H-GAC Regional Focus
 
February 2019
In This Issue
January Board of Directors Meeting
2019 Annual Meeting
2019 Election Law Workshop
AirCheck Texas
Our Great Region Awards
C&E Summit
The 2045 Regional Transportation Plan
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Meetings and Events
H-GAC Board of Directors Meetings are held at 10:00 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Agendas for all committees can be found on our website.  Please visit our  calendar  for upcoming meetings and events.

Unless otherwise listed, meetings are held on the second floor at H-GAC's office, 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, TX 77027


January Board of Directors Meeting
The Houston-Galveston Area Council held last month's Board of Director's meeting on Jan 15. The consent agenda included approval of the December 2018 Board Meeting minutes, extending a communications consulting contract for HGACBuy, and the replacement of 14 heavy duty diesel trucks with newer, cleaner technology. The Board of Directors approved authorization for the transportation department to enter into a marketing contract for a regional safety campaign, approved H-GAC advisory committee appointments, and adopted a resolution recognizing January as Parks and Natural Area Month.  The next Board of Directors meeting is Tuesday, February 19 at 10 a.m. 
2019 Annual Meeting and General Assembly
The Houston-Galveston Area Council announced the election of its new board officers to the 2019 Board of Directors at its annual meeting  and general assembly on Jan. 18. Serving on the H-GAC board since 2011, Commissioner Stacy Adams of Brazoria County will continue his regional leadership as the Board Chair. Nancy Arnold, Councilmember for the City of Waller, will serve as Board Chair Elect and Wharton County Judge Phillip Spenrath as Vice Chair.
 
The Board of Directors is composed of 36 elected officials representing 13 counties, 105 cities, and 11 school districts. The Board leads collaborative efforts with local governments that consider regional issues and foster cooperation in solving area-wide challenges.  Congressman Randy Weber, representing the 14th District of Texas, presented as the keynote speaker.
2019 Election Law Workshop 
Join us for the annual H-GAC Election Law Workshop on Thursday, February 7 from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Briar Club in Houston. This fast-paced and informative workshop is designed for everyone charged with conducting elections. Participants will receive detailed updates on election laws and step-by-step procedures for conducting an election including duties prior to election day, on election day, and after election day. 
 
Our featured speakers include Crystal Roan, City Secretary for the City of Webster; Doris Speer, City Secretary of the City of Tomball; and Lee Woodward, City Secretary of the City of La Porte.

 

The registration fee is $125 per person and includes breakfast, lunch, and meeting materials. Deadline to register is Feb. 4 at 5 p.m.  Cancellations made after this date are subject to billing.

 
For more information, please contact Cynthia Jones at (713) 993-4591. 
Apply for Your AirCheck Texas Voucher Now!
AirCheck Texas currently operates within more than 120 repair facilities and 150 dealerships throughout participating counties in the Houston-Galveston region. For many vendors, particularly family-owned businesses, AirCheck Texas provides a substantial percentage of revenue and aims to safeguard the State's air resources from pollution while enriching public health, general welfare, and physical property.
 
The AirCheck Texas "Drive a Clean Machine" Program is encouraging eligible motorists to apply for financial assistance to repair or replace their current vehicle. Assistance is available for qualified residents of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery Counties. The program is continuing to process applications for both repair and replacement assistance. Applicants must meet income eligibility requirements to qualify and the applicant's vehicle must have up-to-date registration for 12 of 15 months immediately following the time the application is submitted.
 
The Repair Assistance Program provides up to $600 to qualified applicants who have failed the annual emissions test required to renew vehicle registration. Applicants must be able to pass the safety portion of the state inspection and have failed the emissions portion.
 
The Replacement Assistance Program provides up to $3,500 to qualified applicants for a recent model year vehicle of 2016-2019 for a vehicle that is 10 years or older. Apply now and be a part of the change for a better tomorrow!
 
More information is available at aircheckhouston.com or [email protected].
Our Great Region Awards 
The Houston-Galveston Area Council recently announced the third annual Our Great Region award winners recognizing outstanding local projects advancing goals and strategies identified in the Our Great Region 2040 plan. Our Great Region 2040 is a high-level plan focused on making the Gulf Coast region a better place to live, work, and succeed as defined by measurable goals by the year 2040.
 
Five local governments and organizations received awards across five categories demonstrating innovative quality work focused on building a more vibrant region.  Click here to read more about the award-winning projects.
H-GAC to Host First Park and Natural Areas Summit
For more than 10 years, the Houston-Galveston Area Council continues to honor outstanding parks and natural areas in the region.  This year, the award winners will be honored as part of a special half-day summit focusing on H-GAC programs that  benefit our region's parks.

The Parks and Natural Areas Summit and Awards Ceremony will be on Friday, February 8, at H-GAC headquarters at 3555 Timmons Lane  Houston, TX 77027, Conference Room B.

For information about H- GAC's Parks and Natural Areas program, click here or contact Andrea Tantillo at 832-681-2507 or [email protected].
2045 Regional Transportation Plan - Public Meetings Scheduled
The 2045 Regional Transportation Plan public meetings are underway and there are numerous opportunities to voice your ideas and get involved. Public meetings started Jan. 24 and will go through April 12, with meetings in locations such as Tomball, the Energy Corridor, and H-GAC headquarters.

An important component to the transportation planning process, public meetings are used to disseminate material, provide a setting for public discussion, and receive community feedback.  Our public meetings give you the opportunity to meet our staff, ask questions, share concerns, and learn more about how the transportation planning process works.

Save the date and attend an upcoming meeting in your area.