FBISD Zoning Problems For Sienna Plantation Area Schools--click the title link for the full FBN story--

Follow the title link above for the complete FBN article...

More: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/30/40926#comment-4189

FB Sun Covers FBISD Police Chief Controversy

Click the title link for the full story...

BREAKING NEWS FROM FBN: FBISD Police Chief Will Leave Force By End Of The Year!

Controversial Fort Bend ISD Police Chief To Retire At End Of Year
September 24th, 2009 | by John Pape, Fortbendnow

Fort Bend ISD Police Chief J.L. Campbell has announced he will retire and the end of the year.

Campbell made his plans known to police personnel in a memo dated Tuesday. FBISD Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson also confirmed the chief had notified district administrators he plans to retire.

In the memo, Campbell told police personnel that “it is time for me to begin a new journey on my career path.” He said he would retire effective Dec. 31 after 15 years with the department....(search earlier articles on this item)

Full story: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/24/40729

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/24/40729/924-fbisd-police-chief-letter-fb

Background:

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/01/02/34462

http://fbisdwatch.blogspot.com/2009/01/fbisdwatch-issues-call-for.html

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/01/05/34534

http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/search?q=FBISDwatch+seeks+investigation

Missouri City Leadership Proposes Yet Another Property Tax Increase--see this chronicle piece--

Click the title link for the full story on how city leadership is once again raising taxes and borrowing from the "fund balance" (a special account made up of unused bond-debt monies that were originally designated for other projects)...

Snip-it: "...City Council members in Missouri City have scheduled an Oct. 5 vote on a proposed 1-cent increase in the 2009-10 property tax rate, trading additional cuts in city spending to allow for quicker action on capital construction projects.
The proposed tax rate is .528 per $100 valuation for the budget year that began July 1. That compares to last year's rate of .51724. The new rate is in line with what was discussed during budget workshops earlier this summer, but with more money for debt service on voter-approved capital improvement projects such as streets, drainage and City Hall renovations...

...If the city manager's proposal is adopted, annual city property taxes on a home valued at $200,000 would increase from $1,034.48 to $1,056..." Chron

TRCC Abolished (Special Interest Commission Update)---from HOBB+

Texas Comptroller: "This agency imposes costly and bureaucratic roadblocks for homeowners left out in the cold by shabby construction and a commission dominated by builders," Strayhorn said... "It is clear that the Texas Residential Construction Commission functions as a builder protection agency." ..."if it were up to me personally, I would blast this Texas Residential Construction Commission builder-protection agency off the bureaucratic books."

http://www.homeownersoftexas.org/Who_supports_the_TRCC.pdf

Click the title link above for the full story of the influence of a special interest industry protection racket that still influences your local boards, councils and commissions...

How FBISD Zoning May Impact Sienna Area In Missouri City! --click the tile link for more--

FBISD trustees want harder look at zoning proposals
Zen Zheng

FBN update 8/16: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/16/40395

http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/fbisd_trustees_1.html#comments (full article)

http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/zoning.cfm (zoning plans)

Starting an early planning process, the Fort Bend school district has unveiled its proposed attendance zones for two new schools under construction in the district's fareast side. Both schools are set to open in fall next year.

The district's 45th elementary is being built at 636 Glendale Lakes Drive off FM 521 south of Texas 6 near Rosharon. It is expected to enroll 448 pupils from both sides of FM 512, including 111 Sienna Crossing elementary pupils to be transferred.

With the proposal, a small southern portion of the Schiff Elementary attendance zone where there are 12 pupils would be absorbed into that of Sienna Crossing Elementary. An eastern part of the Sienna Crossing zone, where the 111 pupils are, would be annexed into the new elementary's boundaries. The plan would reduce Schiff's enrollment from 799 to 503 pupils and that of Sienna Crossing from 974 to 881.

The new high school, the district's 11th, is being built at 500 Waters Lake Boulevard in Sienna Plantation area near the Hillwood residential development. Its attendance zone would comprise Hightower High's attendance zone portion south of Texas 6 and a southeastern part of the Elkins High attendance zone.

With the new high school proposal, an expected 265 students in the Vicksburg subdivision area attending Elkins High would be transferred to Hightower while 502 Sienna students attending Elkins would be relocated to the new high school. That plan would reduce Elkins' enrollment from 2,351 to 1,626 students and that of Hightower from 2,649 to 1,796. The new high school is anticipated to open with 1,171 students.

A projected 2 percent growth for the 2009-2010 school year is factored in the above student enrollment figures.

During the workshop Monday, school board members didn't have a consensus on if the administration's proposals should be presented as is to two public meetings, originally scheduled for Sept. 29 and 30 but postponed due to the lack of board agreement. . .

FB Star: How some elected officials treat the taxpayers...

"...From the comments Bud Childers made about the allocation of security funds, it appeared he was seeking publicity. So ...Judge, here it is. You might begin by starting court on time and allowing folks into the courtroom as prescribed by law. On your docket days you have more than your allotted bailiff and you still treat the public like something you wipe off the bottom of your shoe. The courts are the most scared part of the government which is supposed to be of the people, by the people and for the people, not the fiefdom of an elected demigod..." FB Star

Get the full story by following the link above...

Visit Texans For HOA Reform For The Latest On Property Rights Reform Efforts! --click the title link for more--

FB Independent Publisher Opines On TPIA & FBISD Compliance With Texas AG!

Open records request is a farce
By SESHADRI KUMAR, Fort Bend Independent

The public information request or the open records request with Fort Bend ISD has become a farce as far as my experience goes. What could be provided routinely to a requestor are first kept confidential and then released by the district for a nominal charge.

One would think that the feasibility committee report on the Global Science and Technology Center is a public document and the district would like it to be read by as many people as possible to win their support.

On the contrary, the report was given to the media only when asked and it was released after the statutory 10-day waiting period. It cost me $14.

Then when I wanted a copy of the comments posted on the FBISD website, I thought I could have them e-mailed to me. No, a print out was provided and the cost was $6.

Then, I posed to a query to the communications department asking what documents did the district provide to Ms. Nancy Hentschel who had filed an open records request. I had asked if the district had provided response to one of the specific queries made by her, namely “any communication via mail, phone, e-mail, text, or other routes between members of the committee, the PBK company representatives, [Dr.] Jenney, and the developer...”

I asked for the clarification because of conflicting claims made by Hentschel that she got nothing from the district and the district saying they gave all that could be given.

Instead of receiving a brief response from the communications department, my request was treated as an open records request.

Again, I had to shell out $28.50. I don’t mind it, but unfortunately, barring about five or six pages, all the other pages were a reproduction of the same feasibility committee report and comments on the website.

Making an ORR, especially with any public entity, is tricky. The requestor should be clever or the request letter may require the assistance of an attorney...

Get the full story at: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=89&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=1808&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com

Local Media Reporting On Student Sorting Being Conducted By The District In Preparation For The President's Education Speech--

Get the full story at:

9-8 Update: http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/inspirational_o.html

Update 9-3: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/03/40126#comment-3040

http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/fbisd_gives_par.html (Houston Chronicle)

and

http://www.kissmybigbluebutt.com/#September2letter (local political blog)

--We will update this news as it happens....