Finance Committee

Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., Nov. 8, 2000

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: Suzy Whittenton
Committee Only
3. Artwork
Staff: Frances Stiles
7
4. Point of Sale Update
Staff: Jayna Burgdorf
Committee Only
5. Other Business  

Summary of Minutes
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission
Finance Committee

August 30, 2000

BE IT REMEMBERED that heretofore on the 30th day of August 2000, 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 12:07 p.m., to-wit:

I. FINANCE COMMITTEE:

Dick Heath, Chair
Lee M. Bass
Ernest Angelo, Jr.
John Avila, Jr.
Carol E. Dinkins
Alvin L. Henry
Katharine Armstrong Idsal
Nolan Ryan
Mark E. Watson, Jr.

II. OPENING STATEMENT:

Commissioner Dick Heath called the meeting to order.

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Commissioner Dick Heath asked for a motion to approve the minutes from the May 31, 2000 meeting. The motion was moved by Commissioner John Avila, Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Mark Watson, Jr. The motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Heath mentioned that the meeting minutes from the August 10, 2000 Dallas budget workshop would be distributed separately.

IV. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE:

1. BRIEFING - Chairman’s Charges

Presenter: Mr. Andrew Sansom

Mr. Sansom mentioned that we had signed a contract with MCI WorldCom to serve as a carrier for our license point-of-sale system. The licenses under the new system will be available in the next license year.

In regards to the charge to try to find partners for properties that would be more appropriately managed by others, we will request Commission approval for four park transfers.

Big Time Texas Hunt estimated sales to date are over 29,000 – 41% of total sales for 1999 with two months remaining.

2. ACTION – FY2001 Operating and Capital Budgets and Texas Parks and Wildlife Investment Policy

Presenter: Ms. Suzy Whittenton

Ms. Whittenton’s presentation reviewed the financial forecast for Fiscal Year 2001. It was mentioned that we have less appropriation authority than we have cash, so we budgeted to the appropriations level, therefore staff’s recommending an operating budget of $188 million, capital budget of $27.5 million and grant budget of just over $30 million. The total recommended budget is approximately $245 million.

Six issues have been identified that impact the budget. Those include limited appropriations authority in Accounts 64 and 9, closing of the print shop, increase in outreach, allocated interest earned on stamp funds, cost of reclassifications, and loss of appropriations rider. Dollars spent on outreach efforts will increase 66% from 1999 to 2001. The increase from 2000 to 2001 is approximately 9%. Three additional FTEs will be added to coordinate outreach in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

We are allocating interest in this budget for earnings on waterfowl, white water, turkey and trout stamps for FY 2001. The amount is approximately $321,000 and will be budgeted up front, but throughout the year we will adjust the entries as needed. As far as the use of endowment fund earnings, a policy is in place, however we are not budgeting endowment interest earnings in the FY 2001 budget.

Our Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) for 2002-2003 was submitted on August 18, 2000. The request was limited to level spending, unless an exceptional item was submitted. We submitted exceptional item requests in the categories of operating and capital enhancements for state parks and also for the additional authority to spend funds for license buyback programs. We have also asked for changes to our appropriation riders that would give us the authority to spend the additional revenue we earn. In the rider dealing with state housing, we are asking for more flexibility in designating who may occupy state owned housing. In the Land Sale Proceeds rider we are asking that if we sell any land owned by the Department that we would have the authority to spend those funds on additional purchases of a similar type. We have also asked for the total number of vehicles in the TPW fleet to be returned to the level before we had the vehicle reduction last session.

The motion to approve the budget was moved by Commissioner Mark E Watson, Jr. The motion passed unanimously.

3. ACTION – Grants

Presenter: Tim Hogsett & Andy Goldbloom

Chairman Heath recommended that the item be heard at the Public Meeting on Thursday due to time constraints.

The motion to approve the recommendation was moved by Commissioner Ernest Angelo, Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Carol E. Dinkins. The motion passed unanimously.

4. ACTION – Facility Transfers

Presenter: Walt Dabney

Chairman Heath recommended that the item be heard at the Public Meeting on Thursday due to time constraints.

The motion to approve the recommendation was moved by Commissioner Ernest Angelo, Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Carol E. Dinkins. The motion passed unanimously.

5. ACTION – Contract Dispute Resolution

Presenter: Judi Doran

Chairman Heath recommended that the item be heard at the Public Meeting on Thursday due to time constraints.

The motion to approve the recommendation was moved by Commissioner Ernest Angelo, Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Carol E. Dinkins. The motion passed unanimously.

V. ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Dick Heath adjourned the Finance Committee.


Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Presenter: Andrew Sansom

Finance Committee
Briefing
Chairman's Charges
November 2000

(This item will be an oral presentation.)


Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Suzy Whittenton

Finance Committee
Briefing
Financial Review
November 2000

I. DISCUSSION: Staff will present a financial review for the year to date FY2001, 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. Updated budget and expenditure information will also be presented.


Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Presenters: Suzy Whittenton, Terry Lewis

Finance Committee
Action
Artwork
November 2000

(This is Public Hearing Agenda Item No. 7.)


Committee Agenda Item No. 4
Presenter: Jayna Burgdorf

Finance Committee
Briefing
Point of Sale Update
November 2000

I. DISCUSSION: The update on replacement of the license sales system will include the status of the development project with MCI WorldCom and policy changes associated with the new system.


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