CHEO MUNOZ NOW A THORN ON STISD, BOBBY LERMA'S SIDE

By Juan Montoya

Did you ever wonder what ever happened to Cheo "Burn the Midnight Oil" Muñoz, the former trustee of the Brownsville Independent School District?

You remember Muñoz. He used to drive all the other BISD board members crazy nitpicking numbers of roofing contracts, architectural designs, and even electrical schematics. It got to the point where he was questioning the numbers so much that board members would often leave the meetings in the we hours of the morning because Muñoz was not satisfied with the answers from the administration.

You see, Cheo was a retired project manager for Brown and root and then Jacobs Engineering doing work for the Brownsville Public Utility Board. He, along with his trusty sidekick Meme Hernandez (QEPD), used to send shivers up the spines of elected officials and administrators as they set off on crusades against real (and often imagined) conspiracies on the public treasury.

Often, some entities (like Cameron County Pct. 1) would blame them for delaying this project or another with their continual nitpicking and questioning of their cost projections, use of specific materials, etc., etc., 

The construction of the outfall to the river to prevent flooding to the Valle Escondido area was held up for months as the duo questioned engineer's soil samples, water flows, etc. No answer, it seemed, would satisfy them because they always suspected some conspiracy afoot. 

Well, Cheo was an appointed member of the South Texas Independent School District board of directors until someone whispered in County Judge Treviño's ear that the other board members were gong nuts over Muñoz's micromanaging of that board's finances and administrative activities. Quitanolos, Willy, they said.

So not long ago, before the the candidates had filed for the ballot for the STISD, Treviño told Muñoz thank you for your service, but that he wasn't going to reappoint him to the board.  The STISD board of directors is comprised of 24 members from Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties, making it – they claim – the largest school board in the nation.

Each county has four elected positions representing each County Commissioner’s precinct. In addition, each county judge appoints a member for every 100,000 people. Cheo was that appointment for Pct. 1. The other, the elected member, is Brownsville attorney Bobby Lerma. Lerma is also the City of Brownsville Municipal Judge.

When told his services were no longer required, Muñoz threw a snit and filed for Lerma's elected position in defiance. Now, Lerma and Muñoz are vying for the position held for the last 24 years by Lerma.

This is a more important position than it would appear.

The STISD serves junior high and high school students who live along the southernmost tip of Texas, the region known as the Rio Grande Valley. The district stretches over three counties, Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy, and overlaps 28 other school districts, an area of 3,643 miles.

Any student living in the three counties can attend. Its administration boasts that 95 percent of STISD graduates continue their education at major universities or technical colleges.

According to the Cameron County Elections Office, so far, 1,955 votes have been cast in the STISD race, meaning that votes are crucial to who remains – or leaves – the board. Those who stay will manage a nearly $66 million budget, with an average $48 coming from the average residence in the district.

This is the first time that the elected position on the STISD board is being contested. And the only reason is because Muñoz is mad that he was not reappointed to the board because of his peculiar style of managing. What will the voters say?