Trustees discussed a proposed agreement that would formalize an administrator's volunteer service on the Texas Association of School Business Officials board and clarify expense reimbursements following recent state legislation.

Philip Ellison, executive director of procurement services, told the board the statute under discussion (referred to repeatedly during the presentation as House Bill 3372) restricts administrators from receiving a financial benefit for performing personal services for entities that do business with their employing district. Ellison said the proposed secondment clarifies the services would be professional in nature, performed at the district's behest, and that the district would retain administrative control during the secondment.

Trustees asked procedural and factual questions. Trustee Correa asked whether the contract means the administrator is a volunteer and whether the district would reimburse expenses; Ellison said the employee would remain a volunteer for TASBO and TASBO would reimburse reasonable expenses (travel, lodging, meals) incurred while volunteering. Trustees also asked for the proposed term (Ellison said the officer sequence runs through February 2028 for him) and whether the district had other similar arrangements to review; HR and legal staff described a new self-reporting process for external relationships and said administrators at assistant-superintendent level and above are ineligible under the statute unless procedures are followed.

Deputy superintendent Miss Westbrooks and HR staff explained the district had circulated guidance (SISD Now) about reporting requirements, and that two administrators had already submitted information to HR under the new process. Board members asked for clarity on the statutory citation and whether the board needed to act immediately; the administration said the draft secondment agreement would be placed on the consent agenda for the board's Tuesday meeting.

Why it matters: The statute imposes civil penalties on employees who accept impermissible benefits without required approvals; the discussion focused on balancing volunteer service and required protections to avoid conflicts of interest and potential penalties.

Trustees asked that the Tuesday consent packet include the secondment document and that the board be provided any clarifying memoranda on the applicable statute and how the district intends to apply the reporting process.