Houston-Galveston Area Council Newsletter March 2021 |
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February Board of Directors Meeting |
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The February Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) Board of Directors meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather. The next board of directors meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 16. If there are any scheduling or location updates to this meeting, we will notify the public immediately. For more information on H-GAC's Board of Directors, past meeting agendas or minutes, or to find dates for future meetings, visit the Board of Directors website.
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Winter Storm Recovery Resources Page Available for Impacted Residents and Local Governments |
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H-GAC is committed to helping our region recover from the impacts of Winter Storm Uri. We have created a recovery resources web page with information compiled from federal, state, and local sources to assist local governments and their residents. The page can be viewed at h-gac.com/winter-storm and will be updated frequently as more information becomes available.
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TML Region 14 Spring Meeting Will Take Place April 16 |
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Join us for the Texas Municipal League Region 14 spring meeting from 10-11:30 a.m., Friday, April 16. Attendees will receive a legislative update and discuss the impact of new legislation on the region's municipalities. The featured guest speaker will be Ross Ramsey, executive editor of the Texas Tribune.
The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. Click here to register, and you will receive a confirmation email with your unique login information. Please note that you will be sent to a waiting room prior to the start of the meeting.
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March 15 Transportation Brown Bag Features Andrea French with Transportation Advocacy Group Houston |
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The next transportation Brown Bag webinar will take place on Monday, March 15, featuring Andrea French with the Transportation Advocacy Group Houston. The Transportation Advocacy Group Houston is dedicated to building a broad-based coalition of businesses, local governments, and community organizations to demonstrate public support for full and adequate funding of transportation infrastructure by the local, state, and federal governments.
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Trash Bash Will Take Place Virtually March 25-28 |
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The River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash is being re-imagined for 2021 to protect volunteers and their families. The event is still set for the week of March 27, but will feature educational videos about watersheds, sources of pollution, and ways to keep our waterways clean.
Cleanups are encouraged on an individual family level but will not be hosted at our normal Trash Bash sites. Save the date and learn how to be a good steward of our watersheds, from backyard to bay. Visit trashbash.org for more information. Trash Bash hopes to welcome everyone back in person in 2022.
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H-GAC Releases 2020 Aerial Imagery for Public Sale |
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H-GAC has released the 2020 regional aerial imagery for public sale via the H-GAC website. This latest aerial imagery was captured during the leaf-off season of 2020 and is now available by individual tile, county, any combination of tile and county, or the entire regional coverage at 13,500 square miles. This aerial imagery data is heavily relied upon by the GIS and engineering communities to plan for growth and expansion within our region. The imagery is available in 6-inch and 1-foot resolutions and in true color (RGB) or infrared color (CIR).
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Workforce Solutions Will Host March 16 Webinar about Navigating the Workforce for People with Disabilities |
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Is your organization prepared to hire people with disabilities? What steps should you take when investing in individuals with disabilities? Kimberly King of Texas Workforce Solutions' Vocational Rehabilitation Services will discuss how employers can enhance their HR processes to properly emphasize hiring, training, and retaining candidates with disabilities at a free webinar taking place from 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 16.
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Impacts of COVID-19 on Regional Employers – the Results Are In |
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With our Commute Solutions Partners' help, H-GAC is pleased to share the results from our recent Regional Employer Survey, which looks ahead through 2021 to provide an outlook on the future of telework, office space, and transportation needs in the region.
Area employers anticipate that the percentage of commuters teleworking will increase in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic telework. While this is good for congestion, employers also estimate that more than 90% of those who need to physically travel to work will do so by driving alone. If this outlook is accurate, there is still work to do to reduce congestion in our region. According to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's Urban Mobility Report, congestion costs our region nearly $5 million each year in additional fuel and lost productivity.
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HGACBuy Hosting Virtual Open Houses throughout 2021 |
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The HGACBuy Cooperative Purchasing Program is hosting several free virtual open houses in 2021. Vendors and members will be able to meet one-on-one via Zoom breakout rooms, establish or expand relationships with one another, and learn more about the HGACBuy program. Our first sessions begin in March, with our trenchless pipe, auxiliary power and backup generator, job order contracting and automotive parts contracts.
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H-GAC Recognized Parks and Natural Areas and WISE Awards Winners at Virtual Ceremony on Feb. 5 |
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More than 20 projects across the Houston-Galveston region were honored for serving as models for best management practices in parks, natural areas, and water quality as part of H-GAC's annual Parks and Natural Areas Awards and Water Innovation Strategies of Excellence (WISE) Awards recognition ceremony. The event was held online on Feb. 5.
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Home to more than 7 million people, the Houston-Galveston region is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse regions in the country. Making sure the region remains one of the nation’s leading places to live, work, and prosper doesn’t just happen—it takes planning and partnerships.
If you are looking for a career where you can help make a difference in urban, suburban, and rural communities, the Houston-Galveston Area Council has exciting opportunities for you. For more information or to apply for a job, visit the careers page on H-GAC's website.
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