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Denton ISD presents School FIRST report, approves bond-refunding order and camera contract
Summary
The board received the district's School FIRST financial report (presentation noted indicators and 84 days cash on hand), unanimously approved a motion authorizing unlimited tax refunding bonds, approved the consent agenda including a principal appointment, and authorized the superintendent to execute a security-camera contract after closed session.
At the Oct. 14 Denton ISD board meeting the district presented its annual School FIRST financial management report and the board took several unanimous actions on consent and new-business items.
Vicky Garcia, the district's executive director of finance, presented the School FIRST report required annually by the Texas Education Agency, explaining the rating is based on fiscal-year 2024 data and covers 21 indicators across three groups: critical indicators, solvency indicators and financial confidence indicators. Garcia noted the district passed all critical indicators and highlighted two monitored solvency indicators: days cash on hand (84 days, a few days below the 90-day target for maximum points) and multi-year fund-balance trends. "We're watching that just because we have seen this have to go into our fund balance over the past couple of years," Garcia said, urging continued monitoring.
During the consent portion, the board moved to approve the consent agenda (motion moved by Dr. Sophie Sanchez, seconded by Ms. English). The motion passed unanimously. The board announced that Narda Harbor was appointed as the new principal at Rivera.
Under new business the board considered an order authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax refunding bonds, delegating sale and delivery procedures and levying an annual ad valorem tax for payment of the bonds. The motion (moved by Ms. Tays and seconded by Mr. Stafford) passed unanimously.
The board convened in closed session under cited Texas Government Code provisions and Texas Education Code; on return the board voted (motion by Dr. Cesar Sanchez, seconded by Dr. Dunworth) to authorize the superintendent to execute and extend a contract for security camera upgrades "for reasonable compensation as discussed in closed session." The motion passed unanimously.
Board members asked questions about the interplay between financial indicators, bond ratings and operational decisions; district staff said a negative FIRST rating could affect future bond ratings. The district also noted enrollment changes (approximately 100 students fewer than last year) that factor into revenue projections.
Next steps: the district will proceed with delegated bond-sale procedures as authorized and implement the camera contract per the superintendent's execution of the extension; no bond sale date or contract value was specified in the public part of the meeting.
