Travis County Commissioners Court
April 8, 2008
Citizens Communication
Citizens communication is next. And three residents have signed in. This item gives residents an opportunity to address the Commissioners court on any matter not on the agenda for up to three minutes. Gus pena is first and he will be followed by cesar langston.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, gus pena. Number one, I have just got off the phone about 30 minutes ago with a -- with the undersecretary of h.u.d. And the undersecretary of the veterans affairs regarding the vash program, veterans supportive assistant housing. It provides vouchers throughout the different regions that have completed a survey of the needs of the homeless veterans. Unfortunately our elected officials, failed to notify us in Travis County about the need to participate in the survey, so Travis County and Austin was left out of the loop. And san antonio, houston, and waco received vouchers under the current federal funding. Congressman al green, as I spoke about this issue three weeks ago, is taking the bull by the horn and also other co-sponsors from all over the united states and is -- they are pushing and advocating for more funding for -- for vouchers to -- to house homeless veterans. This is something that I have been bringing over here for the last seven or eight years. Very important that the veterans that are out there in the streets that are homeless be given the opportunity to get supportive housing and also supportive needs, health needs also, health coverage is very bad for the veterans I hear in the clinic out here in montopolis. I have spoke to henry cisneros, the former secretary of h.u.d. Under the clinton administration and also federico pena my husband, former housing secretary in the clinton administration, giving a lot of support to push and advocate for these services for the veterans. One issue -- I was watching c span, one of the articles mentioned $329 billion that are lost because of kids dropping out in potential taxes, wages, et cetera to the economy. I know you all meet with the city of Austin, also the Austin independent school district board of trustees and the superintendent. We have to find a way to -- to find a solution to keep kids in school and not allowing them to drop out. Algebra is killing them. Algebra, the taks test. We were successful in abolishing or getting rid of the taks test last year, that will help out and we will go back to what is called end of course exams, kind of like what we all did when we were in school. The best assessment tool that we know of in that task that was killing us. We need to keep kids in school. Last item, I知 going to say this, bear with me, please, because it's been a problem. I知 addressing to these homies watching me on tv, they watch me here at the city council. I知 going to tell you something. I know who you are, we know who you are, we are former peace officer, former i.r.s. Investigators and f.b.i. Agents also tracking you, because you are causing problems with other individuals, you shouldn't be harassing people. You better stop it. It's a federal offense, you will be incarcerated for that. Charged for that. We will tell you this much, those guys --
>> [beeping] we have cameras, too, we have pictures of you in the red car, in the red vehicles. Anyway, you better keep it straight, keep it legal. Judge, Commissioners, we are fighting the problem out there with gang centers, coming back -- gangsters, coming back strong. We need to keep the kids safe, healthy, educated in school. Thank you.
>> thank you, mr. Pena, mr. Langston.
>>
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> we'll share it with the court. I don't want to have all of you.un mr. Langston. What this is -- I live in an unincorporated area. In Pflugerville. I moved here in 2002, not knowing anything about a move from denver, colorado here. Not knowing anything about an unincorporated area or anything like that. I started having problems with dog noise. And so when I called to -- to the police department of Pflugerville, they asked me, says where do you live? I told them I live in the address at 14916 laman drive. Okay. You need to call the sheriff's department. So I called the sheriff's department because then I found out that this was an unincorporated area. And I knew nothing about anything. And what happened was when I started calling and trying to get things together to try to do something about this dog noise, that information that I have there, I compiled all of that information trying to get ahold to someone that would take care of my problem. And that's what that is all about there. And what I think that I may have indicated on there, where I live, this particular -- this particular house here is where I live. And this is the -- the back of the yard the f area in here. Up here is where you see this -- this thing here is where the dog noise is coming from. And if you look straight across over here, is w there are -- there are -- the dog lives here. And so I -- the back of the house here where I live, you can see the -- from the patio side here, you can see this window here, that is my master bedroom. Here is the living room. So the dog is barking and carrying on, I cannot get no kind of sleep whatsoever. And so in that -- I知 going to play this tape recorder real quick, just a short thing, just so you can hear the dog noise itself. I may have to skip that. I will just let it play while I知 talking with you, maybe it will come on and you can hear us.
>> you will need to wrap it up for us, we are about a minute over already.
>> yes, sir, I know, you told me I didn't have but three minutes, I知 sorry.
>> [dogs barking]
>> there's a dog noise problem. There's one dog?
>> yes, sir.
>> you complained to the sheriff's office.
>> everyone, yes, sir.
>> okay, what did the sheriff say?
>> the sheriff told me when I went over to see -- they told me that I had to go and sign a complaint and go to precinct number 1 over to judge scott's or -- precinct. I went there on the 18th of -- of January of this year. And I unfortunately not knowing anything about anything, all that information and paper is in that -- in that stack there.
>> put your phone number down there for me.
>> yes, sir.
>> we will give you a phone call. We will give you a phone call and get more information to see if we can help you.
>> you may not want to say it out loud. We have a million people watching us, do you want a million people to have your phone number.
>> not really. A lot of people call me anymore and I don't know who they are.
>> ain't that the truth?
>> [laughter]
>> they definitely --
>> okay. We give you a phone call to see if we can help you. Okay.
>> I do appreciate you, sir.
>> I snt $1,0 bringing thisud ott and -y responsibility. Nobody will do anything and I thought it was very unusual that I知 paying all of this tax and everything and they tell me
>> [indiscernible]
>> [inaudible - no mic] what about my health and everything.
>> take your -- be sure to take your master copy, too. No, no, you should keep your master copy -- to whatever degree there are -- there are things that you can do, you are going to want to keep those copies.
>> thank you.
>> I believe we finally hear that dog barking, too.
>> you hear it.
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> that speaking is hanging on that balcony door inside of my house. That's where this is hanging.
>> you do live in the m.u.d., right?
>> yes, sir.
>> so you went to the m.u.d.?
>> thank you, sir.
>> thank you.
>> jennifer gail is next. Jennifer gale is next. Jennifer gale.
>> anybody else for citizens communication whether you signed in or not.
>> jennifer gale is next.
>> good morning being trvment, Commissioners Gomez, Daugherty, Biscoe, eckhardt and Davis.
>> yay, you skipped me the last two times.
>> good morning. Commissioner sarah eckhardt, you have a lovely quote in a place 4 candidate flier. A lovely quote.
>> I do?
>> > in your flier, right there on the front page.
>> hum.
>> it is a beautiful, cloudy, springtime morning and we are looking at 11 months without a contract for capital metro transportation authority. We still have no contract 11 months after the contract is due. It was over a year when the ore contract was due -- when the other contract was due and their contract was only for a year. We are obviously not putting enough pressure on the administration of star trans to work with the union 1091. Now, in contribution I致e only gotten a -- $1.13 from all of these bus operators who I am I spent nearly 200 hours working on to keep a strike from happening here in the Travis County area. So I get no reward coming before you. But you have -- you have three or two unions and an association six months ahead of their contract. For e.m.s., Austin, firefighters and Austin police department. Six months before their contract is due and a first year police officer makes $57,000 and we know they are very capable of shooting us in the back. Because they are afraid. They are afraid in the city that is far safer than most cities in the united states. So why can't we get a contract for our bus system? For our own workers that have saw a third of their pay cut for a two tier system, which is allowing -- it's amazing how many people have been there only two years. As bus operators. So we're taking the older driver's jobs and giving them to younger, cheaper operators. And I知 asking for a fire-year contract. Again, we also have a problem with the newspapers reporting on our -- on our campaigns for -- in the city of Austin, campaigns for city council. If you were to google jennifer gale, who just happens to have a birthday this coming April 12th, you won't find anything for several years
>> [beeping] about me running -- about jennifer gale running for office. And this happens to be the 10-year anniversary of arnold garcia putting his arms around my opponent, you know, talking all the way down the hallway, I致e never seen the editorial board since then. 10 years ago, around arnold garcia, nothing. I知 asking you to talk to the editorial board and tell them to start looking -- stop lying about interviewing candidates and actually interview them. Please. Okay? We have got a big game tonight. Women's national championship. Kansas did a great job coming back. Thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> happy early birthday.
>> happy birthday to you.
>> kenneth lewis.
>> Commissioners court, I will be as succinct as I can. I didn't bring what I prepared actually in haste this morning, but I will just read what I had done in my newsletter called contend lewis' journal. Excuse me. Precinct 1, ironically called justice of peace, instead rudeness, impoliteness and unprofessionalism exist. My experience most recently with the staff of judge rain chet school in precinct 1 has been most frustrating and humiliating. I started nearly a month ago intending to get an appointment with judge richard scott because I couldn't get an appointment initially with judge scott through ms. Betty williams who rudely and arrogantly hung up the phone on me. I was placed on hold for the a least five minutes. Then the phone goes dead. I decided to go over to the precinct office at 8:00 a.m. When judge scott would be arriving. Judge scott came out and met me. We talked about several, makes sonic lodge, when suddenly I realized that I was running late for my next appointment. Ms. Betty williams contacted me and informed me of the date and time. I informed them at that time I was meeting with the Austin police monitor's office. We would have to go ahead and reschedule. I asked to speak with judge scott. She informed that the judge wasn't available for me to speak with, but he should be in the office on Monday. I was never called by mismrs.
>> [indiscernib mismrs.
>> [indiscernib le] Monday, Tuesday or wed. Eventually I was told that I would have to speak with mr. Hardy, this man hardy I recalled was on the board of directors for the
>> [indiscernible] school for the performing arts association with rodgers who hired me to teach social studies. We met while at huston tillotson university. I don't know if it's true or not but ms. Rogers stated to me that this man was judge scott's bother. The board of the
>> [indiscernible] school which mr. Hardy sat on ripped me off, it was a scam. I was talking over the phone telling him how I had been waiting for an appointment who also informed me how I resented some of the staff's rudeness and unprofessionalism. I also stated that I had known judge scott for over 35 years, we were in the masonic lodge. I could have sworn I heard this man snickering. I had others periodically snickering, also, that mr. Hardy was to contact judge scott and set an appointment for me. I never heard from him. Again I知 waiting for the rescheduled appointment. Again I decide to go over to the precinct office a block away from the precinct 1 on bandera
>> [indiscernible] keep in mind, I have other morning engagements. After waiting for five or more minutes, ms.
>> [indiscernible] comes to the window with attitude and sarcasm. I spoke to her I am tired of this rude and unprofessional behavior. This woman most arrogantly walked off from me. I continued to call her as she walked from me. She continued to ignore me --
>> [beeping] does that mean I知 through or an indication I知 nearing the end.
>> in you could wrap it up we would appreciate it.
>> I will do that, judge Biscoe. My point here is that if this is my precinct and I have a -- a domestic issue that is going on that does need some settling, okay, I don't exactly know where to go. I don't need to hire an attorney I don't think. I thought this could be resolved through judge scott's office. However, I do not get a chance to talk to judge scott because of the, as I stated rudeness and unprofessionalism in his office staff. However, to conclude and wrap this up, since judge scott they do have my telephone number, since I have given this newsletter which I知 going to leave with you judge Biscoe, I have not heard from judge scott, either. Again I did state that a rotten apple in this barrel. So I知 saying I didn't say judge scott, but at this point since I have not heard from judge scott I am throwing him in the barrel, also, okay. I will leave this with you, wrap this up.
>> [indiscernible] I知 getting up here.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>>
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> on this matter.
>> on the matter you talked about --
>>
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> I will call you anyway.
>> do that.
>> 5:00 today, mr. Lewis. 5:00 today.
>> all right.
>> thank you, mr. Lewis.
>> anybody else for citizens communication? Whether you signed in or not?
The Closed Caption log for this Commissioners Court agenda item is provided by Travis County Internet Services. Since this file is derived from the Closed Captions created during live cablecasts, there are occasional spelling and grammatical errors. This Closed Caption log is not an official record the Commissioners Court Meeting and cannot be relied on for official purposes. For official records please contact the County Clerk at (512) 854-4722.
Last Modified:
Wednesday, April 9, 2008 8:51 PM