Veronda Durden chosen as next commissioner of DARS

Will leave post as DADS assistant commissioner for new position on July 1

Veronda Durden (pictured), an assistant commissioner at the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) has been chosen by Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Kyle Janek to serve as commissioner of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). Durden will begin her new appointment on July 1, replacing Commissioner Debra Wanser, who recently announced her retirement.

Durden will leave her post at DADS as assistant commissioner for Regulatory Services, where she has oversight of more than 1,000 staff members who inspect long-term care facilities and enforce state and federal regulations. At DARS, she will be in charge of an agency with more than 3,200 employees and an annual budget of $630 million.

Durden has two decades of executive-level experience in her public service career. Prior to her time at DADS, Durden held various regulatory roles at both the Texas Department of Human Services and the Texas Department of Health. She was also director of the Office of Minority Health and worked for more than seven years in the Medicaid Fraud Division of the Office of the Attorney General.

Durden holds a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and a master's from Southwest Texas State University.

Elaine Mays chosen as chief information officer for TJJD

A 25-year veteran in the field of information technology, Elaine Mays (pictured) has been appointed chief of Technology, Software Development and Infrastructure at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Mays' public service career includes a year with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, where she implemented and oversaw the startup of a new agency IT infrastructure and more than 20 years with the Texas Department of Public Safety in a variety of IT roles, and was responsible for IT structure.

As TJJD's chief information officer, Mays will be responsible for planning, directing, coordinating and supervising the activities of the Information Resource Department, including IT governance, Program Management Office, software application, infrastructure and field services, infrastructure and operations, information and computing security and vendor management. She will also direct the development and implementation of new IT processes and procedures.

Mays holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Colorado Technical University and holds a license/certification as a Certified Public Manager.

Fort Stockton 'water team' proposes public-private partnership

A consultant for the Fort Stockton Utility Water Team recently urged city council members to explore public-private partnerships to help pay for finding more water and then selling that water to other municipalities.

The top objective is to maintain local control over those water rights by designing, producing and delivering water to other West Texas communities under a plan that could cost as much as $300 million, according to a consultant currently working with the cities of Fort Stockton and Odessa to develop a water well project.

When questioned about possible conflicts of interests in a partnership that would own the water development project, provide services and sell goods, the consultant responded by noting that having a number of investors from different constituencies share in financing the development of another water supply and selling that water would eliminate some of the conflicts of interest.

Travis County selects Todd as new county commissioner

Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe recently selected Bruce Todd (pictured), a former county commissioner and former mayor of Austin, to serve as county commissioner for Precinct 2.

Todd, who currently owns a lobbying firm, said he does not plan to seek election to the post vacated by former Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt. She resigned to run for county judge to replace Biscoe when he retires at the end of this term in office. Todd also accepted a salary of $1 a year rather than the $95,595 salary usually paid to commissioners.

Thirty-two other candidates, including a former Travis County commissioner and the general counsel of the Texas Ethics Commission, were among those seeking to fulfill the 19 months remaining in Eckhardt's term.

Texoma transit group selects Patton as chief operating officer

Texoma Area Paratransit System (TAPS) officials recently selected Tim Patton (pictured) as the new chief operating officer. Patton joined the group in October of last year as the director of grants and quality assurance.

An expansion by the paratransit system into Collin County in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex prompted the reorganization of the management team, said Brad Underwood, chief operating officer of TAPS. The system now serves Fannin, Grayson, Cooke, Wise, Clay and Montague counties using 140 vehicles and 145 employees.

Patton holds a degree from Southeastern Oklahoma University and has worked as an executive in health care, business management and finance.

Study finds Wichita Falls ISD needs $96M in building upgrades

The results of a recent facilities study of district facilities indicate that Wichita Falls Independent School District officials need to spend $96 million on just the first phase of a plan to upgrade district facilities.

The plan calls for significant renovations to all three high schools, closing one of four junior high schools and building a new junior high at a new location. The recommended plan also calls for closing one elementary school and redrawing attendance boundaries, upgrading security and repairing the parking lot of the stadium.

Trustees took no action on the recommendations and district officials plan to publish the proposed Educational Facilities Master Plan on the district's Web site this week.

Janek named winner of Bullock award for public stewardship

The 16th annual Bob Bullock Award for Outstanding Public Stewardship has been awarded to Kyle Janek (pictured), executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The award annually recognizes a Texas state executive or elected official for outstanding leadership, innovation and dedication to serving the people during their public-sector career.

Janek, a former member of the Texas Legislature, was named commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission last September. In his post, he oversees five HHS agencies that serve more than 4 million Texans.

Janek was elected to the Texas House in 1994 and served four terms. In 2003, he ran for and was elected to a seat in the Texas Senate. He has been a practicing anesthesiologist since 1986. The award was presented at the recent GTC Southwest conference.

Keene exploring cost of building a new city hall

Keene City Council members recently told city staff to obtain an estimate on the cost of a new 6,000-square-foot city hall facility after reviewing the option of moving to an existing facility or building a new city hall.

The city currently pays $500 a month to rent a 48-year-old building on Mockingbird Lane that leaks in heavy rain and is too small, the city administrator said. After looking into renovating and enlarging the building previously owned by the city, council members became concerned that the cost to modify the building to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act was too high.

City officials are considering building the new city hall opposite a city park on Old Betsy Road, the city administrator said.

Varner resigns as VP of Denton County transportation agency

Jared Varner (pictured), vice president of transit operations for the Denton County Transportation Authority, recently resigned to accept the post as executive director of the Central Arkansas Transit Authority.

In his new job, Varner will manage bus routes and a downtown street care system in the Little Rock area. He will report directly to the board of directors.

The president of the transit authority will lead the effort to find a new vice president of transit operations to replace Varner, the board chairman said.

Willacy County approves $1.12M administration building upgrade

Willacy County commissioners recently approved almost $1.2 million to renovate the county administration building.

Commissioners also rejected the only two bids submitted for the project and agreed to contact all contractors in Willacy County to inform them of the opportunity to submit or resubmit bids for the courthouse renovation project prior to seeking new bids.

The administration building currently houses the offices of the county judge, the county clerk and the commissioner's courtroom. Plans call for adding a small courtroom and temporary offices for the district attorney, district clerk, district judge and auditor in order to vacate and renovate the courthouse, the county judge said.

North Forest ISD merger temporarily stopped by court order

A visiting judge in Travis County recently issued a temporary hold order that halts a takeover of the North Forest Independent School District by Houston ISD. Texas Education Agency officials ordered North Forest ISD to close and merge with Houston ISD by July 1. A hearing is set for June 13 for a judge to decide whether to issue a temporary restraining order against closing North Forest ISD.

Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier (pictured), however, said district officials plan to move ahead with the merger and announce the names of the new principals for North Forest ISD schools when Houston ISD assumes management of the district.

North Forest ISD officials requested the temporary restraining order claiming the TEA officials failed to follow state law when ordering the district to close and merge with the Houston school district. TEA Commissioner Michael Williams also said he still plans to close down operation of North Forest ISD on July 1 despite a U.S. Justice Department request to provide more information on the annexation by Houston ISD. Following the hearing on June 13, a judge will decide whether to issue a temporary injunction that could stop the annexation of North Forest ISD until a trial is held to determine whether TEA officials ignored or manipulated state law when ordering the closure.

Keller bond committee to urge $10.8 million to upgrade roads

Keller Transportation Bond Program Advisory Committee members recently agreed to urge city council to proceed with $10.8 million in road improvements after staging six public meetings, study and discussion since February.

The nine-member committee reviewed 14 proposed road and intersection projects with an estimated cost of $29 million submitted by city staff to decide on which projects to recommend. The road projects include making upgrades and improving signals at four intersections, creating dual left turn lanes at another intersection, expanding Wall-Price Keller Road to three lines, adding a traffic signal and sidewalks and extending Lamar Street west of US377.

Council members plan to hold additional public meetings to discuss the proposed road improvements before deciding whether to ask voters to approve a bond issue in November to fund the road upgrades.

Brigadier Gen. Smith new Assistant Adjutant General for Army

Brigadier General William "Len" Smith (pictured) has been appointed by the governor as the Assistant Adjutant General for Army effective June 16. Smith is director of joint staff and commander of domestic operation for the Texas Military Forces. He also is commander of the Joint Counterdrug Task Force and the Homeland Response Force.

Smith previously served in the 36th Infantry Division G3 and as deputy commander of Kosovo Forces 7, as chief of staff of the Texas Army National Guard and as deputy commanding general-maneuver of the 36th Infantry Division and the United States Division in Iraq. He has received a Bronze Star Medal, Legion of Merit award, Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo and Iraq Campaign medals, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army and Overseas Service ribbons, the NATO Medal, Adjutant General's Individual Achievement Award and the Texas Faithful Services Award.

Smith holds a bachelor's degree from Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University, a Master of Business Administration from Touro University and a master's degree in strategic studies from the United States Army War College.

Spellings to take on leadership roles at Bush Center

Former Education Secretary Margaret Spellings (pictured) has been picked to fill the roles of president of the George W. Bush Foundation and director of the George W. Bush Institute. She replaces founding president Mark Langdale and founding director Jim Glassman, both of whom are stepping down in September to instead take on advisory roles.

The foundation is moving more toward focusing on the institute now that the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas has opened. Spellings, a longtime advisor to Bush, will officially take over on Sept. 3. Her history with the former President goes back to 1994 when she was part of his Texas gubernatorial campaign. She served in the Bush administration during his presidency as a domestic policy adviser and then as education secretary. Spellings has ties to the Bush Foundation, having served on the board.

Alton nabs $2.7 million grant to upgrade radio communications

The Alton Fire Department recently won a $2.7 million U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant to replace its current radio system with a new digital communications system.

The new digital system will allow fire department personnel in Alton to communicate directly with neighboring fire departments in the Rio Grande Valley, said Fire Chief Jerry Alaniz.

The grant from the Assistance to Firefighters Program will provide about 240 portable radios and 130 mobile radios to 17 fire departments and other entities in the Rio Grande Valley. The McAllen Fire Department served as the parent agency for the grant, which also was shared by emergency responders in Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties as well as state and federal law enforcement agencies, hospitals, public works departments and ambulance services.

AACOG plans Texas Notary seminar in San Antonio on June 19

The Alamo Area Council of Governments is hosting a Texas Notary Law and Procedures seminar from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19. The seminar will be in Classroom 1-01 of the AACOG offices at 8700 Tesoro Drive, San Antonio, 78217. This notary training is provided specifically for Texas Notaries. This class is excellent for both current and prospective notaries and will provide the most up-to-date information available. State applications for new applicants and renewing notaries will be available for processing at the seminar. Some of the topics to be covered include new legislation from the 83rd Legislative session, proper record keeping, avoiding official misconduct, legal procedures and processes and notarization, administering oaths and acknowledgements and more. To register and for more information, click here.

CCC Fair, HUBZone, Matchmaking event set June 20

The San Antonio SCORE Chapter and the U.S. Small Business Administration are hosting a Capital, Contracting and Counseling (CCC) Fair, HUBZone and Matchmaking Event on Thursday, June 20, at the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building, a historical building located next to the Alamo.  Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the event will kick off with a special welcome and segment on the HUBZone Program at 8:30 a.m. Doors to the Fair and Matchmaking open to the public at 9:30 a.m. and will run until 12:30 p.m.  The event is designed to reach out to small business men and women who need guidance and access to SBA's many services and programs. Those attending will have the opportunity to visit with prime contractors seeking subs, lenders seeking borrowers, surety bond agents, federal procurement specialists and business advisors in one of the three designated  "C" venues - Capital, Contracting Opportunities and Counseling Resources. The event is free. Register by email to daniel.delrossi@sba.gov no later than June 11. 

TASSCC 2013 Annual Conference dates set for Aug. 11-14

"TASSCC Lucky 13 - Betting on It" is the theme for the Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communications (TASSCC) annual conference. Registration is now open, with reduced rates for early bird registration ending July 17. The event is slated for Aug. 11-14 at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio. A variety of speakers will provide those attending with innovative tools and insight to help them address pressing technology challenges. Keynote speakers include Mark Milliron, chancellor, WGU Texas, professional triathlete and speaker Patricia Walsh and Ken Weitzel, director, Executive Education, the Corporate Executive Board. Among the topics to be discussed are data management and analytics, application and modernization, leadership and human capital and managing enterprise services. CPE credits are also available for those attending. More information, including the agenda, is available for those seeking to attend.

Texas Rural Challenge event planned June 18-19 in San Marcos

The UTSA Institute for Economic Development's Rural Business Program will host the 4th annual Texas Rural Challenge conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 18 and 19, at the Embassy Suites in San Marcos. The conference will focus on the challenges facing rural Texans. The goal of this event is to spur small business and economic growth in rural communities across Texas by providing leaders with practical and proven approaches to rural development. There will be sessions on business and economic development, community development and rural statewide issues. Keynote speaker for the Tuesday luncheon is Candace Klein, Founder and CEO BG Ventures, SoMoLend. She will be followed by an afternoon keynote by Dr. Vaughn Grisham, professor emeritus, University of Mississippi, director, George McLean Institute for Community Development. Wednesday's morning keynote will be delivered by Javier Moren, assistant director, Corporate and Product Communications, Toyota Motors North America Inc. and Texas Secretary of State John Steen will be the afternoon keynote speaker. This is a statewide conference hosted by the Governor's Office, Texas Economic Development Council, Texas Department of Agriculture, USDA-Rural Development, Texas Association of Regional Councils and the UTSA Institute for Economic Development-Rural Business Program. Registration is now open and the agenda is available for viewing. 

SBIR/STTR Summit, Conference slated for June 12 in Austin

The annual Administrator of the Year award will be presented at the Texas State Agency Business Administrators' Association (TSABAA) 44th Annual Summer Conference, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, July 25 and 26, at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol.  The award presentation is one of a number of highlights of the annual gathering. Among the topics for the event are "Cybersecurity," "Controlling IT Costs" and "Fostering the Privacy Perimeter." An employee benefits panel including officials with the Employees Retirement System of Texas and the Texas Public Employees Association is also scheduled. There will also be a session involving a legislative update. Approximately 12 hours of CPE credit can be earned during the conference. Registration forms and the agenda are now available.  

TxDOT Tyler Small Business Briefing rescheduled

Harlingen allots $175,000 to develop comprehensive plan

Harlingen City Council members recently voted to set aside $175,000 to pay an engineering company to develop a new comprehensive plan for the city. The plan is expected to take about a year to complete and will include public hearings to allow citizens to offer their ideas..

Requested by Planning and Development Director Ken Clark, the comprehensive plan will examine the scope of services offered by the city, prepare common vision goals and key elements including infrastructure, retail, transportation revitalization, housing, park facilities, the environment and natural resources.

The completed comprehensive plan also will recommend policies and identify specific implementation strategies, but the plan will not be "set in concrete," the mayor said.

El Paso city manager named as finalist for Florida county manager

Officials in Lee County, Florida recently selected El Paso City Manager Joyce Wilson (pictured) as lone finalist for county manager and will likely vote next Tuesday to negotiate a contract with her..

Wilson became the first city manager in El Paso in 2004 following a charter amendment vote..

In May, Mayor John Cook refused to give Wilson another evaluation under the current city council, which released its last evaluation of Wilson in December. Wilson's contract with El Paso is set to expire on Sept. 20, 2014.

Four administrators at S. San Antonio ISD offer resignations

Citing management interference from board of trustee members, four new administrators at South San Antonio Independent School District recently submitted their resignations after less than a year with the school district.

The resignation from Sheila Collazo, executive director of instructional services, is effective immediately, said Superintendent Rebecca Robinson, who hired the administrators when she joined the district almost a year ago.

Other administrators who submitted resignations are Jeri L. George, director of human resources; Kriesti Bunch, director of staff development; and Dianne Trevino, director of career and technical education, said Robinson, who is the third superintendent at the South San Antonio district since 2011.

Cottonwood Shores city administrator resigns

A long-time fixture at City Hall and in Cottonwood Shores, Janet Taylor-Carusi has resigned as the city administrator for the city of Cottonwood Shores. A city employee since 2004, Carusi has been city administrator for nearly two years.

City Council members appointed Donald Orr, mayor, as the acting city administrator until the position is filled.

Lubbock ISD select Robertson

as new superintendent

Lubbock Independent School District board members recently selected Dr. Berhl Robertson (pictured) as the new superintendent.

Currently serving as the interim superintendent at Lubbock ISD, Robertson will replace Superintendent Karen Garza, who is slated to become the new superintendent at Fairfax County Public School District in Virginia on July 1.

Robertson, who joined Lubbock ISD in 2009, previously served as chief administrative officer for the district.

Goliad selects Cochran as new director of economic development

Goliad city officials recently selected Doug Cochran as the new director of economic development. Cochran previously worked at the parks and recreation director for Victoria, where he had worked for 23 years before resigning in February.

Council members also voted to place Public Works Director Cindy Shilinga on probation for three months after one council member urged council to terminate Shilinga as public works director.

Haugan retiring from post as superintendent of Anthony ISD

Superintendent Ron Haugen (pictured) of Anthony Independent School District recently announced he is retiring in December after 38 years as an educator.

District officials already are in the process of hiring a new superintendent with the help of a search firm and expect to name the new superintendent by August.

Haugen previously was superintendent at Gadsden ISD and a principal at Canutillo ISD.

Wichita Falls airport eyeing $400,000 plan to conserve water

Wichita Falls Regional Airport officials are working with architects, engineers and city staff to develop an estimated $400,000 plan to conserve water runoff at the new airport.

Preliminary plans call for building two water storage tanks at the airport to collect condensation from air conditioning and heating units on the roof of the terminal and runoff from the parking lot. A smaller tank, designed to hold between 20,000 and 40,000 gallons, will collect water from two waterfall features at the airport and will not be connected to the city system, said John Burrus, director of aviation, traffic and transportation at the airport.

A larger, 200,000-gallon tank will be used for irrigation around the terminal area. If a water shortage occurs, airport officials will not use potable water for the waterfall features and will not begin planting for the landscape until sufficient water is available to water the new landscape, Burrus said. A grant from the Federal Aviation Administration is paying 90 percent of the cost of the water conservation project, he added.

Umholtz to resign position as superintendent of Overton ISD

Superintendent Alan Umholtz (pictured) of Overton Independent School District recently told district officials he plans to resign from that post.

Yorktown ISD board members named Umholtz as the lone finalist for superintendent and expect to him to officially assume the post on June 24. Umholz has served as superintendent at Overton ISD since 2008. His contract with Overton ISD was due to expire on June 30, 2014.

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

• DPS awards Purple Heart, recognizes employees for outstanding performance

• TEES offering low-cost assistance to Texas technology industry

• DPS joins national effort to inspect commercial vehicles

Southside ISD Superintendent

placed on administrative leave

San Antonio's Southside ISD Superintendent Juan Jasso (pictured) has been placed on administrative leave by the school district's board of trustees, but no reason has been publicly given.

Jasso, who has been with the district since 2006, said he had not been given information from attorneys regarding the move by the board. The trustees met in executive session for more than three hours before voting on the issue. In the meantime, Ricardo Vela, former SISD superintendent for business, will be offered the interim superintendent post.

Rockdale ISD to name finalist

for superintendent on June 11

Trustees for Rockdale Independent School District recently confirmed they expect to select a lone finalist for superintendent on June 11.

Board members are continuing interviews with five candidates for superintendent this week and expect to announce the name of the lone finalist on Tuesday, June 11. Trustees are required to wait 21 days to finalize the contract with the applicant selected as lone finalist.

Rio Grande City selects

Ruszczak as new city manager

Officials of Rio Grande City recently selected Matt Ruszczak (pictured) as the new city manager. He previously served as president and chief executive officer of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce.

Ruszczak will replace former City Manager Juan Zuniga, who was terminated from that post in January. Rueben Villarreal has served as interim city manager and mayor of Rio Grande City since January.

Figueroa tapped as director of Convention, Visitors Bureau

Eduardo Figueroa recently began his new duties as the executive director of the Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau. He replaced Marilyn Hope Davo, who left as the executive director of the visitors' bureau about a year ago.

Figueroa previously was vice president of marketing and sales for the Brownsville Convention and Visitors Bureau and also worked in marketing in Mexico.

• William "Bill" Brod Jr. of Pasadena; Judicial Compensation Commission;
• Conrith W. Davis of Sugar Land, Judicial Compensation Commission;
• Pat Mizell of Houston, Judicial Compensation Commission;
• Linda Russell of League City, Judicial Compensation Commission;
• Glenn T. Martin of Edna, Lavaca-Navidad River Authority Board of Directors;
• Scott Sachtleben of Ganado, Lavaca-Navidad River Authority Board of Directors;
• Leonard Steffek of Edna, Lavaca-Navidad River Authority Board of Directors;
• Charlie Taylor of Palacios, Lavaca-Navidad River Authority Board of Directors;
• Jennifer Clark of Iola, Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners;
• Amanda Ellis of Austin. Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners;
• Todd Novosad of Austin, Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners;
• Pamela Jo "PJ" Ellison of Brenham, Lower Colorado River Authority Board of Directors;
• Robert "Bobby" Lewis of Elgin, Lower Colorado River Authority Board of Directors;
• Tom Martine of Cypress Mill, Lower Colorado River Authority Board of Directors;
• Franklin "Scott" Spears Jr. of Austin, Lower Colorado River Authority Board of Directors;
• Tim Timmerman of Austin, Lower Colorado River Authority Board of Directors;
• Henry Borbolla III of Fort Worth, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Amanda Davis of Buffalo, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Valerie Ertz of Dallas, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Tom Fordyce of Huntsville, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Jess Laird of Athens, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• David Leonard of Liberty, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Jim Neale of Dallas, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Amir Rupani of Dallas, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Ana Laura Saucedo of Dallas, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Dudley Skyrme of Palestine, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• C. Dwayne Somerville of Mexia, Trinity River Authority Board of Directors;
• Steven J. Austin of Amarillo, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners;
• Kirby Bunel Jr. of Texarkana, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners;
• Tim O'Hare of Farmers Branch, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners;
• Lois Palermo of League City, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners;
• Lewis White of Humble, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners;
• William Carbonara of Cuero, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority Board of Directors;
• Darrell McLain of Gonzales, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority Board of Directors;
• Don Meador of San Marcos, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority Board of Directors;
• Joanie Haley of Houston, OneStar Foundation;
• Alison Meador of Austin, OneStar Foundation;
• Melissa Pardue of Austin, OneStar Foundation;
• Brenda Swinney of Paige, OneStar Foundation.

Nuse announces retirement

as San Marcos city manager

City Manager Jim Nuse (pictured) of San Marcos recently notified city officials he is resigning effective Sept. 30 after serving two and one-half years in that post.

Nuse also served as a city manager in Round Rock. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wyoming and attended the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.

Palestine selects Lake-Wolfe

as new marketing manager

Palestine city officials recently selected Breezy Lake-Wolfe as the new marketing manager. Lake-Wolfe will report to Wendy Ellis, the director of economic development for the city.

Lake-Wolfe is an adjunct instructor at Stephen F. Austin State University and is the treasurer for the Texas Forest Trail Region, an initiative developed by the Texas Historical Commission. She has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Wetherbee resigns position

as city attorney in Plano

City Attorney Diane Wetherbee of Plano recently resigned from that post effective in January 2014. Wetherbee served 17 years as an attorney and assistant city attorney for Plano. Wetherbee previously worked for the cities of Abilene, Denton, Georgetown and Greenville.

City staff members are working with council members to help find a firm to conduct a national search for a new city attorney, said City Manager Bruce Glasscock.

San Antonio taps Bruck

to head Pre-K 4 San Antonio

San Antonio city officials recently selected Kathy Bruck as the new chief executive officer of Pre-K 4 SA.

Serving as interim CEO since May 6, Bruck has lead efforts to kick off the program to provide full-day pre-kindergarten for about 22,000 four-year-old students in education centers throughout the city. She previously was executive director for curriculum and instruction at Harlandale Independent School District.