Corpus Christi Caller-Times from Corpus Christi, Texas • 7

Uli callercom Cotpul Qrtti CalUNKnu Sunday March 19 2000 A7 BOARD ntOMAl Everybody may nave tsf- VA an opinion based on moral principles or common sense about whether the money was spent unwisely But that's a different question than whether they were stealing money Grant Jon former dlatrict attorney strict "abuse of power theft and violations of the Open Meetings Act Ihistee Dorothy Adkins said she wants to start as soon as sible the evaluation process of contract but say if she wants to remove the superintendent But she said her trust in the superintendent has diminished having to trust the superintendent with a $220 mil-' lion said Adkins one of the three trustees who failed in an attempt to suspend Saavedra in January just want a superintendent who when he tells me something I have to question whether or not a fact why I say the trust has been Saavedra said he is waiting for the decision before com- menting about his future or the inquiry Before the inquiry Saavedra said his future would be dependent on what charges if any are sent forward but that he would continue to do his job until the board told him otherwise Trustee Vicki Rothschild said Saavedra has lost the trust of the community and should be fired had all this controversy he goes on public airwaves to try to explain Rothschild said he says absolutely unequivocally that the district has never purchased alcohol when 12 days before he had purchased alcohol on the card speaks for Rothschild said trust factor the credibility factor is just Saavedra comment about the remarks he made about alcohol on the radio program I say not going to comment I'm not stating anything presented at the court of inquiry was false he said CiUwTinmHi hear testimony In lost waste's court of taquky In which oBogntlono of obuso of power and violations of the Open Meetings Act wars aired going to wait for the decision and then I'll deal with it Trustee Bill Hamrick said he has full faith and confidence in Saavedra and that the trustworthiness suffered lot of times we say things under pressure that ordinarily we wouldn't have said Hamrick said opinion of Abe (Saavedra) changed at all Test scores and everything show doing a good job He has my support 100 Trustee Manuel Flores also said the credibility purchased on the district's card A seventh was labeled as a bar bill but itemized laywer JA Canales said at least two of those purchases were to entertain business- related interests of the district And even if the district was charged Flores said it matter was no policy against that at the Flores said was just an unwritten rule that we do Adkins said it doesn't matter if there a policy care whether we had a policy or Adkins said a problem think he did the right thing in all Flores said didn't testify against himself he perjure himself I think an Trustee Frank Reyes comment and Trustee Rene Vela couldn't be reached Saavedra Flores Hamrick Reyes and Vela did not testify during the court of inquiry hearing an ethical During the hearing Assistant District Attorney Mark Skurka introduced six itemized receipts which showed alcohol had been an ethical issue to me And not Lack of a board policy The lack of a policy matter legally either said former District Attorney Grant Jones who wasn't present during the inquiry but followed the hearing through the media Jones said it isn't necessary to have a written policy statement saying that money should be spent only for a public purpose Jones said that extends to the lack of a board policy prohibiting the district from purchasing airline tickets for spouses An audit prepared by the dis wu III QMSXOGKl Plus receive a Professional Hard-Anodized 12" oval saute pan ($84 value) as your gift with any $200 or more purchase of Calphalon Cookware! trict's internal auditor Philip Carroll found that board members had the district pay for spouses' tickets Trustees usually reimbursed the district for the tickets promptly according to testimony at the hearing In his audit Carroll indicated such purchases were against policy But in testimony last week he said he made a mistake in his audit by citing a board policy prohibiting the district from paying non-members' expenses Carroll said the apparent policy was instead an attorney opinion that had not been adopted locally Jones said that even in the case of delinquent payments not reimbursing the district doesn't necessarily rise to the level of theft He said prosecutors would have to prove school board members intended to permanently take the district money biggest problem for the judge will be to determine whether there is probable cause to believe there was requisite criminal Jones said may have an opinion based on moral principles or common sense or political opinion about whether the money was spent unwisely But that's a different question than whether they were stealing Trust has been lost Still some trustees say trust in the superintendent has been lost Trustee Pinky Brauer said Saavedra will have to regain the public's confidence but said it would be difficult to do so Brauer said Saavedra's stature as a role model for children also has suffered think that's part of the problem kids have Brauer said don't have any real heroes any more Their sports heroes their political heroes have all kinds of problems It doesn't seem like there's a lot of heroes left" over again' Jones said no one came away from the court of inquiry with his or her image unscathed a citizen from watching the press accounts of all of this 1 have a reasonable doubt any crimes were Jones said I do not have a reasonable doubt that the school district is careless in the use of funds offends me that school board members can eat expensive dinners drink expensive wine in nice hotels when teachers can't get enough Jones said "I hold the board more responsible than the superintendent because they're the policy makers that are supposed to be watching that They tell the superintendent what to Jones said it might be up to the voters and not the inquiry's presiding judge Emil Karl Prohl of Kemille to fix the problem probably ultimately a political problem for voters to solve at the next Jones said what's needed is a new school board and to start over $uff wnicr Dsm Rutvt can be mdwd a or mud a tetaMcArcoa on any regular-priced open-stock item from any Calphalon Cookware line: Commercial Nonstick Commercial Hard-Anodized Professional Nonstick II Professional Hard-Anodized Reg $132 3-qt covered saute pan Open-stock value $534 Calphalon Professional Nonstick II Improved arch-vent long handle Slavs touchable on stove top Advanced high-performance nonstick interior for greater durability Scratch-resistant scrubbable hantanodized exterior Heavy-duty rivets Domed temperedglass lids Flat-bottom construction ISplece set includes: 8" and 10" omelette pans 15- and 25qt covered saucepans 8qt covered stockpot and 3-qt covered saute pan I flretfc' ISM 13" Round griddle pan Nylon spatula and spreader included! 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