Southeast Bexar County Awareness: ESD#6 former President meddling in Southside ISD spending

Emergency Service District #6 (ESD#6) in southeastern bexar county went into ruin when County Commissioner Chico Rodriguez appointed his campaign manager, Sylvia Ruiz Mendelsohn to the ESD#6 board and gave the freedom to do as she wished without accountability to anyone . As board president she manipulated agenda's and her board members. Within 10 months, Ms. Mendelsohn and the ESD#6 board had bankrupted the funding for the 3 community fire departments. The AtaBexar Volunteer Fire Depart, the Sandy Oaks VFD and the South Bexar Fire and Rescue. Without the proper fire and safety for the Southside school district, the board voted to file a lawsuit against the ESD#6.

Sept 1, 2010- ESD6 Meeting Minutes:

5. Citizens to be heard: (3 minute limit) Theo Castillo, TANCO board president- wanted to commend the ESD board for their efforts and hard work in bringing a community center to our area. (per minutes)

When the community center for the ESD#6 was proposed, it was noted that Mr. Castillo would be running the community center. Ms. Mendelsohn left the ESD#6 to work for the county commissioner, but her involvement with Southeastern Bexar County politics continues. Hand picked, the wife of Theo Castillo is now the ESD#6 Board President, replacing the departed Mendelsohn. Norberto Chavez IV, another Mendelsohn candidate has admitted to the media that Ms. Mendelsohn is working on their campaign.

Ms. Mendelsohn made it a mission of sorts to create a community center. Those plans were quashed when members of the community took action as well as the Volunteer Fire Departments. So, It came as no surprise recently to hear that the school board at Southside ISD held a special meeting to vote on contract proposals for the architectural firm O'Connell and Robertson, for Southside ISD's new athletic/community center. O'Connell and Robertson designed the ESD#6 Community center and it cost the tax payers over $250,000. Although the center was never built, the money was owed to the firm for their work, which is still being paid back.

It seems that the "team" has signed contracts and the building could be underway. However, if the "team' just voted on the architectural firm, it may not be a done deal and can be tabled by the incoming board.

Worst case scenario the incoming members can use the structure for whatever the district feels it is needed for. Recent complaints about the band not having a place to practice during inclement weather and the storage facility that the band hall has become could make it a perfect setting for the band.

Whatever the decisions, Ms. Mendelsohn will not be making them, that alone is a step in the right direction for Southside ISD.

The list could go on continually when one compares the ESD#6 and the "team" on the Southside ISD school board.

• John Wood, former board member of ESD6
• Loren Brewer, aka. Loren Adcock, Loren Glen Adcock, Loren Adcock Brewer, Loren Martin; former board member of ESD#6
• Norberto "Robert" Chavez, former board member of ESD#6
• Sylvia Ruiz Mendelsohn, campaign manager for John Wood, Norberto Chavez, Jr. Loren Brewer, Norberto Chavez Sr., Alma Guzman, Tony Luna, Frank Cannon, Daniel Rodriguez, Isaac Griego.
• Chico Rodriguez, donated over $10,000 dollars to Sylvia Ruiz Mendelsohn for campaigning in the Southside ISD school district.
• Louis T. Rosenberg, ESD#6 Attorney, now serving Southside ISD. made hundreds of thousands of dollars preparing the grant paper work even having them call it an evacuation center to qualify for the USDA Grant loan. Mendelsohn called it "semantics", basically a "little white lie".
• Southside ISD "team" lets ESD#6 lease school property for a fire station for $10. Then agrees to build an athletic/ community center.
• Southside ISD is using the same architect that ESD#6 used for their community center.
• Southside ISD is now using the same auditing firm that ESD#6 used.
• Southside ISD is now using the attorney that absorbed most of the money from the ESD#6 coffers. Personal friend of Ms. Mendelsohn and her late husband, Louis T. Rosenberg.

The ESD#6, under the control of Ms. Mendelsohn, went through a million dollars in 10 months and looking at the expenses of the ESD#6 prior to Ms. Mendelsohn's appointment to the board, the expenses were minimal. Once Ms. Mendelsohn took over, the expenses grew by up to 100%.

Look at the history of Southside ISD prior to Ms. Mendelsohn's "team" taking over, the district expenses at their most expensive month were about $2 million a month. Under the "team", the expenses of the district have doubled and tripled per month. Once again, an increased cost of legal fees, trips, vehicle purchases, as well as using several of the same sources as ESD#6. And as like Ms. Mendelsohn's ESD#6, the books are fiction.

If you look at the check book on the Southside ISD a little closer, you will see where one month they have a monthly bill that is left off on another month, they don't post the utilities in one month, so the expenses appear less.

Something that Ms. Mendelsohn was very good at doing on the ESD#6. It was mentioned by the secretary to community members that Ms. Mendelsohn kept the real books at her home or at Mr. Rosenberg's office.