>> THE BOARD IS RETURNING FROM CLOSED SESSION AND WE ARE RECONVENING AT 4:35 [4. Reconvene] [00:00:05] PM. [NOISE] I WILL ASK IF EVERYONE WILL PLEASE RISE FOR THE PRAYER, [5. Meeting Opening] WHICH WILL BE LED BY KAREN MARCUCCI. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE THAT WILL BE LED BY DESIREE THOMAS. >> PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS. GOOD AND GRACIOUS GOD, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER AGAIN. TODAY, WE SPECIFICALLY PRAY FOR MS. WILSON DURING THIS SEASON OF TRANSITION. WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH HER LEADERSHIP AND ASK THAT YOU BE WITH HER AND HER FAMILY. MAY THEY FEEL YOUR PRESENCE. AS WE ENTER INTO THIS TIME OF TRANSITION WITH A BIT OF ANXIETY, WE RECALL YOUR DEEP COMPASSION, PRESENCE, AND ABOUNDING LOVE. BE WITH US AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND PROVIDE THE PEACE THAT ONLY YOU CAN PROVIDE. WE ASK THAT YOU GUIDE OUR DECISION-MAKING AS WE PUT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS FIRST. WE ASK ALL OF THIS IN YOUR HOLY NAME, AMEN. >> >> THANK YOU. THIS TAKES US TO ITEM 6.1, [6. Public Comments] OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION OF THE AGENDA. THE CORRECT PROCEDURE FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS IS AS FOLLOWS. EACH SPEAKER SHOULD ADDRESS THE BOARD FROM THE PODIUM MICROPHONE AND STATE HIS OR HER NAME BEFORE SPEAKING. ALL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED AT THREE MINUTES TO MAKE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. COPIES OF PRESENTATION SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL TRUSTEES AND THE SUPERINTENDENT. BOARD POLICY PROHIBITS THE DISCUSSION OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST DISTRICT EMPLOYEES DURING AN OPEN FORUM. I HAVE TWO CODES HERE, AT THIS POINT. ARE THERE ANY MORE? THE FIRST SPEAKER IS SHARON RICHARD. [NOISE] MS. RICHARD, DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? >> NO, THAT'S OKAY. >> IS IT SHARON? >> IT'S SHARON [INAUDIBLE] . >> OF COURSE, I MADE A FANCY WAY. >> NO PROBLEM. >> SORRY. >> NO PROBLEM AT ALL. I GET THAT ALL THE TIME, TOTALLY EXPECTED. MY NAME IS SHARON [INAUDIBLE] AND I AM THE PARENT TO TWO MISD STUDENTS, SOON TO BE 1ST GRADE AND A NINTH-GRADER. WE HAVE BEEN PLEASED WITH OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION WITH MISD [NOISE] AND TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, MRS. LACKEY WILSON, FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE BOARD AND TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW THAT OFTENTIMES SERVING ON THE BOARD IS A THANKLESS JOB, SO THANK YOU-ALL. [NOISE] I'LL JUST ASK THAT YOU TAKE MY COMMENTS INTO CONSIDERATION. I'VE ALSO EMAILED EACH OF YOU, I BELIEVE I'VE RECEIVED RESPONSES FROM YOU ALL. IN LIGHT OF MS. LACKEY WILSON'S RESIGNATION, I WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT HER SEAT WITH THE RUNNER-UP IN THAT ELECTION WHICH WILL BE MS. YOLANDA MCPHERSON. SHE RECEIVED THE SECOND MOST VOTES, WHICH WAS OVER, JUST SHY OF A LITTLE BIT OVER 4,900 VOTES JUST LAST MONTH. I MEAN, I'M SORRY, IN DECEMBER. THAT'S ALMOST 5,000 MANSFIELD ISD RESIDENTS WHO ENTRUSTED HER ENOUGH TO ISSUE THEIR VOTE TO HER. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOMMEND KARIN FILDOMY (PHONETIC) AS ANOTHER OPTION AS WELL. KARIN WOULD ALSO BE A GREAT CHOICE. SHE RECEIVED JUST LAST MONTH OVER 4,300 VOTES. ANOTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SPEAK ON TODAY IS DIVERSITY WITHIN MISD. MISD IS A MAJORITY-MINORITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. HOWEVER, THAT DIVERSITY IS NOT REFLECTED AMONGST THE TEACHERS, CAMPUS STAFF, AND EVEN THE BOARD HERE TODAY. WHEN WE SPEAK OF DIVERSITY IS NOT JUST RACE OR SKIN COLOR, DIVERSITY IS ALSO DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT, WHERE YOU LIVE. THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS WITHIN MISD DO NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF MANSFIELD. HOWEVER, THAT DIVERSITY IS NOT REFLECTED AMONGST THE BOARD. I MYSELF, AS A HOMEOWNER IN ARLINGTON, PAY MISD SCHOOL TAXES WHICH ARE QUITE HEFTY, WHICH ALL OF YOU CAN ATTEST TO AND SO I WOULD JUST CAUTION YOU AND URGE YOU TO PLEASE TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE REFLECTIVE BOARD TO OVERSEE AND MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF OUR CHILDREN. I THINK THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE STUDY SHOW ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE BROUGHT ABOUT WITH DIVERSITY. [00:05:02] I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD TRULY TAKE THESE COMMENTS INTO CONSIDERATION AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, MS. RICHARD. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANGIE THOR (PHONETIC). [NOISE] >> I'M SUPPOSED TO STATE MY NAME. I'M ANGIE THOR. REALLY, I JUST WANTED TO GET UP HERE AND THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED REALLY HARD. SORRY. YOU PUT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO OUR KIDS AND TO OUR COMMUNITY. I'VE KNOWN YOU A LONG TIME AND IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HARD TO REPLACE COURTNEY. YOU GUYS HAVE A REALLY BIG SHOES TO FILL. I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHO YOU SHOULD CHOOSE. THAT'S NOT MY JOB. I DO KNOW THAT, IN MY OPINION, IT SHOULD BE SOMEBODY WHO HAS SERVED BEFORE, WHO KNOWS THE COMMUNITY, WHO HAS BEEN TRAINED, WHO HAS BEEN EDUCATED IN THE THINGS ABOUT THE BOARD. WHETHER YOU GUYS CHOOSE TO DO THIS AS A LONG-TERM, SHORT-TERM POSITION, THAT'S WHY YOU GUYS WERE ELECTED TO MAKE THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS. BUT REALLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. [APPLAUSE] [NOISE] >> NOW, WE KNOW WHICH SPEAKER IS NOT NICE. [LAUGHTER] THIS TAKES US TO BUSINESS ITEM, MY APOLOGIES, 7.1. [7.1. Consider Accepting the Resignation of Courtney Lackey-Wilson, Place 7, from the Board of Trustees.] ONE, CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE RESIGNATION OF COURTNEY LACKEY WILSON, PLACE 7 FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. MAY I PLEASE RECEIVE A MOTION? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> MOTION MADE BY WARREN DAVIS, AND SECOND MADE BY RANDALL CANEDY. I WON'T READ ANYTHING INTO THAT BECAUSE BOTH ARE MALE TRUSTEES, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT [NOISE] [LAUGHTER] MAYBE THEY'RE TIRED OF ME. I WOULD LIKE TO READ MY STATEMENT THAT WENT OUT TO THE BOARD AND DR. CANTU, AND FOLLOWED WITH JUST A FEW PERSONAL NOTES, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I DO OWE IT TO OUR COMMUNITY. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR. CANTU, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THIS POSITION DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ME TO DO SO. WITH THAT, PLEASE ACCEPT MY LETTER OF RESIGNATION FOR PERSONAL AND HEALTH REASONS. I JUST NEED SOME TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS. PLEASE KNOW THAT I AM SO HONORED TO GET TO SERVE OUR MISD COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS EXTREMELY HARD FOR ME. I HOPE THAT THIS SEASON WILL PASS QUICKLY, AND I ALSO HOPE THAT I WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AGAIN. I AM, AND WILL FOREVER BE THE DISTRICT'S BIGGEST FAN, AND WILL ALWAYS BE AT YOUR SERVICE WHERE I'M ABLE. I'D LIKE TO GO ON TO SAY THAT I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT ANY AND ALL DECISIONS I MADE WERE ALWAYS MADE, AND WHAT I THOUGHT AND FELT MY HEART WERE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR BABIES, WHO ARE SET UP IN OUR DISTRICT. I CAN ONLY HOPE THIS IS SHORT-LIVED, THAT AFTER WHAT WE HAVE ALL LIVED THROUGH THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, I REFRAIN FROM PREDICTING ANY FUTURE. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WHILE YOU MAY BE SADDENED, OR REJOICING, OR JUST USING THIS MOMENT TO PUSH AN AGENDA, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ONE HEART IS COMPLETELY BROKEN. IT'S MY HEART, AND I'M JUST A PERSON. BUT A PERSON WHO HAS PUT IN MY WHOLE HEART INTO THIS POSITION, FOREVER A FIFTH OF MY LIFE. A POSITION THAT I EARNED, AND A POSITION I HAD PLANNED TO KEEP. MY FELLOW TRUSTEES, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL ON ME, AND ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU REMAIN FOCUSED ON OUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSIONS WITH ALL YOUR DECISIONS, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, AND I ESPECIALLY THANK OUR STAFF BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN THE TRIGGERS THROUGH ALL OF IT. WITH THAT, I WILL RECUSE MYSELF. [00:10:05] TAKE IT AWAY, MS. NEWSOM. [APPLAUSE] >> I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE. LET ME ASK BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST DAY ON THE JOB, DO I NEED TO TAKE A VOTE, OR CAN I MAKE A STATEMENT? TAKE A VOTE? OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? SEEING NONE. WITH NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE WILL VOTE. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE USE A SOUND VOTE OF AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION PASSES, 6-0. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO READ A STATEMENT REGARDING MS. WILSON'S RESIGNATION FROM THE BOARD. WE WOULD FIRST LIKE TO SEND A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO COURTNEY LACKEY WILSON FOR HER DEDICATION AND SELFLESS SERVICE TO THE MISD COMMUNITY. SHE HAS SERVED THE DISTRICT FAITHFULLY FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. TODAY, WE HAVE ACCEPTED MISS LACKEY WILSON'S RESIGNATION, AND WE WILL CONTINUE PRAYING FOR HER AND KEEPING HER IN OUR THOUGHTS AS SHE ATTENDS TO PERSONAL AND HEALTH MATTERS. WE WISH HER AND HER FAMILY ALL THE BEST. MOVING ON TO BUSINESS ITEMS REQUIRING BOARD ACTION 7.2, [7.2. Consider Appointing a Trustee to Fill the Vacancy in Place 7] CONSIDER APPOINTING A TRUSTEE TO FILL IN THE VACANCY IN PLACE 7. AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD HAS DECIDED TO TAKE NO ACTION AS IT PERTAINS TO ITEM 7.2. WE, AS A BOARD, HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE SOME TIME TO THOROUGHLY ASSESS AND EVALUATE HOW THE PLACE 7 SEAT SHOULD BE BEST FILLED. WE WILL KEEP THE COMMUNITY UPDATED IN AN UPCOMING BOARD MEETING. I'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER 8.1, REORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS. SINCE WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A BOARD PRESIDENT, [8. Reorganization of the Board] WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS. MAY I RECEIVE A NOMINATION? >> I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE MICHELLE NEWSOM AS PRESIDENT, DESIREE THOMAS AS VICE PRESIDENT, AND RANDALL CANEDY AS SECRETARY. >> ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? HEARING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE NOMINATIONS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE SLATE OF OFFICERS THAT WERE PRESENTED, PLEASE USE THE SOUND VOTE OF AYE. >> [OVERLAPPING] AYE. >> ALL THOSE NO? >> [INAUDIBLE] . >> FIRST DAY ON MY JOB. THANK YOU. MAY I RECEIVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> MR. DAVIS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE SLATE OF OFFICERS PRESENTED, PLEASE USE THE SOUND VOTE OF AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. CONGRATULATIONS. WITH A VOTE OF 6-0, WE HAVE NEW OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN ELECTED, AND CAN NOW MOVE TO THEIR NEW SEATS. DO WE NEED TO DO THAT? THANK YOU [LAUGHTER]. I WAS ON MY [INAUDIBLE]. WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER 9. WE'LL ADJOURN WITH NO OTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS. ADJOURNING AT 4:49 PM THIS EVENING. THANK YOU-ALL. >> THANKS, MICHELLE. >> THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.