County Judge

Fort Bend County, TX

For Immediate Release

Fort Bend County to open Employee Medical Clinic January 30, 2012;
The new facility will serve employees, dependents and retirees

FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS — Fort Bend County will open a new employee health and wellness center exclusively for employees, dependents and retirees on January 30, 2012. The new center is operated by Concentra and offers primary, preventive, and wellness services. The center features approximately 5,000 square feet of space, complete with exam rooms, a nurse’s intake station, and collection lab. Primary, urgent, preventive and wellness care services will be available at the health and wellness center, in addition to health risk assessments and health screenings. Services provided through the clinic will be free to all county health insurance plan members.

“Fort Bend County is committed to improving the health and well being of its employees by providing high quality and convenient access to medical services,” said Judge Bob Hebert. “By establishing an on-site health care clinic that is centralized and geared toward providing comprehensive medical services, we hope to positively affect the overall wellness and productivity of our workforce.”  The center will be staffed by Concentra, with one overseeing physician, a Physician's Assistant, and two medical assistants. Employees will have access to full-service health and wellness offerings with the ease and convenience of services managed through the new center. The clinic will support the county’s long-term goals to improve access to quality health services, reduce overall health care spending, and promote a culture of health and wellness. 

“We want to revolutionize employer health and wellness programs, delivering comprehensive medical services directly to employees when and where they need them,” said President of Concentra Health Solutions Mike McCollum. “We are pleased to be part of an innovative health care program that works to improve the health and well-being of employees. Counties continue to face rising health care costs, while the level of coverage available for employees diminishes. This trend is a driving force behind the need for improved health care systems in the nation."

About Concentra

Concentra is a leading health care company focused on improving America’s health, one patient at a time. Through its affiliated clinicians, the company provides occupational medicine, urgent care, physical therapy, and wellness services to workers and the general public from more than 300 medical centers in 40 states. In addition to these medical center locations, Concentra serves employers by providing a broad range of health advisory services and operating more than 250 worksite medical facilities. Through this complement of services, Concentra intends to raise the standard of health by putting individuals first, treating them with clinical excellence, and focusing on their ongoing wellness. For more information, visit www.Concentra.com.

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County Judge

Fort Bend County, TX

For Immediate Release

COUNTY SIGNS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH FOSHAN CITY

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX - Fort Bend County and  the Chancheng District of Foshan City of the People’s Republic of China, on November 18, 2011, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote friendly cooperation and friendship.

The MOU, signed in Foshan City by County Judge Bob Hebert and Liu Donghau, CEO of the Chancheng District, will facilitate further communications and cooperation in areas of economics and trade, culture and sport, and environmental protection. It provides for the exchange of views on issues of common interest as well as the exploration of possible collaborative projects that will benefit both Fort Bend County and Foshan City. The MOU will allow the two agencies to build further on the relationship that has been developed. 

This initiative began in late 2010 when Judge Hebert formed the Fort Bend County Friendship Committee, a group organized to explore and facilitate the establishment of a “Sister Community” relationship that will enhance our understanding of the Chinese culture and heritage, while providing potential benefits to the Fort Bend economy. Fort Bend residents participating on the Friendship Committee include George Chang, Michael Liu, Gary Lo, Howard Paul, Allison Wen, Daniel Wong and Jeff Wiley of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council.

County Judge Bob Hebert stated, “I was very impressed with the energy and forward-thinking exhibited by the representatives of Foshan, a 1,500 year old city of 4.5 million residents. The Chancheng District, with 1.1 million residents, comprises the business center of the greater Foshan municipality. This MOU is a great first step in building a long-term relationship with a Chinese community sharing many of our goals and objectives.”

Foshan is a modern city with a long history dating back to approximately 1,500 years located in the northern part of the Pearl River plain, approximately 12 miles from Guangzhou in Guangdong Province. It is made up of five districts: Chancheng, Shunde, San-shui, Nanhai and Gaoming Districts. The government seat is located in Chancheng District. Foshan is a vital part of an active economic zone stretching from Guangzhou in the east to Hong Kong and Macau in the south and was one of the earliest Chinese ports to engage in foreign trade after China initiated its open door policy. Besides fishing and farming, the local craftsmen are world renowned for their skills in making ceramics. Foshan is a national commercial center for Chinese ceramic products and furniture manufacturing; as well as a cultural center for ceramics, Cantonese opera and the martial arts.

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County Judge

Fort Bend County, TX

For Immediate Release

BRAZOS RIVER CORRIDOR RECREATION PLAN WINS SUPPORT

FROM NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Fort Bend Green to Receive Help from

NPS’ Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX-The National Park Service has announced that Fort Bend Green has been selected to receive technical assistance toward its goal of creating a Recreation Master Plan for the Brazos River in Fort Bend County.  A Recreation Master Plan will identify recreation and conservation opportunities for Fort Bend County, and help clarify projects and partners.  Another goal is to help the various communities work across jurisdictional boundaries as a region to achieve a unified project.

“We are very pleased to select the Brazos River Corridor Recreation Master Plan as one of our projects for the coming year,” said Marta Newkirk of the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program. “The Brazos River is a significant natural resource which provides numerous opportunities for communities along the river to coordinate their recreational facilities and programs.”

Fort Bend Green, a non-profit organization created to facilitate partnerships in the development of green space in Fort Bend County, has developed a vision of a continuous green corridor along Fort Bend’s Brazos River to provide wildlife habitat, parks and recreation venues, enhanced water quality and flood control.

Through the RTCA program, the National Park Service helps communities and neighborhoods preserve their important local resources, protect river and creek-way resources, develop new trails and greenways, and create new natural areas. These projects are locally-led with RTCA staff supporting local recreation and conservation leaders. This year, forty-two projects were selected as RTCA grant recipients in the Intermountain Region, spanning eight states.

For more information on the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program, please visit www.nps.gov/rtca.

For more information about this project, contact Kim Icenhower, Community Liaison, Fort Bend Green at (713) 504-7378,  kim@icenhower.com or Marta Newkirk at marta_newkirk_de_la_garza@nps.gov.

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County Judge

Fort Bend County, TX

For Immediate Release

FORT BEND COUNTY LIBRARIES ANNOUNCES

GRAND OPENING OF UNIVERSITY BRANCH LIBRARY

The grand-opening ceremony of Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library took place on Thursday, November 10,  at 6:00 pm, at the new library, located at 14010 University Blvd. in Sugar Land. The library is a joint project between Fort Bend County, the University of Houston System at Sugar Land, and Wharton County Junior College.  The grand opening was officiated by Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert, who was joined by other county, university, and local officials.

The library sits on the University of Houston-System Sugar Land campus. The new library, constructed by E.E. REED Construction and designed by Bailey Architects of Houston, is a two-story building of 40,193 square feet, making it the third largest library in the system. A bond referendum approved by voters in May 2006, included funds for three county library construction projects: the University Branch Library in partnership with the University of Houston campus in Sugar Land and Wharton County Junior College; the Sienna Branch Library in partnership with Houston Community College; and renovations at George Memorial Library in Richmond. The University Branch is the second joint-use facility in the Fort Bend County library system.

The library includes community meeting rooms, study rooms, a puppet theater, and a computer lab for technology classes and general public use. Additional computers will be available for public use outside of the computer lab. The library has free WiFi access for individuals wishing to bring their own laptop computers to the library.

Beginning the week of November 14, the Youth Services department will have a full range of children’s programs, including Mother Goose Time for infants, Toddler Time for babies from 12 to 36 months of age, Story Time for 3 to 6-year-old children, school-aged programs for children in grades 1 through 5, and programs for tweens.  The library will offer introductory computer classes for adults. Patrons may learn computer basics such as how to use a computer, how to search the Internet, and how to use Microsoft Office programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

A wide variety of books for children and adults are available for recreational reading and research. Magazines, newspapers, and audio-visual materials are also on hand. The library offers audio books that can be downloaded from home, as well as a generous assortment of databases that patrons may access in the library or from home.

The University Branch Library will utilize Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in its check-out system. This feature is built in to the outside and inside book drops, and enables items to be automatically checked in as they are returned in the book drop. The University library has self-check machines with RFID technology in the Circulation (check-out) department, and in the Adult Services department, and Youth Services departments.

“The University Branch Library is the second county library/college partnership in the Fort Bend County library system,” says Library Director Clara Russell. “Part of our library mission is to provide an environment of lifelong learning and enrichment for the entire, diverse community, and this new venture just reinforces our commitment to providing a continuum of service for people of all ages. We hope the residents in the area will find the new library a pleasant and enjoyable place where they can study or just relax with a good book.”

The hours of operation for the new branch library will be as follows: Monday, 12:00 noon - 9:00 pm; Tuesday and Thursday, 10:00 am – 9:00 pm, Wednesday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm; Friday, 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm; and Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. The library will be closed on Sundays.

            For more information, call the library’s Public Information Office at 281-341-2677.

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County Judge

Fort Bend County, TX

For Immediate Release

The First Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System to take place November 9, 2011

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX- The first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, or EAS, will take place at 1:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time) on November 9, 2011. The purpose of the test is to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the system in alerting the public.

The Emergency Alert System is a media communications-based alerting system that is designed to transmit emergency alerts and warnings to the American public at the national, Tribal, state and local levels. EAS participants broadcast alerts and warnings regarding weather threats, child abductions and other types of emergencies. EAS alerts are transmitted over television and radio broadcast, satellite television and satellite radio, cable television and wireline video services.

Although local and state components of the EAS are tested on a weekly and monthly basis, there has never been an end-to-end nationwide test of the system. During the test, the public will hear a message indicating “this is a test”. The audio message will be the same for everyone, however due to limitations of the EAS, the video test message may not be the same and may not indicate “this is a test”. This is due to the use of a “live” national code – the same code that would be used in an actual emergency. Also, the background image that appears on video screens may indicate “this is a test” but in some cases there may be no image at all. FEMA and the FCC plan to reach out to organizations representing people with hearing disabilities to prepare that community for the national test. In addition, FEMA and the FCC will work with EAS participants to explore whether there are solutions to address this limitation.

For more information about EAS, visit the FCC’s EAS webpage at www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/emergency-alert-system-eas.

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County Judge

Fort Bend County, TX

For Immediate Release

FORT BEND COUNTY LIBRARIES ANNOUNCES

GRAND OPENING OF UNIVERSITY BRANCH LIBRARY

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX- The grand-opening ceremony of Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library will take place on Thursday, November 10, beginning at 6:00 pm, at the new library, located at 14010 University Blvd. in Sugar Land. The library is a joint project between Fort Bend County, the University of Houston System at Sugar Land, and Wharton County Junior College.

County Commissioner James Patterson stated, "The Library has allowed Fort Bend County to form a unique partnership with the University of Houston & Wharton County Junior College thereby maximizing our tax dollars to provide our community with the most outstanding library facility & programming ability in the greater Houston area."

The grand opening will be officiated by Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert, who will be joined by other county, university, and local officials. All area residents are invited to come out and take part in the grand-opening reception. The University Branch is the second joint-use facility in the Fort Bend County library system. Designed by Bailey Architects of Houston, the 2-story building is 40,193 square feet in size. E.E. Reed Construction, L.P. of Sugar Land is the general contractor.

A bond referendum approved by voters in May 2006, included funds for three county library construction projects: the University Branch Library in partnership with the University of Houston campus in Sugar Land and Wharton County Junior College; the Sienna Branch Library in partnership with Houston Community College; and renovations at George Memorial Library in Richmond.

            For more information, call the libraries’ Public Information Office at 281-341-2677.

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County Judge

Fort Bend County, TX

For Immediate Release

ELECTION SHOWS STRONG SUPPORT FOR CIVIL SERVICE

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX-An election was held at the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday that asked voters if they were “for” or “against” the creation of a Sheriff’s Department Civil Service System.

The election was open to all Sheriff’s Office employees and was conducted by the Fort Bend County Elections Administration. As reported Tuesday evening by John Oldham, the County’s Elections Administrator, the proposition passed by a count of 565 “for”, and 5 “against”.  Interest in the election was high with nearly 79% of the Sheriff’s Office employees casting a vote.     

Kent Edwards, the County’s Human Resource Director, explains that the election was actually the second step in the formation of a Civil Service Commission at the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.  “The whole process is governed by the Texas Local Government Code Chapter 158, Sub-chapter B,” he said.

The statute starts with the requirement that a petition is signed by at least 20 percent of the Sheriff’s Office employees and presented to the County Judge.  That petition was delivered to Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert’s office on September 1^st, and was processed and validated by Fort Bend County Elections Administration which reported that 71.9% of the 718 employees signed the petition requesting an election. Judge Hebert issued that order on September 13^th, and Tuesday, October 11^th was selected as election day.

What happens next?  Mr. Edwards explains, “Now that the election has been held and the proposition passed, a three-member Civil Service Commission is formed as directed by the statute.  The Sheriff, Commissioner’s Court, and the District Attorney will each appoint one person to serve on the Civil Service Commission.  Although the statute specifies no deadline for those appointments to be made, I’m expecting that those names will be announced shortly,” stated Edwards.

To be eligible for appointment, a person must be 1) at least 25 years of age, and 2) a resident of Fort Bend County for the last three years.  The Sheriff will designate one of the members as Chairman of the Commission.  Each member is appointed for two years, and the initial members draw lots to see which two of them will serve two year terms initially, and which member will initially serve just one year. 

“Once the Commissioners are appointed, then the work begins,” said Mr. Edwards.  “They’re responsible for coming up with a set of rules and regulations that will govern their Commission and its activities.”

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County Judge

Fort Bend County, TX

For Immediate Release

COUNTY JUDGE SWEARS IN RUBY L. SHAW

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX-County Judge Bob Hebert swore in Dr. Ruby L. Shaw to the position of Associate Judge of the Special Magistrate Court on Friday, September 30, 2011, where she was surrounded by family and friends. The new position of Administrative Judge of the Special Magistrate Court will handle all truancy cases referred by the County's Justice Courts. 

Dr. Shaw has vast experience and knowledge working in the legal field and has served as the Juvenile Magistrate in Fort Bend County since 2007.  She has participated as the Community Coordinator in the Zero to Three Court Teams for Maltreated Infants and Toddlers, served as a Special Commissioner for Eminent Domain Litigation and has served as a Senior Trial Attorney. Over the last fifteen years, Dr Shaw has been involved in cultivating relationships and collaborating with community based organizations and businesses to improve health, education and social support services for children and families in Fort Bend County. 

Dr. Shaw obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in Juvenile Justice in 2008 from Prairie View A&M, received her Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall and Master of Education from Prairie View A&M.  She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Recreation from Texas Woman's University.  Dr. Shaw is described by others as having a strong academic background, real life experiences, unwavering advocacy efforts, and strong relationships in the legal, civic, faith based and professional communities in Fort Bend County.  She has been identified as uniquely qualified for this position.

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