COUNTY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ (Part 6): Another Promise Broken

A meeting is scheduled for October 25, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. --Paul Elizondo Tower.

According to Sergio "Chico" Rodriguez's Chief of Staff, Veronica Gonzalez, a meeting has been set to try to resolve the issues with the Volunteer Fire Departments and ESD6.

In attendance, should be the three fire departments, Sandy Oaks, Ata-Bexar and South Bexar Fire & Rescue, along with SISD Superintendent, Dr. Juan Jasso and board members as well as attorneys for these entities. According to Commissioner Rodriguez's office, a representative from the Fire Marshall's office as well as the District Attorney are to be present, as well as, the ESD6 Board President, Sylvia Ruiz Mendelsohn.

The ESD6 has had financial and legal problems since Ms. Mendelsohn, Commissioner Rodriguez's campaign manager took over the board and he appointed all their cronies to the board. The ESD6 has recently had to take out loans because they are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt due to spending tax payer funds on a pet project.

Commissioner Rodriguez and Ms. Mendelsohn have continued to change the reasons for shutting down the departments and cutting their funding. Each time that their reasons have been called to question and the facts have shown them to be misleading, the reasons have changed.

The bottom line in this issue is that the ESD6 has put the lives of the community it represents at danger by underfunding the departments and continuing to put the taxpaying entity in deeper debt, by taking out loans to stay afloat. Most recently taking out what would amount to a "pay day" loan. Ms. Mendelsohn borrowed $70,000 dollars for making payroll and equipment payment as well as paying for the ESD6 expenses. The $70,000 is due payable in 60 days, putting that date in November-December, when the new budget year and tax revenue comes in. The 2011-2012 year, like last year is already starting in debt by $70,000.

These are the stewards of the taxpayers dollars and these are the people in charge of the funds to cover the health and safety of an entire community.

The meeting, I was told was nothing more than an opportunity for Commissioner Rodriguez and his Chief of Staff to bash the school district and the volunteer fire departments.

The setting: The Superintendent of SISD, Dr. Juan Jasso, SISD Board President- Lisa Salazar and their attorney, Ms. Dominguez. The representatives for the three fire departments, Sandy Oaks, Ata-Bexar and South Bexar Fire & Rescue. Commissioner Rodriguez, his Chief of Staff and an aid from his office; ESD6 Board President Ms. Mendelsohn and her attorney Louis T. Rosenberg. Kens5 reporter, John Conger. As you can see by the list, the District Attorney and the Fire Marshall's office were not present.

COMMISSIONER THAT IGNORANT OR DILLUSIONAL?

Surprisingly, Commissioner Rodriguez started the meeting saying that apparently the DA's office and the Fire Marshall's office weren't coming so they should just begin the meeting. As the schools attorney attempted to ask questions, Commissioner Rodriguez continued to twist her words to make it seem that the ESD6 was not at fault.

At one point telling Ms. Dominguez that the lawsuit against the ESD6 was based on hearsay and not facts because the fire departments were never shut down and there was no proof of such a thing. I imagine the gentleman that was electrocuted the very first day that the Ata-Bexar fire department was not allowed to dispatch aide to this man's home would beg to differ. The media itself covered the closure and Ms. Mendelsohn herself did interviews to the fact of closing down the two departments because of "non compliance in paperwork".

Mr. Inmon of the Ata-Bexar VFD asked County Commissioner if Ms. Mendelsohn was being paid by the Commissioner and he stated, "of course not." Mr. Inmon rephrased his question and asked if Ms. Mendelsohn had received money from his campaign funds and as he said no, she nodded no. Both the Commissioner and Ms. Mendelsohn were lying as the facts are posted on the Commissioners website itself for all to see. His financial disclosure paperwork shows that Ms. Mendelsohn received over $2000 from his campaign for "community outreach", campaign organizer as well as BBQ fundraisers from October 2010 thru March 2011, as did sitting SISD board member Theresa Balderas for a BBQ Fundraiser; coinciding with SISD elections in which the ESD6 had four candidates that they were supporting, Norberto Chavez and Loren Brewer of the ESD6, Mr. Brewer stepped down to run, Mr. Chavez remains on the board. As well as Mr. Cannon, Mr. Chavez's brother-in-law and Ms. Guzman, neighbor and friend of Ms. Mendelsohn and newly elected SISD board member who is suing the school district for $850,000.

Ms. Jan Stacey a community member and neighbor of the gentleman that was electrocuted on Nov. 1, 2010 was also present and quite vocal as to the communities disappointment of the Commissioner's actions as well as the ESD6 board. Ms. Stacy at one point reminded Commissioner Rodriguez that there were thousands of documents within the community that had been requested from the ESD6 through the Public Information Act (PIA), when the Commissioner insisted that there was no proof of wrong doing and that anyone could write something down and call it proof,. Ms. Stacey reminded him that all the documentation came from the ESD6 and if they were doctored in any way, it must have come that way from the ESD6 offices, with the exception she said of the documents in the possession of the ESD6 attorney, Mr. Rosenberg, who has refused to release documents in his possession, even though under the law, once they have been shown and discussed in an open meeting, they become a part of documents that can be obtained by PIA.

Mr. Metzger, who attended the meeting with documentation to substantiate all of the items that the VFD's were concerned with, was quickly cut off and the meeting was ended. The VFD's went to this meeting with high hopes of finally getting in front of the District Attorney and getting somewhere on this issue that has been going on for almost a year now come Monday, October 31, 2011. They were once again disappointed and felt dupped by the Commissioner because the other entities did not show up or send representation of any kind. At this point, they felt that no one from those offices was probably informed of the meeting, as they found out that SISD had not been formally invited, but Ms. Gonzalez, the Chief of Staff for Commissioner Rodriguez lead with "Juan Jasso, SSISD Superintendent has asked to meet with....." in the invites they sent to the VFD's.

Once again, feeling that the Commissioner's office and Ms. Mendelsohn are just playing games with the safety and lives of the South Bexar County community to further their own agenda.

The silver lining if ever there was one, KENS5 reporter John Conger did an excellent report on this meeting. The first report in a year that was investigative and not a "he said - she said" coverage. Great job to Mr. Conger.