SAN BENITO — School district officials are taking steps to address a $223,800 forensic audit’s findings including “possible” violations of the Texas Government Code.
Officials are planning to implement purchasing process requirements while working with a “construction expert” to try to cut project costs, Superintendent Theresa Servellon said.
Last week, school board President Ramiro Moreno made reference to a possible “investigation” into the Fort Worth-based firm of Weaver and Tidwell’s audit findings of “possible” government code violations.
“We are putting practices and protocols in place to ensure that we’re doing what’s best for our district,” he said during a board meeting Tuesday.
During the meeting, Servellon told board members she was requiring the district’s construction projects include purchasing practices such as requests for proposals and competitive sealed proposals.
“The district is already taking measures to ensure that our procurement practices are aligned not only to our board policy but to Texas Government Code,” she said. “We will also be implementing an RFP and a CPS process for all construction matters that are upcoming.”
Last week, Servellon said she was planning to work with a construction consultant to try to cut costs stemming from projects including a $40 million bond-funded construction project.
“We will also bring on a construction expert to help us evaluate current construction projects and help us with cost-saving measures,” she told board members during Tuesday’s meeting.
Meanwhile, she plans to include the district’s purchasing agent in its procurement procedures, she said.
“We are including our purchasing agent in all procurement for the district as well as having our finance workshops not only with staff but also with board members,” she said.
In addressing the audit’s findings, Servellon said she has updated the district’s vendor list.
“We have also looked at our general merchandise list and taken the recommendation of excluding any construction projects through our general merchandise service list and we have also updated the list,” she said. “We have removed outdated vendors and there were some vendors that were on there more than once. We now have aligned that as well.”
Possible investigation?
During the meeting, board members did not discuss a possible investigation into the audit’s findings.
Last week, Moreno referred to a possible investigation into the auditors’ findings of possible government code violations.
“As to moving forward with an investigation connected to violations of Texas law, if one is warranted, I have simply stated I would support it as would other members of the board and our many concerned citizens,” he stated Friday.
Construction consultant
During a meeting last week, Servellon told board members she planned to work with a construction consultant to try to cut costs stemming for the $40 million bond project.
While Weaver and Tidwell’s audit estimated costs increased from $40 million to $44 million, Monica Mata, the district’s chief financial officer, told officials the project is now $5.8 million over budget.
Meanwhile, Servellon told board members she expects the project to run at least $10 over budget.
During an interview, Joseph Palacios, president of the Brighton Group, the Edinburg-based firm serving as project manager, said “value engineering” could be used to select “alternatives” aimed at cutting the estimated $10 million overrun amid the coronavirus pandemic’s supply chain disruption that is driving up materials’ costs.
Background
Late last month, Weaver and Tidwell released its audit, aiming much of its focus on the $40 million bond-funded construction project, which led auditors to raise questions.
The audit also focused on credit card expenditures, purchasing and procurement practices, federal funds and grants, payments to vendors and contractors for construction projects and facilities along with payments to consultants and professional services firms from Sept. 1, 2016 to Aug. 31, 2021.
