John Barton selected interim executive director of TxDOT

Twenty-five year agency veteran says he will seek top spot full-time

John Barton (pictured), former assistant executive director for engineering operations at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), has been named interim executive director of the agency. Barton, who has spent 25 years with the agency, has also applied for the job full-time.

Barton will be stepping in for Amadeo Saenz, who is retiring this month and attended his last Texas Transportation Commission meeting as executive director on Thursday. Barton takes the helm at TxDOT while the agency is in the throes of a major modernization plan recommended after a top-to-bottom auditing of the workings of the state agency.

Barton holds a civil engineering degree from Texas A&M University. He will not be alone in his quest for the top spot at TxDOT, as a national search firm has been hired to find other possible candidates.

Serna resigns post as executive director of Dept. of Motor Vehicles

Ed Serna (pictured), the newly created Texas Department of Motor Vehicles' first executive director, has resigned his post, effective at the end of the month. Serna, former assistant executive director for support operations at the Texas Department of Transportation, was named to head the DMV in January 2010. The agency had already been in operation when he took over, after it was created by the 81st Texas Legislature as the state's newest agency.

In announcing his resignation to employees at the agency Serna said in an e-mail, "There are other things outside the agency that require my immediate attention that prevent me from continuing to serve as your executive director."

While at TxDOT, Serna oversaw the motor vehicle sections including the Vehicle Titles and Registration, Motor Vehicle and Motor Carrier divisions and the Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority office, all of which were moved from TxDOT. He is also a former director of service delivery at the Texas Department of Information Resources as well as the agency's chief operating officer and interim executive director. His state government work also includes stints with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Three TxDOT employees singled out by AASHTO for their leadership

Three employees of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) - Darlene Goehl (right), Randy Hopmann (left) and Raquelle Lewis - were recently honored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Goehl, a TxDOT pavement engineer, was awarded the 2011 President's Transportation Award for exemplary service to the industry. She was singled out for her role as a project director on a joint Texas Tech University and TxDOT-sponsored research project to investigate possible cost-saving measures for pavement preservation. Goehl is leading the pilot study in the Bryan, Laredo, Beaumont and Amarillo districts. Hoppman, Tyler's district engineer, was awarded the Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award recognizing his leadership in implementing the TxDOT OneDOT initiative, an agency-wide effort to increase productivity and reduce redundancy. His efforts led to significant agency savings.

Lewis, public information officer supervisor for TxDOT's Houston District earned the Public Relations Professional of the Year award. She was cited for her leadership in implementing effective outreach and public involvement programs for highway construction projects and during natural disasters. She led development of the public information effort to keep Houston citizens informed about a multi-billion-dollar freeway reconstruction project.

Toney named inspector general, two other top prison jobs filled

The governing board of the state's prison system recently filled three key positions, all effective Sept. 1. The three positions were open due to retirements.

Bruce Toney (pictured), a 15-year prison system veteran, was named inspector general. He holds degrees from Western Texas College, LeTorneau University and Sam Houston State University.

Scott Hornung, who has been with the system for 22 years, was named internal auditor. He most recently served as deputy internal audit director.

Rudolph Brothers Jr. was named the state counsel for offenders. Brothers, who holds degrees from Rutgers University and Suffolk University, previously served as the chief of general law and immigration for the State Counsel for Offenders.

Simulation teaching hospital to be built in Harlingen

A $10 million simulation teaching hospital will be built in Harlingen after The University of Texas System Board of Regents Thursday gave their approval for the funding. Many see the investment as an additional step toward a Valley medical school.

The new 15,000-square-foot hospital will promote health care in underserved areas of the Valley by seeking students from South Texas for careers in various health fields. Valley hospitals have pledged to increase residency slots from the current 30 to 127.

TSLAC awards more than $770,000 in grant funds

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission recently named 23 libraries and library systems that will be awarded grants, which total $778,027. The grants are funded through the federal Library Services and Technology Act via the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

"With funding growing scarce everywhere, Texas libraries rely on grant dollars more than ever," said TSLAC Director and Librarian Peggy D. Rudd (pictured). "These grants will help sustain and improve library programs and services throughout Texas."

Fiscal year 2012 competitive grants include:

• $75,000 to the Central Texas Library System for the "Science Rocks!" summer program.
• $15,694 to the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg for digitization of veterans' World War II memories.  

For more detailed descriptions of the funded programs and projects, click here and look under "Recent Reports."

City of Austin redesigns bond site featuring interactive map

City of Austin officials have posted online a list of projects - complete with descriptions, status reports, photo galleries and contact information - that are funded through a $90 million bond program that voters OK'd in November 2010.

All projects funded through the 2010 Mobility Bond Program aim to enhance regional mobility. The program invests in streets, sidewalks, bike paths, trails and transit infrastructure all over Austin.

An interactive map that uses the Google Map interface can be found online at www.austintexas.gov/bonds/2010. The site will be updated often so that the public has access to the latest information on the projects.

Sul Ross University officials recently selected Chandragupta Gudena (pictured) as the chief information officer at the university in Alpine.

Gudena, who is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSO), currently is an assistant vice president at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts and previously worked at The University of Texas at El Paso. He has a bachelor's degree from Andhra University in India and a master's degree from The University of Texas-El Paso. He is scheduled to begin his new duties on Sept. 19.

Capital Metro seeking new major contractor to run operations

Leaders of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin are expected next week to request proposals from private contractors that would take over bus service from StarTran, a nonprofit company that CapMetro pays to run much of its operations.

Under a new state law aimed at saving CapMetro money, the agency must revamp its labor structure.

The union that represents about 900 StarTran employees wants all terms in the existing labor agreement to carry over to a new private contractor.

Austin gets $1 million grant for Auditorium Shores makeover

A $1 million grant approved by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will be matched by Austin voter-approved bond funds to provide upgrades at Auditorium Shores. The $2 million project will move the hike-and-bike trail away from the river, restore the shoreline where it has been eroded and add parking.

In addition to 38 new parking spots, the project also calls for new restrooms, landscaping, a drinking fountain, footbath and mister. Construction is at least a year away after community meetings are held regarding the project design.

Dr. Richard Sanchez (pictured), president of Navarro College, recently asked trustees to consider two proposals asking voters to approve revenue bonds to pay for $8 million in upgrades to campuses in Corsicana and Waxahachie. College trustees recently adopted a record $113 million budget, but did not authorize any bond issue to pay for the improvements.

The college needs a new classroom building and physical plant maintenance building at the Waxahachie campus, Sanchez said. The campus in Corsicana needs a baseball/softball field house, a 62-bed dormitory and a women's soccer field house building, he added. These projects are expected to cost about $8 million, although he said the college may receive a private donation of $2.5 million toward the proposed $5 million classroom building at the Waxahachie campus. A $3 million bond issue would call for the remaining money needed by using nearly $4 million from projected fund balances for this year and to borrow funds from reserves for the next two years to pay for the $8 million in new construction.

The second option is to call a $5 million bond issue and pay remaining costs using projected fund balances and reserves that will be repaid. One trustee said he opposed paying interest on bonds and suggested using cash on hand and a short term loan of $1.2 million to pay for the new classroom building in Waxahachie and delaying the other projects. Sanchez agreed to gather more information on other options for financing some or all of the construction and report back to trustees in September.

State comptroller announces successful short-term notes sale

Texas recently achieved the lowest interest rate the state has ever received - 0.27 percent - on its short-term notes, which will be used to fund public schools before the arrival of tax revenues later in the year. High demand for the notes, which totaled $9.8 billion, drove down the interest rate. Texas officials credit the state's record of conservative fiscal management for the successful sale of the notes, known as Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANs).

McCombs announces $1 million gift for UTSA practice facility

Business leader B.J. "Red" McCombs recently announced that he will donate $1 million to The University of Texas at San Antonio toward the construction of football team practice facilities at the new Park West athletic center.

Additionally, McCombs kicked off a ticket drive to sell out UTSA's first football game Sept. 3 by purchasing 1,000 tickets.

McCombs challenged other community leaders to make additional donations toward the practice fields, which are estimated to cost between $2 million and $3 million, and to also purchase tickets.

TxDOT to gather input for border master plan in El Paso area

Officials of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) recently agreed to hold public meetings while developing a border master plan to prepare for increased traffic crossing the border of Texas and Mexico.

The agency hopes to create a border master plan using a similar process used to prepare the Regional Ports of Entry Operations Plan, said Mark Tomlinson (pictured), director of the TxDOT Texas Turnpike Authority. Agency officials plan to work with regional leaders about the methodology to be used, he said. The master plan could take at least a year to develop, he added.

In preparing the border master plan for the El Paso region, TxDOT officials plan to take a long-term look at international bridges and how to ease traffic congestion that is expected to increase in the future, Tomlinson said. El Paso officials expect the master plan also will look at new roads parallel to the Border Highway to better handle commercial traffic that backs up at two international bridges. A recent study of international bridge crossings in the El Paso area done by TxDOT and a consultant indicated that both passenger and commercial vehicles northbound and southbound are straining the region's six international crossings.

Six educators named finalists forTeacher of the Year honors

Six Texas teachers - three elementary and three secondary school educators - have been selected as finalists in the Texas Teacher of the Year program.

The elementary school finalists are:

• Karen Morman, a reading specialist at J.W. Webb Elementary School in McKinney Independent School District;
• Erika Pierson, a first-grade teacher at Live Oak Elementary in the Round Rock district; and
• June Shanahan, a fifth-grade teacher at Scobee Elementary in San Antonio's Northside school district.

The secondary education finalists are:

• Tracy Pippins, a chemistry and biology teacher at Graham High School in Graham Independent School District;
• Stephanie Stoebe, a reading teacher at Round Rock High School in the Round Rock district; and
• Steven Singleton, a biology teacher at Randall High School in the Canyon school district. 

The finalists, who were chosen from the top 40 regional teachers, are now in the running for Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year and Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year. One of the top winners will also be selected to go forward to be considered for National Teacher of the Year honors.

TSTC gets $1 million donation for Culinary Arts facility

At the presentation are (from left) TSTC Waco President Stuckly, Culinary Arts Department Chair Mark Schneider and Greta and Murray Watson.

Galveston City Council members recently voted to accept $17.42 million in grant funds as part of round two of the Community Development Block Grant program. The block grant funds will be spent to upgrade roads, sewers and water facilities as well as for flood control and drainage facilities.

Chosen on the basis of meeting low- to-moderate income requirements, the four streets slated for $8.8 million in upgrades are Market Street from 33rd to 14th streets; 53rd Street from Broadway to Seawall Boulevard; 43rd Street from Broadway to Avenue U; and 65th Street from Heards Lane to Golf Crest Drive. City officials also plan to spend $4.4 million for sewer and water facilities, $1.5 million for flood and drainage facilities and $2.4 million for engineering and project delivery costs.

Rennier named to new post at WTAMU, Mallard new interim dean      

Officials at West Texas A&M University in Canyon recently named James Rennier (right) special assistant for academic projects, effective Sept. 1.

Rennier currently serves as dean of the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, a position he has held since 2007. That vacancy will be filled in the interim by Jessica Mallard (left), who now serves as director of the Attebury Honors Program and professor of speech communication.

Rennier, who has more than 20 years of teaching experience, holds a bachelor's degree from Indiana University, a master's degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. from Texas Tech University.

Mallard, who joined WTAMU in 2002, holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and her master's degree and Ph.D. from Penn State University. Mallard will serve as interim dean until completion of a national search for a permanent dean.

Palestine City Council members recently voted to abolish the public safety department created in July 2010 as a way to cut costs. Council then agreed to revert to the more traditional approach of a separate fire department and police department and agreed to add funding to create a position so that a chief could be hired for both the fire department and police department.

Adding that new position with benefits most likely will increase the 2011-12 budget by about $75,000, City Manager Mike Ohrt said. Finding a replacement for former Public Safety Director Henry York, who was certified as both a peace officer and firefighter, would be difficult as dually certified officers form a very small applicant pool, he said. Ohrt plans to appoint interim chiefs for the police and fire departments in less than two weeks.

Regents for North Central College recently agreed to ask voters to approve $31.2 million in bonds on Nov. 8 to pay for upgrading the Gainesville campus. Voters in May rejected a $32.5 million bond proposal for campus upgrades.

Dr. Eddie Hadlock (pictured), president of the college, said college officials must do a better job of explaining that the campus upgrades are imperative. Especially critical is the proposed 45,000-square-foot health sciences facility with a simulation lab that would allow students to fulfill clinical requirements without leaving campus, Hadlock said.

College officials also plan to build a 47,000-square-foot student services building, an 8,000-square-foot agriculture building, add 225 new parking spaces, demolish three buildings and renovate another building if voters approve the bonds.

Fort Worth City Council members recently began discussing how the city will pay for a new $95 million police and fire training facility. The city sold the current training site for $4.2 million to the Trinity River Project, but has an eight-year lease at the current site, with options to renew for up to two years. City officials also paid $6.4 million to buy four warehouses in the south part of the city, but has no funding set aside to pay for a training facility, noted one council member.

The city, however, must have a new shooting range in place by December 2013 and does not yet have a plan on how to fund the training center for police and firefighters, said a staff member of the planning and development department. Council members plan further discussions on capital improvements at budget workshop meetings during the next few weeks.

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Kerr County backs off from proposed venue tax for youth center

Kerr County commissioners recently agreed to back away from plans to schedule a referendum in November asking voters to approve a venue tax to help pay for a $13.8 million upgrade of the Hill Country Youth Exhibit Center.

Postponing the referendum will give county commissioners more time to educate the public about a venue tax, said one commissioner. County officials had planned on expanding the exhibit center using a $4.6 million allocation from the Kerrville Economic Improvement Corp., $4.6 million from a 2 percent venue tax on hotel room rentals and $4.8 million from grants and donations. Commissioners discussed rescheduling a referendum for a venue tax to renovate and expand the youth exhibit center in 2012.

Bexar water district seeks to stop election to dissolve the agency

Bexar Metropolitan Water District board members recently agreed to continue pursuing a temporary restraining order to prevent an election to decide whether to dissolve the water district and merge it with the San Antonio Water System (SAWS). Last week, a U.S. district judge denied the water district's request for a restraining order.

In this latest request, water district officials asked the 5th Circuit Court to appoint a three-judge panel to review the judge's decision. The water district claims that SAWS is managed by a board appointed by San Antonio City Council members, which would leave customers of the water district who live outside of city limits without representation, This is a violation of voters' rights, water district officials said. The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to make a decision in September on whether the election violates voters' rights.

El Paso multi-purpose arena still being discussed for downtown

Despite a proposed plan to build a proposed $123 million multi-purpose arena in the downtown area by 2014, El Paso County commissioners recently approved a contract with the Sports Commission to operate the 70-year-old Coliseum in the downtown area until 2021.

This summer, the Downtown Redevelopment Task Force, a subcommittee of the Paso Del Norte Group, proposed that the city, county and private sources build the multi-purpose arena to revitalize the downtown area. The agreement with the Sports Commission allots 83 percent of revenue from the county's hotel-motel tax to operating the Coliseum.

The agreement to extend the operating contract for the coliseum could threaten any new events center, a spokesman for the Downtown Redevelopment Task Force said. In return for extending the contract for three additional years, Sports Commission officials agreed to find at least $1.5 million in additional savings for the county throughout the next eight years. 

City of Houston shuts down red light cameras

Houston City Council members recently voted to shut down red-light cameras immediately and repeal the ordinance that allowed the city to approve installation of the cameras. The vote followed a referendum that voters passed in November.

The company operating the cameras, however, said their attorneys plan to return to federal court to seek up to $25 million in unpaid fines from the city. Council members rejected an amendment backed by the private company to keep the red-light cameras in operation until Dec. 31 of this year and dismiss as-yet unpaid fines.

Arlington City Council members recently agreed to move ahead with designing a 30,000-square-foot skate park at Vandergriff Park. Preliminary plans call for spending $500,000 on the first phase of the proposed $1.5 million project

Voters in 2008 approved $500,000 in bonds to pay for a skate park. The proposed skate park master plan calls for eventually building a 30,000-square-foot facility at Vandergriff Park and adding smaller skating amenities at the other 27 city parks. Council has not yet approved the proposed skate park master plan as some members expressed concern that Vandergriff Park will be overwhelmed with skaters if the city does not provide other sanctioned areas in parks for skating.

Current plans call for building a 10,000-square-foot skate park during the first phase of the project and later enlarging the skate facility to 30,000 square feet and adding skating amenities at other city parks as more funding becomes available, said Matt Young, assistant parks director. City officials plan to hold public hearings to gather input on the proposed plan to allow public feedback on the master plan before any construction begins, Young said.

Commissioners of the Port of Houston recently submitted a self-evaluation report to the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission as the first step in a sunset review of the port agency during 2012 and 2013.

The self-evaluation focused on three major components: the public component that requires good stewardship of public welfare; the business component that promotes and aids commerce in the region and the Houston Ship Channel that must be improved, maintained and protected for the future.

League City officials recently began discussions on building a proposed $1.2 million WaterSmart Park to help teach residents about water conservation and to provide fun while at the park.

City officials hope to use a grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to pay for much of the park to be located on a three-acre site near Louisiana Avenue and Poppy Street. The city will be required to contribute $350,000 in matching funds if TCEQ officials approve the grant for the WaterSmart Park, said Tony Allender, director of planning and research for League City.

Plans call for building walking trails, a playground and an outdoor theater at the park. The facility will feature a system of water conservation tools ranging from a green roof, landscaping featuring native plants and rainwater cisterns, Allender said. The proposed park also will give scientists with the Texas Sea Grant Program at Texas A&M University a way to study how the various water-saving techniques used at the park work with the Gulf Coast climate and environment. Using results from the research, city officials will be able to adopt new requirements and incentives in the city code to conserve water, he said.

White Settlement approves bond election for flood control project

Residents of White Settlement, a northwestern suburb of Fort Worth, recently submitted a petition that calls for voters to decide if the city moves forward on an $18 million flood control project.

Voters originally OK'd $6.15 million for the Farmers Branch Creek project but costs have nearly tripled. City Council recently voted to issue up to $6 million in additional certificates of obligation, which petition drive organizer Stephen Ott called a way "that they can circumvent the will of the voters."

After Ott turned in petitions with 351 signatures of qualified registered voters, City Council called an election for Nov. 8. If the election fails, part of the project will not be completed.

Edinburg turns over some tax work to county office

In an effort to consolidate government and improve customer service, officials with the City of Edinburg will turn over property tax assessments and collections to the Hidalgo County Tax Assessor-Collector.

The Hidalgo County tax office, which collects taxes for 27 municipalities and school districts, will charge Edinburg $70,000 for the service.

Under the new plan, which begins Oct. 1, city residents will only need to visit one office to pay their taxes. And, the change will save money and improve efficiency by closing the Edinburg tax office, said City Manager Ramiro Garza (pictured). The three employees will have the opportunity to transition to other positions. 

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) recently granted extensions for two weatherization programs managed by the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) and CPS Energy. TDHCA also approved an additional $2.1 million grant to CPS Energy to weatherize more homes in San Antonio

AACOG will be allowed to spend funding remaining from a $15.5 million award through Dec. 31 that originally had an Aug. 31 deadline to complete. TDHCA officials also granted an extension to the Casa Verde weatherization program of CPS Energy, and an additional $2.1 million in grant funds for the program, which has weatherized 2,700 homes, almost double its goal of 1,400 homes. The CPS extension runs through February 2012. The new funding will pay for upgrading another 800 homes, CPS officials said.

This AACOG extension will allow the agency to work with more low-income families in Bexar and 11 other South Texas counties to lower energy costs by providing insulation, caulking and other energy efficiency measures, the program director said. AACOG, which missed its goal to weatherize more than 700 homes by the Aug. 31 deadline, plans to weatherize 200 homes this month, he said. The agency still has $2 million in grant funds to pay for making homes more energy efficient.

Lamar CISD schedules $249.2 bond vote for facility upgrades

Trustees for the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District recently agreed to ask voters to approve $249.2 million in bonds in November to pay for five new campuses, a bus barn, a natatorium, building renovations and to buy new computers and other technology upgrades.

If approved, district officials plan to build an $82 million high school, a $41 million junior high school and a $15 million six-grade campus at a district complex near Fulshear. The district also plans to build a $3.6 million addition to the satellite transportation center at that same site. Also planned are a $16 million elementary school north of Richmond and a $19 million elementary school in a yet-to-be-determined location.

Other projects included in the bond proposal are $21 million for technology upgrades that includes $10.6 million for new computers and the remainder for other technology equipment; a $13 million natatorium; $24 million for renovations to facilities throughout the district; $3.3 million for an agriculture barn; and $2.7 million to buy property for two new elementary schools and the agriculture barn.

After enduring $5.9 million in damages due to wildfires this year, Randall County officials recently began discussion on whether to ask voters in November to approve a half-cent rural sales tax. The funds would be used as additional revenue for four fire departments. The rural sales tax would apply only to purchases made at businesses south of Amarillo and north of Canyon, the county judge said. All the additional funding will be used for firefighting the first year, but some will be used later for economic development projects, he added.

Wildfires, which burned 1,220 acres and destroyed 32 homes in several areas of Randall County, placed much stress on fire equipment. The county needs to raise revenue to ensure that four area fire departments have the equipment and personnel to protect county residents, said the judge.

The proposal will ask voters to approve adding one-half cent to the 6.25 cents per dollar state sales tax on purchases made at businesses in Amarillo and Canyon. This will result in an additional 1.5 cents going to cities and the remaining half-cent being directed to economic development corporations.

Midland ISD begins planning for bond election in May 2012

Superintendent Ryder Warren (pictured) of the Midland Independent School District recently outlined steps that trustees should take to prepare for scheduling a bond election in May 2012.

The first step, Warren said, is to call a meeting in September of the Community Strategic Planning Committee that after 18 months of research presented 34 recommendations for improvements to board members. Among the recommendations were that the district reconfigure grades, expand early childhood education and meet the expected growth in enrollment.

Warren plans to present recommendations for building projects to board members next month and forward that information to committee members. Committee members will decide whether to recommend if the board should move forward with efforts to pass a bond issue, Warren said. The superintendent also said he would review the status of the district's finances as well as technology and facility needs before recommending projects to be included in a possible bond issue.

Henderson Independent School District trustees are expected to vote this week on whether to ask voters to approve about $26.7 million in bonds to pay for a new middle school.

After working with a facilities committee, district staff recommended replacing the current middle school built in 1953 with a new middle school with only one entrance that can be secured and will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The current middle school operates from several buildings with more than 40 entrances that must be left open for students who change classes throughout the day, district officials said. If voters approve the bonds, the new middle school should be open by fall 2013.

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) recently approved a $235,000 grant to the city of Iola to complete the planning phase of a project to provide wastewater services for the first time to residents within the city limits. The Economically Distressed Areas Program of TWDB provided the grant to the Grimes County city to prepare an engineering plan for the facility, for aerial and topographic surveys and to acquire environmental approval for the wastewater treatment project.

The engineering plan will identify and evaluate possible alternatives for wastewater collection systems and treatment to determine the best solution for the 400 residents of the city incorporated in November 2007, a TWDB spokesperson said. 

Texas Municipal League Conference, Exhibition set Oct. 11-14

Glenn Heights City Council members recently scheduled a $15.5 million bond election in November to ask voters to approve two propositions to pay for street upgrades and a new city hall.

Proposition 1 seeks approval for $8 million for a new city hall in the Town Center site, while the second proposition asks for approval of $7.5 million to pay for street improvements. The proposed street improvements include acquiring property for roads, improving and maintaining streets, bridges and sidewalks as well as storm drainage improvements and beautifying medians and landscaping along some roadways. Council previously considered asking voters to approve about $18.4 million in bonds, but scaled back by about $3.4 million.

West Rusk CISD calls

$15 million bond election

West Rusk Consolidated Independent School District trustees recently called a $15 million bond election in November to pay for renovations and for new facilities. District officials plan to use the bonds to remodel an existing cafeteria into four or five classrooms, with restrooms and a storage area. Plans also include building a 9,000-square-foot cafeteria to seat 750 and building a new football/track stadium.

Dripping Springs school superintendent Herrick resigns

Dripping Springs school district Superintendent Mard Herrick (pictured) recently announced that he will resign, effective Dec. 31. The school board voted 5-1 to accept his resignation with John Adams the lone "nay" vote.

Herrick, who has held the top spot since July 2006, informed staff through a letter that he was retiring, school district spokeswoman Dale Whitaker said. Herrick has also served as superintendent of the Southside district in San Antonio and the Palestine district.

Andrews County approves pact for truck route through city

Andrews County commissioners recently authorized an agreement to permit the county to partner with the city of Andrews to split the cost of building a new truck reliever route through the city.

Andrews City Council members still must approve the interlocal agreement before it is finalized, a spokesperson for the county said. Once the pact is finalized, city and county officials plan to take bids to build the new truck route, which could be open as soon as two years, the spokesman said.

Lufkin Independent School District board members recently agreed to seek bids on repairing the Abe Martin Football Stadium after learning that the 40-year-old light poles are corroded and concrete at the stadium is deteriorating.

After some board members objected to seeking bids for the football stadium project when no plans are in place to begin construction, Superintendent Roy Knight (pictured) explained that district staff wants to bid the project to help determine how much the repairs will cost. No funding is committed to the project, Knight said. The district plans to seek the bids individually to replace the stadium light poles and to repair the concrete and to later seek one bid for the entire stadium upgrade project.

City commissioners in Sullivan City recently terminated Nestor Mata as the interim city manager. Mata had served as interim city manager since February. City commissioners plan to discuss hiring a city manager at their meeting next week.

Northside ISD gets $2 million grant to expand alternative fuels

San Antonio's Northside school district captured a $2 million federal stimulus grant, which will be used to buy propane-fueled buses and infrastructure upgrades.

Northside began using the cheaper, greener fuel in 1980 and now has a fleet of 383 propane-fueled buses, 418 diesel-fueled buses and 31 unleaded-fueled buses.

"These buses allow us to reduce air pollutants by using cleaner, Texas-produced fuel, while also saving our taxpayers' money," said superintendent John Folks (pictured).

Lamar University officials recently selected Jason Goodrich (pictured) as chief of the university's police department. Goodrich, a 16-year veteran in law enforcement, is currently a captain in the police department for the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He also served as chief of police and director of safety at Indiana University Southeast, and has worked in law enforcement at the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute and at Southern Arkansas University.

Goodrich has a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas and is seeking a master's degree from Lipscomb University in Tennessee. He also completed law enforcement training at Northwestern University Center for Public Safety's School of Police Staff and Command, an FBI regional command college and taught law enforcement classes at Southern Arkansas University and Harding University. He begins his new duties on Sept. 13.

Allen school district purchases land for new service center

Allen school district officials recently purchased 42 acres of industrial-zoned land that will be home to a new maintenance, transportation and service center.

District officials decided the land, which recently became available for purchase, would be a better location for the center that was originally to be built further away from town. Plans call for the center to open in the fall of 2014.

Montgomery County approves $200 million road bond election

Montgomery County commissioners recently agreed to call a $200 million bond election in November to pay for upgrading county roads. County voters approved $160 million in bonds in 2005, with $100 million earmarked for the state's "pass-through" financing program and the remainder for local road projects.

All $200 million in bond proceeds will be used to build or maintain county roads if voters approve the proposal, said Commissioner Mike Meador (pictured). If voters approve the bond proposal, commissioners plan to equally divide the proceeds with each precinct receiving $50 million to build and repair roads.

McAllen City Commission members recently began mulling a proposal by a group of investors for the city to become a partner in developing a 31-acre theme park and a retail center on 38 acres near a manmade lake on Expressway 83 and an "upper-end lifestyle center" on 38 acres near the lake that borders 23rd Street.

The investment group plans to contribute $7 million to the theme park and retail center with a "river walk" style and a "high-end lifestyle " center, while the remaining $6.5 million would come from city assistance and loans, a spokesman for the investor group said.

City officials in January canceled another project to redevelop the area between Boeye Reservoir and 23rd Street after requesting an accounting on how the developer had spent $275,000. In June, city officials requested developers to re-submit proposals for developing the property near Expressway 83. Only one group submitted a proposal. Commissioners took no action on the proposal.

Eric Gage (pictured) recently resigned as city manager in La Marque after serving in that position since 2009. Gage previously served as the economic development director in La Marque and in Pearland. He also worked in the real estate industry.

Even after discovering that the district has a $6 million surplus, officials of the Keller Independent School District recently revealed they still plan to discontinue free bus service for students despite complaints from many parents.

While responding to a projected $22 million decrease in state and local funding, trustees saved $2 million by eliminating free bus service for 7,000 children, or nearly 20 percent of the students who relied on buses. Trustees also agreed to charge parents $370 a year per student to ride a school bus.

One board member explained that trustees would rather spend the newly found surplus in the classroom rather than transporting students. The $6 million surplus is primarily the result of $4.8 million in federal education job funds that district officials did not expect to receive, the board member explained. Trustees plan to discuss how to handle expected $6 million surplus at their meeting in September.

The U.S. Department of Education recently awarded a $751,304 grant to the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) of San Antonio to assist school districts in reaching educational equality.

The three-year grant from the Equity Assistance Center will be used by IDRA to help close the achievement gap in some schools with a focus on improving college readiness and on the problem of bullying in schools, said an IDRA spokeswoman.

• Spencer Armour III of Midland, University of Houston System Board of Regents;
• Roger Welder of Victoria, University of Houston System Board of Regents;
• Welcome Wilson Jr. of Houston , University of Houston System Board of Regents;
• Robert "Bobby" Jenkins Jr. of Austin, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
• Munir Lalani of Wichita Falls, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
• James H. Lee of Houston, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
• Janelle Shepard of Weatherford , Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
• David Teuscher of Beaumont, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Corpus Christi City Council members recently joined with county officials by supporting a resolution calling for the Texas Historical Commission to remove a deed restriction preventing demolition of the former Nueces County Courthouse. A stipulation attached to a grant from the historical commission protects the old courthouse, built in 1914, from being demolished until 2027.

The decision followed a structural engineering study paid for by Nueces County that found the courthouse, which has sat idle near a major entrance to the bay front area of Corpus Christi since 1977, is unsound and severely deteriorated, with crumbling bricks, disappearing mortar and decayed flooring. County officials estimate the cost to demolish the courthouse will range from $2 million to $3 million, while they estimate the cost of renovations to bring the building to code to be $40 million.

Guerra picked by San Antonio mayor as new SAWS board chair

Heriberto "Berto" Guerra Jr. (pictured) has been chosen by San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro to chair the board of the San Antonio Water System. Guerra is CEO of a manufacturing company that makes interior parts for motor vehicles. He is also former vice president of legislative affairs and constituency services for a major telecommunications company.

Guerra, a graduate of Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University-San Marcos), will replace former San Antonio City Manager Alex Briseno, board chair since 2005, who has announced his resignation. 

Killian resigns as head of Nederland Development Corp.

Tracie Killian recently announced she is resigning as executive director of the Nederland Economic Development Corporation (NEDC). Killian, who worked at NEDC since 1999, became executive director in 2006 after serving as an executive assistant to a former executive director. NEDC board members have not yet announced plans to hire a new executive director.

Dublin school board trying

again on bond election

The Dublin school board recently called a bond election for $5.44 million, the same amount voters rejected in May with 56 percent of voters opposing the package.

The funds would be used to construct a new junior high, an elementary school gym and renovations at other facilities. This time, the school board wants to explain the proposal to voters while the superintendent takes a supporting role.

El Paso to upgrade police cars, parks, libraries, streets

While adopting a $715 million city budget, El Paso City Council members agreed to increase funding to Sun Metro by $6.1 million to a total of $61 million and allotted an additional $17.6 million to pay for upgrades to the Zaragoza Port of Entry.

Council also voted to increase spending by at least $1.7 from last year for four other projects, including park maintenance, libraries, equipment and vehicles as well as street repairs.

Council members set aside an additional $500,000, $300,000 from the general fund and $200,000 from the environmental services fund, to increase maintenance at city parks. Council also approved $400,000 more than last year for libraries, much of that to buy more books and a $500,000 increase to replace equipment throughout the city, primarily new police cars. City officials also set aside an additional $500,000 for street repairs, including striping and pothole repairs. The new spending for these four items is part of an over all $6 million increase included in the general fund for this coming fiscal year.

Athens Independent School District trustees recently selected Dr. Robert Steeber (pictured) as the lone finalist for superintendent.

Steeber, who heads the S&S Consolidated Independent School District in Grayson County, will replace Dr. Fred Hayes, who resigned in May to be superintendent for Nacogdoches ISD. Steeber previously served as an assistant superintendent at Daingerfield ISD, an assistant principal at Celina ISD and a teacher and coach at Collinsville ISD.

City of Arlington analyst selected to study in Germany

A City of Arlington senior management analyst, Kim Probasco, was recently selected to study for three weeks in Germany as a 2011 McCloy Fellow in Urban Affairs.

The fellowship, established in 1975, is part of an ongoing effort by the nonprofit American Council on Germany to strengthen transatlantic relationships and understanding by introducing emerging leaders from Germany and the United States to political issues and institutions on the other side of the Atlantic.

Probasco will study economics, agriculture, art and environmental policy during the fellowship, which begins Sept. 17.

More than 30 apply

for Killeen city manager's job

More than 30 people applied for a job as Killeen city manager by the filing deadline. The firm leading the search process will now select top applicants and bring that list to City Council. The city leaders will then select finalists and begin to conduct interviews, which will be held in the presence of a city employee and resident panel. City officials expect to choose a top finalist by the end of September.

Land purchase will help Borger event center plans proceed

Leaders of the Borger Economic Development Corporation recently OK'd $139,000 for the purchase of 139 acres of land, which will be designated as the future home of a multi-event center.

Members of the Borger Multi-Event Center Committee expect the center - which would be used for rodeos, concerts and motocross - to bring a positive economic impact to Borger.

The committee, which has raised about $1 million in verbal pledges, estimates the center will cost about $4 million to build.