Program Planning Confrences Scheduled

I believe we had a good productive workshop this week in Edna, some things have changed slightly but the process is still simple in that your plans are your contract with administration on how you are going to program in 2012.  You are in charge of your work calendar and it all starts with developing your plans. Remember you will be evaluated on your performance directly from your plans in 2012.  I wanted to thank all of the specialists that participated in the workshop. I would also like to thank Logan Respess, Director of the Texas Sea Grant program, and Jacquelin White , Interim Program Leader for FCS for the Cooperative Extension program for spending both days with us and supporting the agents they work with.  A big thanks to Mike Hiller and his support staff for hosting us at their great facility.

I also wanted you to know that because of this situation of TExAS being offline we will allow flexibility on the deadline once the system is up and running. It’s Important that you all continue in working with RPDs and local planning groups in developing program plans for 2012.

Program Planning has been around a lot longer than the TExAS System and the system no way influences how we work to develop the plans. It is simply mechanism that we utilize to publish and report to our plans with administration , stakeholders and supporters.  The key is that the plans are of high quality regardless if they are up on the system or hand written on a tablet. The importance is that they are developed before you ever sit down to type into the system. Computer Systems don’t dictate planning and they don’t identify issues that need to be addressed in our counties, that’s done thru committees and the issue identification forums that were done earlier in the year. I know that Scott and the OD crew will work hard to get the system up and running soon, and they have worked hard to make it better for our agency.

Scheduled Program Planning Conferences for 2012

Ø   Wharton County – October 7^th, 2011 – 8:30 am - Lync Webcam Conference

Ø   Group 1 – October 11^th , 2011 - 8:30 a.m. - Lync Webcam Conference – Aransas, San Patricio, Nueces, Nueces EFNEP

Ø   Group  2 – October 12^th, 2011 - 8:30 a.m. - Lync Webcam Conference  - Washington, Colorado, Fayette

Ø   Group 3 – October 13^th, 2011 - 8:30 a.m. - Lync Webcam Conference – Jackson, Matagorda, Victoria

Ø   Group 4 – October 14^th, 2011 - 8:30 a.m. -  Lync Webcam Conference – Dewitt, Lavaca, Karnes, Goliad,

Ø   TBA – Bee, Calhoun, and Austin / Face to Face PPC to be determined depending on need

Heather Ware, New Coastal Comminity Development Agent

Logan Respess,  received a few questions from Agents and others who attended the D11 PPW in Edna regarding our newest hire Heather Wade. Heather is new to us and new to Extension. She is the first ever Coastal Community Development Agent in Texas. She fills a two-year soft money partnership position between the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (UT) and Texas Sea Grant (TAMU). Logan will be actively working to extend her position through grants and contracts beyond the two-year time frame.

Heather’s position will be similar in her geographic setup to our IPM agents. Her area of operation will be the counties bordering the NERR (Calhoun, Refugio, Aransas, San Patricio, and Nueces), but could potentially help others outside this area. Heather is an Urban Planner by training and will be working almost exclusively in the realm of CRED.

Attached you will find her hiring announcement. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Logan (L-respess@tamu.edu) or Heather (hbwade@tamu.edu).

Matt Bochat, New Bee County Agricultural and
Natural Resourse Agent

Matt Bochat will assume his new appointment in Bee County on October 3rd. Matt is a former Ag agent serving in our agency for 11 years.  Matt served in Gonzales, Jasper, Smith and Brazoria Counties.  We are fortuante to have Matt come back to Extension and bring his experence and energy to the Bee County Extension program.  I know that Kathy Ball our office manager in Bee County is eager to have an agent to work with. Please give Matt a call to welcome him to his new role. 

Monica Flores, New Refugio County office manger and

4-H program assistant

Today is Monica's first day on the job and after several months of having no one at the office it is great to have Monica ansewering the phones and helping clientele in Refugio County.

Monica is a native of Refugio, and a former 4-H member, she is also a graduate of Texas A&M University.  Help me in welcoming Monica to our District team.