| Meetings and Events | |
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings listed are held on the second floor at H-GAC's office, 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, 77027
9/29 - Regional Air Quality Planning Committee, Room A, 2:00 p.m. 10/4 - Gulf Coast Workforce Board, Room A, 10:00 a.m. 10/5 - Geographic Data Committee, Room A, 9:30 a.m. 10/12 - Technical Advisory Committee, Room A, 9:30 a.m. 10/14 - Gulf Coast Economic Development District, Room A, 10:00 a.m. 10/18 - H-GAC Board of Directors, Room A, 10:00 a.m. 10/19 - Regional Flood Management Council, Room A, 1:30 p.m. 10/20 - Aging Programs Advisory Committee, Room C, 10:00 a.m. 10/27 - Regional Air Quality Planning Committee, Room A, 2:00 p.m. 10/28 - Transportation Policy Council, Room A, 9:30 a.m. |
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H-GAC is preparing its method of distribution for the final round of Hurricane Ike Disaster Recovery Funds. While our process will be generally similar to those used previously, time is limited and our schedule is aggressive. H-GAC's Board has adopted a schedule calling for a draft proposal to be considered by the Board on October 18, public hearings in late October and a final version to be adopted on November 15. This funding allocation includes a total of $969.4 million. Of this amount, $322 million is for public infrastructure repair or replacement. Various housing repair and replacement programs are allocated $647.4 million. All funds are from HUD Disaster Recovery appropriations, and are administered by the Texas General Land Office. This is expected to be the final allocation of Ike Disaster Recovery Funds. Local governments and eligible individual residents are now implementing two previous allocations. Additional information is available at www.h-gac.com\ike or by contacting Chuck Wemple at Charles.Wemple@h-gac.com. Jack Steele Executive Director |
| Public Meeting Scheduled for Solid Waste Projects | |
H-GAC invites interested individuals to attend a public meeting to discuss H-GAC's FY2012-2013 solid waste management activities and grants programs. For FY2012, approximately $600 thousand is available to local political subdivisions (e.g., cities, counties, school districts) to implement local and regional solid waste management projects. The public meeting will be held on September 28, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room A, second floor at H-GAC's office, 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, Texas 77027.
Questions or comments regarding the meeting may be directed to Erin Livingston at 832-681-2525 or erin.livingston@h-gac.com.
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| Three Public Meetings Scheduled for Regional Goods Movement Study | 
Regional Goods Movement Study Public Meetings for Round 3 are scheduled for October 11 (Houston), October 12 (Pearland) and October 13 (Stafford). For information visit our website, or contact Christy Willhite.
The Regional Goods Movement Study team just completed the Needs Assessment Report. This is the third in a series of four reports being used by H-GAC to determine the possible solutions that will promote the fluid movement of goods and people through our region. The report can be found on the Regional Goods Movement website.
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| Clean Fleet Technologies Conference Scheduled on October 19 | 
H-GAC's upcoming Clean Fleet Technologies Conference, to take place at the Humble Civic Center on October 19, 2011. This one-day event will feature exhibits, vehicle displays, networking opportunities, and a variety of speakers including Railroad Commission David Porter and State Representative Dan Huberty. Conference and registration information is available at www.houston-cleancities.org/2011_ATC_conf.htm.
For more information, contact Kelli Angelone at 713-993-2444. Please share this information with any who may be interested! |
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| Public Meeting Scheduled for TIP and RTP -- October 4 | |
H-GAC is announcing the opening of a 30-day public comment period to give the public an opportunity to review and provide comments on projects proposed for inclusion in the 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan Update (RTP). These actions would program $438 million of funding on projects throughout the eight-county Transportation Management Area.
The public comment period began on Friday, September 23, 2011, and will end on Monday, October 24, 2011 at 5:00 pm.
TIP and RTP Public Meeting
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
4 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Texas Department of Transportation
Houston District Offices
7600 Washington Ave.
Houston, TX 77251
More information regarding these proposed actions and a list of these projects can be found at www.h-gac.com/taq/tip.
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| H-GAC and METRO Announce Call for Projects for JARC-NF Programs | |
H-GAC, together with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), is conducting an ongoing Call for Projects for Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom (NF) grant programs.
The purpose of these programs is to expand transportation services in the Houston Urbanized Area for low income or disabled residents and commuters traveling to suburban employment centers. The residential end of the proposed service must be within the Houston Urbanized Area.
Project submittals, in electronic format only, are due to H-GAC on or before Wednesday, November 16, 2011, at 4:00 p.m. for this cycle. Completed application packages should be emailed to proposals@h-gac.com, Attn: Kari Hackett, Manager of Special Studies. Late submittals will NOT be accepted.
The Application Package and related documents are available at:
www.h-gac.com/purchasing/rfp/trn11-jnf-01.aspx.
For more information about the application process and these programs, email your questions to proposals@h-gac.com. Questions submitted by October 20, 2011 will be posted to the websites with answers by November 3, 2011.
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| Area Agency on Aging Plans Outreach, Training Events | |
 Ensuring some of our more vulnerable elderly citizen's rights are protected and voices heard, H-GAC's Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Ombudsman Program is planning its outreach campaign for October, which is National Resident Rights Month (nursing homes and assisted living centers). We hope to have articles on some of our volunteers and activities in the nursing homes. If any local community leaders would like to recognize volunteer ombudsman that serve in their area by advocating for nursing home residents in giving time every week to visit the residents at a nursing home, AAA would love to coordinate that in October.
The AAA has a workshop coming up to explain and help with enrollment forms for Medicare low-income subsidy prescription drug program (Extra Help) and Medicare Savings Program which helps with premium costs.
Galveston County:
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Time: 10:00 a.m. to noon
Contact Person: David Dunaway
Moody Methodist Church
2803 53rd St
Galveston, TX 77551
Church: 409-744-4526
For more information on any AAA service or event please contact Angela Bergaila at 713-993-4507. |
| Workforce Solutions Tests Career Planning Tool | | Workforce Solutions has a new career planning on its website - CHOICES - targeting students and adults looking for new career paths. The tool is being offered at several of its offices and on its website as a six-month pilot. |
| Gulf Coast Workforce Board Announces Office Closures and Limited Services Locations | |
The Gulf Coast Workforce Board approved the closing of four of its Workforce Solutions career offices - Downtown, Winnie, Spring Branch and Galveston - reducing the total from 29 to 25. Customers will be directed to other career center offices and some services for affected customers will be provided through call centers and online.
Several donated itinerant locations will be used to provide limited services several days a week. In Galveston, these locations are the McGuire-Dent Recreation Center, (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) from 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; and computer only use for job search at the Wright Cuney Recreation Center (Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. - noon) and (Thursday, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.). In Winnie, services will be provided Monday and Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., at the Chambers County Health Department WIC location. Other locations in the Houston area are still being considered as alternatives for the Downtown and Spring Branch offices.
System staff positions will be reduced from 950 to 800. Reduced services are a result of an 18% cut in federal funding. |
| Loan Programs Available through H-GAC | |
H-GAC currently manages a suite of business loan programs including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Administration 504, and the Economic Development Administration Revolving Loan Fund.
 The Drayage Loan Program helps short haul trucking companies/owner-operators purchase fuel-efficient and cleaner running trucks. For more information, please visit www.hgacdrayageloan.com.  The SBA 504 Loan Program provides long-term business expansion financing for real estate, construction, and equipment purchases. Additional information is available online at www.h-gac.com/go/sba.  The EDA Revolving Loan Fund assists businesses impacted by Hurricane Ike. Visit www.gcedd.org for more information. Anyone interested in applying for a loan or getting more information should contact Paula Bowden at 832-681-2512 for the Drayage Loan Program, Devin Holum for the SBA 504 Loan Program at 832-681-2592, or contact Stephanie Ellis at 877-354-4264 for the EDA Revolving Loan Fund. |
| About H-GAC | |
H-GAC Board of Directors Meetings The agenda and attachments for the Board of Directors meetings are posted on our website the week before each meeting. Board meetings are held at 10:00 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month on the second floor at 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, Texas 77027.
H-GAC Newsletters H-GAC now publishes four electronic newsletters. In addition to this Regional Focus, we offer Community and Environmental Update, The Vision (transportation news), and Procurement Made Simple (HGACBuy). You can subscribe to any of them by clicking on the link at the bottom of this email to update your profile.
H-GAC on Facebook
H-GAC Blogs
Houston Community Newspapers Online is hosting H-GAC's new blog called H-GAC Regional View. You can find it here. We plan to feature a different program topic every week. |
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