Commissioners Court Advanced Curriculum

GOVERNING TEXAS COUNTIES Sponsored by Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin in cooperation with the Texas Association of Counties and the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

12 noon Registration

1:00 p.m. OPENING GENERAL SESSION Amphitheater 204 Presiding: Vernon Cook, President, Texas Association of Counties and Roberts County Judge

Welcome/Introductory Remarks Donnie Allred, President, County Judges & Commissioners Association of Texas and Oldham County Judge

Constitutional Basis of County Government Jim Allison, Allison Bass & Associates and General Counsel, County Judges & Commissioners Association of Texas, Austin

2:10 p.m. Break

2:30 p.m. Powers, Duties, Responsibilities of the County Judge & County Commissioner Woodrow Gossom, Wichita County Judge Chuck Statler, Taylor County Commissioner Rick Avery, Director, V. G. Young Institute of County Government

3:15 p.m. Conducting a Public Meeting Jim Allison, Allison Bass & Associates, Austin

4:00 p.m. Open Records & Records Management Quincy Quinlan, Associate General Counsel, TAC

4:30 p.m. Guide to Texas Ethics and Disclosure Law Karen Gladney, Associate General Counsel, TAC

6:30 p.m. Tour and Dinner sponsored by Texas Association of Counties The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum Wednesday, January 12, 2011

8:00 a.m. Breakfast Tejas Dining Room

8:30 a.m. Amphitheater 204 Presiding: Gene Terry, Executive Director, Texas Association of Counties

Leadership in County Government Jon Burrows, Bell County Judge

8:50a.m. Health and Human Services Issues Jan Maberry, Program Manager, County Indigent Health Care, Texas Department of Health Services

9:30 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. County Litigation & Legal Representation C. Scott Brumley, President, Texas District & County Attorneys Association and Potter County Attorney

10:45 a.m. Subdivision Regulations and Environmental Issues Don Lee, Executive Director, Conference of Urban Counties

11:30 a.m. Working Luncheon Salon C

Issues Facing State Government

1:00 p.m. Property Tax Issues Amphitheater 204 Susan Spataro, Travis County Auditor

2 p.m. Election Issues Karen Gladney, Associate General Counsel, Texas Association of Counties

2:30 p.m. Break

2:45 p.m. County Roads Robert T. Bass, Allison Bass & Associates, Austin

3:45 p.m. Personnel Issues Michele Arseneau, Human Resources Specialist, Texas Association of Counties

4:45 p.m. Understanding the Functions of Elected/Appointed Officials Gene Terry, Executive Director, TAC Jay Johnson, Director of Education, TAC Rex Hall, Assistant Executive Director, TAC

5:30 p.m. Adjourn Thursday, January 13, 2011

8:00 a.m. Breakfast Tejas Dining Room

8:30 a.m. Presiding: Barry Bales, Assistant Dean for Amphitheater 204 Professional Development, LBJ School, The University of Texas at Austin

Budgeting in County Government James Wells, Denton County Auditor

9:30 a.m. Break

9:45 a.m. Sources of Revenue and Types of Expenditures James Wells, Denton County Auditor

10:45 a.m. County Purchasing Cyd Grimes, Purchasing Director, Travis County

11:30 a.m. Working Luncheon Salon C

1:00 p.m. Amphitheater 204 Working Effectively with the Legislature/State Government Moderator: Jim Allison, Allison Bass & Associates, Austin Rep. Garnet Coleman, Chair, House County Affairs Committee, District 147 Don Lee, Executive Director, Conference of Urban Counties

2 p.m. Law Enforcement & Jail Issues Stan Egger, Taylor County Commissioner and Vice Chair, Texas Commission on Jail Standards Adan Munoz, Executive Director, Texas Commission on Jail Standards Gary Painter, Midland County Sheriff and President, Sheriffs’ Association of Texas

2:45 p.m. Break

3:00 p.m. Emergency Management Issues Moderator: Penny Redington, Executive Director, Texas Association of Regional Councils Nim Kidd, Chief, Governor’s Division of Emergency Management John Thompson, Polk County Judge

3:50 p.m. Break 4 p.m. Open Forum 1) Small Counties < 15,000 Population Amphitheater 204 Facilitator: Jim Allison, Allison Bass & Associates, Austin Gene S. Terry, Executive Director, TAC Donnie Allred, Oldham County Judge

2) Medium Counties: 15,000 to 50,000 Population Classroom 202 Facilitator: John Thompson, Polk County Judge Penny Redington, Executive Director, Texas Association of Regional Councils John Fuller, Texas Association of Counties

3) Medium/Large Counties: 50,000 > Population Classroom 203 Don Lee, Executive Director, Conference of Urban Counties Robert Bass, Allison, Bass & Associates, Austin Roger Harmon, Johnson County Judge

5:00 p.m. Adjourn

Friday, January 14, 2011

8:00 a.m. Breakfast Amphitheater 204

8:30 a.m. CLOSING GENERAL SESSION Presiding: Gene Terry, Executive Director, TAC

Texas Politics and an Insider’s View of the 82nd Legislature Harvey Kronberg, Editor, Quorum Report

9:00 a.m. Effective Operation of Commissioners’ Court Patty Jones, Lubbock County Commissioner Grover Worsham, Trinity County Commissioner Donnie Allred, Oldham County Judge Ronnie McDonald, Bastrop County Judge John Thompson, Polk County Judge

10:15 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. Leadership in Public Service Max Sherman J.D., Former Dean and Chair Emeritus in State and Local Government, LBJ School of Public Affairs

11:30 a.m. CONCLUDING REMARKS Gene Terry, Executive Director, TAC

11:45 a.m. Adjourn