Two strikes and you’re out

July 8, 2014

Steeped in the controversy over our deputy city manager that has been given a pass into our retirement system on our dime is the persistent discussion about whether our west-side city representative lobbied to have the deputy city manager fired.

You will recall that months ago  the city representative was charged with threatening a city employee.  Some people have been saying that the city representative demanded that the employee be fired.  According to the stories the deputy city manager refused.

At the time of the accusation against the city representative we were told that she would be treated “the same as any other citizen” by the then current city manager.  Do you know who I am? discussed this in October of 2013.

We of course have heard nothing of the investigation.

Then again

Further clouding the issue is the fact that the deputy city manager openly disagreed with the city manager in front of city council over whether proposed expenditures for downtown “way finding” were related to the ball park.  The city manager said no.  The deputy city manager said yes.

Soon thereafter the deputy city manager was placed on administrative leave.

Our city charter places the city manager in control of personnel.  Only the city manager could fire the deputy city manager.

Once again we pay

The deputy city manager’s contract was changed to allow her to stay employed (but not reporting to work) long enough for her to become eligible for retirement.

Is she being paid to keep quiet?

We deserve better

Brutus

6 Comments | Ball park, City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD construction costs report card

July 7, 2014

The Texas comptroller recently issued a report titled Public School Construction Costs that compared individual school districts from a construction cost perspective to state-wide averages.

How did we do?

The state-wide average cost per student for new construction of elementary schools was $17,456 for the 2007 to 2013 period.

The El Paso Independent School District averaged $20,965 for the same period.

The state average number of square feet per student was 135 while EPISD’s was 136.

That means that our new elementary schools cost 20% more than the state average.

Recommendations

The comptroller’s report contained two recommendations to reduce costs:

 Architectural prototypes (using a consistent design) for multiple campuses can mean savings in the design phase, on architectural fees and on purchasing (because the same design and materials are used, less time is needed to plan subsequent projects).

According to the Texas Association of School Boards, renovations cost 50-70 percent of a new building’s cost and can often meet the goals of a new structure.  School districts with older facilities or slower student growth can couple historic and civic considerations with the economic benefits of renovating existing schools or other facilities.

Why each of our schools needs to look unique is a mystery to me.  As to demolishing old schools and replacing them with new construction I suspect that what the district calls “deferred maintenance” is the culprit.

Favorable debt

On a more favorable note, the comptroller has issued this chart comparing EPISD’s debt to districts of similar size:

episddebt

It seems that we are in less debt than other districts.

It would be nice if EPISD would consider the comptroller’s cost saving suggestions.

We deserve better

Brutus

 

4 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Render unto Caesar

July 6, 2014

An El Paso Times editorial the other day “Humanitarian costs should be borne by feds” bothered me on several levels.

Yes, I agree that the feral government has no right to dump a problem that it created onto our local plate.

Obligation

How is housing, feeding, clothing and providing for the safety and welfare of people that it has detained properly deemed to be “humanitarian”?  To me it seems to be an obligation, after all the people are in custody.  Are they supposed to starve to death?

Political

The Times started it’s editorial by blaming the majority party in the house of representatives for failing to do what the Times wants.  They then supported the idea of the President taking action even while admitting that they had no idea what the President might do.

Who created the problem?

Those of you who have followed this blog for a while know that I believe that immigration is a state issue while naturalization is a federal issue as our constitution is currently written.

For various reasons the feral government has usurped the powers of the states to control immigration.  Recently we have seen the state of Arizona being sued by the feds for enacting a law that authorized state and local law enforcement authorities to enforce existing federal laws relating to immigration.

Evidently the feds believe that the states should stay out of the business of enforcing immigration laws.  Who does that leave other than the feds to enforce the laws?

The DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)  program was created by the President two years ago.  Some say that it sent the message that dependent women and children that enter the United States illegally will not be deported but instead our government will attempt to find homes for them.

Private vs. government

Regardless of where you stand on the immigration issue it is a fact that we have women and children in need of help.  I believe that humanitarian help should come from private citizens and organizations, not taxpayer funded governments.  Once someone is detained though it is the responsibility of the detaining government to care for the individual.

I also believe that the feds should not aggravate the problem by letting people in who do not qualify legally.

Should we change our laws and make it easier to qualify legally?  That’s a whole different discussion as far as I am concerned.

We deserve better

Brutus

 

 

7 Comments | Federal Government, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Do it! I’ll tell you what “it” is later.

July 5, 2014

The Tuesday, June 17, 2014 meeting of the El Paso Independent School District board of managers contemplated changes to district high school graduation requirements.

From the board packet:

 EFFECTIVE AS OF THE 2014-15 SCHOOL YEAR …  A STUDENT MUST HAVE COMPLETED THE EQUIVALENCE OF AT LEAST 15 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE EACH SEMESTER WHILE ENROLLED IN A DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

Maybe I should go back to school since I think that the appropriate word would have been “equivalent” instead of “equivalence”.

No mention was made as to how this would be administered or what would qualify as community service.

It seems to me that the board of managers should have decided what the rules are before issuing this mandate.

We deserve better

Brutus

5 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Independence

July 4, 2014

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.  Benjamin Franklin

Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.   John Stuart Mill

We deserve better

Brutus

4 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District, Federal Government, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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