Texas Youth Commission Leadership Gives Conflicting Answers, Fails To Satisfy House Committee

Richard Nedelkoff, the newly appointed conservator of the still-troubled Texas Youth Commission got raked over the coals on Wednesday (and deservedly so, it seems) over his business ties to consultants he has brought in to assess the situation at the agency, and over whether or not Dimitria Pope would remain on as Executive Director of the agency.

First, the Pope situation. Pope told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal Justice she was told she wouldn’t get the ED’s post permanently, but Nedelkoff seemed non-committal in that regard:

“I applied but I was told I was not a candidate for the position. I can’t sit here and lie to you,” Dimitria Pope told lawmakers with a House subcommittee on criminal justice.

“I don’t know if I’ll be here next month or next week. I don’t know if I’ll be here tomorrow,” she said.

Her failure to snag the permanent executive director position did not surprise insiders.

Pope, who has worked more than two decades inside the adult prison system, has clashed bitterly with so-called “reformers” since being appointed acting executive director last spring.

She was criticized for stepping up the use of pepper spray against unruly youths; allegedly ignoring reports that more youths were being kept in isolation as punishment for poor behavior; and for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on office furniture and remodeling that was apparently meant for hiring correctional staff.

Nedelkoff said he was still deciding whom to appoint to the permanent post and wasn’t yet sure if Pope would remain at TYC in another capacity.

Pope’s candor appeared to stun Nedelkoff, who had repeatedly deflected questions about whether he would pass over Pope in favor of someone else.

“Is Ms. Pope going to be the executive director of TYC?” demanded the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee, Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, as Pope sat almost directly in front of him.

“No decision has been made,” Nedelkoff replied.

Then, Nedelkoff got a dose of questions over his ties to consultants evaluating the TYC:

Lawmakers questioned whether his personal business relationships with national experts he’s brought in to assess the agency presented a conflict of interest. Nedelkoff continues to earn a paycheck from a Florida-based juvenile justice firm, Eckerd Youth Alternatives, while working full time as a conservator in Texas.

Nedelkoff was adamant that he was not using his public office for personal gain.

“I took the job as conservator because I believed I could truly help TYC. … I have no hidden motives, no agenda and, like a lot of people who entered the fray, everything to lose.”

He said the people he’s invited to Texas are for the most part working free of charge.

And, it appears Speaker Pro-Tem Sylvester Turner (D-Houston) rightfully wouldn’t let Nedelkoff off the hook in spite of Nedelkoff’s evident dawdling, him-hawing performance when it came to giving direct answers to direct questions:

While that answer appeared to appease lawmakers, Nedelkoff was often slow to give lawmakers precise information, saying for instance that he was still assessing the practice and frequency of isolating youth.

At one point, Rep. Turner grew impatient. “How long will it take for all of you to (learn the facts) before all the kids’ needs are met,” he demanded.

It’s a good question. Surely, having been there since December, Nedelkoff could surely be more up to speed than he seems to be based on media coverage of the hearing.

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