COMTO honors Capital Metro's President/CEO Linda Watson

The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) recently honored Linda S. Watson (pictured), president/CEO of Austin's Capital Metro, with the 2014 Executive of the Year award. The award was in recognition of Watson's aggressive outreach in Capital Metro's hiring practices.

According to COMTO, Equal Employment Opportunity program data from 2013 shows the Capital Metro workforce had 38 percent minorities and 38 percent female in executive management and 36 percent minorities and 49 percent female among professionals with the agency. Watson was also a driving force in the establishment of the Capital Metro Office of Diversity, which ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program and other law related to civil rights.

Nelson appointed to chair powerful Senate Finance Committee

The budget-writing Senate Finance Committee has a new chair. Sen. Jane Nelson was this week appointed by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to head the powerful committee. She replaces former chair Sen. Tommy Williams, who resigned his Senate seat months ago to take a position with Texas A&M University. Nelson, who is a longtime chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, will be replaced as chair of that committee by Sen. Charles Schwertner.

Nelson was also appointed by Dewhurst to the Legislative Budget Board, along with Sens. Craig Estes, Kevin Eltife and Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa.

Eight recent graduates commissioned as new TABC agents

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) recently commissioned eight new training academy graduates as TABC agents. The new graduates had previously attended law enforcement academies and are certified Texas peace officers. 

Their eight weeks of training includes law enforcement and subjects such as organized crime on TABC-licensed premises, the Alcoholic Beverage Code and the Texas Penal Code. They also received training on the use of force, firearms, arrest and control tactics, driving procedures, communication skills and physical fitness.

Keynote speaker for the event was First Attorney General Daniel Hodge (pictured). Hodge spoke of the successful collaborative efforts between TABC and the Attorney General's Enforcement Division regarding major cases dealing with human trafficking, money laundering and narcotics.

These new agents will report to locations throughout the state in the coming weeks and work extensively with Field Training Officers to complete on-the-job training.   

Texas sales tax holiday slated Aug. 8 - 10

The Texas Comptroller recently reminded shoppers of the opportunity to save money on certain items costing under $100 during the annual sales tax holiday scheduled to begin Friday, Aug. 8, and continue through Saturday, Aug. 9, and Sunday, Aug. 10. Items exempt from state sales tax during the three-day tax holiday include clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks costing under $100. Shoppers can save $8 dollars in sales tax for $100 spent on qualified items, the comptroller said. A complete list of apparel and school supplies exempt from state sales taxes during the three-day tax holiday can be found at www.TexasTaxHoliday.org. 

Goben appointed TCC Northeast Campus president

Allen Goben (pictured), previously a senior executive for Community College Partnerships with Western Governors University (WGU), has been selected as the new president of Tarrant County College (TCC) Northeast Campus. He is replacing retiring President Larry Darlage, who served the college for the last 18 years.

Goben has more than 25 years of education experience in positions that include faculty member, coach, college recruiter, counselor and administrator. He served as the inaugural chancellor of WGU Missouri and was president of Heartland Community College in Illinois.

Goben attended Indian Hills Community College in Iowa and later earned his bachelor's degree from Iowa State University. He holds a master's degree from Drake University and an Ed.D. from The University of Texas at Austin, Community College Leadership Program.

TWDB announces financial assistance of $2.92M for projects

More than $2.9 million in financial assistance has been approved by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) for water and wastewater improvement projects around the state.

The assistance included:

• A loan of $375,000 from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund went to the city of El Campo, which will be used for the planning, land acquisition and design of construction of a 12-inch potable water distribution line and 300,000-gallon elevated water storage tank and booster pump station;
• A loan of $2.375 million from the Texas Water Development Fund went to the city of Iraan in Pecos County to construct a new 175,000-gallon-per-day wastewater treatment plant and will include installation of new water lines, fire hydrants and valves; and
• Loan forgiveness of $170,000 from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to the city of O'Brien in Haskell County to rehabilitate its main pump station and replace the existing well pump and all customer meters within the system. The project is the result of collaboration between the city, North Central Texas Municipal Water Authority and Knox City.

Abbott estimates $50M in costs due to illegal immigration

The federal government is not the only entity keeping an eye on expenses related to immigrant children crossing United States borders. Attorney General Greg Abbott has warned that costs associated with taking care of these often unattended minor children crossing into Texas could be up to $50 million - with the state's taxpayers picking up the tab.

Abbott has indicated that he is prepared to sue the federal government if Texas is not reimbursed for its expenses related to caring for the immigrant children.

The San Antonio Express-News reports that the Attorney General's Office has sent letters to state agency officials asking them for an estimate of the money they have spent dealing with unauthorized immigration. The Attorney General told the San Antonio newspaper that he is seeking an accurate figure regarding these amounts so he can ask the federal government for reimbursement. Abbott said he has heard nothing about the federal government planning to reimburse any Texas state agencies for costs incurred.

According to the Express-News, the letters from the Attorney General's office to state agency officials asked for documentation, data, analyses and cost estimates incurred by the respective agencies since June 2012 and estimates of any anticipated costs through the current budget cycle. Agencies have until Aug. 1 to supply that information.

SPI teams continue to expand...

Experienced newcomers added; two veterans take on new roles

The team of experts at Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) continues to grow as two new employees with research and client service experience were recently added to the SPI team. Additionally, two veteran members of the team have been moved into new roles with the firm.

Former Senior Associate Casey Kelly (top left) has been promoted to consultant and Anna Scott (top right) has been moved into a new role in corporate/external relations. The two newcomers to the SPI staff are Senior Associate Colby Harrell (bottom right) and Executive Assistant Anne Marie Willsey (bottom left).

Kelly specializes in business and competitive intelligence research, business development and client services. With research experience relating to a wide range of industries, Kelly is adept at identifying and analyzing future opportunities for clients as well as geographical trends with business strategy implications. Her research skills encompass due diligence, market-sizing research, market validation, sales pipeline development, competitive analysis and data requests.

Scott helps to coordinate the company's public affairs and business development outreach activities. She is a member of the marketing team and also a member of the Consulting division at SPI. She has more than seven years of experience in project management and government research and works closely with clients on issues that relate to the state, local and federal governments.  

A member of the SPI Consulting division, Harrell works with client teams representing a broad range of products and services. He is also a member of the research team and is adept at gathering information and analyzing the various aspects of public-private partnerships. His experience working in the nation's capital for a member of the U.S. Congress helped him to increase his knowledge of government and prepared him for a career that allows him to interact with governmental agencies at all levels of government.

Willsey is responsible for managing the SPI offices and providing administrative support to all divisions of the firm. As the first point of contact when anyone contacts SPI, she understands all aspects of the company and where to quickly route a caller with questions, a prospective client or someone requesting a meeting. She is also a member of the SPI Communications team and oversees various projects such as conferences, training sessions and other SPI events.

UNT picks CPA Dan Edelman as new VP of finance, CFO

A Certified Public Accountant, Dan Edelman, Ph.D., is the University of North Texas at Dallas' next vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer. Edelman most recently was associate provost and vice president of academic affairs and interim dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Agriculture at Texas A&M-Commerce. He was also previously interim provost and vice president of academic affairs and head of the Department of Accounting.

Edelman also served at the Illinois Institute of Technology, St. Xavier University and Roosevelt University in Chicago. Prior to his career in education, he served in the private sector. Edelman holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University, a master's from Roosevelt University and his Ph.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Shelledy to serve as UTHSCSA health professions school dean

When David Shelledy, Ph.D. (pictured) takes over as dean of the School of Health Professions at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, it will be a return engagement. Shelledy served as a founding dean of one of the UTHSCSA departments from 1994 to 2004.

Shelledy returns to UTHSCSA after having served as dean of the College of Health Sciences and a professor of health systems management at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He also held appointments there in the Clinical Sciences and Respiratory Care departments. Before moving to Rush, Shelledy was associate dean of academic and student affairs at UTHSCSA. He also is a former associate dean of academic and student affairs in the College of Health Related Professions at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science.

Shelledy is a past president of the American Association for Respiratory Care and currently serves as a director for the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions.

Griffith to fill new vice president position at Blinn College

Cynthia Griffith (pictured) will fill the newly created vice president position to oversee Blinn College's Health Sciences and Technical and Workforce Education divisions. A former vice president for instruction, Griffith will be vice president for instruction for technical and workforce education and an interim vice president to fill her previous post will be named soon.

Griffin began her career at Blinn as vice president for Allied Health Sciences in May 2013 and was named vice president for instruction in November. She previously served as dean of public service, health and behavioral sciences at Lone Star College-CyFair. She is also a former dean of workforce and community education at Alamo College-Northeast Lakeview. Griffith served as director of radiologic technology at Lone Star College-Montgomery and at Angelina College in Lufkin.  

UT System picks Sharphorn as VP, general counsel

The University of Texas System has picked an attorney with experience in higher education leadership and law as the new vice chancellor and general counsel to the System. Dan Sharphorn, who joined the UT System in 2007 as associate vice chancellor and deputy general counsel, has been serving as interim general counsel and vice chancellor for the last year.

Before joining the UT System, Sharphorn was on staff of the vice president and general counsel's office at the University of Michigan. He left the university after 25 years with the title of associate vice president and deputy general counsel. He also is a former instructor with the Judge Advocate General's Corps at the U.S. Military Academy. Sharphorn earned his bachelor's degree from West Point and master's degree and law degree from the University of Michigan.  

Bays leaves WNMU for West Texas A&M position

Western New Mexico University's (WNMU) Sherri Bays (pictured) is leaving that university to accept the position of vice president of business and finance at West Texas A&M University in Canyon. Bays, who is a Certified Public Accountant, has been with the university for the last 18 years, most recently as vice president of business affairs.

Before taking over the vice president position at WNMU, Bays was an associate vice president for business affairs. She has also served the university as director of fiscal services and internal auditor/budget analyst. 

Westerfeld new interim president of Lone Star College campus

Lone Star College (LSC) officials recently named Penny Westerfeld (pictured) as the interim president of the North Harris campus. She replaces Dr. Steve Head, who will begin his new duties as chancellor of the Lone Star College System on Aug. 1.

Beginning her career at LSC as a faculty member, Westerfeld also has been the dean of the Business and Technology division and dean of  Community Education in addition to serving as vice president of Community and Economic Development. Westerfeld also was the interim president of LSC-Montgomery and the interim chief executive officer of LSC-University Park. She also is an associate vice chancellor.

LSC officials expect to select a search firm soon to help with a national search for a new president of the LSC-North Harris campus. 

Bailey new public information specialist for San Antonio airport

Evelynn A. Bailey (pictured), a 20-year veteran marketing specialist, has been selected as the senior public information officer for the San Antonio Airport System. She will serve in the Marketing and Community Relations Department, coordinating local and national media inquiries and assisting with community outreach initiatives.

Bailey previously has worked on education, corporate, marketing, agency and government teams. She is a former communications manager for the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau and has also been public information officer for the City of San Antonio Office of Art and Cultural Affairs. Her most recent engagement was as a fine arts educator in the Southwest Independent School District.

Bailey holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas and a master's from the University of the Incarnate World. 

Raymondville to use sales tax for police station, sports complex

The city of Raymondville is preparing to officially notify residents of the city that it plans to use $3 million in sales tax receipts to help pay for a new $18 million police station and a $1.2 million sports complex. The funds are under the oversight of the Raymondville Economic Development Corp. Officials say there was no opposition expressed to the proposal during a comment period. The proposal calls for a 9,000-square-foot police station that will include a jail at the site of the old headquarters that was demolished in April. 

Katy ISD bond group urges $748 million bond proposal

Katy Independent School District bond committee members recently recommended that trustees ask voters to approve $748 million in bonds in November to pay for new facilities and upgrade existing facilities.

Committee members urged board members to allot nearly half, $356.8 million, of the $748 million bond proposition to building new facilities, including six new elementary schools, two junior high schools and a high school.  The group also included two projects rejected in a recent unsuccessful bond election, a $22.5 million agriculture science facility and a $58 million football stadium.

Corpus Christi ISD now eyeing $100.5 million bond proposal

Corpus Christi Independent School District trustees recently began considering asking voters to approve a $100.5 million bond proposition in November after first discussing a more expensive $246.6 million bond proposal.

Trustees estimate spending about $22.8 million each in bonds to renovate two elementary schools and propose spending about $4.5 million to add eight new classrooms at an elementary school to consolidate two existing campuses. Board members also plan to ask voters to approve funding to replace the roofs at two high schools and install new air conditioners at three high schools.

Beaumont ISD gets interim superintendent, board of managers

A new superintendent and a seven-member board of managers have been appointed for the Beaumont Independent School District by Commissioner of Education Michael Williams. The board of managers includes Beaumont community members and will be the decision-makers after the entire elected school board was removed following determination by the Commissioner that the district's deficiencies warranted an appointed oversight board.

Named as the new interim superintendent was Vernon Butler (pictured). Butler is the former interim superintendent who served the El Paso Independent School District and its appointed board of managers following a highly publicized scandal involving test scores. Conservator Fred Shafer was told by Williams to remain in his role as conservator to support the board of managers and interim superintendent

The seven-member board of managers, who will perform all the duties of the elected trustees, include: Longtime community and business leader A.B. Bernard; Lenny Caballero, director of event facilities for the city of Beaumont; Jack Carroll; partner in a Beaumont law firm; Joe Domino, former president and CEO of Entergy Texas; Vernice Monroe, longtime children's advocate and former director of the Social Work program at Lamar University; Jimmy Simmons, former president of Lamar University; and Robert Turner, business leader and former chair of the Greater Beaumont Area Chamber of Commerce. 

Waco wins $600,000 to improve wastewater treatment plant

Waco and area cities within the Waco Metropolitan Area Regional Sewerage System (WMARSS) recently won a $588,000 grant to improve the wastewater returned to the Brazos River. Part of a $1.8 million project to establish about 12 acres of wetland to naturally filter-treated effluent before entering the river, construction on the treatment plant upgrades is expected to begin in early 2015.

The WMARSS treatment plant is located southeast of Waco and also provides service to the cities of Bellmead, Hewitt, Lacy Lakeview, Lorena, Robinson and Woodway. Discharges from the plant already are within both state and federal environmental standards, city officials said.

Corpus Christi eyes proposal for regional youth sports complex

Several months following a proposal to develop a regional youth sports complex using a public-private partnership, Corpus Christi city officials recently unveiled a plan to request proposals from developers by the end of this month.

Developers will have 60 days to outline their vision and plans for a youth sports complex that supporters say will draw more sports tourism to the city, according to Michael Morris, parks and recreation director. The proposals also require information on the appearance of the sports complex, how the complex would be operated and the estimated economic impact, Morris said.

Preliminary plans call for evaluating the proposals by the end of October, negotiating a contract with the winning developer by the end of the year and presenting a contract to city council members for approval by mid-January. 

Mitts resigns executive post 

with Texas A&M-San Antonio

The vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer at Texas A&M University-San Antonio has resigned. Kenneth Mitts (pictured), who has been with the university since 2008, resigned to pursue other opportunities, according to his letter of resignation. His resignation is effective Aug. 31.

The university has already moved to fill Mitts' position on an interim basis. Rick Trefzer, associate vice president for finance and administration and chief information officer, has been named to replace Mitts when Mitts leaves until a full-time replacement is chosen.

Brownwood gets TxDOT grant

to research possible businesses

A $75,000 grant from the Aviation Division of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will be used by the city of Brownwood for research into what businesses would be a good fit for the city. The TxDOT grant requires a 10 percent matching grant from the city.

Officials note that having a business development plan will help the city when it applies for grants for infrastructure improvement. The plan is also expected to include a proposal to begin aviation programs for local colleges. 

Frisco selects John Bonnot as

economic development director

Frisco Economic Development Corp. officials recently selected John Bonnot (pictured) as director of economic development.

Previously director of economic development and business recruitment for the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, Bonnot is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and attended the Institute for Organization Management at Southern Methodist University.

Nancy Windham, a vice president for the Frisco EDC, also is retiring. Directors expect to post that opening soon, the EDC marketing director said. 

UT-Rio Grande Valley plans 

to complete hiring by December

Reacting to faculty and staff concerns about the future of their jobs, President Guy Bailey of the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa of the UT System recently answered job-related questions. They assured UTRGV and UT-Pan American employees that the goal is to complete hiring by the end of this year, according to The Brownsville Herald.

Bailey, however, said he must hire a chief business officer and human resource officer to assist with budgets and hiring decisions before beginning the hiring process resulting from the merger of the two institutions. UTRGV currently has only two employees, Bailey and Francisco Fernandez, the dean of the School of Medicine.

Faculty and staff at UT-Brownsville and UT-Pan American have only one semester remaining before those institutions are closed. Current plans are to advertise the open positions at UTRGV on the UT System Web site relatively soon, Bailey said.

Allen taps Bowman as chief executive officer of EDC

Following a three-month international search, officials of the Allen Economic Development Corporation recently tapped Dan Bowman (pictured) as the new chief executive officer of that organization.

A former executive for the San Antonio Economic Development Corporation, Bowman will replace the former executive director, Harry Whalen, who resigned earlier this year.

Bowman has a bachelor's degree from Trinity University in San Antonio and a master's degree from The University of Texas at Dallas. He also graduated from the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. 

Kristi Gilbert resigning 

as city secretary in Murphy

Kristi Gilbert, the city secretary in Murphy, resigned to accept a new job as city secretary and human resources manager for Argyle. City officials in Murphy have begun a search to find a new city secretary.

Dublin approves $3 million 

to improve wastewater system

Dublin City Council members recently agreed to issue more than $3 million in certificates of obligation to upgrade and repair the wastewater system.

Without the upgrades, the city faces up to $300,000 in fines from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, according to city officials. 

The upgrades include replacing 16 miles of clay tile pipe and correcting inflow and infiltration problems, according to Cory James, director of public works. The repairs and upgrades will be done in phases, he added.

Zimmer withdraws resignation

as city manager in Alpine

After a large show of support from the public and his family, Erik Zimmer (pictured) recently withdrew his resignation as city manager in Alpine after his previous unexpected decision to leave the job he has held for less than a year.

Audience members reminded council that the city charter calls for the city to have a strong city manager government and complained that council members sometimes interfere with city staff. Zimmer also noted that he and Megan Antrim, the finance director, have initiated more financial control measures, including separate budgets by departments. Those separate budgets came about  following allegations that the city lacked proper accounting of city expenditures, provided payday loans for employees and that $30 million was missing.

Zimmer, who was selected as city manager in November after several city staff members were terminated, said he can accomplish the goals he set for improving the city if allowed to do his job.

El Paso County studies three options to control budget

El Paso County commissioners recently began discussing three options to improve control over the county budget. Commissioners expressed support of removing budget responsibilities from the auditor's office to gain more direct control of the budget process.

The county's resources director outlined three options to reorganize job duties and positions to assist commissioner's court to more directly control the budget process. The first option is to create a new administrative department led by a new county administrator similar to a city manager to help oversee the budget process. This option is estimated to cost about $80,000 a year.

Houston Public Works

Director Krueger resigns

Daniel Krueger (pictured), public works and engineering director for the city of Houston, has resigned, effective in August. He gave no reason for his resignation.

Krueger, who has held his post for four years, was appointed by Mayor Annise Parker in 2010, managing a department with close to 3,900 employees. 

Before joining the city, Krueger was a supervisor for construction of a Dallas light rail line. The city plans to name an interim director by the end of this month. 

Paris moves forward with $1.2 million airport hangar project

Paris City Council recently authorized city staff to enter into an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to build a $1.2 million T-Hangar at Cox Field Airport.

The airport now has about 23 applicants on a waiting list to rent hangar space at the airport, noted Shawn Napier, director of engineering. 

The city is required to contribute only 10 percent of the project cost over a two-year period, he said. Work on the hangar project will not begin until the Transportation Board at TxDOT approves the agreement.

Wilcox tapped as lone finalist for superintendent at Red Lick ISD

Dave Wilcox (pictured) recently won selection as the lone finalist for superintendent at Red Lick Independent School District. Wilcox has been superintendent of the Smackover-Norphlet School District in Arkansas since April 2013. 

Montgomery County allots $1M

to upgrade its technology

Montgomery County commissioners recently approved $1 million to upgrade the county's computer network system after a recommendation by the director of information technology.

The upgrades to technology are necessary to increase the capacity of the network to meet demand, said Marshall Shirley, director of information technology for the county. The funding for the technology upgrade will come from unspent funding from other projects, according to the county auditor.

Almanzan resigns from El Paso ISD to join El Paso Electric

Associate Superintendent Robert Almanzan (pictured) recently resigned from El Paso Independent School District to accept a new job at El Paso Electric. 

Joining the school district in 2007 and overseeing human resources, Almanzan will be director of human resources at El Paso Electric.

School district officials expect to begin interviewing candidates to serve as the interim associate superintendent for human resources this week, district officials said.

Chandler to establish new

public works department

Chandler city officials recently created a new public works department and hired a new public works director, Jon Hall. City officials also agreed to use money from a 2010 utility revenue bond account to buy equipment for the public works department.

City officials agreed to create the new public works department when a contractor who had provided that service notified council members he plans to retire.  

Grapevine approves 

one-cent hike in hotel tax

Grapevine City Council members recently agreed to increase the occupancy taxes at hotels and motels in the city by one cent for each dollar to help fund more activities to increase tourism.

Increasing the hotel/motel tax from 6 percent to 7 percent is critical to raising sufficient revenue to compete with other cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex tourism market, said P.W. McCallum (pictured), director of the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau. The new funding could be used to attract new hotel construction, he added.

Dallas, Fort Worth, Irving and Arlington have a 9 percent hotel/motel tax, while Frisco, Addison, McKinney and Plano set their tax at 9 percent and are Grapevine's strongest competitors for tourism, McCallum said. The hotel tax increase becomes effective on Oct. 1 and also expands the definition of "hotel" to include airport terminals that offer "minute suites" to allow travelers to lodge between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. in single rentable time blocks, he added. 

City of Taylor identifies 

six finalists for city manager

Taylor City Council members recently narrowed their search for a new city manager by selecting six finalists from 90 candidates who applied.

Scheduled for interviews with council members on July 25 and 26, the six finalists are Kim Foutz from Temple; Michael E. Morrison from New Braunfels, Himanshu Patel from Florence, Arizona; Philip A. Rodriguez from Rockwall; Jeffrey J. Straub from Taylor; and Isaac Duane Turner from North Venice, Florida.

Byrd announces leaving Kountze ISD for water control district job

Marylyn Byrd, business manager for the Kountze ISD, has given up her position with the school district to go to work for the Jefferson County Water Control and Improvement District No. 10. 

Her resignation follows that of former Superintendent Reese Briggs, who left the district to lead the Hemphill ISD. Byrd called the two resignations in such a short period of time "coincidental." 

Bullard ISD selects Lee 

as interim superintendent

Trustees for Bullard Independent School District recently selected Joe Don Lee as the interim superintendent.

A 30-year veteran of public education, Lee also was a superintendent for school districts in Redwater, Pine Tree and Georgetown. He begins his new duties in Bullard on Aug. 1 when he replaces Keith Bryant, the former superintendent. Bryant resigned to become the new superintendent for the Lubbock-Cooper ISD.

Lee has a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce. He also holds certificates for superintendent, mid-management and educational administration.

• Aaron W. Bangor of Austin, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Rodolfo "Rudy" Becerra Jr. of Nacogdoches, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Joe Bontke of Houston, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Marilou Fowler of Katy, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Rames Gonzalez Jr. of Plainview, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Heather Griffith of Fort Worth, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Faye Kuo of Austin, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Margaret Larsen of Austin, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Linda Millstone of Austin, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• David Ondich of Fort Worth, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Shawn Saladin of Edinburg, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Marco Trevino of Edinburg, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities;
• Wesley "Scott" Smith of Murphy, Texas Funeral Service Commission.

Clarification

In the July 11 edition of the Texas Government Insider, a story regarding Ashby Johnson being named executive director of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization failed to include that he earned a master's degree from The University of Texas at Austin. We regret the omission.