Texas Government Insider
Volume 8, Issue 16 - Friday, April 23, 2010
Austin, San Antonio awarded $10M each for retrofits
 
Home, business owners to pay back low-interest loans over time
 
Green CitiesThe cities of Austin and San Antonio are two of only 25 communities nationwide and the only cities in Texas in line for a total of $20 million in federal stimulus funds - $10 million each - to accelerate energy efficiency building retrofits. The news comes as Austin officials pledged support for ensuring that the city in the future increases significantly the amount of power it obtains from wind, solar and other non-greenhouse gas sources.
 
The funds are part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Retrofit Ramp-Up Initiative. It goes to communities, governments, private sector companies and nonprofits to work on innovative programs that lead to retrofits in communities and eventually the entire state.
 
Austin Energy officials are still working on final details of the energy retrofit program, but the program will provide loans to home and business owners to help them purchase new air conditioning and heating systems, install solar panels and other projects that will result in lower energy use. The federal grant also will pay for training home energy efficiency inspectors, energy efficiency modeling of appliances, lawyers to develop contracts and staff to process applications for the program.
 
San Antonio's Green Retrofit Initiative, which will be based in the city's Office of Environmental Policy, will launch a city-wide campaign to educate residents. Plans call for the program in both cities to allow cities to pay upfront costs for energy efficiency and conversions and allow home and business owners to pay back low-interest loans through the user's utility bills or property taxes. The models created through this program are expected to save households and businesses about $100 million annually in utility bills.
 
In addition to the federal funds, the 25 projects nationwide will leverage those funds with $2.8 billion from other sources. The Department of Energy will use the lessons learned from these pilot programs to develop best-practice guides that can be implemented in other communities across the country.
 
Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars
 
Jim GaertnerDr. James F. Gaertner, president, Sam Houston State University
 
Career highlights and education: Aside from my present job, my career highlights include seven years on the faculty at the University of Notre Dame, during which time I served as the director of Notre Dame's London MBA Program in England.  I spent 18 years as an administrator at The University of Texas at San Antonio before coming to Sam Houston State.  Both my undergraduate and master's degrees are from Sam Houston State, and my doctorate is from Texas A&M. 
 
What I like best about my job is:
Working with the great people on the SHSU campus has been a special joy. I also get significant pleasure out of planning and then later seeing the plans come to fruition.
 
The best advice I've received for my current job is: Some of the best advice that I have ever received was in a book: A Primer for University Presidents by Peter Flawn, the president emeritus of The University of Texas at Austin. The book provides advice to a new president on dealing with the many and diverse constituencies of the office. It is written in a straightforward and delightfully humorous style, and in my judgment should be a "must read" for any person assuming the role of president of an institution of higher learning.  
 
Advice you would give a new hire in your office:
 That to very many people we are the "face" of our university. That it is important to be both completely professional and very personable, and to treat people in a way that you would want to be treated yourself.
 
If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found:
 on the golf course.
 
People would be surprised to know that I:
 enjoy hiking and camping.
 
One thing that I wish more people knew about my university: That Sam Houston State University was recently designated as a Carnegie Doctoral Research University, which places us in the top 7 percent of institutions in the United States in the Carnegie classifications.   
 
 
Marsh named division director at DIR
Carl MarshCarl Marsh has been named division director for the Communications Technology Services Division of the Texas Department of Information Technology, effective April 19.
 
Marsh has extensive experience in information and communications technology in the private sector, where he has held senior executive-level positions for a variety of major communications companies. He also is a veteran in working with nationwide wired and wireless networks, hosted and managed services and management of technical facilities.
 
Marsh holds a bachelor's degree in business management and communications. 
 
TPWD looks at site for Fort Worth regional park
Carter Smith

After pledging to develop a regional park near Fort Worth, Carter Smith (pictured), executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, recently toured a potential site for a new regional park near Mineral Wells.

 

The agency will consider many sites and has placed a priority on finding property to provide a wide range of recreational activities close to Fort Worth. The goal is to select a park site before the legislature convenes in January 2011. Legislators earlier appropriated $9 million in funding from the sale of land near Eagle Mountain Lake that the state purchased in 1980 to develop into a park after Parks and Wildlife officials decided against developing a park there. Finding a suitable site and developing a regional park for $9 million will be a challenge, Smith said.
 
UNT names Lane Rawlins short-term president
Lane RawlinsLane Rawlins (pictured), former president of Washington State University, has been picked to serve as short-term president of the University of North Texas. He begins his appointment May 14.
 
A search committee meanwhile will look for a permanent replacement for Gretchen Bataille, who resigned in February. Since then, Phil Diebel has served as interim president.
 
Rawlins, who holds a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and a doctoral degree from the University of California, Berkley, is expected to serve through the end of the 2010-2011 academic year.
 
 
 $2.3 BILLION in new funding for Texas projects!!!!
 
 
UT Investment Management Company elects chairman
Paul FosterPaul L. Foster (pictured) of El Paso has been elected chairman of The University of Texas Investment Management Co. (UTIMCO) Board of Directors, effective immediately. He succeeds UTIMCO Board member Erie Nye of Dallas.
 
Foster currently serves as vice chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, where he chairs the Finance and Planning Committee. He has served on the UTIMCO Board of Directors since 2007. He formerly served as a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
 
Foster holds a bachelor's degree from Baylor University.
 
Two candidates remain for UT-Austin journalism director
Robert RivardTwo candidates remain in competition for the position of director of the School of Journalism at The University of Texas at Austin. A third finalist, San Antonio Express-News Editor Robert Rivard (pictured), has withdrawn his bid.
 
Rivard said he is, instead, focused on shepherding his newsroom through a troubling economic climate as newspapers undergo seismic shifts.
 
Glenn Frankel, a Pulitzer Prize-winning former Washington Post reporter, and Linda Steiner, professor and director of Research and Doctoral Studies at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, are still vying for the position, 
 
The Colony officials name city operations head
Troy PowellTroy C. Powell (pictured) has been picked to lead city operations for The Colony.
 
Powell has serve as city manager for the City of Claremore since 2005. Before that charge, he worked in various roles - including strategic business plan manager, management analyst and assistant city manager of administration - for the City of Edmond, Okla., beginning in 1997.
 
Powell was named a Top 40 Professional Under 40 in Oklahoma Magazine last year. 
 
State technology fund selects Austin start-up for grant

The Texas Emerging Technology Fund recently awarded a $250,000 grant to Nanotailor Inc., an Austin firm proposing to manufacture carbon nanocubes. The company could receive another $1 million in grants if it meets certain criteria in its effort to commercialize the nanocube technology.

 

The company licenses technology from NASA to make single-walled carbon nanotubes used in aerospace, energy, defense and pharmaceutical efforts. The company is working with Texas State University to further develop the process needed to make the nanotubes, which are very small, but strong carbon structures that are designed to be building blocks in several applications, including advanced batteries, semiconductors, biomedical devices, solar power cells and aerospace materials.

 

Texas Railroad Commission introduces blog
The Texas Railroad Commission has launched its Clean Propane Vehicles blog to keep residents informed about the $12.6 million in stimulus funds the U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded.
 
Those entities interested in adding propane vehicles to their fleets as well as anyone who wants to keep up with ever-evolving propane technology are encouraged to read the blog.
 
Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams said more features, including an RSS feed, will be added soon. 
 
O'Neill first female to preside over high court in 85 years
Harriet O'NeillHarriet O'Neill (pictured), one of the senior-most judges on the Texas Supreme Court, will preside over the state's highest court to hear TGS- NOPEC Geophysical Co. v. Susan Combs, et al., becoming the first female judge to do so since 1925. That year, Gov. Pat Neff appointed an all-female court to a case involving a fraternal organization.
 
O'Neill has served on the Court since 1999.
 
Justice Nathan Hecht, the court's longest-serving justice, recused himself from hearing the case. 
 
ETF awards A&M $750,000 grant to research company
The Texas Emerging Technology Fund recently awarded $750,000 to Viral Genetics, a California-based company moving its research operations to Georgetown.
 
The company performs research into treatments for HIV/AIDS and other diseases as well as research on biofuels, based on technology licensed from the University of Colorado. Karen Newell, the company's lead researcher, is moving to Georgetown to join the faculty of Texas A&M College of Medicine to work at the Texas Life Sciences Collaboration Center in Georgetown.
 
Austin PD to use grant for mobile shooting range
The Governor's Criminal Justice Division has awarded the City of Austin a $410,000 grant to create the Austin Police Department's Mobile Forced Options Simulator Range, a firearms training site for licensed law enforcement officials.
 
The range - housed in a portable, 53-foot trailer - will allow officers to train in a controlled environment featuring a virtual target system and acoustic insulation to muffle gunshots.
 
The mobile range will be available to officers in the 10-county Capitol Area Council of Governments Region for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.   
 
North Texas Tollway Authority to issue $400M in bonds
Victor VandergriffNorth Texas Tollway Authority officials recently agreed to issue $400 million in bonds to pay for a portion of the construction of Southwest Parkway and for construction of Texas 161, currently under way in Grand Prairie and Irving. Citing concerns over the liquidity of NTTA, board member Victor Vandergriff (pictured) of Arlington cast the only opposing vote on the proposal.
 
NTTA officials are expected to meet with Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials in May to finalize an agreement that will include each agency's responsibilities for building and managing Southwest Parkway, the NTTA chairman said. The NTTA could take control of the Southwest Parkway Project as early as August, if board members give final approval. While the Texas 161 and Southwest Parkway projects are unrelated and 20 miles apart, TxDOT and NTTA officials agreed last year to link the two projects financially to allow funding from one project to pay for the other project until the debts for both toll roads are paid.
 
NTTA may begin seeking bids from contractors for the connection of a northern portion of Southwest Parkways to Interstate 30 in June, a NTTA spokesman said.
 
Water Development Board approves financial assistance
The Texas Water Development Board has approved financial assistance of more than $54 million to several entities in the state. The funding includes the following:   
  • Agua Special Utility District (Hidalgo County) - $28,405,000 from the Economically Distressed Areas Program and $1,990,000 from the Texas Water Development Fund to finance first-time wastewater service; 
  • City of Alamo (Hidalgo County) - $460,000 from the Economically Distressed Areas Program to finance first-time wastewater service; 
  • Fort Hancock Water Control and Improvement District (Hudspeth County) - $3,013,000 from the Economically Distressed Areas Program to finance water system improvements;
  • Harris County Water Control and Improvement District No. 21 (Harris County) - $5,000,000 from the Texas Water Development Fund to finance water and wastewater system improvements;
  • Jefferson County Drainage District No. 6 (Jefferson County) - $5,640,000 from the Texas Water Development Fund to finance flood control improvements;
  • North Central Texas Municipal Water Authority (Haskell, Knox and Stonewall Counties) - $7,500,000 from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund-Disadvantaged Community Program to finance water system improvements; and
  • Sandy Land Underground Water Conservation District (Yoakum County) - $2,000,000 from the Agricultural Water Conservation Program to finance an agricultural water conservation program.  
McLendon selected as provost for Rice University

George McLendonOfficials of Rice University recently named George McLendon (pictured) as the new provost of the university.

 

McLendon, a biochemist, currently is the dean of the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke University. He also served as chair of the chemistry department at Princeton University and founded several biotechnology startup companies.

 

He will replace Eugene Levy, who served as provost at Rice University since 2000.

 
ACC hosting green jobs seminar for women
The Austin Community College District is hosting "Women in Green Jobs," designed to recruit more women into the emerging solar technology field next month on its Northridge campus. The session will cover job opportunities in the solar technology field as well as industry-training options available at ACC. Last year, only 10 percent of ACC students studying solar technology were women.
 
"We need to make recruitment of women a priority," instructor Cathy Redson said. ACC's new program, funded by a $59,800 contract from the U.S. Department of Labor, "will help ensure that women realize the opportunities that are out there," Redson said.
 
For more information, click here.
 
Austin sets timeline for possible $100 million bond election
Robert Goode

Austin city officials recently outlined a timeline for a possible $100 million bond election to pay for transportation projects including road, bicycle and pedestrian transportation improvements. City officials postponed until at least 2011 a bond election to approve funding for a proposed rail project.

 

On May 24, city staff members are scheduled to present a list of prioritized transportation projects to members of a recently appointed citizen task force, said Assistant City Manager Robert Goode (pictured). The timeline also calls for city staff to bring a draft list for the proposed bond election to the task force on June 14 and to brief city council members on the draft list on June 24, Goode said.

 

Following a review of the priority projects to be included in the bond election, City Manager Marc Ott will present final recommendations for the bond proposal to council members, who will then decide on Aug. 5 whether to adopt the exact ballot language and schedule the election for Nov. 2.

 
Copperas Cove mulling three options for new city hall
Following a presentation by Police Chief Tim Moines on three options for a new city hall, Copperas Cove City Council members began studying the best option for replacing the old city hall.
 
Moines identified Option 1, calling for a $15.7 million, three-story new city hall as his preferred option. The new 37,000-square-foot building would be constructed on the site of the current city hall. The new facility would house all city departments and the Chamber of Commerce if chamber officials agree to lease the space or to pay for the additional square footage, Moines said. Option 1 also calls for building additional parking areas that would be shared with the public library next to the city hall site.
 
Options 2 and 3 both call for the city to renovate an existing bank property across from the fire department for the city hall or to use the bank property site to build a new city hall. Moines said he preferred Option 1 because the city already owns the property and will not need to buy a building or property with unforeseen problems. Council members made no decision on the city hall proposal.
 
College Station ISD approves $82.5M for construction
College Station Independent School District trustees have approved just more than $82.5 million for the final and most comprehensive phase of construction for the district's new high school. The phase includes the cost of the building as well as furniture, instructional material, construction supplies, technology and other materials.
 
Clark Ealy, deputy superintendent for administrative services, said the phase marks the biggest project officials have associated with the passage of a 2009 bond package.  That package allows $7.6 million - the second portion of a three-part budget - for the construction of College Station High School.
 
The school is set to open in 2012 at a total cost of $101.3 million, about $45,000 less than administrators originally projected. 
 
Blinn College gives support for tax for Sealy campus

Trustees for Blinn College recently voted to support efforts of a group of Austin County residents working to enact a maintenance tax to pay infrastructure costs for a college campus in Sealy.

 

Leroy Zavala, a member of the group and a banker in Sealy, told Blinn trustees that a three-cent property tax would generate about $300,000 annually and allow the campus to expand by at least a thousand students. Currently, about 150 students are enrolled at the Sealy campus. The proposal calls for the tax to be paid only by property owners in the Sealy Independent School District and would be administered by the school district, Zapalac said.

 

The proposal most likely will be on the May 2011 ballot in Sealy, said Cathy Boeker, executive director of external affairs at Blinn College. As yet, the proposal contains no provisions on whether Sealy residents will continue to pay out-of-district tuition or pay in-district tuition, Boeker said. Currently, only Washington County residents pay in-district tuition for courses at any of the campuses operated by Blinn, she said.

 
UT-PA teams up with USDA to house regional director
Officials at The University of Texas-Pan American have joined forces with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to house Texas' new USDA regional director for Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) nationwide at their campus.
 
Ruby De La Garza, the new director and a native of the Rio Grande Valley from Alamo, will serve as liaison between the USDA and almost 40 HSIs in the state.
 
De La Garza said she knows the area well, including the needs of the community. "I have worked in the community and done a lot of nonprofit work with community-based programs," she said. 
 
Westlake ISD holds bond election forum
Westlake Independent School District Superintendent Nola Wellman (pictured) recently led a bond election forum for district residents to ask questions about a $125 million bond election potentially slated for November.
 
Some of the projects being considered include: a high school facility that would serve as a practice field for athletics and marching bands, updating schools so that they meet ADA requirements, constructing an additional elementary school and upgrading of old facilities.
 
To view the draft document showing needs in the district that might be addressed through a bond election, click here and look under "Recent Reports."
 
Houston Community College opens Persian Gulf branch
Mary Spangler
Houston Community College has teamed with the government of Qatar to open the Community College of Qatar, the first community college in the Persian Gulf.

HCC Chancellor Mary Spangler (pictured) said the aim behind the new school is partly to "prepare our students to be comfortable in a global environment."

The new school will be covered by HCC's accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and will offer lower-division academic course work and job-training programs. 
 
DOE awards UH's College of Technology $2.5M grant
The Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a coalition led by the University of Houston's College of Technology a $2.5 million grant from the Department of Energy to develop a smart grid workforce training program. The initiative will help develop a grid workforce-training program to prepare new electric-power industry workers. In all, the DOE has awarded nearly $100 million for 54 smart grid workforce-training programs nationally.
 
Raymond E. Cline Jr., a research professor in UH's College of Technology and program manager for the project, said the grant is a tremendous achievement "for UH and the coalition, which is dedicated to developing a regional and national skill center that will be the focus of hands-on training for electric power sector employees."
 
Training programs will be geared toward support for electricians, line workers, technicians, system operators, power system engineers, cyber security specialists and transmission planners.  
 
UNT Health Science Center M.D. program awarded $2.5M
Scott RansomThe University of North Texas Health Science Center recently won a $2.5 million grant from the JPS Health Network to help fund the creation of an M.D. program. The Tarrant County Hospital District operates the JPS Health Network.
 
UNT officials have set a goal of raising $25 million in contributions before seeking approval from Texas legislators to remove a stipulation that prohibits the health science center from offering training for medical doctors, said Scott Ransom (pictured), president of the UNT Health Science Center. The stipulation was added over concerns that training medical doctors at the UNT Health Science Center could damage the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine that is also operated by UNT.
 
The $2.5 million grant from JPS Health Network is contingent on the legislation to remove the stipulation being approved by legislators, Ransom said.
 
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Georgetown eyeing plan for second city hall

Following a recent presentation by the city manager, Georgetown City Council members are mulling a plan to renovate a vacant, 55,000-square-foot grocery store into a second city hall to accommodate some city administrative and municipal court employees.

 

The city purchased the retail store for $4.3 million in 2008 and planned to spend an additional $16 million to renovate the building into a new police station and municipal court. Council members, however, decided in 2009 to try to sell the building and received offers of $800,000 or less for the property.

 

The city manager urged council members to approve renovating the building to accommodate some offices from city hall, including the economic development office, the public communications office and municipal court personnel. The police and some administrators from the Georgetown Independent School District also could move into the building if council members decide to renovate the former retail facility, the city manager said.

 
Drug trafficking grant goes to Midland Police Department
Price RobinsonThe Midland Police Department recently won two grants totaling $174,000 to combat illegal drug trafficking.
 
The first grant of $157,400 and a second grant for $17,000 from the Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program will be used to buy equipment, office supplies and for operational expenses such as gasoline, said Chief Price Robinson (pictured).
 
Midland PD joined the West Texas region of the HIDTA program in August 1998 and currently has one officer assigned to the task force comprised of other local law enforcement agencies, including the Midland County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
 
Texas State Technical College named FAA training school
The Federal Aviation Administration recently selected Texas State Technical College as one of five schools in the nation to become part of the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative of the FAA.

 

The AT-CTI program will add more value to TSTC's Aerospace Center of Excellence, which will be housed in a new building scheduled for groundbreaking in May 2010, said Jeff Beene, director of aerospace technologies for TSTC. Aviation experts expect a 26 percent increase in the need for air traffic controllers by 2016 and the grant will help TSTC train more students for those jobs, he said.

 

The program requires students to complete five semesters at TSTC, pass a written exam and receive a recommendation from the aerospace center to be admitted into the FAA's Air Traffic Control Academy. The FAA also selected LeTourneau University, a private university in Longview, to participate in the AT-CTI program.

 
Whitehouse reviewing seven candidates for city manager

After receiving more than 60 applications, Whitehouse City Council members recently began reviewing questionnaires sent to seven candidates. The list of seven remaining city manager candidates includes Whitehouse Interim City Manager Mike Peterson, who attended the special meeting and responded to additional questions from council members.

 

Other candidates whose responses to the four questions were reviewed by council members include: Dale Bunn, an economic development director from Fort Scott, Kansas; Erin Roseman, a senior management analyst in Arlington; Bill Lewis of Perryville, Missouri; Charles Clark, a former city employee in Waco; Dennis Sparks of Hopewell, Virginia, who is self-employed; and David Fuqua, an equipment operator from Cushing, Oklahoma. The mayor read the responses submitted by each city manager candidate.

 

Council members now expect to formulate one or two more questions to ask the candidates in a telephone interview and then select a new city manager.

 
Sherman approves $347,200 to improve football stadium

Trustees for Sherman Independent School District recently authorized $337,600 to repair drainage problems at Bearcat Stadium and an additional $9,600 for engineering work required to complete renovations of the stadium.

 

Board members also approved $35,000 to pay for improvements to the field house and $35,000 to repair the parking lot at Sherman High School.

 

The stadium renovation project includes stripping the existing grass, adding drainage, spreading additional sand and installing sod and grass, said Scott Conrad, director of maintenance and operations for the district. District officials are using additional revenue received from the state because of increased enrollment this year to pay for the improvements, said Bruce Barnett, assistant superintendent for financial services. District officials plan to begin the stadium renovations soon and complete the project this fall. 
 
Hidalgo Co. backs Edinburg's downtown plan with caveat
Ramiro GarzaHidalgo County commissioners recently approved a resolution to support Edinburg's downtown master plan, but with a caveat that the plan may be changed when county commissioners decide on the future of the county courthouse.
 
Edinburg city officials sought support and feedback from the county, the school district and the University of Texas-Pan American while finalizing the master downtown plan expected to be complete in June, said City Manager Ramiro Garza (pictured). The master plan includes beautifying existing streets and buildings and creating six destination districts. The town square district features a new courthouse and green spaces that can be used for outdoor markets or music performances, he noted. Because the courthouse is a major downtown feature, its future will have a major impact on the future of downtown, Garza noted.
 
County Commissioner Tito Palacios, however, said that while the courthouse built in 1954 does not meet the county's need, commissioners plan to get as much use as possible from the old courthouse as a new 20,000-square-foot courthouse will cost an estimated $75 million to build. County officials are undecided whether to build a new courthouse on the same site or build on another location. The county's five-year capital improvement plan includes $10.8 million for renovations and improvements to the existing courthouse.
 
Corpus Christi approves $78,300 for cost-cutting plan
Corpus Christi City Council members recently approved $78,300 to pay an Indianapolis-based consulting firm for the first phase of a review of city functions and identifying areas in which to reduce spending.
 
City officials expect a $10 million budget shortfall for the next fiscal year for the city, which begins in August.
 
 
Boerne agrees on processing system for treatment plant
Members of the Boerne City Council recently approved a new processing system for a $29.7 million wastewater treatment plant to be built during the next 18 months.
 
The new processing system is a biological nutrient removal activated sludge system that won over three other options considered by city officials. The process removes organics and solids, converts ammonia nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen and removes phosphorus from the raw sewage. The sewage will then flow to secondary clarifiers to be filtered, disinfected and re-aerated before being discharged into Cibolo Creek or for outdoor re-use.
 
Council members are still reviewing ideas for landscaping, building design, education and training facilities as well as possible hiking and recreation use for the site, the mayor noted.
 
 
University Health System board OKs building purchase 
George HernandezThe University Health System board has the purchase of a medical office building that may cost in excess of $9 million, including repairs and moving expenditures. The 48,000-square-foot building is located across the street from the System's tax-supported hospital.
 
George B. Hernandez Jr. (pictured), president of the University System, said the property is needed to house departments that need a home while the hospital undergoes a $900 million renovation.
 
System officials decided it would be cheaper to purchase and upgrade the building rather than pay rent for several years.
 
Wichita Falls approves airport master plan
Wichita Falls City Council members recently approved an airport master plan that will cost about $54,847,705 for 13 projects over a 20-year time span to complete.
 
The short-term projects for the first five-year period include runway reconstruction, rehabilitation of the existing parking apron, a new rental car service facility and a new passenger terminal, city officials said. The next phase includes demolishing the existing passenger terminal, reconstructing the existing general aviation parking apron and improving security.
 
During the final 10-year period, airport officials plan to rehabilitate and later overlay a runway and widen and strengthen a taxiway. Airport officials must still submit the airport layout plan drawing and a report to the Federal Aviation Administration for approval.
 
Fair Oaks Ranch eyeing new home for police department
Aldermen for Fair Oaks Ranch recently authorized city staff to find an architect to design a 9,000-square-foot building for a new police station on the existing municipal complex.
 
Currently, the police station is housed in a 1,700-square-foot building that was originally a home and police need more space, said Police Chief Scott Rubin.
 
El Paso OKs $5.1 million for airport improvements

Monica LombranaEl Paso City Council members recently approved $5.1 million to pay for improvements to the El Paso International Airport.

 

The improvements are primarily for the business park on Airport Road and to renovate a hangar, said Monica Lombrana (pictured), airport director. The city will contribute $3.5 million to match the same amount in federal funding to demolish and rebuild a hangar on the western edge of the airport at an estimated cost of $7 million.  The new hangar is expected to supplement a hangar on the airport's east side that houses air and marine operations for the El Paso office of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

 

City officials also plan to spend $151,000 to repair the roof of the hangar currently used by customs and border patrol personnel and $1 million to repave and improve the landscaping for the industrial park owned by the airport off Airport Road, Lombrana said. The funding also will provide $500,000 to renovate and repair the roof of a cargo facility that will soon house tenants of a building scheduled to be demolished. Plans call for the site of the demolished building to eventually become a full-service car rental facility.

 
Waco to buy GPS devices for city buses
Waco City Council members recently directed city staff to solicit bids for adding GPS devices to Waco Transit buses. The GPS devices will allow residents with smart phones to use online mapping applications to locate where the buses are in real time and people with basic cell phones to receive updates via text message, said Brandon Thomas, director of marketing for Waco Transit. The technology also will permit Waco Transit to monitor driver performance, he added.
 
The GPS devices could cost from $100 to $500 per bus to install, depending on the technology the city decides to use, Thomas said. The city should receive bids for the GPS devices in about 45 days.
 
Plano ISD unveils mobile computer lab for parents
Officials of the Plano Independent School District recently unveiled their new $300,000 mobile computer lab to be used as an outreach effort for needy families and engage more parents in their children's education. Staff on the van also will help connect needy families with social services.
 
District officials used a portion of the $13.7 million in federal stimulus funding set aside for low-income students to pay for the mobile computer lab. The mobile lab features 13 computer stations equipped with headsets for parents.
 
The lab will be staffed by school administrators, a police officer and bilingual volunteers who help the parents learn how to use the computer and the Internet. The computer lab van will stop at mobile home parks and apartment complexes around five elementary schools once or twice a week in the morning and during the early evening, district officials said.
 
Chief wants strong penalties for distracted drivers
William McManusSan Antonio Police Chief William McManus (pictured) recently requested the Governance Committee of the city council to support an ordinance to prohibit failing to pay full-time attention to driving. The ordinance would apply to motorists sending text messages, putting on makeup, eating or performing other activities that distract them while behind the wheel.
 
A letter he received from a council member seeking a ban on texting prompted his broader recommendation to penalize distracted drivers, McManus said. Both Austin and Phoenix, Arizona, have prohibited drivers from sending text messages while driving, and 23 states have adopted laws banning texting. After seeing multiple incidents involving distracted drivers, including a woman knitting while driving and a man changing clothes behind the wheel, McManus said the entire problem of distracted drivers must be addressed. Committee members took no action on the chief's recommendation.
 
UTSA students to vote on $5-per-semester green fee
Students at the University of Texas at San Antonio will vote to implement a $5 per semester fee to fund green initiatives around campus. So-called green fees are used to replace inefficient light bulbs and install solar panels, among other energy- and cost-saving measures. 
 
The fee could generate up to $145,000 per semester. Students, staff and faculty are all encouraged to pitch ideas for sustainability projects if the measure passes. 
 
Leander ISD to build two new schools
Trustees for the Leander Independent School District recently approved construction of two new schools, a $21.4 million elementary school and a $36.9 million middle school. 
 
Voters in 2007 approved bonds to pay for the new schools. District officials expect both new facilities to be open for classes in the fall of 2011.  
 
Last BOP sessions with TxDOT is announced
The last session of the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) Business Outreach and Program (BOP) Services Small Business Briefing conferences has been announced for June 15  in Texarkana. The conference goal is to provide small and minority-owned business communities an opportunity to learn more about contracting opportunities with TxDOT. Information will be available to help them do business with the agency and the State of Texas. The sessions not only allow small businesses to be introduced to TxDOT and other state agencies, but also allows them to learn more about the economic development opportunities in their regions. It also allows the agencies to show the myriad of opportunities available for small and minority businesses in the state. For more information, click here or call 1.866.480.2518, Option 2.
 
Austin awards event to honor government employees
The CenTex Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) will host its Public Service Recognition Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 7, from 6:15 to 9 p.m. at the DoubleTree Guest Suites in Austin. Keynote speaker will be Travis County Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt. The event is being held in conjunction with Public Service Recognition Week,  May 3-9. It is a nationwide observance and public education campaign to honor federal, state, county and local government employees nationwide who put service above self. The local banquet's theme is "Journey to Public Service." The activities will begin with registration at 6:15 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 and presentation of awards at 7:30. The keynote address begins at 8 p.m. The cost to attend is $40 for ASPA members, $50 for non-members and $35 for students.
 
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Note to Media
 
Thousands of construction opportunities in Texas...May bond elections may mean thousands more!
 
Mary Scott NabersBy Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
 
Construction projects are rampant in the Texas public sector. That makes all kinds of firms happy because when there is construction, there are numerous other needs as well. 
 
Governmental entities are also happy because cities, counties and school districts are realizing they can get much more for their dollars now than they could in the past.
 
Lower materials costs and increases in the number of firms bidding on government projects have driven construction costs down nationwide.  Government entities are saving millions of dollars on both new building and renovation projects.
 
After billions of dollars were made available through the federal stimulus program,  bids on construction projects began coming in up to 20-40 percent lower than estimated costs. That trend has continued for both stimulus and non-stimulus funded projects.
 
In Austin, a new federal courthouse project received part of the $4 billion in recovery funds allocated nationwide for federal buildings, but low bids on many of those projects resulted in a savings of $173 million which could then be used for additional energy-efficient, cost-saving features.
 
 

Halff

 
Austin ISD appoints Alawneh to technology position
John AlawnehTrustees for the Austin Independent School District recently appointed John Y. Alawneh (pictured) as executive director for technology.
 
Currently serving as executive director of technology operations for Plano ISD, Alawneh holds a bachelor's degree from University of Texas at El Paso, a master's degree from University of Texas at El Paso, a master's degree from New Mexico State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at El Paso.
 

ADP

 
FEMA awards Greenwood
VFD $195,000 grant
The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in conjunction with the U.S. Fire Administration has awarded the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department a $195,287 grant for the purchase of equipment and to fund training.
 
The funds will help provide much-needed equipment - including hoses, breathing apparatuses, communication headsets, an air refueling station and gas monitors - so Greenwood VFD members have the tools they need as emergency first responders.
 

Maximus

 
Lubbock nets grant, loan to address rural-area needs
To help pay for upgrades to the water treatment plant in Lubbock that services rural Brownfield, Lamesa, Slaton, Tahoka and O'Donnell, the city is set to receive a $660,600 Rural Development grant and a loan for $1,981,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
 
The USDA's Rural Development program helps rural residents, communities and businesses with the financial and technical resources required to address their needs. 
 

Strategic Edge

 
Canyon group awards $250K grant for lawn landscaping
The Canyon Economic Development Corporation recently awarded a $250,000 grant to Randall County to pay for a portion of improvements planned for the lawn of the Randall County Courthouse, built in 1909.
 
Randall County commissioners said the lawn improvement project should be placed for bid in about one month to six weeks. The funding will be used for tree removal, dirt work, concrete, lighting, furniture, design and for construction management and landscaping, said a spokesman for the Canyon EDC. 
 
Emig's proposal success nets $3 billion in awards
Ed EmigEd Emig is SPI's lead proposal writer for the Special Services Division, which offers a wide array of services from grant writing and sales training to media/spokesperson training and keynote speakers. Emig has more than 25 years of experience in all phases of proposal development, including capture strategy development, pricing and cost justification and contract transitions/start-ups. He has an in-depth knowledge of both state and federal government procurement processes.
 
Emig has been involved with more than 200 different proposals for a variety of industries. Those proposals have resulted in more than $3 billion in contract awards. His expertise in the field of Information Technology is unparalleled. For NASA, he developed transition plans as part of proposal development, created a metrics-based performance evaluation plan and created a pricing model for a $200 million information technology services contract.
 
For a complete portfolio of experts and the services they offer, to inquire about specific services or to inquire about becoming a part of SPI's new Special Services division, contact Brooke Holliman at 512-531-3948 or bhollimon@spartnerships.com. For information on other individuals in our Special Services division and their areas of expertise, click here
 
 
Galveston ISD hires search firm to find superintendent

Trustees for the Galveston Independent School District recently authorized a Terrell-based search firm to find a new superintendent to replace Lynne Cleveland, who is expected to resign to accept the position of superintendent of Little Elm ISD.
 
Cleveland, whose last day with the Galveston district is expected to be June 6, advised trustees she does not think it necessary for the district to hire an interim superintendent.
 

Absolute Software

 
David Borrer resigns as superintendent of Hutto ISD
Superintendent David Borrer of the Hutto Independent School District recently submitted a letter of resignation and retirement to the board of trustees. The effective date of his resignation is April 30. Borrer served as superintendent since 2005.
 
Board members are expected to select a search firm to help find a new superintendent at their regular meeting on May 13, said Assistant Superintendent Ed Ramos.
  
 

Government Marketplace

 
Where are they now?
 
Where do folks go when they leave government? Some go to work in the private sector or for nonprofits. Some transition to executive-level positions in higher education while others may seek elected local government positions. And some just retire and spend a lot of time with their grandkids at the fishin' hole. This column focuses on where former state government officials and private sector employees are now.
 
Albert HawkinsAlbert Hawkins served with the Texas Legislative Budget Board for 16 years and then as budget director from 1995 to 2000 to then-Gov. George W. Bush. He followed Bush to Washington, D.C., where he served as a senior aid to the president. In 2003, he was named executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, a position from which he retired in 2009. He was recently chosen by Texas House Speaker Joe Straus to serve as Straus' senior policy adviser. Hawkins also was recently named a trustee at Huston-Tillotson University.
 
Highland Park selects
Brown as lone finalist MIke Brown

Highland Park Independent School District board members recently selected Mike Brown (pictured) as the lone finalist for superintendent. Brown has served as superintendent of the Sunray Independent School District for 12 years.

 

Brown will replace Superintendent Bill Mayfield, who is retiring from Highland Park ISD in May. Brown is scheduled to begin his new position on July 1.
 

LeFleur

 
Cedar Park OKs $86,000
for fire training facility

Cedar Park City Council members recently authorized $86,000 to renovate two homes currently used by the fire department as a training facility.
 
The renovation project will bring the two homes back to minimum standard required for training facilities, said Josh Selleck, director of finance. The city will use funding from the Hidden Valley Rental Fund, created to help pay for asbestos abatement and to replace faulty plumbing and electrical wiring, to pay for renovating the two homes used for firefighter training, Selleck said. 
 

HDI Solutions

Midland ISD narrows its superintendent search
Jay IsaacsFollowing interviews with six candidates for superintendent, Midland Independent School District trustees recently narrowed the list of candidates to two applicants.
 
The two remaining candidates for superintendent will return to Midland with their spouses before a finalist for the position is announced, said Jay Isaacs (pictured), president of the board of trustees. Isaacs declined to identify the two candidates, but said both held doctorate degrees, are now serving as superintendents and have school-age children. District officials hope to have a new superintendent named by July 1, when Superintendent Sylvester Perez is scheduled to retire. 
 

Services

 
Kendall County wins federal grant to buy generators
The Firefighters Grants Program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently awarded an $82,512 grant to Kendall County Emergency Services. The grant funding will be used to buy generators to maintain services when electric power is disrupted and protective clothing for county EMS personnel, county officials said.
 
Cleveland installing new red-light cameras at three spots

Cleveland city officials recently began the construction and installation of red-light cameras at three locations.
 
On April 13, a private firm began work on the red-light project and is installing cameras at East Houston Street at North Fenner Avenue, South Washington Avenue at Tucker Street and South Washington Avenue at Southline Street, city officials said. Motorists who are photographed running red lights will receive a warning until June 6, after which motorists will be charged $75 for each violation caught on the red-light cameras.

SPI on Twitter

 
Houston ISD names Alvez as chief communications officer
Aggie AlvezTrustees for the Houston Independent School District recently selected Aggie Alvez (pictured) as the district's chief communications officer. She will replace William "Lee" Vela, who is moving to a newly created position of General Manager of Student Initiatives.
 
Alvez currently serves as Director of Communications and Family Outreach at Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Maryland, where she also worked as a human relations compliance officer and a teacher. She also served as a director of public affairs for a nonprofit organization and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. She holds a law degree from the University of Baltimore.
 
 

Procurement Edge

 
Travis Co. agrees to buy $61.25 million office building
Travis County Commissioners recently agreed to purchase a 15-story downtown office building on Lavaca Street and an adjacent parking garage for $61.25 million in an effort to solve the county's current shortage of office and parking space in downtown Austin.
 
Closing on the building should occur in June and county officials plan to begin renovations soon after the sale is final, said Rodney Rhoades, executive manager of the planning and budget office. County officials plan to issue $65 million in bonds to pay for the building purchase.
 
Texas Government Insider Archives
 
Volume 1-8 Archives -1/8/04 - 3/26/10
 
SPI seeking additional outside consultants 
SPI is adding additional outside consultants.  

Currently, there is a need for procurement consultants in the following areas:  
  • Public Safety
  • Health care
  • Education/ K-12
  • Local and State Government - Houston, San Antonio, El Paso 
If you are interested in this opportunity, contact Ashley Nauert at anauert@spartnerships.com
 
 
Speaker's appointments
House Speaker Joe Straus has announced the following appointments:
  • State Rep. Veronica Gonzales, National Conference of State Legislators' Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Taskforce

HID

Horseshoe Bay goes forward with plans for $600K bridge
Horseshoe Bay City Council members recently gave approval to an engineering firm to finalize design plans for a double-arch bridge to cost an estimated $600,000.
 
Construction on the new bridge over a low-water crossing at the entrance of Bay West Blvd. is expected to begin in November.
 

Job Board

 
Gonzales ISD selects Strozier as its new superintendent
Kim StrozierTrustees for the Gonzales Independent School District recently selected Kim Strozier (pictured) as the lone finalist for superintendent, to replace Vic Salazar, who is retiring in June.
 
Strozier currently serves as an assistant superintendent at Willis ISD and previously served as a teacher in Colorado and at Conroe ISD. She holds a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and a Ph.D. from Sam Houston State University.
 
 
Amarillo city manager announces retirement plans
Amarillo City Manager Alan Taylor has announced that he will retire at the end of June, after 33 years  with the city. He began his work as city manager in 2003, but his career with the city dates back to 1977 when he served as a planner. He later was city building official and then spent nearly 18 years as assistant city manager. Taylor has recommended Deputy City Manager Jarrett Atkinson as his replacement. City officials said they will soon begin conversations about a replacement for Taylor.
 
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Alamo College trustees approve FBI firing range
Alamo College trustees have approved the construction of a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) firing range at the district's First Responders Academy. 
 
The FBI will front $1.3 million of construction costs and will get priority use of the facility. Alamo College students will also have access to the firing range for training purposes.
  
 
 
The Texas Government Insider is a free weekly e-newsletter detailing important happenings throughout the state and summarizing current political issues relevant to individuals interested in government.
 
Publisher: Mary Scott Nabers
 
The Insider is published by Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI), a research and consulting firm. Founded in Texas in 1994 by former government executives and public sector experts, SPI has developed a national reputation as the premier marketing partner dedicated to helping companies secure contracts in the $1.5 trillion state and local government marketplace.
 
To learn more about SPI services click here or contact our sales department at 512-531-3900.
 
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