I was shocked to read that Corpus Christi Independent School District school board member Marty Bell had stepped down from his position as vice president of the school board and committee assignments following admitting to voting on contracts to a business owned by a family member.
There was not much information included in the headlines, so I decided I would go straight to the source and call Marty myself.
Full disclosure: Marty and I have butted heads on bond elections in the past, but I have always found him to be a dedicated educator that simply wants the best for the students of the district. Though he was a staunch proponent for the new Carroll High School, he has agreed with me that the procurement model is flawed. He and others just haven’t ever had a majority to meaningfully improve the process.
Now … I can only imagine what went through his head on Tuesday when he looked down at his phone and saw “Incoming Call: Michael Miller,” but nonetheless he answered my call.
I said, “What the hell did you do, Marty?!?!”
He said (and I’m paraphrasing), “Man, I screwed up. I should have read the consent agendas closer. I am so embarrassed.”
You see, in city council, school board, county meetings, etc., there are individual consideration items, and consent agenda items. At CCISD, individual consideration items are very specific, accompanied by staff presentations, and read into the record and voted on individually.
Consent agenda items, on the other hand, are approved as a slate, as they are generally inconsequential administrative matters that don’t typically justify eating up a bunch of time with staff presentations. The contracts in question are not multimillion-dollar contracts, just capped amounts not to exceed a predetermined dollar figure in the event the district needs to get something done. 9.9 times out of 10, consent agendas are voted through unanimously, as was the case with all of the questioned contract extensions.
The contracts in question were extensions of long-standing general flooring service contracts to multiple vendors, which gives the district the authority to do small projects here and there with various companies for minor repairs. The agenda items did not specifically call out the recommended vendors; however, the backup documentation in the board packet did.
Among the various vendors was Allison Flooring America, which is owned by Terry and Sandi Allison. Sandi is the sister of Marty’s wife, which constitutes affinity in the second degree as defined in the Government Code Chapter 573.
Because of this, Marty Bell should have disclosed a conflict and recused himself, 100%. That is not in question.
What is in question is the call by some for his head.
After reviewing the complaint brought against him, he fully accepted fault but cited that he did not knowingly violate the code of ethics.
(Editor’s note: Bell told the Caller-Times on April 13 after announcing his conflict of interest that he is now aware that he voted on items involving Allison Flooring five times between 2017 and 2024. Bell said that he previously hadn’t realized that he hadn’t followed policy.)
After speaking with him and reviewing the agenda items and the board packets, I have to say that I believe him.
Do board/council members read every word of their agenda packets? No. Are they supposed to? Yes, so shame on him for missing this conflict … but do I think there was any funny business going on here? I honestly do not.
Michael Miller is a lifelong Corpus Christi resident and a former chair of the Corpus Christi Planning Commission.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: School board member’s improper voting was honest mistake | Opinion
Reporting by Michael Miller, Opinion contributor / Corpus Christi Caller Times
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