Travis County Commissioners Court
January 29, 2008
Item 29
Item number 29 is consider and take appropriate action on request for additional assistance with capital project of the east Austin community development project building. Otherwise known as southwest key. And we do have numerous representatives from southwest key. We will ask for a show of hands in support soon. But there are speakers here too. Welcome.
>> thank you, judge, Commissioners. Go to see you all. Today we're here and I知 going to ask the people that are here with southwest key to stand so you will know who they are. Most of them are wearing red shirts, but -- and also to thowns that not only them will be talking.
>> [laughter] this particular proposal is to fund the remaining parts of the east Austin project. As you probably all know having visited -- most of you have visited the project, southwest key has raised about 6.8 million. But we still have an amphitheater that needs funding, about a 150-seat theater for cultural and arts program. A state-of-the-art community technology center for youth and adults. We want to make sure if they are entering the workplace that they are efficient in technology. And a large community meeting and training room. We think that that is enormously important for our community to have a place to meet that is convenient, that has parking, that is available. And the commitment of southwest key -- and incidentally, I知 on the board, the national board of southwest key, and the commitment of the board and the administration is to make this room available to our community groups. With us today, first of all, and he will be talking on a couple of issues, is the co-district director of Austin lulac. Following him will be joeell brooks, who is the deputy director, deputy executive director of southwest members. Is marcello, co-district director and also the lulac national civil rights co-chair. I致e been with southwest key over five years and the community advisory board. And since the concept of putting southwest key especially in east Austin, we have always believed that the community deserved something as nice as this, deserved a facility that not only is promising to educate our children but open their doors for the community to be able to come and go as needed. We do need meeting places because, like it or not, we are limited. The city has a lot of places that we can meet, but then we're limited in also the time because of the constraint. But more than anything else, lulac and lulac national supports all the projects that southwest key is doing presently. And because of the fact that not only are we a civil rights organization, more than anything else we're an educational system that we believe in education, we believe in the progress of our children. And especially something like this like the amphitheater, if we remember back johnston high school at one time graduated 28 orchestra leaders, music, and music attracts education. Because you get the children and the young adults interested in something. We're in support and we're asking you to please be able to provide southwest key with the additional $200,000 that they need in order to finish their project. And I thank you for your time.
>> thank you.
>> hello. Let me start off by saying good afternoon to you. I am joella brooks, deputy director for the southwest key programs. I have been with southwest key for 16 years in many different capacities. What I壇 like to share with you today is the different programs that are already happening at the east Austin development community center site there on jane lane. We have boys and girls clubs where we have at least 250 young people registered from the community who can participate in the activities from the boys and girls clubs at no cost to those students or their families. We have Austin community college who started last week with providing ged and esl classes five nights a week during the evenings, and we already have 20 to 25 people involved in those activities as well. Then we also are sponsoring college connections where we are working with 20 juniors from across the high schools and in aisd to provide college prep services to them. Those young people, we're attaching them with mentors. We're taking them on college tours and other academic enrichment activities. Last week they visited the university of Texas campus as one of the college tours. Those are three of the many activities we are looking forward to sponsoring at southwest key program. The community has taken advantage of participating in those activities and we are extremely excited about being able to be a resource for the community and allowing them to participate in those activities and others that we're hoping to plan for the future. And with that we are hopeful that our request for the $200,000 would be helpful in adding to what we're already doing. Thank you for your time.
>> thank you, miss brooks. And I may mention that one of the ideas that the board has in taking the whole corporate administration into the neighborhood was to have people that were mentors. We have financial people, lawyers, all kinds of professionals that are there that work in that area and can participate in mentoring students, helping them to redirect their careers. So that's a very important part of the initiative that the board approved that was brought to us by the administration. Mr. Johnny limon.
>> johnny. Judge Biscoe and county Commissioners, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be here. As a long-time community activist or advocate, kind of prefer the word --
>> mr. Garcia wrote that down.
>> I致e been involved in community affairs for a long time. You know that I -- things this I know that our community needs where they need the help and so I volunteer with organizations like meals on wheels for the last 15 years and I was also a big brother for eight years. And that besides the other things. Like with family elder care in providing services for the elderly. We also know with the southwest key, we also know from the community we wanted to know what southwest key can actually do for our community. One of the biggest things was providing jobs, getting jobs brought into our community. And one of the things that southwest key is doing is they are going to actually start their own landscaping company so they can hire people from community that need jobs. And to train them. Not only will it be a job, but it's going to be training them in case they ever want to start their own business. We know the landscaping business can be very lucrative. And I know that we have a lot of people in our community that do that kind of work. That will also bring in income to the project itself. Moneys that could be used for other programs that we want to provide for the community. And also we have a cafe. The community at the time said you know what, we're kind of disconnected from the rest, kind of from the rest of Austin because, you know, you got airport boulevard and street -- well, it's a boulevard, so they really had to come in, we had to tell them to get, you know, add cafe services. And so we are providing a cafe there, but this cafe is also going to be bringing people from the community that maybe might want to learn how to be cooks, how to be chefs. And it's also going to be a training for those people from the community that want to go into that field. And then also as far as job creations, you know, job creations will help our community economically. And just by bringing in all the employees that they brought into our community, just by them going and visiting the restaurants that already exist in the east side, it's a big economic boost for the community in itself. That was something that was real big for us from the community was, you know, you have corporate offices. Locate them to the east side if you are really serious about helping to improve our community, and they were willing to do that. So now we have high professionals in our community. And I know that by having, you know, people that are college educated with master's degrees, with bachelor's degrees, that is going to be a good, a good -- they are going to be good people to show the people from our community, look, you can be -- you can go to college.
>> role models.
>> role models. There you go. That's the big word. Because as a big brother, I saw, you know, the impact that role models have on the community. And having this many people in our community is nothing but a big plus for us. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, mr. Limon. To address the issues of the homeowners association, technology center and the amphitheater, tim, who is president of the one of the homeowners associations. The neighborhoods.
>> [one moment please]
>> ... In an effort to empower them and better improve themselves. So in wrapping up, I知 thankful to be in a position to effect change and I致e gotten involved in the community, and you as Commissioners and the county judge can be a medium for that change as well by granting southwest key the money that they are asking for to complete these unfinished projects. Thank you.
>> let me introduce paul hernandez.
>> for the record, my name is paul hernandez. Judge, Commissioners, it's a great pleasure to be here. Good to see you, Commissioner Davis. It's been years since I致e been here and -- but this time I知 here for a very good purpose, and that is to ask you invest in our people, to invest in our community and to also invest in our future. Change seems to be a word these days and change is what we want, a change from poverty, a change from illiteracy, a change from a life that has no hope and no dreams. What we're asking for is for the opportunity for people who have not had that change or have not even looked for that change, have not had their dream and had no hope. We're looking for that opportunity that you can grant, that you can give our community of $200,000. If we help develop the people of the community, they themselves will develop the community. This is what this is all about. It's not about right now, it's about the future. It's about this new generation coming. Right now in greater Austin we have a 3.7 unemployment. Go by the johnston area, we have a 13.3 unemployment. A per capita income for greater Austin is 24,000 and east Austin is 9,000. In fact, it will only be changed through education and that is the key here, education. Currently the educational attainment is a disgrace. What we have here is that people in that area
>> [inaudible] of 13%. But what gets me is that 52 percent of the people have no high school diploma. 31% of the people have graduated from high school. Only 2% of the people have a bachelor's degree. And only 1% of the people have a graduate's degree. Now, that can be changed. We hope that in the future that will be turned around completely. 52% of the people will have a graduate degree. That only 2% of the people will not have graduated. That's what we can attain. Now, $200,000 is not a lot of money when you compare the investment and the result. So please grant us the $200,000 that we need. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, paul.
>> judge, Commissioners, that's all our speakers pore the presentation. We'll be glad to answer any questions that anybody else may have. We also have the c.e.o. Of southwest key if you have any questions. Ms. Brooks answered most of them, but if she needs some help, dr. Sanchez is here. Thank you very much for allowing us to make the presentation.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, mr. Mayor.
>> and johnny, don't worry about what he called you. He used to call me an activist as well. A draconian activist, I think were his exact words.
>> Commissioner Daugherty, you are an activist.
>> takes one to know one.
>> he calls me a liberal.
>> [laughter]
>> now you are really getting bad there.
>> what does he call himself?
>> not late for dinner.
>> [laughter]
>> in my backup to the court, I recommend to the court to take $100,000 from the health facilities development corporation where we've identified it on October 1 of 2008. Since the money cannot be used directly from health facilities for this project, we've been told by our lawyers, and it's part of our budget process we would transfer to it the general fund, and then make the allocation from the general fund. During the budget process. This memo was based on the previous discussion we had in Commissioners court about this matter. And on the other $100,000, in my view, it should be addressed during the budget process. So the importance of doing the 100,000 now is that you would know that you have that. And my request would be that you try to generate it otherwise between now and our budget process. And I say October 1 because that's when the next fiscal year starts, as you know. But we do budget deliberations in August and September, but if we commit to do it now, it would be done. And then as part of the budget process, if you have not been able to raise the other $100,000, it would be submitted as a request. That was my recommendation to the court and e-mailed it in a letter that I put together as backup Thursday or Friday of last week after our last discussion and really to be honest, you know, the law prohibits me from chatting with more than one member of the court because two more would be a quorum, those two and me. So I was sort of trying to feel for what I could get support for.
>> the c.e.o. Has also asked me to say in a we can go ahead and move on the 100,000 and we'll be back later on. We're going to try to raise the money in any which way because we want those projects underway. But should we find that we need to come back, we'll be back during your budget deliberations so that we can request the other.
>> that way we will know what the revenue picture is like. The other thing is that we appreciate that the county is impacted by our failure to do certain things at the community level. Whether we like it or not. We have looked at ways to impact youth early on. In the old days we thought the family and school system should do it, but what's clear is we all have to work together to try to get it done.
>> and I may mention that you also today in -- in today's agenda you have a southwest key for treatment facility for juvenile offenders. Your record of participation with southwest key is a long one aa very successful one and we appreciate that.
>> I can say we did approve 6-a and b.
>> and southwest key does have an incredibly positive impact on our kids in the juvenile system. And so -- and I think the -- I would check back to make sure that you make the cutoff for the budget process, I think it's the first week -- the first Friday in may. That's when the requests have to be in to the budget office. And so in March the manuals will go out for the budget process, but the deadline is that first Friday in may.
>>
>> [inaudible].
>> any time between March and may.
>> I have a couple of questions. If I may. When I had met previously, we had discussed the possibility of putting this request in during the budget cycle so it could be viewed in context with the other capital improvement projects that were requested. I know that currently we're committed to family elder care for 125,000 and to meals on wheels for 250,000 for capital improvement projects. And I suspect we will have more requests, particularly in light of the gap funding needs from the united way changing funding, transitional housing and some other things. This is a incredible project, one of my staffers went out to look at the facilities, just incredible work you all are doing. Your contractual relationship with juvenile justice as well as I hope a possibility of a contractual relationship on workforce development. If you watched what happened with agenda item number 14, was it?
>> 12.
>> I think it was 14. We're doing some interesting things there and I would love to have southwest key involved in that if that's interesting to you all. I am uncomfortable looking at capital improvement projects and requests for funding outside of the context of the budget process. And I致e communicated that before. I can't tell you how enthusiastic I am about this but at the same time since the pot of money being from property taxes which falls so heavily in east Austin and so inequitiably there, it is a limited pot and I would prefer to be able to look at this funding request in the context of the other funding requests for capital projects. But that's my only reluctance here and I just wanted to make that an upfront statement. So actually the question is, is it possible, as far as your time frame for funding for this capital improvement, to put the entire 200,000 in the budget process rather than doing half now and half during the budget process?
>>
>> [inaudible].
>> we need you to come to a mic.
>> I mean -- I知 juan sanchez. I知 the
>> [inaudible] of southwest key. We would be glad to do that if there would be -- if somehow there could be a decision made that if we waited until then we could get the 200,000. If you could tell us now we committed to
>> [inaudible] we could do that.
>> but that's exactly my reluctance. Since it is a finite pot of money and I don't know who all else in the community who has also legitimate and present need. I知 looking -- I知 just looking for context here. I wish every project that came we could fund it, but the truth is it's a finite pool of money. And my job is to weigh the -- is to be that check and balance. It's not that you all need checking, it's that we need balance. And with so much other need in the community as well, the budget process is our only process at this point to weigh capital improvement projects. We don't have a process outside the budget for weighing capital improvement projects for our partners in the community.
>> I知 sensitive to the fact you have to make decisions and there are priorities. We've made a very good presentation. I think in making those priorities you as a policy maker has to decide is this a worthwhile project. I hope it is.
>> and that's not the question. The question is not whether it's worthwhile, it's to what extent we can afford to make the investment in light of the other worthwhile investments.
>> I think those are decisions you have to make and that's why we come with the best possible presentation. We've invited all of you to come. I think we have a tremendous and wonderful project that's going to do a lot for this community. You have to decide what kind of investment you want to make in it. If you are asking me would I rather wait and go through the --
>> I知 not asking whether you would rather. Of course not.
>> but I am -- exactly. So the answer is no, if I can have $100,000 guaranteed, it would make no sense. If you would commit to $200,000, I知 going to come back and say that now, you know, and the commission would make that commitment, we could come back and wait and get the money in October.
>> what I知 asking is can you with your construction schedule with that necessities, can you wait until the October time frame so the entire 200,000 can go "-.
>> if we have the entire 200,000 committed it would be easy. If we have to get the money, we can go to the bang and say we already have a commitment of 200,000 and we have to wait until October, when the fiscal year begins, and we can borrow the money. I think if we have that commitment from this commission, we can wait.
>> my point is that, as you know, I致e looked at this and there was one neighborhood organization that did not have a chance -- not have a chance to participate in this process.
>> [inaudible]. And I wanted to make sure before this came back to the Travis County Commissioners court that they have an opportunity to participate in the process to ensure certain things were not going to take place as far as what they-posed and that was the detention from being in a particular location. I have a letter from
>> [inaudible] and I share this same letter with the Commissioners court dated 1-15-on 8 of this year which would not be the detention center. And, of course, one of the persons in my office who also lives in that neighborhood, his wife is neighborhood president of the johnston neighborhood terrace association is pleased and satisfied with this. You know what kind of person I am, I知 a very strong neighborhood advocate, period, end of sentence. I致e been doing this for years as far as making sure that the neighbors have a voice and a say in the process. And I知 not going to change. But hearing what we have heard and not opposing, not opposing your concept, not opposing your funding at all, just a little glitch that needs to be corrected in the letter. With that, I see no reason why we cannot commit today $100,000 and that other $100,000 during did budget budgecycle and commit to it. I have no problem with it. It's a lot of competing interests for money when it comes to Commissioners and any other organization that doles out money to take care of the needs of a community. There's a lot of strong competition, a lot of needs, little money to address all of those needs. But I feel very, ver strongly that this organization has demonstrated that it can and will deliver a service to this community that is overwhelmingly necessary. Now, I知 not saying this because this is located in precinct 1. But it is.
>> just happens to be there.
>> but I知 nol saying it to say that. I知 saying there are needs that need to be fulfilled. And I would like to maybe go in the direction and if the judge did send an e-mail out, we can't get our heads together so he doesn't know what I知 going to stay and he doesn't know what I知 going to stay. Of course, I think suggestions he had made by committing $100,000 now, we look at if you can live with delay of going through the budget process and say listen, we would like to have that during the budget cycle and look at that at that time, I have no problem with that. I知 in full support of what we can do. And if I heard correctly, you can deal with $100,000 now. Did I understand that correctly?
>> yes, sir, we would prefer the 200,000, but we would take the 100,000 now.
>> there is no argument about that.
>> no, sir.
>> so since there's no argument about that and that's your recommendation, I can second it.
>> so moved. 100,000 now payable October 1. And try to raise the other 100,000, but submit the budget request and we'll revisit this during the budget process. Is the motion. Yes, sir.
>> are the red shirts employees or are the red shirts parents?
>> both.
>> I just want to say when barbara smith from my office and I came out, it was a very enlightening meeting. I appreciate that very much. Really learned a lot and you are to be commended for all the things that you've done out there. But I do want all the parents to know that get involved with this program that they are the ones that I don't want to leave out of thanking for being involved because it is that involved parent that really bridges the gap between an organization and what you all have to offer and then them getting involved and getting over there. So, one, I want you to make sure you go back to that community and just -- you know, from my standpoint, just let them know that I sincerely appreciate how involved they are because unfortunately what we find is the people in the cracks in the united states of america are mostly, you know, kids anyway, are people that don't have parental guidance. And it's organizations like that this help prop them up, but I do want you to understand I think $100,000 is the way to go. And -- but you all get ready because the next budget cycle is not going to be pretty. I mean there are a lot of needs out there, and gus, you know, you've been where we are now. I mean with having to make the decisions on who gets what. And I know that we're going to be asked for so much more than what we're able to really go and get, and Commissioner eckhardt made a great point whenever -- you know, it's tax dollars, it's ad valorem because that's really where overwhelming majority of our money comes from. The last thing we need to be doing is raising taxes, you know, to take care of the needs because it's much more regressive, you know,, the taxes are much more regressive east of the interstate than they are west. Not to say that everybody doesn't feel it, but we've got to be forever, you know, diligent about, you know, knowing, you know, how we have to deal with this thing. I just wanted you to know I think you have a great program, you've done a wonderful job of getting over there and putting together a good package. Thanks for your efforts and thanks for having me out.
>> Commissioner Daugherty, you raised a similar issue last time and that was around the adults and employment. We've raised over $6 million, almost $7 million we've brought to this community already. Our interest is to do the kinds of things you are talking about, Commissioner Daugherty. Acc coming and teaching adults english classes. Teach adults ged so they can get their degree. Why we have a community technology center so adults can learn as well as young people how to use a computer to apply for a job. And finally what I said last time and I値l say it again, we bring into this community that was going to add to the value of taxes people are able to pay. We just got an announcement and this alone out to be a reason for us to get the money. We just got $700,000 from the office of community services to create 71 jobs in that community. I will challenge anyone here or any city council person or any developer or any business people in the city of Austin that is coming to this community to create 71 jobs. Now, you think about what those jobs are going to be able to do in terms of people able to own a home and being able to pay taxes because they now have a job. Who is doing that? So yes, we're asking, but we're also contributing. And I just want to -- this commission to be very clear that we are ourselves are bringing millions of dollars -- and this is $700,000 is the beginning. Our hope is to bring millions of more dollars to address the needs that paul and the other folks outlined here. So we're partners in that, so we're asking, as paul said, it's about the future. Give us that startup, help us finish this project so I don't have to be paying interest rates with loans. Let us put that money in to create more jobs for people. So we're partners that are going to bring something. We're not just coming and asking.
>> no doubt about it. None at all. Again, my only concern is not with you all and the incredible value you add to the community, it's a concern I have with our processes for evaluating capital improvement requests in context because we have limited funds. It's not an issue with you all and your incredible presentation and the unbelievable work do you. It's really more a question that our only mechanism for deciding an equitiable distribution among projects is the budget process. And we are doing this outside the budget process.
>> and judge, I just want to add one little bit here. And paul, I知 really enthusiastic about voting for this because it's time to keep going. And then we'll be back later. But I too want to see 2% dropout rates and the thing about programs like yours and other programs that help our kids who have dropped out already, to be able to take the ged, take the test and get a job to prove that they are -- they can be educated. Somehow they've dropped out of the regular system where we pay high taxes into, by the way, and yet we give them the second chance and they prove that they can be educated. Thanks.
>> some say it would be good, and I know you will, when we invest money into certain initiatives, at some pont we always like to follow up with you and say, hey, listen here, how is it going. How's things working out. Because there may be some opportunities that we have available for some of the wrap-around services that the county also offers that we may also be able to make bonding relationships to ensure that a lot of the shortfalls that we experience here in Travis County, the things that you have mentioned before can be made whole. And so those are some of the things I would like to also see at the end of the day is the wrap-around and also to see where you are in the process and the results of what we're doing.
>> thank you.
>> if that's not too much of a request to make.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> [applause]
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 8:09 PM