Travis County Commssioners Court
November 12, 2002
The Closed Caption log for this Commissioners Court agenda item is provided by Travis County Internet Services. Since this file is derived from the Closed Captions created during live cablecasts, there are occasional spelling and grammatical errors. This Closed Caption log is not an official record the Commissioners Court Meeting and cannot be relied on for official purposes. For official records please contact the County Clerk at (512) 854-4722.
Item 2
Number 2 is to approve resolution recognizing mr. Wilson andrews for many years of outstanding leadership as chairman of the community justice center advisory committee. Mr. Andrews please come forward and --
>> yes.
>> all of those that are here with you, if they would come forward, also. It reads whereas the community justice center advisory committee was established in 1995 as an avenue for Travis County citizens to provide input and share information about the men in which we [inaudible] operate the Travis County justice center, whereas in any community the small fraction of the residents will be leaders, a larger fraction will be followers and a substantial proportion just won't get involved; whereas as chairman community justice center advisory committee, since its inception, mr. Andrews has gotten involved and shown a unique ability to be a dedicated leader. The advisory committee has provided a strong representation of the community's perception of what should be made available in Travis County to implement restore active justice concepts, whereas mr. Wilson, mr. Andrew is renowned for his unselfish commitment to religious, civic and professional programs and services such as the [inaudible] methodist men's mentoring group for the short program, a former co-chairman of Austin interfaith, a bailiff for Travis County drug court, substitute bailiff for Travis County civil courts, member of the neighborhood protection action committee, and member of the drug review committee to name a few; whereas mr. Andrew is supported by his loving wife, jewel, jewel, all right, three daughters, one of them is here. [ laughter ]
>> two of them.
>> all right. A sister, she's not sheer.
>> and many others whose lives he has touched and blessed. Whereas the commissioners court encourages other Travis County's residents to follow his lead and whereas it is appropriate that we take this opportunity to recognize mr. Andrews and express our deep appreciation, now therefore be it resolved that we the Travis County commissioners court do here by extend special thanks to andrew wilson -- wilson andrews for his years of dedicated service to Travis County and extend best wishes to him in all future end ders, I -- endeavors, I move approval.
>> good morning y'all.
>> judge and commissioners, I'm very glad to be here this morning. It's not often that you have a chance to -- to have the opportunity to help your fellow man and help yourself all at the same time. I've enjoyed every minute of every hour that I have worked with the advisory committee for the state jail. It's been rewarding, and I hope that I have earned the respect of all of the men and women whom I work with. It has been one of the -- one of the surprises of my life to find so many beautiful people out at the state jail, from the state director on down. I don't want to take the trouble of naming everything that I work with for fear that I might miss a name. Therefore I would like to acknowledge the fact that all of you who have come with me today, I really do appreciate it. I thank you very much. To my wife, jewel, to two of my daughters, and my grandson wilson, I thank him for being here with me this morning. [ laughter ] and I would love to tell you all that there is three people here today -- I said I wouldn't call names, but I will call their names because they are very dear to me and I respect them so much. That is the three judges that we have that's standing behind me. That's judge leon gonzalez, judge bennett and judge john hathaway. I want them to know that I really do appreciate the time that they took to be with had he this morning. It made it all worthwhile. To you, judge Biscoe, without you, I would not be here this morning. You gave me a job to do, and I hope that I did not disappoint you. Thanks to all of you. [ applause ]
>> any other visitors? Too that mic will snap right off on the end there.
>> I had the opportunity to -- to work with wilson in the mentoring program and just in church activities. And of all of the things that he's told me he has done, I said well, wilson has to be a little bit older than he says he is. [ laughter ] I'm figuring out, maybe he just did it in short periods of time. But he's a gentleman as always and I'm glad to be his friend, thank you.
>> well, to be truthful, mr. Andrews accepted responsibility 8 years ago, I understand that he accepted it for one year. [ laughter ] so here we are, what, seven a and a half, eight years later, you are stepping down because you are moving on to another full-time responsibility, he found himself unable to make the -- the monthly meetings and kind of difficult to leave when you can't make -- to lead when you can't make the meetings. I think the advisory committee has done a whole lot of good. We encountered some challenges at the community diswruses center. But I think it's back on the right track. We have the focus problem, other problems out there working right now. The advisory committee is more active than ever, but in addition mr. Andrews has been working on the drug diversion court, I think we have been doing just a world of good there, probably ought to expand that program to do more good. But I guess we will see how that unfolds. Any other comments from -- from court members?
>> yeah, judge, I would like to say they really have made a difference. I don't want you to think that no one is noticing the difference that you are making. When we return persons that are incarcerated back into society and they become a better product in society, that's -- that's a big difference and the -- in a person's life and you being there for us and ensuring that these programs go forward in the most positive manner, taking your time, volunteering time to do these things, believe me the community really do appreciate everything that you are doing out there at the c.j.c., Really, we do appreciate you. I think you deserve another big round of applause. [ applause ] -- I kind of wanted to add my thanks as well, mr. Andrew. It proves that the right person in the right place at the right time can make a lot of difference. Thanks so much for turning that whole issue around for us.
>> I would like to add my thanks as well. I would especially like to say thank to you your wife and daughters and your grandson because the time that you took away was time that you could have spend with them and I appreciate -- spent with them, we appreciate and this community appreciates you allowing us to borrow mr. Andrews for a very, very worthy project.
>> thank you so much.
>> mr. Wilson, any comments? Your grandkids may be watching tv this evening. [ laughter ]
>> that's all right. Just --
>> just a mic. Say hello, if nothing else. [ laughter ]
>> go ahead and talk.
>> congratulations, papa. [ laughter ]
>> sound like a future commissioner to me. [ laughter ]
>> if I may, the -- the division director could not be here today, mr. [inaudible], he is one whom I respect very much. And he has sent his assistant director, deputy director, and I would like to recognize him this morning. And while I'm recognizing people, I would like to recognize judge dietz who just walked in to be with us this morning.
>> thank you all.
>> judge dietz is not trying to miss the recognize, he was just tied up elsewhere. [ laughter ] we do appreciate the cooperation of the state jail administrators. They have been in charge of that facility now for -- for three years or -- or about three years?
>> about three years.
>> we had -- we had wackenhut corporation, but first -- about the first four or five, when the -- when the state took over the facility, we were uncertain about what to expect, we think the board was 100% supportive and the local people who -- state administrators had been more than cooperative with us, also. I have been -- been surprised at our level of collaboration, but I think it says a lot about what we can do when we work together, so we certainly want to applaud the state officials, who are in charge of the state jail programs, state-wide, especially the one here in Travis County. We also have kimberly pierce, who is the county's contact. And represents the county in dealings with the state as well as staffing to the extent that it can be staffed the advisory committee, so we appreciate her assistance, also.
>> we really do.
>> and to the rest of you who have made this program and programs like it meaningful, we thank you. And warren just walked in, didn't instead.
>> I'm back here.
>> warren has been here all the time? [ laughter ]
>> you want to say a word or two?
>> I would love to.
>> come forward. We met two or three times before, and I don't remember you passing up an opportunity to third.
>> > I can get along -- it's wilson's morning, but I have to say the time that I have been out at the facility, without wilson's guidance and input, I think my job would have been a lot harder. If we are going to be a facility that's based on -- on what the community wants, we need to know what the community wants to be able to do it. Wilson has been a great person to give me that guidance and what direction we need to go as a facility, as far as the state operation. And I know that I'm going to miss his counsel a lot. But we done talked about it. He done promised me he's going to be there if I need to call him or he will be out when he can. I do appreciate that. But the counsel has been a great help to me. When I got there I said very few communities around the state have this type of involvement. And Travis County is probably leading wait in that. It's people like wilson that have made that possible. I can't say how much I appreciate that. Thank you for letting me say a word or two.
>> thank you, warren.
>> > I just --
>> my name is ken williams. I'm the president of the united methodist church to where mr. And mrs. Andrews and their families are -- are very good members and I'm proud to -- to be a friend to wilson and to jewel. I have been here some 20 years now. And I have worked with wilson and he's helped me to do some things that normally we don't get done at churches and our church has really been a -- been a part of this mentoring program, wilson has dedicated every second Saturday, I don't care what comes or goes, he's there, and I'm just proud to know him and to share a part of this -- this with him. And from our church members and I know that they are all very proud of wilson and jewel. Thank you.
>> thank you. Final word, when we started on this journey 10 years ago, we realized that assisting those whose lives had -- had strayed from -- from the legal realm into -- into crime, to be honest, and who were basically having to pay back society in a confined institution would not be easy. But it did occur to us that these individuals after serving their time would come back to our society anyway. So the challenge is to enable them to come back a whole lot better than they were when they left. What I like about the focus program, the rehabilitation program is the goal really is to help these individuals help themselves while in the facility and after they get out and focus program is to help them obtain matter how bad the economy is, there are construction jobs for those with a little bit of experience. Also to understand themselves. And by doing that, some counseling, anger management, family therapy, some of the other programs that are so essential, carrying out a positive and productive life. So mr. Andrews, we are not really declaring victory for the program today, but we are declaring that we have made substantial progress in our -- and our intention is to stay focused and keep headed in the right direction. So we thank you again. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. And unlike some, we don't have a gift certificate, key to the bank or anything else. [ laughter ] but we do have a beautiful resolution here. Signed by the entire commissioners court. That you can put in your favorite location in your home. And look at it periodically. I am told over time these gain in value kind of like gold. [ laughter ] all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you, wilson.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM