Recap of Tonight's Board Meeting (Approval of the FY2008 Budget, the District Results on TAKS, the Financial Implications of the Bond Committee Recommendations, and More)

Our Board held its regular monthly meeting tonight.  Here's a recap of the issues discussed and actions taken on tonight's Agenda.

• Trustee Mary Grace Landrum delivered the invocation.
• Our only special presentation was Award for Financial Reporting awarded to Spring Branch by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.  Spring Branch is one of only 51 districts in Texas and 491 in the United States to receive this honor.
• We then held a Public Hearing on the FY 2008 (July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2008) Budget.  Two people spoke during the public hearing.  Chuck Davidson asked about the 4 cents the State is giving districts the option of adding.  Dr. Klussmann said the Board cannot officially set a tax rate until the certified tax rolls are set in the fall. Mr. Davidson said he is in favor of adding 4 cents to the tax rate.  Iris Story said she would like to see funds for the Odyssey of the Mind Program added back into the budget for 2007-2008. Membership for each school would be $135/school.
• Each of the Board members then gave their liaison reports, with Trustee Susan Mathews delivering a Legislative Update.
• We then received a presentation about the District's TAKS and SDAA results TAKS and SDAA test results.  For more information on these results with my analysis, click here.
• As part of our Board's work to revise the Board's Policies, we had first readings of DEC (Local) (Compensation and Benefits: Leaves and Absences) and CRE (Local) (Insurance and Annuities Management Workers' Compensation).  We also adopted revisions to EG (Local) (Curriculum Development), EH (Local) (Curriculum Design), FFAA (Local) (Wellness and Health Services: Physical Examinations), FMG (Local) (Student Activities: Travel), and GKDA (Local) (Nonschool Use of School Facilities: Distribution of Nonschool Literature).
• The Board approved the Budget Status Summary Report, the Facility Improvement Program Status Report, the Final FY 2007 Budget, and the FY 2008 Budget.
• The Board also approved the award of numerous contracts (Contract Awards Part 1 and Contract Awards Part 2), and an extension of the District's agreement with the Menninger Clinic.
• The Board approved our Consent Agenda.
• Finally, the Board received a presentation from First Southwest Company on the financial implications of the Bond Committee's recommendations.