November 28, 2023 at 5:30 PM - Board Meeting

TCCC/RYSS Board of Directors met on October 26, 2023.  The minutes are presented.

Funding for extra duty pay was paid through ESSER grant in the past. For FY 23-24, this will need to be covered through operating fund.

Funds are needed to be transferred between functions with no effect on net reserves in order to pay for contracted services.

Additional funds are needed for the food accounts due to additional enrollment.

Organization code 750 accounts for all administration expenses. The FARG coding requirement sets the codes needed for specific administrative costs for the Board and the Superintendent. It is necessary to change them to account for these costs and report them through PEIMS and the annual financial report. In addition, we are also creating a code for communications and facilities which will be needed in the future. 

Background information provided in the attached TCSD RYSS Growth Plan Financing Presentation.

MTI loan documents in which EFF and Raza are the first lenders members will be reviewed and greenlit by proposed counsel. As well, proposed counsel will provide Tejano with guidance in the closing process. See scope of work in the attached.

Mr. Antonio Zambrano, the new CFO, will start the first week of December 2023. Access to the accounts for the New CFO will include authorization to all bank accounts. The Interim CFO and Business Manager will be deleted.

See attached agreement.

Tejano Center entered into a lease agreement with Gulfgate Capital, LLC with a two-year term January 1, 2021 to December 2023. The lease is up for renewal. The new terms are for two years- January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025 with a monthly rent rate of $7,500.

The following programs office out of 6200 Gulf Freeway location.
· Housing
· Child Placing Agency
· Resolve

Tejano Center applied to CenterPoint Energy Foundation for Blue Skies home repair funding.

TCCC agrees to use the resources for the purposes in which the grant is intended, track the number of households served by this grant and agree to provide a summary report with-in 90 days of receipt or as requested by the funder.

Prosperity Bank has made a donation to support the Housing Counseling Program for FY 2023-2024.  There will be no report due.

The Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success Charter district was awarded the Learning Acceleration Support Opportunity (LASO) Technology Lending Grant. The intent of this grant is to provide students with the equipment necessary to access and use digital instructional materials at school and at home. The equipment purchased through this grant for a local technology lending program becomes the property of the RYSS school district. As an awardee, RYSS is required to account for the technology equipment purchased with grant funds in accordance with the district policy, including ensuring the equipment where insurance is typically provided for such technology equipment.

Allowable expenses using the grant funds include the following:

• individual student devices such as laptops or tablets (including management licenses to support these products)

•  individual residential internet access or area internet access such as hot spots 

• insurance and care for the aforementioned devices and internet access products

• other equipment necessary to access and use electronic instructional materials such as classroom display devices

• other equipment necessary to access and use electronic instructional materials

After consultation with campus stakeholders, it has been determined that the funding will be used to invest $93,000 dollars in laptops including insurance, and 7,000 in Smart Boards that will serve as classroom displays and direct instruction.

Each year Texas Education Agency requires our school district and individual campuses to create an Improvement Plan.  This is a collaborative effort including campus principals, teachers, staff and community to create a plan using student data, funding, and all available resources to help improve the education and culture at the determined site.

While members of the Board of Directors of the Tejano Center serve three-year terms, there are circumstances when service beyond those three years is deemed beneficial to the organization. Board member David Corpus completed his term of office in 2023, by the By-Laws of The Tejano Center for Community Concerns, Article III, Section 1.C:

Each Director shall hold Office for a term of three years and/or until his or her successor is duly qualified and elected, or until his or her earlier resignation, removal from office, or death. Directors whose term expires may be re-qualified and re-elected at the Board’s next Annual Meeting. 
 
Continuity is considered crucial to the success of The Tejano Center at this time of expanded operations and the stabilization of the organization’s financial health. Mr. Corpus expertise in finance, mortgage lending, and community service has helped the board guide The Tejano Center in providing essential services, such as housing assistance and disaster recovery, to those in need.   

Approval of Mr. Corpus requalification and re-election to the Board enables him to serve another three-year term, from November 28, 2023 - November 29, 2027.

While members of the Board of Directors of the Tejano Center serve three-year terms, there are circumstances when service beyond those three years is deemed beneficial to the organization. Board member Margarita Dunlap completed his term of office in 2023, by the By-Laws of The Tejano Center for Community Concerns, Article III, Section 1.C:

Each Director shall hold Office for a term of three years and/or until his or her successor is duly qualified and elected, or until his or her earlier resignation, removal from office, or death. Directors whose term expires may be re-qualified and re-elected at the Board’s next Annual Meeting. 
 
Continuity is considered crucial to the success of The Tejano Center at this time of expanded operations and the stabilization of the organization’s financial health. Ms. Dunlap expertise in finance, mortgage lending, and community service has helped the board guide The Tejano Center in providing essential services, such as housing assistance and disaster recovery, to those in need.   

Approval of Ms. Dunlap requalification and re-election to the Board enables him to serve another three-year term, from November 28 - November 29, 2027

A report of the vendor payments for RYSS and Non School is attached for all vendor payments above $50,000. A monthly report will be provided to the board each month.

The Harris County Department of Education supports Harris County by enriching educational opportunities and providing value through services. 

Cost of Interim CFO $51,200 Cost of Lead Accountant $35,400, Cost of one part time A-Pay Staff $22,050, Cost of Apay part time Staff $22,050, Cost of Erate Consultant $20,000. Temporary Staff $10,000. 

Tejano Center Housing Department submitted a NOFA to become a Texas Homeowners Assistance (HAF) Intake Center in December 2022. Tejano Center was approved by TDHCA Board on February 9, 2023.

Texas HAF provides financial assistance to qualified Texas homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage, utility payments and related expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tejano Center’s Intake Center ceased operations on July 14, 2023, due to the state reaching 90% spent and decommissioning all the intake centers in Texas, including Tejano Center. Part of the grant funding earmarked for Mortgage Default counseling was also decommissioned. A total of $58,369.50 has been de-obligated for foreclosure housing counseling activities, leaving a minimal amount to continue with the program until March 7, 2024. Total amended contract amount is $155,520.02.

In order to keep the board informed about Tejano Center’s Child
Placing Agency (CPA) initiatives, events, and activities, the attached October report to the board is provided. The report covers activities that took place during the period subsequent to the October 2023 board meeting. The report covers the following topics:

• Updates

• Activities

• Upcoming Events

• Staff/Foster Parent Training

• Families and Children Served

The following events and activities are the focus of our work at Project GRAD:

RYSS & GRADcafé: Escalera program held their first meeting where approximately 52 students were in attendance. GRADcafé collaborated with LULAC in the University of Texas student field trip. 34 RYSS students had the opportunity to tour the campus, have lunch on campus and hear from the Office of Admissions.

College & Career Services: Virtual and In-Person the GRADcafé by Project GRAD Service Report - October 2023 which includes service numbers, event numbers, service topics, and target populations served is attached. Page one of the report covers October 2023.

GRADcafé Baytown: Staff conducted College 101 and Financial Aid Workshops at Stuart Career Tech High School in Baytown. Approximately 68 students had the opportunity to explore colleges and universities, academic pathways leading to mid skill high demand careers and paying for college.

Housing department provides homebuyer education, one-on-one individual counseling to both, homeowners and homebuyers, and home repairs to eligible homeowners.
Homebuyer Education Workshops: Eight-Hour Homebuyer Education classes held twice per month in English & Spanish.
Homebuyer Counseling: Individual Housing Counseling to assess mortgage readiness and/or obstacles/barriers in order to apply & qualify for a mortgage loan, identify program eligibility and close on a home.

Homeowner Counseling: Individual Housing Counseling for existing homeowners. Services can assist with applying for property tax discounts, understanding escrow analysis, and weatherization program, to name a few. This is also the entry point for homeowners requesting home repairs to their primary home.

La Tiendita is a holistic food access program that incorporates case management, resource navigation, and nutrition and health education classes. The aim of La Tiendita is to empower individuals to improve their health and move towards more secure lives.

In order to keep the board informed about La Tiendita’s Program initiatives, events, and activities, the La Tiendita November 2023 Report is attached.
The report reflects the following topics:
· Families, individuals, and children served
· Pounds of food distributed to our community
· Staffing and Expansion Update

In order to keep the board informed about Tejano Center’s Resolve Program, the attached Resolve Program Monthly Status Report is provided. The report reflects the status update of the Resolve program and updated data since the October 2023 board meeting.

As part of our ongoing commitment to spreading holiday cheer and providing support to those in need, Tejano Center is hosting its annual "Best Christmas Ever" event on Saturday, December 16.  The "Best Christmas Ever" event is a special initiative, a Tejano Center tradition, where we come together to ensure that children in our communities experience the magic and joy of the holiday season.  Mr. Anthony Magdalena, RYSS Board of Education Chair serves as the Event Chair. 

The success of this event has outgrown our cafeteria.  As such, we are partnering with REVIVE! Church to host the 2023 event in Pasadena.  Three students (from each grade level at each RYSS Houston campus) from families facing financial hardships are nominated by teachers to participate.  This year, 70 households translating into 180 children are confirmed to participate in this magical holiday experience.  Students and their families will be adopted by generous partners and sponsors, who will shop for, wrap, and deliver items on their wish lists. 

For the past five years, Tejano Center has hosted an annual State of the Center luncheon that serves as its single largest yearly fundraiser. The 5^th Annual State of the Center Luncheon is scheduled for Friday, March 8, 2023, 11am tentatively at the Bayou City Event Center.

Tina Peterman, Managing Director of Masterson Advisors LLC and Jacob Monty, Managing Partner of Monty & Ramirez LLP Attorneys at Law are confirmed as Co-Chairs for the 5^th Annual event.

Dr. Ruth N. López Turley, Director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research is confirmed as the Keynote Speaker.

Proceeds from the 5^th Annual luncheon will benefit our multi-and-intergenerational education work, specifically GRADcafe, NOVA Academy for Adult Education, and Nueva Vida Senior Living.