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Laredo ISD approves $432,168 to buy walk‑through weapons detectors, assigns fund balance to cover costs
Summary
The Laredo Independent School District board’s special committee approved a $432,168 budget amendment to buy three walk‑through weapons‑detection units for high schools and one unit for Shirley Field, and authorized assignment of excess fund balance to cover the purchase and other shortfalls.
The Laredo Independent School District Board of Trustees’ special committee on Oct. 23 approved a $432,168 budget amendment to purchase three walk‑through weapons‑detection units for Martin High School, Nixon High School and Sagarola High School and to fund one unit for Shirley Field.
Superintendent Dr. Rios presented the request as Item 1, describing a $324,126 equipment purchase and a transfer of $108,042 into the athletics fund for the Shirley Field unit, contingent on approval of a related fund‑balance assignment. The board approved the motion by voice vote.
Oscar Perez, a district staff member involved in procurement, said the new units use artificial‑intelligence‑based detection to “pinpoint if there is a weapon on the person,” distinguishing them from the district’s existing metal detectors that only indicate the presence of metal. Perez said the units process entrants faster and are intended to ease entry at crowded events such as football and basketball games.
Trustees supported the purchase but pressed staff on cost and funding. One trustee recounted a recent incident in which a foldable firearm was concealed in a backpack and said more capable screening was needed to protect students. Another trustee criticized state funding, saying the district was using local general‑fund dollars rather than receiving state support; Perez said some state “cycle 2” funds could be eligible for projects like this but that previously submitted projects consumed available allocations.
The committee later approved Item 3, an assignment of $8,831,684 and $432,168 from excess 2023–24 revenues over expenditures to address budget shortfalls and to cover the detector purchase. Miss Ayala told trustees $8.8 million is being set aside for the 2025–26 budget and $432,000 has been earmarked for the detector units.
The committee approved both the detector purchase and the fund‑balance assignment by voice votes. No roll‑call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.
