01/13/2003

Publications - I don't have a graph for this, but congratulations to one and all. 2002 was the most productive year for our publications. Can you believe that we completed and/or reviewed 42 publications in 2002? Thanks to Mike, Lisa, and Sharon for coordinating the process and thanks to all our authors and reviewers for keeping more or less on schedule. It's been a very productive year.

Annual Performance Review - It's 13 days and counting. Here's a link to the APR database. You will need to complete your APR form by Monday, January 20, 2003. We have scheduled the APR interviews in Jackson on February 3; in Nashville on February 4 & 5; and in Knoxville on February 10, 11, & 12. Please contact your supervisor if you have any questions about the form.

Exempt staff please call Brenda in Jackson, Susan in Nashville, and Armintha in Knoxville to schedule your hour.

Nonexempt staff need to schedule an APR interview with their supervisor some time between January 20 and February 12.
New on MTAS Web Site - Frances added the following resources to the MTAS website:

Updates to “Recent Projects”

Announcement for the TML District meetings

Link to “Crime in Tennessee” annual report from TN Bureau of Investigation

Link to article by Steve Wyatt on the economics of water loss which appeared in the Fall 2002 issue of the periodical “On Tap” (National Drinking Water Clearinghouse)

Added the following e-journals to the “E-Journals” page: On Tap, WasteAge, Small Flows Quarterly

Updated “Ideas That Work” with Rex’s Drug Fund materials and the TDEC Erosion & Sediment Control publication

Link to codes of TN cities that are not produced by MTAS
New State Commissioners - Governor-elect Bredesen has almost completed his cabinet. Here's what we know about them. Please let me know if you or someone you know well at a city has a close connection with any of the new commissioners.
With a week to go before he is inaugurated, Governor-elect Phil Bredesen continues to fill his cabinet posts. From The University of Tennessee's perspective, there are already a number of the new Commissioners with ties to our institution. This is very good because of the numerous business relationships that exist between state agencies and UT departments.

Virginia (Ginna) Betts, Commissioner of Mental Health and Development Disabilities -- She earned her nursing degree at UT and currently serves as in a health policy role with the UT Health Science Center.

Randy Camp, Commissioner of Personnel -- He's a graduate of UT Martin.

Betsy Child, Commissioner of Environment and Conservation -- She is a former alumni staff member at UT.

Loren Chumley, Commissioner of Revenue -- She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from UT and is a graduate of the "Tennessee Government Executive Institute" administered by UT's Institute for Public Service for the State Department of Personnel.

Paula Flowers, Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance -- She earned her law degree at UT.

Ken Givens, Commissioner of Agriculture -- Because of his long tenure in the House of Representatives including Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, he has a good deal of knowledge about UT's Institute of Agriculture.

Dave Goetz, Commissioner of Finance and Administration -- Although he is not a UT alumnus, Dave is familiar with UT from a number of perspectives from his years of work for the Tennessee Business Roundtable and, more recently, the Tennessee Association of Business that recently became the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry. UT Trustee Lynn Johnson is Chair of the group, and Goetz has served on the advisory board for the Tennessee Manufacturing Extension Program operated out of UT's Institute for Public Service.

Major General Gus Hargett, State Adjutant General -- A holdover from the Sundquist administration, he's also a graduate of the UT-managed "Tennessee Government Executive Institute."

Matt Kisber, Commissioner of Economic and Community Development -- Like Goetz, he is not a UT alumnus. However, his wife, Paige, is a long-time member of the staff of UT's Institute for Public Service.

Jim Neeley, Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development -- He attended UT Martin and Chairs the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Center for Labor-Management Relations, a partnership with the Labor Department, University of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State University and the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Gerald Nicely, Commissioner of Transportation -- He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education from UT.

Fred Phillips, Commissioner of Safety -- Currently Washington County Sheriff, Phillips served as Deputy Commissioner of Safety and Director of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy during the McWherter administration when he helped launch the "Law Enforcement Satellite Academy of Tennessee," another program operated out of UT's Institute for Public Service.

Lana Seivers, Commissioner of Education -- The Clinton City Schools Superintendent earned her master's and doctorate degrees from UT.