Travis County Commissioners Court
February 28, 2012 (Agenda)
Item 24
Item number 24, consider and take appropriate action on the following, a, request to join local residents and extend an invitation to officials from haining and rugao, china, to visit Travis County, and b, invitation to establish sister city/county relationship with these two cities.
if you all would come forth, we would appreciate it.
now, we provided electronically a copy of an invitation that we received from haining.
all you all get that?
>> uh-huh.
>> and the other thing we provided were pictures of both cities and based on the letter that we received I revised a Travis County Commissioners court letter in which in the first paragraph I thanked them for inviting us and -- to china in April of 2012, and basically the rest of the letter was pretty much the same letter that we executed last year.
where I indicate some of the advantages of a sister city relationship and what we thought they would find here.
and I also acknowledged our willingness to travel there at their request.
in their letter to us they did indicate that they would -- that they would be responsible for the hotel, meals and local transportation for three days.
but the invitees would pick up responsibility for international traveling and insurance.
and so what we would pick up for them I guess we would decide in the future.
and so questions?
>> yeah, judge, I would like to let them know again I really appreciate you being here and I'm going to take strong consideration in making this trip.
I need to, number one, find out exactly when the deadline is that you need a definite answer from me if I decide to travel to these two sister cities and go from there.
so I guess I'm kind of asking that from you at this point, when is my absolute drop dead date that I would have to have before --
>> the --
>> it says April 2012.
actually 2011, but it should be 2012, I think.
>> the -- once a day so both cities available
>> [indiscernible].
>> are there specific dates they are looking to host or is it any time in April?
>> last time when telephone talking April 21st for eight days.
why this is good because included two weekends.
>> [indiscernible].
>> I really -- asap.
>> I believe the question has not been answered.
>> I'm trying to find out how much wiggle room do I have because I'm really strongly considering actually going.
>> we were hoping -- well, from my understanding that we need to -- we haven't really -- we were hoping that a decision would have been made to, you know, before today, but, you know, maybe I'm not so familiar with the process.
but maybe in a week?
>> a commitment from individual members of the Commissioners court to travel on specific days?
>> yeah.
>> here's the problem though.
there are business people who belong to the association and they need to be invited and the greater Austin chamber of commerce probably too.
and I think we need to think through who needs to be invited.
five members of the Commissioners court cannot go because we're looking at 10 to 12 people, right?
>> right.
>> in fairness to the others, especially the ones who brought this idea forward, then it seems to me that we need to communicate, but this foundation needs to be laid before we can start doing that.
once we do that and I guess look at a date, then y'all can make the appropriate communications to your members and let us know who has responded favorably, and then we need to check with the city of Austin and chamber of commerce.
they've got an international marketing section at the city that y'all have communicated with already.
so we need to put the list together that way.
now, my letter here is to haining because that's where the invitation came from, but what you are saying is that we ought to send a similar letter to the other city.
but right now the opening paragraph would not thank them for the invitation because we've not received a letter from them yet, an invitation from them yet.
but the rest of the letter can be the same.
so in terms of proceeding, we ought to act as though our plan is to visit both cities.
is that what I'm hearing?
>> yes.
>> so if we spend three at this city, two or three at the other city, pretty soon you are up to around seven or eight days in all.
>> that is about right.
>> but I do think that court members who want to go can make that wish known and start setting up the necessary steps to go.
you one is that you need a visa.
>> yes.
>> if you don't have a visa, I guess we may be able to get the district clerk to expedite that but that will take some time to get, especially now.
I've never had one.
>> I haven't either, judge.
>> I'm assuming I won't be turned down.
if so, not the second time.
>> do you know if to get a -- to get a visa to china you have to be personally present at the consulate, right, in houston?
is that right?
>> you can mail.
>> you can mail it.
>> now, we have a visa office here in Travis County.
at the district clerk's office.
I mean, I was thinking we would be able to go through them.
>> passport.
>> a passport.
>> we don't do visas?
we need a visa to go to china.
>> yes.
>> it's faster if you go there and just turn the paperwork and then they will mail you back the visa in three to four days as far as I read their time frame.
I'll find out more.
>> yeah.
>> so okay, I understand the concerns now.
we need to -- yeah.
>> let me ask you this.
last time we got the Commissioners court to sign the letter because I think we thought it would look a lot more official.
but on the invitation that we got, the acting mayor of the city signed it.
just one signature.
so do we still think that a document signed by the entire Commissioners court is better than one signed by, say, the county judge?
or does it matter?
>> in my understanding it's Commissioners because of their letter sent to commission.
>> by the judge.
>> I thought it was protocol seemed to be pretty important.
>> uh-huh, yes, it is.
but peter probably has more understanding of this department.
>> I say -- I still don't understand relationship between the city of Austin and Travis County.
so
>> [indiscernible] city and county.
Texas.
what relationship.
I don't know.
but their letter sent to commission, I think Travis County send a letter back.
I think
>> [indiscernible].
>> the county judge or the full Commissioners court?
>> yeah, one.
>> just one signature by the county judge.
>> I think I would just make reference there to the action taken by the Commissioners court.
when I looked, the protocol --
>> but if five people signed, I think it also is good.
>> same weight, doesn't really matter one way or the other?
>> yes.
>> let's do that then.
>> okay.
>> so my request to be that we send a draft of the original of the draft letter that we have here, but that we revise that and eliminate the first paragraph to send it to rugao, which is the other city.
>> yes.
>> right?
and then if they send us a document that we think we need to respond to, then we'll just respond to that.
but this at least will get us started for haining.
>> yes.
>> and give us an opportunity to meet with the city of Austin, greater Austin chamber of commerce, I guess the other chambers as well as your international group and give the Commissioners court an opportunity to try to extend invitations and see what kind of responses we get ourselves.
the other thing is that at some point I think we need to kind of come up with a draft budget for persons so we will know exactly what kind of financial commitment we think we're making.
if you stay three day, you are looking at one figure.
if you stay eight days, well, I guess if you pick up air travel and insurance, the costs would not be that much greater works it?
>> no.
>> but we have not gotten any indication from rugao whether they would pick up hotel and local travel.
>> right.
>> telephone conversation already promise to same thing, three days, two nights, hotel, local transportation, meals.
china international airfare and insurance must pay by self.
>> am I right in assuming that if there is a chinese delegation to come here after our visit there, they will expect it to be treated the same way?
not necessarily by the government but by the individuals that go there.
>> yes.
>> because we're just talking money here, but Travis County itself is hopefully doesn't have a money roll, but the individuals who participate can make that happen.
>> right.
>> is what I'm thinking.
>> yes.
>> we're thinking the same way.
>> anything else?
questions?
>> what you are suggesting is if idealogy responds in kind, the -- delegation responds in kind, host them by paying hotel meals and transportation while here.
>> or raise the money to do so.
>> but Travis County would not as a governmental entity.
>> we've kind of talked about that.
I don't want you want Travis County spending any money because it brings in a different set of accounting, auditing standards.
but the individuals who go, if they belong to associations or entities from which we can do some fundraising and the individuals who go over if they can assist, then I would think that we would be able to raise enough money to cover hotel, meals, local transportation for 10 to 12 people.
and I assume they would want to send here roughly the same number of persons that we send there.
right?
>> yes.
>> should we perhaps -- this perhaps is overthinking it, but should we perhaps, those who do go on the trip, request of them that they take the value of what they've received and place identify in the fund or the hosting of a future delegation from these two cities?
>> the reason I wouldn't do that is that I would plan to do some fundraising.
I mean, when I think of Austin and the greater Austin chamber of commerce and others, they raise money to take these trips one or two annually and they have been going to china as well as other states in the united states and they have been staying several days.
and I guess if you get your ticket early to san francisco or the east coast, it would be greatly discounted, but still it's a significant cost.
I would think first we do it that way, but the understanding would be whoever goes over there should feel some sense of responsibility to help us generate sufficient money to reciprocate.
and so I would make it implicit if you participate, we may be looking for contributions.
but there's a way to justify that.
if you go whatever expenses are picked up that are yours, if they weren't picked up, you would be out of that money anyway.
>> and I believe we're obligated to report it as a gift as an office holder so we would have to place a dollar amount on it anyway for reporting to the ethics commission.
>> right.
so I don't know that we ought to turn down from individuals but our intention should be to raise participating funds from participating entities.
my guess is one or two conversations would really shed light on whether or not we can make that happen.
but I'm thinking that others that do this a whole lot more than we do and probably have in place standards, procedures of which we're not aware, but which are there and I'm assuming it would be disclosed fairly soon after our initial conversation.
>> not to overthink it.
>> I go from once a year.
>> I was just going to say would it be helpful at this time just to have an indication of court members that are interested because as much as I would love to go, I can't.
I couldn't make an April time frame this year.
>> sister cities, every year
>> [indiscernible].
>> so you may have an opportunity next year, Karen.
>> I hope so.
>> I also think we should have like a rough count as far as -- how many citizens participate from our groups are coming.
and then there will be how many seats open so that we don't go over the number of people that they allow to have us to visit.
do you know how many are going?
>> I think 10 to 12 people.
if the city government send us how many.
>> how many of us are going?
>> we are not sure.
Travis County -- five or six.
>> so we have a total of about 10 and from what I gather given the first opportunity to Travis County.
and after we have an idea how many seats will be taken then we can decide who also will be traveling from tcc the organization.
we have the first choice.
>> that's very generous of you.
>> any indication, any idea who may be interested so like maybe ron.
>> I just basically needed to know the drop down date, but I'm still interested today and I need to check on a couple of things, but my interest is still there.
>> okay.
>> mine are definitely there.
I just don't know if I would be able to make it this time around.
but I sure think the judge ought to go.
>> it's very intriguing.
I have two small children so to be away for nine days would be rather difficult.
>> I understand.
>>
>> [inaudible].
>> now, that would be wonderful but it doesn't sound like you have enough seats for all of us.
they would love that.
they are quite adventureous.
>> two seats.
the judge and Ron Davis.
>> with that, my motion is that we send the originals of a response to the official from haining and that we send an appropriate letter to the officials at rugao from the Commissioners court and that we do what we can do assist you in ascertaining individuals from other entities including greater Austin chamber of commerce, city of Austin, and is that the asian association, international association?
>> I'm chairman of Austin chinese chamber of commerce.
also chamber for Travis County citizen in
>> [indiscernible].
>> okay.
that we sort of pull those lists together informally and do we think we'll know in about 10 days or two weeks?
>> mostly I think it's --
>> [indiscernible] and then today is 28th.
about two months left.
I think for my side it's important to send letter to rugao.
in japan now.
and so the letter have to wait for he comes back to look to sign.
in other words,
>> [indiscernible] if has a problem with haining, they are very interested in Travis County.
and they did a lot research for Travis County so want to know how big, how many population, they want to see if we match with any and their answer is yes.
>> okay, last time we put together a letter, executed it, then gave it to you.
>> you talk about last year?
>> right.
should we do the same thing this time?
assuming this vote passes, whatever we approve we give it to you and you send it over there to them?
>> yeah, last year problem is the policy changes in china.
everywhere new city mayor and quickly they change it so quickly.
force so same thing for haining.
I just want to say haining is sure.
it's no any problem.
we already can go in April because of their formal invitation that come here.
rugao have to wait for few more days to wait for city mayor to come back to his office.
and anyway, even if something not working, I think enough for us to go.
>> so we should execute is letter to haining, then give that to you.
>> yes.
>> okay.
that's the motion, seconded by Commissioner Gomez.
discussion?
anything else?
>> no.
>> that we need to cover today?
>> anything else we need to cover today?
no.
thank you, your honor.
>> thank you all.
>> judge want me to explain what detail about the -- two more minutes.
>> okay.
>> the full name tccip is the Travis County
>> [indiscernible] program.
culture, business, medical, education with china connections.
it's very good for Travis County.
I think that it's bring more business opportunity to Travis County too.
so this organization
>> [indiscernible] have a lot of chinese organization and program.
for example, Austin chinese chamber of commerce here and Austin chinese society and cac.
asian contractors.
and even more people including the
>> [indiscernible].
>> basically this organization is not an umbrella organization, but the members of the organization represent different kind of organizations like asian-american chamber of commerce, like network of asian american organizations, chinese society of -- and also chinese chamber of commerce and asian contractor association.
and when we talk about Travis County, the Travis County has 22 cities so we have so many entities.
that means any entity can have international program with any city or organizations in china.
so that's our idea, which is more extended program.
it's not necessary, just educational, not necessarily just cultural, but also there is economic development, also there is investment to be made, you know, between two countries.
so that's was our idea, and we have four people here, but we'll have more people have more interest in other things.
>> it's a wonderful federation of organizations.
>> any more discussion?
thank you for that summary.
it helps.
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
we'll get that original letter and have it available for pickup probably tomorrow, okay?
>> okay.
>> we'll figure out a way to get it to you.
thank you all very much.
looking forward to it.
>> thank you.
>> thank you all.
have a nice evening.
>> [speaking in foreign language]
>> thank you.
>> I've been working on that pronunciation.
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