Travis County Commssioners Court
June 8, 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.
Executive Session
The court will convene in executive session momentarily to discuss the following items. Number 4 is to approve contract award for bo 4 oo 960 j to medical express incorporated as primary supply. And b, broad band incorporated as secondary supplier. That would be under the that's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act exception to the open meetings act. 22-a is to consider and take appropriate action on the following, appoint acting executive manager of health and human services and veterans services. A only, not b. And that will be the personnel matters exception to the open meetings act. And posted for executive session are, we will not discuss 24. It has been postponed to next week. 25 is to consider and take appropriate action on opportunity to purchase real estate in central Austin. That's the real property and it's also the that's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act exceptions to the open meetings act. 26, receive briefing on impact on eligibility for participation of cafeteria plan and federal tax reporting ramifications of implementation of house bill 725 regarding group benefits for employees of community supervision and corrections department and take appropriate action. That's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 27 is to receive briefing from county and/or take appropriate action in se 15 c.kuhns versus Travis County et al, that's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 28 is to receive briefing from county attorney and take appropriate action on settlement proposal in sally decker versus Travis County and se 15 l. Williams in his official capacity. That's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 29, receive briefing and take appropriate action on implementation of Travis County hospital district. That's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 30, receive briefing and take appropriate action on settlement offer in debbie mergele as representative of the sceat of john frump versus margo frasier, et al, that's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act exception to the open meetings act. 31, consider and take appropriate action on recommendations from the county attorney to address various security matters at 555 r. 01 airport boulevard, that's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 32, receive briefing and take appropriate action in jodi marshal versus Travis County et al, that's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. And the final item would be a-1, receive legal briefing and take appropriate action on the extension project, a and that will be that's the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act exception to the open meetings act also. We will discuss these matters in executive session, but will return to open court before taking any action.
>> before we go in, judge, you did not announce number 31 under the security exception, which is primarily what it is going under.
>> yes. Posted on security and consultation with attorney.
>> all right.
we will announce the ones that we did not get to when we read the executive session sometime this afternoon. As for the time being, though, move that we recess for an hour and a half lunch, until 145 for lurchl.
>> second.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
I suggest we try to finish the executive session items. Then have the hospital district as the last item today. We did discuss 24 through 29. We did not discuss the following items, 30, receive briefing and take appropriate action.
>> settlement offer in debbie mergele, consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 31, consider and take appropriate action on recommendations from the county clerk to address various security matters at 5501 airport boulevard. That's the security and the consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 32 is briefing and take appropriate action in jodi marshall versus Travis County. Consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. A-1 is receive legal briefing and take appropriate action on ferguson and tuscany way extension project. Consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act. 4-a and b, approve contract award for medical and surgical supplies. B 40960 j to medical express as my marry supplier, and b, [indiscernible] as secondary supplier. And the final item we will discuss will be -- two more items. 22 a, consider and take appropriate action on the following, appoint acting executive manager of health and human services and veterans services. That will be under the personnel matters exception to the open meetings act. And I did announce the other one I want to discuss is number 31 which I announced involving 5501 airport boulevard. We will discuss these items in executive session, but will return to open court before taking any action.
we have returned from executive session where we discussed the following items. Number 4 involving the medical and surgical supplies awards. Is there a motion?
>> I move we reject tall bids and as much as that pains re, we rebid the whole thing.
>> second.
>> any discussion in all in favor of the motion? Show Commissioners Sonleitner, Gomez, Daugherty voting in favor. Voting against show yours truly listen and Commissioner Davis. That passes and so this item will be rejected and rebid. On item 22, in terms of b, I feel a little uncomfortable because I have not had a chance to look at the materials, but what if we pass the posting job description with the understanding that if any member of the court has issues with it, we'll just have it back on. I may not have anything. I glanced at it, but didn't get a chance to look at it. So we can just do that?
>> oh, related to the job description posting, I would move that, judge. It largely was rewritten when we we went through the reclassification of this position so there are minor tweaks. It's something --
>> I did see a few changes Commissioner Gomez mentioned. Those were the two or three changes.
>> that will be on the legislative agenda. Just kind of I think improvement. I second that.
>> seconded by Commissioner Gomez. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> and I will give melissa my copy.
>> a appoint acting executive manager of health and human services and veterans services.
>> I would move -- I want to press face this by saying we are so blessed in Travis County government to have exceptional division directors within health and human services. But we need to make a decision on acting and I would move that we offer the acting executive manager for health and human services and veterans services to sherry Moore who is our family support services division director and that we bring back an appropriate personnel amendment and lock down the interim salary add-on that would be necessary.
>> I want to second that motion as well as a comment about the division directors. I think they are all a really good team, wanting to work and support each other and the community and this court. And the decisions that will be made in the near future.
>> we thank them all for their input and participation and cooperation. Any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Typically when we make this appointment we also increase the salary by 10%.
>> I think it's 10, but I didn't know offhand.
>> 5, I think.
>> 5%, whatever --
>> [inaudible].
>> whatever county policy is. We'll have it on next week.
>> we can lock that down.
>> one of the committee members will communicate the appointment to ms. Moore. Effective -- steven's last day is the 11th. And that's Friday? So this will be effective on Monday. We'll have an agenda item on dealing with compensation next Tuesday the 15th. Okay?
>> okay.
>> thank you subcommittee for your work also. 24 we did not take up. We postponed that till next week. 25 involves the central Austin purchase opportunity. I move that we approve the revisions recommended by the property owner.
>> second.
>> discussions? Those were very, very minor. All in favor? Show Commissioners Sonleitner, Gomez and yours truly voting in favor. Voting against Commissioner Davis. And abstaining Commissioner Daugherty. 26 involves the community supervision and corrections department and the health benefits. Move that we authorize the county attorney to prepare and submit a letter ruling request to the internal revenue service regarding the cafeteria plan benefits of cscd employee and payroll related reporting raoeurlts of Travis County. That we appoint barbara wilson as our power of attorney solely for the purpose of dealing with this letter ruling request as required by the internal revenue service. That's one of their requirements. And third, that we authorize judge Biscoe to sign all documents required or appropriate in making this letter ruling request submission.
>> second.
>> and let's just pass this through most in case she didn't hear all of that. Any discussion of the motion? By the way, at some point the auditor did indicate she would pay the required $2,500 that the government insists on getting.
>> 2470.
>> 2470. So we will take the auditor up on her offer.
>> and I believe that the check will be read think week because they had already moved it into that line item.
>> they are just claire sroeu kwrapbt.
>> they've been wouldn'ting this for a long time.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. We did discuss item number 27 involving mr. Kuhns and his lawsuit. My note says no action required today. And that will be back on the court's agenda when appropriate. Do you want it back on next week? No? Okay. Number 28 we did discuss. I move that we authorize the county attorney to communicate to the other side an offer to settle this matter for $45,000. Is there a second to that motion? That dies for lack of a second. Any other motions? I move that we settle for 75,000 with no --
>> I'm sorry.
>> 75,000 with no reinstatement.
>> $75,000 is the motion. Is there a second? This matter will be back on next week unless there is another motion.
>> judge, I move we reject their counteroffer and we make --
>> there's not a counter on the table.
>> I thought there was.
>> it was a mediation back and forth.
>> there is now -- [inaudible].
>> that's what I'm saying. There is an offer on the table from them, correct? Yeah, and that was my thing. I move we reject their offer and that no counteroffer be made.
>> does that require any action?
>> I think we want to communicate back to them it's being rejected. I'll at least try that for a motion.
>> i'll second that.
>> any discussion of that motion? All in favor? Show Commissioners Daugherty and Sonleitner voting against that motion. Show the rest of the court [inaudible] [laughter] paragraph this was kind of exhausting today. I think this was more of a venting opportunity for all of us.
>> we did not discusses number 29, but we'll have that back on the agenda next week in the event we need it. 30 involves john frump against margo frazier and others. I move we authorize the county attorney to engage in mediation of this matter and authorize dan mansur to represent Travis County and the Travis County Commissioners court.
>> second.
>> discussion? All in favor? Show Commissioners Gomez, Davis, Sonleitner and yours truly voting in favor. Voting against, Commissioner Daugherty. We did get a status report on 31. No action required. Lit be back on next week. 31 is the security matters at 5501 airport boulevard. We are all making progress. Next week we'll get a more comprehensive report from several and probably be in a position to take action. Number 32 involves jodi marshall versus Travis County et al. Move that we authorize the county attorney to make an offer of judgment in the amount of $35,000.
>> second.
>> discussion? All in favor? Show Commissioners Davis, Sonleitner, Daugherty and yours truly voting in favor. Voting against, Commissioner Gomez. And we did discuss item a-1, which involves the ferguson and tuscany way extension project. Commissioner Davis, do you want to try a -- do you want me to try a motion?
>> yes.
>> move that we authorize the facility in conjunction with the county attorney's office to attempt to negotiate a settlement of the property in question that Travis County needs in order to complete this road project.
>> place this on the agenda, I thought it was very appropriate for you to make the motion.
>> thank you.
>> I second that, though. It's been a long haul. Hope we can bring it to closure.
>> may I ask, you said you authorize who --
>> not facilities, but t.n.r. T.n.r. And the county attorney, specifically nuckols and what's joe's --
>> greg.
>> greg. They will let you or me know whether this needs to be back on the agenda next week just in case there's follow-up action required. This is sort of open-ended negotiations. If we can get this matter resolved, it would help. Discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
Last Modified: Wednesday, June 9, 2004 7:25 AM