MINUTES

Special Meeting – Board of Trustees

August 23, 2007

 

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 Thursday, August 23, 2007, at 11:49 a.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: Mr. John Hernandez, Chair/Presiding Officer; Ms. Nan McRaven, Vice Chair; Mr. Allen H. Kaplan; Dr. Barbara P. Mink; Mr. Rafael Quintanilla; Mr. Jeffrey Richard; and Ms. Veronica Rivera.  Trustees James W. McGuffee and Lillian J. Davis; were absent from the hearing/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.

 

Agenda Item 8367

Board Policy G-4, Capitalization and Depreciation

Board Chair John Hernandez introduced the item and Mr. Ben Ferrell, Vice President for Business Services, provided information concerning the proposed revisions to Board Policy G-4, Capitalization and Depreciation.

 

Trustees Jeffrey Richard moved and Allen Kaplan seconded that:

MOTION:  The Board of Trustees approve revisions to Board Policy G-4, Capitalization and Depreciation, that would add a value statement; eliminate the requirement to depreciate facilities by components; and increase the capitalization threshold from $500 to $5,000.

VOTE:  The motion passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.

FOR:  John Hernandez, Allen H. Kaplan, Nan McRaven, Barbara P. Mink, Rafael Quintanilla, Jeffrey Richard, and Veronica Rivera.

AGAINST:  None.

ABSENT:  Lillian J. Davis, James W. McGuffee.

 

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G-4.  CAPITALIZATION AND DEPRECIATION

 

Value Statement

·         The College will ensure accountability and stewardship over its investment in capital assets.

 

Capitalization and depreciation practices shall comply with generally accepted accounting practices, and shall provide information about the useful lives of physical assets for use in financial planning.  Appropriate bond financing shall be used to approximately match depreciation to reinvestment.

 

All assets with useful lives of more than one year and cost more than $5000 or more shall be capitalized.  Assets shall be depreciated over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method.  Facilities shall be depreciated based on industry-recognized major categories of building components, rather than by the facility as a whole.  Facilities shall be depreciated based on industry recognized major categories of building components, rather than by the facility as a whole.

 

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Agenda Item 8368

Resolution in Response to Governor’s Veto

Chair Hernandez introduced the item and Ms. Linda Young, Special Assistant to the President for Governmental and Community Relations, provided information concerning a proposed resolution in response to the Governor’s veto of portions of the Appropriations Legislation passed by the 80th Texas Legislature.  Two drafts were distributed for the Board’s review

Trustees discussed the proposed resolution.

Trustees Barbara Mink moved and Veronica Rivera seconded that

MOTION:  The Board of Trustees adopt a Resolution in response to the Governor’s veto actions of portions of the Appropriations Legislation passed by the 80th Texas Legislature.

VOTE:  The motion passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.

FOR:  John Hernandez, Allen H. Kaplan, Nan McRaven, Barbara P. Mink, Rafael Quintanilla, Jeffrey Richard, and Veronica Rivera.

AGAINST:  None.

ABSENT:  Lillian J. Davis, James W. McGuffee.

 

Trustees Barbara Mink moved and Veronica Rivera seconded that:

MOTION:  The Board of Trustees adopt Draft #2 with changes including a sentence regarding achieving the Closing the Gaps access; information on social equity and economic development; and “full and equal” partners.

Trustee Jeffrey Richard requested Friendly Amendments.

FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS:  Page 2, line 5, second paragraph:  add “and finally”; begin third paragraph with “The”; and line 8, “two- and four-“ year.

Trustees Mink and Rivera accepted the Friendly Amendments.

VOTE:  The motion passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.

FOR:  John Hernandez, Allen H. Kaplan, Nan McRaven, Barbara P. Mink, Rafael Quintanilla, Jeffrey Richard, and Veronica Rivera.

AGAINST:  None.

ABSENT:  Lillian J. Davis, James W. McGuffee.

 

1st Public Hearing on 2007 Tax Rate for Austin Community College District

Mr. John Hernandez, Board Chair, opened the 1st Public Hearing on the 2007 (FY08) Tax Rate for the Austin Community College District at 12:05 p.m.  Mr. Ben Ferrell, Vice President for Business Services announced that this was the first of two public hearings to be held on the Board of Trustees’ proposal to set the 2007 Tax Rate for Austin Community College at $0.0958 ($0.0900 for Maintenance and Operations and $0.0058 for Debt Service). 

 

Trustee Nan McRaven announced that the Board of Trustees for the Austin Community College District would hold a second Public Hearing on the 2007 Tax Rate for the Austin Community College District on Tuesday, September 4, 2007, at 6:00 p.m., and the Board of Trustees was scheduled to vote on the tax rate at a public meeting to be held at 11:45 a.m. on Monday, September 10, 2007, at the Highland Business Center, 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, Texas.

 

Mr. Hernandez stated that no one had registered to speak at the Public Hearing.

 

Trustees Nan McRaven moved and Veronica Rivera seconded that:

MOTION:  The Board of Trustees close the Public Hearing.

VOTE:  The motion passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.

FOR:  John Hernandez, Allen H. Kaplan, Nan McRaven, Barbara P. Mink, Rafael Quintanilla, Jeffrey Richard, and Veronica Rivera.

AGAINST:  None.

ABSENT:  Lillian J. Davis, James W. McGuffee.

 

The Public Hearing was closed at 12:10 p.m.

 

Adjournment

Having no motion before the Board, the August 23, 2007, meeting of the Austin Community College District Board of Trustees was adjourned at 12:10 p.m.

 

Approved By

James W. McGuffee, Board Secretary