February 7, 2014, Number 4

Financing Your City's Water Projects: Participate in Regional and State Planning  

Last November, Texas voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 6.  Prop 6 provides funding for water projects to be administered by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). State and local leaders are currently working to prioritize projects that will be eligible for funding...

Speaker Strauss Releases House Interim Charges

Speaker of the House Joe Straus has released interim charges to committees of the Texas House of Representatives to study prior to the 2015 legislative session. The unedited, city-related charges are listed below.  The League will monitor, participate in, and report on the progress of each study...

A Guide to Becoming a City Official - 2014 Edition Now Available
Effective service as an elected official requires dedication, knowledge, and a substantial time commitment. A Guide to Becoming a City Official is designed to familiarize candidates with the responsibilities of city elected office.

Order updated copies of the booklet by emailing the TML Member Services Department. Please include your mailing address, and the quantity you would like to receive. The booklets are available at no charge to TML member cities.

Scenic City Webinar - Registration Extended
Join us for an hour-long webinar to hear Scenic Texas Executive Vice President Anne Culver explain the Scenic City Certification Program and the process for applying. Registration has been extended through Monday, February 10, for the February 12, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Scenic City Webinar.

The Spotlight Is Yours in Texas Town & City
Starting in March, Texas Town & City will feature "City Lights," a new monthly column that will feature Texas cities' achievements. Did your city make Forbes' list of 25 Best Cities to Retire in 2014? Are you proud of that big government grant you won last week? We want to hear about it. Send your city's boasts and brags, with background details for our editorial team, to TML Communications Department.

Steve Hewitt Will Keynote Emergency Management Symposium
The Emergency Management Association of Texas (EMAT) has announced that Steve Hewitt, City Manager, Clinton, Oklahoma City, will be the keynote speaker for the 2014 EMAT Symposium, February 23-26, in San Marcos. Hewitt previously served as City Administrator for Greensburg, Kansas.

Hewitt gained recognition for his leadership in orchestrating the recovery and rebuilding of Greensburg after the city was essentially destroyed by an EF5 tornado in 2007.  Faced with an extraordinary task, he helped Greensburg undertake an environmentally sensitive approach to reconstruction. His accomplishments have been recognized as a model for recovery in other communities.