Commission Meeting Agenda Item No. 3
Presenter: Richard Heilbrun

Action
Williamson County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan Citizens Advisory Committee and Biological Advisory Team – Appointment of Members and Delegation of Appointment Authority to Executive Director
November 3, 2022

I.      Executive Summary:  Staff recommends that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) appoint members to the Biological Advisory Team (BAT) and the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Williamson County, Texas, Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (RHCP).  Staff also recommends that the Commission delegate future appointment authority for the BAT and CAC to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Executive Director. 

II.     Discussion: Williamson County and the Williamson County Conservation Foundation have initiated the amendment process for the Williamson County RHCP, consistent with the provisions of Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, chapter 83, subchapter B, Habitat Protection by Political Subdivisions. Pursuant to Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, section 83.016, Williamson County has appointed a CAC to assist in preparing the RHCP, and the Commission must appoint a representative to the CAC, who is a voting member. TPWD staff recommends that the Commission appoint Wildlife Division Senior Wildlife Biologist Derrick Wolter as the representative to the CAC.

Pursuant to Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, section 83.015, Williamson County has also appointed a BAT to assist in the calculation of harm to endangered species and the sizing and configuring of the habitat preserves, and the Commission must appoint at least one representative to the BAT who serves as its presiding officer. TPWD staff recommends that the Commission appoint Wildlife Division Conservation Initiatives Specialist Dr. Elizabeth Bates as the presiding officer of the BAT. TPWD staff also recommends that the Commission appoint Wildlife Division Herpetologist Dr. Paul Crump to serve as an additional member of the BAT.

Due to the immediate need to appoint members, TPWD staff requests that the Commission make the recommended appointments to the CAC and BAT and delegate future appointment authority for the Williamson County RHCP CAC and BAT appointments to the Executive Director. The delegation of future appointment authority would simplify and shorten the appointment process in order to seat critically important committee members and avoid lengthy vacancy periods, which negatively impact the Williamson County RHCP.

III.  Recommendation:

The staff recommends that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:

“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts the Resolution attached as Exhibit A.”

Attachment – 1

  1. Exhibit A – Resolution

Commission Agenda Item No. 3
Exhibit A

A Resolution by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Regarding Appointment of Members of the Citizens Advisory Committee and the Biological Advisory Team of the Williamson County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan and the Delegation of Appointment Authority to the Executive Director

Resolution 

        Whereas, the Williamson County Conservation Foundation has initiated the amendment process for the Williamson County, Texas Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (RHCP) consistent with the provisions of Texas Parks and Wildlife Code (PWC) chapter 83, subchapter B, Habitat Protection by Political Subdivisions; and

        Whereas, pursuant to PWC chapter 83, a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and a Biological Advisory Team (BAT) must be formed in connection with the development of an amendment to the RHCP;

        Whereas, PWC section 83.015 requires the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) to appoint at least one member to the BAT;

        Whereas, PWC section 83.016 requires the Commission to appoint one representative as a member to the CAC; and

        Whereas, there is an immediate need to appoint members to those committees; and

        Whereas, delegating future appointment authority to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Executive Director to appoint members to the BAT and CAC for the Williamson County RHCP would simplify and shorten the appointment process to seat critically important members and avoid lengthy vacancy periods; and

        Whereas, TPWD staff maintain the requisite skills and qualifications to serve as qualified members to the CAC and BAT and can assist the Executive Director in the appointment process; and

        Whereas, pursuant to PWC section 11.011, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is under the policy direction of the Commission; and

        Whereas, the Commission finds that delegating authority to the Executive Director to appoint future members to the BAT and CAC for the Williamson County RHCP is in the best interest of the Commission and TPWD; and,

        Now, therefore, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission appoints Conservation Initiatives Specialist Dr. Elizabeth Bates of the TPWD Wildlife Division to serve as the presiding officer of, and Herpetologist Dr. Paul Crump of the Wildlife Division to serve as an additional member of, the Williamson County RHCP BAT, and appoints Senior Wildlife Biologist Derrick Wolter of the Wildlife Division to serve as the representative to the Williamson County RHCP CAC; and, further, authorizes the Executive Director to appoint future members to the BAT and CAC for the Williamson County RHCP.

In official recognition of the adoption of this resolution in a lawfully called public meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, we hereby affix our signatures this 3rd day of November 2022.

Arch “Beaver” Aplin, III, Chairman

Dick Scott, Vice-Chairman

James E. Abell, Member

Oliver J. Bell, Member

Paul L. Foster, Member

Anna B. Galo, Member

Jeffery D. Hildebrand, Member

Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr., Member

Travis B. “Blake” Rowling, Member