CHAVEZ'S REMOVAL SHOWS BISD IS READY TO CLEAN HOUSE

By Juan Montoya

With at least two of the top Brownsville Independent School District administrators recommended for termination or reassignment in the forensic report by Defenbaugh and Associates now removed from their high-paying positions, it is becoming apparently clear that the district thinks it has the goods on the rest to clean house once and for all.
The latest was BISD Athletic Director Tom Chavez who was reassigned to as a Wellness Coordinator in the wake of the findings in the forensic report hat shows he steered business the way of his predecessor – and mentor and benefactor – Joe Rodriguez that resulted in the district paying an additional $50,000 to the former AD's BSN sports supply company.

Anywhere else, someone like Ray Arteaga, who at $109,000 sits at home and eats up his earned days and sick days while drawing a paycheck, and Chavez, who before he was moved to the wellness position drawing at least $100,000, would understand the district doesn't want any part of them anymore an move on.

That's everywhere else but here.

Now, buttressed by the support of his mentor Rodriguez, Chavez will be content to hunker down and make like a piece of furniture in utter disregard of the personal disgrace he has incurred for carrying water for his former mentor and close personal friend.

There are other heads lined up on the chopping block like that of Jose Hector Chirinos, Jose Cisneros at Lopez, former CFO Tony Fuller, and a handful of other lesser demons.

If they, too, remain true to form, they will also linger on and draw the blood from the district until they are pulled off by board action or the evidence that the audit produced is acted upon by the different prosecutorial authorities like the Cameron County DA, the FBI, or the U.S. Attorney's office.

In Chavez's case, his sins are listed in the report thus:

Initial allegations were that Rodriguez was using undue influence and coercive tactics to pressure BISD coaches, athletic coordinators, and athletic personnel to purchase sports uniforms and equipment from a company, BNS Sports, Rodriguez became a sales representative for after he left BISD in Dec. 31, 2009.

In addition, Rodriguez in a telephone call made to Margarita Pizano-Flores in Sept. 2011 threatened to sue BISD because the Purchasing Department had changed and improved the Catalog/Co-op procurement process.

Investigation and analysis subsequently revealed that a substantial amount of payments of uniforms and equipment totaling $497,117 in fiscal year 2010-2011 was completed compared to the previous fiscal years (2009-2010) total of $175,715; an increase of 283 percent.

Interviews identified most of the purchasing was made by the athletic department, in general, and by Chavez, in particular. Chavez, an admitted close friend with Rodriguez for over 30 years, succeeded Rodriguez after he left BISD. Review of purchase orders also support the fact that the athletic department fulfilled most of those purchases, predominantly for Manzano Middle School and Veterans Memorial High School, both newly constructed schools, with no prior uniforms or equipment.

Although Chavez denied giving preferential treatment to BNS and/or Rodriguez in the purchasing process for both schools, Chavez never gave any due consideration to at least three other approved vendors sports distributors. At the beginning of September 2011, BISD's Purchasing Department changed the Catalog/Co-op procurement procedure shifting control of catalog procurement process from the end-user, Athletic Department, to the Purchasing Department.
This change provided more internal control and was the apparent reason for Rodriguez's telephone call to Lead Auditor Margarita Pizan0-Flores after the realization that BNS would have to be more competitive in terms of price.

Shortly thereafter the other sales representative at BNS informed the Purchasing Department that a 10 percent discount would be rendered on BNS catalog items. If BNS had implemented that discount before the purchasing process was changed, it would have meant $50,000 less for Rodriguez's BNS and a savings for the district in the same amount.

It is the opinion of the Forensic Audit Staff that no doubt the Athletic Department in general and in particular that Chavez exercised undue influence and misuse of authority in choosing BNS Sports, through their sales rep. Rodriguez, particularly in the purchasing of uniforms and other sports supplies for Manzano Middle School and Veterans Memorial High School in school year 2010-2011.

(This) resulted in close to $500,000 of purchases being given to Chavez's close friend and former BISD A.D. Joe Rodriguez. Chavez allowed he and Joe Rodriguez's personal relationship to interfere with what should have been a business decision causing a potential loss of revenue ($50,000) to be sustained by the district.

The closest Rodriguez got to a state title as football coach was the drubbing that Seguin imposed upon the hapless BHS Eagles in 1969. As far as Chavez being the winningest coach in BISD history, well no state title there either, only a district title at Rivera.

The bar in Brownsville for heroes has been set way too low but they have been able to purvey their mediocre performances into personal industries for them them and cronies. It's time, for the benefit of the students and the taxpayers, for this board and administration to put an end to this gravy train for pampered jocks.