La Grulla mayor plans to resign amid concerns about new La Joya ISD policy

LA GRULLA, TEXAS (ValleyCentral) — The mayor of La Grulla plans to resign Thursday amid concerns about a new policy that would prevent La Joya Independent School District administrators from holding elected positions.

La Grulla Mayor Laura Patricia Solis — a longtime La Joya ISD administrator who is currently the principal at Patricio Perez Elementary School — plans to resign on Thursday.

“I chose my job over my political career,” Solis said.

Solis decided to resign after reviewing a draft policy that would prevent administrators from holding elected positions. The policy would prohibit La Joya ISD employees from:

• Running for an elected position in Hidalgo County.
• Being an elected official in Hidalgo County.
• Running for an elected position within any county in Texas “that has direct or indirect contractual relations with La Joya ISD.”
• Being an elected official within any county in Texas “that has direct or indirect contractual relations with La Joya ISD.”
• Running for an elected position “that would conflict with his or her position as an employee of La Joya ISD.”
• Holding an elected position “that would conflict with his or her position as an employee of La Joya ISD.”

The La Joya ISD Board of Managers is scheduled to discuss the policy during a meeting on Thursday.

If approved, the policy would apply to “assistant principal and above positions at campuses, and any central office position considered an administrative position, that involves the supervision of other employees, or that involves responsibility for the administration of public funds.”

Employees who currently hold elected positions would be “subject to nonrenewal” when their contracts end.

After reviewing the proposed policy and talking with her family, Solis decided to resign from her elected position.

“I’m choosing my career that’s my bread and butter over a political position that’s not giving me anything,” Solis said.

Solis isn’t the only La Joya ISD employee faced with a difficult decision.

Elected officials from the Mission Consolidated Independent School District, the Sharyland Independent School District, the Agua Special Utility District, Mission, Palmview, Peñitas, La Joya and Sullivan City work for La Joya ISD.

Many hold administrative positions that would be affected by the policy.

“I’m looking at my options,” said Palmview Mayor Rick Villarreal, who is an assistant principal at Memorial Middle School. “I’m eligible for retirement.”

Some may start applying for jobs with neighboring school districts. Others may stay at La Joya ISD in lower-level positions.

La Joya ISD drafted the policy after two former school board trustees and three former administrators pleaded guilty to public corruption charges.

A document filed in the case against former school board Trustee Armin Garza described how La Joya ISD became part of a conspiracy that involved millions in bribes and kickbacks.

“It was further part of the conspiracy that GARZA exerted influence over the employment of other co-conspirators, including Persons E-H, who were elected officials at other governmental entities,” according to a criminal information filed against him. “The influence was exerted to promote the awarding of contracts to Company D at said governmental entities. As part of the exercise of his influence, GARZA supported promotions or awarding of stipends to Persons E-H in exchange for their official votes or support of Company D’s energy savings projects at other governmental entities.”

Concerns about La Joya ISD trustees using promotions and stipends to inappropriately influence employees aren’t new.

In 2017, state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, authored legislation that cracked down on conflicts of interest at Agua SUD.

At the time, a majority of the Agua SUD board worked for La Joya ISD and two La Joya ISD trustees worked for Agua SUD.

“A clear conflict,” Hinojosa said, adding that he became concerned La Joya ISD trustees had rewarded members of the Agua SUD board with stipends.

Hinojosa said he supported the proposed La Joya ISD policy.

“We have to try to find a way to stop this corruption,” Hinojosa said. “And, to me, this is a good start.”