When Esperanza Zendejas was first hired it was with the understanding that she would stick around pending a nationwide search for a superintendent to replace Carl Montoya.
Montoya left abruptly following his giving the approval of the awarding of the $3.1 million insurance contract to the company that was currently serving the district. There was only one problem. The board had instructed CFO Lucio Mendoza and the administration to bid it out anew after they questioned the cost.
The board then was forced to award an extension of the existing contract at an exorbitant rate – three months of stop-gap coverage for $1.3 million.
Now, as the hopes for the nationwide search for the new superintendent also appears to have gotten lost in the translation, there is a move afoot to give Zendejas a two-year extension and the nationwide search set aside. The item is on the agenda of the BIS board today (Thursday) at 5:30 p.m.
Not only has Zendejas – using her administrative ability to spend under under a $25,000 cap without going to bids before the board – she has hired her husband as a consultant to help her carry out the whims of the board majority of Joe Rodriguez, Minerva Peña, Jose Chirinos, Cesar Lopez and Jose Chirinos. District personnel see John Fox, Espy's husband, walking through the campus on his wife's assignments.
Massive personnel displacements have occurred. The disruptions have been district-wide and everyone on the BISD's campuses and administration buildings is walking on tenterhooks.
At Transportation, after Zendejas ousted Art Rendon, Hector Zamarripa stayed on all of three weeks before he walked off the job. Today, it is AA Jimmy Haynes – overseen by Carlos Guerra – trying to stave off the coup d'etat by the bus unions to stage a de facto takeover of the department.
Few people remember that it was Zendejas – in her First Coming some 20 years ago – that she did away with the BISD bus fleet an employees and hired the private provider Durham's to run the bus fleet. That turned out to be a financial disaster for the BISD.
Then, at the board majority's urging, another Blast from the Past, former CFO Lorenzo Sanchez, was hired at $5,000 a month as a consultant to look over the shoulder of the current officeholder at finance.
Nowadays, Zendejas walks through district offices and campuses handing out blank index cards and asks all the employees to feel free to write their complaints and hand them to her.
"It's everyone looking out for everyone," said a board employee.
That's not all. In the ongoing lawsuit between board member Rodriguez and Tom Chavez with Deffenbaugh and Associates for including them in a forensic audit where numerous shortcomings and possible wrongdoing in the purchasing of athletic equipment was documented, Mauro Lerma was called to provide proof that the misbehavior had occurred.
Lerma is the son of Ana Lerma, who was in charge of bus monitors on special education school buses. Not long after he was deposed by Deffenbaugh's attorneys, his mother was let go by the district.
Rodriguez is represented by former BISD trustee Rick Zayas, known to hold a grudge after he was ousted by Lucy Longoria. He was a staunch Rodriguez supporter and now represents him in his lawsuit against the district.
At the time Zayas was ousted by Longoria several issues related to the depletion of the BISD's fund balance, the awarding of the lucrative health contract to the BISD's 7,000 employees and the milking of due-process cases by local attorneys had become a scandal.
If they are not careful, the two trustees in the majority up for reelection in 18 months – Peña and Chirinos – might be given an "F" by the voters and meet the same fate as Zayas and his partner Ruben Cortez met not long ago.
14 comments:
Just like the other ex-Sup's, Espy already has some some big ass-kisser(s) trying to get a top job as per her request. Personal Assistant maybe or BISD Chancellor. "NO NEW POSITIONS"--"LETS CUT THE FAT"--"BISD HIRING FREEZE" barks Board Member Chirinos, ALL TALK as the District staff will see that some will get lucky with Espy...nothing new. Again, this is same ol' BISD crap..playing favorites and once Interim Espy is out, out go her ass kissers or get moved far, far away........ Thanks Board Member President Pena, you get an F-!
Back off Ruben Cortez. He has been a great friend to BISD. He constantly tries to bring recognition to the district and valley schools. I'm proud of him and his family!
Estamos contentos que la Senora Lerma no estara con nosotros en el departamento de transportacion. A todos se les llega su dia, y a la Senora se le llego ese dia. Vamos a celebrar con gusto.
Proper punctuation is missing from the BISD advertising slogan, which taxpayers have paid to have printed everywhere. The question mark has been left out; it should be "Believe in BISD???????". I don't believe in anything except the corruption and waste.
Was Lerma let go based on your argument? No, it was because she was a close associate of Rendon. She was at Special Services with him and he brought her to Transportation with him.
They will steal from our children and get away with it because they are ALL corrupt. And doesn't that Sanchez character have a bad blood/history with BISD from way back? Didn't he have to resign for some chingadera? Didn't he run against Rodriguez for a post back in the day?
They ALL come back with a vengeance to rape the BISD kitty.
Must be a Linda Salazar and Ruben Cortez ass kisser? Linda, Ruben, Rick and the Sucios will end up in jail just like Mando, Limas, and the other crooks
It was Ammons that sold out the BISD tranportatation dept for a buck. He received a hefty reward for his efforts. It was not Dr. Zendejas .
So true the misma chingadera.
I'm not an ass kisser. I call it like I see it. He and his mom and his wife have done great things for the community. Stop being a hater!
"G"
Chirinos sold out to Dr. Montoya for the three Ayalas. Aty comadre. Now his gone after Art Rendon after art Rendon uncovered the waste of funds and maybe the money went to his coffers. Gas prices at transportation were high. Oil patch raking in over 72 million in 5 years. Purchasing and CHIRINOS allowed it to happen. How about the scrap metal over 80,000.00. A year no one knew who was picking it up. Porfavor. Purchasing had a blind eye to do did CHIRINOS. How about retraunt supplies and office supplies over purchased and attached in offices with no one knowing about it. How about the buying over bus engine parts. Approximately over 80,000.00 a month and not being used. They are up for auction. Auto part dealer upset that Rendon stopped it. How about the millions of dollars of stolen overtime. Get a copy of the audit. The people of Brownsville voted for him cause they believed he was going in to remove Atkinson and Montoya but sold out for three favors the Ayala sisters and even voted to give Montoya a 10,000.00 raise. Que Chulo el chaparo prieto. Now his hanging with Joe rod cause Joe rod is in charge an Zendejas will do what he wants for LA feria y LA posicion. So Joe says sic um Zendejas on art Rendon. No mames buey.
Chirinos is the most revengeful person, he goes after who ever crosses him. He will get his own when Karma finally catches up to his Pollito A--!
That's what you call COMPADRISMO BISD style! Chirinos is the compadre to A's, that's the ONLY way they would get promoted.
So who is Zendejas' compadre? She'll be the only candidate that will qualify with the required superintendent experience.
POSITION: Superintendent - (Internal Applicants Only!) REVISED: 5/19/2015
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:
Experience as a classroom teacher;
Experience as a campus principal;
Superintendent experience at a large district.
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