On April 11, the Hays County Commissioner’s Court listened to ideas brought forward by the public, the district attorney’s office and the Hays County treasury department.
Judge Ruben Becerra and commissioners recognized April as National Donate Life Month, Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month, World Autism Awareness Month and named the second week of April as National Telecommunicators Week. They also recognized Rosemary Burke Campise as the founder of the Burke Foundation through a proclamation.
“50 years ago, Rosemary Campise founded and opened the Burke Center for Youth in Driftwood, TX,” the proclamation said. “The Hays County Commissioner Court will proclaim April 15 as Rosemary Campise Day.”
Opening in 1973, the Burke Center for Youth was opened as a residential center for youth. Over the years, they have been able to aid with support families, foster children and children looking to be adopted. Since then, they have expanded to become a child placement and adoption agency.
“We are all broken and we have all been through something,” Becerra said in reference to Campise’s work. “Helping one another is the greatest honor.”
Randy Franks, a resident of Hays County, brought attention to a Hays County inmate, Melvin Nicholas, who has not been treated for his diabetes.
“It has almost been a year since Melvin put in a sick request about painful lumps over his body,” Franks said. “We have documentation and evidence that these complaints are being ignored.”
Hays County District Attorney, Kelly Higgins, brought forth a civil division of the DA’s office in order to aid in their cases. This staff would include attorneys with years of experience to aid in the county’s civil cases.
“We have triple the number of cases that we usually do,” Gregg Cox, first assistant to the district attorney said. “Having some additional brains and people in the room will help.”
The Hays County Treasurer, Daphne Tenorio, brought up the issue of compensation pay to the commissioner’s court. As of right now, workers are allowed 60 hours of compensation work per the Hays County policy. According to Tenorio, some of her staff as well as other department staff are well over 60 hours.
“It’s not good for employees to put [over 60] hours in,” Commissioner Lon Shell said. “We have a policy. We just need to enforce it.”
The Hays County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. on select Tuesdays each month. For more information, visit its website.