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Local governments still can seek management reviewsNew structure allows for more Comptroller-conducted analyses
While the agency's staff is "still doing reviews," according to CPA Spokesman Allen Spelce, the agency's Local Government Assistance Section will now depend on local government officials to share the responsibility for some of the information gathering related to the reviews. This new procedure, implemented by first-term Comptroller Susan Combs (pictured), is expected to give the agency the capacity to perform up to four times as many reviews annually. "Instead of us going in and doing them, we will be working with the local governments," said Spelce. "Now we hope to be able to do 30-40 each year, but the only way to be able to do that is if the local government folks do part of the analysis." [more]Texas, nation mourn loss of Lady Bird JohnsonShe was born Claudia Alta Taylor, but Texas and the rest of the world grew to know her simply as "Lady Bird."
Lady Bird Johnson, wife of the nation's 36th President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, died at her home in Austin Wednesday at age 94. As the nation and the world join her home state of Texas in mourning, the former First Lady's body will lie in state at the LBJ Library in Austin beginning today, Friday, at 1:15 p.m. until 11 a.m. Saturday. A private funeral service will be held at the Riverbend Centre in Austin Saturday morning. On Sunday, the public is invited to line the route of a ceremonial cortege that will begin at 9 a.m. at the State Capitol and carry the former First Lady's body south on Congress Avenue to Cesar Chavez Street and west along Town Lake. She will be buried in a private ceremony in the family cemetery on the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall. Dignitaries expected to attend are first lady Laura Bush, former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, former President Bill Clinton and his wife Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, former first lady Barbara Bush, former first lady Nancy Reagan, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, and Susan Ford Bales, daughter of former President Gerald Ford. Mrs. Johnson (seen in the accompanying National Wildflower Center photo) will be remembered fondly in her Central Texas home for the Lady Bird Johnson National Wildflower Research Center, which she founded in 1982. It was the culmination of a life dedicated to nature, the environment and the stewardship and conservation of this country's great outdoors. She also will be remembered for her grace, courage and dignity as she stood beside her husband, then the country's vice president, when he was sworn in as president while a nation in shock dealt with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963. [more]Porter joins DSHS as chief operating officerDee Porter has been named Chief Operating Officer at the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). As COO, she will oversee information technology, the Office of General Counsel, vital statistics, the Center for Health Statistics and executive and staff operations.
Porter brings to DSHS a record of award-winning service in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. In 2003, she was appointed the first female general administrator of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, a job she held until taking the COO position at DSHS. She also previously served as COO of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitative Services, where she led the agency in developing a strategic plan based on the Balanced Scorecard approach. Her department attained the only "excellent" rating given by the Office of State Finance and Legislative Fiscal Staff on the Strategic Plan Report Card for FY2004-FY2008. Porter also is a former clinic administrator of the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic and deputy director of Community Health Centers, Inc. The new COO earned a bachelor's degree with highest honors from the University of Oklahoma and attended the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma City University. Strategic Partnerships salutes Texas' Lone Stars
This week's salute is to William Kuntz, executive director, Texas Dept. of Licensing and RegulationCareer highlights and education: Bill earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University in New Orleans with a major in Finance and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of New Orleans. He has over 32 years of public service, beginning as a securities analyst at the State Securities Board. He previously served as the Deputy Securities Commissioner of the State Securities Board and the executive director of the Texas Real Estate Commission. Dr. Michael Lauderdale of the School of Social Work, the University of Texas, studied his successful management of the Texas Real Estate Commission. Dr. Lauderdale's findings are published in his book Reinventing Texas Government, and as a "Best Practices Case Study" on the School of Social Work Web site at http://www.utexas.edu/research/cswr/survey/. For the past seven years he has served as the executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the state's umbrella occupational regulatory agency, responsible for the regulation of 26 occupations and industries. What I like best about my job is: Refining the TDLR functional business model to bring greater efficiency to our processes. With a critical mass of over 500,000 licenses and registrations, a small savings per license issued can create significant benefits for the agency. Efficiencies in license processing in 2004 allowed TDLR to reduce fees for 29 of the license types issued by the agency. This fall, we will evaluate revenues and costs for each of the 26 programs administered by TDLR to determine which license fees we may reduce. The best advice I've received for my current job: From Deputy Executive Director, Brian Francis, "Value the dignity and worth of all employees, licensees and citizens." This value-based management created the high performing agency that TDLR has become. Advice I would give a new hire in my office: TDLR, through its employees, has earned the reputation as a model state agency. Your actions and performance will be observed by our licensees, the legislature and our citizens. Their perceptions will reinforce or diminish the agency's reputation. If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found: Riding 20 to 30 miles on my road bike, affectionately known as "Pedals." Regular exercise is important to maintain my mental focus. People would be surprised to know that I: Ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, the summer I spent in Europe between high school and college; as you can tell I was a big fan of Hemmingway's "The Sun Also Rises." Book, magazine or newspaper article I've read recently that really influenced my thinking: "The Goal" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt. Dr. Goldratt explains the theory of constraints in a novel. We have had all of the TDLR managers read the book and conducted focus groups with mid-level managers after they watched the video. The theory of constraints has been an integral part of TDLR's culture and refinement of the agency's functional business model. 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. TBPC names Molina as general counselKay Molina has been named general counsel for the Texas Building and Procurement Commission. Before joining the TBPC staff, she served more than four years with the Railroad Commission of Texas as chief of staff and legal counsel to Commissioner Victor Carrillo, advising on issues including the budget, legal matters, legislation, policy, open government and procurement. She also briefed the commissioner on all cases heard before the commission, from oil and gas cases to pipeline permits and cases. TBPC Executive Director Edward Johnson said Molina brings a "wide range of experience" to TBPC, adding that officials there are pleased "to have someone of her stature in that position." The new TBPC general counsel is a 12-year veteran state employee, having also worked as a staff attorney and Director of Coastal Projects for the Texas General Land Office from 1995 to 2003. In addition to preparing and negotiating contracts, Molina also served as the agency's public information coordinator. As Director of Coastal Projects, she assisted the Land Commissioner in implementing the Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act and hired and managed Coastal Projects staff. Molina holds an undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from the Texas Tech University School of Law. TWC's Rath nominated to Cabinet post
Texas Workforce Commission Chair Diane Rath has been nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as assistant U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. If approved by the U.S. Senate, Rath would become a member of the federal agency responsible for oversight of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, Head Start, Medicaid healthcare programs for children, the Healthy Marriage Initiative and other programs. Rath, who was appointed to the TWC by then-Gov. Bush in 1996, became chair of the commission in 1998. She was reappointed in 2001 by Gov. Rick Perry. Prior to her service in state government, she was senior director of public affairs for Kinetic Concepts, Inc. Rath holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She has indicated she will not resign her TWC position until confirmed by the U.S. Senate. State auditors to review TEA contract policiesState Auditor John Keel this week confirmed that his office will review the Texas Education Agency after an internal investigation of the agency found irregularities in some grant programs there. The TEA Inspector General's internal report notes that the agency's contracting system might also need scrutiny. Questions arose following the inspector general's report that better oversight should be implemented regarding TEA contracts, particularly those in which a competitive bid process is not being used. TEA officials report that some of the recommendations from the inspector general's report already are being implemented. State employees to get pay raises in 2008-09Citing what she called a "resilient" Texas economy as compared to the slowing national economy, State Comptroller Susan Combs this week announced that the state will have enough funds to provide pay raises for state employees during the 2008-09 biennium. Combs said state sales tax revenues are running higher than anticipated, thus a stronger than anticipated revenue growth in the first half of the current year has been recorded. The result, according to the comptroller, is that there will be an additional $242.7 million in state General Revenue to help pay part of the $402.4 million from all funds allocated by legislators to pay for the raises. Lawmakers authorized during the 80th Legislature a 2 percent state employee pay raise effective Sept. 1, and an additional 2 percent effective on the same date in 2008. Employees making less than $30,000 annually would get a minimum increase of $50 per month the first year and an additional $50 per month in the second year of the biennium. Some state law enforcement officers were scheduled to receive one-time increases. But the raises were contingent on Combs' certification that there would be sufficient funds over and above her $82.5 billion revenue estimate for 2008-09. 11 counties named in federal disaster declarationsEleven more Texas counties have been added to President George W. Bush's federal disaster declaration as a result of more than 40 days of rain that resulted in flooding and damages throughout many parts of the state. Now eligible for a variety of assistance from federal funding are Archer, Bell, Burnet, Eastland, Hood, Parker, Starr, Victoria, Webb, Wichita and Williamson counties. Last week, six other counties - Cooke, Coryell, Denton, Grayson, Lampasas and Tarrant - were approved for federal assistance through a federal disaster declaration. As a result of the declarations, individuals in the flood and rain-damaged areas can receive federal assistance for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is conducting damage surveys in the affected areas, which could lead to additional disaster designations and additional federal assistance. Guard exceeds goal for recruitsThe Texas Army National Guard recruited 3,478 new soldiers so far this fiscal year, which exceeds the National Guard Bureau's year-end goal of 3,300 new recruits. Recruiters expect the total of Texas Army Guardsmen to exceed 18,900 by the year's end.
"The Texas Army National Guard understands its commitment to ensuring that we have enough soldiers to support future missions," said Lt. Col. Ron McLaurin, commander for Recruiting and Retention for the Texas Army National Guard. "It is imperative that we continue to seek out the highest quality individuals." Lt. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez (pictured), Adjutant General of Texas added, "The Texas Army National Guard continues to grow in numbers and diversity, consistent with the demographics of our great state. Our numbers grow because our citizens step up to volunteer, expanding our family of citizen-soldiers in a tradition of that dates back to 1636." Miller leaving Alamo WorkSource for AustinExecutive Director of Alamo WorkSource Alan Miller recently resigned from the San Antonio workforce development group to accept a position as head of the Greater Austin Workforce Development Board's WorkSource Austin. He will begin on Aug. 1. Alamo WorkSource will conduct a national search for a new executive director and expects to name Miller's successor sometime in the fall. Miller's work with Alamo WorkSource began in 2001. He pushed for recruitment efforts for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas Inc., assisted with strategic planning for the military Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations and oversaw National Emergency Grant assistance to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Aranda named member of review committee
Maverick County Judge Jose A. Aranda, Jr. (pictured) of Eagle Pass this week was named by Gov. Rick Perry to serve on the State Community Development Review Committee. The group reviews funding recommendations from cities and counties applying for federal Community Development Block Grant funding. Aranda is chair of the Middle Rio Grande Development Council and a former chair of the Texas Border Infrastructure Coalition. He serves as a board member for the Maverick County Development Corp., the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group and Leadership Eagle Pass. Aranda holds a bachelor's degree from Sul Ross State University. Five finalists named for tollway authorityFive finalists have been named in the search for a new executive director of the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA). The five include:
The five finalists were chosen from a field of candidates selected by an executive search firm. All will likely be interviewed this week. A final decision is expected in August. Angelo State awarded funds for nurse trainingThe Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded Angelo State University's Department of Nursing $25,000 to fund the department's Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship (AENT) program for the 2007-08 school year.
The grant will provide traineeships to students obtaining their Master of Science in nursing with the options of medical/surgical clinical nurse specialist or nurse educator. Because the majority of graduate nursing students are employed as full-time nurses, they are often ineligible for need-based financial aid. Traineeships provide them aid eligibility. "I would encourage any registered nurse who wants to seek advanced education to contact our department to see what types of financial assistance are available to help achieve their educational goals," said Dr. Leslie Mayrand (pictured), head of the ASU Nursing Department San Antonio finalist for Bio/Agro Defense siteSan Antonio's Texas Research Park has been named one of five finalists for the site of a National Bio and Agro Defense Facility (NBAF). The $500 million federal program will study biological and agricultural national security risks and will be the first of its kind. The facility is expected to employ more than 300 people, and replace a similar but smaller lab in New York. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week picked the finalists from 29 original proposals and then from 18 locations that underwent site visits. Other Texas sites were Texas A&M University, and the Brooks Development Authority, the Texas Research and Technology Development Authority and the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, all in San Antonio. The finalists were evaluated relative to their proximity to a comprehensive research community with existing research programs related to the NBAF mission, proximity to skilled research and technical staff skilled in operations related to biological and agricultural research facilities, ability to provide a 30-acre site deeded at no cost or minimal cost to the federal government, and in-kind contributions such as water, roads and upgrades. The five finalists now will receive a formal notice of intent from DHS. Environmental Impact Statements, expected to begin this month, will take up to a year, with detailed design at the selected site to begin in November 2008. Construction is expected to start in 2010 and by 2013 or 2014, the facility should be operational. The other four finalists in the running are in Kansas, Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi. The site selection is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. UT-Dallas appoints Jamison as vice presidentCalvin D. Jamison (pictured) was recently appointed vice president for business affairs at the University of Texas at Dallas after a year-long national search to replace Larry D. Terry, who died last June. Jamison's appointment is effective Aug. 1.
The vice president for business affairs is the university's record keeper, ethics officer and oversees the university's historically underutilized business (HUB) program. The office employs more than 280 people. Jamison most recently served as senior vice president and chief administrative officer at Hampton University in Hampton, Va., and is the former city manager of Richmond, Va. He earned an Ed.D. degree, a master's degree and an undergraduate degree from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Sullivan leaves school; likely to take city positionTexarkana ISD Superintendent Larry Sullivan has resigned his post, paving the way for him to become the new city manager for the city of Texarkana. The Texarkana city council is meet Monday, with the expectation of naming Sullivan city manager. Deputy Superintendent James Henry Russell has been named interim superintendent until a replacement is found. Last week, anticipating losing Sullivan to the city job, TISD officials posted the superintendent opening on the school Web site. They were hoping to get a jump on the vacancy and have already received two applications. Interviews are expected to begin as early as next week. A three-member committee has been named to conduct the interviews and make a recommendation to the board. Russell, named deputy superintendent in October 2006, is a 13-year veteran employee with TISD, having served also as food service comptroller and director of purchasing. He is one of the two applicants currently seeking the superintendent's job. Tucker new associate dean at Baylor seminaryDennis Tucker (pictured) was recently appointed associate dean of Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Tucker has been associate professor of Christian scripture at the university since 2002, and begins his new position immediately.
Tucker's focus will include improving faculty development opportunities and assessing the seminary's educational experience. He will also continue teaching. His previous positions include assistant professor of biblical studies and theology at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, as well as serving as the school's director of external programs. He received his master of divinity and doctor of philosophy degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and obtained a specialist in education degree in educational administration from the University of Louisville. UNT grant allows for digitizing newspaper pagesNational Endowment for the Humanities has given a two-year, $397,552 grant to the University of North Texas (UNT) to digitize Texas newspapers for the National Digital Newspaper Program called "Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers." UNT will digitize 100,000 pages of newspapers published in Texas between 1880 and 1910, which will be located on the Library of Congress Web site. The program is a 20-year effort to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of United States newspapers with select digitization of historic papers, as well as information about newspapers from 1690 to the present. UT School of Information named for $1.3 million in fundsThe School of Information at The University of Texas at Austin was recently awarded two grants totaling more than $1.3 million from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. One grant of more than $911,000 is to develop faculty leaders in preservation education and to produce high-level administrators for major cultural repositories who are educated in preservation. Another grant of more than $407,000 is for "Stepping Up: Library Leaders for the 21st Century," which is designed to increase the number of professional librarians prepared for leadership positions and to support a series of management workshops for the library community. The grants are part of the $28 million 2007 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian program, which supports tuition assistance, curriculum development, service expectations, job placement, recruitment of non-traditional library students and support for doctoral candidates to teach library science and research. Shelton sets goals for Galveston CollegeAfter just two weeks on the job as the new president of Galveston College, Dr. Myles Shelton (pictured) already is setting goals he expects to grow the college.
Shelton also previously served in a variety of positions at Hill College in Hillsboro, as Vice President of Instruction and Students Services, Associate Dean of Students, Registrar, Director of Admissions and Records, Director of Computer Services and part-time instructor. He holds bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degrees from Baylor University. Klein ISD growth has officials thinking bond electionWith a projected growth of 20,000 new students in the next 10 years, Klein ISD officials are studying ways to meet the needs of that growth. A recently completed study that shows the high-growth pattern is likely to spawn a bond study. School board members plan a workshop in September to discuss the district's options. The board is expected to then name a bond study committee that will include district residents, teachers and administrators to begin meeting in October. School officials are hopeful the committee's findings will allow for a May 2008 bond election. The study shows the district is likely to need 10 elementary, three intermediate and two high schools to meet the student population increases. Some Metroplex schools opt for random drug testsA growing number of Texas schools are implementing random drug testing for their high school and middle school students. Among the latest, high school and junior high school students in Kennedale who participate in extracurricular activities or park on campus will be subject to random drug testing in August when the new school year starts. Those testing positive for illegal drugs or alcohol in the Kennedale schools can be suspended from extracurricular activities for two weeks to a year, but won't be suspended from classes. They will also perform 10-60 hours of community service and forfeit parking and off-campus privileges if they drive to school. Kennedale joins other Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex school districts that randomly screen for illegal drug and alcohol use including Azle, Grapevine-Colleyville, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw, White Settlement and Burleson. Kim Rogers of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) says local schools make the determination of whether or not to drug test their students so they must find the funding for it. She notes that as a result of Senate Bill 8, which passed in the last legislative session, the UIL will begin random steroid testing of high school athletes in the 2007-08 school year. However, she said, "Most schools that drug test do so for recreational drugs only." Texas State Railroad operations halted by floods
The latest victim of more than 40 days of rain that caused flooding throughout the state is the Texas State Railroad in Rusk.
Officials this week suspended indefinitely all train operations after a section of the track was washed out by floodwaters. Officials report the worst damage was a washout of an embankment area supporting the track in Cherokee County. The embankment was approximately 60 feet long and 30 feet high. Howard County studying new jail constructionOfficials in Howard County have hired an architect to design a 42,000-square-foot jail, and county officials estimate the facility will cost approximately $10 million. Construction of a jail would rest on the outcome of a bond election, likely in November 2008. Voters in the county in November 2006 rejected a $10.1 million bond proposal for a new jail. If approved, a new jail would replace the current 6,000-square foot facility that can only house 33 male inmates. Terry to head up WTAMU Enterprise NetworkDavid Terry (pictured) is the new executive director of the West Texas A&M University Enterprise Network. He has held the position on an interim basis since January.
Terry succeeds the late Don Taylor at the helm of the Enterprise Network, which was established to grow and diversify the economic base of the region using business incubation and development and entrepreneurial education. The network aims to assist individuals wanting to create new businesses or accelerate early stage companies. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from West Texas A&M and was previously an investment consultant. He became a business consultant for WTAMU's Small Business Development Center in 1998, and co-founded the Enterprise Network in 2001 with Taylor. McKamie named city manager at EulessEuless Deputy City Manager Gary McKamie has been named the city's new city manager. McKamie replaces Joe Hennig, who is retiring. McKamie is no stranger to Euless city government, having begun his career there at age 19 as a city police officer. In 1993, he was named police chief and in 1999 moved up to deputy city manager. A native of Austin, McKamie holds a bachelor's degree from Dallas Baptist University, where he also did graduate work. Pasadena benefits from homeland security grantPasadena's Office of Emergency Management will use a $500,000 U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant to strengthen and improve its emergency operations center. The grant was awarded through the Houston Urban Area Security Initiative. Some of the funds will be used to purchase two AM radio transmitters, which will allow the city to have its own emergency radio station. Through that station, Pasadena residents can tune in to hear emergency information from city officials during either natural or manmade disasters. The city also plans to purchase software that will allow for quicker and more efficient communication with neighboring cities. Another purchase under consideration is video teleconferencing equipment. Floresville readying to build new high schoolConstruction of a new high school for the Floresville ISD is just around the corner as the district recently approved the sale of $50 million in bonds. Another $13 million in bonds will be sold next year for construction of a new elementary school. The first step will be demolition of buildings at the site of the high school. Architectural plans for the new high school are expected to be completed by October and construction is expected to begin in January 2008. These two additions are part of a four-phase project and are expected to be completed in March 2009. A&M awarded $5 million from Emerging Tech FundTexas A&M University's Agriculture and Engineering Bioenergy Alliance will benefit from a $5 million grant from the state's Emerging Technology Fund. The grant, announced earlier this week by Gov. Rick Perry, will support "groundbreaking research to create alternative fuels to solve our world's energy challenges," said TAMU System Chancellor Mike McKinney.
"To meet our long-term energy needs, the development of biofuels from agricultural feedstocks requires research into many alternatives by talented scientists working on Texas-based issues," said Dr. Elsa Murano (pictured), vice chancellor and dean of agriculture and life sciences for the A&M System. She said TAMU is conducting "significant research" on feedstocks such as sorghum, sugarcane, forage and oil-based cropping systems for biofuels and renewable energy. The alliance is a partnership between the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and the Texas Engineering Experiment Station. The funds will be used to hire faculty to help find ways to shorten the time it takes new biofuels to reach the market. "This grant will enable us to bring in additional, world-class scientists who can help us significantly accelerate this research and development of biofuels," said Murano. UT-Austin center gets Chevron grantOver the next five years, The University of Texas at Austin's Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering will receive $5 million from Chevron Corp. to research new technologies for oil extraction from difficult or mature reservoirs. Conventional production methods typically recover approximately one-third of the oil in reservoirs containing light, sweet crude. Better technology can increase that rate as well as boost reserves and production. Proposals may include retrofitting existing buses with emission-control devices, upgrading or replacing engines, purchasing cleaner-burning fuels or replacing older buses. UTEP students earn honors from NASAFour engineering students from the University of Texas at El Paso, along with the university, have earned NASA's Public Service Group Achievement Award for their roles in a project that made significant contributions to the country's space program. Only 12 groups were recipients of the award and UTEP was the only university honored.
The students participated in Boeing Avionics and Software's "on campus intern" program in which the company uses university students to conduct tasks its employees usually perform. Working with Boeing engineers gave students "an excellent real-life work experience," said Hilario Gamez (pictured), regional director of the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center at UTEP. Students receiving the awards were Bravilio Guzman, John F. Langdon, Milton Duran and Michael Everett. They were responsible for development of software that allows space station researchers to enter, view and search data during experimentation. Boeing and NASA are hopeful the partnership with UTEP will interest more students in engineering that is an integral part of the country's space program. Traffic officers in Houston riding scootersThey're not police officers - they're members of the MRT - Mobility Response Team - and they're not afraid to dart through city traffic to help ease the gridlock in Houston. Their mode of transportation, however, is a little unconventional. The team members ride Yamaha scooters. MRT members will circulate in pairs, watching for disabled or faulty traffic signals or anything that can slow traffic. They will be dispatched to accidents or to areas where there is a heavy traffic buildup. They can help direct traffic, clear accidents, call technicians when signal help is needed and hand out tickets for traffic violations. Houston has 12 of the teams that will work 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. shifts on weekdays. The team members receive four weeks of training. Lawrence takes over as Princeton city administratorFormer Anna City Manager Lee Lawrence has been named city administrator for the city of Princeton. Lawrence was chosen from more than a dozen applicants and five finalists to fill the position vacated by Joe Gambill in February. Lawrence left his position in Anna in February, after more than five years. Brenham a step closer to new police stationThe City of Brenham will soon be hiring a "construction manager at risk" to build its new police station. A committee of city officials, members of an architectural firm that will design the facility and the project manager will soon begin reviewing applications. The 22,000-25,000-square foot facility will have a price tag of $5.7 million, with $62,500 of that set aside for land purchase. The project will be paid for by last year's $9 million debt issuance. The site eventually could also house a new fire department substation. Get your free copy of the Texas Government InsiderThe Texas Government Insider is a free weekly newsletter. If you are not a subscriber, or if you would like to sign up your friends or co-workers to receive a free copy, click here. |
Changes face teachers and students as they head back to school in Texas
By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc. Texas students and teachers will head back to the classrooms very soon. And, when they arrive, the school systems they left last May will operate a little differently in August. Numerous bills were passed during the recently completed legislative session that will affect public education throughout Texas for years. Many of the changes begin this fall. One new law that has gained national attention mandates random testing for steroid use among Texas high school athletes. The testing will initially include 20,000-25,000 students in approximately one-third of the state's high schools. A first positive test finding will result in a student-athlete's ban from participation in athletic events for 30 days. A second positive test would trigger a one-year ban and a third positive test would remove the athlete from participation in sports for the remainder of his or her high school career. The number of Texas schools testing athletes for steroids has nearly doubled since 2002, and officials are hopeful that testing is responsible for the 1.5 percent decrease in steroid users in grades 7-12 in the last two years. An increase in the number of Internet Web sites that cater to school-age youth prompted a bill that directs the Texas Education Agency to develop an Internet safety program for all public school curriculums. Such programs will include a listing of organizations and Web sites to help educate teachers and students about the dangers of entering personal information on the Internet and the consequences of illegally uploading or downloading files off the Internet. A similar bill regarding computer safety directs the Texas School Safety Center to develop a program to inform parents and students about online safety, and instructs that the program be made accessible to all public schools. [more]Port of Brownsville benefits from security grantThe Port of Brownsville was recently awarded a port security grant of more than $3.6 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant will be used to provide protection from small crafts and underwater attacks and for purchasing equipment for detecting explosives. The grants are made to United States ports considered at the highest risk. Abilene schools awarded advanced placement grantMore students in the Abilene ISD are expected to take and pass advanced placement (AP) exams after the district received a $4.3 million grant from the Dodge Jones Foundation. The grant is a five-year extension of funding previously awarded by the foundation. It provides monetary awards for students who pass advanced placement exams and to their teachers. It also allows students who pass the exams to get college credit. AISD Superintendent David Polnick (pictured) said that as a result of the program, some students "are starting in college as second semester sophomores," which also saves them a year and a half of college tuition, which Polnick called "fantastic."
In addition to earning $100 for each exam they pass, students have half of their AP test fees paid for and can get the other half reimbursed if they pass. Teachers working with AP students get a $500 stipend for extra training and tutoring, receive a $1,000 bonus if they increase the number of students who pass in their teaching discipline and receive $100 for each exam one of their students passes. Hitchcock ISD studying possible bond voteAs new residential developments spring up in the area and projections of student enrollment doubling in the next five years, Hitchcock ISD officials are facing a possible bond election in the spring. A bond advisory group is being formed to determine what needs to be done to accommodate the growth. Among the priorities in the district is a new elementary school. Other possible construction and renovation might include the building of a new middle school and using the Crosby Middle School as a central office to house administration, staff and a board room. A new high school is also not out of the question and school officials say there is a need for two new gymnasiums. Estimates of amount of a bond issue to meet these needs would probably be in the neighborhood of $20-$23 million. EPA grants to address school bus emissionsThis year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will give $1.36 million in grants to help Texas' school districts cut air pollution from buses. The program's goal is to reduce children's exposure to diesel engine exhaust. The EPA is accepting applications for funding from city, state and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations through Sept. 21. Young lone finalist for Greenwood ISDDoug Young, an assistant superintendent at Brownfield ISD, has been named the lone finalist for the superintendent slot at Greenwood ISD. The official hiring can take place 21 days from his selection, or on July 25. Young will replace former Greenwood Superintendent Glenn Barber, who has taken the superintendent's job at Pilot Point ISD. Young has been in public education for 18 years, the last five in Brownfield. He holds a bachelor's degree from Angelo State University and a master's from the University of North Texas. His superintendent's certification is from Texas Tech University. UTPB granted funds for bilingual teacher trainingA federal grant of nearly $300,000 over five years has been awarded to the University of Texas of the Permian Basin for bilingual education teacher training. UTBP Vice President Susan Lara (pictured) said a survey of area school districts showed a "critical need" in West Texas for bilingual/ESL middle school math and science teachers. The scholarships will be for graduate students pursuing master's degrees in bilingual/ESL education.
Lara said the students will be "learning best practices, participating in field work, mentoring activities and seminars" and that UTPB would be "educating some of the very best teachers for our region." The funding will be used to pay for books, tuition and special training opportunities and professional development. Compton to retire from West Central Texas COGA three-decade career of assisting local governments and their citizens will come to an end later this year with the retirement of Jim Compton, executive director of the West Central Texas Council of Governments (WCTCOG). Compton recently announced that he will step down at the end of the year. A search committee has been formed to select his replacement. For 30 years, Compton has served residents of Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Fisher, Haskell, Jones, Kent, Knox, Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor and Throckmorton counties through WCTCOG. When he retires, he plans to spend more time in his family's agricultural business. Future improvements planned at Lometa ISDImprovements to the facilities at Lometa ISD are being studied by school officials. Most of the improvements include repairs or renovations. Roof repairs for many school facilities top the list of needed improvements, along with the purchase of new kitchen equipment and tables and chairs for the school cafetorium. New restroom stalls, additional elementary and secondary school lockers and water fountains also are being considered. Updates to classroom heating and cooling systems are high on the priority list. Other possible expenditures for the future may include a building to house school vehicles, a covered walkway for boarding buses and painting in some areas of the school. The school's athletics wish list includes additional bleachers, a new sound system, upgraded restrooms, a new concession stand, field upgrades and new lights for the football field. Fort Bend agrees to maximum jail costsFort Bend County Commissioners Court and the construction company it has hired to add on to the county jail have agreed to a guaranteed maximum price of $67.3 million to build the new 1,008-bed jail addition, which includes a $4.6 million construction and design contingency fund, $5.1 million for potential overhead costs and $1.6 million for the construction firm. Final fees may reach $79.6 million after other costs are factored in; however, the county will still stay under budget and is expected to complete jail construction on schedule. Midloathian anticipates school bond voteThe Midlothian Independent School District's 2007 Bond Steering Committee met recently with the goal of providing quality schools in one of the Metroplex's fastest growing communities.
The committee is a revamp of the Growth Management Committee and is composed of 55 people who will study facility needs and choose a proposed bond issue for the community, which will be presented to the MISD Board of Trustees for approval before going to voters. Midlothian voters may see a bond referendum in either November 2007 or May 2008. The district needs a second high school and one or two elementary schools over the next five years. Lubbock bond package likely, projects expandingThe list of projects surfacing for a possible $300 million city bond package in Lubbock is growing. City officials now say a bond proposal could include street repairs, a new animal shelter, a city auditorium and park upgrades. City officials expect a referendum could come before voters in November. The Lubbock Chamber of Commerce recently distributed a survey among its members, who were asked to list their priorities among an animal shelter, performing arts center, infrastructure to support a privately funded Mercado, auditorium, parks, streets, public safety and library projects. Hopper finalist for Bosqueville superintendentJames Hopper has been named the lone finalist for the superintendent of the Bosqueville ISD. Hopper, currently Hamilton High School principal, will by law have to wait 21 days before an official offer is made. Hopper was one of more than 50 who applied for the Bosqueville position, and brings 23 years of educator experience to the job. He began his education career as a junior high teacher and coach in Denton in 1984. His first administrative job was as assistant principal in Lake Dallas in 1995. Hopper holds a bachelor's degree from Angelo State University and a master's degree from the University of North Texas. He will replace Stephanie Kucera, who has taken a position with the Region 12 Education Service Center in Waco. Sanger hires Brice as its new city managerOklahoma City native Mike Brice has been named city manager in Sanger. Brice is currently serving as assistant city manager in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and was one of five applicants for the Sanger job. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and a master's from the University of Oklahoma. Brice will replace longtime Sanger City Manager Jack Smith, who retired in May and is now city administrator in Krum. Goose Creek ISD to require seatbelts on its busesThe Goose Creek ISD in Baytown is trying to get ahead of a state mandate that all new school buses purchased after 2010 be fitted with three-point seatbelts. School officials will require seatbelts and monitoring devices on school buses purchased under any future bond program or budget request, but will not include the school buses that are yet to be purchased under a 2005 bond program. The district also has indicated it will not retrofit its current fleet with seatbelts. School officials estimate the cost of outfitting buses with seatbelts and the monitoring system that determines if passengers are wearing the belts may be as much as $5,000-$10,000 per bus. Some board members noted they would just as soon go ahead and outfit the buses with seatbelts now instead of waiting until 2010 and hoping for state funds for the project. Others said they would support retrofitting buses that are used for out-of-town trips. Paris continues its search for city managerThe search for a new city manager for the city of Paris continues this week, with the name of a candidate who withdrew from consideration last week back in the hat, and another new candidate's name thrown in as well. As of last week, the top three contenders had been interviewed, one of them former city manager Tony Williams. All of the now-five candidates have worked only in Texas and four have experience as city managers. Land named first town manager in ProsperGainesville City Manager Mike Land has been named the first town manager for the town of Prosper, effective Aug. 13.
Land has served as city manager in Gainesville since 1996 and was one of more than 30 applicants for the Prosper position. Land replaces interim Town Manager Kevin Carruth, who has held that position for approximately six weeks. Carruth is a former city manager in Brownwood and was hired after the town council could not negotiate a contract with former Town Administrator Douglas Mousel, who left in April. New Braunfels approves $17.5 million in projectsStreet, drainage, park and airport improvements are on the horizon for the city of New Braunfels after city officials this week said they will likely issue $17.5 million in certificates of obligation later this summer to pay for those projects. The city did the same in 2003, issuing COs for $26 million for street and drainage projects. All of the projects are in the city's current master plan. O'Connor superintendent finalist at Celina ISDRob O'Connor, current superintendent of the Whitewright ISD, has been named the lone finalist for superintendent of Celina ISD. By law, the board must wait 21 days before making an official job offer to O'Connor. A 15-year veteran educator, O'Connor attended Texas A&M University-Commerce. Nearly half of those years have been spent in central office administration. SPI announces job opportunitiesFederal expertsStrategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) has immediate needs and is conducting a search to find subject matter experts with a high level understanding of the Federal Government procurement process. To apply, please e-mail a resume and cover letter explaining your background and qualifications to jobs@spartnerships.com and type "Federal" in the subject line. K-12 and local government consultantsSPI has additional needs for individuals with well-established credentials who are interested in assisting its consulting teams throughout Texas. SPI has immediate openings for subject matter experts who can assist part-time in the K-12 education arena in Texas. SPI also is seeking part-time consultants who have strong connections to local government in the state, particularly the San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston areas. To apply for these part-time consulting positions at SPI, please send a brief cover letter and a copy of your resume to J. Lyn Carl at jcarl@spartnerships.com and put "Application for (either) K-12 Consultant or Local Government Consultant" in the subject line, or for more information, send an e-mail to the same address. Hospital consultantsSPI is seeking individuals with well-established credentials, healthcare industry expertise and strong connections and relationships at hospitals throughout Texas who are interested in assisting its consulting teams. To apply for this part-time consulting position, please send a brief cover letter and a copy of your resume to J. Lyn Carl at jcarl@spartnerships.com and put "Application for Hospital Consultant" in the subject line, or for more information, send an e-mail to the same address. Recent Reports
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Texas Government Insider ArchivesVolume 1 - 5 Archives · 11/7/03 - 7/6/07 Resources
Lampasas ISD to issue bonds for schoolsThe Lampasas ISD Board of Trustees has authorized issuance of school bonds to build a new high school and elementary campus and to renovate current facilities on LISD campuses. The bond sale is a result of the passage in May of a nearly $49 million bond issue. Board members also are considering more renovation work to get the gym ready for the upcoming school term. Among the expenditures for the gym are trim work, painting, cleaning, light construction, electrical work, new ventilation and new windows. Although the school will spend $12,000 for the windows, officials note they are necessary for both ventilation and security. Steps to ensure delivery of SPI weekly newsletter
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Statewide technology contracting HUB forum setThe Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) will host a statewide Technology Contracting Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Forum on Friday, July 20. Sponsored by the Texas Association of HUBs, the forum will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the J.J. Pickle Center, Commons Building, Room 1.102, 10100 Burnet Road in Austin. Three breakout sessions on doing business with the state are planned as part of the forum, along with procurement roundtable discussions. These 30-minute sessions will allow vendors to meet with representatives of state and local government entities, major corporations and higher education institutions. They will discuss goods and/or services they purchase and any subcontracting opportunities for HUB businesses. Click here for online registration, or contact Tequila Alexander at 512-463-3374 or email tequila.alexander@dir.state.tx.us. 'Profiles in Power' awards, leadership seminar slatedThe 13th annual Profiles in Power awards and leadership seminar is set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 2, at the Sheraton Hotel in Austin. This year's event, "The Leadership Edge: Developing Tomorrow's Leaders Today," includes keynote speaker Sharon Allen, chairman of the board of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP. Other speakers of note include former University of Texas at Austin Athletic Director and Lady Longhorns Head Basketball Coach Jody Conradt, who along with Ann Daly will address "Clarity: How to Accomplish What Matters Most." The seminar also will feature time for networking and visiting exhibitor booths. Highlight of the event will be the naming of the 2007 Profiles in Power award nominees, finalists and winners. The event is sponsored by the Austin Business Journal, South Texas Money Management, L.T.D., CitiBank and KVUE Austin. To register, click here. Texas Citizen Corps Conference slated July 19-20State Sen. John Carona and Texas Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw will be guest speakers at the third annual Texas Citizen Corps Conference slated July 19 and 20 in Austin. Spearheading the event is the Texas Association of Regional Councils with guidance from the Governor's Division of Emergency Management. The event will be at the Hyatt Regency on Town Lake. The conference is open to anyone interested in the Citizen Corp program, including regional councils of governments, local, state and federal agencies, volunteers, emergency management professionals, first responders and others. Citizen Corps offers volunteer opportunities in support of local fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services and community public health efforts regarding emergency management. Local elected officials and management-level decision-makers will also attend. The agenda will include briefings from leaders in Citizen Corps programs throughout the country, and networking and best practices events will be held. There will also be an exhibit hall. To register, or for more information, click here, or contact Regina Chapline or Cristina Ramos at 512-275-9309. Attorney General's Office hosts fatherhood conferenceThe Texas Attorney General's Office is hosting a national conference on "The First Nine Months of Fatherhood: Paternal Contributions to Maternal and Infant Outcomes" August 20-21 in Houston. The conference is designed to present a sampling of the emerging research findings on the impact of paternal involvement and promising field practices. Legislative and policy staff, Health & Human Services/Administration for Children & Families administrators, health, social science, and public policy researchers, public agency administrators and others are welcome. For more information, visit http://www.oag.state.tx.us/conferences/fatherhood/. |
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The capacity for conducting Local Government Management Reviews (LGMRs) performed by analysts with the Office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) could triple - or maybe even quadruple - as a result of a recent change in how the reviews are conducted. In past years, these on-site reviews by a team of CPA analysts were performed at the request of local government officials, and often took up to five to six days. Only approximately 10 of the management reviews were conducted each year.
Shelton last week became the college's eighth president. He comes to Galveston College after serving almost eight years as president of Clarendon College.
