SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
June 19, 2008
Minutes
The Board of Trustees of the Houston Community College System held a Special
Meeting on Thursday, June 19, 2008 at the System Administration Building, 3100
Main, 2nd Floor, Seminar Room A, Houston, Texas.
Board of Trustees Present:
Yolanda Navarro-Flores, Chairwoman
Bruce A. Austin, Vice Chair
Diane Olmos Guzman, Secretary
Mills Worsham, Deputy Secretary
Abel Davila
Christopher Oliver
Neeta Sane
Richard M. Schechter
Dr. Michael P. Williams
Administration Present:
Mary Spangler, Chancellor
Art Tyler, Deputy Chancellor/COO
Renee Byas, General Counsel
William Carter, Vice Chancellor, Information Technology
Charles Cook, Vice Chancellor for Instruction
Winston Dahse, President, Southwest College
Julian Fisher for Fena Garza, President, Southeast College
William Harmon, President, Central College
Zachary Hodges, President, Northwest College
Willie Williams, Associate Vice Chancellor, Human Resources
Dan Seymour, Associate Vice Chancellor, CTCE
Others Present:
Jarvis Hollingsworth, Counsel, Bracewell & Giuliani
Linda Koffel, President, Faculty Senate
Other administrators, citizens, and representatives of the news media
CALL TO ORDER
Mrs. Flores, Chairwoman, called the meeting to order at 3:55 p.m. and declared the
Board convened to consider matters pertaining to the Houston Community College
System as listed on the duly posted Meeting Notice.
Mrs. Flores recognized Ms. Pam Christen who has been selected as an American
Council for Education fellow for 2008 and is visiting to see if HCC is a place where
should would want to spend the next year as a fellow.
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ENERGY UTILITIES SERVICES
Recommendation – Approve Energy Risk and Procurement Strategy and authorize the
Chancellor to negotiate with SUEZ Energy and Reliant GLO for acquiring electricity up to five
(5) years based on criteria that includes best price, services, support, and other economic
considerations. After the contract is signed by the Chancellor, it will be brought back for
ratification.
Motion – Mrs. Sane motioned to approve and Mr. Davila seconded.
Mr. Schechter asked for clarification whether the approval is to lock in long-term
contract because generation cost is an all time low. Mr. Keller apprised that the heat
rate generation is an all time low inverse to the increase of natural gas prices.
Mr. Schechter asked if the gas rate will come back before the Board as a contract.
Mr. Keller apprised that is correct.
Mrs. Flores informed that she would need to recluse from voting on the item because
her son works for SUEZ; she turned the meeting over to Mr. Austin.
Vote – Motion carried with a vote of 6-0.
Mrs. Flores resumed chair of the meeting.
EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES RELATED TO ANNEXATION
Dr. Spangler informed that the item is to request approval budget allocations for
outreach from June 2008 to August 2008 in the amount of $250,000 and from
September to December 2008 for $400,000.
Motion – Mr. Worsham motioned to approve and Mr. Schechter seconded.
Mr. Schechter asked if the $250,000 is in the current budget and the $400,000 is in
the upcoming budget. Dr. Spangler apprised that this is correct.
Mr. Austin asked if the funds will be from a residual amount. Dr. Tyler apprised that
the funds will be from Fund 3 (non-operational funds) and apprised that there are
sufficient funds for the requested budget amount.
Mrs. Guzman asked if there is a breakdown of the activities. Dr. Spangler apprised
there is $250,000 for the remainder of this fiscal year and $400,000 for the next few
months in the next fiscal year. She noted that the costs would include mailing of
educational material relating to the service plan for the Alief annexation, open forums,
special required forums, open houses at both Alief sites, educational material for the
item as well as recruiting material, information required by law informing the public,
voter registration events and attendance at community events. She noted that there is
clear information from the Alief community and noted that there are certain tasks that
must be completed.
Mrs. Guzman noted that she was not present for the passage of the GO Bond but
noted that it is her understanding that it was a city-wide election for the GO bond. She
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Special Meeting – June 19, 2008 – Page 3
asked if anyone could apprise of the cost for the bond election and noted that the
annexation is a district-wide. Mrs. Flores mentioned that her recollection was
approximately $750,000 for the effort.
Mrs. Guzman mentioned that it seems that the Board is being asked for $50,000 less
for a district-wide campaign and noted that the cost should be less since it is not citywide. She requested a breakdown of where, how, and who is being engaged with the
requested funds.
Dr. Tyler informed that some work has been completed to analyze the cost; however,
there are approximately 90,000 households that will need to be reached in multiple
languages because of the uncertainty of the language spoken in the households. He
noted that the cost for the mail out has increased significant (approximately 25% more
from several years ago). He noted that there were roughly 67,000 voters last year
who are eligible to vote and noted that every household in the district will be target to
ensure that they understand the education services that will be brought to the
community and noted that the effort is to reach every single demographic.
Mrs. Sane asked for clarification as to the statement that allocated funds will be used
for registered voters in Alief because she recalled that the funds would be used to
educate the community as a whole. She noted that if we are just going to reach out to
general communities and different ethnic groups, then she will need to see the
breakout of the cost. Dr. Tyler apprised that the reason he stated that there is a need
to reach the entire household was based on advice received from legal counsel. Mr.
Hollingsworth advised that under the DOJ Voters, Disenfranchisement the entire area
must be target otherwise.
(Mr. Oliver arrived at 4:37 p.m.)
Mr. Davila apprised that the argument is utilizing funds properly and more efficient.
He noted that the general could be informed through billboards and targeted by
reaching the stakeholders.
Mr. Davila stated that the plan is okay but the concern is the actual budget amount
and how it will be spent. He noted that the key is hiring the right consultants and
having a plan of action.
Dr. Spangler asked if the Board would consider approving the use of the $250,000
through August 2008 and view the other budget allocations at a later time.
Mrs. Flores apprised that the Board has not been involved and apprised that the
resolution was just past last week. She noted that this is the first mention to the Board
of targeting every household in the district.
Mr. Austin asked if there was an attempt to do a stratified targeting where voters from
the last two elections and target them. He noted that Counsel referenced the section
five of the Voter’s Right Act as it relates to ethnic minorities. He noted that in light of
this, he would have to agree with Mr. Davila’s concept for having a strategy for mass
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publication. He noted that when targeting voters, will need to review the voters who
have voted in the last two election cycles.
Mr. Schechter mentioned that there is sufficient turnover in the Alief community and a
huge turnout is expected for the election. He noted that the college can fund
educational issues but not funding handing out material on which way an individual
should vote.
Mrs. Sane requested the details that backup the budget requested. Dr. Tyler
mentioned that the 65,000 registered voters and predicted that they should be
targeted at least twice with information. He noted that if $1 is spent on each of the
registered voters to inform them about HCC and the proposed plan, which would be
approximately $3 per person.
(Mrs. Flores stepped out at 4:24 p.m.)
Mr. Davila asked who gave the advice to use the method of mailers. Dr. Tyler
mentioned that media, newsprint, radio and television will be used to get the message
to the people.
Mr. Davila asked if there is a plan of action on how will do the educational campaign.
Mr. Austin asked that the requested budget be split and request Administration to
come back to the Board of the second portion of the request.
(Mrs. Flore returned at 4:31 p.m.)
Amended motion – Mr. Austin motioned and Mr. Schechter seconded to amend the
motion to approve the budget allocation for $250,000 through August 2008.
Mr. Davila mentioned that he would be okay with approving the $250,000; however,
the funds should not be expended until the consultant gives advice on how to spend
the funds.
Dr. Tyler apprised that it is mandatory to hold at least two public hearing on the
proposed service plan.
ADJOURNED TO CLOSED SESSION
Mrs. Flores adjourned the meeting to Executive Session at 4:44 p.m., notice having
previously been given and reiterated in accordance with Sections 551.071, 551.072,
and/or 551.074 of the Open Meetings Law. Mrs. Flores stated that any final action,
vote or decision on any item discussed in Executive Session would be taken up in
Open Session or in a subsequent Public Meeting.
Mrs. Flores reconvened the meeting in Open Session at 5:10 p.m. and entertained
motions on pending matters.
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(Present: Trustees Austin, Davila, Flores, Guzman, Oliver, Sane, Schechter, and
Worsham)
(Dr. Williams arrived at 5:11 p.m.)
Motion Withdrawn - Mr. Austin and Mr. Schechter withdrew the amended motion.
Motion Withdrawn – Mr. Worsham and Mr. Schechter withdrew the original motion.
Motion – Mr. Schechter moved to approve up to $250,000 be spent from Fund 3
through August 31, 2008 and expending up to $400,000 from September 1, 2008
through December 31, 2008 on the condition that before September 1, 2008 the Board
reviews a breakdown of the proposed expenditure of the funds from September 1,
2008 through December 31, 2008 and approves the proposed expenditure. Mr.
Worsham seconded the motion.
Dr. Williams asked who will manage the disbursement of the funds. Dr. Spangler
advised that she would be responsible for the oversight.
Mr. Davila recommended that the expenditures should go through the Annexation
Committee. Mr. Schechter apprised that his motion calls for the expenditure plan
should be presented to the Board.
Mrs. Flores apprised that the plan should be presented to the Annexation committee.
Mr. Davila requested a timeline of the budget and a draft of the recommended
communications service plan. Mrs. Sane requested that the consultant cost be
included in the plan.
Vote – The motion passed with a vote of 9-0.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business coming before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 5:24 p.m.
Minutes recorded and submitted by:
Sharon Wright, Executive Administrative Assistant, Board Services
Minutes Approved as Submitted: