Ark-Tex Council Of Government

Ark-Tex Council of Governments
Board of Directors Meeting
September 27, 2018

The Board of Directors of the Ark-Tex Council of Governments (ATCOG) will meet at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, September 27, 2018, at the Morris County Courthouse Annex, 600 Broadnax, Daingerfield, Texas, hosted by the Honorable Lynda Munkres, Judge, Morris County. (See enclosed map.)
Item 1. Call to order.
Item 2. Invocation.
Item 3. Self-introductions.
Item 4. Approve the minutes as submitted of the Ark-Tex Council of Governments Board of Directors Meeting held Thursday, June 28, 2018, in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

Executive Closed Session
Item 5. The Executive Committee will recess the Open Session and go into Executive Closed Session to discuss personnel matters as allowed in the Texas Open Meetings Act, Section 551.074.

Personnel Matters; annual evaluation of the Executive Director.

Open Session/Review and Comment
Item 6. The Executive Committee will reconvene in Open Session and take action on Item 5 above, as necessary. (To be presented by Board President, Judge L.D. Williamson)
Item 7. Review and comment on Environmental Assessments to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for proposed Federal Operating Permit by Alumax Mill Products – Texarkana, to authorize the operation of a secondary smelting and alloying aluminum facility located at 300 Alumax Drive, Texarkana, Bowie County, Texas. (see page 7; to be presented by staff member Paul Prange)
Item 8. Review and comment on an Environmental Assessment to TCEQ for proposed Air Quality Permit Renewals by the following: (see page 9; to be presented by staff member Paul Prange)
a) U.S. Department of the Army to authorize continued operation of the Red River Army Depot located at 100 James Carlow Drive, Texarkana, Bowie County, Texas.
b) Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) to authorize an increase in emissions of particulate matter at the Welsh Power Plant located at 1187 County Road 4865, Pittsburg, Titus County, Texas.

Regular Business
Item 9. Review and consider approval of ATCOG’s Financial Plan for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019.
(Handouts to be provided at the meeting; to be presented by Executive Director Chris Brown)
Item 10. Review and consider approval of the revision to the ATCOG Policies and Procedures Manual. (See page 13; to be presented by staff member Mary Beth Rudel)
Item 11. Review and consider approval of Executive Committee members to serve a 2-year term beginning October 1, 2018. (See page 14; to be presented by Nominating Committee Member)
Item 12. Review and consider approval of reappointment of Executive Committee members to serve as Officers to the Board of Directors for a 2-year term beginning October 1, 2018. (See page 15; to be presented by Nominating Committee Member)
Item 13. Review and consider nomination filling two vacancies to the Regional Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (RCJAC) to serve through December 31, 2019. (See page 16; to be presented by staff member Patricia Haley)
Item 14. Review and consider approval of the ATCOG Transit Asset Management Plan, as part of the Texas Department of Transportation’s Statewide Plan. (See page 17; additional handout to be provided at the meeting; to be presented by staff member Mark Compton)
Item 15. Review and consider approval of a one-year extension to the agreement with Guaranty Bank & Trust to provide banking services beginning October 1, 2018, and extending through September 30, 2019. (See page 19; to be presented by Executive Director Chris Brown)
Item 16. Review and consider approval to combine November and December ATCOG Board meetings into one Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, December 6, 2018. (See page 20; to be presented by staff member Amber Thurston)
Item 17. Update regarding the TxDOT County Road Inventory form process. (See page 21; to be presented by Executive Director Chris Brown)

Other Business

Item 18. Executive Director Report (For information only – see page 22; to be presented by Executive Director Chris Brown)
a) Homeland Security Quarterly Report and Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
b) Update on Franklin County Meal Center
c) Update on Restitution received by ATCOG
Item 19. Introduction of Melody Harmon as 2018 Employee of the Year for ATCOG and presentation of a plaque by Board President, Judge L.D. Williamson. (To be presented by Executive Director, Chris Brown)

Announcements

The next joint North East Texas Rural Planning Organization and ATCOG Executive Committee Meeting will be
held Thursday, October 25, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., at the Titus County Extension Office, Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Pursuant to the Texas Open Meeting Act, Government Code Chapter 551 one or more of the above items may be considered in executive session closed to the public, including but not limited to consultation with attorney pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.071 and Section 551.074 arising out of the attorney’s ethical duty to advise ATCOG concerning legal issues arising from an agenda item. Any decision held on such matter will be taken or conducted in open session following the conclusion of the executive session. Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need auxiliary aids or services are requested to contact Administration at 903-832-8636 two (2) workdays prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
All agendas are sent electronically and available at www.atcog.org. Should any Board Member need a copy printed and available at the meeting, please call 903/255.3555 or email athurston@atcog.org

MINUTES
ARK-TEX COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
JUNE 28, 2018

The Board of Directors of the Ark-Tex Council of Governments (ATCOG) met at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, June 28, 2018, at Sulphur Springs City Hall, hosted by the Honorable Emily Glass, Councilwoman, City of Sulphur Springs,
Texas.
Item 1. President L.D. Williamson, Judge, Red River County, called the meeting to order. Councilwoman Glass
welcomed all attendees to Sulphur Springs. Chris Brown, Executive Director, also acknowledged Gale
Roberts, City Secretary, Sulphur Springs for hosting and setting up the meeting.
Item 2. Brady Fisher, Northeast Texas Resource Conservation & Development, gave the invocation.
Item 3. At this time, all attendees introduced themselves. Mr. Brown made special mention of Mark Compton, new Transportation Manager for ATCOG.
Item 4. The next order of business was to approve the minutes as submitted of the Ark-Tex Council of Governments Board of Directors meeting held Thursday, March 29, 2018, in Mt. Vernon, Texas.
Motion to approve was made by Scott Lee, Judge, Franklin County, and seconded by Ann Rushing, Mayor, City of Clarksville. The minutes were approved as submitted.

Review and Comment

Item 5. Paul Prange, the Environmental Coordinator, presented for consideration an Environmental Assessment to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for proposed Air Quality Permit Renewals by the following:
a) Ward Timber, Ltd. to authorize modification of the existing Sawmill located at 1154 Hwy 155 West, Linden, Cass County, Texas.
b) Potter Industries, LLC. to authorize continued operation of a glass bead manufacturing facility located at 1601 19th St. NW, Paris, Lamar County, Texas.
Motion to approve was made by M.C. Superville, Jr, Judge, Lamar County, and seconded by Robert Newsom, Judge, Hopkins County. They were approved.
Item 6. Toni Lindsey, Grant Administration Specialist, presented for consideration an application by Sulphur Springs Independent School District to the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start, for a grant in the amount of $33,371, to be matched with $8,343 cash and in-kind, for a Cost of
Living Adjustment for 2018-2019.
Motion to approve was made by Judge Newsom and seconded by Judge Scott Lee. It was approved.

Other Business

Item 7. Melinda Tickle, Finance Manager, introduced Chris Pruitt of Pattillo, Brown & Hill, LLP, Auditor for ATCOG, who presented for consideration annual approval of ATCOG’s Financial Statements and Auditor’s Reports for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2017. Mr. Pruitt thanked the Board for the opportunity to serve as the Auditing Firm for ATCOG. He reviewed the Audit prior to the Board meeting with the Audit Committee and it was approved for presentation to the Board for the recommendation.
Mr. Pruitt provided highlights for the Board, noting a clean, unmodified opinion and no findings in the Audit. He noted due to the timeframe in which ATCOG switched retirement plans, it is not seen as a line item on this Audit, but will be reflected next year.
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Motion to approve was made by Judge Scott Lee and seconded by Ann Rushing, Mayor, City of Clarksville. The audit was approved.
Item 8. Ms. Tickle presented for the consideration of the annual approval of the Investment Policy that establishes procedures to be followed in investing funds for ATCOG.
Motion to approve was made by Mayor Rushing and seconded by Mr. Fisher. It was approved.
Item 9. Ms. Tickle presented for approval the proposed Salary Schedule for ATCOG for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019. Handouts were provided at the meeting.
Motion to approve with permission for the Executive Committee to make any necessary changes was made by Judge Scott Lee and seconded by Judge Newsom. It was approved.
Item 10. Leslie McBride, Human Resources Manager, presented for consideration approval of increased rates with Texas Municipal League Multistate Intergovernmental Employee Benefits Pool (TMLIEBP) for Plan Year 2018-2019. Due to the significant increase, ATCOG cannot incur the 15% premium increase and continue to deposit funds in the employees’ HSA accounts. Ms. McBride is in the process of researching other options and asked for permission to proceed with another option should a better value be presented.
Motion to approve with options was made by Mayor Rushing and seconded by Mr. Fisher. It was approved.
Item 11. Chris Brown, Executive Director, presented for consideration approval of the ATCOG Housing Choice Voucher Program Annual Plan.
Motion to approve was made by Mayor Rushing and seconded by Timothy Walsworth, Councilman, City of Roxton. It was approved.
Item 12. Whitney Fezell, Homeland Security Coordinator, presented for consideration approval to use the risk-based formula as the method for allocating FY2018 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) funds to eligible jurisdictions.
Motion to approve was made by Judge Newsom and seconded by Becky Wilbanks, Judge, Cass County. It was approved.
Item 13. Ms. Fezell presented for consideration approval of revisions to the Homeland Security Advisory Committee (HSAC) Bylaws.
Motion to approve was made by Judge Wilbanks and seconded by Mayor Rushing. It was approved.

Announcements

Judge Williamson announced the next Executive Committee Meeting will be held on Thursday, July 26, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.
Judge Newsom announced that Senator Ted Cruz will be visiting Sulphur Springs on July 4th at 3:30 p.m. at the Pioneer Café for anyone interested in attending.
Mayor Rushing announced there will be a new hospital in Clarksville soon.
Amber Thurston, the Executive Assistant, extended her thanks to Councilwoman Glass and the City of Sulphur Springs for hosting the meeting.
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There were no other announcements, so Judge Williamson adjourned the meeting.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT
L.D. Williamson, Judge, Red River County
M.C. (Chuck) Superville, Jr., Judge, Lamar County
Becky Wilbanks, Judge, Cass County
Scott Lee, Judge, Franklin County
Robert Newsom, Judge, Hopkins County
Brian Lee, Judge, Titus County
Ann Rushing, Mayor, City of Clarksville
Ralph Robertson, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Mt. Vernon
Billy Trenado, Councilman, City of Paris
Emily Glass, Councilwoman, City of Sulphur Springs
Brady Fisher, Northeast Texas Resource Conservation & Development District
Scott Norton, TexAmericas Center
Stan Wyatt, Northeast Texas Municipal Water District
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Robert Douglas, Delta County MUD
Tim Walsworth, Councilman, City of Roxton
GUESTS PRESENT
Kathey Comer, Office of Senator John Cornyn
Doyce Winchester, TDEM
Josh Roberts, Texas DPS/DEM
Chris Pruitt, Pattillo, Brown & Hill
STAFF PRESENT
Chris Brown, Executive Director
Mary Beth Rudel, Deputy Director
Amber Thurston, Executive Assistant
Lisa Reeve, Area Agency on Aging Manager
Melinda Tickle, Finance Manager
Leslie McBride, Human Resources Manager
Rea Washington, 9-1-1 Operations Manager
Mark Compton, Transportation Manager
Patricia Haley, Criminal Justice Coordinator
Paul Prange, Environmental Resources Coordinator
Whitney Fezell, Homeland Security Coordinator
Toni Lindsey, Grant Administration Specialist
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L.D. Williamson, President
Ark-Tex Council of Governments