ORCA--not a killer, but a whale of a Texas agency: Texas 2001 House Bill 7: the creation of the Office of Rural Community Affairs.

• Author: Cook, Allison
• Position: On Reconsideration - Office of Rural Community Affairs

THE ACT'S GOALS

* Create a point agency to develop and implement rural policy.

* Give rural issues greater visibility in the state.

* Eliminate the problems and duplication that occur when agencies address rural issues separately.

WHAT THE ACT DID

Created the Office of Rural Community Affairs to: * Advocate for rural Texans.

* Examine rural issues and recommend solutions.

* Monitor and report to rural communities on state government actions.

* Coordinate the work of rural programs among state agencies.

* Consolidate the administration of some programs, including the Center for Rural Health Initiatives and the Texas Community Development Program.

ONE YEAR LATER

The Legislature passed House Bill 7 creating the Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA) in 2001. It is one of only five such agencies in the country.

ORCA faced many challenges, including acceptance by existing rural health, economic and community development programs that were being drawn under its umbrella. Change didn't come easily. The existing bureaucracy was, for the most part, respected and functioning fairly well.

"Not only did the staff not understand why this new agency was created, they were unsure of what they were supposed to do," says ORCA Executive Director Sam Tessen.

Bringing people together for a common purpose--the survival of rural communities--became an immediate goal, starting with the staff.

Rural communities also had to buy in to the program for the agency to succeed. In the first year, consistency of service was a high priority. "It was important not to let existing systems break down," explains Tessen. The new office was charged with continuing a great deal of existing work. It serves as the state rural health office, maintains the community development block grant (CDBG) program, and sets up new systems, programs and services required by the law.

THREE YEARS LATER

ORCA celebrated its second anniversary in January. Today the agency has enthusiastic support from rural legislators, says Representative Pete Laney who was speaker at the time the bill passed. Laney says his constituents and people all over rural Texas have welcomed the change.

"Now we have a group of people waking up each day and thinking, 'What are the people out in rural Texas doing, and how can we help them?'" says Representative Warren Chisum. He is a member of the House Select Committee on Rural Development that began the process of creating ORCA.

So how has the agency changed in the past...