Remember when the board of the Brownsville Independent School District passed an item hiring two Area Assistant Superintendents when the agenda only called for the board to take action on one?
That action was taken during the July 15 meeting when the board majority voted to hire the two even though only one was included in the 2014-2015 Adopted Budget or Compensation Plan and not posted correctly on the agenda.With the two additions – Teri Alarcon and Dora Sauceda – that makes seven AAs on board the BISD to assist Superintendent Carl Montoya manage the $524 million budget, 7,000-employee district.
The Assistant Superintendents are Bertha Peña, Curriculum and Instruction, Carlos Guerra, Human Resources/ Title IX, and Dr. Sylvia P. Atkinson, Support Services.
Area Assistant Administrators are Teri Alarcon, Hanna Cluster, Jimmy Haynes, Lopez Cluster, Dr. Rita Hernandez, Pace/Veterans Cluster, Sauceda, Porter Cluster, and Sandra Lopez, Rivera Cluster.
However, as a result of the possibly illegal hiring of two AAs instead of one (only one was listed on the board's agenda, a possible violation of the Open Meetings Act), at least two other administrators want a piece of the action, too. These are Mary Tolman and Maricela Zarate-Puente, who are on the agenda with their grievance for the next BISD board meeting on Tuesday.
All these administrators earn a pretty pennyA. Level III Board Review and Grievance:
10. Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding Level III Grievance No. 003/14-15
on Mary Tolman and Maricela Zarate-Puente.
But that's not all. There is yet another grievance listed on the agenda for the board members by other top-level administrators who want a commensurate raise after AA Bertha Peña and Public Information Officer Drue Brown got a hike in their salary. If you remember, Peña – whose salary is listed by the Texas Tribune before this year's 2 percent raise at $145,748 – was awarded a raise of $13,000 for "additional duties."
Brown and Peña's hinged their raises upon a massive gender-discrimination lawsuit involving some 28 BISD women employees that has languished in the byzantine corridors constructed by lawyers who get paid by the hour. Their raises further fueled other actions from two other administrators. Their agenda item is listed as:
d. Discussion and consideration regarding Dr. Rita B. Hernandez and Sandra G. Lopez
vs. Brownsville ISD.
Need we go over the relatives that these four have with members of the board and former members?
Mary Tolman is a former Atkinson. Her sister is Sandra Powers, married to BISD board president Otis Powers. And Dr. Hernandez is the wife of the law partner of former board member Rick Zayas, who is representing new BISD board member and former A.D. Joe "Coach" Rodriguez in a number of BISD-related lawsuits.
Some commenters to this blog have said that there are way too many "so called grievances going on at BISD where top admins want more and more and are suing."
" That's where the BISDS money is going to," said one. "These so called admins put themselves on the agenda, go through the BISD Grievance motions, and then cash out big with a settlement. Two AA's are suing and are on the Agenda are BISD."
"Folks, all BISD agendas are to feed the pockets of Admins who know that others did the same thing and got paid big bucks. Its not about the kids, its about how much '$' their BISD buddies on the other side will pay out to them.
"A HR ponzi-scheme or what? How may top admin grievances can you spot in the Dec. 9th agenda and how much money will they approve to throw out to these people?"
19 comments:
Have you ever tried to live on $145,000 in Brownsville? It can't be done.
Don't worry the Feds are on it
Dice Paquita" Ratas de dos patas", Otis (Puppet) Powers, Mary Tolman (Otis's sister), Bertha Peña (Minerva's relative??), Marisala Zarate (Sergio Zrate's sister) and Sergio is some new Board trustee's best friend?
didn't all started when Cesar, Otis, Minerva and Chirinos gave Martin the pay increase???? "
This is so disgusting! Supt. Montoya and the board members that allowed this have made a mockery of this district. I think it's time to start the Good Government League to hold these incompetent, abusive and lucrative shenanigans going on!
Way to much conflict of interests here need special mediator this stinks
The BISD STATED no raises or end of year bonuses to all other employees! Where are the teacher unions groups? Where is the TEVA President or the AOBE President, where is Channel 4,5,7,8 News? If the BISD HR is running their ship correctly, none of this would be going. Oh, wait, the HR Administrator wants a piece of the pie too!
Lets not forget the BISD MILLION DOLLAR lawsuit by some board members that is also on the table.
You are right Juan, the lawyers are milking it too at BISD!
The District needs TEA to take a look at this? Why do the well BISD BOARD connected get promotions and all others get silenced with retaliation and moves.
Worst yet, the BISD Janitors get paid pennies and have to have side jobs because the BISD can't afford to give them a 2% raise.
Yea, I guess Mrs. B. P. can't live on $145,000
salary in Brownsville.
You should check out how a System Operator got a level increase because he's friends with a board member (Cesar Lopez). The approved level in the compensation plan listed the position as a level 3 and then miraculously it was changed to a level 4 midstream. What's the point in approving a compensation plan if you are not going to follow it or change it whenever you want to give your friend a raise.
These high paid yes-loyalists at the crystal place think they are worth the money and attention while teachers and certified staff are pushed around like maids and servants. Money will not trickle down but their incompetence will.
Was't JJ D Lion viven a Level 4 just For scratching Bertha's A---s?
December 8, 2014 at 2:47 PM -- did they hire JJ Dee Lion after all by M. Tolman LEVEL 4, Mrs. Pena's BFF? Rumor is that a Level 4 was promised to Jay Jay. Man, I need to be Mrs. Pena secretary! That's where the money is!!!! everyone else, get in the HR "ghost" line to fill out your job applications which get lost cuz you don't have pull! JAJAJAJA.
@December 8, 2014 at 11:23 AM
Public employees (teachers) in the State of Texas are forbidden by Texas State Law from using collective bargaining as a way to negotiate salary, so essentially the so called teacher unions have no leg to stand on. Combine that with the fact that it is against the law for public employees to strike does not leave much wiggle room for teachers.
It’s not collective bargaining you idiot it’s equal pay.
Teri Alarcon needs to be moved to transportation ..
@December 9, 2014 at 1:44 PM
You are to fucking stupid to understand, so just shut the fuck up and go get high, you will forget about it in the morning.
Someone needs to check the salaries of some employees and their experience because some don't add up. They are making more than some people with way more experience and education. Is there a committee that oversees this?
No but there's an idiot who checks for collective bargaining.
I don't know who's more stupid anonymous or the person who doesn't know the meaning of collective bargaining. Google it for heavens sake.
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