Travis County Commissioners Court
September 29, 2009,
Item 5
Item no.
5.
approve resolution recognizing judy pittsford on her retirement from Travis County.
if we could get judy to come forth.
friends and coworkers are welcome to come, also.
three more can be seated and the others can stand behind the behind judy.
should I read the proclamation.
>> if you behave.
it reads whereas service, dedication, commitment and compassion should always be recognized, whereas judy pittsford has spent the last 15 years in service to the residents and employees of Travis County, and through her performance in the information and telecommunications systems department, not to mention her dancing performance at the tiberon conference in atlanta, whereas she demonstrated her commitment to service and to her duties in a fashion and that when it comes to fashion judy shines, that have made her known and respected by her peers and technology users of Travis County.
whereas her efforts have successfully helped guide, push and pull Travis County from shadow to the light, with technological advances, including but not limited to personal computers on all desks, county-wide networks, secure internet connection and infrastructure, development of over 60 systems used by Travis County departments, such as I
>> [indiscernible] mobile commuting for public safety, court e filings and web services for both the Travis County sheriff's office and the citizens of Travis County, development of hundreds of ad hoc report programs in support of medical examiner, justice systems, financial reporting and the tax and voter systems.
whereas, in her role as project manager, she helped implement the first integrated justice system in the nation.
whereas, she has led her staff and her peers with patience, kindness, wisdom, and a loving heart.
whereas, judy is retiring from county service and is beginning a new era of life but we won be surprised to see that cute little blonde, not my words --
>> [laughter] -- resurface every Tuesday morning during a Commissioners court citizens communication.
>> amen.
>> [laughter]
>> you need a little bit more gender diversity anyway, don't we?
the grass will never grow under her feet and the music will never stop.
whether it be in Travis County or mason, Texas.
judy pittsford will always make a difference.
>> ah thank you.
>> now therefore be it resolved that the Travis County Commissioners court of the state of Texas gratefully recognizes the contributions of judy pittsford to the residents and employees of Travis County, and wishes her continuing success in her much deserved retirement.
i move approval.
>> thank you so much.
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>> I would just like to say how much I have appreciated working with you and -- and how much it's been to -- meant to me to have somebody that -- that I could bounce things off of, and we could make things happen.
it's been a pleasure on my part.
we -- the its ts department has taken the proclamation and --
>> oh, my.
>> and done this for you.
>> oh, that's gorgeous.
thank you so much.
>> [ applause ]
>> thank you.
>> [ applause ]
>> I have never been without words.
>> [laughter] I want to tell you guys that -- that it's been my privilege and my honor to work with first the its staff, and to work for the citizens of Travis County.
and to work for the Commissioners court.
i come from -- I come from many years in technology and I will tell you that -- that the proudest days of my life have been the advancement of technology in Travis County and -- and Travis County citizens owe that to the Commissioners court.
this its staff behind me.
my husband told me once that a good leader is one that -- that does nothing but just takes credit and provides everything that the -- that the real people need to -- to accomplish and -- and I will have to tell you that if that's a good leader, I'm great because these people behind me are the people that provide Travis County with -- with all of the technology that -- that people use today.
and I'm -- I'm just proud to be able to call myself a Travis County employee.
i appreciate the job that you do.
Commissioner Eckhardt and I had a conversation about that and I -- I know that you have the hardest job in -- in Travis County.
and that is to -- to do the right thing by the citizens.
joe, it's been a pleasure to work with you.
>> for the record I say judy's job was harder than mine.
>> [laughter]
>> the reason I'm retiring is I'm losing my hearing.
so Commissioner Davis, if you ask me questions I probably didn't hear them and I just responded wrongly.
>> [laughter] walter, you are -- you are a unique human.
and the county is very fortunate to have you and I can't name everybody behind me, but -- but they are the most genuine people that I've ever worked with in my life.
i would like to thank all of the user community.
they are not only my customers, but many of them are my friends.
they are passionate about what they do and they want to do the very best for Travis County.
and last but not least, I want to recognize my husband.
he is so different from me.
>> [laughter] he is not a fashion icon.
>> [laughter] this is my husband, terry pittsford, he is a high school football coach and he is one of the few that learned to read
>> [laughter] he was outside reading the tax increase and voted for it.
did you not, honey?
>> [laughter] so -- so that's all that I guess that I can say.
judge, I want to say this personally to you.
you are the most fair man that I have ever had the opportunity to work with.
you listen.
you never do what I ask.
but you listen.
so that's not -- no, that's not true.
this is a great court.
i ask -- I'm going to send you guys a -- an e-mail today and I know that you get nine million of 'em.
but I ask that you please read this.
it is a summary of the accomplishments that you've allowed Travis County to make.
if I were going to run for office, I would run on these.
because when I came here we were 10 years behind in technology.
we are now in my opinion, a comfortable three years behind.
and when I say comfortable, I work for a company that always was leading edge.
a little bit behind.
but -- but that's not where you want to be.
so -- so I would encourage you to read what you guys have accomplished in the last 10 years, and I will come back to citizens communication.
hopefully you won't recognize me.
i will be a lot thinner then and there are pictures going around of a large woman dancing on a table, but it is not me.
>> [laughter] so I want to thank my i.t.
staff one last night.
i love each and every one of you, you are like family to me.
i will never forget this experience and I won't forget any of you.
>> we'll miss you.
>> anybody else?
>> yes, sir?
>> I think they've said it all.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, my name is jimmy castro, I'm here to speak as a citizens on my own behalf.
judy, you referred to a certificate of appreciation from one citizen to another.
this is for all of the hard work that you have given the citizens of Travis County.
it reads judy pittsford, judy, I want to take a moment of your time to congratulate you on your retirement from Travis County.
your hard work and dedication is greatly appreciated by the entire Austin community.
it takes special people like yourself to make Travis County the success that it is today.
it describes people who act from the heart and keep in mind the hearts of others much finally, judy, you are in this retirement the old fashioned way.
you worked for it.
>> [laughter] again, thanks for your time, but especially congratulations on a job well done.
>> [ applause ]
>> judy, let me just say one thing to ya.
whenever we get an opportunity, I hope that -- that you will be -- available and present, when we finally end up converting the justice of the peace offices as far as dealing with some of the facts.
you know, we have started this -- we started this race a long time ago.
dealing with a lot of systems that -- that I guess you heard prevention and I guess you heard p.b.o.
when they said that we still have some challenges that we need to deal with as far as some of the conversion efforts as far as dealing with facts.
but hopefully by March, we will have all of those things, March of -- of next year.
all of those things resolved.
and I wanted to make sure when those resolutions come about, I want to make sure that you are present because you have put a lot of time and effort into the program.
>> thank you, Commissioner.
>> and by god you ought to be able to be with us when we cross that finish line.
>> I will bring the champagne.
>> okay.
>> [ applause ] any other comments?
any other comments?
>> just to say that judy thanks so much for leading us into this area.
i know that we still have a long way to go.
but again your persistence and your good natured way of -- of, you know, trying to -- to make sure that we hear you, you know, it's really appreciated.
thanks so much.
enjoy.
>> thank you.
>> we'll miss you.
>> yep.
>> for sure.
we will miss you terribly.
looking at the faces of your comrades behind you, they all look so hang dog.
without my keep Austin beautiful t-shirt just to mop my eyes with it.
>> I asked the court to buy you a beautiful role -- beautiful rolex watch.
they turned me down.
good thing, you don't want to spend your retirement in jail
>> [laughter]
>> it's a bad budget year.
i should have waited.
>> [laughter]
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> not in favor of your retirement.
>> [ applause ] nobody says 1, 2, 3, anymore.
>> [ applause ]
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 1:30 PM
