BLINN REPRESENTATIVES SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF BILL GUARANTEEING B-CS REPRESENTATION ON BOARD
Several Blinn representatives have voiced their disapproval of a state house bill, which would guarantee Bryan-College Station representation on the Blinn Board of Trustees.
House Bill 645 is currently pending in the house’s Higher Education Committee, after being referred there Wednesday. The bill was filed by John Raney (R-College Station), and sponsored by Phil King (R-Weatherford) and Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park).
The bill removes the December 1st sunset provision, resulting in permanent representation of a district’s branch campus with a student enrollment of greater than 10,000.
The bill also removes the requirement that members need to be selected from an advisory committee. This would allow Brazos County to permanently host two members on Blinn’s board of trustees.
Speaking in front of the Higher Education Committee, and on behalf of the Blinn board, Blinn Board Chair Charles Moser asked that Blinn College “be treated in the same manner as virtually every other community college in the state of Texas”.
In this case, Moser said he means “governance by a board that has been elected by the voters of its taxing district”. He asked why a community in any college’s service area would consider joining the taxing district if board representation is awarded through legislative action, rather than voter approval.
Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Leighton Schubert said the total amount raised from property taxes in Washington County for the Blinn College District, based off its .06 percent tax rate, is a little under $2 million annually, about $66 per home.
According to Raney, the bill has the support of State Senator Charles Schwertner, Brazos County Judge Duane Peters, Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson, College Station Mayor Karl Mooney, and the Bryan and RELLIS Campus students.