Travis County Commissioners Court
March 31, 2009,
Item 4
>> item no.
4 to approve resolution dedicating the travis state jail visitation center to the Texas department of criminal justice.
it reads whereas the 73rd Texas legislature passed senate bill 1067 creating fourth degree felony offenses and state operated jail facilities for persons convicted of such offenses, whereas the Travis County Commissioners court was instrumental in having a state jail built in our community to ensure those convicted were kept connected to their community and families, whereas the travis state jail was built in 1995 and became operational in 1997.
whereas the Travis County community justice center advisory committee was established in sent 1995, the function of the committee is to serve as an advisory capacity to the Travis County Commissioners court, the Texas department of criminal justice, the community justice council and the community and has supported the development of the visitation center for family member.
whereas the Travis County Commissioners court has supported the Texas department of criminal justice for its investment for offenders in our communities and their families by continuing to fund transitional programs and services for offenders incarcerated at the travis state jail, whereas the Travis County Commissioners court realized the need for families to have a safe place to gather while awaiting visitation time at the travis state jail; whereas the Travis County Commissioners court, working with and through the Travis County housing finance corporation, has provided funding to construct a visitation center at the travis state jail, whereas the visitation center will provide family members and friends of incarcerated offenders a place to congregate and preserve family bonds in an environment which promotes dignity, protection from the natural elements and provides enrichment and diversion for the children of these offenders and whereas the visitation center will almost -- will also host community group meetings, volunteer trains and after care meetings, now there therefore be it resolved that we the Travis County Commissioners court do hereby dedicate the visitation center at the travis state jail to the Texas department of criminal justice on this 3rd day of April, 2009, and I move approval.
>> second.
>> good morning.
>> first of all, I think this project has been a long time coming.
thanks to a lot of folks.
certainly the Commissioners court and judge Biscoe, the Texas department of criminal justice facilities management, roger el khoury and jim barr, kimberly pierce and cindy with the criminal justice planning department.
folks at the community justice center advisory council have been an instrumental part, probably leaving somebody out.
a lot of thanks go to a lot of folks.
the housing finance corporation of course who provided the funding.
a lot of things go to a lot of folks for an initiative that's going to benefit the families of Travis County that have relatives out at the travis state jail.
going to be a great thing.
>> great.
>> looks good.
i had a chance to get out and -- and tour the facility.
extensively.
before -- before -- before its dedication and of course I think all of us kind of realized that it was something that really was desperately needed.
i can remember a time that we may have gone out in different occasions out in -- out whether it be talking to the -- to some of the inmates who were maybe going to be transitioned back into the community, the graduation classes and things of that nature.
and as -- the weather may have been inclement outdoors and it was really a hardship on those who wanted to visit their loved ones.
i think all of us who have gone out there have seen those persons that have persons incarcerated within the defines of the cdc really experience hardship because those loved ones regardless of what it was they have to endure the inclement weather, really an inconvenience, really a big deal.
so the judge in his leadership along with a lot of others here on this Commissioners court I think welcomed and really embraced this project overall because it's really been something very well needed and I think the community will applaud the effort that Travis County is doing here.
through the direction of our judge, of course.
and his foresight and also the -- the need, especially for you out there experiencing, you actually saw -- you could actually see the need that was really -- that was really there.
thank goodness we were able to address it and take care of it.
i just think the commune is really going to applaud Travis County for -- for having the foresight to do something like this.
and also those in cooperation with Travis County.
>> any additional comments?
>> there's a ceremony at 3:00 on Friday, so please stop by.
>> for those wondering what's going on, since the facility opened those who presented to visit offenders confined there had to wait in the parking lot or the car.
and on bad weather days it really was especially burdensome.
and we looked at other communities and I guess a handful of them had constructed visitation centers and so we committed to try to get it done ourselves and it been like a four or five-year project.
but part of our commitment to the state was that we would build a facility and basically dedicate it to the state and the state would assume responsibility for -- for expenses associated with operating it and providing security thereafter.
so it's been a good partnership and probably will be a -- Friday will be a big day for us.
we want to thank our advisory committee for their patience.
these things don't happen overnight.
this ended up costing a little bit more than what, $270,000?
>> something like this.
>> 280.
>> how much?
>> 280.
>> 80, yeah.
>> 280.
next time I say 275, that's close enough mr.
roger el khoury.
>> [laughter]
>> okay.
>> you know --
>> but --
>> [multiple voices]
>> going to out bid you.
>> out bid you.
>> in addition to sitting and a place to wait, there will be educational materials for kids.
>> right.
>> and when we put the concept of the facility together, what we wanted to do was to keep the families connected to the confinees during incarceration and we have done a pretty good job of that.
hopefully with a better place to wait.
>> yeah.
>> it will be even better.
>> yeah.
>> the other thing is -- I've got my final point -- I have forgotten my final point.
it really was important.
i will give it on Friday.
>> anything else?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you all.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, March 24, 2009 1:42 PM