Mounting tension on the school board had some board members venting their frustration while they discussed the controversial delinquent tax collection contract.
Trustee Norm Robbins was talking about the need to have an outside law firm involved in the vendor selection process when he began commenting on fellow board member Ann Sutherland’s public information requests on various subjects, including money spent on outside legal fees.
Robbins said board members don’t have to do a Freedom of Information request and should be sensitive to staff members’ time and workload.
Sutherland said it is a privilege of every citizen to request public documents.
Later, trustee Christene Moss said that to the outside, trustees look like “a group of out of control board members.”
Moss said she was concerned about things happening “under the table” in relation to this contract, which is why she is in favor of an outside firm involved.
“You can talk about transparency all you want but it’s not happening,” Moss said.
Trustee Juan Rangel said he didn’t want to hire an outside law firm because of district finances.
“We’re putting money into a process that we should be taking care of ourselves,” he said.
The board is set to vote how to select the vendor for delinquent tax collection later tonight. Trustees voted last month to revoke the contract extension approved in December to Perdue, Brackett,
I see that Dallas has lost its monopoly on currupt ineffective school boards.
Posted by: Notch Johnson | August 13, 2010 at 01:47 AM
These agency problems are sure to surface...
Posted by: Ho | August 17, 2010 at 12:14 AM