Travis County Commissioners Court
September 19, 2006
Citizens Communication
Citizens communication is next. This item is designed to give representatives -- give residents an opportunity to address the Commissioners court on any matter not on the agenda for up to a full three minutes. And melanie mcaffee is first. She will be followed by phillip a. Dick. Good morning.
>> good morning. My name is melanie mcaffee. I just -- I have come today for two reasons. One is to bring the Commissioners up to date on what's going on in the trash world. And let you know that we have been working with the city, the city of Austin, been out of your hair, you will be glad to know. The city is getting very close to preparing a zero waste study. And they are fixing to invest $60,000 in a study to try to move our area a little bit closer to zero waste. There were two companies that have bid on the proposal, and I would like for the -- for the Commissioners to consider weighing in on this issue. The two businesses that have bid on it, one is beck, and they have done a study for capcog as I'm sure you realize, that was I believe, a $35,000 study. I think that no one was real happy with that study and for the amount of money that was invested. There was an effort to learn more and do more regarding zero waste. There was -- when the study came back, there was mention of incineration and just several different things that seemed a little -- you know, we had been there and left there. So the other company that has bid on the proposal is hill country, and they have been joined by gary liss. He is from my research one of the leading authorities on zero waste in our nation. I would encourage you to go to his website, look him up. Also on the team will be rick anthony, who has also been before capcog and did a very good study segregating 12 streams of waste. So this, I think, could be a really good opportunity to take our area to a new level. So I think it would be helpful if the Commissioners did look at who was on the proposal and weigh in as soon as possible because it will be going before council probably on the 28th. Also, just in conclusion, when -- as far as -- is that my three minutes? Just? Conclusion, as far as the work that's been done regarding b.f.i., I would like to see if we can tighten up the letter and proposal that was sent to capcog and that we talked about the amount and levels of volume of waste. I know intentions have been said, but if we could make those intentions into tangible amounts, that would be great. Thank you.
>> thank you, ms. Mcaffee. Ms. Dick is next and ms. Dick will be followed by thomas ibarra.
>> good morning.
>> good morning.
>> I am the proud president of parents of concerned inmates being abused in Texas prisons, jails and youth facilities, and these are our business cards, these are our new business cards that has been made up and I issued each one of you one of the cards. Me and the group were at ms. Ann richards services yesterday and to see our great governor for the very last time, and wish her well. You know, going into heaven because we feel that that's where she went is to heaven because she was such a wonderful and graceful person. This is my son, roosevelt hutchins, jr., and we -- I'm still fighting for the release of him because you know that he is innocent and this is the proof that I have submitted to the criminal justice department for his habeus corpus writ, and it shows the date that he was incarcerated here. And the dates here from the criminal justice department are the same dates that they claim my son committed a 15-year drug possession case. But I'm -- I'm -- I can't see how my son committed a 15-year drug possession case on the same dates that he was incarcerated at Travis County -- wac ce. Nhut. They are claiming mason was released on April 15, went out, bought himself some drugs, was arrested by the police department on April 15, 1994, after leaving the jail down here, he was transferred to Travis County and he was sentenced on September the 29th, 1993, by a jury and judge on April 15th, 1994, to 15 years in state prison on the same date that he was released. This is ridiculous. How in the world can he get out and commit all this crime on the same date that he was, you know, released, and how in the world could they sentence him all in one day to 15 years in state prison on the same date that he was released. My son was really, really busy. He had to be really, really busy. Then I got this report from the criminal justice department, and it was saying that he was arrested in tarrant county on the same dates. It's a cover-up. It's a conspiracy. My son is innocent and I'm reaching out to all of my state representatives, all of my local representatives, the governor, everyone, I am really reaching out for help because they are abusing my son. They put him in handcuffs and they beat my child. He has been beat and he has been seriously injured. And my child is not the only one that's going through this because I am a group leader and I have plenty of letters from other even mates that's going through the identical same situation that my son is having.
>> thank you, ms. Dick. Mr. Ibarra.
>> good morning, judge.
>> good morning.
>> good morning, Commissioners.
>> good morning.
>> my heart goes out to all the citizens. I'm here regrettably, Karen, on the arch situation and that specific policy about if you leave the facility before 3:00 a.m., you are banned without any hearing to defend yourself on why you had to leave. So now I cannot step foot into the arch for the next 12 days so I'm here representing two groups. The combatives, non-combative. The name of the organization vetsforvets.org. There's a movie that's being shown tomorrow, probably within two days, the ground truth. It's conscientious objection. Please, I encourage you to go. Nothing else, I'll give you a ticket and you buy a ticket [inaudible] landmark theaters [inaudible]. I guess if will give you free for a guest of yours. Please look into the situation. I found out this morning who really is pulling the strings there. Because it is a -- that's why I came to y'all five weeks ago when it happened and I was banned for 12 days. And I purposely because of my training I have survival skills and I purposely stayed out 21 days just to make sure for myself in discipline purposes that I could do it. But as the weather got hotter and hotter, it's hard for homeless men over the age of 50 to sustain out there. And I'm just back again regrettably talking about the same situation by me five weeks ago. Look into it. I am allowed to see my case manager and speak to miss lisa fisher and I am allowed because I have a m.a.p. Card to go to the clinic, which thank god for that. But look into -- since you all are giving money to them in the budget, if they don't change their policy, they don't even want to see money. I would recommend withdrawing whatever funding you have allocated for them for 2007, 2008. They don't need it. And with my help, which I am willing to write a grant for them, not only one but several, they could get a lot from corporations for pre as proposal mows to give to the homeless. Gillette would gladly give boxes and boxes of razors. Dove would gladly give them boxes and boxes of soap. Anything else? So the ball is in your hands. Thanks, Karen.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, judge.
>> let's pull up item number 6.
>> before we end citizens communication, I would like to just, as you are all aware, we have lost a great leader, a person in the way of ann richards. Of course, ann richards did serve here on this Travis County Commissioners court in precinct 3 years ago, and I would just like to maybe show public acknowledgement and to extend a heartfelt deepest sympathy to ann richards and her family. [inaudible] former Commissioner ann richards, former governor ann richards, but I just think it's just right as a member of this Commissioners court that we recognize her for her great service to Travis County.
>> absolutely.
>> I'm glad you said something because I was going to -- had the same thing on my mind as well. She forever changed the face of this Commissioners court and it's something we take for granted here in terms of women serving on high boards and commissions around the state. But there are still many Commissioners courts around this great state who have never had a woman serve in the entire history of their court. Our friends in harris county with sylvia garcia finally being elected, we finally broke the agenda barrier there. To me it was also a reminder of how far we have come but how much good work is still out there, and she would want us to continue the good fight. So I join you, Commissioner. It was a huge loss.
>> and I think it's a reminder for all of us to actually define what public service is about. It's just something that if I was present too what these jobs are about and how we respond and how we must include everybody in the community. Nobody is excluded. And we certainly are not better than anybody else in the community either in Travis County, the state or this country. So it was just a terrific reminder of what she stood for.
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, September 20, 2006 10:25 AM