Foundation gets hammered, may crumble

There is some suspicion that the NHMCCD Foundation has in the past engaged in quite a bit of questionable activity. Paying for things like travel and meals for the current chancellor and other things of questionable nature instead of spending the money on scholarships as it is supposed to. In fact, it would appear that the chancellor and the board have used the foundation as a private slush fund to pay for a number of things that the board would be unable to spend college district money on. Fred Blanton filed a TXPIA request for the financial records of the Foundation. The foundation balked and argued to the Texas AG's office that since they are a private organization they are not subject to TXPIA requests. Fred argued that since the Foundation gets significant money and in kind support from both the NHMCCD district as well as Aldine ISD, and not as a straight arms-length vendor with a clearly defined responsibility and obligation like any other vendor, therefore that exemption was null and void. The AG's office agreed.

Now the ball is in the Foundation's court.