Travis County Commissioners Court
August 4, 2009,
Citizens Communication
Citizens communication is next.
this gives residents an opportunity to address the court on any matter not on the agenda.
for up to three minutes.
gus pena is first.
he'll be followed by richard mcdonald.
who will be followed by dolores espacio.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, gus pena, I will make it sweet and simple and short because I have to take off for the veterans office.
h 1 n 1 squall line flu is not a-- swine flu is not abating.
we need to do a more aggressive outreach to the school folks, parameters, what to do to prevent and/or avert swine flu.
it is a continual problem nation-wide and worldwide.
as such we should have our people here in Austin Travis County health and human services continue to educate the people of what we're going to do.
we're going to get hit in the flu season, be prepared.
please be proactive and not have to be reactive, the reaction to the situation.
fans for family elder care to be distributed to elderly, poor people with disabilities and illness without air conditioning.
august is predicted to be an even hotter month than July.
please donate fans or money to family elder care, you have their phone number give them a call.
capital metro still having problems with the metro rail.
it's not cost effective.
Commissioner Gomez, I address you because you're the president of the board, the chair of the board.
you need to be more aggressive with mr.
fred gillian.
in my opinion and other people's opinion, mr.
gillian needs to resign.
mismanagement of funding, mismanagement of funding.
i'm a former federal investigator.
if I have to do it I will bring the f.b.i.
in again like I did last time.
we need an independent outside audit on capital metro.
it is not doing its job.
top management not doing it's job.
bottom line is you as the board needs to be more aggressive.
get rid of him and the cfo.
erroneous information, it's not right.
>> school students, help sponsor a student.
people here, also people on tv, poor kids families need help to clothe and have shoes for the kids to attend school.
please, please, if you can, adopt a student.
it's very important to clothe them.
shoes for the kids, a lot of people don't have money, they're not employed.
please donate to whomever.
military veterans, show them your support.
they are out there in harm's way and their families are struggling as we speak.
they need ptsd treatment.
for those of you who don't know what that is, post-traumatic stress disorder.
something we had in vietnam also, heavily.
job training, reentry counseling, affordable housing.
a lot of them coming back and losing their homes.
judge and Commissioners, item no.
3, I will say, I know that I'm not going to speak on the issue, but item no.
23, consider and take appropriate action of host agency agreement.
please renew the agreement.
this is a good initiative, positive and productive for the community.
also, item last, I've been telling you about the need for more mhmr funding, the paper states the depression seen in children as young as three, bipolar affliction, anger management.
in kids as young as three years old.
we need to do a better job to have more funding for mhmr treatment and education, thank you all very much.
i have run out of time.
have a good day.
>> mcdonald.
with a -- would the following two people in addition come.
dolores
>> [indiscernible] and -- maria hernandez.
we need those two to come forth at this time in order to enable us to officially go through the list of folk who signed in.
ms.
esfacio and hernandez.
>> good mortgage, my name is -- good morning, my name is richard mcdonald.
kay to thank Commissioner Davis and the rest of the county for hosting a community meeting last Wednesday out at the east Travis County service center.
this was a chance for the community to voice their concerns and questions about the proposed txi gravel mine that is being proposed for our neighborhood.
here's a map down below that shows the project surrounded by residential, proposed residential, approved residential and working agricultural areas.
there's about 800-acres of pecans down there.
the Travis County service center was packed.
there was probably 180 people there.
overwhelming -- I would say overwhelmingly, but -- I don't know the words here, but nobody that attended was for the project.
we took some questionnaires for a chance for people to sign and state their concerns and stuff.
102 were against the project, 0 were for the project.
but I was wondering if information like this can go into the reviewer's packet?
i don't know if there's a place for that.
anyway, thank for hosting the meeting.
i hope it wasn't too much abuse thrown on the staff, but there was a lot of upset, angry people.
the only other thing that I wanted to talk about was you are proclaiming Friday as Travis County history day and I was going to tell a little bit about the history of this area, but I found out outside when I looked at your map, you have a little map of Austin's little colony and the james gillian grant signed in 1832 to mr.
gillian.
that's pretty much where the gravel pit mine is going to be.
his family cemetery is in the middle of it.
so ...
anyway, like I said about your map, you already know how valuable historically that area is.
so that's all that I have to say.
>> thank you, mr.
mcdonald.
would you like to leave those with us?
>> I actually am still taking information.
>> okay.
>> my question was can I or will they be considered or --
>> yes, sir.
>> the packet as far as public opinion, is there a place for that?
>> we'll call that the precinct 1 Commissioner's office, Commissioner Davis.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
and would lesliemgkn7cdac;eni]a come forward.
>> thank you, judge.
Commissioners.
my name is dolores, I have lived in this county for 25 years in precinct 2.
last time I approached this dais was 15 years ago.
when the county -- judge alshire decided to have executive management style.
i approached this$?
years and asked it to be inclusive of all Travis County.
why I'm here this morning, not only speaking on myc behalf, many voices are here, in both languages, english and spanish have been approached by the community on the motion given last Tuesday.
for the executive director alicia perez.
it was described as an outstanding valued employee as I recall correctly.
over 32 years of experience in public service.
15 of them she's been working in this court.
i -- I was numb in a way that is -- undeserving.
the work speaks for itself.
judging on the support shown this morning hereio.
i think this court and this county would be a progressive county.
after the motion comes and goes, Commissioner Davis was not part of this motion.
we were actually -- the -- the word
>> [inaudible - no mic], we believe as a community that the -- that it was undeserving, again, I said.
i believe that -- that the representation of her work and public service in this county to judge anyone working back towards you, working -- coming to you as -- working by you, with you, for you.
as being judged by the work that is shown.
compassion shown for those that work under her.
the character to be judged on this court not by the color of skin.
i'm really, really, let's hope that as citizens of this county, when I tell every one of you one day, stand the relationship and part our separate words for the both of us.
let's hope that the county and citizens of this county one day will give
>> [indiscernible] those words.
my position this morning is to restate ms.
alicia perez as a person that is serving -- serving this dais or this Commissioners court, to my words, very deserving to be here.
thank you.
>> thank you.
ms.
hernandez is next.
>> [ applause ] she'll be followed by beverly.
>> good morning, judge and Commissioners, I'm maria
>> [indiscernible] I work for the Travis County
>> [indiscernible] department operations division.
i have been with its for 15 years.
>> [microphone problems]
>> I'm here on behalf of alicia perez.
i was part of a group that approached alicia with an idea that we could create a web application that would allow county employees to sign up for health benefits from their desk tops, from their home over the internet.
she gave us the resources to make our project successful.
because of the success of the project today there are many more applications that have increased efficiencies throughout Travis County departments.
in my experience, alicia has been very approachable, always willing to listen, a compassionate person.
her dedication has allowed us the opportunity to get the additional resources we so desperately have needed in its to support the ever growing technological needs of the Travis County departments.
it is my hope that we keep alicia perez as our executive manager.
thank you for your time, judge and Commissioners.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ] ms.
almanza is next, with courtney enriques.
>> I'm leslie, almazon.
i'm here on behalf of alicia perez, also, my mom that worked with her for 14 years now, I have been up here plenty of times, I basically live here with my kids.
i just want to say she is -- my mom talks about her all the time, how dedicated she is to Travis County.
how, you know, she's made her job easy and wanting to come to work because of the boss she has and has brought her forward as a good worker herself.
how much she loved working for alicia perez.
so I just am here to say reasign alicia perez and bring her back as an executive manager.
thank you.
>> thank you, ms.
manual is next.
would ronniereeferseed please come forward.
>> judge Biscoe, Commissioners, I'm here also to speak on behalf of alicia perez.
i have been a renter of the horse barn at the Travis County expo center for over 20 years.
i have had occasion to come to ms.
perez to resolve problems with that facility and to look at the future of the future and would like to say I have never met anyone who was able to both listen to the problems of the individuals and keep the best interests of the county in mind at all times.
and to look at a problem from all sides and to make the people involved feel like they were all heard and were dealt with, with integrity.
it's impossible for me to imagine how it could be to the benefit of the county to lose her services.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>>
>> [ applause ]
>> you are ms.
enriquez.
ronnie reeferseed should be at the table.
>> my name is courtney, I vote in precinct 4, I'm part of the govalle johnson neighborhood planning team.
i'm very active in the community.
i have known alicia perez for many years, I have done community work with her, she's a close family friend of mine and I'm very disappointed in your decision that you made last week.
i think she was wrongfully terminated and I think that you should be mindful in how you handle this, because we are watching you, thank you.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ] mr.
reeferseed is next.
last call for dottie
>> [indiscernible]
>> good morning, ronnie reeferseed.
singing yippee and yay alicia perez.
every day obama is more -- also the name of alex jones earth shattering film that you get a copy from www.infowars.com and listen on local radio here in Austin.
the truth about the ongoing obama deception is obvious to anyone who has -- is half awake and bothers to notice it.
every reason to hope for the man isa for example the administration pulled over robert gates last week announced by golly, let's throw away another 20,000 plus troops in are ongoing fiscal fiasco in afghanistan because we are still looking for bin laden who was really an asset for our own
>> [indiscernible] community as was revealed by one of our own translators last week, not to mention obama's chief science advisor who wrote the administration shattering textbook eco science in which he reveals their ongoing scheme to sterilize and kill everyone through tainted vaccines, say no to that.
save us all from forever mutating h 1 n 1 virus, the swine flu is really a concoction being sold as a deadly virus, the problem is, it's only a weak man made virus that hardly kills anyone.
unlike our regular common yearly flu that really kills tens of thousands of americas each flu season in the united states.
just saying no to keep our own representative lloyd doggett is -- as doggett's usual gang of supporters, booed him off stage this last weekend.
just like build a burger governor rick perry and stooge cornyn were booed off at the last tea party right here in the state capitol.
people are waking up to the ongoing tyranny in groves.
alex jones, the obama deception dissolves that false left-right paradigm, that delusion that either party really gives us leadership on anything in reality both parties through bush and obama are just exercising schemerships since both parties are just stooges to the bankster criminals who rule our world.
we are almost all against these criminal bankster bailouts, but they just do it anyway, like those -- like their idiotic war on pot smokers.
don't forget that's over half a million violent non-marijuana enthusiasts not rotting behind bars, despite 75% of voters nationwide want legalization of marijuana.
help conserve topsoil, family farms, absolute freedom for farmers to grow hemp and marijuana that benefits everyone 7 except organized crime thugs, like obama, he was going to stop our drug war wasn't he.
read online for more truth about peace, freedom other related topics.
it will blow your mind, american free press.net.
>> thank you.
>>
>> [indiscernible]
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> you are --?
>> > anne ramos.
>> I'm sorry.
>> yes.
>> she's here in support of what the others are saying.
ms.
ramos is next.
paul saldana please come forward and raul --
>> [indiscernible]
>> okay.
>> ms.
ramos?
>> okay.
my name is anne ramos, I've been working with Travis County for 11 years.
and I -- I had been called to work with alicia on several occasions when -- I have never seen anything but professionalism from alicia.
i know that she is a very dedicated Travis County employee.
she gave it her all.
i know that for a fact.
i have never seen anything but professionalism from her.
and I think she was wrongfully terminated, also.
i think she should be reinstated.
>> [ applause ]
>> thank you.
>> good morning, all paul saldana, I'm here to express my support of alicia perez and expression my -- ms.
perez is actively involved in the Austin Travis County community for nearly 20 years.
during her previous tenure as the only latina to serve as assistant city manager for the city of Austin, she played a significant role of the icma Austin hispanic network that continues to serve as a professional development organization for the city of Austin's hispanic latino exploratory committees.
i proudly support ms.
perez and I thought it was incumbent upon me to speak publicly in support of her distinguished service to our community.
as you know the hispanic community represents a large portion of the population in Travis County.
totaling nearly 500,000 in number.
our community is evenly distributed throughout the county and we hold each of you as elected officials and public policy makers equally responsible for enhancing our quality of life opportunities.
while many of us don't know the particulars of your recent decision to terminate the employment of ms.
perez, we do know that the recent action of the court is a precedent and creates perception issues of political post you aring -- posturing and micromanaging.
we hold each of you accountable as elected officials and respectfully request that the focus is on policy issues rather than the duties of the appointed management responsibilities of the ask the executive managers and department heads.
i would also respectfully request that the court raise your visibility of commitment to diversity, job classification, race, gender, at minimum these reports should be made publicly to the court on a quarterly basis and made readily available on the two county residents on the county government website.
it's my understanding that the county currently employs about 4,000 employees yet lacks diversity in the total number of minority department heads.
four out of the current managers are four anglo men, one african-american woman and now zero hispanic representation.
with the hrd position, the court has an opportunity to ensure that at minimum diversity
>> [indiscernible] be considered for these important positions.
ms.
perez's knowledge and historical perspective of local government and its bureaucracy will be sorely missed.
her effective communication on behalf of many spanish speaking county residents and employees will be difficult to replace.
>> [indiscernible], let me conclude while the court voted to terminate the employment of ms.
perez, it is my hope that you will fairly and objectively honor her 15 years of public service to the residents of Austin Travis County and that you provide her a just compensation package.
your consideration is greatly appreciated.
>> thank you.
>>
>> [ applause ]
>> mr.
zambrano is next, could lupe
>> [indiscernible] please come forward.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners.
i'm a resident of precinct 2.
i'm here to second mr.
saldana's comments and to show my support for ms.
alicia perez and suppress my deep disappointment with the court's decision to recently terminate ms.
perez, thank you all.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ] deanna casteneda please come forward.
mr.
ramos.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners.
my name is rob ramos, I am a Travis County grounds keeper, civil riser, I was shocked and am still shocked and disappointed when I heard that the executive manage of administrative operations, alicia perez, had been dismissed.
after 15 years of service with Travis County, we all know her as a hard working person that treated her employees with dignity and respect and when I first came here I had absolutely no idea on a lot of grounds keeping duties, flowers, plants, stuff like that.
she instilled in me and adult me stuff like that -- taught me stuff like that.
stuff out there is because of her.
as far as her duties, she helped us get raises, always said that she was proud of being part of the Travis County team.
we knew that we could go up to her and discuss her work, our work, benefits, anything else.
she always returned our calls, treating people fairly isn't hard.
following the golden rule is a good start.
i try to follow it.
i know my co-workers are equally committed to fairness.
when we see one of our own, an important one of our own ushered out in the dead of night, we have to wonder will we be dropped on a half day's notice.
i fully understand my responsibilities of employment with Travis County.
everyone who works here does or should.
the employee manual details that we should perform our duties, but like any other organization, we also follow the examples set forth by our leadership.
we look for them for examples of how to conduct our lives with integrity, honesty.
like the former leader, we listen and assist taxpayers and employees alike.
i value my job and understand that everyone is not as fortunate as I am.
i will continue to strive to give Travis County taxpayers the best value and employment I could offer.
having said that, I have to wonder if I work hard, do my job, treat people with dignity and respect will i, too, some day after a hard day's work have mere hours to clean out my desk?
please remember that we are all human beings and americans and all people should be treated with dignity and respect.
some exploratory committees are afraid if -- some employees are afraid in alicia was treated that way, how will we be treated?
please remember that compassion and respect is a central all of us uphold.
we miss having alicia perez around.
thank you for your time, Commissioners.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>> ms.
morgan.
thank you judge and commissions.
i'm lupe maureen.
i have spent 15 years with the Travis County.
>> [indiscernible], I'm here today to tell you that I'm not disappointed but absolutely disgusted with the Commissioners court action against alicia perez.
direct report to you.
as said already, alicia has served the ask the for 15 -- served the county for 15 years and the Austin community for over 25.
she not only has complete dedication that's been mentioned already to the county, an outstanding professional in her business, respected by the county employees and city employees of which I'm one.
and most of all, has had absolutely outstanding performance reviews for the last 15 years.
okay.
so when you are an executive management position having been in that role, you are not in a popularity contest here.
you are in a position to gain respect and be -- treat people equitiably and get the job done, results done.
one thing that we have heard today and known of alicia, she was a very result oriented and totally dedicated to the court and to the county employees and to this community.
while I am -- while I don't have the facts as has been said earlier about this situation, I am absolutely astonished by the process of which this -- which this was handled, the termination.
having been in h.r.
and dealing with a lot of personnel issues and policy issues, why would you treat somebody after 15 years of dedicated service, one day say clean out your office and get the hell out, by the next day?
why would you do that to a professional?
to your direct report?
why would you do that?
there is a process of -- of such of giving people time, working out something behind doors, you know, taking the time to treat somebody in a very professional manner, as she treated you all.
and that's what I wanted to tell you today, that your actions today, it's not over after today, you know.
absolutely at the -- it's a slap in the face to us as hispanic women, hispanic citizens --
>> [ applause ] -- also -- also to the community as a whole.
and to treat somebody that way, you just don't do that.
you think about the dignity, you think about everything else that -- person has done.
so today I'm here to tell you that, you know, that I would like for you to reconsider your actions.
you know, take a step back and look at what happened, look at what you did and I'm not referring to -- to anyone else in h.r.
or anyone else, because alicia worked for you, she was your direct report.
so go back and look at that and reconsider and think about the impact of your decisions.
it's very serious and I'm very concerned.
thank you very much.
>> [ applause ]
>> thank you.
>> deannacasteneda is next, joe vela.
and rebecca j.
>> [indiscernible]
>> >
>> [indiscernible]
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> rebecca covos.
>> she will be third, good morning.
>> good morning.
i have worked really hard last night trying to decide what I was going to tell you.
i've had to edit what I have said, what I was going to say.
because it was harder than what I'm going to tell you right now.
so as a wise latina, a woman, a community activist, a feminist, a native Austinite, I am sorely disappointed in most of this body of elected officials, using your political clout as opposed to your professional ethics.
you -- you, except for ron, thank you.
violated the governance policy and commitment of elected officials.
i as a former elected official from aisd knows that what you have done is not only unethical, but a violation of public trust.
when you take the oath you promise to obey laws of this land and the governing body you serve.
you are expected to set an example of professional conduct, yet you failed to show respect for another professional.
i am curious why this Commissioners court decided to fire two women of color at the same time under the same conditions.
was it for the same reason?
for different reasons?
or did it even matter to you?
you lump them together as individuals, but lump them together as what, some kind of a political score card, a quid pro quo?
you know, all of those days I thought were gone.
Margaret,
>> [speaking in spanish], you should have abstained.
ashamed that you turned your back on a high functioning, eminently qualified professional, a professional, a female supervisor as the whole thing was a simple professional quarterly among two people in a position.
it wasn't that simple and you know that.
what incompetence, what abuse of power, what violation of public trust.
what other violations are you hiding?
racism?
nepotism?
crown kneism?
bullying?
i'm shocked --ccronyism.
i'm shocked and dismayed that the persons that I have hired for so long in requesting a meeting with some of you, with one of the groups that I'm head of, a coalition of hispanic organizations, as soon as this week is possible and Margaret the hispanic community is ashamed of your actions.
>> [speaking in spanish]
>> [ applause ] oh, whoever wants to run after Sam Biscoe, do you think you are placating the black community, you are not.
they are not that dumb.
neither are we.
>> [ applause would jerry please come forward.
>> mr.
vela.
>> how are doing judge and Commissioners?
>> fine.
>> I just came here to support alicia.
i was her employee for 11 and half years at Travis County.
alicia was always dead dedicatedto her job.
she worked very late.
shame on y'all for what you did to her last week.
Commissioner Davis, thank you for voting the right way.
i hope y'all take a second look and take -- take care of ms.
perez.
>> [indiscernible]
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ] would marcella rodriguez barr please come forward.
>> > rebecca j.
covos.
>> okay.
>> good morning, honorable Commissioners,
>> [indiscernible] Margaret Gomez, other Commissioners that I have probably met, ms.
Huber, my name again is rebecca j.
covos.
i come as a citizens of this Austin, Texas, from a family of 104 careers that we have been here.
in that 104 years, I have been trained and mentored by many women.
and many men.
many hispanics.
many blacks.
many officials.
people of -- of education, people of quality, people with dignity.
right now, as we speak, sometimes I'm watching some of the people come to speak before you and there is one there on the panel that keeps on smiling.
i was -- I would respectfully request that there not be any smiles at this time.
this is a very, virulent action that has been taken.
it is like a death to me to see the actions.
again, this is not a time to smile.
i am mortified.
i have -- I have tried to -- to process the indignities.
i have tried to -- to look at my children and my grandchildren and tried to understand how I could take them and do something to them to hurt them.
in public.
on t.v.
how can I explain to my grandchildren that our leaders that we elect, that we honor, could have behaved in such -- I will let the other people describe the behavior.
because I've been raised as a
>> [indiscernible] in this community, Margaret, you know that, that at some point if I can meet with you individually, I would like for someone to explain to me why this indignity occurred.
it's an indignity to the chair that you sit in.
it's an indignity to the citizens of Austin.
to the hispanics that have been here.
i don't know what y'all's history is and how long you have been here.
but I have never, since I started auto some of Margaret's race -- on some of Margaret's races when I was 16 years old, seen such undignified behavior.
what I want to say is that alicia perez was an assistant city manager
>> [buzzer sounding] a woman that knew how everyone likes to say behave.
maybe I'm not one of those women that behaves because I tried to tell you exactly where you are wrong.
smiling on the panel is not the right thing to be doing right now.
we need some answers.
and I respectfully, especially with you, Margaret, if you would visit with me one on one, I would like to request an official outside legal investigation into the process so that the rest of the community who has questions, who do not work for Travis County, but have worked in politics, have worked at the government, for 25 years, can understand.
we all know politics.
>> please conclude.
>> thank you so much for your time today.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>>
>> [indiscernible] is next.
he will be followed by rodriguez barr, would kathy
>> [indiscernible] please come forward.
>> thank you, judge.
my name is jerry bragg, I've been in the court before representing the republic of Texas biker rally.
thank you for your time.
good morning.
today I'm here as a private citizen.
i have -- I have been in business for myself for 40 years.
over 40 years.
during that time I met a lot of wonderful people.
people that I admire.
and I have to tell ya, alicia perez is at the top of that list for me.
during the years, I have wished that there was a rewind button so I could say, you know, I made a mistake, I want to change it.
i hope that you have such a rewind button.
i hope there's a way that you could reconsider, I hope there's a way to reinvestigate, I hope there's a way you can look at the facts in a different light.
i hope there's a way that if new information comes available, that you will consider it.
so I'm just here to say we missed alicia.
we will miss alicia.
and she was one of my top 10 people.
i've known her for over 10 years and -- and we have probably butted heads at least that many times.
didn't always get in my way, but she was always fair and always, always active in the best interests of Travis County.
i have to admire that about her.
so -- so I respect your decision to terminate.
i encourage you to have an open mind.
please leave the door open.
should new evidence come to light, please consider it.
if you mind sufficient reason to reinstate her and she's willing to accept, please act on it.
thank you for your time.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> > ms.
rodriguez barr is here and ms.
>> [indiscernible] and would veronica andrate please come forward.
>> good morning.
>> good morning, court.
>> my name is maria rodriguez barr.
i met alicia in April of 1991 at one of Austin's hangouts for wise latinas, juan in a million.
she was being introduced as Austin's first and only to date Austin's first hispanic city manager.
she was one hispanic woman in this county that can be counted in less than win hands that has the -- in one hand that had the credentials to assume that position.
later she became an executive manager for Travis County.
and that was a proud day for Travis County.
today is a really, really sad day.
through the years, her constance and koch attention has become something that we could count on.
as a latino and as an employer, I will tell you that the decisions we make an employers affect the whole team.
i cannot make employment and salary decisions without it affecting the rest of the company.
a bad example of this on the part of the court is the hiring of a closet special assistant with an annualized salary of 210,000, the gentleman currently in malibu works only on certain months of the year.
on these months not full time.
he's never in the office and it's completely absent from the ask the and city for two to three months of the year, other managers working 60 to 70 hours a week, ms.
perez worked 50 to 70 hours a week, ms.
perez manages over 300 employees.
one of the other executive managers, manages over 400 employees.
is this special assistant manages himself.
and the reason I bring this up is these are all issues that have led to the conflicts that exist in this county.
executive managers working this many hours a week do not react positively to special assistants that are non-existent who make this type of salary and is the only person in the county to receive a $10,000 raise.
through this conflict, you know, I've heard it said that you don't want conflict.
well, if you don't want conflict, why are you making decisions like this?
i mean, it doesn't make any business
>> [indiscernible] at all
>> [ applause ] I -- I cannot even begin to imagine what you people are thinking.
as a business person, all my people would walk out.
i don't know how you justify this and I can guarantee you that the taiks payers are not -- taxpayers are not okay with the -- the second example is the court's decision instigated by ms.
Eckhardt, I'm real sorry she's not here because I want to tell her that I'm in her district and I'm very unhappy with the fact that she instigated it and if she were here I will tell her to her face that I was not be voting again, not only that, I will be looking for somebody else to run against her
>> [ applause ] the motion was made by judge Biscoe, seconded by ms.
Gomez to ask for a resignation from the executive manager.
as I stated, this is not something that's tolerable in this community.
this area has over 500,000 hispanics.
we live in every one of your districts.
and we all elect the judge.
until last week, I was proud to be professionally associated with our very own wise latina, her wisdom was evident in everything she did, how she advanced the county agenda.
how she treated people even in the face of conflict and this evidently is mainly how I dealt with her.
always in conflict because I -- I perform work for the county and we have conflict with the contracts that I worked on.
even then, she was respectful.
and she was certainly respectful of the citizens who vote for the five of you.
today I cannot even begin to express the extent of the disappointment that I am feeling in your lack of leadership.
your actions last week bring to mind the saying about hispanics.
that we are like crabs bringing other hispanics down.
another vision is that of a civil war, the only war fought in this country to get rid of discrimination and lynchings.
the word in certain offices last week was if we fire the one woman, we have to hang the other woman, even if we don't have cause.
then it will be fair.
how could it possibly be fair?
when one -- when there was one person that had misconduct and the other one did not?
last week, you gave an order to two Travis County employees, the order was to clean out their offices and vacate the workplace by noon the next day.
is this how we treat the people that have worked for us for over 15 years?
was there a crime committed?
i mean, how can we tell somebody boot them out, the bible said do unto others as you would have done unto you.
could we not say in private we must part ways?
let us figure out an exit plan?
something that will not shame you publicly?
could we not handle it that way?
did she not deserve to be treated in that manner?
is this how you would want to be treated?
shame on all of you.
no, I very rarely come in front of this court because I hate politics for this very reason.
you do not either have the political or business ability to run the county.
this isn't politics.
it's trash.
it's trash.
you do not treat people in that manner.
>> [ applause ] I want to know who is going to manage the 300 people that are under ms.
perez?
you know?
because you have made this rash decision with no plan to -- you know, to see what's going to come next.
the guy in malibu, I don't think so.
he has the sweetest deal of all.
oh, by the way, he's running the show, not the five of you.
my last vision is that of marionettes, the definition is a puppet controlled from above.
the puppetier is called a manipulator.
we all know that we have to leave our jobs at some point.
some of us expect to be betrayed.
what we don't expect is for the sore to be in the hands of those that we have trusted.
i hope that you will reconsider the action that you have taken.
i hope that you will take to heart the emotions that are being expressed in this room today.
we know that you have difficult decisions to make.
but the sign of a great leader is to make those decisions with grace.
thank you for your time.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>> y y:],!n,ngwji I'mn .
in support of alicia perez as well.
>> thank you.
>> okay.
>> that was -- that was eloquent.
thank you.
veronica is there.
can we get -- can't make out the first name.
mel something?
and Sarah lightfoot third.
good morning.
>> good morning, everyone.
i am the --
>> [indiscernible] working and I -- I work for the Travis County facilities and with all my respect to you, I come to say some words -- words are hard to say.
in english and in spanish.
first of all, it's for -- for the executive administrator of Travis County, alicia perez, also.
supporting her.
we need a person like alicia who is always willing to help her community and in every way possible.
we continually see the changes and positive results she has made and she has been working hard in order to push the goals of the community.
i have personally seen alicia arrive to work early and stay long hours working in her office.
many times, as everyone knows
>> [indiscernible], she is still late hours and at night and sometimes until midnight.
i happen to know she has been loyal to her work and deserves some recognition.
i also have knowledge she is an excellent human being, with many qualities and excellent work ethics.
during the time I have been working with her, she has gained my admiration and respect, the way she has been with her work, she has taken the time to make sure all of the employees have been involved in the medical insurance plan and in my case she knew that I was without medical insurance and she helped me to enroll in the plan.
i am very grateful for her help with this enrollment.
as a result I am much more secure in the fact than I am now covered by medical insurance.
alicia is a well educated person and she has always treated us all equally with mutual respect and has always given herself, her work, very valuable to us.
honorable judge, thank you for allowing me this opportunity to state my opinion.
but I have the one in spanish that I'm going to read it.
is that fine?
>> okay.
>> [speaking in spanish]
>> [buzzer sounding]
>> ma'am, I'm sorry, you ran out of time.
>> oh, I'm sorry.
>> that's all right.
>>
>> [ applause ]
>> ms.
matos.
>> my name is melissa matos, I wanted to address the court of how important it is having an ethical woman in the community.
i have known alicia sincives 17 years old, a young woman living in the lower east side.
i remember meeting her
>> [indiscernible] I remember meeting her as assistant city manager, her hugging me, telling me everything was going to be okay.
she told me how she struggled to get out of corpus christi growing up without a dad and a single parent, all while she was a single parent.
at the time she was starting youth at risk program, giving other kids my age a chance, not only for a job, but for a future.
that program started out with 12 kids.
it is now well over 400.
today I work with some of those kids.
every day I see those kids and I talk to those kids, I see what alicia saw in me.
what a difference she has made.
i'm now a married woman.
i'm now no longer that sad, mixed up little hispanic woman living in the lower east side.
i have grown into a strong, hispanic woman with values.
and with a family of my own and until this day, at any given time, she can give me a hug and tell me everything disgo to be okay.
because -- is going to be okay because I believe her.
>> thank you.
>> Sarah lightfoot is next.
>> I'm Sarah, alicia perez is my godmother.
i am here to say she should not have been fired.
i came to her job, she came back to finish, I was really proud of her, she should not have been fired or treated that way.
she was a good influence on me.
she is a good person.
she showed me that sometimes work is more important than being off.
so she really inspired me to be a good person.
>> [ applause ]
>> thank you.
by the way, I would like to make two or three points.
one is that -- remember that Commissioner Gomez and I were two of the votes that got ms.
perez hired at Travis County.
many of you have said we don't know the particulars, we don't know the full facts, I can assure you you don't.
the third is, some have asked for a meeting.
i have not turned one down or a phone call.
so if you would like to meet with the county judge, then just let me know.
obviously I cannot meet with you one on one between now and next Tuesday, but I can certainly meet with you in groups, wherever you want to meet this Travis County.
in Travis County.
john, matos, lulu flores, bernadette ruiz.
>> good morning, thank you.
i'm here to represent alicia perez.
i would like to thank you all for allowing me to speak today.
i have known alicia perez for two and a half years now.
through these years I have gotten to know what kind of a person she is, loyalty tee, honor, integrity, faith.
these are words that are not expressed in action as in before in our society.
but are words that are expressed by many of us who still believe and express them indeed and daily basis.
these words that you and I know are not a way of life for many people in our line of work.
by that I mean public service.
these words alicia perez lives by, let alone tries to instill in others.
loyalty, honor, integrity and faith.
please remember these words.
as a public servant I try to do these on a daily basis.
i do make mistakes, but at the same time I am learned to repair those mistakes as best as I can.
and as that gentleman right over there who signed -- who made a note to his badge, so did i.
and -- and I don't see this happening.
i know, we don't know what all of the facts are.
but I do know one thing, I do know alicia perez.
and she's one heck of a woman.
and please -- please if at any way possible, please give her back her job, you know, and -- and that's all that I have to say.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>>
>> [ applause ]
>> lulu flores.
bernadette ruiz, ernie padraza.
>> good morning, judge Biscoe, Commissioners.
my name is bernadette ruiz, I am the widow of Travis County deputy sheriff keith ruiz.
i only recently -- I was out of town, I recently found out about alicia's termination.
i won't try and pretend like I know all of the details to it because I guess right now it's really not important for me to know.
but what I do want y'all to know is that several years ago I had the privilege of working very closely with her.
i had talked to her and Commissioner Gomez had expressed some desire to have a building named after my husband, who was a deputy.
during the process I didn't know where to begin as a woman and as a latina.
i knew there was a lot of hurdles set in front of me.
but I felt that keith deserved the chance as much as many other people who were nominated who probably had more years, experience, whatever, because he was just one of the -- to me, an officer that represented all of the other officers.
so I felt like the fight was worth fighting.
when I heard that alicia was terminated, I again felt like I didn't know where to start, I didn't know what I needed to do, but I did know that I needed to be here to let y'all know that when I was working through the process of getting the building named for keith, which, you know, we did do and I thank all of y'all, that there was many times that obstacles were placed in front of me.
i was bullied.
a couple of times intimidated.
some of it off the record.
but with her explaining things and I always felt that at any time I could call her, if I had a question, if I needed clarification.
she was always more than willing to help me out and to listen to me and if she didn't know the answer, she made sure that she found out the answer.
i am not a department head.
i haven't worked for the county for however many years.
i can just tell you as the citizen, lifetime of Travis County, and my -- here representing myself, my family, my husband, how instrumental she was in helping me get through a very difficult process.
and I'm proud to say that I worked with her.
i felt like she was a big reason why I was able to see it through.
and get what I desired so much.
and I -- I desperately ask y'all to reconsider her termination.
i cannot imagine in working with her and the way that she was, interacting, not only with myself but with other people, that there would be anything that she could have done to deserve the treatment that she got.
so I ask for y'all to reconsider that.
>> thank you.
we will not accept any more citizens communication forms, that started at 9:00.
it's 10 -- 12 minutes after 10:00 now.
we will go through those who have signed in.
i request that you try to keep your comments to two minutes if possible to set the timer on -- but set the timer on three minutes.
mr.
pazraz is here.
can we get john culunga to come forth and stacy suits.
>> thank you, judge, for allowing us to speak to y'all and thank you to the Commissioners.
i'm ernie pazraza, executive vcht the Texas hispanic -- vice-president of the Texas hispanic police officers association.
we have members throughout the state in el paso, houston, dallas, fort worth, Austin, san antonio.
and the reason I'm here and -- I don't know how y'all came to the decision that y'all did and I won't get into that, which I don't know, but what I do know is the past 20 years I have worked with alicia perez.
i have known alicia perez.
and I've known the work that she's done here in the county and I know of the work that she has done for the city of Austin.
as well as the work that she's done in the community.
many of the folks that came up here and spoke have described her as the ultimate professional, a very fair person.
i just want to reiterate those words.
through my experience as a police officer for 32 years, I have met many professionals.
she is on the top of the list.
i have met -- I was at the f.b.i.
academy for three months where we studied with 250 police chiefs throughout the country and -- 20 countries throughout the world.
many of -- obviously, most all of them were professionals and I would place alicia at the very top of that list as well.
so I'm here in support of alicia perez and I know some of work that she's done in the county, for example, the revamping the medical examiner's office, an office that works with many counties, not just Travis County, and right now we -- the police officers consider Travis County
>> [indiscernible] office as a very professional office.
i attribute that to alicia perez.
but that's all that I have.
members of the Commissioners.
again, I just want to reiterate that alicia perez I have known her for 20 years is the ultimate professional and she does not deserve this.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>> thank you.
>> don, stacy suits, lulu flores again, is ms.
flores here.
>> she left.
>> vicki valdez.
okay.
please come forward.
yes, sir?
>> good morning, judge, exphirkses, I appreciate -- Commissioners, I appreciate the opportunity to be here today.
i hope y'all appreciate how difficult it is for a lot of people to be here in front of the microphone in front of you all and -- and I'm -- I'm the -- a 32 year member of law enforcement, recently retired, I'm here representing
>> [indiscernible] for the hispanic police association, the current president could not be here today and asked me to -- to come along and express their sincere disappointmeun terminata perez.
we have known her for 20 years.
and she was one of the first to come forward to assist the hispanic officers, female officers, african-american officers, and the Austin police department almost 20 years ago, when racism and discrimination was as thick as cheese cake.
it was unprecedented.
nobody else had ever come forward in the history of the Austin police department.
she was the assistant city manager at that particular time.
when she came forward, she listened to our complaints and because she was hispanic or minority, she didn't just take our side at that particular time, she sat down and she listened, she gathered all of the facts, she called in the police chief, she talked to other officer his, white, hispanic, african-americans.
she didn't leave them out, she was all inclusive.
she made a determination that we had a serious problem in the Austin police department with regard to racism.
she had met with the city manager at that particular time, she met with the various police associations.
within two weeks and that's unprecedented as well, but in two weeks we had sweeping changes that -- that continue to occur today because of her assistance.
i've had in the hispanic of the police department, I met with five police chiefs and asked them whether they believe discrimination was the issue at the police department and none of them acknowledged that.
she acknowledged it.
because she had the facts.
we only know alicia perez as a very dedicated, very honorable person.
a very energetic person.
and a person who -- who is unbiased in dealing with issues of -- of -- of citizens.
first, in the -- in the city of Austin and then last 15 years for Travis County.
i currently live and have lived for the last 28 years in Travis County precinct 4.
of Commissioner Gomez precinct.
i have spoken, Commissioner Gomez, several times in the past.
i appreciate a lot of the -- what she has done.
we feel, in the association, that -- that alicia perez because of her reputation, that's documented, okay,
>> [buzzer sounding] that it would be hard to believe that she had done anything to the extent that -- that would require you all, the Commissioners court, to let her go.
and terminate her employment.
she was such a valued employee.
i'm sure.
and more of value, advocate for the Travis County residents.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>>
>> [indiscernible] is next.
followed by ms.
valdez and would sheryl brown come forward.
>> hi, I'm stacy suits, the chief deputy of Travis County constable precinct 3.
i'm speaking on behalf of myself.
i would like to publicly thank alicia for the help she has given me over the years.
in the 1980's, I was an elected official for 10 years.
before I went insane and ran for Travis County sheriff and lost in 1992.
when I came back as constable mccain's chief deputy in 2001 I was kind of in a cultural shock, but the moment that I called the county manager -- what I called the county manager form of government.
i have adjusted over the years, but I would like to say that -- things are better now and I think alicia had a lot to do with it, as current members and past members of this court, with employee compensation, with our benefits, employee benefit packages, reserving our retirement plan -- preserving our retirement plan.
alicia has been an opening ongoing engaging person and in making this happen, as someone from a small department and representing the rank and file I just want to say thank you to her.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>>
>> [ applause ] would ms.
may please come forward.
ms.
valdez?
>> yes.
my name is vicki valdez.
i'm here to support -- speak in support of alicia perez.
you are right, judge, we don't know all of the particulars.
the community doesn't know all that was said behind closed doors, that's okay.
what I do know is what I have seen the past week, which in my opinion is just disappointing and again as mentioned by the community a disgrace.
an individual female latina who served the community for many, many years, done well, received -- performance reviews were all well, did well for the community, you have heard from a lot of communities here in the community that have worked for Travis County, she did things to make things better.
what I'm here to talk about today, supporting alicia, what are the facts here, what do we know?
a vote was taken last Tuesday, Commissioner Gomez you seconded, and then she was asked to leave her office, vacate her office by noon the next day.
that almost seems like she was being treated as if she had done something totally, totally like unlawful.
that's the only way you treat employees like that or that have done something they shouldn't have done is to ask them to leave within what a 12 hour period?
yes, you're right.
we don't know the particulars.
but the way it was handled, in my opinion, was not the way you treat an employee who has done for the community, for Travis County, especially for the number of years she was in Travis County.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ] meds brown is next, followed by ms.
may, ms.
moreran.
>> ms.
brown.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, my name is sheryl brown, I'm one of the please in judge Biscoe's office.
i have been working for Travis County since March of 1989.
i have been here some -- a little over 19 years.
actually, I'm here in support of alicia perez ism I'm not speaking as a latina woman, I'm speaking as a wise and christian woman.
in the book of hebrews, chapter 13, they said we should pray for our leaders.
i take that seriously.
believe it or not, I do pray for each one of you.
the reason why our bible tells us to pray for our leaders, to take the stress off your shoulders so you can take care of business and not be -- have outside forces dealing with you, so you can take care of business as it should be done.
i try to do that.
do it faithfully.
i pray for my colleagues, alicia perez was one of my colleagues, since I've been here so song she became my friend.
i did go back when I did see the vote on last Tuesday, I was in shock.
i started back on enfield going northwest to go home and decided I needed to go back and help her pack to get out of her office by 12 noon for the next day.
it was a difficult time.
but we got through it.
got everything out.
didn't steal a thing.
make sure she was -- everything was in order.
my -- I was raised by wise parents also and they said if you don't stand up for something, you will fall for anything.
i'm saying this now --
>> [ applause ] -- I came here as an employee and employee of Travis County because I stand up for what I saw the integrity and how she treated exploratory exploratoryt employees.
we have an open door policy in our office, we do the same, I saw that alicia, she did take nit-picking things, if a person came to her, first she would say have you talked to your supervisor, gone through the steps.
it's not like we are picking up for any particular ethnic group, female, male, not that.
she always went by the rules.
also, if you had an organizational chart here, you look at how much is on that woman's plate.
later on we will get an organizational chart to see comparatively what the executive managers.
i never
>> [indiscernible] executive managers because I'm on television, but it's -- it's -- the woman carried a heavy load.
but finally I would like for you all to ask -- I'm asking you all.
regardless of what happens later on, if it's to a point that you need to select new employees, will you please be good stewards of Travis County's money, not spend money on the outside search firm, with the economy the way it is, with companies falling down, you cannot convince me there's not someone in Austin, Texas
>> [buzzer sounding] who is not qualified for these positions that we too often paid consultants to find.
>> [ applause ]
>> ms.
may, ms.
moran.
>> good morning.
>> [indiscernible]
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> I was shocked and wondered what had really happened.
i got just a very -- very -- a very idea of how it had been done.
and on other occasions I have known that -- thatn6-un soe people have been treated the same way, unfortunately they have been -- another latino.
i always wondered whyc.
i know alicia through sister cities.
she always thought before she ever made a comment.
really when I -- you know, with her trying to get things together so that we could have a -- donations to go to our sister city saltillo, without even saying anything, she would go in and give direction to the person that -- that maybe seemed confused about what was going on.
today, I just want to -- to -- to again supported the people that for alicia, I know the type of person that she is and the character of the person, it has a lot to do with the personality.
i do believe in a higher level, I believe there's a higher plan.
sometimes it happens.
it is fate, not for me to know what's happening, but I know that justice will eventually be done if the person -- if it's a just person.
i'm hoping that this wasn't just one of the movements, you know, to get somebody else in place that so desired the position or whatever.
again, like this lady, I pray for all of our governors and outline of our direct -- all of our directors, that we will be able to live more -- more how can I say?
a humanistic way of treating other people as human beings, fellow human beings, their integrity and their dignity, because this is something that we could get -- in the rush of our work, this is something we forget, we forget what we do to the person's dignity.
without that, you cannot have the hope and desire to -- to want to do the good that you have been doing.
sometimes even sit back and wait until maybe you get another
>> [indiscernible] for another whatever for something that can still be done in terms of helping or building community.
and that's the only way they would be able to live -- live harmoniously.
i think it's something that we should all strive for.
we all have a lot of good things to contribute.
we all have weaknesses.
but instead of taking advantage of the weaknesses of a person, we -- we should try to recognize -- probably --
>> [buzzer sounding] the positive side, with the strengths of the person.
and -- and again, I -- I don't know -- I don't know exactly the -- the -- whatever has happened, but I do know this person would be fair and I think she would be very honest in her decisions.
thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>> [one moment please for change in captioners] our final speaker today, martha cotera.
>> good morning, Commissioners court.
i just came from my graduation from the university of Texas.
i'm so glad that I have always been treated respectfully.
i have -- at the university of Texas.
i'm here in support owe to see to -- to support alicia perez.
i am particularly moved by -- by the numbers of county employees.
that -- that courageously have come forward and spoken in her defense.
as everybody has said, we do not know the circumstances surrounding this -- this -- you know, this very -- how disappointing and disrespectful action by this court.
but we do know the Austin community, we do know alicia, I have known alicia way -- I have known her way before she came to Austin.
i followed her career.
>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
>> and I think that this is certainly a public call to us who have ignored the actions of this court for many, many years.
and although I have tried hard to focus on some of the things that are happening, you know, with Travis County with regard especially to latinos, especially to our immigrants or with your immigrants, especially in the area of employment, especially in the area of contracting, you know, in every area, but I assure you that sometimes these kinds of actions can have positive results.
i'm not sure that alicia would want to come back.
i wouldn't want to come back under any circumstance, but I can assure you that the community will focus on this county, you know, and that this county will become representative of what Austin should be and what our greater area should be.
thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>> thank you.
we appreciate your input.
why don't we pick up special items before the consent items.
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:
Friday, August 7, 2009 3:33 PM
