News And People

Volume 14, Issue 4 - Friday, January 29, 2016
Hegar: Decline in oil & gas prices worrying, but no reason to panic
Comptroller testifies Texas is well positioned, still, to weather storm 

Oil prices have been declining for a good while now, so much so that Comptroller Glenn Hegar (pictured) last fall presented a revised revenue estimate to the legislature that was almost $3 billion lower than he had predicted 10 months earlier. As Texas has been reliant on the energy industry for more than a century, the decline in price has got some folks around the state worried. Much of the state's future is tied to the money brought by the oil and gas business, as well, in that oil and gas severance taxes largely fund transportation and water funds created by the legislature in the last two sessions, not to mention the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF), otherwise known as the Rainy Day Fund.

The comptroller appeared before the Senate Finance Committee this week to answer questions from some of those worried folks. It is apparent from much of the news coverage about the declining oil prices, and from the senators' questions, that the Oil Bust of the 1980s is not distant history for many in Texas.

Finance Committee Chair Sen. Jane Nelson's first question to Hegar asked if the state is in a better place to weather these kinds of downturns "because of some of the actions we took in the 1980s?" Nelson was referring to the legislature's formation of the ESF during that downturn.

Hegar made it clear that the economy in Texas is much more diverse than it was then. Energy isn't the dominant industry it was in the 1980s, when it accounted for nearly 20 percent of the state's economy. It's less than 13 percent today, behind manufacturing and just ahead of finance.

"We're not in the 1980s, members," Hegar said. "We're a much more diversified economy now." He went on to say that the Texas economy today is much more akin to the situation the state faced in the 1990s, by which time the Rainy Day Fund was in place and industry had begun to diversify. Even with highly volatile oil prices throughout the decade, Texas outpaced the U.S. economy nine out of the 10 years. "Now, are we exactly where we were in the 1990s?" he asked. "No, because we've had a fracking boom that no one saw coming, certainly not to this level. And what fracking has given to this state is really quite remarkable."

What fracking has given the state is the ability to sock away $9.6 billion in the Rainy Day Fund. It's also allowed the Texas Legislature to establish the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT), which will finance the State Water Plan through 2050 and beyond, and bring Proposition 1 to voters in 2014, sending money from the ESF to the State Highway Fund. All this while still making sure to pass a conservative budget that came in under the comptroller's office's revenue estimate.


TxDOT directs $1.3 billion toward congestion-relief efforts
"The major metro areas of Texas - Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio - represent more than two-thirds of the state's population and 97 percent of the state's most congested roads," Texas Transportation Commissioner J. Bruce Brugg, Jr., noted this week.

Brugg made that point in announcing that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will fund $1.3 billion worth of projects in those metropolitan areas in an attempt to fight traffic. The announcement made official what Gov. Greg Abbott had initiated last fall when he directed TxDOT to do something to relieve traffic congestion in the state's largest cities.

TxDOT has the money because the Texas Legislature last year moved to end the practice of using TxDOT funds to fill out the budget for the Department of Public Safety. Those diversions of transportation funding consistently put a crimp in TxDOT's ability to complete all of the projects it needed to. The funding will go to 14 projects: four in Austin, two in Dallas, three in Fort Worth, three in Houston and two in San Antonio.

The money will be used for already-planned projects and supplement funding that's already been committed to them. That will do two things: enable those projects to get started sooner and free up the previously committed money for other projects in the region.


Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars
Amy Barrett, Chief Audit Executive, Teacher Retirement System of Texas

Career highlights and education: I've served as the chief audit executive for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) since January 2008. My previous audit experience includes being assistant director for The University of Texas System's Administration Audit Office in Austin and senior manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Austin, Los Angeles and Boston offices. Other work experience includes administrative assistant at Baylor University in Waco and newspaper advertising coordinator for Macy's Department Stores in Atlanta, Ga. I received a master's degree in accounting from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Emory University in Atlanta.

What I like best about my job is: Learning about all aspects of a public pension plan - from how investment decisions are made to enrolling new members and paying benefits when they retire. There is always something new to explore.

The best advice I've received for my current job is: I was conducting an external quality assessment of another Texas state agency's internal audit department and observed that the audit director was well-respected in the organization. He told me, "If people like you, they will work with you. If they don't, they won't." I've worked hard to be someone with whom people want to work.

If I ever decided to leave work early, I could probably be found: At the Saxon Pub listening to live music or at Yoga Yoga taking a deep relaxation class.

People would be surprised to know that I: Met my husband of 11 years on eHarmony.

One thing I wish more people knew about my agency: TRS is consistently voted one of the best places to work. Many staff members are eligible to retire, yet they stay. We must be doing something right.

Travis County to reexamine sites for a new civil courthouse
Travis County commissioners recently agreed to contract with a company to begin examining new sites for a civil courthouse. The action follows rejection by voters of a $287 million bond package to pay for a new civil courthouse on county-owned land located on Guadalupe Street in downtown Austin.

Opponents of the bond issue had argued that using one of the few remaining undeveloped blocks in the central business district for a government building would underutilize that property. Under terms of the new contract, the company will work with county staff to examine up to 10 different properties, including sites away from downtown. The consultants are then to present the results to commissioners in mid-May.

The consulting firm also is examining other uses for the county-owned property on Guadalupe Street. County officials approved $234,400 to pay for the new site analysis.
Permian Basin planning group begins $5 million study of I-20
Permian Basin Metropolitan Planning Organization (PBMPO) officials recently hosted community leaders from Midland and Odessa to announce a $5 million study of improvements needed for the Interstate 20 corridor between the two West Texas cities. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials also attended the meeting.

While both city and county officials have discussed improving the roadway with changes to traffic signals and intersections, this study should be more successful than previous attempts, said PBMPO Chairman John B. Love III (pictured), as new sources of funding are available for these types of projects.

Those funding sources arise from the moves to infuse TxDOT with more money through Propositions 1 and 7 in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and the congressional highway bill passed last November. That created a fund from which local governments can apply for federal funding for major transportation projects, Love explained. PBMPO officials plan several more public meetings before a plan for improving I-20 is adopted.
El Paso adopts plan for $473M   in quality-of-life bond projects
El Paso City Council members recently adopted an eight-year plan for projects included in a $475 million qualify-of-life bond program previously approved by voters.

Council members approved a $180 million multipurpose cultural and performing arts facility, $46 million for the El Paso Zoo, a $19 million children's museum and $10 million to upgrade libraries. City officials also approved using funding remaining from fiscal year 2015 to pay for completion of the Westside Pool and three spray parks.

In updating the city's $210 million capital improvement plan for streets, council members authorized $5.9 million to finish resurfacing projects included in the current fiscal year and another $23 million to be spent on street reconstruction projects already underway.

Odessa to contribute $31 million for new hotel, convention center
Odessa City Council members recently approved $30.8 million from several city funds to help pay for a proposed $75 million downtown hotel and convention center. A private developer is expected to pay a majority of the costs of building the project.

Council members in November approved the conceptual design for the convention center project. The bulk of the city funding comes from the hotel occupancy tax, and $16.6 million will be spent building a 167,000-square-foot convention center.

Another portion of the city funding, $8.2 million, is allotted to build a parking garage with 300 spaces and other infrastructure improvements, while $6 million in funding from the Odessa Development Corporation is expected to be earmarked for renovations to the Ector Theater. Council members also are required to approve any contracts or expenditures associated with the convention center project that exceed $50,000.
Gainesville issues $9.25 million in bonds for road, utility project
Gainesville City Council members recently approved the sale of $9.25 million in bonds to rebuild Culberson Street and replace drainage systems and other utilities along the roadway.

City officials plan to spend about $5 million in the bond funds to rebuild the thoroughfare between California Street and State Highway 82 to ease traffic on Grand Avenue and Interstate 35, according to City Manager Barry Sullivan (pictured).

Council members expect to select an engineer to design the road project in early February and award a construction bid by February 2017, Sullivan said. The goal is to have the street work completed by the spring of 2018.
Aledo ISD considering donation of land, funding for new school
Aledo Independent School District trustees recently began considering a developer's proposal to donate land and an additional $26 million to the district if trustees agree to build a new elementary school that will serve a master-planned community along with other new developments in the northern area of the school district.

Voters approved a $53.2 million bond election in May 2014, which included $28.8 million for the new elementary school, but trustees have yet to decide whether to build the new elementary in the northern part of the district or the southern. The land offered by the developer is located in the northern area of the school district and already has been graded and has utilities.

Board members have set a goal to open the new elementary school in August 2017.

TxDOT plans $30 million project to expand SH 276 in Rockwall
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials recently outlined a $30.2 million plan to ease traffic congestion at a busy intersection in Rockwall.

The 1.9-mile project is planned to expand State Highway 276 to four lanes between State Highway 205 and Farm-to-Market Road 549, a spokeswoman for TxDOT told citizens attending a public hearing. The road expansion project should begin in 2018 and be completed in about two years, she said.

The project also will require the acquisition of 16.49 additional acres of private property as right-of-way, the spokeswoman said.
Lewisville to kick off work on new $38.1 million aquatic center
Lewisville city officials recently announced plans to begin work on a new $38.1 million multigenerational center approved by voters as part of a $135 million November 2015 bond package. An important component of the facility will be an aquatic center.

The design and construction plans for the new center incorporate two existing centers, the Memorial Park Recreation Center and the Senior Activity Center, said City Manager Donna Barron (pictured). City officials plan to hold several events to gather public opinion for the proposed multigenerational center and aquatic center, she added.

Once construction begins, the project should take about three years to complete, Barron said.
Victoria seeking bids to renovate central fire station as court space
Victoria City Council members recently began seeking bids for a $2 million project to renovate the 100-year-old central fire station and transform the facility into courtrooms for justices of the peace and space for the commissioners court.

Plans call for the front of the building to maintain the look of the former fire station and to use as much material from the old building as possible. A glass-enclosed walkway will connect the newly remodeled facility to the courthouse.

Council members plan to open the bids for the renovation project in about a month, officials said.
Kilgore making plans for second phase of new trail system
While waiting for environmental clearance to begin construction on the first phase of a new trail system, Kilgore city officials recently began meeting with school district officials to explore the possibility of routing part of the trail system through or around district property during the second phase of the trail project.

Expected to cost about $353,000, the first phase of the trail project will be a 6,500-foot-long, 8-foot-wide path between Stone and Dudley roads. A $200,000 grant from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is paying for a majority of the project, while the city is funding the remaining costs, said City Manager Josh Selleck (pictured).

City officials continue to work on acquiring property for phase two of the trail system project, Selleck said.

Laredo airport wins two FAA grants totaling $13.5 million
The Airport Improvement Program of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently awarded two grants totaling $13.5 million to the Laredo International Airport.

A $7.5 million grant will be used to rebuild an existing taxiway, while a $6 million award will go toward noise mitigation in a residential area adjacent to the airport. Plans call for providing sound insulation to about 60 homes, buying 15 residences and acquiring aviation easement from another 50 residents, said Jose Flores, the airport director.

City leaders agreed to add $1.3 million to the two projects, bringing the total to $14.8 million in upgrades planned for the airport, Flores said. Airport officials also want to build a new control tower to replace the existing tower that contains asbestos, has no emergency escape exit, insufficient space for new equipment and no back-up power.
Mansfield approves partnership for $15 million ice arena project
Mansfield City Council members recently approved a $15 million agreement with a Dallas-based private company to partner in building, leasing and operating an 80,000-square-foot ice arena with two rinks.

The agreement calls for the city to own the facility, while its private partner would lease and operate the arena, which is very similar to an existing arena in McKinney. The company has also agreed to pay $2.1 million to the city as a security deposit and prepaid rent.

Current plans are to begin construction on the facility in June and open for business in July 2017 for the fall hockey season.

Dallas City Council adopts Complete Streets design manual
Members of the Dallas City Council this week formerly adopted the Complete Streets Design Manual as city policy. Complete Streets is a transportation planning method designed to build streets with all forms of mobility in mind: cars and buses, pedestrian and rail, bikes and wheelchairs.

The design manual adopted by city council this week was created by an intergovernmental team of planners from the city of Dallas, as well as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), Dallas County and Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

According to the city's announcement, "Adoption of this policy is an important first step that establishes a consistent framework to influence all development related activities that impact how streets are designed and operated. The Complete Streets Design Manual outlines the process for how Dallas and its partner agencies will consider the needs of all users when planning and developing projects."
Galveston County approves $4M gymnasium, emergency shelter
Galveston County commissioners recently approved design plans for a new $4.2 million emergency shelter to be built to withstand high-level hurricane winds.

Commissioners previously approved an agreement with High Island Independent School District to build the 9,500-square-foot emergency shelter on district property. The plan is to use the center as a gymnasium, but in emergency situations the building will be used as a base camp for emergency responders to distribute supplies and park vehicles. It also will serve as the point of re-entry onto the peninsula once an emergency is over, county officials said.
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Donna ISD board members call $22 million May bond election
Trustees for Donna Independent School District recently scheduled a $22 million bond election for May. District officials previously discussed asking voters to approve a $60 million bond but decided on the smaller amount once construction estimates became available, said Deputy Superintendent Fernando Castillo.

If approved, the bonds are to be spent to build a new middle school on district-owned land near Donna North High School, Castillo said. The new school would be designed to accommodate 1,200 students and should be completed in time for the fall of 2018, he said.

Current plans are for the district to apply to the state's Instructional Facilities Allotment program to receive a reimbursement of about 78 percent of the cost of the new middle school. If approved for the state aid, district officials expect to repay the debt, leaving only about $4 million of the costs to build the facility, Castillo said.
Harris County to study building parking lot under Astrodome
Harris County commissioners recently requested the County Engineer's Office to study the feasibility and impact of building a parking lot or storage area beneath the Houston Astrodome.

The study is part of a plan to repurpose the historic sports facility into an indoor park, said Edgardo Colón (pictured), chair of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, which manages the Astrodome. Raising the floor of the domed stadium to ground level would create 30 feet of vertical space, which could be used as a parking facility to accommodate almost 1,200 vehicles, Colón said.

County leaders directed the county engineer to provide results of the study by June to provide time for commissioners to evaluate it as part of the capital improvement program scheduled for 2017.

Calendar of Events

March P3 Conference will bring together public, private sectors 
March 7-9, 2016
The annual Public-Private Conference and Expo, one of the largest gatherings of development professionals in the country, will be held March 7-9 at the Sheraton Hotel in Dallas. The annual event attracts more than 1,000 development professionals and government leaders for an educational conference to discuss public-private partnerships (P3s). The three-day conference will feature discussions on the state of the P3 industry in the United States and will highlight the various types of P3s under way. Speakers will discuss the many elements of P3 structures currently in use and how to evaluate their merits and risks. More than 125 leading public agency officials and industry practitioners will share their firsthand experiences and observations regarding P3 projects throughout the country. Billed as one of the premier conferences for collaboration between public officials and private industry that are considering, developing and operating P3s, the conference will emphasize both the challenges and advantages of the P3 concept. More information is available here.
LBJ School offers Construction Purchasing Certificate Program
March 7, 2016
Buyers, contract administrators and project managers interested in earning a construction purchasing certificate can do so through The University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs. The program aids in understanding and using new terms, remaining compliant with unfamiliar laws, developing control plans and schedules and staying on budget. The LBJ School's Construction Purchasing Certificate Program consists of four core courses and one elective to be completed over a period of two years. The goal of this certificate program is to provide participants with the skills and knowledge to ensure that their organization's construction projects are well managed and secure the intended results and value. The courses are complementary in nature, and each course repeats annually. The next available course is Project and Construction Management and will be held March 7-8, 2016. Registration is open.
State agencies to host 4th annual HUB vendor expo in Austin
April 7, 2016
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Texas Historical Commission, State Office of Court Administration, Texas Education Agency, General Land Office and Texas Workforce Commission will host the 4th annual HUB vendor Fair April 7 at the J.J. Pickle Commons Learning Center in Austin. The event will provide information to strengthen HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) businesses, including marketing the business. There will be one-on-one meetings with state agencies, universities and prime vendors in construction and information technology. State agencies and universities will be exhibiting. Workshops will include "Teaming for Success," "TPASS DIR" and one specifically for veteran-owned businesses. The event and parking is free of charge. For more information please contact Fred Snell.

Renewable energy - the trend is set ... and Texas is coming on strong!

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

Public officials throughout Texas are setting very large renewable energy goals. Renewable power provides cleaner air, less risk and significantly lowers operational costs.

Austin Energy says it will obtain more than half of its power from renewable resources by 2025. Denton Municipal Electric announced that 70 percent of the utility's electricity would come from wind and solar by 2019. Those are bold moves!




Regents name Benson next UT-Dallas president
Regents for The University of Texas System recently selected Richard Benson (pictured) as the lone finalist for president of The University of Texas at Dallas.

Now the dean of the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, Benson will replace David E. Daniel, who resigned as president to serve as deputy chancellor of the UT System. Prior to joining Virginia Tech in 2005, Benson was head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. He also has served in a similar position at the University of Rochester.

Benson holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University, a master's degree from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.


Austin to disperse Capital Metro funds for city mobility projects 
Austin City Council members recently began considering a resolution to spend $21.8 million in funding from Capital Metro by dividing $19 million equally among 10 council districts and allotting another $2.8 million on transportation projects selected by city staff.

Capital Metro officials agreed in 2001 to provide the city with a quarter of its 1 percent sales tax revenue for four years to combat efforts to lower the regional transit authority's tax rate. City officials were to use the funding for projects related to transit needs, but $21.8 million has been left unused by the city.

After consultation between council members and their constituents, the projects have been decided upon, more than half of which involve sidewalk improvements. The remaining projects include 25 pedestrian beacons, 10 signal projects and nine bicycle projects. One of the more expensive projects, expected to cost about $1.3 million, will add a right turn lane on eastbound Anderson Mill Road at US Highway 183.
McKinstry

UT-Austin names Bazzell senior vice president, chief financial officer
University of Texas at Austin officials recently named Darrell Bazzell (pictured) as the school's senior vice president and chief financial officer. When he begins his new duties April 16, he will replace Mary Knight, who has been serving as interim CFO since February 2015.

Bazzell has worked for 13 years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is currently the vice chancellor for finance and administration. He has a total of 31 years experience working in state government, having previously served as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources from 2001 until 2003.

Bazzell has a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Carr to serve as deputy city manager in Plano
Plano Assistant City Manager Jack Carr has been promoted to deputy city manager, effective Feb. 29.

When he begins his new duties, Carr will replace Frank Turner, who retired after 32 years with the city.

Amarillo council considering downtown redevelopment plan
Amarillo City Council members recently began a 30-day review of a downtown redevelopment plan proposed by Interim City Manager Terry Childers (pictured).

The proposal followed the resignation of the executive director of Downtown Amarillo, Inc. (DAI), which receives city funding for its economic development activities.

The plan proposed by the city manager calls for eliminating city funding for DAI and for the nonprofit organization to develop its own funding sources. Childers also called for the city to become more involved in redeveloping the downtown area. He said he plans to meet with downtown business owners to assist in finalizing his proposal before council votes on the updated plan.

Harker Heights agrees to update water master plan
Harker Heights City Council members recently authorized the city manager to negotiate a contract with an engineering firm to update the water master plan. The estimated cost of the study, which will include a system analysis and population projections, is about $80,000.

City officials last updated the water master plan in 2006. The revised plan will include proposed improvements to the water system, along with cost estimates and a prioritized capital improvement plan through 2040.

TWDB opens application period for water conservation grants
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) this week issued a request for applications for agricultural water conservation grants. The total amount of the grants awarded will not exceed $600,000 from the Agricultural Water Conservation Fund, and no individual grant will be for more than $150,000.

The deadline to submit an application is Feb. 17, and the grants will be announced in June. Application instructions are available online.


John Steen named to CPS Energy board
John Steen, an attorney and former Texas Secretary of State, has been named a member of the Board of Trustees for CPS Energy. CPS board members also selected Ed Kelley to serve as chairman and Derrick Howard to serve as vice chairman of the five-person board of trustees for San Antonio's municipal utility.

Steen (pictured) served as Texas Secretary of State from November 2012 until January 2014. He also is on the board of directors of the Texas Department of Public Safety Foundation.

Bennett to end 15-year tenure as superintendent for Jacksboro ISD
Superintendent Dennis Bennett (pictured) of Jacksboro Independent School District recently announced that he will retire, effective June 30, after 15 years.

Previously a coach and teacher at Bowie ISD, Bennett also had been a principal and superintendent at Bellevue ISD prior to joining the Jacksboro school district. He also worked as an electrician before becoming an educator.

Trustees plan to discuss the process to find a new superintendent at their next meeting.

Harvey Milton to retire as superintendent at Fannindel ISD
Superintendent Harvey Milton (pictured) of Fannindel Independent School District recently informed board members that he plans to retire in June.

Milton served as principal of the high school in Fannindel from 1960 until 1979. He has served as superintendent since February 2006. He was superintendent for Honey Grove ISD from 1984 to 2001. 

He began his career 59 years ago as a teacher in Peacock and was a teacher and principal for the Boles Home and Ladonia school districts.
Northrop Grumman

Socorro ISD approves facilities study
Trustees for Socorro Independent School District recently approved a $295,000 contract with a Fort Worth-based architect to conduct a facilities and demographic study to help prepare for a possible bond election.

The engineering firm will inspect 12 campuses and two other district facilities and present the results of its findings to board members in July, according to the chief operations officer for the district. Trustees then will decide on whether to call a bond election and, if they do so, which projects to include.

The last study on facilities was completed in 2006. Meanwhile, the district has grown as a result of population growth east of El Paso, district officials said. The district has completed all projects approved by voters in a 2011 bond election, he said.

Attanasio selected as city engineer in Haslet
Travis Attanasio recently won selection as the first city engineer in Haslet, which had previously hired outside companies to provide engineering services.

Coming from the private sector, Attanasio (pictured) had worked for consulting firms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His work involved the development of both private and public infrastructure projects, including the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Toyota Stadium in Frisco and the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
KRONOS

Sanchez retires, Black named Webb CISD interim superintendent
Superintendent Severita Sanchez (pictured) of Webb Consolidated Independent School District recently retired from that post five months earlier than she previously planned.

Sanchez originally had announced plans to retire on June 30, but decided to retire early due to an illness in her family.

Board members appointed Jeanette Black to serve as interim superintendent.

Plano ISD sets $481M bond election for May
Plano Independent School District trustees recently agreed to include a proposed $68.5 million fine arts center as part of a $481 million bond election in May.

The bond proposal also includes funding for an employee childcare center, upgrades to safety and technology, renovations to some schools and new buses.

District officials also said they plan to use $44 million remaining from a 2008 bond election and approximately $20 million from the district's fund balance to pay for upgrades to roofs and buy new portable buildings.

Talbert retiring as superintendent for Lorena ISD
Superintendent Sandra Talbert (pictured) of Lorena Independent School District recently notified trustees she plans to retire at the end of this academic year.

Talbert joined the Lorena district in 2002 and has served as superintendent for 10 years. She has worked 32 years in public education.

Board members have hired a search firm to help find a new superintendent to replace Talbert.

Archer City to use grant to upgrade water system
Archer City officials recently moved forward with plans to use a $275,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to upgrade its wastewater system.

Current plans are to replace outfall lines to a 1,200-foot section of pipe and replace a 1,700-foot section of pipe leading to the sewer plant. Work on the project should begin in about six to eight months, the city manager said.

On Our Website 
Osborne named acting director of Willis EDC
Stacey Osborne, a consultant from New Braunfels, recently agreed to serve as the acting director of the Willis Economic Development Corporation (EDC).

The chief executive officer of a business development and marketing communications firm, Osborne (pictured) agreed to spend from 13 to 22 hours per week working on goals approved by board members of the EDC.

Osborn has a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and a master's degree from The University of Texas at El Paso.
RECENT REPORTS
A Report on the Audit of the Permanent School Fund's Fiscal Year 2015 Financial Statements
GOVERNOR'S APPOINTMENTS
Gov. Greg Abbott has announced the following appointments:
  • Janine Iannarelli, Houston, presiding officer of the Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • Sharon Denny, McKinney, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • Amy Gowder, San Antonio, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • Cathy Kilmain, North Richland Hills, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • J.Ross Lacy, Midland, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • Robert Mitchell, Pearland, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • Terry Stevens, Waco, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • John Elbon, Seabrook, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • Robert Harless, Dallas, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee;
  • Gilberto Salinas, Brownsville, Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee.
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Texas Government Insider is a free weekly newsletter detailing important happenings throughout the state and summarizing current political issues relevant to individuals interested in government.   
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