BISD'S "COACH" RODRIGUEZ FIRMLY BEHIND PAL JOEY LOPEZ

By Juan Montoya
As early as February 2015, Brownsville Independent School District trustee Joe Rodriguez let it be known that he favored steering the district's $3.1 Property, Flood, Windstorm, Hail, Boiler & Machinery Insurance business to his buddy – and former trustee – Joey Lopez.

Lopez, the business manager for Lopez Supermarkets, is now running for Pct. 2 Cameron County Commissioner against Rigo Bocanegra.

Rodriguez, a vendor for BSN Sports, has reaped the profits of his relationship with BISD to the tune of millions, so he would know Lopez could make a nice coin from being chosen.

Sales to BISD by BSN which then pays Joe commission in the last eight years have totaled $2,440,222. At a 20 percent commission that would have put a cool $488,044 in Coach Joe's pocket.

Sales by BSN Sports to the BISD jumped from $225,792 in the FY 2013-2014 to $316,758.01 when Rodriguez was elected to the board.

The only FY that was higher before then was in 2010-2011 when BSN raked in $497,116.90 in sales to BISD through Rodriguez, whose 20 percent commission would have totaled 99,423.20. At that time AD Tom Chavez – another Rodriguez pal – recommended BSN to outfit two new schools with sports equipment.

Even though Lopez had not been among the four firms that had answered the BISD's Request For Proposals (RFPs) for then insurance, Rodriguez in a Insurance Committee meeting held Feb. 16, 2015 suggested that the board consider him to get some of the "business."

At that time, the board was trying to figure who had authorized the renewal of the windstorm insurance and had cut a check for the $3.1 million to McGriff, who was also the risk manager consultant for the district. The-CFO Lucio Mendoza said that – in consideration of bond requirements that all the district's facilities be insured at the risk of losing bond proceeds – he had recommended to then-superintendent Carl Montoya that they renew with McGriff without going to the board.

When the trustees discovered that the check had been cut and the contract extended without their approval, they set out to find who was responsible.

It was during this meeting that Rodriguez pitched to the board that Lopez be allowed to "bid" for the business, something that would have been wholly inappropriate and outside the BISD's procurement  process.

Rodriguez said that as early as August 7, earlier that year Lopez had offered his services.

"I stand behind every word I said because it's being said again here about the board not being comfortable with what was presented to come back with new ideas, that's being said again. I have documentation of Joey Lopez – some firm that he represents August 7,...that he called to get some specifics on how to go about asking for the insurance coverage and the details...

"I discussed that there were other people out there other players out there in the market except that they had to be given the opportunity to give them the information to give them time to do that.."

In the discussion that followed, BISD's director of purchasing and the department's agent disputed Rodriguez's contention that they had not allowed others to bid on the district's insurance.

But it was clear to everyone who was present or who is willing to go back and view the video of the insurance committee meeting that Rodriguez was pushing for the $3.1 million contract to go to his pal Joey.

In the end, the BISD ended up paying $2.1 million of the $3.1 million premium to McGriff for coverage since January to May 31.