Feb 21, 2022 Board Meeting

[00:00:04]

OK, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

[1.C. Reconvene from Closed Session]

THEREFORE, AS THE PRESIDENT OF FRENSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF TRUSTEES TO ORDER.

MR. ROBINSON WOULD MIND LEADING US IN INVOCATION SIR?

[1.D. Invocation]

THANK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND MEET AND WE JUST PRAY AS ALWAYS, WE PRAY FOR YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AS WE MAKE DECISIONS FOR THIS DISTRICT.

WE JUST THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS YOU BESTOW UPON THIS DISTRICT, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE KIDS. WE HAVE THE TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES, AND WE JUST PRAY THAT THOSE CONTINUE AND THANK YOU FOR THE RAIN TODAY.

WE JUST PRAY FOR MORE AND WE JUST ASK THESE THINGS IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN. AMEN. CHIEF BASSETT, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

[1.E. Pledge of Allegiance]

AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU CHIEF. SURE. DID WE DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC FORUM? NO SIR.

GOOD. MOVING ON TO THE FAVORITE PART OF THE PROGRAM HERE, AND THAT'S MS.

[1.G.1. Lubbock Area United Way]

ALL RIGHT. HELLO, EVERYONE.

TONIGHT WE'RE STARTING OUR RECOGNITIONS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS FROM THE LUBBOCK AREA UNITED WAY. EACH YEAR FRENSHIP EMPLOYEES ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE UNITED WAY. AND THERE ARE MANY PARTNERING AGENCIES AND EACH YEAR FRENSHIP FAMILIES STEP UP AND DO WHAT THEY CAN TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

THE UNITED WAY HAS ASKED TO JOIN US FOR THE BOARD MEETING TONIGHT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR FRENSHIP STAFF AND STUDENTS.

PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME THE PRESIDENT AND CEO GLENN COCHRAN, CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN MARK GRIFFIN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AMY BERRY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ANNUAL CAMPAIGN LYNN OWENS, AND VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS AMANDA MCAFEE. IF Y'ALL WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD.

[APPLAUSE] [INAUDIBLE] AND ALONG THE LONGEST SERVING BOARD MEMBER I'VE KNOWN IN MY LIFE [LAUGHTER] WAS FRENSHIP EVEN FORMED [LAUGHTER] I STARTED WHEN I WAS 12.

WELL, I BRING YOU GREETINGS AS THE MOUTH GOING.

THAT'S THE OPERATIVE WORD THE CAMPAIGN CHAIRPERSON FOR THE UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN, WE [INAUDIBLE] 75TH ANNIVERSARY FOR THE LUBBOCK AREA UNITED WAY.

SO THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT YEAR FOR US AND UNDER DR.

MCCORDS' LEADERSHIP AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE UNITED WAY, HER WELL, WE CALLED HER THE VELVET HAMMER. [LAUGHTER] SUBTLE YET EFFECTIVE UNDER HER LEADERSHIP AND THIS TEAM BEHIND ME, WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE OVER SIX MILLION DOLLARS FOR UNITED WAY AND WHAT HAPPENS IS EACH PARTICIPANT PLAYS A ROLE IN THAT INVESTMENT, AND THIS DISTRICT WAS CERTAINLY NO DIFFERENT AND VERY SIGNIFICANT IN ITS IN ITS INVESTMENT.

KEITH PATRICK I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO KEITH.

HE WAS VICE CHAIR OF THE LOAN EXECUTIVES.

HE'LL BE CHEERING THAT THAT GROUP NEXT YEAR, AND HE DID A FABULOUS JOB.

HE REALLY, REALLY DID.

I JUST I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE PROUD.

THE LOAN EXECUTIVES, AS A GROUP OF REALLY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WHO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HOST CAMPAIGN MEETINGS AT PARTICULAR COMPANIES AND TO LEAD, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE PROUD OF A GROUP OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WE ARE.

I CAN TELL YOU OUR COMMUNITY IS IN GOOD HEALTH.

IT REALLY IS. BUT FRENSHIP ISD FIFTY EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE DOLLARS. [APPLAUSE] I WANT YOU TO BE PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN, NOT ONLY DID YOU TOUCH EVERY DAY ON YOUR CAMPUSES, IN YOUR CLASSROOMS, BUT YOU ALSO ACCESS SOME OF THE TWENTY THREE PARTNER AGENCIES THAT THIS UNITED WAY SUPPORTS.

[00:05:04]

SO ON BEHALF OF UNITED WAY THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.

SIR IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD.

YES, OK.

JUST TELL US WHERE TO GO. WELL, THE [INAUDIBLE] CLAN AND MARK WERE VERY GRACIOUS ABOUT RAISING THE MONEY, BUT I DO HAVE A HAMMER.

[LAUGHTER] YES.

SHE'S BEEN KNOWN TO WHACK PEOPLE.

[LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] OK, NEXT, PHOTOGRAPHER.

OK, PERFECT. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, SIR.

THANKS FOR COMING. WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING US.

OF COURSE [INAUDIBLE] I THINK THEY CALL IT A GAVEL BUT THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST YEAR ANYBODY [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET HIT WITH IT [INAUDIBLE] COULD BE RISKY.

IT WASN'T ME. AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY CINDI, THANK YOU FOR STANDING IN, AND SHE WORKS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, AS YOU KNOW AND THE REST OF HER DEPARTMENT.

THEY WENT TO [INAUDIBLE] AND ALSO THAT'S WHERE KEITH PATRICK IS, AND SABINE STAYED BACK BECAUSE SHE MIGHT BE HAVING A BABY.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

YEAH, HAPPY TO BE HERE.

OUR NEXT RECOGNITION IS OUR ALL-STATE BAND.

[1.G.2. All-State Band]

TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL HAD SORRY FRENSHIP HIGH SCHOOL HAD NINETY ONE BAND STUDENTS MAKE ALL REGION BANDS, WITH FIFTY STUDENTS ADVANCING INTO THE AREA AUDITIONS.

OF THOSE, FIFTY THREE STUDENTS WERE SELECTED FOR THE ALL-STATE BAND.

THIS IS THE HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL HONOR FOR A HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIAN, AND ONLY TWO PERCENT OF THE COMPETING STUDENTS ACHIEVE THIS DISTINCTION.

FRENSHIP BAND DIRECTOR DR.

RYAN SMITH IS HERE TONIGHT TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR PERFORMANCE AND TO RECOGNIZE THESE STUDENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING.

DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THAT THESE STUDENTS FACE THROUGHOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THESE ALL-STATE STUDENTS REMAINED COMMITTED TO THEIR PERSONAL MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT.

THEY DEMONSTRATED THE VERY PERSEVERANCE AND DEDICATION THAT ONGOING PARTICIPATION IN A MUSIC PROGRAM FOSTERS TMEA SPONSORS THIS TEXAS ALL STATE AUDITION PROCESS TO PROMOTE THESE STUDENTS DEDICATION TO THEIR MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL, AND TO ENCOURAGE EDUCATORS TO SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS IN THIS DEVELOPMENT.

ALL-STATE, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY STATED, IS THE HIGHEST HONOR A TEXAS MUSIC STUDENT CAN RECEIVE THIS YEAR.

OVER FIFTY THOUSAND STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE INITIALLY AUDITIONED, AND ONLY EIGHTEEN HUNDRED STUDENTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR IT THIS YEAR IN 2022.

OUR THREE BAND STUDENTS THAT EARNED THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.

OUR SENIOR SENIOR AVA MONICO, AND THIS IS HER SECOND YEAR.

CHRISTOPHER SEDBERRY, SENIOR ON BASS TROMBONE, AND FRESHMAN RYDER DAY ON PICCOLO.

[APPLAUSE] Y'ALL HAVE TO STAY THERE UNTIL ALL THE PARENTS.

THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. MY PARENTS APPRECIATE THAT.

[00:10:04]

[INAUDIBLE] AND PARENTS, I PROMISE I'LL MOVE OUT OF Y'ALLS WAY.

TONIGHT WE'RE ALSO RECOGNIZING SEVEN, FHS CHOIR

[1.G.3. All-State Choir]

ONLY THE TOP TWO POINT SIX PERCENT OF MUSICIANS WHO INITIALLY AUDITION BECOME ALL STATE CHOIR [INAUDIBLE], IN ADDITION TO THE SEVEN STUDENTS RECEIVING THIS HONOR THE FRENSHIP VARSITY HIGH [INAUDIBLE] FRENSHIP HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY CHORALE, WAS CHOSEN TO PERFORM AT THE TEXAS MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION, HELD IN SAN ANTONIO ON FEBRUARY 11, WHICH WAS QUITE THE HONOR.

FRENSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DIRECTOR AMY MOSS IS HERE TO HELP US RECOGNIZE HER STUDENTS.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO RECOGNIZE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE WONDERFUL YOUNG PEOPLE.

I'M GOING TO ECHO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT VAN SAID EARLIER THAT THIS YEAR THEY FACED LOTS OF DIFFERENT CHALLENGES COVID WAS STILL A CHALLENGE TO WORK THROUGH, AND THEY JUST CONTINUE TO PERSEVERE. YOU KNOW, THE DAYS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MISSED THEY MADE UP THAT TIME, BUT THEY REMAINED COMMITTED TO EXTREME PERSONAL MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS CHARACTER BUILDING. IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO PREPARE THIS MUSIC TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY HAVE TO BE AT TO PLACE IN THE CHOIR.

IN ADDITION TO THE MUSIC THAT THEY PREPARE, THEY PREPARE ABOUT, I WOULD SAY ABOUT TEN COLLEGIATE PIECES. I BELIEVE THEY ALSO UNDERGO SITE READING PROCESS, WHICH MEANS THEY LOOK AT A PIECE OF MUSIC AND THEY HAVE TO SING IT AND SING CORRECT CORRECT PITCHES AND CORRECT RHYTHMS, AND THEY'RE SCORED AND RANKED AGAINST OTHER STUDENTS FOR THAT.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF PREPARATION.

AND FOR THEM TO JUST LOOK AT MUSIC AND HEAR IT AND SING IT IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE FEAT IN AND OF ITSELF. SO WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF THEM.

AGAIN, TO ECHO SOME OF WHAT [INAUDIBLE] SAID OVER FIFTY THOUSAND STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE INITIALLY ENTERED THE AUDITION PROCESS, AND APPROXIMATELY TWO THOUSAND STUDENTS WERE SELECTED FOR THE 2022 YEAR.

WE PERSONALLY SUBMITTED FORTY STARTED WITH FORTY NINE STUDENTS, WHICH WAS THE MOST IN OUR DISTRICT TO TAKE TO OUR VERY FIRST ROUND OF COMPETITION, AND WE ENDED UP WITH OVER SEVEN PERCENT OF OUR INITIAL PARTICIPANTS PLACING IN THE TOP CHOIRS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHICH IS AMAZING. SO IN ALL OF THESE STUDENTS, WHICH HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR OUR FRESHMEN WILL BE THERE WITH US. BUT THERE ARE SIX OF OUR STUDENTS HERE THAT ALSO WERE IN OUR VARSITY ENSEMBLE THAT PERFORMED AS ONE OF THE SIX CHOIRS INVITED TO SING AT TMEA.

SO WE WERE VERY, VERY EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE THEM TONIGHT.

AND I'M GOING TO START WITH BLAIR COLLIER.

THIS IS A JUNIOR YEAR FIRST TIME TO MAKE TEXAS ALL STATE CHOIR AND ALEXA CONNER SENIOR.

LOVELY. OK THE MIXED CHOIR.

ASHLEAH EDWARDS, JUNIOR ALL STATE CHOIR MEMBER FOR THE TREBLE CHOIR.

MADILYN SALLEE, SOPHOMORE [INAUDIBLE] AND HAILEY WILLIAMS, SENIOR SHE'S A SENIOR FOR THE NEXT ALL-STATE CHOIR.

AND THEN LYNNLI WISEMAN, WHO IS ACTUALLY [INAUDIBLE] THIS IS HER SECOND TIME TO MAKE ALL-STATE AS A SOPHOMORE.

YOU'VE MADE IT AS A FRESHMAN, SO THIS IS HER SECOND TIME.

AND THEN LINDLEY WISE, THIS IS HER THIRD TIME TO MAKE IT AS SHE'S A SENIOR THIS YEAR OR SO. EXCELLENT WORK.

AND THEN DREW COX, OUR VERY FIRST FRESHMAN YOUNG MAN TO MAKE THE ALL-STATE CHOIR.

[00:15:06]

AND IT'S TIME FOR PICTURES YES, VERY GOOD. AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB AT THE TMEA CONCERT.

IT WAS AMAZING.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE IN THE CROWD.

[INAUDIBLE] AND THEN BILLIE LOU BILETT, OUR PREVIOUS CHOIR DIRECTOR, INTRODUCED AMY MOSS. IT WAS VERY SWEET ANNOUNCEMENT AND HOW, SHE I DON'T REMEMBER ALL OF THOSE THINGS BUT SHE HONORED YOU AND ALL OF THAT? I THINK SHE DID THAT. SHE KNEW SHE DID, AND SHE WAS ALSO A MENTOR TEACHER WHEN I FIRST STARTED TEACHING [INAUDIBLE] WITH HER AND THEN WAS HER ASSISTANT FOR FIVE YEARS IN A DISTRICT THAT WE SHALL NOT NAME.

[LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] YES. CONGRATULATIONS.

SO NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO HONOR AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE FIVE FRENSHIP HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

[1.G.4. Seniors from Superintendent's Student Advisory Board]

MCCORD, SUPERINTENDENT STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD.

THESE STUDENTS WERE SELECTED AS MEMBERS OF THE STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD DURING THE END OF THEIR EIGHTH GRADE YEAR, AND THEY SERVE AS A LIAISON TO FHS.

THEY PROVIDE VALUABLE INSIGHT AND FEEDBACK FOR DR.

MCCORD. THEY ALSO PARTICIPATE IN SEVERAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS AND HELP WITH THE COMMUNITY TOURS OF OUR FRENSHIP FACILITIES.

SO I'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO THEM.

VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

YOU ALL COME UP TO THE FRONT STAND ON THE STAND ON THE MAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE CAMERA COMES ON WHEN YOU GET ON THE MAT.

[INAUDIBLE] THEY'RE MUCH BETTER AT ALL THIS SORT OF THING THAN I AM.

BUT I TELL THIS GROUP EVERY YEAR THIS AND THEY LOOK AT ME WITH KIND OF A SAD FACE, BUT I TELL THEM THAT REALLY.

AND I MEAN IT, THAT WHEN I MEET WITH THEM AND WE SEE EACH OTHER ONCE EVERY SIX WEEKS, THAT IT REALLY IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT I DO.

AND THEY LOOK AT ME LIKE, YOU REALLY GOING TO MAKE ME LAUGH [LAUGHTER] BUT I DON'T REALLY IN MY ROLE WHILE I CHERISH THE ROLE THAT I HAVE.

I DON'T WORK DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS.

AND SO I GET TO WORK WITH THEM AND THEY ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST.

I KNOW SORRY IF THERE'S ANY OTHER KIDS HERE, BUT THESE ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST AND THEY JUST ARE WE.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WERE IN HERE WHEN MR. GRIFFIN WAS GIVING US AN AWARD ABOUT THE UNITED WAY AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOUNG

[00:20:03]

AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS GENERATION, THIS GROUP OF KIDS, IF YOU WILL USE YOUR VOICE, THEN THIS IS THE GREATEST GENERATION OF STUDENTS.

SO SORRY ABOUT THAT GROUP THAT WENT THROUGH WORLD WAR TWO AND ALL THAT [LAUGHTER] THEY DID, BUT THEY DIDN'T LIVE THROUGH YOU IF YOU'VE LIVED THROUGH A PANDEMIC, ANYONE DOES NOT NEED TO TELL YOU TO GET STUFF.

YOU JUST NEED TO STAY TOUGH BECAUSE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.

IF YOU CAN LIVE THROUGH WHAT YOU'VE LIVED THROUGH THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND RISEN UP AND LIT AND LED YOUR, YOUR CLASSMATES, THEIR LEADERS AMONG LEADERS.

AND I JUST LOVED THE TIME THAT I SPEND WITH THEM AND WE DO SPEND TIME IN COMMUNITY SERVICE. THEY, WHEN WE BRING IN BUSINESSES, THEY ARE THE STARS OF THE SHOW.

IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS AND YOU WANT TO COME DO A TOUR AND THEY'RE THE TOUR GUIDES, THEY'RE AMAZING. THEY MAKE BLANKETS FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH CANCER TREATMENTS AND A LITTLE NOTE IS PUT ON THE BLANKET AND THEY KNOW THE PATIENT KNOWS THAT IT CAME FROM THESE STUDENTS. THEY STARTED AS FRESHMEN AND THEY'RE ENDING THIS PART OF THEIR CAREER, AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE ENDING THIS PART OF YOUR CAREER.

BUT IT'S JUST THIS CHAPTER.

YOU GOT GREAT THINGS AHEAD OF YOU, GREAT THINGS AHEAD OF YOU.

SO I'M SO THANKFUL.

AND PARENTS, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME JUST BE A LITTLE PART OF IT AND THANK YOU FOR RAISING SUCH GREAT HUMANS.

WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE, I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO SERVE ON THIS ROLE.

I WAS NOT THAT I JUST WASN'T THAT POLISHED AND THEY'RE AMAZING.

SO WE HAVE AINSLEY HUDGENS.

YES, WE HAVE.

GRANT PHILLIPS.

WE HAVE CAROLYN PIERCE.

WE HAVE LYNNLI AGAIN, AS SHE WAS HERE A MOMENT AGO, AND WE HAVE ANSLEY IVERSON, SO IF YOU'LL CONGRATULATE THEM.

[LAUGHTER] NOW IF ALL OF YOU WILL STAND IN FRONT HERE.

[INAUDIBLE] THERE YOU GO.

[APPLAUSE] TONIGHT WE'RE ALSO RECOGNIZING A FEW OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, SEVERAL OF OUR BUSINESS

[1.G.5. Texas Association of School Business Officials Certifications]

THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO OFFER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION TO THOSE WHO WISH TO FURTHER DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND SEEK EXCELLENCE IN THEIR PROFESSION.

MR. REEVES AND MR. WILLIAMS. IF YOU'LL JOIN ME UP HERE [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU BOARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE].

SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE BUSINESS OFFICE IS CONSTANTLY WORKING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR DISTRICT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS APPROPRIATELY AND RIGHT TO REPRESENT THIS DISTRICT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE RESPONSIBLE WITH THE RESOURCES PROVIDED TO US FROM OUR COMMUNITY.

AND PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES IS CONTINUING EDUCATION.

IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE REACHED A CERTAIN LEVEL.

[00:25:01]

AND THESE PEOPLE AND I'M GOING TO SEPARATE.

TIM IS ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING ALL THESE PEOPLE, EVEN VALERIE.

BUT I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE VALERIE BECAUSE VALERIE WORKS OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE BEHIND THE SCENES BILLS ARE PAID ON TIME.

BILLS ARE PAID AND CONSISTENTLY AND ACCURATELY AND WELL DONE.

AND VALERIE, SHE'S AN OUTGOING PERSONALITIES, DRAWS A LOT OF ATTENTION TO HERSELF.

SHE'S A STRONG [LAUGHTER].

AND, YOU KNOW, SHE SITS IN HER OFFICE AND DOES AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO HAVE HER ON OUR TEAM.

WE ARE A TEAM AND WE OPERATE.

WE'RE ALL AS ONE.

I GET THE PRIVILEGE AND THE PLEASURE OF LEADING MY GROUP.

BUT WE ARE A FAMILY AND WE WORK AS ONE, AND VALERIE IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR SUCCESS.

AND SO, VALERIE HAS ACHIEVED THE TASBO, TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS CERTIFIED TEXAS SCHOOL BUSINESS SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION.

AND SO IT WAS PRESENTED TO HER.

[APPLAUSE] SHE WAS SCARED OF MEETING SHE CALLED IN SICK THIS MORNING [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU, LORD, FOR ALLOWING US TO COME RECOGNIZE THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS IN MY WORLD WILL SQUELCH A VICIOUS RUMOR WHICH IS NOT IN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, BUT I'LL TELL YOU HE'S HE'S ALSO WORKING WITH GAMES TONIGHT, PLAYOFF GAMES, SO HE'S ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME, BUT I'VE GOT TWO INDIVIDUALS REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON IN MY WHOLE WORLD RIGHT NOW AND NOT BEEN CERTIFIED, AND SHE JUST STARTED A YEAR AGO. SO I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK, ESPECIALLY DURING PANDEMIC TIMES.

YOU KNOW, WE GO TO TASBO, WE GO TO CLASS, WE HAVE A TEACHER, WE SIT IN THERE, WE LISTEN, WE ASK QUESTIONS, PANDEMIC SHOWS UP AND THEY ALL GO ONLINE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO THESE GUYS GOT THEIR CERTIFICATION THROUGH SOME PRETTY TOUGH TIMES.

I'LL TELL YOU, I'VE DONE IT BEFORE. IT'S A LOT HARDER DOING IT THAT WAY.

BUT I'M REALLY PROUD THAT THEY PUT IN THE TIME AND EFFORT TO MAKE THEMSELVES BETTER.

AND THE TANGIBLE CERTIFICATION IS, IS A IS A GREAT WAY TO GET THAT DONE.

THE FIRST ONE THAT I HAVE IS FOR LORI MCADAMS, AND SHE RECEIVED THE CERTIFIED TEXAS SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION.

[APPLAUSE] SMITH, WHO GOT THE REGISTERED TEXAS SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS AWARD CERTIFICATION. WE'LL TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT [INAUDIBLE].

AND WE WENT TO THE INTERVIEW AND HE KEPT TALKING ABOUT HIS DAD, AND I'M THINKING THAT WAS A COACH AND I'M THINKING, OK, WHO'S HIS DAD? SO I'M THINKING, SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT HERE.

SO HE WALKS OUT AND I REALIZED THAT HE WAS MY FOOTBALL COACH IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND WHEN I FIRST MET HIM, HE WAS [LAUGHTER].

GO DOWN THE STAIRS AT A GATE, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU.

AND SPECIAL THANK YOU TO CHAD FOR TAKING SOME PICTURES TONIGHT, SO I DON'T HAVE TO RUN AROUND, YEAH, DON'T RUN.

OK LET ME GET ONE.

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

[2.A. Public hearing on the annual report including the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR)]

AND WHILE YOU'RE GETTING CLEAR, I WANT TO READ THE OPENING STATEMENT HERE.

WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY OPENING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH INCLUDES THE TEXAS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE REPORT.

DR. LEANN FISHER HAS PREPARED THIS PRESENTATION.

THE PODIUM AND THE FLOOR IS ALL YOURS NOW.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, MR. DRAPER AND BOARD. JUST GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME THIS EVENING AND PRESENT JUST OUR ANNUAL INFORMATION AS REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE. SO JUST A JUST A LITTLE QUICK BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN YOUR BOARD DOCS.

THERE ARE SEVEN DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THIS REQUIRED PRESENTATION, SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE ON

[00:30:02]

WE'LL KIND OF GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF THEM JUST IN SUMMARY.

SO THE FIRST ONE IS OUR TEXAS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE REPORT, THE TAPR REPORT.

THIS IS WHAT ULTIMATELY TRIGGERS THIS ANNUAL HEARING THAT WE MUST DO SO.

AS A REMINDER, IT IS A COMPILATION OF [INAUDIBLE] INFORMATION AS WELL AS OUR STUDENT ASSESSMENT DATA.

SO THE TWO TOGETHER ARE WHAT PROVIDE THIS REPORT FOR US.

IT IS PUBLISHED EACH YEAR, EITHER THROUGH PDF, WHICH YOU HAVE OR ONLINE.

JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE COVER PAGE.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE 2021 ACCOUNTABILITY RATING, WHICH ALL CAMPUSES AND DISTRICTS AGAIN FOR 2021 RECEIVE THE NOT RATED DECLARED STATE OF DISASTER.

AND YOU WILL ALSO SEE A SPECIAL EDUCATION DETERMINATION STATUS, WHICH WE MET REQUIREMENT THERE. AND THEN YOU WON'T SEE THE ASVAB OR THE ARMED SERVICES BECAUSE WE DO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. SO THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED OR PUT THAT ON THE ON THE TITLE PAGE SINCE WE DO MEET THAT REQUIREMENT. AND THEN BECAUSE OF THE JUST CONTINUED PANDEMIC, THERE WERE NO DISTINCTION DESIGNATIONS THIS YEAR.

SO WE'LL SEE THOSE RETURNING NEXT YEAR ON THE COVER SHEET.

A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT JUST TAPR.

JUST A REMINDER THAT IT DOES INCLUDE ALL OF THE PERFORMANCE DATA FOR GRADES THREE THROUGH A EIGHT AND OUR EOCS BOTH COMBINE AND INDIVIDUAL, AS WELL AS THE INFORMATION FOR ATTENDANCE, GRADUATION, DROPOUT RATES AND THEN OUR COLLEGE AND CAREER MILITARY READINESS.

SO ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT MAKE UP OUR COLLEGE AND CAREER MILITARY READINESS ARE BROKEN APART WITHIN OUR TAPR RESULTS.

YOU'LL ALSO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF INFORMATION FOR STUDENT INFORMATION, STAFF AND PROGRAM. WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT DATA, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S A 2021 AND 2019, WHICH ARE THE TWO MOST CURRENT YEAR'S AVAILABLE FOR US.

IN ADDITION TO THE TAPR RESULTS IN OUR IN, OUR ANNUAL REPORT IS JUST THE FINAL INFORMATION ON OUR TEAM'S FINANCIAL STANDARD REPORTS.

AGAIN, THIS IS ALL INFORMATION YOU'VE RECEIVED IN PRIOR MEETINGS, BUT THIS IS AGAIN JUST A CLOSE OUT OF THE YEAR.

SO THERE ARE THE ACTUAL RESULTS OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR BOTH THE DISTRICT AND THE CAMPUSES. AND THEN WE'LL SEE IN THERE THE DISTRICT ACCREDITATION STATUS FOR THE 2021 YEAR AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ACCREDITATION STATUS ASSIGNED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE LACK OF ACADEMIC DATA THAT WITH NO ASSESSMENTS, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. SO WE'LL SEE THE RETURN TO ACCREDITATION STATUS NEXT YEAR.

IN THE NEXT SECTION IS THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS FROM THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

SO THERE'S THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS WELL AS THE INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES.

SO JUST AN UPDATE.

THEY DID THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN MEETING THOSE GOALS FOR THE 2020-2021 YEAR AND THEN IN SECTION FIVE AS REQUIRED, WE ARE TO REPORT THE VIOLENT AND CRIMINAL INCIDENCES WITHIN THE CAMPUS IN THE DISTRICT.

SECTION SIX DOES TALK ABOUT THE STUDENT PERFORMANCE FOR POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS.

THIS IS SOME LAGGING DATA AS WELL.

IT'S BASED OFF OF OUR 2019 GRADUATES.

IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR THAT INFORMATION TO MAKE ITS WAY BACK AROUND BECAUSE IT COMES FROM THE HIGHER ED, THE HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD, SO TALKS ABOUT JUST HOW WELL OUR KIDS DID ONCE THEY WENT ON INTO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.

AND THEN SECTION SEVEN IS JUST THE GLOSSARY OF TERMS. IN CASE YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AS FAR AS THE TAPR REPORT GOES.

AND THEN AS THE STATUTE REQUIRES, WE WILL POST ALL OF THIS INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC IN CASE THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME AND VIEW THAT.

SO THAT WILL HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME IN REGARDS TO YOUR ANNUAL REPORT? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT WISHED TO SPEAK? DR. FISHER, THANK YOU.

IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE WE DO APPRECIATE IT.

YES. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TO ALL THE DETAILS.

YES, MA'AM. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD EFFECTIVENESS

[3.A. Effectiveness Report on Transportation Program]

MR. EDWARD ESPARZA, IF YOU WILL PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE INTRODUCE WHO YOU HAVE WITH YOU TONIGHT.

OK, I'VE GOT THREE REPRESENTATIVES FROM DURHAM.

I'VE GOT RICH [INAUDIBLE], JIM RYAN AND FRED SMITH THAT HAVE COME ALONG TO HELP US OUT.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST [INAUDIBLE]

[00:35:07]

THESE THINGS ARE JUST MAKING IT A SLIDESHOW EDWARD SO IT'S BIGGER 2019-2020, BUT LOOKS LIKE THE MOLECULES [INAUDIBLE] BIG INCREASE IS IN OUR ACTIVITIES.

UM. NEXT THING TO DISCUSS IS SUCCESS, THE ROAD TO SUCCESS, BUT I WANT TO REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE AT THE BUS BARN.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

TWO YEARS AGO, THAT WAS THE WHOLE PARKING LOT WAS DONE WITH CONCRETE.

THIS PAST YEAR HAD RESURFACED THE ASPHALT REPAIRS DID ALL THE REEVES STRIKING.

AND BEING THE BEST THING I THINK WAS THE WHOLE PROJECT WAS THE ENTRY EXITS INTO THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE OF THE OF THE THE DIPS AS WE ENTERED THE PARKING LOT.

THE NEXT THING THAT WE WE ASKED FOR THIS WAS BECAUSE OF THE ACTIVITY BUSSES, ALL INCLUDING BUSSES OWNED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAKE DIESEL EXHAUST FUEL OR WE GET STORAGE.

IF NOT, WE WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE EACH BUS DOWN TO THE FUEL STATION AND WAIT NINE MINUTES BEFORE. SO THAT WAS A BIG ADDITION THAT WE HAD.

THE THIRD THING EDWARD GETS STILL, I COULD PUSH OR PULL ON THE GATE TO ENTER THE NORTH FROM THE NORTH SIDE.

SO I'M DISCUSSED WITH MICHAEL AND SOME OTHERS.

THEY COME UP ONE DAY A LATER, AND THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT THE BEST THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT WE'VE SEEN AT THE FACILITY.

ANOTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE SINCE COVID OF AUGUST OF 2020 IS WE'VE BEEN SPRAYING THE BUSSES AFTER EACH ROUTE.

THIS IS TO PROTECT THE DRIVERS, PROTECT THE STUDENTS AND SO FORTH, AND HE'LL CONTINUE DOING THE SAME THING AS FAR AS WITH COVID, WHEN THAT WILL STOP, I'M NOT FOR SURE, BUT IT'S LIKE, WE'RE TOLD, TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

WE'RE STILL SPRAYING ALL EQUIPMENT.

AND THEN THE NEXT THING IS, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU'VE PURCHASED SOME FREIGHTLINER BUSSES, AND THAT'S BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO THE SYSTEM FOR ACTIVITIES THAT WE NEED.

BUT ALONG WITH SUCCESS COMES CHALLENGES.

YOU KNOW, WE GET ON THE ROAD, WE SEE ALL THE TRAFFIC.

WE HAD PREVENTABLE AND NOT PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS.

AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE HAD FOUR PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS.

TWO OF THOSE ACCIDENTS WERE [INAUDIBLE] WE WERE MAKING A LEFT TURN AND WE HIT A PARKED CAR. THE OTHER TWO, WE CLIPPED THE MIRROR AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE, WE [INAUDIBLE] A PARKED CAR AND THEY OPENED THE DOOR.

SO WE CAUGHT THAT THE OTHER SEVEN THAT WE HAD WERE NOT PREVENTABLE.

FOUR OF THOSE WERE ACCIDENTS THAT WE HAD.

WE WERE PARKED, TWO WERE RAILROAD CROSSINGS, ONE WAS AT A OF THREE TWENTY THREE SEVENTY EIGHT AND WE WERE AT A BUS STOP AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE, WE WERE AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND SOMEBODY VEERED INTO US THERE.

SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAD WITH PREVENTABLE AND NOT PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS, A BIG CHALLENGE THAT COMES AROUND, THAT IS IT'S TWENTY FOUR SEVEN FOR US IS HIRING BUS DRIVERS THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, EVEN WHEN SUMMER.

WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT HIRING BUS DRIVERS.

AND ONE THING THAT WE DID IS THANKS TO EVERYBODY HERE, THERE WAS A INCREASE.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THE DRIVERS THREE PERCENT INCREASE, WHICH MADE US MORE COMPETITIVE WITH HIRING DRIVERS.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE GOT THE EXTRA DRIVERS, BUT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE OUT, THEY HAVE TRIPS AND SO FORTH.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR DRIVERS AND THE.

[00:40:04]

THEY THEN PASSED [INAUDIBLE] EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.

HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES WITH MECHANICAL CONCERNS.

WE KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES IN THE PAST PAST YEAR AND PAST YEARS WITH ACTIVITY BUSSES. WITH THIS, WE DO HAVE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE MANUFACTURERS AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVES TO EXPEDITE NEEDED REPAIRS.

AND AS WE LOOK FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH BUS REPAIR TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS. WE HAVE SOUGHT OUT LOCATIONS IN THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF LOCATIONS IN THAT AREA THAT ARE ENDURING OPERATED.

BUT WE'VE ALSO SOUGHT SOME OUT IN ROUND ROCK, SAN ANTONIO, EL PASO, COULD CALL SOME OTHERS. WE HADN'T GOTTEN RESPONSE YET, BUT WILL CONTINUE DOING THAT.

SO IF THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN, WE HAVE A CONTACT SO WE CAN QUICKLY MOVE STUDENTS TO SAFETY AREA. ANOTHER ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS FRENSHIP FOUNDATION OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND WE HAD SOME DELAYS IN SPONSORSHIP, BUT DURHAM SERVICES HAS PAID UP FOR THE CURRENT YEAR AND WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION IN A TIMELY MANNER FOR THE UPCOMING YEARS. AND SAYING ALL THIS AUTOMATION MAKES IT CLEAR THAT WE WANT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FRENSHIP ISD TO BE LIFE LONG, WE AIN'T TURNED THE LIFETIME LOYALTY ABOUT DELIVERING EXCELLENT VALUE THROUGH THE FREQUENT AND HIGH PERFORMANCE SERVICES.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW IS THIS WEEK IS DRIVER [INAUDIBLE] APPRECIATION WEEK, AND I WANT TO THANK MICHAEL AND EVERYBODY HERE THAT TOMORROW THEY WILL BE THERE IN THE AFTERNOON FOR THE PM RUNS AND BRINGING GOODIE BAGS, RIGHT? SNACKS FOR EVERYONE, SHOW THEIR GRATITUDE FOR THE DRIVERS, WHAT THEY DO BECAUSE THERE'S THERE, ALWAYS THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED IN AND THEY'LL TAKE [INAUDIBLE].

BUT I DO HAVE ONE MORE THING BEFORE I GO TO QUESTIONS.

I WAS GOING TO ASK JIM RYAN TO COME UP HERE, SEE IF HE WANTS TO.

SAME THING. HE DIDN'T VOLUNTEER AT THIS VOLUNTEER, SO I NEVER PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK. FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS SO I'M JIM [INAUDIBLE], THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE WEST REGION FOR NATIONAL EXPRESS.

THIS NEW POSITION FOR ME, MOVING FROM THE EAST PART OF THE UNITED STATES HERE IN THE WEST FOR THIS RESPONSIBILITY.

WE HAVE ABOUT NINE STATES, BUT GOING TO SETTLE IN TEXAS, BECAUSE WHY NOT? RIGHT, THAT'S THAT'S THE PLACE TO BE.

THIS IS MY FIRST TRIP TO WEST TEXAS.

REALLY APPRECIATE THE HOSPITALITY I GOT FROM THE TEAM TODAY.

WE HAD A GREAT MEETING THIS MORNING.

I THINK WE HAD A GOOD FRANK MEETING ON THIS MEETING WITH SOME MISSTEPS WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE MOVING FORWARD.

AND I THINK MOST OF THOSE THINGS WERE WELL HEARD AND YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT MOVING FORWARD THAT AS FAR AS CORPORATELY AND REGIONALLY THAT WE WILL BE HERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU NEED US, HOW YOU NEED US.

AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING THIS RELATIONSHIP MOVE FORWARD IN A POSITIVE MANNER.

SO. THANK YOU.

OK. ANY QUESTIONS? OH, WE HAVE QUESTIONS.

OK, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

CAN I? YES. ABSOLUTELY.

YOU MENTIONED ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS HIRING BUS DRIVERS.

YES. WITH THE NEW CDL GUIDELINES OR CRITERIA THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET CDL LICENSES.

IS THAT DOES THAT APPLY TO THE CATEGORY OF LICENSE THAT A BUS DRIVER HAS TO HAVE? ARE THEY? IS IT GOING TO BE THAT MUCH HARDER FOR FOR BUS DRIVERS TO GET THEIR CDL LIKE IT IS OTHER BIG? ACTUALLY, THE WHAT THEY PROPOSED IS YOU'RE NOT DOING THE UNDER THE HOOD.

CORRECT? BUT WHAT ABOUT THE TRAINING THAT NOW YOU'RE REQUIRED TO DO FOR THE CDL? ARE THEY NOT? THEY MAY.

IT MAY NOT APPLY TO THE CATEGORY OF LICENSE.

OF COURSE, THAT'S THE CDL PROCESS.

IT'S IT IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS.

SURE. LONG. BUT THE WHAT THEY HAVE COME OUT AND SAID THAT ANYTHING UNDER THE HOOD AND WHAT THAT REFERS TO IS YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO KNOW EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD AND YOU'RE BE ABLE TO POINT EVEN FOR ME, FOR ME, A WHALE MARK AND BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THAT AS YOU'RE DOING THE TEST. THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THE EXTRA NEW CLASS.

[00:45:01]

WHAT DID THAT TAKE PLACE? JUST STARTED THIS MONTH? YES. YES.

GOOD. I WORRIED ABOUT THAT CUTTING OUR FUNDING.

YEAH, THAT'S THE PROBLEM TO MY UNDERSTANDING.

BUT DRIVER RETIRED GETS THE CDL UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE INTERSTATE.

IT WILL BE INTERSTATE.

YOU KNOW, THE QUESTIONS BEFORE I GO ON, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY FIRST.

OK. EDWARD, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND PRESENTING TONIGHT, AND YOU HAVE THE THREE GENTLEMEN, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S ATTENDANCE.

MR. RYAN, I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE HOT MAN ON THE SEAT, BUT YOUR PREVIOUS TEAM HAS FAILED YOU. I HEARD THAT TODAY, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR IT AGAIN.

I'M COMMITTED.

I'M NOT VERY LONG IN THE TOOTH.

I'M PRETTY DIRECT.

AND ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS WHO I VALUE VERY MUCH TOLD ME TO PLEASE TAKE THE HIGH ROAD TONIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO DO HERE.

FRENSHIP WE HAVE A STANDARD THAT WE SET HERE.

WE HAVE EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WE ATTEMPT.

SOME OF THE KIDS THAT YOU SAW COME THROUGH HERE TONIGHT ARE PRODUCTS OF THAT AND THEIR PARENTS EXCEPT THEY EXPECT A LOT FROM US AS A BOARD AND OUR TEAM IS ADMINISTRATION.

WHEN WE PUT KIDS ON A BUS, WE SEND THEM SOMEWHERE.

THAT'S THE MOST VALUABLE THING TO THEM.

YOU GUYS ARE IN THE BUSSING INDUSTRY.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT HOW THAT GOES.

BUT THERE'VE BEEN SOME MISSTEPS AND QUITE HONESTLY, Y'ALL ARE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL WITH THIS BOARD. TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK WITH YOU, IF I HAD ANOTHER OPTION THAT I COULD GO WITH, I WOULD CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN IT AT THIS POINT.

JUST BECAUSE WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT EMPTY PROMISES AND THEY FELL SHORT REPEATEDLY, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LOCAL, I'M TALKING ABOUT OVER THE ROAD WHERE WE GET KIDS STRANDED AT NIGHT. THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER BUS TO COME GET THEM.

WE HAD IT SET UP FOR A MANUFACTURER TO COME IN OFF THE FREIGHT LINERS.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS NOT ANYBODY FROM YOUR STAFF ATTENDED AFTER LIBRE TRUCK SALES, WHICH WAS OFFERED SO YOU GUYS COULD WORK ON THE FREIGHT LINERS AND OBTAIN THE WARRANTIES . SO I'M DISAPPOINTED UTTERLY.

PARENTS ARE DISAPPOINTED.

THEY LOOK AT US. WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO GET THOSE THINGS GOING.

WE DO LOOK FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND FOLKS, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE NEW AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO BASE IT ON OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY TO THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER. BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME MEASURABLES AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE WHERE WE GO FROM HERE. UNDERSTAND.

OK. SO ANYBODY ELSE, ANYTHING ELSE? SO I WOULD JUST SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.

I APPRECIATE EDWARD COMING UP HERE AND STANDING.

AND HERE'S THE THING IS, YOU Y'ALL HAVE A JEWEL IN EDWARD, AND IT'S A LOT HARDER TO COME UP HERE AND STAND UP HERE IN PRESENT THAN IT IS TO SIT IN THE SEAT BACK THERE IN BACK THE CHEAP SEATS, IF YOU WILL.

AND SO HE DOES A GREAT JOB.

HE'S NOT PERFECT. I'M NOT EITHER.

BUT HERE'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITMENT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN HAPPEN, THIS IS MY 12TH YEAR. AND SO THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM.

IT'S A CONTINUED PROBLEM THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 12 YEARS AND PROBABLY LONGER THAN THAT IS. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME GUY NEXT YEAR.

YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS, BUT Y'ALL CAN'T KEEP ANYBODY AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL.

AND THAT'S JUST THE TRUTH.

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE UGLY, BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED.

AND SO RATHER THAN BEAT THE DEAD HORSE, JUST SHARE YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER.

AND THEN IF YOU'VE GONE SOMEWHERE ELSE, WE'RE GOING TO CALL YOU ANYWAY.

[LAUGHTER] I UNDERSTAND. I APPRECIATE HIS COMMENTS.

I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR JUST SHORT OF TEN YEARS.

I'VE BEEN ON A PRETTY DECENT PROGRESSION PLAN AS FAR AS CAREER DEVELOPMENT.

I STARTED AS A GENERAL ANSWER LIKE EDWARD.

I THINK THAT GIVES ME AN ADVANTAGE.

I WORKED THE LAST SEVEN YEARS AS AN RN LIKE RICHARD IN THE REGION LEVEL.

AND NOW THIS IS MY LATEST ASSIGNMENT.

I REALLY, REALLY HOPE YOU'RE WRONG ABOUT ME BEING GONE IN THE YEAR.

[LAUGHTER] AND I DON'T MEAN YOU MIGHT NOT BE WITH THE COMPANY, BUT LOTS OF TIMES THEY JUST DON'T STAY WHERE WE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CONTACT.

AND SOMETIMES IF WE HAVE A CONTACT, THEY'RE NOT VERY RESPONSIVE.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF MOVING FORWARD AND PUTTING THIS BEHIND US.

AND BUT THIS IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.

[00:50:03]

ALL RIGHT. WE APPRECIATE IT.

AND I MIGHT MAKE GOOD ADDITIONAL COMMENT TO THAT.

FRED SMITH. I'M DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

YES, I'VE BEEN IN A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ROLE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY FOR OVER TWENTY TWENTY SEVEN YEARS.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU SERVED THIS REGION? THIS FOR THIS REASON, A NUMBER OF YEARS TO MORE THAN ONE COMPANY, BUT NOT IN AN OPERATIONAL CAPACITY.

THEY'RE JUST MOVING US INTO LOOKING AT OUR EXISTING OPERATIONS AND WORKING WITH OUR OPERATIONAL PEOPLE REGIONAL MANAGERS.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS.

GENERAL MANAGERS HAVE GIVEN A BIT OF A MORE COMPANY OVERVIEW, CORPORATE OVERVIEW FROM SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

YOU KNOW I'VE SOLD THESE CONTRACTS.

I SELL THESE CONTRACTS AND WE KNOW WHAT WE WHAT.

WE SEE OTHER PROBLEMS TO THE DISTRICTS.

IN FACT, I'M A FORMER SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, PERFORMANCE GROUP CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

SO I UNDERSTAND.

WE'RE GETTING YOUR NUMBER [LAUGHTER].

WE'VE GOT I'VE GOT THE PERSPECTIVE AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR WELL OVER TWENTY YEARS AND I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE UNTIL I RETIRE.

OKAY, I'VE GOT THAT DOWN.

NO WAIT THIS WHOLE THING'S BEING RECORDED, SO I UNDERSTAND.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT FOCUS THERE.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE SELL AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMITTED AND DELIVERING THE SAME THINGS THAT WE SELL.

WE'VE GOT A DISCONNECT IN THE PAST WHERE SALESPEOPLE WOULD SPLIT, SELL BUSINESS AND RETURN OVER THE OPERATIONS BEFORE THEY'D RUN IT, AND THE TWO NEVER CAME BACK TOGETHER.

SO WE'RE FIXING IT WITH PLUG IN HOLE.

AND THIS IS A RECENT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN OUR COMPANY, SO AND SO NATIONAL EXPRESS.

I'VE HEARD YOU ALL SAY THAT A FEW TIMES.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN NATIONAL EXPRESS AND DURHAM? NATIONAL EXPRESS IS A WHOLE CORPORATE HOLDING COMPANY IS ONE OF THE ARMS. OK. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE WHIPPING AND WE APPRECIATE IT, AND WE WOULDN'T BE DOING OUR JOBS IF WE DIDN'T HELP [INAUDIBLE] I JUST GOT ONE COMMENT.

WE HAD BOARD MEMBERS AND MYSELF PERSONALLY.

I'VE GOT ONE CONCERN WHEN WE WHEN WE PUT OUR KIDS ON THOSE BUSSES THAT THEY GET HOME SAFELY AT NIGHT.

AND I WORRY ABOUT THAT NOW, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING'S GOT TO CHANGE.

AND THE WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT THESE BUSSES THAT ARE CARRYING OUR KIDS AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THEM BACK HOME SAFELY.

[INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU, EDWARD.

THANK YOU FOR SENDING SNACKS TO THAT STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD.

MAKE SURE EDWARD DOES THIS, THAT WE GET THOSE LITTLE BUNDT CAKES THE LITTLE BUNDTINI'S.

HE SENDS THOSE TO MY STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD EVERY NIGHT.

SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU. YES.

IS IT HOT IN HERE? OK.

OK, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

[4.A. Consent Agenda]

EACH OF YOU RECEIVED A CONSENT AGENDA IN THE PACKET.

IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAINMENT A MOTION.

MOVE TOR APPROVAL, SECOND.

MOTION FOR APPROVAL BY MR. DAVID MILLER AND SECOND MR. KYLE ROGERS ANY DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, ANY OPPOSED THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUS.

I'M GOING TO GO TO FOUR B, WHICH IS ACTION ITEMS.

[4.B.1. Consideration to approve 2022-2023 school calendar]

SHE LED THIS GROUP.

SHE DID A FANTASTIC JOB IN ORGANIZING THE MEETINGS, CREATING THE SURVEY FOR THE CALENDAR.

SO BASED ON THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND TWO DAYS OF DISCUSSIONS, THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS MOVING FORWARD WITH DRAFT A.

JUST SOME REMINDERS ABOUT DRAFT A DRAFT A HIGHLIGHTS STAFF RETURN AUGUST 8TH.

STUDENTS RETURN WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17.

WINTER BREAK STARTS DECEMBER.

22ND STAFF RETURNS JANUARY 5TH.

STUDENTS RETURN JANUARY 9TH.

PRESIDENTS DAY IS NOW A HOLIDAY FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND STAFF.

[00:55:01]

THERE'S ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE DAYS FOR STUDENTS WITH THE FOLLOWING EXTRA MINUTES HIGH SCHOOL TWENTY FIVE EIGHTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, TWENTY EIGHT TWENTY AND ELEMENTARY TWENTY SEVEN HUNDRED. ANY QUESTIONS? OK. ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF DRAFT A FOR THE 2022-23 SCHOOL CALENDAR, AND WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION BY THE ADMINISTRATION AT THIS TIME.

I'LL CONSIDER ANY MOTIONS.

SO MOVED.

MOTION FOR APPROVAL BY JAMEY PHILLIPS SECOND BY MR. ANDREW COX.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUS.

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

[4.B.2. Resolution of board to convene the district's School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) to consider curriculum materials as part of House Bill 1525, Regular Session of the 87th Texas Legislature, and Senate Bill 9, Second Special Session of the 87th Texas Legislature]

I'LL READ THIS WHILE YOU'RE GETTING READY.

WE'LL HAVE A RESOLUTION OF BOARD TO CONVENE THE DISTRICT SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL ACRONYM SHAC TO CONSIDER CURRICULUM MATERIALS AS PART OF THE HOUSE BILL FIFTEEN TWENTY FIVE REGULAR SESSION OF THE EIGHTY SEVEN TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND SENATE BILL NINE SECOND SPECIAL SESSION OF THE EIGHTY SEVENTH TEXAS LEGISLATURE.

SO AS YOU SAID, HOUSE BILL FIFTEEN TWENTY FIVE IN SENATE BILL NINE REQUIRED THE BOARD TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO CONVENE THE SHAC COMMITTEE, THE STUDENT HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, TO CONSIDER THE CURRICULUM AS REQUIRED IN THE BILLS.

AND SO YOU HAVE INFORMATION IN YOUR POCKET REGARDING THOSE BILLS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? [INAUDIBLE] I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY MOTIONS FOR APPROVAL OF THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION [INAUDIBLE] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, ANY OPPOSED, ITS UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. [INAUDIBLE] DID A GREAT JOB OF LEADING THE COMMITTEE THROUGH THESE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND PREPARING THE COMMITTEE.

SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB.

OK, OTHER MORE BUSINESS.

[5.A. Tentative Agendas for Upcoming Meetings]

MCCORD OR MYSELF, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH YOU.

ACCOMMODATION. ANYTHING ELSE WE'RE MISSING? ENDING ON A SOLEMN NOTE, A REMINDER THAT OUR NEXT MEETING IS FOLLOWING SPRING BREAK.

SO IT'S ON A THURSDAY.

SO OUR NEXT MEETING IS THURSDAY RATHER THAN MONDAY.

SO IT'S THURSDAY, MARCH 24TH.

[INAUDIBLE] TO EACH OF YOU FOR THE TEMPERAMENT.

BUT SOMETIMES IT'S NEEDED, BUT SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE THREE AMIGOS AS THEY COME IN HERE.

THAT'S WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THAT.

IT'S LIKE WE ALWAYS GET A DIFFERENT CREW USHERED IN HERE WITH ALL THE PROMISES.

[LAUGHTER] IT'S SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT COME UP RELATE TO THE SHORTAGES OF DRIVERS.

I MEAN, I'M NOT MAKING THAT AS AN EXCUSE.

NO, I DIDN'T KNOW IF IF THAT WAS IT, TOO, BECAUSE I RAISED MY CDL QUESTION BECAUSE THAT LAW THAT WENT INTO EFFECT ON THE 7TH, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S AFFECTING OUR OUR OUR DRIVERS AND I KNOW IT AFFECTS BUS DRIVERS.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT HARDER TO GET A CDL, NOT JUST TO PASS THE TEST, BUT TO NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GO TO THIS NEW CLASS.

AND AND I WORRY ABOUT I WORRY ABOUT THAT FROM A QUALITY BUS DRIVER STANDPOINT.

I AGREE THAT THE BIGGEST [INAUDIBLE] THOUGHTS.

I USED TO NOT WORRY ABOUT OUR KIDS GETTING HOME AT NIGHT.

I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OCCASIONAL BLOWN TIRE OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, YOU KNOW, WEATHER RELATED.

BUT I AND AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A CHILD IN SCHOOL, OK? AT THIS TIME, I HAVE GRANDCHILDREN, BUT I WORRY ABOUT OUR KIDS.

I MEAN, WE'RE 6A.

WE'RE TRAVELING FURTHER NOW THAN PROBABLY WE EVER HAVE.

WE'RE SEEING GREATER SUCCESS THERE OUT THERE ON THE ROAD, AND SOME OF THESE PLACES ARE GOING. I MEAN, WHEN THEY GET STRANDED, THEY'RE LITERALLY STUCK.

AND I FEEL LIKE MOST OF THE INADEQUACIES HAS BEEN A LACK OF TRAINING, A LACK OF MOVING

[01:00:09]

AND AS FARLEY HAS TOLD US BEFORE, FARLEY GOES TO THE TO THE NTH DEGREE OF GETTING THE MANUFACTURER FREIGHTLINER FOR COMING DOWN HERE AT LUBBOCK TRUCK SALES AND THEY'RE GOING TO THEY SEND A TECHNICIAN IN TO TRAIN DURHAM'S PEOPLE ON HOW TO REPLACE SOME OF THESE THINGS. THAT I MEAN, FREIGHTLINER STEPPED UP ITS INADEQUACY IN THE PRODUCTION, AND IT WAS COMMUNICATED TO DURHAM TO GET OVER THERE, GET YOUR PEOPLE OVER THERE AND LET THEM GET TRAINED. THEY DON'T SHOW UP.

AND TO ME, THAT'S THAT'S INEXCUSABLE.

AND I'M TRULY MEANT WHAT I SAID FROM MY HEART.

I'M NOT BEING A HOT TEMPERED PERSON.

IF I HAD ANOTHER OPTION AND COULD PULL THE TRIGGER.

I'D BE LEADING THAT CHARGE.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T.

YEAH. BEEN IN HAVING BEEN IN CORPORATE AMERICA BEFORE I STARTED DOING THE STUFF.

I LIKE A LOT BETTER NOW.

I FIND THAT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE COMPETITION, IT'S REALLY EASIER TO NOT DO YOUR JOB.

IF THERE WAS ANOTHER CHOICE OUT THERE.

YOU WOULD BEND OVER BACKWARDS AND DO YOUR JOB IN ORDER TO KEEP THAT PIECE OF BUSINESS.

BUT THEY KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO, SO THEREFORE THEY DON'T HAVE TO.

NO, I'M NOT BLAMING EDWARD.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS, BUT THEY CAN'T.

THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE STABILITY AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL.

AND SO I DO THINK THEY TRY.

BUT THEN THEY.

GET PROMOTED LEAVE OR THERE'S JUST SO THE PERSON WHO MADE THE COMMITMENT LAST YEAR IS NOT THERE THE FOLLOWING YEAR, AND SO IT'S NOT REALLY ANY ONE PERSON THAT THEY'RE BAD GUYS.

IT'S JUST AT A CORPORATE LEVEL.

SOMETHING IS BROKEN AT THAT CORPORATE LEVEL BECAUSE THERE ISN'T CONSISTENCY THERE.

AND SO THEY MAY TRY TO DO SOMETHING GOOD AND THEN THEY GET MOVED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OR MOVE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE MULTINATIONAL COMPANY AND AND I WOULD SAY TO AND I'M JUST LIKE MICHAEL AND RICHARD.

AND SO WHEN IT'S MIDNIGHT OR ONE O'CLOCK OR WHATEVER, AND IT'S THEY'RE COMING BACK FROM SAN ANTONIO, AND MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE LEFT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

IT'S NOT DURHAM.

THAT DOES EVEN THE PROBLEM SOLVING.

IT'S IT'S MICHAEL AND RICHARD AND GREG HERNANDEZ AND TIM.

AND SO THEY'RE NOT DOING THE PROBLEM SOLVING.

IT'S LIKE, HEY, WE KNOW SOMEBODY IN SAN ANTONIO OR, HEY, WE KNOW SOMEBODY HERE.

IT'S IT'S THESE GUYS, WHICH AGAIN, I EXPECT THEM TO DO THAT, BUT WE'RE JUST SAME THING.

THEY'RE JUST NOT DOING THERE, EVEN IF THE BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

A BUS OR A TIRE IS GOING TO BLOW OUT, BUT THEY NEED TO JUST HOLD UP THEIR END.

AND I HOPE THAT THE CDL THING ISN'T GOING TO MAKE IT EVEN HARDER TO MAKE THE DRIVER MAKE IT HARDER. YEAH, JUST WORRIES ME.

YEAH, THAT'S ONE OF THE SUCCESSES WERE THINGS WE'VE DONE.

YES. I WAS TRYING TO BE NICE.

WE WE JUST POURED A TON OF ASSETS AND MONEY INTO TRYING TO HELP JUMPSTART THE PARTNERSHIP HERE. BUT IT'S I FEEL LIKE JUST TO BE QUITE FRANK WITH YOU, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN A BAD MARRIAGE YOU KNOW ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I DIDN'T BRING UP BECAUSE IT WAS THE LEAST OF OUR WORRIES.

BUT HE SAID WITH COVID, THEY'VE BEEN DISINFECTING OR CLEANING THE BUSSES AFTER EVER AFTER EVERY ROUTE.

YOU DON'T DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS WHEN THERE'S NOT COVID.

NO, I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY STUPID TO ME.

YOU SHOULD BE DOING THAT AFTER EVERY ROUTE ANYWAY, WHETHER THERE'S A PANDEMIC OR NOT.

HMM. JUST SO WHEN HE SAYS, ARE WE GOING TO STOP THAT? THE ANSWER IS NO [LAUGHTER].

AND I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO HAND IT OUT THERE.

MORE THAN ANYTHING IS.

AND THERE'S A GENTLEMAN SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW IS CHIEF BASSETT, AND CHIEF BASSETT HAS WORKED FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE WHEN YOU'RE IN TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, OF TRANSPORTING PEOPLE.

I MEAN, WE AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE'S TAXES AND WE DEAL WITH YOUR

[01:05:03]

OK, LET'S JUST BE HONEST.

BUT WHEN YOU LOSE THE TRUST OF PARENTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING THEIR CHILDREN ON THE BUS AND WE'RE TAKING THEM DOWN THE ROAD, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

AND IT'S GOT TO FIND SOME WAY TO GET THE TRUST BACK.

AND WE'VE BEEN PATIENT AND WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR IT TO HAPPEN.

AND HOPEFULLY, MAYBE THIS TEAM WILL TURN IT AROUND, BUT MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU GUYS HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM ON A DAILY BASIS.

CERTAINLY NOT THERE WAS A BETTER OPTION OUT THERE.

I WOULD RATHER A LONG TIME. AND I KNOW YOU WOULD GET IT OUT.

I'VE DONE MY HOMEWORK AND UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE WAITING IN THE COMPETITION, COME OUT THERE [INAUDIBLE]. THEY HAVE THIS GENTLEMAN BACK HERE WHO USED TO WORK FOR OUR STUDENT AND THEY HAVE TRIED AND TRIED AND TRIED TO GET OUT OF THAT CONTRACT.

AND THEY CAN'T, AND I JUST DON'T THINK THEY'RE A VIABLE OPTION FOR US AT ALL.

I AGREE. AND I HATE THE COMPETITION.

I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT BEFORE WHERE I DON'T FEEL I CAN BRING A BETTER OPTION FOR YOU. BUT I PROMISE YOU, WE HAD A GOOD MEETING THIS MORNING.

I PROMISE YOU, WE PUT THEM THROUGH IT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND WE'RE GOING TO STAY ON.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. I APPRECIATE, Y'ALL.

THAT BEING SAID, NO OTHER BUSINESS TONIGHT.

SO THANK ALL OF YOU ALL FOR YOUR INDULGENCE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.