|
Only have a minute? Listen instead
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
SAN BENITO — The San Benito school district’s new board of trustees is taking its first big steps toward changing the administration’s operations since voters flipped the panel’s majority in the May 6 election.
After two years, board members have fired attorney Steven Weller, hiring attorney Tony Torres, the district’s former longtime legal counsel.
Following the board’s decision to change legal counsel, board members said they believed Weller was keeping information from the past minority.
“I think there’s much more transparency for all board members, not just a select few, so everyone knows what’s going on,” board member Rudy Corona said during an interview, referring to Torres’ appointment.
The new board’s decision to swap legal counsel comes after a hard-fought election campaign during which the district’s administration under Superintendent Theresa Servellon became a major issue.
New majority changes counsel
Earlier this week, board members unanimously voted to terminate the district’s contract with the law firm of Bickerstaff, Heath, Delgado, Acosta, the Austin-based firm with a McAllen office for which Weller serves on staff.
Board members agreed to pay Torres, with the Edinburg firm of Flores and Torres, based on an hourly rate not to exceed Weller’s rate, which ranged from $250 to $275 an hour.
During a meeting, members of the board’s past minority called on trustees to terminate the law firm’s contract.
While board member Ariel Cruz motioned to terminate the contract, Corona seconded her motion.
Following the vote, board members unanimously appointed Torres to the position during the May 22 meeting.
No confidence
In May 2021, the board’s past majority hired Weller at a rate of $250 an hour while firing Torres.
For two years, members of the board’s past minority complained Weller was holding back district information for them.
“I just didn’t have any confidence,” Orlando Lopez, the board’s new president, said during an interview. “It’s been very obvious throughout his tenure his communication with the board has been minimal to none.”
Under the past school board, Weller was also overseeing the district’s construction contracts.
“There wasn’t very much communication,” Corona said, referring to Weller’s contact with the board’s past minority.
Hourly rate range
During Weller’s tenure, the past majority agreed to pay him based on a rate of $250 an hour for “general counsel work” and $275 an hour for “specialty practice work,” according to a district document.
But the board’s agreement did not define the nature of Weller’s speciality practice work, board members said.
“It was a lack of communication,” Lopez said, referring to questions surrounding Weller’s pay range.
During the May 22 meeting, board members agreed to pay Torres at rate not to exceed Weller’s rate.
Call for transparency
In 2013, a previous school board hired Torres, who was working at a rate of $200 an hour at the time his contract was terminated in May 2021.
“I’m confident in his services,” Lopez said. “He provided good legal services and he has a lot of school district experience.”
During his tenure, Torres was providing information to the full board, trustees said.
“I’ve had the opportunity of working with Mr. Torres and noticed he was transparent and wanted the whole board to be informed about what is going on,” Corona said. “It made me feel confident. I think San Benito is moving in the right direction with Mr. Torres.”
