SUPERINTENDENT’S CONTRACT RENEWED (IN FEBRUARY)

  

The news media was surprised to learn at last night’s (Thursday’s) Brenham School Board meeting that Superintendent Walter Jackson’s contract was renewed. The minutes of last month’s school board meeting showed that after their closed executive session to discuss Dr. Jackson’s contract and compensation, the board reconvened into open session and voted.  There was no agenda item listed for reopening into open session or for taking action on the Superintendents contract.  When asked about this issue, school board president Natalie Lange stated that the discussion was listed for closed session and that they wouldn’t know till after that if an open session would be needed.  The Texas Open Meeting Act requires that all votes be taken in open session, and that action can only be taken on items listed on the agenda.  According to the minutes of last month’s meeting Dr. Jackson’s contract was renewed for another year with a 4.69 percent increase in salary.

At last night’s meeting, the board went into executive session to discuss contracts for administrative personnel. The only item listed on the agenda after the executive session was adjournment.  The board reconvened into open session though, and voted to renew the administrative contracts “as presented in closed session”.  No names or positions were given for these contracts.  When asked what contracts were renewed, Superintendent Walter Jackson stated that it was not the district’s policy to release that information.