Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission
Public Hearing
November 8, 2001
Commission Hearing RoomTexas Parks & Wildlife Department Headquarters Complex
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
1
7 BE IT REMEMBERED, that heretofore on the 8th day
8 of November, 2001, there came to be heard matters under
9 the regulatory authority of the Parks and Wildlife
10 Commission of Texas, in the Commission Hearing Room of the
11 Texas Parks and Wildlife Headquarters Complex, Austin,
12 Texas, beginning at 9:00 a.m. to wit:
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14
15
16 APPEARANCES:
THE PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION:
17
18 CHAIR: Katharine Armstrong Idsal, San Antonio, Texas
Carol E. Dinkins, Houston, Texas (Absent)
19 Philip Montgomery, Dallas, Texas
Ernest Angelo, Jr., Vice-Chairman, Midland, Texas
20 John Avila, Jr., Fort Worth, Texas
Donato Ramos, Laredo, Texas
21 Alvin L. Henry, Houston, Texas
Mark E. Watson, Jr., San Antonio, Texas (Absent)
22 Joseph Fitzsimons, San Antonio, Texas
23
24 THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION:
Andrew H. Sansom, Executive Director, and other personnel
25 of the Parks and Wildlife Department
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1 OTHER APPEARANCES:
2 Mr. John Jefferson
Self
3 10433 Firethorn Lane
Austin, Texas 78750
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5 Mr. Robert Chandler
Self
6 503 Verne
Rockport, Texas
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8 Ms. Muriel Tipps
Matagorda County Seafood
9 P.O. Box 260
Cedar Lane, Texas 77415
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11 Mr. Ellis Gilleland
Texas Animals
12 P.O. Box 9001
Austin, Texas 78766
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14 Mr. Jim Atkins
Saltwater Fisheries Enhancement Association
15 510 Harper
Corpus Christi, Texas 78411
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1 PUBLIC HEARING
9:00 a.m.
2
3 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: The meeting is called to
4 order. Before proceeding with any business, I believe
5 Mr. Sansom has a statement to make.
6 MR. SANSOM: Madame Chairman, and members
7 of the Commission, a public notice of this meeting
8 containing all items on the proposed agenda has been filed
9 in the office of Secretary of State. This is required by
10 Chapter 551 of the Government Code and referred to as the
11 Open Meetings Law. I would like for this action to be
12 noted in the official record of the minutes.
13 Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome all of you here
14 today and appreciate your presence. As you know, the
15 Chairman is in charge of the meeting. And normally, I
16 assist her as Sergeant at Arms. I want to remind each of
17 you that if you would like to speak, there are cards for
18 you to sign out in the -- in the corridor and the Chairman
19 will call your name from those cards. And so if you wish
20 to speak, you need to fill out a card.
21 Everyone will be allowed the opportunity to
22 speak from the podium. So when your name is called by the
23 Chairman, please come forward to the podium, state your
24 name and who you represent, if anyone other than yourself.
25 The Chairman may choose to call the next person in line,
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1 and so the second person, if you would, could come to the
2 back of the room and be ready. Everyone who would like to
3 address the Commission, will have three minutes this
4 morning to speak. I will keep track of the time using
5 this little traffic clock and notify you when your three
6 minutes are up. When your time is up, please move quickly
7 to your seat so that others may speak. Your time be will
8 extended if a Commissioner has a question for you. If the
9 Commissioners talk among themselves or ask other
10 questions, that time will not be counted against you.
11 As always, I would appreciate very much if you
12 conduct yourselves in a professional manner and not be
13 argumentative or critical of others. We all are here to
14 serve the people of Texas and its resources. If you have
15 some materials you would like to give to the Commission, I
16 would appreciate it if you would give it to Ms. Estrada
17 over here on my right, and she will make sure that the
18 Commissioners have it. So once again, thank you all for
19 being here today.
20 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Our first order of
21 business is the approval of the minutes from the previous
22 meeting. We do not have Ms. Dinkins with us today, but we
23 have other talented Commissioners that are helping us with
24 the previous -- the minutes from the previous meeting.
25 COMMISSIONER FITZSIMONS: Madame Chair,
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1 Thank you. I don't presume to -- to be able to do the
2 same job that Commissioner Dinkins does in reviewing the
3 minutes. But I did find a reference on Page 14, Line 2 to
4 "Sam County Almanac." I think that's Sand County Almanac.
5 And there are a few other typos that I've pointed out to
6 Gene McCarty and the "Sam County" again appears at
7 Page 13, Line 5, and that should be Sand County Almanac.
8 And one other, I thought was kind of funny. Page 58, Line
9 11, I think I was a accused of having canned hunts, not
10 "can't hunts." And that was on Line 11. Thank you.
11 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Good job.
12 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: If there are no other
13 corrections or comments, do we have a motion for approval?
14 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Motion for approval as
15 amended.
16 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: Second.
17 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All in favor?
18 ("Aye")
19 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Opposed?
20 We've approved the minutes.
21 The second order of business is acceptance of
22 the gifts.
23 TPWD DONATIONS OF $500 OR MORE
24 (Donors are listed in the following order:
Donor; Description; Purpose of Donation)
25
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1 (1) Foundation for North American Wildsheep; CASH; Desert
Bighorn Sheep
2 (2) Parks and Wildlife Foundation of Texas; CASH; The
Great Texas Birding Classic
3 (3) Mr. Stephen Gast; CASH; The Great Texas Birding
Classic
4 (4) Mr. Frank Gill; CASH; The Great Texas Birding Classic
5 (5) Phillips Petroleum; CASH; The Great Texas Birding
Classic
6 (6) El Paso Community Foundation; CASH; Hueco Tanks State
Historical Park-Hueco Tanks: An Oasis of Nature and
7 Culture
(7) S.E.A.; CASH; CCA/CPL Marine Development Center
8 (8) Sea Grant Marine Advisory; Composting Toilet; Sheldon
Lake S.P.-Equipment
9 (9) Parks and Wildlife Foundation of Texas; CASH; Sheldon
Lake S.P.-Equipment
10 (10) National Wild Turkey Federation; CASH; Pastures for
Upland Birds
11 (11) Natural Resource Conservation Service; CASH; Pastures
for Upland Birds
12 (12) Liberty-Fylau IDS; CASH; Dinosaur Valley State Park
(13) Liberty IDS; CASH; Dinosaur Valley State Park
13 (14) Liberty IDS; CASH; Dinosaur Valley State Park
(15) Marine Towing and Salvage; CASH; Matagorda Island
14 State Park
(16) West Texas Industries, Inc.; Fish Culture Items;
15 Heart of the Hills Research Station
(17) Parks and Wildlife Foundation of Texas; Conference
16 meeting rooms, Meals, and Lodging; FY01 Student
Internship Program Natural Classroom Symposium
17 (18) Texas Wildlife Association; Ammunition; Youth
Shooting Sports Event on the Chaparral WMA
18 (19) San Antonio Chapter of CCA; Classic Canopy Tent;
Promote outreach and conservation education events at
19 Coastal Fish Hatcheries
(20) Exxon Mobile Foundation; CASH; Hunter Education
20 Program
TOTAL $136,298.96
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22 COMMISSIONER AVILA: Move approval.
23 COMMISSIONER HENRY: Second.
24 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All in favor?
25 ("Aye")
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1 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Opposed?
2 Third order of business, retirement certificates
3 and service awards.
4 MR. SANSOM: Madame Chairman, if you could
5 join me at the podium at this time. In a great honor and
6 privilege for those of us who serve Parks and Wildlife and
7 that is the opportunity to recognize those employees for
8 long years of service to Texas and those who are retiring.
9 Today after 22 years of service, Mohammed
10 Sirajuddin is retiring from the Construction Division in
11 Infrastructure. He began here as an engineering assistant
12 and he's worked on projects throughout our State including
13 the Fannin Battleground, Goose Island, and Stephen F.
14 Austin. Siraj, as we call him, is a civil engineer and he
15 has worked specifically on water and wastewater design,
16 which has played so much a part of our infrastructure
17 repair over the past several years.
18 It's important to note at this time that because
19 of the action of the voters of our State, because of the
20 work of Chairman Idsal and Harold Stone and Lydia Saldana
21 and many others, this function will now assume an even
22 greater responsibility for -- for the work in our
23 department over the next several years. And Siraj has
24 played a large part in it, particularly in the renovation
25 of the Battleship Texas where he drafted all of the deck
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1 and hull schematics. So please after 22 years of service,
2 retiring today, let's recognize Mohammed Sirajuddin.
3 (Applause.)
4 MR. SANSOM: Let's have your picture made.
5 Now, hold it up. Hold your certificate up. There you go.
6 Thanks, Mohammad.
7 From the Wildlife Division, James Dillard,
8 worked two summers as an intern after graduating from A&M
9 and then he became full-time employed on the Statewide
10 Mourning Dove project for six months. James left the
11 department for a couple of years and returned in 1969 as a
12 biologist in the Panhandle Wildlife Regulatory District in
13 Wheeler and later in Dumas. He transferred to Possum
14 Kingdom in 1973 and then to Mineral Wells. In 1995, he
15 was promoted to a technical guidance biologist which along
16 with his colleagues, has been responsible for the
17 preservation on private land of over 12 million acres of
18 habitat in the past six years.
19 Please recognize today for 35 years of service
20 to Texas Parks and Wildlife James E. Dillard from Mineral
21 Wells.
22 (Applause.)
23 MR. SANSOM: Boy, I'll tell you, one of the
24 first Game Wardens I met in the field was down in Cotulla,
25 Larry Griffin. There's probably very few men and women in
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1 our department who are as recognized by their neighbors
2 and friends as having contributed so much to conservation.
3 Larry came to work for the Department in 1966. He
4 graduated from the 19th Academy and he was assigned to
5 Hildago County in Edinburg. He's been in McAllen and was
6 transferred to Cotulla in LaSalle County, where he remains
7 today as one of the most distinguished wardens in our
8 system with 35 years of service. Larry Griffin, from
9 Cotulla.
10 (Applause.)
11 MR. SANSOM: I always take a great deal of
12 pride in receiving letters from all over the country about
13 inland fishing in Texas, freshwater fishing. We have the
14 most aggressive fisheries management program in the
15 country and one of the leaders of that is Roger McCabe.
16 Roger came to work in 1966, as well, as an Extension
17 Biologist at Texoma Fishery Station. He's worked in Tyler
18 on federal aid projects, he's worked in Marshall on public
19 management, water management in Northeast Texas and in
20 Corpus Christi with public water management in that part
21 of the State, as well.
22 Roger transferred to Waco as a district
23 supervisor with public water management and was promoted
24 to regional director and has worked in that capacity and
25 now he is being recognized by all of us for 35 years of
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1 service. Roger McCabe from Inland Fisheries.
2 (Applause.)
3 MR. SANSOM: Way to go Roger. Thank you.
4 (Applause.)
5 MR. SANSOM: For as long as I live, I will
6 not forget Delton Daugherty. Delton Daugherty is -- we
7 recognize today for 30 years of service. That entire
8 career has been spent in the Trans-Pecos, the park country
9 of Texas, the Big Bend area. He started as a Park
10 Superintendent in 1971 at Fort Lancaster and was quickly
11 promoted to the Regional Maintenance Supervisor which is
12 where I first met Delton. Delton and I met cleaning
13 restrooms and garbage cans together at Big Bend Ranch. He
14 is the absolute exemplary Parks and Wildlife employee. He
15 is one of the most respected people in our system. He is
16 responsible for 17 parks, covering 22 counties. During
17 his tenure, 11 new State Parks have been added to our
18 system, Big Bend Ranch, Chinatis, Devils River, Devil's
19 Sinkhole, Franklin Mountains, Kickapoo Caverns, Magoffin
20 Home, Seminole Canyon and the Wyler Aerial Tramway. That
21 encompasses about 390,000 acres of additional areas in our
22 system. He has opened significant interpretative centers
23 at Barton Warnock, at Monahans and at Seminole Canyon.
24 And it is a great honor today to recognize after 30 years
25 of service, thankfully staying on for a few more, Delton
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1 Daugherty from Fort Davis, Texas.
2 (Applause.)
3 MR. SANSOM: Thank you, Delton. Thank you.
4 (Applause.)
5 MR. SANSOM: Much of that renovation that
6 we've talked about so much these past years has taken
7 place not in State Parks but in fish hatcheries. These
8 facilities are complex factories, in fact, in which
9 maintenance is a huge part of making sure that we are
10 continually able to put fish in the water. In 1976, Jake
11 Isaac tried a long time to get to come on to work for
12 Parks and Wildlife and he finally become a summer intern
13 at Huntsville. He was later named a park ranger and then
14 he was on -- on our payroll full time. He transferred to
15 the A.E. Wood Hatchery as a biologist -- biology field
16 worker in 1979. He's worked in the Tyler Hatchery. He's
17 been at San Marcos twice. He was moved more recently to
18 be the manager at Possum Kingdom, where today those
19 management skills have really come into play. Along with
20 many other colleagues both in infrastructure and in inland
21 fisheries, Jake has supervised the renovation of the
22 hatchery which has included replacement of all of its
23 plumbing, renovation of all of its residences and further
24 office space and intensive fish production facilities. So
25 please recognize from Graford, Texas on Lake Possum
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1 Kingdom, Jacob Isaac with 25 years of service.
2 (Applause.)
3 MR. SANSOM: Thanks, Jake.
4 (Applause.)
5 MR. SANSOM: Last year, I participated in
6 one of the most successful activities in Texas that is
7 designed to bring women into the out of doors, and it's a
8 redfish fishing tournament for women. And one of the key
9 organizers for that is Karen Meador. Karen started
10 working at Parks and Wildlife in 1976 as an administrative
11 technician actually in inland fisheries at that time.
12 After a year and a half, she became a -- received a
13 technician position with Coastal Fisheries at the marine
14 lab in Rockport.
15 Karen is a distinguished scientist who has been
16 involved in all aspects of sampling and fisheries
17 management in Aransas Bay, in Corpus Christi Bay and the
18 Gulf of Mexico itself. She has 20 years of experience as
19 a full line supervisor of up to ten technicians, directing
20 their field operations. And she has been the Ecosystem
21 Leader for Aransas Bay since November of 1992. She's
22 worked with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission on
23 black drum and Marine Mammal and Sea Turtles Strandings.
24 She has worked on an issue which is close to all of us
25 which is evaluation of shrimp management in Texas. She's
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1 been Chairman of Estuarine Biodiversity Committee and
2 she's published numerous scientific papers and magazine
3 articles. A distinguished colleague, scientist, and
4 biologist, Karen Meador from Rockport, Texas with 25 years
5 of service to Texas Parks and Wildlife.
6 (Applause.)
7 MR. SANSOM: You go, girl.
8 (Applause.)
9 MR. SANSOM: Scott Triebes, been with the
10 department for 25 years. He's -- and all of it has been
11 at one of the most important sites in the western United
12 States for its history, the San Jacinto State Historical
13 Park. He started out as a Ranger II, and he played a role
14 in one of Parks and Wildlife's finest hours, which is the
15 celebration of the Texas Sesquicentennial. He created a
16 volunteer program there with the Harris County Supervision
17 and Corrections Department and installed the park's first
18 computers. Please recognize with 25 years of service from
19 La Porte, Texas at San Jacinto, Scott Triebes.
20 (Applause.)
21 MR. SANSOM: Thank you, Scott. Thank you.
22 You.
23 (Applause.)
24 MR. SANSOM: Again, from Infrastructure,
25 one who has grown in her responsibilities over the years
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1 to a very important position in our department, Lynda
2 Williams. Lynda started in the Purchasing and Contracting
3 Branch of the Finance Division, and she moved up through
4 the ranks and held various positions through the last 25
5 years. She's been a Project Cost Accountant in the Design
6 and Construction Division, she's been a Grants Auditor.
7 She's worked in the Grants and Aid Branch and as Special
8 Projects Coordinator in the Legislative Division. Today
9 she is a senior Contract Specialist and is responsible for
10 soliciting, administering, and managing approximately $9.5
11 million in capital improvement projects for the north and
12 northeast regions of the State. From here in Austin with
13 25 years of service in Infrastructure, Lynda D. Williams.
14 (Applause.)
15 MR. SANSOM: Thank you, Lynda. Thank you.
16 (Applause.)
17 MR. SANSOM: From the Wildlife Division,
18 one of the great things that can be said about Johnnie
19 Comstock is that she went to work for Bob West, who we all
20 remember was the Regional Director of out in West until
21 his retirement in 1986. She's currently working with
22 Ruben Cantu, who's the Regional Director. And after Bob
23 all these years, I think she -- she's learned it well, and
24 she's a wonderful administrative technician in San Angelo.
25 Johnnie Comstock with 20 years of service.
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1 (Applause.)
2 MR. SANSOM: Thanks, Johnnie.
3 (Applause.)
4 MR. SANSOM: This Department is known
5 throughout the country for many things, but one of them
6 increasingly is its ability and the ability of its
7 scientists to work with private landowners to sometimes
8 even avoid the listing of species on the endangered
9 species list. And one of the scientists who has been
10 probably as respected a fisheries scientist as there is in
11 the United States but who has led the effort to seek
12 protection for species through cooperative efforts is Gary
13 Garrett. Gary is now at Ingram at the Mountain Home
14 Research Station. He's been here for 20 years and his
15 research ranges from sport fish to endangered species with
16 particular emphasis on river conservation and native fish.
17 He currently holds a position of adjunct professor at
18 three different universities and serves on three federal
19 recovery teams and he is a fellow of the Texas Academy of
20 Science. Please recognize Gary Garrett from Inland
21 Fisheries with 20 years of service.
22 (Applause.)
23 MR. SANSOM: Thank you.
24 (Applause.)
25 MR. SANSOM: Then our next honoree is a man
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1 who created a program out of nothing but basically love
2 and determination. One of the most extraordinary people
3 employed at Texas Parks and Wildlife is Ken Pollard. Ken
4 Pollard was a Regional Maintenance Supervisor in Abilene
5 when I first met him, and he and I were involved in some
6 pretty tricky personnel issues, and I began to understand
7 what a wise and thoughtful and sensitive person he was.
8 Today, he is the commanding officer and the
9 chaplain for the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Regiment, a
10 program that he conceived but for which there is was no
11 money. He called and he asked if he and a group of
12 African-American employees could set up a statewide
13 network of Buffalo Soldiers, Black Cowboys, Mexican
14 Cowboys and others who could show to the youth of our
15 State that there were heroic role models in their past.
16 This program today is known throughout the United States
17 through its living history, its trail rides, its campouts
18 and other venues.
19 The Texas Buffalo Soldiers Regiment has
20 conducted programs to more than 1 million youth and
21 families across Texas. Kenneth has been involved in
22 videos, movies, documentaries, the Discovery Channel, the
23 Rough Riders and more. He is the first African-American
24 Regional Supervisor for Texas Parks and Wildlife. He
25 received the Department's distinguished award for outreach
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1 in 1997 and he was honored by Southern Living in 2001 as
2 its Texas Living Lone Star award recipient. Please
3 recognize Captain in the Buffalo Soldiers, Ken Pollard.
4 (Applause.)
5 MR. SANSOM: Back to Infrastructure, Bill
6 McDonald has been the only Landscape Architect for the
7 Department during the past ten years. His duties have
8 ranged across the full spectrum from force account
9 projects to major multimillion dollar park designs
10 including Choke Canyon, Cooper Lake and sensitive
11 restorations of the old CC parks and more, Indian Lodge,
12 Palo Duro Canyon. And Bill was very, very involved in one
13 of the Department's finest projects, the restoration and
14 construction at the Texas State Cemetery. Please
15 recognize with 20 years of service Bill McDonald from
16 Infrastructure.
17 (Applause.)
18 MR. SANSOM: There you go. Thank you,
19 Bill.
20 (Applause.)
21 MR. SANSOM: I was pleased today to welcome
22 our colleague of many years, Ken Conway, who will soon be
23 assuming responsibilities at the Landmark Inn in
24 Castroville. He'll get a chance to work with Mary
25 Resendez. Mary grew up in Castroville and started to work
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1 at the Department as a seasonal at the Landmark Inn in
2 1981, right after it opened. Her main duty at that time
3 was housekeeping. Today, she is a Ranger I there, and she
4 does not only the housekeeping but the grounds maintenance
5 and she prepares a wonderful breakfast for overnight
6 guests at one of Texas' most beloved historic sites, the
7 Landmark Inn. From Castroville, Texas and State Parks,
8 Mary Resendez after 20 years.
9 (Applause.)
10 MR. SANSOM: Way to go, Mary.
11 (Applause.)
12 MR. SANSOM: Madame Chairman, members of
13 the Commission, I invite you now to join me in an
14 extraordinary honor of recognizing an employee who will
15 soon complete 50 years of continuous employment with this
16 Department.
17 In 1951, Gus Engeling was a young, vibrant,
18 energetic, dedicated biologist and game warden. He was
19 assigned to the newly acquired Derden Wildlife Management
20 area near Palestine. He hadn't been there but a matter of
21 weeks when he went out to check on the progress of a
22 repair crew and was murdered by a poacher. At Gus'
23 funeral, Howard Dodgen who preceded me in this wonderful
24 job, offered his wife, his widow, Lisa Engeling, a job at
25 the Austin headquarters as a secretary. And she went to
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1 work on February 12th of 1952.
2 The Wildlife Management area, as you know, has
3 since been named for Gus Engeling and it is one of our
4 most wonderful, wonderful venues. Lisa has become one of
5 the key people in Texas Parks and Wildlife over that 50
6 years. Her roles and responsibilities have included a
7 tremendously wide spectrum of administration, public
8 service and assistance. She's played a major role in the
9 Public Hunting Program, the regulatory process, in
10 wildlife restoration, federal aid funding, wildlife
11 management areas and technical guidance. For years, for
12 decades, she has administered the Parks and Wildlife
13 Mutual Association, which provides death benefits for
14 employees. She's the "Godmother" of this agency. And her
15 dedication, her perseverance and her exemplary service
16 during the past half century have set standards for all of
17 our employees. She's Parks and Wildlife at its finest and
18 it is my honor to present her with the a service award for
19 50 years of service for Texas Parks and Wildlife. Please
20 join me in welcoming Lisa Engeling.
21 (Standing ovation, applause.)
22 MR. SANSOM: Now, Lisa, you're getting a
23 bunch of stuff. We've got a certificate from the
24 Governor. We've got a special 50-year certificate for
25 you, the only one in existence. And we even have a
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1 50-year pin, so we have for you a beautiful -- a necklace
2 with the State of Texas for you. Congratulations.
3 (Standing ovation, applause.)
4 MR. SANSOM: And -- and anticipating more
5 years of service, we have for you 51 long stem roses.
6 (Applause.)
7 MR. SANSOM: What an honor. Thank you,
8 Lisa.
9 (Applause.)
10 MR. SANSOM: And if you all will look to
11 the front of the room, just in front the dais, there is a
12 photograph of Gus Engeling which incidentally was made at
13 Hoskin's Mound in Brazoria County adjacent to Galveston
14 Bay when he first became a biologist. Whosh (descriptive
15 sound).
16 Madame Chairman, each year, the Shikar Safari
17 International recognizes game wardens from North America
18 as Wildlife Conservation officers of the year. This marks
19 the 22nd year this award has been presented to a deserving
20 Texas Game Warden.
21 And Andy Phillips, the president of that
22 organization is here along with one of my most beloved
23 hunting companions and a person who has never missed the
24 presentation of this award for 22nd years, former
25 commissioner of Parks and Wildlife, Mr. Luis Stumberg.
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1 Our Wildlife officer of the year is Jeff Cox.
2 He graduated from the academy in '91 and is stationed in
3 Upshur County. Jeff is a former Marine captain, and was
4 awarded the Navy achievement medal. He is a graduate of
5 Southwest Texas State University. He is a certified
6 Marine Safety Officer Instructor, a Boater/Angle/Hunter
7 Education Instructor, a TCLEOSE Firearms Instructor and a
8 Peace Officer Classroom Instructor. Last year alone, Jeff
9 spent 370 hours in a boat patrolling eight different lakes
10 and two major rivers in Texas. He led his district in
11 apprehensions of Boating While Intoxicated. He is an
12 astute investigator and has had numerous successful cases,
13 big game cases including many Class A misdemeanors and
14 State Jail felonies such as hunting deer at night, hunting
15 deer from a motor vehicle and hunting deer without
16 landowner consent. It's actions and results like these
17 that gives me great pleasure in asking Mr. Phillips,
18 Mr. Stumberg and other members of the Shikar Safari Club
19 to recognize with all of us Game Warden Jeff Cox as the
20 Shikar Safari International 2001 Texas Wildlife
21 Conservation Officer of the Year.
22 (Applause.)
23 MR. PHILLIPS: Madame Chairman, I just want
24 to say a couple of words, if we could, right quick. It's
25 our honor to be here again. Over 20 years now we've been
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1 doing this all across the United States and all the
2 Canadian Provinces. The true distinction of this award is
3 that we don't make that selection. The selection is made
4 by the officer's colleagues. They are the ones that
5 decide who is the best of the best. And it's a special
6 privilege for us to be here today to recognize a leader in
7 your department, Mr. Jeff Cox. Congratulations.
8 (Applause.)
9 MR. PHILLIPS: In addition, we have a lapel
10 pin that signifies you as a winner of the Wildlife Officer
11 of the Year Award which is one of the only non-department
12 issued accoutrements that you may wear on your uniform on
13 a daily basis, and I would suggest that you wear it with
14 pride.
15 (Applause.)
16 MR. PHILLIPS: Congratulations.
17 MR. SANSOM: Congratulations, Jeff. Good
18 work.
19 (Applause.)
20 MR. SANSOM: Members, when I was asked, you
21 know, about the things that I remember and about Texas
22 Parks and Wildlife in the years that I've served here and
23 the high points and the low points, clearly I think the
24 lowest point was when we participated in saying goodbye to
25 a fallen colleague, Michael Pauling.
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1 Michael Pauling graduated from our Game Warden
2 Academy in 1996. In May of this year he was honored by
3 Mothers Against Drunk Driving for his work in boating
4 while intoxicated enforcement. He is a recipient this
5 year of the prestigious Southwestern Association of Fish
6 and Wildlife Agencies Officer of the Year. He always had
7 an excellent work record and went well beyond the call of
8 duty when it came to getting the job done, including the
9 last day that he lived. On that day, he stopped his
10 vehicle and offered his assistance in what turned out to
11 be basically a roadside domestic argument. Mike was
12 attempting to protect the two children in the incident
13 when the car that he was in took off down the road. Mike
14 was either thrown from the car or fell from it, but he was
15 fatally injured and passed away. He leaves two wonderful
16 sons, Christopher and Phillip, and his wife Stephanie and
17 there are many members of his family here today.
18 In his honor, on behalf of Texas Parks and
19 Wildlife and the American Police Hall of Fame, I have the
20 honor of presenting him with a Medal of Honor
21 posthumously. It's presented in memory of Michael
22 Pauling, who, in the performance of his duties as a Public
23 Safety Officer and Parks and Wildlife Game Warden gave his
24 life. We will forever hold his name by placing it in the
25 Hall of Fame in Miami, Florida and on the Game Warden
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1 Memorial at the Texas Freshwater Fishery Center in Athens
2 so that his sacrifice, his dedication to conservation, law
3 enforcement, humanity, and justice will never be
4 forgotten. Please recognize with me our fallen colleague
5 and comrade, Michael Pauling and his family who is here.
6 (Standing ovation, applause.)
7 (Photos taken.)
8 MR. SANSOM: Thank you all.
9 Texas Parks and Wildlife has no partner in the
10 private sector as effective and as supportive as the Dow
11 Chemical Company. From Sea Center to Austin's Woods and
12 beyond, Dow has been a partner in many of our most
13 critical conservation efforts. They've been a key partner
14 in our communication efforts which is the purpose for
15 which we recognize them today. Our radio program jointly
16 sponsored by Dow Chemical has aired more than 1,500
17 90-second radio programs since 1996. Passport to Texas is
18 now heard on 100 radio stations and reaches 350,000
19 listeners every week.
20 Since 1996, cumulatively, Dow has contributed
21 more than $400,000 to this project. Today we celebrate
22 the fifth anniversary, not only of that relationship, but
23 of Passport to Texas. Before I ask Tommy Block, my good
24 friend and colleague, Ron Dipprey to come forward, I would
25 like to recognize another crucial partner in this most
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1 effective communication tool. The lady that had the idea
2 for a statewide radio series in 1995 is Kathleen Jenkins.
3 She was not an employee of the Department, she was a
4 private contractor. She started the Passport to Texas
5 series and nurtured it into a statewide program. She's
6 attracted a talented team of people and leaves a great
7 legacy. Today is she is no longer associated with the
8 program, but she has been replaced by another well-known
9 radio personality, Cecelia Nasti. So I would like
10 Kathleen Jenkins, Tommy Block, and Ron Dippery to come
11 forward for a special presentation and thanks for Passport
12 to Texas.
13 (Applause.)
14 MR. SANSOM: Steve Hazelwood is also here.
15 Thank you, Steve. These commemorative items, Tommy and
16 Kathleen, are made from pieces of the San Jacinto
17 Monument, and they hopefully will be -- I will tell you, I
18 was in Tommy's office recently, and I was thrilled at the
19 amount of Parks and Wildlife memorabilia all over the
20 front office and hopefully this will be added to a
21 distinguished collection. Thank you all.
22 (Applause.)
23 MR. SANSOM: Joel Block, the voice of
24 Passport-to-Texas is here and Donna Endres. Please stand
25 so we can thank you.
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1 (Applause.)
2 MR. SANSOM: Members, several years ago,
3 the model -- the model for volunteer partnerships is the
4 Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park Association which made
5 a commitment to raise $1.2 million from private funds to
6 make Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Birthplace of Texas,
7 the finest park of its kind in the United States. Today,
8 you may see there a state of the art visitors center, a
9 newly refurbished museum, a living history farm, and many
10 of the elements that other states only dream of as
11 elements of a historical park. None of this would be
12 possible without the association. And today its
13 president, Jim Ellison is here, along with a long time
14 activist and friend of our department and a leader in the
15 association, Mr. Allen Commander. And they would like to
16 make a presentation to you at this time. Please welcome
17 Jim Ellison and Allen Commander.
18 (Applause.)
19 MR. COMMANDER: To reiterate our friend,
20 Andy's statement, Madame Chairman, and -- and members of
21 the Board, we committed to raise $1.2 million for the
22 Birthplace of Texas, and our goal remains. We've come a
23 long way, but with Andy's help and this marvelous staff
24 here in this agency, we've come a long way to make this
25 the finest park of its kind in the United States. That's
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1 our goal. We're still working on it.
2 Our purpose today is to present to the Board the
3 results of another undertaking which was done with private
4 funds that we raised to enhance, in a small way, the
5 protection of some of the historical -- historically
6 significant artifacts that are housed at the park. When
7 you come there, the living history farm centerpiece is the
8 Anson Jones plantation home called the Barrington. Anson
9 Jones, of course, you remember was the last president of
10 the Republic of Texas. Kids of all ages -- one of our
11 most popular attractions. Kids of all ages come and enjoy
12 seeing farming as it was back in the 1800s in the republic
13 era. Two stars of that effort are a team of Percheron
14 horses adequately named, Madame Chairman, Willie and
15 Waylon. They're beautiful animals and you see them every
16 day there.
17 What we would like to do, if I could get my
18 friends Jim to do this, to give it to the Chairman, these
19 are measured drawings, Madame Chairman, of some of the
20 historical -- more significant historical artifacts so
21 that in the event something untoward occurs, a fire or
22 whatever, we have for your file measured drawings that
23 were done by the Department of Architecture at the
24 University of Houston with their interns, so it's a
25 significant document.
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1 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Great. Yes, it is.
2 MR. COMMANDER: I've been authorized to
3 say, also, Madame Chairman, that -- and Board members, the
4 Lone Star Legacy is a marvelous effort that you folks have
5 instituted. My friend, Brother Jim here, tells me that if
6 you come to Washington-on-the-Brazos as a Board -- you can
7 come down there and meet informally if you like, the
8 Washington-on-the-Brazos Park Association is prepared to
9 contribute $25,000 to the Lone Star Legacy fund.
10 Now, as an added incentive, if you come and
11 spend the night and we will fix dinner for you and Jim's a
12 marvelous cook. We'll fix dinner for you, you can stay in
13 the best B and Bs in Washington County, we'll take care of
14 you. If you do that, two things will be triggered. One
15 is we'll up that $25,000 to $50,000, one. Secondly, if
16 you come in on an airplane into the Brenham International
17 Airport, we're prepared to send either a stretch pickup
18 for you or -- or we'll send Willie and Waylon. Thank you
19 so much.
20 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: I think you got a deal.
21 (Applause.)
22 MR. SANSOM: Thanks.
23 MR. COMMANDER: Parenthetically, quickly,
24 as time moves along, the TORCH is passed always. We've
25 experienced that. And I want to say just in a quick
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1 moment, Andy, God bless you and thank you for all your
2 help.
3 MR. SANSOM: Thank you, Allen.
4 (Applause.)
5 MR. SANSOM: Madame Chairman, at this time
6 if you'll permit me, I guess what I would like to ask you
7 as -- as -- as a courtesy in this last Commission meeting
8 of mine, to a allow me to exercise a prerogative of the
9 Executive Director and make a couple of presentations.
10 As all of you know, we have the most meaningful
11 employee recognition program in the United States and it
12 is, each August we present to our exemplary employees
13 tokens of the esteem that we have for them in recognition
14 for their service.
15 This past week, thanks to your efforts, Madame
16 Chairman, and Harold Stone and Lydia Saldana and many,
17 many others, the Parks and Wildlife Department has passed
18 a huge threshold. We will now have over $100 million to
19 work with to complete our backlog of critical maintenance
20 repairs. And that effort did not result without
21 leadership. And so I would like to ask your indulgence as
22 we watch a video for the employee recognition award for
23 leadership.
24 (Videotape played.)
25 (Applause.)
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1 MR. SANSOM: Now, you can imagine what it
2 was to get a video done without her knowing about it.
3 Lydia also receives, as all employee recognition award
4 winners do some leave and a check for $500. She likes to
5 go shopping.
6 MS. SALDANA: Which I'm donating to Lone
7 Star Legacy.
8 MR. SANSOM: All right.
9 (Applause.)
10 MR. SANSOM: Along with leadership members,
11 the other attribute that I think we feel most proud of
12 here in our culture is customer service. This Department
13 is known for many things and it receives accolades for
14 many accomplishments. But the one most often heard
15 comment and the one most appreciated is that we treat the
16 people of our State and anybody who uses our facilities,
17 who hunts and fishes or hikes or camps or bird watches in
18 Texas as customers. And so at this time I would like for
19 you to join me as we recognize the second and last
20 employee recognition award winner today for customer
21 service.
22 (Videotaped played.)
23 MR. SANSOM: For customer service, it's
24 Michelle Klaus.
25 (Applause.)
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1 MR. SANSOM: Thank you, Members. Thank you
2 very much. I would just like to say, Madame Chairman,
3 that those videos would not have been possible without
4 Mark Southern, and Mark Southern is leaving. He's going
5 to Washington, D.C. And we -- he has been probably the
6 guy who is most responsible for this wonderful craft of
7 video that has been such a part of the last 11 years. So,
8 Mark, good luck to you.
9 (Applause.)
10 MR. SANSOM: That photograph was made by
11 Commissioner Angelo. Thanks, Mark. Thank you.
12 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: I'm going to exercise my
13 prerogative as Chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife
14 Commission to say a few words. Few people, I think, in
15 this world are blessed with the ability to put to words
16 what they feel in their heart. I don't think anybody I
17 know that knows Andy Sansom will deny that he is blessed
18 with that -- that wonderful talent. And I don't pretend
19 to have it. So without further ado, I will make my
20 presentation.
21 Andrew Sansom started with Texas Parks and
22 Wildlife on December 1st of 1987. He was a member --
23 worked in the Land Conservation Group. He became
24 Executive Director in August -- on August 1, 1990. The
25 acquisition of the 300,000-acre Big Bend Ranch State Park
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1 in 1989 set the tone for the tenure marked by ambitious
2 endeavors. Since 1990, Texas Parks and Wildlife has
3 opened or expanded dozens of State Parks and Wildlife
4 management areas, including Government Canyon near San
5 Antonio and the String Fellow Wildlife Management area,
6 Austin Woods on the coast.
7 Under Andy Sansom's leadership Texas Parks and
8 Wildlife reduced its reliance on general tax revenue in
9 favor of more entrepreneurial self-funded approach. He
10 was instrumental in the creation of the private non-profit
11 Parks and Wildlife Foundation of Texas, Inc. and since
12 1992 the Foundation has secured more than $30 million in
13 private donations to support Texas conservation. The
14 Foundation today leads the Lone Star Legacy campaign to
15 fund new facilities and permanently endow all Texas Parks
16 and Wildlife sites.
17 Andy Sansom has been a strong advocate for
18 private land stewardship, realizing that about 94 percent
19 of the State landscape is in private hands. As a result
20 more than 12 million acres of Texas land, mostly rural
21 farms and ranches is now operated under some form of
22 wildlife management plan.
23 Public education has been a priority for
24 Mr. Sansom. During the 1990s, he led the creation of the
25 Sea Center Texas in Lake Jackson and the Texas Freshwater
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1 Fishery Center in Athens. The two state of the art fish
2 hatcheries combined for the first time fisheries
3 production and research facilities with museum exhibits,
4 aquaria, kids fishing ponds and touch tanks. He has also
5 supervised creation of the free family oriented Texas
6 Wildlife Expo, which this year celebrated its tenth
7 anniversary. The Expo has become a national model for
8 other states. Sansom worked to bring the great outdoors
9 into the big city.
10 Throughout the 1990s, Andy Sansom has battled to
11 care for an aging State Parks system that needed expensive
12 repairs. He successfully worked with several governors
13 and legislators to secure relief including $60 million in
14 revenue bond authority to repair parks and the passage
15 this week that will inject another $100 million in revenue
16 bond authority. And I want to make a -- a special comment
17 here about that. Andy Sansom said to me in August that he
18 wanted to focus his energies on the passing of $100
19 million bond proposition, that he could not see the future
20 of Parks and Wildlife as being secure without the
21 successful passage of Proposition 8. He has led the
22 charge and with the help of Lydia Saldana and others, we
23 can take a victory lap today. And that legacy of that
24 $100 million will be with us for many, many years, when we
25 are no longer here. We will remember that today we
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1 celebrate that successful endeavor and a large measure of
2 the credit, a very large measure, goes to Mr. Sansom.
3 I would like to take this opportunity to ask
4 each of the Commissioners to contribute something by
5 saying a few words. And so I would like to start with --
6 we'll do seniority here, if that's okay. Ernie, you've
7 known Andy and he's been a dear friend of yours for many
8 years, long before you came on the Commission, Mr. Angelo
9 was your friend, Andy. And I think Ernie would like to
10 say a few words. And after that, I would like Mr. Avila
11 to say a few words.
12 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Well, Andy, I certainly
13 did enjoy our friendship before coming on the Commission.
14 But to have worked with you and had the pleasure and honor
15 to do that for the last four-and-a-half years has been a
16 tremendous privilege for me. It's something that I've
17 enjoyed greatly. I don't think there's any question but
18 what the things that the Chairman has mentioned that you
19 have done for Parks and Wildlife and for the State of
20 Texas will be remembered for many, many years and be
21 something that the people of Texas will always be grateful
22 for. And certainly, I'm grateful for it. And thank you
23 for all that you've done for Texas and Parks and Wildlife.
24 COMMISSIONER AVILA: Well, as you all know,
25 Andy is -- is one of those unique individuals in life that
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1 after you've met him for one day, you've felt like you've
2 known him all of your life. So when I came on the
3 Commission, I -- I experienced that absorption into this
4 culture that many of you had already been enjoying for
5 many, many years. So it has been just an absolute
6 wonderful experience for me to -- to know Andy and -- and
7 that will continue as -- as once you're a friend of his,
8 you're a friend for life. And Jane loves you dearly, as
9 well. And I will stay always in touch. Thank you, Andy.
10 COMMISSIONER HENRY: Upon meeting Andy, I
11 knew immediately that I had met a very nice guy and a
12 dedicated public servant. As I have come to know him and
13 work with him, I realize that largely through his
14 influence, I was being transformed. I always considered
15 myself to be an outdoorsman, but I found myself becoming a
16 conservationist. I recognized an even more important
17 development; that is, Andy and I were becoming friends.
18 Today we are colleagues and friends. Thanks, Andy.
19 Although the TPWD relationship will change, the friendship
20 will continue always. I will look forward to you coming
21 back to East Fork and we'll sit on the patio and enjoy the
22 beautiful East Texas scenery, solve the problems of the
23 world and rekindle the friendship. Go in God, my friend.
24 Thank you.
25 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Joseph.
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1 COMMISSIONER FITZSIMONS: Thank you, Madame
2 Chair.
3 Andy, I was thinking about this this morning on
4 my way over here, and I thought, you know, when we first
5 met it was because we disagreed about an issue. And I
6 can't even remember what that issue was now. The
7 important thing I came away with was that I was dealing
8 with a man with an absolutely unquestionable, unshakeable
9 commitment to the natural resources of Texas. And
10 whatever little issue that was we -- we disagreed on is
11 long past, and I've worked with you now, I guess, 12 years
12 before I came on the Commission. And you've left a great
13 legacy. You've been a great friend to me and to my
14 family. But especially I've got to say to the employees
15 of this Department, we've been very lucky to have him.
16 And you leave a great, great legacy. Thank you, Andy.
17 COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY: Andy, I would
18 like to take the opportunity to thank you personally for
19 all you've done to help me get up to speed. I'm new here
20 and I can't speak with the same experience the others
21 have. But I can say that I think one mark of a great
22 leader is to look at what's happened under their term of
23 leadership. You're great at giving credit, building a
24 team, recognizing achievement. I think it's very clear
25 you've fostered an environment where extraordinary things
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1 have happened during your tenure. And I think that should
2 be -- I trust it will be a long-standing source of
3 satisfaction and pride for you. Rather than look back, I
4 would like to look forward for a second because I hope for
5 Texas' sake that you stay in the conservation arena, stay
6 involved in this great enterprise that we're all a part of
7 and that we have the opportunity to work together, because
8 I believe we will, and I think many great things lie ahead
9 for you. I want to do everything I can to help you
10 succeed personally and to succeed in conjunction with the
11 rest of us in accomplishing the goals that you have worked
12 so hard and dedicated your so much of your life towards.
13 Congratulations and look forward to another great ten
14 years of working with you.
15 MR. SANSOM: Thanks, Phil.
16 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: Well, Andy, I'm the
17 rookie. And I echo all of the comments that every one's
18 made. It seems that I've known you for years, and I
19 actually have only known you for 60 days. But I
20 immediately recognize that you have a passion for your
21 work. You're a visionary. You've taken Parks and
22 Wildlife to the highest level possible, and it's going to
23 be very challenging for us to -- to go from that level to
24 a higher level. It's going to be very hard to fill your
25 shoes. I'm very sensitive to the youth and on behalf of
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1 the youth of the State, I thank you for everything that
2 you've done. And I know that you're going to do great
3 things in the future. And this is merely another chapter
4 in your life, and I wish you nothing but the best. And
5 I'll always be your friend and I know that you will be my
6 friend. Thank you, Andy.
7 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: For 11-and-a-half years of
8 service, a standing ovation for Andy Sansom.
9 (Standing ovation, applause.)
10 MR. SANSOM: We need to get on with this
11 meeting. I -- and be careful what you ask for, Phil.
12 I -- it is I who should be thanking each of you, not only
13 the Members of the Board, each of whom are my friends as
14 well as my supervisors, but the staff. And I thank you
15 for the greatest privilege of my life. I will -- I do
16 believe that you will move to the next level here and
17 times will be better. I believe that I will go on and
18 have another exciting chapter in my life. But I will
19 never forget the relationships that I have here. My
20 attitude is very positive and exciting. My heart is full,
21 and I'm looking forward as -- as John Avila and others
22 have said to a new chapter in my life. But I am very sad
23 about leaving you all.
24 And something that Al said is something that I
25 would like to say to each of you, and that is that we've
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1 done some wonderful things here together. Mainly, you
2 have done it, but I will always be grateful to Texas Parks
3 and Wildlife for providing the opportunity for me to work
4 with each of you. Thank you very much.
5 (Applause.)
6 AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: ACTION - APPROVAL OF AGENDA
7 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Our first order of
8 business is approval of the agenda. Could I have a
9 motion?
10 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: I so move, Madame
11 Chairman.
12 COMMISSIONER AVILA: Second.
13 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All in favor?
14 ("Aye")
15 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: BRIEFING - TENTH ANNIVERSARY TEXAS
16 WILDLIFE EXPO WRAP-UP
17 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Our second order of
18 business is a briefing by Ernie Gammage on the Tenth
19 Anniversary of the Texas Wildlife Expo.
20 (Whereupon a briefing was presented to the
21 Commission, the following proceedings were
22 heard:)
23 AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: ACTION - 2001-2002 STATEWIDE HUNTING
24 AND FISHING PROCLAMATION CLOSED SEASON FOR THE USE OF CRAB
25 TRAPS
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1 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Next item on the agenda is
2 an action item, Closed Season for Crab Traps in Texas
3 Coastal Waters. Hal Osburn will present.
4
5 MR. OSBURN: Thank you Madame Chairman,
6 Commissioners. I'm Hal Osburn, Coastal Fisheries Division
7 Director. I would like to present to you for final action
8 proposed rule changes for the crab trap fishery. These
9 rules are primarily intended to address the problem of
10 lost or abandoned traps. And we do know that we have tens
11 of thousands of traps out there that continue to cause
12 concerns for our stakeholders.
13 To aid the department with this program, the --
14 the legislature provided new authority for the Commission.
15 They can now establish a 10- to 30-day closure of the trap
16 fishery during which volunteers can aid in trap removal.
17 We worked with the finfish and crab fisherman
18 industries this summer and earlier in the spring when the
19 Legislature was developing the statute, and we developed a
20 consensus on how this program should be structured. And
21 the proposals consist of a 16-day coast-wide prohibition
22 of all crab traps. And the way that this will work is
23 during the first seven days of the closure, only game
24 wardens will be legally allowed to remove the abandoned
25 traps. But during the last nine days, abandoned traps are
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1 defined as litter and can be removed by anyone. But they
2 will not be allowed to be placed back in the water by
3 anyone, because once something becomes litter, it cannot
4 be returned to the water. That was an important
5 consideration for industry members that their traps
6 wouldn't be taken and then used by someone else and we
7 were able to accommodate that.
8 Staff also concurs with the crab industry
9 members in their request to delete the 30-day dating
10 requirement on the trap gear tag. This will increase
11 their efficiency but it should not effect our conservation
12 efforts. The Department held six public hearings on the
13 coast on this issue and we had fairly light input. Did
14 have 23 people attend. There was widespread support for a
15 closure. The majority of comments that we received did
16 favor shortening the closure to the minimum of ten days to
17 reduce the disruption of the fresh crab markets. We had a
18 vast majority of the comments in favor of the gear tag
19 date requirement. After reviewing these comments, staff
20 continues to recommend the originally proposed rule
21 changes. We believe that an effective clean up during the
22 first year will require the 16-day closure which will
23 provide us two full weekends for volunteer efforts.
24 We have already begun advanced planning for the
25 clean-up program and we anticipate hundreds of volunteers
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1 to participate in this effort. We're very pleased about
2 that.
3 That concludes my presentation. There is a
4 recommendation for your consideration for adoption of
5 the -- of the proclamation. And I believe you may have
6 some public comments.
7 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: We have two people that
8 signed up to speak on this issue, Robert Chandler and John
9 Jefferson.
10 MR. CHANDLER: I'm Robert Chandler from
11 Aransas County, and I would like to congratulate you all.
12 We've worked real hard with Hal Osburn and his staff, and
13 I would like to congratulate these people, because they've
14 done better than their job. And as a crabber and a member
15 of the review board, as a crabber and as a member of the
16 Finfish Advisory Review Board, we've worked real closely
17 with these people. And their days, 17 days, 16 days is
18 what we're going to have to have. I don't think we can do
19 it in ten days. But I think, like I've said, we've all
20 work real hard and these guys have worked real diligently.
21 I have nothing but praise for them, and I really
22 appreciate you all passing this. Thank you.
23 MR. JEFFERSON: Morning, Madame Chairman,
24 members of Commission, Mr. Sergeant-at-Arms Sansom.
25 Mr. Sansom, you may find me just a little bit out of order
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1 this morning, since my comments don't pertain to exactly
2 to crabs. But on behalf -- I'm Executive Director of the
3 Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society. On behalf of the
4 Texas Chapter and me personally, I just want to thank you
5 for all you've done for Wildlife conservation in Texas.
6 Thank you, Andy. We appreciate you and we look forward
7 with great excitement over your future contributions to
8 wildlife. And please don't attach any significance to the
9 fact that I did this under a crab item. Thank you.
10 MR. SANSOM: Thank you, John.
11 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Are there any questions of
12 Hal or any further discussion?
13 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: I move approval of the
14 recommendation.
15 COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY: Second.
16 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All in favor?
17 ("Aye")
18 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Opposed? Motion carries.
19 "The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts amendments
20 to 31 TAC Sec. 65.3 and Sec. 65.78 (located in Exhibit A),
21 concerning Definitions and Crabs and Ghost Shrimp as
22 published in the October 5, 2001 issues of the Texas
23 Register (26 TexReg 7808)."
24 AGENDA ITEM 4: ACTION - CHAPTER 58 RULE REVIEW AND
25 STATEWIDE SHRIMP FISHERY PROCLAMATION REVIEW
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1 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Next item is also an
2 action item, Chapter 58 Rule Review and Statewide Shrimp
3 Fishery Proclamation Review, also Hal Osburn presenting.
4 MR. OSBURN: Madame Chair, Commissioners,
5 I'm Hal Osburn, Coastal Fisheries Division Director. I
6 would like to present to you for final action
7 legislatively mandated rule review for portions of Chapter
8 58 in our proclamations as well as clean-up items in the
9 shrimp proclamation. This Chapter 58 Rule Review deals
10 with the shrimp, crab and finfish Subchapters B, C, and D.
11 We did not receive any comments on subchapters --
12 Subchapters C and D. And therefore, it is staff's
13 recommendations that those subchapters be readopted
14 without change. There is a continuing conservation need
15 for these management measures on our public resources.
16 Staff does propose some minor changes to
17 Subchapter B dealing with shrimp. These changes are
18 restricted to housekeeping measures and clarification of
19 original Commission intent. They also address some of the
20 industry comments and requests that you heard at your
21 Commission meeting at the Public Hearing in August.
22 Highlights of these changes include allowance of
23 a try-net in the seabob fishery. Clarification of the
24 bait bay boundary in West Bay. We would also like to
25 modify the buy/catch reduction device and Turtle Excluder
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1 Device requirements to better match the Federal rules and
2 to conform with industry standards that we've identified.
3 An exemption of the BRD and TED use would be established
4 based on a concurrent exemption of TEDS by the National
5 Marine Fishery Service. If -- if they do take that
6 action, that would allow us to have quick compliance with
7 their rules and benefit the industry.
8 These proposals were, of course, announced in
9 the Texas Register. We distributed them to a wide set of
10 our fishery -- fishery resource stakeholders that we
11 identified. We -- we did not receive too many comments.
12 We did have two that were in support of the changes. We
13 also had some requests to liberalize the shrimp net rule
14 requirements in the gulf. I wanted to tell you that
15 the -- this morning, we did receive letters from
16 Representative Tom Uher from Bay City and Matagorda County
17 Commissioner George DeSoto. They also requested
18 additional review regarding liberalization of the
19 definition of gulf nets and we would certainly intend on
20 doing that prior to any new rule making. We think that
21 that -- that there is some areas that we can clarify along
22 with a review of the -- the other rules that we are
23 basically studying in our comprehensive study. We,
24 therefore, would recommend readoption of Subchapter B with
25 the amendments as proposed.
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1 And -- in regards to further liberalizations or
2 restrictions of the fishery at this time, we think that
3 that would conflict with provisions in the House Bill 305
4 which mandates that we complete a shrimp fishery study
5 prior to September of 2002 and that that be done before
6 new rule initiatives are carried out. That concludes my
7 presentation. There is the motion that would be relevant
8 to -- to adopt in this proclamation.
9 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Thank you, Hal. We have
10 some comments. Ellis Gilleland and next is Muriel Tipps.
11 MR. GILLELAND: My name is Ellis Gilleland.
12 I'm representing Texas Animals, which is Internet animal
13 rights organization. I've given you a handout which is
14 the Texas Register for October the 5th, 2001, Page 7803
15 and 7804. And I don't believe in my -- what I'm concerned
16 about is the exemptions, the loopholes that you're going
17 to put into the Turtle Excluder Devices and the buy/catch
18 restriction devices. They're actually building in two
19 loopholes that do not now exist. I do not believe that in
20 my lifetime, these people will take the last shrimp. I do
21 believe in your lifetime they will take the last shrimp.
22 And so what I'm here today is to try to enlist your help
23 in stopping them from taking the last turtle. And if
24 you're ever seen a freight train moving underwater in slow
25 motion, you would appreciate the majestic beauty and
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1 intrinsic worth of these animals.
2 The two exemptions that you're building in and
3 I've given a copy of the Federal regulation. If you
4 effect this, this means that somebody is going to put a
5 55-minute limit on the net. Who is going to be out on
6 seven or eight miles in the Gulf of Mexico two o'clock in
7 the morning with a stop watch and measure, 55 minutes? In
8 other words, you're saying they can take out the Turtle
9 Excluder Device as long as they only dip their net for 55
10 minutes.
11 If you turn over to 7804 you'll see the
12 buy/catch reduction device is predicated on what the TED
13 requirement is which it says "impractical, there's no
14 correlation between the TED and the BRD." I don't know if
15 that's a typographical error or not. If you look at the
16 Turtle Excluder Device, you see there is a correlation
17 between the intoxicated TED requirement and the TED
18 requirement shall be subject to limitations of National
19 Marine.
20 You and Andy and everybody else deliberately
21 avoided what National Marine said about red snapper. You
22 continued to let them take them, take them, take them,
23 take them. The Federal government stopped taking red
24 snapper beyond nine miles. Between here and nine miles,
25 y'all just took all the red snappers they could scarf up.
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1 What I'm telling you is apply your own -- the same logic
2 and apply your own rules within the nine miles to protect
3 these turtles and don't go sucking after a Federal
4 regulations because it gives you a loophole. You cannot
5 be out there in time. Your people do not have the boats.
6 You have to have a stop watch and time these people at 55
7 minutes on dipping they're TED nets. Please protect the
8 turtles. Thank you.
9 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Hal, would you like to
10 address Mr. Gilleland's comments, please?
11 MR. OSBURN: Yes, ma'am. The -- the
12 National Marine Fishery Service mandates the Turtle
13 Excluder Device based on their authority with the
14 Endangered Species Act. There have been only a couple of
15 on occasions where they have allowed an exemption to the
16 TED use, basically allowed the shrimpers to either take
17 the TED out or to sew it up and replace that protection
18 with a tow-time requirement. All of those exemptions have
19 happened in the bay waters, not out in the gulf waters.
20 The reason that they have generally occurred is huge
21 amounts of debris that come down into the bays from the
22 rivers after a flood. In one case we had an abnormal
23 growth of a -- of a bay organism, bryozoans, that
24 basically clogged up the nets and the TEDs and prevented
25 them from working effectively. Anyhow, those occurred in
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1 the bays. The National Marine Fishery Service comes and
2 conducts a survey to ascertain whether those conditions
3 warrant that exemption. They place a -- generally a
4 30-day exemption on it. When that happens, obviously, TED
5 rules that are adopted by the State would be
6 counterproductive if we required them to have TEDs at the
7 same time that the National Marine Fishery Service did
8 not. So we intended on just having a mechanism in place
9 that would match them.
10 In regard to the BRD, there is not a
11 typographical error. That language is correct. The
12 reference there is that the National Marine Fishery
13 Service does not require BRDs in State waters. Their
14 rules for BRDs only applied to federal waters. So when we
15 adopted the BRD requirement, there was no countermeasure
16 in federal requirements. So there would be no exemption
17 that the -- that the Federal people would establish for
18 BRDs, because they don't have a BRD rule.
19 When there is clogging events in the bays that
20 effect TEDs, they will do the same thing to the BRDs.
21 They will also clog them up. And so we felt like it was
22 practical that when the conditions warranted to clog up a
23 TED, that we should also go ahead and exempt our BRDs.
24 And the best way to do that was to tie them both together.
25 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Do you have any comments
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1 in regard to the red snapper comments that Mr. Gilleland
2 made?
3 MR. OSBURN: I may have been jotting some
4 notes down on the red snapper comment. Could you refresh
5 my memory?
6 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Well, I think the
7 implication was that we were going beyond what the Federal
8 regulations or not adhering or using the limits set by the
9 Federal regulations. And I think his words were scarfing
10 up every red snapper. I would like you to address that,
11 if you can.
12 MR. OSBURN: Yes, ma'am. The red snapper
13 issue is a large commercial and recreational fishery in
14 the gulf. About 95 percent of the fish are harvested in
15 Federal waters. Our rules really don't affect the -- the
16 snapper harvest very much.
17 We have been in disagreement with the Federal
18 managers on some of the management strategies for red
19 snapper. We have had closures for the last three or four
20 years on -- on our recreational fishery which continues to
21 promulgate some serious social and economic concerns on
22 the coast. We have had a Derby fishery in the commercial
23 arena that has created safety concerns and conflicts. And
24 we -- we are basically lobbying for a change in that
25 strategy. While we -- while we attempt to succeed at
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1 that, we have maintained a consistency in our rules which
2 is a very restrictive, actually even more restrictive than
3 the Federal rules, because both commercial and
4 recreational are restricted to four red snapper a day with
5 15-inch size limit. So we actually think we have more
6 restrictive rules in State waters, bit it's more a
7 symbolic gesture. We are in agreement that there are some
8 changes needed in the Federal rules.
9 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Thank you. Muriel Tipps.
10 MS. TIPPS: Yes, ma'am. Madame Chairman,
11 I'm sort of here on a dual role today. First of all,
12 we -- as spokesman for Matagorda County today, we would
13 like to thank Andy for his open door policy for the last
14 10 or 11 years. And we'll -- we'll miss that rapport.
15 He's done a great job, and historically we've done a lot
16 of work. And for everything from when I was real young to
17 open bay spoilage to recreational to commercial, we've
18 made great strides. So we thank him from our area, and
19 we're sort of greedy. He'll be coming home. His home is
20 our home. So we hope to still continue to see him.
21 And gentlemen, we are almost there with our
22 shrimp regulations. There are just a few items that are
23 still of concern to Matagorda County. And I would like to
24 read Mr. Uher's letter. "Upon correspondence with Muriel
25 Tipps, Matagorda County seafood rep, has informed me of
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1 the possible problem with implementation of the new shrimp
2 fishery regulations. One important issue raised by
3 Mrs. Tipps was the net size restrictions within the new
4 three nautical mile shrimping zone. Concern has been
5 raised regarding TPMW's interpretation of net measurement.
6 By TMPW considering a dummy door as an add-on, creates a
7 problem with the measurement of a twin trawl. Many shrimp
8 fisherman utilize the twin trawl shrimp array which is
9 like a skid and feel they are being discriminated against
10 by having the measurement of the head rope length being
11 included with this gear type. It appears that the vessel
12 deploying a traditional double trawls from an outrigger
13 can utilize two nets up to 65 feet. However, a vessel
14 using a single twin trawl from the stern is only allocated
15 32.5 feet each and cannot exceed the 65-foot maximum when
16 pulling two trawls. Please review interpretation of the
17 dummy door from add-on to that of the regular trawl door.
18 If you have any questions, please feel free to contact
19 me."
20 Also, of concern is if we look through the --
21 the original rule books, the main intent of the three-mile
22 restriction was 130 feet as measured along the court line
23 from board to board or between extremes of any other
24 spreading device if only one trawl is being used. We
25 assumed that, of course, if you were pulling two trawls
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1 the maximum would be 65-foot for two trawls. And if you
2 were pulling a single rig, anything under that would be
3 acceptable. And many boats worked all season with this in
4 mind. And nowhere in the Texas Register does that
5 reflect. And so these are not new shrimp initiatives.
6 These would require a new definition for a skid or a dummy
7 door and then a table added to reflect what the -- the
8 dimension -- the total dimensions would be with pulling a
9 single rig.
10 And with that, we feel this regulation package
11 would be viable and nondiscriminatory. In our area, we're
12 not just fleet oriented. We have all kind of boats. We
13 have little boats, medium boats, large boats and then the
14 super trawlers, so we need to make sure that the rules
15 made are for everyone.
16 Any questions?
17 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Thank you.
18 MR. SANSOM: Thank you, Muriel.
19 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Are there any questions or
20 discussions that you would like to have with Hal?
21 MR. OSBURN: Would you like to me to
22 respond to some of those comments?
23 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Sure.
24 MR. OSBURN: I would like to thank
25 Ms. Tipps for being here. She's been a very able
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1 representative of the Matagorda County folks. The rules
2 that establish the two nets in the gulf was part of the
3 regulatory package adopted last summer. It -- it was
4 originally in the -- in the -- in the May Texas Register
5 proposed items very clear that we were talking about no
6 one net could be more than 65 feet as -- as is defined to
7 be measured. We did not receive any comments during last
8 summer's process on this. And, therefore, it -- it was
9 passed as part of the August package without modification.
10 The -- some folks in the industry obviously have
11 identified their confusion about that. At this point, we
12 think there is room to discuss that and it would take some
13 definitional changes. We have had some folks identify,
14 quite frankly, how they might abuse that rule with the
15 suggestion, straightforward suggestion that Ms. Tipps
16 makes. I know that's not -- that's not her intent and
17 therefore, we think that -- that we would need to work
18 with those industry members, with law enforcement, and get
19 the right words, because these are things that we measure
20 out there, that the law enforcement folks measure. And
21 you probably heard a lot of terms there. We've got -- if
22 we can get those definitions in agreement, because we do
23 not want to discriminate any historical participants, but
24 the objective was to reduce effort in that near shore
25 zone. I think that that's being accomplished and we have
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1 received some positive indications on those rule changes.
2 But we would suggest that for this particular rule
3 package, we're not prepared to offer you language that
4 would -- we would be comfortable with or that I don't
5 believe law enforcement would be comfortable with. But we
6 will maintain and start immediately a relationship to --
7 to look for those wordings.
8 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Do we have any questions
9 of Hal or further discussion? If not, do I have a motion?
10 COMMISSIONER FITZSIMONS: Motion.
11 COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY: Second.
12 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All in favor?
13 ("Aye")
14 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Opposed? Motion carries.
15 "The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts within 31
16 TAC Chapter 58 amendments to Sec. 58.102, Sections
17 58-160-58.163, and Section 58.165 (located in Exhibit A),
18 concerning Statewide Shrimp Fishery Proclamation; and
19 re-adoption of all other sections within Subchapters B, C,
20 and D in this chapter."
21 AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: BRIEFING - UPDATE ON STATE PARK SYSTEM
22 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Next item is a briefing
23 item, Update on State Park System by Walt Dabney.
24 (Whereupon a briefing was presented to the
25 Commission, the following proceedings were
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1 heard:)
2 AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: BRIEFING - BISON HERD
3 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Next we have a briefing on
4 bison herd by Danny Swepston.
5 (Whereupon a briefing was presented to the
6 Commission, the following proceedings were
7 heard:)
8 AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: ACTION - FLOATING CABIN PROCLAMATION
9 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Item 7 is as an action
10 item, Floating Cabins with a presentation by Dennis
11 Johnson.
12 MR. JOHNSTON: Thank you, Madame Chairman,
13 members of the Commission. My name is Dennis Johnson.
14 I'm chief of Marine Enforcement. I would like to present
15 to you today the proposed regulations on floating cabins
16 for final adoption. The 77th Legislature through Senate
17 Bill 1573 delegated to TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION
18 the authority to regulate floating cabins moored in
19 Coastal water. Statutory requirements for the issue of
20 permits include eligibility, application requirements,
21 fees, criminal and civil penalties, location restrictions,
22 and a cabin removal process. Senate Bill 1573 provided
23 regulatory authority to Texas Parks and Wildlife for
24 implementation of this program.
25 Proposed regulations to implement this program
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1 are published in the Texas Register for public comment on
2 October the 5th, 2001. Two public meetings were attended
3 by 93 persons and additional comments were taken on the
4 Web page. Comments on the proposals were generally
5 positive towards our proposed regulations with comments
6 and minor changes -- what I would consider minor changes
7 to those proposals. These comments have been incorporated
8 in the proposed regulations.
9 Proposed language in 31 TAC 55.200 floating
10 cabins will establish an annual permit period from
11 September 1 through August 31. The renewal will require
12 an application and renewal within 90 days of expiration.
13 Rules will require notification of the Department prior to
14 the sale of the cabin and an application to be filed by
15 the purchaser of that floating cabin. We have established
16 a relocation process to include a Department application
17 and requirement to restrict the location to two times per
18 year except upon show of acceptable cause to the
19 Department.
20 Cabin owners may remove floating cabins from
21 Coastal waters for repairs and they may relocate upon
22 threat of natural disaster.
23 Some of the comments from the public meetings
24 were that they wanted to be assured that they could move
25 them during the time or threat of natural disaster. So
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1 we -- we clarified that in the rules to make sure. And
2 that was our intent from the beginning that they be able
3 to do that without notifying us.
4 We will restrict floating cabins from relocating
5 within 500 feet of a floating cabin or structure permitted
6 by the Natural Resource Commission under Chapter 33 and
7 not within 250 feet from a pipeline. This is a change
8 from the original proposal which was 1,000 feet distance
9 between floating cabins. The comment from the public
10 seemed to be that they felt like that was overly
11 restrictive. They felt like there should be some
12 difference -- some restrictions in -- in where they could
13 relocate to for privacy reasons. And that -- but they
14 also felt that 1,000 feet in some areas would overly
15 restrict them and may force them to have to be in areas
16 that were possibly a detriment to navigation and some
17 other things. So we did make that change.
18 Marketing requirements will consist of a permit
19 number with a prefix FC followed by a three-digit permit
20 number and a validation sticker on two opposite sides of
21 the cabin. For safety purposes we require an orange
22 reflector measuring three inches to be mounted on each end
23 of each side of the cabin for a total of eight reflectors.
24 This was a change from the original proposal. The
25 original proposal asked for a red or orange reflector and
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1 nine square inches, which would be three inches by
2 three inches. Public comment was that they felt like that
3 might be hard to find. They felt like the round
4 three-inch reflector is easily obtainable at the hardware
5 stores. Most of them had that at this time. They did not
6 like the red reflector and felt like that it might
7 conflict with the Coast Guard and navigation lights and
8 those reasons, and we did make that change to accommodate
9 that.
10 Regulations provided for a cabin purchase
11 program with an open bid period as set by the Department.
12 We provided criteria to determine the established maximum
13 value based on the size, previous bid offers and the
14 established market prices for these cabins. We defined a
15 portable marine sanitation device as a device designed to
16 facilitate the transport of sewage for lawful onshore
17 disposal. We also require the permanent marine sanitation
18 device facilities on these cabins be constructed to
19 prevent an overboard discharge and that the removal of a
20 liquid-type container for onshore disposal be required.
21 We restrict pumping of sewage to legally authorized
22 pump-out facilities.
23 We have received a total at this time of 150
24 applications that met the requirements for a floating
25 cabin permit. We have identified 33 at this time that --
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1 that we feel like are not permitted. That number may
2 reduce once we do the final inspections. We are in the
3 process at this time of conducting those final inspections
4 for all cabins which have met the application requirements
5 to determine eligibility of the permit and those permits
6 should go out by -- hopefully by the end of the month. We
7 will be attempting to determine the ownership of the
8 cabins that -- of the 33 that at this time we don't have
9 applications for through investigations to determine who
10 owned it before and placing notices on those cabins to see
11 that they -- they get removed.
12 Staff recommends that Texas Parks and Wildlife
13 Commission adopt the following motion, "Texas Parks and
14 Wildlife Commission adopts 55.201 through 55.207
15 concerning floating cabins in public Coastal water. The
16 changes to the proposed text as published in the
17 October 5, 2001 issue of the Texas Register."
18 Be happy to answer any questions.
19 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: We have one person signed
20 up to speak, and then we may call you back to address
21 that.
22 MR. JOHNSTON: Okay.
23 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Jim Adkins.
24 MR. ADKINS: Yes. My name is Jim Adkins.
25 I'm from Corpus. I'm president of the Saltwater Fisheries
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1 Enhancement Association in Corpus. My comments are going
2 to be short and brief and very positive. I've been
3 involved in regulations or attempting to get regulations
4 on floating cabins. First proposal was actually 1988, so
5 it's been a while. The entire time we've wanted Parks and
6 Wildlife to be the regulatory agency. That was
7 accomplished in this past session. I guess my real
8 comment is finally the system really worked. The Bill as
9 it was introduced in the Senate quite frankly wasn't that
10 good. Through the help of Edmund Knemple and our local
11 legislative delegation from the Coastal Bend we made
12 changes in the House and got it done.
13 When it came to Parks and Wildlife, I can't tell
14 you how we appreciated the way the staff, Dennis Johnston,
15 Don Parker, Regional Commander in Corpus, Gary Palmer -- I
16 believe he's District Chief -- you know all these people.
17 They worked with the people involved, with the
18 constituency. We've had discussions. We've made
19 suggestions, they've made suggestions. There's been a
20 great exchange. And we've ended up both legislatively and
21 through the regulatory process with a neat workable system
22 and we hope you'll pass it. Thanks.
23 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Thank you. I would guess
24 there's no more comment necessary from Dennis, so do we
25 have any discussion from the Commission or questions?
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1 Hearing none, do I have a motion?
2 COMMISSIONER AVILA: So moved.
3 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: So moved. Second?
4 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: Second.
5 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Second by Commissioner
6 Donato Ramos. All in favor say aye?
7 ("Aye")
8 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All opposed? Motion
9 passed.
10 "The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts Sections
11 55.201-55.207 concerning floating cabins in public coastal
12 water" with changes to proposed text (located in Exhibit
13 A) as published in the October 5, 2001 issue of the Texas
14 Register (26 TexReg)."
15 AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: ACTION - PROPOSED PRINT ARTWORK
16 PROGRAM
17 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: The next, Item 8 is also
18 an action item, Artwork approval by Frances Stiles.
19 MS. STILES: Good morning. My name is I'm
20 Frances Stiles and I'm with the Administrative Resources
21 Division. Under the terms of the contract with Collectors
22 Covey for artwork design and marketing of the departmental
23 print program, the Commission approves the artwork each
24 year for waterfowl, nongame, turkey and saltwater prints.
25 This year for the waterfowl, we have a pair of read-headed
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1 ducks, and the artist is Joe Hautman. For the saltwater
2 artwork, we have a flounder, and the artist is John
3 Dearman. For the turkey it's a Rio Grande Turkey, and the
4 artist is also John Dearman. And for the nongame subject,
5 we have a slight delay in the artwork which should be
6 coming in December. The species that is -- has been
7 selected is an avocet, and there's a scan of -- just so
8 you-all will know what the bird looks like. If there are
9 no comments or questions, we do have a recommendation for
10 approval for your consideration.
11 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Madame Chairman, I
12 would move for the recommendation.
13 COMMISSIONER HENRY: Second.
14 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All in favor?
15 ("Aye")
16 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Opposed? Passed.
17 "The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approves the use
18 of the above listed artwork for the print and stamp
19 designs. The Executive Director is authorized to take the
20 necessary steps to provide these stamps for sale to the
21 public."
22 AGENDA ITEM NO. 9: BRIEFING - BLACK BEAR IN TEXAS
23 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: The next item is a
24 briefing on bears. Nathan Garner will be presenting.
25 (Whereupon a briefing was presented to the
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1 Commission, the following proceedings were
2 heard:)
3 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: I'm going to step out and
4 Ernie is going to take over for me for one -- for a little
5 while.
6 AGENDA ITEM NO. 10: LAND ACQUISITION - BRAZORIA COUNTY
7 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: The next item on the
8 agenda is No. 10. It's a land acquisition in Brazoria
9 County presented by Jack Bauer.
10 MR. BAUER: Commissioners, my name is Jack
11 Bauer, Director of Land Conservation. This item
12 recommends a land -- recommends land acquisition at the
13 Nannie M. Stringfellow Wildlife management area in
14 Brazoria County, two 45-acre tracts are recommended as a
15 additions to the facility in support of management actions
16 to protect occurring wetlands. Staff recommends the
17 Commission consider the motion before you to acquire
18 90 acres of adjacent property as a habitat addition to the
19 facility. I would be happy to answer any questions.
20 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Are there any questions
21 or comments? If not, do we have a motion?
22 COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY: So move.
23 COMMISSIONER AVILA: Second.
24 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: All in favor, please
25 say "aye."
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1 ("Aye")
2 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Opposed? Motion
3 carries.
4 "The Executive Director is authorized to take all
5 necessary steps to acquire approximately 90 acres from
6 wiling sellers in Brazoria County as a habitat addition to
7 the Nannie M. Stringfellow Wildlife Management Area."
8 AGENDA ITEM NO. 11: LAND EXCHANGE - UVALDE COUNTY
9 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: And Jack, you have also
10 have the next item, No. 11, land exchange in Uvalde
11 County.
12 MR. BAUER: Thank you. This item
13 represents a land exchange recommendation of less than fee
14 ownership at Garner State Park in Uvalde County. The land
15 being recommended for trade away is considered excess
16 property by the park. The conservation easement being
17 considered by trade gain will provide scenic reservation
18 for Garner and provide water quality protection to the
19 tributary stream entering the Frio River at the park.
20 Staff recommends the Commission consider the
21 motion before you to exchange approximately 62.6 acres
22 restricted against future development for approximately
23 482 acres similarly restricted in conjunction with Garner
24 State Park. I would be happy to entertain any questions.
25 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Do we have any
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1 questions or comments?
2 COMMISSIONER FITZSIMONS: I would like to
3 thank Jack, for getting this done. Anytime you can trade
4 an abandoned landfill for a conservation easement of
5 482 acres, you're making a pretty good trade.
6 MR. BAUER: Thank you, sir.
7 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: In addition to that, I
8 would like to commend on being innovative in obtaining
9 this property. The conservation easements are kind of a
10 new deal, you might say. We're on the forefront of that,
11 I guess. Congratulations. And the time line that you
12 moved this project with, that's a reflection of you and
13 your staff.
14 MR. BAUER: Thank you.
15 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Do we have a motion
16 after all those accolades?
17 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: I so move.
18 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Do we have a second?
19 COMMISSIONER FITZSIMONS: Second.
20 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: All in favor say "aye."
21 ("Aye")
22 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Opposed? Carries.
23 "The Executive Director is authorized to take all
24 necessary steps to transfer approximately 62.676 acres
25 restricted against future subdivision and development to
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1 J/M Partnership in exchange for a conservation easement
2 restricting future subdivision and development on 482.27
3 acres in Uvalde County in conjunction with Garner SP."
4 AGENDA ITEM NO. 12: LAND EXCHANGE - TRAVIS COUNTY
5 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Jack, you have the next
6 one also, the land exchange in Travis County.
7 MR. BAUER: Yes, sir. This item recommends
8 a land exchange with Del Valle Independent School District
9 here at Department Headquarters, Travis County. The land
10 being recommended for exchange will provide the ownership
11 arrangement with the school district to a allow the
12 construction of a joint use roadway connecting McKinney
13 Falls Parkway to the Department Headquarter.
14 Staff recommends the Commission consider the
15 motion before you to exchange easement rights of
16 approximately 1.64 acres to Del Valle Independent School
17 District for approximately 1.57 acres in fee to facilitate
18 road construction by the Texas Department of
19 Transportation. And I'll be happy to answer questions.
20 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Are there any questions
21 on this item? Comments? Do I have a motion and a second?
22 COMMISSIONER HENRY: Motion.
23 COMMISSIONER AVILA: Second.
24 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All in favor say "aye."
25 ("Aye")
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1 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Opposed again, the
2 motion carries. Jack, Thank you for a lot of good work
3 there.
4 "The Executive Director is authorized to take all
5 necessary steps to exchange right-of-way easement rights
6 to approximately 1.64 acres to the DVISD in exchange for
7 approximately 1.57 acres in fee for the purpose of
8 constructing a joint use road by DVISD and TPWD in
9 conjunction with plans by the DVISD to construct a new
10 junior high school adjacent to the TPWD Headquarters
11 Complex."
12 MR. BAUER: Thank you, sir.
13 AGENDA ITEM NO. 13: LAND ACQUISITION - BRAZORIA COUNTY
14 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Item No. 13 is land
15 acquisition in Brazoria County and Jeff Francell will
16 handle that one. Jeff?
17 MR. FRANCELL: Commissioners the first item
18 is considering the acquisition of 70 acres in Brazoria
19 County. This project would be part of the Austin Woods
20 initiative. It's hard to understate the significance of
21 this site. It's one of the most important sites in the
22 United States for African-American history. It's the
23 first historic site that Parks and Wildlife will manage
24 for African-American history and it's also the first new
25 State historic site in Texas in 13 years. We are here
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1 talking about it, because of Proposition 8, which passed
2 on Tuesday. There's $4 million for the development of
3 this site in that bond package. We have partnerships on
4 this project with Levi Jordan Plantation Historic Society
5 as well as the University of Houston. As well as
6 acquiring the property, we're also acquiring a significant
7 number of artifacts. The artifacts have been removed from
8 the property and are housed at the University of Houston
9 and the artifacts will help us tell a real important story
10 for the history of Texas.
11 So the staff is recommending that the Commission
12 consider the acquisition of 70 acres in Brazoria County
13 for a new State historic site.
14 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Any questions?
15 COMMISSIONER HENRY: I think it's important
16 for the audience and press and other friends to know be
17 aware that funding as mentioned for this acquisition comes
18 from a grant from Parks and Wildlife Foundation with
19 initial funding provided by Houston endowment. So I think
20 that's critical to -- it was critical to, in part, our
21 decision. But it also helps to -- us to follow the
22 guidelines previously set by Sunset Commission and others.
23 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Any other comments?
24 Entertain a motion.
25 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: I'll so move.
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1 COMMISSIONER HENRY: Second.
2 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: All in favor, say
3 "aye."
4 ("Aye")
5 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Opposed? Motion
6 carries.
7 "The Executive Director is authorized to take all
8 necessary steps to purchase approximately 70 acres in
9 Brazoria County for the Levi Jordan Plantation for a new
10 State Historic Site."
11 AGENDA ITEM NO. 14: LAND ACQUISITION - HILDAGO COUNTY
12 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: And Jeff, you have the
13 next one, also, land acquisition in Hidalgo County.
14 MR. FRANCELL: Thank you. This acquisition
15 is part of the World Birding Center, specifically, the
16 World Birding Center site at Weslaco. This is an aerial
17 photo of the World Birding Center Weslaco site. Located
18 on the Llano Grande, which is a significant water feature
19 and also has a high concentration of good brush. The
20 State park is not yet built. We're acquiring -- continue
21 to acquire small pieces of land to benefit the site.
22 There's a significant inholding there, and we've worked
23 out a deal with the landowner and also with the Nature
24 Conservancy who helped us negotiate this project to buy
25 13 acres, lease 21.6 acres, and we will also maintain a
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1 right of first refusal on the landowner's 11 acres that
2 they retain.
3 And staff recommends that the Commission accept
4 this item.
5 COMMISSIONER HENRY: Mr. Chairman?
6 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Yes.
7 COMMISSIONER HENRY: I would mention, as
8 well, on this item that this is a -- goes along with the
9 recommendation that was made by the Legislature, became a
10 part of the bonding package that was approved just
11 recently for this particular item. So, here again, we
12 are -- the funding did come as a result of Legislative
13 mandate and approval of the recent bonds. I just think
14 that needs to be known, as well.
15 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: We're finishing up on
16 14. Ready to take a motion.
17 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Why don't you finish.
18 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Any further decision?
19 If not, do we have a motion?
20 COMMISSIONER HENRY: I would move.
21 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: I would second.
22 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Any discussion further?
23 All in favor, say "aye."
24 ("Aye")
25 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: Opposed? And the
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1 motion carries.
2 "The Executive Director is authorized to take all
3 necessary steps to purchase the 12.8-acre tract in Hidalgo
4 County for inclusion in the Weslaco World Birding Center
5 site."
6 AGENDA ITEM NO. 15: LAND EXCHANGE - NUECES COUNTY
7 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: And, Madame Chairman,
8 the last item is No. 15.
9 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Again, Jeff Francell, land
10 exchange Nueces County.
11 MR. FRANCELL: For this item I need to
12 recognize that we have a couple visitors here. We have
13 Mr. Utter from Corpus Christi. He's the assistant city
14 manager as well as Mr. Weber who is from State
15 Representative Seaman's office.
16 This item is a land exchange with the City of
17 Corpus Christi at our Mustang Island State Park. Mustang
18 Island is located in Nueces County on a significant
19 barrier island. This is a map of the park. It's a
20 4,000-acre park, so -- so the tracks that we're talking
21 about trading are fairly small, 2 acres each. The City of
22 Corpus Christi annexed most of the island up to Port
23 Aransas in the past year, and they needed to locate a fire
24 station somewhere on the island. And the best place that
25 they had was on our park.
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1 In exchange, the City of Corpus Christi has
2 agreed to trade us 2 acres on the south end of the park.
3 It's a half-mile long, 40-foot wide strip that runs down
4 to the gulf.
5 This is a schematic of what the site will look
6 like once -- once it's built. The City of Corpus has
7 agreed to fence both tracts. They will serve the State
8 Park with utilities -- I mean, with services from the
9 facility. They'll eventually billed an attractive
10 facility and they also agree to pay any closing costs
11 associated with this transaction. And staff recommends
12 that you move for this land exchange.
13 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Are there any questions?
14 VICE CHAIR ANGELO: I move approval.
15 COMMISSIONER RAMOS: Second.
16 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: All in favor?
17 ("Aye")
18 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Opposed? Motion carries.
19 Thank you.
20 "The Executive Director is authorized to take all
21 necessary steps to transfer two acres at Mustang Island
22 State Park to the City of Corpus Christi for a fire
23 station and police substation in exchange for two adjacent
24 acres with Gulf frontage on the south side of the park."
25 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: Is there any other
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1 business before us today?
2 MR. SANSOM: No, ma'am.
3 CHAIRMAN IDSAL: No other business, this
4 meeting is adjourned.
5 (Meeting adjourned at 11:57.)
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1
2 ______________________________
KATHARINE ARMSTRONG IDSAL, CHAIRMAN
3
4 ______________________________
ERNEST ANGELO, JR., VICE CHAIR
5
6 ______________________________
CAROL E. DINKINS
7
8 ______________________________
PHILIP MONTGOMERY
9
10 ______________________________
DONATO RAMOS
11
12 ______________________________
JOHN AVILA, JR.
13
14 ______________________________
ALVIN L. HENRY
15
16 ______________________________
JOSEPH FITZSIMONS
17
18 ______________________________
MARK E. WATSON, JR.
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