Travis County Commissioners Court
Item 31
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Number 31, which is to consider and take appropriate action on recommendation from oversight committee on selection of director of Travis County mental health public defenders office. And only one --
>> one member be of our committee, that's correct.
>> okay. Commissioner Gomez and I were member of the committee also.
>> that's correct. I'm kimberly pierce with the criminal justice planning and I'm here to give the court an update on where we were with the implementation of the mental health public defenders office. I have with me bill browning. He's one of our members of our oversight committee, but to give the court a little bit of background wrf we were. (indiscernible) and I did the first round of interviews and screening of the applicants and we first made the recommendation of the top four applicants to the oversight committee who met last week. And they made a religious to hire -- made a recommendation to hire janette cannard. The recommendation was that she was the best applicant; however, all four of the applicant were very good. And I guess I'll turn it over to judge Biscoe or I can continue to go on about some of ms. Cannard's qualifications.
>> I think they need to know cameron and kimberly short listed down to four, and the entire panel interviewed those four short listed applicants. Judge herman was coming over and got --
>> yes, sir.
>> he got busy and did not join us, but we met one day and interviewed all four, tried to ask standard questions and then based on those answers asked some additional questions. And we met on a separate occasion and individually ranged all four. And I'm happy to say that ms. Cannar are d was sort of head and shoulders above the others although they were all qualified. I think based on her vast experience as a prosecutor, defense attorney, and on the mental health -- I'm stealing your thunder now, right?
>> no. It sounds good, judge.
>> [ laughter ]
>> but it was kind of clear to us that she was the one that we should try to secure. And did you share the good news with her?
>> I v.
>> be and she's here today. So if the court has questions you would be happy to answer those.
>> I will.
>> and member be of the panel would be happy to answer any questions also. And this is mr. Browning, whois also one of our members of the wheel.
>> that's the term we like to use. I think you stole my thunder, judge. I was coming on over here to say almost exactly what you just said, that all four of the people we interviewed were all imminently qualified. I was very impressed with all of them, but when I saw saw -- owe it's rare to know someone for year and see their resume and be floored, but when I saw janet's resume, I didn't realize the experience she had. She's been court chief twice before. The number of cases she had handled. And what you said, judge, she's he and shoulders above any of the other applicants that we interview, and I believe that was the phrase that was used several times in that second meeting that you referenced when we discussed the ranking of our choices, that out of the four that we were presented, there was only one obvious choice, and she was the one. And I'm just here as a member of the committee to support her and answer any questions you may have from the other members of the court that they may have.
>> we tried to rank on their own and had about a 40, 50 minute discussion en masse of the four and land odd this one.
>> just for the general public, there was a process that was conducted, but outside of that process, for the general public that's listening to us today, what would you say this position does? How will it facilitate? Just real brief like so they'll understand what we're doing making a selection based on da, da, da. You don't have to go through the criteria, but I think the duties and responsibilities, I think the duties of this individual is very critical as far as what the public needs to hear.
>> certainly. In a nut shell, Travis County started flagging inmates that are in custody as whether they have mental health issues or not. Approximately half of the people that are flagged as having mental health issues that are charged with misdemeanors that are in jail, approximately half of them will be assigned to the mental health public defenders office. And then that office will represent those individuals as they journey through the court system. And also -- and they're not just a public defender, but as a mental health public defender they will attempt to coordinate the services they're supposed to be receiving from Austin-Travis County mhmr, the state hospital, shoal creek, any private service providers that may work with them. Thrbl social workers and counselors that will all be coordinated. And the director or either the chief mental health public defender, whatever term you want to use, they will be be the one in charge of that office. They will coordinate all those activities, hire the people to run in that office, direct all the programs. They will also carry a reduced caseload representing some of the individuals themselves and they were also closely supervise a second chair or assistant mental health public defender who will represent more of those individuals as they are charged with their misdemeanor criminal cases. Because of both the running an office, actually going to court and representing individuals and dealing with the prosecutors' office directly an trying cases if necessary, there's only one of the four that had experience in all of those, and that's who we're recommending today.
>> thank you for that explanation.
>> also, ms. Cannard is in private law practice. Has been now for 20 years, 25.
>> just about. Longer than I want to admit.
>> [ laughter ]
>> if the committee's recommendation is accepted, the two things that need to take place is a conversation with ms. Cannard about closing down her private law practice and assuming these duties and responsibilities and salary. We posted a fairly broad range, so a salary discussion -- so we would need it back on the court's agenda probably next week for those two. She's here for questions, though. Would you like to give any comments, ms. Cannard?
>> I would just like to thank you for your kind words and I'm very flattered by the committee.
>> interest.
>> thank you. Did get a couple f e-mails from a couple, three judges who acknowledged that they've had a chance to work with ms. Cannard and highly recommend her and are pleased with the recommendation from the committee that she be appointed the chief public defender. So that's important. Move approval of the religious that we hire ms. Cannard as the chief public -- chief director -- director of the Travis County mental health public defenders office. That we authorize Commissioner Gomez and judge Biscoe to negotiate with her about a beginning date and salary, and that we try to conduct those negotiations this week and have this matter back on the court's agenda next Tuesday. That we further discuss and come back to the court on what specific recommendations about other steps that need to be taken to complete the many thank to the committee members, mr. Browning, we know you missed a few lawyer fees by doingfa
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 12:14 PM