- Shirley Lawler has been chosen to lead the Missouri State University's West Plains campus. Lawler, who served in leadership roles at Ozarks Technical Community College, will replace retiring chancellor Drew Bennett. Missouri State's Board of Governors is expected to vote to finalize Lawler's employment at its May 17 meeting. She will start June 1.
- Guilford County Board of Education Chairman Alan Duncan has been appointed by the governor to the North Carolina State Board of Education. He is a lawyer and a member of the Governor's Commission on Access to Sound Basic Education. Duncan, who was sworn in last week, replaces Buddy Collins who resigned.
- T. Simeon Ananou will be the new chief information (CIO) officer for the University of Vermont beginning July 1. Previously the CIO and dean of libraries position were combined, but now they are split. Mara. R. Saule, the previous CIO and dean of libraries, will continue being the dean of libraries. In February 2016 Ananou was appointed vice president for information technology services and CIO at the University at Albany.
- Kathleen Burke is headed to South Orange County Community College District as chancellor. She has been the president of Los Angeles Pierce College for eight years. Her new tenure begins July 1. Pierce is one of nine colleges of the Los Angeles Community College District, the nation's largest community college district, with an annual enrollment of nearly a quarter million. A six-month interim replacement president typically emerges from among vice presidents from the nine colleges that comprise the district. If no permanent candidate is chosen, an executive search firm will be hired.
- Austin Beutner, a former investment banker, was chosen by the Los Angeles school board, to lead the nation's second-largest school system. Beutner will be replacing Michelle King, a former teacher who rose through the ranks to be superintendent. She went on medical leave in September and announced in January that she would retire.
- Barbara Underwood, New York's solicitor general since 2007, will serve as acting attorney general until a replacement is named. Eric Schneiderman announced this week that he would resign from the position. - Washington State's Sound Transit has named Don Billen executive director of planning, environment and project development department. Billen previously served as the department's deputy director. Since September 2017, he has been the department's acting executive director.
- Retired Morristown Fire Department Captain Richard Mikutsky has been appointed to become director of Division of Fire Safety and State Fire Marshal for New Jersey. The appointment began April 25. The vacated seat had been vacant for the previous seven years. Mikutsky was appointed to fire captain of Morristown in 2012 and served over 30 years before his recent retirement.
- Seamus Reilly Parkland College's vice president for institutional advancement, was named the new president of Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg and will begin July 1, pending board approval. Carl Sandburg College is in Illinois.
- Steven P. Rudolph, an attorney for the city of Rocklin in California, has been selected as the city's next top executive following the resignation of current city manager Rick Horst last week. The announcement comes following the resignation of Horst, who announced his departure April 25 after seven years on the job. Horst accepted a job as city manager of Maricopa, Ariz.
- Marti Vining, who has been a regional administrator in central Montana for the Child and Family Services Division for the last seven years, will be the new division administrator. Vining replaces Maurita Johnson, who resigned after 16 months on the job. Nikki Grossberg was also named the new deputy administrator for the division. She was regional administrator for the division's western Montana region for the last seven years.
- Benton County has hired Bryan Beeson as the new facilities administrator. Beeson has more than 30 years in construction management with a national retailer. He will start work with the county on April 30. John Sudduth resigned from his job with the county on Feb. 28.
- City of Hugo interim city manager Leah Savage announced that the city council voted to hire Sarah Sherrer for the city manager position. The position opened when former city manager David Rawls retired. Sherrer is the former city manager of Durant.
- Troy McDuffie, who has been serving as the interim police chief since August 2017, has been chosen as to lead the Spring Lake Police Department in North Carolina on a full-time basis as of May 1. McDuffie had been serving as interim chief since Charles Kimble left for a job in Killeen, Texas. McDuffie retired as chief of the Spring Lake Police Department in January 2017 after serving as chief for nearly nine years.
Washington D.C.- The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has planned a three-year capital project to rebuild outdoor platforms at 20 rail stations. Expected to cost $300 million to $400 million, the work is aimed at fixing structural deficiencies. The first phase would begin next year, while the entire project would continue through 2021. The platform rebuild work will be the first major construction project to benefit from capital funding recently approved by legislatures in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. 
New York- The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation is hoping to start six waterfront projects with a price tag of $42 million using funds secured years ago from the New York Power Authority. The projects include creating a mixed-use development that could include restaurants, residences and shops where the Memorial Auditorium once stood. The $10 million plan calls for a mixed-use village with period buildings, cobblestone streets and a public square. At a cost of $8 million, the plan also includes turning the Michigan Pier into a public destination by making improvements to the Outer Harbor area south of Wilkeson Pointe. 
Illinois- The Illinois Transportation Department is awarding almost $36 million for bike and pedestrian projects around the state as part of its Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program. This year, 53 projects were chosen out of a total of 218 applications that requested a total of $252 million. To be eligible, applicants must commit a local match of at least 20 percent for a project and show a plan to have the awards spent within four years. 
Connecticut- A buyer is being sought after the Capital Region Development Authority's (CRDA) recommendation for a $250 million makeover of the XL Center arena failed to gain traction in the legislature. State lawmakers, instead, last year required that a sale of the city of Hartford's 43-year-old Veterans Memorial Coliseum be explored. 
Indiana- The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is accepting applications for the Local Trax matching grant program for grade crossing separations, closures and other safety enhancements at railroad intersections with local roads. The program will provide at least $125 million in state matching funds for communities interested in pursuing high-priority projects. 
Louisiana- The Louisiana State University (LSU) Board of Supervisors has put together a request for qualifications and quotation (RFQQ) to find out if certain services on the campus should be outsourced to private companies. The chosen consultant will look at parking, transportation services, custodial work and landscaping. 
Pennsylvania
Kentucky- Citing the poor condition of Louisville's police headquarters and Jefferson County Fiscal Court building, a city consultant last week recommended razing the buildings. The firm's report concluded that the buildings both have numerous code and "life-safety" violations. Estimates for renovating the structures exceed $60 million. 
Illinois
Texas- Dallas is considering privatizing its downtown convention center. A memo sent to council members last week explains that the city will release a proposal to find a firm that will run the city-owned-and-operated downtown convention center. The city wants a partner with at least five years of experience as a provider of facility management and operation services. 
California- The University of California (UC) Berkley announced a plan last week to provide more housing for students as well as the city's homeless population. The university plans to set aside part of the 2.8-acre property known as People's park for its new housing developments. A total of 1,000 beds are planned for the new student housing complex while a separate privately-run building will provide 125 apartments for supportive housing. 
Pennsylvania- During a special meeting last Thursday, members of the West Reading traffic committee, economic development committee, planning commission and the Community Revitalization Foundation agreed to develop a multi-phased plan for a parking public-private partnership (P3). 
Georgia- Douglasville is focused on redeveloping the north side of its downtown area. The study area is bounded by Mill Creek, Malone Road, Huey Road, Strickland Street and Cedar Mountain Road. One project getting attention is the old Douglas County Jail, which the city purchased last year for $850,000. After a meeting to solicit public feedback on city development last week, the city has considered requesting public-private partnerships to redevelop the older areas of the city. In the current model of the city's Master Plan, the jail site is considered Phase I. 
New York
Michigan- Marquette city officials have issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) from interested investors for future residential and commercial development at the 2001 N. Lakeshore Boulevard location. Submissions are due by June 15. The property has been designated for a mixed-use site. 
Across the country, cranes are filling the sky signaling economic development and business growth. The buildings taking shape will serve the community, enhance the economy and provide jobs and many of the projects are benefiting from tax credit programs that provide the financing. One example is the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program administered by the United States Department of Treasury. The NTMC program can fund up to 20-25 percent of a project and can be paired with other funding sources to complete the overall financing. 
Michigan
June 13 and 14
July 23 and 24
