Travis County Commissioners Court
January 2, 2007
Item 28
Item 28 is to consider board and committee assignments for Commissioners court members and take appropriate action. We circulated a listing of current boards and committee assignments for court members, and we tried to update this list as much as possible. And I think it is 98 and 99 percent accurate as best I can tell. There were a couple of places on there where there was a question whether it was mandated by law, serviced by the county judge on the bail bond board and the juvenile board is in law. Probably it's okay on the bail bond, but if somebody else is there, if somebody is eager to serve, but on the other I don't think it's possible because the county judge receives additional compensation for sevenning on it. -- sevenning on it. Anybody eager to be on the bail bond board, help regulate the bonds men of this world?
>> I'd be happy to be your second on that.
>> okay. I think I have to submit something indicating that you will serve as a proxy. It will be good, though. Any other changes?
>> on the downtown Austin alienls, I would like to be on that.
>> I would too, but --
>> well, I wanted to.
>> [ laughter ] not that they'd want me.
>> the downtown area is in precinct four and thood why I would like to serve on it.
>> I'm mindful that the majority of the downlt area is in yours, but there is some portion of it -- I suppose you could consider parts of hyde park a downtown region, although -- and then I have lamar.
>> I drive downtown every once in awhile.
>> [ laughter ]
>> the downtown alliance would like to know they're so popular.
>> okay. Is it okay to maybe alternate in a couple of years? And I'm disinclined to say one year because it kind of takes a year to learn --
>> and get acclimated. They meet monthly, don't they?
>> yes.
>> can we table that one while we discuss some others?
>> we can. Commissioner Davis was about to--
>> on the investment advisory committee, I'm going to have to remove myself from that committee, and that's because of possible conflict. I won't be able to serve in the future on that one.
>> the note I have here from -- the unsigned note I have says that Commissioner eckhardt has been suggested by mary mays.
>> I'd be happy to seven in that function.
>> I appreciate that.
>> anybody else fighting for that?
>> no, we're not going to fight for that because we've already discussed it with them. They understand it.
>> I would like to have the same assignments that my predecessor had, while being mindful that you're requesting the downtown Austin alliance.
>> I think that's fine. The only thing about the downtown alliance is that I got on the court in '95, and Commissioner Sonleitner had the downtown alliance for that period of time, so I thought, well, okay, I'm up now for downtown alliance, especially since a large part of it is in precinct 4.
>> one other committee assignment that I am very interested in, and perhaps this might be something that we can work out, is the notes you've given me on the conference of urban counties is something that intrigued me and that's something that I found -- I think that I would really enjoy that assignment. Perhaps we can work something out where we do a two-year switch on those two assignments.
>> yeah, because I go to those meetings anyway. I went before I was on the policy committee and I like to go to those.
>> now, we normally post the cuc meetings anyway, and during the legislature --
>> we all go if we can.
>> it's common for more than two to end up there. But now this policy committee, that's what you're talking about, right?
>> that one meets at least quarterly, but it meets every month when the legislature is in session.
>> I have no problem with both of them being a part of that as far as the policy is concerned.
>> do we have one slot on that or two?
>> one slot.
>> that's the problem, with cuc we can all go, but on the policy committee I think Travis County has one slot.
>> so I'm thinking you've been on the cuc for --
>> I've been on the policy committee I guess the last two years when we finally made it official.
>> so perhaps this might be amenable that I do cuc for these two years and you do downtown alliance for two years and then we switch?
>> I think two years is not enough.
>> they're four-year terms. How many years did you have in mind?
>> a four-year term.
>> [ laughter ]
>> so you're agreeable to a switch for four years?
>> uh-huh.
>> you've not been to one of the cuc meetings, have you?
>> not yet.
>> once you're locked into it -- once you agree to a four-year commitment -- we do review these annually, so if something happens -- if y'all agree to that, it's fine with me. On the policy committee, even if there's a substitution and Commissioner eckhardt is on there, I don't know what they'll say if both of you show up representing Travis County.
>> I think one of us will vote and the other one won't.
>> it's that formal?
>> yes, we have one vote.
>> so we'll put sarah on the policy committee of the urban counties for four years and you're going to stay on -- you're going to go to downtown? Is that what we're going to do in.
>> we can do that.
>> before it was like an informal agreement. On all the rest of these we annually review them. There's not been a whole lot of fighting over -- the fight has been whether or not we can keep the same members on the same committees and agree to participate. Some of these are a lot more active than others, Commissioner. Some of them meet a couple, three times a year. Others -- any other recommended changes?
>> the other was the prfbing board.
>> I thought you had forgotten that.
>> [ laughter ]
>> I would be glad to let you on there.
>> am I given c.a.n. Or keeping c.a.n.?
>> I've already served on c.a.n.
>> I need to keep c.a.n. At least one year because they're in transition is what I'm thinking. Do you want me to get on the purchasing board a year from now or now?
>> you can get on now.
>> I'm willing to do that.
>> I'm sure all of the district judges will be happy to hear that the county judge is joining them.
>> I've been on it for 12 years. Very consistent.
>> what else have we got? Looks like a good list to me.
>> so the rest, sarah will go where Karen was. And the rest we talked about today.
>> really, we'll make these appointments, but any member of the court in my view, if something comes up, we put it on the agenda and address it, but I do think once the formal vote is taken, it does require a formal vote of the court to alter it.
>> right.
>> so there's a -- Commissioner eckhardt would step in for Commissioner Sonleitner on the precinct 2 matters, but on the investment advisory committee, Commissioner Gomez is off, Commissioner eckhardt is on. Purchasing board, judge Biscoe is on, Commissioner Gomez is off. Downtown alliance, Commissioner Gomez is on instead of Commissioner Sonleitner. And conference of urban counties policy committee, Commissioner eckhardt is on, Commissioner Gomez is off.
>>
>> [inaudible - no mic]: our paralegal, the honorable cyd grimes, ran down here reminding me that the county judge cannot object the purchasing board.
>> not that I don't want you there.
>> it's gobt a Commissioner.
>> I haven't looked at it.
>> after all those years, cyd said wait until you're county judge and then you can be on the judge, Commissioner Biscoe.
>> the law is the law.
>> that's interesting. I wonder why it does limit it to the Commissioners, what the intent was there.
>> let's hold off on that one then. Urltd I'll rely on her good research.
>> the old let's get judge Biscoe amendment.
>> [ laughter ]
>> so we'll leave it so that Margaret stays on purchasing board.
>> unless Commissioner eckhardt wants that.
>> why don't we delay that until next week.
>>
>> [ inaudible ].
>> okay.
>> we're more than happy to have you on campo.
>> [ laughter ] it's a lot of fun.
>> is that on here?
>> swreel it back on next week. -- we'll have it back on next week. Do you want to leave you on the purchasing board and we'll have the same agenda wording if we need to chalt about that next week, if in fact I cannot be on there, if any other member of the court wants to be on, you'll stay there?
>> Commissioner Davis, are you interested?
>> move approval.
>> [ laughter ]
>> are you interested? That's my question.
>> let me think about it.
>> we'll have the whole deal posted next week if we need the substitution.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, January 210, 2007 8:14 AM