This legislation is seen as a way of allowing - and encouraging - the transfer of information, whether proven best practices or state-of-the-art knowledge, from the private to the public sector. It would allow state agencies to use open full-time employee positions to employ an entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR). The goal would be to strengthen coordination and interaction between state government and the private sector, facilitate the use of new technology to make state government more transparent and interactive and implement best practices used in the private sector to ensure simple, easily accessible and more efficient programs that are used by Texans.

While an entrepreneur-in-residence program already exists in the private sector, this legislation would create a similar program in which any state agency, commission, department, office or other agency in the executive branch, including institutions of higher education, could participate. The bill calls for only 10 entrepreneurs-in-residence in state agencies per fiscal year, with those appointed serving no more than two years. Candidates must have demonstrated success in their fields, success in working with small business concerns and entrepreneurs and must have successfully developed, invented or created a product and brought that product to the marketplace.

UT president says university ready to seek medical school dean

The search for a dean for the newly announced Dell School of Medicine at The University of Texas will likely begin soon, according to UT Austin President Bill Powers (pictured). Powers reported to the Board of Regents this week that a steering committee is prepared to appoint a search committee to find a dean.

"We're in the phase of getting it done," Powers said of the proposed medical school that recently secured major funding sources.

The Regents gave preliminary approval to request the Higher Education Coordinating Board to authorize a Doctor of Medicine degree for the new medical school. It would mark the first time in decades that a major research university would offer a doctoral program in medicine. Powers told the Regents that the wheels are turning and infrastructure - such as appointing communications and development offices - needs to be completed before a dean is selected.

Although a site has not yet been selected for the school, the university expects to graduate its first class of students from the medical school in 2020.

UT-Arlington selects Karbhari as finalist for university president

The current provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Alabama in Huntsville will become the next president of The University of Texas at Arlington. Vistasp M. Karbhari (pictured) this week was named by the UT System Board of Regents as the sole finalist for the UT-Arlington post, to succeed President James Spaniolo, who announced last June that he would step down once a search for a new president was complete.

Prior to his current position, Karbhari was professor and vice chairman of the structural engineering department at The University of California-San Diego. He is a noted researcher and scholar and published author of more than 200 scientific papers.

Karbhari holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Poona in India and a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. State law requires a waiting period of at least 21 days before an official appointment is made.

Nabers to speak at 2013 Public-Private Partnership Conference

Approximately 1,000 representatives of both public and private entities will hear from some of the nation's leading experts on public-private partnerships at the 2013 Public-Private Partnership Conference (P3C) in Dallas. Among the more than 80 distinguished speakers who will speak during the two-day event on Feb. 21 and 22 will be P3 expert Mary Scott Nabers, president and chief executive officer of Strategic Partnerships, Inc. and co-founder of the Gemini Global Group.

Nabers is a keynote speaker for the Thursday, Feb. 21, opening day program. She is among dozens of consultants, developers, builders, architects, financial experts and attorneys who will address how to connect the public and private sectors, emerging trends in P3s and how the role of public-private partnerships are expanding across local governments.
 

Read more about Nabers and her take on how public-private partnerships have evolved in a recent Q&A interview with The University of Texas McCombs Business School online magazine, McCombs Today.

Williamson County judge urges creation of bond committee

Williamson County Judge Dan Gattis (pictured) recently urged commissioners to appoint a bond committee to discuss priority projects for a bond election to pay for improvements to parks and roads and possibly a new event center.

Gattis said he plans to place an item on the agenda for the Feb. 19 meeting of commissioner's court to call for a vote to form a bond committee. The committee would meet with officials of cities in the county to help select projects for a bond election as soon as November. He also recommended that commissioners from each precinct appoint two members and the county judge will appoint the chairperson as commissioners did in the last $250 million bond election in 2006.

The county judge said he is interested in improving north-south and east-west traffic flow and to have cities work with each other and the county on road projects, but has no specific road projects to recommend at this time.

Travis County to seek consultant for civil courthouse project

Travis County commissioners are going to have a little help in deciding whether it should build a proposed $340 million civil courthouse in downtown Austin, and whether a public-private partnership is the best route for constructing the project.

The nearly 500,000-square-foot proposed facility has been on the back burner for months as commissioners debated whether a public-private partnership was the best way to build the facility. While the majority of the court has pledged support for a bond election for construction of the building, they have yet to call for a referendum.

Commissioners have not put a price tag on the cost of a consultant, but applications for the post are due March 6.

Texas A&M students to vote on fee to help fund stadium upgrades

Students at Texas A&M University will vote next week in a campus-wide referendum on whether to increase student fees to help fund renovations at Kyle Field on the College Station campus. Two options exist for increasing funds. One would increase semester credit hour fees for all students as well as increasing student football season ticket prices. Students who take 12 hours per semester would see a tuition increase.

The second option would not increase fees or ticket prices, but instead would direct the administration to allocate existing student fees to help defray the stadium costs.

The proposed $425 million renovation of the stadium would seat between 95,000 and 102,500. The university is hoping to raise $4.9 million per year, to a total of $75 million to help pay for the renovations. University officials also are seeking $36 million from a hotel tax increase across the county and reserve hotel tax funds from the city of College Station.

UNT taps Sewell as VP of research,  economic development

University of North Texas officials recently selected Kenneth W. Sewell (pictured) to serve as vice president of research and economic development while the university continues to search nationally for a permanent replacement.

Sewell, who had served as associate vice president for research, will be responsible for budget hearings, advancing computer facilities at the university and work involving the current legislative session, said President Lane Rollins. Sewell has a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas.

DARS announces shutdown of TTY line for inquiries on May 1

Just as e-mail and texting has replaced hand-written notes and phone calls, improving technology has also had an effect on communication services for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Text telephone technology, or TTY, has been a staple for communication via telephone, but new technology is now making the old TTY setup obsolete. With the availability of the Internet and the options for communication that it offers, many who are deaf or hard of hearing are opting to message others through the Internet, on social media, via videophones and relay services.

As a result, many state health and human services agencies in Texas have shut down their TTY operations. Add the Texas Department of Assisted and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) to that list. DARS has announced that it will end its TTY service line on May 1. In addition to a significant decline in the number of users of the DARS TTY service, agency officials say repair and replacement of TTY equipment is both expensive and hard to find. Even those who once used the service say it is outdated and thus they rely more on other technology to communicate.

DARS officials say the agency will provide updates and reminders about the upcoming May shutdown of the service and DARS publications and the agency Web site will no longer have a TTY number listed. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired should use the relay service provider of their choice to contact the DARS Inquiries Line. Texas offers Relay Texas , which can be reached by dialing toll-free 7-1-1 or 1-800-RELAY TX (1-800-735-2989).

Travis County may consider downtown Austin building

Not only is Travis County considering building a $343 million civil courthouse in downtown Austin, but now comes word that the county also is considering construction of a $60 million building in the same area. The facility would include courtrooms, prosecutors' offices, a crime lab and even retail space.

The issue is likely to make its way onto a Feb. 26 Travis County Commissioner's Court meeting. County officials have not announced how the project would be financed, however, commissioners are considering a bond issue or a public-private partnership for the civil courthouse project. The price tag has been projected at approximately $60 million.

Plans for the building include 130,000 square feet of office space, nearly 150 underground parking spaces, 1,500 square feet of retail space and 15,500 square feet of leasable office space.

UT Provost Leslie stepping down, returning to teaching, research

University of Texas at Austin Executive Vice President and Provost Steven Leslie (pictured) is stepping down from his administrative duties at the end of August to return to research and teaching. Leslie has been provost since 2007, after serving as dean of the College of Pharmacy.

Leslie, the Bauerle Centennial Professor in the College of Pharmacy, joined UT in 1974 as an assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy. With the exception of two years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center, he has spent his professional career at the university. Leslie was director of the university's Institute for Neuroscience from 1986 to 1992.

Leslie holds a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, a master's degree in pharmacology/toxicology and a Ph.D. in pharmacology/toxicology, all from Purdue University.

Sam Houston taps Lacourse as dean of allied health programs

Sam Houston State University officials recently named Michael Lacourse (pictured), as the new dean of allied health programs.

An expert in neuromotor control and biomedical statistics, Lacourse will be in charge of developing a strategic plan to expand allied health programs by identifying potential programs that can be established with existing faculty. He also will assess regional and local needs of the health care industry with a goal of creating a College of Allied Health once the core programs are created.

Previously dean of the School of Health and Human Services for National University in California, Lacourse also served at National University as co-director of the Health Sciences Center, chief of the Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Laboratory for Long Beach Healthcare System of the Veterans Administration and associate dean of Health and Human Services and chair of the Department of Kinesiology at California State University.

Texas A&M approves new dining hall for Corpus Christi campus

Texas A&M University System Regents recently approved a new $8 million dining hall at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Construction on the new one-story dining hall is expected to begin later this year.

The dining hall, designed to serve 600 customers, will provide dining services to four, nearby new housing units currently under construction. It is planned as a gathering place and activity center for students, faculty and staff who currently use small dining establishments scattered around the campus, said Dr. Flavius Killebrew, president and chief operating officer of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Revenue from dining services will pay for the $8 million construction plan, Killebrew said.

UNT-Dallas selects Chuck Thomas as general services director

Officials of the University of North Texas at Dallas recently selected Charles Thomas (pictured) as director of general services.

Thomas has 20 years experience in managing facilities for school districts in Richardson and Arlington and at the University of Notre Dame and Virginia Tech University.

Thomas has helped develop energy conservation solutions for several educational organizations.

Tomball ISD eyeing $168. 2 million bond election in May

With enrollment growing by almost 300 students a year, Tomball Independent School District officials are considering asking voters to approve bonds in November to pay for four new campuses and other capital improvement projects.

Bond committee members recommended a five-year plan to build four new schools. District officials plan a campus for kindergarten through fifth grade students and an intermediate school for fifth and sixth grades to be built in the southern areas of the district. Those will be in addition to a new school for kindergarten through fifth grade students and a junior high campus near The Woodlands. The cost for the four new schools is about $110 million.

The bond committee also discussed allotting about $30 million to expand and renovate existing facilities, $28 million to upgrade transportation and technology and $5 million to improve two football stadiums. Board members are expected to vote on the bond proposal in May before the March 1 deadline for scheduling the election.

Houston ISD looking at $12 million for new magnet programs

Houston Independent School District officials recently began efforts to apply for $12 million in federal grant funds to kick-off eight new magnet programs throughout the district and at nearby North Forest ISD.

U.S. Department of Education officials are focusing on science, technology, engineering and math studies in the application process for the approximately 40 grants to the Magnet School Assistance Program totaling about $99.6 million this year, said Superintendent Terry Grier (pictured) of Houston ISD. If the grant application is approved, the district plans to begin magnet programs at existing schools, including Ryan Middle School, M.C. Williams Middle School, Kashmere High School, Furr High School and South Early College High School.

If the Texas Education Agency agrees to merge North Forest ISD with Houston ISD, as supported by both school districts, a magnet program also will be instituted at a middle school in North Forest that is as yet unnamed. District officials also plan to institute magnet programs after converting Ryan Middle School into the HISD Middle School for Health Professionals and opening an early college high school planned for the North Forest ISD area. A portion of the grant, which is paid out over a three-year period, also will be used at a proposed high school to train energy professionals. Trustees are expected to vote this week on whether to submit the grant application that is due on March 1. 

Austin ISD bond proposal increases to $898.4 million

Austin Independent School District trustees recently discussed increasing a bond election proposed for May from $889.9 million to $898.4 million with four separate propositions.

The four bond propositions supported by trustees are: $131.6 million for upgrades for health environment, equipment and technology; $266.6 million to build four new elementary schools, expand seven schools, buy land for new schools and for district-wide safety and security projects; $349.4 million for academic and building renovations, including improvements to libraries; and $150.9 million on academic programs, fine arts and athletic programs and new career and technology education programs, including $20 million to renovate the Alternative Learning Center into the School for Young Men scheduled to open in 2014.

Corpus Christi priorities: water supply, economic development

At a recent retreat on Padre Island, elected city officials of Corpus Christi recently set goals and priorities for the year, with the city's water supply and street maintenance to help economic development topping the list of priorities.

City Manager Ron Olson (pictured), who led the work session, noted that the city's water supply is below 40 percent capacity even with water restrictions in force across the city. As a result, council members agreed to move up the timeline for building a pipeline to access water rights from the Lower Colorado River with a goal of completing the project in 2015.

Council members also discussed a $1 million plan for comprehensive street maintenance as a top priority in order to reverse years of delaying or postponing street maintenance projects. The council is expected to vote on a comprehensive street maintenance plan in March and establish a street user fee to pay for the street maintenance project as early as this summer.

Mansfield postpones $35 million bond election planned for May 11

Citing a lack of enthusiasm from citizens, Mansfield City Council members recently agreed to postpone a $35 million bond election planned for May 11 to fund $19 million in street repairs and a new dispatch center. Council members also instructed staff to continue with planning for street projects that could be paid for with certificates of obligation or from the general fund.

Council members earlier discussed $100 million in capital improvements for the bond proposal, but eliminated plans for a new library, expanding an activities center and $14.5 million in public safety projects to lower the bond proposal to $35 million to pay for street repairs and acquisition of land for park development. Mayor David Cook (pictured) said he expects city officials will continue discussion of a possible bond election in November or next year.

Huntsville ISD unveils $60 million bond proposal

The superintendent for Huntsville Independent School District recently unveiled a proposal to ask voters to approve bonds to upgrade district facilities from $60 million to $61.9 million.

The long-range facilities plan developed by citizens and a Houston-based consultant includes plans to convert a middle school into administrative offices and then remodel the administration building into an alternative school for at-risk students and those with disciplinary problems. District officials also propose to build an agriculture facility and to expand and update the auditorium and cafeteria-commons at Huntsville High School if voters approve the bonds.

Dallas ISD proposes $4.65M in elementary security upgrades

Responding to the deadly Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, Dallas Independent School District officials recently proposed $4.65 million in security upgrades at 150 elementary schools.

Craig Miller (pictured), chief of the Dallas ISD police force, proposed installing a video recording system and a buzzer system at the entrance of each elementary campus following a security review that indicated a need for better security. He also called for placing electronic card readers at side doors to allow only staff to enter and installing one-way peep holes on 1,200 portable buildings to allow someone to look outside during a lockdown.

The security review found side doors propped open, visitors freely entering front doors without being noticed and school staff unable to track visitors once inside the building, Miller said. District officials plan to fund the security upgrades from $40 million remaining from $1.3 billion in bonds approved in 2008. Trustees are expected to vote on the security proposal in February.

Houston group urges $516 million in upgrades for Lone Star College

A group of business, education, government and civic leaders in Northwest Harris County recently urged Lone Star College System (LSCS) trustees to approve a $516 million list of projects to add new facilities and upgrade infrastructure throughout the system to handle expected growth.

Committee members agreed that any bond proposition by the college should not impact the tax rate, said Barbara Thomason, president of the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce. College officials are expecting enrollment to increase to more than 100,000 students within two to three years and are considering calling a bond referendum to pay for the expansion and upgrades to facilities recommended by the group following their study of facility needs, noted Dr. Richard Carpenter, chancellor of LSCS.

Sabine ISD sets $19.8 million bond election to pay for new campus

Trustees for Sabine Independent School District recently agreed to ask voters on May 11 to approve $19.8 million in bonds to build a new elementary school.

If voters approve the bonds, the new elementary school will replace an existing elementary school built in 1935 and renovated eight times. Superintendent Stacey Bryce (pictured) urged moving forward with the new campus because the current school is not capable of supporting technology because of an aging electrical system. The new campus also will have a security system and classrooms large enough to meet state standards, Bryce said.

The superintendent also recommended building the new school on almost 45 acres of land purchased in 2009 for $630,000 despite opposition by some against the site because of its proximity to a frontage road for Interstate 20. Board members, however, did not designate the location for the proposed new elementary school, when scheduling the bond election.

San Marcos CISD group urges $98.6 million bond election in May

A San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District advisory committee recently urged board members to schedule a $96.6 million bond election on May 11.

Advisory committee members recommended the district spend $69.64 million in bond proceeds for new facilities, $189.82 to expand and upgrade existing facilities and $8.5 million to renovate two elementary schools and upgrade security throughout the district. Among the larger projects in the bond proposal are $26.9 million for a new football stadium, $11.44 million for a natatorium, $12.7 million for a new pre-kindergarten campus and $8.3 million in renovations and additions to Miller Middle School.

Board members are expected to vote on whether to ask voters to approve the bonds prior to the March 1 deadline for calling a bond election.

Plano sets $98.3 million bond election to upgrade infrastructure

The Plano City Council recently voted to schedule a $98.3 million bond election on May 11, with nearly half the bond funding to be used for street improvements.

Council also will ask voters to revoke $14.2 million in bonds approved for The Arts Center of North Texas, previously known as Arts of Collin County, on that same ballot. The cities of Allen, Frisco and Plano agreed to joint ownership of the proposed arts center, but Frisco voters revoked that city's bond authority in May, an action that raised discussions of dissolving the project and distributing any assets among the three municipalities.

City officials plan to ask voters to approve $43.8 million for street improvements, including $8 million for street reconstruction and improvements and $5.2 million for intersection upgrades. Other major projects included in the bond proposal are $13 million in upgrades to a park and nature preserve, a proposed $7.5 million renovation of a swimming pool and $8 million to build trails throughout the city. Deputy City Manager Frank Turner said the proposed $15 million for economic development would be used to improve streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure that has helped with the redevelopment of the downtown area. 

TCC, 12 other buildings on 'Top Texan Buildings' list

Tarrant County College's River Campus East (pictured) is in elite company as one of the "Top 13 Texan Buildings to See in 2013." The recognition was announced this week by Architizer and The Texas Society of Architects.

"We've always known that our Trinity River Campus East is a treasure and are elated that the rest of the world now shares that knowledge," said TCC Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley. "The grandeur that permeates outside continues into the halls of learning where our world-class professors use state-of-the-art equipment to prepare our students for high- demand jobs."

The new Tarrant County College East Campus is on a bluff overlooking Trinity River. It was designed around a sunken plaza that connects the city to the river trails. Elongated structures rise around the plaza and are clad in charcoal-gray precast concrete panels to evoke geological formations.

Also on the must see list are City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department Pavilions: Cotillion Pavilion, Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas; Richland College's Sabine Hall Science Building; and The University of Texas at Dallas Campus Landscape Architecture. The Austin structures are Block 21, a mixed-use development; Kimber Modern; and The University of Texas Student Activities Center. Houston facilities on the list include the Houston Food Bank, Tellespsen Family Downtown YMCA and "Twilight Epiphany" Skyspace at Rice University. Rounding out the list are the Lubbock Arts District Firehouse and the Haven for Hope in San Antonio.

Eagle Ford Consortium plans second annual conference in March

"Shaping a Sustainable Pathway" is the theme for the Second Annual Conference of the Eagle Ford Consortium. The event is planned for Thursday and Friday, March 7-8, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 600 E. Market, in San Antonio. Keynote speaker is Clarence Cazalot, CEO of Marathon Oil Co. Key topics for the event include South Texas Energy Triangle, Global Outlook and Markets, Community and Workforce Development, How to Do Business with Industry, Managing Road Safety Through Collaboration and Best Practices. Registration is now open. More information is available on the Consortium Web site or at info@eaglefordconsortium.org.

TxDOT to host Small Business Briefings across Texas

Join educational leaders from across Texas for Leadership Fusion 2013 - Learning in the 21st Century, Leading in Tomorrow's World. Each year, Leadership Fusion focuses on topics that are relevant to current educational trends. This year, the summit explores how emerging technology is motivating and engaging students, how brain-based research can impact higher learning and how the universal principles of exemplary school leadership can accelerate student success. Participants will gain best practices and innovative strategies to help them excel as educational leaders. Featured speakers include: Eric Jensen, a leading authority on the science and applications of brain research in education; Alan November, international leader in educational technology; and Lonnie Moore, leadership development expert and author of The High-Trust Classroom. Visit www.leadershipfusion.net to learn more or e-mail solutions@esc4.net.

P3C, public-private partnership conference, set in Dallas

West Texas A&M will spend

$1.45 million to expand parking

West Texas A&M University officials recently agreed to spend $1.45 million to buy a 97-unit apartment complex located on 3.3 acres of land to add more parking spaces on campus.

Once the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approves the parking project, university officials plan to demolish the apartment complex located northeast of Founders Hall to provide parking for a new residence hall and other campus facilities, WTAMU officials said.

Sloan resigns as CEO of Pedernales Electric Cooperative

R. B. Sloan (pictured), chief executive officer for Pedernales Electric Cooperative, recently resigned, effective March 15, from the post he held for two years. Board members appointed Frank Skube, the chief financial officer, to serve as interim CEO until a new chief executive is hired. 

Lewisville to seek bids a

second time for plaza project

Lewisville City Council members recently agreed to try again to find a contractor for a proposed plaza project. Council members recently delayed the project after rejecting the only two bids received for the Wayne Ferguson Plaza project.

Council members expect to receive better bids than the first round after gathering more information from the utility company, city officials said. Once a winning bid is chosen, city officials expect to begin construction on the plaza project in late May and complete the project in March 2014. Plans call for the place to feature a 1.5-acre park with a permanent stage and a water feature including a stream, a boardwalk and a splash zone.

Corsicana ISD eyeing $46 to $52 million bond election in May

Trustees for the Corsicana Independent School District are expected to vote on whether to call an election in May to ask voters to approve from $46 million to $52 million in bonds.

District officials have proposed building a new $28 million campus for elementary students, spending $3.1 million to upgrade technology, $4 million to upgrade an elementary school and $6 million to add 16 classrooms to the high school if the board decides on the $52 million proposition.

District officials also are discussing $3.1 million to upgrade technology, $4 million to improve an elementary school campus, $1 million to buy 10 new buses, $2.5 million baseball complex improvements, $1.9 million on library upgrades and additional smaller projects such as replacing flooring and buying new band uniforms. 

Alvarado school district

calls $38.2M bond election

With a goal of building a new junior high campus and completing the second floor of the high school, trustees for the Alvarado Independent School District recently agreed to call a $38.2 million bond election on May 11. District officials plan to spend about $38.2 million to build a new junior high school and $1.7 million to renovate the second floor of the high school to house career technology and college dual credit programs.

Whitesboro ISD to ask voters to approve $10.77 million in bonds

Whitesboro Independent School District board members recently agreed to ask voters to approve $10.77 million in bonds to pay for upgrades to technology and improving security.

While the majority of the bond funds, $8.2 million, would be spent on safety and security needs at campuses throughout the district, Superintendent Pete Slaughter (pictured) noted the remaining funds, $1.81 million, would be used to repair some facilities.

Security upgrades proposed include adding interior corridors to connect all buildings on each campus, adding security vestibules at each campus and purchasing technology to control access at each campus in addition to rebuilding the entry to the high school, Slaughter said. District officials also plan to upgrade the heating and air conditioning system at a middle school and improve drainage and make foundation repairs at an intermediate school. Voters in November 2011 rejected a $16 million bond proposal, prompting district officials to eliminate some projects to reduce the amount of bond funding needed for the upcoming bond proposal, according to the superintendent.

Paris agrees on $45 million

bond election in May

Paris City Council members recently agreed to schedule a $45 million bond election in May. If approved by voters, bond proceeds will be used to pay for water and sewer upgrades, parks and recreation projects and road improvements, city officials said.

Perez placed on leave as

head of Edcouch-Elsa ISD

Trustees for the Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District recently placed Superintendent Frank Perez on paid administrative leave. Board members also selected Richard Rivera, a member of the board of trustees, to serve as interim superintendent.

Perez previously served as interim superintendent for six months before being selected in July 2011 as superintendent. Board members also authorized the district's legal counsel to conduct an investigation into issues involving the performance of Perez while he was superintendent. Trustees expect the investigation to take from two to three months to complete.

Bettin to retire as superintendent for Falls City school district

Superintendent Linda Bettin of Falls City Independent School District recently announced plans to retire, effective July 1. She served eight years as superintendent. 

Board members agreed to look for a new superintendent by placing an advertisement with the Texas Association of School Administrators. Trustees plan to begin reviewing qualified applicants for superintendent in March. 

Troup selects new assistant city administrator, city secretary

Troup City Council members recently selected Police Chief Pat Hendrix as the new assistant city administrator and Buffie Deason as the new city secretary.

A new assistant city administrator is needed because the city administrator said he is sometimes required to travel out of town to chair the Smith County 911 Communications District.

Deason has served as city clerk for six years and will replace Cheryl Jimerson, who resigned to accept another position in Henderson. Because city officials are eliminating the clerk position, Deason will continue with those duties along with her new duties as city secretary, the city administrator said.

Courtland Holman (pictured) of Kansas recently agreed to serve as the new director of the Dayton Community Development Corporation.

Currently the executive director of the Larned Area Chamber of Commerce and Pawnee County Economic Development Commission, Holman has a bachelor's degree from California State University. He also was a project engineer for a private company, the economic development manager for the city of Brentwood and a manager of a redevelopment agency for the city of Pittsburg, both in California.

Port of Corpus Christi approves $48 million to expand rail yard

Port of Corpus Christi commissioners recently approved a funding agreement for a $48 million rail yard expansion and upgrade. The expansion and upgrades are needed to relieve bottlenecks at the fifth largest port in the United States as shipments connected to Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas drilling grow, port officials said.

Phase 1 of the project includes adding 1.5 miles of track able to store a 110-car train, 2.8 miles of track split among four parallel tracks to store an additional 252 rail cars, a service road and 750-foot service track, port officials said. Funding for the first phase of construction comes from a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, $4.1 million from surcharges from three railroads that serve the port and $3.7 million from the port.

Phase 2 includes building another 7.6 miles of track at a cost of $11 million from the Texas Department of Transportation and $6 million from the port. Construction on the rail yard improvements should begin in about 18 to 24 months.

Henderson ISD proposing third attempt at bond proposal

Trustees for Henderson Independent School District recently discussed asking voters for a third time to approve a bond proposal in May to pay for a new middle school. Voters in Nov. 2010 rejected a $39.2 million bond proposal and in 2011 a $26 million bond proposal that would have paid for a new middle school and renovations and additions to other district facilities. Trustees plan to merge three older middle school buildings, including a band hall and sixth-grade wing, into a new middle school on the site of the current middle school if voters approve the bond issue.

Jacksonville ISD OKs $1.53M

to buy Lon Morris properties

Trustees for the Jacksonville Independent School District recently approved $1.53 million to purchase the administration building, gymnasium and about 50 acres of land and other assets from the Lon Morris Bankruptcy Estate.

Officials of Lon Morris College filed for bankruptcy in July after being unable to meet payroll and other expenses. The bankruptcy court, however, must approve the sale of Lon Morris College assets to the school district before the purchase is final.

Superintendent Joe Wardell of Jacksonville ISD said the assets acquired from the college have an insured value of almost $6.7 million and the land is valued at over $100,000. Wardell said he expects the closing on the property will be completed within a month

Check the GOVERNMENT NEWS section of the SPI Web site for these and other press releases.

• Two National Academy members join Texas Tech faculty

• Record year in philanthropy for UT System institutions

• AgriLife Extension challenges Texans to save 40 gallons of water daily

• Texas prepaid tuition program enrollment deadline approaches

• Winter wind propels ERCOT to a new wind record

Houston ISD Transportation Department honored by city

The mayor of Houston recently recognized the Transportation Department of Houston Independent School District for being selected by Government Fleet Magazine as "100 Best Fleets" for two consecutive years.

The mayor ordered the city hall to be lit in yellow from Feb. 8 through Feb. 13 to honor the transportation department for that honor. The department also was one of only two districts recognized for safety practices and receiving an exemplary assessment from the National Association for Public Transportation. Houston ISD operates 875 school buses that travel 80,000 miles transporting 30,000 students to and from school.

Greenville approves $2.4 million for capital projects in city

Greenville City Council members recently agreed to issue $2.4 million in certificates of obligation to fund a $667,000 renovation of an animal shelter and $890,000 to pay for records management software and a crime scene trailer at the police department. Council members also plan to spend $426,000 for a gradall unit and new truck for the street department, $40,000 to renovate a park and $150,000 for mobile data terminals, software and a training tower for the fire department.

Mission police chief takes

over as interim city manager

Mission Police Chief Martin Garza (pictured) has been handed over the reins for the city, after city officials this week appointed him as interim city manager, effective March 1. He will be filling in for City Manager Julio Cerda, who announced last month that he will leave his post of eight years to start an engineering firm.

Although Garza has never been a city manager, he has served as Mission city manager when Cerda was out of town. While Garza is learning the ropes from Cerda, he will name Assistant Chief of Administration Robert Dominguez as interim police chief. Dominguez has been with the police department more than two decades.

• Bob McCarn of Port Lavaca, Manufactured Housing Board;
• Donnie Wisenbaker of Sulphur Springs, Manufactured Housing Board;
• Sara Jones Oates of Austin, Appraisal Management Companies Advisory Committee;
• Larry McNamara of Dallas, Appraisal Management Companies Advisory Committee;
• Michael Keller of Plainview, Nursing Facility Administrators Advisory Committee;
• Barbara Manousso of Houston, Nursing Facility Administrators Advisory Committee;
• Donna Scott Tilley of Colleyville, Nursing Facility Administrators Advisory Committee;
• Katherine Cabaniss of Houston, judge of the 248th Judicial District Court in Harris County.

Greenwood ISD group urges $51 million bond election in May

A citizen's bond committee for Greenwood Independent School District recently recommended that trustees ask voters to approve $51.32 million in bonds to build a new intermediate school and middle school.

Board members bought land for the schools near FM307 for $1.6 million and hope to build a 1,200-student facility to house students in grades three through eight in intermediate and middle school. Committee members also are proposing $2.79 million to upgrade technology, security and communication throughout the district, $1.1 million to upgrade athletic facilities and $2.9 million in contingency funds.

Current plans call for the intermediate and middle school to have separate entrances, different classroom wings, cafeterias, administrative offices and gymnasiums, but share a kitchen and library media center.

Harlandale ISD taps Madrigal

as new superintendent

Harlandale Independent School District trustees recently selected Ray Madrigal as the new superintendent. A 31-year employee of the district, Madrigal has served as interim superintendent since June.

Madrigal replaced former Superintendent Robert Jaklich, who resigned to take over as superintendent for Victoria ISD last year.

Rodriguez accepts DISD communications chief position

Rebecca Rodriguez (pictured), marketing communications manager for the city of Arlington and former Dallas TV journalist, has accepted the position of communications chief for Dallas ISD.

Rodriguez is a former reporter and anchor for WFAA-TV and KTVT-TV. She has also been a television anchor in Waco, Austin and Seattle, and with CNN and the Fox News Channel. She has been with the city of Arlington since 2011.

As communications chief, she will be responsible for communications and outreach to parents, school board members, principals, teachers, administrative staff, news media and elected officials at local, national and regional levels. She will begin her new job March 1.

Doguim resigns as inspector general for city of Houston

Inspector General Robert Doguim recently resigned as chief of the Office of Inspector General for the city of Houston, the office responsible for investigating misconduct by city employees and police department personnel.

An employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 20 years, Doguim also was director of homeland security and emergency management at the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Doguim joined the city in late 2010 when Mayor Annise Parker transferred the inspector general office to the mayor's office from the police department. His resignation was effective on Feb. 3.

Rockport City Secretary

Parker heads to Port Aransas

Rockport City Secretary Irma Parker has announced her resignation to accept a position as city secretary in Port Aransas. She will leave her post in Rockport on Feb. 22.

Parker, who has served as city secretary since 1988, began as a temporary worker in 1997. She served as administrative assistant to the city manager and city secretary. She later was appointed acting city secretary and then city secretary.

Stegall resigns as superintendent of Chisum school district

Diane Stegall recently resigned as superintendent of Chisum ISD, effective on June 30. Board members agreed to pay Stegall, who has been with the district for almost 20 years, a severance payment and Stegall agreed to voluntarily resign even though her contract is in effect through 2015.

Lea retiring from post as city

administrator in city of Nash

Nash City Administrator Elizabeth Lea recently announced that she plans to retire from that post on April 5. She has served as city administrator for 18 years.