IS TODAY END OF BALTAZAR SALAZAR'S BISD GRAVY TRAIN?

VIII. Recommend awarding RFQ #21-131 Board Legal Advisor Services, and to authorize the negotiation of a contract: Special Meeting, 5: 30 p.m., Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Special to El Run-Rrun

In the board o the Brownsville Independent School District of April 2, 2013, then-trustees Otis Powers, the late Enrique Escobedo, his "comadre" Minerva Peña and former trustee Jose Chirinos chose him over hugely more experienced and able law firms. 

Eight  years later, he is drawing $250,000 a year from the BISD, second only to BISD Superintendent Dr. Rene Gutierrez.

The board majority then chose him from among the eight law firms which submitted a reply for the Request For Qualifications to the district. The only ones not voting for him to represent the district were then-trustees Catalina Presas-Garcia and Lucy Longoria who earned a censure from the board and who Salazar tried to have censured and removed.

Along the way, he accused Presas-Garcia of sexual harassment and of inviting him to spend "two nights together" so he could really get to know her, a charge she vehemently denied which he subsequently withdrew.

Salazar and his firm firm failed to provide their qualifications for 17 of the 51 categories of basic legal services listed by the district. For example, they "Did Not Disclose" their qualifications on:

1. Competitive bidding
2. Copyright Issues
3. Election Law advice
4. Employee Health Insurance Matters
5. Federal Voters Right Advice
6. Fiber Optic Communications System
7. Freedom of Religion Issues
8. Governmental Tort Claims
9. Intergovernmental Agreements
10. Intergovernmental Relations
11. Liability for Asbestos. (No kidding?)
12. Preventive Law
13. Public Utility Commission
14. State Whistle Blower Act Compliance
15. Texas Teacher Retirement System
16. University Interscholastic League
17. Utility Law Regulation

Only three other firms "Did Not Disclose" more categories than Salazar.

Firms such as O'Hanlon, McCullom and Demerath listed 75 years of cumulative legal experience, Thornton, Biechlin, Segrato, Reynolds and Guerra listed 40 years, Gustavo Acevedo listed 45 years, Rogers, Morris and Grover listed 20 years, compared to less than a decade for Salazar.

But the kicker was that in the category of the number of school districts represented by the differing firms, Salazar ranked seventh of the eight with only three districts.

Obviously, the fix was in then. Is the fix in for the selection of board counsel tonight as well? With the new board majority that has promised to be transparent and accountable to the district taxpayers, Salazar's reign may have come to an end. Or is it?

The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at the BISD Administration Building Boardroom at 1900 East Price Road.