January 21, 2003

Houston-Galveston Area Council Board of Directors
by Tom Foster

The Houston-Galveston Area Council Board of Directors unanimously approved on Tuesday the formation of a new committee to deal with emergency and trauma healthcare policy issues in the 13-county member area.

The Emergency/Trauma Care Policy Council will consist of representatives of EMS providers, hospitals, health care professionals, elected and appointed officials and chairs of the region’s two EMS Regional Advisory Council. The council will consist of 33 members.

The board will discuss the procedure for appointments to the council at its February meeting.

The board unanimously approved a contract with the Texas Division of Emergency Management for regional hazard mitigation planning. The project will not exceed $375,000.

H-GAC project spokesman Jeff Taebel said the project accesses vulnerability in dealing with problems such as flooding. H-GAC will assist local governments in adoption of hazard mitigation plans in order to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency approval by November 2004 to be eligible for funding.

Taebel said approximately 24 local government organizations that are interested in developing a hazard mitigation plan will be invited to a workshop in February.

The board unanimously approved two resolutions dealing with state air quality plans. The resolutions will be forwarded to the Texas Legislature.

The board unanimously approved appointments to the Gulf Coast Workforce Development Board including Austin County Judge Carolyn Bilski, Gerald Andrews of Brazoria County; Don Nigbor of Brazoria County, Louis Garvin of Fort Bend County, John Perry of Fort Bend County, Kathy Shingleton of Galveston County, Carol Mitchener of Montgomery County, and Dale Pinson of Wharton County. 

The board named Bunker Hill Village council member Jill Macdonald to the Transportation Policy Council.

The board approved the monthly financial report for December 2002. Highlights include increased cooperative purchasing and an increase in federal grant revenue for HGAC primarily due to increased spending in the Department of Labor Youth Opportunity Grant.

All other agenda items were approved.

H-GAC Executive Director Jack Steele reviewed pending legislation with the board. Issues on his list include firearms, homeland security, and the number of firemen assigned to fire trucks.