This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.
Lawsuits Involving Two Mayoral Candidates Resurface
El Paso mayoral candidates Renard Johnson and Brian Kennedy years ago were at the center of separate discrimination lawsuits involving former employees – suits that resurfaced as the race heats up between the two candidates.
In 2004, a former county employee filed a discrimination lawsuit against the county, alleging Kennedy, who then oversaw County Coliseum operations, retaliated against her by eliminating her position during a reduction in force and was not rehired due to her gender.
The lawsuit alleged that the woman, who was then the assistant director of facilities and entertainment, was retaliated against for filing an Equal Employment Opportunity claim and being a witness to a sexual harassment complaint filed by another woman employee against two male employees, court documents show.
The lawsuit was settled in 2007, according to court records. The terms of the settlement were not immediately available. Kennedy told El Paso Matters that the layoff was a result of downsizing, adding that the county attorney told him the lawsuit had been dismissed on appeal.
In 2015, an employee of Management and Engineering Technologies International, or METI Inc., owned by Johnson, filed a discrimination lawsuit against the company, the El Paso Times first reported. The employee, a Hispanic of Mexican descent, alleged he was fired because of his national origin and retaliated against for filing an Equal Employment Opportunity claim.
The METI employee was assigned to work as a contractor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. He claimed he was placed on probation in 2012 by the Forest Service for alleged “poor performance,” alleging he was unfairly treated based on his race, court documents show. He claimed that El Paso METI management did not investigate or take any action. He was subsequently fired by METI in an email from Johnson, the lawsuit states.
The court ruled in favor of the employee and ordered METI to pay thousands in damages, back pay and attorney fees. The case was ultimately dismissed.
Johnson said his company was only sued once in 30 years in business, and that lawsuit was not against him specifically. He said the employee quoted in the El Paso Times said he was discriminated against by a project manager within the federal government.
EPCC to Enhance Social Media Certificate Program
Because of the growing demand from local employers, the El Paso Community College Board of Trustees approved a revision to a new credit certificate in social media during its monthly meeting Oct. 29 in its Administrative Services Center boardroom.
Trustees voted 5-0 to spend more than $85,600 to enhance the credit level of the certificate to be in compliance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the college’s accreditation agency, SACSCOC. Trustees Brian Haggerty and Nina Piña were not at the meeting.
The college’s Advertising Graphics and Design program will use the money to develop three courses, fund a new faculty member, purchase 12 Apple iMac computers and necessary network lines.
“Social media is a huge, burgeoning industry and we’re getting a number of requests for companies that need social media experts whether it’s podcasting, a web presence on Instagram, Facebook or X,” said Steve Smith, EPCC vice president of instruction and workforce education.
County Voices Concerns About UTEP’s Campus Master Plan
The El Paso County Commissioners Court voted 5-0 Monday to send a letter to University of Texas at El Paso President Heather Wilson to request a meeting to share concerns about UTEP’s 2024 Campus Master Plan that includes the future demolition of several historically significant buildings.
The letter also will be sent to members of the University of Texas System Board of Regents and the El Paso legislative delegation.
The vote came after a presentation by PJ Vierra, a historian and member of UTEP’s Heritage Commission. The El Paso County Historical Commission requested the presentation. Vierra said he was concerned that the new master plan was created and shared in August with the UT System Board of Regents without input from UTEP’s Heritage Commission and no public discussion to his knowledge.
“That was a little disconcerting,” said Vierra, who was part of a commission tasked to review the historical significance of each campus building during UTEP’s centennial celebration about a decade ago.
Vierra said the campus structures built from 1917 to 1951 were “distinctive, durable, timeless and unique.” He said the interiors could be renovated while the exteriors are preserved.
In September, UTEP students narrowly passed a referendum to demolish and rebuild Union Building West. It would be funded in part by student fees. The next step in the process is to get the project approved by the Texas Legislature, which will reconvene in January.
If the plan moves forward, Union West, which was built in the late 1940s, would be the first of the campus buildings designed by prominent Southwestern architects Henry Trost and Percy McGhee to be demolished.
County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said he would have preferred that university officials share its campus master plan concept with the county and other stakeholders in the early stages before it went before the Board of Regents.
“Going ahead of us like that makes it really difficult, because then there’s the impression that no one was taken into consideration … which might be the case,” Samaniego said.
In a prepared statement, UTEP said Vierra misrepresented its master plan, which “was created with the input of hundreds of UTEP stakeholders” along with engineering and architectural firms.
“The Master Plan is a framework,” according to the statement. “Decisions on each building are made on a case-by-case basis as funds become available.”
The post Discrimination lawsuits involving mayoral candidates resurface, and other El Paso news appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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