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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-10-03-0600PM-PublicHearingBRAZOS COUNTY BRYAN. TEXAS NOTICR OF PUBLIC HEARING ON REALIGNING COMISSIONER AND JUSTICE OF THE PEACE PRECINCTS The Brazos County Commissioners Court will conduct a public hearing for the purpose of hearing testimony with regard to the redrawing of Commissioner and Justice of the Peace Precinct boundaries. The hearing will be held on Thursday, October 3, 1991 at 6:00 P.M. in room 115 of the Brazos County Courthouse, 300 East 26th Street, Bryan, Texas. All interested citizens are invited to submit comments or plans at this time. Maps showing the proposed precincts as they will be discussed are on display in the Commissioners Courtroom and may be seen by contacting the County Judge's Office at 361-4102 or your County Commissioner at 361-4109. ,;--Y 6 %L r. COMMISSIONERS' COURT PUBLIC HEARING OCTOBER 3, 1991 The Commissioners' Court of Brazos County, Texas held a I Public Hearing on the realignment of Commissioner Precincts and Justice Precincts in the t Commissioners' Courtroom in the ! Courthouse in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 3, 1991, with the following members of the Court present: R. J. Holmgreen, County Judge, Presiding; Gary Norton, Commissioner of Precinct 1; Walter Wilcox, Commissioner of Precinct 2; Randy Sims, Commissioner of Precinct 3; Milton Turner, Commissioner of Precinct 4; Mary Ann Ward, County Clerk. i The following citizens and officials were in attendance: Ruth McLeod Executive Assistant Carol Palmer Admin. Asst. to County Judge Mary C. Horn Justice of the Peace Pct. 2 • Louis Garcia, Jr. Constable Pct. 4 J. R. Burkhalter Constable Pct. 2 Winfred E. Pittman Constable Pct. 7 Ray Truelove Justice of the Peace Pct. 3 Wes Hall Justice of the Peace Pct. 7-2 Tom Lyons Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Raymond H. Day Constable Pct. 1 Antone Dobrovolny Justice of the Peace Pct. 5 Frankie Nemec Constable Pct. 5 Ramiro Quintero LULAC Vicki Dunlap Millican Resident Linda Greer Millican Resident Emily Staples Millican Resident Ann Lyons Millican Resident Sally Griffin Millican Resident Jewell Maxey Cawthorn Resident John Godfrey Brazos County Resident John Wilkerson Millican Resident Jesse Flores Brazos County Resident Frank D. Steward Brazos County Resident Lloyd Thomas Brazos County Resident Daniel R. Hernandez Brazos County Resident Steve Gongora Brazos County Resident Helen Wilcox Brazos County Resident Harold Eaton Brazos County Resident James Garcia, Jr. LULAC Frank Lewis, Jr. Brazos County Resident Rev. G.H. Jones, III Brazos County Resident Jack Boyett Millican Resident E. Rodriguez LULAC Rodger Lewis B.C. Republican Party Hallie Gray Brazos County Resident Steve Garza Brazos County Resident Richard Rosas Brazos County Resident Clyde W. Day Millican Resident Cruz Ramirez LULAC Robert Orozco Brazos County Resident Kent Dunlap Millican Resident W.R. McKay Brazos County Resident Carey Cauley N.A.A.C.P. U 1 ut l _ ~4_ Yu Ww1~IlLJW•~a.~+y::..ti ~`?~j•--•-~ -Y iepRro[~ The Court met in Public Hearing to hear commentary for and against the realignment of the Commissioners and Justice Precincts. The County Judge stated in his opening comments that the notice of the hearing had been properly posted on the bulletin board and on the door of the Courthouse and had been advertized in the Eagle, a local newspaper and on the Courthouse door all in accordance with the law. He outlined the procedures for the hearing. The County Judge then turned the meeting over to Mr. Bob Heath, representative of Bickerstaff, Heath and Smiley, Brazos County's consultant for the redistricting process, who then conducted the meeting. Mr. Heath briefed those in attendance on the procedure and guidelines for the process. He told those in attendance the he would be discussing plan "E" revised 7-15-91 which complies with the law. He then asked those in attendance for any comments on the subject. Jesse Flores - asked about the deadline for action, if other organizations could present plans, how adoption of the plan would be handled and then stated he would like to see a black and a hispanic plan. Mr. Fores was advised that the Justice Department has sixty days to approve any plan submitted and it must be done before the filing deadline for candidates for the Primary Election in March. He was further advised that the final adoption of the plan would be by the Commissioners Court but only after being reviewed by the public. Daniel Hernandez - asked about an earlier comment by Mr. Heath concerning a committee to study the program, he asked if the committee could help with the plan, he stated he would like to submit a plan of his own but did not have the neighborhood census figures. Richard Rosas - stated that the makeup of voting precinct 19 has changed considerably since the last census was taken. The area has a higher population of middle income Hispanics and Blacks and suggested looking at the current figures to determine if part of the area could be moved from Commissioner Precinct 2 area and put into Commissioner Precinct 4 area. Lloyd Thomas - questioner} if Brazos County had an informed community and asked the County to appoint a committee representing all races to help devise a plan. James Garcia - stated that the new map crosses existing voting precinct lines and the public doesn't know what the new numbers are and where the new voting precinct lines are. Jewel blaxey - from the Cawthorn /Millican area asked if precinct places and voting equipment would remain the same. She was advised that some would remain the same, but there would be new voting precincts and locations where voters would vote. r` Jesse Flores - asked if federal funding was available to do the study. He was advised that there was not federal funding available for a study. Wes Hall - asked what the procedure was if the Justice Department rejected the plan. He was advised that the Justice Department would tell the county if there were specific problems and allow the county to correct those problems. If there was a general objection to the plan the county would have to start over and devise a different plan. Carey Cauley - agreed that more information was needed on the precincts. He stated present plan (E) will determine who will have power in the County. He suggested looking at the voting habits and trying to raise the numbers in minority precincts to make it safer for majority voting strength. He would like to see a higher percent of minorities in Commissioner Precinct 4. Daniel Hernandez - asked about the time frame for the submission and the availability of the census figures for the public to see. He was advised the information is computerized and Robert Heath invited the group to visit their offices in Austin to see the census figures by block if it would be helpful to them. Daniel Hernandez - recommended the statistical information be brought to Bryan. Robert Orozco - asked the Court to make a commitment to bringing the information to Bryan. Richard Rosas - agreed Daniel Hernandez - asked if the public would have use of the services of Bickerstaff, Heath and Smiley to draw up a plan. Louis Garcia - asked what will happen if the census figures are wrong as has been publicized and if an adjustment is made to the count. He was advised that no one knew what would happen at that time. Daniel Hernandez - asked the latest date that a plan can be approved. He was advised that the end of October would be the latest a plan could be adopted by the Commissioners Court because the Justice Department has sixty days to review the plan and give the County an answer. The Justice Department can also ask for more time. Richard Rosas - asked why this date was set so late. Carey Cauley - asked if there would be other public hearings. , Steve Gongora asked what was per Commissioners', precinct. the ideal number was 30,000. the ideal population He was advised that vol.-4 . 6 D G g r Judge Holmgreen - ask those present who wished to participate in an informal workshop if and when the representatives bring the statistical data from Austin to please leave their names, phone numbers and addresses so that they can be contacted as to the date of the meeting. Louis Garcia - asked when the new Justice of the Peace position would become effective. He was advised that it would be January 1, 1992 The County Judge recessed the meeting for a short period of time then reopened the meeting to consider Justice precincts. Tommy Lyons - asked the Court to retain the current Justice precincts citing distance from the Courthouse and Sheriff's Department, minority population in this area would be loosing representation, effective law enforcement as reasons to retain the current precincts. Linda Greer - stated that calls to the Courthouse were expensive. Commissioner Norton - stated that the idea of combining the precincts was not a new one and that there was a toll free number a citizen of the Millican area could call in order to reach the Courthouse at no cost to the citizen. Vickie Dunlap - indicated that the proposed move will take away necessary law enforcement services from the area due to the distance a Deputy Sheriff would have to travel if there was trouble. At present they have a Constable that patrols the area. Clyde Day - asked what the duties of a Constable were and that Tommy Lyons and Raymond Day would be willing to take a 50 percent reduction in pay if all on Court would agree to. Mr Day was advised that the responsibility of the Constable is to serve as law enforcement for the Justice of the Peace. Emily Staples - stated she felt more citizen input would be needed before finalizing the plan. Judge Holmgreen - asked if there were any more comments. Richard Rosas - felt that people in Millican were being left without law enforcement protection. Emily Staples - asked if there was anything the citizens of Millican can do in the form of a petition before the final decision is made. Clyde Day - wanted to ask Tommy Lyons how much it would take in fines to defray the cost of operating the office. Tommy Lyons - stated it would take approximately $5,000 to $6,000 a month to defray the cost. Mary Horn - stated she felt that the residents of the precinct would suffer for lack of service. r vol. L John Godfrey - asked if there was a particular reason why the rural J.P.'s could not warn prisoners in the Courthouse. Tommy Lyons - stated that at one time there had been a plan to rotate with the in town Justices of the Peace to perform this service on a rotating basis. Clyde Day - asked how much it cost to have a murder trial in the Courthouse. He stated that Raymond Day had stopped at least three or four in the last few years. James Garcia - stated that he had a business and knew about working within a budget and asked how one puts a price tag on the services of a Justice of the Peace or a Constable and the safety of the people. Judge Holmgreen asked again for further comments and receiving none announced the Public Hearing closed and adjourned the meeting. The foregoing minutes have been examined and approved in open Court this the day of , 19Z , in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas. "7r R. J. Holmgreen County Judge r Wa ter Wilcox Commissioner, Precinct 2 Milton Turner Commissioner, Precinct 4 VOL 4 Cary No n Commiss ner, Precinct 1 z Ran y Si Commiss ner, Precinct 3 Mary A t h' County Clerk