Travis County Bail Bond Board Meeting Minutes - July 12, 2023
Present:
Ms. Dolores Ortega-Carter, Chair (In Person)
Judge Nicholas Chu, 1st Vice Chair (In Person)
Judge Ron Meyerson, 2nd Vice Chair (Virtual)
Mr. Billy Engle, Bail Bond Representative (In Person)
Ms. Velva Price, District Clerk’s Office (In Person)
LT. Christina Dail, TCSO (Virtual)Also Present:
Ms. Annalynn Cox, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Vickie P. Riojas, Bail Bond Board Secretary (In Person)
Ms. Angelica McDowell, Pretrial Services (In Person)
Ms. Chere Bennett, Pretrial Services (Virtual)
Mr. Dan Brenza, ATX Bail Bonds
Mr. Erik Dobbs, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Ms. Sara Casey, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Ms. Heather Kellum, County/District Clerk Division (Virtual)
Ms. Ortega-Carter called the meeting to order.
A. Consider minutes of June 7, 2023, meeting and take appropriate action.
Judge Chu, moved, Ms. Price seconded, and the Board voted to approve the minutes.
B. Consider the request from American Surety Company for the release of security on deposit for license # 205467 for its agent Debra Ojeda d/b/a/ Kwik Bail Bonds # 2 and take appropriate action. (Passed from last month)
This item was removed from the agenda.
C. Discuss procedures around the filing of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 17.16 and 17.19 motions and take appropriate action.
This item was passed to next month’s meeting.
D. Public Comment.
None
Judge Chu moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to adjourn.
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Travis County Bail Bond Board Meeting Minutes - May 3, 2023
Present:
Ms. Dolores Ortega-Carter, Chair (In Person)
Judge Nicholas Chu, 1st Vice Chair (In Person)
Judge Ron Meyerson, 2nd Vice Chair (Virtual)
Mr. Billy Engle, Bail Bond Representative (In Person)
Mr. Benjamin Blackburn, ACDLA (In Person)
Ms. Velva Price, District Clerk’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Amanda Green, County Clerk’s Office (In Person)
Judge Carlos Barrera, County Court #8 (Virtual)
LT. Christina Dail, TCSO (Virtual)
Judge Brandy Mueller, District Court 403rd (In Person)
Also Present:
Ms. Annalynn Cox, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Melissa Hargis, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Angelica McDowell, Pretrial Services (In Person)
Ms. Chere Bennett, Pretrial Services (In Person)
Ms. Leisha King, Allegheny Casualty (Virtual)
Mr. Ken Good, Allegheny Casualty (Virtual)
Mr. Mike Padilla, US Fire/North River Insurance (Virtual)
Mr. Eric Dobbs, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Ms. Sara Casey, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Mr. Daniel Brenza, ATX Bail Bonds 2 (Virtual)
Mr. Troy McLehany, Kwik Out Bail Bonds (Virtual)
MAJ Raul Banasco, TCSO (Virtual)
Ms. Ortega-Carter called the meeting to order.
A. Consider minutes of April 5, 2023, meeting and take appropriate action.
Mr. Blackburn moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to approve the minutes.
B. Consider the renewal application for Allegheny Casualty Company, agent Daniel Brenza, dba ATX Bail Bonds 2, license # 052021, and take appropriate action.
Mr. Engle moved, Judge Chu seconded, and the Board voted to approve the renewal application for Allegheny Casualty Company, agent Daniel Brenza, dba ATX Bail Bonds 2, license # 052021.
C. Consider the renewal application for United States Fire Insurance Company, agent Troy McLehany, dba Kwik Out Bail Bonds, license # 012017, and take appropriate action.
Judge Chu moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to approve the renewal application for United States Fire Insurance Company, agent Troy McLehany, dba Kwik Out Bail Bonds, license # 012017.
D. Discuss staffing issues at the Travis County jail as it relates to the bonding office and take appropriate action. (This item was passed from last month’s meeting.)
After discussion, the Board decided to table this item for further discussion between the affected parties.
E. Public Comment.
None
Judge Chu moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to adjourn.
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Travis County Bail Bond Board Meeting Minutes - April 5, 2023
Present:
Ms. Dolores Ortega-Carter, Chair (In Person)
Judge Ron Meyerson, 2nd Vice Chair (Virtual)
Mr. Billy Engle, Bail Bond Representative (In Person)
Mr. Benjamin Blackburn, ACDLA (In Person)
Ms. Amanda Green, County Clerk’s Office (In Person)
Mr. Paul Sintef, District Clerk’s Office (Virtual)
Judge Carlos Barrera, County Court #8 (Virtual)
Sgt. William Gilbert, TCSO (Virtual)
Also Present:
Ms. Annalynn Cox, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Melissa Hargis, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Vickie P. Riojas, Bail Bond Board Secretary (In Person)
Ms. Angelica McDowell, Pretrial Services (In Person)
Mr. Eric Dobbs, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Ms. Sara Casey, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Officer Robert Stanford, TCSO (Virtual)
Ms. Chere Bennett, Pretrial Services (Virtual)
Mr. Dan Brenza, ATX Bail Bonds 2 (Virtual)
Mr. John Zavala, Around the Clock Bail Bonds (Virtual)
Ms. Ortega-Carter called the meeting to order.
A. Consider the minutes of the March 1, 2023, meeting and take appropriate action.
Mr. Blackburn moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to approve the minutes.
B. Discuss staffing issues at the Travis County jail as it relates to the bonding office and take appropriate action.
Mr. Blackburn requested to have this item on the agenda. After a discussion, Mr. Blackburn moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to continue this item to next month for further discussion between the parties.
C. Public Comment.
None
Mr. Engle moved, Mr. Blackburn seconded, and the Board voted to adjourn.
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Travis County Bail Bond Board Meeting Minutes - March 1, 2023
Present:
Ms. Dolores Ortega-Carter, Chair (In Person)
Mr. Billy Engle, Bail Bond Representative (In Person)
Mr. Benjamin Blackburn, ACDLA (In Person)
Ms. Amanda Green, County Clerk’s Office (In Person)
Lt. Christina Dail, TCSO (Virtual)
Mr. Paul Sintef, District Clerk’s Office (Virtual)
Judge Carlos Barrera, County Court #8 (Virtual)
Also Present:
Ms. Annalynn Cox, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Vickie P. Riojas, Bail Bond Board Secretary (In Person)
Ms. Jennifer Moreno-Williams, (Virtual)
Mr. Eric Dobbs, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Ms. Sara Casey, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Sgt. William Gilbert, TCSO (Virtual)
Ms. Ortega-Carter called the meeting to order.
A. Consider the minutes of the January 4, 2023, meeting and take appropriate action.
Mr. Blackburn moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to approve the minutes.
B. Receive report from Audit Response Subcommittee and from the County Attorney’s Office with an update on the audit and take appropriate action.
The subcommittee met at the end of January. Representatives from the Treasurer’s Office, County Clerk, and District Clerk’s office were present at the meeting. The subcommittee decided that they would meet regularly to ensure compliance with Texas Occupations Code 1704.203. Ms. Cox also updated the Board that the Auditor’s Office has concluded the Audit and no further action would be taken.
C. Consider the renewal application for Jennifer Moreno-Williams, dba Bail Bonds Express, license # 226450, and take appropriate action.
Mr. Blackburn moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to approve the renewal application for Jennifer Moreno-Williams, dba Bail Bonds Express, license # 226450 for a 3-year term.
D. Public Comment.
None
Mr. Blackburn moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to adjourn.
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Travis County Bail Bond Board Meeting Minutes - January 4, 2023
Present:
Ms. Dolores Ortega-Carter, Chair (In Person)
Judge Nicholas Chu, Vice-Chair (In Person)
Mr. Billy Engle, Bail Bond Representative (In Person)
Ms. Amanda Green, County Clerk’s Office (In Person)
Sgt. Palmer Wright, TCSO (Virtual)
Mr. Benjamin Blackburn, ACDLA (Virtual)
Mr. Paul Sintef, District Clerk’s Office (Virtual)
Also Present:
Ms. Annalynn Cox, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Vickie P. Riojas, Bail Bond Board Secretary (In Person)
Mr. Eric Dobbs, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Sara Casey, County Attorney’s Office (Virtual)
Ms. Ortega-Carter called the meeting to order.
A. Consider minutes of the December 7, 2022, meeting and take appropriate action.
Judge Chu moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to approve the minutes.
B. Tabulate results from the December 16, 2022, election of the criminal defense attorney member of the Bail Bond Board and take appropriate action.
Ms. Riojas opened the sealed envelope and counted the votes. After the votes were tabulated, Ms. Riojas announced that Mr. Blackburn had been elected as the criminal defense attorney representative with a vote of 9-0.
C. Discuss draft Bail Bond Board report from the Auditor’s Office and the Board’s response to the report and take appropriate action.
The Board discussed the draft report from the Travis County Auditor’s Office. Ms. Ortega-Carter moved, Judge Chu seconded, and the Board voted to form a subcommittee to discuss the recommendations contained in the report. The members of the subcommittee will be the Treasurer, the County Clerk, and the District Clerk, and the County Attorney’s Office will set up the meeting.
D. Public Comment.
None
Judge Chu moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to adjourn.
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Travis County Bail Bond Board Meeting Minutes - December 7, 2022
Present:
Ms. Dolores Ortega-Carter, Chair (In Person)
Judge Nicholas Chu, Vice-Chair (In Person)
Judge Ron Meyerson, 2nd Vice-Chair (Virtual)
Mr. Billy Engle, Bail Bond Representative (In Person)
Lt. Christina Dail, TCSO (Virtual)
Ms. Amanda Green, County Clerk’s Office (In Person)
Mr. Benjamin Blackburn, ACDLA (Virtual)
Also Present:
Ms. Annalynn Cox, County Attorney’s Office (In Person)
Ms. Cheré Bennett, Pretrial Services, Acting Secretary (In Person)
Mr. Lee Wilson, First Community Insurance Company (Virtual)
Mr. Troy McLehany, Kwik Out Bail Bonds (Virtual)
Mr. Palmer Wright, TCSO (Virtual)
Mr. Matt Clark, Freedom Bail Bonds (In Person)
Mr. Daniel Brenza, ATX Bail Bonds 2 (Virtual)
Ms. Ortega-Carter called the meeting to order.
A. Consider minutes of the November 2, 2022, meeting and take appropriate action.
Judge Chu moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to approve the minutes.
B. Receive update from the County Attorney’s Office on the letter sent to Kwik Out Bail Bonds following the Site Visit Subcommittee’s report to the Board at the November meeting and take appropriate action.
Received from Ms. Cox with no additional actions needed.
C. Discuss the request from Matt Clark regarding the release of collateral for Matt Clark’s Freedom Bail Bonds and take appropriate action.
Mr. Engle motioned, Judge Chu seconded, and the Board voted to release the collateral.
D. Announce election results of the Justice of the Peace member of the Bail Bond Board and take appropriate action.
The results of the election of the Justice of the Peace representative were announced. The Justices re-elected Judge Nicholas Chu, JP5, to serve as their representative.
E. Announce election results of the bail bond licensee member of Bail Bond Board and take appropriate action.
The Travis County Bail Bondsmen voted 7 to 1 to re-elect Mr. Billy Engle as their representative to the Travis County Bail Bond Board.
F. Conduct elections for Chair, Vice Chair, and 2nd Vice Chair, and take appropriate action.
Judge Chu motioned, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to keep the current slate for Chair, Vice Chair, and 2nd Vice Chair as follows:
Chair – Dolores Ortega-Carter
Vice-Chair – Judge Nicholas Chu
2nd Vice-Chair – Judge Ronald Meyerson
G. Conduct elections for Site Visit Subcommittee and take appropriate action.
Judge Chu motioned, Ms. Green seconded, and the Board voted to keep the current slate for the Site Visit Subcommittee as follows:
Ms. Dolores Ortega-Carter, Travis County Treasurer’s Office
Ms. Velva Price, District Clerk’s Office
Mr. Billy Engle, Bail Bondsmen Representative
H. Conduct elections for Complaints Subcommittee and take appropriate action.
Judge Chu motioned, Judge Meyerson seconded, and the Board voted to keep the current slate for the Complaints Subcommittee as follows:
Mr. Rickey Jones, District Attorney’s Office
Mr. Billy Engle, Bail Bondsmen Representative
Mr. Benjamin Blackburn, ACDLA
I. Public Comment.
Ms. Cox reminded the Board that the ACDLA representative election will take place Friday December 16th 12-1pm in the CJC Lobby. Ms. Ortega-Carter asked about the County Court at Law representative election. Ms. Cox advised that the County Court at Law judges make their decision who their representative will be, and that the Board is not involved in that decision.
Judge Chu moved, Mr. Engle seconded, and the Board voted to adjourn.
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