MINUTES
Regular
Meeting – Board of Trustees
April 3, 2006
In accordance with the terms and
provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of Texas Government
Code, the Board of Trustees of the Austin Community College District convened
in public session on Monday, April 3, 2006, at 6:01 p.m. in the Board Room
(201) of the Highland Business Center of Austin Community College located at
5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, Texas, with the following members present:
Dr. Barbara P. Mink, Chair/Presiding Officer; Mr. John F. Hernandez, Board Vice
Chair [arrived at 6:10 p.m.]; Mr. Jeffrey Richard, Secretary [arrived at 6:04
p.m.]; Dr. Lillian J. Davis; Mr. Allen H. Kaplan; Ms. Nan McRaven [arrived at
6:06 p.m.]; Mr. Rafael Quintanilla; and Ms. Veronica Rivera. Trustee John Worley was absent from the
meeting.
It is further found and
determined that in accordance with the policies and orders of this Board, the
notice of this meeting has been posted and return thereof made pursuant to the
terms and provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Texas
Government Code, and there has been full compliance with the terms and
provisions of said act, including the timely posting of the subjects of this
meeting.
Recognitions
·
New Employees – There were no new employees.
·
Report on Achievements and Recognitions – Dr. Kathleen
Christensen,Vice President for Student Support and Student Success, presented
the Kudos Report and called attention to recent awards/recognitions received by
faculty/programs, staff, students, and
Citizens
Communication
·
Dr. John Cise, ACC Full-Time Faculty, distributed information and spoke
regarding proposed changes to Board Policy F-10, Employee Compensation.
Reports from
Associations
·
Adjunct Faculty Association – Mr. John Herndon, President, spoke
regarding Association activities and advised that comments would be provided
regarding proposed revisions to Board Policy F-10, Employee Compensation.
·
Classified Employees Association – Mr. Tobin Wiegand, President, spoke
regarding proposed changes to Board Policy F-10, Employee Compensation.
·
Full-Time Faculty Senate – Mr. Al Purcell, President, spoke regarding proposed
changes to Board Policy F-10, Employee Compensation.
·
Professional-Technical Employees Association – Mr. Jerry
North, President, spoke regarding proposed changes to Board Policy F-10, Employee
Compensation, and association activities.
·
Student Government Association – Mr. Charles Maddox,
President, spoke regarding proposed changes to Board Policy F-10, Employee
Compensation, and association activities.
President’s Administrative Report
There was no
report.
Reports
to the Board
·
Monthly Construction Update – Mr. Bill Mullane,
Director of Facilities and Construction, highlighted current construction and
renovation projects.
·
Financial Report – February 2006 – Mr. Ben
Ferrell, Vice President for Business Services, stated that the College’s budget was on tract and
projecting approximately $900,000 increase in Unrestricted Net Assets, and a
$400,000 increase in Total Assets. Total
Revenue was projected at approximately $142.9 million or $1.1 million over
original projects due to increases in enrollment. Total expenses were projected at $143.4
million or about $1.8 million over budget.
Cash and Investments were in line at approximately $116 million,
including $67 million in bond proceeds.
·
Internal Auditor’s Quarterly Report – Mr. Imad
Mouchayleh, Internal Auditor, provided a report on Information Technology
Department – Enterprise Risk Management; Human Resources Department –
Enterprise Risk Management; Payroll Outstanding Checks; Previous Audits Follow
Up; Hotline – ACC Fraud and Ethics Report Line – Confidential Mechanism for
Complaints. And External Auditors Requests.
·
South Austin Campus Advisory Committee Report – Ms. Guadalupe
Sosa invited participation in the Committee’s April 19,
·
Report on Facilities Master Planning – Mr. Phillip Parsons
and Mr. Dan Kenney of Sasaki Consultants, Inc., provided a progress report on
facilities including: population,
earning data, market penetration; age cohorts, “Closing the Gaps”, Williamson
and Hays counties and responded to questions from Trustees. Trustees requested additional information to
be presented at a Work Session in June to include charts and graphs for
presentation, information on Centers, facility capacities, and regional
transportation.
CONSENT
AGENDA
Chair Mink
introduced the Consent Agenda.
Agenda
Item 8202
Proposed
Approval of Minutes of the February 2, 2006, Public Hearing; February 13, 2006,
Regular Meeting; February 24-25, 2006, Retreat; February 27, 2006, Board Forum;
February 27, 2006, Work Session; March 6, 2006, Regular Meeting; and March 20,
2006, Work Session of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees
Recommendation: That the Minutes be approved as presented.
Agenda
Item 8202
Proposed
Approval of Legislative Work Plan
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve the
Legislative Work Plan for the College for 2006-2007.
Trustee
Veronica Rivera requested Agenda Item 8202, Proposed Approval of Legislative
Work Plan, be pulled from the Consent Agenda for discussion.
Trustees
Veronica Rivera moved and Jeffrey Richard seconded that:
MOTION: The Board of Trustees approve Agenda Item
8202, Minutes of the February 2, 2006, Public Hearing; February 13, 2006,
Regular Meeting; February 24-25, 2006, Retreat; February 27, 2006, Board Forum;
February 27, 2006, Work Session; March 6, 2006, Regular Meeting; and March 20,
2006, Work Session of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees.
VOTE: The motion
passed on a vote of 8-0.
FOR: Lillian J. Davis,
John F. Hernandez, Allen Kaplan,
AGAINST: None.
ABSTAIN: Due to
absence from the meetings, Trustee Jeffrey Richard abstained from vote on
Minutes of February 13, 2006, Trustees Lillian Davis and Allen Kaplan abstained
from vote on February 24-25, 2006, Minutes; and Trustees Lillian Davis and
Veronica Rivera abstained from vote on March 6, 2006, Minutes.
ABSENT: Trustee John
Worley was absent from the meeting.
Agenda
Item 8203
Proposed
Approval of Legislative Work Plan
Ms. Linda Young Special Assistant to the
President for Governmental and Community Relations, responded to questions
regarding: legislative updates; a reception
for legislators during the Regular Session; and the alumni database.
Trustee
Rivera moved and Allen Kaplan seconded that:
MOTION: The Board of Trustees approve the Legislative
Work Plan including weekly updates during the Session and monthly updates
during the interim and planning a reception.
Trustee
FRIENDLY
AMENDMENT: That the updates be included
in weekly communications provided by President.
VOTE: The motion, as amended, passed on a vote of
8-0.
FOR: Lillian J.
Davis, John F. Hernandez, Allen Kaplan,
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT: Trustee John Worley was absent from the
meeting.
Discussion/Possible Action:
Old Business:
Agenda
Item 8204
Request
for Freeze on
Dr. Mink introduced the item and Mr. Ben
Ferrell, Vice President for Business Services, called attention to the rationale
for staff’s recommendation regarding the request to freeze Homestead Tax for
Elderly and Disabled. Mr. Ferrell
introduced Ms. Kathy Schwerdtfeger, Chair of the ACC Committee on Finance and
Budget. Mr. Schwerdtfeger and Mr. Hunter
Ellinger, Committee member and former Trustee,
provided information regarding the Committee’s review of the request to
provide a tax freeze for elderly and disabled taxpayers in the ACC taxing
district and the potential effect of the request. Trustees discussed possible revisions needed
in Board Policy G-7 [3], Property Taxes.
Mr. Ferrell, Ms. Schwerdtfeger, and Mr. Ellinger responded to questions
from Trustees regarding: a possible increase in the homestead exemption from
$75,000 to $95,000, and the cost of the possible increase.
Trustees
Jeffrey Richard moved and John Hernandez seconded that:
MOTION: The Board accept the Administration’s
recommendation not to approve a tax freeze for the elderly and disabled
taxpayers in ACC taxing district for reasons that: (a) a tax freeze is irrevocable; (b) the
elderly and disabled can already freeze their own taxes through existing laws; and
(c) that according to budget estimates, every $600,000 difference represents,
all other things being equal, $1 in tuition; and that we not support this
measure.
Trustees discussed the Motion.
Trustee Richard moved a Substitute Motion and Mr.
Hernandez seconded that:
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:
The Board of Trustees not approve a tax freeze for Elderly and Disabled
taxpayers in the ACC taxing district.
The Substitute Motion passed on a vote of 6-2.
FOR: Lillian
Davis; John Hernandez,
AGAINST:
Trustees Veronica Rivera and Allen H. Kaplan.
ABSENT: Trustee
John Worley.
Trustees requested additional information
concerning the proposed revision of Board Policy G-7, Property Taxes,
including: what can be done to assist
the low-income citizens and for only the disabled portion. Dr. Kinslow stated Legal Counsel had
requested an Attorney General’s Opinion.
Mr. Schwertfeger stated the Advisory Committee on Finance and Budget
would provide options regarding the tax difference.
Trustees commended the work of the
Advisory Committee.
Agenda
Item 8205
Request
to Extend Contract for Geomatrix Consultants
Dr. Mink introduced the item and Mr. Ben
Ferrell stated Geomatrix Consultants was selected as the vendor to perform
testing in and around the Eastview Campus in November 2004. The Board initially approved $500,000 for
this project, directing that if additional funding was needed in order to
complete this activity, a recommendation for additional funding would be
brought forward to the Board at that time.
Mr. Ferrell stated that staff requested an additional amount up to
$500,000 to bring this activity to completion in compliance with the Texas Commission
on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Funding
up to $500,000 was available from left over proceeds from the FY 2002 revenue
bonds and from interest earnings on the FY 2003 General Obligation bonds.
Trustees
Allen Kaplan moved and John Hernandez seconded that:
MOTION: That the Board of Trustees approve additional
funding up to $500,000 for completion of the Eastview Campus Environmental
Compliance project.
VOTE: The motion passed on a vote of 6-0.
FOR: John F.
Hernandez, Allen Kaplan, Barbara P. Mink, Rafael Quintanilla, Jeffrey Richard,
and Veronica Rivera.
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT FOR THE VOTE:
Trustees Lillian Davis and
ABSENT: Trustee John Worley was absent from the
meeting.
Agenda
Item 8206
Approval
of
Dr. Mink introduced the item.
Trustees
Allen Kaplan moved and Veronica Rivera seconded that:
MOTION: That the Board of Trustees consider accepting
an offer in the amount of $276,000 to purchase College property located at 6103
Techni Center Drive known as the Eastridge Parking Lot or Eastridge Parking lot
– former Eastridge Campus.
Mr. Ferrell responded to questions from
Trustees regarding the need to earmark funds from the proposed sale.
The
motion passed on a vote of 8-0.
FOR: Lillian J.
Davis, John F. Hernandez, Allen Kaplan,
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT: Trustee John Worley was absent from the
meeting.
Agenda
Item 8207
Matters
Related to Conduct of
Dr. Mink introduced the item and Ms. Linda
Young provided information.
Trustees
Veronica Rivera moved and
MOTION: The Board of Trustees approve amendments to
the Order setting polling places and election officials for the
VOTE: The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
FOR: Lillian J.
Davis, Allen Kaplan,
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT FOR THE VOTE:
Trustee John Hernandez
ABSENT: Trustee John Worley was absent from the
meeting.
Agenda
Item 8208
Matters
Related to Conduct of
Dr. Mink introduced the item and Ms. Linda
Young provided information.
Trustees
Veronica Rivera moved and Jeffrey Richard seconded that:
MOTION: The Board of Trustees approve amendments to
the Order setting polling places and election officials for the
VOTE: The motion passed on a vote of 8-0.
FOR: Lillian J.
Davis, John Hernandez, Allen Kaplan,
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT: Trustee John Worley was absent from the
meeting.
New Business:
Agenda
Item 8209
Discussion
of FY07 Budget Development Process and E-1 Policy Compliance
·
Budget Planning Directives
·
Process/Calendar
Dr. Mink introduced the item and Ms. Soon
Merz, Associate Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness, provided an
overview of the master planning process including the draft FY07 Budget Planning
Directives, and a Summary of FY07 Master Plan/Budget Review Process and
Calendar. Ms. Merz and Dr. Kinslow
responded to questions and suggestions from Trustees.
Executive
Session
There was no
Executive Session.
Announcements
There were no
announcements.
Adjournment
Having no motion before the Board, the
April 3, 2006, Regular Meeting of the Austin Community College Board of
Trustees was adjourned at
Approved By
Jeffrey Richard, Secretary