Travis County commissioners approved a mass gathering permit for the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp on June 24 and once again postponed the implementation of a countywide burn ban. Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s meeting:

  • Commissioners authorized County Attorney David Escamilla to do whatever is appropriate to challenge Senate Bill 4, the so-called sanctuary cities law, including filing a lawsuit. All costs and expenses for litigation will be paid by risk management. The county can join the city of Austin in its lawsuit or file its own.

  • Commissioners heard a presentation for Central Health’s fiscal year 2017-18 budget preparation. Central Health is a health care district created by voters and supported by property taxes. The program funds health care services for low-income and uninsured Travis County residents. Board members and executive leadership presented a few challenges that patients face, highlighted goals over the next three years and identified improvements for 2017, including accessibility, specialty care and developing new infrastructure. The staff also mentioned the Central Health board of managers directed it to prepare the FY 2017-18 draft budget with a property tax of 4.5 percent over the effective rate. Commissioners showed some concern with the increase. The board will return to Commissioners Court when the budget is finalized.

  • Commissioners also approved the continuation of two existing grant programs for the Texas Indigent Commission DNA Mixture Technical Support Grants in the criminal courts and for the Texas Department of Agriculture National School Lunch/Breakfast program and U.S. Department of Agriculture School Commodity Program in the Juvenile Probation Department. The DNA Mixtures grant program totaled $209,838.48. The National School Lunch/Breakfast program and USDA School Commodity Program totaled $261,247. The grants do not require matching funds from the county.