Today’s report highlights action items on next week’s Board of Directors agenda. This agenda contains items carried over from the January Board of Directors Agenda as well as new items for February. They include:

Consent Agenda—acquisition of LiDAR Data is part of a multi-jurisdictional effort to obtain this much more detailed information for coastal and near coastal counties.

The Infogroup Database lease is an annual item containing the most extensive list of household and business address records.

We are also requesting a contract with our Geographic Information System aerial photography vendor to create a regional public sidewalk data file.

We are recommending contracts with lowest responsible bidders for sweeping equipment in the Cooperative Purchasing Program.

In the Clean Vehicles Program, we are requesting approval of contracts for acquisition of two heavy duty diesel trucks, which will replace older less efficient equipment in a private business.

We are recommending a contract in the Cooperative Purchasing Program for vehicle leasing with Commercial Vehicle Leasing.

We are also requesting authority to execute a second-year contract with Gilbreath Communications for local government and vendor information about the Cooperative Purchasing Program.

The year-end Investment Officer’s Report is before you for consideration, and documents a slight improvement in investment returns.

Finance and Budget Committee—will meet at 9:30 a.m. in conference room A to consider the December and January financial reports, finance-related consent agenda items, and various contracts on the action agenda. In addition, we are recommending approval of an updated set of accounting and financial policies and procedures. This book length document outlines roles, responsibilities, and procedures in the day-to-day administration of H-GAC’s financial program. We are sending this item to you separately because of its size.

We are requesting approval of a contract with the PGAL Architecture firm to design handicap accessible office space on the seventh floor for use by the vocational rehabilitation agency which was recently merged into the Texas Workforce Commission. This vocational rehabilitation relocation follows a trend of entities related to the Workforce Commission, co-locating with us as the major workforce entity for our region.

Community and Environmental Planning—we are requesting a resolution recognizing February as Parks and Natural Areas Month, and we will also have a quick briefing on the annual Parks and Natural Areas recognition awards. We are also requesting that you authorize an agreement with TxDOT to fund future Livable Centers planning activities. The action requested obligates TxDOT funds to H-GAC. Subsequent action will provide funding for Livable Centers activities for nine Livable Centers studies in various areas across the region. These study proposals were selected through a competitive call for projects. Local sponsors will provide a twenty percent match for each program.

Human Services—we are requesting approval to increase a current contract with Employment and Training Centers by up to $238,000 to expand registered apprenticeships and fiber optic training opportunities.

Transportation Planning—we are recommending approval of comments facilitated by the Regional Air Quality Planning Advisory Committee for use of funds being made available under a national settlement by Volkswagen concerning improper use of defeat devices in emissions tests. We are also requesting action to authorize acceptance of $12 million in Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funds from TxDOT to fund two to three years of activities in the Clean Vehicles Program operated by H-GAC.

Advisory Committee Appointments—we have three advisory committee appointments for your consideration next week.

Hurricane Recovery—first, we are requesting that the Board confirm and ratify action by the H-GAC Officers authorizing execution of urgent disaster recovery contracts which were on the agenda last month, but which could not be approved in the normal manner due to a cancellation of the January Board meeting. The officers met by conference call and authorized execution and implementation of all contracts. Board ratification and concurrence in this action is requested.

We will have a status report on our regions portion of the FEMA Emergency Disaster Recovery Housing Program.

We will also have a report on a status and outlook for the next phase of disaster recovery activities which is the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Fund allocation.

We will also have recommendations concerning an adjustment of the Hurricane Ike CDBG Disaster Recovery method of distribution.

Information—Brazoria County Commissioner Stacy Adams will lead a discussion concerning a possible change in the method of handling state post disaster mitigation funds which are now administered by the Division of Emergency Management.

As you can see we have lots of important work to do next week. We will keep the presentations focused and highlight critical points for your consideration next Tuesday. Meanwhile, if you have questions about any agenda item, suggestions concerning any H-GAC program or service, please contact me.

                                                                 Sincerely,

                 Jack Steele

Request approval of minutes of the December 19, 2017 Board Meeting. (Staff Contact: Rick Guerrero)

Request authorization to contract with selected vendor for acquiring level QL2 or better LiDAR remote sensing data products and services; amount not to exceed $626,815. (Staff Contact: Tanya Nguyen)

Request approval to purchase Infogroup’s employment and household datasets, on behalf of contributing members of Geographic Data Workgroup; amount not to exceed $51,450. (Staff Contact: Tanya Nguyen)

Request authorization to contract with Surdex Corporation to create a regional public sidewalk layer in GIS using the newly acquired orthoimagery for the eight counties; amount not to exceed $130,000. (Staff Contact: Tanya Nguyen)

Request authorization of agreement for acquisition of two heavy-duty diesel trucks; amount not to exceed $303,746. (Staff Contact: Alan Clark)

Request authorization of contracts with the lowest responsible bidders for sweeping equipment. (Staff Contact: Ronnie Barnes)

Request authorization to negotiate a contract with Commercial Vehicle Leasing LP dba D&M Leasing for Vehicle Leasing, and as may be applicable, extend contract assignments to other authorized vendors during the contract period. (Staff Contact: Ronnie Barnes)

Request authorization to renew contract with Gilbreath Communications, Inc. to provide services through 2018; amount not to exceed $90,000. (Staff Contact: Ronnie Barnes)

Request approval of Investment Officer’s report.  (Staff Contact: Nancy Haussler)

Request approval of December 2017 and January 2018 financial reports.  (Staff Contact: Nancy Haussler)

Request approval of H-GAC’s Accounting and Financial Policies and Procedures Manual. (Staff Contact: Nancy Haussler)

Request authorization to negotiate and execute agreement with Pierce Goodwin Alexander & Linville, Inc dba PGAL. (Staff Contact: Nancy Haussler)

Request adoption of resolution recognizing February as Parks and Natural Areas Month in support of Parks and Natural Areas Awards program. (Staff Contact: Jeff Taebel)

Request authorization of agreement with TxDOT to fund Livable Centers Planning Studies; total program amount not to exceed $1,531,181. (Staff Contact: Jeff Taebel)

Request authorization of interlocal contracts with: City of Angleton, Brays Oaks Management District, East Aldine Management District, Greater East End Management District, City of Houston - Montrose TIRZ #27, City of Houston - Southwest Houston, North Houston District, City of Pasadena, and City of Seabrook for Livable Centers studies match; total amount not to exceed $494,046. (Staff Contact: Jeff Taebel)

Request approval to increase Employment and Training Centers, Inc. contract up to $238,000 for expanding registered apprenticeships and fiber optic training opportunities to customers in the region. (Staff Contact: Mike Temple)

Request authorization to transmit letter to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and TCEQ Commissioner Niermann conveying the recommendations shown above for consideration in the development of the State Beneficiary Plan Agreement. (Staff Contact: Alan Clark)

Request authorization of agreement with TxDOT for receipt of funding for Clean Vehicles Program; amount not to exceed $15,000,000 ($12,000,000 Federal, $3,000,000 Contractor). (Staff Contact: Alan Clark)

Request approval of appointments to H-GAC advisory committees. (Staff Contact: Chuck Wemple)

Request action to confirm and ratify urgent disaster recovery contracts: Vendor Procurement - Inspection Services. Contractors: First Class Inspections for $433,400; Ardurra Group, LLC. for $386,016; 21st Century Home Inspections for $209,656 for Housing Inspection Services associated with H-GAC Hurricane Harvey Direct Housing Assistance Program; amount not to exceed $1,029,072. Vendor Procurement - Manufactured Housing Units (MHU)Transportation, Installation, and Maintenance. Contractors: SLSCO, Ltd., A-1 Homes Victoria, LLC, Windstorm Mitigation, Inc., MLU Services, Inc. for MHU Services associated with H-GAC Hurricane Harvey Direct Housing Assistance Program; amount not to exceed $53,200,000; Vendor Procurement - Recreational Vehicles Transportation, Installation, and Maintenance. Contractors: Crestview RV for $1,200,000; Camping World for $1,200,000; Hanner RV Trailer and RV Supercenter for $1,800,000; Amazing RV’s, LLC for $1,400,000; MLU Services for $10,900,000; Hayes RV Center for $1,200,000; Terry Vaughn RV’s for $1,400,000; Crestview RV Super-store for $1,600,000 for Recreational Vehicle Services associated with H-GAC Hurricane Harvey Direct Housing Assistance Program; amount not to exceed $20,700,000. Vendor Procurement - Disaster Housing Relocation Services. Contractors: The Discover Group dba Preferred Corporate Housing; O.R. Colan Associates, LLC; Team Housing Solutions; George E. Johnson Properties; Quadel Holding Corp. dba Quadel Housing and Recovery, LLC. for Relocation Services associated with H-GAC Hurricane Harvey Direct Housing Assistance Program; amount not to exceed $8,000,000. (Staff Contact: Jack Steele)

Program status update. For information only, no action required. (Staff Contact: Chuck Wemple)

Preliminary discussion concerning purpose and preparation of regional method of distribution. For information only, no action required. (Staff Contact: Chuck Wemple)

Request approval to amend the H-GAC Rounds 1 and 2.2 Methods of Distribution for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Funds to allow for the reallocation of deobligated, non-housing federal funds as per the H-GAC reallocation process. (Staff Contact: Chuck Wemple)

Brazoria County Commissioner Stacy Adams will lead a discussion concerning possible recommended administrative changes in the State Post-Disaster Mitigation Fund Allocation process. (Contact: Commissioner Adams)

Report on current and upcoming H-GAC activities (Staff Contact: Jack Steele)