November 2009 AACOG Region Newsletter

When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prescribed a significantly lower threshold for allowable ozone pollution in 2008, many predicted that the San Antonio region would join the ranks of numerous, primarily-urban areas of the country that are designated as “nonattainment” of the federal ozone standard. However, the 2009 ozone season, which ended on October 31, finds the Alamo region still in attainment of the more stringent standard, an accomplishment that likely means San Antonio will maintain its status as the largest U.S. city in full compliance with all national air quality standards. This accomplishment may be attributed in part to air quality improvements originating with the Early Action Compact of our Clean Air Plan, to the independent efforts of local governments, schools, businesses, and other organizations to conserve the use of fossil fuels (for example through the use of hybrid engines) and reduce ozone-producing practices (such as vehicle idling), to the US economy’s influence on general production and consumption trends in the region, and several other factors. Read the press release issued today.

AACOG will have its Winter 2009 Semiannual Meeting of the Area Council and Board of Directors on Wednesday, December 2, 2009, at the Marriott Plaza San Antonio, 555 South Alamo Street, Hidalgo Ballroom, San Antonio.

The Board of Directors and Membership Meeting will be at 10:30 a.m., and there will be a luncheon with keynote speaker Senator Judith Zaffirini, upon adjournment of the Board Meeting. Invitations will be sent out in early November. To find out more, contact Melissa Pulido at (210) 362-5281.

The Alamo Regional Transit (ART) has lowered its fares for bus service effective November 1, 2009. This is the first time in five years that ART has made changes in its fare structure. While many transit agencies nationwide are raising fares, ART is lowering its fares to encourage customers to take advantage of this transit service that is available to all residents of the 11 rural counties in the AACOG region. New fares for a one way trip are $1 in town and $3 within the county. Out of county one way trips are $5 or $7 depending on the distance. Customers may call the dispatch office to schedule a ride or request more information. Need A Ride? Call 1-866-889-7433.

This monthly feature in the AACOG Region Newsletter spotlights our AACOG Board Members. This month features Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff.

Education and career highlights: Born and raised in San Antonio; graduated from Clark High School; and joined the U.S. Navy immediately following graduation. Served four years of active duty, during which time I was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal for armed conflict against an enemy; followed by four more years in the reserves while earning my B.B.A. and M.B.A. from St. Mary's University. In May 2005, I was elected to the San Antonio City Council, where I served as the District 9 representative until January 2008 when I was elected to the Bexar County Commissioners Court in November 2008. (Read his entire bio)

What do you like best about your work as a Bexar County Commissioner? County government is a new arena of public policy for me. Our budget and mission are much different from what I experienced at the City of San Antonio and I'm excited about the new opportunities at Bexar County.

What is currently going on in Bexar County Precinct 3? The Commissioners Court just adopted a $1.5 billion budget on September 15th, that will maintain the delivery of our essential county services, eliminate the need to reduce County employee salaries, and minimize job deletions. The budget also has funding for new capital projects, including continuing the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Improvements Project and the County's $500 million, 10-year flood control program. In addition, Precinct 3 has several capital road projects under construction including the expansion of Blanco, Bulverde, Babcock, and Borgfeld Roads.

What is the best advice you have received in working as an elected official? My father advised me to staff my office with people who had differing views. I have found that philosophy to be the most helpful.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy camping and fishing with my wife of 18 years, Sandi, and my daughter Sydney, and I love to read.

What would people be surprised to know about you? People would be surprised to know that I'm a good cook. In fact, I won a BBQ contest in Delaware in 2001!

This month's focus is on the South Texas Regional Water Alliance, which became an AACOG member on August 11, 2009. This article was written by City of Natalia Mayor Ruby Vera.

The South Texas Regional Water Alliance consists of a group of 13 Small Municipalities, Water Districts, and Water Supply Corporations in Bexar, Medina and Atascosa Counties organized as one voice to work together on the issues that affect the successful operation of our water utilities. We are working together to ensure an adequate water supply to meet our needs in the future. Our members rely on both the Edwards Aquifer and the Carrizo Aquifer for our current and future needs. As an Alliance we are able to speak as one on behalf of more than 100,000 water customers within our region.

Earlier this year the Alliance filed for Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Funding for an interconnect project that would be designed to maintain water service to our members through inter-local agreements during emergencies and or water shortages. Bexar Met is a valued partner in the Alliance and this project in that we are also working on a project to firm up the supply of water from Medina Lake as a future source of surface water to be treated and deposited in an Aquifer Storage and Recovery project for future distribution to Alliance members as needed.

The decision for the Alliance to join AACOG was made to be able to access the networks provided by AACOG and take advantage of the services available. The Alliance looks to the folks at AACOG in helping to provide technical assistance and a source of potential future funding of their interconnect project. Working together for the benefit of the region in securing and maintaining a safe and reliable source of drinking water for everyone is a major goal of the Alliance. AACOG can help the Alliance reach and maintain that goal.

The Aging in Place Initiative announces the release of its report "Redesigning Communities for Aging in Place: Developing a Livable San Antonio Metro Region for All Ages". Click here to download a free PDF of the report.

This report, the ninth in a series of Aging in Place Initiative workshop reports, documents the meeting that was held in San Antonio on June 11, 2009 which focused on the topic of Community Design and the Built Environment. The workshop, which was co-hosted by AACOG's Area Agencies on Aging, gathered a large and diverse audience of community stakeholders and experts eager to discuss how their community can be redesigned and made more friendly for people of all ages and served as a forum for national and local experts to showcase winning strategies for rethinking and redesigning a community’s assets to better serve the growing older adult population.

Developing a Livable San Antonio Metro Region for All includes: demographic and other community-related information for the San Antonio region; findings from the workshop and an introduction to the important considerations for redesigning communities and the built environment; and the local and national best practices that are being tried and tested in communities across the country.

Do you know of a business, agency, nonprofit organization, or school that is doing great things to improve air quality in the Alamo Region? Please nominate that organization today for AACOG’s Air Quality Stewardship Award.

The Air Quality Stewardship Awards (formerly the Environmental Stewardship Awards) have been presented by AACOG since 2006 to recognize and highlight businesses, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, and other groups that have shown outstanding leadership in making voluntary air quality improvements within the 12-county Alamo Region.

Those who attain this award enjoy positive attention from the news media and inclusion in AACOG’s 12-county region newsletter. This coming year, award recipients will also receive an award emblem that they may proudly display on their website or though other media.

Nominees for this prestigious award will be considered for their efforts in the following categories: Commuter Assistance; Fleet Management; Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Building; Process Pollution reduction; Landscaping Practices; and Air Quality Education. Nominations are due November 17, 2009. Submit your nomination today!

The Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) and Wilson County, co-hosted AACOG Road Shows in Stockdale on Friday, October 23, 2009, and in La Vernia on Thursday, October 29, to inform citizens of the wide variety of programs and services AACOG offers to the Alamo Region.

More than 50 Wilson County residents attended the road shows to learn about four specific programs: rural transportation services through Alamo Regional Transit (ART); Medicare Part D assistance through Alamo Area Agency on Aging; Weatherization Assistance; and job seeker, business owner, and child care services through the Workforce Solutions-Alamo Career Center in Floresville. 27 families submitted Weatherization Assistance applications.

For more information about any of the programs highlighted at our road shows, contact AACOG at (210) 362-5200. To find out how to host an AACOG Road Show in your area, please contact AACOG Public Relations Director Tim Treviño at (210) 832-5089.

Every year on November 15, Texans across the state participate in events that raise awareness about how easy it is to recycle. Organizations, communities, businesses, and schools all take part in educating fellow Texans on the environmental and economic benefits of waste reduction and recycling. Check with your city to find a scheduled Texas Recycles Day event in your area, or take the lead by planning your own!

Texas Recycles Day is managed by the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR), which offers materials for free downloading to assist with local events. For more information visit www.texasrecyclesday.org or contact info@recyclingstar.org.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is again accepting applications for the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) Rebate Grants program.

The Rebate Grant program is limited to on-road and non-road repower and replacement projects only. The Rebate application is shorter and the eligible reimbursement amounts are predetermined based on default usage rates (miles/hours). A portion of the funding allocated to this program will be set aside for applications from applicants that qualify as a small business, per TERP Guidelines. Small businesses are encouraged to apply under this program. This program is non-competitive and funding is issued on a first-come basis to eligible applicants.

Grant funds may be used for replacing or upgrading older diesel vehicles or equipment. On-road vehicles must have a gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) of at least 8,500 pounds. Non-road equipment must be equipped with at least a 25 horsepower engine. Grant-funded vehicles and equipment must be operated at least 75% of their annual usage within the following eligible areas/counties and/or designated highways and roadways:

Austin Area: Williamson, Travis, Bastrop, Caldwell, and Hays Counties
Beaumont-Port Arthur: Hardin, Orange, and Jefferson Counties
Dallas-Fort Worth: Denton, Collin, Tarrant, Dallas, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, Johnson, and Parker Counties
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Waller, Montgomery, Liberty, Chambers, Galveston, and Harris Counties
San Antonio Area: Comal, Guadalupe, Wilson, and Bexar Counties
Tyler-Longview: Upshur, Gregg, Rusk, Smith and Harrison Counties

Applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on March 31, 2010 or until all funding is distributed.

Copies of the Notice of Rebate Grants (NRG), including the rebate funding tables, and the application forms are available from the TERP Web site at: www.terpgrants.org. If you have any questions on the grant application process or need a hard copy of the application forms mailed to you, contact TCEQ toll-free at 800-919-TERP (8377).

If you need additional assistance on other vehicle emission reduction programs or ideas, please contact Chris Ashcraft, AACOG Clean Cities Coordinator, at (210) 362-5228.

The 2010 Texas Conference on Aging (TCoA) will be held at the Inn of the Hills in Kerrville from March 21-24, 2010. This statewide conference is designed for aging professionals with both administrative and direct service responsibilities who work in a broad range of community-based settings. This annual conference promotes excellence in service delivery through the sharing of technical assistance, best practices, and management tools.

The theme for 2010 “Deep in the Heart of Aging” reflects our passion and commitment to serving older Texans and their families. The event is hosted by the Texas Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the Texas Association of Aging Programs, and Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. Numerous sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information or to register to attend this conference, visit www.texasconferenceonaging.org.

AACOG will host the 2010 Texas Conference on Regionalism from September 15-17, 2010. Local organizations have an opportunity to support and participate in the 2010 conference through sponsorship. Sponsors will have access to more than 400 decision makers from across the state. From exhibit space to conference signage, sponsorship levels accommodate businesses of all sizes and provides generous benefits to donors. To find out more about sponsoring this exciting conference, contact Brenda Williams at (210) 362-5246 or Tiffany Harris at (210) 362-5204. To become a sponsor or exhibitor, click here to fill out and return the sponsorship form.

The AACOG Region Newsletter is compiled and distributed monthly
by Tiffany Harris, AACOG Public Relations.