Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Community of San Benito,
San Benito CISD is committed to providing our students educational opportunities that support their post-secondary goals. As a school board, we pledge that our complete and utter focus will remain student-centered. Additionally, being conscientious stewards of the District’s finances ensures that instructional programming and extracurricular activities are delivered at a premier standard.
Our Superintendent of Schools, Theresa Servellon, is tasked with leading our team and school district. The focus is the implementation of the following: a strong Tier I instructional program, support services that target student needs, strategic budgeting, retention of high-quality personnel, and transparency for our community. These areas of focus are, and will continue to be, the cornerstone in all that we do at San Benito CISD.
The Board of Trustees realizes the recent forensic audit brought multiple concerns to the forefront. Goods and services were not always procured according to board policy or the Texas Government Code. Select vendor contracts were written in a manner which left the District unprotected. In various instances, the District paid for services before they were performed or completed; for instance, a public relations consultant received $9,000 each month whether or not services were performed. This type of fiscal mis-management is a disservice to our community. As I previously mentioned, as a governing body, we understand it is critical to utilize our taxpayer dollars wisely. The audit report (www.sbcisd.net/forensic-audit-report/) details how that was not the case –especially as it pertained to the three 2018 Bond Program projects as well as other construction projects. It is with great certainty that I assure our community that this will no longer be the way we do business. The school board will affirm that all board policies and Texas laws are adhered to with fidelity for all business transactions. Furthermore, the community will be in the know; transparency will not only be a word, it will be apparent through our actions.
We ask for your support and patience as we implement the recommendations outlined in the forensic audit report. As a school board, we will attend budget workshops spearheaded by our Chief Financial Officer that will concentrate on procurement processes, bidding practices and requirements, contracts, and finding the best value for all services and goods. We will also be evaluating ongoing construction projects by bringing in a professional construction consultant that will provide feedback and next steps. Our assurance to the community is that we will complete existing projects and make any necessary modifications to completed ones.
Our students, employees, and community deserve nothing but the best. As a school board, we are here to ensure that happens. It is our solemn vow.
Sincerely,
Ramiro M. Moreno,
President of the Board of Trustees
San Benito CISD
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