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Odessa lands 4major awards

...and our

own Ray

Valverde

takes

second in

state Truck

Rodeo!

By Mike C. McAnally

District Engineer

Fall is upon us and the weather is finally

cooling off a bit. I know that we are all glad

for that and the few rain showers we’ve had.

Fall means different things to each of us,

but to our maintenance offices it means

preparing for possible snow and ice this win-

ter. Our construction personnel will be enter-

ing a slower time of year and looking forward

to some training opportunities. The design

staff has its hands full with preparing plans,

not just for our normal funding but also for

additional Proposition 12 projects that I’d like

to let soon. District staff and office managers

will continue their daily jobs of support, a

sometimes thankless, but very important, role.

Fall also marks the start of the holiday sea-

son. We have Halloween today, followed by

Thanksgiving’s feast and then the celebration

of Christmas and a New Year. The most im-

portant aspect of these holidays is celebrating

with our families and friends. I truly want all

employees to make sure they take time to

enjoy these grander times of the year, and I

wish you the best for your holidays.

In case you’ve been too busy to read any

TxDOT news (or you live in a cave), we have

a new Executive Director, Mr. Phil Wilson.

Mr. Wilson began in the middle of October

and was introduced at the annual Transporta-

tion Short Course in College Station. I’m pos-

itive he will be a great leader for this agency,

and he brings some very refreshing ideas that

will benefit us all, so keep your eyes peeled.

Last but certainly not least, we have contin-

ued to do an excellent job in the area of

safety. I am meeting with a district-assigned

committee this month to review some “Best

Practices” that have been outlined in our Mis-

sion to Zero. I hope to share those ideas with

all of you very soon. Please continue the dedi-

cation you’ve had to safety and let’s watch

out for our fellow workers so everyone may

enjoy their families and friends over the holi-

days. Remember, “It is better to lose one

minute of life than to lose one life in a

minute.” Always keep safety first — every

single minute.

Surveying the district

Mike McAnallyOdessa District Engineer

A saluteMike McAnally, left, accepts

an appreciation plaque from

Ruben Rodriguez, center,

and Oscar Sandate for the

Odessa District’s support of

the National Guard. The

plaque reads: “Presented to

an American Patriot for Sup-

port of National Guard Sol-

diers who are Defending

Freedom at Home and

Around the World. The Amer-

ican Flag in this Case is a

Replica of Those Worn by

National Guard Soldiers. The

Flag Insignia is Reversed to

Suggest the Flag is Flying in

the Breeze as the Soldiers

Move Forward.”

Mr. Phil WilsonTxDOT Executive Director

Wilson takes reinsIs September, the Texas Transportation

Commission selected Mr. Phil Wilson as the

Texas Department of Transportation’s

(TxDOT) 19th executive director.

Mr. Wilson’s resume includes his recent job

as senior vice president of public affairs for

Luminant, an electric generation company

headquartered in Dallas, and a stint as Texas

Secretary of State.

Mr. Wilson has also served as Chairman of

the Governor’s Competitiveness Council,

where he helped find ways the state could im-

prove its economic position for continued

long-term success. Mr. Wilson’s public serv-

ice also includes time as an aide to U.S. Sen.

Phil Gramm and on the senior staff of Gov.

Rick Perry.

“Phil’s experience as a public servant and

member of the Texas business community has

prepared him well to lead the department as it

continues to modernize,” said Mr. Ted

Houghton, chair of the Texas Transportation

Commission’s executive director search com-

mittee.

“I am honored to be selected as the next ex-

ecutive director of TxDOT. This is an agency

with a rich history in successfully building for

our future with dedicated employees,” Mr.

Wilson said. “I look forward to working with

the agency, Commission, Legislature and

local communities on the most efficient and

effective ways to build infrastructure for

Texas.”

Mr. Wilson succeeds Mr. Amadeo Saenz,

Jr., who retired from state service at the end

of August. Mr. Wilson is the department’s

first executive director since 2009 legislation

removed the requirement that the position be

occupied by a professional engineer.

Mr. Wilson has a bachelor’s from Hardin-

Simmons University in Abilene and a mas-

ter’s in business administration from SMU.

Wilson’s own take on his first week on the job...Good afternoon. My first week on the job

as your new executive director was a great

one for me, and I want to share a few

thoughts about my experiences last week

and where I would like for us to head to-

gether. Let me begin by telling you how

proud and excited I am to be at TxDOT. Last

week I had the opportunity to meet some

great people and learn about the good work

they do for us every day. Thank you all for

your service and for the warm welcome ex-

tended to me as I became part of the TxDOT

family.

I also had the opportunity to visit with our

Modernization Leadership Team and to learn

more about our Modernization effort. I be-

lieve it is very important for you to know

that I am personally committed to this effort

and our goals to become a performance–dri-

ven organization that is known for our qual-

ity customer service and as a great place to

work. I will also walk the talk as we estab-

lish a leadership model in our agency that

encourages collaboration and innovation.

There are many changes under way at

TxDOT, and other changes are sure to come.

These changes are intended to help make

our jobs easier and to allow us to be more

efficient and effective in the work we do. At

the Short Course, I mentioned I have an

open door policy and that I want to hear

from you. Please feel comfortable sharing

your ideas and suggestions with me. If an

idea helps our employees, better serves our

customers and stakeholders or helps us de-

liver the best transportation system possible,

then it is an idea worth considering. I en-

courage you to submit any suggestions you

may have to ModernizeTxDOT@txdot.gov.

I commit to you that each suggestion will

be reviewed, that our employees and stake-

holders will be heard and that a disciplined

approach to implementing any changes we

decide to make will be followed. I am ex-

cited to be here and look forward to working

with you as we work together to make

TxDOT better tomorrow than it is today.

— Phil

Let me begin by

telling you how

proud and excited

I am to be at

TxDOT. Last week

I had the

opportunity to

meet some great

people and learn

about the good

work they do for us

every day. Thank

you all for your

service and for the

warm welcome

extended to me as

I became part of

the TxDOT family.

Service AwardsAugust

Roy S. Garcia ............................Sign Tech III ..................15 years

George Salcido ..................Main. Support Tech IV ..........15 years

Mike Valenzuela....................Trans Main Tech V ............15 years

Andrew Bustamante ..............Gen. Engr. Tech II................5 years

Ernest A. Fuentez ................Trans. Main. Tech III..............5 years

Miguel G. Gonzales ............Trans. Main Tech IV..............5 years

September

Dion L. Jackson ....................Gen. Trans. Tech II ..............5 years

Clayton B. Kirkland ............Utility Coordinator I ..............5 years

New HiresAugust

Pedro Rosales ......................General Trans Tech I ........McCamey

Evan Ortiz............................General Trans Tech I ........McCamey

Juan Galan ..........................General Trans Tech I ........McCamey

Evans K. Kessey..................General Trans Tech I ............Stanton

Elizabeth A. Deitch..............General Trans Tech I ............Stanton

September

Johnny Jasso ..........................Gen. Trans. Tech I................Odessa

Position ChangesAugust

Victor Mondragon...............................from Special Crew to Pecos

September

Joe Hinojos.........................................from Fort Stockton to Crane

Carolyn Dill........................from Odessa Administration to Austin

On Down the RoadAugust

Dimas Lopez................Fort Stockton ................................Retired

Jerry McGuairt ........Fort Stockton Area ............................Retired

Vance Mondragon ............Odessa ..................................Resigned

Danny Marquez......Odessa Construction ....End of Temp Employ

Mario Hinojos........Odessa Special Crew........................Resigned

Victor Martinez ................Odessa ........................................Retire

Wyatt Abbott ..........Fort Stockton Area ......End of Temp Employ

Jacob Benavidez ............Sanderson ............End of Temp Employ

Patrick Ramirez ..........Fort Stockton ..........End of Temp Employ

Blake Stewart ..............Midland Area ..........End of Temp Employ

Ryan Mondragon ..........Balmorhea ............End of Temp Employ

September

Antonio Reynosa ..............Odessa ..................................Resigned

Ella Hightower ......Odessa Traffic Shop ........................Resigned

Dan Dalager ................Midland Area ................................Retired

Jesus Machuca ................Midland ....................................Retired

Juan Galan......................McCamey ................................Resigned

BirthsLarry Ornelas, supervisor in Monahans, is a proud

grandpa again. His son Jeremy and wife, Nicole, are proud

parents of Ian Thomas, born Oct. 3 in the Dallas/Fort Worth

area.

Ian weighed 9 pounds and is 20.5 inches long and is wel-

comed by Aubrey, his 2-year-old sister.

Congratulations to the Ornelas family.jjj

Mandi Gipson-Mitchell and her husband, Tom, are

proud parents of a baby boy. Little Ethan Edward was born

Friday, Sept. 2. He weighed 8 lbs and was 22 inches long.

As most of you may remember, Mandi worked in the

Odessa accounting office for a time and now works at the

regional accounting office in Lubbock.

Congratulations Mandi!jjj

Kermit office manager Susan Willhelm is thrilled to re-

port that her first

grandchild is out of

the hospital and

doing well.

As we men-

tioned last newslet-

ter, Bronx Bryan

Bates was born at

9:14 a.m. Aug. 22,

weighing 3 lbs, 5

oz. and measuring

16 3/4 inches. He

was born at 28

weeks and had to

spend the first

seven weeks in the

Neonatal Intensive

Care Unit at

Odessa Regional

Medical Center.

He was dis-

charged on Oct. 8

— a month before

his original Nov. 10

due date — and had to use an apnea monitor to monitor his heart

and breathing. Susan said he’s doing all the things a 2-month-old

should be doing, so that’s great news.

“Our family can’t thank everyone enough for their prayers; we

know that the prayers helped us get through all we had to endure

seeing him become healthy enough to come home,” she said.

Bronx will still be under close watch for a while, but the fact

that he’s already gone home is a great sign.

DeathsZacarias Leyva, father of Joe Leyva in our Iraan Main-

tenance section, passed away Sunday morning, Oct. 9, at

the Fort Stockton Nursing Home. He was 90 years old.

Please keep the Leyva family in your thoughts and

prayers.

It’s the People

Ted HoughtonNew Commission chair

Deirdre DelisiFormer Commission chair

Jeff Austin IIICommissioner

Fred UnderwoodCommissioner

Ned S. HolmesCommissioner

William MeadowsCommissioner

When Deirdre Delisi decided to step down

from the Texas Transportation Commission to

join Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign to be our

next president, she set off a chain reaction.

Not only was Perry left with moving some-

one into the chairmanship Delisi had held

since 2008, but he also had the task of finding

a new person to appoint to the five-member

governing body.

With other matters at hand for the Texas

governor, Perry moved quickly to mark both

of those tasks of his “to do” list.

Ted Houghton was appointed by Perry to

take Delisi’s chair slot effective Oct. 7.

According to GPA in Austin, Houghton

was first appointed to the Commission in

2003 and was reappointed in 2009. A native

of El Paso, Houghton is self-employed in the

financial services industry. He is the first resi-

dent of El Paso to serve on the Commission.

“I’d like to thank Gov. Perry for his trust in

me to continue TxDOT down a path of re-

sponsiveness, change and modernization. I

look forward to leading the department as it

becomes a better TxDOT, living up to the ex-

pectations of the Governor, the Legislature

and our stakeholders,” Houghton said.

“Texas is a national leader in infrastructure

and transportation system development, and I

intend to reaffirm our place among the best,

strongest and most innovative states as

TxDOT delivers the projects the Legislature,

our local partners and Texas motorists ex-

pect.”

Houghton previously served on the School

Land Board, the El Paso Water Utilities Pub-

lic Service Board, El Paso's Rapid Transit

Board, the board of directors of the El Paso

Electric Company and as president of the Sun

Bowl Association. He was also a member of

the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Committee.

Ted is married to Hettie Cardon Houghton

and they have five children — Jennifer

Houghton Lindsay, Cinco, John, Michael and

Chris Houghton.

Once Houghton was in place, Perry moved

on to appointing Jeff Austin III of Tyler to the

Texas Transportation Commission for a term

to expire Feb. 1, 2013.

Austin is vice chairman of Austin Bank and

Texas NA. He is a board member of First

State Bank in Athens and Capital Bank in

Houston and past president of First State

Bank Frankston. He is a board member and

past chair of the Texas Bankers Association

and a member of the American Bankers Asso-

ciation Government Relations Committee and

the Bank CEO Network. He is also an execu-

tive committee member and past director of

the Texas Lyceum. He is a board member of

the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum, past

presiding officer of the North East Texas Re-

gional Mobility Authority and past board

chair of the Tyler Area Chamber of Com-

merce.

Austin earned a bachelor’s degree and mas-

ter’s in business administration from the Uni-

versity of Texas at Tyler.

Departure changes face of commission

I’d like to thank...

Operations Director Bryan Raschke, from left, and project chief inspector Jesus Garcia join Reece Al-

bert employees Ernest Amaya and Phillip Hernandez is accepting the 2011 Texas Asphalt Pavement

Association award for the best Full Depth, Small asphalt job in the state. The award was presented

for the work done on SH 115 in Andrews.

Reece Albert, Odessa honored for Highway 115 projectThe Odessa District and Reece Al-

bert Inc. of San Angelo got a huge pat

on the back when the Texas Asphalt

Pavement Association gave the Full

Depth, Small category award to a proj-

ect on Highway 115 in Andrews.

Jesus Garcia was the chief inspector

for TxDOT on the project, and Chad

Windham was the project supervisor.

The TXAPA win propels the project

to the national competition.

Here are some excerpts from the

TXAPA nomination:

>> Any project that reroutes trafficin a community’s busiest intersectionhas inherent challenges to overcome.Reece Albert was able to meet those

challenges in Andrews, Texas, whileputting out a high quality road thatmet contract terms and earned them$150,000 in performance bonuses.

The project was the reconstructionof Highway 115/176, a 1.535-milestretch that traversed the heart of An-drews from West 14th to East 7th.

>> “The job went very well; and thecontractor did an excellent job work-ing with local businesses to minimizeinconveniences and accommodatethrough and local traffic,” AndrewsCity Manager Glen Hackler said.“This was no small feat as it involvednearly $1 million in streetscape en-hancements and curb/gutter work and

included the complete reconstructionof Andrews’ busiest intersection ...U.S.385 (Main) and SH 115 (Broadway).”

>> “The benefits have been betterroadway design, improved safety byeliminating and/or consolidating curbcuts or openings along SH 115/176,”Hackler said.

>> “It’s absolutely beautiful, so thedesign work was done very well,” saidStan Leeper, an Andrews businessmanwho owns property at the intersection.

>> “I thought you staged it prettywell because the intersection was neverreally closed,” Leeper said. “It mayhave taken you guys longer to do it thatway, but it sure helped out a lot.”

When the Odessa District contracted with Greater Austin

Development Company Ltd. for a Safe Routes To School

project in Midland, Texas, one thing was sure: Residents

were going to feel some pain.

The way Lonnie Lara’s TxDOT team and representatives

of the Austin company helped residents deal with that pain

was recognized recently when Lara was named a Texas

Project Award winner.

During the life of the 2010 project, not only did project

managers on both sides work hard to make people aware of

what was going to happen before it happened, but they also

went above and beyond to deal with issues that even a

“near perfect” set of plans couldn’t predict.

The $697.150.22 project was funded by a pair of grants:

a $592,000 grant for Emerson Elementary and nearby

Goodard Junior High and a $591,298 grant for Fannin Ele-

mentary. As you can see, the project came in way under

TxDOT projections. (It also came in 31 days early.)

The project called for installation of sidewalks, cross-

walks, driveways, driver feedback signs and ADA-compli-

ant ramps. A bicycle storage rack and school zone signs

were also part of the package.

Lara, who served as project inspector and point man for

the department, said communication with residents and the

contractor was a key factor in getting the job done with as

little inconvenience to residents and campuses as possible.

The cooperation from the teachers, staff and students on

the Emerson Elementary campus was typical of the overall

project. Lara worked with Emerson Elementary Principal

Lina Baize to ensure that campus personnel knew what

would happen as a bicycle storage rack and eight ADA-

compliant ramps were installed on or near the campus.

Work crews avoided working during high traffic times and

school personnel helped keep students away from caution-

taped work areas before and after school.

Lara said Greater Austin’s Project Superintendent Primo

Lopez and Project Manager Danny Thompson were excel-

lent partners. “They did great work,” Lara said. “They were

accommodating to us and to residents.”

While the project exceeded expectations in the end, there

were issues to deal with along the way. That’s where the

partnership with the contractor and the unique resources of

TxDOT came into play.

One of the stranger requests came from a resident who

had a youngster graduating from high school. The construc-

tion schedule called for work to be done right in front of the

house at the same day as the graduation party. In a graceful

gesture, Lara and the contractor agreed to move the con-

struction schedule around a bit in order for the work to get

done before the party. There’s no denying that is an exam-

ple of great customer service.

Another snag that couldn’t be predicted was having a

crepe myrtle tree smack dab in the way. Instead of just

plowing it up and compensating the resident, the tree was

relocated. Bobby Meroney of the Odessa office was instru-

mental in helping move the tree. And, like almost every

other aspect of this project, the work wasn’t limited to just

the basics. Meroney also showed up a couple more times to

check on the tree and give it some root stimulant. He

wanted to make sure the tree survived and thrived.

“People who know what they’re doing – they’re there,”

Lara said of the teamwork involved in the project. “That’s

the kind of resources TxDOT has.”

A recurring theme for the project was dealing with yard

irrigation systems along the routes. Residents were under-

standably concerned about sidewalks going in where irriga-

tion systems were in place. For the most part, Greater

Austin Development took care of moving the irrigation

lines without incident.

While Lara said this pleased most, some situations took

some extra help. Robert Watts, Odessa’s irrigation special-

ist, worked with one resident to allay her concerns that

moving her irrigation system would have a negative effect

on her water well.

Work areas were cleared each day so excavated materials

didn’t have the chance to pile up. By keeping two crews

working – one excavating and one building – the contractor

was able to keep disruptions at a minimum.

Wherever the workers went, Midland maintenance super-

visor Eric Lopez’s crew members had signage in place.

The shared spirit of customer service and professional-

ism helped the project land the prestigious statewide award.

Lara lands Texas Project Award

Lonnie Lara, left, said he was “honored” after ac-

cepting his award from John Barton.

Gabriel Ramirez, Robert Ornelas, Ruben Salcido and

Tony Alvarado might not think of themselves as environ-

mentalists, but their work on the Balmorhea State Park wet-

lands project recently earned them an honorable mention

for a state environmental award.

The project was launched by a call from Texas Parks and

Wildlife Department asking for TxDOT’s help in develop-

ing a wetland habitat for endangered fish at Balmorhea

State Park. The following is the bulk of the nomination:

“Since Balmorhea State Park is the only known habitat

for the Comanche Springs Pupfish, the environmental im-

pact of this project is both irrefutable and instantly recog-

nizable. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, the

Comanche Springs Pupfish (Cyprinodon elegans) is found

only in spring-fed waters near Balmorhea. The pupfish was

listed as endangered in 1967. While a ciénega project com-

pleted in 1996 helped provide habitat for the pupfish at the

state park, another habitat change was needed. This nomi-

nated project created that new habitat.

“But that new habitat was only one benefit of the project.

There were also benefits for an historic structure on the

state park grounds, tourism benefits, wetlands improve-

ments and enhanced opportunities for public education and

public involvement.

“The project’s primary goal was the removal of a 35-

year-old concrete canal that was serving as a primary habi-

tat for the pupfish. The canal was quickly deteriorating –

and thus leaking and threatening San Solomon Springs

Courts, a nearby motel that was originally constructed by

the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Company 1856 worked on the state park between 1936

and 1941. The timeline is murky these days as far as what

was built when, but the late 1930s project centered on the

construction of a 1.75-acre, 3.5 million gallon freshwater

pool built around the springs. These days San Solomon

Springs Courts rents rooms for overnight stays and camp-

ing and recreational vehicle sites are also available. The

pool and spring are favorites of the public and are widely

used for swimming and scuba diving.

“Since the concrete canal that needed to come out was a

primary habitat for the fish, it was necessary to first build a

new habitat. Texas Parks and Wildlife generated an idea,

and TxDOT designed the project.

“Gabriel Ramirez and Robert Ornelas of the Odessa Dis-

trict worked together to design the project that included a

pond that had an island in it as well as the channel to let

water flow through. The spring into the nearby pool has a

constant flow of 22 million to 28 million gallons a day.

This project was replacing the old concrete channel that

had handled some of that flow.

“Ramirez said that one of the challenges of the project

was controlling the speed of the water flow. The Comanche

Springs pupfish can’t survive in water that is moving too

quickly. The design of the water channel, island and pond

all were coordinated to ensure a safe water flow for the

pupfish.

“The design also addressed the seepage problem that ne-

cessitated replacing the old concrete channel in the first

place. The decision was made to line the pond and new

channel with bentonite to seal the bottom of the waterway

and prevent leaks.

“After the design was signed, sealed and delivered,

TxDOT workers under the direction of Ruben Salcido from

the Balmorhea section of the Odessa District got busy.

They had to cut the new water channel and build the pond

while leaving an island. They also had to do some serious

topography work.

“Salcido said the work itself was a nice change of pace

for his crew, but the important thing was helping provide a

habitat for the pupfish as well as helping protect the historic

70-or-so-year-old motel.

“Tony Alvarado, an inspector out of Fort Stockton, over-

saw the project. Under his guidance, the area between the

motel and the new channel was sloped away from the motel

to ensure that rainwater would be moved away from the

historic structure. He also oversaw some pavement work

near the motel as well as removal of the antiquated concrete

canal.

“Alvarado said the project had some serious challenges

in topography. There was essentially a small hill between

the motel and the newly built pond that had to be cut away.

He also said getting the bentonite just right was a painstak-

ing task.

“While TxDOT workers did about $49,000 worth of

work on the project as a partner to Texas Parks and

Wildlife, the finishing touches by TP&W brought the proj-

ect to a beautiful conclusion. Some rock work at the en-

trance of the new canal adds a flair that is easily

appreciated.

Please see WETLANDS, Facing Page

Park job gets environmental nod

Comanche Springs Pupfish (Cyprinodon elegans)

When the Occupational Safety Division announced the

end of the year standings for the 2010 - 2011 Vehicle Safety

Bonus contest, Odessa District was at the top of the class

yet again.

The bonus program was created to help bring emphasis

and importance to reducing our liability vehicle collision

occurrences. In Fiscal Year 2002, TxDOT became self-in-

sured in managing third-party vehicle liability claims. Al-

though the department no longer pays an annual premium

to a liability insurer, we still must budget a reserve fund to

pay claims. For FY 2012, OCC has set a liability insurance

reserve of $1.99 million.

For fiscal year 2010, Corpus Christi, Odessa, Atlanta,

Yoakum, Paris, San Angelo and Brownwood districts

achieved loss ratios less than 25 percent, which is very

good.

For the 2010 - 2011 Vehicle Safety Bonus Year, the top

districts and their award amounts are:

Rural Districts:

First Place, Odessa District, $200,000

Second Place, Atlanta District, $125,000

Third Place, Yoakum District, $100,000

Fourth Place, Paris District, $75,000

Fifth Place, San Angelo District, $50,000

Sixth Place, Brownwood District, $50,000

Urban Districts

First Place, Corpus Christi District,$200,000

Metro Districts

First Place, Houston District, $200,000

Safety record earns top prize

Wetlands“The project was completed in April 2010.

“A year later, the benefits are easy to see. This narrative

has already documented the pupfish habitat, but it’s also

important to note that TP&W’s vision has multiple benefits.

Not only does the wetland provide a high-quality habitat

for the Comanche Springs Pupfish, it also serves as a home

for the endangered Pecos Gambusia and three other rare in-

vertebrates. The Pecos Gambusia (Gambusia nobilis) has

been listed as endangered in the United States since 1970.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Pecos gambusia

is found these days in Jeff Davis and Pecos counties in

West Texas. A population of the Pecos Gambusia occurs in

Leon Creek and in Diamond-Y Spring outflow north of

Fort Stockton. Populations of Pecos gambusia also occur

near Balmorhea in aquatic habitat supported by nearby

springs and at the man-made ciénega, the 1996 project that

also involved TxDOT. This nominated project dovetailed

nicely with the 1996 project to expand the habitat and de-

velop the wetland.

“This nominated project also helped the CCC-era build-

ing by eliminating the 35-year-old concrete water canal that

had been leaking water into the ground. As the ground be-

came saturated, the adobe walls of the nearby structure

began to deteriorate. This nominated project protected the

structure, which now serves as a motel, from further decay.

“According to a state park worker, the park routinely

sees crowds of 2,000 people on summer weekends. It’s a

popular spot for tourists and for daytrips by West Texas

schools. Scouting groups visit the park as well.

“On Friday, May 20, a school group was visiting, a scuba

instructor from San Angelo was on hand and tourists were

seen observing the native wildlife in the area, including the

new wetlands habitat.

“Public involvement and education has been enhanced

by the project in a very positive way, as has tourism. In ad-

dition, an historic structure has been safeguarded. And,

most importantly, an environment for two endangered

species has been increased and enhanced.”

Drive to be the best

You might recognize the guy in the middle

as the second place winner of the Odessa

District Truck Roadeo. Well, the accolades

don’t stop there. Ray Valverde also drove

his way to a second place finish at the 2011

State Roadeo. He’s shown here flanked by

his supervisor Eric Lopez, left, and District

Engineer Mike McAnally. Congratulations to

Ray for his win at the state level. Way to

represent the Odessa District!

W hen Carolyn Dill’s husband, Roy, got the nod to be the area engineer

in Bastrop, it was inevitable that the Odessa District would lose a tal-

ented District Maintenance Engineer.

But that didn’t mean we had to like it. Sure, we all want to see peers move

up, but that doesn’t mean we wanted to lose a valuable team member

Right at 100 people showed off to say goodbye to Dill in the Odessa shop.

Judging from the turnout, it was obvious she’d had a big impact on the district.

District Engineer Mike McAnally listed some of her accomplishments in a

short farewell address at the gathering. He was also full of praise at a supervi-

sors meeting where her pending departure was first publicly discussed. “She’s

done a tremendous amount of work for all of you in the maintenance sections,”

McAnally told supervisors. “Carolyn, I want to thank you in front of everyone.”

In both gatherings, McAnally was sure to let Dill know that she should be

proud of her work during her time in the Odessa District. At one point he joked

that the only thing she shouldn’t be proud of was leaving the Odessa District.

Dill’s farewell drew in people from across the Odessa District as well as a

few Regional employees who had worked with her. It was readily apparent that

Dill had earned an abundance of professional respect from TxDOT family

members. Leave it to goodbyes for true appreciation to rise to the top.

The luncheon was coordinated by Elaine Munoz, and David Alvarez led the

cooking team. Kristy Collins, Robert Watts, Teresa Chambers, Javier Molinar

and Cody Woodard also helped.

District Engineer Mike McAnally and Carolyn Dill take time to speak to nearly 100 people who gath-

ered for Dill’s farewell party in the shop.

Dill’s farewell a tad bittersweet

At her farewell party, Carolyn

had her hands full with Baby

Goebel (daughter of Fort Stock-

ton Area Engineer Ed Goebel).

Now she’s getting her hands on

maintenance issues in Austin.

After carving out a 26-year ca-

reer with TxDOT, area engineer

Dan Dalager decided it was time

to take another path.

There was no drama, though

the decision was probably a tough

one. In the end, he said it was just

time to move on. Shortly before

he left, he talked about his time

with TxDOT, who he’ll miss and

what he’ll take forward.

What will he miss most?

“Probably my employees,” he

said. “I’ve got some real good

ones.”

What did he like most about

his job? “I like to get out. I like to

see things get built,” he said. “If you’re looking at a paper,

that’s fine, but I like going out to see things get built.

“I enjoy seeing a job going. I enjoy the progress, espe-

cially on bridge projects, where you can watch it go up,” he

said.

Among the things he saw get built in his tenure in the

Odessa District was the JBS bridge over Business Inter-

state 20, a unique design that had its share of troubles get-

ting under way.

“There’s no other bridge like that in the state,” he said.

From start to finish, Dalager said the environmental

process, design, construction, public involvement and

working with a consultant were all challenging and reward-

ing in their own ways.

He said he enjoyed working with the consultant during

the design phase. “It was just neat to see the stuff she had

done,” he said.

At first, homeowners along JBS Parkway were vocally

against the bridge. Dalager was in the middle of some of

those discussions and was able to build relationships with

the public that belies his gruff exterior.

In fact, one of the most dedicated bridge opponents still

sends Christmas cards to Dalager.

In the end, Dalager said the public got a winning project

thanks to the quiet pavement, overall design and visual aes-

thetics of the project.

Dalager knows something about quality projects. He

oversaw a construction project on US 385 from the Ector

County line south to Crane that won three awards, includ-

ing top honors from both the Texas Asphalt Association and

the National Asphalt Association. The project used a hot

mix asphalt with crumb rubber in it that left the road

smooth and quiet.

Former Odessa District Public

Information Officer Glen Larum

described Dalager as a “great

friend and colleague” and was ef-

fusive is his praise for Dalager.

“There’s probably never been

anybody like him and probably

will never be again,” Larum said.

“He’s a heck of a heck of a heck

of an engineer.

“Out in West Texas, whenever

you cross a station point and the

highway suddenly becomes qui-

eter, smoother, prettier ... you’re

probably on a Dalager highway.”

Larum said Dalager was very

good at his job, especially when it came to dealing with

rubber modified hot mix asphalt. “He’s forgotten more

about asphalt than most guys will ever know,” Larum said.

That’s the kind of talent and experience that Dalager

takes with him. As of late September, he didn’t know ex-

actly what road his professional life would take, though he

admitted the transition might be tough.

“I think that the hardest thing with me will be to quit

thinking like TxDOT and start thinking like a contractor,”

Dalager said.

The road ahead for his personal life is a bit clearer. His

15-year-old son, Daniel, is building a sterling reputation in

the world of horse shows and the coming years will have

more of those shows and other family activities.

One major horse show was taking place the last week of

October in Fort Worth. Young Daniel had qualified for the

2011 World Championship Appaloosa Show.

“I’m so damn proud of him,” the elder Dalager said.

The young Dalager is also involved in livestock shows

and in breaking and training young horses. He ultimately

wants to be a veterinarian.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to be able to afford to get

him what he needs to go on,” Dalager said. “The more you

know, the more expensive it gets.”

Dalager said his wife, Leanna, has been around horses all

her life. That background, coupled with a community of

horsemen who are always willing to help, has helped young

Daniel grow. Dad Dalager said the young man is now at the

point where “it’s time to stop being a rider and start being a

horseman.”

Guess the entire Dalager family is looking forward to

some major life transitions.

Dalager rides away

Dalager breaks bread at the 2011 Safety

Banquet in Iraan.

Machuca bids farewellAfter nearly 27 years on the job, Jessie Machuca retired from the

Midland Maintenance Section in September. And with 11 years as a

crew leader under his belt, he certainly left his mark on the Odessa

District of TxDOT.

“This is one of my mentors,” Pecos maintenance supervisor Joel

Griner said pointing at Machuca at the retiree’s party. “Butter (James

Burton) is my other mentor, but that has nothing to do with the job.

Butter’s the ‘extracurriculars.’ ”

The three men were sharing laughs shortly after Machuca was pre-

sented with his retirement certificate. The comfortable conversation

was a perfect example of the camaraderie Machuca said he’ll miss

most.

And while he’s stepping away from TxDOT, he’s not headed for a

rocking chair. Instead he’ll be driving for Musslewhite Trucking. It’s a

move he’s still selling his wife on.

“I’m going to put those extra nickles in my bank account,” Machuca

said. “My wife isn’t all for it, but she’ll get over it when she can spend

the money.”

Delma and Jessie have five children and seven grandchildren, so

there’s plenty of people to spend the money on.

Joel Griner (left) and James “Butter” Burton (seated) talk with Jessie Machuca (blue cap) at his retire-

ment party in Midland.

“This is my family,” said Victor Martinez as he pointed

to his wife, daughters and two of his grandchildren.

“And this is my family,” he added, this time pointing to

TxDOT coworkers assembled for his farewell party.

That’s how Victor Martinez summed up his feelings

about leaving the Odessa Maintenance office after 27 years.

“We may have arguments, but this is family. It’s like

brothers,” he said.

Martinez will always be part of the TxDOT family, but

now he’s decided it’s time to spend more time with his wife

Margie, daughters (Monica and Vikki) and three grandchil-

dren (Viviana, Noah and Gracie).

Martinez said the grind of being on call all the time was

getting harder to deal with.

Maintenance Supervisor Doug Paup complimented Mar-

tinez on his reliability. “It’s been great to know that when I

call at 2 in the morning, Victor is going to answer the

phone.”

Now Martinez said the only person he’s going to answer

to are his wife and grandkids.

Victor Martinez (left) was surrounded by his wife, daughters and two of his three grandchildren at his

farewell shindig.

Martinez ready to play with grandkids

Doug Paup (left) presented Victor Martinez with

his retirement certificate.

Bits & PiecesIn the photo above, you can see two Odessa Maintenance

Section workers as they cleaned out the culvert that goes

under the Loop 338 service road at Business Interstate 20

recently. Further west, Ralaine Greene had her volunteers

picking up trash all along BI-20 in front of the TxDOT

main campus in Odessa.

Districtwide, we had 18 groups pick up about 780 bags

of trash. When you add that to the Oct. 1 cleanup by Keep

Odessa Beautiful and 275 bags from the Keep Midland

Beautiful Make A Difference Day on Oct. 15, you can see a

major impact for litter prevention efforts tied to Adopt A

Highway.

v v vEarlier in this newsletter we chronicled the hiring of a

new Executive Director and the appointment of a new

member to the Texas Transportation Commission.

Those aren’t the only changes that have taken place in

Austin recently. Mr. Phil Wilson has appointed Mr. John

Barton as the Interim Deputy Executive Director.

In turn, Mr. Barton appointed Mr. John Obr as the Con-

struction Division Director. Obr had been the District Engi-

neer in San Angelo.

Also, Assistant Executive Director of Field and District

Operations David Casteel, P.E., retired effective Oct. 31.

v v vDo you have questions about accounting, facilities, IT,

sign shop, budget/resources, fleet, purchasing or training is-

sues? The West Region is here to help!

Each Wednesday, representatives from these regional

functions will host a customer support WebEx to answer

questions, provide training and resolve issues.

Teleconferences are scheduled every Wednesday until

Dec. 28, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. Central Time. Instructions for

joining the teleconference can be found online at

http://crossroads/org/regions/AskRCW.aspx.

The West Region has also added a link on their Cross-

roads page for employees to submit questions, ask for help

or provide feedback on regional operations at http://

crossroads/org/regions/AskRCW.aspx.

v v vThe SECC wrapped up Oct. 31, so please get your forms

in by Nov. 4 for the final report. Final numbers aren’t in,

but it looks like we’ll pass the $12,000 mark, which is way

over our goal of $10,000. Thanks for the support!

Don’t MessWith Texas