Hays CISD Board of Trustees meeting highlights
Board reorganization
At its regular June meeting, the Board of Trustees reorganized following the May election where incumbents Marty Kanetzky and Board Vice President Merideth Keller were reelected as the District Five and District Four representatives, respectively. The vote for board president went to incumbent Willie Tenorio by a vote of 6-1 with Keller voting nay. Tenorio received the sole nomination for the post. The position of vice president went to Robert Limon, 7-0, with no other nominations offered. The two nominations for board secretary were for incumbent Shawn Bosar and Sandra Bryant. With a 4-3 vote, Bosar was removed from the position. Board members Holly Smith-Raymond, Tenorio, Sandra Bryant and Limon voted nay while Bosar, Kanetzky and Keller voted yay. Bryant was then elected 7-0. Limon addressed Tenorio, asking him to change the wording of the election script in the future to reflect what he said felt like he was voting for, not against a board member. “I’m not voting against anyone,” he said. “I am voting in favor of a nominee.”
District demographic report
A representative from Templeton Demographics, LLC presented statistical information from the recently completed demographic report. Housing trends continue upward in our area. The housing ranking report indicates Hays CISD ranks fourth in annual starts and closing in the surrounding 23 Austin area districts. New housing activity shows annualized starts are up 38.5 percent over the past twelve months. Projected student enrollment growth trends continue upward as well.
Bond refunding
Assistant Superintendent Carter Scherff presented the results of a recent bond refunding. He said the negotiated sale achieved a net present value savings of $7.1 million. Scherff said Hays CISD refunded $58.9 million in outstanding bonds in a tax exempt transaction.
New construction delivery method approved
In anticipation of building new schools in Hays CISD, the board approved the Contractor Managed Risk (CMR) delivery method for future projects. This method, according to Assistant Superintendent Carter Scherff, was used with success in previous construction efforts in the district. The CMR method was not used in the recently completed WELL Clinic at Simon Middle School; that was a competitive sealed bid method.
