DCHS School Board Conducts Monthly Meeting:Receive Updates on New Construction

by Eric

 

The DCISD School Board joined together on Monday, December 19th at 6:15 PM in the board room for a regularly scheduled meeting.

First on the agenda was the 2015-2016 Financial Audit report.  This was presented by Randel Terry with Terry and King CPA.  He said that overall the district is in good financial status.  “Your staff is to be commended for helping keep the budget under control,” stated Terry.

Construction updates from Craig Wallace were presented next in routine matters.  Mr. Wallace advised the board that steel was going up at the Ag Farm for the pig barn.  He also told the board that things were going to begin to get real busy at the new high school with a lot of activity by the end of January.  There will be some block layers around the first of January and there should be steel going up and visible by the end of February or early March.

Mr. Azam told the board that presentations had been made at the senior citizens building and to the Lion’s Club.  He and Mr. Wallace also advised the board that they would be conducting more public information meetings in the near future.  Wallace presented dollar amounts for the various projects that have taken place and are continuing to take place in this bond.  Currently with the numbers he presented, this bond project is coming in at $200,623.40 under budget.

In the next item on the agenda, Mr. Davis, reminded board members about their continuing education hours and thanked them for taking care of this.  He also presented the West Texas Food Service Cooperative – Interlocal Agreement for 2016-2017 and asked for the board’s approval.

Business Manager Shannon Bressler addressed the board next with sick leave bank days’ reimbursement for Four County SSA employees.  Since the separation of employment for these members of the FCSSA is beyond their control, the board approved the motion presented to reimburse these days.

Permission to add a career tech professional communications position at the high school for the 2016-2017 school year was presented by Davis and Bressler.  Davis explained that he along with board member Robbie Underhill had attended a meeting with some business owners about what the school district could do to better help prepare graduating senior for the business world.  It was mentioned in this meeting, that many young people today lack skills in interviewing, phone etiquette, ability to fill out job applications, along with a few other things.  Russell Dial made that motion to add this position along with a second from Joey Rodgers.

After this, Davis presented a consideration of notice of potential conflict of interest of representation of Underwood Law Firm in the reconfiguration of the Four County Special Education Shared Service Arrangement, and action to approve the waiver of such potential conflict of interest.  He advised the board that Mr. Backus of the law firm and Peggy Kinslow from the Service Center have agreed to help all of the schools as long as everyone is in agreement.

At the December 14, 2016 meeting, the FCSSA Board of Managers recognized the withdrawal of Denver City ISD as a member and considered the reconfiguration and continuation of the Four County Special Education Shared Services Arrangement without the district as a member and Tahoka ISD as its Fiscal Agent.

After this, Superintendent Gary Davis presented personnel items that just included new hires.

New hires welcomed to the district included Angie Baldwin with Transportation, Rebecca Villegas at YCFL and Sylvia Alschbach at YCFL.  Dodson Primary Principal, Angie Sutton, informed the board that the decision had been made to hire an aide for Pre-K for the spring semester and then they would look at hiring a certified teacher for the 2017-2018 school year.

School Board President, Brad Woosley, presented the Superintendent’s Evaluation.  He stated that everything was above average.  “I appreciate your confidence in me,” stated Davis.

In the Superintendent’s Report, Davis advised that there would be a public hearing on January 16, 2017 for the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR).  The Superintendent’s Contract is to be discussed and the campus and district administrator’s evaluations would be reviewed.

The Public Hearing is set for Monday, January 16, 2017 at 6:15 PM in the DCISD board room with the regular scheduled meeting to immediately follow.

After all the items on the agenda were discussed, Woosley asked for a motion to be made to go into executive session to discuss personnel items.

Board members Brian Sutton, Russell Dial, Joey Rodgers and Robbie Underhill along with Board President Brad Woosley were all present. Connie Lozano and Johnette Mansur were not in attendance.

 

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