The $100 million "presamito" is not yet in the bag, but a close look at today's meeting agenda for the broad of trustees Brownsville Independent School District indicates they are laying down the groundwork to rush facilities construction before next year's elections that may change the makeup of the board.
BISD sources say that BISD Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas, CFO Lorenzo Sanchez, trustee Joe Rodriguez, and BISD board president Cesar Lopez are setting a frantic pace to pursue construction contracts throughout the district, everything from gyms, a fine arts center, roofs, and energy projects.
The rush includes a press to review architectural qualifications on an unprecedented time frame to place them on this month's agenda while district procurement officials plead for more time stating they need at least a month to review the Requests For Proposals (RFPs) submitted by the firms.
"I've worked here in this office for many years and have never seen anything like this," said a BISD source to a friend. "
Item six is merely the formality accepting the taxable property in the district and the tax rate: 6. Recommend approval of Resolution #017/17-18 for the 2017-2018 Tax Levy in the amount of $70,330,581.49 based on the adopted tax rate of $1.265 per $100 property valuation.
That 11-cent increase will – leveraged over five years – allow the district to borrow the $100 million to build the facilities recommended by the administration of Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas and the board majority.
More and more, it appears that the institution to be favored as the lender of the loan will be the LoNE Star National Bank. That bank was also chosen as the depository by the Cameron County Commissioners Court. And one of its directors, Rene Capistran, of Noble Builders, landed both the contract to renovate the old Wells Fargo National Bank on Levee Street and to implement the improvements of the county's Isla Blanca and David Bowie Parks.
Capistran has been a very busy diplomat for his company and his bank. A few months ago he hosted a recognition award dinner for Zendejas, praising her for the job she's done at BISD.
They are lining all their ducks in a row. The other telling item is number 22. It reads: Recommend awarding RFQ #18-115 Architectural Design Services for Hanna ECHS New Gymnasium Facility Project to Gomez Mendez Saenz, Architects, Brownsville, Texas, and to authorize Administration to negotiate a fee for said services.
In other words, once the architectural plans are drawn up, the loan money from the bank should be on hand and the contracts can be handed out quickly to the deserving companies (Noble Builders, perhaps?) and construction ( and money making) can begin.
And who will oversee the building binge?
That's item 39. It reads: Recommend approval of non-chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2017-2018 school year – Project/Facilities Manager (Fernando E. Villarreal). Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.
We have learned that Villarreal is replacing licensed engineer Cesar Garza as facilities manager. Garza, for some unfathomable reason, has been transferred to the district warehouse. Sources indicate that Villarreal does not have an engineering degree. Why does the administration want to lower the bar in this specific slot? Could it be because they want someone pliable to approve their plans without letting the niceties of engineering principles get in the way?
As it is, two of Garza's underlings are now overseeing Facilities an Maintenance after he left. Neither is a licensed engineer nor possess a degree, just a friendship with the majority on the board with whom they are often seen.
Some mid-level administrators are alarmed at this administration's (and board majority) rush to build at all costs and point to the upcoming elections next November that might change the make-up of the board and to trustee Carlos Elizondo's mounting legal woes preventing him from casting his vote on the board as a possible reasons for the administration to rush the schedule through.
We wouldn't doubt that there are more than our interested eyes looking over the madcap rush to build, build, build.