR CITIZEN, BUT ALSO THERE ARE RAMIFICATIONS TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS WE ATTEMPT TO EDUCATE CHILDREN WITH EXCELLENCE.
AS ALWAYS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FINANCES, WE BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION WITH REALLY THE PRINCIPLES THAT FORMULATE OUR PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AROUND FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
WE REFER TO THESE AS THE BIG 6, OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR FINANCE.
THE FIRST OF THE BIG 6, THE FIRST PRINCIPLE IS OUR CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE GENERATION.
BOARD, YOU'VE HEARD THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS OUR BEACON OF LIGHT, IT'S OUR GUIDING LIGHT.
WE HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO EXPENSE DRIVERS.
WE REALLY FOCUS ON OUR STUDENT AND CLASSROOM-CENTRIC BUDGET MANAGEMENT MODEL AND THEN [NOISE] WE ALSO MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO CONNECT OUR EXPENSE DRIVERS TO THE REVENUE GENERATORS.
ALSO, A PART OF OUR FINANCIAL BIG 6 IS THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING OUR FUND BALANCE, OUR RAINY DAY FUND IF YOU WILL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A DELICATE BALANCE AS WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, THAT CURRENT STUDENTS AND TAXPAYERS RECEIVE THE BENEFIT IN THE CURRENT YEAR OF THE INVESTMENTS AND THE FINANCES THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ENTRUSTED US WITH.
I'LL MOVE ON. WE HAVE CONTEMPLATED SEVERAL PAY RAISE OPTIONS.
I START WITH THIS BECAUSE DR. MCFARLAND MENTIONED ABOUT 88% OF OUR BUDGET IS REALLY COMPRISED OR COMPOSED OF PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES.
[00:20:03]
IT IS THE LARGEST EXPENDITURE IN OUR ORGANIZATION AS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.ONE OF THE BIG ROCKS, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE HAVE TO FIT INTO THE FINANCIAL BOWL EVERY YEAR ARE THE OPTIONS TO COMPENSATE OUR EMPLOYEES.
BOARD, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ON CALLS WITH THIS, OUR COMMITTEES HAD TALKED ABOUT SPECIFICALLY APPROXIMATELY FIVE OPTIONS FOR PAY RAISES IN '23, '24.
ONE OF OUR TARGETS WAS TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS AND OTHER AUXILIARY HOURLY WORKERS UP TO WHAT WE CALL A LIVABLE WAGE.
WE THINK THAT $15 AN HOUR IS APPROXIMATELY EQUIVALENT TO WHAT WE WOULD CALL A LIVABLE WAGE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IN OUR REGION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS, WE TOOK SOME TIME AND WE REALLY INVESTIGATED WHAT IT WOULD COST TO BOTH BRING EMPLOYEES UP THAT WERE MAKING LESS THAN $15 AN HOUR, BRING THEM UP TO WHAT WE WOULD CALL A FLOOR, IF YOU WILL, A MINIMUM OF $15 AN HOUR.
BUT ALSO MAKING AN EQUITY ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL OF THOSE OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT WERE MAKING $15 AN HOUR ALREADY OR MORE.
WE ESTIMATED THAT COST TO BE APPROXIMATELY TWO MILLION DOLLARS.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS ALL OF THE OPTIONS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OPTION 3, WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE AN EMPLOYEE RAISE AT ALL.
ALL OF THOSE OTHER OPTIONS, THE BASELINE IS THE TWO MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE ESTIMATED IT WOULD COST TO BRING OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS UP TO $15 AN HOUR AND ALSO MAKE THAT EQUITY ADJUSTMENTS FOR ALL OF THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE HOURLY PARAPROFESSIONALS MAKING $15 AN HOUR OR MORE ALREADY.
IN OPTION 1, WE ALSO LAYERED THAT WITH APPROXIMATELY $3.4 MILLION, WHICH IS OUR ESTIMATE OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO GIVE ALL OF THE OTHER PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES A 3% RAISE.
THE TOTAL OF PACKAGE, OR OPTION 1, IS APPROXIMATELY $5.4 MILLION.
WE MOVE ON TO OPTION 5, WHICH AGAIN INCLUDES THE TWO MILLION DOLLARS WHICH WILL ADDRESS THE FLOOR, BRINGING THOSE EMPLOYEES UP FROM THE LOWER HOURLY RATES TO $15 AN HOUR AND ALSO THE EQUITY ADJUSTMENT, BUT ALSO IT INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY THREE MILLION DOLLARS TO BRING ALL THE OTHER EMPLOYEES OR TO COMPENSATE, TO INCREASE ALL OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES, WHAT WE CALL 3% TO MIDPOINT.
DR. MCFARLAND, I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> JUST CLARIFICATION ON THE MIDPOINT.
>> [BACKGROUND] I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. WE CALCULATED A MIDPOINT, AGAIN, WE EXTRACTED ALL OF OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE TWO MILLION DOLLARS, IF YOU WILL, FOR BRINGING THEM UP TO THE $15 AN HOUR.
BUT ALL OF THE OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN OUR ORGANIZATION, WE CALCULATED WHAT WE CALL A 3% TO MIDPOINT, PRESIDENT MAYFIELD.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS, FOR TEACHERS, WE EXTRACTED ALL OF THE DATA RELATIVE TO TEACHERS AND WE LOOKED AT APPROXIMATELY THE 15-YEAR MARK ON THE STEP SALARY SCHEDULE FOR TEACHERS.
THAT AMOUNT WAS APPROXIMATELY $64,000.
WE MULTIPLIED THAT NUMBER BY 3%, 15 IS REALLY THE MIDPOINT, IF YOU WILL, ON THE TEACHER SALARY SCALE FROM 0-30.
WE MULTIPLIED THAT MIDPOINT BY 3%.
WE CALCULATED THAT AMOUNT, IT CAME OUT TO ROUGHLY ABOUT $1,800.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR TEACHERS? EVERY TEACHER WOULD GET THE SAME PAY RAISE WITH THIS OPTION NUMBER 5 AT 3% OF THE MIDPOINT.
FOR ALL OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ON VARIOUS PAY SCALES, WE LOOKED AT THEIR PAY SCALE, WE LOOKED AT THE MIDPOINT ON THEIR RESPECTIVE PAY SCALE, AND WE IDENTIFIED WHAT THAT 3% AMOUNT WOULD BE.
WE CALCULATED HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WERE ON THAT LEVEL OR ON THAT PAY GRADE, AND THAT IS HOW WE ASSESSED THE 3% FOR THOSE RESPECTIVE PAY RAISE AND WE AGGREGATED THE AMOUNTS.
>> SO IN ESSENCE, A LONGER TENURED EMPLOYEE, TEACHER,
[00:25:02]
IN THIS CASE, THEIR SALARY WOULDN'T INCREASE AS MUCH AS A PERCENT? THAT IS ON THE OTHER HAND OF THE SCALE?>> THAT IS CORRECT, PRESIDENT MAYFIELD, IF I MAY EXPOUND ON THAT A BIT.
IF YOU HAVE A TEACHER THAT IS MAKING $65,000, AND THEY UP ON THE PAY SCALE AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER TEACHER THAT IS MAKING $60,000 AS STARTING SALARY, IF YOU WILL, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THE SAME INCREASE IN SALARY WITH OPTION NUMBER 5.
HOWEVER, THE TEACHER THAT'S MAKING $65,000 MAY REALLY BE A 5-6 YEAR TENURED TEACHER HERE IN OUR DISTRICT, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE SAME $1,800 WITH OPTION NUMBER 5.
>> SIMILARLY, I THINK I DO UNDERSTAND WHY JUST WANT TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
SO BASICALLY, YOU'VE ESTABLISHED WITH THE MIDPOINT IS FOR EACH ONE OF THE PAY GRADE AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE A SET NUMBER, BUT IT'S NOT A MATTER OF FIRST TERM, 3%.
IT'LL BE LESS THAN 3% AND FOR OTHERS, IT WILL BE MORE IN FACT 3% POSSIBLE OR JUST A SET AMOUNT FOR EACH PAY GRADE.
>> WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE 3% TO THE MIDPOINT.
SO WHATEVER THAT CALCULATED MIDPOINT NUMBER IS, THAT IS WHAT WE WILL GIVE AS THE INCREASE.
>> SO IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE 3%.
>> I DIDN'T KNOW IF CERTAIN AREAS FOR SOME DISTRICTS.
THEY'LL SAY LIKE GO GET THE GREATER OR THE MIDPOINT OR YOU'LL GET 3% WHICHEVER ONE YOU'RE JUST PAYING FOR EACH ONE OF THE PAY GRADE, WHATEVER THE MIDPOINT WAS FOR THAT CLASSIFICATION, THAT JOB, WHATEVER.
>> IT'S 3% OF THAT NUMBER AND EVERYONE THAT'S IN THAT GRADE OR THAT CATEGORY IS THAT THE AMOUNT?
>> I THINK TRACE THE HOUSE POINT NOT TALKING ABOUT OTHER GROUP POINTS THEN 3% MAY OR MAY NOT BE SUMMATED 5%.
YES. IT'S UP YOUR SALARY NON-EXEMPT.
IT LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
FROM 3% OF THE MIDPOINT BECAUSE THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE.
YOU'RE MAKING 72,000 AND SOMEONE ELSE MAKING 60.
WHEREVER THE MIDPOINT IS THE 3% YOU SUBTRACT THAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> I THINK SHE UNDERSTANDS WHAT I'M SAYING.
THEN BASICALLY WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF EVERYONE'S GETTING 3% OF THE MIDPOINT, FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW ON THE SCALE, THAT IS A GREATER PERCENTAGE GRADE.
>> TO THEIR SALARIES, AND THEN IT WOULD BE FOR SOMEONE THAT'S ON THE OTHER END OF THE SCALE, ON A HIGHER END.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO CLARIFY. [OVERLAPPING].
>> THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT AT THE MIDPOINT. UNDERSTAND.
>> YES. THAT'S WHY I WILL CLARIFY MY RATE MAYBE 5% AS COMPARED TO SOMEONE ELSE WHO'S BEEN HERE AND WE'RE TENURED.
THEIR RATE, THAT 3% OF THE MIDPOINT, MAYBE ONLY 2.5% PERCENT FOR THEM.
SO IF YOU'RE IF YOU MAKE $70,000 AND YOU GET 3% OF WHATEVER THE MIDPOINT IS AS OPPOSED TO IF YOU MADE $60,000, THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO BE BIGGER FOR YOU.
ON THIS END IT IS, IT'S THE FIRST ON THIS THING.
IT IS NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT IT'S ONE THAT FIGURE FOR EVERYONE IN THAT CATEGORY.
THAT WAS MY WONDERING SLIDE HERE.
>> AND I THINK IF HE'S ABLE TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND YOU DIFFERENTIATE THE TWO.
DO YOU HAVE THE PROS AND CONS OF BOTH OPTION 1 AND OPTION 5?
>> I THINK THAT'S THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> YEAH, THIS MAY CLARIFY ONCE YOU GET THERE.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT WERE THE PROS AND CONS.
WHAT WERE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS OR WHAT WERE THE BENEFITS AND SO WE LOOKED AT THE 3% TO THE MID-POINT THAT SHE TALKED ABOUT.
DEFINITELY, IT HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR FALL DOWN.
BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY, AS YOU ADDRESSED TRUSTEE HALL, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ADDRESS THE LONGEVITY OR THE TEACHER TENURE AND THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY BASED ON WHERE THAT PERSON IS ON THE PAY SCALE, IF YOU WILL, THAT THEY MAY NOT GET EXACTLY 3%.
I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT LAST THING.
>> I DON'T KNOW. WE'VE HAD THE QUESTION ABOUT EQUITY AND MAKING SURE EVERYBODY GETS THE SAME AMOUNT RAISED VERSUS MAKING SURE EVERYBODY GETS THE SAME PERCENTAGE RATE.
THAT'S TO YOUR QUESTION YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
[00:30:02]
AND OPTION 5, THEY HAVE REALLY A SIMILAR IMPACT ON FUND BALANCE THAT ACTUALLY THE OPTION 1 WHICH IS 3% ACROSS THE BOARD TO EVERYONE.SO BASED ON WHAT MY SALARY IS, I CAN CALCULATE WHAT MY RAISE WHICH IS 3% OF MY SALARY.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S THE COMMONLY USED AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE'LL HIT THE AVERAGES THAT YOU-ALL HAVE SAID ONES.
WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU OPTION 5 SO YOU CAN SEE THE IMPACT THAT WILL HAVE TO THE MIDPOINT.
WE THINK THE CLEANER ONE AND THE ONE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE IS ACTUALLY OPTION 1.
>> SO JUST TO CLARIFY, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, I KNOW OPTION 1 IS USUALLY MARK FIRST OPTION AS AN EMPLOYEE, BUT OPTION 5 IS THE OPTION THAT SOME SUGGEST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T PERPETUATE INEQUITY IN THE SENSE THAT THE GAP CONTINUES TO WIDEN AND WIDEN BETWEEN EMPLOYEE, IT'S JUST 3% RATE OR DOES WHATEVER PERCENTAGE RATE, BECAUSE THE PERSON I'LL WANT AND WILL CONTINUE TO OUTPACE THE OTHERS AND THE GAP OVER TIME.
>> I THINK ONE THING TOO IS WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ADDRESSING LONGEVITY PAY FOR TEACHERS.
SO OPTION 1 WOULD DO THAT. AM I CORRECT?
>> ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU.
THERE WAS ONE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT PARIS.
ARE THEY ALL GOING INTO $15 OR DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN THE DISTRICT NOW THAT ARE MAKING $15 AN HOUR? SO THAT MEANS THEY WILL STILL GET THE 3%? WE CAN JUST BRING IN ALL THESE PARAS UP TO $15 AN HOUR.
>> WE'RE GOING TO BRING ALL PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT MAKE LESS THAN $15 AN HOUR UP TO $15 AN HOUR.
THERE'S ALSO AN EQUITY ADJUSTMENT FOR THOSE PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT ARE MAKING GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO $15 AN HOUR AT THIS CURRENT TIME.
>> AND SO THAT BRINGS US TO THE IMPACT OF THE PAY RAISE OPTIONS AND ALSO THE SELECTED OR THE IDENTIFIED PRELIMINARY OF 2023-24 BUDGET THAT UTILIZES THE OPTION 1 FOR THE EXPENDITURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUDGET.
THOSE EXPENDITURES HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET.
YOU'LL SEE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS LET'S TALK FIRST ABOUT WHERE DID WE END UP OR WHERE DID WE PROJECT TO END UP WITH 2022-23? YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE ESTIMATED THAT THE REVENUE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $163 MILLION.
THE EXPENDITURES WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $171 MILLION, WHICH EQUATES TO A $8 MILLION UTILIZATION OF FUND BALANCE WILL TRANSFER IN APPROXIMATELY $5 MILLION FROM OUR WORKERS' COMP FONT.
THAT WILL LEAVE US APPROXIMATELY $41 MILLION IN OUR FUND BALANCE AND THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 27 OR 23% OF OUR GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEAR.
THE MONTHLY EXPENDITURES YOU SEE IS ABOUT $14.3 MILLION AND THE FUND BALANCE, IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF MONTHS, IS ALMOST THREE MONTHS WORTH OF FUND BALANCE.
JEFF, YOU SCROLL UP, AND THAT BRINGS US OVER TO THE 2023-24 PRELIMINARY BUDGET WHERE WE BEGIN WITH A FUND BALANCE OF $41 MILLION.
OUR PLANNED REVENUES ARE $182 MILLION, PLANNED EXPENDITURES ARE $190 MILLION AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS INCORPORATED WHAT WE TOLD YOU, THE $5.4 MILLION ASSOCIATED WITH THE PAY RAISES, THE 35 PAY RAISE, AND THE TWO MILLION DOLLAR ADJUSTMENT FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE EQUITY ADJUSTMENTS.
SO WE SEE THE AGGREGATION OF THOSE AMOUNTS IN THE USE OF FUND BALANCE APPROXIMATELY, $8.2 MILLION.
THAT WILL LEAVE US WITH AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY $32.5 MILLION, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO 175 OF THE FUND BALANCE AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEAR.
AS YOU SEE DOWN BELOW, THE FUND BALANCE IN TERMS OF MONTHS WILL BE RIGHT AT ABOUT TWO MONTHS WORTH OF OPERATING CASH,
[00:35:03]
AND FUND BALANCE AND THAT IS WHAT WE PREDICTED AS THE 2023-24 DISTRICT BUDGET AND THE IMPACT TO FUND BALANCE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?>> MR. FISHER THERE'S A COUPLE.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FUND BALANCE, THIS MAY BE FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S SITTING AT HOME AND REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND IT LIKE ME JUST SITTING UP HERE.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FUND BALANCE, WHAT IS THE NUMBER THAT WE SHOULD AND IF WE WERE GOING TO KEEP A GOOD FUND BALANCE, A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE?
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE'VE SET A GOAL ANYWHERE FROM 17-25%.
>> AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT WILL WE USE THE FUND BALANCE AND WE EVER HAD TO COME INTO USING THAT.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THAT MUCH?
>> IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A HEALTHY OR A STRONG FUND BALANCE.
MANY YEARS AGO, THE STATE HAD SOME FINANCIAL TURBULENCE AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO PAY DISTRICTS THEIR MONEY, THEIR STATE MONEY, THEIR PROJECTED STATE MONEY DURING THE MONTHS OF REALLY AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER AND SO WITHOUT THIS CASH FLOW, A DISTRICT COULD REALLY COME INTO PAYROLL, IF YOU WILL.
FINANCIAL PAYROLL NOT ABLE TO MEET ITS CASH OBLIGATIONS BECAUSE OF NOT HAVING A SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH FUND BALANCE.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE INCIDENT THAT HAS HAPPENED IN RECENT YEARS.
ALSO [NOISE] YOU ALL REMEMBER, THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO SOME OF OUR PHYSICAL PLAN.
WE WERE ABLE TO ADJUST AND RESPOND ON A DIME QUICKLY BECAUSE WE HAD MONEY OUT FROM BALANCE, IF YOU WILL, TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE CHILLERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT'S IMPAIRED BECAUSE OF NATURE.
I WON'T CALL IT AN ACT OF GOD, THE NATURE.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT FUND BALANCE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST TO BE CLEAR, MR. FISHER WHEN YOU SAY FINANCIAL CARE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY SALARIES. AM I CORRECT?
>> THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. YES, MA'AM.
SO CASH FLOW IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDINGS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT IS LIKE I SAID, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FUND BALANCE SO YOU CAN MANAGE YOUR CASH FLOW.
>> I'M JUST CURIOUS. I KNOW WE DID TRENDS THE LAST TIME.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I THOUGHT IT WAS 18% I DON'T KNOW, BUT IS THIS THE LOWEST THAT YOU HAVE BEEN?
>> YES, THIS IS DEFINITELY THE LOWEST THAT WE'VE BEEN PROBABLY EVER BY FRANK.
DR. FARLEY, YOU TALKED IN YOUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT ABOUT US BEING FUNDED ON WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
THIS FEATURE THEN I KNOW I'M TOTALLY WITH YOU ON THE SPOT BUT IF THE LEGISLATURE WERE TO SHIFT FROM WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE TO FUNDING DISTRICTS ON A ROADWAY, WHAT IMPACT WOULD THAT HAVE ON OUR BUDGET? EVEN WITHOUT THEM INCREASING, THE PER-STUDENT ALLOTMENT WOULD NOT EVEN BE GETTING INTO THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING IF WE JUST SHIFTED FROM WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE, WHICH WE KNOW IS ON THE DECLINE TO SHIFTING ON A ROADWAY.
WE KNOW WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR 17,000 STUDENTS ON DAY 1.
WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE FOR LEISURE PURPOSES?
JUST TO MAKE IT SIMPLE,17,000 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN OUR DISTRICT AND WE WERE PAYING BASED ON ENROLLMENT.
WE WOULD HAVE 19 MILLION MORE ABOUT THIS SYMBOL OF THE ROAD.
I THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER X INCREASED BY THREE OTHER STATES MOVED TO THE ENROLLMENT.
THERE'S ABOUT 20 STATES IN THE UNION IF I FRANKLY THAN ONE ENROLLMENT AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.
>> YEAH, I THINK IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE STATED BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS WELL AS I THINK EVERY OTHER DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THE STATE HAS ADVOCATED FOR.
SO WE'RE NOT EVEN GETTING INTO AGAIN, INCREASING THE PER PUPIL A LOT, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS APPROVED AS TENS OF DOLLARS.
[00:40:03]
WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT FOR INFLATION.EVEN WITHOUT GETTING INTO THAT DISCUSSION, I THINK WHAT LOGICALLY AND I THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE STATED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHAT MAKES SENSE IS TO FUND DISTRICTS BASED ON WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS.
THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE WILL PROVIDE A QUALITY EDUCATION TO EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN OUR DISTRICT AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL DEFICIT FOR US JUST QUICK EASY MATH OF THAT $19 MILLION.
>> YEAH, I JUST FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO PUT THAT IN THERE.
>> ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NEXT ONE.
>> SO THIS IS THE CHART THAT DR. MCFARLAND MENTIONED.
SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, WE HAVE THESE TARGETS.
ONE OF OUR TARGETS INITIALLY AS WE BEGAN THIS BUDGETING SEASON WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESSED THE PAIR OF PROFESSIONALS.
WE ALSO KEEP IN MIND OUR TEACHING PROFESSIONALS, THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINES THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR ORGANIZATION.
AS YOU SEE HERE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TOP IN TARRANT COUNTY AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE IN OUR TARRANT COUNTY REGION WE WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE REALLY WANT TO LEAD THE PACK, BUT WE WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE.
YOU'LL SEE WHERE WE ARE WITH REGARD TO FROM 0-5 YEARS, FROM 5-10 YEARS, 10-15 YEARS, AND 15-20 YEARS, FIVE-YEAR AS YOU SEE.
SO YOU'LL SEE WHERE WE HAVE 12 AT NUMBER 10-YEAR INCREMENTS AND THE 15-YEAR INCREMENT ABOUT 16, AND 17, AND 20 YEARS.
THIS IS WHERE WE BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING LONGEVITY FOR OUR TEACHERS.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE MADE SUCH A CONCERTED EFFORT TO REALLY LOOK AT OPTIONS THAT WOULD ADDRESS LONGEVITY FOR OUR TEACHERS.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM IS, THIS IS WHERE CROWLEY WOULD RANK IF WE GAVE THAT 3% RAISE THAT OPTION NUMBER 1.
NOW AGAIN, THIS ASSUMES THAT NONE OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS DOES ANYTHING.
BUT WHICH WE KNOW MAYBE IN PROBABLE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE WANT TO DO SO WE COULD SPECULATE.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING LONGEVITY FOR OUR TEACHERS WERE ADDRESSING A PAIR OF PROFESSIONALS AND WE ARE KEEPING PACE WITH OUR COMPETITORS, IF YOU WILL, OUR COHORT MEMBERS IN TARRANT COUNTY.
YOU'LL SEE THOSE IMPACTS HERE.
>> THE TOP WAS THE 3% OF THE OPTION.
>> OPTION NUMBER 1, THIS MAN INCLUDED 3%. THE TOP ONE. [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. IF WE WENT WITH OPTION 5 THESE 10, 15, 20, 25 YEARS, THEY WOULD LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE THAT $1,800 ROUGHLY WOULD BE THAT FLAT AMOUNT VERSUS IT BEING A PERCENTAGE ABSOLUTELY.
>> I'LL JUST PUT THAT ALREADY SOMETHING WHICH SAYS WE'RE ONE, THAT TARRANT WOULD BE LIKE TODAY.
>> WE WERE PROBABLY RIGHT LOWER IN TARRANT COUNTY IF WE WENT WITH OPTION 5.
>> THAT'S HOW I THOUGHT. THANK YOU.
>> SO MOVING ON BOARD WE WERE REQUIRED TO APPROVE THREE FUNDS OF OUR BUDGET.
FIRST ONE IS THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND, THE SECOND FUND IS THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND, AND THE THIRD ONE IS A DEATH SERVICE FUND.
WHAT YOU WOULD SEE HERE ON THE PLANNED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR OUR FOOD SERVICE FUND FOR 2023-'24, AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL ALSO SEE THE PLANNED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE DEATH SERVICE FUND.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
THIS IS ABOUT THE COUNTY. I'LL TEND TO ANSWER YOU.
>> NOT A QUESTION, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT.
TODAY I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH OTHER DISTRICTS.
[00:45:04]
I AM JUST HAPPY THEY WORK IN THE YEAR WITH HEALTHY AND BALANCED BECAUSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO TODAY OR NOT.SO I COMMEND YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE EFFORT THAT YOU HAVE MADE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING OUR FUNDS WISELY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING GOOD USE OF THE MONEY BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD TO KNOW THERE WERE NOT ANY INTERESTS.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, AS WE WRAP UP THIS BUTTON HERE AND I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT WHAT YOU SEE TONIGHT IS THE 199 OUR GENERAL OPERATING FUND, THAT WE HAVE REALLY REDOUBLED OUR EFFORTS TO PURSUE GRANTS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDS OUTSIDE OF THIS BUDGET.
WE FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT'LL HELP US TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED BY THE STATE.
WE'RE NOT LETTING THE STATE OFF THE HOOK, BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE GOING TO PROTECT THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
WE JUST GOT TO FIND A DIFFERENT WAY OF FUNDING THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE DEFINITELY BELIEVE TO WITH THIS BUDGET, WE'LL STILL BE ABLE TO REWARD OUR EMPLOYEES, PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
BUT IT WILL MEAN WE'LL HAVE TO RELY MORE ON PHILANTHROPY.
WE HAVE SEVERAL MEETINGS SCHEDULED AND SEVERAL FOUNDATIONS AND WE'RE PURSUING SEVERAL BRANDS THROUGH BOTH TA AND ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES.
HOPEFULLY, WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, WE'LL HAVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE.
THERE'LL BE FINANCIAL MAY NOT AFFECT ONE OR NINE THAT WILL IMPACT OUR FUNDS OPERATE AND SO ALL IS NOT LOST, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE TO DO NETWORK.
>> MEMBERS PRESENT I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DR. MCFARLAND.
THIS BUDGET THAT IS BEING PROPOSED THIS IS NOT INCLUSIVE OF US ELIMINATING SOME POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT FILLED OR IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET?
>> WE HAVE SEVERAL VACANT POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT CLASSROOM RELATED.
THEY ARE UNFILLED AT THIS POINT AND THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
THERE'LL BE OTHERS THAT IF WE HAVE NUMBERS THAT END UP NOT MAKING IT WILL BE REDUCING OTHER PERSONNEL COSTS NOT RELATED TO THE CLASSROOM.
>> SO I HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION.
IS THIS BUDGET KEEPING YOU UP AT NIGHT? [LAUGHTER]
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT ABSOLUTELY IS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE TO CREATE DIFFERENT WAYS OF FUNDING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
SO IT DOES CAUSE US SOME ANXIETY, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL GET THROUGH IT.
I AM STILL HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL CUT AFTER THE SECOND SESSION AS FAR AS IT WILL POSSIBLY GET ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING WE GET THEN THAT'S GOING TO OFFSET THE NEGATIVE IMPACT.
I ALSO KNOW THAT WE MADE SOME SHIFTS ORGANIZATIONALLY THAT I BELIEVE IS GOING TO HELP US WITH MAKING SURE WE HAVE ADA AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL WE POSSIBLY CAN BECAUSE I THINK THAT'LL HELP US.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE WAYS WE CAN GENERATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS WITH REVIEWING ALL OF OUR MAC AND CHARS REIMBURSEMENT.
AND SO THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND SO YEAH, IT IS KEEPING US UP AT NIGHT, BUT I DO FEEL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MEET.
>> AGAIN, I JUST HAVE TO SAY THIS AT A TIME WHEN STUDENTS NEED US THE MOST IN TERMS OF SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR THEM IN THE CLASSROOM.
THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO FUND IT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AND TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME CRITICIZING HOW BAD FOCUS FEELS OFF.
>> I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE WITH THAT, JUST LIKE WHAT TRUSTEE DAVIS SAID EARLIER, GO ALONG WITH YOU.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUBLICLY STATE THAT.
IT DOES SEEM INTENTIONAL. LOTS OF EFFORT.
I DO LOVE WHAT YOU SAID, DR. MCFARLAND ABOUT THE ADA AND BEING CREATIVE EVEN STARTING NOW AND WHAT WE CAN PREPARE STARTING WITH THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WHY, THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THAT GAP IS SO HUGE THAT YOU MENTIONED.
I'M THANKFUL THAT YOU ALL ARE ALREADY PLANNING WAY AHEAD.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, BUT THANK YOU ALSO, TRUSTEES DAVIS AND DAVIS, FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT
[00:50:01]
THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AND WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.>> BUT WHEN WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL, WE DO NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT THINGS ARE, SO I THANK YOU-ALL BOTH FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? WELL, THANK YOU, MR. FISHER.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE TO HAVE COMMENTS OR IN PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AT THIS TIME, OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS ADJOURNED AND WE WILL TRANSITION INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING. AGAIN, THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE OPEN FORUM.
HOWEVER, I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR OPEN FORUM, SO WE'RE GOING TO NOW MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS.
[7.0 Consent Agenda]
I'LL GO THROUGH THESE 7.1, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, 7.2 THE APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 27TH, 2023 REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES.THE MAY 11TH, 2023 CALLED BOARD MEETING MINUTES AND THE MAY 17TH, 2023 CALLED BOARD MEETING MINUTES, 7.3 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, 7.4 BUDGET AMENDMENT, 7.5 REFUSE SERVICE BID RENEWAL, 7.6 ANNUAL EXTERNAL FINANCIAL AUDITORS RENEWAL, 7.7 DEPOSITORY SERVICES BID RENEWALS 7.8 INSURANCE PORTFOLIO RENEWALS, 7.9 DREAM BOX RENEWAL, 7.10 ADN RENEWAL, 7.11 THE MICROSOFT CONTRACT RENEWAL, 7.12 INVESTMENTS POLICY REVIEW.
7.13 REVISION OF THE FFAC LOCAL ATHLETIC PROGRAM, 7.14 THE TEACHER LAPTOP REFRESH, 7.15 THE 2023-2024, EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER REGION 11 RENEWAL CONTRACT SUMMARY, AND THE MASTER IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE ITEMS 7.16, WHICH IS SELF-CARE ASSOCIATES MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND ALSO REMOVAL OF 7.17 FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPANSION PRE-K PILOT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KIDNEY LAND CHILDCARE CENTER.
AT THIS TIME BOARD, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CONSENSUS AGENDA? DR. MCFARLAND.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT WE MOVE 7.16 AND 7.17 DOWN BY ITSELF FOR OUR CONVERSATION.
>> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. I'M SORRY MADAM PRESIDENT.
>> I THINK IT WAS ON THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.
THERE WAS A $50,000 ADJUSTMENT AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
IT WAS 50,000 AND INSURANCE PROCEEDS, WAS THAT BECAUSE OF THE CLAIM, WAS THAT A REBATE, OR WAS THAT INEXPENSIVELY HEARD? I'M SORRY. [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU SAID IT WAS ABLE TO ADDRESS DARYL'S STATEMENT
>> THANK YOU, DR. MCFARLAND, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THE UON BUDGET AMENDMENT IS REALLY JUST TO GIVE US A CUSHION IN EACH FUNCTION BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE BUDGET'S APPROVED.
BUT FOR THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, IT WAS OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS THEY WENT UP A LOT.
WE PAY OVER $1 MILLION NOW FOR INSURANCE PREMIUMS A YEAR.
THAT ONLY GIVES ME JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A CUSHION IS ALL THAT'S DOING.
BUT THEY WENT UP SUBSTANTIALLY THIS YEAR AND THEY'RE GOING UP AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
>> SAME THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH HOMEOWNERS, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS A DISTRICT AS WELL. IS THAT FINE?
>> YES. JUST A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE PAYING A HALF-MILLION DOLLARS BUT WITH EVERYTHING, WITH THE TREES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, ALL THE PREMIUMS SKYROCKETED.
>> IS THAT FOR FACILITY INSURANCE?
>> YES. ALL PROPERTY INCLUDING THE VEHICLES AND STUFF TOO BUT CONSIDER THE BUILDINGS.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW, LUCKILY, AND WE PAY FOR THE INSURANCE PREMIUMS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION TRUSTEE DAVIS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>> I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE OUR PERSONAL 7.16 AND 7.17
[00:55:04]
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON, AND IT'S BEEN MOVED TO TABLE ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> I JUST WANT TO ADD SOME INFORMATION.
SO WE ASKED HER TO TABLE IT SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW THE MOU CLOSER, LOOKING AT ANY PERSONNEL COST RELATIVE TO THAT.
LIKE WHEN WE REVIEWED BEFORE, WE BELIEVE IT'S STILL A REASONABLE RELATIONSHIP.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ONE THAT ACTUALLY MAKES IT FORMS RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY I REQUESTED THAT YOU TAKE, BUT I KNOW YOU USE THAT.
>> I THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD GET IN THE MATTER.
I JUST THOUGHT WE WOULD MAKE THE RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THOSE OTHER TWO TAKEN OFF, AND THEN WE MAKE MOTION ABOUT THOSE.
BUT THAT COULD BE DEEPLY WRONG THAT'S THE GENTLEMAN OVER THERE'S FAULT.
>> THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD CAN DO IT EITHER WAY.
SINCE THAT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, I RECOMMEND FOR A VOTE ON THAT AND THEN ADDRESS IT SEPARATELY.
>> JUST THE COMMENT, THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT AND THESE ARE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AVAILABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS BUT NOW WE'RE HAVING TO THINK TWICE ABOUT IT.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN THERE OF COURSE BUT I JUST CAME TO BE HERE.
>> BE THE TRUSTEE DAVIS [LAUGHTER] YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE'RE HAVING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION WHEN OUR STATE LEGISLATURE FAILS TO ACT.
I'LL HELP YOU BEAT THAT OVER. [LAUGHTER]
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
CAN WE JUST BY SHOW OF HANDS, ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, WE WANT TO DISCUSS FURTHER 7.16 OR 7.17.
>> NO. [OVERLAPPING] I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED FANS 7.6 CONSENT AGENDA.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED AND NO DISCUSSION.
CAN WE MOVE TO VOTE VIA SHOW OF HANDS.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE SEVERAL CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS.
[8.0 Consideration and Possible Action Item (s)]
THE FIRST ITEM IS 8.1, WHICH IS THE 2023/2024 BUDGET APPROVAL.>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE SOME OFFICIAL HERE PREPARED TO PRESENT OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BUDGET FOR '23/'24.
THANK YOU AGAIN, DR. MCFARLAND AND PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEE WOODSON-MAYFIELD AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I HAVE THREE SLIDES HERE THAT WILL BE REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IN THE BUDGET HERE.
YOU'LL SEE THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND, THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND PLANNED, UTILIZATION OF FUND BALANCE, AND THE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $8.2 MILLION.
YOU'LL SEE THE LOCAL REVENUES, THE EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION HERE ON THIS DOCUMENT.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THE PAYROLL COSTS, THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND UTILITIES, THE GENERAL SUPPLIES, AND EVEN THE TRAVEL RELATED EXPENSES.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE OUR FOOD SERVICE AND DEBT SERVICE.
THESE ARE THE THREE FUNDS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
YOU'LL SEE THE PLANNED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS THOSE PRODUCTS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, MR. FISHER, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? [NOISE] THIS IS A POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM.
>> I MOVE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE APPROVE THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED.
[01:00:02]
>> IS THAT YOU'RE GOOD. I DID HEAR A SECOND BY TRUSTEE ROBINSON. THANK YOU.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS 8.2 THE 2023/2024 COMPENSATION PLAN.
>> THANK YOU, DR. MCFARLAND. THANK YOU DR.
WOODSON-MAYFIELD AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WHAT WE HAVE WHEN WE'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT ARE REALLY UPDATES TO THE COMPENSATION PLAN FOR 2023/24.
THESE ACTUAL UPDATES WERE ENACTED IN 2022/23, BUT WE WANT TO CODIFY THEM, IF YOU WILL AND INCLUDE THEM IN THE 2023/24 COMPENSATION PLAN.
YOU'LL SEE WE'VE GIVEN YOU WE'VE PROVIDED YOU A LIST OF THOSE ITEMS SOME OF THOSE ITEMS ARE STIPENDS, SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THOSE ARE ITEMS FOR POSITION RELATED.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE WITH THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS AND HAVE THESE INCLUDED IN THE 2023/24 COMPENSATION PLAN.
>> ANY QUESTIONS? IS THERE A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION CLAIM?
>> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE 2023/24 COMPENSATION PLAN UPDATES AS PRESENTED.
>> THANK YOU TRUSTEE STEVENSON, IS THERE A SECOND?
[BACKGROUND] THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> MEMBERS PRESENT, BOARD MEMBERS, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO JUST EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT THE BUDGET APPROVAL INCLUDED THE $15 RAISE FOR PARA-PROFESSIONALS AND A 3% RAISE FOR ALL OF PROFESSIONS.
THAT WILL [INAUDIBLE] APPROVALS AS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T EMPHASIZE THAT, BUT THAT WAS THE PART.
AGENDA ITEM 8.3, THE AWARD TO GENERAL CONTRACTOR FOR CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL REPLACEMENT.
MR. FISHER. DR. MCFARLAND, IF YOU WANT TO PRESENT?
>> MEMBERS PRESENT, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. FISHER'S HERE TO PRESENT THIS ITEM.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN DR. MCFARLAND, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
TONIGHT WE ARE EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR BOND FUNDED CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN THE SELECTION OF THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR.
I'M JUST FIRST PREFACE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING THANK YOU TO THE CITIZENS OF CROWLEY ISD.
THIS IS A MOMENTOUS OCCASION TONIGHT AS WE GET STARTED.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF SENTIMENT AROUND CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL AND WE RESPECT THAT BUT THIS IS ABOUT IMPROVING AND MOVING FORWARD AND THE LEGACY OF CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'LL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE SELECTION OF THE GENERAL CONTRACT.
THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS WHY IS THE CMAR DELIVERY METHOD THE CHOSEN METHOD? THIS IS THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK.
WOULD YOU REMEMBER THAT WE APPROVED THIS METHOD AGAIN JUST RECENTLY, BUT THIS HAS REALLY BEEN THE METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTION DELIVERY THAT THE DISTRICT HAS MAINTAINED FOR SOME TIME.
ONE OF THE BENEFITS IS THAT IT TRANSFERS THE RISK OF THE PROJECT COST TO THE CONTRACTOR FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE CMAR PRESENTS WHAT WE CALL A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT CHANGE ORDERS AS WE TALK THROUGH SELECTING CONSTRUCTION DELIVERY METHOD.
WITH THE CMAR, THE CHANGE ARE REALLY IS GOING TO BE INITIATED BY THE OWNER, IF YOU WILL FOR THE MOST PART.
THE CMAR IS THE CONTRACTOR IS ENGAGED MUCH EARLIER IN THE DESIGN PROCESS AND REALLY ACTS AS A CONSULTANT IN THE DESIGN PHASE REALLY REVIEWING ALL OF THE ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS, AND THEY CAN ALSO HELP TO ASSIST US IN VALUE ENGINEERING, WHICH IS REALLY SELECTING MORE COST-EFFECTIVE APPROACHES TO CONSTRUCTION.
[01:05:03]
BOARD YOU RECALL THERE WAS A TWO STEP PROCESS FOR THE SELECTION OR FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK.THE FIRST STEP PROCESS WAS REALLY WHAT WE CALL A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.THERE WAS AN RFQ ADVERTISED, AND WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE EXPERIENCED, THE TECHNICAL COMPETENCE, THE CAPABILITY TO PERFORM, AND REALLY THE PAST PERFORMANCE OF EACH OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT RESPONDED TO OUR RFQ.
THERE WERE FOUR CONTRACTORS THAT RESPONDED TO OUR RFQ.
THEN WE MOVED ON TO STEP NUMBER 2, WHICH IS REALLY GENERAL CONDITIONS, BEGINNING TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE RELATED FEES.
YOU'LL SEE THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FEES, WHICH RELIEVES SOME OF THE SITE MANAGEMENT FEES AS WELL.
WE ALSO INTERVIEWED EACH OF THE FOUR RESPONDENTS.
TONIGHT WE PRESENT TO YOU A RECOMMENDATION FOR CORE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TO BE RECOMMENDED OR APPROVED, IF YOU WILL BOARD AS THE CMAR CONTRACTOR FOR THE CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.
WE'VE SELECTED OR RECOMMENDED OR WE WILL BE RECOMMENDING OR WE ARE RECOMMENDING CORE BECAUSE THEIR PROJECTS HAVE BEEN ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET.
THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED DISTINCT EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCE IN BUILDING K-12 HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING STATISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH CORE IS THEY BUILT APPROXIMATELY 180 HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED EXPERTISE.
THEIR PROJECTS EXHIBIT A FUNCTIONAL OR STRUCTURAL AND AESTHETIC EXCELLENCE THAT CROWLEY IS KNOWN FOR, AND THEY COMMITTED TO MEETING AND EXCEEDING CISD'S MINORITY BUSINESS PARTICIPATION GOALS.
THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT CORE IS WORTH GOING HERE.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN SAGINAW HIGH SCHOOL.
>> SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION OF SELECTION OF THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR FOR THE CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?
WITH ALL OF THE FEATURES AND BENEFITS THAT THEY OFFER USING THE CRITERIA.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME OR AFTER YOU USE THEM IN THE PAST FOR THE DISTRICT.
>> YES, I AM NOT AWARE OF US USING CORE IN THE IMMEDIATE.
>> OKAY. JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
SINCE CORE YOU SAID THEY BUILD SCHOOLS ALL ACROSS THE NATION?
>> ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY HIGH SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR. YES, MA'AM.
>> SO THEN OTHER CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES ACROSS THE NATION COULD HAVE APPLIED FOR THIS PROJECT?
>> THEY WERE FOUR RESPONSE TO THE ART, YES MA'AM.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER TRUSTEE?
I UNDERSTAND THE COMMITMENT TO MEETING AND SITTING OF THE COMMISSION CICD MINORITY BUSINESS.
>> PARTICIPATION? YES, IS THAT AT LEVEL 6 SEYMOUR OR WE CAN JUST SETUP WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER MATERIALS IN BUSINESS?
>> IT IS REALLY REFLECTED THOSE SUBCONTRACTORS TRADE CONTRACTORS, YES.
>> I ALSO THINK FISHES LET'S CLARIFY.
I THINK WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PARTICIPATION AT ALL LEVELS, NOT ONLY JUST LIKE AT THE TOP LEVELS.
SO THE QUESTION IS, AS WE ARE STARTING THE CONVERSATION AND NEGOTIATION WITH CORE, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO ENSURE THAT AT THE TOP LEVEL WITH THE GCU AND BELOW THAT, WE HAVE AN ARIA PARTICIPATION AT THAT LEVEL AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR DISTRICT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. DOCUMENT FALL AND WE WERE REALLY EXPLICIT IN IDENTIFYING OUR INTENT FOR THE MEETING AND EXCEEDING THAT MINORITY PARTICIPANT GOALS, BOTH IN THE RFQ AND THEN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
[01:10:02]
WE TALKED ABOUT IT EXPLICITLY.WHEN I SAY MINORITY, I AM SPECIFICALLY STATING THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE MAKEUP, THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF OUR ORGANIZATION, AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT THE WORKFORCE REFLECTED THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
THERE IS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY AS WE VISIT WITH THE CMR TO IDENTIFY MINORITY PARTICIPATION DOCUMENT FOR ME TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION IN VERY GREEN IN THIS AREA, BUT I KNOW THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION AT THE BOARD POLICY COMMITTEE WITH REGARDS TO CH LOCAL AND OUR MBA HERE, THE 25% AND THE BACKING ON THE QUESTION THAT TRUSTEE ROBINSON HAD, I GUESS IN INVESTIGATING THAT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN THAT SITUATION, WE REQUIRE THIS BMR PARTNER WITH I DON'T KNOW HER, OR IN MWBE, I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE VERNACULAR IS IN THERE TO ENSURE THAT WE DO HAVE THAT PARTICIPATION ON A GREATER LEVEL VERSUS JUST IN SEEING IT THROUGH OUR TRADESMEN OR WOMEN.
DID WE REQUIRE THAT IN OUR RFQ PROCESS THAT WE HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP FROM THAT LAND? I GUESS. I'M SURE IF I'M ASKING THAT CORRECTLY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. YES, MA'AM.
WE DID NOT REQUIRE THAT AT THAT LEVEL. WE DID NOT.
>> SO IN THE PAST, I KNOW THAT THIS POLICY IS NOT NEW TO PROBABLY I HAD PH LEVEL FOR QUITE A BIT IN THAT THRESHOLD.
HOW HAVE WE ACCOUNTED FOR THAT? THAT WE MET, THAT WE STRIVE FOR THAT GOAL.
LIKE HOW DID THAT SHAPE? IS IT DOLLAR THAT WE SPEND THAT WE JUST SPENT TO MINORITY BUSINESSES AND PRIMARILY WENT ON INSTITUTIONS.
I CAN'T GO THOUGHT ACRONYMS IN MY HEAD, BUT HOW DO WE DECIDE IS IT NUMBER OF PERSON, MEANING HOW MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR OR WOMEN I FEEL ON A JOB SITE.
OR IN THE 25% THRESHOLD MET BY HOW MANY DOLLARS ARE SPENT IN THOSE ENTITY?
>> IT IS TRUSTEE HALL IS REALLY DIRECTED AT THE DOLLARS SPENT WITH THOSE ENTITIES.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE AGAIN, MADE IT EXPLICIT AND OUR DESIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORKFORCE THAT YOU SEE EVERY DAY ON THE JOB SITE REFLECTS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
>> I DON'T MEAN TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE IS JUST FOR ME.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.
THANK YOU, LAURA, I'M CAUGHT, YOU SAID.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE SUBJECT MATTER, ALL IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A GOAL THAT WE ALWAYS I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN EXPLICITLY STATED BECAUSE POLICY.
BUT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT IT HAPPENS? IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT OF THE BID GOING IN OR THE RFQ.
AGAIN, I'M NOT AWARE IF IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENTS AND DO THAT, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT IT'S DONE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY? BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THE CITIZENS OF CROWLEY ISD IN DARK, TALK ABOUT THIS.
WE ARE PREDOMINANTLY A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND I BELIEVE PEOPLE HAVE COLOR.
>> BUT WHEN WE GO INTO A JOB SITE, DO WE SEE THAT SAME REPRESENTATION ON THE JOB SITE? REPRESENT IT AND THEN WHO WE ALL FELT WHEN IF WE CALL OUR CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS INTO A ROOM, WILL BE ALSO SEE THAT THE OWNERS OF THOSE COMPANIES, I GUESS, IF YOU WILL, I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S A PROPENSITY FOR THAT MONEY TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE SAME FIRM OVER AND OVER, WHO TRADITIONALLY USED THE SAME PEOPLE OVER AND OVER.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR HARDWORKING CITIZEN TO BE THE BENEFICIARIES, THE TAX DOLLARS THAT THEY DEDICATED TO ENHANCE AND OF OUR DISTRICT.
SORRY, THAT WAS THE WHY. BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW TO SAFEGUARD.
I MYSELF HAD REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL OF THE MINORITY HOME BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE TIME IS THAT OUR KIDS CAN BECOME ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO BE.
BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS FOR OUR KIDS TO SEE THE ASPIRATION THAT THEIR TRAINING.
THEY NEED TO SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE NOW ACHIEVING, ASPIRING, AND ACHIEVING THE SAME GOALS THAT KIDS ARE ASPIRING TO ACHIEVE.
SO THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ENSURE THAT THIS HAPPENS IS THAT WE SIT DOWN WITH THE CMR. WE HAVE A VERY EXPLICIT DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT OUR GOALS ARE,
[01:15:05]
WHAT OUR DESIRES ARE, AND WE DO THAT.WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH EXISTING CONTRACTORS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS AND WE RECEIVED OR WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS IMPROVED.
BUT NOW, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN EXPLICIT AND IDENTIFICATION OF WHAT OUR DESIRES ARE UNFOLD.
>> YES, SIR. I JUST WANT TO ADD TO THAT, I THINK AND I THINK I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. DR. HALL.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE NEED TO HAVE A TRACKING SYSTEM AND WE CAN SHARE THE EXACT WHICH ARE ASKING FOR SO WHATEVER THEN MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU'D ASK YOU.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE SPENDING WITH CONSTRUCTION AND THE AMOUNT OF BONDS AND WE'RE ACTUALLY SPENDING WITH MINORITY WOMEN IN THE PROCESS.
SO I THINK THAT'S WE DEFINITELY WE TRACK AND WE HAVE IT.
BUT WAS JUST A MATTER OF US ACTUALLY MAKING SURE THAT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WERE HARDNESS GENITAL CONTACT.
WE RECOMMENDED THIS GENERAL CONTRACT.
WE STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS GENERAL CONTRACTOR AND BE VERY EXPLICIT.
AND WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY PARTICIPATION.
BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHEN WE FIRST GOT HERE, PUT THIS POLICY IN PLACE.
SO WE PUT A POLICY IN PLACE BUT WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY SPECIFY AT WHAT LEVEL.
WHAT I HEAR US SAYING NOW IS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS PARTICIPATION AT ALL LEVELS AND SO WE GET IT.
SO WHAT THIS IS, THE GOOD THING IS THIS THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROJECT?
>> THIS IS JUST PART OF THIS IS TWO PROJECTS AND SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY QUITE FRANKLY, THEY GO BACK OUT TO OUR RFQS ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF PACKAGES.
SO WE GET THE VERY EXPLICIT, EVEN IN OUR VIEW ABOUT WHAT WE ARE SAYING AS IT RELATES TO THE TOP, TO THE TOP LEVEL, AS WELL AS THE SLOPES. WE OWN.
YOU-ALL I ACTUALLY HAVE THE BARTENDER HELP US TO DIRECT US TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP IN THE RFP AND IN THE RFQ EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION NOW SO WE CAN REALLY BE CLEAR ABOUT IT.
>> YES, THAT'S WHAT I THINK I'VE SEEN IN A VERY FAMOUS HONEST THAT BAY IS I FEEL LIKE NUMBERS ARE MET WITH AND NOT NECESSARILY WITH OWNERS, ACTUAL OWNERSHIP.
THAT'S THE DISTINCTION THAT I WANTED TO SEE DIFFERENTLY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THOSE NEW POST INTERESTS, HOW THEY ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS THAT, REGARDING DIVERSITY AND THEIR USAGE OF UNDERUTILIZED.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE ABOUT IN THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
BUT I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE JUST NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING FOR A COMPANY AS IT IS ALSO CONSIDERED THAT THE OWNERS OF COMPANIES AND DOCUMENT PROBABLY YOU CLEARLY FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> THAT WAS MY QUESTION TOO BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN YOU SAID MINORITY OWNER OR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS, IT'S AN OWNERSHIP LEVEL WHEN THEY ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED BECAUSE SEEING THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE WORKERS IS DIFFERENT THAN SAYING THAT IS MINORITY OWNED OR WOMEN OWNED.
IT'S WHO DO YOU SEE AND WHO WERE THEY ACTUALLY FRONTLINE WORKING VISIBLY, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> MY QUESTION IS, SO CROWLEY HAS BUILT OVER 100 HIGH SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE.
AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEDATIVES AND HISTORICALLY UNDER UTILIZED BUSINESSES, WHAT CAN WE DO AT THE DISTRICT DEPARTMENT, SOME OF THESE SMALLER BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM BUILD CAPACITIES.
THEY DID THERE WHERE THEY CAN SAY, I'VE WORKED ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS SO THAT THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET MORE [LAUGHTER].
>> BUSINESS TO BUILD CAPACITY.
THOSE ARE THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED IN OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS.
WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS YOUR PROCESS.
SEVERAL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAD AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND OTHER MINORITIES REPRESENTED AS JOINT VENTURES.
DR. HALL DOCUMENT FALLEN BOARD.
THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO LISTEN, WE WERE VERY EXPLICIT IN HOW WE EXPRESS THE DISTRICTS DESIRE TO ENSURE THAT THIS WAS ADDRESSED.
>> BUT I JUST WANT TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP ALSO, I THINK TRUSTEE ROBINSON, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD WAS YOU ASK WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT LOCAL CONTRACTORS,
[01:20:01]
AND OTHERS UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO VISITS WITH US AND HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY QUALIFY FOR SOMETHING THAT THAT.>> EXACTLY. AND THEN WE HAVE TO SCALE THEIR BUSINESS TOO, SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN NATIONWIDE SEARCHES AND BE ABLE TO SAY I BUILT A 100 SCHOOLS.
I HAVE DONE 100 PROJECTS 200 WHATEVER.
INSTEAD STAYING LOCAL AND MAYBE ONLY DOING A PLAYWRIGHT NOT SING.
>> GOT IT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS ALREADY THAT WE NEED TO REALLY CONTINUE TO UTILIZE AND LEVERAGE.
WE HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH SEVERAL OTHER CHAMBERS HERE IN THE AREA, WHETHER IT'S THE HISPANIC CHAMBER, THAT AMERICAN CHAMBER AND THEN CONSTRUCTION GROUPS THAT WE ALSO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH.
I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE HAVE PEOPLE PREPARED OFFICIALS.
ALTHOUGH YOU'VE WORKED WITH A COUPLE, IF YOU WANT TO SHARE IT IN THERE OR NOT, THEN WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT I HEAR FROM THE BOARD THAT YOU'RE DESIRE IS FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PHONES THAT THE COMMUNITY VOTED FOR AND THAT'S GENERATED FROM READING THE TEXTS ACTUALLY ARE SPENT WITH BUSINESSES LONGER, SO I THINK-.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S MY FAULT.
THIS IS AGAIN, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US.
WE'VE MET WITH SEVERAL OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED AND THE OTHER MINORITY OWNED, HISPANIC OWNED BUSINESSES AND WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING IN THIS AREA TRUSTING ALL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS, EVERYONE IMPROVES EVEN MORE IN THIS AREA.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE THEN HEARING THIS CONVERSATION IS GREAT.
HOWEVER, I DON'T WANT US TO TOTALLY IGNORE IF THEY'RE NOT THE BUSINESS OWNER AND THAT THEY ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING WITH THESE BUILDERS AND COMPANIES BECAUSE IT COULD BE THAT THEIR WORKERS TODAY, BUT THEY COULD BE DISHONEST TOMORROW BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCE THEY GET FROM WORKING WITH OTHER COMPANIES.
SO DO NOT JUST EXCLUDE THE WORKERS THAT MAYBE UNHAPPY AS WELL.
DID THESE RF QS COME DIRECTLY TO YOU OR DO THEY GO SOMEONE ELSE TO BE VETTED AND THEN COME TO YOU AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S ONLY FOUR?
>> NO, THAT IS NOT THE REASON THAT THERE WAS ONLY FOUR.
WE ADVERTISED BUSINESS IN FORUMS IN TELEGRAM.
>> THEY DO COME TO US AND WE DO, YES.
>> OKAY. IT JUST AMAZES ME THAT IN THIS TIME OF PEOPLE NEEDING WORK IN PARTICULAR THAT ONLY FOUR RESPONDING.
>> YOU MEAN THESE OTHER PLATFORMS OTHER THAN THE TELEGRAM.
>> THAT'S THE PRIMARY PLATFORM.
WE ALSO ADVERTISE THE DRAWING ROOMS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THINGS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE INDUSTRY.
YOU KNOW, JUST A RESPONSE TO A MS. DAVIS'S QUESTION WORRYING ABOUT ONLY FOUR RESPONDENTS.
OFTENTIMES, COMPANIES EVALUATE THE HISTORY OF A DISTRICT DIRECTLY AND THEY EVALUATE THE COSTS AND WHAT IT WILL COST REALLY PUT TOGETHER THE COST AND THEY EVALUATE WHETHER THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY GET IN, YOU KNOW ACTUALLY.
DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THEM TO PUT THE TIME AND ENERGY AND FIND IT IN PREPARING FOR BOARDS IN A WAY THAT COMPARED TO THEIR OPPORTUNITY OF WINNING THE BOARD, AND THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON RIGHT NOW, THEIR IS WORK SHORTAGES AS WELL AS LABOR, SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF THAT TO CONTROL.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
I'M ACTUALLY HAPPY THAT FOUR PEOPLE BID ON THIS.
BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES WILL HAVE YOU, MAYBE IN THE MIDWEST OR ON A COAST.
WE DON'T WANT SOMEBODY, AT LEAST WE WANT THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION IS BEING LOCAL AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HIRE WITH THEM LOCAL.
IF WE DO HIRE SOMEONE FROM CALIFORNIA OR THE MIDWEST OR SOMETHING, THEY'LL BRING PEOPLE FROM THE MIDWEST TO DO THESE PROJECTS AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BRING THAT.
[01:25:04]
>> LOCALLY. HOW BIG IS THE PROFIT THAT $150 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE THAT HAVE THAT OR ARE ABLE TO DO A PROJECT LIKE THAT.
ONE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY REAL QUICK IS THAT, IF CORE IS GRANTED THIS, IS THERE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CORE HERE?
>> IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT I WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS PROJECT IS LIKE A GRANDMA GO WENT IN FOR A HIP REPLACEMENT ON AGAIN, HOW YOU HAVE THE DOCTOR THAT IS TREATING YOUR DAUGHTER FOR A BROKEN BONE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND LIKE, "OH YEAH WE CAN HOLD UP IN NO TIME." THIS IS OUR BABY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST.
AND IF WE VOTE FOR CORE, THEN I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A GRANDMA HERE THAT WE NEED A GOOD HIGH SCHOOL AND TO REPRESENT CROWLEY ISD.
WE DON'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CORE HERE TONIGHT.
IS IT CUSTOMARY OR THERE TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT? NOT JUDGING, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT IS A REALLY GIGANTIC AWARD.
>> IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE REQUIRE.
OUR CUSTOMARIES [NOISE] ARE SOMETHING THAT WE REQUIRE TO ASK THEM TO PAY US.
BUT WE CAN WE CAN ADD IT TO OUR THOUGHT PROCESSES.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST FIRST WANTED TO APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES.
I LOVE THE WAY OTHER PEOPLE ASK THE QUESTION THAT I'M GOING TO ANSWER.
THAT MEANS I COULD GET A LITTLE BIT QUIETER.
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.
AND I WANT TO SAY TO YOU, MR. FISHER, AS YOU STAND HERE IN POWER SUIT AND MONEY GREEN TIE, REPRESENTED WELL TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING EMPHATIC [LAUGHTER] ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO HAVE FAIR REPRESENTATION AS IT PERTAINS TO AWB HUBS AND WHATNOT.
I WILL BE HONEST AND SAY AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE HOW AUTHENTICALLY ARE.
IN THEORY, I WOULD DEFINITELY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING SOME ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE IN PLACE.
BECAUSE IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE, YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU ALWAYS GOT.
I PERSONALLY AND, OF COURSE, ONE PHOTO SEVEN.
BUT I PERSONALLY WOULD FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE THAT WHEN WE ARE POSITIONED TO VOTE ON THESE MAJOR CONTRACTS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER $1 BILLION THAT OUR TAXPAYERS HAVE ENTRUSTED US WITH TO BUILD OUR DISTRICT AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW.
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS HAVE TO BE IN PLACE BECAUSE ONCE WE VOTE ON THIS, AS EMPHATIC AS WE BID ABOUT THE USE OF MINORITY ON BUSINESSES AND WHATNOT.
UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE CONTRACT IN OUR PROCEDURES AND POLICIES THAT ENSURE THAT WE CAN HOLD OUR [INAUDIBLE] ACCOUNTABLE.
WE'RE REALLY AT THE MERCY OF THAT INDIVIDUAL OR THAT COOPERATION TO DO WHAT IT WAS WE ASKED THEM TO DO.
TO SOME DEGREE, I THINK GIVE UP LEVERAGE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THOSE ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS OR WHATNOT SYSTEMS, WHATEVER HE IS IN PLACE.
WE AS A BOARD ARE IN A POSITION RIGHT NOW TO VOTE ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH OUR EMPHATIC DESIRE TO HAVE MINORITY REPRESENTATION IN THESE CONTRACTS, THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM IN PLACE.
ONCE WE VOTE, AND IF WE CHOOSE TO AWARD THIS CONTRACT AND IN THE NEXT CONTRACTS WITH THESE PICKLED ORGANIZATIONS, WERE SIMPLY AT THEIR MERCY.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE BETTER THE ATMOSPHERE AND IT JUST SAY I HOPE THAT WE CAN PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE HOLDING THESE PEOPLE AS ACCOUNTABLE.
>> WE CAN AND WE WILL TRUSTEE DAVIS, AND IT WILL BE IN THE CONTRACT INSTRUMENT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>> I JUST HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION.
IF WE APPROVE FOR THIS CONTRACT, WHEN WILL THE PROJECT BEGIN?
>> IT IS ABOUT, LET ME SEE I HAVE THE NUMBER
[01:30:01]
HERE WHAT I COULD SAY, 20 MONTHS IN DESIGN AND 28 MONTHS IN CONSTRUCTION.WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING THIS BACK TO THE BOARD IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 FOR THE GMP ACTION.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE BOARD?
>> I DON'T WANT TO BE IN-PERSON AND I'M ONE OF THOSE I MIGHT NOT BE THE PERSON THAT WAS DELAYED ANYTHING, BUT I HAVE TO LIFT OF WHAT TRUSTEE DAVIS HAS SAID, WHAT PRECLUDES US FROM ENTERING THIS CONTRACT OR AWARD WITH THE PARAMETERS ALREADY INCLUDED AS OPPOSED TO DECIDING WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SUBSEQUENTLY? THERE'S A LANE, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT PRECLUDES THAT FROM HAPPENING, IS THERE A COST TO THE DISTRICT FOR THAT? WHAT ARE THE RAMIFICATIONS IF WE WEREN'T TO AWARD THESE PROJECTS THIS EVENING?
>> ATTORNEY CAMERON, COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT? [BACKGROUND]
>> SURE. DR. HALL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, A FEW THOUGHTS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON ANY OF THIS.
OF COURSE, THE BOARD HAS THE OPTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM.
IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM CORE CALM OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, THAT IS AN OPTION.
THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP OF AWARDING THE PROJECT, AND SO CERTAINLY THERE WOULD BE TIME BEFORE WE FINALIZE THE CONTRACT AS MR. FISHER MENTIONED.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE DISCUSSION BEFORE A CONTRACT IS EXECUTED FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN.
THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS THAT I BELIEVE FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS, BECAUSE YOU CHOSE THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK THE DISTRICT HAS CONTROL OVER THE SUBCONTRACTORS.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MEANINGFUL ACCOUNTABILITY, BECAUSE THE BOARD CHOSE THIS METHOD, YOU ULTIMATELY AS THE BOARD HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF POWER AND ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SUBCONTRACTORS ARE BOTH MWBE'S AND HUBS, AND THAT YOU SEE DIVERSITY IN THEIR WORKFORCE.
AS I SAY, TABLING IS AN OPTION.
HOWEVER, BY VOTING TONIGHT, YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT PRECLUDE YOUR ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE GOING FORWARD, BOTH AS A BOARD AND ALSO THROUGH YOUR ADMINISTRATION. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> MADAM PRESIDENT AND BOARD, IN THE INTERESTS OF WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TOGETHER ON THE ITEM BEFORE WE GO FORWARD, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE TABLE THIS ISLAND TONIGHT.
THAT WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AT A LATER DATE AND POSSIBLY A SPECIAL MEETING TO JUST ADDRESS THIS.
IF TIMING IS AN ISSUE, I WANT US TO SCHEDULE ALL THAT.
THEY'VE ASKED US ENOUGH QUESTIONS, AND WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING.
I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE WHOEVER THE PERSON IN THE BOARD TO BE HERE, SOMETHING WHERE THEY'RE HAVING TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS TOO.
I'M REQUESTING THAT WE TABLE THE SIDE.
>> I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON PROCESS.
SHOULD THIS CONTRACTOR NOT FULFILL THEIR DUTIES GOING FORWARD OR NOT BE ABLE TO BASED ON WHAT WE SAID AS PARAMETERS? DOES THIS MEAN THAT GOES BACK TO OUR FQ, OR DOES IT MEAN THAT THE NUMBER 2 MOVES UP TO NUMBER 1? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? [LAUGHTER]
>> NO, NOT AT ALL. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, IF THE ITEM IS TABLE TONIGHT, THEN OF COURSE ONE THING THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THE RECOMMENDATION CAN COME BACK THE SAME WITH THE SAME PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD.
BUT BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER COMPANIES THAT HAVE BID, SOMETHING COULD CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, OR ADMINISTRATION MAY TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS AND MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT OPTION OR MAY WANT TO OFFER OTHER OPTIONS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO BACK OUT TO RFQ AT THIS TIME JUST BY TABLING IT TONIGHT.
I MEAN GOING FORWARD, I WAS LOOKING AHEAD DURING
[01:35:03]
OUR DISCUSSION AND WHEN WE'RE ASKING FOR THOSE PARAMETERS TO BE SAID.IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN AT THAT MOMENT, DO WE GO BACK TO RFQ?
>> THE DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE TO.
AT THIS POINT, YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUBMITTED PROPOSALS AND SO YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE PROPOSALS.
OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU CAN GET MORE THAN FOUR OR SEE IF YOU CAN GET SOME OTHER PEOPLE INTERESTED, IT IS ALWAYS AN OPTION TO GO OUT AGAIN IF THAT'S A DECISION THE DISTRICT MAKES.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I JUST LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE AGENDA ITEMS 8.3 AND AGENDA ITEM 8.4, BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER DELIBERATE BEFORE SECOND RECOMMENDATION.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE DAVIS. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED.
IF WE CAN MOVE TO VOTE BY SHOW OF HANDS, ALL IN FAVOR.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE TABLING AGENDA ITEMS 8.3 AND AGENDA ITEM 8.4.
>> WE'LL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 8.5, WHICH IS THE ARAMARK RENEWAL, DR. MCFARLAND.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE OUR YEARLY RENEWAL FOR ARAMARK, SO WE THOUGHT WE'D PULL THIS OUT AND BRING IT FORWARD AND HAVE A CONVERSATION IF YOU LIKE.
THERE'S OFFICIALS HERE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
>> THANK YOU DR. MCFARLAND, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AGAIN, ARAMARK IS OUR FOOD SERVICE CONTRACTOR.
WE ARE IN YEAR GOING INTO YEAR 3, I BELIEVE IT IS ON A FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT.
THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ACTUALLY REQUIRES THAT ALL CONTRACT RENEWALS BE SUBMITTED TO THEM AND APPROVED BY THEM.
WE'VE EVALUATED THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR CURRENT FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, ARAMARK, AND RECOMMENDING THEIR RENEWAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-24.
AGAIN, THERE IS A GUARANTEED RETURN OF APPROXIMATELY $1.6 MILLION.
WE'VE INCORPORATED FEEDBACK SURVEYS, THE STAFF, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS, I SHOULDN'T SAY SYMPTOMS FIRST.
ARAMARK HAS ALSO HOSTED FOCUS ENGAGEMENT GROUPS TO SEE HOW FOOD CONNECTS TO THE VARIOUS DIVERSE CULTURES THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN CROWLEY ISD.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT MEAL PRICING, AND SO WE WANTED TO ANTICIPATE THAT QUESTION.
BREAKFAST WILL REMAIN UNIVERSALLY FREE.
IN 2023-24, THE ELEMENTARY STUDENT MEAL PRICE WILL BE $2.80, AND THE SECONDARY REAL PRICE WILL BE $3.05.
YOU'LL SEE HERE, IN KEEPING WITH OUR DESIRE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN SERVES CROWLEY ISD STUDENTS ARE MAKING A LIVING WAGE.
WE'VE CONTINUED TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE WITH ARAMARK TO INCREASE THE HOUR WEIGHT OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT THE STARTING HOUR WAGE WILL BE $13.50 RIGHT NOW.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
>> JUST A POINT OF CLARITY ESPECIALLY YOU SAY A CURRENTLY IS 13.50 AN HOUR.
>> SO THERE'S NO PAY INCREASE FOR FOOD SERVICE WORKERS.
>> ARAMARK USUALLY GIVES A PAY INCREASE.
I HAVE ARAMARK REPRESENTATIVES HERE, WHEN IS THAT PAY INCREASE.
>> TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S NOT PART OF OUR BUDGET, THAT'S THEIR ARAMARK SIX BITS.
>> MR. FISHER, YOU MENTIONED SURVEYS.
DO WE HAVE ACCESS TO ANY SURVEYS?
>> I CAN SHARE THOSE WITH THE BOARD IN THE FUTURE.
>> THAT WAS MY QUESTION AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE KIDS ARE THINKING AND EVERYONE ELSE.
>> IF I SAY IT CORRECTLY, IF WE ARE, I KNOW THAT WE'RE MOVING FOR BRINGING THESE FRACTIONS CONTAIN THE CONTRACT RENEWED THE CONTRACT FOR THIS YEAR.
[01:40:03]
IF WE WEREN'T INTERESTED IN EXPLORING, OTHER VENDORS OR OPENING THIS UP FOR A BID.WHEN WOULD WE HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN DOING THAT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE?
>> DECEMBER AND WE HAVE TO FINALIZE THAT.
WE'D HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SOLIDIFIED AND OUR RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD BY MARCH.
>> WITH THIS BEING THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE RENEWAL.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE INTEND TO DO? THIRD YEAR. THE THIRD YEAR.
DO WE INTEND TO DO THAT? OR THAT'S SOMETHING HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? HOW DECISION-MAKING?
>> BASICALLY, WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BOARD, IF THE BOARD DECIDES TO ENCOURAGED US TO DO THAT AND WE COULD JUST ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY FEEDBACK OR PUSH BACK AND WE CONTINUE ON.
BUT IF YOU DO HAVE AN ISSUE OR EVEN A REASON TO GO OUT AND SEE IF HE EVER DOES THIS CONTRACT.
>> IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT SO IT'S BEEN THAT AFTER WE GET BACK FROM THE SURVEY, THAT TRUST THE INVENTION, THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THEM IN THE FLOOR IN THE SECTION.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION JUST FOR CLARIFICATION SO WE'RE IN THE THIRD YEAR OF A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT THAT IF WE WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR ENTERTAIN OTHER VENDORS, ARE WE BREAKING WOULD THAT REQUIRE US TO BREAK OUR CONTRACT WITH ARAMARK? I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE ALREADY IN A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT, WHY ARE WE RENEWING IT? IS IT AN ANNUAL RENEWABLE CONTRACT FOR FIVE YEARS, AND WHAT IS A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT?
>> IT'S A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT RENEWABLE FOR FIVE YEARS.
>> THAT MAKES MORE SENSE. THANK YOU.
>> AGAIN, ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, I THINK YOU MAY HAVE SAID WHEN THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE KNOWN AND WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN?
>> YOU NEED TO BEGIN THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN DECEMBER.
WE NEED TO COMMUNICATED FORMALLY TO TDA BY MARCH.
>> FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS FOR THE COMING YEAR.
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. WITH THOSE DATES.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. THIS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS FOR 2023-24 SO WITH OUR PROCESS, WHAT WE'LL DO THIS YEAR IS A FORMATIVE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY THEIR PROBLEM BEING THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE, NEXT WEEK OR JULY, THEY WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE THAT WE HATE IT.
IF WE SEE THAT DESIGNATES OR THEY WILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO KNOW THAT IT WILL BE ABLE TO SHOW WITH ARAMARK AND THAT IS A CONCERN AS WELL.
WILL THEY HAVE THE WHOLE FIRST SEMESTER, THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE DO THE EVALUATION IN NOVEMBER, IF THERE'S STILL A CONCERN THAT WE CAN NOTIFY THAT POINT IN TIME AND SAY, WE WILL LET THEM KNOW THAT SO LIKE NO LIVED IN NOVEMBER MEETING REALLY WOULD BE THE IDEAL TIME TO MAKE THAT DECISION TO GO OUT MORE.
>> BUT FOR PURPOSES TONIGHT, WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT.
>> YES. THIS IS JUST THE APPROVAL FROM MAKE SURE BECAUSE WE'D BE ON IT.
>> ONE MORE CLARIFICATION BASED ON WHAT TESTING DATA-SET SO THE DECEMBER DISCUSSION AND THE MARCH DECISION WOULD BE FOR 2024- 25.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> ONE QUESTION SO IF WE HAVE SURVEYS FOR THIS YEAR, CAN WE DO ANOTHER SURVEY LEADING UP TO THE DECEMBER MEETING?
>> ABSOLUTELY. LIKE I SAID, WE WANT TO DO A SURVEY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
BUT WE CAN ASK ARAMARK TO DO SURVEYS OR RECONNECTS AND DO A SURVEYS AS WELL, ARAMARK HAS A SURVEY THAT THEY DO.
BUT YOU ALSO HAD COME ALONG AND DO AN INDEPENDENT SURVEY.
WE CAN DO IT IN INDEPENDENT SURVEYS AS WELL IN THAT WAY.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> THIS IS A POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM.
>> HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH THE RENEWAL FOR 2013-24 YEAR?.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON, IS THERE A SECOND?
[01:45:15]
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.[BACKGROUND] AGENDA ITEM 8.6; THE DURHAM RENEWAL, DR. MCFARLAND.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE MR. FISHER HERE TO ADDRESS THIS [LAUGHTER], HE DRESSED FOR THE ADAPT BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU SHOCKED IT LIKE MR. FISHER.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. GREETING AGAIN DR. MCFARLAND, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
DURHAM IS THE DISTRICT'S TRANS STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PROVIDER, AS YOU KNOW.
WE ACTUALLY ADVERTISED REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS IN 2022 AND DURHAM WAS THE SOLE RESPONDER TO THAT RFQ.
WE CONSIDERED SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS WITH DURHAM AS YOU REMEMBER, OR THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE HERE.
WE SETTLED ON A CONTRACT THAT WAS A FIVE-YEAR TERM AND IT HELPED PRESCRIBED ANNUAL INCREASE OF 3% FOR THE YEARS 2-5.
IN RETROSPECT WITH ALL THE CONSTANT ESCALATIONS, THIS IS A VERY HUMID CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE IN SOME RESPECTS.
WE ALSO NEGOTIATED THE IDEA OF THE DISTRICT BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE ITS OWN BUSES TO PROVIDE THE PHYSICAL ASSET AND OFFSET THE COST OF THE CONTRACT.
NOW, I WANT TO BE CLEAR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROVIDING OR PURCHASING THE BUSES, THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO MAKE A DECLARATION.
THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO MEAN THE DECLARATION THAT THE DISTRICT IS ATTEMPTING TO INSOURCE, IT SIMPLY IS A INDICATION THAT WHATEVER THE FIXED ASSET COSTS ARE THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RAMP RATE, WE WOULD BE ELIMINATING THAT AND LEVERAGING OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE A BETTER CONTRACT, IF YOU WILL.
THE AGREEMENT THAT WE SIGNED MAINTAIN THE AVERAGE BUS TO BE AT EIGHT YEARS, THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US AT THE TIME.
IT'S STILL VERY IMPORTANT, AND THAT THE OLDEST BUS NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE GREATER THAN 12 YEARS OLD.
AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THE REGULAR ROUTE RATE COST OF $316.86 IN YEAR 1 AND NOW WE CAN PLAN FOR THE BUDGETING OF THOSE OUT YEARS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY'LL BE 3% OF THAT $316.86.
THE BUS DRIVERS AT DURHAM HAVE A STARTING PAY, BOARD YOU REMEMBER, OF $21 AN HOUR.
THERE HAVE BEEN SHORTAGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH BUS DRIVERS AND YOU HAVE NOT NECESSARILY HEARD OF THAT HERE IN CROWLEY.
OUR BUS DRIVERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN TRANSPORTING OUR KIDS TO THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO COMPENSATE COMPETITIVELY THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK IN THIS CAPACITY.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, I WANT TO ANSWER THOSE NOW?
>> THE BOARD, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NONE. IS THERE A RECOMMENDATION?
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF YEAR 2 OF FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH DURHAM TRANSPORTATION AS PRESENTED.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE DAVIS, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU. I THINK YOU'RE DONE.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, MR. FISHER.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE IN AGENDA ITEM 8.7; THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS BOARD CALL FOR NOMINATIONS, REGION 11 POSITION C. DR. MCFARLAND.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS.
MR. PERSON IS HERE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND DR. MCFARLAND, WHEN WE CALLED OUR LAST MEETING, WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION.
THIS IS AN ANNOTATION FROM TASB FOR ANY OF OUR TRUSTEES TO BE NOMINATED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD REGION 11 POSITION C. THERE IN YOUR PACKET, YOU'LL HAVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT NOMINATING PROCESS AND SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
[01:50:03]
THE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT IF ANY TRUSTEES ARE INTERESTED TO BE CONSIDERED, THEIR APPLICATION PAPERWORK IS DUE TO TASB BY NOT LATER THAN JUNE 30TH.WITH THAT DEADLINE APPROACHING THIS BEING THE LAST MEETING BEFORE THEN, WE WANTED TO BRING THAT BEFORE THE BOARD FOR POSSIBLE ACTION, IF SO YOU DESIRE.
>> BOARD, IS THERE ANY DESIRE FOR NOMINATION TO THE TASB BOARD?
>> I NOMINATE TRUSTEE ROBINSON.
>> [LAUGHTER]. IT'S BEEN TRUSTEE HALL HAS NOMINATED TRUSTEE ROBINSON.
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING]
>> SORRY. I DIDN'T SEE HER LEAVE.
IS THERE A TRUSTEE THAT HAS AN INTEREST IN SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY? MS. DAVIS SAID YES.
>> [LAUGHTER] SHE'S GOT JOKES.
>> HAS THERE EVER BEEN REPRESENTATION FROM CROWLEY?
>> I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN INTEREST ONCE.
[OVERLAPPING] BUT I DIDN'T SEE THAT SURVEY, SAY THAT AGAIN.
[OVERLAPPING] WHAT'S THE PROCESS AND WE NOMINATE, THEY FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK.
>> THERE IS, IT GOES TO A COMMITTEE, TO A NOMINATING COMMITTEE, I GUESS THAT REVIEWS THOSE, AND THEN IT GOES TO THE TASB CONVENTION.
THERE'S A LONG PROCESS, IT'S SPILLED OUT THROUGH HERE.
I CAN READ THROUGH IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT THE FIRST STEP IS JUST GETTING THE APPLICATION IN BY JUNE 30TH.
>> TRUSTEE ROBINSON, I HAD NOMINATED YOU WHILE YOU WERE OUT OF THE ROOM, COULD YOU? [NOISE] [LAUGHTER].
>> I WAS GETTING READY TO SECOND IT.
>> [LAUGHTER] NOW WE'RE MOVING ON.
>> IS THERE ANY INTEREST SERIOUSLY OR RECOMMENDATIONS? WERE YOU ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING, TRUSTEE ROBINSON? [OVERLAPPING] SURE. TRUSTEE STEVENSON.
>> I RECOMMEND TRUSTEE DARYL DAVIS.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON, IS THERE A SECOND RECOMMENDATION? WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN SIGNING? I MAKE A MOTION FOR DARYL DAVIS TO REPRESENT US IN THE REGION 11 POSITION C. I THINK YOU SECOND.
>> IT'S TRUSTEE'S [OVERLAPPING]
>> RECOMMENDATION, I'M BEING INFORMAL NOW.
[LAUGHTER] I'M SORRY, AND I WILL SECOND OF HER FORMAL.
>> YES. IT'S BEEN RECOMMENDED AND SECONDED FOR TRUSTEE DAVIS TO BE NOMINATED TO THE TASB BOARD FOR REGION 11 POSITION C. NOW, CAN WE MOVE TO VOTE PARTIAL THINGS ALL IN FAVOR?
>> [LAUGHTER] CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND?
>> [LAUGHTER] THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, SO WOULD YOU? [APPLAUSE] REQUIRED OR NECESSARY PAPERWORK AND THEN HAVING TO FILL IT OUT.
AND THEN IF TRUSTEE ROBINSON NEEDS TO SIGN ANYTHING FOR THE SECRETARY.
>> WE'LL BE IN TOUCH VERY SOON, MR. DAVIS, TONIGHT. THANK YOU.
[LAUGHTER] THAT ENDS OUR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS. WE DO HAVE A FUTURE ACTION ITEM,
[9.0 Future Action Item(s)]
WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 9.1, THE CARE SOLACE.RENEWAL 2023-2024 DOCUMENT FORWARD.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED TO BRING FORWARD THIS NEXT ITEM.
WE HAVE DR. HAMMOND HERE TO INTRODUCE THE REPRESENTATIVE OF CARE SOLACE.
>> THANK YOU, DR. MCFARLAND, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
TYLER CHAMNESS WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU TONIGHT AN UPDATE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM THAT WE IMPLEMENTED THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR.
I PRESENT TO YOU NOW, TYLER CHAMNESS.
>> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, AND SUPERINTENDENT MCFARLAND.
REALLY GREAT TO BE HERE IN-PERSON.
I CAME OVER FROM SAN DIEGO THIS MORNING, SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE IN-PERSON.
CARE SOLACE, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, IS A 24/7 MENTAL HEALTH CARE COORDINATION SERVICE THAT IS REALLY ON A MISSION TO CALM THE CHAOS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND BREAK DOWN ANY BARRIER THAT MIGHT PREVENT SOMEONE FROM GETTING CONNECTED TO CARE.
THIS IS OUR MISSION STATEMENT HERE.
WE ARE TIRELESS ALLIES ON A MISSION TO MAKE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE EASY, INCLUSIVE, AND DIGNIFIED, LEADS US TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE SUPPORT THEY NEED WITH RESPECT TO TRUST.
CURRENTLY, WE'RE SERVING OVER 8,000 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
[01:55:03]
BOTH K-12 AND HIGHER ED, OVER SIX MILLION STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO OUR SERVICE.BUT WHEN WE PARTNER WITH AN INSTITUTION LIKE CROWLEY ISD, THE SERVICE IS NOT ONLY AVAILABLE TO THE STUDENTS, IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE TO THEIR FAMILIES, IT'S AVAILABLE TO STAFF, AND STAFF FAMILIES AS WELL.
SO UNIVERSAL ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE SIDES.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, OVER 19 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE SERVICE CURRENTLY IN THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
WE SAY SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES OVER 400,000 HOURS IN CARE COORDINATION EFFORTS.
PART OF THE REASON WHY WE EXIST IS BECAUSE AS MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, NAVIGATING THEM AT THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ON YOUR OWN CAN BE A LITTLE BIT CHAOTIC, A LITTLE BIT OVERWHELMING.
AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT CAN GET IN THE WAY OF SOMEONE WHO NEEDS HELP, GETTING THE HELP THAT THEY DESERVE, WHETHER IT'S THE STIGMA OF REACHING OUT FOR HELP LONG WAIT TIMES, NAVIGATING INSURANCE, LANGUAGE BARRIER, GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
WE HAVE PUT THIS SYSTEM IN PLACE TO REALLY HOLD THE FAMILIES HAND THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND TO BREAK DOWN THESE BARRIERS ON THEIR BEHALF.
AGAIN, CALMING THE CHAOS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT OUR SERVICE CAN BE LEVERAGED.
WE HAVE THE WARM HANDOFF, WHICH IS A REFERRAL PLATFORM THAT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM HAS ACCESS TO.
THE COUNSELORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS CAN REFER FAMILIES DIRECTLY TO CARE SOLACE.
AND WE WILL REACH OUT TO THOSE FAMILIES TO COORDINATE CARE FOR THEM, SERVICES FOR BOTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
AND WE COORDINATE FOR BOTH IN-PERSON AND TELEHEALTH SERVICES.
THE OTHER PATHWAY OF CARE COORDINATION IS CARE MATCH.
CROWLEY HAS THEIR OWN PROPRIETARY LINK, WHERE FAMILIES CAN ANONYMOUSLY AND CONFIDENTIALLY GET MATCHED UP TO RESOURCES ON THEIR OWN FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOME.
BUT ALL ROADS REALLY LEAD TO THE CARE COMPANIONS THERE IN THE MIDDLE, THEY ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF CARE SOLACE.
AND THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO HELPING FAMILIES GET CONNECTED TO THE PROVIDERS THAT MEET THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO WILL PICK UP THE PHONE, CALL THE PROVIDERS TO VET THEM, TO WAIT ON HOLD, TO CHECK AVAILABILITIES, AND NAVIGATE INSURANCE, MAKE SURE IT'S A GOOD FIT FOR THE FAMILY, AND TO HELP TO SCHEDULE THAT APPOINTMENT, WHO ALSO FOLLOW-UP AFTERWARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A GOOD FIT AND THAT YOU'RE HAPPY WITH THOSE OPTIONS.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DATA.
WE JUST OFFICIALLY STARTED THE PARTNERSHIP IN OCTOBER AND TOOK A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF TRAINING AND THE MESSAGING AND MARKETING WHICH THE TEAM HERE.
KYLEE DID A FANTASTIC JOB HELPING US FACILITATE THAT.
FROM THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD 104 TOTAL CASES AND I'LL SHOW A BREAKDOWN HERE SHORTLY WHERE THOSE CAME FROM.
AND OF THOSE 104 CASES, WE CONFIRMED 55 APPOINTMENTS, WHICH IS REALLY FANTASTIC.
WE SAW THAT APPOINTMENT RATE OF ABOUT 53% ON AVERAGE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WHEN YOU GIVE SOMEONE A LIST OF RESOURCES, THERE'S AN 18% CHANCE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONFIRM AN APPOINTMENT.
WE'RE TYPICALLY SHOOTING FOR ABOUT 150% INCREASE ABOVE THAT AVERAGE.
OTHER DATA POINTS HERE, OVER 5,000 TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS THAT'S BOTH INBOUND AND OUTBOUND.
PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, VIDEO CHATS THAT OUR TEAM IS MAKING AND RECEIVING ON BEHALF OF THE CROWLEY COMMUNITY IN AN EFFORT TO COORDINATE CARE FOR THEM AND THEN SEEING THOSE COMMUNICATIONS BROKEN DOWN INTO TIME, AND SEEING THAT THOSE COMMUNICATIONS AVAILABLE.
FAMILIES PREDOMINANTLY, BUT ALSO WITH LOCAL PROVIDERS AND WITH YOUR STAFF AS WELL.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THERE WERE 90 ANONYMOUS SEARCHES THROUGH CROWLEY'S CARE MATCH LINK, WHERE FOLKS WERE GETTING ANONYMOUSLY AND CONFIDENTIALLY MATCH UP WITH LOCAL PROVIDERS ON THEIR OWN AS WELL.
HERE'S THAT BREAK DOWN. THESE ARE THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS BROKEN OUT MONTH-BY-MONTH.
AS I MENTIONED, WE JUST GOT STARTED IN OCTOBER.
BUT REALLY, YOU'LL SEE THE TRENDS STARTING JANUARY THROUGH MAY.
UTILIZATION WAS VERY CONSISTENT.
WE SAW A BIG PUSH IN THE BEGINNING WITH THE MESSAGING AND MARKETING THAT WENT OUT AT THE BOTTOM.
THOSE ANONYMOUS SEARCHES ARE DIRECTLY CORRELATED WITH MESSAGING AND MARKETING THAT GOES OUT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THAT CARE MATCH LINK COMES FROM.
THE MORE ANONYMOUS SEARCHES WE SEE, THE MORE FAMILY-INITIATED CASES WE'RE GOING TO SEE, THOSE ARE SELF-REFERRED CASES.
WE SHOULD SAW A REALLY HIGH NUMBER OF THOSE 31 SELF-REFERRED CASES THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC.
AND THEN THE REMAINING CASES OF THE 104 TOTAL CASES CAME FROM THOSE WARM HANDOFFS, WHICH ARE THE DIRECT REFERRALS FROM YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM HERE AT THE DISTRICT REFERRING FAMILIES TO US WHERE THEY ACTUALLY GET LIVE UPDATES ON THE STATUS OF THOSE CASES.
THEY CAN ACCESS THE DASHBOARD AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE AT IN REAL-TIME.
[02:00:02]
I'M SURE THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS.I ALSO HAVE DEFINITIONS OF THOSE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS HERE, BUT I WANTED TO TOUCH ON A FEW OTHER DATA POINTS THAT AREN'T INCLUDED IN OUR NORMAL IMPACT REPORT. SORRY, GO AHEAD.
>> AVERAGE TIME TO MATCH IN YOUR DISTRICT HERE FOUR DAYS AND AVERAGE TIMES THAT FIRST APPOINTMENT TAKING PLACE, 17 DAYS.
BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE BETTER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGES.
REALLY HAPPY WITH THE SPEED OF ACCESS THAT'S GOING ON HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
TYPICALLY THOSE ARE FIVE IN 28 DAYS, SO FOUR AND 17 IS REALLY GREAT.
I MENTIONED THE EMPLOYMENT RATE IS 53% THIS SCHOOL YEAR, YOUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS HERE IN THE DALLAS AND FORT WORTH AREA ARE RANGING FROM 34-52% APPOINTMENT RATES AND THE OTHER CLIENTS THAT WE HAVEN'T AREAS.
YOU GUYS ARE AT THE TOP THERE, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD TO SEE.
AS I MENTIONED, IT TOOK A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHICH IS NORMAL TO GET THE TRAININGS DONE WITH MESSAGING OUT BUT SO FAR THIS CALENDAR YEAR UTILIZATION HAS BEEN REALLY CONSISTENT AND STRONG THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.
NEXT POINT OF THE DATA HERE IS GOING TO BE TELLING THE STORY OF WHO IS REACHING OUT FOR HELP AND THE REASONS WHY THEY ARE REACHING OUT FOR HELP.
WE HAVE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SERVICER CLASS BROKEN DOWN BY GENDER, AGE, AND ETHNICITY.
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT STAND OUT TO ME, BIT OF A DISPARITY THERE ON THE GENDER, 73% OF CASES WERE FOR FEMALE, ONLY 24% MALE, AND THEN 3% THAT I HAD IDENTIFIED AS NON-BINARY.
SO THAT COULD BE AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HELP TO BREAK DOWN ANY STIGMA THAT'S PREVENTING FOR YOUNG MALES FROM REACHING OUT FOR HELP.
THE AGE GROUPS, WE SEE PREDOMINANTLY ADULTS AGES 18-64, WHICH TYPICALLY WE WOULD SEE ADOLESCENTS ARE CHILDREN, BUT I'M GLAD THAT REALIZATION AMONGST THE ADULTS AND ALL GROUPS THERE.
I ALWAYS HOPE THAT THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE PROBABLY IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DISPARITY THERE.
I MEAN THE HISPANIC AND LATINO COMMUNITY IS NOT AS HIGHLY REPRESENTED AS THEY SHOULD BE.
AGAIN, THIS COULD COME DOWN TO MESSAGING AND MARKETING AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITIES WITHIN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT KNOW THAT THE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE AND THAT WE'RE HELPING TO BREAK DOWN ANY POTENTIAL STIGMAS AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO REACH OUT FOR HELP THAT MIGHT NOT IF FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING SO.
THEN THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT FOR HELP.
UTILIZATION IS PREDOMINANTLY ON THE MENTAL HEALTH SIDE, NOT SEEING A TON OF UTILIZATION ON THE SUBSTANCE USE, WHICH IS NOT TOO UNCOMMON.
BUT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH SIDE, VAST MAJORITY OF CASES ARE FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, OVER 40% OF CASES, THAT IS NORMAL IN THE DATA THAT WE SEE.
TRAUMA IS RELATIVELY HIGH, BUT TYPICALLY THAT IS IN THE TOP FIVE, SO ALMOST 30% OF CASES.
THEN DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR AND ADHD ARE ALWAYS CORRELATED, SO WE SEE THOSE TOGETHER.
NEXT IS MARITAL, THAT CONCLUDES COUPLES COUNSELING, FAMILY COUNSELING.
THEN WE SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A DEPTH THEY'RE GOING INTO SUICIDAL IDEATION, BIPOLAR DISORDER, OCD, AND EATING DISORDERS AS WELL.
I HAVE A COUPLE MORE SLIDES HERE.
A LOT OF BLUE CROSS, BLUE SHIELD IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEN A FAIR AMOUNT OF FAMILIES WITH PUBLIC INSURANCE, WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDICAID OR WITH NO INSURANCE.
THAT IS ALL FACTORED INTO THE CARE COORDINATION TO MAKE SURE THAT REGARDLESS OF THE FAMILY SITUATION THAT WE'RE FINDING A RESOURCE THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS.
WE'LL SEE WHAT SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES ARE.
FOR SOME OF YOUR LOCAL PROVIDERS HERE, SO FROM THOSE CONFIRMED APPOINTMENTS, THESE ARE THE TOP 10 PROVIDERS THAT WE'VE MATCHED FAMILIES TO.
LOCAL PRIVATE PRACTICES PROGRAMS AND CLINICS THAT HAVE REALLY STEPPED UP ACCEPTING THOSE REFERRALS AND HELPING YOUR FAMILIES OUT, WHICH IS GREAT TO SEE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF, SO WE TOO SEND OUT SURVEYS TO STAFF AND FAMILIES AND WE CALCULATE A NET PROMOTER SCORE WHICH RANGES FROM NEGATIVE 100-100.
ESSENTIALLY THE RATING US ON A SCALE FROM 0-10.
A NINE OR A 10 GOES TOWARDS POSITIVE 100.
SEVEN OR AN EIGHT IS ZERO, THAT'S THE PASSIVE, SIX OR BELOW, NEGATIVE 100.
ANYTHING ABOVE A 30 IS CONSIDERED VERY GOOD WHEN IT COMES TO NET PROMOTER SCORE.
SO FAR, EVERY SURVEY RESPONSE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM DISTRICT STAFF HAS BEEN A NINE OR 10, SO IT'S ALL BEEN POSITIVE SO FAR AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF TESTIMONIALS HERE THAT I WANTED TO SHARE AS WELL.
AS COUNSELORS, WE OFTEN DISTRIBUTE RESOURCES TO FAMILIES.
HOWEVER, A LIST OF RESOURCES MAY NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT THAT A FAMILY NEEDS IN THE MIDST OF A CHALLENGE FOR CRISIS.
[02:05:02]
CARE SOLACE IS A COMPREHENSIVE REFERRAL PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS A FAMILY TO AND THROUGH THE HELP-SEEKING PROCESS.THEN I BELIEVE THIS WAS ANOTHER COUNSELOR THAT SAID I HAVE ENJOYED THE EASE OF USE OF CARE SOLACE WHEN I EXPLAIN THE SERVICE TO MY PARENTS, THEY ARE OPEN TO THE CONCEPT AND APPRECIATE THE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT.
JUST A COUPLE OF SOME OF THE TESTIMONIALS THAT WAS HEARD AND I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT COMPREHENSIVE VIDEO.
THEN WE'RE PROVIDING CUSTOMIZED MESSAGING AND MARKETING THAT IS TAILORED TO CROWLEY ISD AVAILABLE IN DASHBOARD AND A RESOURCE CENTER.
THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE GRAPHICS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN THIS LAST SLIDE THAT WE HAVE IS JUST RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES TO ENCOURAGE CONTINUED SUCCESS.
DR. HAMILTON, FANTASTIC WITH HELPING TO SCHEDULE REFRESH PRESENTATIONS WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER IN THE FALL AND THEN SENDING OUT THE MESSAGING AND MARKETING THROUGH VARIOUS DIFFERENT PLATFORMS WILL HELP AS WELL.
THAT'S WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE OTHER BULLET POINTS.
WE COVERED A LOT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND STOP THERE AND SEE WHAT QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
>> THANK YOU. BOARD, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, TRUSTEE ROBINSON.
THE FIRST ONE IS, WHAT'S CARE SOLACE DO TO REDUCE THE STIGMA FOR MALES AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY SEEKING?
>> GREAT QUESTION, A LOT OF IT COMES THROUGH MESSAGING AND MARKETING THAT WE MAKE AVAILABLE THAT CAN BE SENT OUT AND SHARED.
BASED ON THE MONTHLY MESSAGING, IF THERE'S CERTAIN TOPICS THAT ARE RELEVANT AND CURRENT, WILL SEND OUT CUSTOMIZED MESSAGING AND MARKETING THAT'S AVAILABLE THAT YOU CAN SHARE TO HELP EDUCATE AND BREAK DOWN THOSE STIGMA.
BUT ALSO A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO IS WE WANT TO MATCH CULTURALLY AND WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE PROVIDER THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE TALKING TOO AND SO THAT IS FACTORED INTO OUR CARE COORDINATION.
IF SOMEONE IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC THAT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO FIND ON YOUR OWN, OUR TEAM WILL WORK RELENTLESSLY TO FIND THAT FOR THE FAMILIES SO THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE TALKING TO THAT PROVIDER THEY'RE MATCHED WITH.
>> A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION TO THAT, IS YOUR MARK GETTING A MULTILINGUAL?
>> ABSOLUTELY. ALL OF IT'S AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND THEN WE HAVE A TRANSLATION SERVICE THAT WE WORK WITH, SO ANY OTHER THAT ARE REQUESTED, WE CAN PROVIDE.
REGARDING PROVIDERS, HOW DO COUNSELINGS OR OTHER WRAP-AROUND SERVICES GETTING CONNECT WITH CARE SOLACE DEPARTMENT?
>> GREAT QUESTION. WE ARE PRETTY PROACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, WE REACH OUT TO ALL THE PROVIDERS IN THE AREA, BUT AS MANY AS WE CAN IN THE AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF CARE SOLACE AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS.
WE REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO VERIFY THEIR PROFILES IN OUR DATABASE.
WE HAVE A REALLY ROBUST DATABASE OF PROVIDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THERE'S NO COST FOR PROVIDERS TO BE IN OUR DATABASE OR TO RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM US.
OFTENTIMES IT'S REALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE PROVIDERS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS.
THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND BECOME A VERIFIED PROVIDER.
THEY CAN UPDATE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, THE INSURANCE IS THEY ACCEPT, THE LANGUAGES THEY SPEAK, THE AGE GROUPS THEY WORK WITH, THE SPECIALTIES THEY HAVE.
THAT WAY WHEN WE RECEIVE CASES THAT NEED THEIR CRITERIA, IT'S REALLY STREAMLINED AND MUCH MORE EFFICIENT.
THEY CAN REACH OUT TO US THE WHOLE PERIOD [INAUDIBLE]
>> [INAUDIBLE] MINE WAS ABOUT THE 53% FOR CONFIRMED APPOINTMENT.
IS THAT THE NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS AT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WHO KEEP THEIR APPOINTMENT? THAT THE SAME FIGURE.
>> THAT'S FOR GETTING THEM INTO AN INITIAL APPOINTMENT SO NOT NECESSARILY HOW MANY ARE STILL CURRENTLY IN CARE.
I AM NOT SURE IF THAT WAS THE QUESTION.
>> THE QUESTION, I WAS ASKING [NOISE] YOU PEOPLE GO TO THEIR APPOINTMENT.
SO I MAKE THE APPOINTMENT DO I FOLLOW THROUGH AND ACTUALLY SHOW UP TO GET THE AID OR THE RECOMMENDATION?
>> GREAT QUESTION. THAT CONFIRMATION MEANS WE CONFIRM WITH THE FAMILY THAT THEY ATTENDED THAT FIRST APPOINTMENT.
THEN IF THEY DON'T, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO RESCHEDULE THINGS, COULDN'T MAKE IT OR IF THEY FOUND THAT THAT PROVIDER WAS NOT A GOOD FIT FOR YOUR CASE, THEN WE KEEP SEARCHING FOR A BETTER THING.
>> THANK YOU. I HAD A QUICK QUESTION, IT WAS YOU WERE ANSWERING THE QUESTION AT PROPORTION, REPHRASE IT AND IT WAS ABOUT THE APPOINTMENTS.
ARE THEY UNIQUE APPOINTMENTS? THEN DO YOU HAVE DATA THAT TALKS TO HOW LONG THE DURATION OR FAMILY WHEN A PARTICULAR COUNSELOR?
WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE DATA AS FAR AS HOW LONG THEY'RE IN CARE OR HOW MANY APPOINTMENTS THEY'D BEEN TO.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO EXPANDING.
WE DO SEND OUT SURVEYS TO THE FAMILIES AFTER
[02:10:02]
THAT INITIAL APPOINTMENT AND THEN TWO MONTHS LATER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STILL HAPPY WITH THAT OPTION.BUT WE'RE STILL IN THE DATA AGGREGATION STAGE AND HOPE TO EXPAND ON THAT AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE STAYING INTO CARE OR IF THEIR SITUATION HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AND MAYBE THEY DON'T FEEL IT'S NECESSARY, AT LEAST COUNTERING THAT DATA.
>> THANK YOU. YES, TRUSTEE DARYL.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND ONE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE AND GREAT PRESENTATION.
VERY DETAILED. I APPRECIATE THAT.
MY ONE QUESTION IS, YOU SHOW THE BREAKDOWN OF THE PROVIDERS OR THE INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT PEOPLE ARE USING BUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO INSURANCE, IS THERE A SLIDING SCALE? CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY SPEAK TO WHAT THAT IS? BECAUSE THERE MAY BE SOME WATCHING SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT I CAN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE INSURANCE OR OUR INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PROVIDERS THAT DON'T COVER MENTAL HEALTH.
CAN YOU JUST TALK TO THE SLIDING SCALE?
>> ABSOLUTELY. GREAT QUESTION.
IF A FAMILY DOES NOT HAVE INSURANCE, THAT'S OKAY.
WE DO NOT WANT THAT TO BE A BARRIER.
WE WILL HELP THEM FIND THESE SLIDING SCALE OUT-OF-POCKET OPTIONS THAT ADJUST BASED ON INCOME.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE FAMILY TO SEE WHAT THEIR BUDGET IS.
WHAT IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC COPAY THAT THEY'D LIKE TO STAY UNDER, AND THEN WE'LL CONTACT THE PROVIDERS ON THEIR BEHALF TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT COPAY IS GOING TO FIT WITHIN YOUR BUDGET.
OFTENTIMES WE CAN FIND THREE OPTIONS DEPENDING ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR THE OVERVIEW.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO US AND I KNOW IT'S A FUTURE ACTION ITEM, SO WE'LL DO IT AGAIN. DR. MCFARLAND.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD ROOMS, THIS IS DEFINITELY A SERVICE THAT WE ENJOYED.
HOWEVER, THIS IS ONE AGAIN THAT WE'LL BE EVALUATING, NOW THIS IS ANOTHER MOU THAT WE'LL HAVE TO EVALUATE AND THE IDEA WOULD BE, HOPEFULLY, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND SOME GRANT FUNDING TO CONTINUE THE SERVICE.
IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WE'LL BRING THIS BACK, FREE CASH, REWIND VALUE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOOKED RIGHT AT MS. DAVIS, TRUSTEE DAVIS.
>> ONE MORE THING. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE.
WELL, IN FACT THAT ENDS OUR FUTURE ACTION ITEMS AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL NOW ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE
[10.0 Executive Session]
551.071 FOR PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY 551.074 PERSONNEL, AND THEN FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL AND 551.076 FOR AN EXECUTIVE BRIEFING ON SAFETY AND SECURITY.THE BOARD WILL RETURN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND WE ARE ADJOURNING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 08:26 PM.
>> WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION AT 09:37 PM.
[11.0 Report Item(s) / Presentation(s)]
THE DISCUSSION OF DISTRICT WIDE INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT REPORT FINDINGS, DR. MCFARLAND.>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, CARSON'S GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM, CARSON.
>> THANK YOU, DR. MCFARLAND, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE TEXAS SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER RECENTLY CONDUCTED AN INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT AT ONE OR MORE OF OUR CAMPUSES, AND THE STATE GIVES SCHOOL DISTRICTS 45 DAYS FROM THE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION TO ENACT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, AND WE TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION AS A RESPONSE TO THE FINDINGS.
WHILE WE'RE NOT RELEASING ANY SENSITIVE DETAILS TO THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE AUDIT IN OPEN SESSION, A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN WAS PUT IN PLACE DUE TO THE FINDINGS.
THIS AUDIT IS CONDUCTED AS PART OF GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S SCHOOL SAFETY DIRECTIVES, FOR ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO HELP SCHOOLS DISTRICTS TO IDENTIFY, HOW CAMPUSES CAN IMPROVE SAFETY FOR OUR CHILDREN AND STAFF, SUCH AS ENSURING EXTERIOR DOORS ARE LOCKED.
THIS AUDIT PROVIDES CROWLEY ISD WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A CENTRAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY ACTIONS THAT WE'RE TAKING TO ENSURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?
[12.0 Consideration and Possible Action Item(s)]
WE DO HAVE SEVERAL CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS. AGENDA ITEM 12.1 IS FOR EMPLOYMENT[02:15:03]
OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL FOR THE CHIEF OF STUDENTS SERVICES.>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I RECOMMEND DARROW MUFFET(PH) FOR THE POSITION OF CHIEF OF STUDENTS SERVICES AS RECOMMENDED.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE DAVIS. IS THERE A SECOND?
MOVE TO VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS.
ALL THAT FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO MR. DARROW MUFFET.
AGENDA ITEM 12.2; EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND STACY LATIN FOR THE POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS AS RECOMMENDED.
>> THANK YOU TRUSTEE GARCIA, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON.
MOVE TO VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE. ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
12.3; EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL DIRECTOR OF ENERGY MANAGEMENT. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I RECOMMEND JAMIE JACKSON FOR THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF ENERGY MANAGEMENT AS RECOMMENDED.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE DAVIS, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON.
MOVE TO VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE. ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS, MS. JACKSON.
>> I WAS TOLD. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] AGAIN.
THAT IS FOR THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF ENERGY MANAGEMENT.
ALL RIGHT. AGENDA ITEM 12.5, AND IT IS THE EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL FOR THE COORDINATOR OF DIGITAL LEARNING FOR SECONDARY. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> I RECOMMEND DR. STACEY PLUMMER, FOR THE POSITION OF COORDINATOR OF DIGITAL LEARNING SECONDARY AS RECOMMENDED.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE ROBINSON, IS THERE A SECOND?
MOVE TO VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE.
ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
12.8 IS THE EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL FOR THE PRINCIPAL AT OAKMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> I RECOMMEND BUNDEE FOR THE POSITION OF PRINCIPAL AT OAKMONT ELEMENTARY AS RECOMMENDED.
>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE ROBINSON, IS THERE A SECOND?
MOVE TO VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE.
ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 12.9; THE APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL FOR THE PRINCIPAL AT CROWLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> I RECOMMEND PANTELLA MAX, FOR POSITION OF PRINCIPAL AT CROWLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL AS RECOMMENDED.
>> THANK YOU TRUSTEE DAVIS, IS THERE A SECOND?
MOVE TO VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE.
ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS, MS. MAX.
AGENDA ITEM 12.10, EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL FOR THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT JUNE W. DAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I LIKE TO RECOMMEND BELINDA MOORE, FOR THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT JUNE W. DAVIS ELEMENTARY AS RECOMMENDED.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE GARCIA, IS THERE A SECOND?
MOVE TO VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE.
ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 12.11, THE EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL FOR THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT SH.
CROWLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IS THERE A MOTION? NORTH CROWLEY, SORRY.
>> I RECOMMEND LAURA, A COLLEAGUE, FOR THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT NORTH CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL AS RECOMMENDED.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE DAVIS, AND MY APOLOGIES.
YES. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT NORTH CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE DAVIS, MOVE TO VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE.
ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME REASSIGNMENTS AND BOARD IS THERE AN ANNOUNCEMENT?
[02:20:02]
>> I RECOMMEND [INAUDIBLE], FOR POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY LEADERSHIP, AND I ALSO RECOMMEND COURTNEY DAVIS FOR THE POSITION OF COORDINATOR FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING.
LASTLY, I RECOMMEND [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE POSITION OF PRINCIPAL AT [INAUDIBLE].
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON, AND THESE ARE ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS, SO THERE'S NO VOTE, BUT WE DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM FOR THEIR NEW POSITIONS.
[APPLAUSE] WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO BRING BEFORE THE BOARD, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 09:44 PM. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.