Emails, Christopher Currens, director of special projects, State Preservation Board, Nov. 13-19, 2015

5:13 p.m.

Nov. 13, 2015

Mowing and lawn care at the Capitol is provided through a contract with an outside vendor.  That vendor is contractually required to use E-verify to confirm their employees are authorized to work in the United States.  The State Preservation Board has four fulltime grounds keepers.  Our agency employees must pass a thorough background check before they are hired and legal work status eligibility, through both E-verify and I-9, is part of that review.

-Chris

From: Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin)

Sent: Monday, November 16, 2015 9:53 AM

To: Christopher Currens

Subject: RE: Fresh inquiry

Can you elaborate? Who is the vendor? How many employees are involved? What information is public about all of this including the verification of legal work status?

g.

9:49 a.m.

Nov. 17, 2015

The grounds keeping company is CleanScapes. The number of employees they use to service the Capitol varies with the seasons. Currently there are seven or eight.  The SPB communicates with the company to confirm the employees work status. The information is part of CleanScapes HR records, which are maintained at their office.

-Chris

From: Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin)

Sent: Monday, November 16, 2015 7:24 PM

To: Christopher Currens

Subject: Re: Fresh inquiry

So what records does the agency have bearing on this claim? May I visit to view?

wgs

5:26 p.m.

The SPB has language in its contract with CleanScapes which requires them to participate in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility and address immigration concerns before one of their employees works at the Capitol.  Additionally, the contract requires the contractor represent and warrant that it shall comply with all existing immigration requirements. The agency has verified that CleanScapes uses E-Verify.  Employment records for CleanScapes' employees reside at their offices.

The contract is available for inspection.

-Chris

On Nov 18, 2015, at 11:00 AM, Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin) wrote:

Chris:

Thanks for the visit.

Past the documentation we discussed, I also remain interested in when and why the SPB started requiring E-Verify. Did a law come to be after 2010? If there was an order or such from Gov. Perry, I'd be interested in that too.

4:14 p.m.

Nov. 18, 2015

The E verify clause was first included in the grounds maintenance contract in April, 2009.  It’s been included in all grounds RFPs and contracts since then.  That contract file no longer exists since it is beyond our retention schedule, so we do not have any notes regarding the specific reasons why the decision was made to include it.  Governor Perry’s executive order on E verify was issued in December, 2014.

Since the inception of our grounds duties the contracts have included the standard immigration law language - The Contractor certifies that all Contractor employees are and will be in compliance with all requirements of the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-603).

In FY15 the SPB spent $91,021.44 with CleanScapes for Capitol Groundskeeping.

-Chris

11:40 a.m.

Nov. 19, 2015

As I mentioned I was out of the office for the afternoon. Here is the latest documentation (see attachment).

The SPB is confident that the grounds keeping workers have proper legal status.

Thanks.

-Chris