Questions Remain Over Tornillo ISD Superintendent’s Resignation, Compensation

Some school board members in the Tornillo Independent School District are questioning the resignation of their superintendent, Paul Vranish.

Vranish is being investigated by the Texas Education Agency and the Department of Public Safety for allegedly mishandling district funds for personal gain. Vranish has denied the accusations and resigned during a Jan. 31 school board meeting after the board declined to extend his contract.

However, board members Javier Escalante and Hector Lopez said they are not sure Vranish’s resignation is valid.

“To my understanding I think it’s supposed to be a mutual agreement (by the board and superintendent) for it to be valid,” said Lopez.

Lopez is upset over the way Vranish apparently resigned.

“That was unethical, unprofessional what they did because they never consulted with the other board members,” said Lopez.

In a video of the Jan. 31 school board meeting where his resignation was on the agenda, Vranish is seen pulling out a letter and passing it only to the school board president and secretary for approval. None of the other board members were shown the letter during the meeting and the resignation was never voted on.

According to the resignation letter, Vranish’s last day would be June 28, 2013.

Vranish’s attorney confirmed his client’s resignation is pending approval from the board, but also acknowledged Vranish has already been paid an amount of money based on resignation terms that are a part of Vranish’s contract. Vranish’s attorney said he did not know how much money his client had already been paid by the district.

A Feb. 4 email allegedly written and sent by board president Rachel Avila said due to Vranish’s resignation, “he collected $276,000, which cost the district $414,000 due to a state aid penalty.”

ABC-7 tried contacting Avila several times since Thursday to inquire why Vranish was paid so much money, when he was paid, and why he was compensated when his resignation has not even been approved by the entire school board.

“When I saw (Avila’s email), I was shocked,” said Lopez.

Avila replied late Tuesday via email. She said she has been and still is out of town and asked that questions be directed to Vranish himself.

On Tuesday, ABC-7 asked Vranish for the exact amount of money he had already been paid based on the resignation. Vranish said he could not provide an exact amount on the spot and said he would respond to an official open records request if filed.

ABC-7 also tried contacting the Austin-based law firm that deals with Tornillo ISD’s legal business. Calls were not returned seeking comment about the validity of Vranish’s resignation letter.

The next school board meeting is set for March. 29, according to Lopez.

The preliminary results of the TEA audit found found Vranish and his wife, Marla Vranish, may have used their positions with the school district to benefit financially, including using district funds to pay for his travel, cell phones and even repairs to his snowmobile.

Paul Vranish has until March 27 to respond to the preliminary report.

“I’m dealing with taxpayers’ money and I certainly should be checked on,” Paul Vranish told ABC-7 in September. He said he must always turn in receipts from district purchases before he gets reimbursed by the district and said records are posted online.

The TEA report states Vranish and his wife were reimbursed $117,394 in fiscal year 2011 by the district for purchases they claim were district-related.

The TEA is requiring Tornillo to hire a forensic auditor to perform an audit on reimbursements to the superintendent and his wife for fiscal years 2006 through 2011.

The school board must also ensure that Paul Vranish reimburses the district for all questionable costs. Another order from the TEA is that the district should stop Paul Vranish from using his personal credit card for district business.

“Because the superintendent is charged with protecting the district’s assets and using them for the benefit of the district’s students, but instead used them in a reckless manner, he may be in violation of the Texas Penal Code,” the report states.

Paul Vranish’s contract states he is paid $116,750 annually. His new contract started in July. He has been Tornillo’s superintendent since 2002.

Paul Vranish’s Bio Superintendent of Tornillo ISD since June 2, 2002 Five additional years of Superintendent experience in Buffalo and Lone Oak, Texas Three years? experience serving as High School Principal and one year as Assistant Superintendent/HS Principal for Mathis, Texas Served five years as an Assistant Principal at the High School in Alvin, Texas Taught Marketing Education for six years in Huffman, Texas; one year at the West Central Vocational Cooperative in Madison, Minnesota; and two years in Apple Valley Minnesota Texas Association of School Boards Superintendent of the Year for Region 19; 2007 and 2009 Texas Education Agency / Communities in Schools Superintendent of the Year; 2007