TEXAS YOUTH COMMISSION

Acting youth agency director: I'm not up for permanent job

Dimitria Pope said she applied for job but is not a candidate, defends spending.

The acting executive director of the troubled Texas Youth Commission, Dimitria Pope, revealed during a Capitol hearing Wednesday that she is not a candidate for the permanent position.

Her comments came near the end of a three-hour hearing in which the commission's new conservator, Richard Nedelkoff, repeatedly refused to answer questions from state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, about Pope's future role.

Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN (enlarge photo) Dimitria Pope reveals her status during hearing.

Turner, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, said that "the utmost degree of transparency" between Nedelkoff and lawmakers is crucial.

In December, Nedelkoff became the commission's third conservator since last year, when news broke of allegations that Youth Commission staffers had sexually abused inmates and that agency officials had covered up the incidents. The agency continues to struggle with management issues, morale problems and understaffing.

Nedelkoff told Turner that the selection of a new executive director is a private personnel matter and that he hopes to make an announcement soon. But in her closing statement, Pope was candid about her status.

"My personal integrity won't allow me to sit here and have you continue to question about my status within TYC," said Pope, who came to the commission in March from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and has served as executive director since June. "The truth is that I am not a candidate for the executive director. I have applied for the position, but I was told that I was not being considered." Nedelkoff did not confirm that, saying he and Pope are in talks.

Earlier, Pope faced questions from lawmakers about news reports that commission officials spent hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for staff hiring on renovations, including carpeting for executive offices.

Pope defended her decision to spend money left over toward the end of the budget year, Aug. 31, on what she said were needed renovations that in most cases directly affected youths. The renovations included upgrading kitchens and putting carpeting in dorms, she said. She said she replaced 19-year-old carpeting in executive offices because she has severe allergies.

"People say that it's an excuse," she said. "If I'm guilty of anything, I'm guilty of putting the kids first."

Turner also had questions about a report from commission ombudsman Will Harrell that showed the agency is increasing its use of solitary confinement for inmates. Pope said she reviewed the practice and found that agency policy was followed and that isolated youths received required psychological and educational services.

"We need to go one step further," Turner said, "and find out whether or not the policy is appropriate."