By Juan Montoya
The Brownsville Independent School District rumor mill is hitting on all eight cylinders that City of Brownsville commissioner – and BISD staff member – has ironed out a deal with trustee Carlos Elizondo, also the city's fire chief, that would make Longoria the district's Public information Officer in return for protection for Elizondo.
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With the retirement (some say forced) of PIO Drue Brown, the PIO position has become vacant and it is said that Longoria has made it known to buddy Elizondo that he is hankering for that cushy spot. In return, Longoria is said to have promised to run interference for the beleaguered fire chief as he struggles mightily to keep both his job as chief and his position as BISD trustee.
Critics have pointed out that the city's personnel policy manual prohibits a city employee in an administrative position from serving in elected office in subdivisions within the city's jurisdiction. The justification is that there is a major potential for conflict of interest in such an arrangement.
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Nonetheless, Elizondo has continued to wear both hats and the city administration – supported by city attorney Mark Sossi and city manager Charlie Cabler – have done nothing in that regard.
Longoria, who moonlights as a DJ on the side, apparently feels he has the gift of gab and the flair to handle the PIO gig. If he was to land it, he would be in charge of a $300,000-plus budget while drawing somewhere around $100,000 or more for his salary.
Elizondo, on the other hand, would have Longoria as his protector from other city commissioners who might actually take the city's policies serious and want to scrutinize his relationship with a local ambulance service and the company providing firefighting lessons at Texas Southmost College and EMT courses at the BISD.
It seems like a marriage made in Browntown.
The Brownsville Independent School District rumor mill is hitting on all eight cylinders that City of Brownsville commissioner – and BISD staff member – has ironed out a deal with trustee Carlos Elizondo, also the city's fire chief, that would make Longoria the district's Public information Officer in return for protection for Elizondo.
With the retirement (some say forced) of PIO Drue Brown, the PIO position has become vacant and it is said that Longoria has made it known to buddy Elizondo that he is hankering for that cushy spot. In return, Longoria is said to have promised to run interference for the beleaguered fire chief as he struggles mightily to keep both his job as chief and his position as BISD trustee.Critics have pointed out that the city's personnel policy manual prohibits a city employee in an administrative position from serving in elected office in subdivisions within the city's jurisdiction. The justification is that there is a major potential for conflict of interest in such an arrangement.
Nonetheless, Elizondo has continued to wear both hats and the city administration – supported by city attorney Mark Sossi and city manager Charlie Cabler – have done nothing in that regard.Longoria, who moonlights as a DJ on the side, apparently feels he has the gift of gab and the flair to handle the PIO gig. If he was to land it, he would be in charge of a $300,000-plus budget while drawing somewhere around $100,000 or more for his salary.
Elizondo, on the other hand, would have Longoria as his protector from other city commissioners who might actually take the city's policies serious and want to scrutinize his relationship with a local ambulance service and the company providing firefighting lessons at Texas Southmost College and EMT courses at the BISD.
It seems like a marriage made in Browntown.