Grapevine, school district clash over campus closures and financial transparency
Tensions are brewing between Grapevine officials and the Grapevine-Colleyville school district over possible campus closures and whether the district is being transparent about its financial picture.
In turn, school district officials asked Grapevine to stop spreading false information about its finances and the committee that is helping the district come up with a facilities plan as enrollment drops and the Legislature continues to provide less funding for public schools.
“We really didn’t want to get involved, but we felt like we had to, to give a voice to the people,” Grapevine’s long-time mayor William Tate said in an interview.
In January, Grapevine-Colleyville established an Education Master Planning Committee to study the district’s facilities. One of the items under discussion is consolidating campuses, but district officials emphasized that no decisions have been made.
On Oct. 6, the city of Grapevine sent a letter to the school district questioning the makeup of the committee and how it was heavily weighted toward its smaller neighbor, Colleyville. Grapevine’s population is approximately 52,000, while Colleyville’s is around 27,000.
The letter called the membership selection a “slap in the face” to Grapevine residents and voters.
Tate added he is concerned that the school board is “pitting” one city against another.
Grapevine’s letter also stated that the school district received an additional $14 million from the state and paid off unused bond funds that potentially could have been used toward expenses such as repairs and technology.
The letter also asked about the district bringing in additional revenue and stated that Grapevine wasn’t getting information on the potential school closures and how the city needed to plan for changes for things such as traffic patterns and crossing guards.
But the Grapevine-Colleyville school district stated in an Oct. 8 letter that the city was spreading incorrect information.
“Respectfully, we were surprised by the statements in your letter. We also appreciate your interest in this process, and as we move forward, we must ensure that all stakeholders are working from accurate, factual information,” the letter stated.
The letter said the school district restructured its bonds, similar to refinancing a mortgage, and stated the city’s figure of $14 million in state funds was incorrect. Preliminary projections show that the district will receive approximately $6.2 million, district officials said.
The district’s letter also pointed out that the Education Master Planning Committee members were chosen based on their knowledge and commitment to the district and not because they represented a specific school or city.
The school district invited Grapevine’s city manager to serve on the committee, but the invitation was declined. Consequently, the invitation to Colleyville’s city manager was withdrawn.
Grapevine-Colleyville’s letter also pointed out that the district worked with consultants, including Moak Casey and the Texas Association of School Boards.
The letter also stated that four meetings were held with Grapevine leaders from late September to Oct. 2.
“The sharing of incorrect financial information by city leadership undermines the necessary work being done and erodes public trust. The district and the city share the same constituents, and the long-term success of GCISD is vital to the entire community, and that includes the city,” according to the school district’s letter.
When asked about the school district’s statements that Grapevine is spreading incorrect financial information, Tate said it came from the school district’s budget.
“The information we used was from the district’s current budget that the district has posted that shows them getting $14.4 million more from the state than last year,” Tate said. “We had every right to rely on their own financial statement. Now they say that it is not correct. If that is true, they had an obligation to amend the budget and make it public ...
“It has been difficult getting information from the staff. We agree that we need to be using correct information.”