By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
The Salazar Insurance Group (SIG) was selected Tuesday by the San Benito CISD Board of Trustees as the new insurance agents handling the voluntary and major medical plans for the school district, replacing former agent Bob Trevino Insurance, who had served in such capacity for approximately 12 years.
A motion was made by Board Secretary June Aguilera and second by Board Member Fatima Huerta before passed with a vote by Board President Yliana G. Rodriguez and Board Member Julian Huerta. Board Vice-President Anna Cruz and fellow trustees Oscar Medrano and Hector Leal voted against the motion.
Aguilera cited problems with Treviño involving “more than 200 people not being signed up” for insurance and for allegedly not being aware that they were not being insured.
“That’s where the problem came up,” said Aguilera when questioned about the agenda item by Medrano. “They are not providing their services. My problem with them is if we’re paying them to do a job, then they need to do it in a timely manner. They were taking so long to sign up people, and yet they forgot 250 people, and they weren’t completed. If we’re paying for a service, then that service needs to be given to our employees.”
Medrano said he was unaware of the complaints alleged against Treviño and questioned Risk Manager Janie Gonzalez if she was aware of as much, to which she replied that she was indeed aware.
“We’ve had some ongoing issues with enrollment, and this year was by far the most challenging,” said Business Manager Emma McCall. “In the past, if there were some problems, Janie (Gonzalez) and Lucy (Garcia) dealt with it and got it taken care of. This year a lot of things fell through the cracks.”
“My biggest thing is that we’re paying somebody else to do a job for the district,” said Aguilera. “Ultimately, we’re paying Janie and Lucy to do their job, and on top of that they shouldn’t be doing something that we’re paying someone else to do. That’s my thing.”
Cruz presented an email from Treviño in which he claimed that as of March 15, all pending insurance issues had been resolved.
“We have attempted to follow up with Janie Gonzalez to get the list of the 200-plus employees without coverage,” Cruz read from Treviño’s correspondence, reading further, “To this date we have not received the list.”
Gonzalez argued that she presented an email proving that a response had been submitted.
“We did get that correspondence,” said Rodriguez. “My concern, similar to Ms. Aguilera’s, is that generally districts try to enroll their employees so that come October 1 they are fully insured if they have to go with any plan that they want. We’re in March. That letter is dated March 5. If our concerns had not surfaced, then the problem would be ongoing. Why does it take the board to surface these issues when that’s their job? They’re getting paid a pretty penny to provide the job that we’re requesting, and yet we’re not getting it.”
“I checked with Lucy today, and as of 4 o’clock, we still have ongoing issues with them,” said Gonzalez. “We receive a list every day.”
Gonzalez further alleged that 50 cases remain unresolved.
“I just don’t buy it,” said Medrano when Gonzalez said she received phone calls from employees on a daily basis.
“I saw the same list that Janie got today with about 40 or 50 names on there,” said Superintendent Antonio G. Limón.
Later in the discussion, Leal acknowledged that there were problems with Bob Treviño and tried to offer his own solution by requesting that the board approve First Financial, citing its endorsement by TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) and lack of ties with any current board members so as to avoid a negative image that may be perceived by the public should trustees have chosen SIG.
Leal was referring to the May 2012 letter signed by Rodriguez announcing a change in the district’s current insurance agent, dropping Treviño in favor of immediately instating Robert Champion Jr. of SIG. The board president rescinded the letter, which Ronald Rowell of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) said contained actions that needed “…to be voted on by the board” and that the “letter written by the board president doesn’t have the authority needed to give this responsibility to the person and insurance company named in the letter.”
Members of the community, including Medrano, have since expressed outrage over Rodriguez’ actions in signing the letter and have called for an investigation into the matter.
Still, First Financial did not submit qualifications for the major medical plan, and consultant Glenn Hillyer recommended for one agent to handle both the voluntary and major medical plans, which ended up being SIG, the group that received the highest ranking by a committee tasked by Limón to complete such rankings.
Also on the agenda was the summative evaluation of Limón’’ contract, but Rodriguez recommended they table the item until the next regular board meeting. The motion was made by Aguilera and second by Fatima Huerta.
Read this story in the March 20 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
35 comments
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Where is the logic behind the Huertas, June, and Yliana wanting to get rid of the Superintendent? They take away duties from him and he still gets paid the same. They offer him a buyout settlement (coffee shop conversation – didn’t accept), which means he would still get paid for not working. And what is up with the coffee shop conversation? Was it there, too, that it was heard they plan on suspending him, which means he would still get paid for not working. And how is this all beneficial to the school district, to the city, to taxpayers, oh and let’s not forget about the students? How is it that students and employees benefit from the 4-some wanting to get rid of the Super at this time of the year – testing time – when structure and focus and all hands on deck is of upmost importance.
I guess you must be satisfied with not having a choice of doctors and going to the only Doctor/s that the district will provide. (in the end you will end up paying more) As for self indulge at the cost of our financial expense – how so and what proof do you have to back such accusations? Who’s pockets are lined? Lets look at spending: how are the districts per Diem, ins. or attorney kicks backs used? Some of those certain board members that you seem to address don’t need a penny extra nor desire to benefit from lined pockets. I’m sure these board members you mention would much rather give their kickbacks (as people call it) back to needy families or the school district rather than giving people like you something to talk about. It must be easy to make up facts about people that you don’t even know. I guess you must also agree to have two attorneys and pay more then just have one. Frivolousness expenses at the cost of the school district and our students – the future leaders of San Benito….. Amazing!
Ridiculous are all you people that continue to bash decisions that are solely based on factual numbers/evaluations that clearly will benefit the employees of our district. Secondly, this attorney situation, because Anna, Oscar, nor Hector agreed with the change of services now it becomes a major issue. It’s sad and sickening that bloggers continue to show their true colors by fighting for companies that have made their way in lining their or their candidates pockets. Finally, as a district employee, I am tired of certain board members (Oscar, Anna, & Hector) that have self indulged at the cost of our financial expense. I applaud all the current changes that have recently manifested. I am done but I will reply when the truth comes out.
You applaud the current changes? This is the twilight zone! The damage that will be done between now and next year will take years to fix.
Leaving Hector and Oscar unopposed is a good idea.
They both are professionally minded individuals who have been taught how to treat others. Unlike some of their board member colleagues.
According to coffee shop conversations the following will be candidates a year from now….OJ Gonzalez, Eddie Gonzales, Joe G. Gonzalez, and maybe Manuel Gonzales, who will run against June and Julian? Who will run against Hector and Oscar? They need to decide early so ticket is not divided. Leave Hector and Oscar unopposed!
Why isn’t anyone suspicious of the relationship sig has with the consultant Glenn hillyer?
Citizen Maria….Im with you!! 🙂
I hope May Lou Saldana runs for office next election……..Any other suggestions people??? Mr. Maya from MJ Screening maybe.Coach Roy Garcia?
Man there’s Moe Howard, Larry Fine , and Curly Howard. Welcoem to wagons town
M. Garcia, am very interested in learning what you kmow. Might help with the puzzle I’m putting together. reforming.sanbenito@facebook.com or reformingsanbenito@gmail.com
Maybe we need to start picketing in front of the building. Have the media come out. These guys are ridiculous!
While they’re answering your question, maybe they can answer mine? Why did Yliana direct Janie to write the infamous insurance letter? Why did Yliana vote for the same insurance company named on that same letter? Why did she vote yesterday for the law firm that she is tied to through Tony Torres AND Ron McVey? Please answer. By the way, Ron McVey serves on the Mercedes board that just hired Flores & Torres, and he works for the company that is desperately trying to do business with SBCISD. Which they will probably get some type of deal since this board knows how to count to four. This is all sad and sickening. Word of advice to little ms president. Don’t be so fast to rise to the top. It may be lonely up there and once you’re there it’s gonna be tough to stay there. Your puzzle is coming together piece by piece, but remember… A puzzle will crumble.
This was expected! No surprise! When these four board members ran for school board, they already had a plan in place!! They did not run because they care about the children or employees of the district!! They ran, simply to do what needed to be done, to gain control of the district with a political agenda, a dirty one!!
The funny thing is that these board members don’t realize that they are being watched!! and all deals and negotiations that may be taking place under the table with other school district employees, such as directors and other administrators, will soon be out and made known to the public!!
Democracy –
government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.
Chuy and your puppets, this won’t last forever!!
A simple question,please explain.Lets see Janie was caught not telling the truth by Mr. Limon.
Mr. Limon in turn,terminated Janie.Mr.Limon then reinstated Janie.Sorry guys,guess I missed something.
Why,or what reason did Mr.Limon give for rehiring Janie,after he caught her in her evil ways?Looks to me like this was a set-up from the start,to achive an end result,somebody in the know,please explain in simple understandable English.
The only thing I can think of is the song Bobby Brown’s My Preogative? What’s done is done. We must move on and wait t for the next school board elections and maybe we’ll have a record turn out on both sides voters and citizens who want to step in and run for a school board postion and bring change. San Benito does not have to may professional individula it’s a small town. I wonder if school boards can be sourced out and run by professional agencies who have no interest in politics and can focus on the better of the ditricts employees , students and community.
Spoke to friend that attended meeting last night. Sure enough a firm with just a couple of weeks on job with Mercedes got selected. TonyTorres the lead attorney. I wonder who has been seen dating him? Funny part of meeting according to my friend was when Chuy was trying to body motion the board not to keep O’hanlon on hourly rate. He got so angry he got up and stormed off when board didn’t listen to his signals. Only reason board got rid of attorney was because they didn’t find anything to fire Mr. Limon on. This new attorney has been given the same text. Have it from good source that Mr. Limon refused their buyout offer. June was her usual charming self, full of herself! Praising herself. Friend told me the best part was when she was getting after attorneys and follow board members for using their phones and should have undivided attention. Her own phone starts ringing during her speech to the board!!! Lol
Let us just see how long the “friend attorney of the board member” takes to figure how to get Mr. Limon out of the superintendent seat.
For their slogan “it is all about the kids”… Yeah right.
How do you people sleep at night?
Does anyone know when they are going to legalize gambeling in the state of Texas and open up casinos on South Padre Island, Texas?
Anyone surprised??
Let me see… The Mercedes law firm by a 4-3 vote. New superintendent according to sources will come from Brownsville. He serves on TSC board. He Is a retired superintendent. His middle name is Champion… Ring a bell?
You sir have now won the prize.
The “happenings” are just around the corner.
As a school employee, Mr. Limon has my respects. He is a caring man. Those board members, and everyone knows who they are, could care less about us employees. All they care about is themselves. Did I hear that they and their family and “friends” are going to San Diego California? Watch the pictures show up….And they are going on our dime for sure.
This is exactly what happens when we have a low turnout of voters….
May 2014….we cannot wait!
As someone said, “they got what they (four) wanted. These four board members can at least count to four…. Meaning that is all the votes they need to do whatever they want. Mark Tomorrow -Friday on your calendar because THE FOUR will hire their FRIEND ATTORNEY. THE FOUR hired their FRIEND INSURANCE AGENT and their FRIEND NEW SUPERINTENDENT is right around the corner. .
Even after TEA told that board president she had no authority to hire that insurance agent last May, SHE DID IT ANYWAY. Where are the elected members we voted for and where are the voices of the citizens of San Benito?
We are proud of Mr. Leal, Mrs. Cruz, and Mr. Medrano for at least “having a voice” to ask the questions that needed to be asked. Continue to be strong you three. We are counting on you to remove this veil of friends helping friends.
May the dear Lord help us as employees because come August, we may not have a job.
Isn’t this the same Janie Gonzalez who was fired because she LIED about meeting with SIG????? Don’t you think she may be lying again? Just remember next school board elections: Rodriguez, the Huertas, and Aguilera must go. Remember the SIG…
Wow!! Well it was expected on the insurance and the audience in the school board meeting could tell how bad they wanted this Salazar Insurance group June Aguilar didn’t make sense she spoke about 30 minutes then would look at The President. They Both are a joke & the two puppets well they are followers, I’m sure with a little bit of Money they are bought (Huertas). Oh! An the I get phone call all Day Chuy “Aguilar” yeah!! Phone calls From the suck up “well known” to be Chismoleras” As per Jaine Gonzales well she’s a suck up follower & is back to her Evil plans everyone knows she’s a FAKE trying to be nice to employees know but really Lucy Garcia is doing all her work all she does is be on the Internet or calling her close two known followers but I thought one of them would be smarter that the other one but I Guess NOT!!! Sam Benito CISD expect Law Suits from this big companies, they where NOT there at the School Board Meeting to defend them self on this Made up Names that Jaine Gonzalez keep repeating that she got calls all day on complains first it was 200 then went down to 50( This List of Names Where Made up) Expect a Law Suit from this Other companies that where not aware about this meeting & where not there to defend the selfs. At the end the School Employees are the one that ate going to pay for there mistakes. Oh!! As per June Aguilera you have No Class, respect and no manners when other board members, the School Lawyer and Mr. Limon you rudely interrupt, but as everyone knows you have no manners and you done make sense of anything you say when you speak. As per the Huertas “Puppets” to both of them (June & Yiliana) Run the show you just go along with what they say money talk and the monkey Obeys.
Please don’t blame Miss June. Blame her Pappi! She’s just like him. Also, he either wasn’t around to raise her or he just did a horrible job. Manners 101 is desperately needed!
Well, they got their way…..
They sure did, but at least we have 3 honorable board members that voiced their concerns. I’m sure that will protect them of any individual law suits.
Senior Analyst, you bring up an excellent point. If there has been 200 or 250 individuals ~ which is it, by the way, Ms. Aguilera, 200 or 250? ~ uninsured all this time, why are we now just hearing about it? Why wasn’t this mentioned before last evening? And who within the SBCISD is responsible for seeing that these applications for healthcare are submitted to BTI in a timely manner?
By all means, if these accounts are accurate, and BTI is solely responsible, then this group is justified in making the switch. But, IF this Gang of Four and their stooges are making all this up or embellishing the truth just to make the change to their preferred company, then they are slandering Bob Trevino Insurance and causing that business damage. These are pretty serious allegations to make against an insurer. Would like to hear BTI’s version.
What I’d like to know is WHY DID YLIANA VOTE??? Wouldn’t this be some type of conflict??? And if not, ethically, isn’t it wrong? I feel sorry for her if this is a conflict. Hope someone sues her individually, since she is the one that started the whole insurance mess. Remember, it’s on record where Janie Gonzalez admits that she wrote the letter at yliana’s directive. Talk about micromanaging.
To De la Sera,
Hope there is an investigation going on that we don’t know about. Because, back in May 12, 2012, there were no memtion of concerns that Ms. Aguilera, Ms. Gonzalez, or Ms. Rodriguez now bring up. There were no concerns back then but yet Yliana Rodriguez and Janie Gonzalez drafted a letter to switch to Salazar Insurance Group. And Janie Gonzalez was seen at Denny’s restuarant with that insurance agent back in May 12 prior to the directive from the board president. The same company they voted for last night!!! Hmmmm!
Conspiring to commit something not in the best interest of the district. We”ll see. They have a thousand eyes on them, around every corner.
I am sure some of the complaints are valid, as they are with ANY insurance company. You are right DelaSerra, the same conspirators are behind this scheme. I believe these board members accepted money before and after the campaigns, therefore they were compelled to relentlessly find dirt on present insurance carrier. How else can this scheme be explained, they knew how this would be construed by the public, but they still proceeded to manuver Salazaar into place.
Does anyone really think that in future school board meetings disgraced Janie Gonzalez will be presenting any faults or employee complaints with the Salazar group? She will work endlessly to cover up or personally take care of any employee complaints.
A blogger recently asked how these board members can sleep at night. Trust me, they sleep like a baby, they have no conscience.
Sin Fin
If these complaints are valid then ok, change is needed. But the same conspirators are the ones who rank the companies and allege the faults. Just sounds fishy,. Are the complaints valid or are they created?
One solution would be to have Insurnce co’s represenatives on site twice a month to keep up with any Insrance benifis issues that are or may occur during the year. Insuance co would have enrollment forms ,disabilty forms, and help district employees with any real important questions. If the board is blameing the Insurnce co’s for missed oppurtunities to serve thier district’s employees then the Insurncwe Co’s need to step up to give the district employees the service they desire. It’s like the old saying if you want to do it right you’ll probalby have to do it yourself.