Finance Committee

Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., June 3, 1998

Commission Hearing Room
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Item
No.
Subject Public Hearing
Agenda Item No.
  Approval of the Committee Minutes from the previous meeting.  
  Summary of Minutes  
1. Chairman's Charges (Oral Presentation) Committee Only
2. Financial Review
Staff: Jayna Burgdorf
Committee Only
3.

Local Park Grant Program Administrative Rule Changes
Staff: Tim Hogsett

Committee Only
4. Reciprocal License Agreement
Staff: Ken Kurzawski
8
5. Other Business  

Summary of Minutes
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission
Finance Committee
April 15, 1998

BE IT REMEMBERED that heretofore on the 15th day of April 1998, there came to be heard matters under the regulatory authority of the Parks and Wildlife Commission of Texas, in the commission hearing room of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Headquarters complex, Austin, Travis County, Texas beginning at 2:36 p.m., to wit:

I. FINANCE COMMITTEE:

Dick Heath, Chair
Mickey Burleson
Nolan Ryan

OTHER COMMISSIONERS:
Lee M. Bass
Ernest Angelo, Jr.
John Avila, Jr.
Ray Clymer (Absent)
Susan Howard-Chrane
Carol Dinkins
II. OPENING STATEMENT:

Commissioner Dick Heath called the meeting to order. The opening statement was read into the record by Executive Director Andrew Sansom.

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Commissioner Dick Heath asked for a motion to approve the minutes from the January 21, 1998 meeting. The motion was moved by Commissioner Ernest Angelo, Jr. and seconded by Commissioner John Avila, Jr. The motion passed unanimously.

IV. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE:

1. BRIEFING - CHAIRMAN'S CHARGES

Presenter: Jayna Burgdorf

Julie Ivie of the State Auditor's Office gave a briefing on the status of the management audit that is focused on state parks. They are still collecting and analyzing data and information, so no specific findings or recommendations were made at this time. They will continue to report on the progress of the audit.

Commissioner Dick Heath requested that the Commission be briefed on the whole program of local park grants at the June Committee meeting. Mr. Sansom agreed it should be put on the agenda.

Second, as directed in the chairman's charges, the new license format and paper was presented. It will be tested at 41 locations during the month of May.

2. BRIEFING - Financial Review

Presenter: Ms. Jayna Burgdorf

Monthly financial review of major account financial information was presented as follows:

Account 9 Game, Fish and Water Safety constitutes roughly 75% of license sales and boat registration. License revenue up 2 million through April 12, 1998 . Annual revenue from boat registration and titling is up, but only 38% of expected revenue has been received as the busy season has just started.

Account 64, State Park fund comparisons show that revenue is down 1/2% from the prior year, however Easter weekend may offset the decline when March and April numbers are combined.

The next Natural Agenda, Texas Parks and Wildlife's strategic plan, is due June 15, 1998.

The next Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) is due in August. Texas Parks and Wildlife uses a 95% budgeting process for the operating budget base. This is a form of zero-based budgeting, and a tool to prioritize our programs and reflect our changing conditions. Our 1998 adjusted operating budget was roughly $150 million, and our 1999 base operating budget at 95% is roughly $141.

This year's capital budget will focus on critical repairs, especially water and wastewater. We anticipate another $18 million revenue bond issue, and we also plan on continuing to work with leadership to use the debt service appropriation for our GO bonds which then frees up funds for preventative maintenance and small repairs.

3. ACTION - Reciprocal License Agreement

Presenter: Mr. Ken Kurzawski

The presentation covered actions necessary to implement changes to the Parks and Wildlife Code that resulted from the recent legislative session. These changes affect existing and future reciprocal agreements and also gave the Commission additional authority on nonresident anglers. All of TPWD's current reciprocal agreements with other states such as Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Kansas are in administrative code except for the reciprocal agreement on Texas and Louisiana residents. This requires the addition of existing agreements for Louisiana and Texas residents to the administrative code. These agreements allow residents of both states to fish both sides of border waters (Caddo, Toledo Bend, Sabine River and Sabine Lake) with a resident fishing license. An additional agreement will be added that will treat persons licensed as nonresidents in Louisiana the same as licensed Louisiana residents. Louisiana would reciprocate for persons licensed as nonresidents in Texas.

The motion was made by Commissioner Heath to authorize staff to publish proposed amendments for public comment. The motion was moved by Commissioner Nolan Ryan and seconded by Commissioner Susan Howard-Chrane. The motion passed unanimously.

4. ACTION -- Nonresident Raptor Trapper's Permit Fee

Presenter: Mr. John Herron

The nonresident Raptor Trapper's Permit was established at the January 1998 Commission meeting. Mr. Herron recommended that a fee be established for permit in the amount of $300.

The motion was moved by Commissioner Ernest Angelo, Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Nolan Ryan. The motion was passed unanimously and recommended for the consent agenda.

V. OTHER BUSINESS

BRIEFING -- State Park Reservation Fees

Presenter: Mr. Luke Thompson

Mr. Luke Thompson briefed the Commissioners on the reservation center transactions as they related to cancellations and transfers of reservations. He reviewed the cancellation/transfer fees that would range from $5 - $25 starting on or about May 1, 1998. Current reservations are "grandfathered" and will not be subject to fees. The extremely late (day of arrival) cancellations will be charged a fee ranging from $6 - $300 depending on the facility.

VI. ADJOURNMENT - Commissioner Dick Heath adjourned the committee at 3:30 p.m.


Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Presenter: Andrew Sansom

Finance Committee
Briefing
Chairman's Charges
June 1998

(This item will be an oral presentation.)


Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Jayna Burgdorf

Finance Committee
Action
Financial Review
June 1998

I. Discussion: Staff will present a financial review for FY 98, including an update on Account 9, Game, Fish and Water Safety and Account 64, State Parks. This presentation will focus on the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, boat registration and titling fees, and State Park fees. An overview of the strategic planning and budget process will be presented.


Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Presenter: Tim Hogsett

Finance Committee
Action
Local Park Grant Program Administrative Rule Changes
June 1998

I. Discussion: Section 24.005 of the Parks and Wildlife Code provides that in establishing the program of state matching grants to political subdivisions, the Department shall adopt rules and regulations for grant assistance. When the first grants were made under the revised statutes pertaining to the appropriation of sporting goods tax revenues, staff presented a motion at the August 1993 Commission meeting that provided authority to recover administrative costs from project sponsors sufficient to support operation, administration and related costs of the grant program. Department staff has been able to recover administrative costs directly from the Texas Recreation and Parks Account without recovering the costs from project sponsors, thus making the total appropriation for grants available for funding local park projects. In keeping with the statutory language on rule adoption, staff feels that the rule should be amended. Exhibit A presents the proposed amendment to the rule on administrative costs for park grants.

II. Recommendation: The staff recommends the Finance Committee adopt the following motion:

"The Finance Committee of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorizes the staff to publish the proposed amendment to 31 TAC §61.121(9) as shown in Exhibit A in the Texas Register for public comment."

Attachment - 1

1. Exhibit A – Rule, §61.121(9)


Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Exhibit A

§61.191(9) – The department is authorized to recover from the Texas Recreation and Parks Account [project sponsors of projects funded through the program] administrative costs sufficient to support operation, administration, and related costs of the grant program.


Committee Agenda Item No. 4
Presenter: Ken Kurzawski

Finance Committee
Action
Reciprocal License Agreement
June 1998

(This is Public Hearing Agenda Item No. 8.)


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