At the Dec. 10 special meeting, several Judson ISD community members used the public‑comment period to demand clearer financial stewardship and to urge trustees to avoid internal political maneuvering that they said harms students and staff.

Mrs. Duncan urged the board to conduct "a full and independent audit if not already completed" and to hire "a dedicated financial officer and/or external adviser with expertise in school district recovery." She said the district faces a debt crisis and must pursue "careful financial stewardship, not reactionary measures."

Ralph Judkins delivered the most pointed remarks, telling trustees they had "a rare chance...to correct the story" and argued that the board president "cannot remain in the chair and she does not and cannot remain on this board." Judkins framed his remarks as stewardship, not punishment: "Choose courage over comfort. Choose integrity over silence."

Other speakers urged caution about personnel actions. Scott Willis warned trustees that firing the superintendent could carry a heavy price. "He's got two years left on his contract...Is that another $500,000 that we gotta cut?" Willis said, urging the board to prioritize getting the finances in order, hiring a CFO and working with the community to shape cuts.

Shannon Bong, president of the Judson Education Foundation, urged trustees to stop "bringing in politics" and to support the people working in the district. Bong said she came "from passion" and appealed to trustees to focus on students rather than personnel actions.

The board president acknowledged the remarks and moved on to agenda items; trustees did not take immediate formal action on governance matters raised by speakers. Several trustees later raised governance concerns during discussion about the growth and planning process, asking that the formal committee process be followed and that administrators' recommendations come through designated channels.

No single remedy was adopted during the meeting; the public comments were entered into the record and trustees asked staff and legal counsel to provide follow‑up information where appropriate.