The Littlefield Independent School District Board of Trustees met in Regular Session on Monday, August 11th in the Board Room of the Jerry Blakely Administration Building.
The meeting was called to order by Board President Reese Rogers and the invocation was given by Will Williams.
There was nobody present for the public comment portion of the meeting and the minutes from the previous meeting were approved by General Consent.
Lesa Kloiber was present to present some more information on the report she gave in July.
“I’m going to give you an update on values and mainly that has happened with the new legislation on increased homestead exemptions,” Kloiber said. “Improvements in houses were up $12 million, personal property and merrils were up $17 million from last year, ag was up about $1.4 million, but with the new homestead exemptions it took off $21 million. I assume that is going to be made up by the state.”
She added, “We have had a lot of homestead exemptions coming in. It’s just something more people are aware of, so we’ve had people coming in daily to apply, and they can go back two years if they haven’t come in. You had $9 million in new exemptions of people who have come in and applied.”
Rachel Moreno gave an update on how registration went last week, saying, “Our district-wide registration saw almost 1,100 kids pre-register. With that being said, it looks like our enrollment is going to be up. We did see an increase in pre-k enrollment, we had 88 4-year olds, we had about 35 3year olds, and then our numbers in second grade went up and our junior high and high school have also increased.”
Bryan Gregory gave the board a brief update on the facility projects going on, saying, “The new Junior High continues to progress, they still think the remodel side will be done by August 20th and the new part will be done by the end of September. They are progressing, every day you go in there you see some- thing new. The Carpet Gym looks great, getting that carpet up was an ordeal, but we’ve got two pickelball courts in there.”
He added, “The Auto Mechanics conversion in our Ag Barn is going well, we’re going to take it ride up to the edge. It’s about 90percent skinned, the classroom is about 95-percent complete. We put new lights in the shop area, we’re going to make it, but it’s going to be really close. The press box is going to come down to the wire as well, but it is going to be really nice. It’s probably 80-percent done, they began putting the inside walls up and they picked up the carpet as well.”
Item five on the agenda was to deliberate and take possible action to designate Lesa Kloiber to calculate the No New Revenue and Voter Tax Rates.
“By law we are required to designate a person to calculate our no new revenue and voter tax rates,” Superintendent Mitch McNeese said. “I recommend that we approve Mrs. Kloiber.”
The motion was made by Garry Ozbirn and seconded by Williams to designate Lesa Kloiber to calculate the No New Revenue and Voter Tax Rates. The motion carried.
The next order of business was to discuss Proposed Tax Rate for the 2025-2026 School Year.
“I will be recommending this at the August 29th Board Meeting when we adopt a maximum MNO tax rate allowed by tax compression legislation of .6787 debt service rate of $.45 for a total of $1.1287,” Supt. McNeese said.
Destiny Chavarria added, “So, the maximum proposed rate is staying the same from last year. The one that we’re changing is the interest and sinking, which is our bond payment that we tax our tax payers on. Before it was at $.50, our proposal is to drop it down to $.45, which is what we will approve at the end of the month. With new legislation, the state is basically saying that they only want us to tax enough to make our required bond payment for the year. If you’re collecting more than you need, they’re not giving you all of the money that they recovered from the state. This is good for our tax payers as well. In order to get the most that we can from the state, it was dropping that rate to $.45. Bond payments change each year, so we review it each year. Based on current law that’s why we are recommending the $.45.”
No Action was necessary. The next item on the agenda was deliberation and possible action to approve Fuel Bid.
This item was tabled until the next meeting.
Item eight on the agenda was to deliberate and take possible action to approve Milk Bid.
“I recommend that we approve the Milk Bid from Food King #8, no other bids came in, and the bid did not change from last year,” Supt. McNeese said.
The motion made by Sal Acevedo and seconded by Johnny Castillo to approve the Milk Bid submitted by Food King #8. The motion carried.
The next item on the agenda was to deliberate and possible approval of Teacher Appraisal Calendar.
“This is pretty straight forward, the State sets out dates that you have to leave out from the time you give teachers orientation that you can’t observe them,” Assistant Superintendent, Amber Hays said. “It has to be so may days off of that orientation and so many days off of the end of the year, so that you can get all of your submitives in. That is what these dates are, are that teachers can be observed.”
Supt. McNeese stated that the window will open on Sept. 10th and it will close on April 16th, and then they have to have all of the submitive conferences by April 29th.
The motion was made by Castillo seconded by Shawna Hastings to approve the Teacher Appraisal Calendar as presented. The motion carried.
The next order of business was to discuss the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 school year.
Chavarria gave the Board a rundown of the proposed budget, stating that they will be adopting a balanced budget for 2025-2026 school year on August 29th.
No Action was necessary. Item 11 on the agenda was to deliberate and take possible action to approve Financial and Investment Review and Report.
Chavarria went over the Financial and Investment Review and Report with the Board.
The motion was made by Williams and seconded by Acevedo to approve the Financial and Investment Review and Report as presented. The motion carried.
The next order of business was Personnel Matters Including the Appointment, Employment, Evaluation, Reassignment, Duties, Discipline, Dismissal and/or Compensation of Individual District Empolyees. Pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.074 the Board went into executive session to discuss personnel at 7:24 p.m. and they returned to the open meeting at 7:54 p.m. a) Certified Personnel A motion was made by Ozbirn, seconded by Williams to approve the contracts for certified staff members Olivia Duran (PreK-3 Teacher); Andrea Lopez (Kindergarten Teacher), and Catherine Quezada (PreK Teacher). The motion carried. b) At-Will Personnel: Melissa MacDonald and Kortney Robles were hired.
A resignation was presented on Janet Gloyd.
Item 13 on the agenda was to deliberate and take possible action to approve Termination Agreement with Yellow House Wind.
The motion was made by Hastings and seconded by Acevedo to approve the Termination Agreement with Yellow House Wind, LLC. The motion carried.
The next item on the agenda was to deliberate and take possible action to approve Memorandum of Understanding with TCCC.
The motion was made by Castillo and seconded by Ozbirn to decline Memorandum of Understanding with TCCC. The motion carried.
The next order of business was to deliberate and take possible action to approve Memorandum of Understanding with Lamb County Health Center.
The motion was made by Acevedo and seconded by Hastings to decline Memorandum of Understanding with Lamb County Health Center. The motion carried.
Supt. McNeese provided the Board with Board Training Opportunities.
With there being no further business to discuss, Board President Rogers declared the meeting adjourned at 7:56 p.m.