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UH, COLLEAGUES TODAY IS DECEMBER 8TH, 2020.
THIS IS THE, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN WORK SESSION.
WE'RE HOLDING THIS SESSION, UH, REMOTELY, UM, OR WEBEX.
UH, WE HAVE SOME ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, COLD TODAY.
WE ALSO HAVE A BRIEFING AND WE HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO IT'S THE INTENT AT THIS POINT TO START WITH THE BRIEFING, WHICH IS OUR, OUR, OUR COVID BRIEFING, UM, AND ALSO TO INCLUDE SOME, UH, NURSING HOME, UH, INFORMATION WE'LL GO FROM THAT TO, UH, PULLED, UH, ITEMS. UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PULLED ITEMS ARE THE WATER FORWARD ISSUE.
THE, THE, UH, ART ISSUES, HOW SOUTH, THE PEER PROPERTY IN OLD SAN ANTONIO ROAD.
AND THEN WE HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, HOPEFULLY WE COULD GET THIS DONE AND GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND NOT HAVE TO COME BACK TO WORK SESSION, BUT LET'S SEE, UH, HOW THAT, HOW THAT GOES.
[B1. Briefing on Covid-19 related matters, including a report on nursing homes. (Standing staff update). ]
LET'S BEGIN WITH THE, UH, COVID, UH, BRIEFING, UH, THIS MORNING.UM, AGAIN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE, TO THE MANAGER, WHAT TO SAY AT A, AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL, AGAIN, THANKS TO, TO DR.
UH, AS THE NUMBERS ARE ABOUT TO SHOW OUR COMMUNITIES STILL CONTINUES TO DO REALLY WELL, UH, RELATIVE TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, LIKE DOING THOSE SMALL MEASURE TO THE FOLKS WE HAVE WORKING ON THIS IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, ALWAYS ANXIOUS ABOUT THE NUMBERS, A MANAGER YOU WANT TO CALL ON DR.
UH, AND AS PART OF OUR REGULAR COVID BRIEFING FOR WORK SESSION, WE'RE GONNA ASK TO DIVIDE THIS UP INTO THREE SECTIONS.
ONE WOULD BE THE BRIEFING FORM, UH, DIRECTOR HAYDEN, UH, THEN WE'LL TURN TO DR.
S SCOTT FOR HIS PRESENTATION, PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS.
AND THEN WE WILL BRING IN OUR PARTNERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS FOR THEIR, UM, THIRD ITERATION OF THE NURSING HOME STUDY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'LL ASK, UH, DIRECTOR HAYDEN TO, BECAUSE OFF MORNING, STEPHANIE.
UM, I WANTED TO START MY BRIEFING, UM, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF, OF AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, AND DR.
SCOTT BEING ON OUR TEAM, THE DEPARTMENT HAS THE BEST EMPLOYEES AND THEY JUST REALLY HAVE A TRUE HEART FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND I REALLY WANT JUST TO TAKE SOME TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, BUT THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT.
AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT TEAM AND I HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND ACROSS THE NATION, UM, I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, CHRISTOPHER SHORTER FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
UM, HE AND THE CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM, SPENCER CRUMP, UM, HAVE BEEN SO, UM, HELPFUL TO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE MIDST OF OUR RESPONSE.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM AND ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
ED SCOTT AND I THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
AND I CAN JUST HONESTLY TELL YOU, UM, AND TALKING WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, THEY'RE JUST NOT GETTING THIS KIND OF SUPPORT, YOUR SUPPORT AND BELIEF OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND THE SCIENCE HAS HELPED OUR COMMUNITY TREMENDOUSLY.
WE WOULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY, WITHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT.
NOW WE'RE TRANSITIONING, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, THIS IS LIKE A MARATHON.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE RUNNING, WE HAVE 13 MILES DOWN AND WE GOT 13 MORE TO GO.
AND SO I DON'T WANT US TO CELEBRATE PREMATURELY, BUT I DO WANT US TO STAY FOCUSED AND CELEBRATE ALONG THE WAY, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE.
AND SO, UM, I WANTED TO JUST THANK OUR FULL TEAM AGAIN.
UM, OUR EPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND OUR SURVEILLANCE STAFF ARE, ARE MOVING, YOU KNOW, UH, VERY QUICKLY MEETING WITH OTHERS, LOOKING AT CLUSTERS, UM, REVIEWING THE DATA, UM, AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE CDC, UM, UPDATED, UM, THEIR INFORMATION LAST WEEK, OUR TEAM IS FINALIZING OUR GUIDANCE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, PUTTING OUT A STATEMENT, UH, LATER TODAY, BUT WE ALSO WILL NEED TO UPDATE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
OUR, UM, UH, CHILDCARE FOLKS ARE WORKING
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UNDER THE SAVES, UM, TO PUT OUR, UM, UM, DOCUMENT IN PLACE TO WORK WITH UNITED WAY.OUR CHILDCARE FOLKS HAVE CONTINUED TO DISTRIBUTE HEALTH AND SAFETY SUPPLIES, AND WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE SOME AREAS WHERE WE'RE REALLY BEING PROACTIVE, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE WORKING ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DETERMINE WHERE WE FEEL THERE IS A GREATER NEED AND BE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT JUST AS A REMINDER.
UM, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR SCHOOLS.
UH, WE HAVE A MAILBOX FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO EMAIL US.
WE HAVE A MAILBOX FOR OUR CHILDCARE FACILITIES TO, UM, TO EMAIL US IF THEY NEED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, UM, OR ANY, UM, ANYTHING THAT THEY MAY NEED THAT IS CONNECTED TO KOBE.
AND, UM, DURING THIS WEEK WE HAVE THE KIN, UM, WORKING WITH AISD AS A PILOT.
UM, THIS IS TO PROVIDE SOME IN-HOME RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS, UH, FOR CAMPUSES, FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WORK.
AND SO WE WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION WITH THAT AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT, UM, THE VACCINES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE INFORMATION ABOUT PFIZER AND ABOUT MADONNA.
UM, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A VACCINE DISTRIBUTION, UM, COALITION WE'VE HAD OR MEETINGS, AND, UM, WE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE MORE MEETING, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE IS THAT WE'VE SHIFTED, UM, THE COMPOSITION WE'RE GONNA STILL REMAIN, UM, A TOWN HALL TYPE SETTING.
WE'VE HAD OVER 150 PEOPLE THAT WERE AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND SO, UM, WE ARE, UM, DIVIDING INTO SUBGROUPS.
WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON PRIORITY POPULATION ENGAGEMENT, UH, COMMUNICATION, AS WELL AS, UM, WORKING WITH OUR PROVIDERS.
AND SO, UM, THIS FRIDAY WE WILL BE MEETING WITH OUR, UM, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND OUR VACCINE PROVIDERS, UM, TO DISCUSS, UM, SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE FROM A PLAN PERSPECTIVE THAT WE INCLUDE THAT WE, UM, OUR PLAN, UM, WILL BE, UH, AVAILABLE AFTER PROBABLY TOWARDS THE END OF THIS MONTH.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE MORE MEETING ON DECEMBER 18TH, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SHARE, UM, THAT DRAFT PLAN.
UM, THEN FROM THERE, WE WILL INCLUDE THIS IN YOUR WEEKLY BRIEFING WHERE YOU WILL SEE THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE FOR OUR, UM, VACCINE, UM, DISTRIBUTION.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO, UM, TO TEST, UM, ALL OF OUR SITES, UM, DOVE SPRINGS, GIVENS, MONTOPOLIS WALNUT CREEK LARC CENTER, PFLUGERVILLE.
YOU CAN, UM, GO TO THE ST JOHN SITE AS A DRIVE INSIGHT.
WE HAVE E DAY EVENING, AND WE CAN OURS WITH OUR, UM, HOMELESS UPDATE, OUR ENDING APART TOGETHER, WE PROVIDED OVER 600,000 MEALS.
UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT OPERATION AND WE'RE PREPARING, UH, FOR, UH, FOR NEXT, UM, UH, CALENDAR YEAR, UT DALE AND COMMUNITY CARE CONTINUES TO PARTNERSHIP WITH US.
UM, TODAY WE HAVE TESTED OVER 800 WITH 50, UM, CLIENTS AND A VERY LOW, UM, POSITIVITY RATE.
AS YOU ALL MAY KNOW, WE HAD OUR FIRST COLD WEATHER SHELTER SHELTER, UM, LAST MONDAY ON THE 30TH AND, UM, DEFINITELY WHITE TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE PARTNERS THAT, THAT ASSISTED US WITH THAT PROCESS.
THIS WAS A TRANSITION, UM, AS, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, UM, OUR PLAN ORIGINALLY, WE WERE WORKING WITH, UM, WITH, WITH CHURCHES, UM, AND OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT WE MADE A TRANSITION TO, UM, TO RECREATION CENTERS.
AND SO, UM, WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL, UH, COLD WEATHER SHELTER AND WE HOUSED OVER 60.
UM, ADULTS ARE, UM, ISO FAQ AND PROTECTIVE LODGES, UM, ARE CONTINUING, WE HAVE 275, UM, GUESTS THERE.
WE HAVE, UM, HOUSE 74 INDIVIDUALS.
AND, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO HOUSE INDIVIDUALS IN THAT, UM, THROUGH THE PROTECTIVE LODGES WHEN OUR LONG-TERM CARE, UM, AS YOU MAY SEE FROM THE WEBSITE, AND I'M SURE AS SCOTT WILL INCLUDE THIS IN HIS PRESENTATION,
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UM, THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES OVER THE LAST 14 DAYS.UM, WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE OF 124 CASES.
AND SO I CHANGED ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO THEM.
UM, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT THEIR CARE PLANS, UM, LOOKING AT THEIR, UM, THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THEM EXTRA PTE.
UM, AT THIS POINT THEY'VE NOT REQUESTED, UM, ADDITIONAL, UM, SUPPORT FROM THE STRIKE TEAM, BUT OUR LONG-TERM CARE FOLKS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THEM THAT ASSISTANCE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT SOME FOLKS MAY BE, UM, YOU KNOW, CURIOUS ABOUT IS, IS WITH THE COVID-19 VACCINE.
UM, CDC HAS PARTNERED DIRECTLY WITH CVS AND WALGREENS TO ADMINISTER THE COVID VACCINE AT LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
AND SO, UM, MOST OF THEM ARE, UM, UM, OPERATORS HAVE REGISTERED TO RECEIVE THAT VACCINE, UH, AT THIS POINT THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR.
AND I'LL ASK AMY TO PULL UP MY SLIDES.
UH, MAYOR COUNCIL, IT'S A PLEASURE TO, UH, PRESENT THIS UPDATE, UH, NEXT TIME.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS AN UPDATE OF OUR GRAPH ON NEW CONFIRMED CASES IN TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, WITH A YELLOW BEING THE MOVING AVERAGE YESTERDAY, WE REPORTED 272 NEW CASES, UH, WHICH GAVE US A MOVING AVERAGE OF 301 GENERALLY AN INCREASE OVER THE SEVEN DAYS, UH, YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE AT 309 ON THE MOVIE AVERAGE.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF A DROP, UH, BUT AGAIN, WE TYPICALLY SEE A DECREASE ON MONDAYS.
UH, SO WE'LL HAVE TO WATCH THIS WEEK TO SEE IF, UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS, THIS OSCILLATION THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, OR IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION.
UH, WE DID SEE A DECLINE THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING AND, UH, THAT INCREASED STARTING OF COURSE THE WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING.
THIS IS AN UPDATE OF OUR NEW ADMISSIONS TO THE HOSPITAL YESTERDAY.
WE REPORTED 43 NEW ADMISSIONS WITH A MOVING AVERAGE OF 35.
UH, THAT'S AN INCREASE OVER THE PAST SIX DAYS.
AGAIN, WE SEE THE SAME EFFECT AS WE SAW ON THE, UH, THE CANOE CONFIRMED CASES WITH A DIP DURING THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING AND AN INCREASED FOLLOWING.
UH, YOU CAN SEE IF YOU COMPARE IT TO OUR SURGE BACK IN JUNE AND JULY.
UH, WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY UP THAT, THAT STRETCH THAT WE SAW THERE.
UH, BUT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WE'RE SEEING ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, IN THE BLUE, THE TOTAL HOSPITAL BEDS BEING UTILIZED IN ORANGE, THE ICU BEDS AND THE GRAY VENTILATOR USE, UH, YESTERDAY REPORTED 246, UH, TOTAL BEDS BEING UTILIZED WITH 226 ON THE MOVING AVERAGE, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OVER THE PAST FOUR DAYS, UH, ICU UTILIZATION, 75 YESTERDAY, WE'RE MOVING AVERAGE OF 75 AND THAT'S BEEN FLAT FOR THE PAST WEEK.
SO WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT ON THIS SLIDE IS THE D SO IF YOU COMPARE WHERE WE ARE NOW TO WHERE WE WERE BACK IN JUNE, JULY, AND YOU FOLLOW THAT LINE DOWN TO THE ICU AND THE VENTILATOR USE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE ABOUT, WE WERE USING ABOUT 50% MORE ICU BEDS FOR THIS, A SIMILAR NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZED INDIVIDUALS.
UH, SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THE EFFECTS OF, UH, CLINICAL TREATMENT.
WE'RE SEEING, UH, THE ABILITY OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS TO MANAGE PATIENTS NOW OUT OF THE ICU SETTING.
WHEREAS BEFORE BACK IN JUNE, JULY, WE'RE REQUIRED ICU CARE.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING THE BENEFITS OF HAVING SOME OF THOSE THERAPEUTICS IN PLACE, UH, SUCH AS OUR CONVALESCENT PLASMA ARE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES, AS WELL AS OTHER INTERVENTIONS LIKE RIM, DESERT VERE, AND DEXAMETHAZONE, WHICH ARE SOME OF THE OTHER MEDICATIONS UTILIZED FOR COVID-19.
UH, SO OVERALL WE'RE NOT SEEING THE IMPACT ONLY HEIGHTS TO USE THEM WORKED BEFORE.
AND THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE AS WE DISCUSSED DURING OUR INITIAL SURGE, UH, THAT'S THE, UH, THE RATE LIMITING STEP, AS FAR AS OUR HOSPITALS ARE CONCERNED.
NOW, I DID SEE A REPORT TODAY, UH, EXPRESSING SOME CONCERN ABOUT OUR ICU BEING AT 85% CAPACITY.
UH, LET ME JUST SAY THAT IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR, OUR HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP, UH, FROM THE THREE MAJOR
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SYSTEMS THAT THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE CAPACITY AS A REMINDER, HOSPITALS GENERALLY OPERATE AROUND THIS RANGE OF 80 TO 90 OR 95%, UH, OCCUPANCY OF ICU'S.UH, SO IT'S NOT ALARMING AT THIS STAGE THAT THE ICU ARE AT 85%.
UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T BE CAREFUL, WE SHOULD, UH, BUT OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE RIGHT NOW LOCALLY.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING TO, TO MAINTAIN THAT, UH, THAT CAPACITY TO CARE FOR PEOPLE.
YEAH, THE MAYOR COUNCIL, THIS IS AN UPDATE OF THE PROJECTIONS FROM THE UT MODELING CONSORTIUM.
I'LL SAY THAT, THAT THE DATA YOU'RE SEEING HERE, UH, THE LAST GREEN.IS ON DECEMBER.
THE SECOND, THEY'RE WORKING ON SOME UPDATES INTO THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.
I EXPECT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO UPDATE THE NEXT DAY OR SO.
UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S SHOWING FLATTENING WITH A DECREASING TREND OVER TIME.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT I DON'T, I THINK THIS IS OVERLY OPTIMISTIC.
I THINK WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO SAY A FLATTENING AND AN INCREASED TREND, THEN THE NEXT TIME THAT THEY UPDATE IT.
UH, AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE BLUE LINE THAT YOU SEE HERE, WHICH IS THE BEST GUESTS, IF YOU WILL, OF THE FUTURE IS ALREADY LOWER THAN WE'VE SEEN IN THAT WEEK OR SO BETWEEN, UH, WHEN IT WAS LAST UPDATED.
AND NOW, UH, THROUGH AGAIN, WE ARE SEEING INCREASES OVER THE PAST WEEK.
MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THAT THIS, UH, THIS GRAPH AND PROJECTION WILL, WILL CHANGE SOON.
CAN WE SEE THAT THE SAME THING IN TERMS OF THE PROJECTIONS FOR HOSPITALIZATIONS? UH, MY, MY PREDICTION IS THAT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THIS FLATTENING AND TRENDING UPWORK ON THE NEXT UPDATE.
UH, AND ICU'S, AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN FLATTER IN TERMS OF ICU.
UH, SO MY, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THIS WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY FLAT, UH, WITH THE UPDATE, BUT AGAIN, UH, WE MAY EXPECT AN UPDATE LATER TODAY, OR TOMORROW.
THIS IS AN UPDATE OF A SLIDE, UH, THAT I SHOWED YOU LAST WEEK.
THIS IS RELATED TO ACTIVE CASES, UH, PER CAPITA, PER HUNDRED THOUSAND POPULATION.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT TRAVIS COUNTY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS AND THE DARK BLUE LINE.
UM, UH, I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT BETWEEN LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK, THE, UH, THE LINE FOR BEAR COUNTY, WHICH IS IN THAT LIGHTER SHADE OF BLUE, UH, IS, IS GOING IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION WHERE IT HAD BEEN RELATIVELY STEADY IN THE PAST.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT DALLAS COUNTY AND TERRAN COUNTY CAN, UH, CONTINUE THAT UPWARD TREND, UH, BUT NOT AS ACUTE AS IT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
LUBBOCK COUNTY IS FLATTENING OUT AS IS EL PASO COUNTY.
AGAIN, EL PASO, UH, STILL HAS MORE THAN 5,000 ACTIVE CASES PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
SO IT'S STILL AN ACT IN A CATASTROPHIC SITUATION, BUT IMPROVING NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS IS A NEW GRAPH THAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU.
AND THIS IS AGAIN, UH, BASED ON THE, UH, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES DATA RELATED TO CUMULATIVE DEATHS.
UH, SO AGAIN, THIS IS SHOWING CUMULATIVE DEATHS BY COUNTY PER HUNDRED THOUSAND POPULATION TO GIVE US A COMPARISON, UH, TO THOSE, THOSE SAME COUNTIES.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU SEE THAT TRAVIS COUNTY IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS LIST, UH, WITH LESS THAN 40 DEATHS PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT, UH, TARA AND DALLAS COUNTIES, THEY'RE ABOUT 30 TO 50% HIGHER THAN THAT PER CAPITA.
UH, WHEN WE JUMP UP TO, UH, TO BEAR COUNTY, IT'S ABOUT ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE OVER WHERE WE ARE, AND THEN OF COURSE, LUBBOCK AND, UH, IN EL PASO COUNTIES SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN WE ARE, UH, WITH, UH, WITH EL PASO COUNTY, UH, MORE THAN FOUR TIMES THE, UH, THE CUMULATIVE DEATHS PER CAPITA AS TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, THIS, THERE, THERE IS NOT SOMETHING MAGICAL ABOUT TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE DON'T HAVE A FORCE FIELD AROUND US.
THE FOUR FIELDS CREATED BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE DECIDED TO PUT THEIR MASKS ON AND TO DISTANCE AND TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEATH RATE IN EL PASO AND THE DEATH RATE HERE, THIS IS HOW WE CAN BEGIN TO CONCEPTUALIZE HOW MANY LIVES HAVE BEEN SAVED BY AVOIDING THAT KIND OF SURGE HERE.
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IF WE HAD SEEN THIS KIND OF SURGE HERE, OR IF WE SEE IT IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, ABOUT 500 DEATHS HERE AND WHAT WOULD BE MORE THAN 2000 DEATHS.SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAVING MORE THAN 1500 LIVES IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY SO FAR BECAUSE OF THE WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE POLICIES THAT THE MAYOR AND THE JUDGE, THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAVE IMPLEMENTED TO PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THAT AS DIRECTOR HAYDEN SAID, THIS IS A MARATHON, AND WE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO IN TERMS OF GETTING THIS COMMUNITY VACCINATED AND PROTECTED.
BUT IF WE HOLD OFF, IF WE MAINTAIN OUR VIGILANCE, WE CAN CONTINUE THE TRENDS THAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING AND SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF TEXAS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, MAYOR COUNCIL.
THIS IS AN UPDATE OF, OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS BASED ON, UH, AGE GROUP.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE HAD A INCREASE IN OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS THAT RELATED TO THAT 70 TO 79 AGE GROUP, THAT'S THAT MUSTARD YELLOW COLORED.
UH, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THAT 80 PLUS AGE GROUP.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO SEE A DECLINE IN OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS RELATED TO THAT 20 TO 29 AGE GROUP, WHICH IS THAT LIGHTER YELLOW COLOR.
UH, BUT I'M GOING TO TALK MORE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, ABOUT THAT 20 TO 29 GROUP.
THIS IS THE ADDED, BUT BROKEN DOWN BY NUMBERS OF HOSPITALIZATIONS WITHIN EACH OF THOSE AGE GROUPS.
UH, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE IN THAT 80 PLUS AGE GROUP, WE WENT FOR 24 TO 34, UH, IN THAT, UM, 70 TO 79 FROM 34 TO 52, UH, LAST WEEK.
UH, SO AGAIN, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE INCREASES.
WE TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT THAT INCREASING POSITIVITY THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THESE UPPER AGE GROUPS AND THE EXPECTATION THAT WAS GOING TO TRANSLATE INTO INCREASING HOSPITALIZATIONS, UH, WHICH HAS HAPPENED, UH, OVERALL, WE'VE MOVED FROM 185 HOSPITALIZATIONS TWO WEEKS AGO TO A LITTLE MORE THAN 200 LAST WEEK.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE THE EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, BUT IN PARTICULAR, THOSE WHO WERE OVER THE AGE OF 60 OR 65, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF, OF BEING HOSPITALIZED AND HAVING A SEVERE ILLNESS.
NO, THIS IS AN UPDATE OF OUR GRAPH ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, HOSPITALIZATIONS BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE HAD FURTHER DECLINE IN OUR PERCENTAGE OF, OF OUR LATIN X COMMUNITY HOSPITALIZED.
UH, WE'VE UH, LAST WEEK 34.9% OF HOSPITALIZATIONS WERE FROM OUR LATIN X COMMUNITY, 10.8% IN OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, 2.7%, UH, AND OUR WHITE NON-HISPANIC 50.5%.
UH, SO THIS REPRESENTS THE FIRST TIME, UH, IN THIS PANDEMIC, THAT'S THAT THE, UH, THE PERCENTAGE OF LIGHT NON-HISPANICS HAS BEEN, UH, OVERREPRESENTED IN TERMS OF THE REPRESENTATION IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS WHAT WE'VE EXPECTED TO SEE AS THE DISEASE TRANSMITS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, THAT THE HOSPITALIZATION RATE MAY TAKE A, OR MAY LOOK A LOT MORE LIKE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE RACE AND ETHNICITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, OVERALL, WE ARE CONTINUED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THIS DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON OUR, OUR LATIN X COMMUNITY, OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND IT HAS HAYDEN MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS, UH, OF OUTREACH, UH, TO THOSE COMMUNITIES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AGAIN, UH, SIMILAR TO THE AGE GRAPH.
THIS IS A BREAKDOWN BY NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS HOSPITALIZED, UH, IN EACH OF THOSE, UH, RACES AND ETHNICITIES.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, SAME NUMBERS IN OUR LATIN X POPULATION HOSPITALIZED BETWEEN EACH GROUP.
UH, THE BIG DIFFERENCE THAT YOU SEE IS THAT THE NUMBERS OF WHITE NON-HISPANICS WENT UP SUBSTANTIALLY, UH, FROM 79 TO 94, UH, TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DIFFERENCE IN PERCENTAGES.
THIS IS AN UPDATED OF OUR GRAPH ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, POSITIVITY, UH, ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO, WE WERE AT 6.5% THAT'S WEEK 48 LAST WEEK.
THE DATA THAT WE HAVE SO FAR IS 6.8%.
UM, SO RELATIVELY FLAT AS COMPARED TO LAST WEEK AND THREE WEEKS AGO, NOW PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME, WHAT ABOUT WEEK 47? HOW DO WE GET DOWN TO 5.2%? THE ANSWER IS WE TESTED A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE.
UH, SO THE TESTING THE WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING SKYROCKETED,
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UH, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR, SO THE DECREASED NUMBER, ACTUALLY, THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE PEOPLE DETECTED DIFFERENTLY.47 WAS HIGHER THAN THE WEEKS ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN TESTING, IT APPEARS THAT, UH, THE POSITIVITY WENT DOWN.
UH, I THINK IT'S MORE ACCURATE TO SAY DISEASE TRANSMISSION OVER THE PAST FOUR WEEKS HAS BEEN ABOUT THE SAME NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
NOW THIS IS THAT POSITIVITY BROKEN DOWN BY RACE AND ETHNICITY.
UH, OUR LATIN X COMMUNITY HAS A LATE 48, 11.4% WEEK 49.
SO FAR 11.3% RELATIVELY FLAT OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WEEK 48, 6.4% WINK 49, 6.8%.
AGAIN, RELATIVELY FLAT OUR ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY A WEEK 48, 3.9% WEEK 49, 6.8%.
SO SIGNIFICANT JUMPS THERE AGAIN, 40 NINES DATA IS PRELIMINARY BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A LOT MORE DATA POINTS COMING IN.
UH, SO IT IS, UM, OUR, UH, OUR AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKAN NATIVE COMMUNITY, UH, 0.9% WEEK 48, 7.7% WEEK 49 AND OUR WHITE NON-HISPANIC 5.3%, UH, WEEK 48 AND WEEK 49.
SO RELATIVELY FLAT THERE, UH, AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE UNDER THIS GREEN DOTTED LINE, UH, AND ALL OF OUR RACE AND ETHNICITIES CONTINUE TO BE ABOVE THAT MARK.
THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN OF POSITIVITY BY AGE GROUP.
UH, AGAIN, UH, WE SAY THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT AN INCREASE IN OUR 40 TO 49 AGE GROUP, UH, LUCKILY SO FAR FOR LAST WEEK, WE'RE SEEING SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN THOSE OLDER AGE GROUPS, THE 60 TO 69, 70 TO 79 AND 80 PLUS AGE GROUPS.
NOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR, OUR DATA, UH, FROM OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ONLY TESTING, WHAT IT SHOWS US IS THAT LAST WEEK 50% OF THE POSITIVE TESTS WERE IN THE 20 TO 29 AND 30 TO 39 AGE GROUP.
UH, NOW LET'S DO AGE GROUPS REPRESENT ABOUT 35% OF OUR POPULATION, UH, SO SIGNIFICANT OVER IN TERMS OF CASES IN THOSE YOUNGER AGE GROUPS, UH, AS A REMINDER, WE NEED EVERYBODY TO FOLLOW THOSE, UH, THAT, THAT PUBLIC HEALTH ADVICE, MASKING, DISTANCING, UH, HAND HYGIENE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE STAYING HOME WHEN THEY'RE SICK, EVEN IF THEY HAVE MILD SYMPTOMS, THOSE THAT DISEASE CAN SPREAD TO OTHER PEOPLE AND FOLKS WHO ARE MORE VULNERABLE.
SO IT IS CRITICAL THAT PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ALL THE ADVICE AND PROTECT THEMSELVES SO THEY CAN PROTECT THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
HAYDEN MENTIONED, UH, THIS IS, UH, AN UPDATE OF OUR, UH, NURSING HOME LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY DASHBOARD.
IT'S ON OUR COVID-19 WEBSITE AT THE CITY.
UH, WE'VE HAD MORE THAN 2000 CASES ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, THESE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN 124 AND THE LAST 14 DAYS, UH, SIMILAR NUMBER, UH, THE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THAT, AGAIN, AS WE SEE DISEASE INCREASE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'VE SEE IT IMPACTING OUR NURSING HOMES IN OUR MOST VULNERABLE VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS, A TOTAL OF 210 OF THE DEATHS AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN FROM THESE FACILITIES.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ABOUT 40% OF, OF THE OVERALL DEATHS.
UH, AND THIS IS WHY NURSING HOMES AND LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES WILL BE ONE OF THE INITIAL TARGETS FOR VACCINE, UH, BECAUSE IF WE CAN EFFECTIVELY VACCINATE THESE SITES, WE CAN ELIMINATE THAT 40% OF FUTURE DEATHS, UH, THAT, THAT OUR COMMUNITY MAY EXPERIENCE.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE ALSO SEE, UM, INCREASED RISK OF DEATH IN OLDER AGE GROUPS, OUTSIDE OF NURSING HOMES, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, THE 80 PLUS 70 TO 79 AND 60 TO 69 AGE GROUPS REPRESENTING ABOUT 81% OF THE TOTAL DEATHS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED.
UH, IF WE ADD IN INDIVIDUALS OVER THE AGE OF 50 UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS AND ACCOUNTS FOR CLOSE TO 95% OF THE DEATHS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED, AND I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE WHILE WE WANT TO HAVE WIDESPREAD VACCINATION ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY, IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE FOCUS OUR EFFORTS
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ON THOSE OLDER INDIVIDUALS, BECAUSE IF WE DO, WE CAN REALLY IMPACT THE POTENTIAL FOR DEATH AND SEVERE DISEASE IN THE FUTURE.AND WE ALSO THEN PROTECT OUR HOSPITALS, OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, AND FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE EXPOSED BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE DON'T END UP IN THE HOSPITAL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO FROM OUR VACCINE COALITION, BUT I'M EXCITED BY THE WORK AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE GROUP THAT'S BEEN ASSEMBLED.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, MAYOR COUNCIL.
THIS IS AN UPDATE OF OUR, UH, OUR SCHOOL'S REPORT.
NOW THIS IS FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 30TH TO DECEMBER 6TH.
UH, YOU CAN SAY THAT WE'VE HAD 82 STUDENT CASES REPORTED IN THAT WEEK, 79 STAFF CASES, FOUR CASES IN THAT OTHER GROUPS.
SO THOSE ARE OUR VISITORS TO CAMPUS, UH, THAT AREN'T DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH THE CAMPUS.
UH, AGAIN, AUSTIN ISD WAS, UH, WAS THE VIRTUAL LAST WEEK.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 50 CASES THAT DIDN'T EXPOSE OTHERS ON THE CAMPUS.
UH, SO THAT SHOULD HELP, UH, LIMIT THE, UH, THE IMPACT IN THE, IN THE NEXT, UH, NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WHILE THE CASES ARE, ARE MANAGEABLE, THE REAL IMPACT THAT WE'RE SEEING IS ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED TO BE QUARANTINED AS A RESULT OF EXPOSURE.
UH, SO MORE THAN 1400 INDIVIDUALS IN OUR TRAVIS COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE STAYING HOME BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CLOSE CONTACT.
UM, THIS IS IMPACTING OUR SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR, THE 176 STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE IN QUARANTINE CAN HAVE A DRAMATIC EFFECT, UH, ON THE SCHOOL'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE NORMAL OPERATIONS.
UM, SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR SCHOOLS ON THIS.
AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT A NEW DIRECTION FROM CDC REGARDING THE DURATION OF THEIR QUARANTINE.
AND ON THAT NOTE, I'M GOING TO SWITCH TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS RELEASED THIS MORNING FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UH, AND I'M GOING TO TALK, UH, TALK TO YOU THROUGH THIS.
IT MAY BE HARD FOR YOU TO READ, UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROCESS OF, UH, THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CDC GUIDANCE IS TO WEIGH, UH, WHEN PEOPLE NEED A 14 DAY QUARANTINE AND WHEN WE CAN BE OKAY WITH A SHORTER DURATION, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT CDC CONTINUES SAY THE 14 DAY QUARANTINE IS THE SAFEST ROUTE TO GO.
THEY ALSO, UH, POINT TO THE FACT THAT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE GUIDED BY LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ON HOW TO INTERPRET THIS INFORMATION.
SO THIS IS OUR INTERPRETATION OF, OF THAT GUIDANCE.
UH, SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS A CLOSE CONTACT, UH, WITH SOMEONE WITH COVID-19, THEY FACE THIS INITIAL QUESTION ONCE THAT EXPOSURE WHEN MASKS FOR WORN OR NOT, UH, IF IT WAS NOT.
SO IF MASKS WERE NOT USED AS THAT QUESTION IS YES, UH, THEN THEY ENTER A 14 DAY QUARANTINE.
SO WHY ARE THEY IN A 14 DAY QUARANTINE? BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T WEARING MASKS BECAUSE THIS IS THE SITUATION WHERE WE ARE SEEING EFFICIENT DISEASE TRANSMISSION.
UH, THIS IS HAPPENING IN ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES.
THIS IS HAPPENING IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
THIS IS HAPPENING IN CARPOOLING.
NOW THIS IS WHERE WE'RE SAYING, UH, THAT DISEASE TRANSMISSION HOUSEHOLD CONTACTS IS ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
UH, SO THERE IS A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF TRANSMISSION, WHICH MEANS WE NEED TO HOLD ONTO THAT INDIVIDUAL FOR LONGER TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GIVING IT THE FULL 14 DAYS BEFORE WE, UH, ALLOW THEM TO, TO INTERACT WITH, WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, IF THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS NO, IF YOU WERE WEARING A MASK AT THE TIME OF EXPOSURE, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, DO YOU EVER WORK WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AT HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE DISEASE? UM, SO THIS COULD BE, UH, WORKERS AT NURSING HOMES.
THIS COULD BE, UH, EMPLOYEES WORKING IN JAILS.
UH, THIS COULD BE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SOMEONE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD WHO, UH, IS OVER THE AGE OF 65, OR HAS A HIGH RISK MEDICAL CONDITION.
IF THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS, YES, THEY ALSO NEED TO QUARANTINE FOR 14 DAYS AGAIN, TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE LIMITING THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THOSE WHO WERE AT HIGHER RISK.
YOU HAVE TO ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS NO.
UH, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, ARE THEY A FIRST RESPONDER, UH, EMS IN PARTICULAR, UH, OR A HEALTHCARE WORKER? IF THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, THEN WE ARE, UH, WE ARE ADVISING THAT THEY NEED TO STAY QUARANTINED FOR SEVEN DAYS AND ON OR AFTER THE SEVENTH DAY HAVE A TEST, WHICH IS NEGATIVE BEFORE RETURNING
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TO WORK.IF THE ANSWER TO ALL THOSE QUESTIONS IS NO, THEN THEY CAN UTILIZE THE 10 DAY OPTION OR THE SEVEN DAYS WITH A NEGATIVE TEST.
SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEALTHCARE WORKER FIRST RESPONDER AND THIS LAST OPTION, THE ANSWER IS THE LAST OPTION IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TO BE TESTED ON OR AFTER THE FIFTH DAY.
IT CAN BE CLEARED ON THE SEVENTH DAY.
WE WANT TO BE A BIT MORE PROTECTIVE FOR, UH, FOR OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS BECAUSE OF THE CLOSENESS OF, UH, OF INTERACTION WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR PATIENTS AND, AND THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD BEEN EXPOSED.
SO THAT GIVES US TWO EXTRA DAYS TO DETERMINE IF THAT PERSON IS LIKELY TO TRAN TO DEVELOP DISEASE OR NOT.
UM, AGAIN, WE WILL BE CODIFYING THIS GUIDANCE IN OUR, UH, OUR CITY AND COUNTY ORDERS AND RULES, UH, TO REFLECT THESE CHANGES.
UH, I, I HAVE FACED THE QUESTION ARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OR REQUIREMENTS THEY'RE REQUIREMENTS.
UH, AND THESE ARE, UH, THIS IS, IS, UH, THE ENABLING LEGISLATION IS IN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE CHAPTER 81, UH, WHICH, WHICH GIVES THE, THE LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTROLLING, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO DISEASE.
UM, SO AGAIN, THERE'S, UH, WE HAVE SEEN SOME, UH, INFORMATION COME OUT FROM THE TA AND FROM THE UIL, UH, WITH GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE TA AND UIL, UH, DON'T HAVE THE, UH, THAT AN ENABLING LEGISLATION, UH, TO, TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE OR INSTITUTE RULES ASSOCIATED WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS EXPOSED.
UM, PLEASE COUNSEL, AGAIN, WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF, UH, OF OUR INFLUENZA SEASON, UH, WEEK 48.
WE HAD A 1.4, 5% POSITIVITY, A TOTAL, UH, 1.04% FOR OUR OVERALL POSITIVITY, ONLY 33 CASES TO DATE SO FAR IDENTIFIED FOR FLU.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS AN UPDATE OF OUR GRAPH ASSOCIATED WITH OUR TRENDS THIS YEAR, AS COMPARED TO THE THREE PREVIOUS SEASONS.
AGAIN, WE ARE REMARKABLY LOWER, UH, THAN THE PREVIOUS THREE SEASONS.
UH, IF FOLKS THAT STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEIR INFLUENCE OF VACCINATION, WE RECOMMEND THAT DO THAT NOW, UH, PARTICULARLY AS WE HEAD INTO DECEMBER, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, WHICH IS WHEN WE EXPECT TO SEE THE PEAK OF OUR FLU SEASON, OUR HOPE IS THAT FOLKS WILL CONTINUE TO GET THEIR FLU SHOTS.
AND, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT PROTECT THOSE PROTECTIVE ACTIONS THAT WE UTILIZE FOR COVID-19 WILL ALSO HELP TO, TO KEEP THIS CURVE FLAT FOR THE DURATION OF FLU SEASON.
UH, AGAIN, WE REMAIN IN THE STAGE FOR A RISK.
UM, AND I, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING NOW, BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THEY, THE MESSAGE, UH, MAY NOT BE CLEAR, UH, IN PARTICULAR, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, THE, THE, THE SOCIAL GATHERINGS AND THE DINING AND SHOPPING, UH, OUR, OUR DEVICES, NOT THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO AVOID THESE ACTIVITIES, BUT INDIVIDUALS LIVE IN A HIGH RISK COUNSELED, OR ARE HIGH-RISK THEMSELVES, INCLUDING THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 65 NEED TO BE MORE PROTECTIVE.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD AVOID OUT ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE HOUSEHOLD.
UH, THEY SHOULD DO A PICKUP OR DELIVERY FOR FOOD OPTIONS OR GROCERIES.
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT LOWER RISK CAN STILL GO TO DINING AND SHOPPING, BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE RISK IS.
AND THE RISK IS WHEN WE TAKE OUR MASKS OFF IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE, IT IS SAFE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GO TO A RESTAURANT AND HAVE A MEAL WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND TAKE THEIR MASKS OFF WHILE THEY'RE EATING.
THE RISK IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
THAT IS WHERE TRANSMISSION IS HAPPENING.
UM, IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S CRITICAL.
THE SETTING THAT IS WHEN TRANSMISSION IS HAPPENING, WHEN THAT MASK IS COMING OFF, IT'S HAPPENING IN CARPOOLS, IT'S HAPPENING AT PARTIES, IT'S HAPPENING, UH, IN BREAK ROOMS, UH, IN, IN BUSINESSES WHERE EMPLOYEES ARE TAKING BREAKS AND TAKING THEIR MASKS OFF, WE MUST BE VERY CAREFUL AND VERY SELECTIVE WHO WE ARE WILLING TO TAKE OUR MASK
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OFF AND BE FACE-TO-FACE WITH, PARTICULARLY WITHIN SIX FEET INDOORS.UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WENT OUT TO A MEAL WITH MY FAMILY THIS WEEKEND, AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE RESTAURANT DID A GREAT JOB.
EVERYBODY HAD THEIR MASK ON, THEY HAD FORCED THE MASKING.
UH, IT WASN'T CROWDED LESS THAN 50% OCCUPANCY BOOSTS WITH HIGH WALLS.
IT WAS, IT WAS ALL DONE VERY WELL, BUT WE WORE OUR MASKS INTO THE RESTAURANT.
WE WORE A MASK WHILE WE'RE SEATED.
WE WORE OUR MASKS WHEN THEY, WHEN THE WAITER CAME WITHIN SIX FEET OF THE TABLE, AND WE HAD OUR MASKS OFF WHILE WE'RE EATING AND DRINKING.
WE'RE NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT, ABOUT TRANSMISSION HAPPENING, UH, FROM TABLES ACROSS THE ROOM.
WE'RE SEEING TRANSMISSION HAPPENING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SEATED AT THE TABLE WITH YOU, AND THAT'S WHY IT REALLY SHOULD BE LIMITED TO PEOPLE WITHIN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO YOU, SPENCER, FOR QUESTIONS.
AND WITH THAT, UM, MAYOR, WE'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE DIOCESE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT COUNCILMEMBER FLANAGAN THINK YOU MAY PRETEND, UM, JUST AS, UH, AS YOU GO THROUGH THE SLIDES, I'M CURIOUS WHEN, WHICH SLIDES ARE INCLUDING THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY PART OF THE CITY AND WHICH ONES AREN'T, BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE WHEN WE, THE DASHBOARD INCLUDES IT BECAUSE IT'S AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT SOME OF THESE CHARTS ARE BROKEN OUT BY COUNTY.
AND OF COURSE, WILLIAMSON COUNTY IS NOW, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY INTO THE HIGHEST LEVEL.
I THINK THEY MIGHT USE A, THEY SAID RED.
I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SEEN AS OUR SCALE.
AND, UH, OF COURSE I THINK Y'ALL SAW THE NEWS STORY THAT THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY GOP IS DOING A POTLUCK DINNER IN GEORGETOWN, WHICH I THINK DR.
SCOTT IS SQUARELY IN THE CAMP OF THINGS NOT TO DO IN A PANDEMIC, BUT I AM CURIOUS ABOUT THE, THE WILCO NUMBERS.
AND IF WE CAN START SEEING THOSE, IF YOU CAN ADD WILCO TO THE CHART OF COUNTIES, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT ON WHAT SPREAD LOOKS LIKE IN SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE IN MY CASE, AT LEAST FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, YOU HAVE FAMILIES FROM, FROM, FROM WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND TRAVIS COUNTY GOING TO THE SAME SCHOOLS GOING TO THE SAME GROCERY STORES.
IT'S NOT LIKE OTHER AREAS WHERE MAYBE THERE'S DISTANCE BETWEEN CENTERS IT'S REALLY BLENDED.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THE, THE DATA ON POSITIVITY WILL INCLUDE SOME WILLIAMSON AND SURROUNDING COUNTY RESIDENTS.
UH, AND THAT'S BASED UPON THE FACT THAT SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE TESTED WITHIN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN WE BREAK DOWN, THE, THE POSITIVITY BY COUNTY, UH, WILLIAMSON COUNTY IS, IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN TERMS OF THE POSITIVITY FOR THE DATA THAT, THAT WE ARE RECEIVING AND IS TRAVIS COUNTY CALDWELL COUNTY IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN, THAN TRAVIS COUNTY AND IN THAT POSITIVITY AS WELL.
UM, SO THERE IS, YOU KNOW, I, I, AGAIN, I THINK THE MORE COMPLIANCE THAT WE SEE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE, UH, THE LOWER, THE, THE POSITIVITY RATE, UH, AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK HAVING LARGE EVENTS THAT DON'T INVOLVE MASKS AND DISTANCING IS, IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.
UM, WE ARE IN UNPRECEDENTED SURGE IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE HAVE UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS OF DEATHS DAILY IN THIS COUNTRY.
UM, THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO HOST A POTLUCK.
CAN WE START ADDING WILCO TO SOME OF THE COUNTY CHARTS THAT YOU SHOW IN YOUR BRIEFINGS? I WILL.
UH, WHAT I CAN DO A COUNCIL MEMBER IS, IS TO HAVE A SIMILAR, UH, BREAKDOWN WITH THE MSA COUNTIES.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS WATCH THIS, AND I DON'T WANT THEM TO THINK THAT THE TRAVIS COUNTY NUMBERS DOING SO MUCH BETTER THAN OTHER URBAN COUNTIES IS SOMEHOW REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE SEEING IN OUR SUBURBAN COUNTIES.
IS THAT MARY YOU'RE MUTE? SORRY TO HAVE MISSED YOU.
I HAD TECHNICAL ISSUES BACK NOW.
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YOU.UM, AND THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HAYDEN.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID WHEN YOU STARTED YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, THE, EVERYBODY HAS BEEN WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD AND I'M ALSO PLEASED TO SEE THE, THE, THE DIFFERENCE WE'RE STILL MAKING HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT BOTH YOU AND DR.
I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND UNDERSTAND AS DR.
SCOTT SAID THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE BEHAVIORS THAT WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING IN SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN STAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT CHART.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER COUNTIES AND KEEP OUR DEATH RATE DOWN.
I HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS, UM, ON THE PRO LODGES, YOU MENTIONED THIS DIRECTOR HAYDEN, BUT I'M NOT REMEMBERING EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
THERE'S 200 AND SOMETHING FOLKS STILL IN THE PROMO.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? UH, YES.
MA'AM THERE ARE, UM, YES, THERE ARE 275 IN ALL FIVE, UM, PROTECTIVE LODGES.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND, AND, UH, CONNECTING PEOPLE TO HOUSING.
CAUSE I THINK YOU SAID THERE WERE 74 NOW THAT HAD BEEN CONNECTED.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TALKED, UM, I THINK LAST WEEK MAYBE, OR I FORGET WHEN, BUT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, UM, UH, SORT OF THE TRAJECTORY ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THOSE FOR LODGES.
UM, AND, UM, I HAD, UH, UH, MY THINKING IS THAT THEY NEED TO REMAIN FUNCTIONAL UNTIL WE GET EVERYONE INTO HOUSING.
SO CAN YOU JUST STATUS OF THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS SOME THINKING THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE CLOSED DOWN AT THE END OF DECEMBER, AND I'M NOT CERTAIN WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
SO CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THAT? UH, YES.
UM, UM, THERE IS GOING TO BE A, UM, AN UPDATE THAT IS GOING TO COME OUT TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL NEXT WEEK, UM, ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IN GENERAL.
UM, IT WILL ALSO HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN THE MEMO, BUT THE GOAL IS, IS TO HOUSE THE FOLKS THAT ARE AT THE PROTECTIVE LODGES STRATEGY.
WE'LL WE KEEP THEM OPERATING WITHOUT CLOSING THEM DOWN AT THE END OF DECEMBER.
WE WILL KEEP THEM, UM, OPERATING, UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE START TO MOVE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, FROM PROTECTIVE LODGE, WE WILL CONSOLIDATE.
AND SO YOU WILL SEE THAT IN, IN THE MEMO, BUT THE GOAL IS, IS TO, TO HOUSE THE 275 GUESTS, UM, ABOUT 170 OF THEM ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A CASE MANAGER, UM, ASSIGNED.
AND AS WE TRANSITIONED FOLKS TO HOUSING, UM, THEN WE CONTINUE TO ASSIGN THE OTHER FOLKS, ALL OF THEM HAVE ACCESS TO, UM, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS IS TO HAVE THAT ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.
THE OTHER QUESTION WAS, AND I THINK MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBERS HARD RAISE THIS.
I FORGET NOW, BUT THE OTHER QUESTION WAS HAS, SO THAT IS GOOD.
I APPRECIATE HEARING THAT DIRECTOR HAYDEN.
SO THE OTHER QUESTION WAS JUST EXTENDING THOSE PROLOGIS BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND WE ARE LOOKING AT, WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO PREDICT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT A SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL TIME BEFORE OUR COMMUNITY IS VACCINATED.
AND, UM, AND WE CAN, WE CAN SAY THAT WE'RE PAST THAT.
SO, UM, AND IF IT DOES TELL ME THE PATH TO UNDERSTANDING, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TODAY, BUT THE PATH TO UNDERSTANDING HOW, WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE FOR KEEPING THOSE OPEN.
WELL, CURRENTLY WE ARE WORKING WITH FEMA BECAUSE WE'RE UNDER A DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONTINUED TO, UM, UH, STAFF ARE WORKING ON A MEMO, UM, THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEND THEM, UM, THAT JUST TALKS ABOUT THE NEED FOR US TO MAINTAIN THEM.
AND SO, UM, THE GOAL IS, IS THAT FEMA WOULD REIMBURSE THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, AT THE 75%.
UM, AND SO AS LONG AS WE'RE UNDER THAT DECLARATION, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD FEMA, UM, IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL APPROVE IT.
UM, AND SO THAT IS THE STRATEGY, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD AS LONG AS THE WE'RE UNDER THE DECLARATION.
I, I ASKED THAT YOU ALL RETURNED TO COUNCIL AND ASK US BEFORE YOU CLOSE THEM, BECAUSE I, I, I DON'T
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KNOW HOW MY COLLEAGUES FEEL ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT TO THEM TO SPEAK TO THAT.BUT, UM, I FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE CLOSING PROLOGIS BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE PANDEMIC AND WE WERE STILL EXPERIENCING, UM, UH, INCREASES, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL UNDER THREAT.
AND SO, UM, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE PROLOGUE IS CLOSED.
SO, UM, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR AFTER, YOU KNOW, IF FEMA TURNS YOU DOWN OR IF SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, THEN I WOULD ASK THAT YOU COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAY, WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED ALL OF OUR OPTIONS, KEEP THIS OPEN, BUT I I'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT BEFORE SO THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THAT AND THEN SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE THINK WE CAN DO TO KEEP THEM OPEN.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, THAT YOU ALL DO THAT, BUT A COMMITMENT FROM YOU CITY MANAGER, THAT, THAT WE HAVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, AS DIRECTOR HAYDEN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MOVING PEOPLE, JUST PRO LODGES INTO HOUSING.
AND AS THAT PROCESS CONTINUES, THERE WILL BE A NEED TO CONSOLIDATE THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES, BUT I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
WE DON'T WANT TO NOT HAVE THAT OPTION FOR PEOPLE TO UTILIZE THESE, UH, IMPORTANT RESOURCES.
AND SO, UH, WE WILL BE PROVIDING THAT UPDATE TO YOU, UH, THROUGH THE DEMO, BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXTEND THESE LEASES, UM, WITH THE CURRENT CONTRACTS.
AND IF THERE IS ANY NEED TO COME TO COUNCIL, UH, TO FURTHER EXTEND, WE WILL DO THAT OBVIOUSLY WITH THE DIRECTION THAT YOU'RE GIVING RIGHT NOW.
AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE 274 PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CRITERIA FOR PEOPLE IN THE PRO LODGES.
SO WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS THAT THOSE ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NOW PROTECT.
IF THEY, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT CONTINUE TO MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE PRO LODGES, UM, I DON'T WANT US TO CONSOLIDATE PEOPLE AS WE GET THEM INTO HOUSING AND THEN CLOSE DOWN PRO LODGES AND JUST CLOSED DOWN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE WHO MEETS THE CRITERIA TO ACTUALLY GO INTO A PER LUNCH DURING THE TIME THAT WE'RE STILL, UM, WE'RE STILL IN THE PANDEMIC.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M IN IT.
SO DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IS IT CLEAR COUNCIL MEMBER? I THINK SO.
I'M GOING TO TALK TO THE STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DIRECTION IS IN LINE WITH WHAT THEIR CURRENT OPERATIONAL PLAN IS.
AND THEN TH YOU ALL WILL COME BACK TO US IF YOU SOMEHOW ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT.
I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL, I'LL, UH, I'LL LET, UH, LET OTHERS ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN MAYBE YOU COULD COME BACK TO ME.
SCOTT AND DIRECTOR HAYDEN, UH, YOU ADDED CHRIS SHORTER TO THE LIST OF PEOPLE TO, TO THANK, AND I THINK THAT'S REAL APPROPRIATE TO WHY ONE OF THE REAL STRENGTHS OF WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE HAS BEEN HOW WE'VE WORKED WITH, UH, COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DURING THIS PERIOD OF, OF TIME, UH, AND SETTING UP THOSE SYSTEMS. AND, UM, UH, HE WAS ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT ACTED REALLY QUICKLY AND REALLY EARLY ON THAT, AND, UH, HAS DONE JUST A REALLY GOOD JOB AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR ADDING HIM WITH RESPECT TO THE VACCINE, UH, ISSUES THAT, THAT I DON'T KNOW.
AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE IF YOU DISCUSSED THIS WHEN, WHEN I WAS HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AND DISAPPEARED, UH, BUT THE VACCINE ISSUE, JUST TO BE CLEAR FOR THE COMMUNITY STARTS COMING OUT HERE.
AND IN DECEMBER, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE TO THE, THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOLKS.
UH, AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER TIERS AS IT ROLLS OUT, UH, THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS.
AND THEN WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GET IT TO THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY IN THE LATE SPRING TO THE SUMMER.
UM, DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THE PRIORITIES AND WHO'S GETTING IT FIRST? UH, UH, NO MAYOR.
UM, WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT THE PRIORITIES.
UM, I CAN GO AHEAD AND SHARE THAT NOW WITH, WITH PHASE ONE, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE FACED ONE, A, UM, HOSPITAL STAFF, UH, EMS, UM, UM, HOME CARE STAFF, AS WELL AS LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES, UM, ARE SLATED FOR THE INITIAL VACCINES.
UM, AND SO THE VACCINES THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THAT ARE GOING TO ARRIVE, WE'LL GO TO, UM, TO OUR HOSPITAL STAFF
[00:55:01]
INITIALLY.AND THEN WORKING THROUGH THOSE, AND THEN THE FRONTLINE WORKERS THAT ARE DEALING WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE, HAVE THE VIRUS AND THOSE PEOPLE IN THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AND OTHER PLACES THAT REPRESENT THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE MOST SERIOUS IMPACTS IF THEY, IF THEY, IF THEY GET IT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING, I GUESS, IN THE COMMUNITY AT SOME POINT, UH, THE HOPE IS, IS THAT IT GETS ANALYZED AND, AND I'M SURE THAT THE LOCAL FOLKS HERE WILL ALSO BE TAKING A LOOK AT THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF THE MAGAZINE ABOUT WHEN IT COMES OUT, WE'RE GOING TO NEED A REALLY HIGH ADOPTION RATE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, AGAIN, SINCE WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA SEE YOU UNTIL, UNTIL JANUARY, UH, THIS BIG, NO, THE LAST KIND COUNCIL MEETING, YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THAT KIND OF EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND HAVE THE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT EDUCATED DECISION ABOUT, UH, UH, THE, THE UPTAKE AND, AND USE OF THE, UH, OF THE, OF THE VACCINE WHEN IT COMES IN.
I WANT TO TOUCH BASE REAL QUICKLY.
ESKOM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ICU NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT, UH, UH, IN, IN RELATION TO THE HEADLINE THAT'S IN THE NEWSPAPER, UH, TODAY, UH, THAT, UM, WAS SOMETHING LIKE, UH, UH, OUR ICU OR NEARING COMPANY ARE NEARING CAPACITY.
UM, AND WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM WHAT YOU SAID IS THAT HEADLINE MIGHT BE OVERSTATING.
IT JUST, UH, JUST, JUST A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF PRESENT CONCERN FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE WENT TO THE COMMUNITY BACK IN JUNE WHEN THE NUMBERS WERE GOING UP AND WE WERE ON A TRAJECTORY TO HAVE OUR ICU'S, UH, OVERWHELMED.
WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT SAME SLOPE RIGHT NOW, AND THAT SAME NUMBERS IN OUR ICU.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN TALKING TO OUR HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVES, THE HOSPITALS ARE BUSY, BUT NOT REALLY BUSIER THAN USUAL AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S 75 IN THE ICU FROM COVID, UH, BUT IT'S BUSY WITH OTHER THINGS, UH, THAT WE NORMALLY SEE AN INCREASE OUT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, NORMALLY HOSPITALS DON'T RUN SIMILAR TO OTHER BUSINESSES WITH A LOT OF EXTRA CAPACITY.
UH, THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WORK WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, 85, 90%, UH, A LOT OF THE TIME IN THE WINTER, UH, IN A TYPICAL YEAR, YOU KNOW, IT'S AT 90%, FOUR OR HIGHER FOR A LOT OF THE SEASON.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR HEALTH CARE EXECUTIVES REGARDING ELECTIVE SURGERIES, UH, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE CONTINUING, UH, THOSE PROCEDURES BASED UPON THE, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT, UH, DEMAND AND, AND CAPACITY.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE WATCHING THOSE NUMBERS CLOSELY.
WE CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THOSE EXECUTIVE WEEKLY.
UH, WE ARE AGAIN CONCERNED ABOUT, ABOUT OUR HOSPITAL STAFF MEMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BEING EXPOSED IN QUARANTINED IN, IN RELATION TO, YOU KNOW, NURSES AND RESPIRATORY TECHS AND DOCTORS, WE ARE ALSO SEEING PERSONNEL GOING TO OTHER STATES, UH, THAT ARE FACING SURGE NOW.
AND THIS IS REALLY AT THE HEART OF THE REASON WHY THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR VACCINATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING HERE HAS BEEN TO, TO REINFORCE OUR HOSPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND TO THAT UNTIL THE EDGE POINT ON THE ICU ISSUE, JUST BECAUSE OF THE HEADLINE, UH, ICU IS NORMALLY OPERATE AT 85, 90%.
THAT'S WHAT HOSPITALS DO, AND THAT'S HOW THEY KEEP THE STAFF THERE.
AND WE'RE RUNNING THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT IN TERMS OF HAVING A VIRUS, A PANDEMIC, UH, A WARNING SIGN IN OUR ICU RIGHT NOW, UH, WE REALLY HAVEN'T DOUBLED IN THE, IN THE LAST MONTH, THE NUMBERS IN 70, WE WERE UP AT, UH, 80 SOME-ODD EARLIER.
AND THE WAY THAT THE STATE MEASURES CONCERN WITH RESPECT TO ICU IS THE PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS IN ICU THAT ARE, THAT ARE RELATED AND THEIR WARNING SIGN IS WHEN YOU GO ABOVE 15% OF THE PATIENTS IN THE ICU IS VIRUS RELATED.
AND THERE WERE ABOUT FIVE COUNTIES IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE EXCEEDED THAT NUMBER.
THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE START TAKING THE REMEDIATION ACTION, WE'RE NOT UP AT THE 15% NUMBER WHERE WE'RE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
MARIN IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY FOR THE, THE TSA, THE TRAUMA SERVICE AREA.
SO IT'S, IT'S MUCH BROADER THAN THE FIVE COUNTY MSA.
SO OUR NUMBERS ARE BELOW THAT AND WE HAVE THE TRIGGERS THAT WILL LET US KNOW JUST LIKE IN JUNE, IF WE START GETTING TO THE PLACE OR OUR ICU
[01:00:01]
SEEMED TO BE GETTING OVERWHELMED, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.BUT AT THIS POINT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY SUCH THAT OUR HOSPITALS ARE STILL DOING ELECTIVE CARE, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO IF SOMEBODY HAS A, AN ELECTIVE SURGERY THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, THIS IS NOT A TIME NOT TO BE REACHING OUT TO THE, TO THE HOSPITALS, TO HAVE, UH, TAKEN CARE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU, THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF, NOT CORRECT.
UH, ON THE POSITIVITY NUMBERS, GOOD TO SEE THAT THE LATINO COMMUNITY, UH, NUMBERS ARE LOW IN TERMS OF TOTAL ADMISSIONS.
UH, WE SEE THE POSITIVITY NUMBERS WERE IT'S, UH, ABOUT 10% AND THEN KIND OF HOLDING, BUT JUST TO NOTE, KIND OF AS A, AS A RED FLAG OFF IN THE DISTANCE COMMUNITY, EHRS NUMBERS, THE, THE INTEGRAL, UM, THE, THE, THE, UH, THE HEALTH COMPONENT ARM OF OUR SYSTEM, THAT'S DEALING WITH FOLKS THAT, THAT, THAT LACK INSURANCE AND THAT KIND OF STUFF THEY'RE SEEING PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASES RIGHT NOW IN POSITIVITY IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY.
MAYOR THEIR NUMBERS FOR LAST WEEK.
SO FAR OVER 22% POSITIVITY, UH, FOR THAT, UH, LATIN X POPULATION THAT THEY SERVE.
AND JUST POINT THAT OUT, JUST CAUSE THAT'S KIND OF LIKE, UH, ONE OF THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS AND SIGNALS THAT I KNOW YOU AND DIRECTOR HAYDEN CONTINUE TO WATCH.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE AGE BREAKDOWNS ON THE CHARTS THAT YOU HAVE, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS LATER, BUT, UH, I WAS, UH, SEEING THAT THE, UH, THE, THE NUMBER OF FOLKS IN THE 70 TO 79 RANGE THAT KIND OF GRAY OR SILVER NUMBER SEEM TO HAVE GONE UP, UH, IN, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A BIGGER PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL GROUP, BUT IN THE LINE CHART, UH, IT SEEMED TO GO DOWN IN THE LAST WEEK.
UH, AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT PEAK ON THAT.
AND THEN THE LAST THING BEFORE I TURN THIS OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES IS THE, UH, UH, COUNTY JUDGE AND THE MAYOR'S ORDERS, UH, WILL HAVE TO BE RENEWED BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
UH, AND WE CONTINUE TO, TO WORK WITH YOU ON, ON DRAFTING THOSE ORDERS, UH, THAT, THAT MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WAY OF TAKING A LOOK AT, UH, UH, GATHERINGS, UH, OUTSIDE.
SO IT WAS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE OUTSIDE, AS OPPOSED TO INSIDE.
WE DON'T WANT TO CHASE PEOPLE INSIDE FOR ACTIVITIES AND PROBABLY A RENEWAL OF THE, UH, EVICTION, UM, UH, ORDERS IN A WAY THAT, UH, COINCIDES WITH WHAT THE, UM, THE, UH, JP COURTS, UH, WILL BE, UH, WE'LL BE DOING.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED ASSISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO THOSE ORDERS, UH, AS WE TRY TO, TO HUE TO THE SCIENCE AND DATA THAT YOU GIVE TO US.
UH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO QUICKLY THINK, UH, ASSISTANT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CHRIS SHORTER.
UM, HE HASN'T REALLY BEEN IN, IN THESE MEETINGS, BUT I KNOW HE'S BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD BEHIND THE SCENES BECAUSE WHEN I HAVE HAD SPECIFIC, UM, QUESTIONS FROM CONSTITUENTS OR ISSUES, HE'S THE ONE I'VE REACHED OUT TO.
AND HE'S, I MEAN, WITHIN HOURS, THE ISSUE IS TAKEN CARE OF.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT ASSISTANT CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND, UH, DIRECTOR HAYDEN.
THIS, THIS WILL BE MY LAST MEETING WITH YOU.
I'M GOING TO BE AN EMOTIONAL MESS THIS WEEK.
UM, BUT WE'LL HOLD IT TOGETHER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
I TRULY BELIEVE EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT WE DID TO INCREASE YOUR BUDGET, PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGET REALLY HAS SAVED LIVES, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN THIS TIME AND, UM, IMPROVE, IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AUSTINITES.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALWAYS WORKING WITH ME ON THOSE ISSUES AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES FOR OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS SUPPORTING THOSE THINGS.
ASKPAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, SUCH A, SUCH A, A, A GREAT VOICE DURING THIS TIME AND YOU'VE SHOWN, AND I APPRECIATE YOU POINTED IT OUT THAT YOU CAN HAVE DIFFERENT POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES, BUT STILL BELIEVE IN, IN SCIENCE AND, AND, AND FACTS.
AND, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAD, YOU'VE POINTED THAT OUT AND YOU'VE, UM, KEPT OUR HELP TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
UM, MY QUESTIONS REAL QUICK, ONE, THE, UH, THE, THE 14 DAY QUARANTINE, UH, SLIDE, I'M SURE THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN ACCESS, BUT I'M OPERATING ON REALLY LOW STAFF RIGHT NOW.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH COULD SOME PROBABLY TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD SLIDE.
AND IF YOU HAVE IT IN SPANISH, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE THAT ON MY, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA.
[01:05:01]
UM, I WAS, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT, I THINK IT WAS A STATEMENT ARTICLE.IT TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF VACCINES WE'RE GETTING, AND I HAD TWO CONCERNS.
I HAD A CONCERN, AND I HOPE THAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS, IS, UM, THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, FRAUD.
AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THIS TIME THERE'S BEEN, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE TESTING FACILITIES POP UP IN PARKING LOTS, AND I'M A LITTLE WORRIED THAT SOMETHING SIMILAR MAY HAPPEN WHEN THE VACCINE STARTS TO GET DISTRIBUTED, THESE, THESE, UM, THAT PREY ON, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT MAYBE DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH VERY WELL OR ELDERLY.
UM, AND SO I'M HOPING WE'RE ANTICIPATING, WE SEE IT WITH AUSTIN ENERGY BILLS ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, TARGETING, TARGETING CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I HOPE WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO, TO ENSURE THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AS THE VACCINES START TO GET DISTRIBUTED.
UM, AND THEN THE, THERE WAS A S A STATESMAN ARTICLE I SAW ABOUT THAT, SO THAT TRAVIS COUNTY HAD, LIKE, IT WAS LIKE 164 PEOPLE CONFIRM TO DISTRIBUTE THE VACCINE.
AND SO I WAS CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS PANDEMIC, THERE WAS KIND OF A HIERARCHY AND TESTING, AND IT WAS JUST PUBLIC HEALTH THAT HAD ALL THE TESTING.
AND THEN AS I GUESS, SUPPLIES GOT, YOU KNOW, BETTER, UM, THEN PRI YOU KNOW, THEN AARC STARTED HAVING TESTING AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS, IS, IS SOMETHING GOOD, SOMETHING SIMILAR, LIKE THAT HAPPENED WITH THE VACCINE.
SO I UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW THERE'S A HIERARCHY OF, UM, OF THE VACCINE.
I'M ASSUMING THROUGH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED THAT I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THAT.
UM, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT AT SOME POINT THEN THE PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, THE ARC'S AND THE, ALL THE COMMUNITY CLINICS ARE NOT NECESSARILY COMMUNITY, THE PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, CLINICS, UM, WOULD START TO GET AN AD, WILL THEY BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE SAME DISTRIBUTION? IS THIS, IS THIS KIND OF DIFFERENT THAN, THAN THE TESTING, BECAUSE THERE WAS, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT IT'S GOING TO CONSTANTLY CHANGE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH TESTING AT FIRST, YOU HAD, THERE WAS THIS PROTOCOL TO GET TESTED, THEN THERE WAS THIS PROTOCOL TO GET TESTED.
SO CAN WE EXPECT SOMETHING SIMILAR WHEN THE VACCINE STARTS TO GET DISTRIBUTED? YES.
UM, AND, UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO PLUG, PLEASE, THANK YOU, UM, FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT TO AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH, YOU ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE MISSED BY US.
UM, AND SO THE, THE REALLY GREAT THING WITH THIS RESPONSE IS, UM, IS THAT, UM, AS YOU READ OVER, IT'S ABOUT 170 OR SO THAT HAVE REGISTERED TO PROVIDE THE VACCINE.
SO WHEN MORE VACCINE BECOMES AVAILABLE, UM, THOSE PROVIDERS WILL, WILL START TO RECEIVE THEIR SHIPMENT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOUR TYPICAL PHARMACY WHERE YOU MAY GO NOW TO GET, YOU KNOW, UH, A FLU VACCINE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO THOSE SITES AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL, UM, OFFICES HAVE SIGNED UP WITH THE STATE, UM, ANYONE THAT WE WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR PROVIDERS, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE JUST ASKED THEM TO, UM, REACH OUT TO THE STATE OF TEXAS AND, YOU KNOW, AND SIGN UP WITH THEM.
EVERYONE THAT SIGNS UP WITH THEM HAS TO GO THROUGH A TRAINING, UM, AND THEY, UM, TRAINED THEM ON THEIR SYSTEM, UM, AND KIND OF TRAIN THEM ON, ON THE PLATFORM.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, US AS PARTNERS, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE VACCINE IS GOING IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND HOW MANY DOSES OF, YOU KNOW, WHO'S GETTING WHAT, UM, BASED UPON THAT SYSTEM.
AND SO, UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, AND EMS, UH, HAVE SIGNED UP TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING, YOU KNOW, FROM A CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE PERSPECTIVE.
UM, DOCTOR HAS GOT AN HOUR GOING TO BE MEETING WITH, WITH JOY TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE TYPICALLY HAVE DONE WITH, WITH THE FLU VACCINE AS WELL.
BUT THE GOAL IS, IS THAT, UM, EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THEIR VACCINE.
THE MORE THAT COMES, THE MORE PROVIDERS WILL, WILL HAVE THAT ACCESS.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HOW THIS PROCESS HAS ROLLED OUT WITH REPUTABLE VENDORS THAT ARE REGISTERED WITH THE STATE AND MAYOR PRO TEM.
LET ME JUST CLARIFY SOMETHING AS WELL.
THEY, THE SUPPLIES THAT ARE GOING FOR TO THE HOSPITALS RIGHT NOW ARE WHAT WE CALL CLOSED POD THAT'S POINT OF DISTRIBUTION.
UM, THAT MEANS THAT THEY ARE ONLY PROVIDING VACCINE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
UH, SO PEOPLE CAN'T GO TO HOSPITALS AND ASK FOR A VACCINE AT THIS STAGE.
[01:10:01]
WE WILL CONTINUE THAT CLOSED POD SYSTEM TO GET THOSESO AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO ARE OVER THE AGE OF 80 ARE AT THE HIGHEST RISK FOR SEVERE DISEASE IN DEATH AND SET THEN FOLLOWED BY 70 AND 60 AND 50.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PATIENT AS A COMMUNITY.
UH, THE YOUNGER AND HEALTHIER FOLKS ARE THE LONGER TIME IT'S GOING TO BE BEFORE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A VACCINE AVAILABLE TO THEM BECAUSE PUBLIC HEALTH HAS NOT RECEIVING ALL THE VACCINE AND IS NOT THE ONLY DISTRIBUTOR WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS COMMUNITY GUIDANCE FOR, THEY SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR MORE VACCINES.
SO WE CAN ALL BE, UH, APPROACHING IT FROM THE SAME DIRECTION IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE TO PRIORITIZE THE RIGHT TIME FOR VARIOUS PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE VACCINE.
IS IT, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HOW DO I ASK THIS, UM, PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO MORE RESOURCES, UM, COULD GET THE VACCINE SOONER, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT IS POSSIBLY THE CASE.
AND SO I WOULD, I'M SURE EVERYBODY BELIEVES THIS, BUT IF WE HAD ENCOURAGE, UM, TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY ACCESS PUBLIC HEALTH CAN GET TO THE VACCINES, UH, WE PRIORITIZE OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, IT'S FREE, UM, TO THOSE COMMUNITIES, UM, FOR EQUITY EQUITABLE REASONS, BECAUSE I, I, I KNOW IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS, I, I S I HEARD ANECDOTAL STORIES OF, OF, OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO GET TESTED BEFORE REALLY, IT WAS VERY, VERY WIDESPREAD, AND IT WAS, IT WAS PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
AND SO JUST HOPE, OBVIOUSLY THAT WE ARE, ONCE WE GET TO THE STAGE WHERE WE CAN START VACCINATING, UM, THE GENERAL POPULATION, SO TO SPEAK, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT PUBLIC HEALTH, NOT IN THE HOSPITAL THAT WE PRIORITIZE AND MAKE IT FREE FOR, FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION, BUT THAT'S THE PLAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION, UM, RELATED TO THE AISD CAREGIVERS FUND.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS A QUESTION FOR DR.
HAYDEN, UM, IS THAT, CAN YOU GIVE ME THE STATUS OF THAT? I HAD UNDERSTOOD THAT PERHAPS THAT, UM, CAREGIVER'S FUND WAS GOING TO BE ENDING.
CAN YOU TELL ME THE STATUS OF THAT OR, UH, YES.
UM, THE, THE FUNDING FOR THOSE MEALS, UM, WE'LL EAT THIS MONTH.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED WITH AIC TO, YOU KNOW, TO GET US TO THIS POINT, BUT THE ARE THOSE MEALS WE'LL EAT.
AND, UM, LATER THIS MONTH, DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, OPTIONS AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, OFFLINE, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT IF WE KNOW YET WHAT OUR OPTIONS MIGHT BE TO EXTEND IT, IT MIGHT BE GREAT FOR YOU AND I MAYBE TO TALK OFFLINE.
SO I CAN, I CAN GET WITH, UM, WITH DORA AND SCHEDULE THAT.
YEAH, LET'S DO THAT BECAUSE MY QUESTION REALLY RELATES TO FIRST OFF, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE, THE CONTINUED CONTINUED NEED IN UNDER THAT ASSUMPTION.
AND THEN I'M WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF OPTIONS THERE MIGHT BE.
SO WE'LL SCHEDULE THEM TO TALK.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, I DON'T SEE COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHE'S BEEN I'M HERE.
I WOULD, I'D LIKE TO BE IN THE LOOP ON THAT TOO, SINCE I HAD BROUGHT THAT FOR IT, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER, UM, WHETHER THERE ARE ANY OPTIONS.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN FOR KITCHEN FOR INCLUDING ME IN THAT.
I HEAD TO THE NURSING HOME BRIEFING.
UH THAT'S WHERE I'M I RENTED A, YEAH.
UH, I NOTICED THAT, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN ISD, UH, ON A SHARP THAT, UH, WE'VE HAD THE MOST, UH, STAFF CASES AND ALL THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT.
DO YOU KNOW, UH, CAN YOU TELL US, UH, WHAT WHAT'S THE BIG PROBLEM WAS THE, UH, WAS THE STAPH INFECTION
[01:15:01]
THERE, AUSTIN IST.DID ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, GENERALLY, WHEN WE'RE SAYING, UH, DISEASE SPREAD AMONGST, UH, SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS, IT HAS TO DO WITH OUTSIDE ACTIVE S UH, ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL, UH, PRIMARILY SOCIAL GATHERINGS.
UH, SO AGAIN, IT'S, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR FORCE FIELD AND THAT'S THE MASK, UH, AND BE VERY SELECTIVE WHO WERE WITHOUT MASKS IN FRONT OF, UM, SO W WE, WE HAVE NOT SEEN TRANSMISSION IN CLASSROOM SETTINGS BETWEEN, UH, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
UH, WE HAVE HAD SOME CASES OF TEACHER TO TEACHER, UH, IN SITUATIONS LIKE BREAK ROOMS OR HORSE SMALLER ROOMS WHEN, WHEN MASKING IS NOT FOLLOWED.
UM, BUT TH THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING AMONGST THOSE STAFF MEMBERS.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S VERY CONCERNING BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE THE STAFF AND AUSTIN ISD IS THE ONES THAT ARE HAVING THE MOST INFECTION, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS THERE'S STUDENTS LIKE PFLUGERVILLE AND PINGS HAVE A HIGHEST STUDENT INFECTION, BUT A VERY LOW STAFFING.
UH, THAT'S I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO AUSTIN ISD, LET THEIR TEACHERS KNOW THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
I HOPE THEY'RE SEEING THAT TOO, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE OUT DOING OTHER ACTIVITIES, THEY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
COUNSELOR, WE MEET WITH, UH, WITH ALL THE SUPERINTENDENTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL, UH, DIFFERENCE IN THE SIZE OF THE DISTRICT AND FACULTY AND STAFF, UH, IN AISD AS COMPARED TO, TO ALL THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH IS GOING TO, UH, TO BE IMPACTFUL ON THOSE NUMBERS.
WELL, THE BIG CONCERN IS THAT I, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW WHERE TEACHERS DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO THE CLASSROOMS AND THEY STARTING TO SEE THAT THERE'S A BIG INFECTION GOING ON WITHIN STAFF MEMBERS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S VERY ALARMING BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS AND THEY'RE VERY AFRAID TO GO BACK AND HERE ARE THE POSSIBILITY OF THEIR JOBS.
AND THEN THEY SEE A BIG TIME STAFF INFECTION WITHIN THE STAFF MEMBERS.
THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF JUSTIFY THEIR, THEIR, THEIR ARGUMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO GO BACK AND, AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE FORWARD OR BACK, AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE LAID OFF.
AND THAT'S A BIG CONCERN OF MINE.
IT'S ALSO, WELL, AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER IS THEY WORK AT A SCHOOL THAT'S MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THEY GOT THE INFECTION FROM THE SCHOOL.
UH, AND AGAIN, WE WE'VE SEEN THE SAME, UH, ISSUE WITH, WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR WORKFORCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORKSPACE AND THEY'RE WEARING MASKS AND DISTANCING BECAUSE IT'S VERY WELL ORGANIZED, BUT THEY FEEL SAFER IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS, LIKE IN BARBECUES OR FAMILY GATHERINGS, WHICH IS MUCH LESS SAFE THAN THE SCHOOL WORK ENVIRONMENT.
UH, SO AGAIN, WE BETTER RE WRITE THE MESSAGE THAT THE SAME CONCEPTS THAT WE TALK ABOUT NEEDING TO PROTECT SCHOOLS, YOU NEED TO UTILIZE IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE TO PROTECT YOURSELVES THERE AS WELL.
AND I GUESS BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THE NURSING HOME PORT, THEN LET'S MOVE OVER TO THAT.
AND WE'LL LET DR S GEICO TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
UH, BUT I'LL ASK, UH, DIRECTOR HAYDEN TO KICK OFF THIS NEXT PART OF THAT CUPBOARD BRIEFING.
WE, UM, AS YOU RECALL, UM, COUNCIL PASSED THE RESOLUTION, UM, THAT, UM, DISCUSSED THE NEED FOR A STUDY IN LONG-TERM CARE.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, STACY CHANG THAT IS HERE WITH US TODAY IS GOING TO, UM, UH, PROVIDE A PRESENTATION.
UM, WE'VE ALSO, UM, YOU SAID RECEIVED A REPORT, UM, FROM KATIE.
SHE SENT THAT IN YOUR BACKPACK.
UM, AS WELL AS THE PRESENTATION AT THIS TIME, I WILL TRANSITION OVER TO FACE THE CHAIN.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HAYDEN, APOLOGIES.
[01:20:01]
THERE TO TRANSITION.UM, I'M ALSO JOINED BY A COLLEAGUE OF MINE, STEPHANIE MORGAN.
SO, UM, THE INDIVIDUAL OF WEBEX, IF YOU COULD BRING HER IN AS WELL, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
UM, LET ME SEE, MY VIDEO SHOULD BE STARTED NOW.
UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, DR.
HAYDEN FOR HAVING US TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO THE MAYOR MAYOR AS WELL.
UM, UH, THE PRESENTATION WE'RE GOING TO SHARE TODAY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST TWO TIMES WE WERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, THE LAST TWO, UH, TIMES WE PRESENTED TO YOU, UH, WAS, UH, AROUND THE RESEARCH THAT WE HAD DONE, UM, REGARDING THE CHALLENGES, THE NURSING HOMES AND FACILITIES FACE.
UM, IT WAS MORE CONCLUSIVE IN NATURE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY, UM, UH, NEEDING BEEN DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, RESPONSES TO THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE OBSERVED.
AND SO THIS IS VERY MUCH A PROGRESS REPORT.
UM, WE WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, UH, BEFORE THE YEAR END, BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T SEE YOU AGAIN.
UM, UH, WE WOULDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE YOU AGAIN UNTIL, UM, JANUARY, AND WE DID NOT WANT TO WAIT THAT LONG FOR YOU TO HAVE A SENSE OF, UH, WHERE WE WERE MAKING PROGRESS.
SO, UH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE, UM, FOR THE PERSON TO CONTROLLING THE AB IF YOU COULD BRING UP THE SLIDE DECK.
HAYDEN MENTIONED, THIS IS THE THIRD PHASE WE ARE NOW IN DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT FOR GOOD TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, UH, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND, UH, JUST TOUCH ON THE OBJECTIVE ONCE AGAIN, UH, SHARE WITH YOU AN APPROACH THAT WE'VE DIVIDED INTO THREE TRACKS.
UH, TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE STRATEGY FOR THE DESIGN AND THEN THE PRODUCT TYPES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED, OR BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS AND OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, AS A RE AS A REMINDER, UM, WE WERE ASKED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO IDENTIFY THE CHALLENGES, UM, REALLY AT A SYSTEMIC LEVEL, UM, UH, UH, TO KEEPING PRESENT, UH, RESIDENTS, UM, SAY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, UM, UH, BOTH THE NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS, OTHER LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
UM, AS, AS I MENTIONED, THE PREVIOUS PHASES OF WORK, UH, SPONSORED BY THE CITY WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON RESEARCH AND UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES, THE CURRENT PHASE OF WORK, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY THE MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL FOUNDATION.
UH, IT'S ABOUT STANDING UP RESPONSES TO THAT.
UM, AS A, AS A GROUP OF FOLKS FROM UT WHO ARE ACTUALLY COMMITTED TO, UM, UH, DESIGN, UH, IT'S NOT JUST RESEARCH THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN, IT'S ACTUALLY IN STANDING UP THE RESPONSES TO THOSE AND MAKING CHANGE AGAINST THE CHALLENGES THAT WE OBSERVE.
UM, THE, THE GOAL FOR THESE, UH, SUBSEQUENT PHASES IS REALLY TO DESIGN, TO DEVELOP AND THEN ACTUALLY TO IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
SO WE'RE DOING THAT ACROSS A NUMBER OF FRONTS AND THAT'S DIVIDED INTO, UM, WHAT WE'VE DEFINED AS THREE TRACKS.
UM, UH, I, I DON'T NEED TO PAUSE THE STATE OF THE COVID STATISTICS.
ESCADA SHARED THAT ALREADY, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, WE'VE DIVIDED THE WORK INTO THREE TRACKS AND WHAT YOU'LL HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUE, STEPHANIE MORGAN, UM, THIS MORNING REALLY IS GOING TO FOCUS, UH, QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY ON TRACK ONE, BECAUSE THAT WORK IS BEING DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES THEMSELVES.
IT IS, UM, UH, THE BIGGEST EFFORT, UM, THE ONE THAT REQUIRES THE MOST INTENSE, UH, WORK, UH, AND IS BEING DONE IN FACILITY AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THOSE FACILITIES.
SO WE STARTED THAT WORK FIRST, UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW IT WAS A LONG LEAD TIME, UH, UM, EFFORT.
UM, AND SO MOST OF WHAT YOU'RE HERE, UM, UH, TODAY IS AN UPDATE ON THAT TRACK IN PARTICULAR, UM, WITH A VERY SPECIFIC FOCUS ON, UM, THE CRITICAL WORKFORCE.
THAT'S KEEPING RESIDENTS IN THOSE FACILITIES SAFE.
UM, WE'LL TOUCH ON TRACK TWO AND TRACK THREE, UM, UH, WHICH WILL, UM, PROGRESS FURTHER, UM, SUBSEQUENT TO THIS PRESENTATION TRACK TWO IS REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES FROM A REGIONAL COLLABORATION STANDPOINT TO ACTUALLY, UM, SPAWNED A SYSTEMIC RESPONSE.
AND THEN TRACK THREE IS REALLY ON SOME LONGTERM POLICY AND REGULATORY ISSUES, UM, THAT, UH, WE HOPE TO, UH, UH, INFORM, UM, THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA PAUSE NOW AND HAND THIS OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, STEPHANIE MORGAN.
SHE IS A DESIGN RESEARCHER DESIGNER AND PROJECT LEAD AT THE DESIGN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH.
UM, SHE'S TAKEN ON PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT PHASE OF THIS WORK, AND I'LL LET HER SHARE, UM, THE SUBSEQUENT DETAILS.
UM, AND YOU CAN GO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, JUST TO BRIDGE WITH WHAT STACY JUST SHARED.
UM, WE REALLY WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WHICH IS THREE TRACK APPROACH.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO COULD BOTH CONTRIBUTE TO THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS, UM, COLLABORATE WITH US FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE COLLABORATION, TO SURE THAT WHATEVER
[01:25:01]
IT IS TIME CURRENTLY TODAY CAN BE HOPEFULLY MORE SUSTAINABLE AS WE CONSIDER BOTH DOWN NEAR AND FAR TERM SOLUTIONS.SO THIS IS WHERE I THINK I'LL REALLY BEGIN TO PICK UP THE THREAD THAT WE HAD SHARED LAST WE MET IN SEPTEMBER REGARDING THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE FIVE STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY AREAS ON YOUR RIGHT RECALL INFECTION, CONTROL, STAFF, WELLBEING, EXPANSION, AND EVOLUTION OF STAFF ROLES, RETENTION, AND INCENTIVES ON RESIDENT WELLBEING, WHERE THE AREAS THAT AFTER OUR PHASES ONE AND TWO OF RESEARCH REALLY EMERGED AS BEING AREAS CRITICAL TO INVESTIGATE IN TERMS OF FIGURING OUT HOW FROM A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE, IT COULD BE ABLE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, TENSIONS, AND GAPS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THOSE SPACES.
AND AS DESIGNERS, YOU KNOW, WE CAME OUT OF THOSE FIVE OPPORTUNITY AREAS WITH PROBABLY AROUND, YOU KNOW, 50, 54 SPECIFIC IDEAS AND CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH.
AND A QUESTION WE COMMONLY GET THEN IS HOW DO WE TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND INSIGHT AND FILTER IT DOWN REALLY INTO, UM, ACTION THINKING.
SO SPECIFICALLY WORK, WE REVIEWED THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IDENTIFIED AND COLLECTIVELY DESIGN AND STRATEGY, UM, AND FEASIBILITY LENS UNDERSTOOD, UM, WHAT WE ACTUALLY COULD IMPLEMENT WHAT WE ACTUALLY COULD CREATE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND STAND UP.
LIAM FRY, WHO HAS BEEN A CLOSE PARTNER AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT AND GERIATRICS TO, UM, KIND OF USE HER TO PRESSURE TEST SOME OF THESE IDEAS AND FIGURE OUT IF THE AVENUES WE WERE DOWN TOWARD REALLY COULD RESONATE WITH, UM, A LONG-TERM CARE EXPERIENCE OF STAFF AND RESIDENTS AS WELL.
AND SO WE ARRIVED AT THESE NUANCED DESIGN DIRECTIONS TRAINING, HELPING WITH INFECTION CONTROL, PREVENTING STAFF BURNOUT, BUILDING STAFF MORALE, AND IMPROVING COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES.
UM, SO THE PROCESS IS REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE FACILITIES THEMSELVES, WHAT THESE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT SOLUTIONS COULD BE GENERATED TO MOST MEET THOSE NEEDS.
AND TYPICALLY IN NON COVID TIMES, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMMERSIVE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
WE ARE USUALLY IN ONE ROOM TOGETHER WITH A LOT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, STIMULATING TOOLS AROUND US, UM, TO ALLOW US TO ALL PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND BUILD AND CO-CREATE TOGETHER.
AND I THINK IT ALMOST GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT UNFORTUNATELY DURING THE TIMES OF COVID, UM, WHILE WE BRIEFLY CONSIDERED, UM, SWITCHING TO DO THAT REMOTELY, UM, JUST WITH SCHEDULING AND ACTUALLY WITH THE FACT THAT IT WAS LIMIT THE ABILITY OF, UM, MANY STAFF TO PARTICIPATE BY HAVING SPECIFIC TIME SLOTS, UM, WE DECIDED TO ITERATE HOW WE WOULD BE, UM, SOLICITING THAT FEEDBACK IN, UM, MORE FACILITY CENTRIC WAYS WE THOUGHT TO DO THAT PRIMARILY THROUGH, UM, A SURVEY AND AS WELL AS FOLLOW-UP ONSITE DISCUSSION.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE OUR SURVEY TO EIGHT OF THE NINE FACILITIES WE PARTICIPATED, UM, WITH ON-SITES AND PHASES ONE AND TWO, AND WE'RE ABLE TO RECEIVE 140 SURVEY RESPONSES, UM, FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF STAFF.
AND WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO PAIR THE CASE IF THE FACILITY WAS OPEN TO IT WITH FOLLOWUP CONFERENCES ON SITE, TO REALLY, UM, DIVE A BIT MORE INTO THE DETAILS AND UNDERSTAND, UM, FOR THAT FACILITY ITSELF, WHAT NEEDS THEY WOULD HAVE TO, UM, BRING SOME OF THESE IDEAS TO LIFE.
UM, YOU'LL SEE HERE TO ATTEND SIX SPECIFIC FACILITIES ON SITE, UM, ABOUT 31 ADDITIONAL, UM, IN-PERSON, ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS AGAIN WITH A RANGE OF STAFF FROM, UM, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT WHO OWN MORE, PERHAPS THE OPERATION, UH, CULTURE SETTING AND OVERALL PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT DOWN TO THOSE, DELIVERING IT BEDSIDE THE FRONTLINE STAFF, AS WELL AS THOSE SUPPORTING TO KEEP THINGS RUNNING.
I DID JUST WANT TO SHARE BRIEFLY, UM, METHOD.
WE FACILITATE THESE CONVERSATIONS THROUGH THE USE OF CONVERSATION TOOLS, VISUAL CARDS THAT HELPS COMMUNICATE AND CAPTURE AN IDEA WITH A FEW FOLLOWUP PROMPTS, YOU'LL SEE WITH A AND B JUST TO BEGIN TO BRIDGE TOWARD REALIZATION.
SO WE TALK ABOUT MAYBE BEING UP TO DATE, SOME SORT OF GROUP SERVICE, UM, QUESTIONS THAT OUR TEAM HAS THAT WOULD HELP INFORM HOW WE DESIGN THESE INTERVENTIONS IS, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU ANTICIPATE USING ON A 30 MINUTE LUNCH, WOULD THAT FIT YOU AND YOUR NEEDS MOST GIVEN YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DUTIES, CONVERSELY, SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING ACCESS TO AFTER HOURS, UM, PERHAPS WEEKENDS OFF SHIFT, UM, OR OTHER TIMES THAT MIGHT WORK FOR YOUR NEEDS.
SO USING THE VISUAL, AS WELL AS A BRIEF FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION, WE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE WITH A BIT MORE INFORMATION TO HELP FUEL OUR DESIGN PROCESS.
UM, SO THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF JUST THE ENTIRETY OF IDEAS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE BACK WITH, UM, STAFF MEMBERS TO GET, UM, INPUT ON.
AND YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A RANGE OF THINGS IN HERE FROM, YOU KNOW, VERY CLEAR TACTICAL IDEAS, PLACING HANDS IN A TIGHTER AND MORE PATIENTS.
UM, PERHAPS PUTTING XS ON CHAIRS TO REALLY, UM, CALL OUT THE NEED FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING IN COLLABORATIVE SPACES LIKE STAFF BREAK ROOMS.
[01:30:01]
WE ALSO HAVE A BIT MORE, UM, FLUID OR FLEXIBLE IDEAS WHEN YOU BEGIN TO CONSIDER THINGS LIKE A STAFF APPRECIATION CAMPAIGN, REALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE HARD WORK OF EVERY LONGTERM CARE STAFF MEMBER.UM, BUT CONSIDERING HOW THEY MIGHT LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED, NOT EVERYONE IS KEEN ON HAVING, UM, YOU KNOW, BIG SHOWY, EXTERNAL DISPLAYS OF GRATITUDE, MAYBE A MORE ONE-ON-ONE OR, UM, LESS FREQUENT FORM OF REFLECTION MIGHT MEET THEIR NEEDS.
AND IT WAS THROUGH AN AGGREGATION OF CONDUCTING OUR ON-SITE DISCUSSIONS, REVIEWING THE SURVEY DATA, UM, DATA CHANNELING, UM, DESIGNING STRATEGY LABS THAT WE REALLY ARRIVED AT, UM, PURSUING OUR DESIGN DIRECTIONS ON PREVENTING STAFF BURNOUT AND BUILDING STAFF MORALE, WHICH REALLY ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN WHEN WE BEGIN TO CONSIDER, UM, LONG-TERM CARE STAFF WELLBEING, UM, THE CURRENT CHALLENGES AND GAPS THERE TODAY AND HOW WE MIGHT MOVE THAT FORWARD.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE SHARE A BIT MORE ABOUT THE THOUGHT PROCESS AND RATIONALE BEHIND THAT.
UM, FOR ANYONE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, UM, BURNOUT AND LOW MORALE, PERHAPS IN HEALTH OR HEALTHCARE SETTINGS, UM, IT IS A VERY WELL STUDIED AREA AND THE NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS THAT IMPACT THAT BURNOUT HAS ON STAFF, ESPECIALLY HEALTHCARE WORKFORCES IS INCREDIBLY APPARENT AND IT AFFECTS OUR ABILITY TO PERFORM DAILY TASKS, FOCUS AFFECTS LONG-TERM HEALTH.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY EXTENSIVE, UNFORTUNATE LIST OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND WHAT WE FIND IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LONG-TERM CARE STAFF SPECIFICALLY, THERE ARE VERY WELL KNOWN UNDOCUMENTED ROOT CAUSES AS WELL.
THERE, WE KNOW THERE'S LOW PAY HIGH TURNOVER, UM, NOT IDEAL STAFFING RATIOS AND AS WELL AS JUST STRESSFUL AND CHALLENGING WORK.
AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE SHARED, UM, IN OUR PRIOR CONVERSATIONS WITH ALL OF YOU.
AND WE KNOW THAT THESE CONSIDERATIONS MATTER, ESPECIALLY IN A LONG-TERM CARE SPACE, IS WHEN IT AFFECTS AN INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO PERFORM THEIR DAILY TASKS AND THEIR DAILY TASKS PERTAIN TO AFFECTING SOMEONE'S LIFE.
POTENTIALLY THERE IS A NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON THIS FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN PERHAPS MOVE THE NEEDLE ON IT NEXT LINE.
SO I THINK AS WE'VE MENTIONED AT VARIOUS POINTS IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, OUR TEAM REALLY TAKES A HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN PERSPECTIVE AND ALL OF THIS, WE BELIEVE IN PUTTING THE PERSON AT THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM AT THE CORE OF OUR PROCESS AND UNDERSTANDING THEIR NEEDS, THEIR GAPS, THEIR CHALLENGES, AND HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE DESIGN TO KIND OF MITIGATE AND RESOLVE SOME OF THOSE.
AND WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CONTINUALLY CHANGING NATURES OF COVID.
WE ALL, WE'VE ALL JUST SAT THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH, SHARING OUT, YOU KNOW, NEW GUIDANCE, UM, VACCINE DISTRIBUTION AND ROLL OUTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING.
I MEAN, KNOWLEDGE THAT THOSE WILL BE FACETS THAT BOTH CONTINUALLY CHANGE AND THAT WE CONTINUALLY ADAPT AND RESPOND TO.
HOWEVER, THE FOCUS AND EMPHASIS ON HOW WE CAN CREATE OUR LONGTERM CARE STAFF, UM, IN AN, UH, IN AN AVENUE THAT HAS, UM, BETTER PAY THAT REDUCES THE BURDEN AND REDUCES THE, THE OVERWORKED NATURE OF THEIR LINE OF WORK.
UM, IT'S GOING TO REMAIN UNCHANGED UNLESS WE'RE REALLY ABLE TO, UM, FOCUS IN THAT NOW.
AND IF WE APPLY THIS HUMAN CENTERED LENS, IT REALLY, REALLY BEGS THE QUESTION OF HOW COULD WE NOT ADDRESS ONE OF THE MORE DEEPLY KNOWN MOST CRITICAL AREAS, UM, IN THIS NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO, UM, IF THIS IS A WELL-STUDIED AREA, IT MIGHT ALSO RAISE THE QUESTION OF, WELL, WHAT CAN DESIGN DO THEN SPECIFICALLY, AND WHY HAVEN'T THINGS BEEN DONE PRIOR? UM, OUR TEAM HAS SPENT THE FIRST FEW PHASES OF THIS PROJECT, UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM SPACE AND OUR FRAME AND UNDERSTAND PHASES AS WE CALL IT.
WE'VE STRATEGIZED WITH THESE THREE TRACKS AS STACY SHARED AT THE START, UM, HOW WE BELIEVE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND REALLY TRY AND EXECUTE ON A COUPLE OF KEY AREAS OF THIS PROBLEM.
AND WE ARE NOW BRIDGING INTO OUR PROTOTYPING STAGE WHERE WE CREATE SOLUTIONS THEMSELVES, LAUNCH THEM, BRING THEM TO LIFE AND ALLOW THEM TO ACTUALLY EXIST, LEARN FROM THOSE AND ITERATE OUR PROCESS ACCORDINGLY.
WE ANTICIPATE NOT ACTUALLY GETTING EVERYTHING RIGHT AND NAILING IT ON OUR FIRST ATTEMPT AND HOPE TO USE THIS PROCESS OF TRIAL TO ACTUALLY LEARN AND BE ABLE TO OUTPUT AVENUES THAT WE THINK MIGHT HAVE MORE SUSTAINABLE IMPACT LONGER TERM.
UM, BEFORE BRIDGING INTO SHARING THE PROTOTYPES, I DID JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY GROUND THE CONVERSATION IN WHAT IS A PROTOTYPE, AS I KNOW, VARIOUS SECTORS AND INDIVIDUALS MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF THE WORD, BUT FOR US, THIS REALLY IS THAT INITIAL REALIZATION OF AN IDEA OR CONCEPT IN A WAY SUCH THAT PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE, INTERACT AND ENGAGE WITH IT, UM, AND SERVICE IN SERVICE THAT IDENTIFYING WAYS TO IMPROVE THE IDEA ITSELF.
SO FOR US, THESE CAN BE EVERYTHING FROM, UM, ACTUAL, UH, INSTRUCTION GUIDANCES THAT FOLKS CAN READ TO TRYING OUT ACTUAL THERAPEUTIC SERVICES VIA VIRTUAL MEANS, UM, ALL THE WAY TO, UM, STANDING UP A PHYSICAL INTERACTIVE SPACE WHERE MAYBE SOMEONE COULD COME AND GET SUPPLIES.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE THE STATUS OF THE FOUR CURRENT PROTOTYPES THAT WE ARE IN, IN PROGRESS, DEVELOPING AND CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH.
UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE THESE NOW.
[01:35:01]
UH, WE BELIEVE IN SHARING THINGS EARLY FOR FEEDBACK, AND I ALSO WANT TO REINFORCE THAT WE ARE STILL WORKING ACTIVELY THROUGH SOME OF THE DETAILS AND LOGISTICS OF THESE, AND WE, UM, WELCOME SHARING EACH OF THESE AT A HIGH LEVEL, AND THEN ALLOWING FOR SOME TIME ON DISCUSSION WITH EVERYTHING I JUST SHARED, BUT ESPECIALLY SOME OF THESE, THESE PROTOTYPES, THE FOUR PROTOTYPES ARE AN ESSENTIAL CARE PANTRY, THE GRATITUDE PORTAL, A SERVICE CONNECTION, AS WELL AS ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT.AND AS I'VE MENTIONED NOW A FEW TIMES, IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CREATING HOPEFULLY NOW TERM IMPACT FROM MORE OF A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE FROM A DESIGN LENS, PART OF WHAT THAT MEANS IS REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE AND START A SERIES OF INTERACTIONS FROM THE MOST SIMPLEST, THE SIMPLEST POINT.
SO FOR US, THAT REALLY IS THE ESSENTIAL CARE PANTRY, WHICH I'LL SHARE MORE DETAIL.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE REST OF THE PROTOTYPES BUILD FROM, FROM THERE, WE BEGAN TO WONDER, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THIS SET POINT OF INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE, HOW CAN WE USE THAT TO INCENTIVIZE REPEAT BEHAVIOR OR POTENTIALLY EXPAND THOSE INTERACTIONS TO, UM, BRIDGE INTO SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HELP FOLKS, UM, BUILD MORE, UH, BEHAVIORS AND STRATEGIES TO HELP LONGER TERM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY COPE WITH SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES.
AND THEN LASTLY, HOW CAN WE USE THE COLLECTION OF THESE TO REALLY FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS AND HELP CREATE AVENUES FOR WHICH PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY AND FIND AVENUES TO RECEIVE SUPPORT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT MIGHT BE NECESSARY FOR THEM AS INDIVIDUALS.
SO, AS I'VE MENTIONED, UH, THE FIRST PROTOTYPE THAT WE ENVISION IS THE ESSENTIAL CARE PANTRY, WHICH I'VE ALREADY KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGED AS BEING THE ANCHOR OF THIS, UM, THIS INTERACTION.
SO IT IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS A PHYSICAL SPACE ON SITE THAT WOULD BE STAFFED WITH A VARIETY OF ESSENTIALS.
YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE FOOD STAPLES, CLEANING SUPPLIES, TOILETRIES.
WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THERE'S POTENTIALLY A SEASONAL ANGLE THAT COULD TAKE WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, BAPTIST SCHOOL SUPPLIES, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, COMPONENTS LIKE THAT.
UM, AS WELL AS MAYBE SOME LITTLE LUXURIES OR OTHER SELF-CARE NICETIES THAT OTHERS MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ALWAYS, UM, PURCHASE OR REQUIRE FOR THEMSELVES.
AND IDEALLY THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS FREE TO ALL LEARN ALL, ALL LONG-TERM CARE STAFF TO ACCESS.
AND PART OF THE REASON THAT WE BELIEVE IN MOVING FORWARD WITH AN INITIAL DIRECTION LIKE THIS IS, UM, WE'VE HEARD REPEATEDLY FROM SOME OF THE LONG-TERM CARE STAFF THAT REALLY WORK AT HOME ARE, YOU KNOW, THE FEW PLACES THAT THEY'LL CONSIDER GOING.
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE OTHER BEHAVIORS, UM, INDIVIDUALS CHOOSE TO PRACTICE, BUT THERE IS JUST SUCH A, UM, I WOULD SAY A FILTERING AND A DOWN SELECTION OF THE ACTIVITIES THEY CHOOSE TO ENGAGE WITH, UM, SUCH THAT WE REALLY FELT THE NEED TO GROUND THIS IN THE LOCATION PERSPECTIVE IN THE FACILITY, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE ENVISION THIS BEING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT, UM, CAN BE STAFFED, UM, OR IT COULD BE, UM, STOCKED BASED ON THE STAFF'S NEEDS, YOU KNOW, CONDUCTING SOME SORT OF ASSESSMENT PRIOR AND CURATING IT SO THAT WE PROVIDE, UM, WHAT'S ACTUALLY NEEDED AS OPPOSED TO, UM, BASIC BAKING, MAKING ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON WHAT WE THINK THEY MIGHT BE.
AND OF COURSE, UM, A LINE OF THINKING OUR TEAM IS ACTIVELY PURSUING IS THE NOTION OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KEENLY AWARE OF THE POSITIVE AND THEN POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COMING IN, DROPPING AN ESSENTIAL CARE PANTRY, ALLOWING IT TO BE STOOD UP FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
OUR WORK IS GOING THROUGH THE END OF MARCH AND THEN REMOVING THAT.
AND SO PART OF, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS HOW COULD WE LEVERAGE, UM, LOCAL, LOCAL, CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS, LOCAL RETAILERS, LOCAL GROCERS, UM, OR EVEN PRIVATE DONATIONS.
UM, WE'VE ALL BEEN SEEING, UM, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS NEXT DOOR THREADS, FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE ASKING HOW THEY CAN HELP OR WHERE THEY CAN, UM, DONATE SUPPLIES.
AND SO HOW CAN WE BE AN AGGREGATOR OF SORTS AND, UM, KIND OF PROMPT SOME OF THAT TO BE COLLATED IN A, UM, A SINGULAR LOCATION, SUCH AS AN ONSITE ESSENTIAL CARE PANTRY IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY.
UM, WE ALSO ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, THERE BEING WAYS TO POTENTIALLY MOVE THIS AND SCALE IT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, IF WE CONSIDER A FORM OF A DIGITAL PLATFORM WHERE WE CAN BE, UM, EXTENDING THE REACH OF HOW WE IDENTIFY NEEDS, SO HOW WE CONNECT PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UM, MEET SOME OF THOSE NEEDS, IT COULD HELP ALSO GROW THE MODEL AS WELL.
NEXT LINE, OUR SECOND PROTOTYPE, THE GRATITUDE PORTAL REALLY TONES IN ON THIS NOTION THAT, UM, SINCE THE START OF COVID, BUT HONESTLY, EVEN PRIOR TO THAT LONG-TERM CARE STAFF HAS NEVER BEEN HELD AT THE SAME LEVEL.
UM, RECOGNIZED, APPRECIATED, EVEN RESPECTED AS OTHER, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE IN FRONTLINE RESPONDERS.
AND AS LONG-TERM CARE STAFF HAVE REALLY, UH, FELT THE BURDEN OF COVID.
UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO HELP, UM, FORMALIZE AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE AND A WAY FOR THEM TO BE PUBLICLY RECOGNIZED BOTH INTERNALLY BY PERHAPS THEIR OWN RESIDENT FAMILIES, AS WELL AS EXTERNALLY BY THE COMMUNITY, UM, COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH NEXT SLIDE.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE IDEAS FOR HOW THIS, THIS MIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, BE REALIZED IT COULD BE EVERYTHING FROM,
[01:40:01]
UM, RESIDENT OR, UM, STAFF PROFILES, FIGURING OUT WAYS TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION EXTERNALLY, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THAT.AND THEN THROUGH THAT ELEVATE THE ROLE OF A LONG-TERM CARE STAFF WORKFORCE.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES IN DOING THAT TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO BECOME INVOLVED AND BE SOME OF THOSE ISSUERS OF THEIR GRATITUDE.
IT COULD TAKE THE FORM OF SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN LETTERS OF THANKS, I THINK IN A VERY DIGITAL AGE, A HANDWRITTEN THANK YOU NOTE THAT IS PERSONAL AND THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE ACTUAL WORK AND SERVICE SOMEONE IS DOING CAN GO A LONG WAY.
AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT HAPPEN AND, AND SEEING THOSE BE, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT ON BULLETIN BOARDS AND FACILITIES AND, UM, SHOW THE IMPACT OF THAT WORK.
NEXT SLIDE AGAIN, AS WE ENVISION, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE CREATING THIS, THIS HUB OF INTERACTIONS WHERE WE'RE ALLOWING GRATITUDE TO BE EXCHANGED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS WHERE THE LONG-TERM CARE, UM, EXPERIENCE HAS REALLY ELEVATED AND, AND GARNER THE RESPECT IT DESERVES, ARE THERE WAYS TO CONNECT IT INTO SOME SORT OF DONATION AND GIFTING PLATFORM, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU SEE A STAFF STORY THAT REALLY RESONATES WITH YOU AND SHOULD YOU BE ABLE, YOU KNOW, CHOOSE TO, UM, SOMEHOW CONTRIBUTE TOWARD THAT? IS THERE A WAY TO, UM, EVEN SCALE THIS TO OTHER INDUSTRIES WHERE SIMILAR LINES OF WORKFORCES ARE NOT NEARLY AS, UM, RESPECTED OR ACKNOWLEDGED FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING? UM, DESPITE, UM, THE CHALLENGING TIMES THAT WE'RE ALL EXISTING AND NEXT SLIDE, UM, OUR THIRD PROTOTYPE, UM, THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING EXPLORING AND HIGHLIGHTING OUT IS A SERVICE CONNECTION OF SORTS WHERE IN, UM, IT'S CREATING ALMOST A MARKETPLACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS IN THE LONG-TERM CARE SPACE MIGHT HAVE EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO A NUMBER OF RESOURCES SERVICES, UM, ET CETERA, THAT THAT MIGHT MEET THEIR NEEDS AND NOT CURRENTLY EXIST.
NEXT SLIDE, WE ACKNOWLEDGED SIMILAR TO THE GRATITUDE PORTAL.
UM, AGAIN, THIS NEED THAT THE LONG-TERM CARE STAFF DOESN'T NECESSARILY GET A LOT OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, TANGIBLE OR EVEN INTANGIBLE, UM, REWARDS THAT SOME OTHER WORKFORCES WE'VE SEEN DURING THESE TIMES, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THOSE, THOSE POSTS OF, UH, PEOPLE GETTING FREE SNEAKERS, FREE LUNCHES, A LOT OF THAT, AND THE LONG-TERM CARE SPACE I'D SAY HAS NOT BENEFITED FROM NEARLY AS MANY OF THOSE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE TIMELINE OF OUR PROJECT, WE'RE TARGETING A PILOT, UH, LAUNCHED MID JANUARY RUNNING THROUGH MARCH.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE QUESTIONS OF, WELL, COULD WE MAYBE DO SOMETHING, UM, FROM A SERVICE ANGLE WITH TAX PREPARATION AND HELPING LONG-TERM CARE STAFF WITH THAT? COULD WE DO SOMETHING TO SUPPORT THE REMOTE LEARNING NATURE OF THE STUDENTS AND ARE THE CHILDREN OF OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, VIA SOME FORM OF A TUTORING SERVICE? UM, SO TRYING TO SEE IN THIS INITIAL ITERATION, IF WE COULD LAUNCH SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO DETERMINE HOW THAT WORKS WITH, UM, WITH STAFF AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A VALUE.
AND AGAIN, AS WE, AS WE LOOK TO LEARN FROM THIS PROCESS AND ITERATE IT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DECIDE IF THAT SERVICE CONNECTION IDEA REALLY SHOULD TRANSITION MORE TOWARD AN ESSENTIAL CARE PANTRY FORMAT AND MEETING MORE BASIC ESSENTIAL NEEDS OR CONVERSELY IF IT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND INTO SOMETHING, UM, MORE ON THE LINES OF OFFERING CREATURE COMFORTS, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE A FAMILY COOKING CLASS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, TAUGHT REMOTELY AS, UM, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE IN A COOKING SPACE YET TOGETHER.
SIMILARLY, WE SEE A WAY TO MAYBE EVOLVE, UM, A MORE DONATION OR GIFTING ASPECT OF THIS TO HELP WITH, UH, POTENTIAL FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND VIABILITY OF THE MODEL.
AND THEN LASTLY, A BIT MORE CONCEPTUALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW MIGHT WE BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE SOME SORT OF A MARKETPLACE, UM, NOTION HERE, YOU KNOW, IF OTHER FOLKS ARE ABLE TO POTENTIALLY, UM, DONATE SERVICES, THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO DO A TRADE FOR, OR EXCHANGE OR OFFER SLIDING SCALES OR EXPLORE OTHER MODELS, AGAIN, FIGURE OUT HOW THIS COULD BOTH, UM, EVOLVE AND BE SUSTAINED IN THE LONG RUN.
AND THEN THE LAST CONCEPT WE'LL SHARE IS, UM, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT.
AND SO PART OF THE IDEA WITH THE FIRST THREE IS TO MEET A VARIETY OF NEEDS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
AND OUR TEAM ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THAT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH THAT MAY NOT ALSO JUST BE HOW PEOPLE CHOOSE OR PREFER TO INTERACT WITH, UM, SERVICES.
AND THE ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT IS REALLY, I WOULD SAY ALMOST A SAFETY NET PROTOTYPE OF SORTS WHERE IN FOLKS CAN BE, UM, CAN CHOOSE TO OPT IN AND RECEIVE ADDITIONAL, UM, SUPPORT AND SERVICES NEXT SLIDE.
AND WE ENVISION IT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BEING, UM, OPERATED WITH, UH, LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
THEY COULD UNDERSTAND WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THESE TYPES OF SERVICES.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN ON A WEEKLY BASIS, JUST OFFER UP, UM, BY A TEXT OR SOMETHING BY A TEXT EMAIL, UM, THEIR AVAILABILITY AND WORK WITH STAFF TO, UM, CONNECT, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER LONG IS NEEDED DURING THOSE TIMES TO DETERMINE IF IT'S A MATTER OF ENROLLING IN THE ARRAY OF SOCIAL SERVICES THAT MIGHT EXIST, UM, IF IT'S CONNECTION TO BEHAVIORAL, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, AND, UM, MIGHT JUST BE IN OTHER
[01:45:01]
INSTANCES, A NEED FOR IT.AND LASTLY, UM, AS WE LOOK TO SEE HOW THIS SPECIFIC PROTOTYPE MIGHT BE ABLE TO EVOLVE AND EXPAND MOVING FORWARD, LOOKING AT, UM, REGIONAL EXPANSION, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE PILOTING, HOPEFULLY IN THE, IN THE FACILITIES THAT WE'VE CURRENTLY BEEN WORKING WITH, ARE THERE WAYS TO ACTUALLY ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN IN EVERY FACILITY? COULD IT BECOME A STANDARD OR A NORM, UM, LOOKING AT FURTHER WAYS TO CREATE, UM, A SUSTAINABLE MODEL OR INTEGRATE THIS INTO FACILITIES? YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FROM A STAFFING PERSPECTIVE? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT LONG-TERM, YOU KNOW, WOULD CONTINUALLY BE OUTSOURCED TO A THIRD PARTY EXTERNAL TO THE FACILITY, OR WOULD WE INVEST IN, YOU KNOW, CREATING ROLES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE FACILITY TO OFFER THOSE SERVICES AND HOW TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, THAT RAPPORT AND ARGUABLY BECOME THAT MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH, UM, PROVIDING THE SERVICES NEXT LINE.
SO AGAIN, JUST TO KIND OF RECAP THE INTENT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE ESSENTIAL CARE PANTRY AS BEING THIS, THIS ANCHOR OF INTERACTION, UM, IF WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, FREE, UH, SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, ET CETERA, DRAWING PEOPLE TO A SINGLE SOURCE OF SAFE, UH, INTERACTION WITHIN A NURSING HOME, BRIDGING INTO GRATITUDE PORTAL AND SERVICE CONNECTION, WHICH REALLY HELPED TO SIMILARLY MEET BASIC NEEDS OF LONG-TERM CARE STAFF WHILE ALLOWING FOR THERE TO BE AN ELEVATION, UM, AND, UH, ADDITIONAL RESPECT TO BE GARNERED FOR THE HARD WORK AND ROLES THAT THEY ARE PERFORMING DAILY IN THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
AND LASTLY, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT OUR SAFETY NET CATCH HALL.
I'M HOPING THAT IF THE OTHER THREE DON'T ALWAYS MEET THE NEEDS OF AN INDIVIDUAL, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM BY ANOTHER AVENUE.
AND I WILL, WE BRIEFLY JUST TOUCH ON, UM, THE NEXT STEPS WE HAVE FOR THIS TRACK, AS WELL AS THE OTHER TWO TRACKS, WHICH AS STACY MENTIONED, WE'RE CURRENTLY BEGINNING TO RAMP UP A BIT MORE.
UM, NOW THAT OUR, UM, TRACK ONE WORK IS WELL UNDERWAY AND THEN WE WILL OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, BUT OUR TRACK ONE NEXT STEPS IS WE ARE CONTINUING, UM, ACTIVELY THIS WEEK AND NEXT OUR PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE'LL BE FINALIZING THOSE AFTER SHARING THEM OUT WITH, UM, FACILITIES, IDEALLY FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, UM, CONSIDERATIONS, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE ESSENTIAL CARE PANTRY, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU SEND US A PHOTO OF THE SPACE IN WHICH THIS WOULD IDEALLY BE SET UP FOR YOU? SO WE CAN THINK THROUGH MORE OF THAT CONSTRUCTION, CONSIDERATIONS AND INSTALLATION.
UM, WE WILL ALSO BE FINALIZING OUR PLANS, UM, FOR EACH OF THESE PROTOTYPES FOR HOW WE MIGHT MEASURE AND EVALUATE THEM BASED ON DATA THAT, UM, NURSING HOMES MAY ALREADY BE COLLECTING AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL METRICS OUR TEAM MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING WE ARE TARGETING A MID LAUNCH MID JANUARY LAUNCH FOR THESE, UM, WITH A CONCLUSION TARGETED TOWARD THE END OF MARCH TO, UM, WORK WITH OUR PROJECT TIMELINES.
AND, UM, WE WILL IDEALLY BE SHARING THESE ALL BACK AGAIN, UM, PERHAPS TO ALL OF YOU, UM, COMING SPRING, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, FOR THE REGIONAL COLLABORATION TRACK TO ANGLE, WE ARE, UM, ACTIVELY IN CONVERSATIONS WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO DETERMINE, UM, IF THERE ARE WAYS FOR US RIGHT NOW TO BE SUPPORTING, UM, A FEW AVENUES.
UM, WE'RE AWARE THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH INTEGRAL CARE, AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND, UM, ACTUALLY A FACILITY THAT WE, OUR TEAM HAS VISITED, UM, IN TOWN TO SEE, UH, I THINK MORE OF A GROUP FORMAT OR GROUP THERAPY, UM, SUPPORT SERVICE.
AND SO, UM, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT MIGHT, UM, BE CONCLUDING IN DECEMBER.
AND SO IF THERE ARE WAYS FOR US TO KIND OF PICK THAT THREAD UP OR HELP SUPPORT TO EXTEND THAT LONGEVITY, AT LEAST UNTIL THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021, UM, WE'RE WORKING ACTIVELY TO SEE IF THERE ARE WAYS FOR THE, UM, FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER MORE, UH, OTHER WORKFORCE SUSPICION IDEAS THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UM, IDENTIFYING AS TO AUGMENT SOME OF THE STAFF CHALLENGES AND CONSIDERATIONS THERE.
AND I WANT TO SAY TRACK THREE.
UM, WE, WE, WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK.
WE BELIEVE WITHOUT REALLY ACKNOWLEDGING ONE OF THE LONGSTANDING ROOT CAUSES THAT EMERGED IN OUR FIRST DAYS OF WORK HAS BEEN A TOPIC I'VE REPEAT CONVERSATION AND REPEAT REINFORCEMENT WHENEVER WE CAN, UM, TRY TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE CHALLENGES ARE IN THIS SPACE AND WHY, AND THAT IS JUST THE LOW WAGES THAT THE STAFF MAKE.
AND WE UNDERSTAND YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD HOW MANY HURDLES EXIST, UH, FROM A POLICY AND REGULATORY ANGLE WITH REIMBURSEMENT RATES ABOUT WHY THAT IS THE WAY IT IS.
AND YET WE'RE GONNA TRY AND PUSH AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN THAT REGARD AS WELL.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE, UM, AN INTERESTING TIMING WITH OUR PROJECT, WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTING, UM, JUST TRYING TO SEE WITH OUR, UM, OUR ROLE IN OUR LEARNINGS, IF THERE ARE WAYS TO PRAY TOOLS, RESOURCES, OTHER SORTS OF DOCUMENTS TO HELP EXPLORE DIFFERENT, UM, CONCEPTUAL FACILITY, FINANCIAL MODELS, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS TO INVEST IN STAFF RETENTION MAY SEEM LIKE A COST RIGHT NOW, BUT ARE THERE WAYS TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND HOW YOU MIGHT BE SAVING MONEY IN THE LONGER TERM, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IDENTIFY MAYBE WHERE THERE MIGHT BE RESOURCE, UH, YOU KNOW, HUMAN OR OTHERWISE, UM, FINANCIAL WASTE IN THE SYSTEM AND HOW COULD THOSE BE UNDERSTOOD AND INVESTIGATED AND POTENTIALLY REPURPOSED, UM, IN SERVICE OF SEEING HOW OUR TEAM CAN WORK TOWARD,
[01:50:01]
UM, SUPPORTING CHANGES IN STAFF PAIN RETENTION, WHICH IS JUST SUCH A, A CRITICAL NEED IN THIS SPACE.UM, AND ONE THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE QUALITY OF RESIDENT CARE AND OUTCOMES.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT TO CATCH US UP ON FROM SEPTEMBER.
WE'VE BEEN, UM, WORKING PRETTY QUICKLY, UM, AND IMMERSIVELY THE STATE IS TRYING TO SEE HOW QUICKLY WE CAN MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN WHILE HOPEFULLY BEING THOUGHTFUL AND INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HEAR ANY THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, CONVERSATIONS, UM, FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, BEFORE WE OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS, JUST ONE CON CONCLUDING STATEMENT FROM ME, UH, THIS IS STACY AGAIN, THAT REALLY THE WORK HAS, UM, UH, HAS THIS FOCUSING ON ALLEVIATING AND OFFSETTING THE, BOTH THE MATERIAL, THE PHYSICAL AND THE EMOTIONAL BURDENS ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH DOING THIS WORK AS LONG-TERM CARE WORKERS.
UM, WE RECOGNIZED EARLY IN THE RESEARCH THAT REALLY THE SYSTEM SURVIVES, UH, ON THE FORCE OF WILL AND THE GENEROSITY AND THE, IN THE WORK OF THOSE ESSENTIAL CARE WORKERS, UM, AND ACTUALLY SUPPORTING THEM AND ENSURING THAT THEY STAY WELL IS, IS CRITICAL ENSURING THAT THE SYSTEM, UM, UH, STAYS SWELLS AS WELL.
SO I THINK AT THIS POINT, WE'RE, UM, UH, UH, HAPPY TO HEAR QUESTIONS, COMMENTARY, UH, ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR AND, UH, AND OTHERS.
UH, COLLEAGUES, UM, PAIGE, AND THEN KATHY REALLY INTERESTING PRESENTATION.
I, UM, AM THANKFUL FOR ALL THE THOUGHT AND RESEARCH THAT WENT INTO THIS.
DID YOU FIND THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF VARIATION FROM FACILITY TO FACILITY, OR DID YOU FIND THEY WERE ALL KIND OF FOLLOWING THE SAME PATTERNS AND IDENTIFYING THE SAME NEEDS? I THINK, UM, BASED ON THE SURVEY RESULTS, WE DID HAVE INFECTION CONTROL AND MORALE AND BURNOUT KIND OF BUBBLE UP ACROSS FACILITIES.
UM, OF COURSE WITHIN THAT THERE, UM, AND THE FOLLOWUP CONVERSATIONS YOU'RE ABLE TO UNPACK NUANCE, I THINK WHERE THE FACILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, MIGHT HAVE MORE OR LESS IMPACT IS WHEN YOU CONSIDER THINGS LIKE, UM, LEADERSHIP, OPERATIONAL CULTURES, THINGS LIKE THAT, REALLY IMPACTING STAFF MORALE IN THAT REGARD.
UM, THERE WERE FOLKS WHO FELT, UM, PRETTY COMPETENT AND UP TO SPEED ON THEIR INFECTION, CONTROL, THEIR TRAINING NEEDS, KNOWING, UM, WHERE THEY COULD GO TO ASK FOR HELP.
AND THEN YOU ALSO CAN SEE THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT.
SO THERE WERE SOME NEEDS, I WOULD SAY THAT WERE ACROSS FACILITIES AND THEN ONES THAT DEFINITELY, UM, WERE MORE OR LESS AFFECTED BASED ON THAT FACILITY.
I CAN REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE WE MAY SOMETIMES THINK THAT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND THAT THEY ARE ALSO SUFFERING THE SAME HUMAN CONDITIONS OF SURVIVING THE PANDEMIC AS WELL.
AND SO THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO DOUBLE DUTY WHERE THEY'RE THEIR JOBS, THEY'RE HELPING THEIR PATIENTS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE ALSO STILL GOING THROUGH THIS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AND REALLY NEED OUR SUPPORT AND ATTENTION.
I JUST REALLY WANTED TO SAY THANKS.
UM, WE DON'T ALWAYS HEAR FROM, FROM, UM, THE TWO OF YOU AT OUR PRESENTATIONS AND, AND WHEN WE DO IT ON A COUPLE OCCASIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC REHAB, IT'S JUST BEEN EXTREMELY ILLUMINATING, I THINK FOR, UH, FOR ME, BUT ALSO I WOULD ANTICIPATE FOR THE PUBLIC THAT MAY INTERACT LESS WITH, WITH SOME OF THE CARE FACILITIES AND THOSE WHO ARE, ARE REALLY CRITICAL TO, TO THE WORK THAT GOES ON WITHIN THEM.
UM, I THINK THE IDEAS YOU'VE PRESENTED ARE REALLY INNOVATIVE, UM, AND I HOPE OUR COMMUNITY WILL RALLY AROUND THEM.
AND I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR, FOR THIS HARD AND REALLY CREATIVE WORK.
AND IT'S GREAT TO, TO HAVE THIS INTERACTION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, THERE'S SO MUCH RESOURCE, UH, AVAILABLE ON THAT CAMPUS FOR US AND EXPERTISE.
UH, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND, UH, YES, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS WORK.
I, I, I WILL ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES SAID, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, UM, UH, DOING THIS WORK IN THE CONTEXT OF SET, SETTING A STAFF, UH, SETTING A PATH TOWARDS, UM, IMPLEMENTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM IS THE LOW WAGE.
SO, UM, SO I THINK THAT OUR, OUR LEGISLATIVE, UM, UM, PACKAGE INCLUDES DOING WHAT WE CAN AS A CITY TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE WAGE LEVELS.
BUT WHAT I, WHAT I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE ABOUT THIS ALSO IS SOME VERY INNOVATIVE IDEAS THAT ARE REALLY DOABLE.
I THINK, UH, FROM A COMMUNITY STANDPOINT, THROUGH THE COMMON THROUGH COMBINATIONS OF MANY DIFFERENT POTENTIAL.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, OUR PO FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE THERE'S WORK THAT THE CITY COULD DO,
[01:55:01]
YOU KNOW, FROM CENTRAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE WORK WITH MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN WHO COULD ALSO CONTRIBUTE IN THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.I MEAN, CAUSE PART OF THIS IS AS A COMMUNITY, THESE, THESE ARE PEOPLE WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF BECAUSE THEY TAKE CARE OF OUR, OF OUR ELDERLY.
UM, AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST LOW WAGE WORKERS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
AND THIS IN OUR CITY HAS FOCUSED MUCH OF OUR EFFORT ON TRYING TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
AND SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THESE, THIS SET OF FOLKS FIVE, FIVE TO 6,000 PEOPLE, I THINK HE GAVE US NUMBERS AT ONE POINT, UM, THAT ARE DOING AND, UM, DOING WHAT WE CAN AS A COMMUNITY, UM, TO, TO HELP.
UM, I THINK THERE'S SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO PUSH ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THEY NEED TO BE PAID BETTER.
BUT I THINK WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT AND RELY ON THE LEGISLATURE TO FIX THAT ISSUE, TO DO OTHER KINDS OF THINGS THAT CAN BE A VERY REAL, UH, TANGIBLE SUPPORT FOR THEM.
SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING IS YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO, TO TRY OUT THESE IDEAS AND TRY THEM OUT IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN THEN LEARN FROM THEM.
UM, WHICH, WHICH I THINK WILL BE A HUGE HELP TO THEN TAKING THEM TO SUSTAINABILITY AND FINDING THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO CAN FUND AND SUSTAIN THEM OVER TIME.
AND I REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU PRESENTED THIS TO US, WE HAD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR FACILITIES ARE IN THE SENSE OF THE RESOURCES THEY BRING TO THE TABLE.
AND SO THERE WERE FACILITIES, UM, IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE EASTERN PART OF OUR CITY WHO HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED IN HIS STUDY, EVEN DESPITE Y'ALL'S INTENT TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
UM, AND YOU NOTED IN YOUR STUDY, THE CHALLENGES THAT THOSE, UH, THOSE FACILITIES HAVE, UM, UH, THAT RELATES TO THAT REALLY RELATE TO THE FACT THAT THEY'RE PRIMARILY TAKING MEDICAID PATIENTS AND THEY DON'T GET PAID AS MUCH.
SO REGARDLESS, I THINK THAT YOU'RE PILOTING THESE KINDS OF, UM, THESE, THESE KINDS OF SOLUTIONS ACTIVITIES CAN THEN BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE, UM, THAT IT CAN BE USED IN THOSE FACILITIES ALSO.
SO, UM, AND PERHAPS WITH ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT OR CITY SUPPORT OR CENTRAL HEALTH SUPPORT OR OTHER SUPPORTS, BUT, UM, JUST THE ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO FOOD AND OTHER SUPPLIES THROUGH THE ESSENTIAL FOOD PANTRY COULD BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL TO PEOPLE.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS OUT.
SO, UM, AND JUST WRAPPING THESE WORKERS WITH ALL THE SUPPORTS YOU'VE TALKED, TALKED ABOUT CAN MAKE THEIR LIVES EASIER AND, AND, AND HELP, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING PAID, WHAT THEY SHOULD BE PAID.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S WORK.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD ALSO ASK IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT YET, AND YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONNECTED, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL ARE CONNECTED TO OUR SENIOR COMMISSION.
I'M SURE THEY WOULD APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH YOU, UM, AS YOU MOVE TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, TESTING AND THESE THINGS.
WE WERE CONNECTED AS THE SENIOR COMMISSION, UM, SUBSEQUENT TO OUR LAST, UM, PRESENTATION AND HAD SOME VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS AND HAVE MET WITH THEM.
THEY'VE HELPED TO INFORM, HELPED TO INFORM, UM, A NUMBER OF THE MUCH OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, OUR GOAL IS NOT ONLY TO AFFECT, YOU KNOW, THE INDIVIDUAL FACILITIES IN WHICH WE INTERVENE, BUT ACTUALLY DEVELOP MODELS THAT WE HOPE OTHERS WILL TAKE UP AS WELL.
AND APPROVES THAT PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT THEY CAN WORK.
UM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THIS WILL BE, UH, A BROADER EFFORT TO ESTABLISH SOME OF THE COMPONENTS IN COMMUNITY AND A REGIONAL KIND OF COLLABORATION LEVEL.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY, HOPEFULLY THINK ABOUT POLICY AND GOVERNANCE THAT ACTUALLY SUPPORTS A CONTINUANCE OF, OF, OF ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES OVER TIME.
SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL JUST SORT OF END BY SAYING THANK YOU AGAIN, PARTICULARLY FOR YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, BUT AT THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AS A WHOLE, FOR BEING VERY SUPPORTIVE AND BEING, HAVING THE COURAGE TO LEAN INTO THIS CHALLENGE.
UM, IT IS, UM, IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S NOT THE USUAL TACT, UM, TO, TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM AND SAY, WE SHOULD ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AND SO, UM, YOU DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES, INCLUDING THE MICHAEL SUSAN DELL FOUNDATION WHO WANT TO SEE THIS WORK DONE WELL, NOT ONLY FOR THIS COMMUNITY, BUT FOR OTHERS AS WELL.
EVERYBODY ELSE, EVERYTHING ELSE ON THIS.
ALL RIGHT, THEN STEPHANIE, STACY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR.
[02:00:01]
I SAW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RENTER, HIS HAND RAISEDAND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THEM, YOU KNOW, IT'S FOR SOMEONE THAT GROWING UP AND, UH, WORKING, UH, MY FIRST JOB WAS AT A NURSING HOME AND I KNOW HOW HARD THESE PEOPLE REALLY WORK FOR THE LOWER INCOME, UH, LOW WAGES THAT THEY EARN.
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS EXCITING, ESPECIALLY THE FOOD PANTRY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I HAVE FRIENDS THAT ARE WORKING AND FAMILY THEY'RE WORKING IN ASSISTED LIVING, UH, THERE'S THIS.
AND, UH, UH, THEY SOMETIME HAVE TO WORK DOUBLE SHIFTS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S A WINDOW SHOW UP AND, AND THE FOOD PANTRY WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE TIME TO GO OUT AND GET THE FOOD FOR THEIR KIDS.
AND THESE PEOPLE ARE, ARE, ARE SINGLE PARENTS, WHICH IS VERY HARD ON THEM.
AND, AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO THIS BECAUSE, UH, IT'S, IT'S, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED SESSIONS IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, IN THIS SOCIETY.
UH, COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON, KATHY, JUST VERY QUICKLY.
I THINK OUR STAFF, BUT I, I TOO WANT TO ECHO THE THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, BECAUSE SHE HAS REALLY BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR, UM, PUSHING THIS WORK FORWARD.
AND SO YOU THANK YOU CALLIE FOR REALLY, UM, CONTINUING TO, TO MAKE US AWARE OF, OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AREA.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, MANAGER.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE PRESENTATIONS.
[A. Pre-Selected Agenda Items ]
COLLEAGUES THAT THEN GETS US TO THE, UH, PULLED, UH, PULLED ITEMS. UM, I THINK I'M MAYOR PRO TAM PULLED, UH, UH, THE, UH, AUSTIN WATER ITEM, ITEM NUMBER, UH, SIX, UH, AND ALSO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.ARE YOU WITH US MAYOR PRO TIME? WE'LL COME BACK TO THOSE, KATHY.
I THINK YOU PULLED THE, UH, THE, UH, ART COMMISSIONS.
UM, DO YOU HAVE SESSION ITEMS? I DID MAYOR.
I'M STILL WORKING THROUGH, WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME RESPONSES BACK FROM STAFF, UM, ON MY QUESTIONS THAT IS SUBMITTED THROUGH THE COUNCIL Q AND A, BUT, BUT I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
UM, PUBLICS, YOU'LL SEE THE QUESTIONS I SUBMITTED THROUGH THE QA.
THIS IS SOMETHING, IT LOOKS LIKE COUNCIL HAS ONLY DONE TWICE IN, IN, UM, A HISTORY OF ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PER PROGRAM, WHICH IS TO DEACCESSION SOME OF THE ARTWORKS.
AND, AND SO I HAD QUESTIONS THAT WENT BEYOND THE BACKUP INFORMATION, UM, AMONG OTHER THINGS THERE WEREN'T IMAGES AVAILABLE IN, IN OUR BACKUP.
UM, AND SO I'VE REQUESTED THAT THOSE IMAGES BE MADE AVAILABLE.
THEY'RE NOW AVAILABLE IN THE Q AND A, AND, AND HOPEFULLY OUR STAFF MAYBE CAN THEN SWITCH THEM OVER TO THE AGENDA ITEM AS BACKUP AS WELL.
SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN EASILY ACCESS THEM.
SO I'D ASKED FOR IMAGES, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEACCESSIONING POLICY AND SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.
AND I RECEIVED IT LIKE 10 MINUTES AGO.
SO MAYOR, I, I HAVE MY QUESTION.
I HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS THAT I'M PROBABLY GONNA NEED A FEW MORE MINUTES TO READ THROUGH IT.
UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'D ASKED ABOUT EACH OF THE ARTWORKS AND THEY, THEY REALLY RANGE.
UM, ONE IS IN COUNCIL MEMBER, LSS DISTRICT, THE OTHER ARE IN MINE.
UM, AND I AM SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSES ON A FEW OF THEM THAT THEY ARE, THAT THEY ARE, THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE REVIEW THEY NEEDED TO GO THROUGH, BUT SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO MOMENTS UNDER, UNDER THE OVERPASS OF LAMAR NEAR THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
UM, MY QUESTIONS STAFF ABOUT THAT WHEN I UNDERSTAND NOW WHY THE BLUE SIGNS HAVE BEEN NOTED BY THE ARTS COMMISSION TO NOT BE REUSED, BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT THAT'S THE ARTIST'S INTERESTS, ARTIST'S REQUEST THAT THOSE BLUE SIGNS NOT BEING BE REUSED FOR ANY PURPOSE.
AND SO THAT, THAT PART OF MY QUESTION IS NOW BEEN ANSWERED.
UM, I'M NOT IT, THAT SITE, UM, THAT ARTWORK WAS REPAINTED WAS PAINTED OVER.
SO CAN YOU, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT, UM, THAT PROCESS, I MEAN, BEFORE IT LOOKS TO ME, LIKE IT WAS PAINTED OVER
[02:05:01]
BEFORE THE DEACCESSIONING WAS RECOMMENDED TO US FOR APPROVAL YES.SO NOVIA, HAUTE, RAB, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU ARE CORRECT.
UM, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PAINTED OVER, BUT PARTS HAD BEEN STOLEN AND IT HAS BEEN VANDALIZED.
AND SO IT WENT THROUGH THE PROPER, UM, UH, PROCEDURE, UH, WRITTEN REQUEST FOR THE OBSESSION, UH, EVALUATED BY THE AIPP PANEL, UM, AWARDED TO THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
I GUESS THE WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF OUR MAKING THE DECISION ON THURSDAY.
IF THE, IF THE ARTWORK IN ESSENCE HAS ALREADY BEEN SO SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED, I MEAN, THE ARTWORK, THE ARTWORK THAT WE'RE DEACCESSIONING REALLY DOESN'T EXIST ANY LONGER.
AND I GUESS I'M WONDERING WHY THAT PROCESS, WHY THE PROCESS OF PAINTING OVER IT.
WASN'T, UM, WASN'T, WASN'T DELAYED UNTIL THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DEACCESSION THE ORIGINAL ARTWORK.
AND I'M GOING TO DEFER TO SUE LAND IS ON THE LINE.
UM, MY NAME IS SUE LAMB AND I'M THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM MANAGER.
AND, UM, THAT, UH, PAINTING HAPPENED AS A PART OF A TEMPO PROGRAM IN, UH, 2018.
IT WAS A, AN EXPERIMENT AT THE SCALE OF THE CITY IN, UM, RE-IMAGINING AN ARTWORK THAT, UM, CREATED A TEMPORARY, UH, MOMENT OVER AN EXISTING PIECE.
AND SO, UM, WHEN THAT ARTWORK WAS, UH, DE INSTALLED, UM, WHICH WAS JUST RECENTLY, WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTIST AND ASKED IF, UM, HE WAS, UM, INTERESTED IN HAVING US RE-INSTALL HIS WORK AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED, WHICH INCLUDED PAINTING THE MURALS AND PAINTING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE, UM, UM, BOTH MURAL WALLS.
AND, UM, HE ACTUALLY, UM, AGREED WITH STAFF THAT, UM, REINSTALLING THOSE MURALS WAS NOT THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THE SITE AT THIS POINT.
I, I THINK THAT IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, WHEN YOU HAVE HAD SO MUCH CONTACT WITH THE ARTIST, THE IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.
I, AGAIN, I THINK SINCE, SINCE THERE'S BEEN VERY FEW, JUST TWO, UM, PREVIOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY HAVE THIS PROCESS IN PLACE, I GUESS I WOULD JUST REQUEST THAT WE REALLY WAIT THAT I WOULD ASK OUR STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROCESS AS IT'S OUTLINED AND IT'S JUST BEEN UPLOADED, UM, FOR OUR REVIEW.
SO I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T REVIEWED IT YET EITHER.
UM, THAT IT JUST GIVES ME PAUSE WHILE IT, WHILE IT WORKED OUT OKAY.
IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, I ABSOLUTELY WOULD HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, ONE OF OUR PIECES OF PUBLIC ART BEING REMOVED, UM, BEING REMOVED IN ADVANCE OF, OF ACTUALLY THE DECISION AND THE PROCESS RUNNING ITS FULL COURSE.
SO I, THE CONTEXT IS PROVIDED HERE IS UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE THAT NOT TO BE KIND OF THE, THE WAY WE, HM I'D LIKE TO JUST NOTE THAT IT WAS A REAL EXCEPTION RATHER THAN, THAN THE PROCESS THAT'S DESCRIBED, UM, IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD, ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION I HAVE, AND I, I, IT MAY BE THAT I JUST NEED TO BRING THIS FORWARD AS FORMAL COUNCIL ACTION TO REVISE THE POLICY.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE, WHEN YOU HAVE ARTWORK, THAT IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY PLACED IN PARKLAND.
I SEE FROM ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'VE ASKED THAT THERE WAS OUT THAT THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN AT ART AND AT THE ARTS IN PUBLIC PLACES, PANEL MEETING, AND AT THE ARTS COMMISSIONS MEETINGS, I BELIEVE THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE A FORMAL CONNECTION BACK TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
AND IN ONE OF THESE CASES, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT THAT HAPPENED NOW BECAUSE TWO OF THEM ARE FOUNTAINS WITHIN PARKLAND.
AND SO HAVING THAT CONNECTION BACK TO OUR PARKS BOARD AND THAT FORMAL INPUT, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT IT APPEARS THAT THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES DOESN'T INCLUDE THAT REVIEW.
UH, IT DOES LOOK AS IF RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GATHERED THROUGH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND SO PERHAPS YOU CAN TELL ME IN PARTICULAR, UM, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S HARD TO KNOW HOW TO, HOW TO HAVE QUESTIONS THAT ARE GENERAL AND QUESTIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC.
[02:10:01]
THROUGH THEM MAYBE IN TERMS OF THE SPECIFIC.SO THE, ONE OF THE ITEMS IS, UH, THE IS, UH, ALONG THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKE PATH AND BIKE WAY.
AND IT'S THE YELLOW, AS I DID SOME RESEARCH OVER THE WEEKEND, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ARTWORK WAS BEING, WAS BEING PROPOSED FOR REMOVAL.
IT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME WHETHER IT WAS ALL OF, ALL OF THE PIECES OF YELLOW ART OR JUST THE TUNNEL.
AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED SOME, AN IMAGE NOW OF THOSE, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST BE HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHICH PIECE ARE WE MOVING THE SIGNS AS WELL AS, AS WELL AS, AS THE TUNNEL AND THE BIKE, I'M SORRY, AS WELL AS THE BIKE STORAGE PIECES.
WE ARE REMOVING THE ENTIRE ARTWORK, WHICH IS, IS COMPOSED OF A LOT OF, UM, COMPONENTS THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING SUCH AS THE TUNNELS AND THE, UM, SIGNAGE, BUT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEACCESSIONING THE ENTIRE ARTWORK.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, DEACCESSIONING JUST MEANS REMOVING THE ARTWORK FROM THE LIST OF HOLDINGS OF THE ARTWORK COLLECTION.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE NECESSARILY ARE REMOVING THEM FROM THE PHYSICAL WORLD.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A PROCESS THAT IS A BEST PRACTICE OF MUSEUMS AND ART COLLECTIONS, UM, TO, UH, KEEP, UH, UH, MAINTAINABLE COLLECTION, BASICALLY.
AND I APPRECIATE THE PERMISSION AND THE BACKUP ABOUT THE DISTINCTION THERE.
IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE OF THESE FIVE ARTWORKS.
I MEAN, IT SOUNDS AS IF KARST IS, IS GOING TO BE BOTH DEACCESSIONED AND REMOVED, UM, MOMENTS HAS ALREADY BEEN REMOVED AND HIS PROPOSED FOLDER FOR DEACCESSION LAB, IT SOUNDS IS BEING PROPOSED FOR DEACCESSIONING.
ARE YOU ALSO PROPOSING IT FOR REMOVAL? UM, THIS IS SUE LAMB.
AGAIN, WE ARE EXPECTING THAT THE USER DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS, THE ARTWORK ITSELF CAN REMAIN IN PLACE AND THE USER DEPARTMENT CAN DO THEIR OWN DUE DILIGENCE AS TO WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THEIR DEPARTMENT OR THE SITE ITSELF, PARTICULARLY IN CASE.
YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY, PARTICULARLY IN CASE OF BICENTENNIAL FOUNTAIN, WHICH IS AT THE BIAS SHORES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE WITHIN THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT'S PURVIEW TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH IT.
UM, AND SO WITH REGARD TO LAB, DO WHO IS THE USER DEPARTMENT AS A PUBLIC WORKS OR IS IT THE PARKS IT'S PUBLIC WORKS? DO WE KNOW WHAT THEY'LL, UH, WHAT THEIR DECISION IS? THIS IS THE LAMB THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE HAVE, UH, MADE A DETERMINATION IN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WERE HAVING AROUND THE DE-ACCESSION, UM, TO, TO REVIEW, UM, THE URBAN TRAILS GROUP WITHIN, UM, UH, AS A TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS ALSO INTERESTED IN POTENTIALLY RETAINING WHATEVER PIECES COULD BE VIABLE.
UM, THE WHOLE INSTALLATION, UM, ITSELF MAY HAVE COMPONENTS THAT REMAIN, AND SOME THAT MAY BE REMOVED DEPENDING ON WHAT THE FINAL CONVERSATION IS BETWEEN PUBLIC WORKS AND AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AROUND THE URBAN TRAILS.
SO I THINK THAT'S, UM, THE WAY I READ THE BACKUP AND, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN RESPONSE TO MY QUESTIONS, BUT THE INFORMATION I READ IN THE BACKUP WAS NOT REALLY CLEAR.
IT WAS NOT CLEAR TO ME HAVING READ IT WHETHER OR NOT THESE WERE BEING PROPOSED FOR DEACCESSIONING AND REMOVAL OR JUST THE ACCESSIONING.
AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE WORTH IF YOU WOULD TREAT THAT AS A QUESTION THROUGH THE Q AND A, WHICH OF THESE, WHICH OF THESE ARTWORKS, UM, BEING PROPOSED FOR DEACCESSIONING ARE ALSO BEING PROPOSED FOR REMOVAL.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL INFORMATION TO HAVE SO THAT WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHICH, WHICH, UM, AGAIN, AT LEAST TWO OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN REMOVED.
UM, SOME OF THEM, IT SOUNDS AS IF ARE STILL IN DISCUSSION WITH THE USER DEPARTMENT, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE'S BEEN A DECISION MADE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT, AND IN THE, WHEN THERE HASN'T BEEN A DECISION MADE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS WILL BE FOR CONSIDERING THAT DECISION.
SO MOVING ON TO THE FOUNTAIN IN REPUBLIC, SQUARE PARK, AS I UNDERSTAND THAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR REMOVAL, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN REMOVED AND WAS, WAS DONE, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROCESS.
MY QUESTION IS REALLY ABOUT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT SINCE THAT'S, UH, UH, A PARK PARK DEPARTMENT ASSET.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE ON THE LINE WHO CAN SPEAK TO ME, UM, WHO COULD SPEAK TO HOW THAT, HOW IT HAPPENED, THAT THAT WAS REMOVED WITHOUT PERMISSION DIRECTOR MCNEELY IS ON THE LINE.
[02:15:01]
TOBO AND MAYOR AND THE REST OF COUNCIL.SO, AS I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION WITH REPUBLIC SQUARE, THERE WAS A VISION PLAN THAT WAS THAT RECEIVED, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE, PRIOR TO ALL OF THE RENOVATIONS THAT OCCURRED AT REPUBLIC SQUARE AS A PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WITH OUR PARTNERS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THAT PARTICULAR FOUNTAIN WAS NOT, UM, WAS NOT, UH, REPAIRABLE, NOR WAS IT SOMETHING THAT WOULD, WOULD COMPLIMENT THE NEW PLAN AT REPUBLIC SQUARE? UM, IF I CAN, I WILL BE COMPLETELY HONEST IN THAT.
I DON'T KNOW AT THE TIME IF THIS DEPARTMENT KNEW, UM, HOW TO, I DIDN'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROCESS WAS TO FOR DEACCESSIONING FOR REMOVAL, HOWEVER, THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT, IT BECAME, AND THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS, IT BECAME KNOWN THAT THAT WAS NOT A PIECE THAT WOULD COMPLIMENT THE NEW, THE NEW D THE NEW PLANS AT THAT PARTICULAR PARK SPACE.
UM, I DID, UM, AS I'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND, NOW, THERE WOULD BE A DIFFERENT PROCESS PUT IN PLACE, OBVIOUSLY, IF THAT WERE TO BE, THAT WERE TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT WAS REMOVED THERE.
IT WAS NOT SALVAGEABLE AS MY TEAM HAS EXPLAINED TO ME.
SO THAT WAS NOT AS THOUGH THERE WERE PARTS OR PIECES THAT WERE PUT IN STORAGE OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO, UM, NOW THAT WE'VE COME AWARE OF WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED, WE'RE BEING FULLY TRANSPARENT AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND SO, YEAH, IT SOUNDS AS IF, YOU KNOW, RE LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF INFORMATION AS THAT THERE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME LEARNINGS TO COME FROM THIS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
UM, THE, SINCE YOU'RE ON CAMERA, WOULD YOU ADDRESS THE, THE QUESTION ABOUT THE FOUNTAIN THAT THAT WAS THE ONE THAT FELT TO ME AS IF IT REALLY NEEDS A LITTLE FULLER PUBLIC PROCESS.
THIS IS A FOUNTAIN THAT WAS INSTALLED FOR THE BICENTENNIAL.
SO IT'S BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, IF IT WERE A STRUCTURE, WE WOULD, I THINK AT 40, 40 YEARS OR OLDER, IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW.
SO THAT JUST GIVES YOU A SENSE OF HOW LONG IT'S BEEN, GIVES THE PUBLIC A SENSE OF HOW LONG, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN A PART OF OUR PARK.
SO DEACCESSIONING AT, FROM AGAIN, WHEN I READ THE BACKUP, I ASSUMED IT WAS BEING PROPOSED FOR REMOVAL BASED ON THE CONTEXT AND THE COMFORT AND THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS IN THE BACKUP ABOUT IT BEING A MAINTENANCE ISSUE AND THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE JUST RECEIVED ABOUT IT, POTENTIALLY BEING A SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL.
THEY'RE ASKED WHAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PLAN IS WITH REGARD TO WHETHER IT WILL BE, WHETHER YOU'RE PROPOSING IT FOR REMOVAL OR NOT.
UM, MY QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THERE'S BEEN ANY CONTACT WITH THE ARTIST, I DON'T BELIEVE WAS ANSWERED FOR THAT PIECE OF ART.
SO THAT'S A QUESTION I NEED ANSWERED AS WELL.
AND THE RESPONSE I HAD ALSO ASKED THAT FOR EACH OF THESE, UM, WE WE'D BE TOLD WHAT THE COST IS OF DEACCESSIONING THE ARTWORK.
UM, THE COST IS ONLY GOING TO BE TRIGGERED IF, IF THE DEPARTMENT CHOOSES TO REMOVE IT IN THE FISCAL, THIS ITEM, IT WAS SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS THE MONEY.
SO WHAT DOES, IS THERE A COP, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE WOULD BE A COST OF REMOVING A REALLY SUBSTANTIAL FOUNTAIN.
IS IT YOUR PLAN TO REMOVE IT? UM, IF SO, DO YOU INTEND TO DO ANY, ANY FURTHER PUBLIC FEEDBACK, UM, AT THE PARKS BOARD LEVEL OR ELSEWHERE ABOUT IT? UM, SINCE IT'S BEEN A PART OF PART OF THAT SPACE FOR AWHILE AND WHAT IS THE CONTEMPLATED COST OF DOING SO WE'RE MOVING UP.
SO FOR THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF WORK, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE IN PLAY.
ONE IS THAT WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AIPP AND WITH OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATION, THE TRAIL FOUNDATION, AND WE HAVE COMMISSIONED A VISION PLAN FOR ARTS THAT WOULD BE, UH, ALONG THE TRAIL.
THE ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER IS WHETHER OR NOT THIS PIECE OF ARTWORK IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE TRAIL TO BE A PART, OR TO BE IN CONSIDERATION OF, UH, THAT KIND OF VISION PLAN.
UM, THE SECOND THING IS THAT WE KNOW THAT PROJECT CONNECT PASSING, THAT THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A ORANGE LINE THAT MIGHT BE COMING THROUGH THAT SPACE.
THAT IS NOT, WE ARE NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
WE'VE NOT DETERMINED THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY HAPPENING.
SO I WANT TO BE SURE THAT I MAKE THAT CLEAR, HOWEVER, IT'S SOMETHING UNDER CONSIDERATION.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE WOULD REPAIR THAT OR MOVE IT AND PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE OR HOW WE WOULD DEAL WITH IT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WE DON'T INVEST IN SOMETHING THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE WE'LL HAVE TO BE MOVED.
SO WE WANT, WANTED A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE THAT SITUATION.
SO WITH ALL OF THOSE TWO THINGS, BEING AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO SOME FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, THROUGH THE PARKS BOARD TO DETERMINE WHAT'S THE BEST PATH FORWARD.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WILL NO LONGER
[02:20:01]
BE A PART OF AIP PS INVENTORY, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED FROM NOR HAS THERE BEEN ANY DEFINITIVE DECISIONS AS TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH IT, AS FAR AS BEING PART OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT INVENTORY.SO WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE WORK TO DO, AND YES, WE ABSOLUTELY WILL ENGAGE THE PARKS BOARD.
WE WILL ABSOLUTELY ENGAGE THE ARTIST AND WE'LL HAVE TO DO ANOTHER ASSESSMENT OF WHAT IT MAY OR MAY NOT COST, UM, TO KEEP IT IN THAT LOCATION IT IS, OR IF WE WERE GOING TO MOVE IT OR WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO IT IN THE FUTURE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT RESPONSE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK AT THE BACKUP, IT TALKS ABOUT THE FUNDING OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEACCESSIONING BEING AVAILABLE IN YOUR BUDGET, IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS WHAT GAVE RISE TO THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WAS BEING THAT WE WERE MAKING A DECISION ON THURSDAY, BOTH TO DEACCESSION AND TO REMOVE IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT, AND ALL OF THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME TO MAKE, TO MAKE SURE, UM, IF IT IS GOING TO, IF THERE IS ANY WILL TO, TO KEEP IT WHERE IT IS AND REPAIR IT, THAT THAT A DECISION FIRST WOULD BE MADE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE ORANGE LINE IS, IS GOING TO GO THROUGH IT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO JUST SAY, I, I DID ASK SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HOPE WILL BE ANSWERED ABOUT, ABOUT WHY IT HASN'T, WHY IT HASN'T BEEN MAINTAINED BETTER, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE RATIONALE FOR MOVING IT IS THAT IT HASN'T BEEN, IT HASN'T BEEN MAINTAINED WELL.
AND WHILE CERTAINLY OUR CONSERVATION GUIDELINES HAVE, HAVE MEANT THAT OUR FOUNTAINS AREN'T RUNNING, UM, IT'S, IT SEEMS AS IF THERE ARE, THERE WOULD BE THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING THOSE PIECES.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, MAYBE IN THIS CASE, IT, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE READY TO HAVE GONE FROM THAT AREA, BUT I, I DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE AS A CITY THAT WE HAVE PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO MAINTAIN THE ART THAT'S BEEN ENTRUSTED TO US, UM, THAT MAY BE IN, IN CERTAIN CASES, REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE STANDING EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW OR 75 YEARS FROM NOW.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND THE BACKUP, THERE IS A TIME CAPSULE CURE, SO THAT IF THE, IF THE FOUNTAIN IS REMOVED THE TIME CAPSULE, THAT WAS PART OF THAT CENTENNIAL, UH, BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WOULD BE MOVED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT MAY BE THAT THIS FOUNTAIN IS, IS, UM, UH, PER IT'S APPROPRIATE TO REMOVE IT.
UM, BUT HAVING SOME MORE, HAVING ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION MAKES SENSE TO ME.
I THINK THAT IS MY LAST QUESTION ON, ON THESE ITEMS. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU.
IF WE COULD GET THAT FOLLOWUP INFORMATION IN THE Q AND A ABOUT WHICH, FOR WHICH OF THESE ARTWORK PIECES THERE HAVE BEEN DECISIONS ABOUT REMOVING IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THESE PIECES WAS NOT ACTUALLY PART OF THE AIPP PROGRAM.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE THAT WAS.
SO I THINK IT WAS THE FOUNTAIN OF REPUBLIC SQUARE PARK.
REMEMBER HILTON OVER WE'LL UPDATE OUR QA AND MAKE SURE IT'S A PART OF THE BACKUP.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
I HAD INITIALLY THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE ACTION ON THE FOUNTAIN AND AUDITORIUM SHORES, BUT I THINK GIVEN DIRECTOR MCNELLIE'S DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FUTURE, FUTURE INVESTIGATION, I FEEL CALM.
I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH US MOVING FORWARD ON THURSDAY.
UM, STILL, YEAH, THAT'D BE REALLY GOOD.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THESE ITEMS? 2024? OKAY.
THE NEXT ITEM POLL KATHY, YOU PULLED IT AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO STEP OFF THE DYESS NOW FOR 20 MINUTES.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE HOW BEST TO I CAN BE HERE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, AND THEN I'M GOING TO HAVE TO EXCUSE MYSELF FOR A BIT.
WE HAVE SOUTH TO DISCUSS, UH, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO ZONING CASES, UH, THE ORIGINAL, AND THEN WE HAVE THE WATER FORWARD ITEMS. NOW THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS BACK WITH US.
UH, THE GOAL WAS TO TRY TO WORK FOR THESE THINGS, UH, UH, AND THEN GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IF IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK, UH, AFTER, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND THEN WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT AND TAKE HEALTH STUFF LATER.
IF WE WANT TO GIVE KATHY MORE TIME TO BE WITH US.
WELL, MAYOR, COULD YOU, I'M JUST SLEEPING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
I WONDER MAYOR, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE WATER FORWARD ITEMS AND THE ZONING, AND THEN BY THE TIME I COME BACK, UM, I THINK WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR HEALTH SOUTH AS WELL.
AND SO THAT WOULD KEEP THOSE TWO THAT WE KEEP UP AND LINKED UP WITH OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'LL DO MY BEST TO GET BACK HERE.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT HAND, YOUR HANDS RAISED.
OH, I WAS JUST GOING TO TELL YOU THAT THE ITEM I POLLED, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S A LONG CONVERSATION, SO
[02:25:01]
SOUNDS GOOD.YOU WANT TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE WATER FORWARD, THE ITEMS YOU PULLED SIX AND SEVEN? SURE.
UM, MY MAIN CONCERN, OR I GUESS QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE CREATING THE, UM, THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FROM WHAT I COULD, THAT JUST KINDA STUCK OUT ME, ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE KIND OF AT THIS MOMENT WHERE WE'RE DECRIMINALIZING ALL KINDS OF IMPORTANT THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, UH, STOP THE HISTORY OF KIND OF OVER CRIMINALIZING, UH, ALL KINDS OF, UM, OFFENSES.
AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING FROM WHAT I'VE READ AND MY QUESTION TO LAW WAS IS THE, IS THERE ANY CONCERN ABOUT STRIKING THE CRIMINAL, THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES PART, THERE'S STILL THE ABILITY TO FIND THROUGH CIVIL PENALTIES AND ALSO I BELIEVE TAKE AWAY, UH, PERMITTING FOR ANYONE THAT VIOLATES THE CODE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM NOW UNTIL THURSDAY, I'M HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO ANY OF THE ADVOCATES.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING, AND I KNOW WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE APPROVED OF THESE CHANGES AND THIS IS JUST COMING BACK TO US FOR THE FINAL APPROVAL, BUT THAT JUST STUCK OUT TO ME AS WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, THIS HISTORY OF, OF GOVERNMENT POLICY MAKERS, JUST CONSTANTLY CREATING NEW OFFENSES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN HEAR, WELL, WE DON'T, WE RARELY USE THAT PART OF IT.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST THERE AS A DETERRENT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES.
AND, AND, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD ABOUT, ABOUT DECIDING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT, IF IT'S NOT BEING USED FOR THAT, WHY EVEN HAVE IT IN THERE? SO A MAIN QUESTION FOR LAW OR AUSTIN WATER, WHOEVER CAN ANSWER IT IS THERE, IS THERE, CAN YOU PROVIDE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT TAKING OUT THE CRIMINAL ASPECT OF, OF THOSE TWO ITEMS, COUNCIL MEMBER? THIS IS ROSS CRO FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
I, I THINK IT'S FIGHT ON, I MEAN, THE THING ABOUT UNDER CITY CODE IS IT'S, IT'S REALLY THE STANDARD FOR ANY CODE PROVISION THAT IF THERE'S A VIOLATION IT'S STANDARD, THAT, UH, IT'S CAN BE PROSECUTED IN MEANING COURT AS, UH, AS A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR.
SO THE THING ABOUT THE WATER CONSERVATION ORDINANCE AND CHANGES, WE ACTUALLY ARE CREATING OPTIONS THERE NOT TO GO THE CRIMINAL ROUTE BECAUSE WE'VE, UM, WE HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS THAT WE CAN FOLLOW.
AND THAT IS, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, FACT, THAT IS WHAT, UH, WHAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING.
IT'S EXTREMELY RARE WHAT THESE WATER CONSERVATION, UH, ORDINANCES THAT THEY PURSUE, THE CRIMINAL PENALTY.
THEY HAVE BEEN GOING TO ADMINISTRATIVE AND CIVIL ROUTE, WHICH IS A SPECIAL THING THAT'S BEEN SET UP IN THE WATER CONSERVATION ORDINANCES.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE INTENT, RIGHT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I'LL, I'LL HAVE SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS IN THE, UP UNTIL THURSDAY, BUT I, I MADE THE AMENDMENT TO STRIKE THE, THE CRIMINAL, UH, PART OF, OF THE, THE NEW ORDER, THE, OF ITEMS SIX AND SEVEN.
FRANKLY, LIKE I SAID, I'M A LITTLE ON STAFF.
SO IF, IF, IF LAW COULD POSSIBLY PROVIDE A DRAFT WHERE THOSE PARTS ARE STRUCK, UM, I I'D APPRECIATE IT.
WELL, WE'LL CIRCLE BACK TO YOU ON THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
10, WAS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE WATER FORWARD COMPONENTS OR ARE YOU SUGGESTING, UM, A CHANGE IN, IN, IN ALL KINDS OF SIMILAR KINDS OF CODE PROVISIONS? I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I HAD A VERY BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER COSAR I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO TAKE IT ALL OUT OF ALL OF THEM ARE ORDINANCES, BUT SPECIFIC TO THIS ONE, I THINK THAT'S A BIGGER TASK.
I WON'T BE ON THE, ON THE DAYAS FOR, BUT, UM, I, I DO, I JUST STUCK OUT TO ME AS WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, AS WE'RE SEEING THE EFFECTS OF OVER CRIMINALIZING BEHAVIOR, I, I JUST THOUGHT, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A CONSTANT, WELL, WE'VE ALWAYS JUST DONE THAT, THAT WAY OR IT'S BOILER PLATE.
AND, AND, AND WE SEE, I SEE I'VE SEEN SO MANY TIMES IN THIS SIX YEARS WHERE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
UM, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S THERE JUST BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE, DONE THAT WAY.
AND SO I JUST, I IT'S, I DON'T WANT HIM TO POINT THAT OUT AND HOPEFULLY FOR THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY POSSIBLY STRIKE THAT I'M OPEN TO ANY DISCUSSION.
I SEE COUNSELOR KITCHEN RAISING HER HAND, SO I'M, UH, I'M OPEN TO ANY DISCUSSION ON IT, BUT THOSE WERE JUST MY CONCERNS.
WELL, WHAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IS JUST, UM, I, UH, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME OR PRO TIM AND IN GENERAL, I AGREE WITH THAT.
MY THOUGHT IS THAT ON THIS IN PARTICULAR, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND.
[02:30:02]
AND, UH, I CAN, I CAN IMAGINE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE A CRIMINAL TYPE OF PENALTY WOULD BE NEEDED AND APPROPRIATE.AND SO IT MAY BE THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT TARGETING IT OR LOOKING AT WHAT THE LANGUAGE SAYS.
I KNOW IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES GENERALLY, AND I DON'T WANT TO OVERSTATE MY KNOWLEDGE CAUSE I HAVE, I'LL GO BACK ALSO AND LOOK AT THIS AS YOU WERE GOING TO DO, BUT IN GENERAL, WE HAVE NEEDED, UM, CRIMINAL PENALTIES TO, TO ENFORCE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS.
UM, AND, AND THAT HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT AS A, AS A COMMUNITY, UM, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES AND OTHER ISSUES LIKE THAT.
NOW I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT THIS SITUATION IS THE SAME.
I NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
SO WHAT I THINK MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND IS THE SPECIFIC KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT WOULD THE VIOLATION BE THAT WE REALLY THINK WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT AGAINST BECAUSE A CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE A LAST DITCH EFFORT.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD APPLY CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE YOU HAVE A PATTERN OR PRACTICE OF IGNORING, UH, A, A RULE OR REQUIREMENT THAT'S NEEDED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES OR PUBLIC HEALTH PURPOSES, WHICH I CAN SEE BEING PART OF OUR PURPOSE BEHIND THE WATER FORWARD, UM, UH, PROVISIONS THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH, YOU KNOW, THAT ALL TIES BACK TO THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO ANYWAY, I'M JUST SAYING THAT I WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT ALSO, AND I WOULD ASK LAW TO, UM, IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE MAYOR FROM TIM IS REQUESTING, I WOULD ASK Y'ALL TO THINK IN TERMS OF, SO WHAT BEHAVIOR SPECIFICALLY ARE WE TRYING TO, UM, TO PENALIZE AND WHAT IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE IMPORTANCE OF PENALIZING THAT BEHAVIOR? AND THEN ARE THERE OPTIONS THAT REALLY, REALLY PUT, UM, SOME PARAMETERS AROUND IT SO THAT WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT A PATTERN OF PRACTICE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY AGREGIOUS OR, YOU KNOW, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD HELP ME THINK ABOUT IT.
MAYBE IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ISSUE MORE GLOBALLY.
MAYBE WE SHOULD BE TAKING THE BROADER STEP, UM, WITH RESPECT TO, UH, CODE PROVISIONS.
AND BECAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE THIS WOULDN'T APPLY JUST TO THIS, IT WOULD APPLY TO ANYTHING, AND MAYBE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DO THAT, TO SEND THIS POLICY QUESTION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ISSUE GLOBALLY.
AND IN THAT CONTEXT, I THINK IT COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU RAISED, AND, BUT NOT JUST WITH THIS, BUT WITH HOW THAT WOULD APPLY TO CODE VIOLATIONS.
GENERALLY, JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
AND I AGREE THIS IS, THIS IS COMING KIND OF LATE IN THE GAME.
AND, UM, I DON'T MEAN TO MENTION IT.
I DON'T WANT THIS TO NOT GO THROUGH, SO I AM OPEN TO, UM, THAT APPROACH AS WELL, TO TAKE A, A MORE GLOBAL LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE I REALIZED FROM NOW UNTIL THURSDAY, IT MIGHT BE HARD TO, TO TALK ABOUT ANECDOTAL SITUATIONS.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT I WOULD, I THINK WE NEED TO STAY ON TOP OF.
UM, AND I, I MADE IN THAT CASE, I MAY JUST ABSTAINED FROM ITEMS SIX AND SEVEN, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO STRIKE THAT, THAT PART OF IT, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO REDUCE YOUR CASE LOAD AS COUNTY ATTORNEY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING, UM, ANYTHING ELSE ON THESE TWO ITEMS? YES.
UH, ALISON, SO MAYBE FOR TIME, I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING, UM, DO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION'S OFFERED BY MS. KITCHEN.
UM, I AM NOT A LAWYER, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE OTHER SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, A, THIS IS FOR AN ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM THAT IMPACTS POTENTIALLY HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY.
AND SO NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE PROCEDURES AND OTHER STUFF CAN HAVE ENORMOUS, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH MECHANISMS. SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS IS EQUIVALENT TO SOME OF THE OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE, UM, WE'VE LOOKED AT STUFF.
THAT'S JUST KINDA MY, MY, MY FIRST REACTION.
AND, UM, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE THAT MECHANISM IN PLACE FOR SOME ENVIRONMENTAL THINGS.
THE OTHER THING THAT I POINT OUT IS THAT THIS IS IN SOME SENSE, THE INITIAL SET OF REGULATIONS FOR WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN FOR KIND OF VOLUNTARY USE OF THIS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THEN AS WE TRANSITIONED INTO MAKING IT MANDATORY, UM, THERE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE REVISED AND IT MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE AT THAT TIME TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THIS HAS BEEN NECESSARY AND, AND, AND HOW IT'S PLAYED OUT.
[02:35:01]
I WOULD BE SOMEWHAT MORE COMFORTABLE, UM, WITH THAT BECAUSE THE FOLKS FOR WHOM THIS IS GOING TO APPLY ARE ALL GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOLUNTARILY SAID THAT THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, WITH THE SYSTEM.AND THEN THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES OF IF IT, IF IT'S NOT RUN PROPERLY, ACCORDING TO THESE RULES, UM, THERE'S SOME VERY SERIOUS HEALTH AND OTHER, UH, IMPLICATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPAL COURT IS, IS NOT EVEN THAT STRONG OF A LEVEL OF, UM, UH, RETORT IN THAT, IN THAT CASE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I'M NOT A LAWYER AND YOU HAVE A MUCH BROADER, UM, PURVIEW OF THE ISSUES.
UM, AND I, I'M TOTALLY COMFORTABLE WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE REVIEWING THE BROADER QUESTION, BUT JUST MY GUT IS THAT THESE ARE QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT, UM, SETS OF, OF ISSUES.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF LAW CAN SPEAK TO THAT IF MR. CROW WANTS TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THIS AND YOUR SENSE OF THE NECESSITY OF THAT PROVISION? WELL, NO, I, I, I KIND OF AGREE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, SOME KIND OF, UH, ENFORCEMENT CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, MAY BECOME NECESSARY FOR LIKE TALKING WITH STAFF AND ALSO WATER ABOUT THE MANNER OF ENFORCEMENT IN RECENT YEARS IS THAT, THAT HAS TYPICALLY BEEN DONE THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE ENFORCEMENT, JUST AN ADMINISTRATIVE FINE, BUT THAT THEY USUALLY RATCHET THAT UP OVER TIME.
IT'S MAYBE AFTER THREE OR FOUR TIMES THAT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO IT ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY, BUT THEY WILL FINALLY TURN TO SOME KIND OF FRIEND THAT WHOLE, UH, PROCESS.
SO, UH, AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S RARELY DONE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN ONE AND IT WAS A LARGER COMMERCIAL OPERATION OR MULTIFAMILY UNIT OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
SO THAT'S WHEN, UH, WHEN THEY TURNED TO THE CRIMINAL, UH, WHEN THERE'S BEEN A SERIOUS SITUATION, UH, THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS THE ADMINISTRATORS LINE.
SO MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE, LESLIE, THAT PAGE.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK PARTICULAR RESPONSE.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU AS LIKE I SPOKEN YET.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT FROM WHAT I READ OF THE, OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE, IT, IT, IT IS JUST A FEE, A CRIMINAL FEE.
THERE, THERE IS, I, I MAY HAVE MISREAD IT, BUT THERE, THERE, IT DOESN'T CARRY THE POSSIBILITY OF JAIL TIME.
SO, AND SO THERE ALREADY WAS A CIVIL PENALTY PROCESS IN ADDITION TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.
AND SO, UM, I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN INFRACTION THAT, UM, THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE RACIAL BIAS INVOLVED, BUT REGARDLESS IN THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM, THERE ARE, THERE IS THAT IN ONCE YOU GET IN THERE.
AND SO, UM, UM, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE A GLOBAL LOOK, THIS DOESN'T TAKING THAT OUT, DOES NOT MEAN THAT SOMEBODY WOULD NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THEY ALSO COULD GET THEIR PERMIT TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.
UM, THERE ARE MEASURES IN PLACE, UH, BESIDES THE CRIMINAL ASPECT OF IT.
SO MY QUESTION TO LAW IS IN THE INSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE USED THE, UM, CRIMINAL, UM, SANCTIONS, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUALLY, OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT CORPORATIONS OR BUSINESSES? WELL, UH, THEY COULD BE EITHER, UH, BUT TYPICALLY, UH, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM TALKING TO STAFF IS THAT THEY'VE, UH, IN RECENT TIMES TYPICALLY BEEN, YOU KNOW, LARGER OFFENDERS.
SO THAT'S, THAT WAS MY ASSUMPTION.
AND, AND IN THAT CASE, UM, THEY HAVE A GREATER ACCESS TO RESOURCES, INCLUDING LAWYERS THEMSELVES, AND KNOWING THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO, UM, UH, TO BREAK OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS AND, AND SIMPLY HAVE A CIVIL PENALTY IS I THINK PROBABLY AN INSUFFICIENT SITUATION.
AND SO WITH REGARD TO ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON, ON HOW THIS HAS BEEN USED AND THE HISTORY OF IT, AND WHY WOULD WE POTENTIALLY WANT TO HAVE THE FINAL, UM, OPTION OF HAVING, UH, A CRIMINAL PENALTY AND WHERE THAT HASN'T BEEN NECESSARY? I'D LIKE TO START TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO, I, I SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS WHERE I COULD SEE WHERE WE WOULD WANT TO BE VERY AWARE OF, UM, DISPROPORTIONATE AND, AND DISCRIMINATORY ACTIONS.
BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LARGE COMPANIES AND, AND ENTITIES, UM, WE HA WE PROBABLY NEED TO RETAIN THE ABILITY TO, UM, TO PURSUE THEM WITH CRIMINAL PENALTIES IN ORDER TO
[02:40:01]
GET THEM TO COOPERATE AND TO DEAL WITH THE COST OF WHATEVER THE NEGATIVE OUTCOME, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE WATER SUPPLY THAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED.SO I'M NOT, I'M LOOKING AT THIS, EVERYONE FROM A HIGHER LEVEL THAN A LARGER CORPORATE TYPE OF A, UM, DETERRENT THAN I AM FOR INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, WHERE I AGREE WITH YOU WOULD NEED TO BE SENSITIVE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN A, IN A CORPORATE SETTING.
SO STEPH YOU BRING US ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON, UM, THE KIND OF, UH, GROUPS THAT WE'VE HAD, TWO THAT HAVE COME A FOUL OF THIS PARTICULAR REGULATION AND LET US KNOW HOW THAT'S WORKED OUT.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS NOT GOING TO MOVE TO MAKE THAT PART OF THE CONSIDERATION ON THURSDAY.
AND IF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T TAKE ANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACTION, UH, I WILL REFER THE LARGER POLICY QUESTION ON THIS, OR HOWEVER IT WOULD BE BROKEN OUT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UH, SO THAT THE MEMBERSHIP THERE CAN SEE, UH, WHETHER TO WHAT DEGREE IT SHOULD BE PURSUED ANY FURTHER ON THIS PAGE, MAYOR ONTO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M ALSO THINKING IT'S NOT JUST A PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT ALSO A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
AND SO IT COULD BE THAT IT SHOULD GO TO THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE AS WELL.
AND THEN GREG, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UH, THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION AROUND CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS FOR CODE INFRACTIONS.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF US WOULD PROBABLY HAVE SOME SORT OF SCALE OF WHAT WE FIND TO BE MOST EGREGIOUS AND AT LEAST EGREGIOUS ON THIS.
THERE COULD EVEN BE A COUPLE OF COMMITTEES I'M THINKING OF, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASARA AND I ARE ON HOUSING AND PLANNING.
AND THAT COULD BE AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION THERE.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT PROTECTING OUR CLEAN WATER SUPPLY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE RESILIENT AS THE CLIMATE CONTINUES TO CHANGE.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO LIVE THROUGH DROUGHTS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
SO I THINK THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE SPECTRUM THAT I WOULD FIND MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL GOOD AND RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR FOR THIS ONE.
UM, THERE MIGHT BE OTHER WINES THAT HAVE JUST KIND OF BEEN COPIED AND PASTED DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
UM, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS MORE LEGAL ADVICE TO THRESHOLDS.
I KNOW WE COVERED THIS CONVERSATION WHEN PEOPLE WERE THROWING SCOOTERS IN THE RIVER, ALSO, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CONCERN.
UM, BUT WE KIND OF FOUND THROUGH DISCUSSING WITH LEGAL, THERE WERE CERTAIN, UM, THRESHOLDS THAT CERTAIN VIOLATIONS MET.
SO I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING A BIT MORE ABOUT IT, BUT THIS ONE WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR ME TO, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT, GREG.
I THINK IT'S BEEN SUMMARIZED HERE.
I, I WANT TO THINK MAYOR PRO TEM FOR RAISING THE ISSUE GENERALLY, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYONE IN THE DICE HAS TALKED ABOUT OR WANTS TO, UM, REDUCE THE, THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH WE TAKE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
I THINK WE ALL WANT TO PASS THESE.
UM, BUT I THINK IT IS WORTH ASKING OURSELVES, UM, IF THIS IS JUST SORT OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES THROUGHOUT OUR CODE, WHEN THAT DOESN'T, DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
AND THAT'S WHERE, WHERE I'M HEARING THE METRO TIMES QUESTION COMING FROM.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE WE CAN, WE CAN LAND.
AND, AND I, I SEE, I THINK, I THINK HEARING EVERYBODY THAT SOUNDS LIKE WHERE WE'RE AT, WHERE WE'RE ALL AT, AND I THINK YOU'RE LEAVING US WITH A TASK TO, TO WORK ON IN THE, IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
I JUST, UH, I JUST REITERATE, UM, TAKING AWAY A CRIMINAL PENALTY DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY'RE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
IN FACT, IT MAY EVEN MEAN IT'S THE SAME, THE SAME LEVEL OF FINE OR WHATEVER.
SO IT'S NOT SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN ANY WAY.
AND I GUESS I JUST, AS WE'RE HAVING THESE BROADER DISCUSSIONS, YOU KNOW, A CRIME, A CRIME IS A BAD, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BAD THING.
AND IF YOU DO SOMETHING THAT'S A CRIME AND I THINK IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S CHANGING OF HOW WE THINK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE CONVERSATIONS MORE SPECIFIC TO THE PROTEST THAT HAPPENED, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NON-VIOLENT VERSUS VIOLENT CRIMES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, DO NOT CRIMES OR ARE THEY EVEN CRIMES IF THEY'RE NON-VIOLENT.
AND SO I GET THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A DISCUSSION TO BE HAD OVER, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-VIOLENT AND VIOLENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
I, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE, BUT I JUST, AS WE'RE HAVING BROADER DISCUSSIONS, AGAIN, THEY, IF WE TOOK AWAY THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES, THAT WOULD NOT MEAN THEY COULD NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, THEY COULD STILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS, LET'S GO ONTO THE TWO ZONING CASES HERE.
SEE IF WE CAN KNOCK THOSE UP BEFORE LUNCH, BECAUSE REMEMBER HALTER, YOU WANT TO GIVE US A HEADS UP AND TALK ABOUT 68 AND THEN AN ON 79.
[02:45:01]
SURE.SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE ITEM 68, WHICH IS THE PEER PROPERTY REZONING, AND WE HAVE POSTPONED THIS ITEM TWICE NOW.
UM, AND I'M NOT REALLY AWARE OF PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORS AND FINDING A PATH TO RESOLVE THE CONCERNS THAT ARE BEING RAISED.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE DISCUSS IT FURTHER, I WANTED TO ASK IF STAFF COULD GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE CASE, OKAY.
THE HISTORY AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE DOC'S CURRENT ZONING ENOUGH, JERRY CHRISTOPHER'S AROUND HANG OUT SOMEWHERE.
THIS IS JERRY WITH HOUSING PLANNING.
UH, YES, THE, THE CASE WAS TRIGGERED BY A RED TAG THAT WAS SUBMITTED FOR A YELLOW.
THIS IS THE PROPERTY THAT WAS THE FORMER PETER OF RESTAURANT.
AND THEY HAD A SERIES OF DOCS ON THE WATER THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WENT TO THE RESTAURANT COULD, COULD PARK THEIR BOATS.
UH, THE, THE, UH, FAMILY HAS BOUGHT THE PROPERTY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY USE IT AS KIND OF A FAMILY RETREAT.
UM, THEY DID RECEIVE A RED TAG FOR THE DOCS FALLING INTO DISREPAIR, AND THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO REPAIR THE DOCS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER ZONING.
SO THEY FILED FOR CR COMMUNITY RECREATION ZONING IN ORDER TO, UH, REBUILD THE DOCKS.
AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A EXISTING KITCHEN FACILITY THERE, AND THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF, OF OPENING A RESTAURANT, ET CETERA.
I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY FURTHER AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REACHED SINCE WE POSTPONE THE CASE LAST BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, ANY AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT.
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND THE, THE ISSUES, THERE IS, UM, A PRIMARY ISSUE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF GASOLINE SALES ON WATER QUALITY.
AND NOW THE, THE APPLICANT IS NOT PROPOSING TO DO GASOLINE SALES PER SE, BUT THE NEW ZONING WOULD ALLOW THEM THEN TO GO TO VARIOUS COMMISSIONS AND REQUEST A VERY, I REQUEST WHATEVER THEY NEED, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THAT.
UM, AND SO, AND THEN THERE'S A CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER THE FURTHER CONSTRUCTION OF THE DOCS MIGHT POSE PROBLEMS, UM, FOR THE NEARBY WATER DISTRICT, WHICH HAS A WATER INTAKE NEARBY, AND WHETHER THAT WOULD PUSH THEM OUT OF COMPLIANCE, UM, WITH TCQ FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR WATER INTAKE.
UM, SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, BUT I WANTED TO GET A SENSE FROM MY COLLEAGUES, UM, WHETHER THERE WERE OTHER AREAS OF CONCERN THAT THEY HAD, UM, THAT WE ALSO SHOULD MAKE PART OF THE CONVERSATION BEYOND THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER REBUILDING THE DOCK PUTS IN JEOPARDY, UM, THE WATER DISTRICT AND THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE GASOLINE SALES AND WHAT'S ALLOWED THERE, NONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS THAT THEY WANT ADDED TO THE MIX MOSLEY.
I WAS CURIOUS IF STAFF OR THE APPLICANT, OR, UM, OR EITHER LEGAL OR, OR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COULD SPEAK TO THE EXISTENCE OF THE GAS STATION THERE, AND THE TIME THE TIMING WHICH CAME FIRST WERE THE DOCKS AND A GAS STATION THERE.
AND THEN THE INTAKE CAME IN AFTER THEM.
AND IF SO, WHO REGULATES IT? IS THAT A CITY OF AUSTIN OR IS IT TCEQ? AND JUST WHAT THE RELATION IS.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, WHETHER THESE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED, UH, IN ITS PREVIOUS ITERATION BEFORE THE PIER WAS CLOSED DOWN, IF WE COULD JUST GET SOME HISTORY ABOUT THAT AND, UH, RESPONSIBILITY AND REGULATORY AUTHORITY.
THANKS, DEAR COUNCIL MEMBER, IF IT'S OKAY.
I NEED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT TIMELINE, AND IF I COULD GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED FOR YOU ON THURSDAY, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL WORK ON IT BETWEEN NOW AND THAT.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES? I CAN'T SEE EVERYONE RIGHT NOW, SO WASN'T, I THINK IT'S SUBSUMED IN THE QUESTIONS THAT RAISED, UH, BUT, UH, IT APPEARED AS IF ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS, IF WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE, UH, OPERATING GAS TANKS THERE, IS THAT BETTER HANDLED NOW? OR IS IT BETTER HANDLED IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, BUT I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY SUBSUMED IN THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU, YOU HAD PRESENTED.
SO THEN I WILL GO AHEAD AND ASK JERRY A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
SO I'M THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL, UM, YOU KNOW, JERRY, YOU KNOW, THE, THERE'S A QUESTION OF THAT THE TCEQ WOULD INVALIDATE THEIR PERMIT.
UM, AND I'M WONDERING WHETHER THE CITY HAS HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH TCQ TO DETERMINE WHAT, IF ANY IMPACT ZONING WOULD HAVE ON, UH, JEOPARDIZING THE LEGAL OPERATION OF THE WATER INTAKE.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT FROM A WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE.
[02:50:01]
FIRST, I WANT TO JUST UNDERSTAND, DO WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION FROM TCQ ABOUT, FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, WHETHER, UM, THIS WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE WATER INTAKE, A COMFORTABLE ROAD, NOT AWARE THAT THEY'RE HABITATED, ESPECIALLY.SO I'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH OUR WATERSHED DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THEY HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH TCQ.
I KNOW THAT YOU, AS YOU STATED, IT WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL APPROVAL LATER IF THEY DID WANT TO INTRODUCE THE GAS TANKS, OR I THINK THE COUNCIL COULD ALSO, UM, ADD A CONDITION TO THE ZONING CASE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE, UH, THE MARINA FROM SELLING GAS.
BUT I'LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH WATERSHED TO SEE IF THEY'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION WITH DC.
CHRIS, DO YOU EDIT TO THAT? YEAH.
COMMISSIONER OR COUNCIL MEMBERS, CHRIS HARRINGTON ENVIRONMENT OFFICER.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE BASED ON LEVEL OF INFORMATION AT THIS POINT THAT THEY WOULD NOT OFFER FOR AN ANSWER.
AND CERTAINLY THEIR PERMITTING IS NOT WITHIN OUR, UH, REGULATORY AUTHORITY.
WE WOULD BE EVALUATING THE IMPACTS FROM WATER QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PERSPECTIVE AT THE TIME OF SITE PLAN.
WHEN THEY COME IN TO ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT THE FACILITY, THOSE FACILITIES WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST ONE, UH, LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE.
AND SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE IMPACTS ONCE WE HAD THE FULL PICTURE.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SPECULATE WHAT TCQ WOULD OR WOULD NOT DO.
AND THEY CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE GIVING US THAT ANSWER BASED ON THE LEVEL OF INFORMATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
SO, SO I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT A LOT OF, LOT OF THE ARGUMENTS DEPEND ON THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE MAKE ABOUT THE, THE SITUATION WITH TCQ.
UM, AGAIN, I DO WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT THERE'S NO GAS SERVICE, UNLESS YOU GO THROUGH THE VARIOUS, UM, LAND COMMISSIONS AND STUFF.
SO WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE ALLOWING THAT PER SE.
UM, BUT IT CAN CITY STAFF TRY AND REACH OUT TO TCQ BEFORE THURSDAY AND SEE IF WE CAN GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD TREAT THE ZONING CASE AND THE SUBSEQUENT DOCK CONSTRUCTION, AND WHETHER IT WOULD IMPACT THE LEGAL OPERATIONS OF THE WATER INTAKE FACILITY, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO NOT DO IT, BUT I THINK IT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL TO TRY TO GET A SENSE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO TELL US SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, FROM LEGAL PERSPECTIVE ON IT.
UM, THEN THE SECOND ISSUE WAS, UH, SO THE TCQ MATTER SEEMS A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE.
UM, AND AT SOME LEVEL THAT'S NOT RESOLVED.
EVERYTHING ELSE MAY END UP BEING MUTE, BUT ASSUMING WE WERE ABLE TO GET CLARITY ON THE TCEQ, UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW FROM JERRY OR LEGAL, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US AS A CONDITION OF ZONING TO PROHIBIT GASOLINE SALES COUNSELOR? I THINK HE SHOULD.
I THINK THAT THE I'D HAVE TO DISCUSS IT MORE WITH A LOT DEPARTMENT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE IN THE FORM OF A PUBLIC RESTRICTED COVENANT THAT WOULD PROHIBIT IT BECAUSE THE MARINA USED GENERALLY SPEAKING ALLOWS IT, IT DOES REQUIRE, UH, ADDITIONAL APPROVAL, BUT I THINK THAT WE COULD DO A, PROBABLY A COVENANT THAT WOULD RESTRICT THAT.
SO I'M GONNA, UM, I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT INFORMATION FROM TCQ, WHEN IT COMES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER THAT PUBLIC RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, UM, I'D LOVE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER ISSUES THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE, AND OBVIOUSLY I WILL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE APPLICANT AND THOSE OPPOSED, UM, BEFORE THURSDAY.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DOES SEEM TO COME DOWN TO THOSE COUPLE ISSUES.
I WILL POINT OUT THAT IF THEY DECIDED TO OPEN A RESTAURANT, THEY COULD REBUILD THEIR DOCK, UM, AND HAVE A GAP AND GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS WITH THE GAS STATION.
SO EVEN ABSENT, SORT OF THIS ZONING CHANGE, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS AT THIS POINT.
I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL GET SOME CLOSURE ON THE TCQ MATTER, UH, FOR THURSDAY, OR WE MAY HAVE TO COME UP WITH, UH, OPER A DIFFERENT OPTION FOR A SECOND READING AND, AND, AND, AND, UM, FIND A SOLUTION AT THIRD READING WHEN WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION THERE, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS ON THIS? ALRIGHT, THEN LET'S MOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND I JUST WANT TO FINALLY SAY APPRECIATE ALL THE FOLKS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT.
UM, WE ARE TRYING TO GET AT THE ISSUES AND, AND, UM, UNDERSTAND THEM THE BEST THEY CAN.
UM, IT'S A BIT OF A SECURITAS, UM, ZONING CASE.
DAN, YOU WANT TO TALK TO US ABOUT, UH, 79? UH, YES.
I WANTED TO, UM, LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT I WILL BE ASKING FOR A POSTPONEMENT ON 79 IN ORDER TO HAVE TIME TO WORK OUT ISSUES RELATED TO, UM, TRAFFIC AND, UM, AND FLOODING, UH, SAFETY.
UH, THIS IS AN AREA, UH, THIS IS A, UH, DEVELOPMENT, WELL,
[02:55:01]
THERE'S THREE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.AND THE REASON I'M ASKING FOR POSTPONEMENT THERE ARE EPIC SAFETY ISSUES, WATER, UH, FLOODING RELATED ISSUES.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS THERE'S BEEN NO COMMUNICATION AS OF YESTERDAY.
THERE'S BEEN NO COMMUNICATION WITH AKINS SCHOOL, WHICH IS IMPACTED FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE THAT WOULD BEEN NEXT TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UM, SO I'M GOING TO BE ASKING FOR A POSTPONEMENT ON, UM, ON THURSDAY.
AND, UM, I WILL PUT MORE DETAILS ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, BUT LET ME JUST SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT IT SO I CAN EXPLAIN IT.
THIS IS A D UH, NORTH OF AKINS.
UM, I CAN SCHOOL, I CAN HIGH SCHOOL, SAN ANTONIO ROAD, OLD SAN ANTONIO ROLL ROAD IS AN OLD, UH, SUBSTANDARD ROAD WITH, WITH NO SIDEWALKS.
IT'S BEEN A ROAD THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR, FOR A LONG TIME IS HAVING SAFETY ISSUES.
IT CUTS RIGHT THROUGH THE SCHOOL PROPERTIES, UH, IN THE SENSE THAT THE SCHOOL'S ATHLETIC FACILITIES ARE ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
AND, UM, THE SCHOOL PROPER IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.
SO, UM, THERE HAS BEEN A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, TRAFFIC STUDY IS TRIGGERED WHEN YOU HAVE A DEVELOPMENT OF 200 UNITS.
THIS DEVELOPMENT IS 197 UNITS.
SO FOR LACK OF JUST THREE UNITS, WE'RE NOT GETTING A TRANSPORTATION, A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY RELATIVE TO THE IMPACT ON THE SCHOOL, UM, UH, ON AN IMPACT ON THAT ROAD, THAT SUBSTANDARD ROAD THAT RUNS THROUGH, UM, SCHOOL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL PROPERTY AND THE S UH, IT RUNS THROUGH THERE.
UM, AND SO THERE ARE SOME VERY SERIOUS ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE IMPACT, UM, OF THAT ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC ON THAT SUBSTANDARD ROW ROAD AND THE IMPACT ON THE SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOL HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN.
UH, THE PARENTS HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CONTACTED.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE NEED MORE TIME TO HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUT AND SEE WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE.
AND ALSO I WILL BE REQUESTING THAT WE DO A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY.
I DON'T THINK THE DIFFERENCE OF THREE UNITS, UH, GIVEN THE, UM, THE LARGE SAFETY ISSUES IN THIS AREA SHOULD PREVENT US FROM GETTING A TRAFFIC STUDY.
THE SECOND THING IS THERE'S A LOW WATER CROSSING ON ALL SAN ANTONIO ROAD, UH, NORTH OF AKINS, AND RIGHT NEAR THIS DEVELOPMENT, THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME FROM STAFF ABOUT CLOSING THAT LOW WATER CROSSING DURING A FLOOD EVENT, THERE ARE ISSUES RELATED TO SAFETY.
SO THERE IS RELATED TO SAFETY, UH, PUTTING MORE, UM, MORE, UM, USE ON THAT OLD SAN ANTONIO ROAD ROAD IN THE EGRESS THAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN HAPPEN.
SO ALL OF THESE ARE JUST TO IDENTIFY FOR PEOPLE.
THERE ARE THREE MAJOR CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAPPENING THAT ARE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THURSDAY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS IS COMING TO US, I'VE TALKED TO THE DEVELOPER AND HE UNDERSTANDS THE NEED FOR NOT, NOT THINKING IT UP.
I PREFER A POSTPONEMENT, UH, BECAUSE, BECAUSE WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH ALL THESE ISSUES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.
I THINK THERE'S, I, YOU KNOW, UH, MAYOR I COULD, YOU KNOW, GET INTO DETAILS WITH STAFF RIGHT NOW, IF Y'ALL WANT TO DO THAT.
BUT I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S NECESSARY.
IF PEOPLE WANT TO START HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
MY PURPOSE TODAY WAS JUST TO GIVE Y'ALL A HEADS UP, UH, ON WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT TRY THAT.
I JUST DON'T SEE US BEING ABLE TO WADE THROUGH THOSE ISSUES BETWEEN NOW AND THURSDAY.
SO CAN I JUST ASK MY COLLEAGUES, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU ALL TO POSTPONE? DO Y'ALL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT POSTPONING OR ARE THERE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT ME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BE OKAY WITH, UM, WITH POSTPONING AND WHAT, WHAT ARE PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS? I DON'T KNOW IF ALL, EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THIS, RIGHT.
I MEAN, I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU'D SPOKEN BRIEFLY WITH THE APPLICANT AND WE TRADITIONALLY ALLOW ONE POSTPONEMENT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CASE.
IS THERE A REASON THAT WE, UH, MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING FOR THE STAFF TO REPORT BACK TO US ON AS WELL AS YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, IF, IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THIS CASE THAT WOULDN'T LET US GO THROUGH OUR NORMAL PROCESS OF ONE FROM SIDE.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS AGREED THAT IT IS NOT EX HE WOULD PREFER, OF COURSE, THAT IT GOES ON FIRST READING.
UM, HE'S NOT OBJECTING TO FIRST READING.
HE WOULD RATHER NOT GO ON POSTPONEMENT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE EVEN READY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
[03:00:01]
BUMP? I CAN GO BACK AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT THAT.I THINK HE MIGHT BE A MINIMAL JUST TO THE POSTPONEMENT FOR ME, GENERALLY SPEAKING IN THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS.
I THINK THAT IS A COLLECTIVE BIG AS A GROUP.
WE GRANT THE POSTPONEMENTS, UH, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER TO KNOW WHETHER THERE'S EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIKE, UH, SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT, BUT KIND OF IN THE, IN THE GENERAL RULE, UH, THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT, WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE DONE.
UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE TAKE A BREAK FOR LUNCH.
UH, THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMING BACK IS GOING TO BE, UM, THE ITEM NUMBER 30.
UH, WE CAN EITHER COME BACK AND DO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN DO THE, UH, I MADE A PUBLIC CONVERSATION AND THEN DO THE, UH, UM, UM, EXECUTIVE OR WE COULD JUST RECONVENE IT EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, AND THEN COME BACK OUT AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION, BACK TO THE, TO THE DAYAS.
WHY DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT THAT FOR ONE SECOND? UH, BEFORE WE TAKE THIS BREAK, THOUGH, I WANT TO JUST TOUCH BASE ON ITEM NUMBER 48.
IT WASN'T PULLED IT'S THE POLICE CONTRACT, UH, PLACING CONSULTING, UH, CONTRACT, UH, THAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I SUPPORT.
I AM REAL PROUD AS A CITY THAT WE HAVE, UH, UH, INITIATED THIS DIRECTION THAT WE'RE MOVING ON TO, TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THE MORE ADVICE AND CONSULTATION WE GET THE BETTER WE'LL BE.
UM, AND I'M REAL PROUD THAT THAT WE'RE TAKING AS A COUNCIL, THE, THE LEAD, AND TRYING TO MAKE AUSTIN, WHICH IS A REALLY SAFE, BIG CITY INTO AN EVEN SAFER BIG CITY.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES THAT ARE ALREADY INVOLVED IN THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY MADE THE ADVANCEMENTS THAT MANY OTHER CITIES ARE LOOKING AT, AND I'M PROUD THAT AUSTIN IS ABLE TO SERVE AS A BEST PRACTICE FOR A LOT OF THOSE CITIES IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO STAY AT THE CUTTING EDGE.
UH, I SPEAK RIGHT NOW JUST BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TOGETHER AS A GROUP, UH, FOR, FOR SEVERAL WEEKS GOING INTO JANUARY AND IN RELATION TO POLICING AND THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING LOOKED AT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALLOWED, UH, IN THE WORK THAT WE DID BEFORE FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT, UH, UH, THAT ONE OR TWO OF OUR POLICE CADET CLASSES STILL MIGHT BEGIN IN FISCAL YEAR 21, UH, DEPENDING ON FACTORS SUCH AS THE REVISED CURRICULUM AND SUCCESSFULLY BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE, UH, UH, AND, AND WORK FORWARD, UH, THE KIND OF RECRUITING PROCESS THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE.
UM, AND, UH, UH, UM, RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE DONE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, A REAL BENEFIT.
I THINK OF DOING THE RE-IMAGINING OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS A DECREASED NEED FOR THE NUMBER OF SWORN OFFICERS, LESS RELIANCE ON OUR POLICE, AS MENTAL HEALTH, HEALTH, FIRST RESPONDERS.
UM, UH, AS WE HOUSED MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, LESS RELIANCE ON, ON OUR POLICE OFFICERS, AS OUR, AS OUR SOCIAL WORKERS THAT SAID, I STILL THINK THERE'S A CRITICAL ROLE FOR POLICE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, EVEN RE-IMAGINED, UH, THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR A PROFESSIONAL AND WELL-TRAINED FORCE THAT ACTUALLY, UH, IN SUBSTANTIALLY IN WAYS THAT WE WOULD LIKE REFLECT THE CULTURE AND VALUES OF THE, OF OUR CITY.
UM, I THINK THAT FUTURE CADET CLASSES, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT POLICE FORCE AND PRESENT A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE KIND OF POLICE TRAINING THAT WE WANT AND THAT WE CREATE AND INTEGRATE REAL CULTURAL CHANGE AGENTS, UH, ONTO THE FORCE THAT WE USE THOSE CADET CLASSES TO IMPROVE, UH, RACIAL DIVERSITY WITHIN APD.
I KNOW THAT COUNCIL HAS APPROVED OVERALL POLICING, UH, STAFFING LEVELS IN THE PAST BUDGET, UM, UH, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN EVEN THOSE LEVELS, UH, IN THE FACE OF, OF NORMAL ATTRITION.
UM, WE WERE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE SOME, SOME ONGOING CADET CLASSES.
I KNOW THAT THE CURRICULUM REVIEW PROCESS IS UNDERWAY.
SO ALL THAT SAID BY PREAMBLE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I, FOR ONE, UH, WOULD LIKE THE PROCESS TO MOVE QUICKLY.
UH, SO AS TO ALLOW FOR A CADET CLASS IN THE SPRING, UM, AND I, FOR ONE WOULD LIKE THE MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK WITH A PROPOSAL AND A TIMELINE THAT AT ACCOMPLISHES THAT GOAL, UH, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT'S A INCREASED URGENCY AND TIMING TAKES TIME TO RECRUIT DEBTS.
IT'S MADE MORE COMPLICATED BY THE PRESENT, UH, PANDEMIC SITUATION.
UH, SO I, FOR ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO, TO, TO START NOW, UH, IN ORDER
[03:05:01]
TO BE READY, UH, AS THE CURRICULUM REVIEW IS, UH, IS, IS ACCOMPLISHED.IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE APD TRAINING BEGINS WITH SEVERAL WEEKS, IF NOT SEVERAL MONTHS OF, UH, STATE MANDATED COURSES, UH, THAT I UNDERSTAND ARE NOT CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE MANDATORY.
WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN THEN IS THAT, UH, THAT, UH, THE ACTUAL AUSTIN SPECIFIC TRAINING THAT IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF RE-IMAGINING POLICING PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, UH, MIGHT START LATE LATER IN THAT CADET CLASS, GIVING US EVEN ADDITIONAL TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING, UH, WELL, IT'S MY HOPE THAT, UH, AT UPCOMING, UH, UH, CLASS, UH, COULD REALLY BE, UM, ON THE CHANGE MAKERS AND CHANGE AGENTS, UH, FOLKS THAT, UH, THAT TRULY, UH, RECOGNIZE WHERE WE ARE IN THIS CONVERSATION, UH, AND THE DESIRE OF THE COMMUNITY TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AND POLICING CLASS THAT EMBRACES, UH, THE COMMUNITY'S VISION FOR RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, AND ENHANCING OF THE CULTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
SO, UH, I, FOR ONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOVE FORWARD WITH A GREATER SENSE OF URGENCY MIGHT OTHERWISE EXIST, UH, TO DO WHAT IT TAKES IN ORDER TO INITIATE A CADET CLASS THIS SPRING.
UH, LESLIE, THANKS, STEVE, FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
AND IN FACT, YESTERDAY I HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH EDGER ASKING FOR A STATUS UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE ON THE WRITING OF THE, THE REFRESHENED CURRICULUM.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THAT SQUARED AWAY AND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO EFFECTIVELY, I THINK TO OUR, TO OUR RESIDENTS HERE, HOW MUCH WE, UH, SUPPORT A POSITIVE, UM, VIEW OF, OF OUR VALUES AND CULTURE WITH REGARD TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY BARREL CAN HAVE A COUPLE OF BAD APPLES IN IT.
UM, BUT THAT, UH, AND THAT CAN HAVE, UH, A REAL, UH, DRAGGING EFFECT ON THE ENTIRE BARREL.
AND I JUST WANT TO SUPPORT THE COMMENTS THAT I'M HEARING BOTH FROM YOU TODAY AND FROM OTHERS OF MY COLLEAGUES PREVIOUSLY, THAT WE DO SUPPORT GOOD WORK AND THE GOOD OFFICERS AND GOOD OFFICER BEHAVIORS AND INTERACTIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY FROM, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, GETTING OUR STANDING UP THE, THE, UH, ACADEMIES NEXT YEAR IS VITAL TO OUR CONTINUING TO HAVE GOOD POSITIVE INTERACTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT, THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AS QUICKLY AND AS PROFESSIONALLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I THINK THERE, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS I READ FROM CORBY JASTROW WITH THE GREATER AUSTRIAN CRIME COMMISSION, ASKING FOR THAT VERY THING.
CAN WE NOT PRESS FORWARD TO TRY TO GET OUR, UH, CADET CLASS ONE OR TWO NEXT YEAR? AND I THINK WITH THE GOOD WORK THAT PEOPLE, UH, FROM THE JUSTICE COALITION AND JUST LIBERTY AND OUR OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ARE DOING WITH REGARD TO CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND INPUT, AND, AND ALSO FROM, UM, THE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE OF THE HOUSE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SUCCESSES THERE.
AND SO AS FAR AS TIMING, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN DO THAT AND DO IT WELL, THE QUALITY OF COURSE HAS GOT TO BE PARAMOUNT, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO PRESS FORWARD WITH ALL WITH ALL URGENCY.
YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL HAS VOTED ON THIS, UM, SEVERAL, MULTIPLE TIMES.
UM, AND THE FIRST TIME WAS AFTER WE HAD, UH, IMPORTANT TESTIMONY FROM CADETS THAT DROPPED OUT OF THE ACADEMY, UH, AND LAID OUT REALLY COMPELLING REASONS ABOUT WHY THERE NEEDED TO BE CHANGED.
AND SO I THINK WE ALL ARE COMMITTED AND SHOULD REMAINS COMMITTED TO FIXING THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD FOR MUMPS AREN'T WORKING.
UH, AND SO I, FOR ONE, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROCESS IS DELIBERATE, ISN'T RUSHED AND THAT, UH, WE ESTABLISH A STANDARD ABOUT BY WHAT OF WHAT WE THINK IS ACCEPTABLE.
UM, GIVEN THE TESTIMONY WE HEARD FROM THOSE FORMER CADETS AND WE CAN EASILY, AND THAT WE SHOULD, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THAT STANDARD.
AND OF COURSE, MEETING THAT STANDARD ON A, ON A REASONABLE AND EXPEDITIOUS TIMELINE.
BUT I THINK NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN QUITE SOME TIME SINCE WE HAD THAT TESTIMONY, I JUST DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC OR OF US TO, TO FORGET WHAT IT IS THAT WE HEARD FROM THOSE FORMER CADETS, BECAUSE IT, IT REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO WANTING TO HOW MUCH CHANGE
[03:10:01]
IS NECESSARY IN THE ACADEMY.ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? 48, UH, COUNTS, HOPPER MADISON.
I'LL SAY, UH, I BOTH RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED HERE.
WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER POOL IS PRESENTED HERE, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASAREZ PRESENTED HERE, BECAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE AND THEY ALL GET TO EXIST IN THE SAME SPACE IN TIME.
UM, YES, WE NEED A PROFESSIONAL WELL-TRAINED WELL-PAID FORCE.
UM, BUT WE ALSO SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DELINEATE BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD OFFICERS.
WE SHOULD JUST MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE'VE PUT THE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE AND BEST PRACTICES IN PLACE THAT WE FEEL ASSURED THAT WHAT WE'RE PRODUCING BY WAY OF OUR PROFESSIONAL POLICE ACADEMY, UM, IS UNIFORMED OFFICERS WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, HOW TO ENGAGE IN APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR WITH ALL OUR CITIZENS, UM, AND HOW TO AVOID PUTTING THEMSELVES THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY IN COMPROMISED POSITIONS BY WAY OF MISCONDUCT.
AND SO, UM, I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH, AND I'VE SAID ALL ALONG, UM, AS WE STARTED THIS PROCESS WITH A RESOLUTION THAT I AUTHORED, UM, I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND OUR CADET CLASSES.
UM, UH, I HOPE THOUGH THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED SOME DEGREE OF PROFICIENCY AND READINESS.
UM, I, I DON'T, UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE COMPROMISES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS WHAT THE MANIFESTATION IS WHEN WE ARE NOT PREPARED WITH A FULLY PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO RUSH A PROCESS, RIGHT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, UM, ADD MY VOICE TO WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING.
I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HARPER, MADISON SAID THIS, THIS, THIS, ALL THESE THINGS ARE TRUE.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, MAYOR YOU'VE, YOU'VE SUGGESTED A PATH THAT COULD POTENTIALLY WORK.
I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE, OF COURSE FOR US IS THAT, UM, THAT WE SEE THESE CHANGES MADE, UH, THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UM, THAT WE IDENTIFIED AND, UM, SET A PATH TOWARDS A, YOU KNOW, A WHILE BACK.
AND, UM, I AM HOPEFUL THAT THAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE I AGREE, AS YOU SAID, MAYOR, THAT, UM, THAT IT'S, THAT WE NEED TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE CAN STAND UP ADDITIONAL CLASSES.
SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THE CITY MANAGER IS LET'S, LET'S GET THIS DONE, LET'S GET THE TRAINING CHANGES MADE SO THAT WE CAN, SO THAT WE HAVE A PATH AS THE MAYOR HAS SUGGESTED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE COMMENTS SO FAR.
UM, I KNOW THAT SEVERAL OF US AND I, I WILL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF, HAVE EMPHASIZED THE MANAGER, UM, OVER, OVER THE LAST MONTH, CERTAINLY SINCE WE TOOK THE BOAT OVER THE SUMMER.
BUT, BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON INDICATED SHE BROUGHT FORWARD A RESOLUTION ABOUT THE CADET TRAINING CLASSES.
NOW I BELIEVE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, I THOUGHT THAT SET A VERY DIRECT PATH FORWARD FOR HOW, FOR WHAT, UM, WHAT A PRIORITY IT SHOULD BE TO REVISE THAT CURRICULUM.
AND I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT IN SUPPORT OF IT AND HAVE EMPHASIZED OVER THIS LAST YEAR TO THE MANAGER, MULTIPLE TIMES, THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF GETTING THAT WORK DONE, UM, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THOSE CADET CLASSES, UH, MEETING AGAIN, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT, UM, THAT PROCESS TAKING PLACE.
I WOULD, AGAIN, JUST ADD MY, ADD MY SUPPORT TO THE AMENDMENT THAT WAS MADE THIS SUMMER, UH, THAT KOUNTABLE MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERNATOR SUPPORTED, AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON, I BELIEVE YOU WERE ALSO CO-SPONSOR ON THAT, UH, THAT A CADET CLASS COULD TAKE PLACE IF THE, IF THE REVISION WORK HAD HAPPENED.
AND SO MANAGER, I, I REALLY WOULD URGE YOU TO GET THAT WORK DONE JUST AS I HOPE THAT, UM, I HOPE THAT SOME OF THAT WORK HAS TAKEN PLACE SO THAT WE COULD SEE THAT CADET CLASS, UH, AS EARLY AS NEXT SPRING.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT, AN IMPORTANT THING TO MOVE FORWARD TO DO IF WE'RE PREPARED IN TERMS OF THE CURRICULUM HAVING BEEN REVISED COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, TOVO FOR BRINGING UP THE BUDGET WRITER THAT
[03:15:01]
WE WORKED ON, UM, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, HAVER, MADISON AND MAYOR ADLER, UM, WHICH SET FORTH SECTIONS FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO COME BACK WITH A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH A CADET CLASS.AND I JUST WANTED TO INVITE THE CITY MANAGER TO SPEAK WITH US ON THE TIMETABLE AS TO WHERE WE ARE AT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SEVERAL OF US HAVE PROBABLY ALL OF US HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH THIS, ABOUT THIS WITH YOU, UM, IN PRIVATE.
AND IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, I THINK HELPFUL FOR YOU TO PROVIDE, UM, SOME FURTHER INSIGHTS TO THE COMMUNITY AS TO WHERE THAT PROCESS IS AT THIS POINT BEFORE THE MANAGER SPEAKS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE WHERE WE GO TO THE MANAGER, A COUNCIL MEMBER RIGHT THERE? YEAH.
MAYOR AND I ALSO SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST WANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, REFUNDED THE POLICE OFFICER.
WE STILL HAVE THE, UH, FOREST THAT HAS THE HIGHEST PAID OFFICERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WE HAVE SUPPORTED THEM WITH ALL THE BENEFITS AND HIGH PAY BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THEM, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRAINING.
AND THAT'S WHAT MY WHOLE FOCUS HAS BEEN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE PROPER TRAINING TO FOCUS ON WORKING HERE.
AND AUSTIN, THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN IS PAIN, THE OFFICER'S JOB, DO YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR THEIR JOB, YOU KNOW? AND SO IT'S THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND WORK TOGETHER WITH THEM AND REALLY FOCUS ON THE TRAINING YOU'VE BEEN IN.
I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON BECAUSE, UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE HAD A REALLY GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNION AND YOU KNOW, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, IT JUST BROKE DOWN AND IT'S BEEN GOING DOWNWARD EVER SINCE.
AND IT'S REALLY NOT A FIGHT WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS.
WE REALLY SUPPORT OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
IT'S JUST THAT WE NEED TO REFOCUS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE NEED OUR JOB.
WE NEED THEM TO FOCUS ON AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S BEEN A LOT OF DISTRACTION IS IT'S BEEN A VERY HORRIBLE YEAR FOR US, YOU KNOW, WITH A PANDEMIC AND, AND, YOU KNOW, A PRESIDENT THAT WAS GOING OUT THERE AND CREATING A LOT OF HATE AND ANGER JUST SLOWED DOWN EVERYTHING AND COME BACK TO, WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND I HOPE OUR POLICE OFFICER THAT ACTUALLY ARE HERE IN THE US AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRAINING IS GETTING DONE THE RIGHT WAY, WHERE THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN COUNCIL MEMBER FLATHEAD.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION, BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I FEEL LIKE THIS IS COMPLETELY CONSISTENT WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE THUS FAR, STARTING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON'S RESOLUTION LAST YEAR, THAT I CO-SPONSORED INCLUDING THE WORK WE DID IN THE BUDGET.
I KNOW WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT CADET CLASSES NEXT YEAR IN THAT AUGUST BUDGET HEARING.
AND MANY OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED, EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN GETTING BACK TO CADET CLASSES AS SOON AS THE TRAINING IS, IS ADDRESSED.
SO I THINK DESPITE THE VERY EXTREME AND MISLEADING POLITICAL RHETORIC THAT'S BEING PUT IN OUR, INTO OUR COMMUNITY, THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CONSISTENT POSITION FROM, FROM ALL OF US ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I, I WANT TO, UH, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE OFTEN ALSO TELL THE CITY MANAGER TO DO EVERYTHING FASTER, AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS A REASONABLE EXPECTATION EITHER.
I AM INTERESTED TO HEAR THE MANAGER'S RESPONSE, BUT WE ARE PRETTY BAD AT TELLING THE MANAGER TO DO A HUNDRED THINGS.
AND THEN THE ONLY GIVE THEM MONEY FOR 10 IS OFTEN HOW I DESCRIBE THAT.
AND THEN, UH, I'LL ASK THE MANAGER, THEN THAT'S REMEMBER ALICE, THANK YOU.
AND I'M SURE THE CITY MANAGER HAS PREPARED HIS REMARKS AND BEEN READY TO SPEAK A COUPLE OF TIMES NOW, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SUCH DETAILED WORK GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES.
I KNOW PEOPLE OFTENTIMES ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS? UM, AND UNLESS YOU'RE FOLLOWING OUR LOCAL CITY HALL JOURNALISTS OR, OR YOU'RE FOLLOWING, YOU KNOW, US AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, YOU MAY NOT BE SEEING IT, BUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS HAVING VERY DETAILED, VERY LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO PROPERLY CALIBRATE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSES AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE TO REALLY REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, NURIA RIVERA ABANDONED, MY, SORRY, I ALWAYS, I ALWAYS HAVE TO SLOW DOWN ON HER NAME.
UM, BUT HER TEAM HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK TOO.
AND I DID A PUBLIC SAFETY LISTENING SESSION WITH MY DISTRICT AND GREATLY APPRECIATE MY DISTRICT EIGHT CONSTITUENTS SHOWING UP AND SHARING THEIR IDEAS LIKE ME AND MY TEAM ABOUT
[03:20:01]
WHAT THEY THINK, UM, POLICING IN A MODERN COMMUNITY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.AND WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS THAT WE ARE MUCH MORE ON THE SAME PAGE AS IT SEEMS LIKE WE MIGHT BE AT TIMES, BUT WE WANT A SAFE COMMUNITY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE.
SO WHEN YOU NEED AN ARMED TRAINED OFFICER TO SHOW UP THAT YOU'VE GOT THAT OFFICER THERE, WHEN YOU NEED A MENTAL HEALTH CALL, YOU'VE GOT MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE COMING, COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS, HELPING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THERE ARE SO MANY IDEAS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION AND REALLY SHOWING THE PUBLIC WHAT WORK HAS BEEN GOING INTO IT, BECAUSE I THINK THEY'LL SEE THAT WE ARE LARGELY MORE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT PROCESS.
EVEN IF, SOMETIMES YOU DO HEAR NARRATIVES THAT ARE CONFLICTING.
AND WITH THAT, THE MANAGER DISAPPEARS.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
UH, BUT JUST TO, TO, TO CLOSE, UM, THE, THE PURPOSE OF BE STANDING HERE RAISING THIS ISSUE, ONE IS I THINK IT IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE DID BACK IN AUGUST.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT'S HAPPENING.
WE DO WANT TO RE-IMAGINE POLICE BECAUSE WE THINK IT WILL MAKE US SAFER.
UH, AND WE THINK THE WORK WE'RE DOING IS GOING TO IMPACT POTENTIALLY THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS WE NEED.
IF WE CAN CHANGE THE, THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE EXPECT AS WE EXPECT TOO MANY THINGS RIGHT NOW, UH, AND WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THESE CLASSES CORRECTLY AND FOR THE BENEFIT THAT WE'VE WANTED TO SEE, I KNOW THERE'S A PROCESS THAT'S SET UP.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSULTANTS THAT'S INVOLVED, UH, BUT ONE OF THE REASONS I RAISED IT NOW WAS I, I WANTED TO SAY THAT I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING AND, AND, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND HAVE THIS CLASS IN THE SPRING.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE TIME IS ALSO IMPORTANT, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKING A LOOK AT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS CONSULTANT OR OTHER CONSULTANTS OR THE TIMELINES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED, ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT THE FACT THAT THE FIRST SEVERAL MONTHS IS IF PRESCRIBED BY THE, BY THE STATE AND CAN'T CHANGE WHERE THE TECH GIVES US ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY.
UH, BUT TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN, EVEN AT ALL THE, THE, THE HIGH HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS AND DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE, I HOPE IS THAT WE CAN INITIATE A CLASS, A SPRINT, THANK YOU FOR SHARING COUNSEL.
I CERTAINLY HAVE APPRECIATED THIS, UH, PUBLIC DISCUSSION AROUND, UH, HOW TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A CADET ACADEMY AND THE CURRICULUM THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WE'LL REALLY BE TRAINING OUR OFFICERS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
UM, AS YOU NOTED, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK ALREADY THAT HAS BEEN DONE, UH, THERE'S COORDINATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES CONSULTANTS THAT WE BROUGHT ON BOARD TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PUT FORWARD ARE ALIGNING WITH THE TIMEFRAME THAT, UH, YOU ARE DESCRIBING RIGHT NOW THAT WE WOULD COME BACK IN THE SPRING, UH, TO BE READY TO INITIATE A CLASS.
UM, BUT AS, AS HAS BEEN NOTED, THAT WOULD ALSO INVOLVE, UH, COMING FORWARD WITH A BUDGET AMENDMENTS, UH, BECAUSE ALL OF THE MONEY THAT HAD BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THESE TRAINING CLASSES, UH, WAS REALLOCATED, UH, BY THE COUNCIL IN AUGUST.
AND SO, UH, WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT.
SO WE'LL BE MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN PRESENT SOMETHING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT PART OF THIS IS ALSO GIVING ONGOING UPDATES AND I'VE ASKED OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TO JUST, UH, DESCRIBE, UH, TASK FORCE MEETING.
THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING TOMORROW, AND WE'LL BE TOUCHING ON NOT ONLY THIS PROCESS, BUT ALSO ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN RESOLUTION 66 FROM, UH, DECEMBER OF 2019.
THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER AND, UH, HELLO, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO BE, UM, THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AS WE CONTINUE TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE FUTURE.
AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE WILL BE HAVING, UH, ANOTHER OF OUR TASK FORCE MEETINGS.
UH, THIS COMING WEDNESDAY, IT IS A LONGER MEETING.
AND PART OF THAT MEETING, WE'LL BE PROVIDING A QUICK UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING, BOTH IN THE DE-COUPLING FRONT, AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO WORK WITH A TASK FORCE ON THOSE AREAS THAT FALL ON THE RE-IMAGINING FRONT AND HELPING FORM SOME WORK GROUPS, HOPEFULLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS PART OF THOSE SCOPES OF WORK, I'LL SAY, AND AGAIN, UH, ALL KUDOS TO THE COUNCIL WHO APPROVED LAST NOVEMBER, UM, ON THE RESOLUTION 66 APPROVAL OF THE CROLL AND ASSOCIATES, UH, VENDOR CONTRACT THAT REALLY HAS FAST TRACKED AND ACCELERATED, UH, TO THE MANAGERS, UH, REQUEST ALL THE EFFORTS ON TRAINING.
AND WE EXPECT THAT REPORT TO COME FORWARD.
[03:25:01]
YEAR, THAT REPORT WILL CONSIDER PREVIOUS REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON.THERE HAS BEEN GREAT WORK, UH, BY DOCTORS, UH, BEN WEBBER AND FERGUSON PD HAS PUT SOME EFFORTS.
COMMUNITY PANELS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH LOOKING AT SOME OF THE TRAINING VIDEOS.
SO KURLAN ASSOCIATES WILL CERTAINLY BE BRINGING ALL THAT WORK AND MOVING THAT FORWARD.
AND IN ADDITION, WE HAVE ASKED 21 CP, WHICH IS THE CONTRACT, UM, THAT I KNOW THAT, UH, ACM SHORTER, UM, WROTE TO YOU ABOUT WE'LL BE LOOKING AND TO HELP US WITH PD AND WITH STAFF REALLY ON, UH, STAFFING CONCERNS AND BRINGING SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK IN THIS AREA AND KNOW THAT WE ARE, UH, BOTH BEING BOTH HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY TO BRING THE WORK FORWARD, BUT ARE ALSO BEING QUITE INTENTIONAL AND THOUGHTFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD REALLY RESPONDS TO THE MOMENT AND THE CRITICISMS AND THE CHANGES THAT I THINK WE ALL FEEL THAT WE NEED IN THE FUTURE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, UM, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I ALSO JUST INVITE ANYONE TO, UM, TUNE INTO WEDNESDAY'S TASKFORCE MEETING AS WELL, COLLEAGUES TO THIRTIES, THIRTIES, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, IF EVERYTHING ELSE,
[E. Executive Session]
ALL RIGHT, IT IS 1230.I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE RECONVENE AT ONE 30 IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'LL DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, AND THEN WHEN WE COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE'LL FINISH THE CONVERSATION, UH, WITH A PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, OUTSIDE.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP THREE ITEMS PURSUANT TO FIVE, FIVE, ONE OH SEVEN ONE OR THE GOVERNMENT CODE WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS LEGAL MATTERS RELATED TO ITEM E TWO, WHICH IS SMITH VS.
CITY OF AUSTIN PURSUANT TO FIVE OH ONE OH SEVEN FOR THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, THAT'S E THREE AND PURSUANT TO FIVE, FIVE, ONE OH SEVEN TWO OH SEVEN.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS REAL ESTATE AND LEGAL MATTERS RELATED TO ITEM 30 WITHOUT THE OBJECTION.
UH, WE WILL HAVE LUNCH ON OUR WAY TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH WILL START AT ONE 30.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON THE ORDER OF, OF EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS JUST, JUST BY NOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THEM.
I THINK IT WOULD GO PROBABLY, UM, MAYOR.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO START WITH THE SMITH CASE.
MAYOR PRETEND THAT'S THE ONE AND WE'LL CALL YOU AFTERWARDS.
I WONDER IF IT'LL CHANGE ANYTHING, BUT, UM, AFTER HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND WITH STAFF, UH, I I'VE BEEN ASSURED THAT THERE IS NO NEGATIVE IMPLICATION OF POSTPONING THE HEALTH SOUTH ITEM, IN WHICH CASE I THINK I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO POSTPONE THAT ITEM.
CAN WE, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND DECIDE THAT NOW AND NOT HAVE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AFTER EXEC SESH? OR IS THAT SO GOING TO NEED TO HAPPEN? YEAH.
UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER D WHEN YOU SAY POSTPONE, YOU, DO YOU HAVE A DATE IN MIND TO POSTPONE IT TO OUR JANUARY MEETING? OKAY.
I THINK I DON'T SEE COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO, BUT I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH HER THINKING, OKAY, LET'S HOLD THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IN CASE THERE'S INFORMATION THERE, THAT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL TO US.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT ON THE CALL.
UM, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND POSTPONE THIS ITEM, UH, THEN THERE MAY NOT BE A NEED FOR US TO COME OUT AFTERWARDS.
I'M HESITANT TO DO THAT WITHOUT KATHY HERE, SHE WASN'T HERE.
UH, BUT IF WE, IF IT'S ONLY ME THAT COMES OUT BACK OUT, THAT THAT'LL BE, THAT'LL BE WHY.
SO WITH THAT 1233, LET'S GO AHEAD AND RECESS.
SEE YOU GUYS AT ONE 30 IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, JOHN, SEE YOU THERE.
I, AND IS STILL, UH, UH, DECEMBER EIGHT, 2020.
WE DISCUSSED LEGAL MATTERS RELATED TO ITEM E TWO.
WE DISCUSSED REAL ESTATE MATTERS RELATED TO E 30.
WE DID NOT DISCUSS REAL ESTATE LEGAL MATTERS.
DISCUSS THE PERTINENT PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO ITEM E THREE.
UH, WE MAY PICK BOTH THOSE ITEMS UP ON, ON, ON THURSDAY.
STILL ANTICIPATE THAT ON THURSDAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE POSTPONING ITEM 30.
UH, THERE MAY BE A COUNCIL MEMBER TO THAT, UH, ADDRESSES IT JUST TO KIND OF LAY OUT WHAT THEY EXPECT,
[03:30:02]
UH, HAPPENING, UH, OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.UH, BUT THAT ITEM WON'T BE BEFORE US FOR, UH, FOR ACTION.
DON'T ANTICIPATE, UH, UH, HAVING A PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, BECAUSE WE'LL BE LAYING OUT, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE WILL WANT A PUBLIC COMMENT ON.
ONCE IT GETS, ONCE IT GETS LAID OUT WITH THAT SAID FOUR 25, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS ADJOURNED STAFF.