A little over a year ago, in November 2008, Dallas County voters approved a $747 million bond issue to help replace the current nearly half-century-old Parkland Memorial Hospital (pictured left). This week, the hospital's board of managers approved a preliminary site plan for the new facility that is expected to bear a $1.27 billion price tag and will replace the older structure.

Construction is expected to start in November, just two years after the bond passed by a huge margin - 82 percent - as Dallas County voters recognized that the public hospital facility was too small and inefficient and could not meet the needs of a population that continues to grow - representing more than one million visits per year.

The votes had hardly been counted when Dr. Ron Anderson, the hospital's president and chief executive officer, noted that officials were assembling a team of designers and planners to draw up initial ideas for the new buildings. The goal, he said, was to build a facility "that's flexible, one that can be built up and out, and that allows expansion options for growth."

Collins to be new inspector general for Texas DPS

Leaves post as former head of U.S. Marshal's service in San Antonio

The Texas Public Safety Commission recently selected LaFayette Collins (pictured) as the new inspector general for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Collins, a veteran of the U.S. Army, former Secret Service agent, and a member of the Texas Board of Pardons and Patrols, has spent the last six years as head of the U.S. Marshall's Service for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio. He gained national recognition after forming the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in 2005. The task force resulted in more than 25,000 arrests and increased cooperation with area law enforcement agencies.

Scheduled to begin his new duties on Feb. 1, Collins is charged with ensuring integrity at the agency where a former director resigned following allegations of unprofessional actions with female staffers and another director left following an arson fire at the Governor's Mansion.

Collins holds a bachelor's degree from Prairie View A&M University and attended summer academic programs at Columbia and Yale Universities.

Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars

Carlos Rubinstein

Carlos Rubinstein, commissioner, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

Career highlights and education: I have worked in a variety of jobs at the TCEQ. Before I was appointed commissioner, I served as the agency's deputy executive director where I assisted the executive director in day-to-day operations and oversight of 2,900 employees in 17 regions across the state. I have worked in the trenches as well as the Rio Grande Watermaster, as a regional director, and as director over the border, South and Central Texas areas. As Watermaster, I was able to put my diplomatic skills to good use in resolving Mexico's water debt to the United States. I continue to work with our Mexican colleagues as a member of the Government Advisory Committee, where I advise the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on environmental issues of interest to both nations. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry from The University of Texas-Pan American.

What I like best about my job is: I truly enjoy the interaction with our staff. It's been very rewarding to have received so many positive comments from our TCEQ employees about having "one of their own" selected to this position. I am one of them and I always will be. Now I have the opportunity to set sound environmental policy that's protective of the environment commensurate with sustainable economic development, to provide good customer service and to continue to grow the talents and skill sets of our agency employees.

The best advice I've received for my current job is: Former TCEQ Commissioner Ralph Marquez gave me my most useful piece of advice about being a commissioner. He said make your decisions within the boundaries of a triangle that's made up of the law, good science and common sense. We will make many difficult decisions at the TCEQ, but if I stick to those three principles, I know I will uphold my oath to protect the environment.

Advice I would give a new hire in my office: I often tell agency staff to build a good case, but don't overreach. Whether you're an investigator, a scientist or an engineer, it's important to build your recommendations and decisions on credible data. Management must make decisions that will impact human health and the environment for years to come based on your positions. Build a good case but don't go beyond what's defensible either by science or the law. Your credibility and the agency's depend on it.

If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found: at the Brushy Creek park feeding the ducks with my beautiful granddaughters, Sammie and Joslin. Being a good grandfather is my most important job. My grandchildren are my whole life!

People would be surprised to know that I: For the first 10 years of my life, I spoke Yiddish and Spanish. I was born and raised in Mexico City and moved to the Lower Rio Grande Valley when I was 10. Yiddish actually helped me learn English.

One thing I wish more people knew about my agency: The tremendous success we've had recently protecting the environment. The news media tends to focus on the negative stories but we have many areas in the state where we've made incredible progress cleaning the air, improving water quality, and cleaning up contaminated land. The environment in Texas is cleaner and healthier than it was 20 years ago, despite unprecedented growth. I think that's a major reason why so many people are moving to our state every day. I credit our Texas political leadership, hardworking TCEQ employees, and the millions of citizens who've taken up the charge to Take Care of Texas!

Each week, the Texas Government Insider profiles a key government executive or decision-maker. If you would like to suggest a "Lone Star," please email us at editor@spartnerships.com.

Low attendance suspends TxDMV listening tours

There's good news and bad news for the new Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV). The bad news: small crowds have forced suspension of the state's newest agency's "Listening Tour" sessions. TxDMV has been scheduling statewide meetings to hear what Texans expect from their newest state agency. But the first four meetings had such small crowds that officials have suspended remaining tour stops and are reconsidering how best to reach the public.

The first four of the listening sessions were held in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth. The first sessions seem to indicate the motoring public does not have a collective pressing issue with the agency. "That's the good news," said Victor Vandergriff (pictured), chairman of the board of TxDVM. "We still want to hear from you. We want you to know that you have a voice in shaping the state's newest agency." Vandergriff said that while TxDMV officials and staff were happy to travel to meet Texans in person, it was proving not to be a good use of taxpayer dollars for such small turnouts. "Attendance is showing us we can better use those resources to serve the motoring public and industry in other ways.

The board chair said the agency is committed to reaching out to Texans, the state's 254 tax assessor-collectors, law enforcement and the motor vehicle industry. He encourages input for TxDMV in the form of ideas and suggestions be e-mailed to: TxDMVListens@dmv.state.tx.us.

Texas gets only $11M of $8 billion for high-speed rail

Texas' share of the $8 billion in Recovery Act funding for high-speed and intercity passenger rail service was a paltry $11 million, announced this week by officials of the Federal Railroad Administration. The state had applied for $1.8 billion of the $8 billion available. Grant requests nationwide totaled $55 billion.

Some $4 million of the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program (HSIPR) funds in Texas will be used for adjusting signal timing over 63 miles of the BNSF Fort Worth Subdivision, reducing travel time by 15 minutes on the Texas leg of the Heartland Flyer. The time reduction will be achieved by increasing travel speeds from 49 to 79 miles per hour.

Additionally, $7 million from the Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations bill will be used for additional track on the Trinity Rail Express (TRE) in Fort Worth, improving commuter rail service between Fort Worth and Dallas. On-time performance for Amtrak's Texas Eagle is also expected to be improved when it is moved to the TRE from the Union Pacific Corridor.

The big winners in the HSIPR funding announced this week were Florida and California. Florida will receive up to $1.25 billion to develop a new high-speed rail corridor between Tampa and Orlando with trains running up to 168 miles per hour, and California will receive up to $2.25 billion for is proposed project to connect Los Angeles to San Francisco and points in between with trains running up to 220 miles per hour.

TPWD awards nine recreational grants statewide

Nine of 40 grant requests for city and county parks, sports complexes, nature trails and recreation centers in Texas were approved for funding this week by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. These indoor and outdoor recreational facilities will share more than $4.5 million in funding.

Straus selects Untermeyer for Ethics Commission

Former United States Ambassador to Qatar, Chase Untermeyer (pictured) has been named to the Texas Ethics Commission by Texas House Speaker Joe Straus. Untermeyer, a resident of Houston, has been involved in public service for almost 35 years and is currently an international business consultant and vice chairman of a real estate advisory firm.

He served as ambassador to Qatar from 2004 to 2007, was a professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, chaired the Texas State Board of Education and served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. He is also a former reporter for a Houston newspaper and is a U.S. Navy veteran.

Untermeyer becomes one of eight commissioners on the Ethics Commission and will serve a four-year term. Four of the commissioners are appointed by the governor, two are appointed by the lieutenant governor and two are appointed by the Speaker of the Texas House.

Commissioner of Education cites new standardized tests

Commissioner of Education Robert Scott has announced the next generation of statewide, standardized tests will be known as the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests, which will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) model.

The new tests, more rigorous than the TAKS version, will be issued in the 2011-2012 school year. Each will measure a child's academic performance and growth.

Scott said the last TAKS-based school accountability ratings will be issued next year and ratings will be suspended in 2012 while a new accountability system - set to debut in 2013 - is developed.

Travis County closing in on $63M downtown property

Travis County commissioners are one step closer to purchasing a 15-story office building and adjacent 675-vehicle parking garage at 700 Lavaca St. for $63 million. Officials see the acquisition as a partial solution to the county government's downtown parking crunch, which stands to worsen as the area's population increases.

Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt (pictured) said the purchase, which would stand as the county's largest in recent years, doesn't address the question of whether to expand, but rather "when, where and what cost."

The county expects to issue between $63 million and $65 million in bonds to finance the purchase, according to County Auditor Susan Spataro.

UT names new College of Pharmacy faculty member

Dr. John DiGiovanni (pictured) has joined the faculty of the College of Pharmacy and the College of Natural Science's Department of Nutritional Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin.

DiGiovanni - recipient of six prestigious Research Project Grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) - previously served as professor of carcinogenesis at the UT M.D. Anderson Science Park Cancer Research Center. He has published nearly 200 primary research papers.

DiGiovanni holds a bachelor's degree and doctoral degree from the University of Washington. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research at the University of Wisconsin.

LeTourneau partners with UT-Tyler for nursing program

LeTourneau University's School of Arts and Sciences is partnering with The University of Texas at Tyler College of Nursing and Health Sciences to provide nursing training to LETU students. The program, pending accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), will help address the nation's demand for registered nurses.

Since coming to LETU from UT-Tyler three years ago, LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford (pictured) said he has "looked for opportunities for these two fine institutions to work together," adding, "this dual-degree program was a great place to start collaborating."

Applicants who maintain certain grade point averages and have taken certain prerequisites at LETU will automatically gain admission to the program, which is scheduled to begin this fall.

USDCEDA awards UT-San Antonio $700K grant

The U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (USDCEDA) has awarded the Institute for Economic Development (IED) at The University of Texas at San Antonio a $700,000 grant to fund the new Sustainable Business Program. The initiative will assist South Texas businesses in Bexar, Neuces, San Patricio, Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties with emergency preparedness and business development.

Linda Ramirez, director of the Institute for Economic Development's Contracting Resource Center, which will house the new program, said the program's incentive is to "bring small businesses into the emerging green economy and provide technical assistance to ensure their success."

Two other IED centers will contribute to the Sustainable Business Program: the Center for Community and Business Research and the Southwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center.

SPI's Giles to address public/private partnerships

Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) Senior Managing Consultant Deborah Giles (pictured) will address "Public/Private Partnerships and Trends in Public Sector Outsourcing" during the Thursday, Feb. 25, activities of the Texas Public Purchasing Association's Annual Spring Legislative Forum and Educational Workshop. Marketing and research experts predict that state and local government outsourcing could reach $22 billion by 2011, and result in operating efficiencies and cost savings for public sector entities if properly contracted and executed. Giles will examine the benefits, risks and trends of outsourcing initiatives including public/private partnerships.

Following up after this event, Giles and other members of SPI's veteran training team will conduct one-day training sessions in Austin for vendors who sell to government and for government purchasing and contracting personnel.

Vendors who sell to government can participate in SPI's Wednesday, March 10, Strategic Selling to State and Local Government training. This course provides participants with the information to successfully engage in and succeed in public sector selling. For more information and to register, click here.

SPI's training session for government purchasing and contracting personnel is scheduled for Thursday, March 25. This course, Creating Effective Public/Private Partnerships, focuses on the unique aspects of the procurement process from the commercial vendors' perspective and gives participants methods for ensuring success throughout the procurement process. For more information and to register, click here.

UT-Arlington nursing school approved as college

The School of Nursing at The University of Texas at Arlington is now known as the College of Nursing as approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

A school can apply to THECB to be designated a college when it grows to the point it has multiple departments and grants several different degrees, said UT Arlington Provost Donald R. Bobbitt (pictured). The College of Nursing offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

HPU announces new marketing, communications division

Howard Payne University recently announced the creation of the Office of University Marketing and Communications, which will develop and manage programs designed to more effectively present the university's image and objectives, including integrated marketing, branding, strategic communication and media and public relations. The division becomes effective Feb. 1.

President Dr. Bill Ellis said HPU's marketing and communications efforts in the past have been handled through various offices, depending on immediate needs and available funding.

"By centralizing and coordinating our marketing and branding...I believe we will be much better positioned to promote effectively and efficiently the university's mission and message," Ellis said.

UTB/TSC receives $3.9M for biomedical research facility

The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College have received more than $3.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment (ARRA) funds for the construction of a biomedical research facility.

Vice President for Research Dr. Luis V. Colom (pictured) said UTB/TSC has made "remarkable progress toward developing competitive research on its campus, including a noticeable biomedical research in neuroscience, infectious disease, diabetes and cancer-related research" during the last 10 years.

"Funds from this stimulus award will further support the building of our infrastructure on campus through the construction of biomedical research space," Colom said.

Fort Sam Houston Army brigade deployed to Haiti

The U.S. Army South's 470th Military Intelligence (MI) Brigade in Fort Sam Houston was among the first deployed intelligence teams sent to assist in disaster relief and sustainment support in Haiti following the region's 7.0-magnitude earthquake. The brigade assembled personnel who were not already deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or countries in South and Central America to join the Joint Task Force (JTF) Haiti and Operation Unified Response.

Capt. Jessica Watson, the brigade's headquarters and headquarters detachment commander, said her team of soldiers and civilians "are motivated and excited to be involved in supporting such a humanitarian relief endeavor."

LSCS names veterans affairs, services director

Jose A. "Tony" Castillo (pictured) has been named director of veteran's affairs and services for the Lone Star College System. He will manage the new Veterans Affairs Center at the LSC-University Park campus.

Castillo retired from the U.S. Army after a 23-year military career. He is a combat veteran of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and a product of the U.S. Army Continuing Education System, having completed a master's degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio and a bachelor's degree from Western Kentucky University. Castillo is a former education services specialist for the U.S. Army Houston Recruiting Battalion where he interacted with state educational associations, high schools, post-secondary schools, vocational schools, school districts and others in the education community.

Although the center is already operational and providing services to veterans, an official grand opening is slated for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16.

Regents approve Phase I of WTAMU intramural facility

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has approved Phase I of construction for the renovation of the athletic/intramural facility at West Texas A&M University.

The Board has also approved resolutions expressing appreciation to several 2009 WTAMU teams, including the university's horse-judging team and men's soccer team.

UH, TSU partner to maximize research capabilities

The University of Houston and Texas Southern University are partnering to strengthen ties and provide educational opportunities for cooperative research by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement will provide complementary research for students at undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels.

The MOU will serve to "create pilot or seed programs between the two institutions designed to attract research grants," said TSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research Sunny Ohia (left). Don Birx (right), vice president for research at the University of Houston, said TSU, an Historically Black University, will now be able to pursue research funding from special programs that might be strengthened by UH's expertise.

More than $723 million in research and development funds were allocated to minority-serving institutions for science and engineering projects in 2007, according to the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Tech senior museum curator chosen as interim director

Eileen Johnson (pictured), senior curator at the Museum of Texas Tech University has been named interim director of the museum. In addition to being a senior curator, Johnson also is a Horn Professor in Museum Science and director of the Lubbock Lake Landmark.

As interim director, Johnson also will be the museum's chief liaison to the Office of the Provost and to the Museum Association. She said she will be actively involved in "engaging the museum with the Texas Tech academic community and with the broader Lubbock community and constituents across the South Plains." She will have general oversight of the museum's educational, scientific, cultural and research functions as well as its administrative operations and budget.

UT Dallas dean of libraries announces retirement

After more than four decades at The University of Texas at Dallas, the university's Dean of Libraries - Larry Sall (pictured) - is retiring. Sall, who has served under four UT Dallas presidents, joined the university in 1978 as coordinator of Special Collections at McDermott Library. In 2000, he was named director of libraries, with authority over McDermott on the main campus and Callier Library at the Callier Center for Communication Disorders. In 2004, his title changed to dean of libraries.

Before joining UT-Dallas, Sall served in the history department at Wayne State University, Henry Ford Community College and UT-Arlington. He was a regional archivist for the Texas State Archives and head of Special Collections and Archives at UT-El Paso before heading to Dallas.

Sall holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Idaho and both a master's and Ph.D. from Wayne State University.

Davies appointed UTHSC-Houston's first provost

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has its first provost. Peter Davies, M.D., Ph.D., (pictured) has been appointed to that position. He will continue in his role as executive vice president for research.

As provost, Davies will foster the growth of the university's research and educational enterprise and serve as chief administrator of central academic departments and services from accreditation to strategic academic investments. He will also lead efforts to promote faculty development, enhance educational programs in the schools, recruit and retain faculty and students and develop community support.

Davies is a professor of integrative biology and pharmacology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He earned his M.D. and his doctorate from the University of Miami Medical School, and then spent four years at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. In 1979, he joined the Department of Pharmacology at UT Medical School. He also was one of the founders of the medical school's M.D./Ph.D. program and served as its leader for 10 years. For the last six years, Davies has held leadership roles, most recently as interim executive vice president of academic affairs, in addition to his continuing Office of Research leadership responsibilities.

Baylor College of Medicine merger talks end

Talks about partnering with other institutions have apparently come to an end for Baylor College of Medicine. The trustees of the institution decided this week it will remain an independent institution, ending talk of the possibility of a merger with its former parent institution, Baylor University. In a letter e-mailed to Baylor Med faculty and staff this week, Interim President Dr. William Butler said Baylor Med must "take charge of its own destiny" and outlined a plan for overcoming the financial difficulties the institution has recently faced.

Among the provisions of that plan are the appointment of an implementation officer to oversee adherence to the plan and to begin the search for a new president. While the college has debt of $900 million, its cash and investments now exceed $1 billion. The medical school lost $72 million in the fiscal year ending last June. A search committee to find a new president is expected to be named soon.

New general manager chosen for Hilton UH Hotel

Veteran hotelier Fernando Cuellar (pictured) is taking over as the Hilton University of Houston Hotel and Conference Center general manager at just the right time. The facility is enjoying a $12.5 million facelift that will transform the university's hotel and student learning facility.

Cuellar brings to his new job nearly four decades of experience in the hotel and hospitality industry and is known across the country for his expertise in sales and service. He has worked for some of the nation's best known properties - Westin Hotels and Resorts, Marriott Hotels, Omni Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels and Rosewood Hotels. He spent 11 years as general manager of the Renaissance Houston Greenway Plaza and was most recently general manager of the Lancaster Hotel in downtown Houston.

Cuellar has worked in virtually every facet of the hotel business and served in a variety of roles. He has taught previously at the Hilton College, is a certified hotel administrator and a graduate of Oklahoma State University's Hotel and Restaurant Management program. The current renovation of the 86-room Hilton is the first major renovation since the facility opened in 1975. The hotel is slated for completion in April and will provide all new accommodations for travelers and a first-rate conference center.

TSTC-Harlingen to break ground on university building

Officials of Texas State Technical College (TSTC) at Harlingen and other area leaders will gather Thursday, Feb. 4, for the groundbreaking for the college's new University Articulation and Career Center (UACC). The new two-story, 38,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will provide public and private four-year higher education institutions to offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees at TSTC.

"The center will provide students from our area convenient access to these degrees with reduced costs for tuition and travel," said TSTC President Cesar Maldonado (pictured). The four-year institutions will be able to choose from face-to-face classroom delivery, distance learning telecommunication hookups and online courses. The UACC also will house the Corporate and Community Education Division for adult learning operated by TSTC.

The articulation agreements between TSTC and some universities already give students the capability of working toward seamless transitions to four-year degrees and beyond without leaving the city. Some of the universities that initially expressed interest in the UACC include the University of Texas at Brownsville / Texas Southmost College, the University of Texas-Pan American, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and the University of Texas-San Antonio.

Capital Metro hires search firm to find new CEO

The Capital Metro board has hired a New York-based search firm for $175,000 to help find its next chief executive officer (CEO). The board hired the same firm in 1998 when the agency hired Karen Rae, who served four years as Capital Metro CEO.

The privately owned firm will help the agency recruit and screen candidates, manage interviews and shepherd a process that will allow the public to play a role in the hiring. A decision as to who will fill the post may come as early as April, according to Capital Metro staff.

Recently elected board Chairman Mike Martinez (pictured) said the decision isn't about "whether it takes six days or six months" to find a new CEO, but is rather about hiring the best possible leader for the agency.

A&M Corps of Cadets commandant resigns

Lt. Gen. John Van Alstyne (pictured) has resigned as the 38th commandant of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.

Van Alstyne - appointed by Col. Jake Betty, who has served as the Corps' chief of staff for the past five years - began his charge as commandant in 2002. He served as chief of staff of the 24th infantry division during combat in the Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s and advised Vietnamese combat forces during the Vietnam War.

Van Alstyne graduated from Texas A&M University in 1966 and went on to earn master's degrees from the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Naval War College.

Harris County forming new high-risk squad

The Harris County Sheriff's Office is instituting an eight-member, high-risk squad with hopes to develop the unit into a full-fledged Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.

Maj. Bob Dogium recently began soliciting applications for the elite squadron as Sheriff Adrian Garcia (pictured) prepared a budget that slashes department spending by $47 million in the next financial-calendar year.

The high-risk unit's members will be culled from current deputies, and start-up costs for training, equipment and vehicles will be drawn from a $1 million federal grant.

VIA board seeks FTA funds for streetcar line

VIA Metropolitan Transit's board has asked the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to foot $25 million of a proposed streetcar line in San Antonio. The starter line would run more than two miles north and south along Broadway and South Alamo streets.

Applicants must submit proposed routes and the names of local funding committees before Feb. 8 in order to be considered. Board Chairman Henry Munoz (pictured) said the city has a good chance of winning the funds, adding city officials are going to "work very closely with our congressional leadership to put the best case forward."

VIA plans to pledge $20 million toward the project, which would also call on private-sector support.

TWU will offer nursing Ph.D. online in fall

Texas Woman's University is preparing to offer its Ph.D. in nursing science 100 percent online beginning in the fall. The traditional Ph.D. in nursing science program will continue to be available in a face-to-face format at TWU's Institute of Health Science-Houston Center.

Seeing the continuing need for nurses throughout the state and nation, TWU officials said the online coursework will ensure more nursing educators in the state. "Offering the Ph.D. in nursing science online provides a convenient way for nurses to become nursing faculty or advance their careers," said Dr. Patricia Holden-Huchton (pictured), dean of the TWU College of Nursing.

The online program can be completed by full-time students in 10 semesters and there are options for part-time students as well. The online Ph.D. program emphasizes research, primarily in areas that influence women's health and prepare nurse scholars.

El Paso has $50M in water, sewer projects planned

Nearly $50 million in water and sewer projects are on the drawing board for El Paso Water Utilities this year. Much of the work is replacement of existing infrastructure. Nearly 40 percent of the total will be for drinking water projects.

A new reservoir to hold approximately 2 million gallons of drinking water will be built at a cost of $3 million. Some $15 million will go toward replacing a 36-inch water main with $15 million set aside for the next few years to finish that project. An additional $1.2 million will be used to replace another aging water main.

A total of $22.4 million will be spent by the sewer division for improvement projects. A new sewer line will be built at a cost of $2 million to serve an area north of Trans Mountain and $1.8 million is set aside for replacing a sewer line near Pershing and U.S. 54. A new stretch of sewer line will be built along U.S. 54 to connect to the Haskell sewage treatment plant at a cost of $8.6 million. About $10 million will be spent on the final phase of a sewer line to serve far East El Paso. The reclaimed water division will spend $6.9 million to build a 2-mile line that will provide recycled sewer water to Central El Paso.

Montgomery Co. wins $75K grant for disaster planning

Montgomery County recently received an Urban Area Security Grant to help with regional efforts to develop plans to better fight terrorism and respond to natural disasters.

The county plans to spend about $75,000 in grant funds to hire a homeland security planner for one year to work with other agencies in assessing vulnerability and capabilities regarding catastrophic events and to identify areas where improvements are needed, said Nick Kelly, the deputy emergency management coordinator for the county.

The new planner also will assist in the debris management operations plan, continuity of operations and citizen emergency response teams, he said. The planner position will be eliminated if funding for the second year is not available, Kelly said.

Plano OKs $49K for convention center feasibility study

Plano city council members recently approved $49,000 for a feasibility study for a Plano convention center.

Last year the council hired a consultant to study five different areas of the city as possible locations for the proposed convention center and found two sites as most viable - the existing Plano Centre area and the Dallas North Tollway area. This study will consider the specifics for choosing one location as the potential site and help the city determine when to take action in securing land needed for a site, said Mayor Phil Dyer (pictured).

A larger convention center is needed to attract visitors to the city for three or four days and nights while the scope and size of Plano Centre limits its ability to host longer events, he added. Funding for the study is provided by the city's hotel/motel fund.

Corpus Christi group wants coliseum site to be park

A group of local business owners in Corpus Christi recently began efforts to use the property now occupied by Memorial Coliseum as a mixed-use public space similar to the $100 million Discovery Green in Houston that hosts events such as free fitness classes, outdoor movies and concerts each week.

After failing to agree on an acceptable plan to develop the bay front property, Corpus Christi City Council members agreed to begin demolishing the coliseum closed in 2004 because of its state of disrepair.

Hoping to find support for designating the coliseum property as public space, the group of downtown property owners met with the Downtown Management District and other groups during the past two weeks, said Joe Hilliard, a member of the downtown business group. The group envisions a smaller and less expensive project than Discovery Green, but supports using the same process of appointing a nonprofit board that would lease the land and control maintenance, finances and all events, Hilliard said. The proposed mixed-use public space also could lease pad sites to restaurants and other businesses to generate income, said Hilliard, who suggested the city use $13 million in bond funds to pay for realigning Shoreline Boulevard as the local contribution for a state or federal grant to help pay for developing the bay front property.

Arlington approves $18 million for new parking garage

Arlington City Council members recently approved a plan to pay up to $18 million to build a parking garage at The University of Texas at Arlington. The new parking garage will provide an additional 1,800 parking spaces in the downtown area, said Deputy City Manager Trey Yelverton (pictured).

Under the agreement with UTA, the city agreed to pay up to $600,000 a year over a 30-year period, or about half the estimated $36 million cost of the parking garage, Yelverton said. The garage is part of the university's $153 million College Town development that includes a 6,500-seat Special Events Center, a residence hall, 75 apartments and 24,000 square feet of retail and office space. The center and adjacent mixed use development is expected to open in 2012.

The College Town project is expected to generate about $27 million in taxable spending and $879,677 in sales tax revenue during construction as well as create about 339 jobs during the 30-year agreement, Yelverton said.

Fort Worth to seek grant for downtown trolleys

The City of Fort Worth will apply for $25 million in federal grant funds to help build a streetcar line, the first phase of which is estimated to cost between $50 million and $55 million. The city already has applied for an additional $31 million in grant funds.

One of the drawbacks of the system is that it would just serve the downtown area, for riders of commuter rail and bus lines to extend public transportation the last mile to their downtown jobs and entertainment. A larger system to serve the cultural and medical districts could cost as much as $250 million.

Fort Worth, like other American cities, has a better chance of securing federal funding now that metropolitan areas will not be judged primarily on the cost-effectiveness of new transit proposals, but on livability factors, such as how it develops communities.

CAMPO elects chair, executive committee members

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) has approved adding Caldwell and Bastrop counties to its membership roster and selected Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe (pictured) to serve as chair. Biscoe replaces Sen. Kirk Watson, who recently stepped down.

The board has elected Cynthia Long, who beat out Hays County Judge Liz Sumter, to serve as vice chair.

Biscoe, Long, Sumter, Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Texas Department of Transportation representative Carlos Lopez and Frank Fernandez have been elected to serve on CAMPO's executive committee.

Galveston ISD agrees to build stadium at new site

Trustees for the Galveston Independent School District recently agreed with a committee recommendation to build a new football stadium on 83rd Street. The new stadium will replace 60-year-old Kermit Courville Stadium on 27th Street.

Trustees also hired an architect to develop cost estimates and final design plans for the proposed stadium, which architects estimated could cost between $30 million to $34 million. Preliminary plans call for the stadium to seat between 6,000 to 10,000 spectators, provide 722 parking spaces and an eight-lane track. Plans also call for the facility to be designed to enable it to accommodate soccer, track and field events, drill team and dance competitions and graduation ceremonies.

The new site, which is owned by the district, will allow for a stadium with enough parking for visitors and eliminate the purchase of additional land adjacent to the old stadium. To build enough parking at the old site, the district would have had to purchase 75 structures, including a church to meet the city's requirement for parking spaces, said a spokesman for the committee. Board members are expected to call a bond election to pay for the new stadium.