Minutes Brazos Valley Council of Government Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Transcription

1 Minutes Brazos Valley Council of Government Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday, July 13, 2011 Board Members Attendance: Representing Brazos County: Judge Duane Peters Mayor Jason Bienski, Bryan Mr. Marvin Walker Mayor Nancy Berry, College Station Mr. Randy Sims Representing Burleson County: Judge Mike Sutherland Mayor Don Skipper Murray, Somerville Mr. Clarence Wayne Grays Mr. Don Strickland * Mayor Norris McManus, Caldwell Representing Grimes County: Judge Betty Shiflett Commissioner Pam Finke Mayor Mackie Bobo-White, Bedias Mayor Bert Miller, Navasota Mr. Frank Zaragoza Representing Leon County: Judge Byron Ryder Commissioner Dean Player Council Member Bobbye Bullock, Oakwood Col. James W. Wallace Representing Madison County: Judge Art Henson Commissioner Phillip Grisham Ms. Sandra Guice Mayor Terri Creel, Madisonville Representing Robertson County: Judge Jan A. Roe Justice of the Peace Fredrick Webber Sheriff Gerald Yezak Mr. Jimmie McCullough Mayor Ruben Gomez Representing Washington County: Judge John Brieden Commissioner Joy Fuchs Mayor Milton Tate, Jr., Brenham Dr. Robert G. Wright Mrs. Dorothy Morgan

2 Minutes 7/13/11 Page 2 of 6 BVCOG Staff : Mr. Tom Wilkinson Executive Director Mr. Judson Brown Program Manager, Housing Ms. Shawna Chambers Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley Board Mr. Matthew Collins Finance Mr. Ronnie Gipson Program Manager, Aging Ms. Carolyn Kraus Program Manager, RSVP Ms. Deborah Krusekopf Finance Mr. Michael Lucas PSA Ms. Linda McGuill Program Manager, Public Safety Planning Ms. Candilyn McLean Program Manager, Solid Waste Ms. Anita Pitt Program Manager, Mr. Paul Turney Program Manager, Brazos Valley Affordable Housing Corporation Mr. Shannon Waddell Program Manager, Economic Development Guests : Ms. Marva Beck Texas State Representative District 57 Mr. Jack Buckley Mr. Jason Fuller Office of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison Ms. Nancy Hendryx Office of Representative Marva Beck Mr. Anthony Pfitzer CEO, St. Joseph Regional Health Center Ms. Debbie Sutherland Regular Agenda 1. Judge Jan Roe called the meeting to order at 1:00pm. 2. Mr. Don Strickland led the invocation and the pledges of allegiance. 3. Mr. Tom Wilkinson introduced the guests. In addition to other guests, Tom introduced Ms. Marva Beck, State Representative of District 57, who has been designated as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments Board of Directors per the recent bill passed amending Section 391 of the local government code. 4. Consideration was given for approval of the minutes of the BVCOG Board of Directors meeting for June 8, 2011 Dr. Robert Wright made a motion to approve the minutes of the June 8, 2011 BVCOG Board of Directors meeting and Judge John Brieden seconded the motion. The motion carried and the minutes of the BVCOG Board of Directors meeting for June 8, 2011 were approved. 5. Consideration was given for approval of the BVCOG Financial Report for May 2011 Director of Finance, Deborah Krusekopf, presented the financial report for May 2011 stating that year-to-date funds are 6% favorable to the overall budget, and all programs were within budget for the month of May. Budgeting for next fiscal year has begun and will be discussed at the August board meeting. The motion

3 Minutes 7/13/11 Page 3 of 6 and second to approve the financial report for May 2011 carried, and the BVCOG Financial Report for May 2011 was approved. 6. Executive Director s Report: The proposal for a regional medical examiner will be discussed at the BVCOG center on August 12, 2011 to hopefully save money and eliminate travel expenses to Houston and Austin. Mr. Herman Sustayta, Manager of Indigent Health Care Programs, retired effective July 1, 2011, and a luncheon will be held in his honor on Friday, August 5 (later amended to Wednesday, August 3 via ). Ms. Lilly Haddix has become the new program manager. 6a. Discussion of Legislative Issues Tom asked Representative Beck and Mr. Fuller for comments concerning current legislative issues, and both agreed that state and federal budgets should hold back expenses and be balanced without new taxes. 6b. TexHealth multi-share health update TexHealth has 24 employers participating in the program with 79 lives insured. The economy in Texas shows businesses looking to hire and provide low cost health insurance. There are now only three multi-share programs remaining Houston, Austin (which took over the Dallas program), and the Brazos Valley. 6c. NADO recognitions: Transportation and TexHealth BVCOG Assistant Executive Director Mike Parks is currently attending the NADO transportation meeting where BVCOG is being recognized, and Tom will attend the NADO executive director s meeting in October to receive recognition for TexHealth Brazos Valley. 6d. TARC meeting next week TARC will be meeting in Austin next week with budget matters being the highest priority. Solid Waste funding has been cut in half, and creative solutions have been formulated. 6e. Report on Center for Regional Services The Center has been busy hosting aging seminars and the Independence Day job fair. Tom is working with Deborah Krusekopf preparing the new budget and hopes to have it before the board next month. The budget will have 3 to 3 1/2 million dollars less this year mostly due to the elimination of ARRA funds. 6f. Workforce Solutions Center Update and plans Housing and the Workforce Center have joined forces in a partnership to manage client cases. Housing program manager Judson Brown has embraced the Family Self Sufficiency Program and now has over 300 of our Brazos Valley families involved. We are ranked 12 th in the nation with this

4 Minutes 7/13/11 Page 4 of 6 program. Every client in the program will be given the opportunity to obtain a GED. 6g. Report and update on regional broadband opportunities Tom will be travelling to Washington, D.C. next week to continue efforts in obtaining regional broadband services. The federal agency is stuck on the universal service fees, and very little will probably be accomplished until the federal budget gets resolved. 6h Budget Planning Tom is working on the new budget and hopes to have more details next month. Tom announced that the Navasota Blues Fest will begin on August 12 and that the BVCOG will be hosting a Regional Transportation Workshop on August 18. Grimes County has been declared a federal disaster after the recent fire, and a representative from the Small Business Administration is in Grimes County to assist families with home loans, business loans, and other economic injury loans. The Department of Interior announced a draft environmental impact statement and draft habitat conservation plan for Encore Electric delivery facilities in 100 Texas counties. Tom has the CD if anyone is interested in reviewing the information. Tom explained new changes in CDBG funding for Texas rural counties, and funds have been transferred to the Texas Department of Agriculture. He announced that our region will receive approximately $963,000 for Consider for approval the recommendation of the Leon County Commissioner s Court for the appointment of Mr. Bob Hickman to the BVCOG Homeland Security Advisory Committee Judge Byron Ryder made a motion to approve the recommendation of the Leon County Commissioner s Court to appoint Mr. Bob Hickman to the BVCOG Homeland Security Advisory Committee, and Commissioner Dean Player seconded the motion. The motion carried, and Mr. Bob Hickman was appointed to the BVCOG Homeland Security Advisory Committee. 8. Consider for approval a Resolution to adopt BVCOG Fund Balance Policy in Accordance with GASB Statement No. 54 Deborah Krusekopf explained that the BVCOG Fund Balance Policy will not change anything but only affects how government funds are reported in our financial statements. Judge Mike Sutherland made a motion to approve the resolution adopting the BVCOG Fund Balance Policy in Accordance with GASB Statement No. 54, and Judge Betty Shiflett seconded the motion. The motion carried and the resolution adopting the BVCOG Fund Balance Policy in Accordance with GASB Statement No. 54 was approved as presented.

5 Minutes 7/13/11 Page 5 of 6 9. Consider for approval a Resolution authorizing approval of expenditures exceeding $50,000 for equipment maintenance for FY Due to budget cuts in the next biennium, program manager Anita Pitt requested approval to prepay equipment maintenance fees with available 2011 budget funds. Commissioner Dean Player made a motion to approve the resolution authorizing approval of expenditures exceeding $50,000 for equipment maintenance for FY , and Judge Betty Shiflett seconded the motion. The motion carried and the resolution authorizing approval of expenditures exceeding $50,000 for equipment maintenance for FY was approved as presented. 10. Consider for approval BVCOG s Stategic Plan for FY Anita Pitt reported that the new budget will have $396,000 less in operating funds for the next biennium but technology plans are still moving forward. Judge Art Henson made a motion to approve BVCOG s Stategic Plan for FY , and Judge Byron Ryder seconded the motion. The motion carried and BVCOG s Stategic Plan for FY was approved as presented. 11. Consider for approval a Resolution authorizing adoption of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (TX526) for FY No discussion. Judge Betty Shiflett made a motion to approve a Resolution authorizing adoption of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (TX526) for FY , and Ms. Dorothy Morgan seconded the motion. The motion carried and the Housing Choice Voucher Program (TX526) for FY was approved as presented. 12. Discussion and possible action on contract for services between BVCOG Housing Choice Voucher Program and BVAHC Tom Wilkinson explained that federal HUD rules regarding housing funds that have been received but not spent are changing. He requested to move unspent funds temporarily to the BVAHC and Workforce Solutions programs in order to protect excess dollars. Judge Mike Sutherland made a consolidated motion for items 12 and 13 to approve a contract for services between BVCOG Housing Choice Voucher Program and BVAHC and also between BVCOG Housing Choice Voucher Program and Workforce Solutions, and Judge John Brieden seconded the motion. The motion carried and a contract for services between BVCOG Housing Choice Voucher Program and BVAHC and also between BVCOG Housing Choice Voucher Program and Workforce Solutions was approved. 13. Discussion and possible action on contract for services between BVCOG Housing Choice Voucher Program and Workforce Solutions Included in item 12.

6 Minutes 7/13/11 Page 6 of Discuss TDRA Notice of GLO designation for Texas Hurricanes Dolly and Ike Disaster Recovery Program effective July 1, 2011 Economic Development program manager Shannon Waddell explained that the General Land Office has been designated as the official disaster agency now and recommended that we create a policy for our counties so that we could become competitive for round two disaster housing funds. BVCOG staff will work to create a template for counties to use to obtain compliance with fair housing. 15. Review and comment on the Railroad Commission of Texas FY 2012 Brownfields grant application No comment. 16. Review and comment on TCEQ s grant application for the FY11 Section 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Categorical grant No comment. 17. Review and comment on the Railroad Commission of Texas FY 2012 Safe Drinking Water grant application No comment. 18. The following Program Reports were included in the packet: 19. Adjourn Area Agency on Aging Bioterrorism Preparedness Planning Brazos Valley Health Systems TexHealth Multi-Share Brazos Valley Wide Area Communications System County Indigent Health Care Criminal Justice Economic Development Geographic Information Systems Hazard Mitigation Planning HIV Administrative Services Homeland Security Housing Choice Voucher Program Purchasing Solutions Alliance (PSA) Regional Planning Organization (RPO)/Transportation RSVP - Senior Corps Solid Waste Planning Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley Board As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:45pm.