McAllen ISD board approves multiple contracts, budget amendment and consultant awards; one services vote splits 3-2

The McAllen Independent School District Board of Trustees on March 11 voted to approve a series of construction, technology and budget items, including a February 2025 budget amendment and several contract authorizations. Most motions passed unanimously; one contract award for employee benefits consulting passed on a 3-2 vote.

The board approved the February 2025 budget amendment for fiscal year 2024–25, increasing federal revenue dedicated to the district’s food service program and allocating $100,000 from fund balance to increase marching band fine-arts budgets. “We are increasing the federal revenue… coming into our food service program,” Deputy Superintendent for Business and Operations Lorena Garcia said when outlining the amendment. The motion to approve the amendment passed 5-0.

On facilities and security work, the board approved rankings and authorized administration to begin negotiations with the highest-ranked contractors for two rebid projects and to execute contracts consistent with state procurement law once negotiations conclude:

- Competitive Sealed Proposal No. 20254-2133 — McAllen High School Security Surveillance System (rebid). The board approved the contractor ranking, authorized the administration to begin negotiations with the highest-ranked contractor and authorized the superintendent to execute a contract in accordance with Texas Government Code §2269.254 once negotiations were successful. Motions on these steps passed 5-0.

- Competitive Sealed Proposal No. 20251-8030 — Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School Intercom System. The board approved the contractor ranking, authorized negotiations with the highest-ranked contractor and authorized the superintendent to execute a contract per Texas Government Code §2269.254. Motions passed 5-0.

The board also approved Request for Proposal No. 2025-1029 for employee benefits and insurance consulting services, awarding Valley Risk Consulting Inc. for a three-year term beginning on contract execution. The award and subsequent authorization for the superintendent to execute the contract passed on a 3-2 vote; the board recorded two nay votes on the award and related motions.

Additionally, the board approved minutes from recent meetings and completed a Region 1 Education Service Center ballot submission process (no board action required beyond submitting ballots). Several consent-agenda items were approved earlier in the meeting; one consent item (5E, retain outside legal counsel) was moved out of consent and initially tabled until after closed session, then approved later in open session with an amendment to the contract’s billing and authorization thresholds.

Votes recorded on the record included multiple unanimous roll calls for routine procurement and contract-authorization steps. Where identified in the transcript, motions were moved, seconded and carried by voice vote with tallies noted in the minutes.

At the end of the meeting the board recessed to closed session for human-resources recommendations, employee resignations and retirees, school safety and security, pending and potential litigation, and possible real-estate acquisition. The board returned to open session and completed the amended approval for outside counsel.