Fired Zachry Employee Commits Suicide

[Mr. Peabody]

If she didn't want him fired, why did she contact his employer? And, what did she think would happen when a councilwoman contacts a business that relies on city contracts and complains about a "racist" employee?

[Peter]

Since this story is about jumping to conclusions, how about this:

Councilwoman gets said email from Zachary employee. Councilwoman assumes that the guy is a white guy and that he's referring to poor hispanics. Councilwoman's cons uency is primary...poor hispanics. What better way to score some political points than to stick it to a white dude living in a nice part of town who was complaining about...poor hispanics? Who originally leaked this email? Zachary? I don't see that. The assumption in this thread has been that the councilwoman was acting in good faith, however misguided. If she was, how'd any of this become public knowledge?

[Oh, Gee!!]

If she didn't want him fired, why did she contact his employer? And, what did she think would happen when a councilwoman contacts a business that relies on city contracts and complains about a "racist" employee?

to make 'em take an amount lesser than the bid they submitted to build the new hotel. it's called greasing the wheels, or is it kickbacks?

[SA210]

There was no need for her to do that.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Since this story is about jumping to conclusions, how about this:

Councilwoman gets said email from Zachary employee. Councilwoman assumes that the guy is a white guy and that he's referring to poor hispanics. Councilwoman's cons uency is primary...poor hispanics. What better way to score some political points than to stick it to a white dude living in a nice part of town who was complaining about...poor hispanics? Who originally leaked this email? Zachary? I don't see that. The assumption in this thread has been that the councilwoman was acting in good faith, however misguided. If she was, how'd any of this become public knowledge?

My guess is FOIA.

The San Antonio Lightning has always been a great outlet for local investigations. They always seem to get another side of a story and usually posts any related do ents fairly quickly. If it's not FOIA (Open Records Act, but who's counting?), then they've got somebody on the inside who helps them out when it comes to city do ents.

And just for others to know, e-mails to/from a city employee's computer are more times than not, public record (usually those with regards to security and such aren't).

[Mr. Peabody]

to make 'em take an amount lesser than the bid they submitted to build the new hotel. it's called greasing the wheels, or is it kickbacks?

No, the "kickback" is the old Kid 'n Play dance move where you kick your leg back and the force turns your whole body.

[Peter]

My guess is FOIA.

The San Antonio Lightning has always been a great outlet for local investigations. They always seem to get another side of a story and usually posts any related do ents fairly quickly. If it's not FOIA (Open Records Act, but who's counting?), then they've got somebody on the inside who helps them out when it comes to city do ents.

And just for others to know, e-mails to/from a city employee's computer are more times than not, public record (usually those with regards to security and such aren't).

That would make sense, but how'd the media become aware of the story? Are they submitting FOIA requests daily?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Interesting note...the councilwoman and erson might have known each other.

According to a citizen's e-mail to Guajardo, erson graduated in 1972 from Jefferson. According to Guajardo's bio, she graduated from Jefferson (no date given, but she earned her bachelor's degree in 1974).

[Peter]

Interesting note...the councilwoman and erson might have known each other.

According to a citizen's e-mail to Guajardo, erson graduated in 1972 from Jefferson. According to Guajardo's bio, she graduated from Jefferson (no date given, but she earned her bachelor's degree in 1974).

Was that email sent before or after erson sent his two? Following along this line, were there prior communications from erson to the councilwoman?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

That would make sense, but how'd the media become aware of the story? Are they submitting FOIA requests daily?

That's the question. Since I'm not in SA, who broke the story? Was in the E-N?

And again, my guess is it's not "directly" a FOIA, it's probably a gentleman's agreement in which the outlet files a FOIA for information the gov't body knows is public record and doesn't keep them waiting for it like a normal citizen might encounter.

I have a similar arrangement with some departments of the university since I need records quite often and they've known us to be fair to them since we report on them quite often.

On the other hand, a certain campus law enforcement agency loves to around when it comes to me or my staff requesting the slightest bit of information from them.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Was that email sent before or after erson sent his two? Following along this line, were there prior communications from erson to the councilwoman?

No, that e-mail posted on the Lightning wasn't there last night. It doesn't say exactly when it was sent, but it makes reference to erson's suicide.

[FromWayDowntown]

Since this story is about jumping to conclusions, how about this:

Councilwoman gets said email from Zachary employee. Councilwoman assumes that the guy is a white guy and that he's referring to poor hispanics. Councilwoman's cons uency is primary...poor hispanics.

Well, she was his councilwoman and District 7 is far from the skid row of San Antonio. I don't even know that District 7's cons uency is primarily poor hispanics. It would appear to be mostly middle-to-upper-middle class and ethnically mixed. (I grew up in District 7 and my mother lives in District 7, for whatever that's worth; I have some first-hand knowledge of what is and isn't in that area of town). I know and appreciate where you're going here, but I think the assumption s somewhat far-fetched.

The assumption in this thread has been that the councilwoman was acting in good faith, however misguided. If she was, how'd any of this become public knowledge?

I guess that depends on how you define good faith. In terms of her relationship with her cons uency, good faith, to me, would have been contacting the individual to express concern for his means of communicating the message, both in terms of the language used (taking her belief that the e-mail was offensive at face value) and the means used (believing that she had knowledge that this was a violation of Zachry policy). Nevertheless, assuming we're talking about the motivations behind her decision to approach Zachry, I think you're right in saying that she did that in good faith. I just happen to believe that her good faith doesn't trump the fact that her effort appears to have been a terribly misguided one.

[Peter]

Hmmm...the timeline seems to be that she contacted his superior(s) at Zachary and then the email and story became public.

[Peter]

Well, she was his councilwoman and District 7 is far from the skid row of San Antonio. I don't even know that District 7's cons uency is primarily poor hispanics. It would appear to be mostly middle-to-upper-middle class and ethnically mixed. (I grew up in District 7 and my mother lives in District 7, for whatever that's worth; I have some first-hand knowledge of what is and isn't in that area of town). I know and appreciate where you're going here, but I think the assumption s somewhat far-fetched.

Maybe she's eyeing a larger prize.

I guess that depends on how you define good faith. In terms of her relationship with her cons uency, good faith, to me, would have been contacting the individual to express concern for his means of communicating the message, both in terms of the language used (taking her belief that the e-mail was offensive at face value) and the means used (believing that she had knowledge that this was a violation of Zachry policy). Nevertheless, assuming we're talking about the motivations behind her decision to approach Zachry, I think you're right in saying that she did that in good faith. I just happen to believe that her good faith doesn't trump the fact that her effort appears to have been a terribly misguided one.

Right. If she felt it was that terribly offensive then she went to Zachary. But how did all of this become public knowledge?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Hmmm...the timeline seems to be that she contacted his superior(s) at Zachary and then the email and story became public.

WOAI's timeline says...

Monday night...two e-mails sent to Guajardo from erson, the second e-mail eight minutes after the first.

Wednesday...after learning of the e-mails, Zachry fires erson.

Thursday morning (midnight)...story posted on MySA.com (and that morning's newspaper, I'd assume)

Thursday morning... erson found dead of self-inflicted gunshot wound.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Maybe she's eyeing a larger prize.




Right. If she felt it was that terribly offensive then she went to Zachary. But how did all of this become public knowledge?

Guajardo is directly quoted in that E-N story, erson declined comment. Both on Wednesday.

I don't think Guajardo called the press. What did she have to gain by it? Even if the worst could be thought (saying she did it to score points with her minority cons uency), it would certainly alienate those who felt the same way about GCS and those who feel now that her actions of reporting instead of counciling her cons uent were wrong.

I doubt Zachry would. Why make public (especially since it was the second time in a year) that an employee was fired for personal use of company property?

erson (or someone around him) would have the most to gain from a groundswell of public support for those who felt the same way he did about GCS, but if he declined comment, he probably didn't contact them to do that. Adding to that, he theoretically might have had a slander suit against Guajardo.

My best guess, an inside source of the reporter's at either Zachry or the city.

[JoeChalupa]

To be clear, I'm not placing blame for his suicide on the councilwoman. My concern is that this guy went to his councilperson with a complaint -- one that the councilperson is best suited to deal with. Rather than deal with the substance of his complaint -- however poorly worded it might have been -- and talking to this guy directly, she ignored the complaint and interjected herself into the affairs of a private business.

Are you comfortable with the notion, Joe, that council members should just ignore complaints raised by cons uents because of the means used to convey that complaint? Doesn't she have some sort of obligation to at least address the issue raised by the message no matter how that message was presented to her?

I never stated that she should ignore complaints by her cons uents at all.
And I have no knowledge if she has addressed the issue or not but I would think so and if not then the people should vote her out.
A vote carries more weight than an email but that is just me.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I never stated that she should ignore complaints by her cons uents at all.
And I have no knowledge if she has addressed the issue or not but I would think so and if not then the people should vote her out.
A vote carries more weight than an email but that is just me.

Sounds like a FOIA for any do ents of Guajardo to/from the TABC are in order.

And I might have missed this, but how did Zachry specifically find out? Did she call them or e-mail them?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

FWD, am I correct in thinking he might have had a slander civil suit on Guajardo?

[JoeChalupa]

Is there a "deep throat" in SA?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Is there a "deep throat" in SA?

Apparently, George erson believed there were many at GCS.

[Oh, Gee!!]

FWD, am I correct in thinking he might have had a slander civil suit on Guajardo?

he's dead.

[Peter]

It'll be interesting to see how the councilwoman handles damage control now. If all she did was react to what she felt was an offensive email by directly contacting the man's employer and nothing more, then at least she didn't take it public. But we're still left wondering how that email (and story) made it to public light.

[SpursWoman]

Is there a "deep throat" in SA?

.....nah.....too easy.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

he's dead.

Hence the phrasing "might have had."