(Source: BISD Public Information Requests)
(Ed.'s Note: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the graphics above are worth millions – more than $3,500,000 worth actually – of sports equipment sold through BSN Sports of which he was until recently, its "ambassador" (read vendor). The sales come easier when you're a BISD board member, as can readily be seen.
With a senior "ambassador's" commission between 15 to 20 percent, it means "Coach Joe" pocketed anywhere between 15 percent of sales ($530,000) or 20 percent ($7000,000) from his sales of sports equipment to the BISD over the last 10 years, even when he was a board member. Hard to wean oneself when there's so much gravy, isn't it?
And cynics that we are here, was there any local gravy for approving more than $7 million in artificial turf for soccer and football fields? Or how about the $1.4 million scoreboard at Sams Stadium that went up from the $680,000 sold to the taxpayers through the TRE election?
What Coach Joe wants, Coach Joe gets. Now the BISD has to go to the city and county begging for $1.2 million to get "connectivity" for students who don't have computers or WIFI hotspots. Is this any way to railroad a school district?
His defenders say everyone has a right to make a living, but tales abound of him showing up at campus when he was a board member to pressure principals and coaches to buy his brands, and told purchasing departments in other school districts across Region 1 that they could also – like BISD – grant BSN (Nike, etc.) exclusive contracts to supply their sports teams with the best. The BISD has denied any company has an "exclusive" contract for its purchase of the equipment and has to go through the bid process or co-op agreements.
The inclusion of the sports equipment on his campaign sign was a nice, though subtle, touch. You had to know to appreciate it.
AND WHAT ABOUT MINNIE?
Minerva Peña, who's been on the board for 12 years and is now board president, sat through all this and said nothing. She, like Joe, is running for reelection. Only Marisa F. Leal has no business or known past dealings with the BISD.
She was a force on the board when lawyer Baltazar Salazar was chosen to be board counsel back in 2013 and he has reciprocated by publicly endorsing her. Salazar is a master of deceit and manipulation of the board and has been personally bent on destroying whoever stands between him and the $300,000 salary.
Peña has been his all-too-willing ally to her "old friend."
He had a major role in subsidizing a PAC to destroy Catalina Presas-Garcia and now he has vowed to destroy Laura Perez-Reyes who dared to probe into his criminal record and tried to rid the distrct of his scourge.
And what advice does he give Minerva and her bods about walking quorums? None, apparently. Here they are in a local eatery with a majority of the board and the lawyer (lower graphic).
Aside from that, in her 12 years on the board, Peña has remained silent about the two suicides of a BISD board president and the department head of Food and Nutrition Services and remained so during the Barbacoagate when rotten meat was served to students at the BISD cafeterias that was purchased from a Mexican processor in violation of USDA rules.
And at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, she was overheard many times saying it was all a hoax meant to generate money for medical providers. Funny, when the district petitioned the Texas Education Agency for another month of distance learning, it cited 11 dead BISD employes, 179 positive cases, 6 district departments closed and 16 campuses shut down because of the virus. This even before students were allowed on the campuses. Was this her epiphany moment?
Like Rodrguez, MInnie has ridden her Porter Belle past glory days into elected office and continually uses the bully pulpit of the board president to beat her chest and proclaim her Christian love for all the studens and taxpayers while at the same time riding herd over a wasteful school district, a tax increase without voter approval, and the continued shenanigans of her favorite administrators.
In her Facebook page, political newcomer "la santa por concer" Marisa Leal states: "I am NOT related to anyone on the school board, city commission or county commission. I am Marisa Franco Leal, the mother of a BISD student and the wife of a BISD teacher. I am running as a concerned citizen of Brownsville. I am you. I will advocate for you and your family as if I was a member of your family."
The BISD has been very very good to both Minnie and "Coach" Joe Rodriguez.
Unfortunately, the BISD, its students, satff, and taxpayers have not fared well under their brand of "leadership." Time to turn the page and leave all this mugrero behind.
17 comments:
Juan just a correction, La Minnie mouse Pena was never a cheerleader at Porter high school, she was in charge of the Porter Belles only. Please dont give her too much credit, es de la Southmost,really folks should not expect much.
They buy millions from this company and they are pandering the city for funding? FOR WHAT? buy another scoreboard? SHOULD HAVE PAWNED THE ONE THEY HAVE!!!
El Paya Jerry McHale with his phantom STIJA. What a juvenile asshole!
"The South Texas Independent Journalists Association (STIJA) conducts the most respected poll in Brownsville and Cameron County. Nobody disputes its metrics."
No such poll!!! He writes like he's 5 years old.
Why Parents in This High-Performing School District Chose All-Remote Learning
WHY? No brainer they don't want their children infected witht the virus
Can that be done here? Bunch of idiotas just don't care!!!!
Bobby WC (BV 3:27 p.m. Oct 14.) said, "MAIL BALLOT FINALLY ARRIVED AND ON ITS WAY TO THE DROP BOX - NO POST OFFICE FOR ME"
However, there is no drop box in Cameron County. You can mail your ballot through the US post office or bring it to the Cameron County Election Office in Madison St. where you have to present it in person and signed that you voted.
Bobby, if you would post comments on your blog from your readers, you would not be reading this comment in this blog.
Problem with Leal is she's running slate with Dumbass Erasmo, Frankie and Carlos.
Even if she has good intentions... she's guilty by association!!
Poor Lady.. She needs to evaluate and choose her friends wisely!!
Wow!!! BISD is just as bad as the democRAT party!!! Not much of a selection of candidates!!! You got a known "RATA" who has made millions from ripping off the school district and protected by his family name and lawyers!!! Then you have a sorry excuse of a former worthless DPS Trooper who supported sexual predators on record!!!
Good luck BISD!!!
BSN? Wasn’t that the company where that one board member couldn’t vote on anything pertaining to BSN cuz he was a partner? What a crock of bull it was a well planned out hist until the public found out. All these cock suckers trying to inch their way back in to rip us off! Again! Wise up Brownsville!
I'd rather vote for an unknown, than vote for these known crooks, and criminals.
BISD employees are in for a big surprise with their health and dental coverages. You can thank SIG and the board members he greases. Years and years of poor service and frivolous charges.
“The second wave is clearly underway, and while you’d expect something like this would make the president think twice about these unmasked egomania orgies he’s involved with, Donald Trump doesn’t think twice about anything. Most of the time, he doesn’t even think once.” — JIMMY KIMMEL
I voted for Ms. Leal, and I don't even know her. I didn't vote for the other 2 because the other 2 have really been disappointing and have made money out of our district without taking care of the children, faculty and staff first.
STOP the partisan politics, THINK your vote. They might have money but know NOTHING about educating the local community.
There is no "UNKNOWN" here, seems like they all were recently released either by the courts or they just finished serving their time...
The elected officials go the other route, they appoint their relatives, friends, business associates to scratch my back and fill my pockets city boards.
CORRUPTION IS CORRUPTION AND ITS EVERYWHERE
What about the sage of the SPA trial that is suppose to be going on right now?
Did a issue a gag order or will you be able to give infomration on the proceedings on a daily bases, since the Herald won't.
There was a drop box at the library but el pendejo hillbilly coco wanna be white took it for personal use (toilet) pinche guey.
Coach Joe is so damn old that he can barely walk. Trying to catch up to Michaela like a lost puppy!
He wants to come back I'm sure his pockets are running dry..due to him "taking care of " a few ladies.
His own brother - Eduardo Roberto Rodriguez sits on the South Texas ISD Board. His term is Nov. 2018 thru Nov. 2022.
What has he done for the youth of BISD? He doesn't even have a college fund available; unlike Johnny and Nena Cavazos who always gave back to BISD.
Sorry who ever said Felix El Chapo Sauceda was almost right but El Chapo had some balls didn't need people kissing his ass and didnt pretend to be someone he wasn't. So you should say Felix "El Puto" Sauceda.. Let's wipe Citizens of Brownsville and get rid of the SHIT!! And make Brownsville Police Department Great again!
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