Police chief among FBISD's new hires
December 22, 2009 9:05 am Zen T.C. Zheng wrote:

Fort Bend school district has unveiled a slate of new hires to fill several key positions at the district and campus levels.

New police chief

Coming on board in January will be new Police Chief David Rider, a police captain with the Austin Independent School District.

He fills the vacancy of J.L. Campbell, who, after 15 years with the district, decided to quit his job in his unsuccessful bid to seek the police chief’s position at the city of La Marque in Galveston County.

...

Pressure had been mounting on Campbell after news reports alleged that he used district resources to run for sheriff of Galveston County, a job he didn’t get.

Those reports also called into question Campbell’s management of the police department after some officers reportedly complained about their lack of equipment and training. Campbell has denied the allegations, according to the reports.

Following those reports, FBISDWatch, a Web-based district watchdog [group], e-mailed Superintendent Tim Jenney and the school board in January pushing for an investigation of Campbell based on the allegations that include his absence from his district job during much of 2008 while he was seeking the sheriff’s post.

District spokeswoman Mary Ann Simpson declined to comment on the allegations.

Campbell said he would "begin a new journey on my career path" and pursue a "future business plan" with his wife.

Eric Gage, city manager of the city of La Marque, said he interviewed Campbell for the police chief job but didn’t deem him as the best candidate.

Source: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2009/12/police-chief-among-fbisds-new-hires

Inquiry Launched Into Possible Open Records Violations By FBISD

December 15th, 2009  |  by Jamie Mock, Fortbendnow

Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey has asked the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office to launch an “inquiry” into possible violations of the Texas Public Information Act and the Texas Open Meetings Act by the Fort Bend Independent School District.

The request was made after Healey met with a group of Fort Bend County residents, led by New Territory resident Nancy Hentschel who says the school district has “stalled” in providing information about the proposed Global Science and Technology Center.

An opponent of the district’s proposed $26.4 million science center, Hentschel said the information she is seeking could have been essential to the public before the FBISD Board of Trustees gave its approval for the project to proceed in a limited fashion...

Full story at: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/12/15/42769