Nearly $5 billion in local bond issues on tap for Nov. 5 elections

Bond document outlines millions of dollars in contracting opportunities

Three-dozen school bond issues account for $3.13 billion of the $4.8 billion in bond votes set Nov. 5.

Private-sector vendors will find millions of dollars' worth of contracting opportunities available following Nov. 5 statewide bond elections. Voters in Texas will decide nearly $5 billion in bond issues throughout the state on that date.

Sixty-six bond referendums are on tap in both large and small communities throughout Texas. They include 19 city bond elections with a combined value of $584 million, two community college votes to decide the fate of $174 million in proposed projects, eight county elections worth $914 million total, a $12 million hospital district vote and three-dozen public school district votes with a combined value of $3.13 billion.

The November election is the first since last May, when Texas voters approved more than $4.6 billion in bond projects. The November election is slightly larger, at $4.83 billion.

Among the projects that would benefit from a successful bond referendum are a $65 million affordable housing bond issue for a city in Central Texas, a North Texas city bond issue valued at $75 million that would result in $43 million in street and traffic control improvements, a $14.5 million new police station and fire training facilities and $8.5 million for parks and recreation facilities, including senior center improvements.

Also in the bond vote are other proposals in various cities for aquatics projects, new fire stations, library improvements and expansions, road improvements and more.

In West Texas, county voters will decide the fate of a $95 million proposal for a new courthouse, while another Texas county will try to pass an $8.5 million bond vote for renovations to its courthouse.

And, school districts in all areas of the state will be seeking voter approval of bond issues valued from $5.5 million to $490 million. Schools would use the proceeds of their successful bond votes for new schools, athletic facilities, security improvements, technology upgrades, new buses, HVAC upgrades and more.

Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson announces retirement

Member of Supreme Court since 2001, served as Chief Justice since 2004

Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson (pictured) has announced that he will retire Oct. 1, before his term is up Dec. 31, 2014. The longtime member of the court has not announced his post-retirement plans.

Appointed to the Court in 2001 and elected in November 2002, Jefferson was named the 26th chief justice on Sept. 14, 2004, succeeding former Chief Justice Tom R.
Phillips. He was confirmed by the Texas Senate on March 9, 2005, won election in 2006 and was re-elected to a full term in 2008.

"I was fortunate to have served under Chief Justice Phillips, who in his nearly 17 years transformed the Court into a leader not only in jurisprudence, but also in the hard work of administering justice fairly," Jefferson said. "I am most proud to have worked with my colleagues to increase the public's access to the legal system, which guarantees the rights conferred by our Constitutions."

Jefferson became a member of the Supreme Court after serving in private practice as a partner in the appellate-specialty firm Crofts, Callaway & Jefferson in San Antonio. Under his leadership, the Court drastically reduced the number of cases carried over from one term to another and significantly increased the use of technology to improve efficiency, increase transparency and decrease costs. He also led efforts to preserve historic court documents throughout the state and helped to reform antiquated juvenile-justice practices.

Jefferson is a graduate of the James Madison College at Michigan State University and The University of Texas School of Law. He holds honorary degrees from Michigan State University, University of New Hampshire School of Law, Hofstra Law School and Pepperdine University.

New TWDB board retains Mace as interim executive administrator

The newly named three-member board of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) met and was sworn in this week. With their induction, this marks the first time the board of TWDB has a full-time, salaried board. Chair Carlos Rubinstein and board members Mary Ann Williamson and Bech Bruun used their first official action to reappoint Robert Mace (pictured) as the interim executive administrator.

Mace joined TWDB in 1999 to manage the Groundwater Availability Modeling Program. He was promoted from a unit leader to director for the Groundwater Resources Division to a deputy executive administrator to lead the Water Science & Conservation program area.  Prior to joining the staff at the Texas Water Development Board, Mace worked at the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin as a hydrologist and research scientist.

Mace holds a bachelor's degree from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and a Ph.D. in hydrogeology from The University of Texas at Austin.

Winston Krause appointed chair of Texas Lottery Commission

J. Winston Krause of Austin, a member of the Texas Lottery Commission since March 2009, has been appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to chair of the Commission.

Krause is a tax, estate and corporate lawyer and principal partner of Krause and Associates. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the State Bar of Texas, Austin Bar Association and American Bar Association Section of Taxation.

Krause holds a bachelor's degree from The University of Texas and a law degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

Texas historical panel seeks applicants for courthouse grants

Officials of the Texas Historical Commission recently began accepting applications for $4.2 million in grants from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. Because of the reduced funding available, THC officials plan this year to award only emergency grants needed to address the usability, structural integrity and safety issues of historic county courthouses in Texas.

THC officials had requested $20 million in funding for the restoration program that has won numerous national awards for the courthouse preservations paid for in more than $250 million in grants distributed to restore landmark courthouses throughout Texas.

Grant application forms will be placed on the commission's Web site in November with the deadline for submitting applications in early 2014. Counties that previously have not participated in the courthouse restoration program are required to submit and win approval of new preservation master plans by the end of this year in order to qualify for a grant, THC officials said.

Texas Education Agency creates office to investigate complaints

Texas Education Agency (TEA) officials recently created an Office of Complaints, Investigations and School Accountability. The office is charged with accepting, screening and investigating complaints submitted regarding misuse of state and federal funds, educator misconduct and school accountability.

The State Auditor's Office (SAO) issued a report following the agency's 2010 investigation of the El Paso Independent School District. The SOA report concluded TEA failed to perform a thorough and effective investigation of cheating allegations at El Paso school district. TEA was directed by the U.S. Department of Education to investigate allegations that school district personnel in El Paso had conspired to circumvent federal requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. TEA Commissioner Michael Williams, who assumed that post in September 2012, requested the SAO investigation and a report with recommendations on reforms to strengthen how TEA investigates complaints.

Gventer stepping down as associate director of Strauss Center

Celeste Ward Gventer (pictured), associate director of the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The University of Texas at Austin, recently resigned.

Gventer, who has been in that post since November 2010, is joining her husband, Major Steve Gventer, at the Allied Joint Force Command Headquarters in Naples, Italy.

However, Gventer plans to continue with her other pursuits as a Ph.D. candidate in the History Department and as inaugural National Security Fellow with the William P. Clements Center for History, Strategy and Statecraft.

Galveston group obtains land for UTMB building satellite clinic

Officials of The Sealy & Smith Foundation of Galveston recently purchased an 11-acre tract of land near 61st Street in Galveston as a site for a new satellite clinic to be operated by The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB).

Officials of the nonprofit holding company are still in the early phases of planning with UTMB to decide the size of the clinic facility and the services to be offered at the new satellite facility, a spokesperson for UTMB said. The foundation, which has contributed $793 million to UTMB to help build or buy 25 facilities at the UTMB campus in Galveston, will pay for building the new satellite clinic in Galveston, the spokesperson said.

In February, UTMB began construction of a $90 million expansion of its League City care center to add 142,000 square feet of clinical space to house 39 new inpatient beds, 17 emergency rooms, four operating rooms, endoscopy rooms and 25,000 square feet of shell space for future development.

Branch latest new appointee to Port of Houston Authority

Houston businessman Theldon R. Branch III (pictured) is the newest member of the Port of Houston Authority commission. Branch replaces Kase Lawal, who is not eligible for reappointment under legislation passed during the last legislative session. He was appointed by the Houston City Council.

The new commission member is a managing partner at Dufry Houston, a company that operates airport duty-free shops, and is also president of The Branch Companies, a property management and real estate development company specializing in retail and fast food concepts.

The city of Pasadena and the Harris County Mayors' and Councils' Association, which each appoint one member to the commission, have not yet announced replacements for commissioners Steve Phelps and Jimmy Burke. Both Harris County and the city of Houston each appoint two members and jointly appoint the chair. Branch joins three other commissioners appointed since last December - John D. Kennedy, Dean E. Corgey and Clyde Fitzgerald.

Texas Municipal League Region 14 selects Miller as new president

Members of Region 14 of the Texas Municipal League recently elected Bert Miller (pictured), mayor of Navasota, as the new president.

Region 14 is comprised of members from cities in 16 counties, including Harris, Galveston and Fort Bend counties.

Region 14 TML members also selected Harish Jajoo, city council member from Sugarland, as the first vice president; Tamara Young-Hector, a city council member from Willis, as the second vice president; and Mayor Julie Masters of Dickinson as the regional director.

Houston leaders still pushing for nation's next spaceport

Houston leaders this week said they will continue to push for the city to be host to the nation's next spaceport. Officials unveiled plans for a facility that would be built, pending Federal Aviation Administration approval of a license to operate a spaceport at Ellington Airport.

Although once the center of a booming space industry and home to NASA's Mission Control and Johnson Space Center, that glamour has waned in recent years following retirement of the space shuttle fleet in 2011.

Houston officials hope to return the glamour of the space industry back to Houston and have unveiled proposals for construction that include a passenger terminal building (as seen in accompanying artist's rendering) and an aviation museum. Both would be housed on a 450-acre site. Plans are for the facility to also accommodate reusable space vehicles, space vehicle assembly, astronaut training and more. Officials now are awaiting a response to their application for a spaceport license, which could take 12-15 months. If approved, the facility could be built within five to 10 years. Funding for the facility would come from private dollars, city bonds and grant funds.

Victoria Co. seeks revenues by adding kiosks for convenience

Victoria County commissioners recently became one of a growing number of cities and counties seeking to increase revenue without spending a great deal of money.

Commissioners agreed to partner with a private company in San Antonio to install kiosks with touch screens that will accept cash or credit card deposits to pay tickets, fees and bonds to the county. The company will charge $3 per $100 transaction in addition to a 3.9 percent fee per transaction. Having kiosks at busy areas such as the airport, library, health center and at shopping malls and large retail stores could provide more convenience to citizens and increase collections for the county without the need for the county to pay for more annex facilities, County Judge Don Pozzi said.

Other cities and counties currently using the services of the private company that provides the kiosks that accept payments to the county or in negotiations with the company include the city of La Joya as well as Cameron, Dallas, Starr and Webb counties.

Texas Enterprise Fund awards $5M to USAA for Plano expansion

Texas Enterprise Fund officials recently awarded $5 million to USAA, a San Antonio-based insurance, banking, investment and retirement services and products firm. The funds are part of the incentive package for USAA to expand information technology operations in Plano by creating 680 jobs and making $31 million in capital investment.

The $5 million state award to USAA is contingent on final approval of a local incentive offer, noted Mayor Harry LaRosiliere (pictured) of Plano.

Officials of USAA, known primarily for serving more than 9.8 million current and former military members and their families, plan to lease two buildings as part of the expansion to Plano.

Cost to renovate DFW terminal could go up by $220 million

A $2.3 billion project to renovate terminals at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport could easily rise in cost by as much as $220 million more than originally planned. Staff cited rising material and labor costs and the need for more asbestos abatement as the primary reasons for the increase in cost to upgrade the 39-year-old terminal facilities.

The eight-year project to upgrade terminals began in 2010 and has been impacted by the addition of new carriers expanding to Terminal E, which slowed the construction schedule for that terminal, an airport spokesperson said. Another concern is the uncertainty regarding a proposed merger between American Airlines and US Airways that has caused a delay in making some decisions.

The terminal project's $37 million contingency fund is not enough to cover the potential cost overruns and the board may need to consider issuing more debt to cover the increased costs, the spokesperson said. Board members originally set the cost of the terminal upgrades at $1.92 million, but agreed to add a new parking garage at Terminal A and increased the budget to $2.3 million. Currently, the airport has $1.024 billion remaining to spend on the terminal project through 2018. So far, airport officials have spent $711 million of the current budget.

  Need a job? Got a job opening?

Check out our Public-Sector Job Board!

PUC has openings for an executive assistant, program specialist and attorney II-III. Higher Education Coordinating Board is seeking a writer/editor. Click here to view jobs. Free job postings for state/local governments, nonprofits and other public-sector entities. Send your posting to editor@spartnerships.com. 

McKinney to buy all assets of Collin County Regional Airport

McKinney City Council members recently authorized the city manager to approve a contract to purchase all assets of the Collin County Regional Airport not already owned by the city. The city previously owned the airport property, but none of the improvements on the property. City officials plan to use $25 million in funding already owed to the city by the Texas Department of Transportation to pay for the purchase of the improvements at the airport, noted City Manager Jason Gray (pictured).

Once the agreement is complete, city officials expect to take over assets and operation of the airport on Nov. 1 and will be a Fixed Base Operator (FBO) offering services such as fueling, handling aircraft with trained staff when the current vendor contract expires at the end of October of this year, Gray said. Revenue from fuel sales is a major revenue source at the airport and most likely will generate enough income for the city to repay the debt and fund other improvements to the airport, he added.

Future plans are to build a new FBO facility and customer terminal to compete more effectively with other local airports than the current facility, Gray said.

Texas A&M looking to partnership for Corps' dorm upgrades

Texas A&M University stands to save millions of dollars through a proposed public-private partnership that seeks a public-sector partner to help renovate dorms that house the university's Corps of Cadets. The agreement will be in the form of an upfront payment as part of a newly approved type of ground lease. The agreement would allow for dorms scheduled for upgrades to be renovated at the same time, which officials say could cut the completion date by eight years.

The university has already updated two Corps dorms and one is currently being renovated, but there are an additional nine of the circa 1939 facilities still to be renovated. This kind of partnership was made available to A&M through legislation passed during the 83rd Legislature. An amendment to the Education Code allows the TAMU Board of Regents to grant, sell, lease or dispose of lands or mineral rights on the A&M main campus.

Before any such action can occur, the university would have to complete a proposed 4,000-bed housing facility in which to house 1,800 cadets. Construction costs on the renovation project are expected to be about $225 million. A private firm would pay those costs and the university would maintain control over room rates, assignments and programming elements of the Corps dorm complex. The private firm would recoup its investment through rents charged students for a 30-year term. After that period, the facilities revert back to A&M.

Beeson selected as director of Center for Public Policy Priorities

Board members of the Center for Public Policy Priorities recently tapped Ann Beeson as the executive director of that organization, effective on Sept. 3.

A senior fellow and lecturer at the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at the College of Communications at The University of Texas at Austin, Beeson previously served as a director of U.S. Programs at the Open Society Foundation, as an associate legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union and argued twice before the U.S. Supreme Court. She also was a law clerk for the chief judge of the Northern District of Texas.

Beeson earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from The University of Texas at Austin. She also holds a law degree from the Emory University School of Law.

Sugar Land OKs design for $83.6 million performing arts center

Sugar Land Development Corporation officials recently approved the final design of a new, $83.6 million performing arts center (see artist's rendering) being developed as part of a public-private partnership begun in 2011.

City Council members previously approved a development agreement with ACE SL, LLC for design, development and construction of the new performing arts center to be located on part of 38.5 acres of land owned by the city southeast of US59 and University Blvd. ACE agreed to make a $10 million contribution to the performing arts center project.

Current plans are to begin construction in 2014 and complete the project in 2016. The performing arts center is part of a commercial district that will offer commercial, office and entertainment facilities.

Fourth Annual Texas Unites Conference planned Oct. 21-23

The Fourth Annual Texas Unites Conference: Navigating the Future Together conference is set for Oct. 21-23 at the Galveston Island Convention Center. The conference, a joint effort of the Texas Citizen Corps Program and the Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters, attracts emergency response volunteers from throughout Texas. It offers a unique opportunity to interact with a diverse group of volunteers and emergency management professionals working on preparedness issues throughout the state. Attendees will receive training, discuss best practices and share experiences so they may provide the best response possible in the wake of disaster. Sponsorships and exhibitor space are available. More information, including the draft agenda and registration information are now available.

• A Report on On-site Audits of Residential Child Care Providers 
• An Audit Report on the Reading Program at the Juvenile Justice Department