During the Tuesday afternoon meeting of the Hamilton Southeastern School Board Budget & Finance Committee, school district Chief Financial Officer Katy Dowling voiced concerns that the Vice President of Bondry Consulting had done campaign work for a current member of the HSE School Board. The committee was considering a contract proposal from Bondry.
Oscar Gutierrez, President of Bondry Consulting, issued a statement Wednesday saying “the implications that Bondry was chosen as a finalist due to political contributions instead of professional expertise is factually incorrect.”
“In 2020 and prior to employment with Bondry, a non-equity employee via his own business performed a media-related paid service for a campaign of an HSE school board member,” said Guitierrez in the written statement. “This is a coincidence that he provided a paid service through his company prior to working with Bondry.”
Gutierrez was the first controller and CFO for the City of Fishers and Hamilton County is currently a client of Bondry.
Here is the full statement issued by Oscar Gutierrez:
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Bondry Consulting is an SEC and MSRB-registered entity that is bound by fiduciary duty to it’s clients and regulated regarding pollical contributions. Bondry follows all obligations set forth by federal securities law.
The implications that Bondry was chosen as a finalist due to political contributions instead of professional expertise is factually incorrect.
In 2020 and prior to employment with Bondry, a non-equity employee via his own business performed a media-related paid service for a campaign of an HSE school board member. This is a coincidence that he provided a paid service through his company prior to working with Bondry.
Bondry’s Qualifications:
The Contract was to be headed by Oscar Gutierrez, who has Served in similar roles as Controller and Deputy Mayor of the City of Lawrence, and Controller and CFO of the City of Fishers. During his time in Fishers, the City had one of the lowest tax rates of similar cities and the only AAA credit rating in the state of Indiana by standard and poor’s. His current clients include Hamilton County who has the 6th lowest tax rate in the state of Indiana for Indiana counties, the lowest tax rate of the largest 10 counties in Indiana, and the only AAA credit rating by standard and poor’s in the state.
Bondry is the state’s sole Minority and Veteran owned municipal advisory firm.
It’s obviously disappointing that the CFO would attempt to discredit our qualifications by implying that a staff member’s non-relevant work prior to joining our firm would be a reason for Bondry to be blocked from a professional municipal finance contract.