[00:00:04]
[Call to Order]
UH, IS, UH, DECEMBER 10TH, 2020.UH, THIS IS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, WE ARE DOING THIS, UH, REMOTELY VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, TODAY.
UM, WE HAVE A QUORUM THAT'S, UH, WE'RE IN PRESENT.
TIME IS 10 OH FIVE, UH, COLLEAGUES.
UM, UM, WE'RE GONNA DO SOME STUFF HERE.
UM, UH, JUST A MOMENT, UH, BUT I'M GOING TO, UH, UH, READ INTO THE RECORD TO CHANGES IN CORRECTION, JUST SO THAT, UH, ALISON, UH, UM, WON'T BE, WE WILL BE CLOSER TO US, UH, WHEN SHE GETS HERE, UH, CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS TODAY.
UH, THE, UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED IS, UH, $2,074,286 ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, RECOMMENDED BY THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION ON A 10 OH VOTE, NO MEMBERS ABSENT ITEM NUMBER 40.
UM, THE, UH, AMOUNT IS NOT TO EXCEED 4,000,008 36 FIVE 17.
ITEM NUMBER 55, UH, IS ALSO A BIG SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
JIMMY FLANNIGAN ITEM NUMBER 93 IS A WITHDRAWN AND ITEM NUMBER 97.
NOW HAS A VALID PETITION HAVING BEEN FILED IN OPPOSITION TO THE ZONING REQUEST.
WE HAVE SOME ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS, UH, ITEMS ONE THROUGH 55 AND A AT THIS POINT, THE ITEMS BEING PULLED ARE ITEM THREE A, WHICH HAS BEEN PULLED TO BE HEARD WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER 60.
ALSO BEING PULLED AT THIS POINT BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS IS ITEM 18.
ITEM NUMBER 30, UH, IS BEING PULLED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER MADISON, UH, ITEM NUMBER 49 IS BEING PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL ELLIS ON ITEM NUMBER 18.
I WOULD BE OKAY WITH PUTTING THAT BACK ON CONSENT AS A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL THE JANUARY 27TH MEETING, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE TO VET THE CONCERNS OF SAVE OUR SPRINGS AND THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS WITH THE WATER UTILITY, AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING WELL, BUT I JUST NEEDED MORE TIME TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT I THINK IS NECESSARY FOR THIS PARTICULAR ONE.
SO IF WE CAN POSTPONE IT, I'M OKAY TO KEEP IT ON CONSENT.
AND WE'LL JUST WORK ON OUR QUESTIONS ON THE BACK END MANAGER, THE STAFF, OKAY.
WITH THIS POSTPARTUM, WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE CONCERNS ABOUT POSTPONING THIS ITEM.
UM, SO IF WE CAN PULL IT AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT, MAYOR.
SO WE'LL KEEP THAT I TO PULL THEM ALL, HEAR WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE.
I REMEMBER 49 BY A COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
UM, WE HAVE SOME LATE BACKUP IN ITEM SIX, SEVEN 31 52 57 61 66, 67 69, 70 71 72, 73, 78, 87, 89, 90 91 97.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME LATE BACKUP IN SOME OF THE AUSTIN FINANCE CORPORATION MATTERS ITEMS ONE, TWO, THREE, AND FIVE.
HOPEFULLY I'LL REMEMBER, OR SOMEONE CAN REMIND ME WHEN WE GET TO THE AUSTIN FINANCE CORPORATION MEETING TO, TO REMEMBER TO PUT THAT IN THE RECORD, THAT WOULD ALWAYS BE, UM, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
THIS IS OUR LAST, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UH, UH, BY OURSELVES OR REGULAR MEETING, UH, IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
OR WE DO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING ON THE 18TH JOINT MEETING WITH, UH, UH, CAP METRO BOARD.
UH, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO CANVAS THE RUNOFF, UH, ELECTIONS, BUT THIS IS OUR LAST REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, UH, AND ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, WITH, WITH THAT.
THIS IS THE LAST REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING FOR, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TEM, UM, GOING TO BE SORELY MISSED ON THE CITY COUNCIL, A REAL TRANSFORMATIVE, UM, UH, CHANGE AGENT, UH, ON THIS COUNCIL AND IN THE CITY.
UH, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING, UH, WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH, UH, WITH, UH, WITH A VIDEO.
[00:05:01]
UM, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM, UH, THE, THE MANAGER TO, TO HELP WITH, UH, A PRESENTATION.UH, AND THEN, UM, UM, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WISHES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO, TO SPEAK.
SO WITH THAT, UH, ARE WE READY TO, TO RUN THE, THE, THE VIDEO? YES, MA'AM.
MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA, I LOVE GETTING A CHANCE TO BE PART OF THIS HUGE CHORUS OF THANKS TO YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AUSTIN AND THE WORLD IS A MUCH BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR SERVICE, AND ESPECIALLY AROUND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
SO ALL OF US THAT UNITED WAY ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR STRONG VOICE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
UM, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE ALL THE GOOD YOU'RE GOING TO DO NEXT, BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT YOUR WORK HERE ON CITY COUNCIL IS LASTING AND HOW GRATEFUL WE ALL ARE.
HI, I'M LIBBY DOGGETT AND I WANT TO THANK DELA GARSA FOR HER MANY YEARS OF ADVOCACY ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN, I KNOW YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A CHILDREN'S ADVOCATE, BUT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL POSITION GAVE YOU A BIG PLATFORM AND YOU USED IT SO EFFECTIVELY.
THE DOVE SPRINGS HEALTH CLINIC IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF YOUR MINI SUCCESSES.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY SUCCESSES AHEAD FOR YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU A LOT, AND LET'S BE REAL.
I'M GOING TO MISS YOU, WHETHER IT IS US MARCHING OUT IN THE SUN AGAINST ANOTHER SET OF HORRIBLE POLICIES COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE, OR WHETHER WE ARE RIPPING THROUGH SHAKERS AND MEXICAN MARTINIS.
WHILE WE TRY TO COME TO AGREEMENT ON THE BUDGET OR WHETHER IT IS OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, WHERE WE'RE ASKING OURSELVES IS THAT YOUR SHOES THAT REALLY SMELL BAD OR MINE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS, WE HAVE JUST BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH TOGETHER, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD MY BACK AND YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD THE BACK OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST I'VE GOTTEN TO SEE PROBABLY MORE THAN ALMOST ANYONE, NOT JUST WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, NOT JUST THE STUFF AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, NOT JUST THE RESOLUTIONS OR THE THINGS ON ITX N BUT WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU'VE DONE IT.
AND IT'S BEEN THROUGH THIS LIKE WONDERFULLY STUBBORN SENSE OF JUSTICE, RIGHT? AND WRONG.
AND THAT HAS INSPIRED ME AND INSPIRED SO MANY PEOPLE.
AND IT HAS CHANGED THE WAY THAT CITY HALL WORKS.
I THINK YOU HAVE LEFT THIS REALLY PERMANENT MARK ON THE DAYAS AROUND DOING THIS WORK AROUND WHAT IS RIGHT? AND WE ARE JUST ALL SO GRATEFUL FOR IT AND INDEBTED TO YOU FOR IT.
AND SO, AS YOU HEAD OFF TO BE OUR NEXT COUNTY ATTORNEY KNOW THAT WE HAVE YOUR BACK, AND WE'RE ALL GONNA MISS YOU.
HELLO, MAYOR PRO TEM GAZA PECKING HERE FROM DISTRICT TO DEL VALLEY AREA.
YOUR SERVICE AS A DISTRICT, TWO REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE DEL VALLEY AREA.
WE WORK TOGETHER ON THE FIRE STATION, WHICH WITH A SUCCESS, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS TO PROVIDE THE DEL VALLEY AREA WITH A GROCERY STORE WILL NOT GO IN VAIN.
REST ASSURED AREA RESIDENTS WILL PUSH ON TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPEN DOOR POLICY AND PROVIDE A LINK BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR OFFICE.
THE ONCE A MONTH MEETINGS WITH YOUR STAFF, WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS KAREN EVENTS AND CONCERNS OF THE AREA.
WE MIGHT NOT AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT THAT DID NOT STOP US FROM WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS FOR THE AREA.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR DEL VALLEY DISTRICT TOO.
AND, UM, THE RESIDENTS OF BOTH COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH AND GOOD LUCK AND GOOD LUCK AND SUCCESS IN YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, BECOMING A TRUE CHAMPION FOR CHILDREN AND CHILDCARE DURING YOUR TENURE ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UNDER YOUR LID LEADERSHIP, REALLY CEMENTED CHILDCARE AS ONE OF OUR CORE ECONOMIC ELEMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU'VE INCREASED ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE THROUGH MANY CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING FEE WAIVERS FOR HIGH QUALITY CENTERS, GREATER INVESTMENTS IN CHILDCARE PROGRAMS, ELEVATING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CHILDCARE WORKFORCE AND INVESTING
[00:10:01]
IN NEW CITY CHILDCARE FACILITIES AND CHILDCARE DESERTS.WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE, YOUR DEDICATION TO THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SUCCESS BY SIX COALITION.
YOU CONGRATULATES YOU ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WISHES YOU WELL IN YOUR JOURNEY AHEAD.
IT'S BEEN MY HONOR TO SERVE AS YOUR APPOINTEE ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THE ANIMALS.
DELI GAZA, MY FRIEND, MY COLLEAGUE, A CONSISTENT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND ABSOLUTE PRIDE.
UM, IT HAS BEEN MY TRUE JOY TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU, TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU AND TO WATCH YOU FIGHT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE ARE A BETTER CITY FOR THE SERVICE YOU HAVE GIVEN.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A BETTER CITY AS YOU SERVE IN ANOTHER ROLE AND HAVE LEADERSHIP IN ANOTHER ROLE.
UM, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE FIGHTING FOR TEN ONE, AND WE SHOT A VIDEO OUTSIDE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HEB, AND YOU HAD ME SAY I'M WITH D'ELIA AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS NOTHING HAS CHANGED I'M WITH DAHLIA.
DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? I DO MAYOR.
AND, UH, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE MAYOR PRO TEM AND I'LL ECHO MANY OF THOSE WORDS BY SAYING WHAT AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE HAS BEEN WORKING FOR YOU OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND TO SEE THE PASSION AND COMPASSION THAT YOU BRING TO THE DIOCESE AND ADVOCATING AND BEING A FIERCE ADVOCATE, UH, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO AND THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU, UH, THERE IS A SMALL BOX, UH, THAT WE'RE HOPING YOU WILL OPEN IN FRONT OF ALL OF US.
NORMALLY WE WOULD BE DOING THIS PRESENTATION IN PER, IN PERSON, BUT, UH, ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE HERE AT THE CITY, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THIS SMALL TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE YEARS OF SERVICE THAT YOU'VE HAD AT THE CITY.
SO IF YOU CAN LOOK IN FRONT OF YOU AND OPEN THAT UP AND, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECOGNITION.
I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR, UH, COLLEAGUES, UH, HOW NOW RECOGNIZE ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO WANTS TO SPEAK POTAGER THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, I'LL START BY SAYING, I THINK DELI HAD THOUGHT SHE WAS CLEVER BY WEARING THAT MASK.
SO WE CAN'T SEE HER CRY AND WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING BACK THERE.
I, UH, I THINK I SAID AS MUCH AS I NEEDED TO SAY IN THAT LITTLE VIDEO THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN, BUT, UH, I'LL JUST REITERATE THE PART ABOUT BEING A CONSTANT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND PRIDE.
UM, I, I FIND MYSELF MODELING, UH, MY FORWARD MOVEMENTS AFTER YOU.
IT WAS PROBABLY MY SECOND WEEK AT CITY HALL AND YOU REMINDED ME TO PACE MYSELF.
UM, AND I REMIND MYSELF OF THAT FREQUENTLY AS I GROW AND EVOLVE, UM, AND MUNICIPAL POLITICS AND WORKING IN THIS SETTING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE ADVICE, THANK YOU FOR THE CONSISTENT FRIENDSHIP.
AND, UH, I REALLY, REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU DO MOVING FORWARD.
UM, IF I MAY, UM, MAYOR, UH, WE ARE ALSO BUILDING A DUE TO CHRIS SHORTER, UM, VERY SOON AND MARGARET WRIGHT, THE GRAND DOM OF THE PIANO PASSED AWAY AS WELL.
SO, UM, GOOD LUCK AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT A MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA CHRIS SHORTER DO IN THEIR NEW ENDEAVORS AND REST IN POWER, MS. WRIGHT, DOLLY.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT LEADER TO OUR CITY.
THERE WERE SO MANY TIMES AS I WAS A NEW PERSON ON THIS DIET WHERE I WAS TRYING TO GATHER MY THOUGHTS ON REALLY COMPLEX ISSUES THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING AND YOU WOULD SPEAK AND IT'D BE LIKE, YEAH, THAT THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO SAY IT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M FEELING.
AND IT WAS ALWAYS SO, BUT SO HEARTFELT GOOD LUCK.
[00:15:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GROUNDBREAKER AND PROUD OF DONE AS A GROUNDBREAKER.AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A GROUNDBREAKER IN THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR WOMEN AND BEING A FIRST IS THAT EASY, BUT I THINK YOU'VE HANDLED IT.
WELL, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU.
SO I THINK, UM, SOMEBODY ELSE MENTIONED THIS, BUT I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR IS YOUR SENSE OF JUSTICE OF WRONG AND, UM, AND SPEAKING FROM THE HEART.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE VERY GOOD AT THAT.
AND I LOVED HEARING THAT AND I HAVE TO SAY MY FIRST GOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE OF THAT WHEN YOU AND I WERE DOING WHAT I NOW CALL AFFECTIONATELY UBER WARS.
SO YOU WERE JUST AMAZING AND FABULOUS AND VERY STRONG.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WILL MISS YOU AND, UM, AND WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE MOMENTS, UM, OFTEN SOUND LIKE EULOGIES, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING THAT FAR AWAY.
UH, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU DAHLIA.
I'M SO PROUD AND HONORED TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, I'LL, I'LL RESERVE OUR, OUR ALL RESERVED, REPEATING OUR CONVERSATIONS ON THAT FOR WHEREVER THE TIME WHEN WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND HAVE DRINKS.
BUT, UM, IT IS REALLY AN EXCITING FUTURE FOR OUR WHOLE REGION TO SEE YOU TAKING ON THAT ROLE AND SEEING ALL OF THE AMAZING WORK YOU DID AT THE CITY, AND HAVING BEEN SO PROUD TO SUPPORT YOU TO BE THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THESE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, BUT I KIND OF WANT TO REPEAT WHAT COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN SAID, UM, YOUR SUPPORT AND WORK WITH ME.
AND A FEW OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE REALLY TAUGHT ME WHAT JUSTICE MEANT, AND IT OPENED MY EYES TO SEEING THE PERSPECTIVES OF OTHERS IN A WAY THAT I HADN'T EXPERIENCED AND HADN'T APPRECIATED.
AND IT REALLY HELPED FOCUS MY ENERGIES IN A WAY THAT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THERE WITHOUT YOU AND I AM EXCITED IN THE FUTURE TO CONTINUE THAT WORK ACROSS OUR JURISDICTIONS, TAKING THIS WORK FOR JUSTICE, TO, TO, TO NEW HEIGHTS FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND IT IS A LONG TAIL LEGACY THAT WILL REST BACK WITH YOU.
AND I LOVE YOU, UM, VERY PRO TIME.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS DYESS.
I, I KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST MOMENTS THAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME WAS SEEING SEEING YOU IN ACTION AT, IN DOVE SPRINGS, RIGHT AFTER THE FLOOD, UM, ON THAT VERY FIRST WEEKEND, JUST THE, THE CARE YOU BROUGHT TO THAT WORK OF MAKING SURE THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AS THEY CAME THROUGH THE LINE HAD FOOD AND THE OTHER NECESSITIES THEY NEEDED AND, AND JUST, UM, INTERACTING WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR COMMUNITY, WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN A WAY THAT THAT WAS, UM, ALWAYS CENTERED THEIR NEEDS AND ALWAYS RESPONSIVE.
AND I'VE HAD, UM, REALLY THAT EXPERIENCE AGAIN AND AGAIN, WORKING, WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU AND SEEING, SEEING THE MANY ISSUES THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN AN IMPASSIONED AND EFFECTIVE LEADER OR YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK, BUT THE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT YOU'VE DONE AND BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR NEW POSITION, UH, CANCER NUMBER RIGHT THERE.
UH, I'M REALLY GONNA MISS YOUR, YOUR YOU'RE ON THE CONSOLE, DARRYL Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, WE CALL IT, I'VE KNOWN YOU SINCE, BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN, UH, ELECTED TO THE COUNCIL.
WE USED TO SIT OUT THERE AT BEAR LES HOUSE AND PARTY AND DO DRUGS THERE AND HAVE WERE FIESTAS THERE.
SO I, UM, I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
I KNOW THAT D TWO IS GOING TO MISS YOU A LOT HERE ON THE COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR THAT AREA.
IT'S JUST AMAZING THAT, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH ON THE COUNCIL AND THOSE VERY SHORT SIX YEARS YOU'VE BEEN ON HERE.
AND, UH, I'M REALLY GONNA MISS YOU.
AND I KNOW D TWO D TWO IS GONNA MISS YOU A LOT TOO.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, LESLIE DAHLIA.
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT MORE TO SAY.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS REALLY COVERING THE WATERFRONT.
I JUST WANT TO ADD MY BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOUR NEPHEW AND YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS, YOUR NEW ASSIGNMENT AND THE NEW ADVENTURE.
IT'S, UM, IT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
WE'RE DOING THIS PUBLIC POLICY WORK IN TRAVIS COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
[00:20:01]
AND, UM, I KNOW WE WILL, WE WILL SEE MORE OF YOU IN YOUR NEW, UH, IN YOUR NEW POSITION.AND I WAS TO SPEAK ALISON, GOOD MORNING.
I WANT TO WISH DAHLIA GOOD LUCK IN YOUR NEW ROLE.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN A ROLE MODEL TO MANY, AND YOU ALWAYS SPEAK FROM YOUR HEART AND YOU SPEAK FOR THOSE LESS FORTUNATE, AND YOU HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING ADVOCATE FOR DISTRICT TWO AND FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO WATCH YOU GROW, UM, INTO, UM, BEING AN AMAZING LEADER FOR OUR CITY AND NOW OUR COUNTY.
AND I WISH YOU WELL, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER, ADVANCING ISSUES THAT WE BOTH CARE A LOT ABOUT LIKE CHILDCARE AND FIRE SAFETY, UM, AND WITH OUR WORK ON THE 80 YEARS.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR NEW ROLE, UM, AND WE'LL BE SEEING YOU, UM, I'M SURE QUITE OFTEN, THANK YOU.
JUST WANT TO ADD MY THOUGHTS HERE AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN GREG, I'LL GO TO YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE, UM, UH, HONOR, AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH YOU, UH, OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
IN THIS LAST RACE, I WOULD OFTEN TELL PEOPLE THAT I WAS THERE TO KIND OF A BITTERSWEET TYPE OF WAY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE YOU, UH, WHERE WE, WHERE WE HAD YOU AND I, AND I, AND I MEANT THAT, UM, YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT THE CITY, ABOUT LEADERSHIP, ABOUT ADVOCACY, UH, AND OTHERS.
AND AS OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT, ABOUT JUSTICE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE, UH, YOU'RE A BIT MISSED, UH, ON THIS DYESS FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DISTRICT, BUT, BUT ALSO FOR FOLKS ALL OVER THE CITY, THAT IT WAS STRICTLY NOT HAD A FULLY POWERED, UH, VOICE.
UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE IN PREMIERE RIGHTS, THE FIRE STATION, UH, THE SOCIAL WORK WITH LIVING WAGE AND FAIR CHANCE HIRING THE FOOD INSECURITY, WORK, THE CLINIC, THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT BACK TO, TO PEOPLE THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN IN HAVE BEEN DUE.
BUT I THINK THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION THAT YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS MADE TO THE CITY GOES BEYOND THOSE INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS.
I THINK THAT YOU HAVE HELPED THE COUNCIL IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, LED THE COUNCIL IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, UH, TO A REALLY FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN HOW GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE IS DONE IN THIS CITY.
THERE'S BEEN A, AN EMPHASIS ON, ON EQUITY, UH, AN EQUITY LENS THAT RATES EVERYTHING THAT, THAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, EVERYTHING NOW THAT, THAT OUR STAFF DOES IN OUR CITY.
UH, I THINK THAT YOU DESERVE REAL SIGNIFICANT CREDIT FUNDAMENTALLY FOR CHANGING HOW IT IS THAT CITY GOVERNANCE HAPPENS.
UH, I AM REALLY EXCITED FOR THE, FOR THE MEASURE OF, OF, UH, COMPASSIONATE ADVOCACY, UH, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BRING TO THE, TO THE NEW JOB, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S HUGE UPSIDE POTENTIAL.
UH, AND I KNOW YOU WILL BE PUSHING THERE AS YOU PUSHED HERE.
UH, AND THEN QUITE FRANKLY, PER TIME, I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BALANCE OF EVERYBODY'S ENTIRE CAREER, UH, OF I, THAT I, THAT I THINK HAS JUST LIMITLESS POTENTIAL.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO PUBLIC SERVICE.
I MEAN, I'LL HAVE, HAVE SAID IT ALL.
AND I'VE SAID MOST OF MY PIECE IN THE VIDEO, AND I WON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE EMBARRASSING.
UM, OTHER THAN JUST, UM, I THINK LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS TOUGH TO PROMOTE YOU LEAVING BECAUSE OF FREEBIE JUICE SO BAD HERE.
UM, BUT SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO NEXT.
AND WHEN WE ELECTED YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, I MENTIONED THAT I KNOW THAT SO MANY LATINOS ACROSS OUR CITY WILL BE PROUD, UM, AND THAT LUCAS WOULD BE PROUD.
AND AS I THINK ABOUT THAT, I JUST CAN'T WAIT, UH, TO TELL LOUIS ALL THE STORIES ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH.
I JUST, I'M JUST THINKING OF THAT, LIKE MAKES ME BEAM AND MAKES ME FEEL SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT THAT'S LIKE THE REAL MEASURE OF HOW WE SHOULD DO THE JOB, UM, IS, IS TO BE ABLE TO FEEL LIKE WE CAN, UM, GO BACK TO OURSELVES, BUT THEN ALSO OUR FAMILIES AND FEEL REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO DO AND HAVE JUST BEEN SO HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS WITH YOU.
[00:25:01]
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, DO YOU WANNA SURE.AND I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, I TRIED TO KEEP IT AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE AND YOU, YOU GUYS KNOW, I DON'T LIKE LONG SPEECHES, SO I REALLY, REALLY DID TRY IT AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
AND TASHA, I LOVE THE IDEA OF WEARING A MASK BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN'T SEE THE QUIVERING LIP AS MUCH.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO READ A LOT.
SO I I'VE BEEN PRACTICING THIS.
I WAS TELLING THE STAFF IN HERE, I PRACTICED.
UM, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HONORS OF MY LIFE TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 12 YEARS.
AND NO, THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT COUNCIL YEARS ARE DOG YEARS.
I'VE, UH, WORKED SIX YEARS AS AN AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER AND SIX YEARS REPRESENTING SOUTHEAST AUSTIN DISTRICT TO DISTRICT TWO DID NOT HAVE A DEDICATED OR A CONSTANT VOICE OR LIVED EXPERIENCE VOICE BEFORE TEN ONE.
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I WAS ABLE TO BE THAT VOICE FOR YOU.
UH, SO THANK YOU TO DISTRICT TWO FOR SENDING ME TO CITY HALL TO FIGHT FOR YOU.
I KNOW MY KIDS, MY CONSTITUENTS DID NOT ALWAYS AGREE WITH EVERY DECISION I MADE, BUT I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE MOST PART THAT MY CONSTITUENTS WERE ALWAYS KIND AND RATIONAL ABOUT ISSUES AS THE FIRST LATINO IN THIS DIOCESE AND THE FIRST LATINA MAYOR PRO TEM.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTED ME IN MY WORK, ALL THE LATINAS THAT CAME BEFORE ME WHO TRIED.
UM, BUT I STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS WHEN I WAS ELECTED MAYOR PRO TEM.
I SAID, THEN THAT BEING THE FIRST WASN'T IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS NOT BEING THE LAST THAT'S ALSO WHAT MY MATH SAYS.
IF ANYBODY'S WONDERING, AND IT REALLY SWEET CONSTITUENT MADE THIS FOR ME, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELECTED VANESSA.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HER WORK AND I AM HERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
IN FACT, WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES AND GAVE HER A TOUR OF CITY HALL ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
I THOUGHT ABOUT GOING INTO THE WORK MY OFFICE DID, BUT I THOUGHT IN STAYING TRUE TO MYSELF, I WASN'T GOING TO SIT HERE AND LIST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND YOU KNOW HOW I HAVE NEVER BEEN A BIG FAN OF LONG SPEECHES.
I THINK MUCH OF OUR WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US INVEST MORE IN PUBLIC HEALTH, A MORE EQUITABLE, MORE SAFE, MORE HEARD AUSTIN TO MY STAFF IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, LAURA WILLIAMSON, KATHERINE, NICELY, ALEXANDRA
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO EACH OF YOU AMONG MANY OTHER WINS.
UM, DELL VALLEY HAS A BRAND NEW FIRE AND EMS STATION.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A CITY BUILDING GO UP THAT FAST.
I WAS AMAZING AND DEF SPRINGS WILL SOON HAVE A HEALTH CENTER COMING.
UM, AND WE'LL BE THERE FOR DECADES TO COME BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK TO MY STAFF, TO CITY STAFF.
I DON'T WANT TO NAME INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY TO NAME, BUT A CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE AN AMAZING PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND YOU HAVE SET THE BAR SO HIGH AS I MOVE ON TO THIS NEXT AGENCY, TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, THE WORK I'M THE MOST REALLY PROUD OF REALLY THAT HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE CITY IS THE WORK I DID BEFORE COMING TO THIS DICE, BEING PART OF THE COALITION TO BRING THIS CITY.
A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE BECAUSE I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF THE CITY.
AND DEFINITELY, AND OBVIOUSLY OUR COUNCIL MOVING OUR ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER IS ALSO TO THANK FOR THAT CHANGE.
I REMEMBER VERY VIVIDLY GOING TO A CENTRAL CITY NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING TO ASK THEM TO SUPPORT TEN ONE AND A MAN SAYING A MAN AFTER MY PRESENCE STATION STOOD UP AND VERY CASUALLY SAID IT WOULD BE STUPID FOR US TO SUPPORT TEN ONE.
WE HAVE ALL THE, WHY WOULD WE LET THAT GO? I ALSO REMEMBER TELLING THAT STORY FROM THE PAST PODIUMS THAT USUALLY ARE SITTING UP HERE.
IT WAS THIS ONE ON THE RIGHT DURING CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, ASKING THE COUNCIL THEN TO PUT TEN ONE ON THE BALLOT, BUT THEY DIDN'T.
SO WE FORMED THE COALITION TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND PUSH IT TO VICTORY.
UM, I FIRMLY BELIEVE, I KNOW WE HAD THE YOUNGEST DYESS WE'VE EVER HAD DEFINITELY THE MOST DIVERSE WITH THE MOST MINORITY REPRESENTATION.
AND WE HAVE HELD ONTO OUR FEMALE MAJORITY THROUGH, I BELIEVE FOUR CYCLES OF ELECTIONS.
THE GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT WAS REPLACED BY THE LADY LECTERN.
I KNOW NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT TEN ONE, NO MORE HAVING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS THAT COME FROM JUST A FEW ZIP CODES IN 2012, 10% OF REGISTERED AUSTIN VOTED FOR THE MAYOR AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IT'S HARD TO CHANGE THE STATUS QUO WHEN THE STATUS QUO IS PRIMARILY THE POPULATION VOTING IN 2014 AFTER MOVING CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER.
NUMBER QUADRUPLED TO 40% OF AUSTINITES CHOOSING THEIR FIRST TEN ONE
[00:30:01]
COUNCIL.THIS DIOCESE IS MORE DEMOCRATIC AND MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR CITY.
NOW, QUICK SIDE NOTE, I AM ON THE DICE TODAY.
I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER IF THEY COULD ARRANGE THAT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THAT.
I, I JUST WANTED TO SPEND A PORTION OF TODAY'S MEETING.
UM, HERE, SINCE I STARTED HERE, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH AND I'VE GROWN SO MUCH DURING MY TIME ON THE DIOCESE.
AND WHILE WE MAY NOT HAVE ALWAYS AGREED, I KNOW EACH OF US TRULY, IT WAS DOING WHAT WE WERE FELT BEST FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND I CERTAINLY KNOW THE SACRIFICES THAT EACH OF YOU MAKE TO SERVE.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I'M GOING TO MISS.
I'M GOING TO NAME JUST A FEW, JUST TO ADD A LITTLE LEVITY HERE, PLEASE.
NO, THE FOLLOWING COMES FROM A PLACE OF ENDEARMENT, SO I HOPE NOBODY TAKES OFFENSE TO ANY OF THIS.
I'M GOING TO MISS THE MAYOR, PRONOUNCING WATER, WATER, UM, AND INTRODUCING ME TO TERMS LIKE TRAUNCH.
UM, I'M GOING TO MISS ANNE'S STEADFAST ADVOCACY FOR HER CONSTITUENTS.
IT IS A PRETTY AMAZING THING TO WATCH AND DIG INTO SOMETHING AND I'LL, OR INTERRUPTING PEOPLE THEN SAYING SHE DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.
I'M GONNA MISS HISTORY OF IFC LESSONS FROM CATHY.
UM, I'M ALSO GONNA MISS CITY NEXT TO KATHY, UM, BECAUSE SHE JUST DOES SO MUCH WORK TO READ UP ON STUFF AND HAD SO MUCH, UM, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION WITH THEIR ALL THE TIMES.
AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED WHEN SHE PULLED OUT HER STAPLER.
AND IN FACT, I SAW THE STAPLER THE OTHER DAY, I THINK TWO MEETINGS AGO AND IT, IT MADE ME SMILE.
UM, I'M GOING TO MISS WONDERING IF PAIGE, SPENCER AND JIMMY, THERE'S A STAPLER.
UM, I'M GONNA MISS WONDERING IF PAIGE, SPENCER AND JIMMY ARE ACTUALLY ROBOTS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY STAY.
SO YEAH, STILL AND STARE AT THE CAMERA FOR SO LONG WITHOUT MOVING.
UH, NATASHA, I, I KNEW YOU LONG BEFORE BEING ON THIS DIES AND IT HAS BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU IN THIS CAPACITY.
AND I KNOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE LIFELONG FRIENDS, UM, AND GREG, UM, AND LOOKING UP 10, ONE ARTICLES TO REFRESH MY MEMORY ON THAT FIGHT.
UM, I READ ONE AND IT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS AT TEN ONE WOULD PRODUCE.
THIS IS A QUOTE FROM PECK, YOUNG, UH, MANY KNOW A KNOWN POLITICAL CONSULTANT.
HE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT, UM, THE GOOD THINGS THAT TEN ONE WOULD BRING.
AND HE SAID, YES, YOU'RE GONNA WAKE UP ONE MORNING.
AND SOME STAR IS GOING TO EMERGE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO EMERGE FROM A DISTRICT WHERE IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO WALK STREETS AND RAISE MONEY AND THEIRS AND THOSE STREETS, THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET ELECTED.
I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT SEEING WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
GREG, YOU REALLY HAVE PUSHED US TO BE A MORE PROGRESSIVE, UH, COUNCIL, N P O M.
I'LL MISS YOUR VERY REAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
AND I'LL ALSO MISS TEXTS FROM MY STAFF SAYING, TELL PEO THAT HIS MIC IS ON.
AND I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, I ADMIT THAT'S THE SAME FOR ALISON AND LESLIE.
THE, YOU REMIND ME IT ANYWAYS, OF THE STEADFAST ADVOCACY, YOU PROVIDE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
IT'S AN AMAZING THING TO WATCH.
AND, AND I, AND I, UM, I'VE BEEN GRATEFUL TO GET TO KNOW ALL OF YOU.
I'LL CLOSE WITH READING AN EXCERPT, START FROM SOMETHING THAT I READ.
I GO BACK TO OFTEN TO READ WHEN I NEED TO REMIND HER OF WHY WE DO THIS WORK.
IT REMINDS ME OF THE WORK LEFT TO BE DONE.
AND IT'S SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME INCREDIBLY SAD THAT NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE IT WAS WRITTEN ALMOST 60 YEARS AGO.
IT'S MARTIN LUTHER KING'S LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL.
I THINK IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT TIME OF RACIAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND TO CRIMINALIZING POVERTY.
I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY IN THESE KINDS OF POSITIONS TO READ IT AND READ IT OFTEN, DR.
KING WROTE YOU DEPLORE THE DEMONSTRATIONS TAKING PLACE IN BIRMINGHAM, BUT YOUR STATEMENT, I'M SORRY TO SAY FAILS TO EXPRESS A SIMILAR CONCERN FOR THE CONDITIONS THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE DEMONSTRATION.
I'M SURE THAT NONE OF YOU WOULD WANT TO REST CONTENT WITH THE SUPERFICIAL KIND OF SOCIAL ANALYSIS THAT DEALS MERELY WITH THE EFFECTS AND DOES NOT GRAPPLE WITH THE UNDERLYING CAUSES.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT DEMONSTRATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE IN BIRMINGHAM, BUT IT IS EVEN MORE UNFORTUNATE THAT THE CITY'S WHITE POWER STRUCTURE LEFT THE BLACK COMMUNITY WITH NO ALTERNATIVE, DR.
KING GOES ON TO SAY WHAT HE BELIEVES IS A BIGGER THREAT TO HIS CAUSE.
AND THE KKK, EVEN HE SAID IT WAS THE WHITE MODERATE WHO IS MORE DEVOTED TO ORDER THAN TO JUSTICE WHO PREFERS A NEGATIVE PIECE, WHICH IS THE ABSENCE OF TENSION TO A POSITIVE PEACE, WHICH IS THE PRESENCE OF JUSTICE.
WHO CONSTANTLY SAYS, I AGREE WITH YOU IN THE GOAL YOU SEEK, BUT I CANNOT AGREE WITH YOUR METHODS WHO PATERNALISTICALLY BELIEVES HE CAN SET THE TIMETABLE FOR ANOTHER MAN'S FREEDOM WHO LIVES BY A MYTHICAL CONCEPT OF TIME, AND CONSTANTLY ADVISES US TO WAIT FOR A MORE CONVENIENT SEASON.
[00:35:01]
HE GOES ON TO SAY, THE PRESENT TENSION IN THE SOUTH IS NECESSARY PHASE OF THE TRANSITION FROM OBNOXIOUS NEGATIVE PEACE TO A SUBSTANTIVE AND POSITIVE PIECE IN WHICH ALL MEN WILL RESPECT THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF HUMAN PERSONALITY.WE WHO ENGAGE IN ACTION ARE NOT CREATORS OF TENSION.
WE MERELY BRING TO THE SURFACE, THE HIDDEN TENSION THAT IS ALREADY ALIVE.
WE BRING IT OUT TO THE OPEN WHERE IT CAN BE SEEN AND DEALT WITH.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, FOR HAVING AND THE COURAGE TO BRING TO THE SURFACE, THE HIDDEN TENSIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY TIME AND TIME AGAIN, BRINGING IT OUT INTO THE OPEN AND DEALING WITH IT.
I KNOW AS I MOVE ON TO MY NEXT CHAPTER, I WILL USE YOUR EXAMPLES OF PATIENTS UNDER PRESSURE AND COURAGE UNDER FIRE TO PUSH ME, TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR THOSE WHO DON'T FEEL HEARD AND DON'T FEEL SICK.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS PRESENTATION THAT WENT A LITTLE LONGER THAN I WANT IT TO, BUT THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
THANK YOU, GODSPEED, UH, COLLEAGUES.
UH, WE ARE BACK TO OUR AGENDA, UH, CONSENT
[Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 2)]
OR ITEMS ONE THROUGH, UH, 55.UM, WHAT'S PULLED AT THIS POINT ITEM NUMBER THREE.
SO IT CAN BE HEARD WITH ITEM NUMBER 60 PUBLIC HEARING ITEM NUMBER 18.
UH, WE NEEDED TO DISCUSS THE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST ITEM NUMBER 30, HOW SOUTH ITEM NUMBER 49, WHICH IS A ZONE CROSSING PULLED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
UH, THREE IS GOING TO GET PULLED, UH, MANAGER.
DO YOU WANNA ADDRESS, UH, ITEM NUMBER 18, THE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST? WE CERTAINLY CAN'T.
I'M GOING TO HAVE OUR FOLKS FROM WATER COME UP, COME OVER, BUT IT MIGHT BE A LONGER DISCUSSION JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF WHAT THE DELAY IN APPROVING THIS WOULD BE OKAY.
THEY'RE HEADED OVER THERE YET, CORRECT.
I'M TRYING TO GET A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON 22 AND 40.
I'M HOPING THAT BY THAT TIME SPEAKERS ARE DONE, I'LL HAVE THE ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS, BUT I'M JUST FLAGGING THAT.
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY A GOOD REMINDER.
LET'S PULL OR PUT A CHECK MARK NEXT TO 32 AND ALSO NEXT TO 40.
AND THEN PROBABLY LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THE SPEAKERS AND THAT'LL GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO, TO, TO, TO COME IN.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCILOR POOL MAKES THE MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON, A WORD
[Public Comment (Part 1 of 3)]
OUTLINE TO HEAR THE MORNING SPEAKERS, UH, ABOUT HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE IN THE QUEUE? WHAT 13.WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND CALL THE SPEAKERS.
FIRST SPEAKER IS BOBBY LAVINSKY BOBBY.
LAVINSKY BE SURE TO QUEEN THANK YOU.
UM, MY NAME IS BOBBY LEVINSKY.
I'M HERE WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
I'M SPEAKING ON THE WATERFORD AMENDMENTS, UM, THAT ARE AHEAD OF YOU TODAY.
UM, WE'RE OF COURSE IN FAVOR OF THESE AMENDMENTS.
HOWEVER, UM, ONE THING WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKER WITH THE OTHER PARTS OF THE WATERFORD AMENDMENT.
I'M SORRY, I'M A LITTLE OUT OF BREATH BECAUSE I WAS JUST RUNNING INSIDE WITH MY DOGS, BUT, UM, WE ARE, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO ADVANCING THE, ESPECIALLY THE WATER BENCHMARKING WITH BUTTER BENCHMARKING AMENDMENTS.
THOSE AMENDMENTS HAVE RELATE TO, UM, WHEN A DEVELOPER SUBMITS A SITE PLAN, THEY GET A, SOMEWHAT LIKE AN AUDIT, LIKE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AUDIT AND THEY GET RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THEY COULD IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS A CODE AMENDMENT THAT HAD, UM, THE REVISED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE MOVE FORWARD.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN, UM, ADOPTED AND IMPLEMENTED IN JUNE OF 2020.
SO NOW WE ARE BEHIND SCHEDULE WITH REGARD TO THE WATER BUDGETING AMENDMENTS, AND WE'RE ENCOURAGING YOU TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH THAT ITEM.
YOU CAN'T DO IT TODAY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT POSTED FOR IT, BUT, UM, WE REALLY DO NEED YOU TO TAKE ACTION AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
[00:40:01]
CODE AMENDMENT CAN BE BROUGHT FORWARD.UM, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ONGOING LAWSUIT WHATSOEVER.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ZONING.
UM, I'VE DONE THE LEGAL RESEARCH ON THAT, UM, AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT Y'ALL CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
UM, AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT UNANIMOUSLY BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO THE NEED FOR THAT TYPE OF CODE AMENDMENT.
UM, MANY OF YOU HAVE, UM, CAMPAIGNED ON IT AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT ENACTED AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU, PAUL ROBBINS COUNSEL, I'M COMMENTING ON ITEM THREE TO ADD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DISCOUNTS FOR WATER, TWO APARTMENT UNITS THAT ARE MASTER METERED.
THIS WOULD GRANT ELIGIBLE UTILITY CUSTOMERS A DISCOUNT OF ABOUT 200, $4 A YEAR.
I GENERALLY SUPPORT THE CONCEPT, BUT I HAVE TWO CONCERNS.
THE FIRST IS THAT MOST OF THE CUSTOMERS WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED.
IF SOMEONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD IS ON ONE OF THE SEVEN SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS, I HAVE POINTED OUT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH EVIDENCE THAT THIS APPROACH IS FLAWED.
THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO REACH CUSTOMERS WITH AN INCOME OF NO MORE THAN 2% OF THE POVERTY LEVEL.
AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT WILL ENLIST SOME PEOPLE ABOVE THIS INCOME BRACKET.
AUSTIN ENERGY BEGAN A PROGRAM ABOUT A YEAR AGO TO ALLOW CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED TO QUALIFY BY PROVIDING DOCUMENTATION OF INCOME TODAY, ROUGHLY ONE SIXTH OF CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS HAVE DONE THIS.
I THINK THIS MYTHIC SHOULD BE ADOPTED UNIVERSALLY.
SOME PEOPLE AT THE UTILITY DO NOT FEEL THIS AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM SAYING THAT MOST, MOST PARTICIPANTS ARE DESERVING, BUT CONSIDER IF THE NEW WATER DISCOUNTS ARE ADDED TOTAL CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DISCOUNTS FOR ELECTRICITY, WATER AND DRAINAGE UTILITIES WILL AMOUNT TO ABOUT $20 MILLION A YEAR.
EVEN A 10% ERROR RATE WILL ROUTE $2 MILLION TO THE WRONG PEOPLE.
THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE SENT TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
MOREOVER, THE RATE PAYERS WHO PROVIDE THIS ASSISTANCE WITH A MANDATORY SURCHARGE ON THEIR BILL SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEIR FUNDING IS BEING WELL SPENT.
THE OTHER CONCERN WHICH I BROUGHT UP LAST WEEK IS THE IRONY THAT YOU'RE GIVING UTILITY DISCOUNTS WITH ONE HAND WHILE REQUIRING TAX INCREASES FOR A RAIL.
WITH THE OTHER HAND, THIS MAY PARTIALLY OR TOTALLY ELIMINATE TODAY'S PROPOSED DISCOUNT FOR UTILITIES.
LITTLE THOUGHT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO HOW THE REGRESSIVE RAIL TAX AFFECTS THE POOR.
I REALIZED THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT POSTED TODAY, BUT YOU SHOULD POST IT FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR.
I THINK A BLANKET TAX EXEMPTION OF $200,000 PER RESIDENTIAL UNIT WOULD AFFECT APARTMENT UNITS AND LOWER VALUED HOMES THE MOST AND PROVIDE A SIMPLE WAY TO GRANT RELIEF.
THIS SEEMINGLY CONFLICTS WAS MY FIRST POINT ABOUT INCOME QUALIFYING CAP RECIPIENTS.
AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY INCOME QUALIFIED PEOPLE FOR THIS TAX RELIEF.
HOWEVER, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DO THIS FOR A LARGER TAX RELIEF PROGRAM, UNLESS THE RELIEF IS IN THE FORM OF DIRECT PAYMENTS.
SOME TENANTS IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING, FOR EXAMPLE, MAY INCOME QUALIFY WHILE OTHERS DO NOT.
BENJAMIN JACOB MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UH, MY NAME IS SHORT JACOB AND I WORK WITH BOSTON BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING TENANT ACTION.
A PROJECT IN AUSTIN DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING AN ORGANIZING TENANTS TO EFFECTUATE THEIR RIGHTS.
UH, BOSTON IS ALSO AN ORG INC ORGANIZATION OF THE EVICTION SOLIDARITY NETWORK.
THAT'S A COALITION THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY TO PEOPLE FACING THE THREAT OF EVICTION AND EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE HARSH REALITIES OF EVICTION HOUSING, THE STABILITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TENANTS RIGHTS.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON ITEM 54, WHICH WOULD EXTEND AN ORDINANCE FIRST PASSED ON MARCH 26TH OF THIS YEAR, GIVING TENANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PAY BACK LATE RENT AND AVOID EVICTION DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED PANDEMIC.
I'M HERE TODAY, PRIMARILY TO DISCUSS MY WORK WITH THE EVICTION SOLIDARITY
[00:45:01]
NETWORK.ONE OF THE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES OF ESN IS TO OBSERVE, UM, EVICTION PROCEEDINGS IN THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURTS OF TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE COURTS PARTIALLY REOPENED IN OCTOBER AND EVERY DAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN HEARINGS.
WE HAVE SEEN HOW THE PROTECTIONS THAT WERE ENACTED BY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR HAVE HELPED TENANTS BY KEEPING THE NUMBER OF EVICTION CASES DOWN AND PROVIDING DEFENSES TO TENANTS.
THIS IS IN STARK CONTRAST WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN TEXAS LIKE HARRIS COUNTY, WHERE WE'VE SEEN AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF EVICTIONS, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
UM, ALL RESIDENTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY ARE COVERED BY ORDERS, PROHIBITING LANDLORDS FROM GIVING MOST TENANTS NOTICES TO VACATE FOR PAYMENT OF RENT, BUT ONLY TENANTS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE EXTRA TIME TO PAY BACK THAT LATE RENT.
MANY OF THE DEFENDANTS IN THE CASES WE HAVE WITNESSED ARE A MONTH OR TWO BEHIND ON RENT OFTEN BECAUSE OF TEMPORARY JOB LOSS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE SEEN MANY FOLKS ARRIVE TO COURT WITH FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO GET CAUGHT UP RIGHT THEN, OR EVEN WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME UNDER STATE LAW ALONE, THERE WOULD BE NO REQUIREMENT FOR LANDLORDS TO ACCEPT THIS RENT PAYMENT.
THIS ORDINANCE, HOWEVER, WOULD ALLOW THE TENANTS TO STAY.
I WANTED TO GIVE A STORY OF A TRIAL THAT I WITNESSED LAST WEEK.
UM, THIS WAS A TRIAL WHERE A WOMAN AND HER FAMILY WERE EVICTED.
THE RENT WAS ABOVE THE THRESHOLD OF THE COURT'S MORATORIUM.
SO THE CASE WAS HEARD IN ADDITION TO NON-PAYMENT, THE LANDLORD HAD ALLEGED COMPLAINTS FROM THE HOA FOR HER YARD BEING TRASHY FOR TRASH CANS BEING LEFT OUT ON THE STREET.
THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED, PRESENTED FOR HER CASE WAS PRETTY INSUBSTANTIAL.
AND THE JUDGE INCLUDED DID NOT REALLY BUY THAT ARGUMENT.
BUT TENANT WAS ALSO A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEHIND ON RENT.
SHE HAD LOST HER TECH JOB DUE TO COVID CUTBACKS AND HER YOUNG DAUGHTER.
I THINK THAT WAS LIKE FIVE YEARS OLD, HAD PASSED AWAY IN A POOL ACCIDENT OVER THE SUMMER.
SHE HAD UNDERSTANDABLY GOTTEN BEHIND ON RENT WITH NO INCOME AND DEALING WITH FUNERAL EXPENSES, BUT SHE HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED A LIFE INSURANCE PAYOUT FROM HER DAUGHTER'S DEATH AND HAD THE MONEY AVAILABLE THEN TO BE ABLE TO PAY BACK ALL THAT LATE RENT.
BUT THE LANDLORD WASN'T INTERESTED, THE JUDGE, ALTHOUGH SHE WAS SYMPATHETIC TO THE TENANT.
SO THE TENANT HAD NO PROTECTION AND BECAUSE SHE HADN'T PAID RENT, SHE RULED FOR THE LANDLORD HAD THAT TENANT LIVED IN AUSTIN, HAD, SHE JUST LIVED A COUPLE OF MILES OVER.
SHE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A NOTICE OF PROPOSED EVICTION.
SHE WOULD HAVE HAD 60 DAYS TO GET CAUGHT UP ON EACH MONTH THAT SHE WAS LATE.
AND ALMOST CERTAINLY THIS WOMAN WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN EVICTED.
UM, A REPORT WAS RELEASED LAST WEEK BY JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY AND A COUPLE OTHERS, UM, THAT FOUND THAT LIFTING STATE MORATORIUMS OVER THE SUMMER ALLOWED AND THEN ALLOWING EVICTION PROCEEDINGS COSTS MORE THAN 400,000 EXCESS CASES OF COVID-19 AND ALMOST 11,000 ADDITIONAL DEATHS IN THE U S BETWEEN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER EVICTED TENANTS HAVE TO DOUBLE UP WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
THEY HAVE TO GO TO CREDIT SHELTERS OR TO THE STREETS OFTEN VIGILANT AUSTIN'S VIGILANCE WITH POLICIES SUCH AS THIS ORDINANCE HAVE KEPT CASES RELATIVELY LOW UNDER THE SUBORDINATES RENTS RENT IS STILL OWED AND WE HAVE SEEN TIME AGAIN AND TIME AGAIN, THAT TENANTS ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO GET THAT MONEY TOGETHER.
THEY SIMPLY NEED A LITTLE EXTRA TIME, TIME TO CONNECT WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE SIDE, TO MAKE A PLAN OF WHERE THEY AND THEIR FAMILY CAN SAFELY LAND TIME FOR THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET TO CATCH UP WE'RE IN AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WE ARE NINE MONTHS WITH NO RELIEF AND THE PROMISE OF VACCINE IS TANTALIZING, BUT AS OWN HEALTH AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS HAVE SAID, THE WORST IS YET TO COME.
MY NAME IS JASON LUCIO AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL POSTPONE ACTION ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBERS, 30 HEALTH SOUTH.
UH, I BELIEVE THIS ONE IS JUST MOVING TOO FAST WITHOUT ENOUGH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
THE CURRENT PROPOSAL OF 25% AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, THE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT 80% MSI ARE OUT OF REACH FOR RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO.
AND HERE IN DISTRICT TWO, WE SHOULD HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALLOW US TO MOVE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, OR WE CAN HAVE BETTER AND SAFER ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY JOBS, TRANSPORTATION, OTHER AMENITIES, RATHER THAN JUST STAYING SEGREGATED HERE IN DOVE SPRINGS AND HEALTH SOUTH WOULD SIMPLY NOT BE AN OPTION FOR US WITH THE CURRENT PROPOSAL.
THIS LOCATION NEEDS MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND DEEPER AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
PLEASE PAY SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TO THE, UM, JULY 30TH, 2018 URBAN LAND INSTITUTE REPORT THAT RANKED CITY SITES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO POSTPONE ACTION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.
UH, LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA FOR HER GROUNDBREAKING SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TO THIS COUNCIL, THIS CITY, BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR NEW ROLE.
WE KNOW THAT YOU'LL DO GREAT THINGS.
[00:50:06]
SUSAN SUMMERS, PLEASE BE SURE TO UNMUTE.AM I HERE? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
I'M A RESIDENT AT 11 900 HOBBY HORSE COURT.
UM, I'M CALLING ABOUT, UM, ITEM 49, WHICH IS SUSTAINMENT, UH, THE NUMBER, THE NAME OF HOBBY HORSE COURT TO AZULE CROSSING.
UM, I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED ACTUALLY LEARNED ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL CHANGE, UM, FROM READING THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
UM, SO I, IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, I LIVE IN IT'S THE RADIUS APARTMENT HOMES.
UM, THERE'S PROBABLY AT LEAST I KNOW THERE'S 25 BUILDINGS AND THERE'S PROBABLY AT LEAST 400, MAYBE EVEN 500 HOUSEHOLDS IN THIS COMPLEX.
AND THEY RECEIVED NO NOTICE OF THE POTENTIAL CHANGE, WHICH WAS REALLY SHOCKING TO ME.
THERE'S ONLY REALLY TWO PROPERTY OWNERS INVOLVED.
ONE IS THE BROADMORE DEVELOPMENT AND THE OTHER IS, ARE APARTMENT OWNERS WHO ARE NOT EVEN THE PEOPLE WE USUALLY INTERACT, INTERACT WITH CAUSE WE HAVE AN APARTMENT MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY.
UM, SO, UM, I THINK THE APARTMENT OWNERS ARE LIKE UP IN NEW YORK CITY OR SOMETHING.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, SO THEY BOTH SIGNED OFF ON IT, BUT NOBODY HERE KNEW ABOUT IT PROBABLY HARDLY EXCEPT ME.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK OUT AND ASK THAT YOU NOT DO THIS CHANGE.
THAT'S GOING TO INCONVENIENCE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH NO NOTICE.
I THINK THERE'S A GOOD SOLUTION HERE WHERE WE COULD.
UM, AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I'M EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE BROADMORE TO REDEVELOPMENT.
I I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.
UM, A LOT OF WALKABLE DESTINATIONS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME, BUT I THINK WE CAN EXTEND THIS SOUTH OF, UH, GALT LANE, UH, WITH A DIFFERENT NAME AND RETAIN HOBBY HORSE SO THAT WE'RE NOT CONVENIENCING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, UM, WITH NO NOTICE AT ALL.
I WOULD ALSO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY TOO, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF NAME CHANGES IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, BUT THERE'S NOT LIKE A MORAL REASON HERE TO BE CHANGING IT.
IT'S MORE OF A TECHNICAL REASON I THINK WITH, UM, COURTS ARE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE CUL-DE-SACS, BUT HOBBY HORSE IS NOT A CUL-DE-SAC IF I'VE LIVED HERE 10 YEARS AND IT'S NEVER BEEN A CUL-DE-SAC AT THAT TIME EFFECT, PEOPLE GO THROUGH TO GALT LANE FROM GRACIE FARMS, UH, SORT OF, I DON'T LIKE TO SAY CUT THROUGH BECAUSE IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME, BUT PEOPLE USE THAT AS A THREE-WAY TO GET OUT, TO BURN IT, TO TURN LEFT ON, BURN IT FROM GRACIE FARMS ALL THE TIME.
CAUSE YOU CAN'T TURN LEFT, UM, UH, FROM GREASY FARMS THERE.
SO ANYWAY, I HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE HAPPEN.
UM, I ALSO WOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER Y'ALL, UH, ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO CONSIDER NOTIFYING RENTERS OF, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, STREET NAME CHANGES.
I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY CRAZY THAT TWO PEOPLE COULD SIGN OFF AND THAT WOULD INCONVENIENCE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAD RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION.
AND ALSO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT YOU WOULD ENGAGE THE APARTMENT COMMUNITIES IN THE THREE DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE HAD NO ENGAGEMENT ON THAT.
I, LIKE I SAID, I'M STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A MUSEUM, BUT, UM, WRENCHES JUST SEEM TO GET IGNORED A LOT OF TIMES IT'S, IT'S QUITE FRUSTRATING.
AND SO, UM, I WANT IT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK UP ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORS IN ME, CAUSE I, I HAVE A SENSE THAT PROBABLY MOST OF THEM, IF THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS WOULD NOT BE EXCITED ABOUT CHANGING ALL THEIR ADDRESSES EVERYWHERE.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE AS WELL, MAYOR.
UM, JUST, UM, FOR THE LAST SPEAKER, UM, THE, UH, UH, AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT, UM, AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH MY STAFF LAST WEEK, UM, RETAINING THE HOBBY HORSE, UH, NAME AT THE SOUTHERN END.
THE PART THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHERE THE APARTMENTS ARE AND CHANGING THE NAME TO US SCHOOL CROSSING TO REPRESENT THE M AND A ACKNOWLEDGMENT, I GUESS, OF IBM IN THE PAST.
UM, BUT FOR THE DOMAIN PROPERTY.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT, UM, MR. SPILLER, HIS STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO BRING THAT CHANGE TO US THIS AFTERNOON SO THAT WE CAN COMPLETE THIS ACTION AND ARE GOOD FRIENDS WITH BRANDYWINE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR PROJECT.
I THINK THERE'S A, THERE'S A GOOD SOLUTION HERE THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.
AND MY STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? OKAY.
I LIKE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THE POINT THAT OUR SPEAKER RAISED AND, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL'S ALREADY ON THAT, SO THAT'S GOOD.
[00:55:01]
I AM DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST THAT FAMILY ELDER CARE WE'VE BEEN SERVING OLDER ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES AGE, IN A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY AND TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND PREMATURE INSTITUTIONALIZATION.
I ALSO GRADUATED WITH MY MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK DEGREE FROM UT IN 2019, WHERE I WORKED WITH OLDER ADULTS AND VETERANS STRUGGLING WITH ISOLATION, FINANCIAL INSECURITY AND HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF FAMILY ELDER CARE, I WANTED TO THROW IN MY SUPPORT FOR ITEM 54, EXTENDING THE EVICTION MORATORIUM.
UM, WE ARE FACING A COMPLETELY PREDICTABLE AND PREVENTABLE WAVE OF HOMELESSNESS AND EXTENDING THIS MORATORIUM WILL HELP, UH, MITIGATE THIS.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST INCOME DUE TO COVID-19 AND THEY WILL END UP FACING EVICTION DUE TO UNPAID RENT THAT HAS BEEN PILING UP.
UM, OF COURSE MENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS EXIST, BUT SOME HAVE ONLY JUST STARTED FLOWING.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO PAY OFF THEIR RENTAL DEBT BEFORE THE END OF THE MORATORIUM.
THERE'S ALSO A GREATER NEED FOR ASSISTANCE AND WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO PROVIDE WHEN YOU MORE FUNDING THAN, THAN WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN AUSTIN.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING A DIGITAL DIVIDE WHEN MOST OF THE APPLICATIONS ARE ONLINE.
UM, UM, DOCUMENTATION NEEDS THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO PROCURE FOR THE, UH, APPLICATION, UH, ESPECIALLY DURING A PANDEMIC AND IMMIGRATION STATUS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE ONE CLIENT WHO IS IN UNINCORPORATED TRAVIS COUNTY AND THEY WERE DENIED RENT ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE CITY BECAUSE THEY WERE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S JURISDICTION.
THERE ARE SO MANY MORE PEOPLE LIKE HER WHO ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.
WELL, THE STATE SITS ON, ON SPENT COVID MONEY AND, UM, THE, THE RENT IS JUST PILING UP.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ONCE AGAIN SAY THAT THAT BY EXTENDING THE EVICTION MORATORIUM, WE WILL HELP KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED, UM, AND PREVENTS A PREDICTABLE AND PREVENTABLE WAVE OF HOMELESSNESS.
HONESTLY, I'D RATHER SEE THIS POSTPONED AS A MORE OF THE PUBLIC HAS A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN, BUT IF A MAJORITY DOES CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY, BUILDING IN A FINAL PUBLIC REVIEW BEFORE SIGNING SEEMS LIKE THE TERRORIST APPROACH, THIS WOULD ALSO FOLLOW THE CITY'S PRECEDENT FROM THE HANDLING OF THE CALLA PLACE AGREEMENT AND YOUR DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATING TO THE, AND MY STRONGLY URGE YOU TO