Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, September 7, 2010,
Health Facilities Development Corporation
Now let's call to order the Travis County health facilities development corporation.
item number 1, consider and take appropriate action on request to approve invoice from the wellness budget.
>> mr. Davis.
>> harvey Davis, manager of the corporation, and the amount of invoice is $1,000, and it's for some training sessions provided by -- actually 20 training sessions provided by lee matter not on mccormick.
>> he sounds very pop.
move approval.
>> second.
>> discussion on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
with director Gomez absent.
item number 2, consider and take appropriate action on brown santa 5-k run/walk and kids k, decker challenge half marathon and wellness fair at Travis County exposition center on December 12, 2010.
>> dan mansur and dr. Deer and they will discuss this item.
>> judge, Commissioners, we're here to ask for support again on the 7th annual brown santa 5-k that we hold at the expo center.
we have had experience with sharing our program with the Austin runners club which we're doing again this year and we're asking for the court to approve the wellness fair at the exposition center and to approve up to $2,400 from the we willness budget for the funding of the program.
and to authorize the wellness committee to solicit vendors and sponsors to participate in the wellness fair.
this is the 5-k and wellness fair event, and to approve the printing of 5,000 registration forms. And this will be for the wellness fair, the brown santa 5-k and the kids 1-k.
>> this will also be held at the expo center in.
>> yes, sir.
>> and I don't have any problems with it, per se, roger, except for one fact that normally when we deal with the expo center discounts and all these other kind of things, we normally allowed roger el khoury to be involved and I haven't seen him involved in this and I'm just questioning that because normally he should be at the table when we look at that particular type of situation as far as dealing with expo center.
so that would be my concern on that.
>> we have coordinated with roger's staff and we've spoken -- there he is.
we've spoken about the event and he can share some information on that.
>> okay.
thank you.
>> I was waiting for item number 23 to talk about that, but we did today, you know, finalize coordination with dan mansur.
>> could you speak up, roger?
>> good afternoon, roger el khoury.
today we finalized coordination with dan regarding the use of the facility at the expo center.
apparently in the past they used the facility for one day, which is on Sunday.
now this year they changed it, they want to use it for two days, on Saturday and Sunday.
so I'm asking the court on that is to waive the fee for Saturday, but let's go ahead and give them 50%, you know, discount for Sunday, as always.
and also waive the fee for the table and chairs but keep the custodial fee as always before.
so the charge for the -- the charge would be $900, which is 50% of rental fee, plus $200 for the custodial, this is 1100.
we support the brawn santa and we continue to support the dan mansur staff on the expo center and we just want to make sure that you are aware of the days this year, not one day, and some decision to waive the fee and we recommend that.
>> okay, so we have -- this is a banquet hall cleanup fee of $180?
>> in the past they paid 200 and that's what the court rate is $200.
>> that was an error on our part.
that should have been 200.
>> instead of 180.
>> yes, sir.
>> and the $900 is 50% of the actual rate which is $1,800.
>> okay.
so we try to get county employees, their family members and I guess friends and acquaintances and just anybody from the general public that wants to participate is this.
>> that's right.
we encourage participation from across the community as well as the Travis County community employees, dependents and friends, family, whoever can walk, run or participate.
>> okay.
>> I have a question.
>> yes.
>> roger, are we giving the corporation any better or worse deal than we give to other nonprofits?
>> no, the same.
>> it's the same deal.
>> but on the second day -- it used to be before that they use Saturday as a -- as move-in day, set up day, but this time they want to use Saturday all day as move in.
if there is going to be changes, if the court would like to assign additional $900 for that day, that's up to the court, but we're saying that, you know, it came out -- it's going to be a hit for them at this time to go for additional 900.
>> I just wanted to make sure that we're not treating our affiliated corporation any better or worse than other nonprofits with whom we negotiate reduced rates for use of the expo center.
I guess what I'm continually driving at is to have a standard -- a standard treatment across the board in a business plan for the expo center so we can be supportive of nonprofits across the board whether they are corporations affiliated with Travis County or whether they are nonprofit corporations in the community.
>> thank you.
>> is that spoken as a corporation board member or a member of the Commissioners court?
>> that's a good point.
that's a good point.
>> don't answer.
any other questions, comments?
>> move approval.
>> second.
>> would you like to see the court members out there this year?
>> absolutely.
>> mr. Mansur?
>> we would like to see all court members and their staff and families, yes, sir.
>> this is just a little over three miles, right?
>> I believe so.
that's right.
>> if I'm in the country that day, put me down.
>>
>> [inaudible].
>> absolutely.
that's where I'll be.
>> if I'm in the country, that's what I'll do, I'll be walking, not running.
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
number 3, consider and take appropriate action on request to approve a service agreement with dr. Gary elkins in conjunction with implementing a pilot hypnosis smoking cessation for Travis County employees.
>> this item was discussed by Commissioners court in July.
I think you got an introduction into the concept.
the service agreement, which has been reviewed by our attorney, does contemplate that dr. Elkins will be providing information and service directly to dr. Durr.
dr. Durr will be the doctor of employees that participate in the smoking cessation program.
I do want to make one correction, in talking with dan and the doctor, they -- their request is that the -- this is a two-year funding and that the first year funding be payable in this year, this year, which there is sufficient money in the wellness budget.
and then the -- the 10,450, which is the second year's funding, would be payable if approved by the board either towards the end of fy 11.
>> what kind of
>> [inaudible] can we expect in such a program?
in other words, if folks get involved in it and who have problems trying to kick the habit of smoking and, of course, they get into this situation and how do we measure the successor the failure of such a program in that regard?
in other words, we want to come back for additional funding, I think I would like to see some measurements to see how effective it is to some degree.
so how is that determined?
>> harry, medical director for wellness clinic.
good afternoon, judge and Commissioners.
there will be quite a few measures in place.
one of the measures will be to measure the carbon monoxide levels to make sure they have quit, carbon monoxide levels, analyzing the breath to make sure individuals have quit.
would also be using certain validated scales which measure anxiety and improvement in sleep and also nicotine dependence before and after the program.
and individual -- but basically the quit rate will -- the number of individuals that quit, if there's a high percentage, that means the program is successful.
according to the human resource management consulting group in new york, the cost of a smoker is $5,600 a year per individual, and even if we -- even if three smokers quit during that period, that -- I would imagine that would be considered a success.
>> okay, then, I guess -- is there existing models that produce some type of tangible evidence to suggest that the program has some mode of success?
>> absolutely.
>> can you give me an example of one?
>> yes.
well, the program actually is cognitive behavioral therapy using hypnosis to improve the efficacy.
so basically we're trying to change the way people think about smoking and change the way they behave about smoking using hypnosis as a tool to make that more effacatious.
and dr. Elkins and the professor of the mind/body institute of baylor university, will be helping us with the behavioral and the cognitive intervention and hypnosis as well.
there have been two studies.
he actually conducted a study earlier on which showed 40% quit rate at 26 rates.
>> 40% quit rate.
>> so 40% of individuals undergoing a program of hypnosis quit and remain quit at 26 weeks.
>> so if ten folks get in, four of them quit --
>> [inaudible].
that's an example.
>> that's another example was a study done in massachusetts and it was presented at the annual scientific assembly of the chest physicians and they had used hypnosis in patients who had cardio pulmonary diagnosis and the six months the quit rate was 50%.
so 50% of the individuals who received intervention remained quit six months.
>> let me ask because I've had a complaint or two about smoking here on county premises.
an example the third floor parking garage for an example.
persons coming out of the elevator or either going down the stairs are complaining about the smoke, being overwhelmed by smoke in those particular areas.
and they feel offended and they brought that to my attention and I'm just wondering if anything in this particular program that can make adjustments to persons that do not smoke can be saved or spared the inhalation of unwelcome smoke.
>> well, in addition to the program we're requesting approval for today, we are working with the mayor's fitness council on a smoke-free environment, and they are also working toward a smoke-free community.
so we are moving in that direction and expect -- where does that stand?
>> we're in the process of starting the program in the next few months.
tobacco-free workplace.
and secondhand smoke is a huge concern because it does cause morbidity and mortality as well.
and so I think that's a good point that we should address both the work -- tobacco-free workplace and in addition give resources to individuals.
we already have quite a few programs in place, but smoking is a serious addiction and it's very, very difficult to get rid of it.
so we would like to give employees as many options as are available.
we do provide f.d.a.
approved medications to stop smoking in the Travis County employee clinics to Travis County employees at no cost.
and in 2009 we prescribed 79 individuals with medications and 26 of them remain quit for six months or longer.
however, a large percentage couldn't tolerate the side effects and some of the medications like chantix and zyban have serious side effects, anxiety and ensue side attempts, and the f.d.a.
has put in box warnings to warn against that.
so this would be another alternative employees who didn't want to take that route could take.
we also have the american lung association who come in and do classes and group councils he willings for our employees to stop smoking.
and the physicians in the wellness clinic do classes during lunchtime and programs called smoking cessation.
so this would be another tool in our toolbox to help employees and the combination being behavioral and cognitive intervention using hypnosis to increase the efficacy will -- I think it will be a good option for some employees.
>> thank you.
>> move approval.
>> second.
>> the thing about the program is even the people
>> [inaudible] have the option of coming back to the program.
>> absolutely.
and the program will provide them tools that they can use on their own to be able to learn tools regarding coping skills, stress management and even be able to get themselves into a relaxed state.
>> sure.
okay.
>> mr. Davis, the funds in the Travis County health facilities development corporation come from what source?
>> they come from fees that are paid by people that we issue bonds for.
>> and the money is supposed to be used for some health-related purpose.
>> yes, sir, it is.
they have to be by state law.
>> we've gotten legal opinions on that.
>> yes, sir.
>> I did get a couple of emails from taxpayers wondering about where the money would come from the last time we discussed this.
that was in the meeting of the Travis County Commissioners court, though, and now we're sitting as a board of the Travis County health facilities development corporation.
so the money really is supposed to be used for some health-related purpose.
>> right.
and, of course, the corporation's revenue has nothing to do with taxes.
>> but it is public.
it is public money, but not from taxpayers.
>> right.
>> and our view is that for county employees who smoke today, if we can get them to stop, they will be more productive, healthier, less of a hit on the Travis County health care budget, so there are multiple positives, quality of life as well as cost avoidance for our insurance plan, and since we self-insure, that's important.
>> absolutely.
>> any more discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
thank you all very much.
number 4, an added item, consider and take appropriate action on request to release lien on property at 8509 fm 969, Austin, Texas, 78724.
this was formerly vision village.
I thought we had done this three or four years ago.
this request came in because apparently we did not.
any additional comments, mr. Davis?
>> well, I've listed the reasons, the rationale for considering the request of the owner to release the lien, which includes the donation of land to the center for child protection, the successful relocation of the -- all the entities, the sheriff, the aisd, city of Austin, state of Texas, all in one location --
>> district attorney.
>> district attorney.
and at this site, and the renovation of the buildings that enable them to locate in the same place.
I've went out to the site yesterday and it's night and day from what it used to be several years ago.
and talked with one of the d.a.s and one of the investigators from the sheriff's office and they were both very happy with the situation out there.
and, of course, when this venture started, which was in 1997 with the city of Austin, who invested a significantly more money into the village, but they either have or about to release the lien.
I've confirmed that with the city attorney.
>> did they say when, though?
ballpark?
>> well, it was -- it was authorized by the city council.
>> okay.
>> and they -- the owner had to complete the trail easement to the city, which has been done, and do the -- the location of all the entities out -- the location concept which has been successfully done.
so, you know.
>> shortly.
>> this also is a 1 on the Commissioners court agenda today as an added item.
this request came in Friday.
>> the a 1 item is a little -- it's not for -- it's all out at vision village, but it's a different kind of issue.
>> based on legal advice.
>> right.
>> so we'll probably get legal advice on a 1 so whatever we do will be contingent on the Commissioners court doing the same would be my recommendation.
>> okay.
there's a motion and second to approve the request, right?
conditioned on the Commissioners court agreeing to do either the same thing or taking a similar action to remove the lien.
>> who seconded that?
>> I did.
any more discussion on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
thank you very much.
thank you.
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
and tim, you are the one that we should chat with on a 1, right?
>> yes.
>> and we will take it into executive session under consultation with attorney.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, September 14, 2010, 2010 7:56 PM
