TexasSure program to identify uninsured vehicles

Officials hope to curb motorists' non-compliance with state laws

Got insurance? If not, you better. The state of Texas this week rolled out its new TexasSure program aimed at identifying vehicles on Texas roads and highways that are not covered by liability insurance.

The state estimates that there are some 4 million uninsured vehicles in Texas. Four state agencies - the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR), the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) - are spearheading the initiative. The program features a database that matches insured vehicles with registered vehicles in Texas. The insurance information is submitted by the more than 200 insurance companies in the state. With this information readily available, law enforcement and county tax offices can verify instantly if a vehicle has liability insurance - which is required by law.

Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin (pictured) called the database a "one-of-a-kind" solution to helping reduce the number of uninsured vehicles driven on Texas roads and highways. He said reducing the number of uninsured vehicles is "good news" for Texans who do have coverage.

Summer 2008 promises to be long, hot, expensive

Demand, fuel costs increase electric bills, calls for renewables

If the first week of June is any indicator, it is going to be a hot - and possibly expensive - summer. Almost all of Texas has seen record high temperatures, some exceeding 100 degrees already, and the first day of summer is still two weeks away.

Things may only get worse for Texans when they get their summer electric bills. According to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), electric wholesale prices are up 40 percent since January, and will continue to climb. That could mean huge utility bills for thousands of Texans, particularly those in competitive markets who subscribe to default providers, or providers of last resort.

However, that may also mean that some long-held assumptions about oil and gas in the Texas energy equation are changing.

The cost of wholesale electric power - the product electric retailers sell to homes and businesses - can fluctuate based on a number of factors, including high demand and the cost of fuel. A megawatt hour of electricity can cost as little as $50 under normal circumstances or can spike as high as $2,250 due to hot weather and high demand, according to the PUC.

Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars

J. Kevin Ward, executive administrator, Texas Water Development Board

Career highlights and education: Graduated from Samuel Clemens High School in Schertz, Texas, in 1976; BBA in accounting, The University of Texas at Austin, May 1982. Started water-related finance career working as a general manager and controller for utility districts and corporations in and around Austin; came to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) in December 1987 to implement the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which is still the largest water-related infrastructure finance program for the state; directed all responses from board to legislative directives related to implementation of TWDB infrastructure finance programs for Senate Bill 1 (1997) and Senate Bill 2 (2001); served in varying management positions until appointed by board of directors in May 2002 to be agency head.

What I like best about my job is: We're making sure folks have a plentiful supply of good clean water. Watching and helping new staff and board members come in and share in the mission and take our services to the levels they need to be is very rewarding.

The best advice I've received for my current job is: Two things - Never forget how incredibly important the role of the Texas Water Development Board is to the future health and well being of the citizens and environment of Texas (historically, now and in the future) and what your job requires you to do. (From a late water icon who served at the Board in the 60s); and - listening needs to be your strongest skill; you can't listen if you're talking.

Advice I would give a new hire in my office: Embrace change, support your peers and there is no substitute for having guidance from your customers and stakeholders BEFORE you start to take actions that affect them.

If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found: Depends on whether a weekday or weekend - the right weekend it would be waist deep in a Texas bay fishing for Reds and Specs.

People would be surprised to know that I: spent two and a half years in the College of Petroleum Engineering at UT before changing majors to accounting. Sing in choir and play in the Praise Band at church.

One thing I wish more people knew about the Texas Water Development Board: How much natural resource data and reports we have available either free or for a small fee that are well-suited to any level of decision-making for project planning and engineering.

Each week, the Texas Government Insider profiles a key government executive or decision-maker. If you would like to suggest a "Lone Star," please email us at editor@spartnerships.com.

Vickery tabbed as new executive director at TCEQ

Mark Vickery (pictured) was unanimously chosen this week by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to be the agency's new executive director, effective June 17. He will replace Glenn Shankle, who is retiring. Vickery, a former deputy director for the office of permitting, remediation and registration, has been serving as deputy executive director since 2001. He also previously worked in the office of compliance and enforcement.

The soon-to-be executive director has been in state government more than two decades, beginning his public sector career as an enforcement coordinator with the Texas Water Commission. As deputy executive director of TCEQ, Vickery was the agency's chief operating officer and had oversight of the more than 2,900 employees at the agency, whose budget exceeds $564 million.

He has worked in industrial and hazardous waste enforcement and municipal solid waste compliance and enforcement. He also was director of field operations that included supervision of more than 800 employees in 16 regional offices throughout the state.

Sunset staff issues blistering report on TxDOT

Suggests abolishing Texas Transportation Commission

Citing a "backdrop of distrust and frustration" and a "demand for more transparency, accountability and responsiveness" within the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the Sunset Advisory Commission this week released its staff report on the agency, advocating return of transportation policy "to the Legislature, where it belongs."

Unlike most Sunset recommendations to continue agencies for 12 years, the recommendation regarding TxDOT was for a continuation of only four years. The report proposes establishing a four-year "legislative conservatorship" with a single Transportation Commissioner. Following the four-year period, the legislature could determine if changes were made at the agency to improve its accountability and transparency and decide if additional changes should be made.

"Early concerns about the Department's approach to toll roads and its interest in public-private partnerships have become a deep-seated distrust of TxDOT's motives and direction, as reflected in the Legislature's insistent drive to recapture policy ground lost to the Department," says the report.

PUC's Hudson to resign before term ends

Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) Commissioner Paul Hudson (pictured), who has served on the commission for five years - including four as chairman - will resign a year before his current term ends on Aug. 31, 2009. He was appointed to the commission by Gov. Rick Perry in August 2003. In January 2004, Perry named him chairman, a position he relinquished in 2007, although he continued to serve on the commission.

Hudson is a former Director of Policy, Deputy Director of Policy and Policy Director for Business/Regulatory Issues in the Office of the Governor. He has also served as advisor to former PUC Commissioner Brett Perlman and as a member of the Policy Development staff under former PUC and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chair Pat Wood, III. He also served on the boards of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Clean Coal Technology Council.

Hudson released a statement saying he has worked through his "to-do" list at the PUC and is now ready for "a new set of challenges." He will leave the PUC on Aug. 15.

Betts announces resignation from TDI position

Albert Betts (pictured), Commissioner of Workers' Compensation at the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), has announced he will resign Aug. 31.

Betts was appointed as the Workers' Compensation Division's first commissioner in 2005. He had previously served as chief of staff for TDI as well as deputy commissioner for human resources and assistant general counsel to the commissioner. Betts has also been an assistant attorney general in the Office of the Attorney General, assistant general counsel at the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission and general counsel for the State Office of Risk Management.

Betts, in a statement, said the division has "accomplished much" in the three years he served as commissioner, "working to reform the agency itself to become an effective regulator and manager of the workers' compensation system in Texas." He said the future looks bright for Texas workers' compensation. Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin called Betts "a great leader" who took on the difficult assignment of merging two agencies while implementing major reform legislation.

Comptroller announces senior staff changes

Changes in administrative staff have been announced by State Comptroller Susan Combs, effective June 2. Chris Kadas (left), former general counsel for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, will join the Comptroller's Office as Special Counselor for Tax Hearings. Kadas worked for Combs previously as her general counsel when she was Agriculture Commissioner. He will be responsible for final review of all contested tax cases. Kadas is a graduate of Lewis and Clark College, earned his master's degree from The University of Texas, LBJ School of Public Affairs and his law degree from Seattle University School of Law.

Kadas is replacing Ashley Harden (second from left), who has been tapped to serve as Chief Deputy General Counsel, and will assist in managing the Comptroller's General Counsel Division. Harden began working for the Comptroller's Office in 2007 and has also worked in the Attorney General's Office as Special Assistant Attorney General and as general counsel for the Texas Department of Agriculture. He is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and holds a law degree from Southern Methodist University.

Pete Slover (second from right) has been named Special Counsel to the Comptroller and Director of Criminal Investigations (CID) and will direct that division. He will also continue his work as liaison to Congress relative to Texas fiscal and tax issues. Prior to joining the Comptroller's Office in 2007, Slover was in a private attorney practice and also was an investigative newspaper reporter.

Sarah Whitley (right) will serve as Combs' chief of staff, advising Combs on state issues and agency policies while serving as the agency's liaison with parties throughout the state. She is a graduate of The University of Texas and has worked for the Comptroller's Office since 2001.

So will the Cubans all be drinking Moose Milk now?

So what everyone wants to know is - how did the Cubans react to Moose Milk?

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples (pictured) and a delegation of some two-dozen Texans representing agriculture-related business and industry (including products such as gourmet hot chocolate Moose Milk), recently returned from the first official state visit to Cuba in nearly half a century. Staples said the trip "exceeded our expectations" and called it a "major success."

Staples said the trade delegation's trip opened the door for a long-term business relationship between Texas and Cuba. Cuban buyers are "ready to do business with Texans," he said. As a result of the trip, two contracts totaling more than $400,000 already have been signed to sell cotton to Cuba and the export of more Texas agricultural products is expected. "Cuba needs good quality agricultural products. Texas farmers and ranchers produce the best food in the world and it just makes sense for our state to help feed the Cuban people," Staples said.

State Auditor's Office named for national award

The Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO) this week accepted the Excellence in Accountability Award for a Special Project during the National State Auditors Association annual conference in Baltimore. The 44 SAO staff members who worked on the agency's investigation of the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) were cited for their "distinguished work" that led to the award.

The audit was a result of allegations of abuse of some residents at TYC facilities. The Legislative Audit Committee's findings of fiscal mismanagement at the agency led to an SAO investigation and audit. Teams from the auditor's office were sent to the TYC central office and to 35 TYC facilities throughout the state. Two weeks later, the SAO completed its investigation and issued a report.

The award cited the SAO team for an investigation that provided information regarding TYC's physical security, the youth grievance policy, organizational structure, resource allocation and workloads, qualifications and training of TYC staff. After the SAO report was issued, Gov. Rick Perry appointed a conservator to oversee the youth corrections agency.

TDA to provide grants to help Texas vineyards

To meet a growing demand for Texas-grown grapes, the Texas Department of Agriculture has $250,000 in grants available for grape growers to expand or establish new vineyards.

At least two Central Texas wineries experienced a shortage of grapes this year, with one winery owner saying he could not obtain enough grapes in Texas to fill the demand for his wine and a Lampasas winemaker saying he would like to expand his operation but cannot find enough Texas-grown grapes to do so.

"The Texas wine industry ranks fifth in the nation and contributes more than $1 billion annually to our state's economy, but it is critical to expand the industry and get even more grapevines in the ground," said Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. Deadline for applying for the grants is today, Friday.

Guard shortage closes part of West Texas prison

Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) officials have closed part of a remote West Texas prison because they do not have enough guards to properly staff it. Prison officials are warning that a chronic shortage of prison guards is compromising security and public safety in Texas.

Brad Livingston (pictured), executive director of the TDCJ, told a joint Senate-House hearing this week that despite recent pay incentives for new hires, the closure was the third such move in recent months and signals that the guard shortage is not improving significantly.

Prison officials are closing a 334-bed wing of the 1,375-bed Lynaugh Unit in Fort Stockton that has been operating nearly 40 percent short of staff. Last fall, the agency closed a 300-bed dorm at the Dalhart Unit because of a staffing shortage. Later, it "re-purposed" parts of the huge Beto Unit in Northeast Texas from administrative segregation to general population status, which takes far fewer guards.

Abbott touts child safety initiative using flash drives

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has launched a new child safety initiative utilizing computer technology to help protect Texas children. The effort will help parents readily access critical information needed by authorities in the event a child goes missing. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (pictured) kicked off the initiative by handing out special child identification software-enhanced flash drives. The drives, which were developed by Family Trusted Child ID, allow parents to digitally store their children's recent photographs and other identifying information.

Each flash drive stores information for up to 10 children. Parents can use the flash drives to download essential identifying information, including recent digital photos, height, weight, address, e-mail addresses, parents' names and other important details. In the event of an emergency, the flash drives can provide quick information to law enforcement authorities.

According to the Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse, 58,285 Texas children were reported missing in 2007. The U.S. Department of Justice ranks Texas second in the nation, behind California, in the number of child abductions from non-family members.

Texas garners part of $1.1 billion in HHS funding

Texas has been named the recipient of more than $72 million of $1.1 billion in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funds will be used to assist public health departments, hospitals and other healthcare organizations to strengthen their ability to respond to public health and medical emergencies as a result of terrorist attacks or natural disasters.

HHS is awarding funding of $704.8 million through cooperative agreements with the Centers for Disease Controls (CDC) and the Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement. Texas' allocation from those programs is more than $43.3 million. The state also will received $28.9 million of the $398 million awarded through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) program's Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) grant funds.

The CDC-provided funds are intended to upgrade public health departments' preparedness and response to all hazards public health emergencies including terrorism, as well as pandemic influenza and other naturally occurring emergencies. The ASPR funds will be used to improve the readiness of hospitals and other health care organizations in their jurisdictions and strengthen medical surge capability across the nation.

UTHSC-San Antonio, partners land $26M NIH award

The National Institutes of Health have awarded a $26 million grant to a South Texas consortium led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The Clinical and Translational Science Award is aimed at speeding biomedical breakthroughs to improve the health of the people in the region's communities. The NIH partnered with the National Center for Research Resources in making the five-year award.

The Health Science Center joins Harvard, Stanford and 11 other United States institutions given this award in this round of funding. NCRR announced 24 Clinical and Translational Science Awards the last two years. The Health Science Center joins the UT Health Science Center at Houston (2006) and the UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (2007) as the only recipients in Texas.

Robert A. Clark, M.D. (pictured), principal investigator of the San Antonio award, said the funding would help accelerate the development pathway by providing support for clinical and translational research, as well as by removing some of the current barriers faced by investigators. The award will establish the Health Science Center's Institute for Integration of Medicine and Science.

Houston panel balks on light rail agreement

A Houston City Council committee has again postponed a vote on an agreement to let the Metropolitan Transit Authority build future rail lines on Houston streets. The document was hashed out in long negotiations between the transit agency and city public works. In a meeting on the "consent agreement," most of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Airports Committee members present said they would have voted against it, saying there are too many unanswered questions.

Department of Public Works and Engineering Director Mike Marcotte (pictured) noted that the agreement is not about routes and would apply regardless of which were chosen. Wilson said Metro sometimes cannot give definite answers because a project is under study or awaiting federal funding decisions.

Committee Chair Sue Lovell said meetings would be set up soon to let committee members put their questions to Mayor Bill White and Metropolitan Transit Authority CEO Frank Wilson.

Harris named president of San Jacinto College North

The San Jacinto College Board of Trustees recently selected Allatia Harris (pictured) as the next president of the San Jacinto College North campus.

Harris will replace Charles Grant when she assumes her new position on July 14. Grant, who served as president for 10 years, will remain in a transitional role through July.

Harris currently is district director for academic, curriculum initiatives at the Dallas County Community College District and previously served as the interim vice president of instruction at the Eastfield College campus. She also held teaching positions at the University of Southern California and the University of North Texas.

Bonner to lead national cancer organization

Cathy Bonner (pictured), a marketing executive and longtime political insider, has been named president and CEO of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS). Bonner started KillCancer.org to help ensure passage by Texas voters of a proposition last year that will provide $3 billion for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Bonner will take over for the coalition in August in Washington, D.C. Robert Sachs, chair of the NCCS Board of Directors, called Bonner "a CEO, entrepreneur and cancer activist with an outstanding record of accomplishment in the public and private sectors," adding that she will provide "a national voice for cancer survivors."

Bonner's support for cancer research and cancer cure have been bolstered by her own survival of cancer and the deaths from cancer of her father and her longtime political ally, the late Gov. Ann Richards. Bonner served as executive director of the Texas Department of Commerce under Richards. For her efforts toward passage of the referendum in Texas, she was named a finalist for the Dallas Morning News' "Texan of the Year" award.

Bonner is founder and served as president of the board of The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future, was board president of the Foundation for Women's Resources and was a founding member of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Child Advocacy Center. She also serves on the Austin Affiliate Board of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She also is president and CEO of Bonner Incorporated, a marketing/consulting firm.

Three Rivers gets $4.39M grant for wastewater system

The City of Three Rivers has been selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to receive a $4.39 million grant to build a line to intercept flow from a lift station to a proposed new water treatment plant. The grant is from USDA's Rural Development agency's Community Program Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program.

USDA Rural Development was created in 1994 to serve Texas' more than 3.6 million rural residents. Loans and grants are available to rural communities with fewer than 10,000 residents. Public bodies, corporations operating on a nonprofit basis, and Indian tribes that are unable to obtain credit from other sources at reasonable rates and terms are eligible for assistance. Last year the agency distributed $133.9 million in loans and grants that assisted 279,702 households, said Scooter Brockette, the USDA Rural Development Acting State Director.

Houston to hire 'tele-nurses' to free up ambulances

The Houston City Council has voted to hire round-the-clock "tele-nurses" to work with 9-1-1 dispatchers in a move to cut the number of ambulances responding to non-emergency calls. The plan calls for a nurse to offer first-aid advice over the phone, or help callers find a clinic or doctor in cases where the call is not a true emergency.

The Houston Fire Department responds to some 750 emergency medical calls per day. Dr. David Persse (pictured), the city's director of Emergency Medical Services, said many of those patients are calling for routine medical care, such as a blood pressure check. Some people call 9-1-1 because they have no health insurance or no transportation to the hospital. Others have insurance but do not know how to get after-hours care or cannot judge how serious a problem may be.

The default solution in the past has been to send an ambulance. The costs to taxpayers and the patient is high. An ambulance ride to the ER costs $415, plus $7.50 per mile. The city will spend $6.8 million over five years on a contract with the Harris County Healthcare Alliance. The nonprofit group has subcontracted with a San Antonio-based firm, which will provide at least two nurses around the clock.

Mayrand will be inaugural dean of new ASU college

After more than 25 years on the nursing faculty at Angelo State University, Dr. Leslie M. Mayrand (pictured) has been named dean of the new College of Nursing and Allied Health. Mayrand has served for the last five years as head of the ASU Nursing Department.

The new college will be formally established Sept. 1, following approval in May by the Board of Regents of the Texas Tech University System. Mayrand's appointment is for three years. She has previously worked at San Antonio's Methodist Hospital and at Nemour's Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla. The new dean holds two bachelor's degrees from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, a master's from The University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio and her Ph.D. in nursing from The University of Texas at Austin.

Lamar announces new department leadership

Lamar University this week announced changes in its academic leadership. Matthew Hoch has been named chair of the Department of Biology and Michael Sullivan will be the new social work program director. Additionally, Ann Watkins is the new chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Law.

Hoch replaces Michael Warren, who is giving up his chair title but will continue as a professor of biology. Hoch holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado and his Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. He comes to Lamar from Pennsylvania State University-York, where he was an assistant professor of biology.

Sullivan replaces Vernice Monroe, who retired. He holds a bachelor's degree from State University of New York at Geneseo, a master's from SUNY at Buffalo and his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. He is a former faculty member at the University of Tennessee at Memphis.

Watkins currently is chair of the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics at McNeese State University. She will join Lamar in September. She also was on the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and High Point University, Fayetteville State University and the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. She holds a bachelor's degree from McNeese and her Ph.D. from Louisiana State University. She is also a Certified Public Accountant.

UH to construct, operate wind turbine blade test facility

The University of Houston will design, construct and operate a state-of-the-art wind turbine blade testing facility on a 22-acre site at Ingleside, following signing of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). In addition to $2 million in equipment for the Gulf Coast testing site, the university also will be able to rely on NREL for technical and operational assistance.

UH is general manager of the Lone Star Wind Alliance, a public/private partnership of universities, government agencies and corporate partners formed to support the economic development of renewable wind energy throughout Texas and the nation. The alliance also includes The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, West Texas A&M University, Rice University, Lamar University, New Mexico State University, Old Dominion University, the Houston Advanced Research Center, the Texas General Land Office, the State Energy Conservation Office, the Texas Workforce Commission and 12 wind energy companies and suppliers.

"Houston is the energy capital, and the University of Houston is well on its way to becoming the Energy University," said Renu Khator (pictured), president of UH and chancellor of the UH System. "This world-class facility is a perfect example of the innovative, research-based support that we are providing to advance Houston's and the state's global leadership in energy."

Gipson joins Texas Tech as new department chair

Philip Gipson, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit leader, has been named chairman of the Department of Natural Resources Management at Texas Tech University's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Gipson will be responsible for a number of programs in the department as well as several research hubs including the Wildlife and Fisheries Management Institute, Fire Ecology Center, High Plains Grazing Lands Research Center and the Texas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

Gipson previously was a research unit leader and associate professor with Kansas State University's Division of Biology and also is a former senior wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. He worked as a visiting scientist and adjunct associate professor with Pennsylvania State University's Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, as an associate professor with Prince George's Community College's Department of Biology, as assistant chief of Game and Supervisor of Wildlife Research with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, assistant leader with the Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, associate professor at the University of Alaska and assistant professor at the University of Nebraska's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Gipson holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Arkansas, a master's from the University of Arkansas and a doctorate from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

Fenves appointed dean of UT engineering school

Dr. Gregory L. Fenves (pictured) has been appointed dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, effective Sept. 1. He will replace Dr. Ben Streetman, who will take a one-year sabbatical after 12 years as the engineering school dean.

Fenves is an international expert in structural engineering and is former chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of Pavia, Italy, and Kyoto University in Japan. He was assistant director for lifeline programs at UC Berkeley's Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center and was vice chair for graduate affairs at the university's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Fenves earned his bachelor's degree with distinction from Cornell University and his master's and doctorate from UC Berkeley.

Dallas toughens scrap metal rules to combat thefts

The Dallas City Council has voted to approve measures that will toughen the rules governing the sale of scrap metal to recycling businesses. Starting this week, recyclers must take still photographs of metal sellers, their vehicles and the metal they are selling.

Buyers must also record images of sellers' government-issued identification cards and take their thumbprint impression. They must also retain purchased metal for five days - not three - before processing or reselling it. Sellers, in turn, must provide metal recyclers the make, model and license plate number of the motor vehicle used to deliver their metal. Under the ordinance, a person who does not deliver their metal in a motor vehicle or in a trailer attached to a motor vehicle cannot sell it to a metal recycler.

Dallas and other North Texas cities have been battling with thieves stealing metal from almost every location conceivable, including air conditioners from private homes and churches, pipes from public buildings and copper wiring from street lights. A spike in prices for some metals has only made the problem worse.

Fort Worth budget shortfall puts city jobs in jeopardy

Hundred of jobs are on the line as Fort Worth city officials work to deal with a projected $20 million shortfall in reserve funds in next year's budget. Officials said the current shortfall stands at $14 million. Officials say many of the cuts would likely come from restructuring city departments and not filling more than 225 vacant positions.

The shortfall in funds was discovered after the general employee, police and fire associations approached City Manager Dale Fisseler (pictured) about providing midyear raises for city workers. In checking the reserve funds for available money, Fisseler realized there was a shortfall and implemented a hiring freeze. The city employs more than 6,000 people.

Preliminary 2008-09 budget estimates project the city will have $34 million in reserves, which is below the minimum set by council policy. The goal is to have $54 million. Fisseler warned the city's employees of the likely cuts in a memo distributed with paychecks last week.

Williamson County shares $600,000 grant for center

Bluebonnet Trails MHMR, working in partnership with Williamson County and five area hospitals, was recently awarded a $500,000 state grant for a 10-bed respite center to help people with a mental health crisis who are not in danger of injuring themselves or others.

With $26,827 in funding available in fiscal year 2008, the partners will begin looking for a site for the center. The grant for fiscal year 2009 will total $574,447. Bluebonnet Trails MHMR also has issued a request for proposals from companies that operate respite centers to find an operator for the center.

Local hospitals participating in the respite center include St. David's Round Rock Hospital, St. David's Georgetown Hospital, Scott & White Hospital at University Medical Campus, Seton Medical Center Williamson and Cedar Park Regional Medical Center.

San Antonio Council votes to raise parking rates

The San Antonio City Council has voted to raise the rates for parking in downtown garages and parking lots. The hourly rate for parking at garages and lots is expected to go up anywhere from 25 cents to $1.50.

The study compared San Antonio's daily rates of $6 to $8 to cities like Denver and San Diego, which have daily public parking rates of more than $20. The study found that the current rate does not support the costs of operating the parking lots and garages, and city leaders say if it stays the same, taxpayers will foot the bill.

The extra money will help upgrade the garages with new technology that provides the ability for the city to accept debit and credit cards. The rate changes take effect in July, but city officials said they expect even more increases in 2009.

Persson returning to Lone Star College-Kingwood

Officials of Long Star College-Kingwood recently named Dr. Katherine Persson as the new president to succeed outgoing President Linda Stegall. Persson is expected to assume her new position August 4.

Persson holds a bachelor's degree from Texas State University, a master's from Texas Woman's University-Texas Medical Center Houston and a Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin. Persson currently is president of the Rock Creek campus of Portland Community College. She also previously served as vice president of educational programs and services at Long Star College-Kingwood among other leadership positions she held during her 20 years with the community college.

Smith County officials approve long-range facility plan

Smith County commissioners recently approved the first phase of a Long-Range Facility Plan including a scaled-down jail and renovations to several county facilities. The first phase does not include funding for a new courthouse supported by State District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent, who advised commissioners that the county cannot jail build its way out of trouble.

County Judge Joel Baker (pictured) said while he and commissioners would love a new courthouse facility, they do not believe that voters would approve such a large bond proposal because of the current economy. Commissioners must be realistic about what projects voters will approve and most voters see the jail as a critical need, he said. Phase 1 of the facilities plan includes:

• Build a new jail facility, along with remodeling of the existing main jail and low-risk facility;
• renovate county departments out of the Smith County Office Building; the sheriff's office would move to the fifth floor of the Courthouse Annex and to the county-owned Murphy and Roosth buildings on Spring Street;
• relocate Adult probation, warrants, pre-trial release, the fire marshal and the AIC departments to buildings the county is considering buying east of the annex (the old Crescent Laundry property); and
• remodel the courthouse basement, along with the fifth and sixth floors, to yield additional space for existing and new courts, as well as office space for the district attorney and district clerk.

Dallas community college receives grant funding

The Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) is sharing more than $766,000 in state grant funds to support nursing, student recruitment and workforce development.

The grants include:

• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board - $170,305 to DCCCD and El Centro College to support the Nursing Shortage Reduction Program. Funds are awarded to nursing programs that show increases in associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree graduates from 2006-2007.
• Sul Ross University - $103,720 for the Texas Prefreshman Engineering Program Collaboration Initiative. This amount is split between El Centro and Richland colleges and is a collaborative effort among state colleges and universities for early preparation for science and engineering career paths.
• Texas Workforce Commission - $492,522 to DCCCD and El Centro College Bill J. Priest Campus for a Skills Development Fund program in partnership with Frito-Lay. The grant provides training for new and current employees in process improvement, supply chain management and leadership and management topics.

Corpus Christi city manager Skip Noe resigns

The Corpus Christi City Council has accepted City Manager Skip Noe's (pictured) resignation after a brief closed session Sunday. The Council also agreed to a 90-day transition period Noe has suggested. The 7-2 vote also gives Noe a severance package of six months' salary, a car allowance, accrued vacation and personal time.

Council members Priscilla Leal, one of the two "no" votes, said 90 days was too long for a transition period. Noe said he will stay for the three-month transition, during which he plans to continue working with city staff on the city's budget and preparing for a November bond issue election.

Sunday's emergency meeting was called after Noe sent a resignation letter on Friday, saying council members had suggested he step down.

Bell County officials back new recycling power plant

Bell County commissioners recently approved a letter of intent supporting a proposed plan for the city of Killeen to be the site of the first Zero-emission Energy Recycling Oxidation System power plant.

This proposed plant is designed to harness energy from the chemical breakdown of hazardous organic wastes to produce electricity. These products include trash and other decaying biological material and will be rerouted to the plant to serve as the primary fuel source instead of being dumped in local landfills. Steve Clark is the inventor, patent holder and president of ZEROS Inc., which will fund and own the plant.

Bell County Commissioner John Fisher noted that the court has worked with developers of the technology along with state and local officials for more than a year. The county assumes little risk in supporting the project, Fisher said, as private investors are funding the project and if it fails, the county can continue its current trash collection system.

Hash to serve as vice dean for College of Medicine

Robert Hash, senior associate dean for the Mercer University School of Medicine in Savannah, Ga., has been named vice dean for academic affairs at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, effective July 7. Hash previously served as Mercer's dean for academic affairs and in the dean's office since 2002.

While at Mercer, Hash was awarded the Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award in Family Medicine in 2002. He taught basic science, clinical skills, bioethics, family medicine and evidence-based medicine. Hash earned his M.D. degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky and completed his residency training in emergency medicine at Louisville and family medicine training at Mercer. He has been board certified in emergency medicine and is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Abilene's longtime finance director Wright retires

David Wright (pictured), Abilene's director of finance, is retiring after nearly 30 years working for the city. Wright, who began as a city controller in late 1979, has served as finance director for the past 25 years.

In a statement, Wright thanked his coworkers and said he planned to pursue other career opportunities. Although officially retired, Wright plans to assist Abilene and its financial staff for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

Deputy Director of Finance Mindy Patterson will act as the Interim Finance Director. A search is under way for Wright's replacement.

Bellmead returns grant for hiring more firefighters

Concerns over continuing costs prompted the Bellmead City Council to turn down a $731,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security under its Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.

City Manager Scooter Radcliffe said city officials were forced to give back the grant when they realized they would be faced with paying the increased costs in later years as their part of the agreement. The grant required the city to pay 20 percent of the costs for hiring eight new firefighters during the first year, with that amount increasing by 10 percent every year for five years.

The city would have to pay the $353,000 cost of the eight firefighters when the grant runs out in five years, Radcliffe said. The current budget for the existing fire department is $391,000 per year and adding the new firefighters would increase by about 50 percent the cost to taxpayers, he said.

Ness will lead UT School of Public Health

Roberta B. Ness, M.D., M.P.H. (pictured), a researcher, educator and physician who specializes in women's health, has been named dean of The University of Texas School of Public Health, starting Jan. 1, 2009. Ness, professor and current chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, will succeed Guy S. Parcel, Ph.D., who has led the UT School of Public Health since 2005.

She will be responsible for furthering the school's mission to improve and sustain the health of individuals by providing high-quality graduate education, research and community service locally, nationally and internationally.

The UT School of Public Health, the oldest accredited school of public health in Texas, has produced more than 4,800 graduates since its first class in 1969. Its main campus in the Texas Medical Center offers four degree programs and it has five regional campuses in Brownsville, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and El Paso.

Greenville airport selected for grant for runway lights

The City of Greenville Municipal Airport will receive a $110,000 grant from the Aviation Division of the Texas Department of Transportation. The grant will be used to pay for the engineering and design phase of a new runway lighting system.

The state grant will pay for 90 percent of the cost of the project with a local match from the airport's largest tenant paying the remaining 10 percent. The construction phase of the lighting project is scheduled for letting as part of TxDOT's 2011-2012 capital improvement program, at an estimated cost of $670,000.

Greenville city officials previously teamed with L-3 Communications Integrated Systems to win a $5 million grant in 2005 to rebuild the main runway of the airport. L-3 also paid the matching funds required for that grant.

Henderson approves agreements for new civic center

Henderson City Council members recently approved contracts for $1.5 million with the Henderson Economic Development Corp. (HEDCO) and $1.5 million with the Henderson Civic Center, Inc. (HCC) to move ahead on a proposed new civic center. The agreements create an account balance of $4 million to pay for construction of the center.

In addition to the $3 million, the project also received grant commitments of $1.048 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and $300,000 in federal funding administered by the Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA), raising the total commitment to $4.379 million.

The government grants were authorized on the condition that the new center serve as a public shelter during natural disasters and other catastrophes. While HCC, Inc. raised funding from private sources, HEDCO funding is from the half-cent economic development sales tax it levies.

McKinney Council faces $21 million projected budget gap

City officials in McKinney are looking to close a $21 million gap in the general fund as they begin to prepare the 2008-09 budget. Assessed valuation in McKinney slowed this year to 8 percent after years of high double-digit percentage growth in the city's tax base.

The numbers are preliminary and will likely change before the City Council approves the budget later this summer. The city expects to receive $86 million in revenues, far below the $107 million in spending requests for the day-to-day operations of city departments. That includes $13 million beyond the $94 million needed to maintain services at the same level as last year.

City Council members are far from panicking but say they will be vigilant. Council member Bill Cox (pictured) said they would take a second look at all personnel, to make sure any new hires are necessary.

United ISD taking second look at $250 million bond issue

Trustees for United Independent School District recently asked Superintendent Roberto "Bobby" Santos for options if trustees postpone a planned $250 million November bond election. Options outlined by Santos included capping enrollment at campuses already past capacity or implementing year-round schooling or double shifts.

Portable buildings could be placed at United High School, which is expected to open in fall 2009. Trustees had proposed the bonds to construct nine new schools, including a high school on Minutes Road.

Trustees also heard from a Dallas-based financial advisor and a public relations firm that proposed working with the district to help build community support for a bond election. Trustees made no decisions on the bond proposal or the consultant's proposals.

Wastewater project to reduce untreated discharge

A proposed $28.2 million water and wastewater project in Rio Bravo and Nuevo Progresso recently received certification and funding from the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank. The water and wastewater project will provide sewage services to 100 percent of the 93,800 residents of both Rio Bravo and Nuevo Progresso, providing a cleaner and healthier water supply to residents in downriver communities in both Mexico and Texas. The NADB will pay about 56 percent of the total cost of the project. This will consist of a $3.8 million loan, as well as a $12.76 million grant from its Border Environment Infrastructure Fund, which is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The project is sponsored by Comision Municipal de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado de Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas (COMAPA). It will rehabilitate portions of the water distribution and wastewater collection systems, as well as construct a wastewater treatment plant to serve both cities, which currently have very little wastewater treatment available.

Texas parks...newly renovated and scheduled
to get even better!

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

As the average price for regular unleaded gasoline inches toward $4 a gallon nationwide, family vacations may be topics of serious discussion in the coming weeks.

Fortunately, there are numerous alternative vacation spots in Texas that are affordable, easily accessible and within driving distance for most - Texas' 93 state parks.

Texas state parks benefited from $25.6 million in new funding for park operations approved by the 80th Legislature in 2007. Additionally, Texas voters last November approved another $70 million in bonding authority to fund major repairs at state parks.

The result is a win-win-win situation - a win for Texas families, a win for Texas companies and a win for Texans living in state park communities.

Port Aransas gets grant to design and build new ferry

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded a $643,548 grant to be used to pay part of the design and construction of a new ferry to serve Port Aransas. Michael Kovacs (pictured), Port Aransas city manager, said the new 28-car ferry will be an improvement over the 20-car ferries currently in use. The bids for the boat could come as early as next year, Kovacs said. The federal government has given Port Aransas grant money annually of late to help increase the ferry fleet from six to seven boats.

The new ferry, currently still in the design stage, is expected to cost more than $4 million. So far, $1 million has been raised toward the cost of the new ferry, Kovacs said. The ferries in Port Aransas carry an average of 4,000 to 6,000 vehicles a day between the mainland and Mustang Island.

Moulton ISD picks Novotny as lone finalist for superintendent

Trustees for Moulton Independent School District recently selected Michael Novotny as the lone finalist for superintendent. Novotny, who currently serves as a high school principal for Plano ISD, is expected to begin his new position on July 1.

Novotny, who was employed by Plano ISD in 1996, received his superintendent's certification in 2001 and started his search for a superintendent job last fall, he said.

Where are they now?

Where do folks go when they leave state 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 employees are now.

Jim Ray began his public sector career as a management assistant in the city manager's office for the City of Austin. He later served as director of the Governor's Division of Planning for Gov. John Connally and was associate director in the establishing of The University of Texas System Institute of Urban Studies at Arlington. He was also the chief executive officer for Texas state agencies, including the Texas Constitutional Revision Commission and Convention, the Texas Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations and the Texas Urban Development Commission. From 1977 to 2005, he was contracted with the Texas Association of Regional Councils as executive director. Also in 1977, he and his wife established the Ray Associates, Inc., consulting firm which they still own and operate, consulting on regional and intergovernmental policy issues. Ray has also served as a commissioner on the Texas Advisory Commission on State Emergency Communications, as a member of the Governor's Homeland Security Council and as a member of the Health Commissioner's State Bioterrorism Policy Coordinating Council.

David Smith, M.D. served as senior vice president of Dallas' Parkland Memorial Hospital and as CEO and Medical Director of Parkland's Community Oriented Primary Care Program until 1992. He then began his nearly 15-year state government career in Texas as commissioner of the then-Texas Department of Health. He left that position after four years to become president of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and dean of the School of Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. In 2001, Smith was named chancellor of Texas Tech University, a position he left in 2006 for his current position - the sixth president of State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, the only academic medical university in the Central New York region.

If you are a former Texas government official or employee or know someone who has left state government for greener pastures, please let us know so we can feature them in an upcoming column. Send your information to editor@spartnerships.com.

Palo Pinto ISD names Cederstrom superintendent

Trustees for Palo Pinto Independent School District recently selected Eric J. Cederstrom as their new superintendent to replace Norma Yates, who is retiring.

A native of Bismarck, N.D., Cederstrom holds a master's degree from Texas Tech University, where he also received his superintendent's certification. He currently is elementary principal for Burnet Consolidated ISD, where he served as part of the district's administrative hiring team and math adoption committee team. He will begin as superintendent in Palo Pinto on July 1.

Denison fire department gets communications grant

The Denison Fire Department recently won a $40,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to improve emergency response time. The grant will be used to purchase a Gateway System to allow other emergency responders to tap into Denison's radio frequency. Assistant Fire Chief Bill Ray said the new system should eliminate gaps in communications that occurred during recent grass fires that covered large areas.

While unable to give a specific date for installation of the communications system upgrade, Ray said he expects it to occur soon. Several other cities and counties in the Texoma area also are installing the same system.

Friendswood council to discuss city manager post

The Friendswood City Council will discuss the process for finding and hiring a new city manager when members meet for a retreat next week, according to Mayor David Smith (pictured). Friendswood has been without a city manager since April, when former City Manager Bo McDaniel resigned.

Since that time, Roger Roecker, the city's administrative services director, has been serving as interim city manager. The council has not decided yet whether to seek assistance from an outside firm in finding McDaniel's replacement.

Harlingen CISD selects Flores as lone finalist

Trustees for Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District recently selected Steve Flores as the lone finalist for superintendent to replace retiring Superintendent Linda Wade. Flores currently is chief of staff for Dallas ISD. He is expected to begin his new duties July 1.

Madding resigns as superintendent at Vidor

Superintendent Robert Madding of the Vidor Independent School District recently announced his retirement, ending a 21-year career with that district. Madding became superintendent in 2003 after serving as assistant superintendent since 2001. His final day with the district will be June 30.

Board President Wayne Sonnier said trustees will begin a search for an interim superintendent in the coming week.

Chambers of commerce support VOTEXAS project

The Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives has endorsed the 2008 VOTEXAS voter education program. The 101-year old organization, which represents 280 chambers across the state, is backing the program created by Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson.

Wilson launched the program during this year's primary season and will continue to reach out to voters during November's General Election by partnering with local groups such as chambers of commerce and other civic or social organizations.

Cuero officials searching
for interim city manager

The Cuero city Council recently approved a contract with a consulting firm to find suitable candidates for an interim city manager to serve as a replacement for retiring City Manager Corlis Riedesel, who is retiring.

The consulting company is comprised of a network of retired city administrators from across the state who agree to take temporary positions. Police Chief Glenn Mutchler will continue to serve as acting city manager until an interim manager is selected. The consulting firm is expected to provide the council with a list of names and resumes for interim city manager for their consideration at its next meeting.

Scurry-Rosser ISD approves Couch as superintendent

Trustees for the Scurry-Rosser Independent School District recently chose Chris Couch as their new superintendent. Couch, who previously was a middle school principal for the district, is scheduled to begin his new job on July 1.

Recent Reports

• An Audit Report on Complaint Processing and Enforcement at the Board of Pharmacy
• Sunset Advisory Commission Staff Report on the Texas Department of Transportation
• HHSC, Rider 26 Report:Annual Performance Report for the Prescription Drug Rebate Program
• An Audit Report on Texas Southern University's Compliance with U.S. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133 for Research and Development Funds
• An Audit Report on Student Loan Default Rate Prevention and Management Activities at Texas Southern University
• 'Eye on Government'
• SPI's May 2008 Municipal Bond Elections Report
• SPI's Defense Appropriations Bill Earmarks Report
• SPI's November 2007 Bond Election Results Report

Event Links

• TEXAS VOAD 2008 Annual Summit
• Texas State Agency Business Administrators' Association 39th Annual Summer Conference
• Texas State University Small Business Development Center training schedule
• TWC Texas Business Conferences
• LBJ School Professional Development Calendar
• Upcoming Executive Women in Texas Government events

Texas Government Insider Archives

Volume 1 - 6 Archives · 11/7/03 - 5/30/08

Bigbee resigns from post
as Azle superintendent

Edd Bigbee (pictured), who served as superintendent at Azle Independent School District for more than eight years, recently resigned from that position. Bigbee agreed to serve as a consultant until August 30 to assist the district in its search for interim and permanent superintendents.

Trustees appointed Kim Bates, the elementary school coordinator, as acting superintendent. Board members also announced they hired a consulting firm to determine why a recent $99 million bond issue was overwhelmingly defeated by voters.

Woodlands Township approves interim leadership

Following the resignation of Frank Robinson as president of the Woodlands Township, its executive committee recently appointed two vice presidents and a consultant to manage the township for the next 60 days. Robinson resigned effective June 16 to take a position as a city manager in Apple Valley, California. On June 16, Brian Pate, former vice president of finance and administration and currently a consultant for the township of Jefferson Wells, Steve Sumner, vice president of operations and public safety, and Nick Wolda, vice president of marketing and public affairs, will take over day-to-day operations of the township, said Nelda Luce Blair, chairwoman of The Woodlands Township Executive Committee. This management team will be temporary while the township and the Community Associations of The Woodlands continue discussions on how to merge the two entities.

The Woodlands Township is transitioning from a special district that covered only the central business centers of the community to one that will govern all of the community of 90,000 residents by 2010. A transition agreement has been reached to move funding and services from the community associations to the township during the next 18 months, but many decisions on day-to-day operations remain to be made, Blair said.

Governor's appointments

Gov. Rick Perry has made the following appointments:

• Joseph L. Stunja of Kingwood, San Jacinto River Authority
• Joseph Turner of Willis, San Jacinto River Authority
• John Flieller of Floresville, San Antonio River Authority Board of Directors
• Jeffrey Neathery of San Antonio, San Antonio River Authority Board of Directors
• Robert "Bob" Jones of Corpus Christi, Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation
• David Austin McKinney of Cypress Mill, Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission
• Patricia Clapp of Dallas, Texas Board of Nursing
• Michael Seiler of The Woodlands, 435th District Court judge in Montgomery County
• Karry K. Matson of Georgetown, State Commission on Judicial Conduct
• Meghan Vittrup of Lewisville, student regent, University of North Texas
• Buford T. Abeldt Sr. of Lufkin, Texas State Board of Pharmacy
• L. Suzan Kedron of Dallas, Texas State Board of Pharmacy
• Dennis Wiesner of Austin, Texas State Board of Pharmacy

Jasper ISD approves Creel as interim superintendent

Trustees for Jasper Independent School District recently selected Dr. Jimmy Creel to serve as interim superintendent. Creel retired as superintendent of College Station ISD and served as superintendent of the Port Neches-Groves district and deputy superintendent at Katy ISD. He currently serves as a trainer for a consulting firm in College Station.

ACC planning to offer courses in Kerrville

Associates degrees and technical certificates will be offered in Kerrville this fall by the Alamo Community College. The classes are part of an agreement between ACC and the Kerrville ISD.

Initially, the classes will be held at the Hal Peterson Middle School and then move to the Tivy Education Building once renovations are complete there. ACC will also offer workforce training and dual credit classes for high school students, along with associate's degrees.

Hunt to serve as UTHSCT chief nursing officer

Don Hunt, RN, has been appointed as the new chief nursing officer at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. Hunt is the former assistant vice president of nursing at Baxter Regional Medical Center in Arkansas, where he oversaw operations of the emergency room, intensive care unit, operating room, post anesthesia care unit, cath lab, obstetrics department and the employee health and wellness program. He is also a former emergency department director, occupational health and wellness coordinator and relief charge and relief house supervisor.

Hunt earned his bachelor's degree in nursing from Western Carolina University in North Carolina and is currently working toward his master's degree in nursing from Arkansas State University.

Marzilli will lead UT-Tyler department as new chair

Dr. T. Scott Marzilli (pictured) will be the new chair of the Department of Health and Kinesiology at The University of Texas at Tyler, effective July 1. Marzilli comes to UT-Tyler after nearly 10 years at the University of West Florida, where he spent the last three years as associate professor in health, leisure and exercise science.

Marzilli earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from California Polytechnic State University and his Ph.D. from Florida State University.

El Paso County studying flex employee time schedules

Increases in gas costs are causing El Paso County officials to study the possibility of using a flex time schedule for their employees this summer. Such a program would help employees save money on gasoline costs, which continue to increase. It would also allow employees to take an occasional three-day weekend during the summer. Any such proposal would have to go before the county's human resources department for approval.

TGI ad space available

If you're not advertising in TGI, you're missing out on an opportunity for some very targeted messaging. TGI reaches more than 31,000 readers each week. Interested in details, call Patti Maugham at 512-531-3900 or click here.

Appeals Court sets up watchdog unit for system

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Barbara Hervey has announced the formation of a new Texas Criminal Justice Integrity Unit. The unit, with officials from across the state, will look at a broad slate of criminal justice issues, including improving indigent defense, improving eyewitness identification and better compensating the wrongly convicted.

Hervey said the court can address some areas, while the Texas Legislature will address others. She plans to work through the summer so the group can have solid proposals when the legislature meets in January. Sen. Rodney Ellis of Houston, one member of the unit, has worked on compensation issues in the past, while Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins has gained prominence for his efforts to bring attention to convicts who were exonerated by DNA evidence.

Brownsville ISD appoints Guerra asst. superintendent

Trustees for the Brownsville Independent School District recently appointed Carlos Guerra (pictured) as an assistant area superintendent.

Guerra currently is superintendent of the San Perlita School District, a position he has held since September 2006. He was superintendent of the Santa Rosa School District from 2004-2006. Before that, he was a principal, assistant principal and teacher in the La Feria school district. He has a bachelor's degree from Texas A&I University and a master's degree from The University of Texas-Pan American.

Groesbeck approves tax
for new civic center

Voters in Groesbeck recently approved a one-quarter percent increase in the city's sales tax to help pay for a new civic center. The new civic center will be build along West Highway 164. The sales tax in Groesbeck will increase from 8 percent to 8.25 percent.

A&M-Kingsville sells surplus property over the Internet

Texas A&M University-Kingsville can now make its surplus property available for sale to the general public - worldwide - on the Internet through the Web site PublicSurplus.com. Any person anywhere can bid on items on PublicSurplus.com in timed online auctions. The company was formed in 1999 by a school purchasing director in Utah. Shoppers can place bids on government surplus items from across the country, as well as from other governments, agencies and schools in Texas. Government agencies are charged a small percentage of the purchase price to list items.

A&M-Kingsville is the only South Texas college listing items on PublicSurplus.com, along with 10 other colleges and universities from other parts of the state.

College Station bike loop extension being planned

The Metropolitan Planning Organization recently added a $434,000 bike loop extension around College Station's Bee Creek Park to its short-range Transportation Improvement Plan. This qualifies the project to be funded through state grants. The MPO coordinates transportation projects for Brazos County, Texas A&M University, Bryan and College Station.

College Station Mayor Ben White (pictured) praised the decision, saying many cyclists are turning to bicycles to avoid increasing fuel costs and the bicycle loop will provide more options for mobility. The city recently hired a capital improvement projects director, Chuck Gilman, who is responsible for overseeing projects from cradle to grave, White said. The project includes drainage, striping, signage and conduits for future lighting.

Mexia names Ceyanes finalist for superintendent

The Mexia Independent School District has named Jason Ceyanes as its lone finalist for superintendent. If following the legal 21-day waiting period Ceyanes accepts, he would become superintendent to succeed Charlene Simpson.

Ceyanes and his family will move to Mexia from Argyle, where he has been superintendent of the Argyle ISD.

Cedar Park residents speak out about public transit

Residents of Cedar Park turned out at two forums recently to tell city officials whether they should bring back public transportation. In 1998, Cedar Park opted out of Capital Metro and directed its 1 percent sales tax towards economic development. Since then, the city has more than doubled in size. Currently, if Cedar Park residents want to take the bus, they have to drive or get a ride out of the city to the Capital Metro Park and Ride Northwest Station. Most of those attending said they want the city to provide mass transit.

Assistant City Manager Jose Madrigal said there is an eight-mile gap between Austin and Leander that does not get service, so another commuter rail stop would help ease the congestion load. He said Cedar Park would like to partially fund bus service by using some of the federal tax dollars CapMetro receives. The Cedar Park City Council will review public transportation options and is expected to make a decision about which route to take in the fall.

San Angelo approves zoning for wind turbine plant

The San Angelo City Council recently approved a zoning change to clear the way for a proposed wind turbine manufacturing plant to be built on the northern edge of the city. Once the proposal is approved on second reading, the city will rezone nearly 65 acres along Old Ballinger Highway to allow heavy manufacturing.

Martifer Energy Systems of Portugal is considering building a $40 million plant that will employ more than 200. City officials are still awaiting notification on whether Martifer has accepted the $5.8 million in incentives, tax abatements and other considerations approved by the council on May 20, said Mayor J.W. Lown (pictured).

New Valley foundation to help prepare kids for college

A grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will fund a new Rio Grande Valley program to increase college enrollment. The initiative - administered by Texas Valley Communities Foundation and funded with a $500,000 Gates grant - is just one more way to connect with students from a young age and provide them opportunities to succeed.

Roland Arriola, retired vice president of the University of Texas-Pan American who now serves as president of Texas Valley Communities, said the new Engaging Communities for College Readiness, or ENCORE, program plans to help community groups and other organizations find money for projects that prepare students for higher education. The foundation also plans to educate families about the importance of earning a college degree.

Tech seeks new ruling on who gets ASU rent funds

Texas Tech System officials have asked the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to reconsider its decision to allow some $2 million in rent money from Angelo State University (now a member of the Tech System) to stay with the university's previous owner - The Texas State University System Foundation. Tech officials have also asked for an audit of the Texas State System and its foundation. Tech official say the money should follow the ASU students to the Tech System, where it will be of benefit to them.

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TXVOAD summit slated June 9-11 in Austin

The first annual summit for Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TXVOAD) will be held June 9 - 11, 2008 at the Omni South Park in Austin. The summit provides training and information for civic clubs, community organizations, faith-based agencies, disaster response agencies and emergency managers. A variety of workshops and presentations will support the interaction and coordination of voluntary organizations and emergency management organizations. The Texas VOAD Summit will provide a forum for sharing lessons learned and enhancing partnerships. For more information, click here.

TSABAA planning annual summer conference

The State Agency Business Administrators' Association (TSABAA) will hold its 39th Annual Summer Conference June 30-July 2 at the Sheraton Arlington Hotel. TSABAA provides an arena for issues affecting the business operations of Texas state government. This year's event features a State Board of Public Accountancy-approved ethics class from 8-11:30 a.m. on opening day. Certifications will be issued. The group also will host the 1st Annual TSABAA Golf Tournament on Sunday, June 29, at the Tierra Verde Golf Course in Arlington. The tourney will be a four-person scramble and shotgun start. Among the topics of discussion for the event are: The Expectation of Accountability for Business Administrators, Legislative Perspective featuring Ross Ramsey and Harvey Kronberg, Finance Transformation, Open Government, Performance Benchmarking, Appropriation Control, What's New with the Texas ERP Project, How to Reengineer (Improve) Processes and a legislative review. Twelve hours of continuing education credit can be earned at this event. For more information, to view the tentative agenda and to register, click here.