200206 CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS= MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Public Hearing April 10, 1957 3:00 Ρ.Μ. Council Chamber, City Hall The meeting was called to order with Mayor Miller presiding. Roll call: Present: Councilmen Long, Palmer, Pearson, White, Mayor Miller Absent: Nome The Mayor announced thatthis was a meeting called for the purpose of discussing the T. B. Sanatorium and the Juvenile Detention Center. He reviewed the early efforts in obtaining the Sanatorium, and gave a report on the meeting held last September, and the Council's decision to continue the operation of the Sanatorium. He also reviewed the agreement between the County and City on the Sanatorium, welfare, county charity patients, etc. JUDGE HARRIS GARDNER spoke on the development of a detention home up to the purchase eight years ago. He listed the needs now, and his request through the Commissioners' Court, and its answer that it was its understanding that the T. B. Samatorium would be abandoned and would be available. Judge Gardner wanted to know the Council's attitude regarding the Sanatorium; whether it will continue the operation or not. Mayor Miller discussed points covering the Council's responsibility of approving the budget for all of the city including the Samatorium, of its appropriating large suns for recreation; of the city's taking care of the ill at Brackenridge Hospital; and of its desire to always be cooperative with the Commissioners' Court. Councilman Long believed that if the community could build an Auditorium and air condition the Court House, that it could have a nice juvenile home. Commissioner Gault spoke stating the Juvenile Board had asked the Commissioners' Court not to spend any more money on the present location, as the Board felt that the Sanatorium would be abandoned. Councilman Pearson pointed out that the present location was served with busses, and the Sanatorium location was not; the City Police Department had to make many trips a day to the home, which was easily accessible. Councilman White agreed that a better place for the home was needed, but there was also a need for the T.B. Sanatorium. CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS- 2066 206 MR. WARDLOW expressed concern for the children's welfare and pledged the T. B. Association's support to any effort that the juvenile groups made to get an adequate and decent home. He reported on the T. B. situation in Travis County, giving detailed statistics and case reports, and stated the need for the T. B. Sanatorium's continued operation. MR. DAVID WILSON, T. B. Association, believed these were two separate problems, and should be treated separately. He, MR. JESS ALLMAN, and MR. JOE MANOR, recalled working along with others in raising money for the Sanatorium. DR. P. I. McSHANE, Director of the T. B. Board for the State, gave statistics on the T. B. Situation in the State, as well as in Travis County, and said if the counties closed the T. B. Sanatoriums over the state, the situation would be as bad as it was 5 and 10 years ago. DR. JAMES BETHEA, Head of the State Board of Hospitals and Special Schools stated even with an increase in state facilities, they were being used to the utmost, and if the other hospitals closed down, there would be a terrible setback, and he was glad to hear that it was the hope to keep this Sanatorium. MRS. ALDEN DAVIS was present. MRS. SAM SMITH, and MRS. W. C. LEAR made statements concerning the continuation of the Sanatorium. MR. ARTHUR T. DALLY, Superintendent of Hilltop Sanatorium at Corpus Christi listed advantages that Corpus had recognized in not using their Sanatorium as a waiting station for the State, but for treating the infected in their home sanatorium. The hospital was used to its maximum, and he believed the treatment in the home county did the most good to the patients and to the general public health. DR. MORRISON urged that the Sanatorium be kept and used as a treatment center, and that the community would be glad it did not abandon the sanatorium. He believed the write up in one of the magazines had been misleading about the T. B. situation. DR. JOHNSON stated the general idea was that T. B. had been whipped, but 1 out of 3 possibly would have T. B. germs. He stated this same thing has been going on all over the country, and the sanatoriums are being kept instead of being abandoned. DR. LANKFORD, University of Texas, stated if there were some recession and diet deficiencies, there would be a reoccurence of tuberculosis. Commissioner Swenson believed the Commissioners' Court had been misled about the Sanatorium's status, but he believed it was of such grave importance that there was no question. Commissioner Booth stated the Court did not intend to ask the Council to relinquish the Sanatorium--that they were misled in that there was a possibility of its being abandoned. Mr. Barker also had the same idea. REV. BARCLAY, member of the Hospital Board, explained the recommendation of the Board, in that compulsion could be used in getting people treated; that they could treat them as well in Brackenridge Hospital; that it was the responsibility of the State to care for the tuberculosis as it was the mentally ill. He stated no indigent person had ever been kept out of the Sanatorium because someone had to pass on it. The Mayor complimented the Board on its fine work. MR. WARDLOW stated a general hospital was not a good place to treat T. B. on a long range basis; that if there were an epidemic, all wards would be filled, if an infectious disease spread into all parts of the hospital; that there would be no savings, as with the patient load now, the cost is under $5.00, which does not hold for Hospital care. He did not agree with compulsory hospitalization. The Mayor stated he was not in favor of abandoning the Sanatorium until a larger or better one could be constructed. He personally endorsed the building CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS 206 206 of a better detention home and offered his help. Councilman Long expressed her opposition to abandoning the Sanatorium, and believed under the new policy it would be used to its capacity. She stated Brackenridge Hospital had been planned to be adequate for several years in the future, to take care of future growth of Austin. When the Board made its recommendation, the Sanatorium was at its lowest ebb, as the people thought that when they were there, they would be sent immediately on to the State. She believed there would be a new Juvenile Home and keep the T. B. Sanatorium too. The Mayor thanked the group for coming in. He stated the Council would plan on continuing the operationsof the T. B. Sanatorium. There being no further business the Council adjourned at 5:30 P. M. subject to the call of the Mayor. ATTEST: Eller City Clerk APPROVED Tom Mille Mayor