Report: Judson I.S.D. Breaks State Law

The Judson school board met this morning in an emergency meeting because they found out News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooter Brian Collister got a hold of that report which proves the district has violated state laws.

The report was done last May in response to the outcry over Judson's new $10 million football stadium going $4 million over budget.

Since then, media organizations and Judson parents have been trying to get their hands on it, while district officials have been trying to keep it secret.  Now we know why.

It says the district broke the law when it handed out a multi-million dollar contract without the process required by state law.

New construction is everywhere around Judson I.S.D., including a new $100 million high school.

But this investigative report, obtained exclusively by the News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooters, reveals how the district has mishandled the $236 million bond voters approved in 2006.

Among the companies hired after the bond passed was an architectural firm called PBK.

But this is what outside attorneys hired by the district said about the way the contract was awarded. They found "...no evidence that any selection process was ever conducted by the district with regard to the employment of PBK as project architect."

Because of that the lawyers say the contract could be voided or challenged in court because Judson officials did not follow the law. Either way, it could cost the district millions.

The former chairman of the 2006 Bond Committee, and now a self-proclaimed critic of the district, says the findings are a slap in the face to taxpayers who are footing the bill.

"I'm angry," says Orlando Lopez.  "The truth is they lied to us, they stole from us and they have done something against our children."

But that's not all. 

The report lists other problems the attorney uncovered. Those problems include Judson I.S.D. misleading voters in 2006 by claiming work on the football stadium was just renovation work when it was really a complete rebuild.

Also, board room renovations that were budgeted at $50,000 eventually cost $178,000.  It has also been uncovered that property for the board room was bought without going through the process required by law.

Land for Converse Elementary was bought despite notice it has a pipeline on the property that could add up to $82,000 in extra construction costs.

All of this, according to the district's attorneys, leaves Judson exposed to legal challenges and, in some cases, possible criminal charges.

The report lays much of the blame on former Assistant Superintendent Luis Rodriguez.

"I think the findings are incorrect," Rodriguez tells News 4 WOAI.

Rodriguez was pushed out last summer by the school board who blamed him for the district's problems.  He insists he did nothing wrong.

News 4 Trouble Shooter Brian Collister asked Rodriguez, "When you read this report, it almost sounds as though you were doing whatever you wanted, without board permission. You were entering into these contracts and it was all your fault."

"Absolutely not," Luis Rodriguez answers.  "Anything that was negotiated by me or any contracts that were signed or any activities that were undertaken were all under the supervision of the superintendent at the time, Dr. Lyman.

Dr. Ed Lyman is no longer with the Judson School District, but told us by phone that Rodriguez was acting under his direction.  But he also says the school board fully knew about and approved the PBK contract.  He believes the procurement process was legal.

Judson officials have declined to comment on the contents of the report.  We also called PBK and got no response.