Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District trustees on June 7 approved a budget amendment moving existing district funds into a maintenance account to reserve money for a previously approved driveway project at a middle school.

The amendment shifts funds from a code described in the board materials as Function 53 (data services and an insurance/bonding line without identified expenses) into Function 51 (maintenance). Board Chair said the change is intended to ensure the district has money available when bids arrive for the driveway project.

The amendment was described by trustee members and staff as a bookkeeping move to set aside money for a driveway/traffic improvement project that had been approved earlier by the board; the board will consider approval of the specific construction contract and bids later. Trustee Benio said she was uneasy approving the amendment given the district began the fiscal year “in the negatives” and questioned whether the project is a priority because it does not directly affect classroom instruction. Sylvia Garza, the district’s budget consultant, said the funds already exist in the insurance/bonding code and that an audit found no outstanding liabilities tied to that balance: “It just looks like that money was placed there perhaps in case something did occur,” she said.

Garza described the driveway work as expanding the campus pickup/drop-off area by adding two lanes on the northwest side of the campus to reduce traffic backing up onto the adjacent street. She said engineering work has already been done and that the amendment simply reallocates existing local funds so the district can act when bids are received. Board members asked for schematics and additional clarification, and Garza indicated the plans were included in the board packet and could be reviewed again at the next meeting.

The board moved to approve the amendment after discussion; the chair called for the vote and recorded “Aye.” The board approved other consent agenda items (4A and 4C) earlier; 4B (the budget amendment) was pulled for discussion and then approved in open session.

The board and staff emphasized that, according to Garza, if the board later decides not to proceed with the construction, the money would remain in fund balance or be reallocated as needed. No contract award or construction authorization was voted on at the June 7 meeting.

Votes at a glance: the motion to approve the budget amendment was made and approved in open session; no recorded roll-call vote with individual tallies was entered in the transcript.

The board asked staff to provide schematics and additional details at a future meeting before final authorization of construction contracts.