Travis County Commissioners Court
December 13, 2005
Item 14
Number 14, receive presentation on visitation center project at the Travis County community justice center and give directions on how to proceed. Scratch the directions part. We did get a little memo out late yesterday and a copy of a little sketch that roger did for us. Just as background before kim lays this out for us, we've been chatting on and off with the warden, the chaplain and some others about this visitation center, and before war deb pittman who is with us today, there are a couple of other car wardens that we discussed the visitation center with. And at one time we chatted with an architect and a private business from san antonio who came up with a sketch that was really a lot more complex and sophisticated than what we had in mind and would cost a great deal more. And we want to thank him, though, mr. Garza was his name, because what we did was to take his sketch and sort of trim all the extras off of it and come up with almost like a big waiting room with a little space to the side for a kids' recreational area, an office, and we said a storage space, but the recommendation is to eliminate the storage space and just have two offices, is that right? >> that's correct.
>> and the cost we can get it done for we think $450,000.
>> everything judge Biscoe just said, but I will give a background on how the visitation is done. And warden, if I知 misspeaking, certainly interrupt. Visitation is on Saturdays and Sundays. Given this next weekend, 50, 60% chance of rain, the two weekends before christmas, visitation is going to be very busy out at the vjc. -- cjc. The state jail has erected like an army tent and maybe 25, 30 folks can fit in that jail at one time. And the visitation on a Saturday start at eight oak. It's two hour increments, so the family members can visit for two hours. During that two-hour time period, the family members are either waiting in their car or waiting underneath this tent waiting for their turn. Sometimes that wait can be several hours depending on the time of the year. With christmas just being around the condition, it's going to be very hectic out there this weekend. That's kind of the conversations that we've had over the course of -- I致e been employed here for almost six years, the idea of having a visitation center is something we've talked about, but given the price tag with building it, it has not been the top priority for, say, the advisory committee. But since the gentleman has donated the money, for us to sit down and look at this, the feasibility I think is pretty good. Roger has come up with some sketches and that's pretty much all you have to say for right now in unless the court has some questions.
>> I have a couple of them, if you don't mind. My first question is I have witnessed what you have stated about folks having to wait outdoors. I remember we spoke at the graduation ceremonies for some of the inmates there, before we could make entry into the facility, the long line of folks outside the open doors there, and I thought those persons were part of the graduation ceremony and they weren't. They were actually -- he found out that they were actually persons that were trying to visit. My question, though, is this facility has been around awhile, and am I to believe that there has never been any visitation, no facilities at the facility since its inception? In other words, when you build a facility, it appears to me that the inmates will have to have visitors, visitors are going to come, and how is that -- why wasn't that addressed, was it addressed when the place was first constructed?
>> I can't speak to exactly the design of the facility. What I can tell you, Commissioner, is there is a visitation room where we had graduation ceremonies that day. It's a pretty large room, but there's a thousand folks sitting out there. And during visitation days on the weekend, it becomes very crowd. To answer your question --
>> I知 speaking when the building was first designed, no one had in mind that there would be visitors coming there? Was there an actual space made available for persons to come and visit at this facility when it was first designed? That's the question I知 trying to get an answer to.
>> I wasn't employed with the county at that time.
>> no state jail has the state of Texas provided a visitation waiting area. And the three that have visitation centers, three state jails, all were funded by local volunteers, contributions, etcetera. So the state's thing is we'll provide an area for you to visit with the inmate, but while you're waiting you're kind of kind of on your own. So if you drive on your own, you sit in your vehicle. If you take the bus out out there, then you way wait in the tent. But the answer is the state jail model statewide is that there is no waiting room or area for visitors. And that's true, right?
>> that's true.
>> we were told that by the director of the state jail division, gilbert capazanio. And I asked him what state jails have visitation centers and he named the three. And I put them in a memo, and on all of those local people after the state jail was constructed, pooled resources, volunteer efforts, local contributions, etcetera, and built we call it a visitation center, but a visitors' evacuate waiting area, whatever you want to call it, they all did it.
>> thank you, judge. Secondly, it was discussed sometime in the past as far as using inmate support that have actually been a part of the gateway program and other programs that we have at the facility now. My question is will -- in the construction of this facility, visitation -- what are you going to call it visitation center? Is that what you're going to call it?
>> I think visitors center or visitation center.
>> the visitation center, will those inmates be allowed to exercise their working relationship as far as constructing and assisting in the actual construction of this facility? Is that part of the purpose here or is that going to be done by an outside type entity?
>> I want to say it will be outside.
>> the construction will be done by the outside.
>> okay. But at one time I remember we were saying that it was brought up that something like that is made to be enhanced by using those persons that are in such programs to do certain things because they need to get the experience and stuff like that. So what I知 hearing is they won't be used? Is that what I知 hearing?
>> I don't know. That might be something within the contract that might be able to be discussed, using inmate labor on that. I知 not too sure.
>> okay. And if the court decides to go with this, I don't have no reason not to support it, but if the court decides to go through this, when could we possibly, and with the rendering, roger, that has been brought forth by you for the visitation center itself, when could that be realized if the Texas board of criminal folks look at it and bless it in the next January agenda, bless what we're doing here today?
>> Commissioner, we are going to go ahead and design the project with your approval, with the court's approval, and we will manage the construction also. I believe if we move forward with it by the end of the summer, I think we should have the facility erected over there, that facility that you see on the sketch.
>> by when?
>> by the end of the summer.
>> by the end of this summer, '06? Okay.
>> I think there's between six to eight months depending on who is going to do the project.
>> okay. I think it a great idea, and I really am in full support of it. And there's definitely a need for it, no doubt about it. So that was my last question. Thank you.
>> mr. Pittman, we didn't give you a chance to say anything. Are you here as a resource?
>> you didn't have to. But judge seriously, and Commissioner Davis, this is well needed at the facility. I致e been there since January. Like you, when I get got out there my very first weekend there, I experienced the long lines, people standing outside with their children, small children, getting off the buses and that type of thing and then having to stand outside to wait on a visit. On average we can accommodate about 46 visits at a time. And they're two hours long like ms. Pierce has already said. And then outside we normally have anywhere from 20 to 30, sometimes 40 people waiting to come inside. And that's unique because of the state jail concept, and most of the offenders there at the state jail are from Travis County here. So this would be an excellent thing to do for the community, for the people visiting, making the visits a little bit more pleasant.
>> judge, a couple of questions. I appreciate the fact that you have brought this forward because I would like to think that we can do better on behalf, especially when, unfortunately, the state of Texas is not stepping up to the plate handling this. Is this something -- did you have any thoughts about where the fist thousand -- is this something we need to add to a co list? Are we thinking about car? Are we thinking about one of our corporations? I知 just trying to get a sense because if this goes to the state, I知 sure they'll say, gee, how are you going to back up your claims? So I知 just trying to get your thought process.
>> I thought about a whole lot of possibilities. The state would wait us to commit to whatever we can.
>> and my second thing is I don't know if there's at all a possibility of the gateway construction program, which has come out of this particular facility and our own facility in terms of teaching inmates a marketable skill that this could be something that we could leverage those dollars even further. And is there any way that we can insist that this facility be named before judge Biscoe because that also -- [overlapping speakers]
>> graduating classes, it seems like a lot of them have the skills to be put to work.
>> I would appreciate a post hugh must dedication [ laughter ]
>> but it would be good, judge, what Commissioner Sonleitner suggested and also the gateway deal and would there be any involvement in that because that was the intent of that program was to do something as far as enhancing their skills, it would be something that we could maybe look into as far as gateway and that's why I asked the question earlier, and she didn't have an answer for me today, but I don't think there's not a reason for us to not visit that and see if there's an opportunity.
>> it's kind of a big deal for the state of Texas too because it would be constructed on state land sort of west-northwest of the current facility. And this building -- the state is on city of Austin utilities, so Austin energy, so you're looking at a hookup, plus the state would have to assume financial responsibility for utility costs in the future, and what we hope is that the same security personnel used today would simply be used if there is a center constructed, which is why it's important for the board to sign off. And the board would want to know if locally financially this thing could work. What I was hoping to do is sort of make the presentation today and next week maybe have a follow-up discussion. And if we think we're headed in the right direction, I will give the $50,000 more thought and maybe come back with some options. We would request to be on the board's agenda in January. Also, I can divulge the opportunity of the pledger or person making the financial commitment to the court when you want to hear who that is, but we probably ought to touch base with that person and make sure that the offer still stands, especially before we go to state for its approval.
>> I値l second your motion if that's a motion, judge.
>> actually, next week. We'll have it back on for following discussion. But we have the warden here, so if any questions or -- you've been there how long now, warden pittman?
>> 12 months.
>> in the past we have done such a good job of working with the warden and after 18 to 24 months the warden has always been promoted to a bigger and better job.
>> that's right, and I知 expecting the same with this. [ laughter ]
>> we'll have it back on next week.
>> thank you very much for joining us.
>> thank you.
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.
Last Modified:
Tuesday, December 13, 2005 3:38 PM