On Wednesday's specially called meeting of the board of trustees of the Brownsville Independent School District, the festering question on what to do about the $25,060 ring "donation" from vendor Herrf Jones to the Porter championship team will again surface for discussion and possible action.
The board called the special meeting for 3 p.m. Wednesday at the BISD main office on Price Road.
The vendor decided to "donate: the rings to 28 players of the 2016 championship District 5A soccer team of the Porter early College High School about two months into an investigation led by co-lead auditor Arvin Tucker.
Tucker stated in his report that the vendor had sent an invoice for $31,020 for 40 rings. The students' rings were worth $885 each while the 11 non-students rings – which included a free ring for trustee Joe Rodriguez and superintendent Esperanza Zendejas as "volume discounts – were valued at $995 each.Arvin's report leads one to believe that indicates that the first time that Zendejas had heard about the June 6, 2016 invoice was when Principal Hector Hernandez – who also got a $995 ring – sent her the invoice asking her what could be done to pay the vendor.
At the time Zendejas told Tucker there was no money budgeted by the district or school for their purchase and "negotiated with the vendor to have him donate the student rings and make the non-players pay for theirs. Reading Tucker's report, it would seem that neither Zendejas nor Hernandez had anything to do with ordering them. In fact, Tucker's report concluded that no one knew who had ordered them. The order, he said, originated in the athletic department of the school.
Since then, emails have surfaced which indicate that Zendejas and Hernandez and Tom Campos, the school's athletic coordinator, had a direct personal role in ordering the rings.
An email from Zendejas to competitor vendor Jim Ramirez representing Josten's April 21, 2016 responded to the offer by Ramirez to allow his company to bid for the business.
Ramirez asked to "please let us guarantee that we will bet (sic) any price out there plus give a letterman jacket and posters to go with the order. Also we will give each player free pictures... included with the rings."Zendejas responded that "We have been in discussion regarding student rings with the company that assisted Rivera early College High School with their championship rings last year."
Rivera, whose Athletic Director is BISD trustee Joe Rodriguez's protege,Tom Chavez, won the 2014-2015 6A Boys Soccer UIL State soccer tile. Herrf Jones sold the rings to the BISD that year.
"I have spoken to the Principal and Athletic Coordinator regarding the (rings)...We have been in discussion regarding student rings with the company that assisted Rivera...with their championship rings last year." (Click on graphic to enlarge)
Zendeja did not mention that the company she was referring was none other than Herrf Jones, the company associated with Rodriguez's BSN Sports under the Varsity Brands "banner."
This communication with Josten's Ramirez was on April 21, only five days after Porter's April 16 win over Frisco in Georgetown.
And although trustee Rodriguez did file a conflict of interest affidavit with the district for BSN Sports in November 2014, he did not mention that BSN had merged with Herrf Jones in 2013, two years after BSN hired him as their "ambassador consultant." Both companies, then, are one and the same under the Varsity Brands umbrella.
http://www.bsnsports.com/press_releases/merger%20-%2006-25-13.pdf
Since Rodriguez is a registered vendor for BSN which is one and the same as Herrf Jones, he is prevented from discussing or voting on any item dealing with those companies. However, since the irissue first surfaced in the board's January 17 meeting, he has discussed and voted on the issue. In one vote which ended in a 3-3 tie, the donation from the vendor was not accepted. In another the following month, he cast his vote that resulted in another tie that prevented the district from asking the Texas Education Agency for assistance to resolve the matter.
Did the Rodriguez votes constitute a violation pf the Texas Local Government Code prohibiting his participation in matters having to do with matters in which he had a personal interest? In Wednesday's agenda for the BISD trustee meeting, there is an item asking that the district hire an attorney to investigate the ordering of rhe rings contrary to the procurement policies of the district as well as another one questioning the same issue in connection with the purchase of $1,5 million in iTablets for BISD fifth graders.
Will Rodriguez be prevented from discussing or voting on these items?
18 comments:
Nobody cares, juanito!
Should have elected Mary Rey.
Juan, juan, juan. You're a Mexican. they are Mexicans. What gives, buey?
I care. Good job Juan
Really, "Nobody cares", that sounds like something Joe Rodriguez would say. Actually that is what he said, is that you Joe making that comment, you should be ASHAMED at your self, I don't think your mother or father would have ever behaved like you, I think they would be ashamed of your behavior.
The problem is this, when you run for public office you are suppose to put your constituents ahead of your own personal needs or wants. I am just wondering if they, Joe Rodriguez and Superintendent Zendejas also recieved FREE champ rings from when Riera soccer team won the year before, something the board should ask. Because if it is then it is a pattern of CORRUPTION and putting the bid process aside. WOW, "who cares" we do. The people that try to do the RIGHT thing everyday of our lives.
yes even if we did care the BISD board will NOT take any action, cry cry cry all we want but no action, mmm sounds like Congress and the Senate in wwashington dc and autin texas, lots of talk, puro bull etc but never any action. And the band plays on and keeps marching on. hurrah
those of you who "care" need to get a job. Bet you're all on food stamps!
I could give a fuck about this story. Boring shit from a loser blogger. ya basta, apestoso!
If all these are not "fake facts" why don't you do something about it.
You seem to have all the facts, maybe from behind closed door discussions, which is also very illegal, so take the steps to stop this corruption that you keep repeating and repeating in your blog.
Tell your comadre to get her facts in order and also ask her why it would not behoove her to call TEA in, for she is right in the middle of a lot of BS. That is the reason nothing can ever be done, because all are involved and no one wants to be caught in the web. Why has the board not insisted on having the culprit turn himself in and confess that he did the ordering and quit laying blame on others.
Zendejas needs to go! What happened Sylvia Atkinson? Lost your vision once elected?
If Joe is in violation of the Texas Local Government Code why isn't this being looked at by the DA's Office. Is it because Zendejas is up to her neck in supporting these violation committed by Joe. Think about it people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe we work odd shifts or maybe we are entrepreneurs that have time to surf the net. Do they judge. If we care it's probably because we live in really nice neighborhoods and pay alot of property taxes. Just food for thought, if you can comprehend that.
You know my kids go to san jose, but I still care. I pay $10000 in school taxes, so yes I care. Obviously my husband has a job that allows me to stay home, so NO, I won't get a job. That would bump me to a higher taxes bracket and I'd be working for free, so I choose to stay home and care. Care for my family, care for my home, and care for my community! It's a shame that the accomplishment of that team is jeopardized by a few greedy individuals
En donde esta el gallo que tiene miedo decir que el fue el que ordeno
los anillos? Ya se fue del pueblo con permiso de la Minnie Winnie.
People need to learn to stand up for their actions and not push it out on others. If Zendejas knows who it was, she needs to clear her name and tell it how it is. Where is that internal auditor that was suppose to investigate? Where is the millionaire board lawyer hired to sit on his ass and do nothing. Call in the person who received the purchased order, take out the purchase order and see who signed it? If it was Coach Joe, then he needs to opt out and/or squeal as to whom it was.
Come on everyone, Zendejas knows who it was because, according to the email, she was in it from the start. You think she is going to walk away from the thousands she earns to be Joe Rodriguez's witch? Don't think so! Zendejas is in it up to her neck. She was bribed with a $900.00 ring. This is so illegal, but the feds, rangers and district attorney are just turning a blind eye to this!! WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY! We will all find out one day! Meanwhile the corruption among Joe Rodriguez and Zendejas will continue!
Ask Zendejas to show you the receipt where she paid for her ring after it caused so much shit. It is only right for a supt to receive the ring, if done correctly, but the only question that is in the air is why el Viejo Joe le dieron uno y no a los demas board members. That is what got Minnie ticked off. I don't blame her for that.
Juan help us get the FBI involved .
if not we will have no students IN BISD.
If we don't have kids in BISD, who is going to feed your kids. The you see all the hellabaloo during the Spring Break when la Viejas were at HEB buying out their Lone Star Card with Cheetos, cokes, cookies, and junk to feed their babies at home. They forget what it is to feed the kids and it hits them hard when they have to. No son como nuestras madres se levantaban a la 5 de la manana hacerle lunche a papa y no levantaban a comer tortillas calientes con mantequilla. Nunca nos mandaba sin comer a la escuela a al medio dia nos tenian el arros y los frijoles esperando.
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