Travis County Commissioners Court
December 8, 2009,
Item 14
14.
consider and take appropriate action on request from the Travis County fire academy for a reduced fee to use the Travis County exposition center for cadet graduation.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners.
>> good morning.
the -- let me catch my breath here.
>> we have done this -- we have done this annually for several years.
and mr.
norton's position is that the Travis County needs to grant the discount, not him.
right?
>> yes.
as I understand the process, I'm not the one who has authorized to be honoring discounts or waivers of fees.
>> questions?
>> yes.
>> okay.
>> I remain concerned that chapter 45 -- you are absolutely right, I really appreciate you for really understanding, both of you gentlemen, for really understanding the policy on this.
and bringing these to us.
i remain concerned, though, that we see so many of them that actually the exception has become the rule.
and not wanting to -- we do have some practices and previous practices to consider here, although the practices are so out of step with policy that I think at some point we should revisit policy and either line it up with practice or -- or something else.
we're looking at all four of these together, correct?
>> we will call them up one at a time.
however, it would seem to me that -- that in the name of consistency, we treat them -- try to treat them as much the same and less different.
i do agree if we want to revisit the policy, we ought to have a separate posting, full discussion of that.
since we're nearing the end of this year the timing it probably appropriate.
>> uh-huh.
>> you know, maybe we ought to just do that and then -- this year, then whatever we put in place, maybe give direction to mr.
norton, specific guidelines to follow so he can do whatever it is that we end up doing.
i can understand his position.
what I asked p.b.o.
is where we grant these discounts during the budget process, we ought to know what we have costs the expo center special fund.
p.b.o.
says it's been doing some of that and we can do it more specifically.
>> I think that -- I 100% agree.
i also agree this should probably be a separate agenda item with regard to the policy specifically.
i would ask, though, that as we look at that, that not only do we see what it costs the expo center, but we also derive -- that we also establish a -- a business plan for the expo center so we know the overall cost of the expo center and therefore what price point we are needing to attract and maintain in order to make it a self sustaining entity.
i -- it is a wonderful amenity.
i think it could be a much better amenity and I'm just concerned about its long-term sustainability given the -- the -- that the exception has become the rule.
>> yeah.
>> we have -- I guess the only good news is that these are entities that we have supported with discounts, historically.
and so if we want to make a change, then I do think we ought to center a policy that allows us to do that so we can communicate the change to --
>> absolutely.
>> the same agencies.
>> I don't want to -- I don't want to leave folks in the lunch.
they have come to re-- in the lurch, they have come to rely upon a certain pricing level, even though the appliesing level is not our policy.
even though the pricing level is not our policy.
i 100% degree we don't want to sandbag anybody, these are all wonderful organizations that do great things for the communities.
>> one of the things that I have recommended for many of these organizations is because we have to revisit this each and every year is to go ahead and honor their discounts over a sustained period so we don't have to take y'all's time each year revisiting all of these preexisting relationships, that's what I have suggested in the case of the Travis County youth livestock show and any others that you and you will see fit.
any others of having this discount granted it eliminates us having to go through these each and every time.
because I don't feel comfortable doing it arbitrarily because it is required.
>> how much we are not taking in because of the discounts over a year's period.
from the beginning of the year to the end of the year we have logged this many discounts on rates.
since we have done that, someone should have that information on how much money we would have had in the account without the discount versus the amount of money that we do not have in the fund because of the discounts.
so I just think that's good information to have.
and maybe it does need to be revisiting as far as policy is concerned.
>> yeah.
Commissioner, we do have those information and will be glad to presents that to the court.
>> pardon me in.
>> we do have the information about how much money.
>> over the course of a year.
>> over the course of years.
we would like to present that to the court through e-mails to you.
>> okay.
that would be good to know.
>> okay.
>> move approval of the discount requested by the fire academy.
>> second.
>> discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 2:30 PM
