Caroline Jones named new Texas savings commissioner

Caroline C. Jones (pictured), general counsel for the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending, has been named commissioner of the agency, effective June 1. She will replace Commissioner Douglas B. Foster, who is retiring in August after a 29-year career with the agency.

Jones has been serving as general counsel and deputy commissioner for the agency and has been with the agency for six years.

The department is responsible for the chartering, regulation and supervision of the state's thrift industry and the licensing/registration and regulation of the state's mortgage industry. These two areas of responsibility affect the majority of residential mortgage lending in Texas. 

UT-Austin kicks off construction of new Dell Medical School

Officials of The University of Texas at Austin recently kicked off construction of the new 515,000-square-foot, $334 million Dell Medical School (as seen in accompanying artist's rendering). The ceremony was attended by local officials, community leaders and executives of the UT system office. UT-Austin is the first tier-one university in the United States to create a new medical school in several decades.

Travis County voters in 2012 approved a tax rate increase for the countywide hospital district and committed $35 million a year to support the medical school. The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation also contributed $50 million to create the new medical school that includes research, educational and administrative facilities, a medical office building and parking garage. The Seton Healthcare Family also alloted $295 million to build a new teaching hospital with 211 beds to replace the current building housing the University Medical Center Brackenridge.

Regents for the UT System approved funding to pay for construction of the new medical school located near University Medical Center Brackenridge and the school of nursing operated by UT-Austin.  

New UT Rio Grande Valley president could be named Monday

The new University of Texas Rio Grande Valley could have its inaugural president by the end of the day Monday. The University of Texas System Board of Regents will meet in special session Monday at 8 a.m. and on the agenda is this item for executive session: "U.T. Rio Grande Valley: Discussion and appropriate action regarding individual personnel matters related to the presidential search, including individual candidate and spouse interviews and possible naming of finalists."

Regents will go almost immediately into executive session for that discussion and then reconvene in open session at approximately 2:30 p.m. to consider any actions related to the executive session items.

Although System officials have declined to name the candidates, the McAllen Monitor quoted "sources" as saying the four candidates include UT-Pan American President Robert Nelsen, former University of Alabama and Texas Tech University President Guy Bailey, former Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera and an unidentified candidate. 

Travis County could develop mixed-use site in central Austin

Travis County commissioners recently heard a plan from staff regarding the possible build-out of county property in what is known as the North Campus. The county has owned the approximately three acres that house numerous county offices now. But, original plans called for further development of the site.

The plan commissioners heard recommends leasing the land to a private developer for a possible mixed-use project. The court is expected to take up the discussion again on April 29. If the commissioners approve, the county would then seek proposals from developers for use of the land. A mixed-use project would include about 30,000 square feet of office space for the county and the remainder would be up to the recommendation of the developer. The county would continue to own the land and the developer would own the building.

The Travis County Development Corp. would issue bonds to loan money to a developer to finance the project, according to the proposal, with the developer paying back the loan through rent revenues.

Lange will be Texas Tech HSC El Paso's founding president, dean

The sole finalist for founding president and new dean of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso will come from The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio (THSCSA). Dr. Richard Lange (pictured), who is vice chair of medicine and director of educational programs at UTHSCSA, will begin his new charge on July 1.

Lange, who holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas and his M.D. from The University of Texas Southwestern medical school in Dallas, completed his internship and residency training at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He returned to UT Southwestern for fellowship training in cardiology, later joining their faculty and becoming director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. He was also director of the Bernard and Audrey Rapoport Center for Cardiovascular Research.

In 2004, Lange moved to Maryland to serve as chief of clinical cardiology and professor at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He joined the faculty at UTHSCSA in 2008.  

Parkland officials need construction workers for project

The new Parkland Memorial Hospital could suffer a construction setback not because of lack of funding, but because of lack of construction workers. Parkland officials said at a meeting this week that laborers in the Dallas area are leaving for better-paying jobs in other parts of the state, particularly lured to the Houston and Midland-Odessa areas where there is an oil and gas boom. 

In addition to a need for more laborers, the hospital project is having problems securing bids for some of the key projects in the $1.3 billion hospital construction. Two projects with a combined price tag of $70 million - a biomedical lab and new medical and surgical outpatient clinics - will be bid out in the next several months. While the main hospital building is expected to be completed in August, most of the new campus will not open until May 2015.  

Blinn College to purchase 54 acres for campus in College Station

Blinn College trustees recently gave tentative approval to buy almost 54 acres of land in College Station to use for a new campus and research facility. College officials plan to open the new campus and research facility in College Station in the fall of 2015 to serve a 31 percent increase in enrollment growth since 2006, according to Sylvia McMullen (pictured), president of the Brazos County campuses of Blinn College. 

A recent study indicated enrollment at the campus could reach or surpass 25,000 by 2017 as a result of partnerships with local four-year universities, McMullen said.

A private-sector company has the option of remaining in a portion of the land for 36 months. Trustees plan to finalize the purchase and announce the price of the property once the due diligence process is completed, McMullen said. 

TSTC to search for new president of Harlingen campus

Following notification by President Cesar Maldonado of the Harlingen campus of Texas State Technical College of his plan to leave the presidency, Chancellor Mike Reeser of the TSTC System was expected today, Friday, to outline a timeline and transition plan for finding a new president. 

Reeser was scheduled to make the announcement at the University Center in Harlingen about the plan to search for a replacement for Maldonado. Serving as president at the TSTC Harlingen campus since 2008, Maldonado recently notified TSTC officials he has been selected as the lone finalist to be the chancellor of Houston Community College. 

Consolidation of services at A&M spreads to IT project

The consolidation of services at the institutions of the Texas A&M University System is continuing, this time in information technology. The System is attempting to cut costs by consolidating some services and avoiding duplication of services. The information technology infrastructure overhaul being planned by the System is expected to save $20 million per year for the next 10 years.

Although a consulting firm's recommendations on this consolidation could cost the System 125 jobs, Chancellor John Sharp said most of those job losses would occur through attrition. With 120 separate email systems within the institutions and agencies of the System, there are no uniform methods for storing and securing sensitive data. Sharp said two years of the savings will be turned around and put into the System's financial accounting system, with the remainder likely to go toward academics and research. 

UT-San Antonio signs energy research pact with Microsoft

The University of Texas-San Antonio recently signed a three-year agreement with Microsoft Corp. to research and develop technologies to make data centers more energy efficient and economically viable. Microsoft also donated an additional $1 million to UTSA to support research and technology programs at the university.

The multi-disciplinary research is designed to combine the fields of technology, economics and commercialization to create a smart energy system that will reduce the environmental footprint of data centers while improving reliability, said C. Mauli Agrawal (pictured), vice president of research for UTSA.

Most data centers use large amounts of energy to cool and maintain servers needed to gather data. Microsoft is spending $250 million to build a new 258,000-square-foot data center next door to an existing 427,000-square-foot data center at UTSA in the effort to develop new technologies to reduce energy use. The Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute at UTSA will oversee much of the research into how electricity is used and distributed inside data centers and how that consumption impacts the broader electric grid, Agrawal said. 

Harlingen eyeing partnership to develop hotel, conference center

Harlingen city commissioners recently supported a proposal to enter into a contract with a consultant to help evaluate proposals for the city to participate in a public-private partnership (P3)  to develop a hotel and conference center.

The Harlingen Community Improvement Board (CIB) proposed the consultant assess the appropriate and optimal size for a conference center and report back to commissioners on the results of the study. Commissioners also authorized City Manager Carlos Yerena to negotiate a contract limited to $50,000 with the most qualified consulting company to evaluate proposals tor developing the hotel and conference center.

Several companies have expressed interest in the project, noted Jesse Robles, chairman of the CIB. The consultant will update a feasibility study conducted in 2005 in addition to assisting in evaluating proposals from developers. That will help commissioners decide whether to move forward with plans to build a new hotel and conference center using a P3.

McKinney continues to discuss downtown parking garage

McKinney city officials recently discussed several options for the site and possible dimensions of a proposed parking garage as part of the second phase of the Town Center Study Initiative.

City staff members have analyzed seven possible sites and several different sizes for the proposed parking facility that would cost about $3 million for a small garage and up to $11 million for a larger parking garage, noted Mayor Brian Loughmiller (pictured). Depending on the size and site, the proposed parking garage would provide from 200 to 700 additional parking spaces in the downtown area, which is projected to have a deficit of about 2,500 parking spaces, Loughmiller added.

The city has about $3 million in bond funding approved by voters for parking and from a tax increment reinvestment zone to pay for a majority of the parking garage project. City officials also plan to seek funding from the McKinney Economic Development Corporation for the parking garage. 

Austin Energy eyeing $9 million price tag to design new building

Austin City Council members recently began considering a proposal by Austin Energy to begin negotiations on a proposed  $9 million contract to plan and design a 180,000-square-foot office building for the city-owned utility. The total cost of the new building, including design and construction costs, is estimated to be about $66.9 million, a spokesman for Austin utility said.

Located on East Riverside Drive, the proposed office building also would include a parking garage and surface parking. The proposed contract calls for the company to provide services such as modeling, a cost estimate, outreach to subcontractors and other activities necessary for the initial phase of the building process. Austin Energy currently leases space in a building on Barton Springs Road and that lease expires in September 2017, according to the spokesman.

Gregg County to seek new bids for courthouse parking garage

Gregg County commissioners recently agreed to reissue a request for proposals to study whether to build a new parking garage at the county courthouse after learning the original request for proposal (RFP) could result in a conflict of interest.

County Judge Bill Stoudt (pictured) urged enlarging the query after County Auditor Laurie Woloszyn told commissioners the original request for proposals could result in a conflict of interest because it would have improperly allowed the same engineering company to conduct the study and design the facility.

Commissioners agreed to revamp the RFP to include a more wide-ranging study of the overall space in the courthouse and how to best use that space after the county judge noted the courthouse is already overcrowded. The new RFP also will ask for an evaluation of courthouse infrastructure such as the heating, air conditioning, ventilation and plumbing systems to identify any possible cost savings and to ensure the courthouse will operate efficiently in the future. Any capital improvements to the courthouse would not occur until the 2015-2016 county budget is approved, Stoudt said. 

New Braunfels selects site for new $16 million recreation center

New Braunfels City Council members recently selected an 8-acre tract of city-owned land on Landa Street to build a new recreation center. Voters approved $16 million in bonds last year to pay for the new facility. 

Council members authorized staff to begin design work on a 55,500-square-foot facility that will replace a recreation center now located in Landa Park in a warehouse built in the 19th century. The new recreation center will feature an indoor pool, track, courts for various sports and an exercise center. The new center should be open by 2017, city officials said.

El Paso to trade transportation funding with TxDOT 

El Paso City Council members recently agreed to move forward with a plan to trade funding with the Texas Department of Transportation on several highway, street and pedestrian pathway projects along Interstate 10 and the downtown area.

The agreement permits the city to add aesthetic additions such as towers and railings at the interchange of I-10 and US54 as a method to remain within regulations on how state funds can be spent. Council members agreed to contribute as much as $10 million to the Texas Department of Transportation to fund improvements to bridges located along I-10 from Missouri Street to Porfirio Diaz Street.

In exchange, TxDOT officials pledged to spend about $10 million available for the El Paso region only on projects that enhance pedestrian walkways, landscaping and signage in the downtown area and some street medians and parkways throughout the city. State regulations require TxDOT to pay for enhancing only bridges that feature pedestrian walkways.

Crane ISD to develop affordable housing to attract teachers

Crane Independent School District trustees recently approved the purchase of 3.2 acres of land to build affordable housing to help attract teachers to that district.

District officials plan to use the land located about a mile from district schools to build housing for teachers. The district requires teachers to live within the school district and the city currently has no appropriate housing available for teachers, noted Superintendent Jim T. Rumage (pictured).

While discussions have centered on developing duplexes, Rumage said no decisions on the design will be made until architects complete a preliminary design plan. He expects more details on the proposed housing will be available within a week. 

Lubbock gets first peek at plans for renovating building for library

Members of the library board in Lubbock recently got their first peek at preliminary plans for renovations to a building to serve as the Godeke Branch Library. City council memers in February approved a five and one-half year lease for a former retail store on Frankford Avenue. 

The lease on the current building housing the Godeke Branch Library is expiring in September. Council members must still approve the plans and funding for renovating the new library branch before construction can begin. Architects expect to finish the plan within weeks.

Beaumont ISD appeals takeover by Texas Education Agency

Beaumont Independent School District trustees recently filed an appeal on a decision by Michael Williams, Texas' Commissioner of Education, to appoint a board of managers to replace school board members and a new superintendent to replace Superintendent Timothy Chargois.

Board members also agreed to appeal the decision by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to place the district on "accredited probation." Williams previously appointed Fred Shafer of TEA as the conservator of the Beaumont school district. Shafer is able to veto decisions made by school board members, except for the decision to appeal being taken over by state officials.

TEA staff members will review documentation used by Williams in his decision to install a board of managers and a conservator for the district. The review should take about one month to complete. Following his receipt of the review, Williams said he plans to announce his decision on whether to appoint a board of managers and replace the superintendent. If he declines the appeal, he plans to appoint a board of managers by June 15.

Jim Wells County, Alice, REAL back multimodal transit facility

Officials of Jim Wells County, the city of Alice and the Rural Economic Assistance League (REAL) recently signed an agreement to kick off efforts to establish a multimodal transit facility in Alice.

The agreement calls for the county, city and REAL to partner in submitting a proposal to the National Infrastructure Investments Grant program of the U.S. Department of Transportation to help pay for a hub facility, noted Mayor Larry Martinez (pictured) of Alice. The application deadline for the TIGER grant is the end of this month and a decision on recipients of the grants should be known by the end of this year, city officials said.

The proposed hub facility would be designed to serve several types of transportation, including bus, rail and carpool in addition to offering retail and office space. The transportation facility, which should take from three to five years to complete if the city receives the grant, should spur economic growth and improve the quality of life for many residents of the area as well as residents of the city, Martinez said. 

Bryan ISD allots $5,000 toward feasibility study for natatorium

Bryan Independent School District trustees recently agreed to help pay $5,000 toward a feasibility study proposed by the Bryan-College Station Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) to build a new natatorium to serve both cities.

CVB officials estimate a cost of between $55,000 and $69,000 on the study on whether to build a natatorium to serve the Bryan and College Station school districts and residents of both communities. The College Station school district and both cities also voted to contribute to the feasibility study.

Odessa approves $39,000 for study on recycling oilfield water

Odessa City Council members recently approved $39,000 to help the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority (GCWDA) apply for a federal grant to study recycling of water used in the oilfield.  

Created as a non-taxing entity in 1969 by the legislature to help clean up Galveston Bay, GCWDA officials are working with a Fort Worth-based consulting company to prepare and submit the grant from the Bureau of Reclamation of U.S. Department of the Interior to pay for the feasibility study on the recycling of water used in drilling operations, said City Manager Richard Morton (pictured).

GCWDA opened a plant in Odessa in 1997 that process about 8 million gallons a day of wastewater sent by several drilling companies and the city. The recycled water processed at the plant could benefit the city, especially if the current severe drought continues, Morton said. 

Spring Hill ISD requesting bids to demolish old bleachers

Spring Hill Independent School District board members recently agreed to request bids from companies interested in demolishing bleachers on the home side of the old football field.

Since the opening of a new stadium, the old stadium has been used for soccer practice, youth ball clubs and band practices. A recent inspection, however, found the old bleachers are in a state of decay, noted Interim Superintendent Rick Flanagan.

District officials plan to continue using the old football field for other sports, but agreed the home field bleachers could be a safety hazard if not taken down.

Houston seeking bids for one-bin waste collection

Houston recently requested a short-list of companies to submit proposals to enter into a public-private partnership to operate a one-bin waste management and recycling program, according to Mayor Annise Parker (pictured).

City officials selected the companies asked to submit proposals from a list of companies responding to an earlier request for qualifications. Companies were sought that were interested in joining the proposed public-private partnership to manage the waste and recycling program.

The new one-bin proposal is designed to achieve high-volume recycling and waste diversion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create new jobs and lower operating costs, Parker said. Deadline for submitting the proposals is July 12 and city officials have scheduled a pre-proposal conference on April 29. City officials used the one-bin proposal when selected as one of five winners of the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Mayors Challenge. That program recognizes cities that generate innovative ideas that can be used by other cities to improve life and solve major problems. 

Coppell asking public input on two park improvement projects

Coppell city officials recently scheduled a series of public meetings to gather input on the proposed Coppell Life Safety Park and redevelopment of Andy Brown Parks. The projects most likely will be funded from a half-cent sales and use tax collected by the Coppell Recreation Development Corporation. Almost 65 percent of that tax revenue is collected from those living outside of Coppell, city officials said.

Designed to provide education for students, families and the general public on safety programs such as fire-safety procedures, severe weather response and pedestrian caution, the proposed Coppell Life Safety Park also will include a park, museum, party room and public classrooms. The safety park also will have an emergency operations center for managing the city's responses to emergency situations, city officials said.

Redevelopment of Andy Brown Parks is focused on finding the correct balance between passive and active green spaces for outings of small groups, smaller gatherings of family and friends and for larger seasonal events and community celebrations.

Robert Muller resigns from Killeen ISD to join staff at TAMU

Superintendent Robert Muller (pictured) of Killeen Independent School District recently submitted his resignation to accept a new job as a clinical associate professor at Texas A&M University in College Station.

After joining the Killeen school district as an administrator in 2003, Muller won promotion to assistant superintendent and became superintendent in October 2008.

Muller previously worked for the Texas Education Agency and as a superintendent for Van Alstyne ISD.  

Turner new head of association for suburban/mid-urban schools

Dr. Jeff Turner, currently the superintendent of Coppell Independent School District, recently accepted a new job as executive director of the Texas Association of Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools (TAS/MUS).

Turner will retire in August after 12 years as superintendent of the Coppell school district. He begins his new duties at TAS/MUS in October and replaces Dr. Marvin Crawford, a former superintendent for Grand Prairie ISD, who is retiring after 13 years as director of TAS/MUS. Turner was president of the group when hired as superintendent by the Coppell district in 2002.

An organization that represents mostly suburban school school districts located near major urban areas, the goal of TAS/MUS is to provide high-quality professional development for administrators. Many of the districts are considered some of the premier school districts in Texas.

E-Learning Symposium scheduled for May 14-15 in Austin

The E-Learning Symposium, an interactive conference hosted by the E-Learning Council and the Department of Information Resources (DIR), is designed to help professionals and key decision-makers learn how to execute E-Learning programs within their organizations. This year's event is set for May 14 and 15 at OMNI Southpark Hotel, 4140 Governor's Row, Austin, 78744. Industry experts from Texas and beyond will be on hand to share their knowledge regarding E-Learning topics, processes and technology. This event is especially important for professionals who manage and design Web-based education programs in health care, government, higher education, energy and corporate settings. In addition to a variety of speakers, a panel discussion is also planned on "Training the Mobile Workforce." The panel will discuss how training strategy and tactics need to evolve to accommodate the movement "away from the desk." Registration is now open and the program is available for viewing.

 

By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

The first day of summer is still two months away, but many parts of the state are already under "exceptional" drought conditions. That's not good news for Texas!  

   

Houston airport terminal could 

be in line for $1.5B makeover

A $1.5 billion makeover of Terminal D, the international terminal at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston is being discussed by city ad Houston Airport System officials. The initial plans include a new terminal with more gates that can accommodate larger jets used for international flights, larger ticket counters, a rebuilt security checkpoint, redesigned waiting areas, new concessions and larger restrooms.

United Airlines officials are supporting the proposal, which Airport System Director Mario Diaz (pictured) said would cost $700 million to $1.5 billion. Diaz said he is hopeful design work can begin in July. The project could take up to six years to complete. 

Odessa College approves 

$4.3 million for new building

The board of trustees for Odessa College recently approved $4.3 million to build a new continuing education building. The new facility will have a 75-seat lecture hall, a lounge area and several rooms used for continuing education curriculum. The new building will be located facing the new Campus Center.

Lewisville taps Donna Barron 

for city manager position

Lewisville City Council members recently tapped Donna Barron (pictured), the assistant city manager, as the new city manager. She will replace Claude King, who is retiring as city manager at the end of April.

Joining Lewisville in 1990 as director of human resources, Barron won promotion to assistant city manager in 1996. She previously worked for Lubbock and DeSoto before being hired by Lewisville.

Barron has a bachelor's degree from Texas Woman's University and a master's degree from Texas Tech University. 

Corpus Christi to use $400,000 grant to study desalination

Corpus Christi City Council members recently approved a plan to use $400,000 in federal grant funds to conduct a pilot study of the use of desalination to provide potable water.

City officials also plan to allot an additional $600,000 to the engineering company to research whether a cost-effective desalination process can be used efficiently to process saltwater into water to use in homes and businesses. Before the plan is official, however, council members must still approve a second reading of the ordinance approving the use of the federal grant and approve the additional $600,000 in local funding for the desalination study.

Westbrooks declines Beaumont ISD offer as finance director

Ann Westbrooks recently declined an offer from Beaumont Independent School District to become the chief financial officer and comptroller for the struggling school district.

Westbrooks currently is the assistant superintendent for financial services at Spring ISD and will remain in that position, said Karen Garrison, director of communications for the Spring school district.

Beaumont school district officials had selected Westbrooks, a certified public accountant, to replace Devin McCraney, the former finance director, and Shakira Allison, the former comptroller, who both pled guilty to federal charges of fraud and conspiracy alleging they embezzled about $4 million from the Beaumont district.

Evans retires as parks and recreation director in Grapevine

Doug Evans (pictured), the director of parks and recreation in Grapevine, recently retired from the job he has held since 1993.

Evans previously spent 10 years as the director of parks and recreation in Burleson. He also was a parks foreman and a planner for Odessa. He said he plans to be an active volunteer in Grapevine parks following his retirement. 

Strategic Partnerships seeking

Johnson City ISD group urges construction of new stadium 

The Stadium Construction Exploratory Committee for Johnson City Independent School District recently urged board members to build a new stadium complex rather than renovate the current facility, Shockley Field.

Committee members recommended using the district's fund balance to build the new stadium at the location of the current high school practice field or the track, both on the high school campus. The group also urged renovating Shockley Field for use as a practice field, junior high sports and other activities. 

Longview ISD hires expert to help narrow superintendent candidates

Longview Independent School District trustees recently alloted $2,500 to pay George McShan (pictured), a former president of the National School Board Association, to help interview and narrow down a list of applicants for superintendent.

Now the president of the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District, McShan agreed to work two days to offer his perspective on the applicants to trustees. The decision to hire McShan occurred following a public meeting at which some residents expressed concern that the current superintendent may be too involved in selecting his successor.

District officials plan to begin interviewing candidates next week, notify finalists for the post the next week and name a lone finalist for superintendent on May 12 or June 9. The goal is to have a new superintendent on the job by July 1 or earlier, according to a preliminary timeline. 

Columbus taps Chandler as

lone finalist for superintendent

Columbus independent School District board members recently tapped Ester Chandler as the lone finalist for superintendent.

Serving as interim superintendent since December, Chandler replaces former Superintendent Richard Connor, who resigned to serve as superintendent for Edna ISD.

Chandler has worked 20 years for the Columbus district, where she was a teacher, counselor and director of student services before becoming an assistant superintendent. Trustees expect to finalize her contract on May 12 after the mandatory 21-day waiting period ends.

La Vernia ISD taps Moreno

as lone superintendent finalist

La Vernia Independent School District trustees recently named Dr. Jose H. Moreno (pictured) as the lone finalist for superintendent. He expects to begin his new duties on May 5, once his contract is finalized following the required waiting period.

Currently an assistant superintendent for San Antonio ISD, Moreno also has worked as a teacher, education consultant and principal.

Moreno has a bachelor's degree from The University of Texas at Austin, a master's degree from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Ph.D. from Lamar University. 

Castroville selects Roath 

as new city administrator

Castroville City Council members recently selected Mark B. Roath as the new city administrator.When he begins his new duties on May 5, Roath will replace former City Administrator Paul Hofmann, who resigned in February to become city manager in Bellaire.

Roath, an attorney, has been a city manager in Copperas Cove, Weslaco and Wylie before serving as a city manager in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Hendricks ends tenure as

city manager in Marble Falls

After suffering a severe injury in an accident in October, Marble Falls City Manager Ralph Hendricks (pictured) recently ended his tenure in that job. Hendricks is undergoing medical treatment and is unable to return to work.

Hendricks joined the city as the fire chief in 2006 and became an assistant city manager in 2007. He became city manager in January 2010.

Council members appointed Margie Cardenas, the finance director, to serve as acting city manager while Hendricks was unable to work. City Council members plan to meet later this month to review applicants for city manager, identify five to six finalists and bring those applicants in for interviews. 

Pearsall selects Alvarez 

as new city manager

Pearsall city officials recently selected Rick Alvarez to serve as the new city manager. Alvarez previously worked as an assistant to the county judge in Hidalgo County. Alvarez has a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and previously worked for the Texas Comptroller's Office.

Cleveland picks Woods to

lead convention, visitors bureau

Cleveland city officials recently picked Linda Woods (pictured) as the new director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).

Most recently director of the CVB in Shenandoah, she also was a city secretary, the owner of an advertising company and worked for the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce, Katy Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce.

Woods also is credited with developing the first newsletter for The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce and was publisher of the newsletter for the Houston Northwest Chamber. 

Lago Vista terminates 

Portugal as city manager

The Lago Vista City Council recently fired City Manager Joseph Portugal after only six months in that job. Council members met in executive session with Portugal and department heads and then discussed concerns for six hours before voting to terminate the city manager. 

Council members appointed Police Chief Danny Smith as interim city manager until a new city manager is hired.

Kilgore taps Heine 

as new Main Street manager

Kilgore city officials recently tapped Melida Heine as the new Main Street manager, effective on May 12. Heine, who has served four years as the Main Street manager in Tekin, will replace Clara Chaffin when she begins her new duties in Kilgore. Her top priority is to recruit retail businesses to locate downtown in an effort to revitalize the area, Heine said.

Greenville names Porter-Brathwaite to human resources

Greenville city officials recently named Jaynice Porter-Brathwaite (pictured) as the new director of human resources. She replaced Barry Robinson, who retired as human resources director after 33 years with the city.

Previously a human resources director for the city of Nacogdoches, Porter-Braithwaite also worked as a risk manager and in human resources for Forest Hill.

Porter-Braithwaite has a bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware and dual master's degrees from Goldey Beacom College in business and management. 

• Gerald "Jerry" Korty of University of North Texas (UNT) Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, student representative on Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
• Jesse Brown, student regent, Midwestern State University;
• Kelsey Brown, student regent, Stephen F. Austin State University;
• Colton Buckley, student regent, Texas A&M University System;
• Marshaun Williams, student regent, Texas Southern University;
• Anna Sandoval, student regent, Texas State University System;
• Coby Ray, student regent, Texas Tech UniversitySystem;
• Candace Henslee, student regent, Texas Woman's University;
• Asit Shah, student regent, University of Houston;
• Christopher "Chris" Vera, student regent, University of North Texas System;
• Max Richards, student regent, The University of Texas System.

Tomball names Hauck

as new assistant city manager

Tomball City Council members recently named Robert Hauck (pictured), as the new assistant city manager.

Currently the police chief in Tomball, Hauck has agreed to serve as interim police chief until the city names a new chief, City Manager George Shackelford said.

He replaced Christal Weber, the former assistant city manager who resigned to become an assistant city manager in Missouri.

Hutchins to retire as city 

attorney in Carrollton

After 14 years as city attorney in Carrollton, Clayton Hutchins recently announced plans to resign on April 30. He has worked for the city 18 years. 

A teacher who later earned a law degree from The University of Texas at Austin, Hutchins also was a city attorney in Texarkana, Grand Prairie and Bedford before joining Carrollton as an assistant city attorney. He also has a bachelor's degree from UT-Austin.

Valley View ISD selects Rolando Ramirez as new superintendent

Valley View Independent School District board members recently selected Rolando Ramirez, who has served as interim superintendent for the district, as the new superintendent.

Ramirez joined the district as a history teacher and won promotion to high school principal and an assistant superintendent for the Hidalgo County school district. Board members advertised the search for superintendent only internally and did not seek external candidates, the board president said.

Clarification

The April 11 edition of the Texas Government Insider published a story regarding a Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF) grant to the Texas A&M University Wind Energy Center. The story stated that Department of Energy (DOE) officials have agreed to match the award from the state with a $50 million award. To clarify, DOE has made an initial $4 million award to seven projects in the United States, including the Gulf Offshore Wind consortium (GoWind). DOE will select three projects to receive an additional $47 million. The TETF award is made in tranches with further award up to $2.2 million contingent on the GoWind project emerging successfully from the DOE down-select process. The initial TETF tranche is in the amount of $900,000.