Galena Park ISD board approves personnel hires, policy and contingent-fee legal agreements, all votes 7-0

The Galena Park Independent School District Board of Trustees approved several motions by unanimous vote (7-0) after reconvening from executive session on Jan. 13.

Employment of contractual personnel Amanda Arabia moved and Noe Esparza seconded a motion "we approve the employment of contractual personnel as presented." The motion carried 7 to 0 with 0 abstentions.

Adopt notice of public meeting and proposed legal services contract Ramon Garza moved and Jose Jimenez seconded a motion that the board "adopt the notice of public meeting and notice of proposed legal services contract as presented by Ben Poppe, chief financial officer, and recommended by Dr. John C. Moore, superintendent of schools." The motion carried 7 to 0 with 0 abstentions.

Resolution approving contingent-fee legal services contract and delegation of execution authority The board adopted a resolution approving a contingent-fee legal services contract as presented; the motion was made and seconded and carried 7 to 0. The resolution included delegation to the superintendent (Dr. John C. Moore) to execute necessary documents as recommended by the chief financial officer.

Contingent-fee legal services agreements with named firms The board approved contingent-fee legal services agreements with Thompson & Horton LLP; Island & Bonin, P.C.; and O'Hanlon, and Castillo, P.C., as submitted by the chief financial officer and recommended by the superintendent. The motion carried 7 to 0 with 0 abstentions; the superintendent was delegated authority to execute the necessary documents.

Policy revision: CDA Local (Other revenues and investments) Trustee Noe Esparza moved and Jose Jimenez seconded approval of revisions to district policy CDA Local (Other revenues, investments) at first and final reading. The board approved the policy revision 7 to 0 with 0 abstentions. The presentation introducing the revision explained the district sought to increase the maximum maturity for short-term investments and increase the weighted average maturity for the total portfolio to take advantage of anticipated interest-rate changes.

Consent agendas The board approved the general consent agenda, the construction consent agenda and the financial consent agenda by individual motions; each motion passed by a 7 to 0 vote with 0 abstentions.

All recorded motions in the transcript carried by unanimous vote; the transcript shows the board consistently used roll-call language "All in favor? The motion carried 7 to 0 with 0 abstentions." No individual roll-call vote-by-name was recorded in the public transcript for these items.

The contingent-fee legal services items were presented with a recommendation from Chief Financial Officer Ben Poppe and with the superintendent's concurrence; the board also recorded that the adoption of a resolution would be subject to review by the Texas Attorney General per standard practice for contingent-fee agreements.