The Broward County (Fla.) School Board has voted to hire the leader of an embattled Houston school district bond program to oversee its own troubled $800 million bond program.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Leo Bobadilla, chief operating officer at the Houston Independent School District, will receive a salary of $185,707 as Broward's chief facilities officer. He will oversee the construction and design of new facilities, as well as maintaining, repairing and renovating existing facilities.
Board members were divided over the hire. Several voiced concerns about the financial issues facing Houston's bond program, which has a projected budget shortfall of $211 million. An auditor attributed some of the problems to poor management of the program, but Bobadilla has said he believes the audit is flawed.
Broward County School Superintendent Robert Runcie told board members the issues in Houston stemmed from an unprecedented construction boom that drove up costs by 35 percent, echoing comments made by Houston's superintendent. He said he was pleased to bring Bobadilla on board to steer the bond program.
ALSO: Houston school district administrators have projected a $211 million shortfall in its $1.9 billion bond program, which includes money to rebuild or renovate 40 campuses. (The Houston Chronicle)
