A potential conflict of interest may be at play as Mansfield ISD trustees prepare to vote on who will represent the school district’s interests as a taxing entity in the Tarrant Appraisal District.
Out-going Tax Assessor-Collector Wendy Burgess, who has been the subject of controversy during her tenure as a non-voting board member of the Tarrant Appraisal District (TAD), is under consideration for re-appointment to the TAD Board of Directors. If appointed, she would then become a voting member of the board.
According to the December 13 agenda documents, Mansfield ISD trustees will vote on whether to appoint Burgess on Friday morning.
However, questions have arisen over a possible conflict of interest, as her current Chief of Staff, Jerry Cantu, is married to Mansfield ISD Superintendent Kimberley Cantu, according to the Mansfield ISD website biography page. Jerry has been Burgess’ Chief of Staff since July 2023, per his LinkedIn page.
Notably, a document on an action item for the upcoming ISD vote states, “The Superintendent does not have a recommendation since this is a Board item.”
According to the Mansfield ISD agenda, the five candidates with the most votes out of the fourteen listed nominees will be appointed to the TAD board. In addition to Burgess, the other thirteen nominees are Mike Alfred, Alan Blaylock, Fred Campos, Mattie Peterson Compton, Eric Crile, Dr. Daryl Davis, Phyllis Grissom, Lee Henderson, Scott Lindgren, Gary Losada, Gloria Pena, Vince Puente, and Sayeda Syed.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, numerous Tarrant County residents have publicly stated their opposition to Burgess’ potential re-appointment to the TAD board.
“Absolutely not. The ISDs continue to lose voters’ trust by making appointments that the voters have already rejected. Drain the ISD swamp!” Fort Worth ISD resident Jennifer Crossland previously told The Dallas Express.
“She’s an apologist for Mr. Law; yes, she was. Shake your heads side to side, but she was. She even said at a board meeting one time, ‘Thank you for following the law’ when it turns out there was potential oppression under his tenure,” TAD activist Joe Bennett told board members at a November Mansfield ISD board meeting. “When she got on that board being elected tax assessor-collector, she had his oversight, somebody that failed this school district.”
The Dallas Express reached out to Superintendent Kimberley Cantu and Board President Keziah Farrar but did not receive a response.