State unveils strategic plan for information technology

The Texas Transformation: Delivering Technology that Matters

In drafting the just-released 2012 State Strategic Plan for Information Resources Management, the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) leveraged the input of state agencies, public education, local government and the commercial sector. After all, it's a plan for how state government positions, utilizes and develops information and communications technology to best serve vendors, citizens and all government entities, said Brian Rawson (pictured), DIR executive director and the state's chief technology officer.

The Texas Transformation: Delivering Technology that Matters lays out the objectives and strategies that will drive government technology transformation for the next five years. It's a tool that crosses all government boundaries. Rawson said he hopes all layers of government across the state use the report to develop their own strategic plans for information technology.

"It's not just a Texas state agency plan, but a plan for all government. We are accountable for delivering the plan. What we provide is provided to eligible customers statewide. In the areas of security, best practices, policies and partnerships, these are not strictly state agency policies. They should resonate with all government entities all over the state," Rawson said.

The 74-page plan presents several goals, including leveraging the state's investment in shared technology infrastructure; protecting and securing technology assets and information while safeguarding citizen privacy; simplifying access to public-sector services and information; and promoting the innovative use of technology to positively impact the state's business and economic development.

Commissioner Scott reorganizes education agency

Commissioner of Education Robert Scott Tuesday announced a reorganization of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that he structured to enhance the agency's accreditation functions and produce a more efficient operation. The reorganization was effective this week.

The agency will be overseen by three deputy commissioners instead of two. Ray Glynn (right), the former associate commissioner for educator quality and standards, now serves as the acting deputy commissioner for school district leadership and educator quality. Adam Jones (center), who oversees financial and administrative functions, and Lizzette Reynolds (left), who oversees areas that include curriculum, assessment, accountability and state initiatives, will continue to serve as deputy commissioners.

Scott also promoted two employees to associate commissioner posts. Barbara Knaggs is the new associate commissioner for state initiatives. Shirley Beaulieu, who has worked at TEA in the areas of budget and finance since 1992, is the new associate commissioner for finance/chief financial officer.

Gloria Zyskowski, formerly the director of test administration, is the new deputy associate commissioner for student assessment. Veteran school finance expert Lisa Dawn-Fisher has been named deputy associate commissioner for school finance. Laura Taylor, former director of the Division of Program Monitoring and Interventions, has been promoted to deputy associate commissioner for program monitoring and intervention.

Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars

This week's salute is to Amadeo Saenz, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)

Career highlights and education: In December 1977, I received a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. From January 1978 to November 2001, I worked in various capacities for TxDOT's Pharr District, including laboratory assistant, engineering assistant, assistant field operations engineer, area engineer, assistant district engineer and Pharr District Engineer. In November 2001, I became assistant executive director for engineering operations in charge of all engineering for TxDOT. In October, I was named executive director for the department.

What I like best about my job is: Working with people across the state, identifying transportation challenges and finding solutions. In my previous position, I was directly involved with the development and rollout of our public/private partnership program. I used a hands-on approach in the establishment of this innovative project delivery and finance program.

The best advice I've received for my current job is: Step back and look at the big picture and delegate to your staff.

Advice I would give a new hire in my office: Listen, learn, always try your best, ask questions and success will come to you. You control your own destiny, so take advantage of it.

If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found: Playing golf or at our family ranch working cattle, riding horses and enjoying the outdoors.

People would be surprised to know that: Even though I am a University of Texas graduate and a true Longhorn fan, I also support the Texas A&M Aggies except when they play the Longhorns.

Book, magazine or newspaper article I've read recently that really influenced my thinking: In Tony Dungy's memoir, Quiet Strength:The Principles, Practices & Priorities of a Winning Life, the advice from his father about what to do when you're presented with a problem was: "What are you doing to make it better?" We should always look to see what each of us can do to make problem things better.

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.

DPS crime laboratories earn international accreditation

The Texas Department of Public Safety's (DPS) 13 crime laboratories have received international accreditation, making the laboratory system the largest internationally accredited system in the program. The state agency joins three other state police laboratories in the United States that have received the international rating: the Oregon State Police, the Utah Department of Public Safety and the Idaho State Police.

"We are proud that the accreditation organization recognized the high level of professionalism in all of our crime labs. Gaining this honor took a lot of hard work by hundreds of DPS employees and keeping the accreditation will take even more hard work. We are ready for the challenge." said Col. Thomas A. Davis, Jr. (pictured), director of the DPS.

The laboratories received the seal of approval from the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board following a stringent evaluation process that lasted several years and involved comprehensive on-site assessments of each laboratory's operation, management and security procedures. The accreditation lasts for five years, with annual surveillance inspections performed each year for the next four years. The DPS laboratories are located in Austin, Garland, Houston, El Paso, Waco, Corpus Christi, McAllen, Tyler, Lubbock, Midland, Abilene, Amarillo and Laredo.

State to test program to stop uninsured drivers

Beginning next month, the state will launch its test insurance verification program to catch the estimated one in five Texas motorists who are violating the law by driving without insurance. The program will be initiated in Austin for two months. If it proves successful, the program will be expanded to Dallas and the rest of the state.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples (pictured), who wrote the law establishing the program while a member of the Texas Senate in 2005, said that the majority of drivers who have insurance are being penalized with larger premiums to subsidize those who are not insured. The insurance industry estimates that Texas drivers pay almost $1 billion annually to protect themselves against those without coverage.

The program is funded with a $1 fee paid by Texans when renewing their vehicle registration each year. It allows police officers, state troopers, vehicle inspection stations and others to instantly verify whether a motorist has the minimum insurance coverage required under state law. The verification will be provided through a central database set up with information provided by insurers. Violators will be issued tickets, which carry fines of $175 to $350 on the first offense. The fines increase on the second and third offenses - $350 to $1,000 - and the third offense can result in suspension of the driver's license and impoundment of the vehicle.

New program allows signs for drunk-driving victims

A new program sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will allow friends and family of people killed in accidents caused by drunk drivers to purchase memorial signs to be placed near the crash site for a year. The signs will include the victim's name, date of the crash and the phrases "Please Don't Drink and Drive" and "In Memory of."

The first sign will be unveiled next week and will be in memory of Rachel Blasingame, a 16-year-old high school honors student who died in May 2003 when her car was struck head-on by a drunken driver on Interstate 635 in Mesquite. Her mother, Julie Blasingame, asked the legislature to create the program, which lawmakers approved in May.

The $300 signs will be 42 inches high and 48 inches wide with a blue background and white lettering. The cost covers the expense of making the sign and putting it up. The program applies only to victims killed by impaired drivers. To be eligible, the victims must have been killed on a state-maintained roadway. Texas had more than 1,670 fatalities in 2006 that involved drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to TxDOT.

831 low-performing schools qualify for state transfers

An annual list published on Wednesday by the Texas Education Agency identifies 831 campuses as the lowest-rated schools across the state, giving students at those schools the right to transfer to a better school under the state's education choice law. This year marked the third consecutive year that at least one in 10 schools made the list of low-performing schools.

Four years ago, just 126 schools were eligible for the grant program, and three years ago 420 were listed. Schools on the list had more than 50 percent of their students fail the TAKS in any two of the last three years or had an "academically unacceptable" rating in any one of the last three years.

The number of schools this year was down from the 924 that made the list of deficient schools a year ago. Because the state provides no funding for transportation to a new school, few students take advantage of their right to transfer under the Public Education Grant program. Since the program began in the last 1990s, fewer than 3,000 students have used it to transfer to a new school. For the complete list of low-performing schools, click here.

South Texas border landowners given Dec. 31 deadline

Tension over the controversial border fence plan escalated recently, as U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff warned landowners that they have until the end of this month to allow federal surveyors on their land or be taken to court. Since late summer, the federal government has contacted about 600 landowners on the U.S./Mexico border, requesting they allow surveyors access to their properties to determine the placement of the fence. Of those, about 90 people have not responded and 60 more have refused. The vast majority of the landowners are in South Texas.

Homeland Security sent letters last week to those landowners still holding out, informing them that they need to respond to the department by the end of December or the government would file a petition in federal court. Chertoff also reiterated earlier statements that he would use the government's right of eminent domain to acquire property from those unwilling to sell their land at a price considered fair by federal negotiators.

President George W. Bush last year approved some 700 miles of fencing and barriers along the U.S. border with Mexico. So far, Homeland Security has built about 150 miles of fencing and is expecting to complete another 220 miles by the end of 2008, in addition to 200 to 300 miles of vehicle barriers. In the Rio Grande Valley, where 70 miles of fencing has been designated, protest has been widespread.

CAMPO director Mike Aulick to step down in January

Mike Aulick (pictured), executive director of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) for 15 years, has tendered his resignation, effective Jan. 15, 2008. Aulick declined to say what he'll do next but said he plans to stay in Central Texas and hopes to remain in the planning field.

"I guess people know me as a transportation planner, but my training is originally in environmental and land use planning. After 15 years I decided I wanted to try something new and broader than transportation planning," said Aulick, who gave his letter of resignation to CAMPO Chair Sen. Kirk Watson of Austin. Watson said he will begin a nationwide search for Aulick's successor.

CAMPO is a federally required planning organization, charged with creating and amending a transportation plan for the Central Texas area for the next 25 years. Federal funds cannot be used for roads unless they are included in the CAMPO long-range plan.

GAO says Texas base closure costs are escalating

The cost of carrying out the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) recommendations for Texas has jumped from $21 billion to $31 billion, according to a report released this week by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Overall, the Defense Department will spend 48 percent more and save 5 percent less annually than originally estimated, the GAO found.

The BRAC initiatives originally were designed to save taxpayers dollars and improve defense, but the GAO has determined that increasing construction cost estimates are the primary cause for the escalating costs of military base closings slated for Texas. The price tag for environmental restoration, maintenance and operations and other items account for the rest of the increases.

BRAC projects in the state also are being delayed and will probably cost even more because Congress has yet to appropriate funding to move the process forward. The fiscal 2008 appropriations haven't yet been approved and money already is months late. The funds are part of an omnibus spending bill Congress is expected to pass this week and President George W. Bush has threatened to veto.

San Antonio leaders this week urged congressional leaders to approve funding so that $1 billion in defense construction projects earmarked for the city can move forward. At stake are 78 projects set to start around the city within the next few months.

A&M regents set to promote vice chancellor to president

Elsa A. Murano (pictured), vice chancellor of agriculture at Texas A&M University since 2005, has been named the sole finalist to become president of the university. The A&M University Board of Regents recently made the announcement. By law, the regents must wait 21 days to officially appoint her to the position. Because she is the sole finalist, her appointment is all but guaranteed.

Murano, 48, would become the first female and first Hispanic to lead the 131-year-old university, which was founded as an all-male military institution and didn't admit women on an equal basis to men until 1971. She would succeed former president Robert Gates, who left last December to become the U.S. Secretary of Defense. By law, the regents must wait 21 days to officially appoint her to the position.

A native of Cuba, Murano began her academic career in 1981 as a research laboratory technician at Florida International. She joined the A&M faculty in 1995, after spending five years as an assistant professor at Iowa State University. She served as undersecretary for food safety at the U.S. Agriculture Department from 2001 to 2004. She received a bachelor's degree from Florida International University and a master's degree and doctorate from Virginia Tech University.

Detention center proposed for Caldwell County

Emerald Correctional Management LLC, a company that manages three correctional facilities in Texas, has proposed building a detention center for immigrants awaiting deportation in Caldwell County. The $30 million, 1,000-bed facility would be built in northeastern Caldwell County, an area of small, rural communities. Construction would be financed by private sources. The facility would serve as a staging area for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which needs a detention facility within a 30-minute drive of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and of Interstate 35.

A company spokesperson presented the proposal to the Caldwell County Commissioners Court earlier this week. Commissioners will vote on the proposal after holding public hearings on the plan, which would generate 200 jobs for the region. If commissioners approve the deal, Emerald would transfer detainees at the request of immigration officials and manage the center. The company operates detention facilities in La Salle, Hudspeth and Haskell counties.

UTEP now offering master's program in public health

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a new graduate degree program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) that will focus on Hispanic and border health and increase the number of qualified public health professionals in the region.

The university will begin offering the Master of Public Health program in January. Housed in the Department of Health Promotion in the College of Health Sciences, the program has enrolled 12 graduate students. The program consists of 42 semester hours and will include coursework that addresses critical public health issues, including environmental health, chronic and infectious disease prevention, bioterrorism and behavioral health in border communities.

Taylor named dean of WTAMU's newest college

Heidi Taylor (pictured) has been named the first dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at West Texas A&M University (WTAMU). Taylor, longtime head of the Department of Nursing at WTAMU, has served as interim dean of the new college since its inception in fall 2006. Her selection as permanent dean followed a national search to fill the position. Her appointment was recently approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.

Since accepting her appointment, Taylor has announced several personnel moves within the Department of Nursing, including the appointment of Helen Reyes as department head. Others with new department posts include Deborah Davenport, coordinator of the graduate program, and Marietta Branson, coordinator of the undergraduate program. Patrice McLain will continue as coordinator of online nursing programs.

Taylor received her bachelor's degree from WTAMU and earned graduate and doctoral degrees from Texas Woman's University. A native of Bovina, she joined the WTAMU faculty as an instructor of nursing in 1990.

ASU $1M gift endows chair in international business

The Lloyd Norris Family of San Angelo has donated $1 million to Angelo State University to establish ASU's first endowed chair, the Norris Family Chair in International Business. Norris, a successful businessman, said his family felt compelled to make the gift because of the difference ASU has made in all their lives. Norris and his two daughters are graduates of the university.

$2.4M UH grant to help math, science teachers

The University of Houston has received a grant worth as much as $2.4 million to improve teacher education in math and science. The grant is one of only 12 to be awarded by the National Math and Science Initiative to implement programs modeled after UTeach, a successful math and science teacher preparation program at The University of Texas at Austin.

The University of Houston's program is known as teachHOUSTON. It is patterned after the UT program, offering compact degree plans, early teaching experiences and financial assistance for undergraduate students to raise the quantity and quality of mathematics, science and computer science teachers in secondary schools.

The program is co-directed by Robert Wimpelberg (right), dean of UH's College of Education, and Jeff Morgan (left), chairman of the department of mathematics. National Math and Science Initiative is a nonprofit organization formed to help the United States maintain its global leadership position in technological innovation.

Prairie View A&M announces largest enrollment ever

With a total fall 2007 enrollment of 8,382, Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) reached its largest enrollment in the school's 131-year history. It represents a 4.7 percent increase over fall 2006. Enrollment at the university also reached a peak at 8,350 in fall 2004.

"This historic enrollment reflects our commitment to increasing the university's enrollment each year. I'm excited about this milestone in our history and proud of the university's faculty and staff who worked collaboratively with high school and community college staff members to make this achievement a reality," said PVAMU President George C. Wright.

In recent years, the university has expanded its graduate programs and strengthened recruitment for its specialized undergraduate programs. With funding awarded by the Texas Legislature, the university constructed and completed five new state-of-the-art buildings to accommodate a larger student population and new academic programs.

A&M University accepts land gift from Corpus Christi

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has accepted the donation of 156 acres from the city of Corpus Christi for the expansion of the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi campus. The board's action allows the university to begin the master planning process to determine what to build on the land, said University President Flavius Killebrew (pictured).

The university's master planning, which will cost $80,000 to $100,000, is expected to be finished by March, Killebrew said. According to a preliminary schedule, drainage construction could begin on the property as early as this summer. The Corpus Christi City Council approved the donation in October.

Floresville hires new city manager

The Floresville City Council Thursday night selected Gary Pelech, director of the city's community center, as its new city manager. Pelech, who is a former Floresville city manager, replaces Juan Cedillo who left in October.

UTSA names provost and VP for academic affairs

John Frederick (pictured), executive vice president and provost at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs for the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Frederick succeeds Julius Gribou, who has served as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs since May. He will begin his new duties Feb. 18.

Before serving as provost at UNR, he was a professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry. He received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and master's and doctoral degrees from Harvard University.

League City's 311 line to debut next month

League City residents next month should have access to the city's 311 telephone line that will allow them to request non-emergency service or information from the city. The city's information technology department this week confirmed that the project will be ready for its debut in January.

The 311 line also will allow the city to track and follow up on calls for service as well as ensure that the requests and problems of residents are being addressed. Installation of the information line is costing the city about $5,000. Also, the city has allocated $41,000 in the current budget for an operator to answer the line.

UTSA names VP for university advancement

Marjie M. French (pictured) will join the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) as vice president for university advancement effective Jan. 28, 2008. French comes to UTSA from the University of Texas at Dallas where she has served as vice president for development since June 2005. French succeeds Janice Odom, who is returning to her previous post as director of development for foundation and organization relations.

French is a development professional with more than 15 years of experience at public research institutions. She spent 10 years with The University of Texas at Austin and three years with the University of Houston. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

Dallas trustees extend Hinojosa's contract

The Dallas ISD board of trustees on Tuesday gave Superintendent Michael Hinojosa (pictured) a one-year extension on his contract until 2012, a move expected to take him beyond realization of the district's new reform plan called Dallas Achieves.

The board's action follows Hinojosa's admission last week that he would not meet all the reform goals he set for 2010 to improve student performance. Students met just 35 percent of targets for improving Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills passing rates and measures of college readiness such as SAT scores. That's down from last year, when they met about 50 percent.

The district's reform plan is an ambitious undertaking with a mission that ranges from reorganizing the central office to improving test scores. The reform effort, which includes 100 recommendations for improvement, has included sending expert teachers to low-performing schools as academic coaches and creating a transformation office to monitor progress on all the reform goals.

Bexar County ponders $900M bond issue for hospitals

Bexar County's University Health System board of managers is considering a $900 million bond election next year to fund a major renovation of University Hospital and the University Health Center-Downtown. Both are aging facilities and have badly overcrowded emergency rooms. County taxpayers can probably expect to see the hospital bond election on the ballot in November 2008.

Anticipated improvements include the construction of a new trauma tower containing an expanded emergency center and surgical suites, a utility plant and parking garage and 200 new beds at University Hospital. Plans for the the downtown health center would include an urgent care center, a mental health crisis center, parking garage and separate facilities for jail inmates.

Weatherford city manager, injured in accident, resigns

Eight months ago, Weatherford City Manager Bill Davis (pictured) was seriously injured in a car accident and has since undergone several surgeries. But he has not recovered completely. In the interim, the City Council named Davis' assistant, Jennifer Fadden, as acting city manager.

Citing the need to focus on his rehabilitation, Davis this week sent the council his letter of resignation, effective Dec. 31. The council is expected to name a permanent replacement before Jan. 1. Davis came to the City of Weatherford as director of finance in 1981 and later served a dual role as assistant city manager and director of finance until his appointment as city manager in October 2006.

Abilene ISD considering May bond proposal

Abilene Independent School District (AISD) officials are considering an $83.3 million bond proposal, most likely for voter consideration next May. The money would be used to fund technology, security and other upgrades and possibly the construction of new schools. Some projects voters approved in 2004 are over budget, and the bond would also help bring those projects to completion.

A district subcommittee has drafted a proposal that also contains solutions for issues such as video cameras for campus security, replacing aging technology, buying instruments and uniforms and other considerations that will benefit the district far into the future. The subcommittee will revise the proposal in coming weeks as it hears from residents during several scheduled public hearings.

Kilgore ISD chooses new superintendent

Jody Dale Clements (pictured), the Kilgore ISD human resources director, has been named the lone finalist for the district's superintendent post. He would replace Jerry Roberts, who is retiring at the end of the 2007-08 school year. State law says the school board must wait 21 days before hiring Clements after naming him the finalist. He has been with the district for 10 years, serving as a teacher, principal and in his current position since February.

Brownsville ISD to start college preparatory program

The Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) earlier this week signed an agreement with the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College (UTB/TSC) for an early college high school program that will start on the university campus in fall 2008.

The program will target low socio-economic students who tend to be overlooked in pre-college programs. For the first year, about 100 freshmen will be recruited from the district's 10 middle schools and enrolled simultaneously at UTB/TSC and BISD. The students will work toward earning a high school diploma and either an associate's degree or 60 credit hours toward a bachelor's degree.

Early college high schools are implemented through the Texas High School Project, a $261 million public-private initiative committed to increasing high school graduation rates and college enrollment rates across Texas, according to the Texas Education Agency Web site.

Wimberley trustees pick superintendent finalist

Wimberley school district trustees this week named Dwain York (pictured), the current interim superintendent, as the lone finalist to replace Superintendent Marian Strauss, who retired in July. York, former Wimberley High School principal, was selected without a national search because trustees said they were impressed with his work. He recently successfully campaigned for the district's $34 million voter-approved bond referendum and helped the board decide to defy state laws by withholding $3.2 million in property tax revenue owed to the state.

The district is negotiating York's contract, and trustees will probably take a final vote at their January board meeting. York also has worked as a secondary math teacher and coach in New Mexico and Texas. He served as athletic director of the Hawley school district before becoming assistant principal at Wimberley Junior High School in 1998.

Jacksonville planning for new city hall construction

The Jacksonville City Council last year set aside $2.2 million for the construction of a new city hall. Earlier this week, the council hired a Dallas architect firm to begin designing the new 20,000-square-foot building that will include space for new council chambers.

Deer Park to sell bonds for city improvements

The Deer Park City Council has approved the sale of nearly $10 million in capital improvement bonds for a variety of city projects but primarily for drainage improvements. The proceeds of the sale will be used to relocate the city park operations center, construct several athletic fields, park development, jogging trails, a park master plan, expansion of the Battleground Golf Course clubhouse parking lot and drainage, street and sidewalks improvements. About $2 million has been allocated for drainage improvements and $300,000 for expanding parking at the city's municipal court building.

Matagorda County planning for cross-agency phones

Matagorda County soon will be one of the first rural counties in the state to have its emergency personnel capable of communicating with each other. The county has applied to the U.S Homeland Security Department for a $1.2 million grant to complete its radio interoperability plan, a statewide initiative to improve interagency communication.

County Judge Nate McDonald (pictured) said the county is a good contender for the grant because it already has used more than $2.5 million in federal grant money to build the infrastructure it needs to accommodate cross-agency communication. The new grant would put radios that will work across every agency in the hands of emergency personnel, from the sheriff's office to the school districts.

First Port Arthur bond sale, school projects ready to go

The Port Arthur school district is preparing to sell the first $65 million of a $189.5 million bond approved by voters last month. Proceeds from the sale, expected to take place in the next few weeks, will fund numerous capital improvement projects throughout the district.

The first projects to be financed include repairing the high school track that was damaged by Hurricane Rita at a cost of $218,000 and $30,000 for canopies for nine portable buildings. Other projects that will follow include adding an auditorium and science labs to the new Memorial High School and installing a new room on the Wilson Middle School building.

Richardson ISD may close as many as nine schools

With a new demographic study showing that recent development and an older population have decreased student enrollment in parts of the Richardson Independent School District (RISD), school officials are faced with closing as many as seven elementary schools and two junior high schools over the next decade.

Because closing schools is one of the most unpopular decisions a district can make, school officials have stressed that no schools will be shut down in the immediate future. Officials say they'll use the study by a private firm as a planning tool. The district spent about $62,000 on the study.

The district ranks behind only Dallas and Fort Worth in declining enrollment over the past five years, the study details. In that time, RISD lost more than 700 students, or about 2 percent of its enrollment. The community's selling points for young families - good schools, short commutes to work - could turn around the enrollment trend down the line, the study shows. But shortages will persist in certain pockets of the school district, which spans Richardson and parts of Dallas and Garland.

Not selling to government? Why not?

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

If you are a vendor just considering the highly lucrative state government marketplace, how about 14 billion reasons why you should jump in quickly?

Last year the state wrote checks for more than $14.3 billion for products and services, and all of the money went to private sector vendors and service providers. With a statewide population of more than 23 million and more than 100 state agencies providing services to Texans, it takes a lot of goods and services to keep state government operating.

For FY 2007, included in the $14 billon in expenditures by the state were $5.4 billion for highway construction and maintenance, $1.8 billion for professional services and fees, $800 million for supplies and materials and $4.2 billion for items such as communications and utilities, repairs and maintenance, rentals and leases and printing - and millions more for other products and services.

$120 million in federal funds earmarked for Texas

Members of the Texas congressional delegation have ensured that $120,290,000 in federal money from the Defense Appropriations Bill is headed to Texas through their "earmarks" of funding for a variety of Texas entities.

These earmarks will open up a multitude of business opportunities for vendors in the Lone Star State.

To view SPI's comprehensive list of congressional earmarks, click here.

Sera named sole finalist
for TEEX director

Gary F. Sera (pictured) recently was named sole finalist for the position of director of the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. The board appointed Sera as interim director on March 30. The agency offers a wide range of technical training programs for workers.

Sera worked for TEEX from 1988 to 1990, when he joined the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES). He returned to TEEX in 1993, serving as division director of the Technology and Economic Development Division. He earned a bachelor's degree from California State University and a master's degree from the University of Arizona. State law requires the board wait 21 days before officially appointing Sera to the position.

Weslaco to use grant
to hire firefighters

Weslaco will use a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to hire 10 additional firefighters next month. The grant was among the largest that the federal agency has awarded to municipalities nationwide. The Weslaco Fire Department, which employs 62 full-time firefighters, is slightly understaffed and must often bring in off-duty firefighters to assist with calls.

Barry Sullivan hired as Gainesville city manager

The city of Gainesville has a new city manager. The City Council earlier this week appointed Barry Sullivan (pictured), currently the assistant city manager in Hewitt, to fill the post. He replaces Mike Land, who resigned in July to accept the city manager position in Prosper. Sullivan begins his new duties on Jan. 7.

North Richland Hills
lays out parks plan

The North Richland Hills City Council this week adopted the 2007 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan or its wish list for the next decade. The ambitious plan includes an amphitheater, a skateboard park, a botanical garden, basketball courts, picnic pavilions, trails at the city's oldest parks, more public art and eco-friendly projects. The city polled residents about parks improvements before the council put together a final plan.

An updated master plan helps the Parks and Recreation Department qualify for grants. The department has obtained about $11 million in grants since 1994. The city plans to pay for the projects through grants and the half-cent sales tax, which generates about $4 million a year.

Zhang named head of A&M coastal engineering division

Jun Zhang (pictured) has been named head of the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering's Coastal and Ocean Engineering Division at Texas A&M University. Zhang joined the civil engineering faculty in 1987 and was promoted to full professor in 2000.

He earned a doctoral degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Klein ISD to sell $32 million in improvement bonds

Klein school district officials Tuesday approved the sale of $32 million in school bonds to raise funds to buy property and buses and build and renovate school and district facilities over the next year. The sale is part of a $224 million bond package approved by voters in 2004.

Projects that will be funded by the sale include the construction of the district's new police station, fine arts additions at two intermediate schools, design work on the district's fifth high school, new art and science labs for four elementary schools and the purchase of property for a new transportation center and two new elementary schools.

Governor's appointments

Gov. Rick Perry has made the following appointments:

• Richard Knight Jr. of Dallas, Texas Southern University Board of Regents
• Eric Gambrell of Highland Park, Texas Board of Criminal Justice,
• R. Terrell "Red" McCombs of San Antonio, Texas Board of Criminal Justice,
• Janice Harris Lord of Arlington, Texas Board of Criminal Justice,
• Juan Sanchez Munoz of Lubbock, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)

Del Mar regents begin search for new president

Del Mar College regents in Corpus Christi recently selected a search firm to find the college's next president. The search firm will charge the college $35,000 for the search. Former president Carlos A. Garcia left May 31, when his three-year contract expired.

Travis Kirkland (pictured) has been serving as interim president since last spring. Regents have said they want a new president in place by May.

SPI job openings

K-12 public education consultants

SPI has immediate need for individuals with well-established credentials who are interested in assisting its consulting teams throughout Texas. SPI has immediate openings for subject matter experts who can assist part-time in the K-12 education arena in Texas, particularly in the Dallas area. Applicants should have a strong background in public school education, either as a former top-level decision-maker for a school district, or through experience in other venues such as regional service centers or statewide public education associations. To apply for these part-time consulting positions at SPI, please send a brief cover letter and a copy of your resume to J. Lyn Carl at jcarl@spartnerships.com and put "Application for K-12 Consultant" in the subject line, or for more information, send an e-mail to the same address.

Healthcare consultants

SPI is in need of individuals with subject matter expertise and well-established credentials in the healthcare arena (particularly in the Dallas and Houston areas) who are interested in part-time work assisting its consulting teams throughout Texas. Applicants should have well-maintained relationships and a strong background in healthcare, either as a former top-level decision-maker for a hospital (such as an administrator, CEO, CFO, COO, etc.), or through experience in other venues such as statewide hospital or healthcare associations or agencies that deal with healthcare entities throughout the state. To apply for these part-time consulting positions at SPI, please send a brief cover letter and a copy of your resume to J. Lyn Carl at jcarl@spartnerships.com and put "Application for Healthcare Consultant" in the subject line, or for more information, send an e-mail to the same address.

Paul McCarthy to head
El Centro College

The Dallas County Community College District board of trustees has appointed Paul McCarthy (pictured) as the new president of El Centro College (ECC). McCarthy, who currently serves as president of Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, Ill., is a former ECC vice president of academic affairs and student development.

He begins his new duties on Feb. 1. He earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from Aquinas College and Michigan State University.

Tarrant County rethinks coroner's office plans

Instead of building a new facility for the medical examiner's office, Tarrant County commissioners are considering whether to move the agency into a portion of the vacant St. Joseph's Hospital complex. Escalating construction costs on the construction project prompted the commissioners to review an alternate, scaled-back plan for the coroner's office.

Voters had approved $26.5 million for the construction of a new medical examiner's office, but new construction estimates on the project came in at $35 million to $57.2 million. A new plan to convert part of the abandoned hospital into a morgue, laboratories and office space is estimated at $25.6 million.

Houston ISD requests funds for bus clean-up program

The Houston Independent School District has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for $249,600 to retrofit 312 buses. Under the Texas Clean School Bus program, TCEQ has $7.5 million in state funds to reimburse school districts for the expense associated with reducing particulate emissions from school buses.

According to TCEQ, some retrofits that cost as little as $800 can reduce emissions by 80 percent. Texas has 36,000 school buses in operation. One-third of those buses have been in service for at least 10 years and discharge emissions at a much higher rate than newer buses. To qualify for the TCEQ grants, a public school district or charter school must operate at least one diesel-powered school bus. Schools that rely on countywide bus systems are also eligible.

Camille Barnett named
to manage Philadelphia

Former Austin City Manager Camille Barnett (pictured) this week was named the managing director of the City of Philadelphia. The managing director essentially runs the day-to-day operations of the city.

Barnett resigned as Austin city manager in 1994. She subsequently served as the chief management officer for Washington, D.C., and currently works as a senior managing consultant for Philadelphia-based Public Financial Management.

Greenville approves $20M in bonds for wastewater plant

The Greenville City Council this week approved the sale of $20 million in bonds to pay for an upgraded wastewater treatment plant. Council members said the 50-year-old Wastewater Reclamation Center has not been upgraded since 1980 and needs much of its equipment replaced with a more modern system.

The plant also needs to be revamped in order to comply with the requirements of the city's wastewater discharge permit and to meet projected growth. Plans call for the plant's treatment capacity to be expanded from 4.23 million gallons per day to 6 million gallons per day.

SPI's large, diverse consulting team ready to assist clients

Strategic Partnerships, Inc. has been blessed with much growth in the past few years. The Consulting team is large and diverse and all SPI consultants are available to assist companies or organizations. Watch this space in the coming weeks for a brief overview that describes consultants and their expertise. For more details check the SPI Web site (www.spartnerships.com) or call Reagan Weil at 531-3900.


As a former Deputy Commissioner for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, SPI Senior Consultant Linda Wertz (pictured) has an extensive background in the healthcare arena that will benefit SPI clients with interest in public and private healthcare systems throughout the state.

Wertz gained additional expertise in the healthcare field as chair and vice chair for the National Association for State Medicaid Directors and as an Academy member for the National Academy for State Health Policy. She also served on the board of the National Quality Forum and co-chaired the National Review Team for the Center for Health Care Strategies of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

With more than 30 years of service to the State of Texas, Wertz knows the ins and outs of state government and continues to maintain key relationships with both those in the healthcare industry and in state government.

ACC planning emergency workers academy

Alamo Community Colleges board of trustees earlier this week approved spending $241,000 on design plans for an academy to train firefighters and emergency medical technicians. The First Responders Academy will become part of San Antonio College on the city's South Side.

A San Antonio firm was hired to draft the design plans. The board's action follows a national trend of community colleges across the nation training the majority of firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians.

Humble ISD considering $303M bond election

Humble ISD trustees are determined to take a bond referendum to voters in May 2008 that will pay for new schools, renovations of existing schools, technology upgrades and more. The Bond 2008 Study Committee this week recommended the board of trustees ask voters to approve a $303 million bond issue to fund the district's essential needs.

Of that amount, more than $147 would be spent on new schools, $55 million on existing schools, $75 million on new and existing administration and support facilities and $25 million on technology. The board will hold public hearings before determining the amount of the bond proposal.

Recent Reports

• Texas Department of Information Resources 2008 – 2012 State Strategic Plan for Information Resources Management
• TxDOT fall edition of Horizon
• Department of State Health Services' Quality of Children's Care in Texas Hospitals
• A Special Investigations Unit Report on a Higher Education Coordinating Board College Access Loan Application
• Texas STAR+PLUS Adult Enrollee CAHPS® Health Plan Survey Report Fiscal Year 2007
• A Report on the Audit of the Teacher Retirement System's Fiscal Year 2007 Financial Statements
• HHSC's Senate Bill 6 Report: Pilot Program for Identification of Unlicensed Assisted Living Facilities

Event Links

• TWC Texas Business Conferences
• LBJ School Professional Development Calendar
• Upcoming Executive Women in Texas Government events

Texas Government Insider Archives

Volume 1 - 5 Archives · 11/7/03 - 12/7/07

SPI announces two new information-sharing features

SPI has made a commitment to expand its state and local news capabilities. If you've ever wondered what is going on in other cities, counties, public schools and state governments throughout the country, this expansion will be of interest.

The SPI Web site has begun posting breaking news that deals with best practices, trends, new innovations, successful public/private partnerships and more. The news changes daily and many Texas organizations, agencies and associations are contributing materials which will be promoted in TGI each week and then published on the Web site.

Contributions of news, articles, case studies, and research are now being accepted for publication. TGI readers are urged to submit whitepapers, reviews or articles of interest to others involved in government. For more details on how to get published, click here.

Conroe ISD eyeing
May bond election

Armed with a new study that estimates the Conroe school district will add 23,000 students by 2016, the school board is developing plans for a possible bond election in May. The district currently has 46,321 students.

The 2008 District Facilities Planning Committee has been working on a proposed bond package and is expected to make a recommendation to the school board in early February. The committee is studying demographic data that pinpoints areas of future growth that will need new facilities constructed. Voters in 2004 approved more than $200 million in bonds for new construction projects.

Steps to ensure delivery of SPI weekly newsletter

Most e-mail applications today have spam filtering. The e-mail address we use to send you the Texas Government Insider newsletter is editor@spartnerships.com.

To ensure timely delivery and proper formatting of the newsletter, be sure to add editor@spartnerships.com to your safe senders list. Otherwise, the newsletter may be flagged as spam and automatically routed to your junk e-mail folder at any time.

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.

6034 W. Courtyard Dr. #100
Austin, Texas 78730

Please let us know about your upcoming events. Send information to editor@spartnerships.com.