The University Star | News | Wednesday August 28, 2013 | 3
PROTESTS, continued from front spent 10 hours per day, Monday – Sunday at the site. He said it was difficult for the workers to not receive adequate pay for their work. “We (the workers) fell behind on payments,” Contreras said. “We had to borrow money and accumulate debts we didn’t have.” Contreras said the current subcontractor for Millennium is paying its workers. However, before it took over, a number of subcontractors were hired and then subsequently fired. “We went through three subcontractors, and everyone got money except for us,” Contreras said. “We worked and they got the money.” Ramirez said Galaxy Builders, the general contractor of the property, hired subcontractors but failed to check whether they had enough capital to undertake the project. Ramirez said supervisors from Galaxy Builders were on site and aware workers were not receiving payment. He said supervisors allowed subcontractors to promise workers pay they would never receive. Ramirez said more and more workers
left the project as nonpayment continued. “The reason they are behind on the project is they lost all the workers that didn’t get paid,” Ramirez said. Ramirez said only six workers came to Workers Defense Project, but there are more who did not receive the pay they earned. Almost 30 workers are owed a combined $100,000, according to one subcontractor Ramirez contacted. “Galaxy benefited from the labor, property owners benefited from the labor, the building is almost ready for leasing and they’re going to start getting rents,” Ramirez said. “But the people who built the buildings didn’t get anything.” Roberto Olgin, another former worker on the Millennium project, said he wants justice for the six workers who went to Workers Defense Project and for any others who have gone through a similar ordeal. Olgin said the situation is like a magic act, because each contractor, and the money, disappeared without a trace. “It was like magic,” Olgin said. “And it’s not just. We’re construction workers, but we all deserve pay.”
CRIME
Hays County Jail inmate population on the rise By Weldon McKenzie News Reporter
Hays county commissioners are monitoring inmate population data for the Hays County Law Enforcement Center to make sure it stays at capacity level in the future. Captain Mark Cumberland of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office said the Hays County Jail has a capacity of 362 inmates, but jail standards require 10 percent, roughly 35 of the beds, to remain open. According to Hays County Commissioners Court minutes, the peak population was 323 inmates for the week of July 14 through July 20. The jail had a weekly average of 313, which is 87 percent capacity. The following week saw an increase with a weekly peak and average of 328
inmates. However, the census taken on Aug.13 showed the jail had a decreased population of 285 inmates, or 78 percent capacity. Cumberland gave a short update on inmate population to county commissioners July 23. The inmate population total is a standing agenda item revisited every week in order to better monitor changes in the numbers. In the meeting, Bert Cobb, Hays County judge, said the commissioners will continue to look at these numbers on a week-to-week basis to better understand what further steps need to be taken. “There have been many times that we were over the standard in the jail,” Cobb said. “With these numbers, we can stay on top of it and hopefully find a solution to this problem.”
SMOKE, continued from front smoke was not a problem, and two percent had no opinion. There were 97 open house attendees, and city councilmembers decided to leave a considered smoking ban ordinance item off the 2011 ballot. Jamison said a potential ordinance could be based on the no-smoking rulings of Austin and San Antonio. Both cities established all indoor public places and public parks as smoke-free, Jamison said. Neither city has conducted a comprehensive study of the economic effects of the smoking bans, but San Antonio has announced its business conditions have improved, Jamison said. Councilman Jude Prather, Place 2, said he supports a new anti-smoking ordinance. “Do you want to infringe on the right of those who want to breathe clean air?” Prather said. Some members of the city council expressed concern about possible negative effects on businesses due to a smoking ban. Councilman Ryan Thomason, Place 5, said there should be “some kind of outreach to stakeholders in this fight” before the ordinance could be passed. Councilman Wayne Becak, Place 4, said an all-encompassing ban might have negative consequences because there are “unique” places where people enjoy smoking. Devin Lopez, a bartender at Zelicks Icehouse, said an anti-smoking ban would probably not affect the establishment’s business because it is a mostly outdoor bar. Lopez said he does not think a ban would “affect us that much” assuming
it would only apply to indoor establishments. Lopez said he does not think secondhand smoke is a problem at Zelicks because of its outdoor layout and how “good ventilation” circulates the air away from customers. Lopez said he thinks secondhand smoke is a problem in small buildings with little ventilation. City councilmembers did not specify whether the ban would apply to outdoor establishments. Erin Dickson, a bartender at Treffs Tavern, said a smoking ban would affect the bar since around 80 percent of its customers smoke. She said Treffs Tavern opened in 1994, and people have always been allowed to smoke there. Dickson said Treffs is a “different” kind of bar where people smoke, watch TV and hang out all day, and a ban would keep the regulars from enjoying the atmosphere. Dickson said she thinks secondhand smoke drives a few non-smokers away from the bar but not most of them. She said Treffs now has a non-smoking section for people who want to be out of the smoke’s range. Dickson said a smoking ban might affect the business, but the customer base is so loyal they would keep coming to Treffs. Dixon McKaye, an employee at Triple Crown, said the business is officially against an anti-smoking ordinance. “We don’t like people coming in and telling us what to do,” McKaye said. The city council has scheduled a public hearing relating to the new ordinance for Sept. 3.
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