RISD has failed to take proper approach in forging bond issue

Editor:

“...County committee with regional representation … ‘to meet and consult about what is most proper to be done in this day of difficulty’”

-James Otis “The First American Patriot” 1761

Barnstable Historical Commission

It is my personal opinion and hope that the Riviera School Improvement Committee be created under the same desire to do what is “proper in these difficult times.”

Many in the community have expressed concern over the need for a committee at all. The present situation has occurred due to a failure to follow existing guidelines as outlined in the Riviera Independent School District policy.

This information is online for all to read on the district’s website: www.rivieraisd.esc2.net

The existing administration, in an attempt to call for a bond issue, has ignored proper protocol and procedure to advance an agenda not best for the cohesiveness of the school and surrounding community.

We now gather to voice our opinions and desire to express our concerns. The committee should act as a gatherer of information to inform the public and to advise the elected board.

Our electoral process is the best in the world, but often reactive ( if you don’t like what they do “ vote them out” ).

The more positive method is to be proactive and identify any problems so the board can be effective.

The board, I am sure, knows what the policy is but is not aware that all the steps mandated by policy were not followed under the direction of the superintendent.

The board was asked at the January 13 regular school board meeting to table an agenda item calling for the bond proposal election until the board was fully informed. Very few citebased procedures were followed!

The first step should have been “needs assessment and campus facilities evaluation” by a paid professional, and then submission of the report to the board for evaluation and consideration.

Secondly, an independent financial assessment and examination of the financial burden to families and businesses should have been performed.

The board was told by the administration “adequate research has been done” and the only answer was to pass a 30-year bond for $ 18,500,000 ($36,000,000 with interest).

The board voted (4 to 3) in favor of the resolution not realizing the information presented was biased and very misleading.

They were first told they could rescind their vote by their financial bond advisers but at a later date advised they could not.

The right to rescind their vote is still under investigation and has included opinions of attorneys from the Secretary of State and information requests of the Texas Attorney General’s Office.

Investigations of school officials will continue. Many requests for information to clarify research data have been made and are now being analyzed. Other requests will soon follow.

Vern Crocker “Riviera patriot”