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7th Biennial Legislative Conference termed success
More than 300 attend event to share pre-session information
 A standing-room-only crowd of more than 300 was on hand this week to hear lawmakers, policy wonks, executive-level government staff members and others share insider information regarding the upcoming 82nd Legislature. The 7th Biennial Legislative Communications Conference, hosted by Strategic Partnerships, Inc. and The University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs, was deemed a success by sponsors and organizers. Among the presenters who offered insight during the conference were Andrew Blifford, senior budget advisor, Office of the Speaker, and Don Green, senior advisor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
An overview of the upcoming session issues was delivered by State Rep. Jim Pitts, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Sens. Kirk Watson and Leticia Van de Putte and State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst (pictured with Texas State System Chancellor Brian McCall) discussed the upcoming legislative session and budget issues that face the Texas Legislature in January 2011.
Pitts and others discussed ideas for additional revenues and cost savings. Some speakers commented on or were asked about the possible use of the Rainy Day Fund. It was reiterated throughout the day that obtaining 100 votes in the House to authorize the use of the fund would be a challenge.
Speakers provided tips on how to contact members and staff during session, the importance of keeping messages concise and responding quickly to any legislative inquiries.
An interesting note came from Green, who said that although there is virtually no inflation in today's overall economy, there has been between an 8-12 percent growth in health care costs creating problems for all state and local governments.
In light of the budget situation that agencies are facing, sponsor participation allowed for the decreased registration fees for the event. Sponsors included Accenture, Cisco, Hewlett-Packard and NIC USA.
To view a photo story of the conference, click here. To view files of content from the conference, click here.
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Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars
 Dr. Dan Jones, president, Texas A&M University-Commerce
Career highlights and education: Graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (bachelor's degrees in English and journalism); master's in English from Rice, master's and Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Iowa. After a mercifully brief career in journalism and public relations, I began my career in higher education as an instructor of English at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming, and have spent the last 25 years at three institutions in Texas: the University of Houston-Downtown (faculty member in English, dean of University College); Texas A&M International University (provost and vice president for academic affairs) and Texas A&M University-Commerce (president, appointed July 1, 2008).
What I like best about my job is: the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students. For 121 years, A&M-Commerce has been the springboard to a better life for bright, aspiring students. As president, my responsibility is, first, to safeguard that mission, and second, to extend the hand of educational opportunity to students who need and deserve it. I think of it as a sacred trust. With the position comes tremendous responsibility - stewarding resources, nurturing an equitable and productive work environment for faculty and staff, managing assets - but most of all, ensuring that opportunity will be there for those who are in the best position to take advantage of it. Allegiance to that mission is my "higher power" - and the aspect of my job that I love the best.
The best advice I've received for my current job is: get the right people in the right positions, give them room to maneuver, and encourage them to take risks - not to be reckless, but to embark on ventures that may lead to great reward, even though they involve entering into unfamiliar territory. And don't punish them when their ventures don't turn out as expected. There's no better way to stifle creativity. Just ask them to avoid making mistakes that can't be fixed.
Advice you would give a new hire in your office: Communicate, communicate, communicate. You can never have too much information, and it's often hard to come by. You have to gather it in both formal and informal ways. Share the information that is in your possession wisely, but widely. Very little of what we do in our public institutions is actually secret - but to our detriment, we sometimes make it seem that way.
If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found: either catching up on my reading (a never-ending quest), or trying to convince the family to go boating.
People would be surprised to know that I: never aspired to be a university president. My ambition was to be the best scholar and teacher I could. I still consider that a lofty goal.
One thing I wish more people knew about my agency: that our rural location is really just a clever disguise for a twenty-first century university that is relentless in its pursuit of innovation.
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Transportation Commission approves $153M in grants for projects
 To jumpstart critical Central Texas transportation projects, the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) has approved two grants for more than $153 million. The Texas Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority will use the money to accelerate work on two pressing projects at the Oak Hill Expressway (Hwy. 290 W.) and Manchaca Expressway (45SW) in Austin.
Mike Heiligenstein (pictured), Executive Director of the Mobility Authority, said the Mobility Authority Board, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the TTC came together to prioritize funding for the projects. "We made a good case that Central Texas was in critical need of these funds," he said.
In order to help secure the grants, Heiligenstein said local funds would be provided via toll revenue bonds.
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Texas General Land Office unveils new Web site
 The Texas General Land Office this week unveiled its new Web site that gives the agency more of a "business" feel. It is the first Web redesign in more than 15 years for the agency. The new Web site features a video welcome from Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson.
"This Web site represents a whole new approach to how the Land Office interacts with Texans and our business customers," Patterson said. "This redesign shifts the Web site away from bureaucracy and jargon to present the agency in a much more organized, easy-to-use way." The old Web site had grown to more than 20,000 pages.
The Web site offers an easy-to-navigate listing of information about the agency, agency news, contact information and more. It also features a display of the agency's best-known public program. A new feature called MegaMenu allows visitors to jump to almost any page on the Web site in one or two clicks - a well-understood concept in Web marketing. The site also features an improved search engine, a font sizer, RSS feeds, a publications gallery and more.
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Texas Comptroller announces $1.57B in sales tax allocations
 Texas Comptroller Susan Combs said state sales tax collections totaling $1.57 billion for September are up 6.8 percent from one year ago, marking a significant increase from recent monthly gains.
Texas cities will receive $300.1 million of the funds (a 6.1 percent increase from September 2009) while local governments will claim $443.5 million (up 6 percent). Texas counties will net $26.9 million in funds, representing a 5.6 percent increase from last year. Texas' 167 special-purpose taxing districts will receive $18.7 million in sales tax revenue, a 12.2 percent increase, and 10 Texas transit systems will garner $97.6 million, a 4.5 percent increase compared to a year ago.
To view the allocations by city, click here. To view the allocations by county, click here. |
TDLR begins using social media networks to inform customers
 The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has added two online social media networks - having started its own Facebook and Twitter pages. TDLR officials say the two new sites are extensions of the agency's efforts to communicate with its customers, offering new avenues for delivering information.
They say the two sites will also provide customers with additional outlets by which to contact the agency. The two new social networks will be used to send out news and information regarding changes to TDLR programs, laws, rules and policies. They will also allow customers to ask questions, solicit ideas and feedback from customer, advise of events and meetings, presentations and more. The sites are facebook.com/TDLRLicense and twitter.com/TDLRLicense. |
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TTUHSC's fast-track medicine program nets $1.5M grant
 The Bureau of Health Professions' Division of Medicine and Dentistry has awarded The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine's Department of Family & Community Medicine a $1,549,481 grant for its Family Medicine Accelerated Track (FMAT) program.
The Bureau and TTUHSC share a similar vision as the Bureau's aim is to improve overall access to well-trained primary care physicians by supporting community-based, primary care-focused residency training and developing pre-doctoral curricula. TTUHSC School of Medicine established the first three-year medical degree to be approved by the medical education accrediting authority in an effort to address the national shortage of primary care doctors.
Dr. Ron Cook (pictured), project director for the TTUHSC FMAT program and associate professor and vice chair of Family and Community Medicine, said other universities have indicated interest in starting similar programs to FMAT. "There has been a lot of discussion about what we're doing here...with the accelerated medical school," he said.
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Midland foundation donates $1 million to Angelo State University
 The James A. "Buddy" Davidson Charitable Foundation of Midland recently contributed $1 million to Angelo State University to pay for an endowed chair in agriculture that will provide more funding for research, teaching and service activities for the agriculture program.
The endowment will support a new Bachelor of Science program in the Agriculture Department designed to address the shortage of qualified high school agriculture teachers in Texas. The Agriculture Department is part of the College of Sciences and has more than 400 undergraduate and graduate students.
The department also operates a 6,000-acre ranch and research center for agriculture students. The department will begin a search for a professor for the newly endowed chair closer to the time when the endowment becomes available in 2012, said Dr. Gil Engdahl (pictured), who heads the Agriculture Department at ASU. |
Tarleton State University awarded $2.73 million facilities grant
 Tarleton State University recently won a three-year, $2.73 million grant to develop the American Clearinghouse on Education Facilities. The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools awarded the grant to help ensure that public schools are designed efficiently to encourage learning.
The program will use a Web site, distance learning, online journals and onsite training programs to help in the planning, design, financing, construction, improvement, operations and maintenance of educational facilities by working with educational institutions to make sure that the facilities are designed efficiently and resourcefully, said Dr. Mark Littleton (pictured), a professor of educational leadership and policy studies who will serve as project director.
The funding will provide three additional doctoral fellows for 12 months, Littleton said.
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Howard College nets $3.1M Department of Education grant
 Howard College has been selected to receive grant funding under the Title V Strengthening Institutions - Hispanic Serving Institutions Program, an extension of the U.S. Department of Education. The award marks the second time the college has received the funds.
The approximately $3.1 million grant is expected to pay out over a five-year period with $637,708 slated for the first year. The funds will be applied to the proposed project, Reaching Excellence for All in Developmental Education (READE), designed to expand developmental education, increase professional development, foster student services and update technology.
Howard College President Dr. Cheryl T. Sparks (pictured) said officials were "confident" in their grant proposal and indicates the READE program "is very aggressive." |
Hollywood Park approves plan to upgrade fire/police space
Hollywood Park City Council members recently agreed to accept bids for a design plan to provide the police and fire departments with more space in the City Hall complex. The Hollywood Park Economic Corp. is funding the project.
Council members authorized $440,000 as a base bid for the project calling for building a new enclosed addition for police department offices, relocating a metal building to serve as police storage area, building a new concrete ramp and stairs and striping for parking areas.
Plans also call for adding new steel carports for fire and police vehicles, widening the drive and gate to improve access for fire trucks and building a new asphalt turnaround for the fire department. The upgrades to the fire station also include a new toilet and shower area, a larger capacity water heater, two new hose bibs for rinsing gear and a relocated exercise room. City officials hope to award a construction contract for the police station upgrade in January 2011.
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Calallen ISD's Almendarez named Superintendent of the Year
 Arturo Almendarez (pictured) has been named Superintendent of the Year (SOTY) by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). The award, recognizing chief administrators who exemplify excellence and achievement in educational leadership, was announced recently in Houston. He led a list of other state finalists for the award, including Eddie Coulson, College Station ISD, ESC 6; Greg Wright, Hallsville ISD, ESC 7; Shane Fields, Albany ISD, ESC 14; and Larry Appel, Dumas ISD, ESC 16.
Almendarez has led Calallen Independent School District, where he oversees approximately 3,800 students, since 2005. He previously held the post from 1992 to 2000.
Almendarez earned his bachelor's degree at Sam Houston State University, a master's degree at Texas A&I University and a doctoral degree from Texas A&M University. He serves on the board of directors of the Citizens for Education Excellence and as a member of the Corpus Christi Northwest Rotary International.
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Mercedes to build new $2.6 million fire station
Mercedes city officials recently began plans to build a new $2.6 million fire station to replace the old fire station now housed in an addition to the city hall building.
The city is using a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a $1.5 million low-interest loan from USDA and $600,000 in city funds to pay for the new fire station to be located at the intersection of First Street and Ohio Avenue.
The Mercedes Historic Committee is considering future uses for the facility that now houses the police and fire stations, the city manager said.
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Proposed new jail delayed in Coryell Co. due to lack of grant funds
 A proposed new jail facility for Coryell County will have to wait as a grant response from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDARD) was not available in time for the current fiscal year.
The current occupancy is short some 52 beds needed to house a growing inmate population by 2027. County commissioners recently met to discuss alternative options regarding renovations to the current 92-bed facility. The USDARD grant would have covered up to 15 percent of costs and helped ease about $700,000 in costs associated with housing inmates in other counties.
County Judge John Firth (pictured) said it looks like the grant may be considered next fiscal year, however, once appropriation authorizations have passed through Congress.
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Four school districts unite to share $850,000 tech grant
 Four school districts - the Harleton Independent School District, Waskom ISD, Beckville ISD and the Panola Charter High School - recently won an $850,000 federal Connections Grant to provide new computers and software programs to students.
Harleton ISD received $205,000 to buy 182 new laptop computers and is now closer to reaching its goal of having a computer for each student, said a spokesman for the district. The Harleton district also will provide 50 new laptop computers to the elementary school. The grant also will provide students the opportunity to create advanced audio/video productions.
The $118,000 federal funding will permit Waskom ISD to buy 130 laptop computers for high school students, 100 new iPods for high school and middle school students and about 10 new iPads, said Superintendent Jimmy Cox (pictured) of Waskom.
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San Benito picks site for new Cultural Arts Center
A committee appointed by the San Benito City Council recently selected city-owned land that currently houses three museums as the site for a proposed cultural arts center.
The two-acre site off Heywood Street is now home to the Narcisco Martinez Cultural Arts Center and the Community Building houses the San Benito History Museum, the Freddy Fender Museum and the Texas Conjunto Hall of Fame and Museum. The site was chosen so that the city can apply for a $1 million federal grant to fund the cultural arts center, said Sara Williams, a project specialist for the city's economic development corporation.
The architectural and engineering work should be completed in early 2011, a city commissioner said. Consultants estimate it will cost about $12 million to build a 15,300-square-foot cultural center to house the museums and a visitor's center designed to showcase the musical and historical heritage of San Benito. Supporters hope the center will attract more tourists to the city. San Benito officials plan to apply for grant funding to help pay for the cultural center, the city commissioner said.
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Chang chosen as new director of Alternative Energy Institute
 Officials of West Texas A&M University recently selected Dr. Byungik Chang (pictured), an assistant professor of civil engineering, as the new director of the Alternative Energy Institute (AEI). Chang was named as the AEI interim director in May when he replaced Dr. Vaughn Nelson, who retired.
Chang joined WTAMU in January 2009. He has a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and a Ph.D. from Iowa State University. The mission of AEI is to conduct research and develop the use of alternative sources of energy including wind, solar and biomass.
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Austin PD seeking $12 million to buy three new helicopters
 Officials of the Austin Police Department recently asked for $12 million in federal funding to buy three new police helicopters. The new helicopters are needed to augment the two helicopters the police department now operates to provide vital assistance to police operations, said Police Chief Art Acevedo (pictured).
The department's two helicopters were recently grounded when police had to respond to several high-profile incidents, Acevedo said. The main helicopter is grounded for about a month every six to eight months to undergo required tests and maintenance. The backup helicopter is a 40-year-old vehicle from Army surplus and lacks many of the tracking tools such as infrared sensors routinely found on police helicopters. Austin police borrowed helicopters from the Texas Department of Public Safety and a medical helicopter to assist in recent emergency incidents, Acevedo said.
Both police helicopters now being used also are too small to transport equipment or personnel, which limits tactical options, the chief said. Acevedo said he spoke with the city's congressional representative who met with representatives to the U.S. Department of Justice about providing funding for the helicopters. If a grant is awarded, the city most likely will be required to pay some of the cost of the new helicopters.
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Uvalde rejects all bids for construction of new events center
Uvalde County commissioners recently rejected all bids received for a new events center at the fairgrounds. The bids ranged from $6.4 million to more than $7.6 million, more than county officials planned to spend on the facility.
To bring down the cost, commissioners discussed changing the roof, reducing the amount of kitchen equipment, altering plumbing and lighting and lowering the number of horse stalls from 200 to 150. The amount of seating also could be reduced from 2,000 to 1,500 to bring down the cost, the architect said.
If new bids for the events center are received and opened prior to the regularly scheduled commissioner's meeting on Monday, Oct. 25, construction could begin in November and be completed by September 2011, the architect said.
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USDA Rural Development to distribute housing grants
 A total of six Texas agencies are set to receive Housing Preservation Grants for home weatherization and repairs thanks to the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA-RD) program. The grants are distributed to local governments and nonprofits, then allocated to homeowners or owners of multi-family rental properties or cooperative dwellings who rent to low- and very-low-income residents.
USDA-RD Texas State Director Paco Valentin (pictured) said the rehabilitation funding will help the state's rural residents and property owners make valuable improvements. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the grants are often matched with funding from community organizations and nonprofits.
The following Texas agencies will receive Housing Preservation Grants:
- Community Services, Inc. (Henderson, Kaufman Smith, Van Zandt) - $90,000;
- Community Services, Inc. (Collin, Denton, Hunt, Rockwall) - $54,000;
- Community Council of Southwest Texas - $276,000;
- Webb County - $100,000;
- Refugio County- $100,000; and
- The Village of Vinton- $78,151.
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UTSA officials set up scholarship with $40M gift from philanthropist
 The University of Texas at San Antonio has received a $22 million scholarship endowment from the estate of Mary E. McKinney. The gift ranks as the largest in the school's 40-year history.
Although McKinney did not graduate from UTSA, she took classes there in the 1990s, when she overheard students talking about trouble they were having paying for tuition. She sat up the Felix and Elizabeth McKinney Memorial Scholarship in honor of her parents and left nearly the entire estate to the fund, according to her will.
As a result, the university's renewable scholarship covers full tuition costs and fees for students with 30 hours of college credit who have managed to maintain at least a 2.74 grade point average (GPA).
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Harlingen approves $28,000 to study children's discovery center
Harlingen city commissioners recently approved $28,000 to pay for a study to determine whether the city can support a science-themed discovery center for children.
City commissioners selected a California-based firm to conduct the study, said Cheryl LaBerge, Downtown Manager. The study should be completed by early December.
The proposed discovery center will focus on children from age 3 through the twelfth grade and is planned to be hands-on, interactive and very family friendly, LaBerge said. The center also could host teacher workshops and focus on content geared toward state standards for students. The feasibility study will look at demographics and economic aspects that would impact the proposed center.
If the discovery center is found to be sustainable, a nonprofit organization based in San Antonio will operate the center, LaBerge said. The nonprofit organization previously worked on projects for the Witte Museum in San Antonio and the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, she said.
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PVAMU names Trotty VP of Research, dean of Graduate School
 The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has approved Dr. Willie F. Trotty (pictured) as vice president for Research and dean of the Graduate School at Prairie View A&M University.
Trotty previously served as vice president for PVAMU's Research and Development, beginning in 1998. Before that charge, he worked as dean of the Graduate School and director of Research and Sponsored Programs.
In his new roles, Trotty will work with graduate students to ensure their research impacts the state of Texas and lead PVAMU through its first-ever capital campaign, which recently collected $33.2 million in donations.
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Judge grants request for $200M bond sale for Irving complex
 A Dallas judge has granted the City of Irving's request for the sale of $200 million in bonds for a planned $250 million entertainment center. The complex would include a large concert hall, amphitheater, restaurants and boutique hotel.
Opponents of the complex have argued in court that taxpayers will get stuck with the tab because projected revenues from the complex are inflated in their view.
Irving Mayor Herbert Gears (pictured) said the city is "one step closer to realizing a very important project that means a lot to the future of our community. ... It's something our leadership has worked on for years and years and years." |
Haltom City, North Richland Hills, Watauga form teen court
City officials of Haltom City, North Richland Hills and Watauga recently agreed to create the Northeast Tarrant County Teen Court. The court is expected to handle about 500 students a year, about half from North Richland Hills, 160 from Haltom City and the remaining from Watauga.
The new program became necessary when a 14-year teen court program operated by Haltom City, Watauga and Keller ended this summer over objections by Watauga officials of a request by a television producer to film the proceedings of the teen court, said Melissa Pace, court administrator for Haltom City. While North Richland Hills had operated its own teen court, city officials said joining with Haltom City and Watauga is beneficial because the young people in those cities all attend Birdville schools.
Under the agreement, all three monthly sessions of the teen court will be held in North Richland Hills. Haltom City and Watauga officials agreed to split the cost of hiring a part-time teen court coordinator and providing a judge and bailiff to work the additional court sessions. Haltom City is expected to contribute about $13,000 a year for the teen court program, a $20,000 reduction in cost from the $33,000 the city spent in the past on the program. Watauga also will reduce its budget for the teen court program from about $20,000 annually to $8,000 annually.
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Federal agency gives UTEP award for water treatment research
 The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded The University of Texas at El Paso half of a $1.3 million grant to advance water treatment research as part of the Desalination and Water Purification Program.
UTEP's Center for Inland Desalination Systems (CIDS) received $500,000 to conduct a demonstration project. About $150,000 of the funds will be applied toward research.
Malynda Cappelle (pictured), senior engineering project manager for CIDS, said the Center's aim is to boost the amount of available drinking water from brackish water while minimizing waste.
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Denton to hire manager for gas well inspection program
Denton City Council members recently approved $420,593 to pay for a manager, two field inspectors and an administrative assistant for the city's new gas well inspection program. The fire marshal's office previously managed gas well inspections, but the office has not had a coordinator for the departments that deal with drilling since April 2007.
The new inspection program is part of strengthened drilling regulations approved by the city council in July. The new inspection program requires gas well operators operating within Denton city limits to pay an inspection fee of $3,200 per gas well per year. The new program also imposes stricter noise limits at drilling sites and establishes increased setbacks and requires screening between gas wells and structures such as homes, schools or businesses. The new drilling inspection fee is based on the expected cost to provide inspections needed to ensure drillers are following city rules, city officials said.
Applicants for the gas well inspection manager position should have a bachelor's degree, managerial experience and at least five years of employment in the natural gas industry. Once the new manager for the inspection program is hired, the manager will set up the inspection program and hire the inspectors, said Mark Cunningham, planning and development director. The goal is to hire the new inspection program manager in early 2011. The new manager will report directly to the director of planning and development.
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Harris County begins $118 million outpatient care center
 Harris County Hospital District officials recently broke ground on a new $118 million outpatient care center and are continuing planning for a new $60 million care center next to the Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital on the city's northeast side.
The new five-story, 162,000-square-foot outpatient care center is located next to the health district's administrative offices near Reliant Stadium. The new center is designed to free space at Ben Taub Hospital and make the district more competitive for paying patients, said David Lopez (pictured), president and chief executive officer of the hospital district. The new outpatient center, scheduled to be completed in 2012, features cancer treatment facilities, including radiation rooms, 103 specialty exam rooms and an eight-level parking garage adjoining the building. The project is part of an ongoing $330 million expansion and renovation of hospital district facilities, Lopez said. The district still has $35 million for a latter phase, he said.
District officials also plan to begin construction next year on a similar $60 million treatment center adjoining Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital. With a goal of attracting more paying patients to Ben Taub Hospital, district officials also plan to renovate that facility using the freed space to convert patient rooms from four beds to two beds.
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Abilene group to begin design work for hangar, airport building
The Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA) recently authorized consultants to begin design work for a new hangar and a one-story, 31,000-square-foot support operations building at the Abilene Regional Airport. The design, surveys and soil analysis are estimated to cost $403,272.
The estimated price tag for the fifth hangar and support building is from $5.4 million to $6.1 million. The DCOA owns three of the four hangars that are now leased to an aviation services company. The city owns the fourth hangar. The aviation services company employs about 385 people and performs maintenance on planes operated by a Dallas-based commuter airline. If the airline decides to buy additional aircraft for its fleet, the aviation services company plans to open a second dock line and will need another hangar.
Airport officials expect to accept bids in November for the steel and structural work on the project and in January for a general contractor for the foundation, electrical and plumbing, and finishing the building. The project should be completed in July 2011.
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Florida-based aeronautical university eyeing Houston for campus
 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida has narrowed its search for a campus for a new aeronautical university to a site near Houston and one in Rockford, Illinois. The new campus, which would be the third campus for Embry-Riddle, would fit well with Houston because the area already has an established aviation and aeronautical industry with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) facility and three major airports, said Mario Diaz (pictured), aviation director for the Houston Airport System.
A representative from Embry-Riddle is scheduled to tour the proposed site near the Ellington Airport next week. Plans call for the new campus to include a 5,000-foot hangar large enough to house 10 small aircraft, a 20,000-square-foot administration complex, 60,000-square-foot classroom/laboratory facility and student housing. The proposed campus is designed to serve the 1,000 to 2,000 students expected to enroll within five years, said the dean of Embry-Riddle's central region headquartered in San Antonio.
The Embry-Riddle campus in Daytona Beach has an enrollment of about 5,000 students while its campus in Arizona has an enrollment of about 1,700. The university also offers instruction through more than 130 campuses in the U.S., Europe, Canada and the Middle East as well as online instruction. A spokesman for the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership said that group is aggressively pursuing the new campus and Houston officials are working on an incentive package to help attract college officials to Houston.
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Austin's South by Southwest to host inaugural education showcase
South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive will host its inaugural educational conference, SXSWedu, celebrating Texas' new K-12 education portal, Project Share, on March 8-10 at the ATT Conference Center in Austin.
Project Share is an initiative of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that engages an interactive, online learning environment for state educators. The initiative allows teachers access to support and resources and fosters collaboration through multimedia content. More than 160,000 Texas educators are a part of Project Share so far.
SXSWedu's inaugural conference will bring together educators to showcase accomplishments achieved and realized via Project Share. For more information, click here. |
El Paso signs shared services pact with Clint ISD and Horizon City
 El Paso city officials recently signed two shared services agreements with Clint Independent School District and with Horizon City.
The shared services agreements should save money for all involved and also illustrate that consolidation of city and county services can produce good results, said City Manager Joyce Wilson (pictured). El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles and Wilson have discussed benefits of merging city police and sheriff's department into a combined police force, but have faced stiff opposition to an even smaller proposal to merge the city and county law enforcement training academies.
Under the new agreements, El Paso city employees will perform building inspections for Clint ISD and maintain police vehicles and other equipment for Horizon City using El Paso facilities, equipment and personnel for the vehicle maintenance. Horizon City officials estimated it would have cost more than $300,000 to institute its own fleet-maintenance service.
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InnoTech planning October conference, expo
InnoTech, Austin's premier technology innovation conference and expo, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 28, at the Austin Convention Center. A list of national and local speakers will be listed here as they are confirmed. Some of the InnoTech conference tracks and special events include: social computing such as Facebook, Twitter and more; cloud computing; wireless and mobile applications; Microsoft Partner Pavilion and demos; virtualization and desktop virtualization and startup topics. Discounted registration options include the General InnoTech Conference Pass. (To register, use code TGI999 in the Discount Code Field), CIO Gala luncheon and CIO workshop "Enabling Social Media (use Discount Code CIO49G) and eMarketing Summit @InnoTech featuring a full day of Internet marking-related topics and networking. Steve Patrizi of LinkedIn Corp. will be the luncheon speaker. (Use Discount Code EM67 for a reduced rate.)
TML setting sail for Corpus Christi, Oct. 26-29
The largest municipal event in the state kicks off Oct. 26 at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, as the Texas Municipal League hosts its 98th Annual Conference and Exhibition. This ocean-front event will focus on "Charting New Horizons" by addressing topics such as Professional Ethics, Capital Budgeting, Negotiating Successfully and Engaging the Community. Wednesday will have attendees sailing through the aisles of the Municipal Marketplace when the TML Exhibit Hall opens at noon, followed by a powerful message delivered at the Opening General Session. Thursday's events will feature the traditional TML Risk Pools' Breakfast to jumpstart a variety of concurrent sessions. The day will also include keynote speaker John Sileo, America's leading professional speaker on identity theft prevention and corporate data privacy. Friday will begin with the Women in Government Breakfast, followed by additional concurrent sessions. The final delegate luncheon will send attendees home with a smile after Tim and Kris O'Shea use motivational humor to present the ups and downs of dealing with change. For more details and registration information, click here. Executive Women in Texas Government plan annual conferenceThe Executive Women in Texas Government 24th Annual Professional Development Conference will be Monday, Nov. 22, at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort in Lost Pines, Texas. This year's theme, "EWTG: Creating Leaders, Delivering Value," focuses on an investment in yourself. The event will feature a full day of keynote speakers, workshops and networking to enhance professional development, professional connections and personal growth. The event will begin with a 7:30 a.m. registration. The first keynote speaker, Merrie Spaeth, will be heard during the opening general session at 8:30 a.m. followed by the EWTG Woman of the Year presentation and one morning workshop. The second keynote speaker, Janet Sue Rush, will speak during lunch followed by two afternoon workshops. For more information on the conference and registration, click here.
TxDOT Business Outreach & Program Services hosts webinars In fiscal year 2010, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Business Outreach & Program (BOP) Services implemented a series of webinars offering technical business development opportunities to small, minority and women business - in the field of construction and professional services in the state of Texas. The webinar series topics ranged from how to become a pre-qualified bidder on TxDOT contracts, TxDOT Plans Online, How to Market Your Business To Prime Contractors, Construction Industry Bonding and much more. Each session's goal was to provide valuable information to contractors, suppliers and small businesses on how to do business with TxDOT, how to increase business capacity and improve opportunities to bid and obtain contracts with TxDOT. The final 2010 webinars concluded in August, but the 2011 fiscal year webinar series planning is under way and will be announced later in the 2010 calendar year. Each free Webinar is limited and registration slots are on a first-come-first-serve basis. More information on each webinar can be found here. Questions should be forwarded to TxDOT-BOP-Webinars@dot.state.tx.us or call 1.866.480.2518, Option 2 for more information.
TxDOT announces three Small Business Briefing conferences
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Business Outreach and Program (BOP) Services has announced three upcoming FY 2011 Small Business Briefing conferences. A Nov. 10 conference is set this year in Beaumont, an April 20, 2011, conference is slated in Fort Worth and a July 20, 2011, conference is planned for San Antonio. The conference goal is to provide small and minority-owned business communities an opportunity to learn more about contracting opportunities with TxDOT. Information will be available to help them do business with the agency and the State of Texas. The sessions not only allow small businesses to be introduced to TxDOT and other state agencies, but also allow them to learn more about the economic development opportunities in their regions. It also gives agencies a chance to show the myriad of prospects available for small and minority businesses in the state. For more information and to register, click here or call 512.866.480.2519, Option 2.
National Association of Social Workers, Texas plans conference
The 2010 National Association of Social Workers, Texas Annual Conference is slated for Oct. 8-10 at the Westin Galleria in Houston. Houston Mayor Annise Parker will be the opening plenary speaker and will address "Inspiring Community Action for a Better Quality of Life." Some of the pre-conference sessions planned, for which continuing education hours can be earned, include topics such as suicide prevention and postvention, overview of psychotropic medication for treating mental illness and teaching the next generation of social workers. inspiring community action for a better quality of life. There will also be numerous break-out sessions during the three days that cover everything from motivational interviewing to challenges facing children with incarcerated parents. The closing plenary session will feature Vicki Hansen, LMSW-AP, ACSW addressing "Advancing the Profession: Inspiring Social Workers. The closing plenary will provide attendees with a "State of the Chapter" to bring you up to date with NASW/Texas challenges and accomplishments. For more information on the conference schedules, click here. For registration information, click here.
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Consolidation is a trend to watch!
 By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
As government budgets get tighter, necessity will likely become the mother of invention. All kinds of options will be considered.
To date, government leaders have been both creative and innovative in their approach to cost-cutting and revenue generation. However, if funding is curtailed even more in the months to come, some significant changes are likely to occur.
One option that most elected officials have been reluctant to initiate is consolidation. However, in far West Texas, public officials have not shied away from this option. It could be a trend that will be more common in the future.
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El Paso to use $8.4 million grant to expand computer network
El Paso City Council members recently agreed to spend $8.4 million in federal grant funds to upgrade and establish about 100 computer centers with 1,400 workstations offering public access to the Internet throughout the city.
The computer centers will be located in libraries, colleges, housing authority facilities and other locations. The grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce also will pay for the city to purchase a second bookmobile, city officials said.
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ACC picks architect/engineering firms for potential new campuses
 The Austin Community College District Board of Trustees has chosen four architect/engineering firms to design proposed campuses in Hays (Kyle/Buda), Bastrop, San Marcos and Elgin. The college's Master Plan calls for construction in those areas provided voters in each area decide to annex into the ACC District.
Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow (pictured), ACC president/CEO, said that by moving forward with the campus-planning process in each city, "We can more quickly bring all promised programs and services to communities that join the ACC District to expand access to education and training at a more affordable price." If approved for annexation, the campuses should open in fall 2013.
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Hagan resigns position
as city manager of Merkel
 Kevin Hagan (pictured), city manager of Merkel, recently resigned from the position he had held almost a year. His resignation was effective immediately.
Council members appointed City Secretary Gwen Wetzel to take over the duties of city manager until an interim city manager is appointed. Council members also agreed to begin advertising for applicants for city manager.
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Skylark Field in Killeen wins $2.8 million grant for improvements
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) recently awarded $2.8 million in grant funds to Skylark Field in Killeen to help pay for improvements to drainage and pavement at the airfield.
Officials of Skylark Field expect to award a contract for the project this winter. TxDOT expects to spend about $60 million during 2010 to pay for planning, construction and maintenance of community airports to the 275 airports in Texas eligible to receive the grant. In September, Skylark Field also received a $2.37 million grant from American Recovery Act funding from the Federal Aviation Administration to pay for runway pavement improvements.
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City of Cleveland names McDonald interim city manager
Cleveland City Secretary Kelly McDonald will serve as interim city manager until a permanent replacement is named. She replaces Philip Cook, who was recently terminated from the position.
McDonald will receive an additional $2,100 per month for her new charge as well as a $200-per-month vehicle allowance.
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Pecos County officials seek
bids for airport fencing
Pecos County commissioners are seeking bids to install a game-proof fence around the Fort Stockton-Pecos County Airport and to replace heating and cooling units at the county courthouse and the county judicial building.
The deadline for the bids on the fencing project to be submitted to the Pecos County Auditor's office is 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 20. The specifications call for demolishing and disposing of the current fence and installing 20,000 linear feet of high-tensile net-wire fencing eight feet in height around the airport.
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Gilman named Public Works director for College Station
 Charles "Chuck" Gilman (pictured) has been selected to serve as director of Public Works for the City of College Station beginning Oct. 11. He replaces longtime Director Mark Smith, who retired last month after more than 30 years of service.
Gilman, a registered professional engineer, began working as the city's director of Capital Projects in 2008. He had previously served as assistant director of Water Services for the city. He has served as project manager and project engineer for two private, Houston-based companies. Gilman holds a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University.
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IDEA Public Schools garner $15 million grant for expansion
The U.S. Secretary of Education recently awarded a $15 million grant to IDEA Public Schools, a charter school group which operates primary and secondary schools in the Rio Grande Valley. The primary schools will consist of kindergarten students through sixth grade students while the secondary schools will house grades six through nine.
IDEA officials now operate primary and secondary schools in Mission, McAllen, Edinburg, Alamo, Pharr, San Juan, Donna, San Benito and Brownsville. The federal grant will be used to help pay for the 2012 expansion plan to build 22 schools by 2012, two schools in each community. Officials of IDEA Public Schools will open four new schools by 2011 and the remainder of the schools will be open after that.
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Rayford Road MUD to have
$3.85 million bond election Rayford Road Municipal Utility District (MUD) board members recently agreed to ask voters to approve $3.85 million in bonds on Nov. 2 to build a third water well. The MUD, which serves about 3,700 connections and as many as 10,000 customers in Montgomery County, has struggled during summer months to meet the demand for water. The two water wells now in use can produce up to 2,200 gallons per minute and a third well will increase the capacity by another 1,000 gallons per minute, officials said. The possibility of a water shortage needs to be addressed now, said officials. Even if one of the current wells, which were built around 1980 and 1997, experiences an outage, the MUD will not be able to deliver enough water for users, he added. If voters approve the bond proposal, it could take as long as three years before construction of a new water well is completed, said Jon Vallery, president of the Rayford Road MUD.
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Greenville mulling new $100 million clean energy plant
Greenville City Council members currently are studying a proposal by a Lufkin-based company to build a new $100 million clean energy electric generating plant in North Greenville.
Council members are expected to vote soon on whether to grant the company a franchise for operating the plant, said Mike Taylor, chairman of the Greenville Board of Development. Construction on the plant could begin within the next few months, but no final decision on the project has been made, Taylor said.
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Temple College asking voters to approve $13M bond proposal
 Officials of Temple College recently agreed to ask voters to approve a $13 million bond proposal to ease overcrowding caused by rapidly growing enrollment.
If approved, the bond funding will be used to add a new 30,000-square-foot building, additional classroom space on the Mary Alice Marshall Performing Arts Center and 550 new parking spaces, said Glenda Barron (pictured), president of Temple College.
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| Wichita County to seek
grant for bulletproof vests Wichita County commissioners recently agreed to submit an application for a $15,000 grant to pay for additional bulletproof vests for the sheriff's office. The Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant will pay half of the $30,000 cost of the new bulletproof vests and money from the sheriff's office forfeiture fund will pay the remaining half of the cost.
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South Texas nets $5.8 million federal grant to create 380 jobs
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recently awarded a $5.8 million federal grant to pay for hiring temporary employees for 380 jobs to clear drainage canals and repair damaged from Hurricane Alex and subsequent flooding in several South Texas counties. The U.S. Department of Labor provided the funding, which will be distributed by four regional workforce boards.
Most of the clean-up jobs will be in Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties, said a spokesman for the TWC. The temporary jobs will pay from $8.50 to $10 an hour.
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| Ramirez named A&M Corps
of Cadets commandant
 Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez (pictured) has been selected to serve as commandant of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University. He begins his new job Nov. 1. Ramirez said his charge as Corps commandant will be to increase diversity, boost recruitment and improve academics - a vision in accordance with that of A&M President R. Bowen Loftin, who said he wants to grow the Corps by more than 25 percent.
Ramirez serves as deputy director for plans, policy and strategy for U.S. European Command and has more than 20 years experience in senior leadership and management. He graduated from A&M in 1979.
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Fort Worth City Manager
Dale Fisseler leaving post  Fort Worth City Manager Dale Fisseler (pictured) has announced plans to step down from his post after three years. He replaced Charles Boswell in 2007. Fisseler has worked for the city since 1990, when he served as a water production superintendent. Prior to that he worked for Dallas' water department.
Fisseler leaves amid the prospect of some 90 city employees losing their job this year due to budget cuts. In spite of the last few "really tough" budgets, he said he feels good about "where we are in the budget process." |
Nacogdoches ISD reopens search for new chief financial officer
Officials of the Nacogdoches Independent School District recently reopened their search for a new chief financial officer when Phil Mahar, who was recommended for the position, withdrew his name from consideration.
Board members had approved Mahar's nomination for chief financial officer in mid-September to replace the district's former chief financial officer, Linda Engle. She left that position in July to accept a position with Little Elm ISD.
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Texas Government Insider Archives
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Brenham mulling issue of $15M in bonds for highway project
 Brenham City Council members are considering whether to issue $15 million in bonds to pay for part of a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) project to build two overpasses over US 290, convert frontage roads to one-way traffic and improve the intersection of US 290 and SH 36.
TxDOT will repay the city for the principal if city officials agree to pay for interest on the debt estimated to be about $3 million, said City Manager Terry Roberts (pictured). TxDOT officials are scheduled to open bids for the highway project in early January and commissioners should award the bid a few weeks later, Roberts said. Construction is scheduled to begin in March or April and the contractor will have 33 months to complete the highway project designed to ease congestion.
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Brenham mulling $750,000 in debt to upgrade industrial park
Brenham City Council members are expected to approve $750,000 in limited tax notes to pay for infrastructure work on phase 3 of the Southwest Industrial Park.
Officials of the Brenham Community Development Corp. purchased the land for the industrial park and will repay the debt issuance, said City Manager Terry Roberts. The funding will be used to extend Longwood Drive into the new section and rehabilitate Industrial Blvd. as well as to perform some utility work, Roberts said. Council members also are considering whether to refinance about $3.6 million in bonds issued in 2001 and 2002 in order to save the city about $30,000 a year in principal and interest costs, he said.
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Bloomington ISD to search
for new superintendent  Trustees for Bloomington Independent School District recently appointed Dolores Warnell-Fillmore as the interim superintendent to replace Superintendent Brad Williams (pictured), who is leaving the position he has held since 2008.
Board members said they plan to begin the search for a new superintendent during January 2011.
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Wilmore to retire as finance director for Cleburne
Greg Wilmore recently announced his retirement as finance director for Cleburne effective on Jan. 31, 2011. Wilmore will complete 21 years of employment with the city on Jan. 1.
City officials hope to have a new finance director on the job by Feb. 1 and plan to begin the search for a new director soon, said City Manager Chester Nolen.
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Skip Noe named finalist
for city manager job in Colorado
Skip Noe, former city manager of Corpus Christi, recently won selection as one of two finalists for the position of city manager in Aurora, Colorado. Noe served as city manager in Corpus Christi from April 2003 to September 2008. City council members in Aurora are expected to name the new city manager next week.
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Ed Barnes resigns as chief appraiser in Bandera County
Ed Barnes, chief appraiser of the Bandera County Central Appraisal District, recently resigned from that position to accept employment as the new director of maintenance for the Bandera Independent School District. His resignation is effective on Oct. 15.
Barnes has been with the Bandera appraisal district since March 2004 and previously worked with the Guadalupe Appraisal District for more than 18 years. Appraisal board members appointed Deputy Chief Appraiser Wendy Grams as the interim chief appraiser until a new chief appraiser is hired.
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Dallas County Schools wins bid for former dog-park facility
 Dallas County Schools recently purchased a 32,688-square-foot facility in East Dallas to house transportation, technology and continuing education offices. The purchase includes about 6.5 wooded acres around the facility, which formerly served as an indoor dog park.
Board President Larry Duncan (pictured) called the schools' $1.7 million bid "an extremely attractive price." Officials will begin relocating offices and about 100 employees to the building in January.
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| A&M group seeking help
in finding new provost
A search committee assigned the task of finding a new provost for Texas A&M University is urging members of the Aggie community to find more candidates for provost, the top academic official at the university.
Although the 18-member advisory committee has received about 60 nominations for the provost position, the committee recently issued a statement requesting faculty and staff to use their international connections to recruit more candidates for the post. The committee plans to narrow the applicant pool within the next month. The group hopes to conduct airport interviews before the winter break and on-campus interviews when the next semester begins in 2011. The committee plans to provide a list of finalists to the president of Texas A&M in early 2011.
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Del Rio to name lone finalist for city manager in coming weeks
The lone finalist to become Del Rio's next city manager will likely be announced during the city council's next scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 12. Finalists Rafael Castillo Jr. (city manager of Ft. Stockton), Albert Uresti (city manager of Pearsall) and Robert A. Eads (Del Rio acting city manager) were each interviewed by the council recently. The interviews each lasted about an hour and 20 minutes and were the only slated item on the council's agenda that day.
"We want to allow enough time to consider the knowledge we have of each candidate, to consider the résumés, to consider the comments made during the interview," said Del Rio Mayor Roberto "Bobby" Fernandez.
Castillo, who holds a bachelor's degree from Angelo State University, is working on his master's degree. Uresti holds a master's degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio. Eads is currently working on his master's degree and holds a bachelor's degree.
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Sandel leaves post as city manager in Granbury
 Granbury City Council members recently terminated the employment of Harold Sandel (pictured) as city manager. Sandel had served as city manager since 2006.
Council members selected Assistant City Manager Ron Berryman as the interim city manager to serve until a new city manager is selected. City officials said they plan to hire a new city manager in the coming months.
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Glen Rose rejects effort to hire part-time city administrator
In a 3-2 vote, Glen Rose City Council members rejected a motion to hire a part-time city administrator to replace former City Administrator Jeffrey Vitter, who left that position in July 2009 after serving one year in the job. Karan Watson currently serves as interim city administrator for Glen Rose.
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The Texas Government Insider is a free weekly e-newsletter detailing important happenings throughout the state and summarizing current political issues relevant to individuals interested in government.
Publisher: Mary Scott Nabers
The Insider is published by Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI), a research and consulting firm. Founded in Texas in 1994 by former government executives and public sector experts, SPI has developed a national reputation as the premier marketing partner dedicated to helping companies secure contracts in the $1.5 trillion state and local government marketplace.
To learn more about SPI services click here or contact our sales department at 512-531-3900.
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