August 16, 2022 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2022-08-16
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 14:43 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting — August 16, 2022
Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript. They may contain errors or omissions. Please consult official board minutes for the definitive record.
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:01 PM by Board President Skeeter Hubert. A quorum was confirmed present. Board members noted in attendance: Theresa Wagon, Ray Sanders, Skeeter Hubert, Stacy Chase, Dale Inman, and Scott Lowry. (Mr. Williams was noted as absent.)
Invocation: Dale Inman
Pledges: Stacy Chase
Citizen Participation (Item 2)
Six speakers addressed the board:
1. Rachel Walker — Candidate for CISD Board Position 1; referenced a TSA statewide voter survey showing parents' top concerns are school safety, learning loss, and mental health programs. Urged the board to stay focused on these issues rather than "manufactured problems."
2. Erin Baker — Parent with children at McCullough and The Woodlands High School; holds a master's in education and 60 PhD hours in education policy. Thanked CISD educators and warned about "dog whistles of fascism," including hostility toward educators and book banning. Stated the majority of parents trust the district and educators.
3. Trent Smith — Reported that a male CISD employee at Geisinger Elementary has been dressing in women's clothing while working the car rider line. Expressed concern about the impact on children and asked the board to establish an employee dress code policy. Identified himself as a local pastor.
4. Diane Daniels — Raised concerns about Critical Race Theory (CRT) potentially being taught despite the board's prior statements that it is not. Referenced Houston ISD being sued over CRT. Also questioned whether students are being asked about vaccination status on extracurricular forms. Noted the district's TEA rating dropped from A to B.
5. Melissa Duncan — Criticized the board for being dismissive of public input, referencing a November 2021 board meeting quote. Argued the board remains "mostly always in unanimous agreement" with the superintendent regardless of public concerns. Expressed concerns about learning deficits, weak leadership, and teacher shortages.
6. Carrie Freemire — Speaking on behalf of the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) Conroe Local, thanked the board for its support and expressed appreciation for board members' time. Looked forward to another successful school year.
7. (Unnamed speaker, likely a regular attendee) — Thanked the board for the revised policies on instructional resources/materials (EFA) and library materials (EFB) that follow Texas Penal Code sections 43.21 and 43.24 (obscenity provisions). Asked several follow-up questions about the book challenge process, including: status of ~37 books brought up on May 18; whether the person filing a challenge would be part of the review process; whether challenged books would be publicly posted; and what the timeline for the review process would be.
Consent Agenda (Item 3)
Vote: Approved as presented — Unanimous (by show of hands)
No items were pulled for separate consideration.
Teaching and Learning (Item 4)
4A: 2022 Elementary, Middle, and High School Summer School Report
Presented by Assistant Superintendents Dr. Winkler, Dr. Medford, and Dr. Povich.
Key Highlights:
- Total students served: 5,945 across Pre-K through 12th grade
- Elementary: 3,052 students at 9 locations
- Intermediate/Junior High: 1,582 students at 7 locations
- High School: 1,311 students at College Park HS
- Elementary and middle school programs were expanded to full day for the first time
- Elementary participation was up ~450 students from the prior year
- High school credit recovery classes went down while initial credit classes went up — a positive trend
- 1,923 courses completed at the high school level; 513 initial credits earned; 98% credit earn rate
- Programs included: Passport to Learning, academic enrichment, Camp STAR (HB 4545), bilingual/ESL, Extended School Year (ESY) for special education, and enrichment programs (robotics, gifted/talented, band)
- A new gifted and talented pilot (Shark Week theme) drew strong interest
- Expenditures:
- Elementary: ~$2.7 million (federal funds — Title 1, ESSER, Title 3)
- Middle School: ~$1.1 million (ESSER 3)
- High School: ~$734,319 (primarily ESSER)
Summer school principals were individually recognized and invited to shake hands with board members.
Comparison to prior years: Enrollment was up overall; elementary was up ~450 students; high school was approximately the same; credit recovery trending down while accelerated credit trending up.
Facilities & Construction (Item 5)
5A: Acceptance of 2019 Lifecycle Construction Project
- Contractor: GTT Contractors (Conroe)
- Savings/allowances returned: $83,789.28
- Vote: Approved — Unanimous
5B: Acceptance of Washington High School Conversion Project
- Contractor: GTT General Contractors
- Savings returned: $132.00
- Vote: Approved — Unanimous (Motion: Inman; Second: Chase)
5C: Capital Improvements Update (Informational)
Safety & Security Project (2022 Bond):
- On schedule; work continues through end of calendar year
- Final installment expected to come to board in January for completion through next calendar year
Gladys Elementary Renovation:
- Ready for first day of school; long-lead equipment arriving and being installed over coming weekends; on schedule
Creighton Elementary Kitchen/Serving Line Expansion:
- Lunch served on first day of school (Wednesday); project wrapping up
New Moorhead Junior High:
- On schedule for August 2023 opening
- Main building nearing dry-in stage; HVAC systems being started
Conroe High School Major Renovation:
- CTE building and new gym/locker room/athletic facilities nearing completion
- Athletic field opened for football practice in August
- Two facilities needed for classroom swap expected mid-spring semester
- Project on schedule through calendar year 2025
- Front entrance remains on Hwy 105/West Davis; address change to Wilson Road side will come in a later phase
Oak Ridge High School Overhaul & South County CTE Building:
- New administration area progressing; relocation planned during winter break
- CTE wing structural steel under construction
- On schedule for August 2023 completion
Hines Elementary (New):
- On schedule for August 2023 opening
- First roof deck concrete pour expected this week
New Maintenance & Child Nutrition Facility:
- On schedule; expected turnover summer 2023
- Will combine maintenance, child nutrition, and custodial operations
Caney Creek High School Upgrades (now 6A campus):
- Athletic training rooms turned over for fall sports
- Locker rooms/showers in progress
- New front entry: glass frames expected early September; turnover expected mid-fall semester
- Temporary entrance in place (functioning well but not ideal)
- Project completion: summer 2023
Collins Intermediate Gym Addition:
- Building slab complete; steel delivery expected in coming weeks
- Target: gym open for use when students return from winter break (January)
- Lifecycle elements in main building to continue evenings/weekends; full completion August 2023
Purchasing & Insurance (Item 6)
6A: Property, Boiler & Machinery, Crime, and Active Shooter/Malicious Acts Insurance
- Awarded to Soles Insurance
- Annual premium: $3,000,142 (exact figure per transcript)
- Effective September 1, 2022 – September 21, 2023, with option to renew annually for 4 additional years
- Premium increased ~10% from prior year (partly due to adding Gordon Reed Elementary)
- No new coverage added beyond prior year
- Two proposals received; analysis by McGriff Seibels & Williams
- Vote: Approved — Unanimous
6B: Kitchen Supplies/Small Equipment (RFP 220601)
- Awarded to: Atex Restaurant Supply, Econopack LLC, Commercial Kitchens, and Samtel and Sun Inc.
- Estimated annual expenditure: ~$200,000
- Pricing firm for one year with two additional one-year renewal terms (through August 31, 2025)
- Five vendors responded
- Vote: Approved — Unanimous
6C: Kitchen Large Equipment (RFP 220602)
- Awarded to: Pueblo Hotel Supply, Atex Restaurant Supply, Commercial Kitchens, and Smart Restaurant Supply
- Estimated annual expenditure: ~$750,000
- Same renewal terms as small equipment
- Six vendors responded
- Vote: Approved — Unanimous
6D: Refrigerated Trailer (RFP 220603)
- Awarded to: Polar King
- Estimated expenditure: ~$80,000
- 25-foot bumper-pull refrigerated trailer (refrigeration only, no freezer)
- New addition (not replacement) — eliminates need to rent trailers when campus refrigeration fails
- One vendor responded; pricing firm for 90 days
- Vote: Approved — Unanimous
6E: Item Pulled
- Dr. Knoll requested this item be pulled; deferred to a future meeting.
- No details on the item's subject were provided in the transcript.
Public Hearing: 2022-2023 Budget and Tax Rate (Item 7)
Budget Presentation by Mr. Rice (Chief Financial Officer)
Financial Highlights:
- Superior (perfect score) on state Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) for FY ending 8/31/21
- Clean audit from Weaver
- One of only two ISDs to receive 5-star Texas Smart Schools rating for all 12 years of the program
- 13 consecutive years of state transparency awards (finance, debt, purchasing)
Enrollment & Attendance:
- Budgeted enrollment: 69,515 (up 1,750 from prior year)
- As of meeting day: 69,612 students — up 3,000 from same date prior year
- ADA rate: 94%
Property Values:
- Certified values grew 20.92% ($9 billion increase) to $52.1 billion total
- Critical note: Growth in property values provides no net new revenue to the general fund due to state funding formula (state reduces funding dollar-for-dollar as local revenue increases)
Proposed Tax Rate: $1.1146 per $100 valuation
- M&O: $0.8546 (calculated by TEA)
- Debt Service: $0.26
- Decrease of 6.14 cents from prior year
- 16.54 cent decrease since 2018-2019
- Second lowest total tax rate in the greater Houston area
Revenue Projections:
- Local revenue increase from property values: +$50.6M
- State funding decrease (dollar-for-dollar offset): -$50.6M
- State funding increase from student growth: +$29.01M
- Interest revenue increase: +$2.5M
- Teacher Incentive Allotment (new): +$2.2M
- Total estimated new available funding: $33.71M
Expenditure Increases:
- General pay increase: $13M (teachers: $1,500/2.4%; all others: 2%)
- Additional personnel (195 positions): $13.45M
- Substitute pay/stipend increases: $620K
- Teacher Incentive Allotment: $2.1M
- Employee retention stipend shifted from general fund to ESSER ($500 fall, $1,000 spring)
- Utilities increase: $2M
- Fuel increase: $1M
- Other expenses: $1.54M
- Total expenditure increase: $23.71M
Proposed Budget:
- Total revenue: $619,827,991
- Total expenditures: $619,827,991
- Balanced budget — 3.98% increase over prior year
- Payroll: 89.31% of budget
Starting teacher salary: $60,000
- Adjustments for years 1-6: additional $300
- Hourly minimum raised to $13/hour
Staffing Changes:
- Pre-K student-teacher ratio reduced from 22:1 to 19:1 ($1M cost)
- Grades 5-6 ratio reduced from 22.6:1 to 25:1 ($600K cost)
- 195 new positions: 163 teachers, 31 paraprofessionals
Fund Balance:
- Projected unassigned fund balance (8/31/22): $178.5M
- Target (25%): $155M
- Available above target: $23.5M — proposed for future land purchases
Public Comment on Budget: One commenter (April Kersey) asked process questions about the TASB salary study — confirmed the board sets parameters and makes all compensation decisions; TASB provides market data and analysis but makes no decisions.
Financial Actions (Item 8)
8A: Defeasance of Series 2014 Bonds
- Pay off $3.485 million of Series 2014 bonds, 16 years early
- Estimated savings: $2.63 million in debt service
- Since 2012, the district's debt management program has generated over $163 million in interest cost savings
- Financial advisor: John Roebuck, BOKF
- Vote: Approved — Unanimous
8B: Adoption of 2022-2023 Official School Budget
- As presented in workshops, public hearings, and recommended by District Level Planning & Decision Making Committee (which voted unanimously to recommend)
- Vote: Approved — Unanimous
8C: Adoption of 2022 Tax Rate — $1.1146
⚠️ Significant Board Discussion/Debate:
Dale Inman raised concerns about the tax rate, arguing that with $154 million in savings and taxpayers struggling with 8.5% inflation, the board should consider using some fund balance to lower the tax rate. He suggested potentially reducing the fund balance target from 25% to 20-22.5% to offset some portion of the tax burden.
Key points of debate:
- Mr. Inman argued taxpayers are dipping into their own savings to pay bills; the district should consider doing the same. He emphasized he was not suggesting eliminating the entire fund balance, just reducing it by ~$24 million.
- Dr. Knoll explained that adopting the no-new-revenue rate ($0.9967) would forfeit approximately $154 million due to state funding formula penalties. Even a 3-cent reduction would result in ~$24 million deficit ($15M less local + $9-10M lost state funding).
- Mr. Inman noted the district would still have ~$130 million remaining even after using $24 million.
- Multiple board members pushed back:
- Deficit budgets are not sustainable and would require a tax increase the following year
- The fund balance serves as emergency reserves (e.g., hurricanes)
- Land purchases from cash avoid millions in future debt financing
- The district has never adopted a deficit budget
- The budget had already been voted on; changing the tax rate at this point would create an unfunded deficit
- One board member stated it was "unacceptable" to raise this issue at the last minute rather than during the multiple budget workshops held throughout the year
- Mr. Inman clarified he believes all board members are looking out for taxpayers but have different perspectives on what that looks like
Required statutory language in the motion: "I believe that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of $1.1146 per $100 which is effectively a 15.30% increase in the tax rate." (Mr. Rice noted this state-required language is confusing since the actual tax rate is a 6.14-cent decrease.)
Vote: Approved — Majority (by show of hands)
- Mr. Inman appeared to be the sole dissenting vote based on the discussion, though exact vote count was not stated in the transcript.
8D: Financial Reports (Informational)
Presented by Ms. Garza:
- General Fund: YTD revenue $527M; expenditures $462.3M
- Debt Service: Expenditures $82.1M (second debt payment of $30M processed day prior)
- Child Nutrition: Revenue $33.6M; expenditures $23.3M
- Self-Funded Insurance: Revenue $49.6M; expenditures $52.8M (running ~$2M deficit for the year as anticipated due to post-COVID elective surgery spike; July had a slight surplus of $36K)
- 2019 Bond Referendum: $443M expended/encumbered; $206.8M remaining; all bonds sold at $653.5M
- Investments: Par value $708M+; combined portfolio yield 1.61%; 90-day T-bill at 2.3%
Executive Session & Board Hearing (Item 9)
Policy FNG — Student Rights & Responsibilities, Level 3 Hearing
The board convened in closed/executive session at 7:52 PM under Texas Government Code sections 551.071 (attorney consultation), 551.074, and 551.0821 (student information) to hear a complaint appeal by "Mr./Mrs. L."
Complaint was against: CISD, Dr. Curtis Knoll, each board member, former Coordinator of Counseling Denise Sapola, Burnham Woods Elementary staff, and unknown PE teaching staff/contractors.
Board reconvened in open session at 9:47 PM.
Board Member Scott Lowry made a public statement:
- Thanked the complainant for bringing the issue to the board's attention
- Acknowledged that changes underway "would not have happened" without the complaint being filed
- Expressed that the family's son is doing better
- Noted the situation is "a work in progress" with additional changes planned
- Stated many of the Level 2 issues are being addressed or have been addressed
Vote: Motion to uphold Level 2 decision — Approved unanimously
Written notice of the decision will be sent to the family.
Items Not Presented
- Item 6E: Pulled at Dr. Knoll's request; deferred to a future meeting (no details provided)
- Items 10-11: Not referenced in transcript (may not have existed on agenda or were addressed in executive session)
Adjournment (Item 12)
Motion to adjourn was made and carried. Meeting adjourned following the executive session/hearing.
These notes are unofficial and based on an auto-generated transcript. They are intended to help the public understand what occurred at the meeting. For official records, please consult the approved board minutes available from Conroe ISD.