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Smith County School District special meeting, Aug 22, 2026

3 h 40 min · 2 videos · 1 public speaker

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Part 2 · 2 h 20 min

School board approves $35 million budget on 6 to 2 vote 2:19:18

  • Board members discussed proposals to reach a $35 million budget, and one board member said the board had to decide on insurance before anything else. 3:09
  • The board approved, 5 to 3, an insurance plan paying $625 for non-certified employees, $750 for certified teachers, $1,000 for a plan plus one and $1,200 for the family plan. 2:03:43
  • One board member proposed reducing capital outlay by $160,000 and the transportation department budget by $110,000, then called votes on eliminating 11 EA jobs and full-time substitutes and on cutting coaches' supplements and stipends 30%. 2:05:53
  • The board approved the $35 million budget 6 to 2. 2:19:18

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (13)
  1. Return to session and budget target 2:51
    • Tommy Manning made a motion to go back into session. 2:51
    • Tommy Manning said the budget stood at $35.5 million and $500,000 had to be cut to reach $35 million. 3:09
  2. First cost-cutting proposal 4:27
    • One board member proposed paying a flat $625 toward insurance per EA and $800, $900 or $1,000 for certified teachers depending on the plan. 4:27
    • Scotty Enoch's proposal also would cut 16 EA positions, cut 20% of the coaches' supplement to save $100,000, cut full-time subs and move elementary and middle school principals from 12 months to 11 months. 5:28
    • Tommy Manning said a motion to accept the proposal failed on lack of a second. 7:38
  3. Discussion of other cuts and buses 7:57
    • One board member proposed taking $100,000 out of the capital outlay fund, cutting stipends to 50% and cutting $100,000 from transportation. 7:57
    • A speaker asked why more was being taken from certified teachers than from non-certified employees. 16:20
    • A district staff member said buses cost about $1.6 million and that parking them would save probably about $1.4 million because some staff would remain for special education buses. 24:03
  4. Motion on flat-rate insurance plan 37:33
    • Tommy Manning made a motion to adopt Scotty Enoch's insurance plan of $625 for EAs, $800 for a teacher, $900 for a teacher and spouse and $1,000 for family coverage. 37:33
    • A district staff member outlined the employee cost increases, including family coverage on the broad plan rising from $807.95 to $1,425. 42:05
    • The motion failed. ~47:09
  5. Motion to park school buses 47:38
    • One board member said a motion had been made to cut the buses and park them, and said the board should not do it. 48:36
    • One board member said not to park the buses and that doing so would hurt the kids. 49:27
    • A district staff member said the district averaged 1,720 children riding school buses last year. 50:06
    • Tommy Manning said the motion failed with 3 votes in favor and 5 against. 50:00
  6. Motion to end non-certified insurance 50:55
    • Tommy Manning restated a motion to cut all insurance for non-certified employees and have certified teachers pay $1,200 a year more. 52:18
    • A speaker said the motion would violate federal law, and a district staff member said the last fine was $84,000. 53:08
    • A district staff member said eliminating non-certified benefits would save approximately $1,015,764. 56:10
    • Tommy Manning announced the motion failed. 1:02:57
  7. Revised proposals after recess 1:21:26
    • A speaker moved to eliminate 17 EA positions for about $510,000 in savings, along with other cuts and flat insurance payments. 1:22:14
    • Tommy Manning outlined other cuts, including shorter contracts for principals, guidance counselors and 3 central office employees, a $6,000 cut in board pay and reducing 10 non-certified positions. 1:27:47
    • Tommy Manning said the earlier motion was tabled. 1:50:38
  8. Approval of insurance plan 1:51:41
    • Tommy Manning said the payment for a certified single plan would change from $800 to $750. 2:01:46
    • Tommy Manning said the motion would give $625 to non-certified employees, $750 to certified teachers, $1,000 for a plan plus one and $1,200 for the family plan. 2:03:43
    • Tommy Manning announced the motion passed 5 to 3. 2:05:06
  9. Capital outlay and transportation cuts 2:05:53
    • One board member proposed reducing capital outlay by $160,000 and the transportation department budget by $110,000, for $270,000. 2:06:22
    • Tommy Manning announced the motion passed. 2:07:44
  10. EA positions and full-time substitutes 2:07:44
    • Tommy Manning said the motion would eliminate 11 EA jobs and move full-time subs to part-time for a savings of $380,000. 2:08:49
    • Tommy Manning said the motion passed, 6 to 2. 2:09:24
  11. Contract lengths and board pay 2:09:24
    • One board member proposed shorter contracts for middle school principals, high school assistant principals, guidance counselors and 3 central office employees. 2:09:24
    • One board member proposed cutting board pay to $125 per meeting and $150 for the chairman. 2:10:58
    • Tommy Manning announced the motion passed 7 to 1. 2:13:00
  12. Coaching supplements and stipends 2:13:00
    • The board voted on cutting the coaches' supplement and stipends 30%. 2:14:02
    • Tommy Manning said the cuts got the budget to $35 million. 2:14:50
    • Tommy Manning announced the motion passed. 2:14:43
  13. Item 2:14:53
    • The motion and second on the tabled proposal were removed. 2:15:34
    • Tommy Manning moved to send the county commissioners a $35 million budget with the approved cuts. 2:15:55
    • Tommy Manning amended the motion so the insurance would include the 142 and 143 budgets. 2:18:47
    • Tommy Manning announced the budget motion passed 6 to 2. 2:19:52

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

What was said

What board members said, in order

if we do— if we do nothing, which I don't suggest for sure, the, the monkey's not off our back. We still— the comptroller comes in, it's still our job to make the cuts to get to 32. 2, 7, whatever the number is. It's not— I, I didn't understand that part. I thought they would come make the cuts.Scotty Enoch · Board member30:34
Who spoke

Who spoke

Tommy ManningBoard memberFirst speaks at 0:38
Marty McCalebBoard memberFirst speaks at 4:50
Scotty EnochBoard memberFirst speaks at 30:34
David McDonaldBoard member

Video: posted by the district as “Smith County Schools Live Stream- Special Called Board Meeting 8/22/2026”