2008 Woodie Awards
Voting suit ends; AC to pay $30K to prosecuting attorneys
Rachel Nelson
Issue date: 11/2/06 Section: Front Page
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An offer to pay $30,000 in legal fees was the final step in a lawsuit brought against the Amarillo College district in January. The suit accused the college of having a corrupt voting system that made it unfair to minority voters.
The same type of suit was filed against the city of Amarillo at the same time, but the city has not settled.
Since then, AC has switched to a cumulative voting system. Board President Lilia Escajeda said the change in the way board of regents members are elected was irrespective of the lawsuit.
"The cumulative voting issue was settled in June when the board took action to go ahead and address how the regents for Amarillo College were elected," Escajeda said.
"I don't believe there was anything wrong with the form of electing, but because there are a lot of changes in our demographics in the community and because we don't want to seem unfair to anyone in our community that the college serves, the cumulative form of voting was one way to address the issue of how regents were elected."
Escajeda said the board has a responsibility to taxpayers and students to wisely use the resources they have.
"We as the board took action in what we believe were the best interests of the college," she said.
Frank Nelson disagreed with the settlement. He was the only board member who voted against it.
"I felt like we could settle for less than that," Nelson said. "They thought we needed to get on with our lives, and it was just a difference of opinion."
The total operating budget for AC at the end of the 2006 fiscal year in August was about $43 million.
"$30,000 out of that is nearly nothing," Escajeda said, "considering that we don't know what would have been determined by the courts, either. Things need to be kept in perspective."
Although Nelson opposed the settlement, he can agree to disagree with the other board members.
"I'm glad it's behind us also," he said.
The same type of suit was filed against the city of Amarillo at the same time, but the city has not settled.
Since then, AC has switched to a cumulative voting system. Board President Lilia Escajeda said the change in the way board of regents members are elected was irrespective of the lawsuit.
"The cumulative voting issue was settled in June when the board took action to go ahead and address how the regents for Amarillo College were elected," Escajeda said.
"I don't believe there was anything wrong with the form of electing, but because there are a lot of changes in our demographics in the community and because we don't want to seem unfair to anyone in our community that the college serves, the cumulative form of voting was one way to address the issue of how regents were elected."
Escajeda said the board has a responsibility to taxpayers and students to wisely use the resources they have.
"We as the board took action in what we believe were the best interests of the college," she said.
Frank Nelson disagreed with the settlement. He was the only board member who voted against it.
"I felt like we could settle for less than that," Nelson said. "They thought we needed to get on with our lives, and it was just a difference of opinion."
The total operating budget for AC at the end of the 2006 fiscal year in August was about $43 million.
"$30,000 out of that is nearly nothing," Escajeda said, "considering that we don't know what would have been determined by the courts, either. Things need to be kept in perspective."
Although Nelson opposed the settlement, he can agree to disagree with the other board members.
"I'm glad it's behind us also," he said.
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