Over $6K spent on Limón probe thus far

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

SBCISD

SBCISD

The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District spent nearly $4,000 in legal fees for work conducted in November in the investigation into suspended Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón.

Guerra and Farah PLLC, the Houston-based law firm the SBCISD Board of Trustees hired to conduct the probe at a $150 per hour rate, charged the district $3,975 for 26.5 hours of work completed from Nov. 18-21, according to an invoice dated Nov. 29.

The invoice’s service summary states that Sarah Dionne of said firm charged $525 for receiving, reviewing and analyzing information from the district in response to a “list of documents into individual allegations” on Nov. 18.

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9 comments

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    • Leo Rodriguez on January 28, 2014 at 4:33 pm
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    Excess funds. Darn spellcheck.

    • Leo Rodriguez on January 28, 2014 at 4:04 pm
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    May 23, 2013 is the day Superintendent Antonio Limon was suspended with pay pending investigation. Eight months have elapsed, are the four members of the school board whom voted to suspend Mr. Limon any closer to reaching a decision on his status as our Superintendent? If there was actual documented concrete evidence of alarming and indisputable facts regarding misconduct on Mr. Limon’s behalf, as we were initially led to believe, wouldn’t a determination have been made by now?

    In the interim, Mr. Limon continues to draw his $165,000 dollar annual salary, the school board shelled out $91,000 for interim Superintendent Alfonso Obregon’s services, and of course WE are now paying yet another interim superintendent a $500 dollar a day salary. Additionally, as of November 2013, the board has also paid $6,000 dollars of legal expenses to a Houston based law firm to look into the unethical (?) allegations levied against Mr. Limon.

    Interesting discussions have taken place of late as to why Mr. Limon’s status continues to be in limbo. Just what were the specific directives issued to the external legal firm regarding the probing of the investigation? I guess only Yliana Gonzalez and June Aguilera can answer that question, right? Undoubtedly the law firm has been tasked with attempting to not only uncover grounds for termination, but also begin legal preparation for a lawsuit that is looming in the horizon by Mr. Limon for unlawful termination.

    In my past capacity as a Managing Director for a Fortune 500 corporation, when am employee was suspended with pay pending an investigation, policy was that we indicate, in writing, to the employee, a future meeting date to advise employee the decision rendered, usually within seven days. If for some reason additional time was needed to investigate specific matters regarding the outcome of the investigation, we would inform the employee, in writing, of a new date in which the results of the investigation would be made available.

    Can any of the four school board members even begin to contemplate, or imagine, what it must be like to be suspended for eight months, just waiting, hoping, and praying that not only the decision be favorable, but also hope and trust that your specific case be handled in an expeditious, professional manner. And for those that have the mentality, or the audacity, for that matter, to simply be of the mindset that why should Mr. Limon be worried, he is being well compensated for staying at home, unless you have been in this situation, don’t be quick to judge.

    Undoubtedly this has been a most prolonged period of agony, despair, and frustration for Mr. Limon and his family. A decision needs to be made immediately regarding his status as Superintendent of schools. As one who was tasked with handling multi million dollar budget for a corporation, I marvel at the fact that during Mr. Limon’s tenure, our school district was never in the red, the district never went bankrupt, as hundreds of districts have, and not a single educator was laid off. Don’t be misled folks, the job of the superintendent is cumbersome and tedious. I fully comprehend the fact that there’s more to being a successful superintendent than making a school district have access funds, but if you speak to the educators at our District, they will be the first to tell you morale is at an all time low.

    In summary, I am asking the four school board members to provide us taxpayers with an immediate update on your investigation, and quit procrastinating, reach a decision, whatever it might be.

    Sincerely, I remain.

    • Reality Bites on December 18, 2013 at 9:19 pm
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    @ Dr. Smetter: interesting how you continue to criticize the board and making presumptions. Isn’t that why you got “dismissed” at your two previous jobs ( by the way that’s public record)? As a “Dr.” you should know the policy’s also… You sure are burning your bridges quickly. Taxpayers in San Benito know the games you and your followers are playing. Total nonsense .. Give it up.. Keep talking and label your blogs with your name so more taxpayers can really know what you stand for and it’s not : kids and faculty like you portray.. If you don’t believe me, please run for school board again and see how far you get.. You can pay your campaign with bob trevino’s campaign donations and the federal funds Limon paid your husband for the software he developed while working in san benito.. That’s called double dipping..

      • Daniel on December 20, 2013 at 6:37 pm
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      When Dr. Smetter ran for office I didn’t know who she was. Regretfully, I didn’t vote for her. I voted for the name that I recognized, not knowing that re-electing that individual would be the BIGGEST MISTAKE that San Benito would ever make! I met Dr. Smetter about a year after that election, and let me tell you, she is the real deal. With Dr. Smetter, what you see is what you get. You always know where she stands, and she is not a shady person. I’m glad she stood up for us, when all of the board wanted to deny us our incentives last December. She was the one that stood before all of you and got the ball rolling. So, keep hiding behind your “Reality Bites’ title that you have given yourself because the reality is…you’re afraid of something, and should she choose to run for office again, her “followers” will make sure she is elected.

    • Visitor Pass Required on December 18, 2013 at 7:12 am
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    How much did the board approve for the new interim supt.? In the Red, probably getting close…

  1. It appears there is enough to go around. Does anybody know if the school district is in the RED yet ? I guess all you need to run a school board is a coarse in how to milk a cow. Elections, elections, why can we just hire a managerial firm to run our school district enough of the politics .

    • Taxes on December 16, 2013 at 11:52 am
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    You just paid yours? Good for you.

    I wonder if the “four” have paid theirs? No concern in wasting city taxpayers money because they aren’t city taxpayers. Go figure. No business on the board. Interesting.

    • Selena on December 14, 2013 at 3:32 pm
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    If I read this correctly it seems the law firm is concentrating on Limon’s comments to the newspapers. That was never a reason for his suspension. He started defending himself in the papers and media after he was suspended by the the four. Now it seems the main thing they are trying to terminate him on are his comments to the papers. I wonder what happened to the other 17 or 64 reasons? How much is this going to cost the taxpayers? Survey time. How many board members (not family members that think they are on board) own property and pay school taxes? I just paid mine. I sure wish my money was being put to better use by the four!

    • Dr. Smetter on December 14, 2013 at 2:55 pm
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    I just finished reading the article “Over 6K spent on Limon probe thus far” in the newspaper. All I can say is that this investigation is a waste of our taxpayers’ money. There are many ways to send a superintendent “out the door”, but the intent all along has been to make sure to attack his reputation and character. It seems to me that Mr. Limon will continue to stay on paid leave until his contract is over in June. Even if this board wanted him terminated that course of action is a six month process. Anyone who has taken a graduate couse in Education Administration would know that information. All this board has done is deliberately wasted the money that should be spent on our children, staff, and facilities. Shameful!

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