Texas voters say 'yes' to $2.138 billion in bond elections

Schools alone account for millions of dollars in contracting opportunities

Texas entities holding bond elections in the state on May 14 fared well. Of the $2.62 billion in bond referendums held statewide, $2.138 billion of them passed.

Among the larger bond issues that passed:

• City of Georgetown - $42.5 million - to build a new 60,000-square-foot public safety building;
• City of Longview - $52.6 million - for city street improvements;
• Smith County - $35 million - for a new jail;
• Eanes ISD - $54 million - for new construction, ADA improvements, energy conservation projects, technology, safety, transportation, roofing, flooring, painting, plumbing, curriculum, instruction and assessment; and
• Grapevine-Colleyville ISD - $124.5 million - for maintaining, improving and expanding existing facilities, equipment and new classrooms for elementary schools, career and technology expansion at Grapevine High School, district-wide technology upgrades, library resources, furniture, kitchen equipment and school buses.

SPI has available for sale a comprehensive document showing the results of the more than 80 bond elections, including the total amount of the bonds that passed and what each bond issue included. To order your copy, contact Reagan Weil at rweil@spartnerships.com.

Governor signs bill abolishing Texas Youth Commission

A bill that abolishes the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission and transfers their powers and duties to a new Texas Juvenile Justice Department was signed into law on Thursday. The legislation comes four years after abuse claims and a cover-up at TYC led to the agency being put under conservatorship.

As a result of the legislation, TYC is expected to announce in June its plans to close three of its seven facilities where juvenile offenders are incarcerated. The new and smaller agency will thus have fewer prison facilities to oversee, but instead will see an increase in community-based centers over which it has oversight.

New survey! And last week's survey results 

In last week's procurement survey, one of the questions we asked public sector procurement agents was, "What is your biggest procurement challenge?" Forty-four percent of our respondents said...  (Click here to view their responses to that and other questions.)

Austin school district cites plans to sell some district facilities

Austin Independent School District officials, who have declared a fiscal emergency, will seek bids for two valuable properties: the Carruth Administration Center in a fast-growing area of downtown and the Baker Center in the centrally-located Hyde Park neighborhood.
 
Officials are seeking minimum bids for each building. The 2.75-acre Carruth property, made up of 128,000 square feet in five buildings plus 13 apartments, will go for $32 million. The Baker Center, which is nearly 66,000 square feet on 4.4 acres, will have a minimum bid of $7.5 million.
 
The district, which hired an Austin commercial real estate firm to manage the bidding process, made bid packages available on the district Web site. Bids are due by Aug. 15 and will be evaluated by district trustees.

UTB purchase of apartments for student housing OK'd by regents

The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently OK'd the purchase of a 103-unit apartment complex, which will be renamed and turned into University of Texas-Brownsville student housing.

The 2009 complex, currently known as La Estancia, will provide students with amenities - full kitchens, wireless networks, computer lab and movie theater - unavailable elsewhere, Vice President for Student Affairs Hilda Silva (pictured) said. The current student housing was originally a1960s hotel.

The university will begin closing on the property in July.

Five new regents elected to lead Baylor University

The Baylor University Board of Regents recently elected five new regents to three-year terms and welcomed a sixth who was elected by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
 

The new board members, who begin June 1, are:

• M. Jay Allison of Frisco, CEO and director of Comstock Resources Inc.;
• Kenneth Q. Carlile of Marshall, co-chairman of The Carlile Companies and co-owner of Camterra Resources;
• Jerry Kay T. Clements of Spicewood, CEO and chair of Austin law firm Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell L.L.P.;
• Mark A. McCollum of Houston, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Halliburton; 
• C. Clifton Robinson of Waco, chairman of Robinson Media Company LLC, chairman/CEO of Specialty Property Inc., and president of C.C. Robinson Property Co. II Ltd.; and
• Milton Hixson of Austin, CEO of Financial Management Professionals Inc.

The regents also named Neal T. "Buddy" Jones of Austin as board chair, and Robert E. Beauchamp of Houston as vice-chair. Officers are elected to one-year terms.

Bourgeois, who came to Texas State in 1990 as an assistant history professor, holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Louisiana State University, as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge.

Klein selected as vice chair of MD Anderson advisory board

The University Cancer Foundation Board of Visitors (BOV) recently selected Melvyn N. Klein of Corpus Christi as the vice chair of the advisory board of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. That appointment places Klein in line to serve a two-year term as chair of the BOV from 2014 through 2016.
 

Klein, who joined the BOV in 1990, previously served on the steering committee of the South Campus Research Initiative, which raised $135 million for the Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer in 2002. He also was a managing general partner for an equity investment partnership established in 1988 along with Dan W. Lufkin of New York, Thomas J. Pritzker and the late Jay A. Pritzker of Chicago. 

Shannon to replace Cook as vice president at Panola College

Panola College officials recently selected Joe Shannon (left) as the new vice president of instruction to replace Lillian Cook (right), who is retiring after a 42-year career in education.
 

Shannon, who has worked for the college since 2004, is the dean of instruction and director of the Shelby Regional Training Center. He also was the director of the Shelby College Center in Center, a department chairman at Tyler Junior College and a professor at Coffeyville College in Kansas. He has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Sam Houston State University and a Ph.D. from Stephen F. Austin State University.
 

Cook has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. She taught for 12 years before moving into an administrative position.

Hardin-Simmons appoints Williford as new dean

Hardin-Simmons University officials recently named seasoned professor and pastor Don Williford (pictured) dean of the Logsdon School of Theology and Logsdon Seminary, effective June 1.
 
Williford, who came to HSU in 1992 as assistant professor and director of church relations, will succeed Tommy Brisco, who has been appointed HSU provost and chief academic officer. In addition to his duties as dean, Williford will continue to serve as accreditation liaison through the 2012-2013 academic year.
 
Williford earned a bachelor's degree from Howard Payne University, as well as a master's and Ph.D. degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

Navasota installs new clock tower on municipal building

Navasota city officials recently approved installation of a new clock tower (in accompanying photo) on the municipal building by a Kentucky-based company.

The pre-fabricated, aluminum clock tower measures 23 feet and nine inches in height with a finial measuring 13 feet and eight inches.

The base of the tower measures 28 feet and 3 inches at the lower cornice and is covered with plywood to be shingled by a local roofer. 
 

The clock tower also features four clock dials with hands that will be illuminated at night and programmable chimes that will play when the hour strikes or seasonal music, if desired.

Austin city manager cites Smart as Code Compliance Director 

Austin city officials recently hired Carl Smart (pictured) to lead the 69-employee Code Compliance Department, which investigates code violations and ensures city standards are met.

Smart, who has more than 27 years experience in code compliance and neighborhood conservation, will begin July 11.

Most recently, Smart served as Director of the Code Compliance Department for the City of Fort Worth.

Wright selected as new Tarrant County tax assessor-collector

Tarrant County commissioners recently named congressional staffer Ron Wright (pictured) to fill the vacant tax assessor-collector post. He is expected to take over later this month.

Wright, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Joe Barton of Ennis, will replace Betsy Price, who resigned to join the Fort Worth mayor's race.
 

Wright, who has served on the Arlington City Council, will serve as tax assessor-collector until the November 2012 election.

New $60 million facility planned for UT-Dallas

The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently OK'd the construction of a new $60 million facility (pictured) at UT Dallas that will showcase work of students in the Arts and Technology program.

The 155,000-square-foot building will house programs in visual arts, emerging media technology and multimedia communications, as well as a 1,200-seat auditorium.

The building, slated for completion in 2013, was modeled after a Web site - with stunning visual appeal and access to many different choices.

Offices will be located at the center of the building, so that student work can hang around a many-windowed perimeter.

Federal Highway Administration clears path for Texas 121 project

The Federal Highway Administration recently cleared the path for extending the Texas 121 toll road to connect Fort Worth and Cleburne.

The environmental clearance will allow the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) to advance to the development stage of the project, a partnership between NTTA and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). NTTA officials plan to finalize a traffic and revenue study and begin finalizing project financing in August, officials said. The extension of Texas 121 to Cleburne is scheduled to be completed in early 2014.

Preliminary plans call for the Tarrant County portion of the toll road to be four to six lanes, with the Johnson County portion of the road initially to be a two-lane toll road with passing lanes. The project also includes building two interchanges, one in Cleburne and another in Fort Worth, which is currently under way and being paid for with federal stimulus funding. TxDOT, in a separate project, also is improving a portion of US67 through Cleburne that will eventually connect via access roads to Texas 121. Construction on the interchange of US67 and the improvements to that roadway should be complete in about a year, according to TxDOT officials.

Alamo Colleges enter into first public-private partnership

Alamo Colleges officials recently OK'd a public-private partnership to build a $30 million development near San Antonio College that will include 150 student housing units, 10,000 square feet of retail space and a 1,000-car parking garage.
 
If initial endeavors at the 4.4-acre site - now a parking lot owned by Alamo Colleges - are a success, a 100,000-square-foot academic facility could be built at the multi-use development, said John Strybos (pictured), facilities director for the Alamo Colleges.
 
To manage sticky ownership issues, the district will create a public facility corporation, which will in turn create a limited liability company. The LLC will own the project while the Alamo Colleges trustees will control the LLC's profits.
 
All profits will be split 50/50 between the developer and the LLC.

Aransas County officials prioritize CIP projects

Aransas County commissioners recently OK'd nearly a dozen projects that were recommended by the Stormwater Management Advisory Committee.
 

Among the 11 projects are:

• Improve roadside channels and construct crossings along Poinciana and Weeping Willow streets;
• Build culverts and improve crossings for new channel from Griffith Street to Farm to Market 1069; and
• Construct watershed and channel from Club Lake to tidal flats near Port Bay.

Although county staff will proceed with the projects, the county leaders have not yet issued $5.5 million in certificates of obligation that will be used to fund initial stages of the plan.

San Marcos considering $43 million in capital improvements

With about $43 million in funding available, the San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission is set to begin prioritizing capital improvement projects for the city's five-year plan and present those recommendations to council members in about two weeks.
 

Projects under consideration include $10.4 million to double the size of the San Marcos Public Library, $6 million to recondition a runway at the municipal airport, $582,866 to implement railroad quiet zones and $850,000 to replace the roof at the San Marcos Activity Center. While a bond election would need to be called to pay for the proposed library expansion, a majority of the airport project funding, $5.4 million, is federal funding.
 

City staff also urged formation of a task force in the next year to provide voters an opportunity to give their opinions on capital improvement projects that should be priority items. City Manager Jim Nuse (pictured) said he intends to allocate more revenue toward maintenance and operations rather than debt payments this year. He also recommended the city halt borrowing until 2013.

Galveston looking at $24 million safe room building

Galveston City Council members recently began considering building and operating costs of a proposed $24 million safe room building to house up to 600 city employees and other emergency personnel during hurricanes and other evacuation events.

A grant from the Texas Division of Emergency Management's Hazard Mitigation program will pay 75 percent of the $3 million cost of the design. Plans call for the concrete building to be located about 30 percent above sea level on the island's east end and to withstand a Category 5 hurricane. City and University of Texas Medical Branch officials agreed to split the remaining 25 percent of the cost of the design. Council members last week, however, voted against a proposal to pay $363,000 for the first phase of the engineering design and environmental review for the safe room building. A final design for the building must be completed by January for the city to retain the award money.

Estimates call for the city and UTMB to pay about $2.5 million each to construct the building and each contribute about $15,000 annually to pay for its operation and maintenance costs. During previous hurricanes, city staff and other emergency workers stayed at a hotel and conference center in about 172 guestrooms, with the hotel bill totaling $600,000 for Hurricane Ike. Council members plan to vote again on beginning design of the proposed safe room building at their meeting on May 26.

Texhoma ISD approve $1.05 million in bonds to build new homes

Voters of the Texhoma Independent School District recently approved the issue of $1.05 million in bonds to pay for building six new homes on the Texas side of the school district that also stretches into Oklahoma.

The goal is to attract families with children to buy homes in the Texas side of town to encourage enrollment at the Texhoma Elementary School. The school district receives funding from Texas based on how many elementary students actually live in Texas, said Superintendent Hope Appel (pictured). The number of students from Texas who attend the elementary school has fallen to 90 and resulted in a $590,000 reduction in state funding to the district, Appel said.

As time has passed, homeowners on the Texas side have grown older and the neighborhood in Texas has few homes or apartments for rent to attract families with young children to move into the neighborhood, the superintendent said. Appel pointed to the success of Lubbock ISD that used a similar housing program to attract younger families to schools located in neighborhoods with aging populations to help ease concerns expressed by some residents.

Hutto ISD voters approve new tax for higher education center

Hutto Independent School District voters recently approved a 5-cent branch maintenance tax to support the proposed East Williamson County Higher Education Center (EWCHEC). Both colleges have operated a campus in Hutto since 1997.
 

The higher education center is a project with the participation of Temple College, Texas State Technical College, Hutto ISD and the Hutto Economic Development Corporation. Plans call for EWCHEC to begin offering classes at Veterans Hill Elementary School if Hutto school board members approve the agreement. Officials of the school district and the Hutto Economic Development Corporation earlier created a nonprofit corporation permitted to issue debt to build the new EWCHEC campus. Each agreed to contribute $125,000 a year to the higher education center.

Plans call for a 110,000-square-foot building with a price tag of about $20 million to be constructed on land located east of Toll 130 and north of SH79. Construction should begin this summer and the new building  completed in spring 2013. Temple College plans to offer an associate of arts degree and Texas State Technical College will offer technical and educational courses. Both colleges will share the building until more buildings are constructed. Future plans call for a total of 13 buildings at the center.

Corpus Christi ISD residents share vision for new high school

At a recent workshop, Corpus Christi Independent School District residents shared their vision for an ideal learning space for a new high school planned for the city's south side. Preliminary plans call for construction to begin in June 2012 on the new high school. It is expected to cost about $70 million and to be open for students in two years.

Board president John Longoria (pictured) praised the brainstorming session early in the design process. Residents supported a design for the new high school featuring natural lighting, high ceilings and open spaces easily converted for individual or seminar-style classes. Residents also urged wireless technology, creating outdoor gathering spots with shade and common areas. They turned thumbs down on outdated fluorescent lighting, portable buildings and small, cramped spaces.

The superintendent also urged district officials and staff to tour new high schools in other districts for more ideas before board members begin narrowing design plans in August. Voters last year approved a $125 million bond proposal to pay for the new high school and a new middle school on the south side of the city.

Frisco voters revoke $16.4 million in bonds for arts project

Voters in Frisco recently voted to revoke the authority of city council to issue the remaining $16.4 million in bonds to support the troubled Arts of Collin County project.

Only Plano and Allen of the original four cities in the project remain active now. The bond issue would have helped build the performing arts center as part of a large development with retail, a hotel, restaurants and offices. McKinney had already withdrawn from the project. Frisco would be required to pay its 25 percent share of maintenance and operation costs for the next three years of the project featuring a performance hall, a 100-acre arts park and other art spaces. The current agreement calls for Plano to pay 55 percent and Allen to pay about 18 percent. Officials of two smaller cities, Fairview and Melissa, also committed to contributing to the operation of the complex.

ACC Executive Director Mike Simpson said he plans to meet with city leaders in Allen and Plano as well as city officials in Melissa and Fairview before a determination is made to move forward with the project, which also has received $11 million in private donations and pledges.

Midland County narrows plan for future use of old courthouse

Midland County officials recently narrowed plans to five options for how the county will use the historic county courthouse built in the 1930s, said County Judge Mike Bradford (pictured).

The options include moving parts of the oil and gas and genealogy collections now housed at the Midland Public Library into the courthouse to generate more activity in central downtown, Bradford said.  County officials also are meeting with the new library director to discuss the possibility of moving parts of other collections from the library into the old courthouse.  

Other options include converting parts of the courthouse into a municipal court facility. Midland city officials have discussed building a new building for the municipal court as the court has outgrown its current space. Other possibilities discussed include moving the County Historical Museum into the old courthouse and converting it into office space for various city and county departments. A covenant signed in the 1800s requires the building to contain a jail cell and be used as a court in some form if the county is to retain ownership of the property, Bradford said. Commissioners plan future public workshops to discuss the various options for the old courthouse before deciding on a final plan, he added.

San Antonio approves plan to upgrade HemisFair Park 

San Antonio City Council members recently approved a draft of a redevelopment plan to upgrade HemisFair Park. The draft plan includes razing a portion of the city's convention center, enhancing connections to the east side of the city and relocating several tenants of HemisFair Park.
 

Officials of HemisFair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation, created to oversee the redevelopment project, plan to stage a grand opening for the renovated park in 2018 to mark the city's 300th anniversary of its founding and the 50th anniversary of the HemisFair. City officials expect to seek public-private partnerships and tap into the hotel occupancy tax to help finance the project, which now has less than $21 million in available funding.
 
The chief executive officer of the redevelopment corporation warned the entire project still could be incomplete by the 2018 grand opening as some aspects of the upgrade are not controlled by the corporation. For example, the timeline is uncertain for vacating the current federal courthouse for a planned move into the current police headquarters. Plans for The University of Texas at San Antonio to relocate to another area of the park also are not finalized, he added.

Farmers Branch voters reject vote to form school district

Voters in Farmer's Branch recently rejected a nonbinding referendum asking for support to form a separate school district for residents of that city. Most students in Farmer's Branch attend the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District and a small number attend Dallas ISD. 

The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SAHCC) will host its 2nd Annual Small Business Symposium on Friday, May 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 200 E. Market Street, San Antonio, in the ParkView area on the second floor. This day-long event will include learning sessions for small business owners from all industries to enhance their competiveness and long-term sustainability. A panel on the most recent census and demographic data is also planned. Registration includes breakfast and lunch and access to all speakers, sessions and the floor displays. Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, click here. To register for the Small Business Symposium and to inquire about sponsorship and display opportunities, please click here or contact Regina Peña at (210) 208-8219 or email: reginap@sahcc.org.

TxDOT Ft. Worth Small Business Briefing conference

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Business Outreach and Program (BOP) Services reaches across Texas to provide small and minority-owned business communities an opportunity to learn more about contracting opportunities with state entities. The final Small Business Briefing conference for FY2011 is set for July 20 in San Antonio. Information will be available to help small business owners better understand how to 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 allow them to learn more about the economic development opportunities in their regions.  It also gives agencies a chance to show the myriad of prospects available for small and minority businesses in the state. For more information and to register, click here or call 1.866.480.2519, Option 2. Planning for the 2012 fiscal year events is under way.  Please visit www.txdot.gov for updated information.

Texas State HUB Outreach Program hosting afternoon event in May

Texas State University's HUB Outreach Program will host an informative session to allow attendees to network and meet with decision-makers, Texas State general contractors, job order contractors and other state agency, university and minority organizations. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 24, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel in San Marcos, 1001 E. McCarty Lane. Attendees may also participate in HUB-focused educational seminars. The event is hosted by the Texas State HUB Outreach Program. Office of Facilities Planning Design and Construction, Small Business Development Center and U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association. Light refreshments will be served. For questions or additional information, contact Yolanda Strey, HUB specialist, at 512-245-2523 or email at ys12@txstate.edu. 

County, district clerks group planning annual conference June 12-16

The 116th Annual County and District Clerk State Conference will be held June 12-16 at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center in Lewisville. A Sunday, June 12, welcome reception with live music and barbecue will be held at the Texas Motor Speedway. The district and county clerks of the year will be presented at the Wednesday, June 13, night Gala, and 2011-12 officers will be installed. On the agenda for the five-day event are technical, professional development, legislative, public relations, social media and other issues. Attorney Richard Hayes will discuss Robert's Rules and Denton County Auditor James Wells will address auditing issues. The keynote speaker for the Tuesday events will be Brent Strehlow, owner of TMI, Inc. Exhibitor space is available. For a registration form, hotel information, exhibitor information, agenda and contact information, click here.

Fort Worth Superintendent Johnson announces resignation

Dr. Melody Johnson (pictured), superintendent of the Fort Worth Independent School District since 2005, has announced her resignation, effective in September.

Johnson, who has more than three decades of educational experience, came to the Fort Worth district after serving as superintendent of schools in Providence, Rhode Island. She is a former senior director at the Texas Education Agency and was Associate Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support in the San Antonio ISD.

Johnson holds a bachelor's degree from Phillips University in Oklahoma, a master's from Texas Woman's University and a Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin.
 

While a national search for a replacement could be in the future, some are speculating that Deputy Superintendent Walter Dansby could be in line to fill Johnson's position.

Frisco to partner in mixed-use development on Dallas Tollway

Frisco City Council members recently approved an agreement with a development company to participate in a proposed mix-use development on the city's northern border. The proposed Frisco North Development includes retail, residential, offices, entertainment facilities, a hotel, parks, a string of lakes and donated land for a proposed municipal service center.

The agreement states that land within the project will be dedicated for parks, open space and other eligible projects in return for economic incentives.

Chief of Public Works to end 14-year career in Round Rock

Round Rock Chief of Public Works Tom Word (pictured) will step down this week after a 14-year career with the city.
 
Word began at Round Rock in 1996 as a traffic engineer and has served in his current position since 2003. As chief of public works, he oversees transportation services, utilities, engineering and development services.

Sugar Land prison facility

likely to be shut down

In an effort to save an estimated $50 million over two years, lawmakers are considering shutting down a Texas prison in Sugar Land that area residents have long wanted closed.
 
If approved, this would mark the first time in Texas history that a prison has been shuttered. Sugar Land residents would prefer the centrally-located area be used for future business developments.

Henderson grant to aid

in street, park upgrades

The City of Henderson was recently awarded a $700,000 grant, which will fund street improvements around the local hospital.

The Texas Capital Fund award, provided by the federal Community Development Block Grant program, will support the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, Inc. by providing road improvements that will facilitate emergency access.

Six finalists to vie for county health, human services post

Six applicants have been named finalists for the position of Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Director. The finalists will attend a meet-and-greet on Monday, May 23, with the field to be narrowed again after that.

The finalists include:

• U.S. Air Force Col. William G. Courtney, Chair of Public Health and Preventative Medicine Department and Associate Dean of Public Health, Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio;
• Shannon Jones, Acting Director of Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services;
• Vincent R. Nathan, Associate Professor and Director of the Public Health and Water Research Program, Texas A&M Health Science Center;
• Catherine A. Raevsky, Administrative Health Officer for Kent County, Mich., Health Department;
• Carlos A. Rivera, Director of Health and Human Services Department, City of Hartford, Conn.;  and
•  Vanessa N. Sarria, Executive Director, Community Action Network, Austin.

The chosen candidate will replace David Lurie, who retired after more than 13 years as director. Jones has served as acting director since his retirement in January. 

Del Valle school superintendent Bernard Blanchard will retire

Del Valle school district superintendent Bernard J. Blanchard (pictured) recently said that he plans to retire after 40 years in the district.
 

Blanchard, who needs trustee approval to step down, worked as an elementary principal for 26 years and as superintendent for 11.
 

In a statement, he said, "I want to try my hand at something else while I still have time."

La Porte voters approve sales

tax hike for fire and rescue

La Porte voters recently approved a sales tax to produce additional funding to create a new fire control and emergency medical services district.
 

Expected to produce about $700,000 during its first year, the new quarter-cent sales tax will be used to hire at least one new employee and to buy new equipment, said Assistant Chief Donald Ladd. Department officials hope to replace fire engines sooner than previously planned, to buy new rescue equipment used in vehicle accidents and hire a training and safety officer, Ladd said.
 

La Porte City Council members must approve a budget for the Fire Control, Prevention and Emergency Medical Services District for the fiscal year beginning in October before the new district can begin operation.

Crowley ISD cuts three department director positions

To meet an expected $13.5 million budget reduction, the superintendent of Crowley Independent School District eliminated the positions of three department directors.
 

Kay Kizzler, the district's chief financial officer, Marcia Kirk, the executive director of human resources, and Kevin Fornof, the director of facility development, joined 65 other professional staff in the district whose positions were eliminated in a series of staff cuts because of the budget shortfall. School district officials also reduced by 30 percent the central office staff in an effort to balance the 2011-2012 fiscal year budget, which must be adopted in June, the superintendent said.

Burnet moving along with

$22 million wastewater plant

Burnet city officials are now working to secure funding and complete design plans for a new $22 million water and wastewater treatment plant following the approval of a discharge permit for the plant by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
 

The design for the plant should be ready to go out for bid later this year, said City Manager David Vaughn (pictured). The new discharge permit allows the city to increase the effluent discharge into Hamilton Creek from 700,000 gallons a day to 1.7 million gallons per day.

Rockwall ISD studying possibly outsourcing some services

In an effort to save money, Rockwall school officials recently made moves toward outsourcing both transportation and custodial services.

Outsourcing transportation could save the district $500,000 during the next school year and outsourcing custodial services could save $615,000.

The school board could hire the recommended companies by the end of the month.

Davo tagged as new director

of Harlingen tourist bureau

Harlingen city officials recently selected Marilyn Hope Davo as the director of the city's new Convention and Visitors Bureau. Davo will replace former executive director Nydia Tapia-Gonzalez, who left that position in March.

Davo previously served 11 years as a senior marketing specialist for an air express company and as a marketing associate for another corporation. She has a bachelor's degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio and a master's degree from the University of North Texas.

Texarkana College tags

Russell as new president

The board of trustees of Texarkana College recently selected James Henry Russell (pictured) as the sole finalist for president. Currently the superintendent of the Texarkana Independent School District, Russell will replace Dr. Alan Rasco, who resigned from the position.
 

Russell served four years as superintendent and worked for Texarkana ISD for 17 years.

Bonham ISD group mulling

bond issue for November ballot

A citizens group from the Bonham Independent School District recently urged trustees to work on another bond proposal to expand and repair schools for voter approval in November. The recommendation followed a rejection by voters this month of a bond proposal.
 

The treasurer of the political action committee who headed efforts to pass the failed bond issue urged board members to work out a plan to repair and expand district facilities that a majority of voters will find acceptable. Other residents pointed out that leaking roofs and overcrowded gymnasiums do not create a good learning environment, while others noted the last bond proposal lost by only 156 votes compared to the previous bond proposal that lost by a three-to-one margin.

El Paso wins $1 million transportation grant for bus

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded El Paso a $1 million grant to replace an existing Sun Metro bus with a new bus that will use compressed natural gas. The grant, from the Federal Transit Administration Livability Bus Program, also will help pay for associated maintenance items and for a test project in preparation for setting up a rapid transit system in El Paso.
 

El Paso also received $13.5 million in federal funding to build 13 proposed stations along the Mesa Street RTS Corridor from the downtown transfer center to the Westside transfer center.

Victoria approves $30,000 hotel/convention center study

Victoria City Council members recently approved $30,000 to pay for a feasibility study for a hotel/convention center.

The consultant for the Houston-based company performing the study told council members that a convention center gives companies a location for training seminars and local groups a place to hold meetings and social events as well as attract more visitors who spend money in the city.

• Debra Dockery of San Antonio, Texas Board of Architectural Examiners;
• Paula A. Miller of The Woodlands, Texas Board of Architectural Examiners;
• Sonya Odell of Dallas, Texas Board of Architectural Examiners;
• David Appleby of El Paso, State Securities Board;
• Alan Waldrop of Austin, State Securities Board

Irving ISD to charge teachers for microwaves, fridges in classes

Trustees for the Irving Independent School District recently approved charging teachers and other district employees who keep mini-fridges or microwave ovens in their classrooms or offices a $40 a year permit fee to pay for rising energy costs.
 

With a goal of reducing energy use, district officials also agreed to allow holders of a permit only one appliance in the classroom or office. They also will ban the use of space heaters, toasters and coffeemakers in classrooms and offices. Random inspections will be made to ensure the policy on electrical appliances is followed.
 

District officials estimate the new policy should save the school district about $100,000 a year, or the cost of the annual salaries of two teachers. The new policy will not apply the annual permit fee to appliances located in break rooms and teacher lounges.

Bandera to wait for new

sheriff until 2012 election

Following the recent resignation of Bandera County Sheriff Weldon Tucker, county commissioners agreed to leave that position vacant until voters choose a new sheriff in the 2012 election.
 

Chief Deputy Richard Tucker will fulfill the duties of sheriff as he did following the resignation of Tucker, who resigned from the post he was elected to in 2006 as part of a plea bargain.

Schertz selects John Kessel

as its new city manager

Schertz City Council members recently selected John Kessel (pictured), the current director of economic development for the city, to be the new city manager. Kessel will replace former City Manager Don Taylor on June 1.
 

Kessel, who had served as economic development director in Schertz for two months before being selected city manager, previously served as executive director of development services for McKinney.

Schroeder resigns positon as municipal judge in Gonzales

After more than 30 years as a municipal judge in Gonzales, Gary J. Schroeder recently resigned from that position. A question had arisen over whether Schroeder was a resident of the city of Gonzales, the city manager said.