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Home My WebLink About1988-09-13-0230PM-SpecialU ~J • I 9 . rr• 1930 SEP 12 P11 12: 28 BRAZOS COUNTY BRYAN. TBXAB ' I EMERGENCY AGENDA FOA CQMkXSSIONERS' COURT MEETING - TUES.,SEPT.13,1988, 2:30 P.M. I I 1. 'Consider and tAke action on the relocation of the absentee voting box at the Brazos Center. 2. Adjourn I' • I V s, t f I y 1 COMMISSIONERS' COURT SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 131 1988 •r . 1 I ' A special meeting of the Commissioners' Court of Brazos County, Texas was held in the Commissioners' Courtroom in the Courthouse in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 13, 1988, with the following members 'of the Court present: I R. J. Holmgreen, County Judge, Presiding= Bill J. Cooley, Commissioner of Precinct 1; Walter Wilcox, Commissioner of Precinct 2; f Billy E. Beard, Commissioner of Precinct 3; { Milton Turner, Commissioner of Precinct 4; i Frank Boriskie, County Clerk. The following citizens and officials were in attendance: 0 f' ~I t Ruth McLeod Administrative Assibtant Carol Palmer Admin. Asst. to County Judge Travis Nelson District Clerk Sandie Walker Treasurer Ron Miller Sheriff Karen McQueen County Clerk's Office Alice Brown KBTX-TV Sal Rios KBTX-TV Ann Anderson Voter Joyce Birdwell Citizen Pick Birdwell Citizen Robert Orozco Citizen J. E. Roberts Citizen F. E. Roberts Bryan Citizen Jesse Flores Mexican American Democrats Greg Rodriquez Mexican American Democrats Carey Cauley, Jr. N.A.A.C.P. Steve Garza Mexican American Democrats Florace Kling Voter R. Mark Manika Voter W. R. Vance Vance, Bruchez & Goss Jenny Hairston Voter Corkey (illegible) Voter Rodger Lewis Chairman Republican Party Robert Culp Citizen C. J. (illegible) Leigh Ann Craig Citizen Jose M. Ugarte III College Republicans of Texas David Shelton Aggie GOP Susan Eib Battalion Ron Gay Chairman Democratic Party The County Judge informed the Court that the main absentee polling place would be located in the Courthouse as required by i j iSection 85.002 of the Texas Election Code. He continued by ,asking the Court if it did indeed wish to establish a branch absentee polling place. J VOL PA I G I fur, . ♦ ~t r ~ ' b , ; ~ J Mr. Dick Birdwell of 1401 Post Oak circle in college station suggested that the creation of a branch absentee polling place would be an exercise in democracy because it would encourage • people to vote. On motion- by Commissioner Wilcox, seconded by Commissioner ~IBeard the court voted unanimously to rescind the Order, dated I IISeptember 6, 1988, relocating the absentee polling place to the ICenter. The County Judge asked the Court to consider placing a t ~;temporary branch location at the College Station Community Center ion-Jersey Street in College Station. Commissioner Beard moved to ('establish a temporary branch absentee polling place at the ;College Station Community Center on Jersey Street. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Cooley. Mr. Rodger Lewis, Chairman of the local Republican Party asked the Court to again consider establishing a branch location ion the Texas A&M campus. He argued that A&M was the largest • employer in the county and that a branch polling place located on campus would benefit at least one half of the registered voters of the county. The selection of the Brazos Center as a branch location was commendable in his estimation and he asked the Court to perhaps consider more than one temporary location for absentee voting. Mr. Robert Orrosco of 1008 Crestwood in Bryan stressed the convenience of allowing the citizens of the county to vote at the Courthouse. He cited parking accessibility and no long lines to hinder voting. He further stated the minorities resided in the norchern and western portions of the County and that placing a temporary branch in a predominately anglo area would force the dilution of the minority vote. He asked that the Court make it convenient for all voters and place a branch location in each of the voter precincts. The County Judge reminded the Commissioners of the motion before the Court and asked for a vote on the establishment of a branch absentee polling place at the College Station Community Center on Jersey Street. Commissioners Cooley, Beard and the t. ~ Nr • 111 1 I lCounty Judge voted 'Aye'. Commissioners Wilcox and Turner voted 'No', whereupon the County Judge declared the motion carried. A I full copy of the Order is attached hereto. i There being no further business to come before the Court, , the meeting was adjourned. i I 1. 1 . I i 1 V6.7 L P~:25-1 ` I I =t-1...~ _ . . -qr-v. ~ .S"'• ~n .rte • r ~n ~r . -.-....,a7^ ....-.o.. f `1 r ,r • • • ~I The foregoing minutes have been elkamined and approved in open Court this' the 1 day of 19'1 , in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas. R• o 41 mgreen County Judge a ter cox Commissioner, Precinct 2 AtLOATUuer Commissioner, Precinct 4 R, B oo ey Commissioner, Precinct 1 Fran -B-or s e County Clerk vcr,--4/ -_PAc - - M 4 _ 1 ,I r, i I BRAZOS COUNTY 9RYAN. TEXAS ORDER ESTABLISHING TEMPORARY BRANCH ABSENTEE POLLING PLACE WHEREAS, the Commissioners Court of Brazos County, Texas has been petitioned to establish branch absentee polling places in various locations in Brazos County; and WHEREAS, the Republican Party of Brazos County has requested that a branch absentee polling place be established on the Texas A&M Campus and a branch absentee polling place be established in the Brazos Center at 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan, Texas; and WHEREAS, Fleeta A. Fannett, a citizen has requested that a branch absentee polling place be established in the Cawthorn Community in south Brazos County; and WHEREAS, Carey Cauley, President of the N.A.A.C.P. requested, at a previous Commissioners Court meeting that a branch absentee polling places be established at St. Theresa's Church on Lucky Street in Bryan, at Earl Graham American Legion Post on East Highway 21, and in the Edge Community in north Brazos County; and WHEREAS, Jesse Flores, representing the Mexican/ Americans stated, at a previous meeting of the Commissioners Court that he would protest the establishment of branch absentee I' i polling places that would dilute the minority vote; and WHEREAS, Ron Gay, Chairman of the Democratic Party of ; Brazos County recommended that the absentee polling place be moved from the Brazos County Courthouse to the Brazos Center at I ! 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan in lieu of establishing several I branch locations due to the cost of manning more than one branch I t I location; and t 1 t f r p~ - r„ - < ' .mom • . . ' s p n • t : - a~ . • rs.. ~ r ,r M L r r~ u • WHEREAS, the Commissioners Court is desirous of treating all voters of Brazos County equally: and WHEREAS, the Commissioners Court is desirous, of increasing voter participation and in furthering the convenience to all voters who wish to vote absentee; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OF BRAZOS COUNTY, TEXAS, THAT: Pursuant to section 85.062(a)(1) that a temporary branch absentee polling place be established at the College Station Community Center, 1300 Jersey Street, College Station, Texas with absentee voting to be conducted on the same days and during the same hours as voting is conducted at the main absentee polling place; and That submission be made to the Assistant General, Civil Rights.Division, Voting Section, Department of Justice, Washington D. C. requesting the preclearance of this order pursuant to Section 5 of the Federal Voting Rights Act. ADOPTED this 13th day of September, 1988. AYES: if. J. o reen, County Judge r is MTItUF'Turnier, Commissioner, Prec nct T VO L PA G E_-2oy _ NOES: Walter Wilcox, Commissioner, Precinct 2