Travis County Commssioners Court
April 22, 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
We are now going to move to citizens communication, this is an opportunity for anyone to address the court on any item not on today's agenda. We have two remaining folks that are on. Two seats. Mr. Snyder, kenneth snyder, and the second person is scott johnson. Good morning, mr. Snyder.
>> my name is kenneth snyder, north ridge acres, capital city colonial. I can't understand how they give grants for spiders for a million, more important than we are. This here I gave you all last week, showed all of the water [indiscernible], grants to cities, taxing entities getting grants. Seems like that should be wrong. Taxing entities to get grants, they would like third world neighborhood like ours down the street here, can't get any help. Right around 50 families sitting out here with water. This is all they have. They don't even have water coming out of their taps, they have a $600 water bills that I gave you all a few weeks ago. This is how they have to live. Myself have to haul water in. This is wrong, I think, there is grants out there to get it. But -- but I do appreciate everything Daugherty is doing for us and everything, we appreciate everything that's going to happen there. But these kids shouldn't have to live on water on a fire hydrant. We shouldn't have to have sewer right down the streets. Now we have 30-foot ditches out there, really getting bad. But heavy rains, they are going to be filling up with sewer. We need sewer, water, we need them both and immediately. I call it a 911. Its acknowledge emergency. Commissioner Daugherty has been out there, he knows what I'm talking about. It's an emergency. People shouldn't have to worry about having no water coming out of their water taps because water bills run more than electric bills, more than their rent. It's uncalled for. People got to take a bath and -- in bottled water. If anybody wants to call me on that, I can get a lawyer on this thing. If somebody would like to call me 388-4277, see if they can help us, any way to sway over city and county. Hopefully we will have another mayor pretty soon in the city of Austin, talk to them. I don't know which one it's going to be. But we shouldn't have to live like this. This has been going on for almost 10 years now. We have been on a fire hydrant. 90% hispanic, low income area. If they don't have low income areas, they ain't going to have no millionaires out there. That's the ones that works at wal-mart, plagues like that -- places like that, do the jobs that nobody wants to do. We have to have help out there. One way, shape, or form, we have to have help. I do appreciate everything that you are trying to do for me, mr. Daugherty, at least I have somebody to speak to now, we need help out there desperately.
>> thank you, scott johnson and then the third person is going to be cindy [indiscernible] I apologize if I'm mispronouncing that.
>> good morning Commissioners. I'm scott johnson the project manager for the central Texas electric lawn mower program. We had this past year, we have the final sales event day coming up Saturday, may the 3rd at the home depot in Round Rock. From 8:30 in the morning until 1:30 in the afternoon, as well as the p and k true value hardware store on the georgetown courthouse square from 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. As you all know, air pollution threatens our health year round, particularly during the ozone season as it can affect the health of the young and elderly. Lawn and garden equipment counts for a significant part of the emissions created in this area, up to five to 10% of the total air pollution. A simple way for residents to get involved, to do something proactive to protect air quality is for them to upgrade their lawn mower from a gas powered lawn mower to an electric lean mower or gas powered line to electric leave blowers. If you can upgrade your mower, if you can't upgrade it, maintain it to the best degree possible. If you would like more information about this event, please to go the website for the clean air force, www.cleanairforce.org. And what we are asking for people to do is to trade in their gas powered lawn mowers in order to qualify for discounts on electric lawn mowers made by blek and decker. The cordless mower, a mower that has a battery pack, normally sells for $449 plus tax. If people bring a trade-in, only if they bring a trade-in in, the price drops to 3089.80 plus tax, a discounts of about $140 off the retail pretty. 108.80. The other is accorded model, very suitable for small lots. Normally 180 plus tax, with a trade-in is only 141.30 plus tax, making it very cost competitive with gasoline powered lawn mowers. Another item I would like to talk about is -- is the fact that -- that in our region there's quite a bit of activity going on with regard to diesel trucks, buses and construction equipment. It's not well known that diesel exhaust is known to be a -- a carcinogen, a cancer causing agent. In fact a report done by environmental defense based on the u.s. E.p.a. Using u.s. E.p.a. Data indicated that diesel engines account for 78% of the total added cancer risk in outdoor air from all hazardous air pollutants. That's extremely significant. As just earlier you were talking about public health, this is something that -- that it's within the domain of the county and city and other jurisdictions to do the best they can with the construction projects that they have being proactive to reduce idling times through contractual requirements and agreements as well as for them to choose voluntarily and spec out the cleanest burning fuel available. There is a fuel that's available that's cleaner diesel fuel that's cleaner than what the county is currently using and what currently cleaner than what the city is using as well. This has haven't available since last fall. It does cost more than the current fuel, but it would reduce particle levels, it would reduce ozone forming emissions instantly, that would be the most important step that the county could take in the near term to have benefits this summer and this summer is extremely important year in terms of defining our compliance status as we move forward. Thank you very much. I would be happy to answer any questions. [one moment please for change in captioners]
>> ironically because that -- the south Texas nuclear project does not release any ozone-forming emissions, it actually helps us in terms of maintaining their qualities. So you have another side to the equation that's not often stated, and it's something, though, that does help us. 16% of our energy through Austin energy comes from that plant. That doesn't mean that it's a good thing that we have that ownership, it just means it helps us maintain our air quality.
>> now it is leaking.
>> it's what?
>> now it is leaking.
>> there's some issues -- the reason I ask is obviously pushing people to electric, I can remember growing up using an electric lawn mower. I don't see as many of them anymore. I guess maybe they are on the way back. But we do kind of get caught in that, you know, if you do this, then this necessities doing more of this, so it is sort of an interesting predict bement we find ourselves in.
>> [inaudible] are so onerous. You are right, it's not the perfect solution. If people xeriscape their lawn, that's the best solution and I'm for that. A better solution than an electric mower is a push mower. Electric mowers have improved a great deal in terms of technology and now they cut almost as well as gas-powered mowers. There are some issues to concern yourself with other than just does it improve air quality or not.
>> push mowers, you are not talking about those things we all used to use.
>> yes.
>> yeah, now that, getting somebody to use that thing -- [laughter]
>> it builds up muscle. And we're going to not use our vocal muscles and try and get through some of this stuff. Mr. Johnson, we appreciate -- there is one other person who signed up, be cindy schlapper. If there is anybody else here, please let us know, otherwise, ma'am --.
>> I'm here on-i've never been here before so forgive me ignorance, but I'm here to get mr. Daugherty's attention. I'm at my wit's end with the county road department. They've been very nice. I just think that their hands are tied in this situation. This has been going on three and a half years. I'm on my way down to the permit office to remove the property at my expense because the county road is on my property. It sounds ridiculous. I've got a book of other similar ridiculous particulars that have been going on for the past three and a half years. It would make a hilarious sitcom miniseries if it wasn't so tragic. Anyway, I don't want to waste everybody's time with everything right now, so i've tried to get an appointment to see you, can't do that. No one can seem to make a decision. There's no question that the road is on my property. But something needs to be done. And I was red tagged yesterday, so that's why I have to go get a permit. And I assume that I'm in violation every day as a separate violation. I am really not in -- I don't know how to say this. I had a recent heart attack. I am not in any position to go and move my property. I'm talking about a flower bed and stuff that's been there for years. The guys over in the permit office, they don't know what I'm talking about, but I need to fill you in. It's very important that I get to talk to you pretty soon. My phone number is there on that piece of paper. And would you call me?
>> cindy, you can go right upstairs on the fifth floor, walk in and ask for bob Moore in my office. And we will -- I know nothing about this, but we'll do that. If you will take the elevators to the fifth floor, first door to the left.
>> and ask for an appointment?
>> tell him your situation, and then I will call you, but we'll start working out immediately.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, ma'am. Is there anyone else here for citizens communications? If so, please come forward. All righty.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 5:52 PM