BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON BUDGET & TAX RATE, VOTE ON TASB MEMBERSHIP
The Brenham School Board will meet Monday to take public comments on the proposed budget and tax rate for the 2024-25 school year and potentially vote again on whether to remain with the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).
The meeting will open with a public hearing on the budget and tax rate, after which trustees will vote on adopting the budget and setting the rate.
The proposed budget, as listed on the Brenham ISD website, is $56,658,379, a reduction of 6.95 percent from the 2023-24 actual budget of $60,893,248.
The proposed tax rate presented on August 6th was $0.75 per $100 valuation, consisting of $0.67 for maintenance and operations (M&O) and $0.08 for interest and sinking (I&S). The rate would be a reduction from the current adopted rate of $0.7693 per $100, as it would cut the M&O portion by $0.0193 while keeping the I&S side the same.
Chief Financial Officer Darryl St. Clair said during the August 6th board meeting that the maximum M&O rate that can be adopted, based on Texas Education Agency (TEA) calculations, is $0.6669, but the proposed M&O rate was set at 67 cents in case of any fluctuations in those calculations. However, he did not anticipate any changes between then and the final rate adoption.
Also on Monday, the board will consider a membership renewal with TASB or a new membership with Texans for Excellence in Education (TEE). Last September, the board voted 5-2 to remain with TASB, with trustees Kyle Hafner and Archer Archer choosing the TASB-alternative group, TEE, which was created to represent school boards after some boards expressed dissatisfaction with TASB’s policies and guidelines.
TEE’s services include energy, fuel and purchasing co-ops; board management tools; accredited board training; guidance and assistance for school policy; legislative updates; insurance; human resources and cash management.
In other business, trustees will:
- Act on a monetary donation from Run for the Youth of Washington County, the organization that puts on the annual Blue Bell Fun Run.
- Vote on an amendment to the 2023-24 budget.
- Consider a board resolution providing for the defeasance and calling for the redemption certain currently outstanding obligations; directing that the board secretary, or his designee, effectuate the redemption of these obligations; authorizing the execution of an escrow agreement; and other matters in connection. Defeasance refers to setting aside funds to cover future debt.
- Act on a board resolution for an inclement weather day.
- Hold a public hearing regarding the proposed application for a high school equivalency program and to review the performance of the program proposed under the application. After the public hearing, the board will vote on an application to the TEA for the program to continue to be offered as part of Brenham ISD’s credit recovery program.
The board will meet Monday at 6 p.m. in rooms 111 and 113 at Brenham High School. The meeting will be livestreamed on Brenham ISD’s YouTube channel.