A representative from Live Oak Public Finance L.L.C. made a presentation to the Canton School Board about the possibility of becoming the new Canton ISD financial advisor during the board’s regular monthly meeting July 25.

Lucas Janda of the Austin-based firm discussed how his company can best serve the financial needs of the school district.

“We are strictly financial advisors,” pointed out Janda to the trustees. “We are currently working with 140 school districts, one city, one hospital district, and one water district. We would love to have the opportunity to work with your school district.”

Janda is a former chief financial officer with Stafford ISD, Forney ISD, and Leander ISD. Under his leadership at Live Oak Public Finance L.L.C., over $1.4 billion of bonds have been sold. He testified before the Texas Legislature on bonds in 2017.

According to Janda, Live Oak Public Finance L.L.C. has experience in M&O financial operations, not just bonds/debt.

“We have a fiduciary duty to you,” said Janda. “We regularly work with ISDs who are proactive in defeasing existing bonds.

Among the current school districts that the financial advisory firm serves includes Buffalo ISD, Caddo Mills ISD, Cayuga ISD, Community ISD, Cumby ISD, Cushing ISD, Fairfield ISD, Forney ISD, Hawkins ISD, Kerens ISD, Laneville ISD, Oakwood ISD, Quinlan ISD, and Sulphur Springs ISD.

Janda shared fee comparisons for his firm compared to the current school district’s financial advisor.

“With taxable values for Canton ISD increasing to $1.2 billion, the school district has the opportunity to continue paying off existing bonds early,” said Janda. “Please note, this is in addition to possibly taking action next month to use current year surplus funds to retire bonds prior to maturity.”

Janda assured the trustees that if his firm is selected, they will be in person at all the facility committee, board and community forums.

“Our tax rate impact analysis’ are transparent and are based on conservative assumptions,” emphasized Janda. “Canton ISD’s bond capacity will be driven by your goals, future tax base assumptions, tax rate limitations and best guesses with rising interest rates. We drill down to the asset types and propose repayments within their useful lives.” No action was taken by the trustees following Janda’s presentation.

In other action during the July 25 regular monthly board meeting, Canton ISD Superintendent Dr. Brian Nichols presented his monthly report as he gave the trustees an update on the status of activities taking place on campuses prior to students reporting on Wednesday, Aug. 17, for the first day of the 2022-23 school year.

Band camp began on July 27 and varsity football and volleyball players will begin their workouts Monday, Aug. 1.

“We have substitute teacher training beginning on Aug. 3,” said Nichols. “On August 4-5, we will have our new teacher orientation at the intermediate school library. We will have ‘Meet the Eagles’ night on Friday, Aug. 5 beginning at 7 p.m. at the football stadium. All staff will report on Monday, Aug. 8, and we will have our convocation at the Larry Davis Auditorium beginning at 8:30 a.m. “On Aug. 11, we will have

“On Aug. 11, we will have ‘Meet the Teacher’ night at the elementary school from 6-7:30 p.m.” continued Nichols. “That same night, we will have ‘Meet the Teacher’ night at the intermediate school from 6:30-8 p.m. On Aug. 15, we will have ‘Meet the Teacher’ night at the junior high school from 6-7:30 p.m. and the high school from 6:30-8 p.m. We will do another ‘Meet the Teacher’ event at the elementary school on Aug. 16 from 9-11 a.m. All students return on Wednesday, Aug. 17.”

The Canton ISD superintendent discussed an important update regarding school safety and security at all campuses.

“On the subject of school safety, we have employed two additional school resource officers for the upcoming school year,” emphasized Nichols. “This will now allow us to have one officer on each campus. We are excited about that.”

Nichols then updated the trustees on other meetings coming up before the start of the new school year at Canton ISD.

“We will be sitting down with the Canton Police Department and our emergency management team tomorrow morning (July 26) to go over and review all of our emergency operation plans,” said Nichols. “We will be checking exterior doors at all campuses to make sure that they are operating the way that they should. We will be training all of our substitute teachers and our staff on all of our procedures. All of this must be certified to the state by Sept. 9. Some of this has already been done. In September, we will be conducting our district emergency operation plan and procedures. This review is done on a twoyear cycle. That must be submitted to the state by Oct. 12.

“We have received a school safety grant through the Department of Justice that will provide us with 129 security cameras,” continued Nichols. “Some of those will be used to replace cameras that are now in place. We are also going to be covering some ‘blind spots’ with these new security cameras. We will be installing 68 new sensors in the restrooms. We also will be installing new security cameras on 16 of our buses.”

Nichols informed the board members that school district accountability ratings will be released on Aug. 15, two days prior to the start of the new school year.

Canton ISD Assistant Superintendent of Operations Dusty Spencer updated the trustees on current construction projects.

“At the high school, we have 75 percent of the air conditioning units up and running,” said Spencer. “The ceiling tiles are being put back in. They should be completely finished with their work by Aug. 5. At the junior high, window frames have been put in and the exterior front doors have been put in but there is no glass in them. The glass should arrive tomorrow (July 26). We have to get the floors waxed. There is a lot of trim work to be done. It is starting to take shape. Furniture will arrive on Aug. 5. We are optimistic that everything will be done by the start of school.” Nichols added that a new door will be installed at the junior high library.

Spencer also shared with the trustees that a recent auction involving five old school buses and equipment was held and the gross amount was $12,424.

Items on the consent agenda were approved by the school board and included the minutes of the June 20 regular board meeting, the financial status report, the budget status report, the tax collection report, the quarterly investment report, and personnel who will appraise teachers for the upcoming school year. Also, the appraisal calendar was approved.

Trustees approved the student code of conduct, the personnel handbook and all campus handbooks for the 2022-23 school year.

A review of the athletic policy and guideline booklet for the 2022-23 school year also received approval from the trustees.

The proposed budget and the proposed tax rate for the 2022-23 school year were approved by the board members.

There was no action taken by the trustees following a closed executive session at the close of the July 25 regular monthly board meeting.

Board member Matthew Dunn was not in attendance at the July 25 regular monthly meeting.

The next regular monthly meeting of the Canton School Board is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15, in the school administration building.