Drilling Into HR Webinar Series

From April-October of 2024, TAGD partnered with the Texas Ground Water Association to offer a four-part webinar series to help the greater groundwater community comply with important laws related to human resources. to Sarah Glaser of Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend for presenting the webinars! Follow Sarah on LinkedIn here for more employment law content. Here are links for all four webinar recordings, with the slides linked in the video description:

• Hiring Do’s and Don’ts (October 23)
• Employment Policies and Performance Management (September 25)
• Preventing Harassment & Hostility in the Workplace (May 28) 
• Top Ten Mistakes in Employment Law (April 23) 

UPDATED 10/30/23 – Open Meetings & Notice Reference Guide

Private Well Water Quality/TWON

On June 27, TAGD hosted a free member webinar on the Texas Well Owner Network program and an overview of private well water quality issues. The presenter was Joel Pigg, Texas Well Owner Network Coordinator, Texas Water Resources Institute (and Consulting Manager for Real-Edwards Conservation & Reclamation District). View the video to the right or click here to view on YouTube. Click here for the presentation slides.

Model Rule for Petition for Rulemaking

Districts are required by HB 2443 (88R) to adopt a rule no later than December 1, 2023 to address petitions for rulemaking. Click here to view the bill as enrolled. Click here to view a Model Rule for Petition for Rulemaking that was developed by TAGD staff and members and adopted by the TAGD Legislative Committee in anticipation of this legislation.

Communications Toolkit for GCDs

TAGD staff worked with the Information & Education Committee to create the Communications Toolkit for GCDs. The toolkit is full of resources geared specifically to TAGD member GCDs to help districts of all types and sizes communicate with their stakeholders. We will have physical copies of the GCD Communications Toolkit available for purchase for $50 at the business meeting on March 9. The toolkit is about 140 pages and is bound in an organized binder with several pages laminated for easy reference. Contact Julia to order one or more for your district. The toolkit contents are also available online here. This Google Drive link has a top-level folder for each section of the toolkit, as well as a single PDF file in case you’d like to view or print the toolkit in its entirety.

GCD Policies Library

 TAGD has compiled district policies to serve as a reference for our members. Click here to explore the GCD Policies Library.

Records Management & Retention

TAGD partnered with the Texas State Library & Archives Commission to host a webinar on records management and retention for GCDs on September 28, 2022. You can view the recording to the left (or here on YouTube) and view a page of additional resources and links here.

Real Estate Resources

TAGD has worked with members to gather resources and documents that may be helpful to GCDs as they build relationships with realtors and advocate for GCD awareness in real estate transactions. Thanks to the districts that shared this information!

Outreach to Realtors and Buyers

• High Plains Water District maintains a “Know Before You Buy” landing page on the district website with resources and information for buyers and realtors. Click here to view that webpage.
• Upper Trinity GCD has become certified by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) to offer CEUs for realtors and title agents. Click here for more information about their upcoming classes, and contact Jill Garcia with any questions.
• Presentation from Prairielands GCD: “GCDs and Well Ownership: What it Means for a Seller and a Buyer” (PowerPoint file)
• Rules summary handout from Prairielands GCD
• Middle Trinity GCD holds classes for real estate agents and went through the process to get certified by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) to offer CEUs for realtors. Click here for an overview and checklist for the process, compiled by Stephanie Keith at MTGCD.

Transaction Documents

• Sandy Land UWCD has partnered with the appraisal district and asked them to include this notice (Word document) in mailouts to new landowners.
• Hemphill UWCD has recorded the district boundaries in the real property records for the county.  This recording means that the existence of the district appears as an exception in title policies when someone buys property within the district. This serves to raise awareness and provide notice of the district to purchasers. Here is an example of how the district is referenced in the “Schedule B” portion of a title insurance policy.
• Fayette County GCD created this Notice to Purchaser document to be included in real estate transactions. It is part of a packet they have sent to all realtors and title companies in the county to share with their customers.

For any questions about the above resources, contact the district. If you have anything that could be added to this list, please email it to Leah and Julia.

2021 Salary Study

Throughout the years, district managers and board members have turned to TAGD for guidance and compensation data to help them use their funds effectively and retain personnel. While each district has unique operations and challenges, metrics about what other GCDs offer seems to be the most helpful to GCD leaders as they determine salaries and compensation for their employees.

TAGD is pleased to make this valuable resource available to members. Click here to download the 2021 TAGD Salary Study Report.