Finance Committee

Wednesday, 9:00 am, August 23, 2006

Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Presenter: Robert L. Cook

Finance Committee
Land and Water Plan Update
August 2006

I. Executive Summary: Executive Director Robert L. Cook will briefly update the Commission on the status of the agency’s efforts to implement the Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan (the Plan).

II. Discussion: In 2001, the 77^th Texas Legislature directed that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) develop a Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan (Tex. Park & Wild. Code §11.104). In November 2002, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (the Commission) adopted the first Plan. A revised Plan was adopted by the Commission in January 2005. The Plan is available on the TPWD web site. Executive Director Robert L. Cook will update the Finance Committee on TPWD’s recent progress in achieving the Plan’s Goals and Objectives as they relate to the Finance Committee.

The Plan consists of 8 Goals and a total of 56 Objectives. The Goals stated in the Plan are as follows:

• Goal 1: Improve access to the outdoors.
• Goal 2: Preserve, conserve, manage, operate, and promote agency sites for recreational opportunities, biodiversity, and the cultural heritage of Texas.
• Goal 3: Assist landowners in managing their lands for sustainable wildlife habitat consistent with their goals.
• Goal 4: Increase participation in hunting, fishing, boating and outdoor recreation.
• Goal 5: Enhance the quality of hunting, fishing, boating and outdoor recreation.
• Goal 6: Improve science, data collection and information dissemination to make informed management decisions.
• Goal 7: Maintain or improve water quality and quantity to support the needs of fish, wildlife and recreation.
• Goal 8: Continuously improve TPWD business management systems, business practices and work culture.

Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Mary Fields

Finance Committee
Financial Overview
August 2006

I. Executive Summary: Staff will present a financial overview of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

II. Discussion:

• Staff will update the Commission on revenue collected by TPWD for FY 2006, including state parks receipts, boat titling and registration revenue, and license sales revenue including the number of licenses sold.
• Staff will review the revenue collected by fund (Game Fish and Water Safety Fund, State Park Fund, Local Park Fund, and Other).
• Staff will compare the FY 2006 budget to FY 2006 expenditures and summarize recent budget adjustments.
• Staff will propose the FY 2007 operating and capital budget.
• Staff will review the FY 2008-2009 Legislative Appropriations Request.
• Staff will discuss the agency's investment and budget policy resolutions.

Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Presenter: George Rios

Finance Committee
Technology Update
August 2006

I. Executive Summary:

• Staff will present an overview on HB1516, as passed by the 79th Texas Legislature. HB1516 directed the Department of Information Resources (DIR) and state agencies to take an enterprise approach to managing the state's investment in information technology.
• Staff will present an overview of plans to replace the hard copy commission book currently distributed to the commission with an electronic version.

II. Discussion:

• HB 1516
  • Staff will update the commission on the DIR, Data Center Consolidation project.
  • Staff will address agency-anticipated impact as a result of the Data Center Consolidation and other components of HB1516.
• Replacement of existing commission book with electronic media.
  • Staff will review plans to utilize laptops to present the commission book electronically during the commission meetings and phase out the hard copy version.