Travis County Commissioners Court
September 1, 2009,
Citizens Communication
Citizens communication is next.
this item gives residents an opportunity to address the court on any matter not on the agenda for up to three minutes.
the following individuals have signed in, ronnie reeferseed.
gus pena.
judy holden.
if ms.
holden will come forward we would appreciate it.
as one finishes, we will call up another one.
mr.
reeferseed, please proceed.
>> thank you, sir.
ronnie reeferseed,
>> [pbbbt] here, reveling in joy in realization that once again the u.s.a.
can lead the world away from lock step bigotry that threatens all life on our garden planet after a celebration of the freedom inherent to our very own constitution.
saturday morning at our own Texas state capitol building, lloyd doggett held his own so-called forum or town hall attempting to resuscitate the health care scheme.
it is not a real form or any form of a town hall because no ideas were shared.
only propaganda and slogans.
huge rally of patriots at the state capitol building was packed with lock step obama sheep oblivious to the grim inevitablities of massive death that follows from socialized medicine around the world today.
many more on the -- expressed hostility to me with me only any press sent Ron paul hope for america stop as well as my stop the war sign.
guess what?
obama has all the more deeply -- has us all more deeply involved in various wars worldwide.
thankfully the ongoing ob/gyn dr.
ron paul revolution of love for liberty in our sacred constitution continues to inform more citizens each and every day.
anyone can learn more from dr.
ron paul by merely dialing toll free, for a weekly update, also available for free on 90.1 f.m.
here in Austin, alex jones show, 4 to 6:00 p.m.
sunday afternoons, on line, even more info available at infowars.com, as well as american free press.net and campaignfor liberty,.com.
not to mention www.ronpaul.org, that's right, there's avertable or gee of information online, always attainable to computer users, however if senator rockefeller has his way we will no longer have access to the worldwide web here of information.
incredibly plans are underway to shut down the web to be replaced with a limited selection of bankster media corporate outlets of controlled info infotai nment garbage.
h1n1 is only a path to more destruction and devastation to our nation.
let us all hope and pray to education each other about the ugly reality about obama' health care scheme.
enforced poisoning through enforced fluoridation is happening right here in Austin, as well as enforced object best community all over the annexation so-called processed food, church's fried chicken, et cetera.
resist, thank you.
>> thank you, mr.
reeferseed.
>> thank you.
would danny hobby please come fort.
>> capital metro metro rail is not on schedule.
we are happy to see the proposed increased fares not approved for this until next upcoming year, allowed us in the community to still have the -- I'm sorry, the strong opinion that a change in management needs to occur.
when we talk about management, we are talking about the presidency, fred gilliam, other management individuals that do not drive us into the next -- into the next -- next -- budget session.
we need to have more transparency, more accountability and management.
we need a change in management.
the veterans service office, nobody asked me for my opinion.
i did not ask anybody for an opinion.
nobody asked me to speak for anybody.
this is merely my personal observation.
we have seen increased veterans services office.
for the high number of veterans seeking help has increased dramatically with our returning iraq and afghanistan war veteran returning with multiple issues, need for filing documents, appeals process, assistance, needy, help for rent, food, utilities, other issues.
a lot of veterans have really voiced their customers to me and -- concerns to me and said will you address this on television.
i know the budgetary process as it is, the recession, et cetera, but -- but with all of this increased number of veterans that are being seen at the veterans services office, they are doing a darned good job.
but they are overburdened with veterans that need support and help.
if possible, please get -- given another person out there full-time and they really need the help.
anyway, I'm not going to mention anything other than the high number 10 other than thank you very much for the county and I guess the city for collaborating with this immunization regarding h1n1, you know, I respect mr.
reeferman's opinions, I hope that he respects mine.
we did take care of this -- we need to take care of this swine flu issue because it can be critical, deadly.
20 miles an hour or lower in the school zones.
remember the kids.
thank everybody for helped the school supply and clothing supply drive.
a lot of our kids were not -- non-profits that solicit donations for school supplies, but there's a lot of need out there.
i want to thank everybody that helped out and I -- you know, just thank for you your kind heart and we would like to see you continue to support our kids, if they need a tutor or mentor, please help them out.
math is really hurting a lot of people.
i know it hurts me, I'm old now.
but anyway, help, tutor or mentor a kid.
like it says here in the paper.
rail signal flaw -- delays, relayed, yeah.
anyway, yeah, can't have this happen anymore at capital metro.
need to improve the system, get rid of management.
thank you all very much.
>> have a good day.
>> thank you, mr.
pena.
>> ms.
holden.
>> I need somebody to get my program on here.
onion creek.
>> media, ms.
holden's program, please.
i think onion creek is on now.
ms.
holden will be next, mr.
reeferseed we will need that seat.
>> a little correction, my name is not reeferman, it's reeferseed.
that's all.
>> that's all.
okay, thanks.
>> mr.
hobby, let's have you go, would diana casteneda.
>> I'm danny hobby, the executive manager of emergency services for Travis County.
it is a great privilege for me today to introduce to you our -- our new medical director for e.m.s.
system, dr.
paul
>> [indiscernible] to my right.
doctor comes to us from wade county ms raleigh, north carolina.
he was involved there with a lot of things he's going to be involved with here, that is first responders and if I sees and hospitals and e.m.s.
paramedics, nurses, air medical.
so we are just pleased to have him now join us and join our family.
he's board certified in emergency medicine.
he received his doctorate of medicine from the state university of new york, buffalo, new york, in 2002 and served as residency in the university of medicine at the university of north carolina.
since 2006 the doctor has been an attending physician in the department of emergency medicine.
he holds a bachelor of arts from manhattan college, in purchase, new york, a master of business administration from the state university of new york, buffalo, new york.
again, this is his first official day, he had to go through orientation yesterday.
and so I think it's just kind of neat that he's over here joining us for the first time.
and I've already introduced a little bit about each one of you.
and it's all been wonderful.
>> [laughter] and -- and -- but I think what we need to do is now have a wonderful medical director and -- and make the -- I think the judge will tell you that there's an extensive hiring process, and he was our top candidate.
and we're just proud to -- to have him here with us and look forward to -- to some wonderful days ahead.
and as we all know, to our residence, we need the best possible attention given to medical care and this is all prehospital care that we're talking about.
and we start talking about emergency medical services, he's the medical.
and so we look -- we look toward him for his guidance, his direction, his expertise.
so it's a privilege to have him with us today.
>> welcome.
>> welcome.
>> thank you very much.
>> any comments?
>> I'm -- I'm glad to finally have arrived.
it's been several months since the hiring process.
but -- but it's great to finally be here and I look forward to the opportunity to serve the citizens.
thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> look forward to your arrival.
>> thanks so much for assisting us.
>> thank you.
>> welcome.
>> looking forward to it.
ms.
holden, do we have you set up?
>> they have put it on the screen, but they said they would do that.
>> we are ready for ms.
holden.
>> I think there's always going to be some confusion about this psi mining -- mining process where they are mining right now because they are mining on hunters bend and they are calling it hornsby east and hornsby west and hornsby bend is a totally different bend of the river.
it's already been mined to death.
that's what I'm here to show you today, what could happen to hunters bend if they mine it.
this is called hornsby bend then and now.
a more beautiful tract of land, even know, can nowhere be found than the league of land granted to ruben hornsby.
>> [reading graphic] now, this is a series of ground level photos that I took of hornsby bend today.
here it is.
an overview, this is r rip rap, what they allowed to put back into a mine that they have dug, mostly concrete.
these are called overburden hills.
they are supposed to put that back on the top when they finish mining and putting in the rip rap and stuff.
as you can see, there are a couple of pretty good sized trees there.
that's been there a long time.
piles of topsoil.
more rip rap, a mine, wetlands.
this is a place on hornsby bend which has been unmined.
it was one field that I could find that still looked like it used to, I guess.
this is a series of satellite photos of hornsby bend.
where they have already mined.
here, here, here, here, I don't know what that is.
this is hunters bend.
that's where they want to mine.
it's -- it's not been mined at all.
this is a view looking downstream from the western most portion of where they want to dig the gravel mines.
we beseech you to not let what happened to hornsby bend happen on hunters bend.
i thank you very much for your time.
>> thank you,.
>> thank you ms.
hold depend.
ms.
casteneda is next.
gavino fernandez please come forward and francis martinez.
>> good morning, I'm going to be a little bit slower here at the vend.
i'm deanna casteneda, a coalition of members and many individuals throughout Travis County.
we met last Tuesday the 25th at terasas library and
>> [indiscernible] dismissed a month ago.
it's apparent that the benefits that you seek for yourself has not been extended to Travis County staff.
the loss of alicia perez left a large gap for many whose culture represents about 35% of Austin's population.
mexican americans in Travis County not only expected but demanded that the Commissioners court adopt a plan with goals of a representative government.
a hiring plan that encourages fair representation of Travis County's population.
pleaseman effort to replace the skills required by your bilingual workforce and encourage all to respect differences.
i have been listening to many discussions lately on this h.r.
matter, it seems that some are more interested in the next election than fixing this fine mess that the county is in.
so let me assure you that the voters with surnames like gonzalez, rodriguez, morales, garza are also watching and will have something to say about this community.
we have committed to assuring that a brown watch dog be set to oversee the actions of this Commissioners court and to report back to the community on the progress of this issue.
mexican american latinos will no longer colorado rate being treated like second class citizens.
we further recommend that in addition to -- that we recommend that an affirmative action committee be appointed to develop a policy for the county, second an open process to hire qualified, qualified hrd department and the executive manager for Travis County, which is proportionate to the racial makeup of this county.
and that -- that this -- let this be reflective in your hiring.
second, that a public hearing, thirdly, I'm sorry, that a public hearing process be held to inform and to be a trend setting process in hiring directors and managers in Travis County as well as a development of the affirmative action policy.
i was remembering I think it was Friday, Saturday, that when -- when the city of Austin was developing their affirmative action plan and their m.b.e./w.b.e.
programs that I was -- had been at city council, we were talking about this and I said marta, now we need to work on the county.
she says no that's okay they are going to take care of it because the city has already done it.
am I wrong in assuming that there is an affirmative action policy or that there isn't?
it's not just a -- just a question.
a specious question, but I would like to have an answer.
>> thank you, ms.
casteneda.
we need to update our affirmative action plan.
>> do you actually have one?
>> that's a good question.
do we have population parity in terms of hiring?
yes, we do, I did look at that.
>> okay.
>> as is the case with most major employers, we could do a better job of making sure there is equal representation in the higher level positions.
>> thank you very much.
>> we need to give you more specifics on that.
>> yes.
i would appreciate it.
in fact if it's possible at our next meeting, which is next Tuesday, I believe, in the evening, at the terasas library, we would like to have someone from the county come and talk to us about that policy and we are ready and we have people qualified to be able to assist in developing and improving your policy.
>> what time on Tuesday.
>> I believe it's at 6:00 at the terrazas library.
>> mr.
fernandez.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> ms.
martinez, that would be fine.
>> good morning, my name is frances martinez, I'm a member of the el concilio, five neighborhood situations,.
mine is the barrio neighborhood association.
today I bring this concern to you, as it is to our neighbors, I'm going to give you first a history of the -- of the cesar chavez building.
that was vacated many years ago.
however the building is at -- is at 1111 east cesar chavez street and that building was dedicated and was going to be for the neighborhood for services there.
however, we had -- we had only the birth certificates and death certificates and map eligibility that has been there for many years.
they are serving the community.
now, they -- they are going to move the eligibility office and -- that serves the community, they wanted to move it to 110 chamers avenue.
probably have the little map there where it says it's a beautiful building, but -- but I wish they would expand to see what's the surroundings are there.
however, many people do walk to the clinic, walk to the -- to the office there and this intersection there on cesar chavez and -- and cammers, it is a -- chamers, it is a very heavy traffic area there, we have people that walk and that is not very safe.
i understand the building is pretty, but many people have occupied it, that office.
and -- and they have moved out.
but now we want to put our elderly there that go there, there's a population that comes there.
they walk to the clinic on cesar chavez, 1111, but now to this intersection it is very, very highly trafficked.
there is mhmr, there is the bus stop there, I understand.
which would be handy, but that is not a safe area for our -- for elderly.
or the people that go there to get the services.
so I'd appreciate it if you all would bring this back to 1111 east cesar chavez.
i understand that it's going to be closed for -- for remodeling.
but this particular office will not come back to that location.
and as I understand, they only have two and a half employees there, two full-time employees and one-half time.
and they are saying about the park, they don't have enough parking which they can go ahead and share it with the -- with the library.
so please give your attention to this -- to this -- to this matter.
our neighborhood and our elderly are very much in danger at this location.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>> ms.
martinez, the -- the health care district board is meeting on Thursday of this week.
this item is on the agenda, number 4.
>> okay.
>> this Thursday?
>> yes, ma'am.
>> thank you.
>> this has it at 5:30.
mr.
fernandez.
>> yes.
good morning, Commissioners, judge.
my name is gavino fernandez.
with el concilio.
however, I am speaking to you as lulac deputy director for district 12.
we did meet with staff regarding this -- this move and -- and like frances mentioned, 1110 chamers avenue is a -- is an area of congregation for persons that go methadone treatment at the mhmr facilities.
this is a facility where you would -- would take your relative or next door neighborhood to come stop at this bus stop to access this particular facility.
people who don't have sufficient parking and -- and in listening to staff's testimony it was basically a move to accommodate staff at the cesar chavez building on -- on 111 cesar chavez.
and again going back to the history, this facility when it was built, it was promised to the community for access.
one, it was meetings and then services.
but gradually, we're pulling away all of those -- all of those opportunities for the community to -- to use this facility.
there are other options.
we have comal on -- the clinic on comal and second.
one of the things that we mentioned to staff is to delay this and that we will work with them in expanding comal.
requesting cdbg funds, cdbg funds to -- to -- to you know increase the capacity at comal, there is plenty of property at comal on the.
currently at that particular site south of the naked center there is a large meeting area not being utilized.
this area could be converted for -- with -- with I think that it's -- it's particle boards, like they have on 1111 to accommodate the staff and in the interim we are strongly opposed to this particular site because of the heavy congregation of the population.
i personally ride the bus and I don't get off at that particular site.
we are also concerned about the cost that we will be paying for representing this facility.
when we already have again the clinic on comal where -- where this could be accommodated in the interim.
we don't want to see the services leave from 111 cesar chavez.
there is plenty of parking by the terrazas library to the west.
in fact this morning there were almost 60 parking slots empty.
we need to make the sacrifice.
why is it that staff cannot park at this parking lot and allow the parking for the customers?
again, we need to thank and we need to look at the economics of this whole situation.
we are not in a great economic situation.
to be able to be paying -- paying lease services when we could be investing those dollars into health services.
we strongly urge you to support us on this position.
i want to thank you for the opportunity to come before you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you very much.
>> ms.
martinez.
this notice -- I will give you another one if I need one.
>> I just fail to mention that onedas and other organizations are joining us in not supporting this facility.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>> that does it for citizens communication.
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, September 1, 2009 3:14 PM
