Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 (Agenda)
Item 5
And since we have you there and have talked a little bit about the budget discussion, number 5d is to consider and take appropriate action on recommendations regarding fiscal year 2012 budget hearings.
and just for the record, we will take 29 and employee survey up next.
>> good afternoon, Commissioners, rodney rodes, planning and budget.
sometime back the court approve a budget calendar that set the budget hearings for August the 10th through the 19th.
however, as we have gone through the budget process and have filed the preliminary budget, we have some recommended changes to the budget hearings schedule.
you've received a memo in the backup with an initial recommendation; however, we've had a few other departments contact us sense and so you have a revised recommendation in front of you at this time.
>> so do we move the two that were set for August 12th back to August 10th?
>> yeah.
earlier today we had a conversation with mr. Hobby regarding the medical examiner discussion.
he's bringing a separate item in two or three weeks for the court regarding the medical examiner.
and that item is specific to this particular issue and so we felt that it would be more appropriate to take that up at that time as a separate agenda item.
and so consequently what we're recommending is to move the county clerk up to Wednesday, August the 10th, and to move the district attorney to Thursday, August the 11th.
and then eliminate the Friday budget hearing altogether.
so in essence what we will -- what we're recommending is budget hearings Wednesday, August the 10th, from 1:00 p.m.
to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday August the 11th from 1:00 p.m.
to 5:00 p.m.
and Monday, August 15th, from 1:00 p.m.
to 5:00 p.m., and that Monday session specifically dedicated to the tcso discussions.
>> okay.
and we have no reason to believe that those dates are not convenient for the different departments?
>> we think they can be accommodated, yes, sir.
>> okay.
ms. Fleming, on the hhs external agency request, will we be brought all of them or will you filter them and bring us only the ones that you believe are realistic and should be considered for funding?
>> in my discussions with pbo our plan was to allow those agency requests to -- those agencies to come in and discuss briefly with you their requests.
now staff can certainly do something different if that's the court's pleasure.
I think we have about seven or eight that came in during the budget process.
and so we were hoping to give them some guidelines in terms of their preparation for the times set and have them be able to discuss their presentations with you.
>> I think if we're going to do that we need a one or two page summary of highlights for each request, otherwise they could go on and on and on.
now that I want to -- not that I want to cut people off too short, but I think you have to be kind of arbitrary otherwise these things might go on for days and days.
so I would ask for a one or two pager that really summarizes the highlights so we can kind of review those before the budget hearing.
and when we come in, if we've got questions, give them an opportunity to give a short question and then if we've got questions take those to put us in a better position to evaluate the different requests.
>> it is our intent to communicate with those requests following your action today so that they have a full understanding of what the expectation is.
and pbo has informed us most urgently that we have about two hours.
so we have to make that fit in that period of time.
and we think we can.
>> okay.
anything else on the schedule?
>> no.
>> looks latter to me.
move -- looks all right for me.
move approval.
discussion on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
thank you very much.
>> could I get a quick clarification on something on hearings?
from year to year we have varied on whether or not the court desired a public hearing on the preliminary budget.
I don't believe we had it last year.
>> last time was 2008.
>> but I think while we're talking about hearings, if the court has a feeling that you want to have a public hearing on the preliminary, we do need to get it advertised and set up.
>> and the reason, judge, that we haven't in last few years are similar to what we're facing this year in terms of budget constraints as well as the public hearings that will follow once the proposed budget's filed.
so -- but it's at the court's discretion however you want to handle it this year, if you want to have it or not.
>> well, we see on our agendas that the court will take public comment on all the items. Let's keep that good language.
>> yes, sir.
>> how's that?
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