Citizens,

1. Please help me congratulate Commissioner Jack Hatchell, who just won the prestigious Pitstick Award at the North Central Texas Council of Governments annual general assembly. The Pitstick Award is given in recognition of an individual’s commitment to regional excellence, and Commissioner Hatchell richly deserved the award for his many years of service to Collin County and the region.

2. Tracy and I just returned from the Republican Party state convention in Houston. I was very encouraged by the conservatism that the grassroots delegates demonstrated - and voted - in election after election. The convention showed that in spite of the rapid rate of growth of local and state governments in Texas that you see, at least our grassroots understand the need for personal freedom, low taxes, personal property rights, and limited government. I was very encouraged, and I want you to be encouraged as well.

3. The county employees were recently asked for their input on an issue that will come before the Commissioners Court. In order to also gain your taxpayer perspective, I ask for your feedback on a request to include a 4,000-square-foot employee workout facility in the next expansion of the new courthouse. As I said before, I take the authority to tax 730,000 citizens very seriously and want transparency in the issues and decisions before the court. Thomas Jefferson, 1810, “No one more sincerely wishes the spread of information among mankind than I do, and none has greater confidence in its effect towards supporting free and good government.” I agree.

Please give me your thoughts at keith.self@collincountytx.gov

The court will soon hear the concept to build an employee workout facility in the courthouse that will eventually contain all our district courts and county courts at law. This is a secured building with limited entrance and exit points. As I said at the dedication of the new courthouse, this is the building where our citizens come to receive and administer justice, where the quality of construction and infrastructure speak to the importance of the business conducted therein. This is not a general business location - it will house the vast majority of our justice system when completed. Approximately 205 employees currently work in the new courthouse out of approximately 1700 total county employees. That means that 88% of our employees (approximately 1500 employees) would have to travel to the main courthouse in order to take advantage of the employee-only facility. Of course, employee-only showers and locker facilities may be necessary as well.

Whether or not the employees with specific health issues would take advantage of the workout facility remains a question. I hosted a day-long event, Get Fit with the Judge, at the Lifetime Fitness in Allen on October 27, 2007. About 20 employees attended; mostly healthcare employees. Throughout the day, we hosted a 5K run/walk, a workout with a personal trainer, a pool party, a kid’s bounce house, basketball, volleyball, and rock climbing. In spite of the fact that a full day of events was scheduled, a great special membership price was offered, and children’s events were included, only 20 employees, mostly from the sponsoring office, attended.

The expected companion idea has also emerged - if a workout facility is good, then other facilities would be just as good. Several recommendations to include a childcare facility in the courthouse have already been received. If we acted on every suggestion, conducting the judicial business of the county would be secondary, rather than the primary focus of the courthouse. You get the picture. It is difficult to know where to stop once you get started adding amenities.

There is no doubt that our county workforce would benefit from increased exercise. Specifically, diabetes and overweight issues could improve, hopefully decreasing our health costs and improving the health of our workforce.

This is one of those ideas that requires balance between our responsibility to encourage a healthy workforce and the principle that government not compete with local business. There are an increasing number of commercial facilities that could serve the same purpose. In fact, several of our cities have taxpayer funded facilities with which we could contract, much like we share local cable channels for government broadcasts.

I want to improve the health of our employees - that is why I hosted Get Fit with the Judge at Lifetime Fitness. However, I would like to develop a comprehensive approach to employee healthcare during the budget cycle which ends in September, rather than addressing a single facility out of cycle without a complete strategic view of how we plan to address the entire spectrum of employee health issues.

I value your feedback. This is not a clear issue on either principle or solution. What IS clear, as Ronald Reagan articulated in April 1981, “When I took the oath of office, I pledged loyalty to only one special interest group–”We the People.”" I look forward to hearing from you, the taxpayer. Please email me at keith.self@collincountytx.gov

4. I occasionally run across items that are so good that I have to share them with you. Congressman John Campbell’s Green Eyeshade Blog is one. He is doing at the congressional level what I am trying to do at county level by writing about the workings of our respective organizations. You may follow his writings at http://greeneyeshade.townhall.com/blog. The latest entry on climate change is priceless, and shows the devastating loss of jobs and economic growth under legislation being considered.

Sincerely,
Keith