Travis County Commissioners Court
February 28, 2006
Citizens Communication
Number 1 is citizens communication, three citizens signed in. Mark weaver is number one. And he will be followed by jimmy castro.
>> right here?
>> yes, sir.
>> if you would just state your full name for the record.
>> I am mark weaver, I want to thank you for the opportunity to come and speak again to the county Commissioners court. What I have to talk about today is very unpleasant topic, a very unpleasant conversation. But it's an issue that is serious and I致e talked with -- with many of you in the Commissioners court about this issue in the past, I have addressed the court publicly before. It involves adult arcades, which are being operated in Travis County in what are called sexually oriented businesses, otherwise known as pornographic book stores. We have approximately 50 of these in the county alone. In the last week I have filed information reports with the sheriff's department on two of these businesses. One of them being the adult video book store in 5246 highway 71, right outside of garfield heading towards bastrop. Secondly in the new video book store last night, filed with the sheriff's department, a complaint about these book stores. Briefly, again, these arcades are darkened areas, totally out of compliance by the way with -- with what is known as the -- the order of the Travis County Commissioners court creating chapter 50 of the Travis County policies, procedures and regulations manual. This manual that we -- that we request and receive from the Commissioner's office states that these businesses should not have doors on their booths, they should have -- they should have manager station that's have direct line, eyesight with each one of these booths. The lighting in these has to be of a certain wattage ford to comply because on most of these it's so dark you can just see the silhouette of another human being. These are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Men having sex. It's so popular this -- I received off of the internet last night, off of -- off of the internet site called cruising for sex, we have a gentleman getting ready to come to Austin, Texas. This is what he says, coming to Austin soon. Where are the good places, if any, to cruise in Austin? Coming with my wife and kids, staying in Round Rock area. Adult book store, man who wants to hook up while I知 there. For the weekend. He's coming at the end of February. With his wife and kids, but he wants to leave his family and kids find a book store and so the next response is: the book store in Round Rock is closed -- because that was closed down because of illegal activity that was taking place there. But then he begins to list and he mentions Austin six adult book store and also highway 71 adult book store and then he mentions the new video book store in south Austin off of i-35. So this is common talk, constantly, being -- being addressed. In -- in the web areas. When you come to Austin, these are the places to go, this is where you can have sex. I had two men -- I won't mention their names or their positions here in the city of Austin, but they went in last night and they once again established that in the new video, that's the name of the store, not a new video store, they found 21 booths in that particular store and again in these stores they were approached for sex while they were there. So the store will give you the appearance that they are trying not to have any sex take place, but they provide an environment for sex to take place, [buzzer sounding] spreading aids, some of the organizations here will talk about the importance of fighting aids f. We are going to fight aids, we need to legally deal with these issues in public places. What people do in private we can't address, what goes on in public -- we have an ordinance, excuse me, we have an ordinance -- excuse me, policies, procedures, regulations that they have in force that would stop this behavior that could be shut down according to this manual. But we are not doing anything to do -- to do with this. I met with the city of Austin. They are beginning to take some steps. I had a meeting with mayor pro tem and nine other city employees, representing their departments. One from the county was supposed to be present, no one was from the county was present. We would like to ask one that we establish -- where's the value in this? What are we going to do in this?
>> you are about a minute over.
>> thank you so much.
>> that's all right. You did file a complaint with the sheriff?
>> I have filed many complaints with the sheriffs. With this office, too. This office says they belong to the city, the city says they belong to you. Let's get together and let's solve this problem.
>> okay. The -- what you are complaining about are they located in the city of Austin or unincorporated area.
>> everyone says --
>> give me the address. If you will call my office, on the back of your citizens communication put the address down.
>> I will do that.
>> we will find out whose jurisdiction it is.
>> I will do that. But I will be doing that for the second and third time. I have done this before, if you could please respond to the request this time I would appreciate it. Thank you so much.
>> this is a law enforcement matter and as far as I know, I don't have any law enforcement authority. But I知 more than happy to contact the sheriff if they are in the unincorporated areas in Travis County. If they are in the city of Austin I will refer this matter to the Austin police department.
>> law enforcement --
>> and if you will do that for me, I would appreciate it.
>> okay. But law enforcement said --
>> mr. Astro.
>> that they are frustrated with. Thank you.
>> thank you, judge.
>> sheryl brown will be third today.
>> thank you, judge. Good morning, judge Biscoe, Commissioners and staff. My name is jimmy castro. I知 here to speak on my own behalf, I do have slides to show you this morning. Also served as a volunteer with the greater Austin chamber of commerce. This first slide shows that I知 here to invite everyone to the 69th star of Texas fair and rodeo to the Travis County exposition center March 11th through the 25th. The star of Texas fair and rodeo scholarship program is open to students from 120 counties, within Texas. This is the largest yoouft education fund -- youth education fundraiser in central Texas. Everyone is invited to the cowboy breakfast at auditorium shores from 6:00 a.m. To 9:00 a.m. On Friday, March the 10th. Capital metro will be providing rides to the Travis County exposition center. The sunrise stampede 5 k and the kids rodeo rumble 1 k will be held on March 11th. Some of the featured rodeo events will include barrel racing, calf scramble, bull riding, and mutton bustin.
>> mutton busing?
>> yes, sir. Bustin.
>> yes.
>> all right. The crowning of ms. Rodeo, Austin will also take place. The 2006 rodeo Austin gala was a huge success. If you are looking for the best Texas barbecue, the barbecue cookoff is set for March 17th through the 19th. Kids will also enjoy kids town and the petting zoo. Nearly 10,000 Texas youth will bring livestock projects that they have spent countless hours working with. Over the last 20 years, the star of Texas fair and rodeo awarded $18 million to 13,500 kids. The preparation for the show is a year round endeavor. This is a climax of a year's work by the 4 h club members. These scholarships will help those who might not otherwise have had the golden opportunity. The young men and women of the future farmers of america who wear those blue and gold jackets wear them with pride because agri business in Texas is good business. Today the star of Texas fair and rodeo has more than 2,000 volunteers who contribute their time and talents. Finally thanks to the support of established buyers group, area businesses and thousands of visitors, this has made the star of Texas fair and rodeo the success that it is today. Thank you, judge, Commissioners.
>> thank you, mr. Castro. Sheryl brown is next. And sheryl is the last person. If there's anybody who wishes to give testimony on the citizens communication whether you signed in or not, please come forward. Ms. Brown.
>> thank you, judge and Commissioners. A few of you may know but I wanted to bring back, give you some thanks to the Commissioners court. Many times we are not, we are negligent in saying thank you to the court. The family give me the -- gave me the permission to come to y'all this morning. In October of 2004, you all will remember that you approved a proclamation in honor of the first Travis County resident, a 19-year-old gentleman, who was killed in iraq. He was the first Travis County resident to be killed. He was. Now -- not central Texas, Travis County is what we are speaking about. Okay, the family really appreciated that letter of proclamation that you gave to them. Tejanos in action contacted our office in the year of 2005 concerning the naming of southeast Austin elementary school in honor of this gentleman. Well, he want to announce today that last night at aisd board meeting they voted unanimously to name the new southeast Austin elementary school in honor of -- of the late more marine lance corp pal nicholas samuel valdez perez. The family wanted me to share that with you all, also let you know they wanted to have time in a few weeks to come back and thank each one of you personally.
>> thank you.
>> nicholas was quite young.
>> yes.
>> 19? 19 years old.
>> judge, I have just a couple of things I need to say under citizens communication. That is that -- this is the last day of black history month. In saying that there have been a lot of persons honored and recognitioned, among these in fact in this week's newspaper there are some firefighters, firefighters here in Travis County in fact two of the firefighters, two of the four firefighters that are mentioned, two of them have passed on. That's nathaniel kendricks and also roy green. They are going to be recognized later, for the firefighters, as far as the market is concerned honoring them. Of course, willie ray Davis, captain willie ray Davis is given the credit for being the first fireman here in Austin, Texas. And I would just like to say that captain willie ray Davis, he's still alive and well and doing the best he can. I would like to say to him congratulations for being recognized and also the families that -- of the deceased I would like to also thank them for allowing these men to -- to play a vital role in the history of -- of Austin and again for those that do not know, captain willie ray Davis is my uncle. I would just like to pass that on to him, wish him well, thank you, judge.
>> thank you.
>> anybody else for citizens communication. Then consent items are next.
announcement from gavino fernandez under citizens communication.
>> good morning, judge, thank you for the opportunity -- good morning, Commissioner Davis, Commissioner Gomez. My name is gavino fernandez, I come before you as a member of lulac 4814. I want to invite you and the public we are going to host a candidates forum on Monday, March the 6th. 12:00 noon at 1:00 at nuevo laredo -- nuevo leon. We began the process of contacting the candidates, there are three contested seats in the democratic primary and we hope to receive confirmation from all of them hopefully by today. We feel that it -- as we all know, more participation in -- voter participation in east Austin traditionally is very, very low. Every year, every election cycle we engage and part of the lulac tradition is to try to get out as much voter participation in the election cycle. It's very important that we educate people in our community. The value that it -- that it -- it delivers, when people in the community participate in the electoral system, also the window where -- where constituents either can continue forward with the agenda with -- with the person that's in that seat or to change that agenda. So this is a venting opportunity if you will. And we strongly encourage all registered voters to take part in the upcoming primary elections. So again I want to -- I want to invite the public and -- this Monday, March the 6th, 12 to 1:00 at nuevo leon restaurant and we would like to listen to all of the candidates that want to continue or want to serve us in those capacities and educate us as to why they feel that they should continue or why the other individuals would like to fill that capacity or that seat. Before I close I do want to take a personal note and thank Commissioner Davis. When my dad passed away about a year ago, for someone to set politics aside and recognize and send a condolence letter to me at that period of time was something that i, one, did not expect and truly appreciate and I think that Commissioner Davis for you to step aside and allow the politics not to interfere in this personal condolence I just wanted to publicly thank you for that. And it meant a lot to me and our family, thank you, judge, for the opportunity to come before you and we hope to hear from you or see you all and take part in this process. Thank you very much.
>> our condolences as well, I am finding that out. I知 sorry to hear that. I lost my dad, too, so I know what -- what it means. I just got the e-mail yesterday about the session on Monday, so I will see you there.
>> 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:
Wednesday, March 1, 2006 7:37 AM