Travis County Commssioners Court
April 27, 2004
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.
Health Facilities Development Corporation
Now let's call to order the Travis County health facilities development corporation, one item of business, and that is to consider requests from Austin Travis County law enforcement and prosecution officials to use the corporation's interest in the old vision village site (old travis state school) for children's protective services teams to serve Travis County children. And we do have representatives from -- from.
>> children's advocacy is here, sandra martin just walked in the door. Come forward and have a seat, give us your name, and -- and have you just generally describe the request. Name and affiliation, I guess would help. Sandra martin, executive director of the children's protection -- you may know us as the children's advocacy center, we changed that name to be a little clearer about what we do.
>> you are accompanied by.
>> mary welborn president of the board of directors for the center for child protection.
>> good to see both of you all again.
>> thank you.
>> and the nature of this request is?
>> the nature of the request is -- we would like to -- to offer some information and support for the -- for the agenda item to consider a request from Austin Travis County law enforcement and prosecution officials to use the corporation's interests in the old vision village site of the old travis state school for children, protective services teams to serve the Travis County children. We met several times with Commissioner Sonleitner on the issue. The center for child protection has entered into an agreement with -- with the developer at the old travis state school site. For a gift of 4.5 acres of land and a 10,000 square foot building that's in existence on that property that -- that small building as we're calling it is to be used for -- training for law enforcement for Travis County sheriff's department -- and interesting -- interested groups that need training in child abuse cases. What we wanted to do today is to talk to you about the -- about the kind of things that we could offer to Travis County for -- for help in -- in approving that request from law enforcement. We prepared a selection of items, you may want them all. You may not want any of them. But I don't know if -- I have copies if you would like for us to distribute those to you.
>> an excel length idea.
>> six copies.
>> we have got 15. Did you get one, judge?
>> I'm sorry.
>> we maybe able to return about six or seven of them.
>> all right.
>> we understand, what we think this is going to be a win-win for law enforcement and for -- for the work that we are doing with the child protection team. We understand that Travis County has a trawning program for fire -- a training program for firemen and for emt which falls right in line with what we do, we work with those folks in our child fatality review team, every day in the course of our work. We think that we will have space that we could provide classroom space for that training program. We think that we also could include those cadets and the training that we pay for every year for all of our public agency partners. This is usually very valuable training. The things that firemen tend to have found the most useful have been things like death scene investigation, issues of that nature. We see again this being a win-win situation for our team as well as for -- for the professionals involved in that. We expect that in the new building that we will build that we will have expanded medical services that will allow us to see additional children. We are working with children's hospital to expand that to even greater level, but -- but just when we open our 28, 30,000 square foot building we will have three rooms in that new facility that will triple our current space. We need to be able to see children, not most severely abused or sexual assault exams, but perhaps children who have been neglected or physically abused. In addition to that, we would like to offer our volunteers and our volunteer training to support the cadet training. We have quite a few volunteers and are always looking for new projects and tasks for them to do. We think scheduling, training, providing copying, any of the things that might be involved with that training program we think our volunteers would be more than happy to support. We also would expect to continue what we're doing, and would offer -- our new building calls for quite expanded space for our team members when they're in the building interviewing children and doing the things that they do already with us. We expect to continue to offer that space and even additional space in addition to that. We expect to continue interviewing the increasing number of child victims. It might interest you to know that last month we served our greatest number ever. 77 child victims under the age of 13 who were victims of sexual assault or serious physical injury or witness to a crime. So when our relationship started, Travis County was one of our first supporters. And that number has grown quite large. Designation, we would like to name one of the rooms in our clinic after Travis County. Whether you want that to be called the Travis County room, whatever the name is, we would ask your approval of whatever you would like for it to be. We would like to designate to show that that is something that Travis County is responsible for in the clinic area. In talking to Commissioner Sonleitner, I think one thing that's always in the forefront of our mind are the lives of the children, the price that these children have paid when we haven't done this well. We would like to dedicate a grove of trees or something other really significant visible area to christopher wallers and to all of the children who have died in Travis County because of abuse and would be happy to associate Travis County's name with that as well. And then finally, we will continue to do as we are doing now, providing supplies and equipment to Travis County employees when they are in our building using in the course of their investigations and delivery of our service. We are also open to any additional questions or suggestions that y'all might have that we haven't thought of.
>> let me ask you a couple of questions. Is there going to be a savings realized with the trains of the cat debts, other persons, training activities at the vision village complex, would there be any statement realized from that, in other words if they are holding the training, doing what they are doing now to achieve the same end, will there be a savings, per se, if they were to actually move and do some of that training at that site?
>> yeah, I think so. My guess is having rent free space, in conjunction with other team members would be very beneficial. If I understand your question correctly, since we -- I think last year, we spent $37,000 on training for our team members.
>> uh-huh.
>> this includes sending them to training. That's top notch national expert training on the investigation of child abuse.
>> uh-huh.
>> we also think by locating Travis County law enforcement there, that we have been able to acquire a van through a private donor on our board of directors. This van is being used by the Austin police department for internet exploitation, we have also bought some additional equipment for those law enforcement officers. We currently lease the van to the city of Austin for a dollar a year. If Travis County law enforcement is co-located there, it's going to allow them, that's one of the things that the city hopes will happen to also use that equipment, so we get double use of the internet exploitation equipment.
>> uh-huh.
>> then the training is a direct result, I think that's thousands of dollars of year -- a year that -- that law enforcement and prosecutors might either not attend or might not have. If we were not providing it because of budget cuts.
>> okay.
>> I guess the city has basically, I know the city has been interested in something similar to this, I guess all of this basically will -- will be in agreement with what they are basically trying to do, Travis County, [indiscernible] city, would that be a combined effort at all as far as what the city is trying to do?
>> yes.
>> would you tell me what role the city will play in it.
>> in the training or internet exploitation.
>> the whole thing.
>> well, we understand that there will be one building and ms. Woody may be able to address this, that there will be one building that will be used by city and county law enforcement officers as well as hopefully child protective services case workers. And district attorney staff.
>> it's anticipated that both the child protection team and the family violence protection team could be co-located in the same building. So the officers from the Austin police department who are currently housed next to the sheriff's deputies working on child abuse cases can continue to work together and be housed together, along with the prosecutors. It's also anticipated that the valley violence protection team, those officers working on -- on family violence cases could be co-located with -- with members of the sheriff's office. So that they can share resources, share yandz work together on -- share ideas and work together on these same types of cases.
>> I know there's been a strong indicator coming from the community, that is in -- this particular site is located in precinct 1.
>> of course. There's been a lot of talk, I guess, as far as the adjacent community, the adjacent areas out there as far as what we are going to do. What's actually going to happen to that particular site. I have not heard anyone complain at all I guess to what's being proposed here. I guess have there been any awareness in the community to suggest what we are proposing here, how has that gone out into the neighborhoods to say well, this is another youth that we are looking for as far as the facility is concerned on that tract because it has been a very controversial tract, various reasons or another. I want to make sure that you get the best -- the best possible use, [indiscernible] personally, but I'm wondering if there has been any attempt to inform the neighborhoods or the adjacent areas out there of such proposals.
>> my understanding is that mr. Peter barlin who has bought the property has done quite a bit of work with the community. I know there have been several articles in the paper. I think that I have only read one good comments about the work that mr. Barlin has done in the past. We have not received any negative response whatsoever. I think that I would be very appropriate in saying that we have a terrific relationship with our current neighborhood association. Although I think they didn't expect that when we moved in. I think they are real happy with us as neighbors.
>> I haven't heard everything, either. Sometimes things aren't directed to my office, sometimes things crop up and I don't hear about it until someone else informs me that they have been notified on such a -- [indiscernible] so I basically wanted to lay those things out to ensure that what we are doing is something that we can move forward with. And so basically that's the reason I answered the questions as I did. Thank you.
>> if I could follow up just for a second related to the fireman's cadet program. That is the district that you and me and Gerald share in terms of fire control, esd number 4. The vision village property -- I'm sorry, I need to get used to not calling it that. You understand. That is actually located in the heart of esd number 4 and chief smith has been trying to find a permanent home to have his classroom space, with the academy both the city of Austin and Travis County fund every year. At the moment, they are over at gonzalo high school in east Austin. Which is working well. But in terms of where the young people are from and where they are responding to their calls it's actually in the 969 area. So this is actually something that the chief has wanted to look at but never had the opportunity to because the property was tied up in legal issues. The training they're talking about here is something knew that they are not getting right now. They are learning how to be firefighters, also how to get their emt badges, that would be something good in addition to being excel leapt role models in terms of fine outstanding young people for kiddos who are going over there. My concern all along has been at some point we have to account for the $200,000 that came from this corporation that is still somehow embedded in that property. It took a lot of long conversations I appreciate ronnie, sandra, mary, I met with peter barlin the developer, truly embedded in what peter has done is our money. It is now free of any property tax liens and he is paying property taxes whereas before this property was tax exempt. They have now completely cleared all back utility bills, they are now a paying customer of the city of Austin, not a non-paying delinquent customer of the city of Austin. Because of this gifting, the ability of the gifting of the 4.5 acres and the 10,000 square foot building that peter can gift to the children's advocacy center, yes, I'm going to have to learn you all's new name, that will -- that really is where our $200,000 will be embedded. We originally anticipated it would go into a clinic out at that site. It's taken a long path but it can still be embedded in this new facility that's going to be a medical facility dealing with unfortunately kids that are going through this particular situation. It is consistent in terms of programs that we support. We are a direct supporter of the children's advocacy center. I have to admit that number 8 was my personal thing that I felt real strongly that I would like to have them consider, that has to do with christopher wohlers, ronnie and I will start crying if we start talking about christopher too much. But his death in Travis County is what gave rise to the creation of the children's advocacy center, which was state-of-the-art, new, different cutting edge at the time. It is now required in every county. In the state of Texas. So ronnie got us there a whole lot sooner, but we cannot forget christopher and the sacrifice that he made for us to get to this point. That seemed to be a way that peter and the others could work and do something appropriate so we never forget.
>> I had spoken with [indiscernible] also he gave me a real good report on the graduation record. It's phenomenal as far as what's really happening with those cadet classes getting into permanent positions for those particular cadets. I think that's something great, because that's a program that we have basically encountered, nourishing along. Of course it has come to this level where the return on investment that we have made in that I mean it's overwhelming. I did talk with ronnie, the district attorney on this. And we had some discussion on this. Of course in the interests of our children here in Travis County, it is a very positive thing. But I just want to always make sure that all of the i's have been dotted and t's have been crossed, that is the purpose of those questions, not that I'm opposing anything, but sometimes bringing those things to the table in case the questions are asked later and we aren't here in this type of forum or setting. I want the community to know, I would like to reiterate, that I haven't heard anything negative from the adjacent community and neighborhoods in that area. Of course that's what we are here to do is to hear those concerns also. But I'm in full support of what we are doing here, hopefully it will come to a real good end, a real good, positive project. Especially with the results that we are receiving on a lot of things that we are dealing with right now. Thank you.
>> I think my concern was we tried do this good thing. If we continue to answer questions as to so what happened to that $200,000, we are not by any stretch of the imagination if this goes there writing off our investment. Our investment is still out in that facility, is still out on that property. It's just not on a clinic on what used to be called vision village. It will be embed understand a new and I think -- embedded in a new and much more dynamic project that gets to us a different place, still doing great things on behalf of the children of Travis County. It will be embed understand that land and that -- embedded in that land, that building, that clinic on behalf of the cac. If somebody asks me about it, the money is accounted for and is reinvested, it took a long time to get there. But it is reinvested in the property, but will still be consistent with it's original use, some kind of a million clinic of some sort that would do good stuff for kids. That's still consistent for me. That's why I'm going to be supported. We need to make sure before any lien is lifted, we need to make sure that the assurances are going to happen, which is consistent with what the city of Austin did when they did the similar action on the other side of the ledger, they have things in there that say it's consistent on certain kind of things.
>> I don't have anything to add.
>> I have a two hour discussion, I will be happy to walk you through it, but I don't know that it's necessary. I think Commissioner Davis and Commissioner Sonleitner, and mary and sandra and [indiscernible] have adequately presented the case for that. I will say that $200,000, it were possible for the county to get -- the return of the that the county is going to get this from only $200,000, when you measure it in the improved services, improved collaboration, improved coordination of law enforcement, putting together two separate locations into one. The benefits, it's not going to take -- it won't take two years before you are going to see tenfold return on that $200,000.
>> Commissioner Daugherty.
>> this was preme. And just one of those unfortunate situations that -- that a lot of people get into it, not just government, but private. I've been a number of those things, looked back going hum, I wish I could do that again. I just would like to make sure because I think that it is a perfect match for -- for the need having gone through and a couple of hour program with sandra. Obviously, it's too bad that we don't have more people in this community that can go and see these kind of things. Because if you saw them, you would really get it. Because I didn't even know what children's advocacy center was. Especially with people that are the most innocent, great cause. I would just want us to make sure that, I mean, because effectively what we are doing here, in the little bit of lapping not that I'm -- bit of lapping, not -- bit of language, to use the corporation's interest, in that part of what is asking us to consider with our lien with a positive vote on this today. I think --
>> the vote today ought to be to direct to proceed because at some point we will see the legal documents. The general wording will be a loot more specific at that time.
>> that's all that I was trying to make sure of.
>> some transfers --
>> and what Commissioner Sonleitner was talking about, making sure that the reason that we are doing this is that we are going to get this time what we thought we were going to get the first time. I mean that we do have a mechanism because sometimes if you undo something, you release the lien, all of a sudden I don't know, peter, but everything that I hear about it, I mean he's -- he's a great steward of the community, did a great job. But I want to make sure that we get protected legally in this thing if something happens that hey by the way, I don't know if you can reinstate the lien [laughter] or ronnie i'll leave that up to you and your staff. [laughter]
>> they are attorneys.
>> making sure that we can do that. So thanks for all of your work. All of you.
>> three questions. Do you all lease or own where you are now?
>> we own.
>> okay. Did we ever get the $40,000 from the insurance company?
>> everything is resolved and sign and I'm working to meet with the attorney for the title company in the next day or two, so it will have a check in the next 24 or 48 hours.
>> 40,000 bucks.
>> yes, sir.
>> good.
>> that should go into the corporation's account. We were talking about 160,000 from the corporation's perspective. But the next steps are for us to come up with some legal documents that basically capture the agreement. And it will incorporate different things that you promise to do and I guess the backup documentation [indiscernible]
>> all right. With that understanding I move that we direct to proceed.
>> second.
>> to implement the proposal and the -- I guess is the developer putting together documents?
>> yes, we have folks working with us who can put together the documents for you.
>> okay. Those ought to be shared with mr. Davis and cliff blunt, cliff blunt is legal counsel for the corporation.
>> terrific.
>> if we have two or three days for them to work on it, and share it with us, before we agendize it next time that will probably expedite the situation.
>> all right. Thank you so much.
>> you're welcome.
>> can a throw a friendly out there. It may be something if it has to go on a different agenda, please don't hesitate to tell me that. To me it was always the intent that $200,000 be embedded in whatever clinic thing it is. A as it turns out, 40 is coming back into the corporation. I would like to agendize it at a later point that that $40,000 check once it gets redeposited with the Travis County corporation that we consider whether that 40,000 be reinvested into the capital campaign for children's advocacy. That I think was always the intent is the $200,000 go to a clinic, this is a way to put the 40,000 back-back to where before, the 200,000 being invested in the site. I think $40,000 would go a long way in terms of helping [indiscernible] capital campaign. So I don't want to see that money, I want to recycle it and move on.
>> I would like to point out this is the health facilities development corporation, we need to make sure that any of the funds are used for health related purposes.
>> I will bring that back [microphone cutting out]
>> any discussion of the motion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you.
>> thank you all very much.
>> thank you. Move adjournment of the Travis County health facilities development corporation. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 9:46 AM