Del Mar regent Guy Watts faces new investigation, third censure
Beatriz Alvarado
Del Mar College regents are seeking a third censure against District 4 regent Guy Watts, as well as a fourth investigation into his behavior.
Regents on Tuesday authorized the college's legal counsel to draft a resolution of censure against Watts, which is the highest form of disapproval the board can express. The resolution will go to a vote at next month's board meeting. If approved, it will be the third censure against Watts, who's been on the board non-consecutively since 1988. The board also voted to authorize a fourth investigation into more recent behavior. The discussion on what prompted the fourth investigation took place in closed session.
With District 2 regent Susan Hutchinson absent and District 5 regent Ed Bennett abstaining, the board voted 6-0 in favor of the college's general counsel, Augustin Rivera, to draft the resolution of censure. The board voted 7-0 to initiate the fourth investigation, Rivera said.
While the board has the authority to censure a regent, the board can't lawfully remove one of their own. Watts' term expires in 2020.
Watts said Wednesday in an email to the Caller-Times he "simply stay(s) out of the negatives and keep(s) moving forward with the positives."
"I do admit it is tough being an 'academic advocate' on the existing board that needs a change in the majority vote," Watts said.
Rivera said Watts was at Tuesday's meeting but left before the agenda item — during which Rivera gave a report on the investigation — was reached.
Since February of last year, Del Mar College has spent $16,673.50 on investigating Watts' actions to hold him accountable for a slew of violations. Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP, an Austin-based firm, was first hired in February to conduct an investigation into Watts' practices. The agency conducted two investigations. Both prompted the board to approve two resolutions of censure against Watts, citing violations of the board's bylaws.
An outside agency was not contracted to conduct the latest investigations. Rivera was tasked with leading them, he said.
The board voted March 24 to initiate a third investigation into Watts' interaction and communication with several Del Mar kinesiology department staff, according to the report presented to the board Tuesday. Between Feb. 16 and March 6, it was reported to Del Mar president Mark Escamilla that — without notifying the administration — Watts was seen on the east campus distributing fliers.
The two-sided fliers detail Watts' academic vision for the college's new Southside campus as well as a "community health/physically-fit campaign."
Watts' vision for the college's new campus entails a definition for "academic students," who he thinks should exclusively attend the new school: those from Padre Island, Flour Bluff, Del Mar districts 4 and 5, and Northwest Calallen, as well as Veterans Memorial, Flour Bluff, King and Ray high schools. The flier also states "academic leadership is needed to develop the Southside campus academically by shifting west campus GED/developmental program to east campus, not Southside."
The other side of the flier identifies two co-chairs of a "Southside leadership council," Watts and Corpus Christi Athletic Club employee Josie Kudlick. Kudlick could not be reached for comment Wednesday. In the flier, Watts also recommends a workout and diet regimen, which Del Mar staff found to be "extreme and possibly not safe," according to the investigation report.
College employees also reported to Escamilla that Watts, while on campus, requested some competitive swimming equipment be installed in the east campus' pool. Equipment and gym manager Roy Moya told Escamilla Watts appears on campus occasionally and proposes his ideas to staff, according to the report.
"While he acknowledged the board's prior censures, Watts stated that his objective is to speak for the 'academic students on the Southside' and he intends to continue to do so, and does not consider what he's doing as improper," the report states.
The report states Watts violated at least six board bylaws between February and March.
Rivera's recommendation to censure Watts in response to his actions also details a state law for removal of a public officer.
"As you have been previously advised, the options the board has regarding a regent who has violated bylaws are limited," the recommendation reads. "There is no direct authority allowing the board to remove a regent from office. However ... state law through the Texas Local Government Code Section 87 provides for the removal of certain public officers on grounds including 'gross ignorance of official duties' or 'gross carelessness in the discharge of those duties.'"
Beatriz Alvarado (@CallerBetty) | Twitter