Ark-Tex Council Of Governments

 

Agenda

Ark-Tex Council of Governments
Executive Committee Meeting

APRIL 26, 2018

The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Ark-Tex Council of Governments (ATCOG) meets at 10:00 am, Thursday (Apr 26) at the Titus County Extension Office, 1708 Industrial Road, Mt. Pleasant.

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 Executive Committee Meeting
held Thursday, February 22, 2018, in Texarkana, Texas.
Review and Comment
Item 5. Review and comment on an application by Cooper Independent School District to the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start, for a grant for $348,570, to be matched with $87,143, cash & in-kind, for continuation/refunding of Head Start. (See page 5 – to be
presented by staff member Vickie Williamson)

Regular Business
Item 6. Review applications and approve priorities/recommendations established by the Regional Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (RCJAC) concerning projects submitted to the Office of the Governor,
Criminal Justice Division, for funding consideration. (See attachment 1 – page 8) (To be presented by
staff member Patricia Haley).

Other Business
Item 7. Law Enforcement Training Update (For information only – to be presented by staff member Patricia Haley)
Item 8. Regional Development Program update (For info – submitted by staff member Vickie Williamson)
Item 9. Executive Director’s Report (For information only – see page 16) (Presented by Executive Director Chris Brown)

Finance Reports
Announcements
The next Executive Committee Meeting will be held Thursday (May 31) at 10:00 a.m, at the Titus County Extension Office in Mt. Pleasant.
Under the Texas Open Meeting Act, Government Code Chapter 551 one or more of the above items considered in executive session closed to the public. They include but not limited to consultation with an attorney according 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 meeting.

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) work days before the meeting to make appropriate arrangements.

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
1
MINUTES
ARK-TEX COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
FEBRUARY 22, 2018

The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Ark-Tex Council of Governments (ATCOG) met at 10:00 am, Thursday, February 22, 2018, at the Ark-Tex Council of Governments, in Texarkana, Texas, hosted by Executive Director, Chris Brown and ATCOG staff.

Item 1. L.D. Williamson, Judge, Red River County, called the meeting to order.
Item 2. Scott Lee, Judge, Franklin County, gave the invocation.
Item 3. At this time, each attendee introduced themselves. James Carlow, Judge, Bowie County, welcomed everyone to Texarkana. Roy John McNatt, Judge, Miller County, Arkansas, greeted everyone as well.
Item 4. The next order of business was to approve the minutes as submitted by the Ark-Tex Council of Governments Executive Committee meeting held Thursday, January 25, 2018, in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.
Motion to approve made by Lynda Munkres, Judge, Morris County, and seconded by Robert Newsom, Judge, Hopkins County. The minutes were approved as submitted.

Review and Comment
Item 5. Paul Prange, Environmental Services Coordinator, presented for consideration an Environmental
Assessment to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality by the City of Annona, authorizing the discharge of treated wastewater from the facility located near US Highway 82 and FM 44 in Red River
County, ultimately to the Sulphur/South Sulphur River. Motion to approve made by Ann Rushing, Mayor, City of Clarksville, and seconded by Brian Lee, Judge, Titus County. It passed.

Regular Business
Item 6. Whitney Fezell, Homeland Security Specialist, presented for consideration approval for the ATCOG Executive Director to submit the following applications for FY18 State Homeland Security Program grant funds through the Office of the Governor Homeland Security Division:
• Planning, Training and Exercises Program
• Regional Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Training Program.
Motion to approve was made Ralph Robertson, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Mt. Vernon, and seconded by
Marc Reiter, Councilman, City of Hooks. It was approved.
Item 7. Sharon Pipes, Director of Administration, presented for consideration approval of letters, resolutions, and agreements necessitated by the retirement of the Director of Administration and the restructuring of the agency. All of these actions will be effective on March 5, 2018, and are listed below.
a) A letter signed by the Executive Director designating Mary Beth Rudel, Deputy Director, as the Acting Executive Director in his absence.
b) A resolution for the removal of current signatory authority and approval of a new signatory authority for Guaranty Bank and Trust.
c) A resolution for approval to appoint a designated
e) A resolution to approve revisions to the ATCOG Policies and Procedures Manual.
f) A resolution to accept revisions in the ATCOG Ethics Policy Manual.
g) A resolution to support changes in the ATCOG Equal Employment Opportunity Plan.
h) A resolution to approve amendments in the ATCOG Emergency Preparedness Plan.
i) A resolution to accept new trustees for the Ark-Tex Urban Transit, Inc. Retirement Plan with American Funds, as required by the Third Party Administrator.
j) A resolution to approve the appointment of a new officer for the Board of Directors of Ark-Tex Urban Transit, Inc. Motion to approve was made by Mayor Pro Tem Robertson and seconded by Councilman Reiter. All items were accepted.

Other Business
Item 8. Mr. Brown presented for ratification a sub-recipient agreement between the City of Texarkana, Texas, ATCOG, and the Randy Sams’ Outreach Shelter. Motion to approve was made by Judge Brian Lee and seconded by Judge Scott Lee. It passed.
Item 9. Mary Beth Rudel, Deputy Directory, and Rea Washington, 9-1-1 Manager, presented the 2018 ATCOG Public Safety Telecommunicator of the Year Award to Ms. Rosette Propps, Atlanta Police Department dispatcher. Danielle Bloodworth, Public Safety Access Point Supervisor, read her nomination letter.
Item 10. Leslie McBride, Human Resources Coordinator, along with Judge Williamson, presented Ms. Pipes with a retirement appreciation plaque for 19 ½ years of service. Ms. Pipes expressed her thankfulness and appreciation to everyone present.
Announcements
Amber Thurston, the Executive Assistant, thanked everyone for attending today and reminded them of the celebration honoring Ms. Pipes, being held immediately following the meeting.
Mr. Brown announced the Northeast Texas Regional Alliance is trying to obtain a speaker for the next meeting.
With Board approval, he requested each Executive Committee member’s signature on a form letter/invitation to be sent out inviting notable speakers, area business leaders, and elected officials to this event.
Judge Williamson announced he received a letter from Texas Parks and Wildlife concerning the Northeast Texas Trails. They will be visiting the area to assess whether or not the park can change into a linear park.
Ms. Thurston announced the next Executive Committee meeting would be held on Thursday, March 29, 2018, at the Franklin County Law Enforcement Center in Mt. Vernon. Judge Scott Lee will be hosting this meeting and providing lunch; Ms. Thurston explained a headcount would be necessary before to this meeting.
There were no other announcements, so the meeting adjourned.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT
L.D. Williamson, Judge, Red River County
James Carlow, Judge, Bowie County
Lynda Munkres, Judge, Morris County
Becky Wilbanks, Judge, Cass County
Brian Lee, Judge, Titus County
Scott Lee, Judge, Franklin County
Robert Newson, Judge, Hopkins County
Ann Rushing, Mayor, City of Clarksville
Ralph Robertson, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Mt. Vernon
Bob Thorne, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Daingerfield
Marc Rieter, Councilman, City of Hooks

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Roy John McNatt, Judge, Miller County, AR
Travis Ransom, Mayor, City of Atlanta
Scott Norton, President, TexAmericas Center

GUESTS PRESENT
Robbin Bass, Office of Congressman John Ratcliffe
Lezley Brown, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
Rosette Propps, Atlanta Police Dept.
Danielle Bloodworth, Atlanta Police Dept.
Sandra Chapa, Atlanta Police Dept.
Jay Womack, Atlanta Police Dept.
James Cromeans, Atlanta Police Dept.
Randy Pipes, Guest
Susan Thorne, Guest
Brenda Davis, Guest
Sandie Embrey, Guest

STAFF PRESENT
Chris Brown, Executive Director
Sharon Pipes, Director of Administration
Mary Beth Rudel, Deputy Director
Amber Thurston, Executive Assistant
Lisa Reeve, Area Agency on Aging Manager
Melinda Tickle, Finance Manager
Claude Ramsey, IT Manager
Vickie Williamson, Regional Projects Manager
Richard Powell, Economic Development Manager
Rea Washington, 9-1-1 Manager
Paul Prange, Environmental Resources Coordinator
Leslie McBride, Human Resources Coordinator
Whitney Fezell, Homeland Security Specialist
Debbie Graff, Accounting Specialist
Jenny Butler, Aging Program Assistant
Toni Lindsey, Grant Administration Specialist
Melody Harmon, Economic Development Specialist
Patricia Fleming, 9-1-1 Addressing Technician
Judy Shaddix, 9-1-1 Mapping Technician
Katina Johnson, Receptionist
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L.D. Williamson, President
Ark-Tex Council of Governments