Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, November 16, 2010,
Item 3
Ms. Jennings, I apologize.
I surely did not mean to skip over number 3, receive 40th anniversary update presentation from capital area council of governments.
and we have sheila jennings, who is deputy director of capcog.
welcome and good morning.
>> thank you very much d.
good morning, judge and Commissioners.
as the judge stated, I am sheila jennings with the cap cog.
I am the deputy director.
this is the 40th anniversary year of the capital area council of government.
when we brought that to the attention of executive committee they asked we go out and make visits around the region and present some of what we are about today.
>> can you pull that mike toward you.
>> so sorry.
this one.
>> let's use the other one.
>> this is better?.
is that better?
much better.
I can hear it.
our executive committee did ask that we go ahead and go out in the remming and did a bit --in the region and do some road visits and talk about what cap cogis about today.
we do have a powerpoint and I move to the presentation.
>> should we let the whole court know that Commissioner Huber and I are on the on the executive committee?
>> yes, sir, you will see your names in a minutes.
I will get to that.
we are a ten county region.
these regions are established by the governor's office.
they are state planning region 12, capital area council of governments.
there are the ten counties.
we are enabled by chapter 391 in the local government code that is permissive.
wree not established.
it's permission to establish a council of governments.
that brings us to number two, a voluntary organization.
the cities and counties join up at their initiative.
to create the council of government.
we only exist because of the membership of cities and counties in our region.
we do not have any taxing authority, cannot leavy taxes and no regulatory authority.
the intent is to be clab --collaborative and planning agencies.
that leaves to programs that need to be coordinated or requiring collaboration.
there are 24 cogs in Texas, all contiguous, and we are 12.
governing body, we have generally assembly which are all members of the cities and counties in the region and we have an elected executive committee, as the judge commented on.
the executive committee meets monthly.
here is the representation of that committee.
Travis County as largest has two dedicated positions on the committee.
there's one representative from each of the other counties.
and in the city participation it's based upon size.
the city of Austin has one position on the executive committee and then we have a representative for the city with a population in excess of 100,000.
the midsize cities, 25 to 100,000 and then smaller cities and three at large positions.
total of 25 on the executive committee.
the only thing the law requires of our governing body is that it be at least 66 percent elected officials.
you can see in the capital area region we decided the committeetive will be all elected officials.
those are the members divided up by county and the cities also designated.
this body goes on the calendary.
this is the current membership until January 1 .
(please stand by for change in captioner)
>> we do have a regional services department.
those are some of the programs which are one or two staff.
I値l detail them in a little bit.
we are the regional training academy.
this is a law enforcement academy.
the regional training academy is funded with 421 funds.
that's court fee funds at the state level.
this operation is for many of those areas which do not have their own academies.
they're not large enough to train their own law enforcement officers.
and of course an administrative division to help manage these activities.
in our area agency on aging here are the services.
we have some contractual service outs there with transportation, meals, senior centers.
we provide benefits counseling.
there's an ombudsman service to capcog.
caregiver and respite services.
we do have a new program, a false prevention program where we actually do train trainers around the region to help prepare seniors and to avoid falls, which is a senior fit problem.
our community and economic development division, we do have an information clearinghouse.
we make a greel of information available on our website.
the census information from the state data center, we are the affiliate for the state data center.
we do provide demographic information, economic data.
we do some impact analyses.
those are usually on request.
and then we do do some planning and technical assistance also on request: here are emergency communications, the 911 system.
we do technical assistance.
there are 32 public safety points around our region.
we do regional planning for all of those psaps together as a system.
we do the gis mapping and the gis coding to make it usable for our phone systems. We do train the telecommunicators and manage the infrastructure, the replacement, that's a large budget item, the replacement of equipment out in the psaps is conducted.
there's an equipment schedule manage thrud our office.
here is homeland security.
planning and administration.
we're very proud of this program.
since two homeland security has been a regional collaboration in the capital area.
all of the emergency management coordinators from across the region gather monthly in our offices to talk about need, talk about plans for response.
they conduct an exercise every November.
one was just conducted two weeks ago for our region to practice that response.
so there is a great deal of cooperation and support for one another among our jurisdictions.
some equipment and training is funded through grants in the homeland security program.
there are some tools that we use region wide that are also managed in that program.
the -- it's called ens, emergency notification system.
commonly this is called reverse 911.
this is the ability to call a neighborhood through a computer and that's operated from our offices to warn them of an imminent danger, a flood, something like that.
we can actually call the phones in a neighborhood, we can map out and let them know of an emergency coming.
that capability is anywhere where there is a psap, those emergency coordinators can activate that system.
we also have web eoc.
that stands for emergency operations center.
this is a web-based protocol where if there's a regional emergency or even just in one jurisdiction, emergency management professionals in our region can tune in to that and can offer assistance, can respond to requests and essentially over the web, can participate and help manage that incident.
and other big item, radio communications interopen rability.
this is the ability to talk to each other over the radios.
it's been a huge issue for homeland security since the institution of that program.
this is something we've made quite a bit of progress with in this region.
in our regional services area this is where we find the air quality planning.
we do some planning and monitoring for air quality out of our offices, modeling.
we receive near non-attainment dollars and our office has been watching carefully and helping support elected officials and other folks in our region as we watch whether we become non-attainment in the near future.
we have a criminal justice planning and funding operation.
these are grants from the governor's office to local jurisdictions.
and the program -- the planning process behind those grants is also coordinate thrud our coordinated through our offices.
a solid waste program funded by the state to develop a solid waste plan in the region and also to fund recycling efforts, all kinds of efforts across the region to help minimize and reduce our waste.
there's some limited transportation land use planning.
we do have a planner on staff who helps coordinate workshops and do some transportation planning, comprehensive planning in some of the outlying counties that do not belong to the mpo.
Texas reusing comment system.
this is an activity that is required of us by law where large grants coming into the region, this is an opportunity for local officials to comment.
we post those and any information we receive, any comments we receive on large grants are funnel thrud our office.
community development block grants is also staffed through our office.
and then we have a geographic information systems, gis shop that does not only the 911 activity, but produces some other maps such as landfill inventories for our region, things like that which are posted on the web.
and here is the regional training academy, which we just discussed a bit.
there is a basic peace officer certification course.
we offer three or four of those in a given year and train upwards of 90 officers.
we do in-service training, training that officers need on repetitive basis for their continuing education.
we offer a lot of those courses.
there is a jailer's course that we offer.
and we also do surveys of training needs.
and then our administrative services.
general management, finance, grants and contracts management, these are largely some activities that I知 involved with in our agency.
through our administrative services there are 12 f.t.e.'s.
we have 62 staff on any given year.
total staff.
our indirect costs, the funding for administrative activities runs at about 8.9%, somewhere around nine percent in a given year.
here is a quick break down of how each of those divisions are funded, the amount, what proportion they are of our budget.
you will see emergency communications is 45%.
and aging about 35.9.
and then the others are -- run roughly from three to five percent of the budget.
and for 2011 for the future, some of the projects that are coming up in this year that we're focusing on, capcog, a training center, not just -- this is not the law enforcement academy, but trying to expand upon some of our training that we provide for local officials.
advanced gis, some other things for professionals and other local jurisdiction, staff out there, assistance and help.
trainers we can bring in.
we're trying to increase that activity.
recently Commissioner Huber participated with a committee on an assessment of growth and development, looking at economic development in the region, trying to look at some policy -- a list of policy concerns for jurisdictions to consider in assessing their growth.
and this report is coming out here shortly.
our training academy now owns a mobile use of force simulator.
that is an actual large trailer where officers can come in and on screen they practice use of force situations, and it's controlled by a trainer on a computer.
you can change the scenario depending on the officer's response in realtime.
and this has been the useful tool that's already out in the region.
what's important about it is that it's mobile.
that is fairly unique, so we actually do take it out to the various counties.
it's currently in lee county.
and the local officers there use the system 24/7.
if they have night crews or whoever they want to take through that simulator, it's left for them to use.
we do have a current grant for the smart grid innovation clusters project.
this is from eda.
and we're working with a contract with the pecan street project for a couple of specific deliverables on this project about economic development opportunities that come from a smart grid operation, from smart grid technologies.
and then we have -- we are once again ramping up our geo spatial base map project.
this is using our gis project to get flyover data that may be specific to our jurisdictions so that we can all go in together and save costs for those flyovers and for gathering that data.
it's a joint project and that is just underway right now.
we're having a call for projects.
and the next jen 911, this catch phrase is taking 911 to more web-based operability.
it's greatly standing the operabilities so the data can go with a 911 call.
that you can send pictures with a 911 call or those types of things ultimately.
we are working to upgrade equipment to be capable of that once we get to the situation where we can implement next gen 911.
betty boidz is our executive director and she was scheduled to be with you this morning.
actually, slaughter decided to have a hearing this morning on the council of governments, so she was called to testify.
but here is her contact information.
you can also reach me at this phone number and this location.
if y'all have any other questions or concerns about capcog.
thank you very much.
>> the committee has about how many members?
>> the executive committee?
>> right.
>> there are 25.
>> and there is a general assembly that you mentioned, it has roughly how many?
>> 120 probably at any given time.
120, 160.
>> it meets three or four times a year.
>> it meets a couple of times a year.
general assembly meeting that is coming up in December, the annual meeting in December, which will be December ninth, is that correct?
I should have looked up the date.
that's second Wednesday in December.
we are having our next general assembly meeting.
>> court members, any questions, comments?
>> thank you for the presentation.
>> good job.
>> thank you for having us.
please give us a call if there are questions or things we can do for you.
>> non-court members, mr. Reeferseed?
>> thank you, sir.
I wanted to praise the 911 program and the thing for seniors, the fall prevention.
that sounds great.
but I知 really scared and I hope this gets out to governor gardisal that kills girls now and boys later, what about this flyover data?
what is that for, to get pictures of people's property and how they choose to use it or the houses and how to approach them?
>> no, sir.
it's data that is collected for the purposes of maps.
it is maps.
so it's gathering that data.
what we largely use it for at capcog is for 911 planning where we can actually identify streets and areas where people live and make sure that we are serving those areas.
that we have capability out there.
>> that's great.
my main question really is about the 2011 project.
does that -- even though you didn't mention it, I知 horrified and I think a lot of citizens are, of these fema camps.
can you explain to me how fema camps work into your little program and -- I want to also thank you about the review and comment system and find out how can citizens still participate in that at all?
>> certainly.
on fema, those -- fema when they are setting up temporary housing, I assume, is when an incident has already occurred.
that would be directly with a jurisdiction.
our role actually in homeland security would be to plan for an event before it occurs.
so most of our activity, most of our funding goes towards the planning to respond to an event versus whoops --
>> great.
that's what I wanted to ask you about.
is it or is it not planning to house citizens, gun owners, Ron paul supporters, libertarians, people like me that are listed in that report that came out?
>> yes.
local jurisdictions do work together and plan for how we would house folks, not only our own folks if there were an incident, but sometimes if we have some people who come to our area to be housed temporarily.
>> so it is planning for Ron paul supporters and libertarians and people like that?
is that what you were saying.
>> yes, sir, anyone that would be affected by an incident.
>> I think this is running far afield of the --
>> anybody, anybody.
>> anybody, yes.
>> mr. Bald win.
>> pete baldwin, emergency management coordinator.
through the homeland security we do regional type planning for regional catastrophic events and also for how to respond to any and all types of events; however, part of the capital area planning council has been designated as a shelter hub, which means we have the ability to put up about 25,000 people on a temporary basis in a very short order of time.
we make no requirements on who comes in to our shelters.
they are shelters to get people in, out of inclement weather or because of some type of disaster that has happened and we provide the basics, we provide a roof over their head, food, a place to sleep and stay clean.
but it is open for anybody and everyone.
>> including you, mr. Reeferseed.
>> thank you.
>> I might mention that pete has been chair of the homeland security taskforce at the capital area council of governments.
and thank you for lending him to us.
>> my only question for you, sir, is are these camps, do they not -- are they not at all -- are they only voluntary?
do they have fencing with --
>> they're not internment camps.
they are placed to get out of the inclement weather.
>> we do not open up camps.
>> they are fema camps.
>> we do not open up camps.
we utilize high schools in the school districts and three different counties to house and shelter on a temporary basis.
>> voluntarily.
>> voluntarily.
>> that's great.
thanks.
>> I just wanted to make a comment.
I知 danny hobby, emergency services for Travis County.
I really appreciate you coming by today because I don't take for granted all the services that capcog does provide us.
of course, they're the backbone of everything that I do, but I want to say thank you for coming by today.
it's great to have you do a summary like this for the public as well as for the court because there you get to see all the many services that they do provide us and our residents.
and so I just want to thank you for coming by today and thank you for all the services you do provide us, both in staffing and equipment and grants.
I mean, it's just phenomenal how well that they work with our communities.
so thank you.
>> thank you very much.
and thank you for the support of the county for our activities.
>> I want to ditto what danny said because I think capcog is one of the best kept secrets around and I知 really glad that we're getting out like this to share imhunt at large what capcog actually does.
>> and it has two outstanding members from Travis County as you mentioned.
>> it definitely does.
>> so in addition to the Commissioners court, you kept two friends today and you gained a new one.
>> thank you very much.
>> thanks for coming down.
>>
>> [inaudible - no mic].
>> we need you on the mic if you have a question.
microphone so we can hear you.
so your million Travis County residents will hear your question too.
>> may I have your name?
>> sheila jennings.
>> sheila jennings.
excuse me, may I have a whole presentation copy?
>> sure.
>> actually, you can have my copy.
how is that?
>> yes, sir.
I really appreciate it.
I would like to have the whole copy.
and then jurisdiction question.
it's assumption -- I didn't say it actually happened.
united states homeland security may have authority to violate Texas homeland security.
may I have a question?
the united states homeland security may have authority to violate Texas homeland security?
>> I think you're going into the preemption clause and that's -- that's a case-by-case basis, and it has to do with the u.s.
constitution and the separation between state authority and the federal authority.
but it's too general a question, I think is what I知 saying, dr. Kim.
it would -- it turns on the circumstances whether the -- whether the feds have occupied the field, is the term, I believe.
>> I would like to then make it specific.
Travis County court authorized Travis County citizens to go to home.
united is the homeland security camp to arrest him for no good reason.
they arrest him.
again, Travis County court authorize the persons to go to the home, and the same day united homeland security came to the court and arrest him.
>> I --
>> I don't know that the Commissioners court has haz that authority.
what the other judicial judges might do is another matter.
that's about the only answer I can give you.
>> may I ask of her?
>> probably not jermaine to what capcog does.
>> do you have another copy of this?
>> yes, sir.
I can certainly get one for you.
>> you can have my copy.
her address is on the last page here.
she works -- she's betty voigt's deputy, so betty vieght's address is on the back there.
you can write her that question.
she may be able to answer you or the homeland security person might.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
thank you, miss jennings.
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, November 16, 2010 3:20 PM
