Travis County Commissioners Court
December 12, 2006
Citizens Communication
Citizens communication is next. Greg hamilton, citizens number 1. Citizen and still sheriff of Travis County.
>> good morning. I'm here to make the final push for the combined charities. I wanted the employees and the citizens out in the community to know that the charity will end on -- on December 15th and right now we currently have -- have approximately $83,000. We have a goal of $200,000. Last year we had a total of $127,000. For the individuals that are not familiar with the combined charities, I would like them to know that they can give it to any 501 c 3, even if it's not listed in those books. I'm making a final push, asking those that have not participated as of yet, to -- to come forth before the 15th, get in touch with the coordinator, combined charity coordinator in their department and get a book. They can give a one-time donation and let's reach at least $127,000 because when I took over this campaign I said that as long as I have one dollar more than judge Biscoe did last year, I would be happy. So I'm making that push and I'll be sending out e-mails to not only my office but throughout the county asking people to participate. I want to thank those that have given thus far.
>>
>> [indiscernible] judge Biscoe.
>> a long way. A long way.
>> that's the sheriff speaking y'all.
>> but thank you all.
>> thank you.
>> this Friday?
>> county pay day.
>> that's right.
>> sheriff, before you leave, can you give a 10 second plug on brown santa because we are also --
>> yeah, we are in the final stages. As a matter of fact tomorrow we will be -- we will be starting our deliveries but we are still asking for donations whether it's through toys or non-perishable foods, also gift cards and money. We have the harley davidson motorcycle ride Sunday, and we have pretty good participation, even though the weather wasn't that good. And then we had an event over at the half vermont's -- haverty's building, where the court graciously allowed us to use that building for brown santa. We had a good turnout there. We even got the oscar mayer weiner mobile from detroit to come out. We had a lot of coverage. A lot of kids out there. I had never heard of a wiener whistle. They are still here in town. Please know that I will get every one of the Commissioners a wiener whistle.
>> my granddaughter will love it.
>> I will love it.
>> [laughter]
>> thank you, sheriff.
>> I can do anything, whatever it takes.
>> well under 50 bucks.
>> brown santa is up and running and we will be taking donations all the way until Friday.
>> thank you.
>> great.
>> gus pena is next.
>> good morning, Commissioners. Gus pena, a lot much things that I need to discuss here. I hope that I have enough time. Number one is the issue about the water treatment plant. I'm glad that some of you all have taken extra time to reassess the proposed location of the water treatment plant. We are in support of -- of the -- we are all environmentalists, we need to be careful where we place water treatment plants. Dumps, whatever. And -- in other people's back yards without proper participation and hearing from the people. Anyway, I will leave it at that. I'm glad that you all are rethinking that situation at that location. First of all, I would like to thank our lord god for giving us another day in this world. Precinct 2 and precinct 1 have been experiencing an increase of power outages. Increase of residents over there. Called the city of Austin on behalf of my mom who lives in your precincts, Karen. I don't know what you all can do but maybe facilitate or cooperate with the city on finding out what we can do to not have so many power outages over there in precinct 2, precinct 1. Maybe collaborate with the city of Austin on that. One of the things that really hits me pretty heavy right now is that there's a lot of -- a lot of abuse going on. A lot of people are in poverty, they can't provide for their children. I had an individual yesterday, a lady was looking for a -- for a he-- an exit from a spousal an biewtion situation. I called safe place, they did not have any beds available. I'm not going to send her to television army, that's a pretty dangerous police for anybody, much less a person who is traumatized already. Salvation army we think it's too volatile. I let her find out this victim had been under medication for mhmr issues. I called Austin Travis County mhmr, the director, david Gomez provided a street outreach counselor to provide for this victim. This lady was crying and I guess crying with her, too. But it's pretty tough to see people in this situation. We need more beds for people who are in dangerous, abusive situation, they are trying to exit that situation. Kids and -- you know, I tell the guys over there. Quit being so macho man. Love the females, respect them. It's bad enough that we have a pretty bad situation in the world with war, whatever, but let's treat each other with respect and kindness. If you feel like you are going to hit somebody, walk away. Be man enough to walk away. If not I'm going to make sure that you are in jail for that. No spousal abuse is expected. Especially on children. We need more funding for abuse unit for a center and also for beds also. There's not enough here , you know. I guess you all have heard this spiel already, but it's pretty sad when you don't have space for a family and they are crying and they need housing. You can't find it. Yes, one of the things that you need to look into, to assess, reas as the current facilities that offer this type of assistance. I'm going to wrap up saying not only help brown santa, but blue santa, the marine corps, toys for tots issue, provide toys for the most needy. God bless you, thank you very much.
>> jennifer gail is next.
>> good morning Travis County. Commissioner Gomez, Daugherty, Sonleitner, I'm going to miss you. Commissioner Ron Davis, our county attorney, judge Sam Biscoe, jennifer gale is now a candidate for mayor of the city of dallas. I'm asking the city of Austin and the Travis County Commissioners court to sponsor a resolution demanding that the federal government to secure iraq's borders and to remove all of our military and civilian employees from the country of iraq. The -- the people of the united states have been murdering them for several years now. And the death toll is our responsibility. If you sign this resolution now in December, the democrats that are now in charge of the house and the senate of the united states congress can -- can get -- work with the gordon smith republican senator of oregon and the other republicans in removing us from iraq. We created a civil war. But that's the sort of situation that -- that saddam -- president sadam hussein was dealing with when he was taken away from his own country. I moved to dallas on September 7th and am trying to my fourth time for mayor for the Austin -- for the dallas city council. It is a strong bureaucratic city system of 14 councilmembers. My platform will be to maintain the health of every citizen in dallas, to educate children and elderly as if it's their first day. To demand solar power and single stream recycling. And that a minimum wage make it possible to afford the cost of living taxes with one four-hour a week job, which gus pena just asked. We need to ask our american warring and murdering christians in our community to stop the murder of the people of iraq and to stop tearing apart our families because they have a son or daughter with an intense attraction to their own sex. This is something that you are born with. It's time to make spanish the official language because texans aren't afraid to learn a second language. Question need to focus on our erosion project, nearing a billion dollars. For Austin, as well as the trinity project in dallas, Texas. In Travis County we need to work out our scales, there's urine, filthy, writing all over the walls, drugs have
>> [beeping] taken the actual -- the guards there take your prescriptions and then you have to beg the -- the members of the medical staff for additional drugs. That you have already had taken away from you. Then without your knowledge they take money out of your account. Out of your -- the money that you happen to have with you when you go to jail. And that's that. So I'm asking Travis County to consider handing back the responsibilities of the jail system to the city of Austin because -- because sheriff greg hamilton refused to clean it up. If you want to check it out, look --
>> you are out of time, thank you very much.
>> thank you, judge Biscoe. If you want to check it out, stare at the fronts of the jails, garbage all over there.
>> good luck in that dallas campaign.
>> thank you.
>> dan mansour is next. By the way, does anybody have slip number 4? Dan mansour. And company.
>> judge, Commissioners. This morning I would like to introduce three of our newest staff members, two from our health clinic and one working at risk management. To my right is dr. Lynn stewart, although she's been with us since July, many folks don't realize that we have a second physician. Dr. Stewart received her undergraduate degree from rice, her md from tulane, she's a board certified family practice physician.
>> welcome.
>> welcome.
>> to her right is sherri hamilton, she's our lvn work in this the clinic, she's been with us since the latter part of September. She's --
>> not related to the county sheriff.
>> no.
>> she said no.
>> [laughter]
>> welcome.
>> and to my left is our newest staff member, denise dunn, she is a risk and safety specialist, she received her degree from Texas a&m, prior to joining us she was a manager of environmental programs at Austin white lime. We are pleased to have her, she'll be doing ergonomic assessments, as well as training and driver's ed.
>> so we are pushing for diversity.
>> you got an official welcome from ana bolin.
>> welcome, it will be good working for you.
>> good to see you.
>> thank you.
>> thomas ybarra is next.
>> good morning, judge, good morning, Commissioners. I have come before the governing body to ask if you are indigent within Travis County what happenings -- what happens to the money that you are carrying as well as when you are instance cars rated the money that your family members sends when you are released.
>> does it -- does Travis County retain it for -- towards the medical expenses incurred during your incar in-- during your incarceration. I would like a point of order to clarify what happens. It happened to me, but it's also happened to a lot of other people that I have talked to that -- that --
>> arrested and place understand the county jail?
>> yes, sir.
>> what's yours should be returned to you.
>> it wasn't. The money that -- that the family members sent me while I was incarcerated wasn't returned either. I asked they said supposedly anybody who was incarcerated you have 24 hours from the time of your release to go through the process of obtaining your funds back, but some -- I need to find that out.
>> legal -- excuse me, if you enter with money, you ought to exit with the same money. During the last year that you were talking about in.
>> yeah, I was incarcerated the 23rd of last month, November. And I just was released yesterday morning.
>> we will try to find more specifics for you.
>> thank you all. Appreciate it. Keep up the good work.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> [indiscernible] floyd.
>> good morning.
>> good morning. I want to share my three minutes with dan mansour again. We want to tell you about the brown santa 5 k held on December the 3rd. Although it was very, very cold and windy. We had a great turnout. About 300 people. Raised about $5,400 for the brown santa program. It was a great day. Very cold, but a great<5tpay.e&e led the kids k, everybody had a great time.
>> also had a small wellness fair and -- and we had our -- our clinic positions and nurse out at the -- at the banquet hall and expo center. We had -- we had the school massage therapy giving free massages all day or all morning, I should say. So it was a good time. I think everyone enjoyed it, we are looking forward to next year's brown santa 5 k race, we are still going to try to run with Commissioner Daugherty if he does the race. Or at least keep up with Commissioner Sonleitner if she --
>> think third straight. My third straight. I never thought finishing the race I could say that I went to washington d.c. At 30 degrees, but it felt really good and warmer later in the day.
>> one other point I would like for employees to be aware that shortly after the first of the year, rene aviles tex is going to sponsor -- run tex is going to sponsor another run to walk class. Employees who are interested should watch for the announcement to come out right after the first of the year.
>> that money that was generated was used to boy is to and clothes for kids.
>> and food.
>> and food. Good program, thank you very much.
>> thank you. Hope to see all there next year.
>> absolutely. Anybody else for citizens communication whether you signed in or not, that's to address the court on any matter not on the agenda. Any matter not on the agenda today?
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, December 13, 2006 10:35 AM