Nepotism in Allen ISD

Today I want to talk about the term “nepotism”. Nepotism is favoritism granted in politics or business to relatives regardless of merit. It’s actually even cited in our own policies and procedures under Legal Policy (BBFE) as excerpted below:

NEPOTISM

Except as provided by law, a public official may not appoint a person to a position that is to be directly or indirectly compensated from public funds or fees of office if:

a. The person is related to the public official by blood (consanguinity) within the third degree or by marriage (affinity) within the second degree; or

b. The public official holds the appointment or confirmation authority as a member of a local board and the person is related to another member of the board by blood or marriage within a prohibited degree.

Gov’t Code 573.002, .041; Atty. Gen. Op. JC-184 (2000) [See DBE]

DEFINITION OF PUBLIC OFFICIAL

“Public official” shall mean:

a. An officer of this state or of a district, county, municipality, precinct, school district, or other political subdivision of this state; or

b. An officer or member of a board of this state or of a district, county, municipality, school district, or other political subdivision of this state.

Gov’t Code 573.001(3)

The nepotism law governs the hiring of an individual, whether the individual is hired as an employee or an independent contractor.  Atty. Gen. Op. DM-76 (1992)

A public official may not approve an account or draw or authorize the drawing of a warrant or order to pay the compensation of an ineligible individual if the official knows the individual is ineligible.  Gov’t Code 573.083

These are actual laws that make it a crime for an individual on the board who knowingly had, or has, members of their family working in the school district. Doesn’t matter if it is known, or not, the fact of the matter is that it is a law not a guideline. We cannot just make a board vote to circumvent the law. As an example, my daughter had a small contract to create bows for the Allen High School Cheerleading program, even though she had negotiated the deal before I was on the board, I have informed her, that none the less, she can not pursue the next contract due to Nepotism laws, which I agree. It’s OK for her because she does have business outside this district, in fact around the world.

I even had a sister-in-law that was thinking about applying for a job to support the school as well. Even my wife wanted to help in the cafeteria when needed, but both of them did ask, and I referred them to our Interim Superintendent Beth Nichols. It was also noted that they too would not be allowed to work for the district due to Nepotism laws.

Why am I telling you this? Well I want to stress the importance of following the law, and I believe we cannot jeopardize any of our board actions if Nepotism exists. What I have requested is that an audit be done on all Board Members to insure no one makes a blind mistake and put board judgments at risk. Sometimes these things sneak up on us and nobody wants to get caught in a bad situation.

Dr. Michael Myers

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Eagle Stadium and a Public Private Partnership -- lets sell a stake in its marketing capabilities!

If you haven’t noticed, the atmosphere at the new stadium is charged and is attracting a lot of attention, not just across the State, but the entire Nation as well. Why not capitalize on that? The best way to take advantage of the publicity is to sell a stake in its marketing potential through the use of a Public Private Partnership (P3). Essentially we would sell the rights in naming the stadium.

There are ways to contractually obligate the Private portion of the P3 to accommodate the namesake of the Eagle Stadium, like still maintain the Eagle Stadium title, but have a large AT&T logo underneath, or whomever were to buy the rights to do so. It’s no different than the larger stadiums, or stadiums at the Universities. I graduated twice in a stadium called the MCI Center at the University of Maryland – now I believe it is titled AT&T stadium. These partnerships can bring in as much as $1 Million annually, plus funding for further advancements at the stadium to include marketing and concessions. 

We need to make the best out of our investment and use the proceeds to help fund our children’s needs. Plus, it would be nice to be advertised to the entire Nation, not just as the most expensive High School football stadium in Texas, but also for our ability to tap into its marketing machine as well.

Dr. Michael Myers

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Are we focused on the right priorities?

I’m a firm believer that our buildings, our football stadiums, and busing facilities, have been the highlight of the ISD for quite some time. I think we lost sight of the fact that none of these things would exist if it weren’t for the one crucial part that we may have been neglecting all this time…. that being our teachers. 

I think we need to look at the prioritization of the students needs when it comes to their safety, education and developmental progress. By focusing on this priority we can administer care to the ones that are directly in contact with them on a daily basis. These are our children. How many teachers are willing to garner their own money to buy supplies for extra projects in their classrooms? How many teachers have to come face-to-face with sick kids everyday? How many teachers, who probably have kids, never get a break as often as needed? Who are the ones that are sculpting our children into adults outside of the home? Teachers, that’s who! I’m a parent of 5 kids, I couldn’t fathom trying to corral 18 everyday.

We can see all the press on the football stadium, the bus barn, as well as the plans for Lowery, but none of this would be happening if it weren’t for the teachers. Why is it we don’t treat our most valuable asset with the same respect as multi-million dollar facilities? We build these facilities to highlight how we are growing, but at the same time we neglect to secure our best asset. It’s through our educators that we attract an abundance of students to our campuses. Now its time we start to treat our teachers with the value they represent. Let’s move outside of the box and focus on bringing in, and retaining the best teachers in the nation. The best way to start is by paying them what they deserve.

I am hoping that good things are to come.

Take this survey and lets get the dialogue going.

Dr. Michael Myers

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Arming our Teachers and then advertising it -- sounds good to me!

In a recent article out of Houston Texas, the School District has decided to take a different stance on the approach to school security -- it's an approach I agree with wholeheartedly. You can read the article yourself entitled, "Texas school boosts security with controversial signs". Essentially, I believe in our ability to let teachers carry firearms under Concealed Handgun Licensing, as well as undercover and uniformed Police officers, then advertising that fact to the public with posted signs. I think it is a great way to keep the kids safe.

As a CHL holder myself, training is involved, as is testing. You would also know that you carry in a way that nobody knows the weapon is on you. These standards  would apply to our teachers as well. The issue of safety is of the upmost concern, and the security of our kids is even more important.

Outside of arming our teachers, I also believe in a fully involved video surveillance solution, but, I want to take it a step further. I want to put cameras in every classroom and hallway of the entire school district. But, not just for the purposes of security, rather as an educational tool for the ISD. We can incorporate our all-encompassing video solution as one where we can use it for those students who can't make it too class due to sickness, or those students that have to be schooled at home, or those students who physically have a hard time attending on campus. Along with our ability to grant access to students, it also carries an inherent ability of securing the campus, thus, juxtaposing our security needs with the educational functionality.

Just a thought.


Dr. Michael Myers

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Allen Football and the Band....WOW!

If you haven’t already, you need to go to one of our football games. It’s a fantastic experience that is bread from the stock of our children and capped with a huge investment of a stadium. Once you see the band perform at half-time, that alone will make you beam with pride. We can talk all we want, or struggle in our conversations about what decisions need to be made that should take priority, but the stadium, is in itself, a beacon for Allen and will serve the community well. If you have never been to a game, then I invite you to come and see what your tax dollars have bought. I would be thrilled to show you the suites above the stadium, which by the way, is the best spot to see the band and the football game.  Just let me know, but please don’t send me anonymous blog postings because I can’t respond if I don’t know who it is – and I don’t post any comments on the blog.

In the end you need to take the time to go to one of the games. I can guarantee that you will be amazed, and whatever you do, don’t miss half-time!

Dr. Michael Myers

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Heeee's Baaaaack!

I've decided to open back up this blog, but, not to protest decisions made by the board, rather to give insight into my decision process while reviewing board decisions. This blog will not be about disclosing discourse with my fellow board members, or provide any type of insight into how they are thinking, I can't, I'm not in their heads. I can only speak on what I am thinking, and where I am going on certain issues. This blog is for the benefit of the school district, not a tool of destruction.

In the past it has been known that transparency has always been a huge issue, when it came to the public knowing what is going on with its elected board. I ran on the statement that I would try and open that transparency up, so that the community can be more involved.  That is what I am doing now.

I originally started this blog as a way to properly answer the press and the questions being asked to me. Instead of me answering the press, or people in the community, who would email me a question then contort the message I was delivering, I decided to start a blog. I post their question, then verbatim, state my answer on the blog. It seems to be a very effective tool against false accusations, or misstatements in the press. I would encourage others to do the same. In the end, I stand behind my writings. I am not perfect, and don't claim to be, but, I intend to do what's best for our kids, and a blog is a great way to get the message out -- my message. I will do my best to answer related topics, and topics of concern, and how they are portrayed in my mind.

One of those recent topics, that I know most of us are all concerned with, are the plans for the Lowery Freshman Center. First off, I need to let you know, we will face another large bond election to make this happen, which no one should be complaining about being that we just built a $60 Million dollar football stadium and approved a $30 Million dollar bus parking facility. If we can spend almost $100 Million of football and buses, then the needs of our kids education should outweigh any decision in the near future.

In my mind the rebuilding of Lowery Freshmen Center should have come first, but, I wasn't a board member back then, and can't figure out what the decision process was -- which is ironic being that I am a board member now. Either way, it is a decision that has already been made, and now we can enjoy the fruits of college level football in our high school stadium and brag about slab of concrete with its own gas pumps. I ask you this, if our football players can enjoy such a big beautiful stadium in their high school years -- what will they be able to enjoy if they just go to a community college, or a University that doesn't have such facilities to play in? What are we teaching them, as adults? What will they have to look forward too? We need to send a message to our kids that their education is more important, and what better way than rebuilding the Lowery Freshman Center (LFC) as an Advanced Center of Academics? A facility that comes in line with our brand new football stadium, bus barn and our beautiful High School campus.

I'm envisioning a leading edge, and totally advanced, Freshman center that incorporates advanced sciences, academics, and trade specialities. Let us rebuild the entire LFC landscape to create an academic institution that everyone in the nation will crave. We did it with a multi-million dollar football stadium -- why not our Freshman Center? We can foster partnerships with local hospitals for clinical training; or local law firms for legal studies; or local crafts and automotive shops for advanced studies in mechanics. Why not a research center that is supported by some of our leading, and local, high-tech corporations?

We must allow the community to get involved, through focus groups, board postings and web interaction. Cast online votes for designs and implementations. Solicit input from the community like we have never done before. We should aim for a school that resembles the High School's ambience, and bridge the two campuses into one academic institution that people will strive to be a part of. We can't just bring them here with a football stadium, and a new bus parking lot, we need to bring them here for the academics. Allen High School is first in the State when it comes to football, now its time to be the first in the State when it comes to academics. We should aim to be the grazing area for Harvard, Yale, Baylor and the likes, what better way than putting our money where our mouths are?


Dr. Michael Myers


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I stand by my word

On Aug 15, 2013, at 3:57 PM, Andrew Snyder, of the Allen American wrote:

Is it true you no longer plan on posting on your Unofficial Allen ISD blog? Did you tell the board you would take it down at the end of Monday's board workshop and allow Master to speak for the board in the future?


Response:

To honor my word this will be the last email with you. I told the board that I would not post about our discussions and that I would not talk to the press about board dealings, thus this is my last email informing you of those actions. I wholeheartedly agree that the President needs to speak for the board, and would actually prefer it. In exchange, I was assured that there is an investigation being conducted through the audit committee, and that they will be looking into the potential impact Scott Weber has had on the district finances. If anything comes out of that investigation, then I'm sure the board will address it.

Given the circumstances I was faced with, when I took the seat, I lost faith in the boards ability to patrol its own dealings. But, that faith has been temporarily restored given the insurance that the audit committee is investigating the relationship between the ISD and Scott Weber's actions. Let me repeat that -- I do have faith in my fellow board members. Plus, with the changes being made in the administration, I feel we have a fresh start in front of us. My actions were based on a fear that the lack of past communications between the board and the ISD, was influenced by the accusations of fraud and mismanagement. Without that faith, and trust, forced me to act on my own ethical guidelines, all of which is based on a notion (not proven) that the criminal activity may have been a lot worse than what the board was aware of, or what was being presented to them. Given the environment of millions of dollars in bond packages, it has been my experience that the sharks will come out and circle the cash. Such fraudulent accusations are usually only a hint of what lay just below the surface. We have no choice but to trust in the process. In the end, my intention is to do whats right for the school district, and our kids, by looking after the finances and correcting what I can.

Time will tell.

I gave my word that I would not post about our discussions on my blog, and I will stand-down and let Ms Masters speak for the board....the district needs it and so do the kids.

Dr Michael Myers




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It is what it is.....now lets get on with it.

In response to the Allen news article: Now can we do what I have been asking and see if the accusations of fraud have impacted the school district in its financial obligations, especially those accusations of ISD administration manipulating board approvals? Of which, some of those approvals may have involved the bond package for the district. If this individual, who is being accused of fraud, was part of the leadership team for the districts finances, and may have had ties with other ISD staff, and board members, could it also be possible that he was part of the procurement process associated with the bond package? This was why I requested the procurement information from the ISD, and furthered my action for legal clarification. I did this because I felt I was not provided the information requested and was being stalled by board politics.

From what I have researched, which lacks any real depth, the impact of fraudulent activity associated with bonds and procurements, with large contractor arrangements, can carry some stiff penalties for the district. My request to create a bipartisan, and non-ISD related, committee to better investigate, and research the topic, is what I am hoping we can accomplish, so we can set the course straight.

In the end I did not create this mess, I am only highlighting facts about the possible mis-management and manipulation of the system put in place. The reason I speak out is because, I believe, there may be something we are missing, and the fact is, it is too important for the district to just push it aside. The drama of the service center is not the issue.

It's unfortunate that I had to come into office under such contentious debates, but my heart is in it for the district -- you can be assured of that. I will not just sit idle in my board seat and rubber stamp votes because others believe in taking the easy way out. Look at it this way, if I hadn't said anything you would know nothing about it. What would we have done then? You can think anything you want about me personally, but the fact is I am the one sitting in the seat now, and don't think for one minute that I do not feel the pressure of the situation the district is facing. We aren't talking about a new bus barn....we are talking about activity that could undermine our whole bond package, a bond package the district could be forced to repay if the relationships are true, which would mean higher taxes for the community. What would you do?

One more item from the article, and just my personal observation, if Dr Helvey had just taken over leadership in 2006, and this Scott Weber was employed for 9-years, that would mean he started 3 years before Dr Helvey took over as the Superintendent. If there was a lack of management controls during his tenure, that would have capture this, did Dr Helvey inherit it? What other activities went on before Dr Helvey? Knowing Dr. Helvey I find it odd, given his character, that he would purposefully enact such a deficient system of mismanagement, especially when a district is growing at leaps and bounds. Hopefully such a committee would be able to clarify such things as well.

It's unfortunate that Dr. Helvey was the one holding the bag on this, plus, it's definitely not good for the district. In my personal view, I was hoping that, with Dr Helvey's leadership, he would have stayed on to help see the district through this, but I can understand his decision to retire. The situation we are in today was started some years ago, and, as I stated, it is what it is. I am only doing what I swore I would do when I took the oath. I can't speak for anybody else in what they would do.



Dr. Michael Myers

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Transparency: Email exchange with the press. If you want to be quoted correctly then you let the people read.

FYI – The following email exchange with the media I have listed below. I do this for the transparency of the process. It's more than just the "bus barn".

On Aug 6, 2013, at 12:13 PM, Andrew Snyder of the Star Community Newspapers wrote:

Can you explain this to me? 

You asked for "any and all information related to the management of the bond package for the ISD" on three separate occasions. Are the two where you went further two additional or two of the three?

"It should be noted that on three separate occasions I specifically asked for any and all information related to the management of the bond package for the ISD. On two occasions I even went further by requesting information on the service center itself. On all occasions, accept for two, I was not provided the information I requested."

Response:

On Aug 6, 2013, at 12:15 PM, Dr. Myers wrote:

"My request was based on any and all data relating to the bond package to include actual data on the drives (which at the time I did not have access to); any processes associated with procurement; the management of the procurement team; the process of reviewing the potential contractors; and the review process associated with the awards. On top of that I also asked specifically to Mr. Tharpley, face-to-face, for the same process and the cost estimates associated with the Service Center - mainly because I was being asked to vote on the release of $32 Million from the bond package. What I received was a few comments back from staff in email stating they would get the data together; a quantities cost estimate on the service center; and a lot of flack in my pursuit for the information (mainly from 4 tenured board members). Mr. Tharpley provided me the cost estimate for the service center and spoke to me about the management team who reviewed the bond package -- of which he stated he was part of that team. I did manage to see some more material after the last board vote in regards to past board analysis of the potential service center locations, but no where in the data was there any relevant information about the entire procurement process, selection criteria, approval processes or reviews."

On Aug 6, 2013, at 12:33 PM, Andrew Snyder wrote:

In what way specifically do you think district administrators violated state law?

"It is this process, and the knowledge there of, that this administration, in my interpretation, was in violation of the law. I requested an investigation by legal council, but have not received anything as of today."

Response:  August 6, 2013, 12:38:14 PM CDT Dr. Myers wrote:

"The law, as was pasted into my write up, is what I am referring to. What I am asking for is a bipartisan committee of non-ISD related personal to conduct an investigation of the entire bond package most specifically as it relates to the potential fraud accusations in the charges being filed. From what I am getting, and the heat I am taking, suggests hints that something is amiss. What that is I don't know, thus my request. If there was any hint of a connection between the fraud accusations and a $360 Million bond package, most specifically as it relates to the procurement and award of that bond, would be in jeopardy. The impacts on the school district from such behavior would be devastating to the ISD and the taxpayers. My goal is to seek out what I can and get the process validated so we can move on."  

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