ROUND ROCK, Texas – Round Rock ISD nearly failed to pass its budget after two board members walked out of the meeting, leaving them without a quorum. The move cut short the meeting as the board waited for another member who was attending virtually to show up in person.

The two directors who walked out were Danielle Weston and Mary Bone.

“Tonight it’s very important that we pass a budget, if we don’t pass a budget tonight we won’t be able to pay our employees from July 1 and that’s not fair to the nearly 7,000 employees who work in the school district,” said board chair Amber Feller. at Thursday’s board meeting.

Thursday’s school board meeting at Round Rock ISD began as it normally would, as the two trustees who walked out were present for the Pledge of Allegiance and stayed for the student and staff recognition segment. It was not until the meeting moved to public comment that Administrator Weston could be seen walking behind Chairman Feller. Administrator Bone also left the meeting, causing quorum to break.

Danielle Weston released this statement to FOX 7 Austin:

Both Bone and Weston strongly believe that COVID-positive individuals who are within the CDC’s recommended 5-day quarantine period (which reflects RRISD policy) or those with symptoms should not go to public places as a common sense precaution. Doctors generally agree that sick people should stay home. »

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For a quorum to be reached, four Board members must attend the meeting in person. During the meeting, board member Amy Weir was attending the meeting virtually while in quarantine for COVID-19. In order for the board to pass the budget, adjustments were made to have Weir present.

A clip from the meeting shows the trustee isolated behind plexiglass while wearing a mask. She released this statement following the other members’ walkout.

“I find it hypocritical that the two trustees who were against masks, said they were illegal, who repeatedly stated that the district’s COVID protocol did not apply to trustees, used COVID to excuse their behavior I had no intention of coming unless my presence was necessary due to their absence President Feller and I did what was necessary to protect the district staff by ensuring that the budget was passed and that they received their salary in July,

This isn’t the first time Weston and Bone have walked out of a reunion like they did in September. The board decided to censure the two directors following this meeting, but they filed a lawsuit against the board. Since then, they have been in a legal battle.

President Feller told FOX 7 Austin she had a feeling the two were going to hang out at Thursday’s meeting, which is why they were able to quickly accommodate Administrator Weir.

The board was finally able to pass the budget and decided to end the meeting early.

“I think I would first like to apologize to everyone who has been here. This is your only chance a month to talk about the items that are not on the agenda, but because we are finishing our meeting early tonight. You were wasting this opportunity. And I sincerely regret that,” Feller said.