[Austin City Council and Capital Metro Board of Directors Joint Meeting]
[00:00:06]
AND I'VE TEXTED HER, JUST HAVE NOT HEARD BACK.
I'M OKAY WITH US STARTING VERY WELL.
ADD OR FROM EVER, I GUESS IT'S THE CITY THAT'S RUNNING THIS BE A GOOD, THEY NEED TO TRANSITION IS TO LIVE.
I THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR OUR JOINT MEETING OF THE CAP, METRO IMPORTANT OF DIRECTORS AND ALL THE CITY COUNCILS.
THIS IS OUR FIRST JOINT MEETING SINCE OUR CITY GAVE AN IMPACT AS TO PROJECT CONNECT.
SO, UH, IT'S, UH, UH, A FUN TIME TO BE TOGETHER AND, UH, TO CELEBRATE THAT.
UM, AND, UH, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO HELPED GET US TO THIS POINT NOW, HOWEVER, UH, THE REAL WORK BEGINS.
AND SO TODAY, UH, WE'RE GATHERED TO START THE WORK.
WHO'S JOINED US HERE IN OUR VIRTUAL MEETING ROOM TODAY.
AND ALSO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING US ON THE LIVE STREAM, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE ORDER OF THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD MEETING.
THE TIME IS ONE 10 AND MAYOR ADLER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE SAME FOR YOUR COUNCIL MEETING? YES.
UH, AND, UM, UM, WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL HERE.
UH, SO I'VE CONVENED THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS PART OF THIS JOINT MEETING HERE ON FRIDAY, UH, DECEMBER 18TH, 2020 IN A MEETING THAT IS HAPPENING VIA A WEBEX CAN THERE, UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED EVERYONE, THE USUAL, UH, LOGISTICAL REMINDERS, UM, FIRST BEST PRACTICE, OF COURSE, KEEP YOUR MICROPHONE ON MUTE UNLESS YOU'RE SPEAKING.
AND THEN ONCE YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING, UH, TRY TO MUTE YOURSELF AGAIN ALSO BOTH FOR CITY COUNCIL AND FOR CAP METRO, WE'LL BE ASKING FOR VERBAL VOTES, YAY, OR NAY ON EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM.
AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE YOUR CAMERA'S ON AND YOU VISIBLE WHEN WE HAVE THOSE VOTES, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, CITY MANAGER, KROC, ANY OPENING REMARKS FROM YOU, JUST, THIS IS REALLY A HISTORIC DAY AND REALLY WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO PUT FORWARD A PROPOSAL THAT THEY VOTED ON TO ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT THAT WILL REALLY BENEFIT GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES TO COME.
I AGAIN, WANT TO JUST THANK OUR CITY STAFF AND CAP METRO STAFF, UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK OUR BOARDS AND THE COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTIVENESS LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY.
SHE WANTS TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS WELL, YOU KNOW, UM, YES, OF COURSE.
I WANT TO THANK MAYOR ADLER, OUR COUNCIL, THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD.
UM, OF COURSE THE, UM, THE TEAM AT CAPITAL METRO AND THE TEAM AT THE CITY OF BOSS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO REALLY RECOGNIZE THE SUPPORT AND THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE COO TEAM AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
UM, THE MOBILITY OUTCOME GROUP IS CERTAINLY POINT ON THIS, BUT THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO SPECIFICALLY THANK OUR CITY MANAGERS, SPENCER CRONK, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, FOR HIS GUIDANCE, FOR HIS DIRECTION THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
AND FOR THE TRUST THAT HE PLACED IN THE, THE CITY TEAM, WE ARE EXCITED TO, UM, HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD TO HAVE DELIVERED THIS TO YOU.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT AS A CHAIR, COOPER SAID, THE WORK IS JUST BEGINNING, SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE NEXT STEPS.
UH, RANDY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME OPENING REMARKS? YES.
I WANT TO KIND OF REALLY REITERATE, I THINK, A LOT WHAT SPENCER AND GINA SAID.
I THINK WE DO THIS AT MOST MEETINGS THAT WAY, BUT I REALLY WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT, UH, SIX WEEKS AFTER THE HISTORIC ELECTION TO, AGAIN, THANK THE BOARD CHAIR, YOU AND THE BOARD, UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP MAYOR AND COUNSEL, YOUR LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE SUPPORT.
IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO WATCH TWO ORGANIZATIONS BE THIS UNIFIED TOGETHER.
AND IT REALLY SAYS A LOT ABOUT, I THINK THE CULTURE OF OUR CITY, ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE REALLY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS. SO REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE AND ALL THE SWEAT EQUITY THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS PROGRAM.
CAN'T THANK THE CITY STAFF AND THE CAP, METRO STAFF ENOUGH, EVERYONE FROM SPENCER, GINA, GREG, ASHLEY, ALL THE OTHER LEADERSHIP AND JUST STAFF MEMBERS WORKING TO IN OUR TEAM, STAFF CONSULTANTS, PEOPLE LIKE DAVE AND JACKIE AND OTHERS THAT HAVE JUST WORKED, UH, AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT HUNDREDS,
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IF NOT THOUSANDS OF HOURS ON THIS PROGRAM OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THANK YOU STAKEHOLDERS THAT CAN ATTRIBUTED WHETHER IT'S THE PECAN OR THEAND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUPS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND IT'S LIKE SPENCER MENTIONED, I REALLY JUST WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR, FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN US, UH, IN SUCH A CHALLENGING YEAR TO REALLY BE FUTURE-FOCUSED TO REALLY BUILD A TRANSFORMATIONAL SYSTEM.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TRUST AND CONFIDENCE.
AND I DO NOT TAKE THAT LIGHTLY.
I KNOW WE HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY AND YOU HAVE MY PERSONAL COMMITMENT, BUT ALSO THE COMMITMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MEET THAT SCHEDULE, WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY DURING L ALL MOMENTS OF THIS PROCESS.
SO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, AND REALLY DELIVER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS GOING TO FUNDAMENTALLY REALLY HELP US BECOME A MUCH MORE LIVABLE, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE CITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
UH, IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR, BUT AN EXCITING KIND OF REALLY POSITIVE WAY TO END THE YEAR ON THIS PROGRAM.
AND I REALLY WELCOME, UH, THE, UH, HAVING SOME, UH, NEW BOARD FORUM TODAY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING SOME MORE BOARD MEMBERS TO, UH, WORK WITH AND REPORT TO.
AND, UH, I, AND I JUST THANK THEM FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE A LOT.
I THINK THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE TO PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THAT AND ALSO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT FORMATION OF A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE GUIDANCE TO GET THAT CREATED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT, UH, THE ORGANIZATION'S WORKING WELL TOGETHER AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE.
SO THANK YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS MEETING TODAY.
AND, UH, I WOULD JUST ECHO ALL THE, UH, TANKS THAT HAVE GONE BEEN SAID HERE AND, UH, NON DESERVED MORE THAN THOSE TO YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, YOU WORK AS HARD AS ANYBODY COULD WORK FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET US HERE.
WELL, LET'S ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND GET TO WORK.
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS TODAY WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND SOME WHO HAVE JOINED US BY PHONE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ON THE LINE, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THE FORMAT WE'RE IN, WE'RE NOT ALLOWING DONATIONS OF TIME OR EXTRA TIME IN SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A GROUP, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS TO GET THROUGH TODAY.
A REMINDER THAT WILL NOT BE TAKING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT TODAY'S MEETING ONLY COMMENTS ON TOPICS THAT ARE POSTED ON OUR AGENDA.
AND MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD SAY JUST A WORD OR TWO AS WELL SINCE THAT'S OKAY.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE, AND THAT'S THE, THE HISTORIC DAY, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH NOW FOR, FOR DECADES, UH, AND IT HAPPENED, AND IT HAPPENED EVEN IN SUCH A TIME OF, OF DIFFICULTY AND STRESS THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT JUST EXTRAORDINARY, UH, ALIGNMENT.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED ON THIS.
UH, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER, UH, AND, UH, AND RANDY CLARK, UH, FOR, FOR SO EFFECTIVELY ALIGNING, UH, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND BODIES THAT REALLY NEEDED TO OPERATE SEAMLESSLY AS, AS ONE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, UH, YOUR STAFFS, UH, DID JUST A PHENOMENAL JOB OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY THE WAY THAT IT HAPPENED.
UM, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN DACA, UM, UH, POINT, UH, FOR, FOR US ON SO MUCH OF THIS, IT, THE ALIGNMENT OF THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS WAS, WAS, JUST, WAS, WAS, WAS GREAT.
I MEAN, THE FACT THAT WE HAD SOMETHING IN A DIFFICULT TIME THAT HAD ALMOST 60% APPROVAL OF THE PUBLIC IS INDICATION THAT THE PLAN WAS RIGHT.
UH, AND, AND IT WAS, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE TIME THAT WAS SPENT AND INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY AT ALL STAGES OF THIS PROCESS.
UH, SO I APPRECIATE THAT THE PUBLIC BEING INVOLVED AND WORKING ON THIS, ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES, AND THEN TURNING OUT TO, UH, TO, TO, TO BE ABLE TO VOTE, TO DO THIS, THIS PROJECT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE COULD BE DOING IN ORDER TO HELP US WITH MODE SHIFT IN OUR CITY, UH, WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY WE REALLY TRULY IMPACT TRAFFIC.
IT IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST THING WE COULD BE DOING AS A COMMUNITY TO MEET OUR CLIMATE CHANGE, UH, MITIGATION GOALS.
AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE COULD BE DOING, NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON MOBILITY EQUITY IN OUR CITY, UH, AND THE EMPHASIS ON EQUITY, THE, THE, THE, THE SPECIAL DEDICATED FUNDS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS IS SOMETHING NOW THAT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS TALKING ABOUT.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL.
UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, UH, AND KITCHEN CHAIR OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE, UH, ALSO DOING SERVICE ON BOTH THE CAP METRO BOARD AND ON CAMPO.
UH, THE OTHER, THE COLLEAGUES THAT SERVED ON DODD CAP, METRO, UH, FOR US, THE MAYOR PRO TURBAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, RENTER RHEA, HE
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HAS SERVED ON, UH, ON, ON CAMPO, UH, IN INVOLVED IN TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALTAR, UH, COUNCIL.HOWEVER LS IS INVOLVED IN OUR REPRESENTATION ON, ON CAMPO.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN.
UH, AND I WANNA NOTE, UH, AS, AS WE RECOGNIZE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN MOBILITY, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY, UH, OVER THIS PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THIS IS, UH, A REAL TRIBUTE AND A LEGACY TO, TO, TO YOUR WORK AND THE HARD WORK TO, TO GET TO, TO GET TO THIS DAY, UM, ALL OF US ALIGNED IN, IN WAYS THAT, THAT JUST YOU FIND AT EVERY STAGE OF THIS PROCESS.
I THINK THIS IS PHENOMENAL THAT WE ARE GETTING TO THIS PLACE TODAY WITH YET ANOTHER JOINT MEETING OF THE CAP METRO BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ISSUE OF THE ALIGNMENT IN THIS PROJECT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
THIS IS AN EXCITING MOMENT, AND I, AND I'M, I'M, I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THAT GOOD SHARON WITH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, UH, THAT, THAT WAS A DIFFERENCE MAKER.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THIS TO THIS POINT.
AGAIN, IT'S QUITE A LEGACY, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE'LL START OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND I THINK CHEYENNE IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE OUR SPEAKERS FOR US.
TARA COOPER CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES.
AND YOU HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES.
I'M MONICA GUZMAN POLICY DIRECTOR FOR GABA GO AUSTIN, VAMOS AUSTIN, SPEAKING ON PROJECT CONNECT, SPECIFICALLY UPCOMING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CREATION OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IN ORDER FOR PROJECT TO BRING EQUITY AND NOT DO HARM, THE COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED HAVE TO BE ENGAGED BEFORE KEY DECISIONS ARE MADE.
THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD PROCESS WAS RUSHED.
THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AUSTIN'S EASTERN CRESCENT, TRANSIT DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WERE NOT PART OF THE ATB BOARD PROCESS.
THERE'VE BEEN MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ATP BOARD, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD, FOR WHICH THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING WHO APPLIED OR OF THE COMMUNITY, OR DO THEY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY? WILL THEY BE PARTICIPATING IN UNDOING RACISM AND OTHER ANTI-RACISM WORKSHOPS? WILL THEY ENGAGE THE TRANSIT DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR FOR NOMINEES FOR THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD? THESE ARE ABOUT A FEW OF THE QUESTIONS AS A PRIVATE NORTH AUSTIN RESIDENT.
I SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES TO SAFELY RIDE BIKES, USE BUSES INSTEAD OF MY CAR.
DON'T ALWAYS GO WHERE I NEED TO BE.
I HAVE WALKED FROM MY HOME TO A DESTINATION WALKING PATHS.
MULTIPLE LOADS STOPS, ALWAYS A STEP AHEAD OF THE BUSES SINCE THE FALL OF 2014, I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN MEETINGS WITH CAPITAL METRO REPRESENTATIVES EVEN DONE A FIELD VISIT IN A CAPITAL METRO VAN DISCUSSING A PILOT PROJECT FOR COMMUNITY CARE PATIENTS, WHICH NEVER HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
COMMUNITY LEADERS HAVE REPEATEDLY ADDRESSED CITY COUNCIL ASKING URGING DEMANDING NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS FOR THE RUNDBERG COMMUNITY.
WE ATTENDED MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS AND ENGAGED IN DISCUSSIONS WITH CAPITAL METRO ABOUT THE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THE RUNDBERG AND OF SPRINGS NEAR BOTH, BOTH OFTEN EASTERN CRESCENT AND STILL WHEN HEARING OR READING OF PILOT PICKUP ZONE.
IT IS NOT THE RESIDENTS MOST IN NEED.
IT IS NOT FOR THE COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN SPEAKING FOR THE PAST FIVE TO SIX YEARS.
LOTS OF BUS ROUTES HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED RESIDENTS AND THEIR ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT.
THEIR CONSPIRACIES AND COMPLAINTS CONTINUE TO FALL ON DEAF EARS.
EVEN NOW WHEN HEARING ELECTED OFFICIALS LIST PRIORITIZATION OF COMMUNITIES, RUNDBERG AND DOVE SPRINGS, COMMUNITIES ARE LAST IN LINE.
WE URGE YOU TO EXTEND THE TIMELINE TO THE DEGREE.
YOU CAN INCREASE ENGAGEMENT, CHOOSE BOARD MEMBERS AND CREATE A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE THAT CENTERS AND ENGAGES THE MOST IMPACTED RESIDENTS IN AUSTIN AS EASTERN CRESCENT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS W UH, JOE, OR WHILE CONNOLLY SPEAKER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU.
[00:15:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS A FEW THINGS THAT ARE, UM, I THINK VERY IMPORTANT AND IT CANNOT BE MISSED AND IT'S PROCESSED.UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TIMELINES AND THE WAY THAT TIMELINES HAVE BEEN USED SO FAR, THIS PROJECT, AND IT'S VERY EARLY STAGES ALREADY TO EXCLUDE ANY KIND OF, UH, REAL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION TRUST-BUILDING OR TRANSPARENCY TAKE, FOR INSTANCE, THIS MEETING, RIGHT? WHEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, JUST LITERALLY THE CREATION OF THE ATP BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE CAN'T POST THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING 72 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING AND THE BACKUP 72 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING, WE NEED TO POST THE BACKUP TO THE AGENDA AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY TIME FOR MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION.
THIS KIND OF TIMELINE IS DESIGNED TO EXCLUDE REAL DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION FROM THE PROCESS, AND IT DOESN'T BUILD TRUST, WHICH IS THE SECOND THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
THE COMMUNITY VOTED FOR PROP A, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR BETTER PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND WE ALSO VOTED FOR PROP A BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WERE REAL, UH, EQUITY MECHANISMS BUILT IN THIS TIME.
THE COMMUNITY DID NOT VOTE FOR PROP A BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY TRUSTS PAT METRO.
IN FACT, IF YOU WERE TO TALK TO THE AVERAGE TRANSIT RIDER, I WOULD SAY RANDY CLARK RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT NON-EXISTENT RIGHT? SO, UM, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST BUILDING AROUND THIS PROCESS THAN WHAT THERE IS AT THIS MOMENT.
AND WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO GET THERE.
AND SO WE NEED TO START SLOWING THINGS DOWN.
WE NEED TO FIND THE BALANCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, THE AMOUNT OF TIME IN WHICH WE RUSHED THE SELECTION OF ATP BOARD MEMBERS, IT REALLY, AS MONICA WAS MINDSET, IT MADE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE OR VERY DIFFICULT FOR THERE TO BE MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.
SO WHEN YOU FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN BEING EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AND MOVING QUICKLY, AND ALSO NOT MOVING THINGS SO QUICKLY, THAT IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE ACTIVELY TRYING TO EXCLUDE ANY KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATION OR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FROM THE PROCESS.
SO I THINK THIS IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO US BECAUSE MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO, BUT IF WE DON'T START BUILDING THAT TRUST NOW WITH THE COMMUNITY, THEN THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOXIC POLITICAL LEGACY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
SO THERE'S A REAL, THERE'S A REAL MANDATE HERE FROM THE MOVE SLOWER, CONSIDER CAREFULLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, AND THINK THROUGH THESE PROCESSES, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UM, I LIKE A LOT OF WHAT IS IN THE PROPOSED, UH, ILM AND MEN, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UM, KNEE JERK, UH, KIND OF LAST MINUTE CHANGES, QUICK EDITS THE NIGHT BEFORE THINGS GET POSTED TO THE AGENDA, ALL OF THIS STUFF, IT, IT, IT DOES NOT BUILD TRUST.
IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE TRANSPARENCY AND TRANSPARENCY IS SO BADLY NEEDED RIGHT NOW IN THIS PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE CLEAR COMMUNICATION MOVING FORWARD, CLEAR TIMELINES.
LET'S DO THINGS LIKE WHAT'S POSTED AGENDA A WEEK BEFORE, RIGHT.
SO THAT EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE.
MEANINGFULLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AM I GOOD? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
CO-CHAIR OF PUMA, UM, AMONGST OTHER HATS AND ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE ATS MOBILITY COALITION.
THE THEME OF MY, UM, TALK WITH YOU TODAY IS IN ORDER FOR ME TO TRUST YOU, YOU MUST DO THE THINGS YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT I THOUGHT WE AGREED THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO.
I THOUGHT YOU, THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW THAT I'M SEEING WE HAVE AS COMMUNITY LEADERS, WE AS AN ENTIRE CITY, WHEN WE PRAY, WHEN WE PASS PROP EIGHT, I THOUGHT, WELL, WE WERE GOING TO DO WAS WHEN INFATUATE EFFECTUATING PROJECT CONNECT, WE WILL DO SO IN THE MOST EQUITABLE MANNER POSSIBLE IMAGINED, OR YET TO BE SEEN THAT WE WOULD WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE THIS THE BEST AND MOST ETHICAL PROJECT.
IT COULD BE THAT WE IN AUSTIN WOULD CREATE THE MOST EQUITABLE EVOLUTION AND MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THIS NATION HAS EVER SEEN.
HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT WHAT HAS MANIFESTED SINCE PROBABLY JUST PASSING THIS SHEER SPEED AND VOLUME OF WHICH THIS GOAL HAS BEEN USURPED IS ASTONISHING WITH THE ATP SELECTION ALONE.
THERE HAS BEEN AN OVERALL LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE PROCESS FOR PRE-SCREENING CANDIDATES.
UM, AND THE SELECTION PROCESS ITSELF, ESPECIALLY CONSIDER THE, CONSIDERING THE ARTICULATION OF THE ABILITY AND OUR LEGAL BODY DOCUMENTS AND THE ABILITY FOR THERE TO BE A WAIVER OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR EQUALLY WORTHY CANDIDATES.
THIS IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER, NOT SO TRANSPARENT ACTIONS BEING TAKEN IN
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REGARDS TO THE, TO THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL, TELLING THE COMMUNITY AFTER THE FACT OF DECISIONS MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IS NOT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Y'ALL AND IT'S NOT EQUITY.AND I FEAR THAT THIS IS THIS CIRCUMSTANCE IS, BUT A FORESHADOW OF WHAT WE CAN HOPE TO EXPECT FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO HOW DO YOU REGAIN TRUST FROM THIS MOMENT ON, WITH EVERY STEP, WITH EVERY BREATH YOU ENGAGE AND FOLLOW THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY PRIORITIZING PEOPLE FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
YOU DO NOT MAKE A MOVE WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO QUOTE MAYOR FROM EARLIER IN THIS CONVERSATION.
EVERY STAGE OF THIS PROCESS NEEDS THE COMMUNITY.
THAT IS HOW WE EFFECTUATE PROJECT CONNECT IN THE MOST EQUITABLE MANNER.
THAT IS HOW YOU WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE IT'S EQUITABLE.
THAT IS HOW WE IN AUSTIN CREATE THE MOST EQUITABLE EVOLUTION AND MOBILITY THAT THIS NATION HAS EVER SEEN.
HOWEVER, THAT ASSUME THAT YOU GOING TO DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WERE GOING TO DO, LASTLY, BECAUSE I WOULD NOT BE THE BEST ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNITY.
IF I DID NOT OFFER THIS FOR THE GREATER GOOD AND FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER FOR STAFF OR WHOMEVER MAKES OR HAS THIS POWER, I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT ANY MODIFY MATERIALS TO BE VOTED ON, ESPECIALLY THAT WOULD COME THE DAY OF VOTE SHALL ALSO HAVE AS BACKUP OR OTHER SUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION, A RED LINE VERSION CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CSR ACOSTA.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF DEVORAH, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ECHO WHAT THE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME HAVE SAID ON THE TIMELINE AND ABILITY TO REACT AND RESPOND TO CHANGES AND DECISIONS THAT HAVE COME UP SO FAR.
UH, AURA MEMBERS HAVE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTED PROP A.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS AND GET OTHERS INVOLVED, BUT WE HAD A VERY LITTLE TIME TO RESPOND TO THE DEADLINE FOR THE ADP BOARD AND WHO WAS INVOLVED AND WHO ALL WAS ABLE TO APPLY IT, LET ALONE, WHAT ARE THE OTHER CANDIDATES WERE AND HOW THE DECISION TO SELECT THOSE PEOPLE CAME ABOUT, UM, FOR THIS, UH, FOR THIS MEETING.
W I HADN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, EXCEPT FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE WELL MORE WELL, MORE ENGAGED THAN I WAS.
AND, UM, I WAS TRYING DESPERATELY FOR MOST OF LAST NIGHT, JUST TRYING TO TRY AND GET OTHER PEOPLE TO SIGN UP, TO SPEAK, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A CRITICAL ISSUE AND SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING, IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TO BE INVOLVED WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROJECT THAT WE'LL BE WORKING TOGETHER WITH OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S TRULY EQUITABLE FOR ALL, UH, ALL OFF MY HANDS.
WE NEED TO BUILD THE INSTITUTIONS AND MECHANISMS IN PLACE SO THAT THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ON THE GROWTH DECISION MAKING PROCESS, THE CAC IS A STEP IN, IS ASSAULTS STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND I SUPPORT A LOT OF WHAT THE, UM, AMENDMENT SUGGEST.
AND I LIKE THAT IT HAS LANGUAGE THAT FOCUSES ON THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY USE CENSUS AND PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, UH, WHO WILL BE USING THAT.
UM, AS SOMEONE WHO WAS ON THE CODE ADVISORY GROUP OR AFRICA NEXT, I DO WANT TO SUGGEST THAT IT HAS MORE TEETH THAN JUST BEING ABLE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE H TO ATP OR TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, RECOMMENDATIONS IS JUST FINE, BUT WITHOUT, BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE FRUSTRATION OF DOING ALL THE WORK AND RESEARCH TO PROVIDE, UH, PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S MORE, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A SUGGESTION IS NOT, IT'S NOT THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD AND REALLY DOES NOT GO WELL TO GENDER PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE.
I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THE DEADLINE FOR SELECTION OF PEOPLE IN THE ATB IS THE FEBRUARY 28TH.
UH, AND THAT DOESN'T GIVE A LOT OF TIME AFTER THE HOLIDAYS FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY AND FIND OUT ABOUT IT AND TO TRY AND GET OTHER FOLKS INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS.
SO I'D RECOMMEND MOVING THAT DATE BACK.
LASTLY, I WOULD SAY THAT FOR THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE, WE INCLUDE SOMEONE FROM EITHER THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TASK FORCE OR FROM THE EQUITY OFFICE WHO DOING, BE INCLUDED IN THAT NOMINATION COMMITTEE, SINCE THE WORK IS HEAVILY FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND EQUITY, DISPLACEMENT WORK AND STRATEGIES THERE.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROCESS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE GET PEOPLE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR FEEDBACK IS CONSIDERED NOT JUST AS SOMETHING THAT'S PUT INTO THE RECORD, BUT IS SEEN AS PART OF THE IMPLEMENTING PROCESS THAT THEIR FEEDBACK CYCLES TO SHOW THAT HOW THAT THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS FRANCIS AKUNA.
[00:25:09]
UH, HELLO.I AM THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE ORGANIZER WITH GABA, AND I'M HERE JUST TO SAY THAT IT'S VERY HARD TO ORGANIZE RESIDENTS WITH A CITY AND CAPITAL METRO POINT OF DECISION MAKERS AT BOTH ARE NOT ENGAGED WITH RESIDENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
RESIDENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPACTED NEGATIVELY WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSPORTATION, FOOD, ACCESS, FLOODING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SYSTEMIC.
YOU MUST CENTER OFFICE, WORKING CLASS AND DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS AND PRIORITIZE THEIR NEEDS.
PRIORITIZE LOW INCOME HOMEOWNERS, BOTH IMPACTED BY TAXING PLEASE.
AND THE RECENT LOSS OF ROUTES AND BUS STOPS OR TRANSIT DEPENDENT NEIGHBORHOODS, DESPITE THE INCREASED RATES BEING FAIR AND UNCERTAIN FUTURE OF THE 300 BILLION ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUND.
NOW I SAY LONG TIME THAT'S SPRINT'S PRECEDENT.
HOW CAN WE TRUST IN THE PROCESS OR PROJECT CONNECT? WHEN IN THE PAST, WE HAVE BEEN LET DOWN SO MANY TIMES, AND IN SO MANY WAYS, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND ANGRY.
WITH THE MANY TIMES WE HAVE BEEN IGNORED.
WHEN ALL WE ASK IS FOR OUR BASIC NEEDS TO BE DEAD AND NOTHING MORE.
I AM TIRED OF BEING IN THE LANE OF ENGAGEMENT WHEN ALL IT IS BASICALLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CHECK MARK.
SO YOU COULD SAY THAT YOU DID SPRING ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
DECISION-MAKING FROM CITY COUNCIL AND THE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP TO LISTEN TO ME AND MY COMMUNITY TO FOLLOW OUR RECOMMENDATION IN THIS AND IN YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNA A GIDDY MAYOR.
THERE'S LIKE SOME WEIRD FEEDBACK AND I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MAYBE, BUT IT'S BEEN EVERY SPEAKER.
IF SOMEONE'S NOT ON MUTE, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO HEAR THE SPEAKERS WITH THAT BACKGROUND NOISE.
AM I THE ONLY ONE HEARING THAT IT'S LIKE, SOMEBODY'S MOVING AROUND OR SOMETHING? IT JUST GOT FIXED.
SO FOR SOME, FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, WE ARE EXPERIENCING SOME SORT OF FEEDBACK.
UM, WE HAVE EVERY MIC OFF AT CITY HALL, BUT WE'RE STILL EXPERIENCING IT.
SO WE'LL JUST MUTE OURSELVES FROM GOING FORWARD.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND KEPT ON MY BOARD.
I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I CURRENTLY SERVE ON ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR OR REPRESENTING STAFF IN ANY MANNER.
I MOVED TO AUSTIN ONE MORE AND MORE SPECIFICALLY SOUTHEAST AUSTIN IN 1992, MAINLY BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY AREA THAT I COULD AFFORD AS A SINGLE PARENT OF THREE CHILDREN.
I HAVE SINCE PURCHASED THE HOME AND PURPOSELY CHOSE TO REMAIN IN THE DEAF SPRINGS AREA.
MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS THAT I HAVE REGARDING THE AGENDA ARE REGARDING THE AGENDA PACKET, UM, WHICH WAS PROVIDED, WHICH I AM STILL DIGESTING TO DATE.
I HAVE, AND I HAVE BEEN INQUIRING.
I HAVE NOT FOUND ANYONE THAT CAN PROVIDE ME THE DEFINITION FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION? THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AS THE LATINA AND LONG-TERM RESIDENT OF DEPT SPRINGS.
ANY HOMEOWNER I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY INTERPRETATION USES THAT YES, I CURRENTLY LIVE HERE AND WE'RE TO BE IMPACTED BY PROJECT CONNECT.
I WILL NOT BE REMOVED PERMANENTLY.
AND IF I AM ASKED TO LEAVE, I WILL ONLY BE ASKED TO LEAVE TEMPORARILY PICKING MY PERMIT, RETURNED TO MY HOME WITH DADDY TEVIN, ANY IMPACT ON THE LEVEL OF MY HOME OWNERSHIP.
I HAVE CONCERNS REGARDING THE TENANT IN VERSUS, UM, THE TENANT IN HOMEOWNER LANGUAGE.
FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE FOUND LANGUAGE IN THE AGENDA PACKET ADDRESSING ONLY THE RIGHT TO RETURN FOR TENANTS, BUT NOT FOR HOMEOWNERS ON PAGE 17 REGARDING PLEASE CONSIDER THE OVERALL CUMULATIVE IMPACT.
THE PRACTICE WILL HAVE CITYWIDE ON FLOODING IN ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT MAY OCCUR, NOT JUST THE IMPACT ON EACH SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, BY EACH INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, SOUTHEAST AUSTIN HAS BEEN CATASTROPHIC IMPACTED BY FLOODING
[00:30:01]
ON PAGE 31, ITEM NUMBER TWO, I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT WITH YOU REGARDING MY CONCERNS.I HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM AND HOW THIS PROCESS WILL WORK SPECIFICALLY TO, AS IT APPLIES TO ANTI-DISPLACEMENT ON PIG 67 AND 68 OF THE AGENDA PACKET, IT REFERS TO EXHIBIT C THE INITIAL INVESTMENT MAP, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA PACKET, OR AT LEAST IT WAS NOT AS THAT YESTERDAY.
WHEN I DOWNLOADED THE PACKET, PLEASE PROVIDE THAT DOCUMENT TO US SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW IT AND PROVIDE COMMENTS ON IT IN THE FUTURE.
OTHERWISE, HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY PROVIDE INPUT OR COMMENT ON ANY ITEMS THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING? ADDITIONALLY, THE COMMUNITY ADVISOR COMMITTEE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE EXACT SAME INFORMATION AS THE ATP BOARD.
I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT ALL BOARD COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF PARTICIPATE IN AND COMPLETE THE UNDOING RACISM TRAINING THAT WILL HELP US BE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
ALL YOU ALSO RECOMMEND THE BOARD AND COMMITTEE THAT THE BOARD CREATE A COMMITTEE, A COMMITTEE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL IN FOR BOTH THE BOARD IN THE COMMITTEE, AND TO EVALUATE THE PROGRESS THAT YOU HAVE MADE REGROW REGARDING THE PROMISES THAT YOU HAVE MADE TO THEM.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS A WASTE AZHAR MAYOR BOARD CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS INVESTORS HEART, AND I'M ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM OF PLANNING OR COMMUNITIES OR VOC IS HE'S A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN MOBILITY COALITION, AND WHICH IS MADE UP OF EQUITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
I ASKED THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SETTING UP THE ADP BOARD AND DETERMINING ADVISORS TO THE BOARD, THE SETTING UP OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND MOVING FORWARD WITH AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER FOR US IN SETTING UP THE ADP BOARD COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE HAD ACCESS TO ALL NOMINATIONS INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE LIST OF ALL INDIVIDUALS THAT APPLIED TO SERVE ON THE ADP BOARD.
WHILE I CAN UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE OF DYING AND WE NEED TO MOVE IN A TIMELY MANNER, WE CANNOT DO SO IN A MANNER THAT IS NOT PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENT.
THIS LACK OF TRANSPARENCY NEGATED THE ABILITY FOR, TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROCESS.
SECOND, IN THE CASE OF SETTING UP AN ADVISORY BODY FOR THE ADP BOARD, AS OUTLINED IN ITEM THREE, THERE SHOULD BE CLARITY ON HOW INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY, AND WHETHER THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS DO JOIN THEM.
ANY SUCH INFORMATION SHOULD BE SHARED IN A TIMELY MANNER TO A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE THIRD.
IN THE CASE OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ANY INFORMATION OF APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS TO THE COMMITTEE SHOULD BE COMPLETELY PUBLIC.
WE NEED TO MAKE A SPACE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO APPLY AND ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS IN ALL WAYS POSSIBLE.
AND WE MUST ENSURE THAT THIS COMMITTEE REPRESENTS AUSTIN'S TRANSIT USERS AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF GRADUATE INFRASTRUCTURE.
FINALLY, TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WILL BE CRITICAL IN HIRING AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE EDB.
THE COMMUNITY MUST BE AWARE HOW LONG THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CAPITAL METRO WILL SERVE AS THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND THEY MUST BE INFORMED WHEN, AND TO WHAT PROCESSES EVERY DIRECTOR OF THE EDB WILL BE HIRED.
IF WE ARE TO BUILD COMMUNITY TRUST IN THE ABB AND IN PROJECT CONNECT, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HIRE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE ADB AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND THROUGH AS TRANSPARENT OR PROCESS AS POSSIBLE.
MOVING FORWARD, WE HOPE THE BOARD IS COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY AND REAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IF WE ARE TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE TRANSIT SYSTEM, WE WILL NEED TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INPUT.
AND DECISION-MAKING, I KNOW A LOT OF THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED BY SPEAKERS BEFORE ME, BUT I THINK I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE TO FOCUS ON TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND ENSURING THAT THE COMMUNITIES INVOLVED IN DECISION-MAKING.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SYNOVIA JOSEPH.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR, AND CAPITOL METRO'S BOARD I'M ZENOBIA JOSEPH.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT IN GENERAL, AND ALSO ITEM FOUR SPECIFICALLY, I AM REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO THE LANGUAGE THAT'S UNDER RECITALS AND THE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT, AS IT RELATES TO SAFE, RELIABLE, AND EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION, AND BETTER CONNECTS PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, UH, SPECIFICALLY THERE'S LANGUAGE IN THE FURTHER CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2020 THAT PROHIBITS USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR PROPAGANDA.
AND SO, WHILE I CERTAINLY RESPECT THE MAYOR SAYING ALMOST 60% OF THE COMMUNITY VOTED FOR PROJECT CONNECT, I WOULD JUST CALL TO YOUR
[00:35:01]
ATTENTION THAT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY ON K Z, I, WE WERE BOMBARDED WITH PROPAGANDA SPECIFICALLY.I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE LANGUAGE IN THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PUT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY SPECIFIED PROJECT CONNECT IS A TRANSIT PLAN WITH MORE WAYS TO MOVE US ALL.
AND IF ALL MEANS ALL, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS NO TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS ON DESA TO HOWARD.
NEITHER IS THERE TRANSPORTATION EAST WEST ON PARMER LANE, FM SEVEN THREE, FOUR.
SO SPECIFICALLY, WHAT I WANT YOU TO RE RECOGNIZE IS SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.
I'M JUST GOING TO READ INTO THE RECORD INFORMATION.
UH, THAT'S SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION CIRCULAR FOR SEVEN OH 2.1 B THE CIVIL RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT OF 1987.
CLARIFY THE BROAD INSTITUTION WIDE APPLICATION OF TITLE SIX, TITLE SIX COVERS ALL OF THE OPERATIONS OF COVERED ENTITIES WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER SPECIFIC PORTIONS OF THE COVERED PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED.
THE TERM PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY MEANS ALL OF THE OPERATIONS OF A DEPARTMENT AGENCY, SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT, OUR GOVERNMENT, OR THE ENTITY OF SUCH STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT DISTRIBUTES SUCH ASSISTANCE IN EACH SUCH DEPARTMENT, OUR AGENCY, TO WHICH THE ASSISTANCE IS EXTENDED IN THE CASE OF ASSISTANCE TO A STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE THREE METRO RAPID LINES THAT SERVE NORTHEAST AUSTIN WERE ELIMINATED, ALTHOUGH THEY SCORED HIGHER ON THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION CHARTS.
AND SO IT IS PECULIAR THAT THE ROUTES THAT WERE PAID FOR BY PROJECT CONNECT WILL SERVE SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, CONVICT HILL AND OAK HILL, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE STATE $633 MILLION HILL PROJECT.
AND SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT IT IS MY OBLIGATION TO CONTINUE TO ASK THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, THE U S DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO SUSPEND CAPITOL METRO'S FEDERAL FUNDING UNTIL YOU RECOGNIZE THE INEQUITIES IN THE SYSTEM.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY IS ELIMINATED.
AND SO I WOULD ASK NATASHA HARPER, MADISON, AND ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER POOL TO WAKE UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING BY YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
WE CANNOT GET TO THE ARBORETUM JOBS BECAUSE IT TAKES 45 MINUTES ON THE BUS, PLUS A 30 MINUTE TRANSFER.
AND THERE IS NO WAY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT TO WORK AT THE DOMAIN, DESPITE ALL OF THE TAX BREAKS THAT THEY GET.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT.
UH, LASTLY, I WOULD JUST SAY TO YOU THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS SPECIFIED WAY BACK IN JUNE OF 2017 AT, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT RELATED TO THE GREEN LINE SPECIFIED THAT IT WOULD LIKELY HAVE TO BE FUNDED WITH LOCAL FUNDS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MEET FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR DENSITY LEVELS.
TODD HEMINGSON ALSO REITERATED THAT ON APRIL 3RD, 2018, BUT YOU DID NOT TRANSPARENTLY TELL THE PUBLIC THAT THE GREEN LINE WOULD ONLY BE BUILT.
IF IN FACT IT WAS FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAXES, 264 MILLION THRESHOLD.
I THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NANCY CRAUTHER.
I JUST WANT TO JUMP UP AND DOWN AND GIVE YOU ALL A GROUP HARD.
WE, ONE OF THE, UH, THE VOTE TO GET PROJECT CONNECT OFF THE GROUND, I GUESS, AS A TRANSIT GEEK FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS HAVE, UH, JUST SO MUCH EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS.
UH, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE ANGRY PEOPLE THAT POSSIBLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
I HAVE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES WITH THE PROCESS FOR OVER 25 YEARS SPECIAL.
I WANTED TO JUST SAY THANK YOU.
UM,
AND NOW WHERE ARE THEY? WE NEED THEM.
UM, I'M, I'M FEELING A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, UH, UH, DELAY AND IN EXCITEMENT, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH COVID AND THE OTHER RELATED ISSUES, BUT TRANSIT FOR AUSTIN SHOULD BE LIKE THE BIG UMBRELLA
[00:40:01]
FOR ALL THESE GROUPS AND GET THEM ALL TOGETHER TO GET WITH THE GAME.UM, AND TRANSIT FOR AUSTIN WAS REALLY WONDERFUL.
AND NOW I'M LIKE, WHERE'S THE ACTION.
UM, WE, OUR TEAMWORK WAS VERY VALUABLE AND I THINK A LOT OF THE TEAM'S WORK IS VERY VALUABLE FOR THESE PROJECTS.
I JUST WANT TO LIVE THE PUBLIC, KNOW THAT NOT TO GIVE UP, UH, DON'T GET ANGRY YET.
UM, THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE DONE AND, AND RANDY, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION AND STEVE, I, I UNDERSTAND, UH, UH, I REALIZE HOW HARD IT IS, THE POOL A COMMUNITY TOGETHER, BUT, UM, I LIKED IT ONCE YOU DID WITH THE, UM, TRANSIT TO PARTNERSHIP.
I READ THROUGH ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS, MY ONLY HESITATION ONCE I DIDN'T READ ANYTHING RELATED TO, UH, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES OR SENIOR CITIZEN MOBILITY, UM, I WASN'T AWARE IF ANY OF THEM HAD ANY FOCUS ON THOSE COMMUNITIES, IF THEY WERE EVEN A PRIORITY, UH, WE'RE ALL USED TO, UM, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE A PRIORITY AND RELATED TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, OH MY LORD, WE CAN HAVE A MILLION COMMITTEES.
WILL EVERYONE AGREE? NO, I'M BEING HONEST, BUT IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND I HOPE PEOPLE DO BECOME A GAUGE AND NOT ENRAGE.
UM, I JUST, AGAIN, I'M EXCITED.
I'LL GIVE YOU ALL MY HUGS AND I KNOW THIS IS A TOUGH TIME AND TRUST IS OF THE UTMOST, BUT HAVING READ THROUGH THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ALREADY, I WISH YOU THE BEST.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO VOTE ON EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE WE HAVE A TRAIN SPEAKER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA WOLF.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, UH, METRO BOARD CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND CAP METRO BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JEFF, THE WOLF STEP YOUTH POLICY DIRECTOR FOR WORKERS DEFENSE AND I'M TESTIFYING ON ITEMS TWO, THREE AND FOUR.
TODAY WORKER'S DEFENSE IS A MEMBERSHIP-BASED ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS TEXAS AS LOW-INCOME CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND IMPROVING THEIR LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS.
WE'RE ALSO A PROUD MEMBER OF THE ATX MOBILITY COALITION, WHICH IS NATIVE OF EQUITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS COMING TOGETHER TO ENGAGE IN THE PROJECT CONNECT PROCESS.
OUR MEMBERS WERE HAPPY TO ENDORSE PROJECT CONNECTS TRANSIT PLAN.
WE BELIEVE RIGHT NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE.
AND IN DOING SO STIMULATES OUR LOCAL ECONOMY BY CREATING THOUSANDS OF DIGNIFIED JOBS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT BUILD OUR CITY.
WE ALSO STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S CRITICAL FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP TO HAVE FAIR REPRESENTATION OF WORKING PEOPLE AND IMMIGRANTS ON HIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, IMMIGRANTS, AND WORKING PEOPLE RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO NOT ONLY GET TO WORK, EARN A LIVING AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ECONOMY, BUT TO NAVIGATE A RAPIDLY EXPANDING AND GENTRIFYING CITY AS SUCH DESERVE A VOICE AT THE TABLE AND HOW PROJECT CONNECTS PLANS WILL BE MANAGED AND IMPLEMENTED.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED DR.
COLETTE BURNETT AND VERONICA CASTRO, DAVE ODETTA, WHO THE ATS MOBILITY COALITION SUPPORTED.
WE BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A GENERAL LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND THE SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCESS USED BY THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE TO SELECT THE APP BOARD CANDIDATES.
WE ASK THAT THERE'LL BE MORE, A MORE TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE SELECTION PROCESS, WHICH ALLOWS FOR COMMUNITY VOICES TO BE PRIORITIZED.
WE APPRECIATE CURRENT LANGUAGE IN THE AMENDMENT TO THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS TO ENSURE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, MOST IMPACTED BY MASS TRANSIT ARE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE SELECTION.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS CRITICAL THAT INDIVIDUALS MOST IMPACTED BY MASS TRANSIT WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES ARE STRONGLY CONSIDERED FOR COMMUNITY ADVISORY POSITIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS NEXT YEAR.
[00:45:08]
SARAH.WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CYNTHIA VASQUEZ.
I'M AN OTU AUSTIN NATIVE CHICANA GENTRIFIED OUT TWO SEVEN EIGHT SEVEN FOUR FOUR.
I'M HERE REPPING GABA TODAY GO AUSTIN VAMOS AUSTIN, AND MY CITIZEN CAPACITY.
I'M SPEAKING TO THE UPCOMING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND CREATION OF AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD PROCESS WAS RUSHED.
IT FEELS LIKE THAT CODE NEXT CONDOR RUSH NO TIME FOR US COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CATCH YOUR BREATH QUICK ENOUGH TO EVEN MAKE IT TO A PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY ONLINE.
AND THEN THE LESS DURING THE PANDEMIC WHERE THERE ARE STILL THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS.
SO HOW ARE WE ENGAGING AUTHENTICALLY WITH OUR CONSUMERS? I REQUESTED A MEETING.
I REQUESTED MEETING TIME WITH THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM AT CAPITAL METRO.
AND PART OF THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED WAS HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE TO WRANGLE EVERYONE'S WORK SCHEDULE.
AND MY SPOT, MY RESPONSE WAS IT'S HARDER TO GET PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PAID TO DO THIS WORK INTO THESE MEETINGS AS ANY SAUCE TO KNOW.
GEE, I'VE SEEN THE EVOLUTION OF CAPITAL METRO CONTINUOUSLY SERVING A GROWING POPULATION THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE MYSELF OR MY NEIGHBORS.
I USED TO BE ABLE TO GET TO FROM EAST TO WEST ON A DOLLAR 50, I'VE SEEN THE FREE DILLOW STRIP FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT COULD TAKE US OUT FROM MY HOOD TO OTHER BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF THE CITY THAT COULDN'T TYPICALLY GET TO WITHOUT A CAR.
Y'ALL DID THAT PILOT PROGRAM FOR COMMUTERS, BUT IT WASN'T IN MY HOOD AND IT WASN'T IN THE TWO OR FOUR, FOUR.
I'M GOING TO STAND FOR OUR COMMUNITY WHO KEEPS GETTING OVERLOOKED.
I'M GOING TO STAND WITH OUR AUSTINITES AND THE EASTERN CRESCENT WHO CATCH HER UP AT 6:00 AM TO GET TO WORK OR HOP ON A RIDE AT 11:00 PM AND MAKE IT HOME, SLOW DOWN THIS PROCESS AND ENGAGE WITH MY NEIGHBORS.
SHE MAINLY BUILD TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AND SUSTAIN THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITHIN CAPITAL METRO.
AND SO ARE MY NEIGHBORS, BUT WE'RE HANGING IN THERE.
YOU STILL KEEP PASSING US BY AND I'M IN A SECOND WITH ANA ADIDAS SAID AND HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU MAKE IT TO AN UNDOING RACISM TWO AND A HALF DAY WORKSHOP VERY SOON.
UM, AS I SIT HERE AND I RECALL PRETTY QUICKLY, ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES I ATTENDED SOMEONE WHO WORKED IN CITY ZONING COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY SHE WAS THERE.
AND ROTATION WAS A MISTAKE BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE DID NOT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS EQUITY, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO STUDY THE INEQUITIES.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, DAVID EDMUNDSON.
MAYOR ADLER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CHAIRPERSON COOPER, AND THE CABINETRY BOARD.
UH, MY NAME IS DAVID EDMONDSON.
I AM TECHNICAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR STATE POLICY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT TECHNET THE NATIONAL BI-PARTISAN NETWORK OF TECHNOLOGY CEOS AND SENIOR EXECUTIVES THAT PROMOTES THE GROWTH OF THE INNOVATION ECONOMY.
I'M ALSO A LONG TIME AUSTINITE AND AUSTIN TECH SECTOR IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PASSAGE OF PROJECT CONNECT AND PROP A, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND THANK YOU FOR MOVING SO QUICKLY, UH, TO GET THE OVERSIGHT BOARD ESTABLISHED.
I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THE DIVERSITY OF VOICES AND THE EXTRA KEYS THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE.
UH, NO, CERTAINLY DONE YOUR HOMEWORK.
UH, THE OVERSIGHT BOARD WILL PROVIDE BOTH TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND THAT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN GOOD HANDS, AS WE IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN, THIS IS TRULY A GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT THAT WILL CREATE A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT IS SAFER, CLEANER, MORE EFFICIENT, AND MORE EQUITABLE.
AND IT'S ESSENTIAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES, ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CONSUELO AMEZ QUITA.
[00:50:10]
HELLO? YES, PLEASE.MESQUITA A SOUTH EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
YOU HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE COMMUNITY BY RUSHING THIS PROCESS DURING A PANDEMIC RESIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED EDUCATIONAL PROCESS OTHER THAN A GLORIFIED WEBSITE, WHEN SHARING INFORMATION AND GIVING PRESENTATIONS, YOU HAVE TO MEET RESIDENTS WHERE THEY ARE AT ONLINE OR OFF IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND USING NON TECHNICAL TERM.
HOW CAN YOU EXPECT THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL INPUT? WHEN THERE HASN'T BEEN EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, I AM FAMILIAR WITH YOUR PREVIOUS ATTEMPT AND I EXPECT YOUR FUTURE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MORE CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY INCLUSIVE.
AS FOR BUS ROUTES, WE DEMAND THE RETURN OF LOST ROUTES, CRITICAL TO EAST CRITICAL TO AUSTIN'S EASTERN CRESCENT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR FOR ACCESS TO FOOD, HEALTHCARE, AND JOBS.
ALSO THE RUNDBERG AND SOUTHEAST AUSTIN COMMUNITIES NEED FREE NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS WITH ESTABLISHED ROUTES, NOT ON-DEMAND PICKUPS, WHICH ARE A CONVENIENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH SMARTPHONES WHO ARE DIGITALLY LITERATE.
FINALLY, WHILE I DID NOT SUPPORT PROJECT CONNECT IN THE VOTING BOOTH AS A TAX PAYER, I'M STILL PAYING FOR IT.
SO I DEMAND TO BE HEARD, EXPECT EQUITY AND TRANSPARENCY, AND WE'LL BE HOLDING YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CINDY REED, CINDY REED.
UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE PROCESS.
I THINK PEOPLE HAVE REITERATED THAT POINT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
I JUST WANT TO SAY AS A NATIVE AUSTINITE AND SOMEONE OF COLOR, WELL, WE USE THE WORD EQUITY.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRULY EMBRACING AND OUR ACTIONS PERSONIFY THAT.
AND SO, UM, I NOTICED THAT THE OUTREACH TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, PARTICULARLY THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR THIS PROJECT WAS GREAT, YOU KNOW, UM, ADVERTISING TO ALL THE DIFFERENT AVENUES, NAACP, UM, AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION, UM, BLACK CHURCHES, BLACK LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IF WE CAN GET EVEN 10% OF THAT IN TERMS OF THE TRANSPARENCY AND ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU GOT TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE FOR THIS PROJECT, I THINK WE'LL BE IN A GOOD PLACE.
AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR CAPITAL METRO, THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
AND NOT JUST SAY IT, BUT ACTUALLY DO IT.
AND IT'S VERY HARD TO KEEP EVERYONE ENGAGED AND COMMUNICATE, BUT YEAH, BUT AN EXAMPLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL DOING THAT WELL, AND GRANTED, THIS IS MORE OF A MEETING FOR CAPITAL METRO, BUT THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, I SAW IT ON THE NEWS.
I SAW ADS ON THE FREEWAY IN TERMS OF BILLBOARDS ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED.
I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MEETING.
I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL YESTERDAY.
SO IF WE REALLY WANT TO USE THAT WORD EQUITY IN AUSTIN, WE NEED TO REALLY LIVE IT.
IF WE WANT TO WRITE THE WRONGS OF THE PAST, WE NEED TO REALLY TRULY ENGAGE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND FAMILIES BECAUSE FAMILIES USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HAVE A DIFFERENT LENS WHEN YOU HAVE A STROLLER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND AUSTIN CONTINUES BANGKOK METRO TO FORGET ABOUT FAMILIES.
WE WANT A CITY THAT HAS ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE, NOT JUST A BACKGROUND THAT AGE, EVERYTHING.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SANDY GUZMAN.
MAYOR COUNCIL, CHAIR, AND BOARD MEMBERS ON SANDY HAS THIS GUZMAN I'M CTO FOR THE AUSTIN AREA RESEARCH ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE A SIX COUNTY REGIONAL CIVIC ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON LONGTERM, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC WELLBEING OF CENTRAL TEXANS.
WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE WHO AND THE MANY STAFF AND OTHERS WHO'VE BEEN SUPPORTING US TO THIS
[00:55:01]
IN THE PROCESS TO THIS POINT, IT'S SUPER EXCITING.I WORKED IN LIGHT RAIL CAMPAIGN IN 2000, SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THE PROGRESS.
AND I WANT TO REITERATE ONE OF THE COMMENTS EARLIER ABOUT THIS BEING A HISTORIC DAY AND POINT SPECIFICALLY TO THE PARTNERSHIP THAT'S BEEN GOING ON BETWEEN THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO TO MAKE US MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL, BUT ALSO THE CREATION OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOING TO BE KEY TO THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT'S NECESSARY FOR THIS PROGRAM OF PROJECTS TO REALLY GET DONE THE RIGHT WAY AS WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
EQUITY IS SUCH A KEY PIECE OF THIS AND TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I THINK THE, UM, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IS A WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN A VERY TARGETED AND THOUGHTFUL MANNER, GIVEN THAT THE CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY HAVE SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ALSO DRAWING THEIR ATTENTION, THIS IS A WINDOW OR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOCUS THAT CAN HELP US THERE.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR WHAT PROJECT CONNECT MEANS FOR AUSTIN, BUT ALSO FOR THE REGION AND THE ARROW'S COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU AND WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS IN PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF CONNECTING THOSE OTHER PARTS INTO PROJECT CONNECT IN THE FUTURE.
THANKS SO MUCH AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYBODY, MAYOR AND CHAIR, THAT IS ALL OF THE SPEAKERS THAT, UM, ANSWERED THE CALL TODAY.
IT LOOKS, ARE WE HEARING THEIR PRESENTATION FIRST? THE FIRST ITEM, MY DISTRICT FROZEN ON THIS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU THERE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, AS, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TEM, I THINK POINTED OUT, WE'RE GOING TO NOW BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM TODAY.
UH, FIRST, UH, AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM SEQUENCE AND UPCOMING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOLLOWED BY AN UPDATE FROM THE CITY ON THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL PROCESS, AND THEN A RECAP OF OUR EARLIER JOINT MEETINGS AND APPROVED, UH, DOCUMENT.
SO AFTER THE PRESENTATION WITH THE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD AND THEN THE COUNCIL CAP, METRO BOARD IS GOING TO CONSIDER SOME ACTION ON APPROVAL OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, WHICH INCLUDE BYLAWS AND NAMES OF THE INITIAL ATP BOARD MEMBERS.
CITY COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER SIMILAR ACTION ON THE ATP ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AS WELL.
UH, SO, UH, I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE, UH, MR. COUCH TO START US OFF ON THE DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, AND CHAIRMAN WAIT, I'M GOING TO EXIT AND COME BACK IN AND SEE IF I CAN UNFREEZE MY SCREEN.
THANK YOU, MARIANNE, BUT IT'S PLEASURE TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE TODAY, UH, ON THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKING ON PROJECT CONNECT, UH, AS WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD, UH, SINCE THE APPROVAL OF THE REFERENDUM, UH, ON THE 3RD OF NOVEMBER, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO AS WE GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD, WE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE FIRST PORTIONS OF THE AGENDA, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT OF GOING THROUGH, UH, THE PROJECT CONNECT UPDATE.
UH, SO THIS WILL GIVE US WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
HI, WE'RE DOING THINGS BASICALLY HOW WE PROGRESSED, UH, SINCE THE POINT THAT THINGS WERE READY TO GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD IN JUNE OF THIS PAST YEAR, NEXT TIME WE DEVELOPED THIS OVERALL SEQUENCE PLAN, UH, IT TIES TO WHAT WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE INITIAL INVESTMENT, INCLUDES THE LIGHT RAIL LINES FOR BOTH THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE, UH, THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
UH, THAT'S A REQUIREMENT FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, UH, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND GET MONEY UNDER THE NEW STARTS PROGRAM ON THE RED LINE.
UH, WE'RE ALREADY MOVING FORWARD, UH, ON TWO STATIONS.
UH, THERE HAS BEEN AT BROADMORE, UH, THERE'S AN AGREEMENT THAT IS IN PLACE, UH, AND THEY'RE GETTING READY TO START CONSTRUCTION, UH, AT THE NEW SOCCER STADIUM.
UH, THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS TO BE ABLE TO START ON THE DESIGN.
AND THE THIRD PIECE OF THAT PROGRAM WILL BE GOING FORWARD WITH A SECOND, A SECOND TRACK, UH, BETWEEN LAKELAND AND LEANDER TO GO AHEAD AND BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND INCREASE THE FREQUENCY DOWN TO 15 MINUTES.
GREENLINE IS OUT INTO THE FUTURE.
AS WE START TO LOOK AT THE METRO RAPID LINES, THERE'S FOUR OF THEM.
NOW THE GOLD LINE WILL INITIALLY BE A SECTION THAT WILL BE METRO RAPID.
WE'VE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
UH, AND THE FIRST TWO LINES FOR
[01:00:01]
EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY ARE ALREADY ACCEPTED INTO THE FIRST PHASE OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.UH, AND THEN BEYOND THAT, WE GO AHEAD AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING A RATING FOR BOTH EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK, UH, WITH THE FTA, UH, THE EXTENSION OF SOUTH LAMAR DOWN TO OAK HILL AND DOWN MAN CHECKUP.
AND THE GOAL LINE IS ONE THAT WILL TAKE UP IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT, UH, METRO EXPRESS AND PARKING RIGHTS.
THOSE ARE IN THE PLANNING PHASE WITH EXPECTATIONS THAT WE'LL BE DOING SOMETHING LATER THIS YEAR, UH, METRO BACKS, BUS AND METRO ACCESS.
THOSE ARE ONGOING PROGRAMS THAT WE'LL BUILD AS TIMES GO ON.
WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE FIRST PORTION OF THE CUSTOMER TECH SYSTEMS, AND THAT WILL BE ROLLED OUT INTO NEXT YEAR.
THE OTHER ITEM THAT'S HERE IS THE ANTIDOTE PLACEMENT INTACCT DISPLACEMENT INVESTMENT PROGRAM.
UH, THAT'S THE $300 MILLION PROGRAM, UH, THAT WILL BE DONE OVER THE LENGTH OF THE OVERALL SEQUENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE INITIAL INVESTMENT.
THIS LAYS OUT WHAT OUR PROGRESS WILL BE AND HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT BASICALLY THE NEXT FOUR QUARTERS OF THE PROGRAM AND IT GIVING YOU THAT CONDENSED VERSION OF WHAT OUR DELIVERABLES WILL BE ON A QUARTER BY QUARTER BASIS.
UH, WE'VE INITIATED WORK WITH THE CONSULTING FIRM, BCG ON LOOKING AT WHAT THE PROGRAM DELIVERY METHODOLOGY WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE SETUP OF WHAT'S THERE AND A ROADMAP FOR ATP.
AS I SAID, A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO, WE'VE STARTED WORK ON THE RED LINE PORTIONS OF THE PROJECT, AND WE'VE ALSO STARTED TO GO FORWARD WITH A PORTION OF THE FARE ADVANCEMENT.
UH, THIS MEETING TODAY, UH, IS SHOWN IN THE LOWER LEFT-HAND PART IN THE 18TH WITH THE ACTION ITEMS THAT WE HAVE AS PART OF THE MEETING.
AND THEN THE INAUGURAL MEETING, IF YOU WILL, WITH THE ATP BOARD, UH, IS SCHEDULED FOR THE 20TH OF NEXT MONTH AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT QUARTERS, WHETHER IT'S FROM FEBRUARY, JUNE, AND OUT THROUGH OCTOBER, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON CONTINUATION OF THE NEPA PROCESS FOR THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINE.
WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE ATP BOARD MEETINGS ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO INITIATE AND START SOME OF THE WORK THAT IS THERE, UH, ON BOTH OF THE INITIAL METRO RAPID LINES, STARTING IN THE FEBRUARY THROUGH MAY, UH, WE'LL GO FORWARD WITH MORE LOCATIONS FOR PICKUP SERVICE, UH, AND THEN CONTINUE AND ERNST THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING TO THIS POINT, UH, THAT JACKIE WHO WILL BE FOLLOWING ME IN THE PRESENTATION REALLY HAS LED THE FOREFRONT AS WE GO INTO JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
UH, IT'S THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROGRAM TAKING FRONT AND CENTER, UH WE'LL THEN GO FORWARD AND CONTINUE WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINE, STICKING TO WHAT WE HAVE REALLY FOR, UH, THE NEPA PROCESS IN THAT SAME TIMEFRAME, WE'LL HAVE APPROVAL OF THE TRIBE PARTY, A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
IT'S REALLY A FOLLOW ON TO THE AGREEMENTS THAT WILL BE APPROVED AT THE, AT THE LATER IN THIS MEETING, UH, WITH THE ILS WILL INITIATE WORK ON THE RED LINE, DOUBLE TRACKING, UH, FROM LEANDER TO LAKELINE.
AND THEN GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES FOR MAKING SOME SITE VISITS TO OTHER PROPERTIES, UH, THAT ARE ALSO MOVING ALONG AND PROGRESSING INTO THE FUTURE, UH, ON DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS, OCTOBER THROUGH JANUARY.
UH, WE EXPECT TO START THE CONSTRUCTION EFFORT ON THE FIRST TWO OF THE METRO RAPID LINES.
AND AT THAT POINT WE'LL ALSO LAUNCH THE FULL ACCOUNT-BASED FARE SYSTEM WITH FARE CAPPING SMART CARDS, UH, THE VIRTUAL CARD PROGRAM, AND CONTINUE AS WE GO FORWARD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, JUST LIKE WE ARE, UH, THIS MONTH, UH, WITH HAVING A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD AND THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UH, AND ALL THROUGH THE YEAR, ALL THROUGH THE PROCESS, IT WILL BE EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT, UH, IN COMMUNITY MEETINGS FOR THE, FOR THE ORANGE LINE, THE BLUE LINE FOR METRO RAPID, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED AS WE TAKE EACH STEP THROUGH THE PROCESS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO JACKIE AND ASK HER TO TAKE THE NEXT PORTION OF THE PROGRAM.
I'M THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER FOR CAPITAL METRO.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND PARTICULARLY THE LAST TWO YEARS AS WE ENGAGED IN THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS PROJECT, WHICH LED US TO THIS POINT TODAY.
UM, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO TOOK THE TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO SPEAK TODAY.
I THINK IT'S A VERY HEARTENING THING TO KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS EXPECTATIONS OF US AND THAT THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
[01:05:01]
WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD.AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO THIS POINT.
SO IT IS MY PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR NEXT PHASE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS ON THE NEPA PROCESS.
SO, BUT PROCESS IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT.
UM, AN ACT THAT REQUIRES, UH, A VARIETY OF WAYS FOR US TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY, TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ARE ON THEIR ENVIRONMENT, BY THESE PROJECTS AND THIS PROGRAM.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO EXPLAIN TO OUR COMMUNITY WHAT THESE VERY TECHNICAL PROCESSES ARE AND EVERYTHING FROM THE ACRONYMS TO, UM, THE NAMES THAT MAY NOT MAKE SENSE TO THE EVERYDAY PERSON.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WE'RE NOT ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT, THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, THE WAY PEOPLE LIVE AND MOVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN BY, UH, ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY BEGINNING JANUARY 25TH, WITH A SERIES OF VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UM, CALLED SCOPING MEETINGS.
AND THESE ARE FOR THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LIGHT RAIL LINES AND SCOPING MEETINGS.
THAT'S ANOTHER TERM THAT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY WON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.
AND REALLY WHAT THAT IS IS, IS KICKING OFF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS, UM, REESTABLISHING WHAT THE NEED AND PURPOSE IS FOR US TO DO THIS PROGRAM OF PROJECTS AND, UM, GETTING SOME INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY ON THE WAY THEY LIVE AND THEIR PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TOPICS WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPLORING, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS.
SO THOSE MEETINGS WILL BEGIN JANUARY 25TH, THEY'LL BE GOING THROUGH JANUARY 29TH.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS ALWAYS, WE'LL BE DOING A SELF GUIDED VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE, WHICH WILL BE LIVE FOR A MONTH BEGINNING, JANUARY 25TH.
THEN IN FEBRUARY, WE'LL BE ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THE EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY, METRO RAPID LINES, THERE'LL BE AN ONLINE SURVEY, WHICH WILL LIKELY BEGIN LATE JANUARY, AND WE'LL DO SOME AT STOP SURVEY OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONNECT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND ONGOING OUTREACH TO NEIGHBORHOOD AND CIVIC GROUPS.
WE'LL ALSO BE LAUNCHING NEW PICKUP ZONES OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AND SO WE'LL BE DOING ENGAGEMENT ON THOSE AS WELL.
UM, WE'LL HAVE IN ZONE SURVEY OPPORTUNITIES, ONGOING OUTREACH TO NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT FOR OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE WILL BE HOLDING A, UM, AN EVENT CALLED ACCELERATE OR AN INDUSTRY DAY EVENT WHERE PEOPLE CAN LEARN ABOUT CONTRACTING WITH CAPITAL METRO AND LATER WITH THE ATP.
AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE THAT WILL COME WITH THIS PROJECT, THIS PROGRAM OF PROJECTS THAT WILL BE FEBRUARY 11TH.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO PASS IT OFF TO, UH, NICO DAY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WHO'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS.
IS ANYONE ELSE YOU MAY BE MUTED? DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOU'RE ON YOU, BUT IT'S LIKE, SHE'S HAVING, SO IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HELPING HER WITH THAT REAL SOON.
[01:10:01]
YES, WITH AN ECHO.UM, I MAKE PER DAY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN HERE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CREATION OF AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL TO FUNCTION AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT WORK CALLED FOR IN THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS, UM, FOR PROJECT CONNECT, UH, I'M GOING TO TALK, WALK THROUGH, UM, THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE, UH, CONTAINED IN THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS AND THEN PROVIDE UPDATES ON THOSE SPECIFIC ASPECTS, UM, ON THE WORK TO DATE.
SO THE CONTACT WITH VOTERS SPEAKS TO $300 MILLION IN FUNDS TO BE PROVIDED AS DAVE POINTED OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT, IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE PLAN FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACQUIRING A REAL PROPERTY AND FINANCING TOOLS AND OTHER ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT.
NEXT SLIDE, THE CONTRACT WITH, UH, VOTERS GOES FURTHER ON SPECIFICS, UH, FOR ACQUIRING REAL PROPERTY AS AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY STATING TO INCLUDE THE FORTHCOMING JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT THE 300 MILLION IN FUNDS BE USED TO PRESERVE AND OR INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROXIMITY, APPROXIMATE TO THE TRANSIT CORRIDORS AND THAT THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP OR ATP PRIORITIZE LAND BANKING FOR FUTURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, TO THAT POINT, UH, DISCUSSIONS, INITIAL DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEGUN WITHIN THE CITY, UM, ON IDENTIFYING, UM, UH, PROCEDURES FOR LAND, UH, FOR LAND BANKING AND ACQUIRING REAL PROPERTY.
NEXT SLIDE, THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS, UM, ALSO GIVE SPECIFICS ON THE NEED, UM, TO CREATE A PROCESS, TO IDENTIFY NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL TOOLS AND STRATEGIES, AND GIVES A LIST OF EXAMPLE, TYPES OF TOOLS AND STRATEGIES THAT MIGHT BE INCLUDED.
MANY OF WHICH ARE EXISTING CITY PROGRAMMING, UM, RELATED TO ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, UM, PROGRAMMING.
UM, BUT OTHERS, UH, MAY BE NEW PROGRAMS TO THE CITY OR NEW APPROACHES, WHICH IS EXCITING.
UM, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, THAT THE CITY STAFF WORKING ON THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL, UM, HUMALA IDENTIFY HERE IN A SECOND, UM, WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE CREATION OF THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, LEVEL STRATEGIES THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CENTER THE COMMUNITY, UM, FROM THE GET-GO, UH, AS WE START THIS WORK AND THAT WE ESPECIALLY INVOLVE, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH DISPLACEMENT OR, UM, EXPERIENCING DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES.
PLEASE TALKED WITH VOTERS, UH, CALLS FOR THE PROCESS, UM, THAT I JUST MENTIONED, UH, TO BE COMPLETE THE, TO BE CREATED AND COMPLETE, UM, WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF VOTER APPROVAL.
SO THAT'S BY EARLY MAY AND THAT THE PROCESS BE MEMORIALIZED IN THE FORTHCOMING JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ATP CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I'LL PAUSE HERE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE TEAM THAT'S FORMED WITHIN THE CITY, UH, TO DO THIS WORK.
IT'S A MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL TEAM CONSISTING OF, UM, THE EQUITY OFFICE, THE INNOVATION OFFICE, THE NEWLY MERGED HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THE RESILIENCE PORTFOLIO.
SO WE HAVE BEEN MEETING, UM, FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NOW.
UM, AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT, THAT WE DID INITIALLY WAS TO, UM, GROUND OURSELVES AS A TEAM, UM, IN IDENTIFYING, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCCESS FOR THE USE OF SUCH A TOOL AND THE EQUITY OFFICE, UM, HAS HAS EXPERIENCE WITH USING EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOLS.
AND SO THE TEAM, UM, WROTE A WHITE PAPER, UH, WITH THE FOLLOWING, UM, IDEALS, UH, FOR US TO SOCIALIZE WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WE START TO WORK WITH THEM, UM, EARLY IN THE PROCESS.
AND THAT IS THAT THE TEAM SHOULD BE CENTERING THE VALUES OF, AND HAVING A SHARED MEN MANDATE, UM, FOR RACIAL EQUITY, WE SHOULD BE, UM, IDENTIFYING AND CORRECTING ANY IMBALANCES TO POWER AND DECISION-MAKING IN THE PROCESS.
AND THEN ALSO BEING ACCOUNTABLE, AS I MENTIONED TO THOSE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES.
SO, UM, THE TEAM HAS MET SEVERAL TIMES, AS I SAID, UM, SINCE THE ELECTION AND WE'RE REVIEWING EXISTING DATA AND PROCESSES THAT EXIST ALREADY IN THE CITY, UM, INCLUDING RESEARCH, UH, DONE BY THE INNOVATION OFFICE EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, USING, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC DATA VISUALIZATION TOOLS.
AND I THINK, UM, MANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION STRATEGY TOOL, UM, WHICH IS PROVIDING US A GOOD BASELINE
[01:15:01]
TO START THE WORK.BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE TEAM, UH, MET WITH THE EQUITY ACTION TEAM THIS PAST SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12TH, HOSTED BY THE EQUITY OFFICE.
AND WE RECEIVE VALUABLE INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, WITH REGARDS TO INFORMING OUR NEXT STEPS AND SPECIFICALLY TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE WORK, WHICH WE WILL DEFINITELY PLAN TO DO NEXT SLIDE.
SO THE NEXT TWO SLIDES FINISH OUT, UM, THE SPECIFIC LINE LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS RELATED TO THE CREATION OF THE TOOL AND THE EMPHASIS EMPHASIS, AGAIN, OF CO-CREATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND THE NEED FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO LEVERAGE, UM, OTHER PROGRAMS MANAGED BY THE CITY OR OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO CREATE A CONNECTED EFFORT FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES.
AND TO ALSO, UH, CREATE, UH, A DASHBOARD TO TRACK PROGRESS AS WE CREATE THIS TOOL TO NOT ONLY, UM, PRIORITIZE, UM, USE OF THE 300 MILLION, BUT ALSO TO EVALUATE, UM, THE OUTCOMES, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE, IN THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM OF PROJECTS.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, UM, AS JACKIE SPOKE, UM, SPOKE ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT OR NEPA WORK IS, UM, IS STARTING, AND IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT THE WORK ON THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL, UH, COMPLIMENT AND, UH, BE COMPLIMENTARY TO THAT PROCESS.
AND SO TO THAT EXTENT, WE'VE HAD CAPITOL METRO COME AND DO A NEPA ONE OH ONE FOR THIS TEAM THAT'S WORKING ON THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS OF NEPA AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE TWO PROCESSES CAN WORK TOGETHER.
UH, AND THOSE THAT COLLABORATION AND, UM, EDUCATION IS GOING TO CONTINUE, UM, IN, INTO EARLY JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
SO THAT CONCLUDES THE UPDATE ON THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL.
AND OF COURSE I'LL BE AVAILABLE WITH THE REST OF THE TEAM FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ONLY HAVE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WE JUST HAD? OKAY.
UM, I'LL HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO MAKE AS WE GET INTO THE, UM, THE ITEMS IN FRONT OF US.
UM, UH, I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR BRINGING FORWARD THE INFORMATION, UH, BOTH STASS JACKIE WITH BRINGING FORWARD INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND, AND, UM, INEQUITY INFORMATION ABOUT THE, UM, EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT WILL BE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT, UM, THERE'LL BE A HAND IN GLOVE APPROACH HERE, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN TERMS OF THESE, UH, PROCESSES.
UM, I WILL, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS MORE WHEN WE GET TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE UP AND RUNNING, UM, IN A TRANSPARENT WAY, BUT ALSO IN AN EXPEDITIOUS WAY.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT BODY ALSO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN NEPA PROCESS IN THE, UM, AND THE COMMENTS AND THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT'S PROCEEDING.
SO, BUT I'LL SPEAK TO THAT MORE WHEN WE GET TO, I DON'T REMEMBER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS MAYOR, IS, IS THIS, UM, RESERVED FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS OR IS, OR IS THIS AVAILABLE FOR, UH, KENT METRO, METRO TOO? WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING JOINTLY, UH, SAVING EXCEPT CALLING FOR, FOR VOTES.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE TIME TO COMMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS I LISTENED TO THE COMMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, TH THE THING THAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST, I THINK THAT A LOT OF EXCEPTIONAL WAS, WAS DONE.
I, I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, FROM ALL, FROM ALL OVER TOWN, DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE, UH, GOT BEHIND, UH, OUR INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS, UM, PRECINCT ONE, UH, THE COMMUNITY OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED, I THINK THERE WAS ONLY ONE BOX THAT, THAT, UH, THAT DID NOT SUPPORT THIS AND THAT BOX WAS LOST ONE
[01:20:01]
TO ZERO.SO I THINK THAT THERE'S OVERWHELMING COMMUNITY SUPPORT, BUT I THINK THE WAS DEMONSTRATING A LEVEL OF TRUST IN US.
AND, UH, AND IT WAS TELLING US THAT THEY EXPECT US TO REACH OUT TO THEM THAT THEY EXPECT US TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THEM, UH, THAT THEY EXPECT US, UH, TO BEND OVER BACKWARDS, TO WORK WITH THEM DURING A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
HOWEVER, UH, IT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THAT WE GO THE EXTRA MILE THAT WE TAKE NON TRADITIONAL PATHS THAT WE DO ALL OF THE BANGS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR COMMUNITIES TO FEEL THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY A PART OF THE PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT WE HAD TO, UH, TO WORK VERY QUICKLY AND MAKE SOME THINGS HAPPEN RIGHT NOW, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY, UM, GET TO ACTION ON THE GROUND.
UM, BUT I, BUT I WOULD REALLY HOPE THAT DURING THIS PROCESS, UH, WE COULD BUILD, UH, WE COULD BUILD A COMMUNICATIONS, UM, SET OF PROCEDURES THAT WILL ALLOW OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO SAY, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DID.
AND I AGREE, UH, I WOULD, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO SEE, UH, THE, THE EASTERN CRESCENT JOINED WITH THE WESTERN PART OF THE CITY TO SAY, I KNOW THAT YOU LOOK AT THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN I DO.
I KNOW THAT YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN MINE.
HOWEVER, I'M GOING TO TAKE ALL OF THIS INTO CONSIDERATION AND, AND DO WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BUILD A MAIN TRUST, MAINTAINING TRUST OVER TIME.
UH, WE, I THINK WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I THINK IN THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION AND ELECTION SHOWED US THAT.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT IT'S, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE AS WE GO FORWARD, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, WE WILL NOT ENJOY THE SUPPORT THAT WE DID ENJOY.
UH, WHEN THIS, WHEN THIS INITIATIVE WAS VOTED ON.
SO JUST WATER, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, WE CAN DO MORE.
WE MUST DO MORE, AND WE MUST DO BETTER BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY THIS WORKS IS IF WE WORK TOGETHER AND IF WE MAINTAIN TRUST.
SO I JUST WANT FOLKS TO KNOW THAT WE HEAR YOU AND WE WANT TO MAKE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE WILL FORWARD, YOU, YOU FEEL INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS AND YOU ARE ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS IT'S PAID FOR.
WE GO BACK TO AN ANGELA COUNCILMEMBER CASSARA DID YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS, COMMISSIONER AND SA, AND, UM, SECOND, WHAT YOU SAID, AND JUST SECOND, THE, UM, UH, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY, THE FOLKS THAT SPOKE WITH US TODAY.
UH, I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M, I'M HEARING, UM, I'M HEARING WHAT THEY ARE SAYING TO US.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE BALANCE BETWEEN MOVING QUICKLY AND TRANSPARENCY THAT WE DIDN'T GET THAT QUITE RIGHT WITH THE ATP BOARD, UM, PROCESS.
AND, AND I HEAR THAT, UH, WHEN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UM, SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE BUILT INTO THE CAC, UM, COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE PROCESS, UH, THAT I THINK WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED.
I'M ALSO HEARING THAT THERE IS CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CITY SIDE OF THIS IN TERMS OF OUR PROCESS FOR THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL IN OUR PROCESS, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE 300 MILLION.
SO, SO WE WILL NEED TO HAVE SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VERY TRANSPARENT IN THAT PROCESS AND VERY ENGAGING, UM, AS WELL AS, AS WELL AS, UM, THROUGH THE, THE WORK OF, UH, JACKIE AND HER TEAM ON THE CAP METRO SIDE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO REPEAT AND EMPHASIZE WHAT COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN HAD SAID.
UH, THIS IS A LEARNING, GROWING PROCESS FOR ALL OF US.
TRUST IS TOP OF MIND AND MOST IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, AND I AM HEARING, AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE HEARING, UH, WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS TELLING US.
UM, AND, AND, UM, AND I THINK WE WILL, WE CAN DO BETTER, GREG.
AND, UM, AND I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT AS FOLKS RAISED, UM, FOR US TO MAINTAIN THE TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY THAT WE KEPT TRYING TO BUILD THROUGH THE ELECTION.
UM, FOLKS RAISE THE QUESTION OF, OF EARLIER POSTING OF DOCUMENTS.
AND SINCE WE'RE FORMING THE HTP TODAY, I JUST WANT TO LIST THAT I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE MEMBERS WERE POINTING, INCLUDING THOSE,
[01:25:01]
UH, HERE ON THIS VIRTUAL DIES WITH US MEMBERS, STRATTON AND MAYOR ABOUT, UH, NOT CREATING A PERCEIVED PERCEPTION OF A PATTERN OF, OF, OF POSTING THINGS LATE.I WANT TO AFFORD GRADES TO A COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN AND COMMISSIONER.
TREVELYAN A MEMBER, A MEMBER OF MITCHELL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, UH, YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET A NOMINATIONS PROCESS AND AN APPLICATION AND INTERVIEWS THROUGH TWO SETS OF HOLIDAYS BETWEEN THE ELECTION AND THE NEW YEAR.
SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL DOING THAT.
AND I RECOGNIZE WHY THAT MIGHT LEAD TO UP THINGS, GETTING MORE CRAMPED UP, BUT AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEW YEAR, I THINK YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT.
I THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS A COMMITMENT FROM US PRETTY CLEARLY HERE TODAY THAT WITHOUT THOSE CONSTRAINTS, HOPEFULLY IN THE NEW YEAR, YOU WILL SEE IT BE DONE DIFFERENTLY, UH, AND ENOUGH POSTING FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY, UM, REALLY PARTICIPATE THE WAY WE USUALLY WOULD.
AND, AND I, AND I'VE HEARD THAT FROM CAP METRO AND FROM ATP BOARD, UH, NOMINEES.
SO I, I FEEL CONFIDENT IN THAT, BUT JUST NOT TO BE GOOD TO COMMUNICATE.
UM, SO I KNEW IT WAS TIGHT THIS TIME AND UNDERSTAND THAT.
OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU WANT TO TAKE US TO THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENT? YES, YES.
MR. UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, REALIZING THAT WE WERE AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE ON THE EQUITY TOOL.
I JUST SET UP A COMMENT AND THEN OUT OF A QUESTION AS WELL, UM, I DO WANT TO ECHO WHAT HAS BEEN SAID PREVIOUSLY.
UM, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THIS PROCESS.
WE WE'VE MADE SOME IMPORTANT COMMITMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY FROM THE BEGINNING, FROM THE GET GO, AS I SAID, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BEGAN FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND THE REASON I BELIEVE IT IS A SUCCESS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE THAT COMMITMENT AND WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED FROM DAY ONE.
AND THIS HAS BEEN BOTTOM UP, NOT TOP DOWN.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT AS PART OF THAT TRANSPARENCY AND, UM, I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE BOTH THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE NEED TO, TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT MISSING SOME KEY, UM, BENCHMARKS AND TIMELINES TO GET UP AND GO AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROCESS THAT WE'RE COMMITTING TO HERE AND THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE.
CLEARLY, CLEARLY THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE $7.1 BILLION IS AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT WE DID MAKE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AS PART OF THIS PROCESS TO SET ASIDE THE FUNDS FOR THE, FOR THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS.
BUT ALSO IT'S MORE THAN JUST THAT.
THERE'S ALSO A PART OF THIS THAT IS ENSURING THAT AS, AS WE ENSURE THAT WE BUILD THIS PROPERLY AND THAT ALL CAME APART THROUGH THE NEPA PROCESS, THE LOCAL PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE DECIDING DID WE WANT TO DO BUS RAPID TRANSIT HERE, OR LIGHT RAIL THERE.
IT WAS ALSO A, AND DO WE BUILD A TUNNEL OR NOT A TUNNEL? THAT'S ALL THE TECHNICAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE PIECES PART OF THIS TOO, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH GETTING IT RIGHT FROM THE COMMUNITY SIDE, FROM THE EQUITY SIDE, FROM THE EMPLOYMENT SIDE, FROM THE CONNECTION SIDE, ALL THESE PIECES, BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH HARDER TO GO BACK AND UNDO AND REDO THAN IT IS TO DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
AND I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, I, FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE NOW, UH, TWO YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH CAP METRO I'M, I, I'M VERY EXCITED BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT, THAT MY COLLEAGUES, WHAT I'VE SEEN FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND FROM, FROM STAFF IS A COMMITMENT TO, TO DO THAT VERY THING AND BE ENGAGED.
AND, UM, I, I PERSONALLY WILL CONTINUE TO, TO PUSH THAT WE HAVE THAT TRANSPARENCY AND THAT ENGAGEMENT AND THAT WE DO THIS THING RIGHT.
AND PART OF THAT TOO, IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED WITH, UH, MEASUREABLES KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING TO REPORT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AS ALSO WE'RE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, BACK ABOUT, UH, EQUITY AND JUST, JUST WANTED TO CHECK SOMETHING HERE.
I BELIEVE THAT, UM, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, UH, THE CITY HAS ALREADY IN, DOES SOME WORK WITH, WITH THE EQUITY, UH, WITH EQUITY, THROUGH THE, UM, UH, W WITH AN EQUITY TOOL RIGHT NOW, AND CERTAIN PROJECTS THROUGH, UH, OR BY AN EQUITY TOOL.
I WAS WONDERING IF, IF JUST BRIEFLY, UM, WE CAN GET JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, INSIGHT INTO WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS WITH THE EQUITY TOOL SIDE OF THINGS THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY USES AND HOW THAT WILL INFORM WHAT THE ATP BOARD, OR RATHER WHAT THE, I GUESS, THE, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE USING THE WORK THAT THE CITY HAS IN PLACE NOW, HOW THAT WILL HELP INFORM WHAT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
[01:30:01]
WILL BE USING.ERIC, WAS THAT A FIRST FOR ME? THANK YOU.
UM, CAN YOU TURN THAT OFF? SORRY.
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THAT'S TRUE.
WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, YOU USING, UH, AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL ARE Y'ALL HEARING THIS ECHO AS WELL AS CLOUD.
WE ARE, BUT WE CAN STILL UNDERSTAND YOU IF STAFF COULD FIGURE IT OUT THE WAY THAT'D BE GREAT, BUT WE CAN SHOW THEM YOUR DAY.
ALL RIGHT, JACKIE, IF YOU COULD GO ON MUTE, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP.
YOU'RE ON MUTE IF YOU'RE TALKING BACK, THAT'S BETTER.
SO THE CITY OF BOSTON DOES HAVE EXPERIENCE USING AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL, UM, FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO THIS STARTED BACK IN 2016 WITH THE MOBILITY BOND WHERE WE, UH, IN THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS BACK THEN THERE WAS, UM, UH, ALSO A MANDATE FOR AN EQUITABLE, THERE WERE COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UM, INCLUDING AN EQUITABLE USE OF THE FUNDS AND THE INVESTMENT WITH REGARDS TO PRIORITIZATION OF THOSE FUNDS.
AND SO WE ARE THE TEAM THAT'S LOOKING AT BUILDING THE EQUITY BUILDING, LOOKING TO BUILD ON THAT MODEL ON SPECIFIC TO WHAT THE TOOL MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR PROJECT CONNECT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO, UM, I DON'T WANT TO IMPLY THAT WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE TOOL WILL LOOK LIKE FOR PROJECT CONNECT.
CAUSE THERE, THE MOBILITY BOND IS DIFFERENT THAN THIS IS A DIFFERENT PROJECT, BUT WE DO HAVE EXPERIENCE, UM, AND WE'RE BUILDING ON THAT AND IT'S EXCITING.
UM, IT'S EXCITING THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM, UM, WHAT THE 2016 PROGRAM, UM, WAS ABLE TO, TO DO WITH THEIR PRIORITIZATION PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT CENTERING THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE CREATION OF THE TOOL HERE.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE LOCAL MOBILITY PORTION OF THE 2016 BOND, NOT JUST THE CORRIDORS, UM, ALSO DOES A GOOD JOB, UM, WORKING YEAR TO YEAR WITH THE BUDGET, WITH THEIR BUDGET ON, UM, AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF, UM, THOSE PROJECTS.
WE DO HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THAT, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONE IN ON THAT.
AND AS, UM, BOARD MEMBER TREVELYAN SAID TO DO BETTER AND TO CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN, IN THE AREA OF, UM, USING EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOLS, I HOPE THAT GAVE YOU AN OVERVIEW.
UH, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER.
MY PART OF THE REASON IS I I, FOR, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING THIS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, JUST TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING SOMETHING IN A VACUUM HERE, THE CITY DOES HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, AND THIS CAN CAN HELP WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE CAN HELP INFORM WHERE WE'RE NOT STARTING FROM GROUND ZERO.
HERE WE, THERE IS, THERE IS AN OFFICE AND STAFF THAT HAS SOME EXPERIENCE TO HELP DEVELOP THIS, AND THIS CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE DEVELOP SOME KEY METRICS AND BENCHMARKS THAT THAT CAN HELP INFORM THE CITY CAP, METRO AND THE ATP BOARD, ALL THREE, TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE UTILIZING THAT $300 MILLION AND THE PROJECTS AS A WHOLE APPROPRIATELY TO MEET THE NEEDS AND TO, TO, TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS HOPING WOULD COME FROM THESE PROJECTS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR, UM, FOR THIS PLACEMENT AND ENSURE THAT, UH, WHILE WE'RE BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS TRANSIT SYSTEM, WHERE ALSO ENSURING THAT IT'S SERVING THE PEOPLE'S NEEDS ACROSS THE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN PROPERLY.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF TRUST OUR EQUITY OFFICE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THERE, THEY'VE BEEN DOING
[01:35:01]
A GREAT JOB AND THIS PROJECT, I MEAN, WE'RE JUST, THIS IS JUST LIKE DAY ONE ALMOST BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE BAND JUST PASSED BY WEEKS AGO.WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.
AND, UH, AND WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING ALL THESE ISSUES.
THAT'S WHY WE INCLUDED $300 MILLION IN THERE FOR THE DISPLACEMENT.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS BECAUSE WE HEARD THAT THE, UH, THE CITIZENS AND THE, AND THE VOTERS AND THEY WANTED THAT.
AND WE, WE INCLUDED IT, BUT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE A LONG, LONG TIME COMING.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE THE PROCESS IS THEY WON'T EVEN TURN DIRT FOR AT LEAST TWO AND A HALF, MAYBE THREE YEARS.
SO THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME FOR PEOPLE TO BE UP IN POWER AND GIVE US THE DIRECTIONS THAT THEY PAY AND LOOK OVER THE PROJECT AND GIVE US SOME, SOME DIRECTIONS.
AND WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY HAVING AS MANY AS MUCH INPUT THAT WE COULD GET, BECAUSE THIS, THIS IS A WIDE PROJECT.
AND, UH, IT'S IN THE PAST, I SEEN HOW LONG IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE RED LINE AND THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
SO, UH, YES, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEARD THE PEOPLE AND WE, WE DO RESPOND.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY WE, WE PLANTED IT THIS WAY.
IT'S NOTHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO OVERNIGHT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE PRESENTATIONS? I CAN'T SEE EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW IS ANYBODY ELSE TRYING TO GET IN THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, TURN IT OVER FOR YOU FOR ADDITIONAL A PRESENTATION.
I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY HEARING WAIT.
I THINK WE'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH CHAIRMAN COOPER RIGHT NOW.
THERE WAS THE UPDATES ON, UH, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AND WE'LL GIVE, WAVE A CHANCE TO GET BACK IN, BUT GO AHEAD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MARY ADLER AND CHEER COOPER AND THE BOARD AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN.
WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO PROCEED MAYOR ADLER? SO I PROCEED.
I'M CAPITOL METRO'S CHIEF COUNSEL AND CHIEF OF STAFF.
IF I CAN HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I KNOW THIS SLIDE LOOKS BUSY AND IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN BUSY.
UH, WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TOGETHER OVER THESE PAST TWO YEARS, BUT PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, DON'T WORRY.
WE AREN'T GOING TO WALK THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT WE WANTED YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND A PLACE TO VISUALIZE ALL THAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND SOMETHING TO COME BACK TO THAT CAPTURED THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
AND THEN WHAT, WHAT IS TO COME IN THE NEXT YEAR? I KNOW IT FEELS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO, BUT IN JUNE YOU UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM PLAN AND THE LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
THEN IN JULY, BOTH COUNCIL AND THE CAP METRO BOARD GAVE DIRECTION TO INCLUDE THIS PROGRAM IN YOUR BUDGETS AND IN THE TAX RATE.
AND THEN IN AUGUST, BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE CAP METRO BOARD TOOK ACTIONS TO MAKE FUNDING COMMITMENTS TO THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE $300 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
UM, AND THEN BOTH OF YOU ALSO COMMITTED TO THE CREATION OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION THAT WILL PROVIDE GOVERNANCE AND FINANCING FOR IMPLEMENTING PROJECT CONNECT.
AND THEN OF COURSE ALSO IN AUGUST, THE COUNCIL VOTED TO PLACE THE TAX RATE ELECTION ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE TODAY'S ACTIONS BEFORE YOU ARE TO APPROVE THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND THE BYLAWS FOR THE AUSTIN
[01:40:01]
TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.IN ORDER FOR US TO FORMALLY CREATE THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
AND YOU WILL ALSO NAME ITS INITIAL BOARD MEMBERS.
YOU ALSO HAVE BEFORE YOU FOR ACTION TODAY, TWO RESOLUTIONS TO CONSIDER REGARDING COMMUNITY ADVISORS FOR THIS NEW ATP BOARD.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT TO DO IN 2021, UM, IN 2021 CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY WILL BE BUSY WORKING WITH THIS NEW ATP ON SOME, UH, INITIAL PRIORITIES IN, UH, CAPITAL METRO.
WE'LL BE PROVIDING CORPORATE SUPPORT FUNCTIONS TO THE ATP.
UM, AND IN 2021, WE WILL FINALIZE THE LOGISTICS AND THE COST SHARING FOR THESE FUNCTIONS.
IN AN AGREEMENT, THE CITY WILL BE WORKING WITH THE ATP ON AN AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALONG THE TRANSIT CORRIDORS IN PROJECT CONNECT WITH THAT $300 MILLION INVESTMENT.
SO THERE'LL BE AN AGREEMENT TO COME, UH, IN THAT REALM AS WELL.
AND THEN FINALLY, BY JUNE OF 2021, THE CITY CAPITOL METRO AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP WILL ENTER INTO A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST.
AND THIS JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT WILL BE THE SORT OF OVERARCHING AGREEMENT AMONG ALL THREE PARTIES, THE BODIES ON HOW PROJECTS PROJECT CONNECTS AND THE PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT MANY YEARS.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A LOT COMING UP IN THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX MONTHS, UM, TO REALLY GET AT ATP AND THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM GOING NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN FINALLY, AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ACTION ITEMS TODAY, THIS IS JUST A REMINDER FOR YOU, UH, OF THE BOSTON TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD, SORT OF THE MAKEUP AND THE PROCESS.
AS A REMINDER, THE BOARD IS MADE UP OF THREE COMMUNITY EXPERTS, AND THESE ARE EXPERTS WITH EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD OF FINANCE ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION AND PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY, AND THEN ONE MEMBER OF THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND ONE MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE, UH, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE IS MADE UP OF BOTH MEMBERS OF THE CAP, METRO BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL.
UH, THEY'VE RECEIVED A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FROM SOME OF REALLY EXTREMELY QUALIFIED AND PASSIONATE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, AND SO THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE HAS HELD INTERVIEWS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS WITH SOME SELECTED APPLICANTS.
UM, AND THE COMMITTEE HAS PRESENTED A SLATE OF CANDIDATES THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY.
I KNOW THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WILL HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY ON THE PROCESS AND ON THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS IN JUST A LITTLE WHILE WHEN YOU'RE READY TO TAKE UP THE ACTION.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, JANUARY 20TH WILL BE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE ATP BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND AT THAT, AT THAT MEETING, THEY WILL, UM, TAKE THEIR INITIAL FORMATION ACTIONS.
THEY'LL APPROVE THE BYLAWS, ELECT OFFICERS.
THEY WILL ALSO CONSIDER AN APPROVEN INTERIM BUDGET, UM, AND THEN GET READY TO DO BUSINESS AND ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? OKAY.
DO YOU WANT TO GET A MOTION ON BOTH SIDES, A MOTION IN FRONT OF CAT METRO MOTION IN FRONT OF THE CITY, AND THEN HAVE A SINGLE CONVERSATION ABOUT BOTH? YES, MAYOR, I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE BEFORE WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
I THOUGHT WE MIGHT HAVE COMMENTS FROM THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE OR WITH RESPECT TO, UM, UH, PROCESS ENEMIES.
YOU MAY WANT TO ADD BEFORE WE GO INTO ACTION ITEM.
SOMEONE FROM THE, HOW MANY CREATIVE GOING TO TAKE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.
SO WE HAVE ITEMS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
SO, UM, I WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY PLEASED TO COUNCILMAN FOR KITCHEN AND, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, MITCHELL AND COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN.
UM, WE ARE REALLY FORTUNATE IN AUSTIN TO HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WITH SUCH TALENT AND EXPERTISE ARE WILLING TO STEP UP AND HELP US, UM, MAKE PROJECT CONNECT A SUCCESS.
UM, THIS WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST NOMINATING COMMITTEE THAT I'VE EVER BEEN ON IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE THREE MEMBERS.
I I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THE THREE MEMBERS THAT WE LANDED ON, DR.
COLLETTE, UM, BURNETT PEERS, UM, RONICA CASTRO AND TONY ELKINS.
[01:45:01]
I THINK THEY ARE ALL THREE GOING TO MAKE EXCELLENT MEMBERS OF OUR INAUGURAL ATP BOARD ALONG WITH, UH, MAYOR ADLER AND MR STRATTON.UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME WITH THE TERRITORY OF HAVING SO MANY, UM, SUCCESSFUL EXPERTS DECIDE THAT PROJECT CONNECT WAS WORTHY OF THEIR TIME, UM, WAS THAT WE REALIZED THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY HAS A LOT MORE TO OFFER AS PART OF THE PROCESS AND THE NEXT STEPS, UM, AND THAT THE SUCCESS OF PROJECT CONNECT WILL BE THAT MUCH GREATER IF WE CAN FIND WAYS FOR THEM TO BE INVOLVED.
UM, AND SO WE IDENTIFIED SEVEN OF THE OTHER MEMBER, OTHER APPLICANTS THAT WE ARE PUTTING FORWARD TO THE TWO BOARDS TODAY, UM, TO ASK, UM, THE BOARDS TO FORMALLY RECOMMEND TO THE ATP, TO DEPLOY AT LEAST THESE SEVEN IN SOME KIND OF ADVISORY ROLE THAT THE ATP WILL PUT FORWARD.
UM, I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT AMONG THE OTHER, UM, 26 PEOPLE WHO APPLIED, MANY OF THEM ALSO COULD CONTRIBUTE AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THE ATP TO SPEAK WITH THEM AND FIND WAYS FOR THEM TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS TO HELP ENSURE THE SUCCESS.
UM, BUT I THINK, UM, WE ARE REALLY, REALLY, UM, LUCKY AS A CITY THAT PEOPLE STEP UP IN SO MANY WAYS, UM, TO HELP US MOVE BIG IDEAS AND BIG PROJECTS FORWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN, BOARD MEMBER MITCHELL.
AND, UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
I APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO WORK ON THIS NOMINATING COMMITTEE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR AND, UH, MR. TREVELYAN AND BOARD MEMBER, UH, MITCHELL.
UM, AND, AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT, UH, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTRA SAID.
WE WERE TRULY BLOWN AWAY WITH THE LEVEL OF COMMITMENT, UH, AND EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE.
OUR FOCUS FOR THIS, THIS PART OF THE PROJECT WAS, UM, OUR CHARGE TO, TO RECOMMEND MEMBERS, UH, TO THE ATP BOARD THAT IS FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTATION AND FOCUSED ON TECHNICAL EXPERTISE RELATED TO ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION AND FINANCE, UM, UH, AND, UH, SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMUNITY PLANNING.
AND SO THERE IS A WEALTH OF TALENT AND WE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, ALTRA SAID, UM, WE ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDING TO THE ATP BOARD THAT THEY ENGAGE, UM, BOTH THE S THE SEVEN MEMBERS THAT WE IDENTIFIED BY NAME AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY CAPACITY OF SOME SORT AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL NAMES THAT WE ARE SENDING FORWARD.
UM, AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE ALL SAID FOR THIS PROJECT IS THIS IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT.
WE WILL NOT BE SUCCESSFUL IF WE DO NOT DO IT ALL TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY, WHICH MEANS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYBODY'S COMMITMENT, UH, AND WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE.
AND THEN I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT I AM VERY PLEASED THAT WE CAN RECOMMEND, UM, THE THREE MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE RECOMMENDED.
AND THEN, AND THEN I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT MAYOR ADLER AND ERIC STRATTON IS THAT I THINK IN THESE, THIS INITIAL SLATE OF COMMUNITY, UM, EXPERTS AND BOARD MEMBERS, I'M CONFIDENT THAT EACH ONE OF THEM WILL BE, UH, CONTRIBUTING CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE.
AND I'M ALSO CONFIDENT THAT EACH ONE OF THEM IS COMMITTED TO LISTENING AND ENGAGING IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND BUILDING, BUILDING, AND MAINTAINING TRUST, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR PROCESS OF TALKING WITH THESE FOLKS THAT WAS FRONT AND CENTER, UH, FOR PEOPLE, AND IT WAS FRONT AND CENTER IN SOMETHING THAT THEY BROUGHT TO THE TABLE, UM, AND THEY MENTIONED, AND THEY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, AND SO, UM, I WAS, I WAS REALLY, UM, PLEASED AND HONORED TO BE ABLE TO PART WOULD BE PART OF THIS PROCESS.
SO I'M SURE THAT MY, OUR, UH, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERNATE IN OUR FELLOW, UH, NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS MAY WANT TO, TO ADD TO THIS, UM, THAT'S PERSON RECOGNIZED WAS A MEMBER MITCHELL, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES.
UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, KITCHEN AND ALTER AND COMMISSIONER CIVILIAN FOR THIS PROCESS.
UM, I WANT THE COLLECTIVE GROUP HERE TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW DIFFICULT THIS PROCESS WAS, UH, FIRST.
AND WE HAD A WEALTH OF QUALIFIED TALENT, FAR MORE THAN I PERSONALLY HAD EXPECTED.
AND WE, AND, AND TO A PERSON, THEY SHOWED A SENSITIVITY AND A PUBLIC, UH,
[01:50:01]
DESIRE TO SERVE OUR CITY AND TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF HAVING A COMPREHENSIVE TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT SERVES EVERYONE AND EVERY AREA OF OUR CITY, UH, THEY, TO A PERSON THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGED, THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, MAYBE HAD BEEN UNDERSERVED OR WERE SUFFERING AND DO THIS ECONOMY.AND I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD ABOUT THE 36 APPLICANTS THAT WE HAD.
UH, I THINK THAT THE SLATE THAT WE SELECTED IS A, WAS HARD TO PUT THEM IN A CATEGORY OF CONSTRUCTION, FINANCE, SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAD CROSS TALENTS AND THE SELECTION, THE SLATE YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU ARE SOME INCREDIBLE, UH, INCREDIBLY QUALIFIED PEOPLE.
I THINK THEY WILL SERVE OUR ATP, UH, VERY WELL.
AND I, TO REITERATE THE, THE QUALITY OF THE APPLICANTS WAS SO STRONG THAT WE FELT THAT WAS, UH, APPROPRIATE TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD TO VOTE, TO PUT FORTH TO THE ATP THAT THEY CONSIDER THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO SOUTH ASLEEP STEPPED UP AND SAIL, AND, UH, ON THIS VERY PROUD OF THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
AND I, I SAY TO ALL AREAS OF OUR CITIZENRY, UH, I THINK YOU WILL BE PLEASED WITH THESE FOLKS.
I THINK THEY ARE REALLY GOING TO SERVE AS WELL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TRAVON.
UM, I, I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT ON MY COFFEE.
WE CERTAINLY HAD SOME VERY, VERY STRONG CANDIDATES.
I THINK WE HAVE SOME VERY, VERY STRONG CANDIDATES THAT NOT ONLY HAVE INCREDIBLE TECHNICAL ABILITY, BUT PARTS PART OF THE COMMUNITIES, UH, THAT, THAT THEY COME FROM.
UM, WE WORK TOGETHER VERY HARD, LISTEN TO EACH OTHER FIRST ABOUT THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE NOT ONLY WANTED TO SEE IN THE BOARD, BUT WHAT WE WANT IT TO, UH, WE WANT IT TO SEE GOING FORWARD.
AND, AND, UH, AND I THINK MY COLLEAGUES WERE WISE IN THEIR, IN THEIR DESIRE TO ASK FOR AND ADVISORY BOARD THAT GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SKILLS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT OTHER APPLICANTS PROVIDED.
UH, WE ALSO TALKED FAIRLY EXTENSIVELY, UM, HOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE TO BE ENGAGED REGULARLY, REGULARLY, AND MEANINGFULLY AS WE GO FORWARD, IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROCESS OR A SERIES OF PROJECTS THAT TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A NUMBER OF, OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EXPLAIN THEIR NEEDS, THEIR PERSPECTIVES, UH, WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN, WHAT THEY SEE TODAY AND WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN HISTORICALLY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE RIGHT THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, YEAH, THIS HAS BEEN A COMMITMENT AMONG COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO EACH OTHER AND WE ARE BROADENING THE CONVERSATIONS AND WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNITY IS GOING TO GET OUT OF IT AND MAKE THE BEDS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR BY COMMUNITY.
I HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN CONSIDERED, BUT WE'VE TAKEN STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT WE ARE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE PROCESS.
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A COMMUNITY PROCESS THAT WE WILL BUILD TOGETHER.
AND, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF, OF THE WORK THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE.
AND I JOINED THEM IN SAYING, I THINK WE ARE, WE ARE, WE HAVE PICKED A TALENTED SLATE OF CANDIDATES AND RECOMMENDED A TALENTED SLATE OF ADVISORS, BUT WE CERTAINLY DID NOT INTEND TO, UH, KEEP THE COMMUNITY OUT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE BUILD OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES ON BOTH BODIES SAY ANYTHING BEFORE WE GO TO CAP METRO FOR THEIR VOTES ON THE FIRST ITEM, MR. CHAIR, I'D TURN THE GAVEL OVER TO YOU THERE.
I THINK, UH, THE PROCESS THAT THE MARINOL WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW GOING FORWARD IS TO GET EACH OF OUR MOTIONS, UH, UP ON THE FLOOR AND THEN HAVE A COMMON DISCUSSION SINCE THEY'RE BASICALLY THE SAME CONTENT.
AND THEN, UH, AFTER WE'VE HAD A COMMON DISCUSSION RELATIVE TO THIS FIRST MOTION, UH, EACH OF OUR RESPECTIVE BODIES VOTE.
SO, UH, THAT BEING SAID, UH, WE ARE, UM, POSTED AT METRO FOR ACTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION, CREATING THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP CORPORATION,
[01:55:01]
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION UNDER SUBCHAPTER D UH, CHAPTER FOUR 31 AT THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION GOATS ADOPTING THE CORPORATION'S ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS AND APPOINTING THE INITIAL BOARD AT, DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MOTION BY A MEMBER KITCHEN? IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN, UM, IN BOARD MEMBERS, I MIGHT ASK FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AS WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN THAT ARE DESIGNATED TO, OR THAT INITIAL BOARD.SO IS THERE PERHAPS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION, UH, UH, TO INCLUDE THE NAME OF A CAP METRO REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT BOARD? I'LL ACCEPT THAT AS FRIENDLY, RIGHT.
REMEMBER THAT REMEMBER KITCHENETTE? I DON'T THINK HE DOESN'T GET IT LIKE THAT.
I, I WOULD, UM, I WOULD MOVE, UH, BOARD MEMBER, ERIC STRATTON AS A CAPITAL METRO'S, UH, DESIGNEE TO THE ATP.
AND, UH, I THINK, UH, THE MOVEMENT, UH, REMEMBER TREVELYAN ACCEPTED THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
SO I THINK WE HAVE OUR EMOTION, UH, TEED UP MAYOR, IF YOU WANT TO GET THE CITY COUNCIL MOTION UP AS WELL.
AND I WILL ACCEPT, I WILL ACCEPT THAT IF NOMINATED.
SO, UH, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WERE POSTED FOR ACTION RELATED TO THE RECOMMENDATION TODAY, AND I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION, CREATING THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION PARTNERSHIP CORPORATION, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION UNDER SUBCHAPTER D CHAPTER FOUR 30, ONE OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CORPORATIONS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS AND APPOINTING THE INITIAL BOARD, INCLUDING MAYOR ADLER AS THE, UH, AUSTIN COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD.
UH, IS THERE A MOTION COUNCILOR, A POLL COUNCIL MEMBER POOL MAKES SMOKESCREEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON SECTIONS? UH, ANY, I GUESS THAT'S, WE'RE NOW SET TO HAVE DISCUSSION BY EITHER ENTITY ON A VERY SIMILAR MOTIONS.
MR. CHAIR, YOU WANT TO TAKE A VOTE AT THAT COMMISSIONER? UM, JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, COLLEAGUES, OUR MOTION AS POSTED, UH, INCLUDES THE ELECTION OF THE FIRST THREE INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS, UH, THAT WERE, UM, UH, NOMINATED BY OUR NOMINATION NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
SO WE ARE APPROVING THE ARTICLES, THE BYLAWS, UH, THE SELECTION OF, UH, ERIC STRATTON AS THE CAP METRO DESIGNEE, AND THEN THE THREE NOMINEES FROM THE NOMINATION FROM THE NOMINATED NOMINATED COMMITTEE, DR.
COLETTE BURNETT, VERONICA CASHUA DIVERT PEREIRA ANTONIO HERE.
UM, SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, THEN I'LL ASK FOR A ROLL CALL.
REMEMBER HILL I THINK NOT PRESENT.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN TO ZERO WITH ONE, NOT PRESENT.
MAYOR THE FLOOR IS YOURS, RIGHT? COLLEAGUES ON THE CONSOLE.
WE HAVE A RESOLUTION, THE MODE IN SECOND IN FRONT OF US.
WE WILL ALSO GO TO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS ALSO TO BE CLEAR, UH, FEELS IN THE, UH, THREE NAMES, UH, FROM THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE, UH, DR.
BURNETT, UM, VERONICA FRESHER BERRERA AND TONY ELKINS, AS WELL AS MINE.
[02:00:01]
11 FAVOR PASSES.I'M TRYING TO GET BACK TO YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, LET ME JUST STOP AND PAUSE AND SAY, THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.
WE'VE JUST CREATED SOMETHING, UH, THAT WILL BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THE WORK OF WHICH OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN WILL BENEFIT FROM AND APPRECIATE.
AND SO, UH, IT REALLY IS A LANDMARK DAY, AND I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COOPERATION FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
I FEEL LIKE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, COLLECTIVELY AMONG THE, HOW MANY OF US, 19 OF US AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT BIRTH BABY HAD HAD IS GOING TO BE WITH US FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND ONE OF WHICH WILL BE VERY PROUD.
UH, WE'LL FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS WITH RESPECT TO THE SECOND ACTION ITEM, UH, THAT IS EACH OF US GET OUR MOTION TEED UP AND THEN HAVE A COMMON DISCUSSION AND THEN, UH, MOVED TO VOTES ON THOSE.
SO OUR CAP METRO, SECOND ACTION ITEM IS, UM, WITH RESPECT TO, UM, UH, APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT REGARDING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT DO I HAVE A MOTION, UH, UH, UH, UH, CHAIR COOPER.
SO I BELIEVE THE NEXT ITEM IS THE RESOLUTION.
IS IT NOT RELATED TO THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ADVISORS? NO, THAT'S THIRD.
WE MUST HAVE A DIFFERENT ORDER THAN THE COUNCIL HAS THEN.
YEAH, I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT THE SECOND ONE BEING YOUR EMOTION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT TRAINING.
IF WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I WOULD PREFER THAT WE WOULD, THAT WE FINISH OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THESE TECHNICAL ADVISORS AND TAKE THE TITUS IS THE NEXT ITEM, THE RESOLUTION RELATED TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE, UM, UH, TECHNICAL ADVISORS, WHICH I THINK IS ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON THE CAP METRO AGENDA.
UM, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE'LL TAKE UP THAT ITEM IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THEN, UH, YES, W I WOULD MOVE THE, UH, ITEM RELATED TO RECOMMENDING THE ATP, UH, OR UTILIZE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH EXPERIENCE IN CERTAIN FIELDS TO ASSIST THE CORPORATION AND IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM PLAN.
AND THEN AFTER WE GET, UM, OUR EMOTIONS ON THE TABLE AND I'LL HAVE A FEW COMMENTS, SECOND, THE MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, MAYOR, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET THAT TO THAT POINT, NOT ON THE CITY COUNCIL SIDE, IS THERE A MOTION COUNCILOR ALTERED? I MAY HAVE ITEM THREE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ELLIS SECONDS.
OUR MOTION IS ON THE TABLE, AS WELL AS THE CHAIR.
WELL, DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, A MEMBER KITCHEN.
I JUST WANT TO, WE WE'VE, UH, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO SOME FROM THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE AGAIN THAT, UM, THAT WE, WE HAD A WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A BREADTH OF, UM, EXPERTISE.
AND SO THIS IS OUR STRONG RECOMMENDATION TO THE ATP BOARD THAT THEY, UH, DEVELOP A MECHANISM FOR, UH, TECHNICAL ADVISORS, UH, IN A, IN A MANNER AND CAPACITY TO SAY, UH, DETERMINED.
AND ALSO JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'LL BE SENDING FORWARD ALL THE NAMES OF THE FOLKS THAT WE TALKED TO, UH, THAT APPLIED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THEM AGAIN FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE SEVEN NAMES THAT WE, UH, FELT LIKE WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WITH THEIR PARTICULAR TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.
AND THAT'S OUR EL FARRO BONDI, SAMUEL FRANCO, PATRICK HOWARD, BRENT KITTERIDGE, CINDY MATULA AND HEIDI ROSS.
AND AGAIN, I WOULD JUST SAY AGAIN, I WAS JUST SO APPRECIATIVE, UM, UH, THE LEVEL OF COMMITMENT FROM ALL OF THESE FOLKS, UH, WITH SOME IS IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THIS THING SUCCESSFUL AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR I HAVE, AND THEN REMEMBER THREATENED.
I'M VERY SIMILAR TO COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
I JUST TO THANK AGAIN, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO APPLIED OUR THREE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, THE SEVEN FOLKS THAT WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED, UH, WILL ADD A LOT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, WE PROMISED THE VOTERS THAT WE WOULD SET UP THE BOARD, UM, WITH THE THREE MEMBERS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE, UM, WE DID, AND THE ATP
[02:05:01]
IS A INDEPENDENT BOARD.AND SO WE ARE SENDING OUR RECOMMENDATION OVER BASED ON THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE INFORMATION WE HAVE FROM OUR INTERVIEWS.
UM, BUT IT IS UP TO THE ATP BOARD ITSELF TO DETERMINE THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY, UM, TO LEVERAGE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TALENTS AND THE COMMITMENT OF THESE MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT WE DID WANT TO VERY STRONGLY, UM, RECOMMEND IT AND TO COMMUNICATE, UM, HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WILLING TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE WITH MAKING THIS PROJECT A SUCCESS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF THE CAP METRO BOARD FOR PLACING YOUR TRUST AND FAITH IN ME TO SERVE ON THE INAUGURAL ATP BOARD.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST CAME UP WITH THE CRITERIA FOR THIS BACK LAST SUMMER, I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED.
I, I THOUGHT, MAN, THAT'S A, THAT'S A PRETTY HIGH BAR TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS OF EXPERTISE IN THESE PARTICULAR FIELDS.
I R HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET IN THESE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL FIELDS WITH THAT PARTICULAR LEVEL OF EXPERTISE THAT DON'T ALSO WANT TO BE A PART OF PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS BY SUBMITTING FOR THE CONTRACTS TO HELP BUILD THE SYSTEM ITSELF.
SO I HAVE TO SAY, I AM VERY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT IN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WE HAD, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THIS ALONG AND HIT SOME BENCHMARKS UNDER FEDERAL PROCESSES AND THINGS 36 APPLICANTS THAT, THAT WERE INVOLVED HERE.
UM, I AM VERY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT THAT, UH, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT JOB THAT THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE HAD TO JUST FIND US THREE THAT COULD SERVE ON THE INAUGURAL ATP BOARD.
AND TO HEAR THAT THERE WERE SO MANY STRONG CANDIDATES THAT DID POTENTIALLY MEET THE CRITERIA ONE, JUST TO BE ABLE TO COME IN THE DOOR AND THE SCREENING PROCESS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE IS OUTSTANDING AND INCREDIBLE AND SHOWS AN AMAZING COMMITMENT OF INDIVIDUALS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT HAVE THE LEVEL AND DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE IN THESE VARIOUS AREAS, UH, AS A MEMBER OF NOW THE INAUGURAL ATP BOARD, UH, I WILL JUST SAY, UH, I'M REMINDED OF, OF A PROVERB THAT SAYS, UH, PROVERBS 15, 22 PLANS FAIL FOR LACK OF COUNSEL, BUT WITH MANY ADVISORS THEY SUCCEED.
AND, UM, THE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, I'D IMAGINE A, A GREAT STAFF.
THAT'S GOING TO BE DOING AN AWFUL LOT OF RESEARCH AND STUDYING AND, AND HELPING TO PROVIDE A LOT OF, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ATP BOARD.
BUT, UH, IT DOES NOT HURT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS FROM THIS COMMUNITY THAT WILL HELP BUILD THIS THING THAT WE WILL BE USING.
AND I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING A SLATE OF OTHER ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN IN SOME FORM OR CAPACITY REQ, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE, UH, TO US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
NOT SURE HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK.
WE'VE STILL GOT THAT YET TO BE DECIDED, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS THAT THE, THAT THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE FELT SO STRONGLY ENOUGH THAT THEY WANTED TO NAME, LIST THEM BY NAME AND PROVIDE BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL AND CAP.
METRO, BRING THESE PEOPLE FORWARD BY NAME TO SAY, HEY, THESE FOLKS STAND OUT.
WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN SOME CAPACITY.
AND I, FOR ONE DO REALLY SUPPORT THIS IDEA AND CONCEPT OF SOME FORM OF EITHER A TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD OR SOME KIND OF LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT THAT WE CAN HELP GET THESE FOLKS CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED AND, UH, ADVISING US ON THESE THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH, REALLY APPRECIATE.
I APPRECIATE THIS AND I, OF COURSE, WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU, MEMBERS STRATTON, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS CAST MEMBER HARPER, MADISON UNIT TO SPEAK? I DID.
MA'AM UM, I ACTUALLY SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE.
UM, IT WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ATP ITEM.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, UH, THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN REALLY ALREADY LAID OUT.
WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, IN THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR CONSTITUENTS, THEY, THEY TRUST US.
SO TO KEEP OUR WORD, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD THAT, UH, PRETTY RESOUNDINGLY FROM, FROM THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THAT HE POINTED THAT OUT AND I JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE TO, TO ALSO OFFER MY COMMITMENT, TO MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, UM, TRUE, GENUINE TRUST AND ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, ARE GOING TO BE, UH, THE TOOLS FOR OUR SUCCESS AND THE TOOLS FOR KEEPING EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE TOGETHER, HAVING AUTHENTIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE APPROPRIATE PATH FORWARD.
UM, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO SAY THAT I ALSO WANTED TO SAY REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, ALL THE VOTERS THAT GOT US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ATP AND HAVE THESE MAGNIFICENT COMMUNITY, UM, REPRESENTATIVES ON THE,
[02:10:01]
UM, ON THE NEWLY FORMED BOARD AND, UM, UH, MEMBER STRATTON AS WELL.AND MAYOR ADLER, I, I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST STEP OF MANY, MANY STEPS THAT WE REFLECT ON WHERE WE REALLY GOT SOMETHING RIGHT.
UH, IN MY MIND'S EYE, THE REASON FOR ALL THAT SINCERE, UM, SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITIES CAME FROM THE FACT THAT WE BUILT EQUITY AND WE BAKED IT RIGHT INTO THE PLAN.
I THINK THAT WAS, UH, IMPERATIVE THAT WE DO.
SO I SAID BEFORE THAT I'M TO MAKING SURE WE HOLD UP OUR END ON THE COUNCIL, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE CONFIRMING AS A DUAL BODIES, THAT, THAT WE ALL COMMIT TO MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE KEEP OUR WORD, UM, AND THAT WE DELIVER ON THE PROMISES THAT WE MADE.
UH, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AS THE VOICE, AS A VOICE, RATHER FOR EAST AUSTIN, UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP THAT DR.
BURNETT SHOWS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S JUST SO FANTASTIC THAT SHE'S MOVING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN THIS CAPACITY.
I THINK TONY AND VERONICA ALSO BRING DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AND INVOLVEMENT, AND I'M GLAD TO HAVE THEM.
I'M SO HAPPY THAT, UM, THAT YOU ALL HAVE DECIDED IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THIS ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE PROPER ABOVE HIM, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, UH, MEMBER STRATTON GAVE A GOOD ONE BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE ANCILLARY ELEMENTS THAT REALLY LEAD US TO SUCCESS.
UH, LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MEMBERS, KITCHEN AND ALTAR COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN BOARD MEMBER MITCHELL.
UM, I CAN IMAGINE THAT VETTING ALL THOSE SUPER HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WAS TRULY A DIFFICULT TASK, ESPECIALLY IN SUCH A, IN A FASHION WHERE YOU REALLY HAD TO BE EXPEDIENT.
AND SO I, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR THE EFFORT THAT YOU PUT FORWARD.
THERE, I'M HAPPY THAT WE HAD SUCH ROBUST INTERESTS.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, I CAN'T SAY I'M SURPRISED, BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THAT MANY PEOPLE WANT TO SERVE A CAUSE A PROGRAM THAT THEY SEE AS ULTIMATELY BENEFICIAL TO EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK, UM, OUR VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED THIS PLAN THAT WE PUT BEFORE THEM.
AND THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S BUYING IN.
MOST PEOPLE ARE BUYING IN BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN WHAT IT IS W WILL HAPPEN AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE INVESTMENT.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, LASTLY THEY WANT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS TRANSFORMATIVE TRANSIT SOLUTIONS.
WE WANT TRANSFORMATIVE TRANSIT SOLUTIONS, AND I THINK THEY REALLY WANT IT SOONER THAN LATER.
SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE ATP, UM, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND REALLY APPRECIATE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER EVENT, THE VIA POINTED OUT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WILL BE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WE WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE REMIND OURSELVES AND HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR BRINGING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE.
CAUSE IT WON'T WORK WITHOUT YOU.
SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, FOR OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT FOR, UH, COMPREHENSIVE TRANSIT IN THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL BURDEN, OTHER COMMENTS.
I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY I'M OVERLOOKING SOMEBODY.
ARE YOU READY TO TAKE YOUR VOTE VERY WELL? UH, LIKE YOU, UH, CAP METRO BOARD MEMBERS, THEN I'LL ASK FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.
REMEMBER HILL PRESENT IN, UH, UM, UH, YES.
MOTION CARRIES SEVEN TO ZERO WITH ONE, NOT THE PRESENT.
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ON FUTURE ATP ADVISERS OR COMMITTEES HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
IT'S 11 ZERO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM THEN, OR THE ONE THAT I WAS TRYING TO GET IN A MOMENT AGO, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT REGARDING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
[02:15:02]
MEMBER KITCHEN.DID YOU WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION? SO I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER IT BY ACCLAMATION.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL COMMITTEE AND OTHERS MAY WANT TO BE PART OF THE, UH, UH, BE PART OF THE EMOTION.
LET'S GET THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND THEN WE CAN HAVE EACH OF OUR MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION.
UM, I MOVED, I MOVED THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, UH, UH, UNRELATED TO THE NEXT STEPS ON CREATION OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IS THERE A SECOND YET? METRO WOMAN? SORRY.
I'VE GOT TREVELYAN AND RICHARD MARIA SECONDS IN THERE.
MAYOR THAT'S FARMER KITCHEN SUGGESTED THAT THIS MIGHT BE A RESOLUTION THAT WE WOULD ALL URGE TOGETHER.
DOES ANYBODY OBJECT TO THAT? THERE IS SOME DISCUSSION NOW THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO HAVE ON THE MOTION ITSELF.
I'M JUST SAYING THE MOTION IS MADE COLLECTIVELY.
UH, SO WE'RE READY FOR DISCUSSION NOW, MR. CHAIR, I TURNED IT BACK TO YOU VERY WELL.
UH, I WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE THAT THIS, THIS, UH, THIS, UH, UH, ACTION RELATES TO THE NEXT STEP ON THE CREATION OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS A COMMITMENT THAT WE MADE TO, UH, THE VOTERS, UH, LAST SUMMER, UH, THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS STATED WHEN WE MADE THAT COMMITMENT WAS, IS TO, UH, ADVISE ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND EQUITY MATTERS.
THAT INCLUDES, UH, RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT AS A WHOLE, AS WELL AS TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE CREATION AND EVALUATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES AND PRIORITIES.
THIS IS THE VERY SPECIAL VARIABLE IMPORTANT, UH, COMMITTEE.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN THIS IS THAT IT TAKES THE NEXT STEP BY, UH, SETTING FORTH, UH, A MEMBERSHIP OF 11 MEMBERS, UH, TO BE, UH, APPOINTED BY, UH, CAPITOL METRO ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE BY THE CITY'S TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, AND THEN FOR US TO GO THROUGH, OH, VERY PUBLIC TRANSPARENT AND, UH, SAYS FOR SELECTING, UH, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, SIX MEMBERS.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE LANGUAGE THAT IS, UM, IN HERE THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IT EMPHASIZES A WIDELY PUBLICIZED NOMINATION PROCESS THAT'S ACCESSIBLE AND EASY TO MANAGE, HAVE A GATE.
IT EMPHASIZES THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LARGE DIVERSE AND QUALIFIED APPLICANT POOL.
IT EMPHASIZES A PUBLIC FACING WEB PAGE, UM, AND EMPHASIZES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROCESS POSSIBLE.
IT ALSO EMPHASIZES THAT WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IS PUTTING TOGETHER A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT HAS A DIVERSITY OF VIEWPOINTS, HAS A DIVERSITY OF GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, A DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE THAT EMPHASIZES FOLKS THAT ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND OUR USERS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
I THINK THAT THIS IS ALL VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, WHAT THIS LAYS OUT IS THE NEXT STEPS, THE COMMITMENT WE MADE, UH, LAST SUMMER AND THE, UH, THE TRUST THAT WE HAVE BUILT AND BRINGS IT FORWARD IN A MANNER THAT, UM, CONTINUES WITH AND HEARING THE PROCESS THAT OUR COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
SO, UM, I I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEXT STEP.
UM, IT HAS A TIME AN AMBITIOUS TIMELINE, UH, SO THAT, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE AMBITIOUS TIMELINE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS GROUP GETS UP AND RUNNING, UM, AND PARTICIPATE CAN PARTICIPATE IN A FORMAL WAY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO THE TIMELINE IS IT IS BY THE END OF FEBRUARY, UH, TO BOTH ALLOW FOR A, UH, PROCESS FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, NOMINATION PROCESS THAT PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE IN.
UM, AND THEN A PROCESS THAT GETS THIS, THIS COMMITTEE UP AND RUNNING IN A TIMELY WAY.
THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS, UH, COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND HER PERSISTENCE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT.
[02:20:01]
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT.UM, AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY TO STEP UP AND BE PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS APPLYING BECAUSE THEY'LL SEE THE, OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE TAKING THAT INVOLVEMENT.
SERIOUSLY, COUNCIL MEMBER IS SORRY.
WELL, I'D, I'D LIKE TO, UM, APPRECIATE YOU GETTING TO CO-SPONSOR THIS ALONGSIDE THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER PAVILION AND POOL.
UM, I WANT TO SET GET TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR JUST SAID.
UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
IT FEELS LIKE IT WAS A MILLION YEARS AGO, UM, THAT YOU SPONSORED THE FIRST RESOLUTION AT CITY HALL TO REALLY, UM, FOCUS REALLY HEAVILY ON THE EQUITY COMPONENT OF PROJECT CONNECT.
AS FOLKS SAID EARLIER TODAY, I THINK THAT REALLY HELPED, UM, WITH THE ULTIMATE PACKAGE.
I THINK IT HELPED GETTING IT PASSED.
I THINK IT WILL MAKE IT A BETTER PROJECT.
AND THEN TODAY'S ACTION, UM, SETS US UP FOR A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SO THAT THAT PROMISE CONTINUES TO GET FULFILLED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.
UM, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET GOOD PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THIS.
AND I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE TIMES, UH, WITH THIS COMMITTEE AND THE ADP BOARD THAT WE JUST SEEDED, WHERE THERE MIGHT BE DISAGREEMENTS, WHERE THERE MIGHT BE TENSION WHERE FOLKS WILL BE RAISING ISSUES.
UM, THAT'S BRINGING FOLKS IN TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS AND IT WILL MAKE THE PROJECT SO MUCH BETTER.
UM, AND HAVING THIS LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, I THINK IS WHAT CAN HELP SET THIS PROJECT APART WHERE THOSE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET CLOSER TO EQUITY ON A REALLY HARD PROJECT, UM, IS, IS WHAT ACTUALLY REALLY GETS US THERE.
SO, UM, SO I THINK THAT THIS IS, I THINK THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE SET IT UP, SETS UP BOTH ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, BUT ALSO THE REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION TO GET THIS DONE.
SO, SO THANK YOU TO THE, TO EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY FOR, FOR WORKING ON THIS, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN FOR DOING THE, THE LABOR OF, OF PUTTING THE PROPOSAL TOGETHER.
I WAS THE CAP MAPPER AND METRO REPRESENTATIVE TO ATP.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, UH, A BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN FOR HER WORK AND PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UM, AS WE HAVE STIPULATED IN THE, UH, AGREEMENT FROM THIS PAST SUMMER AND AS WE WERE OF EARLIER, UH, WE STAYED IN THERE THAT WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF VOTER APPROVAL, THAT THE CITY SHALL PROVIDE A PROCESS FOR THE CREATION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL STRATEGIES WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND CREATE AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL.
WELL, IF YOU GO TO THE TROUBLE OF CREATING THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A MEANS AND A VENUE FOR COMMUNITY INPUT AND INVOLVEMENT INTO IT, YOU'VE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE KINDA MISSING THE POINT.
SO THIS CODIFIES AND PROVIDES AN ACTUAL, REAL ACTIONABLE WAY TO ENSURE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND INPUT.
AND I PERSONALLY AM VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS BECAUSE IT SPELLS IT OUT AND IT PROVIDES FOR A PROCESS THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND INPUT PROVIDES FOR THE STRUCTURE THAT IS THERE.
AND SIMULTANEOUSLY THEN ALLOWS FOR, YOU KNOW, THE ATP BOARD TO, YOU KNOW, HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, DOING, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE GETTING DONE, UH, AT THE SAME TIME WHILE THE CITY AND CAP METRO BOARDS ARE HELPING TO, TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD THAT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO I THINK THIS WAY, IT ACTUALLY MAKES US MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE WHILE WE CAN DO THINGS IN PARALLEL THIS WAY.
AND, AND I THINK THAT IT IS A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT WELL CONSTRUCTED PLAN.
THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A LOT MORE, UH, ACTIVITY AND INVOLVEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SOME PEOPLE MAY LOOK AT IT AND SAY THAT THAT WELL IT'S FEBRUARY, SO THAT A TIGHT TIMELINE, I THINK NOW WE'VE, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW IN DECEMBER AND WE'RE GIVING THIS GIVES US A FULL TWO MONTHS TO, TO GET THAT ACTIVITY AND INVOLVEMENT.
UH, I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD THEN TO, TO, WHAT'S GOING TO COME WITH THE ULTIMATE INVOLVEMENT OF THIS COMMITTEE AS PART OF THE PROCESS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THANK YOU FOR CODIFYING THIS AND THE ACTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
REMEMBER KITCHEN HABIT QUESTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PARKED ON WHEN I WAS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL FOR THIS WAS THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE 80 PEOPLE.
AND I LIKE THE PROCESS THAT THIS RESOLUTION, UM, SETS UP AND, AND CERTAINLY IT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT HAVING THAT CREATED AN INDEPENDENT ATP BOARD, I THINK IT'D BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO CONSIDER THAT BOARD WHO, UH, WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO PUTTING, UM, MEMBERS ON THIS ADVISORY COUNCIL SINCE THEY ARE THE RECIPIENTS, I GUESS ALL, ALL THREE BOARD, CERTAINLY RECIPIENTS OF THIS ADVICE, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A PROCESS WHERE, UH, THE 80 PEOPLE WERE,
[02:25:01]
IS ABLE TO HAVE INVOLVEMENT IN THE NOMINATION PROCESS OR PERHAPS ITS OWN MEMBERS ONTO THE BOARD BOARD A YEAR.I KNOW YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? I, I THINK WE'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO THE ATP BOARD.
I MEAN, AS WE JUST HEARD FROM MEMBERS STRATTON, HAVING A PARALLEL PROCESS REALLY MAKES SENSE.
I WOULD BE, I, I LOOK FORWARD HEARING FROM THE 80 PEOPLE OR, UM, AS THEY GET SEATED, UH, THEY CAN LET US KNOW, UM, HOW THEY MIGHT WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROCESS.
I THINK, UH, IS IT YOUR INTENTION THAT THIS WOULD BE WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THEIR ABILITY TO ADD ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OR TO CREATE THEIR OWN, UH, WELL, CHEER COOPER.
I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM AND YOU'VE GOT TWO MEMBERS RIGHT HERE THAT ARE ON THAT BOARD.
SO, UM, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
I'M CERTAINLY OPEN AND I THINK WE ALL ARE OPEN TO ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF CONTRIBUTING TO IT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM AND ALSO PRESUPPOSE WHAT THEY MIGHT LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN.
THE THING, MY QUESTION WAS DIRECTED, THIS ISN'T INTENDED TO FORECLOSE ATP HAVING, UH, INVOLVEMENT IN, OH, I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
OR TO SET UP ANY ADVISORY COMMITTEES THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE.
I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
NO, IT'S NOT INTENDED TO, AND I'LL DEFER TO EITHER THE MAYOR OR THE ECONOMISTS, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE PROTECTIVE OF ATP IS AN INFANT ORGANIZATION.
THIS IS A HUGELY IMPORTANT THING, THIS COMMUNITY ADVISORY PROCESS.
AND I WANT TO BE SURE WHEN THAT BOARD HAS ITS FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY AND SAYS, WELL, WE NEED TO HAVE A VOICE IN THIS.
WE HAVE, WHAT IS THAT? AND I THINK THAT IT GETS CHANGED.
THE TWO OF YOU JUST HAD TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE ATPS, UH, THAT THIS ACTION, UH, IS NOT INTENDED TO, TO FORECLOSE ANY OF OPTIONS THAT YOU DISCUSSED AND, OR THE NP ATP WOULD DO THAT OR NOT.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THE EXCHANGE THAT YOU AND COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN HAD.
AND I THINK IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS HEARING NANNY, UH, MAYOR, I THINK WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
METRO BOARD, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, ROLE VICE CHAIR, GARZA.
REMEMBER STRATTON? I REMEMBER MITCHELL.
HEY, COLLEAGUES IS, THIS IS, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UM, I THINK IT'S ITEM FOUR, ACTUALLY.
IT'S IS IT LISTED AS ITEM FOUR ON OUR AGENDA? OKAY.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON THE AGENDA.
ONE WAS THE DISCUSSION ITEM, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, TAKE A VOTE.
THAT WAS A MEMBER OF
THAT'S WHERE I FILL OUT AGAIN.
CAN YOU DO THAT ONE MORE TIME? OKAY.
IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AS WELL.
UM, ANY FINAL REMARKS MAYOR, ANY FINAL REMARKS UP BECAUSE OUR LAST ACTION ITEM, I THINK IT IS.
I JUST LIKE TO, TO, AS WE, AS WE MOVE PAST THIS ONE, I, YOU KNOW, THE STATEMENT I GAVE AT THE OPENING, I THINK ABOUT, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF TODAY'S EVENT, OTHER PEOPLE,
[02:30:01]
UH, MANY OF US HAVE REPEATED OVER THE COURSE OF THE, OF THE ITEMS TODAY.I JUST DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNSELOR PLAN AGAIN.
I THINK THIS MAY BE HIS LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING WITH US.
UH, AND I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR, UM, UH, YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE, TO THE CITY.
UH, I ENGAGING IN SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES COUNCILS HAVE ENGAGED ON, UH, AND, UH, THIS, THIS JOB IS NOT EASY.
NO, YOU, YOU DID IT REALLY WELL.
AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE START? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN FIRST, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT MAYOR.
UM, IT IS MY LAST OFFICIAL COUNCIL MEETING AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO, I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT A EULOGY AND I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOU HAVE A G UH, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT THE END OF ANY OF THIS WORK AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE END OF MY ROLE IN THE WORST.
MY, MY CITY HALL STAFF WAS, WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
MARTY, MY CHIEF NATHAN, WHO WORKS ON, ON, ON THIS ISSUE, PARTICULAR ON TRANSPORTATION AND OTHERS, UH, KATE, LIZZIE, NATE, UH, UM, FRANKIE AND EVEN TAYLOR, WHO WAS ON MY STAFF FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS.
UM, ALL OF THE INTERNS AND, UH, FOLKS WHO HELPED, UH, REALLY, WE, WE DID SOME PRETTY SPECTACULAR WORK IN FOUR YEARS.
I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE FOR, FOR THE DISTRICT AND FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M REALLY THANKFUL TO, TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL AT TIMES GOT TO PARTNER ON DIFFERENT THINGS, EVEN WHEN WE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING.
AND I THINK WE ALL DID SOME PRETTY SPECTACULAR WORK, UM, SPENCER TO YOU AND THE STAFF, THE CITY STAFF, UH, REALLY, YOU KNOW, PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL WHEN WE HIRED YOU.
AND, UM, SO MANY OTHER REALLY, REALLY AMAZING THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S NOT A EULOGY.
UM, Y'ALL ARE THROUGH WITH ME YET.
UH, I'M GOING TO BE AROUND, THERE'S STILL BIG WORK TO BE DONE.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T TAKE COURAGEOUS VOTES BECAUSE THEY WERE POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT.
I TOOK THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT.
AND FOR THE THINGS THAT, THAT THE CITY AND THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DO.
AND I AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT SIX AND MY SUPPORTERS AND VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HELPED MAKE THESE FOUR YEARS OF PRETTY AMAZING, AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
AND, UH, AND I HAD AN, A, AN A THANK YOU TO MY CAMPAIGN TEAM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, WHO, WHO WORKED SO HARD AND SOME OF MY D SIX CONSTITUENTS AND ALL MY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONERS WHO REALLY, UM, INVESTED THEIR TIME AND ENERGY IN GETTING THIS JOB.
SO, UM, JUST BE ON THE LOOKOUT, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ME SOONER THAT SOONER THAN LATER, WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIKE IT, MAYOR YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UH, JIMMY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY.
UM, I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO TAKE REALLY SOME OF THE HARDEST BOATS I'VE EVER HAD TO TAKE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST ONE BEING ON THE POLICE CONTRACT.
WE WERE SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT.
I REMEMBER, UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST HARD ONES.
AND WE'VE TAKEN SO MANY SINCE THEN.
SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY THINGS THAT DIDN'T EVEN TOUCH YOUR DISTRICT, BUT YOU KNEW THAT THEY WERE IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY.
AND, UM, UM, THAT MEANS A LOT AS SOMEBODY WHO'S REALLY IN THE WEEDS ON TEN ONE IS THAT YOU WERE, PEOPLE WERE WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE JUST ADVOCATING FOR THEIR DISTRICT.
AND YOU ALWAYS, YOU ALWAYS WERE SO OPEN TO HEARING WHAT THE CONCERNS.
I REMEMBER YOU WANTING TO TAKE A TOUR WITH EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER AND WANTING TO KNOW THEIR DISTRICT.
AND, UM, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD, NO EULOGY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY, UM, AND YOUR, AND, AND I, I LOVE YOUR STYLE.
WE HAVE VERY SIMILAR STYLES, SO I LOVE YOUR STYLE.
AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE, UM, TO WORK WITH YOU AND TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
YEAH, NO, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT STILL HAVING YOU AROUND.
UM, I, UM, I APPRECIATE WHAT, UM, PRETEND MENTIONED ABOUT CITY-WIDE ISSUES.
I ALSO THINK THAT FOR YOUR DISTRICT AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY IN PARTICULAR, THEY WON'T BE FORGOTTEN EVER
[02:35:01]
AGAIN BY MY, ANY OF US.UM, UH, I WILL BE LOOKING AT CONDITIONAL OVERLAYS MORE SERIOUSLY FOR HER FOR GOOD.
UM, UH, AND ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CREATION OF THE LGBTQ QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU DID ON, ON POLICE REFORM, THE BUDGET THAT WE JUST PASSED, THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE SO PROUD OF, UM, THAT REALLY HARD AND DELIBERATE WORK RESPONDING IN A WAY THAT, UM, SOME OF THE CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE STRUGGLED TO RESPOND AND THEN MISLEADING PROJECT CONNECT.
I THINK IT WAS JUST SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE FOLKS IN EVERY PART OF THE CITY, UM, UM, SUPPORTING IT AND MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, UH, YOUR, YOUR COURAGE I THINK IS, UM, IT'S THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP THAT, THAT THE CITY, UH, NEEDS AND CONTINUES TO NEED.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS FROM THE CITY SIDE CHAIRMAN.
THANK YOU, GINA OR SPENCER OR RANDY VINYL.
PASS MY COMMENTS ON TO ACM AND DACA, BUT JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE HER LEADERSHIP IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, YOU KNOW, SHE CAME JUST TO THE CITY A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT IT WAS REALLY SHOWN TO BE AN INCREDIBLE VISIONARY AND INNOVATOR FOR OUR REGION.
AND, UH, THE LEGACY THAT SHE IS LAYING RIGHT NOW, UH, WILL LIVE ON FOR DECADES TO COME.
SO THANK YOU ACNP AND DACA FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND I'LL PASS IT ON.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UH, CITY, CITY MANAGER.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, REALLY WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY THANK, UM, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD FOR, UH, YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND YOUR COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP AND, AND THE HISTORIC VOTE THAT YOU'VE TAKEN TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOUR STAFFS AND THE STAFF, UM, IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WHO HAS BEEN A STALWART SUPPORTS FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, YOU'LL BE HAPPY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ONE-ON-ONES ON YOUR CALENDARS WITH US GOING FORWARD, BUT WE APPRECIATE, UM, ALL OF THE COURAGEOUS WORK AND THE HISTORIC VOTE THAT YOU'VE TAKEN TODAY, AND THE TRUST THAT YOU'VE PLACED IN US TO, TO IMPLEMENT THIS SYSTEM.
UM, JUST QUICKLY AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU VERY, VERY MUCH TODAY IS HISTORIC IT'S.
IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT WILL BE DOING GREAT WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY LONG AFTER ALL OF US HAVE OUR ROLES.
AND WE GET TO LOOK BACK AND RIDE TRAINS AND BUSES THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WORK SO HARD ON THE LAST TWO YEARS TO PUT TOGETHER.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TRANSFORM THIS COMMUNITY IN A POSITIVE WAY, BEYOND MANY OF US, EVEN HOW WE REALIZE RIGHT NOW, I THINK 10 YEARS FROM NOW, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK AND REALLY THINK HOW TRANSFORMATIONAL 2020 WAS IN THE, IN THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN.
UM, SPENCER SAID IT RIGHT, GINA IS DOING JUST AN AMAZING JOB.
AND I REALLY COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER PARTNER IS JUST, UH, EVERY DAY.
I I'M THANKFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND JUST OUR TEAMS WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.
I KNOW YOU ALL SEE THAT, UH, FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT I CAN'T EMPHASIZE HOW CLOSE THE TEAMS ARE REALLY, UH, BUT COME TOGETHER AND EVERYONE LOOKS AT IT AS ONE UNIFIED MISSION.
UM, AND I HOPE ALL THE STAFF ENJOYS SOME HOLIDAY TIME.
UH, I, I WILL LAY OFF THEM A LITTLE BIT AS THE CHAIR LIKES TO SAY, I GIVE EVERYONE A BREAK SO WE CAN HIT 21 REALLY HARD.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I, AS A THANKFUL TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL THE, AND ALL THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I DID WANT TO ACTUALLY END WITH, UH, THINKING SPECIFICALLY COUNCIL MEMBER FLANIGAN, AND, UH, MY BOARD MEMBER, DAHLIA GARZA, AND MAYOR PRO TEM AS WELL.
BUT, UH, BOTH OF YOU ARE JUST STEADFAST ADVOCATES OF TRANSIT.
YOU BOTH, UH, HAVE BEEN JUST VERY SUPPORTIVE.
I'M VERY MUCH ENJOYED WORKING WITH BOTH OF YOU.
UH, I KNOW YOU, UH, WILL BE TEXTING ME WHEN YOU'RE ON THE BUS AND IF THERE'S AN ISSUE AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THERE'S REALLY POSITIVE THINGS.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT TRANSIT AND MAKING SURE THE SYSTEM WE, UH, EXPAND IS, IS GREAT FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR BOTH OF YOU SPECIFICALLY, ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR, UH, THAT THIS EFFORT.
THANK YOU, RANDY COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY AGAIN, UM, I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ACTION TODAY.
I THINK THAT, UM, THAT WE, UH, HAVE A VERY STRONG PARTNERSHIP, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY CITY COUNCIL, THE KENT METRO BOARD, AND WITH ATP AND I'M, I AM CONFIDENT THAT ATP WILL BE A STRONG PARTNER, UH, IN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WELCOME THEIR PARTICIPATION WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[02:40:01]
WANT TO SAY THAT I'M, I'M QUITE CERTAIN THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FLANIGAN WILL BE WITH US IN THE FUTURE AS HE HAS IN THE PAST.AND I APPRECIATE HIS, UM, HIS, UH, STRONG SUPPORT FOR TRANSIT AND ALSO ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HIM ON WAS THE POLICE CONTRACT.
SO, UH, I, I, I APPRECIATE HIS, UM, I DO APPRECIATE HIS COURAGE AS OTHERS HAVE SAID.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FLANIGAN.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA.
I'M HAVING SOME CHALLENGES WITH MY COMPUTER, SO IT'S HARD TO KEEP MY HAND.
SO I WANTED TO JUST START BY, UM, THIS, THESE MEETINGS TEND TO HAVE LOTS OF THANKS INVOLVED.
UM, AND I WANT TO ADD TO THOSE THAT WERE RAISED ON, THANK YOU FOR, FOR OUR STAFF, UH, AT METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS WORK IN PREPARING FOR PREPARING A PLAN IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
AND THIS IS AS WELL, LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK ABOUT JUST A LITTLE BIT COMMUNITY ADVOCATES RALLIED AROUND THE PLAN AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS THAT HELP IT FULLER AND MORE COMPREHENSIVE, MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OPERATES.
I TAKE SERIOUSLY THE COMMENTS THAT WERE RAISED TODAY, UM, BY OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS TO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, CONTINUING TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROCESSES AND ALL OF THE GOOD FEEDBACK FROM MEMBERS.
THAT'S ANOTHER KITCHEN FOR LEADERSHIP, UM, ON, UM, ESPECIALLY ON HOUSING HOUSING, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS, UM,
UM, SO THERE IS, THERE'S LOTS OF CHALLENGES AND LOTS OF SACRIFICES, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TO YOUR DISTRICT
THIS IS REALLY A HISTORIC DAY.
YOU KNOW, WE, I WORKED ON ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT BOND, ELECTION TRANSPORTATION AND GOT ONE DONE, AND THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT, GREAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST GREAT THAT WE'RE BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND, AND IT WAS, UH, IT WAS NOT, UH, UH, IT WAS KIND OF HARD, BUT IT WAS AN EASY SELL WITH SUCH GREAT LEADERSHIPS LIKE MANDY AND I, SPENCER, ESPECIALLY WADE AND THE MAYOR THERE Y'ALL DID AN OUTSTANDING WORK YOU'RE OUT THERE PROMOTING IT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAD MY COLLEAGUES AND ME, THEY DAILY ARE REALLY PUSHING FOR IT.
AND, UH, SO, UM, I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE A PART OF TEAM THAT HAVE DONE THIS AND PULL, PUSH THIS OVER.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO AND BUILD THIS REALLY GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE OUR PEOPLE AROUND AUSTIN IN A VERY SAFE MANNER.
I REALLY LOOKED UP TO YOU THERE.
AND, UH, UH, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO FAR, CAUSE I LEFT.
YOUR BOSS IS SAYING, I'M GOING TO MEET YOUR RESOURCE.
THEY'VE BEEN PAID BACK ON A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON IN YOUR AREA.
SO, UH, EVERYBODY GOING TO BE OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY, YOU KNOW, PULLING YOUR STRAIGHT AND YOU SAY, HEY, MAN, I NEED SOME ADVICE.
SO I HAVE YOUR NUMBER NOW AND I'LL CALL YOU UP.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A COPY AND A FRIEND.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, ANYBODY ELSE? I'VE MISSED COUNCIL MEMBER.
I WANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST RECOGNIZE OUR STAFF UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MS. VAN DONKA, UM, AND MR. KRONK, UM, AND CAP METRO UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MR. CLARK.
UM, THIS IS A HISTORIC DAY, UM, TO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, UH, MANY OF WHOM PROBABLY, UM, COULD RECITE THE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN AND THEIR SLEEP.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE HEARD IT SO MANY TIMES AND DELIVERED IT AND, AND REALLY IT'S THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THINGS.
SO, UM, TO OUR CAP, METRO BOARD MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR AND MAYOR, MAYOR ADLER.
UM, I WANT TO ALSO, UM, ADD MY THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER FLANIGAN.
UM, WE WORKED TOGETHER ON A WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES THAT, UM,
[02:45:01]
WERE IMPORTANT TO BOTH OF OUR DISTRICTS AND PARTICULARLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON THE POLICE CONTRACT BACK IN 2017 IN 2018, UM, WAS THE START OF A VERY LONG PROCESS.AND I THINK FOR US, UM, A GROWTH EXPERIENCE, UM, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS AND HOW IT COULD WORK BETTER.
UM, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, UM, IN MOVING US THROUGH, UM, SOME CHALLENGING ISSUES.
AND I HOPE THAT WITH THIS BEING YOUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT CONNECT AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION, UM, TO THAT, UM, AS A, AS A, AS A NICE, A NICE WAY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY, REALLY REFLECT ON THE CONCH MANY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT YOU MADE.
UM, AND I, I BELIEVE THIS IS ALSO PROBABLY MAYOR PRO TEM CARLOS, LAST MEETING AS WELL.
UM, AND SO THANK YOU, WE'VE ALREADY MADE REMARKS BEFORE, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO, TO LET THAT GO UNACKNOWLEDGED AS WELL.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, ANYBODY ELSE THAT I HAVE MISSED NUMBER COOL WAS THAT, UH, YOU WANTED TO SPEAK WELL, IT WAS A THUMBS UP TO INDICATE MY ECHOING, UM, UM, THE, THE BROAD ARRAY OF REALLY NICE COMMENTS ON ALL TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE HERE TODAY.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK SO CLOSELY WITH CAP METRO BOARD AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IT'S BEEN A HELL OF A YEAR, AND WE'RE ALL GLAD TO BE SEEING THE END OF IT.
UM, WHILE ALSO KNOWING THAT WE'VE GOT TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AHEAD OF US.
SO, UM, WITH ALL THE GOOD WISHES AND EVERYTHING FOR, UH, A HAPPY AND SAFE AND MASK WEARING HOLIDAY SEASON, UM, I, I JUST THINK EVERYBODY HERE FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND, AND IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN.
UM, I'LL JUST MAKE TWO QUICK TWO OR THREE QUICK COMMENTS, UH, FIRST, UH, GOODBYE TO OUR VICE CHAIR AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR NEW JOB.
AND MY FAVORITE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE AGGIES, UH, AND, UH, WE WISH YOU THE BEST AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A LOYAL COLLEAGUE WHO HAS ALWAYS HAD A HEART FOR THOSE WHO DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A VOICE.
SO, UM, YOU'VE BEEN A WONDERFUL COLLEAGUE AND WE WISH YOU WELL ON YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FINALLY AGAIN ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US AT CAP METRO, THANK YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN A STALWART FOR CAP METRO AND, UH, FOR, UH, PROJECT CONNECT IN PARTICULAR.
WE FIRST GOT ON MY RADAR SCREEN WHEN THE SALT TIO PLAZA, UH, WAS BEING APPROVED.
AND I REMEMBER SOMEBODY SAYING SOMEBODY, I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T BUILD A TALL BUILDING AT THE INTERSECTION OF A RAIL LINE, AND
SO FROM ALL OF US CAP, METRO, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH, THANK YOU FOR OUR STAFFS, FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY MANAGER, CRONK AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, PHAN DACA.
AND OF COURSE, RANDY, UH, AND ALL OF OUR RESPECTIVE TEAMS, WHO'VE WORKED SO HARD THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, BUT THROUGH THE ENGINEERS AND CONSULTANTS WHO, UH, QUIETLY LABORED BEHIND THE SCENES, UH, SO HARD THIS YEAR, IF YOU HAD SAID A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PANDEMIC AND, UH, AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND CAP METRO STAFFS AND BOARDS ARE GOING TO COLLABORATE AND MEET REPEATEDLY, UH, AND GET THIS THING DONE IN THE MIDST OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, WHO WOULD HAVE GIVEN US A SNOWBALL'S CHANCE.
BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL LOOK BACK AND SAY, YEAH, WE DID GOOD WORK.
AND THAT I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE COOPERATION.
AND FINALLY, A MAYOR I'M ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DRIVE IN THIS, IN THIS DIRECTION AND GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
SO I WISH YOU ALL A, UH, A, UH, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, UH, TO ALL OF US A BETTER NEW YEAR.
AND, UH, UNLESS THERE'S ANY, UH, OTHER BUSINESS OF THE CAP METRO BOARD WE'LL STAND ADJOURNED AT THREE 58 MAYOR, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
IT'S AN HONOR, AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH, UH, WITH EACH OF YOU, UH, URGE EVERYBODY, YOU GUYS, AND EVERYBODY LISTENING TO, TO HAVE A SAFE, UH, HOLIDAY.
UH, THE VACCINE IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY MAKES IT TO THE, TO THE VACCINE.
UH, AND WITH THAT, IT IS, UM, THREE 59 CITY COUNCIL MEETING ALSO ADJOURN
[02:50:06]