County Magazine Jan/Feb 2012 - Texas Association of Counties

Transcription

A Publication of the Texas Association of Counties
Volume 24, Number 1
J A N UA RY / F EBRUARY 2012
• HEALTHY E-REWARDS
• TELLING AMY’S STORY
• 2013 PREPARATION
• SOUTH TEXAS SCOOP
• JUVENILE JUSTICE
Capitol
Connections
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Texas Association of Counties Mission Statement
The mission of the Texas Association of Counties
is to unite counties to achieve better solutions.
County, a bimonthly magazine, is distributed to every elected county official and county auditor
in Texas’ 254 counties. Other readers include purchasing agents, budget and planning administrators,
appointed department heads, state legislators and state agency personnel.
Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part, is permissible only upon express written
authorization from the publisher and when proper credit, including copyright acknowledgment, is given to
Texas Association of Counties’ County Magazine.
©2000, Texas Association of Counties. Published by the Texas Association of Counties,
P.O. Box 2131, Austin, Texas 78768-2131. Telephone: (512) 478-8753, Facsimile: (512) 478-0519.
World Wide Web site: http://www.county.org.
Articles in County magazine that refer to issues that could be considered by the Texas Legislature may be interpreted to be “legislative advertising” according to Texas Gov’t. Code Ann §305.027.
Disclosure of the name and address of the person who contracts with the printer to publish the legislative advertising in County magazine is required by that law: Gene Terry, 1210 San Antonio, Austin, Texas 78701.
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B
BRIGHT IDEAS
2012 County Management Institute
May 2-4, 2012 " Sheraton Austin Downtown " 701 East 11th Street, Austin
OVERVIEW
The 2012 County Management Institute equips county officials,
managers and employees with essential management training
to meet the changes and significant challenges facing county
government. The conference focuses on improving
communication, customer service and leadership skills.
In addition to core management topics, the institute
offers specialized tracks for human resources, risk
management, and road and bridge. More information
coming soon to www.county.org.
te
EDUCATION CO-SPONSOR
The University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson, School of
Public Affairs is the education co-sponsor of this event.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
• Elected and appointed officials;
• Department heads, supervisors and managers;
• Personnel directors, human resource officers and employee
benefits administrators;
• Risk managers, loss control coordinators and committee
members; and
• County engineers & road administrators
HOTEL INFORMATION
Sheraton Austin Downtown
701 East 11th Street, Austin
Hotel Room Rates:
Until April 15, 2012
Single/Double $109
Special conference rates expire on April 15. For reservations call (888) 6278349. All reservations must be guaranteed by credit card for first night
deposit.
Reservations must be canceled by 6 p.m., 24 hours
before the day of arrival or you will be charged for a
one-night stay.
Conference Registration
$220 $245
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2012 Officers
& Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Connie Hickman
Navarro County Justice of the Peace
PRESIDENT ELECT
Don Allred
Oldham County Judge
VICE PRESIDENT
Joyce Hudman
Brazoria County Clerk
MEMBERS
Luanne Caraway
Hays County Tax Assessor-Collector
Larry Gallardo
Hidalgo County Constable
20 Capitol Connections
Bena Hester
Briscoe County District Clerk
Harold Keeter
Swisher County Judge
Jackie Miller, Jr.
Ellis County Justice of the Peace
Dianna Spieker
Tom Green County Treasurer
John Thompson
Polk County Judge
Sheri Woodfin
Tom Green County District Clerk
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Vernon Cook
Roberts County Judge
Immediate Past President
Marc Hamlin
Brazos County District Clerk
NACo Representative
Grady Prestage
Fort Bend County Commissioner
NACo Representative
Glen Whitley
Tarrant County Judge
NACo Representative
Information
A listing of county association officers
and educational opportunities
26 The South Texas Scoop
Commissioners court members
discuss regional issues at AgriLife
Extension workshop
Counties using TAC Healthy County
Employer Rewards Funds to get
healthy and stay in shape
44 Shaping the Future
County officials serving on new Texas
Juvenile Justice Department Board
work toward smooth transition
46 The Unique Charms of a Texas
p. 40
County Seat
48 Timelines of Life Until Death
Counties create fatality review teams
to find cracks in domestic abuse
victim assistance systems
Departments
4 Staff Report / 6 Clipboard / 14 Website Spotlight / 16 County Pride / 17 Texas History / 18 County Cooks /
19 Emergency Services / 54 TAC Associates / 58 County Crossword / 59 Calendar / 60 Implications /
63 County Information Project / 64 One Last Look
County Staff
Gene Terry, Executive Director / Leah Magnus, Communications Manager / Maria Sprow, Editor
Megan Ahearn Nugent, Contributing Writer / Ben Chomiak, Graphic Design
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p. 26
40 Get Healthy, Stay in Shape
Debbie Ingalsbe
Hays County Commissioner
J.W. Jankowski
Washington County Sheriff
Core Legislative Group works to get
county information to the Legislature
24 2012 County Association Leaders &
Jerry Garza
Webb County Commissioner
Roger Harmon
Johnson County Judge
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
Features
Edward Dion
El Paso County Auditor
Laurie English
Sutton County District Attorney
VOLUME 24, NUMBER 1
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 • County
3
2/2/12 9:15 AM
staffreport
By Gene Terry, Texas Association of Counties Executive Director
New Year Brings New Faces, Fresh Starts
S
omeone once said that January is everyone’s
birthday. There is a sense that we get a fresh
start, a mulligan, if you will. A do over. I like
the idea. Time to put new plans into action and let
go of those things that just aren’t going to work.
Your Association Board of Directors serves in
two year cycles. New officers are elected and a
new Board is seated in January. We welcome Judge
Connie Hickman, Navarro County justice of the
peace, as our new president. Connie is the first
woman to serve as TAC president and the first
Justice of the Peace. We all look forward to her
administration, her vision for the Association and
her guidance during challenging times. We also
welcome Oldham County Judge Don Allred as
the new president-elect and the Honorable Joyce
Hudman, the Brazoria County clerk, as vicepresident.
It is also a time to reflect on the good things from
the previous year. We’re fortunate that so many fine
and worthy elected officials find the time to serve
our Board. We thank you for that and are at your
service. All of us on staff and on the Board wish to
express our sincere thanks to our new immediate
past-president, Roberts County Judge Vernon
Cook, for his dedication and leadership over the
last two years. He has helped guide the Association
into a new era and has done so with class.
We have some new leadership on staff that
should be introduced.
Randy Plyler joined us as director of risk
management services in June of last year. Randy’s
background in government pools and commercial
insurance has and will continue to serve us well as
we strive to meet your needs. We have made major
changes to our Pool management in an effort to
control costs and improve the variety of services
we can make available. We will be having regional
member meetings this year for the first time, so
please lookout for information on the meeting
nearest you. We look forward to seeing you there.
Former Houston County Judge Lonnie Hunt
has joined our staff as the new county relations
officer. We are glad to have him on board. His job
description is simple: “help county officials.” He
will be calling on you just to find out how we are
doing. If you have specific questions, give him a
call. He is filling up his calendar quickly but can
always manage another call or meeting. He will help
coordinate your needs with TAC services and staff.
Long-time TAC staff are also getting a great jump
in the new year.
Paul Sugg, Laura Garcia and the rest of our
legislative staff are planning several regional meetings
this year to start the dialogue about interim charges
and what we might expect in the 2013 session. It is
never too early to worry. We need your participation
and input. We will be sending out information on
these meetings shortly; please plan to attend one.
They will not require an overnight stay and we will
provide refreshments. All we need is you! This is a
great time to learn more about our Core Legislative
Group and become involved in the effort to get our
message delivered. We hope to see all of you at one
of these meetings as we prepare for our annual PreLegislative Conference in August.
Stan Reid, Dave Keene and Joel Green have
reenergized our CIRA program to offer more
diverse technical services, in addition to our web
hosting and email. We have new plans in the works
and hope that you will give us a call when technical
issues arise. Do you need some help just looking at
vendors? Give Joel Green a call, (800) 456-5974. He
is here to help you make technical decisions about
products and services you need and can afford.
Finally, David Hodges, a former McLennan
County court-at-law judge, takes over the Education
Department this year. For the last 17 years, former
Swisher County Judge Jay Johnson has labored to
build arguably the best county education program
in the country. His imminent retirement leaves big
shoes to fill. We will be forever grateful to Jay for his
work and commitment to training. Judge Hodges
brings 20 years of bench experience and six years
of training experience to the task. We look forward
to his leadership and innovation as we continue to
develop our education programs.
It will be a great year. With your help and
direction it will be even greater. Thanks for your
support and, by the way, Happy New Year, Y’all! ✯
We have made major changes to our Pool management in an effort to control
costs and improve the variety of services we can make available. We will be
having regional member meetings this year for the first time.
4
C ounty • J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2
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J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2 • C ounty 5
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clipboard
News you can use
TAC Expands Staff and Welcomes Former
Houston County Judge Lonnie Hunt
Hunt will serve as county relations officer
Lonnie Hunt was in the middle of his second-term as Houston
County judge when TAC Executive Director Gene Terry came to
him with a job offer he could not refuse.
“Gene offered me the chance to help county government across
the state of Texas by working directly with county officials to make
sure they know all of the resources TAC
has for them,” Hunt said. “I will also be
working with every TAC department to
make sure we never lose the mindset of the
county officials.”
Despite being deeply grateful and excited
about the prospect of working to help
county government, Hunt spent a long
time pondering if he could leave the job
and people he loved so much in Houston
County.
“Every county judge has thought of
working at TAC. We are all just waiting for
the day we are voted out of office and we
wonder where we will land next,” joked Hunt. “But I had never
considered resigning. I am sure I am like most county judges, in
that we think we live in the best county, with the best people and
we have the best job — giving that up was very hard.”
Hunt began his love affair with Houston County when he was
just 19 years old. In December 1975, while attending the University
of Houston, Hunt got a part-time job at the local Crockett radio
station KIVY. He quickly realized he had found his calling as a
radio broadcaster. Life quickly became focused on his career and
his new community; he settled down and married a local Crockett
woman and spent the next 30 years serving as the morning voice of
Houston County.
But at the back of his mind, Hunt always knew he would one day
run for county judge of Houston County.
“Years ago, when I was new in town, the station I worked at
covered the commissioners court meetings and I sat through all the
discussions,” Hunt said. “I found myself saying after the meetings,
why didn’t someone say this or why didn’t this person say that, and
I developed a pretty close relationship with the judge and other
county officials.”
In 2005, after long-time Houston County Judge Chris von
Doenhoff decided not to run for a fourth term, Hunt saw an
opportunity and decided to run. He won the election in March
2006. But the win was bittersweet. His wife Linda, who had
championed his decision to run and was herself a former district
clerk, passed away just before the victorious election day.
“She suffered through a nine-month battle with pancreatic
cancer,” Hunt said. “But all through that time, she was such an
6
encouragement to me. I talked about not running, but she wouldn’t
hear of it. She died on March 2, 2006. We had her funeral on
Saturday and the primary election was the following Tuesday. Needless to say, I didn’t do a lot of campaigning that last week.”
Hunt added, “One of the really neat things is that she was able
to vote an early ballot by mail from her
hospital bed. And after the election, one
of the early ballot counters told me she had
opened the envelope with Linda’s ballot
in it. I knew it would have pleased her to
know that her vote counted.”
Once in office, Hunt hit the ground
running, first addressing the shortage of
beds at the county jail.
“We had gotten a notice from the Jail
Commission in 2005 about overcrowding.
We knew we had a problem. At one point,
our 70-person jail was holding more than
100 inmates,” Hunt said.
After many forums and discussions with local residents, the
county broke ground on the $13 million, 144-bed Houston
County Justice Center. The center, completed in January 2011, also
houses all county law enforcement offices and Justices of the Peace
court facilities.
Another hallmark issue of Hunt’s term was something that no
one saw coming – Hurricane Ike.
“There are things you plan for as a county judge, but hope never
happen. And that’s the case for a natural disaster like a hurricane.
We had gotten evacuees in the past from other hurricanes, but Ike
was the first time a hurricane ever blew through Houston County,”
Hunt said. “It was so significant that even almost four years later,
we are still dealing with accessing state and federal funds to help
re-build infrastructure.”
Hunt’s experiences as a county judge and his professional
demeanor made him a perfect and necessary addition to TAC’s
staff.
While Hunt holds his experience as Houston County judge
fondly, he is looking forward to working with county officials to
strengthen county government across the state.
“I have always been so impressed with the professionals at TAC.
I know how much county employees look to TAC for help,” Hunt
said. “I know I am going to enjoy this opportunity. One of my
favorite parts of being a county judge was the interaction with other
county officials and that is a lot of what I will be doing here.”
If you are a county official and have an issue you need help with or want to know
more about TAC’s resources, please contact County Relations Officer Lonnie
Hunt at [email protected] or (800) 456-5974.
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News you can use
clipboard
New Leadership Selected For
Texas Association of Counties
Navarro County JP becomes first woman to serve in top office
Navarro County Justice of the
capable individual,” Cook
Peace Connie Hickman made
said. “I know she’s going to
history when she took on her
do an outstanding job. The
new duties as TAC president
Association has a very bright
after Immediate Past President
future ahead of it.”
Vernon Cook, the Roberts County
At its December meeting,
Judge, passed the gavel on Jan. 1.
the TAC Board also elected
Hickman became the Association’s
Oldham County Judge Don
first female president in its 43-year
Allred to serve as presidenthistory.
elect and Brazoria County
“County government represents
Clerk Joyce Hudman to serve
some of the best and most
as vice president.
dedicated elected officials looking
Judge Cook was honored
after the interests of the people of
for his service as President
Texas,” Hickman said. “Speaking as
during the past two years,
a woman, I can say being selected
which he described as
Oldham County Judge Don Allred, Navarro County Justice of the Peace Connie
to represent Texas counties as Hickman and Brazoria County Clerk Joyce Hudman have stepped into their roles as
eventful.
president of TAC is an important TAC’s president-elect, president, and vice president, respectively.
“Two years ago when I
opportunity. I’m excited about the challenge, and I’m happy to
assumed the presidency, we had a brand new director at the helm,”
follow in Vernon Cook’s boot steps in my high heels.”
Cook said in reference to TAC Executive Director Gene Terry.
Judge Hickman began working in county government in 1983 as
“One of my biggest concerns was having an effective and orderly
a clerk in the Navarro County Justice of the Peace office. She was
succession policy in place for the various key positions within the
elected Justice of the Peace in 1990 and is currently in her sixth
organization. Thanks to Gene’s outstanding work and the support
term of office. She is married to longtime Harris County Constable
of the Board, we’ve made much progress in the past two years.”
Ron Hickman.
The Corsicana native has long
been recognized among her peers
as a natural and effective leader. TAC Executive Director
She has served as president of the
Gene Terry gave
Justices of the Peace and Constables
a sincere word of
Association of Texas and has
gratitude to outgoing
represented that association on the
Board of Director
TAC Board of Directors since 2005.
members Midland
She has served on TAC’s Judicial
County Sheriff Gary
Education Committee for several
Painter, Lubbock County
Commissioner Patti
years and has twice been honored
Jones and Tarrant
as a scholarship recipient to attend
County Commissioner
the National Judicial College. She
J.D. Johnson for their
is also a graduate of the 2011 TAC
years of active service
Leadership Class.
and leadership during
Judge Hickman is the second
the Board’s December
Navarro County official to serve
meeting. Terry also
as TAC president. Former County
surprised Immediate
Judge Kenneth “Buck” Douglas was
Past-President Vernon
one of TAC’s founding fathers and
Cook, the Roberts
served as president in 1972.
County judge, with his
own bobble-head doll.
“Connie is an extremely sharp and
Thank you
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clipboard
News you can use
2012 CMI Promises to Provide ‘Bright Ideas’
New venue and the addition of County Best Practices give a fresh look
Long-time attendees of TAC’s County Management Institute
(CMI) will notice several changes from tradition this year, including
a new location and the addition of the County Best Practices Awards
Program.
This year’s CMI will be held May 2-4 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel
at the Capitol. Previous CMI events were held at the Double Tree
North Austin Hotel. “The Sheraton has been recently renovated and
offers a competitive room rate,” said Education Project Manager
Angela Russell. “It also allows our attendees more access to downtown.
It’s closer to the action.”
Another change to this year’s events is the addition of the County
Best Practices Awards Program reception. In the past, the program
has honored recipients during TAC’s annual legislative conferences,
but it was felt that the Best Practices mission fit better with CMI than
with the pre- and post-legislative work. “CMI is all about getting
the best from county managers and staff, and the Best Practices
Program works to share the best, most innovative solutions to county
government problems with county leaders, Russell said. “We hope
that giving county managers and staff greater access to the winning
Best Practices programs will help facilitate innovations across the
state and motivate counties to create their own winning programs.”
In addition to providing attendees with the essential management
training needed to meet the significant challenges facing county
government today, this year’s conference focuses on “Bright Ideas.”
“People seek education and networking because they want to
find out how others do things, how they can do their work more
effectively,” Russell said. “We’re putting the focus on “bright ideas”
this year because that’s the value that we hope to send attendees home
with — bright ideas that they can put to work immediately when
they return to their counties.”
There are a number of sessions that are already planned, including
a session regarding current trends in risk management and what
managers can do to prevent the most common claims. A second
session relates to how to get decision-maker buy-in regarding changes
that need to get made to stop losses related to common claims.
Another session, “$100 Solutions to $1,000 Problems,” will give
practical solutions to common safety problems. There will also be
a session on grants, including information on what is available and
how to get them.
Besides the general sessions, there are four tracks attendees can
follow:
• Human Resources
• County Engineers and Road and Bridge Administrators
• Risk Management
• General Management
Visit www.county.org today to register online or call Russell or
Deanna Auert with the TAC Education Department at (800) 4565974 for more informationn.
Deadline for 2012 County Best Practices Program
Nominations is March 1; Application Available Online
County officials wanting to share recent and successful county
innovations, outstanding achievements or new efficiencies in
service delivery with their neighboring counties and colleagues
have until March 1 to nominate their programs for a 2012 County
Best Practices Award.
For more than a decade, the County Best Practices Awards
program has honored and promoted those counties that are
implementing new ideas and improvements within their
governments. Award-winning programs are those that push
beyond the status quo, do more with less, increase the effectiveness
of services and save taxpayer dollars. They are programs with
proven successes and blueprints for replication. Award-winning
programs can be related to any county office or department, or
many departments working together toward a common goal.
To be eligible for a Best Practices Award, a program must:
• be in full operation by March 1;
• be replicable in other counties;
• have been established within the past 36 months;
• have measurable results; and
8
•
have been developed primarily by county officials or
county staff.
Past winning programs have included new and efficient
ways of communicating to residents, proactive employee
wellness programs that have decreased county health care costs,
extraordinary examples of teamwork and partnerships that have
resulted in a more efficient court system and improved parks,
cost-effective courthouse restoration projects that have united
communities, and the use of new technology in jails or other
county settings to increase safety, efficiency and the quality of
service delivery.
County Best Practices nomination forms can be found online
at www.county.org. Scroll over “Member Services” across the
top and click on “Leadership Program.” A link for “County Best
Practices” will be on the left side of the page.
Winning programs will be honored at a May 3 reception in
Austin as part of TAC’s County Management Institute. They will
also be presented to CMI attendees as part of the conference’s
general management track.
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News you can use
clipboard
Legislative Exchange Regionals: Preparing for the 83rd Legislative Session
After a turbulent 82nd legislative
session, TAC’s legislative staff is traveling
the state to hear what counties are
interested in and concerned about as the
83rd legislative session approaches. These
regional meetings provide an opportunity
for county officials to come together and
talk to each other and to TAC staff in
preparation for the next session.
The “Legislative Exchange” gatherings
will help officials prepare for the 83rd
session and assist county officials in
determining their legislative priorities. The meetings will be held from 10 a.m.
until noon in eight locations across the
state. Attendees should come prepared
with questions, concerns, solutions and
ideas that will help keep local control and
county government services strong. All
county officials and staff are encouraged to
attend.
“Our goal with these meetings is to
create a forum where county officials can
get together and exchange information and
ideas with each other and TAC staff, with
an eye toward the coming session and the
challenges Texas county government will
likely face,” said TAC Legislative Director
Paul Sugg.
The Legislative Exchanges are expected
to run from the end of March to the
middle of April. Exact dates and locations
are still being determined. Pre-registration
opens Feb. 1 at www.county.org, or to find
out more information please contact Haley
Click at [email protected] or (800) 4565974. Pre-registration is not required to
attend any of the regional meetings but is
encouraged.
Friends of County Government
County officials have recognized several state legislators for their commitment and steadfastness in protecting taxpayer
dollars and local control and stopping unfunded mandates during the 2011 Legislature. TAC has honored these legislators
with the Friends of County Government title.
“These legislators have proven themselves true friends of county government through their consistent support of issues
important to counties, including decision-making at the local level,” said TAC Legislative Director Paul Sugg. “They
understand that property taxpayers benefit from local control, instead of the state imposing a one-size fits all system on
Texas’ 254 diverse counties.”
To further recognize these Friends of County Government, County will spotlight designated legislators throughout the year.
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa
Rep. Todd Hunter
Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Sen. Hinojosa, as Vice-Chair
of Senate Finance, worked to
help minimize state budget cuts
impacting counties and supported
local control.
Rep. Hunter served as chair of House
Calendars and was instrumental in
ensuring legislation significant to
counties made its way onto the House
floor for debate. He also served as
a co-author of HJR 56, which sought
to protect counties from unfunded
mandates.
Sen. Lucio, a former county
commissioner and county treasurer,
consistently supported issues
important to county government.
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clipboard
News you can use
Healthy County’s Weight Watchers At Work Program
Helps Jackson County Employee Shed Pounds
Cynthia Kruppa went from a size 16 to a size 6 in seven months
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. For Cynthia
Kruppa, it was also worth 50 pounds. In December 2010, Kruppa,
who works as the administrative assistant at the Jackson County
Sheriff’s Department, posed for a Christmas
photo and when she gazed at herself in the
snapshot, what she saw stopped her short. “It was horrible, I wanted to cry when
I saw that picture,” Kruppa said. “I mean,
I saw myself in the mirror every day, but
seeing that picture, it was different. I knew
I really needed to lose the weight.”
Kruppa, a size 4 or 6 most of her
life, found herself wearing a size 16 and
weighing 50 pounds heavier than she had
10 years earlier.
“It was the usual suspects. I went through
some hormonal changes. I thought I could
still eat like I was 21. I could not,” joked
Kruppa. “And I had been fairly active, but I
just kind of put that aside.”
After seeing that photo in December and
deciding it was time to make a change, it all
came together for Kruppa.
“I had been seeing all those Weight
Watchers ads on TV with Jennifer Hudson
and I kept thinking, this is what I want to
do,” Kruppa said. “Then in January, our
county treasurer, who is the healthy county
coordinator, sent me an email letting me
know they were thinking of starting the
Weight Watchers At Work program at
Jackson County. “
Excited about the program, Kruppa
recruited the necessary 20 people to get the
program going. The group then found a Weight Watchers leader in
the area, the final pre-requisite for bringing the At Work program
to a county work site.
Kruppa started the program in January 2011, just a few short
weeks after vowing to lose weight. Faithfully, Kruppa attended
weekly meetings and watched what she ate. Slowly, the weight
started to come off.
According to Kruppa, a pretty competitive person, the weight
10
wasn’t coming off quick enough. So she started exercising. After
making a number of excuses to get out of exercising after her halfhour drive home, Kruppa decided to walk at the track in town near
her work.
“At first, I was walking one mile and I was
wiped out. Now, I am up to four miles a
day,” Kruppa said. “I am doing yoga as well.
When I started, I could not even touch the
floor; now I can with my palms. It’s a great
mind reliever and it keeps me calm.”
By July 2011, just seven months after
starting the program, Kruppa dropped 50
pounds — 10 pounds more than her target
weight goal. She now qualifies as a lifetime
member of Weight Watchers, which means
she does not have to pay dues unless she
goes more than two pounds over her target
weight.
While Kruppa is proud of her weight
loss, she is also thankful for all of the health
knowledge she has gained.
“You don’t just learn healthy eating
habits and the importance of portion sizes. You also learn what specifically works best
for your body – what you can eat and what
you lose weight on,” Kruppa said. “Another
thing people learn is that it’s not all about
restricting yourself. You just have to be
aware of what you eat. If you know you are
going to eat a big dinner, just eat a smaller
lunch or do more activity.”
Kruppa’s health knowledge has directly
correlated with a better bill of health. Her
blood pressure is lower, she sleeps better,
has more energy and no longer has to take acid reflux medication.
And Kruppa hasn’t only improved her own health. Her friends and
family members, motivated by her weight loss, decided they could
do it too.
“My sister and a couple of friends joined and have also been
doing well, so l am really excited that my success has encouraged
them to lose weight,” Kruppa said. “I am so glad I could lose weight
and help inspire friends and family.”
77180 TAC_.indd 10
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News you can use
clipboard
Sonic Boom Striding Replacing PATH
New physical fitness challenge uses SonicPed to track activity
The Texas Association of Counties Health
and Employee Benefits Pool (TAC HEBP)
Healthy County program is launching a
brand new physical fitness challenge, Sonic
Striding, to replace Planned Action Toward
Health (PATH). Sonic Striding is one
component of Sonic Boom, a year-round
wellness program focusing on weight
management, nutrition, physical activity
and stress reduction.
PATH, a 10-week walking challenge,
incorporated themes including a Himalayan
trek and an Olympic competition.
Interesting facts about the themes were
sent to participants via newsletters. These
challenges were pedometer based and
encouraged members to walk and enter
their progress online.
“The PATH program helped spark
healthy behaviors for a lot of our members,”
said Wellness Consultant Carrye Chen.”But
based on member feedback we searched
for a more technologically advanced and
user-friendly way for people to track their
physical activity.”
The search led Healthy County staff to
Sonic Boom. Members will wear a high-tech
device called a SonicPed (accelerometer) on
their shoe.
“The Sonic Ped technology allows
members to track all of their activity—
walking, running, cycling. It knows your
duration, your intensity—even your
calories burned,” said Chen. For this first challenge, which starts
March 26 and ends May 20, county
employees are asked to walk a minimum
of 3,500 steps or to accumulate at least 30
minutes of activity three days a week for
eight weeks. County participants need to
walk by a receiver in their county each
week to upload activity, but the program
does not require any manual entry of steps.
The activity will be sent to a secure online
account, and participants will receive daily
emails regarding their progress and healthy
challenges.
Participants who complete the eightweek challenge receive 7,500 BluePoints
uploaded to their BlueCross BlueShield
Blue Access for Members’ account. The
program is free to all county employees
in
county
pilot groups
with
TAC
HEBP health
insurance.
If your county is a TAC HEBP
member and wants to learn more
about joining Health County or
find out about Sonic Boom please
contact a member from the Healthy
County team at (800) 456-5974.
Prestigious Trailblazer
Nominations Due March 1
Award honors lifetime of service to county government
The TAC Leadership Program is seeking nominations for its prestigious Sam Seale
Trailblazer Award, which was created to honor elected officials who have dedicated
their lives to public service over the course of many years and who have worked to
improve county government.
To be considered for the Trailblazer Award, officials must have a reputation for
being agents of change, champions of innovations, and mentors to their fellow county
officials.
The Trailblazer Award is not given every year, and the Leadership Program reserves
the right to not select a Trailblazer.
To nominate a Trailblazer, officials should write a detailed narrative describing the
nominee’s history of county service, accomplishments while in office, involvement
with community and state associations, demonstrations of the candidate’s leadership
abilities, and other information that may be deemed pertinent to the award criteria.
Officials may nominate themselves or someone whose service they are closely familiar
with.
Nominations are due March 1. The narratives should be mailed or emailed according
to the guidelines found within the County Best Practices Awards application, which
is online at www.county.org. Scroll over “Member Services” across the top and click
on “Leadership Program.” A link for “County Best Practices” will be on the right side
of the page.
For more information about the award, please contact Mark Warren at (800) 4565974.
77180 TAC_.indd 11
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clipboard
News you can use
TAC Hosts Leadership Development Program
for County Managers, Supervisors
Registration for April workshop is first-come, first-served
County officials wanting to build upon
the strengths of their managers, supervisors
and department heads now have the
opportunity to give those staff members
the motivation and inspiration they need to
cohesively build their teams, improve their
communication styles and successfully
manage changes into the future.
Continuing from a pilot program that
started last year, TAC has partnered with
Texas State University to bring professional
and affordable leadership development
training to county supervisors, managers
and department heads. The training will
take place April 23-27 at the TAC building
in Austin. Enrollment will be capped at the
first 70 participants to register. Additional
participants will be added to the programs
waitlist, and future classes will be created
according to interest and need.
The Leadership Development Program
is managed by TAC Training Consultant
Mark Warren and includes insight from a
team of management experts from across
the state. Presenters include, but are not
limited to:
• John Daly, a communications
professor at the University of Texas
McCombs School of Business, on
bolstering communications skills
and the dos and don’ts of persuasive
writing;
• Richard
Grant,
a
consulting
psychologist with the McCombs
School of Business, who will speak
about creating team cohesion between
different personality types;
• Don Minnick, an adjunct professor of
management at Texas State University
in San Marcos, on “the human
dynamics of change”; and
• Jim Bell, professor of Management
and Entrepreneurship at McCoy
College of Business Administration
at Texas State, on building a higher
performing working team.
12
University of Texas McCombs School of Business professor John Daly leads county managers and supervisors
in an exercise on persuasive writing and difficult communications during last year’s Leadership Development
Program.
“This course is by far the best overall
course to develop as an effective leader;
every single instructor was truly dynamic.”
Last year’s pilot program generated a
lot of positive feedback from attendees. In
course evaluations, participants said they:
• Learned how to build a better team;
• Gained the know-how and inspiration
to create better relationships with their
coworkers and employees;
• Had additional tools to use to
improve their written and verbal
communications skills;
• Better understood the dynamics of
different personality types; and
• Thought deeply about the importance
of character and valuable character
traits to look for when hiring and
praising employees.
“Every person supervising or being
considered for a supervisory position
should take this course to improve
efficiency, productivity and morale,” wrote
one participant.
“This course is by far the best overall
course to develop as an effective leader;
every single instructor was truly dynamic,”
wrote another.
Registration for the class is $450 per
participant. For more information about
the program, speakers or agenda, please
contact Mark Warren at markw@county.
org or (800) 456-5974 or visit the TAC
website at www.county.org.
77180 TAC_.indd 12
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News you can use
Register Now for 2012 Spring Law
Enforcement Regionals
Workshops Geared to Management-Level Personnel
The time is nearing for law enforcement managers and professionals to attend
one of TAC’s 2012 Spring Law Enforcement regional workshops. The workshops
will offer education and training on a combination of law enforcement, human
resources and risk management topics.
Though prior Spring Law Enforcement workshops were designed for a generalized
law enforcement audience, this year’s program is specifically focused on officers
in management-level positions.
Attendees will learn about:
•The basics of the risk management process, including understanding potential
risks on a job site, a discussion of overlooked situations responsible for many
injuries affecting law enforcement personnel, the tools available to mitigate
those problems, choosing the right tool and monitoring the situation;
•Changes to Human Resources laws; and
•The contributing factors leading to custody deaths, including deaths from
suicides, drug withdrawal and natural causes.
The program is presented by TAC in conjunction with the Texas Jail Association.
The workshop is free to all law enforcement supervisors, including sheriffs,
constables, chief deputies, jail administrators and elected county officials. The
workshop offers seven TCLEOSE hours. Attendees must have a valid PID number
from TCLEOSE to receive credit.
To register for the event online and find a workshop nearby, visit TAC’s website
at www.county.org. Contact Ashley Royer in the TAC education department at
[email protected] or (800) 456-5974 for questions.
Dates & Locations
Feb. 23 Huntsville, Storm Center, 455 State Highway 75 N, Huntsville
Feb. 23 Waco, Hilton, 113 S. University Parks Dr, Waco
Feb. 28 Tyler, Smith County Peace Officer Bldg., 3450 Corporate Drive, Tyler
Feb. 28 Wichita Falls, Wellington, 5200 Kell Blvd, Wichita Falls
March 1 Abilene, Hilton Garden Inn, 4449 Ridgemont Dr., Abilene
March 1 Greenville, Fletcher Warren Civic Center, 5501 Highway 69 S, Greenville
March 6 Borger, Frank Phillips College CAI Building, 901 Opal St., Borger
clipboard
When
Have Your
Employees
Gone Above
and Beyond?
Whether protecting citizens’ lives
and property or helping a resident
obtain a passport, county employees are
constantly interacting with residents
to fix their most pressing concerns or
help them access the services they need
to live a quality life. In fact, helping
residents lies at the heart of the county
story – what counties do and why.
That’s why the Texas Association
of Counties and County magazine are
soliciting the praise given by residents
to county employees, whether in the
form of a thank-you letter, a citizen
satisfaction survey, a newspaper article,
a personal blog or a voicemail message.
County wants to spread the word about
county representatives who have gone
above and beyond their calls of duty
and who have impacted residents’ lives
in positive ways.
Elected officials, supervisors and
managers who would like to share
how their employees have gone above
and beyond the call of their duties to
help residents or who have received
positive feedback from citizens or
local media can contact County Editor
Maria Sprow at marias@county.
org or (800) 456-5974 ext. 3482. If
emailing, please provide a description
of the event, the citizen praise and any
relevant background information.
Above and Beyond nominations will
be accepted year round.
March 6 Sinton, San Patricio County Fairgrounds, 219 W. 5th St., Sinton
March 8 Odessa, Holiday Inn, 5275 East 42nd Street, Odessa
March 8 San Marcos, Embassy Suites, 1001 McCarty Lane, San Marcos
77180 TAC_.indd 13
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websitespotlight
Helpful county and county-related websites
Williamson County Website
Where:www.facebook.com/preparingwilco
What:
C
ounties looking to improve the ways
in which they use social media to reach
constituents need to look no further
than Williamson County, which recently earned
national recognition for both its use of social
media and its use of social media for emergency
management. The honors come from the 2011
GovFresh Awards, which allowed any government
entity to nominate itself and allowed Internet
users to vote.
Williamson County’s Office of Emergency
Management created a “Preparing Wilco”
Facebook page and twitter feed, www.facebook.
com/preparingwilco and www.
twitter.com/preparingwilco,
which the county used to
communicate with residents
during the Central Texas Labor
Day wildfires.
According to the county’s
nomination
form,
the
emergency
management
Facebook page had only been
live for two months and had
523 “likes” prior to the Labor
Day Weekend. The number of
“likes” increased to 7,852 by
the time the wildfires were out.
“The numerous following
allows for interaction with
citizens, as well as serving
as a catalyst for sending out
preparedness tips. Regularly,
the sites are also used to gain
situational awareness during
any weather event and those
that reside within the county
are able to send information
to the Office of Emergency
Management,”
sites
the
nomination, which received
538 votes in the contest and beat out the Philadelphia Office of
Emergency Management (385 votes) and the New York City Office
of Emergency Management (266 votes).
Residents commenting on the PreparingWilco page and on the
GovFresh page said the award was well-deserved. “Williamson
County OEM provided great peace of mind with their Facebook
updates during the wildfires. It was through their social media
14
reminders that remembered
that I had not updated my cell
phone location with FEMA
after a move,” wrote resident
Frank Mills.
The county’s Emergency
Management Office has
continued to use its social
media accounts during nonemergency times to post
proactive and preventative
information and communitybuilding items, such as
fireworks safety tips and
photographs from a Cub
Scout emergency preparedness
field trip.
But the county’s Emergency
Management Office isn’t the
only department to embrace
the use of social media. The
county has also received
recognition for its excellent
use of Facebook and Twitter
to communicate general
messages to residents. Recent messages have included job postings,
health information, Christmas tree recycling locations, animal
shelter adoption promotions, and road construction updates.
The use of social media has engaged county residents and brought
them closer to their government. Many residents have commented
on county postings to praise the work of public officials, ask
clarifying questions and share their thoughts. ✯
77180 TAC_.indd 14
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Technology that thinks like you do.
It’s solutions that empower. It’s service that excels.
It’s a team that’s walked in your shoes and seen things
from your vantage point. It’s a company committed to
being the largest software provider solely dedicated to
the public sector. It’s Tyler. Where we don’t just
make technology that works for you. We make
technology that thinks like you. To learn more, visit us
at tylertech.com or email us at [email protected].
77180 TAC_.indd 15
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countypride
Washington on the Brazos
Where:Washington County
What:
T
exas celebrates its 176th anniversary of independence on March 2, so there’s no better place
to travel to that weekend than Washington County, according to Washington County Clerk
Beth Rothermel, who particularly recommends visiting the “truly exceptional” Washington
on the Brazos celebrations on March 3-4. Washington on the Brazos is a 293-acre state historical site
that includes a visitor’s center and gift shop, Independence Hall (pictured at left), Barrington Living
Historical Farm, and the Star of the Republic Museum (pictured at top). Each of those attractions
offers a one-of-a-kind glimpse into Texas history. Independence Hall is a replication of the building
where Texas representatives met in 1836 to formally declare independence
from Mexico. Barrington Living Historical Farm uses historical documents
left by Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas, to recreate
the Jones farm. Interpreters work the farm and raise corn, cattle, hogs and
cotton so that visitors can get a glimpse of what life was like 150 years ago.
To celebrate the state’s anniversary, the park will be hosting historical
reenactments, Texas artisans, free public tours
and the cutting of a Texas-sized birthday cake,
according to its website. Rothermel said other
sources of county pride include Blue Bell
Creameries — “simply the best ice cream in the
country. Ecstasy in a bowl!” she enthused
— and the Washington County Fair, the oldest county fair in
Texas. “It’s a salute to our youth and their abilities,” Rothermel
said. The 2012 fair will take place Sept. 15-22. ✯
“County Pride” hopes to showcase favorite and unique spots, artists, treats, events and treasures
throughout Texas counties so that others can get a taste of what makes each county its own.
County officials and employees who would like to submit a local attraction can do so by emailing
County Editor Maria Sprow at [email protected] or by calling (800) 456-5974 ext. 3482. If emailing,
please include where exactly the site, treat or treasure is located, what makes it unique, and why
others should love it, too. Nominations can also include information about other local tourist
attractions and unique locations.
Nominations will be accepted and featured in County magazine year-round.
16
77180 TAC_.indd 16
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History of a Texas County
texashistory
Reeves County Population Boosted by
Early 20th Century School-Land Rush
Map courtesy of the 2006-2007 Texas Almanac
R
eeves County is in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas
with the northern edge of its irregular shape touching New
Mexico. On the northeast it borders the Pecos River, which
separates it from Loving and Ward counties. It is bounded on the
southeast by Pecos County, on the southwest
by Jeff Davis County, and on the west by
Culberson County.
The first people to inhabit Reeves County lived
in the rock shelters and caves around the edge
of the Barrilla Hills and built permanent camps
near Phantom Lake, San Solomon Spring, and
Toyah Creek. These prehistoric people left
behind artifacts and pictographs as evidence of
their presence. The Jumano Indians irrigated
crops of corn and peaches from San Solomon
Spring, where Balmorhea State Recreation
Area is now located. The park, including its
large rock-walled swimming pool, was built
around San Solomon Springs by the Civilian
Conservation Corps in 1933. The springs,
which have been called Mescalero and Head Springs
at various times, issue from caverns in the bottom of
the swimming pool. Farmers of Mexican descent who
irrigated from San Solomon Spring in the last half of the
19th Century found a lucrative market for grains, vegetables and
beef at Fort Davis. The first Anglo farmers arrived in Toyah Valley
in 1871, when George B. and Robert E. Lyle began irrigating
crops from Toyah Creek. Open range ranching first attracted white
settlers to the Davis Mountains in 1875.
By 1881 the Texas and Pacific Railway had built tracks through
Reeves County. At that time section houses were constructed at
Pecos and Toyah, which opened a post office that year and later
became a shipping point for local ranchers. Pecos was named the
seat of government when Reeves County was separated from Pecos
County in 1883 and organized in 1884. Pecos constructed a threeroom school in 1883 and opened a post office in 1884. The county
was named for Confederate colonel George R. Reeves, who served
as a Grayson County official and in the Texas Legislature from
1856-1858 and again in 1870, 1875, 1879 and 1881-1882, when
he was speaker of the House.
In 1900, the agricultural economy of Reeves County was affected
when the state ended free use of its land. Agents were sent across
West Texas to collect rents from ranchers on public land. Between
1901 and 1905, however, state law permitted sale of school lands in
West Texas, allowing individuals to purchase four sections of land
on generous credit terms. Reeves and other West Texas counties
experienced a rush of new settlers, which continued even after
the law was changed in 1905 to award land to the highest bidder.
Between 1903 and 1913 several new communities developed, but
most were ephemeral. Both Alamo, renamed Pera in 1905, and
Dixieland opened post offices in 1903. Other towns
receiving post offices included Panama in 1904,
Orla
in 1906, and Hermosa and Arno in 1907.
Balmorhea began operation of both a school
and a post office in 1908, and post offices
were organized in 1910 at Pyle, Mont Clair,
and
Angeles; the latter moved to Orla some time
Reeves later. Hoban received a post office in 1911
County and Crystal Water in 1913. By the 1990s,
however, only the post offices at Orla and
Balmorhea were still in existence. The 1910
census reflects the effects of the school-land
rush after 1901, showing the population
more than doubled in a decade to 4,392.
In 1911 the Pecos Valley Southern Railway
completed tracks from Pecos to Toyahvale, allowing
improved transportation of agricultural products. A
drought swept across the county in 1916, however, and
many families who had come during the school-land rush
gave up their farms and moved away.
The Toyah field, a gas-producing area, was discovered in 1952,
and the Geraldine-Ford field began production in 1956. In 1960,
the Reeves County population reached an all-time high of 17,644.
High school graduates represented 9 percent of the residents,
and 669 were college graduates. Although by 1980 West Texas
experienced a dramatic oil boom with greatly-increased drilling
activity and an influx of new people to fill blue collar jobs, the
population of Reeves County fell to 15,801 in that year. The
county faced problems of declining oil prices and crude reserves.
Overgrazing, which occurred when its arid pasturelands were first
pioneered, had improved under management, and reduction in
irrigated agriculture and the use of underground water supplies had
improved the level and availability of water.
Reeves County is noted for its West of the Pecos Museum at
Pecos and for Balmorhea State Recreation Area and Lake. The
county celebrates a Rodeo Week, June Fest, Golden Girl of the
West Pageant, Night in Old Pecos, and an 1800s Parade at Pecos
in June; a Fourth of July Parade, Old Fiddlers Contest, and West
of the Pecos Rodeo at Pecos in July; a Frijole Cookoff at Balmorhea
and cantaloupe festival in August; and Fall Fair Festival at Pecos in
October. ✯
The information above is excerpted from the Handbook of Texas, an
encyclopedia published by the Texas State Historical Association. The handbook
can be accessed online at www.tshaonline.org/handbook.
77180 TAC_.indd 17
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countycooks
The County Cooks Cookbook Challenge, No. 1
Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Recommended by:
Donna Eccleston
Comal County Commissioner
“I love these cookies. The combination
of chocolate and the slight heat of the
chili and pepper is wonderful. I had
come across a similar cookie while
dining in San Antonio with friends
at the Liberty Bar, a very unusual
restaurant with a very eclectic menu.
I became determined to replicate the
cookie in some way, so I started searching for recipes.
I came across this recipe by Maida Heatter, who is an
award-winning cookbook author known for her desserts.
I have been hooked on these cookies since the first
batch I baked. My friends are crazy about them as well
and I dare not visit without bringing some. This is a very
easy recipe to keep on hand in the freezer. Just slice and
bake. I make mine with mexican vanilla and very good
cocoa. I think that gives them a special depth of flavor.
They are delicious with a glass of red wine and make
marvelous ice cream sandwiches when filled with dulce
de leche ice cream. Delicious!”
The Recipe:
The Instructions:
1.5 cups flour
.75 cups cocoa powder
.75 tsp ground cinnamon
.5 tsp cayenne
.25 tsp salt
.25 tsp ground black pepper
12 tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
1.5 tsp vanila extract
1 egg
Sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne,
salt and pepper in a medium bowl. In a large
bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat
in vanilla extract and egg. Gradually add flour
mixture until dough is uniform. Shape in two 9”
long logs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil.
Make sure wrapping is airtight. Freeze overnight
or up to 6 weeks. When ready to use, preheat
oven to 375F, slice, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Cookies should feel a bit firm at the edges.
The Chef
Maria Sprow
County
Magazine Editor
“I overbaked these a
little. The cayenne is
interesting. I thought
I poured too much in,
but everyone said they
wanted more!”
The Verdicts
Laura Westcott
TAC Web Services
Administratior
Chris Munson
TAC Director of
Administration
Raul Martinez
TAC Print Shop
Manager
Rex Hall
TAC Assistant
Executive Director
Lonnie Hunt
TAC County
Relations Officer
“Good, chocolaty
taste. Spicier would
work!”
“Good Flavor. Heat
was mild, almost
an after-taste. Good
chocolaty taste.”
“Interesting. Never
had a ‘hot’ cookie.
Good combination
of spicy and hot.”
“This is different in a
really good way.”
“Really chocolaty.
Interesting kick.
Needs Bluebell!”
Are you a county official with a favorite recipe you’d like to share with your fellow
elected officials? County is accepting recipes for its new County Cooks department. To
submit a recipe, just send an email to Editor Maria Sprow at [email protected] with the
recipe and instructions and information on where the recipe came from, any tips or tricks,
and why you like it so much. Officials can also include information about how the recipe
18
reflects themselves, their communities or their county. Is it used annually in a county
bakesale? Has it been passed down from generation to generation? Was it an experiment?
Submitted recipes will be cooked or baked by County Editor Maria Sprow and taste tested
by TAC staff. The results will be published in County. All kinds of recipes will be accepted,
so don’t hesitate! Share your favorite culinary creations with your fellow county officials.
77180 TAC_.indd 18
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emergencyservices
Austin County Uses Emergency Management
Resources to Aid in FBI Manhunt
L
ate last August, Austin County Judge Carolyn Bilski was
surprised when she was asked by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation to lend the county’s emergency management
resources in support of a fugitive manhunt.
Fugitive Charles A. Dyer
had been sited at Stephen F.
Austin State Park, within the
Austin County border. Dyer,
an ex-Marine who was wanted
in Stephens County, Okla., for
charges of raping a 7-year-old-girl
and failing to appear in court,
was considered well armed and
dangerous. According to ABC
News media reports, Dyer had
“uploaded a video of himself
telling authorities that if they came
to his home armed, he would have
the right to defend himself.”
“We’re used to hurricane
preparedness and storms, not
manhunts,” Bilski said.
But Team Austin County
jumped into action, with
Emergency
Management
Coordinator Ray Chislett taking a seat at the
Fed’s temporary emergency operation center in
Wallis. Meanwhile, Judge Bilski and Alfonso
Acosta, the county GIS specialist, worked from
the county’s operation center in the judge’s office
at the county courthouse.
Austin County aided federal agents by
supplying maps, radio support and local
knowledge to investigators as they tracked Dyer
up and down the Brazos River. On Aug. 25,
2011, Dyer was captured in Fort Bend County,
reportedly drinking a cherry limeade, tired and dirty from eluding
police for nearly a week.
Other agencies assisting in the investigation included the Texas
Rangers, Texas Highway Patrol, Texas Department of Criminal
Justice, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin County
Sheriff ’s Office, Sealy Police Department, San Felipe Police
Department, Waller County Sheriff ’s Office and the Stephens
County Sheriff ’s Office in Oklahoma.
don’t have the means of a large county to hire employees to be
specialized in one profession. We all need to be able to do whatever
needs to be done, whether it’s respond to a major accident on the
freeway, handle a pipeline leak evacuation or clean up a mess in
the elevator because the janitor’s
out sick.”
As most counties can attest,
staff multi-tasking and employee
coordination is a testament to
county government’s ability to
manage limited resources while
striving to achieve the best possible
outcomes.
Ray Chislett is the only
county employee with primary
emergency
management
responsibilities, but he also is a
Citizens Emergency Response
Team (CERT) instructor. Acosta,
besides handling the GIS duties,
is the county’s floodplain manager
and environmental enforcement
officer. Recently, Administrative
Assistant
Sharon
McAllen
attended
CERT training so she
could also assist Judge
Bilski with the Citizen
Corps coordination.
And, of course, the
county judge has her
own set of emergency
m a n a g e m e n t
responsibilities.
“I knew having
responsibility
for
everything emergency management related was a large part of
the duties of county judge when I was elected. What I didn’t
realize was that it was 24/7,” Bilski said, adding that she makes
the most of the resources, information and support available to
her, especially via the region’s Council of Government (COG).
“Luckily we have a strong COG in HGAC (Houston-Galveston
Area Council) and they help a lot.”
Austin County lies about 40 miles due west from Harris County
and Houston and is a major component of the region’s hurricane
evacuation plan. When contra-flow conditions are in place, easily
hundreds of thousands of vehicles could be on the stretch of IH-10
that passes through the county. As a major part of the county’s
emergency management team, HGAC provides training and
support, primarily during severe storm and large events. ✯
County Emergency Management as a Team Concept
Like most counties of its size, Austin County doesn’t have a lot
of funds budgeted for emergency response, causing the emergency
response employees to wear multiple hats.
“Essentially we are all multi-talented,” Bilski said. “We
77180 TAC_.indd 19
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Capitol Co n
77180 TAC_.indd 20
2/2/12 7:58 AM
onnections
Core Legislative Group works to get county information to the Legislature
By Ender Reed, Senior Policy Analyst
A
S A TAC LEGISALTIVE STAFFER, I spend a lot
of time visiting the historic Texas Capitol building.
When walking around the Capitol, I cannot help but
feel almost like I’ve been catapulted back into history.
The State Preservation Board, which is charged
with maintaining the Capitol, works hard to keep the building in
the same condition as it was when it opened on April 21, 1888. A
replica of the original carpeting adorns the floors of both chambers.
House members and Senate members still use the same-style desks
that the first members of the Texas Legislature used. The Speaker
and Lieutenant Governor’s daises look exactly as they did in 1888,
when constituents were still communicating with the legislators
via handwritten or typed letters mailed via the United States Postal
System. The typewriter had just been invented two decades before.
The electric telephone had only been patented for 12 years.
But while the Capitol building looks the same as it has since
1888, it is not stuck in time. As one gets closer to those daises it
becomes obvious that these are not the same podiums. On the
speaker’s podium, hidden under glass, are computer screens and
enough electronics to control a rock concert. Each legislator has a
computer on his or her desk and they are as likely to listen to session
debate from their desks as they are to follow the debate on their
iPads nearby. Legislators are also in constant contact with their office
and the public via social networking, instant messaging, email and
text messages. Even the Legislature itself is on Twitter (www.twitter.
com/tx_legislature), communicating the times of public hearings
and other information to its more than 5,500 Twitter followers.
The variety of communications vehicles being used by Legislators
and those wanting to communicate with legislators has benefits and
drawbacks. It’s nearly impossible for a person to keep up with all
the information sharing and the messages being sent and received.
Nowadays, people with common interests must pool their resources
together to compete with other resources just to get their messages
heard. TAC’s Core Legislative Group works to meet the demands
of this fast-moving, electronically connected Legislature by making
available rapid and accurate information from county officials.
WHAT IS THE CORE LEGISLATIVE GROUP?
The organization is a group of elected and appointed officials
committed to advocating on behalf of counties regarding legislative
issues that affect county government. Though the Core Legislative
Group has been active for years, it is always growing and adapting
to the changing communications environment. The group has four
main goals in preparing for the 2013 legislative session:
• Increase membership (having more voices means having
more influence);
• Educate new legislators about county government;
• Use social networking for more effective communications;
• Foster community outreach to raise awareness of county
government issues; and
• Continue working to protect taxpayers from unintended
consequences of past and future legislation.
Officials within the group can participate in multiple ways. They
can serve as an issue expert, be part of the rapid reaction group,
make themselves available when quick feedback is needed or act to
disseminate important information to their communities.
Issue Expert: One of the main objectives for the Core Legislative
Group is to develop and identify county official issue experts for the
purpose of committee testimony. Often, the difference between good
legislation and bad legislation is simply connecting that legislation to
the correct expert. In county government, we are fortunate to have
elected officials with a wide variety of backgrounds: our members
are farmers, accountants, businessmen, engineers. We identify these
experts among the Core Legislative Group membership to ensure
77180 TAC_.indd 21
1/31/12 8:58 AM
the best information is available from county
officials with the most experience in that area
when a bill impacts county government.
Rapid Reaction Group: The
organization is also a rapid reaction
group able to respond to proposed
legislation and legislative action
that impacts county government. In the new electronic Legislature,
a political situation can change
faster than a rodeo bull bucks. A
bill can change from an innocuous
bill to a bill that is harmful to county
government at any minute. The Core
Legislative Group can respond directly
to these quick changes by communicating
the possible impact of the proposed legislation
with the maximum number of legislators.
Quick Feedback: We also seek to generate quick
feedback on legislation from a geographically diverse group of
county officials representing all offices of the county courthouse.
One of the features that distinguish the Core Legislative Group
from other groups is that county officials of every office of county
government are represented. This means that the impact on every
corner of the courthouse can be assessed by the group. The broadbased membership of the group also means that the entire burden
to respond to legislation is not placed on the shoulder of just a
few county officials, and it will be easier to give quick feedback on
legislation.
Community Outreach: One of the
critical functions of the group is to foster
the dissemination of information to the
community and to support community
outreach initiatives. It is important
that each county’s community
members
understand
that
legislation that impacts their county
government impacts the quality of
life in their own communities. It is
also important that county officials
have the tools they need to inform
the community about changes at the
Legislature and are able to work with the
community to create the most efficient and
effective county government. By working together to provide the best available
and most accurate information to the Legislature,
county officials safeguard taxpayer dollars and create a better
future.
Those wanting to join the Core Legislative Group can email me
at [email protected] or call me at (800) 456-5974. I’ll be working
with my fellow TAC Legislative Department staff throughout the
interim to help the group members prepare for the upcoming
legislative session, and to get important information to legislators
regarding interim studies and possible legislation. The stronger we
are now, the stronger we will be in 2013. ✯
C11.4982.02
22
77180 TAC_.indd 22
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Before they come to your county courthouse,
send them to the World Wide Web …
Please refer your citizens to WWW.TexasCounties4U.org
to view brief videos that will help them get the most out of
county services:
• How to get a marriage license
• How to pay your property taxes
• Paying delinquent taxes
• Applying for disabled plates
and placards
• Selling/buying a vehicle?
Protect yourself.
• 3 ways to save on property taxes
Other content informs citizens about Texas county
government generally as well as how to find your local
county Website, county demographic profiles and
data and descriptions of county office responsibilities.
To order posters and flyers for your county office,
call TAC at 800-456-5870.
77180 TAC_.indd 23
1/31/12 8:58 AM
2012 County Association
Organization:
President
Officers
County Judges &
Commissioners Assoication
of Texas
North & East Texas
County Judges &
Commissioners Association
South Texas County Judges
& Commissioners
Association
Bena E. Hester
Briscoe County District/
County Clerk
PO Box 555
Silverton, TX 79257-0555
Telephone: (806) 823-2134
[email protected]
Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe
Hays County Commissioner
111 E San Antonio St
San Marcos, TX 78666-5534
Telephone: (512) 393-2243
[email protected]
John P. Thompson
Polk County Judge
101 W Church St Ste 300
Livingston, TX 77351-3246
Telephone: (936) 327-6813
[email protected]
Gerardo A. Garza
Webb County Commissioner
1000 Houston St Fl 2
Laredo, TX 78040-8017
Telephone: (956) 523-4625
[email protected]
President Elect
Ellen Friar
Ward County Auditor
Vice President
Sherilyn Woodfin
First Vice President
Roger Harmon
Johnson County Judge
Wes Suiter
Angelina County Judge
Neil E. Fritsch
Calhoun County Commissioner
David Renken
Comal County Auditor
Secretary
Diane Hoefling
Moore County District Clerk
Second Vice President
Patti C. Jones
Lubbock County Commissioner
Secretary/Treasurer
Charles Shofner
Jasper County Commissioner
Joe Rathmell
Zapata County Judge
Jackie Latham
Lubbock County Auditor
Treasurer
Teresa Kiel
Guadalupe County Clerk
Don Allred
Oldham County Judge
Dean Player
Leon County Commissioner
Raul Ramirez
Brooks County Judge
Secretary
Nathan P. Cradduck
Tom Green County Auditor
Joyce G. Hudman
Brazoria County County Clerk
Texas Association of
County Auditors
County and District
Clerks Association of Texas
Kirk Kirkpatrick
Johnson County Auditor
2 N. Main St.
Cleburne, TX 76033
Telephone: (817) 556-6305
[email protected]
Grover Worsham
Trinity County Commissioner
Treasurer
Katie Conner
Brazos County Auditor
Registrar for Hours
Committee Chairs
Texas State Board
of Public Accountancy
CPE Division
(512) 305-7844
Education Committee Chair
Ellen Friar
Ward County Auditor
Legislative Committee Chair
David Renken
Comal County Auditor
Education Opportunities
May 8–1, 2012
Texas Association of County
Auditors 60th Annual
Auditors Institute
Austin
October 8–10, 2012
67th Texas County Auditors
Annual Conference
Kerrville
Website
24
www.texascountyauditors.org
Sherilyn Woodfin
Vice President
112 W Beauregard Ave
San Angelo, TX 76903-5835
Telephone: (325) 659-6579
[email protected]
Cynthia Mitchell
Denton County Clerk
Legislative Committee
Co-Chairs
Laura Hinojosa
Hidalgo County District Clerk
Joy Streater, Comal County Clerk
Allison Harbison
Shelby County Clerk (Co-Chair Elections)
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk (Co-Chair Elections)
January 9–12, 2012
40th Annual County and
District Clerks’ Continuing
Education Seminar
VG Young Institute: School for
County and District Clerks,
College Station Hilton Hotel
& Conference Center
801 University Drive East
(979) 693-7500
Judges
Texas Association of Counties,
Judicial Education,
Texas Judicial Academy
(512) 478-8753
Commissioners
Allison, Bass & Associates, LLP,
County Judges & Commissioners
Association of Texas,
Mary Manning
Education Committee
Chair Judges
David Field
Dallam County Judge
Commissioners
Richard Cortese
Bell County Commissioner
John Thompson
Polk County Judge
February 7–9, 2012
Institute School for County
Commissioners Courts
VG Young Institute
For more information, contact
the V.G. Young Institute of
County Government at
(979) 845-4572
June 24–28, 2012
County & District Clerks
Annual Conference
Moody Gardens
Seven Hope Blvd
Galveston, TX 77554
(888) 388-8484
For more information,
contact Sherri Adelstein or
Cynthia Mitchell
October 1–4, 2012
90th Annual County Judges
& Commissioners Conference
Embassy Suites Hotel, Spa &
Conference Center, San Marcos
(512) 392-6450
For more information contact
the TAC Judicial Education
Department, Michele Mund
or Michele Ewerz
(800) 456-5974 or the Hays
County Commissioner Debbie
Ingalsbe at (512) 393-2243
www.texasclerks.org
www.cjcat.org
May 20–23, 2012
North & East Texas County
Judges & Commissioners
Annual Conference & Business
Meeting
Galveston
Moody Gardens Hotel
7 Hope Boulevard
(409) 741-8484.
the TAC Judicial Education
Department Michele Mund
or Michele Ewerz at
(800) 456-5974 or the
Polk County Judge John
Thompson at (936) 327-6813
June 18–21, 2012
South Texas County Judges
& Commissioners Annual
Education Conference
& Business Meeting
San Antonio
contact the Webb County
Commissioner Jerry Garza
at (956) 523-4625
77180 TAC_.indd 24
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Leaders & Information
West Texas County
Judges & Commissioners
Association
County Treasurers
Association of Texas
Justices of the Peace and
Constables Association
of Texas
Sheriffs’ Association
of Texas
Tax Assessor-Collectors
Association of Texas
Texas District & County
Attorneys Association
Harold Keeter
Swisher County Judge
119 S Maxwell Ave Rm 101
Tulia, TX 79088-2247
Telephone: (806) 995-3504
[email protected]
Norma G. Garcia, CIO
Hidalgo County Treasurer
2810 S US Highway 281
Edinburg, TX 78539-6243
Telephone: (956) 318-2506
norma.garcia@treasurer.
co.hidalgo.tx.us
Glen Chadwick Jordan
Hood County Constable
1200 W Pearl St
Granbury, TX 76048-1834
Telephone: (817) 579-3204
[email protected]
J. W. Jankowski
Washington County Sheriff
1206 Old Independence Rd
Brenham, TX 77833-2400
Telephone: (979) 277-6251
[email protected]
Scott Porter
Johnson County Tax
Assessor Collector
PO Box 75
Cleburne, TX 76033-0075
Telephone: (817) 558-0122
[email protected]
William L. Hon
Polk County
Criminal District Attorney
PO Box 1717
Livingston, TX 77351-0031
Telephone: (936) 327-6868
[email protected]
Tommy Owens
Upton County Commissioner
President Elect
Dolores Ortega-Carter, CCT, CIO
Travis County Treasurer
President Elect
Martin Castillo
Hood County JP
Daniel C. Law
Caldwell County Sheriff
President Elect
David Escamilla,
Travis County County Attorney
Susan Redford
Ector County Judge
Kelli R. White, CIO
Smith County Treasurer
Michael Truitt,
Denton County Constable
Maxey Cerliano
Gregg County Sheriff
President Elect
Lewis Scott Porter
Wheeler County
Tax Assessor Collector
Patti C. Jones
Lubbock County Commissioner
David Betancourt, CIO
Cameron County Treasurer
Third Vice President
Janice Ralston Sons
Wichita County JP
Third Vice President
A. J. Louderback
Jackson County Sheriff
Secretary
Amy Perez, CIO
Matagorda County Treasurer
Secretary/Treasurer
Phillip L. Montgomery
Medina County JP
Sargeant at Arms
R. P. Burnett, Jr.
Van Zandt County Sheriff
Treasurer
Renee Couch, CIO
Comal County Treasurer
Sargeant at Arms
James L. Roberts
Palo Pinto County Constable
Gary Painter,
Midland County Sheriff
Katherine Hudson, CIO,
Wise County Treasurer
Judge Advocate/Parliamentarian
Jim F. Humphrey
Clay County JP
Honorable Sharon Reynolds
Chair
Brazoria County Treasurer
111 E. Locust St., Ste 305
Angleton, TX 77515-4677
(979) 864-1353
JP - Texas Justice Court
Training Center
701 Brazos Street, Ste 710
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 347-9927
April 23–27, 2012
West Texas County Judges &
Commissioners Association
Annual Conference &
Business Meeting
Odessa
Swisher County Judge Harold
Keeter at (806) 995-3504
Education Committee Chairs
J.R. Moore, Montgomery County
Tax-Assessor Collector
Lewis Scott Porter, Wheeler
County Tax-Assessor Collector
Ryan Calvert
Dentin County
Assistant Criminal
District Attorney
Luanne Caraway
Hays County
Deborah Hunt
Williamson County
Susan Reed
Bexar County
Criminal District Attorney
TCLEOSE Committee Chairs
David Warren, Nolan County Sheriff
Lupe Valdez, Dallas County Sheriff
Kelli R. White
Smith County Treasurer
Constables
Bobby Guiterrez
Williamson County
Bruce Elfant, Travis County
Jail Advisory Board
Maxey Cerliano, Gregg County Sheriff
Pat Burnett, Van Zandt County Sheriff
Legislative Co-Chairs
Chris Kirk, Brazos County Sheriff
Adrian Garcia, Harris County Sheriff
July 22–24, 2012
134th Texas Sheriffs’
Association Annual
Training Conference
Dallas
call (512) 445-5888
September 16–20, 2012
64th Annual County Treasurers
Association Conference
Embassy Suites Hotel and
Conference Center,
San Marcos
June 10–14, 2012
January 8–13, 2012
District & County Attorneys
Tax Assessor-Collectors
Association Annual Conference Association January Prosecutor
Trial Skills Course
Amarillo
Doubletree North Hotel, Austin
November 12–14, 2012
30th Annual Tax AssessorTDCAA at (512) 474-2436
Collectors Continuing
February 6–10, 2012
Education Seminar
Hilton Hotel & Conference
Attorneys Association
Center, College Station
Investigator School
San Luis Resort, Galveston For
more information contact TDCAA
at (512) 474-2436
September 19–21, 2012
Attorneys Association Annual
Criminal & Civil Law Update
Isla Grande and Sapphire Hotel,
South Padre Island. For more
information contact TDCAA at
(512) 474-2436
www.jpca.com
www.txsheriffs.org
77180 TAC_.indd 25
Past President
Gary B. Barber
Smith County
State Bar of Texas Minimum
Continuing Legal Education
(MCLE) Department
P.O. Box 13007
Austin, TX 78711
(800) 204-2222 ext. 1806
Justice of the Peace
John Carson, Bowie County
www.ctatx.org
Chairman of the Board
Michael E. Fouts
Haskell County
District Attorney, 39th District
Property Tax
Assistance Division
Shannon Murphy,
Stephanie Mata
or Jeff Van Pelt
(800) 252-9121
[email protected]
Mitzi Wohleking
Midland County
April 15–19, 2012
June 24–28, 2012
VG Young Institute:
2012 JPCA Annual Conference
School for County Treasurers
Isla Grand Resort
College Station Hilton Hotel
South Padre Island.
& Conference Center
For Conference info,
801 University Drive East
visit www.stjpca.org or call
(979) 693-7500.
Margo or Judge Luz Paiz at
(361) 384-2486
V.G. Young Institute of County
Government at (979) 845-4572
Vice President - Internal
Thelma Sherman
Angelina County
Secretary/Treasurer
Rene Pena
Atascosa County
District Attorney, 81st District
TCLEOSE
6330 U.S. 290 East, Ste 200
Austin, TX 78723
(512) 936-7700
Constables - TCLEOSE
6330 U.S. 290 East, Ste 200
Austin, TX 78723
(512) 936-7700
Legislative Co-Chairs
Jackie Miller, Jr, Ellis County
Connie Hickman, Navarro County
Vice President - External
Bobby Biscamp
Jasper County
www.tacaoftx.org
www.tdcaa.com
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Commissioners court members discuss regional issues at AgriLife
Extension workshop
By Maria Sprow
Photos Courtesy of Texas AgriLife Extension
26
77180 TAC_.indd 26
1/31/12 8:58 AM
E
very year since 1996, the Texas AgriLife Extension’s
which includes 20 counties, a total of $3.6 billion, from 2005-2010,
V.G. Young Institute of County Government has offered
said Mike Gilliam, Jr., an assessment and benchmarking specialist
end-of-year district training conferences for commissioners
from the Texas Department of State Health Services. When divided
court members.
by the region’s adult population, that $3.6 billion means that each
The trainings offer commissioners court members one final chance
adult resident was charged an average of $2,861 for those five years,
to earn their state-mandated continuing education credits, but it
or roughly $500 a year. The State of Texas average is roughly $2,100
also gives judges and commissioners a chance to do what few other
per resident, Gilliam added.
conferences can do: learn about regional issues. Instead of having
“Adult residents in District 12 have a greater burden — a greater
an agenda and curriculum that stays the same across the state, the
financial burden and a greater hospitalization burden — than
AgriLife conference agendas change depending on the region’s
the State of Texas as a whole when it comes to adult potentially
priorities and the interests of local county commissioners.
preventable hospitalizations,” he said.
The 2011 trainings occurred across the state in November and
Those hospitalizations included visits
December. Almost all the conferences featured morning discussions
for bacterial pneumonia, dehydration,
with area legislators and County Judges and Commissioners
urinary
tract
infections,
angina
Association of Texas General Counsel Jim Allison, as well as program
(chest pain), congestive heart failure,
updates from Texas AgriLife and the V.G. Young Institute.
hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive
Other topics discussed included the 2011 wildfire season, the
pulmonary disease and diabetes.
drought and impending water shortages and future water planning,
Each of those diseases or conditions
obesity and health care reforms, emergency management and
can be prevented or managed for much
recovery, the use of social media, wind energy, road maintenance
less than the costs of an emergency room
systems, conflicts of interest and
public finance.
In all, about 35 percent of
county commissioners and 27
“Adult residents in District 12 have a greater
percent of county judges attended
burden — a greater financial burden and a greater
one of the workshops, according
to AgriLife.
hospitalization burden — than the State of Texas as a
Unfortunately,
County
whole when it comes to adults potentially preventable
staff couldn’t travel to all the
workshops, but it did grab a seat
hospitalizations.”
at the South Texas District 12
— Mike Gilliam, Jr., of Department of State Health Services
conference in Kleberg County,
where commissioners were set to
hear information on the impacts
visit or hospitalization if residents could make appropriate use
of preventable hospitalizations, employment liability, revenue sources
of outpatient healthcare and non-emergency medical resources.
for law enforcement and border security, among other topics.
Meanwhile, the average hospital stay for those illnesses was five
days and cost between $13,752 in LaSalle County and $37,845 in
Preventable Hospitalizations Costing Region
Cameron County, data shows.
In particular, Gilliam discussed a $50 vaccine available for bacterial
$3.6 Billion
pneumonia,
an inflammation in the lungs caused by infections,
The morning started off with a discussion about potentially
which
impacts
older adults and was responsible for 22,723 of the
preventable hospitalizations, the per capita cost impact of those
region’s
reported
hospitalizations from 2005-2010. “It’s not 100
hospitalizations and how community leaders can join forces to help
percent
effective,
but
it is a great intervention,” Gilliam said, adding
prevent those hospitalizations from occurring.
that
5.6
percent
of
the
region’s bacterial pneumonia patients were
Potentially preventable hospitalizations cost the District 12 region,
uninsured or qualified for indigent health care. That’s an uninsured
77180 TAC_.indd 27
1/31/12 8:58 AM
financial burden of $43.5 million.
Gilliam said he believes that more and more, counties, hospital
districts and other community partners will have to work together to
create services and programs that reduce the cost impact of specific
health problems. “What you’re probably going to see in the future is
that opportunities to address health care, whether at the county, state
or federal level, are probably going to involve coalitions, where there
are multiple partners and where there is not just one organization
doing it,” he said. “These initiatives are going to require the hospital
be present, state health be present, the county judge be present or
appoint somebody.”
The formation of those coalitions may be spurred on by the 1115
Medicaid waiver (proposed by the Texas Health and Human Services
Commission in July and approved by the federal government in
December), which expands risk-based managed care, he added.
One example of such a program is a bacterial pneumonia
vaccination pilot program being managed by DSHS, Gilliam said.
The agency received $2 million in new monies during the last
legislative session to fund the program. DSHS plans to implement
the program in 16 high-impact counties, including Brooks County.
The program drew some criticism from conference attendees, one
of whom said that they didn’t believe it was right for the Legislature
to increase funding for targeted health care problems at the same
Well, Be Well with Diabetes Program, developed by AgriLife to help
lower the costs associated with caring for individuals with diabetes.
The program includes a series of classes covering nine different selfcare and nutrition topics.
Though the front-end funding and resources that go toward
the program may theoretically take away from other health care
funds, the health care system as a whole benefits from increased
diabetes management, research shows. According to the District
12 figures, diabetes care impacts costs from across the board, with
Medicare making payments on 20.3 percent of short-term diabetes
hospitalizations and private health insurance paying for 20.7 percent,
uninsured accounting for 26.7 percent, Medicaid for 29.5 percent
and “other” paying for 2.1 percent.
“People with diabetes who maintain their blood glucose, blood
pressure and cholesterol numbers within recommended ranges can
keep their costs, health risks, quality of life, and productivity very
close to those without the disease,” states the Do Well, Be Well fact
sheet. “Currently, however, only 7 percent of people with diabetes are
at recommended levels.”
Without the targeted cooperation of health-care related entities,
Gilliam said, the current health care system will not sustain itself.
“We all come to the table with our perspective,” Gilliam said,
adding that counties are interested in reducing the cost of indigent
health care, while the state tries
to control its Medicaid spending.
But the “large gorilla” is Medicare
“What you’re probably going to see in the future is that
spending, which accounted for
$2.5 billion, or 68.7 percent, of
opportunities to address health care, whether at the
county, state, or federal level, are probably going to involve the $3.6 billion in potentially
preventable hospital charges.
coalitions, where there are multiple partners and where
By contrast, Medicaid received
about $448 million in potentially
there is not just one organization doing it.”
preventable hospital care charges,
— Mike Gilliam, Jr., of Department of State Health Services
while private health insurance
companies were billed $369
million and the uninsured and
time it dramatically decreased funding for indigent health care.
indigent health care programs were billed for $228 million. There
But Gilliam responded that such programs will help shift the
was also a $55 million “other” category.
whole health care system toward a focus on preventative care.
“One of the things that we struggle with in trying to present this
“Our hope is that for the next session, we can have the data from
information is that everyone comes at it with their perspective. ‘I’m
these 16 counties, and say look what we did with the uninsured,
interested in Medicaid,’ ‘I’m interested in uncompensated care,’ ‘I’m
private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and have them expand
interested in Medicare,’ ‘I’m interested in Blue Cross/Blue Shield,’
this program,” Gilliam said. “We really expect that these initiatives
and it’s very important because as health care reform happens,
will have a cross-benefit.”
whether conservative, liberal, what have you, the reality is all of these
Another example of that type of disease-targeted program is the Do
systems are going to have to be working together to try to address this
28
77180 TAC_.indd 28
1/31/12 8:58 AM
massive issue that we have right here,” Gilliam said. “One can’t try
and do it without the other.”
Falfurrias, he added. Now, there are hundreds. Now, the leaders of
the Zetas are pleading guilty to drug trafficking because there’s so
much money to be made that incarceration is just a small cost of
doing business. “It’s just unstoppable right now.”
South Texas is the front line in the drug and cartel war not only
because it’s the region closest to Mexico, but because everyone living
in South Texas is impacted by the cartels, the drug smuggling and the
human trafficking in one way or another, Escobar said, whether it’s
via a family member who is in a gang or somehow supporting gang
activity or a friend or acquaintance who has been harmed by the
activity, or because they have family members living in Mexico who
they can no longer safely visit.
“We have someone we knew as a child, or a relative, or a son or a
daughter, a brother or a mother, somebody who is doing this stuff,
that gets impacted because there is so much money involved, and we
are the corridor for the whole United States,” Escobar said, adding
that the impact is not properly reflected in reports and cannot be
felt from Austin or Washington, D.C. “Everybody is running around
with all kinds of weapons.”
He also sees first-hand the way in which the cartels and smuggling
are impacting his region’s youth, he said, adding that his daughter
was in elementary school when she was first asked if she wanted to
be a “13.” He explained that 13 is a gang reference to the thirteenth
letter of the alphabet, or “M,” for marijuana.
The area has a lot of talented, intelligent
young people, but that many of them move
away and don’t stay to make the difference
that needs to be made, he added.
“The level of crime has increased
tremendously. In the 1970s, when I was in
Vietnam, my mom wrote me a letter saying
there was some girls cut up and stuffed in a
burlap sack, and it was something related to
“Organized Crime is a Cancer.
It Touches Everyone.”
Following the preventable hospitalizations presentation, Kleberg
County Judge Juan Escobar took a few minutes to welcome his
fellow commissioners and judges to the county, and to talk about
two issues important to him personally: immigration and security.
Escobar’s family has been living in the South Texas area for nearly
160 years, he said, adding that many residents of South Texas have a
long and connected family history in the area; there are cultural rules
and traditions and ways of doing things that are embedded into the
communities, passed on from generation to generation.
He told a story about driving to Mexico with his uncle, aunt and
grandparents when he was a child and getting pulled over by a police
officer from New York. The officer asked what everyone’s name was,
and one by one, they all say “Juan.” “My name is Juan.” “Juan.” So
the officer looked at his grandmother and asks what her name is.
“Juana,” she answered.
The audience laughed, but Escobar said the story illustrates
how a lot of Americans may not understand exactly how deeply
interconnected and rooted the South Texas community is.
“We have a diversification of cultures, but we all have to work
together to accomplish our goals,” Escobar said.
Escobar spent more than 30 years in federal law enforcement
before becoming an elected official, first as a state representative and
then as the county judge. He can tell stories from his long career
battling narcotics and human trafficking that would keep others
awake at night, he said, adding that it’s not only poor people who
find themselves involved with the Mexican cartels and the smuggling.
Elected officials, bankers, law enforcement officers, lawyers can all be
corrupted.
“Organized crime is a cancer.
It touches everyone,” he said,
adding that, as an elected official,
Escobar sees first-hand the way in which the
it’s important to him that he keep
cartels and smuggling are impacting his
fighting against those things.
“Our youth are being poisoned
region’s youth, he said, adding that his daughter was in
with drugs, it’s unprecedented,”
elementary school when she was first asked if she wanted
he said, adding that when he was
to be a “13.” He explained that 13 is a gang reference to
growing up, chickens were being
smuggled into Mexico. In 1978,
the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, or “M,” for marijuana.
there were 15 border agents in
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marijuana,” Escobar said.
And it’s only gotten worse from there.
“I know people that I have known, in my lifetime, that have
disappeared from the face of the Earth. Nobody knows what ever
happened to them. This is something very serious and people don’t
talk about it,” he said. “I bring it to the table today because it’s
impacting our youth, our most precious commodity, the future of
our country.”
He said he is worried about the state of the country, about the
divisions between people and political parties, because the divisions
keep agencies from being able to address the problems with a united
front and keep communities from being able to work together to
correct past mistakes.
“We have created a monster, the monster we have in Washington,
D.C., that has gotten to the point where the government is so
divided. United we stand, divided we fall,” he said. “Unfortunately
there are a lot of people out there that are armed to their teeth with
AK-47s, I mean, if you’ve never seen an AK-47, I would encourage
you to go and see the sheriff, someone who has confiscated one, to
see it in person and see the damage it can do.”
He said his goal for his next three years as Kleberg County judge
is to simply do right, make sure others understand the consequences
of decisions and work to correct mistakes.
“Kleberg is a good community, just like yours,” he said.
Tips on Employment Matters
Changing the pace a bit following Escobar’s heartfelt address, Mary
Ann Saenz, a human resources consultant with the Texas Association
of Counties, offered helpful insights on employment issues, sharing
information on topics such as avoiding litigation, fighting the
increase in unemployment insurance costs, implementing returnto work programs and the importance of detailed job descriptions,
among others.
“Employment lawsuits cost money – a lot of it,” Saenz said.
“We’re dealing with taxpayer money and budget constraints so,
hopefully I can give you some ideas of how to try to avoid litigation
and the costs that go with it.” Those in attendance learned a lot about
how to manage employees in a way that maximizes productivity and
minimizes the chance of litigation.
Saenz stressed that counties should have policies and procedures
in place that work to treat all employees fairly and consistently. She
pointed out that this not only tends to minimize the number of
lawsuits, it makes for a happier and more productive workforce. She
also advised that county officials and department heads document the
reasons behind employee-related decisions, such as promotions and
terminations. She emphasized that good policies and documentation
help avoid litigation, which not only saves money, it also prevents the
emotional and mental costs to both employees and employers who go
through difficult and public legal disputes.
Reflections on “The Saddest Session”
In the afternoon, conference attendees were treated to visits from
two legislators, Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., and Rep. J.M Lozano, as well as
a legislative update from Jim Allison.
The Senator addressed attendees first, calling the last legislative
session the “saddest” he’s experienced in his more than 20 years
representing South Texas.
“It was a sad session because I saw many cuts that, quite frankly,
probably hurt us more in South Texas than in other parts of the state,
but everybody is hurting,” Lucio said. “I won’t minimize the hurt
that has taken place in public education around the state of Texas,
we have cut $5.1 billion in state funds and I don’t have to elaborate
on specifically how that affected our school districts. We cut $7
billion from health and human services. To me, public education and
health and human services are
somewhat related because tens
of thousands of our children are
on Medicaid and obviously that
Saenz stressed that counties should have policies and
procedures in place that work to treat all employees fairly
and consistently. She pointed out that this only tends
to minimize the number of lawsuits, as it makes for a
happier and more productive workforce.
30
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was cut severely. And then of course $1.5 billion in higher education
that he also hopes to work on passing a bill that will allow people to
and higher learning were also affected.”
register to vote on Election Day.
But he still spent the session fighting for issues important to county
Rep. Lozano echoed Lucio’s comments and support for county
government, in part because he grew up valuing county government
government. Lozano said his own county judge, Brooks County
and the services it provided. He started his political career in 1970 as
Judge Raul Ramirez, had a great impact on his childhood, as the
the Cameron County treasurer and then as a county commissioner
judge would allow him to tag along on trips to Austin when he
in 1978 and still remembers the awe he felt visiting the county
was just 12 and 13 years
courthouse as a kid with his father, a United States veteran, he said.
old. The interaction with
the judge and seeing the
“The courthouse meant a lot to me,” Lucio said. “You go to the
courthouse for everything.”
Capitol helped further
his interest in politics, he
One action during the last session he was proud of, he said, was
one that he cut short: a bill that would have put more restrictive caps
added.
on how much counties can raise taxes.
“In terms of being so
“How can we cut funds at the state level as severely as we did and
close to the people, county
then limit county governments in our state in handling their own
commissioners and county
affairs, with the support of the people in their counties, by putting
judges have this amenable
a ceiling on how much taxes you can raise?” said Lucio, who was on
position,
because
in
the Senate Finance Committee,
adding that he wishes he could
have done more. “I fought
“I think the state leadership
thatasone tooth and nail and we
were able to defeat it.”
wants to cut assistance to local
He said he was also pleased
governments. ... Our state’s leadership will do well to
with the amount of funding
that went toward homeland and
remember that county government, as I mentioned, is the
border security “to make sure that
closest democratic institution to the people in this state.”
our agencies were able to have the
— Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. (pictured at center)
necessary funds to address the
law enforcement needs of the
state and especially the border of
Austin, we can vote against a budget and Senator Lucio and I both
Texas.”
voted against the budget for the numerous unfunded mandates
He pledged to continue to protect county government and local
passed on to counties, but county government can’t,” Lozano said.
control as best he can in the future, but said it will be an uphill battle.
“You have people at your house. We’re in Austin, hours away, and
“I think the state leadership wants to cut assistance to local
you’re at the county courthouse. … You have to face that fact that
governments,” he said. “Our state’s leadership will do well to
as CEOs, that’s how I see county government, you are the CEO of a
remember that county government, as I mentioned, is the closest
multimillion dollar company.”
democratic institution to the people in this state, or in any state, so it
Not all legislators have the knowledge and appreciation for county
should be supported rather than being undermined”
government that Lucio and Lozano have, Allison said. Legislators
Other issues that he will continue to champion or address in
representing metropolitan areas are less likely to have experience
the Legislature include affordable housing, the border wall and
in or an understanding of the issues and concerns faced by county
immigration reform.
government, he said, and officials from more urban areas have
“The border wall was erected north of people’s homes and business,
multiple legislators representing their counties, which makes getting
so they find themselves in no man’s land south of the border wall
to know those legislators more difficult.
and that is just unbelievable, and those people have come together
“Our educational job there is tremendous,” Allison said, adding
to express their displeasure with this whole issue,” Lucio said, adding
77180 TAC_.indd 33
1/31/12 8:58 AM
that the best things county officials can do to create more friends of
county government is provide accurate and meaningful information
to legislators and take opportunities to attend any public hearings
that are held around the state during the interim. “We don’t ever
have a lot of money to put into campaigns but if we can bring them
valid, accurate information, then they know that you run in the same
constituencies as they do, and that’s what counts.”
Information will be especially important during the current
interim session and the upcoming legislative session, he added,
since legislators had to cut and shift so many expenses during the
last session, but did so without actually tackling the problems with
the budget’s deficit-creating infrastructure. That means that the
Legislature can probably expect to see a larger deficit in 2013 than
it did in 2011 – the same built-in deficit, plus the additional costs
resulting from bad cuts, or cuts that wind up costing more in the
long run than they saved in the short term.
That may be problematic for
cities with the permission of the Legislature years ago to create and
maintain the 9-1-1 system, has fallen drastically. When it was first
created, counties and cities were able to charge and keep a 50-cent
fee for every phone line in the state, Allison said. But eventually the
State started holding back part of the fund, and now the state’s share
has risen to half, Allison said.
“If you’re having trouble having enough money to even keep up
with the improvement and the maintenance of what you have, that’s
because that money is sitting there unappropriated. You need to let
your legislators know that you protest the holding back of that fund,”
Allison said.
Another fund targeted by the State was the auto theft prevention
fund, which assesses a dollar on every automobile policy in the
state. The dollar is supposed to go toward auto theft and burglary
prevention, but during the last session, legislators discussed shifting
the fund into the state general fund. In the end, they decided to add
a dollar to the fee, so that the second dollar can go into the general
fund.
Those examples go to show that
county officials have to speak up
“Counties don’t get a lot of help from
when it comes time to preserve
the state, but there are a few little funds
any help or funding received from
the State, Allison said.
that they have created over the years —
“You have to speak up. Nobody
mostly fees collected locally and sent
mistakes me for a potted plant up
there, and don’t let them mistake
to Austin and we get some of it back —
you for one back home. These are
we immediately saw an effort to sweep
the kinds of things that they need
those funds.” — Jim Allison, CJCA General Counsel
to hear that we can do better on,”
he said.
It’ll be especially important
to speak up when it comes to
counties, since one strategy the
the preservation of mental health funding during the next session,
Legislature may be tempted to use to balance its deficits is to dip into
Allison said. Counties saw their community mental health funding
funds set aside for local governments.
cut by just 4 percent during the last session, a relative victory, but the
“Counties don’t get a lot of help from the state, but there are a
funding is still falling way behind the need.
few little funds that they have created over the years — mostly fees
“When we don’t have enough money to fund a community crisis
collected locally and sent to Austin and we get some of it back — we
center, when we don’t have enough money to fund the medications
immediately saw an effort to sweep those funds, just take those and
for our patients with mental illness, they don’t go away. They end up
give them to the state general fund,” Allison said. “With the help of
on the street, they wind up getting arrested and going to the county
these gentlemen, we were able to head off most of those by the end
jail. And that’s our mental health system in Texas,” Allison said,
of the session.”
adding that Texas now rates last in per capita mental health funding.
For example, counties and supporters of county government were
Transportation funding is another big, ongoing issue, as the state’s
successful in keeping the lateral road fund and the overweight truck
20-cent gasoline tax, last raised in 1991, has not kept up with the
fees, both of which legislators debated taking for the state’s general
demand and need for new transportation infrastructure. The number
fund. But the 9-1-1 Fund, which was created by counties and
34
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of vehicles on Texas roads and highways is increasing, but so is the
gas mileage of those vehicles. “We are trying to take care of the
transportation system as if we were still on 1991 dollars,” Allison said.
Resources and Funding Opportunities
for Law Enforcement
The final two hours of the South Texas conference were devoted
to law enforcement and border security, with Webb County Sheriff
Martin Cuellar and Chief Deputy Federico Garza discussing how
Webb County makes the most out of available law enforcement
grants and is able to keep the community safe.
Among other grants the sheriff’s department has received are a $2.9
million federal grant for equipment and technology and another grant
for the creation of a money laundering task force. That grant will
allow the county to hire 10 additional personnel, Cuellar said. Other
grant funding has come from Operation Border Star, Operation
Linebacker, the Texas Border Gang Prevention Coordination
Assistance Program, FEMA’s Homeland Security Grant Program,
and the Texas Attorney General’s Victim Coordinator Liaison Grant
program, among other resources.
The department has been so successful at gaining grant funding
because leaders spend time working and networking with funding
agencies and grant administrators, Garza said. They also have a fulltime grant writer who works to find grant opportunities.
“We aggressively seek funding from those
persons,” Garza said. “It’s not easy. Most of the
time we’ll hit a brick wall and the initiative itself
will be redefined.”
One goal the county is working on is the creation
of a fusion center that involves all of the state’s
law enforcement entities so that those entities
can share resources and better act on intelligence
information. The county is currently looking for
federal and state funding and grant opportunities
to help build such a center in Laredo or along the
border region, Cuellar said.
The sheriff also discussed BlueServo.net, a social
networking-type website that has partnered with
the Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition to create a
“virtual community watch” program using the
Internet and high-tech, real-time surveillance
cameras along the border. Any citizen can sign up
with the program as a “virtual Texas deputy” and
monitor streaming video of the border from their
home. If a citizen sees any suspicious activity on
36
Among the grants the Webb
County Sheriff’s Office has received
are a $2.9 million federal grant for
equipment and technology and
another grant for the creation of a
money laundering task force. The
grant will allow the county to hire
10 additional personnel, said Sheriff
Martin Cuellar.
the cameras, they can anonymously report those activities directly to
the Border Sheriffs.
“We’ve been very, very successful, we’ve had many, many seizures,”
Cuellar said, adding that he’d like to see more cameras installed along
the border, with money from the American Jobs Act used to pay for jobs
in which veterans are paid to watch the cameras and use the surveillance
equipment they were trained to use in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Representatives from the Cameron County and Brooks County
County • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
77180 TAC_.indd 36
2/2/12 9:21 AM
Topicsof discussion
around the
State
The Rolling Plains conference
discussed the 2011 wildfire
season, the promise of wind energy
and the impacts of redistricting.
The South Plains session
discussed the 2011 wildfire
season, the promise of wind
energy and the impacts of
redistricting.
The Far West
Texas conference
focused on fires,
including how
county extension
agents can help
during and after an
emergency, animal
and fire issues,
fire prevention and
recovery and Farm
Service Agency
programs for fire
disasters.
West Central
commissioners
court members
discussed health
care reforms, ethics
and conflicts of
interest and public
finance.
The Central Texas
conference covered
fire codes, burn bans,
employee health
care benefits, and
the pros and cons
of road construction
and maintenance
systems.
The Southeast Texas session
focused attention on the regional
economic impact of the drought,
the obesity epidemic, and future
water shortages.
Southwest Texas topics included an
update on the Texas wildfire situation,
traffic control devices for county roads,
use of social media, and the impact
of federal health care reform on Texas
Counties.
37
North Texas
commissioners
court members
discussed TxDOT
funding, disaster
preparedness,
feral hog control,
water issues and
youth development
programs.
The East Texas
session covered
emergency
management
preparedness and
recovery, water
issues and the
Texas Proud of
Texas Agriculture
youth program.
Coastal Bend attendees
discussed the use of social
media in the workplace, pipeline
infrastructure within Eagle
Ford Shale and rural wildfire
emergency management issues.
77180 TAC_.indd 37
1/31/12 8:58 AM
sheriffs departments also gave some additional tips and grant success
stories.
For example, one $200K grant allowed Brooks County deputies
the resources to patrol the county’s brush-filled areas, said Brooks
County Chief Deputy Benito Martinez. In doing so, they were able
to seize more than 10,000 pounds of marijuana and greatly decrease
the drug trafficking operations that were moving from Falfurrias
to Chicago. The brushy areas are also popular corridors for human
trafficking and smuggling, Martinez said, adding that deputies have
seen groups of 30 to 50 people, including young children, walking
through the brush.
“Funding from the federal government is definitely helping,”
Martinez said.
Rio Grande Valley Intelligence & Violence
The final presentation of the day was a panel discussion on border
security that included county, state and federal perspectives. Panelists
discussed the partnerships and resources used to gather information
about drug cartels, the known strategies used by drug cartels to move
their products across the border and into the rest of the country, and
why funding for border security is so necessary, despite some officials’
beliefs that spillover violence hasn’t occurred.
Cartels are getting creative when it comes to smuggling products
across the border, going so far as to conceal marijuana in watermelonlooking containers, said Art Barrera, a staff lieutenant with the Texas
Rangers who helps lead Operation Border Star. Other tricks being
used by cartels include hiding money in teddy bears and cloning
Direct TV vans for the transportation of drugs.
“These cartels are just one step on top of us until we figure it out,”
Barrera said, adding that once law enforcement agencies do figure
out a trick of the trade, the information is shared with other agencies
via the state’s six Joint Operations Intelligence Centers (JOICs).
JOICs are collaborative information sharing groups administrated
by the Department of Public Safety that include local law enforcement
agencies, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Border
Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard,
and the National Criminal Investigative Service. There is one JOIC
in the Rio Grande Valley, as well as in Victoria, Laredo, Del Rio,
Marfa and El Paso. The centers all operate under a unified command
concept.
“What the unified command concept means is that DPS, we’re
not in charge of this program. They just have me facilitate this
program, but everybody has an equal voice,” Barrera said, adding that
any law enforcement agency can participate in their regional JOIC
and the JOICs’ main job is the dissemination of bulletins. “I share
38
information, I share intelligence. I share information I obtain from
the feds to the state to the locals.”
JOIC partners use their databases, resources and expertise to help
other partners, Barrera said. For instance, the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms provides law enforcement officers with
weapons identification training so that officers can spot weapons
used by cartel members, while the NCIS has biometrics tools that
can scan those aliens coming into the country that might have ties to
cartels and terrorists organizations.
“It’s a wealth of knowledge, it’s a wealth of new information, it’s a
wealth of assets that we bring to fight the border violence,” Barrera
said, adding that the more information that local agencies report
to the office, the more comprehensive the JOIC’s information is.
“We want to curtail weapons going south, we want to curtail illegal
monies going south.”
The information from all six JOICs is gathered together each week,
Barrera said, so that JOIC members can see a weekly statewide map
of criminal activity and drug seizures, as well as other data.
Cameras are one of the most effective information-gathering
resources the state has, said Barrera said, describing one incident
caught on camera in which a woman was left behind by a coyote
while traveling along Brooks County. Agents were able to locate the
woman and give her medical aid, Barrera said.
“We’ve seen through these cameras that we’ve got little kids, little
infants, going through the brush at 104 degree temperature,” he said,
adding that cameras have also caught drug cartels moving drugs up
through drainage ditches in some areas.
Cartel members are not afraid of injuring law enforcement officers
or using weapons to stop officers during chases, Barrera added.
The cartels have been known to carry spike-type weapons that can
puncture vehicle tires during a pursuit, among other tactics.
U.S. Border Patrol Agent Donnie Allman, who has had 25 years
on the job, working in Corpus Christi, Falfurrias and Kingsville, said
he’s seen the border environment change dramatically throughout his
career. Fifteen years ago, Kingsville was the busiest illegal immigration
area in the Rio Grande Valley region; agents apprehended close to
5,000 aliens a month in Kingsville alone. The focus on Kingsville
wound up shifting the traffic toward Roma and Hidalgo, he said.
“You can see with cooperation and efforts from all the counties and
the state, DPS is a big part of our success, you can make a difference,”
Allman said, adding that the border patrol has shifted its strategy
more toward working with communities and local law enforcement
agencies. The cooperation is leading to seizures that wouldn’t have
happened in the past, he said, recounting a recent seizure of two
aliens and 10,000 pounds of cocaine from a ship that came in from
77180 TAC_.indd 38
1/31/12 8:58 AM
said, here’s what we need. We need to arm every port of entry with
Venezuela. “The threats are being mitigated by our assets.”
southbound surveillance. Not only law enforcement, but canine units.
Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos, who was chair of the
…
How can we do that? Money. These dogs can only work three to
Texas Border Security Council back in 2008, agreed that agencies are
five
hour shifts at the most, I think they are on four hour shifts. They
working together well and have come to trust each other. But he said
can’t
work for eight hours, go to lunch and then come back because
that spirit of cooperation comes from seeing the increasing violence
they
lose their sense of smell. So all you have to do is figure out
and influences that the cartels and gangs are capable of. how
many dogs you need
“There was a drug cartel guy that was convicted several years
per
bridge.
12? 15? Each
ago … and he was the guy that basically kept everything together.
dog
runs
about
$10,000
Everybody knew him. He was the kingmaker for Matamoros. He was
to
$15,000
for
the
cost of
also a very successful rancher. I met him because he used to buy farm
the
dog,
plus
you’ve
got to
equipment from a dealership that I was a controller in. He always
train
folks,
so
you’re
talking
paid on time with checks, and he appeared to be a legitimate business
about per bridge roughly
person. But once you get over to Matamoros, and once you knew
between $150,000 and
who he was and what he was, everybody respected him. When he
$180,000 is what you’d
was finally captured and convicted and serving time, that’s when I as
need just to put the dogs
a border resident, I was a county commissioner back then, saw the
there. That doesn’t count
proliferation of all these different guys,” Cascos said.
Cascos said he believes most of
the violence he is familiar with is
coming from the Zetas, a violent
“You cannot sit there and say,
gang that is dealing drugs for the
cartels.
‘everything is fine, no problem,’ but
“The cartels, all they want is to
you’re up in D.C. asking for additional funding, additional
make money and sell their drugs,”
boots on the ground, additional resources. ... I will tell you
Cascos said. “The Zetas want
to make money, sell their drugs
that there is a problem and to keep it from escalating, we
and kill people, and that’s the
need the resources.” — Carlos Cascos, Cameron County Judge
difference.”
But though agencies are
cooperating more and more, it’s
the maintenance and operation of that dog. Now you got to think
hard to get more resources for border security, since border officials
about, how many bridges does Cameron County have? We have four.
are not all telling the same story when it comes to whether the
So $150,000, that’s $600,000 mas o menos just to equip our bridges
spillover violence exists or not. Cascos said he believes some officials
with dogs.”
may be undermining the problem to protect their local economies.
Though the dogs would be expensive, Cascos said southbound
“You cannot sit there and say, ‘everything is fine, no problem,’ but
surveillance may be the most effective weapon against the cartels
you’re up in D.C. asking for additional funding, additional boots
because the dogs would be able to catch southbound money and
on the ground, additional resources,” Cascos said. “I will tell you
weapons.
that there is a problem and to keep it from escalating, we need the
“The only way to stop all this drug (activity) is to stop the
resources.”
consumption. And we know that that’s not practical. It hasn’t been
He said his experience traveling across the border as part of his
since the Say No to Drugs Campaign. It’s not working, something
work on the Texas Border Security Council also opened his eyes to
is not right,” Cascos said. “How do you think the drug dealers are
the strategies the state and region could take to decrease the violence
getting their money back across the river? They aren’t going down
and the spread of the cartels and gangs if it had more resources.
to Wal-Mart buying a $2 million money order. They are doing it
“Nobody thinks about southbound surveillance,” he said. “As
underneath our nose through our regular ports of entry.” ✯
chairman, right after we finished with our meeting in El Paso, I
77180 TAC_.indd 39
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Get Healthy
Stay in Shape
77180 TAC_.indd 40
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Counties use TAC Healthy County Employer Rewards Funds
to get healthy and stay in shape
By Megan Ahearn Nugent
D
oris Sealey, treasurer and Healthy County co-coordinator for Cochran County, knew the county
needed to get the sheriff departments injuries under control.
Foot chases were wreaking havoc with the deputies’ knees and
backs. But other county departments were suffering as well with health issues
ranging from diabetes to hypertension.
So when Healthy County, a preventative-wellness program that is part
of the Texas Association of Counties Health and Employees Benefits Pool
(TAC HEBP), launched the E-Rewards grant program in 2009, Sealey’s
wheels started turning.
“The first year we got the funds we started with a diabetic program that
included a room in the courthouse with a good scale for weight checks and
a diabetes test kit,” Sealey said. “We also used the money to get a blood
pressure cuff.”
This past year, Cochran County received $1,350, from the Employer
Rewards Program. The money went to an elliptical machine for the county
courthouse gym. The only piece of workout machinery not donated.
Over the past few years the room in the courthouse has taken on a life
of its own with county employees donating two exercise bikes, a weight
machine with five work stations and a treadmill.
“As we have put in more equipment the gym really started to get going,”
Sealey said. “We got the ladies from the courthouse on the elliptical and the
guys from road and bridge working out.”
And slowly, but surely the demographic she wanted in there the most
started popping up.
“It’s always so hard to get the sheriff’s department in there,” Sealey said.
“But when we added the weight machine, I would peek in and see more and
more sheriff officers working out.”
While it’s too early to say if the gym is impacting health care claims, Sealey
said she sees people in the Cochran County courthouse making healthier
decisions since the gym was put in the courthouse.
“The gym is open all the time, it’s never locked, nights or weekends,”
Sealey said. “And I can hear people in there exercising their little hearts out
all the time.”
As the Healthy County program evolves, health priorities are changing.
While flu shots and lunch and learns are still popular, more and more
counties are getting county employees active and bringing health to the work
77180 TAC_.indd 41
“The gym is open all the
time, it’s never locked, nights
or weekends.”
1/31/12 8:58 AM
“The most important thing is a
high-participation rate among
county employees.”
42
site.
Similarly, to Cochran County, Howard County used their Employer
Rewards money to create a courthouse gym. The county received $1,150
for 2011 and they pooled funds they received from 2009 and 2010 to build
the courthouse work out facility. When the county moved the county jail to
the new law enforcement center, Howard County Healthy County Sponsor
Sharon Grant and Coordinator Sharon Adams saw an opportunity to use
the old fourth floor jail recreation room and turn it into a county gym.
“We got permission from the county judge and the fire marshall to
use it,” Adams, assistant treasurer, said. “We spiffed it up big time,
we fixed the vents and the lighting. We even got some help from
county inmates who cleaned the floors, took out the metal beds
and put a coat of paint up.”
Adams and Grant, administrative assistant for the county
judge, added TV’s to the room and added motivational sayings
to the once barren jail walls. The two also made sure to maximize
their funds by visiting garage sales to buy equipment including
exercise bikes, a treadmill and an ab exerciser. Fellow county
employees donated another ab exerciser and a weight machine.
Work site gyms are not the only unique way counties are using
the Employer Rewards money to get their employees healthy.
Howard County, in the past, used their money for flu shots – a more
traditional use of funds. But last year the county decided to save up for
a health fair.
“We even visited Ellis County to see their health fair,” Hood County
Healthy County Co-Coordinator Bob Blessing said. “We know they are
doing some innovative stuff and we want to incorporate some of that as
well.”
Blessing, who also serves as director of personnel and risk management
at the county, said planning for the event starts January and the event will
be held in the spring. Even though the planning committee is in the early
stages, Blessing says he believes the event will include prostate and carotid
artery screenings, cholesterol checks and a blood bank will be on hand for
donations. The most important thing is a high-participation rate among county
employees,” Blessing said. “We are making the fair a day-long event so that
employees can come throughout the day when they have free time. Also, we
are thinking we might have the vendors hand out stickers to people who stop
by their booths. And, if employees reach a certain number of stickers they
get a free boxed lunch.”
While health fairs and work site gyms are becoming more common
uses for employer rewards funds, what are some ways the counties can see
spending the funds in the future?
According to Sealey, the next health topic on her agenda is stress reduction.
“We bought a laptop and we are going to start doing stress screenings and
maybe do a program on stress reduction,” Sealey said.
Sealey also plans on targeting the health issues affecting her older employee
population.
“We are already doing a once a year blood screening targeted at our older
employees to look at triglyceride levels, HDL, glycemic index and more,”
Sealey said. “We plan on expanding that.”
Blessing said his challenge lies in making the programs aimed at getting
people active stay interesting.
“It’s a challenge sometimes to keep it exciting,” Blessing said. “It’s just
human nature, so our job is to use the money wisely to do something fun
with these annual programs.”
In Howard County, their future funds will likely be used to make their
new gym more comfortable for county employees.
77180 TAC_.indd 42
1/31/12 8:58 AM
“There are lots of little things we can do to make it homier,” Grant said.
“Maybe more fans and we might get matting for the gym floor.”
Counties trying to qualify for the funds must be a member of TAC
HEBP and be Healthy County participants. County
employees who completed the Health Risk
Assessment (HRA) in the first quarter and/
or completed PATH, a 10-week walking
program received bluepoints for each
activity (see Clipboard about new
activity program replacing PATH on
page 11). For every employee who
took the HRA and completed
PATH the counties receive $25
for each activity.
“Healthy County’s Employer
Rewards initiative is a unique way
TAC HEBP can acknowledge
and reward counties who invest
in worksite wellness and gain
employee participation in Healthy
County campaigns each year,”
Jennifer Rehme,
Healthy us
County
Contact
today
wellness consultant said.” It’s exciting
to see how creative counties are in using
these resources to further enhance a county’s
existing wellness initiative.” ✯
For more information about the Employer Rewards program
as well as general Healthy County questions please call (800) 456-5974.
77180 TAC_.indd 43
“It’s a challenge sometimes to
keep it exciting. It’s just human
to see what we can do for you!
nature, so our job is to use the
money wisely to do something
fun with these annual programs.”
1/31/12 8:58 AM
The Texas Youth Commission Library Building in Austin, formerly
the home of TYC and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission,
now houses the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
Shaping the
County officials serving on new Texas Juvenile Justice
Department Board work toward smooth transition
By Maria Sprow
T
he Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) Board of
Directors is picking up some speed after making its first
major decision since its official formation on Dec. 1.
The 13-member board, tasked with overseeing a smooth merger
of the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) and the Texas Juvenile
Probation Commission (TJPC), selected former TYC Director
Cherie Townsend as the TJJD executive director on Jan. 6.
Townsend was named the TYC executive director in 2008, after
the sex abuse scandal emerged that brought significant legislative
changes to the agency in 2007 and again in 2009. Prior to 2008, she
oversaw juvenile court services in Las Vegas and Arizona, according
to The Austin-American Statesman, and had served as the TYC’s
44
director of community services for 18 years. After taking its reins in
2008, Townsend received praise from legislators and juvenile justice
officials for helping turn the embattled agency around, though not
enough to save it from Sunset recommendations that it merge with
TJPC to create a new collaborative agency in 2011.
Townsend became the speculated front-runner to lead the newly
merged agency in mid-December, when former TJPC Executive
Director Vicki Spriggs announced that she had accepted a job as
the chief executive officer of Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special
Advocates), which works with children in the foster care system.
Prior to Townsend’s selection, several TJJD board members said
they were first and foremost looking for an executive director with
77180 TAC_.indd 44
1/31/12 8:58 AM
the ability to lead, a trait Townsend earned recognition for during
the TYC’s Sunset review process.
“If you’ve got somebody who is a good leader, they will drive
the making of the culture,” said Washington County Judge John
Brieden, who has served on other state boards in the past, including
the Texas Veterans Commission board.
Brieden said that he is hopeful counties will not be greatly
impacted by the merger of the two juvenile justice agencies.
“If it goes really smoothly, I don’t think there will be a whole lot
that the counties see,” Brieden said, adding that the hope is counties
only see the benefits of less recidivism. “Hopefully these kids will be
handled in a way where they can learn their lessons and come back
as productive citizens.”
Instead, counties will be more impacted by the overall current of
the juvenile justice system, which is now focused on the creation
of community diversion plans and performance-based community
services. But that current has been gathering steam since 2008. The
hope is that the merger of the two agencies and the placement of
funding will help create faster winds, so to speak. During the last
legislative session, the Legislature set aside millions in grant funding
for counties, to go toward new or enhanced community-based
services.
“The Legislature felt that the probation commission and the
youth commission as they existed and the cultures that they existed
Board include Ellis County Judge Carol Bush, Midland County
Commissioner Jimmy Smith and Grayson County District Attorney
Joseph Brown. The board is chaired by Pastor Scott Fisher, who also
chaired the Texas Youth Commission board.
The county officials and other board members all bring their
unique local and positional perspectives to the department.
“With all the changes, I’m looking out to make sure that the
victims of crime and law enforcement have a voice in the juvenile
justice system,” said Brown. “So much of the reform has been to
keep kids at the local level, that it’s better if the treatment can be
localized and if they can stay in the communities, but I hope we
don’t push too far the other way.”
In December, Brown said he expects the various perspectives on
the board will shine through in coming months, but that members
are currently focused on “getting the lights turned on.”
For his part, Brieden said his experience serving on the Texas
Veterans Commission board will be invaluable in helping to lead
and promote the necessary culture changes at the new juvenile
justice department, as the Texas Veterans Commission was also
absorbing outside programs at the time. However, the Veterans
Commission board had been given a full year to oversee that
transition and migration of services; the juvenile justice board is on
a much quicker timeline. Brieden said his experience on the veteran’s
commission taught him how important it is to take time and care
when transitioning.
“Having served as chair of the Veterans Commission for over two
years, I was not an unknown quantity,” Brieden said. “Basically, the
governor said, here’s what’s happening and because there will be a
lot of growing pains, we need people who will make good decisions,
who will do all the necessary research and who will make a time
commitment.”
Brieden said he and other board members are determined to do
the work and research necessary for a smooth transition, and that
he’s an open ear with whom other elected officials can voice their
concerns and suggestions moving forward.
“A lot of elected officials came to me and said, ‘we’re depending on
you,’ and I don’t take that lightly. I want to go in and do the right
things for the right reasons,” he said. “I will listen to everybody but
I’m not going to be swayed by anybody.”
The TJJD does have a new website at www.tjjd.texas.gov. The
site is under construction but does offer space detailing its mission,
purpose and goals and its first report, the 2011 Annual Review of
Treatment Effectiveness.
The report notes the department’s guiding principles, gives details
of various programs, discusses common characteristics of the youth
served by the programs, and references changes to programs made
during the last year.
“Several therapeutic interventions were initiated or refined during
2011. Changes in agency poicy provided greater flexibility to use
medium restriction facilities for initial placements and for set-down
services without compromising public safety,” states the report,
adding that the outcomes have been positive. “Youth experienced
improvements in education outcomes from FY 2010 to FY 2011.
Increases are demonstrated in the percent of youth age 16 or older
who earned a high school diploma or GED within 90 days of release
from a TYC institution, the percent of youth reading at grade level
at the time of their release, and the rate of industrial certifications
issued as a percent of youth enrolled in career technology courses.” ✯
Future
with were not taking that as far as they wanted to take that,” Brieden
said. “Having separate agencies was preventing the two missions
from working together as closely as they wanted it to happen.”
Along those lines, Brieden said all departments and employees in
the new agency will now have the same set of priorities: mainly, to do
what it takes to help keep juveniles from reoffending as adults. That
means working to ensure that first-time juvenile offenders receive
community-based treatment at home and exhaust local resources
before being incarcerated in juvenile facilities.
For some in juvenile justice, those priorities represent a major shift
in their mission and culture.
“The challenges are that you’ve got a lot of the same people doing
the same job and it’s very easy for people to say, this is the way that
we’ve always done it.’ There are a lot of little things that have to
happen, ” Brieden said in December. “Right now, if you go to the
building there on North Lamar (in Austin), you go to the second
floor or you go to the fifth floor, and you’ve got everybody in the
same positions in the same offices. It looks the same. That is not a
change of culture. We’ve got to figure out a way of switching people
up in that building, or organizing it in a way where they understand
and feel that culture change.”
Brieden is one of four elected county officials chosen by Gov.
Rick Perry to serve on the Juvenile Justice Department board.
Other elected county officials on the Juvenile Justice Department
77180 TAC_.indd 45
2/2/12 7:59 AM
Unique
Charms
The
of a Texas
County Seat
Above: The intricate architecture of the
courthouse roof. Right: The historic
boyhood home of a United States president.
46
77180 TAC_.indd 46
2/2/12 7:59 AM
Clockwise, starting at
right: The historic county
jail; a smalltown motel
and restaurant; the bell
outside the county seat’s
first Baptist church;
an alleyway between
businesses; a street
sign down the road from
the local Pecan Street
Brewery.
Years ago, County published a series of photographic stories celebrating
courthouse architecture. Today, we start a series celebrating the charm
found within walking distance of our Texas county courthouses, along
historic courthouse squares and within the surrounding county seats. For
some added fun, we won’t say here where these photographs were taken;
some will know and others will guess. But each picture is a clue, and the
final answer is in the crossword puzzle on page 58.
77180 TAC_.indd 47
2/2/12 7:59 AM
Timelines of
48
77180 TAC_.indd 48
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Life Until Death
More and more counties create fatality review teams to
find cracks in domestic abuse victim assistance systems
By Maria Sprow
“T
he end of her life is the beginning.”
Those are the first words heard at the beginning
of the documentary “Telling Amy’s Story,” and they
are hard, heavy words to hear.
“The end” the narrator is talking about hasn’t happened after
eighty years of living a filling life, and it wasn’t brought upon by
accident or disease. “The end” is an act of violence brought upon by
a loved one against someone who is still young, who still has young
children to love and care for. And “the beginning” isn’t a reference
to a Heaven or an afterlife or some greater purpose outside of this
life, but about a beginning for others: a beginning point for others
to attempt to understand what went wrong, a beginning point in a
procedure, a process of attempting to tell a story backwards so that
it can eventually be told forwards.
Amy Homan McGee was an everyday, normal, 33-year-old
mother of two young children, a Pennsylvania resident who sold
cell phones for a living. Amy was shot to death by her husband,
37-year-old Vincent McGee, in November 2001. “Telling Amy’s
Story” follows the work of Centre County Detective Deirdri Fishel
as she leads a fatality review team and speaks to Amy’s family and
coworkers, as well as peace officers and judges, about the red flags
and major moments when more help could have been provided and
where Amy’s life path could have potentially diverged to some other
path, one where she is alive and this documentary was never made,
or was made about someone else. The documentary simply seeks
to answer the question: What could have happened differently to
save Amy’s life?
“In the last two years, my unit has handled over 500 cases of
domestic violence,” Fishel tells the audience. “And for a couple
of years, all of our homicides in Centre County were domesticviolence related, meaning if you were not in a violent relationship,
it’s a pretty safe area. But if you can’t be safe in your own home,
does it matter if your community is safe?”
In the end, the answer, if there is one, is complicated. The
documentary, created as a Public Service Media Project from Penn
State Public Broadcasting, has a mission and a purpose and a
hope — the website at telling.psu.edu has information on holding
small-group and community-level discussions to raise awareness
about domestic violence — but there’s no silver bullet that comes
careening through the screen. There are only red flags, hindsight
and laws that attempt to strike a balance between freedom and
safety and sometimes fail.
But the fatality review process shown throughout the
documentary has helped improve victims’ assistance systems across
the country, especially during the last five to 10 years, said Neil
Websdale, a criminology professor at Northern Arizona University’s
Department of Criminal Justice and the head of the National
Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative, which is funded by
1997
State College, Penn:
Amy Homan meets Vincent
McGee while at work.
Sept. 18, 1997
Amy and Vince marry.
Amy’s employer sends letter to
Vincent’s employer complaining
that Vince is a distraction and
asking that he be relocated.
77180 TAC_.indd 49
Amy and Vincent’s first
son is born.
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Dec. 28
Dec. 20, 12 a.m.
1998
Amy receives an Emergency
Protection from Abuse (PFA) Order
Dec. 19
Amy calls her parents
for help after Vince goes
into a drunken rage
Amy and Vince appear in court together
to ask that the PFA be dropped
Dec. 21
Amy asks for PFA extension
and lists instances of prior Dec. 30
abuse
Vince requests that his guns
be returned to him.
1999
Jan. 21
The court approves Vince’s
request that the guns be
returned
Dec. 20, 1:15 a.m.
Vince violates PFA while being
served
the United States Department of Justice.
he’d become angry. He’d threaten her. She’d become scared. She
Unlike a lot of government crime prevention initiatives, fatality
one time called her parents for help, and they drove her to a police
reviews don’t take a lot of funding. They don’t require any expensive
station, where she asked for an emergency Protection From Abuse
start-up equipment or technology. All they require is time,
order. But the help it provided was temporary, and Vince managed
collaboration and a table where partners from multiple agencies
to manipulate his way back to Amy, telling her he’d forgive her for
and the community can sit together and be heard.
all the problems she had caused by going to the police. She relents.
“Many states now are paying close attention to who dies in
They make some changes. They move to be closer to his family. She
domestic violence cases, and many states are at least selectively
starts a new job with new coworkers. He becomes more controlling,
reviewing a sample of those cases to get a sense of how their
but to Amy, the control became normal. He also becomes more
multiple systems work or interact and what kind of gaps there
violent, but the violence is spread out over months, years.
are in those systems,” Websdale said, estimating that more than
“One person is talking about an incident in ’99, one person
40 states, including Texas, are now home to county-based or stateis talking about an incident that happened in 2000, another
based fatality review teams — a tool that once focused primarily on
participant is talking about something that happened years before
child deaths — to find gaps in the domestic violence services arena.
that,” Fishel said about the initial fatality review team meetings.
Amy’s story was one of those cases selected for fatality review in
“How could all of these things have been going on and she still
Pennsylvania, thanks to the help of willing coworkers and family
died? And the only way I could get my brain around it was to try
members. But a lot of the story is, unfortunately, too common.
and sit down, lay it all out, and through the process of Amy’s life.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in 2003, 30
… It came together in this very streaming narrative of Amy’s life.”
percent of all female murder victims in the United States were slain
In the end, Amy was different than many domestic violence
by their husbands or boyfriends. Her story starts like many of those
victims, in that she tried to seek help – she went to the police,
stories start — innocently, at the home improvement store where she
she went to her employer, she went to her parents. She asked
worked and eventually met her husband, who
did cash pickups at the store for an armored
car service. She had just graduated from Penn
State and he had just been discharged from the
military. It was a whirlwind romance. They
married within months of meeting. Amy loved
the attention he gave her, and the two quickly
settled into a routine of spending all their time
together.
1. Lower liabilities and reduced ARC
Eventually, though, Amy began giving up
some liberties. She gave up her car and relied
2. Better balance sheet with new assets
on Vince for transportation to and from work.
He’d drop her off every day, pick her up every
3. Potential for better credit rating and
day, and he’d visit her during the work day. He’d
lower borrowing costs
get jealous if she was talking to male customers
or coworkers, and Amy began showing signs
Contact Mitch Barker with PARS today!
of not wanting to upset Vince, of checking her
watch more, looking over her shoulder more.
www.pars.org
800.540.6369 x 116
And then Amy gave birth to their first son and
[email protected]
things were maybe okay. But then Vince began
© 2011 Public Agency Retirement Services (PARS). All rights reserved.
drinking more, and sometimes when he drank,
Looking for Savings?
Pre-funding OPEB with PARS
has 3 key advantages:
50
77180 TAC_.indd 50
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Uniontown, Penn:
Amy and Vince move to
Uniontown, away from her
family
March
Amy’s new coworkers begin
taking notice of Vince’s
controlling behavior
Vince is granted an Accelerated
Rehabilitation Disposition for the
gun shooting incident
2000
January
Oct. 17
Vince shoots out his truck’s
passenger window during an
argument while Amy is driving
Vince harasses Amy’s
coworkers when she goes to
lunch without his knowledge
for protection orders and job transfers and she tried to leave her
husband, several times. But she couldn’t testify against Vince and
she couldn’t leave her home cold turkey in the dead of the night.
She couldn’t do it without gathering her things and her children’s
things, and, in the end, leaving proved to be deadly for Amy. Vince
wouldn’t let her go.
So in Amy’s story, one of the holes in the system that came out
from that fatality review was a lack of resources available to keep
women safe when leaving or testifying in court against their abuser.
“You’ll never hear me in any of the cases that I prosecute talk
about a victim who won’t testify, because if we could guarantee a
victim that they would be safe, that the outcome of the court case
would be better for them, then I believe that a victim would testify,”
Fishel said.
Another hole in that system, Fishel said, was the inability of
different departments to share information related to domestic
violence cases. Amy was once hospitalized for a broken nose, and
she told an officer about the incident. But she did not tell the officer
about the history of abuse, and there was no prior record of abuse
in that jurisdiction. Despite the broken nose, Vince wasn’t arrested.
Instead, Amy was given information about protective orders and
told to call the police if anything else happened. Days later, Amy
was telling her coworkers and physicians that it was a softball injury.
“When you are the victim of domestic violence and you finally
have the courage to disclose to a police officer in a hospital bed
what happened to you, and nothing changes, are you going to keep
4-75
2-25
TX Fishel
Ad-042307
4/23/07 9:44 AM Page 1
tellingx the
story?”
asks on-screen.
These are the kinds of questions that can get asked during fatality
review. Legislators are taking note of the benefits that can come
from fatality reviews of domestic violence-related deaths. In 2009,
the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3303, which protects
fatality review team members from subpoena, the same way in
which members of child fatality review teams are protected.
The hope of the law was and is to increase the number of fatality
review teams in Texas. Following the bill’s passage, Dallas County
joined forces with the Dallas Police Department and Genesis
Women’s Shelter to create The Dallas County Adult Intimate
Partner Violence Fatality Review Team. The task force created a
protocol to review deaths and collect evidence and now has a year’s
worth of reviews to look at and determine how resources in Dallas
County are interacting with each other.
What the team found was both deflating and promising, said
Jan Langbein, the executive director of Genesis Women’s Shelter,
who said the team watched “Telling Amy’s Story” during its first
meeting.
“We started inviting folks to the table. I don’t know how you
do it without the medical examiner. He is on board with this, the
shelters are on board with this, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital
Council is on board with this, the courts, the police departments,
and we’ve got the heads of those agencies, either the CEO or the
executive director or the chief of police to say, yes, count us in on
this, my representative will be so and so,” Langbein said. “We pull
up a name. Jane Smith. We go around the table, did you have her
at your shelter? No. Did you have her at your shelter? No. Did you
have her at your hospital? No. Did she ever call
the police department? No. Did she ever call
the hotline? No. And what we’re finding is, as
SPECIALISTS IN CLASSIFICATION,
we go through these names, is that there is very
JOB EVALUATION AND COMPENSATION
little intersection with a victim and those folks
who are doing the work in the community.
Which at first made me think, oh my Gosh,
what is going wrong here? But the truth of the
matter is when you flip that and you say, where
there is intersection, those victims are not being
murdered. And that’s what I’m personally
hanging on to.”
Websdale said those findings match the
3571 Far West Blvd #219, Austin, Texas 78731 • 1-888-522-7772 • www.compensationconsulting.com
findings
of many other fatality review teams
Offices in various major cities
around the country.
77180 TAC_.indd 51
1/31/12 8:58 AM
June
2001
Mid-August
Amy drives truck to the
Amy receives follow-up care
police station while Vince for her nose, says it was a
hides in the truck’s cab
sofball injury
April
Amy gives birth
to the couple’s Aug. 5
Amy hospitalized for
second son
broken nose, says it
was Vince
September
Amy’s father calls police hoping
they will evict a drunken Vince
from the home
Oct. 16
Late August
Amy’s employer grants
her an emergency
transfer to another store
so that she can leave
Vince and live with her
parents in State College
Amy again asks
her employer for an
emergency transfer,
Vincent
moves with this time back to the
Amy back Uniontown store
to State
College
Nov. 8
Vince wakes up drunk and
uncharacteristically allows
Amy to drive herself to work
Oct. 21
Amy’s employer
responds that
they cannot
transfer her back
to her old store
Nov. 8
Vince does not
remember allowing
Amy to drive herself
to work and begins
calling Amy’s
employer every 20
minutes, enraged
“Many of the victims who die, die without having any kind
key with team membership is creativity and inclusivity. You’ve got
of significant contact with the array of systems that we’ve put in
to think out from the life of the victim in particular — who did
place to deal with these cases, which is a disturbing development.
she talk with, who knew of her compromises, who knew of his
It speaks to the nature of those relationships in which the women
compromises as a perpetrator?”
are isolated by the abuser, but nevertheless, it does raise questions
The Dallas County team does have a wide variety of members,
about the way our service delivery is working or is not working or
and the meetings have helped members come together to form new
not reaching out in the way that we’d like,” Websdale said.
partnerships and understandings, Langbein said.
For areas with those types of results, raising community awareness
“These are strange bedfellows, these folks around this table.
of domestic violence signs, precursors and services may be the
Social workers don’t always talk police and social workers don’t
most important challenge. Services have to target not just abused
always talk prosecution and police don’t always talk prosecution.
women, but anyone who may know an abused woman — friends,
We don’t always speak the same language. The very fact that we are
family members, coworkers, employers, clergy, doctors — people
around the table for the same purpose to me is a win in itself,” she
who an abused woman would go to for help. After all, Amy never
said. “We’ve recognized this partnership in Dallas County, if we are
went to a shelter and she didn’t want to go to police. Instead, she
ever going to turn this around, it’s going to take all of us doing it.
turned to her family, her employer, and her coworkers. Her family
We all have to get involved.”
convinced her to go to the police, her employer worked with her
Another key to success is the depth at which teams investigate a
to hopefully move her to safety and her coworkers stood up for her
case. “Teams that tend not to do well or not to survive are teams
when her husband harassed her at work.
that review things very quickly, they gather aggregate data, they
Fatality review teams can help raise that awareness
and can serve as leaders in community awareness
workshops or at community events. Or they can focus
on implementing solutions to other problem areas —
for instance, perhaps more information needs to be
available in a greater number of languages, or maybe
something needs to be addressed via legislation, as
Texas did in 2009 when it passed legislation that
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enhanced penalties for strangulation.
Developing ApplicAtion SoftwAre for
To be successful, Websdale said fatality review
c
ounty
, MunicipAl & inDiAn tribAl governMent
teams must be creatively and completely assembled,
Since 1980
and not be afraid of working with family members
and loved ones of the deceased.
GASB Compliant Computer Software
“It could include anyone from obviously the
Specializing in:
criminal justice system – prosecutors, police, probation
• Instrument Indexing System
• Budgetary Accounting System
officers, maybe judges, court administrators, the usual
• Integrated Court Management System
• Child Support Accounting System
suspects within the system, but I think you’ve got to
•
Vehicle
Inventory
Tax
System
• Hot Check Processing System
move out beyond that, because the people who know
• Consulting & System Design
• Early Voters Processing System
about what is going on in those cases are people that
> New: Law Enforcement Systems <
are closer to the victim, so people like clergy, school
counselors, public health people, therapists, family
State of Texas Qualified Information Systems Vendor (QISV) #11-74-3402559-600
members, coworkers, people who can come give
4 Green Cedar Road • Boerne, TX 78006-7929
testimony,” he said. “The broader the better. The
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Hill Country
Software & Support
52
77180 TAC_.indd 52
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Upcoming Conferences Focus on How to Help
Prevent, Investigate, Prosecute Domestic Violence
Two upcoming educational conferences in the state will focus on giving law enforcement officers and prosecutors
additional tools and resources for the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence cases.
The first is the Conference on Crimes Against Women, a national conference presented by the Dallas Police
Department and the Genesis Women’s Shelter. The conference will take place March 26-28 in Dallas and offers
TCLEOSE credit for peace officers and continuing education credits for attorneys.
The conference offers a wide variety of workshops, including notable speakers from Texas and from across the
country. Workshops will discuss gangs and sex trafficking, sexual violence on campuses, sextortion, how to cope
with the trauma created by working to help battered women and children, the risks faced by law enforcement
officers when responding to a domestic violence call, as well as other topics.
• Representatives from the El Paso District Attorney’s Office will speak about how the office reorganized its
prosecutorial response and procedures for family violence cases and created a 24-Hour Domestic Violence
Contact Initiative to better address the needs of victims and their dependents. The Contact Initiative includes
a number of events that happen within 24 hours of a domestic violence arrest. Prosecutors contact the victim,
order 9-1-1 recordings, obtain the offender’s criminal history, receive crime scene photographs, all to ensure
that the offender is held accountable and that the victim is safe and immediately educated about local
services.
• Centre County Victim Centered Intensive Care Management Unit Detective Deirdri Fishel and Rebecca Dreke
with the National Center for Victims of Crime Stalking Resource Center will discuss how to build a case against
an alleged stalker.
• Jim Tanner, a computer forensic examiner with the 20th Judicial District of Colorado who has 40 years experience
in community corrections, will hold a workshop on improving interview skills and detecting deception from
shifts in words and grammar.
• Neil Websdale, the director of the National Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative and a criminology
professor at Northern Arizona University, will discuss specific risk markers in domestic violence cases, the
forms of risk assessment and insights into how to gather information in domestic violence cases. In a separate
workshop, Websdale will also address the increasing numbers of murder-suicides that have been seen since
the beginning of the 2008 recession.
• Various speakers will conduct case studies of homicide and rape investigations, including the Falls County,
Texas death of Ashley Beasley, the 2001 death of FBI intern Chandra Levy, the investigation and prosecution of
serial rapist Dominic Butcher, and the prosecution of Phillipe Padieu, who infected 10 women with HIV.
More information on the conference is available at www.conferencecaw.org.
The second conference is the Texas District & County Attorneys Association 2012 Investigation and Prosecution of
Domestic Violence training seminar, taking place April 11-13 in San Antonio. The conference also offers TCLEOSE
credits for peace officers and continuing education credits for attorneys.
Workshops at that conference will include information on new laws and emerging technologies related to domestic
violence and investigations, the impact of domestic violence on children, strangulation, the importance of using
domestic violence experts, victim behavior, lethality assessments and protective orders.
More information on the TDCAA continuing education seminars can be found at www.tdcaa.com.
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903-572-4975
Nov. 8
Amy decides to leave Vince
and returns to their home to
gather necessary items
Nov. 8
Vince shoots Amy in
the head, killing her
instantly.
reduce a human life to a boxchecking exercise,” Websdale said.
“As long as the team doesn’t get
into the habit of just checking
boxes, where they have a survey
instrument and they go through
a case in an hour, if they do that,
they tend not to survive. But for
the most part, the teams that I am
aware of, in the states that have a
lot of teams, those teams not only
survive, they thrive. We see a lot
of friendships built up between
the different players. We see a
sense of community building and
democratic deliberations at the
local level, people having access
to decision making that perhaps
they’ve never had access to.”
Teams that come together and
are committed to the process can
be successful in small counties or
large counties, he added.
“It’s really important that you
think about the process of review
and that you recognize that this
is a democratic deliberation, in
other words, everyone has a voice
at the table, everyone speaks and
contributes,” Websdale said. “It’s
really important that you have
a balance of forces at the table,
that you encourage not only
prosecutors but defense council to
be there, that you have a range of
viewpoints, that you don’t have a
presumed set of assumptions about
what caused the death, that you’re
willing to be open minded.” ✯
Texas Auctioneer Lic. # 13801
77180 TAC_.indd 53
1/31/12 8:58 AM
tacassociates
Vendors of county services
We support county government.
While associate status does not constitute an endorsement by the Texas Association of Counties, it does serve as an
acknowledgement of the associate’s support of county government.
Alamo Area Council of
Governments
Mr. Dean Dano
8700 Tesoro Dr Suite 700
San Antonio, TX 78217-6228
Telephone: (210) 362-5200
Product: Council of
governments.
www.aacog.com
Balfour Beatty Construction
Mr. John T. Campbell
3100 McKinnon St Floor 7
Dallas, TX 75201-1081
Telephone: (214) 451-1234
Product: General contractor,
construction management and
design, builder.
www.balfourbeattyus.com
Armko Industries, Inc.
Mr. Mike Perry
1320 Spinks Rd
Flower Mound, TX 750284247
Telephone: (972) 874-1388
Product: Roofing, waterproofing, architecture/
engineering solutions.
www.armko.com
BB&T Governmental Finance
Ms. Mary Parrish Coley
5130 Parkway Plaza Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28217-1964
Telephone: (704) 954-1706
Product: Financial services
www.bbt.com
Atchley & Associates, LLP
Mr. Dan A. Shaner
6850 Austin Center Blvd
Suite 180
Austin, TX 78731-3129
Telephone: (512) 346-2086
Product: Accounting, tax and
auditing. Certified public
accountants.
www.lockhartatchley.com
AuctioneerExpress.com
Mr. Dale McGonagill
1521 W 16th St
Mount Pleasant, TX 754552086
Telephone: (903) 572-4975
Product: Live and online
auction company specializing in
governmental, municipality and
private party auctions.
www.auctioneerexpress.com
54
Broaddus Associates, Inc.
Ms. Brenda Jenkins
1301 S Capital of Texas Hwy
Suite 302A
West Lake Hills, TX 787466581
Telephone: (512) 329-8822
Product: Project management
services.
www.broaddusassociates.com
BuyBoard
Mr. Steve Fisher
PO Box 400
Austin, TX 78767-0400
Telephone: (800) 695-2919
Product: Customized electronic
purchasing cooperative
sponsored by TAC.
www.buyboard.com
Correctional Healthcare
Management, Inc.
Ms. Cristina Capoot
PO Box 5078
Englewood, CO 80155-5078
Telephone: (303) 706-9080
Product: Dental/medical
support services for county
inmates.
www.jailcare.com
CourtView Justice Solutions
Mr. Mike Osman
5399 Lauby Rd NW
Canton, OH 44720-1554
Telephone: (800) 406-4333
Product: NIEM-supported
case and records management
systems for judicial processing
systems groups, individuals,
organizations.
www.courtview.com
East Texas Mack Sales, L.P.
Mr. Nick Miller
PO Box 2867
Longview, TX 75606-2867
Telephone: (903) 758-9994
Product: Mack truck
distributor.
www.east-texas-mack.com
Freese and Nichols, Inc.
Mr. Will McDonald
4055 International Plz Suite 200
Fort Worth, TX 76109-4814
Telephone: (817) 735-7320
Product: Engineering,
environmental science,
architecture, master planning
services.
www.freese.com
Global Connect
Mr. Alma Clark
5218 Atlantic Ave Suite 300
Mays Landing, NJ 08330-2003
Telephone: (312) 515-0560
Product: Web-based voice
messaging.
www.gc1.com
GovDeals, Incorporated
Mr. James Oakley
PO Box 121
Spicewood, TX 78669-0121
Telephone: (512) 560-6240
Product: Online auction service
for government surplus.
www.govdeals.com
Grande Truck Center
Mr. Rocky Shoffstall
4562 Interstate 10 E
Telephone: (210) 661-4121
Product: Complete line of Ford,
Sterling, Autocar, Western Star
trucks. Parts, service, sales.
www.grandetruck.com
hal Systems Corporation
Ms. Karen Duncan
8111 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy
Suite 860
Dallas, TX 75251-1319
Telephone: (214) 691-4700
x6532
Product: Imaging/fee collection
software/services.
www.halfile.com
Hill Country Software and
Support, Inc.
Ms. Shirley Stateczny
2 Green Cedar Rd
Boerne, TX 78006-7929
Telephone: (830) 537-4381
Product: Software for county
and municipal government.
www.hillcountrysoftware.com
HOLT CAT–Irvine
Mr. David Cooper
10950 Plano Rd
Dallas, TX 75238-1322
Telephone: (214) 342-6706
Product: Caterpillar equipment
dealer.
www.holtcat.com
Horne LLP
Mr. Bryan McDonald, CPA
1210 San Antonio St Suite 203
Austin, TX 78701-1834
Telephone: (512) 795-8958
Product: CPAs and business
advisors.
www.horne-llp.com
77180 TAC_.indd 54
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Hyland Software, Inc.
Ms. Lori Kershner
28500 Clemens Rd
Westlake, OH 44145-1145
Telephone: (440) 788-6668
Product: Developer of OnBase,
a rapidly deployable suite of
enterprise content management
software solutions.
www.hyland.com
Indigent Healthcare Solutions
Mr. Robert Baird
2040 N Loop 336 W Suite 304
Conroe, TX 77304-3592
Telephone: (936) 756-6720
Product: Software for county
indigent healthcare, hospital
districts & hospitals.
www.indigenthealthcaresolutions.
com
Information Capital
Mr. Ed Hazeldean
5870 Highway 6 N Suite 300
Houston, TX 77084-1857
Telephone: (281) 858-8555
Product: Information
management solutions.
www.information-cap.com
JI Specialty Services, Inc.
Mr. Sam Francis
PO Box 26655
Austin, TX 78755-0655
Telephone: (512) 427-2300
Product: Third-party
Administrator providing claims,
loss control, risk management,
related services.
www.jicompanies.com
Kellpro, Incorporated
Ms. Fran Anderlohr
101 S 15th St Suite 100
Duncan, OK 73533-4359
Telephone: (580) 255-5553
Product: Software and imaging
services.
www.kellpro.com
Lemons Auctioneers, LLP
Ms. Lori Lemons-Campbell
1011 Inwood St
Tomball, TX 77375-4133
Telephone: (800) 243-1113
Product: Complete online and
live auctions.
www.lemonsauctioneers.com
Linebarger Goggan Blair &
Sampson, LLP
Ms. Judi Dodge
2700 Via Fortuna Suite 400
The Terrace II
Austin, TX 78746-7997
Telephone: (512) 634-3861
Product: Current and
delinquent taxes, fees,
fines, service charges, tolls,
miscellaneous local, state,
federal receivables.
www.publicans.com
Lower Colorado River Authority
Ms. Dorothy Morgan
808 Geney St
Brenham, TX 77833-5325
Telephone: (979) 255-6387
Product: Public river authority.
www.lcra.org
Perdue, Brandon, Fielder,
Collins & Mott, L.L.P.
Ms. Sue Glover
3301 Northland Dr Ste 505
Austin, TX 78731-4954
Telephone: (512) 302-0190
Product: Delinquent tax/
miscellaneous collection
services & appraisal district
representation.
www.pbfcm.com
Nationwide Retirement
Solutions
Mr. William E. Sawyers, CRC,
CRA
4509 Hummingbird St
Houston, TX 77035-5123
Telephone: (713) 721-0693
Product: Deferred compensation
plan administrators.
www.nrsforu.com
Precinct Tracker Road & Bridge
(MSE Solutions)
Ms. Suzanne Airhart
PO Box 174
Kountze, TX 77625-0174
Telephone: (409) 246-4802
Product: Software for road and
bridge operations.
www.precincttracker.com
Official Payments Corporation
Ms. Peggy Compton
11130 Sunrise Valley Dr
Suite 300
Reston, VA 20191-5476
Telephone: (806) 580-0980
x7491
Product: Electronic, phone, and
point of sale payment services
technology.
www.officialpayments.com
Manatron, Inc.
Mr. John Walters
1807 W Braker Ln Suite 400
Austin, TX 78758-3607
Telephone: (866) 471-2900
x7257
Product: Enterprise-level
integrated property software
systems and services.
www.manatron.com
Professional Claims Managers,
Inc.
Mr. J. Brian Hobbs
10210 N Central Expy
Suite 500
Dallas, TX 75231-3424
Telephone: (800) 557-0797
Product: Professional claims
services.
www.professionalclaimsmanagers.
com
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Inc.
Mr. Alan McVicker
15500 Highway 59 N
Humble, TX 77396-2137
Telephone: (713) 455-5200
Product: Auctioneers/appraisers.
www.RBAuction.com
SAMCO Capital Markets, Inc.
Mr. Duane L. Westerman
8700 Crownhill Blvd Ste 601
PARS
Telephone: (210) 832-9760
Ms. Joanna Minna
Product: Financial advisory and
4350 Von Karman Ave Suite 100 investment banking services.
Newport Beach, CA 92660www.samcocapital.com
2080
Telephone: (800) 540-6369 x150
Product: Retirement solutions
to public agencies with FICA
alternatives & 457 deferred
compensation plans.
www.parsinfo.org
77180 TAC_.indd 55
McCreary, Veselka, Bragg &
Allen, P.C.
Ms. Michelle Howell
PO Box 1269
Round Rock, TX 78680-1269
Telephone: (512) 323-3226
Product: Delinquent tax/
miscellaneous collection
services/appraisal district
representation.
www.mvbalaw.com
Niece Equipment, LP
Mr. Richard Antoine
3039 Highway 71 E
Del Valle, TX 78617-2343
Telephone: (512) 252-3808
Product: Sales/rental of heavy
equipment, such as water
trucks, water towers, fuel/
lubrication trucks, etc.
www.nieceequipment.com
Lone Star Auctioneers
Ms. Karen Plunk
4629 Mark IV Pkwy
Telephone: (817) 740-9400
Product: Auction company for
live, online and webcast auctions.
www.lonestarauctioneers.com
tacassociates
1/31/12 8:58 AM
tacassociates
ShoreTel Inc
Mr. Shane Harper
960 Stewart Dr
Sunnyvale, CA 94085-3912
Telephone: (408) 331-3588
Product: All-in-one IP phone
system with integrated UC and
contact center capabilities.
www.shoretel.com
Southern Health Partners
Ms. Stephanie Bennett
811 Broad St Suite 500
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2660
Telephone: (704) 583-9515
Product: Inmate healthcare.
www.southernhealthpartners.com
Texas Engineering Extension
Service (TEEX)
Mr. Thomas N. Shehan
301 Tarrow St Suite 119
College Station, TX 778407896
Telephone: (979) 845-6677
Product: Customized
training, technical support
for law enforcement/security
professionals through
E-learning or host sites.
www.teex.org
Tyler Technologies, Inc.
Mr. Jeff Puckett
6500 International Pkwy
Suite 2000
Plano, TX 75093-8238
Telephone: (972) 713-3765
Product: Integrated software &
service solutions for financials,
courts & justice, appraisal
& tax, schools, land & vital
records.
www.tylertech.com
Ultimatemats
Mr. David Chapman
1311 Monticello Dr
Prosper, TX 75078-8411
Telephone: (972) 527-8904
Product: Anti-fatigue mats, logo
mats, entrance mats.
www.ultimatemats.com
US Script, Inc.
Ms. Melissa Daniels
6815 Manhattan Blvd Ste 400
Telephone: (800) 569-1035
Product: Pharmacy services,
pharmacy benefits management
for indigent healthcare
programs, jails, and MHMRs.
www.usscript.com
Vanir Construction Management,
Inc.
Mr. Bob Fletcher
4540 Duckhorn Dr Suite 300
Sacramento, CA 95834-2597
Telephone: (916) 575-8888
Product: Construction
management.
www.vanir.com
Wiginton Hooker Jeffry
Architects
Mr. Charlie Kearns
500 N Central Expy Suite 300
Suite 300
Plano, TX 75074-6792
Telephone: (214) 803-8642
Product: Professional
architectural services.
www.whjarch.com
Thank you to
Our Associates!
While Texas counties serve those who live within them, TAC understands that counties can’t do so without the products and services that
local and corporate businesses provide. It’s a winning relationship.
TAC’s Associate Status offers organizations interested in doing business with counties opportunities to communicate their messages to
county officials while simultaneously gaining access to information on
issues that are critical to county government operations.
Associate Status does not constitute a TAC endorsement, but we hope
the relationship is good for counties, good for business and good for
our citizens.
56
77180 TAC_.indd 56
1/31/12 8:58 AM
RISK AND LIABILTY
MANAGEMENT
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
CORRECTIONS PERSONNEL
What does risk management mean to you?
2012 Law Enforcement Regional Workshops
Produced by the Texas Association of Counties in cooperation with the Texas Jail Association
Education co-sponsor, Sam Houston State University, Correctional Management Institute
of Texas and the George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center
Texas Association of Counties regional training workshops
for 2012 will focus on all aspects of risk management. Law
enforcement supervisors and many elected officials will benefit
from this informative training session.
What does risk management mean to you?
In the world of law enforcement and county corrections,
when we talk about risk and risk management we usually focus
on those exposures related to tactical aspects of our work such as traffic stops, the combative prisoner, shootings and
physical confrontations. These items are important, however as
managers and administrators it is also important to recognize
that risk management goes beyond these areas of exposure.
Risk management operations should encompass all of the risks
associated within any law enforcement operation including
physical, economic, legal, political, social and juridical risks.
This workshop is meant to assist participants in becoming aware
of the various areas of exposure and identification of tools for
effectively managing these risks and liabilities.
During this workshop we will discuss the use of risk management
tools to identify and mitigate situations related within law
enforcement operations. A discussion of recent changes in
human resources laws is a must for all managers and supervisors
trying to control liabilities associated with personnel. During
the final section of the program the participants will discuss an
important issue related to “In Custody Deaths” and the liabilities
associated with such unfortunate events.
Continuing Education
The TAC Law Enforcement Education Committee has approved
seven (7) TCLEOSE hours.
Who Should Attend
All law enforcement supervisors including: sheriffs, chief
deputies, jail administrators and elected county officials.
Schedule of Events
8 a.m. Registration
8:30 a.m. Program begins
77180 TAC_.indd 57
11:45 a.m. Lunch on your own
4:30 p.m. Adjourn
Registration
Space may be limited in some locations, so register early online
at www.county.org. You may also mail registration to Texas
Association of Counties, Eduacation Department, P.O. Box
2131, Austin, Texas 78768-2131 or fax to (512) 477-1324. THIS
PROGRAM IS FREE TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
One of the ten workshops will be held near your county. Please
complete this form, check your preferred location
and send to the Texas Association of aCounties as soon
as possible as seating is limited.
Name:_____________________________________________________
Title:______________________________________________________
County:____________________________________________________
Business_Address:_ ___________________________________________
City/State/Zip:______________________________________________
Business_Email:______________________________________________
PID#:_ ____________________________________________________
Business_Phone:______________________________________________
Business_Fax:________________________________________________
(check your preferred location)
o Feb. 23 Walker County/
Huntsville
o Feb. 23 McLennan County/
Waco
o Feb. 28 Smith County/
Tyler
o Feb. 28 Wichita County/
Wichita Falls
o March 1 Taylor County/
Abilene
o March 1 Hunt County/
Greenville
o March 6 Hutchinson
County/Borger
o March 6 San Patricio
County/Sinton
o March 8 Ector County/
Odessa
o March 8 Hays County/
San Marcos
Please fax this completed form to the TAC Education Department
at (512) 477-1324.
1/31/12 8:58 AM
countycrossword
Clues & answers from County magazine
February Edition
If you’ve read the Jan/Feb edition of County, maybe you know the answers. If not, they’re
all somewhere within these pages. The solution will be in the March/April 2012 edition.
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1
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19
12
6
10
16
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8
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20
22
25 26
24
28
30
31
32
34
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DOWN
2. Earned Employer Rewards funds from Healthy County
3. Kleberg County judge
4. Available for bacterial pneumonia
6. Friend of County Government
7. Home county of Balmorhea State Recreation Area
8. One-tme fugtive wanted by the FBI
9. County in which David Hodges served as court-at-law judge
12. Earned employer rewards funds from Healthy County
16. Virtual community watch website
22. TAC county relations officer (two words)
25. Midland County sheriff (two words)
27. TAC vice-president (two words)
31. Ensures Legislature gets best possible information from counties (two words)
32. Contact person for Core Legislative Group (two words)
33. Topic to be covered at Spring Law Enforcement Regionals (two words)
34. CJCA general counsel
36. Topic to be covered at Spring Law Enforcement Regionals (two words)
38. Austin County judge
44
ACROSS
1. Detective featured in “Telling Amy’s Story”
5. U.S. president whose boyhood home is in Blanco County
10. County shown in “County Seat” photo story
11. Metaphor for organized crime
13. Washington County ice cream (two words)
14. One way to curtail money laundering across the border
15. Target of April leadership development program
19. Hosts regional meetings for commissioners court members
20. A fan of tailless squirrels
21. TAC president-elect (two words)
23. New Texas Juvenile Justice Department executive director
24. Abbreviation for collaborative information sharing groups administered by DPS
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26. Retiring as head of TAC Education Department (two words)
28. Award honoring lifetime of service in county government
29. Washington County clerk
30. Replacing PATH program (two words)
35. First woman to serve as TAC president (two words)
37. Diabetes-targeted informational program (four words)
39. Williamson County Emergency Management Facebook page
40. Annual TAC awards program
41. Recommended by experts to find holes in systems supporting victims of domestic violence
42. Abbreviation for TAC management conference held in May
43. Regional gatherings held around the state with county officials and TAC legislative staff
44. Pound observers (two words)
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Events and education for counties
Note: More information regarding
events can be found online via the
TAC Education Calendar, www.
county.org/education/calendar.
FEBRUARY 2012
6-10 – Correctional Management
Institute of Texas Basic Jail
Administrator Training, Huntsville.
6-10 – Texas District & County Attorney
Association School, Galveston.
7-9 – 54th Annual County Judges &
Commissioners Continuing Education
Conference and Educational Exposition,
VG Young Institute: School for County
Commissioners Courts, College Station.
16-17 – 2012 Healthy County Boot
Camp, Austin.
22-24 – TAC Court Assistants Training
Conference, San Marcos.
23-24 – Texas Justice Court Training
Center Landlord/Tenant Workshop,
San Antonio.
MARCH 2012
3-7 – National Association of Counties
Legislative Conference, Washington D.C.
6-9 – 2012 Texas District & County
Attorneys Association Train the Trainer,
Fredericksburg.
8 – Spring Panhandle County Judges &
Commissioners Conference, Amarillo.
Center Landlord/Tenant Workshop,
Lake Sam Rayburn.
20 – Spring Judicial Administrative
Training Workshop, Lubbock.
21-23 – Spring Judicial Education
Session, Lubbock.
28-30 – TxPPA Spring Legislative
Workshop 2012, Austin.
APRIL 2012
National County Government Month
11-13 – 2012 Investigating and
Prosecuting Domestic Violence Cases,
San Antonio.
15-19 – VG Young Institute: School for
County Treasurers, College Station.
23-27 – West Texas County Judges &
Commissioners Association Annual
Conference & Business Meeting, Odessa.
JUNE 2012
Center Criminal Law: Traffic, Tyler.
25-27 – UT School of Law Continuing
Legal Education, Round Rock.
4-7 – TAC County Investment Officer
Level II Training, San Antonio.
MAY 2012
2-4 – 2012 TAC County Management
Institute, Austin.
8-11 – Texas Association of County
Auditors 60th Annual Auditors Institute,
Austin.
10-11 – Texas College of Probate Judges,
Galveston.
14-18 – 26th Annual Texas Jail
Association Conference, Austin.
16-18 – Texas District & County
Attorneys Association 2012 Civil Law
Seminar, Austin.
20-23 – North & East Texas County
Judges & Commissioners Association
Annual Conference & Business Meeting,
Galveston.
10-14 – Tax Assessor-Collectors
Association Annual Conference,
Amarillo.
13-15 – Texas District & County
Attorneys Association: Digital Evidence,
Fort Worth.
18-21 – 2012 South Texas County
Judges & Commissioners Annual
Education Conference & Business
Meeting, San Antonio.
24-28 – County & District Clerks
Annual Conference, Galveston.
24-28 – 2012 JPCA Annual Conference,
South Padre Island.
JULY 2012
13-17 – National Association of
Counties Annual Conference, Pittsburgh.
November Crossword Puzzle Answers
BARBERS
G
LBJ
URE S TI
R E DDB K EYES
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Y
R
R
I
F
L
D CMI
E
H L UB B O C K
O
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E
C
O
I
U L W
R
N
R A S T O F F R E G E N
E R
B H W
HOGOUT M T
A A
E P E
E
I
R R R
E A R
L
R R E
BA L CONE S
L
I
A
L
P H
O
K OL K HORS T
I N G A L S B E
S
A
M S G
A
B C S E C
A N D E R S O N OC A S G
O
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R U
K
C O N N I E H I C KMAN B U R K E E N
D
H K S
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F
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YBACH
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MA I N T A I N
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R G
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E O
S D
L M
J O L L Y V I L L E
T O
L A
AMYYOUNG
L
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calendarofevents
1/31/12 8:58 AM
implications
Articles of interest
IMMOBILITY
At least five large studies in recent years
have found the United States to be less mobile than comparable nations. A project led
by Markus Jantti, an economist at a Swedish university, found that 42 percent of
American men raised in the bottom fifth of
incomes stay there as adults. That shows a
level of persistent disadvantage much higher than in Denmark (25 percent) and Britain (30 percent) — a country famous for its
class constraints. Meanwhile, just 8 percent
of American men at the bottom rose to the
top fifth. That compares with 12 percent of
the British and 14 percent of the Danes.
— The New York Times
WOMEN BEHAVING BADLY
The number of women in prisons increased 400 percent from 1985 to 2006, according to U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
The number of men increased about 200
percent during the same span.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice also has seen an increase in the number
of female inmates. From 1991 to last year,
the number of women in the prison system
increased by 75 percent, from 2,081 to
3,637. Over the same period, the number
of men in the system increased 52 percent,
from 21,436 to 32,543.
— Amarillo Globe News
THE UNAGING BRAIN
Until recently, many scientists thought
brain cells died as we aged, shrinking our
brains and shedding bits of information
that were gone forever. Newer findings indicate that cells in disease-free brains stay
put; it’s the connections between them
that break. With this new perspective has
come an explosion of research into how we
can keep those connections, and our brain
function, intact for longer.
New studies indicate that a healthy
person may be able to slow, stop or even
reverse some effects of aging in the brain.
Some suggestions: calm down; exercise;
make friends; do what you do best; ask
about estrogen; and sleep well.
— The Washington Post
STIFLED
The U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services has rejected the Texas De60
partment of Insurance’s proposal to delay
implementation of a federal health care reform provision aimed at curbing rising premiums. Under the federal Affordable Care
Act, starting in 2012, insurance companies
are required to maintain a “medical loss ratio,” or MLR, of 80/20 for individual insurance plans and 85/15 for the employerprovided insurance market starting.
Put simply, that means insurance companies must devote 80 or 85 percent of premium dollars directly to health care services,
and refund policyholders at the end of the
year for spending on overhead costs above
20 or 15 percent. The intention of the provision is to pressure insurance providers to
cut down on administrative, marketing and
other non-health related operating costs in
order to curb rising premiums.
In July, TDI requested a delayed
implementation of the new rule, and said
implementing the 80/20 provision in the
individual insurance market would “stifle
competition in the market and constrain
many Texans’ access to coverage.”
— The Texas Tribune
HALF THE BATTLE
Under the federal No Child Left Behind
law, states are required to submit student
data, disaggregated by a list of federally
defined groups, to the U.S. Department
of Education. Fueled by more than $500
million in grants from the Obama administration, all 50 states and the District of
Columbia now have data warehouses that
allow them to track each student’s academic
growth from the time he or she enrolls in
school.
Collecting data is one thing, but there’s
growing evidence that school districts often
aren’t using it to improve student achievement.
A new study from the Data Quality
Campaign finds that most states aren’t sharing what they collect with parents, policymakers, principals and, most importantly,
teachers. In many cases, the data could provide information that would allow teachers
to focus instruction directly on individual
students’ needs.
— Governing.com’s
“Better Faster Cheaper” blog
readings
Research,
articles,
publications
and Web sites
NO COLORS: 100 WAYS TO STOP GANGS
FROM TAKING AWAY OUR COMMUNITIES by
Bobby Kipper and Bud Ramey seeks to give
citizens, community and business leaders,
elected and public officials, educators and
clergy clear instructions on best practices
across America to help communities stand
up against gang and youth violence. Kipper
is a former police officer who founded
the National Center for the Prevention of
Community Violence; Ramey is the 2010
Public Affairs Silver Anvil Award winner.
Morgan James Publishing.
PRINCIPLES OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:
HAZARD SPECIFIC ISSUES AND MITIGATION
STRATEGIES, edited by Michael J. Fagel,
offers preparedness and mitigation
recommendations for natural and manmade disasters from more than a dozen
professional contributors. The 585-page book
suggests best practices for drills,
exercises and pre-event team building and
communication. CRC Press.
THE LANGUAGE OF LEADERS: HOW TOP CEOS
COMMUNICATE TO INSPIRE, INFLUENCE
AND ACHIEVE RESULTS by Kevin Murray
takes original interviews from top business
leaders to provide insight into how those
leaders have responded to the demands of
a transparent world. The book also offers a
lexicon for successful communication. Kogan
Page.
WIKI AT WAR: CONFLICT IN A SOCIALLY
NETWORKED WORLD by James Jay Carafano
explains why Internet-born initiatives such as
the Egyptian uprisiing and WikiLeaks matter
and how they are likely to affect the future
face of war and diplomacy. Texas A & M
University Press.
77180 TAC_.indd 60
1/31/12 8:58 AM
Design | Build
The Total Solution for Your Next
Correctional Project
A trusted name in the design and construction of correctional facilities, Hale-Mills Construction, Ltd.
uses both innovative design principles and keen project discipline to create highly functional and secure
correctional facilities.
The benefits of Hale-Mills Construction design/build delivery
method include:
Experience – Over 30 jails and correctional facilities
successfully completed in Texas
Certainty of final costs
Guaranteed on-time performance
Single source of contact for owner
Comprehensive understanding of industry jail standards
The collaboration of the design and construction teams enhances
the quality of the project and significantly shortens project duration.
713.665.1100
3700 Buffalo Speedway | Suite 1100 | Houston | Texas 77098
77180 TAC_.indd 61
www.hale-mills.com
1/31/12 8:59 AM
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2/2/12 7:59 AM
informationproject
Data about counties, by Tim Brown
County-by-County Look at Persons
Living in Poverty Shows Increases
O
This map does
not tell the whole
story,
however,
since the number of
people in each county
changed
from
2006 to 2010. As Change, 2006-2010
-41.26 – -20.01%
many readers are
-20.00 – -00.01%
aware, quite a few
No Change
counties in the
00.01 – 20.00%
20.01 – 48.53%
state have been
losing population.
In addition, while total migration decreased due to the recession,
many areas in Texas would have seen an influx from less prosperous
states as people migrated to find jobs.
Map 2 shows the change in the percentage of persons who were
living in poverty in each county from 2006 to 2010. Similar to the
previous map, green indicates the counties that saw a reduction in
the percentage of persons living in poverty, while orange indicates
the counties that experienced an increase. While very similar to the
previous map, Map 2 shows some
interesting differences. Map 2
Change in
First, note that the range of
Percentage
values is much smaller due at least
in part to the changing population
numbers. Second, there are seven
counties that did
not
experience
a change in the
percentage of persons
living in poverty (Map
2) compared to
one county that Change, 2006-2010
-31.44 – -20.01%
maintained the
-20.00 – -00.01%
same
number
No Change
(Map 1). 00.01 – 20.00%
Third,
and
20.01 – 34.24%
most importantly,
103 counties reduced the percentage of persons living in poverty
while only 84 reduced the actual number of persons living in
poverty. Or, more pessimistically, 144 counties increased the
percentage of persons living in poverty while the actual number of
persons living in poverty increased in 169 counties.
What does that mean for counties? Obviously, people living in
poverty rely more heavily on social services which, in Texas, are
often provided by counties. Those services include indigent health
care and indigent defense. In addition, there are indirect costs. For
example, people living in poverty may not be able to afford fines
and fees, which could result in incarceration and thereby increase
jail costs. ✯
n Jan. 3, a The Wall Street Journal article stated that
“stocks kicked off the new year with strong gains, as
better-than-expected economic data around the globe
buoyed investor sentiment on the first U.S. trading day of 2012.”
Other articles from that same day betrayed gloomier outlooks.
For example, in an article titled “Will the global economy finally
recover in 2012?” Michael Schuman of Time magazine wrote that
“more than three years have passed since the onset of the 2008
financial crisis, and the economic downturn feels like it may never
end.” The next day, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, in its Texas
Economic Indicators report, noted statewide improvements in
November employment as well as an increase in existing home sells
– although single-family housing permits and housing starts both
fell, according to the report summary.
So the economy may or may not be on the road to recovery, but
at least we are seeing some improvements in Texas’ employment
numbers. While the relationship between employment and poverty
is not exact, there does appear to be an inverse correlation between
full-time employment and poverty (poverty tends to decrease as
full-time employment increases, provided the pay is sufficient to be
above the poverty threshold).
In November, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 4,411,273
persons, 17.9 percent of the total state population, were living in
poverty during 2010. The Bureau had previously estimated that
3,862,741 persons, 16.9 percent of the total state population, were
living in poverty during 2006. The 2006 estimate was actually a
slight improvement over the 2005 estimate, both in total number
and as a percent of the total state population. The next two years
also saw improvements, as shown in this table that includes the
statewide unemployment rate.
Year
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Number in Poverty
Percent in Poverty
Unemployment Rate
3,610,126
3,886,632
3,862,741
3,787,071
3,755,944
4,143,077
4,411,273
16.2
17.5
16.9
16.3
15.8
17.1
17.9
6.0
5.4
4.9
4.4
4.9
7.6
8.2
But then the state’s economy really took a hit and the estimated
number of persons living in poverty in Texas increased significantly
in both 2009 and 2010. The state’s unemployment rate began to
climb at the same time, indicating at least some of the lost jobs
were higher-paying.
But not all areas of the state were affected equally. Some counties
actually managed to reduce the number of persons living in poverty,
as seen in Map 1. Green indicates the counties that saw a reduction
in the number of persons living in poverty, while orange indicates
the counties that experienced an increase.
77180 TAC_.indd 63
Map 1
Change in Total
Number
2/2/12 7:59 AM
onelastlook
H
ale County Judge Bill Coleman
took photos of a beloved
courthouse square tenant one
afternoon in late November and shared
them with the county judge’s list-serve
and County. “We have a number of
squirrels who live in the pecan trees at
our courthouse. I recently noticed that one of them is missing his tail. Being an
amateur photographer, I set about to capture the unfortunate one for my wildlife
collection,” Coleman said. “Yesterday I caught him out on the lawn searching for
pecans. I got a picture that clearly shows his misfortune. I continued to watch him
and shortly thereafter he got a pecan and scurried up a tree. He was kind enough to
pose for me, again. In downloading these shots to my computer, it came to me that
this little creature was a great inspiration. I’m so sick of hearing bad news I think it is
time for the overwhelming spirit that lives within each of us to step up, step out, and
overcome the negativity. I hope everyone who sees my little friend, Bob (named for
his bobbed-tail) will get a laugh and a lift out of it.” ✯
County officials and employees (and anyone else in a Texas county) are encouraged to
submit their photos for publication in One Last Look to Jim Lewis, County editor at P.O.
Box 2131, Austin, TX 78768. If you want the photos returned, enclose a self-addressed,
64
stamped envelope and we will try to get it back to you in a few weeks. Also, our lawyers tell
us that we can’t be held responsible for lost photos, so if you really treasure that snapshot,
have a 5x7 inch copy made at your local photo outlet and then send us a quality duplicate.
77180 TAC_.indd 64
2/2/12 7:59 AM
Apply online for the
2012
COUNTY BEST
PRACTICES
AWARDS
T
he County Best Practices Awards
Program honors innovative
programs and ideas created by Texas
counties. Think your county deserves
this honor? Visit TAC’s website at
www.county.org and apply by March 1.
Winners will be announced at the 2012
County Management Institute in May.
Go ahead! Let us know how your county
works hard to maximize taxpayer
dollars through creative thinking.
77180 TAC_.indd 3
1/31/12 8:59 AM
Texas Association of Counties
1210 San Antonio Street
Austin, Texas 78701-1806
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
AUSTIN, TEXAS
PERMIT NO. 1183
WORKING HARD
FOR COUNTIES
We know how hard counties work to keep the budget in
check—you’re careful to keep staff numbers low, while
maintaining a high level of service. When an employee is
hurt on the job, it can really strain a county’s workforce
to keep up with taxpayer demands. TAC can help!
• We partner with counties to avoid
workplace injuries through our customtailored Risk Control Programs.
• We use a network of doctors that
consistently ranks the best in Texas at
getting injured workers healthy and
back on the job.
No matter what you’re facing,
you’ll find the services, pricing and
competitive coverage options to meet
your workers’ compensation needs.
(800) 456-5974 • www.county.org
77180 TAC_.indd 4
1/31/12 8:59 AM

County Magazine Jan/Feb 2012 - Texas Association of Counties

Transcription

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