1 2 3 4 5 6 7 KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT 8 Emergency Session 9 Monday, July 17, 2000 10 9:00 a.m. 11 Commissioners' Courtroom 12 Kerr County Courthouse 13 Kerrville, Texas 14 15 16 17 18 BURN BAN 19 20 21 22 PRESENT: FREDERICK L. HENNEKE, Kerr County Judge 23 H. A. "BUSTER" BALDWIN, Commissioner Pct. 1 LARRY GRIFFIN, Commissioner Pct. 4 24 ABSENT: WILLIAM "BILL" WILLIAMS, Commissioner Pct. 2 25 JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Pct. 3 2 1 On Monday, July 17, 2000, at 11:30 a.m., an emergency 2 meeting of the Kerr County Commissioners Court was held in 3 the Commissioners Courtroom, Kerr County Courthouse, 4 Kerrville, Texas, and the following proceedings were had in 5 open court: 6 P R O C E E D I N G S 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: All right. It's 11:30 a.m. 8 on Monday, July 17th, Year 2000, and we'll call to order 9 this emergency meeting of the Kerr County Commissioners 10 Court. Let the record reflect that a quorum is present. 11 The topic for discussion is consider and discuss the 12 implementation of a burn ban in Kerr County. Gentlemen, do 13 either of of you want to offer any anything at this time? 14 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: I would like to make a 15 motion that we impose a burn ban for 90 days, effective 16 immediately, in accordance with state laws and guidelines. 17 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I'd like to second 18 that motion. 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: Would either of you like to 20 provide, for the record, the basis of your decision? Not 21 that I disagree with it. Each of you have had conversations 22 with local fire authority? 23 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Yes, I've had 24 conversations with fire departments, I've had numerous calls 25 from citizens in the last 24 hours, and I flew over the 3 1 territory so that I could take a look at it, and it's brown. 2 We need a burn ban imposed immediately. 3 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I had phone calls all 4 day yesterday -- started yesterday morning, and, I 5 understand that there has been a -- a tractor out north of 6 town here actually turned over, upside-down, and we actually 7 had a fire truck turn over on its top and completely 8 demolish it out on Highway 16 near the Medina mountain. 9 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: They we were 10 responding to a fire in -- 11 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: In Bandera County. 12 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: In Bandera County. 13 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That's correct. I 14 think they had six fire departments at that particular fire. 15 But, the -- and I've just -- you know, we have had -- I 16 think they had -- Turtle Creek had called and said that they 17 had five fires in the last couple of weeks, so it's 18 beginning to -- beginning to build on us. And I was in 19 meetings this morning at 7:00 with some -- the fire service 20 in the county, and they said it's time to -- definitely time 21 to do it. 22 JUDGE HENNEKE: All right. We have a request 23 from Darlene Allen to address us on this issue. Ms. Allen? 24 MS. ALLEN: Yes, sir. What I would like to 25 address -- I totally agree with each and every one of you 4 1 that the burn ban should be on. My concern is how it be 2 given to the public to possibly give a little bit more 3 protection to the citizens around the -- the area in which 4 the burn is going to occur, should it become again opened, 5 and that is, at the point that a burn ban is released, if 6 there can be two items included in that message, and that 7 would be that, one, before you ever light a match, do two 8 things. That is, one, call your local fire department for 9 an immediate update, and two, let a neighbor know what 10 you're doing. These are two of the, I think, very important 11 items that need to be included in your information of 12 your -- your bans. And that this may help prevent -- the 13 fire that was on Scenic Hill was reported by a citizen that 14 had just come home from a trip, and she has a very good view 15 from a deck. She was concerned. She placed a call -- she 16 placed several calls, and the timely response which they had 17 probably saved a lot of acreage. 18 I feel like that if that person had called 19 the fire department yesterday before they struck a match, 20 they may have never lit that fire, and they may not have 21 tied up three -- I know of at least, I think, three trucks, 22 till 9 o'clock last night, which could have been fighting 23 somewhere else. So, if -- if that information can be 24 included in your format of notifying the public, I think 25 that it will help the -- the bans when they are lifted. Or 5 1 enforced, even. If it goes on there all the time, the 2 public will see this and -- and think of it as a rule. 3 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Okay. 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: All right. Thank you, 5 Ms. Allen. 6 MS. ALLEN: Thank you. 7 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I'll tell you, to me, 8 the burn ban in itself is one of the most ridiculous things 9 that we do, because people should have common sense and not 10 burn in this kind of -- in these conditions. 11 MS. ALLEN: I totally agree. I also know 12 that -- 13 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: But it's not going to 14 to happen. We have to lead them around. 15 MS. ALLEN: I will say that this person is 16 the same person that set the valley on fire the last time. 17 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That's what I heard. 18 MS. ALLEN: So he didn't learn the first 19 time, even from common sense. So, yes, I agree. Burn bans 20 are a necessity. 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yes, they are. 22 MS. ALLEN: And, you know, it helps -- it 23 gives a little bit of bite into what -- had he gone against 24 a ban, then he would have been subject possibly to a fine. 25 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Is she saying -- is 6 1 she saying that once we lift the ban, that it's -- then it's 2 going to be a requirement, if you burn, you have to call a 3 neighbor and you have to -- what was the other one? 4 MS. ALLEN: Call a neighbor and call the fire 5 department. Mostly call the fire department. And I don't 6 know -- 7 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I don't know that we 8 can do that. 9 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: We'll have to look at 10 the statute. I don't -- I don't know whether we can do that 11 or not. But, if we can -- we can -- and it's on our -- by 12 the way, that's on our Web site. 13 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yeah. 14 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: It's on the Web site 15 notification. 16 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yeah. 17 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: But if we can 18 emphasize that we urge people to call their fire department, 19 it's a good idea. And the fire departments like it. They 20 just like to know. 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Absolutely. 22 MS. ALLEN: Oh, they love to be notified, 23 trust me. 24 JUDGE HENNEKE: I presume we're going to be 25 updating the Web site in -- 7 1 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Within minutes, as 2 soon as I can get out of here. 3 JUDGE HENNEKE: Any further comments or 4 questions? If not, all in favor, raise your right hand. 5 (The motion carried by unanimous vote.) 6 JUDGE HENNEKE: All opposed, same sign. 7 (No response.) 8 JUDGE HENNEKE: Motion carries. I think 9 effective immediately, a burn ban is imposed in Kerr County 10 for 90 days. 11 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Was it a 3-0 vote or 12 2-to-1? 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: It was 2-0, is what it was. 14 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: No vote here? Come 15 on, Judge, you have to step out there. 16 JUDGE HENNEKE: All right, we stand 17 adjourned. Thank you. 18 (Commissioners Court adjourned at 11:37 a.m.) 19 - - - - - - - - - - 20 21 22 23 24 25 8 1 STATE OF TEXAS | 2 COUNTY OF KERR | 3 The above and foregoing is a true and complete 4 transcription of my stenotype notes taken in my capacity as 5 County Clerk of the Commissioners Court of Kerr County, 6 Texas, at the time and place heretofore set forth. 7 DATED at Kerrville, Texas, this 17th day of July, 2000. 8 9 10 JANNETT PIEPER, Kerr County Clerk 11 BY: _________________________________ Kathy Banik, Deputy County Clerk 12 Certified Shorthand Reporter 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25