Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 (Agenda)
Executive Session Items
Ms. Porter has that brought us to our executive session agenda?
it's a long executive session agenda y'all.
>> did we do mr. Levitz contract.
>> we need to discuss that, that's one of our things to discuss.
>> sorry.
>> if we are to complete business today, by 5:00, we will move at break neck historic speed.
some of these items will require significant discussion, I think.
31.
receive legal briefing and take appropriate action on the adoption of a vote center program for use in the November 8, 2011 constitutional amendment election in Travis County.
consultation with attorney exception to the open meetings act.
32.
consider and take appropriate action on potential acquisition of open space land in precinct 3.
real property exception to the open meetings act.
33.
receive briefing from county attorney and give direction concerning whether to file suit against jordan stevens, Texas quality services, llc and/or heather mendenhall to recover damages to a county-owned vehicle and take appropriate action.
consultation with attorney.
34.
receive briefing from county attorney and give direction concerning whether to file suit against anthony sanchez to recover damages to a county-owned guardrail and take appropriate action.
consultation with attorney.
35 we announced we would postpone until further notice.
36.
receive briefing from retained outside counsel and take appropriate action in alicia perez v.
Travis County.
no.
1:11-cv-00019-ly.
consultation with attorney exception.
37.
receive briefing from county attorney regarding jo legal issues associated with the estancia hill country preliminary plan.
consultation with attorney.
38.
consider and take appropriate action regarding lease agreement with bruce lipshy at 700 lavaca, suite 405.
consultation with attorney and real property.
we previously announced the pulling of item 39 until further notice.
40.
receive legal briefing and take appropriate action on save our springs alliance's request for inspection of Travis County bccp land near the wtp4 facilities by dr. Phil bennett.
wtp 4 is wastewater treatment plant no.
4.
consultation with attorney.
41.
receive legal briefing regarding issues relating to historical exemptions.
consultation with attorney.
and we note executive session discussion only.
42.
receive briefing and take appropriate action in jane doe v.
richard "dick" furrs.
no.
a-10-ca-00504-ly.
consultation with attorney.
43.
consider and take appropriate action on potential acquisition of a conservation easement in eastern Travis County in precinct 1.
consultation with attorney and real property exceptions.
44.
receive briefing and take appropriate action regarding Travis County involvement in legal action objecting to congressional redistricting effort by the Texas legislature.
consultation with attorney.
45.
conduct performance evaluations for county executive rodney rhoades and take appropriate action.
, personnel matters exception to the open meetings act.
and number a 1, receive briefing from county attorney and take appropriate action on tceq's granting of a contested case hearing with a concurrent referral of alternative dispute resolution during the state office of administrative hearings scheduling process in the matter of the application of synagro of Texas-cdr, inc.
for a tpdes permit.
and next time we'll spell out tpdes.
we'll discuss these matters in executive session, but will return to open court before taking any action.
We have returned from executive session finally where we discussed all of the -- well, most of the items that we announced.
no.
3 1 the matter involving a request for the adoption of a vote center program for use in the November 8th, 2011 constitutional amendment election in Travis County.
I move that we approve the preparation of an application to the secretary of state for a voter center program for vote center program, which will be presented to the Commissioners court when it's time to submit it or after completion after the application.
seconded by Commissioner Gomez.
discussion?
on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
thank you very much, ms. Dana debeauvoir.
thank you for your patience today, too.
>> you're welcome.
>> 32 is the matter involving the potential acquisition of open space land in precinct 3, we did get a briefing, any action today?
>> nope.
>> we'll have it back on the court's agenda, I have July 5th, is that right?
33 we did not discuss as the time did not allow it, we will have that back on next week.
same can be said for 34.
by the way, both of those we involved the question whether to file suit against persons who damaged county property.
and so 34 and 33 on the court's agenda next week.
we did not discuss 35.
36 is a matter involving the perez case versus Travis County.
move that we appoint Commissioner Davis to work with dan mansour our risk manager and our outside counsel to enter into negotiations with the attorney for ms. Perez and her, with an eye to resolving this matter immediately if possible.
>> second.
>> seconded by Commissioner Gomez.
discussion?
all in favor?
show Commissioners -- show a unanimous court and -- and our discussion was to have this matter back on the court's agenda next Tuesday.
>> yes, judge.
>> for a follow-up discussion as appropriate.
>> yes, judge.
>> thank you very much for agreeing to undertake that responsibility.
we did not get to discuss item 37 because we ran out of time.
that's the estancia hill country preliminary plan.
we'll have that back on next week.
38 is the matter involving the bruce lipshy former tenant at 700 lavaca, suite 405.
move that we approve the settlement agreement reported back by the county attorney's office.
>> second.
>> discussion on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
39, we did not discuss.
it was announced for postponement earlier.
40 is the matter involving request by the s.o.s.
to inspect bccp land near wtp 4 by doctor phil bennett.
>> move that we authorize t.n.r.
upon execution of our lease to proceed with the permitting process for s.o.s.
request for access to Travis County bccp lands consistent with Travis County's rules and permitting.
>> second.
>> seconded by two members of the court.
discussion?
you will choose one of those, won't you, ms. Porter?
>> [laughter] first motion that you heard.
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
41 is a matter involving the historical exemptions that we did get our briefing on.
in my view no action today.
we will have that matter on the court's agenda next -- next Tuesday, the 28th of June.
hopefully for action.
42 is the matter involving jane doe versus richard dick furrs.
I suggest did that we move this to mediation, we get outside counsel to work with a representative from the attorney's office and to work with the risk manager.
>> second.
>> to bring to the Commissioners court a -- a possible settlement of this matter and we need to do that as soon as possible two weeks, three weeks?
>> I'm not sure about the timing.
judge.
but -- but this is --
>> [indiscernible] it hasn't come back for a vote
>> [indiscernible]
>> okay.
>> judge, we will repost it when necessary.
>> all right.
it will be put back on as appropriate and the -- let the county attorney's office know they don't have the authority to act as the Commissioners court.
although rumor has it that they do so when we're not around.
they will bring it back as appropriate.
43 is the matter involving the potential acquisition of a conservation easement in -- pardon me?
>> no action on that?
I made the motion on 42, was there a second.
>> yes, I seconded it.
>> Commissioner Davis seconded it.
>> yes, judge.
>> discussion on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
thank you all for keeping me under control.
43 the matter involving the potential acquisition of a conservation easement in eastern Travis County in precinct 1.
I make a motion that the court directs county staff to move forward with the acquisition of a conservation easement in eastern Travis County and additionally upon full execution of the agreement, verification of funds and full audit of the claim, the county attorney is requested to issue a payment for the contracted funds and the county treasurer to release the payment to heritage title company of Austin, inc., commercial escrow agent.
commercial escrow account.
>> second.
>> the formal payments shall be a check or electronic funds transfer, eft, whichever is agreed to between all parties, seconded by Commissioner Davis, discussion on the motion?
>> just like I say, judge, this is a first in Travis County.
I think that it's really a great tribute to what Travis County is doing.
in this particular -- especially when it comes to dealing with the conservation easement and tool that's been used to get here.
so I just want to thank everybody for supporting this -- this -- for supporting this, if it --
>>
>> [indiscernible]
>> authorized to sign.
>> authorize the judge to sign, I think that would be more appropriate to come from the county judge.
>> if that's friendly, we will incorporate that into the motion.
okay.
we'll give you a copy of this motion if we need it, this was kind of long.
discussion on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
item no.
44, we did discuss, probably no action required today.
we'll put it back on when we need action on it in the future.
45 we did not have a chance to discuss because we ran out of time, we will have it back on the court's agenda.
the other matter involving the modification of number 15, the agreement with outside legal counsel, randy levitt, we do expect him to do the mediation.
this is an up to amount.
I move that we approve it.
it's an up to amount that's billed against and -- and so I think we need some amount in place as I think that we have used up what we approved last time.
is there a second for that motion?
>> second.
>> seconded by Commissioner Eckhardt.
discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
ms. Porter, anything else left for today?
>> move adjourn.
a1
>> a 1.
>> a 1.
>> a 1, did we discuss a 1?
>> no.
>> no, you did not discuss a 1.
>> I don't think it was read.
>> going to next week, I believe, judge.
>> bump it a week?
>> yeah.
>> we'll have it back on next week, thank you very much.
>> move adjourn.
>> ms. Porter requests that next week's agenda be much shorter and that the executive session agenda be probably a third as long.
with that, Commissioner Gomez moves adjournment.
I enthusiastically second it.
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
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