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VOL 4 No. 3
Sandersen Knox & Company, LLP 130 Industrial Blvd, Suite 130 Sugar Land, TX 77478 (281)242-3232 www.sktx.com; info@sktx.com Phone: 281-980-6745
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2011
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land
Birds of Fort Bend
Ooh La La! Is it France or Fort Bend? This jaunty little Wilson’s Warbler with his black beret is indeed a Fort Bend visitor this month yellow undersides and all. This songbird visits from Canada, Alaska, the Pacific North West as well as forests in Idaho on its way to Mexico for winter. Watch in bushes and trees as this little foliage gleaner is busy eating insects from foliage to keep plants healthy. To see more beautiful photos of the Wilson’s Warbler and other beautiful Fort Bend birds photographed by Margaret Sloan, visit http://traction.typepad.com/birds
FBISD extends superintendent’s contract for five years By SESHADRI KUMAR The FBISD board of trustees has extended Superintendent Tim Jenney’s contract for five years, effective Jan. 1, 2011 until Dec. 31, 2015. The board voted 6-1 at its Jan. 10 meeting. Trustee Jim Babb voted against the contract extension. “In consideration of the current economic conditions and the financial constraints the district is facing, the Superintendent and Board reached a mutual agreement that he will take a $34,000 reduction in compensation for 2011-2012,” the district said in a press release. It did not state Jenney’s annual base salary, which stood at $260,000 as per the previous contract. Jenney has been receiving $70,000 annual bonus tied to his “performance.” Part of this performance is tied to academic gains and the other part is tied to a quota of
Jenney’s meetings benefit packwith the age includes a teachers monthly vehicle and departallowance and ment heads phone allowand campus ance, said to be vistis. $800 and $300, While respectively. the $34,000 The district is being cut has not yet offor the first ficially released year from the details of the the bonus, contract. resulting in Board Presia bonus of dent Sonal $36,000, Bhuchar said the salthe board is very ary will Jenney pleased with the increase by $34,000 from year two of the continued progress the district contract. That portion of the has made in the last few years salary will be paid to Jenney’s under Jenney’s leadership. “Significant gains have retirement account as in the been made in our students’ test past. So the district’s statement scores every year with more that Jenney took a pay cut is than 80 percent of our camtechnically correct. At the puses now rated Recognized or same time that he got a pay Exemplary. This year the disraise is also correct. Depends trict earned the status of being on how one wants to look at it. a Recognized district. We have
also shown significant progress in closing the achievement gap between student groups. “Although there is still much work to do, and tough decisions to face as we address our budget shortfalls, we are confident that through Dr. Jenney’s leadership, FBISD will continue to make progress in preparing our students, and thus our community, for success in a global tomorrow,” Bhuchar said. Additionally, Bhuchar expressed her appreciation that Jenney and the board reached an agreement to the reduction in his compensation this year. “Given the tough financial times our district is facing, we are pleased that we were able to reach an understanding with regard to the compensation. We look forward to continuing our work to address our challenges while providing the best educational opportunities possible for our students.” See Opinion, Page 4
Fort Bend Cares hosts Road trip to Las Vegas len Zwicker, Karen Nemesi, Elvis Presley, Cindy Gazouleas, Angela Mason, Sonja White, Barbara Adcock and Gail McClendon. Fort Bend Cares, a charitable foundation, hosts the party. Its proceeds fund grants to organizations that serve disadvantaged Fort Bend youth. Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital is the presenting sponsor for Road Trip to Vegas. For more information and to become a sponsor, call 832-392-1983 or visit www.FortBendCares.org.
10701 Corporate Drive, #282, Stafford, TX 77477 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77487 Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor
Chris Breaux, left, incoming chairman of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce with the outgoing chairman Bruce Mercer rehearses for the 2011 chairman’s gala. See Page 3.
Join Fort Bend Cares’ Road Trip to Las Vegas on Feb. 12 at Fluor, One Fluor Daniel Drive, in Sugar Land. The party will feature a variety of foods donated by area restaurants. Master of ceremonies Rowdy Yates will keep the crowd lively. Making preparations are Sunday Coffman, left, Debbie MacDonald, Colleen Flint, Patty Ward, Cheryl Suter, Jill Curtis, Kathy DeWitt, Mary Rey, Denise Al-
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Fort Bend Independent, (USPS 025-572) is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 10701 Corporate Dr., #282, Stafford, Texas 77477. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.