Texas military bases get $1.7 billion for construction

Lion's share of contracting opportunities headed to Fort Bliss

Military construction is booming in Texas. From mess halls to airfields to headquarters buildings, construction projects are cropping up at military installations all over the Lone Star State, providing myriad contracting opportunities for large and small businesses alike.

Much of the money comes from earmarks in the recently passed federal budget. More than $1.7 billion was set aside for military construction spending at Texas military bases this year. Earmarks are put into the federal budget by members of Congress to make sure needed projects are funded in their home state or district.

While millions of dollars of military construction projects are going to every base in Texas, the largest amount of funding will go to Fort Bliss near El Paso. Close to half of this year's earmarked military projects - $709 million worth - is headed for the West Texas outpost. That is up from $339 million last year.

Costs escalating following raid on polygamist compound

State leadership seeks reimbursements for state, local entities

As state government agencies and local governments deal with what many are calling one of the largest child welfare cases in state history - the removal of more than 400 children from a West Texas polygamist compound - state leaders are stepping up to ensure that the health and safety of those children is not compromised by the costs of the operation.

Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick Thursday sent a letter to State Comptroller Susan Combs supporting the reimbursement of emergency costs related to the incident that are being borne by both state agencies and local governments in Tom Green and Schleicher counties.

Their action followed concerns of representatives of local governments expressed to state officials regarding the skyrocketing costs associated with the operation.

Both Tom Green County Judge Mike Brown (left) and San Angelo Mayor J. W. Lown (right) requested assistance from the Governor's Office of Emergency Management. Lown indicated that during the first three days of the operation to remove the children from the compound, approximately 150 city employees assisted in the effort. He estimated the costs to the city at $60,000 per day.

Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars

This week's salute is to Tony Gilman, executive officer, Texas Health Care Policy Council, Office of the Governor

Career highlights and education: As the executive officer for the Texas Health Care Policy Council, I am responsible for providing direction and guidance in the strategic operations and planning for the Council. I also serve as Gov. Rick Perry's budget and policy analyst for the independent health regulatory boards, and was appointed to serve as the governor's representative on the Health Professions Council in October 2007. Prior to joining the Office of the Governor, I was the Austin Director for the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations from 2001 to 2005. In this capacity, I served as the agency's primary liaison to state leadership, legislative members and agencies on all federal issues and matters concerning the agency. From 1999 to 2001, I served as a policy advisor to Gov. George W. Bush and from 1994 to 1999 I served as a policy advisor in Gov. Pete Wilson's Washington, D.C., office. I received a Bachelor of Political Science degree with an emphasis on political processes and institutions from the University of Kansas in 1993.

What I like best about my job is: Working for the State of Texas and helping Gov. Perry achieve his vision for Texas is an honor. The health care policy environment is very dynamic and exciting, and my position with the Health Care Policy Council has given me the opportunity to work directly with both state and national thought leaders on health care transformation.

The best advice I've received for my current job is: to develop clear goals and objectives and to stay focused on achieving tangible results.

Advice I would give a new hire in my office: Strong communication both within the office and with outside stakeholder groups is key to being successful. No question is too small. Your opinion matters so don't be shy about sharing it!

If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found: at a sporting or school event for my children; watching a Kansas Jayhawks basketball game (Rock Chalk Jayhawk!); or playing Wii Sports or Rock Band with my kids (they keep me young).

People would be surprised to know that: order hamburgers and sandwiches plain and dry. My family and friends tease me about my aversion to condiments. My wife was pleased when I recently started to add cheese and tomatoes!

Book, magazine or newspaper article I've read recently that really influenced my thinking: Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times by Donald T. Phillips is a compilation of lessons on President Lincoln's management strategies. Phillips, through Lincoln's letters and speeches, describes a number of his leadership qualities including the following chapters: “Get Out of the Office and Circulate Among the Troops...Honesty and Integrity Are the Best Policies...Set Goals and Be Results-Oriented...Encourage Innovation.”

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.

Bell appointed chair of Texas Board of Criminal Justice

Oliver Bell (pictured) has been named chair of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. Bell was originally appointed to the board in February 2004 and elected vice chair in January of this year. His appointment as chair was announced this week by Gov. Rick Perry. Bell replaces Christina Melton Crain, who served as chair for the last five years.

Bell is the founder and chief executive officer of his own consulting firm. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and is an Army veteran.

Crain will be replaced on the board by Lubbock attorney J. David Nelson. Nelson, a partner in the Nelson & Nelson law firm, earned his bachelor's and law degrees from Texas Tech University.

Abbott selects James C. Ho as Solicitor General

James C. Ho (pictured) has been named Solicitor General of Texas by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. Ho, as the state's chief appellate lawyer, will oversee criminal and civil litigation before state and federal appeals courts and will represent the state before the U.S. Supreme Court. He will also be Abbott's top legal advisor.

Ho will replace Solicitor General Ted Cruz, who will return to the private practice of law later this spring. Formerly general counsel to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Ho also previously served in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division and Office of Legal Counsel. He also served the U.S. Supreme Court as law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas. Other of his experience includes having been a United States delegate to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Cornyn and fellow Texas U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison appointed Ho to their Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee to help evaluate potential federal judicial and U.S. Attorney nominees from Texas.

After graduating from the University of Chicago Law School with high honors, Ho came to Texas to serve as law clerk to Judge Jerry Smith at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Ho currently has a successful appellate practice with the Dallas law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Deputy Solicitor General Sean Jordan will stay on as Ho's top lieutenant in the Office of Solicitor General.

Hight to assume TASSCC presidency in September

Bowden Hight, Director of Information Technology Services and Information Resource Manager (IRM) for the Railroad Commission of Texas, has been named president-elect of the Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communications (TASSCC). He will assume the TASSCC presidency on Sept. 1.

Hight began an information technology career that has spanned more than 22 years with an Austin consulting firm working for Texas state government clients that included the Texas State Treasury, the Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Texas Department of Human Services. His state government work began when he was hired by the Texas Employment Commission as part of the Applications Development and Maintenance Division and later served as the Deputy Director for Information Technology at the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. He served as a project and contract manager for the Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Division before taking his current position with the Railroad Commission.

Bowden earned a BBA and MBA from The University of Texas at Austin.

Patrick retiring as head of Texas Medical Board

Dr. Donald Patrick this week announced that he will retire on Aug. 28, his 70th birthday, after nearly seven years as executive director of the Texas Medical Board (TMB). Patrick joined the agency in September 2001. The agency's Executive Committee will now form a search committee to seek a replacement. If no replacement is found before Patrick's retirement, Director of Enforcement Mari Robinson will serve as interim executive director until a replacement is hired.

A graduate of the Baylor College of Medicine, Patrick trained in neurosurgery at Baylor and the University of Washington. He served in the U.S. Army as the Chief of Neurosurgery at the 24th Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh Vietnam, where he earned a Bronze Star Medal for his work there. He began his practice as a neurosurgeon in Austin in 1969 and has been the Chief of Staff at both Brackenridge Hospital and The Rehabilitation Hospital of Austin (now Health South). He also was Chief of Surgery at Round Rock Medical Center at the time of his appointment at TMB. Patrick also holds a law degree from The University of Texas at Austin.

HHSC to hold hearings on five-year strategic plan

Six public meetings will be held throughout the state in April and May as the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) seeks public input on its draft Fiscal Years 2009-2013 coordinated strategic plan for the state's five health and human services agencies.

All of the hearings will be from 3-7 p.m. They are scheduled as follows: April 15 - Mesquite Convention Center; April 16 - Plainview ISD Education Complex; April 24 - UT Health Science Center Regional Academic Health Center, Harlingen; May 1 - El Paso Community College; May 13 - Lee College, Baytown; and May 14 - Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz Convention Center, Corpus Christi.

To view the draft strategic plan, click here.

Department of Public Safety graduates 166 troopers

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) recently graduated one of the largest training academy classes in its history. Following ceremonies in Austin, 166 new troopers will soon report to duty stations across the state.

DPS Director Col. Thomas A. Davis Jr. (pictured) said 46 percent of the graduates had served in the U.S. military before joining the DPS. Davis said the DPS would be looking to former military personnel to fill a large number of openings expected in the agency in the next few years.

The troopers began the 28-week training academy in September. Instruction covered more than 100 subjects, including counter-terrorism, traffic and criminal law, arrest and control procedures, accident reconstruction, first aid and Spanish. During the next few weeks, the troopers will move to their new duty stations, where they will spend the first six months in on-the-job training with a senior trooper.

Austin chip-testing startup gets $500,000 TETF grant

The Texas Emerging Technology Fund recently awarded a $500,000 grant to Xitronix Corp. to develop a test to quickly identify whether wafers being processed inside a clip factory are defective. The Austin-based startup company uses a technology identified as photo-reflectance they say can save chip manufacturers time and money for finding and fixing process problems more rapidly.

Xitronix, which partners with the Austin Technology Incubator, the Nanomaterials Application Center at Texas State University and the Sematech research consortium, also received $500,000 from private investors, and will use the state grant to accelerate commercialization of its system for chip factories that process 12-inch silicon wafers.

TDA awards $1.6 million to Texas wine industry

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has approved approximately $1.6 million in Enology and Viticulture Education and Research grants that will directly benefit Texas' booming wine industry. The awards will be given to Texas AgriLife Extension Service, AgriLife Research, Texas Tech University and Grayson County College for projects designed to improve enology (wine making) and viticulture (grape growing).

"The Texas wine industry ranks fifth in the nation and contributes more than $1 billion annually to our state's economy," Ag Commissioner Todd Staples said. "Research is the key to sustaining these results, and we must continue to build on them for future prosperity among the Texas wine industry."

TDA is awarding Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas AgriLife Research and Texas Tech University $1.2 million to study projects such as the effects nutrients have on wines, and to determine treatments for chemical instability. Grayson County College is receiving $365,000 to develop a Viticulture and Enology Certificate and Associate Degree Program.

Sunset Commission to hear testimony on seven agencies

Staff reports and testimony regarding seven state agencies will be heard when the Sunset Advisory Commission meets on Tuesday, April 22. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in Room E1.030 in the Capitol Extension at the State Capitol in Austin.

The agencies under review include: Texas State Affordable Housing Corp., Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, Texas Prescribed Burning Board, Texas-Israel Exchange Fund Board, Texas Racing Commission and Equine Research Account Advisory Committee.

Dewhurst names two to tax advisory committee

Two members of the Texas Senate - Sens. Steve Ogden and Kirk Watson - have been named by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to serve on the Business Tax Advisory Committee. The committee is chaired by State Comptroller Susan Combs, who has already appointed seven members to the group.

The membership also includes two members appointed by the House Speaker. The committee is charged with conducting a biennial study of the effects of the franchise tax on business in Texas.

Shahan serves as Deputy Director of Extension Service

The Texas A&M University System's Board of Regents recently named Sue Shahan (pictured) deputy director of the Texas Engineering Extension Service. In addition to handling her duties in Employee Services, Shahan will oversee all administrative functions within the agency and be second in command in the event of absence by TEEX Director Gary Sera.

Shahan joined TEEX in 1988, establishing the first Human Resources Office for the agency. She has served on numerous Texas A&M University System-sponsored committees that influenced the strategic development of policies that affect employees. She has more than 35 years of experience in state government and worked in the private sector prior to her state service.

Shahan earned a bachelor's degree from Baylor University and a master's degree from Lamar University. Most recently, she completed the Governor's Executive Development Program at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas, and is a 2002 graduate of Leadership Texas.

TCEQ names Rio Grande Basin Project for award

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality recently announced that the Rio Grande River Basin Initiative has won the 2008 Texas Environmental Excellence Award. The Rio Grande River basin project promotes water quality and conservation all along the river that flows from New Mexico and forms the border between Texas and Mexico.

The seven-year program is credited with saving 4 million acre-feet of water by addressing conservation and water quality techniques with property owners along the river. The education programs include proper use of pesticides and fertilizers on farms and residential property, athletic fields and parks.

Dr. B.L. Harris, the Texas institute's associate director and project director, said collaborations and partnerships with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas AgriLife Research, the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service and the New Mexico State University Agriculture Station for the success of the program.

TDCJ grants access to benefit Sugar Land Airport

In an action that could spur new business development around the Sugar Land Regional Airport, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) recently granted access easements for its Central Prison Unit to the City of Sugar Land.

Sugar Land City Manager Allen Bogard (pictured) said the move clears the way for the city's acquisition of more than 300 acres of prison property for the development of aviation-related businesses and a second business park.

A feasibility study for the possible relocation of the Central Unit and a nearby housing complex for guards is expected to be completed in early summer. Sugar Land's participation in the study ensures that the interests of the city, as well as TDCJ, are considered during development of a final report for the next legislature, Bogard said. The Sugar Land Regional Airport Authority also received a $2 million federal grant for airport development that could be used in property acquisition.

State awards $1.7 million in Planning Assistance grants

The Texas Planning Assistance Grant Program has awarded more than $1.7 million to 19 regional councils of government to pursue local economic development initiatives and facilitate intergovernmental cooperation and planning. Each year, the Governor's Criminal Justice Division awards more than $113 million in these grants for a variety of juvenile justice, criminal justice and victim services programs.

The State Planning Assistance Grant Program funds are awarded to:

• $62,500 to the Ark-Tex Council of Governments;
• $62,500 to the Brazos Valley Council of Governments;
• $131,158 to the Capital Area Council of Governments;
• $65,158 to the Coastal Bend Council of Governments;
• $62,500 to the Concho Valley Council of Governments;
• $62,500 to the Deep East Texas Council of Governments;
• $71,000 to the East Texas Council of Governments;
• $62,500 to the Golden Crescent Regional Planning Commission;
• $87,149 to the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council;
• $62,500 to the Middle Rio Grande Development Council;
• $479,627 to the North Central Texas Council of Governments;
• $64,734 to the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission;
• $62,500 to the Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission;
• $62,916 to the Rio Grande Council of Governments;
• $62,500 to the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission;
• $62,500 to the South Plains Association of Governments;
• $62,500 to the South Texas Development Council; and
• $62,500 to the Texoma Council of Governments.

Congressmen challenging border fence waivers

The chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, along with several Texas congressmen who live along the border, have joined the legal effort challenging the law that gives the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the right to waive environmental laws to speed up construction of a fence to protect the nation's borders.

The Amicus Curiae brief supports a petition filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in March by Defenders of Wildlife and the Sierra Club challenging the constitutionality of the REAL ID Act that grants the Secretary of DHS sweeping authority to waive environmental laws and regulations in the name of homeland security.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced on April 1 that he would use the powers of the REAL ID Act once again to complete various border wall projects totaling roughly 470 miles in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico. He also issued another waiver for the levee-wall barrier in Hidalgo County, a 22-mile project aimed at strengthening flood protection and providing the U.S. Border Patrol an 18-foot concrete wall to keep out undocumented immigrants. Chertoff previously used waivers to complete fence projects near San Diego, California and in Arizona.

UTHSC-San Antonio hires Breslin as Nursing School dean

Dr. Eileen T. Breslin, R.N. (pictured), has been named dean of the School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She replaces former Dean Robin Froman, who retired last month.

Breslin currently is a professor and dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. During her nine years at UMass, she instituted the state's first doctoral degree in Nursing Practice, the first clinical nurse leader program and the first dual Master of Science and Master of Public Health program. She also was both dean of the School of Nursing and interim dean of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences.

She began her career as a registered nurse in a hospital setting in Arizona and entered the college ranks as a teaching assistant at the University of Arizona and later was an assistant, associate and full professor and chair of the Department of Nursing at Northern Arizona University. Breslin holds a bachelor's degree from Northern Arizona University, a master's from the University of Arizona in Tucson and her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.

Adams to chair A&M committee searching for new dean

Texas A&M University President Elsa Murano has appointed a committee to search for the next vice chancellor and dean of agriculture and life sciences. Garry Adams (pictured), professor of veterinary pathobiology and associate dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, will chair the 16-member committee.

Murano said the committee would be responsible for creating a description for the position as well as a process for identifying both national and international candidates. The committee also will be charged with providing a list of candidates to Murano, who will act on behalf of A&M System Chancellor Mike McKinney.

General Land Office joins effort to restore Sylvan Beach

The City of La Porte has agreed to enter into a project with the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and Harris County that should restore the beach for swimming at Sylvan Beach.

The agreement calls for Harris County, which will oversee the shoreline upon completion, to pay one-half the cost of La Porte's 45 percent share of the project, said Stephen Barr, director of parks and recreation for La Porte. The Sylvan Beach Shoreline Protection and Beach Nourishment Project is expected to cost $2.5 million, with the GLO paying $1.4 million and La Porte and Harris County paying $1.1 million.

Plans call for about 1,700 feet of shoreline to be restored, beginning at the north side of the La Porte Pavilion to the north side of Sylvan Beach Park. Beginning in May, about 20,000 pounds of sand will be placed on the shoreline in water depths ranging from seven to eight feet. Concrete blocks have lined the shoreline since 1961, Barr said. Completion is expected in December.

University of Houston names Carlucci as VP of Finance

The University of Houston has chosen Carl Carlucci (pictured) as vice chancellor and vice president of administration and finance for the university and the UH System. When he assumes office in May as head of the Administration and Finance Division, Carlucci will oversee 800 employees in plant operations, human resources and the university's department of public safety.

Carlucci served for seven years as vice president and chief financial officer at the University of South Florida, where he is credited with leading on the development of USF's Research Park. He also served as executive vice president at SUNY-Albany. He has a bachelor's degree and master's degree from SUNY-Stony Brook and a Ph.D. from New York University. He replaces John M. Ridley, who left to assume the presidency of Texas Southern University earlier this year. Before the move is official, the UH System Board of Regents must approve the appointment.

UT Arlington selects Provost/VP for Academic Affairs

The University of Texas at Arlington has announced the appointment of Donald R. Bobbitt (pictured) as provost and vice president for academic affairs. Bobbitt, currently dean of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas, will join UT-Arlington on July 1.

As provost and vice president for academic affairs, Bobbitt will serve as the university's chief academic officer, overseeing 11 colleges and schools, including the graduate school and the honors college; research administration; research funding and expenditures; student affairs; the libraries; strategic planning; and distance education. He will also be professor of chemistry in the College of Science.

Bobbitt earned his Ph.D. from Iowa State University and his bachelor's degree with high honors from the University of Arkansas. His area of research expertise is bio-analytical chemistry, and he holds two patents in the field.

Rathburn likely new TAMU-Texarkana president

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has chosen Dr. Carlisle Baxter Rathburn III (pictured) as the sole finalist to become the third president of Texas A&M University-Texarkana. Rathburn is currently the president of Savannah Technical College in Savannah, Ga.

Current President Stephen Hensley announced retirement plans last summer, after serving as university president since 1994. His last day is August 31, which will end a career in education that spans more than 40 years. As president, Hensley oversaw the transition from the East Texas State University System to the Texas A&M University System.

Rathburn served as Savannah Technical College president for seven years. He previously was president and CEO of Galveston College. As Texas A&M-Texarkana's chief executive officer, Rathburn will supervise more than 220 employees, manage a $16.4-million annual budget and develop a comprehensive curriculum for 1,605 students.

UTPA's Edwards cited for public education service

Dr. John Edwards (pictured), vice president of Enrollment and Student Services at The University of Texas-Pan American, was recently awarded the Texas Business and Education Coalition's 2008 Distinguished Achievement Award in Education - a recognition given to those who make exceptional contributions to Texas public education and the state of Texas.

Edwards, who has served at UTPA since 2000, has initiated or collaborated in numerous successful retention and recruitment strategies including the Student Leadership Academy and the Valley Outreach Center. His efforts to produce educational opportunities and success for South Texas students has also resulted in the development of the University's Child Development Center and the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex. According to TBEC officials, his involvement and support for the TBEC Texas Scholars and Honor Roll Schools initiatives in South Texas have served as models for the entire state. TBEC is a nonprofit organization of Texas business leaders formed in 1989 to engage with educators in a long-term effort to improve public education in the state.

NTTA approves deal for toll road to new stadium

The North Texas Tollway Authority has approved a final offer to build State Highway 161 as a toll road in Dallas County. Under the plan, it would pay $548 million for construction of the road.

It would also provide an upfront payment of about $298 million to be used by the North Texas Regional Transportation Council to cover a shortage on the $1.5 billion HOV (high occupancy vehicle) managed lanes project on LBJ Freeway set to begin construction later this year.

The agreement came after months of negotiation over a 52-year toll contract for the Dallas County highway, which is set to be in partial use by the 2009 opening of the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington. Construction contracts for the approximately 10-mile highway are under way, as parties work to keep to a schedule dominated by the stadium's opening.

Ellis to lead UT System's Community College initiatives

Longtime educator and administrator Martha M. Ellis (pictured) has been named the newly created Associate Vice Chancellor for Community College Partnerships for The University of Texas System. The appointment is effective July 1.

The post was created primarily to increase student transfers from community colleges to the UT institutions. The appointment of Ellis to the leadership position signals the UT System's commitment to improving community college transfer rates in the state.

Among Ellis' responsibilities will be coordinating the UT System community college transfer initiatives. The UT System - in collaboration with officials from the Texas Association of Community Colleges and the Texas A&M University System - is currently working to identify best practices and develop recommendations aimed at increasing the transfer rate of community college students to universities.

Officials may double rush hour tolls on Katy Freeway

Harris County Commissioners are considering whether to impose congestion pricing when the four toll lanes open on the rebuilt Katy Freeway in October. The Harris County Toll Road Authority is recommending the court set a rate of $1.25 during nonpeak hours for the trip between Texas 6 and the West Loop and double that during the morning and evening rush hours.

The court met with public opposition last June when it voted to double tolls on Houston's Westpark Tollway during rush hours. Commissioners overturned the decision several days later after the public outcry over the plan. The court will set the prices for toll lanes on the Katy Freeway in the coming months.

In 2002, the county, the Metropolitan Transit Authority and Texas Department of Transportation agreed to cooperate on widening the 11-lane Katy Freeway to 18 lanes. As part of that agreement, the three public bodies committed themselves to operating toll lanes that would always flow of about 45 mph, giving people an incentive to pay to use them.

Texas Ignition Fund to help market 14 new inventions

The University of Texas System's Texas Ignition Fund has awarded almost $500,000 to 14 inventions that judges believe have the potential to become commercial. The new $2 million Texas Ignition Fund was formed to encourage the commercialization of technologies and products developed within the UT System.

Among the winning inventions is a very small chip that can be implanted into humans and diagnose acid reflux. Another researcher was recognized for advancing the process for extracting lipids from algae to produce cheaper bio-fuels, said Keith McDowell (pictured), vice chancellor for research and technology transfer for the UT System. The grants ranged from $10,000 to $50,000 and may be used for personnel, equipment, supplies, business plans and in limited circumstances, faculty support and patent costs.

UT researchers in Brownsville receive $7 million grant

A group of researchers from The University of Texas School of Public Health's Brownsville regional campus recently won a five-year, $7-million grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Dr. Joseph McCormack (pictured), regional dean of the Brownsville campus, said the funds will be used to establish The Center of Excellence on Diabetes in Americans of Mexican Descent with a mission of developing prevention programs to fight diabetes and obesity in Mexican-Americans. The center is a part of the existing Hispanic Health Research Center.

The Hispanic Health Research Center received its first NIH grant in 2003, and researchers used that grant to kick off a long-term study of 1,800 Cameron County residents, monitoring their diabetes risk, weight and overall health for several years. In February, researchers released preliminary statistics from that study that showed 52 percent of Cameron County residents are obese and another 32 percent are overweight. In addition, one in five county residents has diabetes, and an additional 23 percent have "pre-diabetes," or blood-sugar levels that are elevated but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis.

Elgin proposes commuter rail link to Austin

Elgin city officials recently outlined the need for a commuter rail line to run on existing tracks to transport commuters back and forth to their jobs in Austin. The proposal was outlined by Elgin City Manager Jeff Coffee at a meeting in 2007 of the Transit Working Group of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).

Commuter rail is needed in Elgin, Coffee said because about 50 percent of its residents commute to Austin for work, and commuter rail service would spur development. Last year the city's economic development corporation purchased 80 acres for transit-oriented development (TOD), which Coffee said the city would like to model after Leader's 2,300-acre TOD. Development of the TOD could increase the city's tax base revenue by $2.4 million if dense development, aided by a commuter train, took place in Elgin. The city would help pay for the line, he said, but would have difficulty dedicating a penny of its sales tax to the rail.

While CAMPO owns the right-of-way for an unused rail line that runs about 20 miles west of Austin to Manor and Elgin, transit officials said the organization does not have funds to pay for another commuter rail line. Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty said he is concerned that Austin taxpayers would end up paying much of the estimated $75 to $80 million cost of the line.

Limbaugh to serve ASU as VP for Strategic Planning

Angelo State University has named Dr. James M. Limbaugh (pictured), a university administrator with more than three decades of higher education experience, as its vice president for strategy, planning and policy. Limbaugh is currently the associate vice president for institutional effectiveness at Frostburg State University in Maryland. He will assume his ASU duties June 1.

Limbaugh is a native Texan who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Prior to assuming his present position, Limbaugh served as FSU's assistant to the provost, director of special academic services, director of auxiliary services and associate dean of students. Before joining FSU he worked four years as assistant director of the Memorial Student Union at Kearney State College, now the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Carrollton plans $1.6 million in road improvements

The Carrollton City Council has accepted more than $1.6 million in federal funds for much needed road improvements. The Federal Highway Administration grant will be used to widen Whitlock Road, between Interstate 35E and Old Denton Road, from four to six lanes.

Cesar Molina, director of transportation for Carrollton, said widening the lanes will allow for more car capacity on the roads and will be an important access route from I-35E to future development surrounding the Trinity Mills Transit Oriented Development District.

This is the second phase of a three-part project the city of Carrollton applied for through the federal government in 1999, Molina said. To use the $1.6 million federal grant, the city must enter into a local funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation, and provide more than $2.3 million in local matching funds.

Name change granted to Health Science Center at Tyler

The University of Texas System Board of Regents has officially added the word "science" to the name of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.

UTHSCT President Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun (pictured) said the change will make the Tyler campus consistent with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Calhoun added that the name change represents a milestone on UTHSCT's journey toward realizing its potential as a top-notch academic medical center.

UTHSCT now has the ability to grant degrees and has a Family Medicine Residency Program, an Occupational Medicine Residency Program and two master's degree programs in conjunction with Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.

Panel to examine future of Corpus Christi ISD

A Citizens Advisory Committee named to reshape the Corpus Christi Independent School District has begun looking a various aspects of the district. At its first meeting last week, the trustee-selected, 41-member panel discussed the possibility of a bond election and other options to address major demographic shifts and facility needs.

Superintendent Scott Elliff said the group is made up of community and business leaders. Board of Trustees President Bill Clark told committee members to give the board an idea of what path the district should take to possibly upgrade older facilities and address population shifts.

Elliff, Clark and other administrators outlined the district's demographics with an eye toward a possible bond election in the future. In the past several months, board members and administrators have discussed possible $70 million, $95 million, $116 million and $166 million bond packages. The Advisory Committee is expected to meet for several months before issuing a comprehensive report on ways to reshape and improve the school district.

Task force gives San Antonio plan for schools in 2018

A Community-Based Facilities Task Force's has presented the San Antonio Independent School District with its vision of the future of what district schools should look like. The panel's work is a blueprint for how the district should look a decade from now, and is also the starting point for a potential bond referendum, officials said.

The 35-member Task Force's plan calls changes in instruction to graduating well-rounded students by challenging them academically. It also envisions state-of-the art facilities with cutting-edge technology in classrooms and round-the-clock computer and Internet access.

Superintendent Robert Duron (pictured) said selling the idea to the community would have to happen one step at a time. The task force recommendations are the first of four planning phases - completed in July 2009 - that will likely culminate in a bond referendum. The district faces dwindling enrollment and a shrinking tax base, which will result in a need to close some schools, including six at the end of this school year.

Pasadena ISD wins $1 million grant to improve teaching

The Pasadena Independent School District recently received a $949,434 federal grant designed to improve student achievement in American history by giving history teachers improved, in-depth professional development. The grant is one of 121 new U.S. Department of Education's Teaching American History grants totaling $124.7 million awarded to school districts in 40 states.

To remedy the knowledge gap of American history experienced by many of the 53 percent of students enrolled in the district who are limited in English proficiency or bilingual, the "From Kings to Presidents" project provides professional development in both content and research-based teaching strategies.

The grant also requires the district to partner with one or more organizations that have extensive knowledge of American history, including libraries, museums, nonprofit history or humanities organizations and higher education institutions. Through collaboration with Texas A&M University and the other institutions, the program will use interactive content to train 170 teachers in Pasadena.

Denison offers incentives for hotel, conference center

The Denison City Council and the Denison Development Alliance recently approved an economic incentive package for a new hotel and conference center scheduled to begin construction in September.

The agreement allows the hotel and conference center to receive a five-year, 50 percent property tax abatement and a 100 percent rebate of hotel and motel taxes for five years that will continue another six more years on a declining, sliding scale. The Denton Community Investment Corporation also awarded a $500,000 loan to the two developing partners.

Mayor Robert Brady (pictured) welcomed the $20 million investment by the private developers, saying their decision to build in the city is a reflection of Denison's pro-business environment. The project calls for a 150-room, upscale hotel with a full-service restaurant and a 17,500-square-foot conference space with a stage and dance floor. It is expected to create 50 new jobs and boost local tourism and business development.

Six counties get new emergency notification system

Emergency management officials in six Central Texas counties will soon be able to notify residents of severe weather and other emergencies when its new computer-based notification system goes into service in June.

The system will allow emergency officials with a click of a computer mouse to call home or cell telephones to notify residents in specific geographic areas of impending emergencies ranging from evacuation notices to boil water notices. The system uses the 911 database to call home telephones and a Web-based system to call cellular telephones.

A $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to the Heart of Texas Council of Governments and emergency management officials in McLennan Falls, Bosque, Hill, Freestone and Limestone counties paid for the geo-coded system that allows emergency officials to draw a circle or square on a map and hit a button to send either a recorded or custom message. The system will cost participating cities approximately $600 per year and 10 cents for each message sent out.

Galveston ISD to eliminate three administrative positions

Citing a financial exigency, trustees for Galveston Independent School District recently eliminated three administrative positions.

Superintendent Lynne Cleveland (pictured) said declines in enrollment, cuts in state funding and a dip in tax revenue because of the state's new Chapter 41 funding scheme created the need to eliminate two vacant administration positions and decline to renew the contract of another administrator.

Board President Andy Mytelka said the district is nearing the maximum administrator cost ratio allowed under state law that limits school districts to spending 12.5 percent of their budgets on administration. Galveston ISD, which spent $3.5 million on administrators last year, is approaching that limit, he said.

Brown selected lone finalist in Bay City ISD

Trustees for the Bay City Independent School District recently selected Keith Brown, currently superintendent at Thrall ISD, as the sole finalist for superintendent.

Brown served four years as superintendent at Thrall and has a total of 16 years education experience, nine in administrative positions. After the mandated 21-day negotiation period, Bay City ISD trustees will meet on April 30 to cast a final vote on whether to hire Brown.

Midland approves $23 million pact with aviation company

The Midland Development Corp. recently approved a $23 million agreement to lease three hangars at Midland International Airport for the next 20 years to a Texas-based company that strips and paints aircraft. The city of Midland and the company also must sign the agreement before it is finalized, said Doug Henson (pictured), chairman of the MDC.

Under the agreement, the MDC will pay an estimated $22.8 million for construction and improvements needed for the facilities. The company has agreed to pay about $15,832 in rent for the 46,000 square-foot AMI Hangar, while the two other hangars, which total 121,250 square feet, would be rented for about $41,730. However, the company will not be required to begin paying rent for the AM Hangar until it can move into the other two hangars, the city attorney said. The agreement calls for the rent to increase every four years.

The company also said it would create at least 200 full-time jobs with annual wages totaling about $6 million. Wages are expected to range from "$8.75 to $18 per hour for hourly workers, and $40,000 to $65,000 per year for salaried managers."

Patterson takes position as UT-Tyler vice president

Dr. Howard Patterson (pictured) has been appointed vice president for student affairs and external relations at The University of Texas at Tyler. Patterson, who has served as interim vice president since July 2007, succeeds Dr. Dale Lunsford, who is the current president at LeTourneau University. His appointment is effective immediately.

Patterson comes to the position after serving as assistant vice president for student affairs and external relations/athletic director since 2006. He has been with the university for seven years.

State agencies report $46.5 billion in private sector contracts during FY 2007

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

More than 19,500 contracts valued at $46.5 billion were reported by the State of Texas during Fiscal Year 2007. Texas state government is indeed a lucrative marketplace!

And this total for contracts, awarded by 122 state agencies and institutions of higher education, does not include all contracting that was done. In fact, the total represents only contracts that totaled $14,000 or more for professional, construction and consulting contracts or those that totaled $100,000 or more for major information systems. Many smaller contracts were not counted.

As always - and to no surprise - the majority of these contracts - 94.1 percent, or $43.7 billion - were spread among 10 agencies alone. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), had the lion's share of contract dollars, totaling $19.5 billion. The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), which has a $16 billion budget, 9,300 employees and oversight of the five-agency health and human services system for the state, reported $8.7 billion in contracts. The Teacher Retirement System, which this year will manage a $112 billion pension fund for its 1.2 million members, reported $5.7 billion in contracts during FY 2007.

Galveston County prepares its $100 million wish list

Galveston County government is studying the details of more than $100 million in projects it wants to undertake in the next several years. The projects will include large road, flood control and facilities projects.

Much of the financing will appear in the form of a bond issue on the ballot in November, while the balance will come from certificates of obligation. County Judge Jim Yarbrough (pictured) said he expects the Commissioners Court to have details of the package completed by June.

Laptops help give Floydada students success edge

After receiving laptop computers and the accompanying high-speed wireless connections from the Texas Technology immersion Project grant, students at Floydada Independent School District have raised their test scores and tripled the number of college hours the students are able to take while still in high school.

Floydada ISD began providing laptop computers to junior high students in 2004 and high school students in 2006. This year the district is one of only 18 school districts across the country recognized as an Apple Distinguished Campus.

Superintendent Jerry Vaughn noted the nearest four-year college is 30 miles from Floydada while the nearest community college is 90 miles away, creating a tough road for students from low-income families who cannot afford to pay commuting costs. Vaughn credited the laptop program for helping two seniors who will graduate with more than 50 hours of college credits earned with the help of the computers.

Rowlett mulls citywide ban on use of mobile phones

Rowlett City Council members are looking at a complete ban on using cell phones while driving in the city limits. Officials are considering the move as an extension of the city's ban on using mobile phones in school zones. Police Chief Matt Walling presented a report from the city's Traffic and Safety Advisory Committee on the effects of the school-zone ban, which prompted some council members to wonder if a citywide ban would make overall driving safer.

Many cities throughout North Texas already have restricted mobile phone use when drivers hit the flashing yellow lights mornings and afternoons when class is in session. The council asked the Traffic and Safety Advisory Committee to study the feasibility of a citywide ban at its next meeting.

Study urges Dallas to build convention center hotel

Several members of the Dallas City Council and Mayor Tom Leppert (pictured) heard an independent market study this week concluding that a proposed convention center hotel is a sound and necessary financial investment. The council's Economic Development Committee discussed the report, which said the hotel is needed for Dallas to regain its spot as a top-tier convention center city and compete against the country's top markets.

The study, conducted by HVS Consulting and Valuation Services Inc. for the City of Dallas, is an update to reports conducted in 2001 and 2003. It said the Dallas Convention Center remains underutilized due in part to the lack of an adjacent hotel. Rod Clough, MAI, managing director of HVS Dallas, said if a convention center headquarters hotel is not realized, the rebirth of the downtown Dallas landscape will be short-lived.

Intercontinental terminal
to get $1.2 billion facelift

The City of Houston and Continental Airlines have announced a $1.2 billion, 7- to 10-year plan to overhaul Terminal B at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The Houston Airport System and the airline will jointly pay to expand Terminal B from 360,000 square feet to 1.7 million square feet. Continental is the terminal's sole tenant.

The massive overhaul, which anticipates continued growth at Houston's largest airport, will include additional gates and a second Federal Inspection Services facility for U.S. Customs, indicating possible plans for international flights from the terminal. The plan calls for the number of gates to grow from 40 to between 60 and 65.

Shrinking budget may force nature center to close

Faced with a tight budget, trustees for the Richardson Independent School District are considering closing a 10-acre nature sanctuary and a district-run planetarium to cut costs.

The nature center, which opened nearly 30 years ago, has provided district students a natural laboratory to study such topics as poison ivy, microorganisms from ponds, fossils and prairie dogs. The nature center costs about $200,000 annually to operate and Richardson ISD faces an $873,000 budget deficit this approaching fiscal year. Last year, the district's annual budget was $250 million.

Nueces County to use GPS technology for surveying

Nueces County Commissioners recently approved the purchase of a $25,000 Global Positioning System satellite base station to help the county with surveying jobs. The base station, which is expected to be operational within six weeks, will operate out of a corner of a county office and provide county employees with unlimited access to the GPS system when they must survey for projects such as road development, construction and rehabilitation, housing and infrastructure development, drainage and dune mitigation.

County Engineer Glen Sullivan said the system in which U.S. government-owned GPS satellites orbit the earth sending back continuous radio signals could speed up the work of surveying crews by as much as 50 percent.

$3 million police facility under way in Portland

The City of Portland will more than double the space of its current police station once construction of a new $3 million, 12,500-square-foot police building is completed in fall 2007.

The new facility also will include a modern communication and 911 call center, a booking area with a secure place to load and unload prisoners, a forensic lab, storage space and private interview rooms, said Police Chief Randy Wright (pictured). Council members approved certificates of obligation for the facility in 2006, after reviewing results of a facilities assessment and master plan study conducted in 2000.

Terrell approves $2.2M renovation to building

City officials in Terrell recently approved spending $2.2 million to renovate a facility near the Terrell Municipal Airport, which currently houses several utility field crews.

The renovations are necessary, said City Manager Torry Edwards, to correct serious structural problems and to house five different field crew departments under one roof to make utility operations more efficient and customer-friendly. To come closer to the originally estimated cost of $1.5 million, city staff eliminated plans to improve the building's exterior and parking lots and expect to make those improvements at a later date.

Southside hires firm
to design new city complex

The Southside City Council recently approved a contract with an architectural firm to design a new municipal complex. Voters in November 2007 approved $4.5 million in bonds to build a new complex for to house the city hall and police and fire stations. The design phase is expected to take up to nine months.

Dallas purchasing manager Anthony Coleman retiring

Anthony L. Coleman (pictured), who has served the city of Dallas for more than a quarter of a century, is retiring. Coleman has been with the city for the last 26 years, most recently as manager of the city's Purchasing Department. He also was manager of the South Dallas/Fair Park Trust Fund and was a resource to South Dallas and minority business communities.

Coleman oversaw programs lending to minority businesses, repairing homes for senior citizens and helping lower-income families purchase homes, while also offering strategy on how federal funding was dispersed and helping double the number of minority contractors and subcontractors included in city projects.

Cleburne names Warlick interim superintendent

Longtime school administrator James Warlick has been named interim superintendent of the Cleburne ISD. He will fill in while school officials look for a replacement for former Superintendent Robert Damron, who asked to be reassigned.

Warlick previously served as superintendent in the Aldo and other school districts. He was an assistant superintendent in Burleson ISD. Prior to Warlick being named interim superintendent, Assistant Superintendent Carolyn Cody has been in charge of the district's operations.

Santa Fe ISD selects Wall
as new superintendent

Trustees for the Santa Fe Independent School District selected Leigh Wall to replace outgoing superintendent John Whittemore, who in January refused a one-year extension on his contract that expires June 30.

Wall, currently a high school principal, has a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Louisiana State University. Wall said she expects to earn her doctorate in August from Walden University and will have her probationary superintendent's certificate in May. She was one of two internal candidates considered for the position.

Grill chosen as new superintendent at Sabinal

Richard Grill (pictured) recently was named as the new superintendent of schools for the Sabinal Independent School District. Grill, who currently serves as assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment for the Bandera ISD, is expected to begin his new position in Sabinal on June 20.

Grill's education career began in 1983 as an agriculture science teacher at Burnet High School. During a 10-year stint there, he also served as Vocational Coordinator. In 1995, he took over the position of assistant principal at an elementary school in Manor, followed by an assistant principal position at the Manor Junior High. He also served as an assistant principal at the Marble Falls Elementary.

Grill began his career in Bandera eight years ago as principal of the Hill Country Elementary School. In 2003, he was named District Benchmark Assessment Coordinator and was in 2004 named Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. Grill earned his bachelor's degree from Southwest Texas State University and his master's from Tarleton State University, where he also completed the Superintendent Certification Program.

Fort Worth city officials facing budget cuts

Projected spending for the city of Fort Worth over the next five years is not matching up with projected revenues, thanks to the nation's economic slowdown and problems in the housing market. City officials thus are facing budget cuts as revenues are expected only to rise from 3.5 to 5.3 percent, compared to expected spending increases of 5.1 to 6 percent.

Mayor Mike Moncrief (pictured) and other city officials are looking at the possibility of a hiring freeze, cost cutting, smaller department budgets and possible consolidation or elimination of some departments.

Recent Reports

• An Audit Report on the Department of Information Resources and Security of the State's Data Centers
• DADS talk, DADS newsletter
• Texas Education Today, TEA newsletter
• An Audit Report on Performance Measures at the Texas Ethics Commission
• The Connection, HHSC newsletter
• SPI's List of 2008 Congressional earmarks for Texas
• SPI's May 2008 Municipal Bond Elections Report
• SPI's Defense Appropriations Bill Earmarks Report
• SPI's November 2007 Bond Election Results Report

Event Links

• Texas Transportation Forum
• Texas Hurricane Conference
• TCEQ's 2008 Environmental Trade Fair and Conference
• Texas Public Education Reform Foundation 2008 Statewide Education Summit
• Texas Citizen Corps Conference
• DFW NIGP Lone Star Regional Purchasing Conference
• Texas State University Small Business Development Center training schedule
• TWC Texas Business Conferences
• LBJ School Professional Development Calendar
• Upcoming Executive Women in Texas Government events

Ector County ISD picks Mendez as sole finalist

Trustees for the Ector County Independent School District recently named Hector Mendez (pictured) as the sole finalist for superintendent of schools. Mendez has served as interim superintendent for the last several months. He will not assume the position officially until the state-mandated 21-day wait is over after being chosen for the post.

Corpus Christi plans $23M
in tax notes for projects

Corpus Christi plans to take out $23 million in tax notes for a variety of projects - including the relocation of youth ball fields from land given to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. City finance officials told the City Council last week that the tax notes wouldn't increase the city's tax rate. Assistant City Manager Oscar Martinez said the notes are like loans that will be paid back with the city's debt tax revenue.

The projects include: $7.5 million for moving youth ball fields; $3.5 million for facility improvements for the American Bank Center convention center and in Bayfront Arts and Sciences Park buildings; $2.2 million in street and solid waste department equipment; $9 million for street maintenance and overlays; and $800,000 in administrative and issuance costs.

Williamson County teams with Georgetown on road

Georgetown and Williamson County officials have agreed to work together on an expansion of a busy two-lane road in Georgetown. The plan for a three and one-half mile portion of RM 2338 has been in limbo in recent months after the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) notified officials that it no longer had the approximately $22 million needed to pay for the expansion to five lanes.

Georgetown Mayor Gary Nelon (pictured) said it's a new problem that the city and county are having to address. He said the city is teaming with the county to build roads that the state cannot build or improve. TxDOT officials say federal funding cuts and increases in road costs have forced the agency to tighten spending. Now, money that was intended for expanding and building roads is being used to maintain existing ones. The effect has hit fast-growing Williamson County, where portions of seven major road projects have been delayed.

Weatherford to add new assistant city manager slot

A new assistant city manager slot has been created by the City of Weatherford after City Manager Jennifer Fadden appointed former Police Chief Jerry Blaisdell as first assistant city manager. Although not filled, the position of second assistant city manager was approved by the city council.

Blaisdell will oversee the fire department, parks, library, animal shelter and police department. The second assistant city manager will be responsible for coordinating maintenance and expansion of city infrastructure, including transportation, public works, utilities and technical services.

Other changes include phasing out the safety coordinator for a citywide risk manager and replacing the assistant city secretary position with a community relations manager slot. That person will serve as the city's public information officer, handle community relations and supervise the city secretary.

Temple ISD selects Battershell as lone finalist

After an extensive search including out-of-state candidates, trustees for the Temple Independent School District recently named Robin Battershell (pictured) as the sole finalist for superintendent of schools.

Battershell has served as superintendent of the Salado Independent School District for the last 10 years. She will finish out the school year in Salado and then begin her work in the Temple ISD on June 1, pending board approval.

Temple ISD Board Chair Steve Wright hailed Battershell for her innovative approach to education and her "strong leadership characteristics."

Governor's appointments

Gov. Rick Perry has announced the following appointments:

• Karen Rankin of San Antonio, presiding officer, Texas Veterans Commission
• John McKinney of El Paso, Texas Veterans Commission
• Eliseo Cantu Jr. of Corpus Christi, Texas Veterans Commission
• Allen Cline of Austin, Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners
• Karen Siegel of Houston, Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners
• Brett Gilbert of College Station, Texas Emerging Technology Advisory Committee

UTHSC dedicates new wing to house two cyclotrons

The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio has dedicated a new wing to house two cyclotrons. UTHSC is one of only five universities in the country to own and operate two cyclotrons for treating cancer and observing the inner workings of people and animals.

Dr. Peter Fox (pictured), director of the center, said researchers had to limit their studies before the purchase of its second cyclotron because of competing demands. The first cyclotron, weighing 20 tons, was purchased in the 1990s in partnership with Audie Murphy VA Hospital and Wilford Hall Medical Center. The UTHSC wing is named for Ruth McLean Bowman Bowers of San Antonio, who donated $1.6 million for its construction. It is attached to the Research Imaging Center, which is located a several blocks from the main campus.

Taylor joins Williamson County radio network

The City of Taylor's Police and Fire Department radios are getting an upgrade, allowing for better communication and complete interoperability with a countywide network of digital radios. Taylor's joining the network will enable all law enforcement and emergency response agencies in Williamson County to communicate more efficiently with each other. The upgrade will replace the VHF repeater system Taylor currently employs with a digital 800 MHz trunking system.

The current system of aging radios has created problems with some communications, with the fire and police departments unable to communicate with Hutto or any other city in the county. Taylor expects to have the new system in place in about three or four weeks.

UTMB's Osher Foundation gives $1M to endowment

The Bernard Osher Foundation recently contributed $1 million to establish an endowment that will support the University of Texas Medical Branch's learning institute for senior citizens. The foundation gave also $50,000 toward the institute's current budgetary needs before the endowment begins to provide sustained income.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UTMB is a community outreach effort offering those over age 55 an opportunity to grow intellectually and socially. The UTMB Health System supports the institute.

The institute offers college-level, semester-length courses, regardless of participants' educational background. No tests are taken or grades given; the classes give seniors the chance to learn together and discuss issues of interest with a local expert. Course topics offered among this spring's 32 classes, seminars and workshops include ballroom dancing, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Shakespeare.

UTPA to host forum to discuss border wall

The University of Texas-Pan American will hold a forum to discuss the border wall and other issues at the Student Union Theater on Tuesday, April 14.

Dr. Ethan Sharp (pictured) assistant professor of modern languages and literature, said the forum was created after UTPA faculty and the Texas Border Coalition discussed concerns regarding the border wall and came to the conclusion that as the border became an election issue, people around the country needed to hear from border residents to learn their perspective on border security.

The forum will feature South Texas political and business leaders knowledgeable about the needs of border communities, and who have engaged in work to influence federal policymaking so that it responds to the needs and interests of border communities. The forum also will be available by Webcast to Latin American studies centers and international education councils throughout the country.

Texas City school superintendent to retire

Superintendent Richard Ettredge has announced his retirement from the Texas City Independent School District after 21 years. His last day will be June 30. Ettredge was named superintendent in 2003. Before that, he served 15 years as the district's business manager.

A statement from the district said his accomplishments included new programs to curb discipline problems and improve instruction. He also ushered a $122 million bond issue last year for construction throughout the district, including new schools and technology upgrades.

City of Longview seeking alternative to warning sirens

After 18 months of testing its warning siren system, Longview city officials are considering other, more efficient systems to warn citizens of dangerous weather and other emergency situations.

Councilman Wayne Frost (pictured) and Mayor Jay Dean noted that after 18 months of testing and assurances that the siren system was working properly, the system did not always work as planned.

Dean and Frost both said they believed the most dependable system is a reverse 9-1-1 "ring down" program that communicates with all telephones on the system. The city spends $13,000 a year to maintain the siren-warning system that is prone to mechanical and electrical failures, Dean said. If the city switches to a ring-down system, the mayor said the siren warning system would become a secondary to the new system.

Dallas adopts green construction ordinance

The Dallas City Council has unanimously adopted a green construction ordinance which aims to reduce energy and water consumption in all new houses and commercial buildings constructed in the city. "We're at the lead of the major cities in this country. We had industry come in and really embrace it. We crafted it to make sense for everybody," said Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert.

While Dallas has had a Green Building standard for its city-owned buildings, which requires all buildings over 10,000 square feet to be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards, a standard did not exist for private development.

A Green Building Task Force, comprised of members of the residential and commercial development sectors, developed recommendations for the new standards for all new private development in Dallas. The task force's recommendations were approved by the City Council last week.

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Cornyn, Paige, Billington to speak at TPERF Summit

Registration closes today to hear U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige and James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress, at the Texas Public Education Reform Foundation's 2008 Statewide Education Summit. Slated for Friday, April 18, at the Austin Convention Center, the summit is the state's largest one-day education conference that brings together the entire school community, policymakers and business leaders to discuss how Texas' public education system should be reformed and improved. Other speakers for the event are Robert Scott, Texas Commissioner of Education, and Raymund Paredes, Texas Commissioner of Higher Education. Registration is open until Friday, April 11. For more information, click here, and to view the summit brochure, click here. To register, click here.

DIR to host Accessibility Forum on April 29

The Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) will host its Accessibility Forum from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, at The Commons Center, Big Tex/Large Auditorium, 10110 Burnet Road in Austin. The free conference addresses the accessibility of commonly used business materials such as word processing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. The program will also feature an overview of accessibility, a panel discussion on assistive technologies, best practices and effective strategies regarding certain types of documents and more. For more information, click here. To register, click here.

UT, UT System host 15th Annual HUB Vendor Fair

The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas System will host the 15th Annual Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Vendor Fair on Wednesday, May 7, at the Frank Erwin Special Events Center. HUBs and small businesses can display their products and distribute information about their services to university procurement personnel and procurement professionals from other state agencies and private institutions. The event is free and open to the public. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day. Business owners who want to participate in the event, click here. For more information, contact Annette Smith at 512-471-2850 or asmith@austin.utexas.edu or Tiffany Dockery at 512-471-2863 or tiffany.dockery@austin.utexas.edu.

TCEQ announces Environmental Trade Fair, Conference

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will host its 2008 Environmental Trade Fair and Conference on Tuesday through Thursday, April 29-May 1, at the Austin Convention Center. Considered one of the best environmental education forums in the country, the conference features 13 educational tracks, 400 exhibits and continuing education credits. The opening day of the conference will feature an informal lunch with the TCEQ commissioners. Tracks will include topics such as air quality, waste management, wastewater permitting, pollution prevention, compliance assistance and enforcement and more. For more information and to view the conference agenda and brochure, click here. To register, click here.

Texas Citizen Corps Conference slated June 3-4

The fourth annual Texas Citizen Corps Conference, sponsored by the Texas Association of Regional Councils, will be June 3-4 in San Antonio at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel. The conference is open to anyone interested in the Citizen Corps program, including regional councils of governments, local, state, and federal agencies, volunteers, emergency management professionals, first responder and other interested parties. Local elected officials and management level decision-makers will also be in attendance. Sessions will include training, strategic policy discussions, briefings from leaders in the Citizen Corps programs from across the nation, networking and best practices events and an exhibit hall. To register, or for more information, click here.

TASSCC technology education conference slated April 30

The Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communications (TASSCC) and the Department of Information Resources (DIR) will host the annual Technology Education Conference (TEC) on April 30 at The Commons Center on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus in Austin. This year's conference, "Best Practice Makes Perfect - Now What?" examines best practice techniques and how they relate to information technology regarding project management, managing the mobile workforce, virtualization of information, green technology, reacting to the pandemic flu and managing the E-world of today. Sponsorships are available. For more information, contact TASSCC at info@tasscc.org or (512) 474-1827.

DFW NIGP hosts Lone Star Purchasing Conference

The DFW Metroplex Chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing will host the 2008 Lone Star Regional Purchasing Conference on May 5-7 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine, Texas. This educational conference will begin on Monday, May 5, and will continue through 12 noon Wednesday, May 7. Conference attendees will receive a certificate at the end of the conference stating that they have earned 18 contact hours. For more information and to download a registration form, click here.