Kudos to Kathy

Occasionally, when we look at what's wrong in the DISD, we're tempted to overlook what's right. One thing, one person rather, that's right is DISD purchasing agent Kathy Kanicka.

The District's high cell-phone bills have been of interest to Dallas.Org as well as every news organization in the city at one time or another. Last year, WFAA's Chris Heinbaugh reported on a couple of Trustees who logged several thousands of dollars in bills.

So when the District's cell phone contract went up for bid last fall, we began to watch the process.

As soon as the request for bids or "RFB's" went out, we began noticing key phrases in the document like "411Connect" and "InNetwork Calling"--both of which are trademarks of a single wireless vendor.

So we thought the process was rigged from the start, and apparently, so did the vendor.

We were wrong.

Kathy Kanicka kept them honest.

According to records received under the Texas Public Information Act, each time a vendor would write Kathy with a question, she would share the answer with all the vendors.  She kept the process honest, open and fair.

And when no vendor was able to meet the conditions of the bid?

She threw the whole thing out.

In the end, the DISD decided to avoid another Kinko's fiasco and open its doors to all cell phone vendors thereby saving the taxpayers, and employees, money.

Kudos, Kathy, and thanks.