Liberty-Eylau Independent School District's Board of Trustees appointed Bradley Haugh to fill the seat vacated by retiring Board Member Christina Walker during its regular meeting Thursday.
In May, Walker she resigned effective June 30 after serving on the board since 1993. She was the most tenured female board member in Region VII.
Board members thanked her for her service, with Board President Chad Turner saying that Walker's contribution to the district was immeasurable.
"She is Liberty-Eylau and she's going to leave a big hole to fill," he said.
Walker, who also joined the L-EISD Parent Teacher Association in 1981, said she loved the district and the board members.
"This is my family, this is my district and I am going to miss you all," she said.
Haugh will serve until the next election in May 2020, when he may run to complete Walker's unexpired term.
He is a 1999 L-EHS graduate and serves on the District Leadership Team, the board of the Liberty-Eylau Youth Sports Association and chaired the bond election support committee. Haugh's wife, Brooke, works as a human resources specialist and his son Triston is a seventh grader at L-E Middle School.
In other business, the board approved free meals for all students beginning in the fall. Funds for the program are made available through the Community Eligibility Provision for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. This program allows schools with high percentages of low-income students the option to offer free meals to all children.
Trustees also approved the 2019-20 budget and tax rate. The proposed budget of $25,180,980 is balanced and includes funding from House Bill 3, recently passed by the Texas Legislature. The current tax rate is $1.37 and with the additional funding, the rate will go down to $1.2684, as the state will give an allotment of $6,160 per student.
Teacher raises are included, along with a three-percent raise for employees not covered by HB 3 and six percent for auxiliary employees.
"We have the best teachers in the area and we want to keep them and if there are others in the area that want to come here, we welcome them, to," Board Member James Keaton said.
Superintendent Ronnie Thompson said they will make adjustments according to what the state directs.
"We will see where the final numbers come in from the state as we work to finalize our salary scale," Thompson said. "We do know that it will provide a much deserved increase for our teachers."
The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. July 18 in the Board Room, 2901 Leopard Drive, Texarkana, Texas.