Wednesday, April 5, 2017

IS THERE A CONSTRUCTION BOND ISSUE PLAN FOR BISD?

By Juan Montoya
For months now there have been hints about a possible multi-million bond issue to build more facilities at the Brownsville Independent School District.

The administration, for example, has submitted its five-year facilities plan which – if enacted – would surely call for a bond election to fund them. And the smell of construction monies have thrown local movers and shakers in a feeding frenzy like a gam of sharks smelling blood in the water.

Former board member Joey Lopez – now engaged in the insurance business – has been making friendly noises toward Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas, as has local building contractor Rene Capistran. Capistran's Noble Builders has snagged lucrative contracts from the city and Cameron County and would dearly love to establish a new relationship with the BISD as the district makes its plans for new facilities.

Lopez and Capistran are said to be angling to have Zendejas recognized as the recipient of the "Hooked For Life Award." Trustee Joe Rodriguez has been heard saying that it would not be a bad idea to have Lopez handle some of the district's insurance needs and to let him "wet his beak" a bit. Trustee Phil Cowen is said to be championing Joey Lopez as well.

 Cowen pegged his candidacy on his record of building new schools during his reelection
campaign and is now chairman of the facilities committee. Other board members on that committee include board president Cesar Lopez and Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who managed to steer more than $5 million toward athletics-related construction, has been like a bull in a china shop, He has spent more than $2 million to Paragon Sports to install artificial turf on soccer fields and $2.5 million to build an indoor training facility at Rivera High School where his protege and athletic coordinator Tom Chavez reigns.

However, both Lopez and Rodriguez know that time is of the essence since their terms end in 2018. In order to expedite the gravy flow, they know they must put the bond issue election on fast track if there is some profit to be had. Elizondo is also on a fast track since his term is also over in 2018. There is talk afoot that if a new majority is voted in in the upcoming City of Brownsville elections in May, he might be required to choose between holding his job as fire chief of the city or remaining on the BISD board without pay. If he is to improve the position of his better half at the district, he also had about 18 months to convince Zendejas she deserves to be in an administrative position with a commensurate hike in pay.

There is even talk of a group petitioning the city commission to uphold its personnel policies and place the choice before Elizondo. Being the fire chief and at the same time having a policy-making authority while having a relative in the district opens up all kinds of conflicts of interest questions that have dogged Elizondo from the get-go and the group feels the matter should be brought to resolution ASAP.

All this talk of issuing bonds and handing out contracts has been moving a bit fast for Kenneth Lieck, no stranger to the questionable wheeling and dealing of governmental entities, he cautioned those urging that the bond issue be put on fast track that there were procurement and purchasing policies that had to be followed. For Lieck to be the voice of reason should give BISD taxpayers room to pause.

If residents vote to issue those bonds, they should know that the state's budget isn't going to be there to buttress the district's expenses. This year's lean and mean state educational budgets aren't going to provide the usual cushion for the BISD. And when lawmakers see the district splurge on state-of-the-art facilities for pampered jocks instead of addressing basic educational services for its students, they might decide the BISD really doesn't need the help.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

BISD is going down the drain...

Anonymous said...

Erasmo Castro is ending his campaign, juan! check it out, bro

Anonymous said...

Who cares, buey!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

We must all realize that our gravy train is one the back burner since the educational state and federal funds are up in the air. We cannot expect for BISD to continue providing all the benefits it is currently providing for the employees, as well as students. Instead of looking for ways to put blame on people and try to distract others from the real upcoming realities.
We can not do more with less, so maybe a bond issue is needed, at least for instructional issues and maybe salary issues in order to keep our students from leaving.

Anonymous said...

They can shove that bond in their ass,pendejos should of thought of that when they spent millions on that indoor football facility at Rivera.Tax payers will drop this request like a bad habit!

BISD TAXPAYER said...

WE NEED HELP AT THE FACILITY DEPARTMENT AT BISD.
OUR FACILITY AND MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT IS OUT OF CONTROL.
WHO SUPERVISEES THE FACILITY DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE A BUNCH OF IDIOTS.

CC TAXPAYER said...

MR.LIECK !

WHAT DOES HE KNOW ABOUT THE FACILITY AND MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AT BISD.

HE IS AN IDIOT !!

WE NEED PERSONAL WITH EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD IN CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT .

Anonymous said...


corruption
corruption

bob said...

If bond passes or not you will need new personal at facilities .

BISD. TAXPAYER said...

CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE TAKING OVER BISD.
THEY WANT BONDS TO BUILD MORE INDOOR FOOTBALL FIELDS.
THEY WANT TO CLOSE SCHOOLS.
NOW THEY WANT A BOND TO BUILD FACILTIES.
SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE AT BISD.
WHAT WE NEED IS A SUPERINTENDENT TO MANAGE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT ASAP.

Anonymous said...

we need a DONALD TRUMP to run the district..

Anonymous said...

BROWNSVILLE VOTE NO FOR THE BOUND.
NO
NO
NO
F K NO

Anonymous said...

That is so true !

They can shove that bond in their ass,pendejos should of thought of that when they spent millions on that indoor football facility at Rivera.

Anonymous said...

The money spent on the Rivera project was part of the TRE election where all projects were listed. You voted for the TRE without knowing what you were voting for? That money was earmarked for certain projects and each campus decided what their needs were and where they wanted to spend the money. Rivera decided on the indoor facility, as Pace decided on the band hall and Veterans for the restrooms for the visiting teams. This was all explained when the TRE was presented to the community, but too many of us are not paying attention to the facts, but the first to complain. Check your facts. As for a facility person, do you think that Oscar Garcia, Jr is qualified for that position? Seems some board members are pushing for him.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 7:32. Regarding Oscar Garcia Jr.;he's not qualified for anything or any job! His main skills are ass-kissing and stealing taxpayers monies .Should fit right in with the current school board .

bisd taxpayer said...

The money was for renovating facility needs not for athletics indoor or outdoor facilities.

Rivera campus did not decide for a indoor facility it was old Joe Rodríguez and his team, who decided where to spend the TRE money on the Rivera indoor facility project, porter and Lopez artificial turfs.
Dr. Z went to the schools campuses and explain to vote for the TRE election to pass so BISD could renovate facilities.

IT IS WHAT IT IS !
These are the facts pendejos or pendejas, ok like it or don't like it.

Anonymous said...

STOP TRYING TO BULLSHIT YOU NO DAM WELL THAT MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SPENT SHITHEAD!

Anonymous said...

That stupid TRE election was supposed to create a capital improvements fund by reassigning some of the debt tax rate to O&M. Now they want a bond on top of that? I knew that stupid election was a ripoff just to be able to raise taxes by not abiding by the truth in taxation laws!

Anonymous said...


when did BISD raise taxes? I guess I am lucky and have been exempted from paying higher taxes. Oh, and it is not "bound" - it is "bond."

rita