Amendment to state budget bill would fund 911-answer service

A Central Texas legislator recently won adoption of an amendment to include more than $814,000 for the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) to continue 911-answering services in eight central Texas cities.

The Commission on State Emergency Communications had recommended that the central Texas council receive a 27 percent reduction in its $15.3 million budget for 2012 and 2013. Closing down 911-answering services at police departments in Elgin, Lago Vista, Lakeway, Leander, Luling, Smithville, Taylor and West Lake Hills was projected to save $814,000.
 

Officials of several counties and small cities opposed their proposed $5.6 million in reduced state spending to emergency response funding and closing answering services as these actions could slow emergency response. To respond to the proposed budget cuts, CAPCOG has recommended eliminating public education, non-mandatory training for call-takers and two currently vacant positions and reducing funding to replace 911 equipment. 

SPI, LBJ School conduct another successful workshop

'Results-oriented Procurements' offers insight into private sector processes

SPI Sr. Consultant Dave Horton visits with workshop attendee Tanya Skaarup of the Attorney General's Office.

Government procurement professionals participated in another highly successful "Results-oriented Procurements" workshop this week hosted by Strategic Partnerships, Inc. and The University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs. The workshop is one of a number held throughout the year for persons involved in commercial bidding and procurement.
 

The goal of the workshop is to improve attendees' understanding of private sector firms and how they approach the procurement process. That understanding often leads to increased competition and proposals. The unique aspect of the procurement process from the commercial vendors' perspective is discussed by SPI's veteran consulting staff, who have been involved in the procurement process from both sides of the table and bring special insight and information to the training.

These courses have been developed with input from corporate vendors, government procurement experts and sales executives who sell to government and also include the very popular "best practices" information.
 

SPI Vice President of Public Affairs Gay Erwin discusses procurement issues with Travis County's Marvin Brice (left) and Jason Walker.

Among the topics covered during the session are attributes of vendor culture, why vendors are reluctant to bid, vendor communication preferences, methods for overcoming procurement obstacles and more.
 

The workshops have been attended by proposal development teams, financial and business operations personnel, contract managers,

purchasers, proposal evaluation team members and division directors. For more information on the next workshop, please contact Reagan Weil at rweil@spartnerships.com or 512-531-3917.

Cavins-Tull selected as TCU vice chancellor for student affairs

Texas Christian University administrators recently named Kathryn Cavins-Tull (pictured) vice chancellor for student affairs, effective July 1. She replaces Don B. Mills, who will become a distinguished professor in the College of Education.

Currently, Cavins-Tull serves as vice president for student affairs/dean of students at Illinois Wesleyan University. She also worked at Western Illinois University, where she held several positions, including associate vice president for student services.
 

She received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Western Illinois University and a Ph.D. from Illinois State University.

Sam Houston State selects VP for finance, operations

Sam Houston State University leaders recently named Alvin "Al" Hooten (pictured) vice president for finance and operations, effective on or before Aug. 1. He replaces Dana Gibson, who now serves as SHSU president.
 

Hooten is currently vice chancellor for finance and administration at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Prior to joining UT-Martin in 2000, Hooten worked for Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls and Boise State University in Idaho.
 

Hooten earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. 

Brookhaven College announces four finalists for president

Leaders at the Dallas County Community College District will soon interview four finalists for Brookhaven College president.
 

The finalists are: Virginia-based Tidewater Community College Provost Alex Kajstura (top right), who holds a bachelor's degree from Silesian University in Poland, master's degrees from Texas Tech University and LeTourneau University and a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University. The University of Texas at Dallas Associate Professor and Associate Provost Thom Chesney (top left), who earned a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis, a master's degree from Mankato State University and a Ph.D. from Florida State University; Baton Rouge Community College Chancellor Myrtle Dorsey (bottom right), who earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Morgan State University and a Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin; and Bill Coppola (bottom left), executive director of academic partnerships and initiatives, at Lone Star College-Kingwood. Coppola earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, a master's and Ph.D. from the University of North Texas.
 

Each finalist will visit the campus in early April and participate in an open forum, where they will answer student, faculty and staff questions.

Carpenter will serve as Dean of Education at Texas State

The interim dean of the College of Education at Texas State University-San Marcos, Stan Carpenter (pictured), has been asked to take on the leadership role permanently.  

Carpenter, who has served as interim dean since 2010, came to Texas State in 2003 to chair the Department of Counseling, Leadership, Adult Education and School Psychology.
 

Carpenter, who spent nearly 20 years on the faculty of Texas A&M University, earned a bachelor's degree from Tarleton State University, a master's degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce and a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia.

Hill selected as director of Space Engineering Research Center

The associate director of the Space Engineering Research Center, Charles Hill (pictured), was recently named director of the Texas A&M University-based space technology center.
 

Hill, who will begin in the new position May 1, was a career Air Force officer who directed several national-level programs and was the U.S. Department of Defense lead for space debris research.
 

Hill has also served as vice president of a California-based defense and technology company, where he led teams developing and testing products for government agencies.

Hall to take on associate dean position at Texas A&M at Qatar

Engineering professor Kenneth R. Hall (pictured) has been named associate dean for research and graduate studies at Texas A&M University at Qatar. He will also serve as associate vice chancellor and associate director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES).

Hall, who will serve a four-year term, relocated to Doha, Qatar, and assumed his new duties April 1.

Hall, an inventor with 12 patents, is an active researcher who specializes in gas-to-liquid processing.

Three Dallas-area universities win $1 million for video games

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recently selected three Dallas-area universities to receive nearly $1 million to create video games to help nurses improve patient care.

The University of Texas-Arlington's College of Nursing, the Baylor Health Care System and The University of Texas-Dallas won the funding to create video-game-like simulations to help nurses provide better care. Researchers at Baylor and UT-Arlington contacted Marjorie Zielke, associate director of research at the Institute for Interactive Arts and Engineering at UT-Dallas, to build a prototype game. Zielke recently won awards for a gaming project that provided cultural training for United States soldiers serving in the Middle East.
 

Plans call for the initial video game to focus on communications between surgeons and nurses providing care to post-operative patients to improve, said Donald Kennerly (pictured), chief patient safety officer for the Baylor Medical School. The program will recruit 120 nurses and 25 physicians on the Baylor Medical School staff to participate in the development of the video application, he said.

While communities across the state are preparing to host a variety of Earth Day activities, Texas State University will celebrate with a third-annual city-wide recycling event that has collected more than 40,000 pounds of electronic waste in previous years.

The university partners with a major environmental management needs company to put on the RecycleNow Electronic Waste Collection Event, which will be held April 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Bobcat Stadium parking lot.

Trained volunteers will remove all accepted items from vehicles. A Fort Worth recycling company will provide the recycling and transportation of the electronics. 
 

Personal items that will be accepted include: computers, cell phones, printers, scanners, televisions, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players and a variety of other electronic devices.
 

If thrown away in the household trash, these electronic waste products can leach toxic metals and chemicals into ground water. The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that more than 300 million computers are obsolete, which has made electronic waste the fasted growing segment of solid waste entering local landfills. 

 
The RecycleNow event provides a free and environmentally friendly alternative for discarding old electronics. 
 

Items that will not be taken include: appliances, microwaves and household hazardous waste. Only personal items will be accepted. 

Greg County to seek comment on proposed new $10.8M center

A consultant helping Gregg County commissioners determine the feasibility of building a proposed $10.8 million event center said the next step in the study is to ask citizens to answer a 15-question survey to be published by local newspapers and available on the consultant's Web site. The consultant will use the results of that survey and discussions with city officials to develop a more accurate layout and a more accurate cost estimate on the proposed 125-foot by 250-foot event center featuring an arena with stadium seating and animal pens, the consultant said.

When one commissioner objected to the $7,500 cost of the survey, the county judge pointed out that the previous survey cited had been performed and paid for by the City of Longview and that facility would have cost more than $30 million, much more than the proposed events center. County officials plan to use the proposed new events center to host dog and horse shows, indoor rodeos and arena football, he added. Commissioners said they plan to study the proposal further before making a decision whether to build.

Corpus Christi sets goal to hire new city auditor by August

Ten months after voters approved an amendment to the city charter to create the position of city auditor, Corpus Christi city officials recently set a goal to fill the position of city auditor in August despite a predicted $11.5 million drop in city revenue, said Oscar Martinez, an assistant city manager.

Council members also must agree on a job description, the salary range and decide whether to create a city position for a city auditor or to hire a contractor to perform the task of auditing city spending, administrative actions and operations, as well as investigating complaints, Martinez said. A recent survey found a wide range of options as some cities have one auditor in the department while another city in Texas has up to 25 support staff for an auditor's office, he added.

City staff members also plan to give sample job descriptions from other cities to council members to help them develop a final job profile in order to post the opening by the end of April. The salary most likely will range from $70,000 to $125,000 annually, which is equal to salaries paid to department directors in the city, Martinez said.

North Forest ISD puts superintendent on indefinite leave

For the second week in a row, trustees of the long-troubled North Forest school district voted to put Superintendent Adrain Johnson (pictured) on administrative leave.

The school board voted again on the action because, after the first vote, allegations arose that the board did not provide the public with adequate notice that it might take serious action against Johnson.  

Johnson has served as superintendent since 2008, when the state seized control of the underperforming district and put him and a three-person board of managers in charge. The district just emerged from state control four months ago. 

A board spokesman said Johnson was voted out because the district has continued to have low graduation rates and a probationary accreditation status.  

Bunker Hill seeks voter approval for $8 million flood control project

Bunker Hill city officials are asking voters to approve $8 million in bonds to pay for flood control projects in two areas of the city. City officials propose spending $6 million for the Strey Lane flood control project and $2 million on flood control projects in eastern areas of the city.
 

The proposed $6 million Strey Lane project is designed to relieve a concrete drainage ditch owned by the Harris County Flood Control District that runs under Memorial Drive and has caused extensive flooding in homes in that area. City officials hope to install a box culvert under the street to divert water that now flows in the concrete drainage ditch into a deeper portion of the drainage ditch. Final engineering is scheduled to be complete by September and construction could begin in early 2012 if voters approve the bonds, the mayor said.
 

The $2 million project in the east side of the city is targeted to relieve pressure on another drainage ditch that will require placing a drainage line under Blalock Road. Bunker Hill officials are exploring the possibility of joining with Piney Point city officials who also are looking for solutions to flooding in that area, the mayor said.

Ysletta ISD named finalist for urban education award

For the second consecutive year, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation selected the Ysletta Independent School District as a finalist for the 2011 Broad Prize for Urban Education.

The school district won $150,000 in college scholarship funding for the 2012 graduating class just for being named a finalist, said Superintendent Michael Zolkoski (pictured). The foundation will name the winner of the award on Sept. 20 and provide $550,000 in scholarships to the winning school district, he added. Zolkoski credited the district efforts in narrowing the gap in student learning for the nomination for the urban education award.

State law permits counties to sell space for advertising on buildings, vehicles, Web sites and any other property owned by the county, said Shannon Brown, assistant county administrator. For instance, the county judge said the new health and human services building that overlooks I-35E would be a great place for placing advertisements. County officials also could place recorded ads on county phone lines to be played while callers are on hold as well as run ad loops on televisions placed in county waiting areas, Brown said.

Brown told commissioners she is meeting with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), which allows ads to be placed on its buses, to learn more about advertising guidelines that agency has adopted. DART has contracts with two companies that solicit ads and provide the agency with a percentage of the revenue each month, she said.

Price pushes for Tarrant County to select new tax collector

Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector Betsy Price (pictured), who is a candidate for mayor of Fort Worth, recently urged Tarrant County commissioners to expedite a search for a new tax assessor-collector.
 

Price, who automatically resigned when she filed for election on Feb. 14 to run for mayor, also offered to decline her $129,000 annual salary while the court searches for a replacement. She also said she will continue with her service to the county while commissioners are looking for a new tax assessor. Price is one of five candidates who filed to replace Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, who announced he will not run again for that post.

Denton selects Groth as new gas well manager

Denton city officials recently selected Darren Groth as the city's new gas well manager charged with overseeing a new gas well inspection program. Groth replaces Quentin Hix, who left that position in 2007 to become the city's airport manager.

Groth, who currently serves as the gas well coordinator in Arlington, is scheduled begin his new duties in Denton on April 25. With a program budget of $420,593 for this year, Groth will oversee two field inspectors and an administrative assistant. He also worked for the city of Las Vegas and was a member of the U.S. Air Force. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree from The University of Texas at Arlington.

Superintendent finalists would be disclosed if bill passes

If approved, new state legislation would require that school districts disclose the names of at least three finalists for the superintendent position. The bill recently passed the Senate Select Committee on Open Government and is headed to the full Senate.
 

Currently, education officials are required to release the names of superintendent finalists at least 21 days before a school board votes to hire - but the law doesn't specify how many names must be made public. Often districts only release the name of one "finalist," who is the person who gets the job.
 

Opponents to the present system say that releasing one name for superintendent, often the highest-paid public official in an area, limits the input of community members.

Plans call for the city to begin construction on the new tennis complex in June and open the new facility in January 2012, Lemuel Randolph (pictured), director of the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department said. The new complex will have a clubhouse with a meeting room and concession areas, 10 regular tennis courts and a championship court, Randolph said. Voters in 2006 approved $3.5 million in bonds to pay for a new tennis facility.

Park department officials used a construction manager-at-risk program in an attempt to keep the proposed tennis complex within the approved $3.5 million budget, but the total cost of the project could rise to about $3.7 million, the parks development superintendent said. Council members are expected to consider the project's guaranteed maximum price in May.

Amarillo group challenges proposed $8 million sports center

Amarillo Concerned Citizens recently began collecting signatures to halt $6.2 million in city funding for a proposed recreation center designed primarily for basketball and volleyball. City commissioners are scheduled to vote on May 3 on whether to issue $6.2 million in certificates of deposit to pay for the proposed $8 million center to be built on a city-owned parking lot north of the Amarillo Civic Center.
 

The citizen's group must obtain the signatures of 5 percent of voters registered in the city at the time of municipal elections in May 2009 by 5 p.m. on May 2 to stop the council vote on May 3 to issue the certificates. The contract for the recreation center approved by city commissioners in March calls for a nonprofit group to pay $2 million of the cost of the facility and also pay for all operating and maintenance costs of the facility for 20 years.
 

The petition also calls for amending the city charter to ban city commissioners from issuing certificates of obligation for nonessential projects unless voters approve the decision, a spokesman for the citizens group said.

Collin County sets goal to reduce cost of satellite offices

Collin County Commissioner Duncan Webb (pictured) recently asked county staff to explore options to reduce rental costs at five satellite offices operated by the county in Wylie, Plano, McKinney, Frisco and Farmersville to reduce spending and increase efficiency.
 

Webb suggested the county should consider operating only one satellite office on the county's east side and explore other options in Frisco because of the high cost of the current lease for that satellite office. The county may be able to acquire suitable property at a discounted price because of current market conditions and serve constituents effectively in one office rather than two satellite offices, Webb said. Operating only one office rather than two would primarily save on operating and maintenance costs, he added.
 

The county judge said county commissioners closely examine rental costs each budget cycle and renegotiates leases when it appears to benefit the county. Because the county needs thousands of square feet of office space in Frisco, it could make sense to purchase rather than lease space, he added. He expects no decision to be made on the satellite offices until September.

Instead, the district is considering other cuts, such as a 12 percent across-the-board budget reduction. Additionally, the district has no plans to hire new workers, and so far, 20 employees have said they will not return in the fall.

District officials have placed the worst-case scenario at a $5.2 million shortfall, but now believe the number will be closer to $4.3 million or less. The shortened school week, which must be OK'd by the Texas Education Agency, was expected to save the district $529,080.

Dallas ISD names Rodriguez as chief of staff

In a series of organizational changes, Dallas Independent School District officials recently named Claudia Rodriguez as the chief of staff to replace Arnold Viramontes, who accepted a position at Houston ISD.
 

Rodriguez became the head of the district's human resources department in 2009 and will continue her duties in HR as well as well as overseeing the deputy chief of staff who will supervise the athletics and emergency services departments, the transformation management and compliance offices. Rodriguez also will manage the offices of performance management and analytics, evaluation and accountability, communications, professional development, police and security services and act as a division budget director.
 

Other organizational changes include the legal services department will now report directly to the superintendent, and the initiatives and planning department will report to the chief of schools officer. While Rodriguez will continue her HR duties, an executive director will supervise the benefits, compensation, employee relations and staffing and employee service center departments. Some assignments are interim until district officials adopt a final organizational chart for 2011-2012 in July.

Lake Travis ISD group ranking projects for possible bond election

The 28 members of a Lake Travis Independent School District bond advisory committee recently began prioritizing projects to be included in a possible November bond election ranging from $126 million to $200 million.
 

Lake Travis ISD officials have discussed building a new elementary and a new middle school as well as remodeling a middle school and expanding Lake Travis High School to meet growing enrollment in the district, noted Superintendent Rocky Kirk (pictured). The superintendent said he expects the committee's recommendation for a bond proposal to range from $126 million to $200 million.
 

Advisory committee members are scheduled to present trustees a final recommendation on items to be included in a possible bond election on May 5. Trustees are scheduled to discuss whether to call a November bond election on May 19. 

Austin ISD joining others in looking at bus advertising program

Following the lead of several other school districts, Austin Independent School District officials recently began exploring the feasibility of placing advertisements on school buses to increase revenue. 
 

Humble ISD was the first school district in Texas to approve advertising on school buses. Eanes ISD and Hutto ISD officials also agreed to a school bus advertising program to bring in additional revenue.
 

A preliminary estimate by Austin ISD staff indicates that the district could earn about $144,000 during the first year by placing advertisements on 20 percent of the bus fleet. With ads on 90 to 100 percent of the fleet, revenue could increase to $648,000 within five years, district staff said. The school district will maintain full control over the content and type of advertising allowed on district buses if AISD officials decide to approve the proposal, officials said.

Texas Highway Patrol graduates 44 new Troopers in ceremony

The Texas Highway Patrol added 44 new Troopers to its ranks recently at a graduation ceremony in Austin. The graduation is a culmination of an 18-week training academy they began in November of last year. During that time, they covered more than 100 subjects, including counter-terrorism, traffic and criminal law, arrest and control procedures, accident reconstruction, first aid and Spanish. They also were trained in use of force, communication skills, firearms, driving, criminal interdiction, cultural diversity and physical fitness.
 

"You are part of the finest law enforcement agency in the country. It will be up to each of you to make sure you maintain those high standards," said Steven C. McGraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. In about three weeks, the new Troopers will move to their new duty stations, where they will be paired for six months with a senior Trooper for on-the-job training.

Boerne ISD eyes $12M request

for technology upgrade

Boerne Independent School District trustees recently began considering a request from the director of technology, Steve Stewart (pictured), to spend $12 million to upgrade technology.
 

Officials need to upgrade many of the 3,252 district computers as nearly 57 percent are at least six years old and should be replaced at a cost of about $3.2 million, Stewart said. He also urged district officials to spend about $1.4 million to upgrade classroom technology with interactive whiteboards, document cameras and mobile labs and about $2.1 million to replace old technology infrastructure such as wiring, switches, security equipment and wireless capability.
 

Stewart also recommended setting aside $630,00 to upgrade and protect servers, install a new backup generator and improve air conditioning in the room housing district servers, $1.8 million to upgrade photocopiers and $2 million to buy imaging equipment to make records more accessible and save storage space. Facility committee members, who are charged with prioritizing items to be included in a possible November bond election, are split in their support of the recommendation and are still debating the issue before delivering their recommendation to board members, a committee member said.

Vinson is sole finalist for new superintendent at Wylie ISD

Wylie Independent School District board members recently selected Dr. David Vinson (pictured) as the lone finalist for superintendent to replace Dr. H. John Fuller, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

Vinson has served as superintendent at Floresville ISD for six years. Board members are expected to take a final vote on Vinson's contract on April 18.

San Marcos ISD tags Eads

as new superintendent

Trustees for the San Marcos Independent School District recently selected Mark E. Eads as the lone finalist for superintendent.

Eads currently serves as superintendent of Snyder ISD and previously was an assistant superintendent at Medina Valley ISD. He also was a principal at Tuloso Midway ISD and a teacher at Alice ISD. He has a bachelor's and a master's degree from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He is enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Our Lady of the Lake University and is certified as a superintendent.

ACC contracts to buy additional Highland Mall property

An additional purchase of property at Highland Mall has been announced by Austin Community College (ACC). The college is under contract for $14.6 million for a ground lease with the company operating the mall. The purchase is for the core of land on which the mall is situated.
 

Businesses in the mall are expected to continue operating until their sub-leases expire, at which time ACC is expected to develop the property for college purposes. The contract also includes more than 1,600 parking spaces. ACC had previously purchased 18.5 acres and the 194,000-square-foot Dillard's building and 12.8 acres and the 223,000-square-foot Macy's building, spending a total of more than $10.3 million for both.
 

"With more than 45,000 credit students this semester, we already have great need to expand our infrastructure. These Highland acquisitions will play a key role in allowing us to continue meeting the vast educational and training needs of the region," said ACC President Dr. Stephen Kinslow. Among the possibilities for the new acquisitions are administrative offices, instructional space, Continuing Education space and a conference center. 
 

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD looking to name new superintendent in May

Trustees for the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District may select a new superintendent as early as May 23 to replace Superintendent David Anthony, who recently resigned to head an educational nonprofit group.

All applications for the top position must be received by April 21 and trustees plan to begin interviewing five to seven candidates for superintendent `during the first week of May. Second interviews with two to three final candidates should take place during the second week in May, said a consultant for the search firm assisting the district.

San Antonio nets another $2 million for weatherization plan

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs recently awarded an additional $2 million in federal stimulus funds to the city of San Antonio and CPS Energy for a weatherization program to help low-income residents save on energy costs.

The additional funding became available when 14 low-performing cities, counties and other agencies released funding, which was then redistributed to 13 other entities that are meeting state and federal guidelines for the program, state officials said.
 

San Antonio officials plan to use the $2 million to hire contractors to weatherize another 875 homes at an average cost of about $4,000 per home. Some of the grant funding also will be used to weatherize some multi-family units owned by the San Antonio Housing Authority. Multi-family units cost less to weatherize than single-family homes because of shared walls, city officials said.

Italy ISD selects Bassett as lone superintendent finalist

Barry Bassett, superintendent of the Avery ISD, has been named lone finalist for the Italy ISD superintendent position. A veteran of nearly 25 years in the education field, Bassett has been with the Avery ISD for the last five years.
 

Bassett began his education career as a teacher of high school biology. He has also served as director of alternative education and high school principal in the Liberty-Eylau High School in Texarkana. Basset holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

Grapevine to unveil $70

million plan to upgrade parks

 Grapevine city officials recently scheduled a public meeting to unveil a proposed $70 million master plan to upgrade city parks and recreation programs. The Indiana-based consultant presented the proposed parks master plan to council members in March and the public meeting will be held on April 12.

The proposed plan, which cost the city about $40,000, recommends the city spend $10 million to $15 million to enlarge and upgrade the Community Activities Center to encourage more participation in sports and recreation programs. The plan calls for building an indoor pool and more areas for fitness and weight room training and for other classes and programs. The master plan also calls for building more trails, expanding senior centers, upgrading restrooms at parks and improving lighting at parks.

Killeen selects Morrison

as interim city manager

Killeen City Council members recently selected Assistant City Manager Glenn Morrison (pictured) as the interim city manager. Morrison will replace City Manager Connie Green, who resigned in late March after accepting a $750,000 buyout of his contract by the city.

Five-year plan approved for updating Bexar Co. Courthouse

Bexar County commissioners have approved a five-year plan to upgrade and modernize the historic Bexar County Courthouse. The plan includes moving a courtroom on the second floor of the building to the first floor. The second floor courtroom would be restores and two child support courts built in the basement. The first-floor Spanish Archives would be expanded and a bookstore-history center added. More courtrooms also would be added to the fourth floor.
 

"All the pieces have got to fit together," said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff (pictured) regarding the changes. Officials did not reveal their estimated costs for the changes, but $6.3 million has been raised in public and private funds to restore a double-height courtroom.

McCamey awarded federal grant for infrastructure improvements

The Texas Department of Agriculture has awarded more than $143,000 in federal grant funds to the City of McCamey for infrastructure improvements. The money will help pay for sidewalk improvements and installation of ramps to bring the city into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Funding is through the Texas Capital Fund, funded by the Community Development Block Grant program that provides money for economic development in small Texas communities.

Nacogdoches ISD reviewing 57 applicants for superintendent

In an effort to replace Superintendent Rodney Hutto, Nacogdoches Independent School District trustees recently began working with consultants to review 57 candidates who applied to be the district's new superintendent.

The 57 applicants represent seven states and include 31 current superintendents, eight assistant superintendents, eight consultants or department directors, six principals and four college faculty members, district officials said.

Bryan ISD names Wallis as lone superintendent finalist

The Bryan school board recently voted 5-2 to make Palestine Superintendent Thomas Wallis (pictured) the only finalist to lead the Bryan district.
 

Wallis, who has served as superintendent of Palestine schools since 2008, was one of eight candidates that Bryan trustees interviewed out of a pool of 60 applicants. He began his career in education as a Texas history teacher and coach in the Lamesa district.
 

He earned his bachelor's degree from Angelo State University in 1991, completed his master's degree at Texas A&M University-Commerce and earned a Ph.D. from Stephen F. Austin State University.

• Elroy Carson of Ransom Canyon, Texas Commission on Fire Protection
• Chris Connealy of Cedar Park, Texas Commission on Fire Protection
• John K. Gillette III of Frisco, Texas Commission on Fire Protection
• John W. Green of San Leon, Texas Commission on Fire Protection
• Becky Johnson of Fort Worth, Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists
• Judy A. Reeves of Grapevine, Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists
• Gregory Ulmer of Houston, Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists
• Robert "Gary" Gray of Midland, Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
• Kathleen Luedtke-Hoffmann of Garland, Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
• Daniel Reyna of Waco, Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
• Maria Duarte-Gardea of El Paso, Texas Diabetes Council 
• John Griffin of Victoria, Texas Diabetes Council
• Don Yarborough of Garland, Texas Diabetes Council
• Charles 'Chip' Roy of McKinney, director, Office of State-Federal Relations

Marble Falls begins search for  economic development chief

The board of the Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation recently began a search for a new executive director. Applications for the position will be accepted until 2 p.m. on May 31, said Nona Fox, president of the board.
 

Board members also postponed naming an interim executive director after agreeing the group had gone six months without an interim director and can wait six more weeks, Fox said.

Belton may hire consultant to attract large retailers downtown

Belton city officials recently began discussion on how to attract more regional, state and national retail chains into the downtown area and are considering hiring a consulting firm to help in that task, said Tommy Baker, executive director of the Belton Economic Development Corporation.
 

Attracting larger retailers and restaurants into downtown Belton traditionally has posed a challenge in the past for city leaders, Baker said. As a result, most businesses and restaurants in the downtown area are locally owned. Belton is losing sales tax and property tax revenue as more national and state retailers locate in neighboring communities, he said.
 

A representative of the consulting firm proposed performing market research for three to four months that will include demographic information and identify gaps of services available in the downtown Belton area. That information will then be presented to prospective retailers who could fill those gaps in services and merchandise, the representative said. City officials are expected to vote on whether to hire a consulting firm in about a month.

While on leave, Durbon will continue collecting his salary of nearly $150,000 a year.

Grayson County sheriff

garners $17,000 grant

The Bureau of Justice Assistance program recently awarded a $17,000 grant to the Grayson County Sheriff's Office. The grant will be used to buy three new digital cameras to replace three analog cameras now used in patrol vehicles, a spokesman for the sheriff's office said.

Celeste ISD tags Beadles as lone finalist for superintendent

Celeste Independent School District board members recently selected Ricky Beadles as the lone finalist for superintendent.

Beadles will replace Collin Clark, who resigned after 20 years with Celeste ISD, to become superintendent of Cameron ISD.
Beadles previously served as superintendent of Sulphur Bluff ISD and as a principal at Celeste ISD, Caddo Mills ISD, Cooper ISD, Commerce ISD and Valley View ISD.