Volume 2, Issue 17
| August 11, 2010 |
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Fools rush in...Don't be foolish!
 New competitors enter the government marketplace each day. That is a good thing! Most do so with high expectations. Some are successful immediately; others may spend years and never be successful.
Government spends billions with outside contractors each year and contracts are large and lucrative. Overlooking the public sector marketplace is never wise, regardless of what a company has to offer. There are, however, a few obstacles. And with just a little help, almost any company can be successful.
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| Strategic Partnerships, Inc. provides opportunity identification for all 50 states. Click here for more information. | |
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| Bill signed that may restore hundreds of thousands of jobs |
$26 billion approved for states: $10 billion to schools, $16 billion for Medicaid
 The U.S. House this week passed - and President Barack Obama signed into law - an emergency jobs protection bill that could send $26 billion to the states. It provides $10 billion to school districts to reinstate teachers who were laid off, or at least ensure that more teachers will not lose their jobs before the upcoming new school year begins.
The remaining $16 billion in the bill would provide six more months of increased Medicaid payments to the states. With so many states facing budget holes, that would free up some of their funding for other budget needs. The funding could prevent states and local governments from laying off hundreds of thousands of teachers, police officers and firefighters.
 "We have an obligation not to let up in our efforts to save and produce jobs, and to help keep teachers and other workers on the job for another year while state budgets catch up," said Congressman Dave Obey (left), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, as the bill came before the House. "We believe that the right thing to do is to renew some basic assistance to the states - especially for children's education and health coverage."
Nationwide, state budget deficits are estimated at $116 billion, so the $26 billion now heading to the states will not completely plug the holes, but it does provide at least some welcomed relief.
California stands to draw the biggest federal check - totaling $3.07 billion. That includes more than $1.8 billion for Medicaid payments and more than $1.2 billion for education. New York is another big winner - $2.2 billion for Medicaid and $607 million for education. Florida's total is more than $1.3 billion, including $784 million for Medicaid and $555 million in education funds. Texas, which stood to gain a total of more than $1.6 billion, could lose the $830 million in education funding because of a Texas-specific amendment that would preclude the state allocation if the Texas governor does not commit to a certain level of education funding through 2013. Some in the Texas congressional delegation were upset that the state chose to use some of the Recovery Act funding from last year to shore up its budget deficit rather than spending it on education.
The education funding, administered by the U.S. Department of Education, will be allocated to state that apply for the funding through formulas based on total population and school age population. The states will then be responsible for distributing the funds to each school district based on state funding formulas or each district's share of Title I funds. If a state does not submit an approvable application, the Secretary of Education can bypass state government and award funding directly to other entities in that state.
Additionally, the funding cannot be used for equipment, utilities, renovations or transportation, but must be used to preserve jobs serving elementary and secondary education. State also may not use the funds to pay off debt or add to their respective Rainy Day funds. To view totals for both Medicaid and education funding by state, click here and look under "Recent Reports."
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| USDA announces loans, grants totaling $157.3 million | |
Projects aimed at improving water, wastewater infrastructure in rural areas
 Projects in 24 states whose goals are to improve water quality and public sanitation services recently got a $157.3 million boost in Recovery Act funding from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)Rural Development. Another $45.6 million was allocated through USDA Rural Development Water and Environmental Program funding. The assistance comes in the form of loans and grants through the program to improve water and wastewater infrastructure in rural areas and ensure the delivery of safe drinking water while protecting the environment.
This round of funding brings to $2.9 billion the amount of Recovery Act funds distributed by the USDA to 788 water and environmental projects. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan (pictured), in making the announcement of the funding, said the projects will "improve the efficiency and availability of water in rural America," adding that investing in rural water projects "is especially valuable, given the borrowing constraints that small or poor communities face."
In Louisiana, the town of Jonesville received $3.326 million through a Recovery Act loan and a grant for more than $9.46 million. The funds will be used for wastewater system improvements. The city of Crossville, Tennessee, was awarded a $1.7 million loan and an $800,000 grant, all from Recovery Act funds. The project funded includes water system improvements.
Halifax County, Virginia, received a $5 million Recovery Act loan and a grant of $10.4 million to expand the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant that serves 3,000 homes and more than 660 businesses. The Village of Corinth, New York, was awarded funding for water system improvements - a $1.7 million Recovery Act loan and $800,000 grant. Recovery Act funding in the form of a $2.153 million loan and a $1.84 million grant was awarded to the City of Mexico Beach, Florida, for water system improvements.
Additionally, in Crawford, Nebraska, a 74-year-old wastewater disposal system will be upgraded with a $3.6 million loan and a $1 million grant. To view the complete list of recipients and the amount of their grants and loans, click here and look under "Recent Reports."
For information about these and other funding opportunities,
contact Reagan Weil or Richard Hartmann at 512-531-3900.
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| House passes $600 million border security package |
Construction, communications expenditures among priorities for spending
In addition to passing an emergency state aid package on Tuesday, the U.S. House also approved a $600 million border security measure passed last week in the Senate.
The bill will provide $244 million for 1,000 additional Border Patrol agents along the Southwest border ports of entry, 250 new Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and funding for maintenance of 270 existing CBP officers. It also allocates $80 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hire more than 250 special agents, investigators, intelligence analysts and mission support staff and for activities aimed at reducing the threat of narcotics smuggling and associated violence.
While much of the funding is for additional personnel, immigration enforcement activities, program expansion and operational needs, other allocations include $14 million for designing, building and deploying a tactical communications system to support enforcement activities, $6 million to construct two operating bases along the Southwest border, $27 million for detention and incarceration space for an increasing prisoner population and $32 million to purchase two additional CBP unmanned aircraft systems.
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| Construction activity, wages attractive in some states |
In spite of recession, activity picking up for workers in some areas of country
Although the construction industry has suffered due to the recession, there are some pockets of activity in various states that are keeping companies busy and construction workers in demand. And although residential construction has taken a hit, the public sector remains a viable marketplace for construction firms.
 Among the top states for construction workers throughout the nation are these five - Oklahoma, Illinois, Florida, Texas and California - some due to wage rates and some due to increased activity. In Oklahoma, where personal income growth is higher than the national average, the construction market expansion is expected to be nearly 50 percent, which includes a $777 million economic development package in Oklahoma City that will add numerous projects in the public sector. Although construction projects have fallen off in Illinois, construction workers there are seeing higher wages than in most states. On a comeback is Florida, where the Sunshine State rarely has an off season and wages are high.
Texas, which has fared better than most states through the recession, led the nation last year in building permits. And California, although facing a huge budget deficit at the state level, still has one of the highest hourly rates for construction workers. Some areas of the state are showing as much as a 22 percent increase in construction employment growth.
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  | | Upcoming education opportunities |
$155 million school bond issue passes in St. Louis district
 Voters in the St. Louis (Missouri) Public School District have approved a $155 million bond issue that will provide for maintenance and repairs in the district. Superintendent Kelvin Adams (pictured) said the successful bond issue "speaks volumes" about the community's support for its school children. Among the planned improvements are upgrades to science labs, auditoriums, libraries and pre-kindergarten classes. School safety issues will also be addressed through asbestos, lead and mold removal and improved playground equipment. Improvements also will address cafeteria needs as well as sports facility renovations.
Virginia school board hoping to trim costs for possible bond vote
The Rockingham School Board in Bellows Falls, Virginia, is considering renovation to the Bellows Falls Middle School. So far, estimates are upwards of $11.3 million. An engineering report shows that the 84-year-old school's electrical and heating and ventilation systems need to be replaced, a sprinkler system needs to be installed and interior ceiling, flooring and trim work estimated at $1.8 million are needed. The total for the construction is approximately $10.3 million, with another $1 million for fees and other costs. A committee will study the report and see if there are any savings to be had before recommending a bond election. Most of the mechanical systems are 55-74 years old and need to be replaced.
Nashville school construction scheduled after loans announced
A bond sale is slated for Sept. 13 that will result in $212 million in school construction loans, more than $31 million of which will be for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. The low-interest loans will provide for land purchases, new construction and renovations. Among the proposed Nashville projects are:
- $4.5 million for renovations of Chadwell Elementary;
- $5.5 million for addition and renovation to Gateway Elementary;
- $7.9 million addition and renovation at Litton Middle School;
- $4.6 million renovation to Hermitage Elementary;
- $700,000 roof replacement at Apollo Middle School; and
- $349,098 roof replacement at Haywood Elementary.
Other Middle Tennessee school districts to receive funding are $5 million to Maury County and $2.6 million to Trousdale County. An additional $7 million in projects have not yet been identified. University plans to restore historic building for public health school
 The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has reached an agreement in principle to restore the former manufacturing building at the old Pabst Brewery site in downtown Milwaukee to be converted into the new home for the university's School of Public Health. The end result is expected to be a 50,000-square-foot facility the university will share with other community partners. Assisting with costs will be a $10 million gift from a philanthropist and real estate executive. Stephen Percy (pictured) acting dean of the School of Public Health, said the downtown location "is not only consistent with faculty wishes for a significant community presence for the school, but also with the faculty's commitment to community engagement and partnerships." Details of the plan will be reviewed by members of the UW System and its regents once negotiations are complete.
Two Michigan school districts approve bond proposalsThe Athens Area Schools and Hastings Area Schools, both in Michigan, had their proposed building plans approved recently by voters. The $2.85 million bond vote in Athens will fund additions at Athens High School and a partial remodeling of East Leroy Elementary School and Athens High. In the Hastings district, voters approved a $3.2 million bond issue. Proceeds from the bonds will go toward remodeling, equipping and furnishing school facilities. Purchases will include computers, smart boards, digital projectors and a new phone system for the elementary schools and the Hastings middle and high schools. Some partial roof replacements at all schools also will be paid for from the bonds.
New Jersey district planning school facilities upgrades
Approximately $4.6 million in state funds is available to the Cedar Grove (New Jersey) district for upgrades at three schools. The funding includes $3.3 million for door, window, ceiling and roof replacements and a new rooftop HVAC system at Cedar Grove High School; $557,312 for window, door and roof replacements at North End School; and $708,027 for window, door and roof replacements at South End School. The state funding will cover only about 40 percent of the cost of the projects. The school district would have to make up the difference - approximately $6.9 million. The same amount was allocated last year, but the district decided to delay an election and reapplied for the same funds for the same projects this year. A public vote must be held by June of next year.
California school construction projects to benefit from $408M
 The California State Allocation Board has announced $408 million in funding will be available for shovel-ready construction projects throughout the state. The money is state matching funds that will help pay for more than 75 projects at nearly four dozen schools in the state. "Today's action by the board moves these 42 districts to the head of the line and gets them the funding they need to start construction on vital education facilities," said Cynthia Bryant (pictured), chair of the state board. Schools that apply for funding must certify that within 90 days of receiving an allocation, they can match part of the funds, usually 50 percent, and that they have half their construction contracts in place. Schools that are having financial difficulties and cannot make the match will be able to compete for the priority-ordered funding to purchase sites or begin design work.
Two Ohio school districts successful with bond referendums
Two Ohio school districts report successful recent bond elections. The Shelby School District passed a $28 million referendum that will allow for the building of a new high school. The Madison School District approved a $35 million bond issue that will finance building a new middle school.
Two Tennessee school districts to get construction loan funds
Two schools in Blount County, Tennessee, will benefit from the Tennessee State School Bond Authority allocation of loan funds. The more than $15 million in funding for school construction loans was recently approved, including $13.4 million for Prospect Elementary School.
Missouri schools plan millions in school construction projects
Successful bond issues in the Columbia Public Schools district in Missouri are leading to a myriad of construction projects, including $75 million for a new high school. Among the other projects are:
- $15 million for a new elementary school;
- $7.5 million for additional gyms at two high schools;
- $16 million for HVAC projects;
- $4.8 million on roofing projects;
- $1.9 million on facility projects;
- $2 million for parking lot resurfacing; and
- $7.5 million for technology upgrades.
Two successful bond issues this year and in 2007 mean $138 million will be spent on new schools, land purchases and building renovations.
For information about these and other funding opportunities,
contact Reagan Weil or Richard Hartmann at 512-531-3900.
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| Opportunity of the week... |
Voters in a city in Michigan recently approved a $13.4 million bond issue that will pay for a new city hall of up to 29,000 square feet and a 31,000-square-foot public safety building. The bond proceeds will also be used to make improvements to the public library and community center, including new roofs and heating and cooling systems.Want to know more? Contact Reagan Weil at 512-531-3900 or rweil@spartnerships.com.
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| Other upcoming contracting opportunities |
Austin voters to decide $90M mobility bond in November
 Austin, Texas, voters will decide a $90 million mobility bond election in November, after the city council last week recommended the bond proposal. The bond package includes short-term transportation projects and long-term design and engineering projects. Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell (pictured) said the proposal has broad support from many businesses and civic associations and called it "a solid step to addressing our mobility issues." The bond issue, according to City Manager Marc Ott, includes investments in roads, sidewalks, bike paths, trails and transit infrastructure. If approved, city officials say 77 percent of the funds would be put into use immediately and the other 23 percent could be used for preliminary design and engineering for future projects. The road construction projects in the bond issue total approximately $19.5 million, and another $10 million in Americans with Disability Act projects are part of the package.
Clayton Municipal Airpark awarded grant from FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded a grant of $256,728 to the Clayton Municipal Airpark in Alabama. The funds will be used to rehabilitate two runways and the airport apron to extend the life of the airport pavement.
Florida County earns $6 million in stimulus funds for roads
Lake Country, Florida, will take advantage of some stimulus funds returned to Tallahassee and not used by other Florida counties and the state to fund $6 million in road projects. The State Department of Transportation required local governments that bid for the excess money to provide 15 percent of each project's funding, and Lake County had those funds available. The new funds will be used to repair and pave some 13 miles of county roads. Also, a bridge on Lakeshore Drive will be completed with stimulus funds after it already received $750,000 in federal funds set aside by the county's representative in Congress. It will be the second bridge in Lake to be funded exclusively by federal funds. Officials hope to be able to build or improve three bridges in two years. Some of the projects to be funded include $2.9 million in resurfacing of a portion of CR 48, a $2.4 million Lakeshore Drive Bridge, an $830,000 resurfacing of CR 452, a $408,000 resurfacing project on CR 44 and a $143,000 resurfacing of a portion of Sleepy Hollow Road. Davis County officials plan to build movie theater from stimulus funds
 Officials in Centerville, Utah, plan to use $12.6 million in federal stimulus funds to construct a 14-screen movie theater on the west side of town. It will anchor a development in six phases that will also include a restaurant, retail shops and multi-family housing. County commissioners are kicking in $2.9 million as the county's portion of the deal. Centerville Mayor Ron Russell (pictured) said officials are convinced "that this is an area that won't develop" without a community development agency in place. Officials are confident the movie theater will provide the impetus needed for other development to spring up. Oklahoma DOT considers long-range, $4.3 billion plan
The Oklahoma Transportation Commission is considering a $4.3 billion road and bridge construction plan for the state that will encompass eight years. It will offer projects through 2018. A bond issue authorized by the state legislature in 2008 valued at $215 million will be needed to keep the plan going. The commission will need to authorize the Department of Transportation to execute agreements with the Oklahoma Capital Improvement Authority to implement the bond issue. Historic city administration building to be restored in Calfornia
The City of Atascadero (California) recently approved issuing up to $18 million in bonds to finance its portion of the cost for restoration of the historic City Administration Building. The bonds not only will be used for restoration, but will also free up existing funds that had previously been designated for the city hall project. New geothermal heating, cooling system planned for Raleigh
 Additional Recovery Act funding will allow the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, to install a $2.6 million geothermal heating and cooling system at the solid waste services center. Total Recovery Act funding available for the project is $1.29 million. In addition, the city also recently approved $50 million in limited obligation bonds to build remote operations facilities for the Solid Waste Services Department. Mayor Charles Meeker (pictured) said the bonds will allow "at least the initial remote ops facilities to go forward." The city still is in hopes of eventually also building a new public safety center.
Salt Lake County bond issue would pay to relocate museum
The Utah Museum of Natural History's new home will depend on the results of a $15 million bond referendum facing voters in November. The County Council recently approved putting the measure on the ballot. The museum would be relocating to a new home in Research Park. Austin police vehicles to get new cameras, new technology
Austin, Texas, police vehicles will soon be outfitted with new dashboard cameras and technology that automatically turns the cameras on. The city council last week approved spending $15.5 million for the digital equipment that will activate the cameras in certain situations. The upgrades will aid investigations and evidence-gathering. The first of the cameras are expected to be purchased in January. Officials hope to have all of the cameras installed by spring 2012. The equipment will be paid for with bonds that do not require voter approval. Voters approve half-cent sale tax increase to fund parks
Wentzville, Missouri, voters are backing their parks. Citizens there recently approved a one-half cent sales tax increase to benefit parks. The passage of the ballot issue will allow the city to issue $20 million in revenue bonds to finance and create two new parks and an outdoor aquatic center. The tax is expected to generate an estimated $400,000 each year for parks operation and maintenance. California county planning to build $24M juvenile rehab facility
 A $24 million, 60-bed juvenile rehabilitation facility is about to be built in Stanislaus County, California. County supervisors recently approved the design for the facility that will house court-committed minors who can benefit from education and behavioral health programs through the facility. The county is the only one of the 20 most populated counties without a commitment facility for juveniles who commit such crimes as burglary and assault. Jerry Powers (pictured), chief probation officer for the county, said half of the minors currently in Juvenile Hall would likely be eligible for the new facility. Funding for the facility would include $18 million in state dollars and $6 million in matching funds from the county. The county hopes to hire a construction firm in the summer of next year with a completion date in 2012. The 47,000-square-foot facility could house 45 males in a dormitory and would also include a 15-bed housing unit for females. It would also include classrooms, a multi-purpose gym, a visitation area, kitchen, culinary program classroom and recreation yard. Shelby Township could open bids for police station in September
Bids for contractors for a new police station in Shelby Township, Michigan, could be opened as early as September, according to local officials. If bids are opened then, groundbreaking could be held in mid-October for a July 2011 completion. The station is planned for 17,000 square feet at a cost not to exceed $4 million. It will be a stand-alone facility on the grounds of the municipal center. Officials see the new facility as also remedying space problems, for both records and employees.
Montana city approves bonds for wastewater treatment plant
An $8.1 million general obligation bond issue in Bigfork, Montana, was recently passed and will lead to funding a new wastewater treatment plant. The Bigfork Water and Sewer District will use the funds to replace its aging system with one that will meet the state's new standards. The total cost of the project is estimated at $9.6 million, and $1.5 million of that will be paid for with grant funds. Plans are to have the project out for bids soon with a construction start date in the fall. Indiana city to get new library from bonding approval
 Crown Point, Indiana, residents will soon benefit from a new community library and improvements to the city's sports complex, thanks to bonding approval by the city council. The library will issue no more than $11.98 million in bonds for a new library. Another $2 million in bonds will be sold for land purchase, construction of a municipal parking lot and improvements to the North Street sports complex. Mayor David Uran (pictured) said the bonds would be used to improve the complex where Junior Bulldog football and softball fields are now located but are overcrowded. Uran said the bonds could also be used to improve the Bo Jackson Legacy Athletic Center. That proposed facility would be a public/private partnership, with Bo Jackson Elite Sports chipping in $3.4 million and the city matching that amount. Orlando airport will get new security technology
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has allocated $23 million in Recovery Act funds for an inline baggage screening system at Orlando International Airport. The technology is expected to strengthen security for travelers and the means of detecting and disrupting threats of terrorism. The systems use state-of-the-art technology to screen checked baggage for explosives more quickly, while streamlining the ticketing process. They also reduce the number of re-scans and physical bag searches with on-screen resolution capabilities for security officers who are screening baggage.
San Francisco International to get new air traffic control tower
Federal authorities will pay for the replacement of the air traffic control tower at the San Francisco International Airport. The airport's board approved an agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that states that the FAA will pay up to $80 million to fully fund the new tower and will oversee the project. The airport will be responsible for construction and the management of the project. Construction could start late next year. It would be completed in four to five years. The tower will be 228 feet tall with 650 square feet of work space and approximately one-fourth more room. A glass window will allow a 270-degree view of the airfield.
For information about these and other funding opportunities,
contact Reagan Weil or Richard Hartmann at 512-531-3900.
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Where are they now?
| Are you a government official who has moved into a new position or to a new agency? Did you recently retire? Were you recently named to an executive-level position at a state-supported college, university or community college? Have you secured a new job as superintendent of a public school? If so, we'd like to hear from you - and so would your friends and colleagues - for our "Where Are They Now" column. Just drop us a line at editor@spartnerships.com and let us know about your previous job and where you are now. This week we feature Dr. Harold E. Varmus, M.D.
 Harold E. Varmus, M.D., earned his medical degree from Columbia University in New York in 1966. He became a surgeon in the U.S. Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health in 1968. He later moved to San Francisco to join the University of California Medical Center. In 1970, he began post-doctoral studies in Michael Bishop's lab there. Their work together earned them a Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. He became a faculty member at UCSF in 1972 and a professor in 1979. From 1993 to 1999, he served as director of the National Institutes of Health. In January 2000, Varmus served as president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. He was also chair of the Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center at Sloan-Kettering. Varmus was planning to leave that post and in January of this year asked officials there to begin looking for his successor. On May 18, he was nominated to be the director of the National Cancer Institute and on July 12 became the institute's 14th director. |
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| People |
  Judge James A. Wynn (top left), who currently serves on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, has been confirmed to the U.S. 4th Court of Appeals, a position for which he was first nominated in the mid-1990s by President Bill Clinton and was nominated again last fall by President Barack Obama. Interim City Manager Donna Dreska (top right) has been named permanent city manager in Reno, Nevada, replacing departed City Manager Charles McNeely. Former State of Tennessee Comptroller John Morgan has been named chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents system, to replace Charles Manning, who will retire at the end of December. Salem, New Hampshire, Police Captain Shawn Patten, a veteran of the Salem fore for 10 years, has been named the department's new deputy chief, replacing former Deputy Chief William Ganley, who retired in April. Barbara Jones, who has worked for the City of Mount Airy, North Carolina, for nearly two decades, has been named the city's first female city manager. Florida Department of Environmental Protection  Secretary Mike Sole (upper middle right) has resigned to pursue other opportunities. Palm Beach County, Florida, Commissioner Jeff Koons (upper middle left) has resigned his post as commissioner. After 16 years with the Thomas Menino administration in Boston, Lisa Calise Signori has resigned her post as Boston's top financial officer to become chief financial officer of the Perkins School for the Blind. Jack Chamberlain has been named police chief of Olanta, South Carolina, to replace former Police Chief Mark Strickland, who resigned. John A. Wessels has been named regional director of the National Park Service's Intermountain Region, which is responsible for 92 parks and sites visited annually by more than 42 million people. Deputy CIO John Letchford has been named interim IT chief for the State of Massachusetts. Independence, Kentucky, will get its first female police chief after 20-year veteran Police Sgt. Amy Schworer (lower middle   left) was named to replace Police Chief Rick Smith, who is retiring. The Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board named Michael G. Trotsky (lower middle right), former executive director of the Massachusetts Health Care Security Trust, as its new executive director, replacing Michael Travaglini, who resigned in June to work for a Chicago hedge fund. Donald Hood, a veteran of the Bridgeton, Missouri, police force since 1978, has been named chief, replacing Walter Mutert, who retired after 40 years with the city. George Russell is stepping down from his post as superintendent of the Eugene (Oregon) School District after also having served the district as human resources director and interim superintendent. Narragansett, South Carolina, Deputy Police Chief Dean Hoxsie has been named chief, replacing former Chief Joseph T. Little, who retired to take the position of Capital Police Chief after nearly 30 years with Narragansett. Ed Henderson (bottom left), assistant fire chief and fire marshal in Mansfield, Texas, who spent 25 years in Lubbock and was a fire lieutenant and assistant fire marshal there, will become Forest  Hill fire chief on Aug. 18. Christina Romer (bottom right), chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, is leaving the Obama administration to return to teaching at the University of California at Berkeley. Wichita native Bret Bauer, who is moving from Smithville, Missouri, will be the next city manager for Holton, Kansas. Former detective and 18-year police veteran Jeff Harrington has been named chief of the New Port Richey, Florida, Police Department. Michael M. Knetter, dean of the Wisconsin School of Business and vice chancellor for advancement at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been named president and CEO of the University of Wisconsin Foundation. San Fernando Police Chief Robert "Ordy" Ordelheide is retiring from that post and will be replaced by new Chief Tony Ruelas, a former lieutenant on the force. Florida Atlantic University Provost John Pritchess, who has held his position since 2004, is stepping down, but will continue to work at the university long enough to help prepare for the university's accreditation renewal. The Stillwater (Minnesota) Area School Board will take a final vote Thursday on hiring Tom Nelson, retired South Washington County Schools superintendent, as interim superintendent for one year, to replace Keith Rykoski, who is now assistant superintendent of secondary education in School District 833.
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Does your organization or agency have an upcoming event that would be of interest to either vendors who do business with government or officials and workers in state and local government, higher education, public education or health care? Are you planning a webinar? A conference or seminar? The State & Local Government Pipeline invites government and nonprofits to send information regarding your events for consideration to be included in our FREE Calendar of Events section below. In addition to providing contact information, the day, date, time and a synopsis of the event, you may also include a link to additional information on your Web page and/or a link to online registration that we'll include. Please submit your event information to editor@spartnerships.com. |
| Calendar of events |
Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists planning 6th Annual Conference
The Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists' 6th Annual Conference, featuring the general conference and networking activities, will be held Sept. 8-10 in Orlando at the Renaissance Orlando Hotel at SeaWorld, 6677 Sea Harbor Drive. To register, click here.
TxDOT continues offering webinars for small minority businesses
The Texas Department of Transportation's Business Outreach & Program (BOP) Services branch is still conducting its webinars targeting small, minority and women business owners in the field of construction and professional services in Texas. Only three webinars remaining for the 2010 fiscal year. The external online seminars topics range from how to become a pre-qualified bidder on TxDOT contracts to online access of bid lettings and contract plans and much more. Each session aims to provide valuable information to contractors, suppliers and small businesses on how TxDOT operates with external parties, how to better understand processes and procedures and improve opportunities to bid and obtain contracts with TxDOT. Invited parties include potential contractors, subcontractors, supplies, DBEs and any other small businesses. Each free webinar is limited and registration slots are on a first-come-first-serve basis. More information on each webinar can be found at www.txdot.gov. Questions should be forwarded to TxDOT-BOP Webinars@dot.state.tx.us or call 1.866.480.2518, Option 2 for more information.
FEMA grant recipients can attend grants management workshops
Basic Fundamentals of Grants Management Workshops for recipients of FEMA grant funding are being planned as a cooperative effort of FEMA's Grant Programs Directorate and the National Criminal Justice Association. The Grants Management Technical Assistance program provides grants management principles and practices to state, regional, local and tribal jurisdictions. The next workshop will be held Aug. 24-25 in New York. Basic principles and practices to enhance the ability of FEMA grant recipients to administer grant funding will be addressed. Target audience will include direct recipients such as State Administrative Agencies, Transit Security Grant Program and Port Security Grant Program personnel, Assistance to Firefighter Grant specialists and/or subrecipients such as Urban Areas Initiative personnel. Registration for the workshop is free, but participants are responsible for travel and lodging costs.
4th Annual HAZUS conference slated in August in Indianapolis
The 4th Annual HAZUS Conference is slated for Monday through Wednesday, Aug. 23-25, at the Indiana Government Center, South Building in Indianapolis. HAZUS-MH is a risk assessment methodology used to analyze potential losses from natural hazards including floods, hurricane winds and earthquakes. HAZUS uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software combined with science, engineering and math modeling to map and display hazard data and the results of damage and economic loss estimates for buildings and infrastructure. It was developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under contract with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). Federal, state and local government agencies and the private sector can order HAZUS-MH free-of-charge from the FEMA Publication Warehouse. The purpose of this site is to promote HAZUS training and provide quick links to key resources that encourage the use of HAZUS to ensure the safety of the United States. To register, click here. |
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