The reason I left Navarro College's Waxahachie campus:

Honesty at stake in Navarro uproar

By JOEY DAUBEN
WAXAHACHIE -- A situation with Navarro College's Student Government Association was nothing compared to other controversial events involving other government officials, but a principle can be learned regardless.

That principle is honesty.

The situation involved a measley teacher appreciation award.

The gist: Students submitted essays and applications for Navarro's Teacher Appreciation Award -- to be handed out later this month.

The voting came down to two exceptional teachers: Paul Phillips (my govt teacher) & Pamela Grant (nicest teacher at the school).

The problem lies in a measure enacted by the Student Government Association (SGA) hiearchy -- i.e., the elected officers.

Reportedly to have followed the advice of advisor Nicole Mansell, the SGA made a ruling that barred officers from submitting a ballot, or essay, before the winning teacher was announced.

Make sense, doesn't it? You don't want the guys who judge the competition to also vote -- makes for a good conflict-of-interest if done that way. Well, here's the beef: our president-elect, later to have admitted he lied about taking advice from our advisor to submit the essay, submitted the essay our SGA officers voted on -- the one that won.

He admitted that everything was made up that was told to SGA members at a retreat in Corpus Christi.

The president-elect, knowing what he did was wrong (and later admitting this, because the guy is seriously good-hearted), did not show up for school the day of the vote. He later apologized in a closed-door meeting Monday.

We all make mistakes, and for full disclosure purposes, I make them all the time. I am not immune to anything (but this isn't about me, now is it?) My conscience is continually clear because I laid everything out on the table beforehand in everything (politics, spirituality, etc.) I do. (some can't believe this conscience thing exists in that form)

So, after this was brought out into the open --- wait, no, before our SGA meeting Monday, hell broke loose because of two things:
-- 1) People who weren't the 3 to 5 SGA officials found out
-- 2) I wrote about it on my Xanga blog Monday morning -- before our mtg

So, after this was brought out into the open -- well, actually during our closed-door after-SGA meeting -- screams, yells, shouts and cries were heard from others outside the classroom the meeting takes place in.

The advisor, Mansell, calls all the allegations regarding her instructing the president-elect to actually submit the essay "bullshit." She said she volunteers for SGA events, she's not getting paid. She said she came across the winning essay hesitant, feeling a bit concerned that it "could have been Jack's" handwriting, but wasn't sure.

A discussion took place, the president-elect said, that they wanted Grant to win -- who wouldn't, she's the nicest teacher at that school by far. Our other advisor said she even asked if an officer had submitted one -- and there was silence.

Since the essays were submitted anonymously, nothing could be proved. Unless the advisor was caught lying about telling the president-elect to submit the essay. Benefit of the doubt: other SGA members believe her.

I'm the lone holdout because the president-elect had two very different stories: one on the weekend and the other in the meeting. Two completely different stories and angles were given. (Jack, I don't believe one second that you lied about it all -- sorry, but I don't)

Our president-elect turned a new leaf when the heat began to boil. So, naturally, the questions then asked were: what's my interest in this? Where do I come into play? "What's in it for me?" What do I get out of this? What do I have against our advisor?

First off, let's put it straight: I will not apologize.

Ever.

An exception to this would be if I am ever found to be at fault, have made a mistake, or have "jumped the gun" on something. But from now on, no apology will be given for seeking the Truth and pursuing all avenues to obtain it. The fact that "in politics, things are covered up all the time" does not sway me.

I will seek the truth.

In everything.

All the time.

Everywhere.

And I will expose it.

In everything.

All the time.

Everywhere.

I was told by officers, members and advisors that I was making a big issue out of nothing. I was told by officers, members and advisors I should "get used" to having things covered up.

IN THE MEETING!

I shouldn't "bite the hand that feeds" me, I was told. I shouldn't be dividing and smashing apart our SGA. We should have unity. We should do all the positive stuff and not touch on the controversial.

THAT ISN'T THE RIGHT THING TO DO!

Read my Xanga header: Truth is so obscure in these times in which we live, and falsehood is so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.

I am sick and tired of the status quo. I am sick and digusted that 3 to 5 people of our school's SGA would get mad because someone exposed and questioned their attempted cover-up, regardless if it was some stupid teacher appreciation award or not. In any other situation, institution, or event, the leadership would have resigned. If you know of a lie, and you do or say nothing of a lie, then you become part of the lie.

My truth-seeking philosophy doesn't stop just because I attend school. As long as I attend school there, or am involved with the SGA, or heck, as long as Navarro College remains in Ellis County, my principles will apply to every aspect: publicly exerted funds are used to pay for the building, the furniture, the equipment, the electric bills, the salaries of the employees and the tuition of students.

And by God, as a taxpayer advocate, and a CHRISTIAN first and foremost, I will stand by the Truth and continue to seek it. I don't care if it's student council or the Boy Scouts, I am sick and tired of hearing that just because it's politics and that it's a normal, everyday thing, that I should go along with it, not question it, and just be content with it.

It is wrong.

It is not right, it is wrong.

There is a right.

And there is a wrong.

I will seek the Truth. In everything. Everywhere.

And I won't apologize for any of it.

And if it happens ever again, you better believe it will get spread even more than it is now.

No lot for Navarro

By PATRICK M. WALKER Daily Light News Editor
Tuesday, June 7, 2005 2:47 PM CDT

In an about-face of sorts, the Waxahachie City Council voted Monday night to deny Navarro College's request for help in providing additional parking for the Ellis County Campus on John Arden Drive.

Navarro College District President Dr. Richard Sanchez and Ellis County Provost Dr. Harold Nolte had asked the council to spend up to $250,000 to provide 200 more parking spaces on five acres the college recently acquired for sorely needed expansion.

When the request was first discussed during the April 18 meeting, council members seemed to support the idea. An official vote was not taken at that time, however, because City Attorney Steve Chapman needed to research the legality of the arrangement and also draw up a lease agreement for consideration.

Although the parking lot would have been built next to the college, in theory it would have been open to all public parking needs in the area, including as possible overflow parking for the Waxahachie Civic Center a few blocks away.

But that wasn't enough to make a majority of the council feel comfortable with thearrangement.

The Texas Constitution prohibits municipalities from making gifts to "any individual, association or corporation whatsoever." On Monday, the four councilmen voting against the request - Ron Wilkinson, Chuck Beatty, Ron Ansell and Mayor Jay Barksdale - did so after expressing doubt about whether the $250,000 expenditure would pass legal muster.

Chapman referred to a 2000 Texas attorney general's opinion that cities are allowed to spend money for municipal purposes that only indirectly benefit other parties.

"The City Council must determine and make a decision as to whether this transaction only incidentally benefits Navarro College, and is to benefit the general public by providing parking for the general public to use, or if it is for the benefit of Navarro College," Chapman wrote in a letter to the council.

Ansell this morning reiterated what he said during last night's meeting, that he had trouble justifying the expenditure as one that would primarily benefit city taxpayers.

"If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it probably is a duck," he said. "Gifts are illegal. I wish there would have been a way to do it. I know they have a need out there. I know they have safety concerns out there. I'm all for spending the money, but I don't think this was the mechanism to do it."

Beatty, a member of the University of North Texas System Board of Regents, pointed out that although UNT's Dallas Campus serves Ellis County, it raises money privately, such as through an annual golf tournament scheduled for June 17.

Wilkinson expressed by far the strongest sentiment against the idea. His lawyerly cross-examination of Sanchez provided tense moments.

Wilkinson said that although he supports higher education - and has made a financial contribution to Navarro in the past - the fact remains that Ellis County voters rejected an annexation attempt by the college district several years ago and do not pay a college district tax.

"The treasury of the city of Waxahachie is not the place to come to satisfy that gap," Wilkinson said, adding that to provide the funding would open the door for countless other similar requests in the future.

He echoed the views of Fred Weldon, a resident who has written several strong letters to the editor against the idea of supporting Navarro and who spoke to the council during Monday's meeting.

"If the council approves this, you will be making a direct subsidy to the taxpayers of Navarro County," Weldon said. "There is a problem with higher education in Ellis County, but it's not (the City Council's) place to fix it."

Navarro officials were disappointed but said their mission would continue.

"While I respect the opinion of the council, I am disappointed with the outcome of the vote," Nolte said this morning. "Navarro College recognizes the need for higher education in Waxahachie and Ellis County and will continue to work to meet that need."

http://navarrocollegeobserver.4t.com

Navarro-Red Oak Update

Mayor's father has control over area Navarro looking at

JOEY DAUBEN
The Ellis County Press

RED OAK - Mayor Todd Little's father, developer Ben Little, has virtual control over any development in the area Navarro College wants to put a campus, a city official said.

After being contacted for this story two weeks ago, neither Todd or Ben Little has returned requests seeking comment.

However, Todd Fuller, Red Oak's economic development director, said Ben Little, a prominent developer whose main business - Allied Insurance - is located in DeSoto, has a First Right of Refusal agreement, which is a contract that states Little has an option to purchase any property that a competing party makes an offer on.

That contract expires in April of next year, Fuller said.

"Mr. [Ben] Little does have a right of first refusal option for property at the corner of Ovilla [Road] and Austin [Boulevard]," Fuller said, noting that area is south of where the city's fire-police station is located.

Under such an agreement that some city officials and council members said was not illegal, but "borderline unethical," Ben Little would have 45 days to execute a contract for sale if another party made an offer to purchase the property, which is located directly south of the central station.\

Opponents of Navarro's plans said the mayor could have a direct economic interest with the college because of his father's contractual agreement with the city.

Mayor Little, in comments made during last month's city council meeting, said he was in favor of Navarro coming to his town.

"Also, the contract requires that he [Ben Little] begin construction within 90 days of purchasing the property," Fuller said. "Mr. Little is also underway with construction for Phase One of the project at the corner of Ovilla Road and Methodist Street. The property Navarro has discussed, is South of the Fire/Police Station on Methodist Street."

Red Oak Depot, according to county tax records, is owned by Ben Little and registered with his DeSoto insurance business address on Hampton Road.

The area is set to include numerous retail and office space, as well as a two-story Jefferson Bank.

Navarro College officials presented the Red Oak City Council several weeks ago with plans to bring a campus there, which would be paid for by the city issuing revenue bonds and a maintenance tax, a plan that Councilman Casey Hargrove blasted as an attempt to bypass voters wishes.

In 1999, Ellis County citizens voted down a proposal to adopt a Navarro College property tax, a decision President Richard Sanchez said was a "big mistake."

Had the vote passed, Sanchez said, Ellis County citizens would have seen construction of a $31 million campus.

Navarro, with its main campus in Corsicana, has a school in Waxahachie and Mexia, with the Midlothian school opening next year.

Ellis County was included in Navarro's service area by the state Legislature several years ago, but a successful property tax election would have ensured Navarro's annexation of the area, which would have allowed Ellis County citizens to run for positions on the school's board of trustees.

Then, in 2002, rumors circulated that Navarro had plans in place to push another annexation attempt, but public outcry forced college officials to go to cities individually.

Recently, Navarro officials, as well as members of the Waxahachie City Council, came under scrutiny for their deal that would have taxpayers in the county's biggest city contributing $250,000 for a parking lot in exchange for the school investing $2.4 million in campus expansion.

The parking situation at the Waxahachie campus, which has an estimated enrollment of about 2,600, is severe, college officials told the Waxahachie City Council.

With one council member describing the plan as a "backroom deal," the city would designate the area a public parking lot, but a majority of the time, Navarro students would use it.

Additionally, it was revealed two weeks ago that a Navarro College-Ellis County employee who lives in Red Oak called to invite members of the City of Red Oak in March to a dinner meeting at the city's newly-opened municipal center to discuss expansion plans.

Because a quorum of council members did not attend, the meeting did not have to be posted, according to Susan Johnson, Navarro's public relations director.