Travis County Commissioners Court
May 27, 2008
Item 21
21 is to consider and take appropriate action on recommendations received from the Travis County historical commission for naming the county buildings at 8656 state highway 71. >> morning, judge, Commissioners, I知 shaun malone, administrative operations. In your agenda backup you will find exhibit 1, the letter from the historical commission, and it's this document that summarizes their findings and recommendations, and at this point in the process, that per the policy you have in front of you, it be your opportunity to consider and take appropriate on the recommendations you receive from the historical commission.
>> judge, let me bring up forest priest, forest, why don't you come up? Forest priest has sort of led the charge, so to speak, along with a number of other folks that brought this thing to me back in March. And obviously this thing started over a year and a half ago whenever we named the precinct 4 building after mr. Ramirez --
>> martinez.
>> I知 sorry, martinez. And at that time I think we saw that there were a number of folks that really wanted the same recognition. And it has kind of gotten so far along that it was probably easier to name the precinct 4 building after mr. Martinez. And this court did that. When forest had called and asked what I would think about finding another location for -- at least the remaining or a number of the folks -- there probably are more people than there are even on the list, but these are the people that are on the list that we can identify that we know that had some relationship with the sniper shooting back in '66.
>> right. And officer martinez's name is on the plaque. We're being all inclusive here.
>> and I really appreciate that. It was interesting that the commission didn't really have a problem with this, although the commission, I don't know whether they inadvertently just didn't look at what our recommendation was with the towers hero building.
>> they did. We made our presentation and they immediately gave a unanimous vote backing us up on this thing, but one well meaning Commissioner said, well, should we call it the u.t. Tower heros building because it's going to differentiate it from the 911 incident? Well, I wish I had spoken up then. All the way home I was worrying about how this was going -- if we get u.t. Involved in this, they're very protective of the term u.t. As we all know, and from the university of Texas. So I did take it up with the president's office at u.t. Bill powers did call me back and he was very nice about it. He said it involved some legal issues they have about licensing. He took it before his vice-president's council last Wednesday. Late Thursday last week I got a call back from his executive assistant and they basically said, I値l quote, they concluded in order for you to use the u.t. Name you would have to be licensed. That could be done, but it would result in strict conditions that would have to be met as long as the license was in effect. There's also some discussion about whether there would be confusion as to whether the building was u.t. Building. And then the names below that do not use u.t. Or the university of Texas and what would be okay. So if we go with tower heros building everybody is hope, is the bottom line. Everybody is happy is the bottom line. So the historic commission has blessed the situation.
>> so the historical commission has for issue --
>>
>> [overlapping speakers].
>> they said let's put this to a vote, unanimous, the whole bit. But then the question of the u.t. Naming came up, so -- we just call it the tower heroes building that we said in the first place, everything is fine on all sides.
>> and shaun state of Texas this take -- in the event we get to take court action today, is that really the last of what we would have to do with this? Then it's just a matter of setting the ceremonial -- the court or myself working with forest and the folks associated with this, would this be the final action that we would need to take if the court were to bless this today?
>> if all you want to do is name the building, yes.
>> what about the other two recommendations.
>> right. The thing is that they're twin buildings. They're both the same size. We're fine with just getting one side. The b side is the one we would -- I think it would be most appropriate because it has law enforcement personnel in it. The other side has health services personnel. Since most of the people on this plaque are, were police officers or d.p.s. Officers and so on, it would be most proposal appropriate for them to be on the law enforcement side, which is the b side.
>> and I know that judge steed, Commissioner, was the one that had brought the name van richards, and the Commissioners said perhaps building a would be that and if there's energy to do that say thing like forest and they have done with this building, but this one is specifically the b building.
>> and shaun, I guess my only question is since this has already gone through the historical commission, we wouldn't have to go back through that process again to take action on the complex and then the building a. Right? They've already made a recommendation on that, so we can come back and do those later. Well, I知 ready to second your recommendation to name that building.
>> judge, I know that you traditionally have had a little bit of an issue with a building naming. I mean, I really do think that this is very appropriate. I知 amaze that had we haven't had this recognition for this group of people way before now, but I do think that it's very appropriate, so I would move approval of that, but I certainly would always like to defer to your opinions.
>> I don't have any problem with it.
>> first and a second.
>> okay. So the motion is the --
>> renaming the building the towers hero building. I will work with alicia's office and work with forest and his group to make sure that the court knows what day we're going to put the ceremony and procedurally go through it.
>> any more discussion of that motion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you for your work.
>> do we plan to move on the other parts of this? Normally you would contact family of an honorree to make sure it's all right with them. I do know that governor richards' family is here and active, so my recommendation would be that we at least touch base with them before we acted on that. I don't have any problem with it.
>> judge, I think we probably -- I知 happy to contact judge steeg and ask her if she wants to bring this thing forward in the same process we've done with this. I think we probably have probably short-circuited the deal given the fact that we've already gotten the historical commission's opinions and ideas on this thing, but I think we ought to ask judge steeg if she wants to do it.
>> and if she is making the recommendation for the precinct emergency workers, I値l touch base with her on that.
>> I値l let everybody know.
>> we'll have this back on at the appropriate time in the future.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 8:51 PM