Proponents of sustainability in America have aggressively advocated for a shift to clean-fuel vehicles. There are many strong arguments for the change. However, wide-scale adoption of the clean-fuel technology remains challenging. And, the biggest hurdle to overcome is infrastructure. It is simply not available.

Two leading alternatives to traditionally fueled automobiles are hydrogen and electric vehicles, and both require widely available refueling stations. Without the stations, clean-fuel technology cannot become a viable option. The nation has truly been in a "catch 22" situation. Consumers will not purchase the vehicles until adequate refueling stations are available. And, without enough vehicles to service, private-sector firms are not incentivized to build refueling infrastructure.

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Both school, transportation referendums will involve Wake County voters

Voters in Wake County, North Carolina, will have two separate bond issues to decide in the fall, with millions of dollars in contracting opportunities resulting if the bond votes are successful. Voters will decide both the fate of an $810 million school bond election and $75 million transportation bond.

Some have questioned whether the community will support two bond issues. Wake County Commissioners Chairman Joe Bryan (right) had sought to talk city officials into postponing their referendum to ensure school bond passage. "People may look at voting for one or the other, and we really need them to support the school bond," said Bryan.

On the other hand, school board member Christine Kushner (left) said she did not think the bond issues would be competing against each other. "I think they're really complementary," she said.

The transportation bond issue is being floated by the city of Raleigh. The $75 million issue will widen and improve many of the city's busiest streets. It is the biggest bond issue in the city's history and will provide funding for 15 multi-million-dollar road projects. Fourteen streets are on the list for improvements. Some of the streets and their three-year allocation for construction include widening of Mitchell Mill, $13 million; widening of Sandy Forks Road, $9 million; various improvements from Hillsborough Street to Rosemary Street, $6 million; and improvements to New Bern corridor, $4 million. Another $1.5 million would go to sidewalk improvements, the streetscape program would be allocated $1.7 million and neighborhood traffic management would be funded by $1.5 million in bond proceeds.

State looking for alternative to dwindling at-the-pump receipts to fund projects

Oregon is on the cusp of becoming the first state to institute a pay-per-mile gas tax to help fund transportation infrastructure. As in many other states, Oregon has long collected an at-the-pump gas tax to shore up funding for roads and bridges and other transportation projects. But, with motor vehicles becoming more fuel efficient and higher gas prices curbing some road trips by the public, those tax receipts are dwindling. Oregon officials are hopeful to institute a per-mile fee that will charge motorists on how many miles they drive rather than how many gallons of gas they purchase.

The Federal Highway Administration estimates that nationally, it would take a vehicle-miles tax rate of about 1.8 cents per mile to completely replace the $54.5 billion raised for transportation infrastructure nationwide through fuel taxes. The agency estimates that a motorist who drives 12,000 miles each year would pay a little over $200 per year based on that per-mile rate.

Oregon has passed a bill that is waiting on Gov. John Kitzhaber's signature to make it law for a pilot program that would allow up to 5,000 drivers to volunteer to participate. The volunteers would pay a tax of 1.5 cents per mile driven instead of the 30 cents-per-gallon, at-the-pump tax. The program is set to begin in 2015. The state transportation department is expected to spend $2.8 million to implement it. The state is still exploring how to track miles driven without running into controversy over individuals' privacy concerns. Among possible charges are smartphone apps, GPS tracking or payment of a flat rate.

County board of education preparing RFP for new high school

The Allegany County (Maryland) Board of Education is preparing a Request for Proposal for construction of a new Allegany High School. A committee was to meet this week to discuss with the architect what the vision for the school is. Before the school is built, the former Western Maryland Health System Braddock campus building must be demolished. Site surveys are also a necessary step. The Board of Education and the county will each put in $1 million toward the demolition. Officials are hopeful that salvage of some of the mechanical equipment in the existing facility will reduce the demolition costs. The total cost of the Allegany project is projected to be $41.4 million, with $27.9 million to be covered by the state.

Louisiana schools to get variety of improvements after bonds

The school board in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, has sold $5 million in general obligation bonds to finance the first phase of improvements to the parish public schools. Voters in the parish approved a $40.35 million bond issue in May. The bond issue included $1.2 million each for upgrades to athletic facilities at the three high schools. Other issues that will be addressed by the bond proceeds likely include roofing needs, HVAC system and food services equipment.  

Bartlesville school officials set $36 million bond issue for September

Middle schools will benefit the most from a proposed $36.72 million bond issue set in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Much of the funding would be used to renovate Central Middle School and restructuring of Bartlesville High and Mid-High. The 100-year-old Central Middle School would undergo a major renovation. Madison Middle School would be razed and the high school restructured for students in grades 9-12. In addition, about $1.5 million of the bond proceeds would be used for security projects, including increased video surveillance, lobby guard kiosks and making entrances more secure. The last bond issue approved by Bartlesville voters was in 2012, when bond proceeds were dedicated for technology projects. A similar bond to the one being studied this year failed last February. The election is set for Sept. 10.

Columbus, Ohio, likely to face November school bond issue

A bond issue is being planned in November for the Columbus, Ohio, schools. The proceeds from the bond issue would mostly be used for building construction and technology upgrades. The Board of Education will consider a school's academic performance when deciding which buildings will be renovated, say school officials, a first for the district. Thus, high-performing schools will likely get new schools first.

Edmond school district selling bonds for building improvements, remodeling

Officials in the Edmond, Oklahoma, schools are selling bonds from last February's successful bond issue. Proceeds from the bond sale will be used for high school improvements and some remodeling. Some $14.4 million in bonds will be sold. They include $1.3 million for technology, $750,000 for HVAC, $2.5 million for Orvis Risner Elementary renovations, $7.2 million for improvements and remodeling at Memorial, North and Santa Fe schools, $95,000 for remodeling the custodial building, $750,000 for administration center improvements and $500,000 for playground improvements to ensure accessibility for persons with handicaps.

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Bids to be sought for $40 million Minnesota water project

A $40 million water quality improvement project is planned in Minnesota that will affect some 500,000 residents. A filtration plant that provides all the drinking water for six cities, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and some of the drinking water in two other cities. The proposed five-year renovation project addresses the nearly century-old pipes, fittings and more at the Fridley Filtration Plant. Officials say the upgrade will address the plant's filter media and the piping related to the filters. The filters were last replaced in the 1970s. In spite of the high cost, water officials in the city of Minneapolis said the facility is worth upgrading rather than rebuilding. The Minneapolis City Council last week approved soliciting bids for the project. Close to $3 million has already been appropriated for the project and the rest will come from bonds over the next few years. The project is expected to take about five years.

$54 million awarded in New York for public, private solar projects

Nearly 80 projects in both the public and private sectors in New York will be funded with $54 million awarded by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. These large-scale projects are expected to add 64 megawatts to the state's solar energy capacity. The funding is part of the NY-Sun Initiative and a third round of funding requests is due in late August. Francis J. Murray Jr. (pictured), president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) called the initiative "a great success story for New York." Murray said the investments in solar power will help reduce utility expenses, increase available electricity and reduce the demand on the electric grid. The large-scale solar energy sites awarded funding are in 26 counties throughout the state and will be installed at businesses, factories, government buildings, colleges and other commercial and industrial companies and institutions. The $54 million being awarded leverages $120 million in private investment, which translates into about $174 million in infrastructure projects. Among the potential public-sector locations for solar energy sites are State University of New York (SUNY) Cortland in Cortland County, Rochester Institute of Technology, Clarkson University in Potsdam and Cornell University. The program provides incentives for PV systems larger than 50 kilowatts and funding is capped at $3 million, with all projects requiring co-funding to leverage the state funds. The projects are meant to produce power for on-site use, not for direct sale to utilities.

Two North Dakota communities get funding for water projects

A total of $6.9 million in grants and loans is headed to two North Dakota communities to help defray the costs of water and water disposal projects. The communities receiving the funding are Rolla and Hazelton. The funds are being distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rolla will receive a $1.9 million grant and a $2.3-million, low-interest, 40-year loan of $2.3 million. Hazelton will be awarded a grant of $1.2 million and a 40-year, low-interest loan of $1.5 million.

Atlantic City to seek bids for project manager for police technology

Atlantic City is seeking bids for a project manager to help lead technology upgrades for its police department. The city plans to spend $3.5 million on the police department's technology. The funding was awarded a couple of years ago from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. Bids are expected to be opened Aug. 13. The first task for a new project manager will be to restructure the records management system and computer-assisted dispatch. The technology also could include cameras that allow officers to see what's happening from their vehicles and a system that also computes crime trends. Mayor Lorenzo Langford (pictured) said the projects are important "both symbolically and substantively." In a previous request for qualifications, eight vendors responded, one of them a local company. Those companies and others would be allowed to bid on the projects.

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Officials exploring public-private partnership for Gary/Chicago Airport

A public-private partnership is one of the options being explored for the proposed Gary/Chicago International Airport (GCIA), as both a means of facilitating the airport and developing the economic potential in the area of the airport. The airport is upgrading its runway to the tune of $166 million and the expansion will make it 8,900 feet longer, which will allow it to accommodate wide body planes, an option some other airports in the state do not have. The airport authority previously issued a Request for Expressions of Interest and for Qualifications and received eight responses. The responses gave authorities numerous options to consider, from aviation to urban planning. The Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) has long been a proponent of a public-private partnership for the airport development. "We were actively leading the Gary Region Investment project several years back, we highlighted the airport and the land around the airport as one of the top three sites with greatest potential to transform the City of Gary and Northwest Indiana," said Mandy Burrell-Booth (pictured), MPC Communications Director. As a result, the MPC responded to the REIQ. Burrell-Booth said the MPC could bring to the table its experience in working with local, regional, state and federal officials and agencies; its research capabilities and land-use planning; and its experience and community engagement expertise. Airport authority officials are studying responses that include aviation, financial, urban planning, retail, real estate management and environmental design. A P3 would work for the city by encouraging other investment from the private sector and the private sector would benefit from investments in adjacent properties for a variety of uses as well. When an RFP is issued, other companies also will be eligible to respond.  
 

Bill would allow IDOT to use P3 for South Suburban Airport

The fate of the proposed South Suburban Airport in Illinois rests in the hands of Gov. Pat Quinn. The State Legislature has sent SB 20 to the governor for his signature and one of the co-authors of the legislation is urging Quinn to sign it into law. The bill would allow the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to use a public-private partnership (P3) to build and operate the new airport. State Rep. Kate Cloonen said the new airport would create 3,000 much-needed jobs while giving the local and state economy a shot in the arm. "This measure has the potential to generate 3,000 jobs in the first year of operation, jobs our area desperately need," said Cloonen. "This legislation will address the long-debated issue of governance, and it will help to stimulate our economy." SB 20 allows IDOT to enter into P3 agreements to develop, finance, construct, manage, operate and maintain the airport located in Will County.

Remaining phase of San Juan apartments to be developed in San Antonio

Financing for the remaining $30 million needed by the San Antonio Housing Authority has been secured for completion of the San Juan apartments through a public-private partnership. Working with development partner NRP Group, the housing authority has closed on financing for the more than 250 mixed-income units, a clubhouse and 4,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. More than 60 of the 252 units will be set aside as public housing units. Another 31 will be project-based voucher units that serve families earning 30 percent or less of the area median income. Funding for the project comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City of San Antonio HOME funds, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and through tax credits and tax-exempt bonds. SAHA President and CEO Lourdes Castro Ramirez (pictured) said this phase of the project will "improve and expand the availability of quality, affordable housing throughout San Antonio." She said many of the city's public housing communities are 60 to 70 years old and badly in need of redevelopment. "Public-private partnerships such as this are essential to SAHA's vision to create dynamic communities where people thrive." Phase I of the San Juan redevelopment was completed in 2007 and Phase II in 2009. When completed, the project will mean an additional 539 new apartment units in the city.

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 Janet Napolitano.

(To view these stories, click here and look under "Around the Nation.")

Brian Moira (top left), assistant city manager with the city of San Carlos, California, and an employee of the city since 1986, has announced he is leaving his city post to go on hiatus and then return to pursue a management position. Texas A&M University President R. Bowen Loftin (top center), who has served as the university's 24th president since 2010, has announced that he intends to step down in January and will return as a tenured professor in the College of Engineering. Dr. Eric Reno (top right), Alamo Colleges' Northeast Lakeview College president in San Antonio for the past decade, has announced his plans to retire in January of next year. Miami City Manager Johnny Martínez has fired Chief Financial Officer Janice Larned, and named the city's budget director, Daniel Alfonso, to be her replacement. Palo Alto has hired Walter Rossman, former assistant budget director in San Jose, as the first director of the new Office of Management and Budget, where he will oversee the city's $460 million budget. Susan Ciccotelli, principal of the Woodmont Elementary in the Montville school system, has been named superintendent of schools in the K-6 Fairfield Township (New Jersey) school district, replacing Mary Kildow, who has retired after six years in the district and more than 38 years in education. Mortimer Neufville (middle right), who has served as interim president of Coppin State University in Baltimore since January, has been named the next president of the historically black university, replacing Reginal Avery, who resigned. President Barack Obama has nominated Ron Binz (middle center), a former chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, to be the next chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Budget cuts by the state legislature have been blamed for the recent announcement of Western Nevada College President Carol Lucey (middle left) that she will resign after serving 15 years in the presidency. Fairfax County (Virginia) schools deputy superintendent Richard Moniuszko will retire in January to join the George Mason University faculty as a full-time education professor, after joining the Fairfax school system in May 2006. Douglas Drysdale, who served as Director of the Finance Department for the city of Riverview, Michigan, before being named acting city manager when former city manager Dean Workman retired, has been named city manager, but will continue to head the Finance Department as well. Timothy McConnell, who has been a member of the New Orleans Fire Department for nearly 30 years, most recently as assistant superintendent, has been named superintendent, succeeding former Superintendent Charles Parent. The Glendale (Arizona) City Council has appointed Brenda Fischer (bottom left), former city manager of Maricopa who has also worked in city government in Arizona, Nevada and California for nearly two decades, as new city manager. Kevin Davis (bottom center), who boasts 21 years of experience in Prince George County law enforcement, serving as assistant chief for the last three years, has been named Anne Arundel County's new police chief. Algie Gatewood (bottom right), president of the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon, will bring an extensive background in higher education to his new post as president of Almance Community College in North Carolina. Shelly Mellott, who most recently served as deputy executive director and acting executive director of the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, has been selected as the new deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Lakeville (Minnesota) Police Chief Tom Vonhof, who joined the department as a rookie police officer in 1980, will retire in October from the chief's job that he has held since 2006. NASA has named long-time employee from the field, 26-year veteran Larry Sweet, to become its new chief information officer, replacing Linda Cureton, who retired in April. George Pernsteiner, who led Oregon's university system for nearly a decade, has been named to succeed Paul Lingenfelter as president of the State Higher Education Executive Officers, an association that represents the leaders of the public higher education systems in their states.