TxDOT expected to get new executive director Monday

A new executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is expected to be named by the Texas Transportation Commission next week. The Commission will have a special meeting at 8 a.m. Monday, March 17, in Austin, at which time commissioners will, according to the agenda, interview selected applicants in executive session and then elect a new director.

The new executive director will replace Phil Wilson, who resigned from the executive director post after being named general manager of the Lower Colorado River Authority in mid-December of last year.  

Sales tax growth in Texas continues upward trend

State sales tax revenue in February was up 5.8 percent over the same month last year at $2.2 billion. Sales tax revenues have now continued increasing for 47 consecutive months. State Comptroller Susna Combs attributes the latest increase to growth across all major economic sectors including oil and gas, wholesale trade and the services sector.

Cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts will share March sales tax allocations of $553 million, up 4.1 percent over last March. The sales tax figures represent January sales reported by monthly filers.

Cities in Texas will share $359.7 million, up 3.1 percent over March 2013 allocations. An increase of 5 percent was recorded in allocations to counties, which will share $35.8 million. Transit systems in Texas will share $126 million, up 4.3 percent over March 2013 figures, while special purpose taxing districts saw an increase from last March of 14 percent, and will share $31.5 million.

Garcia will not seek presidency of new UT Rio Grande Valley

When The University of Texas System announced UT-Brownsville and UT-Pan American would be combined to form the new UT Rio Grande Valley, it left two college presidents as possible candidates for the presidency of the new institution. UT-Pan American President Robert Nelsen has previously said he will apply for the job. Last week, longtime UT-Brownsville President Juliet V. Garcia (pictured) said she will not seek the job.

García's affiliation with The University of Texas System began in 1992 when she was named president of UT- Brownsville. She had previously served as president of Texas Southmost College for six years. Garcia says that although she will be stepping down as president of UT-Brownsville, she is not retiring.

In the meantime, UT System officials are continuing their search for a president of the new UT-Rio Grande Valley. System regents met recently and were updated on the progress of the search by search committee members. They approved a motion to interview candidates at a future board meeting.

Killeen approves $5 million to expand water treatment plant

Killeen City Council members recently agreed to amend the city budget and allot $5 million to pay for a new $76 million water treatment plant on Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

The up-front payment is possible because the balance of the water and sewer fund is healthy and using existing funding will allow the city to borrow less and pay less interest to fund the project. The plant is being built in a partnership with the Bell County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, said Martie Simpson, finance director for the city. The water control district will issue the debt and the city will pay the water district, city officials said.

The new water treatment plant is expected to add 10 million gallons of treated water each day to the existing 32 million gallons per day now available from Belton Lake and should meet the city's demand for water for about 20 years, city officials said. The new water treatment plant should be completed in three to five years.

Niesel new UTMB VP, graduate biomedical sciences dean

Officials of The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston recently tapped David W. Niesel (pictured) as the new vice president and dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS). He had served as interim vice president and dean of GSBS since September 2013.

After joining UTMB in 1983, Niesel became an interim chairman of the department of microbiology and immunology in 2000 and chairman in 2004. He won appointment as assistant dean for recruitment and alumni for the GSBS in 1992 and vice dean in 1997.

Niesel earned a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University and completed fellowships at the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina and in the Department of Microbiology at The University of Texas at Austin. He also holds the J.P. Saunders Professorship in Graduate Biomedical Sciences and the Etheridge Professorship at the graduate school.

Denton to issue $10.8M in debt to upgrade fire station, projects

Denton City Council members recently agreed to issue $10.8 million in certificates of obligation, including $4.3 million to improve a fire station, $2 million to replace vehicles, $1.75 million to pay for a new hangar at Denton Enterprise Airport and $1.5 million for other upgrades to city facilities.

Council members agreed to issue $600,000 more in debt than originally planned when the cost estimate for improving the fire station ended up being  $1.3 million more than original estimates. City officials also agreed to reduce the $700,000 set aside this year for improvements to the Civic Center Pool to $300,000 to pay for design work and to pay for the renovation work with debt planned for issue during the next fiscal year.

Beaver selected educational partnerships dean at Blinn College

John O. Beaver (pictured) recently won selection as the new dean of educational partnerships for Blinn College.

In his previous 17 years as dean of academic affairs at Blinn, Beaver was a key figure in establishing a transfer enrollment program to the A&M (TEAM) Program in which students who enroll at the community college also have part-time admission at Texas A&M University. He also worked on the Bryan Collegiate High School that permits students to take classes at Blinn and graduate from high school with 40-60 college credit hours.

In his new duties, Beaver will manage the college's dual credit programs, professional development and service learning.

UT Athletics discussing DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium upgrades

UT Athletics recently approved a contract with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to conduct a study on the feasibility of renovating the south end of the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.

The study will examine the replacement of parking and fan amenities displaced by construction of the Dell Medical School, just south of the stadium, financing options for the stadium upgrades and an estimated budget including the scope of the project to help prevent unforeseen costs, said Steve Patterson, the men's athletics director.

To conduct the study, PwC plans to survey members of the Longhorn Foundation to learn more about the possibility of new seat options and naming rights opportunities in addition to focusing on generating more revenue to support the needs of UT student-athletes. The study also will include a market and cost analysis, including a detailed analysis of the structure of the existing building within the project area and a plan to phase-in the project. Before the proposed stadium project can proceed, the Board of Regents for The University of Texas System must give final approval on the scope and cost of the proposed stadium upgrade.

Neill chosen to serve as interim provost at UH-Victoria

Denise Neill (pictured), an associate professor of nursing, recently agreed to serve as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Houston-Victoria.

While continuing to teach and work from the UH-Sugar Land campus, Neill will assume the duties of Jeffrey Case, the former provost who now serves as a special assistant to President Phil Castille, in preparing for an accreditation review in April by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Neill, who has worked eight years for UHV, played a key role in 2007 in winning approval to create the UHV School of Nursing and begin a Master of Science in Nursing program. She has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and a Ph.D. from Texas Woman's University.

Officials of the Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation recently approved $2 million in funding to help pay for on-campus housing at Lamar State College-Port Arthur.

Port Arthur city council members also must approve the $2 million recommended by the Port Arthur EDC before the funding is finalized.

City of Houston appoints Walsh as new planning director

Houston city officials recently appointed Patrick Walsh (pictured) as the new director of the planning and development department. Walsh, who has served as interim director since November 2013, replaces the former planning director, Marlene Gafrick.

Previously the director of transportation and long-range planning for the city of Sugar Land, he also has worked for a private environmental engineering company. In his new duties, Walsh will oversee property regulatory functions and neighborhood character preservation programs.

Walsh has a bachelor's degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a master's degree from The University of Texas at Austin.

Lone Star Flight Museum wins $7.6M to relocate from Galveston

Lone Star Flight Museum officials recently won a $7.6 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to relocate from its current location in a flood zone in Galveston to Ellington Field in Houston. The Aviation Hall of Fame manages the museum that was heavily damaged, along with its contents, during Hurricane Ike.

The new 125,000-square-foot facility is designed to include hangar space to store and display aircraft, an auditorium, gift shop, library, exhibit hall and cafeteria.

The funding from FEMA's Public Assistance Grant Program is set aside to assist state, tribal, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to respond to and recover from major disasters.

Frazior to direct Coleman Economic Development Corporation

Doug Frazior (pictured) recently agreed to serve as the executive director of the Coleman Economic Development Corporation and the Coleman Community Coalition. Frazior expects to begin his new duties on April 1.

With 29 years experience in economic development organizations and chambers of commerce in Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska and Texas, Frazior was director of the economic development corporation in League City from 1998 until 2010.

Frazior has a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University and is a certified economic developer and certified chamber of commerce executive.

Socorro looking at addition of new police substation

Socorro city officials recently proposed conducting a feasibility study on renovating an existing building to serve as the city's second police substation near Socorro Road and Vinyard Road. Currently, the city has its police headquarters and one police substation on Rio Vista Road.

If a second police substation were available, the department would not hire new police officers, but divide its current 25 police officers between the two locations, said Acting Police Chief Edmundo Montoya. The new proposed location also would have more space available, which could permit administrative personnel to move to the new facility and the city to use the current police headquarters on Poona Road for another purpose, Montoya said.

Clear Lake ISD OK's agreement to build new $35 million stadium

Clear Lake Independent School District trustees recently reached an agreement with the city that will allow the district to begin construction on a new $35 million stadium.

Under the agreement reached after weeks of negotiations, the city and school district will trade two rights-of-way and two easements and the school district will provide some funding to the city in order to begin work on the stadium.

Frank Librio resigning position as spokesman for city of Dallas

Frank Librio (pictured), a spokesman for the city of Dallas, recently resigned to accept a new position as a communications executive with the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau.

During his almost 10 years with the city, Librio also worked as a chief of staff for former Mayor Laura Miller and as an adviser to former City Manager Mary Suhm.

Librio also was a news producer for 10 years at a television station in Dallas.

DIR announces staff changes in various departments

After having served as director of Procurement and Contract Services for the Texas Department of Public Safety, Dana Collins has joined the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) Technology Sourcing Office. In her new position, Collins will focus on contracting efforts of the Contract and Vendor Management team to ensure efficiency while meeting customer needs.

Leah Folgate has been named DIR's director of the Project and Portfolio Management Office. She has spent the last five years as an enterprise relationship manager for the Data Center Services program. Janet Gilmore, who has served previously as DIR's eGovernment assistant director over the Texas.gov project, has been named director of Digital Government. 

Sugar Land moving forward with new convention center plan

Sugar Land city officials recently revealed plans to conduct market research to study whether support exists for a new convention center and, if so, the estimated cost of the new convention center, the fourth project in the city's Vision 2025 plan created in 2007.

Economic development officials plan to hire a consultant in about a month to conduct a market analysis to determine if Sugar Land can support a convention center, said Regina Morales, economic development director. That analysis, along with a cost estimate, should take about four to five months to complete, but Morales said officials would have a good idea of the potential for a convention center in about three months.

Projects completed or under way as part of the Vision 2015 plan include a baseball complex opened in 2012, construction of a new performing arts center and the purchase of a festival site on the banks of the Brazos River, she said. The focus on the last project on the plan, a new cultural arts center, will begin once current projects in the Vision 2025 plan are completed, Morales said.

Renshaw retiring as public safety director for city of Frisco

Todd Renshaw (pictured), the public safety director in Frisco who also served as chief of police from 1994 to 2012, recently announced plans to retire after 20 years with the city and 31 years in law enforcement.

After beginning his law enforcement career in Allen in 1983, Renshaw joined the Frisco police department in 1994 when the department had about 20 officers.

Renshaw, who as public safety director oversaw the police department, fire department and emergency medical services, begins his retirement on May 30.

Willacy County Navigation District selects Mills as port director

Officials of the Willacy County Navigation District recently selected Ronald Mills as the new port director. Mills, who replaces Shane Cameron, won selection over four other finalists for the job.

Mills previously was a vice president for a private recycling company in Brownsville and a manager for two private-sector companies. He also retired after 27 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he was a special operations supervisor.

Greenville accepts new, upgraded buildings at city airport

Greenville City Council members recently voted to accept a $3.5 million building project at the municipal airport under an agreement with the Greenville Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) and a defense contractor. Plans are to build a new facility and renovate another building at Majors Field that GIDC will donate to the city once construction is completed.

The agreement calls for the contractor, L-3 Mission Integration, to renovate the main building by adding office space and a conference room, replacing the air conditioning system and upgrading the electrical system. The contractor also agreed to build a new 12,000-square-foot metal building to serve as a shipping and receiving depot for equipment and materials brought into the Multi-Sensor Test Facility and for paving and drainage upgrades around the two buildings.

The agreement benefits the defense contractor, which will pay no taxes on the two building projects, and the city benefits from the improvements made at no cost on city-owned facilities, according to city officials. The new building and upgrades should be completed in May 2016.

El Paso taps Soto as new director of community development

El Paso city officials recently tapped Veronica Soto (pictured) as the new director of community development to replace William Lilly, beginning on March 24.

Currently the executive director of the El Paso Downtown Management District, Soto also has worked as a community development director in Sunland Park, New Mexico, the New York Housing Preservation and Development Department and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Soto is a graduate of Harvard College and of the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, where she earned dual master's degrees in public affairs and urban and regional planning. 

Limestone County prison finalist for federal prison contract

Limestone County officials recently announced the county's privately owned prison, the Limestone County Detention Center, is one of two finalists being considered for a long-term federal contract to house federal inmates. The prison facility has been closed for nine months. The county judge has worked for about a year to win the CAR-XV contract and said he is optimistic that Limestone County will win the federal contract.

Midland courthouse project expects to break ground this year

The updated design for a new two-story municipal courthouse in Midland was recently revealed by city officials, with the cost estimate having increased from the original $8 million to a new projected figure of $14 million. The two-story structure will include more office space and parking than the old facility.

After selecting a contractor, the city expects to break ground on the project later this year, with the facility completed about a year later in late 2015 or early 2016.

Report outlines need for more maintenance spending on roads

"If it continues on its current path, Texas' transportation system is on track to become highly expensive, uncompetitive, and unsafe," says a recent transportation report by Smart Growth America. Among the proposals offered in the report for a "common sense approach to transportation spending," are dedicating more to maintain and repair existing roads and bridges, shifting resources to restore transit service with affordable fares, leveraging state funds for local initiatives and updating the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Long Range Transportation Plan and its five-year capital improvement program.

The report states that between 2004 and 2008, Texas spent 62 percent of its highway capital expenditures on road expansion, an average of $4.1 billion each year, but only 11 percent on repair and maintenance of existing roads, or $692 million. It notes that TxDOT would have to spend $4.5 billion annually over the next two decades to bring its poor condition major roads in the state back to a state of good repair. Read the report. 

El Paso County approves $400K

to upgrade several rural parks

El Paso County commissioners recently set aside $400,000 to pay for upgrades to several rural parks. That funding is from money remaining from bonds approved in 2007, according to Commissioner Vince Perez (pictured).

The funding will be used to improve infrastructure such as planting trees and ensuring that grass is watered at Gallegos, Westway, Estrella, San Elizario, Sparks, O'Donnel, Risinger and San Felipe parks,

Perez said. The upgrades to the parks, some of which are little more than dirt lots, are scheduled to begin in six to eight months, he added.

TEA's head of complaints, investigations office resigns

Margie Johnson, an attorney who was named last December to head the new Office of Complaints, Investigations and School Accountability at the Texas Education Agency (TEA), has resigned, effective March 17. Johnson is a former official in the criminal prosecution of Internet Crimes Against Children section of the Texas Attorney General's Office.

Alice McAfee, director of enforcement coordination and governance at TEA, will move into Johnson's position at the agency.

Brownwood selects Crawford

as assistant city manager

Brownwood City Council members recently approved a recommendation by City Manager Bobby Rountree and appointed Emily Crawford as an assistant city manager. She began her new duties on March 12.

Crawford also will continue with her current duties as executive director of the city's economic development corporation while assisting Rountree, who for the first time since becoming city manager, reinstated the position of assistant city manager.

Previously employed by an association in Austin, the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce and Brownwood Independent School District, Crawford has a bachelor's degree from Southwest Texas State University.

El Paso approves additional

$1.4 million for future park

El Paso City Council members recently approved spending $1.4 million to purchase more than 12 acres of land for a future park. That land will be added to the 10.5 acres purchased last summer for the same park.

A city spokesperson said more than $2.5 million already has been spent on land acquisition from the $5 million project budget. The remaining $2.4 million will be used for design and construction of the first phase of the park. That first phase is expected to be completed by August 2016, said the spokesperson. Among the expected features of the park will be baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts and other amenities.

Stafford MSD selects Hooper

as interim superintendent

Stafford Municipal School District officials recently selected Dr. Don Hooper (pictured) as the interim superintendent. When he begins his new duties on March 21, Hooper will replace former Superintendent Lance Hindt, who resigned to join Allen ISD. Previously a superintendent for Fort Bend ISD from 1998 until 2002, Hooper also served as a superintendent at four other school districts during his 37 years as an educator.

Tyler planning to upgrade

Harvey Convention Center

Tyler city officials recently announced plans to upgrade the Harvey Convention Center to improve parking and conserve energy.

The upgrades include resurfacing the parking lot at a cost of about $21,000 and installing in restrooms touchless fixtures and hand dryers costing about $29,000, city officials said. Work on installing the new restroom fixtures should begin this spring, while the parking resurfacing is set to begin this summer.

Sealy ISD selects Moore

lone finalist for superintendent

Sealy Independent School District trustees recently selected Sheryl Moore (pictured) as the lone finalist for superintendent.

Replacing former Superintendent Scott Kana, who left that job in the fall of 2013. Moore currently is the executive director of education for Montgomery ISD. Moore has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from the University of Houston.

Two directors leave their

jobs at city of McKinney

McKinney city officials recently terminated Tadd Phillips, the director of human resources for McKinney, from his position and accepted the resignation of Jason Cooley, the director of innovation, who joined the city as the strategic services manager in 2008.

Council members selected Cheree Bontrager to serve as the acting director of human resources until a new director is named.

Bays tapped as finalist for Floresville ISD superintendent

Dr. Sherri Bays (pictured) recently won selection as the lone finalist for superintendent at Floresville Independent School District. She has served as interim superintendent since June 2013.

Beginning her career as a teacher for Beeville ISD, Bays joined the Floresville district as a teacher and later served as a middle school and high school principal and as an assistant superintendent. She also was a principal for Kenedy ISD.

Bays holds a bachelor's degree from Southwest Texas State University, a master's degree from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and a Ph.D. from Lamar University.

Freeze resigns as library

director for city of Corsicana

Chad Freeze, the library director of the Corsicana Public Library, recently resigned to accept a new job as a librarian at the Richard M. Sanchez Library at Navarro College.

After joining the Corsicana library six years ago as the children's librarian, Freeze became library director in 2009. He begins his new duties at Navarro College on April 7. City Manager Connie Standridge said she tentatively plans to appoint Joy Russell, the assistant library director, as the interim library director until a permanent replacement is hired.

Perez to retire as city manager

in McAllen after 21-year career

After 21 years with the city of McAllen, City Manager Mike Perez (pictured) recently announced plans to retire from that job at the end of this month.

Perez joined the city in 1992 and worked under four mayors and a city commission that transitioned from at-large representatives to single-member districts. He previously worked for the city of Harlingen.

Sanford kicks off search

for new city secretary

The Sanford Board of Aldermen recently kicked off a search for a temporary city secretary to replace Julie McIntire, who resigned.

City officials also are conducting a search for a new full-time city secretary.

Connally ISD selects Holt

as new superintendent

Connally Independent School District board members recently selected Wesley Holt, currently serving as interim superintendent, to fill the permanent job as superintendent.

Holt won selection as interim superintendent in July 2013 following the retirement of former Superintendent Frances Penland. Holt was named as the lone finalist for superintendent in February.

Miller resigning position

as head of Cleburne ISD

Superintendent Tim Miller (pictured) of Cleburne Independent School District recently announced plans to resign in June.

Trustees agreed to accept his resignation and approved a voluntary exit agreement for Miller, who said he plans to seek other employment. Under the agreement, Miller agreed to serve as an interim consultant to the district until his resignation becomes effective on June 30.

Miller, a former administrator for Northwest ISD, joined the Cleburne district as an assistant superintendent for education programs in August 2009. He became interim superintendent in August 2010 when the former superintendent, Ronny Beard, resigned. Miller won selection as superintendent in October 2010.

• Rana Anderson of Snyder, Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• John Cage of Helotes, Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• Roger Cortez of Cedar Park, Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• Rene Gonzalez of McAllen. Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• Saul Herrera of Midland, Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• Cheryl A. Fuller of Austin. Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• Troy Myree of Houston. Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• Mark Schroeder of Grand Prairie, Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• Joe Tims of Justin. Rehabilitation Council of Texas;
• Sada Cumber of Sugar Land. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
• Jake Ellzey of Midlothian, Texas Veterans Commission;
• Michael Cokinos of Houston, District One, Texas Medical Board District Review Committee;
• Todd Pollock of Dallas, District Two, Texas Medical Board District Review Committee;
• Catherine "Trinka" Taylor of Dallas, District Two, Texas Medical Board District Review Committee;
• Penny Angelo of Midland, District Three, Texas Medical Board District Review Committee;
• John McKinley of Amarillo, District Three, Texas Medical Board District Review Committee;
• Robert Hootkins of Austin, District Four, Texas Medical Board District Review Committee;
• Phil Worley of Hebbronville, District Four, Texas Medical Board District Review Committee.

Huntington ISD picks Flowers 

lone finalist for superintendent

The board of trustees for Huntington Independent School District recently picked David Flowers (pictured) as the lone finalist for superintendent.

Currently superintendent for Zavalla ISD, Flowers will replace former Superintendent Eric Wright, who resigned to serve as superintendent for Fredericksburg ISD.

Flowers said he expects to begin his new duties following the required 21-day waiting period before his contract can be finalized.

Feagins resigns comptroller

post for city of Floresville

Lara Feagins, the comptroller in Floresville, recently resigned effective on March 18 from the job she has held for about 18 months. Feagins said she has accepted a new job with the city of Shavano Park.

City secretary Sherry Pollock also resigned from her position on Feb. 7.

Elliott resigns as county

attorney in Floyd County

Floyd County Treasurer Jo Elliott recently resigned and requested her name be removed from the ballot as a candidate for county treasurer in the November general election. Her resignation followed a petition asking Elliott to resign because of alleged negligence.

County commissioners appointed Lori Morales, currently a court coordinator for the county, to serve the unexpired term of Elliott, which ends on Dec. 31. Both political parties will be allowed to appoint a candidate to run for county treasurer in the November general election, county officials said.