Travis County Commissioners Court
August 18, 2009,
Item 4
4.
consider and take appropriate action on budget amendments, transfers and discussion items.
questions?
>> I also had questions on the -- on the -- the constable 3 items to the budget transfer, only because I was made aware that there is a -- there is a work session coming up to discuss the standardization of equipment on -- on marked and unmarked constable's cars, so I was hoping that perhaps we could have that discussion before -- before approving the transfer of -- of permanent salary savings over to -- to this kind of capital expenditure.
>> this is a good point because I know here when the sheriff came before us, here a little bit ago, and was -- was trying to get cameras, of course, I want to make sure that -- that's a good point.
i think we need to look at that and make sure that we are all getting the same thing.
>> although I understood --
>> and I don't know if -- if this is of the same situation that the sheriff has, as far as the -- the cameras are concerned or is it outside of that?
and I really don't know.
>> that's a good question.
and chief suits also raised the issue by e-mail in regard to the light bars, thoughs that's an exigency issue, so I was hoping that you might be able to eliminate the issue.
>> stacy suits, chief deputy precinct 3.
we have state cars at satellite 1 right now that's -- that's patrol car, all it has is a console in it bolted to the radio.
it has no vinyl before on bar oe front ever it.
i understand they said an emergency vehicles should have push bars on the front of them and it has no prisoner cage which is a safety issue.
at this point we have asked t.n.r.
fleet to put a bar, and/or paint it up to make it look new and put a used cage in these two units.
that said, we were told by t.n.r.
we have $2,700 to outfit the car with and basically I drove my personal vehicle here today because my 10-year-old county clunker wouldn't start this morning and it has 133 miles on it.
this week -- this week in Austin, another car is up for replacement, 1843, started rattling a rod and basically we need to get these cars outfitted and on the road.
because we're starting to look at work stoppage.
i was unable to answer some of Commissioner Eckhardt's questions on the digital cameras yesterday.
and I know how it -- how it -- how we fit together with the county attorney's office and the d.a.'s office, but she had questions about how that fit with the -- with the district clerk and county clerk as -- as being keeper of the evidence.
>> yeah.
>> and -- and -- and that's something that -- you know, I think we need to -- you know, we don't have a problem vetting that but on the light bar and the equipment that goes in the car, we really need to move forward or we're going to see some work stoppage.
>> so the equipment you are saying that you could see that, but as far as the digital cameras, you have no -- you have no objections in waiting until --
>> no, sir.
>> but the equipment part of -- with the t 2 and t 3 I think in this.
>> the budget transfer for $10,000 is budgeted to -- you know to outfit these cars just to keep us on the road for the time being.
>> chief, I really would like to be more fully briefed on this myself.
and I -- is it possible to wait a week on this?
i mean, I just -- what's your -- is there serious urgency on the bars.
>> we've just had another car drop this week.
not going to be repaired, one that was up for trading.
>> but are the light bars the reason that they would go off line?
>> we need to be able to get the car on the road.
basically get it equipped.
we can hold off on smalling installing the cameras.
that is the bigger issue and the bigger, you know, how everything fits with everything else issue.
we were only budgeted $25,000 for these cars.
and --
>> but stacy -- that's my point.
where I'm coming from.
if you have vehicles out there, patrol, thing like that, do not have adequate cameras, then I'm not -- you know, you are out doing what you are doing, you don't have the camera, the camera that -- that is hot button issue here.
in Travis County.
all over the country.
then I have a problem with that.
if you are going to be actively doing routine -- I guess the question will these particular cars be used to serve other categories other than what you would be using for like going and serving papers, for an example.
>> that's what I would --
>> in other words, yes, sir, they would be used in -- in --
>> in the lower --
>> at a lower level.
>> a lower level.
>> okay.
>> I think that need to be stated out up front.
because if you have these other high profile vehicles that you have -- of course, I think they all need to be -- have digital cameras on them.
and I have no problem with that.
but this is just the other things that I'm having some very serious concerns if we have lower level vehicles out doing high level duties.
>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
>> and so what we're doing now is like the -- the last two vehicles that we got in we're installing digital cameras in.
and our deal is just if we're going to be driving a vehicle, we're scheduled to drive these vehicles, what, eight years or nine years and 90,000 miles.
i don't want to put a really old piece of equipment into a new vehicle.
>> so the vehicle replacement policy is an issue, but that's not -- it's related to item number 4, but we're not really posted for that, but do you anticipate the the vehicle replacement policy being discussed at the work session?
>> yes.
>> but your request today is to go ahead and authorize purchase of the cameras?
>> no, sir.
we can vet that in a work session and we'd be happy to.
>> is there a request today?
>> sir?
>> do you request anything today, any action today?
>> we need to go ahead and move ahead with the light bars and the equipment involved with it.
the budget transfer.
>> so that's t-3.
so t-3 would be for today.
>> and can you just clarify for me.
i'm a little confused still.
you had a car that broke down this week.
does that car have light bars on it.
>> yes.
>> and you're looking to put light bars on another car so it's operable.
>> the light bars on that car is 15 years old.
>> mr.
nellis, are you on this part of the item?
>> what stacy is referring to is the request to go ahead and approve the $10,000 as indicated in t-3 here, with a request to hold t-2, the 30,000 for the six digital cameras.
the 10,000 is the estimate for the light bars.
>> and that's for how many cars?
>> 4.
>> is there objection to approving that part today?
>> I think we ought to take a longer look at all of this.
there's a whole balance involved here on the use of these things.
i don't see that a week would take make a difference.
can you get that one light bar repaired and get it back out?
>> that would make --
>> you request a one-week courtesy extension?
>> I think so.
>> we'll have it back on next week.
by the way, that work session is planned for next Thursday, which is the 27th.
okay?
okay for the court?
>> so we won't have the benefit of the work session prior to next Tuesday's vote?
>> nope.
next Tuesday or after the work session?
>> I think it needs to be after the work session.
>> you're talking about two weeks then?
>>
>> [inaudible - no mic].
>> the part dealing with precinct 3 constable we're pulling from number 4.
move approval of the rest of that item.
>> second.
>> just to clarify, that's just to remove t-2.
we're going forward with t-3.
>> no --
>> a-1, b-1 --
>> [overlapping speakers].
>> sorry, I've confused the issue.
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you.
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, August 18, 2009 3:07 PM
