CDC to discuss request from Northside Center
By BRENDA SOMMER news1@leader-news.com

City Development Corp. of El Campo directors face a light agenda when they hold their monthly meeting Monday afternoon.

During their August meeting, the board put on hold a request to temporarily have its staff take on the duties of former head of the Northside Education Center.

Northside board President Gordon Sorrell brought the CDC board a proposal to have CDC Executive Director Chandra Spenrath take calls and handle business after Northside executive director Irene Barr stepped down Sept. 1.

The distance-learning center, opened on the refurbished grounds of the original El Campo High School at 707 Fahrenthold, is home to several adult education programs.

For the past three years, the CDC has provided an annual allotment of $30,000 to the education center for workforce development.

In a letter from the Northside board presented last month, the center's directors asked for "the assistance of CDC Executive Director Chandra Spenrath as an interim Director at the Northside Education Center."

CDC board members had a number of concerns about such an arrangement, including the possibility of conflict of interest and the legality of such a move.

The board tabled the topic until a committee of board members Randy Collins and Bobby Perez and Spenrath could look into the issues raised. That committee will present an update during Monday's meeting.

On Monday's agenda for closed executive session is discussion of pending litigation.

The agency is currently involved in at least two legal matters: a lawsuit against Texas Biodiesel Corp. to recover $215,000 in overdue loans, and an age discrimination complaint filed by former CDC executive director Earl Joy.

If any action results from the executive session, they will occur in open session afterwards.

The CDC is a city-created entity funded by a quarter cent of the city's sales tax dollars to promote economic development.

The board meeting begins at 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17 in the CDC board room, 204 N. Washington. CDC board meetings are open to the public.