Travis County Commssioners Court
January 21, 2003
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
Item number 6, judge, I got my same copy. I was going to read that during executive session.
>> I got the e-mail, but I haven't looked at it because I copied it on the way down here. I had planned to read mine during executive session. And if you're not here, carol or somebody will be, right? After executive session?
>> oh, yeah.
>> okay.
>> I had planned to sneak a peek at that during one of our dull moments in executive session, if there is one. [ laughter ]
>> for the executive session items we have been asked to postpone item number 53 until next week. And I show the other items to be ready for consideration. 50 is to receive briefing from county attorney and tnr and/or take appropriate action regarding right-of-way transactions relating to county roadway connections to sh 130. That's under the consultation with attorney and real property exceptions to the open meetings act. , consider workplace safety issues at 1622 east riverside drive and take appropriate action, including a, terminating existing lease and b, approving new lease. That's the real property exception to the open meetings act. And I'm sure maybe the consultation with attorney exception on 51 also. 52 is to receive a briefing from the county attorney and or authorize county attorney to retain necessary experts and accept, reject or counteroffer of settlement and/or take appropriate action in the matter of barbara guedea versus Travis County sheriff's office department, sheriff margo frasier, civil action number a-02-ca-611-ss in the united states district court, western district of Texas, Austin division. That's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. Again, 53, postponed until next week. 54, discuss starflight organizational issues, receive legal advice and take appropriate business. That's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 55, discuss certain personnel issues regarding merlin spanky handily, receive legal advice and take appropriate action. That --
>> judge, we need to make sure we're only doing the legal stuff.
>> that's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act and the personnel exception to the open meetings act. And because mr. Handily has previously announced that we discussed the personnel part in open court, we will not discuss personnel matters regarding him in executive session.
>> sorry, I spoke too soon.
>> that's all right. The county attorney told me that the first time. I have learned a lesson and every time I will do it that way.
>> we have just returned from executive session where we discussed item number 50 regarding transactions relating to sh 130. Ruled that we authorized the executive manager of transportation and natural resources to prepare an appropriate letter to send to tta representatives and the state's consultant on this project regarding the county's position on the right of way necessary and various county roads that are being impacted by this project, that he share that letter with the commissioners court in the next couple of days and send that letter to appropriate state officials and that we have this matter back on the court's agenda next Tuesday for any necessary follow-up action.
>> second.
>> anymore discussion on that? Do you think we have it all covered.
>> the qualification is going to be on joe's signature?
>> yes, it will be over joe's signature. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Commissioner daughty had to run to another commitment. Item number 51 will be on the agenda next week. Item number 52 involving barbara gueda versus the Travis County sheriff's office. I move that we authorize the county attorney to get with the risk manager to make the appropriate offer to settle this matter in the amount of $5,000.
>> would we want the county attorney to be authorized to retain the necessary experts if indeed that is necessary?
>> do you need that now?
>> [inaudible] we won't use that authority unless it's necessary. [inaudible]
>> second it? Anymore discussion? All in favor. That passes by unanimous vote also. We did not discuss 54, kind of ran out of time. 55, though, we did discuss with legal counsel and there is a need to recess on this item until 9:00 tomorrow morning to give us a chance to get with the city of Austin. And the question I guess is whether mr. Handley, you're aware of what we're discussing?
>> [inaudible]
>> and your counsel is not here today but you think you will get her here tomorrow?
>> i'll try [inaudible]
>> try to? You'll be able to come back tomorrow morning? We do apologize for the delay. As you can see, we spent -- most of the time we were in executive session we spent with legal counsel and trying to get legal counsel to get in touch with the city representatives on a notion that kind of surfaced in there and they didn't know about it, they were kind of half out of pocket and half available. We do appreciate your patience today and in previous meetings, now that I think of it. But this is the only item that we will recess for tomorrow morning and we have been told that the city folk will put their heads together early on and communicate with us before 9:00 so when we call this item back up at 9:00, we should be pretty much ready to move on it and receive whatever input there is, and if your lawyer can accompany you, that would be good too. If not, maybe y'all can check by telephone or e-mail or otherwise this evening or tomorrow. Okay? We do appreciate your patience. Having said that, I move that we -- okay.
>> the item on the rma letter?
>> yeah, we did -- we gave joe some manner changes which he promised to incorporate into his draft letter.
>> I move approval.
>> the Travis County representatives of the authority are all able to move on Monday, so we'll approach that item Monday morning at 9:00. Approval of joe's draft with our changes, commissioner Davis moves that.
>> right.
>> I need to make sure we all -- I give him a list of my changes that I had in there. I didn't know if other people did the same thing related to...
>> yes.
>> I gave him two or three that were really wording changes more than anything else.
>> clarifications and some spellings. I would not call any of them substantive but they were important.
>> right. I did ask him to go ahead and mail that letter. Hopefully they will get it Thursday or Friday, but on Monday morning we'll have others too if they didn't read it. All in favor of that motion to approve a letter with our changes.
>> second.
>> second. That passes by unanimous vote.
>> we recessed until 9:00 a.m. Tomorrow morning solely for consideration of item number 55.
>> motion and second. We will meet in the commissioner's court room tomorrow morning at 9:00 for approximately an hour. All in favor. That passes by unanimous vote.
(Captioners were not available to provide text for the proceedings which took place on the morning of Wednesday, January 23.)
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM