Texas voters approve Prop 7, pass $8.7 billion in bond proposals More than 60 successful bonds to fund local government operations
Voters throughout the state were emphatic in their statement of intent this week, approving a great majority of bond propositions put forth by cities, counties and school districts. In total, 61 local government entities saw successful elections, with more than $8.7 billion approved by voters. Just five school districts, one county and one city saw bond propositions come away unsuccessful.
Additionally, statewide voters voted yes on Proposition 7, which called for up to $2.5 billion from the state's sales and use tax revenues to be placed into the State Highway Fund. The measure passed with about 83 percent approval. Though it won't start to deliver money until 2018, Prop 7 will add as much as $2.5 billion of the state's sales tax revenue to the fund dedicated to transportation infrastructure. In November 2014, Texas voters approved Proposition 1, dedicating a portion of the Rainy Day Fund to transportation funding. Both propositions restrict any of the new revenue from being used to fund toll road projects.
Strategic Partnerships, Inc. has researched all of the bond proposals and has documented contracting opportunities that will be available among those that passed. The 2015 Texas Bond Package is available for purchase now. There is also information that lists bond elections under consideration for May 2016 and beyond. |
Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars Cory Wilburn, Chief Information Officer, Texas General Land Office
 Career highlights and education: After graduating from Texas Tech University in 1994, I started work in state government as a real estate analyst. My attempts to automate some of my work drew the attention of the IT department and, out of the blue, I was presented with an opportunity to move into IT and learn software development. I spent several years developing applications before seeking out new challenges as a business analyst, then a project manager. After that, I moved into a senior management role at the General Land Office (GLO), serving as director of application development for the past five years. I was honored to be asked to take the reins as the GLO's chief information officer following the retirement of Steve Paxman early in 2015.
What I like best about my job is: I love my job because it is remarkably challenging and rewarding. Being successful as a technology leader in state government requires a blend of technical savvy, a strong understanding of the business and the creativity to find solutions when you have limited resources, sparse budgets and a maze of purchasing, contracting and reporting requirements to navigate. The challenge of the job itself is rewarding, but what fills your heart is being a part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of Texans. At the Land Office, we generate revenue for public education, protect the Texas coast, provide benefits for our deserving veterans and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The best advice I've received for my current job is: Don't be afraid to fail. If you are engaged, working hard and doing the right thing, then taking calculated risks can deliver meaningful innovation for teams and organizations. If you let yourself get comfortable and fall into that rut of doing the same things day in, day out, you can get left behind very quickly these days.
Advice you would give a new hire in your office: Always be a team player and be willing to go the extra mile. I've worked with people who were efficient or technically brilliant or incredibly talented at their craft. In my experience, time and time again, it's the people who are willing to do whatever the team needs and who are willing to give more than is asked that ultimately rise to the top. I believe this applies to our professional lives and our personal lives, as well.
If I ever decided to leave work early, I could probably be found: Our chief clerk may be reading this, so I would never sneak out early ... but, hypothetically speaking, you would find me doing something fun with my family. I have the best kids in the world. They are growing up way too fast, and I want to take advantage of every second I have with them.
People would be surprised to know that I: I used to be cool. In my early twenties, I played and sang in a rock band.
One thing I wish more people knew about my agency: Our name, the General Land Office, does not describe the wide variety of ways that we impact Texas. We help the state recover from disasters; protect beaches; respond to oil spills; provide mortgages, nursing homes and cemeteries for veterans; manage an archive that dates back to the 1700s; and we are stewards of the Alamo. Oh, and we generate several hundred million dollars a year for public education via the Permanent School Fund. We can do all of these things because we have an outstanding team of people who care very deeply about this state. I am so proud to be a part of this organization.
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Spurs, city, county team up to bring MLS team San Antonio  The city of San Antonio and Bexar County will pay $18 million to buy a stadium used by the San Antonio Scorpions, a minor league soccer team. The stadium, called Toyota Field, seats about 8,000 fans but was designed to easily accommodate an expansion to more than 18,000. The city and the county will each pay $9 million to Gordon Hartman, the owner of the Scorpions and Toyota Field.
That potential expansion is important, because this deal is intended to pave the way to bring a Major League Soccer (MLS) team to San Antonio. The Scorpions play in the North American Soccer League (NASL), which is the second tier of professional soccer in the country.
The deal also involves Spurs Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns and operates the city's NBA team. The Spurs paid an additional $3 million to Hartman for the opportunity to operate the stadium and facilitate the process of bringing MLS to San Antonio.
It is estimated that expansion of the stadium will cost between $38 million and $45 million. The Spurs have agreed to repay the city and the county $5 million if they are unsuccessful in the bid to earn an MLS expansion team.
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Waco, Baylor University moving forward with proposed land swap  Officials of the city of Waco and Baylor University recently said they expect to finalize an agreement calling for the city to trade to Baylor a five-acre site it owns near the new McLane Stadium in exchange for the 80-acre site of the university's former football grounds, Floyd Casey Stadium.
University officials are working with Baylor Scott & White Health to build a sports medicine center on the city-owned land at Interstate 35 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. City officials have spent $2.8 million to clear the site of a former pesticide plant and sought bids to sell the property. Baylor proposed the land swap in its bid, the only one submitted in response to the city's request.
Once council members approve the contract, Baylor officials will have 180 days to perform a feasibility study. The university plans to spend about $2 million to demolish Floyd Casey Stadium, which will allow the city to redevelop the property into a mixed-use project, commercial project or a recreational sports facility.
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Corpus Christi names nine members to streets committee Corpus Christi City Council members recently selected the nine members of an ad hoc infrastructure committee. The group is charged with identifying solutions to improve residential streets and forward a recommendation to council members in May. A recent study indicated the city would need to spend almost $1 billion to bring those residential streets up to standard.
The committee members selected by the mayor and city council members were Chris M. Duff, Toby Futrell, Alan A. Guggenheim, Javier Huerta, Kyle E. Pape, Darrell Scanlan, James Skrobarczyk Sr., Richard D. Stracener and Andrew B. Taubman.
(In the Oct. 30 edition of Texas Government Insider, we ran a version of this story that included an incorrect listing of the committee members. We regret the error.) |
Texas A&M Forest Service awards $15.7 million in grants statewide The Texas A&M Forest Service recently awarded $15.7 million in grants to volunteer fire departments throughout the state. Legislators this year authorized a $24.3 million appropriation to the agency to distribute grants through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
The grants are used to buy equipment, vehicles, protective clothing, training and dry-hydrants. Since the legislature established the grant program in 2001, it has provided a total of $213 million for volunteer fire departments, which have purchased 1,530 engines with the funding.
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TWDB approves $9.2 million in funding for rural water projects  The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) last week approved funding for rural water and wastewater system projects in Harris and Somervell counties.
The latter project received a total of $8.79 million, which will allow the city of Glen Rose to pay construction costs on the rehabilitation of its wastewater treatment plant as well as for improvements to its collection system. The funding comes in three forms: a $3.52 million loan and another $3.52 million grant, both from the Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP), and a $1,750,000 loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The assistance from the TWDB will allow Glen Rose to save as much as $5 million compared to the terms it could have gotten otherwise.
Harris County's $475,000 grant from the EDAP will go toward the county's Airline Improvement District, which will use the funding to provide first-time water and sewer services to about 100 water and 200 wastewater connections within its service area. The TWDB previously has contributed $5.4 million from the EDAP for the project.
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Clarendon EDC to work with Texas Tech on city's master plan Clarendon Economic Development Corporation officials recently approved a $17,004 contract with Texas Tech University to help develop a downtown master plan. Work on the project begins this month.
Students in the College of Architecture, led by Elizabeth Louden, will prepare drawings and posters to illustrate how a rehabilitated and revitalized downtown would appear. The project is expected to be completed by August 2016. EDC officials also are updating the Façade Grant Program to provide more incentives for property owners to improve and rehabilitate their buildings. |
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November sales tax allocations up slightly; comptroller's office distributes $732 million
The Office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has announced that it will distribute to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts a total of $731.7 million, which represents the state's local sales tax allocations for November. The amount is an increase of 1.2 percent compared to the same month of the year prior.
Comptroller Glenn Hegar also said that state sales tax revenue in October was $2.28 billion, down a significant 5.4 percent compared to October 2014. "October state sales tax revenue was depressed, as expected, by declines in spending in oil and natural gas-related sectors," Hegar said. He went on to note, however, that the service and information sectors as well as the construction industry all continued to show growth.
In terms of sales tax revenue, Texas cities will receive $482 million, up 1.8 percent from November 2014. The state's transit systems will receive the next highest amount, $163.9 million, which is a 2 percent rise from November of last year. Texas counties will receive $42.8 million and special purpose taxing districts $43.0 million. Those figures represent 6.9 percent and 0.1 percent decreases from November last year. View the amounts allocated by city and by county.
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Brownsville seeking public input on upgrades to Reingold Street Brownsville city officials recently began a series of public meetings to gain public input on a proposed plan to reconstruct Reingold Street, a major thoroughfare that includes the Gladys Porter Zoo, a cultural district, middle school and a residential area.
The public comments will be used to prepare a design plan to present to city commissioners in December, after which the bidding process can begin.
Preliminary plans call for adding a new drainage system, pavement improvements, new curbs and new sidewalks. The plans call for preserving as many trees as possible and upgrading safety measures for cyclists and pedestrians.
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Kilgore College names four finalists for president's office A Kilgore College search committee recently selected four candidates to serve as the college's president. The finalists are: - Brenda Kays, president of Stanly Community College in North Carolina, who has an Ed.D. from the University of North Texas in Denton;
- Lynn Moore, president of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, who holds a Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin;
- Mark Smith, a vice president of Educational Services at Temple College, who has a degree from Capella University; and,
- Kyle Wagner, vice president of Instruction and Economic Development at Coastal Bend College, who has earned a Ph.D. from Capella University.
The finalists for president will visit the campus to interview with the search committee as well as faculty, staff, students and community members, according to college officials. The selected candidate will replace retiring president Bill Holda, the college's eighth and longest-serving president, who took charge in 1996. |
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Port Arthur EDC urges $5 million for upgrades to streets, housing  Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation (EDC) officials recently urged city officials to ask voters to approve spending up to $5 million to upgrade streets and build homes in a targeted downtown area.
Floyd Batiste (pictured), the EDC's executive director, proposed that his organization allot one-eighth of the amount it receives from the city's sales tax revenue to pay for maintenance of city streets for four years. Batiste also proposed that the EDC contribute from $300,000 to $500,000 a year to build affordable housing to attract residents to the downtown area.
The city's voters would have to approve the measures if city council members agree to them. The council, however, took no immediate action on the proposal.
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Hunt County purchases Exchange building, supports spur extension Hunt County commissioners recently approved the purchase of the Paul Matthews Exchange Building from the city of Greenville. The county submitted the only bid, for $2.5 million, with the purchase conditional on the results of an inspection of the property.
Current plans are to finalize the sale Nov. 30, said County Judge John Horn. No decisions have been made for how the county will use the building, but Horn said the Greenville building would be included in long-range planning for locating county offices.
The commissioners also approved a resolution in support of a proposed $8 million project to build a two-mile extension of Spur 1570 between SH 66 and US 380. Current plans are to purchase about 70 acres of right-of-way from nine landowners for the two-lane divided roadway project.
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Waco to study $55 million bus rapid transit service plan Waco City Council members recently agreed to conduct a study on the feasibility of creating a bus rapid transit route along Franklin Avenue. The proposed route plan could reduce travel time across the city from about two hours to one hour, said City Manager Dale Fisseler.
Preliminary plans are for the proposed trunk line along Franklin Avenue to bisect the city between Bellmead and Hewitt streets, Fisseler said. This plan would require the city to convert Franklin Avenue into a two-way corridor in the central part of the city, at an estimated cost of $3.5 million. The street conversion could occur as early as 2017, he said.
The cost over a 15-year period to buy additional buses and establish stations, sidewalks and ramps along the new route would be about $55 million, Fisseler said. The feasibility study is necessary to qualify for federal funding for the proposed improvements.
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Palestine to appoint task force to study upgrades to water meters  Palestine city officials recently agreed to create a water meter task force to decide whether to spend anywhere from $3.5 million to $5 million to upgrade they city's water meters.
After discussions with Police Chief Mike Alexander (pictured) and the interim city manager, the mayor said each council member has agreed to select a representative to the task force. The mayor also said he will appoint an at-large member along with representatives from the city's water utilities, finance and customer service departments to serve on the task force.
A large number of complaints about high water bills prompted the mayor to support the task force to get more citizens involved in the process.
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Water conservation leaders back development of brackish water  Directors of 216 soil and water conservation districts in Texas recently approved a resolution supporting the development of brackish water supplies to address future shortages of fresh water.
At the annual meeting of soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) leaders in Corpus Christi, the group noted the state has experienced a drawdown of water tables in underground aquifers along with a drought that has reduced storage levels for surface water.
The state's population also is expected to double within 50 years and increase water demand by almost 27 percent, noted Billy Mann Jr. (pictured), chairman of the Matagorda County SWCD. Using the desalination process on brackish ground water could create almost 185,000 acre-feet of new water supplies a year by 2060, according to the Texas Water Development Board.
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Cleburne voters approve $25M in bonds for baseball park project  Voters in Cleburne recently approved $25 million in bonds to help fund a proposed public-private partnership (P3) to build a new baseball stadium along with a retail and dining project.
The city will pay for the baseball park portion of the project, and the private developers will fund the retail and restaurant aspects, said Mayor Scott Cain (pictured). City officials hope the project acts as a catalyst for additional economic growth and brings more tourists to the area, he said.
Two other ballot propositions for the Cleburne Station project also won voter approval. Proposition 1 authorized creating an economic development corporation and added a half-cent increase to the city's sales tax rate. The second authorized the city to use revenue from that tax increase to buy land and pay construction costs for the baseball park on a 75-acre site near Chisholm Trail Parkway. The stadium also will be used to host other events such as car shows, concerts and other sporting events throughout the year, the mayor said. City officials plan to solicit bids for building the stadium and set a goal to open the stadium for the 2017 minor league baseball season.
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 | Gun Barrel City agrees to purchase shuttered marina  Gun Barrel City officials recently agreed to purchase a dilapidated marina with the intention to convert the property into a park and the site of a new civic center.
City council members worked with the Gun Barrel City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to secure a loan from a local bank to pay for the waterfront property, which includes a buildings, boat ramp and picnic area.
Current plans call for demolishing all structures at the former lodge and marina, including the docks. The city plans to eventually construct a large civic center on the property. City law requires the EDC to provide 60 days for the public to comment on the purchase of the property before finalizing the contract. In the meantime, the public can use the boat ramp and picnic area at no cost, city officials said.
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Bell County approves $1.2 million upgrade of annex in Temple  Bell County officials recently approved spending up to $1.2 million to renovate and expand the county annex building in Temple.
Current plans are to add two new courts for justices of the peace, an office area for staff and constables and a new office for the county treasurer. County officials also plan to demolish the current offices for the justices of the peace and move the tax office to that space, said Joseph Latteo (pictured), contract manager for the county.
County officials expect to seek bids in early 2016, once a final design for the project is completed. The project will be completed in two phases, with the first phase being to demolish the interior of the east side of the annex and rebuild the Justice of the Peace courts. Phase two includes demolishing the old Justice of the Peace court and moving the tax office to that area by the end of 2016, Latteo said.
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 Need a job? Got a job opening? Dozens of public-sector jobs are available. New jobs added this week: Central Texas Council of Governments - 911 Addressing/Mapping Specialist; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts - Auditor. Click here to view more. Send your posting to editor@spartnerships.com. Jobs with closing dates listed will be removed from the listings on that date. If your job does not have a closing date, please contact us once it is filled.
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| Application period for TCEQ emissions-reduction grants open  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has begun accepting applications for grant funding through its Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) program. The program provides financial incentives to individuals, businesses or local governments to reduce emissions from vehicles and equipment.
The grants fund upgrades to or replacement of heavy-duty vehicles, non-road and stationary equipment to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. The deadline for applications is Feb. 2, 2016.
The grants are available only to owners of eligible vehicles and equipment that operate in counties that don't meet or are close to not meeting national ambient air quality standards. Those eligible counties can be found here. |
Wichita Falls may reject both bids for former fire station property After receiving bids lower than the appraised value of a former fire station, Wichita Falls city staff members recently urged city council to reject bids for both bid options.
Council members should consider keeping the property, said Deputy City Manager Jim Dockery. His preference would be for the city to demolish the building and use the property for the parks department or a small parking area for Wood Memorial Park, he said.
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TxPPA's annual conference to be held in San Marcos in November |
The 7th annual Texas Public Purchasing Association Annual Meeting & Fall Conference will be held Nov. 11-13, at the Embassy Suites San Marcos Hotel, Spa and Conference Center. The TxPPA is a multi-agency organization for purchasing professionals across the state of Texas. The educational offerings will include public procurement basics, current topics of interest and concern, along with opportunities for networking with purchasing professionals. Continuing education hours will be earned by attendees for use in re-certification. For information, contact Executive Director Charlie Oberrender at charlie@prairie-republic.com, (281) 610-8914.
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GDAAC gives chance to learn about DISD's cooperative purchasing |
The Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce (GDAAC) will host a luncheon featuring the Dallas Independent School District's director of procurement operations, Debra McDonald. The event is a chance for small businesses to learn how to obtain larger contracts with one of the state's largest school districts. DISD purchases many goods and services through cooperative purchasing. The luncheon is Nov. 13 from 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM at the GDAAC's offices in Dallas. To RSVP, contact the chamber.
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| | Big changes occurring in government!
By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
 Effecting change in government is extremely difficult ... and often very slow. But, a number of government entities have embraced an innovative program that is truly a catalyst for change.
The program - Six Sigma - had its roots in the private sector and its implementation resulted in streamlining business processes, identifying problematic issues and finding ways to improve or eliminate them.
Some government entities in Texas have also incorporated Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma, and the results are significant. Using the program, public employees work together to analyze data, identify problems and inefficiencies and use a set of analytical tools and methodologies to improve processes and eliminate waste.
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HHSC names Jessee new state Medicaid director  The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has named a new state Medicaid director to replace the now-retired Kay Ghahremani.
Gary Jessee (pictured) had been the Medicaid/CHIP division's chief deputy director for program operations for the past three years and has worked at various levels of state government for 20 years. He was named state Medicaid director by Executive Commissioner Chris Traylor last week.
"Gary will hit the ground running with his experience and expertise," Traylor said. "I can't think of anyone with a greater depth of knowledge about what we do and where Medicaid needs to go in the future."
Jessee has overseen acute, dental and long-term services for nearly 4 million people across the state through managed care and dental maintenance organizations. In his previous positions, Jessee had served as an assistant commissioner for the Access and Intake Division at the Department of Aging and Disability Services.
"I'm excited to have this opportunity," Jessee said. "Texas has long been recognized as a leader in developing innovative strategies to deliver needed services, improve care and contain costs. We have seen great changes in the delivery of health care and services and supports, and with this change comes opportunity."
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Addison selects Pierson as city manager  Addison City Council members recently named Wes Pierson (pictured) as the new city manager.
Pierson currently serves Corpus Christi as its assistant city manager over general government and operations support. His last day in that job is Nov. 20, and he begins work in Addison in December.
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McKinney ISD names Jason Bird new CFO  McKinney Independent School District trustees recently appointed Jason Bird (pictured) as the district's new chief financial officer (CFO).
Currently serving as the senior director of finance, Bird will replace Edd Bigbee, who is retiring as CFO. Bird joined the district in 1998 as an economics teacher and also served as a principal before taking his current position in 2005.
Bird has a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University in College Station and a master's degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
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Tina Herrington named superintendent for WISD The Wharton Independent School District last week named Interim Superintendent Tina Herrington (pictured) as the district's permanent leader. Herrrington was made Wharton ISD's interim superintendent July 1 and has been with the district since 2014. Prior to that, she served as superintendent of Meyerville ISD.
Herrington has a master's degree from the University of Houston-Victoria.
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Houston CIO Thompson moves to Port of Houston
 Charles T. Thompson has stepped down from his post as chief information officer (CIO) for the city of Houston and accepted the same position with the Port of Houston Authority. Thompson (pictured) had been with the city in that position since 2012, focusing on IT governance and upgrades to several large systems, including an updated customer relationship management (CRM) system.
Prior to moving to Houston, Thompson served in a similar position for the city of Phoenix. He also has held technology positions with Orange County, Fla., Public Schools and District of Columbia Public Schools.
Tina Carkhuff will take over as director of Houston Information Technology Services on an interim basis.
Thomas Moore resigns as city attorney in Dumas  Dumas City Attorney Thomas Moore (pictured) recently informed city council members he is retiring Jan. 1, 2016, after 26 years in that post.
Moore agreed to assist city officials in finding his replacement, as the city charter requires the city attorney to live within the city limits and few attorneys practice in Dumas, he said.
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Powell named finalist to lead Pasadena ISD  DeeAnn Powell recently won selection as the lone finalist for superintendent for Pasadena Independent School District. Trustees reviewed 25 applications before selecting Powell.
Joining the district in 1991 as a teacher, Powell (pictured) also has served as a principal and as associate superintendent for campus development. She will replace Superintendent Kirk Lewis when he retires at the end of the year.
Powell has a Ph.D. from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
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Louie Bright to retire as fire chief in Dallas  Dallas Fire Chief Louie Bright II (pictured) recently informed city officials he plans to retire at the end of March 2016.
Bright joined Dallas Fire-Rescue in 1981 and was appointed chief in 2012. City Manager A.C. Gonzalez credited Bright with making the city's Community Paramedic Program a national model for EMS service providers.
City officials expect to begin a national search for a new fire chief in December.
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Young is Brownwood's superintendent finalist  Trustees for Brownwood Independent School District recently named Joe F. Young (pictured) the lone finalist for superintendent. Once the 21-day waiting period is expired, Young will take office and succeed Reece Blincoe, who resigned as superintendent in January.
Young currently serves as deputy superintendent for Brownwood ISD, having joined the district in 2008, and also has been a principal, technology director and athletic director for Grapeland ISD.
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Young also has a master's degree from Texas Wesleyan University and a Ph.D. from Sam Houston State University.
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NCTCOG calls for waste management projectsThe Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has awarded $1.3 million to the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) for the council to distribute to local governments. The funding is intended for projects that "advance the goals and strategies found in the regional solid waste management plan."
The money comes from revenue generated by tipping fees at landfills.
The NCTOG issued a request for applications Oct. 26, and local governments have until Jan. 15, 2016, to submit applications.
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New Braunfels names Gregory Malatek director of public works  New Braunfels City Council members recently appointed Gregory Malatek (pictured), a district engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), as the city's new director of public works effective February 2016.
In his 21 years of service with TxDOT, Malatek served as the Austin District engineer and managed all agency activities in 11 Central Texas counties. He also had served as the area engineer in New Braunfels, a deputy district engineer in Waco and a deputy district engineer in Austin.
Malatek has a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University and a master's degree from Texas State University.
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Michelle McCord named as lone finalist for Frenship superintendent  Michelle McCord, currently the interim superintendent with Frenship Independent School District, recently won selection as the lone finalist to be named the district's superintendent.
She will replace former Superintendent David Vroonland, who resigned to accept a post as superintendent for Mesquite ISD. McCord (pictured) previously served as the assistant superintendent of administrative services in Frenship and has 19 years of experience in district and campus administration for the district.
McCord holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Midwestern State University and an Ed.D. from Lamar University.
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| HISD CFO wins national award for urban education  The Council of Great City Schools has recognized Houston Independent School District (HISD) Deputy Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Ken Huewitt (pictured) with the 2015 Bill Wise Award for distinguished service to urban education.
Huewitt joined HISD in 2001 and manages the district's financial operations, in addition to the day-to-day operations in the superintendent's absence. He is a certified public accountant, certified internal auditor, certified government financial manager and certified financial services auditor.
Before his career with HISD, Huewitt was an auditor for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General, a senior audit specialist for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and worked in the private sector as well.
"It is a tremendous honor to receive an award that recognizes the outstanding work that my team and I have accomplished," Huewitt said. "Serving a school district is rewarding work. There is no greater cause than public education."
A graduate of Texas State University, he also serves on the Board of Directors for that school's alumni association and its development foundation.
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On Our Website | |
Commerce mayor, city manager, finance director all resign
The city government of Commerce will undergo an overhaul in the coming months, as Mayor John Ballotti, City Manager Marc Clayton and Finance Director Summer Spurlock all turned in their resignations to city council this week.
Spurlock will resign shortly and take over as finance director for the city of Greenville Nov. 16. She will replace Cliff Copeland, who stepped down as Greenville Finance Director in August.
Clayton announced that he will resign March 1, 2016.
At the same city council meeting this week, Mayor John Ballotti turned in his resignation. He will be replaced by Mayor Pro Tem Richard Hill.
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| Gov. Greg Abbott has announced the following appointments: - Debbra Ulmer, Pearland, Texas Private Security Board;
- Leslie Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Council;
- Natalie C. Koehler, Cranfills Gap, Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Council;
- Jason Cooper, Midland, Chairman of the Texas Physician Assistant Board;
- Victor Ho, Houston, Texas Physician Assistant Board;
- Jorge Martinez, McAllen, Texas Physician Assistant Board;
- Karrie Lynn Crosby, Robinson, Texas Physician Assistant Board;
- Clayton "Clay" Bulls, Abilene, Texas Physician Assistant Board;
- Maribel "Monica" De Ponce, McAllen, Texas Physician Assistant Board;
- Melinda Moore Gottschalk, Round Rock, Texas Physician Assistant Board;
- Jennifer Clarner, Austin, Texas Physician Assistant Board;
- Martha Wong, Houston, Texas State Library and Archives Commission;
- Romanita Matta-Barrera, San Antonio, Texas State Library and Archives Commission;
- Larry Holt, College Station, Texas State Library and Archives Commission;
- Coalter Baker, Austin, presiding officer of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy;
- Ben Pena, Harlingen, Texas State Board of Public Accountancy;
- Rosie Morris, San Marcos, Texas State Board of Public Accountancy;
- Kimberly Wilkerson, Lubbock, Texas State Board of Public Accountancy;
- Timothy LaFrey, Austin, Texas State Board of Public Accountancy;
- Ross T. Johnson, Houston, Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.
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Texas Government Insider is a free weekly newsletter detailing important happenings throughout the state and summarizing current political issues relevant to individuals interested in government. Publisher: Mary Scott Nabers Editor: Peter Partheymuller TGI is published by Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI), a research and consulting firm. Founded in Texas in 1995 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
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