Testimony: Dr. Thomas said South Park wouldn't be demolished

September 21, 2009 10:38 AM
Ashley Rodrigue


BEAUMONT - The former communications director in the Beaumont Independent School District testifed the superintendent, Dr. Carrol Thomas, told her the district wasn't going to tear down South Park Middle School.

Jolene Ortego, former executive director of communications in BISD, testified on the first day of a trial to determine if BISD can demolish the South Park school building to construct a new campus.

Judge Bob Wortham will decide whether to grant a Permanent Injunction to the Beaumont Heritage Society, which wants to preserve the building in some way although the Heritage Society isn't demanding the district continue using it as a school.

Ortego testified about a publication the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce was preparing prior to the $389 million dollar bond issue. The chamber wanted to include the status of the school in its publication examining the proposed bond issue projects. Monday, Ortego testified that when she asked Dr. Thomas to provide an answer to the publication about the status of the South Park building, he told her "We're not going to tear it down. I don't know what we're doing yet." Ortego testified all information in the Chamber's bond issue pamphlet came from BISD.

Monday afternoon, board president Woodrow Reece testified Dr. Thomas didn't have the authority to provide the information to Ortego for the Chamber's bond issue pamphlet. He also stated he believed Thomas' previous testimony that he did not provide that information to Ortego.

Reece says the public should have realized that any new school would require demolition of an old school in its place.

Reece also testified administrators violated the Texas Open Meetings Act by knocking down schools and doing bond work without board approval. He testified the district was heading in the same direction with South Park Middle School. However, on cross-examination, he recanted that statement, saying he thought he was being questioned about the board, because the administration staff isn't held by the law.

Co-chairman of the Community Advisory Bond Committee, Dr. David Teuscher, testified there was never any talk or writing about demoliting South Park during the bond development process. He feels the best resolution would be to put out a bid for a renovation project to get an accurate figure to compare to the cost of demolition.

Lastly, attorney for the Beaumont Heritage Society, Mike Getz, informed the court he'd be asking for a special election for Beaumont citizens to decide on the South Park issue alone. While on the stand, Teuscher said he doesn't agree with that idea.

On Friday, September 18, the Ninth Court of Appeals upheld State District Judge Bob Wortham's Temporary Injunction preventing the Beaumont ISD from demolishing the South Park school building.

The decision cleared the way for a September 21 trial during which Judge Wortham will decide whether to grant a Permanent Injunction.

(Click here to read the entire Temporary Injunction)

Judge Wortham granted the Temporary Injunction August 3 to the Beaumont Heritage Society.

Darlene Chodzinkski, Executive Director of the Heritage Society, has said the organization isn't demanding the building remain open as a school. She has told us the primary focus is to prevent the district from tearing down the building due to what she called its historic significance. It was built in 1922.

Attorney Michael Getz represents the Heritage Society. He said the district could remodel South Park Middle School more cheaply than it could build a new school based on costs associated with the $389 million bond issue.

Attorney Melody Chappell represents BISD. She said the district, and not a court, is in the best position to determine what's best for students. The district said it's following the wishes of voters in deciding to build a new school at the site.

In his ruling, Judge Wortham said testimony indicated that prior to the 2007 bond election the Beaumont Independent School District pledged not to demolish South Park Middle School if the bond issue passed. According to Wortham's ruling, the staement was intended by Defendants to cause, and did cause, the bond election to carry. In his ruling, Wortham states the Defendants arbitrarily abandoned the promise to voters.


COMMENTS:

fredsaid wrote:
Well I'll be, Woodrow Reece is chasing his tail again!!! He says Thomas didn't have the authority to tell Ortego anything, he also said the board always follows Thomas's recommendations. Round and round we go. Reece is finding out a real court room is different than a school board meeting and he can not edit the transcript!!! 9/21/2009 7:28 PM CDT on KFDM.com
Recommend (1)


pall2509 wrote:
Poor Melody has to represent one of the biggest crooks in our area! 9/21/2009 6:08 PM CDT on KFDM.com


her2kees wrote:
Thats is a beautiful buidling as it is, just renovate the darn thing. BISD is so intent on saving money that they want to force SC students to wait almost two years for their new school so they don't have to build a second temporary campus.They don't want to do what is in the best interst for the students or the district. "DR" Thomas has his own agenda and he's forcing it on the rest of us. He needs to be replaced, he does not care anyone or anything but his own agenda. 9/21/2009 5:31 PM CDT on KFDM.com


wrinkledshirt wrote:
I was in the court room today. Pricing and recommendation from the construction company overseers state that tearing the building down and starting new would cost $42mil. Complete renovation of the building would only cost $22mil. Reece was questioned as to why the district was not being good stewards of the money. He said the board always follows the recommendations of Dr. Thomas and this was Dr. Thomas' recommendation. Hmm, looks like the board members are puppets with Thomas as the puppeteer! 9/21/2009 4:01 PM CDT on KFDM.com


wesbaber wrote:
How's the deed holder to the property ? The school district or the Heritage Society? The school district can close the property to the public and chase off the Heritage society for trespassing . If the heritage society wants to save the buildingso bad they need to purchase it from the school district . Other than that they need to shut there mouths and move on .The heritage society don't want it torn down , that's fine , some nutt will just burn it down . The education of our students is more important than saving some old worn out building that will cost more to restore and save at tax payers expence than it would to tear it down and build a new building .Who's paying the bill's That is who has the rights . Not a bunch of old kooks that belong in a nursing home. You people of the heritage society Get a life and find something important to do . WDB 9/21/2009 1:33 PM CDT on KFDM.com
Recommend (3)


tazmaraz wrote:
If the Heritage Society is so attached to the buidling, why don't they just buy it from BISD? Then they could restore it or whatever and hopedully make a profit? Just asking/ 9/21/2009 1:03 PM CDT on KFDM.com
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truthy wrote:
"Dr. Carrol Thomas, told her the district wasn't going to tear down South Park Middle School."

Nice juggling there, Doc. Who's the bully now? The donkey? The snake? http://www.beaumont.k12.tx.us/vision/2009-09-11-vision.pdf 9/21/2009 12:12 PM CDT on KFDM.com


carekat1 wrote:
dr.thomas is an idiot, he hasn't done anything for this school district except to take a paycheck he doesn't deserve and spend money that should not have been spent. 9/21/2009 11:33 AM CDT on KFDM.com
Recommend (6)


fredsaid wrote:
DR Thomas can not remember what he says. Could be Alzheimer's? Could be lying? 9/21/2009 11:22 AM CDT


http://www.kfdm.com/news/thomas-34235-beaumont-won.html