Spend Spend Spend

When this wall fails the new athletic equipment approved in a late budget amendment during this board meeting is going to be under flood waters.

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May 8, 2023 ICISD School Board Meeting

Here is my analysis and audio for this meeting:

• Listen to this YouTube audio clip of clean up budget amendment discussion that accounts for $98,000+ in athletic equipment that has already been purchased, is not being used, and is being kept at the stadium where it is certain to be flooded in the next flood. This audio underscores the "Spend, Spend, Spend" mentality of unquestioning board members who have no limits on their desire to spend taxpayer money on athletics and not academics. Three things to note about this audio: 1. Athletic Director Jacob Conner is present during the discussion and does not have to justify these purchases OR justify why the money has already been spent above the budgeted $5,000 budget limit; 2. Superintendent DeSpain is entirely silent during the discussion and likewise offers no excuses, and 3. When CFO Robert Helms says he doesn't know what an item being purchased is, not a single board member cares enough to seek clarification from Conner or DeSpain. This board and superintendent will spend, spend, spend on athletics, without question, even when it wrecks the budget and takes money from the fund balance. This sort of approach to education is how our community ended up with an $18 million bond package that went over budget and no classrooms were built.

• The board approved new officers. Maegin Carlile is now President, Ricky Rey is VP, and Ashley Hill remains Secretary. Ms. Hill's maverick 2019 solo vote against the alternate gym location at 2nd and Juanita appears to have not paid dividends for her with leadership authority, as Rey, previously without any title, leap frogged over her to become the new VP.

• Tony Martinez, who has never appeared at a single board meeting in the 3+ years that I have regularly attended, was sworn in as a new board member.

• There were several instances during the meeting, including the hiring of Region 15 to conduct a superintendent search, where it was mentioned that Superintendent DeSpain was "leaving". One mention even included that he was going to Giddings. But, as of the time of the initial posting of this entry, May 10, there was no mention on the Giddings ISD website announcing DeSpain as its new superintendent. And, DeSpain himself did not offer up a resignation or announce his new post at Giddings. May 11 update: TASB has announced that Giddings "voted to hire" DeSpain on May 4, but there is still no press from the district on the hire.

• During Region 15's Laura Strube's presentation on the superintendent hiring process, it became clear the Board is light on experience. Of the seven board members, only Carlile, Hill and Rey were present when DeSpain was hired in 2019. Given it was announced that they needed to fill DeSpain's shoes in July, it seems likely they will seek an interim superintendent from Region 15.

• Former board president Vicente Flores attended the meeting, apparently as a private citizen, and did not speak during open forum. No one spoke during open session.

• More updates may be posted here...