District trustees were to consider salaries during their Tuesday night meeting, but administrators asked them to wait a few more weeks before making a final decision.

The reason for the delay, they said, was two-fold.

The Texas Legislature recently passed a pay raise for all Texas public school teachers, counselors and paraprofessionals, but that bill is still awaiting Gov. Rick Perry's signature. In addition, local administrators are waiting to receive a bit more guidance on how best to implement the salary changes.

“We're waiting to see just how much revenue we will get and, of course, the bulk of that comes from the state,” Chief Financial Officer Sandra Waggoner said. “It's taken awhile ... for people to put together the figures we need.”

Once those funding formulas are received from state education officials, Waggoner said  BSISD would have a clearer idea how to implement the pay raises.

The good news is that the delay should be minimal, assuming Gov. Perry signs the state budget into law.

“I think we'll have a firmer idea when we next meet,” Waggoner said. “We should have some fairly good revenue numbers by then.”

Another topic that will be explored at the June 23 trustee meeting is what to do about the district's aging facilities.

Dr. Michael Stevens, interim superintendent, and assistant superintendent Steven Saldivar have been meeting with architectural consultants to formulate possible plans of action.

Local school officials have spent the past three years looking for a way to modernize the district's infrastructure, including a $34 million bond issue in 2008 that would have built a new elementary and significantly upgraded three other campuses. However, that bond was handily turned down by voters.

Stevens said trustees will further discuss the issue at their next meeting, including talk of whether the district wishes to call another bond election for this year. Officials have until September to get the issue on the ballot in November.

Also Tuesday, trustees:

• Approved the purchase of two SUVs at a total cost of $55,000. Funds for the purchase will come from the fuel budget, which is ending the budget year with an unexpected surplus.

• Named trustee Irene Galan to be the district's representative on the Texas Association of School Board Region 18 Board of Directors.

• Approved the following hirings: Fabian Gomez, Bauer Elementary principal; Emily Andrews, Goliad band director; Daniel Garrett, junior high band director; Brad Hyde, licensed specialist in school psychology; Lisa Hyde, Kentwood special education teacher; Georgia Molina; Moss special education teacher; Ashley Phinney, Kentwood second grade teacher; and Gina Schreiner, high school English teacher.

Contact Staff Writer Steve Reagan at 263-7331 ext. 234 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it