Is this the guy Penny complained to about the emails

Juvenile shakeup is coming

Board seeks resignation; official intends to remain

By barbara ramirez Caller Times
October 20, 2006


A meeting scheduled for Nov. 1 could mean a restructuring of top management at the Nueces County Juvenile Probation Department, which has remained unchanged for at least a decade.

The Nueces County Juvenile Board this week asked Chief Probation Officer Steven Schwerin, who has led the facility for 10 years, to resign his position in light of an independent consultant's unfavorable evaluation of his office and leadership.


Schwerin said Thursday he has no intention of resigning.

"The staff and supervisors of our department are passionate about what we do," Schwerin said. "The report is far from objective; it doesn't reflect the accomplishments of our department."

The report, released Oct. 9, said the members of management at the juvenile department did not have a good working relationship under Schwerin. It went on to say Schwerin had not had a management team meeting since March, he was indecisive and inconsistent, and his office suffered from low morale.

Specifically mentioning Schwerin and assistant Joe Alley, the report said administrators don't work well together and suggested replacing Alley and another assistant and terminating or buying out Schwerin's contract.

"It seems that at no time during his tenure was there a close-knit, effectively interacting administrative team," Michael Lindsey of Nestor Consultants said in the report.

Alley, who wrote a retirement letter to the Juvenile Board, partially because of the report, said the report accurately depicts the department's atmosphere during the past 10 years. Alley planned to retire at the end of December, but said the report prompted him to retire early. His last day is Dec. 1.

"The last 10 years at the Juvenile Department have been difficult and disappointing, however I'm excited to see the board is taking steps to improve the department," Alley, who has been with the department 34 years, wrote in the letter to the board.

At the Nov. 1 meeting, the Juvenile Board will hear from Schwerin on his plans, then decide what action to take, according to 214th District Judge Jose Longoria.

Contact Barbara Ramirez at 886-3792