Wisby promoted at Emergency Services Training Institute

Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) officials recently promoted Mike Wisby (pictured) to associate director of the Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI).

Wisby, who joined TEEX in 1990, currently acts as a liaison to the State Fire Training Directors, the National Fire Academy and other state and federal programs. He began his career as an extension instructor, and went on to manage the marine oil spill program and oversee the ESTI Marketing Group.

Before joining TEEX, Wisby served as a member and chief of the Spring Fire Department in Harris County, and also worked as an EMT for Cypress Creek EMS. He earned a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University and is a graduate of the TEEX Leadership Development Program.

Reps. Dutton, Price appointed by Straus to Sunset Commission

State Reps. Harold Dutton (left) and Walter "Four" Price (right) have been appointed to the Sunset Advisory Commission. The terms expire Sept. 15, 2015. 

Dutton serves on the House Committee on Public Education and is chairman of the House Committee on Urban Affairs.

Price serves on the House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the House Committee on Natural Resources. 

The Sunset Advisory Commission is a 12-member body of legislators and public members who work to identify and eliminate waste, duplication and inefficiency in government agencies. 

Kelli Merriweather named executive director of CSEC

Commission on State Emergency Communications officials recently promoted Kelli Merriweather (pictured) executive director to replace Paul Mallett, who retired Nov. 28.

Merriweather, who has been with the agency for more than 15 years, most recently served as director of programs, where she oversaw both the 9-1-1 and poison control programs.  

Merriweather is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and has also completed the LBJ School of Public Affairs Executive Leadership in Information Technology program.  

Texas sales tax figures show double digit increase for November

Sales tax revenue figures for November are reporting a double digit increase over November 2010 figures, according to State Comptroller Susan Combs. Revenues were up 12.2 percent, or $2.07 billion. Combs notes this is the 20th consecutive month for sales tax revenue increases in Texas.

As a result, $478.3 million in December sales tax allocations will be distributed to Texas cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts. That is a 9.7 percent increase over December 2010. Texas cities will receive $315.8 million, up 8.6 percent from December of last year. Counties will receive $31.1 million, up 13.7 percent; transit systems will get $108.7 million, up 10.2 percent; and special purpose taxing districts will get $22.2 million, up 19.5 percent.

To view the allocations by city, click here. To view the allocations by county, click here.

Upshur County commissioners recently applied for a grant from the Texas Historical Commission to be used for a $7.5 million renovation of the historic county courthouse in Gilmer. The county will be required to contribute 20 percent, or about $1.5 million, to the courthouse project cost, said County Judge Dean Fowler (pictured).

While the county judge said he expects to receive a grant to restore the courthouse to its original appearance in 1937, the historical commission may provide financing for interior improvements one year and then for exterior upgrades the next year because the agency received less than half of the funding the commission received in recent years.

The primary reason for applying for the grant, Fowler said, is because the 35-year old heating, ventilating and air conditioning system at the courthouse would cost about $1.2 million to replace. If the state historical grant is approved, the cost to the county to replace the system would be about $300,000, he added.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Guaderrama recently won the approval of the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy for a federal judge in El Paso. Guaderrama must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before the appointment to the federal post is final.

The president nominated Guaderrama to replace Senior U.S. District Judge David Briones. Guaderrama was sworn in as a federal magistrate judge for the Western District of Texas in October 2010 and previously was a judge for 15 years for the 243rd District Court in El Paso. He also served as a public defender in El Paso County.

Guaderrama has a bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

Denton City Council members recently discussed adopting a new road impact fee to be charged to developers whose projects are expected to create additional traffic. Mayor Mark Burroughs (pictured), however, said he may support granting exemptions for some infill projects or small development projects.

Revenue from the new road impact fee will be used to pay for new streets and recoup some of the investment in existing roadways, said P.S. Arora, assistant director of the wastewater department. Currently, developers pay for the traffic impact of their new properties through a process that depends on whether the project is built on a street that meets current city needs. The new impact fee is designed to make the process more fair and efficient by requiring developers to pay a fee based on the actual traffic generated from the project, but city staff has not yet decided on the amount of the fee to recommend to council members, Arora said. The council took no action on the road impact fee proposal and will seek feedback from citizens before making a decision, the mayor said.

Ferris Mfg. Co. garners $450,000 state TEF investment

The State of Texas has made a $450,000 investment through Texas Enterprise Funds in Ferris Mfg. Corp. The company will invest $5.5 million in capital expenditures in a new headquarters office and medical product manufacturing and distribution center in Fort Worth. Some 100 new jobs are expected to be created.

Ferris Mfg. Corp. is a privately owned producer and distributor of wound care dressings, dressings for nasal surgery and diaper rash products.

College of the Mainland (COM) trustees recently authorized the chairman of the board to negotiate a contract with Larry Durrence (pictured) to serve his second term as interim president. Durrence, who also served as interim president at COM for six months in 2009, will assume the duties of former President Michael Elam, who recently resigned from that post.

Durrence previously was president of Polk Community College in Winter Haven, Florida, and interim president of Blue Grass Community and Technical College in Lexington, Kentucky.

Navarro College selects Housley as VP of Academic Affairs

Navarro College officials recently selected Dr. Harold Housley (pictured) as Vice President of Academic Affairs. Housley replaced Dr. Kenneth Martin who accepted the position of president of campuses in Ellis County.

Currently the dean of Career and Technical Education, Housley has been at Navarro College for 12 years. In his new position, he is responsible for maintaining the college's good standing with the state and ensuring the academic offering at the college is beneficial to students.

Housley holds a bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also worked 18 years with a company for which he supervised production of a food product.

With about $50 million in funding available for transportation improvement projects, officials of the San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) recently agreed to begin prioritizing requests for more than $955 million in transit projects submitted from 13 partner agencies.

Requests for operational projects comprised about 61 percent of the total, and requests for adding capacity to roadways represented 32 percent of the funding requested by agencies. Funding for road rehabilitation, bicycle and pedestrian projects also were included in the agency requests.

The Technical Advisory Committee of the MPO will begin scoring the roadway projects in January 2012 and the Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee and Pedestrian Mobility Advisory Committee will score projects for bicycles and pedestrians. MPO officials also plan to hold several public meetings in February to ask the public to weigh in with their opinion on the scoring of the projects. Board members of MPO plan to make a final selection of the $50 million in transit projects to be pursued in April 2012.

Following the development of FREEfax by the staff of the Harris County District Clerk's Office, Judge Mark Ellis of the 351st Criminal District Court recently issued a standing order to allow documents and lawsuits to be filed through the new fax service.

Filing through FREEfax is not mandatory, but is the only form of electronic filing currently allowed, said District Clerk Chris Daniel. The new free fax service is the first step in the process of making criminal courts fully electronic, Daniel said. The new program should benefit the public by saving taxpayers funding because the offices of the district attorney, the public defender's office and attorneys representing clients should spend less money to file legal documents by using the fax service, he added.

The dean of the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio recently appointed Robert Quinn, M.D. (pictured) as the new chair of the Department of Orthopaedics.

Quinn, currently a professor and vice chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of New Mexico, will begin his new duties on April 2, 2012. He holds an M.D. degree from the Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia and completed his residency in orthopaedic medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He also served in a fellowship in orthopedic oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School.

Del Mar College recently won two federal grants totaling more than $10 million to upgrade workforce training and student tutoring. The grant funding also will be used to attract more students to science, technology, engineering and math, to retain more of those students in those fields and to aid students looking for job training or changing careers.

The U.S. Department of Education provided more than $8.1 million of the grants as part of its Hispanic Serving Institutions Program, Del Mar officials said. Some of the funding will be used to upgrade classroom technology with items such as tablet devices. It will also be used for a partnership with Coastal Bend College in Beeville to raise awareness about technical and vocational programs with existing dual credit high school students. It will also be used to introduce those students to programs at Del Mar.

The U.S. Labor Department is awarding about $2 million over a three-year period to train students for careers in information technology, geographical information systems or computerized mapping by using databases.

Steve Kolar Named Vice President of Instruction at LSC-North Harris

Lone Star College-North Harris officials recently named Steve Kolar (pictured) as the new vice president of instruction, effective at the beginning of January, 2012.

In his new role, Kolar will serve as the college's chief academic officer and provide leadership for student learning and academic affairs. He previously served as the interim vice president of instruction and student services at LSC-University Park.

Kolar began his career as an emergency medical technician with training and certification from Victoria College. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree and master's degree from the University of Houston-Victoria.

First of I-69 signs in Texas get first viewing in Robstown

State and federal transportation officials recently unveiled a highway sign for Interstate 69, the first new interstate highway in Texas since 1992.

This newly designated segment of I-69 is also designated with US 77 for 6.2 miles from State Highway 44 in Robstown to I-37 in Corpus Christi. The highway will follow existing highways where possible.

When complete, I-69 - nicknamed the NAFTA Superhighway - will link the Texas-Mexico border to the Canadian border by passing through Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Indiana and Michigan. The exact path of I-69 in Texas is still being determined.

Mike Harder to lead The Texas State Technical College Foundation

Waco businessman Mike Harder has been named executive director of The Texas State Technical College Foundation, a new statewide non-profit that formed from two merged foundations.

Harder and The TSTC Foundation board will raise money to help TSTC in its mission to train Texas technicians. Harder will work to enhance TSTC's financial partnerships with local business, industry and individuals.

Harder, who joined TSTC in 2005, previously served as member of the Waco City Council, chaired Waco's Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Board and managed the business affairs of Waco's largest law firm. 

Some Pflugerville city staffers move into new facility

Some Pflugerville city staff and administrators recently moved into a new facility to ease overcrowding at City Hall, which continues to house most city staff.

The city will lease satellite offices from the Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2 (Pflugerville Fire Department). The five-year agreement will cost the city $122,551 each year and will house the engineering, planning and building inspection offices.

Additionally, the city recently spent about $275,000 for renovations to City Hall, which officials believe will last another 10 years before it needs to be replaced.

Featherstone promoted to Midlothian campus, Navarro College dean

Guy E. Featherstone, who was dean of the Mexia campus of Navarro College, recently took over as new dean of the Midlothian campus of the college. Featherstone has a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University and a master's degree from Baylor University.

Linda Davis, the assistant dean of humanities and physical education, will replace Featherstone as the new dean of the Mexia campus. Davis holds a bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State University and two master's degrees from The University of Texas at Tyler. She also was a counselor and teacher in public schools.

Tyler ISD looking at secondary schools as priority projects

In a recent workshop discussing long-range facility plans, Tyler Independent School District trustees expressed strong support for addressing the needs of secondary schools as a priority item for the district.

Superintendent Randy Reid (pictured) said he plans to use community input along with views of board members when he presents three options for a long-range plan developed over the past 10 months by trustees and staff. The plan will prioritize facility upgrades and recommend some program changes that district officials plan to complete by 2020, Reid said. The three options each would cost about $486 million, with the major difference in each option being the order in which projects will be completed.

Preliminary plans include construction of an Advanced Technology and Career Center to replace two high schools, create centers for fifth- and sixth-graders in addition to centers for sixth- and seventh-graders and to build two new elementary schools, Reid said.

Arlington city council members recently began studying three options to expand the public library to meet the needs of growth. The options range from a $30 million renovation of the current facility to building a new $42 million public library at a new location. In addition to being too small, the current 40-year-old public library facility has maintenance and flooding issues.

With a $30 million estimated cost, the first option for the library calls for adding a fourth floor and a parking garage. Option two recommends demolishing the existing building and building a 100,000-square-foot library on the same site along with a parking garage at an estimated cost of $39 million.

The last option, for which council members have shown little support, calls for building a new $42 million Central Library at a new site. No funding has been designated for the library project, which most likely will not begin for another five or 10 years. City officials predicted that all of the three options would require a great deal of private fundraising to proceed with the project.

Leander City Council approves bonds for water treatment plant

Leander city leaders recently OK'd buying a $36.3 million water treatment plant from the Lower Colorado River Authority. The city issued general obligation bonds to make the purchase.

City leaders expect to save $12.765 million over the life of the bond certificates when compared to the current debt service payments to LCRA.

The deal with LCRA involved a year of negotiations because the authority originally wanted to sell to a private company.

The U.S. Homeland Security Department recently awarded an additional $4.5 million in grants to the city of Arlington to fund emergency operations. The city has received about $22.6 million in homeland security grants since 2005 and used the funds for an emergency operations center, creating a bomb squad and buying security equipment for emergency responders.

The homeland security grant funds are necessary because Arlington emergency workers are called on to protect a university, theme parks, major sports venues and military contractors, city officials said. With assistance from regional public safety agencies, emergency personnel were able to provide security for Super Bowl XLV and the World Series this past year in addition to providing security for other events throughout the year.

TSABAA Mid-Winter Conference scheduled for Jan. 11-13, 2012

The 32nd Annual Texas State Agency Business Administrators' Association (TSABAA) Mid-Winter Conference is scheduled for Jan. 11-13, 2012, at the Inn of the Hills Resort and Conference Center in Kerrville. It's a great opportunity to participate in an exciting conference program agenda and to take advantage of more personal networking opportunities during the day and after hours. Among the topics to be discussed are how to boost morale through communication, inspiring trust in unpredictable times, recognizing signs of fraud, recruiting and selection and using data analytics tools and techniques to increase program efficiencies and outcomes. For more information and to download a registration form, click here.

McAllen planning to sell

nearly $10 million in bonds

City of McAllen officials have plans to sell a combination of $9.6 million in tax and revenue certificates of obligation to finance various airport improvements.

McAllen is experiencing growing commercial trade with Mexico as well as growth in the health care, government, education and retail sectors.

Alpine Independent School District trustees recently finalized the selection of Stephen White as the new superintendent. White, who was selected as a lone finalist for the post on Nov. 3., will assume his new duties on Jan. 2, 2012. He replaces former Superintendent Jose Cervantes, who resigned to join the Edgewood school district in San Antonio.

White currently serves as superintendent at Granger ISD and previously was superintendent for Aspermont ISD and a principal at the Grandfalls-Royalty and Fort Stockton school districts. He has degrees from Sul Ross State University.

Manvel city officials recently selected three finalists for the job as the first city manager. Voters earlier approved a new city charter calling for the city to hire a city manager.

The three finalists for city manager are: Kyle J. Jung, currently an interim city manager in Flatonia who previously held intern positions in Big Spring and Lubbock; John V. McDonald, a community development director for the city of Bellaire who previously was city administrator in Ovilla, Texas, and a senior planner in San Antonio; and Paula P. Ryan, who previously served as an assistant city manager in Hudson, Ohio, and as a personnel analyst for Akron, Ohio.

Council members interviewed the three candidates in November and expect to select a city manager at their meeting on Dec. 12, the mayor said.

Boerne ISD picks Stelmazewski as its new superintendent

The Boerne school board recently named David Stelmazewski (pictured) as the district's new superintendent.

He previously served as principal of Boerne-Samuel V. Champion High School.

Stelmazewski began his career as a teacher in Illinois, and later moved to San Antonio, where he served in Northside ISD and then in Harlandale ISD.

Central Texas students

to gain new higher ed options

Officials at Texas A&M University-Central Texas and Texas State Technical College recently signed an agreement that will provide Central Texas residents with new higher education options.

TAMUCT President Marc Nigliazzo and TSTC Waco President Elton E. Stuckly Jr. recently came together to sign a Memorandum of Agreement that will bring greater educational opportunities to students throughout Central Texas.

Metro purchases land

for new Pearland Park & Ride

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County recently paid $3.95 million for more than 15 acres of land in the Pearland area. The land will be used for a Park & Ride facility, which will give Brazoria County residents another option for getting to downtown Houston destinations. Metro currently operates 29 Park & Rides throughout Harris County.

Seals chosen as lone finalist for Cotulla ISD superintendent

The Cotulla school board recently named Jack Seals, Jr. (pictured) as lone finalist for the position of superintendent. The board is scheduled to hire Seals on Dec. 14.

Seals has served as the interim superintendent since April, and previously was the superintendent in Dilley ISD.

He began his career as a teacher in the Rice school district in 1976.

Elsa city manager Juan Ortiz fired after only six months

Elsa City Manager Juan Ortiz was recently fired after just six months on the job. City commissioners said they wanted a change in leadership, but gave no specific reasons for the ouster.

Javier Rodriguez has been named interim city manager. He is a fourth cousin of Commissioner Eli Rodriguez. The nepotism rule only applies to relatives within the first and second degree.

Lone superintendent finalist

cited for Spearman schools

The Spearman school board recently named William "Clay" Montgomery (pictured) the lone finalist for superintendent. The board is scheduled to hire Montgomery on Dec. 12.

He currently serves as the superintendent in the Lefors district and, before that, served as the high school principal in Valley View ISD and White Deer ISD.

Montgomery began his career in education as a teacher in Gustine ISD in 1989.

Trustees for Dublin Independent School District plan to discuss this week how to proceed with a search to replace Superintendent Shaun Barnett, who accepted a post as superintendent of Stamford ISD.

Board members will discuss whether to hire an interim superintendent to replace Barnett, whose final day with Dublin is on Dec. 31, the board president said. Trustees also will decide whether to hire a search firm or conduct the search for a new superintendent themselves, he said.

Llano city council members recently tapped Toni Milam as the new city secretary. Milam will replace Kerry Williams, who is retiring from that post at the end of this year. Prior to serving as city secretary in Buda since April 2007, Milam was employed by a telecommunications company.

Trustees for the La Villa Independent School District recently selected Narciso Garcia (pictured) as the new superintendent. Garcia takes over for Norma Linda Salaiz, who retired from the post she held since 2004. Garcia currently is principal of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North High School.

• Linda Ryan Thomas of Longview, presiding officer, North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority;
• Dave Scott of Richmond, chair, Brazos River Authority Board of Directors;
• Paul Christensen of Crawford, Brazos River Authority Board of Directors;
• Chet Creel of Olney, Brazos River Authority Board of Directors;
• W.J. "Bill" Rankin of Brenham, Brazos River Authority Board of Directors;
• Ada Brown of Plano, Texas Public Safety Commission.

Bullock chosen new Temple ISD assistant superintendent

Temple High School Principal Jason Bullock (pictured) has been tapped to serve as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the district. The school board will OK the decision at an upcoming meeting.

Bullock, who has served 13 years in the district, previously worked as a teacher and Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB) Coordinator at Temple High. He has also served as adjunct faculty at Amberton University in Garland and Texas A&M-Central Texas (formerly Central Texas College) in Killeen. Bullock holds a bachelor's and a master's degree from Abilene Christian University and an Ed.D. from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Bastrop planning to spend $14.3 million on water system

Bastrop officials have plans to spend about $14.3 million on water system upgrades that are part of a long-term plan that spans into 2021.

Under the plan, city officials will hike water rates for both residential and commercial customers to help pay for improvements.

Bastrop water rates are less expensive than most Central Texas cities of comparable size, according to City Manager Mike Talbot.

Fredericksburg creates committee to find city manager

Fredericksburg City Council members recently appointed nine members, including three former mayors, to serve on a committee charged with finding a new city manager. City Manager Gary Neffendorf is retiring from the position he has held since 1991.

Gen. Mike Hagee, executive director of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation, will chair the search committee with the assistance of three former mayors, Jeryl Hoover, Tim Crenweige and Linda Langerhans. Committee members are Sherman Durst, a former council member; Case Fischer, a local business person; Marc Williamson, superintendent of the Fredericksburg school district; Sharon Joseph, a business person; and James Kemp, a business person.