Travis County Commssioners Court
February 18, 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.
Citizens Communication
Citizens communication is next. And this gives residents an opportunity to address the court on any matter not on the agenda for a full three minutes. Kenneth snyder is number one. Number 2 is henry patrol. Hen henry troll. And no. 3 is --
>> ... Round colonial. I will give you a copy of this bill first thing. $649 for one month of water. The water company says pay it or shut your water off. It jumped from 40to $649 for one month. If you notice on the bill, the bill is slightly higher than usual. Slightly, $649 from $40. My bill was $84, $85 this month. Last month it was $61. The month before that twa $51. They just keep goings up and up. They say pay it or we shut it off. They shut off three meters Saturday morning. People living without water. We had 45rbgs I think it's around 50 now probably. Karen Sonleitner says she hopes her trash bill -- I been watching, I ain't had a chance to come up. Our trash bill don't want to be as high as our light bill. How would you like to have your water -- this is water. This ain't wastewater. This is all water, period. My restaurant didn't use this much water when hi the restaurant open. Car wash don't use this much water. Ain't no way nobody can use $600 worth of water. But the state is running the system so they pretty much do what they want. Tnrcc, all of our water lines now is setting about [inaudible] in the ditches where they dug them up and put two pipes in. I think they think we're going to have a big flood. Tearing up our roads. Just go out there and see what the county, Williamson county is doing to us. It's ridiculous. I hope somebody goes out there to see. We got one street has a problem, not the -- and that's a back street. Then at the city council in Round Rock, Karen Sonleitner was there. I think we deserve we get everything out there. She told them no help from Travis County because we're in Travis County and Williamson county both. She told them we ain't going to get any kind of help at all. I talked about that the other day at the city council meeting, last Thursday. But this is getting ridiculous. We have to have a colonial right next door to the city of Round Rock. I talked to city of Austin and they told me why do we care. All the contamination is going into Round Rock. It ain't going to hurt nothing in Austin. But all the sewer water is going down in Round Rock. That's what's happening, really and truly, that's what's happening. But the ditches out there, I got pictures, i'll bring them in here, you can see the water lines running across the ditch from one side to another. Most of our water lines made out of conduit. Now you see them made out of pvc -- that brown-looking stuff you put wires through. It's pumping all week. Since they started working out there, our water's been going on off and on, off and on. They put meters out there and it makes it even worse. They don't flush lines and the low water ball notices wasn't out there in the neighborhood. But all we use that water for is flushing the toilets. Now I'm using boiled water to take a bath in because i've been told not to use it on account of my face breaking out. [inaudible] so I'm starting to use bottled water and I'm doing a lot better. But 90% of the people just use the water for bathing or washing clothes or flushing toilets. But not $600 worth. What in the world is going on? What is somebody trying to do to us? Apparently the county and the city and the state is working against us because the state is running this water system and the [inaudible] got running this system because he thinks he's a king, king of the world, I guess. He told me he got them in his pocket. [inaudible] no water boil notices, water breaks, he comes out maybe a day or two later to fix it. Our most rudest bunch of people come out there, they give you fingers and stuff because we raise cane. We call the tnrcc, they tell to you write them a letter saying you have a problem. [inaudible] come out and fix it. When they come out, there won't be no problem. It's just a bad problem somewhere down the line that we can't get no help from anybody. But it's getting more and more publicity on this thing. Too bad we don't have a commissioner in Williamson county and Travis County. Karen Sonleitner is the one in Travis County. We do not have a commissioner to talk to about anything.
>> thank you.
>> good morning. I'm henry trail with the parks springs neighborhood association. Judge and commissioners, I want to thank you for giving us this opportunity to make public comments. I'm here today to discuss item 8 on the agenda, which is the odors from the landfill out in northeastern Travis County. Every time I come here, I remember david samuelson. He was very concerned about this issue. He worked with out the committee to establish the criteria for new landfills. And he would have been here today, I'm sure, to help us try to contend with this problem. We know it's a tough problem. We know we need disposal. We need garbage disposal. We need garbage service. But we also need to protect our air and our water. I don't know how many of you have gone out and experienced the odors, but every time my wife and I drive down that highway at night in particular, we can smell that odor on highway 290 and it makes you gag. How the people live in the area adjacent to that landfill, I have no idea. But I'm here to support them and their problem because it affects all of us. It affects everybody who comes into Austin from the east. From houston and other areas. And it does distinctly give them the impression of Austin which I don't think we're proud of. We've got regulations. We've got inspectors. We've got providers who are violators. We all know they are in violation. We all know the problems that are out there. We've got the regulations that they need to comply with. They are telling everyone, I'm sure, as they have in the past, that they are in compliance or that they will comply. The problem seems to be we're undecided on how to contend with this problem, how to make them comply and how to get the service. We got a fear apparently that we're going to lose a service if we force -- enforce compliance with the rules and regulations. This seems to me to parallel an international situation that we're confronting right now. Everyone knows we've got a violation, we know people are not in compliance with rules and regulations and we don't know how to enforce it. That's ironic, isn't it? Why don't we do what's right here? Why don't we make these people comply with the rules and regulations? Once you take that attitude and that position, they will know what to expect of you. They will know what they have to do, and they will get in line. If you take the soft way out, they are going to think that you are not serious. I thank you for your time and I hope you do the right thing.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you. Mr. Davis is next. And he will be followed by gus pena.
>> good morning. I'm harvey Davis, manager of the Travis County housing finance corporation. And I wanted to take this opportunity to inform the public about two programs that the board of directors have implemented to help Travis County residents purchase a home. The first program is the tax exempt bond program, and this program provides mortgage money for first-time home buyers. First-time home buyers is defined as somebody that has not owned a home in the last three years. The program provides 4% downpayment assistance grant. The 4% would be of the amount of the mortgage that the home buyer secures. So, for example, if you purchase a home and through the program have a $100,000 mortgage, then your downpayment assistance would be $4,000. The -- the way that a home buyer can access this program and find out information about whether they qualify as far as the income limits and the purchase of home qualifications is to contact one of our participating lenders. And the lenders for this program are ch mortgage, countrywide home loans, ctx mortgage company, erwin mortgage company, and sterling capital mortgage company. And if somebody wants to contact me and ask more information, we have a brochure which I can mail or e-mail to Travis County residents. Welcome the call at 854-4743. Then the second program that the corporation has implemented is also -- I forgot to say on the -- on our tax exempt program, this is limited to purchases of homes in Travis County, but outside the city limits of Austin. The second program is -- are taxable -- is our taxable bond program, and it is for purchase of home -- any home within Travis County, including the city of Austin. This program also provides 4% downpayment assistance. Unlike the first program, it is not a grant. 1% of the 4% is a grant and 3% is a forgivable zero interest loan. And it is forgivable if you own the home for 10 years, then it is totally forgivable. If you own the home for between 5 and 10 years, then it's partially forgivable. The lenders -- participating lenders that a home buyer would contact for this program are ch mortgage, cornerstone mortgage company, countrywide home loan, fort worth mortgage, pacific american mortgage. One of the advantages of this program is that if you buy a home within the city limits of Austin, you could access home buyer assistance programs from the city and also use this program. And the city has also many -- or several fine programs, including downpayment assistance and a mortgage credit certificate program. So this program could be used in conjunction with the city of Austin's program. Again, if a Travis County residents more information or the brochure on any -- either of these programs, my phone number is 854-4743.
>> and your name is harvey Davis.
>> yes, harvey Davis.
>> or they can contact any member of the court and we'll get them in touch with you or send them a brochure that you mentioned.
>> right.
>> does this apply only to homes that are constructed? I mean, if somebody wanted to build a home, I mean, is there a way that you can qualify if you wanted to build the home? I mean, could you still apply for this sort of assistance?
>> yes. Right. You -- you would be able to -- you would have to get a mortgage through one of the participating lenders, and by the time that the home was completed, we would still have the program open. I mean, you know, there's a -- you start building a home and there's a long time lag. But the tax exempt program is a two-year program, and we're just in the third month, so it has a long way to go.
>> but I think you have a -- I don't think you would be eligible if you come in tomorrow morning and say I will have my home built in six months and I want to participate. I think the home has to be completed.
>> that's right.
>> the builders finance the home during the construction period. When the home is completed, then you can get a mortgage on it.
>> that's right. And I mean, the mortgage money is first come, first served. So you cannot -- have you to have a contract or pending mortgage on a home in order to reserve the funds so that somebody else can't come in and take the money. So there would be the danger with -- that the program could sell out, so to speak, by the time you finished the home.
>> for our five years ago we had an example of where folks wanted to come in and finance the construction of the home. But actually you can buy a new home that's completed or really an old home that -- that's available [inaudible] a mortgage. This is not building financing. Thank you, mr. Davis.
>> thank you.
>> keep up the good work. Mr. Pena is next. The other two people, I think they are here on number 8, right? The landfill item? 5 and 6? Under county policy, citizens communication is to give residents and non-residents an opportunity to address the court on any matter not on the agenda. And actually you have more impact if you testify while we're considering the item. Because during citizens communication, all we can do is listen. Now that is correct is the policy. We have not strictly enforced it. So if you want to speak on citizens communication today, that's fine with me. That item is posted for consideration and discussion today, number 8, for the reasons that I set out in a short sort of cover letter that I sent out with draft ideas that I have and that I circulated on Friday. So I will leave it to those who signed in. Don hutchinson is number 5 and cristina kubek is number 6 and mr. Pena is now.
>> thank you. I was going to call you mayor. I'm sorry, judge Biscoe.
>> [inaudible]. [laughter]
>> judge and county commissioners, gus peen yarks president of east Austin hispanics. I would like to thank also the Travis County commissioners court and harvey Davis and the county for their advocacy for affordable housing. Also paul hilgers and the city of Austin for affordable housing. One of the things we see out here are people who have bad credit. We would like to see a program that gives you about two careers to clean up your credit, if you will. And I think there's a program out there already, but not too well known. And then I think the payment or the lease payment goes to the purchase of the home. So anyway, kudos to the county and city of Austin for doing that. Number one, I would like to -- I know we're going to have potential applicants for the position of county attorney, but east Austin concerned hispanics aggressively support and respectively supports mr. Davis for appointment to county attorney in the unerks spierd term. David has been a good friend for the community. I've seen him in meetings where i've been. He knows the city attorney's office very well, as you all well, better than I do.
>> county attorney.
>> I keep forgetting I'm not at city council. Thank you commissioner Gomez. County attorney's office better than anybody else and it would be an appropriate appointment to the county attorney's office, and it's a good friend of the community, a good friend of ours also who has dealt with a lot of things within the community positively and has been very active for the community. So we stand by mr. Escamilla to be appointed. Ken owen, also a good friend of ours in the community, we like to thank him for his tireless work on other issues in the community. The tank farm, but specifically regarding the dropout rate and the accountability process of aisd. Mr. Owed done always had his telephone available to me and representing the organization and on the dropout task force, I was one of the members along with mr. Oden. We just want to thank him and I know a lot of children thank him for holding the school district accountable. But not only that, the administration needs to be held accountable for producing correct data and statistical data also. We thank you and godspeed wherever you are going, mr. Odom. Thanks for everything. The last issue, I know that some of you will not want to hear about it and i'll make it brief is the capital metro issue. East Austin concerned hispanics is still seek ago place to proposal review committee to truly reflected -- I grew up on east fifth street in front of many environmentally detrimental projects and companies out there. What we would like to see also, and i'll be more than willing to back off of our request to be placed on the proposal review committee, is why don't we have an anglo business owner or an african-american business owner on the proposal review committee? That is discriminatory and I urge you commissioner Gomez, and i'll wrap up, judge to, really consider this because it shouldn't be just latinos or hispanics. They are always constantly saying discrimination, we are not included. Well, let's clue some of our friends in the business community that are and grow or african-american. I want to thank you for pressing the affordable housing issue. Think about that cleaning up your credit with a two-year program. I think it would be helpful. Thank you very much.
>> thank you very much. John hutchinson. Christina kubek.
>> good morning, commissioners and judge. John hutchinson, walnut place neighborhood. I'm sorry to speak out of turn. I didn't realize there were rules on that -- in consent items and all the other stuff we have to deal with here. Basically I came because I got a letter from senator barrientos. In the letter he basically states that he has had conversations with the two landfills that are in question here and basically they are standing around pointing fingers at everybody but themselves. They are trying to blame city produce and their trying to blame the harris branch water treatment plant and the closed county landfill. I find this extremely arrogant on their part to blame everybody but themselves for their odor problems. Saturday night I had company over and when they left the house, it stunk so bad they came back in and said you have to put up with this every day? I said it happens quite regularly. So even my guests are starting to complain that come to my house about the odors in front of my house. But we've been talking to you for years about the problems we've had with the dump and the attitude of the dump themselves. And to give you an idea of the arrogance of these people, this is a subpoena from waste management for five of the people in my neighborhood to appear before them to give depositions over a lawsuit they have with another landfill they are mad at because they got a contract they didn't -- a company that I have no dealings with whatsoever. I've never been on their property, and other than meetings mirror at the courthouse and -- here at this court hawtion and city of Austin and swac meetings, i've never been involved with t.d.s., Yet I'm being subpoenaed by waste management. This is the people you all signed a contract with. Thank you for spending my tax dollars with people that are making my life miserable. They are tying me up from my job and I have to many could down and point out the very people gassing my neighborhood, running beepers at night, waking up people in my neighborhood because they are building a new cell on the back side of my neighborhood are being supported by my tax dollars to help pay for the subpoena. Isn't america wonderful? That I have to put up with this. Now you understand maybe why our neighborhood is so irritated with the way we're being treated. That's my comments and I hope I was brief. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> hello, my name is cristina kubek, secretary of the walnut place neighborhood association. Thank you for the opportunity to speak and it may be out of turn. I apologize. We just had a short time frame that we could be here. I don't believe we would be able to wait for the item number to come up. I also wanted to show you that I received a subpoena from waste management. I believe it to be harassment and -- on their part trying to intimidate us into, you know, not trying to protect our neighborhood and trying to get us to back off. Well, I'm sorry, this only makes us worse. They are asking for us to produce documentation and every piece of paper that's gone through our hands since 1997. Just even the thought of that amount of paper would fill this room. Much less trying to copy any of it. Gee, this 11doesn't help me any and they can keep their dirty money for all I care. This is what we have to deal with because we're protecting our neighborhood. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> anybody else for citizens communication? Anyone here to address the court on any matter not on the agenda?
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM