Travis County Commissioners Court
April 3, 2007
Item 10
Number 10 is to receive and discuss 2006 annual report for wild basin wilderness preserve.
>> I'm rose palmer and I work with natural resources and environmental quality. I wanted to just take a very brief amount of your time to remind you of something that wild basin, about three-quarters of the land at wild basin preserve is owned by Travis County and the whole preserve is part of the balcones canyon lands preserves. This annual report that we're receiving for 2006, it's been several years since we've received an annual report, so you may not recall seeing one of these before. Travis County, because we have owned the land, we have had a contract with wild basin incorporated, which is a nonprofit agency that runs wild basin. We've had a contract with them since 1979, and be it was firmed up a little bit in 1992. In any case, be I wanted to remind you that we own this property and it is part of the preserve and that this is a requirement. This document is a requirement of our agreement with them. And Travis County, we pay them about $20,000 a year to help with their management of this preserve land. Several things have changed recently. They've been having some changes at both administration and financial activities and there may be some changes coming up at wild basin in the last year or two, so I just wanted to alert you a little bit. And the new executive director has been in since about the first of the year and her name is Karen jagger. There may be some other changes coming up and we're monitoring as they work through their financial difficulties, and we'll keep the court informed if there are any issues that we need you involved with.
>> this report is due annually. The first written request is that we get an annual report, right?
>> that's why I'm actually bringing it to you. They have at -- at our request they have turned in our annual report as required by their agreement with Travis County.
>> and how long has it been since we've seen an annual report?
>> probably three or four years.
>> that's why I'm saying our request should be an annual report annually. The second one ought to be to make our 20,000-dollar payment contingent upon the annual report. What yush saying is that financial difficulties may have them relinquish this?
>> I doubt that they'll request less.
>> will they be able to continue whatever it is they're doing?
>> they're doing a tremendous job in protecting the land and also the educational programs that we do. We really do appreciate the work. I'd say that the Travis County area really appreciates the work that wild basin has been doing and we are hoping that they will get their irkz worked out and they will continue in the role they've been in for a long time.
>> in our letter that we send them, let's indicate our appreciation for the fine job they're doing, request the annual report annually and make our payment contingent upon it. Discussion? Any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank you for your patience too. I meant to call you this morning and took a long time to get back to you.
>> thank you very much.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, April 3, 2007, 9:34 PM