Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee

Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., August 25, 1999

Commission Hearing Room
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Item
No.
Subject Public Hearing
Agenda Item No.
  Approval of the Committee Minutes from the previous meeting.  
  Summary of Minutes  
1. Chairman's Charges (Oral Presentation) Committee Only
2. Capital Program Update
Staff: Dan Patton
Committee Only
3. Other Business  

Summary of Minutes
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission
Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee
June 2, 1999

BE IT REMEMBERED that heretofore on the 2nd day of June 1999, there came on to be heard matters under the regulatory authority of the Parks and Wildlife Commission of Texas, in the Commission Hearing Room of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Headquarters complex, Austin, Travis County, Texas beginning at 3:23 p.m., to wit:

I. COMMISSION ATTENDANCE

Lee M. Bass
John Avila, Jr., Committee Chair
Nolan Ryan
Dick Heath
Ernest Angelo, Jr. (absent)
Carol E. Dinkins
Katharine Armstrong Idsal
Mark E. Watson, Jr.
Alvin L. Henry

II. OPENING STATEMENT

Andrew Sansom, Executive Director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, read the opening statement into the record and proceeded with the approval of the minutes.

III. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE PRESENTED FOR COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION:

Dan Patton, Director of the Infrastructure Division, briefed the Commission on the status of the Bond and Total Capital Program and gave a summary of Infrastructure's project management system. He began with the FY98 Bond Program and reminded the Commission that $12 million was issued for expenditure in March 1998. Expenditures have increased since the last report and are paralleling our expenditure goals on a monthly basis climbing towards the $9.0 million expenditure target by September. An additional million dollars has been expended in the past two-and-a-half months and $2.8 million has been encumbered. Out of 91 projects, 35 are complete, 41 are in construction, one is in the bidding phase, 13 are in design, and one flood warning system project is pending. Mr. Patton assured the Commission that all projects except the flood warning system project would be complete before the end of the bond period next year. Mr. Patton shared examples of a few current projects and their construction status with slides.

Mr. Patton moved on to explain the status of the FY99 Bond Program. In January 1999, $18 million of bond revenue was issued. Three projects have been completed, 12 are under construction, 94 are in design and one is in the bidding phase. Infrastructure is close to $100,000 behind expenditure schedule, but should be back on track to spend $1.8 million before the next reporting period. He further went on to brief the Commission on upcoming high-visibility projects such as Enchanted Rock headquarters renovation and Lake Colorado City cottages. In response to a question from Commissioner Dinkins, Mr. Patton explained construction on the Lake Colorado City cottages project will soon be underway and TDCJ labor will be utilized for the project. Commissioner Avila commented that the construction duration is probably three to six months considering the nature of the projects and dollar amount.

Next, Mr. Patton gave the status on the Total Capital Program followed by a summary of Infrastructure's project management system. Infrastructure is administering over 600 projects, 91 are from the FY98 Bond Program and 142 are from the FY99 Bond Program. A total of $12.9 million has been expended this year exceeding the projected expenditure goal for May 1999.

To help track these projects, Infrastructure contracted with Carter and Burgess, a consulting firm, to incorporate a project management system using Primavera software. This is the first scheduling system within the agency that integrates contracting, budgeting, and scheduling information. All necessary users are trained and all projects should be loaded into the system by July for implementation in August. Commissioner Avila asked if Infrastructure had any plans to use the project delivery system concerning design/build that was approved by the legislature. Mr. Patton responded by saying what the legislature had approved was more comprehensive than just design/build and Infrastructure will select the best system for each project. Commissioner Avila stated that it is not the agency's intent to go to one firm and to spread the distribution of projects around. Mr. Patton assured the Commission that projects were being spread around using qualified consultants. The benefit of the project management system is to help manage the workload and to help streamline the process.

IV. ADJOURNMENT - There being no further business, Commissioner Avila adjourned the June 2, 1999 meeting of the Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.


Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Presenter: Andrew Sansom

Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee
Briefing
Chairman's Charges
June 1999

(This item will be an oral presentation.)


Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Dan Patton

Ad Hoc Infrastructure Committee
Briefing
Capital Program Update
August 1999

I. Discussion: Dan Patton will brief the Committee on the status of the Capital Program. The report will reflect current status of capital dollars expended, under contract, and projected expenditure goals. Mr. Patton will also give an overview on the TPW/TDCJ Program and how the two agencies combine efforts to use inmate labor in the execution of our Capital Program.


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