Questions about an Ysleta ISD architectural services contract

"If after we have people who were part of the process, some of the vendors, and they're saying the process was skewed, we need to look at that. That's the type of call I received." -- YISD Trustee Lisa Montelongo.

The head of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and some others say they are concerned about the recent awarding of an architectural services contract by the Ysleta Independent School District to a company from out of town.

PBK was the company hired by the YISD in early July on a $780,000 contract for architectural services for Del Valle Elementary School, which will cost $13 million and be the district's first "green" energy-saving school. [Editor's note: The cost for the proposed contract was corrected at 1:50 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, 2009] At the July 1 meeting, Chamber CEO Richard Dayoub and others spoke in favor of awarding the contract to a local company.

In a recent interview with NPT, Dayoub said: "If you are eminently qualified -- and I want to emphasize those words, because if you're not qualified there should be no circumstances under which you win a contract -- and have demonstrated the ability through previous service and have met all the criteria and you're local and you're not being given the opportunity to do the work then there's a message being sent, and it's an unfortunate message."

At the July 1 meeting, architect Geoffrey Wright spoke in favor of local hiring. He first noted that the local architects met every qualification, and then argued their extra value.

"Finally, local architects provide better value to the District. Local architects know local climate and culture. They work regularly with local amendments to the building, zoning, lighting, historical, and landscape codes," he said.

"We live here and will not request travel expenses. We will be available to visit the jobsite any day. We will provide complete, not partial, services and give local taxpayers more for their investment in the school district," Wright said. "Understandably, everybody likes to hire people they've worked with previously. But local tax money should go to support the local economy. It should aim for best value for the Ysleta taxpayer. If you really want to do what is best for the Ysleta ISD and for your community, you will hire local design professionals: architects, engineers, landscape architects and interior designers."

But board President Marty Reyes said that the district had $250 million from its previous bond issue, and "of that 95 percent has been spent on our local architects, engineers and contractors. I think they're just angry. I don't know what else to base it on other than, I'll be quite honest with you, I don't believe Mr. Dayoub cares for our superintendent, Dr. Zolkoski. I don’t know why he chose to single out this one contract."

Said Reyes: "I just don’t like Mr. Dayoub making statements that we are giving our contracts to out-of-town companies. We are all about El Paso and our community." [Editor's note: Reyes sent a breakdown of contracts. See link below article for the document.]

While the board voted on the contract, YISD Superintendent Michael Zolkoski concurred with the recommendation to hire PBK. He was not available for comment because he was traveling, district spokeswoman Patricia Ayala said.

Ayala said that PBK was recommended by an evaluation committee made up of a licensed engineer, architect, two school principals, an administrator and a member of the district Bond Oversight Committee. However, she was not able to answer specific questions as to who picked the members of the committee. She also pointed out that it was the school board that picked PBK.

PBK has prior links to Zolkoski. It previously worked with the superintendent in stops in Texas, in Tulsa, Okla, and in LaFayette, La.

A call to PBK seeking comment was not returned.

In LaFayette, questions were raised about the type of work -- major projects bundled together -- and the quality of work. PBK was the consultant that recommended the use of a type of siding that now is being looked at as a potential cause for water damage in multiple schools, according to a report in the Independent Weekly.

And PBK was investigated by the FBI in connection to its contracts in the Judson Independent School District, near San Antonio, television station WOAI reported in January. However, Zolkoski, who was superintendent in Judson from 2000-2003, was not mentioned in the report.

The critiques in El Paso do not go so far -- in fact, when asked about the reports from previous districts at which Zolkoski worked, Chamber CEO Dayoub said, "I do not want to be misunderstood. The Chamber is not in the investigative business.

"Is it unusual for someone who is new to a community to bring in someone who they are familiar with ... whether a school district or any business? I don't think so, but the process itself is what caused us concern," he said. "It's safe to say we were very disappointed in the board's decision not to reconsider their decision and award the contract to a local vendor."

It is rare for Dayoub to speak out at all against a government agency's contract approval.

Board member Lisa Montelongo said that she voted for the contract with PBK, but after she heard about Zolkoski's background with the company, "I do plan on having a conversation with him."

"There's nothing to show he's done anything wrong, yet, I guess is the best way to put it. He even said 'I stayed out of the process.' The process falls on the purchasing director and she said the process was followed," she said. "If it was followed I really can't question it."

She said she had questions, however, stemming from complaints she received: "If after we have people who were part of the process, some of the vendors, and they're saying the process was skewed, we need to look at that. That's the type of call I received."

However, she would not say who made the call.

"He would get blackballed if I told you his name," she said.