The $100 million "presamito" is not yet in the bag, but a close look at today's meeting agenda for the broad of trustees Brownsville Independent School District indicates they are laying down the groundwork to rush facilities construction before next year's elections that may change the makeup of the board.
BISD sources say that BISD Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas, CFO Lorenzo Sanchez, trustee Joe Rodriguez, and BISD board president Cesar Lopez are setting a frantic pace to pursue construction contracts throughout the district, everything from gyms, a fine arts center, roofs, and energy projects.
The rush includes a press to review architectural qualifications on an unprecedented time frame to place them on this month's agenda while district procurement officials plead for more time stating they need at least a month to review the Requests For Proposals (RFPs) submitted by the firms.
"I've worked here in this office for many years and have never seen anything like this," said a BISD source to a friend. "
Item six is merely the formality accepting the taxable property in the district and the tax rate: 6. Recommend approval of Resolution #017/17-18 for the 2017-2018 Tax Levy in the amount of $70,330,581.49 based on the adopted tax rate of $1.265 per $100 property valuation.
That 11-cent increase will – leveraged over five years – allow the district to borrow the $100 million to build the facilities recommended by the administration of Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas and the board majority.
More and more, it appears that the institution to be favored as the lender of the loan will be the LoNE Star National Bank. That bank was also chosen as the depository by the Cameron County Commissioners Court. And one of its directors, Rene Capistran, of Noble Builders, landed both the contract to renovate the old Wells Fargo National Bank on Levee Street and to implement the improvements of the county's Isla Blanca and David Bowie Parks.
Capistran has been a very busy diplomat for his company and his bank. A few months ago he hosted a recognition award dinner for Zendejas, praising her for the job she's done at BISD.
They are lining all their ducks in a row. The other telling item is number 22. It reads: Recommend awarding RFQ #18-115 Architectural Design Services for Hanna ECHS New Gymnasium Facility Project to Gomez Mendez Saenz, Architects, Brownsville, Texas, and to authorize Administration to negotiate a fee for said services.
In other words, once the architectural plans are drawn up, the loan money from the bank should be on hand and the contracts can be handed out quickly to the deserving companies (Noble Builders, perhaps?) and construction ( and money making) can begin.
And who will oversee the building binge?
That's item 39. It reads: Recommend approval of non-chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2017-2018 school year – Project/Facilities Manager (Fernando E. Villarreal). Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.
We have learned that Villarreal is replacing licensed engineer Cesar Garza as facilities manager. Garza, for some unfathomable reason, has been transferred to the district warehouse. Sources indicate that Villarreal does not have an engineering degree. Why does the administration want to lower the bar in this specific slot? Could it be because they want someone pliable to approve their plans without letting the niceties of engineering principles get in the way?
As it is, two of Garza's underlings are now overseeing Facilities an Maintenance after he left. Neither is a licensed engineer nor possess a degree, just a friendship with the majority on the board with whom they are often seen.
Some mid-level administrators are alarmed at this administration's (and board majority) rush to build at all costs and point to the upcoming elections next November that might change the make-up of the board and to trustee Carlos Elizondo's mounting legal woes preventing him from casting his vote on the board as a possible reasons for the administration to rush the schedule through.
We wouldn't doubt that there are more than our interested eyes looking over the madcap rush to build, build, build.
16 comments:
Duardo Paz does look like a HERMAPHRODITE. His poor momma, bless her soul left the Earth upset that her son never kept a job. From what McHale told me she was sad about his life. Montoya , can a HERMAPHRODITE have sugery to choose if they want to be a man or woman?
It never fails.
COB and BISD usually demand that anybody who has the proper education, licenses and experience be treated as if they were unworthy.
Typical modus operandi of someone trying to set the stage for fraud, theft, kickback, sacrifice quality for quantity all at the expense of the Citizens who pay their taxes to fund all these projects.
For example Charlie Cabler and now Villarreal. I sincerely hope who ever is behind these foul decisions pay for it.
Aguas
Who is seecuring the winning bids?
Keep an eye on their personal properties and see if they are having any construction done at home. OJO!!!
We know that construction contracts provide kick-backs to BISD Trustees and this is a program that will insure contracts are signed and "mordidia" paid before the elections. If at least one board member had any moral code or any "huevos", he/she would speak out about this corruption. The public gets new facilities, the trustees get a pocket full of cash. That is why BISD is the most corrupt of all of our governments. Greed overrides academic achievement.
Did you know Rene Capistran oversaw the Brownsville Sports park ripoff ? Look into it.
Rene Capitstran has Eddie Lucio on the payroll.. dig and you shall find.
FERNANDO VILLARREAL DOES NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION.
FERNANDO VILLARREAL CANNOT FIND HIS HEAD IT'S UP IN MR.LIECK ASSHOLE.
FERNANDO VILLARREAL DOES NOT DO A GOOD JOB AS CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR, CAN YOU IMAGINE HIM AS FACILITY CONSTRUCTION MANAGER WOW.
HE'S FUCK UP EVER PROJECT HE'S WORK ON.
YOU FUCK UP IN BISD YOU GET PROMOTED .
FERNANDO VILLARREAL LIKES TO KISS ASS TO MR.LIECK.
PLUS EVEN MORE FOR PUTTING A GOOD WORD WITH DR.Z FOR A PROMOTION.
Was the FACILITY CONSTRUCTION MANAGER position ADVERTISED ?
corruption never ends at BISD.
I hope the FBI is reading some of these posts its time to clean house.Its strange through all these years and you never hear the FBI busting anybody down hear kinda makes you wonder.
Yep, that Rene Capistran is a silver tounged devil snake in the grass that uses others and kids functions for his ego and money gain
corruption with the FBI
the FBI needs to investigate our BISD .
I GUARANTEE YOU SOME PEOPLE WILL GO TO JAIL.
Post a Comment