Finance Committee
Wednesday, 9:00am, Nov. 3, 2004
Commission Hearing Room4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Item No. | Subject | Public Hearing Agenda Item No. |
---|---|---|
Approve previous Committee Meeting minutes. | ||
1. | Chairman's Charges (Oral Presentation) | Committee Only |
2. | Financial Review Update Staff: Mary Fields |
Committee Only |
3. | Legislative Overview Staff: Robert Cook |
Committee Only |
4. | Local Park Grants Rule Amendments – Chapter 61, Subchapters B-E Staff: Tim Hogsett |
Committee Only |
5. | Other Business |
Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Mary Fields
Finance Committee
Financial Review Update
November 2004
I. Executive Summary: Staff will present a financial review for FY 2004 and a year-to-date financial review for FY 2005. This will include an update on revenues for Account 9, Game, Fish and Water Safety and Account 64, State Parks and an operating budget status. The Business Improvement Plan will also be discussed.
Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Presenter: Robert Cook
Finance Committee
Legislative Overview
November 2004
I. Executive Summary: Review department legislative strategy including appropriations and statutory issues.
Committee Agenda Item No. 4
Presenter: Tim Hogsett
Finance Committee
Local Park Grants Rule Amendments – Chapter 61
November 2004
I. Executive Summary: TPWD staff requests that proposed revisions to Subchapters B-E of Chapter 61 be published in the Texas Register for comment. As background, the Texas Recreation and Parks Account Program (TRPA) is funded through a dedication of a portion of the state sales tax on sporting goods. Chapter 24 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code requires the adoption of rules and regulations for grant assistance. Programs administered as part of TRPA include:
- Outdoor Recreation Grants
- Indoor Recreation Grants
- Community Outdoor Outreach Program Grants
- Regional Park Grants
- Small Community Grants
During the last nine months, staff has been preparing draft rules and regulations for administration of the Texas Recreation and Parks Account Program for consideration by the Commission. The last such general review of program guidelines was in 2000. Since January 2004 the following major activities have taken place in the process of preparing draft rules:
Date | Major activities in the process of preparing draft rules |
---|---|
February 18 | Staff meeting to begin a draft list of proposed changes |
February 25 | Survey mail out |
March 31 | Survey return deadline |
April 21 | Staff retreat |
May 7 | Focus group meeting |
July 19 - September 17 | Public Hearings: Lubbock, El Paso, Abilene, Arlington, New Braunfels, Harlingen, League City and Tyler. |
Proposed rule changes include revisions in the priority ranking (scoring) systems used to distribute funds in the following general areas:
- Decreasing priority points for land acquisition projects
- Increasing priority of park renovation projects
- Allowing award of priority points to projects that use sponsor owned non-parkland as part of their local matching share
- Simplifying point award for local park master plans
- Providing for penalty points for Community Outdoor Outreach Projects (COOP) where previous grants have left unspent funds
- Decreasing youth at risk points for indoor grants
Other administrative changes being proposed include:
- Raising the eligibility criteria for program participation for sponsors with active grant projects from $1 million to $2 million
- Allowing more than one application from metropolitan areas (except COOP and Trails)
- Extending eligibility of local park master plans from 5 to 10 years
- Allowing private entities to apply for motorized trail grants
- Changing COOP application deadline from March 1 to February 1
In general, the proposed changes in rule and scoring criteria are minor in scope and will not dramatically alter existing procedures.
II. Discussion: TPWD staff recommends that the proposed changes be published in the Texas Register for public comment.