Travis County Commissioners Court
February 24, 2009,
Citizens Communication
Some residents may have come down mistakenly today thinking that a public hearing had been scheduled on another matter.
but by law we cannot consider items that are not on the agenda.
however, by law, any resident has an opportunity to address the Commissioners court for up to three minutes under citizens communication, which comes up next.
so if you are here on an item not on the agenda and wish to address the court for up to three minutes, you can do so under citizens communication.
>> judge?
>> yes, sir.
>> before we go into that phase of the citizen communication, at this time I would like to maybe have a moment of silence for chief dan richards with the sheriff's office who passed, and if you will allow me to do that, I'd like to have a moment of silence at this time for dan richard's family.
so at this time, let us have a moment of silence.
amen.
>> thank you.
chief richards was the number two sheriff for many many years at travis account and was in an auto accident about ten days ago and basically expired Saturday or Sunday.
we did fly the county flags at half mast yesterday, in honor of his service to the county and passing on.
citizen's communication is next.
this item gives residents an opportunity to address the court on any matter not on the agenda.
gus pania has signed in number one.
number two is gwendeloyn wanda berger.
she will be second.
>> good morning, junk.
gus penian again.
my family would like to extend con dolances to the richards family.
i served as bailiff here and left when I ran for elected office.
our condolences to the family.
chief deputy was a very good man.
well, veterans upon discharge from military service are requesting reentry counseling and program to request reintegrating to civilian life.
this has been a focal point of the issues we discussed with the chief of staff of the current and new secretary of energy affairs and also are the hud secretary.
we're supposed to formalize a meeting in Austin with the chiefs of staff of hud and also the veterans affairs.
i don't know the logistics having too big for us.
we're asking assistance from their office to formulate here in Austin, and of course you all will be invited to attend if you want to participate.
i see an increase of veterans seeking assistance.
i personally see an increase of veterans seeking assistance at Travis County, not only for assistance but information on housing, employment, social service and other needs.
i know it's been voiced by many people also, the veterans receiving assistance, job we will down to the veterans service office, olly pope, susan james and others currently serving the veterans needs.
i see veterans going in there distraught but coming out with hope.
and these folks are doing a job well done.
a lot of people don't recognize.
but us veterans are the hidden population out there in the community.
and please continue to recognize them.
unemployment is higher than what is stated.
you remember I have been telling you this for many years and the city council also, article in the Sunday paper stated this briefly, recently the countries's official jobless rate stood at the largest propose in 16 years.
unofficially the rate may be as high as 17.5 percent according to some ec con mists.
not enough jobs are going around.
job layoffs?
austin and it's going to get worse.
del valle little league I'm sure you saw in the immediate yarks I understand we're in a tough economic situation but these are kids.
some of the families can't afford to pay the little league fees.
please, if they are saying waive, you all have good hearts, especially you, judge, if you can find a way not to implement the higher fees.
we would appreciate because a lot of families can't afford it.
they are close to losing their jobs also and have lost their jobs, not employed.
please f you can find some mediation for the little league over there in del valle.
you know, it's in the good.
in these bad economic times to raise the rate.
anyway, please continue to ensure youth programs, summer job programs are fully funded for youth and senior citizens.
men torse and tonighters, please con tear if--tooter, please vom tear if you have time.
especially math, all get bra and others.
thank you very much for your time and god bless you all.
>> thank you.
miswana berger is next and she will be followed by bob pope.
ms.
wan berger.
yes.
your full name, please.
we'll be happy to get your comments.
>> I can't hear you.
>> your full name and then we'll be happy to get your comments.
>> gwendolyn wana berger.
>> what would you like to tell us today?
>> I'd like to complain about the dogs killed all our livestock a couple nights ago.
we live just about a mile from bob pope where he experienced the same thing.
and this is the third time that we have had it happen.
they called my llamas, I paid 12,000 a piece.
they killed two of them.
and tore the other one up where we can never use her for breeding and then killed the baby.
i turned 5,000 down for her and they killed her right outside the house.
all my sheep and goats are raised by hand on bottles, all laying dead out there.
they ran them in water down there and they drown the-- drowned.
so mr.
pope brought us down, he thought it's time, after it all happened right after his, he thought it's the best time to come down and le people know what we are experiencing too.
killed all the chickens.
we had geese on the tank.
they catch them off the water and kill the geese.
chickens, ducks tore the cow's ears off, their tail, the partition out of the nose, get a big dog, right by the nose and tear it right out.
>> thank you so much.
this is unacceptable.
and I want you to know that we, upwards of 30 animals have been rounded up since mr.
pope's incident.
but obviously, the problem is not solved and we continue to work on et ap we'll see that it gets addressed.
>> we have been living there over 50 years on Lakeway there when we went there.
i was born and raised up the road.
we watch them build down there, I've been there forever.
my father and mother, all my folks, farmers and ranchers, that's what we did.
now, people came in with their dogs,children and cats and are just taken over.
>> I'm so sorry.
we will find a resolution.
>> we'll see if we can do more.
>> sir?
>> we'll try to do more.
>> oh, yeah.
>> they picked up 25 or 30.
>> right.
>> apparently, did they let them go?
we'll try to work with them.
they put together a little coalition so that the jurisdictional boundaries wouldn't matter.
we'll try to pick up the pace.
mr.
pope.
>> is that it?
>> yes, ma'am.
thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners.
>> good morning.
>> I have nothing further to report.
we haven't had an attack at our place since the last one.
but I found out about joe and gwendolyn's stuff last night and I thought it would be good if we maybe came in and reiterated there's still a problem going on in the county out there.
i still see a dog coming up the road by my place every day with a guy on a bicycle not on a leash, coming right out of the county going right into the city.
i'm not trying to pick on him particularly.
he is trying, tries to have it under voice command but it is not on a leash.
so the issue, I wish somebody staying at my place 24 hours a day with shut guns loaded still, and it's, we hear dogs barking through the night.
you know, you don't know whether they are, you know, in people's yards or not.
but my sons have walked all through the neighborhood.
there are certain four-foot fences with big dogs behind them, they would probably jump the fence at night and leave.
who knows.
but it's still, the dog issue is still a major issue.
i think it's just a matter of time until we get hit again.
we're doing everything in our power to try not to.
appreciate anything that the county and the city can do.
>> did the animal health people know about the last attack?
>> no, probably not.
>> kay, but if i--
>> we just met sherry downstairs earlier, though.
>> if they were to go out today, they could see the damage?
>> oh, yeah.
their animals are still sprauled out all over the place.
>> sherry, we need to make sure they go out and take a good look-see.
these are dogs traveling in packs?
>> people keep saying feral dogs.
they are getting fed somewhere.
if they are truly feral they would be lean body dogs.
they wouldn't be big fat dogs.
animal control said they found four loose down from my place.
went to the house and they said it was the next house.
they went to that house and they said it belonged to them.
nobody would take ownership of them.
>> uh-huh.
>> did they peck up those dogs?
do you know?
>> he said he didn't.
i don't know really why.
i asked him if he shot him.
he said no, he didn't shoot them.
so, it's a tremendous problem.
anyway, appreciate all that you guys can do to help us out on that.
>> we'll try to do more.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> anybody else for citizens communication, whether you signed in or not.
that's to address the court on any matter not on the agenda.
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:
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 2:17 PM