Travis County Commssioners Court
March 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.
Item 13
I have with me today richard harrington, and he is Austin-Travis County e.m.s. Executive director. He's very experienced with the interlocal as well as working with the esd's. I believe in your backup is a draft letter that was put together by a subcommittee of the court last fall, and this is what we're looking at to send out if the court so approves.
>> this was one that commissioner Moore and I were working on, but then with elections and change out of personnel, it was not really appropriate to get sent out. So now it is something that I think is. And the suggestion I would have is that this have the signature of all members of the commissioners court in terms of coming from the court. And obviously we would have to have a changed date as to when we would welcome their input. A lot of the esd's only meet once a month, so we need to be sensitive to the fact that they don't get together all that often to be able to provide backup to us on the e.m.s. Interlocal, which is going to undergo a major, major rewrite because it's been kind of could be he would together, anticipating this combined system, and now there is a combined system, so the interlocal needs to reflect reality as opposed to the anticipated reality. We need the esd's input and cooperation and collaboration.
>> and i've been involved with quite a few of the esd folks, especially since precinct 3 has nine of the 13 of them. And they are looking forward to getting together on this. I think this is a good move and I would move that we authorize this to be signed.
>> on the full court signature?
>> in the third paragraph of the last where we have the date, I move that the date be may 1st. That would give six weeks. And we're asking this pursuant to the esd, right? Why don't we just say we're beginning the process of evaluating the interlocal and would appreciate your input in writing by may 1, 2003? Is that too simple?
>> and by you, we mean the esd board.
>> right.
>> and that was one of the things that we were trying to get through there because some of the esd's own all of their assets. Some of them can or cannot speak on behalf of the cities. Travis County has its interlocals actually with the city of Austin, but also with the small cities. It's trying to pull in the esd, who in many times own all their assets and they are not any part of an interlocal. They have the interlocals with the small cities. So we need to figure out a way to pull everybody together because in a lot of ways you have separate departments speaking, separate cities speaking and the esd. Where the esd actually encompasses the area that includes the fire department, it includes the small city and the unincorporated, so it was one that we felt was the more appropriate place to pull all the comments. I mean, hey, we welcome all comments, but to just to kind of funnel them through the esd's so they would also know what the other stakeholders within their esd are saying so that there is -- we're pulling it all together and we haven't left anybody out.
>> do the esd's, if the date is changed to may 1 for them to get back to us, has there been any conversation with -- I know commissioner daugherty has had some commission with his nine esd's, but the remainder of the esd's, when will we basically know if this is approved by the court today that it will actually go out and if they can meet this deadline of may 1?
>> commissioner, I would be glad to make the changes today and get it out to your office for signatures today so it can go out tomorrow. And they should all have an opportunity to meet in April. And I know this was a priority really for all the esd's. They're very excited to give their input, so I don't think it would be a problem for any of them to get it in my may 1st. I suppose we could check just to make sure of that, but we can get it out immediately.
>> okay.
>> also, the capital area fire chief's has been talking about this a lot, so they are prepared as well to give their input. And there is an esd representative on the e.m.s. Advisory board, jimmy mullens, who is with esd number 2. They are also getting out the information. So there's a lot of buzz out in the community related to this. They've just been waiting for the formal invitation to send in their cards and letters, and this is it.
>> did somebody make a motion?
>> I did.
>> I seconded it, if it hasn't been seconded already.
>> any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. You'll try to get that to us this afternoon?
>> yes, sir.
>> thank you.
>> number 14, did we share this with todd barton?
>> no, sir.
>> I thought of that early this morning.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM