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Proposition 6 takes center stage at Austin water conference
Role of public-private partnerships for state projects also discussed by experts
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Sen. Kirk Watson (right), keynote speaker for the conference, urged passage of a constitutional amendment (Prop. 6) to create funds to help finance projects in the State Water Plan.
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A multi-billion-dollar problem is growing in communities throughout Texas. Reservoirs, lakes and other water sources are drying up due to drought conditions in many areas of the state. Water and wastewater plants are aging and in need of constant maintenance, upgrades or complete replacement. Many communities are seeking alternative water sources as more than 40 public water utility systems are in danger of running out of water within the next three months. And, funding sources for water needs at the state and local level are drying up as quickly as the state's reservoirs.
A survey of the attendees of this week's water conference in Austin - Public-Private Partnerships: A Solution for Texas Water Management - shows that potable water (drinking water safe for human consumption) was the water issue about which they are most concerned. Surprisingly, that issue ranked three times higher than any other topic of interest.
 | | Strategic Partnerships' Mary Scott Nabers (center) and John Breier visit with Shirley Ross, district manager of the Wells Branch MUD. |
Conference attendees, representing both the public and private sectors, also listed wastewater, desalination, pipelines and water storage among their prime concerns. But, at the base of all of these issues is the need for funding.
Texans will have the opportunity to help alleviate some of the funding problems in November. The Texas Legislature approved putting a constitutional amendment (Proposition 6) on the ballot for voters to decide the fate of two proposed funds that will be dedicated to funding projects in the State Water Plan. Sen. Kirk Watson, keynote speaker for the conference, said water issues in the state are at a crisis point and stressed the importance of passage of the constitutional amendment. If approved by voters, the amendment would result in almost $2 billion in additional funding being made available for loan programs at the Texas Water Development Board.
However, that funding would not be made available until 2015, and many problems the state and local communities are facing now are already at the critical stage. One solution that is available now is a public-private partnership (P3), and both private- and public-sector representatives discussed options for their use.
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Hecht will become state's new chief justice of Supreme Court
Will fill the unexpired term of Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, who is retiring
 The 27th chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas will be Nathan L. Hecht (pictured) of Austin. Gov. Rick Perry this week announced he had appointed Hecht to fill the chief justice spot being vacated by current Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, who will step down Oct. 1. Hecht will serve as chief justice with his term to expire at the next general election.
Hecht was elected to the Texas Supreme Court in 1988 and is the senior justice on the court. He has won re-election to his post four times. During that time, he has authored more than 350 opinions. Prior to his service on the Supreme Court of Texas, Hecht was a justice of the Texas 5th Court of Appeals and was also judge of the 95th Judicial District Court in Dallas County. He is a former associate attorney and shareholder of Locke, Purnell, Boren, Laney and Neely, PC, now known as Locke, Lord, Bissell and Liddell, LLP, and is a former law clerk to Judge Roger Robb of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Hecht is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the District of Columbia Bar and the American, Dallas and Austin Bar associations. He served as a lieutenant in the US Navy Reserve Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAGC). The soon-to-be new chief justice holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a law degree from the Southern Methodist University School of Law.
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Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars
 Lisa Tatum, president, State Bar of Texas
Career highlights and education: Opening LM Tatum, PLLC in 2011; reading the thoughts of my clients about our work in the Texas Bar Journal June 2013 edition; being interviewed by the New York Times on issues important to me and the State Bar; being interviewed on National Public Radio on issues that are important to me and the State Bar; being listed by the Municipal Marketplace Bondbuyer's Red Book listing as Bond Counsel and Underwriters Counsel again in my own right and this time under my own firm's name; and being elected president of the State Bar of Texas (SBOT). Earned a B.A. degree in government from Smith College and a J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law, where I was a National Member of The Order of Barristers.
What I like best about my job is: I get up every day and do what I love and am passionate about with co-workers that I admire, respect and enjoy.
The best advice I've received for my current job is: For LM Tatum, PLLC: Someone told me, "You will find that you live and breathe your practice and there will be white-knuckle moments which you will survive if you stay focused and take care of yourself - eat, sleep, rest and play." For the SBOT: I was encouraged with these words, "Your spirit, passion and faithfulness got you here and they will carry you through this role and beyond to the next."
Advice you would give a new hire in your office: Progress and success require you to show up, step up and deliver. Learn what is expected of you, accept help, ask for help and guidance and know that you are expected to be part of a fun-loving, hard-working and productive team.
If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found: doing one of two things - either actually getting away to rest and play, which is rare these days, or running errands that can only be accomplished during traditional business hours.
People would be surprised to know that I: sang in college with an a capella singing group, the Smith College Smithereens.
One thing I wish more people knew about my agency: For LM Tatum, PLLC: Clients of LM Tatum, PLLC are truly happy clients. They are able to get their legal needs met by working with a dedicated team invested in their success. For the SBOT: The State Bar of Texas is a community open to all Texas attorneys dedicated to attorneys and the practice of law. The Texas legal community is the State Bar of Texas and the State Bar is the legal community. Like most communities, it works best when its members are engaged with and invested in the community. The greater our number of engaged and invested attorneys, the better we are and can become.
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Chase Hazell named director of Texas Emerging Technology Fund
 Terry Chase Hazell (pictured) was recently appointed by Gov. Rick Perry as the new director of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund. She previously was a volunteer and outside adviser to the governor. In January 2011, Chase Hazell became a member of the advisory committee of the fund created to provide start-up money to technology firms using intellectual property developed at universities in Texas.
Previously a biotech entrepreneur, Chase Hazell is credited with creating a biotechnology program at the University of Maryland and a women's entrepreneurship program at Texas State University in San Marcos.
As part of her new duties, Chase Hazell will oversee eight Regional Centers for Innovation and Commercialization that were created to serve as the initial step toward earning state grants for universities and technology start-up companies. Six of the regional centers are new and are funded and managed differently, as 60 percent of the state funding is now contingent on achieving measurable goals, she noted. Another change in policy is that applications will be reviewed as soon as received and each regional center will have a new investor-in-residence to help entrepreneurs find additional funding after receiving the state grant, Chase Hazell said.
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Texas sales tax collections for August total $2.39 billion
Cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts in Texas will share $575 million in sales tax allocations after the state collected $2.39 billion from the tax in August. That figure is up 2.1 percent over the August 2012 figures.
State Comptroller Susan Combs said the construction and restaurant industries were major contributors to the latest monthly gains. Combs said at the end of the recent fiscal year for the state, state sales tax collections totaled $25.8 billion, an increase of 7.2 percent from FY 2012.
The allocations to the local entities were up 2.8 percent compared to September 2012. Cities will share $379.2 million in September, up 3.5 percent for the same month last year. Counties were allocated a total of $36.6 million, up 3.1 percent. A total of $128.8 million will be shared by transit systems, representing an increase of 1.9 percent over the previous September, and special purpose taxing district share $30.4 million, up 5.8 percent from last September. The sales tax figures represent monthly sales made in July.
The allocations may be viewed by city, or by county.
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De Hoyos tapped as commissioner of Texas Parks and Wildlife
 Robert De Hoyos (pictured) of Austin recently won appointment as the newest member of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission that oversees parks and wildlife management throughout the state. His term will expire on Feb. 1, 2019.
Employed previously in business development for private companies and for the Mexican Consulate General in Austin, De Hoyos also has served as director of the Texas Enterprise Fund and deputy executive director of the Governor's Division of Economic Development and Tourism.
De Hoyos holds a bachelor's degree from Technological Institute of Piedras Negras in Coahuila, Mexico. He currently is the director of institutional relations at a private company.
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Thornton, Hazlewood retire as directors at criminal justice agency
  Jan Thornton (left), director of human resources at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), recently retired from that agency after 28 years with TDCJ.
Thornton began as a secretary with TDCJ and worked as a section director and deputy division director before becoming director of human resources.
C.F. Hazlewood (right), most recently the director of the manufacturing and logistics division at TDCJ, also retired after working 30 years with the agency. Both retirements became effective on Aug. 31.
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Giroir new interim vice president for A&M Health Science Center
 Officials of the Texas A&M University System recently selected Dr. Brett Giroir (pictured) as the interim executive vice president for Texas A&M Health Science Center. His appointment is effective Oct. 1.
Giroir, who won national recognition after winning a $1.5 million to $2 million federal contract in 2012 to create a center to manufacture vaccines, also is considered to be the top candidate to be selected as the new chief executive officer of the San Antonio health science center. Giroir currently serves as vice chancellor of strategic initiatives for the A&M system.
A&M officials recently agreed to merge the health science center with Texas A&M University, which will result in Giroir reporting to the president of Texas A&M, R. Bowen Loftin.
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 ACC campus in Hays County reported 90 percent complete
Austin Community College officials this week announced that their Hays campus construction (as seen in the accompanying ACC photo) is approximately 90 percent complete. Officials hope to have the campus completed in time for the spring semester.
Among the projects being wrapped up are exterior work such as roofing projects, plastering and installation of trim. Three signs along the street entrances to the campus are currently having stone and brick placed by a mason. Metal arbor structures are installed to provide shade for accompanying picnic tables.
Additionally, the final section of the loop driveway pavement along the south and southeast of the building was poured last week. A 250-space parking lot is expected to be formed and poured this week and next. Sidewalks will be installed the following week. Landscaping, which includes adding trees, shrubs, flowering plants and more, is continuing. Other areas receiving attention are interior work, work in restrooms and testing of systems such as fire alarm, security and HVAC.
ACC officials say they anticipate the campus being released to faculty and staff move-in after winter break at the end of January.
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A&M System Board of Regents approve ground leasing
Action by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has freed the System up to approve ground leases that would give private developers access to university land. As a result, private companies will be able to enter into public-private partnerships with the System, using their own capital up-front to construct campus projects, two of which are currently on the drawing board. The A&M System will be able to sell or lease TAMU land on which a project would be developed.
One of the projects under consideration is a 4,000-bed campus housing project that will be built on 46 acres at a cost of about $225 million. Those construction costs would be paid by the developer. The university will retain control of room rates, assignments and programming elements for the complex, The other project is the Discovery Center, which would house office space to rent to A&M, the System or private companies. Phase One of the project could be open by August of next year, according to TAMU officials.
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Hines selected as a director of institute at Prairie View A&M
 Officials of the Texas Institute for the Preservation of History and Culture in the School of Architecture at Prairie View A&M recently selected Lason Hines (pictured) as the new executive director of the institute.
Hines also will oversee publication of the Journal of History and Culture, a publication reviewed by peers.
She also plans to strengthen efforts to encourage the community and the university to work together to better preserve and collect more examples of local Texas history and culture.
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Gavin leaving Strauss Center; Chesney to take position
  The Robert S. Strauss Center at The University of Texas has a new director. Professor Robert Chesney (left) of the UT School of Law will succeed Dr. Francis J. Gavin (right). Gavin is leaving the Center and the University of Texas next year to accept a position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Security Studies Program. He will, however, maintain his current roles as the Strauss Center Director and the Tom Slick Professor of International Affairs at the LBJ School through the fall of 2013. Chesney is a national security law expert who has long been one of the Strauss Center's Distinguished Scholars.
During his tenure as director of the center, Gavin has created new partnerships and established relationships with the nation's policy community that have expanded the reach and impact of Strauss Center research. Gavin helped the Strauss Center incubate the newly established Clements Center for History, Strategy and Statecraft. Gavin came to The University of Texas at Austin in 2000, following academic appointments at the University of Virginia, the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University.
Chesney is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and currently serves as the Charles I. Francis Professor in Law at UT, while also serving as the law school's associate dean for Academic Affairs. He currently serves as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution.
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Texas Tech names four finalists for vice president for research
Texas Tech University officials recently selected four finalists to serve as vice president for research. The candidates are:
- Robert Duncan, Ph.D., currently the vice chancellor for research at the University of Missouri;
- Steven Goodman, Ph.D., executive director of the International Institute for Biomedical Sciences and Technology at SUNY Upstate Medical University;
- Theresa Maldonado, Ph.D., division director of the National Science Foundation; and
- Gary Snowder, Ph.D., associate vice president for Research at the University of Nevada.
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Stephen F. Austin University taps Turner director of development
 Stephen F. Austin State University officials recently appointed Trey Turner (pictured) as the executive director of the office of development.
Joining the university as a gift officer in 2008, Turner will now manage employees and daily operations of the office of development, which is responsible fundraising for the university. He replaced Jill Still, who won promotion in June 2012 to vice president for university advancement.
Turner holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. He also earned a graduate certificate from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University and is working to complete a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University.
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El Paso, Houston projects awarded TIGER grant funding
Sun Metro in El Paso recently was awarded a $10.3 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants program. The funds will be used to assist the city with construction of a transfer center as part of one of the city's largest mass transit projects.
Additionally, the Bayport Terminal wharf at the Port of Houston qualified for $10 million in TIGER grant funds to be used toward the $48 million extension of the wharf.
The El Paso center would feature a two-story parking lot and retail space. Officials are hopeful the center will help reduce traffic congestion and increase bus ridership. The project would be completed by fall 2014.
The Bayport wharf project would extend the wharf from 3,300 to 4,000 feet. That would allow the terminal to double its capacity by 2033 and increase international trade. The two projects in El Paso and Houston were among numerous across the country that were collectively awarded $474 million in federal funding.
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Wood named as interim dean of Cockrell School at UT-Austin
 Sharon L. Wood (pictured) recently won appointment as the interim dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. She replaces Gregory L. Fenves, who recently won promotion as the new executive vice president and provost, effective in October.
Wood currently is chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and will begin her new duties as interim dean in October. Previously a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Wood has a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and a master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
UT officials plan to begin a nationwide search led by Fenves this month to find a permanent dean of the Cockrell School.
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Harlingen approves $15,000 to study feasibility of conference center
Members of the Harlingen Community Improvement Board recently approved $15,000 to pay a consulting firm to update a feasibility study performed in 2008 on developing a hotel and convention center.
Two hotel management companies have expressed an interest in the results of an updated feasibility study as Harlingen now has no facilities capable of accommodating regional conferences and city-wide social events, noted Joe Rubio Jr., a member of the board.
The 2008 study, paid for by the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation, was based on a five-story, 170-room hotel on a two-acre site, 17,000 square feet of meeting area along with restaurant, lounge, pool, fitness center, business center and airport shuttle service to the convention center. Meeting planners must now use hotels outside of Harlingen for events that require facilities found in full-service hotels, he noted.
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Valley View ISD set $9.8 million bond election in November
Trustees for Valley View Independent School District recently scheduled a bond election on Nov. 5 to ask voters to approve $9.8 million to pay for part of a $14 million campus renovation project. Voters in May defeated a similar bond proposal by 11 votes.
If voters approve this bond proposal, board members plan to improve access for people with disabilities, build unified entrances, new science laboratories, a gymnasium, an agriculture science and project center and add new secondary classroom buildings at the high school and middle school. Trustees also plan to upgrade the elementary school by building unified entrances, new classrooms and connecting existing buildings for security at the elementary school if the bond proposal wins approval.
The renovations are expected to begin as early as the end of December and continue on through 2014 if the proposal passes, trustees said.
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Commerce wins $78,277 grant to upgrade police communications
 Commerce recently won a $78,277 grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program of U.S. Department of Justice.
The grant will be used to pay for upgrading communications for police officers.
City officials plan to use the grant funding to buy digital radios for each police vehicle in addition to hand-held radios for each police officer to extend communications inside buildings and other locations with poor reception, said Police Chief Kerry Crews (pictured).
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Wichita County to use $140,000 grant to upgrade jail
Wichita County commissioners recently agreed to use a $140,000 federal grant to pay for upgrading the county jail. County officials plan to install a new system at the jail to operate all doors, including a remote gate located outside the jail for persons visiting the jail.
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Arlington approves $10.8M to upgrade communications system
 Arlington City Council members recently approved a $10.8 million, 10-year lease agreement with Motorola Solutions to supply digital radio equipment to police, fire, emergency service and public works personnel.
Replacing the city's current outdated analog radio system with digital equipment should increase the ability to communicate with emergency responders from other cities as well as county and state emergency personnel, said City Manager Trey Yelverton (pictured). The city is partnering with Grand Prairie and Mansfield to obtain a better price for the equipment, city officials said. Arlington also earns additional revenue from allowing police departments at The University of Texas at Arlington, the Mansfield school district and two junior colleges to use the emergency radio system.
State officials also set a goal that all first-responder radio systems are able to communicate with one another, or be interoperable, by Jan. 1, 2015. The agreement calls for the city to pay approximately $1.3 million annually and pay about $1.4 million in interest on the communications equipment over the 10-year lease period.
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Hunting for a new job?
Check out our Public-Sector Job Board!
Dozens of public-sector jobs available. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board posted asst. director of communications job this week and Ector and Fort Bend counties posted librarian and clerk positions. Click here to view jobs. Free job postings for state and local governments, nonprofits and other public-sector entities. Send your posting to editor@spartnerships.com.
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TEEX emergency management team provides critical training
Members of the Emergency Management Institute of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) recently developed and provided a closing critical section for a new, four-day training course staged by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Maryland.
Comprised of 31 senior government and private-sector executives invited from around the United States, the Capstone Course was part of the Inaugural National Emergency Management Executive Academy offered by the Emergency Management Institute and FEMA to improve emergency responses to disasters throughout the United States.
In a series of courses, a group from Harvard University conducted the first course focusing on leadership, while the Naval Post Graduate School reviewed the most recent emergency management developments for the second course of the training. University of Hawaii looked at use of scientific tools and resources in preparing and responding to disasters and TEEX personnel linked the three courses together while focusing on emergency management executive policy and decision-making. They did so by using tabletop and functional exercises dealing with a series of disaster events that could affect the nation, noted Rick Comley, executive programs director for TEEX.
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Grapevine allots $3.67M to buy land for public safety building
Grapevine city officials recently agreed to set aside $3.67 million to buy a 6.3-acre parcel of land as the site for a new public safety building.
Current plans are to use about $38.5 million in funding from a $70 million bond proposal approved in November to build a 108,000-square-foot facility to house the law enforcement staff, fire department headquarters, a police detention center and municipal court personnel. City officials also plan to use about $30.2 million of the bond funding to pay for a 60,000-square-foot addition to the recreation center to add a senior center, indoor pool and other amenities.
City officials initially offered $1.665 million for the property for the public safety facility. However, after the owner rejected that offer, city officials tried to use eminent domain to obtain the land. A special commission appointed by the Tarrant County Court-at-Law then set the $3.67 million purchase price for the property. City officials agreed to deposit that amount into the registry of the court even though asserting the property is not worth that price, according to Assistant City Attorney Matthew Boyle. The property owner is considering whether to appeal the decision on the purchase price, according to his attorney.
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Longview allots $1 million to upgrade oil dirt streets
Longview City Council members recently approved $1 million to improve 11 historic, oil dirt streets by using asphalt to pave and reconstruct portions of those streets.
The project will reconstruct and/or upgrade 40,390 square yards of the old oil dirt streets as part of a $5 million project approved by voters included in a $52.6 million bond election in 2011.
The third phase of the project includes widening two intersections to allow a left turn lane to be installed at Fourth Street and Delwood Drive.
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Airport, hotel officials seek renovation of Houston Airport Marriott
A group of airport and hotel officials recently petitioned Houston City Council members to approve a renovation plan to upgrade the 585-room Houston Airport Marriott Hotel built in 1971.
The company that built the hotel on land leased from the city has agreed to spend $40.5 million on a renovation to be completed over several years if the city agrees to extend the 40-year-old lease and allow no other hotel to be built on airport property for at least 10 years. Airport and hotel officials also requested the city forego $2.5 million in rental payments to help fund lobby renovations at the hotel, the sixth largest in the greater Houston area.
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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.
EWTG's annual professional development conference in November
The Executive Women in Texas Government (EWTG) announces its 27th Annual Professional Development Conference on Nov. 24 and 25! The theme for the conference this year is, "EWTG: A Community of Women Leaders" and the entire conference is focused on providing a venue for expanding your professional network, elevating your ideas, embracing new solutions and connecting with other women across the state. Early Registration is open so members can reserve their seat now for only $179 (non-members are $209) through Nov. 15. After Nov. 15, the rate for members increases to $209; $259 for non-members. Hope to see you at the Embassy Suites in San Marcos...in November!
P3C 2014: Public-Private Partnership Conference, Feb. 24-25, 2014
The annual P3C conference hosted by the Public-Private Partnership Alliance is scheduled for Feb. 24-25, 2014 in Dallas at the Sheraton Downtown Hotel. The event brings together real estate community development professionals and municipal leaders to highlight the latest development trends and opportunities involving public-private partnerships across the Country. The conference is a high-profile setting for municipalities to announce, unveil and discuss upcoming development projects. More than 30 cities and public agencies from across the country will take the stage next year at P3C to showcase their capital projects to a nationwide audience of developers, builders, architects and investors. P3C attendees participate in multiple networking elements within the conference, which provides presenters broad industry exposure to their projects. The agenda is designed to touch upon the most relevant and pressing issues vital to today's successful public-private partnership ventures. The event will bring together more than 100 thought-provoking and engaging speakers to exchange valuable insights with the country's leading development organizations. For more information and to register, visit www.P3C2014.com
BiGAUSTIN hosts energy, transportation summit in October
BiGAUSTIN, a nonprofit dedicated to the growth of small businesses, will host an upcoming Energy and Transportation Economic Development Summit to facilitate economic growth and business opportunities in the energy and transportation industries. The summit will be in conjunction with numerous Texas energy and transportation organizations and businesses and will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 10 in the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road in Austin. The event will showcase energy and transportation contracting opportunities, business financing options and workforce development initiatives. It will provide information for small businesses on how to do business in these industries. The summit will also provide a platform for discussing the future of energy and transportation and the role small businesses will play as these industries become the leading economic development resource in Texas and the nation. In addition to several energy and transportation workshops, the event will feature The Zone, Small BiZ to BiG BiZ one-on-one business meetings to facilitate business connections for future contract opportunities and financial options. Information is available at info@bigaustin.org and registration is now open.
10th Annual CATEE Conference to be held in San Antonio
Registration is now open for the Clean Air Through Energy Efficiency (CATEE) Conference 2013, an educational conference and business exhibition to connect public- and private-sector decision-makers. Set Dec. 16-18 in San Antonio at the Hyatt Regency in San Antonio. The conference is geared toward helping communities improve decisions that determine the energy and water intensity of the built environment and reduce related emissions. This 10th conference is co-hosted by the Energy Systems Laboratory of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and the Texas Chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council. Keynote speaker for this year's event is Bill Ritter, Jr., director of the Center for New Energy Economy at Colorado State University. More information and a draft agenda are now available.
NASCO 2013 conferences series to be held in San Antonio
Make plans to join us in the historic Alamo City! The 2013 NASCO Conference series enters its ninth year while highlighting a North American Strategy for Competitiveness. The event will be devoted to "Energy, Automotive & Aerospace" and will bring together international leaders from the public and private sectors across North America. The conference will focus on the future of critical North American trading relationships, while commemorating the last 20 years of NAFTA. The event will feature cutting-edge discussions related to freight transport, manufacturing and logistics workforce and include negotiators of NAFTA, leading trade experts, Ambassadors, Ministers and leading business executives in trade and transportation. More general and registration information is now available.
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Federal 'Yellow Pages' document
is guide to energy funding options
 By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
Energy spending accounts for 10 percent or more of annual operating budgets for most local governments, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. In fact, state and local governmental entities throughout the United States spend more than $10 billion every year on energy as they provide services to constituents.
Fortunately, in spite of sequestration cuts that wiped out billions of dollars in funding for state and local initiatives, there are still a number of funding options available for energy efficiency upgrades and clean energy deployment. And, to make it easier for public officials to find funding options, seven federal agencies joined in a cooperative effort to produce a guide which will resemble a "Yellow Pages" for energy funding. The guide is being released by the Department of Energy.
Listed below are a few of the financial tools available to state and local governments:
Electric Loan Program - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service has a loan program available to municipalities, some utility districts and cooperatives and others that provide retail electric service to rural areas. The money can be used to help pay for construction of electric distribution, transmission and generation facilities, including system improvements and replacements that will improve electric service in rural areas.
Electric Grant Program - This program provides grants for purchase, construction, installation, repair, replacement or improvement of energy generation, transmission or distribution facilities in communities with extremely high energy costs. It is also part of the USDA Rural Utilities Service. Grants are available to states, political subdivisions and others.
Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds - Funding for energy conservation projects is available to state and local governments through a bond program of the U.S. Treasury Department. These bonds allow public officials to borrow money at low rates and the funding can be used for a variety of projects such as ones that result in reduction of energy consumption by at least 20 percent in publicly owned buildings. The bonds can also be used to fund implementation of green community programs such as replacement of inefficient streets lights and for residential energy efficiency improvements. Other qualifying projects can include development of rural capacity that specifically involves production of electricity from renewable energy sources, public education campaigns promoting energy efficiency and supporting energy-related research facilities.
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| UT-Austin plans to build new
$310 million engineering facility
A cramped, 50-year-old engineering building on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin will be replaced by a new $310 million engineering education and research center. Expected to be completed in 2017, the facility was approved this week by The University of Texas System Board of Regents.
The System, looking for tuition revenue bond approval that never materialized during the 83rd Texas Legislature and that could have helped fund necessary construction, will take on paying for the new building itself. The UT-Austin campus will depend on up to $150 million in bond debt for the building, will raise another $50 million in donations and draw on reserves for $5 million. The remainder of the costs - $105 million - will come from the System in the form of bonds.
Once the building is completed, enrollment in engineering at UT is expected to increase by 1,000 students. The increase in students will mean an increase in revenue from student fees. That money will help fund additional faculty.
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Burkburnett to spend $45,000 to study baseball/softball complex
 Burkburnett city commissioners recently agreed to pay $45,000 to a consulting firm to study the feasibility of developing a baseball/softball complex in that city.
The study will examine the economics of the project, whether it would be profitable, how many jobs the sports complex would create and if the facility would generate additional revenue for restaurants, hotels/motels and other businesses in the area, according to Josh Andrajack (pictured), the city commissioner who proposed the study. The study should be completed in about four months.
The consulting firm also will make recommendations on where to locate the facility, how much it would cost and a preliminary design of the baseball/soft/ball complex, he said. Once the study is completed, city commissioners can determine whether to use city funding for the project, find a private investor or enter into a public-private partnership to pay for the complex or reject the proposal.
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Collin County backs away from vote to privatize pensions
Collin County commissioners recently agreed to delay a vote on a plan that would partially privatize pensions of county employees. The decision followed a two-hour discussion in which commissioners agreed they needed more information on the degree of financial risk and legality of the
The revised pension plan proposed by the county judge would place a portion of the employee's retirement savings into privately managed accounts rather than investing all of the funds into the Texas County and District Retirement System. Commissioners discussed hiring a consultant to review the proposal, but agreed to discuss the proposal further at the next meeting before making any decisions.
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Brownwood approves $3.87 million to expand regional landfill
Brownwood City Council members recently approved the issue of $3.87 million in certificates of obligation to pay for building two new cells at the Brownwood Regional Landfill.
City officials plan to begin construction on the two cells in late September. Four banks submitted proposals for the certificates of deposit, with the winning bid offering an interest rate of 3.182 percent in addition to the cost of issuing the debt to be repaid over a 15-year period, city officials said.
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Irving may tap former city manager as interim city manager
 Irving City Council members recently began discussing the possibility of appointing former City Manager Steve McCullough (pictured) as the interim city manager, according to the Dallas Morning News. The interim city manager will replace City Manager Tommy Gonzalez, who is leaving that post on Oct. 1.
Employed by the city of Irving for 30 years, McCullough retired in 2005 after serving 12 years as city manager. Council members are expected to vote next week on the appointment. McCullough said he has no interest in applying for the permanent job as city manager.
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Spring ISD selects Calzada, Gittens as asst. superintendents
 Spring Independent School District trustees recently selected Lucio Calzada (top) as the assistant superintendent of human resources.
Trustees also appointed Thad Gittens (bottom) as the new assistant superintendent of administration to replace Calzada.
 Previously serving as an administrator for school districts in Austin and Corpus Christi and as the assistant superintendent of administration for Spring ISD, Calzada holds a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi. Gittens, who was a middle school principal for the Spring school district, previously served as a principal for Galena Park ISD.
Trustees also named Deborah Graham as the grant administrator, Melissa Dean as director of data quality and Paul LeBlanc as director of human resources. Graham, Dean and LeBlanc previously served as principals for the school district.
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Longview seeking director
of human resources
Longview city officials recently approved a contract with a search firm to assist in finding qualified applicants to apply to serve as the new director of Human Resources and Risk Management. The new director will replace Karri Hyco, who retired in August.
The new HR director will be responsible for overseeing the department responsible for 831 full-time and 45 part-time city employees. The position requires qualified candidates to have a bachelor's degree in business administration, human resources or a related field, with public-sector experience in human resources also highly desired. City officials also would like the new HR director to have a master's degree and require the new director to be certified with the National Incident Management System within one year of employment, city officials said.
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Ellis County wins grant to study hazardous material preparedness
Ellis County commissioners recently won a $38,500 grant from the Texas Department of Public Safety to pay for a study to identify the types and amount of hazardous materials transported through that county.
The Texas Transportation Institute will perform the study, which requires a $9,625 matching contribution from the county. The transportation study is expected to include information identifying major transport routes through communities identified by roadway, railway and pipelines.
The study also will provide information on when, were and how these hazardous materials present themselves in the county to assist planning for emergency responses, said Nick Sloan, who chairs the Ellis County LEPC.
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Houston ISD appoints Gohl
as chief academic officer
 Houston Independent School District officials recently appointed Daniel Gohl (pictured) as the chief academic officer.
Most recently the deputy chief innovation officer for the New Jersey Department of Education, Gohl began his 24-year career in public education as a teacher for Austin ISD and later served as a principal and administrator for the District of Columbia Public Schools and chief academic officer for Newark Public Schools.
Gohl replaced Julie Baker, the former chief academic officer who left that post to join a literacy foundation. Throughout his career, Gohl has won recognition for successfully introducing additional science and technology classes to previously low-performing students.
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Dallas officials begin interviews with five city attorney candidates
After selecting five finalists for the post of city attorney, a group of Dallas City Council members and the mayor recently began interviewing the five candidates for the position. The new city attorney will replace former City Attorney Tom Perkins, who retired earlier this month.
The finalists for city attorney are: Warren Ernst, an executive assistant city attorney now serving as the interim city attorney; Peter B. Haskel, an executive assistant city attorney in Dallas; Maleshia B. Farmer, a senior assistant city attorney in Fort Worth; Angela K. Washington, a former assistant city attorney in Dallas; and Russell Coleman, a senior vice president and general counsel for a Dallas-based media company.
Committee members are expected to narrow the field of candidates even further and select the top candidates to be interviewed by all City Council members.
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Henderson selects Chote
as interim city manager
 Following the resignation of former City Manager Mike Barrow, Henderson City Council members recently selected Rusty Chote (pictured) as the interim city manager.
Chote served as a firefighter for Henderson prior to becoming the fire chief in 2008.
Barrow joined the city in 2000 as director of utilities and became city manager in May 2010.
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El Paso County using $93,000 grant to pay for Mission Trail plan
El Paso County commissioners recently agreed to use a $93,000 federal grant to fund an economic development incentive program for business owners located along the Mission Trail. Restaurants and other food service establishments, hotels, motels, local art galleries and shops that sell antiques, ceramics and other local art will be eligible for the grant funding.
The goal of the Mission Trail plan is to assist owners of new and existing businesses to upgrade their establishments to attract more visitors, create jobs and improve the quality of life in the historic districts of San Elizario and Socorro, a spokesperson for the county said.
The grant requires that 70 percent of the grant funds be used to make structural upgrades and 30 percent for sales and services. For instance, an owner can qualify for up to $12,000 for improvements to the interior or facade of the business establishment. Incentives for service and sales are limited to $5,000 per applicant.
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Floresville taps Baker as new director of economic development
Floresville city officials recently selected Tommy Baker as the new executive director of the Floresville Economic Development Corporation.
Baker previously was executive director of the Belton Economic Development Corporation.
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Dunaway to retire as city
manager in Taylor
 City Manager Jim Dunaway (pictured) of Taylor recently announced he plans to retire at the end of December after serving in that post since 2009.
Previously an assistant city manager and director of public works for Taylor, Dunaway also was city manager in Elgin, Jacksonville and Corsicana.
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Johnson County postpones work on $2.4 million courthouse annex
Johnson County commissioners recently agreed to wait until a celebration of the 100th birthday of the county courthouse in November is concluded before selecting the winner of bids submitted to build the Alvarado subcourthouse.
Commissioners encouraged subcontractors from the county to submit bids. So far county officials have received more than 100 bids for the courthouse work. Construction on the subcourthouse should begin shortly after the birthday celebration on Nov. 16, county officials said.
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McClennan County extends janitorial contract for 30 days
After disagreements arose over how to implement inmate labor to clean county buildings, McClennan County commissioners voted to approve a 30-day extension of the current janitorial contract for the courthouse and annex building. Commissioners also rejected all seven bids submitted to perform janitorial service at the courthouse and annex during 2014 and agreed to seek new bids.
When one commissioner urged the county to use three county janitorial employees along with crews of inmates to clean the courthouse, annex and records building, concerns arose over the ability of three county employees to clean all bathrooms without being paid overtime. County commissioners previously agreed that inmates clean only public areas and would not be allowed in the bathrooms or in offices because of safety concerns.
Commissioners rejected renewal of the 2014 contract for $122,124, but agreed to grant a 30-day extension of the current contract to allow staff to modify bid specifications and request bids that do not include cleaning areas where inmate labor will work. Commissioners budgeted $90,000 for the janitorial budget in 2014.
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Recent Reports
- DotGov, city of San Antonio newsletter
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Sloan selected as TCOG administration, finance director
 Stacee Sloan (pictured), former senior financial analyst for Collin County, has been selected as the new administration and finance director for the Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG). She will replace Terrell Culbertson, who will retire Sept. 30 after more than 30 years of service to TCOG.
Sloan will begin her tenure with TCOG on Oct. 7. In addition to her service as a financial analyst for Collin County, she also previously worked in the Budget and Finance office of that county for seven years.
TCOG is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin and Grayson Counties.
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Dublin appoints Wooldridge
as new city manager
Dublin City Council members recently selected Nancy Wooldridge as the new city manager. She replaced former City Manager Lannie Lee, who resigned.
Previously serving as the executive director and the secretary/treasurer for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Wooldridge began serving as the interim city manager in early July.
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New Braunfels taps Zamora
as new municipal judge
New Braunfels City Council members recently appointed Rose Zamora as the new municipal judge. A local attorney, Zamora previously served as an associate municipal court judge.
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