Sunday's Internet Edition, July 20, 2008.
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| Eagle Spirit leaders.... The 2007-2008 “Spirit” leaders for the Van Horn Eagles are cheerleaders (L to R, Top row to Bottom row) Jenna Flores, Holly Hillin, Sherri Molina, Martika Corrales, Leilani Vejil, Marissa Balcazar, Jesus Corrales (mascot), and Hayley McCoy. Not pictured is Kimberly Pantoja. Cheerleader sponsor this year is Lorena Gonzalez. |
- Culberson County-Allamoore Independent School District trustees, in their meeting Tuesday morning, voted to propose a 13 cent tax hike on taxpayers.
The proposal, deemed necessary to provide the District with additional money to fund salary increases for staffers and to make much needed improvements to the district’s infrastructure.
During the discussion, Superintendent Anne Pemberton reported that “any tax rate in excess of $1.08771 will require a rollback election.” Pemberton went on to say, “As our property values go up, the money we receive from the state goes down. And, our ADA (average daily attendance) is also going down which reduces state money.”
Pemberton also noted, “Even though we put $192,000 in our fund balance last year and our undesignated fund balance now stands at some $2.2 million, we need $1.9 million to cover our operating expenses until the state money begins to come in.”
She went on to say, “As we look forward, all we see is shrinking revenues while our expenses are going up.”
Trustees Lisa Cottrell voiced some concern saying, “I don’t know how this will fly. There seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction and animosity towards to district right now.”
Following some considerable discussion, trustees voted to meet again on August 27th to discuss adopting the district’s 2007-2008 fiscal budget and a proposed tax rate.
Trustees also voted, on a 5 to 1 vote, to propose a tax rate of $1.21771. That rate breaks down as follows: Maintenance and Operation - $1.17; Interest and Sinking - .04771. The proposed tax rate, if voted on at the August 27th meeting, would then be placed before voters to decide the fate of the proposal.
Trustees voting for the proposed tax rate were Lupe Alvarado, Angie Gonzales, Joe Morales, Omar Ortega, and Andrea Ramirez. The dissenting vote came from trustee Lisa Cottrell.
Following that action, trustees voted unanimously to advertise to hire a business manager to replace Angelica Robledo who has moved to the San Antonio area. However, the action was not before trustees learned that Superintendent Anne Pemberton wants to keep paying Robledo her salary to perform duties from her home in San Antonio.
Pemberton told trustees, “It’s a win, win for the district and the best deal right now! We need her knowledge and expertise on a day to day basis right now as we’re finishing up the last school year, getting ready for the new one and finalizing our audit.”
Pemberton noted that the district will pay Robledo $223.62 a day for her services, or nearly $58,000 per year. Pemberton noted that the other option for the district is to hire some other contract person to do the job at from $100 an hour and up.
Trustees asked Pemberton to place the issue on the agenda for Monday’s August 20th session so they can decide just how long they want to pay Robledo to do this work. They also were told that the staff here had fixed a laptop, which Robledo took with her, so that she would have direct access to her computer here in Van Horn.
Trustees next received a report from the contractor on the school district’s bond project. The contractor, Lupe Alvarado of AAA Security Electric, reported that Phase I was complete and Phase II (roofing) was complete at the Elementary, Cafeteria and Junior High. He still has the high school and the field house to go.
Alvarado reported that since he has been on the project, nearly 75% of the available work days have been bad weather or other days where work could not be performed.
A representative from the district’s architect on the project was also present and he suggested that Alvarado continue as the contractor, but he also suggested that Alvarado hire a certified roofing contractor that would stand
behind his work and give the district the warranty required.
Trustees will take appropriate action at Monday’s meeting.
Before concluding discussion on the project, Alvarado told trustees, “I have done all I can to keep this contract cost at the $1.3 million price I bid. I bid this at my cost and am not making anything in an attempt to help the district. My only problem from the start was the first roofer I hired , who was certified, did not perform and
was using the wrong material, which I have had to eat.”
Before concluding the session, trustees heard a report concerning dual credits and local acceptance of the credit toward calculation of grade point averages.
In particular, the question was why would we want to use Odessa College, which charges students for courses, when El Paso Community College offers the same courses at no cost to the student.
Superintendent Pemberton reported that the Memorandum of Understanding the district approved in July was just to offer our students an alternative.
Trustees asked Pemberton to place this matter on the agenda for Monday’s meeting as well, at which time they will decide whether to continue with the MOU with Odessa College or not.