[00:00:07]
UM, SO AS SOON AS HER AVI, CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT YOU HAVE THE SLIDE DECK THAT I PROVIDED THE TIMELINE? YES, WE DO.
SHE HAS RIGHT FLIP OVER AND ATTENDEES.
AS MUCH AS I DO, THE FIRE WORLD WAS SPECTACULAR.
THE POETRY WAS JUST, I CAN NOT HAVE WORDS FOR IT.
IT'S JUST SO EXCITING TO, TO SEE A 22 YEARS OLD, HAVE SUCH TALENT AND SUCH PUT IN SUCH HARD WORK TO DO ALL THOSE RESEARCH.
DO YOU WANT IT TO WORK? AMY? CAN YOU HEAR US? YES.
YOU HAVE TO TURN ON YOUR VIDEO.
CAN WE BRING OVER PHILLIPA GAZA INTO PANELISTS? YEAH.
SO W WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, MOVE PHILIPPE IN RIGHT NOW.
I THINK HE'S HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF CONNECTION ISSUES BECAUSE WEBEX APPLICATION IS NOT ACTUALLY ALLOWING ME TO MOVE HIM.
UM, WHILE WE WAIT FOR PHILIPPA AND AMY TO JOIN US, UH, WE JUST RECEIVED THE MEETING MINUTES FROM DECEMBER.
I'M GOING TO THROW IT OUT THERE WHEN WE GET TO THAT AGENDA ITEM THAT WE CAN POSTPONE IT TILL NEXT MONTH.
IF Y'ALL FEEL Y'ALL NEED TIME TO REVIEW IT.
UM, OTHERWISE IT WAS JUST SENT TO US VIA EMAIL.
OKAY, WELL, I'LL HAVE TO OPEN MY EMAIL, BUT MAYBE I CAN READ THEM ON THE PHONE.
CAN YOU SEE ME NOW? YOU SEE YOU NOW.
SOMEONE MAY NEED TO REACH OUT TO PHILIPPE TO SEE IF HE CAN TRY TO RECONNECT.
UM, AND IF WORSE COMES TO WORST AND HE TRIES RECONNECTING AND THAT DOESN'T WORK, WE'LL PROBABLY JUST HAVE TO CALL IN.
DOES ANYONE HAVE HIS NUMBER HANDY? I CAN TEXT HIM.
WHAT AM I, WHAT AM I ASKING HIM? JUST TO TRY TO RECONNECT AGAIN? YEAH.
AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, HE MAY HAVE TO CALL IN WHY IS IT MAKING ME SIGN ONLINE TO THE STUPID THING? I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.
WE, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE THE OPTION OF POSTPONING THAT TILL NEXT MONTH.
SO IF THAT'S WHAT YOU PREFER, LET'S, LET'S MAKE THAT MOTION AT THE TIME.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK EVERYBODY TO, TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE MUTED SO THAT UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK SO THAT WE DON'T GET ANY FEEDBACK, ANY FEEDBACK OR BACKGROUND NOISES, AND WITH THAT, HOPEFULLY PHILIPPE WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN US.
[CALL TO ORDER]
CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE ARTS COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY, JANUARY 21ST, FIVE 35, UH, VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING.UH, I'M GOING TO TAKE ROLL JUST TO MAKE SURE WE ALL KNOW WE'RE HERE.
I SEE VICE-CHAIR POLAR COMMISSIONER, MOCK COMMISSIONER, VAN DYKE, UH, AND COMMISSIONER KEATON, LAST VIDEO.
BUT CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT YOU'RE STILL WITH US? OH, WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO COMMISSIONER KEATON AS WELL TO RESTART.
[00:05:01]
HAVING INTERNET TROUBLES.UM, BUT WE STILL HAVE QUORUM WITHOUT COMMISSIONER KEY.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMUNICATION.MY UNDERSTANDING WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS ON THE LINE AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT I FORGOT TO PULL UP THE LIST.
I BELIEVE BRIAN WAS THE FIRST ONE.
AND WE HAVE, I GUESS THEY REQUESTED, UH, AN INTERPRETER.
I'M HEARING SOMEONE SAY HELLO.
I'M SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE CDS AND COMMUNICATION AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.
YEAH, EVERYONE ON THE PHONE SHOULD BE MUTED AND WE SHOULD ONLY BE HEARING FROM BRIAN RIGHT NOW.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SYLVIA, YOU SHOULD.
UM, CAN EVERYBODY STAY MUTED? UM, MOST EVERYBODY IS SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM FOUR, A ONE, THERE WILL ONLY BE TWO SPEAKERS ON CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, AND WE DO NOT HAVE HIS PHONE NUMBER.
SO WHOEVER THE, UM, UM, SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER IS THAT WE'LL BE, UM, INTERPRETING FOR BRIAN.
IF YOU CAN LET US KNOW, JUST SPEAK UP ON THE PHONE.
IF EVERYBODY ELSE CAN BE QUIET, BUT LET US KNOW THAT THE INTERPRETER IS HERE.
SO THE AB TECH CAN, UM, CONNECT YOU FOR THE CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS.
HELLO, THIS IS THE INTERPRETER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
HELLO, THIS IS BRIAN HERE, BRIAN TESLA, AND I AM A DESK.
UH, I WORK WITH AUSTIN DEAF THEATER, AND I, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU TODAY AT THIS TIME.
AND I WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DEAF AUSTIN THEATER.
WE ARE A NEW NON-PROFIT THEATER COMPANY, AND WE JUST WERE ESTABLISHED DURING 2017.
AND NOW WE HAVE FINALLY STARTED FULL PRODUCTION.
AND BEFORE COVID PRIOR TO COVID, THIS PLAN WAS TO START APPLYING FOR CITY FUNDING AND WE WERE LEARNING AND RESEARCHING THE PROCESS.
AND NOW IT SEEMS THAT THE PROCESS WILL BE CHANGING HERE SOON.
AND SO AS A NEW COMPANY, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING WITH HAVING TO LEARN THIS NEW PROCESS AND SYSTEM DUE TO COVID AND AT THE SAME TIME DEALING WITH COVID, IT WOULD BE GREAT.
IF WE, AS A THEATER COMMUNITY WERE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, WE ARE THE ONES WHO WILL BE APPLYING FOR FUNDING, AND WE FEEL THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CITY.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE ALL CAN HAVE EQUAL EQUITY, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
I ALSO AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS NEW PROCESS TO ALLOW A NONPROFIT COMPANY, TO APPLY FOR A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY, TO APPLY THAT IF YOU ALLOW FOR PROFITS, IT REALLY REDUCES OUR OPPORTUNITY TO GET FUNDING.
[00:10:01]
AND A VERY DIFFERENT THEATER COMPANY, WE ONLY SERVED THE DEAF COMMUNITY AND DEAF AND MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COMMUNITY ARE FASCINATED WITH OUR PRODUCTION, WITH THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES BEING REDUCED, WE WILL NOT SURVIVE.SO I WOULD REALLY ASK THAT YOU PAUSE THIS NEW PROCESS AND RESTRUCTURE THE ART FUND.
AND I'D LIKE TO END WITH SAYING THAT I AM WALKING ALONG WITH OTHER ARTISTS FOR EQUITY.
NOW I STAND WITH AUSTIN ARTISTS FOR EQUITY.
NOW WE ARE ASKING YOU TO PAUSE THIS PROCESS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR TO ANYONE THAT'S LISTENING OR WATCHING IT, THAT THAT WAS SOUNDED LIKE A COMMON FOR THE LATER AGENDA ITEMS. SO WE WILL BE TAKING THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS AT THAT TIME WHEN WE TAKE UP THAT AGENDA ITEM.
BUT FOR NOW, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE, UH, GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS, UH, DAVID
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
UH, FIRST TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME TO YOUR MEETING TO SPEAK.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE MIS BODY AND THOSE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
UM, I WANT YOU TO COME, UH, SPEAK AT YOUR MEETING TODAY TO JUST GIVE EVERYBODY A LITTLE UPDATE ON OUR PHASE TWO EXPANSION AND TO, UM, ASK FOR ALL OF Y'ALL'S IN OUR CURRENT PHASE, UH, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER IN 2018 RECEIVED BOND FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR CENTER INTO WHAT WE ARE CALLING THE PHASE TWO EXPANSION.
UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE A JOINT VENTURE DESIGN TEAM OF WORLD-CLASS ARCHITECTS, MOREAU RIVERA ARCHITECTS HERE IN AUSTIN AND TATI ON THEIR BILBAO FOR MEXICO CITY, CURRENTLY WORKING ON A BUILDING PROGRAMMING PHASE, UH, THE 2018, UH, PRIOR TO THE 2018 BOND.
WE ALSO HAVE THE 2018 MASTER PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY, WHICH HAD AN ESTIMATED BUDGET THAT EXCEEDS OUR CURRENT AND FUNDS FOR THE PHASE TWO EXPANSION.
OUR BUILDING PROGRAM AND PHASE CURRENTLY IS SEEKING PUBLIC INPUT ON WHAT PARTS OF THE, OF THE 2018 MASTER PLAN, UH, ARE OF MOST IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS WHY I'M SPEAKING TO YOU ALL.
NOW WE HAVE A SPEAK-UP AUSTIN PAGE, UH, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S SPEAK UP AUSTIN.COM, BACKSLASH M A S DASH M A CC.
MY SMACK THERE, YOU CAN FIND ALL THE INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THE PHASE TWO EXPANSION, AS WELL AS AN OPEN SURVEY RIGHT NOW WHERE YOU AND ANYBODY ELSE CAN PROVIDE INPUT INTO THE PROCESS.
AND THEN, SO THE CURRENT, UM, PROGRAMMING BUILDING PHASE, THIS BUILDING PHASE WILL END AT THE END OF THAT, UH, SCHEDULED TO END AROUND THE END OF FEBRUARY.
WE'RE IN THE DESIGN JOINT VENTURE TEAM WILL BEGIN TO CREATE THE DESIGN AND THE PLANS FOR OUR EXPANSION.
WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED, AND WE DEFINITELY WANT THIS PROCESS TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE AS PR AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO WE WERE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT AND PARTICIPATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER UPDATES IN THE FUTURE AS REQUESTED, BUT HAPPY TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE AND APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
UM, I WAS GOING TO ASK IF YOU COULD FORWARD THAT EMAIL INVITING WITH THE, WITH THE LINK, BUT I THINK I I'VE RECEIVED IT SINCE I'M ON PART EMAIL LIST.
I'LL MAKE SURE STAFF SHARES THAT WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, AND WILL, AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE CITIZENS' COMMUNICATION.
UH, AS WHO'S MENTIONED, AND AS I MENTIONED, WE'LL TAKE UP THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS, UH, WHEN WE TAKE UP THE AGENDA ITEM.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES.WE RECEIVED THEM KIND OF LATE AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL NEXT MONTH.
MOTION BIPOLE GERTA POSTPONE APPROVAL OF MINUTES UNTIL NEXT MONTH, SECONDED BY FLORES.
OR DOES YOU HAVE A COMMENT? OH, JUST I CAN THINK.
UM, HEARING NO OBJECTIONS, UH, THAT'S GOING TO BE PASSED ON CONSENT.
WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT NEXT MONTH.
UH, I DID WANT TO NOTE FOR THE MINUTES THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER GARZA AND COMMISSIONER KEY AND JOINED US RIGHT BEFORE WE STARTED, UH, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
AND SO NEXT UP IS THE CHAIR'S REPORT,
[00:15:07]
QUOTE,[2.a. New Year]
HUMANS OF THE PLANET EARTH.WHILE YOU SLEPT THE WORLD CHANGED AND QUOTE THAT'S PROFESSOR X POWERS OF X ISSUE, NUMBER 10.
WHAT IF TODAY WAS THE RAPTURE AND YOU COMPLETELY TARNISHED, THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.
SO TO ME, BE COMPLETELY HONEST, YOU'RE DYING OF THIRST.
SO HOP IN THAT WATER AND PRAY THAT IT WORKS AND QUOTE, KENDRICK LAMAR SING ABOUT ME.
I'M DYING OF THIRST, YOUR SOY CASTILLO.
FIRST-GENERATION CIS-GENDER MEXICANO FROM THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO.
I LIVED IN SOUTH AUSTIN SINCE 1994.
I ATTENDED AND GRADUATED FROM TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL.
OUR MASCOT WAS LITTLE RIB CONFEDERATE REBEL.
AM I A BROWN MAN? WHAT WE NORMALLY
IN SOME WAYS THE PANDEMIC HAS COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED OUR LANDSCAPE.
IN OTHER WAYS, IT'S YET ANOTHER OBSTACLE IN THE DAILY CHALLENGES OF BLACK INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE FACE OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND THE CULTURE OF WHITE SUPREMACY.
IF YOU HEARD ABOUT RATATOUILLE THE TIK TOK MUSICAL, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IF YOU ACTUALLY WATCHED IT, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IF YOU KNEW THAT THEY RAISED OVER ALMOST $2 MILLION IN TICKET SALES, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT ORACLE MOVING THEIR HEADQUARTERS TO AUSTIN? DID YOU HEAR THAT TESLA'S BUILDING THEIR GIGAFACTORY IN THE AUSTIN ETJ RIGHT NEAR THE AIRPORT? OR HOW ABOUT THE TESLA'S GOING TO REPLACE MUSIC LAB ON ST.
ELMO WITH A SHOWROOM MORE THAN ONE OF PEOPLE SAY THAT THERE'LL BE IN QUOTE UNQUOTE SURVIVAL MODE IN 2021, ACCORDING TO A FIDELITY INVESTMENTS, ANNUAL NEW YORK FINANCIAL RESOLUTION STUDY, SURVIVAL MODE IS A SHORT-TERM FEAR-BASED MODE OF THINKING THAT YOU ENTER WHEN YOUR FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE IS TRIGGERED.
LAST MONTH, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL QUOTED GOVERNOR ABBOTT CREDITING THE STATE'S BUSINESS FRIENDLY POLICIES FOR WHY TECH COMPANIES ARE MOVING HERE.
QUOTE REGULATIONS ARE A HINDRANCE TO INNOVATION.
THE LEADERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT COMING TO AUSTIN FOR SOCIALLY LIBERAL REASONS AND QUOTE.
THEY ALSO QUOTED MAYOR ADLER, QUOTE IT'S PROGRESSIVE SOCIALLY, AND A REALLY ENTREPRENEURIAL, INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE, WELCOMING PLACE, A PLACE THAT'S RISK-TOLERANT WHERE IT'S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT AND QUOTE.
SO WHICH ONE IS IT? IS AUSTIN CREATIVE? IS IT WELCOMING OR RISK TOLERANT? IS IT OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT? HONESTLY, I'M NOT FEELING IT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S HELPFUL TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW I'M FEELING AND IT'S HELPFUL TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW YOU'RE FEELING.
CAUSE WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH A PANDEMIC, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR STRESS, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SADNESS, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR UNCERTAINTY, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR IGNORANCE, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR DISCOMFORT, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEAR.
COVID HAS DECIMATED OUR CREATIVE AND EVENTS BASED INDUSTRIES THIS PAST YEAR ACKNOWLEDGE HOW IT'S AFFECTING YOU, ACKNOWLEDGE HOW YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE THE COVID RICK GRIMES WORKING TO BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT IS
[00:20:01]
EQUITABLE, RESILIENT, AND WELCOMING WHERE IT IS OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT? OR ARE YOU GOING TO BE THE COVID NAGIN OR THE COVID GOVERNOR REBUILDING YOUR SILOS AND DEFENDING THEM AGAINST ANYONE THAT DOESN'T NEATLY FIT IN OBSTRUCTING THE PROGRESS OF A MORE OPEN COMMUNITYAND WE DID IT NOT BY IGNORING TOURISTS, BUT INSTEAD BY EMBEDDING CULTURE INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AND CULTIVATING BROADER AND DEEPER SUPPORT, CULTIVATE LEADERSHIP DEVELOP CURRENT AND EMERGING LEADERS TO ENSURE AND ENCOURAGE EQUITY REFLECT THE GROWING DIVERSE POPULATION OF AUSTIN.
THREE FOSTER COLLABORATION CONTRIBUTE TO AUSTIN'S ROBUST ARTS ECOSYSTEM FOR INSPIRE EVOLUTION THAT XIV ADVANCEMENT THROUGH INNOVATION AND RESILIENCY.
UM, OUR LIAISON IS NOT HERE TONIGHT, SO I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE RECEIVING AN AIPP LIAISON REPORT.
UM, I WILL SAY FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS LIAISONS, I WILL SAY THAT I'VE
[2.c. Boards & Commissions liaisons]
BEEN HAVING INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS WITH CULTURAL CENTERS.UH, AND I HOPE TO BRING BACK SOME MORE INFORMATION, UH, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
[3.a. Hotel Occupancy Tax update – Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Acting Economic Development Department Director]
MOVING ON TO STAFF BRIEFINGS, UH, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX UPDATE WITH SYNOVIA.IF YOU COULD BRING UP MY SLIDE, IF NOT, I CAN.
IF YOU GO TO SLACK TOO, JUST AS PROMISED, WANT IT TO BRING AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF COLLECTIONS FOR, UH, F Y 21, WHICH BEGINS OCTOBER ONE OF 2020 AND ENDS INSEAD ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021.
UH, IN DECEMBER, THE ACTUAL COLLECTIONS WAS $56,136 AS COMPARED TO DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
SO A SLIGHT INCREASE AND TO DATE WE'VE COLLECTED $849,000, WHICH IS ABOUT 11% OF THE BUDGET.
AND I WILL, AGAIN, CONTINUE TO BRING YOU THESE UPDATES AND ANY PERTINENT INFORMATION, UM, AS WE PROCEED FORWARD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE REPEATED WHAT YOU JUST SAID TO UNDERLINE THE
[00:25:01]
SEVERITY OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT WHAT YOU JUST SHOWED US.UM, I'M JUST SHOWING YOU ACTUAL ASSISTS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR WE ARE IN EVERY YEAR, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR CLOSELY THE COLLECTIONS AND, UH, WE WILL KEEP, UM, BRINGING YOU THE MONTHLY UPDATES AND, UM, ANY OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGHOUT QUESTION, I HAVE A QUESTION, SORRY.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UM, JUST WHY DECEMBER LAST YEAR WAS SO LOW.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE HOT TAX HAS COME IN AT DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT, UH, DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR SEEING SO LOW IN COMPARISON TO THIS YEAR WHEN WE'RE OBVIOUSLY DURING COVID AND WE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT RECEIVING THE REVENUES OBVIOUSLY FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO MONTHS SHOW THAT, BUT, UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY LAST YEAR, DECEMBER WAS SO, SO LOW, UM, CAUSE WE SEEM TO BE DOING BETTER THIS DECEMBER THAN LAST TIME.
AND THAT SEEMS ILLOGICAL, I THINK, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MONTH BEFORE, IT WAS DEFINITELY OPPOSITE COLLECTIONS BASED ON A 30 DAY AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE MONTH.
SO IT COULD BE A DELAY, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SPECIFIC DETAILS.
I'M JUST, UM, I'M LOOKING AT A NUMBER AND I'M VERY CONCERNED THE OCTOBER, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY, I MEAN, IF YOU CAN BRING BACK THE LINE.
UM, SO, SO FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IS SO ARE YOU CONCERNED? YOU SEE LIKE OCTOBER, YOU KNOW, IT IS.
I MEAN, SO, SO, SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, ARE YOU CONCERNED AS MUCH AS I DO? UM, WELL, AS, UM, THE ACTING DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DEFINITELY MONITORING ALL OF OUR FUNDS.
UM, MATH IS AN EXACT SCIENCE, SO, UM, YES, I, I HAVE, UM, CONCERNS, BUT AGAIN, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENTS WITH OUR BUDGET OFFICE AND CONVENTION CENTER.
AND AGAIN, CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND BRING BACK ANY, UH, PERTINENT INFORMATION OR SUGGESTIONS AS WE MOVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS GOING TO, SO WE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE WONDERFUL, YOU KNOW, MATTHEW AND WHILE THE OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING VIRTUAL.
SO, SO I GUESS OUR HOT FUN, UH, WILL NOT BE BENEFITED, YOU KNOW, FROM THIS VIRTUAL, UM, I GUESS OPERATION.
UM, SO, SO, SO WHICH MEANS THAT, UH, AGAIN, THIS YEAR WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THIS, UH, SUPPOSEDLY THE, UH, MAJOR INCOME, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FUN DURING THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO I AM LOOKING AT A FIGURE AND THEN WE HAVE LIKE, YOU KNOW, LITTLE TENUE, UH, TO LOOK AT THIS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, DEFICIENCY, I GUESS.
AND, AND AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT, UH, WAS FACTORED IN, IN TERMS OF THE ESTIMATE ESTIMATED REVENUE THAT COULD COME IN FOR THE YEAR.
SO THAT WAS FACTORED IN, AND AGAIN, WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR IT, UM, VERY CLOSELY.
UH, I AM CONCERNED, UH, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR NO PROBLEM.
UH, COMMISSIONER BEN, CAN I SEE THE SLIDE AGAIN IN, CAN WE HAVE A COPY OF IT, PLEASE? YES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON, UH, STAFF
[3.b. Cultural Funding update – Meghan Wells, Cultural Arts Division Manager]
BRIEFINGS V CULTURAL FUNDING UPDATE WITH MEGAN.[00:30:01]
BRING UP MY PRESENTATION? I'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT 12 SLIDES WITH EVERYBODY.AND YOU CAN MOVE TO THE FIRST SLIDE.
I'D LIKE TO JUST SHARE SOME THOUGHTS AND REMINDERS OF WHERE WE'VE COME FROM, WHAT WE'VE HEARD, WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TOGETHER.
OUR CULTURAL COMMUNITY INCLUDES A BROAD AND DEEP POOL OF PRACTITIONERS AND PRODUCERS, AND IN A COOPERATIVE EFFORT TO ENHANCE EQUITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND ACCESS ACROSS ALL HOT TECH, HOT TEXTS, FUNDED PROGRAMMING ADMINISTERED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, THE CULTURAL ARTS MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT AND HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISIONS ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO PROPOSE CHANGES TO OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS THROUGH A SHARED VISION AND VALUES, GUIDING PRINCIPLES, INTERNAL BEST PRACTICES AND POLICIES, COMMON EVALUATION STANDARDS, AND STRATEGIC OUTCOMES.
OUR PROGRAMS WILL DIFFER, BUT WE ARE UNITED IN SEEKING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH AN EQUITABLE PROCESS AND WITH, UH, WITH AS MUCH CONSISTENCY AS POSSIBLE.
NEXT SLIDE, THIS PROCESS IS LED THROUGH OUR RACIAL EQUITY LENS.
YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING THE CITY'S EQUITY GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE A POINT IN TIME AT WHICH RACE IS NO LONGER A PREDICTOR OF QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES.
THE CITY ACKNOWLEDGES INTERSECTIONALITY.
THE DATA SHOWS CLEARLY THAT RACE IS THE MOST RELIABLE PREDICTOR OF THESE OUTCOMES.
THIS PROCESS IS ROOTED IN NORMALIZING OR ORGANIZING AND OPERATIONALIZING EQUITY THROUGH IN OUR CASE CULTURAL FUNDING AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 2023, AS WELL AS WITH OUR CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW EQUITY IS NOT A SEPARATE EFFORT.
WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT FURTHER OTHERING OR MARGINALIZING OR DISPLACING GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS THROUGH GOOD INTENTIONS.
AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE THIS WORK THROUGH ALL OF CAT'S PROGRAMS, TO BROADEN AND DEEPEN COMMUNITY ACCESS TO CITY INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS AND REMOVE BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION NEXT, PLEASE.
SO AGAIN, A REMINDER THAT THIS WORK IS URGENT AND OVERDUE.
OUR CULTURAL CAPITAL IS OUR STRENGTH, AND WE ARE STRIVING TO CREATE A STRATEGIC GOVERNMENTAL INVESTMENT TO HELP LIFT AND STABILIZE.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THE PROGRAMS OF OUR DEPARTMENT WILL NOT AND CANNOT SERVE EVERYONE IN OUR ECOSYSTEM.
WE HEARD OVER AND OVER FROM OUR COMMUNITY THAT CAD FUNDING, 99% OF OUR APPLICANTS WAS UNSUSTAINABLE.
AND WE, EQUITY DOES NOT MEAN EQUALITY, BUT IT DOES MEAN A RECKONING AND A REBIRTH FOR SYSTEMS THAT HAVE PRIVILEGED SOME BUT NOT OTHERS UP TO THIS POINT, JUST AS WE ARE, RE-IMAGINING OTHER SYSTEMS IN OUR CITY, PUBLIC SAFETY, HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, WE ARE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
RE-IMAGINING OUR CULTURAL SYSTEM.
WE ASKED YOU THE COMMUNITY IN AN EARLY CONVERSATION TO IDENTIFY WHAT A THRIVING, CULTURAL BRAGGING CULTURAL SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE.
AND WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT RESPONSES.
IT IS INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO RESIST RATIONALIZING THAT THE STATUS QUO ONLY NEEDS TWEAKING JUST AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE CANNOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO REBUILD AN INEQUITABLE SYSTEM.
WE'VE EXTENDED THIS REVIEW PROCESS A YEAR BEYOND WHAT WE ORIGINALLY PLANNED, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT DONE WITH THE LISTENING, LEARNING, AND REBUILDING.
WE ARE STILL NOT GOING TO BE DONE WITH THAT EVEN WHEN WE HAVE LAUNCHED NEW PROGRAMS THE SPRING, BUT WE CONTINUE.
WE CANNOT DELAY FURTHER AND CAN NOT BE SCARED OF CHANGE THAT MIGHT AFFECT US INDIVIDUALLY.
WE ARE EMBRACING CHANGE THAT HELPS US COLLECTIVELY TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW VOICES, GROWTH AND PARTNERSHIPS.
THIS IS A SNAP SHOT OF THE DATA.
WE HAVE VISUALIZED TO SHOW THE STARK DISPARITIES AND FUNDING LEVELS FOR GROUPS LED AND PRIMARILY SERVING THE BIPAP LGBTQ AND DISABILITY COMMUNITIES.
WE CAN SEE THAT EVEN BY LOOKING AT JUST THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THOUGH, OUR DATA EXTENDS FURTHER.
THE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS DO NOT EQUITABLY REPRESENT THOSE APPLICANTS SEEKING SUPPORT.
AND THIS IS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, ALL ROOTED IN THE SYSTEM, OURS THAT HAS CARRIED WITH IT, PENALTIES FOR SMALLER BUDGETS, SMALLER DONOR BASES, SMALLER STAFFS, FEWER RESOURCES, AND LIMITED ACCESS TO THE SAME TOOLS, BENEFITS, SUPPORTS, AND SKILLS, ALL INHERENT BARRIERS FOR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED APPLICANTS.
AS A RESULT, THE MAKEUP AND AWARD AMOUNTS OF OUR FUNDING POOL HAS NOT REFLECTED THE MAKEUP AND NEEDS OF OUR FULL CULTURAL COMMUNITY, OUR ECONOMIC RESILIENCY FORMULA FOR
[00:35:03]
NEXT SLIDE, BECAUSE AS TO WHERE WE ARE IN THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS, RIGHT NOW, YOU'LL SEE THE LIFE CYCLE AT THIS PROCESS, AS WE ENVISIONED IT AT THE OUTSET.AND WE ARE NOW IN THE DRAFT AND VET PHASE, WE'VE DRAFTED OUR PROPOSED PROGRAM CONCEPTS AND ARE NOW VETTING THEM WITH INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, SUCH AS OUR LAW DEPARTMENT, EQUITY OFFICE, RISK MANAGEMENT PURCHASING, ET CETERA, AS WELL AS YOU ARE EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, THEN WE ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM, AND WE ARE HEARING FROM YOU, WHICH IS AMAZING AND GREAT, BUT WE ARE NOT DONE.
AND THIS IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS BY WHICH WE ARE TAKING FEEDBACK FROM WHAT WE'VE HEARD ALREADY, WHAT WE ARE HEARING NOW AND APPLYING THAT TO OUR PROPOSED PROGRAM STRUCTURE, TO TEST THEM AND TO CONSIDER, CONSIDER ALL VIEWPOINTS.
WE WILL NEXT BE RELEASING DRAFT GUIDELINES AND VETTING THEM SIMILARLY, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
THAT'S PERHAPS OUR MOST COMPLICATED STEP HOLD TIGHT.
WE WANT TO MOVE FARTHER TOGETHER RATHER THAN MORE QUICKLY ALONE, AS THE SAYING GOES, NEXT SLIDE.
CURRENTLY KAT ALLOCATES GRANT FUNDING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 600 PLUS CULTURAL AWARDS AND GRANTS PARTICIPANTS IN OUR SMALL GROUP.
LISTENING SESSIONS INCLUDED PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS, ARTS ADMINISTRATORS, BOARD MEMBERS, AND OTHERS REPRESENTING MID TO LARGE SIZED BUDGET ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, FISCAL SPONSORS, AS WELL AS LISTENING TO SESSIONS HELD IN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND OTHER VENUES THAT ATTRACTED INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, ARTISTS OF COLOR, HERITAGE BASED PROJECTS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF CULTURALLY SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS VIEWPOINTS SHARED DURING OUR LISTENING PHASE, WHERE FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF CULTURAL CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE DEPENDED ON CITY GRANT FUNDING FOR BOTH OPERATIONS AND PROGRAM SUPPORT OVER EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME AND FROM INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AND PROJECT-BASED CONTRACTORS WHO ACCESS FUNDING THROUGH A FISCAL SPONSOR AND OR ON A PROJECT BY PROJECT BASIS WITH A SHORTER HISTORY WITH US, J PARTNERS COLLECTED ALL OF THIS FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS, FOCUS GROUPS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, AND ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT CAD STAFF INTENTIONALLY DID NOT ATTEMPT AND SYNTHESIZED IT INTO STRATEGIC THEMES FOR US TO ADDRESS.
NEXT SLIDE, WE LOOKED AT ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND INTERNAL CHANGE TRENDS IN THE FIELD FUNDING SOURCES, REPRESENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY AND SERVICES TO THE FIELD FEEDBACK CENTERED ON ADVANCING ADVERSITY, DIVERT DIVERSITY INCLUSION AND RACIAL EQUITY AS PRIORITIES FOR THE DEPARTMENT, ITS STAFF AND ITS CONSTITUENCIES.
FOCUSING ON PRACTICES, HISTORIES OF FUNDING, THE SAME CONTRACTORS FOR MANY YEARS, THE ROLE OF FISCAL SPONSORS AND THE COMPOSITION OF STAFF HERE PANELS CONTRACTED ORGANIZATIONS.
THE SECOND THEME WAS CITY-WIDE PRIORITIES AND ACIDIC CHANGE LIKE MANY CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AUSTIN IS BALANCING GROWTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION.
THIS CHALLENGE HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE CREATING DISPLACEMENT HOUSING DISPARITIES, AND TOTAL ELIMINATION OF THE RICH ORGANIC FABRIC FABRIC OF OUR CITY.
WE MUST LOOK AT THE FIELD TO CULTIVATE A NEW GENERATION OF ARTS LEADERS, AS WELL AS PRESERVE OUR, OUR RICH, RICH CULTURAL TRADITIONS, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND CAPACITY CHANGE.
CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE REMINDED OF THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SUPPORTING THE ARTS AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GRANT AND CONTRACT FOR SERVICES.
WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT CONFIRMATION BIAS OF STAFF HERE, PANELISTS AND THE SYSTEM OVERALL DEVELOP ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE IN DECISION-MAKING ROLES.
AND THOSE RECEIVING FUNDS AS WELL, CULTURALLY SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS NEED HELP STABILIZING AND ACHIEVING INSTITUTION STATUS.
WE ALSO HEARD THAT ALL ORGANIZATIONS NEED HELP WITH SELF ASSESSMENT AND BEING ABLE TO USE DATA TO EVALUATE SUCCESS, FINALLY, IMPLICATIONS AND VALUES CHANGE THE WORK OF THE LOCAL ARTS AGENCY REVOLVES AROUND PUBLIC TRUST AND INTEGRITY OF ITS PRACTICES.
WE NEED TO HOLD FIRM TO OUR VALUE STATEMENTS TO INFORM OUR WORK AND PROVIDE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR DECISION-MAKING GUIDING PRINCIPLES CAN ALSO OFFER A SET OF NON-NEGOTIABLE STANDARDS FOR PREVENTING AND ADDRESSING BIAS IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC FUNDING FOR THE ARTS.
WE SHARED THESE OUT AND RECEIVED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK DURING LAST YEAR'S PUBLIC MEETINGS, NEXT SLIDE.
AND ALL OF THIS WORK, THIS VALUABLE WORK WAS MOVING ALONG SYSTEMICALLY AND METHODICALLY, AND THEN A PANDEMIC HIT AND STOPPED US ALL OF US IN OUR TRACKS, BUT OUR WORK RESUMED JUST AS YOURS RESUMED.
AND IN FACT, WE BOTH AS A NATION AND AS A LOCAL COMMUNITY HAVE WORKED HARDER AND LONGER DURING THE ONSET AND CONTINUATION OF THE PANDEMIC THAN EVER BEFORE.
THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT WE CAN HAVE DONE A PERFECT OUTAGE DURING THIS TIME, BUT IN FULL TRANSPARENCY TO YOU, I WANT TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSCORE THE WORK OF MY TEAM DURING THIS TIME AND CONTINUING TO
[00:40:01]
SERVE THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS.WE WERE THE FIRST STAFF GROUP IN THE CITY TO QUICKLY IDENTIFY WAYS TO AMEND CULTURAL FUNDING ART IN PUBLIC PLACES, AND PEOPLE'S GALLERY CONTACT FACTS TO EXTEND AND EASE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTORS.
HOWEVER, AS A DEPARTMENT, WE WERE ALL IMMEDIATELY TASKED WITH DEVELOPING NEW GRANT PROGRAMS, EXECUTING THOSE PROGRAMS AND GETTING FEDERAL MONEY OUT THE DOOR BY DECEMBER 31ST, WHICH WE DID FOR THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR THE TUNE OF $8.4 MILLION THROUGH CARES ACT AND 5.5 MILLION THERE'S CURRENTLY BEING ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE CITY SAVES RESOLUTION.
WE ALSO CONTRACTED WITH ARTISTS AS PART OF THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS TO HELP CREATE JOBS AND SKILL TRAINING AND NOT LEAST OF ALL.
WE'VE DONE THIS ALL WITH TWO KEY STAFF VACANCIES ON MY TEAM WHILE BALANCING THE WORK OF CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION, THE CULTURAL PLANNING REVIEW PROCESS, AND AN OVERLOADED CITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR KEY PARTNER, DEPARTMENTS OF FINANCE, PURCHASING, AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE.
UH, ONE MORE THOUGHT, UH, THAT I WANTED TO ADD.
I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN CONTRACT AND PAYMENT SLOWDOWNS, AND I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES FOR THOSE.
AND NO ONE ENJOYS HEARING HOW WE REPEATEDLY HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIGURE LIP FIGURATIVELY, UNJAMMED THE COPIER, SO TO SPEAK CONTINUOUSLY IN SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, I'M GOING TO LET HIS SEUSS PENTEL CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR GIVE YOU A STATUS UPDATE ON CULTURAL CONTRACTS AND PAYMENT ISSUANCES IN JUST A BIT.
WE KNOW THAT IS A POINT OF STRESS FOR MANY, AND I WANT TO ADDRESS IT, BUT LET ME PUT A SMALL PIN IN THAT FOR NOW AND FINISH MY THOUGHTS.
I WANT TO JUST FINISH THE TIMELINE OF OUR PROCESS BY RECAPPING THE PAST YEAR OF ACTIVITY, WHICH HAS BEEN TO CONTINUE DIALOGUE WITH THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY.
MOST NOTABLY GETTING TARGETED INPUT AND FEEDBACK FROM THE HERITAGE TOURISM AND MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITIES TO CATCH UP TO WHERE CAD HAD LEFT OFF IN THE PROCESS.
YOU'LL SEE HOW THIS ENGAGEMENT FLESHED ITSELF OUT.
AND THEN THE RECENT PAST WE'VE HELD VIRTUAL SESSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, OPENED UP STAFF OFFICE HOURS, MAINTAINED REPORTS TO THE COMMISSIONS AND MADE AVAILABLE THE ONLINE COMMENT BOX AND VIDEOS.
AND COMING SOON, WE'LL BE RELEASING A COMPREHENSIVE Q AND A WEBPAGE THAT WILL EASE THE TRACKING OF SO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS WE'VE RECEIVED AND, AND WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FROM YOU AND THE DRAFT AND VET STAGE.
WE ARE TRYING TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND FACILITATE COMMUNICATION.
AS MUCH AS OUR REAL RESOURCES ALLOW, WE PLAN TO HAVE THE Q AND A PORTAL OPEN SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.
AND WE WILL NOTIFY YOU THROUGH OUR USUAL CHANNELS, ZOOM GRANTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, PERHAPS A SPECIAL NEWSLETTER WHEN IT'S UP AND RUNNING NEXT SLIDE.
AND MY FINAL COMMENTS LET'S REMEMBER THAT THIS IS AN ECOSYSTEM THAT ONLY WORKS WHEN THERE ARE COLLABORATIONS AND DIVERSIFIED SOURCES OF SUPPORT IN PLAY, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PUZZLE PIECES.
THESE PIECES INCLUDE FEDERAL MONEY, MONEY WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN, AND WHICH IS EXPECTED TO COME FROM THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, BOTH FOR RELIEF AND SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE ARTS.
WE HOPE THAT IT COMES TRUE PRIVATE FUNDERS THAT GIVE INDIVIDUALLY AND THROUGH FOUNDATION GRANTS.
MANY OF YOU ALREADY LEVERAGE THESE, BUT HOW CAN WE OPEN THE DOOR TO MORE PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN OUR LOCAL CREATIVE COMMUNITY SO THAT THE TABLE GETS LARGER COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, ART SAVVY, REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS AND DEVELOPERS, POLICYMAKERS LIKE COUNCIL COUNTY ENTITIES, SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS WHO EMBRACE ART AND HEALING AND HELP NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND ONCE THE ARTIST PRACTICING MAKING AND PRESERVING TRADITIONS, AS WELL AS CORPORATE GIVING AND SUSTAINED INVESTMENT FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WE NEED THEM, THE BURGEONING AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE CULTURAL TRUST.
THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITY TO MATCH PRIVATE INVESTMENT HERE WITH CITY ASSISTANCE, AND FINALLY UTILIZING COMMERCIAL PLATFORMS TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES, COLLECTORS, AND MARKETS, WHICH WILL EXTEND BEYOND THE PANDEMIC.
THINGS LIKE ARTISTS REGISTRIES WITH E-COMMERCE SOLUTIONS ATTACHED, GREATER VISIBILITY THROUGH VISIT AUSTIN'S WEBSITE AND ONLINE ARTS EXPERIENCES AND MARKETS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY THIRD-PARTY VENDOR HOSTS.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THESE BEING, BEING IMPLEMENTED WITH THE HOT FUND, AS SYNOVIA MENTIONED ALREADY PROJECTED TO COME IN SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THIS YEAR, IN TERMS OF ACTUAL REVENUE AS POSSIBLY LAGGING FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO PLACE ALL OF OUR CHIPS ON CULTURAL FUNDING.
THIS IS NOT TO SCARE ANYONE ANY MORE THAN YOU ALREADY ARE, BUT IT IS A SOBERING REMINDER TO ALL OF US THAT THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROCESS WE ARE REBUILDING IS ONLY AS ROBUST AS THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THROUGH IT.
AND WHILE THE WEATHER WEATHER, THE WORST ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN OUR HISTORY, OR AT LEAST IN RECENT MEMORY, WE ARE LOOKING AT RECORD LOW CITY INVESTMENT.
SO LET'S BROADEN OUR NET AND WORK TOGETHER TO CAST IT WIDER SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR UNIQUENESS, OUR CULTURAL VIBRANCY, OUR JOBS, OUR ARTISTS, OUR CULTURAL CAPITAL, AND HOPE FOR ALL AUSTINITES WHO WILL NEED THE ARTS MORE THAN EVER TO FACE THE FUTURE.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME SHARE THESE THOUGHTS.
AND I NOW WANT TO GIVE HER SEUSS A FEW MINUTES TO UPDATE YOU ON WHERE WE ARE WITH
[00:45:01]
THANK YOU, MEGAN.UM, SO I HAVE SOME STATS HERE, WHICH I PUT TOGETHER YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE.
SO WE'RE ALREADY, EVEN, THESE ARE OUT OF DATE, BUT, UH, WITH WHAT I HAD WHEN I DID PUT THIS TOGETHER, UM, 109 OF 398 CULTURAL CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY THE CULTURAL CONTRACTOR, UM, AND FORWARDED TO FINANCE OR PURCHASING FOR PROCESSING 30 OF THOSE 109 HAD BEEN FINALIZED BY PURCHASING AND HAVE BEEN SENT THEIR FIRST PAYMENT.
WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR FINANCE AND PURCHASING COLLEAGUES TO EXPEDITE PAYMENTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THOSE 109 CONTRACTS, AS WELL AS THE STREAMLINED PROCESSING OF FUTURE CONTRACTS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID, RIGHT BEFORE I STARTED, UH, SAYING THIS, UM, SOME OF THOSE HAVE COME IN, EVEN SINCE I'M PUTTING THIS TOGETHER YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE DO HOPE TO HAVE A 75% OF CONTRACTS, UH, COMPLETED AND REVIEWED IN THE NEXT MONTH, UH, FACTORS INVOLVED IN PROCESSING CONTRACTS AND ISSUING PAYMENTS INCLUDE THE COMPLETENESS AND CORRECTNESS OF THE CONTRACTOR'S CONTRACT MATERIALS, INCLUDING INVOICE ADDRESS AND REQUEST AMOUNT, PROPER INSURANCE COVERAGE, AND SUFFICIENTLY DETAILED BUDGET.
SO TO ENSURE THAT CONTRACTS ARE READY TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, UM, CONTRACTORS SHOULD ENSURE THAT THEIR ADDRESS ON THE INVOICE MATCHES WHAT IS IN THE CITY'S VENDOR REGISTRATION SYSTEM THAT THE INSURANCE CERTIFICATE HAS.
THE PROPER COVERAGE IS LESS THAN SIX MONTHS OLD AND HAS ALL REQUIRED ENDORSEMENTS.
AND THAT THE BUDGET BALANCES LISTS THE CORRECT AWARD AMOUNT AND PROVIDES THE REQUESTED DETAIL.
A SECOND SET OF EYES REVIEWING MATERIALS PRIOR TO SUBMISSION IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.
NOW WE REALIZE THAT THE CONTRACTING AND PAYMENT ISSUANCES ARE TAKING PLACE LOWER THAN IN THE PAST YEARS.
IN ADDITION TO A HEAVY CONTRACT WORKLOAD, AS MEGAN ALLUDED TO EARLIER, THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM STAFF HAVE EXPERIENCED STAFF LEAVES AND VACANCIES BEEN ASKED TO HELP WITH DEPARTMENT WIDE RECOVERY PROGRAMS BALANCING THE DEMANDS OF THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS HAD A SLOWDOWN IN THE ZOOM GRANT SYSTEM.
AND WE ARE RELYING ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS PURCHASING RISK MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS, PAYABLE AND LAW THAT ARE ALSO JUGGLING MULTIPLE DEMANDS, INCLUDING CHANGES IN PERSONNEL.
SO CAD IS REMEDYING THIS IN PART BY UTILIZING STAFF, BOTH WITHIN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND OTHER IN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO HELP REVIEW AND PROCESS SIMPLER ASPECTS OF THE CONTRACTING PROCESS THAT ARE NONETHELESS TIME CONSUMING.
ADDITIONALLY CAD IS WORKING WITH THE CITY'S OFFICE OF DESIGN AND DELIVERY TO LOOK AT WAYS TO STREAMLINE THE CONTRACTING PROCESS FOR VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO FROM CAD AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS, FINANCING TO PURCHASING AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND FROM RISK MANAGEMENT TO LAW.
SO WE APPRECIATE OUR CONTRACTORS PATIENTS AS WE WORK TO EXPEDITE, EXPEDITE REMAINING CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS.
AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MEGAN.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS INFORMATION? I HAVE A COMMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO, I MEAN, WE ARE, WE, UM, DURING A VERY UNUSUAL TIME, A VERY CHALLENGING TIME, AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, WE, I THINK WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF DEPRESSION BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, ALL WE COOK UP INSIDE AND ALL THAT.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, THE STAFF, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S DOING, I THINK IT'S DOING WHAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, UH, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND I JUST WANT TO SHOW, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE ARE WORKING, YOU KNOW, FULL CAPACITY EITHER, YOU KNOW, PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, THIS IS NOT AN EASY TIME AND THIS IS A CHALLENGING TIME AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT.
UM, SO I WANTED TO, UM, JOIN YOU THIS, THAT, AND TWO AS OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BE MORE PATIENT, UM, WITH, WITH US, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, AND BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH WE ARE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, SO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
UH, AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON, ON THE LINE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TO THIS POINT, UM, ON THE AGENDA IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING RIGHT NOW? YEAH.
I WANTED TO QUICKLY GO OVER THE TIMELINE THAT I HAD, BUT, UM, BUT YEAH, AFTER WE'LL HAVE THEM SPEAKING AND THEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO, WILL WE HAVE A RISK BE ABLE TO HAVE A RESPONSE AFTER THAT? CAUSE I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO WHAT, UM,
[00:50:01]
UH, WHAT MEGHAN JUST TALKED ABOUT, BUT I'D LIKE TO DO IT AFTER I HEAR FROM YOU READY? YEAH.WELL THAT'S DISCUSSION AND ACTION.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR LIBRA KIM OR COMMISSIONER FLORES? I JUST HAD A QUESTION, BUT I GUESS YOU'LL, YOU'LL, UH, ANSWER IT ONCE YOU START SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR TIME LINE THAT I SEE WAS CREATED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU, YOU ARE PRESENTING THAT HAD WE HAD THE, UH, THE SAME TYPE OF TIMELINE BEFORE, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO, IS BEING SEEN FOR BIAS FOR THE FIRST TIME AND MAYBE I'LL LET YOU MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION THEN.
I JUST SORTA WANNA ECHO AMY'S COMMENTS THAT, UH, WE'RE ALL REALLY FACING A DIFFICULT TIME RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, I KNOW I, MYSELF, I'VE QUARANTINED FIVE TIMES ALREADY IN SIX MONTHS BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, I WORK IN THE EDUCATION FIELD AND I GOT GRANDKIDS AND WHATNOT.
SO WE'RE ALL GOING THROUGH A LOT OF STRESSFUL TIME, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT OUR ARTS COMMUNITY IS GOING THROUGH AND NOT IN THEIR CHECKS WHEN IT'S EXPECTED OR TEXTS.
MANY YEARS AGO, I WAS ALSO AN ARTS GRANTEE, AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME I CHECKED IN, COME IN ON TIME AND THAT REALLY, REALLY SCREWED UP MY PROGRAMS AND IT REALLY ACTUALLY THREW ME IN DEBT.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION THEY'RE FEELING, BUT, UH, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS JUST ONE YEAR IN WHICH I WISH WE COULD JUST PUT A POLL BUTTON AND LET OURSELVES REALLY FOCUS ON OUR FAMILIES AND LET US FOCUS ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL SUFFERING.
YOU KNOW, I'M MIKE, I'VE HAD TWO OF MY KIDS LOSE THEIR JOBS AND HAVING TO START NEW JOBS AND WHATNOT.
I, MYSELF, AS AN ARTIST, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO WHAT I WANT TO DO.
SO WE'RE ALL LOSING MONEY AND WE'RE ALL SUFFERING.
SO LET'S ALL JUST REMEMBER THAT AS WELL AND KEEP THE COMMUNITY IN OUR CONSCIOUS AND IN OUR HEARTS AS WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSING OUR FUTURE.
UM, YEAH, CITY HALL STAFF, YOU DON'T MIND BRINGING UP THAT TIMELINE.
[4.a.i. Cultural Funding Review Process update]
AND THIS IS JUST FOR, AS A REMINDER FOR COMMISSIONERS AND FOR NEWER COMMISSIONERS TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.UM, I PUT TOGETHER A TIMELINE JUST FOLLOWING SORT OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WE AS A COMMISSION, THE ACTIONS WE TOOK TO BE ABLE TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UM, SO BACK IN AUGUST, 2017, WE ESTABLISHED A CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM, RESPONSIVENESS WORKING GROUP TO LOOK AT, UM, THE DIFFERENT FUNDING PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY WERE, WE WEREN'T BECAUSE WE DO EACH GUIDELINES SEPARATELY.
WE WEREN'T COMMUNICATING, AND THERE WERE THINGS HAPPENING THAT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IF THE OTHER WORKING GROUP KNEW ABOUT IT.
SO WE ESTABLISHED THIS TO SORT OF ADDRESS THAT ISSUE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE WORKING GROUPS.
UM, IN APRIL OF 2018, I WAS ELECTED THE CHAIR IN THAT SAME MONTH, WE ESTABLISHED A CULTURAL EQUITY WORKING GROUP, WHICH, UH, AT THE, AFTER THE PRESENTATION BY COMMUNITY MEMBER, SARAH RUTGER AND PRESENTATION ON INCLUSION WRITERS IN OUR CULTURAL CONTRACTS, UM, THAT EQUITY, THAT CULTURAL EQUITY WORKING GROUP WAS SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT THAT AT THE POSSIBILITY OF INCLUSION WRITERS IN CULTURAL CONTRACTS IN MAY OF 2018, WE HAD OUR RETREAT AND THE FUNDING RESPONSIVENESS WORKING GROUP SHARED AN UPDATE AND, YOU KNOW, OUTLINED THE FOUR PILLARS THAT WE HAD AND IDENTIFIED THAT, UM, W WE NEEDED THESE FOUR PILLARS TO GUIDE THE FUNDING PROGRAM.
SO THAT, THAT COMMUNICATION, UM, YEAH, SO THAT TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION.
SO WE HAD A GUIDE, A GUIDANCE FOR THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS IN JUNE OF 2018.
WE HAD TO ESTABLISH A FUNDING MATRIX WORKING GROUP AND AT ABOUT AUGUST THAT'S WHEN STAFF FORWARDED THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IN ABOUT, SO THEN THE COMMUNITY FOUND OUT WHAT THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO COUNCIL.
WHEN THE COMMUNITY COMES TO OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE FUNDING ISSUES.
AND AT THAT MEETING, UH, WE DECIDED TO REFORM THE FUNDING MATRIX WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS, UM, THE FUNDING ISSUES.
AND THEN IN LATE SEPTEMBER, WE HAD A JOINT MUSIC AND ARTS MEETING.
UH, THE FIRST HALF OF THE MEETING WAS TO DISCUSS, I BELIEVE, BOND BOND ISSUES.
UH, WHAT WERE THE PRO THE INITIAL TALKS WITH CREATE A SPACE BOND.
UM, BUT WHEN MUSIC ADJOURNED, WE CONTINUED OUR ARTS COMMISSION MEETING AND WE DISCUSSED, UH, FUNDING ISSUES.
[00:55:01]
AT THAT MEET WAS AT THAT MEETING THAT BOTH, UH, CAD STAFF AND THE ARTS COMMISSION COMMITTED TO A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE FUNDING PROGRAMS, UH, IN EARLY FEBRUARY, THE CULTURAL EQUITY WORKING GROUP MET WITH BRIAN OAKS.LIKE I SAID, IT WAS FORMED TO DISCUSS THE INCLUSION WRITERS ON OUR CULTURAL CONTRACTS, BUT THE DISCUSSION EVOLVED INTO A BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT EQUITY.
AND SO THEY MET WITH BRIAN OLSON TO HAVE CONVERSATION WITH HIM.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE THEN IN, UH, ACTUALLY THAT WAS PROBABLY FEBRUARY OF 2019 AS WELL, BUT FEBRUARY 19, UH, WE RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM CAD STAFF ON THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM, EVALUATION PROCESS SCOPE, BASICALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT, WHAT THE WORK WAS GOING TO ENTAIL TO DO, TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PROGRAMS. AND, UH, THE CONTRACT CONTRACTED MJR IN ABOUT THE MARCH OR APRIL TIME TIMEFRAME IN LATE APRIL, UH, THE ART COMMISSION HAD A RETREAT AND WE MET MJR ASSOCIATES AT THAT RETREAT IN JUNE OF 2019.
WE SUNSET THE CULTURAL EQUITY WORKING GROUP BECAUSE A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT THAT WORKING GROUP HAD SEEMED TO BE SEEMED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE OUTREACH THAT M J R A ASSOCIATES WAS GOING TO DO FOR THE FUNDING, UH, REVIEW PROCESS IN JULY, 2019, WE HAD OUR TOWN HALL CONDUCTED BY MJR.
UH, AND THEN AT OUR JULY MEETING, I REQUESTED THAT THE CITY'S COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE COME AND PRESENT REGARDING THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLES THAT THE CITY USES.
I ASKED THE EQUITY OFFICE TO COME PRESENT THE CITY'S DEFINITION OF EQUITY, AND WE RECEIVED A FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS UPDATE.
UH, I'M FORGETTING WHO IT WOULD, MAYBE ALBERTO, MAYBE IT WAS MEGAN.
UM, BUT THEY DESCRIBED THE FIVE PHASES OF THE PROCESS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019.
WE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH MJR.
UH, IT DIDN'T, THE DISCUSSION DID NOT OCCUR IN OCTOBER.
WE GOT ANOTHER FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS UPDATE.
UM, I INCLUDED THIS BECAUSE OF THE PHASES.
UH, IT'S STILL FIVE PHASES, BUT THE LABELS WERE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SLIDE.
IN JANUARY OF 2020, WE HAD, UH, A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE ARTS COMMISSION AND AIPP ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL, UH, WITH A PRESENTATION FROM MJR REGARDING EXTENDING THE FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS, UH, INTRODUCING AN INTERIM YEAR OF FUNDING AND PUTTING TEMPO ON HIATUS IN LATE JANUARY.
UH, THERE WAS A WORKSHOP BY M J R NO NORMALIZING EQUITY.
UH, THEY INTRODUCED THIS NEW TIMELINE THAT WAS INTRODUCED AT THE JOINT MEETING.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT PHASE THREE, THE REFINED PHASE BECAME, YOU KNOW, JANUARY THE MARCH PHASE FOUR WAS DRAFTED VET.
AND THEN, UH, OR PHASE FOUR WAS APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER AND PHASE FIVE WAS NOVEMBER THROUGH MARCH AND JANUARY 22 AT OUR JANUARY MEETING.
UH, WE GOT A RECAP PRESENTATION OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO AT, TO US AT THE JOINT MEETING AND WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE GOT IT AGAIN FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE WE'RE HERE.
UH, AND THEN IN FEBRUARY, WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM MGR REGARDING THE FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS.
SPECIFICALLY, WE WERE, WE LISTENED TO CASE STUDIES THAT MGR HAD NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN IN LATE FEBRUARY, THERE WAS ANOTHER WORKSHOP LED BY MJR ORGANIZING EQUITY, SHAPING MISSION AND OTHER GOOD CON UH, CONVERSATION.
AND THEN IT HITS THE FAN, RIGHT COVID ARRIVES.
OUR MARCH MEETING WAS CANCELED.
THE THIRD WORKSHOP BY MJR WAS CANCELED.
AT OUR APRIL MEETING, WE WERE ABLE TO RECONVENE FOR THE FIRST TIME VIA TELE, UH, TELECONFERENCE.
AND, UH, WE WERE INFORMED THAT STAFF WAS GOING TO WORK, TRYING TO EXPAND THE MGR CONTRACT TO COVER EACH OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISIONS THAT HAD, UH, FUNDING, UH, USING HOT FUNDS.
AND SOMETIME IN APRIL, THAT CONTRACT WAS EXTENDED BY, BY COUNCIL THROUGH MID 2021 IN, AT OUR APRIL MEETING, UH, WE FORMED THE, THE BRIDGE, THE FUNDING MATRIX WORKING GROUP, WHICH, WHICH WE NOW KNOW IS THAT WE'VE BEEN REFERRING TO AS THE BRIDGE YEAR IN JUNE.
THE FUNDING MATRIX MADE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 21 AT MID JUNE.
UH, WE RECEIVED AN ADVOCACY LETTER AND WE SUPPORTED WITH, WITH ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN LATE JUNE,
[01:00:01]
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY IMAGING.WE HAD MORE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FUNDING MATRIX AND IN LATE JUNE, WE APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 21 CULTURAL FUNDING MATRIX RECOMMENDATION.
IN JULY, WE GOT AN UPDATE ON THE FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS, M J R UH, LET US KNOW THAT THEY WERE WORKING TO ALIGN MUSIC AND HERITAGE, UM, WITH THE WORK THAT KAT HAD ALREADY DONE IN AUGUST.
WE RECEIVED ANOTHER UPDATE, UH, UPDATING THE TIMELINE, SAYING THAT THERE'S A PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE OUT IN OCTOBER, A PRELIMINARY FINAL REPORT IN JANUARY, BUT STILL WITH THE INTENTION OF LAUNCHING IN MARCH, SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER, UH, THE BUDGET PRESENTATION WAS MADE TO COUNCIL, UH, AT OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, WE RECEIVED ANOTHER UPDATE REGARDING THE FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS, STILL ON TRACK TO LAUNCH IN MARCH.
IN OCTOBER, THERE WAS A COMMUNITY VIRTUAL WORKSHOP REGARDING, UH, EQUITY, UH, CONDUCTED BY MJR.
AT OUR NOVEMBER MEETING, WE HAD RECEIVED ANOTHER REVIEW PROCESS UPDATE.
UH, WE WERE INFORMED THAT PROGRAM CONCEPTS WERE, WOULD BE RELEASED IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS.
THAT THAT WOULD BE A COMMUNITY EVENT IN, UH, PRESENTING THOSE, THOSE CONCEPTS.
AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE GUIDELINES BY THE END OF JANUARY AND DECEMBER.
WE HAD THAT, THAT, UM, THE COMMUNITY EVENT WHERE THE CONCEPTS WERE PRESENTED AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE NEXT STEP WAS TO GATHER INFORMATION THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY WAS WELCOME TO SEND IN FEEDBACK, SEND AN EMAILS AS SEUSS WAS THE POINT OF CONTACT, BUT YOU CAN CONTACT ANY STAFF MEMBER.
YOU CAN CALL ANY STAFF MEMBERS AND YOUR INFORMATION WOULD BE RECORDED AND SENT TO HER SUES TOGETHER.
UM, THEY WERE ALSO HOLDING OUR OFFICE HOURS AND YOU CAN DROP IN AND, AND PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK AT THE D AT OUR DECEMBER MEETING, I DID A MENTAL HEALTH CHECK ACKNOWLEDGING, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE SAID EARLIER, RIGHT? THIS IS A CRAZY YEAR WITH A LOT OF STRESS.
WE'RE ALL GOING THROUGH A LOT OF STUFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, TO LET'S JUST KEEP IN MIND, GIVE EACH OTHER SOME GRACE.
AND THEN, UH, WE GOT ANOTHER UPDATE THERE'S STILL SOME MORE WORK TO DO, BUT GUIDELINES STILL EXPECTED AT THE END OF JANUARY.
I THINK THAT WAS THE LAST ONE BRINGS US TO TODAY.
WE'RE GETTING MORE UPDATES, EVEN THOUGH WE ASKED THE COMMUNITY TO SEND EMAILS TO STAFF, TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE CONCEPT PROGRAMS, WE'RE OFFERING THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE FEEDBACK.
THIS IS WHY WE, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR COMMUNITY, UH, FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, AND TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, ANY QUESTIONS, SEEING NONE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEW BUSINESS DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, UH, CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE, UH, SPEAKERS FOR THIS.
AND I HOPE I HAVE THIS IN ORDER.
OH, ACTUALLY SUSHI SENT THAT IN AN EMAIL.
YES, I HAVE THE LIST OF, UM, OR CAN WE SEND IT TO YOU? NO, I HAVEN'T.
I JUST DID AN OPEN SEPARATELY.
I WAS THINKING THAT IF WE HIT 13, WE WOULD REDUCE THE TIME, BUT I THINK WE HAVE THE TIME WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO HEAR EVERYONE.
IS THERE ANYONE ON OUR COMMISSION THAT, THAT DISAGREES, OR IS THREE MINUTES FOR EVERYONE? OKAY.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR EVERYBODY EVERYONE'S GETTING THREE MINUTES.
SO WITH THAT, UH, THREE MINUTES FOR EVERY SPEAKER AND THE FIRST SPEAKER UP IS LISA SHIPS.
UH, I AM THE CURRENT DISTRICT DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF GROUND FLOOR THEATER HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE HEARING ME.
UM, I WANT TO START OFF, I THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, THIS IS, UH, AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
UH, AND WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER MOCKS AND COMMISSIONER, UH, GARZA'S COMMENTS ABOUT PATIENTS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR.
A LOT OF US TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT TAPPING THE BRAKE ON A LOT OF THINGS.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO APPRECIATE.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO JUST SAY THAT, THAT
[01:05:01]
THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE.UH, ALL OF US, THE ARTS COMMISSION, THE, UH, CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION STAFF, ALL OF THE ARTISTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM TODAY, WE'RE COMING AT THIS FROM AN EMOTIONAL PLACE.
SO I THINK WE ALL NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND UNDERSTAND THAT AND GIVE US ALL THE SPACE TO HAVE THE FEELINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEAR THAT THE ARTS COMMUNITY, UH, IS HURTING IN AUSTIN AND EVERYWHERE.
WE HAVE A VERY LARGE ARTS COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD A VERY, UH, SUPPORTIVE CITY WITH THAT COMMUNITY IN A LOT OF WAYS.
UM, BUT WE'RE HURTING RIGHT NOW THROUGH COVID AND THROUGH, UH, OTHER THINGS, UH, WE WERE ON THIS JOURNEY OF CHANGING THE MATRIX OF FUNDING, THE ART THROUGH THE CITY, UH, IS THAT A CUE THAT I DO MY THREE MINUTES ALREADY KEEP GOING? OKAY.
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT THING WAS.
UM, SO WE WERE ALREADY ON THIS JOURNEY BEFORE COVID HIT, COVID JUST ADDED ANOTHER ROADBLOCK.
I THINK ALL OF US AGREE THAT CHANGING TOWARDS EQUITY IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO DO.
I'M JUST NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE THAT THE PROPOSAL THAT WE GOT IN THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER ACCOMPLISHES THAT GOAL.
UH, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO LISTEN TO ARGUMENTS ON HOW IT DOES.
I THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF IT THAT DOES ADVANCE EQUITY, BUT MUCH OF IT DOESN'T SEEM TO DO THAT.
IT ALSO, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN ON THIS JOURNEY FOR A WHILE, AT THIS POINT IN THE GAME, IT SEEMS RUSHED.
AND THEN DECEMBER, UM, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT NON-PROFIT VENUES LIKE GROUND FLOOR THEATER AND OTHERS ARE PARTICULARLY HEARD.
UH, THE CURRENT FUNDING PROPOSAL DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY OPERATIONAL SUPPORT, WHICH EXASPERATE THAT A PROBLEM FOR THE VENUES.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR LATER FROM THE VENUE GROUP, WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND TALKING ABOUT THINGS TOGETHER AS ARE THE ARTS GROUP.
SO I JUST ASKED YOU TO MAYBE CONSIDER CAPPING THE BREAK, UH, AS MISSIONER MOCKIN GARS HAS SAID, UH, THE TIMING OF THIS IS NOT GOOD.
I THINK WE SHOULD PAUSE THIS PROCESS.
I'M STANDING WITH ALL OF OUR AUSTIN ARTISTS.
WE STAND FOR EQUITY, AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE PAUSE THIS PROCESS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, SO YEAH, SO THAT LARGE BEEPING IS THE ACTUAL, THE TIMER TO JUST EVERYBODY KNOWS OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AN CHICOLA THREE MINUTES.
UM, I, I DO WANT TO SAY IT WAS REALLY THE LEADERSHIP OF CHAIRMAN CASTILLO THAT DROVE ME TO GET TOGETHER WITH OTHER ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS TO SEE WHAT THE CONSENSUS WAS.
YOU KNOW, I, I CALLED HIM, I SAID, I THINK WE COULD HAVE LIKE 40 OR 50 PEOPLE WANTING TO SPEAK.
HE SAID, WELL, CAN YOU GET PEOPLE TOGETHER? AND THAT IS WHAT WE DID.
SO WE NOW HAVE 55 PEOPLE REPRESENTING INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, SMALL GROUPS, MID-SIZE WITHIN LARGE GROUPS ASKING THAT YOU AS COMMISSIONERS REALLY THINK ABOUT, UH, ASKING THAT THIS PROCESS BE REVIEWED BY THE COMMUNITY MORE DEEPLY.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM LOTS OF PEOPLE, VERY IMPORTANT ITEMS. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE ARTS HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE AND VERY CREATIVE.
AND I THINK IF WE WERE INVOLVED MORE DIRECTLY, WE COULD HELP BE CREATIVE IN TERMS OF THE EQUITY ISSUE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A QUESTION OF, OH, ALL THOSE OLD ARTS GROUPS, THEY JUST WANT TO KEEP THEIR MONEY.
I THINK WE WILL ALREADY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WOULD FACE SEVERE CUTS FROM COVID.
WE ALREADY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE EQUITY ISSUE WAS GOING TO CHANGE THE PLAYING FIELD.
WHAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT ON DECEMBER 12TH WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SYSTEM THAT DID NOT SEEM TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT SEEMED TO EXACERBATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS. SO NOW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE FOR-PROFITS IN THE MIX.
MUSIC SEEMS TO BE INCLUDED IN AN ODD SORT OF WAY.
AND, UM, UH, WE STARTED TO MEET AS, AS GROUPS, NOT JUST THEATER GROUPS, BUT, UH, GROUPS TOGETHER.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING NEW HAPPENED.
AND THAT WAS, PEOPLE STARTED TO SAY THEY HADN'T GOTTEN THEIR CONTRACTS, OR THEY HADN'T GOTTEN FUNDING
[01:10:01]
FROM LAST YEAR.AND AS ONE PERSON WOULD SAY IT, ANOTHER PERSON WOULD SAY IT AND ANOTHER PERSON WOULD SAY IT, AND ANOTHER PERSON WOULD SAY, SO WE FIGURED OUT BASICALLY, WHAT HAS HE SHARED WITH US WAS 30 CONTRACTS OF 400 CONTRACTS ARE NOW DONE BY JANUARY 21ST.
UM, THAT'S TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE.
YOU KNOW, MEGAN'S BEEN EXTREMELY AVAILABLE TO ME AND I PERSONALLY THANK HER PUBLICLY FOR THAT.
WHAT WE NEEDED WAS SOMEBODY TO WRITE AN EMAIL THAT SAID IN NOVEMBER, WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM.
WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONTRACTS READY BECAUSE OF PURCHASING AND FINANCE OR WHATEVER.
SO WHENEVER THAT WAS KNOWN, WE NEEDED TO SHARE IT WITH THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN IT WOULD LIKE THE CHILDREN FINDING OUT THAT MOMMY AND DADDY HAD A BIG PROBLEM.
SO THAT WAS NOT A GOOD FEELING.
I DIDN'T CREATE A GOOD FEELING.
SO, UH, WE WENT, UH, TO CHAIRMAN CASIO AND SAID, WE NEED FOR THE COMMISSION TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM.
AND HENCE WE HEARD WHAT WE HEARD TODAY, WHICH IS JUST WONDERFUL, A GREAT TO HEAR IT.
AND, AND, UH, HIS WAS VERY FRANK AND OPEN AND HONEST.
SO, UM, YOU'LL HEAR FROM MORE PEOPLE TODAY.
AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP MY TOTAL TIME.
UH, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY TO YOU ALL THAT, WE HAVE SOME VERY GRAVE CONCERNS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A SYSTEM THAT'S JUST FOR THIS COMING YEAR OR JUST FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SYSTEM THAT WILL GO ON IN PERPETUITY.
SO WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT FIVE AND 10 YEARS DOWN THE LINE.
IS THIS GOING TO REALLY CREATE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT, THE ECOLOGY THAT WE WANT BECAUSE WE ARE EXTREMELY COLLABORATIVE AND EXTREMELY CREATIVE, AND I'M GOING TO END IT AT THAT BECAUSE I WANT TO HEAR ALL MY COLLEAGUES.
THANKS FOR SPEAKING WITH US TODAY.
WE WILL RESET THE CLOCK AND WE'LL NEXT SPEAKER IS NICOLE.
OGLESBEE YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, CAN YOU MEAN COMMISSIONERS? UH, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR HARD WORK IN THIS PROCESS, CAD.
AND, UH, EVEN AS THE DISCOURSE AROUND THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN TENSE AND DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, AS AN ARTIST WHO IS YOUNGER AND NEWER TO THE THEATER COMMUNITY, I HOPE THAT THE AUDIT PROCESS WOULD RADICALLY RE-IMAGINE THE FUNDING ECOSYSTEM.
BUT INSTEAD, THE PROCESS I SEE IS ONE THAT LARGELY REFLECTS THE EXACT FUNDING STRUCTURE THAT EXISTED BEFORE WITH MUCH OF THE BLAME FOR INEQUITY PLACED ON FISCAL SPONSORS, WITHOUT SPECIFIC DATA POINTS FROM THE AUDIT TO BACK THAT UP.
I DON'T SEE THE CONCERNS OF YOUNG ARTISTS THAT DRESS SUCH AS HOW FREQUENTLY NEW GROUPS CAN OPT INTO CORE FUNDING.
IN FACT, WITHOUT A TRANSPARENT REPORT ON THE ACTUAL DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED IN THE AUDIT, THESE CHANGES APPEAR AS A POLITICAL MOVE AGAINST THE ACA THAT WILL UNINTENTIONALLY ERODE THE ARTS IN AUSTIN IN FAVOR OF CORPORATE ENTITIES AND A MORPHIS GROUPS WITH LITTLE ARTISTIC MERIT WHO HOST EVENTS WITH AN ADJACENT ARTISTIC COMPONENT.
IN FACT, WITH THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES GRANT FROM 2019, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THIS HAPPEN AS CHURCHES AND CAR SHOWS HAVE RECEIVED GRANT MONEY WHILE EXCITING NEW THEATER GROUPS THAT THE HOT TAX WITH LEGALLY MEANT FOR STRUGGLE TO EXIST.
CAT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN MANY RESPECTS, BUT I THINK THAT THEY COULD HAVE HELD THEIR AUDITOR MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND CRITICAL TOWARDS THE DATA BEING PRESENTED.
I WATCHED KAT OFFICIALS PRESENT BIASED INTERPRETATION OF QUALITATIVE DATA TO YOU IN PAST MEETINGS.
THEY CALLED ORGANIZATIONS, THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE AND TITLED FOR TELLING YOU THAT THEY WOULD CEASE TO EXIST WITHOUT THESE FUNDS.
YES, ENTITLED THESE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE SO FRAGILE AND CHRONICALLY UNDERFUNDED THAT THEY WERE BROUGHT TO THEIR KNEES AND THE PANDEMIC THAT IS NOT THE WAY THAT RESEARCH WITH INTEGRITY IS CONDUCTED OR PRESENTED IN ADDITION, NEXUS OR THE COMMUNITY INITIATIVE PORTION OF THE STRUCTURE HAVE NOT ACTUALLY CHANGED SINCE THE SUBCOMMITTEE CHANGED IT IN 2019, WHICH MAKES ME QUESTION HOW MUCH DATA WAS EVER INTENDED TO BE INVOLVED IN THESE NEW DECISION.
I ASK YOU TO PAUSE THE PROCESS AND MAKE IT BETTER TO CONDUCT NEW COMPREHENSIVE USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESSES SPECIFIC BARRIERS IN THE CITY'S BUREAUCRATIC PROCESSES TO CREATE A TRULY RE-IMAGINED FUNDING ECOSYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY WORKS FOR YOUNG ARTISTS AND TO ADVOCATE FOR US BY FINDING MONIES AND ADDITIONAL PLACES OUTSIDE OF THE HOT TAX, BECAUSE RELYING ON ONLY ONE FUNDING SOURCE WILL LEAD TO THE DOWNFALL OF FINE ARTS IN AUSTIN, BOTH NOW AND DURING FUTURE ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE.
THANK YOU WITH RESET THE CLOCK WE HAVE NEXT SPEAKERS, DEWEY BROOKS,
[01:15:04]
HELLO, AND GOOD EVENING.UM, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ART COMMISSIONER CHAIR AND ITS MEMBERS FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO TO SUPPORT THE MART, UH, THE ART COMMUNITY.
UH, I'VE BEEN ON THAT SIDE OF THE TABLE AND, UH, MANY, MANY TIMES, UH, MY NAME IS DEWI BROOKS.
I'M THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN CREATIVE ALLIANCE.
AND THE ACA REACHED OUT ONLINE TO THE ART PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY, ASKED FOR RESPONSE AND ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD TO THE PROPOSED CHANGES, UH, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAD ABOUT 150 PEOPLE SIGN ON TO ASK THE QUESTION OR RESPOND TO THOSE PROPOSED FUNDING CHANGES.
UH, OUR RESPONSES AND QUESTIONS WERE BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE MAIN TOPICS.
THE WHY DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS, THE WHAT PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND THE HOW EXECUTION AND RESPONSE AND RESULTS.
NOW, THESE WERE EDITED DOWN TO ABOUT 70 RESPONSES AND QUESTIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED TO THE CULTURAL ARTS STAFF, MGR PARTNERS, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARTS COMMISSION QUESTIONS WERE ASKED OF THE IMPACT ON JOBS IN THE ARTS INCLUSION OF FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES AND THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM AND HOW DATA WAS GATHERED IN THE PROCESS, UH, THAT WENT TO INFORM THE PROPOSAL, OUR MEMBERS, BASIC CONCERNS OR THE POSSIBLE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT MAY INCLUDE THE CLOSURE OF MANY NON-PROFIT ART ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING SOME OF THOSE SERVING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES AND FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS OF COLOR ACROSS ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES.
SO WE ASK BEHALF OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE ART PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY THAT NO CHANGE IN THE CURRENT FUNDING PROGRAM BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE REVIEWED AND ANSWERED.
THE, OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS HURTING, BUT NOW IS THE TIME NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE PLAN FOR BETTER TIMES.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WE'LL RESET THE CLOCK FOR CHRIS DINA.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE MY ALLERGY VOICE.
MY NAME IS CHRISTY MOORE AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SCRIPT WORKS OF PLAYWRIGHT DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICE ORGANIZATION.
NOW IN OUR 23RD YEAR, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CAD STAFF AND TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK ON OUR BEHALF AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
I JOINED WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO REQUEST THE PAUSE AND THE WHOLESALE REPLACEMENT OF CURRENT CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS, TO BE CLEAR THAT DOES NOT MEAN THERE SHOULD BE A PAUSE ON INCREASING RACIAL EQUITY OFTEN MUST ENGAGE IN CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO REVERSE SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE.
AND I BELIEVE PROGRESS CAN BE MADE IN THAT AREA WHILE PAUSING OTHER REVISIONS TO ALLOW FOR INPUT AND GUIDANCE FROM THIS BODY AND FROM CONTRACTORS, DESPITE CLAIMS OF DEEP COMMUNITY INPUT, MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT HOW THESE NEW PROGRAMS CAME ABOUT WHAT DATA CAME FROM THE CONSULTANCY PROCESS.
AND HOW DOES THAT DATA CORRELATE DIRECTLY TO THE NEW PROGRAMS? HAS THERE BEEN ANY EXAMINATION OF WHAT THE REAL IMPACT WILL BE ON ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY SUFFERING FROM THE BURDENS OF THE PANDEMIC? THERE ARE MANY MORE QUESTIONS OUTLINED IN THE ACA LIST, WHICH I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER.
UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO OUR SPECIFIC SITUATION, WHICH IS, UH, THE HOT FUNDING STATUTE THAT REQUIRES THE PROMOTION OF TOURISM ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT PROMOTION IMPROVEMENT AND APPLICATION OF THE ARTS OVER THE 20 PLUS YEARS, THAT SCRIPT WHERE IT SAYS RECEIVED CITY FUNDING.
THERE HAS BEEN INCREASING EMPHASIS ON PROMOTION AND APPLICATION AND DECREASING ELIGIBILITY OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS.
AUSTIN IS KNOWN AS A PLACE OF VIBRANT, ADVENTUROUS COMMUNITY, CONNECTED ART OF ALL KINDS, AND THAT KIND OF ART GROWS FROM LOCAL ENCOURAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT JUST TO FEEDING THE SOIL AND WATERING AND PRUNING THE PLANTS RESULTS IN BEAUTIFUL BLOSSOMS. THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT ENCOURAGING IMPROVE THE ARTS ARE NECESSARY TO THE CREATION OF HIGH QUALITY WORK THAT ATTRACTS VISITORS AND RESIDENTS ALIVE.
WHERE DO THESE ORGANIZATIONS FIT IN THE NEW PROGRAMS OVER THE LAST FIVE SEASONS, MORE THAN 60 PLAYS BY SCRIPT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY AUSTIN COMPANIES.
ALMOST HALF OF THEM CREATED, DEVELOPED OR SUPPORTED BY SCRIPT WORKS PROGRAMS. OUR WORK IS FEEDING CROONING AND WATERING HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE THEATRICAL.
[01:20:01]
TO VISITORS AND RESIDENTS.IF THE WORK CAN NO LONGER BE FUNDED BY HOT TAXES, THEN I WOULD IMPLORE THE CITY TO DIVERSIFY THEIR FUNDING SOURCES.
SO THIS WORK CAN RECEIVE THE SUPPORT IT DESERVES.
I JOINED MY OTHER COLLEAGUES AND ASKING FOR A PAUSE ON THIS PROCESS SO THAT OUR QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED AND THAT YOUR IMPACT CAN BE EXAMINED.
UH, LET'S RESET THE CLOCK FOR MONICA
HI, HOW YOU DOING AND GET SO MUCH FOR HAVING US? MY NAME IS MONICA KAYVON.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY THANKFUL, UM, FOR, UM, OUR CINCH TEXTURE TO GET US ALL TOGETHER.
A LOT OF NON-PROFITS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS.
AND I WERE JUST ONE OF, ONE OF MANY THAT HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING THIS YEAR.
AND AGAIN, TRYING TO SURVIVE THE SIGNS HAVE ALREADY BEEN COVERED.
WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE CONTRACT.
WE DO APPRECIATE THE, THE STAFF THAT IS ALWAYS AMAZING, BUT, UH, WE DO FEEL THAT THE NEW SYSTEM THAT IS NOT ONLY THAT THE TIMING RIGHT NOW IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY NOT THE BEST, BUT ALSO FOR FUTURE.
AND LONG-TERM, THAT'S AN FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY SUPPORTING THE AMAZING CULTURAL CITY THAT I MOVED TO OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
UM, LIKE YOUR LAB, I ALWAYS WAS REALLY, UH, I DUNNO, I, I FELT LIKE I ALWAYS, UM, WAS SO AMAZED ABOUT THE SUPPORTIVE OF THE NONPROFIT WORLD IN AUSTIN OF THE AMAZING SUPPORT TO THE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES AND ART.
AND THIS IS JUST REALLY A LITTLE BIT OF IT KIND OF HURTS.
UM, THE FACT THAT IT'S GONNA, YOU KNOW, OPEN TO THE FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS AND, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY DRIVE TO EVENTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT DEAL WITH TOURISM.
AND, AND REALLY JUST FOR ME, IT MAKES ME FEEL THAT IT'S REALLY SPEAKING TO ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
AND HERE A LOT OF, NOT ONLY AT THE SMALL NONPROFITS, BUT SOME OF THE LARGE NONPROFITS LIKE BALLET, AUSTEN, AND ALSO LYRIC OPERA, WHICH ARE DOING AMAZING WORK, BUT REALLY THEY'RE EMBEDDED IN AUSTEN.
THERE'S NOT REALLY GOING TO BE SUPPORTING US.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE, I THINK THAT THE SYSTEM REALLY DEFINITELY HELP US AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN COMMUNICATION TO US.
UM, AND WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE ANOTHER NONPROFIT TO REQUEST THIS PROCESS TO BE PASSED.
UH, SO LET'S RESET THE CLOCK FOR BONNIE COLUMN.
HELLO, OFTEN ART COMMISSIONERS.
I'M BONNIE COLON WITH THE VORTEX AND ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN'S THEATER VENUES, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SERVE THE AUSTIN ARTS COMMUNITY DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE VORTEX, A 30 YEAR CULTURAL CONTRACTOR, GROUND FLOOR THEATER, A SIX YEAR CULTURAL CONTRACTOR, HYDE PARK THEATER, A 29 YEAR CULTURAL CONTRACTOR, AUSTIN PLAYHOUSE, A 19 YEAR CULTURAL CONTRACTOR, RUDE MIX, A 22 YEAR CULTURAL CONTRACTOR, SALVAGE VANGUARD THEATERS, A 21 YEAR CULTURAL CONTRACTOR AND TRINITY STREET PLAYERS, NOT A CONTRACTOR.
AND WHILE WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MANY CONSIDERATIONS, WE WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION DIRECTLY TO OUR IMPERILED NONPROFIT THEATER VENUES, ALL CITY OF BOSTON, CULTURAL CONTRACTORS.
FOR MANY YEARS, THESE UNIQUE VENUES ARE BUILT OF DREAMS AND LOVE AND SACRIFICE AND DETERMINATION, NOT CITY MONEY, NOT BOND MONEY, AND BUILT BY AUSTIN THEATER ARTISTS WHO CHOOSE TO MAKE THEATER HERE IN AUSTIN.
AUSTIN'S INDEPENDENT LIVE THEATERS, PROVIDE VENUES, NOT ONLY FOR THE ARTISTS THAT CALL THEM HOME, BUT FOR HUNDREDS OF OTHER DIVERSE COMPANIES AND ARTISTS WHO CREATE THEATER IN AUSTIN, OKAY.
THE THEATER VENUES INCUBATE CENTER AND CELEBRATE THE WORK OF BIPAP ARTISTS.
OUR VENUES SUBSIDIZE HUNDREDS OF INDEPENDENT PRODUCTIONS WITH RENTAL DISCOUNTS, STAFF SUPPORT, SHARED EQUIPMENT, DESIGN MATERIALS AND INSURANCE.
IN THE BEFORE TIMES, OUR THEATERS BROUGHT IN TOURISTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY TO AUSTIN TO EXPERIENCE OUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES, OUR VENUES CREATE JOBS, ECONOMIC VITALITY.
OUR VENUES ARE AN ESSENTIAL AND VITAL COMPONENT OF AUSTIN'S FRAGILE, FRAGILE THEATER ECOSYSTEM, AND ALL HAVE BEEN SHUTTERED SINCE MARCH, 2020.
AND WHILE THIS YEAR HAS BEEN DEVASTATING FOR ALL THEATER ARTISTS, THOSE WITHOUT VENUES HAVE PIVOTED TO ONLINE PRODUCTION OR WORKED ON PROJECTS FOR THE FUTURE WITH MINIMAL OVERHEAD.
[01:25:02]
BUT THOSE OF US WITH VENUES HAVE HAD THE STRESSFUL BURDEN OF ONGOING MONTHLY COSTS TO KEEP OUR VENUES ALIVE UNTIL WE CAN RESUME LIVE PRODUCTION IN WHEN LATE 20, 20 A YEAR FROM NOW WITH ME, NO PUBLIC EVENTS AND NO BOX OFFICE REVENUE, AUSTIN THEATER VENUES HAVE BORROWED MONEY SCRAPED TOGETHER DONATIONS AND CUT STAFF IN ORDER TO COVER THE RENT UTILITIES, MAINTENANCE AND INSURANCE EXPENSES THAT ARE UNIQUE TO VENUE OPERATION.EVERY THEATER VENUE HAS BEEN RUNNING SUBSTANTIAL MONTHLY DEFICIT SINCE MARCH SOMETHING THAT IS NOW UNLIKELY TO END FOR NINE OR 12 MONTHS, OFTEN THEATER VENUES NEED HELP.
NOW THIS FINANCIAL UNCERTAINTY THREATENS TO PUT OUR FEET, OUR THEATER VENUES OUT OF BUSINESS, AND UNLIKE CITY OWNED VENUES, OUR EXPENSES WILL CONTINUE TO MOUNT THROUGH THIS WHOLE NEXT YEAR WITH NO SAFETY NET.
WHILE WE WAIT TO BE ABLE TO RESUME PRODUCTIONS AND RENT BOATS.
AND CO-PRODUCTION BY THE TIME OFTEN THEATER IS ABLE TO SAFELY REOPEN IT IS LIKELY THAT SOME OF OUR UNIQUE AND BELOVED VENUES WILL HAVE CLOSED.
WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION RECOMMEND EMERGENCY FUNDS TO SUPPORT AUSTIN'S ENDANGERED NONPROFIT VENUES THROUGH 2021 CITY COUNCIL ALREADY PASSED THIS CONCEPT WITH MUSIC VENUE SUPPORT, BUT THERE'S NO IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS FOR OUR THEATER VENUES.
WE ALSO REQUEST THAT THE REVISIONS TO CULTURAL CONTRACTS THAT ARE BEING HASTILY DEVELOPED BY AN OVEN OVERBURDENED AND DEDICATED STAFF INCLUDE EQUITABLE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE STEWARDSHIP OF NOT FOR PROFIT ARTS VENUES, THEATER COMPANIES THAT ALSO PROVIDE SPACE TO DIVERSE ARTISTS AND COMPANIES MUST RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION IN THE NEW FUNDING PLANS IN ORDER TO EQUITABLY SUPPORT THIS CRITICAL PIECE OF AUSTIN'S ARTISTIC ECOSYSTEM.
AND WITHOUT THIS SPECIAL CONSIDERATION, THE SMALL AND MIDSIZE LIVE PERFORMANCE VENUES THAT ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF AUSTIN'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED INDEPENDENT THEATER SCENE WILL DISAPPEAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME TO CONSIDER THE SURVIVAL OF AUSTIN THEATER VENUE.
PLEASE PAUSE THE PROCESS AND TAKE TIME TO REVIEW THIS.
DO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES? THANK YOU.
I AM AC A GRAY EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF TAPESTRY DANCE COMPANY, AND I THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND FOR ALL YOU DO.
AND THANK YOU STEPH FOR YOUR HARD WORK IN THIS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
IT IS NOT THE TIME TO BUILD NEW WALLS.
WHEN THE FOUNDATION OF OUR HOME IS NOT STABLE, A FOUNDATION THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY QUICK YET, PERHAPS THOUGHTFUL REPAIRS, CHANGING BUDGET AND CONFLICTING DESIGN IDEAS OVER DECADES.
I'VE BEEN HERE AND INVOLVED FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND NOW COVID, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE NO TRUE ARCHITECT TO STABILIZE THIS HOME AND ARCHITECT PLAN DESIGNS AND OVERSEES THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT PUTS A PLAN IN PLACE TO DEFINE THE ROOMS, THE PATHWAYS, THE FLOW, THE WINDOWS, THE FOUNDATION, A BLUEPRINT WITH RACIAL EQUITY AND COMMUNITY IN MIND, AND WITH OUR AUSTIN AND AUSTIN FUTURE IN MIND, AND ARCHITECT IS CHOSEN BY THE OWNERS OF THE HOME WITH DETAILS OF THE PLAN WHO ARE THE OWNERS WHO LIVES IN IT IN MY MIND, OFTEN ARTISTS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEATERS, AND YOU, THE COMMISSIONERS THAT REPRESENT, WE NEED THIS BLUEPRINT OF THIS HOME TO HOUSE, A DIVERSE ARTISTIC FAMILY, WHERE THE GRANDPARENTS ARE SHARING HISTORY ON THE FRONT PORCH.
THE MOMS ARE BALANCING THE CHECKBOOK.
THE TEENAGERS ARE DEBATING THE OLD WAYS AND THE CHILDREN ARE DISCOVERING WHO THEY ARE AND WHO THEY CAN BE, OR IS STABLE.
SO WE CAN ALL, WE CAN ALL SIT DOWN AT THE SAME TABLE.
WE NEED A BLUEPRINT TO REPAIR AND STRENGTHEN THIS HISTORICAL, THIS CURRENT AND OUR FUTURE HOME THAT WILL SUPPORT AND SECURE OUR CURRENT CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC FAMILY, A FAMILY THAT WILL SHARE THEIR ART WITH THEIR FELLOW AUSTIN NEIGHBORS AND REFLECT THE DIVERSE TAPESTRY OF OUR COMMUNITY ONLY THEN WILL WE HAVE A TRUE CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC DESTINATION FOR TOURISTS? IF THAT IS INDEED THE GOAL,
[01:30:01]
DO WE KNOW I'M NOT SO SURE THAT SHOULD BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY.AGAIN, I ASKED THAT WE PAUSE THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE AUSTIN FUNDING OR THE AUSTIN ARTS FUNDING PROCESS.
NOW, WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A GENERAL CONTRACTORS PREMATURE PLAN AND PURCHASE ORDER.
A BLUEPRINT IS NEEDED A TRUE IF WE DON'T HAVE ONE, OUR FOUNDATION AND OUR FAMILY WILL CRUMBLE AT THIS CRUCIAL TIME.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES GOOD EVENING, AND I'M DEEPLY MOVED BY HEARING WHAT EVERYBODY IS SHARING THE DEPTH OF CONCERN AND THE COMMITMENT AND DEVOTION TO THE ARTISTIC INTEGRITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I LOVE YOUR ANALYSIS OF, UH, HOW MINE IS OF AN OAK TREE.
HE IS ON THE AUTISTIC DIRECTOR AND FOUND A BLUE, LOTS OF LIGHT AERIAL DANCE COMPANY.
WE BUILT A STUDIO AND WHAT IS NOT TRANSPARENT IN THIS PROPOSAL IS THE EXTENT OF THE OUTREACH THAT ALL OF US, MID, SMALL AND LARGE ARTS ORGANIZATION EXTEND INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ALL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT OUR PARTICULAR FIELD FIELD IS, TOO.
COMMUNITIES, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, CHILDREN'S SHELTERS, SAFE PLACE.
WE, WE GO IN, IN MY 30 YEARS OF BEING HERE, I HAVE TAUGHT IN THE JAILS HALFWAY HOUSES, UM, SENIOR CITIZENS CENTERS.
AND I KNOW MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TOO, AND MANY OF THEM ARE SO UNDISTURBED AND WE HAVE GONE THERE WHEN WE'RE BROKE.
WHEN WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS OR THE RESOURCES, AND WE GO THERE WITHOUT PAYMENT, A LOT OF US AND JUST SHARE WHAT WE CAN TO UPLIFT OUR COMMUNITY.
I, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TWO WORDS RIGHT NOW, UNITY AND TRANSPARENCY, AND TO BE GIVEN THIS PROPOSAL IN THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOLIDAYS.
COVID AND, AND ALL OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS WHOLE YEAR, WHEN NONE OF US HAVE EVEN SEEN THE MJ, UM, REPORT OF WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OR READ AND TO INCLUDE IN THIS REPORT FOR PROFIT.
AND W WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT, WHAT IS THEIR FINANCIAL REPORTING GOING TO BE? BECAUSE IT WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM OURS AS NONPROFIT, AND WHO ARE THEY ACTUALLY SERVING? I MEAN, THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE, AND YOU CANNOT, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE VISION FOR THE CITY 10 YEARS AGO, OR MANY YEARS AGO, MANY OF US WERE INVOLVED IN A TENURE ENVISIONING PLAN FOR AUSTIN'S ARTS, CULTURAL GROWTH.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT DOCUMENT WAS EVER REVIEWED BY ANY OF WHAT IS CURRENTLY GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
UM, BECAUSE WE SPENT, WE HAD SMALL COMMUNITY, WE HAD COMMUNITY INPUT FROM EVERY PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.
WE HAD COMMITTEES, MANY OF US DEDICATED HOURS TO THAT DOCUMENT.
YOU KNOW, I'M ASKING YOU TO PAUSE THIS.
I'M ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, US TO BE ABLE TO READ WHERE THESE, THIS DATA AND THESE CHANGES AND HOW THEY CAME ABOUT.
AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME AND DEDICATION, BUT THE WORD A R T ART IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SOUL OF ANY COMMUNITY.
AND YOU CANNOT KEEP ADDING AND MAKING CHANGES AND UNTRUSTING OVER 30 YEARS, I'VE SEEN JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN COMMUNITIES, BUT YOU CANNOT JUST PUT IT ON ARTISTS RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE, THIS PANDEMIC, AND THESE TIMES WHERE IN IT'S JUST WRONG.
[01:35:01]
A COMMISSIONERS, I'M IMPLORING YOU TO HOLD AND PUT A PAUSE ON THIS, THIS NOW.AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY FOR THE STAFF, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT SORT OF THEME SONG RIGHT NOW.
ALL OF US ARE TRYING TO WEAVE A WEB TO MAKE OUR UNITY, OUR UNITY WITH ONE ANOTHER, NOT DIVISIVENESS, BUT MUST BE TRANSPARENT.
CAN WE PLEASE KEEP EVERYONE TO THREE MINUTES? SO EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO SPEAK, AND WE HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS THIS AFTERWARDS.
AND JUST A REMINDER FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
THAT'S ONCE WE HEAR THE BUZZER, LET'S WRAP UP OUR THOUGHTS AND KEEP THE THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT RESETTING THE CLOCK.
I'M SYLVIA ROSCOE DIRECTOR OF MEXICO AT THE MUSEUM.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR WORK TODAY, YOU TALKED ABOUT A MAJOR PROBLEM.
THE SOURCE OF FUNDING, THE HOT FUNDS, THE PANDEMIC HAS DEVASTATED THE SOURCE OF FUNDS.
OUR CURRENT SITUATION DEMONSTRATES HOW FRAGILE AND UNPREDICTABLE THE SOURCE IS.
WE, THE ARTS COMMISSION ARTISTS NEED TO LOOK FOR OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING.
WE NEED TO ADVOCATE AT COUNCIL FOR MORE FUNDING, JUST LIKE THE MUSIC VENUES AND THE CHILDCARE CENTERS.
WE CANNOT JUST SIT AND MONITOR HOT FUNDS.
THE PROPOSED CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM IS A RESULT OF A NOT FULLY THOUGHT OUT PROJECT.
I WAS ON THE ARTS COMMISSION EQUITY COMMITTEE.
WHEN THE IDEA OF FUNDING, THE STUDY CAME UP, WE ASKED FOR THE SCOPE OF WORK, AND WE WERE MET WITH HESITATION FROM STAFF WHO SAID IT DID NOT HAVE TO BE PUBLIC SINCE A BUDGET WAS LESS THAN 50,000.
THERE NEEDED TO BE MORE PLANNING AND INPUT FROM THE COMMITTEE TO CREATE THE BLUEPRINT.
THE CONTRACT STARTED IN 2019 AND ENDS APRIL THE SEAT THIS YEAR, IS THIS WHY THE PROCESS IS BEING RUSHED? AND WHERE ARE THE DELIVERABLES? WHERE'S THE FINAL REPORT.
WHERE IS THE PUBLIC MEETING TO EXPLAIN THE FINAL REPORT THAT IS IN THE CONTRACT, A TARGETED AND STUDIED SCOPE OF WORK SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLANNED FROM THE BEGINNING WITH INPUT FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION AND STAKEHOLDERS, WITH A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL INVESTMENT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT EQUITY MUST BE FRONT AND CENTER, THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, BUT THIS PROPOSED PROGRAM IS NOT EQUITABLE.
IT WILL HARM OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ORGANIZATIONS OF COLOR.
WE ARE IN, IN STAGE FIVE, WE ARE SUFFERING.
WE ARE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY TO SURVIVE THE THRIVE PROGRAM.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ORGANIZATIONS OF COLOR? THE PROBLEM IS 10 AWARDS.
WHY IS THIS PROGRAM BEING LIMITED TO 10 AWARDS? THIS IS NOT EQUITABLE.
AND WHY DO WE HAVE TO ENROLL IN A MANDATORY CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM? MANY OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE 25 YEARS OF EXISTENCE PRODUCING MAJOR EVENTS, PERFORMANCE FESTIVALS.
WHAT IS NEEDED IS FUNDS TO HIRE OUR OWN PROFESSIONALS FROM OUR COMMUNITY IN ADMINISTRATION, MARKETING DEVELOPMENT, AND PAY PROFESSIONAL SALARIES.
INSTEAD OF MINIMUM WAGE ELEVATE, EVEN IN MEXICO, THAT RECEIVES A HUNDRED, WE WILL FILL, IT WOULD STILL BE DESERT DEVASTATING FOR ORGANIZATION.
AND WE WILL BACK TO THE FUNDING LEVELS OF THE 1990S, INSTEAD OF IT ELEVATE, IT WILL BE ELIMINATE.
IT WILL ELIMINATE STAFF POSITIONS.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A FOCUS ON PRODUCTION AND NOT OPERATIONS.
AND THIS IS WHAT OUR ORGANIZATIONS OF COLOR AND MANY OF OUR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS NEED SUPPORT AND OPERATIONS TO MAINTAIN JOBS.
ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THIS CATEGORY OF OPENING UP FOR PROFIT.
THERE IS LESS MONEY NOW, ALLOWING BUSINESSES TO APPLY WILL ONLY MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE RECOMMENDATIONS, OR IS THIS FUNDING PROCESS PROGRAM PROPOSED THE PAUSE WE NEED ANOTHER BRIDGE YEAR.
WE NEED TO CONSTRUCT A VISION FOR AN EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE TAKEN INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY AND PARTICIPATION FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CYNTHIA PEREZ.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES THAT'S AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND IN PARTICULAR, ALL THE ARTS COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
I KNOW IT'S A GRUELING JOB AT THE THANKLESS JOB, AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALLOWING US TO, UH, TO NOT FINALLY HIT FACE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU KEEP GOING.
[01:40:01]
OKAY.SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR 30 YEARS FOR NOT TAKING A HIT AT EQUITY, BUT THAT IS A VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE HERE.
I, I GUESS I MUST HAVE BEEN IN A DIFFERENT PLACE, THE LANDS OF MARIO AND, UH, OTHER PEOPLE, BUT I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT'S A FINANCIAL DEPRESSION THAT IS EXACERBATING THE ISSUE HERE WITH THE COVID 19, THE SEPARATION, THE DECEMBER 12TH MEETING THAT YOU TOOK ACTION ON TO EXPLAIN.
I WAS ONE OF THE DINOSAURS THAT COULDN'T GET INTO IT.
AND ACTUALLY IN HINDSIGHT, AFTER WATCHING THE PIECE THAT THEY DID ON THE WEBINAR FIVE TIMES, I APPRECIATE NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE RUINED MY RECEPTION AND THE EVENING YET THAT THEY, BUT, UH, THE SLOGAN IS ARTWORKS.
DOES ART REALLY WORK OFTEN IS FINALLY NORMALIZING EQUITY.
THIS SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC KIT ALLOWED MOST OF THE FUNDING FOR 2021, FOR THOSE PEOPLE OF COLOR ORGANIZATIONS NOT TO RECEIVE 12% OR 20% DECREASE, DECREASE IN OUR FUNDING.
I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER, BUT MAYOR CAROL WRIGHT LENDER KILLED A LOT OF BUSINESSES ON CONGRESS AVENUE BECAUSE HER VISION WAS ABOUT EXPANDING AND WIDENING THE SIDEWALKS HERE.
AND SO MANY OF THE UPPER ECHELON BUSINESSES IN THE FIRST FOUR BLOCKS OF CONGRESS AVENUE BY THE CAPITOL DIET.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL REMEMBER THE SMART GIRLS IDEA THAT FORMER MAYOR KURT WATSON CAME UP WITH.
HE'S NOW A RETIRED SENATOR REFERRED TO IT HAS RELOCATED US FROM OUR GENTRIFIED BURIALS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THEY'VE EVEN ADDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES TO THE HOMELESSNESS.
AS A RESULT OF SOME OF HIS IDEAS OR MAYOR WILL WIN'S IDEA ABOUT ENVISIONING LOTS OF PEOPLE WALKING DOWNTOWN.
AFTER HE ATTENDED NORTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE MEETING IN RALEIGH, HE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO SEE HOW EMPTY THE STREETS ARE.
ACTUALLY, THE BENEFIT HAS BEEN TO US BECAUSE THERE'S ACTUALLY PARKING DOWNTOWN.
NOW, THE POLICIES THEY INTRODUCED, AUSTIN CITY PROVIDED TAX INCENTIVES FOR INDUSTRIES IN RETURN FOR JOBS, TAX ABATEMENT, PROPERTY TAX CUTS, DISCOUNTS ON WATER AND OTHER UTILITIES IN RETURN FOR JOBS, WE DID THE STREET PROMISE DELIVERED ELON MUSK.
TESLA CORPORATION HAD ALREADY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN DEL VALLEY BEFORE HIS BID WAS APPROVED.
AND IN REQUESTS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASKED FOR AN HEB IN THEIR FOOD DESERT.
OUR COMMUNICATION IS ALWAYS CHALLENGED AMONG OURSELVES, BUT NOW MORE THAN EVER DUE TO OUR INABILITY, TO INTERACT IN PERSON.
THE QUESTION ABOUT WHICH BUSINESSES NOW BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR THE FUNDS.
AND IN THIS ECONOMIC FREE FALL, WE NEED MORE INSPIRATIONAL.
22 YEAR OLD WOMEN OF COLOR LIKE AMANDA GORMAN TO ENCOURAGE US TO BE THE LIGHT.
ANNA MARIA, THE KENAI MAYNARD.
SO YOUR HARD WORK AND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
ANA MARIA, THAT HE MAY DO MAYNARD.
I AM THE FOUNDING EXECUTIVE AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE PUERTO RICAN CULTURAL CENTER, OR AS OUR NONPROFIT NAME IS PUERTO RICAN FOLKLORIC DANCE, INC.
I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY EXPRESS MY CONCERN OVER THE PROPOSAL TO RESTRUCTURE THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAM PRESENTED IN MID DECEMBER.
THE PUERTO RICAN CULTURAL CENTER IS A 23 YEAR OLD NONPROFIT FIVE OH ONE C3 LOCATED IN GENTRIFIED EAST AUSTIN.
WE ARE THE ONLY CENTER IN TEXAS AND THE SOUTHWEST PROVIDING ONGOING PUERTO RICAN CULTURAL ARTS PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS TO THE LOCAL AUSTIN AND EXTENDED CULTURAL TOURISM COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN CULTURAL CONTRACTS PROGRAM FOR 21 YEARS.
OUR QUALITY IS RECOGNIZED AT THE CITY STATE
[01:45:01]
AND NATIONAL LEVELS, INCLUDING FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS WHO HAS SUPPORTED OUR ANNUAL FESTIVAL WITH PUERTO RICAN FOLK WHO ARE MASTERS AND HANDCRAFT ARTISANS FOR ALMOST ALL THE 21 YEARS.OUR PHYSICAL CULTURAL CENTER FACILITY SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON AUSTIN FOR UNIQUE PROGRAMS THAT CANNOT BE OTHERWISE EXPERIENCED IN THIS REGION.
YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL TO FAR AWAY CITIES LIKE CHICAGO OR NEW YORK CITY TO ENJOY ANOTHER CULTURAL CENTER LIKE OURS.
AS WE WORK WITH AND SERVE A RESOURCE LIMITED COMMUNITY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN FUNDING IS OUR LIFE BLOOD.
AT THIS POINT, THE REDUCED FUNDING LEVEL WE ARE RECEIVING FOR 2020, 20, 21 IS NOT ENOUGH TO COVER THE OPERATIONS AND COSTS OF THE CULTURAL PROGRAMS WE PROVIDE THROUGH OUR CULTURAL CENTER FACILITY, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC FINANCIAL IMPACT ON OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
OUR DOORS ARE STILL OPEN BECAUSE OF CARE AT GRANTS.
WE ARE RECEIVING FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AND OTHERS.
WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
AS YOU CONSIDER AN EQUITABLE PLAN AND TIMELINE.
IT SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT THIS OUTCOME IS IMPERATIVE TO OUR SURVIVAL WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO COVER THE OPERATIONS OF OUR UNIQUE CULTURAL CENTER FACILITY AND PROGRAMS THIS FALL AFTER 23 YEARS OF CULTURAL EXCELLENCE AND CONTRIBUTION TO OUR CITY AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, WE WILL HAVE TO CLOSE OUR DOORS.
THANK YOU TO RESET THE CLOCK FOR THE NEXT SPEAKER, ROXANNE SCHROEDER, RC RC.
I FIRST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF THE CAD STAFF, UH, AND OUR AUSTIN ART COMMISSIONERS.
I AM ROXANNE SCHROEDER OUR SAY A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF TAFFETA VIVO.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATH TO CONTINUED SUPPORT OF PEOPLE'S WORK AND THE WORK OF ALL OF OUR BRILLIANT ARTS COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY.
I'M REALLY, TRULY INSPIRED TO HEAR MY FELLOW ARTISTS SPEAKING TONIGHT.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU ARE AS WELL.
AND, UH, I REALLY HERE AND I HOPE YOU HEAR AS WELL.
WE'RE ALL SPEAKING FOR ALL OF US.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL.
A PLAN TO REVISE THE PROCESS FOR FUNDING TO ADDRESS EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS CRITICAL.
BUT I FEEL THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD TO MEET AND FIGHT THE CLEAR PERSISTENCE OF WHITE SUPREMACY IN OUR ARTS FUNDING IS SLOG.
SOME PARTS OF WHAT HAS BEEN CRAFTED MAY MOVE US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WELL, OTHER PARTS WILL SERIOUSLY HURT THE EXACT NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS REINVISIONING DESIRES TO HELP SOME IDEAS MAKE SENSE, GIVEN EXPRESS OBJECTIVE.
OTHER IDEAS ARE NOT WELL THOUGHT OUT.
AND REGARDLESS OF INTENT, I AM SURPRISED THAT THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION AND THE ARTS COMMISSION WOULD HAND OVER THIS NEW PROCESS TO ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY WITHOUT OUR FULL CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY UNDER COVID CONDITIONS.
THIS STRATEGIZING IN THE NAME OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE STAKEHOLDERS, THE ARTISTS, AND ESPECIALLY ARTISTS AND ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS OF COLOR IN THIS DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
HOW ARE THESE CHANGES GOING TO HELP SERVE WHO THEY'RE MEANT TO? AND WHAT ARE ALL OF THE RAMIFICATIONS? IT APPEARS THAT THESE NEW PROCESSES HAVE BEEN ARRIVED AT TOO QUICKLY AND WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY FOR THOSE WHO ARE TO BE MOST DEEPLY IMPACTED, IF IT FEELS LIKE THIS HAS INCLUDED THE ARTS COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY, I ASSURE YOU THAT IS NOT THE FEELING THAT COMES BACK, ESPECIALLY PERHAPS THE THEATER, VISUAL ART, AND DANCE COMMUNITY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANYONE ELSE FEELS, THEY HAVE DONE INTENT VERSUS IMPACT.
[01:50:01]
I WANT TO SHARE THAT, ESPECIALLY PUTTING FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES IN THE FUNDING MIX IS WRONG, HEADED AND WILL HURT FOR SURE, OURS, SMALL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING OUR ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATION OF COLOR.NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA VAUGHT.
I'M THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE VORTEX, A NONPROFIT THEATER WITH A VENUE ON THE EAST SIDE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE MANY YEARS.
AND FOR SETTING ASIDE THIS TIME TONIGHT TO HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY COLLEAGUES CONCERNS AND SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO TWO POINTS, THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE PROCESS AND THE REMOVAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HIRED MJR CONSULTANTS TO TAKE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE INEQUITIES IN OUR CURRENT ARTS FUNDING SYSTEM AND CHARGED THEM WITH CONNECTING WITH THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS IN ORDER TO HEAR OUR CONCERNS DIRECTLY.
I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THE NEW FUNDING PROCESS WAS ANNOUNCED DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, WITHOUT PRIOR RELEASE AND DISCUSSION OF THE CONSULTANT'S FINDINGS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO QUOTE THE CONTRACT BETWEEN MJR AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN MGR WAS TO PREPARE AND PRESENT A WRITTEN FINAL REPORT OF THE REVIEW AND EVALUATION PROCESS AND PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC AND INDIVIDUAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS TO SHARE AND EXPLAIN THE FINAL REPORT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND CITY LEADERS IN THE CONTRACT AGENDA, ALLOTTING, MORE TIME TO THIS PROJECT COMPLETION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL ARE EXPECTED BY FEBRUARY 20, 21, FEBRUARY, AND YET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR NEW MATRIX ARE ALREADY ROLLING OUT.
MGR HAS NOT FINISHED THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, AND WE NEED TO SEE THE DELIVERABLES BEFORE ANY CHANGES ARE IMPLEMENTED.
IN ADDITION, REMOVAL OF OPERATIONAL SUPPORT AND THE PIVOT TO SOLELY PROVIDE PROJECT-BASED FUNDING IS GOING TO BE DEVASTATING TO THE FOUNDATIONAL KEYSTONES IN OUR ARTS ECOSYSTEM, THE SMALL AND MID-SIZE VENUES, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WITH VENUES SERVE A VITAL FUNCTION TO OUR AUSTIN ARTS COMMUNITY SUBSIDIZING PERFORMANCE SPACE WITH BELOW MARKET RENTALS, OFFERING FREE COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE, REHEARSAL SPACE, AND INCUBATION OF MANY DIVERSE ARTISTS AND COMPANIES WHO NEED SPACES TO PERFORM AND WORK.
THESE ARE NOT OUR PROJECTS, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF SPACES IN WHICH DIVERSITY AND CREATIVITY CAN THRIVE.
WE INJECT SUPPORT FROM OUR STAFF, OFFER SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, MENTORSHIP, AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER SMALL INTANGIBLE BENEFITS THAT ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT MAKES POSSIBLE.
THIS WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF AUSTIN ARTS FUNDING THAT MADE US STAND OUT NATIONWIDE.
THE CITY THAT SUPPORTS THE ARTS, NOT JUST A PRODUCT OR A SHOW OR AN INFLUX OF TOURISTS, BUT OUR ARTISTIC COMMUNITY AND THE CONSTITUENTS WE SERVE WITHOUT IT, MANY SMALL AND MID-SIZED VENUES WILL NOT MAKE IT THROUGH OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS.
I STAND WITH AUSTIN ARTISTS FOR EQUITY.
NOW WE ASK YOU TO PAUSE THIS PROCESS AND THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, AB STAFF LOOKS LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER VAN DYKE MAY HAVE DROPPED AND HE'S ON THE ATTENDANCE ATTENDEE LIST, OR WE CAN MOVE HIM OVER.
NEXT SPEAKER, SHEA, LITTLE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, GRIEVING COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF FOR IPP TO DO, I'M SAY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAT THERE'S A MEDIUM AND IT SOUNDS LIKE I MIGHT BE THE OUTLIER AND TONIGHT'S SPEAKERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION MADE A CHARM DECISION OVER THE SUMMER TO, UH, LEAD CULTURAL FUNDING PRIORITIES IN RESPONSE TO THE DOWNTURN, FROM THE PANDEMIC TO FOCUS ON RACIAL EQUITY.
AND I'M HERE TO ENDORSE THAT SAME APPROACH WITH, UM, THE ANOTHER STRONG DECISION FOR CAD PLAN FOR THE STRUCTURE AND THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROCESS.
AND I ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION TO DO THE SAME.
UM, IT, IT IS TIME FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY TO MOVE ON FROM OUR DEPENDENCY ON HOC FUNDING.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK TOWARDS THE PROFESSIONALS, NOT ONLY IN STAFF, BUT ALSO IN OUR CONSULTING TO LEAVE THAT WAY.
AND THEY ARE THE PROFESSIONALS AND THEY SHOULD BE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.
UM, THE VOICES THAT ARE SPEAKING TONIGHT AND SO SIGNED ONTO THE LETTER, IT'S MENTIONED, UM, IN OPPOSITION TO THE STAFF PLAN TO EITHER SLOW THINGS DOWN OR JUST TO STOP ARE IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND SHOULD BE HEARD,
[01:55:01]
BUT THE NAMES OF PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO DID NOT SIGN LETTERS OR SPEAK TONIGHT, THOSE NAMES AND ORGANIZATIONS ALSO SPEAK VOLUMES, NOT BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE VOICE THAT COULD BE CONSTRUED AS THE COMMUNITY SPEAKING, AND TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO MY COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY.I HOPE THAT WE, WE CAN MOVE ON FROM THE HOT CONVERSATION WE NEED TO MOVE ON FROM THE HOT CONVERSATION.
AND I THINK THIS RESTRUCTURING IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO AND FOR US AS A COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND MOVE FORWARD AND MOVE BEYOND HUT.
RESET THE CLOCK FOR THE NEXT SPEAKER.
I WISH I WOULD HAVE SAID, HEY, I PROBABLY SHOULD DRILL.
ARE YOU ON THE LINE, BABY SHOWER? I DON'T WANT YOU TO HEAR IT.
WE CAN HEAR YOUR CONVERSATION, JILL, IF THAT'S YOU, WE ARE READY FOR JILL RAMIREZ.
ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I FEEL LIKE A RADIO TALK SHOW HOST JILL RAMIREZ YEAR AGO.
WE'LL BE BACK RIGHT AFTER THESE MESSAGES.
UH, JILL RAMIREZ AB STOPPED IF WE KNOW WHICH PHONE NUMBER IT IS, CAN WE MUTE EVERYONE ELSE? EXCEPT THAT LINE, JOE RAMIREZ, EUROPE TO SPEAK.
WE DON'T SEE JILL'S NUMBER IN HERE.
UH, WELL, LET'S, UH, MAKE SURE ALL OUR PHONE PHONE CALL PHONE CALLERS ARE MUTED.
UM, WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR AGENDA.
SOMEBODY BEEPING, I THINK SOMEONE'S BACKING UP A TRUCK TO YOUR HOUSE.
NO, I THINK IT WAS A PHONE CALL.
IT LOOKS LIKE STAFF'S MEETING THEM.
SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
WE ARE NOW AT NEW BUSINESS DISCUSSION AND ACTION REGARDING THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS UPDATE, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF WHEN YOU FALL IT'S, UH, COMMISSIONER POLGAR OR VICE-CHAIR HOLDER, AND THEN FANTE, UM, A COUPLE OF CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS FOR STAFF JUST BECAUSE I HEARD THE TWO ITEMS COME UP, UM, FAIRLY FREQUENTLY IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
AND SO I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR SOME CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF.
UM, CAN YOU GUYS, UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FOR-PROFIT ELIGIBILITY PIECE WITHIN THE CULTURAL ART REVISION FIRST? AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE HAS TO DO WITH A PERCEPTION THAT THERE IS NO OPERATING SUPPORT AVAILABLE.
IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND CLARIFY FOR THOSE FOR ME THAT WEEK.
MEGAN, I CAN SPEAK ABOUT THOSE IF YOU'D LIKE SURE.
GO AHEAD AND SUSE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO THIS IS HIS WHO'S PENTEL CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.
SO THE FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES, UM, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THAT IS, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS OR UNINCORPORATED ARTS GROUPS, UM, GALLERIES OR STUDIOS, OR THE CREATIVE BUSINESSES, UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY ALLOWED THAT, UM, IN COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND IN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR OTHERS, IF THEY USE A FISCAL SPONSOR.
SO THIS IS REALLY ACTUALLY NOT ANYTHING NEW.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN, UM, ALLOWED BEFORE.
AND FURTHERMORE, WE'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF, UM, WE'RE STILL DETERMINING WHAT KIND OF LIMITATIONS THERE MAY BE ON A BUSINESS, BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT NATIONAL CHAINS.
[02:00:01]
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, LARGE BUSINESSES.WE WANT TO LOOK AND SEE, IS THERE A CAP ON, UH, THE, THE SIZE, UM, WITH THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OR REVENUE CAP, BUT THIS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OUR ARTISTS GALLERIES AND STUDIOS THEATER GROUPS THAT MAY NOT BE FORMALLY INCORPORATED AS A, AS A, AS A NONPROFIT, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN FOR THE OPERATING SUPPORT, ACTUALLY THE INTENT OF, UM, ALL OF THE FUNDING PROGRAMS IS TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE PROJECT SUPPORT, ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT MODEL, TO WHERE EVERYBODY IS BASICALLY GETTING ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT OR OPERATING SUPPORT.
SO, UM, SO IF THAT WAS NOT CLEAR, AS, AS MEGAN LAID OUT EARLIER, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE PROPOSED, UM, KIND OF BIG PICTURE GUIDELINES WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR THINKING IS, AND THEN WE'RE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM YOU ON WHAT IT IS.
SO WE'RE HEARING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR THAT, UH, HEY, WE LIKE THAT OPERATING SUPPORT THING.
AND IF THAT'S NOT CLEAR, THEN WE APOLOGIZE FOR NOT MAKING THAT MORE CLEAR, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S IN THERE THAT WE SEE IN ALL THREE OF THE NEW FUNDING PROGRAM.
UM, JUST ONE QUICK, QUICK CLARIFICATION.
SO AS THE PROCESS MOVES FORWARD, THEN YOU WOULD BE CLARIFYING AND DEFINING EXACTLY WHAT WE MEAN BY NON-PROFIT AND WHAT ALL THOSE PARAMETERS WOULD BE CORRECT.
I HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL LET MY COLLEAGUES CHAT FIRST AND THEN I WILL CIRCLE BACK WITH YOU GUYS.
YEAH, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER FANTE AND THEN GARZA.
UH, AT FIRST, UH, BEFORE I GET INTO MY MAIN REMARKS, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHO IS OPERATING A, UH, VENUE, AND HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE IT THIS YEAR, UH, BUT IS PAYING RENT ON IT.
UH, THE SBA SHELTERED VENUE OPERATOR GRANT JUST DEBUTED THIS, UH, THIS MONTH.
AND YOU CAN GET A MAJORITY OF ALL OF THE MONEY YOU LOST LAST YEAR, BACK FROM THAT.
THAT IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND THEY HAVE MORE MONEY THAN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? IT'S CALLED THE SHELTERED VENUE OPERATOR GRANT.
IT'S RUN BY THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION SBA.
IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT YOU THE PPP AND THE IDL, UM, AND, UH, AND ALL THOSE WONDERFUL PROJECTS THAT, UH, MAINTAIN MANY ORGANIZATIONS LAST YEAR.
SO FIRST WORD IS SHATTERED JUST FOR CLAIRE SHUTTER.
SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATOR GRANT.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK CHAIR CASTILLO FOR, UH, HIS LEADERSHIP AND FOR HIS IMPASSIONED WORDS AND HIS EFFORTLESS COMMAND OF CULTURAL REFERENCES.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE, UH, A GOOD, UH, PROFESSOR X REFERENCE AS, AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS WALKING DEAD REFERENCES.
SO, UM, WHAT I'M HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN TONIGHT IS I SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF EQUITY, BUT NOT NOW AND NOT IN THIS WAY, HAVING A DISTINCT FEELING THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS NOT GOING TO GET AS MUCH MONEY AS ANOTHER ONE.
IT SUCKS, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN EMAILS AND HEARD PUBLICLY FROM ORGANIZATIONS ASKING THE CULTURAL FUNDING, REVIEW PASTAS, BE PAUSED IN FAVOR OF ANOTHER STATUS QUO BRIDGE YEAR.
EVERYBODY WANTS THEIR ENTITLED FUNDING, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE ENTITLED DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE WITH REGARDS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION'S ACCESS TO MONEY.
WELL, GUESS WHAT? WELCOME TO WHAT BIPAP LGBTQ AND DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE FELT FOR YEARS.
I WAS STRONGLY AGAINST A BRIDGE YEAR THIS YEAR.
I THINK YOU WILL REMEMBER ME SAYING BURN IT ALL DOWN.
I EVEN BORN AGAINST A BRIDGE YEAR FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
NOW IS THE TIME TO ROOT OUT SYSTEMIC BIAS IN OUR FUNDING PROCESS, A STRUCTURE WHICH HAS REWARDED ORGANIZATIONS, UH, FOR YEARS, SIMPLY FOR BEING IN THE SYSTEM ALREADY.
IT'S DISTRIBUTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 20 YEARS HAVE WHITE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND PRIMARILY WHITE BOARDS AND BUDGETS IN EXCESS OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
IF YOU HAVE A BUDGET OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR EVEN $300,000, YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HIRE A GOOD DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHOSE FULL-TIME JOB.
MOST ORGANIZATIONS WOULD GLADLY TRADE THEIR TINY CITY FOR THE ABILITY TO HAVE A DEVELOPMENTAL DIRECTOR.
YOU ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO SUCCEED.
YOU HAVE 20 YEARS OF HISTORY THAT YOU CAN MONETIZE.
YOU HAVE A CRM FULL OF SPONSORS AND DONORS AND TICKET BUYERS.
YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE MONEY.
NOW, I JUST WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO SHARE THAT SPACE.
[02:05:01]
HAVE YOU ACTIVELY RESHAPED YOUR BOARD TO RESEMBLE THE DIVERSITY OF AUSTIN? HAVE YOU HIRED MEMBERS OF THE BIPAP COMMUNITY INTO POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP? HAVE YOU SHARED RESOURCES, MAILING LISTS, GRANT WRITING EXPERIENCE WITH UP AND COMING ORGANIZATIONS IN YOUR FIELD, HAVE YOU MENTORED THE NEXT GENERATION OF VOICES, INVITED THEM INTO YOUR SPACE AND EVEN GIVEN UP A PRODUCTION OR TWO TO MAKE ROOM ON THE CALENDAR FOR FRESH TALENT TO AUSTIN, CALENDAR IS VERY FULL.AND WHEN ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 20 YEARS ARE DOING SOMETHING EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
UH, THERE ISN'T A LOT OF ROOM FOR NEW ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE INROADS INTO THEIR AUDIENCE.
YES, THE PANDEMIC HAS HURT EVERYONE.
MY ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY HURT BY THE PANDEMIC, BUT BECAUSE OF LONG-TERM SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES, THESE CHALLENGES HAVE MORE SEVERELY AFFECTED BIPAP ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
AND TO A LESSER EXTENT, LGBTQ AND DISABILITY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, A RESET TO THE FUNDING WE HAD BEFORE OR A BRIDGE YEAR THAT PRESERVES THE CURRENT INEQUITIES FOR ANOTHER YEAR IS AN OFFENSIVE AND ENTITLED ASK.
99% OF APPLICANTS RECEIVING CINDY CITY FUNDING IS RIDICULOUS.
ANYBODY ASKING TO PAUSE THE PROCESS FOR COMMUNITY INPUT IS REALLY JUST SAYING, STOP WORKING TOWARDS EQUITY UNTIL WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET THE MONEY WE DESERVE.
COMMUNITY INPUT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR TWO YEARS.
LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM JULY, 2019 TO MARCH, 2020 ALONE.
OR DO YOU MEAN THAT COMMUNITY INPUT SHOULD JUST BE YOUR COMMUNITY? WE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE SPEAKING IN ONE VOICE TONIGHT, BUT I URGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE VOICES WHO DIDN'T SPEAK TONIGHT, WHO WEREN'T INVITED TO SIGN YOUR LETTERS, WHO HOO, SOMEHOW THESE, THESE SIGNING THESE LETTERS THAT ARE ASKING ALREADY BURDENED STAFF TO PROVIDE DETAILED PRINTED, WRITTEN ANSWERS TO 70 QUESTIONS.
DO YOU WANT THE FUNDING? DO YOU WANT THE CHECKS OR DO YOU WANT PARAGRAPHS OF INFORMATION? THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROCESS MUST BE DISRUPTED.
I AGREE WITH MAYOR ADLER SHAME ON US.
IF WE REBUILD AND MANAGE TO BUILD INEQUITY INTO THE SYSTEM, AGAIN, WE ARE ALREADY ON A BRIDGE YEAR.
I FULLY SUPPORT THE CAD PROPOSAL AND I HEARD, AND I URGE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, NOT JUST TO STAND WITH ME, NOT JUST TO WALK THE WALK, BUT TO MARCH, TO MARCH FOR EQUITY.
WHY STAND ON A BRIDGE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE.
FANTE UH, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE MEETINGS REFLECTED THAT BEFORE WE, UH, RIGHT AFTER WE ENDED SINCE COMMUNICATION THAT WE LOST COMMISSIONER KEATON, BUT WE GAINED COMMISSIONER BARNS.
UH, AND WITH THAT COMMISSIONER GARZA, YOUR VIDEO'S NOT ON, BUT YOU ARE WELCOME TO START SPEAKING.
YEAH, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LEAVE MY VIDEO OFF.
CAUSE MY CAMERA KEEPS BREAKING IN AND OUT.
UH, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO SPOKE TODAY.
I REMEMBER ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO GOING WITH THE, MY SILENCE OVER TO THE VORTEX GATOR ON MADER AND GOING IN THERE AND JUST WONDERING TO MYSELF, LIKE HOW THE HELL ARE THESE PEOPLE LIKE EVER GOING TO MAKE A THEATER OUT OF THIS? AND THEN I, YOU LOOK AT THEM NOW AND YOU SEE HOW MUCH THEY'VE GROWN AND HOW MUCH THEY'VE GIVEN TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
NOT JUST, UH, AN ENTITLED LITTLE GROUP, SAME THING WITH PENA.
I REMEMBER GOING TO THEIR OPINIONS AND BEHIND THE LESS MANY TESTS AND GOING TO MIX THE OUT THERE WHEN THEY WERE AT THE ARTS WAREHOUSE.
AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF INCREDIBLE GROWTH AND A LOT OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND A LOT OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT COLOR COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER AND HELP EACH OTHER OUT.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT AUSTIN AND ABOUT OUR ARTS COMMUNITY, ABOUT HOW SUPPORTIVE WE CAN BE TOWARDS EACH OTHER.
AND RIGHT NOW, AS AN EDUCATOR, I WORK IN A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M DEALING WITH COVID EVERY SINGLE DAY.
LIKE I SAID, I'VE HAD TO QUARANTINE FIVE TIMES ALREADY BECAUSE OF MY INTERACTIONS AND MY, MY FAMILY'S INTERACTIONS WITH OUR STUDENTS AND WHATNOT.
AND IT HAS BEEN AN EXTREME DISTRACTION FOR ME TO, TO LOOK AT THE STUFF THAT WE'RE ASKED TO BE DOING TODAY.
UH, ONE OF OUR CONTRACTORS CALL ME AND ASKED ME, WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT ALL THESE CHANGES? AND I HAD TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST.
I HAVEN'T REALLY HAD TIME TO DIGEST THIS BECAUSE I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHAT I CAN DO FOR MY FAMILY AND WHATNOT.
AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR CONTRACTORS ARE FEELING THE SAME WAY.
AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE FEELING THE SAME
[02:10:01]
WAY.AND IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT EQUITY TO HAPPEN.
THIS AN EQUITY PROBLEM STARTED IN 1928, 83 YEARS AGO, 93 YEARS AGO, AUSTIN STARTED THE ROAD TOWARDS SEGREGATION.
AUSTIN STARTED THE ROAD TOWARDS MAKING PREJUDICE ONLY, OR THING.
AND WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT STILL.
WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THAT.
WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE, UH, GENTRIFICATION.
AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE THE ROCHE GENTRIFICATION IN AUSTIN HAS BEEN BUILT WITH BEAUTIFUL INTENTIONS, JUST LIKE SYNCOPE BETTERS.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR, ANY TIME THERE HAS BEEN SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT OR SOME KIND OF PUBLIC, UH, RATE THING IS COMING ON, LIKE OUR CONVENTION CENTER AND WHATNOT.
IT'S IT'S US WHO GETS KICKED OUT, UH, WHEN THEY BUILD THE, UH, HOLLY POWER PLANT, ET CETERA, WHO LOST THEIR HOUSES AND WHEN THEY CLOSED IT DOWN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THAT? SO LOST THEIR HOUSES AGAIN.
UH, YEAH, WE'VE BEEN SCREWED AROUND, UH, FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I AGREE WITH REBECCA THAT THAT CHANGE HAS TO HAPPEN CHANGE.
IT HAS TO HAPPEN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'D BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT THIS YEAR IS ONE OF THE WORST YEARS TO IMPLEMENT THIS KIND OF CRAP, BECAUSE SO MANY OF US AREN'T FOCUSED ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THIS AND DIGEST THIS PROPERLY, AND WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS THIS INEQUITY.
WE HAVE TO DRESSED AS AN EQUITY.
UH, LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
AND HOPEFULLY HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF HER FROM NOW ON WHEN HE'S A BIG BOY, YOU KNOW, HE'LL KNOW THAT WE DID THE RIGHT THING.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S 93 YEARS THAT THIS PROCESS HAS STARTED AND THAT WE'D BEEN SCREWED AROUND FOR 93 YEARS ON WE'RE STILL GETTING SCREWED AROUND TODAY, BUT DO WE NEED TO MAKE THE STEPS THAT ARE MAYBE NOT RIGHT? I'M LOOKING AT THIS LIKE FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES THAT ARE BEING ABLE TO GET TO RECEIVE MONEY.
AND THEN I LOOKED AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN, YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND I LOOK AT THE HISPANIC QUARTER OF YOUR LIFE REPORTS, WHICH I HAVE, WHICH I READ BEFORE.
AND I RECOGNIZE, AND I REALIZED THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOME OWNERSHIP, YOU KNOW, THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO OWN HOMES IN AUSTIN IS REALLY LOW AND THE PR.
AND IF YOU TAKE THAT AND YOU, YOU KNOW, EXTEND A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, YOU CAN BE SURE AS HELL THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO OWN BUSINESSES IN AUSTIN IS ALSO INCREDIBLY LOW.
ANY, IF YOU TAKE THAT EVEN FURTHER AND YOU LOOK AT ART BUSINESSES, OH, WOW.
REALLY? WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? ONE IN A MILLION OR ONE IN A HUNDRED OR WHATEVER, COME ON, LET'S GET REAL.
LET'S LOOK AT ALL THESE REPORTS THAT WE WE'VE BEEN PAID MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR, AND LET'S DIGEST THEM AND WRITE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT.
I MEAN, CAN WE WAIT A LITTLE BIT? I THINK WE CAN, BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM THE FOLKS WHO ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THIS.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE, ARE GIVING THEIR INFORMATION, BUT WHAT IS THE EXACT PERCENTAGE OF CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE RESPONDED TO, TO THESE QUESTIONNAIRES? WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF A RABBI OR A BIPAP CONTRACTORS WHO RESPONDED TO THESE CONTRACTS AND WHAT HAVE THEY SAID ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? LIKE SYLVIA SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT HASN'T BEEN, BEEN MADE PUBLIC, AND I'M REALLY, REALLY RELUCTANT TO VOTE FOR THIS AT THIS POINT, WITHOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION TO ENSURE THAT THIS CHOICE IS MADE RIGHT.
AND THAT WE FIX THIS TERRIBLE THING, LIKE I SAID, 93 YEARS AND LET'S FOCUS ON THAT.
AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL I REALLY WANT TO SAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I SEE.
VICE CHAIR THEN MARK THEN FLORES.
UM, SO A QUESTION LOOKING BACK OVER AND MEGAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WHAT'S SORT OF THE UPDATE AND LEVEL SETTING FOR THIS CONVERSATION EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATED THE UPDATE ON THE STRATEGIC THEMES THAT HAD COME OUT OF THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE.
UM, LOOKING AT THAT AND LOOKING AT, UM, COMMISSIONER CASTEO'S, CHAIR CASTILLO'S TIMELINE.
I, YOU KNOW, I RECALL THAT IN SOMEWHERE AROUND OCTOBER, WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET SORT OF A, A TASTE OF WHAT THE FINDINGS WERE.
AND THAT'S JUST ABOUT THE TIME THAT EVERYTHING EXPLODED WITH EMERGENCY
[02:15:01]
FUNDS FUNDING COMING THROUGH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CREATING PROGRAMS TO GET THAT MONEY OUT INTO THE HANDS OF THE COMMUNITY AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE.AND SO I FEEL LIKE THE UPDATE REPORT WINDOW KIND OF, WE KIND OF MISSED IT A LITTLE BIT.
THERE WAS LITTLE PIECES OF INFORMATION, BUT WE NEVER GOT A WHOLE REPORT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT EXISTS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S AVAILABLE? HOW MIGHT THAT INFORMATION BE, UM, BE DISTRIBUTED IN SOME WAY SO THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE THEY'RE IN THE, IN THE MIX ON THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, IS THAT A QUESTION FOR ME? I GUESS SO, YEAH.
I MEAN, IS THERE A WAY TO COMPILE OR IS THERE AN EXISTING REPORT? WELL, THE, THE, THE INFORMATION THAT WE USED AND WHICH I REFERENCED IN MY PARTICULAR POWERPOINT IS ALL AVAILABLE THROUGH PREVIOUS PA UH, PRESENTATIONS THAT MGR HAS GIVEN, UH, THEY ARE LOCATED ON OUR WEBSITE.
UH, I WILL, I CAN DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING, BUT SHE HAS DELIVERED THAT INFORMATION BEFORE.
SO I WAS REALLY JUST RECAPPING IT.
UH, I CAN, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'LL, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK AND VISIT THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING SHE'S SHARED OUT IS THERE, UM, THERE ARE ALSO NOTES THAT SHE HAS TAKEN.
LIKE I SAID, FROM SOME OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS THAT SHE CONDUCTED, THAT STAFF WAS NOT PRESENT FOR, THAT SHE HAS THAT, OR THAT HAS FORMED, UM, THE WORK THAT SHE SHARED WITH US THROUGH HER STRATEGIC, UM, THOSE STRATEGIC THEMES.
UM, THEY WILL BE PART OF A FINAL REPORT.
THAT REPORT IS STILL BEING RE DRAFTED AND WRITTEN.
UM, BUT SHE HAS BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH STAFF, UH, THIS WHOLE TIME IN, IN OUR DRAFTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE PUTTING INTO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THESE PROPOSALS MIRROR AND CONSIDER THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMMUNITY, THROUGH HER CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH HER TEAM AND, UH, ALSO REFLECTED IN THE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE'VE DONE AS A STAFF GROUP.
UM, AND ALL, ALL THE OTHER, UH, PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT HAVE GONE INTO THIS PROCESS.
UH, SO THERE'S NOT REALLY A, A FINAL REPORT THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S BEEN DELIVERED TO US OR WE'RE WITHHOLDING, IT'S PART OF THE JOURNEY THAT SHE'S ON WITH US.
UM, BUT WE CAN SURE, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN EVERYTHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT, THAT I'VE REFERENCED.
AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SHE CAN GIVE US TO SHARE BEYOND THAT, I'LL DEFINITELY SHARE IT OUT.
AND YOU SAID THAT SHE WILL HAVE A FINAL REPORT RELATED TO HER SCOPE OF WORK WITH US, RIGHT? YEAH.
IT'S AT THE END OF HER CONTRACT.
UM, SO IT'S NOT DO TECHNICALLY DO, UH, YET.
UM, BUT I KNOW SHE'S B YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE TIME SHE'S BEEN WRITING IT, IT'S NOT THAT IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, IT'S REALLY JUST TO CAPTURE THE PROCESS.
UM, BUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE, THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON HAVE BEEN IN CONCERT WITH HER AND THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN SO FAR.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MOCK THEN FLORES.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION, UM, FOR THE STAFF.
SO THE, THE PROPOSAL THAT IS ON THE TABLE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, WHEN WILL IT BE IN EFFECT, YOU KNOW, SO WHEN WILL WE START OR HAS THE, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS, UM, DO WE STILL HAVE TIME TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? I'M ALL FOR MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE DONE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO INFLICT MORE STRESS THAN IT IS NECESSARY AT THIS CHALLENGING TIME.
SO YOU, IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ANSWER ALL THOSE QUESTIONS IS NOT GOING TO BE A SATISFACTORY TO EVERYBODY, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TIME, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE CONCERN ABOUT FOR PROFIT.
I GOT IT WHEN HE SUE EXPLAIN IT, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, SO WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS THAT THEY SAID, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE NEW PROCESS.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THEY DON'T KNOW THEY ARE UNSURE AND ALL OF THAT.
DO WE HAVE TIME TO ANSWER ALL THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO MOVE BACKWARD.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT QUESTIONS HAVE TIME TO ANSWER.
UH, THE ANSWER IS YES, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN COMPILING Q AND A THIS WHOLE TIME.
UH, OUR FRANKLY, OUR, OUR PLAN WAS TO RELEASE A SERIES OF SHORT VIDEOS, UH, WHICH WE THOUGHT WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE PERSONAL THAN JUST A WRITTEN Q AND A, UM, BUT WE'VE RUN INTO SOME SNAGS WITH
[02:20:01]
THAT, WITH THAT APPROACH.AND SO WE ARE GOING BACK TO, UH, POSTING A COMPREHENSIVE Q AND A, UH, ON OUR WEBSITE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE'RE PLANNING TO GET THAT UP BY NEXT WEEK.
UM, AND LIKE COMMISSIONER FANTI SAID, WE ARE TRYING TO BALANCE DOING A GOOD JOB OF BEING TRANSPARENT WITH ANSWERING ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS, WHICH HAVE MANY OF WHICH WE RECEIVED TODAY, UM, WITH THE WORK THAT WE ARE ALSO DOING TO ADMINISTER CONTRACTS.
IT IS THE SAME STAFF DOING BOTH.
UH, IT'S NOT, I DON'T HAVE A WAY TO, TO LOOP LOOP STAFF INTO DOING ONE OR THE OTHER, CAUSE THEY, I NEED THEM ON BOTH.
BUT YES, OUR PLAN IS TO CONTINUE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THROUGH THE Q AND A THAT WE'LL BE POSTING ON THE WEBSITE AND TO GET TO AS MANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WE'RE LISTENING, WE'VE HEARD.
AND THERE'S SOME KIND OF RESPONSE BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S HOW THIS DIALOGUE.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER MARK, IF I COULD JUST REEMPHASIZE WHAT MEGAN SAID, STAFF IS, UH, TRYING TO GET THESE CONTRACTS COMPLETED AS WELL AS THE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK FOR PATIENTS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE PRIORITY, THE QUESTION RESPONSE ARE IMPORTANT, BUT WE NEED TO GET CONTRACTS DONE CASH IN HAND.
SO JUST KNOW THAT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO BALANCE IT, BUT PRIORITY WAS GOING TO BE CONTRACTS.
THAT HAS TO BE THE, UH, PIRATEY BECAUSE PEOPLE DO NEED TO GET THEM MONEY AND HAVE THE CONTRACT FINISH.
SO, UM, AGAIN, WE ARE NOT GOING TO SATISFY EVERYBODY.
SO, UH, IF IT IS JUST A MATTER OF SLOWING IT DOWN, UM, IF YOU THINK THAT, UM, YOU CAN BALANCE BOTH AND WITH THE, UH, FINISHED THE CONTRACT FIRST AND THEN ANSWER ALL THOSE QUESTIONS, UH, I AM READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDED BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE DONE WHETHER IT'S DOING IT THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE.
SO YOU, WE, WE, WE HAVE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO, TO, UM, TO REALLY ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TIMELINE THAT IS NEEDED, THEN LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
AND THIS IS A SERIOUS, IF I CAN JUST ADD ON REAL QUICK, UM, TO COMMISSIONER MOCKS QUESTION, WE ALSO HAVE THE VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS, WHICH WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.
SO THAT WOULD BE A GREAT TIME FOR IF PEOPLE DO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT A SPECIFIC THINGS.
UH, THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING IT'S THE SECOND AND FOURTH, TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON, IT'S ON A ZOOM LINK.
SO JUST, UM, EMAIL ME OR YOUR CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR, AND WE CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO GO OVER ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU HAVE, UM, DURING THE VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS.
UH, AND THANKS, UH, STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE UNDER STRESS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF PLATES TO BALANCE ON, YOU KNOW, UH, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT.
I, MYSELF FIND MYSELF CHALLENGED IN TERMS OF FOCUSING, I WILL REITERATE WHAT I FEEL, UH, COMMISSIONER GODDESS.
I SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING AND MAKING SURE YOU UNDERSTAND, UM, BEING ABLE TO PROCESS THINGS WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY AND, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE IT A LOT WORSE THAN I DO.
AND SO I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE STRESS AND THE TRAUMA THAT THEY'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW WITH THIS PANDEMIC AND, AND HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP THEIR BUSINESSES AFLOAT AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AFLOAT AND, AND JUST THE UNCERTAINTY THAT THIS WHOLE THING HAS CAUSED.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON EQUITY, BUT I ALSO WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS.
YOU KNOW, I AM A CAUTIOUS PERSON BY NATURE AND I AM A VERY VISUAL PERSON IN NATURE, AND I HAVE TO SEE THINGS IN FRONT OF ME SO THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND, AND I'VE READ THE PROPOSALS.
I LISTENED TO THE THING, I'M SORRY, I MISSED THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION, BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE THERE WAS A GAP AS MICHELLE SAID, IN TERMS OF, UH, MAYBE IT WAS MY MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS, BUT I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GO GET MORE PERIODIC DISTILLED INFORMATION AT THE DIFFERENT UPDATES THAT WE GOT.
BUT I FEEL THAT A LOT OF THE UPDATES THAT CHAIRMAN CASTEEL OUTLINED ON HIS TIMETABLE WERE A LOT OF JUST ABOUT PROCESS
[02:25:01]
AND ABOUT WHERE WE WERE, AND WE'RE STILL IN THE LISTENING PHASE AND WE'RE STILL WAITING.AND WE KEPT HEARING THAT NEVER ANY SUBSTANTIVE, UH, THINGS THAT, AND MAYBE IT WASN'T APPROPRIATE TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING, BUT I, I WAS HOPEFUL THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE IN THE PROCESS SOME MORE HANDS-ON UNDERSTANDING BREAKING, AND MAYBE IT'S JUST THE WAY MY BRAIN WORKS, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL TO HAVE A TAKE, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS COME OUT.
AND I KNOW STAFF HAD A LOT OF TIME TO WORK WITH MARGIE AND TO DISTILL ALL THE FEEDBACK AND DO THAT.
SO WE HAVEN'T HAD THE BENEFIT OF THAT.
SO GETTING THIS IN DECEMBER 12TH AND, YOU KNOW, JUST ALL OF THIS, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I THINK IT'S JUST A LOT TO ABSORB.
IT'S, IT'S SORTA LIKE WHEN I WAS IN THE GRAND CANYON ON A DORY BOOK AND YOU'RE GOING DOWN THE RAPIDS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A TSUNAMI HITS YOU AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO BREATHE AND, AND YOU CAME IN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SURVIVE AND COME UP FOR AIR.
AND THIS IS KIND OF HOW I FEEL BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS TURBULENCE AND YET TRYING TO PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S FEAR INVOLVED IN CHANGE.
AND BRINGING ON CHANGE ON TOP OF TRAUMA, WORRIES ME.
THAT WORRIES ME BECAUSE, UH, BEING ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING UNCERTAINTY ON TOP OF UNCERTAINTY IS, IS JUST, I THINK VERY TRAUMATIC AND I I'M WITH AMY IN THE SENSE THAT CAN WE ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS? CAN WE WALK PEOPLE THROUGH TO, TO RAISE THE COMFORT LEVEL WITH THE ANXIETY THAT'S CAUSED BY MAYBE NOT CLEARLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT ALL THESE WORDS ON A PIECE OF PAPER MEAN? CAUSE I KNOW I'M HAVING TROUBLE FIGURING OUT WHAT, HOW THESE CHANGES ARE GOING TO WORK AND WHO'S GOING TO BE THROWN OUT.
AND WHO'S NOT, I MEAN, THERE ARE BIPAP ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPOKE TONIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE CONCERNED AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY'RE, THEY'RE ENTITLED AS YOU SAID, REBECCA, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN DOING WORK SOLID WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AND PROMOTING THE ARTS AND, AND BUILDING THE ARTS SCENE AND, UH, AND UH, ASSISTING OTHERS.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE DUE DILIGENCE IS DONE AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT ISN'T, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE A DISH MORE INFORMATION BEFORE I'M EVEN PREPARED TO JUDGE THAT THESE CHANGES ARE REALLY WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF, OF, OF, OF FIXING THINGS.
I'M ALL FOR EQUITY, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, AND AS YOU KNOW, PHILIPPA SAID, WE'VE BEEN SCREWED FOR 93 YEARS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING THE CHANGES IN THE YEAR OF A PANDEMIC MAY, YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANT THEM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THINGS RIGHT.
AND I KNOW THINGS CAN BE ADJUSTED IN THE FUTURE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IRREPARABLE HARM AS WELL.
SO I'M JUST BABBLING NOW BECAUSE I'M FEELING A LITTLE OVERWHELMED BY IT ALL.
AND SO I CAN IMAGINE HOW THE GROUPS THAT IT, YOU KNOW, RELY ON THIS MONEY TO HELP THEM IN THEIR ORGANIZATION SURVIVE, MUST FEEL SO.
UM, I APPRECIATE WHAT STAFF IS DOING WITH THE OFFICE HOURS.
AND I HOPE A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN MAYBE BY OUR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW BECAUSE ALREADY THE NEXT MEETING IS, IS THAT FEBRUARY ALREADY? I MEAN, THE TIME IS JUST FLYING BY AND, AND MARCH IS I GUESS WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THE GUIDELINES OUT.
SO I'M, I'M KIND OF FREAKING OUT BECAUSE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING IT.
AND SO I DON'T, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL STOP RAMBLING AND BABBLING, BUT I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I'M ON THE FENCE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A HARD THING TO DO.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE NEED CHANGE, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO COMPOUND AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE WRONG DECISIONS.
AND, UM, SO I NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HANDHOLDING MYSELF.
UM, I HEARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I REALLY FEEL FOR THOSE THEATERS BECAUSE, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF US AND I FELT, I REALLY FEEL THAT, UM, THEY ARE, THEY ARE REALLY SERIOUSLY HURT DURING THIS EPIDEMIC.
SO, UM, I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN, UM, UH, THERE'S A SECOND CARE ACT, YOU KNOW, COMING DOWN THE PIPE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN, UM, PROCESS THAT IDEA, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE THE MUSIC WHEN USE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, UH, UH, LOBBY, YOU KNOW, SOME EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR, FOR THE THEATER
[02:30:01]
GROUP, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, BECAUSE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, SO INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE THEATER, WHICH, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M WILLING TO DO THAT POKER THAN FOR US ALL OF WHAT COMMISSIONER MOCK JUST SAID.WE'VE LOST TOO MANY SPACES ALREADY.
IF WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT OF THIS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL HAVE BEEN USED WHERE PEOPLE CAN WORK.
UM, I WAS GOING TO SAY ALSO THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE HEAVY LIFT, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDST OF COVID AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'RE JUGGLING.
UM, I THINK OUR PRIORITY NEEDS TO BE GETTING MONEY OUT THE DOOR TO CONTRACTORS RIGHT NOW.
UM, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF WE COULD TAKE THIS TIME BETWEEN THIS MEETING AND THE NEXT MEETING TO ALLOW STAFF TO GET QUESTIONS POSTED THAT YOU'RE ALREADY WORKING ON, UM, TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND TO BETTER INFORM OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO, TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT I HEARD THROUGH LETTERS SUBMITTED TO US THROUGH ALL THE SIGNATURES ON ALL THE LETTERS, THROUGH THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO SPEAK WITH US AND WITH US.
AND ALSO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CHECK IN WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO WEREN'T HERE AND SEE, SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE BECAUSE I THINK, UM, IT'S, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN HOW WE DO BUSINESS.
AND I THINK OUR PRIMARY ROLE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND DO THAT.
OKAY, THIS ISN'T A LAMBO, THIS ISN'T A SUPPORTIVE AMY'S IDEA AND ALSO RE BRINGING BACK OUR EMERGENCY, OUR ASKED FOR THE EMERGENCY MONEY.
AND THE LAST TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, WEIGHING ON DEF, YOU KNOW, WAS NOT EVEN CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, WE ASKED FOR 5 MILLION TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP WITH STAFF.
I WOULD LIKE TO DUST THAT OFF AND SEE IF WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, FIND ADDITIONAL RELIEF.
IF THERE ARE NEW MONIES COMING IN THAT ARE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THE CITY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE, NOT ONLY FOR THEATER VENUES, I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH THAT, BUT ALSO FOR THE OTHER ASKS THAT WE HAD MADE THAT, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T GET PROCESSED AND WOULD HELP GIVE ADDITIONAL HELP TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE, UH, HAVING ALL THE, ALL THE PROBLEMS AND THEN NEED SUPPORT.
AND THAT WAY, UH, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, SOME ANXIETY CAN BE RELIEVED, RELIEVED, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THIS REALLY UNCERTAIN TIME DYKE.
UM, I THINK I FEEL DIZZY TRYING TO ORGANIZE ALL THESE THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD.
I KEEP THINKING I'M THE NEW GUY.
AND, UH, SO IT'S A RELIEF TO FIND OTHER PEOPLE DON'T HAVE IT FIGURED OUT.
UM, I THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I HEARD THAT EVERYBODY'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS THE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THE IDEA FOR PROFITS BEING INCLUDED.
AND I DO APPRECIATE, UH, THAT I THINK IT WAS, HEY, SUSAN, AS A RESPONSE THAT MADE SENSE TO ME, BUT, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE PR I WASN'T THERE FOR THE PROCESS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEBATE WAS OR THE DISCUSSION, UH, THAT WENT INTO THAT DECISION.
UM, I, I THINK MAKING, YOU SAID, UH, YOU WERE COMING UP WITH QUESTION TO ANSWER, UM, UH, FORMAT KIND OF THING.
I WOULD, UH, UM, I, UH, PERSONALLY WITH THE ART THAT I DO, UM, I DECIDED A LONG TIME AGO.
I DIDN'T WANT TO BECOME A NONPROFIT.
I DON'T LIKE WHAT IT, I THINK IT CHANGES HOW YOU'RE STRUCTURED, UH, AND I, IT, UH, UH, WAYS THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO BE ANYWAY.
UM, AND I SURE ABOUT, UH, IF FOR-PROFITS SHOULD BE FUNDED BY THE CITY AT ALL, I KIND OF FEEL, HAVE FELT ALONE FOR A LONG TIME.
YOU SHOULD, UH, WORK IT OUT YOURSELF, BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RATIONALE FOR WHY THE PROFITS FOR PROFIT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS.
UM, AND THE, TO ME, THE REALITY IS THAT ARTISTS ARE HURTING BEFORE COVID, UH, WITH THE GROWTH IN AUSTIN.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE AND WORK HERE.
UM, SO TO ME, IT MAKES SENSE THAT THEY'RE, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW SHOULD THE CITY HELP ARTISTS.
[02:35:01]
AND I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS THEY REALLY COULD HELP IS, UM, AFFORDING A STUDIO SPACE.UM, SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A GOOD RATIONALE THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ANYBODY.
UM, I THINK THE OTHER THING TOO IS, UH, THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, UH, THE HOT OR THE HO HOTEL FUNDING, BIG IT'S LIKE THE STATE OF TEXAS BEING DEPENDENT ON OIL REVENUES.
UM, AND IN CITIES THAT DEPEND ON JUST ONE BUSINESS, UM, FOR THEIR FUNDING.
I THINK WE SHOULD RECOMMEND THAT, UH, AUSTIN LOOKS TO DIVERT DIVERSIFY THE FUNDING BEYOND THE HOTEL, UH, FUNDING.
DID YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS? YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR VIDEO ON, IF NOT, UH FANTE UM, I'LL, I'LL SORT OF ONE 10 AT THE MOMENT.
I, I JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO, UH, WHAT COMMISSIONER FLORES BROUGHT UP, UH, WITH THE GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING WORK FOR 20 YEARS AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY MIGHT GET LEFT OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE THAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME HAVE DONE GREAT WORK AND HAVE HELPED LOTS OF ARTISTS.
I THERE'S, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET A, A DISAGREEMENT FOR ME AT THAT.
MY, MY ISSUE IS THAT IF YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 20 YEARS, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE STRATEGIC, UH, PLANNING IN PLACE.
YOU HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD CRM.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE LOGISTICS IN PLACE.
YOU'RE ABLE TO RAISE YOUR OWN MONEY.
IF YOU'VE BEEN GETTING FUNDING FROM THE CITY FOR 28 YEARS, YOU PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE FOUGHT ABOUT WHERE ELSE SHOULD I BE GETTING FUNDING BEFORE NOW? I MEAN, I'M SURE EVERYBODY IS GETTING FUNDING FOR OTHER PLACES, BUT I JUST THINK THAT A LARGE CHUNK OF MONEY GOING TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME, YOU CAN DIVIDE THAT UP AND GIVE IT TO SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS THAT DON'T GET ANY MONEY.
AND, UH, IT'LL GO A LOT FURTHER TO GETTING THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE INDEPENDENT.
CAUSE THE WHOLE POINT SHOULD BE INDEPENDENCE.
IT SHOULDN'T BE CULTURALLY ASSISTED, YOU KNOW, CITY ASSISTED CULTURAL FUNDING.
I MEAN, IT, IT SHOULD BE THAT WE'RE MOVING ORGANIZATIONS TOWARDS FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE, TOWARDS CULTURAL STABILITY.
AND IF WE ARE NOT DOING THAT, IF WE ARE JUST CREATING A SYSTEM IN WHICH THEY'RE GOING TO BECOME FURTHER AND FURTHER DEPENDENT ON US, BECAUSE THEY'RE ON, YOU KNOW, ONE STEP AWAY FROM GOING BANKRUPT, THEN WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY HELPING THAT ORGANIZATION.
I WOULD RATHER SEE ALL OF THE FUNDING GO TO FORCING ORGANIZATIONS TO, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT INVESTMENT OR, OR HIRING FUNDRAISERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, RATHER THAN GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, PROJECT FUNDING.
IF IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP THEM GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF THEIR ORGANIZATION, ORGANIZATIONS, UH, HAVE A LIFESPAN AND THEY PICK UP PEOPLE AS THEY GO.
AND IF THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT OVER 20 TO 25 YEARS, UH, THEN IT'S TIME TO START DOING THAT WORK BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WARNING PEOPLE FOR TWO TO THREE YEARS THAT THIS WORK, THIS MONEY IS GOING AWAY.
I MEAN, WE SAID THAT TWO YEARS OR THREE YEARS AGO, 99% PEOPLE GETTING THE FUNDING THAT THEY ASKED FOR IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS AND OUT OF STEP WITH EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE WORLD.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 20 YEARS AND HAVE HELPED OTHER PEOPLE SUCCEED.
BUT, UH, ALSO YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO DO A LITTLE INTERNAL PLANNING AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE READY TO CONTINUE YOUR ORGANIZATION AND NOT JUST RELY ON THE CITY TO, TO FUND IT.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO WRAP THIS UP.
SO FLORAS, IF YOU CAN, ONE OF THE THINGS I, IN AN IDEAL WORLD, YES, ALL OUR ORGANIZATIONS WOULD BECOME INDEPENDENT AND ABLE TO RUN THEIR OWN BUSINESS, BUT WE DON'T LIVE IN AN IDEAL WORLD.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT HAS SOME SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES BUILT IN.
UH, WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THOSE INEQUITIES WILL PREDICT VERY MUCH WHETHER AN ORGANIZATION WILL FAIL OR NOT FAIL.
AND THAT'S THE REALITY OF THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN.
WE LIVE IN AN, A SYSTEM THAT IS, HAS THESE INEQUITIES DESIGNED IN THERE IN SUCH A WAY THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY YOU, REALLY, SOME GROUPS JUST SIMPLY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO MAKE IT ON THEIR OWN.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY PEOPLE
[02:40:01]
WILL, LIKE THEAND IF YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, THAT'S NOT THE REAL WORLD.
AND IT'S, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS 93 YEARS IN THE BUILDING AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT TIME TO GET THIS THING DONE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE BEEN STEPPING ON MY NECK FOR 93 YEARS AND I'M STILL SURVIVING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE'RE TAKING ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO MAKE SURE WE DO THIS.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE DO THIS THING.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS.
AND YES, THEY HAD BEEN GETTING FUNDS FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND YOU KNOW, WHY THEY'VE BEEN GETTING FUNDS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 30 YEARS BECAUSE WE HAVE AN INEQUITABLE SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COME UP ON THEIR OWN.
YOU CAN'T ASK SOMEONE TO PULL UP THEMSELVES AND BUILD THEIR BOOTSTRAPS FROM THEIR OWN WHAT I CHOSE.
AND LET'S JUST, JUST PUT A LITTLE PAUSE AND LET'S BE REALISTIC ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THESE SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES HAVE DONE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIX THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS A VOICE AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE SO THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THERE'S NO WAY I CAN SUPPORT THIS CHANGE RIGHT NOW.
FINAL COMMENT IS THAT YES THERE'S BUT HOWEVER, OUR ORGANIZATIONS, WELL THEY'RE ECONOMIC DRIVERS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THEY BRING IN A LOT OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY IN TERMS OF SALES TAX, AND THEN NOT JUST DO THE HOT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
SO YES, I THINK THEY, THE ART SHOULDN'T BE SUPPORTED BY THE CITY AND, AND WAY BIGGER AMOUNTS THAN JUST THE HOT FUNDS.
I'M NOT SAYING TAKE AWAY THE HOT BUNS, BUT I THINK THERE HAS TO BE OTHER, UH, OTHER MONEY BECAUSE THEY, THESE ARE, UH, THIS IS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT MAKES AUSTIN WHAT IT IS AND IT MAKES PEOPLE COME HERE AND IT MAKES PEOPLE SPEND MONEY HERE.
AND DO THEY REAP THE BENEFITS AND THE, YOU KNOW, OF THAT WORK THAT THEY DO TO MAKE THIS CITY WHAT IT IS.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT, I THINK WE DO NEED TO SUPPORT FUNDAMENTALLY SUPPORT THE ARTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE OF JUST THE NATURE OF THAT.
IT'S A DIFFICULT QUOTE, UNQUOTE BUSINESS TO BE IN, TO, TO TRY TO, AND TO EXPECT THEM TO BE ABLE TO RAISE ALL THE FUNDS THEY NEED TO RUN.
ORGANIZATIONS I THINK IS UNREALISTIC AS WELL.
I AGREE WITH ALMOST THE REPRESENTATIVE GARLIC AND HE'S COMMISSIONER GARZA, AND THEN HAVE TO BE QUIET CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER BUSINESSES.
UM, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SPOKE TONIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, FIRST I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT JUST BECAUSE AN ORGANIZATION IS NON-PROFIT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE PROFITS, RIGHT? IT'S A, IT'S A, UM, CATEGORY FOR THE, FOR THE IRS NON-PROFIT RIGHT.
A NONPROFIT, UH, THEIR BOARD, YOU KNOW, ANY PROFITS THAT YOU GET THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S REINVESTED INTO THE ORGANIZATION AT A FOR-PROFIT YOU'RE JUST PAYING BACK THE MONEY TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IS YOU CAN'T HAVE PROFIT.
YOU JUST IRS, A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THING.
WHAT MAKES TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION SO DIFFICULT? IS THAT EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE SAID WAS CORRECT? EVERYONE'S RIGHT.
UH IT'S UH, WE'RE IN A PANDEMIC THERE'S TRAUMA.
THERE'S FEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THE YEAH.
WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION.
WE NEED MORE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT COULD BE ANSWERED.
THERE'S CURRENT FUNDING THAT NEEDS CHECKS THAT NEED TO GO OUT.
THAT SHOULD BE EITHER PRIORITY.
RIGHT? WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY GETS ENHANCED.
SO WHERE WERE, WHERE WERE I GOT? THE ONE THING THAT I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR IS THAT IS ACKNOWLEDGING THE
[02:45:01]
DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT ARE BEING COMPOUNDED WITH OUR DISCUSSION, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW FUNDING PROGRAMS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW COVID DISRUPTED EVERYTHING AND CREATED A NEED FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING, HOW COOL IT IS AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF HOW, UH, OUR USUAL SOURCE OF FUNDING HAS BEEN GREATLY DIMINISHED AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT US MOVING FORWARD.THEY'RE ALL INTERRELATED, BUT THEY ARE SEPARATE ISSUES.
UM, AND SO THIS REMINDS ME OF OUR CONVERSATION OF WHEN THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT FORTH THEIR PLAN TO, TO MOVE NEXT TO, UM, THAT, THAT AREA NEXT TO ZACH SCOTT, RIGHT? THE DOHERTY WAS JUST ONE PART OF OUR LARGER SOLUTION OF GETTING VENUES ACCESSIBLE ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'RE KIND OF IN THE SAME DISCUSSION HERE REGARDING FUNDING, THIS NEW PROGRAM IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.
THERE ARE JUST ONE PART OF FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS IN AUSTIN.
WE'VE, WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION FOR MANY YEARS.
WE'VE ALREADY SAID THAT YES, ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR FUNDING ELSEWHERE.
LIKE WE SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY LINE OF DEFENSE FOR THEM FINANCIALLY.
UM, AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO LOOK FOR OTHER SOURCES.
UM, SO YEAH, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACTIONABLE ITEMS. SO WE DO HAVE, WE DO KNOW THAT WE'RE, THAT STAFF'S GOING TO START PUBLISHING THE QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES ONLINE.
UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S UP TO COMMISSIONERS TO, TO LIKE, AND AGAIN, I SAY THIS AS WE'RE A VOLUNTEER BOARD COVID HAS MADE ALL OF OUR LIVES CRAZY, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THESE PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO I I'M, I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR A SECOND NEXT STEP OR ACTION ITEM FOR US TO DO.
AND I, I FEEL LIKE IT MAY BE A PRESENTATION KIND OF THING, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED MORE THAN JUST, WE'RE GOING TO POST QUESTIONS ON THE WEBSITE, COMMISSIONER MOCK, AND THEN FLORES.
UM, WE HAVE A RETREAT COMING UP.
I DON'T KNOW YOU, WE CAN ALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE THAT TIME FOR THE COMMISSIONERS, AT LEAST TO GET A MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE ARE ROLLING OUT, UM, AT THAT TIME SO THAT WE, UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMISSION THAT FOR US IS NOT FREAKING OUT.
YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT WE, WE, WE ARE ALL AT A MORE COMFORTABLE LEVEL.
I DO THINK THAT YOU, WE, IF WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE COMMISSIONER AND COMMISSIONER FOREST, THE THEY'RE NOT AT THE COMFORTABLE LEVEL, THEN, THEN, THEN WE CANNOT CONVINCE THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK, UM, LET'S GET OURSELVES COMFORTABLE FIRST, YOU KNOW? UM, SO THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.
WELL, I WAS THINKING AS I WAS GETTING READY FOR THIS MEETING, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE EVEN FEASIBLE, BUT MAYBE THAT A NEXT STEP COULD BE A WORKING GROUP THAT YOU KNOW, OF, OF MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WHATEVER, JUST TO SORT OF DISTILL AND BREAK DOWN, BRING RUN SCENARIOS.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE'S TIME FOR THAT BECAUSE STAFF IS ALREADY SO SCRATCHED, BUT, BUT I THINK AMY'S IDEA ABOUT THE RETREAT MAYBE IS A GOOD IDEA TO SORT OF HAVE JUST MORE OF A, OF A, KIND OF A WALK US THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THAT OUR COMFORT LEVEL IS RAISED, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I COULD THINK OF THAT INTERIM HAVE A GROUP LOOKING AT IT AND TRYING TO LIKE, MAKE SENSE OF IT OR UNDERSTAND IT BETTER.
I SHOULDN'T SAY MAKE SENSE AND UNDERSTAND IT BETTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD HELP OR NOT.
ALSO IF, UH, WE MAKE A MORE AGGRESSIVE EFFORT TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT TO OUR ARTISTS AND AN ARTS COMMUNITY TO INFORM THEM BETTER, TO MAKE SURE, AND TO TRY TO USE REALISTIC WORDS AND AVOID ALL THIS LIKE WEIRD LINGO THAT WE USE SOMETIMES, AND JUST BE MORE DIRECT AND
[02:50:01]
BE MORE HONEST THAN BE MORE SINCERE AND EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHY THEY FEEL THAT FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES SHOULD BE ALLOWED.YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE BOTH, BOTH FOR-PROFIT AND NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND I KEPT THEM SEPARATE FOR, FOR VERY SPECIFIC REASONS.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DO AS A NONPROFIT.
AND THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO AS A FOR-PROFIT THAT I KNOW MIGHT BE KIND OF FUNNY AS A NONPROFIT AND VICE VERSA.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS A FOR-PROFIT GUY BACK THEN, I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE NEVER ACCEPTED CITY MONEY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND AS A NONPROFIT, OF COURSE, I WOULD'VE WANTED TO STUDY MONEY.
AND LIKE I SAID, THERE WAS SOME FOLKS WHO ALL DESERVE STEADY MONEY FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE AND THE SUPPORT THAT THOSE COMMUNITIES CAN OFFER TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT AND THE SERVICES THEY DO PROVIDE TO US, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD, YOU KNOW, DANCE CLASSES AND COSTUMES AND WHATNOT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN THAT MYSELF, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER EAST SIDE MEMORIAL, WE RAISED $12,000 AT MY OTHER HIGH SCHOOL WHERE I WORKED AT AUSTIN HIGH.
WE RAISED A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS IN ONE YEAR, AND THOSE WERE PARENTS WERE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY, CAUSE THEY'RE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY CAN ONLY GIVE AS MUCH AS THEY CAN AFFORD, YOU KNOW? AND SO, YEAH, WE, AIN'T GOT TO SUPPORT IT AND, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN OUR ROLE.
ALL ORGANIZATIONS ARE REALLY DO A LOT FOR US AND BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT PROVIDE FOR US.
AND WELL, WE MUST PROVIDE FOR THEM AS WELL.
AND LET'S JUST PUT A PAUSE ON THIS FOR A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE GIVE IT 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS, BUT A SPECIFIC NUMBER WHERE YOU NEED TO COME UP WITH A SPECIFIC DATE WHEN THIS CAN BE ROLLED OUT AND WE CAN PUSH THIS FORWARD.
AND LIKE I SAID, LET'S AGGRESSIVELY GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
UH, COMMISSIONER VAN DYKE, WE'RE RUNNING LOW ON TIME.
CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING QUICKLY? YEAH.
UM, I APPRECIATE THAT WHAT YOU DID IN THE BEGINNING, UH, LAYING YOUR HEART OUT THERE ON THE TABLE.
UM, AND IN THE PAST DOING MENTAL HEALTH CHECK, UM, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO THAT IN THIS FORMAT.
I WAS HOPING AT THE RETREAT THAT MAYBE THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHO YOU GUYS ARE MORE IT'S THIS IS PRETTY AWKWARD, UH, SETTING TO DO THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO IS, UH, DO WE KNOW WHEN WE'RE MEETING NEXT MONTH? UM, IT WOULD BE CONFIRMED.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ME TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, BY THE END OF THE MEETING EACH MONTH WHEN THE NEXT MONTH IS GOING TO BE, UH, IS THAT POSSIBLE? WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE CLERK'S OFFICE WHO ARE LISTENING IN ON THE MEETING.
UM, BUT YEAH, TH THEY CONFIRM THE TIME, SO, UM, BUT YEAH, WHAT'S BEEN ON THE WEBSITE HAS BEEN DIFFERENT, I THINK, EVERY MONTH THAN WHAT WE'RE TOLD.
UM, SO THAT'S YEAH, THAT WOULD HELP.
UM, SO MEGAN, THE QUESTION FOR YOU, UM, IS A WORKING GROUP SCENARIO FEASIBLE WITH, WITH A NUMBER OF STAFF TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, OF COURSE YOU CAN, IF YOU DECIDE TO PUT TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP, YOU CERTAINLY CAN.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE PRETTY FOCUSED ON THE NEXT STAGE OF OUR WORK, WHICH IS TO MORE, UH, DEVELOP THE GUIDELINES IN MORE DETAIL.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE PROGRAM CONCEPTS ARE JUST THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE LARGE KIND OF CONCEPTS AND THE REAL KIND OF WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD IS WHERE WE PUT THEM INTO A PROGRAM THAT HAS SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND EVALUATION, UH, YOU KNOW, SCORING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, REALLY THE NUTS AND BOLTS WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON THAT.
BUT IT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK WITH A WORKING GROUP.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE REALLY DONE A LOT TO TRY TO GET IT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MISSING OR FAILING AT IN OUR OUTREACH, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO HEAR HOW, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THAT.
UM, SO YEAH, I MEAN, MY ONLY HESITATION AGAIN, IS IF, IF WE ARE, IF WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH A PEER PANEL PROCESS, WHICH WE INTEND TO DO, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND, AND, AND EVALUATING THAT TAKES TIME OVER THE SUMMER, AS Y'ALL KNOW, TYPICALLY WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALMOST A FULL MONTH OF PANELS, UM, TO ACCOMMODATE THE 400 PLUS APPLICATIONS WE GET.
UM, AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN ON THE TIMELINE OF GETTING A FUNDING RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL IN ORDER TO PASS THE BUDGET THAT HAS TO HAPPEN FAIRLY SOON AFTER WE RELEASED GUIDELINES IN MARCH SLASH APRIL NO LATER THAN APRIL TYPICALLY.
SO IF WE PUT THIS ON PAUSE, IT WILL, IT WILL BE A DOMINO EFFECT WITH
[02:55:01]
OUR WHOLE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THAT COME IN.SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE COGNIZANT OF, OF THE CONCERNS, DEFINITELY HEARING, HEARING THEM.
UM, WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND RESPONSIVE.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS IN PLACE THAT ARE GUIDING OUR WORK THAT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER.
UM, SO THAT'S, I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT INTO THE CONTEXT FOR EVERYBODY, BUT CERTAINLY IF YOU WANT TO APPOINT A WORKING GROUP TO BE IN CONTACT WITH, WITH STAFF, AS WE DEVELOP THIS MORE CLOSELY, THAT'S FINE.
UM, YEAH, JUST BECAUSE, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT IT'S LOOKING AT DOING IT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE COMMISSIONERS WERE ALWAYS INVOLVED IN DRAFTING GUIDELINES AND IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THIS GOING FORWARD, THEY'RE NO LONGER ARE GOING TO BE.
SO, BECAUSE IN THE PAST, I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU WORKED ON A LOT OF THE KINKS WAS PUTTING TOGETHER THE GUIDELINES.
AND SO I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHERE IN THE PROCESS THAT IT WAS DECIDED THAT COMMISSIONER SHOULD NO LONGER BE INVOLVED IN THE DRAFTING OF GUIDELINES.
I MEAN, I JUST SORT OF, YOU KNOW, MISS WHERE THAT SORT OF CAME OFF, IT SEEMS LIKE THE COMMISSION IS BEING WRITTEN OUT OF THE WHOLE PROCESS AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE COMPLETELY STAFF-DRIVEN OR CONSULTANT DRIVEN OR WHATEVER.
SO, UH, AM I MISSING SOMETHING? NO, I THINK WHAT I WANT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS.
WE CAN EITHER FORM A FORMAL WORKING GROUP, IDENTIFY WHO THE MEMBERS ARE OR Y'ALL CAN MEET INFORMALLY AS LONG AS Y'ALL ARE NOT A QUORUM Y'ALL CAN MEET AND Y'ALL CAN DISCUSS.
AND AS LONG AS YOU CAN GET YOUR ANSWERS, WE CAN GET THAT DONE.
AND WE'LL JUST CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION NEXT MONTH OR AT THE RETREAT.
AND NEXT MONTH, COMMISSIONER FANTA.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PROCESS FROM A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WAS THAT STAFF WAS DRAFTING THE GUIDELINES.
AND THAT WAS WHAT WE BASICALLY GAVE THEM THE, UH, DETERMINATION TO DO BY GETTING HIRING CONSULTANTS AND SAYING, WE BELIEVE IN THIS PROCESS, WE BELIEVE THESE ARE THE GOALS.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NEW GUIDELINES ARE, GO AND DO IT, AND THEN THAT THEY'RE DOING IT.
SO TO ME, IF THERE'S A WORKING GROUP, IT'S JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT UNDERSTANDING IS THERE AND THAT EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE.
BUT TO ME, THIS IS THE NEW YEAR.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF A NEW PROCESS, AND WE CAN'T BE IN THE WEEDS ON THIS.
WE HAVE, THE STAFF IS DOING THE WORK, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE DONE HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OF THIS, UH, FOR US TO LIKE, BE TRYING TO WRITE THE GUIDELINES AS THEY'RE WRITING THEM, JUST, THAT'S NOT OUR PLACE.
WE'RE WHERE ARE WE GUIDING ORGANIZATION? RIGHT.
NOW THAT YOU SAID THAT PUBLICLY, I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON IT.
LIKE I SAID, AS COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN MEET INFORMALLY.
WE CAN DISCUSS AS, AS WE'RE NOT QUORUM, WE CAN DO THAT.
SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF ITEMS STILL LEFT ON THE AGENDA, SO LET'S GET TO IT.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUT.
UH, SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO OLD BUSINESS DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS ON THE AUTHENTIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
[5.a. Discussion and action]
CORPORATION, NOMINATION PROCESS.I BELIEVE THAT, UH, EMORY FORWARDED ALL THE NOMINEES I JUST WANTED.
I WAS, UM, THE WORKING GROUP JUST FORWARDED YOU ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I'LL JUST SAY RATHER THAN REPEAT WHAT WE WROTE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, GO AHEAD.
UM, BUT I WOULD MISS MOVE TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OR THE WORKING GROUP.
MOTION BY FLORES TO ACCEPT RECOMMENDATION SECONDED BY PAUL GAR COMMISSIONER MARK.
SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? DID YOU NUMBER A AND A AND A, THE THREE? IS IT THE SAME THING? I MEAN, YES, IT IS.
IT IS THE SAME THING, RIGHT? YES.
SO, SO, SO, SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS COMING FROM THE WORKING GROUP? YES.
WELL THEN, UH, DISCUSSION ON THE RECOMMENDATION, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION.
CAN WE, CAN WE VERBALIZE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS? I KNOW YOU WROTE IT, BUT, UH, WELL, OKAY.
IF HE HASN'T SEEN IT, I HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
I THINK I DID PRINT IT, BUT IT'S, UH, TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE NOMINATION OF HEINRICH CASTILLO, UH,
[03:00:01]
AS THE APPOINTEE OF THE, OF THE, UH, ARTS COMMISSION TO THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AN ALTAR, A COUPLE OF ALTERNATIVES IN CASE THERE WAS DISCUSSION OR, UH, BY THE COMMISSION, OR DIDN'T LIKE OUR RECOMMENDATION.WE ONLY RECEIVED THREE, UH, APPLICATIONS, AND WE DIDN'T FIND THE UNICORN THAT YOU ALL WANTED, BUT WE HAVE A, A GOOD RECOMMENDATION BEFORE YOU, UH, SO I'M, UH, I SUGGEST TO GROW A COLORED HORN COLORED HORN AND, UH, MEET ALL OF THE REQUISITE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ON MOCKING MY SHIRT.
WELL, HAVE YOU SEEN, AS WE ARE NOMINATING YOU, SO YOU RECRUIT YOURSELF FROM THE DISCUSSION AS YOUR VICE CHAIR TO CHAIR THIS DISGUSTING TO BE APPROPRIATED I'M IN.
THAT'S GOOD TO SAY, MAKE A LOVELY UNICORN.
ANY AETNA? SO, UH, SHARED ISTIO HAS REMOVED HIMSELF FROM THE DISCUSSION.
IS THERE MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? YOU HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND GOING ONCE GOING TWICE.
SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR.
OPPOSED ANY ABSTENTIONS WE HAVE PASSED A MOTION.
JAIME CASTILLO WILL BE THE AEDC BOARD RECOMMENDED A MEMBER FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION TO SERVE A ONE-YEAR TERM.
THIS IS ANN MARIE, REALLY QUICK.
THAT I GOT THE VOTE ON THAT DID SOMEONE THAT, UH, VOTE AGAINST THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, BUT DO A ROLL CALL IT REAL QUICK.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE I, IF SOMEONE DID, I NEED TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THAT PERSON WAS, I DON'T KNOW.
DID ANYONE VOTE AGAINST I DIDN'T.
I HEARD AN I THAT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE HAND VOTE? SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS, CORRECT? WELL, WITH THE RECUSAL OF, OF CHAIR CASTILLO NOTED IN THE MINUTES.
FOLKS LEFT ON THE DAYAS THIS BAND, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD NOMINATING WORKING GROUP.
WE HAVE DONE OUR WORK STEPPED DOWN AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.
UM, NEXT OLD BUSINESS IS THE ARTS COMMISSION RETREAT, UH, SENT OUT THE DOODLE POLL IDENTIFIED FEBRUARY 7TH AS THE PREFERRED DATE WITH, I WANT TO SAY 15 RESPONDENTS ON THAT.
UM, SO THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY ON THE COMMISSION AND, AND I THINK EVERYBODY FROM AIPP, UM, MEGAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ON THE RETREAT? NOT INFO? I, I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE AS TO THE SCHEDULING JUST YET.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, WE DID HEAR BACK FROM THE CLERK WITH A PRELIMINARY RESPONSE THAT THEY, UM, ARE TYPICALLY NOT ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A WEEKEND MEETING AND WE ARE INVESTIGATING IF THERE ARE ANY ALTERNATIVES TO THAT.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, SO NAVEAH WAS GONNA HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS TO SEE IF, IF WE COULD, UM, EXPLORE SOME OTHER OPTIONS TO ACCOMMODATE THE, THE RETREAT ON A WEEKEND WHEN MOST OF Y'ALL ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, BUT I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE A DEFINITE, UH, RESPONSE ON THAT JUST YET.
DO YOU NEED AN, CAN WE DO IT ON ZOOM OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE CITY? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
IF THERE'S A DEVIATION WE CAN SUPPORT JUST AS STAFF TO RUN THE MEETING AS IT WOULD BE POSTED, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, CONDUCTED THROUGH A ZOOM PLATFORM PLATFORM BECAUSE I, YEAH, YEAH, WE DO.
UM, I JUST DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE THAT DEFINITIVE DEFINITIVELY ANSWERED JUST YET WITH THE CLERK.
WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION.
UH, I DO HAVE A DRAFT AGENDA FOR, FOR US.
DID YOU SHARE THE, THE DATE THAT CAME BACK THROUGH THE DOODLE POLL WITH THE MOST RESPONSES? FEBRUARY 7TH IS THE PREFERRED DATE.
WE HAVE 15 RESPONDENTS APPROXIMATE TIME, UH, EVENING.
[03:05:01]
TO FOUR.YEAH, BECAUSE I WANTED Y'ALL TO HAVE YOUR POWER UP ON YOUR LUNCH SO WE CAN MAKE THE THREE HOUR MARATHON.
UM, BUT, BUT LIKE MEGAN SAID, AFTER THEY CONFIRMED THAT, THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF IT ON THE WEEKEND, I'LL SEND OUT AN AGENDA WITH UPDATED TIME OR CONFIRMATION OF TIME AND DATE.
UH, WERE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO.
SO THEN, UH, WORKING GROUP UPDATES,
[5.b. Working Group updates]
EQUITY RESOURCE WORKING GROUP, UH, WE HAVEN'T MET I'LL, I'LL CHECK IN WITH COMMISSIONER KEATON.UH, I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM, UH, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY REGARDING THE JOINT WORKING GROUP ON IMAGINE AUSTIN TOWN CENTERS.
UH I'LL I ACTUALLY LET'S TAKE CARE OF IT RIGHT NOW.
I FEEL LIKE IT REALLY SHOULD BE A JOINT CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW COMMISSIONER VAN DYKE AND COMMISSIONER GARZA FEEL.
UM, BUT I'M OPEN TO SUNSETTING THIS GROUP SINCE THE DAY WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND MAYBE WE JUST ADD IT BACK WHEN IT BECOMES A REAL THING.
SO THEN, UM, OKAY, SO WE'LL SEND, SET IT, AND THEN IF, IF ANYTHING MANIFESTS WE'LL, WE'LL BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, AND THEN WE GOT THE NOMINATION FROM AEDC WORKING GROUP.
WE'LL SUNSET THAT ONE AS WELL.
BEFORE YOU MOVE OFF OF THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC, UM, UH, WORKING GROUP, UH, MR. FLORES, DO YOU HAVE ALL THE BACKUP INFORMATION YOU NEED TO PUT, PUT IT FORWARD, OR DO YOU NEED ADDITIONAL INFO FROM JAIME PUTTING A HEADSHOT FULL RESUME? I DON'T KNOW.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING THAT I GOT, I SENT TO YOU ALL IN THAT RECOMMENDATION.
SO I GUESS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS, I MEAN, WHEN WRITING UP THE PROCESS, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO HAVE A COMPUTER TOMORROW, SO LET ME KNOW.
THAT'S WHY I WAS FOLLOWING UP.
AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN HELP WITH, LET ME KNOW.
AM I SUPPOSED TO GET IT TO THE CITY OR NOT AS STAFF SUPPOSED TO GET INTO THE CITY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A COMPUTER TOMORROW.
CAUSE MY COMPUTER IS BEING WORKED ON.
I JUST ASSUMED THAT ONCE THE COMMISSION WAS, DO WE NEED TO WRITE UP A REPORT? NO, UH, I JUST NEED THE ITEMS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SENT ME, BUT IF THERE WAS ANYTHING MISSING THAT WAS REQUESTED, LIKE THE HEADSHOT, I JUST, I NEED THAT, BUT I CAN PACKAGE IT TOGETHER.
I MEAN, I CAN WRITE SOMETHING TONIGHT.
I MEAN, WE WORKING, WE GOT THREE APPLICATIONS.
IT'S BASICALLY WHAT'S THERE OTHER THAN WE TOOK A VOTE TONIGHT AND DISCUSSED IT AND THAT'S IT.
I MEAN, IS THERE, IS THERE MORE TO THE PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO KNOW? THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THEY NEED AND I THINK DAVID WAS ON THE CALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE, THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE INFORMATION REGARDING WHAT THE PROCESS WAS.
NO, JUST, NO, JUST WHAT YOU SAID.
I'LL JUST GET MY GLAMOUR SHOTS TO YOU, MEGAN.
AND THEN WE'LL AND MARIE, WILL YOU JUST SEND ME THE VOTE COUNT? CAUSE I WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE THAT WE VOTED ON WHATEVER IT WAS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE HERE.
AND I'LL JUST WORK ON WHILE I HAVE A COMPUTER.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DONE WITH ALL OUR UPDATES.
WOULD FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. YOU EVER HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM YOU WANT TO ADD EMAIL ME? I'LL PROBABLY BE YOUR SECOND, BUT IF YOU WANT TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE, THAT'S FINE TOO, BUT SEND IT TO ME AND WE'LL JUST, WE'LL ALWAYS ADD IT.
WE'LL GET IT ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
UM, I DID WANT TO KIND OF CHALLENGE Y'ALL BEFORE WE BREAK.
UM, LET'S LET'S LET'S UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE NEW PROGRAMS LOOK LIKE AND LET'S, LET'S GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS THAT WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM TONIGHT OR WERE HAVING EMAILED US.
UM, YEAH, I THINK IT'D BE SMART FOR US TO UNDERSTAND, HAVE A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF, OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO YEAH, IT'D BE NICE IF YOUR GIG GET AHOLD OF TWO OR THREE PEOPLE, SEE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT IT.
UH, AND THEY MIGHT SAY THE SAME THING THAT WE HEARD TONIGHT, BUT AT LEAST WE'LL KNOW WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.
I WAS JUST GOING TO TAG ONTO THAT AND SAY, REMEMBER, THIS IS A PROCESS WE ARE IN PROCESS.
THERE IS NOTHING AS LONG AS NOTHING IS LIKE IS, IS CLOSED.
THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS STILL ONGOING FOR US, FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THIS IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.
[03:10:03]
AND WITH THAT, UH, HAS SUSAN AB STAFF THANK YOU FOR LETTING US GO 10 MINUTES OVER OUR END MEETING TIME.BUT WITH THAT, OUR MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
AND, AND, UH, I'M GOING TO EMAIL YOU AND CCN MARINE WITH WHATEVER I WRITE TONIGHT SO THAT YOU HAVE IT.
AND I WAS GOING TO GET YOU A JOT, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT I HEAR IN THE QUILT AND A RESUME.