Travis County Commssioners Court
December 10, 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.
Executive Session
Now, we previously indicated or intention to call up at about 1:40 the grievance hearing, number 42 on today's agenda. That is to conduct a hearing on appeal of elbert walker, facilities management employee of grievance panel December of September 20th, 2002 and take appropriate action. And this is posted under the consultation with legal counsel and personnel matters exceptions to the open meetings act. The meeting -- we will meet in executive session to discuss this item. [papers shuffling - audio interference] after -- I think after we discuss this item, we may as well discuss the others. So let's go ahead and announce number 35. 35. Consider request from Travis County judges regarding workplace safety issues at 1622 e. Riverside drive, Austin, Texas, and take appropriate action. That's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. And real estate property exception to the open meetings act. 36 is to receive briefing -- 36 to receive briefing from county attorney and/or take appropriate action regarding possible settlement offer in sandra smith, et al. V. That's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 37. Receive briefing fr 38. Receive briefing from county attorney and give direction and/or take appropriate action regarding moses h. Rodriguez, jr. Subrogation case, that's the consultation with attorney exception. 39. Consider purchase contract with tomen- parke associates. Ltd for acquistion of approximately 35.146 acres of land in connection with the balcones canyonlands conservation plan and take appropriate action. That's the real property exception to the open meetings act. We have been asked to roll item no. 40 one week, I assume that means postpone it until next week, so it will be back on the agenda, 12--- 02, item no. 40. 41. Discuss certain personnel issues regarding starflight staff, receive legal advice, and take appropriate action. This is the personnel matters exception, plus the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act.
>> did we do with item 29, judge? This morning? Item 29?
>> there's still some on the agenda we need to come back and do. I thought that I would announce this since we are going into executive session already for the grievance. We will discuss with staff and legal counsel before we actually start the hearing maybe get some questions out of the way with an eye toward trying to expedite this matter if possible.
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> yes.
>> 37 we announced this morning we would postpone one week until 12-17-02.
>> okay.
>> we have just returned from executive session where we discussed the followingthey y will be put back on. We did discuss 35, 1622 east riverside drive. We will need another evening to mull over that one, we will have it back on the court's agenda next Tuesday. And expect reports back from appropriate staff, namely [inaudible] shepherd of the county attorney's office for facilities. Item no. 36 involving a possible settlement offer and --, the offer in sandra smith et al versus Travis County, I move that we authorize the county attorney to accept on behalf of Travis County settlement of this case in the amount of $40,000 in full for all plaintiffs, including the attorney's fees and related costs. They will get an appropriate release for the court to execute at the appropriate time in the future.
>> second.
>> any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. We previously announced we would not discuss 37, we did not. On number 38 involves moses h. Rodriguez, junior, a county employee, I move that we authorize settlement of this case for the amount of $14,065.50. Also authorize if mr. Rodriguez agrees to this, he indicated that he would, biweekly payments to the Travis County -- to Travis County in the amount of $297.08, 47 payments in that amount and one payment, the 48th one, in the amount of $102.74. And authorize the county attorney to draft the necessary and appropriate paperwork to protect the county's interests in this case and to authorize us to -- to by agreement withhold these funds from mr. Rodriguez's check.
>> second.
>> any more discussion?
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> [multiple voices]
>> 297.08. [multiple voices]
>> I thought it went up because --
>> okay. We would have to see a formal document, execute it, at some point in the future anyway. But we think it's that amount. As long as they all add up to 14,065.50 we are in good shape, dan.
>> yeah.
>> okay.
>> we need to vote, judge.
>> oh, sorry. I did the motion, we had a discussion. Any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Item no. 39 involving the possible acquisition of 35.146 acres of land in connection with the b.c.p., I move that we approve the purchase contract that had been provided to us, that basically purchases this tract of land, and that we forward this to -- to Texas parks and wildlife?
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> then that's all that we will do.
>> second.
>> we will do that and hand it to the county attorney's office, how is that? Any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. On that one, if it's friendly without objection, the county judge will sign on behalf of the commissioners court. Number 40, we did discuss, but no action is required today. That will be back on the court's agenda next week as well as 41. I suspect that we will take action on on -- [inaudible - no mic]
>> beg your pardon?
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> oh, okay.
>> 40 and 41?
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> 41 two weeks.
>> do we have something to report on 40? The settlement? Next week? I was about to ask why don't we do 41 next week, 40 in two weeks. It will be back on the 23rd, that's a very short agenda week. That will be 24. So it will be the 23rd. And what we are thinking about, I think we ought to agree to meet at 11:00 that morning for claims, con seantsd if there's something -- consent if there's something to report here it should only take a manuscript. 41 on next -- take only a minute. 41 next week. 42 was the grievance that we did hear from the employee elbert walker. Any action today?
>> yes, judge, I would like to move that we will return a decision by the grievance panel and we -- fully pay the five day suspension that -- that this particular grief yantd received -- griefant steveed a zero amount, we want to make sure he gets fully instated to pay on that. We also look at the performance improvement plan that that need to be a policy we need to bring back to the commissioners court to ensure that the particular plan is implemented to -- in the departments of the county. I would like to move that that person -- that's my motion.
>> I'm not quite clear myself. Is there a second? Let's mull it over a week and see what --
>> what do you want me to explain about it?
>> just think about it. That motion dies for lack of a second. There's not another one, I take it. I need a little bit more time to kind of digest what we just discussed.
>> okay. That's fine with me. Bring it back next week. I just -- basically, you know --
>> no problem. We will have number 42 back on next week. Now, we have been asked to postpone item no. 8, for one week. So we will have that back on we do appreciate your patience of those who came down who did not have their items reached today. It's kinds of hard to orchestrate some of these matters. They take a little bit longer than we anticipate.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM