|
|
|
TxDOT culture, management, organization scrutinized in report
More than 600 pages report on agency from top down, making recommendations
 A top-down management and organizational review of the Texas Department of Transportation has resulted in a more than 600-page report following a nearly year-long study of the agency. The report notes that TxDOT is "challenged" to obtain funding needed to maintain the existing state infrastructure, build more infrastructure and demonstrate what will be necessary for future transportation needs. The report states that as a result, the agency has faced "increasing scrutiny...and criticism." TxDOT has instituted a number of initiatives as a result of the scrutiny, from planning and implementing new performance measures agency-wide to increasing efforts to communicate with external stakeholders. One of the major hurdles TxDOT faces, according to the study, is the availability of funding to meet the state's transportation needs. From the report: "Some stakeholders said that 'TxDOT isn't broken, it's just broke.' Others said that TxDOT isn't sufficiently high-functioning to know if it has the resources required to do the job needed. Still others expressed that whether or not TxDOT has enough funding, until the Department is more transparent and has improved its operations, it would be difficult to justify an increase in funding."
|
'Trip' Doggett chosen by board as president, CEO of ERCOT
Former CIO Mike Cleary will replace Doggett in chief operating officer position
 H. B. "Trip" Doggett (pictured) has been named president and chief executive officer of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Doggett, who has been serving as interim CEO since November of last year, previously served as chief operating officer. In addition to Doggett's appointment, the ERCOT board also named Mike Cleary chief operating officer. Cleary has previously served as senior vice president and chief technology officer.
Doggett brings nearly three decades of experience in the electric power industry to his new post. He has served seven years as an independent consultant in the ERCOT market and as COO since June 2008 directed system operations, system planning, market operations and compliance. He is a registered professional engineer and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
"We have been extremely pleased with Trip's leadership as interim CEO and believe he will continue to be an effective leader for ERCOT," said Interim Board Chair Michehl Gent.
Cleary has more than 28 years of industry experience in global electricity and traded-commodity markets, electricity deregulation and exchanges. He joined ERCOT as chief technology officer in 2009. |
Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars
 Judge Vernon H. Cook, president, Texas Association of Counties and Roberts County Judge
Career highlights and education: Vocational agriculture instructor, County Extension Agent, Roberts County Judge since 1991, past president of the West Texas County Judge and Commissioners Association and President of the Texas Association of Counties, 2010 and 2011. B.S. and M.Ed. from Texas A&M University.
What I like best about my job is: Having the opportunity to work with a great group of folks here in Roberts County and being associated with fellow elected officials statewide.
The best advice I've received for my current job is: My predecessor here in Roberts County told me before I went into office to always avoid making snap or impulsive decisions. He suggested that we all should back away from an issue and attempt to get a comprehensive view prior to making a judgment.
Advice you would give a new hire in your office: Be patient and caring in all of your public contacts.
If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found: Attempting to be creative in my woodworking shop.
People would be surprised to know that I: enjoy photography and dabbling in watercolor and pencil sketching.
One thing I wish more people knew about my agency: The Texas Association of Counties has expertise and programs available that are invaluable to all county elected and appointed officials.
|
|
|
TABC suspends licenses of those owing child support payments
 The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has implemented a measure to suspend driver's licenses and permits held by sole proprietors who are more than three months late on their child support payments. The suspensions, which are contingent on a court order, arrive as part of an agreement with the Office of the Attorney General.
TABC is required by law to immediately implement the terms of the order.
TABC spokesman Dexter Jones (pictured) said the agency strives to "put responsible people into business and promote good business practices through integrated partnerships," adding child support payments rank "among the most basic and important responsibilities of a non-custodial parent."
|
ERCOT preparing to launch nodal market system in December
After 15 weeks of market trials, the nodal market system is ready to be launched, according to Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) executives. The system is set to go live on Dec. 1.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas first charged ERCOT to develop nodal wholesale market design - aimed at improving market and operating efficiencies through pricing and energy-services scheduling - in 2003.
A nodal surcharge of $0.375 per megawatt-hour will be assessed to generation owners until costs are recovered, which is projected to happen by the end of 2012.
|
ASPA honors Temple as public administrator of the year
 Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Executive Director Larry Temple (pictured) has been recognized by the CenTex Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) as public administrator of the year.
Temple, a graduate of St. Edwards' University, supervises TWC's daily operations and implementation of policies. He currently serves as president of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), a national organization of TWC directors.
|
|
Supreme Court committee to address foster kids' education issues
The Supreme Court of Texas has formed a committee to address education issues for foster children. The 13-member committee - formed under the Court's Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families (PJCCYF) - will look to increase foster students' retainment rates and improve standardized test scores, among other issues.
Justice Harriet O'Neill, chair of the PJCCYF, said too many foster children "slip through the educational cracks," adding judges are able to "ask the right questions, convene the necessary stakeholders and recommend practices that will help these kids succeed in school and beyond." The committee is set to deliver a final recommendations report no later than March 31, 2012.
|
|
HUD reapportions federal hurricane recovery funds
State officials have shifted $208 million in federal funds to the Houston-Galveston area to assist with recovery from Hurricanes Ike and Dolly after the federal government rejected Texas' long-term recovery plan.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan said the package offers Texas residents a "more thoughtful, fair and data-driven plan that recognizes where the greatest needs are." HUD recently approved the settlement after two organizations filed a fair-housing complaint alleging the original plan was discriminatory. The funds will arrive as part of a $1.7 Community Development Block Grant package, designed to cover needs not met by insurance or other federal grants.
|
TAMU-HSC College of Medicine hosts dean candidates
  The Texas A&M Health Science Center (HSC) College of Medicine is hosting seminars for four prospective deans of the school. The candidates will meet with administrators, faculty, staff and students during the visits.
  Candidates include: Dr. Thomas (Sam) Shomaker (top left), Chancellor's Health Fellow in Healthcare Reform/Reimbursement at The University of Texas System; Dr. Donald DiPette (top right), vice president for medical affairs and Health Sciences Distinguished Professor at the University of South Carolina; Dr. William Rayburn (bottom right), professor and chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine; and Dr. Michael Bungo (bottom left), professor of medicine in cardiology and diagnostic and interventional imaging at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
College officials hope to conduct final interviews in July and name a new dean by late fall. |
State ups co-pays for retirees', workers' health insurance
The Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) board has approved higher health care co-payments for participants, citing higher medical costs and underfunding from the Texas Legislature. The state faces a possible $18 million shortfall next year.
ERS provides health insurance for approximately 500,000 state retirees, workers and dependents. Some of the changes, which take effect in September, include:
- No new deductibles;
- PCP office copays increase to $25; Specialist doctor office copays increase to $40;
- Annual coinsurance amounts (out-of-pocket expense) will increase to $2,000 from $1,000 for in-network, to $7,000 from $3,000 for out-of-network, and to $3,000 from $1,000 for out-of-area;
- Inpatient facility copays will increase to $150 per day (five day maximum) from $100 per day;
- No increase in outpatient facility copays;
- Emergency room copays will increase to $150 from $100;
- New urgent care facility copay will be half the cost of the current emergency room copay. A $50 copay will be added for use of urgent care clinics; and Prescription drug copays set at $15 for Tier I - which are primarily generic drugs, to $35 for Tier II - which are mainly preferred name brand drugs, and to $60 for Tier III - which are name brand drugs that often have cheaper alternatives.
|
|
TWU chooses Ray as new associate vice president
 Gary T. Ray (pictured) is the new associate vice president of enrollment services at Texas Woman's University (TWU). He comes to TWU from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, where he was vice president for administration. Ray worked nearly 20 years in senior management at Lee.
While at Lee, Ray helped lead the university to 19 consecutive years of enrollment growth, developed programs targeting graduate student enrollment and created a preview day for high school students and would-be transfer students.
Ray holds a bachelor's degree from Lee University and his master's degree from the University of Tennessee. His first day on his new job at TWU was May 12. |
Carslon heading TAMU-HSC Institute of Biosciences, Technology
 Dr. David S. Carlson (pictured) has been named interim director of the Texas A&M University Health Science Center-Institute of Biosciences and Technology in Houston. He will provide oversight for the Institute in his new role.
Carlson currently works as vice president for research and graduate studies at TAMU-HSC. He is the former chair of biomedical sciences and associate dean for research and advanced education at the HSC-Baylor College of Dentistry, where he was also named the first Robert E. Gaylord Endowed Chair.
Carlson's research looks at the ways in which genes that create the heart are first activated and how they function once they are activated.
|
TSU announces interim associate provost, associate VP
 Dr. Adebayo O. Oyekan (pictured) has been appointed interim associate provost and associate vice president for research at the Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Texas Southern University.
Oyekan currently serves as a pharmacology professor and as director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease at TSU. He also serves as an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and as an adjunct associate pharmacology professor at the New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY.
Oyekan received his medical training at the University of Ibadan Nigeria and holds a doctoral degree from Kings College, University of London England.
|
Design approved for $46 million Texas State housing complex
 Regents for the Texas State University System recently approved the design for the $46 million North Campus Housing Complex (pictured in artist's rendering at right) at Texas State University.
The proposed housing complex will be a 612-bed residence facility located near the student center. It will replace older residence facilities that are being demolished to make room for the Performing Arts Complex. Architects previously estimated the new housing complex would cost about $63 million to build, but current market conditions and improved construction techniques reduced the estimate to $46 million, university officials said.
|
West Texas A&M to test wind turbines for Spanish company
 Officials of West Texas A&M University recently signed a contract with a company based in Spain to perform research on how to improve standard wind turbines.
The research will focus on developing a better blade with lighter and stronger materials, testing aerodynamics, and the integrity of blades, said Theresa Maldonado, associate vice chancellor for research for West Texas A&M and director of the Energy Engineering Institute. The project will include a new test turbine rated at a production capacity of 4.5 megawatts and tall as a 50-story building to be installed at the university's Nance Ranch in 2011. The larger blades measure 420 feet in diameter. The Spanish company currently makes only 2-megawatt turbines.
The estimated cost to install the larger wind turbine, which is being manufactured in Spain, is $9 million. Testing is expected to take several years with a goal of producing the improved turbine for the expansion of transmission lines in 2013. University officials also signed a memorandum of understanding covering the economic development possibilities of turning the research into commercial projects. The larger, lighter wind turbine should be able to produce more energy than current wind turbines and lower the cost of capturing that energy.
|
UT-Austin names Tewfik as new engineering school chair
 Dr. Ahmed Tewfik (pictured) has been named chair of the Cockrell School of Engineering Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Austin. His new charge begins Oct. 1.
Tewfik currently serves as the E. F. Johnson Professor of Electronic Communications at the University of Minnesota and as vice president for technical directions of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Signal Processing Society. His areas of research expertise are in medical imaging, programmable wireless networks, genomics and proteomics, neural prosthetics and audio-signal separation.
Tewfik holds a bachelor's degree from Cairo University and a master's degree and doctoral degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
|
San Antonio mayor names co-chair of fitness council
 Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez (pictured), director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, has been named a co-chair of San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro's new Fitness Council. The team will meet monthly to develop measures aimed at improving nutrition and activity habits around the community.
"We have the exciting task of developing a variety of innovative ways to improve nutrition and physical activity," said Ramirez, who also heads "Salud America," a Latino childhood-obesity research network. The mayor's Council was made possible by a $100,000 grant from the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Governor's Council of Physical Fitness.
|
Former A&M vice president named to top post at NDSU
 Former Texas A&M vice president Dean Bresciani (pictured) has been named president of North Dakota State University. He begins his new charge June 15.
Bresciani formerly served as vice president for student affairs at Texas A&M, where he is currently an adjunct professor in educational administration and human resources development. From 2002 until 2004, he worked as interim vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of North Carolina.
Bresciani earned his bachelor's degree from Humboldt State University, a master's degree from Bowling Green State University and a doctoral degree from the University of Arizona.
|
Austin Community College buys vacated department store
 Austin Community College has purchased a vacated department store at a local mall in addition to 18 acres of land for offices and classroom space.
The 194,000-square-foot store on Airport Boulevard in Austin will consolidate ACC's business and administrative services, which are now spread out over several locations.
ACC President Stephen Kinslow (pictured) said the investment will help expand operations and students services. The move will also revitalize a local landmark, he said.
|
Neurologic physical therapy residency program wins accreditation
 Two universities and a health care organization recently won accreditation for one of the first neurologic physical therapy residency programs located in the Southwest.
The School of Health Professions at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston, Texas Woman's University (TWU) and TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston created the residency program in July 2009, said Jill Seale (pictured), an assistant professor of physical therapy at UTMB. Neurologic physical therapists specialize in working with patients recovering from strokes, brain and spinal cord injuries and other diseases such as Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis, she said. This is one of only seven such neurologic physical therapy programs in the United States, Seale added.
Students in the residency program attend classes at both UTMB and TWU and receive training in patient care at many facilities throughout the Memorial Hermann System, she said.
|
|
Waco may replace landfill with waste-to-energy plant
 City council members in Waco recently authorized city staff to seek proposals from companies that can transform plastics and organic materials into electricity or another energy source and possibly salvage recyclable materials found in the waste stream.
Because city officials have not narrowed down the kind of technology that is preferred, the request for proposals will be released this summer or fall, said Assistant City Manager Wiley Stern (pictured). The goal is to avoid replacing the current regional landfill that has about 16 years of life remaining, Stern said.
While creating fuel from trash is already commonly used in Europe and Asia, the trend is becoming more popular in the United States, where 89 facilities now process waste into energy, Stern said. Some plants produce electricity through incineration, while 13 of the facilities create "refuse-derived" fuel in the form of gas or burnable pellets, he said. City officials also will look for a process that does not create air pollution, that is sustainable for years and a process that has a record of working, he noted.
|
Tyler offers $1 million more to buy sewer utility
In its effort to buy an independent sewer company that provides services to about 1,100 residents, Tyler City Council members recently raised by $1 million their offer to buy the utility.
After the private company refused to provide sewer service to homes in two new additions, city officials began efforts three years ago to obtain information about the Delaware-based utility that provides sewer services to residents in southwest Tyler. Company officials, however, have not responded to those inquiries or a previous offer to buy the sewer system, said Greg Morgan, director of utilities and public works for Tyler. City officials also attempted for several years to convince the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality to condemn the utility.
Council members agreed to raise the offer to $1.869 million to buy Tall Timbers Utilities. The last offer of less than $800,000 was based on 2002 data, but new data from a rate case application submitted last year prompted council members to increase the offer to buy the utility and provide sewer service to the company's current customers, Morgan said.
|
Houston, Harris County considering joining in regional crime lab
 After years of concern over the quality of the Houston crime lab, the Houston Police Department is considering partnering with the Harris County Sheriff's Office to create a regional crime lab.
The laboratory currently used by the Harris County Sheriff's Office to process DNA evidence, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, could be transformed into a regional crime lab as soon as six months and at a cost of about $1.3 million, said Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos (pictured). The proposed costs are $500,000 for equipment, $500,000 for renovation and $300,000 for software, while rent for the city would be about $500,000 a month, she said.
Because the city's crime lab can only process about 50 cases of DNA each month out of the 120 DNA cases received, the city should transfer that work to the regional crime lab, which is an independent crime lab, Lykos said. The Houston mayor and the executive assistant police chief both expressed support for a regional crime lab to processed DNA evidence previously process by the city crime lab. El Paso approves zones for $146 million highway upgrades
El Paso City Council members recently created two transportation reinvestment zones to generate $70 million to pay for three new roads expected to cost about $146 million to directly connect between Interstate 10 and Loop 375.
Work on the three roads should be completed in about two years, said Raymond Telles, the executive director of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority.
Also expected to be funded to begin construction in late 2011 are completion of Loop 375 from Dyer Road to Transmountain Road, and two direct links between Loop 375 and Zaragoza Road, bringing the total cost of the road improvement projects to $258 million, Telles said. Those improvements also should be completed two years after construction begins. Some of the remaining roads to be improved as part of a $1 billion package of mobility improvements may be toll roads, said the capital improvement project manager for the city.
Barbers Hill ISD looking at $6.75 million in capital projects
Trustees for the Barbers Hill Independent School District recently began discussion of a plan that will add new science labs and office space, change the main entrance to the high school, replace chilled water lines at the middle school and install a new sprinkler system at the primary school.
The plan includes spending about $2.56 million to add four new science labs and renovate two existing science classrooms to create two new prep rooms, reconfiguring some of the administrative offices, and adding a new security door system to the front foyer and front administrative offices to separate them from rest of the high school. If trustees approve, construction on this project could begin in July and be completed by June 2011. District staff expects to spend about $1.4 million to replace the chilled water lines at the middle school, while installing a new fire sprinkler system at the primary school will cost about $480,028. Both of those projects could be completed by June 2011, district officials said.
Trustees plan to use a federal funding plan that allows the district to borrow $6.75 million and repay the debt with no interest costs, which would save the district about $1.5 million compared to a conventional bond sale. Trustees are expected to vote on the proposed $6.75 million in facilities improvements in June.
|
Jefferson County considering expansion of crime lab
 Jefferson County commissioners recently approved a $90,000 contract with an engineering firm to develop a design to expand the crime and DNA laboratory.
While county officials plan to wait to begin construction on the crime lab expansion until the 2010-2011 budget year, the design plan will provide the crime lab committee with a cost estimate for the project, said Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Domingue (pictured).
Commissioners will review the design and estimated cost at budget hearings this summer and then decide whether to proceed or postpone the expansion of the crime lab and DNA lab, Domingue said.
|
The Woodlands considering new sports fields at two sites
The board of The Woodlands Township recently learned that The Woodlands Development Company (TWDC) is considering two sites for new sports fields requested by members of local soccer, lacrosse and rugby clubs. Under consideration are a 27-acre site located near the Research Forest Park and Ride on Gosling Road and a 35-acre site on the south end of Gosling Road, said John Powers, assistant general manager of community services for the township.
Representatives from the sports clubs told board members that each club is expecting to grow by 10 percent each year and must travel more because The Woodlands does not have enough sports fields available for all of the games. Providing more sports fields could help the area economically by hosting 30 to 40 sports events each year and attracting about 7,000 players from other areas to those events, said a representative from the lacrosse club.
While the township has many fields, those fields do not meet requirements of soccer fields that are different from lacrosse fields. The five-year plan for the township does not have money set aside for new sports fields. But the township spends from $3 million to $5 million annually to build and maintain parks and board members may consider using some of that funding for new sports fields as the need for new parks has diminished.
|
Greyson County inmates retrofit jail, saving county money
 Grayson County Sheriff Keith Gary (pictured) said a $72,029 project to retrofit six jail pods with steel walls, ceilings and floors - which is being implemented by inmates - will cost "about half of what it would cost to bring in a contractor to do it."
County commissioners are working with members of the Grayson County Sheriff's Office to retrofit the county jail to give officials some flexibility with prisoner classification. Next year, the jail will lose the variance that allows it to house 49 maximum-security inmates.
Inmates will get three days' credit toward their sentences for every day they work on the project.
|
Rockwall ISD officials approve $15.5M in bonds
 The Rockwall Independent School District's Board of Trustees has approved $3.9 million in bonds for the planning and design of a new high school, $6 million in land acquisition for future schools and almost $2 million for the purchase of new school buses. About $2.3 million from the bond issue will be used to complete existing projects.
Mike Singleton (pictured), the school district's director of finance, said the projects will ensue over the next two years. There will be no tax increase to issue the bonds, which were approved by voters in 2006 and 2007.
Funds leftover from the 2007 bond authorization ($50.2 million) will be used to acquire land for two new elementary schools. |
|
Comal County nets $10.5 million grant for Krueger Canyon Dam
After receiving a $10.5 million grant from the Texas Department of Energy Management, Comal County commissioners recently authorized engineers to complete construction designs and prepare bids to complete Krueger Canyon Dam by 2012.
The grant is in addition to the $5.7 million in state funding already provided for the project before construction stopped in the fall 2009 after loose permeable pockets of gravel were found at the foundation. The additional money will pay for more work to ensure the foundation is safe, said County Engineer Tom Nornseth. The project will be completed in three phases, beginning with excavation, then completing the foundation and then building the dam, he said.
The bids to complete the dam should go out in September. County officials, who have not yet determined how to fund the remaining 25 percent of the cost of the additional construction, have discussed asking Guadalupe County to help pay some of the costs as the dam also will protects residents in that county from future flooding. County officials also have requested an extension the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the July 2011 deadline to complete the dam, he said.
|
VIA Metro Transit on track for new service
 VIA Metropolitan Transit is slated to begin work on its estimated $57.2 million bus rapid transit service. The environmentally friendly amenity, known as VIA Primo, will connect downtown to the South Texas Medical Center in San Antonio.
With rides offered every 10 minutes, the service could potentially attract new ridership among motorists who hadn't previously considered public transportation options. "If people have to think about their trip, that's one of the reasons they won't ride," said VIA President Keith Parker (pictured).
The service, to be powered by either compressed natural gas or hybrid-electric power, will include wireless Internet access and other amenities. VIA Primo is scheduled to be operational by late 2012.
|
|
El Paso approves zones for $146 million highway upgrades
El Paso City Council members recently created two transportation reinvestment zones to generate $70 million to pay for three new roads expected to cost about $146 million to directly connect between Interstate 10 and Loop 375.
Work on the three roads should be completed in about two years, said Raymond Telles, the executive director of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority.
Also expected to be funded to begin construction in late 2011 are completion of Loop 375 from Dyer Road to Transmountain Road, and two direct links between Loop 375 and Zaragoza Road, bringing the total cost of the road improvement projects to $258 million, Telles said. Those improvements also should be completed two years after construction begins. Some of the remaining roads to be improved as part of a $1 billion package of mobility improvements may be toll roads, said the capital improvement project manager for the city.
|
Jersey Village officials consider $40M rail line station
 Jersey Village officials are considering a $40 million transit station just south of Highway 290 in the event the city becomes a stop on the proposed commuter rail line to Houston.
Officials have ordered a study to determine the feasibility of a $348 million rail line that runs from Hempstead to Houston along Highway 290.
To avoid further suburban sprawl, Jersey Village leaders are looking to annex and rezone the area regardless if the rail line passes. Mayor Russell Hamley (pictured) said the venture, should it pass, stands to transform "the entire image of Jersey Village to that of a dynamic commercial, retail and transportation center."
|
Clearwater water district to buy land for new office space
After a discussion on terminating a lease for office space and the administrative agreement with the Central Texas Council of Governments (CTCOG), directors of the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District in Bell County recently agreed to spend $55,000 to buy two acres of land at a business park in Belton. The directors also agreed on design requirements for a 2,200- to 2,800-square-foot building that would cost about $350,000 and operate as environmentally friendly as feasible.
While some board members questioned whether this was the right time to split from CTCOG, other directors argued that building their own offices would give the water district more control over their own operations, save money and create more space for educational outreach. The district has approximately $550,000 set aside for construction of a new office, said Horace Grace, president of the water district that manages groundwater resources and wells in Belton County.
District officials currently spend $60,000 a year to rent office space at the CTOG building and Grace said he believes the annual occupancy cost for a new building owned by the district would range from $15,000 to $18,000 annually. The district currently pays for the salaries of employees who manage water district operation and also pays a separate fee for additional administrative and office services, he said. The district could save about $40,000 annually on staffing the office, he estimated.
|
Dallas Area Rapid Transit may cut 300 jobs, reduce light-rail service
 Officials of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) recently began discussion on reducing the agency's annual budget by eliminating at least 300 jobs and reducing the frequency of light-rail service over the next two years.
Until last year, the 20-year forecast predicted nearly $3 billion more in revenue than is likely to happen, noted David Leininger (pictured), chief financial officer for DART. If the local economy recovers fairly quickly, DART could look at annual cuts of about $30 million to $40 million. The budget cuts would require the elimination of about 300 jobs, replacing 40-foot coaches now used on some bus routes with 20-foot coaches, and longer waits for commuters who use light-rail, Leininger said. Most of the job cuts will be through attrition, he added.
If the economy recovers more slowly or the recovery does not continue, the agency may need to reduce its annual budget by $60 million a year, Leininger said. Board members are expected to adopt a budget later this summer in time to approve a budget for the 2011 fiscal year that begins in September. |
Caldwell County hires Austin firm to evaluate building repairs
Caldwell County commissioners are evaluating what to do with the county's Judicial Center annex since recent work failed to address further issues, including drainage problems and mold infestation.
An Austin-based firm that assists government agencies in maximizing their facilities will help commissioners determine what to do with the Center and four other county buildings: the Scott Annex Building, the Caldwell County Tax Assessor-Collector's Office, the Caldwell County Courthouse and the Juvenile Justice Center.
The firm is expected to deliver a report before the Court moves forward with budget talks next month.
|
UTMB sees improvement in its financial health
 After operating with large deficits for several years, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston is returning to financial solvency, said Bill Elger (pictured), an executive vice president and chief financial officer.
Even before Hurricane Ike caused more than $1 billion in damage to UTMB two years ago, the institution was losing about $40 million a month and the storm caused even larger losses, he said. Elger credited a $46 million annual appropriation from the legislature, more paying patients, fewer indigent patients and improved budgeting for the financial turnaround. UTMB officials, however, eliminated the jobs of at least 2,300 employees from the 12,000-employee workforce to help stem the red ink.
While regents for The University of Texas appeared for a while to support closing the state's oldest medical school, the funding from legislators will allow UTMB to begin a $1 billion reconstruction plan, Elger said. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to pay about 90 percent of the repairs from storm damage, but will not pay for landscaping or additional improvements. The new construction includes a new surgery tower and an education building, UTMB officials said.
|
Austin officials back down from $16M downtown property purchase
Austin city officials have axed plans to pay nearly $16 million for 1.7 acres of downtown property, valued by government appraisers at $3.1 million.
The purchase would hamper plans to revitalize the nearby Waller Creek neighborhood, according to Assistant City Manager Rudy Garza, since the land would no longer be taxed. The Waller Creek project relies on property taxes collected from neighborhoods. The land currently serves as a parking lot at Cesar Chavez and Red River streets just west of Interstate 35.
|
Katy ISD looks to bond election for growing student body
As neighborhoods in the Katy Independent School District continue to grow - the Cinco Ranch subdivision alone has grown some 40 percent in the past five years - officials are struggling to make sure there's enough money and classroom space to go around. District members have been looking at a November bond election to address the issue.
So far, officials have identified the need for five elementary schools, two junior highs and one high school to be constructed by 2012. They have not determined how much the bond referendum would cost or how or where the schools would be built. Officials expect to present proposal details to the board in the next couple of months before the issue is put to voters in November. |
Frisco to buy land to join and expand two parks
 Responding to complaints about a proposed low-income housing project, the board of the Frisco Community Development Corp. recently agreed to pay $2.09 million for 16.8 acres of land to join two parks rather than follow the original plan to build 200 low-income apartment units on part of the property.
The proposed land purchase will link Bicentennial Park with Frisco Commons Park and includes the 12 acres north of Bicentennial Park on which a Dallas-based corporation proposed to build a three-story apartment complex. The project, which was to receive funding assistance from the state's Housing Tax Credit Program, called for 50 of the units to be reserved for residents of the Dallas Housing Authority with Section 8 vouchers. Residents living near the project complained that the building did not fit in with existing single-family homes in the neighborhood.
The city had been looking at the property for several years, but had waited to make an offer for the property because city officials hoped the owner would reduce the cost and thought a developer would not want the property, said City Manager George Purefoy (pictured). The Frisco CDC is funded by a half-cent city sales tax.
|
New $15 million veterans long-term care home to open in Tyler
State and local officials recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $15 million Texas State Veterans Home located on 20 acres of property just north of The University of Texas Health Science Center in Tyler.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provided $12 million for the new long-term care facility, while the Texas Land Office paid the remaining 35 percent of the cost. The University of Texas System donated the 20 acres of land. The new facility, which will be operated by a San Antonio company, will include 10 cottages, each with an open kitchen, a dining area and private bathrooms to accommodate 100 veterans. Each cottage has a fireplace and a separate kitchen, state officials said.
The facility, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2011, also features a commons area to provide social interaction for residents of the cottages, health care services, rehabilitation and assisted living services. The agency currently has seven other long-term care homes located in Amarillo, Big Spring, Bonham, El Paso, Floresville, McAllen and Temple.
|
Skidmore-Tynan ISD begins planning new elementary school
With an eye toward a possible bond election in November, Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District trustees recently authorized the superintendent to begin looking at architects to develop preliminary designs for a new elementary school and to begin negotiations to buy property for the new school.
The pre-planning activity will provide board members with the information required for them to decide whether to call a bond election in November, said Superintendent Bret Belmarez. A recent study indicated that the current elementary school is obsolete, Belmarez noted.
The superintendent declined to disclose the location or cost of the property under consideration for the new school. The architectural plan will be a schematic with general room dimensions and equipment to provide a cost estimate rather than an exact rendering with materials, colors and other features shown, Belmarez said.
|
 | |
'Cowboy I.T. Up' theme for August TASSCC conference
"Cowboy I.T. Up" is the theme for the Texas Association of State Systems for Communication and Computing (TASSCC) 2010 Annual Conference, set for Sunday through Wednesday, Aug. 1-4, at the Westin Park Central Hotel in Dallas. The event, open to public sector employees only, will feature keynote addresses, a variety of breakout sessions and a Tuesday awards luncheon. CPE credit is also offered. Early registration ends July 5. Among the speakers will be research firm owner Gordon Graham, will address preventing mistakes through a risk management-based training program in his "The Five Concurrent Themes for Success" presentation. Addressing how companies can make decisions and execute on corporate strategies will be Jeff Tobaben, managing partner of a consulting firm. He will address "Where Does Employee Engagement Happen," stressing leveraging human capital through applied behavioral economics. Click here for more information, and click here to register. Texas State University to host construction forum in June
Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, is hosting a construction forum on Tuesday, June 1. The Historically Underutilized Business Outreach Program and Office of Facilities Planning Design and Construction program event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on campus at the LBJ Student Center ballroom. There will be two morning and two afternoon training sessions that cover issues from bonding and technical assistance and construction contracts. Subcontractors who qualify or potentially qualify as a "Historically Underutilized Business" are invited to network with key stakeholders, Texas State staff, general contractors, other universities and local minority trade organizations on upcoming Texas State and other universities' construction projects. Light refreshments will be served. Lunch on your own. For driving and building directions, click here.
TxPPA to host Annual Momentum Conference in June
The Texas Public Purchasing Association (TxPPA) is hosting its Annual Momentum Conference at the Isla Grand Beach Resort on South Padre Island on Wednesday through Friday, June 23 -25. The conference lineup includes sessions for first-time buyers and seasoned purchasing professionals. Click here for program information including hotel, group activities and transportation details.
CAPCOG Will Host Texas Notary Law and Procedures Seminar
On Wednesday, June 2, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) will host a three-hour Texas Notary Law and Procedures Seminar for current, new and non-notary participants who would like to receive their Texas notary public commission. Dixie Lucey, director of education for State Notary Commission in Austin will teach the seminar at CAPCOG's Pecan Room, 6800 Burleson Rd, Austin. The cost of the seminar including the course manual is $150 per person. The state application and bond fee for non-notaries or those who would like to renew their commissions is $105.00 for a four-year term. This notary training is provided specifically for Texas Notaries. The class will cover: New legislation from the 81st Legislative sessions; current notary laws; proper record keeping; avoiding official misconduct; administering oaths and acknowledgments; legal procedures and processes of notarization; and liability protection practices for notary and employer. To register: contact dixielucey@prodigy.net or call (512) 497-2253.
Last BOP session with TxDOT is announcedThe last session of the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) Business Outreach and Program (BOP) Services Small Business Briefing conferences have been announced for June 15, 2010, in Texarkana. The conference goal is to provide small and minority-owned business communities an opportunity to learn more about contracting opportunities with TxDOT. Information will be available to help them do business with the agency and the State of Texas. The sessions not only allow small businesses to be introduced to TxDOT and other state agencies, but also allows them to learn more about the economic development opportunities in their regions. It also allows the agencies to show the myriad of opportunities available for small and minority businesses in the state. For more information, click here or call 1.866.480.2518, Option 2. To register, click here. CAPCOG to host newly elected city official workshop June 18thThe Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) will host a Newly Elected City Officials Workshop on Friday, June 18, from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the CAPCOG Pecan Room at 6800 Burleson Road, Austin. The workshop is targeted for newly elected mayors and city council members or aldermen. The workshop will give an overview of the structure of city government, council procedures and actions, roles of elected and appointed staff, duties and responsibilities of Boards and Commissions, municipal annexation and boundary changes, open meetings, open records and ethics. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The workshops have proven to be very valuable to appointed staff and to citizen board, commission, and committee members as well. There will be a $40 fee for the one-day workshop to cover the cost of meals and materials. To register call Linda Crouch at 512/916-6041 or David Partlow, Regional Services Coordinator, at 512/916-6045.
TSABAA plans golf tourney, annual conference in June
The Texas State Agency Business Administrators' Association will host its 41st Annual Summer Conference on Monday and Tuesday, June 7 and 8, at the United Heritage Conference at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Monday's keynote address will be by a representative of the University of Phoenix. Among the other topics during the two-day event are a Sunset Commission process overview and panels to address Legislative Appropriations Requests and state audits. There will also be an update on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Third Annual Golf Tournament is set for Sunday, June 6, at Shadow Glen Golf Course in Manor. The conference registration deadline is May 20. For registration forms and vendor registration information, click here. |
|
|
|
Looking for contracting opportunities...here's a good data source!
 By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
Multi-million-dollar federal funding awards to state and local governments are big news. But, smaller awards often go unnoticed. Those smaller awards, however, fund some of the most important initiatives in a state because they often flow to fire departments, police departments and sheriff's offices. The public entities use the funds to purchase much-needed products and services.
Recent examples of such funding include:
- The Victoria Police Department received federal stimulus funding to purchase 25 state-of-the-art digital camera systems for police vehicles.
- In Rockwall County, two volunteer fire departments will share more than $365,000 in U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency grant funds.
- The Josephine Volunteer Fire Department has been allocated $190,000 and the Union Valley Fire Department will receive $175,750.
- Approximately $100,000 in federal funds, channeled through the Texas governor's office, will help the Anthony Police Department combat crime. The department also received $319,000 to purchase training, rifles, cameras, computers, global positioning system (GPS) units and night-vision goggles.
|
Jason Ceyanes resigns as superintendent of Mexia ISD
 Superintendent Jason Ceyanes (pictured) recently resigned from the Mexia Independent School District from the position he held since July 2008.
Ceyanes, whose resignation is effective on June 5, previously served as superintendent of Argyle ISD and Lindsay ISD; as an administrator at Magnolia ISD, Klein ISD, Montgomery ISD and Kingwood ISD; and as a teacher at Dickinson ISD. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University.
|
|
| |
Nolanville to join with water district to apply for $275,000 grant
Nolanville City Council members recently agreed to join with the Bell County Water Control Improvement District No. 3 to apply for a $275,000 community development block grant for wastewater improvements.
Following a suggestion by the mayor to add other items such as a drainage project or park improvements to the grant application, council members followed the advice of a consultant and agreed to apply only for funding to improve wastewater treatment in the Plaza subdivision.
|
|
| |
Katy ISD appoints facility planning task force
 Trustees for the Katy Independent School District recently created a School Facility Referendum Planning Task Force Committee to develop a school facility referendum to present to board members and community members.
The 29 members of the committee are charged with examining growth projections, facility and technology needs as well as the financial operations of the district and present those findings at a public workshop on June 29, said Superintendent Alton Frailey (pictured). The committee will then present its formal recommendations to board members on July 21. Board members most likely will decide in August whether to schedule a bond election to pay for any new facilities recommended by the task force.
|
|
| |
The Woodlands approves agreement to expand park
The board of The Woodlands Township recently approved a $387,000 maintenance agreement with Municipal Utility District 67 for the Alden Bridge Sports Park.
Officials plan to add a 2-acre expansion east of the park to make room for six lighted sports fields and a community garden. Most of the $100,000 cost to maintain the park is paid for by users who pay fees for use of the field, lighting and to rent garden plots, township officials said.
Fort Worth ISD delays vote on creating new position
Following action by Superintendent Melody Johnson, trustees for the Forth Worth Independent School District delayed a vote to create a position for a new assistant superintendent to oversee advanced and accelerated learning.
Johnson removed the item from the agenda following questions raised about creating another administrative position in the current economic climate. The superintendent is expected to unveil to board members next week a plan to reorganize central administration to save about $500,000. The new assistant superintendent position will not add a new person or cost more money, Johnson said.
Huntsville ISD approves first phase of $13 million expansion
 Trustees for the Huntsville Independent School District recently approved the first phase of a $13 million high school improvement project with an agreement to expand the parking lot at the high school campus. Trustees also raised concerns regarding changes made to the original construction plans to add a new T-STEM Academy without further consultations with campus directors.
Superintendent Richard Montgomery (pictured) assured trustees that when plans were originally discussed with campus representatives, district officials did not know they would receive a grant for a T-STEM Academy. Because engineering and biomedical science are two components that are included in other programs, campus directors and the dean of the academy met after learning of the grant and agreed to share some facilities, Montgomery said.
|
|
|
|
Pecos to build new wastewater treatment plant this year
Pecos City Council members recently agreed to build a new wastewater treatment facility next to the city's existing treatment plant. City officials plan to begin construction on the new treatment facility this year. Funding for the facility, which will help remove odors and filter water, is being provided using zero-interest loans through the state, a spokesman for the city said.
|
|
|
|
Where do folks go when they leave government? Some go to work in the private sector or for nonprofits. Some transition to executive-level positions in higher education while others may seek elected local government positions. And some just retire and spend a lot of time with their grandkids at the fishin' hole. This column focuses on where former state government officials and private sector employees are now.
Abelardo Saavedra has spent 36 years in public education. He served a total of 12 years as superintendent in the Houston and Corpus Christi school districts, retiring from the Houston ISD in August 2009. On Sept. 1, he will join the faculty of the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development in the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University. He will also co-direct the Administrative Leadership Institute held each November in College Station for more than 25 years.
|
McKinney ISD moving ahead with November bond election
Trustees for the McKinney Independent School District are studying projects to be included in a November bond election. They are reviewing plans to enlarge and renovate two high schools into 3,000-student campuses as opposed to building a fourth high school, said a spokesman. Trustees also are reviewing an upgrade of technology throughout the district, he said.
Board members plan to appoint a committee to further study and recommend projects to include in a bond election. Trustees also plan to announce in advance of the 62 days required to notify citizens of a bond election, he said.
|
|
| |
Trinity ISD kicks off search
for new superintendent
 Following the recent resignation of former Superintendent Bobby Rice (pictured), trustees for the Trinity Independent School District have kicked off efforts to find a new superintendent by selecting a search firm to help in that effort. Trustees also selected Jacob Sherman to serve as the interim superintendent to replace Rice, who now serves in an administrative position for Gilmer ISD. Sherman, who retired as superintendent of the Corrigan-Camden ISD, also served as interim superintendent for Gilmer ISD in 2002 and 2003.
Trustees will meet with a representative of the search firm this week to develop a timeline for the search, determine the application deadline and set dates to conduct interviews and name a lone finalist for the position.
|
|
| |
Graham ISD approves $1.2M laptop initiative for school
 The Graham Independent School District school board has approved a $1.2 million, six-year measure that will provide high school teachers and students with laptops beginning the next school year. Most of the money will come from a reallocation of funds, and about $250,000 will come from the school's fund balance.
Superintendent Beau Rees (pictured) said he has not decided whether there will be a usage fee or deposit for the $899 computers, adding no student will be excluded based on cost of fees or deposits.
|
San Angelo Airport awarded $550,000 grant for improvements
The Federal Aviation Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded a $550,000 grant to the San Angelo Regional Airport. The grant will be used to improve a 5,939-foot-long runway and renovate the terminal, said Airport Director Luis Elguezabal. Airport officials also plan to expand the baggage claim area and rental car area. Engineering for the runway and design of the terminal renovation should begin in June, he said.
|
|
Uvalde CISD selects Loesch
as new superintendent
 Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District trustees recently selected Richard Loesch (pictured) as the district's new superintendent to replace Wendell Brown, who is retiring.
Loesch, who currently is superintendent at Wolfe City ISD, will begin his new position on June 9. He previously served as an assistant superintendent for Princeton ISD, an administrator at Whiteright ISD and Rockwall ISD, and a teacher at Mineral Wells ISD.
|
| Department of Justice clears
way to close Kendleton ISD
The U.S. Department of Justice recently cleared the path for the Texas education commissioner to shut down the one school operated by the Kendleton Independent School District and merge it with Lamar Consolidated Independent School District.
Citing many years of poor test scores, Commissioner Robert Scott began efforts in March to revoke accreditation for Kendleton ISD. Kendleton students already attend junior high and high school at Lamar CISD. A spokeswoman for Lamar CISD said school trustees have made no decision on whether to keep open the Powell Point Elementary School, the only campus now operated by Kendleton ISD.
|
|
| |
Belton ISD selects Kincannon
as district's new superintendent
 Belton Independent School District trustees recently selected Dr. Susan Kincannon (pictured), who currently serves as deputy superintendent, as the new superintendent.
Kincannon, who began her career with Belton ISD as a teacher in July 2000, will replace Dr. Vivian Baker, who is retiring on Jan. 1, 2011. Kincannon also served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Belton district. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and a master's degree from Tarleton State University.
|
| Texas A&M-Kingsville will
upgrade recycling program
Officials of Texas A&M University-Kingsville recently agreed to hire a coordinator to oversee an improved recycling program throughout the campus.
A committee comprised of students, faculty and staff currently is evaluating how to implement the program and deciding whether to create a student fee to help pay for recycling efforts, a spokesperson for the college said. College officials expect to hire the new coordinator this summer to better organize an existing recycling program, the spokesperson said.
|
|
Texarkana approves $7 million bond issue for conference center
Texarkana City Council members recently approved the issue of $7 million in bonds to pay for a conference center. The bonds will be repaid with taxes from hotel/motel occupancy taxes, city officials said.
|
Fort Hood wins $16.5 million for new soldier-readiness center
A U.S. congressman recently proposed a $16.5 million earmark appropriation for the Fort Hood Army post to replace the soldier-readiness center where 12 soldiers and one civilian were shot to death in November.
Earmarking the appropriation for the readiness center will permit the facility to be built more quickly, the congressman said.
|
Northwest ISD hires Gindt as assistant superintendent
 Trustees for the Northwest Independent School District recently hired Gary Gindt (pictured) as the assistant superintendent for administrative services. Gindt will replace Superintendent Mona Benotti, who is retiring. A graduate of Baylor University, Gindt previously served as superintendent for Decatur ISD and as an assistant superintendent for Weatherford ISD.
|
Texas Government Insider Archives
|
|
SPI seeking additional outside consultants
SPI is adding additional outside consultants.
Currently, there is a need for procurement consultants in the following areas: |
|
Boyle chosen as interim superintendent for Marble Falls
Board members of the Marble Falls Independent School District recently hired Dr. Jim Boyle as the interim superintendent to replace Dr. Ryder Warren, who resigned to be the new superintendent at Midland ISD.
Boyle previously served as superintendent at Temple ISD, Midway ISD and Mount Pleasant ISD and also as an interim superintendent at Midway ISD and Mount Pleasant ISD. Boyle, who will begin his new duties in June, told district officials that he will serve as interim superintendent as long as it takes to hire a new superintendent.
|
Wharton to refinance $2.6 million in bonds, expand fire station
 Wharton City Council members recently approved a plan to finance $3.6 million in debt from bonds approved in 1998 and 2000 and then agreed to build a new three-bay fire station.
Fire Chief Bobby Barnett (pictured) said his department began planning for future needs several years ago when fire trucks grew larger and the area the department serves grew larger. The discussion included expanding the current building by lowering the existing floor and building a new facility to meet the requirements of a new rescue truck already on order and a ladder truck the department plans to buy to replace a ladder truck taken from duty because of safety concerns, Barnett said.
|
House Speaker's appointments
House Speaker Joe Straus has announced the following appointments:
- Rep. Larry Taylor, Sunset Advisory Commission
|
|
Grapevine-Colleyville district names Ryan superintendent
 Robin Ryan (pictured) has been named lone finalist for the position of superintendent at the Grapevine-Colleyville school district.
Ryan currently serves as chief academic officer of the Dallas-area school district.
Prior to that role, he worked as principal for Colleyville Heritage High School. He has served in other teaching and administrative posts in the San Angelo, Graham and Hurst-Euless-Bedford districts since 1985, when his career began. Ryan replaces Kay Waggoner, who left in March to head the Richardson school district.
|
Tucker VFD awarded $38,099 grant to buy equipment
The Federal Emergency Management Agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently awarded a $38,099 grant to the Tucker Volunteer Fire Department. The grant will be used to buy thermal imaging cameras, new hoses and nozzles, a stabilization kit and spark-proof tools, said Jeff Redd of Tucker VFD. Some of the grant also will be used for training, he said.
|
Help us share this message, please...
To ensure delivery and proper formatting of the newsletter, be sure to add editor@spartnerships.com to your safe senders list. Otherwise, the newsletter may be flagged as spam and automatically routed to your junk e-mail folder.
| |
Bacliff VFD gets $356,320 loan, $191,854 grant for new truck
The Bacliff Volunteer Fire Department recently received notice of receiving a $356,320 loan and a $191,854 grant from the USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding will be used to buy a new pumper fire truck, said a spokesman for Bacliff VFD.
|
Gatesville assistant principal to become business manager
Darrell Frazier has left his post as assistant principal at Gatesville Independent School District to become the district's business manager.
Frazier, a certified public accountant, joined Gainesville High School in 2007 as assistant principal. Prior to that charge, he taught French for four years in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He also has 13 years of experience in education administration.
Frazier holds a bachelor's degree from Abilene Christian University and a master's degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. |
The Texas Government Insider is a free weekly e-newsletter detailing important happenings throughout the state and summarizing current political issues relevant to individuals interested in government.
Publisher: Mary Scott Nabers
The Insider is published by Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI), a research and consulting firm. Founded in Texas in 1994 by former government executives and public sector experts, SPI has developed a national reputation as the premier marketing partner dedicated to helping companies secure contracts in the $1.5 trillion state and local government marketplace.
To learn more about SPI services click here or contact our sales department at 512-531-3900.
Barton Oaks Plaza One, Suite #100
901 S. Mopac Expressway
Austin, Texas 78746 | |
|
