Finance Committee
Wednesday, 8:00 am, August 22, 2007
Commission Hearing Room4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
- Report on Pilot Projects to Promote Outdoor Recreation, including Paddling Trails, Equestrian Trails, Bicycling Trails and the Hunt Texas Web-Based System.
Staff: Scott Boruff - Land and Water Plan Update
Staff: Robert Cook - Financial Overview
- FY07 Financial Update
- FY08 Operating and Capital Budget (Action Item No. 7)
- Budget and Investment Policy Resolutions (Action Item No. 7)
- Equipment and Maintenance Provider Review System Rules – Mandated by Legislation (H.B. 12) – Permission to Publish
Staff: Ann Bright - Vessel Regulations – Authorized/Mandated by Legislation (H.B. 3764) (Action Item No. 17)
- Use of Inventory Vessels for Test, Show or Demonstration Purposes
- Fee for Electronic Vessel Registration Renewal
- Fee for Original and Duplicate Validation Cards
- Implementation of Recommendations by the State Auditor's Office Audit of State Parks Financial Processes (Action Item No. 12)
- Resolution on Seeking Legislative and Local Input on the State Parks System
- Adoption of Prioritized Criteria for Capital Improvement and Repair Needs
- Input on Amendments to Land Transaction, Conservation and Facility Closure and Transfer Policy
- Duck Stamp Fees – Authorization to Sell Federal Duck Stamps through TPWD's Automated License System – Authorized by Legislation (SB 1668) (Action Item No. 13)
Staff: Tom Newton
Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Presenter: Scott Boruff
Finance Committee
Pilot Projects to Promote Outdoor Recreation
August 22, 2007
I. Executive Summary: Staff will brief the Commission about the proposed Texas Outdoor Online Directory Project, which would provide Texans with web-based information regarding recreational and hunting opportunities.
II. Discussion: Staff will outline efforts to pilot an internet based "hunt-Texas" program that would allow landowners and hunters to connect and negotiate hunts. In addition, staff will describe efforts to offer other "branded" opportunities to enjoy water sports, horseback riding, and bicycling throughout Texas.
Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Robert Cook
Finance Committee
Land and Water Plan Update
August 22, 2007
I. Executive Summary: Executive Director Robert L. Cook will briefly update the Commission on the status of the agency's efforts to implement the Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan (the Plan).
II. Discussion: In 2001, the 77th Texas Legislature directed that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) develop a Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan (Tex. Park & Wild. Code §11.104). In November 2002, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (the Commission) adopted the first Plan. A revised Plan was adopted by the Commission in January 2005. The Plan is available on the TPWD web site. Executive Director Robert L. Cook will update the Finance Committee on TPWD's recent progress in achieving the Plan's Goals and Objectives as they relate to the Finance Committee.
The Plan consists of 8 Goals and a total of 56 Objectives. The Goals stated in the Plan are as follows:
- Goal 1: Improve access to the outdoors.
- Goal 2: Preserve, conserve, manage, operate, and promote agency sites for recreational opportunities, biodiversity, and the cultural heritage of Texas.
- Goal 3: Assist landowners in managing their lands for sustainable wildlife habitat consistent with their goals.
- Goal 4: Increase participation in hunting, fishing, boating and outdoor recreation.
- Goal 5: Enhance the quality of hunting, fishing, boating and outdoor recreation.
- Goal 6: Improve science, data collection and information dissemination to make informed management decisions.
- Goal 7: Maintain or improve water quality and quantity to support the needs of fish, wildlife and recreation.
- Goal 8: Continuously improve TPWD business management systems, business practices and work culture.
Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Presenter: Mary Fields
Finance Committee
Financial Overview
August 22, 2007
I. Executive Summary: Staff will present a financial overview of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
II. Discussion:
- Staff will update the Commission on revenue collected by TPWD for FY 2007, including state parks receipts, boat titling and registration revenue, and license sales revenue including the number of licenses sold.
- Staff will review the revenue collected by fund (Game Fish and Water Safety Fund, State Park Fund, Local Park Fund, and Other).
- Staff will compare the FY 2007 budget to FY 2007 expenditures and summarize recent budget adjustments.
- Staff will provide an update on the Business Improvement Plan.
- Staff will propose the FY 2008 operating and capital budget.
- Staff will discuss the agency's budget and investment policy resolutions.
Committee Agenda Item No. 4
Presenter: Ann Bright
Finance Committee
Maintenance Provider and Equipment Review System Rules
August 22, 2007
I. Executive Summary: Section 18 of House Bill 12, enacted by the 80th Texas Legislature (2007), amended the Parks and Wildlife Code by adding sections 11.251 and 11.252, which require TPWD to establish by rule an equipment review system and a maintenance provider review system. TPWD staff will be seeking permission to publish the proposed rules in the Texas Register for public comment.
II. Discussion: New section 11.251 of the Parks and Wildlife Code requires TPWD to enact rules to establish an equipment review system through which the department annually determines whether any of the department's maintenance equipment has become outdated. Therefore, the proposed equipment review rules are intended to establish a system to ensure that TPWD properly disposes of outdated equipment.
Similarly, new section 11.252 of the Parks and Wildlife Code requires TPWD to enact rules to establish a maintenance provider review system through which the department annually determines whether a maintenance task performed by the department could be performed by a third-party contractor in a manner that is more cost-effective than that used by TPWD and in a manner that yields a result that is equal to or greater than the quality of the result produced by TPWD. Therefore, the proposed provider maintenance rules are intended to establish a system to determine if certain maintenance tasks performed within TPWD would be more appropriately performed by a private contractor.
Staff requests permission to publish the proposed equipment review and maintenance provider review rules as described in Exhibits A and B.
Attachments – 2
- Exhibit A – Proposed Equipment Review Rules Summary
- Exhibit B – Proposed Maintenance Provider Rules Summary
Committee Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit A
Proposed Equipment Review Rules Summary
The proposed equipment review rules will require TPWD to prepare an annual report about each piece of capitalized maintenance equipment in the department's inventory. Capitalized maintenance equipment includes personal property with an acquisition of value of $5,000 or more used to administer, operate, preserve, repair, expand, or otherwise maintain TPWD real property, including improvements and fixtures.
The annual report required by these rules would include each piece of equipment's fair market value, maintenance costs, and operational status. For each piece of equipment that is not operational, the report would indicate whether it could reasonably be made operational and whether it continues to serve the department's purposes.
The proposed rules will require that within 60 days after completing this annual report, TPWD will begin the process to sell or otherwise dispose of outdated equipment that meets any of the following three criteria: (1) the equipment is not operational and cannot reasonably be made operational, (2) the equipment no longer serves a department purpose, or (3) the equipment has a fair market value that is less than the maintenance cost of the equipment; the cost to replace the equipment is less than the annual maintenance cost of the equipment; and, sufficient funds and capital budget authority are appropriated and available to replace the equipment without unduly impairing other department operations.
The third criteria is intended to address situations in which a critical piece of capitalized maintenance equipment needs significant repairs that may exceed the fair market value of the equipment, but the repair costs are less than the cost to replace the equipment and the agency lacks sufficient capital budget authority to replace the equipment without unduly impairing other department operations. These rules would not prevent TPWD from disposing of surplus property through TPWD's normal process.
Committee Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit B
Proposed Maintenance Provider Review Rules Summary
The proposed maintenance provider rules will require TPWD to prepare an annual report regarding the cost of performing specified maintenance tasks (e.g., custodial, mowing and landscaping, trash collection) on each TPWD facility.
For each TPWD facility, the report will estimate the cost to perform those tasks by TPWD employees, the cost of contracting with a third party to perform those tasks, and whether the quality of the result of maintenance tasks performed by a third party is believed to be equal to or better than the quality of the same tasks performed by TPWD employees. The report will also identify anticipated contract management costs that would be incurred if TPWD contracted with a third party to perform the tasks.
Within 60 days after completion on this report, TPWD will begin the process of contracting with a third party to perform a maintenance task if both of the following apply: (1) the estimated cost of contracting with a third party to perform a specified maintenance task for a facility (including the contract management costs) is less than the cost of performing that task by TPWD employees; and, (2) the quality of the result of maintenance tasks performed by a third party is believed to be equal to or better than the quality of the task performed by TPWD employees.