The Italy School Board of Trustees officially canceled the 2013 school board election Monday night at their monthly meeting. Two incumbents did not sign up to run again – Curtis Riddle and Jon Mathers. Two people, Ida Overton and Sal Ramirez, did sign up to run and are unopposed in the election originally scheduled in May.

In other new business, the board unanimously approved a resolution calling on the Texas Legislature to reject attempts to divert public dollars away from public schools in the form of vouchers, taxpayer savings grants, tax credits or any other mechanism that have the effect of reducing funding in public schools.

Trustees also unanimously approved the continued participation in the Ellis County Shared Services Arrangement for the 2013/2014 school year.

They tabled a copier contract item. Barry Bassett, school superintendent, said they would like to correlate with TexServe, the school’s technology service provider. Bassett said TexServe is installing several new computers and said they can add valuable input as to the type of copiers the district might need.

Letha Mullins, chief technical officer with TexServe, gave a brief technology report. She talked about the virtual desktops they are putting together and the reduction in hardware. She also talked about videos available for parents who are now “cyber parents.” She suggested the district have a dinner and allow them to present some of the options available to parents as it pertains to today’s technology.

Bassett outlined Update 96 which should be adopted at the next meeting.

Natasha Blackburn, business manager, presented members preliminary revenue projections for HR costs. She said the major portion of the budget, 73 percent, is personnel and next year’s personnel projections should range between 73 and 78 percent. Riddle said this is the first time he has seen a preliminary HR projection report since being on the school board. He told Blackburn that he appreciated this report.

Bassett said the district received a $160 donation in memory of Penelope Pretzer, a retired teacher from the district.

The board approved minutes from the February meeting, monthly utility report, transportation report, investment and cash position report, financial statement, tax collections and attendance/enrollment. Current enrollment, as of March 22, is 524. Refined average daily attendance is 503.

Two members, Larry Eubank and Mathers, were absent from the meeting.