[00:00:03]
YES.[I. Call to Order]
CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT AND THAT NOTICE IF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS OPEN SPEEDING ACT.
THE TIME IS 9:33 AM UM, LET'S STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
MY PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY.
I JUSTICE FOR ALL THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD.
[III. Public Comment]
WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED WITH PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING.WE HAVE ONE PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE UNAWARE OR WOULD LIKE A REFRESHER, UM, AND, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA POSTED WITH THE NOTICE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
SHALL SIGN UP BEFORE THE MEETING BEGINS AS SPECIFIED IN THE BOARD'S PROCEDURES ON PUBLIC COMMENT, AND SHALL INDICATE THE AGENDA ITEM OR TOPIC ON WHICH THEY WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
UM, AND BASICALLY YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES IN ORDER TO TALK, UM, AT THE TWO MINUTE, AT THE ONE MINUTE MARK.
WHEN YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT, WE WILL BE GIVING YOU A WARNING SO THAT HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU NEED TO STOP TALKING, IT JUST SIMPLY MEANS THAT YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CALL OUT.
I HAVE A, HAVE A CHEAT SHEET HERE.
UH, OVER THE YEARS, UH, I'VE DONE A FAIR AMOUNT OF PUBLIC SPEAKING, BUT I HAVE DEMONSTRATED MYSELF OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UM, MY NAME'S JOHN HAVEN STRIKE, AND I HAVE LIVED IN TRAVIS COUNTY FOR, UH, 20 YEARS.
SIX OF THOSE I WAS A TRUSTEE ON THE EISD INS, ISD, UH, BOARD.
THREE OF THOSE SIX YEARS I WAS THE BOARD, UH, PRESIDENT.
IN THAT TIME, WE MANAGED COVID, UH, UH, SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND SOME VERY DIFFICULT COMMUNITY ISSUES.
AND LIKE YOU, WE WORKED HARD, UH, TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET, UH, PAY TEACHERS WHAT THEY DESERVE AND HELPED GREAT KIDS REACH THEIR POTENTIAL.
AND NOW I'M A CANDIDATE FOR THE TRAVIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
BUT EARLIER IN MY, EARLIER IN MY CAREER, I WAS A CERTIFIED TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR, AND I REPRESENTED SMALL ENTITIES, UH, AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND DEVELOPERS.
UH, LATER I WORKED AS A PARTNER IN URBAN PLANNING FIRM, AND WE HELPED CITIES AND COUNTIES AND DEVELOPERS PLAN AND BUILD, UH, PLAN AND BUILD, UH, PROJECTS, NEIGHBORHOODS, PARKS, ROADS, UH, AND BUSINESSES DESIGNED TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION.
UH, EACH OF THESE PHASES REQUIRED AND WAS DEPENDENT UPON, UH, RELIABLE AND TRANSPARENT APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
AND I WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES, UH, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH.
AND THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT ITSELF WERE, UH, WERE OPEN AND ACTIVE.
SOME OF YOU'LL RECALL THE TWENTY NINETEEN, TWENTY TWENTY DISPUTE BETWEEN TAD AND THE AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS.
AND THE IMPACT IT HAD ON OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BUDGETS, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTY, IT COST DEAN SOMETHING LIKE $750,000.
AND IN THE WAKE OF THAT FIASCO, IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY NEEDED SOMEONE ON THE TC AD BOARD THAT UNDERSTANDS THE VERY FRAGILE BUDGETS, UH, THAT WE, UH, THAT WE MANAGE, AND HOW INCIDENTS LIKE THAT IMPACT CLASSROOMS AND KIDS.
SO IN 2020, I RAN FOR THE TCA BOARD AND, UH, AND LOST BY BY SIX VOTES.
UH, THIS YEAR, THE WAY VOTES ARE DISTRIBUTED HAS IMPROVED THE CHANCES OF OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
AND I AGAIN, UH, HOPE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY OF SCHOOLS IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, OF OUR APPRAISAL DISTRICT PARTNERS.
GIVEN AD'S, UH, WEIGHTED ADVANTAGE, UH, SMALLER, UH, SMALLER DISTRICTS WILL NEED TO CLUSTER THEIR VOTES TOGETHER TO SECURE A REPRESENTATIVE VOTE.
AND I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS REGARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
[00:05:03]
OKAY.[IV.A. Discuss, Consider and Act on Selection of Representative Member for Board of Directors of the Travis Central Appraisal District Matthew Worthington]
NOW MOVE INTO ACTION ITEM, UM, DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND ACT ON A SELECTION OF A REPRESENTATIVE MEMBER FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT.I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A NOMINATION TO NOMINATE BIANCA ZAMORA GARCIA FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR TRAVIS COUNTY'S CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WE HAVE MORE NOMINATIONS.
WE DO THIS, LET'S DO THIS ONE.
RICHARD, CAN YOU HEAR US? I DON'T THINK HE CAN HEAR US.
WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS I Y'ALL CRACKED UP.
WHAT WERE, WHO WAS THE PERSON NOMINATED? WE'LL, WE'LL REPEAT IT FOR YOU, RICHARD.
THE NOMINATIONS FOR BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA.
UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, AND RE DOING SOME RESEARCH THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY NOMINATE AND VOTE ON MORE THAN SEND MORE THAN ONE NAME TO THE OKAY.
UH, TO THE APPRAISED TO THE, THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE'LL FINISH THIS ONE AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL GO THROUGH.
GOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR FOR BIANCA? FOR, YEAH.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE, I THINK THAT'S EIGHT.
I WOULD, I JUST WANTED SAY THAT, UH, BLANCA AND HER FAMILY LIVE IN DE VALLEY.
I THINK BLANCA LIVES IN YOUR AREA.
AND HER DAUGHTER LIVES, BIANCA LIVES IN MATT'S DISTRICT, BUT SHE'S ALSO, UH, A FORMER EDUCATOR AT AUSTIN, ISD.
AND SHE CONSULTS WITH THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, AND SHE'S A, A REAL ESTATE, UH, REALTOR.
SO I THINK WITH ALL OF THAT, COMBINED WITH HER YEARS EXPERIENCE ON CAD, REALLY WILL BRING THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT DELL VAL NEEDS AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR SUPPORT.
I HAVE, YES, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, ALSO NOM, I NOMINATE JOHN, HAVE HER SITE, HAVE A STRIKE AND MOVE THAT WE, UH, SEND TWO NAMES TO THE CAD WITH HIS EXPERIENCE IN APPRAISAL DISTRICTS URBAN PLANNING AND HIS INVOLVEMENT, UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGETS.
I THINK HE WOULD BE A, A, A, A VALUE OF US AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT ON THE CA ON THE APPRAISAL BOARD.
SO I MOVED TO NOMINATE HIM AND SEND TWO NAMES INTO DC.
CAN WE TRUSTEE CLARIFY THOUGH THAT IT, IT IS, WE CAN SEND MORE THAN ONE.
YES, BECAUSE I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION IT WAS ONLY ONE PER MUNICIPAL.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS, IF IT'S JUST THE ONE, WE ALREADY HAVE OUR ONE.
IF THERE IS TWO, LET'S SEE IF THERE IS A SECOND FOR THIS NOMINATION.
IF THERE IS, THEN WE CAN SUBMIT A SECOND ONE IF IT GOES THROUGH.
SO, UM, IT WAS EIGHT ZERO, SO IT PASSES THAT WE WILL, WE HAVE ALREADY NOMINATED.
THANK YOU JOHN FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
[V. Closed Session]
NOW WE WILL MOVE INTO, UM, CLOSED SESSION.LEMME PULL UP MY LITTLE BOARD.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION UNDER THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF THE, THE TEXAS OPENS MEETING ACT, TGC 5 51 0.071, CONSULTATION WITH SEARCH FIRM ATTORNEY TGC 5 51 0.071, AND TGC 5 51 0.074.
DISCUSSION ON MATTERS IS RELATED TO SUPERINTENDENT'S EMPLOYMENT, CONTRACT, AND DISCUSSION ON MATTERS RELATED TO SUPERINTENDENT'S TRANSITION AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
THE TIME IS 9:42 AM THANK YOU.
OKAY, WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION AT 10 0 3.
[VI. Approve Action Items Discussed in Closed Session]
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT OF DR.MATTHEW GUT GUTIERREZ, AS DISCUSSED IN CLOSE SESSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RICHARD, CAN YOU HEAR US
[00:10:02]
OKAY? JUST MAKING SURE.SO WE HAVE A, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
AND I DO JUST, I DO JUST WANNA SHARE ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE GIVE YOU YOUR, YOUR SHINE.
AND THAT IS THAT, UM, MATT WORTHINGTON, OUR VICE PRESIDENT, UM, REALLY DID WANNA BE HERE TODAY.
HE HAD AN UNEXPECTED FAMILY EMERGENCY, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HIS SUPPORT AS OKAY, GLORIA'S YOURS.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, UH, TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE AND, AND THOSE WHO I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT.
IT IS, UH, AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO HERE THIS MORNING AND TO BE APPOINTED AS NOT ONLY THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF DELL VALLEY, ISD, BUT THE FIRST LATINO SUPERINTENDENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE NOT JUST AS A ROLE MODEL, BUT A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AS I THINK ABOUT MY OWN UPBRINGING, I SEE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES BETWEEN WHAT CHALLENGES I ENDURED AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT, AND THE MANY CHALLENGES THAT OUR STUDENTS, UH, COME WITH.
AND AS I'VE SHARED BEFORE, I TEND TO STAY AWAY FROM THE WORD ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT DISADVANTAGED.
OUR STUDENTS HAVE SO MUCH POTENTIAL.
OUR STUDENTS ARE EDUCATION DEPENDENT.
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE EDUCATION THAT I RECEIVED.
AND THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THOSE 13 YEARS, I NEVER ONCE HAD AN EDUCATOR WHO LOOKED LIKE ME.
I ALSO HAD MANY OTHER CHALLENGES BECAUSE SOME EDUCATORS DID NOT BELIEVE IN ME.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN ME WERE THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO TO ME, UM, ARE ANOTHER REASON WHY I'M HERE.
MY GRANDMOTHER, GOD REST HER SOUL, MY, MY PARENTS GRANDPARENTS, EXTENDED FAMILY TRULY INVESTED IN ME AND HAD BELIEF AND HOPE IN ME, AND HAD DREAMS FOR ME.
AND A DREAM THAT I HAD AS I WROTE DOWN IN SEVENTH GRADE, WAS TO BECOME A SUPERINTENDENT.
I HAD MAPPED OUT A PLAN AND I HAD FOR COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT UNTIL MY MOM FOUND A BOX THAT MY GRANDMOTHER HAD KEPT WHERE I HAD WRITTEN OUT THAT PLAN AND WHAT I WAS GONNA DO.
AND AMAZINGLY, IT HAPPENED AS I VISITED CAMPUSES VERY FEW DURING THE COURSE OF THE PAST THREE WEEKS, I'VE BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT THE RESPONSE, ALTHOUGH BRIEF THAT KIDS HAVE HAD TOWARDS MEETING ME.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT GETTING TO KNOW OUR KIDS IN A MUCH STRONGER WAY.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL THE NINE BOARD MEMBERS FOR PUTTING YOUR FAITH AND YOUR TRUST IN ME.
IT IS A NEW DAY IN DEL VALLEY, ISD AND I CAN GUARANTEE AND PROMISE THAT EVERY DAY I AM GOING TO LEAD WITH LOVE.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I SAY, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
WHEN I LEAD, THAT MEANS THAT I'M GONNA PLACE MYSELF IN VERY UNCOMFORTABLE POSITIONS BECAUSE TOUGHS TOUGH DECISIONS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MADE FOR OUR KIDS BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE LEARNER UNDER 12, JUST UNDER 12,000, DESERVE THE ABSOLUTE BEST.
AND WHAT A PLACE WE ARE TODAY, A STRONG FOUNDATION IN A COMMUNITY THAT INVESTS HEAVILY IN THEIR STUDENTS, LOOK AT OUR FACILITIES.
AND SO I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I'M GOING TO BE THE FIERCEST ADVOCATE FOR EVERY SINGLE KID.
AND SO THANK YOU AGAIN FROM THE ABSOLUTE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR ENTRUSTING ME WITH THIS AMAZING DISTRICT.
AND THANK YOU TO THE TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE ALREADY DOING SO MUCH TO SUPPORT ME.
AND THANK YOU TO MY LOVED ONES FAMILY, FRIENDS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
MANY OF YOU BY SURPRISE, TO SUPPORT ME AS I EMBARK ON THIS NEW JOURNEY.
I AM TRULY BEST BLESSED, UM, BEYOND BELIEF.
WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU, UM, JOIN US AS WELL.
UM, I'M GONNA LET THE BOARD, AS THEY, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE WANNA HAVE, I DO TO, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS, SO I'M, I'M GONNA LET THE BOARD, I'M SURE SOME OF THEIR SENTIMENTS AS WELL.
[00:15:01]
I STARTED ON THE BOARD FOR SOME TIME, AND TODAY IS NOT ONLY AN INCREDIBLE DAY BECAUSE, UH, NOT ONLY 'CAUSE OF DR. GUTIERREZ, BUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE'S LEADING US AS A SUPERINTENDENT, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THE FACE OF THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS DISTRICT IS EVOLVING TO REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY.AND TO ME, THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT LIES AHEAD.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY WE MADE IT, FINALLY, WE'RE HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP, THE EXPERIENCE YOU BRING, AND THE HEART YOU HAVE FOR OUR KIDS.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS, FINISHING AT YOUR LAST DISTRICT AND AS YOU CAME HERE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR TENURE AND MAY IT BE LONG.
WELCOME, DR. GUTIERREZ AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
UH, WE ARE VERY PROUD AND, UH, FOR YOU TO BE HERE, I HAVE TO TELL THE, YOUR SUPPORTERS THERE AND OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT EVERYWHERE I'VE BEEN LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, OUR SCHOOL BOARD CONVENTION, OUR CENTRAL TEXAS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, I ALL I'VE HEARD IS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, UH, ACCOLADES FOR YOU AND HOW LUCKY WE ARE IN DELL VALLEY, THAT YOU ARE COMING, YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE NOW OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
AND, UH, LEANDER LOSS IS OUR GAIN, THAT'S FOR SURE.
SO WELCOME, WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.
AND, AND I'M GONNA, UM, GO AFTER THE, THESE THREE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AND WE'RE SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU, AND I'M EXCITED FOR OUR FAMILIES.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO, TO YOUR FAMILY FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU FOR THE DISTRICTS THAT YOU'VE BEEN WITH TO HELP YOU GAIN THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE NOW ARE BENEFITING FROM.
UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU, AND THANK YOU TO YOU PERSONALLY, BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT BE WHERE YOU ARE IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE DRIVE AND THE STRIVE TO DO THAT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE, WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
YOU'RE ONE OF OUR, YOUR PARTNER WITH US.
UM, YEAH, WE'LL JUST, WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE HOW IT GOES.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT AFTER THE LAST THREE WEEKS, THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL TAKE OUR DISTRICT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND AS Z STATED, I ALSO HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS AT, AT LASB AND AT THE TAS B TEXAS EDCON CONVENTION.
UH, I MEAN, IT JUST CEMENTED THE, THE FACT THAT WE, WE MADE A GOOD CHOICE, BUT S TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M EXCITED THAT YOU ARE HERE.
IT'S BEEN A LONG COMING, THE NEWEST BOARD MEMBER COMING AND, UM, SITTING UP HERE ON THE DAAS AND JUST SEEING THE THINGS THAT OUR DISTRICT IS GOING THROUGH AND THE GROWING PAINS, JUST TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY AND SOMEONE STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE THAT WE ALL SUPPORT UNANIMOUSLY, UNANIMOUSLY, I CAN'T EVEN GET THE WORD OUT RIGHT, HAS BEEN AWESOME.
AND I'M JUST EXCITED AND I'M READY FOR THE ROAD AHEAD.
I'M READY FOR DELL VALLEY'S FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING AS WELL THROUGH ALL THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND THEN ALSO THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US THESE PAST COUPLE WEEKS.
AND NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I'VE LEARNED THAT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO EDUCATE A, A STUDENT.
UM, YOUR VILLAGE IS HERE, IT'S EVIDENT.
WE HAVE A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO FOR DE VALLEY, AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR, UM, FOR ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN.
WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
UH, YOU ARE THE DEACON THAT'S GOING TO SHINE, UH, AND FOR OUR KIDS AND FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO DELL VALLEY.
WELL, WITH THAT, UM, I'M GONNA ASK IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE COMING UP AND TAKING YOUR SEAT RIGHT HERE, YOUR OFFICIAL SEAT, SEE IF IT'S COMFORTABLE ENOUGH FOR YOU.
SO, UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? OKAY, WELL THANK YOU AGAIN EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT THIS MORNING TO CELEBRATE WITH US, UM, ON THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, UM, ADJOURN THIS MEETING WITHOUT, THERE'S NO, OKAY.
BUT WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 10:13 AM THANK YOU.