Harris County commissioners shot down an effort to change the role of county administrator during the July 9 meeting after an item re-examining the duties of the office was added as an emergency item to the county agenda.

What we know: Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia added an item to the agenda on June 9 to consider returning the duties of the Office of County Administration back to commissioners. Garcia also requested a closed session discussion for an “evaluation” of County Administrator Erica Lee Carter.

“When I'm elected, it is important for me to have oversight of operations and be involved in decisions,” Garcia said. “it has nothing to do with the person there, I just never really cared for the office, but I was willing to experiment with it and better understand it.”

The action taken: While Garcia’s proposal was not considered further by commissioners, Ramsey said he would like to see additional progress on how the OCA could work with commissioners and other departments to improve efficiency.

Diamond Impact Training Center is an indoor softball and baseball training center that specializes in athlete training and development and officially opened on June 1, officials confirmed. 

Two-minute impact: Diamond Impact Training Center has been designed to be a modern, climate-controlled training facility that can provide a comfortable environment for athletes to develop their skills, officials said. The facility offers a wide variety of services to support its athletes in their training, including, but not limited to:

• Batting cage rentals 

• Private lessons

• Player development programs

• Specialty clinics

• Summer camps

The training facility implements HitTrax technology, which provides real-time swing analysis, performance metrics, and interactive game experiences, officials said. 

Quote of note: “We are committed to providing a premier training experience for baseball and softball athletes of all ages and skill levels. Our goal is to help players improve their skills in a fun, positive, and professional environment,” officials said in an email. 

• Opened June 1

• 23629 Gosling Road, Spring 

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials announced the creation of a new C-level leadership position called chief operating officer and general manager.

In a nutshell: The new position—which will be filled by current Chief Revenue Officer Amber Burda—aims to unify strategic direction as well as align programming and strategy for the annual rodeo event, officials announced in a July 7 news release.

Burda has served as chief revenue officer since 2023, although she was initially hired in 2017 as the executive director of sponsorships, business and corporate development, where she led the creation of official rodeo sponsorships.

Sorting out details: Her focus will be on ensuring cross-departmental coordination to enhance operational efficiency, while aligning pricing and revenue strategies with the organization’s mission

In the new role, Burda will oversee most public-facing aspects of the rodeo, including:

• Mission

• Show operations

• Ticketing

• Sponsorships

• Stadium presentation

• The carnival

Burda will also be involved in the creation of the organization’s new agricultural complex along Hwy. 288, per the release.

Sam Houston State University is now accepting applications for its new master’s program in applied biomedical sciences, per a July 7 news release. The inaugural cohort will begin this upcoming fall.

What you need to know: The new master’s program, which will be offered online, will include tracks in medical/healthcare artificial intelligence, healthcare technologies, regulatory affairs and clinical sciences, as previously reported. The application fee is waived for students who are applying for the fall cohort, per the news release. Interested students can apply through ApplyTexas, and the university will also be hosting virtual information sessions July 22 and July 30 from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Some context: The new master’s program will also be connected to SHSU’s Institute for Medical Artificial Intelligence. The institute is working to advance education, research, innovation and the responsible use of AI in medicine and healthcare, per the news release.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from last week? Check out five trending stories from the North Houston area from July 6-10.

1. Wing drone delivery service expands to 8 additional Greater Houston-area Walmarts

2. Texas Litter Control provides affordable veterinary services in The Woodlands area since 2012

3. Bombers Volleyball now offering volleyball training in Cypress

4. United Airlines launches new nonstop service between IAH, Cartagena

5. Montgomery County Food Bank announces 5 new additions to board of directors