BTU Update on Smartmeters & Developing New Pre-Pay System

Texas A&M’s Interim Chief Operations Officer Is Named To The Post On A Permanent Basis

Another leadership position at Texas A&M has been filled with the naming of a permanent chief operating officer. Filling that post is interim C-O-O Peter Lange. After 13 years directing A&M transportation services as part of a 21 year career at A&M, Lange was named interim C-O-O last March. A&M’s prior C-O-O, Greg Hartman, left to become chief executive officer of the new Texas Alliance of YMCA’s. A&M continues three dean searches, at the school of architecture, the school of performance, visualization and fine arts, and the graduate and professional school. The search also continues for A&M’s next vice provost of faculty affairs. News release from Texas A&M: Texas A&M University announced today that Peter Lange will assume the helm over operations as chief operating officer (COO) and senior vice president, effective immediately. Lange most recently served as the interim chief operating officer since March. Previous to the interim role, he served as the associate vice president for Transportation Services, leading one of the largest university transportation operations in the nation. “With nearly 21 years of service at Texas A&M University, Peter possesses a deep knowledge and understanding of the business operations and people that make this university such a great place to live, work and learn,” said Gen. (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M. “This experience and understanding, combined with his commitment to respectful collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders, make Peter an excellent fit for the important work ahead. Lange started at Texas A&M in July 2003, and prior to that was a systems support specialist and an acting assistant director at the Georgia Institute of Technology for four years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Georgia State University in Atlanta. Under his leadership, Texas A&M Transportation Services has received numerous honors, including: International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI) Accredited Parking Organization “With Distinction” (2023) Silver-level status as a “Bicycle Friendly University,” League of American Bicyclists (2023) IPMI Marketing Award (2017, 2018, 2019) Texas Parking and Transportation Association Award of Excellence – Gameday Experience (2014) Innovative Organization of the Year, National Parking Association (2012) Among Lange’s professional awards and distinctions are: Current university representative, Bryan-College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board Past co-chair, IPMI Technology Committee (2012-2022) Past president, Board of Directors for the Texas Parking and Transportation Association (2014-2023) Visionary Award, Texas A&M Division of Finance and Operations, Awards in Excellence (2019) Hindu Society of the Brazos Valley, Support in Time of Crisis (2018) Texas A&M Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Partner of Excellence (2018) IPMI James M. Hunnicutt, CAPP, Parking Professional of the Year (2015) IPMI Chairman’s Award (2013) Texas A&M University, Division of Administration, Interdepartmental Team Award (2013) Texas A&M University, President’s Meritorious Service Award (2009) Distinguished Service Award, Texas Parking and Transportation Association (2009) Lange assumes the permanent role after a national search following the departure of Greg Hartman, who accepted a position as the charter chief executive officer of the new Texas Alliance of YMCAs earlier this year.

Arrests After A Truck Hits A House, Possessing More Than One Pound Of Meth, And Wanted On Five Warrants

A 17 year old is accused of driving his pickup truck into a house. The Bryan police arrest report does not say anyone was hurt from the crash Sunday (July 7) around 3:30 in the morning. Breath alcohol tests indicated the driver, Christopher Martinez of Bryan, was around twice the legal intoxication limit at .170 and .164. Martinez is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $4,215 dollars after being arrested July 7 for DWI and not having a license. Bryan police seize more than one pound of methamphetamine as the result of a traffic stop. The BPD arrest report says the stop was in part due to an officer seeing a car using the left turn signal to make a right turn. The driver, who was wanted on a warrant for possession of a controlled substance, was removed from the car. A small plastic bag in the driver’s pocket tested positive for meth. That led to a search of the car, where officers found in the trunk a container with 21 ounces of meth that a BPD spokesman says has a street value of more than $1,200 dollars. 43 year old Cuauhtemoc Deleon, who was arrested July 6 on new charges of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possessing drug paraphernalia, not having a license, and not having vehicle insurance, remains jailed as of July 9 in lieu of bonds totaling $57,000 dollars. Brazos County sheriff’s deputies responding to a verbal disturbance at a home west of College Station last Saturday (July 6) resulted in a man’s arrest on multiple charges. Deputies learned one of the residents was wanted on five warrants. In addition to those warrants, 45 year old Joshua Balboa Trevino was taken to jail for resisting arrest. The deputy’s arrest report says after Trevino was placed in handcuffs and leg restraints, it took three deputies to carry him to a patrol vehicle. Four of the five warrants charged Trevino with failing to pay fines and court costs totaling $3,068 dollars. Online court records show Trevino was given credit for the unpaid fines and costs by serving jail time. The fifth warrant, accuses Trevino of criminal trespassing last January. Bond on that charge was set at $4,000 dollars. Bond for resisting arrest was set at $4,000 dollars.

College Station City Council Members Receive Staff’s Proposed Budget For Fiscal Year 2025

The proposed College Station city budget for fiscal year 2025…more than 400 pages…is now in the hands of city council members. A special meeting was held Monday (July 8) to receive a notebook containing the hard copy and watching a video produced by city staff that is on the city’s website. Click HERE to read and download the proposed city of College Station fiscal year 2025 budget. Click HERE to read presentation materials from the July 8, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Staff is proposing no change in the property tax rate and no change in the electric and wastewater rates. A ten percent increase in water rates is proposed to help cover the $70 million dollar cost of building three more water wells. Information from the city shows the increase for 90 percent of College Station residential water customers amounts to 27.5 cents a month. What is charged for trash, drainage, and roadway maintenance is indexed to inflation, which the council was told is projected to be three and a half percent. One question asked after the staff presentation was about an increase in the city’s fund balance from $46.8 to $74.7 million dollars. Assistant city manager Jeff Kersten said that reflected some revenue accounts being higher than expected, the receipt of some one time revenue, and some expense accounts that were lower than expected. Click below to hear Jeff Kersten’s response to councilman Bob Yancy’s question during the July 8, 2024 College Station city council meeting.     The College Station council will hold three days of budget workshops next week. That is followed by a public open house about the proposed FY 25 College Station city budget on July 22nd and a public hearing on July 25th.