IS THERE A CONSTRUCTION BOND ISSUE PLAN FOR BISD?

By Juan Montoya
For months now there have been hints about a possible multi-million bond issue to build more facilities at the Brownsville Independent School District.

The administration, for example, has submitted its five-year facilities plan which – if enacted – would surely call for a bond election to fund them. And the smell of construction monies have thrown local movers and shakers in a feeding frenzy like a gam of sharks smelling blood in the water.

Former board member Joey Lopez – now engaged in the insurance business – has been making friendly noises toward Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas, as has local building contractor Rene Capistran. Capistran's Noble Builders has snagged lucrative contracts from the city and Cameron County and would dearly love to establish a new relationship with the BISD as the district makes its plans for new facilities.

Lopez and Capistran are said to be angling to have Zendejas recognized as the recipient of the "Hooked For Life Award." Trustee Joe Rodriguez has been heard saying that it would not be a bad idea to have Lopez handle some of the district's insurance needs and to let him "wet his beak" a bit. Trustee Phil Cowen is said to be championing Joey Lopez as well.

 Cowen pegged his candidacy on his record of building new schools during his reelection
campaign and is now chairman of the facilities committee. Other board members on that committee include board president Cesar Lopez and Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who managed to steer more than $5 million toward athletics-related construction, has been like a bull in a china shop, He has spent more than $2 million to Paragon Sports to install artificial turf on soccer fields and $2.5 million to build an indoor training facility at Rivera High School where his protege and athletic coordinator Tom Chavez reigns.

However, both Lopez and Rodriguez know that time is of the essence since their terms end in 2018. In order to expedite the gravy flow, they know they must put the bond issue election on fast track if there is some profit to be had. Elizondo is also on a fast track since his term is also over in 2018. There is talk afoot that if a new majority is voted in in the upcoming City of Brownsville elections in May, he might be required to choose between holding his job as fire chief of the city or remaining on the BISD board without pay. If he is to improve the position of his better half at the district, he also had about 18 months to convince Zendejas she deserves to be in an administrative position with a commensurate hike in pay.

There is even talk of a group petitioning the city commission to uphold its personnel policies and place the choice before Elizondo. Being the fire chief and at the same time having a policy-making authority while having a relative in the district opens up all kinds of conflicts of interest questions that have dogged Elizondo from the get-go and the group feels the matter should be brought to resolution ASAP.

All this talk of issuing bonds and handing out contracts has been moving a bit fast for Kenneth Lieck, no stranger to the questionable wheeling and dealing of governmental entities, he cautioned those urging that the bond issue be put on fast track that there were procurement and purchasing policies that had to be followed. For Lieck to be the voice of reason should give BISD taxpayers room to pause.

If residents vote to issue those bonds, they should know that the state's budget isn't going to be there to buttress the district's expenses. This year's lean and mean state educational budgets aren't going to provide the usual cushion for the BISD. And when lawmakers see the district splurge on state-of-the-art facilities for pampered jocks instead of addressing basic educational services for its students, they might decide the BISD really doesn't need the help.