Travis County Commissioners Court
April 27, 2010,
Citizens Communication
We are to the citizens communication portion of the agenda. And i have on the list for citizens communication, this is the opportunity for citizens to speak on any item not posted on the agenda for up to three minutes. My apologies if we appear stony faced under very good and common sense rules for open meetings, we cannot deliberate an item not posted on the agenda. So please don't take it personally that we cannot respond to some of the statements or questions put to us. I have down for citizens communication chief don smith, who will be bringing his cadets in. You can get set up while i read the list. After that will be morris priest dan man seur, master mateo. I love that last name but it also messes me up. What a great name. Tracy calloway. Is this pk washington? Or k washington? Paul reynolds. Rye iver son, sean schwartz, sean buck heart, and ronnie referseed. Is that all the names? Did i miss anybody? Without further ado, chief smit.
>> thank you commissioners for allowing us to be here again today. We're getting ready to graduate class number ten again, your support is what makes it happen. I think the other day we sent you another e-mail, another cadet from class nine found a full-time job. One at a time we're making a difference and it's really kind of exciting that that happens. I was a little disappointed a week ago when i had to let a couple of cadets go from this program, about you we had some issues that couldn't be resolved there. We are taking applications for class 11 at this time. Preparation for another good group of young men and women coming forward into the fire service. So again, i want to thank you for your support with this program. Graduation will be tomorrow night out at the expo center at 6:30. Public is invited and each of you are invited to come to that. It's always exciting to see the family members there with them. Today i have with me assistant chief salice. His new title is fire chief salice. He will be taking my position at end of next month. Commissioners have appointed him. We're working through kind of showing him how to put a budget together and work through that stuff. He is excited about taking on that responsibility. Assistance chief reynolds here is the director for our training program. Over the years you are have seen a fine group of young people trained, coming out of that program. We still get phones calls from fire chiefs around the state who hire young people, telling us how excited they are about the people they hire from this program and how skilled they are. And that credit goes to chief reynolds for that hard work. So chief, we really need to say thank you for that dedication you have to these young people.
>> (applause)
>> i noticed as you read the names there, chief reynolds has signed and some of the cadets signed. They didn't realize that got on the agenda.
>> that is all good. I like it.
>> so you will be able to mark some of those off. I will turn this over to chief reynolds.
>> good morning, exist--exist commissioners. Thank you once again for supporting the program. As chief smith mentioned the program would certainly not be possible without you. I think the graduating class, i can't call them graduates just yet, would like to introduce themselves and i think they have chosen one spokes american to take about two mens more of your time.
>> i'm cadet larsen. I want to thank you you all on behalf of the class ten for giving us this opportunities because a lot of us wouldn't be able do this if it wasn't for y'all. We're going to be able to make a huge difference in our community in texas and we want to say thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> (applause)
>> one last thing and we'll be done. Class ten, sound off.
>> best class to exist so far.
>> now one push up during the fire. This job is not for hire.
>> special robin get it hot. A thousand we won't stop. Chief and so do we. Cats can drive and kill bambi. Don't get down you might get hit.
>> all right. Is that the last part. All right.
>> great.
>> oh, second lt. Reynolds.
>> no big deal is what we say. Class ten pave the way. Who are we? Class ten. Who are we? Class ten.
>> excellent.
>> (applause)
>> congratulations.
>> the pause in the middle made it far more interesting.
>> any questions for class ten?
>> did you enjoy the process? Or was it just hard work?
>> both.
>> congratulations.
>> congratulations to you.
>> i have one question. For class 11. You mentioned you were taking applications. Would you like to share that where they may make application?
>> yes. Our district office is located on martha moore at 11800 number 4 b. Our office number there is 512-836-7566. We also have a website. Esd 4.org.
>> repeat that telephone number again.
>> yes, sir, 512-836-7566.
>> thank you.
>> for class 11, class 10 has set the bar high.
>> yes, they have. Thank you, commissioners.
>> thank you so much for coming.
>> thank you for your service.
>> (applause)
>> next up for citizens communication is morris priest.
>> thank you, commissioner, morris priest speaking on my own behalf. Went to the capital the other day and they had a meeting with the texas department of public safety about the driver responsibility program and comments on proposed changes to the driver responsibility program pursuant to texas administrative code title 37 section 15163. In texas 1.2 million drivers have had listens suspended due to failure to pay the driver responsibility program. That is 1.2 million drivers. The driver responsibility program has failed to collect roughly two-thirds of the fees assessed. Currently composed, the program is driving up the number of uninsured unlicensed drivers creating a burden on courts and law enforcement dealing with the corresponding issues related to charges and collects rates remain a problem. First, the proposal of the indi gin si program, suggestions were made. We suggested an amnesty program allowing texas not specifically covered by the independent gin si program but still unable to pay the surcharges for an opportunity the reduce or waive fees similar to tax amnesty program, for citizens who would not qualify for reduced fees and for people incarcerated. The program would improve compliance by encouraging individuals to pay outstanding fees for reduced penalties and extended payments. Meaningful reforms to the current dpr should be implemented and improve collects rates to ensure drp is not increasing number of licensed and uninsured drivers. We have given the department of public safety at the capital yesterday the chapter and verse, chapter 15 driver's license rule subchapter j, drivers responsibility program 37 tag 15163. You can find this information at the department of public safety or in the texas registry office, room 245, james earl roader building, 1019 travis street. We had two agencies that showed up and everyone spoke in opposition to the program, even the two trauma centers, texas ems trauma, care foundation and north central texas regional advisory council. The problem is another example of failed leadership such as we see at campo and with the items on the agenda today, even these fake inspection stickers and registrations. This has been an ongoing problem created by our legislature and just another example of why we need change and why we need to remind people that november is coming. We need to have real reform, legal reform, and we need to have a voters revolt to end this massive legislation. Thank you.
>> thank you, mr. Priest. Next on citizens communication is dan manseur.
>> good morning commissioners.
>> good morning.
>> i wantd to take this opportunity to recognize the support that it has paid and given to hrmd, particularly the risk and benefits division and recognize the work that geohas provided to us in our risk and information management program as well as being part of our open enrollment team. When we do off-site open enrollment, we walk in and the computers and printers are set up and they are working and largely because the geos work with us over the last eight years. With his pending retirement,ed to take this opportunity to thank him. And we're going to miss his smiling face.
>> are you moving on, geo?
>> yes, ma'am.
>> that was the reaction i had.
>> yeah, i will be retiring this friday after eleven years and four months.
>> oh, you will be so, so, so missed.
>> i will be around. As you know, this is my second retirement. I keep myself busy.
>> we will miss him and we do appreciate his hard work that he has given us over the last eight years, ten years. A long time.
>> we would like to thank you for your service. You will be surely missed.
>> thank you. Commissioners, i would like to say, well, people know geo, i work here with its for eleven years and four months. And i would like to take this opportunity to thank the commissioners, oh elected officials, county employees for giving me an opportunity to work with you guys and be part of a great team. Like i say, i will miss you guys. But i will be working on my third retirement. My goal is to retire at 62, about seven years from now. Start traveling and that is what i enjoy. I will be busy, i will be supporting elections, which i really love to do in november. So i will be around.
>> great. Well, geo, i am stunned. I don't know what to say. We will miss you so tremendously in it s. But also in your leadership in the travis county charities as well.
>> i want to say to judge biscoe for the years for giving me an opportunity to serve at it coordinator these past years. It was grates. I have had fun. You were very rewarding for me. We sold about $1100 worth of chocolate in two years. We had fun.
>> dark chocolate.
>> yes, and joe told me go ahead and sell chocolate. So i went and shop around for the good specials chocolate.
>> we can have you back as retiree volunteer.
>> thank you very much.
>> we'll give geoa standing ovation.
>> (applause)
>> commissioner davis knee hurts. That is why he is not standing. It is because his knee hurts.
>> thank you, commissioner.
>> truly he banged up his knee over the weekend. Next on the list, tracy callowa.
>> tracy call which. Hrm d. I'm here with the mayor of compensation to interest dust a new member of the hrmd staff.
>> commissioners, i would like to introduce crystal busteos, a senior hr analyst in the compensation division. Tries --crystal comes to us from the city of round rock and worked there approximately six years doing mixture of compensation and generallist activities in the human resources department. Graduate of st. Ed's, international business and spanish major.
>> yes.
>> very glad that she with us. I guess i'll allow you to ask anything you want of her or ask her to make any comments.
>> please.
>> thank you. Iment extremely happy to be here at travis county. As todd said, i worked in compensation for the past six years. So i'm really interested in coming on board and learning as much as i can from the great team that i have and contributing to this organization.
>> great. We're really thrilled to have you. The irony of having georetiring and then having you coming on board, it's a wonderful thing. Thank you for joining our team, crystal.
>> welcome.
>> thank you.
>> thanks so much, y'all.
>> (applause)
>> ms. Washington. Anyone else for citizens communication? Ronnie, i have your separate sheet. There a ms. Washington? Mr. Refer seed.
>> apologize for your sound guy. I did warn him. Hi, i'm ronnie referseed. Saying kids, reject cigarettes. They shorten your life. Reject alcohol. Fetal alcohol syndrome makes babies retarded and reject marijuana, it's the wrong bunch of criminals. Speaking of criminals, i was thrown out of a public park just like i was a criminal at er's birthday saturday after shopping from local farmers at my favorite farmers market, i got off the bus for the bd party, a big barb every year, lots of kids, and wearing my ron paul t shirt and hat with buttons and also cared my omni present ron paul placard protest sign. After only minutes of standing there talking politics with anyone who approached me, as if i was a criminal, the park thugs approached me, told me to leave the crowd around me stuck up andme to stand up to the park thugs threats of calling the cops and knowing our sacred u.s. Constitution, supreme law of the land, including this rented space here for public meetings at er's birthday party, and here for public meetings in that rented space at the birthday party, i refused to budget--bum. Two pumped evidently offduty cops man handled me off the party grounds and i went outside and stood there for hours informing people could go and going what was happening to me thrown out for my ron paul sign. Many people expressed sympathy and support so people were stunned and amazed. Some refused to believe that those cops would do that and a few were oblivious and even four were defending the parks. At dark i left for the buts and barely got home, waiting for the bus that never came. Bumping a ride in a cab with others partway home and catching two legs of my bus ride home late. In some way the offduty austin cops hired for security are oblivious to the supreme law of the land, kind of like here, meaning the absolute number one rule for all, our sacred constitution, tras precedence over everything else. Hello. Now, the first amendment doesn't apply anymore evidently. Sounds like those cops and even our favorite county judge biscoe needs to learn the . Freedom for political speech is an absolute right never to be infringed for anyone's power trip. Nonviolent expression of political dissents is the key never to be infringed. It's the key to our form of government. Now, what part of never are you finding hard to comprehend? Hey, by the way, i need a good cheap used vehicle, hopefully a pick-up. Call 264-1729 or write me, free pot now at g e-mail.com. On line ron paul, you can check out, ran paul 2010.com. Don't forget info wars.com. 11-3 weekdays, 4-6 sunday afternoons.
>> thank you mr. Referseed.
>> thank you y'all. Don't forget i need a car.
>> thank you ronnie.
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, April 27, 2010 2:35 PM
