Travis County Commissioners Court
December 30, 2008
Item 3
>> our next item is number 3. Number 3 is approve proclamation recognizing Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty for his many years of service to Travis County. Good morning.
>> good morning, judge. Thank you very much. I got the honor of reading this. They said it was because I'm senior. I'm not sure if it meant time and service with the county or by age, but I'm very proud to get to do this pore the Commissioner. Whereas Commissioner Gerald droughtry has served the citizens of Travis County precinct 3 since 2002. And whereas despite the fears of many that he would be a partisan republican blowhard, Commissioner Daugherty surprised them by being truly bipartisan judging issues on their merits, basing decisions on what was best for Travis County and soon earned everyone's respect for his plain speak and his straightforwardness. And whereas with an unmatchable energy level, he had thousands of meetings but always had time for the drop-by visitor. And the phone calls, oh, the phone calls. If not on his office phone, he is on his cell. And if you don't have his cell number, you are one of the few in Austin who doesn't. And whereas threadgill's was his unofficial lunch meeting location because it had what everyone wanted, adequate parking. Commissioner Daugherty actually used our public transportation system for several weeks to get to threadgill's, but found out that walking was quicker. And whereas we will all miss his never ending supply of chocolate and his personal candy delivery at halloween. And whereas through the many, many 4-1 votes on the court, Gerald always remained a real trooper and will always be a winner in our eyes. And whereas Gerald's nature is not to go quietly into the night, he does promise not to become a regular during citizens communication.
>> [laughter] and whereas during his six years in elected office in his numerous votes as county Commissioner and with everyone whom he had contact, Gerald always lived up to his motto: honest, straightforward leadership. Now therefore may his game of golf be as straightforward and may he keep it in the fair way so as to improve his handicapped. Signed and entered this 30th day of December, 2008.
>> move approval.
>> any other comments?
>> if anybody wants to see an anunedited version, you can come up to my office. Otherwise it's been a privilege to work for Commissioner Daugherty. Hopefully whoever I work for in the future would be as good a boss as he has been. Thanks.
>> I don't know if I can say anything without crying, but it's been a blast and I've enjoyed working with everybody at Travis County and Commissioner Daugherty has just been the best boss ever. And I put up with a lot of testosterone for the last four years and it's been fun, it's had its challenges and I'll miss Commissioner Daugherty.
>> Commissioner Daugherty, that's the computer department. You remember the computer. I can honestly tell you that we didn't ever get Gerald trained on that computer, did we? I don't think so. You probably didn't expect me to come and say anything this morning, but when someone's picture hangs in my study at home and they are leaving, I feel a need to say good-bye. Five years ago my son moved to heaven and when he did, the oak hill gazette had a huge picture of him on the front page. But they also are Gerald Daugherty and he was talking about toll roads. So I will always remember you, Commissioner. And I have wren you a letter and I'd like to read it to you because you will always be in my home. And every time I look at this document hanging in my study, I will think of Gerald Daugherty. Commissioner Daugherty: this hangs in our study and every time I look at it and think of my baby boy, I will also think of you. And all you did for Travis County. I respect you, I admire your integrity, character, personal concern for others and humor you brought to a very hard job. I will never forget when you put the capital metro shirt on. I don't know if everybody remembered that, but that cracked me up. I consider you a friend and will always remember seeing you standing at the back of the church on the hardest day of my life and I want you to know you brought me comfort and honor to have taken time to be with us that day. I will miss you and what you stand for here at Travis County. Thank you for your service, Gerald.
>> thank you.
>> [applause]
>> you do have a right to come to citizens communication, by the way. In spite of what the proclamation says. We'll miss you.
>> Gerald, let me say this to you. We have had our challenges, we've had our moments. We probably had a few shouting moments up here. But there's one thank I can say about you is that I respect you for your opinion, you've given me your opinion and I think I've given you mine. But you've always been able to come and shoot straight with me. I knew exactly where Gerald Daugherty was coming from. There's no surprises and it's been very exciting working with you and I will always respect you for what your position is and it's just been some challenging times for us. But you are a person that I think stands behind the things that you say, the things that you do, and I think that's about all you can ask of a person is where you stand on issues. Even though we don't agree on some of these issues, some things we agree on, sometimes you and I vote together and everybody votes against us. There's been that kind of votes. But I respect that from anybody to -- to -- to not waffle and not waiver, tell it like it is and shoot straight as these folks have just witnessed it and you have been a great asset to Travis County and you have given your all as far as service is concerned. I want you to know that and you know what I say I mean it from my heart, not from my head. And I say it just the way I feel it. And so I want you to take that with you and I wish you all the success in the world, as I've stated before to you in whatever endeavor you desire to go into, it's wide open. And I think you can be a great attribute to continue to serve in what happens capacity you like to serve in, I think you would be a great asset that there are capacity. I just want to let you know to go with that. Appreciate that, Gerald.
>> thank you.
>> and I certainly want to say good luck in the future. I learned a long time ago that it's real hard to make up your mind about how a person is going to be even if they are republican, and I think I've --
>> [laughter] I've served with two republicans that come -- you know, who come to mind, and I think you have been the most fun, though of those republicans I've known and served with on this court. But I learned a long time ago to suspend judgment of people who are out there. I think when I first heard of you, you were out there kind of railing against the rail. And -- and, you know, I didn't really have a -- that's all I knew about you, but I think once I met you it was a totally different experience of being able to -- you were accessible. You had a sense of humor and those are all good things to have when you are an elected official. And so it was great to get to know you in person and to work with you. So call any time. Call any time. My phone is always open.
>> thank you.
>> Gerald, I'll give you the last word, I know that's unusual.
>> [laughter] but I wanted to say this. Although we disagree a lot of the time, where we agree you have been my best ally. And where we disagree, you have taught me more than I could possibly imagine. You've made me more broad-minded than I would otherwise be. You've also made me more liberal. And I will miss you a tremendous amount. But I'll pick up the phone and say what do you think about this? What's your opinion on this? You are my touchstone.
>> this praise kind of makes me want to leave, Gerald.
>> well, judge, it's really easy, just stick a "r" by your name.
>> we'll miss you.
>> let me say a couple things. First of all, to my staff, I couldn't have had a better staff. I mean people that were willing to always stand in there for me and people that I knew that if people came in to see me and the staff were the ones there only that day, that I was okay with that because serving to me is the noblist thing that anybody can do. Most of the people in this room have heard me say it's the hardest job I have ever had. And I've had some pretty tough jobs because I didn't grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth and I have worked hard for everything that I have had or that I have. And I will tell you that I admire people that are willing to serve because what you find is that you really can't make a decision that somebody is not willing to blast you over. You can make the best decision that you -- that you can or that you think that you can only to find out that it's not good enough for folks. And so that is the reason that this particular industry is so, so difficult, and I really admire -- and you are right, Commissioner Davis, when you differ, I learned the first day when I came six years ago that what you needed to do is you needed to find a way to be different, but yet still workable. And I think that all of us, you know, are true to our beliefs. I mean, you know, you Commissioner Davis, you and I probably are the farthest apart on this court on most subject matters, but I've said to a lot of folks, I mean he's honest the way that he feels and he works for the folks in his precinct, and everyone does. And I understand that. That's the reason it made it so easy for me to come and to do this job, and that's -- that really is what we're here for is to do the job for the folks. I've had a great six years. I've had six years longer than I thought I would ever have. You know, when you are a little bit of the bent that I am in this community, I realize that, you know, that I'm a little out of step. I'm fortunate to have had six years of elected office. Hopefully people have seen that I am more concerned about moving the ball forward and doing the right thing than what some people would, you know, personally want. But that's how it works and I think that we all ought to be proud of the fact that there are people that are willing to do this and there will continue to be people willing to do it, which is the great part about our country. I think we are in some challenging times and I will tell you it's time for everybody in this country to get at the end of the rope to pull. I mean regardless of what political persuasion you are, I mean this is a great nation, this is a great country. This is a great community. But we all need to recognize that we need to be on the pulling side of the rope. I'm not going to stop pulling. I'm probably going to try to fade, if I can, into just being one of the everyday folks. The thing that I look forward to the most, and this is probably something that I probably will not get a lot of people used to and that is that you don't have to call me Commissioner after today. For six years I've not been used to being called something other than Gerald and I hope that when we see each other after today that it is Gerald. Thank you all for working with me. Thank you all for caring enough to do a great job for people in this community because Travis County does a great job for it is a good bang for the buck in this community. What county government does. And I know that I leave, you know, a very capable group of people. Commissioner-elect huber I am confident will do a good job for precinct 3, and where I can help her, I want her to know that I will do my darnedest to do that. Judy, bless your heart, I know those weren't easy wards but you have always been a wonderful friend and you know I feel the same about you. Lastly, let me tell you, when I first took this gig, I really thought that I was going to have a difficult time working with Sam Biscoe. Because Sam and I had a little history before.
>> [laughter] before I took office. But it wasn't very long that I realized that -- that judge, I do call him Sam sometimes on the golf course when we're playing, I realized how outstanding a leader he is and I'm sure will continue to be. Judge, I really, I've learned so much from you. You know, somewhere we need to meld your patience and mine willing to pull the trigger on things. I mean there's a happy medium there somewhere. It probably is a lot closer to your side than mine because it's never taken me very long to look at a horseshoe, but I want you to know under your leadership, I have really learned a great deal. I appreciate the time and the patience that you've always -- I've never walked in your office that you weren't willing to say sure, come on in. I know that you were buried on your e-mail or all the obligations that you have. You are not only a heck of an elected official, but I consider you to be, you know, a good friend. I will continue to set up some golf so we can play, but I just want you to know how much I appreciate everything that you have been to this court and to me. I will leave probably at lunch today and other than sticking my head in the door, I'm not going to start trying to say thanks to everybody because it's kind of like making that wedding list. Boy, unless you just keep it to family, you are fixing to get yourself in trouble because you are going to not put somebody on the list that you needed. So just suffice it to say that to each and every person that I have crossed paths with in this six years, I sincerely appreciate everything that you have done for me. God bless all of you and I'll look forward to sharing the rest of this community with everybody from now to the day that I die. Thank you very much.
>> let's give Gerald Daugherty a big round of applause.
>> [applause]
>> thank you all.
>> thank you, Commissioner.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 2:27 PM