Travis County Commissioners Court
March 2, 2010,
Item 19
We have a resident who is here on number 19, I'm told.
we will take that item up in executive session with the other executive session items but we will hear that person now.
you're here on number 19, the manchaca community center.
to consider and take action on license agreement for manchaca.
if you give us your name.
>> yes, sir, mayor ann namuan.
i was on the committee that formed, where the committee came together for benefit to save the fire hall.
and I think that there's been a little miscommunication on where some of the funds, remaining funds should be appropriated to.
we have been having money sitting in one account with the understanding dur our committee meetings that if there were any monies leftover after the fire hall was brought up to code, which was passed by the fire inspector, I was there present when that took place, and we have done all of the necessary to the best of my knowledge, all of the things that need to be taken place to bring the fire hall up to standards.
one of the things we discussed in our community meeting, our group meeting for the community was to get this up to code so that the community fire hall could remain a huge part of manchaca fire hall.
in that meeting we said, pardon me, we said if there were any funds remaining, that if everything was brought up to code and passed by the fire inspector marshal, that we would take any funds remaining and apply those towards any rent that is due on the lease of the building or prepay utilities that were necessary with the remaining funds.
somehow in the process of all of this we were not, I personally was not aware this a payment was due in December for one of the quarters.
we took a vote this week by e-mail from the people that served on the committee and we gave the choices of what do we do with the remaining funds, which in my cpa says it is around $3800.
if you guys are here to see about closing the fire hall, benefit was given and I would personally have to say 90 percent of the people attending this fundraiser which raced over $30,000 were brought together as a community not only to keep the community center a part of manchaca fire hall but because of what the vogel family has done for the community.
a couple of people on the committee didn't want to see this take place and would like to see them no longer involved with the community hall.
i personally feel all the people that came out there that day, including yourself, to show the respect to the vogels for all they have done, I'm prepared as one of the signers on the account to pay $3,000, which would be from December, so it would pay two quarters of the payments for the vogels, from the funds remaining from the fire hall.
so if what this meeting is about is to choose whether or not to let them continue with their lease, there are appropriate funds to apply to this.
>> two questions.
>> yes, sir.
>> one signature is all that is required on that check?
>> I believe it is.
give me five minutes.
i can double-check it.
i found out about this meeting last night.
>> okay.
second question.
are you authorized to make payment?
>> yes, sir, I am.
the funds are available.
the trek is made out to Travis County by my spa.
i will make one simple phone call.
in the past there's been two signatures on the check, I believe it is only required for one.
we took a vote and the majority ruled that we should pay the lease with the remaining funds.
>> okay.
we are scheduled to discuss this in executive session, which ought to come up real scoon.
>> okay.
>> if you can wait around a few minutes we can let you know.
>> yes, sir, I'll make the phone call during that time.
>> I'd like to make a couple of comments.
i certainly haven't been in your meetings, and I certainly have my own concerns about being sure that the manchaca community center, that the community is serviced and its needs out there.
i will say this, that the, I was told those funds were to help upgrade and meet the fire code.
the stairway is a fire escape to the upstairs room has yet to be built and my understanding was those funds were being held in reserve for that.
>> yes, ma'am, they were.
in the paperwork and communication I made with the county to find out what is required on the amount of people that is used for the building upstairs, if it's a limited amount of people that go upstairs it's really not required to have the second exit.
but the vogels are pre--prepared whatever the number is, to post a notice and not that number of people and not exceed that number.
the concern that mr.
vogel has, I can appreciate that he feels the location where the steps need to be placed at could be more of a hindrance to the children playing outside the community center where they would be playing on the steps and that type of thing.
he would be prepared to, if necessary, close the upstairs area to where there would be no meetings held.
there's plenty of room on the downstairs area to make available to the community for meetings.
>> okay.
and also, I am not sure that I agree with that.
what I have heard from the fire marshal but it seems to be an outstanding item still yet to be paid for or addressed.
the other thing, I have had a number of calls from a member in the community in your group, and I believe that I would only be comfortable in seeing a written ballot as far as the majority goes.
>> okay, I'm really okay with that.
personally I would be more comfortable with that myself.
i just knew the hearing was today.
i should at least let you know what we actually had discussed prior to that end of that meeting.
and yes, ma'am, the stairs were of a concern.
but when the fire marshal came there, I asked him about those and the fire marshal personally told me that the steps were not what he was there to inspect.
>> roger?.
>> while roger is coming up.
>> the amount outstanding under the terms of the license agreement at this point in time is the $1500 for the license fee and $465 for well testing reimbursement, costs that the county has to incur in order to keep that well producing.
>> so it is $1965.
>> I have a collect for--
>> the next payment would be due when?
>> March 15.
>> March 15, there would be another--
>> $1965.
>> which I'm prepared to pay that.
if it's 1500, correct--
>> it's 1965.
two almost.
>> in the remaining account there's $3,800, I don't have the exact dollar amount.
we are prepared to do what is necessary.
we want to close the account, close the benefit fund, and take care of, continue to do what the original plan was to do, to save the fire hall.
to keep it open.
>> $3800 would get them through March, April, may, June.
>> $3800 will get them through March 15.
on March 15 another $1965 is due and $3930 is what is is needed to cover the remainder.
>> if you make payment on March that gets them paid through when?
>> if he makes a payment of $1965, but there will be $130 short.
>> if he --if they pay on March 15, they will be paid through when?
>> June 15.
>> the second payment is due March 15.
today is March 2.
>> the 400 additional, is that every time a payment is due?
>> yes.
>> it's not 500 a month.
>> I think about 165 per month for the reimbursement for the water well testing costs.
>> okay.
so they test it every month.
>> that is what they are required by the health department, I understand.
>> okay.
>> director for facilities management department.
good morning.
i want to touch base on the issue of the stairs.
it is required by the codes, not by the fire marshal rimpt.
--requirement.
it is a code issue.
we talked with pj and mr.
fisher and we show them what the code sections apply to that second floor.
and it's required.
and beside that, we, facility management department, we design the stairs right there for them.
and to be made of a wood material.
the most economical material to be constructed and the location was discussed on the site.
so this is my issue.
>> if I could add to that.
the original plans cents over were made of metal.
>> we changed that and we give that temporary, we give it to mr.
tj again and to mr.
mark fisher, totally made of wood.
>> not too long ago.
>> no, about two weeks after we sent the stairs to be out of made of steal, we sent it two weeks after that made of wood.
>> so there was a delay in ther.
>> more than three months.
>> I have sent several e-mails to that office questioning information and a return call and spoke to one person and have not been answered properly.
one of the forms that I show it says if there is a limited amount of people upstairs, it's not required to have the second exit.
is that incorrect?
it is incorrect.
>> --
>> it is incorrect.
we have to have the second entrance because of life safety.
>> if one person is there--
>> that is the code issues.
we can provide the code language to you.
this is what it is.
it's a code.
>> so the answer was yes, one person means one set of steps.
>> one person or ten.
that is what the code says right there.
>> okay.
>> we have to have a second exit and entrance to the facility.
>> okay.
>> so if they block off, if they don't use upstairs, will they still need the second exit?
>> if you block it and close it completely, nothing at all, I don't think it's going to require.
but it is required by the code, whenever you build something like that, the second floor.
now, to monitor that is not going to be open at all 24 hours I cannot say that.
>> so is upstairs used now?
>> sir, it is, but he is willing to shut it down.
>> okay.
>> if that is what is necessary to do.
he is willing to shut that part down.
it was a part of the building when he leased it.
it does not have to be availabl.
>> okay.
are you in a position to be here an our from now?
>> yes, sir.
>> we will need her physically here with the check?
just in case?
can she be reachable by phone?
is your office located downtown area?
>> sir, I will be convenient to you.
whatever is necessary.
>> you are a very accommodated person.
what is your name again?
>> may name is marry ann nanuman.
i personally cannot tell you all the vogel family has done for the communit, and myself include benefit to benefit, a wedding planned to be outside and within an hour being brought into his facilities at no charge to the community.
they are really really good people.
and there are few people that would like to see it closed and those are the ones ruffling some feathers.
>> okay, ms.
wilson, in order for them to make the payment outstanding at this time, and the full March 15 payment in addition to $3800, they need how much?
in addition to the $3,000 on the check, they need $930.
she said there was another 800 in the account.
that means they need another 130 than they have in the account.
>> if the court agrees with this basically offer to resolve the outstanding balance and get us back in good standing, with that additional $130, we are through June 15.
>> in terms of the monies owing.
you still have the issue of the stairs.
>> our problem is that we are posted to discuss this in executive session.
but in my view, I'm sort of estimating that in one hour we will be done with that discussion, and others and back in open court.
>> okay.
i would respect, your honor, your wishes to have a vote, to show who votes for or against.
are you going requesting that?
>> we will be able to let you know that after executive session.
>> I would be prepared.
if all of this was in agreement, I would be prepared to pay the additional $130.
>> that is your number..
i don't know what is in the account.
>> I personally am saying that I would take on that additional.
>> any additional amount on the account.
>> yes.
>> the ballot issue is outstanding so we would be able to let you know.
>> I'm sorry, the what?
>> the documentation of an informal vote.
>> I understand that.
>> I have had too many mixed signals from the group.
>> there are a couple that are dead set against it and rougheling the feathers.
as we started out doing the have to by ballot it was coming in the additional funds should be paid towards lease and that was discussed openly in one of the committee meetings and there were no Octobers.
>> how many were present there?
>> no, ma'am, you have never been at the actual meeting?
>> I'm sorry.
>> I said how many were present.
>> I would estimate 10-12.
>> at the last meeting?
>> almost every meeting that amount.
not two or three people doing the committee meeting.
we were trying to look out for the community and look out for the vogels as well.
i personally got involved.
i don't live in manchaca.
i got involved because I have seen what the vogels have done for families of people in need, the firefighters who have gone out and fought the fires, they brought them back and fed them, took care of them.
mr.
vogel is one of the first, to the best of my knowledge, he and his wife two of the first people that started the manchaca fire hall.
i just think it's become a little political and I think that there's several people that just simply want to see them move on.
>> we have to remind you that he has been on default on this payment since the middle of December.
>> I did not understand that until recently and I had understood that he had spoken to your office about it.
no one--
>> in fact he called my office last Friday and I called him back and didn't get the message because it was late.
i called him back yesterday.
he couldn't remember why he called me on Friday.
>> yeah, okay.
80 something years old.
>> may I ask on that point, barbara, this license goes until when?
>> this term of this license goes until June 15.
>> until June 15.
that is all that is left on this license term.
>> on this license term, yes.
>> and ms.
nanuman?
>> yes, ma'am.
>> is your group looking at any kind of succession planning for mr.
voge.
>> mom--no, ma'am.
>> we will try to get back with you in about an hour or earlier.
>> okay.
i will make a few calls to see if I can accommodate some of the voting, the tallies.
>> okay.
thank you.
>> thank you so much.
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, March 2, 2010 2:54 PM
