Travis County Commissioners Court
October 24, 2006
Citizens Communication
Let's do citizens communication. Munoz spoken already. Gus pena. Followed by gloria
>> [indiscernible]
>> this item is intended to give residents an opportunity to address the court on any matter not on the agenda for up to three minutes.
>> thank you, good morning, I'm going to say it quick and loud. Our failure as progressives tap into the moral underpinnings of the nation not just rhetorical, our fear of getting preachy must keep us from adding some of our social problems. Homelessness, uninsured, unemployed, not technical problems in search of the perfect 10 point plan. They are also rooted in social indifferences and individuallycal lossnesses and those at the top of the social ladder to maintain their wealth and status whatever the cost, as well as despair and self-destructiveness on those at the bottom. Basically has we are talk 7 about is this, have an upcoming election, voting now as we speak. We remind the voters huh better get out there and vote for change. We need change. Remember our youth and senior citizens the two most gifted segments of the population. Social service agencies are suffering because of cuts. We hear double rhetoric, we hear false promises. Sick and tired of that. As I was growing up in east Austin, east fifth street. Later as a teenager in montopolis, I observed pervasive and persistent poverty. Also few who percent severed and succeeded. I saw my father struggle to feed us without medical health care and without a high paying job. He maintained his strong pate in our lord and savior jesus christ. There has been change to achieve scholastic. Go out and vote your heart for those you feel will help to improve you and your family's quality of life. Beware of false promises. Cast your vote for substantive and not symbolic changes. One candidate locally running for a state elected position as the senator say avoid the nay sayers, knit pickers, know it all. That's how our great country was founded by the same type of people he will not associate and try to avoid. May god bless us all if this is the rhetoric we have to listen to for the next four years. I want to thank you for your participation. City council has a vacation. I find it unacceptable. I'm not griping, just telling you the fact. There's a lot of problems that we have to correct, gang, gang affiliation coming back up. A good presentation on cnn. I want to leave you with this much. An affordable city, affordable for whom.
>> not the poor, needy, have nots that continue to suffer. The gap widens. I don't know if this will improve before I die, but I hope the good lord will give you the strength, courage and wisdom to make the appropriate decision for the best interests of the public. Thank you all very much.
>> thank you, mr. Pena.
>> [indiscernible] next followed by steven and his company.
>> good morning judge and Commissioners, I'm here to, number 1, say thank you for support of the fy '07 Travis County underage drinking prevention program grant. We are in full force, red ribbon week, here today to let you know that demand has been incredible. We are in all of the seven Travis County schools, particularly the high risk schools in del valle, hillcrest elementary school, ojeda and del valle high school. I also wanted to say thank to you the many county departments that are supporting our program. We have limited resources and we try to stretch our resources as much as we can. We have support from media services. Support from the auditor's office from h.r., Travis County sheriff's deputies out doing some of our presentations, constables office, special thank you to cyd grimes in purchasing who through our limited resources was able to get one of our county vendors uniforms to donate several staff t-shirts for us. We are out in the community and in the schools we have a more professional presence. Very much appreciated it. Also working on a little bit moving towards the adult prevention area. We've had a very bad year here in Travis County. We have a program now that we are going into the workforce and one of our messages is -- is who is driving tonight? If you have been tnrccing it's not you. Very, very popular. Again thank you very much for your support.
>> thank you.
>> thank you. Mr. Broberg and company.
>> thank you, judge, Commissioners, steven broberg director of management communications resources here in Travis County. With me I have thad yously media producer, al jackson the manager of media services and the star of our show, ruth borlin, seniorcize with youth. We want everybody to know that we won an award in the Austin chronicle. It's brief, I would like to read it. Best senior exercise guru, ruth bolin from senior-cize with ruth. Oh, rita we love ruth. The Texas grand dam version of jack la lane, the jane fonda of the senior set. Bright and sunny and encourages folks in her age group to make movement and activity a crucial part of every day life from her local television show that has been airing in Austin forever. Her enthusiasm is not just from the senior set. All ages can learn from the more than two decades of fitness earned by this survivor who tackled a bout with cancer in the 1960, a heart problem in the 1980s. Here in 2006 still going strong. While ruth moved operations up the road a piece to salado, the Austin community tv fixture still airs on the Travis County station and has videos for sale for home use. And I would thus like to use this opportunity to honor ruth and she may have a few words.
>> thank you, good morning, judge, economics. So glad to see all of you. I haven't been here in a long time. I do miss you and all of the people and my friends in Austin. But after I received this award, I got to thinking well I need to thank the Commissioners for doing something really nice for me all these years. I believe it's been at least 20 years, maybe longer, I don't know for sure. But I thank you so much for helping us out and letting my show be on channel 17 and the other channels before that one. And we are reaching a lot of people in Austin, even up to georgetown now, can come up to there now, we are so thankful that we are reaching older adults because too few programs for -- for senior citizens in our world today and these people need it worse than anybody else, especially like when they retire, you must have goods to look forward t.o. That is one thing senior citizens do look forward to taking the exercises with me. I receive calls up as far as salado. That's a long way, isn't it? Here in Austin, always having calls about how much they enjoy the senior-cize with ruth. If they didn't get to take their exercise they miss it very much. You know it helps them to carry on an independent lifestyle.
>> [beeping] that's what all of the seniors, their goal for everyone. They want to carry out an independent lifestyle. They want to do something. But doing these exercises it keeps them feeling good, makes them want to do something. Something planned to do almost every day. One of the things is doing exercises. After I got out of rehab for search months, I had many them send their people that are getting out to my rehab classes to be sure and watch tv if they can't go to the class. I know at least three rehab places do that. I thought that was something. People have called and told me about it. How much they enjoyed it. I do want to say that I thank you all so much for being a part of our program so long and the media that been so nice to me. They just are my friends, all of are my friends. I miss people here in Austin. I am a people person. The only thing that I don't miss, I hope you might agree with me the traffic. I do not miss the traffic. I do miss all of my friends. I hope that people will realize this is for young people and old people, many young people take it. One lady that was 103 years old, a member of my class when I moved up to salado. Still have classes up there. I keep very active. The other night at the reception party that was very, very nice. I'm quite sure I was the oldest person there. I didn't mine. I don't think about age, I think about keeping well from one day to the next. That's my goal, also. I do want to say that I hope to see you more often, come by and say hello or something. I do want to say if you meet someone without a smile today give them yours, okay.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> don't forget those christmas cookies you always bring us.
>> judge. I brought you some candy today. It will be on your desk.
>> [laughter]
>> thank you. I am glad to see you.
>> [laughter]
>> and judge when we always have the debate every year about, you know, making accommodations to the state legislature, always without exception the most phone calls we have got about the disruption of the schedule had to do with -- with where is ruth, where is senior-cize, zoo not mess with ruth. Do not mess with ruth. You are the star of channel 17.
>> well, one other thing that I would like to say, I'm a people person. I'm a doer. I'm not a speaker as you can see. But I would like to say tell you this little joke. This little man was looking for a job, couldn't find one. Every place couldn't find one. Didn't know what to do. I don't know what to say sometimes, but I can say something to all of you I know that. But anyway up to the zoo, said will you please have a job for me, I have looked everywhere. I cannot find a job. He said fella, I don't have a thing for you to do here. Go. He called him back, said has come on back. He looked back up there. He said I do have a job for you, too. He said if you will be a gorilla, died about three months ago, I need it bad because the kids all liked the eat peanuts, you eat them. If you will do that, I can do that. That afternoon he did real fine. The next morning, he said I'm going to do better today. So he really does, a lot, laughed talked, eat more peanuts, too frisky and fell overlook the lion's den, roaring, roaring, help, help, I'm frantic, please help me. Shut up, you fool, we will both lose our jobs.
>> [laughter]
>> good to see you.
>> thank you, Commissioner, appreciate it.
>> reminds me of a joke --
>> [laughter]
>> a little worried where that one was heading.
>> me, too.
>> thank you very much, judge.
>> thank you so much.
>> you, too, thank you so much.
>> jan barstow is next. Take care.
>> buy y'all. Bye y'all. Is it a good morning.
>> good morning. Sir, last Friday -- sorry, my name is jan barstow. Last Friday I participated in a protective order hearing from this very room. The reason why is because my disability prevents me from being able to enter the courthouse. However accommodations for a person with disabilities requires more than just a remote location. My disability is triggered trigger bythe legal process. Being provided accommodations in this room did not meet what I needed. It requires accommodating the disability itself. This disability was described in a doctor's report that was ignored by the judge. And so I'm here to ask for you to consider training and funding for disabilities. I think it's important for you to hear something. It very brief.
>> now the judge is not judge Sam Biscoe, that's another judge, right?
>> no, sir, you have been -- wonderful.
>> playing audio recording
>> [indiscernible]
>> short version.
>> it just went into hibernate when I walked up. You know that problem.
>> but your hearing would have been in the historical courthouse instead of here?
>> yes, it would have, across the street. I am no longer able to go over there. Which is why we did it by video conference from here. I was here. I was alone here in this room. They were in the other building.
>>
>> [indiscernible]
>> couple of weeks ago, starting -- honest with them about your
>> [indiscernible]
>> generally -- mom, you have got to be glad that he covered up. Because if he didn't cover up, we are in a different
>> [indiscernible] then go to you.
>> cover up.
>>
>> [indiscernible] what did he arrange for court?
>> we get obtain away from -- taken afrom him, he will go to a foster home.
>> who said that?
>> my dad. Never --
>> so, another son also provided information. And said my dad got really mad, hit me while I was sick. And I have my dad lectures me I go into a temporary depression. Ly lecture, yelling, screaming, continueul insults, shaking me hard when I turn my head. My cad lies a lot. Only when his butt is on the line. He hates my mom wants her dead. Plus my dad wouldn't let me see my mom for many years. The pepper they accuse of abusing and intimidating them, however I was not able to represent them well because of the way that I responded in a -- in a -- in a setting such as that. What I want is fair and just accommodations. So I can represent my children's best interests. It's my understanding that such accommodations are in fact required by the americans with disabilities act. I also want the agencies that you fund and particularly because of the way that affects me, your -- your judges and advocates there to be trained in disabilities. And I want that training and accountability to be tied to next year's budget. You can see why y this is serious and close to my heart. And I regret that the system and I have failed my children. And so when they are still in these circumstances. Thank you.
>> thank you. We have your phone number here, we will follow up on the accommodations? Please do, sir. Thank you.
>> joe gieselman?
>> this is a reminder we are in the middle of the Travis County combined charities campaign, we have several events coming up. Friday, of course, is our special events, Saturday t.n.r. Is sponsoring the six annual Travis County employee coed softball tournament. This coming Saturday, del valle softball complex off of farm-to-market road 973. Rebels are back, defending champions. We have hoops from juvenile probation.
>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
>> ...thank you. Anybody else for citizen's communication whether you signed in or not. Anybody else?
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, October 24, 2006 7:59 AM