Board discussion on handling donations of Ten Commandments displays; staff to propose expedited handling consistent with policy and state law

Trustees on Monday discussed how to handle donated Ten Commandments displays under recent Texas law and district donation policy.

Trustee Miss Casella asked whether those donated items must wait for the monthly donated‑items agenda before being installed or whether the district should accept and hang the state‑approved signs sooner. Chris Smith, the district chief financial officer, explained the district follows board policy CDC(local) that gives the board final authority to accept unsolicited gifts and that the district presents donated items on a monthly board list. "This board has policy, CDC local, it talks about the board having final authority to accept unsolicited gifts, which is why we present board on a monthly basis," Mr. Smith said.

Nut graf: SB10 and other state directives have led to multiple donations of statutory materials; trustees asked staff whether the existing donation process creates unnecessary delay in installing items that state law contemplates. Staff said they will prepare a recommendation for the next meeting to accelerate handling where appropriate and to ensure donated signs meet size and content requirements.

Trustees suggested the board could preauthorize acceptance of items that meet the state's stated requirements — a procedural change to avoid repeated monthly approvals for similar, law‑specified donations. Administration said it would compile any donations received between now and the next meeting and present an updated donated‑items list, and would prepare a recommended process amendment for trustee consideration.

Ending: Staff agreed to bring an updated donated‑items list and a proposed procedural approach to the board for the next meeting that would balance compliance with board policy and the need to implement state law promptly.