Travis County Commissioners Court

June 12, 2012 - Citizens Communication
Agenda

View captioned video.

>> Citizens Communication is next.
And this item gives residents an opportunity to address the court on any matter not on the agenda.
Gavino Fernandez is first and gus pena is second.

>> Good morning, judge, Commissioners.

>> Good morning.

>> My name is Gavino Fernandez and I come speak to you as Lulac District 12 12director and I would like to congratulate Commissioner Davis and Commissioner Huber in your re-election and may god bless and guide you in your next four years.
I'm here promoting the Fourth of July parade on June 30th.
And it will be in conjunction with the Christa Ray Catholic Church Bazaar going on at Fiesta Gardens June 30th and July 1st.
Lulac District 12 and con Concilio Mexican Parades, Austin Energy and East Side Lumber Company and other businesses in the community.
And we will be also recognizing veterans that served our country that were born and raise understand raiser neighborhood and we will be honoring veterans living and deceased.
So we are asking people to come out and join us in this neighborhood parade.
We'll be starting at Ibc Bank on Caesar Chavez and Pleasant Valley and we will be then parade down Caesar Chavez west up to Chicon and down to Fiesta Gardens where we will have a short ceremony and we will be joining the Christa Ray Catholic Church at the same time.
And so we're asking folks in the neighborhood to bring your pets, bikes, skateboards, your low rider cars.
We will have Marching groups.
Sheriff hamilton has committed to be there with the horses that the sheriff's department has, the fire department.
Commissioner Gomez has also agreed to join us on that day in recognizing the veterans and we invite you, judge.
I'm letting you know way ahead of time that Saturday, June 30th, that way you kind of take it easy on Friday.
Rest so you can come join us on that Saturday morning.
As we once again recognize and honor veterans in our community.
We have many times take for granted the service that men and women sacrifice their lives to protect and enjoy -- to protect the freedom that we enjoy every day.
So this is an opportunity to come out and show our appreciation and it's also an opportunity for our community to illustrate our patriotism that we always enjoy and display in our community.
We haven't had a fourth of July parade in quite a while.

>> [buzzer sounding] so we invite your being there and you and the Commissioners to come out and join us.
Thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> Gus pena, proud native east Austinite.
2327 east fifth street.
Proud united states marine corps veteran.
Judge, Commissioners, there are a lot of things that are on our table out in the community.
We're talking about people getting together north, south, east and west, economic development, jobs.
We have a lot of high school students and graduates, high school students want a job, can't find one.
We need affordable housing.
When we mention affordable housing, have a clear-but definition of affordable housing, what affordability is all about because what can be afford believe to people in new york and los angeles and california is not affordable sheer in Austin, Travis County.
Judge and Commissioners, I respectfully request -- I know you probably started with the next fiscal year budget.
We need more slots for summer job programs for the youth.
More funked.
We have a lot of youth that want to work, but can't find work in mcdonald's or burger king, they are full of adults, staffed by adults.
A lot of senior citizens need help on jobs.
The new star test took president's over the t.s.a.
Test.
I taught at acc.
I'm a former federal bilingual educator under the 1986 immigration and reform act of 1986 that gave permanent residence to millions of undocumented individuals from different countries so I know about education and lack there of and what we need to help our students.
We need mentors and students for our students in summer school.
Summer school starts this week or this week actually and they need help mentoring and tutoring.
It's more string he want and more difficult.
I request there are more slots be established for the summer job program for the youth whether it be this year, hopefully this year and/or next year because we're going to have more students that are going to need employment to help their parents out.
I would ask everybody to remember as the prior speaker mentioned that please remember and recognize not only the veterans from past wars or veterans, period, that served our country but also the iraq and afghanistan war veterans who are coming back from a difficult situation in combat.
It is not a good place but they are coming back paraplegic, coming back with mental health problems, ptsd, joblessness, unemployment, people don't want to hire them.
They have substance abuse problems and we need to help them and appreciate their families also.
Judge, Commissioners, I would respectfully request also affordable housing and summer job programs and social services funding be heavily thought abouten increased for the next fiscal year.
I don't care who says what, you look at the people they don't have jobs, we're in a tough economic situation right now.
And housing out there is at a premium and it's getting worse.
We need affordable housing, apartments from $500, $600, $700 a month or less and housing that can be purchased that the is affordable.
Thank you very much and paul sadler for united states senate.

>> Giovanni followed by ronnie reeferseed.

>> Good morning, judge Biscoe and Commissioners.
Information security analyst contractor state of Texas and Travis County retiree.
I'm here before you today as a concerned Travis County taxpayer and also ani.t.
Professional in regards to a specific idea in item 17 you will be having here today, I will the not be able to make it.
But to continue

>> [indiscernible] for the new Travis County i.t.s.
Chief information officer.
I had a great opportunity to review the current job description on February 22, 2011.
And frankly, I believe it needs to be modified and bring up to date.
For an i.t.
Director who is up to date and ready to face the complex technology in the challenges we face now in 2012, not in 1900s.
Things are very complex.
Security, you all know about

>> [indiscernible].
I feel for the i.t.
Director needs to be a very special talented individual who will be a true team player and be part of the Travis County elected officials' team we offer you smart

>> [indiscernible] to all Travis County.
And also would not be --

>> [indiscernible] working 11 years for i.t.s., I was working for the c.i.a.
Not nor the information technology department where you share information.
Everything is run in such a secret.
Where only upper i.t.
Management knows what is going on in department.
Only the upper management small circle are the ones who get the promotions, the pay raises.
And that is just not a professional manner to run a modern and complex i.t.
Department in 2012.
I hope the Travis County Commissioners court and elected officials take the necessary time to make sure the special, talented, diplomatic and very technical individual is hired to be the new i.t.s.
Chief information officer to bring Travis County a state-of-the-art county.
In the difficult economic times we live in now.
We Travis County taxpayers cannot afford another facts computer fiasco.
We wasted money.
Digs dis18 months more.

>> [buzzer sounding] thank you for listening to me and I wish you luck in helping finding the right individual.
Thank you.

>> Thank you very much.
Mr. Reeferseed.

>> Hot diggety howdy.
From the true texan part of the dallas-fort worth metro spasm.
Fort worth.
The tasty nugget of that truly lovely texan city was beautiful to behold if only briefly yet I was there for three days of anxiety, monotony, bad food, while even more blessing me with new friends and contacts in my ever growing network.
However, the republican party schemership, they were crowding out any progress, delayed any action to the late night session when the schemers knew how to sneak in poison pills in defiance of truly basic core positions such as saying no to any amnesty to any illegal aliens.
I mean, being in favor of trying to help maintain border security is an act of love for family, for neighborhoods, for nations.
Legal immigration is wonderful with immeasurable benefits flowing from its -- flowing from it.
Our nation already eagerly welcomes more legal immigrants every single day than the rest of the world combined.
Hello.
Than the rest of the world combined.
That's what we're doing right now.
Get it?
Our 4% of the world population nation choking and struggling with our actual ongoing depression for us po folk, now we're supposed to reward law-breaking line jumpers who don't bother trying legal means of getting here.
No, that doesn't make sense to anyone to accept confused enemies of our own tyranny shattering u.s.
Constitution.
Hey, that's not me.
I love the priceless gift bequeathed on our world by proudly our founding fathers, the u.s.
Constitution.
Studying our constitution when possible isn to learn more, might I suggest that you turn off that t.v.
Instead go on line and type info wars.com.
Lots of fascinating ideas, access to films, interviews.
A bountiful bevy of info.
Now try typing in Ron paul 2012.com.
Click on the word issues.
To read about ob-gyn dr. Ron paul for the mind of many issues.
In fact, dr. Paul has been the most dedicated, prolific legislator perhaps forever.
And good news, Austin city -- for Austin mayor clay dafoe is back in town.
So our sociopathic mayor and most if not all of his lock step go alongs are now going to have to at least pretend to pay attention.

>> [buzzer sounding] believe it or not, that's progress, people.
Let's not be discouraged by the fact dr. Ron paul's love for liberty has been infiltrated.
That's all I can say.
Thank you so much.

>> Thank you, mr. Reeferseed.
Those are the four people signed in to speak under citizens communication.

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