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Magnolia ISD board approves unmodified audit, authorizes property purchase and OKs pay for winter-storm closures
Summary
At a Magnolia Independent School District meeting, the board accepted an unmodified financial audit, authorized purchase of a 43,473-square-foot parcel for district use and approved a resolution to pay employees for two storm-related closure days.
The Magnolia Independent School District board on Monday accepted a financial audit that auditors described as an "unmodified opinion," authorized purchase of a roughly 43,473-square-foot parcel for district facilities and approved a resolution to pay employees for two days the district closed because of winter storm Enzo.
The actions came during a regular board meeting in which Robert Veil, representing the audit firm Belk, Paris and Pohacek, presented the district's fiscal-year financial statements and grant audit. "We're issuing an unmodified opinion, which is the highest level of assurance we can provide to the board," Veil said. He also told the board the district's general fund showed a net increase in fund balance of $926,000 and roughly 88 days of fund balance on hand.
The board approved three motions by voice vote:
Votes at a glance: the board approved (1) acceptance of the district's financial audit, moved by Stacia and seconded by Jordan; (2) purchase of a parcel near Bradley Lane and Buddy Riley Boulevard for district facilities, moved by Dasha and seconded by Sonya; and (3) an emergency school-closing resolution to pay staff for Jan. 21–22, 2025, moved by David and seconded by Jordan. In each case the presiding officer called for those "in favor," and the board replied, and the motions passed. Specific vote tallies were not recorded on the transcript.
Audit details: Veil said the firm issued unmodified opinions on the financial statements and on the single audit required because the district received more than $750,000 in federal funds. He told trustees the audit process produced no major findings under government auditing standards and that the required auditor-communications letter raised no disagreements. Veil walked the board through selected budget-to-actual pages and noted the district recorded a positive fund-balance increase for the year.
Property purchase: Superintendent staff told the board the district had identified a property of approximately 43,473 square feet off Buddy Riley Boulevard and that an appraisal was performed and accepted by the seller. The motion authorized the superintendent or the superintendent's designee to negotiate and execute the final sale and purchase agreement and related documents. The purchase price and specific funding source for the acquisition were not specified in the meeting record.
Emergency pay resolution: The board considered a resolution to pay employees for two days the district was closed because of winter storm Enzo. The district was closed Jan. 21 and Jan. 22, 2025; the board referenced its policy requiring a post-closure resolution to set payment parameters. The board approved the resolution by voice vote; the transcript records the motion and passage but does not record individual roll-call votes.
The board recessed to a closed executive session after the votes. The meeting record indicates the executive session would include consultations with the district attorney, discussion of purchase or sale of real property, and personnel matters as permitted under Texas Government Code chapter 551.
