Commissioners clash over Cap Metro board rep

Panel ties over bid to replace Juli Word with predecessor.

Tension erupted at the Williamson County Commissioners meeting Tuesday when two commissioners clashed over a proposal to replace the county’s representative on the Capital Metro board of directors.

The argument began when Commissioner Terry Cook, who represents the Round Rock area, said the county’s representative on the Cap Metro board, Juli Word, had not attended enough meetings. Word has missed 15 out of 46 Cap Metro board meetings since she was sworn in July 14, Cook said.

“We need a strong voice on the Cap Metro board,” said Cook.

Word did not return a request for comment Tuesday. Cook nominated the county’s former representative, Norm Chavetz, to serve again on the board.

Commissioner Cynthia Long said Word told her many of the meetings she missed were public hearings. Long then objected to Cook’s nomination of Chavetz.

“I will tell you Norm Chavetz made headlines in the Austin American-Statesman in 2013 when he was called out for abusing travel privileges at Cap Metro,” Long said.

The article in the newspaper said Chavetz and another board member asked for $3,000 to travel 19 miles to Austin and stay in a hotel for a conference and also spent $38,000 in travel over a 3½-year period.

Chavetz served as the county’s representative on the Cap Metro board from 2009 to 2014.

When the article was published, Long said, commissioners told Chavetz “we would give him a graceful out but we would not reappoint him.”

Chavetz spoke to the commissioners right after Long objected. “There was no abuse,” said Chavetz. “I spent the travel budget that was allocated to me.”

Cook spoke one more time before the vote. “We are not getting full representation and that is very clear, and I’ve got Cap Metro coming into Round Rock and I want someone I can count on,” she said. Cap Metro is beginning bus service in Round Rock in August.

Cook and Commissioner Larry Madsen voted to replace Word, while Long and County Judge Dan Gattis voted not to replace her. Commissioner Valerie Covey was not at the meeting.

Word remains as the county’s representative on the Cap Metro board.