TWDB approves more than $6.32 million for water projects

More than $6.32 million in financial assistance was recently approved by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) today approved financial assistance for projects for four Texas cities. The funding includes:

• City of Brady - $2,651,990, including a loan of $1.21 million and $1,441,990 in loan forgiveness for planning and designing five major projects. They include major improvements at the city's wastewater treatment plant, creation of a wastewater reuse pipeline, a reuse pipeline to deliver wastewater back to Brady Creek Reservoir, a collection system to protect the city's water supplies from failing septic systems and a second wastewater treatment plant to treat the flows collected around the Brady lake.
• City of Breckenridge - $2,384,878, including a loan in the amount of $1.68 million and $704,878 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance water system improvements. The city plans to rehabilitate the chemical feed system, the solids contact clarifiers and dual media filters. The project will also add a third dual media filter as well as a number of other improvements required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
• City of Cumby - $695,000 loan from the Texas Water Development Fund to finance water and wastewater system improvements. The funding will be used for design and construction phases of both a water and a wastewater project and includes relocation of 2,500 feet of water and wastewater lines and replacement of approximately 1,000 feet of 8-inch waterline with 10-inch waterline.
• City of Grand Prairie - $582,000, including a loan of $495,000 and $87,000 in loan forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance wastewater system improvements. The funds will be used to replace and enlarge 3,950 feet of deteriorated trunk sewer to prevent sanitary sewer overflows within the sewer system.

Contractor to be chosen in January for MoPac toll project

Officials with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority are expecting to pick a design and construction contractor for the MoPac Boulevard toll lane project in Austin by January of next year. Federal environmental clearance for the project is expected in September and officials are shooting for an early spring construction start on the $200 million project. The project will add a toll lane to each side of MoPac (Loop 1) from Lady Bird Lake to Parmer Lane.

Comal commissioners authorize issue of bonds for 281 project

Comal County commissioners recently approved the issuance of $14.9 million in bonds that will lead to widening of US 281 north of the Guadalupe River. The two-lane roadway will be expanded into a divided, four-lane highway to the Blanco County line. It has already been widened south of the Guadalupe River into San Antonio. Officials expect the project, which will include 5.6 miles of roadway, to begin in January of next year and take more than two years to complete.

Hunter selected as new director of TPWD Law Enforcement Division

A 38-year law enforcement veteran, Craig Hunter (pictured), has been selected to head up the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division. He will become colonel of the department on Aug. 1, replacing the recently retired Pete Flores. David Sinclair has been serving as acting colonel since Flores' retirement at the end of May. Sinclair will retire from the department on July 31 after four decades of service.

Hunter was previously second-in-command of Texas' game wardens. In his role as colonel and Law Enforcement Division director, Hunter will be responsible for 532 state game wardens, fully commissioned peace officers whose focus is on conservation laws.

 Hunter joined TPWD in 1984 as a game warden and moved up in the ranks of the department. He currently oversees all law enforcement field operations for the department. He served as major in charge of the TPWD Internal Affairs Unit and Executive Production Team before being promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2006. Before beginning his career with TPWD, Hunter was a patrol officer for the Temple and Irving police departments. He also served a stint with the Lampasas County and Bell County sheriff's departments.

Hunter holds an associate degree in law enforcement from Temple Junior College and bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice from Texas A&M Central Texas. Hunter also holds a commission as an agent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Mary Scott Nabers speaks to a crowd gathered at a book signing event for her new book Collaboration Nation.

After a book signing this week at BookPeople in Austin, Mary Scott Nabers, president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships and author of Collaboration Nation, will be among the speakers for next week's Governor's North Texas Small Business Forum & Business Expo. The event is slated for Thursday, Aug. 2, in Irving from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The forum and expo will be at the Irving Convention Center, 500 West Las Colinas Blvd. in Irving. Nabers, who will be one of several industry experts who will speak during the event, will address "Building Bridges Between Government and Business."

The Austin businesswoman and entrepreneur has been involved in the business of partnering private firms with public entities for the last 16 years, resulting in her clients securing billions of dollars' worth of government contracts.

The luncheon keynote speaker will be Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers baseball team. Sponsorships and booth space are available. Tickets are $40 each and can be purchased online at IrvingChamber.com.  For more information on the event and to register, click here. Nabers will have a book signing for her new book immediately following her address.

Nabers' book is available at amazon.com.

Carnahan ends 40-year higher education career with retirement

Dr. Francette Carnahan (pictured), vice chancellor at the Texas State Technical College System for the last 12 years, will end four decades of service as an administrator and executive in Texas higher education institutions when she retires at the end of August.

As an advisor and project manager for major software conversions, Carnahan worked with numerous higher education institutions both in state and nationally including Dallas County Community College District, Amarillo College, South Dakota State Board of Regents and Central Piedmont Community College, North Carolina, and others.

She began that service as a student secretary at the University of North Texas in 1972 and later served there for six years as associate registrar. She also worked at Grayson County College from 1982-1988 as evening administrator, coordinator of planning and associate vice president for Admissions and Records. In 1988, she was a member of the founding executive team for Lone Star College-Tomball, serving 10 years as vice president for student development and later as vice president for community and economic development.

Carnahan holds her bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degrees from the University of North Texas.

TEA approves plan to raise $1.7 billion for public schools

Texas Education Agency (TEA) officials recently approved a new 3.3 percent distribution plan for the $25 billion Permanent School Fund for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 as well as adopting a new investment plan for the fund used to help fund public education in Texas.

TEA board members made changes in the long term strategic asset allocation plan that call for decreasing investments in equities from 50 percent to 46 percent, increasing investments in fixed income assets from 15 percent to 17 percent and increasing alternative investments from 35 percent to 37 percent.

The new plan is expected to generate a payout to public schools in Texas of about $830 million a year to pay for public school expenses and instructional materials, according to TEA officials. The Texas Permanent School Fund is the second largest education endowment in the United States.

Price to leave post as president of UNT-Dallas in 2013

President John Ellis Price (pictured) recently notified officials of the University of North Texas System that he plans to leave as president of the University of North Texas at Dallas in August 2013 when his three-year contract expires.

Price, who led efforts for UNT to establish a presence in Dallas, has served as CEO since UNT-Dallas opened in 2001 in rented space at a business park with 55 students. It now has 2,000 students enrolled at a 264-acre campus in south Dallas.

Price previously served as the KPMG Professor of Taxation and chair of the Department of Accounting at UNT in Denton, professor and dean of the School of Business at Jackson State University, assistant professor of accounting at the University of Southern Mississippi and as an internal revenue agent with the Internal Revenue Service. Price earned a Ph.D. UNT in Denton and his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Midland ISD will need $163 million to upgrade, build new facilities

An architect recently informed trustees for the Midland Independent School District that it would cost an estimated $163 million to build three new campuses, renovate elementary schools and upgrade technology in order to meet enrollment growth.

A similar plan presented by district staff in February carried a $158 million price tag, about $4.5 million less than the plan backed by consultants. Presented in February by Superintendent Ryder Warren, the staff plan called for building three new elementary schools, renovating one elementary school into an alternative school, installing water wells and spending $7 million to upgrade technology.

The plan by architects would result in 167 new classrooms and deletes an estimated $5.8 million from one proposed school renovation, reduces funding for water wells by $1.8 million and adds a $4.8 million contingency budget. The revised proposal also calls for a 93,500-square-foot school rather than the 85,000-square-foot facility proposed by district staff. The larger, 40-room elementary schools would then cost about $23.4 million each including $1 million set aside to purchase sites, build roads and extend utilities.

Montgomery County to spend $15.2 million for airport, road projects

Montgomery County Commissioners recently approved the issue of $15.2 million in certificates of obligation to pay for a runway project and several road projects. County officials agreed to issue the debt after a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration expected to pay a third of the cost of the project was not yet available. The project needs to move forward, the county judge said.

County officials plan to extend the primary runway at the Lone Star Executive Airport from 6,000 feet to 7,500 feet, said Scott Smith, the general manager of the airport.

About $6 million of the funding will go for road projects that include upgrading four asphalt roads between US59 and Loop 494 and building a new road to connect US59 at the Valley Ranch subdivision with the Grand Parkway.

Officials of Coastal Bend College recently named Monica Cruz as the new public relations officer.

Cruz previously worked as the community liaison for Drug Free Communities Program with the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and for the student services department at Coastal Bend College. Cruz holds a bachelor's degree from The University of Texas at Austin.

Corpus Christi city manager urges $55 million bond proposal

Citing critical needs such as street repair, building maintenance and park upgrades, Corpus Christi City Manager Ron Olson (pictured) recently urged city council to ask voters to approve a $55 million bond proposal in November. He also urged waiting to ask voters to approve an additional $60 million to help pay for a proposed multi-use park on the bay front.

Council members have discussed asking voters to approve funding to pay for operation and maintenance of a proposed 34-acre, $72.5 million Destination Bayfront, an effort to ramp up economic development and provide more recreation choices. Voters may balk on approving such a large bond proposal and reject sorely needed critical projects, Olson warned.

The city manager also asked council to work with city staff to prioritize and select projects addressing the three critical issues and ensure that Destination Bayfront supporters are ready to gather enough private funding to match public funding for the proposed public-private partnership. Olson urged council to propose $45 million of the proposed $55 million bond issue be used to improve streets, $5 million for maintaining buildings and $5 million for improvements to irrigation systems at city parks. Council members agreed that street repairs are the highest priority. Council also rescheduled a public hearing for July 31.

Federal officials warn Galveston to rebuild 569 housing units

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials recently released a statement instructing Galveston city officials to make concrete steps toward replacing 569 affordable housing units destroyed by Hurricane Ike. The city risks losing federal disaster relief funding allotted for post-hurricane efforts to rebuild following the storm in 2008. The city was allotted about $350 million in disaster recovery funds to pay for replacing housing and $235 million for infrastructure projects.

The written statement issued by U.S. Secretary of Housing Shaun Donovan following a meeting with city officials also cited a legal agreement requiring one-on-one replacement of affordable housing units. State officials signed the conciliation agreement in 2010 after the governor tried to move federal disaster funding to pay for projects in other parts of the state left undamaged by either Hurricane Ike or Dolly. Galveston city officials claimed they were not a party to the agreement and not bound by the signed agreement.

Following the appointment of three new commissioners, Galveston housing authority board members called for a moratorium on the proposed plan to replace housing units lost in the storm. The $235 million set aside for infrastructure projects included funding for a new fire station, fire trucks, a new main wastewater treatment plant and several road and utility projects.

Sabine ISD planning for possible upcoming bond proposal

Citing the need to replace an elementary school built in the 1930's, Superintendent Stacey Bryce (pictured) of the Sabine Independent School District recently said is he creating a steering committee to plan for a new bond proposal.

Voters in 2009 rejected by 400 votes a $20 million bond proposal to pay for a new $15.8 million elementary school, build a new field house and add softball fields.

The aging elementary school requires expensive maintenance each year and the committee will help determine priorities for facilities upgrades to be included in a future bond election, Bryce said.

Houston hotel project seeking financing assistance through city

The Houston City Council this week delayed action on a vote to authorize the city to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for $7.4 million in funding to help a local developer turn the old circa-1910 Samuel F. Carter downtown building into a luxury hotel. If the funding - $1.8 million of which is a loan and $5.6 million of which is an economic development grant - is made available, a 22-story building on Main Street will be transformed into a JW Marriott hotel.

The developer is planning the $73 million project. If the city decides to apply for the HUD funding and is approved, city officials would turn the money over to the developer. The developer would be responsible for paying the money back with interest. Once paid back, the city could keep the $5.6 million loan repayment for other economic development projects. Alden and Magnolia downtown hotels were financed the same way.

The project financing would also include $31 million in equity from the owner and $35 million in bank debt.

Judson ISD exploring bond election to address overcrowding

Judson Independent School District trustees recently began discussion on whether to ask voters to approve bonds to build four new schools to ease overcrowding caused by growing enrollment.

Voters rejected a bond issue less than two years ago and the district officials are using portable buildings for classrooms. A new high school opened in 2010 already has more students than the school was designed to hold, according to Superintendent Willis Mackey. He also said that purchasing portable buildings is a costly option as portable buildings do not last long and must be paid for out of maintenance and operation budgets rather than using bond funds.

Expressing concern over hiring new administrators for the new schools, June Adair (pictured), the board president at the time of the meeting, noted she is unsure about the superintendent's assessment of the need for more new schools. She also suggested expanding existing schools to avoid hiring new principals and other administrators rather than building new schools and redrawing attendance boundaries to make better use of available classroom space. Adair also said the district will need some new schools in the future. Adair has since been censured by her fellow board members and removed from the presidency in light of her recent indictment on two misdemeanor counts of campaign violations.

Marshall ISD hires private company for custodial duties

Marshall Independent School District trustees recently approved a $1.1 million, one-year contract with a private custodial firm, GCA Inc. The company also serves school districts in Plano, Garland, Kaufman and Nacogdoches.

District officials expect the move to a private custodial service will save about $230,000 during the first year of the contract and more than $411,000 over a four-year period if the contract is renewed. The custodial firm, one of six that bid on the contract, also pledged to buy $200,000 for new equipment to improve efficiency and effectiveness, said school officials.

All 38 current custodial employees who pass background checks will receive the same hourly wage now paid by the school district and receive employee-paid benefits, the finance director said. Trustees will re-evaluate the custodial contract to determine its effectiveness before renewing the one-year contract, he added.

Houston ISD wins national recognition for transportation fleet

The transportation department of the Houston Independent School District recently won selection for the second year in a row as one of the best 100 transportation fleets in the United States for 2012. HISD transports nearly 29,000 students more than 13 million miles a year in 1,002 school buses in addition to managing a non-school bus fleet of gas and hybrid vehicles that are driven 8 million miles a year.

Government Fleet, a transportation industry magazine, also ranked HISD as 52 on the list, five points higher than last year. HISD also was the only school district in the country to earn a spot on the top 100 list of government fleets. The rankings are judged on performance measures used to evaluate work progress, the ability of employees to voice opinions on procedures and the timing and efficiency for repairing vehicles.

Nathan Graff (pictured), the general manager of transportation for HISD, credited his staff of mechanics, bus drivers and administrators for HISD winning the honor for the second consecutive year.

Fort Worth gains $22.3M pledge for proposed downtown bridge

Federal, state and local officials recently agreed to raise $22.3 million to begin construction on the proposed White Settlement Road bridge three years ahead of schedule to avoid a possible cost overrun. As a result, construction on the bridge, needed to connect the $909 million Trinity Uptown project with downtown, is expected to begin in summer 2013 rather than in 2016.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Commissioner Bill Meadows of the Texas Department of Transportation, Maribel Chavez, the district engineer for TxDOT in Fort Worth and Michael Morris of the North Central Texas Council of Governments made the pledges so that work on all three bridges in the project will begin next year and be completed in about 2 years. The Trinity Uptown project, expected to be complete in 2021, is an attempt to convert the near north side of Fort Worth into a pedestrian-friendly area with museums, shops and residential areas in addition to providing flood control, economic development, restoration of ecologically sensitive areas and encourage more recreation in and near the river.

Texas Woman's University garners NIH grant for $452,000

 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Biomedical/Biobehavioral Research Administration Development (BRAD) grants went to only two universities in the nation this year - and one of them is Texas Woman's University. The more than $452,000 grant will be spread out over five years and will be used to develop and support a new Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at TWU's T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences-Dallas Center.

Dr. Elaine Trudelle-Jackson (pictured), TWU professor of physical therapy and principal investigator of the BRAD grant, says the new Dallas office will help increase the amount of interdisciplinary research at the center and encourage collaborative efforts with other medical researchers in the surrounding Southwestern Medical District community.

"Our location, cross-disciplinary offerings in health care and relationships with surrounding institutions such as U.T. Southwestern Medical Center, make TWU¹s Dallas Center ideal to develop clinical research that ultimately will benefit the health of individuals and families in Texas and the nation," said Trudelle-Jackson, who is assembling a steering committee to serve as an advisory board to guide the center's research. 

Novice, Coleman ISD boards send consolidation measure to voters

Novice Independent School District board members recently agreed to consider a consolidation with the Colemen Independent School District.

Following a decision earlier this year by Texas Education Agency officials to decline extending repayment of a grant from the agency that the district could not pay back, district officials agreed to close the high school at the end of this school year and begin discussing consolidation with school districts in Coleman and Jim Ned. Texas law requires voters in both the Novice and Coleman school districts to approve the consolidation before it can take place.

Hardin-Jefferson ISD sets $22M  bond election in November

Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District trustees recently called a $22 million bond election for Nov. 6 to ask voters to approve funding to build new facilities and upgrade existing ones.

Board members said the funding will pay to build a new middle school, build new baseball and softball fields as well as construct new tennis courts if voters approve the bond proposal.

Navarro County approves $9.5 million courthouse restoration

In a 3-2 vote, Navarro County commissioners recently approved a $9.5 million project to renovate the courthouse and accepted a $4.5 million state grant to help fund the project.

The restoration and renovation project includes upgrades to the plumbing, electrical, air conditioning and mechanical systems. The courthouse also will be returned to its historical appearance. The county also must relocate county offices to leased spaces that will need improving during the 27 to 30 months expected to complete the restoration and renovation project.

Prior to the vote, a Texas Historical Commission official warned that this could be the last chance for the county to receive state help paying for the restoration. The county also could be asked to return an earlier $400,000 grant used for project planning if the restoration project does not proceed, the agency official said.

Harlingen EDC taps Garza

as new executive director

The board of the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation recently tapped Raudel Garza (pictured) of McAllen as the new executive director. Garza replaces Bill Martin, who resigned to take a position with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce in Iowa and Illinois.

Garza has served as executive director of the Rio South Texas Economic Development Council since September 2010. He previously was president of the Mission Economic Development Authority, executive director of the Pharr Economic Development Corporation and a realtor and developer.

Coalition forms to improve North Texas region's air quality

The North Texas Commission to form the Clean Air Texas Initiative (CATI) is a new program that will work with the North Texas business community to help develop and implement strategies to improve air quality in the region. It is the result of a merger of the North Texas Clean Air Coalition and the Texas Business for Clean Air.

"Both TBCA and the Coalition have done great work to engage the business community on air quality issues in our region," said Mabrie Jackson, president and CEO of the North Texas Commission. Jackson said the new organization will continue efforts to bring businesses from throughout the region together to take on the clean air challenge.

The Clean Air Texas Initiative is led by a steering committee composed of representatives from both predecessor organizations and the North Texas Commission. It will continue many of its processors' programs, including the "Working for Clean Air Awards." This program recognizes organizations in North Texas that demonstrate outstanding efforts to improve regional air quality. The Initiative kicks off its work on July 30 with the "Clean Air Texas: Take Action Week," coinciding with the release of the 2012 "Working for Clean Air Awards" application. During the week of July 30 - August 3, CATI will work with partner organizations all across the region to educate employees about ozone pollution, its causes and steps that can be taken to positively impact regional air quality.

Pruitt to retire as municipal

judge in city of Dayton

Glenn Pruitt, municipal judge in Dayton for 19 years, recently announced he is retiring from that post. Pruitt attended Texas A&M where he played football and then served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He returned to earn a bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State University and attended South Texas College of Law.

Dallas to review plan to build parking garage, retail space

Dallas city officials are working with a development company in planning for a new 300-space underground parking garage with retail shops and restaurants to be located above ground near the city-owned Omni Dallas Hotel.

City officials expect to pay for the parking facility and retail development using revenue bonds remaining from paying for building the $500 million hotel that opened for business in November and revenues anticipated from the parking garage and retail businesses.

While previous plans were to build an office building on the proposed site, studies indicate that the two-acre site located near the convention center would be better used for restaurants, entertainment and bar facilities, the developer said. Before work can proceed on the project, city council must still approve the plan for the underground parking garage, he said. Architects are still working on the design phase for the retail spaces to be located above ground, he added.

Rollingwood appoints Herrera

as full-time court administrator

Rollingwood city officials recently appointed Belinda Herrera as the new full-time municipal court judge and authorized the court to operate five days a week instead of only two days a week. Herrera also is a municipal judge for Bee Cave and Austin.

Herrera replaces Mark Cohen, an Austin attorney who urged city officials to expand the two-day-a-week schedule because it was inefficient and embarrassing to the city. Cohen then resigned after serving 16 years as the part-time municipal judge. The court will now be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., the mayor said.

Allen ISD moves forward with $36 million service center

Facing vigorous opposition from some residents, trustees for the Allen Independent School District recently agreed to move forward with the design phase for a new $36 million service center.

The new 145,000-square-foot facility will consolidate the transportation, maintenance, athletic grounds keeping and food services departments of the school district. The facility also includes fueling stations, a training area for 600 attendees and a maintenance shop for vehicles as well as parking for 130 buses. The new facility is on a 42-acre, $4.6 million parcel of land near Watters Road that trustees purchased after they backed off of an earlier 55-acre, $1.9 million site near Malone Road following strong opposition to that site.

Fort Worth creates committee to oversee passenger rail efforts

Fort Worth City Council members recently created a Passenger Rail Working Group comprised of 14 members to oversee city participation in an initiative to develop passenger rail service from southwest areas of the city to the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. Council also heard an update on the proposed TexRail project from Dick Ruddell, chief executive officer of The T.

City Council member Jungus Jordan, who holds Place 8, is the chairman of the committee. Other members are: Mayor Betsy Price; Joel Burns, District 9 council member; Danny Scarth, District 4 council member; four members of the T Board, Gary Cumbie, Rosa Navejar, Gary Havener and Steve Berry; Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley; Bill Thornton, president of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce; Dee Kelly Jr. of the Fort Worth Black Chamber of Commerce; Michael Morris, director of the North Central Texas Council of Governments; and the president of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber.

Price and Jordan have taken the lead in continuing talks with Fort Worth and Western Railroad on the passenger rail project.

Marlin eyeing $6 million loan to upgrade water, sewer systems

Marlin City Council members recently began considering whether to accept a $6 million loan to upgrade the water and sewer systems.

Mayor Elizabeth Nelson (pictured) told council members the city would not be required to repay $1.2 million of the proposed $6 million loan offered to Marlin by the Texas Water Development Board. City officials may face fines from the state for violations and negatively impact prison operations if upgrades to the water and sewer system are not made.

If the loan is accepted, the city will be able to rebuild about three miles of water lines, replace aging sewer lines, rehabilitate lift stations and replace existing meters with an automated system for reading meters, Nelson said. Council members expect to vote on the project funding at their meeting on Sept. 11.

Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

seeking part-time consultants

Fryar selected as lone finalist for superintendent at Veribest

Trustees for Veribest Independent School District recently selected Bobby Fryar (pictured) as the lone finalist for superintendent. Fryar currently is the superintendent of the Crosbyton Consolidated Independent School District located east of Lubbock.

Fryar has a bachelor's degree and a superintendent's certification from Angelo State University. Board members expect to formally hire Fryar in mid-August after the required 21-day waiting period.

Burnet approves contract

for new $1.8 million fire station

Burnet City Council members recently approved a contract with an architect firm to design and build a $1.8 million fire station near the airport on US 281.

City officials expect construction on the new fire station to begin in early 2013 as soon as all planning for the facility and the bid process are completed, said David Vaughn, city manager.

Mayors of 16 of the largest cities in Texas are planning to meet in Fort Worth next week to discuss issues such as education, transportation and water and then work together on common goals.

The mayors, who represent a total of about 9 million Texans, are from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Amarillo, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Lubbock, Plano, Denton, Garland, Grand Prairie and Irving.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss issues affecting cities and work together to address critical issues affecting those large cities, said Mayor Betsy Price, who is hosting the meeting of mayors representing urban areas.

Corpus Christi to consider bid to private museum management

Corpus Christi City Council members recently began considering a bid from a private company to manage the Corpus Christi Science and History Museum. Council members are expected to vote on the proposal to privatize operation of the museum on Aug. 21.

In the proposed pact, the company, Corpus Christi Museum Joint Ventures, proposes to manage the museum for two years and share any profits, while at the same time maintaining the level of revenue the museum has earned under management of the city. The proposed agreement also requires the private company to retain at least professional museum staff members to manage and care for exhibits that include 1554 Spanish shipwrecks found off the coast and a life-sized replica of one of the ships operated by Christopher Columbus in his explorations.

Canutillo ISD to build new

$21 million school building

Trustees for the Canutillo Independent School District recently agreed to move forward with plans to build a new $21 million school that will serve students from pre-kindergarten through the eighth grade. District officials also plan to spend another $19.2 million to upgrade and expand existing schools throughout the district to house growing student enrollment.

Construction on the new 146,977-square-foot school, located near Paseo del Norte, is expected to begin in December and open to students in August 2014. The school will feature 20 elementary classrooms, 12 middle school classrooms, two science labs, a choir room, a band room, library, two computer rooms and a weight room. It will also have a competition gymnasium and a multipurpose room with a stage and a basketball court. Voters approved bonds in 2006 and in 2011 to pay for the facility that will follow standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

The renovation of existing schools will add space for a fine arts program, add new classroom wings and expand the size of classrooms, according to district officials.

Superintendent candidate withdraws name in Socorro ISD

H.T. Sanchez, one of the three finalists selected to become the next Socorro Independent School District superintendent, has apparently withdrawn his name from consideration for the job.

Sanchez had already conducted interviews with community members and school officials before withdrawing from the finalists list. Officials plan to announce their pick for the next superintendent by the end of this month.

• Steve Tull of Valley Mills, chair, Texas Commission on Fire Protection;
• Rene Garza of Austin, Pharmaceuticals and Therapeutics Committee;
• Scott Schams of College Station, Pharmaceuticals and Therapeutics Committee.

Harris County supports

extending Metro program

Harris County commissioners recently agreed to support extending the Metro General Mobility Program to improve mobility in the region. County officials appoint two members of the nine-member board of directors of Metro, the transit agency that includes Harris County, the city of Houston and 14 surrounding cities and villages, including Katy, West University, Bellaire and Missouri City, who appoint the remaining members of the Metro board of directors.

The Metro General Mobility Program is funded by 25 percent of the agency's 1 percent sales tax revenue collected in participating cities, villages and the county and is used for building roads, street maintenance, traffic signs and upgrades for drainage and other needs related to transit in all participating

Although the chairman of Metro has called for freezing the general mobility program to 2014 levels and retaining any increase in revenue on mass transit projects such as a light rail system, officials of most cities and villages support continuation of the general mobility program at its current level. These municipalities have grown to rely on the upgrades to infrastructure as the economy has faltered and cut tax revenue.

Morris County selects Betts as emergency management head 

Morris County commissioners recently appointed Larry Betts as the new County Emergency Management Coordinator. Betts replaces Doug Stanley, the police chief in Daingerfield, who held that position before his recent death.