November 18, 2024 — Special Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2024-11-18
Special Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 17:36 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees – Special Meeting
November 18, 2024
Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors. They are intended to help the public understand what occurred during the meeting.
Meeting Called to Order
- Time: 4:03 PM
- Purpose: Canvas the November 5, 2024 trustee election results and swear in new trustees
- Per Texas Election Code Section 67.4, two members of a governmental body may serve as a quorum for canvassing purposes. A quorum was confirmed present.
Invocation and Pledges
- Invocation: Trustee Odenweller led the prayer, asking for wisdom, discernment, humility, healing, and unity in the community, with a focus on what is best for every student in the district.
- Pledges: Trustee Nelson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. and Texas flags.
Canvassing of Election Results
Trustees Odenweller and Nelson were appointed to canvas the election results, which were certified by Susie Harvey, Elections Administrator for Montgomery County. Both confirmed the results were in order.
Final Certified Results:
Trustee Position 4:
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| Datron Williams | 51,161 |
| Nicole May | 7,672 |
| Jameson Gentile | 7,117 |
Note: The transcript is unclear on the full results for Position 4; Nicole May was sworn in as the winner.
Trustee Position 5:
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| Christen Gardino | 23,038 |
| Josh Webb | 4,892 |
| Lindsay Dawson | 58,216 |
| Scott Busby | 22,198 |
| Stacy Chase | 48,346 |
Trustee Position 6:
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| Melissa Semler | 55,057 |
| (other candidates not clearly identified in transcript) | — |
Trustee Position 7:
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| Maryann Horton | 77,600 |
| John Robishow | 48,522 |
The board formally declared the results as canvassed to be the final results of the district's trustee election. Certificates of election were ordered to be issued to each new trustee.
Swearing-In Ceremony
State Representative Steve Toth administered the Statement of Elected Officer and Oath of Office to each new trustee.
Each trustee took two oaths:
1. Statement of Elected Officer – swearing they did not directly or indirectly pay, offer, or promise anything of value for votes (as required by the Texas Constitution)
2. Oath of Office – swearing to faithfully execute the duties of School Board Trustee for Conroe ISD and to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Texas
Trustees Sworn In (in order):
1. Nicole May – Position 4 (accompanied by husband Chris May and mother-in-law Kathy)
2. Lindsay Dawson – Position 5 (accompanied by father Gary Fitz, husband Michael Dawson, daughter Juliana Ruth, and son Jeremiah James)
3. Melissa Semler – Position 6 (accompanied by husband Chris Semler, son Dylan Semler, daughter Julie, mother Melanie Gman, and godmother Todd)
4. Maryann Horton – Position 7 (accompanied by daughter, son James, husband Kevin Horton, and parents Cindy and Jim Hudson)
Representative Toth was thanked for administering the oaths.
Recess
- A recess was taken at 4:24 PM for cake, refreshments, photos, and celebration.
Reconvening with Full Board
- Upon reconvening, all seven trustees were confirmed present, establishing a full quorum.
Public Comment
Five members of the public addressed the board:
1. Lorraine R. – Welcomed the four new and three returning board members. Praised the diverse experiences the new trustees bring and acknowledged the challenges they endured during the campaign. Committed to praying for safety, wisdom, and unity. Wished teachers and staff a happy Thanksgiving.
2. Tina Arahu – Expressed pride in all the new trustees. Praised returning trustees (Melissa, Misty, and Tiffany) for their perseverance and decorum. Expressed encouragement about the district's direction and thanked the trustees' families for their sacrifices. Noted that disagreements can be handled with respect.
3. Robert Leel – Expressed joy at the election results. Described the seven trustees as "intelligent, strong, God-fearing women" and "Mama bears protecting children." Cautioned that the election is "the starting line, not the finish line" and encouraged them to seek help from God and community supporters in difficult times ahead.
4. Carrie Freemer – Congratulated the newly elected trustees and urged them to set aside "fear-mongering politics" and "slanderous attacks" from the campaign. Called on the board to build trusting relationships with the community and uphold qualities of passion, dedication, wisdom, honesty, humility, and integrity. Emphasized the district's size (71 campuses, 10,000+ employees, ~74,000 students) and cultural diversity. Urged that the board position not be "an abuse of authority or misguided influence" but one of compassion, transparency, and love for all students.
5. [Name unclear from transcript] – Offered a prayer and sang a portion of "America the Beautiful" over the trustees. Referenced Nehemiah 1 and offered continued prayer support.
Executive Session
- The board entered executive session at 5:00 PM pursuant to Texas Government Code Sections 551.071 (consultation with attorney) and 551.074 (personnel matters).
- No action was taken in closed session.
- The board returned to open session at 5:38 PM.
Election of Board Officers
Per Board Policy BDAA (Local), the board is required after each election to elect officers. Officers serve two-year terms and may succeed themselves.
Trustee Semler moved to nominate the following slate of officers:
| Office | Trustee |
|---|---|
| President | Misty Odenweller |
| First Vice President | Tiffany Nelson |
| Second Vice President | Melissa Dungan |
| Secretary | Lindsay Dawson |
| Assistant Secretary | Maryann Horton |
Vote:
- Motion carried unanimously (by show of hands; no opposition noted)
The gavel was passed to newly elected Board President Misty Odenweller.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned at 5:39 PM.
Note regarding Position 4: The transcript audio was difficult to parse for this position. The vote totals listed may contain transcription errors. Nicole May was the candidate sworn in for Position 4.