Travis County Commissioners Court
June 12, 2007
Item 4
>> number 4 is to consider and take appropriate action on request to asnift the cleanup of debris resulting from recent storms.
>> judge and Commissioners, we've had many number of citizens request to clean up debris from private property as a result of some fairly strong storms that moved through the county a couple of week back. And we understand that we cannot go on to private property to clean up debris because that would be gifting something of value to private individuals. But we have on certain circumstances in the past, because of near disasters, sought authorization from the court to use county equipment and crews to clean up debris that had been brought to the right-of-way. There was a tornado several years back that spread debris across the county and the court authorized us to use county crews and equipment to pick up things, as long as they're brought to the right of we we picked them up and hauled them off. We did likewise for another strong storm that occurred a number of years ago, so we to do have precedence for requesting court authorization to use county crews and equipment to do this. In this case we're suggesting to the court sna that we limit our pickup to several days in three separate areas of the county where we have received the most requests. The days would be from Monday, June 18th, ending on June 22nd. About a week. We limit this for a week in part because we don't want to create a situation where there is expectation that the county would continue to do this without any end. So as long as we can get some information out that says we'll be there from here to here, and that is a limited engagement and we're here only to clean up storm debris in these locations, we believe we can probably contain the amount of money the county would have to pay to do this. The areas include brodie lane south of slaughter lane and north of farm-to-market road 1526. Another rather is south of fm 1526 and west of i-35 to bear creek. The third area is in Travis County at the end of tucker lane. Tucker hill lane. That's near highway 71 east. And what we would be be doing is using four teams with pickup trucks, dump trucks, clam shell pickers and for these days we would go down the right-of-way in these areas picking up debris that was in the right-of-way, hauled to the right-of-way by private individuals from their own property. These are mainly tree limbs and fairly large trunks. And we pick them up and haul them to the landfill.
>> so this is all basically in Travis County right-of-way?
>> we can only pick up from the public right-of-way. Yes.
>> if it's not there now, we would expect residents to bring debris up to the right-of-way.
>> absolutely. We will not go on to private property.
>> not in the street, but in the right-of-way.
>> next to the travel lanes, yes.
>> then will it be taken to the landfill for mulching?
>> that's correct.
>> and compost. And the price tag is estimated to be about 27,000?
>> that's correct.
>> question. For the viewing public that sounds like a lot, but when you consider what happened in their debris pile when it caught on fire. I don't know if there are -- there could be a whole lot more expense if it weren't picked up.
>> I'm finished.
>> let me ask you this: if we're looking at --
>> I'm sorry, not hutto, it was helotes.
>> do we need to let residents know what day we'll number their particular neighborhood?
>> we will put out fliers to notify the designated areas.
>> and those who have specific questions can call what phone number?
>> #- 854-9383.
>> and this is the only area that had significant damage?
>> we're basing our target areas to the areas that we've received constituent phone calls and requests for service. And we've been telling them up to this point that we cannot pick it up on private property. It's against the law.
>> not from just one resident on the street, but from numerous?
>> yes.
>> they have sent and e-mailed us pictures.
>> [inaudible - no mic].
>> this was a fairly significant storm.
>> can you repeat that telephone number one more time?
>> sure. It's a general number for the transportation and natural resource department, 854-9383.
>> just a word of explanation. We will not be able to go on to private property.
>> [inaudible - no mic] all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, June 13, 2007, 8:00 AM