School Board Report 20090625
From The Lovejoy Way
This is the UNOFFICIAL report of the LISD Board Meeting for June 25, 2009
Contents |
Invocation by Rich Hickman
Shay Adams Presentation
- Currently in appeals process with Collin County Tax District
- Next Meeting will be July 28th, not July 30th
- July 28th adopt tax rate
- Adjustments made since last workshop
- $1.7M in new positions
- Two positions released and added to the budget
- Two bus drivers for 2009-2010, $29K increase
- Cost Center Managers have made 5% budget cuts turned into Adams
- $17K increase from investments
- $28K increase in Workman's Compensation Insurance (due to increased payroll)
- Debt Service (Interest & Sinking) Budget
- To be adopted tonight by Board
- Student Nutrition Fund
- Required to be adopted by the Board
- $1.4M Budget, self funding
Questions regarding the Budget
Brad Northcutt: 2009 estimate of property tax fund, $300M differential
Adams: 4 primary numbers in the appraisal
Northcutt: Adjust to 96%?
Adams: No, debt service projection grew by 5%, 96% is purely on attendance rating
Adams: Using actual Interest & Sinking number given by the appraisal district Maintenance & Operations number given by appraisal district is not as critical because state makes up the difference now
Chad Inbrock: Non instructional 3%, how much of an increase, how many open Full Time Employee to fill for coming year
Adams: 3% increase is $169K primarily custodial and maintenance areas, also instructional aids 13 non-instructional positions to be filled for next year New positions added for the year is about $1.2-1.6M
Northcutt: 63.4% instructional positions from last year, what is it this year?
Adams: Last time I ran it was 64.8%
Hickman: Any other questions from the audience or from the board? There have been hours of discussion and review of these numbers, including budget workshop, talking about detailed figures since February, lot of interaction betweent he board and the administration
Elena Westbrook: How much flexibility does the board have between now and the approval of the tax raise?
Ted Moore: You have complete flexibility, if you opt to set the Maintenance & Operations rate at $1.04 then we (admin) will bring you an amended buget to back that up
Westbrook: (To Shay) How much will the budget numbers change in the coming weeks?
Adams: In a month I'll have new numbers for you, the last change was a swing of $900K I attended a couple of debates in Austin on Friday
Moore: State Legislature passes the law, then the TEA has to interpret it, which can change what LISD thinks its going to get We are already on version 5 of the template since the bill was passed The state will commit to funding things at a certain level, aka $275 for HS The pennies on your Maintenance & Operations rate allows the state to enrich that Shay, how much will state enrich the $0.02 tax raise?
Adams: The tax + state enrichment will bring in almost $400K
Moore: A local tax of $1.04 brings in $1.40 total including the state fund
Hickman: Motion to adopt the budget Unanimous Hickman: Motion to approve consent ajenda Unanimous
New Hires
- Christy Hartwood - Special Ed Diagnostitian
Sloan Creek
- Nicole Crafton - Band director at both schools, provide leadership at MS and HS, from Spring ISD
- Frank Caldwell - 3 yrs Richarson, 2 yrs Wylie, math teacher, former engineer
- Matt Falbow - Social studies teacher, Texas history, coach football, basketball at MS, Univ of N Tx, Prosper Middle School
Puster Elem
- Jenny Slaver - out of college, Memphis college of art, experience working with children, started summer art camp, published illustrator
- Wendy Craft - McKinney ISD, 12 yrs experience, instructional specialist, Math GT for Grades 3-5
- Ann Tracey - Plano ISD, 9 yrs exp, great musician, Sings with Dallas Symphony Choir
Lovejoy Elem
- Chris Cort - new PTA President in coming year
High School
- Brian Stanfield - Social Studies team, volleyball coach
- Jenny Clark - Plano West HS, Literature and Writing
- Bruce Dillo - Resume, pack of gum attached "Chew on this for a while", several years, hockey coach, lead economics teach in HS
Public Comments
Charlie Gains re Eminent Domain
I am against it except in most dire circumstances. The Lady that owns it, that is all she has, what is she going to do? She can't buy land in Lucas for the price the school district is offering her, would have to sell her horses, would have to move to Oklahoma or somewhere else. Please reconsider and think about it. The stress you will put on that lady, she lost her husband a few years ago.
Joe Luce
4 Kids in district, all started in K. I am president of Diamond Club, (He handed out a sheet to the board)
1. Eliminate the hazards - wind blows, fence moves, left field fence has blown down 2. Enhance the environment for the fans, improve the backstop with netting 3. Outfield fence (chain link is not real fence) 4. Storage needs 5. Need more bleachers 6. Need press box 7. Drainage issues
Item 10 Approval of Guaranteed Max Price (GMP) from Puge Construction Inc
Christian Heard from PBK provided a power point presentation
Dennis Womack: Construction costs have stabilized
Heard: new addition comes under budget, at $5.8M Proposal on baseball/softball field improvments Backtop for Baseball and Softball field $223K Total cost $6.094M
Womack: We would like to open fall of 2010, immediate start upon board approval and City of Lucas approvals, construction during the school year The board is only required to approve the GMP of $5.8M
Lynette MacDonald: I'm prepared to approve the $5.8M, but not quite ready for the $223K addition, would like to look at better pricing
Hickman: Asked administration to poll the staff about where in the district improvements could be made for saftey, etc and report back to board
Lisa Ellrich: I think we have to look district wide, technology, budget, etc, we need to be responsbile with our money
Moore: I'd say in 60 days we could bring back some ideas and suggestions
Womack: We'll need to do a needs assessment, and we have a process for that.
Hickman: Pricing and timeline
Westbrook: I know we are limited on these funds since it is Interest & Sinking money Original budget was $7M, is $6M waht is remaining?
Womack: Yes
Hickman: Motion for GMP as presented
Motion carries unanimously
Item 11 Eminent Domain Suit for 1555 Estates Parkway
Womack: 2007 bond election added funds to purchase property in mid- to southern- section
- Info comes from our demographer that said our growth would come from the south
- Obstacles in finding a southern location
- District does own a site on Blondy Jhune that is 18 acres, but it has difficulties in access, may not be the best suitable site for elem school
- Goal to have 2 elem serving the north and 2 elem serving the south
- Looking for 15 to 20 acres
- How accessible is the property?
- Utilities, electrical, gas, septic vs sewer
- 2007-2008 the land on Estates Pkwy became available 13-1/4 acres
- It has access, site utilities in the front, central location
- The added property would provide just over 19 acres
PBK Presentation on the property
Would require a change to the prototype design (i.e. Puster Elem)
Westbrook: Couldn't the 13 acre plan be flipped like Hart?
Julie James: When you go to a 2-story facility how is that laid out?
PBK: You put the older kids upstairs which becomes 100% instructional
Mike Guilbeau: Do we anticipate the need to have portables out there?
Moore: Demographics show we'll need 4.4 or 4.5 elementary schools, so it would be more cost effective to add classrooms to the existing elementary schools
Womack: Interaction with the land owner
Guilbeau: Just a minute, what is the cost difference going to a second story
PBK: Cheaper to build using a prototype plan, saves on A&E (Architectural and Engineering) fees
Womack: That could be a substantial cost
Ellrich: How many districts other than Allen have 2 story schools?
PBK: It does not occur very often
Womack: It comes down to dollars. the land owner was offered appraised value and wants more, perhaps doubled Schools cannot pay more than market value, which is set largely by appraisals LISD cannot approach the asking price of the owner
Westbrook: When we purchased the last we asked Administration if the 13 acres would be sufficient to build an elementary school, and we were told "YES".
Ann Casey: I don't feel comfortable taking this land. Is it legal? Yes. Is it something that we should do? No. As a board we must do what is best for our students, but we also have a responsiblity to those in our community
Casey: I think we need to make a decision tonight.
Hickman: Entertain a motion to approve Lawsuit as presented.
Guilbeau: Motion
Ellrich: Second
Opposed: Westbrook, Casey, James
For: Guilbea, Ellrich, Hickman, MacDonald
Item 13
Muzier: Power Point Presentation
- NCEA study shows connection between TAKS scores and College Readiness
- 3% of the district's students qualify for free lunches, starting to approach 50 students
- Maximum of 2% of our students can take the TAKS-M (Modified)
James: If a TAKS test is read to the student, then does it count?
Muzier: It can count if it is read, whether it is TAKS or TAKS-Acc (Accommodated)
- L@L 250 outside enrolled is $250K
Moore: Set a workshop for July 28th day and work on board priorities.
