Travis County Commissioners Court
March 18, 2008
Housing Finance Corporation
Now let's call to order the Travis County housing finance corporation.
two items here.
the first of which is to receive status report on Travis County visitation center and take appropriate action.
I put this on the corporation's agenda as well as on a companion item on the agenda of the Commissioners court's voting session.
and the importance of this is that we have a bid that is about to expire.
>> good afternoon.
we have --
>> can you put that mic in front of you?
>> we've been talking to the contractor, the trim belt construction company, and we have their bid and the court approved their bid back in December.
and usually you will have about 90 days of a bid duration.
we're exceeding the 90 days.
we talked to trim built and asked for some additional time.
he said he would give two more weeks and those two weeks will expire this coming Thursday.
and ebl he toll us that if we don't get the project going that there will be additional costs due to construction increases in the materials and labor.
we don't know how much is that, the increase yet, and so that's where we are right now with the contractor.
the contractor is tord do the work for us.
>> okay.
the funding on this was $100,000 from an anonymous contributor and the rest of it from the housing finance corporation.
>> that's correct.
>> I touched base with the agent of the contributor last week, and he was out of town, out of the country during spring break.
and he returned yesterday and I got word that they're still 100% in support of the project and the contribution, but they need the -- the partners need to get together and have a couple more conversations, I have learned.
I learned that at about 1:30 after talking with the agent again.
so I don't know that we have much choice at this point except to try to get another couple of weeks.
have this back on the agenda next week and either we have a firm commitment on the money or something.
>> okay.
>> there was some delay here, working with the state, part of it probably our fault, another part probably because we're trying to bring different entities together.
early on there was a question about how do we facilitate the contribution in such a way that it can be a tax writeoff.
so the commitment was made probably a couple of years ago.
I think we've been working with what they call deliberate speed, but at the same time it has taken some time.
so it's understandable, I guess, but I've been trying to touch base with them and let them know the project is going, the project is going, but if you say that 12, 18 months, I don't know that it has the same energy and urgency that it would if you were to say that two or three times and then be able to demonstrate it.
but I did say everything is ready.
the bid is about to expire.
maybe we can get a little more time.
what you're saying is that it may cost a few bucks.
hopefully it won't cost a few, but if it does, we need to know so we can address that.
I will try to get two weeks and have it back on the agenda next week so we can figure out exactly where we are.
this is a critical project, I still think.
so if we can get it done, we ought to try.
I've been dodging the board of directors because they may want a status report, but as soon as we know this thing is going I had planned to get another audience with them because the board was fired up about it also.
the other thing is that it looks like the warden here changes about every 18 to 24 months.
and not to wish this one any bad luck, but he's coming up on that 18 to 24 month time line.
so we need to get this going.
the advisory committee has been asking about it.
it will do me a world of good to go out and take a picture of somebody arriving with a truckload of bricks, even if they're not out there working with them.
so that's kind of the status.
I was hoping that I could come in with a check today made to you the nonprofit corporation that we're kind of working with, but if not today, hopefully next week.
and so the news is still good except it's not in hand yet.
it could be better.
questions?
this contractor has been working with us so far.
>> that's right.
>> and express our profound and efuse sieve appreciation.
and although we are not able to give him a gift, we second him the gift of love and appreciation as much as five people can do it.
all right.
thank y'all too.
we appreciate your work.
it has been sort of extraordinary, out of the routine kind of project, so we made a lot of progress on it, so two more steps and I'm convinced that we'll get it done.
mr. Davis?
anything as director of the corporation?
>> no.
we'll just do what we can.
>> can your trip today be a contribution to the project?
>> since you asked so nicely, yes, sir.
>> that's the status report.
we'll have it back on, okay?
>> thank you.
>> thaks.
northwest Travis County road district number 3 minutes for voting session of March fourth, 2008.
>> second.
>> discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> move adjourn.
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 2:51 PM