How much is FBISD spending on senior administration???

This data is provided as public information and does not include incentive pay or bonuses from the Texas Tribune:

See this link for more: http://www.texastribune.org/library/data/government-employee-salaries/fort-bend-isd/?page=1

See related: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/who-earn-tripple-digit-salaries-fbisd


Stay tuned for more...

Chron: Another Jenney E-mail Makes The News Regarding Cuts--

Follow this link for more: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/how-many-secondary-teachers-will-fbisd-cut

AND

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/03/30/44845

Is the superintendent raising our taxes each year, increasing our debt and cutting services? IS HE SEEKING YET ANOTHER TAX INCREASE???

Chron: Tuesday Is First Debate Sponsored By The Teachers Federation!

Federation Public Forum:

http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/first-debate-set-fbisd-trustee-candidates

FB Star: New reporter covers Reitz board exit after declaring financial emergency earlier this month...

http://www.fortbendstar.com/032410/n_reitz.htm

Important Meetings

Date/Event

Mar. 29 Regular Board Meeting
Apr. 2 Good Friday - Holiday
Apr. 12 Board Budget Workshop
Apr. 12 Regular Board Meeting
Apr. 26 Regular Board Meeting
May 8th BOT Elections
May 10 Board Budget Workshop
May 10 Regular Board Meeting

Missouri City Campaign Kick-off Slides From This Weekend! --click the link below for more--

http://www.slide.com/r/RFoUpBc_7T9cT6nUv9mkT61q6cmHAqPZ?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

FB Star OP/ED: F.B.I.S.D. – A Dying District!

--We found this recent piece in the FB Star. It seems to speak volumes about misinformation coming from the district & current and exiting board members:

F.B.I.S.D. – A Dying District!

Unless you have been out of the country for the last few months, you are aware that our school district is eighteen million dollars in the red. I remember not too many years ago we were an excellent school district. That was then, and now we are going down the tubes.

How did this happen you ask? Our esteemed board president said the State of Texas was to blame. Let’s ask districts like Katy, Stafford, Lamar, Alief and many many more and see how these districts landed on their feet.

Our board president’s assessment of the problem is “hogwash.”

When I first got married , my dad told me, “son, never spend more than you make.” Our Board and superintendent missed Economics 101. This extreme spending is going to cost many innocent teachers and staff their jobs. The innocent will have to pay for what the guilty did!

What is the answer to this very serious problem? We, as concerned citizens, must weed out these bad apples. We can begin this in earnest on May 8th when we go to the polls to vote for new board members.

A New school board that cares about our kids, and a new superintendent who knows the meaning of wise spending will go a long way in healing the wound.

Thanks,
Fred Lee

FBN Release: All should contribute to solve budget problems including administration, says Alumbaugh

FBISD Board Candidate: Administration Needs To Make Cuts Too
By: Jamie Mock on Thu, Mar 18, 2010News

Fort Bend Independent School District Position 3 candidate Clay Alumbaugh says he is running for the seat because the board needs an “experienced educator and manager” to give it some “balance” as the district struggles with its third deficit budget in a row.

Alumbaugh

Alumbaugh, a math teacher and school counselor, will face program construction manager Jim Rice (a FBISD district vendor company executive) to replace Board President Bob Broxson, who will not be running for a second term.

“After 39 years experience in the field, I believe I have what it takes to get the FBISD budget back on track after nearly 3 consecutive years of first ever record deficits,” said Alumbaugh. “The board should first be about educating our children and that can only be done if our system is not in constant financial turmoil. This may mean making some tough decisions ultimately but we can’t put this off any longer, said the candidate.”

Alumbaugh said his current concerns are the district’s deficit spending, upcoming layoffs, the decision to not consider seniority in the layoffs, the Global Science Center and the “lack of someone on the board to ask questions.”

Get the full release at: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/03/18/44634

Campaign site: http://friendsofalumbaugh.blogspot.com/

Chron (Metro): Budget Crisis Deepens!

Follow: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6914615.html

FB Independent update: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=2385&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com

Exclusive: According To Several Reliable Sources Another Trustee Is Pulling Out Of The School Board Race!

Chron update 3-16: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/fbisd-board-incumbent-quits-reelection-bid

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/03/16/44561

FB Indep update 3-19: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=2384&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com

According to several strong sources, it has been reported to FBISDWatch that the current position 7 incumbent, David Reitz, will not be seeking re-election. This leaves James Babb and Gerald Hawkins still in. As many of you know the district declared a financial emergency after 3 years of consecutive record budget deficits and nearly 1.7 billion in bond debt. Ranking it in the top ten in the state for this unwanted list. This is breaking news so we will update it as it comes in.

Update: http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/03/15/fort_bend_sun/news/sws_-_david_reitz_315.txt

....stay tuned for more!

Chron: Richard Raymond Endorses Nina Schaefer In Fort Bend County District Attorneys Race!

Get update here: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/endorsement-schaefer

FB Star: Covers Local Municipal and School Board Elections

http://www.fortbendstar.com/031010/n_candidate.htm

and projected transportation cuts


http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/fbisd-less-bus-service-more-walking-saver

Chron: Template For Job Cuts On The Table For FBISD-

Fort Bend ISD OKs blueprint for job cuts
March 9, 2010 7:39 am Zen T.C. Zheng

The Fort Bend school board Monday night voted 6-1 to pass a resolution to declare “financial exigency,” a bureaucratic term for financial emergency that calls for immediate remedies.

It came after a lengthy afternoon workshop and an extended debate during the evening business meeting.

Daniel Menendez was the only dissenter on the board, insisting on delaying making that decision to allow for thorough evaluation of the district’s plan to trim its workforce.

The resolution was drafted by David Feldman, an attorney hired by the district who told trustees that the resolution is a blueprint for personnel cuts and is necessary before any cut is made so as to reduce the chances of costly legal hearings on employee non-renewals...

Article: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/fbisd-okd-blueprint-job-cuts

More: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/03/09/44411

Also: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/five-vy-two-fbisd-seats

From MCC: Surprising Number Of Candidates File For Mo-City Elections

http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/lenton-gary-files-against-longtime-mayor-owen-missouri-city

Mo City mayor to face opposition in election
March 9, 2010 6:47 am Karen Hastings:

Missouri City District B Councilwoman Cynthia Lenton-Gary filed Monday to challenge incumbent Mayor Allen Owen in what promises to be a busy May 8 City Council race.

By the 5 p.m. deadline, four candidates were signed up to vie for the open At Large Position 2 spot to be vacated by Councilman Buddy Jimerson.

Insurance executive Judith Dupre, 64; planner Yolanda P. Ford, 36; real estate developer Danny Nguyen, 43; and health care administrator Kevin Tunstall, 45, an unsuccessful candidate for the seat in 2008, will be on the Position 2 ballot.

Longtime At-Large Position 1 Councilman Jerry Wyatt, 62, also drew an opponent, Anthony Maroulis, 42, who listed his occupation as service manager. Wyatt is seeking his seventh term...

MCC: Rumor has it that only a week ago Owen and city manager Frank Simpson removed the planned ballot initiative to allow voters to decide if the city should adopt a universal homeowners exemption. Owen followed up with a media statement challenging anyone who didn't like it could run for office. It looks like many heeded his call.

Related:

http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/five-vy-two-fbisd-seats

http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/03/09/fort_bend_sun/news/sws_-_mc_candidate_filings_38.txt

http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/03/09/fort_bend_sun/news/sws_-_maroulis_files_position_2.txt

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/03/09/44402

http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/2010/03/chron-shocking-number-of-last-minute.html

FBISD Administration & BOT Continue To Point The Finger At The State For Budget Woes-

As the district elections approach, Tim Jenney and the BOT continue to point their collective fingers at the state legislature in an attempt to defer blame for the current (3rd consecutive RECORD) budget deficit. Much of which has been impacted by increased spending, record bond debt (and service on that debt) which this board approved, under Jenney, in 2007.

See chron report: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/state-blamed-school-finance-now-what

See Complete TASB Study--(YES YOU PAID FOR THIS)--

See: http://www.fortbendisd.com/Finance/documents/Challenges/TASB%20Salay%20Study.pdf

FBW: Although these information links from the "Budget Challenges" area of FBISD main site are an improvement over past attempts at transparency they are far from a school district "online cash register" that gives the public access to budget line items and details needed during financial crisis. Closer public scrutiny is warranted and desired. Many school districts in Texas utilize such a service but not FBISD currently.

The district also put out their own summary on the S&P bond ratings stating that "AA" was an indicator of the districts quality. Follow the links on the right hand side of this page to further determine for yourselves if a "AA" rating is a "high" standard or just mediocre in comparison to other districts in our category.

FBN: Another Candidate Files For Pos. 7

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/03/05/44355

"A third candidate has filed to run for Position 7 on the Fort Bend Independent School District Board of Trustees, currently held by Board Secretary David Reitz. Reitz has filed for re-election, and will be challenged by Police Sergeant Jim Babb, a Missouri City resident, and Sugar Land resident Gerald Hawkins, a physician and medical educator."

FB Sun: Problems With Current Budget Deficit Leads To Delays

Release of Fort Bend ISD budget strategy delayed

By DIANE TEZENO
Updated: 03.04.10

Employees in the Fort Bend Independent School District will have to wait a bit longer for details of a plan aimed at reducing the district’s $18 million budget deficit.

In a recent e-mail to employees FBISD Supt. Timothy Jenney modified a statement made in a previous e-mail to employees which projected to release the district’s budget strategy by the end of February.

“A few weeks ago, I indicated our target for rolling out a budget reduction plan was the end of February. It has occurred to me that embedded in this statement would be a perceived expectation of one giant plan, released on the first of March...

Full story: http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/03/05/fort_bend_sun/news/sws_-_fbisd_budget_plan_delay34.txt

AND this article from the FB Star on the crisis:

"...Many of the taxpayers and patrons of the district have questioned the spending habits of the district. Some feel the district has not been frugal enough and have generally wasted tax dollars with buildings instead of focusing on education for the students. The plan, which was at least temporarily tabled two weeks ago, to build the Global Science Center is an example of over inflated spending, some feel.

The science center was planned as a state of the art science center that would allow interactive teaching. It was to be a private/public funded venture. Opponents said it was a duplication of services since the Houston Museum just opened the doors to a new science museum near the location where the Global Center would have been constructed. The museum is free, the Global Science Center would fall on the backs of the district and private businesses.

After hearing that a large number of teachers agreed with the public’s suggestion this project should be put on hold or done away with completely, Dr. Jenney said he agreed that it should be halted for several months and then revisit the plan."

Full piece: http://www.fortbendstar.com/030310/n_outgoing.htm

FBW comment: This will be the districts 3rd consecutive record budget deficit. These are historical firsts for this school district having had no such deficit issues prior to the current superintendent.

FBN: Clay Alumbaugh Files For Position 3 Board Seat....

Get the release here: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/03/02/44270

Get This FBN Update On The Issues Surrounding The 3rd Huge District Budget Deficit-(Is another property tax rate increase on the way?)

Follow the link below for the entire story:

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/03/01/44226

Chron 3-3: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/03/fbisd-not-yet-ready-unveil-downsizing-details