TEA reprimands RGC school district on spending

RIO GRANDE CITY - The Texas Education Agency sent the Rio Grande City school district a mild reprimand last month for $265,000 in construction spending the district awarded without going out for bids.

Superintendent Roel Gonzalez said the district spent the money to secure four elementary schools where a string of lockdowns was ordered in 2006 because of their proximity to highways and high-crime areas.

Gonzalez deemed the five projects in early 2007 to be emergencies and bypassed the formal bidding system. TEA auditors saw the situation otherwise, saying in a letter that the circumstances didn't meet the definition of emergency.

However, the state agency did not impose any sanctions for the infraction. Michael Richmond, the agency's director of investigations, wrote only that "the (school system) should ensure that future construction projects are in compliance" with the chapter of the Texas Education Code dealing with fiscal management.

The TEA also sent the letter to Starr County District Attorney Heriberto Silva. Assistant District Attorney Omar Escobar said Thursday he could not discuss whether his office was looking into the purchase orders or other spending by the school district.

"It is a policy of our office not to comment on investigations ... especially (those) involving public money," Escobar said.

Gonzalez defended the purchase orders, saying he got quotes from several firms and chose the cheapest contractors to complete the fencing and window bars at Roque Guerra Elementary, Dr. Mario E. Ramirez Elementary, Ringgold Elementary and Alto Bonito Elementary.

"I felt it was just something I needed to do," he said. "My principals were asking for help; the parents were asking for help."

Lockdowns - automatic security responses to police pursuits or other threats near schools - were occurring every week, scaring students and teachers, Gonzalez said.

With heavier fencing around the schools, "we don't necessarily have to tell the kids that we're on lockdown," he said. "We can close everything in without having to alert the kids."

"I see it as a preventative measure. People will think twice about it if there's a heavy iron gate."