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REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
By: Lawrence Olsen
(May 20, 2008)
DELISI, MEADOWS JOIN COMMISSION
Governor Rick Perry named Deidre Delisi to head the Texas Transportation Commission April 30. Mrs. Delisi replaces Hope Andrade of San Antonio who had served as interim chairman of the five-member panel since January. In addition Perry has picked William Meadows of Fort Worth to replace Ric Williamson, former commission chairman, who died December 30, 2007.
Until last year Mrs. Delisi served as Governor Perry's chief of staff. Raised in Nashville, she earned degree from Duke and Stanford universities. She was involved with the presidential campaigns of Lamar Alexander and George W. Bush and also worked for State Senator Bill Ratliff before joining Perry's successful effort to win the post of lieutenant governor in 1998. She and her husband have twin sons, nearly one year old. Her mother-in-law is State Representative Diane Delisi of Temple who did not seek reelection this year.
Meadows served as a member of the Fort Worth City Council and as mayor pro-tem. He is chairman of Hub International Rigg, an insurance company. He previously served on the Texas Water Development Board and recently as vice chairman of the North Texas Toll Authority.
TRANSPORTATION FORUM AGAIN DRAWS MULTITUDES
Meeting last month, the third edition of the Texas Transportation Forum drew more than 1300 customers and featured speeches by Governor Perry and U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas. Mrs. Johnson, a member of Congress since 1993, is the only Texan on the majority side of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Also recognized at a special luncheon were the newest additions to the Road Hand roster. They are Mary Horn of Denton; Gene Short of Sherman; Tim Brown of Belton and Gary Molberg of Amarillo. Mrs. Horn is the Denton County Judge while both Short and Brown are county commissioners (Grayson and Bell, respectively). Molberg heads the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce.
To read more about the details of the conference, click here.
GOLF TOURNEY A ROARING SUCCESS
Horseshoe Bay--- Nearly four score TGR members and friends participated in an outstanding outing May 12 for our spring golf tournament. The winning foursome was Chuck William
Hard work by the golf committee of Bruce Bayless, Hunter Industries; Eddie Bostic, Austin White Lime; Gary Botkin, Capital Excavation; Kirby Carpenter, Texana Machinery; Kelly Morgan & Tom Robertson, Hanson Pipe & Products; Jim Siddons, Frank Siddons Insurance; Lee Solis, Austin Bridge & Road and Shelley Williams, Trinity Highway Products garnered TGR a sterling roster of event and team sponsors. Please click here to see the entire list of generous supporters.
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
By: Lawrence Olsen
(April 1, 2008)
COMMISSION RECEIVES CLOUDY FORECAST
The department's chief financial officer James Bass gave the Transportation Commission a preview of the United Transportation Program (UTP) at the monthly meeting in Austin last week. Mr. Bass noted that the UTP was a planning document only and it was restricted to forecasting available future revenues based on current law. The document also forecasts only the amounts available for letting of highway contracts. During the next 11 years (through FY 2019), Mr. Bass predicted $28.2 billion would be available. Not included in this figure, for example, is the $5 billion Texas voters approved last November for highway improvements. This program would be paid for by general revenues but is on hold until the next legislature enacts the authorization for the program. At length, the commission discussed various scenarios the staff had drafted for the utilization of these monies and the effect on rehabilitation, maintenance and mobility.
SPRING GOLF TOURNAMENT SET
Our golf committee has chosen an outstanding site for our spring tournament May 12. It is the Slick Rock course at beautiful Horseshoe Bay. Please find a registration form here. Please sign up your teams soon to reserve your spot.
Many thanks to our committee: Bruce Bayless, Hunter Industries; Eddie Bostic, Austin White Lime; Gary Botkin, Capital Excavation; Kirby Carpenter, Texana Machinery; Kelly Morgan & Tom Robertson, Hanson Pipe & Products; Jim Siddons, Frank Siddons Insurance; Lee Solis, Austin Bridge & Road and Shelley Williams, Trinity Highway Products. Also, special thanks to Hunter Industries, LTD and Trinity Highway Products for sponsoring the lunch and reception at our Horseshoe Bay tournament. To see the complete list of our sponsors, click here.
EARLY VOTING STARTS FOR RUNOFF RACES
Yesterday was the opener, not only for most major league baseball teams, but also for the early voting for the April 8 runoffs. Undetermined by the March 4 primaries were one statewide contest, several congressional races and five contests in the Texas House of Representatives.
Whoever wins the Democratic nod for the Railroad Commission seat will have the formidable task of beating incumbent Republican Michael Williams, a native of Midland. Dale Henry of Lampasas faces Mark Thompson of Hamilton for that right. Although there are a couple of races on the Democratic side in north Texas for Congressional seats now held securely by Republican incumbents, the most intensity appears in the runoff between Shelley Sekula Gibbs and Pete Olson in a GOP contest in the Houston area. This is a race with nationwide implications because it provides one of very few chances for the Republicans to reclaim a seat held by the other side. This is fabled District 22, once held by Majority Leader Tom DeLay. DeLay resigned his seat in the fall of 2006 and Democrat Nick Lampson won the general election over Dr. Sekula-Gibbs. Dr. Sekula-Gibbs lost to Lampson because the filing deadline had passed and she had to conduct a write in campaign which garnered her an amazing 42%. Later she won a special election (Lampson did not contest) to serve the final 51 days of the vacated DeLay term. She and Olson topped the ten-person field. Olson is a military veteran who has worked on Capitol Hill for Senators Phil Gramm and John Cornyn, both of whom have endorsed him, along with numerous members of the Texas GOP delegation.
In the Texas Legislature, one incumbent, George "Buddy" West of Odessa finished second in a four-person race and will face former District Judge Tyron Lewis. The other runoffs are all for seats vacated by the Republicans: Fred Hill of Richardson, Mike Krusee of Round Rock, Diane Delisi of Temple and Robert Talton of Pasadena.
Driving the turnout will be local races that may be hot in certain areas. Two examples quickly come to mind; district attorney races without incumbents in Travis and Harris County. Interesting, all four runoff candidates in those two races are females; Democratic (naturally in Travis County) and Republicans in Harris County.
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
By: Lawrence Olsen
(March 17, 2008)
LEGISLATIVE LEADERS URGE TxDOT TO ISSUE BONDS
Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick have written TxDOT Commission Chairman Hope Andrade to urge the spending of $1.5 billion to replace the cuts announced by the Commission in November (please find a copy of the letter here). The legislative leaders suggested using the proceeds of so-called Proposition 14 bonds to bolster construction improvements. In response, the Commission bucked the suggestion to Governor Rick Perry, who selects the members of the five-member commission. Due to the December 30 death of Commission Chairman Ric Williamson, one vacancy now exists on the panel. Mrs. Andrade of San Antonio was named as interim chairman by the governor in late January. The governor’s office reacted quickly and negatively to TxDOT’s inquiry, saying it was not interested in issuing more debt that would only delay a long-term solution to the Department’s funding problems. Texas Good Roads supports the efforts by legislative leaders to stop the bleeding. At the same time, we remain critical of the legislative’s bolstering general revenue through use of funds that historically have been reserved for highway improvements. This is certainly not a recent phenomenon, occurring on a significant scale since 1986. The leaders’ letter indicates an awareness of this problem and a pledge to reduce the practice. Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John Carona has stated one of his major goals is to halt these diversions. We urge you to contact Governor Perry, Lt. Governor Dewhurst, Speaker Tom Craddick and your state senators and representatives and inform these elected leaders of your support for the proposal suggested by Lt. Governor Dewhurst and Speaker Craddick. To find the senator and state representative who represent you, go to http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ and type in your address.
COMMISSION MEETING IN BEAUMONT SCRUBBED
TxDOT Deputy Executive Director Steve Simmons has notified Texas Good Roads that the Texas Transportation Commission meeting set for April 30 in Beaumont as been rescheduled for Austin due to “cash flow issues.” Simmons notes that the Beaumont meeting will be reset at a later time.
PRIMARY RESULTS
The March 4 Texas primaries witnessed an unprecedented turnout with the Democrats (because of a three-alarm chili presidential contest with Senators Clinton and Obama) outvoting Republicans 2-1 (about 4.3 million total votes). Underneath the excitement of the Democratic presidential debate, two Republican state senators, Craig Estes of Wichita Falls and Tommy Williams of the Woodlands, easily dispatched primary votes. Not so fortunate were eight House incumbents who bit the dust. They were Paul Moreno (D-El Paso); Pat Haggerty (R-El Paso); Kevin Bailey (D-Houston); Corbin Van Arsdale (R-Houston); Thomas Latham (R-Mesquite); Borris Miles (D-Houston); Juan Escobar (D-Kingsville) and Nathan Macias (R-Bulverde). Moreno served 38 years, Haggerty 18 and Bailey 16.
Latham, Miles and Macias were all rookies. The Macias race will have a recount as he was bested by fellow Republican Doug Miller by 38 votes.
Odessa Republican Buddy West, a 14-year veteran, ran second in a four-person race and faces an April 8 runoff. Other House runoffs will occur in the seats vacated by incumbents Mike Krusee, Round Rock; Diana Delisi, Temple; Robert Talton, Pasadena and Fred Hill, Richardson (all Republicans).
The Republicans currently hold a 79-71 edge in the Texas House.
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
By: Lawrence Olsen
(February 28, 2008)
FRIDAY (FEBRUARY 29) IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE EARLY
If you will be away from your home next Tuesday March 4, you have until the close of business Friday February 29 to cast an early vote in the Texas Primaries. Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson has predicted the 20-year old mark for turnout will be exceeded by the end of the balloting. Obviously there is tremendous interest in the Democratic presidential battle between Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois. What is yet to be determined is how this significant surge of primary voters will affect locally contested races on the ballot, specifically those for the Texas House of Representatives. Nearly 30 incumbent House members face foes in both the Democratic and Republican primaries.
COMMISSION HONORS LATE CHAIRMAN
At its monthly meeting in Austin, the commission officially named the hearing room in honor of Ric Williamson who died December 30, 2007. A former member of the Texas House of Representatives, Williamson was named to the Transportation Commission in 2001 by Governor Rick Perry and was also chosen by the governor to preside over the commission in January 2004, a position he held until his recent death. Ric's widow, Mary Ann, and two of his three daughters attended the ceremony and received a resolution adopted by the Commission.
Last month, the Commission began its annual traveling program with the gathering in Victoria. TGR hosted a breakfast that featured commission members, including the newly named interim commissioner of transportation, Hope Andrade of San Antonio. State senator Glenn Hegar of Katy, who represents Victoria, had kind words for the department during the breakfast meeting; Hegar was named vice chairman of the Sunset Commission by Lt. Governor David Dewhurst. Other road shows meetings this year will be in Beaumont (April) Wichita Falls (July) and southern Dallas (October).
FORUM RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER
For the third consecutive year, TGR is joining the Department, the Texas Transportation Institute and the AGC of Texas as a co-host for the Texas Transportation Forum April 20-22, 2008. Among the luminaries already committed to attend are Governor Perry and many others. Today would be an excellent time to sign up online at www.TexasTransportationForum.com.
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
By: Lawrence Olsen
(January 10, 2008)
(Mailed to the membership with our 2007 Year-in-Review)
TGR JOINS IN MOURNING CHAIRMAN'S PASSING
Texas lost a strong leader with the December 30 death of Ric Williamson, 55. Williamson served as Chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission since January 2004. Governor Rick Perry named his former House colleague to the Commission in 2001.
Many Texas Good Roads members were among the crowd of more than 500 attending memorial services January 3 in his hometown Weatherford. He was eulogized by Governor Perry, former State Representative Cliff Johnson of Palestine and TxDOT executive director Amadeo Saenz, among others.
A native of Abilene, Williamson is survived by this wife, Mary Ann and three daughters, two sons-in-law and two grandchildren. Our deepest sympathy to the family.
SAENZ COMPLETES EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT REORGANIZATION
On January 8, TxDOT executive director Amadeo Saenz completed a major Department reorganization by filling three positions. Named as assistant executive director for district operations was David Casteel, now district engineer in San Antonio. John Barton, current Beaumont district engineer, was chosen as assistant executive director for engineering operations. Now chief of the Turnpike Division, Phil Russell was designated as assistant executive director for innovative project development. The trio joins the previously named members of the executive team: Steve Simmons, deputy executive director; Owen Whitworth, audit office; Bob Jackson; general counsel; Coby Chase, government and public affairs; James Bass, chief financial officer and Ed Serna, assistant executive director for support operations.
SUNSET APPOINTMENTS DONE
With the announcement (Jan. 8) by Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, the lineup is set for the Sunset Advisory Commission that will consider the Texas Department of Transportation, among others, for recommendations to the 81st Legislature. Newly appointed by the lieutenant governor were Senators. Juan Hinojosa of McAllen and Glenn Hegar of Katy along with public member Michael Stevens of Houston; that trio joins holdover members, Senators Kim Brimer of Fort Worth, Craig Estes of Wichita Falls and Bob Deuell of Greenville.
Named by Speaker Craddick recently were Carl Isett of Lubbock, commission chairman and Linda Harper Brown of Irving. They will join public member Ike Sugg of San Angelo and Representatives Dan Flynn of Van, Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham and Ruth Jones McClendon of San Antonio.