State Representative Elect Bailes Speaks at DETCOG Christmas Luncheon
Texas State Representative-elect Ernest Bailes spoke to Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) board members, elected officials and friends in attendance at the DETCOG Christmas Luncheon. He was recently elected to serve the people of Texas House District 18. He will be sworn into office on January 10, 2017.
Bailes graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Animal Science. His company, Repro Select, focuses on whitetail deer genetics and serves clients all across Texas and the south-central United States. Ernest, his wife Courtney and sons “Cinco” and Rigby live in San Jacinto County. He said that he’d been attending public hearings and getting to know the people he will be working with in the House of Representatives.
He noted that the few representatives serving sparsely populated rural areas will need to stick together to get anything done in the urban dominated legislature. Bailes said he expected education funding, water, mental health and child protective services to be the dominant issues. He said his legislative philosophy could be summed up by the saying “God gave us two ears but only one mouth and they should be used accordingly”. He will represent San Jacinto, Liberty and Walker counties in the Legislature, succeeding longtime State Representative John Otto who did not seek re-election this year.
As part of the luncheon program, service awards were presented to DETCOG Employees with 10, 15 and 20 and years of service. This year a 25-Year Plaque was also awarded to Beth Ann Seale from the 9-1-1 program and a 30 year plaque was awarded Tongula Davis of the STAR Program (Youth Services).
The next DETCOG Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2017. It is scheduled to be held in San Augustine.
Melissa Furay Named DETCOG Employee of the Year
The Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) has named Melissa Furay as its Employee of the Year. The award is intended for someone who has put forth extra effort to do a good job and constantly goes above and beyond the call of duty – a true “team player”. The presentation was made at the DETCOG Board Christmas Luncheon in Jasper.
Furay is a member of DETCOG’s Finance Department where she serves as purchasing agent. The letter nominating her for the recognition was read by DETCOG Executive Director Lonnie Hunt. It said in part: “She’s always that person you can count on to make you feel better. Her infectious laughter resonates down the hallways and can’t help buy make you smile. She’s always willing to help if it’s a broken copier, operating the postage machine or just ordering something. She doesn’t complain – just smiles and helps you.”
The naming of Melissa Furay as DETCOG Employee of the Year was met with a warm round of applause. The next DETCOG Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2017. It is scheduled to be held in San Augustine.
DETCOG Announces Funding Opportunities and Grant Application Workshops
The Deep East Texas Council of Governments announces funding availability for the following announcements being made through Egrants:
General Victim Assistance – Direct Services Program
Violence Against Women Justice and Training Program
Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program
Juvenile Justice Local Grant Program
There are also new programs and opportunities released on December 19th that include:
Truancy Prevention and Diversion – A program intended to fund Juvenile case managers across the state.
Child Sex Trafficking Victim Services – This program is to provide services to victims of child sex trafficking.
While these special projects will not go through the regional process, applications will be submitted through Egrants and the workshop will include information that will benefit applicants with the process.
Request for Applications (RFAs) can be viewed on the Egrants website by clicking on the “Funding Opportunities” link on the open date of December 19, 2016. All grant applications are due to CJD via Egrants no later than February 20, 2017.
DETCOG will conduct workshops that will review each funding source in detail, explain the regional and state process and review in detail the Egrant system on:
Victim Services Criminal Justice & Juvenile Projects
Tuesday, January 10, 2017 Thursday, January 12, 2017
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Angelina College Angelina College
Community Service Center, Rm. CS104 Community Service Center, Rm. CS104
3500 1st Street 3500 1st Street
Lufkin, Texas 75904 Lufkin, Texas 75904
It is mandatory that all new and continuation applicants attend the grant application workshop. There are new requirements associated with all funding sources and attendance is important. DETCOG Criminal Justice staff will provide technical assistance through-out the grant application process for those who attend the workshops.
Please contact our office at 409-384-5704 ext. 5308 or email Danielle Sells at dsells@detcog.org to RSVP no later than Tuesday, January 3, 2017 for either workshop in order for staff to effectively accommodate all participants.
