March 18, 2024 at 5:00 PM - Regular Meeting

I. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III. INVOCATION

IV. PUBLIC FORUM:  All persons who wish to speak or address the Board at this time may do so by completing a registration form before the meeting begins.

V. RECOGNITION: 

V.A. Student Recognition - Kids Heart Challenge Elementary School Top Earners   *

V.B. Student Recognition - Kids Heart Challenge Intermediate School Top Earners   *

V.C. Student Recognition - Golden Girls Drill Team   *

V.D. Student Recognition - Girls Basketball Playoffs   *

V.E. Student Recognition - THSCA Academic All-State   *

V.F. Student Recognition - Regional and State Powerlifting Qualifiers   *

VI. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT

VI.A. Campus Updates   *

VI.B. Athletics Update   *

VI.C. Strategic Plan 3.1 and 3.2

VI.D. Construction Update

VII. CONSENT AGENDA

VII.A. Approval of minutes from February 19, 2024 Regular Board Meeting and February 22, 2024 Special Board Meeting

VII.B. Approval of the Expedited Waiver for the Teacher Data Portal of the Texas Assessment Management System   *

VII.C. Approval of Expedited Waiver for Modified Schedule State Assessment Testing Days   *

VII.D. Approval of Resolution appointing election workers for May 4, 2024 General Election

VIII. BUSINESS ITEMS

VIII.A. Discuss and approve a contingent fee contract with the Law Firm of McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. for the collection of delinquent property taxes pursuant to Texas Tax Code, sections 6.24(d) and 6.30.  Specifically, the Board of Trustees will discuss and consider whether McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. is a well-qualified law firm based on demonstrated competence, qualifications and experience in collecting delinquent property taxes, and whether the contract negotiated between Rockdale Independent School District and McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. is for a fair and reasonable price as provided for in Texas Tax Code, section 6.30(c).
In Accordance with Texas Government Code, section 2254.1036(a)(1), the Rockdale Independent School District provides the following written notice to the public in connection with the above agenda item:

1. The Rockdale Independent School District (“the District”) is pursing the legal services of McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. (“the Firm”), a delinquent tax collection law firm, to collect delinquent property taxes owed to the District.  The desired outcome of the legal services would be for the District to collect the delinquent taxes owed to the District in as short a time period as is possible.
2. McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. has competently collected delinquent property taxes for over sixty-years, and currently represents hundreds of Texas taxing units in the collection of delinquent property taxes.  McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. is a competent, qualified, and experienced delinquent tax collection law firm.
3. Regarding the relationship between McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. and the District, the law firm currently represents the District in the collection of delinquent property taxes, taxable value audits, and appeals of the Texas State Comptroller’s Property Value Study. The earliest contract directly between the District and the Firm was executed October 20^th, 2014 for the aforementioned services. Prior to that, the Firm collected delinquent property taxes for the District through an interlocal agreement between the District and Milam County. The earliest contract found between the Firm and Milam County was executed December 1^st, 2004, but the Firm’s records indicate it has collected delinquent property taxes for Milam County, and therefore the District, since at least the early 1990’s.
4. The legal services desired by the District that are the subject of the contract cannot be adequately performed by the attorneys and supporting personnel of the District due to the high cost of implementing the appropriate infrastructure and technology and employing sufficient attorneys and staff to perform these activities.
5. The legal services desired by the District that are the subject of the contract cannot be reasonably obtained from attorneys in private practice under a contract providing for the payment of hourly fees without contingency because the District does not have funds in its budget to pay the estimated hourly fees and other costs incurred to implement an effective delinquent tax collection program under a contract providing only for the payment of hourly fees and costs.  Texas Tax Code, sections 6.30; 33.07; 33.08 ; and 33.11 allow taxing unit to recover a penalty to defray the costs of collecting delinquent taxes, only if the taxing unit has entered into a contract with a private attorney pursuant to Texas Tax Code Section 6.30.
6. To defray the cost of collecting delinquent taxes as provided by Texas Tax Code, sections 6.30; 33.07; 33.08; and 33.11, and to save money and ensure that the collection of delinquent taxes is diligently prosecuted, a contingent fee contract with McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. is in the best interests of Rockdale Independent School District.

VIII.B. Consider and approve the readoption of Texas Tax Code sections 33.07, 33.08, and 33.11.

VIII.C. Discussion and possible action on approval of an amendment to the Rockdale ISD District of Innovation Plan

VIII.D. Discussion and possible action on school day start and end times   *

VIII.E. Discussion and possible action on acceptance of financial reports for February 2024

VIII.F. Discussion of upcoming meetings and dates

IX. CLOSED SESSION

IX.A. Discussion regarding personnel matters (Texas Government Code, Section §551.074)

IX.B. Discussion and possible action on recommendations regarding employment of Burleson-Milam Special Services Co-op. professional staff, including probationary and term contract renewal, nonrenewal, termination, and extensions (Texas Government Code, Section §551.074)

IX.C. Information on employment of Director of Technology, Director of Finance and Digital Learning, Director of Maintenance, Director of Transportation (Texas Government Code, Section §551.074)

IX.D. Discussion of Intermediate School Principal position and timeline (Texas Government Code, Section §551.074)   *

IX.E. Deliberation and consider employment of Intermediate School Principal (Texas Government Code, Section §551.074)   *

X. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION FOR ACTION ON CLOSED SESSION MATTERS

X.A. Action, if any, regarding closed session matters listed above

XI. ADJOURN

        *  Academic Focus