Travis County Commissioners Court
April 17, 2007
Item 8
Number 8, discuss and take appropriate action on follow-up action regarding parking for county employees, including: a, appointment of committee; b, charge for committee; and c, other related matters. We did distribute yesterday a slightly revised charge and a list of recommended committee members along with a description of the category that we think each would represent. And this morning I did get from mr. El khoury a note in which he recommends rose rowland as the facility staff person on the committee. And says she is on the waiting list.
>> she is.
>> if we could add her name and the spot we were saving for her, rose rowland.
>> I also have a bus rider who sort of slash, rides his bus to the bus stop. Also, which is moses grubsman in the treasurer's office.
>> who is that?
>> moses guzman in the treasurer's office. I also have a car pool participate, which is lori clyde from purchasing.
>> lori clyde. Okay. That gives us a full complement of members unless we can think of another category that we need represented.
>> how do we do number be 8 where we've got --
>> these are questions from Commissioner eckhardt?
>> yeah.
>> number 8, remember the categories that we had talked about, they're at the top up there? These individuals -- actually, lynn and I were workogtwo sets of standards. One sort of at the top up there, and number be 8 was -- is the departments that have quite a few employees to be represented.
>> and I always think that y'all could decide yourselves to pick two of these people. And, I mean, there's a complement of people who would like to do this, and you would automatically think that it's the people without a parking space that file the most vested towards getting them. Not necessarily. It's the ones that do have a parking space.
>> actually, that's predictable because you're treating this as a benefit and it's tant. To take agriculture benefit unless we switch our thought pattern to thinking of it as an amenity.
>> my intent was to put all on there. It would make sense to break up into two subcommittees if possible or three to divide up the work because these questions will require a little effort. I'm theep say that of those listed in 8, they all kind of indicated a willingness to serve and virtually all of those in one through seven also. If it ends up being a good size committee.
>> it's a lot of work.
>> let's mull over that just a little bit. And now, Commissioner Daugherty e-mailed us some questions, and are these in addition -- did these incorporate his?
>> no. These are separate.
>> y'all's are separate?
>> I did this before having seen Commissioner Daugherty's questions.
>> all right. This emphasizes the importance of a large working committee. So the other court members have them? I know you e-mailed me mine.
>> I'll get them from somebody.
>> martin sent them to everybody, it's just a matter of printing them out. I say send all the questions and to the extent that it duplicates, the committee will eliminate it. And the committee may well think of other questions that should be addressed during its work as it works toward recommendations for us. And I would say let them go with it.
>> definitely.
>> the -- in terms of turnaround time, this is something that will take some time, but the sooner we get recommendations the better. What are we looking at, three or four months?
>> I would say so. And I would say that some of these things are easier addressed, like finding out what they do other places and stuff like that. And it's up to y'all whether you want it all brought back at one time or if you would like it brought back in segments where it's easier to say okay, we're going to discuss what they do elsewhere, where we're going there. And it's completely up to y'all, whether you want to do it as one fell swoop or in segments.
>> I think we ought to aim for one fell swoop in a work session that we have before we get heavily and before the court gets heavily involved in the budget process. So we'll be able to think openly and clearly. And so I think we're looking at may, June, July. We can do that sometime in late July, early August, we ought to catch that window of opportunity before we start having our budget hearings.
>> if you'll remember, this is one of the items that sometimes brought up in the employee hearings that we have that sort of starts out as benefit, but warns tiewf parking also because they do think of it as a benefit.
>> I was hoping that this year we could refer them to the parking committee.
>> why don't we come up with a definitive date so that this committee will know versus having it out there. Let's pick July.
>> what's the last Thursday in July? Give Commissioner Daugherty plenty of time to get back from his fourth of July holiday.
>> the 25th.
>> Thursday work session?
>> yeah.
>> how's that sound?
>> sownz good to me.
>> July 26th. And if this is clear by mid June that we will not make that date, just let us know and we'll schedule something else at that time and slip it a week or two.
>> certainly.
>> the one question missing that I was interested in having it looked at was do we all have to come downtown at the same time?
>> and if you look at the charge, the small thing I added on there -- it's not specifically said, it just says, exploring alternative transportation and working options. So to me that sort of took in times that people work or telecommuting. It was not specific to it. Certainly this is a draft. This is up to y'all to put whatever you want there.
>> and also it would be addressed by Commissioner Daugherty's question nrks what creative ways can we have the available spaces used by more employees.
>> I hadn't seen his question.
>> just a half size car and --
>> believe me, there are some people who have already tried that.
>> [ laughter ]
>> been there, done that.
>> it didn't work.
>> move that we put together one set of documents containing all of these and deliver them to the committee. As soon as possible.
>> second.
>> that we notify the committee that they have been appointed to serve on this committee by the Commissioners court and of the deadline hopeful work session discussion for them. And did as they work through this they run into unexpected obstacles, if they would let us know if they need an audience with the court, we can certainly accommodate that.
>> all right.
>> we foe this will not be easy, but it will be very important work. And if not rewarded here on earth... There's a higher place where rewards may be granted.
>> [ laughter ]
>> might I suggest that we all -- the committee also look at the 2001 parking study that was done for Travis County. By wilbur smith and associates.
>> take a quick look at it.
>> not that useful?
>> no. Because it keeps coming up.
>> [ laughter ]
>> sort of like a bad penny.
>> the executive summary is highly recommended except for those that want more detail. Is there a motion?
>> I think you made it.
>> second?
>> I seconded it.
>> discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you. Thank you, lynn.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, April 18, 2007, 8:34 AM