Travis County Commissioners Court
May 15, 2007
Citizens Communication
Citizens communication is next. This gives residents an opportunity to address the Commissioners court on any matter not on the agenda for up to a full three minutes. And we have judge jeanne meurer here with us. And she's accompanied by phyllis millstead and others.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, thank you very much. Quarter here because we have exciting news, we want to invite the community to please come to an art auction show. I'm going to turn it over, let her tell you a bit about it.
>> I'm phyllis millstead here today representing the real estate council of Austin. We are sponsoring an art auction tomorrow night at 111 congress avenue. The proceeds of this program benefit an art enrichment program for the kids at the gardner-betts juvenile justice center. It's a fabulous event. 60 pieces of art. You can see an example here and here. This is our feature piece that will actually be a live action tomorrow night. The other 60 pieces under a silent auction. 40 lucky people can purchase a t-shirt. It's a fabulous event. This is the only -- these are the only funds that go -- support this art enrichment program. So it's very important that we have the public come out and support this event. Buy paintings, bid on the live action if you like. Join us, we have snacks, it will be a lot of fun. Judge meuer is going to tell you about the program.
>> this has been a wonderful opportunity for the real estate couple of Austin has really been a partner in helping our kids. These are kids in our residential component of the juvenile justice system. These kids have broken the law, they are with us for some training, reskills shall we say, some accountability. At the same time this program gives them an opportunity to express themselves, to build self-esteem, to build their own skills. What this art auction does is it is -- funds this entire program. We have been partners now for 12 years. The kids get into this program, it's expanded from just the art auction, they also now have a choir program as well as drumming and you would not believe how important it is for these kids and their families. The programs that these kids go to, we have a high success rate dealing with these kids. It is a -- it is a secure and non-secure component of our juvenile justice system that you as the court have consistently funded. We appreciate it and want to invite everyone please to come out. Every dollar that is raised on this goes completely back into the program and we desperately would appreciate and want your support, you will also meet the kids there. And that is a -- that is an incredible opportunity to visit with them. They would love to visit with you, with the members of their community and it's a wonderful story to tell and I look forward to -- to hearing it tomorrow evening, I hope all of you will come.
>> what time is that?
>> 5:30 to 7:30.
>> yes, sir, at 111 congress plaza, on the plaza level.
>> downstairs, yes. Downtown.
>> we will be there and the kids will be there and it's an incredible event. These kids get an opportunity to meet people, to establish contact, social skills, self-esteem, awareness, building up of their own abilities to become successful young men and young women. I invite you. It's a wonderful opportunity. These kids, they will bring you to the realization of what as a community we could do to help them and how -- how much they want to learn and they want to grow. And these are our future leaders.
>> it's so fabulous for them to see all of us there supporting them, the work that they have done. I can't even tell you what it does for their self-esteem, it's fabulous.
>> for those that appreciate and really like art. Definitely come and look at this stuff. Just amazing art work. Coming from an arts background, please, art is so important to children. But mostly to these children. It's such a wonderful avenue of expression.
>> how much are the t-shirts.
>> $15 for 40 lucky people.
>> first 40.
>> this is the first year to have the t-shirts.
>> does this mean that I have to give back the paintings that I have up in my office. I have some gardner-betts paintings in my office that are just beautiful.
>> thank you.
>> thank you all very much.
>> I may have to borrow $15 from you to get one of those beautiful t-shirts.
>> that's right go thank you.
>> thank you all very much.
>> thank you. Phillip dick is next.
>> good morning, panel, everyone, good morning. I am here today because on February 16th, 2007, the honorable judge trans did grant my son a motion for new trial in courtroom 507 in district court 200. And I have where she -- also told me, ms. Dick, I want you to -- I see where roosevelt was incarcerated here on may 14th, 1993, Travis County sheriff's department, April 15th, 1994. I say yes, ma'am. I say this is where the criminal justice department says that he was -- that he was received at tdc April 15th, 1994. Well, that's the same release date of my son from right here in Travis County jail. So she asked me did I have anything where he was transferred in tdc and was transferred to tdc. I told her yes, ma'am, I got that information from the honorable judge Biscoe's office. Here's where it says, my son was incarcerated may 14th, 1993 and -- and for 15 year drug possession case within tdc and was transferred to tdc April the 15th, 1994. The same release dates of my son over here in Travis County jail. And she told me, ms. Dick, you're right. Your son cannot be in jail on those same dates committing -- out of jail committing the same, you know, on the same dates committing a 15 year drug possession case and in tdc on those same dates, too. She says that's just impossible for anyone to do. Okay, she granted that. I got a statement in the mail from the county attorney's office, I was in the courtroom with mr. Felix turango, assistant county attorney. He was trying to get my motion dismissed for my son new trial of false imprisonment of the 15 year drug possession case. He claimed that I did not file within the 21 day period. So the honorable judge triana she counted the days from January 25th, 2007 to February 16th, 2007. Okay. The reason I didn't put the trial for Thursday was I have -- I'm a student myself in paralegal school at virginia college. My school date was that morning. So I put the trial for that evening on Friday. Friday was the 16th of February, 2007. She granted me. She said I will still hear miss dick's motion. She told me she had never seen a mother fight so hard for her son get him released.
>> [buzzer sounding] she told me when he gets out of state prison she says ms. Dick, this is not an judgment, this is not an order. This is a request from me to you. She says I want you to bring roosevelt to my room. I want to shake the hand and meet the man that the mother fought so hard. She said you fought this whole entire prison system, you know, the system to get him released. She said I'm proud of you for that ms. Dick you come out of retirement to go back to school. I want to meet your son and find out if he's as proud of you as I am. She told me when he gets home, she wants to shake his hand. I can't get him home because the county attorneys now claim my motion was denied, they claim I was in courtroom 261. They claim on February 16th I was in that -- that's not true at all. I was not there. So now they are trying to turn the tables against me so that my son can stay incarcerated. You should see the paperwork, all of the lies they have been filing. Now trying to claim miss dick is the one who is filing all of this paperwork, doing this, doing that. I haven't did anything but no more than what all of the judges have asked me to do. I have --
>> thank you.
>> two causes of action.
>> thank you.
>> neither one of them have actually been granted to me. Judges signed off on them.
>> thank you.
>> thank you
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, May 16, 2007, 8:00 AM