We are hearing that our school board president is considering running for congress.
We are also hearing that she is considering running for city council.
These thoughts should be treated strictly as only rumors.
Maybe a reader will be able to give us some insight.
We deserve better
Brutus
7 Comments | 
El Paso Independent School District | 
Permalink
Posted by Brutus
The numbers are out for Sun Metro’s six month performance for the 2017 fiscal year.
They show the number of passengers decreasing by 5.9% from last year.
Looking at numbers for a whole year:
in 2016 ridership decreased 7.9% from 2015
in 2015 ridership decreased 3.9% from 2014
Operating expenses in 2014 were $71.2 million. They were $79 million in 2016.
We deserve better
Brutus
7 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
The city recently renewed there agreements with three local ambulance companies.
The agreements give the companies the right to offer non-emergency ambulance services in the city limits.
The city only provides ambulance services in cases of emergency.
We still end up paying the city even if we don’t use a fire department ambulance and instead use one of these private firms.
The agreements with the companies require them to pay 2.75% of what they collect.
That amount is of course added to our bill.
We deserve better
Brutus
2 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
Innovation indeed.
EPISD’s policy committee is scheduled to consider a change to their “NON SCHOOL USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES” policy at their Wednesday, April 5, 2017 committee meeting.
They are to consider changing policy GKD to include:
The District shall permit use of District facilities by community organizations identified through a community schools needs assessment survey and approved by the community schools coordinator and/or Superintendent’s designee. Community schools are both a place and a set of partnerships between the schools and other community resources. Community schools facilitate an integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement that leads to improved student learning. These organizations shall not be charged a building rental fee for the use of designated facilities. The Superintendent shall develop an administrative regulation to establish a community schools use agreement that will address associated fees to the community partner as well as other facilities issues.
The change would allow the district to give free rent to “community schools”.
Under the current rules in Texas if a school campus (like our Bowie) is rated unacceptable two years in a row, the Texas education commissioner must issue an order to reconstitute the campus.
A Texas senator has proposed senate bill SB193 that would change the rules.
“Under her present bill, once a school gets identified as failing for two years it would become a community school circumventing closure, reconstitution, and charter school repurposing.”
If SB193 passes, EPISD could work to convert Bowie to a community school and thus avoid losing control of the school.
The proposed changes to GKD would allow the district to let a new community school use the Bowie campus for free.
Look for the policy change to pass the committee vote and end up on a future school board agenda.
We deserve better
Brutus
5 Comments | El Paso Independent School District, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
This slide is part of a presentation to be made to city council Tuesday, April 4, 2017:
The first line tells us that the average annual rainfall in El Paso during 2016 was 6.75 inches.
Average of what? Do they mean to tell council that 6.75 inches of rain fell in El Paso during 2016?
Do they even read their presentations to council?
We deserve better
Brutus
5 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
elpasospeak 
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