Thursday, March 28, 2024

City Councilmembers and Carroll ISD Board of Trustees Meet At Town Hall

The Southlake City Council and Carroll ISD Board of Trustees met in an informal joint session on Tuesday April 19th to discuss joint programs, mobility, school demographics, facility needs and finances.

The meeting highlighted the strong partnership between the two entities and the strong working relationship of Southlake’s local elected officials.

“It was great to have the opportunity for members of both boards to sit down for a conversation,” said Southlake Mayor Laura Hill.  “We are working together on many things already, but there is plenty of potential for future joint efforts.  Open and honest dialogue is always a good thing, and certainly benefits the people we serve.”

Safety and security is a top priority for both boards, and the use of School Resource Officers in all CISD schools was reviewed with Southlake Police Chief James Brandon, who updated the group on the program.  “We’re pleased with how our officers are performing and with the support we receive from CISD,” he said.  Superintendent David Faltys noted that the program has strengthened an already good relationship between CISD and Southlake’s Police Department, noting that communication is open and regular.  The City of Southlake provides 11 officers and a supervisor for the program, allocating approximately $889,000 annually for this need.

Mayor Hill noted that she was interested in involving Council and Board members in discussions about school zones and mobility, an idea that was supported by Board President Chris Archer.  “Involving elected officials at a deeper level is important.  Creating an environment for sharing information and collaborating will help solve some of our more pressing issues,” he said.

Historically, city and school staff members have worked closely to fully understand demographics and the impact on school service provision.  It was noted that student population characteristics are changing, and the group discussed how the growth of the community guides their programs and the functional use of their facilities.  It was also noted that the two organizations have worked very well together on capital projects, and regulatory structures to support CISD sustainability efforts.

“I really appreciated their perspective on school finance and potential capital needs,” said Mayor Hill.  “The conversation was enlightening and underscored for me how important our partnership between the City and CISD is.  We’re going to continue to build on our past successes and look toward many more in the future.”

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