Jun 24, 2025 Workshop

[00:00:01]

GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES WORKING MEETING.

[I. Call to Order and Determination of a Quorum]

IT IS 1:03. I DO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND DETERMINE IF THERE IS A QUORUM PRESENT.

AT THIS TIME, DOCTOR LOPEZ, IS THERE ANY ITEM NUMBER TWO, ANY PUBLIC FORUM CARDS, MRS. HOGAN? NONE THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

[III.A. Receive Proposition A: Citizens Steering Committee Recommendation Presentation ]

TODAY WE HAVE A WORKSHOP. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM OUR PROP CITIZENS STEERING COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.

THE BOARD MEMBERS ELECTED SOME INFLUENTIAL CITIZENS THROUGHOUT OUR TRI CITY AREA OF GARLAND, ROWLETT AND SACHSE. AND EACH OF THESE PEOPLE CAME WITH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT VIEWS, DIFFERENT IDEALS. AND THEY CAME TO LISTEN ABOUT THE STANCE OF THE DISTRICT OF WHERE WE ARE BUDGETARY.

HOW THE STATE FUNDS OUR SCHOOLS, AND WHAT ARE GOING TO BE OUR NEXT STEPS TO MAKE SURE OUR ENDS MEET FROM, FROM HERE ON AND IN THE FUTURE. THE CITIZEN COMMITTEE REALLY DID A GREAT JOB OF BEING EDUCATED, CREATING DIALOG, AND WE HAD A TOTAL OF TEN FULL TABLES OF THE MOST DIVERSE THINKERS YOU COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE.

WITHIN THAT, I WANT TO STRESS, AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE MAGIC THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU FROM TWO OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

BUT OUT OF THE TEN TABLES, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT WAS A UNANIMOUS TEN ZERO TABLE VOTE.

AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY LOOKED AT EVERYTHING THAT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE DISTRICT.

AND THEY WANT TO NOT ONLY INVEST IN WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY, BUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS STANDING BEHIND ME.

I JUST WANT THEM TO ALL STAND BECAUSE SOME OF THEM CAME TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE PRESENTING.

LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS GAVE UP A LOT OF THEIR TIME.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM 5:30 TO 8:30. THEY WOULD COME IN FOR THE PRESENTATIONS, THINK TANKS.

SOME OF THEM CAME IN ON EXTRA TIME TO VET PRESENTATIONS AND GIVE THEM GIVE US THEIR FEEDBACK.

AND THEN COURAGEOUSLY, A NUMBER OF THEM SAID, WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE FINAL PRESENTATION.

AND THEY ELECTED TWO SPOKESPEOPLE. THE TWO SPOKESPEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING TODAY ARE GOING TO BE TWO OF THE CITIZEN COMMITTEES.

BUT WE DO HAVE A TREAT FOR YOU BECAUSE WE ALSO HAD STUDENTS THAT WERE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE.

AND WE NEVER WANT TO FORGET THAT EVERYTHING WE DO IS REALLY CENTERED ON STUDENTS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH THEM, WHICH IS OUR TEACHERS, EVERYTHING, ALL THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING FROM HERE ON FOR THE FUTURE, IS BASED ON WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR, OUR KIDS TO PREPARE THEM FOR A BETTER TOMORROW.

BECAUSE WE DO SAY EDUCATION TRANSFORMS LIVES AND THE PEOPLE TRANSFORMING THOSE LIVES ARE THE TEACHERS IN FRONT OF THEM.

SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE TWO STUDENTS. ONE IS GOING TO START US OFF.

HIS NAME IS MESSIAH. HE'S AT NAAMAN FOREST AND HE'S SUCH A GREAT, GREAT KID.

AND AT THE CONCLUSION YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM EMMA, WHO IS A GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.

JUST GRADUATED THIS YEAR. SO WITH THAT, I INVITE MESSIAH TO PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM.

LET'S WELCOME MESSIAH. FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, PRESIDENT JOHNNY BEACH, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR LOPEZ FOR INVITING ME, NOT ONLY INVITING ME, BUT BLESSING ME WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND GIVE YOU ALL THE INSIGHT OF A STUDENT IN GARLAND ISD. SO I THOUGHT THAT SAID, AS DOCTOR LOPEZ SAID, MY NAME IS MESSIAH.

I GO TO NAAMAN FOREST AND I'M GOING TO BE A SENIOR IN THE CLASS OF 2026.

SO AT NAAMAN FOREST, I DO P-TECH PROGRAM AND I'M AN ATHLETE.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ME? NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO DEAL WITH BEING A STUDENT, BUT I ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH BEING THAT ATHLETE.

NOW, WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR ME IN THE FUTURE, AND HOW DOES THIS HELP ME IN MY LIFE? WELL, BEING IN THE P-TECH PROGRAM, WE FOCUS ON HVAC, AIR CONDITIONING, HVAC, ELECTRICAL, AND JUST ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR HANDS. NOW, GOING INTO THE PROGRAM, I ALWAYS KNEW THAT I WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE AND JUST DO SOMETHING THAT I CAN DO AROUND THE CITY FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THOUGHT WHAT COULD I DO? AND GARLAND OFFERED ME THE P-TECH PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHEN I FOUND OUT.

THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO DO. I LOVE TO DO THINGS WITH MY HANDS.

AND IT ALSO BROUGHT ME TO, LIKE MY COUNSELORS HAVE TAUGHT ME, WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS TO BE CALMER.

NOW, WHAT IS CALMER, YOU MAY ASK? IT'S COLLEGE CAREER, MILITARY READINESS.

NOW, WHAT DOES THAT DO? WELL, WHEN I GO OFF TO COLLEGE, AFTER TAKING ALL THOSE DUAL CREDIT CLASSES, ALL THOSE AP CLASSES? WELL, I'M GOING TO HAVE TWO YEARS UNDER MY BELT AND I'LL JUST BE GOING IN AS A JUNIOR AT A PRETTY YOUNG AGE IN A VERY

[00:05:06]

AND I KNOW A LOT OF Y'ALL LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, FOOTBALL? YES, I KNOW I'M PRETTY SHORT, BUT I'LL HAVE FUN DOING WHAT I DO.

AND NOW WHAT IS THIS? WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR ME IN MY LIFE? WHAT HAS SPORTS DONE FOR ME THAT I CAN TAKE ON JUST PAST PAST HIGH SCHOOL, PAST COLLEGE, INTO MY ADULTHOOD? WELL, SPORTS HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT OF LIFE LESSONS.

NOT ONLY THAT, YOUR TEAMMATES AND YOUR COACHES ARE LIKE, YOU HAVE A FAMILY.

IT TAKES LIKE, AS MY COACH, COACH PERALES HAS TAUGHT ME, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO BE JUST A FAMILY.

SO KNOWING EVERYONE THAT I PRACTICE WITH, WHO I PLAY WITH, THEY HAVE MY BACK.

I HAVE THEIR BACK, IT ALL. IT JUST BRINGS LIKE THAT SENSE OF CAMARADERIE.

AND THEN IT WAS THIS ALSO ONE TIME NO COACH, YOU KNOW, COACHES ARE GOING TO BE COACHES.

THEY'RE GOING TO COACH YOU. THEY'RE GOING TO TEACH YOU GRIT. THEY'RE GOING TO TEACH YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HARD WORKING, WHAT IT MEANS TO WAKE UP ON TIME, WHICH ALSO CAN BE TIED IN WITH BEING A COLLEGE STUDENT.

I HAVE TO WAKE UP ON TIME TO GET TO ALL THESE COLLEGE CLASSES, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO MY COLLEGE CLASSES START EARLIER THAN THOSE HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES, THEY START, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PRETTY FAST PACED.

I GOT TO BE UP THERE AND READY TO LEARN. SO THEY'VE TAUGHT ME HARD WORK, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ON TIME AND JUST HOW TO KEEP MYSELF MORE.

NOT. THEY WANTED ME TO BE SITUATED TO WHERE I WOULD BE BETTER OFF INSTEAD OF BEING WITH THAT WRONG CROWD.

THAT DOESN'T HELP ME IN THE LONG RUN. AND THEN FOR TRACK AND FIELD, IT WAS JUST A NEW EXPERIENCE THAT GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW LEARN NEW THINGS. BECAUSE AT FIRST I NEVER KNEW WHAT IT WAS.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WOULD LIKE IT. AND THAT'S WHEN THEY BROUGHT ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST TRY THIS OUT.

LET'S SEE IF YOU LIKE IT. AND NOT ONLY HAVE I DID PRETTY GOOD IN IT, I'VE BEEN DOING LIKE I'VE EXCELLED IN IT TO WHERE TWO COLLEGES HAVE BLESSED ME WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY FOR THEM AT THE NEXT LEVEL, WHICH IS I DON'T THINK I'D HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IF MY COACHES, OR JUST THE PEOPLE AROUND ME, DIDN'T BELIEVE IN ME TO WHERE I COULD TRY SOMETHING NEW AND EXCEL IN IT.

AND THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT OF THE STUDENT LIFE AT NAAMAN FOREST AND WITHOUT A FURTHERMORE, I LIKE TO PRESENT WHAT MY COMMITTEE HAS CAME UP WITH PROPOSITION A.

THANK YOU MESSIAH. GREAT JOB. THIS IS MY SECOND TIME HEARING HIM SPEAK, AND I'M IMPRESSED EVERY SINGLE TIME.

SO THIS IS WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE CAPABLE OF, Y'ALL.

THANKS AGAIN FOR SHARING YOUR STORY, MESSIAH. LET'S GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE, IF YOU CAN. YEAH.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD PRESIDENT BEACH TRUSTEES.

SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR LOPEZ. MY NAME IS YAO ASANTE.

RESIDENT OF GARLAND, TEXAS, AS WELL AS A FUTURE GARLAND ISD PARENT.

I HAVE TWO CHILDREN UNDER FIVE AND ONE MORE ON THE WAY THIS JULY.

SO I'VE DEDICATED THEM OVER A DECADE OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER TO EDUCATION POLICY AND ADVOCACY.

CURRENTLY, I WORK AS A SENIOR DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC GROWTH AND IMPACT FOR A NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION SPECIALIZING IN COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION.

BRIDGING THE TECHNOLOGY DIVIDE IN UNDER-RESOURCED NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE DFW METROPLEX.

QUICK STORY ABOUT HOW I CAME TO BE A RESIDENT AT IN GARLAND IN 2020.

MY WIFE AND I WERE LOOKING TO MOVE FROM BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS TO START OUR FAMILY.

MY WIFE HAS AN ADVANCED DEGREE IN EDUCATION POLICY FROM HARVARD, AND I HAVE MY MINDS FROM JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY.

AND THE DECISION TO MOVE TO GARLAND WAS ONE THAT WAS THOROUGH AND THOUGHT OUT.

AFTER MONTHS OF RESEARCHING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THIS REGION, WE FOUND GARLAND ISD AND IT MET THE CRITERIA.

EVEN IN THE MIDST OF COVID 19. THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, WE NOTICED THAT THIS DISTRICT WAS MEETING STRONG STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OUTCOMES WITH A DIVERSE POPULATION. LONG STORY SHORT, RESORT.

WE BOUGHT OUR HOUSE SIGHT UNSEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE TRUSTED THE VISION AND THE PRIORITIES OF THIS DISTRICT, AND WE STILL DO TODAY. NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY CO-PRESENTER HERE.

GOOD AFTERNOON. PRESIDENT BEACH. I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS.

SORRY. MY NAME IS AMANDA WENZEL, AND I'M A GARLAND, TEXAS RESIDENT.

[00:10:05]

BEFORE MOVING HERE, I HAVE A SIMILAR STORY TO Y'ALL.

MY HUSBAND AND I ACTUALLY WANTED TO BUY OUR FIRST HOUSE IN DALLAS.

AND AFTER RESEARCHING POSSIBLE SCHOOLS FOR OUR FUTURE CHILDREN, WE DECIDED THAT DALLAS WAS NOT THE PLACE FOR US.

SO WE EXPANDED OUR REACH, AND WE CAME ACROSS GARLAND ISD.

AND AFTER RESEARCHING THE SCHOOL CHOICE SYSTEM, THE HIGH SCHOOL RATINGS THAT YOU'LL HAVE, THE VARIETY OF LEARNING OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS HERE.

THAT'S WHAT DREW US TO THE DISTRICT. SO WE MOVED HERE IN 2018, AND I BECAME PREGNANT WITH MY FIRST DAUGHTER LATER THAT YEAR.

I HAD MY FIRST DAUGHTER IN 2019, AND WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY EVER SINCE.

I'M A COMMUNITY PTA MEMBER FOR MULTIPLE GARLAND ISD SCHOOLS INCLUDING BEING A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER AT HER FIRST ELEMENTARY'S PTA.

I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF THE GARLAND ISD COUNCIL OF PTAS, WHICH PROVIDES LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE TO ALL 64 OF OUR PTAS HERE IN THE DISTRICT.

I'M AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER. I JUST THIS LAST YEAR ALONE PROVIDED OVER 400 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE AT MY DAUGHTER'S CAMPUS. AND I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.

I SPEARHEADED THE GARLAND ISD'S APPEARANCE AT TEXAS PTA'S RALLY DAY IN AUSTIN AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND WE HAD OVER 2000 LIKE MINDED INDIVIDUALS COMING THERE FIGHTING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE FUTURE OF TEXAS STUDENTS.

AND THAT EXPERIENCE REALLY EMPOWERED ME TO COME BACK AND CONTINUE MY ADVOCACY WORK HERE AT HOME.

SO IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, A MOTHER, AN ADVOCATE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, A VOLUNTEER, I CARE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT GARLAND ISD AND ITS FUTURE AND ITS STUDENTS.

ALL RIGHT. AWESOME AMANDA. TRUSTEES, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PROP A CITIZEN STEERING COMMITTEE AND HAVE THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL UPDATES AND FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A LONG AND HEARTY PROCESS.

WE'LL DIVE INTO THIS AGENDA AND WALK YOU THROUGH THE STEERING COMMITTEE'S CHARTER.

FACTS AND IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE PRESENTED TO US ABOUT THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL OUTLOOK, CHALLENGES TO ITS PRIORITIES AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR COMMITTEE'S TASK TO DELIBERATE AND FIND CONSENSUS ON HOW TO BEST APPROACH SET CHALLENGES WHILE MAINTAINING THE DISTRICT'S PRIORITIES, AND FOR IT TO CONTINUE ITS PROGRESS TO CHAMPION THE SUCCESS OF ALL GARLAND ISD STUDENTS.

CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? IF I DON'T LIKE, KEEP DOING THAT.

OKAY, I'M PRETTY LOUD. SO FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE THIS WORK ISN'T ONLY ABOUT SCHOOLS, IT'S ABOUT FUTURES. AND IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS THE TOOLS TO SUCCEED WITH THEIR SUCCESS.

OUR COMMUNITIES OF GARLAND, ROWLETT AND SUCCESS STRENGTHEN AND FLOURISH.

WE CAME TOGETHER BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF COMMUNITY.

WE BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND WE BELIEVE THAT TO GIVE EVERY FUTURE GRADUATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND SORRY.

WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY. I'M SORRY. AND WE BELIEVE THAT TO GIVE EVERY FUTURE GRADUATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IS TO ENSURE OUR CITIES REMAIN VIBRANT, VIBRANT AND CONNECTED. ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE DOING GREAT.

SORRY. HERE YOU'LL SEE THE NAMES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND VOICES NOT HERE TODAY FROM THE TRI CITY COMMUNITIES. GARLAND, ROWLETT AND SACHSE, INCLUDING STUDENTS.

WE HEARD FROM BUSINESS OWNERS AND FOLKS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND AGE.

THE WORK DRIVEN BY THESE STAKEHOLDERS, FACILITATED BY A THIRD PARTY, HAD A PURPOSE AND A GOAL.

A GOAL TO ASSESS THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL NEED VERSUS ITS PRIORITIES AND ULTIMATELY PROPOSE A BEST CASE SCENARIO TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT'S NEEDS VIA A MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS BUDGET. ALL RIGHT.

SO LIKE I SAID, THIS PROCESS TOOK US A SPAN OF ABOUT THREE WEEKS OR MORE A MONTH, ALMOST.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THE DATES THERE. WE HAD THREE MEETINGS THAT WAS STRUCTURED TO BE TRANSPARENT, DATA DRIVEN AND INCLUSIVE. I CAN SHARE A LITTLE STORY ABOUT THE FOLKS AT MY TABLE.

I HAD PARENTS, I HAD TENURED AND FORMER PRINCIPALS AT MY TABLE.

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YOU COULD TRULY SEE WHAT THIS MEANT FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH.

AND I'LL TAKE THOSE STORIES WITH ME AS I CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS PROP.

AND SO JUST JUST A LITTLE TIDBIT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IN THAT MONTH.

AND IT WAS GREAT TO JUST SEE WHAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN DO WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED.

I'M GOING TO GO OVER MEETING ONE. AT OUR FIRST MEETING, WE SET THE FOUNDATION.

WE SET OUR PURPOSE AND ROLE AS A COMMITTEE. WE LEARNED KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOL FINANCE AND ABOUT BUDGETS AND THE TAX RATE OVERVIEW.

SO WE LEARNED A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT A LOT OF US WERE NOT REALLY PRIVY TO UNDERSTANDING BEFORE.

I WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION COMPACTED OVER OUR FIRST MEETING.

WE WERE GIVEN AN OVERVIEW AND BREAKDOWN OF THE DISTRICT STATISTICS.

THOUGH GARLAND ISD HAS SEEN A DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.

OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENT RATE HAS GONE FROM 48 TO 70%.

WHICH IS A HUGE INCREASE. THE DISTRICT HAS ALSO SEEN SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN SPECIALIZED EDUCATION PLANS, INCLUDING SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, ENGLISH LEARNERS AND AT RISK STUDENTS WHO NEED MORE RESEARCH NEED MORE RESOURCES THAN YOUR AVERAGE STUDENT.

IN ESSENCE, THOUGH, WE HAVE FEWER STUDENTS, WE HAVE A MUCH MORE VULNERABLE COMMUNITY.

AND DESPITE ALL OF THESE CHANGES IN DEMOGRAPHICS, GARLAND ISD HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE A B RATING, THE HIGHEST OF HIGH POVERTY DISTRICTS IN DALLAS COUNTY, AND THE DISTRICT HAS ALSO ACHIEVED A COLLEGE CAREER MILITARY READINESS SCORE OF 92.2.

SO GARLAND ISD IS DOING AMAZING, AMAZING THINGS DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING IN TODAY'S CLIMATE.

AND WE'VE ADDRESSED SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES AND THE DISTRICT TAX RATE.

WE'VE LEARNED THAT THOUGH MONEY RECEIVED FROM TAXPAYERS IS ONE OF SEVERAL SOURCES OF REVENUE USED TO OPERATE THE DISTRICT.

UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN HOME VALUES GO UP AND PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE MORE MONEY.

IN FACT, THE STATE REDUCES ITS SHARE OF FUNDING TO KEEP THE DISTRICT AT A SET FORMULA THAT IT USES FOR FUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE TAXPAYER IS PAYING MORE, THE LOCAL INCREASE REPLACES WHAT THE STATE USED TO CONTRIBUTE AND THE DISTRICT DOES NOT.

SORRY. THE DISTRICT DOES KEEP A FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS USED FOR CASH MANAGEMENT AND UNFORESEEN EXPENDITURES.

HOWEVER, THE DISTRICT ESTIMATES THAT ONLY ABOUT THREE MONTHS WORTH OF THE NECESSARY FUNDING REQUIRED TO FUNCTION WILL BE LEFT IN THE FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. AFTER A COMPACT BUT BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE SCHOOL FINANCE SYSTEM, LEARNING ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, BUDGETS VERSUS INTEREST AND SINKING BUDGETS, WE THEN DOVE INTO THE OBSTACLES AND REALITIES THAT GARLAND ISD IS FACING.

THOUGH THE VOTERS APPROVED THE 2023 BOND PACKAGE, THOSE FUNDS CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY OF THE OPERATION EXPENSES THE DISTRICT INCURS, SUCH AS STAFF SALARIES AND DAILY MAINTENANCE COSTS.

AND DESPITE COSTS RISING SIGNIFICANTLY. OUR DISTRICT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE SAME FUNDING LEVELS FROM THE STATE SINCE 2019.

GARLAND ISD IS ONE OF ONLY THREE DISTRICTS IN DFW THAT HAS NOT PASSED A VOTER APPROVED TAX RATE INCREASE FOR THEIR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS COSTS.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP THAT'S ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE HERE, YOU CAN SEE ALMOST ALL THE DISTRICTS IN OUR SURROUNDING AREA HAVE PASSED TAX RATE INCREASES TO STAY COMPETITIVE AND INVEST IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR GARLAND ISD, THE DISTRICT HAS USED OUR FUND BALANCE RESERVES FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS TO PROTECT TEACHER PAY AND STUDENT PROGRAMING.

AND WITHOUT ACTION AND NEW FUNDING SOLUTIONS, GARLAND ISD CANNOT SUSTAIN THIS CURRENT PATH.

SO ADVOCATING FOR THE RESOURCES STUDENTS AND STAFF DESERVE IS A NECESSARY NEXT STEP FOR OUR DISTRICT.

THE SECOND MEETING SHED LIGHT ON THE DISTRICT'S PRIORITIES WHILE STAYING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND ITS ESTIMATED FUNDING GAPS.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS REVIEWED AND INTERNALIZED THE COSTS FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF RETENTION AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, HIGH QUALITY STUDENT PROGRAMING AND SERVICES.

THESE ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT MAKE GISD UNIQUE, Y'ALL.

IT'S INCREASING OUR ACCESSIBILITY, AND IT'S CREATING AN EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS THAT'S NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH.

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MANDATES THAT ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED, SUCH AS OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, LEAVES THE DISTRICT WITH AN ESTIMATED $15.2 MILLION DOLLAR GAP TO FAIL.

SIMILARLY, THE PROJECTED COST AND GAP FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR OUR SCHOOLS WILL CREATE A $9.9 MILLION GAP.

I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT THAT THESE GAPS PROVIDED.

TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE RECENT HB2 PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING BILL AS WELL.

BUT STILL, OUR DISTRICT MOST LIKELY WILL HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL PUTTING PRESSURE ON ITS EXISTING BUDGET.

JUST A FUND BALANCE. MEETING NUMBER THREE ALLOWED THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO INTERNALIZE AGAIN WHAT'S AT STAKE. SOMETHING YOU WILL HEAR THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION.

WHAT'S AT STAKE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT ON TOP OF HB TWO? POTENTIALLY. IT MEANS EVERYTHING WE SAID WE VALUE SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, BETTER PROPERTY VALUES, ECONOMIC VITALITY, HIGH RIGOR AND QUALITY PROGRAMS, AND STRONG WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS ARE ALL IN REAL JEOPARDY.

THE COMMITTEE DELIBERATED AND EXPLORED MULTIPLE PROPOSITIONS.

RATE INCREASE OPTIONS, AND AFTER REVIEWING A COMMUNITY SURVEY DELIVERED EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE VOTED. DURING DELIBERATION, WE AGAIN CONSIDERED HOW TO KEEP GISD ATTRACTIVE TO STUDENTS AND FAMILY, TO EXPERIENCE TEACHERS AND STAFF, AS WELL AS STAY COMPETITIVE WITH NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, ARE SOME PROJECTED GAP LEAVES THE DISTRICT TO COVER ABOUT $46 MILLION, AND HB TWO AGAIN WOULD ONLY COVER ABOUT 17 MILLION OF SAID GAP. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MATT GAMBLE ON THE COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS, WHICH WAS ALSO PRESENTED TO OUR STEERING COMMITTEE.

WHY DON'T YOU ANNOUNCE ON THE MICROPHONE WHAT WAS JUST DISCUSSED IS HOW WE'RE PROCEEDING PLEASE.

OH, WE ARE GOING TO SKIP THE COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE TIME BEING, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THOSE AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.

THROUGH THE FACILITATOR EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER WAS MADE TO FEEL HEARD AND RESPECTED AND HAVE THE TIME NEEDED TO PROCESS THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED THROUGH CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION AND KEEPING THE FOCUS THROUGHOUT EACH STEP.

THE FACILITATOR PROVIDED A CLEAR STRUCTURE FOR HOW DECISIONS WOULD BE MADE, AND ENSURED THAT EVERY VOICE AT EVERY TABLE WAS HONORED, SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE A CLEAR CONSENSUS ON OUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD.

ORIGINALLY, THE GOAL WAS TO REACH AT LEAST AN 80% CONSISTENT CONSENSUS AFTER DELIBERATION.

HOWEVER, AFTER THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION AND REAL DELIBERATION, ALL TEN TABLES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION.

WE REACHED CONSENSUS UNANIMOUSLY AFTER THE FIRST VOTE.

THIS WAS A TRUE SENTIMENT OF THE NEEDS OUR CITIZEN COMMITTEE FELT OUR PARAMOUNT TO THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF GARLAND ISD.

SO NEXT, I'LL SPEAK TO OUR COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND FOR OUR GISD COMMUNITIES.

THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE OR PROTECTIONS FROM SET TAXATION.

SO THE PROP A CITIZENS STEERING COMMITTEE'S FINAL RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS BOARD IS TO SUPPORT AND PROPOSE A 12 PENNY M&O TAX INCREASE VIA THIS PROPOSITION.

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TAKING INTO ACCOUNT COMPRESSION, SIR. WHICH WOULD GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL APPROXIMATE $56 MILLION ANNUALLY.

AND I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT. EARLIER, I MENTIONED THAT THE TOTAL PROJECTED GAP FOR THE 20 2526 SCHOOL YEAR WOULD BE ABOUT AN ESTIMATED $46 MILLION. SO YOU DO THE MATH THERE. OKAY. I'M GOING TO PUT MY DOTS HAT ON AND TRY TO TACKLE THIS SLIDE. OKAY. SO WHEN PROPERTY TAXES OR PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE IT CAN COMPRESS THE TAX RATE.

SO THESE ARE SOME CLOSE ESTIMATES HERE. IN COMPARING THE CURRENT TAX RATE FOR A HOME WITH THIS YEAR'S $100,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, WITH NEXT YEAR'S PROBABLE EXEMPTION INCREASE, WHICH WILL BE AT $140,000.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS OR HOME VALUED AT $200,000.

SAY WE WERE TO ADOPT THIS 12 PENNY INCREASE WOULD BE A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT $200 LESS ON YOUR PROPERTY TAXES.

THIS IS FOR A HOMEOWNER WITH A HOME VALUED AGAIN AT $200,000.

NOW, AS YOU INCREASE IN VALUE EVERY $100,000, THERE'S MINIMAL INCREASE FOR HOMEOWNERS.

WHERE EVEN IF WE LOOK AT THE HOMES VALUED AT, LET'S SAY, $400,000, WITH THIS PROPOSITION, THEY WOULD SEE A $7 INCREASE AS A DIFFERENCE ANNUALLY.

JUST A QUICK FUN FACT. THE AVERAGE HOME IN GARLAND IS AROUND $350,000.

SO THIS TAX INCREASE WOULD NOT AFFECT HOMES VALUED AT $140,000 OR LESS.

THAT'S $0, IF YOUR HOME'S VALUE IS LESS THAN $140,000.

SENIORS AGES 65 AND OVER WILL NOT HAVE ANY TAX INCREASE WITH A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

AND THEN NOTE THAT THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION VALUE WILL BE AT PROBABLY AT 200 K POTENTIALLY PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TAX RELIEF FROM THE LEGISLATURE. SO AGAIN, THIS IS FOR HOMEOWNERS 65 AND OLDER.

YOU WILL NOT SEE AN INCREASE WITH THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

OUR CITIZEN STEERING COMMITTEE SUPPORTS THIS OPTION FOR CLEAR REASONS.

WE WANT GARLAND ISD TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING COMPETITIVE TEACHER AND STAFF PAY AND RETENTION, EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT PROGRAMING, QUALITY SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCES, AND TOP OF THE LINE.

SAFETY AND SECURITY. THIS PLAN CLOSES THE GAPS BETWEEN THE DISTRICT'S REVENUE AND ITS NEEDS TO GUARANTEE GUARANTEE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF ITS PROGRAMS. OUR COMMITTEE UNDERSTOOD WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR THE STUDENTS AND STAFF OF GARLAND ISD.

IF WE DO NOT TAKE ACTION, THIS DISTRICT HAS A HUGE JOB TO DO IN CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

BUT IT IS OUR JOB AS THE COMMUNITY TO HELP ENSURE OUR STUDENTS THRIVE SO OUR DISTRICT CAN THRIVE SO OUR COMMUNITY CAN THRIVE.

THE EDUCATION OF OUR FUTURE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHOULD BE OF IMPORTANCE TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WE MUST PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE AND THIS PLAN WILL HELP IN THAT ENDEAVOR.

THE VALUE OF THIS IS SIMPLE. TO SEE. AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE COMMUNITY AND ITS MEMBERS IS AN INVESTMENT IN OURSELVES.

AND BEFORE WE BREAK INTO QUESTIONS. OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT OUR STUDENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE THEM.

AND WHO BETTER TO REMIND US OF THAT THAN A FORMER GARLAND ISD STUDENT, EMMA GRAVES.

HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS EMMA GRAVES AND I'M A RECENT GRADUATE OF GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL.

MR. BEACH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR LOPEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY.

SO AS I SAID, I'M A RECENT GRADUATE, AND WHILE I WAS AT GARLAND, I PARTICIPATED IN LOTS OF AP PROGRAMS. SO AND NOW I HAVE AP CREDIT AND COLLEGE CREDIT FOR THESE PROGRAMS. AND SO WHILE THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, WHAT REALLY DRIVES ME IS MY CREATIVITY.

SO GARLAND ISD PROVIDES MANY OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR FINE ARTS PROGRAMS. AND AT GARLAND, I HAD LOTS OF CREATIVE OUTLETS THANKS TO THIS.

SO MY FIRST TWO YEARS I WAS INVOLVED IN IB ART, WHERE IT REALLY JUST GAVE ME THE PRIVILEGE OF CREATIVE FREEDOM,

[00:30:02]

JUDGE. AND WHILE THIS WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME, WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS DRILL TEAM AND THE IMPACT IT HAD ON ME.

SO MY FRESHMAN YEAR I WAS ON THE JV TEAM. THEN I WENT ON TO VARSITY MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, WHERE I THEN BECAME A JUNIOR LIEUTENANT AND FIRST LIEUTENANT. AND SO HAVING THIS LEADERSHIP POSITION AS AN OFFICER REALLY TAUGHT ME ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT, IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE LEARNED OTHERWISE. SO I LEARNED LEADERSHIP SKILLS, PUBLIC SPEAKING.

AND I REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH TEACHING. AND SO AS AN OFFICER, A LOT OF WHAT I WOULD DO WAS, YOU KNOW, BE A GENERAL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THE GIRLS HAVE LIKE IMPLEMENT A SENSE OF STRUCTURE FOR THEM AND OF COURSE, CHOREOGRAPH AND TEACH ROUTINES. SO NOW, BECAUSE OF THIS EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD IN GSD WITH THE FINE ARTS PROGRAMS, I'M GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS IN THE FALL, WHERE I'M STUDYING TO PURSUE IN A DEGREE IN EDUCATION TO HOPEFULLY ONE DAY BECOME A HISTORY TEACHER. AND I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM TODAY WITHOUT THESE PROGRAMS, AND I KNOW MANY STUDENTS SIMILAR TO ME, MY AGE AND YOUNGER FEEL EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.

AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD REALLY HATE TO SEE THESE PROGRAMS AND THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR KIDS DWINDLE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS.

THANK YOU.

WE'RE NOW GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? DOCTOR LOPEZ. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SET UP THE COMPUTER FOR THEM TO HEAR FROM MATT GAMBLE.

SO AS WE'RE SETTING UP SO AS WE'RE SETTING UP, COULD YOU PUT BACK THE SLIDE WHEREVER IT SHOWS THE IMPACT FOR HOMEOWNERS? I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AND CLARITY ON IT.

I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF EXPLAINING EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT IT WAS A QUICK VIEW OF WHAT THIS MEANS.

IF WE LOOK AT THIS, WE ARE FACTORING IN THE ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD AMOUNT, BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST A 100% GUARANTEE THAT THAT HOMESTEAD WILL PASS.

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A HOMESTEAD THAT DIDN'T PASS, AND THAT MEANS $140,000.

IT WILL BE FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD FOR THE EVERYDAY HOMEOWNER.

IF YOU'RE OVER 65, YOUR HOMESTEAD WILL BE AT 200.

SO THERE'S SOME CITIZENS THAT HAVE HAD THEIR, THEIR HOUSE CAPPED FOR DECADES.

AND WHILE THEIR HOUSE MIGHT BE VALUED OVER THAT, THE THE TAXABLE AMOUNT IS ABOUT 200,000.

AND THAT WOULD JUST KIND OF GO ELIMINATE THAT.

CAN WE PUSH THAT BACK UP? SCOTT I WAS I WAS GOING OVER THAT PLEASE.

THANK YOU. BEFORE WE LOG HIM IN OKAY. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS WE USE THAT $400,000 MARK.

IF WE LOOKED AT THE ANNUAL, HE SAID THE ANNUAL DIFFERENCE IS WHAT Y'ALL BROUGHT UP, AND THAT'S $7 A YEAR COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE.

AND THE REASON WHY IT'S SO MINIMAL IS GOING TO BE BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL 40,000 IN HOMESTEAD AND COMPRESSION.

SO THAT FOR THE $400,000 MARK, WHICH IS ABOVE THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD FOR GARLAND, THAT'S $0.58 A MONTH. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON THESE TYPE OF TAX, TAXABLE VOTES IS NOT GOING TO BE LIKE A HUGE AMOUNT TO THAT THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER. AND IT WILL BRING IN ABOUT $56 MILLION.

SO I WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. NOW WITH THAT, AS WE'RE DOING A PRELUDE, A SURVEY WENT OUT.

IT WASN'T ONLY JUST THE COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE WAS ONE PART OF OUR TRIANGULATION.

THE SECOND PART WAS A SURVEY THAT WENT OUT TO CITIZENS, AND NOW WE CAN GO AHEAD AND SET THAT UP WHERE HE CAN WALK US THROUGH THE SURVEY RESULTS.

SIR. MR. BEACH. MR. GLICK. YEAH. JUST ONE THING I WANT TO ADD.

THE $200,000 EXEMPTION HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, IF IT DOES PASS, WILL ALSO BE APPLIED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED AND REGARDLESS OF AGE. SO THAT'S REALLY VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW.

THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

[00:35:11]

OH, I HEARD THAT. HERE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? HEAR ME? MATT! HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? MATT? YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES WE CAN.

OKAY. OKAY. WE'RE GOOD. OKAY. TURN BACK. OKAY.

OKAY. WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING THEM. WE CAN'T HEAR HIM HERE.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GET STARTED. WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, MAN.

OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? NO. OKAY. MY MIC IS WORKING, SO.

CAN Y'ALL NOT HEAR ME? COMING OVER THE SPEAKERS IN OUR BOARDROOM.

OKAY. CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? HERE WE GO. YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. MATT. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF THEM, AND WE CAN SEE YOUR SCREEN.

OKAY. WONDERFUL. YOU READY TO GET GOING? LOST YOU AGAIN? YES. LET'S TRY. AND THEN WE'LL STOP IF WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.

OKAY. SO WE INTERVIEWED 300 VOTERS, AND THE DISTRICT, THE MARGIN OF ERROR TO THE SAMPLE SIZE IS 5.7%.

WE ALSO DID AN OVERSAMPLE OF STAFF. WE DO THAT BECAUSE NATURALLY, YOU ONLY FIND YOU KNOW, 3% OR SO OF THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO BE STAFF.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ENOUGH INTERVIEWS AMONG STAFF TO LOOK AT THEIR OPINIONS.

SO THE MARGIN OF ERROR TO THAT IS 9.8%. THE WAY THAT WE SAID ABOUT THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND THE INTERVIEWING IS WE KIND OF HAD THIS, THIS ORDER OF QUESTIONS. WE FIRST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE TALKING TO A VOTER IN THE DISTRICT.

AND THEN WHAT? WE STARTED OFF THE SURVEY BY ASKING WHAT WE CALL THE INITIAL BALLOTS.

WE SOMETIMES CALL THOSE THE UNINFORMED BALLOTS, AND THAT'S JUST RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE ASKING IF AN ELECTION WERE TODAY.

HOW WOULD YOU VOTE ON THESE PROPOSALS? AND WE ASKED THE QUESTION IN A WAY THAT MIMICS THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.

ANYTHING THAT'S NOT PRINTED ON THE BALLOT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE INFORMATION THAT THE VOTER RECEIVES FROM THE OTHER SOURCES.

RIGHT. SO THE INITIAL BALLOT JUST LETS US KNOW HOW THEY REACT TO THE PRINTED BALLOT LANGUAGE.

SO WE KNOW A STARTING POINT. WE HAD A COUPLE GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DISTRICT, BUT MOST OF THE QUESTIONS IN THE SURVEY WERE DEDICATED TOWARDS EXPLAINING THE PROPOSAL AND WHY THESE WHY EVADER WOULD BE NEEDED.

AND IN MANY WAYS, THIS THIS KIND OF MODELS WHAT HAPPENS IN A CAMPAIGN WHERE YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO CALL THE ELECTION AND THAT THAT'S KIND OF THE STARTING POINT OF PEOPLE'S OPINIONS, WHICH WE ASSESS WITH THIS INITIAL BALLOT.

AND THEN PEOPLE HEAR INFORMATION THROUGH THE COURSE OF A CAMPAIGN.

AND THESE PIECES OF INFORMATION WERE TESTED ONE QUESTION AT A TIME.

AND AT THE END OF ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE GAVE THEM.

WE ARE ASKING THE RESPONDENT AT THE END OF THE SURVEY HOW THEY WOULD VOTE.

HAVING LEARNED MORE ABOUT IT. AND YOU SEE THIS $0.08 AND $0.12, WE TESTED TWO DIFFERENT BALLOT AMOUNTS FOR THE VENDOR.

THE SURVEY ENDED WITH SOME DEMOGRAPHICS. WE JUST ASKED A FEW DEMOGRAPHICS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE.

I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IS MAKE SURE THAT THE DISTRIBUTION OF INTERVIEWS WAS PROPORTIONAL BASED ON REGION.

WE LOOKED AT WHERE THE VOTE COMES FROM. 36% OF THE VOTE IS IN THE NORTH PORTION, 29% FROM THE EAST.

36% FROM THE WEST. AND SO WE SET QUOTAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SURVEY IS REPRESENTATIVE GEOGRAPHICALLY OF YOUR DISTRICT.

WITHIN THOSE SAMPLING REGIONS, WE ALSO MONITOR OTHER DEMOGRAPHICS AGE, GENDER, RACE, ETHNICITY, PARTIZANSHIP. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW THOSE RESPONDENTS COMPARE TO LIKELY VOTERS, AND THAT WOULD BE VOTERS LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION. ALSO KNOWN AS, YOU KNOW, ODD YEAR, NOVEMBER ELECTION.

[00:40:02]

OLDER VOTERS ARE GREAT ABOUT VOTING. YOUNGER VOTERS.

NOT SO MUCH. SO 31% OF ALL REGISTERED VOTERS IN YOUR DISTRICT ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 35.

22% OF REGISTERED VOTERS OR SENIOR CITIZENS. WE LOOK AT AN AVERAGE OF THE LAST TWO ODD YEAR NOVEMBER ELECTIONS 51% OF VOTERS SENIOR CITIZENS, 71% OF VOTERS OR 55 OR OLDER. RIGHT.

SO IT'S A MUCH OLDER GROUP OF VOTERS. OUR SURVEY IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY KIND OF IN LINE WITH THIS TURNOUT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE INTERVIEWED ENOUGH PARENTS SO WE CAN LOOK AT THEIR VIEWS.

BUT IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THIS TYPE OF TURNOUT. ANOTHER THING THAT FLUCTUATES A LOT BASED ON TURNOUT AND ELECTIONS IS THEIR PARTICIPATION IN PRIMARIES. SO PEOPLE WHO VOTE IN PRIMARIES THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE LIKELY TO VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.

WE ALSO SEE THAT AS TURNOUT GOES DOWN AND THIS IS TRUE STATEWIDE, IT'S NOT JUST A THING IN YOUR DISTRICT.

THE VOTERS CAN BECOME MORE REPUBLICAN, AND THAT'S KIND OF SKEWING ALONG ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OLDER.

BUT 75% OF REGISTERED VOTERS DON'T VOTE IN A PRIMARY.

12% VOTE REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES, 13% VOTE DEMOCRAT PRIMARIES.

THAT IS A, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A 0.9 TO 1 REPUBLICAN TO DEMOCRAT RATIO.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHO'S VOTING IN ODD YEAR NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, IT'S 1.3 TO 1 REPUBLICAN.

TO DEMOCRATS, IT'S A BIT MORE REPUBLICAN. AND SO AGAIN, THE SURVEY IS YOU KNOW, PRETTY REFLECTIVE OF KIND OF A MORE OF A LOWER TURNOUT SCENARIO.

SO LET'S LOOK AT THE GENERAL VIEWS OF THE DISTRICT FIRST.

58% HAVE A POSITIVE IMPRESSION OF THE DISTRICT.

20% NEGATIVE. THIS IS ABOUT WHAT WE SEE ON AVERAGE WHEN WE ASK THIS QUESTION ACROSS THE STATE.

VERY SELDOM DO YOU SEE NEGATIVES, YOU KNOW, IN THE SINGLE DIGITS.

AND WE ALWAYS JUST LIKE TO SEE THAT IT'S NOT IN, YOU KNOW, 30 OR 40% NEGATIVE.

IT'S REAL HARD TO GET VOTERS TO SUPPORT THINGS WHEN A LOT OF THEM HAVE A NEGATIVE OPINION.

I DON'T SEE ANYTHING PARTICULARLY ALARMING HERE WITH WITH THIS VIEW.

WHEN WE ASKED THEM WHETHER OR NOT THE DISTRICT HAD ENOUGH MONEY FOR DAILY OPERATIONS OR IF IT NEEDED MORE, THEY'RE PRETTY SPLIT ON THAT. 37% THINK YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY AND 42% THINK YOU NEED MORE.

WHAT'S INTERESTING IS WHEN WE WHEN WE THROW IN THE WORDS, DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR DAILY OPERATIONS AND TEACHER PAY? THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO THINK THAT YOU NEED MORE.

THAT'S IN VERSION Y, WHICH WAS ASKED OF RANDOMLY OF HALF THE RESPONDENTS.

SO WHEN YOU SAY WHEN YOU THROW TEACHER PAY IN THERE, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO THINK YOU NEED MORE MONEY.

WHEN YOU DON'T, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPLIT.

AND THIS UNDERSCORES THE FACT THAT A LOT OF VOTERS DON'T IMMEDIATELY EQUATE DAILY OPERATIONS WITH TEACHER PAY.

WHICH WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MOST OF YOUR MONEY GOES TO.

BUT THEY JUST DON'T IMMEDIATELY CONNECT THOSE DOTS.

OUR THIRD QUESTION WAS IF THEY THOUGHT THE DISTRICT MANAGES ITS MONEY WISELY AND EFFECTIVELY OR WASTEFULLY AND INEFFECTIVELY, OR AS WELL AS TO BE EXPECTED. AND 56% SAY YOU'RE DOING AS WELL AS TO BE EXPECTED OR BETTER.

ONLY 21% SAY WASTEFUL AND INEFFECTIVE. AGAIN, PRETTY MUCH ON PAR WITH WHAT WE SEE ACROSS THE STATE.

SO I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT TELLS ME, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN IMAGE PROBLEM OR THERE'S AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF SENTIMENT THAT THE DISTRICT'S BEING WASTEFUL AND INEFFECTIVE WITH SPENDING.

WE WANTED TO ASCERTAIN AWARENESS OF THE SENIOR.

TAX FREEZE UNTIL WE ASK ALL THE RESPONDENTS IF THEY KNEW THAT PROPERTY TAXES WERE FROZEN.

FOR SENIORS, 55% KNOW THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SENIOR RESPONDENTS, 60% KNOW THAT YOU MIGHT THINK THEY REALLY SHOULD ALL KNOW THAT, BUT 60% PRETTY HIGH. IT'S IT'S WE SEE THIS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 40% AND MAYBE 65%.

AND IT AGAIN UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR EDUCATION IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA WITH SENIORS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEIR THEIR PROPERTY TAXES ARE FROZEN BECAUSE TWO OUT OF FIVE DON'T KNOW THAT. SO WE HAD, AGAIN, WE HAD INITIAL BALLOTS AND WE HAD INFORMED BALLOTS. SO BEFORE ANY INFORMATION WAS PUT OUT THERE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, WE ASKED, WOULD YOU VOTE FOR OR AGAINST? AND THIS IS AGAIN A MODELING THE BALLOT LANGUAGE RATIFYING A TAX RATE OF $0.73.

IN GARLAND, I SAID THAT WOULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE OF 12% IN TAX REVENUE FOR THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL $25.3 MILLION. 42% SAID THEY WOULD VOTE FOR THIS.

[00:45:01]

THERE'S ALSO INTENSITY BEHIND THIS AND BEHIND ALL THE MESSAGE STATEMENTS THAT WE TESTED.

WE ALWAYS ASK, WELL, DO YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THAT? IF YOU DON'T FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO VOTE FOR IT OR AGAINST IT, PARTICULARLY IN A LOW TURNOUT ELECTION WHEN THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS DRAWING YOU TO THE POLLS. RIGHT? PEOPLE AREN'T VOTING FOR GOVERNOR.

THEY'RE NOT VOTING FOR PRESIDENT. DO YOU FEEL STRONGLY? PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO VOTE FOR OR AGAINST.

SO WE WANT TO LOOK AND KEEP OUR EYE ON ON THESE PERCENTAGES AS WELL.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT A TEN POINT DEFICIT WITH INTENSITY.

ON THE INITIAL BALLOT FOR 12 CENT. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT TASTES VERY SIMILAR.

39% FAVOR, 50% AGAINST. THE INTENSITY IS 18 TO 38.

SO IT'S ALMOST 2 TO 1 AGAINST HERE. AND AT THIS POINT, THEY'RE JUST KNOWING.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE 18% VERSUS THE 12% AND HOW MUCH MONEY IT'S GENERATING.

NOWHERE DOES THIS SAY THIS IS $0.12 OR $0.08.

WE FOLLOWED THESE UP BY ASKING IF THEY WOULD SUPPORT THE PROPOSALS.

KNOWING WHAT THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE WAS AND IN ON THE 12%.

I'M SORRY, THE EIGHT CENT, IT WAS $7.33 PER MONTH ON A HOME VALUED AT $250,000.

YOU SEE, SUPPORT GOES DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THE TAX IMPACT ON 12 CENT SUPPORT GOES DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

OPPOSITION GOES UP A BIT WHEN YOU TELL THEM WHAT THAT IMPACT IS, BUT THEY'RE REALLY NOT VERY DIFFERENT RIGHT IN TERMS OF HOW VOTERS ARE REACTING. I MEAN, THESE ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL.

SO $37.33 IS ABOUT AS ATTRACTIVE AS $11 PER MONTH.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO SKIP AHEAD AT THE END OF THE SURVEY AFTER WE TOLD THEM ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND WHY IT'S NEEDED AND WHAT IT WOULD BE USED FOR.

61% WOULD VOTE FOR THE VADER OF $0.08. IT'S THE ALMOST THE EXACT SAME NUMBERS FOR THE $0.12.

YOU KNOW, 61 TO 33. THE THE ONE DIFFERENCE IS 30, NOT 35% STRONGLY IN FAVOR ON THE 12% VERSUS 36.

RIGHT. SO VOTERS AREN'T REALLY DISTINGUISHING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EIGHT VERSUS 12 BECAUSE I THINK YOU SHOULD FEEL, YOU KNOW, CONFIDENT MOVING FORWARD, THAT $0.12 ISN'T GOING TO BE ANY HARDER TO PASS THAN $0.08.

$0.08. IS IT GOING TO BE ANY EASIER TO PASS THAN $0.12? OFFSETS. WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE SUBGROUPS ON THE PROPOSALS, A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST TO POINT OUT PARENTS.

52% FAVOR. 37% ARE AGAINST. AND SECOND. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NON PARENTS, THEY'RE 39% IN FAVOR. 49% AGAINST THIS COLUMN HERE IN THIS LIGHT BLUE.

THIS IS BASICALLY CALCULATED BY EXTRAPOLATING THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FOR VERSUS AGAINST AND ALSO FACTORING IN THE INTENSITY. AND JUST ONE EASY NUMBER. IF THE ELECTION WERE ACTUALLY TOMORROW.

THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD PROJECT WOULD HAPPEN. 43.9% FOR THE $0.08.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE INFORMED AND THE $0.08, IT'S 84% IN FAVOR, AND WE SEE SUPPORT AMONG PARENTS INCREASES FROM 56 TO 78%. THE NON-PARENTS START OFF AROUND 40%.

THEY END UP AT 6,162%. SO A LOT OF GOOD MOVEMENT HERE WITH BOTH OF THESE VERY IMPORTANT SUBGROUPS.

KEEPING IN MIND THAT A LOT OF THE VOTERS WILL BE NON PARENTS IN THIS TYPE OF CYCLE.

STAFF STARTED UP AT 64 AND UP AT ABOUT 82. THE 12 CENT NUMBERS ARE VERY SIMILAR. YOU SEE THE TYPE OF MOVEMENT THERE? AS YOU DO WITH THE, THE EIGHT CENT AND THESE ARE SOME MORE SUBGROUPS.

I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THESE. JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE OR THEIR AGE AND THEIR GENDER, THEY'RE ALL BECOMING MORE SUPPORTIVE. THE ONE LITTLE OUTLIER WOULD BE OLDER MALES.

WE DON'T QUITE GET THEM OVER 50% AFTER INFORMATION.

BUT WE DO INCREASE THE SUPPORT. SO EVERYTHING WE SAID REALLY HAD A GOOD IMPACT WITH VOTERS, AND THEY BECAME MORE SUPPORTIVE AND THEY LEARNED MORE ABOUT IT.

SO THIS IS ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDED.

THOSE RESPONDENTS IT'S QUESTIONS NINE THROUGH 21 AND THEN ALSO QUESTIONS 22 THROUGH 35.

SO YOU CAN SEE JUST FROM THIS, IF WE GAVE THEM A LOT OF INFORMATION AND WE REALLY WENT INTO A LOT OF SPECIFICS ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE

[00:50:09]

THEY'VE ONLY, YOU KNOW, BARELY INCREASED THE BASIC ALLOTMENT BY LESS THAN 1% THIS YEAR.

THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF UNFUNDED OR UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT HAVE LED US TO THIS POINT.

WE DID LET THEM KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ALREADY YOU'VE MADE CUTS WHERE YOU CAN.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, TRIED TO MAKE THE BUDGET WORK WITHOUT FIRST GOING TO THE TAXPAYERS.

WE'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT SOME SAFETY AND SECURITY BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WHEN WE GIVE THEM SOME OTHER INFORMATION KIND OF PERTAINING TO THE PARTICULARS OF THE, OF THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL OR THE MECHANICS OF THE TAX RATE, LIKE SENIORS WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THIS.

THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EXEMPTION OF ANOTHER 40 K COMING THAT WILL SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

THE MONEY A LOT OF THE MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM THE STATE.

$0.35 OF EVERY DOLLAR WOULD COME FROM THE STATE, AT LEAST THAT THE DISTRICT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT PROGRAMING. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BUDGET AND WHY WE'RE ON THIS? AT THIS POINT, SOME OTHER PIECES OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.

AND THE LAST THING THAT WE THAT I HAVE TO SHOW YOU AND THAT WE DID WITH THE DATA, WAS WE LOOKED AT WHAT MESSAGES CORRELATED MOST WITH VOTERS BECOMING MORE SUPPORTIVE OR ALREADY BEING, YOU KNOW, STAYING IN THEIR, IN THEIR SUPPORT.

SO WE KNOW THE MOST EFFECTIVE THINGS TO COMMUNICATE.

GOING BACK TO IT. REMEMBER WE HAD TWO SLIDES VERSUS OF MESSAGES.

THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN COMMUNICATE ALL THAT TO VOTERS.

YOU KNOW, IN CAMPAIGNS IT'S REALLY ABOUT KIND OF REPEATING A MESSAGE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO REALLY KIND OF HAVE SOMEBODY HEAR IT.

THERE'S A REASON THAT AT THE END OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OR GOVERNOR'S CAMPAIGN, YOU'RE SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING THAT SAME COMMERCIAL IS REPETITION.

AND TO DO THAT, WE GOT TO FOCUS OUR MESSAGES AND NARROW DOWN WHAT WE TALK ABOUT.

AND THIS LETS US THIS GIVES US A GUIDELINE FOR HOW TO DO THAT.

THE BIGGER THE NUMBERS YOU SEE HERE, THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT MESSAGE IS TO VOTERS.

SO WE KNOW WHAT TO PRIORITIZE WITH OUR MESSAGING.

AGAIN, IT'S TOO COMPLICATED TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING WE'D LIKE THEM TO KNOW.

BUT WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS? AND THE LAST THING I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH IS IT'S NOT JUST PICKING THE BEST MESSAGES AND BEING DONE WITH IT, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT MESSAGES BASED OFF DIFFERENT TYPES OF VOTERS.

SO WHETHER THEY'RE A PARENT OR A NON PARENT OR A STAFF MEMBER OR A SENIOR CITIZEN.

REMEMBER ABOUT HALF OF THE VOTE WILL BE SENIORS OR IF THEY VOTED IN A RECENT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION.

AND WE'VE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S EVEN MORE SUBGROUPS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AND GET INTO, BUT IT'S IT'S ABOUT TARGETING YOUR MESSAGING TO REALLY GET AT WHAT MATTERS MOST TO VOTERS BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS ALL ABOUT MESSAGING, BECAUSE WE START OFF LOSING IF THE ELECTION WERE TODAY BECAUSE THE BALLOT LANGUAGE IS IS PRETTY TERRIBLE AT EXPLAINING WHAT THIS IS FOR.

BUT WHEN THEY'RE INFORMED, THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE.

SO WITH THAT, I CAN I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANTED TO DO ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TO ANSWER ANY THAT FOLKS MAY HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? MISS GRIFFIN? YES.

THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I'M LOOKING AT THE SLIDE WITH THE CONCLUSIONS.

CAN YOU SUMMARIZE THESE FIVE CONCLUSIONS IN TWO WORDS AND TWO SENTENCES? SURE. BEFORE VOTERS, LET ME SAY VOTERS HAVE A GOOD VIEW OF THE DISTRICT, BUT THEY WOULD NOT INITIALLY SUPPORT THE VATRE.

THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT'S FOR, WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO TO BE SUPPORTIVE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. BECAUSE I'M I'M SITTING HERE AROUND THE DAIS AS A TRUSTEE AND I'M TRYING TO DIGEST WHAT AM I TO GATHER FROM ALL OF THIS? BECAUSE I DID NOT ATTEND ALL OF THESE STEERING COMMITTEE DEALS.

SO JUST YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT OR DIRECTION TO US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THAT'S WHY I ASK THE QUESTION. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD. SIR, I'M SORRY I INTERRUPT YOU.

[00:55:09]

SO I'M SORRY. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE PRESENTER'S NAME.

MATT. I'M SORRY. MATT. GAMBLE. MATT. I'M SORRY.

I AM I'M WANTING TO KNOW WHEN YOU DID THE SURVEY, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CAME ACROSS PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE, LET'S SAY, OF ANY KIND OF INCREASE. WERE THE REASONS FOR IT, OR WAS IT JUST NOT SUPPORTIVE? WELL, I DIDN'T ASK THAT. AND THAT'S JUST ONLY BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAD A SURVEY THAT WAS QUITE LONG.

AND I KNOW FROM DOING THESE TYPES OF SURVEYS THAT WHEN YOU DO ASK THAT THE BIGGEST REASON IS GOING TO BE TAXES, RIGHT. AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE SPACE TO ASK THAT, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS THE BIGGEST REASON.

OKAY. AND THEN IN YOUR, LET ME GET TO THE PAGE HERE.

SO IN YOUR LIST OF IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, I BELIEVE IT'S THE LAST OF YOUR LIST IS A QUESTION.

NEXT TO LAST PAGE, OUR PAGE 11, NUMBER 35. YES, SIR.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU OR MR. DODD. BUT YOU KNOW, THE 27 MILLION THAT COMES FROM THE STATE DOES NOT COME CLOSE TO COVERING THE DISTRICT $63 MILLION BUDGET SHORTFALL. AND SO MY QUESTION HERE, DOES THIS INCLUDE MR. DODD, THE DOES THIS INCLUDE OUR BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN ADJUSTED TO WHAT WE THINK IS THE FINAL INTERPRETATIONS OF THE HOUSE BILL TWO AND ALL THE DIFFERENT FACETS, THE ABCS AND ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT ITEMS WITHIN THAT BILL THAT AFFECT OUR FUNDING OR LACK THEREOF. I JUST I REMEMBERED A BIGGER DEFICIT THAN 27, SO HELP ME GET TO THAT NUMBER.

I THINK THE 27 IS OUR ESTIMATE. WHAT WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS OUR THE 27 MILLION THAT THE STATE IS ESTIMATED IN HOUSE BILL TWO FOR US TO RECEIVE.

AND I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING. I'M NOT SURE WE'RE FULLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING IN HOUSE BILL TWO YET.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CLARIFICATIONS COMING OUT FROM TEA AND THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD AND EVERYTHING.

TO OUR KNOWLEDGE RIGHT NOW. WE WILL HAVE WE WILL BE PRESENTING THIS THIS AFTERNOON, YOU KNOW A BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.

THAT WILL BE A $60 MILLION DEFICIT BUDGET. SO THESE NUMBERS ARE, WERE BASED ON THE ESTIMATES WHEN WE DID THE SURVEY. AND SO WE, WE STILL ARE SHOWING WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE ARE GETTING FROM HOUSE BILL TWO. AND YOU GOT TO REMEMBER, HOUSE BILL TWO IS VERY DESIGNATED FUNDING.

SO THE 27 MILLION, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE TEACHER RAISES THE PASTOR TO THE TEACHER.

YES. EVERYTHING REALLY THE THE NET OF WHAT WILL IT WILL BE COMING TO THE DISTRICT.

BUT IT'S VERY DESIGNATED ON HOW IT'S SPENT OUT INCLUDING THAT.

SO THAT THAT IS REALLY MY POINT. EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE GETTING 27 MILLION, THE STATE HAS DESIGNATED HOW MOST OF THAT WILL BE SPENT.

AND IT REALLY ONLY LEAVES US A COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS WITH WHICH TO BATTLE OUR $62 MILLION BUDGET.

ISN'T THAT A GOOD STATEMENT, OR AM I MISUNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE ACCURATE? SO OF THE 27 MILLION, MOST OF IT'S DESIGNATED FLOWS RIGHT THROUGH US.

IT GOES RIGHT TO THE TEACHERS AND OTHER THINGS WHICH ARE DESERVING.

NOBODY, NOBODY ARGUES THAT IT'S JUST THE STATE HAS SO FAR THE $55, AND MAYBE THE ABC MONEY THAT WE GOT IS NOT NOT VERY IMPACTFUL AND MAYBE ONLY IMPACTFUL TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $2 MILLION TO THE DISTRICT.

THAT'S ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR USES THAT THE STATE HAD DONE IN ALLOTMENTS.

AND SO ANYTIME YOU'RE IN AN ALLOTMENT, IT HAS TO BE SPENT AS THAT ALLOTMENT IS REQUIRED.

WHICH YOU ARE RIGHT. YOU KNOW, ABOUT 54% OF THIS, 27 MILLION GOES TO TEACHER SALARIES.

THE REST OF IT IS BROKEN OUT IN DIFFERENT ALLOTMENTS, BUT IT HAS A SPECIFIC SPEND REQUIREMENT ON,

[01:00:06]

PRETTY MUCH. THERE'S ONLY ONE. THERE'S ONLY ONE NEW ALLOTMENT THAT IS LIKE THAT.

THAT IT IS A LIKE A REIMBURSEMENT. AND THAT'S THE VALUATION ALLOTMENT FOR, FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.

SO LET ME SAY THIS IN ANOTHER WAY. IF YOU TAKE ALL THE TEACHER STUFF AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE DESIGNATED, WE WOULD STILL HAVE ONLY $2 MILLION COMING TO US WITH WHICH TO.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT DOESN'T IMPACT OUR BUDGET, BUT $2 MILLION, OUR BUDGET DEFICIT.

IT DOESN'T GIVE US ANY MORE MONEY WITH WHICH TO BUY BUSSES OR PAY FOR GAS OR INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLES.

IF WE HAVE A STORM OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT MY UTILITIES OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT COME OUR WAY, THERE'S REALLY NOT THAT MUCH IN THE NEW STATE BILL THAT HELPS US.

ONE OF THE ALLOTMENTS, THE BASIC COST ALLOTMENT, WHICH THEY'VE DUBBED IT THE A B C ALLOTMENT.

IT IS $106 PER ENROLLMENT WHICH THIS IS A NEW WAY FOR THE STATE TO DO THINGS. THEY'VE ALWAYS BASED NEARLY EVERYTHING OFF OF AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.

THE ENROLLMENT, THE ABC ALLOTMENT OR BASIC COST ALLOTMENT PART OF IT WILL GO BECAUSE WE WILL OWE ALL THE TRS CHARGES. TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM CHARGES ON THE NEW SALARIES.

THAT'S THE WAY I INTERPRETED THE ABC. MONEY GOES WITH THE TEACHER RAISES TO HELP PAY FOR RETIREMENT.

THE INCREASED COST OF OTHER THINGS THAT GO WITH THE BENEFITS OF OF THE TEACHER PACKAGE.

THAT IS PART OF IT. BUT THEN ALSO YOU CAN USE TOWARDS.

BUT IT'S PRETTY. YOU CANNOT USE IT FOR SALARIES, BUT YOU CAN USE IT FOR OTHER BENEFITS.

YOU CAN USE IT FOR UTILITY INCREASED COSTS AND INSURANCE INCREASE COSTS.

YOU KNOW, OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS IS MORE THAN DOUBLED, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE BEEN EATING THAT. SO THIS WILL HELP A LITTLE BIT AND MAYBE RECOUPING SOME OF THAT.

BUT THE ESTIMATED LITTLE OVER $5 MILLION THAT WE GET FROM THIS ALLOTMENT IS SPENT.

AND IT'S IN THE BUDGET SHOWING WHERE WE WILL STILL BE $60 MILLION IN THE HOLE.

SO SO I'M TRYING TO GET TO A POINT BECAUSE TO ME AND TO PEOPLE I TALK TO WHEN I'M IN THE COMMUNITY TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE COMPLICATED THING WE CALL TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE. IT IS VERY COMPLICATED, AND THERE'S TOO MANY FORMULAS FOR US TO EVEN THINK ABOUT.

BUT TO ME, EVEN IF THEY HADN'T PASSED THE HOUSE BILL TWO, TO OUR BOTTOM LINE BUDGET THIS YEAR, IT'S VERY LITTLE IMPACTFUL HELP OR HURT OR ANYTHING.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HELP, IT'S NOT A LOT.

IN OTHER WORDS, OUR BUDGET DEFICIT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO THE SAME EVEN WITHOUT HOUSE BILL TWO.

YEAH. SO IT ADDED EXPENSES AS WELL AS REVENUE.

SO THE ONLY THINGS THAT HELP US ARE TAXES, A TAX INCREASE, INCREASE IN ADA, AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE OR AN INCREASE IN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.

RIGHT. CORRECT. AND WE'VE ALREADY KNOW THE BASIC ALLOTMENT IS ONLY $55.

YES, SIR. SO WE DON'T REALLY WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CONTROL AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.

BUT IT IS WAY UP AFTER COVID. NOBODY SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE THAT.

IT'S A STATEWIDE, NATIONWIDE PROBLEM. AND THEN THE ONLY THING LEFT TO GO TO IS THE TAX RATE IS THE ONLY WAY WE HAVE WITH WHICH TO FUND THE DISTRICT. I JUST AND SOMEHOW IN THE MESSAGING, WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'VE EXHAUSTED EVERYTHING ELSE.

WE HAVE TO TRY NOT TO GET TO THIS POINT, BUT WE'RE HERE, YOU KNOW WE'RE HERE AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

SO THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. OKAY.

SO AT THIS TIME, FIRST OF ALL, MATT, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING TODAY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND CONGRATULATE AGAIN AMANDA AND YAO FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.

AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

I WANT TO AGAIN THANK THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER BY THE BOARD AND THE STAFF AND THE WORK THAT YOU PUT IN AND THE TIME AND THE HARD WORK AND THE ENERGY AND THE FAITHFULNESS FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH AND VERY HEARTFELT.

SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.

[01:05:03]

[III.B. Receive Proposition A: Consultant Update]

I'M SUPER HAPPY TO BE HERE. I'M RHONDA JOHNSON, THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF ADVANTAGE.

AND I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE EXCITING TOPIC OF ELECTIONS IN SCHOOL DISTRICT ETHICS AND LAWS AROUND THOSE.

AND I'M ALSO GOING TO GIVE YOU A SMALL GLIMPSE INTO WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH VOTER EDUCATION.

SO THAT WAS A GREAT SEGUE. MR. MILLER, ON TALKING ABOUT MESSAGING.

FIRST. WOW. I JUST WANTED TO I KNOW OUR STUDENTS HAD TO LEAVE, BUT GREAT JOB TO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

AND IT'S JUST SO INSPIRING. IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO BE IN THAT ROOM AND WATCHING THEM WORK AND SHARING AND LEARNING TOGETHER.

AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT AS A FORMER PARENT OF TWO GISD GRADUATES, I CAN NOT ONLY ECHO THEIR ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS DISTRICT, BUT ALSO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO HAVE TWO COLLEGE GRADUATES THAT ARE NOW ADULTING OUT IN THE WORLD.

SO THANK YOU. I'M ALSO REALLY THRILLED WHEN WE WORK TO ESTABLISH THE PROCESS FOR THE COMMITTEE.

WE TALKED ABOUT USING THE CONSENSUS MODEL, AND I'M REALLY THRILLED THAT THERE WAS FROM THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AT LEAST A REALLY THEY EXPRESSED A HIGH LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, OF COMMITMENT, OF A HIGH LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS THAT THEY LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS.

AND SO I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THAT AND THE OVERALL PROCESS.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT ELECTIONS. I'M GOING TO START OUT BY SAYING I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY, ALTHOUGH I GUESS I COULD PLAY ONE ON TV. BUT THIS IS NOT OFFICIAL LEGAL ADVICE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE JUST AN OVERVIEW. AND REALLY FROM MYSELF ALSO BEING A FORMER TRUSTEE REALLY HOW YOU GUYS CAN ENGAGE SO YOU CHOOSE IN THE ELECTION PROCESS. SO WE'RE GOING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS.

FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE LAW ITSELF.

AND THEN JUST SOME BRIEF DISTRICT GUIDELINES.

AND THEN I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

SO THE LAW IS PRETTY CLEAR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION AND ITS CODES ARE THE ONES THAT GOVERN WHAT IS CALLED POLITICAL ADVERTISING. SO POLITICAL ADVERTISING IS DEFINED AS ANY COMMUNICATION THAT ADVOCATES A PARTICULAR OUTCOME FOR AN ELECTION.

SO THAT'S CANDIDATES. THAT'S I CALL THAT PEOPLE ELECTIONS.

AND FOR MEASURES OR PROPOSITIONS THAT PARTICULARLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROPOSITION EIGHT TODAY THAT COMMUNICATION CAN BE FOR OR AGAINST.

AND IT CAN BE IN ANY FORM WRITTEN BROADCAST. IT CAN BE PRINTED LIKE A BILLBOARD, FLIER, NEWSLETTER POSTER, TELEVISION, RADIO ADS, EMAILS, WEBSITES. IT CAN EVEN BE NOW DEFINED AS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS SIDEWALK CHALK ON A SIDEWALK. PUTTING VOTE YES OR VOTE NO IS CONSIDERED POLITICAL ADVERTISING.

SO SECTION 255.003 IS THE THE ACTUAL LOCATION OF THIS CODE.

AND WHAT IT SPECIFIES IS THAT PUBLIC FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME OF AN ELECTION.

SO IT'S IT'S VERY SPECIFIC. ANY OFFICER OR AN EMPLOYEE OF A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION MAY NOT SPEND OR AUTHORIZE THE SPENDING OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR POLITICAL ADVERTISING. A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION COMMITS AN OFFENSE, AND IT IS A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE UNDER THE LAW.

BUT SUBSECTION C, ALSO SPECIFIES OR I'M SORRY SUBSECTION A DOES NOT APPLY TO COMMUNICATION THAT WE WOULD CALL FACTUAL COMMUNICATION. OR YOU'LL HEAR ME REFER TO IT AS VOTER EDUCATION.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PRIMARILY GOING TO FOCUS ON ON THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT.

JUST TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, I GET THIS QUESTION A LOT DURING THE COURSE OF THE ELECTION AS OPPORTUNITIES COME UP FOR MESSAGING.

AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER THAT IT IS THE LAW ALSO SPECIFIES THAT IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF PAID TIME OF SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AND TO CREATE OR DISTRIBUTE POLITICAL ADVERTISING.

AND SO SOME SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE SOMETIMES SEE IS WE HAVE CLUBS OR GROUPS THAT MAYBE A, LIKE A COACH HAS A TEAM AND THE TEAM WANTS TO CANVASS FOR THE ELECTION.

THEY WANT TO GO THROUGH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR THEY WANT TO HOST SOMETHING.

AND THEY'RE FREE TO DO THAT WITH THEIR OWN TIME AND RESOURCES.

[01:10:04]

SO REALLY FOR OUR SCHOOL STAFF, THEY CAN THEY CANNOT DO ANY OF THESE THINGS ON THEIR WORK TIME OR ON DISTRICT PROPERTY OR AT DISTRICT OR CAMPUS SPONSORED EVENTS. AND SAME THING FOR STUDENTS.

THEY ALSO ARE UNDER THE SAME THING BECAUSE THE BUILDINGS, THE AIR CONDITIONING, THE COPIERS, THE SPACES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE DISTRICT PROPERTY.

AND THOSE ARE PAID FOR BY PUBLIC FUNDS. SO WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THIS CALLED WHEN WE DO POLITICAL ADVERTISING IT'S ADVOCACY.

AND THAT'S JUST REALLY VOTE YES OR VOTE NO. SO EXAMPLES AND YOU'LL SEE A SLIDE HERE IN A MOMENT.

IT SAYS WORDS ARE IMPORTANT. THERE'S WORDS THAT THE DISTRICT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE.

LIKE WE NEED THIS OR YOU'LL SEE US SAY SOMETIMES CRITICAL NEEDS.

BUT THEY REALLY ARE MORE ABOUT PROJECTS. IT'S A WAY TO TALK ABOUT PROJECTS VERSUS WE NEED THIS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE IT. IT'S IMPORTANT. WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THIS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE SPACE. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

ALL OF THOSE ARE EXAMPLES OF ADVOCACY. AND SO WE ALSO HAVE REALLY POSITIVE PHRASES LIKE, WE MUST DO SOMETHING OR THIS IS THE BEST SOLUTION. AND THOSE ARE WORDS AND PHRASES THAT WE CANNOT USE IN DISTRICT COMMUNICATIONS.

SO YOUR POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OBVIOUSLY WILL USE ALL OF THESE WORDS.

AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY PUT OUT IS MOSTLY POLITICAL ADVERTISING, BUT THE DISTRICT CANNOT.

SO AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE WRAP THESE REALLY POSITIVE STATEMENTS AROUND A FACTUAL STATEMENT THAT MAKE IT ADVOCACY.

SO THIS IS ONE OF SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT. SO WE JUST TRY TO WATCH REALLY CAREFULLY WHAT WE DO AND SAY.

AND THEN NO MATTER HOW MUCH FACTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PURPOSES OF A MEASURE ELECTION IS IN A COMMUNICATION, ANY AMOUNT OF ADVOCACY IS IMPERMISSIBLE. AND I WILL SAY IT AT VANTAGE, WE IN ALMOST 15 YEARS AND OVER 150 ELECTIONS, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A ETHICS VIOLATION IN ANY OF OUR WORK.

SO I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR SOME CONFIDENCE.

SO SOME DISTRICT GUIDELINES. SO WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE DISTRICT? SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO RECENTLY WERE ON THE BOARD WHEN YOU DID A BOND OR HAVE BEEN ON HERE FOR PREVIOUS ELECTIONS, THE DISTRICT'S ROLE IS TO PROVIDE FACTUAL VOTER EDUCATION AND INFORMATION, AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY PERMISSIBLE FOR THE DISTRICT TO USE RESOURCES TO PRODUCE THIS MATERIAL AND COLLATERAL AND PUT OUT COMMUNICATIONS IN A MEASURE ELECTION.

SO EVERYTHING ABOUT ALL OF THE, THE MESSAGES THAT MATT SHOWED YOU ON THE SCREEN, THE FULL TWO PAGES WE USE ALL OF THAT AND MANY MORE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ROLLING THAT OUT.

I THINK THIS AFTERNOON AND A BIGGER WAY WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND GETTING THEM TO START LOOKING AT A WHOLE COLLECTION OF THAT MESSAGING.

SO THINGS THAT DISTRICTS CAN TALK ABOUT IS THE TAX IMPACT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT GENERATES.

THEY CAN TALK ABOUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS AS LONG AS IT'S IN A FACTUAL WAY.

AND YOU'LL SEE AN ADVANTAGE, JUST LIKE YOU'VE SEEN IN THE SURVEY, THAT WE USE A LOT OF NUMBERS TO QUANTIFY THESE MESSAGES SO THAT VOTERS HAVE VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED, BUT ONCE AGAIN, WHY IT'S IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GO OUT FOR THIS ELECTION. THE GOOD NEWS HERE IS THAT ALTHOUGH YOU MAY NOT USE SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCES EMPLOYEES AND THEIR OFFICERS ARE FREE TO CAMPAIGN FOR OR AGAINST A PROPOSITION ON THEIR OWN TIME AND WITH THEIR OWN RESOURCES.

AND SO WE HAVE PROVIDED AN ETHICS CARD TO THE DISTRICT AND THIS WILL GO OUT.

YOU YOU ALL HAVE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THIS, OF COURSE.

BUT IT GOES OUT TO THE ENTIRE STAFF THE NIGHT THAT THE ELECTION IS CALLED, AND SERVES AS THEIR TRAINING AND DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT INFORMATION IS ALSO IMPARTED TO THEM.

WHEN THERE'S THE BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS AND CONVOCATION TYPE COMMUNICATION.

AND SO THEY WILL LEARN ALL OF THESE THINGS RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION IS CALLED AND RIGHT AFTER THAT.

SO THINGS THAT BEST PRACTICES HERE, THINGS TO DO.

GET TO KNOW YOUR PROPOSAL, UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT TODAY. THIS WAS A REALLY GREAT COMMUNITY ORGANIC PROCESS.

SO BEING ABLE TO JUST TALK ABOUT THAT, HOW IT WAS DEVELOPED, THAT IT WAS BY THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY MAKE SURE THAT YOU YOU SHARE THE FACTS AND UNDERSTAND THE FACTS THAT ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOW TURNOUT CYCLE. AND MATT SHOWED US THAT AT LEAST 70%, IF NOT HIGHER OF YOUR TURNOUT ARE GOING TO BE WHAT WE WOULD CALL NON-PARENTS PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 55. SO REALLY WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO GET THESE YOUNGER VOTERS INTO THE POLLS AND,

[01:15:06]

THINGS NOT TO DO. DON'T ADVOCATE DURING WORK HOURS.

DON'T ADVOCATE IN THIS ROOM. SO YOU HAVE AN INTERNAL LEGAL COUNSEL AND THEY WILL SHE WILL ADVISE YOU IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON.

BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT IN THIS ROOM AND SITTING ON THE DAIS AND AS AN ACTING IN YOUR TRUSTEE ROLE, THAT ONCE YOU LEAVE HERE, YOU ARE AN INDEPENDENT CITIZEN AND YOU CAN ADVOCATE WITH YOUR OWN TIME AND RESOURCES TO YOUR COMFORT LEVEL.

SO SOME OF YOU MAY GET REALLY, REALLY INVOLVED IN THIS.

AND SOME FOLKS MAY NOT CHOOSE TO GET INVOLVED OR GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE.

AND THAT IS, ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S YOUR PERSONAL DECISION.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN DISCUSS WITH DOCTOR LOPEZ AND MISS RAY AND MYSELF.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO OF COURSE, ALWAYS REACH OUT.

SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT TRUSTEES CAN DO.

SO BOARD WORKSHOP, WE'RE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW FOR ETHICS.

WE ALSO CAN TALK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND MESSAGING.

SO AS WE GET INTO THIS, IF YOU WANT TO VISIT ABOUT HOW BEST TO TAKE THE MESSAGE OUT, OR IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE AND YOU JUST WANT CLARITY, CERTAINLY YOU CAN SHARE EVERY SINGLE THING. AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU SHARE EVERY SINGLE THING THAT THE DISTRICT PUTS OUT AND EVEN ADDS SOME COMMENTS TO IT.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND WE'RE WE'RE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE OR IF YOU IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CONTENT OR HOW TO DO THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP. CERTAINLY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS AND BE VISIBLE WITH YOUR SUPERINTENDENT AS HE'S OUT THERE DOING A LOT OF THIS VOTER EDUCATION FOR A SOLID 12 TO 16 WEEKS THIS FALL.

IT'S ALWAYS GREAT IF YOU GUYS CAN BE ALONG AND JUST GIVE THAT SUPPORT AND SHOW THAT VISIBLE SUPPORT.

VOTER CONTACT, YOU ARE NOT ONLY WELCOME, BUT ENCOURAGED TO DO THOSE CALLS, TEXT AND BLOCK WALKING TO YOUR COMFORT.

SO HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, WORK THE POLLS AND THEN YOU ARE FREE TO ENGAGE WITH THE PACK.

YOU CAN WE HAVE MORE AND MORE BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE THESE ELECTIONS ARE MORE AND MORE CRITICAL TO THE DIRECTIVE THE LONG TERM DIRECTION AND VIABILITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS. MORE AND MORE TRUSTEES ARE BECOMING TREASURERS ARE LEADING THE PACKS AND AND BEING IN A MORE LEADERSHIP ROLE. AND SO ONCE AGAIN, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN OR YOU WANT TO GET MORE INFORMATION, MISS REA CAN ANSWER THE LEGAL QUESTIONS AND I CAN ANSWER THE HOW DO I DO THESE QUESTIONS? SO JUST AS A QUICK REVIEW, I KNOW MOST OF YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW THESE, THESE SCENARIOS, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO RUN THROUGH THEM JUST IN CASE THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARITY. BUT CAN A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OR DISTRICT EMPLOYEE AUTHORIZE THE SPENDING OF SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDS TO CREATE A BROCHURE URGING SUPPORT OF THE BOND? AND THE ANSWER IS NO. YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITH DISTRICT FUNDS.

CAN YOU USE A DISTRICT COPY MACHINE TO COPY VOTE YES.

HANDOUTS? NO, YOU CANNOT, BUT YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE THAT VOTE YES MESSAGE WITH YOUR OWN TIME AND RESOURCES.

YOU CAN ALSO WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. YOU CAN MAKE A DONATION TO THE PAC.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO PUT A YARD SIGN IN YOUR OWN YARD.

YOU CAN MAKE USE YOUR HOME PRINTER, NOT DISTRICT RESOURCES OR DISTRICT DEVICES, BUT YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN THINGS TO PUT OUT VOTE YES MATERIALS.

AND YOU CAN ALSO, OF COURSE, USE ANY OF THE DISTRICT'S MATERIALS, ANY OF ITS FACTUAL INFORMATION AS WELL.

OKAY. SO FOR MORE INFORMATION, HERE'S SOME WEBSITES.

THESE SHOULD BE IN YOUR PACKET. AND IF NOT I'M HAPPY TO GET THESE TO YOU.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK SOME OF THESE THINGS UP. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ELECTION ETHICS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? LET'S START WITH MISS GRIFFIN.

YES, SIR. YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

WOULD YOU SPEND SOME TIME EXPLAINING THE PAC AND HOW IT'S FORMED AND HOW IT GATHERS FUNDS AND HOW IT COMMUNICATES.

YOU HINTED AT SOME THINGS IN THERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE DETAIL SPECIFICS FROM HOW THAT'S FORMED AND HOW IT OPERATES DURING THE ENTIRE PERIOD. OKAY. SO A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE IS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ENTITY FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

[01:20:03]

IT ONLY REQUIRES ONE PERSON. AND THAT PERSON JUST LIKE YOU ALL, WHEN YOU FILE FOR YOUR PAPERWORK FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN TREASURER, THAT'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT IS REQUIRED IS A TREASURER BY LAW.

AND THEY JUST FILL OUT THE SAME, ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME TWO PAGE PIECE OF PAPER THAT YOU FILL OUT TO RUN FOR, FOR PUBLIC OFFICE FOR YOUR SCHOOL BOARD SEAT.

SO SAME PAPERWORK. AFTER THAT, IT'S ALMOST VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING YOUR RACE.

YOU MIGHT GO SET UP A SEPARATE BANK ACCOUNT AND GET AN EIN NUMBER FROM THE IRS.

BEYOND THAT, THE PAC BEGINS TO CAN START TO FORM AND RAISE MONEY OR TAKE PLEDGES RIGHT NOW.

THEY CAN WELL, WE WILL BE PUTTING A BUDGET TOGETHER FOR THE DISTRICT THAT HAS WE'RE WORKING ON THE, THE THE BUILDING, THE BIG DATABASE. SO FOR ALL OF THE DISTRICT COMMUNICATIONS.

AND SO THAT INFORMATION CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST.

BUT THE, THE BUDGETING FOR THAT WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR.

A MAILER WOULD COST THE SAME FOR THE DISTRICT TO SEND THAT THE PAC WOULD SEND.

SO IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY EASY TO, TO LOOK AT THAT.

AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAD A SUCCESSFUL BOND A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO THE FIRST THING YOU'D PROBABLY DO IS LOOK AT THE PAC FILING FROM RIGHT AFTER THAT ELECTION TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY WAS RAISED AND WAS TARGETED.

EVERY ELECTION CYCLE IN TEXAS HAS MOSTLY DIFFERENT TURNOUT.

THERE'S A FEW THAT ARE SIMILAR, BUT THE TURNOUT THIS CYCLE IS GOING TO BE MUCH LOWER THAN NORMAL.

WELL, NOT NORMAL, LOWER THAN LAST NOVEMBER OR NEXT NOVEMBER.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE IT SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE MANAGEABLE OF A FUNDRAISING EFFORT VERSUS TRYING TO FUNDRAISE IN A PRESIDENTIAL CYCLE OR A MIDTERM NEXT YEAR, SO THAT THAT'S A GOOD POSITION FOR THEM TO BE IN.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEY THEY BASICALLY HAVE THEIR OWN MARKETING PLAN AND THEIR OWN BRANDING AND THEIR OWN EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO.

FOLLOW UP QUESTION. SO THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON WHERE THEY SOLICIT MONEY FROM.

AND THEN WHERE IS WHERE DID YOU SAY THE REPORTING OF FUNDS AND ALL OF THAT.

WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT? SO WHO IS THE OVERSEER OF THAT? THE STATE OF WHEN? WHO? YEAH, ACTUALLY, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO IN THE OLD DAYS. IN THE OLD DAYS, YOU COULD PROBABLY VERY SIMILAR TO YOUR OWN, ONCE AGAIN, YOUR CAMPAIGN TREASURER REPORTS YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BRING THEM INTO THE DISTRICT, AND THEY WOULD STAMP THEM WITH THE DATE AND FILE THEM.

THEY WOULD TAKE A COPY AND FILE IT. WELL, NOW YOU HAVE TO UPLOAD ALL OF THAT STUFF TO THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION.

SO YOU COULD RIGHT NOW PROBABLY GO AND SEARCH THE PREVIOUS PAC FROM THE BOND AND SEE THEIR FILINGS.

AND SO YOU COULD LOOK AND SEE FOR HOWEVER LONG THAT PAC WAS OPEN, HOW MUCH MONEY THEY TOOK IN AND HOW THEY SPENT IT.

YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY WHO GAVE IT AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY SPENT IT ON.

SO FOR THIS EFFORT, THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT THIS GROUP DOES IS GO LOOK AND SEE WHO HELP THEM WITH THE BOND AND GO BACK TO MAYBE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE AS A FIRST WAVE. I WILL SAY THAT PACK ACTIVITY FOR I'M GOING TO CALL IT TREE BECAUSE I'M OLD SCHOOL. BUT PAC ACTIVITY FOR THIS TYPE OF AN ELECTION IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN A BOND.

A BOND ELECTION WILL DRAW MORE, I GUESS VENDORS TO THAT PROCESS BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BOND.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW LONG THE COMMITTEE PROCESS IS AND JUST ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING IN THAT, THIS PROCESS IS REALLY A MORE INTERNAL BECAUSE THE MONEY IS PRIMARILY GOING TO TEACHERS AND KIDS.

RIGHT? IT'S GOING FOR TEACHER PAY AND BENEFITS, AND IT'S TAKING CARE OF ALL OF YOUR PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS FOR YOUR STUDENTS.

AND SO THE THE WAY THAT THE PAC GENERATES FUNDS FOR THIS IN SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO COLLECT THE MONEY FOR THAT. BUT I WILL SAY YOU ALSO HAVE YOUR ENTIRE STAFF THAT BECOME LOCAL INFLUENCERS.

AND THAT IS ACTUALLY SOMETIMES MORE VALUABLE BECAUSE IF THEY'RE USING THEIR OWN ORGANIC CHANNELS TO COMMUNICATE, WHETHER IT'S IN PERSON OR DIGITAL, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MONETARY VALUE.

IF YOU WERE TAKING THAT AND PLACING IT WITH AD DOLLARS, THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE TO THAT.

[01:25:03]

SURE. MR. MILLER? YES. EXCUSE ME JUST REAL QUICK.

SOMETIMES I WALK INTO A ROOM. I'M JAMIE MILLER, THE BANKER.

SOMETIMES I WALK IN. I'M JAMIE MILLER, TRUSTEE.

SOMETIMES I'M JAMIE MILLER, CHAIRMAN OF WILLS OF HOPE.

SOMETIMES I WALK INTO A ROOM. I'M JUST LOST. I DON'T KNOW WHO I AM.

BUT MY POINT IS, IS THERE ANY KIND OF DECLARATION? AS PUBLIC FIGURES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT CAPACITY WE'RE APPEARING OR SPEAKING IN, IN. I ONCE AGAIN, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THAT.

BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.

LIKE WHEN I WAS A BOARD MEMBER, I SPENT HALF MY LIFE IN THE BLEACHERS.

RIGHT? SOMETHING WITH MY KIDS AND PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME QUESTIONS.

AND SO AT THAT MOMENT, IF I'M SITTING IN THE BLEACHERS AT A BASEBALL GAME AND THEY'RE ASKING ME A QUESTION IN MY A TRUSTEE OR A MOM, THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

DO YOU NEED TO DECLARE THAT I'M ANSWERING AS A BOARD MEMBER? I'M ANSWERING. THOSE ARE THE YOU HAVE TO, I THINK, MANAGE THOSE SITUATIONS IN RELATIONSHIPS.

I WOULD SAY THAT IF I WAS SITTING IN A IN THE GYM ON DISTRICT PROPERTY.

I MIGHT ANSWER A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN IF I WAS AT MY NEIGHBOR'S BACKYARD BARBECUE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT, SO I THINK THERE IS SOME THIS USUALLY THIS QUESTION COMES UP WHEN YOU'RE DOING PRESENTATIONS WHERE YOUR SUPERINTENDENTS ON THE AGENDA AND YOU'RE UP THERE WITH THEM AND YOU, YOU KNOW, CAN I SAY SOMETHING, NOT SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE THE DISTRICT IS ON THE AGENDA OR AND THOSE ARE I THINK THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU ALL NEED TO HAVE ONCE AGAIN, AND HOW YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE.

SOME TRUSTEES GO ON THE FACTUAL LANE AND THEY GO WITH THEIR SUPERINTENDENT, AND THEY'RE AT ALL THE EVENTS AND THEY'RE PUSHING OUT FACTUAL INFORMATION, AND THEY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WORKING ON THE ADVOCACY SIDE.

AND SOME ARE COMPLETELY THE OPPOSITE. SO I THINK YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU ARE. AND THEN AND SHE CAN CERTAINLY ADVISE YOU ON, ON ANY PARTICULAR NUANCES JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE AND THAT YOU'RE ACTING APPROPRIATELY.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ALL TRY. YOU KNOW, TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT LINE IS.

AND SO ONE OF THE RULES FOR THIS START, THEY START ONCE IT BECOMES AN ACTION ITEM ON THE AGENDA OR THEY START ONCE A VOTE HAS BEEN ACTED AND PASSED. ONCE IT'S VOTED ON AND IT'S AT THE AT THE BOARD MEETING.

SO ONCE IT'S ACTUALLY A LIVE ELECTION, AS ONCE YOU'VE ALL VOTED AND IT IS WRITTEN DOWN IN THE BOOKS.

SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN THE ONLY TIME THAT YOU ARE OFFICIALLY ACTING IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, CAPACITY AS AN OFFICER OR AS A BOARD MEMBER IS IN THIS ROOM DURING A BOARD MEETING.

BUT YOU MAY INTERPRET THAT MORE FORMALLY IN YOUR OWN PRACTICE.

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.

THAT'S A IT'S A TOUGH QUESTION OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT ETHICS? MR. SELDERS. MR. SELDERS. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS NECESSARILY ABOUT ETHICS, BUT IT IS SORT OF ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

REGARDING ADVOCACY AND WHEN WE HAVE TO LEAN MORE ON FACTUAL OR EXPLANATORY TYPE MESSAGING.

CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT A COMMUNICATIONS, WHAT OUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND A TIMELINE IS GOING TO BE? GIVEN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE AUGUST 12TH MAKING THIS DECISION, WHAT DO WE DO UP UNTIL THEN AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR US AFTER THAT? YES, THAT'S A GREAT SEGUE. THANK YOU. I COULD NOT HAVE PLANNED THAT QUESTION BETTER MYSELF.

OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE GLIMPSE, AND I'M GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH WHERE WE ARE AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF WHERE WE'RE HEADING. AND CERTAINLY I CAN WE CAN ALWAYS DO THIS AGAIN AS WE GO THROUGH THIS SO THAT YOU ALL ARE UP TO SPEED AND KNOW WHAT'S COMING OUT AND WHEN.

SO WE ARE MEETING WEEKLY. WE HAVE ONE MEETING WITH THE WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM EVERY WEEK WITH THE ADVANTAGE STAFF.

AND THEN WE ALSO THEY ALSO MEET WITH JASON'S TEAM TODAY, I BELIEVE, AT 3:00, AND THAT'S JUST A CREATIVE MEETING.

SO THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING AND TEAMING UP ON A WEEKLY BASIS, AND WE WILL DO THAT ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE ELECTION.

WE'VE CREATED A CAMPAIGN DASHBOARD. SO THIS IS ACTUALLY AN INTERACTIVE DASHBOARD.

IT'S ABOUT THIS LONG. THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ALL STAY ON TRACK AND KEEP HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, HAVE THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. AND THERE'S A SECTION IN HERE BELOW THIS THAT SHOWS WHICH TASKS HAVE BEEN DONE BY ROLE AND BY TASK,

[01:30:04]

THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE MASTER VOTER EDUCATION PLAN.

THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT'S CALLED A MILESTONE REPORT.

THIS IS ALSO ABOUT THIS LONG. BUT THIS IS JUST I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT WE'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED THE PLAN FOR ALL OF THE DISTRICT VOTER EDUCATION TACTICS AND THOSE ARE ALREADY IN THE WORKS. SO RIGHT NOW THIS SECTION THAT WE'RE WORKING IN, IN THE PLAN IS PREPARING TO CALL THE ELECTION AND GETTING ALL THE VOTER EDUCATION MATERIALS AND COLLATERAL READY TO GO. SO WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT MESSAGING.

WE'VE ROLLED OUT THE FIRST VERY FIRST DRAFT OF A COMPREHENSIVE MESSAGING DOCUMENT.

THIS THING HAS EVERYTHING IN IT THAT WE THAT WE KNOW OR CAN COLLECT ABOUT PROPOSITION A, AND IT KIND OF BECOMES THE HYMNAL THAT WE ALL SING FROM TO MAKE SURE TWO THINGS. ONE, THAT OUR MESSAGING IS, WELL, THREE THINGS.

ONE, THAT IS ACCURATE, IT'S CONSISTENT. EVERYWHERE THAT WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE USE THE RIGHT NUMBERS OR THE RIGHT PHRASING, THE RIGHT WORDS. AND THREE, WE WANT TO GET THIS DOCUMENT APPROVED BY YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO POLITICAL ADVERTISING IN HERE. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT ADVANTAGE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK WE WANT TO SAY, THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE LEGALLY CORRECT. AND TO IT ALSO MAKES SURE THAT ONCE THESE WORDS ARE APPROVED, THAT THEY GO OUT EVERYWHERE AT THE SAME TIME THEY GO INTO PRINT, THEY GO ON TO SIGNS, THEY GO ON YOUR WEBSITE, THEY GO INTO SOCIAL MEDIA ADS, AND THEY LITERALLY SPREAD OUT LIKE SEEDS EVERYWHERE.

SO THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT IS ACCURATE AND CONSISTENT.

WE JUST STARTED THAT PROCESS NOW THAT THE COMMITTEE WORK IS DONE WE ALSO DID ALL OF THE BRANDING FOR THE COMMITTEE AND PROVIDED THE FACILITATOR.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS GOT TO MEET MRS. MUELLER, BUT SHE I HOPE SHE DID A GREAT JOB.

I KNOW SHE DID. SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US IN THE PAST.

AND SO THIS WAS THE BRIGHTER TOGETHER LOGO, WHICH I LOVED PLAYING OFF OF THE IDEA OF THE TORCH AND JUST THE TEAMWORK THAT WAS MANIFESTED BY THAT WHOLE GROUP THAT CAME TOGETHER TO BUILD THIS PROPOSAL.

WE ALSO HAVE STARTED WORKING ON SOME OF THE COLLATERALS, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE ETHICS GUIDELINES, THE ALL OF THE COMMITTEE PRESENTATIONS, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TEAM.

AND NOW WE'RE TRANSITIONING NOW THAT THE COMMITTEE WORK IS IS DONE.

WE'RE GOING TO START WORKING ON THE ACTUAL NEXT PHASE.

SO THIS IS JUST SOME FIRST PASSES AT A NEW LOGO JUST FOR THE CAMPAIGN BRANDING COLORS AND THEN JUST A SELECTION.

THESE ARE NOT FROM GARLAND ISD, BUT THEY ARE JUST A COLLECTION TO SHOW THE KINDS OF PRINT WORK AND OTHER WORK THAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, SIX WEEKS OR SO. SO WE'VE ALREADY HAD OUR VIDEO TEAM HERE, I THINK 1 OR 2 DAYS I'M LOOKING AT JASON.

SO WE'RE ALREADY GETTING READY FOR BACK TO SCHOOL AND YOUR, YOUR MINI TEACHER CONVOCATION KIND OF CAMPUS EVENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S INFORMATION FOR MEET THE TEACHER NIGHTS AND ALL OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

SO ANY OTHER QUESTION? ROBERT. CAN YOU GO BACK TO ONE OF YOUR PREVIOUS SLIDES WHERE YOU HAD ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT TRUSTEES COULD GET INVOLVED WITH? YEAH. IF YOU DON'T MIND ME FLIPPING REALLY FAST.

RIGHT THERE. YES. SO WITH RESPECT TO A LOT OF THESE THINGS, LIKE YOU HAVE PRESENTATION AND EVENTS, I'M GUESSING THAT THAT'S NOT BEEN PLANNED YET OR DO WE HAVE A DRAFT SCHEDULE OF WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE? WE DO NOT HAVE THE DISTRICT PRESENTATION SCHEDULE YET.

WE'LL START SCHEDULING AND WORKING WITH THE TEAM AT LARGE TO PROBABLY START WITH THE PRESENTATION SCHEDULE FROM LAST TIME AND THEN RESCHEDULING A LOT OF THOSE SAME GROUPS WITH THE WHAT WE USUALLY FIND IS ABOUT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR A LOT OF THE BIG CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS.

THEY'RE NOT MEETING IN THE MONTH OF JUNE OR JULY.

SO WE USUALLY START SCHEDULING THOSE RIGHT AFTER THE FOURTH, LIKE THE WEEK OF THE SEVENTH, AND WE'LL SCHEDULE THEM ALL THE WAY OUT AND CAMPUSES AS WELL.

WILL THAT BE LIKE WEEKLY EVENTS OR IS IT GOING TO BE EVERY OTHER WEEK? I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR. I MEAN, I WOULD ASSUME THAT YOUR SUPERINTENDENT AND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WOULD PROBABLY MAKE OVER 80 TO 100 PRESENTATIONS PLUS CAMPUSES. SO I THINK THEY'RE MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK.

USUALLY IN THE PAST THERE ARE A COUPLE A DAY.

SO WE USUALLY MAKE A AT LEAST OUR RECOMMENDATION IS WE HAVE A CALENDAR THAT IS LEVELED, COLOR CODED BY WHO IS WHO IS DOING THE PRESENTATION. SO SOMETIMES SOME EVENTS AND IN ORGANIZATIONS THE SUPERINTENDENT IS THE MOST THE PERSON WHO NEEDS TO

[01:35:09]

SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON ON WHAT THE EVENT IS. BUT WE USUALLY WILL COLOR CODE THAT SO THAT WHEN A REQUEST COMES IN, IT'S FASTER TO SCHEDULE SO THAT THEY KNOW, OKAY, ANYBODY CAN DO THIS OR SOMEONE ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN NEEDS TO DO IT.

AND IT CAN GO INTO THIS SCHEDULE BECAUSE WE WILL USE THE SCHEDULE THAT YOU HAD BEFORE.

BUT WE WILL ALSO OBVIOUSLY TAKE IN ANY REQUESTS THAT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE.

AND THOSE ARE ALL SCHEDULED WITHIN THE DISTRICT TEAM.

OUR TEAM DOESN'T SCHEDULE THEM. IT WILL HAPPEN SOMEWHERE IN THIS THIS GROUP.

GOT IT. YEAH. AND ONE LAST QUESTION. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE MESSAGING NEEDED TO BE ACCURATE, CONSISTENT AND APPROVED BY LEGAL. BETWEEN NOW AND AUGUST THE 12TH, WHEN WE HAVE TO CALL THE ITEM FOR THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. THERE'S A MONTH AND A HALF. RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY BE TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CONSISTENT MESSAGING, WHAT SHOULD OUR MESSAGE BE? IS THERE SOMETHING IN TERMS OF INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDED, THAT WE WILL HAVE AS TRUSTEES, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT IN WHAT WE'RE SHARING WITH THE PUBLIC? YES. SO BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THAT THAT THE MESSAGING DOCUMENT IS APPROVED BY LEGAL SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE IT USUALLY TAKES A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GET THAT DONE.

IT JUST IS A IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE. THERE'S STILL IT'LL STILL BE MISSING POTENTIALLY LIKE VOTING INFORMATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT FROM DALLAS COUNTY WHERE THEY HAVEN'T CONFIRMED SOME OF THEIR THINGS. SO THEY'RE STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.

THOSE THINGS WERE WERE NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT CHANGING AFTER IT'S APPROVED BY LEGAL.

IT'S THE ACTUAL WORDS AROUND THE PROPOSITION ITSELF.

SO WE WILL START THAT PROCESS. SO THE THE BIGGEST THING THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THE SURVEY PACKET THAT TELLS YOU WHAT THE BEST MESSAGES ARE FOR EACH OF THOSE SEGMENTS. SO IT WHEN IN DOUBT. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, LIKE WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE THINGS I SHOULD COMMUNICATE? THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHAT I WOULD USE FROM NOW UNTIL WE CREATE SOME BOARD TALKING POINTS FOR YOU.

TALKING ABOUT THIS? YES. YEP. AND SO I CAN REVIEW THAT WITH YOU.

BUT THE WAY MATT DIDN'T REALLY GET INTO IT SPECIFICALLY BUT THOSE CALL, YOU READ THOSE MESSAGING SCORES VERTICALLY, NOT ACROSS. AND SO THEY ONLY YOU ONLY THEY ONLY REFER TO EACH OTHER IN EACH COLUMN UP AND DOWN.

AND SO IF YOU WERE TALKING TO ONE OF THOSE SEGMENTS, YOU WOULD LOOK AT THE BEST MESSAGES FOR THE SCORES AND LITERALLY JUST RANK THEM.

BUT WHAT WE DO IS WE'LL CREATE A ONE PAGE SUMMARY OF THAT, WHERE IT'S ALMOST SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN FOLD UP AND PUT IN YOUR POCKET OR YOUR BACKPACK OR BRIEFCASE OR HANDBAG, AND THAT WAY YOU CAN HAVE THAT AS AN ACCESS.

I MEAN, CERTAINLY FROM THE DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT IS GOING TO PUT OUT A VERY WIDE FACTUAL MESSAGE.

IT JUST IT IS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY TO THIS PROPOSAL.

AND AS MR. MILLER AND MR. DAWES WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER THIS ELECTION CYCLE, ALL OF THESE TRES, BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING FROM HOUSE BILL TWO, WE CAN'T JUST SAY WE'RE USING THE MONEY FOR TEACHER PAY.

IT'S WELL, THEY'RE GOING TO VOTERS ARE GOING TO GET MESSAGING THAT LOOKS LIKE TEACHER PAY WAS TAKEN CARE OF.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, AND THEN ON THE WEBSITE AT A VERY SPECIFIC LEVEL IS THE GAPS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS IS GOING TO FUND IS WHAT HOUSE BILL TWO DIDN'T GET.

WE HAVE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPLAINING TO DO THIS CYCLE, BUT WE USE THAT MESSAGING MATRIX TO TO KIND OF HONE IN AND REALLY HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TARGETING THAT MESSAGE TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED IT.

SO AND YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

AS SOON AS THAT DOCUMENT IS DONE. WE CAN PARLAY THAT.

WE WON'T GIVE YOU THAT GIANT DOCUMENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR US.

IT HAS ALL KINDS OF PHRASING IN IT. IT'S IT'S NOT LIKE A IT'S MEANT TO LIFT PHRASING OUT OF AND PUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS OR PUT IN OTHER TYPES OF THINGS. YOU'LL GET AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THAT.

SURE. I GUESS I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WAS PRETTY CONCISE.

AND YEAH, IT'LL BE LIKE TEN TALKING POINTS, LIKE PHRASES, AND IT'LL HAVE A LITTLE MATRIX THAT TAKES ALL OF THAT SURVEY DATA AND PUTS IT ON LITERALLY ONE PIECE OF PAPER. SO YOU COULD LOOK AT IT AND JUST GO, OKAY, THESE ARE THE FOUR THINGS.

[01:40:01]

THANK YOU. SURE. MS. JOHNSON, ALSO ON THE AS FAR AS THIS TRUSTEES CAN DO ON THESE FIVE ITEMS AND WORK THE POLLS, AND IT STARTS ON OCTOBER THE 20TH. IF WE'RE OUT AT THE POLLS AND SOMEONE COMES TO US, WHAT IS OUR PARAMETERS? AT THAT POINT, WE JUST HAVE TO STAND THERE AND SAY, HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? YOU KNOW, NO, NO, YOU CAN BE AN ADVOCATE. I MEAN, YOU ARE NOT IN A BOARD MEETING, SO YOU CAN BE EVEN IF A SCHOOL IS A POLLING LOCATION UNDER FEDERAL LAW, IT BECOMES AN ELECTION SITE. OKAY. SO YOU CAN I MEAN, PACS CAN PUT PUT UP THEIR STUFF OUT THERE.

VOTE YES AND NO. YOU MAY HAVE SOME VOTE NO SIGNS AROUND OR MESSAGING.

BUT ONCE YOU'RE OUT AT THE POLLING LOCATION, YOU ARE FREE TO ELECTION YEAR SO YOU CAN GIVE A VOTE YES MESSAGE OR DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS OUT THERE. SAME WAY WITH NUMBER THREE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VOTER CONTACT CALLS AND TEXTS AND CANVASING SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AT YOUR CHURCH. WE CAN CAN CAN'T HAND HAND THAT STUFF THERE.

I MEAN, CAN WE? YEAH. IT'S NOT DISTRICT PROPERTY.

AS LONG AS THEY'RE. YEAH. AS LONG AS THEY'RE DOING THAT.

AND YOU KNOW THERE'S THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE THE VOTE REMINDERS AND THOSE THINGS EVEN JUST GOING DOOR TO DOOR DOWN YOUR STREET AND, AND REALLY WORKING THE VOTERS JUST TEACHING BECAUSE THIS IS KIND OF A DIFFERENT ELECTION, A BOND.

PEOPLE CAN GO, OH, YOU'RE BUILDING A SCHOOL OR YOU'RE FIXING A ROOF.

THIS IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF CONVERSATION. SO, YES, MR. GLICK. YES. THANK YOU, SIR. AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, WAY BACK IN 2014 WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR BOND SACHSE HOLDS THIS AMAZING GATHERING CALLED FALL FEST. AND NORMALLY, IT'S AT THE PARK OFF OF MILES ROAD.

BUT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE RAINS, IT WAS MOVED TO SEWELL, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND WHERE WE SET UP WAS A TABLE WITH THE GISD SKIRT ON IT.

AND THE DECISION WAS MADE, WHICH I AGREED WITH BECAUSE IT WAS SCHOOL PROPERTY JUST BECOME A FACT GIVER.

YES. AND I FELT MORE COMFORTABLE DOING THAT. AND IT W HAT ENDED UP WAS TASB REAL INTERESTED IN LEGAL, AND I ENDED UP DOING A WHOLE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS CORRECT, AND THEY USED IT.

AND AS YOU SAID, WHEN WE'RE AT THE POLLS ANYWHERE, WE ARE ADVOCATES.

YEAH, YEAH. AND OTHER PLACES JUST UNDERSTAND, IF IT'S SCHOOL PROPERTY NOW, IT'S A DIFFERENT.

YEAH. I THINK YOU'LL FIND TOO THAT THE FACTS ARE SO COMPELLING, ESPECIALLY IN THIS SCENARIO THAT YOU CAN DO A LOT OF GOOD EXPLAINING AND TEACHING WITH JUST THE FACTS.

I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT YOU'LL BE REALLY COMFORTABLE.

AND IT IS A VERY COMPELLING CONVERSATION. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MS. STANLEY. SO THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE MORE TOWARDS DOCTOR LOPEZ.

I'M NOT REALLY SURE, BUT SO AS I SEE ALL THIS COLLATERAL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, IS THAT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SEE BEFORE IT'S BUILT AND PUSHED OUT? AND I ASKED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE BEING THE UNIQUE LISTENER THAT I AM, I'VE ALREADY HEARD THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE TO OUR BEST INTEREST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE GIVING THE WRONG IMPRESSION.

AND WHEN WE SAY THAT THAT THIS IS GOING TO HELP PAY FOR SALARIES, IN A WAY IT IS, BUT IN A WAY, BECAUSE THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING TO GET FROM THE PUSHBACK FROM THE PEOPLE THAT GAVE US THAT $8.5 BILLION IS THAT WE'RE ALREADY GIVING YOU THE PAY RAISES.

SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE PAY RAISES RIGHT THIS SECOND, BUT IT'S TO SUPPORT THE PAY RAISES GOING FORWARD.

AND THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO PAYING FOR THE PAY RAISES TODAY, AS OPPOSED TO PAYING FOR THE RIGHT PAY RAISES GOING FORWARD.

SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THAT CONCERN ME WHEN.

AND WORDS ARE VERY POWERFUL TO ME. AND SO WHAT THEY MEAN TO YOU MAY NOT MEAN TO ME AND, AND MY, MY GROUP. SO I JUST CAN I JUST CAUTION THAT, THAT I THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY, ARE WE UNDERSTANDING THE SAME THING THAT YOU THINK WE'RE UNDERSTANDING? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE AT ALL? I'LL KIND OF INTERJECT THERE.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN TWO MODES. RIGHT. SO THE FIRST THE FIRST MODE IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PAY RAISES, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF CLOSING OUT A CYCLE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE CONFUSION CAN COME UP. BUT AFTER TODAY AND WE GO INTO HEAR OUT, NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FOLLOWING YEAR BECAUSE THE BUDGET'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.

SO THE ONLY PAY RAISES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING IS THAT'S COMING FROM HOUSE BILL TWO.

SO WHEN FROM THIS POINT FORWARD AFTER TODAY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PAY RAISES.

[01:45:01]

RIGHT. SO RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE INTO THAT'S WHERE THE CONFUSION IS COMING FROM.

IT WON'T HELP WITH THIS CYCLE. AND IT IS ILLEGAL TO SAY, WELL, IF THIS PASSES WE CAN DO RETROACTIVE PAY RAISES.

YOU CANNOT DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

THE SECOND THING IS, IS THAT WITH THE MESSAGING, I THINK EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO WANT TO PUT THE WHOLE PROGRAM OUT THERE AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT IT IS AHEAD OF TIME. AND WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A CRESCENDO IT BUILDS.

AND IN TIME, MORE AND MORE QUESTIONS COME AND THE CLARITY THAT YOU BRING IT UP ABOUT, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

YOU CAN SPEAK FACTS AND THEN YOU CAN LISTEN AND THEN SAY FOR THINGS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU SAY, GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER. I'LL GET BACK TO YOU WITH THE EXACT AMOUNT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.

IF YOU LOOKED AT OUR TAX RATE, EVEN THAT'S AN ESTIMATE THAT COULD EVEN GO LOWER.

AND WHAT IF IT DOES THAT BENEFITS US. SO IF WE GAVE THOSE TAX RATES TODAY AND IT GOES LOWER, AND THEN SOMEBODY SAID, WHICH IS IT? YOU'RE CONFUSING ME, IT WENT DOWN.

WE JUST GOT TO LET THEM KNOW THIS ISN'T THIS IS EVER MOVING.

BUT WE DO KNOW THESE THINGS. WE GOT TO FUND OUR SPECIAL ED PROGRAMS. WE GOT TO FUND SAFETY AND SECURITY, AND WE GOT TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN OUR BEST TEACHERS.

OKAY. AND THAT'S WHY WE PUT THOSE S'S UP THERE.

AND IF YOU JUST TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE METRICS, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT RESONATE WITH TEACHER RACES.

THEY'RE LIKE, NO, WE NEED TO FUND OUR TEACHERS. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS. THERE'S PEOPLE THAT THAT FUNDAMENTALLY RESONATE WITH THE PROGRAMS. AND WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT HOW THE MATRIX IS, AND YOU COULD JUST GET SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FROM THEM, RIGHT? YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY, ARE YOU OVER 55 AND YOU'VE AND YOU'RE DOING THAT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE GOING DOING ALL OF THAT. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE YOUR DEDUCTIVE REASONING TO ANSWER THOSE TYPE OF QUESTIONS. OKAY.

AND SO AS YOU'RE ROLLING THOSE OUT FORWARD, MORE AND MORE MESSAGING WILL BECOME MORE CONCISE IN COMING OUT FROM THE DISTRICT TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT YOU ASK AN ANSWER, EVEN IF YOU DO IT CORRECTLY, IT'S GOING TO.

IT OPENS A WEB OF 20 OTHER QUESTIONS, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN RABBIT HOLES RATHER THAN STICKING TO THE BIG MAIN ISSUE.

AND WE JUST RIGHT NOW STICK TO THE BIG MAIN ISSUE.

YEAH WE KNOW AND THE DATA SHOWS THAT. AND FROM DOING WE'VE DONE 16 OF THESE ELECTIONS IN THE PAST.

THERE ARE THINGS AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED WORKING TOGETHER.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT VOTERS UNDERSTAND AND KNOW ABOUT THIS.

AND THERE ARE THINGS SO FAR DOWN HERE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW THEY'RE SO COMPLICATED TO GET FROM A TO S TO TAKE SOMEONE DOWN THAT HOLE. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD, COMPELLING FACTUAL MESSAGES IN THE, YOU KNOW, WAY AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST THAT THAT ARE MORE EASILY DIGESTIBLE.

SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO TO FOLLOW UP WITH DOCTOR LOPEZ'S COMMENT IS THIS ACTUALLY DOES BUILD WE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLATERAL AND CHANNELS REQUIRE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MESSAGING.

SO IF I WERE CREATING A HANDOUT, I'M NOT GOING TO USE EVERY SINGLE MESSAGE IN THE MESSAGING DOCUMENT BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T FIT.

IT WOULDN'T BE READABLE. IT WOULDN'T BE CONSUMABLE.

AND I'M ONLY GOING TO PUT THOSE BEST TOP FIVE MESSAGES AND TELL A FULL STORY ON WHATEVER PRINT PIECE THAT I HAVE, REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE PAPER. BUT WITH VIDEO, WITH DIGITAL ADS, WITH ALL THESE OTHER CHANNELS THAT WE HAVE, WHAT I THINK WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THE FULL STORY COMES OUT.

DIFFERENT CHANNELS REQUIRE DIFFERENT DEPTHS OF MESSAGING JUST BASED ON THE AUDIENCES OF THOSE CHANNELS.

AND SO WE CREATE LOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF CREATIVE, AND WE USE A LOT OF DIFFERENT MESSAGES IN DIFFERENT PLACES, SO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE WHOLE STORY GETS TOLD.

IT JUST ISN'T TOLD ON THE FIRST DAY ALL AT ONCE.

AND SO I THINK I'M FAIRLY CONFIDENT OR VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN GET A MESSAGE OUT AND GET YOUR VOTERS TO BE INFORMED.

BUT I ALSO KNOW FROM BEING A PAC CHAIR MYSELF THREE TIMES AND THEN BEING A BOARD MEMBER AND DOING THREE ELECTIONS AND DOING OVER 150.

YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO GET SOME QUESTIONS WAY DOWN HERE.

AND WE WE WILL BE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE ANSWERS TO THOSE.

SO FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE HEARING OR THOSE MESSAGES THAT MAY NOT BE EVERYWHERE, WE STILL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE QUESTIONS.

AND WE USE THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SECTION OF THE WEBSITE TO PLACE QUESTIONS LIKE THAT THAT YOU MAY GET THAT ARE OUT OF THE ORDINARY, BUT ARE REALLY GOOD.

SOMETIMES WE GET NEW QUESTIONS OR WE GET THIS.

LIKE I SAID, HOUSE BILL TWO IS GOING TO THROW A LITTLE TWIST IN THE WAY THAT WE EXPLAIN ALL OF THESE THINGS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET THOSE REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS AND YOU GET THOSE TO JASON OR, YOU KNOW,

[01:50:03]

AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY ELSE WHO HAS THAT QUESTION, WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS YOUR WEB TRAFFIC IS GOING TO PICK UP CONSIDERABLY.

BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A LOT OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION, AND IT SENDS EVERYBODY TO THE WEBSITE.

AND SO THAT BECOMES THE REPOSITORY FOR THE FULL STORY.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND MOSTLY ALL OF THE MESSAGING WILL BE ON THE PROPOSITION A WEBSITE.

SO THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. THANK YOU AGAIN MISS JOHNSON.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. I DIDN'T BECAUSE I THINK THE FUNDAMENTAL WAS YOU.

YOU WANT FUNDAMENTAL. YEAH. COLLATERAL. NO IT'S NOT REVIEW IT.

IT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL MESSAGE IS THAT YOUR VERY CLEAR MESSAGE IS NOT MY VERY CLEAR MESSAGE IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET.

BUT EVERYONE ALWAYS DANCES AROUND THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SAY IT THIS WAY AND EVERYONE'S GOING TO UNDERSTAND IT.

AND I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY THAT I'M A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF I KNOW A LOT MORE THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON, AND EVEN I'M HEARING THINGS THAT WOULD NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO ME.

SO I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE TRYING TO JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, USE SOME DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

I HOPE SO THAT REALLY EVERYONE WHO WE'RE TOUCHING IS REALLY, TRULY HEARING THE MESSAGE THAT WE THINK THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM.

AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THAT WAS OUR ENTIRE MESSAGE THAT IT'S NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.

IT IS DEPENDING ON YOUR AUDIENCE. AND SO YOUR YOUR MESSAGING WILL VARY COMPARED TO WHOEVER'S IN FRONT OF YOU.

OKAY. BUT IF YOUR MESSAGE DOESN'T HIT THE POINT AND WE THINK IT IS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE IT? I'M JUST I'M JUST TRYING TO BE. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY STRUGGLE WITH.

AND I'M NOT UNIQUE THAT SOMETIMES THE MOST SIMPLISTIC THING THAT WE THINK IS SO OBVIOUS, I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO TAKES IT DIFFERENTLY.

YEAH, BUT I'M NOT UNIQUE IN THIS WORLD, AND I'M NOT UNIQUE IN THOSE 364,000 VOTERS.

THAT'S ALL. I'M JUST SAYING THAT I HOPE THAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS MIGHT JUST BE WRONG.

I'LL GO FIND SOMEBODY AND RUN IT PAST THEM. I'M NOT SAYING IT HAS TO BE ME.

I'M JUST SAYING SOMETIMES THAT MESSAGE IS NOT AS CLEAR AS WE THINK IT IS.

IT'S A GOOD POINT. GOOD POINT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS? THANK YOU, MISS JOHNSON. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANKS.

ALL RIGHT. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, EXECUTIVE SESSION, DOCTOR LOPEZ ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION? NO NEED TO HAVE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.

[VI. Adjournment ]