The Called Meeting of the Board of Regents of the Corpus Christi Junior College District opened in the Cain Gallery of the Fine Arts Center, Del Mar College West Campus, at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 1998, with the following present:

From the Board:

Dr. Howard E. Barth, Mr. Ralph Diaz, Mrs. Mary Helen Dunnam, Mrs. Olga Gonzales, Mrs. Bette Hoelscher, Mrs. Patty Isensee, Mr. Jacob Munoz, Mr. William Whittle, and Mr. Guy Watts.

From the College:

Dr. Terry Dicianna, President; Mr. J. L. Alaniz, Vice President of Business and Finance; Dr. Richard Armenta, Vice President of Instruction and Student Services; Mrs. Vickie Natale, Dean of Administrative Services; Ms. Claudia Jackson, Assistant to the President; Mr. John Johnson, Internal Auditor; and Ms. Barbara Riley, Secretary to the Vice President, Business and Finance; and other faculty, administrators, and staff members.

From the Attorney's Office:

Mr. Stephen Hilmy.

Others Present:

Mr. Joe O'Brien, Taxpayers' Association; Mr. Abel Alonzo; Mr. R. J. Herschbach; Mr. Glynn A. Pugh; Ms. Heather Howard, Corpus Christi Caller Times; and other concerned citizens.

Mr. Abel Alonzo, a former student of the College, announced his support for the one-half cent tax increase. He asked the Board to think about the future of the College and the students, not the politics, when making their decision regarding the tax increase.

Mr. Joe O'Brien, representing the Taxpayers' Association, suggested the Board send business office personnel to attend a course in money management. He pointed out that Del Mar College currently had a tax rate double that of Alamo Community College in San Antonio. He then reviewed portions of Robert's Rules of Order in referring to a previous Board meeting, and informed the Board that an injunction could be sought in the event proper notices were not made. Mr. O'Brien urged the Board to adopt the current tax rate.

Mr. Glenn Pugh expressed his appreciation for the College and its impact in the community. He suggested the Board keep the current tax rate and propose a bond issue to provide for major facility renovations.

Mr. R. J. Herschbach expressed his concern about the unavailability of handicap parking at the Library. He reminded the Board that there were laws requiring handicap accessibility and asked that the Board take corrective action.

Mr. Munoz announced that no one else had signed up to address the Board, but welcomed comments from the audience.

The first item on the agenda was approval of the modifications to the salary schedules for fiscal year 1998-99. Mr. Munoz reminded the Board that the increases were included in the adopted budget, and this action would mean the Board would adopt the increases recommended by administration for salaries to apply across-the board, except for the President and the part-time employees.

A motion was made by Mr. Watts, seconded by Mrs. Hoelscher, to approve the modifications to the salary schedules (as recommended by administration) which read:

College President Dicianna recommends that the Board of Regents approve the salary adjustment to the faculty schedule as per modification of Board Policy B6.10 and to authorize the College President to implement the step increases and to modify the salary schedules for non-faculty employees by a 3% cost of living salary adjustment.

The motion carried with Barth, Diaz, Gonzales, Hoelscher, Munoz, Watts, and Whittle voting in favor; and Dunnam and Isensee opposing. (The Modification to Salary Schedules for Fiscal Year 1998-16 will be recorded as Document #98-18 in the Official Minutes Book of the Board.)

The next item on the agenda was the vote on the 1998 tax rate.

Mrs. Dunnam made a motion that the Board adopt a tax rate of 0.207811, seconded by Mrs. Isensee. After a brief discussion, the motion carried with Barth, Dunnam, Gonzales, Hoelscher, Isensee, Munoz, Watts, and Whittle voting in favor, and Mr. Diaz opposing. (The Order adopting the 1998 tax rate will be recorded as Document #98-17 in the Official Minutes Book of the Board.)

Approval for the Order for the 1998 Tax Levy was the next agenda item. Mr. Hilmy advised the Board that because the numbers were changed due to the previous vote, the Board could approve the Order for the tax levy consistent with the motion that was passed.

Mrs. Isensee made the motion, seconded by Mrs. Dunnam, to adopt the Order consistent with the previous motion. The motion carried with Barth, Dunnam, Gonzales, Hoelscher, Isensee, Munoz, Watts, and Whittle voting in favor, and Mr. Diaz abstaining. (This Order adopting the Tax Levy for 1998 will be recorded as Document #98-17 in the Official Minutes Book of the Board.)

Item #4 on the agenda was the approval of a Resolution setting the homestead tax exemptions for 1998, outlined in the notice:

All Homesteads up to $ 5,000
Age sixty-five and older up to $50,000
Disabled under sixty-five up to $50,000
Disabled Texas Veteran up to $ 3,000

A motion was made and duly passed to adjourn the Called Meeting at 1:15 p.m.
 

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