Capital Area Council of Governments

In the News

Austin Area Avoids Violating Federal Ozone Air Quality Standards

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

The Austin area has just barely avoided violating federal ozone air quality standards. With the conclusion of the ozone season in Austin on October 31, the Austin area’s ozone design value of 75 parts per billion maintained compliance with the 2008 ozone standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb) for a third year in a row, but the area was just one day away from violating the standard. The ozone design value, calculated as the average of the region’s fourth highest eight-hour ozone level measured during the year averaged over three years currently stands at 75 ppb, 1 ppb higher than it was in 2010. There were 10 days in the 2011 ozone season when ozone levels measured locally were unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as people with asthma, children, senior citizens, and people who work outdoors.

The EPA also recently announced that it would not proceed with its plans to further lower the ozone standard this year, but would instead begin to implement the 2008 standard starting early in 2012. In 2009, the Governor had initially recommended that Travis County be designated a nonattainment area based on a 76 ppb design value in 2008. However, the area has been in attainment of the standard since 2009, and on October 31, the Governor submitted a revised recommendation to EPA that did not include Travis County or any other counties in the CAPCOG region on the list of Texas Counties being recommended for nonattainment designation. The region’s voluntary ozone control plan – the 8-O3 Flex Program – remains in place and CAPCOG will continue to work with local jurisdictions, businesses, and other organizations to help implement the plan and continue proactive efforts toward maintaining our current attainment status in compliance with federal standards.

In the News

9-1-1 Centers Get Ready for the Nationwide EAS Test

Thursday, November 03, 2011

On November 9, 2011, at 1 PM Central Standard Time (CST), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct the first-ever, nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). EAS alerts are transmitted over radio and television broadcast stations, cable television and other media services. The purpose of the November 9th test is to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the system as a way to alert the public during nationwide emergencies. Although FEMA and the FCC are taking steps to ensure that broadcast announcements are made during the test, some people may not see or hear these announcements and, as a result, 9-1-1 Centers may receive calls. That is why both agencies are conducting various outreach activities to educate 9-1-1 Centers and other public safety agencies about the test. In addition, the FCC has established a website dedicated to the November 9th test which can be found on the FCC website at www.fcc.gov/pshs.

In existence since 1994, the EAS is an alert and warning system designed to transmit emergency alerts and warnings to the public at the national, state, tribal and local levels. EAS Participants broadcast alerts and warnings regarding weather alerts, child abductions and other types of emergencies. Although local and state components of the EAS are tested on a weekly and monthly basis, there has never been an end-to-end nationwide test or a national activation of the system. This simultaneous, top-down, test of all components of the EAS on a nationwide basis will be conducted to ensure that the system will work as intended should public safety officials ever need to send an alert or warning to a large region of the United States. 

On November 9th at 1 PM CST, FEMA will transmit the EAS code for national emergencies. The EAS code and alert will be rebroadcast by broadcast stations and other service providers until it has been distributed throughout the entire country and U.S. territories.

What can local government agencies do to help? The FCC suggests a number of steps to prepare for the test. These include:

• Getting the word out about the November 9th test to state, tribal and local 9-1-1 call centers, first responder agencies and any other government agencies, as appropriate;
• Working with EAS Participants in your state to ensure that your state’s EAS Plan is up-to-date; and
• Participating in monthly tests of your state’s EAS.

Although the EAS test will be initiated by FEMA, local governments can use the test as an opportunity to educate appropriate public safety and other government officials and staff about the EAS, how it works, when it should be activated, and how to initiate an alert for example. Finally, the FCC asks local government officials to help inform residents within your jurisdictions in advance of the test, so that they will know what to expect. Although the nationwide test will be similar to the monthly and weekly tests that the public is used to, there will be some differences. Most notably, the November 9th test will be longer – approximately three minutes – compared to the usual two minute monthly test.

In the News

CAPCOG Provides GIS Redistricting Services to Bastrop County

Monday, October 31, 2011

CAPCOG GIS services staff recently provided GIS redistricting services to Bastrop County. These services included identifying streets split by election jurisdictions, updating streets data with election jurisdiction, creating polygon shapefiles of each sub election precinct, and creating a digital list of streets with address ranges and associated election jurisdiction information. Any CAPCOG  counties and cities interested in GIS data services should contact Eddie O'Connor at 512-916-6033 or eoconnor@capcog.org.

In the News

CAPCOG Receives NADO Award

Friday, October 14, 2011

CAPCOG has been presented the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Innovation Award for the project completed last year Assessing Growth and Development in the Areas of Land Use, Water, Transportation, and Economic Development. NADO President Tim Ware made the presentation to CAPCOG Executive Director Betty Voights at the recent NADO Annual Conference in Florida.  Ms. Voights noted that, while many COGs conduct similar analyses of growth in their regions, few have actually looked at the links between these four areas in the same study.

In the News

First CAPCOG Jurisdictions Launching MyPermitNow

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

The San Marcos City Council approved the city’s adoption of MyPermitNow last month as their permitting and code enforcement software.  San Marcos is the second city to approve purchase of MyPermitNow, joining Lago Vista, which approved the software earlier in August. Both municipalities plan to go live with MyPermitNow before the end of the calendar year.  It is anticipated that by early 2012 up to ten CAPCOG jurisdictions will have begun the conversion to MyPermitNow.

MyPermitNow is the main program in a suite of software programs that allows jurisdictions to track permitting, addressing, code enforcement, subdivision, and zoning review as well as a number of other municipal functions.  Foremost among the features that have made MyPermitNow attractive to the area’s jurisdictions is the program’s web-based nature which allows applicants, officials, and staff to submit or review plans, print permits, make payments, or otherwise track or follow up on a project from any computer with an internet connection.  As such, MyPermitNow eliminates the need for paper plan sets and should reduce the cost of permit review for both local governments and developers as well as for homeowners who apply for permits.  But perhaps most attractive about MyPermitNow is its simple pricing structure which charges based only on the number of permit cases generated while offering free setup, training, technical support, and program upgrades.  This makes MyPermitNow more affordable than other competing products, which typically charge additional fees for setup, support, and conversion to new software releases.

CAPCOG offers MyPermitNow through a cooperative agreement with the South Central Planning and Development Commission (SCPDC), a regional agency based in Houma, Louisiana.  SCPDC develops and supports MyPermitNow while also utilizing it in the field, thanks to SCPDC serving as their region’s centralized permitting agency. CAPCOG has exclusive rights to market and distribute MyPermitNow in the Capital Area and adjacent regions in Central Texas.

If you are interested in learning more about how MyPermitNow can improve the permitting, code enforcement, and addressing processes in your city or county, please contact David Fowler, CAPCOG Senior Planner, at (512) 916-6165 or dfowler@capcog.org.

In the News

CARTPO Prioritizes Regional Transportation Projects

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

At its Sept. meeting, the Capital Area Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CARTPO) prioritized projects to be funded by the Austin District of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) through a Proposition 12 bond. Since the funds allocated to the Austin District under Proposition 12 total $91 million, only a select set of the projects can receive funding.  The purpose of CARTPO’s prioritization process was to provide input on which projects will best serve the needs of the ten-county Capital Area. 

As a result of the scoring process, CARTPO gave highest priority to a project for US 290 from Giddings to the Bastrop County/Lee County line. CARTPO has ranked this project a top priority since 2000, along with two other segments of US 290. The remaining projects on the list include several key regional routes throughout the Capital Area.  In addition to US 290, the routes that were identified as needing “immediate improvement” in several locations were SH 71, Interstate 35, FM 1431, and US 281.  The complete ranking list from the CARTPO prioritization process is available on the CAPCOG website.

For projects to be included in the prioritization process, the project would need to be let by fiscal year 2013. In most cases this means that the projects on the list already have engineering, environmental clearance and right-of-way acquisition complete or substantially complete.  In addition to the projects listed below, several other projects were submitted but eliminated from consideration after TxDOT indicated that they had already been scheduled for funding in a future year. 

CARTPO is an organization that covers all 10 CAPCOG counties, including counties that are also in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).  The CARTPO process, however, will be the only process by which a voting body evaluates the relative merit of projects for the Proposition 12 bond throughout the Capital Area.  CAMPO received a separate allocation of Proposition 12 funding for which CARTPO did not provide input.

For more information regarding CARTPO and the Proposition 12 project prioritization process, please contact David Fowler, CAPCOG Senior Planner, at (512) 916-6165 or dfowler@capcog.org.

In the News

Fires Increase Interest in Wireless Registration on CAPCOG Emergency Notification System

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

“Citizens interested in being notified of an emergency on their cell phones must register them with our Emergency Notification System (ENS); if someone has a landline phone, we have that,” explained Ed Schaefer, CAPCOG’s Homeland Security Director, who went on to explain that while registrations have been slow in past months, the recent wildfire outbreak resulted in 27,000 new listings!

Emergency personnel in six of CAPCOG’s ten counties—Bastrop, Burnet, Fayette, Hays, Travis, and Williamson—used the system to contact 9,025 phones in a two-day period.  These included calls that were delivered to traditional landline phones and cell phones registered on the system.  The messages delivered by the system ranged from notifications of a wildfire threat to the issuance of mandatory evacuation orders. 

Two years ago residents of the ten-county CAPCOG Region were given the option of receiving notification on their cell phones of emergencies that affect their homes and businesses.  These notifications are made by participating local governments through the CAPCOG regional Emergency Notification System (ENS).

In 2004, responding to requests from members of the CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force, CAPCOG used a combination of homeland security grant funds and funds from participating local governments to implement the ENS.  This system allows public safety personnel in participating jurisdictions to relay critical emergency information to citizens when human life or property is in danger.

Originally, the system would contact only landline phones since it relied on the 9-1-1 database that is managed by CAPCOG. With the increased use of cell phones, fewer households maintain traditional phone service and rely exclusively on their cell phones as their primary phone.  To address the need to extend the availability of emergency notification to individuals without landline phone services, CAPCOG staff worked with a programmer to develop a web-based interface that allows individuals to register their cell phone and locate their residence on a map, extending the functionality of the CAPCOG ENS to cell phones.

An additional benefit of this service is that individuals may link their cell phone number to one or more locations, such as their place of business or the homes of relatives.  If a participating local government activates the system for an area that contains a location that has been registered to a particular cell phone number, the system will contact that cell phone. 

The addition of this service is part of CAPCOG’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the ENS is the most capable telephone-based notification system possible.  Earlier this year, the capabilities of the system were expanded to include the ability to deliver a larger number of calls per hour, providing local officials with more options for notifying their citizens of emergency situations.

For more information about ENS, contact Ed Schaefer at 512-916-6026 or eschaefer@capcog.org.

In the News

Enthusiasm and Dedication to Service Formally Recognized at CAPCOG

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

 Executive Director Betty Voights presented the first award to recognize CAPCOG staff enthusiasm and dedication to service.  The inaugural David Partlow Award was presented to David Partlow, the long-time CAPCOG staff member after whom the award is named.  Ms. Voights said “Regardless of the assignment or task, David would work tirelessly on the activity to ensure that CAPCOG’s member agencies received the best assistance possible.”

The effort and thoughtfulness David put into his work at CAPCOG was unparalleled.  Though David is no longer employed with CAPCOG, the spirit of his service to the ten-county CAPCOG Region will live on through the annual presentation of the David Partlow Award for Enthusiasm and Dedication to Service.

In the News

CAPCOG Responds to Bastrop County Fires

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

When wildfires burned over 34,000 acres in Bastrop County over Labor Day weekend, the county’s partners across the CAPCOG region responded to provide manpower, equipment, and expertise.  The fires destroyed over 1,500 homes and killed two people. 

Bastrop County officials used the CAPCOG regional Emergency Notification System (ENS) to send nearly 4,000 emergency messages, warning residents to evacuate.  CAPCOG’s ENS enables emergency personnel in each of CAPCOG’s ten counties to provide targeted, timely warning messages to landline and cell phones. 

In response to requests for assistance, members of the CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), joined by personnel from the Capital Area and Centex Incident Management Teams (IMT) as well as CAPCOG staff, responded to the Bastrop Convention Center.  The Convention Center was the location from which fire suppression and recovery efforts were coordinated for the two weeks immediately following the fires. At least 13 of the 26 HSTF members and other personnel from Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, Travis, and Williamson Counties responded assisting Bastrop County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Fisher and his staff with a multitude of critical tasks. 

As the fires were brought under control, the magnitude of the debris management problem began to be recognized.  By one estimate, at least one million pine trees were burned.  This was compounded by the destruction of homes and other buildings. 

Kelly Freeman, CAPCOG’s Solid Waste Program Manager, joined Bastrop County officials to begin organizing a coordinated response to debris management.  Drawing on her prior experience with the Houston-Galveston Area Council, she provided critical insight into the logistical challenges of managing the large volume of debris and the maze of rules and regulations governing proper disposal.

Ed Schaefer, Director of Homeland Security, responded to the Bastrop Convention Center to support use of the CAPCOG WebEOC® installation.  WebEOC® allows emergency response personnel from multiple jurisdictions to share critical information related to incident response.  At the State of Texas’ request, the CAPCOG system was made available to them to use in processing requests for state and federal assistance.

Eddie O’Connor, CAPCOG GIS Analyst, worked with Bastrop County GIS and CAPCOG Homeland Security personnel to make the county’s GIS data, including the boundaries of the fire damage and the locations of destroyed homes, available to personnel logged in to the CAPCOG WebEOC® system.

In the News

CAPCOG Benefits Counseling Program Gears Up for Medicare Open Enrollment

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

CAPCOG Benefits Counseling Program is gearing up for Medicare Open Enrollment  beginning Oct.15, 2011 through Dec. 7, 2011. Each year, people with Medicare have a broad array of health and prescription plans to choose from. This year, because of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act there are additional benefits and programs to consider. CAPCOG’s Area Agency on Aging Benefits Counselors are part of the Texas State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to educate, counsel, and assist Medicare beneficiaries. CAPCOG’s Benefits Counseling Program allows Benefits Counselors to answer questions about programs such as Medicare, Prescription Drug Plans, Supplement Insurance, Social Security, and help narrow down the broad array of choices.

During this Open Enrollment period, CAPCOG staff and volunteers are helping individuals navigate the decisions they are making. Benefits Counselors and volunteers are responsible for providing information, counseling, and assistance to Medicare enrollees on topics such as public and private health benefits, individual rights, legal issues, and consumer fraud. All residents of the ten-county CAPCOG Region aged 60 or older, as well as those who are Medicare-eligible regardless of age, are eligible to receive benefits counseling services.

To receive free one-on-one confidential counseling or to volunteer during the Open Enrollment period, ask for a Benefits Counselor when you call the Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area: 1-888-622-9111 Toll free or (512) 916-6062 Austin local. More information can also be found at www.medicare.gov or on the 1-800-MEDICARE hotline.

In the News

CAPCOG Provides 2010 U.S. Census Training

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

As a designated Census Information Center, CAPCOG continually works to disseminate U.S. Census Bureau economic and demographic information throughout the region.  CAPCOG also provides training to local economic development planning staff on how to access and analyze U.S. Census Bureau information.

With the release of Census 2010 data, the US Census Bureau unveiled a new tool to access demographic data, American FactFinder 2. In an effort to assist community and economic development personnel within the region, CAPCOG hosted a training session on American FactFinder 2. More than 40 community representatives attended the two-hour session on 2010 Census data and American FactFinder 2 . The training provided local officials and staff with the tools to download data and understand the applications and limitations of the data. The ability to access and utilize U.S. Bureau information is all the timelier with release of the most recent Census product.

In Sept., the U.S. Census Bureau released the results of the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS). Due to the elimination of the long form in the official 2010 Census, the 2010 ACS is now the county’s most comprehensive source of information on such vital topics as income, poverty, education, occupation, employment, and housing. The 2010 ACS is particularly important, as it provides an unparalleled picture of the recession’s impact at the first national, regional, and local level.

In order to accommodate individuals unable to attend the previous session, as well as provide an overview of the statistics contained in the 2010 ACS, CAPCOG will be hosting another U.S. Census Bureau training later this fall.

In the News

9-1-1 Centers Get Ready for the Nationwide EAS Test

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

On Nov.9, 2011, at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMS) will conduct the first-ever, nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). EAS alerts are transmitted over radio and television broadcast stations, cable television, and other media services. The purpose of this test is to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the system as a way to alert the public during nationwide emergencies. Although FEMA and the FCC are taking steps to ensure that broadcast announcements are made during the test, some people may not see or hear these announcements and, as a result, 9-1-1 Centers may receive calls. That is why both agencies are conducting various outreach activities to educate 9-1-1 Centers and other public safety agencies about the test. In addition, the FCC has established a website dedicated to the Nov. 9th test which can be found on the FCC website at www.fcc.gov/pshs.

In existence since 1994, the EAS is an alert and warning system designed to transmit emergency alerts and warnings to the public at the national, state, tribal, and local levels. EAS participants broadcast alerts and warnings regarding weather alerts, child abductions, and other types of emergencies. Although local and state components of the EAS are tested on a weekly and monthly basis, there has never been an end-to-end nationwide test or a national activation of the system. This simultaneous, top-down test of all components of the EAS on a nationwide basis will be conducted to ensure that the system will work as intended should public safety officials ever need to send an alert or warning to a large region of the United States. 

On Nov. 9th at 1 p.m. CST, FEMA will transmit the EAS code for national emergencies. The EAS code and alert will be rebroadcast by broadcast stations and other service providers until it has been distributed throughout the entire country and U.S. territories.

What can local government agencies do to help? The FCC suggests a number of steps to prepare for the test. These include:

• getting the word out about the Nov. 9th test to state, tribal, and local 9-1-1 call centers, first responder agencies, and any other government agencies as appropriate;
• working with EAS participants in your state to ensure that your state’s EAS Plan is up to date; and
• participating in monthly tests of your state’s EAS.

Although the EAS test will be initiated by FEMA, local governments can use the test as an opportunity to educate appropriate public safety and other government officials and staff about the EAS, how it works, when it should be activated, and how to initiate an alert. Finally, the FCC asks local government officials to help inform residents within your jurisdictions in advance of the test, so that they will know what to expect. Although the nationwide test will be similar to typical monthly and weekly tests, there will be some differences. Most notably, the Nov. 9th test will be longer – approximately three minutes – compared to the usual two-minute monthly test.

In the News

2011 Jack Griesenbeck Leadership in Regionalism Award

Friday, September 30, 2011

2011 Jack Griesenbeck Leadership in Regionalism Award

Applications Due November 1, 2011

Regional cooperation is becoming increasingly more important to our communities as we work to address issues across city and county lines.  The Jack Griesenbeck Leadership in Regionalism Award was created to recognize a volunteer, community leader, or elected official who has made a significant effort toward regional cooperation within CAPCOG’s ten-county area.

Nominations are due by Nov. 1^st and the winner will be announced at the December General Assembly meeting.  Past recipients of the award are Kirk Watson, former Mayor of Austin; Neal Kocurek, former Chairman of the Envision Central Texas project; Robert Huston, Chairman of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; Ray Sanders, Lockhart Mayor and current Executive Committee member; Bob Daigh, District Engineer of Texas Department of Transportation; former Austin-area Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, and Caldwell County Judge H. T. Wright.

The award is named for the first chairman of CAPCOG, former Bastrop County Judge Jack Griesenbeck, who understood the need for regionalism.  Judge Griesenbeck was the first chairman of CAPCOG in 1970 and also played a key role in the creation of the Texas Association of Regional Councils, the state association serving 24 councils of governments.

Download Instructions and Application

In the News

CAPCOG Benefits Counseling Program Gears Up for Medicare Open Enrollment

Thursday, September 29, 2011

CAPCOG Benefits Counseling Program is gearing up for Medicare Open Enrollment  beginning October 15, 2011 through December 7, 2011. Each year, people with Medicare have a broad array of health and prescription plans to choose from. This year, because of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act there are additional benefits and programs to consider. CAPCOG’s Area Agency on Aging Benefits Counselors are part of the Texas State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to educate, counsel, and assist Medicare beneficiaries. CAPCOG’s Benefits Counseling Program allows Benefits Counselors to answer questions about programs such as Medicare, Prescription Drug Plans, Supplement Insurance, Social Security and help narrow down the broad array of choices.

During this Open Enrollment period CAPCOG staff and volunteers are helping individuals navigate the decisions they are making. Benefits Counselors and volunteers are responsible for providing information, counseling and assistance to Medicare enrollees on topics such as public and private health benefits, individual rights, legal issues, and consumer fraud. All residents of the ten-county CAPCOG region age 60 or older as well as those who are Medicare eligible regardless of age, are eligible to receive benefits counseling services.

To receive free one-on-one confidential counseling or to volunteer during Open Enrollment period, ask for a Benefits Counselor when you call the Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area: 1-888-622-9111 Toll free or (512) 916-6062 Austin local. More information can also be found on www.medicare.gov or on the 1-800-MEDICARE hotline.

In the News

CAPCOG Hires New Area Agency on Aging Director

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Jennifer Scott has been hired to take over as Director of the Area Agency on Aging in October when Glenda Rogers retires after fourteen years as Director preceded by three years as the AAA Program Specialist.  Ms. Scott has worked in healthcare since 1984 and has focused much of her work on Alzheimers care issues.  She is on the faculty of the Center for Health Services Education and a guest lecturer at UT’s Pharmacy School.  She has been the administrator for assisted living facilities and has extensive knowledge of Medicare/Medicaid issues which are increasingly becoming a critical part of caring for seniors. Ms. Scott has also worked with foundations and has experience writing applications, managing funding and tracking performance which will be important to our programs in the future, according to Betty Voights, CAPCOG Executive Director. 

“We are going to miss Glenda a lot and particularly her eternal quest for identifying additional programs that could serve the seniors of our region,” Voights said.

In the News

Locate Recycling and Waste Facilities Mapping Tool

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Newly added – if you see a  this indicates newly added pharmaceutical drop off locations. Also note the turquoise markers which identify locations to drop off your electronics for recycling.

Finding nearby recycling or waste facilities has never been easier for Capital Area residents.  The CAPCOG Solid Waste Program has developed an easy to use mapping tool (using Google Maps and Google Earth) to find the most convenient facility for you to drop off your recycling, household hazardous waste (HHW), or just about any household waste product.  When the map opens simply click on the points in the map and find the facility nearest you!  From there you will find contact information and/or links to a web page where you can obtain more information about the services offered.(1)  If you see a $, this is a location where you may sell some of your recyclable materials.(2)

View Capital Area Recycling and Waste Drop-off Locations in a larger map

(1) PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO OUR MAP:  This is the first running model of our map, and for now only includes recycling facilities that are owned by cities or counties in the ten county CAPCOG region.  If you know of any recycling or waste collection points that are missing from our map please let us know by contacting Regional Environmental Task Force Coordinator, Ashley Fisher, at afisher@capcog.org.  Locations of privately owned recycling and waste facilities in our region are coming soon!

(2) Not all recyclable materials accepted.  Please contact facility for details.

In the News

CARTPO Prioritizes Road Projects for TxDOT Consideration

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

At its September 2, 2011 meeting, the Capital Area Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CARTPO) prioritized projects to be funded by money allocated to the Austin District of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) through a Proposition 12 bond.  Since the funds allocated to the Austin District under Proposition 12 total $91 million, only a select set of the projects listed below can receive funding.  The purpose of CARTPO’s process was to register an option on which projects will best serve the needs of the 10-county Capital Area. 

As can be seen in the chart below, the full version of which has been formally submitted to the TxDOT Austin District, CARTPO gave US 290 from Giddings to the Bastrop County line in Lee County highest priority.  This project has been at or near the top of CARTPO’s prioritization processes since the organization began meeting in 2000.  A glance at the remaining projects on the list demonstrates the importance of several key regional routes throughout the capital area.  In addition to US 290, the routes that have been judged as needing immediate improvement in several locations are SH 71, Interstate 35, FM 1431 and US 281.

For projects to be eligible for the prioritization process, the ability to let the respective projects no later than fiscal year 2013 had to be in evidence.  In most cases this means that the projects on the list have engineering, environmental clearance and right-of-way acquisition complete or substantially complete.  In addition to the projects listed below, several other projects were submitted but eliminated from consideration after TxDOT had indicated that the projects had already been scheduled for funding in a future year. 

CARTPO is an organization that covers all 10 CAPCOG counties, including counties that are also in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).  The CARTPO process, however, will be the only process by which a voting body expresses its opinion of the relative merit of projects for the Proposition 12 bond throughout the Capital Area.

For more information regarding CARTPO and the Proposition 12 project prioritization process, please contact David Fowler, CAPCOG Senior Planner at (512) 916-6165 or dfowler@capcog.org.

In the News

Wildfire- Emergency Notification System Update

Monday, September 05, 2011

Due to the extreme wildfire danger we are experiencing a great demand for registration of cellular telephones on the CAPCOG Emergency Notification System.  Under normal conditions, there may be a lag of several days for the registration of a cellular telephone on the CAPCOG Emergency Notification System. Due to the critical fire danger, we are attempting to speed up the process, but it may take a day or more for the registration to become active.  Your landline phone should already be registered on the system. Residents can go to the website at http://wireless.capcog.org and following the instructions to add their information into the ENS cell phone registry.

In the News

2011 Texas Community Development Regional Allocations Announced

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) anticipates receiving a grant agreement from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the 2011 Texas Community Development program in the amount of $66,604,562, a 16% reduction from the 2010 allocation amount.  Upon receipt and execution of the HUD grant agreement, the 2011 allocation will be available to the State so that grant awards can be made.  TDRA receives two years of funding for TxCDBG through HUD.  The second year amount will be awarded in 2012.

2011 TxCDBG Allocation Amounts per Region

NOTE:  The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) has not received the official grant agreement from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); however, the above allocations are based on the amount that TDRA expects to receive.

In the News

Regional Law Enforcement Academy (RLEA) Training Update

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Basic Peace Officer Course
CAPCOG’s RLEA is currently conducting two Basic Peace Officer Certification (BPOC) classes, both of which are slated to graduate Sept. 23, 2011. Agencies interested in recruiting from either BPOC class are welcome to visit the academy. RLEA registration is now open for 2012 BPOC classes which begin Oct. 2011.

Academy Funding
The RLEA is able to offer affordable tuition rates primarily because of the grant received from the Criminal Justice Division, Governor’s Office.  While this Legislative Session’s budgeting challenges threatened the stability of this funding, CJD has now provided formal notification that funding will be continued for two more years.  The COG academies have been put on notice, however, that they likely will not receive this support after 2013.

Jailers Course
Registration is also under way for the Basic Jailer’s course to be held in Johnson City. This course follows the TCLEOSE-prescribed curriculum for Basic Jailer’s licensing. The course includes 96 hours of classroom instruction as well as the required defensive tactics and handcuffing practices. 

Use of Force Simulator
The “Use of Force” training simulator is ready to hit the road again; agencies that did not participate this past year are encouraged to take advantage of this training opportunity. To schedule the use of the simulator, contact the RLEA Director, Mike Jennings, at 512-916-6164 or mjenning@capcog.org. 

In-service Cycle Ends August 31st
The TCLEOSE training cycle is coming to an end Aug. 31, 2011; the RLEA has numerous mandated training sessions available up until then. Some of the required courses offered are State and Federal Legislative Updates, CIT, and Human Trafficking.  For more information and a schedule of courses, visit https://training.capcog.org/.

In the News

CAPCOG Growth Assessment Wins Innovation Award

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) has announced that the CAPCOG Assessment of Growth and Development will receive an Innovation Award.   NADO’s Innovation Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and partnering organizations for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities. The award will be presented at the association’s annual training conference Oct. 8th -11th in Miami. 

The Growth Assessment project was top priority from CAPCOG’s strategic planning process with its Executive Committee two years ago and was completed last fall.  This announcement recognizes the work of elected officials and city managers on the Growth Assessment Subcommittee, in coordination with CAPCOG administration and staff.  The Assessment of Growth and Development combined an unprecedented study of the water supply for the ten-county Capital Area with projections related to population and job growth, road construction, and analyses of the scope and location of anticipated construction and school growth.  The Assessment of Growth and Development makes extensive policy recommendations designed to be useful to all levels and sizes of local governments within the Capital Area.  

“Creative projects like Assessment of Growth & Development in the Capital Region advance the economic growth and sustainability of our nation’s regions and communities.  For more than 20 years, NADO’s Innovation Award has provided regional development organizations throughout the nation a unique opportunity to showcase their important work and their critical role in promoting economic development for rural and small metropolitan communities,” said NADO President Tim Ware, Executive Director of the Mid-East Commission in Washington, North Carolina.

The Assessment of Growth and Development can be accessed from the Publications menu of the Information Clearinghouse section of the CAPCOG website.   For more information regarding the methodology or findings of the Assessment of Growth and Development, contact David Fowler, CAPCOG Senior Planner, at 512-916-6165 or dfowler@capcog.org.

In the News

CAPCOG General Assembly Will Vote on Adding State Legislator to Board

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

CAPCOG’s General Assembly Summer Membership Business Meeting and Luncheon will be held Wed., Sept. 14, 2011, at the Wyndham Garden Hotel, 3401 S. IH-35, in Austin beginning with an 11 a.m. buffet followed by the business meeting.  The business meeting will include approval of CAPCOG’s 2012 budget and work plan and the election of a Nominating Committee which will be charged with recommending membership for the 2012 Executive Committee.

Amendments to the CAPCOG Bylaws will also be considered to include, for the first time, a State Legislator on the Executive Committee as a result of legislation passed in this year’s 82nd Session.  HB 2160 by Representative Garnet Coleman of Houston requires each of Texas’ 24 councils of governments to offer an ex-officio slot on their board to a State Legislator; while the bill takes effect Sept. 1st, most of the COGs must first amend their bylaws to change their board membership. The amendment that will be proposed at the General Assembly meeting would allow the Legislators from this region to select someone who is interested from among their delegation of 17 Senators and Representatives.

The General Assembly is the oversight governing body of CAPCOG composed of representatives from each of CAPCOG’s member organizations; it votes each December on an Executive Committee that will oversee CAPCOG’s program and administration operations for the upcoming year including budget and audit functions, approval of grant funding, and expenditure and contractual obligations.

In the News

Economic Development in Buda

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

The City of Buda was one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Texas during the past decade. Buda is currently preparing a new comprehensive plan to address its past and present growth trends. The Buda Economic Development Corporation (EDC) recently invited CAPCOG’s Community and Economic Director, John Rees, to facilitate a discussion on how the organization can best coordinate its efforts with the City of Buda on promoting economic development.

Working with the board of the Buda EDC and Executive Director Warren Ketteman, Mr. Rees assisted in identifying four primary goals to help further economic development within the city:

1. Support small businesses: Small and local businesses are extremely valuable to a local economy. The Buda EDC is currently exploring the possibility of establishing a “Buy Local” program as well as hosting a small business fair to generate greater support for existing small businesses.

2. Ensure continued infrastructure investment: Buda is currently tackling the widespread challenge of providing infrastructure that helps facilitate commerce and lessen congestion.  Moving forward, the Buda EDC will continue to champion investments in sewer, water, and roadway infrastructure.

3. Increase business diversity: Because land use in the city is primarily residential, diversifying Buda’s land use is crucial in providing a greater balance to the tax base. The Buda EDC is currently looking to identify appropriate target industries such as logistics and healthcare to help diversify employment within the community.

4. Enhance downtown viability: Buda’s desire to enhance the viability of its downtown is a goal shared by many communities in the CAPCOG Region. By engaging relevant stakeholders, the EDC hopes to improve downtown Buda’s economic vitality.

The four priorities identified reflect the Buda EDC’s objective of promoting economic growth and development while preserving the community’s quality of life. By supporting small businesses, investing in infrastructure, increasing business diversity, and enhancing the viability of its downtown, the City of Buda and its Economic Development Corporation can join together to provide continued economic opportunity in Buda.

In the News

Wireless Registration Increases on CAPCOG Emergency Notification System

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

 
Nearly 4,000 people have registered their cellular telephones on the CAPCOG regional Emergency Notification System (ENS).  Two years ago residents of the ten-county Capital Area Council of Governments Region were given the option of receiving notification on their cell phones of emergencies that affect their homes and businesses.  These notifications are made by participating local governments through the CAPCOG regional Emergency Notification System (ENS).

In 2004, responding to requests from members of the CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force, CAPCOG used a combination of homeland security grant funds and funds from participating local governments to implement the ENS. This system allows public safety personnel in participating jurisdictions to relay critical emergency information to citizens when human life or property is in danger.

Originally, the system would contact only those with regular, land-line telephone service, since it relied on the 9-1-1 database that is managed by CAPCOG.  With the rise in the popularity of cell phones, an increasing number of people no longer maintain traditional telephone service.  Instead, they rely exclusively on their cell phones as their primary residential telephone. To address the need to extend the availability of emergency notification to people without land-line telephone services, CAPCOG’s staff worked with a programmer to develop a web-based interface that allows people to locate their residences on a map and thus receive emergency notifications.  This interface was designed to extend the functionality of the CAPCOG ENS to cell phones.

An additional benefit of this service is that people may link their cell phone number to one or more locations, such as their place of business or the homes of relatives. The 3,829 cell phones currently registered are linked to 8,648 locations.

The addition of this service is part of CAPCOG’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the ENS is the most effective telephone-based notification system possible.  Earlier this year, the capabilities of the system were expanded to include the ability to deliver a larger number of calls per hour, providing local officials with more options for notifying their citizens of emergency situations.

For more information about ENS, contact Ed Schaefer at 512-916-6026 or eschaefer@capcog.org.

In the News

The 10th Annual Striking a Balance Conference

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

The 10th Annual Striking a Balance conference for caregivers is fast approaching; mark your calendars. The conference will take place at the Norris Conference Center in Austin. In a slight variation from recent years, the conference will be held on two separate days—the first day for Aging professionals and the second for family caregivers. 

 On Fri., Sept. 9th, Dr. Jamie Huysman, a leading expert on caregiver issues, will highlight the Standards for Social Work Practice with Family Caregivers of Older Adults, which was released by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) in Nov. 2010. In addition, he will speak on compassion fatigue and mental health as well as addictions and co-addictions in caregiving. Continuing Education Units will be provided to social workers for this portion of the conference.

On Sat., Sept. 10th, Dr. Huysman will be the keynote speaker for the family caregiver portion of the conference. The day will also include workshops on subjects of interest to all caregivers, with experts available for questions. A copy of Voices of Caregiving: The Healing Companion will be provided to each caregiver. Respite care will be available with a reservation at Elderhaven Adult Day Care.

This annual event is organized and staffed by CAPCOG’s Area Agency on Aging, staff from AGE (Austin Groups for the Elderly), and WellMed Charitable Foundation. Every year participation in this event increases as a result of growing interest among the CAPCOG Region’s caregiving community. 
For additional information, please contact Shannon Roecklein at 512-916-6182.

In the News

New Responder Services Display for VoIP 9-1-1 Callers

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

The Emergency Communications Division continued migration towards Internet Protocol (IP) based services with the deployment of enhanced location services for users of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone services. Until this upgrade, all VoIP calls into CAPCOG Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) would display the caller’s location on the PSAP mapping screen; however, only limited 9-1-1 database information would be delivered with the call. Information from the 9-1-1 database was not available and the call-taker would have to verify the caller’s location as shown near the bottom of Figure 1.

Figure 1.  Existing Call Taker VoIP Display Solution

As displayed at the bottom of Figure 2, the upgraded service provides the call taker with both the location information and specific responder data from the 9-1-1 database. The upgrade allows VoIP callers to receive the same information existing for traditional landline telephone callers.  CAPCOG was one of the first regions to test the new solution. Initial testing was completed in January and included Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties.  Deployment is now underway in the rest of the region and throughout the state. As VoIP companies prepare to transition their equipment to the new platform, CAPCOG PSAPs are prepared to receive the new level of service.

Figure 2.  Upgraded Call Taker VoIP Display

In the News

Regional Training Center

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Upcoming Classes
In addition to the training that takes place at the CAPCOG Regional Law Enforcement Academy (RLEA) which provides a Basic Peace Officer Certification (BPOC) and other in-service law enforcement classes, the CAPCOG Regional Training Center (RTC) conducts training for city/county officials and staff throughout the region. The following highlights three upcoming workshops.

The RTC will host an Elected Officials Workshop on Thur. and Fri., Aug. 11th and 12th, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the CAPCOG Pecan Room. The workshop is targeted to mayors and city council members, citizen board, commission, and committee members as well as appointed staff. Elected officials can earn up to 11.4 CEU credits certified by the Texas Municipal League for completing the workshop.

The first day of the workshop is geared towards newly-elected city officials and includes an overview of the structure of city government, council or parliamentary procedures, roles of elected and appointed officials, open meetings, procedures for making good public policy, and conflicts of interest. The second day presents information that is vital to any elected or appointed official in Central Texas. Topics include regional growth (how, when, and where we are growing), local economic development (how to evaluate the benefits and costs of a project), how to find and keep good police officers, and more. The fee for the two-day workshop is $60 and the fee for the one-day workshop is $40 and will cover the cost of meals and materials.

The CAPCOG Department of Community and Economic Development is hosting a two-hour workshop on the U.S. Census tool American Fact Finder 2. As a designated Census Information Center, CAPCOG helps disseminate data and information from the U.S. Census Bureau. With the release of Census 2010 data, the US Census Bureau has deployed a new method of accessing data, American Fact Finder 2. Unfortunately, both novice and experienced users have reported difficulty in using the new tool.

In an effort to assist community and economic development personnel within the region, the Regional Training Center will be hosting an American Fact Finder 2 Training on Aug. 4th, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., at the CAPCOG Agave Room.  Officials from the U.S. Census Bureau will provide an overview of 2010 data releases and the American Community Survey, as well as a live demonstration on how to use the new American Fact Finder 2 tool. This training is geared towards economic development staff interested in accessing economic and demographic information regarding their respective communities.

The CAPCOG Regional Services Department, Solid Waste Division, is partnering with the City of Austin Solid Waste Services and Austin Energy to conduct a training and tour featuring three Austin-area construction and demolition (C&D) material processing facilities: 973 Materials, I.E.S.I. (Progressive Waste Solutions), and Texas Disposal Systems (TDS). These facilities are among several in the CAPCOG Region that process C&D materials including concrete, asphalt shingles, lumber, metal, wall board, masonry, and more. The facilities reduce waste sent to the landfill and assist in meeting the green building requirements set forth by Austin Energy Green Building and the U.S. Green Building Council.  The workshop is geared toward the building industry, local government waste reduction programs, and C&D material haulers.

The event is scheduled for Sept. 21st, starting at 1:00 p.m. and returning to Hornsby Bend at 4:45 p.m.  There is no charge for the event, but seats are limited.  For more information on registration or a full listing of CAPCOG training, visit the training website at www.training.capcog.org or contact Sabina Mora at smora@capcog.org or 512-916-6045.

In the News

State of the County 2011

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The CAPCOG Community and Economic Development Department is currently developing a State of the County Report for each of the ten counties in the CAPCOG region. The purpose of the State of the County initiative is to provide county-specific information on demographic and economic trends to community leaders who are planning for major population growth. 

The release of 2010 population counts by the U.S. Census Bureau confirmed that the Capital Area has experienced explosive growth during the past decade and current projections indicate continued growth in the years ahead. Since 2000, the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) experienced the third-highest rate of population growth among all U.S. metropolitan areas with at least one million residents. With approximately 75 percent of this growth occurring outside of the City of Austin, accommodating population increases while advancing sustainable economic development has become one of the primary challenges for smaller communities throughout the Capital Area.

John Rees, Director of Community and Economic Development at CAPCOG, is working with county officials to promote the State of the County presentations in a series of forums for cities, chambers of commerce, and other relevant organizations. Judge Cobb of Hays County hosted one forum on June 3rd. The Hays State of the County presentation included highlights in population, demographic make-up and changes, employment characteristics of workers, as well as information on major industries, commuting patterns and educational attainment. CAPCOG is currently working on the State of Williamson County and State of Burnet County presentations and will continue to work with officials to present the information throughout the region.

This project is part of the work CAPCOG does through its economic development program funded by the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. CAPCOG also develops a regional economic development plan (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy or CEDS) and provides direct support and technical assistance to member governments.

For more information or for copies of the report, contact John Rees at jrees@capcog.org

In the News

Homeland Security Funded Assets Assist First Responders with Oak Hill Fire

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Media reports in April featured an out-of-control situation which started from a campfire. Due to dry conditions and high winds, a raging wildfire was sparked in a greenbelt abutting an Oak Hill residential area of southwestern Austin.   Faced with possible loss of life, Incident Commanders on the scene ordered the evacuation of homes in the threatened areas and Austin Police Department Communications personnel activated the CAPCOG Regional Emergency Notification System (ENS) sending telephone messages to nearly 3,000 homes and businesses in the threatened area; this included 20 people who had registered their cellular telephones on the system.  Two Star Flight helicopters deployed to fight the blaze, making 69 120-gallon water drops on homes, flare-ups, and into areas ground crews could not reach.  A mobile fuel trailer, purchased through Homeland Security grant funding provided by CAPCOG, enabled STAR Flight to refuel twice on-site saving precious time and possible lives. 

In total, 100 firefighters and 30 fire trucks from five agencies activated, including the Texas Forest Service which deployed two C-130 Air Force Jets out of Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, to drop 6,000 gallons of red-tinted chemical fire retardant on the area.

According to Jim Carse, Public Information Officer for the Texas Forest Service, a total of 100 acres burned affecting 164 homes, destroying eight homes and severely damaging 10 homes.  There were no injuries.

Through its Homeland Security Program, CAPCOG has targeted funding for equipment critical to these types of emergency events in the region; since the program began in 2003, CAPCOG has coordinated the allocation of more than $30 million in federal Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) funds to 93 communities.  These funds have been used to purchase equipment for first responders, provide training, and conduct planning and other preparedness activities.  This includes nearly $200 thousand CAPCOG has spent on implementing and maintaining the ENS.

In the News

DEBATE OVER REGION’S IMPACT ON AIR QUALITY COMPLICATED AS CAPCOG’S PROGRAM FACES 50% CUT IN FUND

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

CAPCOG’s Air Quality program is facing a 50% cut in funding due to state budget cuts.  Since the program began a decade ago, it has been funded primarily through a state grant for “near-nonattainment areas” that is designed to help keep areas that were close to exceeding the ozone air quality standards in attainment of those standards. This funding has allowed CAPCOG to work with local governments to develop local air quality plans while keeping the area in attainment of ozone standards. The Austin area has seen a dramatic improvement in ozone levels since the beginning of the program, with levels dropping from 89 parts per billion (ppb) in 2000 to 74 ppb in 2010, a 17% decrease. The improvement in ozone levels in Austin has outpaced most of the other areas of the state, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area (16%), the Beaumont-Port Arthur Area (15%), the Victoria-Corpus Christi area (12%), and the San Antonio area (11%) over the same time period.

The near-nonattainment area grant (known as “Rider 8”) has played an integral role in this improvement. With this grant, CAPCOG has funded a variety of technical, planning, and outreach activities over the years. CAPCOG’s technical projects have included operation of six ozone monitors to supplement the two monitors operated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), special airborne and mobile monitoring projects, development of improved estimates of emissions, and ozone modeling and data analysis. These technical projects have helped CAPCOG work with local jurisdictions to develop local air quality plans, including the 1-Hour Ozone Flex Plan, the Early Action Compact, and the 8-Hour Ozone Flex Plan. CAPCOG plans an ongoing role in providing staff support for the Clean Air Coalition, a group of local elected officials from Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties representing jurisdictions that participate in the Ozone Flex Plan. The Rider 8 grant has also enabled CAPCOG to conduct extensive outreach to the public and various stakeholders in the region.

The 50% funding cut will come at a time when the Austin area faces the imminent prospect of becoming a nonattainment area due to more stringent air quality standards. In Jan. 2010, EPA proposed to lower the ozone standard from 75 ppb (set in 2008) to a range of 60-70 ppb. After several delays in finalizing the standard, EPA now expects the standard to be finalized in July 2011. After EPA sets the standard, it has up to two years to designate areas as either attaining or not attaining the standard (nonattainment areas). Once an area is designated as nonattainment, the State is required to develop a plan to bring the area into attainment. The plan for the Austin area would need to rely heavily on the monitoring data, emissions inventory projects, and modeling undertaken by CAPCOG. With a 50% cut in funding, however, CAPCOG would need to dramatically scale back these crucial activities. The lack of high-quality local data could result in less accurate modeling of future ozone levels which can, in turn, make any ozone plan less effective and more costly to implement for local businesses, governments, and citizens.

In order to offset these lost revenues, CAPCOG has begun asking local jurisdictions to help fund some of these technical projects. These technical projects will help local jurisdictions gain cleaner air more quickly at less cost than what will be possible if the region has to rely solely on EPA or TCEQ, as their priorities may be more focused on the Houston and Dallas areas. The region’s air quality plans have been a model of success in achieving clean air at reasonable cost. In order to continue this progress and retain access to data assessment and technical planning capability with a regional focus, local jurisdictions may want to consider the benefits of assisting in the financial support for CAPCOG’s Air Quality program.

In the News

GeoMap 2012 – First Call for Projects

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Geospatial Base Mapping (GeoMap) Project coordinates cooperative purchasing of geospatial products, garnering discounts based on volume, and reducing duplicative efforts across the region.  GeoMap’s regional coordination leverages tax payer and industry dollars to acquire accurate data at an unbeatable price.  Historically, project participants have received several dollars of data for every dollar contributed.  Geospatial products include aerial imagery, LiDAR, contours, building footprints, vegetation, and land cover to name a few.  These products are critical to many applications including, but not limited to, regional planning, conservation, ecology, growth assessment, E-911, Homeland Security, emergency management, and disaster response. 

With GeoMap there is no need to make requests for proposals (RFP), CAPCOG has completed the process and chosen an established and reputable vendor that provides the products and services needed for the current year’s anticipated projects.  CAPCOG also handles the contract management with the vendor, as well as coordinates quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) services.  These services ensure accurate products are delivered on time and contractual obligations are met, saving your organization time and resources and ensuring a quality product is delivered.

There is currently interest in six-inch and twelve-inch resolution aerial imagery (6” and 12” orthophotos) in the region, which will bring about cost-sharing and volumetric discounts to all participants.  The first Call for Projects for GeoMap 2012 is June 1st.  Anyone interested will have access to an interactive map which will show current areas of interest of regional participants and allow users to input their prospective areas of interest.  Cost estimations will calculate on the fly, letting the user know how to target their areas of interest in the most cost-efficient manner.  The online tool will allow users to enter various areas of interest and see what the cost estimate would be for those areas.  As more participants join in, discounts will increase with increasing square mileage, saving money or extending the geographical extent of the project.   

For more information regarding GeoMap 2012 please contact Eddie O’Connor (512.906.6033 or eoconnor@capcog.org).

In the News

Texas Silver Haired Legislators Announced

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Capital Area Election Steering Committee, in cooperation with the Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area, is pleased to announce the names of the Texas Silver Haired Legislators for the Capital Region.

The Texas Silver Haired Legislature (TSHL) was established in 1985 and is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization comprised of 116 representatives elected by Texans 60 years and older to serve a two-year term. The TSHL motivates, engages, and educates older Texans in the legislative process and works closely with members of the Texas Legislature to advocate for passage of legislation that impacts older Texans.
 
The Capital Region will be represented in the 14th Texas Silver Haired Legislative Session by the following individuals.  They serve at-large for the entire ten-county region. Feel free to contact them with concerns regarding legislative issues of importance to older adults:

Carlos Higgins
10712 Fountainbleu Circle, Austin, TX 78750 carlostx@sbcglobal.net

Paula Johnson
PO Box 92612, Austin, TX 78709 paulapoj@yahoo.com

Sandy Graham
7713 Palacios Dr., Austin, TX 78749 tshleg@gmail.com

Cecilia Crossley
3100 Catalina Dr., Austin, TX 78741 cecejc@aol.com

Carol Peters
36 Mill Street, Maxwell, TX 78656 capeters12@austin.rr.com

In the News

Census Provides Less Information

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Since 1940, the US Census Bureau has supplemented the "short form" involving basic questions regarding age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin with a "long form" that covered socioeconomic and housing characteristics of the American people. During the past 60 years, the long form census has become an increasingly rich source of demographic information. From average commute times to educational attainment to migration patterns, every decade the US Census Bureau has produced a remarkably detailed portrait of our country.

The 2010 Census eliminated the long form. The result is one of the least descriptive census counts in American history. Most individuals answered just seven questions: name, gender, race, ethnicity, and whether they sometimes live somewhere else. Heads of households were also asked how many people lived in the residence and whether they resided in a house, apartment, or mobile home. As a result, the 2010 Census will not contain any information on incomes, poverty status, education, occupation, employment status, home values, or disabilities.

In place of the decennial census long form, the US Census Bureau launched the American Community Survey (ACS). For regions with more than 65,000 residents, the ACS will publish demographic, housing, social, and economic data on an annual basis. Information on communities with 20,000 or more people will be published using three-year estimates. For example, the proportion of residents living in poverty will be reported as the average of years 2007, 2008, and 2009. Finally, data on communities with fewer than 20,000 residents will be published as five-year estimates.

The primary limitation of the ACS is that is it is based on a smaller sample size than the previous census long form. Although this methodology is less expensive to deploy, it creates significant margins of error for smaller communities and geographies. For places with fewer than 20,000 residents, large portions of data may be suppressed due to statistical limitations. Additionally, identifying certain trends may become more difficult for information published as multi-year averages.  Despite these limitations, the ACS will remain the country’s most comprehensive source of demographic, housing, social, and economic data.

For questions relating to US Census Bureau information, please contact John Rees, Director of Community and Economic Development, at jrees@capcog.org or 512.916.6183.

In the News

Emergency Call Tracking System Installed

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The 33 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in the CAPCOG Region have completed training on the newly installed Emergency Call Tracking System called ECaTS. Until now, extracting meaningful information from the statistics, facts, figures, numbers, call records, and call taker data contained in the 9-1-1 system throughout the ten-county CAPCOG Region has always been an arduous, time consuming task.

ECaTS was designed by Direct Technology specifically for the state of California’s 9-1-1 system, and CAPCOG is the first 9-1-1 entity to implement ECaTS in the state of Texas.  ECaTS is built on the concept of simplicity with its user-friendly reporting module providing simple, direct reporting options.   Authorized users are able to generate near real-time information by simply selecting the type of report, the timeframe, and PSAP to be used in the report. The system then accesses the Digital Technology enterprise servers to generate the report directly over a secure Internet connection.
 
PSAP managers will have access to a wide range of standard reports including information such as Call Summary Reports, Number of Calls per Hour, Top 20 Busiest Hours, Call Duration, and various other statistical reports.  To meet our reporting needs, Digital Technology is adding call-taker level reports to the system.  In addition to the standard reports usually found in 9-1-1 MIS packages, ECaTS includes a wide range of management reports.   These reports specifically address the requirements of the PSAP managers and CAPCOG staff and enable them to accurately evaluate the performance of the 9-1-1 system. 

Some of the key management reports include:
• Trunk Group Utilization Report – Provides an in-depth analysis of call volume per trunk and trunk group.  Managers can review and determine if PSAP trunks are being utilized at appropriate rates (for example: Are they hunting correctly? reaching capacity resulting in possible busy signals? Is the PSAP over trunked?).
• Speed of Answer Report – Provides a clear scorecard of PSAP answering performance based on the National Emergency Number Association 90/10 rule – 90% of the calls should be answered in 10 seconds or less.
• Daily and Monthly Outage Report – Provides detailed information on the up-time and availability of the data collection system. 
• Redirected Wireless Calls – This report provides a statistical analysis on all wireless tower faces and shows calls picked up by a particular wireless face that are transferred to another PSAP.  This information may be used by CAPCOG staff to identify and correct misrouted wireless calls to improve call handling efficiency.

ECaTS also includes an ad-hoc reporting module that provides users with the capability to generate any report, as needed, with minimal computer skills.  The module incorporates a user interface with check boxes and drop-down lists for generation of analytical reports directly out of the PSAP’s database. 

During the next 60 days the system will be undergoing the validation phase while final adjustments are put in place.  As training was completed at each PSAP, the staff was impressed with the ease of use and very excited and eager to use the new reporting tool.

In the News

LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY CONTINUES 100% PASS RATE

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

CAPCOG’s Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy (RLEA) exceeded its past performance last month when it graduated two Basic Peace Officer classes in the same week and both achieved a 100% first-attempt pass rate on the state-mandated TCLEOSE test. Cadet Class 58 (night class) and Cadet Class 59 (day class) graduated during ceremonies at the State Capitol in April as our region gained 56 new Texas Peace Officers.

The end of the two-year TCLEOSE training cycle is approaching and the RLEA has set in-service training through the fourth quarter of this year. The RLEA will be hosting and conducting mandated courses such as State and Federal Laws Updates, Human Trafficking, and the entire intermediate core course during the summer months.  The complete list of up-coming courses and registration can be viewed on our web site at www.capcog.org.

CAPCOG’s RLEA is also preparing to hold a basic jailer’s course in September which will be open to all agencies in our region and will be hosted by the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office. Seating is limited and early registration is encouraged.

CAPCOG’s “Use of Force” simulator has now made it completely around the region as its time wraps up in Caldwell County. CAPCOG will begin developing a schedule for use of the simulator beginning again July 1st, so all agencies interested in scheduling this training system should contact Michael Jennings at 512-916-6164 or mjennings@capcog.org.

In the News

Honoring Seventeen Years of Service

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Glenda Rogers, Director of Aging Services of the Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area, was recently honored during the bi-monthly Meals on Wheels and More board meeting for her assistance in developing the Country Wheels Program.

Ms. Rogers was instrumental in the development of the program in partnership with Meals on Wheels and More.  The program, implemented in January, 2005, is designed to provide weekly meal delivery of seven frozen meals to rural, isolated clients unable to be served by the traditional hot meal programs.  In addition to nutritious meals, the weekly contact by trained delivery staff helps to ensure the safety and well-being of the clients.

To honor Ms. Rogers for seventeen years of service to seniors and the implementation of the Country Wheels Program, Tim Hayden, Board Chair, and Dan Pruett, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels and More, presented a Crystal Summit award to Ms. Rogers and announced the renaming of the program as the “Glenda Rogers Country Wheels Program.”

Among those attending the award ceremony for Ms. Rogers were members of her family, friends, and staff members of the Meals on Wheels and the CAPCOG Area Agency on Aging.

In the News

Elected Officials Urged to Attend June 3rd Forum

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The first regional forum for the HUD Sustainable Communities Project targeted to city and county elected officials is set for June 3rd at the Thompson Center;  if communities are interested in getting a Demonstration Site designation and the opportunity for consulting and analytical services at no cost to the local jurisdiction, participation at this event is encouraged.  These services are being made available by the HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant to jurisdictions that host one or more of CAMPO’s 37 Activity Centers listed in the 2035 Transportation Plan.

The goal of the Demo Sites will be to develop or redevelop an area primarily located in the Activity Center to better accommodate a surge in growth over the next few years as the region continues to add about 50,000 people annually.  More than half of the growth is now occurring outside the City of Austin, according to new Census Data, so outer ring cities can use this project as an opportunity to maximize the impact of adding residents.  Funding for the Demo Site Planning as well as a new IBM Analytics Tools is being made available through the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant, a new program representing the collaboration of HUD with EPA, DOT, USDA, and EDA in an effort to encourage integrated planning at the regional level.  CAPCOG received a grant of $3.7 million on behalf of the five-county MSA and a regional consortium of local governments, regional agencies, non-profits, and other stakeholder groups who are developing the project’s work plan.

“Since evaluation of the Demo Site applications will take into consideration the commitment and likelihood of implementation by a jurisdiction, we may be less likely to select a project that appears to be purely staff driven; we will be looking for evidence that the elected officials are engaged,” commented Betty Voights, Executive Director of CAPCOG which is the lead agency for the project.

Chad Coburn has been hired by CAPCOG to manage all aspects of the HUD Planning Grant and has experience in project management, state and federal grants, environmental projects, and working directly with local governments which made him a good fit for this project, according to Voights.  Prior to this position, Chad managed comprehensive planning, transportation, and environmental projects at GrantWorks and is a graduate of UT’s  community and regional planning program with a specialization in housing.  Email Chad at ccoburn@capcog.org or call him at 512.916.6012.

After the June 3rd introductory forum, a second regional forum will be conducted to provide guidance on how the Demo Sites will be selected in October which will include a formal application process.  Consultant services will be contracted after the beginning of 2012 and development of the IBM analytics tool, being managed by the City of Austin with guidance from UT, is ongoing. The tool will allow community leadership to run “what if” scenarios as they plan for growth and development.

The Consortium Steering Committee members include CAMPO, CapMetro, CARTS, Envision Central Texas, the cities of Austin, Round Rock, and San Marcos, along with CAPCOG.

In the News

CATS Consortium Update

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Chad Coburn has been hired by CAPCOG as the Program Manager for the CATS Consortium Sustainable Communities Project and begins that role on Monday, May 23rd.  Chad’s experience in project management, state and federal grants, environmental projects, and working directly with local governments made him a good fit for this project, according to CAPCOG Executive Director Betty Voights, who added that while other CAPCOG staff will stay involved, Chad will take over as the lead and primary contact.  Prior to this position, Chad managed comprehensive planning, transportation, and environmental projects at GrantWorks and is a graduate of UT’s community and regional planning program with a specialization in housing.  Email Chad at ccoburn@capcog.org.

June will begin the first phase of the implementation portion of the Project.  To date, all meetings held have been focused on finalizing the work plans, developing MOUs required by HUD for Consortium members, and getting contracts in place with UT and City of Austin to oversee development of the Sustainable Places Analytics Tool by IBM.  On June 3rd, the first regional forum will be held at the UT Thompson Center to introduce the Sustainable Communities Project to city and county officials from the five-county MSA who host one of CAMPO’s 37 Activity Centers.  The Centers concept was introduced in the 2035 Transportation Plan adopted by CAMPO last year and is a modified version of Envision Central Texas’ growth scenarios from 2004.
 
Cities and counties will be invited to submit their respective Activity Centers to be selected as Demonstration Sites and receive consulting services and analyses of planning scenarios with the new Analytics Tool.  A second regional forum will be held June 24th to walk all Demonstration Site applicants through the application process.  The CATS Consortium Steering Committee expects to announce 5-7 Demo Sites in October that will represent a mix of small, medium, and large communities.

Click here for all CATS updates.

In the News

CAPCOG to Offer MyPermitNow Software to Member Cities and Counties

Thursday, March 31, 2011

CAPCOG, in conjunction with The South Central Planning and Development Commission (SCPDC) in Louisiana, is now offering MyPermitNow to our cities and counties.   MyPermitNow is a web-based permitting software that provides project tracking for construction projects and is customizable to a local government’s needs with the capability of storing plans, photos, and relevant documents.  Specifically, it allows online permit submission, processing, and automated notifications through the entire permitting process, starting with the submission of building documents through the issuance of a permit to the permitting of occupancy.

There is no initiation charge and the annual fee is low and based on the actual number of permits issued annually by your local government.  Additionally, there is absolutely no charge for technical support for licensees of MyPermitNow.  As such, MyPermitNow should offer our region’s local governments substantial savings over purchasing or independently developing software programs to track their permitting processes.  CAPCOG held a demonstration and information session in March to demonstrate the program and features; follow-up demonstrations are being scheduled for individual cities interested in using the software.

The service also offers archiving of past documents and records to maintain continuity in your government’s record keeping.  As such, MyPermitNow is ideal for creating a “paperless” permitting process.  This software can even be used to facilitate input from third-party inspectors, such as the inspectors with whom counties which have recently entered into inspection programs must interface.  MyPermitNow also offers code enforcement and addresseing software programs in which governments may also participate if they feel it will meet their needs. 

CAPCOG is able to offer this through a special arrangement with SCPDC in Louisiana.  SCPDC developed this tool in response to the higher levels of plan review and permit tracking that became mandatory in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.   Thanks to an agreement with SCPDC, CAPCOG is the first council of governments in Texas to offer MyPermitNow and has exclusive vendor rights in the Capital Area.

Please contact David Fowler, CAPCOG Regional Senior Planner, at (512) 916-6165 or dfowler@capcog.org  for more information about MyPermitNow.

In the News

CAPCOG to Improve Air Quality Monitoring Capabilities

Thursday, March 31, 2011

This year the region will have a new air quality monitoring station located at the main offices of the Hutto Independent School District. The new site will be outfitted with equipment to monitor levels of ozone, nitrogen oxides (NOX), and sulfur dioxide (SO2), and to monitor meteorological conditions. The new Hutto monitoring station is ideally located to detect elevated pollution levels transported into the area with a northeast wind flow and should assist the CAPCOG Air Quality staff, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in determining what impact the emissions from upwind sources may be having on local ozone levels.

An analysis was performed by the University of Texas Center for Energy and Environmental Research (UTCEER) to evaluate meteorological conditions associated with high ozone levels in the region. The study found that the frequency of occurrence of easterly and/or northeasterly winds was higher for the >= 70 ppb ozone range compared to the 60 – 64 ppb and 65 – 69 ppb ozone ranges, and such conditions usually occurred in the late Aug. through Oct. time period. The report for the study can be viewed at:  http://www.capcog.org/documents/airquality/cac/2010/september2010/Austin_CM_ver21.pdf

CAPCOG Air Quality staff can use data from the new Hutto site to determine the impacts on the region of sources located to the north and east. If high ozone levels are accompanied by high levels of NOX and SO2 at the new Hutto monitoring station, this would indicate that upwind coal-fired power plant plumes were involved in contributing to the ozone levels.  This data can then be compared to data from “downwind” monitoring sites, such as the one in Dripping Springs, to measure the impact of local emissions. In most cases the existing monitoring data indicate that the air entering the CAPCOG region already has fairly high ozone levels when local regulatory monitors are measuring high ozone. This monitoring station will provide additional insight into the role of ozone transport into the region.

In order to equip the new Hutto site, CAPCOG will be using the ozone and meteorological equipment from the existing Round Rock site, which will be shut down, and new equipment purchased with a grant from TCEQ to equip the new site. An evaluation of CAPCOG’s monitoring network by UTCEER showed that the Round Rock site was not well-positioned and ought to be moved. The NOX and SO2 monitoring equipment from the Lake Georgetown station will be moved into the new Hutto site.

CAPCOG will also be moving the SO2 monitor at the Fayette monitor to the McKinney Roughs monitoring station. UTCEER’s analysis showed that the McKinney Roughs site is very well positioned to serve as an upwind site for the area, when the wind comes in from the east and southeast. Positioning the SO2 monitor at McKinney Roughs should provide better data on the impacts of SO2 sources such as coal-fueled power plants or cement kilns on regional ozone levels.

The new monitoring equipment will play an important role in any future State Implementation Plan to attain the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The Austin area’s ozone “design value” is currently 74 parts per billion. The “design value” is a three-year average of the fourth highest 8-hour ozone concentrations and is what EPA uses to determine if an area is attaining the NAAQS or not.

While the Austin area’s design value meets current EPA standards, EPA has proposed to strengthen the standards to a range of 60-70 parts per billion due to scientific studies that have indicated health impacts at levels lower than the current standards. While the ozone standards have been delayed several times, EPA has announced that it now plans to finalize the standards by July 29, 2011. Monitoring data is critical to use for the calibration of accurate air quality modeling efforts, which may be needed if the area is designated nonattainment for the new ozone standards.

CAPCOG is also working with UTCEER to conduct “mobile” monitoring early in the late spring. This project will help the Air Quality Program staff better understand the pollution levels occurring in unmonitored areas of the region.

In the News

CAPCOG Jurisdictions Excel in Communications Drill

Thursday, March 31, 2011

“By 2010, 90% of all high-risk urban areas designated within the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) are able to demonstrate response-level emergency communications within one hour for routine events involving multiple jurisdictions and agencies.” 
-- National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), Goal 1

One of the lessons learned during the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center is that effective communications among public safety agencies from multiple jurisdictions is critical to saving lives—citizens and first responders alike.  In conjunction with federal funding for the development of interoperable telecommunications systems, the federal Office of Emergency Communications (OEC), in the National Communications Plan, required local jurisdictions to demonstrate their ability to communicate with each other during major emergencies.

Recently the CAPCOG jurisdictions that comprise the Austin-Round Rock UASI joined with 400-500 personnel from the University of Texas at Austin and other public safety agencies to conduct an exercise that clearly demonstrated that they have met the goal.  Taking advantage of the large number of agencies involved in providing security and public safety support at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium for the UT vs. UCLA football game in late Sept., involving a crowd of 101,437 inside the stadium and roughly 20,000 who participated in various tail-gating activities in areas adjacent to the stadium, UASI personnel successfully demonstrated for federal evaluators their ability to effectively plan to manage such a large scale event.  Of particular interest was a demonstration of the ability of the various public agencies and disciplines to communicate effectively.

In the after-action report on the exercise, the federal evaluators praised the “strong leadership and effective pre-event planning process displayed at this event.”  The report states, “Throughout the period of observation, operational resources were used to successfully handle traffic flow, crowd control, disturbances, medical emergencies, and missing children without any significant communications impediments.”  Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel “treated 32 patients and transported four patients to medical facilities by ambulance.  Law enforcement reported a total of three arrests during the game.”

The evaluators concluded, “Therefore, OEC determined that the Austin Urban Area successfully demonstrated response-level emergency communications as outlined by NECP Goal 1 at an advanced level.”

Other CAPCOG jurisdictions are required to demonstrate their capabilities in response to NECP Goal 2.  In June, 2011, personnel from all 10 counties will demonstrate that, even though they operate on three distinctly different communications systems, they are able to communicate effectively with each other to respond to critical needs.  Details of the scenario are being finalized, but it is expected that participants will represent EMS units and other public safety personnel.

In the News

Caregivers May Need Stress Relief Services

Thursday, March 31, 2011

CAPCOG’s Area Agency on Aging, in collaboration with the WellMed Charitable Foundation, is implementing an evidence-based program entitled “Community Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers.”  The program is directed toward Caregivers who provide basic care to another person with a chronic medical condition or long-term illness such as cancer, stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or Alzheimer’s disease.   Being a caregiver may be stressful since those being cared for can become increasingly ill, unable to follow simple plans, develop behavioral problems, and become unable to recognize the caregiver.

The program provides for professional facilitators to teach stress management techniques that include relaxation and coping strategies which can be used on a daily basis during a nine-week program. The Stress-Busting Program is one of several services and supports available to caregivers through the Area Agency on Aging.

The Caregiver Support Program offers assessment and care planning to the families. Examples of supportive services may include arranging a family meeting for education purposes, arranging respite care, or even providing short-term individual counseling sessions for the caregiver. Additionally, the Capital Area Caregiver Teleconnection (CACT), an interactive support group conference call, is available on a schedule-basis. These calls are opportunities to ask questions of experts on topics of interest to caregivers.

If you would like to be placed on the Stress-Busting Program group interest list or have a question about any of the programs and services available to caregivers, please call Jill Findlay @ 512/916-6060.

In the News

INITIAL CENSUS 2010 DATA RELEASED

Thursday, March 31, 2011

CAPCOG has compiled some of the recently released Census Data into tabular and GIS format on the agency’s website, will be providing several reports analyzing new data, and will be conducting State of the County forums with three currently being planned:  Hays, Caldwell, and Willliamson.

Initial population data released by the U.S. Census Bureau show during the past decade that the region has experienced explosive population growth. With approximately 1.83 million residents, the CAPCOG Region has gained 483,000 residents since 2000, an increase of 36%.

All counties within the region experienced population increases. With 212,000 additional residents, Travis County posted the largest net increase in population. Still, the highest levels of growth occurred elsewhere in the CAPCOG Region. With a growth rate of 69%, Williamson County was the second fastest-growing county in the state.  Hays County, where the population increased 61%, was the fourth fastest growing county in Texas during this period.  At 6.1%, Lee County experienced the slowest rate of growth within the region. Still, Lee County grew faster than 145 other counties within Texas. 

Overall, the official Census 2010 population counts were remarkably close to previously published estimates by the Bureau. In some individual jurisdictions, however, population figures were significantly lower than previous estimates.   Given the important role that Census 2010 data will play in determining levels of federal assistance for years to come, some communities have begun to explore the possibility of challenging the population counts. Unfortunately, successfully challenging decennial Census data is extraordinarily difficult. According to the U.S. Census, challenges to the 2000 Census data “resulted in a net gain in population of about 2,700 people. This amounts to about 1/1000th of one% of the nation’s population of 281 million people counted in the 2000 Census.”

Additional Census 2010 information is available covering demographic characteristics such as race/ethnic breakdown, race/ethnic breakdown of the population over 18, and housing unit and vacancy counts.   This has also been compiled in tabular and GIS format and posted on our website.  And stayed tuned as more detailed Census information will be released sometime this summer.

In the News

CARTPO to Meet Monthly During the 2011 Legislative Session

Monday, January 31, 2011

The Capital Area Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CARTPO) is a transportation planning and policy organization formed in 2000 to serve the needs of the entire ten-county CAPCOG region.  CARTPO is especially active in advocating for the transportation needs of the counties in our region that are not included in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).  With the adoption of changes to TxDOT rules, CARTPO’s role as a rural planning organization, or RPO, stands to become officially recognized. 

To monitor and react to the Legislature’s actions as regards transportation in the capital region, especially the rural areas, CARTPO will be holding monthly meetings during the legislative session.  The first meeting of the new year was held Jan.14th and the next meeting will be held Feb. 11th.  Dates for the subsequent meetings will be set at the Feb. 11th meeting.  The meetings will be at 9:30 a.m. in CAPCOG’s Pecan Room.  Meetings will continue to be held monthly through at least May.   For further information, consult the CAPCOG website or contact David Fowler, CAPCOG Senior Planner, at dfowler@capcog.org or (512) 916-6165.

In the News

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act

Monday, January 31, 2011

In response to the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP), the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), and the Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) are coordinating efforts to provide enhanced outreach and assistance to Texas Medicare beneficiaries statewide who have limited incomes.

CAPCOG’s Area Agency on Aging plans to partner with local and state programs to improve awareness and educate current and future program participants about changes in Medicare with special emphasis on additional preventive care and benefits.  The Benefits Counseling program will work to expand, extend, and enhance outreach efforts to beneficiaries of Medicare Part D, with special attention to individuals with limited income in rural areas who may be eligible for Low Income Subsidy (LIS) and the Medicare Savings Program (MSP).

The LIS program targets Medicare beneficiaries who have limited income and resources. They may qualify for extra help in the form of financial assistance to pay for prescription drug costs. Those who are eligible for this low-income subsidy will get help paying for their monthly premium, yearly deductible, prescription coinsurance and copayments, and fill any gap in coverage. The MSP can help pay for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and/or Part B (medical insurance) premiums for eligible beneficiaries.

Performance measure requirements for enrollment of LIS/MSP eligible beneficiaries have been identified by the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) for the grant period. These performance measures are based on the number of LIS-eligible beneficiaries in each county.

The Area Agency on Aging encourages referrals from the region for individuals who may benefit from information about the Low Income Subsidy and the Medicare Savings Program.  Group presentations can be arranged. Please contact a Benefits Counselor at 512-916-6178 or toll free 1-888-622-9111, Ext. 6178.

In the News

Executive Committee Approves Policy Recommendations for Growth and Development

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

CAPCOG’s two-year project to develop an assessment of growth and development related to land use, transportation, water, and economic development was concluded on Nov. 10th when the Executive Committee adopted policy recommendations for each of the four categories. The subcommittee will meet one final time on Dec. 8th to develop legislative priorities which will be considered at the Jan. 12, 2011 meeting of the Executive Committee.

The subcommittee of city and county officials directed CAPCOG staff to first focus on water availability which they felt was the central issue shaping growth in the region. To provide greater understanding of this issue, CAPCOG staff created the first ever database of water contracts and usage for the ten-county region. This database provided subcommittee members with information on where water resources would allow or constrain future growth. Transportation plans including CAMPO’s 2035 Plan were used to allow road networks to be overlaid on maps showing future water availability. Local governments also aided the effort by sending in projected and planned development.

This effort demonstrated the need for better coordination among regional entities to act on issues created by the interrelationship of factors such as water availability, land use regulation, and transportation planning. Policy recommendations addressed growth related to the location of infrastructure, better use of plans and authority, a more regional approach to project prioritization, linking land use and transportation with economic development, and working toward better job-work commutes, to list a few.

The full report, which includes an explanation of research conducted and data used as well as the policy recommendations, is on the CAPCOG website at www.capcog.org

In the News

CAPCOG Awarded HUD Sustainable Communities Grant for Capital Area Consortium

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

The Capital Area Council of Governments, working with a regional consortium of local governments and other regional stakeholders, has been awarded $3.7 million as one of only 45 HUD Sustainable Communities Planning Grants given out across the nation and of two in Texas. The Consortium, which has been named the Capital Area Texas Sustainability Consortium or CATS, includes the Cities of Austin, Round Rock, and San Marcos, CAMPO, Envision Central Texas, and UT’s Center for Sustainable Development. IBM is the only private sector member of the Consortium.

The application submitted in August proposes to select several demonstration sites coinciding with the Activity Centers described in CAMPO’s recently adopted 2035 Plan; the goal for these sites will be to build strategies that support a balance of housing and employment linked to mobility. The application was for $4.974 million; however, only $3.7 was awarded, so the next steps will be shaving the key components of the project which involve development of an analytical tool to assess development strategies, outreach and engagement at a regional level, and technical assistance for the demo sites selected.

CAPCOG, working with the consortium partners, must develop and submit a work plan to HUD before a final grant agreement will be in hand. According to CAPCOG Executive Director Betty Voights, the work plan may be submitted by the first week of January but the holidays are creating challenges for getting stakeholders together to work on it.

Consortium partners also include Capital Metro, ACC and Texas State, HousingWorks, Capital Area Housing Finance Corporation, WorkForce Solutions, Lone Star Rail District, Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council, LCRA, and TxDOT.

In the News

CAPCOG Tests New 9-1-1 Equipment

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

CAPCOG has been a PlantCML customer since 1992 and recently had the opportunity to participate in the BETA testing of PlantCML’s Next Generation 9-1-1 equipment. Three Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) operated by the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, San Marcos Police Department, and Georgetown Police Department were selected as test sites.

These CAPCOG PSAPs were the first in the United States to BETA test the updated VESTA Pallas 9-1-1 equipment. The NextGen-ready equipment and software tested provides call takers with integrated voice/data capabilities and the ability to process 9-1-1 calls via an Internet Protocol (IP) based network. The BETA test also introduced a number of new features to the PSAPs. These features included the availability of a private emergency network (PEN) and the high availability framework (HAF). The PEN is available for interconnected PSAPs enabling 9-1-1 calls to be established between an external caller and call takers at more than one location. A transferred 9-1-1 call includes automatic number information (ANI), location information (ALI), call history, supplemental information, call notes and TTY. Each call also includes PEN call information and a unique PEN Call ID improving call history and retention of caller data. HAF provides the functionality to ensure call centers receive the highest level of availability for services and applications. HAF monitors VESTA services and ensures they are operating properly.

In the News

Wilco GIS Day Creates Geographic Awareness Of Our World

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

GIS Day is part of the National Geographic Society’s Geography Awareness Week. Williamson County Geographic Information Systems Council held its second annual Wilco GIS Day event. Volunteers included members of Williamson County, Williamson Central Appraisal District, City of Georgetown, Baker-Aiklen Engineers, City of Leander, City of Cedar Park, City of Hutto, City of Round Rock, and CAPCOG.

GIS Day creates geographic awareness throughout our world. It provides a forum for users of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to demonstrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society. GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.

Also among those who attended was the fifth grade class of Cooper Elementary School in Georgetown. The students attended five activities that used GIS: geocaching, hotlinking, Google My Maps, map projections, and demonstrations by first responders. Each of the students also learned the importance of appropriate use of 9-1-1, how responders locate callers, and the role of GIS in 9-1-1.

The City of Austin also hosted a GIS Day event at Austin City Hall and gave in-school presentations about GIS at 13 area schools and reached over 1,500 students. Keynote speaker, Sean Moran, showcased some of the amazing GIS technologies now available to the public.

In the News

Upcoming Year Expected To Be Data Filled

Thursday, October 07, 2010

With the Census 2010 data collection phase completed, many have asked the question, “When are the new population figures going to be released”? 

The short answer is to expect the State totals that will be used to apportion the number of Congressional seats by Dec. 31st.  While the city and county population counts must be released by April 1, 2011, along with the Census 2010 redistricting data file, the expectation is that this information will be out in Feb. or Mar. 2011.  The redistricting file contains population counts by race and Hispanic origin, and counts of population aged 18 and over by race down to the Census block level. 

The full demographic profile including selected population characteristics like counts by the age categories and housing characteristics will likely be released in May 2011, while the full Summary File 1 information will be released in the June to August 2011 time frame.   To view more information on the various Census 2010 data products, you may visit this website, http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2010/glance/index.html

Before the Census 2010 population counts are released, an intriguing new dataset will become available in the December 2010 timeframe called the American Community Survey (ACS) five year estimates.  The ACS is the Census Bureau administered rolling survey that collects similar information as the Census 2000 “long form.”  Previous ACS releases of the one- and three-year data only covered areas of more than 20,000, whereas the 2005-2009 ACS five-year estimates will, for the first time, consist of Census socio-economic data for all areas in our region (regardless of population) down to the Census block group level.   In other words, even before we have the Census 2010 data to crunch, there will be a whole new fresh perspective on the makeup of our communities, whether you are interested in how densely populated an area is, how those people get to work, how much money they make, or what level of education they have obtained; those answers will no longer be ten years old.   

In the News

9‑1‑1 Awards Presented

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Each September for National Telecommunicator Day, CAPCOG’s Emergency Communications Division hosts an awards ceremony at the Texas State Capitol. The event recognizes two groups of award recipients from throughout the ten-county region.

The 9-1-1 Calendar Artwork contest is a public education event meant to educate and inform elementary school-aged children on how to call 9-1-1 and what information to give to the 9-1-1 call taker. A Red E Fox DVD (Red E Fox is the 9-1-1 mascot who is central to the video) and information packet are sent to all schools with grades kindergarten - third grade. Teachers are asked to have the children watch the video and create artwork based on what the children believe they learned about 9-1-1. Artwork is returned to CAPCOG and judged by a panel of regional telecommunicators who select the winners, as well as several honorable mentions. The winning artwork with the theme what to do in an emergency is compiled into a CAPCOG 9‑1‑1 Calendar that is printed and distributed as part of the 9‑1‑1 public education campaign.

The PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) Awards recognize superior performance and call taking abilities of CAPCOG’s 9-1-1 Telecommunicators. Call takers are nominated by their agency, and submissions are sent to CAPCOG for evaluation by a panel of their peers.

Competition is intense and those selected are recognized at the Capitol ceremony. This year’s winners included: Leslie Stanford, Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services, was selected Emergency Communications Operator of the Year. The Austin Police Department was awarded the Team Award for the Echelon building event. Leigh Carrico from Round Rock PD, Lynn Mullins from Round Rock PD, and Carolyn Shavers from the Austin PD were awarded Lifetime Service Awards for over 20 years of service to 9-1-1. Shawne Marshall from Travis County SO, Deborah McKenzie from Williamson County Emergency Communications, Melinda Wessels from Marble Falls PD, Eric Whiteman from Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services, John Spitzer from Hays County SO, Toni Maskunas from Georgetown PD, Nicholle Benedict from Cedar Park PD, and Mira Morales from the Austin PD received awards for Dedicated Service.

Finally, the 9-1-1 Kid Hero award was presented to three children who exhibited bravery and composure during calls to 9-1-1 in an emergency. These children were nominated, and received their awards, from the 9-1-1 call taker who received the child’s call for help. This year’s Kid Heroes are Kyle and Kayla Kunkle, who were nominated by Hays County Sheriff’s office, and Merlin Reyes who was nominated by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.

In the News

2nd Annual Construction and Demolition Waste Management Summit Set

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Construction and demolition materials make up approximately 25% of materials landfilled in the CAPCOG Region.  To facilitate reduction of this waste stream, the CAPCOG Regional Solid Waste Program, in cooperation with City of Austin Solid Waste Services and the Austin Energy Green Building program, will host an educational and networking C&D Summit focusing on reduction and proper management of construction and demolition (C&D) materials on Nov. 4 at the Austin Convention Center.  The Summit will include:

• Local case studies (commercial and residential)
• Regulatory guidance
• Project management tools
• Local resources

Last year, nearly 100 waste management professionals, homebuilders, green building program managers, regulators, local government representatives, and others attended the C&D Summit.  This year the Summit will include the addition of a vendor showcase where attendees can get information on local services and resources for construction and demolition materials management.

Registration will open soon at www.capcog.org. Find more information about the C&D Summit at www.austinrecycles.com.

In the News

CAPCOG Completes Provider Database to the Regional Transit Coordination Committee

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

In its ongoing partnership with the Regional Transit Coordination Committee (RTCC), CAPCOG’s Regional Services Division has just finished creating a database of regional transportation providers for the ten-county region covering all transportation providers in the region, ranging from large public transportation agencies and taxi companies to smaller medical transportation and services exclusively serving designated populations such as veterans or the elderly. 

The database distinguishes the transportation providers based on the areas served and the riders targeted. This database was completed using the results from several previous partial efforts to collect data region-wide, combined with transportation-related resources gained from several regional nonprofit organizations. The data CAPCOG collected will be used to analyze the levels of service available throughout the region and will eventually create a “dial-a-ride” service that will help residents find what transportation options are available to them and arrange a trip using those services. The ultimate goal of the RTCC effort is to create a seamless transportation system for the region and also create a network of professionals who are able to help their clients use the transit resources to their full availability. 

The RTCC is a collaboration of CAPCOG, CAMPO, Capital Metro, CARTS, and several other regional governmental and non-profit organizations.  For more information on the RTCC, please contact David Fowler, Senior Planner, at (512) 916-6165.

In the News

CAPCOG Regional Law Enforcement Academy Graduates Another Class

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

CAPCOG’s most recent Basic Peace Officer Course (BPOC), a night class conducted at the Williamson County Sheriff’s Dept., graduated 37 cadets on Sept. 17, 2010, in a ceremony at the State Capitol with Sheriff James Wilson, Williamson County Sheriff, as the guest speaker.


A new night BPOC cadet class began Sept. 13th at CAPCOG’s Regional Law Enforcement Academy (RLEA) with 36 cadets who will spend the next nine months in training covering subjects such as the Texas Penal Code, Arrest, Search and Seizure, Patrol Procedures, Defensive Tactics, and Firearms. Registration is now underway for the next BPOC day class which will begin Nov. 8, 2010.

CAPCOG is proud to finally announce the arrival of the Use of Force training simulator funded through a federal stimulus grant from the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s Office. The staff is now training on the operation of the simulator and expects to begin region-wide training the first week of Oct. The simulator creates safe, effective, and realistic scenarios to train officers in situational, judgment, force options, and marksmanship. To request the use of the simulator, contact Director Mike Jennings at 512-916-6164 or mjennings@capcog.org.

The RLEA has set its in-service training schedule for the fall of 2010. There will be several types of instructor courses offered: basic instructor, patrol rifle instructor, as well as firearms instructor. The complete list of training classes can be viewed at www.capcog.org.

In the News

2010 Jack Griesenbeck Leadership in Regionalism Award Due

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Regional cooperation is becoming increasingly more important to our communities as we work to address issues across city and county lines. The Jack Griesenbeck Leadership in Regionalism Award was created to recognize a volunteer, community leader, or elected official who has made a significant effort toward regional cooperation within CAPCOG’s ten-county area.

Nominations are due by Nov. 1st (applications are on our website) and the winner will be announced at the December General Assembly meeting. Past recipients of the award are Kirk Watson, former Mayor of Austin; Neal Kocurek, former Chairman of the Envision Central Texas project; Robert Huston, Chairman of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; Ray Sanders, Lockhart Mayor and current Executive Committee member; Bob Daigh, District Engineer of Texas Department of Transportation; former Austin-area Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, and Caldwell County Judge H. T. Wright.

In the News

CAPCOG’s General Assembly Meets December 8th to Celebrate 40 Years

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

The Capital Area Council of Governments will welcome its General Assembly members to the Annual Membership meeting on Dec. 8th, 2010. Instead of the usual lunchtime meeting and speaker, it will be a brunch with an earlier start time and a panel discussion: Planning for the Region – the Next 20 Years. Registration begins at 9:30 am. The meeting will take place at the Omni Southpark at 4140 Governor’s Row, Austin, Texas, 78744.

In the News

Homeland Security Announces FY2011 Grant Process

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

The CAPCOG Homeland Security Division is accepting project worksheets from jurisdictions until 5pm on Friday, Aug. 27, 2010, for the next funding cycle of the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), FY2011. All project worksheets must be signed by an authorizing individual in order to be valid.

Texas uses a regional approach to the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP) in that Councils of Governments are provided a regional allocation for determining regional and local projects. The allocation of the FY2011 grant year will be provided by the State around Sept. 2011. CAPCOG is seeking projects at this time in order to plan for regional priorities and investment strategies. These priorities are combined with the other twenty-three Councils of Governments for the State’s application to the federal government for FY2011 HSGP funds. Each year the U. S. Department of Homeland Security sets priorities for grants under the Homeland Security program. The State of Texas anticipates that the following priorities will continue for FY2011:

1. Strengthen planning and citizen preparedness capabilities;
2. Strengthen Chemical, Biological, Radiological/Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) detection, response, and decontamination capabilities;
3. Strengthen information sharing and collaboration capabilities; and
4. Strengthen medical surge and mass prophylaxis.

Homeland Security activities in the CAPCOG region are also guided by the goals and regional implementation strategies as identified in the Capital Area Regional Strategic Implementation Plan and strategic plans of the committees of the CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force.

Potential sub-recipients for the FY 2011 SHSP grant funds are incorporated municipalities, counties, federally recognized Indian tribes, and the regional councils of governments. School districts, transit authorities, ports, hospital districts, and river authorities may be eligible if it is determined by CAPCOG, a city or county grant recipient, an Urban Security Initiative, or the State Director of Homeland Security that such funding meets preparedness needs for the region. Jurisdictions interested in submitting a project for regional consideration must meet eligibility criteria as determined by the State.

The CAPCOG project worksheet includes a new section for risk. Projects will be reviewed and prioritized on a regional level incorporating this risk methodology.

The CAPCOG FY 2011 Homeland Security Regional Grant Process and project worksheet can be found on the CAPCOG website at www.capcog.org.

For more information about the regional homeland security grant process, contact Ed Schaefer at (512) 916-6026 or eschaefer@capcog.org.

In the News

CAPCOG’s Summer Membership Meeting August 11th

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Alan Miller, Executive Director, Workforce Solutions-Capital Area Workforce Board, will be the keynote speaker at CAPCOG’s General Assembly Summer Membership Business Meeting and Luncheon to be held Wed., August 11, 2010, at the Crowne Plaza, 6121 North IH-35, Austin, Texas. Mr. Miller will present The State of the Workforce in the Austin-Round Rock MSA, a study representing a joint effort between Mr. Miller’s organization along with the Worksource – Rural Capital Area Workforce Board and CAPCOG staff.

A buffet will be served at 11:30 a.m. with the Business Meeting starting at 11:45 a.m. The business meeting will include approval of CAPCOG’s 2011 budget and work plan and the election of a Nominating Committee which will be charged with recommending membership for the 2011 Executive Committee.

The General Assembly is composed of representatives from each of CAPCOG’s member organizations; it votes each December on an Executive Committee that will oversee CAPCOG’s program and administration operations for the upcoming year including budget and audit functions, approval of grant funding, and expenditure and contractual obligations.

In the News

In-Service Classes

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

The following in-service classes will be offered through the RTA in Aug. and Sept.: Intermediate Use of Force on Aug.16 in Llano, Texas, and again on Sept. 13; Firearms Instructor on Aug. 30 in Hutto, Texas; New Supervisor Course on Sept. 22 at CAPCOG; and Basic Instructor Course on Sept. 17 at CAPCOG.

Please visit CAPCOG’s Training website to view and register for all classes.

In the News

Regional Training Academy

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

The Regional Training Academy currently has two Basic Peace Officer courses in progress: BPOC 56 and BPOC 57. BPOC 57 is a full-time day academy held in CAPCOG’s Mesquite Room and is scheduled to graduate Nov. 5, 2010. BPOC 56 is a part-time night class being hosted by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office at the Lott Center in Georgetown, Texas, and is scheduled to graduate Sept. 17, 2010.

Registration is underway for a new Basic Peace Officer Course that will begin on Sept.13, 2010. BPOC 58 will be a part-time night course held in CAPCOG’s Mesquite Room and will run Mon. through Thurs., 6 pm to 10 pm weekly for nine months. This course will graduate in May, 2011.

The Regional Training Academy will be conducting a Basic Corrections Certification Course held at the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office beginning Aug.2, 2010. This three-week course covers mandated topics for corrections officers and prepares the student to take the state licensing exam with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Education and Standards. All new officers are required to complete this certification within one year of employment with a county jail.

In the News

Basic Peace Officer Course Continues 100% Pass Rate

Monday, May 31, 2010

For the seventh time in seven graduating classes, the Regional Training Academy graduated their latest class of new peace officers with a 100% pass rate on the TCLEOSE licensing exam. Cadet Class 54, hosted at the Pflugerville Police Department, graduated 14 cadets on May 21st; all went on to take their TCLEOSE licensing exam passing with flying colors.

Cadet Class 55, which was conducted by CAPCOG’s RTA staff, also held up that pass rate by graduating 29 cadets; 68% of them scored above 90 on their TCLEOSE licensing exam. Class 55 began in November and included sponsored cadets from the Austin Fire Department, Austin Independent School District, Buda Fire Department, Georgetown Police Department, Kyle Police Department, Round Rock Police Department, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and Texas Parks and Wildlife.

CAPCOG’s RTA began its third and fourth BPOC class this year. Class 56 began on Feb. 8th with 39 cadets. Class 57 began on May 17th with 30 cadets. The RTA will begin registration for upcoming class 58 on June 1st, 2010.

In the News

9-1-1 . . . What is Your Location?

Monday, May 31, 2010

During April the City of Austin Public Safety GIS staff and CAPCOG 9-1-1 GIS staff volunteered at “Expanding Your Horizons Girl’s Conference” sponsored by Girlstart at UT Austin. Stephanie Jensen and Sara Smith from the City of Austin and Ilyanna Kadich from CAPCOG led a workshop for 6th-8th grade girls titled, “9-1-1…What is Your Location?” The girls learned how 9-1-1 works, how to communicate to 9-1-1 call takers and how 9-1-1 GIS maps work. They enjoyed a hands-on activity by creating an online map to share with friends using Google My Maps. Each girl at the workshop received a CAPCOG 9-1-1 drawstring bag along with several 9-1-1 educational materials. Each of the 500 girls at “Expanding Your Horizons” attended three workshops and enjoyed the keynote speech by Elizabeth Avellan, an award-winning producer of the Spy Kids movies.  

Girlstart is a non-profit organization founded in 1997 in the Austin area to educate and empower girls in math, science, and technology. The Expanding Your Horizons Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging young women to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math careers. 

Links:

Expanding Your Horizons Network www.ExpandingYourHorizons.org

Girlstart www.girlstart.org

In the News

Request for Applications for FY2011 Solid Waste Implementation Grants

Monday, May 31, 2010

The Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), in cooperation with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), announces the availability of $442,000 in municipal solid waste implementation grant funding for fiscal year 2011, and issues this Request for Applications (RFA). All applications must be received by 5:00 pm, Friday, June 11, 2010. The official RFA, FY11 Application Instructions, FY11 Application Forms and reference materials are below.

1. FY11 Solid Waste Grants Request for Applications – Describes the application and scoring process, eligible recipients, eligible project types and expense categories.

2. FY11 Solid Waste Grant Application Instructions and Forms – Includes application forms and detailed instructions for their completion and submission.

3. Regional Solid Waste Management Plan Goals & Objectives – Lists goals and objectives for solid waste management in the CAPCOG region. Solid waste grant funds awarded under this grant program must be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan.

4. FY2010-2011 CAPCOG Funding Plan – Describes the funding priorities for Solid Waste Implementation Grants.

5. CAPCOG Region Market Analysis of Recoverable Materials – Regional study completed in FY2007. Implementation projects which support recommendations of this study are encouraged.

6. Applicant Reference List of Private Industry Contacts – This list is provided to assist applicants with private industry notification, when required. This list is meant to be a starting point, and may not include all appropriate contacts. There will be a grant application workshop on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am in CAPCOG’s Pecan Room. Please RSVP to Kelly Freeman at 512-916-6040. All potential applicants are encouraged to attend.

In the News

New Regional Economic Development Plan Is Completed

Friday, May 28, 2010

Every five years CAPCOG staff kicks off a new CEDS process by calling a meeting of the committee charged with adopting the CEDS, the Capital Area Economic Development District (CAEDD). That committee has met three times this year to provide staff guidance and ideas about what the CEDS should include. The CEDS, short for Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, is technically a document done to fulfill a requirement of the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, for the planning funds received by the Capital Area Council of Governments as a designated Economic Development District (EDD). EDA requires that a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy or CEDS be done every five years, ideally with annual updates as appropriate. It is up to each EDD to decide what it wants its CEDS to be to the region’s planning efforts; there are EDDs across the U.S. and they all pretty much do this differently.

CAPCOG’s CEDS is not intended to provide guidance to individual cities about what they need to be doing in their economic development programs but rather to look at the region as a unit of cities and counties that compete globally for employers and workers. The Austin Metropolitan Region is a collection of cities, suburbs, and rural areas that are becoming increasingly interdependent economically; Census data show 77% of workers in this region cross a county line to get to their jobs.

A recent article in Citiwire discusses why some regions are so attractive, including Austin. The traditional economic development issues still are considered real estate costs, taxes, and labor costs; but also significant is an entrepreneurial environment made possible by the talent pool, university collaboration, and support for new growth. Interpret this to mean that a region has a better chance for a robust economy if it mixes entrepreneurship and innovation in established as well as start-up businesses. These knowledge-based businesses pay the best wages, depend on a well-educated workforce, and, thus, don’t move overseas.

So the 2010-15 CEDS acknowledges this trend and focuses on four goals that support it – those goals address workforce, entrepreneurship, economic competitiveness, and advocate for growth of clean energy as a knowledge-based industry. The final CEDS will be submitted to EDA in mid-June and will be posted on the CAPCOG website at that time.

In the News

Criminal Justice Funding Recommendations for 2011 Sent to Governor’s Office

Friday, May 28, 2010

CAPCOG’s Executive Committee met in May to review and approve the Criminal Justice Advisory Committees’ (CJAC) prioritization lists and funding recommendations for FY 2011 General Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and Criminal Justice applications to the Governor’s Office, Criminal Justice Division (CJD).

Fourteen FY 2011 General Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention applications, with a total request amount of $558,762, were reviewed. Funding under this solicitation is focused on supporting programs that prevent violence in and around schools and to improve the juvenile justice system and develop effective education, training, prevention, diversion, treatment, and rehabilitation programs in the area of juvenile delinquency. Thirteen of the 14 applications received scores above the required 30 out of a possible 65. They were ranked by score points and recommended for funding consideration.

Nine Criminal Justice applications, with a total request amount of $1,283,305, were reviewed and recommended for funding consideration. The purpose of criminal justice funding is to reduce crime and improve the criminal justice system.

All funding decisions are made at the sole discretion of the Governor’s Office, Criminal Justice Division. For more information about these funding recommendations or funding opportunities through CJD, contact Michelle Casanova, Criminal Justice Planning Manager, at mcasanova@capcog.org. Funding requests and scores are shown below; note that an application must score a minimum of 30 points to receive funding.

In the News

Regional Partnerships Demonstrated During Echelon Building Plane Crash

Monday, April 05, 2010

On the morning of Feb. 18th, no one expected a man to deliberately fly his single-engine plane into the Echelon Building in North Austin.

By a twist of fate, the Travis County CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive) Team was conducting their monthly training at the shopping center at Dave & Buster’s at the intersection of US 183 and MoPac.  The Travis County CBRNE Team, which includes Lake Travis, Pflugerville, Westlake, and Oak Hill fire departments, is one of four CBRNE teams in the ten-county CAPCOG Region.  The four teams (City of Austin; Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties) were formed based on existing hazardous materials response teams and enhanced with equipment and training through Homeland Security Grant Program funds to ensure the capability to respond anywhere in the Region.

That morning, the Travis County CBRNE Team was just setting up its personal protective equipment to test common procedures when they heard the plane hit the Echelon Building.  Since they were close to the scene, they determined that they could provide mutual aid to the City of Austin Fire Department (AFD) and quickly packed up and headed over to assist with life safety efforts.

Lake Travis set up Fire Engine 604 at the impact site of the building on Hwy 183 and began using a blitz attack on the fire while other members of the Travis County Team began helping people out of the building and conducting search patterns.  Oak Hill/Westlake Fire Chief Gary Warren, a member of the CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force, set up a Command Post while AFD units and public safety officials arrived on the scene.  The City of Austin quickly took over the Command Vehicle using their Command Trailer.  Incident objectives were established and Unified Command was well organized. 
The Travis County team members continued to assist AFD until they had to return to their respective jurisdictions.

According to George Blackmore, City of Austin Assistant Fire Chief and member of the CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force, “Partnerships paid off.  The regional collaboration among agencies and jurisdictions is an example of jurisdictions and government working together to better serve the citizens during stressful incidents that can have potential catastrophic consequences.” 

Preparedness planning and partnerships in the Capital Area Region were evident in other ways as well.   The City of Austin Emergency Operations Center received calls from neighboring jurisdictions, including Williamson and Hays Counties, ready to offer support if needed.  The hospitals geared up to receive additional patients through their radio roll call.  Dave Reimer, Executive Director of the Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council, also received calls from neighboring Regional Advisory Councils for assistance in hospital bed capacity if needed.  The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office had also geared up to receive fatalities.

In addition to the quick response, several factors helped keep casualties down.  According to fire officials, the plane did not penetrate the building which reduced the impact of fire.  The sprinkler system in the building was also operating correctly and made a difference in slowing the fire progression.  Since this was federally leased office space, the federal employees maintained an active emergency management plan and instituted their evacuation procedures.  The practice of their emergency drills added to life safety of the day as they were able to account for the employees in the building.

For more information about preparedness and response activities in the CAPCOG Region, contact Ed Schaefer at (512) 916-6026 or eschaefer@capcog.org.

In the News

Find us on Facebook!

Monday, April 05, 2010

Most of us know how useful Facebook is in our personal lives; with just a few clicks we can see photos of anyone in our friend’s list or get caught up on their recent events.  But what about incorporating this social network media in our day-to-day professional lives?

Emergency Communications launched the first CAPCOG Facebook page, CAPCOG 911, in late February with fantastic results.  Not only does the website provide professional networking opportunities for the public safety agencies across the ten-county region, it also serves as an additional venue for CAPCOG to share information on training and educational opportunities, professional standards, and other information pertinent to the efficient operation of a 9-1-1 entity.  CAPCOG is able to share access to regional and national resources via online links that the local PSAP staff may not normally detect.
Fans of the CAPCOG 911 Facebook page, have access to a Tip of the Week which relates to PSAP operations, links to public safety-related news articles with relevant teaching points, upcoming CAPCOG 9-1-1 events and training, a discussion forum, and even some fun photos of public safety events submitted by PSAPs across the region.

To become a friend or just to see what is happening in Emergency Communications, sign-in to Facebook and search for CAPCOG 911.

In the News

New Regional Services Director is Hired

Monday, April 05, 2010

CAPCOG has hired Mark Sweeney as the Director of the Regional Services Division, an expanded version of the former Regional Planning Division that included GIS, transportation (CARTPO) and land use, and general planning functions. Regional Services will also include the Solid Waste and Criminal Justice Programs and will be focused on adding new services and training for cities and counties. Mr. Sweeney’s background includes 14 years at the city government level, 13 years with the East Texas Council of Governments, and two years in consulting. His experience includes economic and community development, planning and zoning, air quality planning (including oversight for the East Texas Clean Cities Coalition), CDBG, transit/transportation planning, and housing; he is also a certified planner.  Mr. Sweeney’s first day will be April 1st.

In the News

Workshop for Veteran City Officials to be Held in April

Monday, April 05, 2010

The Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) will host the Workshop for Veteran City Officials on Tues., April 27, 2010, in the CAPCOG Pecan Room at 6800 Burleson Road, Building 310, Suite 165, Austin.  The workshop will be conducted by Thomas Yantis, AICP, Vice President - Community Planning for BWR; Trish Carls, Carls, McDonald & Dalrymple, LLP; and Laura Brewer, Assistant Director of Finance at the City of Georgetown. The cost of the workshop is $60.00 per person. You may register at Workshop for Veteran City Officials.
 
According to Yantis who has taught similar courses for CAPCOG , this workshop is designed to help elected officials navigate the world of city government and discusses the knowledge and tools necessary to become an effective policy maker.  “This course will help you better understand your role as an elected official and the tools and techniques to help you get things done. We will explore some of the basic characteristics and powers of city government and then get in depth about how to effectively work with your city staff, citizens, and other elected officials to advance your policy objectives,” explains Yantis. “Whether you ran to keep taxes low or to expand the city's parks system, this course will show you how to take your ideas and put them into action.”

The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. with welcome and orientation remarks by CAPCOG’s Executive Director, Betty Voights, followed by several topic discussions and will wrap up at 4 p.m.; lunch will be provided with the course fee.   In addition to being helpful to the elected officials, these workshops have proven to be very valuable to members of boards, committees, and commissions such as planning and zoning commissions and economic development corporations.

For more information, contact David Partlow, Regional Services Coordinator, at dpartlow@capcog.org or at 512-916-6045. The workshop is limited to 30 attendees.

In the News

Report on Law Enforcement Training

Monday, April 05, 2010

A new Basic Peace Officer Course (#57) will begin on May 17, 2010, on campus here at CAPCOG.  CAPCOG’s Regional Training Academy also currently has three Basic Peace Officer Courses (BPOC) in progress:  BPOC #54, BPOC #55, and BPOC #56.  The first is a part-time evening course held at Pflugerville Police Department which will graduate in May; the second is a full-time day course held here at CAPCOG in the Mesquite Room which will graduate in April; and the last is a part-time evening course held at Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, which will graduate in September.

The Pflugerville Police Department recently honored Zoila Perez, a cadet who graduated from CAPCOG’s RTA class #47. Officer Perez was nominated by her peers to receive Pflugerville’s first ever Rookie of the Year award.  

In the News

In-Service Training

Monday, April 05, 2010

The Regional Training Academy will provide the following classes between March and June, 2010:  Mental Health Officer, Intermediate Spanish for Law Enforcement, Intermediate Crime Scene Investigations, Patrol Rifle, Intermediate Use of Force, Intermediate Child Abuse, Intermediate Arrest Search & Seizure, and Defensive Handgun Tactics.  Courses sponsored by the Regional Training Academy include a Basic Environmental Investigation course which specializes in the criminal aspects of Environmental Law and Advanced Criminal Investigative Analysis; the course was developed and taught by Inspector Marx Howell.  A full listing of upcoming in-service training courses can be viewed and registered for on CAPCOG’s Training Website. 

The Regional Training Academy recently completed a Basic Jailer’s Training which was held at Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office. The new corrections officers were from Bastrop, Caldwell, and Lee Counties.  All of the new officers were successful on their first attempt at the required TCLEOSE testing.  This marks the second time in which the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office staff has accomplished a 100% first-attempt pass rate on the TCLEOSE testing.

Forensic Hypnosis class was held in Feb. with a total of 18 students who were investigators from Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Portugal. This class is designed to aid investigators in interviewing victims and suspects and also requires passing a TCLEOSE test in order to become a certified Forensic Hypnotist; Forensic Hypnosis has been recognized and accepted in courts of law.  Upcoming training can be located on our training page.

In the News

Members May Post Job Openings on the CAPCOG Website

Monday, April 05, 2010

CAPCOG is pleased to offer this free service to its member governments.  For more information, contact Ruth Ann Delaney, HR Coordinator, at radelaney@capcog.org  or phone 512-916-6175.

In the News

New Transportation Option Available to Older Adults

Monday, April 05, 2010

The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) recently announced that the area agencies on aging will have a new option for the purchase of transportation service beginning Oct.1, 2010. Individuals who are clients of the Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area (AAACAP) may be able to use vouchers to meet their transportation needs. In recognition that older individuals in the rural areas of the state have transportation challenges, DADS is allowing the use of vouchers to purchase rides. “It is often difficult for rural older adults to find rides to important appointments or activities due to the lack of public transportation. Even when public transportation is available, the schedules or accommodations might not match the need. Transportation vouchers will give them a welcome, flexible option,” says Glenda Rogers, CAPCOG Director of Aging Services.

The transportation voucher service is part of the client-based programs designed to meet the need of the older adult (over 60) and their informal caregivers.  With a consumer-directed voucher service the older individual, their caregiver or representative:

• Recruits individuals to provide the service (including, friends, neighbors and family members    not living in the same household).

• Negotiates the rate for the service

• Tracks the amount of service provided and the cost

• Submits the voucher for payment to the service provider each month

Currently, the AAACAP, a program of CAPCOG, offers two other consumer-directed services: respite and homemaker vouchers. When it comes to managing services, everyone has different needs and preferences. With voucher services, if the individual is able and willing to take more responsibility, they have more options from which to choose.

The AAACAP is participating in the statewide pilot to test the use of the transportation voucher for their current and future care coordination and caregiver support coordination clients. The pilot will conclude at the end of the fiscal year and a report of the findings will be submitted to DADS. The agency is pleased that the initial success of the pilot through work in the Panhandle and Tarrant County area agencies on aging has resulted in additional consumer choice being available in the region. “This is another tool to help older adults stay as independent as possible, have a choice in the services designed to support them, and to assist caregivers in their caregiving duties,” says Rogers.

If you would like more information on the Care Coordinator or Caregiver Support Programs or any of the consumer-directed services offered to clients of these programs by the AAACAP, please contact Jill Findlay, Program Manager, at 512-916-6060.

In the News

CAPCOG Celebrates its 40th Anniversary This Year

Monday, April 05, 2010

The Capital Area Council of Governments will celebrate 40 years of service to its member governments this year.  Executive Committee members have been asked for input on how CAPCOG should celebrate its 40th anniversary; and, at the April board meeting, CAPCOG staff will give a presentation on various special logo designs created to be used on marketing materials as well as highlighted on the CAPCOG website during the year. It is anticipated that the major celebration will be held during the annual membership meeting in December.

In the News

EPA Publishes More Stringent Standards for Ground-Level Ozone

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Just when our region breathed a sigh of relief after The Big Push resulted in keeping ozone monitors from forcing us into NonAttainment status, the Environmental Protection Agency has raised the bar.  Following their intent previously announced last fall, EPA has proposed to strengthen the national ambient air quality standards for ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone is a primary component of smog.

The proposed revisions are based on scientific evidence about ozone and its effects on people and sensitive trees and plants. EPA is proposing to revise the level of the primary 8-hour ozone standard from the current value of 75 parts per billion (ppb) to somewhere within a range of 60-70 ppb, and proposing to establish a separate cumulative secondary standard within a range of 7-15 parts per million-hours. EPA will be accepting comments on this proposal through Mar. 22, 2010. EPA is particularly interested in comments as regards what discreet value they should select for the final standard within the proposed range.  For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/groundlevelozone/actions.html.

While the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos urban area saw ozone monitoring data fall within the levels needed to demonstrate attainment of the 2008 ozone standard of 75 ppb, it will be a much greater challenge to have the level fall to 70 ppb or lower within the one-year time allowed by EPA to avoid a nonattainment designation. Area officials, faced with the more stringent standard likely to lead to a nonattainment designation, have begun making plans to submit comments to EPA expressing concerns with aspects of how the standard will be applied and making recommendations for improving effectiveness of implementation requirements. Officials have continued their expression of support for air quality standards shown to contribute to improving public health and to point out all the region has already done voluntarily to reduce harmful air pollutants.

In the News

Holiday Projects Benefit Clients

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

For the second year, clients of the Aging Services Division were on the receiving end of two holiday projects organized by departments from the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS).

The first project was sponsored through the DADS staff of the Budget and Management Services department. This department adopted eleven seniors from Travis, Williamson, and Bastrop Counties. Through personal donations and proceeds from a family golf event, this group of co-workers and their families provided and delivered everything these isolated seniors needed for a cheerful holiday season. When one client was asked what he might enjoy for a holiday meal, he replied, “A ham.” After some more prompting, he added, “A can or two of cranberries would be nice.” Six days before Christmas, a pantryful of groceries, along with several needed gift items, were delivered to him. His smile and expressions of gratitude were priceless and will remain in the hearts of everyone involved. All eleven seniors were identified and nominated by the Care Coordination staff (Aging).
 
A tree decorating contest was the kick-off for the second project. The Access and Intake/Area Agencies on Aging division of DADS staff set up and decorated trees in the main lobby at the Winters Building. Large moving boxes were placed next to them. Voting was done by placing donations into the boxes. The list of donations was compiled by the Care Coordination staff and included such items as: lotions, soaps, calendars, handkerchiefs, gloves, fleece blankets, slippers, etc.  After the contest, all of the boxes were brought to CAPCOG. Items were separated and organized by the Care Coordination team for distribution to seniors in the entire ten-county area. The donations were so generous that distribution is still taking place. Packets of these much-needed items have been delivered to approximately 30 clients to date. These recipients range from a single elderly man residing in a trailer in rural Caldwell County to a nursing home resident in Lee County. Client intake takes place daily in the Aging Division, so the benefits of this project will continue into the future and until all of the items are distributed. A gentleman in rural Burnet was expressing gratitude when, with tears in his eyes, he said, “I can’t remember the last time someone delivered a gift to me.” He is 91 years old.  A sweet 83- year-old who resides in Bastrop County expressed her thanks to the delivering staff member by insisting that she join her inside for a cup of tea. During the brief visit, the statement, “Thank you” was expressed between every other word.   

The generosity displayed in response to both of these projects was remarkable.  The far- reaching effects in the region can never be calculated, but the kindness shown to these senior members of our communities will forever be in the hearts of all who participated.   

In the News

Help for Dementia Patients:CAPCOG 9-1-1 Centers Accept Calls from Locating Devices

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

A new tool designed for the rapid location and recovery of dementia patients and others who have a tendency to wander is now available on the market.  9-1-1 centers throughout the ten-county CAPCOG region and around Texas are poised to receive calls from the new device.  The device, manufactured by EMFinders, is worn on the body and is essentially a small wireless telephone that is difficult to remove by the individual and looks like a piece of jewelry.
 
The device utilizes existing Phase II wireless technology, which allows 9-1-1 centers to locate wireless callers. When a person wearing the device wanders off or is unable to be located, their caregivers can call the operations center of the company, and through a tightly controlled sequence of events with law enforcement, the operations center will send a message to the device and activate a 9-1-1 call.

When the 9-1-1 call is received in the PSAP, the 9-1-1 operator receives a brief prerecorded message with instructions and a number to call for further information.  The 9-1-1 center can use its existing mapping application to locate the caller and dispatch law enforcement, and, if necessary, medical teams to aid the missing person.  The Travis County Sheriff’s Office 9-1-1 center participated in the initial testing of this unique service, which is now available to the public.

In the News

Census 2010

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

The slogan for the upcoming U.S. Census is It’s in our hands, and in a few weeks, around the middle of Mar. 2010, the Census forms will be at your door.  Is your community ready to respond? 

A robust national media campaign and local efforts of Complete Count Committees, local leaders working at the community level to increase awareness of the Census, will help ensure that most people hear about the Census.   But, getting a response from every address in the nation is not assured.  Some folks may never feel comfortable answering a Census questionnaire, but perhaps hearing the Census message through a trusted community, political, or faith leader may help to alleviate response concerns.

Here are some highlights of the core message for the Census.  More information can be found at the Census Bureau’s site http://2010.census.gov/2010census/.

 The Census is safe, important, and easy. 

Safe
All responses are protected by law and individual responses can only be accessed by Census Bureau employees who are responsible for tabulating the data into statistical areas.  Names and other identifying information are stripped from the responses and data is never released that would allow an individual’s  responses to be identified.  Information collected from the Census cannot be used to enforce laws against a respondent. 

Important
Census data is used to plan our communities and to distribute over $400 billion in funding each year nationwide.  As a fast growing region, it is important that the Capital Area get counted completely, so that our communities and the region receive their share of funding.   Additionally, political representation is determined using Census data. If the Census counts follow current projections, Texas will gain additional Congressional seats.

Easy
Census 2010 consists of 10 questions including only the most basic information such as age, race, Hispanic origin, whether your residence is owned or rented, and how each person is related to the householder.  There is no “long form;” however, important socioeconomic data is collected annually from a small sample of the population through a survey called the American Community Survey.

Householders who do not mail back the first questionnaire will receive a replacement questionnaire in April.  Residents not responding to the replacement questionnaire will be visited by a Census worker sometime between May and July 2010.  People living in “group quarters” (i.e., college dorms, assisted living facilities, correctional facilities, and other managed facilities providing housing and services) will be counted, in April and May, through visits by Census workers. 

For more information about the Census, check out CAPCOG’s website, http://www.capcog.org, and the CAPCOG Census Coordination Blog, http://www.census-capcog.blogspot.com/, which will be used to post any information about Census 2010 pertaining to Central Texas.  We encourage you to submit any Census activities or information you would like to share with others throughout the region.  You may contact a Census Bureau partnership specialist for more information.  To figure out the Census partnership specialist assigned to your county, visit http://census-capcog.blogspot.com/2009/06/partnership-specialist-areas.html.

CAPCOG will also be providing media releases, for local governments in its region, to use with media in their areas.

In the News

ENS Helps Capture Round Mountain Robbers

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

The Emergency Notification System (ENS) allows public safety personnel in CAPCOG participating jurisdictions to relay critical emergency information to their citizens when human life or property is in danger.  To those who reside in the rural community of Round Mountain, a small town 12 miles north of Johnson City in Blanco County, ENS provided beneficial assistance after an attempted armed robbery at the Cattleman’s National Bank.

At approximately 7 a.m., three male subjects ambushed a bank employee who was opening the bank for the day.  As they entered the building, the bank’s employee managed to discreetly trip the security system, tipping off law enforcement of possible criminal activity.  The intruders were caught off guard at the prompt arrival of law enforcement and fled the scene on foot.  The three suspects were considered armed and dangerous.  Blanco County Sheriff’s Department secured a perimeter and coordinated with other agencies in the manhunt.  With the extreme wet weather hindering the search and no results in the manhunt for several hours, the citizens in the area had to be notified of the growing threat posed by the armed criminals.  The first ENS message was sent to residents of Round Mountain at 10:46 a.m.  The message, automated by ENS using the 9-1-1 database, warned the public to use every precaution, locking their cars and homes and if they witnessed any suspicious activity to report it to the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office.  One arrest in the late morning left the two remaining suspects unaccounted.  As the search continued with assistance from many surrounding agencies, nightfall began to set, and it was imperative to notify residents in the area who would be coming home from their day jobs.  The second ENS message was activated at 7:20 p.m. updating residents of the most current situation and how to proceed with caution.  Blanco County Judge Bill Guthrie stated, “The advantage of engaging in ENS is being able to get a message to all the residents in a timely fashion so they could take steps to ensure their safety, to know what to look for, and report anything unusual.”  Residents played a critical role in helping local area law enforcement catch the two remaining suspects the next day. 

ENS is available in theten-county CAPCOG Region and was purchased using a combination of Homeland Security Grant Funds and funds from participating local governments.  For more information about the ENS, contact Ed Schaefer at 512-916-6026 or eschaefer@capcog.org.

In the News

Capital Area Communities Receive Solid Waste Grants

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Twenty-two local governments have been selected to receive $442,000 in solid waste grants from  the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) for support of recycling, household hazardous waste management, illegal dumping enforcement and clean-up efforts, including related education and outreach. The funds are provided by the Regional Solid Waste Management Grant Program through funding provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. 

In November, the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) met to review 36 applications for a total of over $1.02 million in requests.  The SWAC recommended 22 projects for funding; those projects were approved by the CAPCOG Executive Committee during their December board meeting.

This year’s awardees include Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, and Travis Counties and cities of Austin, Cedar Park, Hutto, Jarrell, La Grange, Llano, Lockhart, San Marcos, Smithville, and Sunset Valley.  CAPCOG was also awarded a grant to fund support of the Regional Environmental Task Force which provides environmental law training to combat illegal dumping and other environmental crimes.  The Lower Colorado River Authority and Manor Independent School District also received grant funding. 

Project applications were sought from eligible cities, counties, school districts, and special districts with solid waste responsibilities. Funds for these projects are generated by solid waste disposal fees collected by TCEQ. They are the only state funds available for solid waste projects to local governments. The solid waste funds are intended for local and cooperative activities consistent with the strategic objectives of CAPCOG’s Regional Solid Waste Management Plan. 

In the News

New Leadership Elected for CAPCOG

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

New officers were elected during CAPCOG’s first Executive Committee meeting of the year on Jan. 13, 2010. Elected were City of Bee Cave Mayor Caroline Murphy, Chairman; Hays County Commissioner Will Conley, 1st Vice-Chairman; Burnet County Judge Donna Klaeger, 2nd Vice-Chairman; and Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw, Secretary. Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe is now the Past Chair.

 Previously during its Dec., 2009, annual membership meeting and luncheon, the CAPCOG General Assembly elected the 2010 Executive Committee, the board charged with overseeing budgeting, auditing, and operations for CAPCOG. There were no changes to be made on the Executive Committee this year.

Elected to serve for the 2010 calendar year were:  Bastrop County: Judge Ronnie McDonald; Mayor Marc Holm, City of Elgin. Hays County: Mayor Susan Narvaiz, City of San Marcos; Judge Elizabeth Sumter. Blanco County: Judge Bill Guthrie; Mayor Kermit Roeder, Johnson City.  Lee County: Commissioner Maurice Pitts. Burnet County: Commissioner Bill Neve. Llano County: Judge Wayne Brascom.  Caldwell County: Judge H. T. Wright; Mayor James Bertram , City of Lockhart. Travis County: Judge Sam Biscoe; Commissioner Karen Huber; Councilmember Chris Riley, City of Austin; Mayor Jeff Coleman, City of Pflugerville.  Fayette County:  Judge Ed Janecka;  Mayor Janet Moerbe, City of La Grange. Williamson County: Judge Dan A. Gattis; Councilmember Pat Berryman,  City of Georgetown; Commissioner Cynthia Long; Councilmember Scott Mitchell, City of Cedar Park.

In the News

Mandated Training Courses Change

Friday, December 04, 2009

The new training cycle for Peace Officers for TCLEOSE-mandated continuing education began on Sept. 1, 2009.  There have been some significant changes to the mandated course list.  All peace officers who hold an Intermediate Peace Officer License or Basic Peace Officer License will still need to take Cultural Diversity, Racial Profiling, and Special Investigative Topics classes during the training cycle.  Those peace officers who hold an Advanced or Master Peace Officer License are no longer required to take those training classes.

The RTA will again provide all required as well as specialized training during the new training period. Upcoming training events will be posted on our web site at www.capcog.org.

In the News

Regional Training Academy Still Getting 100 Percent Pass Rate

Friday, December 04, 2009

CAPCOG’s Basic Peace Officer Class #53 graduated 40 new Texas peace officers in Oct. 2009. The graduating cadets also accomplished a 100% first-attempt pass rate for the state mandated licensing exam.  Class #53 had a total of 29 cadets scoring 90% or better on the state test.  Agencies that sponsored cadets include Cedar Park PD, San Marcos PD, Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Lockhart FD, La Grange PD, Georgetown PD, Austin ISD PD, and Fredericksburg PD.

The RTA has begun a new Basic Peace Officer Class at the RTA with 35 cadets. The class runs from Nov. 2009 through April 2010.  Over the next six months, Class # 55 will be instructed in the following subjects:  Code of Criminal Procedure, Penal Code, Health and Safety Code, Accident Investigations, Patrol Procedures, and Firearms.

In the News

CAPCOG Information and Referral Specialist Receives Award

Friday, December 04, 2009

Ray Glenn, Information and Referral Specialist for CAPCOG’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA), was presented with the Texas Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (TAIRS) 2009 Outstanding Information and Referral Specialist Award at their annual meeting in Corpus Christi on October 14th.   Ray was nominated by his co-worker, Joan Conrad.
Ray has been employed by CAPCOG as an Information and Referral Specialist since February 2002. In 2008 he became a Certified Information and Referral Specialist (CIRS) through the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) after he passed a qualification test. Ray fields between forty and fifty calls a day from older adults and their caregivers in the region. He listens intently to each caller and guides them in identifying what assistance they need.  He gives each caller the dignity and respect they deserve, no matter how busy he is with other tasks. He is a passionate advocate for those who have no one else to speak for them. In addition to handling routine calls for assistance through services offered by the AAA, Ray provides resources to callers for legal assistance, housing, transportation, home repairs, and barrier removal for those persons with a disability, along with a long list of other requests for information.
Ray consistently researches possible sources of assistance throughout the region and shares the results with AAA staff. In addition, he maintains a current internet database and provides printed resources books for callers when they do not have internet access.
“I have silently wished multiple times that when I’m in my 70s and 80s and in need of resources that I’ll find someone with as much knowledge, patience, and compassion as Ray offers every single caller,” Joan commented. “He strives to satisfy each caller’s needs and, on those rare occasions when he can’t attain that goal, it’s obvious that he’s personally disappointed.”
CAPCOG congratulates Ray on this distinguished award and thanks him for the excellent work he performs for this organization.

In the News

Emergency Communications Update

Friday, December 04, 2009

The year 2010 will bring many upgrades to the 33 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in the CAPCOG region.  A new secure high-speed communications network has been installed at 17 PSAPs with the remaining PSAPs to be connected in early 2010.  This network will eventually allow the PSAPs to exchange voice and data seamlessly, and serves as the foundation for the Next Generation 9-1-1 network.  Eight PSAPs are scheduled to have a total of 13 new workstations installed to support increased emergency call volumes.  During 2009 CAPCOG PSAPs processed 2,040,851 calls for service. This is a 5.9% increase over the 1,927,631 calls processed in 2008. 

Each PSAP has two connections to the Automatic Location Information (ALI) database service. The ALI information is used to plot the location of the caller on the 9-1-1 mapping system and provides the call taker with a visual indication of where the emergency call originates.  The ALI network connections will be upgraded with new routers at each PSAP.  Also during 2010 the ALI services will be redirected from servers located in Austin and Houston to two new national database locations in Lakewood, Colorado, and Miami, Florida.

Replacement of the Vesta Pallas call processing equipment in 13 PSAPs is scheduled throughout the year.  This equipment is the “heart” of the 9-1-1 system and the primary means used to handle the emergency calls.  Replacement of this equipment is scheduled for about every six years and is a major undertaking.

Finally the installation of standardized pre-arrival protocols to assist with fire, police, and medical calls will occur for all of the PSAPs.  This software will replace manual card sets currently used by PSAP staff.

In the News

FY 2011 Criminal Justice Grant Application Dates Set

Friday, December 04, 2009

Timelines have been announced for all the Criminal Justice funding for FY 2011.  CAPCOG will continue to provide technical assistance with applications, and the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee will conduct the prioritization process as required by the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s Office.  CAPCOG will be altering a few of the internal procedures for this year’s funding rounds; most noteworthy is the elimination of the application pre-review requirement.  The Criminal Justice planning staff will still provide a review of applications before they are formally submitted to the State as a service to applicants; however, the pre-review will be optional.

The following chart lists important application process due dates and deadlines for criminal justice funding through the Governor’s Office, CJD.  Projects funded under an FY 2011 application will have a start date of Sept. 1, 2010 and an end date of Aug. 31, 2011.  Agencies interested in requesting funding for local or regional projects must contact their respective COGs for a list of requirements for participating in the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC) application review process.  For more information about CAPCOG’s CJAC application review process and upcoming training events, contact Erica Linneman, CAPCOG Criminal Justice Planner at elinneman@capcog.org.

*Dates on this list are subject to change.  Check the CAPCOG website regularly for updates, www.capcog.org.

In the News

VAWA Applications Timeline Announced

Friday, December 04, 2009

The Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s Office is soliciting applications through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 for projects that will develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violent crimes against adult female victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault.

CJD and victim services stakeholders developed the following priorities for VAWA-Recovery Act funding based on identified service gaps in victim restoration:

• Promote training to criminal justice and victim service professionals that improves those systems for victims of violence against women;
• Improve the criminal justice system’s response to female victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and acquaintance/dating violence;
• Strengthen victim restoration services and processes; and
• Increase collaboration and communication across all levels of government and among all victim service systems.

Preference will be given to applicants that promote comprehensive victim restoration while incorporating an emphasis on cultural competency in underserved populations.  Applicants are also encouraged to streamline administrative and reporting processes by consolidating grant requests whenever possible in lieu of submitting multiple applications.

The VAWA Recovery Act application process opens November 20, 2009 and closes on December 21, 2009.  To view the VAWA Recovery RFA and to learn about other funding opportunities through the Governor’s Office, CJD, go to the following link:  https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us/fundopp.aspx .

In the News

CAPCOG Releases County Land Use Authority Report

Friday, December 04, 2009

In response to the issues created by the high rate of residential and commercial growth in unincorporated areas of urban and suburban Texas counties, CAPCOG has prepared a report on County Land Use Authority in Texas. This report highlights the current state of the counties’ ability to manage growth, detailing the specific chapters in Texas Code that grant counties the ability to regulate land use while pointing out innovations that some counties have made in the exercise of their authority.

The CAPCOG report also analyzes the unique character of county land use authority in Texas, especially the fact that only Texas excludes such large areas of its territory from being allowed to exercise zoning and comprehensive planning.  CAPCOG intends this report to be the first in a series on county land use authority, with the next release covering potential strategies to provide counties experiencing rapid growth the powers they need to promote quality development.

The Report can be viewed at the Information Clearinghouse section of the CAPCOG website.   Any questions or comments regarding the paper should be directed to David Fowler, CAPCOG Senior Planner at (512) 916-6165 dfowler@capcog.org.

In the News

CAPCOG Kicks Off Growth Assessment Project

Friday, December 04, 2009

CAPCOG recently launched a regional Growth Assessment – “a comprehensive assessment on growth and development issues including transportation, land use, water, and economic development.” Conducting this assessment was the top priority of the CAPCOG Executive Committee Strategic Planning process last year. In support of this initiative, the Executive Committee appointed a number of elected officials and city managers from across our region to serve on a Growth Assessment Subcommittee. Members include:

• Mayor Pro-Tem Victor Gonzales, City of Pflugerville
• Commissioner Karen Huber, Travis County
• Judge Donna Klaeger, Burnet County
• Mayor Susan Narvaiz, City of San Marcos
• Councilmember Chris Riley, City of Austin
• Judge Liz Sumter, Hays County
• City Manager Brenda Eivens, City of Cedar Park
• City Manager Shawn Raborn, City of La Grange
• Ray Sanders, City of Lockhart
• 
Subcommittee members attended a kick-off meeting at CAPCOG in mid-November. At the meeting, CAPCOG staff introduced the project and presented a series of maps visually reinforcing the explosive nature of the Capital Area’s current and projected growth.

The follow-up discussion quickly turned to water – not surprising given our record-setting drought. Subcommittee members felt the Capital Area may be crossing a threshold where water availability becomes the definitive criteria in shaping where and how our region grows. The Subcommittee requested that staff research the regional implications of water availability and report back to the Subcommittee in January.

The Subcommittee will present a draft of the Growth Assessment Report to the CAPCOG Executive Committee by July 2010. For more information, please contact David Fowler at dfowler@capcog.org.

Figure 1 2002 Aerial Photograph of Highway 71 west of Bastrop

Figure 2 2008 Aerial Photograph of Highway 71 west of Bastrop

In the News

CARTPO Top Project Gets Funded

Friday, December 04, 2009

TxDOT recently funded the US Highway 281 bridge over the Colorado River in Marble Falls. This project tied for the top regional transportation priority at the Capital Area Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CARTPO) project prioritization in Dec., 2008.

The bridge will replace the outdated single structure bridge with a separate structure for each direction. In addition to four divided lanes with shoulders for vehicular travel, the new bridge will also feature bicycle/pedestrian lanes. The total project cost for the bridge replacement is $34 million. The construction of the bridge is expected to take two and a half years.

The bridge’s replacement will be funded through TxDOT’s bridge program. Funds in the bridge program became available thanks to several other projects in the bridge program being completed under budget. CAPCOG and TxDOT Austin District staff had worked since the CARTPO prioritization to highlight the importance of the bridge replacement for mobility both within the Central Texas region and throughout Texas as a whole. US Highway 281 is a major Texas Trunk System route and an alternative route for the metropolitan areas along IH 35. CAPCOG has also submitted an application for a TIGER grant through the US Department of Transportation for this project. The TIGER grant application is currently under review.

In the News

CAPCOG CBRNE Strike Team Joint Exercise Conducted

Thursday, December 03, 2009

The CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Explosive) Strike Teams in the CAPCOG region conducted the 4th annual joint exercise Nov., 2009 at the Brushy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Round Rock.  The CBRNE Strike Teams were joined by the Brazos River Authority (BRA), 6th Civil Support Team (CST), City of Austin Bomb Squad, Round Rock personnel including the Emergency Operations Center, and other local, state, and federal agencies in a day-long simulation of their response capabilities. 

The exercise play began when personnel from the Brushy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant called Round Rock 9-1-1 to report a cloud coming from the onsite chemical building and victims on the ground.   Round Rock fire and police were dispatched to the scene to assess the situation.  Throughout the day, the scenario escalated in which each of the four teams (Williamson County, Travis County, Hays County, and the City of Austin) were dispatched to the scene to test different response capabilities for multi-jurisdictional collaboration.   This was the first time for the Travis County team to work with the federal military-supported 6th CST and the Hays County team to work in conjunction with the City of Austin Bomb Squad on a response call.  This event also provided an opportunity for the new Round Rock Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to test coordination at the EOC and with the mutual activities occurring at the local incident command post.  Law enforcement also had a role.

Peer evaluators were used to observe the various elements of the exercise.  Each agency will take its noted areas of improvements and lessons learned and make changes to policies and procedure to be better prepared during an actual emergency.   From a regional perspective, areas for improvement include additional training on command and control, revisions in the notification protocols for the CBRNE teams, and communications. 

Based upon existing hazardous materials response teams and law enforcement special operations units, the CBRNE Strike Teams were formed to ensure the capability to respond anywhere in the ten-county CAPCOG region to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction.  The teams have worked cooperatively to develop common procedures, ensure common capabilities and training, and obtain compatible equipment.  Much of the equipment used by these teams has been purchased with Homeland Security Grant Program funds that are administered by CAPCOG and are maintained by the jurisdictions.

For more information about the CBRNE Strike Teams, contact Ed Schaefer at 512-916-6026 or eschaefer@capcog.org

In the News

8th Caregiver Conference Held

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

The 8th Annual Striking A Balance Conference was held at Norris Conference Center in North Austin in September with over 130 family caregivers who gathered for a day of ducation, sharing of information, resources ,and personal experiences. These caregivers are caring for family members and loved ones over the age of 60.

Dr. Jerald Winakur, a geriatrician and family caregiver from San Antonio was keynote speaker. Dr. Winakur is the author of Memory Lessons. He shared his experiences of care giving through both personal and professional experiences.  Tam Cummings, local practicing gerontologist and Alzheimer's disease expert, also presented. A panel of experienced family caregivers held a Q & A session.  Vendors were on site and available to share resources with the participants.

This annual event is organized and staffed by Aging Division staff and staff from AGE (Austin Groups for the Elderly). Participation in this event has increased every year and gained popularity among the Austin-area caregiving community.

Dr. Jerald Winakur

In the News

Solid Waste Grant Applications Due

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

The Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), in cooperation with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), announces the availability of $442,000 in municipal solid waste implementation grant funding for fiscal year 2010, and has issued a Request for Applications (RFA).

The official RFA, FY10 Application Instructions, FY10 Application Forms and reference materials are posted at www.capcog.org. You may also request a hard copy of the application packet by contacting Kelly Freeman, Solid Waste Program Coordinator, at 512-916-6040.

All applications must be received by 5 pm, Wed., Oct. 14, 2009.

Please contact the following CAPCOG Solid Waste Program staff if you have any questions or if you would like assistance in preparing your application:   Kelly Freeman, Solid Waste Program Coordinator, (512) 916-6040, kfreeman@capcog.org or Ashley Fisher, Regional Environmental Coordinator, (512) 916-6185, afisher@capcog.org.  CAPCOG Solid Waste Program staff are glad to review your draft application prior to the submission due date.

In the News

Training Academy Still 100% on Testing

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

With the most recent Cadet Class # 52 graduating on September 18th, CAPCOG’s Regional Training Academy continues to boast a 100 percent pass rate for graduates taking their first TCLEOSE test!  This BPOC was a night class conducted at the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department in Georgetown, Texas with 37 cadets and was the third BPOC class conducted this year.

A new night class began in September at the Pflugerville Police Department with 23 cadets who will spend the next nine months covering subjects such as the Texas Penal Code, Arrest, Search and Seizure, Patrol Procedures, Defensive Tactics and Firearms.

Texas peace officers are required by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) to acquire 40 hours of mandatory training every 2 years.  Mandatory classes include Special Investigative Topics, Cultural Diversity, and Intermediate Crisis Intervention.  In 2009, CAPCOG’s RTA has held 33 in-service classes to meet the needs of regional law enforcement officers and has sponsored 22 in-service classes for various departments throughout the CAPCOG region.

In the News

PSAPs BETA SIP

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

No, CAPCOG does not have a new sorority or fraternity.  Two of its 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) have begun to BETA test the PlantCML Vesta Pallas SIP application.  Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signaling protocol, widely used for controlling multimedia communication sessions such as voice and video calls over Internet Protocol (IP).  Other application examples include video conferencing, streaming multimedia distribution, instant messaging, presence information, and online games.  SIP is part of the Next Generation of applications that 9-1-1 is moving toward in order to add new services.  In the future, emergency calls via text messages and calls with video may be sent to 9-1-1 for help via the SIP application.  This cannot be done with the current 9-1-1 architecture.

The San Marcos Police Department and Hays County Sheriff’s Office are currently testing the PlantCML Vesta Pallas SIP capable equipment.  These two PSAPs are the first to be connected via a new Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network.   After the testing is completed, other PSAPs will be added to the ATM network that will be the foundation for the CAPCOG Emergency Services network (ESInet) for Next Generation 9-1-1 services and other emergency services such as radio interoperability, traffic monitoring, and health services. 

When all of the CAPCOG regions’ PSAPs are connected with SIP trunking and have SIP- capable equipment installed, the PSAPs will be able to transfer calls among each other without using the current telephone company provided Tandem switches.  In the future, CAPCOGs ESInet will connect to the State of Texas provided network, thus allowing calls to be transferred to any PSAP in the state that is connected to a regional network. This will greatly enhance the ability to process calls during disasters such as hurricanes or tornados.

In the News

Region Shows Attainment of the Federal Ground-Level Ozone Standard

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

As the 2009 ozone season (Apr. 1 – Oct. 31) comes to a close, monitored ozone levels during the past two months have been low enough to move the three-year average for the region back into the attainment category. However, recent news from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that changes are underway in the federal standard that may put the region back into the position of facing a nonattainment designation.
  
Over the past eight years, local governments in the five-county Austin Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area have engaged in substantial air quality planning activities under the coordination of the Central Texas Clean Air Coalition to achieve compliance with the federal ground-level ozone standard. The most recent efforts, the Early Action Compact and the 8-hour Ozone Flex Program, have proven successful in reducing ozone levels measured at local air quality monitors.

Efforts were redoubled during the 2009 ozone season in an initiative known as the Big Push to accomplish sufficient emission reductions to bring the three-year average down to a level meeting the 2008 ozone standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb). Local governments, industrial facilities, Clean Air Partners, and citizens who committed to become “Ozone Action Heroes” have all contributed to the reduction in emissions during this critical ozone season. These efforts appear to have been successful, as indicated on the attached monitoring data chart showing lower ozone levels than usually experienced during the peak of the season.

In a new challenge, however, EPA has recently announced that they have been reevaluating the ozone standard based on an analysis of health impacts studies and recommendations from science advisory committees. EPA plans to make a proposal in Dec. of this year to change the ozone standard to a more stringent level, likely to be somewhere between 60 to 70 ppb. It is probable that the change will again put the area in jeopardy of being designated nonattainment. Such a designation brings with it increased financial burdens to local businesses and restrictions on industrial and transportation system growth. 

While measures included in the area’s 8-hour Ozone Flex program coupled with the impacts of federal standards on lowering emissions from new on-road (cars and trucks) and off-road (construction equipment) vehicles will continue to provide emission reductions, a more restrictive ozone standard will be difficult to achieve in the time frame EPA is expected to set out for the region. To assist local officials in making sound policy decisions for the region regarding developing changes in air quality regulations, CAPCOG’s Air Quality Program will continue to provide the technical analysis of ozone data, emission control strategies and costs, and the impacts of new state and federal rules.

In the News

Law Enforcement Agencies Exercise Crowd Control

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Law enforcement agencies in the ten-county Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) region have formed a committee to identify, develop, and coordinate specialized teams of law enforcement resources designed to successfully respond and assist in any mutual aid situation. This group, called the Law Enforcement Standards, Equipment, and Training (LE-SET), serves as a subcommittee to the CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force Technical Response Committee.  The goals of LE-SET are to develop training programs based on core training requirements, standardize equipment used by both tactical and strike teams used on large scale events, standardize tactics, conduct an exercise annually, implement a regional SWAT coverage plan, and identify other regional law enforcement issues. 

The group participated in their first joint mobile field force (crowd control) exercise in August at the Round Rock Athletic Complex.   The objectives of the exercise were coordination of personnel and equipment, command and control, and communication.  The exercise simulated a crowd in the stadium that began rioting which law enforcement had to curtail. 

The morning and afternoon simulations involved law enforcement officers from over twenty Central Texas agencies.  Cadets from the CAPCOG Regional Training Academy, as well as other police officers from various agencies, played the role of the rioting crowd.  

For more information, contact Ed Schaefer at 512-916-6026 or eschaefer@capcog.org

In the News

Falls Prevention Awareness Week Observed at Capitol

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

The Texas Falls Prevention Coalition kicked off the observance of Falls Prevention Awareness Week 2009 with a press conference in Austin at the Capitol. This observance is in response to the passage of House Bill 703 that Representative Patrick Rose and Senator Jane Nelson sponsored in the 81st Legislative Session. This is a milestone in getting the word out about falls prevention awareness to Texans.

In attendance at the press conference were individuals from the community, coalition members, and invited guests. Representative Patrick Rose, Jim Hine, former Commissioner of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, and Carlos Higgins, Texas Silver-Haired Legislator, spoke on the importance of making Texans aware of the consequences of falls and the importance of prevention. Each speaker provided startling statistics on the price we pay nationally and as a state for hospitalizations due to falls. One alarming statistic highlighted is that in 2007, approximately $1.9 billion was spent in Texas for fall-related hospitalizations for adults over the age of 50 years.

The press conference was a great beginning for this important week. Each day of Falls Prevention Awareness week focused on a specific topic which included increasing physical activity, home safety, falls prevention classes, information for caregivers, and medication management. Following the press conference, Linda Gibson and two of her colleagues demonstrated a form of Tai Chi on the south steps of the Capitol. Tai Chi is one of many physical activities that can increase balance to help prevent falls.

The Capitol press conference was one of many successful activities conducted around the state of Texas during this first Falls Prevention Awareness Week.

(Pictured from left to right at the Capitol – Vicki Parsons, Reuben Parrish, Jim Hine, Rep. Patrick Rose, Penny Redington, Glenda Rogers, Carlos Higgins)

In the News

Greenprint Aids Planning for Growth

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

The Texas State Data Center predicts that 1.5 million people will be moving to the Capital Area over the next 25 years; the Capital Area continues to show signs of growth that outpace the rest of the country. Many of these new residents describe the ‘quality of life’ as the reason for moving their families and businesses to Central Texas. Welcoming new neighbors while maintaining the region’s unique identity is the goal of the recently completed Central Texas Greenprint for Growth (the Greenprint).

The Greenprint is a tool for balancing sustainable conservation goals with the infrastructure requirements of this rapidly urbanizing region. It’s about preserving the natural identify while satisfying the water, transportation, housing, and schooling needs of a growing population. To do this, CAPCOG partnered with the Trust for Public Land (TPL), Envision Central Texas, the University of Texas, the Federal Highway Administration, and county stakeholders to develop a regional Greenprint for Travis, Hays, Bastrop, and Caldwell Counties.

The process utilizes stakeholder input, automated polling, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify conservation priorities that reflect each community’s diverse interests and values. Stakeholders in each county first listed their interests (e.g., preserving water quality, creating recreational opportunities, etc.) and converted them to mappable layers (e.g., aquifers, floodplains, underserved populations, etc.).  Next, they used automated polling to value, or prioritize, their interests.  Lastly, the Greenprint Team utilized GIS to combine each County’s prioritized interests into a single compsite map that represents their Greenprint.

The final report and map can be used to identify:

• infrastructure corridors which support growth while minimizing the impact on our conservation priorities;
• new parks and recreational facilities that satisfy the needs of our growing population;
• concentrations of farm and ranch lands; and,
• a Greenprint for sustainable growth that preserves our region’s unique identity.

The Greenprint report, brochures, maps, and data will be available via the CAPCOG Information Clearinghouse at www.capcog.org by the end of October. Please contact David Fowler at dfowler@capcog.org for more information.

In the News

CAPCOG Emergency Notification System Goes Wireless

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Residents of the ten-county Capital Area Council of Governments region are now able to receive notification on their cellular telephones of emergencies that affect their homes and businesses.  These notifications are made possible through a new addition to the CAPCOG regional Emergency Notification System (ENS).

In 2004 CAPCOG used a combination of homeland security grant funds and funds from participating local governments to implement the ENS which allows public safety personnel in participating jurisdictions to relay critical emergency information to their citizens when human life or property is in danger.  Originally, the system could contact only those people who had land-line telephone service since it relied on the 9-1-1 database that is managed by CAPCOG. 

With the rise in popularity of cell phones, an increasing number of people no longer maintain traditional landline telephone service and rely exclusively on their cell phones as their residence telephone.  To address the need to extend the availability of emergency notification to people without land-line telephone services, CAPCOG’s staff worked with a programmer to develop a web-based interface that allows people to locate their residences on a map and thus receive emergency notifications.  This interface was designed to extend the functionality of the CAPCOG ENS to cell phones.

An additional benefit of this service is that people may link their cell phone numbers to one or more locations, such as their place of business or the homes of relatives.  If a participating local government activates the system for an area that contains a location that has been registered to a particular cell phone number, the system will attempt to send the emergency message to that phone. 

The addition of this service is part of CAPCOG’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the ENS is the most capable telephone-based notification system possible.  Earlier this year, the capabilities of the system were expanded to include the ability to deliver emergency messages to the hearing-impaired who rely on Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) technology.  CAPCOG’s implementation was among the first in the country to have this capability.

For more information about ENS, contact Ed Schaefer at 512-916-6026 or eschaefer@capcog.org.