Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee

Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., January 20, 1999

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. Update on Capital Program
Staff: Dan Patton
Committee Only
3. Other Business  

Summary of Minutes
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission
Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee
November 4, 1998

BE IT REMEMBERED that heretofore on the 4th day of November 1998, there came on 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 Department Headquarters complex, Austin, Travis County, Texas beginning at 4:45 p.m., to wit:

I. COMMISSION ATTENDANCE

John Avila, Jr., Chair
Lee M. Bass
Nolan Ryan
Dick Heath (absent)
Ernest Angelo, Jr.
Carol E. Dinkins
Mickey Burleson
Susan Howard-Chrane (absent)
Ray Clymer
II. OPENING STATEMENT

Andrew Sansom, Executive Director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, read the opening statement into the record.

III. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE PRESENTED FOR COMMITTEE BRIEFING

1. BRIEFING - Bond Program Update

Presenter: Steve Whiston

Steve Whiston, Head of Administration and Finance Branch, Infrastructure Division, standing in for Dan Patton, provided the Committee with an update of the status of the capital program and current bond expenditures and strategy plan. Mr. Whiston overviewed the approval of the FY98 Capital Program which consists of approximately 680 projects. Of the $43 million FY98 Capital Program, $14.8 million was been expended with a little under $7 million encumbered under contract. In addition, total expenditures over the first six months of the first bond issue equaled $1.26 million exceeding the $1.2 million required installment. Mr. Whiston explained that the second period expenditure requirement, due March, 1999, is an additional $4.2 million. Mr. Whiston went on to further explain that project expenditure flow is cyclical, i.e., the focus toward the end of the summer was to complete projects under construction to meet the expenditure requirement, then shifted to getting projects under design, causing the expenditure level to drop.

Mr. Whiston briefed the Committee on the FY99 Capital Program which added 228 projects to the existing load totaling a $57.9 million Capital Program. Mr. Whiston explained our expenditure strategy in meeting our goal of $20 million by the end of the year.

Mr. Whiston provided on overview of the '99 Bond Program. He explained that the agency is considering combining our '99 bond program of $18 million with the State Preservation Board's bond package. This joint bond issue would arrive in January, two months prior to the original issuance in March 1999. The benefits, however, include lower interest rates and reduced costs to issue the bonds and a three-year period (not two) to expend the bonds.

Mr. Whiston reviewed with the Committee the status of Infrastructure's strategic plan. He reiterated organizational changes, which include regional teams, construction managers, and consolidating the contracting function. In addition, Mr. Whiston shared the status of the new Project Management Delivery System which will include organizational refinements, incorporating automated scheduling and resource leveling systems, and refinement of policies and procedures. He explained that we are in contract negotiations with Carter and Burgess, Inc. to perform these professional services. At Mr. Sansom's request, Mr. Whiston shared briefly with the Committee how our steps to improve our project delivery and tracking systems correspond with the State Auditor's recent findings. Mr. Sansom assured the Committee that this initiative began prior to the State Auditor's Report (when Dan Patton took over the Division as Director), Chairman Avila reiterated that efforts to improve our project delivery was recognized by Mr. Patton and his staff prior to the State Auditor's findings. Commissioner Heath asked if we so advised the State Auditor and Mr. Whiston confirmed that we had. Commissioner Burleson pointed out that the State Auditor's Report publicized something that we had previously identified as a need.

IV. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, Commissioner Avila adjourned the meeting at approximately 5:30 p.m.


Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Presenter: Andrew Sansom

Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee
Briefing
Chairman's Charges
January 1999

(This item will be an oral presentation.)


Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Dan Patton

Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee
Briefing
Update on Capital Program
January 1999

I. DISCUSSION: Dan Patton will brief the Committee on the status of the Capital Program. The report will reflect current status of capital dollars expended, under contract, pending contract and projected expenditure goals. The report will also reflect the status of bond expenditures in meeting the March 1999 second quarter arbitrage deadline. Mr. Patton will also brief the Committee on the on-going contract with Carter and Burgess to implement a Project Management System.


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