After a six hour meeting on Tuesday, Brownwood Independent School District’s Board of Trustees took no action on matters regarding Superintendent Reece Blincoe’s contract; however, the board will meet again this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. to discuss the same topic. The agenda includes audience participation which gives those concerned a chance to voice their opinion once again. The board will then go into executive session for discussion and could take action after that to possibly buy out Blincoe’s contract at an estimated cost of $250,000 to $500,000.
Tuesday’s meeting of the board met in executive session for nearly six hours, where matters discussed in this closed session cannot be disclosed. However, Superintendent Reece Blincoe confirmed prior to the meeting that the school board is working to get an agreement on a buyout of his contract. This action may in the end cost the district nearly one million dollars considering the cost of his buyout, possible sanctions from TEA, and the cost to hire a new superintendent if action is taken.
Parents and teachers on both sides of the issue have voiced concern over spending such an enormous amount of money, funds which could support student activities, equipment and improvements within the district which are currently unfunded.
One parent, Kay Collier, who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting of the board, supports Blincoe’s dismissal and stated that although she desires to see him removed from the district, she did not wish to have the money spent in this manner.
“This has been going on for 6 years, so if we have to spend upward of half a million dollars to get this man (removed), then I would call for everyone on the school board to tender their resignation. If he is gone, then they need to be gone,” said Collier.
Another parent Priscilla Monson spoke Tuesday, voicing her concerns.
“This has become an issue of personality conflicts which should be handled in a professional way. It is now being allowed to affect the dollars that are going into our children’s education. Our unfunded needs are great in this district; our technology infrastructure needs to be updated – at a cost of over $600,000 which cannot be done at this time. Our wireless system needs to be updated and again remains unfunded because of financial issues.”
Tax payers and parents with concerns can attend the meeting Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and speak during the audience participation portion of the meeting which will be held at the BISD Board Room, located at 2707 Southside Drive.
