“Family Affair Part Tres: Corando’s Law.”

KISD Blog by Elizabeth Ramos

2/4/2020

Didn’t think I’d be doing another one of these blogs again. Oh, who am I kidding!? It was bound to happen! If you aren’t familiar with the game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, here is the definition on wiki. “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon or “Bacon’s Law” is a parlor game based on the “six degrees of separation” concept which posits that any two people on Earth are six or fewer acquaintance links apart.”

Let me back up and explain who is running for KISD Board of Trustees. I can’t math, so just go with me. Breaking this down Barney style. Cory Garza Jr, Coufal, and Crites’ seat aren’t up for another two years. This makes 3 people. 3. Yaklin, Prado, Corando Sr., and Greenwood’s seat are up this May. That makes 4 seats available and up for grabs. 4. 4 + 3 = 7. Duh. 4 votes will pass anything brought up for vote on an agenda. Duh. Sit on that though. Think about it for a while. Meditate on that. While you meditate on that basic information, know Yaklin will most likely not run again. I would be very surprised if she did, but surprises happen in Kingsville daily.

There is a wide-open seat up for grabs, unopposed. Anyone in town that can qualify can put their name in for a ballot on that seat and be a walkover if no one else does by 5pm Valentine’s Day. On the 15th, I put my name against Prado’s seat because I believe it is best for the district to do so. I would have loved to run against Corando Sr. I rather sit between Cory Garza Jr. and Corando if he keeps his seat. I also thought if there was an open seat that if someone cared enough about the future of the district that they would glide on into that spot without waiting till the last 10 minutes till deadline to do so. I also understand that people would probably love to be a board member and help, but in the current environment, wouldn’t wanna come near it with a 100ft pole. I was the proud first person in the office on the first day to put a name on the ballot. I don’t like waiting around. I just do it. Greenwood came in to put his name on his seat while I was in there turning mine in. Later Prado and Corando put their name on their seat as well. Yaklin, no where to be seen.

Word around town is Crites picked up a ballot packet and walked out. So have many others in town. But why Crites? He has a seat for another two years! Is the board that bad that he is willing to jump off his seat and try to land another? He wouldn’t put a ballot in for Yaklin’s seat because it is empty, like his would be if he left. That makes no sense. Greenwood’s seat? They usually agree with each other about 75% of the time and don’t seem to rub each other the wrong way. That doesn’t make sense either. Prado’s seat? Nah! Corando’s seat? NO WAY! I mean, that is the only person left in my mind he would try to bounce off the board. Could he do it? Would he do it?! Does he know more than what the public and I know to want to do such a thing? It would almost be like committing suicide. But then again, maybe him doing so would send the public and board members a message that we should probably be listening to. I dunno….

Anise Maldonado picked up a packet as well. She promised about 4 years ago after not getting Crites‘ seat that she would run again. I am waiting on when or if she will drop off it off. I HIGHLY doubt she will put her name in against Corando. Maybe she doesn’t feel strong enough to win or doesn’t want to step on Corando’s toes as they have an on-again off-again relationship? I think she is waiting to see if anyone puts their name on Yaklin’s seat. Maybe she will run unopposed if she does. She was the first to put her name against Crites last time and did not win. She may be in the office on the last day with other people filling out ballot last minute.

It was a little weird being the only person vying for a seat on the board till Jan 27th. Delma Salinas put her name, get this, against Greenwood in the last hour KISD was open prior to board meeting on the 27th. I am just a tad confused. I am not sure what paper or blog she has been reading for the last few years, but I never thought anyone would go up against Greenwood since there is Yaklin’s seat wide open. (Sure, if someone put their name on a ballot on Yaklin’s seat then it would make a smidge of sense why someone would put theirs against Greenwood.) We all know why I put my name where I did and not on the open seat. I have explained that enough. I sure cannot wait to hear why Salinas against Greenwood. Oh, never mind. Who am I trying to kid! And who is she kidding? Let me back it up and rephrase that…“Who are they trying to kid!” Oh, the Kingsville Grapevine is at work on this.

Speaking of the Kingsville Grapevine. I don’t go looking for information. I don’t go digging around for anything unless I am trying to teach myself something or validate something from the grapevine. Most information is about the shenanigans of board members, sitting in board room meetings and going down to admin seeking information. People contact me. Maybe that is why people think I don’t know. I may not be from here, but I have enough common sense to find the right track and inform myself on some of the issues. I don’t say everything I am told on these blogs. It would be overwhelming and sometimes boring and some issues are at the admin level and I don’t want to bring them into this mess because they deal with it and don’t need anymore stress. They work hard enough. I am trying to keep it simple. Sometimes I may put together a sentence or make a statement and it goes right over most of the community’s heads. Sort of subliminal. Just because you may feel I am missing pieces of information or out cold on information altogether, this is why. I am sure I would know a lot more if it weren’t for certain connections in the community and the fear of retaliation. And yes, I may not know something at all and be completely oblivious to it.

So, who are they trying to kid? Lol. No one! Not fooling anyone! This is the six degrees of separation, Corando’s Law style.

1. CORADNO IS MARRIED TO GLENDA GARZA

2. GLENDA IS SISTER TO ZELMA SALINAS

3. ZELMA WAS MARRIED TO GEORGE SALINAS who is now deceased.

4. GEORGE IS BROTHER TO ZARAGOSA ”SHORTY” SALINAS JR (Pct. County Commissioner 4)

5. ZARAGOSA IS MARRIED TO DELMA SALINAS

6. SALINAS JR WORKS WITH MADRID and some say Madrid is good friends with Corando.

*edited 2/4/2020

Here is my take on the 6 degrees of separation. It is obvious that Corando got Delma Salinas to run against Greenwood because he has been challenging him in the board room. What better way to intertwine the county with KISD Board? For someone who is not from here, I’m good! Her name had been thrown around prior to January 15th.

Just to clarify I have nothing against Ms. Delma Salinas personally. Never met her that I can remember. She may be a very good person for the position. Like Greenwood has said in so many words, it reeks of nepotism. I feel bad because it looks like she is being used as a pawn. A pawn to be the 4th vote on the board. With Garza Jr., Prado, Garza Sr. and Salinas at the helm of KISD, every issue will pass. They will have controlled the board. This is probably why they are putting off the superintendent search until after May. To hire someone close to them. Duh! They can even go as far as to fill Yaklin’s seat with another pawn and it would be a whopping 5-2 vote for every issue or vote in the future. I really hope the community cares enough still to not allow that to happen. If that is the case, you won’t be heard unless you are in their circle. Who knows, maybe they would do a hell of a job running the show! Maybe better than a board with individualized thoughts, opinions and concerns. Even if a board member happens to leave or resign for whatever reason they would still have control of the board. If Maldonado keeps her promise and wins Yaklin’s seat, will she soon be their puppet as well?

I have been told that I don’t know the full scope of what goes on at KISD or how deep the river is. Well, no shit Sherlock! Lol. I know enough to know that I do not like what I see and hear. Neither should you. The only people who know are in the know. Just know, you will keep getting agendas like this….

Consider Approval of Increase of Adult Meal Price

Instead of more specific agenda items like this from the city commission meetings….

Consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a new Lease Agreement between the City of Kingsville and Yamaha for L.E. Ramey Gold Carts and a Utility Cart, via BuyBoard as per staff recommendation.

…or you will keep hearing things from the grapevine. Cory states KISD needs to be more transparent but doesn't put anything on the agenda to allow for it. Preaching, but nothing is happening. Agenda hasn't changed. Policy not put on agenda for discussion. Does he even understand what it is a lot of the public wants? Even if He were to give it to them, there are people sitting on the board that make them uncomfortable participating in the process.

See the difference in the detail and transparency? KISD wants to keep everything on the low. They want to keep the community uniformed and ignorant. I still have out 3 open records requests. 1 of them is the communication during open session via technology such as computers and personal phones used by board members during certain board meetings. I asked for that about 5 months ago. KISD representation is apparently confused.

In other news. KISD Board of Trustees voted to hIre secuRity guards at two different campuses. They cannot wait for the MOU or the hIreS for officers through the Sheriff’s dept. This is wonderful. Plus it gives the opportunity to hire more people from our own community to work for KISD. A security guArd license is veRy easy to get and RequirEs very little to obtain position. Please Do share with everyone as everyone should have the opportunity. Parents Of current studeNts or frienDs of board members Or other relatives of people who are friends with board members can get the job too. Duh. Certain someone in the community has already been told they have the job for one position. Shame they cannot just let the process happen ethically and organically. They hand pick everyone, just like the grant writer.

My Level 3 grievance against Prado has not been scheduled. They will put that off just like they are putting off the superintendent search in hopes it will vanish into thin air. I want to share information about KISD Special Education Audit. There is a ton of information and I need time to break it down and share the important parts.

Now is the time to join Corando’s group…