Sharyland ISD approves May trustee election call, chess trip, bus and vehicle purchases, legal contracts and personnel actions

Sharyland ISD's board of trustees approved a slate of routine and consequential operational items at its meeting, including the formal call for the May 3, 2025 trustee election; permission for students and staff to attend a national chess competition in Orlando, Florida; purchase of additional replacement school buses; purchase of five 'white-fleet' SUVs for district use; and contingent-fee legal agreements authorized after closed-session deliberations. Trustees also approved employment actions discussed in closed session, subject to background checks and reference verification.

Votes at a glance

- Call May 3, 2025 trustee election (Agenda item 4a): Motion to call the election was made and approved. Motion text: "Call the May 3, 2025 trustee election." The board recorded the motion and approved the call (vote: 5-0).

- Out-of-state travel for chess competition (Agenda item 4b): Trustees approved students and staff attending the national chess competition in Orlando, Florida; the district said travel will be funded 100% by fundraising. Motion by Dr. Olabeda; second by Megan Sullivan. Vote: 5-0.

- CTE course and program updates (Agenda item 4c): Trustees approved expansions and updates to CTE course offerings (see separate article). Motion passed 5-0.

- School bus purchases using cooperative vendors (Agenda item 4d): Staff presented two options to add buses to a 75-bus fleet that includes approximately 22 buses more than 12 years old and another 22 buses at 10 years old. Option 1: purchase 5 buses for $738,200. Option 2: purchase 7 buses for $1,033,060 (in addition to three buses already purchased earlier), which would bring the district to approximately 10 recent purchases in the near term. Trustees approved Option 2. Motion by Dr. Olabeda; second by Megan Sullivan. Vote: 5-0. Staff said the additional buses aim to reduce annual maintenance and repair costs (staff cited current annual repairs of about $420,000) and to stagger fleet replacements going forward.

- White-fleet vehicle purchases (Agenda item 4e): Trustees approved purchase of five expedition-style SUVs through government contract pricing at a unit/total price listed in the documents as $52,006.07 (materials presented as $52,006.07 5 in the record). Motion by Luizenda (spelled in the record); second by Hector Rivera. Vote: 5-0.

- Legal contracts and closed-session authorizations (Agenda item 5 / 6): After a closed session that referenced deliberations under Texas Government Code provisions for personnel, property, attorney consultation and security, trustees returned to open session and approved (1) a resolution approving contingent-fee legal services agreements and findings needed for expedited submission to the Texas attorney general and (2) contingent-fee legal services agreements with outside counsel firms listed in the meeting materials. The board also authorized the district attorney to proceed with the actions discussed in executive session. Motions carried 5-0.

- Employment actions (Agenda item 6): Trustees moved and approved employment personnel items discussed in closed session, subject to satisfactory criminal background checks and reference verifications. Vote: 5-0.

What the board said

Board members and staff emphasized fleet reliability and student safety when discussing the bus purchases, noting older vehicles in the fleet and rising maintenance costs. On the chess trip staff confirmed travel costs would be covered by fundraising. During closed session trustees considered legal strategy and contingency-fee arrangements with outside counsel; after returning to open session trustees approved the necessary resolution and agreements and authorized counsel to proceed.

What remains

Staff must carry out follow-ups the board directed: finalize bus procurement and equipment, pursue available grants (trustees noted a community tip about potential electric-bus grant opportunities), implement purchased vehicles, and proceed with contracting steps and background checks for personnel hires. The board adjourned at 2:25 a.m. following approval of the items.