Gonzales ISD answers questions raised about residency, nepotism

Gonzales Independent School District officials have sent their response to questions submitted to the board at its Jan. 9 meeting by Dr. Kenneth Gottwald, local veterinarian who in recent months has become a persistent critic of the district's trustees and administration.

GISD Superintendent Dr. Steven Ebell said responses to Gottwald's questions were sent to him on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

One of the topics brought up by Gottwald concerned the residency of trustees. He pointed out that board policy states a board member vacates the office if ceasing to reside in the school district or in the single-member district from which the trustee was elected.

Ebell said the issue apparently concerns Debbie Tieken, board president and trustee representing District 7. He said that earlier this year the Tiekens sold their house and moved into a mobile home outside District 7 but still in the Gonzales ISD. However, the Tiekens still own 100 acres in District 7 and are building a home on the property. The concrete slab for the house has been poured, and the Tiekens plan to move into the house after construction is completed.

Board policy states that a trustee can move outside a district for "temporary purposes," and Ebell said the Tiekens' occupancy of a mobile home outside District 7 clearly is only temporary. He added that the school district's attorney had reviewed the situation and agreed there was no violation of board policy.

Gottwald also raised the issue of nepotism, the employment of personnel related to a trustee or trustees.

"Does the superintendent have final hiring authority or sole authority with final authority retained by the board and on what date this change became effective?" Gottwald asked. "To what degree do we have employees related to current board members and on what date they signed their contracts of employment?"

Ebell indicated that Gottwald's questions apparently concern the hiring as a teacher for the district the sister-in-law of a board member. However, Ebell said the board was not involved in the hiring process.

He explained that the board has given him authority to hire personnel during peak hiring times, May through August, without board action on the employees' contracts. Ebell said this was done because qualified applicants were being lost to other districts because contracts could be offered to the applicants quicker than they could be approved by the GISD board.

He said the school district's attorney reviewed the situation and indicated there was no violation of policy or state law concerning nepotism.