DECEMBER 21, 2022 ROOSTER SPRINGS EARNS CREST AWARD
WIMBERLEY FALLS TO CARTHAGE 42-0 PAGE 6
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News-Dispatch © Barton Publications, Inc.
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HaysNewsDispatch.com
Vol. 43 • No. 13
Serving Hays County, TX
DSISD addresses 'C' rating BY MEGAN WEHRING
DRIPPING SPRINGS – Dripping Springs ISD received a “C” by the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST). FIRST ensures that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve these practices, according to the Texas Education Agency. The system is designed to encourage Texas public schools to better manage their financial resources and provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes. The reporting was originally mandated by Senate Bill 875 of the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999. “There have been many changes to it over the years,” said Elaine Cogburn, deputy superintendent for finance and operations, during a public hearing on Dec. 12. “House Bill 5 of the 83rd Legislature married the FIRST and the solvency indicators together to become all under the FIRST rating.” Cogburn said that requirements consist of preparing the FIRST Financial Management Report, which includes required disclosures, advertising a public meeting and hold-
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Dripping Springs Ranch Park will host monster truck shows on Friday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 31, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. ing a public meeting to discuss the rating. While DSISD scored 98 points out of 100 on all indicators, it received a “C” (standard achievement/ meets standard) due to its failure to meet the requirements under Indicator 17, which asks: “Did the external independent auditor report that the AFR [annual financial report] was free of any instance(s) of material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting and compliance for local, state or federal funds?” The district’s auditor’s report pointed out misstatements in various general ledger account balances including the failure to record retainage payable in the Capital Projects Fund. DSISD filed an appeal of the finding and
See RATING on Page 5
Monster truck show to hit dirt in Dripping Springs BY MEGAN WEHRING
did not want residents, primarily those who live in Harrison Hills and Founders Ridge, to be caught off guard. Due to concerns about the projected high noise, Foulds questioned the decibel level of the trucks. “You use a decibel reader [and] most of the time you check it at 100 feet away, that way you don’t get ambient noise,” said Ed Beckley, owner of Checkered Flag Promotions. “Remember that monster trucks don’t run all two hours, they probably run a total of eight minutes out of all of that. … Probably at about 100 feet, they
DRIPPING SPRINGS – The Dripping Springs Ranch Park (DSRP) is bringing back a favorite for some: monster truck shows. After much deliberation at its regular meeting on Dec. 6, the Dripping Springs City Council unanimously approved a rental agreement for monster truck shows at the DSRP for Friday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 31, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mayor Bill Foulds requested that the council bring the agenda item forward because in 2019, it was “fairly controversial” and he
would run at about 110 decibels at the most.” In 2019, city council only approved an afternoon event on Saturday, Oct. 26, rather than adding an evening show to the schedule. Mayor pro tem Taline Manassian said that she has some concerns about having an evening show this time around. “Now we are talking about an evening event plus things on New Year’s Eve, which if it’s disruptive, is not going to be perceived well,” Manassian said. “It’s different when you have an event on a
See TRUCKS on Page 5
DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD
Three minutes allotted for public comments Dripping Springs ISD board responds to community
BY MEGAN WEHRING DRIPPING SPRINGS – Last week, Dripping Springs ISD Board President Mary Jane Hetrick reminded the public that speakers are given three minutes during the public forum period of meetings. “Because this has come up numerous times in recent months,” Hetrick said at the Dec. 12 board meeting, “we all checked with our legal counsel [and] our legal counsel didn’t just go by what they thought, they also did research and just to assure the public that the issue
of a three-minute time limit per person per meeting has been thoroughly vetted.” According to the Texas Government Code, “a governmental body may adopt reasonable rules regarding the public's right to address the body under this section, including rules that limit the total amount of time that a member of the public may address the body on a given item.” DSISD released a statement regarding public comments at meetings on Tuesday, Dec. 13. This is available on the district’s board of trustees website at www. dsisdtx.us.
TREES PLANTED IN BLUE HOLE REGIONAL PARK – PAGE 2
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO The DSISD Board of Trustees held a workshop meeting on bond planning this afternoon, overviewing enrollment projections, portable locations and costs, longrange facility planning and construction schedules.
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