Still smarting from the beating he took in the Democratic Party's primary election for Cameron County Judge, it appears records management department director Martin Arambula will soon get his due from a majority on the Brownsville Independent School District Tuesday with a hefty raise for his mighty labors.Arambula, who at a $73,902 salary already earns more than at least a dozen elementary and middle school principals, stands to get a generous raise of between $8,000 to $15,000 – if not more – from the four locked-in votes of trustees Otis Powers, Minerva Peña, Jose Chirinos and Cesar Lopez.
During this year's primary, Arambula could only garner 3,980 of the total 16,980 votes cast for county judge.
In this week's agenda on Item 65, the board will consider the administration's recommendation that members approve to reclassify the position of Policy/Records Manager from a pay grade 4 to a pay grade 5, a move that would rise Arambula's compensation between $10 to $15,000 annually.
Arambula is currently in charge of managing records for the district and has also taken up the BISD's recycling efforts. A PowerPoint presentation on the department's site outlines how the program is set up with a person at every school campus be appointed to identify and collect recyclables so that a records management truck pick them up on a set schedule. The records management employees then take them to be baled in a machine and the recyclables are sold.
Based on the sales, Armabula – and the BISD administration – is saying his salary should be raised to compensate him in recognition of the money made form the recycling.
The department's website on recycling is filled with tidbits meant to shock and awe the uninitiated on the benefits of recycling. Want to dazzle your friends? Wow them with such tantalizing facts as these:
– 500,000 trees will be cut down to give Americans their Sunday newspaper
– If a single run of the Sunday New York Times was eliminated it would save 75,000 trees
– If all newspapers were recycled, it would save 250 million trees
– If Americans recycled 10 percent of their newspapers, they would save 25 million treesAnd here's the killer taken word for word from the presentation:
– The average American uses seven trees a year in paper, wood, and other products made from trees. This amounts to about 2,000,000,000 Billion (?) trees per year!
Now, some BISD administrators are questioning why Armabula, who already makes more than a dozen elementary and middle school principals who bear the responsibility of hundreds of teachers and students and their instruction, should be getting this raise outside the normal budget schedules.
The fiscal year for the BISD is June 30.
At his current salary listed in the Texas Tribune, Arambula's $73,902 is already above these school principals:
Teresa Villafuerte, Principal, Gallegos Elementary: $72,906
Ricardo Torres, Principal, Garza Elementary: $72,906
Melissa Werbiski, Principal, Ortiz elementary, $72,448
Anabela Almanza, Principal, Southmost Elementary, $72,403
San Juanita Rodriguez, Principal, Cromack Elementary, $71,987
Socorro Houghtalin, Principal, Vermillion Elementary, $71,759
Loretta Jean Dickinson, Principal, Hudson Elementary, $71,675
Gabriela Rodriguez, Principal, Putegant Elementary, $71,421
Nicole Cheri Clint, Principal, Yturria Elementary, $71,421
Sandra K. Cortez, Principal, Sharp Elementary, $71,337
Teresa Nuñez, Principal, Garcia Middle School, $69,913
If the majority on the BISD board approves the increase to Arambula's salary for having his workers pick up scrap paper and other recyclables at the district's campuses and facilities, it would make the salary gap between Arambula – who has much fewer employees in his department – and these principals and other professionals much wider.
Armabula had filed a grievance against the BISD asking that his salary be raised. That grievance had reached the Level 3 stage, but was pulled from the agenda at least twice before it got to be considered by the board. This salary increase recommendation was made by Superintendent Carl Montoya without the board getting a chance to consider the matter. Has Montoya and his administration doing an end-around the grievance process and in effect bypassing the grievance process?
Meanwhile, contrary to BISD counsel Baltazar's presentation to the board when he was bidding for the $240,000 annual gig about hiring less outside counsel, the board will consider these items:
24. Recommend approval for payment of $5,880.28 to The Hudgins Law Firm.
26. Recommend approval for payment of up to $20,299.71 to Williams, Birnberg & Andersen,
LLP.27. Recommend approval for payment of up to $18,914.66 to Colvin, Chaney, Saenz &
Rodriguez, LLP
So much for those little nothings whispered in the trustees' ears by Salazar about not using outside counsel.
22. Discussion and possible action to allow BISD to participate with the City of Brownsville in
the “All America City” application process. (Board Member Request – MP)
Ah, the circus never ends.
23 comments:
An expected attitude by BISD adminstrators.....if money is made by recycling, throw the money into someone's pocket and not toward education. BISD subscribes to the old adage, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man how to fish and he will put money into your pocket". BISD is a corrupt organization, having too many people being spoon fed tax dollars to keep them loyal and controllable. At the top of this list is Montoya...
I think I will apply for a file clerk position at 90K. I am qualified. I have a high school diploma.
THe change in level has been on many agenda's and is never voted on. Nothing new here. He is a 12 month employee and the elementary principals are 11 month
TEA should investigate Otis and his Very High pay salary relatives, his wife, several sisters in law, his brothers, Brothers in law, his sister in law's husband, etc, etc, etc. Right there should be about a half million dollars or more in salaries at 100,000 plus each
Do you think Otis will hire his other brother on law now that they fire his ass from saint luke school?
Did you know that Patricio lejma sometime ago bought land from bisd a minimum price then A few years later re-sold it to bisd fo maybe five times more than the regular price, and now he was the one the re-cycling contract????? Things that make you Hhhhhhuuuuummmmm!!!!!
That big ass tree well represents BISD an that tree hugger represents all of those feeding off federal funding starting with the number one leach, Martin!!!!
Martin is a wonderful person. He deserves a raise like everyone else
There is no recycling going on at Hanna High School; which happens to be the busiest campus in BISD.
The 3 male politicos that always left me scratching my head wondering what people saw in them were Eddie Trevino, Ernie Hernandez, and Martin Arambula. The first has been defeated, the second's been defrocked, and the last is just plain delusional.
Arambula and all the local politicians should pack their bags and leave our city for good. They all feel entitled to elected positions. They'll run for anything that becomes available. Sylvia, Arambula, Ernie, Erin, Don De Leon, Garzoria, etc. At the city Tetrea should also pack her fake bags and leave. She is dumb as rocks. Just read her dumbass facebook posts. #chicfila #district2 #livingthedream #brownsvillecheezmeh #princess #spacex #haterssuck #husbandbeater #idonthaveabignoseihavealittleface #pendeja
You have a lot of balls posting all this BS pat Lehman. You are real brave behind a computer you coward. Didn't your wife work for BISD when you were a trustee? It is not our fault that she is not as smart as the Atkinson's to move up the latter, and as for ragging on Arambula, there is no way I n hell you were going to get that recycling contract fool! everyone knows what you are about, that is why they voted you out!
It's incredible how Martin Arambula demands hefty pay raises from BISD but as Port Commissioner refused to give a salary increase to all the workers from the Port of Brownsville. You should be happy you have a job, isn't what you told the workers of Port of Brownsville. Mamon.
Stop yelling out names from behind a computer Pat Lehman, Arambula was never going to give you the contract, he knows that would have cost him his job you fool. You are the mammon, mammon!
Aplacate McClovio.....Uuuuyyyyy!!!
Campus Bookkeepers have been asking for a level increase for years but nobody listens. Bookkeepers handle millions of dollars during the year for the schools. Never are bookkeepers recognized. We have a lot of responsibilities but the Finance Dept. Administrator nor the CFO care. In fact we are not under Finance Dept. What can we do, who can help us, who will listen if the Bookkeepers are nobody responsibility. But is you are friends with the board members you get what you want.
Sounds like something Martin would say
That contract was mine you piece of shit!
You are the mammon for nickel and diming the port workers and now you expect support, you are royally ignorant you mammon
Mr. Arambula's argument that he deserves a raise because of the money selling recyclables is without merit. Do grant writers get raises when a multi million dollar grant is awarded? Do coaches and concession workers get a raise for money paid at athletic events? Do principals get a raise everytime their campus has a successful fund raiser? Mr. Arambula is going to have someone at every campus store the recyclables (probably the custodian and most likely in addition to their regular duties), have a truck pick the recyclables up and sell them. This deserves a raise? As an ex administrator having worked in several districts including Brownsville, Mr. Arambula's records position is handled by clerks in normal district's and recyclables by the maintanance department. I'm sure Mr. Arambula is a nice person, but his job is easy, nonessential and hardly worth additional compensation. Truth be told, his position was created by some friends when he needed a job and now the district is trying to justify the amont he recives for the work he does. Many on his present level have more responsibilty than he, work harder and make less. A level 5 would upset all those who are deservedly at that level. If this raise goes through it is another example of the incompetence of present BISD.
Book-keepers of the world, unite and overthrow the crooked Board of BISD !!
Otis has problems juggling bribe goodies from that dude from Harlingen.
Mr. Arambula is getting a huge raise for selling recyclables. What about the Bookkeepers for getting a perfect Audit every year. For keeping the Principals and the sponsors from misusing motivational funds. What about the Data Entry Clerks for doing the Master Schedule before the new school year starts. Look at all the clerks that really do the work. Because without Para -Professionals the work will not be done. We are the ones that would really deserve the raise. The raise Mr. Arambula will get a Para-Professional does NOT GET THAT THE WHOLE YEAR...What a joke are all the Board Members. BISD IS WHO YOU KNOW.........
Post a Comment