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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming SAN FELIPE-DEL RIO CISD agenda and found 7 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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District Adopting Policies from Austin Lobbying Group
The board is scheduled for a final vote to adopt ‘Localized Policy Manual Update 127-Part 2’ from the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). TASB is a taxpayer-funded lobbying organization that frequently works against the interests of parents and taxpayers in the Texas Legislature. Adopting their pre-packaged policies without independent review outsources local control to an Austin-based special interest group.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Contact the SFDR-CISD Board of Trustees. ‘Regarding the TASB Policy Update 127, I demand a roll-call vote. Our district should write its own policies, not rubber-stamp those from an Austin lobbyist that works against taxpayers.’
💰 Impact: Adopting Lobbyist Policies
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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Board to Approve Pay Raises Without Disclosing Cost
The board is set to approve the ‘updated 2026-2027 District Compensation Plans,’ but the actual plan and its total cost to taxpayers are not included in the agenda. This prevents the public from seeing the financial impact of employee pay raises before the board votes. Major financial decisions should not be made without full transparency.
Response
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Contact the SFDR-CISD Board of Trustees. ‘Before voting on the 2026-2027 Compensation Plans, please release the full document and its total fiscal impact to the public. Taxpayers deserve to see the details before you approve new spending.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Pay Raises
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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$409,175 Contract for Construction Paperwork
The district plans to approve a $409,175 contract with GOERO International, LLC for ‘completing the construction documents’ and ‘construction oversight’ for a single elementary school project. This is a very large sum for professional services and consulting on top of the actual construction costs. This represents potential ‘consultant creep’ where taxpayer money is diverted to high-priced administrative services.
Response
DEMAND A SEPARATE VOTE: Contact the SFDR-CISD Board of Trustees. ‘Pull the $409,175 GOERO International contract from the Consent Agenda for a separate discussion and vote. Why does the paperwork and oversight for one project cost this much?’
💰 Impact: $409,175 (Consultant Fees)
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Federal Grant for Body Cams Creates Future Costs
The board will vote on a $130,394.59 contract for police body cameras funded by the ‘Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.’ While the equipment is paid for by the grant, these federal programs often create permanent local obligations for data storage, licensing, and service support that taxpayers will have to fund long after the grant money is gone.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Contact the SFDR-CISD Board of Trustees. ‘Regarding the Motorola body camera contract, what is the total annual cost for data storage and licensing that local taxpayers will be responsible for after the federal grant ends? Present the full long-term cost before voting.’
💰 Impact: Future Unfunded Mandates
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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Board to Approve Secret Library Book List
The agenda includes an item to ‘approve the proposed Library Materials List for purchase,’ but the list of books is not attached for public review. This prevents parents and taxpayers from seeing what materials are being purchased for school libraries before they are approved. This lack of transparency bypasses parental oversight on a key issue.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Contact the SFDR-CISD Board of Trustees. ‘Please postpone the vote on the Library Materials List until the full list of proposed books is published for public review. Parents have a right to see what is being bought for our school libraries.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Book Purchases
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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$15,820 for Vague ‘Executive Coaching’ Contract
The district plans to approve a $15,820 contract with Steenport Leadership Coaching for ‘Human Resources Hiring Operations Improvement and Executive Coaching.’ This is an example of ‘consultant creep,’ where taxpayer money is spent on vague professional services with no clear, measurable deliverables for students or taxpayers.
Response
DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY: Contact the SFDR-CISD Board of Trustees. ‘Pull the Steenport Leadership Coaching contract from the Consent Agenda. What are the specific, measurable outcomes taxpayers will receive for this $15,820 expense?’
💰 Impact: $15,820 (Vague Deliverables)
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| WATCH (LEVEL 4) |
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District Pursuing Grant with Unknown Strings Attached
The board is being asked to approve the submission of the ‘LASO 5 Cycle Grant’ application to the Texas Education Agency. The agenda provides no information about the grant’s purpose, the amount of money involved, or what new requirements or programs it might force upon the district and its taxpayers.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Contact the SFDR-CISD Board of Trustees. ‘Before approving the LASO 5 Cycle Grant application, please provide the public with a summary of the grant’s purpose and a copy of any associated terms and conditions.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Federal Strings
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