The Board President or his/her designee will call the roll of members.

The group will recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

The school is required by state laws and board policies CCG [Legal] and CE[Legal] to conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget.  Any taxpayer of the District may be present and participate in the meeting. 

Under board operating procedures the Board will decide at the beginning of the meeting whether or not the hearing will be to (1) gather input only or (2) dialog with the public.  Unless the Board takes action to declare the meeting a dialog with the public, all hearings will be gather input only meetings.

According to law, the public notice of the hearing must be published at least 10 days but no longer than 30 days before the date of the public meeting.  The public notice of this hearing was published in the Bastrop County Advertiser on August 15, 2024, which is 11 days before the hearing.  Notice of this hearing has also been posted on the District website.

Mrs. Burns and Mr. Sanchez will make a short presentation of the 2024-2025 proposed budget.  The public will be invited to participate in the presentation and the Board will hear all comments provided by the public.
 

Citizens wishing to address the Board of Trustees have so indicated by listing their name on the Communications from the Public sign-in sheet located on the table at the entrance to the boardroom if the meeting is done in person, or at the link provided on the published board agenda if conducted remotely. Those signing have given a brief indication of the topics to be addressed.
Comments to the Board of Trustees under this provision will be limited to three minutes.
The members of the Board of Trustees will listen to citizen presentations during this portion of a regularly scheduled meeting, but they will not comment or participate in a discussion of the topic. 

Board members routinely approve items on the consent agenda as a group.  These are routine agenda items.  Board members have the option to ask questions regarding any of the items listed under "consent agenda".

State law requires that a record be kept in the form of official minutes on each meeting held by a governmental body and that these minutes be approved at the next regular meeting.
Attached are the minutes from the July 15, 2024 regular meeting and the August 12, 2024 special workshop.

Monthly reporting of financial position in relation to the budget.  The Board is provided monthly financial statements.

Meet legal reporting requirements for investments.
In order the meet legal reporting requirements for investments, the Board receives quarterly reports on District investments.

The Board has requested a monthly status report of earned state aid in relation to the budget.

The Board has requested a monthly status report of earned state aid in relation to the budget.

Attached is the Tax Assessor-Collector's Report.

The business manager, Sean Sanchez, will review the financial disbursements for the previous month with the Board of Trustees.  No action is required.

The Superintendent will update the Board on important issues pertaining to the District.

August Superintendent Report

• Enrollment numbers as of August 16th are: Brown Primary 184, Smithville Elementary 682, Smithville Junior High 411, and Smithville High School 550 for a total of1827.  This is an increased enrollment of 30 students from the end of last school year. 

• Our Lady Tigers volleyball teams play Flatonia here tomorrow evening beginning at 5:00 p.m.

• Our first home varsity football game is Friday, September 6th at 7:30 p.m. against Giddings.  Our Lady Tigers will play at home the same evening against Cedar Creek beginning at 5:00 p.m. 

• Reserved seats for the 2024 football season have been assigned to the Board.  Please pay for any extra seats you may have reserved.  Your district passes are at your seats.  We look forward to seeing you at the games.  Go Tigers!

• Homecoming is next week.  The Homecoming Parade begins at 6:30 followed by a pep rally at the stadium.  Homecoming Queen and King will be crowned on Friday, September 6th at 7:00 p.m. and kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

• We are continuing our Lunch & Learn series this year, and our first one is this Wednesday, August 28th at Noon.  These will be monthly online events for parents and community members to hear about various topics.

• Please refer to the Smithville ISD website for the latest news and resources.

Dr. Logan, Assistant Superintendent, will present the Board with curriculum and program area highlights on a regular basis.  The purpose of each presentation is to keep the Board informed of the academic progress within the district and on campuses.
 

Dr. Logan, Assistant Superintendent, will facilitate a discussion of roles, responsibilities and guidelines for SHAC in the 2024-2025 school year.   

Dr. Bethany Logan, Assistant Superintendent, will report to the Board on measures being taken in the district to address safety and security for students and staff.

a.  Financial Report
b.  Superintendent’s Report
c.  Review and Approve District and Campus Improvement Plans and                 Performance Objectives
d.  Personnel  

In 1923, a landowner conveyed title to another individual on Lots 6, 7 & 8, Block 3, Eagleston Addition, Smithville, Texas.  Then in 1927, there was a Delinquent Tax Suit in Cause #1636, filed against the original owner for all three lots.  Next, a Sheriff’s Deed conveying Lots 6, 7 & 8 out of the same individual to Smithville ISD was filed in V. 85, P. 13 in 1928.   Apparently, there was a suit filed at some point because the landowner had paid the redemption premium and the taxes. However, the redemption certificate was lost and never recorded in Bastrop County (per the Deed in V. 1017 P. 523).  Several other things happened, but no one ever got title policies along the way. 

So in 1999, a Deed (Vol. 1017, Pg. 523) for Lot 8 from Smithville ISD to the heirs of the individual whom the title was conveyed to is filed by Surety Land & Title and it cleans up Lot 8 ONLY.  Nothing was ever done on Lots 6 & 7.  BUT the heirs of that individual deeded Lot 6 in 2005 and Lot 7 in 2000 to another party.  She is trying to sell Lot 6 and her home is on Lot 7 and she’s been paying taxes on both of those lots for several years. 

At some point after 1999, Smithville ISD taxes started being collected by the Bastrop County Tax Office.  Joyce Schanahls at the Bastrop County Tax Office dug in their records  and all 3 lots stayed on the tax rolls in the original landowner's name. So based on the old copies attached it is believed that she redeemed all 3 lots and all 3 should have been deeded back to her by Smithville ISD.  

To clear this up, there is a need for a Deed from Smithville I.S.D. to the current owner on Lots 6 and 7, Block 3, Eagleston Addition, Smithville, Texas.  It will need the same type of wording as the Deed from Smithville ISD to the heirs in Vol. 1017, Pg. 523.  The deed requested for signature is attached.

Mr. Noe Reyes, attorney with McCreary, Veselka, Bragg & Allen, P.C., delinquent tax attorneys for Smithville ISD, will be present at the meeting to explain this item with more clarity, and answer questions from the Board.

The Board is required to set a tax rate within 60 days of receiving the certified tax roll but no later than September 30^th.  The Board is also required to conduct a public hearing on the budget and tax rate before setting the tax rate.

 The tax rate necessary to fund the proposed 2024-2025 budget is $0.9425 per hundred.  That includes an M&O rate of $0.7625 and an I&S rate of $0.18 representing a combined decreased rate of $0.0251 for M&O and I&S from the 2023-2024 budget year.  The M&O rate is the maximum rate approved by voters in the tax ratification election held May 14, 2011.  The I&S rate is a combined rate to pay for bonded indebtedness & additional debt.
The tax rate must be set by passing a resolution from the Board.

The Board is required to adopt an operational budget before the beginning of the fiscal year, which begins September 1^st.  Draft 1 and Draft 2 of the budget have been presented to the Board at previous meetings.
The Board is also required to conduct a public hearing on the budget before adopting the budget. The hearing was conducted at the beginning of this meeting.
 

The purpose of this agenda item is to authorize the purchase of 1 school bus after September 1, 2024.

The 2024-2025 budget currently has $175,000 budgeted for the purchase of one new school bus.  The District would like to proceed with this purchase as budgeted and approved, after September 1st.
 

The Federal Office of Management and Budget issued revised Uniform Grant Guidance updates that allow school districts to increase their micro-purchase threshold, for federal expenditures, from $10,000 to $49,999 if the LEA is a low-risk auditee for its most recent federal audit.  This item must be reviewed and approved on an annual basis.  This increase will allow Smithville ISD to make annual purchases up to $49,999 without soliciting competitive price or rate quotations if the District considers the price to be reasonably based.

By increasing the micro-purchase threshold, Smithville ISD will be able to continue to work in a more efficient environment when reasonably priced items are obtained. 

In accordance with the requirements of Senate Bill 1267, the Superintendent shall recommend the District’s professional development plan for all District employees. The Board shall annually review the professional development clearinghouse published by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and annually approve the District’s professional development plan. The District’s professional development plan must:

1. Be guided by the SBEC clearinghouse training recommendations;
2. Note any differences in the District’s plan from the clearinghouse recommendations; and

       3. Include a schedule of the required professional                             development for all district employees.

The TASA/TASB Convention this year is September 27-29, 2024  and will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.  The 2024 Delegate Assembly will meet on Saturday, September 28th.  Grant Gutierrez and Josh Magden were voted in as delegate and alternate at our regular meeting in May.  However, both have commitments that restrict them from attending.  Michael Hancock, Chelsa Vinklarek and Candi Parsons will be going to the convention and Mr. Hancock has graciously volunteered to act as delegate.  Depending on the wishes of the Board, we need a formal vote by the Board of Trustees reflected in the minutes.
 

There are no resignations to report.

 

According to Board Policy DC [Local], the Superintendent has the authority to make recommendations to the Board regarding the selection of all personnel.  During the summer months, the Board authorized the superintendent to approve hires and sign professional contracts.  The superintendent updates the board monthly on those hires.  The most recent employment is as follows:

Richard King - Teacher
Degree - MS from the University of Scranton
Certification - Special Education EC-12, Generalist EC-6, ESL Supplemental EC-12
Years of Experience - 14 years
Campus - Smithville Junior High

Mark Wolf - Teacher
Degree - BS from St. Edward's University
Certification - District of Innovation
Years of Service - 1
Campus - Smithville Junior High

Diego Salinas - Teacher
Degree - BS from the University of Texas at Austin
Certification - District of Innovation
Years of Service - 0 years
Campus - Smithville High School