001To the allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flagged Texas one state under God, one and indivisible. Good evening everybody. Just um no problem say right uh you'll notice a few folks are gone tonight with a short agenda being the holidays. I encourage Darren to have his staff call night head home early so we don't have the usual district representation which I thought was appropriate. We move on to item number three on the agenda. Um so we had a level three agreements ahead of us. uh two meetings ago uh in November. Um it was a little unique in that it was an open meeting request uh in that we had
002an open session versus closed. And so tonight we're going to continue deliberation and ultimately rule on that same um grievance. So if you remember uh JG uh final grievance uh I guess I'll open up to the board from that hearing. Is there any questions or open deliberation or commentary that we would like to uh conduct? No. Based on the last meeting and the information presented by both parties, I I don't have any deliberation that I'd like to discuss any further. >> Seeing none, do we have a motion on the floor? I move forward deny the grievance. >> We have a motion on the floor from Greg that the motion is uh to the alleviate the grievance is denied. Is there a second? >> Second. We have a motion on the floor from Greg. Deny agreement.
003Second by Rich. Is there any discussion? uh the two new trustees who were elected between that agreement hearing and tonight have recused themselves. So the voting majority will now go to four members, five, sorry, which is still a form. Um the majority will now be three. Any other commentary or discussion on the motion at hand? All right. Seeing none, we have a motion on the floor to deny the grievance. All those in favor say I. I. >> All opposed. Motion carries. And the grievance is denied. Since then, we've also had a um an email with attached documentation to submit a second grievance uh from the same parties on JG. That email was sent on November 6th. Uh it is I believe uh subject to attorney client privilege on some commentary. Um that said um I
004could have made the ruling just to not hear it. Uh I didn't feel comfortable doing so. Uh the board has received that. The new trustees have also received the same uh correspondence. So they I encourage you not to recuse yourselves and participate actively. Um >> excuse me. very difficult to hear you when you have balls in the background. >> Okay. Uh where go I I couldn't hear what you said about the greeting here. I'll take care. >> I'd also encourage you feel free to grab closure. Okay. >> Just so you know, the uh meeting was agendaized on the calendar. I appreciate it. Calendar had discrepancy for location versus the agenda. Thank you for that. We'll not [clears throat] >> you said on the calendar versus the agenda. >> Yeah. >> Location. >> The school calendar
005says it's at the back. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Sorry about that. >> Okay. Please with that posting. I think we should we'll come back. Thank you. >> All right. the acoustic letter for everyone in the room. >> Good to go. >> All right. Uh so going back to the to the agenda, you know, I it's within my right as the chair to hear or not hear the grievance, but I didn't want to just make a lot of decision, so I want to bring it back to this board. Uh you all have the the email uh that was sent to you by uh JD's representation. Um here's my commentary. Logist ISD board policy FNG prohibits serial grievances. As I read through the grievance, I did not see or uh appear to pull out any new information
006or new grievances. They seem to be serial repetitive or previousies. Having reviewed this new grievance, it appears to me at least that on the face the the second grievance does not raise any new issues. That's my opinion. Certainly opened up conversation or any um any motion. Did we get the recommendation or the opinion of the attorney or lawyer? Uh the attorney's uh thought was that uh and and I pushed actually very hard. Is there any new information or new uh concerns? Uh from agreements perspective, it seemed to be repetitive and and and rep repetitious and not any new incremental uh concern. Okay. And was there a recommendation or only information? Uh the information of the recommendation is one of the same iss that we don't hear because of repetitive or like um serial references. >>
007Sorry, excuse me. You we're talking about unitary. Who do you need please? >> Uh you're not a participant of this board. I'd encourage you to have a seat in the D. You're more than welcome your chair up to be very close. Uh but you don't that seat is not welcome to you, sir. >> Well, would you provide me with a table? So if you give the other side they have a table then please give me the same opportunity. Got me a table. >> These are the board members. That's why I have a table. >> Thank you so much. >> But you are not welcome to speak earlyation. You're more welcome to hear. >> Well, excuse me. I think you were talking about the case about some attorney. I was just asking the simple question. Who
008is that? >> All right. So on the topic uh I've offered again my unlimited decision. I want to come to this board and get everyone's feedback. Do I have a motion on the floor or not as whether or not we should hear the grievances or second grievance? I move that we do not hear the second grievance that was repetitive from the first. We have a motion on the floor not to hear the grievance. >> Would you give me a second? >> I'll second. Excuse me. >> We have a motion on the floor to not hear the grievance and there's a second by Rich. Is there any conversation or commentary discussion? >> Excuse me. You have the >> Seeing none, I'm going to go to vote. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> All
009those in favor? Motion passes. We will not hear the grievance because of repetitive or um >> excuse me, you didn't give me any opportunity to speak to this topic to the topic. >> Okay, we move on to our next uh party agenda. >> Repetitive. I mean, excuse me. And you get the opinion of an attorney. Sir, you have done nothing but be continually disruptive to this body. You have not followed our suggestions and you have not followed the operating procedures of this board. We have heard yours. We have ruled. You have two choices. The first is to join the audience in the seat and be an observer of this meeting. The second is to leave. If you choose to do the third, which I think you're probably going to do, which is to open your
010mouth, continue to interrupt this proceeding, the officer who's uniform, and in my life will be asked to help you leave this building. That's your choice. I want two or three. >> I would like to have the opportunity to susp I don't follow the recommendation. You didn't recommend anything. You didn't I would like to have the opportunity to speak. >> I had no opportunity to speak at all. There is not any communication that I have heard. This is totally unfair. This is so illegal. It can't get more illegal. You just said I I don't follow your recommendation. You haven't recommended anything. >> You haven't given me any opportunity to speak. >> Sir, come before you issue a criminal trespass warning. Let's go. >> Oh, criminal trespass warning. Is is that the threat to you? We follow
011our process. >> Okay. >> Be a rule >> and I wish you a good night. >> Okay. >> Can't get any easier. >> Okay. So, the next moment, excuse me, the next item on the agenda is our consent agenda. Again, I told you this was going to be a short evening. Uh we have a motion on the floor to adopt the consent agenda. >> Move approve the consent agenda. Second, >> which is moved and is a second to approve the agenda. Sorry, agenda is presented. Any questions or commentary? >> All those in favor? >> All opposed? Motion passes. Okay. Um so, uh the next agenda item is the discussion of our board operating procedures. Um, I've been really enthusiastic by the uh interest in these documents by the board and the community. And so that's
012that's I think a really good sign and that people are generally interested in uh how we operate as a board. I am sorry I failed. You were going to say something in the middle of that. We had so there was a there was a disconnect between what the calendar showed and the agenda showed at first and Paul wanted to see the school calendar but he went to the wrong places. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. So does anybody have anything that like if you were here on time because we actually had our stuff together at the right meeting. Go ahead Mr. >> Thank you. Where are you stand where you sit? You're in trouble though. You don't have to. You are correct. I'm just going to stand if that's okay. That's okay. But I was impressed
013with how quickly you moved the desk. That was that was pretty good. Yeah. Um, so I'm I've uh I emailed all of you and you should have received three emails from me. When I went when I printed out all 16 pages of your procedures, um, I was just handwriting notes for myself in anticipation of hoping to meet with each of you individually. um as opposed to spending um an inordinate amount of time of the the the [cough and clears throat] body's time as well as that of the citizenry. So, I want to try to be just as brief as I can, and I'm just obviously I can't work through the whole document, but those handwritten notes lack a lot of context. the two follow-up emails I sent with you, they are equally lacking in the
014totality of what I would and I don't use this as a porative, but flawed sections of your document. Um, and there's also just some philosophical questions about positions. How do you want to address it? So, I'll try to touch on some of the blanks that were not addressed in the emails best I can quickly. Sorry, I want to interrupt. Sure. Sorry. I want to be cogn three minutes. I pause the time. Okay. Um, I took the time to go through all your notes. I just >> Thank you for that. I appreciate appreciate them for the Do you have questions for me? >> No, I think for the context of your 3 minutes, just maybe touch on like the real subjective like intent trying like Sure. >> Yeah. That way we don't get hung up and
015I have to tell you this 3 minutes later. >> Yeah. No, I really did appreciate it and I read every single line. >> Last thing on that, the five or six highlevel bullet items for me. >> Mhm. took and incorporated them. So those five things maybe five or six. >> So there's some other things in here that that you don't you didn't receive an email. For example, it makes reference to an ethics policy. Do you have an ethics policy or is that is that okay? Good. Um you want to tie some things together. You've got stuff. I mean right there in the very very in the very beginning where it talks about uh um we the members of the board of trustees of logist Independent School District are committed to serving the children staff and
016citizens of the school district. You don't serve the staff, you govern the staff. Words matter a lot. In subsequent paragraphs on that same page, you talk about governing this governing the staff. So you've got contradiction in of itself. What is your intent? So you know just a little thing like that. But then there's also references to I mentioned your ethics policy but yet there's no enforcement mechanism. You talk about the ethics policy but there's no procedure laid out for how do you bring about those actions. You talk about subordinating yourself or subordinating yourself to the president and to your peers. For example, if you have an issue with the fellow board member, a fellow trustee, then you are to try to resolve that issue with the fellow trustee. If there's no resolution there, then you
017go to the president. The president has you're not subordinate to the president. You're all equal peers with equal voting rights. There's nothing in here that describes otherwise or in anything else that I found. So figure out what is your escalation path because it's not described in here. What is your escalation path when you have issues? What are um you've got a lot of first amendment right issues in here in your product in this work product. You're compelling each other to not speak ill of district positions or district staff or each other or impugn anybody >> and for that reason you're hindering your own freedom of speech. You absolutely have a right to say I voted against that. That was a terrible idea and I think it's bad. There's nothing prohibit. You can't you can't legislate
018otherwise is the point. But I can't go through the whole document. There's 16 pages. But look at things, go through it, give some diligence. Be remember too of toma violations. There's an example in there where you talk about uh board of trustee. If you want to run for office only once, you have to have been on here for two years. But then later on it says that if you want to be an officer, you want to be the president, you can be one year. So you've got a conflict there. Decide what you want to do. Um you've got uh issues in there where you're Anyway, I can go on. Yeah. Thank you. You got the idea. >> Other speakers all very interested. I think you all got this feedback >> and I'd be delighted to
019meet with any of you if you'd like at your convenience and we can go through. I really thank you. Okay. When I when I shot back and email that was sincere. I mean, in the 6 years that I've been on board to have somebody take the time to do that. I mean, we know that's why for the past couple months, knowing that we're new superintendent, new board members, I mean, we definitely want to make sure that the board operating procedures are cleaned up and renewed and to be able to have community members and to your point, you're expressing a value in the public input, right? Absolutely. So for that reason, include in your published packets the actual work part that you're receiving 5 days prior in your folder. You make decisions based on your diligence
020asking staff questions, but you're missing the component from the public. And unless they're able to see what it is you're considering before the meeting, they have nothing to consider and no feedback to give you. So last thing, I put this together and I would say 80% of what you communicated aligned with that what I added as well. So and I appreciate it cuz that's a good sentence and I'm glad it's coming from the meeting. So thank you for that. >> Thank you. Absolutely. Thanks. I share the sentiment. Thank you, Mr. Roberts. >> Um Okay. So any was there any other public comment that we missed? >> No. Did she >> I just want to double check. Was there any other public comment that And just because I gave Mr. Roberts 3 minutes and 32 seconds,
021you get 3 minutes and 32 seconds. And >> this won't take three more than 3 minutes and 32 seconds. I just want to say uh congratulations. I'm pleased to see that we have our new board in order and that y'all are making way and that you're open to hearing citizen comment as that is. Uh Mr. Roberts, I'm going to say, is one of the best as it comes into really looking at documents and taking everybody's considerations in mind. But I'm before you today because I have been reappointed as your city council liaison. And so I just wanted to say hello and if there's anything that I can do for you as I've left it open for Darren uh so many times to be able to pick up the phone. I am here at your convenience
022and open to any discussion you may need in order to make things go smoothly with the city for any endeavor that y'all choose. Thank you so much. >> Thank you so much for attending. I appreciate your comments. Thank you. And I think that was no other further comments. No follow. Okay, great. So back under our agenda we are um [snorts] discussing sorry moved over. I was looking something else up. I apologize. Thank you. Item number I still remember number five. Five. Thank you. Uh around our board operating procedures. Um, here's my recommendation and and I'd be curious to be told it's a bad one or have a better idea. Um, I think based on the ignorance that I have when I put it on the agenda of how much work there is to be done
023here, this isn't going to be done tonight. And I think doing it uh and I'm not afraid to do it in open session. It's around respect of everyone's time and the process of actually getting to where this is, which is dated February of 2022. to where it needs to be today. There's typos in it. We own that, right? This is our document. There's circular references. For example, uh this document says I can create a a committed policy says it takes board action. Those are conflict with one another. Uh you know, there's commentary in this around outlining public speaking timelines, but it's in policy. So why do we have it in two spaces, right? Maybe we should just have it in one just reference policy rather than have it in two conflicting potential places. I think
024it's best in my opinion to create a committee uh of this is a board committee so just board members uh which means it has to be limited to three to go and spend some time as a group seeking input from the administration from the community and coming back with a document that we feel really confident we can reference as our um guidelines of how we're going to operate as a board. So, with that, I'm going to lead I'm going to lean on policy and not uh the procedures. I guess any any opposition to that idea? Any com you want to go into it right now? >> No, I agree. I I put together two pages of it and it's going to take some time. I do think we need community input. I do believe that
025we others as well and I think for me to do due diligence as well as making sure that we're checking with legal to make sure that we're good across the board and so I'm in favor of that. Kevin, is this a [clears throat] comment? Is this um engaging also Texas Association school boards like getting with them? I mean, sure they have like when we do all of our training and our uh team of eight, but do they have basically a consultant that could work with us? >> They do. I mean, that's if you remember that's where the February 2022 outcome came from. >> I think it was a team of eight train where we sat. >> I think that was with uh region 13. >> Oh, was in region 13, not >> they do the
026training, but there's >> facilitation. >> Yeah. I I mean I I think that will there's it's a lot of information in there and >> and a lot of things have changed since the last legislative session. >> You know, it's just like the posting of the agenda. Now it's got to be three full days before the actual meeting. You know, where it was 72 hours. So there's a couple things. >> Yeah. And that's where I get hung up personally. It's like it doesn't matter what's in the board operating procedures. If if the Opens Meeting Act requires X, Y, and Zed, that's what we have to do. It doesn't matter what's in this document, right? Because law and policy supersedes this document. So, my opinion is you strip out some of the repetitive language where you're just
027referencing law and and uh policy. So, you're not having to like, oh, this didn't get updated, but the policy did cuz we update the policy regularly every year, right? as it's presented by TA, our TA and with with our with our edits. >> And and just to add, update 126 policy is about that that thick. Uh and so it is a lot to go through. So [clears throat] that will probably be brought to you guys possibly in June. >> It's a good read. >> What's that? >> It's a good read. >> The blue binder. >> Great. Great. Five pages cuz he keeps falling asleep at night. It's like war and peace times 10 of one other thing. >> I'm good with the sub. >> It may be too much for a team of eight training
028cuz that's where you typically do. >> That's too late in the year anyways. We definitely this needs to be addressed like we did the team of eight. >> Yeah, but I appreciate that. >> Yeah. And I don't want to venture off topic of the agenda, but I do think we're going to have uh our vision and mission, which is uh, you know, documented, but I think with the new superintendent, we always want to dust that off. We're going to have her uh formula review structure about what we like. There's a lot of blocking and tackling that we have to do as a governor's board with a new chief executive coming in. Right. you'll be here luckily Darren to to hell in the next 6 months but like we get one shot at setting M Dr.
029current up for success and I think that's going to be probably a lot of what we do in the next board meeting around and maybe even an early team of eight training uh to get there and by the way for those that don't know we're required by law to have a once a year training called the team of eight which is seven board members plus the superintendent uh and I'd argue it extends to the the superintendent ameritus if the time allows and we just kind of the topics can vary but I think we've got a lot of really rich and interesting topics in front of us especially around becoming an a district um as we move forward. Okay. So with that I I'd encourage um anyone on the dasis open to making a motion to
030establish a working committee to edit and present back to this board a revised school board procedure handbook. So quick question then. If we make a motion, we just we're making the motion to create a committee, not putting people on the spot on that committee. Is that correct? >> Yeah. I think if you if the language was uh to implore the president to establish a three person committee, can't be a four person. >> I get it. >> Because we get to form >> uh and then I can look for time, interest, and um availability to find the right three. >> I'll make that motion. I move that we form a subcommittee for purpose of evaluating, editing, and presenting back to the board the board operating procedures. Second [clears throat and cough] is that [laughter] second to
031establish committee uh [clears throat] to edit and come back to this board uh in a timely fashion. I added that. That's true [clears throat] of the procedure handled. Any discussion or commentary? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion passes 70. We circle back on that. Next up, superintendent report. Just got a couple of things want to kind of put out there for for you guys. Uh first of all uh if you want to get some legislative session update training that is on region 13 website if you're interested uh you can just go in at any time sign up. Uh it's not a scheduled or anything like that. I think it's up for a period of time. If you want to look into that uh reach out to myself or or
032Miss Jackson and we will help you get to that point. uh talked to a field service agent just uh on Wednesday and he mentioned that that training was on the website for uh any board member especially with two new ones. So if you want to look at that just let me know and >> so that was a big I mean this legislation was a big update right? >> Yes it's is huge. So just a reminder for everyone is you're actually required to take a legislative update every two years meets every two years so this is your one time to get it. So, I'd [snorts] encourage you to uh take Darren up on that and pay him in. And a lot of times they will have one at SLI uh which is a summer training, but
033that's still 6 months away. 7 months away. >> Is that training credits associated with that legislation? >> Yes, this will continue. >> Right. >> I'm due for some. >> Okay. All right. Uh a couple other things. Uh so with the new board uh u our education foundation uh their bylaws uh uh require that a board member be a part of the education foundation and so I'm just putting that out there that you know [clears throat] we meet on the second Wednesday which is coming up uh Wednesday night. Uh I know Sarah Jane at one point was on the committee uh a while back. Uh but we would like to have a board member on the education foundation. So if you would like to be a part of that, just reach out to me and Linda
034McCulla. Okay. Sir James. >> So we're going to cut that. So uh Trusty Capital will go ahead and serve if you're okay with that as our representative. >> Okay. I will let Linda McCulliff, she's our board president or foundation president. I will let her know that. >> Thank you for doing that. Thank you. [clears throat] Uh, and then we also, uh, need a, uh, since, you know, Laura and Gerald no longer on, Gerald has been on the committee as well as Laura, uh, Gerald is going to continue to serve as a, as a a community member on the safety committee that's required by House Bill 2 a couple years ago. Uh, but it also requires board president to be a part of that committee. So, uh, Kevin, >> it's two member. It's a member plus
035the president or >> No, it just it's just the uh the board board president I looked at it this afternoon is the board president is required to be on it. So >> that's the requirement, >> right? Right. Uh >> are we open to having a second? >> We could. Yeah. I mean more the marrier. We've got uh like I said we had Gerald for the last well ever since we established on it. >> How often do they meet? Uh right now we meet got to meet once in the uh once in the fall, once in the summer, and then once in the spring. >> So three times a year. >> Three times minimum. Right. >> Assuming goes, >> right? There's been four times. So >> So there's a requirement for the safety community four times
036a year. Three for three times, but could be four >> up to four times, >> right? >> Or more for if you need for scenes or >> um I'm absolutely all game on being there. because there's nothing more important than the safety of our students. I would love to have a second board member there as a backup, as a second set of ears, as an active participant. [clears throat] Is anyone on the board interested in filling that role? I am Rich. You got it. Rich. So Rich will be member of the committee on behalf of the board. Certainly I'll be there. Um and that way we are absolutely covered to have board representation at every meeting. Um and two sets of eyes, etc. Okay. All right. Um, the last thing I've got, guys, since this
037is kind of, I guess you could say my last official board meeting, uh, I want to thank the, uh, this board as well as the previous boards from the last 11 years, uh, for for the support that you have given not only me but, uh, our kids and our staff uh, throughout the years. Uh, you know, I think we've accomplished a lot of great things, a lot of building projects, uh, just a lot of good things has happened. uh went through a lot of hardships with COVID and different things, but we've come out better on the other side of it. Uh and a lot of that credit goes to you as as a board and also to our tremendous staff, the hardworking staff members that we have uh cuz they go to work every day
038and uh and and give it their very very best. So, just want to thank uh the board for their support. I want to thank the community for supporting the the school district uh during my 11 years. Uh, I've always said this is probably the best community support I've been at. Been at about four or five different schools in my 35 years. And when we go out and ask for the uh for help from the community, uh, it's always there. So, uh, so thank you for that. U, I am very confident that this district will continue to move forward under the new leadership of Dr. uh Cochran uh Curran, I'm sorry, Dr. Curran. Uh she has been in the district now a couple of days. I look forward to working with her moving forward. And I
039know she is going to lead us uh to great things. Uh one she's going to be a great leader. Two, we've got a great staff, got a great board, and we've got a great community. So, uh I just want to say thank you for for great 11 years. So first of all you're not going here this was super and uh there's a reason why we as a board I think made that happen because we we do value your thoughts and your help in the transition. Uh, I don't know about you all, but I thought it was as much work and time and energy it took to hire a new superintendent. It was actually kind of easy because of the work that you did. You know, the the the path you laid, it made it interesting
040and desirable for very high quality, high qualified candidates to want to be here. And uh because of that, I think we we're blessed with having our choice of some very very very good candidates. And I'll agree with you that uh we landed with a fantastic candidate and uh Dr. Cronin who's going to have big shoes to fill, but I think she's going to film quite well. Um this is not your retirement party. This is not your understand. >> We're going to get to that in June. >> I understand. But I didn't want to have this stage to say that. on record. We're all very very very blessed. >> Stability was easy to attract good talent. >> Yes. [clears throat] So, thank you. >> Well, I I've enjoyed getting to know uh Dr. and and I
041like I she's been here for two days. You'll be coming back a couple more times in the next couple of weeks getting to know the staff. And I'm very confident uh that she's going to do a lot of great things here. And and you know, it all starts with her teachers and her staff and support staff. They're the ones that makes makes this thing grow. And so, uh, so anyway, so thank you for that. >> Thank you, John. >> Do you have anything in close session? No. >> Does any board member have any close session items? >> Does that mean he doesn't put anything under radar anymore? Shut your radar screen off. No more shut. All right, Dad. The uh I'd argue that the the shortest never shortest means I've been a part of this
042district. Uh 36 minutes in. Uh we're going to go ahead and turn. Thank you. I