[00:00:03]
SO, WELL, IT'D BE LIVE FOR EVERYBODY.
I THINK WE'RE BROADCASTING NOW.
UM, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME YESTERDAY.
I WAS DELIGHTED TO PRESENT ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US HERE AT COUNCIL, A PROCLAMATION HONORING JIM SPENCER, THE CHIEF METEOROLOGIST AT K EXPAND DECLARING TODAY IS JIM SPENCER DAY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I WOULD HOPE THAT WE FOLLOW HIM AS HE CONTINUES TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT BE WITH THE WEATHER OR HIS PASSIONATE SUPPORT OF OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS, LIKE MANY AUSTINITES.
I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE GROWN UP WITH JIM AS OUR FAMILY'S WEATHERMAN DURING HIS 30 YEARS ON TELEVISION AND IN OUR HOMES FOR ME PERSONALLY, FROM AGE FIVE TO 35, THE ACCURACY OF HIS FORECAST, HIS UNSTOPPABLE ENTHUSIASM, AND THE FACT THAT HE HAS SAVED LIVES IN THE MIDST OF TERRIBLE WEATHER INCIDENTS, SUCH AS THE ONE WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND THE 1997 CENTRAL TEST CASES, TORNADO OUTBREAK WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN FROM ALL OF US AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THANK YOU, JIM SPENCER, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THE TIME TODAY TO SPEAK ABSOLUTELY COLLEAGUES.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER TODAY'S MEETING IT'S THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2021.
THIS IS A CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL CALL MEETING.
UH, WE'RE HOLDING THIS VIA A VIDEO CONFERENCE.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE, ARE, ARE PRESENT.
UM, MAYBE BEGIN JUST TO TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO HERE, UH, AND ADDRESS, UM, UH, THE, THE, THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE, UH, THE WEATHER EVENTS THAT, UH, UNFOLDED ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS OBVIOUSLY HAD A GREAT IMPACT HERE AS WELL.
I BEGAN WITH THE BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES THAT RESULTED IN FROZEN PIPES AND THEN A LOCK LOSS OF ELECTRICITY, UH, AND BEFORE LONG CLOSED PLANTS AND FROZEN PIPES THAT RESULTED IN, IN ORDER OUTAGES AND THEN BOIL WATER NOTICES.
UH, AND SOME OF THOSE OUTAGES, UH, FOR, FOR WATER, UH, ARE STILL, UH, UH, EXISTING SITUATION FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY.
UH, WE WANTED TO OPEN TODAY, UH, JUST WITH THE COLLECTIVE THANK YOU, UH, TO, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, NONPROFITS AND INDIVIDUALS PROVIDED JUST AN ENORMOUS OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT, UH, FOR THOSE THAT WERE IMPACTED AND SOME STILL IMPACTED BY THIS, UH, BY THIS DEADLY STORM INDIVIDUALS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION THOUSANDS, LITERALLY, UH, UH, JUMPING IN A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND AT THE RISK OF LEAVING SOME OUT, I JUST WANT TO MENTION SOME THAT I JUST KEPT RUNNING INTO OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST WEEK.
GOOD WORKS AUSTIN, GOOD ATX COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, TRUST AUSTIN MUTUAL AID, UH, AUSTIN AREA, URBAN LEAGUE FAMILY, ELDER CARE MEALS ON WHEELS THAT AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF NETWORK, CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN, AND NO LIST.
UM, BUT AT TIMES LIKE THIS, WHEN YOU HAVE THESE KINDS OF DISASTERS, THAT REALLY IS A COMMUNITY THAT, THAT PULLS TOGETHER AND THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THESE ORGANIZATIONS EFFORT GETTING PIPE PEOPLE TO PLACES THAT WERE WARM AND SAFE AND SECURING, UH, WATER AND FOOD, UM, UH, JUST SO, SO INCREDIBLY NEEDED.
AND SO AFFIRMING DISEASE, HOW MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN HELPING AND HELPING NEIGHBORS? I POINT OUT, UH, YET ANOTHER MAGNIFYING GLASS, UH, FOR, FOR ALL OF THEM, UH, MYSELF, UH, UH, BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THE INEQUITIES THAT STILL EXIST WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE SEEING SO VIVIDLY IN THE PANTRY, IT, WHICH WAS THE, UH, DISASTER OR THE MOST RECENT DISASTER.
UH, AND THIS AMPLIFIED, UH, THOSE, THOSE, THOSE CHALLENGES, UH, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH SO HARD TO, TO ADDRESS.
I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK THE STAFF OF THIS CITY AND THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES THAT WERE THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES IMPACTED BY THIS STORM.
UH, BUT WHO, DESPITE THAT, UH, JUST REALLY RALLIED THROUGH INCREDIBLE CHALLENGES TO, TO KEEP US ALL SAFE AND TO KEEP US ALL GOING.
UH, SO, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
NO, BETWEEN THE, UH, THE CITY AND COUNTY BURGUNDY.
OPERATION COMMAND AND COUNTY OFFICIALS, UH, THE COUNTY, OKAY.
COUNCIL OFFICES THAT, THAT SPRUNG INTO ACTION TO, TO ORGANIZE AND TO LEAD THE COUNTLESS OTHERS.
WE GOT A LOT DONE, FAST OPENING UP WARMING STATIONS, THAT'S DISASTER RELIEF SITE.
[00:05:01]
ONLY TWO, WHICH I THINK ARE OPEN NOW, BUT THEY'RE, BUT THEY'RE CLOSING POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED TO 99.9% OF ALL AUSTIN HOUSEHOLDS.I THINK WE ONLY HAVE A 39 CUSTOMERS HOUR SYSTEM, POWER OUTAGES.
UH, WATER IS TURNED ON ALL OVER THE CITY.
ALTHOUGH WE KNOW THAT THERE'S WORD DISRUPTION STILL TO INDIVIDUAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND TO INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, UH, DISTRIBUTING OVER 3 MILLION BOTTLES OF WATER IN THAT COMMUNITY, A MAMMOTH TASK, SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND, AND THE STAFFS AND THE PARTNERS, UH, FOR GETTING THIS DONE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO ACCESS ACCESS, AND THEN DISCUSS, UH, WHAT HAPPENED, UH, AND, UH, UH, HOW WE PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, TAKE A LOOK AT OUR RESPONSE, UH, SO THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM WHAT WE DID TO MAKE SURE THERE OUR RESPONSES AND THE FUTURE IS ALWAYS BETTER.
UM, NOT SO MUCH THAT THE ASSIGNMENT TODAY, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CRISIS.
SO AS YOU LOOK AT THE AGENDA THAT WE HAVE, IT'S, IT'S DIRECTED RIGHT NOW TO A DISASTER, TO THE RELIEF AND TO THE IMMEDIATE RECOVERY, UH, OPERATION.
WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA TODAY, COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE TWO BRIEFINGS.
UH, WE HAVE A COVID BRIEFING, UH, WHICH WAS OUR DOMINANT DISASTER UP UNTIL JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
UH, BUT WE HAVE, UM, UH, I THINK, UH, UH, UH, JASON PICKETT, DR.
SCOTT IS, UH, OFF ON TRAINING THIS WEEK.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT BRIEFING FIRST, WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE BRIEFING, THEN THEY CAN LEAD AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE BRIEFING ON THE WATER, UH, AND ENERGY DISASTER.
UH, AND THEN, UH, IT'S INTENDED THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LUNCH BREAK AT 1230.
WE HAVE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT ONE 30, IF WE'RE DONE WITH THE BRIEFINGS BEFORE 1230, AND WE CAN START DISCUSSING THE, UH, ITEMS THAT WILL COME UP LATER FOR A VOTE, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE NOT VOTE UNTIL AFTER WE'VE HEARD FROM THE SPEAKERS THAT GET CALLED AT, UH, AT ONE 30.
SO WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM BEFORE WE TAKE VOTES, BUT FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, UH, ABOUT 1230 TO ONE 30 PAGE, UH, THE LUNCH BREAK TODAY, EVERYBODY SAT MAYOR PRO TEM.
I THINK, UH, I THINK YOU MIGHT'VE READ MY TALKING POINTS, CAUSE YOU SAID MOST OF WHAT IT IS THAT I WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE SAID.
AND I THINK WE PROBABLY WOULD ALL SAY THE SAME THING.
WE ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS MUCH OF THE SAME, UM, BEAUTY AND DISASTER, FRANKLY.
UM, IT'S BEEN AN EXCRUTIATINGLY TOUGH SERIES OF AGE FOR ALL OF US, AND I THINK SOME FAR MORE THAN OTHERS, UH, I PERSONALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND THE LAST SEVEN DAYS OUT AT THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX IN THE HEART OF EAST AUSTIN, WATCHING WITH MY OWN EYES.
UM, JUST THIS REALLY AMAZING, AWESOME DISPLAY OF NEIGHBORS, HELPING NEIGHBORS.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALREADY CALLED OUT THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUITY AND HOW WE REALLY JUST GET IT RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY ON THE TAIL END OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHERE, UM, LIKE YOU SAID, WE'RE NOT EVEN AT RECOVERY STAGE YET, WE'RE STILL JUST TRYING TO STABILIZE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND, AND JUST CREATING POLICY THAT HELPS TO, TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY MORE, TO BUILD IN MORE IN THE WAY OF RESILIENCE, THE MORE, UH, MORE IN THE WAY OF EMPOWERMENT.
UH, I THINK THOSE ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES THAT WE WERE GIVEN OUT THIS WEEK AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO GIVE OUT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT NEED THEM AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS DISASTER, BUT THERE SOME FAMILIES THAT NEEDED THEM BEFORE.
SO I HOPE WE JUST ALL KEEP THE SAME ENERGY AROUND ADDRESSING NEED, UM, IN AND OUT OF DISASTER, OR MAYBE EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SOMETIMES THE LEVEL OF INEQUITY THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN OUR CITY, ECONOMIC INEQUITY, UM, THAT'S ALWAYS A DISASTER.
SO I JUST, I REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO US HAVING THESE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS.
UM, UH, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S TOO MANY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO NAME, SO MAYBE JUST A COLLECTIVE, THANK YOU UNILATERALLY TO EVERYBODY WHO SHOWED UP, YOU KNOW, WHO YOU ARE.
UM, AND SO I, UH, I, I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS MEETING.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, BUT I, I JUST, I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH WE REALLY DO NEED TO CIRCLE BACK AS A BODY TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO PUT OURSELVES IN A BETTER POSITION MOVING FORWARD.
SO JUST QUICKLY, I'LL SPEAK TO THIS MORE WHEN WE GET TO THE ITEMS AND AFTERNOON AMENDMENT THAT I'M BRINGING TO, TO HELP US, UH, LEARN FROM THE, UH, WHAT OUR SENIORS AND OUR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES EXPERIENCE.
UM, AS EVERYONE HAS SAID SO FAR, AND AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S REALLY BEEN, IT'S
[00:10:01]
REALLY BEEN A HEARTBREAKING, UH, EXPERIENCES WE'VE REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE AND, AND, UM, AND HELP THEM WITH THE IMPACTS ON THEM.AND, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE FEAR THAT THEY HAD AND THEY, THE DIFFICULTIES HAVING WATER AND MEDICATION AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF THEIR HOMES, SO MANY STORIES.
SO I WANT TO ADD MY THANKS ALSO TO THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS WHO REALLY REACHED OUT TO THEIR NEIGHBORS, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHO CAME TOGETHER AND WORK TO SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR NEIGHBORS DOWN THE STREET AND THE SENIOR APARTMENT COMPLEXES, THEY, IT, AND ALL OF THESE, WE ALL HAVE MANY, MANY PEOPLE TO THANK MANY, MANY PEOPLE WE WORKED WITH AND A LOT, A LOT, A LOT OF THINGS TO LEARN FROM.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT MAYOR PRO TEM AND MAYOR FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN CELEBRATE THE COMING TOGETHER THAT OUR COMMUNITY BROUGHT TO THE TABLE HERE, AND WE COULD ALSO LEARN FROM, AND PUT IN PLACE, UM, UM, SOME THINGS TO YOU TO BE MUCH MORE IN FUTURE.
AND I DO KNOW THAT, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL WAS INSTRUMENTAL AND OTHERS WERE ALSO PASSING, UM, A RESOLUTION ABOUT THE RESILIENCE PLAN.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE BEING REMINDED EVEN MORE NOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT WILL BE.
SO I'LL SPEAK TO IT, I'LL SPEAK TO THE A WELL-CHECK PROGRAM THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE, UH, MORE THIS AFTERNOON AND MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ROLE IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
COLLEEN COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA.
AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE, UH, UH, THE FIREFIGHTERS, DEB CAME OVER TO REBECCA BANE, UH, ON WEDNESDAY.
UH, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER AT ALL.
AND, UH, THIS IS IT'S, THIS IS A 16 STORY BUILDING AND IT COULDN'T GET DOWN THROUGH THEIR ELEVATORS.
AND THE FIREFIGHTERS WENT DOWN THERE AND I HEARD THAT SOMEONE HAD BEEN, HAD EVEN CARRIED SOME OF THESE, UH, PEOPLE DOWN FROM, UH, FROM UP THERE.
SO I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS THAT WERE OUT THERE AT THE SAME TIME AND CAPITAL METRO THAT WAS ABLE TO EVACUATE THE ONES THEY WANTED TO LEAVE.
SO I REALLY WANT TO GIVE, THANKS TO HELPING OUT OUR SENIORS THERE AT REBECCA BAY WHEN THEY LOST POWER.
AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE LOTS OF CHANCE FOR EVERYBODY TO, TO, TO TALK ABOUT THE EVENTS, UM, MANAGER REVIEW ON THE BRIEFING.
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE HOW BIG A DISASTER THIS WAS BY ITSELF.
UH, BUT THEN TO HAVE THE OTHER ONE OVERLAID ON TOP OF IT, UH, AS WE COME OUT OF THE WEATHER DISASTER, WE RUN SMACK DAB INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE COVID DISASTER YET AGAIN, MANAGER.
[2. Update on Covid-19 related matters.]
WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US OPEN THAT UP? APPRECIATE THAT.MAYOR MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AS WAS STATED, THE PURPOSE TODAY IS REALLY TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE TWO EMERGENCIES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING THE PANDEMIC AND THEN THE WINTER WEATHER EVENTS, AND THEN TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION, TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WE NOT JUST, UH, GET THROUGH THIS EVENTS.
BUT THEN I START THE RECOVERY PROCESS.
UH, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THE COVID UPDATE LAST WEEK, UH, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
UH, BUT WE DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPEND TIME TODAY, UH, GIVING YOU AND OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THE MOST INFORMATION WE HAVE AT THIS TIME.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR.
THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, CRONK, AND, UH, ALSO MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SCOTT THIS WEEK, WHO IS OUT TRAINING WITH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND, UH, JUST IN CASE ANYBODY FORGOT ABOUT COVID, I CAN TELL YOU COVID DID NOT FORGET ABOUT US.
UH, SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR ME TO SHARE MY SLIDES, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
UM, AND, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO FOR OUR UPDATE TODAY, WE HAVE 237 NEW CASES, UH, 304, UH, CONFIRMED CURRENT INPATIENTS, INCLUDING 38 IN OUR ALTERNATE CARE SITE, WE HAVE 102 CONFIRMED ICU INPATIENTS OF WHICH 71 ARE ON VENTILATORS.
UH, OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS, WE'VE HAD 35 CONFIRMED COVID-19 ADMISSIONS TO THE HOSPITAL AND 50 CONFIRMED DISCHARGES.
UH, THIS IS OUR, UH, UPDATE, UH, FOR TODAY.
NOW I WANT YOU TO VIEW WITH CAUTION THE DATA TOWARDS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT EPI CURVE THERE.
AND I'M GOING TO GET INTO THAT A BIT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE WEATHER DISASTER DID AFFECT REPORTING AND, UH, THE DATA STREAM
[00:15:01]
THAT WE RECEIVED HERE AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.SO THIS IS, ARE, UH, COVID-19 ARE CONFIRMED NEW CASES.
UH, NOW YOU WILL NOTE THAT THERE IS A GAP THEY ONE WEEK GAP DURING THE, UH, DURING THE ICE STORM THERE.
ONE IS THAT THE TESTING SITES DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER WERE CLOSED, UM, AS WELL AS THE INTERRUPTION IN THE DATA STREAM FROM SOME HOSPITALS DUE TO COMPUTER OUTAGES, UH, WHICH, UH, AFFECTED THAT ALSO AS THE HOSPITALS WERE IN DISASTER MODE, UM, REPORTING IS STILL CATCHING UP THERE.
WELL, HERE WE HAVE OUR NEW ADMISSIONS TO THE HOSPITAL, UM, AND YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE, THAT YELLOW LINE, UH, STOPS ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND I'LL GET INTO WHY WE HAVE STOPPED CALCULATING THAT FOR THE MOMENT.
AND HERE WE HAVE OUR, UH, CURRENT HOSPITALIZATIONS, ICU ADMISSIONS AND VENTILATOR USE AGAIN, THE DASHED LINES, WHICH ARE OUR SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGES.
WE STOPPED CALCULATING THOSE TEMPORARILY.
UM, BUT, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE GENERALLY ON A GOOD TREND AS FAR AS OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE CONCERNED.
UM, WE'RE LEVELED OFF A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF ICU ADMISSIONS AND VENTILATOR USAGE, BUT STILL AT LEAST TRENDING DOWN SOMEWHAT, UH, MAY HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WE'RE NOT CALCULATING THE SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE AGAIN UNTIL FEBRUARY 27TH.
SO WE HAD THE SUSTAINED SEVERE WEATHER EVENT FOR A WEEK.
UH, THE DATA COLLECTION SITE WAS WITHOUT POWERING WITHOUT WATER, AND, UH, OUR, UH, FOLKS COULD NOT GET IN THERE IN ANY EVENT, UH, TO, UH, TO WORK ON THAT THE HOSPITALS, AS THEY WERE OPERATING IN DISASTER MODE, THEY DID HAVE A COMPUTER OUTAGE THAT INTERRUPTED, UH, DATA REPORTING.
UH, AND THERE IS ALSO, UH, CHANGES IN CLINICIAN BEHAVIOR AT WHICH WE CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR, UH, WHICH AS THE HOSPITALS WERE DEALING WITH EXTRAORDINARY VOLUMES OF PATIENTS, THEN WE DON'T KNOW HOW THAT MAY HAVE AFFECTED INDIVIDUAL CLINICIANS DECISIONS TO TEST OR NOT TEST SPECIFIC PATIENTS.
THERE WERE ALSO WAS, UH, CHANGES OBVIOUSLY IN PATIENT BEHAVIOR, UH, PATIENTS WHO MAY HAVE DELAYED PRESENTING TO HOSPITALS BECAUSE OF THIS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.
UM, WE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL SHIFT IN THE OVERALL PATIENT TYPES THAT WE WERE SEEING.
ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD VERY FEW MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES.
WE HAD QUITE A FEW FALLS, UH, AND THEN WE HAD OUR DIALYSIS PATIENTS AS THE DIALYSIS CENTERS WERE OFFLINE.
UH, AND OUR PATIENTS WENT WITHOUT DIALYSIS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
MORE OF THEM EXPERIENCED SHORTNESS OF BREATH, WHETHER OR NOT THAT MEANT THAT WAS, UH, MORE OR LESS LIKELY TO RESULT IN TESTING.
UM, THE, SO YEP, SEVEN DAY AVERAGE IS WHAT DRIVES OUR CHANGES IN OUR RISK-BASED GUIDELINES.
THIS IS WHAT HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THOSE, TO LEVEL OUT THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS FROM DAY TO DAY AND UNDERSTAND THE GENERAL TREND OF WHERE WE ARE GOING WITH THIS VIRUS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A RADICALLY DIFFERENT WEEK LAST WEEK, WE FELT THAT IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT TO, UH, TRY TO CALCULATE THAT SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE BASED ON INCOMPLETE DATA, MISSING DATA, UM, TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR AND POTENTIALLY AFFECT THEIR SAFETY, UH, BECAUSE OF THESE CHANGES IN PATIENT BEHAVIOR, BECAUSE OF THESE CHANGES AND TESTING AND THESE, THIS INTERRUPTION AND TESTING, UM, WHAT THE DATA THAT WE GET FROM THAT ONE WEEK PERIOD MAY NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT WHAT THE DISEASE IS ACTUALLY DOING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND OUR FEELING IS THAT BAD DATA IS WORSE THAN NO DATA.
UH, SO WE HAVE HALTED CALCULATING THAT SEVEN DAY AVERAGE UNTIL FEBRUARY 27TH, WHEN WE'LL HAVE A GOOD SOLID WEEK OF GOOD DATA AND WE CAN RESUME CALCULATING IT AT THAT POINT.
THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE BEEN ASKED IS WHAT, UH, WHAT EFFECT WILL THIS WINTER STORM HAVE ON TRANSMISSION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY? AND WE DON'T KNOW, UH, THE, THE ICE STORM DID, UH, PROVIDE A LOCKDOWN OF SORTS AND IT DID BROADLY LIMIT PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO HAD TO SHELTER AND CLOSE CONFINES WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS TO FLEE HOUSES THAT WERE WITHOUT POWER, WITHOUT HEAT, WITHOUT WATER.
AND SO HOW THAT WILL AFFECT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WE WON'T KNOW THAT, UH, FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO, UH, AS A MORE TESTING COMPANY, I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, REGIONAL INFUSION CENTER, UH, WHICH OPENED ON THE SIXTH HAS TO DATE SERVED 658 PATIENTS.
UH, WE HAVE PLENTY OF CAPACITY.
WE HAVE 90 PER APPOINTMENTS PER DAY.
WE HAVE A REGIONAL CALL CENTER WHERE ANY CLINICIAN CAN REFER PATIENTS TO THE INFUSION CENTER.
UH, AND, UH, OUR CAPACITY IS SUCH THAT, UH, WE'RE GETTING
[00:20:01]
ALL, UH, NEXT DAY OR EVEN SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE REFERRED TO THIS INFUSION CENTER TO RECEIVE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THERAPY, THE REGENERON PRODUCT AND THE ELI LOADED PRODUCT.THIS IS AN INFUSION THAT HELPS TO PREVENT A HOSPITALIZATION, UM, POTENTIALLY PREVENT OTHER MORE SERIOUS, UH, FORMS OF THE DISEASE.
UH, MAY I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? ALTERNATE CARE SIDE CONTINUES TO OPERATE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, UH, WE HAVE 37 PATIENTS, UH, AT THE ACS.
UH, WE HAVE 154 PATIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN TREATED AND DISCHARGED FROM THAT FACILITY.
OUR CAPACITY CURRENTLY SITS AT A 75 PATIENTS AND OUR AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IS NINE DAYS.
UM, UH, NO, THERE'S A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN MY FIRST SLIDE AND THIS SLIDE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS, THIS IS THE ONE IS THE MORE UP-TO-DATE NUMBER AS OF JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, WHEN I GOT THE UPDATE, I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE ALTERNATIVE CARE SITE, UH, THERE JUST A PICTURE OF WHERE THE PATIENTS ARE COMING FROM.
THIS IS DEFINITELY A REGIONAL RESOURCE.
YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES WHICH HAVE CONTRIBUTED PATIENTS TO THIS ALTERNATE CARE SITE.
UH, AND THEN, UH, FROM, UH, LOOKING AT THE AUSTIN METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA, UH, 92% ON DO COME FROM WITHIN THE AUSTIN MSA, HOWEVER, 8% DO NOT NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS THE, UH, HOSPITALIZATIONS BY AGE GROUP.
UM, AND, UH, OVERALL WE'RE, UH, WE'RE SEEING THIS SORT OF WAVERING UP AND DOWN, NO REALLY LARGE TRENDS, UH, TO REPORT OTHER THAN THIS LITTLE BLIP ON, ON THE, UH, AGE 20 TO 29 AGE GROUP AS THAT, UH, THAT AGE GROUP SEEMS TO HAVE PICKED UP WITH HOSPITALIZATIONS.
NEXT SLIDE HERE IS THIS IS THE OVERALL COUNT BY AGE GROUP.
AND, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE 20 TO 25 NINE AGE GROUP REPRESENTS A LARGER PERCENTAGE THAN IT HAS PREVIOUSLY, BUT OVERALL, NOT A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THE NUMBER OF CASES THERE.
SO HERE WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR DATA, UH, BY RACE AND ETHNICITY.
UH, AND, UH, THE ONE THING I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THIS UPTICK IN, UH, BLACK NON-HISPANIC PATIENTS THAT ARE HOSPITALIZED.
UH, SO WE SAW THIS, UH, THIS INCREASE, THAT'S A GRAY LINE THAT YOU SEE, UH, HOWEVER, UM, AS I SHOW YOU ON THE NEXT SLIDE HERE, UM, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY, UH, SHOW AN INCREASED NUMBER OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN PATIENTS WHO HAVE PRESENTED, BUT THEY ARE REPRESENTING A LARGER OVERALL PERCENTAGE COMPARED TO HOSPITALIZATIONS, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WAS ONLY A DIFFERENCE OF ONE PATIENT FROM, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK TO THE LAST WEEK.
UH, THIS IS, UM, A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT TOO EARLY TO TELL IF THIS REPRESENTS A TREND OR NOT, BUT, UH, SIMPLY THE, AT, UH, THIS WEEK'S DATA SHOWS THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN PATIENTS, UM, A LITTLE BIT, UM, INCREASED REPRESENTATION THERE, UH, BUT OVERALL DECREASE IN CASE NUMBERS MAKES THAT AN EXAMPLE.
THIS IS OUR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY, WEEKLY DASHBOARD, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS ONLINE ON OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH WEBSITE.
I HAVE NO GREAT TRENDS TOO, TO TALK ABOUT AT THIS POINT, NEXT SLIDE, THE INFLUENCER REPORT, AND, UH, WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF FLU SEASON.
HOWEVER, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT.
UH, THIS IS A VERY, VERY MILD FLU SEASON.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BLUE LINE IS THE CURRENT FLU SEASON, AND THEN THE OTHER THREE LINES REPRESENT PREVIOUS FLU SEASONS.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT THIS SHOWS THAT, UH, THE MANY OF THE MEASURES THAT WE'VE TAKEN WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKING AND HYGIENE HAVE HELPED TO, UH, DECREASE THE SPREAD OF INFLUENZA WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AS INFLUENZA IS A DISEASE THAT KILLS 20 TO 80,000 AMERICANS EVERY YEAR.
AND IN THIS, UH, UH, IN THE OTHERWISE GRIM NEWS OF THIS PANDEMIC THAT WE'VE HAD NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WE REMAIN AT STAGE FOUR, UH, AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, WE RECOMMEND FOR HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY AVOID GATHERINGS GREATER THAN TWO, AND THAT THEY AVOID THE DINING AND SHOPPING EXCEPT AS ESSENTIAL.
AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE THAT WE AVOID SOCIAL AND GATHERINGS, AND THE GATHERING IS GREATER THAN 10 AND AVOID NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL.
WE STILL RECOMMEND THAT BUSINESSES REMAIN AT 20 TO 50% OCCUPANCY.
I THINK, UM, SO STAY HOME, IF YOU CAN, OF COURSE, UH, TO DO
[00:25:01]
A CENTRAL TRIPS, SUCH AS SEEKING MEDICAL CARE, UH, OBTAINING GROCERIES, UH, ET CETERA, THOSE ARE IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE.UM, HOWEVER, OUTSIDE THE HOUSEHOLD SHOULD CONTINUE TO MASK SHOULD CONTINUE SIX FOOT SOCIAL DISTANCING, UH, AND SCHOOLS SHOULD LIMIT ATTENDANCE AT SPORTING EVENTS, UM, THAT TO THE PLAYERS, THE COACHES AND THE PARENTS, UH, AS WE DO NOT SEE BIG SPREADS WITHIN CLASSROOMS, UH, WE DO SEE THEM ASSOCIATED WITH ATHLETICS.
I'M I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO DIRECTOR HAYDEN, PLEASE.
UM, WE WANT TO START BY JUST KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER DELAYS IN, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE HAD TO PUT IN PLACE IN ORDER TO, UM, MOBILIZE THIS WEEK.
AND SO, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE CLOSED OUR VACCINE AND TESTING, UM, CLOSURES LAST WEEK.
AND, UM, WE ALSO, UM, PRODUCTOR PICKETS INFORMATION.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY UPDATES.
ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT DID HAPPEN, UM, OVER THE TIME WITH THE WEATHER, UH, THERE WAS, UH, WHERE ONE OF OUR LOCATIONS WHERE WE KEEP OUR VACCINE, UM, THE, THE POWER WENT OUT AND WE ALSO HAVE A BACKUP GENERATOR.
WELL, THE BACKUP GENERATOR WENT OUT AS WELL.
UM, ALL OF OUR VACCINES ARE ON HAVING AN ALARM SYSTEM TIED TO THEM.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE WERE, UH, ALERTED, UM, WORKED WITH FIRE AND EMS. UM, AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO ASSIST US WITH MOVING THE VACCINE, UM, OVER TO ANOTHER ONE OF OUR LOCATIONS THAT LOCATION DID HAVE POWER, UM, BUT ALL OF OUR SITES AS WELL, EACH OF THEM HAVE A BACKUP GENERATOR.
AND SO, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, MOVE OUR VACCINES SAFELY.
WE INFORMED THE STATE OF TEXAS, UM, ABOUT THIS, UH, ABOUT US MOVING OUR, UH, VACCINE.
AND WE DID NOT LOSE ANY VACCINE.
ALL OF OUR VACCINE, UM, WAS KEPT SAFE.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ALERT YOU OF THAT AND THEN JUST REALLY GIVE ACCOLADES TO, TO FIRE AND EMS FOR HELPING US AND MY STAFF THAT CAME OUT, UM, TO ENSURE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THE VARIOUS BUILDINGS, ET CETERA, WORKING TOGETHER.
WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR OUR WEATHER MITIGATION PLANS IS WE'VE OPENED UP ADDITIONAL SITES.
WE'VE EXTENDED SOME HOURS, UM, AND WE'VE ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL DAYS.
AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO COMPLETE 37,000 VACCINES THIS WEEK.
UM, THAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE YOUR, YOUR FIRST AND YOUR SECOND DOSE.
UM, THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF, ONE OF OUR PATIENTS THAT CAME IN, UM, GOT HIS, UH, PERMISSION TO USE, UM, HIS PHOTO AND HE'S GETTING HIS SECOND VACCINE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE 56,000, UM, VACCINES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED.
UM, THOSE ARE FOR OUR FIRST, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, SOME OF THE SECOND DOSES, UM, THAT WE BEGAN, UH, THE WEEK BEFORE THE WEATHER IMPACTED SERVICE DELIVERY, WE CONTINUE TO MEET WITH OUR VACCINE COALITION.
UM, AND WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES UPON THE PENDING APPROVAL OF THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, UM, VACCINE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THIS IS, UM, JUST KIND OF A SNAPSHOT OF, OF WHAT, UM, WE ARE SENDING OUT TO FOLKS, UM, FOR THEIR SECOND DOSE APPOINTMENT.
AND SO, UM, IT PROVIDES THE LOCATION, THE DATE AND TIME OF WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
UM, THEY DO NOT NEED TO GET ON OUR SYSTEM TO SCHEDULE A SECOND DOSE APPOINTMENT.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE ARE ENCOURAGING FOLKS IS IS THAT IF THEY HAVE NOT HEARD FROM US, UM, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO REACH OUT TO THREE ONE, ONE, THREE, ONE ONE AT THIS TIME IS, IS COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION NAME, EMAIL, PHONE NUMBER, AND THEY ARE PROVIDING US A DAILY REPORT.
AND OUR STAFF ARE CALLING PEOPLE BACK, UM, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING THEM SCHEDULED.
WE HAVE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND UPGRADES TO OUR TECHNOLOGY.
UM, ON TUESDAY WE RELEASED APPOINTMENTS AND WE HAVE RECEIVED, UM, UH, POSITIVE, UM, FEEDBACK FROM THAT SOLUTION.
WE HAVE A UPDATED INPUT, A CHEWING, UH, ELEMENT TO IT WHERE IT ALLOWS FOLKS TO CUE, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO KNOW IF YOU'VE SELECTED THOSE SPRINGS OR YOU'VE SELECTED, YOU KNOW, ONE
[00:30:01]
OF THE OTHER SITES IS LET YOU KNOW HOW MANY, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, APPOINTMENTS WE HAVE LEFT FOR THAT AREA.WE'RE CONTINUING TO, UM, TO WORK ON THAT AREA, UM, WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY, BUT TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING ALONG VERY WELL.
UM, OUR THREE AREAS OF, I'M GONNA SAY FOUR, IF WE INCLUDE THREE, ONE, ONE FROM THE MESSAGE PERSPECTIVE, UM, OUR NURSES ARE STILL TAKING CALLS.
UM, AND WE SET UP OUR EQUITY LINE, WHICH IS AN OUTBOUND CALL, UM, FOR FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, UM, AND TO GET IN.
AND THEN TRAVIS COUNTY IS ALSO ASSISTING US AS WELL.
UM, THIS PROVIDES, UM, JUST A SAMPLE OF, UM, VACCINE NOTIFICATIONS.
UM, THEY WILL EITHER COME TO YOUR DESKTOP, UM, OR YOU'LL SEE, UM, THE, THE TEXT MESSAGE THAT FOLKS WILL RECEIVE.
YOU YOU'RE PROACTIVELY REACHING OUT TO FOLKS, UM, JUST TO LET THEM KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT IS ALMOST TIME FOR YOUR VACCINE OR YOU ARE A REGISTERED IN OUR SYSTEM.
UM, SO WE WILL PROACTIVELY SENDING THOSE MESSAGES OUT TO FOLKS NEXT SEMESTER, NEXT RIGHT.
ONE OF THE CHANGES WE WERE ALERTED ON LAST WEEK FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE SERVICES THAT, UM, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO FOR US IN AND OUT ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO AUTOMATICALLY START SHIPPING OUT, UM, THE, THE DOSES FOR THE S FOR THE SECOND DOSES.
SO WHAT THIS HAS DONE FOR US, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING IN THIS WEEK, UM, TO GET THEIR FIRST DOSE THEY'RE ARE RECEIVING A CART.
UM, AND SO OUR STAFF WILL GO AHEAD AND SCHEDULE THEM FOR FOUR WEEKS OUT.
UM, BECAUSE WE NOW KNOW THE DISHES IS GOING TO JUST SEND US, UM, THAT AUTOMATIC SHIPMENT.
SO THAT IS REALLY GREAT NEWS FOR US.
UM, EVEN WHEN WE WERE PROACTIVELY, UM, SENDING OUT SECOND DOSES, THIS ALSO KIND OF GIVES FOLKS THE ASSURANCE TO KNOW I HAVE MY CAR.
THIS IS ACTUALLY AN APPOINTMENT.
UM, AND THEN THEY WILL RECEIVE A FOLLOW UP, UM, UM, MESSAGE FROM THEIR COMPUTER AND OR TEXT.
UM, I WANT TO JUST REMIND FOLKS THAT THE SECOND DOSE ACTUALLY MIRRORS THE FIRST DOSE.
SO FOR THE FOLKS THAT WE PROVIDED THE FIRST VACCINE TO, UM, THAT SECOND DOES, WILL COME TO US AUTOMATICALLY.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE EXTRA DOSES TO PROVIDE FOLKS THAT DID NOT COME TO US FOR THE FIRST ALLOCATION.
UM, THE STATE IS CONTINUING TO, UM, DETERMINE OUR ALLOCATIONS THAT ARE COMING TO US.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WAS SHARED WITH US IS THAT TYPICALLY THE STATE OF TEXAS IS, UH, WEAPONS ALERTED ON MONDAY ABOUT HOW, HOW MUCH THEIR ALLOCATION IS GOING TO BE BASED UPON WHAT THAT ALLOCATION IS.
THEN THEY PROVIDE BY WEDNESDAY, UM, TO EACH OF THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND PROVIDERS, HOW MUCH VACCINE WILL COME TO THEM THE FOLLOWING WEEK, UM, THAT IS ALL THE NOTIFICATION AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT THEY ARE RECEIVING.
UM, AND SO WE WERE IN A MEETING WITH THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, AND THEY HAVE ALERTED US TO WHAT THEY ARE WORKING ON, AND THEY HAVE COMMUNICATED THAT WITH THE STATE, UM, THE STATE NECESSARILY THAT THAT IS NOT IN PLACE YET, BUT THAT IS A GOAL THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS IS THAT, UM, THEY'RE WANTING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AT LEAST THREE WEEKS WORTH OF NOTIFICATION ABOUT WHAT THEY WILL RECEIVE WHEN THEY ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL, FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT ARE GOING TO PASS THAT INFORMATION ON TO THE LOCAL LEVEL, TO THE PROVIDERS.
ONCE WE HAVE THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SET APPOINTMENTS THREE WEEKS OUT BASED UPON THAT ALLOCATION.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE WORKS.
UM, I TALKED TO THE STATE THIS MORNING.
THEY STILL DON'T HAVE A DTA ON THAT.
UM, AND SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO DO THAT, BUT THEY'VE NOT IMPLEMENTED THAT AS OF YET.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THOSE THINGS ARE IN THE WORKS, AND WE'RE REALLY HOPEFUL ABOUT IT.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SHARE, UM, AND, AND ACTUALLY, UM, ACKNOWLEDGED, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY AND CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, CAME TOGETHER TO PUT TOGETHER THE ESSENTIAL TEXTS, BACKSTOP WORK.
UH, IT IS A WEBSITE WHERE FOLKS CAN, CAN GO ON TO, UM, TO CHECK WITH THE VACCINE HUBS OR OTHER PROVIDERS.
AND YOU'RE ABLE TO GO IN AND WHAT CAN SEE WHO
[00:35:01]
HAS PROVIDERS.AND THEN IT HAS THE LEAD THAT WILL TAKE YOU OVER TO THAT SIDE.
THIS IS NOT A CENTRALIZED WAY OF HOW TO GET YOUR VACCINE, BUT WE PUT THE PROVIDERS THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, UM, LISTENS, UM, A, A REGIONAL EFFORT.
UM, SO IT HAS 10 COUNTIES INFORMATION IN THERE.
AND SO FOLKS ARE AT LEAST ABLE TO, TO GET INTO THE HUB SITE OR GET INTO THE OTHER VACCINE PROVIDER.
AND THEN THE LINK TAKES THEM OVER TO THAT PROVIDER TO SEE IF THEY HAVE, UM, VACCINE, BUT WAS A WAY OF JUST KIND OF HAVING A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE WITH EACH, UM, WITH MORE INFORMATION THEY'RE GOING TO UPDATE THIS SITE AND ADD MORE INFORMATION.
UM, THE LAST THING I WANT TO SHARE IS IS THAT THE FEDERAL, UM, HER PHARMACY PROGRAM, UM, IT WAS REALLY UP AND RUNNING, GETTING VERY ROBUST.
WE HAVE BEEN ALERTED THAT, UM, HEB, UM, WALMART, SAM'S WALGREENS, CVS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, CVS ACTUALLY STARTED PROVIDING VACCINES ON FEBRUARY 12TH.
UM, AND SO EACH OF THOSE WILL START TO RECEIVE DIRECT SHIPMENTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR BEING A PART OF THE PHARMACY PROGRAM.
THERE ARE OTHER TWO OTHER PHARMACIES IN TOWN THAT ARE PART OF A GOOD PHARMACY PROGRAM.
AND SO THEY ALSO WILL BE RECEIVING VACCINES, UM, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I DON'T HAVE AN ETA OF WHEN THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
UM, BUT WE ARE HEARING THAT, UM, THERE'S ONE SHIPMENTS THAT ARE COMING IN, UM, THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THERE WILL BE MORE VACCINES AVAILABLE THROUGH THOSE OUTLETS.
IN ADDITION, UM, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY CARE, COMMUNITY CARE WAS SELECTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT WAS A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER, UM, TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL VACCINES STRAIGHT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO START SEEING MORE OPPORTUNITY TO GET VACCINES, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT COMPLETES MY REPORT AND I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
PICKETT AND DIRECTOR HAYDEN HOWARD.
AND WITH THAT MAYOR, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU FOR QUESTIONS FROM YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TRY TO DO WHAT WE WERE DOING AT THE COUNTY BEFORE LET'S CYCLE THROUGH ASCA.
YOU KNOW, A QUESTION THEN WE'LL PASS IT ON.
WE'LL JUST KEEP GOING THROUGH COUNCIL AND THAT WAY EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UH, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO START US OFF HOW'S MEMBER POINT THIS AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
AND THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HOWARD.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE UPDATE AND I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF, UM, IT'S GREAT NEWS THAT WE'RE ABLE, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT 31,000 VACCINES THIS WEEK.
AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT LEVEL OF PROGRESS, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF THIS STORM AND SAY, WHY DID HE GIVE US A SENSE, KNOWING THAT THAT'S HOW MUCH APH IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT, UH, KNOWING THAT WE HAD ADDITIONAL PHARMACIES COME ONLINE IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND ARE NOW GETTING FEDERAL ASSISTANCE IN HELPING US GET OUT VACCINES TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WHAT IS THE SNAPSHOT LOOK LIKE FOR THE AMOUNT OF SENIORS WHO REMAIN OR ELIGIBLE PER THE ONE B CATEGORY WHO ARE ON OUR WAIT LIST, UH, WAITING TO GET A VACCINE? UM, HOW MANY DO WE HAVE LEFT? UM, AND JUST GENERAL THOUGHTS ON HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET THROUGH THAT WAIT LIST.
UM, I THINK WHAT I HAVE TO DO IS, IS, UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT GREENVILLE DATA IN FRONT OF PD.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE WILL HAVE TO DO IS PREPARE THAT AND SEND THAT BACK.
UM, I CAN ASK THE FOLKS THAT PUT TO THEM WITH THE QUESTIONS, UM, SO WE CAN SEE THAT BACK IN, IT COMES BACK TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO WE WILL DEFINITELY DO THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO CONTINUE TO MAKING SURE WE'RE FOCUSING IN ON THE DIFFERENT AREAS.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE HAVE NOT BEEN DOING, UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO START HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH PROVIDERS.
UM, LIKE WE DID WITH TESTING, UM, IS, IS ASK THEM TO PROVIDE THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA TO US.
UM, WE FEEL LIKE THAT, UM, THAT WORKED OUT WELL FOR US WITH TESTING, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT PROVIDING THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.
SO AT LEAST WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, WE'RE ABLE TO
[00:40:01]
SUCCEED HERE.NOW YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE IT AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT TYPE OF DATA AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
WELL, AND JUST TO CONFIRM, WE DO HAVE, OUR APH DOES HAVE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ONLINE PER DASHBOARD, RIGHT? SO JUST REAL QUICK, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T KNOW QUITE HOW MANY SENIORS WE HAVE ON OUR WAITLIST, PLEASE KNOW HOW MANY VACCINES ARE CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT AUSTIN WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE PROVIDERS AND PHARMACIES AND DPH AND COMMUNITY CARE.
LIKE HOW MANY VACCINES DO YOU ANTICIPATE, UH, THE AUSTIN AREA, TRAVIS COUNTY AREA TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT THIS WEEK? I, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT ANY OF THE PARTNERS ARE PUTTING OUT THIS MEETING.
I DO KNOW THAT, UM, JUDGE BROWN HAS AN EVENT ON, ON SATURDAY, UM, THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON WITH COMMUNITY CARE.
AND SO THAT WILL BE 3000 VACCINES THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING.
UM, BUT BEYOND THAT, UM, I DON'T HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY VACCINES ARE GOING OUT IN TRAVIS COUNTY THIS WEEK.
THANK YOU FOR THAT COVERAGE UPDATE ABOUT, UH, COVID 19 AND VACCINE PROCESS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE STAFF WHO WAS AT THE POLAR THAT CENTER AS WELL, ESPECIALLY FOR LOSS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS WHO WERE THERE.
I WENT AND VISITED AND IT WAS A GREAT, AND I APPRECIATED THE TIME THAT STAFF GAVE TO ME TO SHOW ME AROUND AND TOUCH WITH THAT, HOW IT HAPPENED.
I'D LIKE TO SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT THE COVID ISOLATION FACILITY IN MY DISTRICT AT THE CANDLEWOOD.
COULD YOU PLEASE MAYBE TALK ABOUT THE PIPE THAT BURST OVER THERE AND WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ISOLATED THERE AND WHAT PLANS ARE IN THE FUTURE FOR GETTING THAT FIXED AND ALSO HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT US OPENING UP AN ADDITIONAL ISOLATION FACILITY? UM, ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED, UM, UH, PER, UH, A PIPE DID BURST IN THAT BUILDING BEFORE, UM, UM, THE WEATHER GOT VERY COLD.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE TRANSFERRED OVER TO OUR ISOLATION FACILITY, NUMBER ONE.
UM, AND SO THE GOAL WAS, IS, IS THEY WERE TRYING TO GET THAT, UM, FIXED WITHIN THE SEVEN DAYS.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE WEATHER HAPPENS.
UM, SO I DON'T HAVE A DUTY WAY OF WHEN THAT, UM, UH, WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO, TO FIX THAT, UM, BURSTED PIPE.
UM, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT WE STARTED LOOKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL SITE IF WE NEEDED IT AS ANOTHER ASSET, AS A BACKUP, IF THAT, IF THAT PIPE CAN NOT BE FIXED.
AND SO, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S WHAT STAFF ARE WORKING ON NOW TO DETERMINE, UM, DO WE NEED TO STAND UP A, ANOTHER LOCATION TEMPORARILY UNTIL, UNTIL THAT WORK CAN BE COMPLETED? I, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS IF THAT'S OKAY.
THE FIRST ONE IS HOW MANY BEDS DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE AVAILABLE AT THE FAIRFIELD ISOLATION FACILITY? AND THE SECOND ONE IS, IS THE CITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PIPE DAMAGE? AND IF SO, HAS, HAS ANYONE BEEN OUT THERE? ARE WE STILL PAYING FOR USE OF THAT FACILITY WHILE IT'S BEING REPAIRED? UM, I WILL HAVE TO TALK WITH, UM, ONE ORTIZ, THE EMERGENCY, UM, THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIRECTOR, UH, BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S LIKE WAITING FOR THE NEXT ITERATION.
UM, HE CAN PROVIDE THAT SPECIFIC DETAIL ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE, BUT TYPICALLY AS THE OWNER IS LIKE ONLY A HOME, IF YOU OWN IT, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS.
SO IF YOU LIVE IN A HOME AND YOU'RE PAYING FOR WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU HAVE TO STILL CONTINUE TO PAY, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR FACILITY, BUT THEY CAN DEFINITELY ALEX OR SOMEONE ELSE CAN DEFINITELY VERIFY THAT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO, TO FIX, UM, THAT FACILITY.
IF STAFF COULD FOLLOW BACK UP WITH MY OFFICE ABOUT THAT, IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING AS A MEMBER.
UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THESE BRIEFINGS TO KEEP US ROLLING SINCE WE ARE DEALING WITH A NUMBER OF CRISES AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME FOR TODAY'S APPOINTMENTS, THE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW SAYS THAT APPOINTMENT SHOULD BE COMING ONLINE TO BE SCHEDULED TODAY, BUT I'M GETTING WORD THAT PEOPLE ARE REFRESHING AND IT JUST KEEPS SAYING THE DATE AND IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY OPEN UP THE APPOINTMENTS.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THOSE, UM, NOT RELEASED THOSE YET? UM, THEY ARE GOING TO BELIEVE THESE THINGS LATER ON,
[00:45:01]
UM, TYPICALLY WITH THE SYSTEM THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN PLACE, UM, ON THURSDAY IT DOES ALLOW PEOPLE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO QUEUE.UM, SO, SO ENROLL HAPPENED LATER ON TODAY.
WE'LL JUST MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED ACCOUNTING FOR THE LOCATION ON YESTERDAY.
UM, WE PROVIDED ABOUT 5,500 VACCINES ON YESTERDAY.
SO TYPICALLY IT IS MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH VACCINES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK.
AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S HOW YOU OPEN IT UP THE NEXT DAY.
SO, SO TODAY IS BASED UPON WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, SO THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.
SO IS THERE ANY MORE SPECIFIC TIME EXPECTATION AT THIS POINT? OKAY.
UM, AND I HAVE HEARD ANECDOTALLY THAT THE SECOND ROUND OF VACCINES IS WORKING VERY SMOOTHLY, AND SO I WANTED TO PASS ALONG THE COMPLIMENTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE SENT TO US THAT THEY REALLY APPRECIATE HOW WELL THAT'S WORKING.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION? SINCE OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE DUE FOR THEIR SECOND VACCINATION OVER THE PAST WEEK, UM, HOW THAT TRIAGE IS GOING TO KIND OF CATCH UP WITH, UM, HOW QUICKLY PEOPLE NEED TO GET THAT SECOND VACCINE.
AND NOW THAT THERE MAY BE KIND OF A BACKLOG, HOW, HOW, HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK MOVING FORWARD, JUST SO PEOPLE HAVE AN EXPECTATION.
UM, SO, SO FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN SALESFORCE PROPER, THEY'RE ABLE TO RUN A QUERY AND THEY'RE ABLE TO TELL EXACTLY KIND OF WHERE THEY ARE WITH THEIR VACCINE.
AND SO BASED UPON THE ONES, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE BEYOND, YOU KNOW, 28 DAYS, I DEFINITELY TRY TO GET THEM BEFORE 42 DAYS.
UM, THEY ARE REACHING OUT TO THEM, PROACTIVELY SENDING AN EMAIL, UM, ET CETERA.
UM, WE DO KNOW THAT THERE STILL WERE A FEW FOLKS, UM, THAT SHOWED UP TO THE SITE IN WITH TRACK.
SO OUR STAFF ARE WORKING ON, ON THEM AS WELL.
SO IF YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE PROVIDED A COURTESY VACCINE TO ON THE 11TH, 12TH, 13TH OF JANUARY, TELL HIM TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THREE ONE, ONE, AND WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN WE WILL CALL THEM AND SCHEDULE THEM TO COME IN, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT CAME AND DIDN'T HAVE APPOINTMENTS, BUT TYPICALLY THE SYSTEM IS ABLE TO FLAG THOSE TO OUR FOLKS.
AND THEN THEY'RE PROACTIVELY SENDING OUT EMAILS.
THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT OUR STAFF IN TRAVIS COUNTY HAS BEEN CALLING, UM, BY PHONE, UM, THIS WEEK.
AND SO, UM, SO WE, WE'RE DOING BOTH OF THOSE AS WELL.
I KNOW, UM, THERE'S A LOT, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AND A LOT OF VACCINES BEING DISTRIBUTED.
AND SO THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS I HAD HEARD WHERE PEOPLE JUST SAID, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR MY SECOND ROUND VACCINATION? SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR YOU'RE BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT OUTREACH AND TRYING TO CATCH UP ON THOSE.
UM, I DID HEAR ABOUT THE CIRCUIT OF AMERICAS, UM, KIND OF MASS VACCINATION SITE, IS THAT A COUNTY INITIATIVE? AND ARE YOU WORKING WITH THEM ON THAT OR ARE THOSE PARALLEL OPERATIONS THAT YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT NOW? UM, THAT IS, THAT IS A COUNTY AND COMMUNITY TENURE, UM, AS WELL AS SETON INITIATIVE.
UM, AND SO, UM, AS YOU MAY HAVE, HAVE READ, UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL, UH, COUNTY JUDGES THAT MADE THE REQUEST TO THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, AND, AND THEY, UH, GRANTED THEM 3000 VACCINES.
AND SO, UM, BASICALLY SEEING HOW THAT WORKS ACROSS, UM, ALL OF THOSE COUNTIES, UM, THIS WEEKEND.
AND SO IF IT DOES LOOK PROMISING, THE STATE IS WILLING TO PROVIDE, UM, MORE VACCINE.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT PILOT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST FOR TRAVIS COUNTY BEFORE ALL OF THOSE OTHER COUNTIES THAT MAY HAVE NOT EVEN POTENTIALLY HAVE RECEIVED ANY VACCINES.
AND SO LOOKING INTO THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT WEBSITE THAT WOULDN'T BE THROUGH THE AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV THAT WOULD BE TO A DIFFERENT WEBSITE.
IS THAT ONE THAT YOU COULD SHARE JUST FOR PEOPLE TAKING NOTE? UH, YES.
WELL, WE'LL ASK, UM, BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IS BECAUSE IT'S COMMUNITY CARE PATIENTS, UM, AND, AND THEY'RE WORKING, UM, WITH THOSE COUNTIES OFF OF THEIR, UH, WAIT LIST AS WELL.
SO FOLKS ARE IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, THEY NEED TO CHECK THOSE WEBSITES.
AND IF THEY'RE IN AUSTIN WEBSITE IN THE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY AREA, YOU MAY NEED TO LOOK ON THE COMMUNITY CARES
[00:50:01]
WEBSITE.NOW IT'S NOT A OPEN PROCESS, THE LETTER USING FOOD FOR COMMUNITY CARE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THEY'RE USING THEIR EXISTING PATIENTS FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
CAUSE REMEMBER KITCHEN HAS A MEMBER KITCHEN AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE, UM, TO THE SITE.
IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE AND, UM, AND, UH, TO PASS ALONG THE FEEDBACK I'M GETTING ABOUT, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE SECOND DOSES AND HOW WELL THAT IS, UH, WORKING FOR PEOPLE.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK A FEW MORE QUESTIONS.
CAUSE I KNOW THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE REACHING OUT BY TELEPHONE TO OUR SENIORS, UH, AND HELPING THEM, UM, GET TO SCHOOL.
AND SO, UM, IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR OUR SENIORS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO AN INTERNET OR AN EMAIL, UH, TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A PHONE CALL.
AND THAT'S BEEN PARTICULARLY HELPFUL FOR OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR OLDER, OUR ELDERLY FOLKS, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THAT.
UM, I DO WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, UM, I WANT YOU TO, TO, UH, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO, TO, TO JUST, UM, EXPLAIN AGAIN FOR FOLKS WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
SO JUST FOR AWARENESS, UM, AND ALSO TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, THROUGH OUR SENIOR, UM, WELFARE CHECKS, UM, UM, INITIATIVE THAT I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT LATER THAT WE, WE JUST ALL HELPED, UH, REACH OUT TO SENIORS, UM, WITH A DISASTER RESPONSE TO HELP THEM WITH WATER AND FOOD AND OTHER THINGS.
WE ALSO DID END UP IDENTIFYING SOME FOLKS WHO WERE ASKING US ABOUT VACCINES.
SO THIS IS JUST WE'LL, WE WILL BE SENDING YOU OVER A LIST OF THE VEGETABLES.
UM, AND OUR RESPONSE TO THEM WAS THAT WE WOULD PASS THEIR NAMES.
SO, AND THESE ARE, THESE ARE, UH, SENIORS OVER AGE.
WELL, I THINK THEY'RE OVER AGE 70, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, A NUMBER OF THEM ARE QUITE A BIT OLDER.
SO, UM, THAT LIST IS BEING, UH, FINALIZED AND WE'LL GET THAT SENT OUT.
SO COULD YOU TAKE JUST A MOMENT AND, UM, LET PEOPLE KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL ARE REACHING OUT TO SENIORS? UM, YES.
UM, SO THERE, THERE'S KIND OF SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE, ARE, THAT ARE HAPPENING.
UM, SOME OF IT IS BASED UPON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SALESFORCE PLATFORM.
UM, SOME OF IT IS BASED UPON, UM, REFERRALS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR PARTNERS THAT WORK WITH THE ELDERLY POPULATION.
AND SO AS A RESULT OF THOSE REFERRALS, WE'RE ABLE TO PROACTIVELY REACH OUT TO FOLKS, UM, AND GET THEM SCHEDULED.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE FINDING IS IS THAT, THAT SOME FOLKS MAY ALSO REQUIRE, UM, TRANSPORTATION.
SO WORKING WITH THEM, UM, TO GET THE TRANSPORTATION TO THEM AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GO AHEAD AND COME IN.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE STOOD UP OUR MOBILE OPERATIONS.
UM, AND SO THIS WEEK, UH, WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT WAS ACTUALLY SCHEDULED FOR LAST WEEK WHERE WE SHIFTED IT BACK TO THIS WEEK.
UM, AND SO THE SENIORS THAT WE THINK CONTACTING, UM, IF THEY HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION, THEY'RE LIKE, NO.
SO, UH, SO WE'RE JUST WORKING WITH THEM TO GO AHEAD AND BRING THEM IN, UM, VIA TRANSPORTATION.
BUT THAT PROCESS IS, IS DEFINITELY WORKING WELL.
AND OUR GOAL IS, IS TO MAKE SURE WE GET THROUGH AS MANY SENIORS AS WE CAN.
I KNOW THAT FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN IS THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF Y'ALL ASSESSMENTS.
UM, AND THEN I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR AT HER HAND RACE.
I THINK MY COLLEAGUES WILL PROBABLY COVER MOST OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
UH, IN FACT, SOME THINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN COVERED.
UH, ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO ASK, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A DIRECTOR, HAYDEN HOWARD QUESTION, OR A DR.
I, THAT GRAPH WHERE YOU SHOWED THE SPIKE FOR THE 20 TO 29 YEAR OLDS.
I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE ANY INDICATION, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS THERE? WHAT BEHAVIORS DO WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF? LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO SHIFT, UM, THAT AGE GROUP.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
AND THE, I THINK THAT SOME OF THAT IS THAT WE'RE SEEING NOT A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THAT AGE GROUP, WHEREAS THE OVERALL CASES ARE DECLINING.
[00:55:01]
IT MAY BE AS YOU, AS YOU LOOK FROM ONE WEEK TO THE NEXT, THERE WAS NOT A HUGE SHIFT IN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WITHIN THAT AGE GROUP, THAT 20 TO 29 AGE GROUP.UH, WHEREAS THERE, THERE WERE DECREASES IN OTHERS.
SO IT, IT DOES LOOK LIKE A BIT OF A SPIKE.
I'M NOT SURE THOUGH THAT IT NECESSARILY REPRESENTS, UH, A BIG SHIFT, UH, JUST FROM ONE WEEK TO ANOTHER.
IT REPRESENTED A SHIFT OF ONLY A COUPLE OF PATIENTS.
SO THERE'S NOT SOME MASSIVE CONCERN THAT WE NEED TO BE MAKING SURE TO COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT AGE GROUP AND ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE AVOIDING OR, WELL, OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS WANT TO CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE THE, UH, DISTANCING AND, UM, MASKING AND SO FORTH THAT THAT AGE GROUP, UH, HAD SOMETIMES PROVED CHALLENGING, UH, WITH THOSE, UH, WITH THOSE MESSAGES AND, AND ADHERENCE TO THOSE, UH, TO THOSE GUIDELINES.
BUT, UM, THAT WE, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO REINFORCE THOSE MESSAGES THAT WE'VE BROUGHT OUT PREVIOUSLY.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE, OR ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT A QUESTION SO MUCH AS A, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS SHARED WITH MY OFFICE.
APPARENTLY THE TRAILER LIGHTS FOUNDATION HAS PARTNERED WITH APH, UM, TO SUPPORT THE COVID-19 VACCINATION OPERATION OPERATION DE HIRING PEOPLE.
UH, MOST POSITIONS ARE NOT CLINICAL $20 PER HOURS STARTED IMMEDIATELY, UM, DIRECTOR HAYDEN, HOWARD.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT IN A WAY THAT'S MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN WHAT I'M ABLE TO, JUST BY WAY OF THIS QUICK MESSAGE THAT WAS SENT TO ME.
UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, IS, IS WORKING WITH THAT FOUNDATION TO ASSIST US WITH, WITH PARKING LOT OUTSIDE MANAGEMENT.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, ONE OF THE HUGE CONCERNS THAT WE HAD IS WHEN IT WAS REALLY COLD OUTSIDE, UM, WE COULD NOT GET PEOPLE TO REMAIN IN THEIR CARS.
SO ALL OF US SYSTEMS WE CONTINUE TO SET UP, WE JUST, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO STAY IN THERE.
SO, SO WHAT WE THOUGHT IS IS THAT, UM, LET'S WORK WITH A PROFESSIONAL, THAT'S DONE THIS IN SO MANY OTHER WAYS, UM, AND HAS DONE IT WELL.
AND SO BASICALLY, UM, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH PEOPLE AS THEY'RE COMING INTO THE PARKING LOT, MAKING SURE ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE APPOINTMENTS, CHECKING THEIR APPOINTMENTS, ET CETERA.
SO, SO EVERYTHING KIND OF AROUND THE PERIMETER PARKING LOT, ET CETERA, THEY ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THAT AT OUR LARGE LOCATIONS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT THEY'LL CODE AND WE ARE AT THE PERFORMANCE ARTS CENTER.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE ASSISTING US IN THOSE LOCATIONS.
AND SO WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS IS THAT OUR STAFF, UM, THAT WERE OUT THERE, WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIGN AND SHIFT THEM AND WE'RE ABLE TO OPEN UP ANOTHER LOCATION.
IS THERE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO GET THAT LINK, TO SIGN UP, TO GET THOSE OPPORTUNITIES? SOMETHING THAT WE RECOGNIZED, UM, AT THE MILLENNIUM, UH, SIMS GENERALLY IN CENTRAL EAST, DUSTIN, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL ACROSS THE CITY, BUT WHEN I SAY THAT THE MUSICIANS AND THE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT MUSICIANS, THERE'S FOUR OF THEM.
AND I KNOW I'M GOING TO FORGET A NAME.
SO I WON'T SAY THE NAMES Y'ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
WE CONSISTENTLY HAD OVER A HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS FROM THAT, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS, THAT TO SAY A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE BEEN OUT OF WORK.
UM, AND SO THEM HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY BE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED AT AND ADDRESS CRISIS WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO FIND THAT INFORMATION.
WE WILL MAKE SURE TO SEND THAT OUT.
SO ALL OF YOU WILL HAVE IT, UH, JUST REAL QUICK, JUST TO BE CLEAR.
IS, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO PUT IT ON A PUBLIC FACING MAYBE ON APH SIDE, OR IS THERE A PLACE THAT WE COULD JUST DIRECT THEM? UM, LET ME GET WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS AND LET THEM KIND OF FIGURE THAT OUT.
I TRY TO STAY IN MY LANE SIGN AGAIN.
AND I'LL JUST ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID ABOUT THEIR MAGNIFICENT JOB THAT OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS.
WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL AND JUST GENERALLY OUR STAFF HAS BEEN SHOWING UP IF THERE'S ANY CONFUSION ABOUT HOW MUCH APPRECIATION WE HAVE FOR OUR STAFF.
UH, LET ME JUST CLEAR THAT UP NOW.
WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH.
I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO SOME OF THESE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO US TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP TO FORTIFY OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT NOW THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, DIRECTOR HAYDEN HOWARD.
THAT'S A GOOD POINT, UH, TO GET THOSE VOLUNTEERS OUT AND THERE IS A SPECIFIC LINK TO DO THAT.
SO WE NEED TO GET THAT OUT FOR MORE PEOPLE DECIDED TO VOLUNTEER COLLEAGUES.
[01:00:01]
UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE, THE FOLKS THAT HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO GET CALLED YET ON THE COVID DEAL ABOUT URGE EVERYBODY TO MOVE QUICKLY BECAUSE AT 1230, I THINK THE DESIRE MANAGER WAS TO GET SOME OF THE DISASTER PEOPLE BACK OUT INTO THE FIELD THERE WITH US.SO WE STILL GET THE PRESENTATIONS FROM THE DISASTER PEOPLE, AND THEN THE FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO TALK, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER, ASK THEM QUESTIONS.
SO TO THE DEGREE, YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID.
WE PROBABLY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
SO, UH, JACKSON, THAT WAS YOUR RAISING YOUR HAND, BUT YOU'VE ALREADY TURNED.
ARE YOU REAL QUICK? YES, I HAVE THE LINK.
I WANTED TO SPELL IT OUT WHILE WE WERE ALL ON THE TOP OF THE X, A T X.COM.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERED AND COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA.
UM, SO I'M ACTUALLY STILL HEARING THAT THE SYSTEM IS STILL COMPLICATED FOR SENIORS WHO ARE TRYING TO SIGN UP AND, UM, REQUIRING FOLKS, DO YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S HELPING THEM TO SIGN THEM UP? UM, SO I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN EXPRESSED MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT, UM, CONCERN ABOUT FOLKS WHO ARE NOT TECH SAVVY.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S STILL EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT.
I'M, I'M REALLY PLEASED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CHANGE OUR PROCESS FOR SECOND DOSES AND JUST GIVE APPOINTMENTS RIGHT AWAY.
UM, BUT I, BUT I NEED YOU TO CLARIFY HOW THAT APPOINTMENT PROCESS IS WORKING FOR SENIORS AT THIS POINT.
UM, BECAUSE FROM WHAT I HEARD FROM LAST NIGHT, IT HADN'T CHANGED MUCH FOLKS WHO WERE 80 PLUS DID NOT GET EMAILS.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO WERE ALERTED THAT THE SYSTEM OPENED BECAUSE THEY HAD SOMEBODY WHO WAS TECH SAVVY AND WAS ON A FACEBOOK GROUP, WERE ABLE TO GET IN AND GET THEIR APPOINTMENTS.
UM, AND SO I NEED SOME MORE CLARIFICATION AND I KNOW THAT YOU SOME THROUGHOUT THE US, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IF I WAS A SENIOR WHO WAS GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND I TRIED TO GO IN THERE, HOW IS THAT WORKING AT THIS POINT, IF I'M UP, IF I'M SIGNING UP FOR THE FIRST TIME, OR IF I'M STILL TRYING TO GET MY SECOND DOSE.
UM, AND I WASN'T IN THE BATCH, THAT WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR MY SECOND DOSE WHEN I DID MY FIRST.
SO WITH THE, WITH THE SECOND DOSE, WE DON'T GIVE ANY MORE THAN TO GO INTO THE SYSTEM.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO NEED FOR YOU TO GO ON THE SYSTEM.
UM, IF, IF YOU RAN STILL TO THE SALESFORCE AND KIND OF MOVE THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND WE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU.
UM, AND SO, SO THEY, THEY JUST NEED TO WAIT UNTIL FOLKS REACH OUT TO THEM.
IF YOU HAVE SOME FOLKS, UM, THAT DID NOT GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND WE CALLED AND SCHEDULED, ET CETERA, UM, WE'RE STILL CALLING THEM AS WELL.
I THINK THE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS, IS THAT WE HAD TO GO BACK TO FEBRUARY 12TH BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLINIC THAT DAY.
SO WE NEED TO PICK UP EVERYBODY FROM FEBRUARY 12TH, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO PICK UP ANYBODY FROM DURING THAT WEEK THAT WERE A NO-SHOW AND REACHED BACK OUT TO DINNER.
AND SO WE NEEDED TO POINT YOU THAT WEEK AND LAST WEEK TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THEM IN THIS WEEK.
AND SO IT MAY BE A MATTER OF, WE'VE NOT GOTTEN TO THEM BECAUSE BASED UPON OUR SYSTEM, UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING LONGER FOR THE SECOND DOSE WE'VE CONTACTED THEM.
SO, SO THAT'S, SO THAT'S ONE PIECE, BUT, BUT TELL FOLKS DON'T GO BACK IN THE SYSTEM.
I THINK THE OTHER THING IS IS THAT IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE THAT AGE, UM, JUST TELL THEM TO CALL THREE, ONE, ONE, WE'VE ESTABLISHED A PROCESS WITH THEM AND THEY CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, I WAS TRYING TO REGISTER OR I'M TRYING TO REGISTER OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
THEY'RE CREATING, UM, SERVICE REQUESTS AND THEY ARE SENDING EVERY DAY, THEY'RE SAYING A BATCH OVER TO OUR FOLKS AND OUR FOLKS ARE CALLING THEM.
AND SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WE ALSO HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE, ARE REACHING OUT PROACTIVELY BASED UPON WHO WE'RE SEEING IN SALESFORCE.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF KINDS OF THINGS GOING ON FROM A CALL CENTER PERSPECTIVE.
UM, AND SO I THINK PROBABLY THE EASIEST THING WE CAN TELL YOUR SENIORS IS JUST A CALL THREE, ONE, ONE.
IT WILL WORK, YOU KNOW, FROM THERE.
SO EVEN IF THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECOND DOSE, ET CETERA, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE AN EASIER SOLUTION.
UM, AND THEN THAT INFORMATION COMES TO US AND THEN WE CALL THEM BACK.
[01:05:01]
TO THE SENIORS WHO ARE HAVING TROUBLE NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM TO GET AN APPOINTMENT THAT THEY CAN JUST CALL THREE, ONE, ONE, AND THEN THEY CAN, UM, THEY CAN CALL THREE, ONE, ONE, AND THEN THEY CAN, THEY WILL BE CALLED AS A FOLLOWUP FROM SOMEONE THERE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING THOUGH, IS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, UM, RELATIVES ARE TRYING TO TAKE THIS ON FOR THEM.CAN THEY ALSO CALL THREE, ONE, ONE AND DO THAT ON BEHALF BUDDY, AS LONG AS THE PERSON WHO WOULD BE SHOWING UP WOULD BE THE PERSON WHO'S ELIGIBLE BECAUSE NOT EVERY SENIOR IS ABLE TO NAVIGATE THOSE PHONE CALLS AND WRITE IT DOWN AND MAKE ALL THOSE ARRANGEMENTS ON THEIR OWN.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS KIND OF THE TYPICAL PROCESS FOR REALLY ANY SIGN, A SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO SPEAK TO THE PERSON BECAUSE THAT IS THE CLIENT, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, GIVE ME PERMISSION TO TALK TO YOUR DAUGHTER, GIVE ME PERMISSION TO TALK TO YOUR SON OR WHOEVER'S CALLING FOR YOU.
YOU'RE GOING TO ASK THAT OTHER PERSON FIRST TO GET THAT PERMISSION, AND THEN THEY CAN WORK WITH THAT PERSON AND GET THEM SCHEDULED.
SO THAT IS THREE, ONE, ONE TAKE BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS IN, THEY HAVE A MECHANISM TO DO THAT WHEN THEY GET THE INFORMATION IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE INFORMATION THAT THE COLUMN PROVIDES.
SO IF THEY GIVE THEIR NAME, THEIR PHONE NUMBER, UM, AND WHAT THEY NEED, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION IN BASED UPON THAT AND THE INFORMATION THEY PROVIDE THREE, ONE, ONE, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO SEND IT OVER TO OUR STAFF.
SO EVEN IF OUR STAFF CALL AND THEY GET THAT PERSON, THEN THEY CAN TELL US, WELL, MY, MY DAUGHTER IS TAKING CARE OF THIS.
CAN YOU CALL THEM? THAT WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR OUR STAFF TO DO THAT.
SO, SO JUST, I THINK THE EASIEST THING IS JUST HAVING A COPPERY ONE, ONE, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE IT FROM THERE.
AND CAN WE GET SOME OF THIS IN OUR WRITE-UPS SO THAT WE CAN SHARE IT AS CLEARLY AS POSSIBLE WITH FOLKS, WHAT THE MESSAGING, UM, IS ON THIS WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE GO TO THAT? THAT'S OKAY.
I DIDN'T WANT THE MOMENT TO GO BY DIRECTOR HIDDEN WITHOUT JUST REALLY UNDERSCORING.
THANKS TO YOUR STAFF, WHO IN THE MIDDLE, IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS EMERGENCY WENT AND GOT THOSE VACCINATIONS, THOSE VACCINATION DOSAGES.
UM, ALSO, I JUST HAVE SOME QUICK QUESTIONS.
AS I UNDERSTAND OUR CONVERSATION HERE TODAY, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT A SECOND DOSE, UM, THEY ARE, AND, AND THE TIME IS BEEN AWHILE.
THEY SHOULD, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO THREE, ONE, ONE APH.
IN ADDITION TO THE ABILITY, AS YOU SAID, OF GOING THROUGH SALESFORCE AND SEEING WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.
UM, ARE INDIVIDUALS ABLE AT THIS POINT TO CHECK, TO CHECK THE SAME SYSTEM, TO SEE IF THEY ARE, IF THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REGISTERED, DOES THE SYSTEM NOW ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT? YEAH, SO IT DOES ALLOW THEM, UM, THEY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED WHEN THEY COMPLETED THEIR REGISTRATION, THEY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED, UM, A MESSAGE THAT SAID YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR ARREST REGISTRATION.
ALSO, THEY SHOULD UPSTATE RECEIVED SOME SUBSEQUENT MESSAGE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE YOUR REGISTRATION, YOU REGISTER WITH US OR WHATEVER.
WE'RE DOING THOSE PROACTIVE REACH OUTS AS WELL.
SO IF THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING THAT, UM, THEN WE WOULDN'T WANT THEM TO COMPROMISE ON ONE BECAUSE THEY ALL DO A SERVICE RECORD FOR THEM AS A SERVICE REQUEST FOR THEM AND SEND IT TO US.
AND, AND THAT IS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BOTH ELIGIBLE AT THIS STAGE AND INELIGIBLE BACK BACK A FEW WEEKS AGO, THERE COULD BE THREE WAYS SINCE WHY SOMEBODY HADN'T HEARD ONE OF WHICH WAS THAT THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE YET, BUT EVEN IF THEY'RE INELIGIBLE AND THEY'VE REGISTERED, THEY SHOULD STILL RECEIVE THAT CONFIRMATION BACK FROM THE SYSTEM SAYING WE RECEIVED YOUR REGISTRATION.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO IN THE CONVERSATION EARLIER WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, LSU INDICATED THAT MORE VACCINES WOULD BE RELEASED TODAY.
WE RECEIVED A FEW CONSTITUENTS WHO WROTE AND SAID THAT THEY ACTUALLY, UM, TODAY TRIED AND RECEIVED A MESSAGE BACK SAYING THAT THEY'RE, THAT THE, THAT APH WOULD NOT BE RELEASING ANY MORE VACCINATION UNTIL THREE ONE.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON, ON WHETHER THERE WOULD BE VACCINE RELEASED TODAY OR WHETHER, OR WHETHER THE MESSAGE THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED IS THE ACCURATE ONE.
UM, WELL, AS, AS HARD AS I KNOW, WHEN I TALK WITH MY STAFF, THEY TOLD ME WE WERE RELEASING APPOINTMENTS THIS MORNING.
[01:10:01]
YOU, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE DONE SIGNIFICANT WORK ON THAT SYSTEM, THERE ARE STILL A FEW MORE THINGS THAT WE ARE FINDING.SO, UM, I JUST, I'M JUST KIND OF TAKING NOTES AND I'M GOING TO LET MY IT FOLKS KNOW ABOUT THE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S AN ERROR MESSAGE IS WHAT THAT IS TO ME.
I, I CAN ALSO FORWARD THAT ON, UH, TO THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER SO THAT YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT THEY DESCRIBED.
UM, I HAVE ANOTHER ONE LIKE THAT.
I THINK IT'S IN THE, IN THE, UM, VEIN OF A SUGGESTION, UM, THE NEW SYSTEM, I THINK THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE NEW SYSTEM, BECAUSE IT HAPPENED A FEW DAYS AGO.
WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM A CONSTITUENT WHO SAID, UM, THEY, THEY MADE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND IT SAID, YOUR APPOINTMENT'S NOT CONFIRMED UNTIL YOU PROCEED TO THE NEXT PAGE WHEN THEY GOT TO THE NEXT PAGE AT ROLLED ENROLLED, ENROLLED, UM, AND THEN KIND OF KICKED THEM BACK OR SAID, NO APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE.
SO, SO THERE FOR SOME, FOR SOME USERS, IT LOOKS AS IF APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE, BUT THEN AS THEY TRY TO PROGRESS ALONG THE NEXT STAGE, THEY'RE TOLD IT'S NOT.
SO IF THERE'S, IF THAT'S A CONSISTENT EXPERIENCE PEOPLE ARE HAVING, I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY TO INDICATE AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT PROCESS, THERE ARE NO APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, RATHER KIND OF TAKING THEM THROUGH THE VARIOUS STEPS I'LL FORWARD YOU THAT EMAIL AS WELL, OR, OR IF THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE ON YOUR STAFF, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT LOTS OF EMAIL COMING IN.
YOU CAN SEND IT TO ME, I'LL GET IT FOLKS.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR THE TREMENDOUS WORK UNDER EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION BEFORE WE GET INTO THE DISASTER? UH, JUST REAL FAST, UM, 31,000, UH, OUT THIS WEEK IS AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GET THE SUPPLY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
NOT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SUPPLIES FROM LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK, BUT ACTUALLY START INCREASING THE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO GET IT OUT.
I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, UH, JUDGE BROWN AND, UH, WORKING WITH THE OTHER FOUR COUNTIES, THE OTHER THREE COUNTIES IN THE AREA TO, TO INCREASE OUR SUPPLY.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM TALKING TO JUDGE BROWN IS THAT WILL BE ADDITIVE TO THE NUMBERS THAT, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS, IS GETTING.
AND I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON COMMUNITY CARE FOLKS, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY CARE CLIENTS IN EACH OF THOSE OTHER THREE AREAS.
AND WE'RE LIKE, YOU'RE OPENING UP MORE SITES, UH, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THIS CAPACITY OVER TIME.
AND AS YOU OPEN THOSE, YOU'LL BE LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW, BUT JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT YOU'RE PLANNING FOR THOSE PLANS AND DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL SITES AND THAT RIGHT.
DOMINATING THE DISTANT SITES FROM AN ARM.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOTTEN A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE ANNOUNCING ANY OF THOSE YET, OR YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE JUST ABOUT TO OPEN THEM.
UM, THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IS THE ADDITIONAL, UM, AREA THAT WE ADDED, UM, THIS WEEK.
UM, AND ACTUALLY WE ADDED THAT LOCATION, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US THAT ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, BUT WE WILL REMAIN THERE FOR A WHILE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE VACCINES THERE.
AND WE HAVE ADDITIONAL PLACES WE CAN GO TO IF THE, IF THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL, WILL GIVE US ADDITIONAL SUPPLY TO GET OUT.
THANK YOU FOR THE TECH ADVANCEMENTS.
AND, UH, JUST GETTING BACK TO PEOPLE WITH THOSE WEEKLY NOTES TO SAY, HEY, WE REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND YOU'RE IN OUR SYSTEM.
JUST HEARING SOMETHING I THINK IS GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WERE TRYING TO GET THE DEMOCRAT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OUT OF THE OTHER SUPPLIER, THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE PROVIDING, UH, VACCINES.
AND I THINK SOMEONE ASKED THE QUESTION, YOU'VE GIVEN UP 50, SOME ODD THOUSAND AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE QUESTION WAS, HOW MUCH DID WE GIVE THEM IN THE AREA? AND I THINK THE NUMBER THAT I HAD SEEN WAS SOMEWHERE JUST OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND, IF YOU CONSIDER EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO HAVE VISIBILITY TO THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO REPORT TO US.
AND THAT WAS BEFORE WE HAD THIS LAST PUSH, BUT IF YOU NEED ME TO ENTER THE SAME KIND OF ORDER THAT I ENTERED, WHEN WE WERE DOING TESTING, THAT ORDERS, ALL THOSE FOLKS TO GIVE OVER THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE GIVING IT TO THE STATE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW SO THAT I CAN WORK WITH LEGAL TO GET THAT OUT.
UM, THERE WAS A GRAPH IN THE NEW YORK TIMES TODAY TALKING ABOUT THE DROP IN NURSING, HOME DEATHS, UH, PRETTY DRAMATIC, UH, AND THEY THINK IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE NOW VACCINATING PEOPLE THAT ARE IN NURSING HOME AND THAT AGE, IF YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, I'D BE INTERESTED IN MAYBE A FOLLOW-UP NOTE TO THE COUNCIL WITH RESPECT TO, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR NUMBERS ARE DOWN AT THE HIGHER AGES.
UH, THE OLDEST AGE GROUP SEEMS TO HAVE THE MOST DRAMATIC DROP IN, UH, IN HOSPITALIZATIONS.
BUT IF YOU COULD CONFIRM THAT, UH, I'D APPRECIATE THAT, UH, NEXT STEPS.
[01:15:01]
I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, MAYBE LOOKING AT THE ALTERNATIVE CARE FACILITY.UH, I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT NEXT STEP IS THERE.
WE GET QUESTIONS ABOUT MOVING TO THE YELLOW RISK LEVEL THREE, UH, AND, UH, THAT WOULD HAVE US DROPPING BELOW 30.
WE'RE KIND OF LOCKED IN THE MIDDLE IN THE 30 RANGE HERE.
UM, MY HOPE IS, IS THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY WILL GET US BELOW THAT 30 SO WE CAN OWN IT, UH, SUFFICIENT FOR YOUR DIRECTOR HAYDEN, THEN TALK TO US ABOUT, TO RECOMMEND THAT WE ACTUALLY MOVE IN THERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, I AM ALSO GETTING GREAT REPORTS ABOUT THE PROCESSING AT THE VACCINATION SITES.
UH, PEOPLE SEEM TO BE MOVING THROUGH VERY, VERY QUICKLY AND, AND, UH, POSITIVE THAT IS COMING.
ALL RIGHT, MANAGER, IF YOU COULD THEN THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HAYDEN.
WE DON'T OFTEN GET TO SEE YOU, BUT YOU ARE AMONG THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, HAVE NOT SLEPT IN MONTHS.
UH, SO IT'S GOOD FOR THE COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO SEE, TO SEE YOU TOO.
THANK BOTH OF YOU, YOUR STAFFS, WHICH ARE SOME YEAR, THEY'LL GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO REST AGAIN, MANAGER.
IF YOU'LL TAKE US THROUGH THE, THE DISASTER PRESENTLY, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
[1. Update on recent severe weather event and ongoing recovery and relief efforts.]
PIVOT TO THIS NEXT STEP PRESENTATION, AND I WAS REFLECTING LAST NIGHT, I WAS PUTTING MY DAUGHTER TO BED ON THESE LAST 10 DAYS.AND I DON'T THINK THAT HECTIC OR STRESSFUL ADEQUATELY DESCRIBES HOW EVERYTHING WENT.
WE ALL SAY I'M PRECEDENTED A LOT THESE DAYS TOO.
AND THAT DOESN'T REALLY DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED.
THE REALITY IS THERE IS NO GOOD WORD TO EXPLAIN HOW SCARY, CATASTROPHIC AND CRIPPLING THE LAST 10 DAYS, THE BEND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT I CAN THINK OF A FEW WORDS THAT DESCRIBE HOW OUR COMMUNITY RESPONDED TO THIS EVENTS.
AND THEY INCLUDE HEROIC AND INSPIRING AS INDIVIDUALS.
WE CHOOSE TO LIVE ANYWHERE, BUT WE CAN CHOOSE TO LIVE ANYWHERE, BUT WE DO CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE.
AND DURING THIS CRISIS, I WAS INSPIRED TO SEE NEIGHBORS HELPING AND RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM OTHER NEIGHBORS, PEOPLE SELF-ORGANIZING TO DISTRIBUTE FUNDAMENTAL FOOD AND GROCERIES TO THOSE WHO WERE HIT HARDEST RESTAURANTS, OFFERING HOT MEALS, FAITH COMMUNITY IS WORKING TOGETHER TO DELIVER SERVICES, BREWERS, PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED, CLEAN DRINKING, WATER, FAMILIES, SHARING THEIR LIMITED RESOURCES, FRIENDS CHECKING IN WITH EACH OTHER.
I PERSONALLY CAN'T THANK ALL OF THESE GROUPS ENOUGH WHILE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO WORK 24 SEVEN AND TO GET OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR POWER, OUR WATER, OUR ROADS, OUR HOSPITALS, OUR POLICE FIRE, AND EMS STATIONS BACK UP AND RUNNING.
SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS STEPPED UP TO HELP AFTER ALL, THIS IS AUSTIN, WE'RE A RESILIENT CITY.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE A CARING CITY FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.
TODAY'S STAFF WILL PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF HOW WE RESPONDED TO THIS EVENT.
THIS EVENT WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, THE STORM BROKE SO MANY RECORDS.
IT'S SET NEW RECORDS FOR THE LOWEST TEMPERATURES, THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF HOURS BELOW FREEZING AND RECORD SNOWFALL LEVELS.
YOU'VE ALSO PROBABLY HEARD THAT OUR STATE'S POWER GRID WAS MINUTES AWAY FROM A STATEWIDE BLACKOUT THAT COULD HAVE LASTED WEEKS.
THIS WAS A STATEWIDE DISASTER.
AND IN MOST CASES, WE WOULD HAVE REACHED OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES TO HELP, BUT THEY WERE SUFFERING AND STRUGGLING AS WELL.
THE ENTIRE STATE WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE COMPETING FOR SOME OF THOSE SAME RESOURCES.
YOU WILL HEAR HOW OUR OWN EMPLOYEES, THE PEOPLE WHO WE ALL RELY ON TO RESPOND TO THE EMERGENCY SITUATION OFTEN COULDN'T BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE POWER OR WATER.
COULDN'T COMMUNICATE THEIR STATUS AND COULDN'T TRAVEL TO THEIR WORK SITES.
YOU ALSO HEAR HOW WE CAME OUT OF THIS STORM AND HOW WE ARE RECOVERING.
WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER TODAY, AND I WANT TO BE CERTAIN THAT YOU WON'T.
I KNOW THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION YOU HAVE, BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT WE WILL CARVE OUT TIME FOR MORE DETAILED CONVERSATIONS AT A LATER DATE.
UH, YOU WILL HEAR FROM ONE OF OUR TEAMS, OUR DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, CYNTHIA ACCENT, OR DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
AND THEN GREG LAZARO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATER.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR OTS, JUAN, THANK YOU, SPENCER, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, THEY GIVE GIVEN, GIVING YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU A REPORT ON WHERE WE ARE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NEVER BEFORE SEEN EVENT LIKE A STEP.
I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
THE GOAL OF OUR OFFICE IS TO PREPARE THE COMMUNITY FOR DISASTERS AND HELP COORDINATE THE RESPONSE WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, CAN I, CAN I ALSO HAVE THE SLIDES FOR THIS PRESENTATION PUT UP?
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OKAY.HE ALSO TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTERS, THAT FACILITY WHERE THE CITY AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, VOLUNTEER PARTNERS AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ORGANIZATIONS.
WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND COORDINATE MAJOR DISASTERS FOR THIS EVENT.
THE EOC ACTIVATED ON FEBRUARY THE 12TH ON THAT FRIDAY AFTER PREVIOUSLY IN THAT WEEK ALREADY CONDUCTING COLD WITH OUR OPERATIONS, UM, AS NECESSARY.
BUT YOU'LL SEE USE OF THIS, THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM TO MANAGE PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES.
THIS SYSTEM IS FLEXIBLE AND SCALABLE TO RESPOND TO THE INCIDENT ON, ON, UM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, TO WORK WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN TO WORK TOGETHER.
THESE ARE JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE RESPONSE TO THIS INCIDENT.
NEXT SLIDE, LIKE I WAS SAYING, THE, THE SYSTEM IS FLEXIBLE AND SCALABLE TO RESPOND TO THE INCIDENT ON, ON THE SCREEN, YOU SEE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A TYPICAL ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE IN THE EOC AS WE MANAGE THE RESPOND FOR OTHER DIFFERENT NEEDS OF A DISASTER.
ONE WAY OF DESCRIBING OUR RESPONSE, UH, OR THE ROLE OF THE, OF THE, OF OUR OFFICE IS TO AS WELL AS THE W WHERE WE WORK AS BEING THE CONDUCTOR OF AN ORCHESTRA, MAKING SURE THAT ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS PLAY THEIR PARTS AND ENSURE NO EFFORTS ARE DUPLICATED OR LOST.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE RESPONSE STILL CONTINUOUS IN SOME AREAS AND RECOVERY, AND WILL CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR SEVERAL MORE WEEKS.
AND RECOVERY HAS BEEN COMMANDS IN OTHER AREAS, AS WE CONTINUED TO WORK, TO ADDRESS OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAD DOZENS OF CITY AND COUNTY STAFF AND P AND PEOPLE FROM PARTNER AGENCIES WORK 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
AND THEN AS THE PICTURE HERE SHOWS SOMETIMES HAVING TO LIVE IN THE FACILITY AWAY FROM THE FAMILIES FOR DAYS THAT WE COULD RESPOND TO THE SAR.
AND AS, UH, AS IT WAS REQUIRED FROM US, AUSTIN REMAINED BELOW, UH, THE NEXT SLIDE, LIKE THE CINEMATIC INDICATED WE BROKE A LOT OF RECORDS.
AUSTIN REMAINED BELOW FREEZING FOR MORE THAN 164 CONSECUTIVE HOURS BREAKING A RECORD BY NEARLY TWO DAYS FOR THE LONGEST FREEZER THAT IN THE AREA, AUSTIN ALSO EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST TO DATE TOTAL FIRST KNOW EVER ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, THIS WEATHER EVENTS, EVEN BRO DAILY RECORDS FOR CLIMATE SIDES IN THE REGION, ALL CLIMATE SIDE SAW FIVE TO SIX CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF RECORD-BREAKING TEMPERATURES.
MULTIPLE DAYS FOR RECORD BREAKING SNOWFALL IS AWFUL EVENT HAD A CATASTROPHIC IMPACT TO THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS IN TEXAS AND FAILED POWERED GRIDS, BURST WATER PIPES, AND LIMITED ROAD TO AIR TRAVEL.
THIS INCIDENT PROVIDED A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENGES.
AS AN EXAMPLE, WE ESTABLISHED FILTER IN ONE LOCATION, THEN THAT THEN LOST POWER AND HAD TO BE MOVED ONLY TO LOSE WATER AT THE SECOND LOCATION, REQUIRING IT TO BE MOVED.
AGAIN, ALL OF THESE THREE RELOCATIONS HAPPENED IN LESS THAN 12 HOURS AND ALL OF OUR, UH, CITY AND COUNTY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WORKED TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THESE HAPPEN, UM, AS, AS, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITH, WITHOUT ANY, UM, DISRUPTION, THE PEOPLE THAT WE WERE TRYING TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR MANY OF OUR STAFF WERE ALSO DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE STORM.
AND IN FACT, JUST LIKE THE COMMUNITY, LIKE THE COMMUNITY, MANY MORE PEOPLE WHO SPENT UP TO HELP WHEN DISASTER STRIKES OR WITHOUT POWER, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE UNABLE TO GET TO WORK BECAUSE UNSAFE ROAD CONDITIONS LOST ACCESS TO PORTABLE WATER AND EXPERIENCED PROPERTY GUIDES TO THEIR OWN HOMES.
I, HUMAN RESOURCES WERE SEVERELY LIMITED BECAUSE OF THE STORM BEFORE I PASSED THIS, UH, THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENTATION TO SIDNEY JACKSON, ALL, UH, FROM, WITH AUSTIN ENERGY.
I JUST ALSO WANTED TO SAY, WE DID SUFFER A BURST
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OF PIPELINE AT ONE OF ISOLATION FACILITIES, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY MOVE EVERYBODY CONSOLIDATE IN THE, TO THE OTHER ICS FACILITY THAT WE HAD.AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE FACILITY OWNERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY MADE PREPARES, AND WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE FACILITIES SUBSPECIALTY POSSIBLE.
AGAIN, NEXT, LIKE I WAS SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO PASS THIS PRESENTATION TO SIDNEY JACKSON WITH AUSTIN, ERIC, THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, CROCK, UH, I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS SOME OF THE SAME SENTIMENTS IN TERMS OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS EVENT, THIS RED ELECTRIC GRID DEGRADATION THAT WE HAD IN TEXAS REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE ELECTRIC GRID COMPROMISES EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
THIS SITUATION RISES TO THAT LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE.
RED RELIABILITY IS A FUNDAMENTAL TENANT THAT OUR WHOLE ECONOMY DEPENDS UPON, UH, IN THIS CHALLENGE IMPACTED, UH, THE WHOLE ECONOMY, AS YOU'RE AWARE, UH, IN, WITH THIS GREAT EMERGENCY.
WE ALSO HAD TO PULL THE WORK FOR TODAY, SAYS YOU LED EARLIER, UH, MR. MAYOR ON THAT PORTEX WAS ONE IN A HUNDRED YEAR IT STURGEON AND TEMPERATURES RATE LOAD FURTHER, UM, MAKING DEMANDS UPON THE ELECTRIC GRID SYSTEM, UH, AND THE COMPLIANCE OF BOTH OF THOSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AS WE KNOW, LED TO, UH, EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS ORDERS FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL IN TEXAS FROM AN INDIVIDUAL AUSTIN ENERGY CUSTOMER, WE FELT THAT SAME EMERGENCY YOU.
I, ALL OF US, UM, AS CITY MANAGER CROCK, UH, SPOKE TO WE AS AUSTIN ENERGY, OUR STAFF, UH, ROSE TO THE OCCASION, AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT AUSTIN ENERGY PERSONNEL AND STAFF AND TEAM MEMBERS DID WANT TO ARREST THE ELECTRIC GRID DEGRADATION TOO, STABILIZE THIS ELECTRIC GRID CRISIS, AND THEN HELP IN ITS RESTORATION.
SO I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO SEVEN DIFFERENT AREAS, UM, HOW AUSTIN ENERGY CONFORMED, AND, AND MET AND EXECUTED THE ERCOT DIRECTIVES TO SHED LOAD, NOT ONLY TO SHED LOAD, BUT ALSO TO RESTORE LOAN AUSTIN ENERGY'S POWER SUPPLY AND ITS POWER PLANTS WERE A STRONG CONTRIBUTOR TO STABILIZING THE SITUATION.
I WANT TO SPEAK BRIEFLY TO THAT.
AND ENERGY'S MANAGEMENT OF FINANCIAL RISKS.
OUR RISK MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS ARE AN ESSENTIAL ISSUE, UM, THAT CAME TO BEAR.
AND AS YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE NEWS, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
OBVIOUSLY THE STORM FIELD CREWS GET A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT OUR RESPONSE AND OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO RESTORED WALLS, UH, WE'RE BEYOND THAT, UM, CRITICAL CUSTOMERS, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE DON'T CONSIDER THAT WE HAVE TO, WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS LOAD SHED, WE HAVE MEDICAL FIRE POLICE, AND OTHER EMERGENCY RESPONDERS THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP ENERGIZED.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, DEALING WITH SOME OF THE LARGE END CUSTOMERS, CUSTOMERS, UH, AND YEAH, THERE ARE PROCESSES THAT ARE ONGOING AND WE WORK TO GET THEM OFF AND A SUNDRY OF, UH, OF SUPPORT AND LOGISTICS ROLES AS WELL.
SO I'M GOING TO STEP THROUGH THOSE.
UM, AS CITY MANAGER SAID, THIS IS INTENDED JUST TO BE A HIGH LEVEL FLY OVER.
THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR POST EVENT ANALYSIS, BUT I WANTED YOU TO, TO HAVE THIS HIGH LEVEL VIEW.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE, UH, OVERARCHING, UM, THE LOAD SHED DIRECTORS, THE LOAN'S SHED DIRECTORS EXECUTED BY ERCOT.
THEY ARE THEIR MAIN LEVER TO SOLIDIFY THE GRID WHEN YOU HAVE A DEFICIENT POWER SUPPLY AND A STRONG LOAD, ONE WAY TO BALANCE THAT THE EQUATION FROM THE ERCOT STANDPOINT, AND IT'S THEIR DIRECTIVE, IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
AND IT'S LIKEWISE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW THEIR LEAD BECAUSE THEY ARE THE GRID OPERATOR.
WE EXECUTED SEVERAL, UH, DIRECTIVES TO SHED LOAD.
NOT ONLY DID AUSTIN ENERGY EXECUTE THAT, BUT ALL SIMILARLY SITUATED UTILITIES WITH AND DISTRIBUTION, UH, AUTHORITY DID THE SAME IN ORCHESTRATION.
IT IS THAT SINGULAR LEVER THAT, UM, ARRESTED RED DEGRADATION PROVIDED SOME STABILITY, UH, AND ALLOW TIME FOR, UH, GENERATING UNITS TO RETURN TO SERVICE AND RESTORE NORMALCY.
UM, LOAD SHEDDING IS AN UNENVIABLE TASK.
IT IS THE MAJOR LEVEL TO RESTORE GRID STABILITY, UH, AND ABSENT AUSTIN ENERGY PERSONNEL EXECUTING THAT, UH, WITHIN THE TIMEFRAMES AND EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY, UM, THE UNTHINKABLE MAY HAVE OCCURRED.
LET ME MOVE TO AUSTIN ENERGY, POWER SUPPLY.
SO ALL OF OUR GENERATING UNITS WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO ERCOT OUR AUSTIN ENERGY POWER SUPPLY TEAM.
OUR POWER PLANT OPERATORS WERE SLEEPING IN FACILITIES.
UH, THEY'RE SEQUESTERED IN FACILITIES
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JUST AS WELL AS OUR OPERATION TEAM.UH, THEY WERE MADE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE OFTENTIMES WHILE THEIR PERSONAL SITUATION WAS IN HARM'S WAY.
AS WE, AS WE'RE ALL AWARE, WE BROUGHT, UM, SORRY, BECKER SANDHILL AND FAYETTE, UH, FACILITIES CONTRIBUTED, UM, AND WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO ERCOT.
OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU HAVE A POWER SUPPLY SHORTAGE, UH, ANYTIME YOU CAN BRING POWER SUPPLY AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE, UM, THAT IS A BENEFIT WHILE WE DID HAVE SOME OUTAGES.
UH, THE POWER SUPPLY TEAM WAS ABLE TO RESTORE THOSE FACILITIES IN SHORT ORDER, UM, AND MAKING IT AVAILABLE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POWER SUPPLY.
WE ALSO HAD FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT, UM, THE POWER SUPPLY EQUATION AS PART OF THAT, BUT OUR FINANCIAL TEAM, OUR RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS BEEN ENGAGING IN THE NECESSARY RISK MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS, AS YOU WILL KNOW, THAT HAS MITIGATED AND LESSENED OUR EXPOSURE TO THE EXTREME PRICE VOLATILITY THAT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED IN THIS TIME IN THE ERCOT MARKET.
UM, WHILE, UH, OUR CFO, I BELIEVE SHOULD BE ON THIS CALL AND HE'D BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT MORE, UH, IN THE Q AND A SECTION.
LET ME ALSO TALK ABOUT STORM RESTORATION.
THIS WAS A MULTI-DAY STORM FOR, UH, ICE, SNOW PRECIPITATE PRECIPITATION, AND OUR STORM RESTORATION TEAMS WORK TIRELESSLY, SEQUESTERED, UH, AS WELL IN AUSTIN ENERGY FACILITIES, UH, WORKING IN VERY ADVERSE CONDITIONS IN VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.
UM, BUT NEVERTHELESS, WORKING FOR THE BENEFIT OF, UH, OF THE COMMUNITY TRANSITIONING TO CRITICAL CUSTOMERS, UH, WHILE THE LOAD SHED REQUIREMENTS ARE BEING, BEING DIRECTED BY ERCOT AND EXECUTED BY OUR OPERATIONS PERSONNEL, WE ALSO HAVE TO MAINTAIN CRITICAL LOAD AND THAT CRITICAL LOAD IS NECESSARY FOR CIVIL SOCIETY.
AND THAT MIGHT BE, OR THAT CRITICAL LOAD IS MEDICAL FACILITIES, POLICE, FIRE, EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, UH, AND THOSE CIRCUITS AND THOSE LOADS WERE MAINTAINED WHILE WE WERE EXECUTING, UH, ERCOT DIRECTIVES, ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT'S GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY IN ALL OF THIS IS THE WORKING WITH SOME OF THE LARGE INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THESE ARE HUGE OF FACILITIES THAT CONSUME HUGE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY.
AND AS THEY HAVE PROCESSES, UH, ONGOING PROCESSES, THE IMMEDIATE RESTORATION OF THOSE PROCESSES CAN CAUSE COMPROMISES NOT ONLY TO THEIR OWN FACILITIES, SAFETY, COMPROMISES, THEY CAN CAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL, CHEMICAL COMPROMISES.
WE WORK WITH ALL OF THESE LARGE INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS SO THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COME OFFLINE AS EFFECTIVELY AND SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE, UH, AVERTING, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS, UH, I JUST, I JUST MANAGED THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT, UM, IN THIS CRISIS.
AND THEN LASTLY, LET ME SPEAK TO SUPPORT IN SOME OF THE LOGISTICS TEAMS, AS OUR TEAMS WERE QUARANTINED ACROSS, ACROSS OUR SERVICE TERRITORY, ABLE AND READY TO RESPOND, UH, AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE BECAUSE THEY WERE CLOSED WHILE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS WERE COMPROMISED.
UM, WE HAD A TEAM OF LOGISTICS PERSONNEL THAT WERE PROVIDING FOOD AND OTHER ESSENTIALS, UH, JUST TO SUSTAIN THEM WHILE THEY WERE SEQUESTERED.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I JUST WANT TO TOPICALLY MENTION, UH, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PIECE AS THE CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM TRIED AND, UH, EXECUTED, UH, WORKING TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS, TRY TO RELIEVE FEARS.
UH, AND THAT WAS A VERY, UH, IMPORTANT LOGISTICS SUPPORT TASK.
AGAIN, POST EVENT ANALYSIS IS FORTHCOMING.
THERE ARE SOME LESSONS LEARNED, UH, IN THIS SPACE AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THE TIMELINE.
COULD WE THROW UP, PUT UP THOSE SLIDES THAT I MENTIONED THAT I SUBMITTED? I'M SORRY, I'M NOT SEEING THEM.
SOMEONE CONFIRMED THAT THEY'RE THERE.
WE CAN SEE THEM, YOU CAN SEE THEM.
UM, I'LL JUST SPEAK TO THEM FROM MEMORY.
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SPEED TO THE CONFLUENCE OF, LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIND BEFORE WE HAVE OUR, SO WHY DID WE LOAD SHED LOAD LOAD SHED IS THE AUTHORITY OF OUR ERCOT.ERCOT HAS THE ABILITY TO, UH, MANDATE LOAD SHEDS.
UH, THEIR AUTHORITY IS GIVEN TO THEM BY THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION AND PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS.
UH, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY ARE THE GRID OPERATOR.
THEY ARE THE ONES WITH THE ONLY UNIQUE INSIGHT TO SEE THE WHOLE GRID OF TEXAS AUSTIN ENERGY DOES NOT HAVE THAT VIEW.
AND AS THEIR, UM, UM, AS THEIR OVERSIGHT, UM, THEY DIRECT ALL THE INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUENTS, SUCH AS AUSTIN ENERGY.
YOU MENTIONED THE POLAR VORTEX.
I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THAT POINT, BUT AGAIN, EMPLOYEES WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK, UH, TO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN THE GRID AND TO ARREST FURTHER DEGRADATION.
THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS, I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK TO THIS TOPICALLY.
UM, BUT WE HAVE IN THE FEBRUARY 11TH, FEBRUARY 12TH, FEBRUARY 13TH AND 14TH, THOSE WERE GENERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A STORM EVENT.
THE ACTUAL EXECUTION OF LURK OF ERCOT LOAD SHED DIRECTIVES DID NOT COME UNTIL MONDAY MORNING, 2015.
SO AS THE STORM CAME THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, UH, WE HAD SEVERE SLATE.
UM, AND WE HAD OUTAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
MOST OF THOSE OUTAGES WERE CLEANED UP BY, UH, AS WE APPROACH IT AT NIGHT, WE WERE PROBABLY 99% RESTORED FROM THOSE, UH, FROM THOSE ALLERGISTS, FROM THE STORM EVENTS THAT HAPPENED THURSDAY, FRIDAY, UH, AS WE APPROACH SUNDAY, UH, WE, WE EXPERIENCED, UH, MORE OUTAGES AS WELL.
UM, BUT AS WE APPROACHED THE SH THE LOAD SHED EVENT THAT HAPPENED STARTING MONDAY, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S A DIFFERENT COLOR.
UH, WE WENT FROM PROBABLY 19,000 OUTAGES, UH, CUSTOMERS THAT WERE OUT GOING INTO THAT TIMEFRAME.
AND AS MONDAY AS THE LOAD SHED EVENTS THAT GREW TO 220,000 CUSTOMERS OUT THAT LOAD SHIFT SHOW LOAD SHED EVENT WAS SUSTAINED.
AND AGAIN, IT REPRESENTS A, UM, UH, SEVERE, UH, GRID COMPROMISE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLY, EARLIER, UM, AS POWER SUPPLY WAS RESTORED RESTORED ERCOT, UM, THEY STARTED LIFTING OUR CONSTRAINTS.
OUR TEAM STARTED RESTORING CUSTOMERS.
UH, AS WE APPROACH THURSDAY, WE WERE ON FULL BORE RESTORATION AND FRIDAY, AGAIN, A RESTORATION AS WE APPROACH SATURDAY, WE WERE A NON-WEIGHT 99% RESTORED.
AND AGAIN, ALL OF THESE LOAD SHEDS BEING CONDUCTED, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE OTHER PAGE, WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP AT THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE FIND TO KEEP CRITICAL LOAD GOING, UH, TRYING TO DO ROTATING OUTAGES, WHICH WE INITIALLY STARTED TO DO ON THE ONSET.
UM, THE LOAD SHED EVENTS, UH, AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE.
AND HAVE YOU HEARD MANY TIMES OVER IN THE PRESS, A LOAD SHED COULD NOT BE COMPLETED DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE ACTUAL, UH, CURTAILMENTS MANDATED BY ERCOT, UM, TO EXECUTE A LOAD SHED WOULD HAVE BEEN TO CURTAIL A CRITICAL CUSTOMER TO SHED ANOTHER CUSTOMER.
AND THOSE CRITICAL CUSTOMERS ARE PRESERVED BLOCK.
THE CUTS WERE SO DEEP THAT LOAD SHED WASN'T WASN'T POSSIBLE.
UH, IT'S JUST SOME VISUAL INDICATIONS OF THE SEVERITY OF THE STORM, THE SEVERITY OF THE WEATHER, BUT BY FAR, THE MAJOR SEVERITY WAS THE GREAT COMPROMISE WHILE TRAYS CAN COME DOWN AND WE CAN FIX LOCAL DISTRIBUTION ONCE THE ELECTRIC GRID IS COMPROMISED, THAT IS OVERARCHING, UH, AS COMPARED TO A LOCALIZED EVENT.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, BEFORE WE TAKE QUESTIONS, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR
DO WANT TO REAL QUICKLY, UM, ADDRESS, UM, YOU KNOW, HE, UH, DIRECT JACKSON, UH, UH, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ONLY BEEN WITH US NOW FOR TWO WEEKS, UH, ARRIVED HERE JUST DAYS AHEAD OF THIS, UH, EVENT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR GETTING HERE AT LEAST A WEEK.
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AND WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM AT AUSTIN ENERGY, AND I WILL JUST NOTE THAT OUR, OUR GENERAL MANAGER, UH, JACKIE SERGEANT IS UP AT THE CAPITOL TESTIFYING, AND THAT'S WHY SHE COULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY.I AM, UH, GREG
THIS IS MY 37TH YEAR IN THE WATER INDUSTRY, AND SOMETIMES I REFLECT THAT I'VE SEEN EVERYTHING, BUT, UH, BUT, UH, THIS EVENT WAS LIKE NO OTHER, UH, AT ITS PEAK TCQ REPORTED OVER 1100 WATER UTILITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, IN SOME FORM OF A BOWL OF WATER NOTICE AND, UH, AND JUST REALLY A, AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR INDUSTRY.
UH, EACH UTILITY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THOUGH, AND I THOUGHT I'D WALK YOU THROUGH, UH, KIND OF HOW THIS AFFECTED AUSTIN WATER AND, UH, AND HOW THIS PROGRESSED IN AND, AND WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING NOW.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS ALL STARTS WITH PREPARATION.
UH, OUR UTILITY, UH, WAS, UH, GETTING PREPARED FOR THIS EVENT, UH, AHEAD OF THE BAD WEATHER.
UH, WE BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR SEA CASTRATION OF OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, MUCH LIKE MY AUSTIN ENERGY COLLEAGUE INDICATED WE HAVE, UH, WE HAD DOZENS OF EMPLOYEES WHO SPENT, UH, UP TO A WEEK, UH, AT OUR DISPATCH CENTERS AND IN OUR PLANTS, UH, PREPARING AND GETTING THROUGH THIS EVENT.
UM, WE TOOK CHEMICAL DELIVERIES, UH, AT ALL OF OUR PLANTS.
SO WE WENT INTO THIS EVENT WITH FULL CHEMICAL INVENTORIES.
WE, UH, WEATHERIZED, UH, PLANTS, UH, WRAPPED THERMAL BLANKETS, UH, PREPARED OUR FLEET FOR OPERATION DURING FREEZING TEMPERATURES.
YOU KNOW, CLEARLY THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN A TYPICAL OPERATIONAL DAY, WE WERE ROLL A 600 VEHICLES AND, UH, AND WITH THE ROADWAYS ESSENTIALLY SHUT DOWN FOR MUCH OF THIS EVENT, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO MOVE ABOUT AND, UH, AND HELP MANAGE THE SYSTEM, NOT THROUGH THE EXTREME WEATHER.
UM, WE ALSO TOOK AN OPPORTUNITY ON THE, ON THE PREPARATION SIDE TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR RESERVOIRS WOULD FAIL AND, UH, AND REALLY, UH, GOT ALL THAT PREPARED BEFORE THE ICE STORM, UH, BEGAN ON, ON FRIDAY.
UM, REALLY THE FIRST FIVE DAYS OF THIS EVENT FROM, FROM THE ICE STORM ON, ON FRIDAY, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, THURSDAY, THE 11TH INTO FRIDAY, ALL THE WAY TO TUESDAY, UH, THINGS WERE OPERATING PRETTY WELL FOR US.
OUR BIGGEST CONCERN WAS ACTUALLY WASTEWATER, UH, WITH THE ROLLING BLACKOUTS, WE WERE EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT WASTEWATER INCIDENTS.
WE HAVE, UH, HAVE HUNDREDS OF SMALL FACILITIES, A LIFT STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS THE BLACKOUTS WERE HITTING THOSE AREAS THAT WE WERE LOSING POWER TO OUR SMALLER FACILITIES.
AND SO OUR FOCUS WAS TRANSPORTATION, PORTABLE GENERATORS ACROSS THE CITY.
AND, UH, AND GETTING SOME OF THESE SMALL LIFT STATIONS WORKING AGAIN, UH, CLEANING UP OVERFLOWS, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY CHALLENGING.
BUT TH THAT, THAT WAS THE FIRST PART, UH, OF OUR EXPERIENCE, UH, WAS ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE, UM, UH, AS, AS THE EVENT CONTINUED TO INTENSIFY, BUT REALLY ON, ON TUESDAY NIGHT INTO A WEDNESDAY IS WHEN WE STARTED TO SEE, UH, WATER ISSUES EMERGE.
UM, IT WAS, UH, LATE TUESDAY NIGHT, I GOT A CALL FROM OUR OPERATIONS CENTER AND OUR HEAD OF OPERATIONS, WHERE HE WAS DESCRIBING, UH, CHANGES IN WATER USE.
AND, AND I CAN PUT IT NO MORE CLEARLY THAN WATER USE WAS EXPLODING.
UH, IT WAS, IT WAS JUST CLIMBING OFF THE DIAL FOR US.
UM, BUT HONESTLY I DIDN'T BELIEVE THE NUMBERS.
AND, UH, AND I, UH, I ORDERED SOME OF OUR CREWS TO GO AND PHYSICALLY CHECK SOME OF THE RESERVOIRS, UH, PARTICULARLY SOUTHWEST, WHERE THIS WAS FIRST STARTING AND, AND VERIFY THAT THESE NUMBERS WERE CORRECT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL LEARNED THAT THEY WERE CORRECT.
AND, AND THE REASON THAT, UH, WATER USE WAS EXPLODING WAS OUR SYSTEM WAS EXPLODING.
AND, AND I MEAN THAT LITERALLY, UH, THE NUMBER OF BREAKS AND BURST PIPES AND PRIVATE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT FELL APART DURING THIS EXTENDED HUNDRED HOUR FREEZE IS, UH, IS JUST INCREDIBLE.
AND CERTAINLY YOU ALL HAVE A FEEL FOR THAT EITHER THROUGH YOUR OWN DIRECT EXPERIENCE OR THE EXPERIENCE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, UH, MAYOR.
I REMEMBER TALKING TO YOU DURING ONE OF THOSE DAYS, AND YOU ARE ASKING ME ABOUT WATER MAIN BREAKS AND WEEKS.
AND I SAID, I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE IN THE THOUSANDS, BUT, UH, BUT, BUT IT WAS IN THE MANY HUNDREDS.
UH, OUR CREWS WERE HEROIC AND HAVE BEEN HEROIC, UH, REPAIRING, UH, WATER MAINS AND LEAKS.
WE EXPERIENCED, UH, MORE LEAKS AND BREAKS IN A FOUR-DAY PERIOD THAN WE WOULD TYPICALLY GET IN SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS.
AND, UH, AND WE'VE BEEN KNOCKING THESE OUT, YOU KNOW, 40 TO 60, UH, EVERY 24 HOURS.
WE'VE BEEN AT 24 HOUR OPERATIONS ON DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM REPAIRS SINCE THIS EVENT STARTED, BUT REALLY THAT PALED IN COMPARISON TO WHAT HAPPENED ON THE PRIVATE SIDE, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PRIVATE, UH, BUILDINGS, UH, HAD BURST PIPES, UH, BURST FIRE LINES, UH, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND THESE ARE NOT JUST SMALL LINES.
THESE ARE SOMETIMES A SIX AND EIGHT INCH FIRE SERVICE LINES BY THE THOUSANDS,
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THE TENS OF THOUSANDS THAT WERE BREAKING AND LEAKING.AND IT REALLY, THAT WAS A FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE OF OUR SYSTEM DEPRESSURIZING.
WE COULD JUST NOT PUMP WATER, UH, THROUGH THE SYSTEM WITH THAT KIND OF, UH, OF, OF USE AND LEAK THAT WAS OCCURRING.
AND WHENEVER PRESSURES DROPPED BELOW MINIMUMS, 20 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, THAT REQUIRES A BOIL WATER NOTICE.
THAT'S PROTECTIVE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
UH, WATER PRESSURE IS WHAT KEEPS, UH, THE RISK LOW THAT OTHER SOURCES OF WATER COULD GET INTO OUR SYSTEM.
AND WHENEVER WE DROP BELOW MINIMUMS, WE ISSUE BOILED WATER NOTICES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTIVE OF POPE POLK, HEALTH AND SAFETY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID A WEDNESDAY IS, IS A, IS A SERIES OF BOIL WATER NOTICES, ULTIMATELY CULMINATING WITH THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, UH, AS WE MOVED INTO A WEDNESDAY AND BEYOND OUR GOAL WAS TO STABILIZE THE SYSTEM, UH, TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON.
UH, WE BEGAN CANVASING THE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO TRANSMISSION MAIN FAILURE, YOU KNOW, A VERY LARGE, MAIN WE'RE FORTUNATE.
WE DID NOT HAVE TRANSMISSION MAIN FAILURE.
UH, WE BEGAN TO RESTORE SERVICE, UH, WORKING, UH, THROUGH, UH, BRINGING OUR, OUR RESERVOIR LEVELS BACK UP, UH, PROGRESSING THROUGH THE VARIOUS, UH, PRESSURE ZONES TO RESTORE SERVICE AND, UH, AND LIFTING OR BOIL WATER NOTICES THROUGH A SEQUENCE OF, OF THE PRESSURE ZONE, STARTING WITH OUR MAIN CENTRAL ZONE AND, AND WORKING OUT, UH, THROUGH THE OTHER ZONES.
I, UH, I, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS ADVANCED NOT OVER AND WHILE THE PUBLIC SYSTEM IS STABLE, WE ARE TURNING OUR EYES TOWARDS HELPING ON PRIVATE WATER SYSTEM DAMAGE.
UH, I'VE REDIRECTED OUR INCIDENT COMMANDERS.
WE'RE STILL RUNNING INTO THE COMMAND AT AUSTIN WATER, AND THEY ARE WORKING TO, UH, TEAM WITH OUR WORKING WITH THE EOC TO HELP THESE FOLKS RESTORE WATER.
WE KNOW THERE ARE DOZENS, PERHAPS HUNDREDS OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.
AND THERE ARE STILL MANY DAYS AHEAD FOR THEM TO RECOVER FROM THIS.
UM, AND I'LL JUST SHARE A STORY ALONG THAT LINES.
UH, UM, LAST NIGHT, UH, WORKING IN COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE COUNCIL, UH, RANCHERIAS, UH, DISTRICT, UH, AT A, AT A FARGO DRIVE, UH, WE DISPATCHED CREWS WORKING WITH AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THERE, UH, SOME OF OUR EXPERTS HELPING, WE BROUGHT CONSTRUCTION LIGHTS OUT, SO THEIR PLUMBERS COULD WORK THROUGH THE NIGHT AND THEY HAD A WATER RESTORED THIS MORNING.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, NOW OVER 40 AUSTIN WATER EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DELIVERING WATER, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WE'RE WORKING ON PLANS WHERE WE CAN USE, UH, HYDRANTS TO FEEL WATER FOR APARTMENT COMPLEXES, BULK WATER, MAYBE EVEN A WIRE, THEM WITH WATER WITH HYDRANTS.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, UH, RE ALLOCATED A MILLION DOLLARS OF FUNDING FOR LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS TO, UH, REPAIR PLUMBING AT THEIR AREAS.
WE'RE TAKING STEPS ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT CUSTOMERS STAY WHOLE DON'T EXPERIENCE A LARGE BILLS, AND WE ARE PROVIDING RELIEF THERE WE'VE STARTED THOSE ACTIONS.
AND I KNOW THERE'LL BE SOME MORE ABOUT THAT ON THE COUNCIL SIDE, UH, WE'RE GOING TO STAY ON THIS AND HELP THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND OTHERS, UH, GET WATER BACK TO THEIR SYSTEMS. IT'S HARD WORK AND DETAILED WORK, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY.
AND, UH, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN AND LENDING, UH, EXPERTISE AND, UH, AND, AND RESOURCES, UH, TO THAT EFFORT.
UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW TOO, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMITTED TO EXAMINING THIS AT EVERY LEVEL.
I KNOW A COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN HAS ASKED ABOUT COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AND, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DID A LOT DURING THIS, UH, NOTICE TO TRY TO KEEP CUSTOMERS UP TO DATE.
WE DID USE TEXTING SYSTEMS. WE USED, UH, CENTRAL TEXAS WARREN.
WE KNEW SOME OF OUR, OUR NEW, A PORTAL CAPABILITY THROUGH OUR ADVANCED METER INFRASTRUCTURE, MY ATX WATER, BUT TO BEGIN SOME COMMUNICATIONS, UH, INTERACTIVE MAPS, UH, OTHER OPERATIONAL REPORTS, WE, WE STILL NEED TO GET BETTER, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU SAW SOME, SOME INNOVATION HERE.
UM, WE, UH, OUR, OUR MAP ALONE, I HAD OVER A MILLION HITS AS WE WERE, WE WERE LIFTING THE BOIL WATER NOTICE.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE MADE SOME GOOD PROGRESS THERE.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THE INCREDIBLE EFFORT BY OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND, AND, AND IF YOU GIVE ME JUST A FEW MINUTES, I WANT TO GIVE YOU JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES TO MAKE THAT COME TO LIFE.
SO, UM, SOME OF YOU, UH, IF, IF YOU WERE FOLLOWING OUR, UM, OUR TWITTER FEED, UM, YOU SAW THE, THE TWEETS WE HAD IN OUR MOST POPULAR ONE WAS WITH, UH, ABRAHAM ROSHE, UH, ABRAHAM REPAIRING A WATER LINE IN THE SNOW, UH, WATER UP TO HIS KNEES.
UH, AND WE DID THAT BY THE HUNDREDS THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT AND, UH, ENABLE NOW A SUPERSTAR ON SOCIAL MEDIA YET IT WAS 67,000 VIEWS AND FOLLOWERS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT JUST BRINGS A HIGHLIGHT TO THE KIND OF EFFORT THAT WENT ON.
UH, ANOTHER STORY I'LL SHARE IS A NEW HIRE, UH, MARYLAND.
[01:50:01]
WORKING IN OUR OPERATION CENTER.WE ASKED HER TO CALL ALL THE HOSPITALS AND, UH, AND GET UPDATES FROM THEM.
AND WHEN YOU'RE CALLING A HOSPITAL, THAT'S OUT OF WATER, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE.
AND SHE DID IT WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND GRACE AND HER WORK HELPED US GET THOSE HOSPITALS BACK IN SERVICE, UH, FASTER THAN, THAN WE COULD WITHOUT HER.
THIS CAME FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR SAYS, SHE CONTACTED ME DURING THE EVENT AND, AND MENTIONED A WALMART THAT WAS EXPERIENCED A WATER PROBLEMS AT SLAUGHTER NIGHT, 35.
THEY HAD FOOD AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMERS THAT WERE LINED UP AND THEY WANTED TO OPEN.
AND, UH, WE SENT DISTRIBUTION CREWS OUT THERE AND THEY CHECKED THE PUBLIC SYSTEM.
THEY ULTIMATELY GOT WITH THE STORE MANAGER, WALKED HER STORE AND FOUND A LEAK IN THEIR GARDEN CENTER THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP HER ISOLATE.
AND THAT STORE, UH, STARTED UP A MATTER OF FACT, UH, JESSICA WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS WENT TO HIS OFFICE, A SETS OF PICTURES OF SHOPPERS WITH FOOD IN THEIR CART.
AND, AND THAT'S THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT, UH, THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WENT TO MAYOR COUNCIL.
YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THEM.
AND IF YOU SEE THEM ON THE STREET OR WORKING, YOU KNOW, PLEASE TAKE TIME TO THANK THEM, UH, FOR THE SERVICE OVER 1200 AUSTIN WATER EMPLOYEES GAVE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE THROUGHOUT THAT EVENT.
AND, UH, AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO, UH, TO NOT ONLY AGAIN, RECOVERING, UH, STILL, BUT, UH, LEARNING FROM THIS EVENT OR AFTER ACTION REVIEWS ON INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNICATIONS, UH, BETTER EMERGENCY DISTRIBUTION OF WATER.
UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE A, A LONG-TERM EVENT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO STAY FOCUSED ON THIS AND MAKE OUR SYSTEMS MORE RESILIENT.
AND, UH, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS, UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU, GREG.
WE ACTUALLY GOT TO GROUND IT OUT WITH, HE HAS A FEW MORE SLIDES TO GO THROUGH AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS I CAN SPEND, SIR, UM, PICKING UP THE SLIDES BACK UP.
JUST WHEN I TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OTHER SHELTERS TO BE, THERE'LL BE OPERATED.
UH, THE CITY HAS A PROCESS OF HOW WE OPEN UP OVER THE SHELTERS TO PROVIDE A PLACE FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN, ARE EXPERIENCING EXTREME CALLS.
I MEAN, TO HAVE A PLACE TO SPEND THE NIGHT.
AND SO WE OPEN UP THESE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS ONCE FROM THESE SPECIFIC CRITERIA.
THESE NORMALLY THESE SHELTERS ARE NOT GOING TO JUST OPERATOR OVERNIGHT AND THE NEXT, THE NEXT MORNING, UH, FOLKS, UH, UH, UM, UM, BORROW AS THE FACILITY CLOSES FOR THE DAY.
UM, WE QUICKLY HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE.
IT CHANGES TO THAT APPROACH AND WE WERE ABLE TO OPERATE THOSE SHELTERS ARE 24, 24 HOUR OPERATIONS WHILE WE WERE EXPERIENCING THE FREEZING TEMPERATURES THAT, UH, ADMIT TO NOT GO UP ABOVE FREEZING FOR MULTIPLE DAYS.
UM, SO, SO IN ADDITION TO THAT KIND OF STUFF, KOBE, WE NORMALLY, UM, BECAUSE OF COVID, THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCE.
SO THAT REQUIRED US TO, UH, LIMIT THE CAPACITY AND THE FACILITIES.
AND WE WERE HAVING TO OPEN UP MULTIPLE FACILITIES, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAD A PLACE, A PLACE TO GO.
UH, WE W WE ENDED UP HAVING TO, UM, OPERATE THESE FACILITIES 24 HOURS A DAY, UH, STARTING ON THE 13TH OF FEBRUARY.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE SHELTERS THAT WERE OPERATED, UH, IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS SUPPORTED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY TO INCLUDE AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF NETWORK.
UM, NEXT LINE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO, WE'RE PROVIDING TO THOSE FOLKS THAT HAVE NO POWER OR HAVE NO HEAT AT HOME.
AND, UH, IT WOULD, WE'RE ENCOURAGING THEM TO GO TO THESE FACILITIES SO THEY CAN GET, STAY WARM OR SPEND THE NIGHT AS WELL AS, UH, FIND FOOD AND WATER.
AND AT THESE LOCATIONS, THE PALMER EVENTS CENTER SPECIFICALLY SERVED AS THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS WE WERE DOING THAT, THE ABILITY TO MOVE PEOPLE AROUND THE PALMER EVENTS BECAME THE PLACE WHERE, AS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GOT THERE, IT'S LIKELY YOU WERE STAYING THERE UNTIL ROAD CONDITIONS ALLOWED US TO MOVE PEOPLE AROUND TO OTHER FACILITIES AND KIND OF SPREAD THE LOAD ACROSS THE DIFFERENT SHELTERS THAT WE HAD.
BUT WE, THE PALMER EVENTS CENTER, UM, AT ONE POINT POOL CAPACITY, WE HAVE POSTED 500 PEOPLE AND THIS FACILITY THAT WE WERE PROVIDING, UH, SHELTER, AS WELL AS FOOD AND WATER, UM, THROUGHOUT THAT EVENT, IN ADDITION TO OPENING THE PALMER, OTHER SHELTERS LOCATIONS WERE OPEN AT AISD SCHOOL FACILITIES, AND ALSO FAITH-BASED LOCATIONS
[01:55:01]
IN COORDINATION WITH THE AWESOME DISASTER RELIEF NETWORK.NEXT TIME WE'LL RUN A DISTRIBUTION AREA.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, UH, THERE ME, UM, WE STARTED QUICKLY EARLY ON TO, UH, UH, TO IDENTIFY SOURCES OF WATER IN GREECE AND BOUGHT THAT ALL AVAILABLE LOCALLY SOURCE WATER SOURCES, AS WELL AS WE PLACE AN EMERGENCY ORDER, UH, ON THE FOUR GALLONS OF WATER THAT WERE STILL STILL, UM, OR THAT WE'RE USING TO SUPPORT, UH, THE WATER NEEDS TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'LL DEVELOP A THREE PHASE APPROACH TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE, UH, THE MOST CRITICAL AREAS THAT WE HAD, UH, IN OPERATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF WATER, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE LOCATIONS, UH, AS WELL AS COVID FACILITIES THAT WERE OPERATING AND THE SHELTERS.
AND THE SECOND PHASE WAS TO HAVE A MORE TARGETED AT THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
AND THAT'S A PHASE THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH RIGHT OUT IS TO PROVIDE WATER TO THOSE LOCATIONS, TO WHERE WE HAVE ON MORE POPULATIONS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO DRINKING WATER AT THEIR LOCATIONS.
THE THIRD PHASE WAS WHERE WE ESTABLISHED THE DIFFERENT POINTS OF DISTRIBUTION, AND THAT WAS A CREATIVE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE PLENTY OF WATER ON AND TWO TO ESTABLISH THE DIFFERENT POINTS, BUNCH OF DISTRIBUTION.
AT ONE POINT WE HAVE, UM, UM, MORE THAN 10 FACILITIES, THAT STEM LOCATIONS THAT WERE FUNCTIONING AS POINTS OF DISTRIBUTION ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, AND, AND TODAY WE HAVE THE SUGAR THERE OVER 3 MILLION BOTTLES OF WATER, UH, THROUGH THESE POINTS OF DISTRIBUTIONS AND OTHER, UH, ANOTHER EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE, AND THE WORK'S NOT DONE, WE STILL CONTINUED TO PROVIDE WATER WHENEVER WE SEE THE NEED, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK TO IDENTIFY THOSE LOCATIONS, UH, AND, AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FOLKS THAT CAN HAVE A WATER FOR THEM TO DRINK AND USE, AND LIKE, UH, EXPLAIN WE'RE WORKING TO EXPLORE OTHER AREAS OF WHAT OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO TO MAKE, UH, BULK WATER AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS TO USE IN THEIR HOMES AND WHERE WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE WATER DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS AS WE MAKE OUR WATER AVAILABLE FOR THE COMING DAYS.
UM, AS WE IDENTIFIED AS DIFFERENT, UM, UM, SPECIFIC WATER, LIKE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO CALL THREE, ONE, ONE AWARE, UM, OUR TEAMS CONSISTING OF AWESOME CODE, OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS, WELL, IDENTIFY THEM, FIND THOSE LOCATIONS.
UH, OUR STAFF WILL REACH OUT TO THEM AND VERIFY THE KNEE, AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM TO, UH, ESTABLISH A POINT OF DISTRIBUTION IN THOSE FACILITIES AND PROVIDE WATER AS NECESSARY AND WORK ON A TIMELINE TO SEE HOW BEST THEY CAN MAKE THOSE REPAIRS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THOSE REPAIRS ARE MADE IN THOSE FACILITIES AS BEST AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE FOR SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS.
WE'RE ASKING THOSE INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES THAT IF YOU NEED WATER TO CALL THE AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF NUMBER, AND, UM, AND THAT WAY WE CAN, UH, IDENTIFY THEM AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, WATER MORE SPECIFIC IN THOSE LOCATIONS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO IDENTIFY THOSE, UH, UM, MULTI-FAMILY LOCATIONS, AS WELL AS A SINGLE FAMILY SAY IN THE HEALTHCARE ARENA, WE WERE SO 14, EVERYTHING FROM ALL THE AREA, HOSPITALS WITH MEN, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO KEEP THEM OPEN AS TO WE'RE DEALING WITH LOSS OF POWER, UH, GENTLEMEN FAILURES, UH, LIMITED ACCESS TO FUEL, UH, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAD WATER TO OPERATE AND CHILLERS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE HEAT IN THOSE FACILITIES.
AND, AND, AND ANY MORE THAN THAT, WE WERE, UH, WE COULD HAVE BEEN REAL CLOSE TO OUR, WE MIGHT'VE HAD TO ACTIVATE A FACILITY.
AND SO THEREFORE WE HAD A DIFFERENT GROUP OF FOLKS THAT WORKED IN A CONTINGENCY FOR WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO, TO BE ABLE TO, IF WE NEEDED TO EVACUATE A FACILITY, WHERE WOULD WE TAKE THEM? AND THEREFORE IT WILL OPEN UP, UH, UH, A FUNCTIONAL NEEDS, UH, SHELTER AT THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER AFTER THAT, UH, UH, AFTER TRYING TO OPEN UP THAT FACILITY AND ANOTHER FACILITY THAT, UH, ALSO EXPERIENCED LOSS OF WATER HAD TO BE RELOCATED TO THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
SO THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER AT ONE POINT WAS SERVING AS THE LOCATION FOR AN ALTERNATE CARE SITE.
THIS THE FLORIDA OF THE, UH, COVID, UH, OPERATIONS AND ALSO, UH, UH, FUNCTIONAL, FUNCTIONAL MEANS FACILITY TO,
[02:00:01]
UH, TO PROVIDE A PLACE FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT, UH, COULD NOT STAY IN A HOSPITAL OR, UM, UH, UM, PATIENTS THAT ARE BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL, BUT THEY HAD NO, NO POWER AND NO WATER AND NEEDED A PLACE TO STAY WHILE ALL BEFORE THEY'RE ABLE TO GET BACK HOME.UH, THIS ALLOWED US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'LL KIND OF OFFLOAD SOME OF THE CAPACITY, UH, UM, HOSPITALS THAT ALLOW THE HOSPITALS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE MORE PATIENTS THAT NEEDED THEIR ATTENTION.
NEXT LINE, LIKE HAS BEEN SAID, WE'RE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS WHERE FOLKS CAN GO TO THE CITY WEBSITE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT WATER, DISTRIBUTION, DISTRIBUTION, INFORMATION ON WHERE THE TEMPORARY SHOWERS AND LAUNDRY CENTERS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AS ONE, AS WELL AS WATER AND POWER OUTAGE INFORMATION IN ANY EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE, AND THAT IS, UM, UH, WE, WE HAVE BEEN DECLARED A PRESIDENTIAL DISASTER AND FOLKS CAN FALL FEMA, UH, TO GET THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AS WELL AS, UM, THERE'S WAYS THAT FOLKS CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE, UH, ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTER NOW.
AND THAT IS THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED CRISIS CLEANUP.
AND, UH, LIKE TO GIVE OUT A COUPLE OF PHONE NUMBERS FOR FOLKS TO, TO CALL.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, THE CITY OPERATES THE THREE ONE ONE.
SO IF ANYBODY NEEDS ASSISTANCE, A GROUP SOURCE OF INFORMATION WOULD GET THE THREE ONE, ONE, UM, AS WELL AS YOU CAN ALSO CALL THE AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF HOTLINE AT (512) 806-0800 CRISIS CLEANUP FOR HELP WITH DAMAGE HARMS CAN BE, CAN BE REACHED AT +1 844-965-1386, AND FINALLY CONTACT THE FEMA DISASTER ASSISTANCE NUMBER AT DATE ZERO ZERO SIX TWO ONE THREE THREE SIX FOUR.
UH, FOLKS ALSO NEED TO, UM, FOLKS CAN ALSO GO TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE AND AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV SIZE WEATHER INFO, WEATHER INFO.
UH, AND I'M GOING TO REPEAT THIS IN SPANISH AS WELL FOR THE, FOR THE SPANISH, UH, SPEAKING, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTENING TO THIS CALL.
HE STANDS IN
I MEANT THE NUMBERS
THOSE, YOU KNOW, NEITHER THAT, THAT LAW WEBSITE THAT I SEE ARE THEY AUSTIN, UH, AUSTIN, TEXAS
UM, THE LAST TIME I LIKE TO SAY IS WE HAD, UM, OVER, UM, OKAY.
WE HAD OVER TWO VOLUNTEERS HELP THE CITY AND THE COUNTY PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF TIME DONATED BY THE COMMUNITY TO HELP OTHERS WHO WERE IN NEED.
WE'RE ALSO DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT CHIPPED IN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN AREAS.
THIS IS NOT ONLY HARD TO ME, BUT AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE RESPONSE THAT HELPED OUR COMMUNITY, THIS WINTER STILL ONGOING.
AND IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE WILL SIT DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK AT LESSONS LEARNED FROM WORK, AND THAT WORKED WELL IN ALL MY YEARS AS PUBLIC SERVICE, I'VE NEVER SEEN OR LIVED THROUGH AN EVENT BY LIKE THIS.
IT WAS EVEN A HUMBLING FEELING TO SEE SO MANY, THE COMMUNITY LEADERS COME TOGETHER SO QUICKLY TO HELP ONE ANOTHER.
ON BEHALF OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE HELPED US SURVIVE AND BEGIN RECOVERING FROM THIS EVENT.
I WANT TO PERSONALLY EXTEND MY HEART HEARTFELT.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR AT AND SYDNEY AND REG, UH, AGAIN, TODAY WAS
[02:05:01]
REALLY MEANT TO PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.AS WE CONSIDER YOU TO RESPOND TO THIS OTHER TREND.
THERE ARE SO MANY INCREDIBLE ARTISTS OUT THERE, OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN FROM OUR INTERNATIONAL CITY EMPLOYEES, ANY OF THAT HEARD FROM TODAY, I'LL ECHO WHAT HAS BEEN SAID, WHICH IS WE WILL, WE WILL DO A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, OVERVIEW AND, AND RESPONSE TO THIS AND AFTER ACTION REPORTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS WITH YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THIS AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE AND GET BETTER.
UH, THAT IS NOT THE GOAL FOR TODAY.
WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON ADDITIONAL WAYS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THIS WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THOSE ITEMS ARE BEFORE YOU, AND WE HOPE TO GET TO THEM SHORTLY.
I DID WANT TO PERSONALLY ACKNOWLEDGE OUR DIRECTOR RTS.
YOU HAVE DONE INCREDIBLE WORK OVER THE LAST HANDFUL OF DAYS IN PARTICULAR, UM, BUT JUST THE LEADERSHIP AND CALM DEMEANOR THAT YOU'VE HAD THROUGHOUT THIS, UH, SITUATION YOU'RE AND SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR AT OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
AND I WILL ALSO NOTE AS A PERSONAL STORY THAT YOU, ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SNOWFALL, I MADE SURE THAT WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING WE COULD TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE, INCLUDING, UH, BRINGING TOGETHER A CREW, UH, INCLUDING OUR EMS FOLKS, UH, TO GO OUT TO ALL THE DIFFERENT OF ENCAMPMENTS OF PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AS MANY AS WE COULD DO IN THAT DAY, UH, OVER 50, WHERE YOU PERSONALLY JOINED THE EMS FOLKS AND KNOCKED ON TENDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD OPPORTUNITY TO SHELTER, THAT WE HAD THOSE SHELTERS AVAILABLE, AND THEIR TRANSPORTATION WAS READY FOR THEM.
SO YOU CAN HEAR STORIES ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME.
UH, BUT I DID WANT TO PERSONALLY ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, DIRECTOR OF TEASES.
WE HAVE OTHER STAFF AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS, UH, BUT WE DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE, HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED AT THIS TIME, MAYOR YOU'RE ON MUTE MIRROR.
WHY WOULD YOU ALSO PLEASE THANK, UH, ERIC CARTER.
WHO'S KIND OF LIKE YOUR TWIN BEST AS I COULD TELL YOU GUYS ARE JOINED AT THE HIP.
THAT'S THE COUNTING EQUIVALENT OF JUAN, UH, AND THE, UH, COUNTY SIDE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING THERE TODAY, BUT OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY WAS WORKING TOGETHER.
WANT TO THANK, UH, JUDGE BROWN, UH, UH, FOR HER BEING ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION AS WELL, COLLEAGUES, UH, IT'S AFTER 12, WHERE EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE SHORT WAS KIND OF DO THIS AS RAPID FIRE AS WE CAN.
UH, WE WILL BREAK FOR LUNCH WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THESE QUESTIONING.
THAT'S A HARD TIME FOR SPEAKERS TO SPEAK.
I CAN, THERE ARE, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SIX AND 12, I THINK SO NOT A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF SPEAKERS.
THEY'RE GOING TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES EACH, THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE AGENDA.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO PULL ANYTHING WE'RE GONNA TO CONSIDER EACH OF THEM.
UH, IN TURN, UH, I'M GOING TO START, UH, FIRST GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT DID NOT ASK A QUESTION, UH, IN, UH, IN THE FIRST GROUP, WE'LL START WITH THERE AND THEN WORK OUR WAY BACKWARDS, UH, FROM, UH, FROM THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE FOR AND NEAR RIGHT BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
SO, UM, JUST FOR US TO GIVE GENERAL COMMENTS, THANKING STAFF AND THE LIKE, WOULD THAT BE A GOOD MOMENT FOR US WHEN WE GET BACK FROM THE LUNCH BREAK? I THINK THE BEST TIME TO GIVE THOSE GENERAL COMMENTS WILL BE WHEN WE COME BACK, LET'S COME BACK AT ONE 30, WE'LL HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS, AND THEN THERE'LL BE A CHANCE FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE GENERAL COMMENTS BEFORE WE GET INTO THE AGENDA ITEMS. THANKS.
SO LET ME START WITH QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW ON THIS PART OF THE DISASTER RESPONSE SOFTWARE.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A COUNSELOR, SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T ASK QUESTIONS THIS MORNING, FIRST SHOT AT ASKING QUESTIONS NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
UM, TWO THINGS, ONE MY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE HEROISM OF EVERYBODY FROM START TO FINISH, WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE, UH, WINTER WEATHER CRISIS, THE 10 AND 11 DAY PERSISTENT SUCH TUITION THAT WE JUST CAME THROUGH, CALAMITIES COMPOUNDING CALAMITIES.
IT WAS, THIS WAS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYBODY.
I'M GOING TO, UM, HOLD MY QUESTIONS FOR A WEEK.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, AND I CHAIR THE INDIVIDUAL UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES.
I OVERSEE AUSTIN ENERGY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND CHAIR THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND, AND CUSTOMER KITCHEN CHAIRS, THE US AND WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
AND SHE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A COMBINED, PROBABLY JUST A TWO HOUR
[02:10:01]
MEETING THAT WOULD EXPAND ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED TO US TODAY.I WANT TO DIG IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON, UM, HOW THINGS ROLLED OUT AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, UTILITY MARKET ECONOMICS.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US ALL TO UNDERSTAND HOW ARE COD AND THE PUC AND, UH, RAILROAD COMMISSION WORK HERE IN THE STATE AND WHAT ROLE AUSTIN ENERGY PLAYS BOTH AS A GENERATOR AND A PURCHASER OF ENERGY OFF OF OUR COD.
SO PLEASE, UM, LOOK AT YOUR CALENDARS FOR, UH, MARCH 3RD AT ONE O'CLOCK, WE'LL DIVIDE IT UP INTO TWO, ONE HOUR SEGMENTS.
WE'LL DO AUSTIN ENERGY AND WE'LL DO AUSTIN WATER.
AND THEN THOSE OF US WHO ARE ON THE WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, WEREN'T YOU PLANNING TO ALSO TAKE UP BECAUSE THAT'S A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING FOR US TO MONITOR EVERY THOUGHT YOU'VE HAD SOME OTHER ITEMS ON AVERAGE THAT IT WILL TAKE UP.
W WE HAVE ACTUALLY DECIDED TO DEVOTE THE TIME TO, UM, UH, BUT AT THE TIME TO OUR DISASTER RESPONSE.
AND, UM, AS DIRECTOR MENTIONED, ALL OF THEM WORKING WITH HIM TO WORK THROUGH EXACTLY ALL ITEMS WERE POSSIBLE.
SO WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NEXT WEEK TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER INTO, INTO THESE EFFORTS, BUT JUST ONE LAST TIME, CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU.
YOUR LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT HAS BEEN STELLAR.
THERE IS NOBODY WHO DIDN'T PUT THEMSELVES ON THE LINE FOR, UH, GETTING THE CITY OF AUSTIN THROUGH THIS DISASTER, BRINGING ALL THE VARIOUS INCENDIARY GROUPS TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO KIND OF GEN UP AND PULL TOGETHER, BUT WOW, IT, THE, THE EFFORT WAS ASTRONOMICAL AND IT WAS IMMENSELY IMPRESSIVE.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR THE VERY STRONG LEADERSHIP THAT YOU SHOWED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS OUR CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, JASMINE REPORT TO THOSE JOINT MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.
UH, I WOULD IMAGINE THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT FORUMS, BUT HAVING THOSE TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS TOGETHER, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATE, PARTICIPATING IN YOUR OWN SPEAKING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, UH, RENT THE RADIO, OR
SO, UH, REAL QUICK, UM, DIRECTOR OF ZEROS, BECAUSE WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN THE ITEMS COMING UP.
CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE CITY STAFF ARE GOING TO BE DOING THAT YOU'VE ASSIGNED TO EMERGENCY WATER DELIVERY TO THOSE PLACES, UH, WITHOUT WATER.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY ESTIMATE YET ON ABOUT HOW MANY MAJOR COMPLEXES ARE DOWN A FEW THOUGHTS THERE, IN TERMS OF ESTIMATES, WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH VARIOUS DATA SOURCES AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS GATHERING DATA AND PUTTING A LOT OF OUTSIDE GROUPS ON, ON WHO'S OUT OF WATER.
AND YOU KNOW, WHAT CHANGES DYNAMICALLY? I SPOKE TO ONE OF OUR STAFF THAT'S BEEN LEANING INTO THIS AND DOES SHE COMMUNICATED THAT SHE HAD A LIST OF 400 AND A, AND THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY A HUNDRED DUPLICATES IN THERE AND SHE'S CLEANING THAT UP, BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE RIGHT NOW, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, TWO TO 400, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES, CONDOS AREAS SERVED, YOU KNOW, KIND OF INTERIOR PIPING SYSTEMS ON THEIR SIDE THAT, THAT, THAT ARE OUT OF WATER IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, THAT'S CHANGING RAPIDLY.
BUT, UH, BUT THAT, THAT, THAT'S A VERY LARGE NUMBER AND THAT DOESN'T COUNT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OR OTHERS THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, UH, IS WORKING WITH THE EOC WHERE WE'RE TARGETING, UM, UH, UH, WATER DROP-OFFS AT THOSE LOCATIONS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
TO THOSE FACILITIES AND, UH, AND TRYING TO GET WATER TO THOSE AREAS, EVEN, EVEN UP TO THE DOORSTEP, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE AREAS ARE WITH ELDERLY FOLKS AND THEN THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO COME OUT OF THEIR APARTMENT OR YOU CONCERNED ABOUT COVID AND OTHER CONCERNS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH SOME, YOU KNOW, VERY SPECIFIC THERE WE'RE RENDERING, UM, UM, EXPERTISE THERE IN TERMS OF, OF, OF HOW WE CAN ASSIST AND GIVE ADVICE ON BRINGING THEM BACK UP TO, UH, TO, UH, TO WATER.
AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, EVEN AS, AS SIMPLE AS PROVIDING CONSTRUCTION LIGHTING, WHERE WE CAN, UM, UH, LOOKING TO TEAM WITH ELC AND OTHERS ON HOW FIRE HYDRANTS IN THE AREA CAN HELP WITH BULK FILLING AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN TEACH, UH, TOILETS, FLUSHING AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
UM, UH, I HOPE THAT'S GIVEN YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A FLAVOR OF KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE.
UM, A COUNCIL MEMBER HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.
NO, I THINK THEY'RE NOT RIGHT, BUT, UH, YEAH.
AND WE'LL TALK LATER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE CAN GET BIG WATER TANK DELIVERY AND SOME OF THOSE PARKING LOTS ARE FOR ELDERLY FOLKS, IF THEY CAN LIKE PUT A BIG JUG OUTSIDE THEIR DOOR THAT WE FEEL, OR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
[02:15:01]
UM, AND, AND AS I LOOK BACK AT SOME POINT, I JUST WANT TO FLAG, NOT JUST FOR US IN WATER, BUT FOR EVERYONE JUST SORT OF OUR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, LIKE WHO GETS TEXTS AND WHO DOESN'T GET TEXTS OR EMAILS, UM, AS WELL AS SORT OF WHEN YOU HAD SO MANY VOLUNTEERS STEP UP ON HOMELESSNESS, BUT WHAT OUR CITY RESPONSES VERSUS WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAD TO PICK UP AND WHY WE COULDN'T GO IN THERE.THOSE ARE QUESTIONS MAYBE FOR THE FUTURE, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THEM OUT LOUD NOW.
SO FOLKS CAN START THINKING THROUGH, UM, THAT AS WE, WHEN WE DO A LOOK BACK, BUT MY SENSE IS WE ARE STILL NOT LOOKING BACK AT THE DISASTER BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN IT.
IF WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF COMPLEXES WITHOUT WATER, AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING ALL OF THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT DISCUSSION WOULD BE APPROPRIATE THIS AFTERNOON IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT HOW WE ARE DOING THE RECOVERY NOW, NOT LOOKING BACK, BUT FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, UH, HOW MUCH ARE WE SOURCING OR ORGANIZING THROUGH THE CITY AND HOW MUCH ARE WE RELYING ON PARTNERS? UH, BECAUSE THIS, THIS RECOVERY IS GOING TO BE EXTENDED HERE.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BRING THAT BACK UP AT THAT TIME.
UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA TREAT HIM, ARE YOU ASKING ME WHAT I WANT TO LEARN LATER ON IF, UM, THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR UTILITY? I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME INFORMATION OUT THERE, THE BEGINNING ON A RENEWABLE ENERGY AND, AND WHICH IS TO BE FALSE, BUT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN TO SEE HOW MUCH WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE STATE.
AND, UH, AND, AND HOW DID WE GO TO STATE OUT THE USAGE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY? SO IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO FIND NOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WENT ON FOX AND SAID THAT IT WAS OUR WIND POWER AND FROZEN PLAY AT OTHER, UH, WHICH I DO, IT WAS FALSE WHEN THEY WERE, HE WOULD MENTION THAT.
AND THEN LATER ON, HE LOOKED BACK, BUT I STILL WANT TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHERE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE FUTURE, ON OUR RENEWABLE ENERGY.
AND I'LL SAY MY THANK YOUS FOR LATER.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST DRILL INTO, BUT LET ME JUST SAY A GENERAL HUGE, THANK YOU.
I WANT TO JUST DRILL INTO, INTO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE SAID ABOUT THE PROCESS, MOVING FORWARD FOR WATER, UM, DISTRIBUTION TO LARGER COMPLEXES.
AND I THINK THESE QUESTIONS ARE DIRECTED AT, AT DIRECTOR SRS.
SO WE HAVE HAD, UM, JUST AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION WHO HAS GONE TO COMPLEXES AND DONE, UM, WATER DISTRIBUTION ALONG WITH LOTS OF COMMUNITY YEARS, USING EVERYTHING FROM HOME DEPOT BUCKETS TO, UM, EQUIPMENT BORROWED FROM BREWERIES, UH, AND UH, NOW KIND OF LARGE BATS.
AND SO AS I UNDERSTOOD YOUR PRESENTATION, AND I THINK THIS IS TERRIFIC THAT, THAT NOW, UM, AUSTIN WATER AND POTENTIALLY SOME OTHER CITY RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO BEAR FOR THOSE COMPLEXES.
SO I THINK WHAT I NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IS HOW MANY OF US HAVE LISTS.
UM, I LISTS ARE INCLUDE SOME PROPERTIES IN Y'ALL'S DISTRICTS, UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, A GOOD, A GOOD LIST GOING OF WEST CAMPUS PROPERTIES IN MY OWN DISTRICT.
AND I WANT TO BE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE SHOULD ADVISE THOSE COMPLEXES.
SHOULD THEY BE CALLING AS I UNDERSTOOD YOUR PRESENTATION, THEY SHOULD CALL THREE ONE, ONE TO TRY TO WORK WITH THE WATER UTILITY IN GETTING THAT ASSISTANCE ASSISTANCE ABOUT ADVICE FOR THE REPAIRS, AS WELL AS ABOUT POTENTIAL WATER.
OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENT KINDS OF RULES TO MAKE SURE AND VERIFY WITH US OWNERS OR MANAGERS TO, TO ENSURE THAT THEY STILL HAVE A NEED.
UH, AND WHAT THAT NEED IS, IF THERE IS SAY A PARTNER MANAGER THAT, THAT, THAT IS DEALING WITH BLOOD ISSUES AND DOESN'T HAVE WATER RUNNING TO THEIR FACILITIES, YES, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO CALL THREE, ONE, ONE, THE TEAM WILL, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE LIST OR NOT.
AND WE'LL REACH OUT TO THEM AND MAKE CONTACT AND DO THAT VERIFICATION.
AND, AND, AND, UH, AND IF WE NEED TO TAKE WATER OUT THERE, WE'LL TAKE WATER.
IF IT IS, THEY JUST NEED LIGHTING SO THEY CAN GET THEIR PLUMBING DONE OR A SURGICAL ASSISTANCE
[02:20:01]
OR WHATEVER THAT ASSISTANCE MAY BE.WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT C AND HOW BEST WE CAN PROVIDE, UH, ASSISTANCE IN HELPING THEM, UM, UM, THE BACK ONLINE, A WATER PERSPECTIVE, UH, OR BE ABLE TO GET THEM TO BRING IN WATER FOR THEIR RESIDENTS, AND THEN PUT THEM ON SOMEWHAT OF A SCHEDULE SUCH AS, UH, WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK AND GIVE THEM MORE, MORE ADDITION ON WATER UNTIL THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS.
UM, BUT WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEIR NEED IS.
UH, UM, BUT THE FIRST STEP IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CALL THREE, ONE, ONE, IF ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE A SPECIFIC LIST OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES, IF YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AFTER THIS, AFTER THIS, UH, UH, PRESENTATION, WE'LL, WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOU AND, AND GET THE LIST FROM YOU.
AND THEN, UH, WE WILL JUST RUN IT THROUGH THE LIST THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVEN'T LEFT ANYBODY OFF THE LIST.
AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR OR TEAS, JUST TO CLARIFY.
SO YOU, SOMEONE ON YOUR STAFF WILL REACH OUT TO EACH OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES FOR THAT.
UM, EITHER THAT, OR IF SOMEBODY ON THE MANAGER'S STAFF COULD LET US KNOW WHO THE DIRECT CONTACT IS, I'VE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO UPDATE SOME OF THE LISTS I HAVE, BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, THE SITUATION IS DYNAMIC.
UM, SO AGAIN, I JUST NEED TO KNOW EITHER IF, IF YOU ALL ARE REACHING OUT TO US OR IF THERE IS ONE CONTACT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR COUNCIL OFFICES, UM, WHERE WE CAN PUSH THAT INFORMATION TO EITHER IS FINE, AS LONG AS, AS LONG AS IT'S CLEAR WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
AND THEN IS, ARE THESE, UM, IS THIS WATER DELIVERY WORK BEING COORDINATED WITH THE REALLY EXTRAORDINARY VOLUNTEER EFFORT AS WELL? UM, JUST SO WE'RE NOT ALL, I KNOW MANY OFFICES, INCLUDING MINE HAVE BEEN WORKING KIND OF AROUND THE CLOCK WITH, WITH A FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
I WANT TO BE SURE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SENDING THAT THOSE, THAT, THAT WORK IS COORDINATED SO THAT WE'RE NOT SENDING BOTH VOLUNTEERS AND CITY, UM, TO THE SAME COMPLEXES.
SO ARE YOU COORDINATING WITH THAT, UM, AFA VOLUNTEER EFFORT? YES.
AND, AND, UH, UM, WE WILL BE EMAILING YOU INSTRUCTORS AND HOW, HOW THE LIST IS PROVIDED TO THE EOC.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT EMAIL COMING FROM US SUCH SHORTLY.
THE SECOND STEP TO THE SECOND PART TO THAT, TO THAT QUESTION WOULD BE, WE WOULD VERIFY THAT THERE'S A NEED AT THE LOCATION, AND WE WILL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TO ENSURE THAT, THAT IF WE TAKE WATER TO A, UH, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, DOES THE APARTMENT COMPLEX HAVE THE ABILITY TO DISTRIBUTE WATER ACROSS THE COMPLEX, OR DO THEY NEED HELP AND GET INTO THE WATER TO EVERYBODY ELSE? SO I MAY BE A COMBINATION.
WE WILL, WE WILL BRING THE WATER AND IF THEY NEED HELP AND GET IN THE WATER DISTRIBUTED WILL ALSO WORK WITH THE VOLUNTEER AGENCIES TO GET VOLUNTEERS AND ACCOMPLISH THAT.
WELL, AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY BACKWARDS THROUGH THE LIST, COUNSELOR OR ALTER.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? UM, YEAH, I HAVE A TON OF, I HAVE A TON OF QUESTIONS AND I WANT TO BE, I WANT TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE ARE NOT, I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF WE'RE STABILIZED YET AND WE'RE MOVING INTO RECOVERY.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS COUNCIL SENDS A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT, UM, WE ARE INTENT ON INVESTIGATING WHAT HAPPENED, UNDERSTANDING WHAT WENT WRONG, WHAT WENT RIGHT, UM, AND HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR ON AUSTIN ENERGY THAT THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT EREKAT.
UM, WE, IN SOME SENSE EXPERIENCED, UM, TWO EMERGENCIES CONNECTED BY THE WEATHER FROM FEBRUARY 11TH TO 14, WE HAD A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT POWER, UM, DUE TO A COMBINATION OF WEATHER AND TREE DAMAGE.
UM, AT WHAT POINT DURING THAT PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 11TH TO 14TH, 40% OF MY DISTRICT WAS OUT OF POWER.
THIS WAS BEFORE THERE WAS ANY ISSUE WITH EREKAT.
UM, AND I HAD HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE OUT OF POWER FROM 3:00 PM ON FEBRUARY 11TH, TILL SUNDAY MORNING ON THE 14TH, AND THEN OUT AGAIN ON MONDAY.
UM, SO WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR, UM, THAT WE WERE GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, ALL THE PARTS OF THIS EVENT, UM, AND THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT FIRST PART THAT WAS NOT AIR CAUGHT INDUCED, UM, AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LESSONS THAT WE CAN LEARN AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, THERE IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS THAT WE SAW THE, THE SUBSEQUENT WEEK THAT WE HAD ALREADY SURFACED, UM, BY THE 12TH WITH OUTAGE MAP, WITH RESPECT TO THE TEXT, WITH RESPECT TO THE COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT AEC STAFF IS VERY AWARE OF THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE KNOW THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENED AND THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THEM.
UM, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN AT THIS 24 SEVEN FOR
[02:25:01]
A REALLY LONG TIME, UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND CANNOT YET PAUSE TO DO THE FULL ANALYSIS THAT WE WOULD LIKE IN THAT VEIN.UM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
MY COLLEAGUES MAY RECALL ON THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE THIS ALL STARTED ON THE 10TH, THAT I WAS EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT MANAGEMENT IN TERMS OF STRATEGY.
UM, AND SO I'M GOING TO REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OF THE NON ERCOT OUTAGES COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF AUSTIN ENERGY'S VEGETATION PLAN HAD BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED, UM, AND SOME QUESTIONS ON THAT.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT PEOPLE, UM, WE NEED TO GET SOME INFORMATION TO PEOPLE QUICKLY ABOUT HOW THE AES GENERATION FLEET PERFORMED, UM, RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE STATE.
UM, SOME OF THAT WAS ALLUDED TO, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS PRETTY GOOD NEWS, BUT THAT IS THE PIECE THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND ANY FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS LATER ON, UM, WITH THE PSA.
UM, AND THEN SINCE IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HOST OF OTHER TIMES, I WANT TO SURFACE ALSO IS THAT WE REALLY NEED, UM, ANSWERS TO WHAT HAPPENED AT THE OLD RIDGE POWER PLANT AND WHY THE REDUNDANCIES WE HAD IN PLACE DID NOT WORK.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UM, I, I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS INTENDING THAT WE WOULD ONLY HAVE TWO HOURS OF, OF, UH, DISCUSSION OF THIS NEXT WEEK.
AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL GETTING OUR FEET UNDER US.
UM, BUT I, I WANT TO JUST MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVOTE CONSIDERABLE TIME AND RESOURCES, UM, TO THE OVERSIGHT MOVING FORWARD AS WE STABILIZE AND AS WE ADDRESS, UM, THEN MANY NEEDS THAT ARE STILL OUT THERE, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, THERE'S BEEN A POSTING BY COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO THAT PROVIDES GREATER DETAIL ON THAT ITEM NUMBER SIX.
SO I THINK WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE TO START SENDING THAT EMOTION.
COUNSEL, MAYOR PER TAM, HARPER.
MADISON, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YES, I DID.
I THINK A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS, MY HOPE IS THAT WE JUST HAVE CONSIDERABLY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO ASK ALL OUR QUESTIONS.
THIS JUST FEELS INSUFFICIENT AND THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT DISCREDITING ANYBODY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE DIALOGUE.
AND THERE'S JUST SO MUCH THAT WE ALL INDIVIDUALLY, OUR COMMUNITIES, ALL THE STORIES WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS, THIS JUST DOESN'T FEEL LIKE ENOUGH.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT WE'VE BEEN DOWNLOADING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS THAT I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO ARTICULATE IT QUICKLY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT AND REALLY WANT TO SEE, UM, SOMETHING SUBSTANTIVE IN THE WAY OUR BODY HAVING A DIALOGUE ON IS HOW WE GET THAT COMMUNITY LEVEL EFFORT, THAT COMMUNITY LEVEL MUTUAL AID, AND THEN SOME SORT OF FACILITATION THROUGH THE CITY.
HOW DO WE MAKE THAT LESS CLUNKY? I MEAN, TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT WAS NOT NIMBLE WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
AND I DON'T HAVE TO TELL ONE THAT HE WAS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT IN THE HEART OF IT, WHICH BY THE WAY, I MEAN, ONE, YOU PROBABLY TOOK MORE PHONE CALLS FROM ME THIS WEEK.
I APPRECIATE YOUR STAFF, BUT JUST THINKING MOVING FORWARD, IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE A PROCESS THAT WOULD JUST BE SO MUCH LESS, UH, PROBLEMATIC.
I THINK ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON AN IFC.
AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT.
UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SAY, BUT THEN, UH, THREE OF MY QUICK QUESTIONS, UM, WE ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT NON-POTABLE WATER.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO SOME FOLLOW-UPS TO TALK ABOUT AFA AND THEIR EFFORT WITH WATER.
UM, WE, SO WE TALKED ABOUT PRIVATE COMPLEXES TALK COMPLEXES.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT SORT OF COMMUNITY LEVEL EFFORT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO INTRODUCE TO THE CONVERSATION AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAP INTO THESE RESOURCES.
I WATCHED NEXT DOOR, YOU KNOW, REALLY BECOME A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WENT TO FOR INFORMATION AND THE LOCAL BUY-IN.
I THINK GROUPS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I RECOGNIZE THAT WE AS A CITY CAN'T FORTIFY THOSE EFFORTS NECESSARILY, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW EFFECTIVE THEY WERE IN THE TIME OF NEED.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
I REALIZED THEY ARE NOT A PART OF THE, UH, THE FOLKS WHO HAVE PRESENTED HERE NOW, BUT HOPEFULLY DURING THE COURSE OF OUR DAY, WE GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT ARR, UM, UH, UH, UH, ONE, I THINK THIS WOULD BE FOR YOUR OFFICE.
SO FOLKS ARE ASKING US A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, RECOVERY FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE, WE ALL TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, THEIR PIPES FAILING.
[02:30:01]
SO FOLKS ARE ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO TAP INTO ANY RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US FOR HOME REPAIR, UM, SPECIFICALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO RESPONDING TO THEIR PIPES FAILING AT, IS THAT, UH, IS THAT, UH, HAS SOME QUESTION, IS THAT A, WHO IS THAT? AND, UH, HOW DO WE CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION AND MAKE SURE TO PUT INFORMATION OUT THAT PEOPLE CAN USE? UH, YES.THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
UH, WE'RE WORKING, WE HAVE A WEBSITE AND STAFF IS CALLED ATX REPAIR AND TICKS REPAIR DOCK.
AND WE'RE ALSO, YOU CAN GO TO THAT.
YOU CAN FIND THAT AT THE AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV WEBSITE SLASH INFO, THAT INFORMATION WILL BE LOCATED IN A LOCATION.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU CAN ALSO CALL THE CRISIS CLEANUP NUMBER THAT I GAVE EARLIER BEFORE, UH, AND, AND, AND NASH.
UM, YOU CAN, UH, YOU CAN IDENTIFY WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE YOU NEED AND WHETHER IT IS FROM ASSISTANCE THAT'S PROVIDED FROM THE CITY OR THE COUNTY, OR PROVIDED BY A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, UM, PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO START A RECOVERY EFFORT, RIGHT.
UM, YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME.
AND I THINK THIS ACTUALLY MIGHT BE A CTM QUESTION.
I WONDER IF ALL OF THESE EMAIL ADDRESSES AND WEBSITES AND PHONE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE ALL RATTLING OFF.
UM, I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO BE SHARING THOSE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE MEETING.
IS THAT A POSSIBILITY, CAUSE I KNOW I PERSONALLY MISSED HALF OF WHAT YOU SAID, AND THOSE ARE PROBABLY REALLY IMPORTANT RESOURCES.
SO I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO BE SHARING THOSE THINGS.
WELL, JUST, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL OR MAYOR PRO TEM THAT THE BEST SOURCE OF UPDATED INFORMATION IS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND SO JUST GOING TO AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV ON THAT FRONT PAGE, THERE'S A CLICK, A LINK TO OUR COLD WEATHER RESPONSE.
AND THEN THROUGH THAT, THERE IS INFORMATION ON EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AND WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE THAT AS WE GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL NEW PROGRAMS. UM, AND SO THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN DIRECTING PEOPLE IS JUST TO OUR REGULAR WEBSITE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV.
AND THEN ON THAT HOMEPAGE, IT IS SEVERE WEATHER RECOVERY RESOURCES IS THE LANDING PAGE FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE AT THE CITY.
THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, I'VE CONCEITED.
AND THEN I THINK THE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE WOULD BE ABOUT, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING I THINK WE'RE GOING TO ANSWER TODAY, BUT IF WE COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, IT FELT VERY MUCH LIKE WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE OUR BEST PLACES WERE LIKE, LIKE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HAD, YOU KNOW, AN, AN ASSET CONVERSATION.
SO THE PLACES THAT WE WERE PROPPING UP, I JUST, I, I HOPE MOVING FORWARD THAT WE HAVE A THOROUGH AND COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THESE ARE THE BEST PLACES.
THIS IS WHY THEY ARE EFFECTIVE AND ARE NOT SOME OF THE PLACES THAT WE TRIED TO PROP UP OR FRANKLY PREPARED, UH, OR APPROPRIATE FOR WHAT IT IS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO PROCESS THROUGH THEM.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION ALSO.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO THANK, UH, DIRECTOR MESSIAS FOR THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED, UH, APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE MADE, UH, AND THE IMPROVEMENTS YOU MADE IN COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS.
UM, AS WELL AS THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE NOW SHIFTING TO, TO HELP OUR APARTMENT COMPLEXES, PARTICULARLY THOSE FOR SENIORS AND LOW INCOME FOLKS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY, HELPING THEM GET THEIR WATER BACK UP AND RUNNING IS, IS, UM, IS SO IMPORTANT AND REALLY HELPFUL TO THE, UM, YOU KNOW, HELP TO THE PRIVATE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WANT TO SAY ALSO TO MY COLLEAGUES, UM, LET ME JUST EMPHASIZE AGAIN, WOULD YOU SAY DIRECTOR MASSARA IS THAT YOUR INCIDENT COMMAND IS NOW SHIFTING TO WORKING WITH APARTMENTS TO RESTORE WATER.
YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON DELIVERING WATER TO APARTMENTS, UM, AND YOU'VE SHIFTED $1 MILLION TO HELP INDIVIDUALS, UH, WITH THEIR, UM, UH, REPAIR EFFORTS.
I WANT TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF YOU ALL, UM, AS, AS FUCK WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE WATER COMMITTEE AND MY, UH, VICE CHAIR, UH, COUNCIL OVER QUINTUS, UH, TO PUT TOGETHER OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK, AS WE WORK WITH DIRECTOR, MASSARO SAYS, IF YOU HAVE PARTICULAR ISSUES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE DELVE INTO, UH, PLEASE POST THEM ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
WE WILL ALSO BE POSTING ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, UM, ISSUES SHOULD HAVE THAT IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO, BUT ALSO PLEASE
[02:35:01]
BRING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE AND INCORPORATED INTO OUR DISCUSSIONS NEXT WEEK, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT COVER EVERYTHING NEXT WEEK, BUT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE KINDS OF ISSUES AND NEXT STEPS THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO WORK WITH OUR, UM, WITH AUSTIN WALKER ON.AND SO I WOULD INVITE CHARLIE WILL HELP US WITH OUR DISCUSSION NEXT WEEK, IF YOU WILL, UM, SHARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, DISCUSSED AND THE KINDS OF ISSUES YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US DELVE INTO.
SO, UM, I WOULD INVITE YOU ALL TO DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU, ALICE KELLY, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, THESE ARE ALL VERY GOOD QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS THAT ARE BEING ASKED.
UM, AND I JUST, I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THAT WE ARE NOT THROUGH THIS YET.
I HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT WENT OFFLINE ON TUESDAY AND STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET CLEAN DRINKING WATER AND EVEN NON-POTABLE WATER.
SO I REALLY HOPE THAT OUR PLANNING MOVING FORWARD ADDRESSES THOSE NEEDS IN ADDITION TO PORT-A-POTTIES AND HAND-WASHING STATIONS.
UM, THESE, THESE PLACES HAVE BEEN TRYING VERY, VERY HARD TO WORK THROUGH THEIR PLUMBING ISSUES.
I'M WELL AWARE THAT ONCE THINGS ARE NO LONGER ON THE CITY PLUMBING LINE, THAT THE PRIVATE MANAGERS AND OWNERS OF COMPLEXES ARE TRYING TO SYSTEMATICALLY WORK THROUGH THEIR ISSUES.
I HAVE SEEN APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT OWN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN THE CITY, TRY TO TAKE ALL THEIR EXTRA WATER ONCE THEY GET A BUILDING FIXED AND MOVE IT TO SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, KNOWING THE NEED IS STILL VERY GREAT HERE.
SO I'VE SEEN WITH SOME OF THE TEXT BANKING, UM, THAT MY DISTRICT IS STILL THE MOST EFFECTED BY THESE OUTAGES.
AND SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR THAT WE ARE, WE'RE NOT THROUGH THIS YET.
SO MANY EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD AROUND THE CLOCK AS HAVE I AND MY TEAM AND THE MANAGEMENT OFFICES.
WE'RE ALL STILL NAVIGATING THIS.
UM, BUT I DO BEFORE OUR LUNCH BREAK WANT TO JUST DAYLIGHT THAN I HAVE EVER DONE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MESSAGE BOARD.
SORRY, I HAVE A, I HAVE A FOUR LEGGED FRIEND JOINING ME HERE, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE MORE, UM, DETAILED COMMUNICATION WITH THE WATER UTILITY.
I KNOW THERE INFORMATION COMING OUT, BUT A LOT OF WHAT I WAS HEARING FROM MY CONSTITUENTS WAS JUST THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE WATCHING FOR TO KNOW WHEN THE WATER WOULD COME ONLINE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATED THE GRAPHICS BEING SHARED.
IT WAS, IT WAS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WE'RE HALFWAY THERE WE'RE 90% THERE, BUT KNOWING THAT MY DISTRICT WAS IN THAT LAST 10% WAS INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL FOR A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS.
SO I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SEE WATER AND UTILITY WORKERS OUT THERE FIXING THINGS, I TELL THEM, THANK YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD.
I KNOW ALL THE OFFICES ARE WORKING HARD, BUT WE ARE NOT OUT OF THIS YET.
WE STILL HAVE THE NEXT PHASE OF, OF THIS CRISIS MANAGEMENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED DILIGENCE ON THIS.
OUR COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I DID.
I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THANKS TO THE CITY STAFF AND ALSO TO NORTH AUSTIN, MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
NUMBER ONE, AS WELL AS THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT.
NUMBER ONE, THAT JOLLYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR SETTING UP A WATERFIELD STATION AND ALSO FOR PROVIDING, UM, WATER TO THE CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT SIX AND ALL ACROSS AUSTIN.
I KNOW THAT REPRESENTATIVE, JOHN BUCY ALSO CAME TO ME WITH A NEED FOR WATER TO BE TAKEN TO THE CLAREMONT, WHICH IS A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, IT'S NOT COVERED BY THE JOLLYVILLE HIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THEM TO GO OVER THERE AND PROVIDE WATER WITH A FIRE ENGINE TO THAT RETIREMENT COMMUNITY SO THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAD WATER WHEN THEY NEEDED IT.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT BI-PARTISAN EFFORT, THE COMMUNITY JUST COMING TOGETHER LIKE THAT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO ADD SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, I'M SORRY, MAYOR PRO TEM REMINDED ME OF, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW YOU SHOULD NOT BE BATHING WITH YOUR DRINKABLE WATER.
THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS MADE FOR DRINKING.
AND IT'S JUST A SUPER IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND AGAIN, ONCE ALL THIS IS ALL OVER, I LOOK FORWARD TO FINDING OUT THE ANSWERS THAT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING.
UM, CATHERINE, THIS, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.
IT IS OUR QUARTER TO TOE ONE, UH, GOING THROUGH MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE, UH, LEAVE, COME BACK AT ONE 30 THAT'S IN 45 MINUTES SO WE CAN HAVE SPEAKERS AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE AGENDA.
UH, EVERYONE, UH, MANAGER, UH, UH, UH, DIRECTOR MATURES ONE, UM,
[02:40:01]
UM, AND, UM, COO JACKSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.UM, WE GOT SOME, AS I SAID, HE GOT SO MUCH DONE.
UH, WE RELIED SO MUCH ON THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE INDIVIDUALS THAT STEPPED FORWARD.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN FROM THIS, A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I ALSO SUPPORT KEEPING THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW ON THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL, UH, FOOD STILL WITHOUT WATER.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON IS WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE RECOVERY? UH, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL NEEDING SHELTER BECAUSE THEIR HOMES ARE NOT A HABITABLE.
UH, SO THERE'S AN ONGOING ELEMENT OF THIS THAT WE ARE IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF, UH, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS CONVERSATION, UH, UH, REALLY NEEDS TO FOCUS.
UH, THIS AFTERNOON IS AS, AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT COLLEAGUES, IF IT'S OKAY, WE'LL GO INTO RECESS HERE AT 1247, WE'LL COME BACK AT ONE 30 SO THAT WE CAN LISTEN TO THE SPEAKERS.
WE'LL THEN GO THROUGH THE AGENDA ITEMS ONE AT A TIME.
AND THAT WILL BE OUR AFTERNOON.
UH, MANAGER WILL TRY TO GET THE DISASTER STAFF BACK OUT ONTO THE STREETS, JUST AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
WE'LL WORK THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
ALRIGHT, SO YOU GUYS WENT THROUGH, ALRIGHT, LET'S HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MIGUEL BARBOSA.
WE'RE NOT THROUGH THIS DISASTER.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE VIEWING OR LISTENING.
PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY OUT AT WORK TO RECOVER A WEEK'S WORTH OF LOST WORK, BUT I CAN SAY THAT I DO GO BARBOSA.
I'M SPEAKING FOR MANY LOCAL AUSTINITES WHEN I SAY WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY, AND THERE'S A CRITICAL QUESTION.
WHEN WAS THE CITY NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS INCOMING DISASTER? IF ANYONE CAN ANSWER THIS, PLEASE DO.
I WOULD GENUINELY LIKE TO THINK THE CONCERTED EFFORTS AND FORCE EXHIBITED BY COUNCIL DISTRICTS, ONE, TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
THEY EXHIBITED RESILIENCES AND INITIATIVE IN WHAT STILL IS A STATE OF HUMANITARIAN DISASTER IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, TEXAS, THE LOCAL CIVILIANS WHO STEPPED UP FROM ALL OVER AUSTIN.
LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, RESTAURANTS, LOCAL BREWERIES, PLUMBERS, EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS AND HB PARTNERS WERE ALSO STEPPING UP IN THIS EMERGENCY.
YOU ARE ALL DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK, AND IF YOU ARE STILL OUT HERE, I KNOW HOW IT CAN FEEL FOR, I HAVE BEEN OUT DOING WHAT I CAN SINCE SATURDAY.
I SINCERELY HOPE THE CITY DOES NOT FORGET ABOUT THESE EFFORTS AND HOW THE CITY CAME TOGETHER.
THIS SHOULD VOTE DOWN IN AUSTIN, TEXAS HISTORY.
NOW IN REFERENCE TO ITEM THREE AND ITEM SIX, I APPROVE.
AND I AM SURE THERE IS NO OPPOSITION TO THEM.
I JUST THINK THAT CONCERNS ARE NOT IMMINENT FOR THEY ARE HERE AND HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE FEBRUARY 15TH, 2021.
YES, I AM TALKING ABOUT WATER SCARCITY, CONTINUOUS FOOD SHORTAGE, BROKEN PIPES, AND RESTED RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND APARTMENT COMPLEXES ALL OVER TOWN JUST A DAY AGO, OR A FEW DAYS AGO, WATER ACROSS TOWN WAS CLEAN AND READY TO BE DRUNK.
BUT IN MANY, MANY INSTANCES, FAMILIES AND CLINTON CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN UNSANITARY CONDITIONS WITH WATER SHUT OFF.
WHY? WELL, BECAUSE THEIR HOMES HAVE BROKEN PIPES.
WATER IS CUT OFF AND WHO KNOWS WHEN IT WILL BE TURNED BACK ON IT, WON'T BE CUT BACK ON UNTIL THOSE PIPES ARE FIXED.
PEOPLE NEED TOILETS, FAMILY NEED SHOWERS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY IT IS LIFE-THREATENING.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE WORK DONE IN THIS STATE OF DISASTER TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT.
THIS MEANS BRINGING IN PLUMBING PROFESSIONALS FROM WHEREVER THEY'RE WILLING TO COME FROM, GET THEM FROM THE STATES.
NO, GET THEM FROM OUT OF STATE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN REALLY NEEDS THEM.
SOME FAMILIES ARE NOW HAVING TO START ALL OVER AGAIN.
FLOORS ARE WET AND MOLDY, INCLUDING ALL OF THEIR BELONGINGS.
PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, LEAVE THE CITY AND EVEN LEAVE THE STATE OF TEXAS TO LIVE WITH FAMILY ELSEWHERE.
IF THAT IS EVEN A POSSIBILITY TILL THIS DAY, I AM PROVIDING CLEAN DRINKING WATER TO SOME FAMILIES.
I'M GOING LATER TONIGHT TO VISIT SOME FAMILIES AND GIVE THEM SOME WATER.
AUSTIN, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, YOU WILL HAVE TO STAND UP AND CONTINUE DOING JUST THAT UNTIL THE THINGS ARE MADE, RIGHT? THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO.
WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK INTO WHAT LANDLORDS ARE DOING TO HELP THEIR TENANTS, AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY'RE NOT SUPPORTING THEIR TENANTS AT ALL.
NEXT SPEAKER IS WESLEY STEWART.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS WESLEY STEWART AND I AM CURRENTLY SITTING IN MY TRUCK IN THE MIST COVERED IN WATER.
[02:45:01]
SIX OF ME AND MY FELLOW, AUSTIN CITIZENS, DELIVERING WATER TO ANYBODY WHO NEEDS IT, WHICH IS A LOT OF PEOPLE.AND I'M SPEAKING RIGHT NOW ON AGENDA THREE, WHICH WAS THE FIRST OPTION AND SEEMED LIKE A FINE FIT WHEN I READ IT.
BUT I COULD HAVE SPOKEN ON ANY ITEM AND MADE THE SAME POINT.
THE CONSIDERATION OF DECLARING A LOCAL STATE OF DISASTER IS ACTUALLY A PERFECT FIT FOR WHAT I WANT TO SAY THOUGH, THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND THE STATE HAVE FAILED.
WHAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH IS NOT ONLY TRAUMATIC, BUT EMBARRASSING.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT IT HAPPENED FOR PROFIT FOR GREED.
IT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SUBSERVIENCE TO MONEYED INTEREST.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, FASTER.
AND THE ONLY CLEAR LESSON THAT ANYONE I'VE TALKED TO HAS GOTTEN FROM THIS IS THAT WE HAVE NO FUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT, NOT AT THE CITY COUNTY OR STATE LEVEL.
THE ONLY TRUE FUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT HAVE RIGHT NOW, WHEN SHIT HITS THE FAN IS US AND SCIENCE AND EXPERIENCE HAS ONLY SHOWN THAT SHIT IS HITTING THE FAN AT A FASTER RATE, JUST AS OUR EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN US CONTINUALLY HOW INEPT OUR QUOTE UNQUOTE LEADERSHIP IS AT MEETING ANY REAL ACTUAL PROP.
BESIDES OF COURSE THE PROBLEM OF MOVING MONEY FROM US, THE PEOPLE TO THEM, THE WHAT UTILITIES, THE REPRESENTATIVES, ERCOT BRITAIN'S OF GREG ABBOTT.
IT'S HARD TO TELL REALLY WHAT WE'RE INVESTING IN WHEN IT CLEARLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A RELIABLE TRANSMISSION OF SERVICES, ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO MEETING THE MOST BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR HUMAN DIGNITY.
SO IN REGARD TO ITEM THREE AND THE DISASTER DECLARATION, I A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORT THE DECLARATION.
THIS IS THE KIND OF DISASTER THAT CHANGES A COMMUNITY FOREVER.
AND IN THE CASE OF AUSTIN AND IN TEXAS WRIT LARGE, I THINK FOR THE BETTER, IT'S CERTAINLY WHY I'M HERE AND WHY I WILL CONTINUE TO BE PRESENT AND HEARD FROM GOING FORWARD.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY THAT YOU ASKED TO CONSIDER, IN ADDITION TO DECLARING A LOCAL DISASTER TO PETITION GOVERNOR ABBOTT, TO INVOKE SECTION 14 ONE EIGHT FOUR ONE EIGHT ZERO TWO TWO OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND PROVIDE AID TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BEARING THE FINANCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL BRUNT OF THIS TRAVESTY OF MISMANAGEMENT.
BE IT, THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY RESOURCE INSECURITY, NUMEROUS WATER HEATERS, THAT BURST ONLY BECAUSE OF INADEQUATE INFORMATION OR THE ABUSIVE, WHERE THAT I'VE BEEN PUTTING ON MY TRUCK EVERY DAY, LUGGING ALMOST TWICE IT'S RATED PAYLOAD JUST TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT, ALL THIS BECAUSE OF THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND THE STATE WERE EITHER UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO HELP.
AND THE COMPANIES THAT WE PAID TO PROVIDE THESE RESOURCES, BECAUSE WE ARE CLEARLY NOT WHO THEY WORK FOR.
CAN I FINISH PLEASE? NO, YOU HAVEN'T, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN.
MY NAME IS CABLE WEIGHT, AND I'M CALLING IN TODAY ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC CITIZENS.
WE ARE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT ADVOCATES FOR CONSUMERS AND FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS.
AND I FIRST OF ALL, WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE DISASTER THAT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM AS A COMMUNITY AND AS A STATE IS ALMOST CERTAINLY A CLIMATE DISASTER.
THERE IS STILL, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH NEEDED TO CONFIRM THAT THESE POLAR VORTEX EVENTS ARE IN FACT A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT THE DATA IS POINTING IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD EXPECT THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.
I HOPE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM AND PREPARE FOR SO THAT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME KIND OF CATASTROPHIC IMPACT ON US HERE LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE STATE IS IT HAS THIS TIME.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW BLACKOUTS CAN BE ALLOCATED IN A FAIR AND RATIONAL WAY WHEN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY CANNOT MEET DEMAND.
CAUSE THAT WHILE IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO AVOID IS VERY LIKELY TO HAPPEN AT SOME POINT AGAIN.
SO WE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THAT SITUATION AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW AUSTIN ENERGY HAS INVESTED IN SMART METERS.
THEY CAN TURN EVERYBODY'S INDIVIDUAL METER ON AND OFF REMOTELY.
IF YOU DON'T PAY YOUR BILL OR IF YOU ARE MOVING OR
[02:50:01]
FOR WHATEVER OTHER REASONS, UH, IT'S NEEDED FOR SAFETY THAT CAN BE DONE CURRENTLY, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SOFTWARE TO DO THAT IN BULK BATCHES, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.SO THE, INSTEAD OF WHOLE NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MY OWN BEING WITH POWER THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WEEK AND, UH, HAVING THE BENEFIT OF HAVING OUR HEATERS ON WHILE OTHER PEOPLE FROZE FOR DAYS ON END.
AND THAT WAS ONLY BECAUSE I HAPPEN TO LIVE NEAR A FIRE STATION AND THEY HAVE TO KEEP THE FIRE STATION POWERED UP.
MY NEIGHBORS ALSO TURNED ON, CAUSE WE WERE ON THE SAME CIRCUIT.
WE CAN DO BETTER BECAUSE WE HAVE SMART METERS.
SO IT'S WORTH THAT INVESTMENT TO MAKE US SO THAT WE CAN UTILIZE WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY INVESTED IN THAT HARDWARE.
LET'S GET THE SOFTWARE TO MAKE IT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THOSE CRITICAL LOADS ON SO THAT THE BLACKOUTS COULD THEN ACTUALLY ROLL AND EVERYBODY COULD GET SOME POWER TO KEEP THEIR HOMES, AT LEAST TO A MINIMUM TEMPERATURE THAT IS SURVIVABLE AND HOPEFULLY COULD AVOID SOME OF THE PROPERTY DAMAGE AS WELL.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS INVESTING IN RESILIENCE MORE BROADLY THERE, OF COURSE, FOR MANY, UH, BUSINESSES AS WELL AS HOMES THAT WERE WITHOUT POWER, INCLUDING GROCERY STORES.
AND WHILE I AGREE THAT, UH, IN GENERAL, COMMERCIAL ENTITIES SHOULD NOT BE PRIORITIZED IN TERMS OF KEEPING ELECTRICITY ON FOOD AND WATER, WHICH MANY PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO GET FROM GROCERY STORES IS A BASIC NEED.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT AS WE USE THOSE SMART METERS TO TARGET WHAT NEEDS TO STAY ON, WE CAN INVEST IN SOLAR AND BATTERIES TO ALSO KEEP THINGS LIKE GROCERY STORES AND FOOD.
THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REVEAL HE REVIEW WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK.
UM, I HAVE SHARED IN OTHER FORUMS, MY EXPERIENCE AND HOW THE WINTER STORM WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
I THINK SO MANY OF US UNDERESTIMATED HOW MANY, UH, AUSTINITES ARE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE AND ON THE VERGE OF DISASTER.
AND WE STILL HAVE SO MANY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SUFFERING WITHOUT WATER AND FOOD.
THE AUSTIN EMS ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN GATHERING INPUT FROM ITS MEMBERS TO LEARN ABOUT HOW EMERGENCY SERVICES CAN IMPROVE ITS RESPONSE TO FUTURE WINTER CRISES, WHICH WE KNOW WILL BE COMING.
FOR EXAMPLE, SOME STATIONS LOST POWER AND WERE UNABLE TO CHARGE LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT.
WE FAILED TO MAINTAIN WINTER BOXES OR PUT CHAINS ON OUR AMBULANCES.
EVEN IF THE POWER DOESN'T SHUT DOWN, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PREPARED FOR FREEZING WEATHER WHILE WE ARE GATHERING THIS INFORMATION.
I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK YOU FOR THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU'VE MADE SO FAR THIS YEAR, DUE TO INVESTMENTS IN THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, UH, TRAVIS BAKER, OUR PHYSICIAN'S ASSISTANT WAS ABLE TO GO OUT AND PROVIDE CARE DIRECTLY AT THE BEDSIDE, INCLUDING SUTURES, UM, ABSCESSES, TAKING CARE OF THOSE, UM, INGROWN, TOENAILS, UM, AND ANTIBIOTICS, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT AMBULANCES WOULDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT DANGEROUS DRIVE TO THE PATIENT.
AND THEN TO THE ER OR THE COMMUNICATIONS HOTLINE WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIALYSIS METHADONE, OXYGEN AND OTHER CRITICAL NEEDS.
ONCE THOSE RESOURCES WERE SET UP, UM, ADDITIONAL AMBULANCES WERE IN PLACE TO ANSWER COUNTLESS CALLS AND OUR NEW COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS WERE ABLE TO HELP WHEN INTEGRAL CARE AND EMT WERE OUT OF COMMISSION.
DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE ICE STORM.
I'M PROUD OF ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS LAST WEEK AND THEIR CREATIVE THINKING.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL ON MAKING SURE THAT EMERGENCY SERVICES IS BETTER ABLE TO PREPARE FOR FUTURE FUTURE EMERGENCIES THAT WE KNOW ARE COMING.
MY NAME IS MIKE
WE WERE LUCKY TO KEEP BOTH POWER AND WATER LAST WEEK, WHICH WENT, WHICH MEANT WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF LOOKING AT TWITTER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HELL THE CITY WAS DOING.
ON TUESDAY NIGHT, I WATCHED THE CITY MANAGER AT A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE MAYOR AND OTHER TOP OFFICIALS ASSURE RESIDENTS THAT AUSTIN WATER WAS QUOTE HOLDING STEADY.
AND THAT IF QUOTE, ANYTHING CHANGES, WE WILL INFORM THE PUBLIC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ACCORDING TO AUSTIN WATER'S OWN OVERVIEW OF THE RESERVOIRS HAD ALREADY HEMORRHAGED ABOUT HALF OF THEIR CAPACITY.
AT THAT POINT, COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY FROM SPENCER CRUNK COULD HAVE KEPT PEOPLE FROM GOING THIRSTY AND LIVING IN UNSANITARY CONDITIONS.
LAST WEEK, I DID NOT RECEIVE A SINGLE EMERGENCY ALERT TEXT.
MY PARTNER, WHOSE NAME OUR UTILITIES ARE IN DIDN'T RECEIVE AN ALERT FOR THE CITYWIDE BOIL NOTICE UNTIL 12 HOURS AFTER IT WAS ISSUED.
I HEARD MR. CRON DIRECT RESIDENTS TO CALL THREE,
[02:55:01]
ONE, ONE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WITHOUT THEM TO THE FACT THAT THREE ONE, ONE WAS COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED BY CALL VOLUME AND TO FOLKS SHOULD EXPECT TO REACH A FULL VOICEMAIL BOX.THESE ARE JUST SMALL PIECES FROM THE LITANY OF FAILURES AT THE TOP TO COMMUNICATE AND RESPOND, WHICH LEFT PEOPLE FENDING FOR THEMSELVES.
IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE TO HEAR MR. CRUNK AND MAYOR ADLER SPEND THIS MEETING HIDING BEHIND THE EFFORTS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT THEY LEFT TO FIGURE SO MUCH OUT ON THEIR OWN, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S NO PROBLEM FINDING RESOURCES THIS WEEK FOR CAMP SWEEPS, THOSE SAME ORGANIZATIONS, OPPOSE MAYOR PRO TEM HARPER, MADISON COUNCIL MEMBER, COSAR OTHERS ON THE DIOCESE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THE WORK WE SEE YOU AND WE'RE WITH YOU.
I KNOW THERE'S NOT MANY SPEAKERS TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE ALL STILL IN AN EMERGENCY FOLKS ARE TRAUMATIZED.
AND THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT TO HOLD OUR CITY TOGETHER ARE BUSY, STRUGGLING TO DO SO.
I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU WILL PROCEED WITH THE SAME URGENCY.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A POINT, UH, THANK YOU TO THE SPEAKER FOR YOUR KINDNESS.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, THERE'S NOT A MEMBER ON THIS DIOCESE OR A MEMBER OF OUR STAFF THAT HASN'T BEEN KEEPING THAT SAME LEVEL OF CONTRIBUTION TO THIS EFFORT.
SO WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE PEOPLE SINGLING OUT SOME OF US, I LOVE IT.
THANK YOU FOR SEEING ME BECAUSE AS SOON AS I'M ABLE, I'M GOING TO SLEEP HARD, BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS WE ARE ALL ADDRESSING THE NEED AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
UM, SO, BUT THANK YOU TO THE SPEAKER FOR THE KINDNESS, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS APPRECIATED RIGHT NOW.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS, I WONDER IF WE CAN CUE IT UP SO THAT WE CAN SPEAK TO THAT SWEEPS QUESTION.
WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT CAMP SWEEPS.
IT WAS CLARIFIED FOR ME WAS SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF IT WAS RESUMING THE VIOLET BAG PROJECT, WHICH IS JUST PICKING UP REFUSE AND NOT SWEEPING CAMPS, BUT EVEN IF WE DON'T SPEAK TO IT RIGHT THIS SECOND, I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR SOME OF OUR OTHER, UM, CALLERS TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE DOING QUOTE UNQUOTE SWEETS.
THEN I THINK THERE WAS A, I REMEMBER SEEING A LIST OF WHAT THE CHANGE RULES WERE, UH, FOR, FOR THE ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENED, UH, EVEN MORE DISCERNING THAN, THAN WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR WELL, THAT'S A GOOD POINT MANAGER.
YOU CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S PART OF THE PRESENTATIONS.
ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES.
HELLO? ARE YOU ALL ABLE TO HEAR ME? YES.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY TESTIMONY TODAY.
I AM A RECENT MEMBER WITHIN DISTRICT THREE.
UM, AND I AM CALLING ON YOU ALL TO TAKE SOME IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO PROVIDE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS WITHIN AUSTIN, TEXAS, WE HAVE ALL LIVED THROUGH THE DISASTER THAT JUST HAPPENED.
SO I'M ASKING FOR DIRECT IMMEDIATE RELIEF BY PROVIDING UTILITY BILLS AND RENT CANCELLATION DIRECT CASH CASH ASSISTANCE OF $2,000 A MONTH OR MORE MUST BE PROVIDED, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO PROVIDE MUTUAL AID LIKE MYSELF AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I WORKED WITH THERE MUST BE SPECIFIC SUPPORT FOR OUR MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE ON THE STREETS UNTIL THE DAY OF THE STORM.
I'M ALSO ASKING FOR YOUR HELP TO ADVOCATE AND ENDORSE A WEATHERIZED PUBLIC WELL-REGULATED POWER SYSTEM THAT WE ALL KNOW WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS CRISIS.
WE CAN ALSO USE THIS TO PUT TEXANS TO WORK AND STOP THE CLIMATE CRISIS, MAKING US MORE RESILIENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP TO GET BIDEN, TO COME AND ENDORSE GREEN RECOVERY WITHIN TEXAS AND USING THIS MOMENT TO TAKE URGENT ACTION ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
WE'VE SEEN THIS WITH HURRICANE HARVEY.
WE'VE SEEN THIS NOW AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP SEEING IT MOVING FORWARD.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO BE ACCOUNTABLE, TO TAKE ACTION AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE US RESILIENT AND TO MAKE US COMBAT CLIMATE CRISIS AND ULTIMATELY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CLIMATE REFUGEES THAT WE WILL BE HAVING IN TEXAS.
THE LAST THING THAT I'M ASKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH IS TO SUPPORT THE RESIGNATION OF GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND SENATOR CRUZ WHO NEGLECTED THEIR DUTY AS PUBLIC SERVANTS IN THE MIDST OF THIS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, THESE PEOPLE ARE UNFIT TO SERVE.
THEY DO NOT REPRESENT THE PEOPLE.
THEY PUT PROFIT OVER PEOPLE AND THEY NEED TO STEP DOWN IMMEDIATELY.
I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP AS A LEADERS, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES TO TAKE THESE ACTIONS.
AND I LOOK TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE TO THESE ASKS.
[03:00:01]
OF MY TIME.MY COMMENTS TODAY ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO SENIOR CITIZENS AS IT RELATES TO ITEM THREE.
I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS YOU WERE RATIFYING THE DISASTER DECLARATION MIRROR, THAT OUR SENIOR CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN THE AREA OF PHARMA LANE HAD NO ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
SO WHILE I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND, AND I DID LISTEN TO THE TRANSIT MEETING YESTERDAY, THERE IS NOT TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN THIS CASE IT WAS A DIRE NEED.
AND SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PROVIDING WATER AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES, OUR SENIOR CITIZENS DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO GET THE WATER.
I PERSONALLY WENT TO WALNUT CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK.
IT'S TWO BUSES AWAY, BUT IT'S NOT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.
I CALLED THREE ONE ONE, AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO UPDATE IN REAL TIME, THOSE SITES THAT ACTUALLY RUN OUT OF WATER.
SO THAT TRANSIT DEPENDENT RIDERS, AS WELL AS THE POPULATION AT LARGE WOULD KNOW WHICH SITES TO ACTUALLY GO TO.
I JUST WANT TO CALL IT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT I ALSO LOOKED AT THE ERCOT SLIDES FROM YESTERDAY AND THERE'S ACTUALLY INFORMATION THAT SHOWS THAT THIS WARNING WAS AS FAR BACK AS NOVEMBER 5TH, 2020.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK AUSTIN ENERGY TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPLICIT, EXPLICIT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS NO ROLLING BLACKOUT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT AREAS LIKE SAMSUNG, THE ELECTRICITY WAS TURNED OFF, BUT FAR NORTH AUSTIN.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT WAS THREE NIGHTS WITHOUT LIGHTS, NO LIGHTS, NO POWER, NO PHONE, NOTHING.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE I APPRECIATE ME, CASA WAS OPEN.
THEY DID NOT HAVE DIESEL BATTERIES.
SO AS YOU LOOK AT YOUR AFTER ACTION REVIEW, I WOULD ASK YOU TO INCLUDE BATTERIES AS A, AN ESSENTIAL ITEM TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY.
I LASTLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO IN CAHOOTS, IT'S AN EAST AUSTIN, UH, FACILITY THAT OPENED UP THEIR DOORS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE SHOWERS AGAIN.
UH, IT TOOK ME TO BE PROACTIVE, TO WRITE TO THE CAPITAL METRO CEO ON FRIDAY TO LET HIM KNOW THAT ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN NORTHEAST AND NORTHWEST AUSTIN NEEDED THE BUS IN ORDER TO GET THE FREE HOT MEALS, NEEDED THE BUS TO GET WATER, AND ALSO TO GO TO IN CAHOOTS.
IF THEY WANTED TO TAKE A SHOWER, I'D BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE THE BUSES WERE NOT DUE TO START RUNNING UNTIL THIS PAST MONDAY.
AND WHEN I EMAILED HIM ON FRIDAY, HE RESPONDED IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND THE BUSES WERE THEN ACTIVATED IN THE BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, AS WELL AS THE AREA FROM DESKTOP TO TECH RIDGE AND LAKE LINE STATION.
TO THE OTHER THING I WOULD CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION AS ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, AS IT RELATES TO LITTLE WALNUT CREEK LIBRARY.
UM, I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ENCAMPMENTS, UH, NEED TO BE CITYWIDE WHILE YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE HOMELESS ISSUE.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THERE WAS NO WASH STATION OR PORT-A-POTTY NOW THERE IS, SO YOU HAVE AN ENCAMPMENT THERE.
I'LL SEND YOU SOME PICTURES WITH THE AREA NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP MORE IMPORTANTLY, I JUST WANT COUNCIL MEMBER CASARA TO RECOGNIZE THAT GUST GARCIA WAS ACTUALLY ON THE LIST.
HELPFUL HAS A MEMORANDA FROM MARCH 27, 2020, THAT LISTED SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE THE ENCAMPMENTS AND SERVICES WOULD BE PROVIDED.
SO THERE IS A, THE SPEAKERS, OKAY, COLLEAGUES, UH, LET'S TURN TO THE, UH, AGENDA IN FRONT OF US WHILE WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE ITEMS IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE PRESENTED.
UM, BUT AS, AS BEGINNING, YOU'VE DONE
[Consent Agenda]
ONE AND TWO THAT GETS US TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, IT'S RATIFYING, UH, DECLARATION LOCAL, A STATE STATED DISASTER.UM, I ISSUED THAT, UH, COUNCIL NEEDS TO RATIFY WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF ITS ISSUANCE, UM, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T MEET NEXT WEEK.
UH, AND NOW THE RATIFICATION IS IN FRONT OF US.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RATIFICATION OUT? SOME MEMBER POOL MAKES A MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER, ELLIS SECONDS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? LET'S TAKE A VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED I GO AS WERE EVERYBODY WITH THEIR HANDS RAISED.
THAT GETS US TO THE SECOND ITEM.
UH, THIS IS A, UH, ORDINANCE, UH, WAVING RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT FEES MANAGER.
DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF TO LAY THIS OUT? WE DO IT.
SO I GET THAT MOVED OVER OR WE DO.
I THINK THAT'S THE WAY TO HANDLE THIS.
GIVE STAFF A SECOND TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS.
[03:05:01]
UM, WHY HAS FOUR QUESTIONS IN A SECOND? SOUNDS GREAT.I CAN GO IF YOU'D LIKE, ALL RIGHT.
LET'S ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, BROADENING GONZALEZ, MARIN COUNCIL.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL THAT WITH PREVIOUS DISASTERS, UH, THE CITY HAS TAKEN AN INITIATIVE TO WAIVE RELATED PERMIT FEEDS TO ASSIST RESIDENTS WITH RECOVERY.
AND SO IN FRONT OF YOU IS AN AMENDMENT, UH, TO DO SO TO WAIVE RELATED PERMIT FEES.
ON TOP OF, OF COURSE, THE PERMIT FEES THAT ARE WAIVED, UH, DENISE DEPUTY OR DIRECTOR, DENISE LUCAS SENT COUNCIL A MEMO, OUTLINING MANY INITIATIVES THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN TO ASSIST HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS WITH RECOVERY.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING DIRECTLY LUCAS? I AM HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY GETTING MY VIDEO TO START, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD SUMMARY.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THERE WAS GOING TO BE A NEED TO WORK QUICKLY WITH THE COMMUNITY TO GET EACH PAIR OF STARTED.
AND SO WE BELIEVE THIS WILL BE A GREAT INCENTIVE.
WE'VE ALSO SET UP A WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND SEE WHAT REPAIRS ARE EXEMPT FROM THESE NORMALLY, AND THEN WHAT ADDITIONAL REPAIRS ARE GOING TO BE EXEMPT BECAUSE OF THIS RESOLUTION.
THAT'S ENOUGH FOR, UM, AND MORGAN.
SO THE ATTORNEY, DID YOU, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT IN THIS ORDINANCE, WE ALSO ADDED IN THE WAIVER OF THE EMS FEES FROM FEBRUARY 12TH UNTIL FEBRUARY THE 20TH.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT ADDITION TO MAKE SURE THAT EMS HAS WHAT IT NEEDS TO HAVE, UM, PROVIDED THE WORK AND THE EFFORTS THAT THEY HAVE OVER THE, THE PREVIOUS WEEK.
UM, COULD, COULD YOU DIRECT, UH, LUCAS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEIR RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING AND COMMERCIAL? I KNOW, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IF YOU HAVE A SINGLE OR DOUBLE UNIT, IF YOU HAVE A SINGLE OR DOUBLE UNIT, UM, THAT YOU'RE UNDER RESIDENTIAL, BUT IF YOU ARE A TRIPLEX ON UP TO A FULL ON APARTMENT COMPLEX, THAT'S CONSIDERED COMMERCIAL.
SO I WAS HOPING YOU COULD SAY LIKE BRIEFLY JUST SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES AND IF PEOPLE CAN GET STARTED ON EMERGENCY PARE REPAIRS RIGHT AWAY BEFORE THEIR PERMIT IS APPROVED AND TALK JUST VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW THE WEBSITES ARE UP, WHICH ARE VERY HELPFUL, BUT I'VE GOTTEN A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
SO IN THIS ESSENCE FOR REPAIRS, ALL EMERGENCY REPAIRS CAN START RIGHT AWAY ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
WE'RE ASKING THAT WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF STARTING THE REPAIR THAT YOU DO APPLY FOR YOUR PERMIT, BUT THIS ALLOWS FOR PLUMBERS AND ELECTRICIANS TO GET INTO THE BUILDINGS AND START THOSE MUCH NEEDED REPAIRS, UM, TO PROTECT HEALTH AND SAFETY.
UM, ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, UM, OUR, OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT WE HAVE HOMEOWNERS THAT MAY BE, UM, FINANCIALLY BURDENED WITH TRYING TO GET ALL OF THESE PERIODS DONE.
AND THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF PLUMBERS IN THE AREA AS WELL AS SUPPLIES.
AND WE DIDN'T WANT ANY DELAYS FOR THEM DOING THEIR HOMEWORK BEARS, WAITING ON A PERMIT TO BE ISSUED.
AND I THINK ANOTHER OF MY COLLEAGUE MAY SPEAK ABOUT, UM, THE SHORTAGE OF PLUMBERS, UM, COMING UP I'VE, I'VE HEARD, MAYBE SOMEONE'S WORKING ON THAT.
UM, SO I DID UNDERSTAND THAT IF AN APARTMENT COMPLEX HAS A REPAIR PERSON, LIKE A MAINTENANCE PERSON ON SITE THAT CAN DO PLUMBING, THAT THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THEY HIRE A TEAM TO COME DO THE PLUMBING FOR THEM.
IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ONSITE MAINTENANCE VERSUS CONTRACTING OUTSIDE? UM, NOT PARTICULARLY IN THIS INSTANCE, WE DO HAVE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO TAKE CARE OF THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS WITH OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND SO THAT'S PERFECTLY ALLOWABLE.
I KNOW I HEARD A LOT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE UNTIL THE ENTIRE APARTMENT BUILDING IS READY TO TURN BACK ON, EVERYBODY IS WITHOUT WATER.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU KIND OF RUNNING DOWN SOME OF THOSE DETAILS WITH ME.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO, UM, PLUG IN HERE WITH A COMMENT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS HAS MADE, BEEN WORKING, UM, TO HELP RECRUIT PLUMBERS TO AUSTIN, WORKING WITH PLUMBERS WITHOUT BORDERS AND WATER MISSION.
UM, AND I'M PLEASED TO REPORT SOME PLUMBERS WILL BE ARRIVING ON MONDAY.
THERE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THE AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF NETWORK THAT HAS REALLY BEEN A FABULOUS PARTNER THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
AND THEY'LL GO THROUGH THEIR CRISIS HELPLINE.
[03:10:01]
UM, MESSAGING ON THE ACCESS TO PLUMBERS THROUGH THAT PROGRAM IN THE NEAR FUTURE.AND THEY'LL BE USING THE ADR TRENDS, UM, DATABASE.
AND WE HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO ARE HELPING, UM, TO HELP THEM IN SOME LOCAL HOTELS.
UM, HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS'LL BE THE FIRST BATCH THAT ARE COMING AND HOPEFULLY MORE COMING AS, UM, NATIONALLY, UH, PLUMBERS RECOGNIZE THE VERY, UH, HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS, UM, THE PLUMBING SITUATION.
UM, THE SECOND THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION WAS ON THE EMS PIECE.
UM, I JUST WANNA REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE THE, UM, THE BILLING ISSUE IS VIS-A-VIS EMS. UM, THE EMS, UM, FOLKS ON THE GROUND HAD TO MAKE QUICK DECISIONS IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND ONE OF THOSE WAS ABOUT TAKING PEOPLE TO THE RIGHT PLACE WHEN THEY ERS, UM, WERE SWAMPED AND THEY COULDN'T TAKE THEM TO THE ERS, WHICH IS WHERE UNDER OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, YOU GET TAKEN WITH EMS. AND SO THEY, THEY WERE ABLE TO ROUTE FOLKS IN DIFFERENT WAYS, UM, PROBLEM SOLVING ON THE GROUND.
UM, BUT GIVEN OUR CURRENT BILLING SYSTEM AND THE WAY INSURANCE WORKS WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO, TO BILL APPROPRIATELY, BUT THEY WERE WORKING TO GET PEOPLE THE NEEDS AND THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
AND I WANT TO JUST THANK THEM FOR, FOR DOING THIS IN THESE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND TO POINT OUT THAT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE PUT IN MOTION WITH THE BUDGET, UM, AS MS Z RECOGNIZED WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, UH, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE BILLING WORK AND THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE PREPARING FOR, UM, WITH SOME NATIONAL CHANGES IS GOING TO REALLY HELP, UM, IMPROVE OUR WEIGHT, TO DELIVER PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE FUTURE, THROUGH OUR EMS. THANK YOU.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THIS ITEM NUMBER FOUR AUTHOR MAKES THE MOTION COUNCILOR TOBO SECONDS THEN DISCUSSION.
I NEEDED TO, TO JUST BACK US UP, UH, TAD, I WANT TO BE SURE THAT ONE, I WANNA, UM, THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN WORKING WITH THE PLUMBERS.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WANT TO JUST ASK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM, FROM ONE THAT I JUST GOT A COMMUNICATION FROM THAT THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY MAY, I GUESS, UH, ACM GONZALEZ, COULD YOU ADDRESS HOW THESE PERMIT WAIVERS, HOW THE PERMIT WAIVERS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING AND HAVE APPROVED ARE GOING TO IMPACT THOSE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS? AND IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE HERE TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE EXTENT THAT THOSE PROVISIONS WILL EXTEND TO THOSE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE MANAGING, YOU KNOW, IN DIFFERENT, IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING SOME THAT I REPRESENT ARE MANAGING SOME OF OUR, OUR MOST AFFORDABLE HOME OPPORTUNITIES.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE DOING WORK ON BEHALF OF A RESIDENT, UH, THEN THOSE WAIVERS SHOULD APPLY.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN FOLKS COME IN FOR PERMANENT, OF COURSE, WE LOOK AT THE ADDRESS AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S RESIDENTS AND THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT IF THEY ARE DOING WORK ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS, UH, WHICH I THINK THAT'S THE CASE, THEN IT SHOULD APPLY.
I WILL PASS ON THAT INFORMATION.
AND SO AS FROM YOUR ESTIMATION, THERE'S NO ALTERATION WE NEED TO MAKE HERE TODAY ON COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, THAT THOSE SUSAN, UH, CDCS ARE ELIGIBLE IF THEY'RE APPLYING ON BEHALF OF NOT TO MY, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT IF WE SEE SOMETHING THAT, UH, THAT WE MISSED, WE CERTAINLY WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL, BUT AGAIN, TYPICALLY THEY'LL WORK ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS.
THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, SO, UM, MR. GONZALEZ, COULD YOU JUST LAY OUT FOR PEOPLE THAT TIMELINE, UH, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT I KNOW THE CITY IS WORKING AS EXPEDITIOUSLY, EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE, AND WE'LL BE WORKING VERY QUICKLY ON ANY KIND OF PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS COULD, BUT CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THAT, ABOUT HOW YOU HANDLE THAT IN AN EMERGENCY, AND THEN YOU TURN AROUND, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FOR PEOPLE? AND SO ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOLKS TO DO IS TO, TO GO AHEAD AND BEGIN THE WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS, AND THEN WITHIN ABOUT FIVE BUSINESS DAYS TO COME BACK AND GET THEIR PERMITS.
[03:15:01]
SO WE DON'T WANT TO DELAY THEM UNNECESSARILY IN GETTING THE EMERGENCY.WE ARE AUTHORIZING THEM TO DO THE WORK AND THEN TO COME BACK AND PLAY THERE.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS A, UM, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR ACTION PLAN, YOUR EMERGENCY PERMANENT AND INSPECT INSPECTIONS, ACTION PLAN, UH, WHICH ANSWERS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE.
SO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THAT'S IN BACKUP AND IT SPEAKS TO ONLINE ASSISTANCE IN PERSON ASSISTANCE, UM, WITH YOUR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE TEAM AND THREE, ONE, ONE, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, COMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY ADJUSTMENTS.
SO JUST THINK THAT THAT BACKUP IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE.
IF THEY HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS IN PARTICULARLY YOUR, UM, YOUR WORKING THROUGH THREE, ONE, ONE, AND YOUR ONLINE ASSISTANCE.
SO YEAH, JUST WANTING TO POINT THAT OUT TO ACTUALLY GONZALES TO YOU.
SO IF I COULD, I DID WANT TO THANK DENISE DIRECTOR, DENISE LUCAS, AND HER TEAM FOR COMING UP WITH THIS PLAN.
UM, AS YOU ALL HAVE MENTIONED AT THE START OF THIS MEETING, THERE ARE MANY RESIDENTS AND MANY BUSINESSES THAT DO NOT HAVE WATER CURRENTLY.
AND SO WHEN WE CRAFTED THIS PLAN, WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE WEREN'T IN THEIR WAY OF GETTING WATER OPERATING AGAIN.
AND SO THAT WAS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN IS TO THAT WAY.
UM, WE'RE NOT PUTTING PEOPLE THROUGH A PERMITTING PROCESS FIRST TO GET WATER CONNECTED.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THEM GET CONNECTED IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN TO COME BACK LATER AND REQUEST IT PERMANENT.
GREAT, THANK YOU, MANAGER AS AN ASIDE, UH, RELEVANT TO THE TIMELINE QUESTION, WHEN WE GET TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, UH, IT WAS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED TO BE A RESPONSE BACK BY MARCH 25TH, BUT I THINK A LOT OF THESE ITEMS ARE MUCH MORE TIMELY THAN THAT.
AND I THINK MAYBE SOMEBODY WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO WORK ON.
SO JUST A HEADS UP WHEN WE GET TO NUMBER SIX, I'LL BE ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN REPORT BACK ON OUR COUNCIL MEETING NEXT WEEK TO WHATEVER DEGREE YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE, HAVE MOVED THOSE THINGS FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT, CONTINUING ON IN THIS ITEM, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER.
TOVO I REALLY APOLOGIZE FOR CONTINUING TO CIRCLE AROUND TO THIS ISSUE.
I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT LIKE TWO MINUTES AGO.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO, UM, VERY QUICKLY ON THE DAYAS UNDERSTAND.
I THINK THE ISSUE, UM, IS SIM GONZALES IS THAT SOME OF OUR CDCS MANAGE, MANAGE, UM, PROPERTIES, BUT THEY ARE NOT MANAGING THEM FOR HOMEOWNERS.
THEY'RE MANAGING THEM FOR TENANTS.
AND SO IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE THIS, I THINK IT MIGHT TAKE, UM, A TWEAK TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT OUR CDCS WHO ARE MANAGING PROPERTIES, UH, THAT ARE AFFORDABLE, UM, WOULD HAVE THESE PERMIT FEES APPLY.
SO THEY MAY BE MANAGING, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF CLARKSVILLE.
CDC MANAGES SOME SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR.
AND SO IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO ME BASED ON MY SUPER QUICK REVIEW, LOOKING FOR THIS ISSUE, THAT, THAT THOSE KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS WOULD, WOULD HAVE PERMIT FEE WAIVERS.
AND I ASSUME THE SAME WOULD BE TRUE FOR THOSE, THE, UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT ARE MANAGED BY, UH, GUADALUPE CDC AND, AND BLACK BLACK LANDS AND SOME OF OUR OTHERS.
SO I GUESS I'M FLAGGING THE ISSUE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE A RESOLUTION THIS MINUTE, BUT, UM, IF, IF ONE, IF WE NEED ONE AND COULD COME UP WITH ONE QUICKLY, UM, PERHAPS WE CAN REVISIT THIS DURING THE COURSE OF TODAY AND, AND, UM, MAKE THAT TWEAK.
AND I'M LOOKING AT PART TWO A OF THE ORDINANCE WHERE IT DOES SAY CITY COUNCIL WAITS ALL THE RESIDENTS WITH PERMITTING.
AND SO I THINK THE INSTANCE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MAY NOT NECESSARILY FIT INTO THIS IF THEY ARE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT BE MORE OF A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE, BUT I'LL DEFER TO, UH, ATTORNEY AND MORE, I, I THINK ON THIS, WE JUST, SO, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE COMING BACK NEXT WEEK ON THE COMMERCIAL MULTI-FAMILY KIND OF SITUATION, BUT I THINK THIS ORDINANCE COVERS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO.
SO I BELIEVE WE'RE ACTUALLY FINE FOR THIS ONE FOR THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING.
UM, COULD YOU MAYBE HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FISCAL IMPACT MIGHT BE IF WE WERE TO EXTEND THIS MAYBE BY ANOTHER MONTH? I KNOW THAT I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH GETTING BACK TO WORK, THEY'RE COMING SOME CHALLENGES WITH THEIR CHILDREN AT SCHOOL AND
[03:20:01]
REPAIRING THEIR HOMES, THAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REMISS OF US AS A COUNCIL TO NOT AFFORD THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS BY EXTENDING IT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? I CERTAINLY CAN.
THE REASON WE CAME UP WITH THE MARCH 31ST CASE, BECAUSE WE WANTED AS MANY HOMEOWNERS AS POSSIBLE TO ENTER INTO THE REPAIR PROCESS QUICKLY, WE'VE RECOGNIZED NOW THAT THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES WITH GETTING, UM, THE TECHNICAL TRADES TO DO THE WORK, AS WELL AS GETTING THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO DO THE REPAIRS.
AND SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS REVISIT, UM, THE DAY BEFORE IT EXPIRES TO SEE IF IN FACT WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE VOLUMES AND THAT EXTENSION IS NECESSARY SO FAR TODAY, WE'VE HAD 22 CALLS AND WE'VE ONLY ISSUED, UM, SEVEN, UH, EMERGENCY REPAIR PERMITS.
SO IN MANY CASES, UH, PERMITS NOT REQUIRED.
AND SO WE MAY NOT SEE LARGE PERMIT NUMBERS AND THEY MAY ALREADY BE EXEMPT FROM MEETING THOSE, UH, A PERMIT FROM A SANDY WAY.
THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S NEW TO THE COUNCIL, COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO, TO THOSE WATCHING WHEN YOU MIGHT BRING THIS BACK TO COUNCIL SO THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO AN EXTENSION AND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS? YES.
WE'D LIKE TO COME BACK AT MID MARCH.
UM, WE CAN ALSO EXTEND A MEMO TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL TALKING ABOUT THE RESULTS AND WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE, AND THEN GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, APPROVE AN EXTENSION OF THE PROGRAM, BUT WE'D HAVE MORE DATA AT THAT TIME TO, UM, HELP YOU WITH YOUR DECISION-MAKING.
I THINK WE'RE SCHEDULED WITH ANOTHER COUNCIL MEETING ON MARCH 25TH.
UH, ALSO WHEN ON THE FOURTH WILL BE COMING UP NEXT WEEK AND THERE'S ALSO ONE ON THE 20TH, UM, MOVED AND SECONDED ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AND A VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, ITEM FOUR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AS OPPOSED, LIKE THAT'S EVERYONE ON THE DIAS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE MANAGERS OR SOMEONE TO SPEAK TO THIS.
I CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO THIS ONE, BUT NUMBER FIVE DOES IS ALLOW US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PUT IN HIS ORDER, SUCH AS USING, UM, UH, PLUMBERS, UH, ASSISTANCE IN AN APPRENTICE MODE.
THOSE WITH, UH, EXPIRED LICENSES AND ALSO ALLOWING, UH, PLUMBERS OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS TO COME IN AND, UH, PERFORM THE MUCH NEEDED PLUMBING WORK THAT WE HAVE.
IT ALSO GIVES THE BILLING OFFICIAL ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY, UH, TO, UM, WAIVE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN CODE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DO REPLACEMENTS OF UP TO 12 INCHES IN LENGTH ON THEIR PODS WITHOUT HAVING TO, UM, ENGAGE WITH US, WHICH IS NEW AND DIFFERENT.
IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO, UM, EXTEND CERTAIN APPLICATIONS.
THE DATA APPLICATIONS REGISTRATIONS IS FOR PLUMBERS IS, UH, TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE AND THE CITY.
AND ALL OF THIS HAS DONE TO JUST INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF PLUMBERS AND OUR MARKET SPACE.
ANY QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM FIVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY MAKES THE MOTION, THE MAYOR PRO TEM SECONDS, ANY DISCUSSION THAT WAS IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I THINK THAT'S EVERYBODY, UH, THAT GETS US THEN TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE WAY IT GETS US THEN TO ITEM NUMBER SIX IS THE LAST THING ON OUR AGENDA.
UM, DID I MISS SOMETHING FOR WAVING? YEAH.
LET'S DO, LET'S DO NUMBER EIGHT.
MANAGERS, SOMEONE SPEAK TO THIS.
I'M GONNA SEE IF OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT CAN, THIS IS, UH, UH, JUST WAIVING OUR LATE FEES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, UH, BUT WE'RE FOR OUR WATER AND ELECTRIC UTILITY AND ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD ADD, IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE TOUGH STUFF AND IT'S ALL THE UTILITIES, EVERYTHING THAT COMES THROUGH UTILITY BILL WAVES, THE LATE FEES.
SO OUR MOTION APPROVE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL MAKES THE MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LS AND DISCUSSION.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANTHEA AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY REQUEST IS TO LOOK INTO ALSO
[03:25:02]
EVEN SOME OF OUR, UM, UH, WATER WASTEWATER WASTE WATER TO, YOU KNOW, SOME, A LOT OF THIS, UH, THEIR EXPERIENCE, UH, BROKEN PIPES, LOST A LOT OF WATER.I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT WE ARE CHARGING THEM FOR, YOU KNOW, WATER JUST GOING DOWN THE, UH, DOWN THE GUTTER, YOU KNOW? SO, UH, IF IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THAT, FOR THAT INCIDENT.
I'LL JUST NOTE THAT PART OF THAT DISCUSSION WILL BE INCLUDED IN ITEM NUMBER SIX.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT OUR UTILITIES CAN BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH, BUT, UH, THIS ITEM WAS JUST ON THE LATE FEES, BUT I, I HEAR YOUR POINTS AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MITIGATE THOSE COSTS.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, KELLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AS SOMEONE WHOSE FAMILY GREW UP PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND KNOWING THAT THERE ARE OTHER FAMILIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING, THAT HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS BEING ON OUR AGENDA TODAY FOR APPROVAL, BECAUSE I KNOW IT WILL HELP SO MANY FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY.
LIKE YOU MOVED IN, SECONDED THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM EIGHT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED NUMBER EIGHT IS, IS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY, I GUESS, AS TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, UM, I'M GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM.
IS THERE A SECOND? THAT WAS A MEMBER ALTER SECONDS.
IT I'M GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT THAT I'VE RAISED WITH ONE CHAIN WHERE IT SAYS THAT, UH, THE MANAGER WOULD RESPOND BACK BY MARCH 25TH.
UM, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE CHANGE THE LANGUAGE AS PART OF THIS AMENDMENT TO SAY, REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL BEGINNING NO LATER THAN IT'S MARCH FOUR, REGULAR MEETING FOR THE UNDERSTANDING MANAGER THAT AS YOU LEARN THINGS, YOU DON'T GET THAT INFORMATION TOO.
IT'S JUST AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
SO I WOULD OFFER THAT, UH, THAT AMENDMENT, UH, THAT WAS POSTED WITH THAT ADDITIONAL CHANGE.
IS THERE A SECOND TO MY AMENDMENT, COUNSELOR, COUNSELOR, KITCHEN, SECOND SAMPLE, UH, COLLEAGUES.
THIS WAS INTENDED AS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, JUST TO PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR FOLKS TO, TO TAG THINGS, UH, THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THE STAFF WAS LOOKING AT.
UM, UM, I THREW SOME OUT INITIALLY THEY WERE THE THINGS THAT IN SOME CASES I KNEW STAFF WAS ALREADY WORKING ON, UH, BUT WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE ELEVATED.
SO THE COMMUNITY COULD IT, I ALSO INCLUDED SOME THINGS ON HERE THAT, THAT YOU, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, I HAVE HEARD MENTIONED IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WASN'T TRYING TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE, THEY WERE UP ON BOARD.
BUT I THINK THAT A LOT OF THESE THINGS WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT AS A, AS A GROUP, UM, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE FILED AMENDMENTS.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THOSE AMENDMENTS IN THE ORDER.
YOU CAN EITHER MAKE YOUR AMENDMENT AS AN AMENDMENT TO MINE, OR YOU COULD WAIT UNTIL THAT ONE GETS SUBMITTED AND PASSED AND THEN MAKE IT SEPARATELY.
WHATEVER IS YOUR PLEASURE IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW IS THE AMENDMENT THAT I MADE ASK CUSTOMER ALTAR.
I APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THIS ON THE AGENDA SO THAT WE HAVE, UM, THIS INITIAL OPPORTUNITY TO START THIS PROCESS.
I DON'T THINK WHAT WE DO TODAY IS GOING TO BE THE END.
I WANTED TO JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT ON THE LAST BULLET, WHICH IS THIS PLAN FOR A FORMAL REVIEW OF THE DISASTER AND THE RESPONSE WITH THE GOAL OF AVOIDING FUTURE DISASTERS.
UM, SO I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT LANGUAGE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THIS DIRECTION WILL LIKELY NOT BE THE ONLY MECHANISM WE PURSUE TO REVIEW WHAT HAPPENED AND IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENTS.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER TOTO HAS SOME LANGUAGE AS WELL.
UM, BUT I CAN IMAGINE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD DO THAT.
UM, SO I'M TOTALLY COMFORTABLE PROVIDING THIS DIRECTION AS YOU'VE GIVEN IT.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, UM, THAT AS WE TRANSITION OUT OF STABILIZING, THAT WE ARE GOING TO REALLY NEED, UM, TO, TO BE REVIEWING THIS IN, IN WAYS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN WE'VE DONE FOR, FOR OTHER ISSUES.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY.
TO A POINT I THINK THERE WAS, THAT WAS THE INTENT AS WELL.
WE KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR COMMITTEES ARE DOING REVIEW.
WE KNOW THAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING TO DO THEIR OWN AFTER ACTION REPORTS, AND THEN WE HAVE COUNSELED PREFER A COBOS THING WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
AND WE WANT TO BOTH LEARN AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND BE PREPARED BETTER, UH, CUTS IN OUR KITCHEN.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, COMMENT, UH, BRIEFLY AND THANK YOU FOR THIS FORWARD IN, THANK YOU FOR THE
[03:30:01]
FIRST ITEM IN PARTICULAR, WHERE YOU, UH, RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS FOR HOUSING, STABILITY AND RESILIENCY FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING IT.
YOU KNOW, THIS EXPERIENCES IS YET ANOTHER EXPERIENCE THAT IS TO THE DIFFICULTIES IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THOSE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT DON'T HAVE HOUSING IN PARTICULAR.
SO JUST WANTS TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT THERE.
AND, UM, THERE'S MUCH TO BE DONE, UH, IN THAT REGARD, ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, TAVO YOU WANT TO ADD YOURS IS ADDITIVE LANGUAGE TO THAT LAST BULLET POINT, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THIS OR WAIT MAYOR.
I'M, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE IT UP AS A SEPARATE ONE IN, IN SOME WAYS THESE ARE DIRECTIONS THAT YOU'VE OFFERED FOR THE MANAGER.
AND THE ONE THAT I'VE OFFERED IS REALLY ABOUT OUR PROCESS AND OUR COMMUNITY PROCESS OF REVIEW.
SO I CAN DO IT OUTSIDE OF THAT.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, FACADE, UH, BROUGHT, BROUGHT AN AMENDMENT THAT SEEMS TO RESTRUCTURE YOURS.
AND SO IT MAY BE, IT MAY BE IN ORDER TO TAKE THAT UP BEFORE WE PASS YOURS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE, I'M NOT COMPARING KIND OF WORK MY WAY THROUGH.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, DAN CALIFORNIA TOBO HAS COME BACK TWO YEARS AFTER WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THIS AMENDMENT AND HANDLE THAT AS A, AS A SEPARATE, AS A SEPARATE ITEM.
I WILL SAY, JUST TO ADD ONTO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN SAID.
I AM REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT ITEM ON HERE.
AND AS WE, AS WE START TO WORK THROUGH, UM, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT FACETS OF, OF BOTH THE PREPAREDNESS AND THE RESPONSE, UM, SOME OF, YOU KNOW, I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE ST MARTIN SHELTER, UM, STAY HAD GOOD SUCCESS, UM, IDENTIFYING HOUSING OPTIONS FOR, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHO STAYED THERE.
AND SO THAT THAT'S REALLY THE OUTCOME, YOU KNOW, THAT I CERTAINLY WANT TO SEE FOR, FOR ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE HOUSED EITHER THROUGH THE COMMUNITY EFFORT IN HOTELS AND MOTELS OR, UM, AT THE PALMER CENTER OR ONE OF OUR OTHER SHELTERS.
SO THANKS FOR INCLUDING THAT ON THERE, IF I CAN MAKE IT EASIER.
UM, UH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO BE CHANGING THAT DATE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED MY RESTRUCTURING ANYMORE OR NOT.
IF YOUR INTENT IS THAT THE MANAGER SHOULD JUST DO THESE THINGS IMMEDIATELY ON A ROLLING BASIS ON THE TIMELINE NEEDED, THEN I WOULD JUST TAKE THE BULLETS I ADDED AND HAVE THAT AS MY SET OF AMENDMENTS.
SO FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT VOTING ON STRUCTURE.
IT'S THE INTENT FOR THE MAGIC TO BE RESPONDING.
SOME OF THESE, WE WISH WE HAD THE ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY, THE MANAGER AND STAFF UNDERSTAND THAT I WOULD NEXT GO TO COUNCIL WE'RE AUTHORS, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER LSU, YOUR HAND IS RAISED.
I DO ONE SENTENCE I WANTED TO ADD IN UNDER YOUR LAST BULLET POINT.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO TRY TO GET THAT ONE AMENDED IN IT KIND OF FLOWS REALLY WELL WITH YOU.
WE'LL GET TO YOURS IN JUST A SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.
YOU WANT TO LAY OUT YOUR, UH, ADDITIONAL PROTOCOLS.
UM, SO MY ADDITIONAL BULLET POINTS, UM, THE FIRST ONE ADDRESSES, UM, YOU KNOW, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITHIN THE CITY'S REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO MITIGATE THE BILL IMPACTS OF NON CITY OWNED UTILITY.
UM, SO HAVE MUCH MORE CONTROL AND WE WILL HAVE TO VOTE ON, UM, ANY POTENTIAL RATE CHANGES, ET CETERA, AS WE, AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION.
UM, BUT FOR NON-CITY OWNED UTILITIES, THAT PROCESS IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT.
UM, AND I WAS THINKING IN PARTICULAR FOR GAS, BUT THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER UTILITIES.
SO IT'S JUST PROVIDING DIRECTION, UM, TO TAKE WHATEVER STEPS THEY CAN TO MITIGATE THOSE BILLS.
UM, AND THEN IT'S COUPLED WITH A SECOND PART, WHICH IS ABOUT ADVOCACY AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS FOR DISASTER RELIEF, RESOURCES AND STEPS TO AVOID FUTURE DISASTER EVENTS, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.
AND WHILE THAT, THAT, UM, PHRASING IS MEANT TO BE BROAD BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, AID AND RELIEF THAT IS NEEDED, UM, AND COULD COME FROM THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL.
I WANT TO, UM, IN LIGHT OF THE FIRST BULLET, I WANT TO FLAG WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT, UM, THE GAS BILL SITUATION.
UM, SO WITH RESPECT TO TEXAS GAS, THEY HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A FIXED RATE COMPONENT AND HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE RAILROAD COMMISSION TO, UM, WHICH IS THEIR REGULATORY BODY AT THE STATE LEVEL, NOT THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION AND THE RAILROAD COMMISSION IS ALLOWING THEM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, TO KIND OF SET ASIDE THE BIG EXPENSES INTO AN ACCOUNTING, UM, BUCKET, UM, TO DEAL WITH THAT FUTURE DISCUSSIONS.
[03:35:01]
UM, AND SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ADVOCATING, UM, AT THE STATE LEVEL OR AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL FOR RELIEF FOR SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES.SO THEY DON'T END UP GETTING PASSED DOWN TO CONSUMERS AT A LATER DATE.
I WILL ADD THAT AS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, THE RATE PER UNIT OF GAS USED WILL NOT, UM, BE CHANGING FOR YOUR UPCOMING BILL.
BUT IF YOU DID USE MORE GAS THAN YOU NORMALLY USE, YOU WILL SEE, UM, AN INCREASE TO YOUR, YOUR BILL, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS WHEN IT'S COLD, UM, IN GENERAL.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE TWO BULLETS THAT I WOULD ADD, UM, TO MAYOR ADLER'S AMENDMENT.
AND IS THERE A SECOND TO THE ALTERNATE THAT'S MEMBER KITCHEN NEXT TO THEM, OR ANY OBJECTION TO THE ALTER AMENDMENTS HEARING? NONE, THE ALTER AMENDMENTS ARE, ARE ADDED TO THE, TO THE BASE NOTION.
I THINK THAT THAT GETS US TO COUNCIL MEMBER
AND SO MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE JUST ADDING MY BULLET POINTS THAT WERE NEW INTO THE RESOLUTION AS MY AMENDMENT.
AND IF FOLKS WANT ME TO READ THOSE THROUGH, I CAN, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE YOUR ADB C UM, THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE I THINK A D AND E ARE FROM YOUR ORIGINAL, IF THAT'S RIGHT.
AS ORCHESTRA MOVES, ADDING IS A, B AND C.
SO OUR SECOND TO THAT AMENDMENT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY SECONDS, UH, DISCUSSION, YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT IT.
FIRST COUNCIL ORCHESTRA ARE SURE THING.
SO, UM, THE FIRST A IS A CENTRALIZED LIST WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHERE THE WATER OUTAGES ARE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM OUR BRIEFING TODAY, THAT EOC IS WHERE TO START HOLDING, UM, THAT LIST.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I THINK IT'D BE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW HOW CLOSE WE ARE GETTING TO ACTUALLY ADDRESSING THE DISASTER, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW IT'S PROGRESSING IT AND, AND HOW DEEP INTO IT.
WE STILL ARE ONE IDEA THAT I'D LIKE THE MANAGER AND OTHER FOLKS TO THINK ABOUT IS WHETHER AT OUR WATER DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, WE ASK PEOPLE NOT AS A REQUIREMENT TO GET THE WATER, BUT ASK PEOPLE, ARE YOU OUT OF WATER, UM, AT HOME IN WHAT'S YOUR ADDRESS AND TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THOSE RESOURCES IN OUR, UM, IN OUR FOOD LINE TODAY, ADOBE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE'VE BEEN ASKING PEOPLE, UM, AND, AND TAKING DOWN THAT INFORMATION, THE PASS IT ALONG IN CASE PEOPLE DON'T CALL IT IN THE THREE ONE, ONE, BUT ANECDOTALLY IN THESE FOOD LINES, WE'VE BEEN FINDING, UH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A THIRD AND A HALF OF PEOPLE STILL SAYING THEY DON'T HAVE WATER OF THE PEOPLE COMING TO PICK UP FOOD AND WATER.
UM, THIS B UM, I REALLY SEE THAT LINING UP WITH WHAT DIRECTOR ARROWS SAID.
UH, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO COORDINATE THE VOLUNTEER EFFORTS WITH THE CITY LED EFFORT.
BUT PART OF WHAT I IMAGINE IS THINGS LIKE 400 GALLON TANKS BEING THEY'RE TAKING UP A PARKING SPACE OR TWO IN A APARTMENT BUILDING SO THAT PEOPLE, UM, WHEN THEY NEED IT CAN GO AND FILL UP JUGS OF WATER BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, BATHE YOUR KIDS OR, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, FLUSH TOILETS JUST WITH LIKE WATER BOTTLES THAT YOU'RE PICKING UP FROM THE EMERGENCY DISTRIBUTION SITES THAT YOU HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO, TO BRING MASS QUANTITIES OF WATER TO PEOPLE, UM, WHO NEED IT IMMEDIATELY.
AND HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T TAKE MONTHS.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD, THE THIRD PIECE I THINK, IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO SUPPORT THOSE MODERATE AND LOW INCOME HOMEOWNERS THROUGH THE REPAIR PROCESS AND GIVING TENANT VOICE IN THE PROCESS.
BECAUSE WHILE I EXPECT THAT MOST LANDLORDS WILL JUST MAKE THE REPAIRS AS DILIGENTLY AS THEY CAN, BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE DEAL WITH NOT IN CRISIS TIMES, UM, THERE ARE SOME TIMES THOSE PROPERTIES WHERE REPAIRS ARE NOT AS DILIGENT OR AS FAST AS THEY NEED TO BE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S TENANT VOICE IN THAT PROCESS, UH, TO KEEP THAT, TO KEEP THAT, UM, MOVING ALONG.
AND SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE, THOSE THREE OR ANY ADDITIONS AND IDEAS FROM Y'ALL, BECAUSE I'M SURE I'VE MISSED STUFF AND DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, IN EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR LOOKING AT THIS.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR STAFF, UH, FOR OUR STUDY THAT I THINK WOULD FRAME AT LEAST PART OF THIS CONVERSATION ON THIS ISSUE, UH, DURING THE, AND A LOT OF THIS I IMAGINE WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE AFTER ACTION REPORT AND WE EVALUATE WHAT WORKED WELL AND WHAT DIDN'T AND WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER, BUT A LOT OF WHAT THE CITY AND COUNTY'S RESPONSE WAS WAS NOT TO BE THE POINT PERSON ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLLECTION DATA, THE PUBLICATION OF THAT DATA, BUT RATHER TO GO TO, UM, UH, ORGANIZATIONS IN
[03:40:01]
THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT, UH, UH, WERE BELIEVED TO BE, UM, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD HANDLE THAT COMPONENT OF, OF, OF TAKING IN WHERE NEED WAS AND CONNECTING IT TO RESOURCES, UM, WHICH NECESSARILY INVOLVES TO SOME DEGREE, BEING ABLE TO, TO, TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE NEEDS ARE AND WHERE RESOURCES ARE, UH, WHILE WE WERE IN THE EVENT ITSELF.UM, THE, THE INFORMATION WAS NOT, UH, UH, AS TRANSPARENT AS, AS AS MANY FOLKS WANTED IT TO BE.
UM, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY ISN'T THE CITY OUT AND PUBLICIZING THIS KIND OF THING.
AND THE CITY HAD GIVEN
CAN YOU TALK FOR A SECOND ABOUT WHAT THE CITY COUNTY RESPONSE WAS AND HOW THESE THREE REQUESTS, UH, UH, WOULD HIT THAT IF AT ALL, OR IF THIS IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH, UH, HOW YOU WOULD SEE GOING FORWARD MAYOR COUNCIL, I SEE THIS AS A CONSISTENT WITH HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
I MEAN, WE ARE ADDRESSING THE EMERGENCY AT HAND.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ASSISTING WITH THOSE EFFORTS, DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO COMMUNICATE, UH, IN DIFFERENT WAYS, UH, ABOUT THE NEED AND RECEIVING THAT INFORMATION.
AND, UH, AS YOU NOTED, A LOT OF THIS WILL BE PART OF HOW WE CAN BECOME MORE RESILIENT AND GET, UH, IMPROVE OUR PROCESSES, UH, IF WE GOT FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE IN OTHER EVENTS.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO SHORE UP THESE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS MOVING FORWARD, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO I JUST, I JUST WANT TO CIRCLE AROUND BACK TO SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, I DID SEND ON SOME QUESTIONS AFTER OUR PRESENTATION FROM THIS MORNING.
AND SO I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST SAY WITH THEM AGAIN HERE.
UM, I HOPE MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE? I, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET INFORMATION, UM, FROM YOUR OFFICE TODAY ABOUT TO WHOM WE SHOULD FORWARD THOSE LISTS.
DO YOU HAVE, UH, AN ETA ON WHEN WE MIGHT BE IN TOUCH? SHOULD I BE SENDING ON THOSE LISTS? I MEAN, WE SENT ON A LIST NOW THERE'S NEW INFORMATION ABOUT WHICH PROPERTIES ARE BETTER, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, WHICH ARE STILL IN NEED OF WATER.
JUST, IT'S JUST UNCLEAR TO ME, TO WHOM I SHOULD BE COMMUNICATING, BUT IT WOULD BE WASTED EFFORT FOR, FOR YOUR EOC STAFF TO BE, OR WATER UTILITY STAFF TO BE IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF THEM, IF THEY'VE HAD THEIR WATER SITUATION TO RESOLVE.
SO, SO THERE'S THAT, AND THEN THE OTHER, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD SENT ON THIS MORNING IS IT STILL NOT CLEAR TO ME WHEN THE WATER UTILITIES, UH, WATER DISTRIBUTION EFFORTS ARE GOING TO BE ROLLED OUT AND WHETHER THOSE ARE NOW NICELY SINKED UP AND IN COORDINATION WITH THEIR FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
SO I GUESS THAT'S THREE QUESTIONS WHEN, WHEN WE'LL BE HEARING FROM YOUR OFFICE ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR FORWARDING ON, UH, LISTS TO WHEN THE WATER UTILITY IS GOING TO ROLL OUT ITS WATER DISTRIBUTION, AND THREE, WHETHER THEY'RE COORDINATING AT THIS POINT WITH THE AFS VOLUNTEER EFFORT, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION.
UH, I KNOW THAT STAFF WAS WORKING ON DRAFTING THAT AS SOON AS WE WERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AND IT HAD, IF IT HASN'T GONE OUT, IT WILL GO OUT SHORTLY AFTER THIS MEETING, UH, FOR WHERE YOU CAN SUBMIT THE LIST OF PROPERTIES THAT NEED ATTENTION.
SECOND, UH, AS DIRECTOR MAZARA SAID THAT THE UTILITY IS ALREADY, UH, IMPLEMENTING ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE PUTTING WORK TOWARDS THAT END AND COORDINATING AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE OTHER REQUESTS THAT HAVE COME IN THROUGH THREE, ONE, ONE, AND THE EOC.
AND TO THAT END NUMBER THREE, UH, I KNOW THAT THAT TYPE OF COORDINATION IS HAPPENING IN REAL TIME.
UH, BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESPONSE AND WE ARE GETTING DIFFERENT DATA POINTS FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES AND THE FOLKS THAT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS ARE LOOKING AT, THOSE, THOSE DATA SETS THAT WE'D HAVE COME IN, WE'RE FOCUSING ON WHERE THOSE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN OUT WITHOUT WATER, THE LONGEST, UH, AND SOME OUT OF POPULATION.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE WATER DISTRIBUTION PIECE OF WHAT THE, OF THE WORK THAT THE WATER UTILITY, UM, THAT, THAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, OR THAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING, OR HAS BEEN GOING ON, SPEAK TO THAT, PLEASE DIRECT THEM AS ZEROS.
[03:45:01]
OF CLARIFICATION'S, UM, WE HAVE, UH, UH, ROUGHLY 40 TO 50 AUSTIN WATER EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING, UH, WITH THE EOC ON DISTRIBUTING BOTTLED WATER.I MAY HAVE MISCOMMUNICATED THIS ISN'T OUR OWN DISTRIBUTION OF, OF BOTTLED WATER AND OTHER RESOURCES ARE COORDINATING WITH THE EOC WITH, WITH OUR EXTRA BODIES THERE.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING AND LOOKING HOW MIGHT PROVIDE HIGHER VOLUME WATERS THROUGH HYDRANT CONNECTIONS AND, AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
WE'RE ALSO COORDINATING THAT WITH EOC AND WE ARE WORKING WITH AFD, UH, WITH, WITH THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, HOW WE MIGHT USE, UH, HOSES AND, UH, LARGER CONTAINERS TO GET SOME HIGHER VOLUME WATER TO SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS.
AND SO THAT'S STILL TAKING SHAPE, UH, AND THAT'S A LITTLE MORE OF A, OF A, YOU KNOW, OF, OF A DETAILED, UM, UH, UNIT BY UNIT PLAN, AS OPPOSED TO A ACROSS THE BOARD PLAN.
THAT WAS EXACTLY THE, IT WAS THE LARGE VOLUME THAT I WAS WONDERING ABOUT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, THAT THAT PLANNING EFFORT IS STILL, I GUESS IT'S STILL BEING REVIEWED.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COSAR FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I WANTED TO JUST, UM, COMMENT ON, I THINK THAT I THINK THEY'RE ALL, UH, UH, VERY HELPFUL AND REPRESENT SOME ACTIONS.
SOME OF THEM REPRESENT ACTIONS THAT ARE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
I WANT TO SPEAK FOR A MINUTE TO THE CENTRALIZED LIST OF PLACES WITHOUT WATER, UH, AND JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT, UM, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, THIS INCIDENT HAS, YOU KNOW, THIS DOES, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH HAS REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, WITH AUSTIN WATER AND WENT THROUGH DIRECTOR MASSARA ABOUT IN THE FUTURE, THE ACCESS TO SMART METERS, WHICH ARE BEING ROLLED OUT NOW WILL PROVIDE EVEN GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PINPOINT AND HIGHLIGHT, UM, WHERE PLACES ARE OUT OF WATER.
AND, UH, IN THE MEANTIME WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN RIGHT NOW, UH, THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT EFFORTS IN SOURCES OF INFORMATION TO COMPILE LISTS LIKE THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE DIRECTOR
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
AS WE HAVE A LARGER SCALE, UH, DIGITAL METER SYSTEM.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO TELL, UH, ESSENTIALLY REAL TIME, UH, WHICH METERS ARE, UH, ARE OPERATING AND WHICH ONES ARE NOT OPERATING IN TERMS OF FLOW GOING THROUGH.
AND, UH, AND THAT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP US, UH, WITH, UH, IDENTIFYING WHERE THERE'S WATER LOSS.
YOU KNOW, WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
WE ONLY HAVE 4,000 METERS INSTALLED RIGHT NOW IN OUR PILOT AREA, BUT WE DID START TO SEE THAT POTENTIAL, UH, EVEN, UH, TELLING HOW MUCH WATER WAS GOING THROUGH WITH, UH, WITH, UM, RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT WERE, WERE DRIPPING FAUCETS, UH, DURING THE COLD.
AND, UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED TO SEE THAT COME TOGETHER.
AND I THINK AS WE DEPLOY THIS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER TOOL FOR BOTH TO AND FROM THE CUSTOMER.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO JUST COMMENT ON THE THIRD ITEM, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL, UH, PARTICULARLY WHERE YOU HIGHLIGHT A TENANT ORGANIZING RESOURCES COUNSELOR, BECAUSE ARE THAT I'M SURE THAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES, BUT I'VE TALKED TO, UH, AT LEAST ONE, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEX OF, OF SENIORS WHO IS, WHO HAD AN AMAZING RESPONSE WORKING WITH A NEARBY NEIGHBORHOOD AND REALLY HELPED THEM GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE THINKING COMING OUT OF THIS IS THAT THEY MAY WANT TO CREATE THEIR OWN, UM, THEIR OWN, UM, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATION TENANT ORGANIZATION, UM, AT THEIR LOCATION TO HELP THEM BE MORE ORGANIZED, UH, IN TERMS OF RESPONSE IN THE FUTURE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL TO, UM, TO THINK ABOUT, AND I HOPE THAT MANY ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY ARE THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY CAN ORGANIZE BETTER, YOU KNOW, OR, OR ORGANIZE IN PLACES WHERE THEY HAVEN'T HAVEN'T TO SET UP THOSE, THAT COMMUNITY LEVEL RESPONSE.
I, UM, MAYOR, PORT, TIM HAS SPOKEN TO THAT, UM, IN THE PAST, BUT THAT'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS RESPONSE IS THAT GRASSROOTS NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.
AND SO ONE OF THE PIECES THAT I HOPE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS, IS HOW WE CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT LAST ITEM.
[03:50:01]
AUTHOR NEXT.UM, I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, UM, EXTEND MY, THANKS TO THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION AND BOB NICKS AND LIEUTENANT CALDWELL AND, UH, FIREFIGHTER HAGLER, UM, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO AND I WERE TRYING TO GET BUCKETS AND SHERWIN-WILLIAMS STEPPED UP AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LOT OF THAT GOING, BUT IT'S, IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO WATCH HOW THAT HAS EVOLVED AND, UM, HOW IT'S WORKING TO GET FOLKS, FOLKS, WATER.
AND I JUST WANT TO REALLY COMMEND THE INGENUITY AND THE MANY HOURS OF WORK THAT HAVE GONE IN, UM, ON THAT.
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, JUST DRAW A DISTINCTION AS WE ARE PUTTING THIS LIST OF PLACES TOGETHER, UM, THAT WE'VE NOTICED AS WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO NAVIGATE COMPLEXES, UM, IN MY DISTRICT THAT DON'T HAVE WATER, UM, THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMPLEXES WHERE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE BUILDINGS AND ONE OF THE BUILDINGS HAS WATER, AND ONE OF THEM DOESN'T, UM, BECAUSE THE, THEY ARE ABLE ON SITE TO GET SPIGOTS GOING AND STUFF, SO THAT FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO WATER.
UM, AND NOW THAT THE BOIL WATER NOTICE IS OVER THAT WATER, GENERALLY SPEAKING IS POTABLE WATER.
UM, AND SO JUST, WE STILL NEED TO ATTRACT THOSE UNITS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO WATER IN THEIR COMPLEX, BECAUSE THEY MAY NEED ASSISTANCE GETTING THE PLUMBING WORKING AGAIN, BUT THE WATER DISTRIBUTION NEEDS NEED TO BE TARGETED TO THOSE PROPERTIES THAT DON'T HAVE ANY WATER ON SITE, UM, THAT IS AVAILABLE.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW WIDESPREAD THAT DISTINCTION IS.
UH, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KEPT KIND OF, WE KEPT RUNNING INTO, UM, EXPERIENCING.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN DECEMBER WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE, UM, THAT WAS ALLOWING THE EXTENSION OF THE CAP, UM, PROGRAM, THE TWO AUSTIN WATER PROPERTIES WHERE THEY, AUSTIN WATER METERS WERE SEPARATED.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT LIST OF FOLKS WHO ARE EITHER ON THE AA CAP, BUT NOT ABLE YET TO GET THE AUSTIN WATER OR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE ON THE AUSTIN WATER LIST IN GENERAL, UM, IF THERE'S A MECHANISM FOR US TO TEXT THOSE FOLKS OR EMAIL THOSE FOLKS WITH SOME KIND OF CHECK-IN, UM, AND HAVE A CLEAR SET OF QUESTIONS THAT WE COULD BE ASKING THEM, IT WOULD BE A POTENTIAL WAY TO GET SOME ACCURATE DATA, UM, OF WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE GROUND, UM, IN SO FAR AS THERE'S A CORRELATION, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, WITH THE BUILDING, UM, CONDITIONS THAT WE MIGHT OBSERVE.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I WANTED TO MENTION JUST FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT FOR WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, UM, FROM WHAT WE SAID EARLIER ABOUT NOT RESTRUCTURING, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WOULD NOT BE IN, WE WOULD BE INSERTING WHAT IS UNDER ABC AND THE AMENDMENT ON D, BUT WE ARE NOT ADDING LETTERS TO THEM IN, IN, UM, MAYOR ADLER'S AMENDMENT, WHICH WE ARE NOW AMENDING.
UM, SO THOSE WOULD JUST BE PLUGGED IN PERHAPS IN AN AREA WHERE THEY'RE TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY GO TOGETHER.
BUT, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THAT WAS THE INTENTION.
SO WE DON'T END UP WITH A LITTLE MONSTER HERE, SO, OKAY, GREAT.
AND JUST TO SAY IT OUT LOUD, SO THAT IS IN THE RECORD IT'S ATTENDED, I, I UNDERSTAND IT TO BE BULLET POINTS AND TO KEEP THESE BULLET POINTS TOGETHER, COUNCIL MEMBER COSAR.
THIS IS JUST A GOOD MOMENT FOR ME TO FIRST THINK.
UM, MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE DIOCESE, MANY OF WHOM, UM, SENT WATER TO LOTS OF COMPLEXES IN MY DISTRICT, UM, WHEN THERE WERE LOTS OF PIPES BURSTING, AND I KNOW YOU WERE SERVING YOUR OWN DISTRICT, AND THEN ALSO RECOGNIZING HOW MUCH, UM, OLDER HOUSING STOCK AND LOW-INCOME HOUSING STOCK IS IN NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST.
AND SO, UM, MANY OF YOU WHOSE DISTRICTS ARE, ARE FURTHER AWAY WHERE WE'RE TEXTING AND CALLING, AND INSTEAD OF AMY, EACH OF YOU, I JUST WANT TO SAY HERE IN THE MEETING, HOW, HOW APPRECIATIVE I KNOW MY CONSTITUENTS THAN I AM FOR, FOR Y'ALL, UM, TO HELP EVERYBODY, NO MATTER WHICH PART OF THE CITY THEY'RE IN.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND TO JUST REITERATE OUR, THANKS TO THE BREWERIES WHO WERE ABLE TO BOIL WATER SO QUICKLY AT THE BEGINNING TO THE, TO THE FIREFIGHTERS, BUT ALSO TO THE UNITED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS WHO, UH, DID THIS TOGETHER WITH THEM AND WENT AND GOT THE TRUCKS FROM, FROM FAR-FLUNG PARTS OF TEXAS AND WENT TO WELLS AND WIMBERLEY AND, AND CLEANED OUT TANKS OF WATER.
UM, WE JUST COULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT WITHOUT THEM.
AND THEN SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZERS WHO CALLED THROUGH THE VOLUNTEER LISTS, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THAT MORNING, WE PUT TOGETHER THE GOOGLE FORM FOR PEOPLE TO SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER.
[03:55:01]
AND WITHIN AN HOUR THERE WERE 800 PEOPLE SIGNED UP SAYING THEY HAD TRUCKS.UM, SO, SO I APPRECIATE JUST EVERYBODY THAT, THAT CONTRIBUTED IN THAT, INCLUDING THOSE, SO MANY OF YOU HERE ON THE DIASTAT THAT HELPED.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, THAT AN IMPORTANT PART OF MOVING THIS FORWARD IN THIS RESOLUTION IS WHILE THAT IS HEROIC AND GREAT.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE CONTINUED WORK, UM, FROM THOSE FOLKS, IS IT MEAN GOVERNMENT HAS TO STEP IN AND WE HAVE TO, UH, PROVIDE THIS NOW.
AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WHILE I DO THINK THE WATER BOTTLES COMPONENT HERE IS IMPORTANT THAT WHAT DIRECTOR OF ZEROS AND THE MANAGER AND COUNCIL MEMBER TO-GO HIT ON OF LAR FINDING WAYS TO PROVIDE LARGE QUANTITIES OF WATER.
NOW THAT FOLKS HAVE SO MANY OTHER NEEDS APART FROM JUST DRINKING IS IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK THIS FOLDS INTO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR SAID, UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN IS THAT TENANT VOICE PART, I THINK WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVEN IF A HOSE IS AVAILABLE, FOR EXAMPLE, ON A SITE THAT MAY ACTUALLY SERVE TENANTS, THERE MIGHT BE SOME SITES WHERE THE HOSES ARE AVAILABLE, BUT THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT LETTING PEOPLE ACCESS THEM AT NIGHT OR IN A CERTAIN TIME, AND THEY STILL NEED A TANK.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I REALLY JUST WANT TO REITERATE HERE THE COMPONENT ABOUT INVESTING ENOUGH RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REALLY HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THE WATER SO THAT OUR SYSTEM VERY WELL TRACKS, WHETHER REPAIRS ARE HAPPENING OR NOT.
IF PEOPLE ARE BEING DISPLACED FROM THEIR UNITS FOR REPAIRS OR NOT, IF WATER IS REALLY ON OR NOT IN DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, WE JUST, WE JUST REALLY NEED TO KNOW THAT.
UH, AND I, I THINK THE CITY AND COUNTY HOLDING THAT AS APPROPRIATE AT THIS, AT THIS POINT.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS, AND THANKS TO EVERYBODY IN THE STAFF, UM, WHO I KNOW IS TIRED AND STILL NEEDS TO EXECUTE THIS THOUGH, BECAUSE THE DISASTER PERSISTS.
COLLEAGUES, UM, ANYTHING FURTHER ON THE COSAR ADDITION TO THE THREE BULLET POINTS, ANY OBJECTION TO THOSE, YOU ALREADY NON THE COSTAR THREE BULLET POINTS ARE ADDED.
THAT WAS A MEMBER AND LS MAYOR.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THERE WAS ALSO A CHANGE TO A FOURTH BULLET, JUST SO THAT RECORD, IF THERE WAS AN EDIT TO DUE TO HOUSING DAMAGE AND RE PAIRS PROCESS UNDER HIS D YES.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT TO THE LANGUAGE.
SO IT'S ADDING THE BULLET POINTS, A, B AND C AS BULLET POINTS, AND IT'S MAKING THE LANGUAGE CHANGE THAT'S SHOWN IN THIS, OUR AMENDMENT D UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS YOU'RE ALLOWED YOU REMEMBER IT? YES.
SO THE, THE AMENDMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, UM, IT FOLLOWS IN LINE AFTER YOUR LAST BULLET POINT, IT SAYS PLAN FOR A FORMAL REVIEW OF THE DISASTER AND RESPONSE, YADA YADA, YADA, UM, AND AT THE VERY END, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPROVED PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS FROM AUSTIN WATER, SUCH AS MORE TIMELY WARNING NOTIFICATIONS, MORE LOCALIZED REAL-TIME OUTAGE INFORMATION AND ESTIMATES OF WHEN WATER SERVICE WILL BE RESTORED.
UM, THEY WERE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION LIKE BOIL WATER NOTICE, AND YOU KNOW, HOW FULL THE TANKS WERE GETTING.
BUT SOME OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW QUICKLY WILL WE GET BACK TO THAT HUNDRED MILLION GALLON MINIMUM TO REPRESSURIZE THE SYSTEM WAS WHAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO KNOW IN DISTRICT DATE.
AND I WAS HOPING THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME WAY TO INVESTIGATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION MORE READILY AVAILABLE.
UM, I KNOW IT CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE AND A LOT OF IT IS BASED ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR, BUT SOME SORT OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LONG PEOPLE WOULD BE WAITING WOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, EXTREMELY HELPFUL FOR THIS PAST WEEK.
AND, UM, SO I WANTED TO LAY THAT OUT THERE AND HAVE THAT INCLUDED IN THE INFORMATION THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THIS AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY SECONDS, UH, DISCUSSION, ANY ADDITION TO THIS COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY? I JUST WANT TO, I GUESS, ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, HIS SENTIMENTS THERE.
I HAD A LOT OF FRUSTRATION AND I KNOW MY STAFF DEALT WITH A TON MORE FRUSTRATION FROM CONSTITUENTS ALL OVER THE CITY, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ACCURATE TIMELINE.
WELL, WE CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS SAID, I DO THINK THAT IT'S REASONABLE TO OFFER SOME SORT OF TIMEFRAME OF WHEN SOMETHING WOULD BE CORRECTED, SO TO EASE CONCERNS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT AT THE VERY LEAST WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
ANY OBJECTION? YOU HAVE TO NUMBER KITCHEN.
OH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THIS ONE IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING MORE WITH AUSTIN WATER ABOUT, I
[04:00:01]
THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.UM, THERE ARE THOSE, UH, EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEMS IN PLACE.
SO DIGGING DOWN INTO THE DETAILS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT CHALLENGES THEY ARE AND WHAT IMPROVEMENTS THERE MIGHT BE MADE ON THOSE WOULD BE, UM, GOOD CONVERSATION.
I DO APPRECIATE, UH, DIRECTOR MASSAGES, UM, EFFORTS TO GIVE PEOPLE AN IDEA OF A TIMELINE.
I UNDERSTAND IT WAS NOT AS SPECIFIC, UM, WOULD BE, UM, DESIRED BY PEOPLE.
AND SO WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ALSO ROTATION COUNCIL, AMERICAN
UM, MY STAFF HAD SHOT ME A NOTE ABOUT WHETHER WE COULD ADD, UM, AT THE END OF YOUR LAST BULLET POINTS, INCLUDING OPTIONS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH MULTI-FAMILY AND MASTER METERED RESIDENTS.
UH, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS JUST, I THINK THAT IS A CHALLENGE, UH, THAT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GRAPPLE WITH.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEANS IF YOUR MASTER METER THAT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET YOU IN AUSTIN ENERGY TEXT, OR SOME OTHER WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH YOU.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER HERE NOW, BUT I THINK LISTING IT AS SOMETHING WHERE EVEN IF WE TEXTED ALL AUSTIN WATER CUSTOMERS, WHEN YOU HAVE A MASTER METER DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO STILL COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE FOLKS.
SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I WOULD, I WOULD APPRECIATE ADDING THAT AND THEN TASKING OUR STAFF WITH FIGURING OUT HOW TO ADDRESS THAT MORE COMPLICATED ISSUE AS POSSIBLE.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT LANGUAGE AGAIN, MORE SLOWLY OPTIONS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH MULTI-FAMILY AND MASTER METER RESIDENTS.
THAT OKAY WITH YOU GUYS REMEMBER ELLIS, THAT SITES THAT, THAT IS FRIENDLY.
SOMETIMES TRYING TO COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE WITHIN COMPLEXES HAS CREATED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ISSUES ALONG THE WAY, JUST TRYING TO GET INFORMATION OUT.
SO ON THE COSAR PROPOSED AMENDMENT, A DISCUSSION ON THAT, DOES ANYBODY OBJECT TO THAT BEING ADDED JOHNSON MEMBER? KEVIN? OKAY.
I DON'T OBJECT, BUT I DO HAVE A SUGGESTION POSSIBLY.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE BOIL WATER NOTICE WENT OUT THROUGH THE REVERSE NINE ONE ONE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
AND I WONDER IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO AMEND TURN SOME OF OUR CUSTOMER'S LANGUAGE TO REFLECT UTILIZATION OF THE REVERSE NINE ONE ONE SYSTEM TO GET OUT INFORMATION REGARDING WATER USAGE, TO HELP CIRCUMVENT HAVING TO GO THROUGH AUSTIN ENERGY'S LIST.
I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT THEY COULD LOOK AT, OR WE COULD ADD LINES LIKE WORDING AT THE END THAT SAYS, UM, SUCH OPTIONS THE MANAGER COULD LOOK AT COULD INCLUDE REVERSE NINE 11.
I DUNNO HOW TARGETED REVERSE NINE 11 CAN GET TO A PARTICULAR COMPLEX.
UM, BUT WE COULD, WE COULD ADD THOSE WORDS OR THE MANAGER COULD MAYBE JUST TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AMONGST THE OPTIONS.
SO ADDING TO THE LANGUAGE THAT COSAR HAD ANOTHER COMMA THAT SAYS, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION CONSIDERATION OF REVERSE NINE ONE NINE ONE ONE SYSTEM.
ANY OBJECTION THAT BEING ADDED ANY OBJECTION TO COUNSEL KOSSAR'S AMENDMENT AS AMENDED WAS ACTUALLY AN AMENDMENT, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT, WHICH I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE, BUT WE DID.
UH, SO WE'LL JUST PROCEED WITH IT THAT WAY.
NO OBJECTION TO CONCERNS GOVERNMENT.
AND WERE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND AND MORGAN? I WAS JUST IN MY MIND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, I THINK KOSSAR'S AMENDMENT IS TO ELLIS' AMENDMENT TO YOUR AMENDMENT.
UM, CAUSE IT'S A QUICKEST LINE FROM HERE TO THERE, SO, UM, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT BY A COUNCIL MEMBER AUTHOR.
UM, JUST CAUSE IT SEEMS GERMANE RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANT TO, TO, UM, ASK THE CITY MANAGER, IF HE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A REPORT ABOUT WHY THREE REVERSE NINE ONE, ONE WAS NOT USED SOONER, UM, FOR THE BLACKOUT STUFF.
UH, AND MY OBJECTION TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS'S AMENDMENT AS AMENDED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER CONCERNS AS AMENDED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, HEARING NONE, THAT AMENDMENT IS NOW PRETTY AND IT GETS US TO THE LAST ONE WE HAVE, WHICH IS THE KELLY AMENDMENT.
UM, MANY ARE I HAVE AN AMENDMENT ALSO.
I'M HAPPY FOR COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY TO GO FIRST.
I JUST THINK IT'D BE BEFORE COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S ALSO ADDING TO YOUR LIST.
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IF THAT'S OKAY.MY, UH, MY AMENDMENT IS, UM, UH, I'D LIKE TO ADD THIS AMENDMENT TO THE LAW, TO THE LIST THAT WE'RE, UM, CREATING TO ADD TWO YEARS, MAYOR.
THIS IS ANOTHER ITEM, UH, THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES AND I'LL SPEAK TO IT BRIEFLY AND THEN EXPLAIN WHY SPECIFICALLY, UM, YEAH, THAT COUNTS OVER KITCHEN PROPOSED AMENDMENTS OR A SECOND TO HER AMENDMENT.
IT WAS POSTED AS SENIORS COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE REIA SECONDS OF CATHERINE THAT YOU BUY IT.
THE, UH, THE, UM, AMENDMENT, UM, ASKED THE CITY MANAGER TO, UH, PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UH, FORMALIZING AND IMPROVING OUR CITIES AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY'S NOTIFICATION AND DISASTER RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR SENIORS, UH, FOR VULNERABLE SENIORS, LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY, AND ALSO FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT SHOULD INCLUDE OUR SYSTEMS FOR WELFARE CHECKS.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER IN DEVELOPING HIS RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR AGE-FRIENDLY PROGRAM COORDINATOR, UH, WITH OUR COMMISSION SENIORS AND WITH THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
NOW THIS IS A, THIS IS AN ACTION GOING FORWARD TO HELP US BUILD ON AND IMPROVE THE SYSTEMS THAT WE WE USED DURING THIS CRISIS AND THAT WE'VE BUILT IN THE PAST.
SO I IMAGINE IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME.
SO I HAD SUGGESTED THAT THE CITY MANAGER ENDEAVOR TO REPORT ON RECOMMENDED ACTIONS BY SEPTEMBER 1ST, WHICH WILL GIVE SOME TIME FOR THESE COMMISSIONS AND THE COMMITTEE TO, UH, TO, TO THINK THROUGH THESE EFFORTS.
UM, THE REASON I'M PROPOSING THIS IS I THINK IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LEARN FROM AND BUILD ON THE SENIOR WELCH WELFARE CHECKS THAT WERE COMPLETED OVER THE PAST WEEK, UH, TO DELIVER WATER, FOOD AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO AGE 70 AND NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WAS REALLY AN AMAZING EFFORT.
AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT EVERYONE PARTICIPATED IN THAT EFFORT.
I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR MARSHALING THE RESOURCES TO HELP MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
AND, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT MY OFFICE INITIATED, UH, BASED ON THE EFFORTS THAT I DID AND A NUMBER OF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS DID LAST SUMMER, OR ACTUALLY LAST YEAR WITH REGARD TO COVID WELL CHECKS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A PROCESS FOR, YOU KNOW, HOW IN AN EMERGENCY, WE CAN QUICKLY REACH OUT TO OUR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
UM, IT WAS AN AMAZING COMMUNITY EFFORT THIS TIME WITH ACTUALLY OVER 500 VOLUNTEERS WORKING WITH, UM, UH, KATIE NEURON, HOE AND OTHER, UH, OTHER, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO JUST CITE FOR YOU ALL BECAUSE I'M, I'M VERY, UM, IMPRESSED WITH THE EFFORT THAT THE COMMUNITY BROUGHT TO BEAR.
UM, THOSE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS REACHED OVER 14,000 SENIORS, UM, PROVIDED SUPPORT DURING THEIR CALLS AND IDENTIFIED OVER 1000 SENIORS FOR WELLNESS CHECKS, UH, FOR WATER AND FOOD DELIVERY.
AND THEN I KNOW ALL OF YOU WORK WITH THOSE SENIORS IN EUROPE, IN YOUR DISTRICTS.
UM, WE ALSO WORKED WITH PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS, ADR N MANY OTHER VOLUNTEERS, AND ALSO WITH THE CITY.
AND I WANT TO THANK RAY ARIANA FOR HELPING US ORGANIZE THAT FOR THE CITY, UH, TO REACH OUT TO THOSE FOLKS.
UM, UH, IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A WAY IN WHICH IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF BOTH THE NEED FOR HAVING A QUICK RESPONSE MECHANISM TO REACH THESE VULNERABLE SENIORS.
AND IT ALSO POINTS TO, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT EFFORTS HAPPENING.
IT POINTS TO IT REALLY BEGS FOR HOW WE MIGHT COORDINATE IN THE FUTURE.
AND, UM, IF WE SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE ALL DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT IF WE SHOULD HAVE AN EMERGENCY IN THE FUTURE, HOW WE CAN, HOW WE CAN MORE NIMBLY, UH, PUT, PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN PLACE.
I ALSO MENTIONED, UM, IN THIS, UH, UH, PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY WITH DISABILITIES AND A COMMITTEE FOR ROAR, UH, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, BECAUSE I KNOW ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DIFFERENT COMPLEXES IN THE COMMUNITY, APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND WORKING WITH THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, FOR EXAMPLE, TO HELP GET WATER TO THOSE COMPLEXES.
SO I THINK, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO HAS BEEN MENTIONING AND OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE SYSTEMATICALLY AND IN A CENTRALIZED WAY, REACH OUT TO THOSE KINDS OF COMMUNITIES.
I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HAS, HAS MENTIONED THE RBJ CENTER AND IT'S
[04:10:01]
REALLY BEEN WORKING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT CENTER.BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THIS KIND OF EFFORT WILL HELP WITH THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO JUST, I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE, I KNOW WE ALL HAVE MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE THAT WE WORKED WITH IN OUR DISTRICTS TO RECOGNIZE, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THAT BECAUSE AS OTHERS HAVE SAID THIS, THIS CLASS, THIS IS NOT OVER, BUT I WANT TO CALL OUT, UM, OUR WESTERN TRAILS NEIGHBORHOOD, OUR SOUTHWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, OUR SOUTH LAMAR NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE, UH, WHERE THEY JUST JUMPED IN IMMEDIATELY TO HELP THE WESTERN TRAILS APARTMENT COMPLEX, WHICH IS A COMPLEX FOR SENIORS WHEN IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT THEY NEEDED FOOD AND WATER, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SURROUND THAT, UM, COMPLEX JUST IMMEDIATELY, UH, STEPPED IN AND MADE SURE THAT THEY HAD WATER AND FOOD.
AND, AND, UH, TO THIS DAY WE HEARD JUST YESTERDAY HOW THAT, HOW APPRECIATIVE THE SENIORS ARE IN THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX AND HOW THEIR NEEDS HAVE BEEN MET BY THEIR NEIGHBORS.
SO, UM, I MENTIONED ALL THIS, I KNOW WE, WE ALL HAVE MANY, UM, EXPERIENCES HERE THAT WE CAN SHARE AND TALK ABOUT, BUT I THINK OUR TASK GOING FORWARD IS TO, TO LEARN FROM ALL THESE EFFORTS AND, UM, AND BUILD A BETTER, MORE RESILIENT SYSTEM FOR HELPING OUR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO HELP THEM STAY SAFE.
SO, UM, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH, UM, WITH OUR, UM, AGE-FRIENDLY PROGRAM COORDINATOR, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, MY APPOINTEE TO OUR COMMISSION ON SENIORS.
AND THEY ARE, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU CITY MANAGER, UM, AS YOU ALL WORK THROUGH A PROCESS, WHICH I KNOW WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO COME BACK RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE CAN, UH, HOW WE CAN, UM, LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND BUILD ON IT.
THANK YOU, KEVIN, BEFORE WE MOVE PAST THIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN IDENTIFYING THIS NEED, AS WELL AS THE, THE VEHICLE USING THAT, UH, UH, THE, THE PHONE BANKING SYSTEM, UH, AT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR WHAT WAS A NON-PARTISAN EFFORT, UH, AN INCREDIBLY HEARTWARMING STORY FROM, UH, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, CANDIDATES, UH, OR HER COUNSEL, UH, RUNNING AS A REPUBLICAN, UH, WHO WAS PART OF THE EFFORT AND MADE ONE OF THE EMERGENCY CALLS, MADE THE CONTACT AND, AND ENDED UP ROBERT THOMAS WITH HIS FAMILY DRIVING OVER TO SOMEWHERE THAT THEY HAD TALKED TO IN THE PHONE.
BUT TO STATISTICS YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, BECAUSE THERE WERE SEVERAL WAVES OF PHONE CALLS AND TEXTS, UH, OUT OF THE UNIVERSE OF PEOPLE OVER 70 THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO REACH.
UH, THERE WAS A UNIVERSE OF 74,000 PEOPLE REPRESENTING 57,000 HOUSEHOLDS, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY CONNECT WITH OVER 32,000 OF THEM.
AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES IS THAT IT IDENTIFIED INITIALLY 28 PEOPLE WITH OUR EMERGENCY NEEDS THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE OTHERWISE FOUND.
I THINK THAT EXPANDED UP TO JUST OVER A HUNDRED, AND THESE WERE OF A LEVEL WHERE, UH, EMS AND APD, UH, WERE DEPLOYED TO, UH, UH, THOSE FOLKS, UH, HOMES.
UH, SO IT WAS, UH, UH, AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM AND ONE OF A THOUSAND IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THAT WERE HAPPENING DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
THERE'S AN AMAZING NUMBER OF REALLY, UM, BOTH HEARTWARMING AND VERY SCARY STORIES THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE CONNECTIONS.
SO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALSO THEN COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA.
APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THE EFFORT THE LAST WEEK OR SO.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK FOR SOME CLARIFICATION ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES SENIORS LIVING IN COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAD SEVERAL SENIOR CENTERS THAT HAD NO POWER OR NO WATER AT VARIOUS POINTS IN TIME.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND WAS THAT AUSTIN ENERGY'S CONTACT NUMBERS WERE NOT GOOD.
UM, THEY WOULD HAVE LIKE AN 800 NUMBER FOR A SENIOR CENTER.
AND SO, UM, IN ORDER TO CORROBORATE WHETHER THEY HAD ELECTRICITY OR NOT, AND BEING AT THE MOST BASIC LEVEL FOR THE SENIOR CENTER, AND MANY OF THE SENIORS LIVING THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ANSWER A PHONE IF WE HAD REACHED OUT TO THEM.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EFFORT, UM, THAT WE'RE INCLUDING,
[04:15:01]
UM, THOSE TYPES OF FACILITIES THAT SOME ARE ASSISTED LIVING SOMEWHERE NURSING HOMES, THEY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT NAMES DEPENDING WHAT THEY CALL THEMSELVES.UM, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME THING AS THE SENIOR THAT'S LIVING IN AN APARTMENT ON THEIR OWN.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE TERMINOLOGY, UM, AND IF IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THOSE PLACES WOULD LIKE TO SEE ABOUT AN AMENDMENT.
I WISH IN TERMS OF PEOPLE COMING AROUND, NOT IN NURSING HOMES OR ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS, BUT YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN AND HAPPY TO ADD THIS, UH, TO, UH, TO ADD THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, HOW ABOUT IF WE JUST SAY FOR VULNERABLE SENIORS LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND, AND IN, IN MORE, UM, FACILITATED SETTINGS OR SOMETHING.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS IN A FACILITY SENTENCE.
UM, CAUSE I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSCORE FOR, FOR THE CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO, WE HAD THOSE TYPES OF FACILITIES THAT ALSO HAD A LOT OF SENIORS, UM, THAT WERE IN TROUBLE THAT WE NEEDED TO DELIVER, UM, SUPPORT TO, UM, AND OUR, OUR SYSTEMS FOR IDENTIFYING, UM, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO NOTIFY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY AS POWER WAS DOWN FOR SOME PHONE SYSTEMS, ET CETERA WERE VERY LIMITED.
UM, AND, AND THERE WAS NOT ALWAYS THE SENSE THAT YOU COULD, UM, GET TO THEM VIA WHAT YOU WOULD THINK WOULD BE THE NORMAL ROUTE THROUGH THE NUMBERS THAT SAY OUR UTILITIES HAD.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S A WHOLE PROJECT JUST ON THOSE FACILITIES AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE, UM, PEOPLE IN OUR UTILITIES AND THEN ELSEWHERE THAT HAVE THOSE CONTACT INFORMATION CORRECT AND ACCURATE.
UM, AND IT WAS ALSO EVOLVING AS CERTAIN PEOPLE WERE ON SITE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR PHONE SYSTEMS. AND SO THAT SAID, THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME PREPAREDNESS THINGS THAT RELATE TO THIS THAT, UM, ARE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE TYPE OF WELFARE CHECKS THAT WE'RE ENGAGED AT THROUGH THIS BROADER GROUP COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I GET THIS CORRECT THAT AT THE END OF COMMUNITY, THE WORDS TO BE ADDED WILL BE AS WELL AS IN A FACILITY SETTING.
ANY OBJECTION TO THAT CHANGE BEING MADE TO PENCE MEMBER KITCHENS OF MN? NONE THAT'S INCLUDED FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I CAN REMEMBER KITCHENS ENOUGH TO READ IT WAS NEXT.
UH, ON THAT LINE OF, UH, DISCUSSION, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BIG FRUSTRATION THAT I HAD WITH THE, UM, WITH REACHING OUT AND CONTACTING THE, UH, REBECCA BAIN IS THAT THEIR POWER WENT COMPLETELY OUT.
THEY LOST THE LANDLINE TO THE OFFICE THERE.
SO WHILE WE'RE ALSO ON THAT SUBJECT, WE NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE REACH OUT TO THESE LOCATIONS AND SET UP AN AGENCY, PHONE NUMBER, A CONTACT PERSON THAT HAS A CELL PHONE THAT'S GOING TO BE WORKING SO THAT WE COULD REACH OUT TO THEM AND BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN THAT AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS WHAT THEY NEED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, I'M REALLY JUST REALLY GLAD THAT IT'S A RESOLUTION AMENDMENT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NEEDED.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE SENIORS UP ON THE 16TH FLOOR, FLORIDA COULDN'T COMMUNICATE WITH ANYBODY.
AND A LOT OF THESE SENIORS NORMALLY JUST HAVE THESE LITTLE PAYPHONES, YOU KNOW, THEY RUN OUT OF THEIR MINUTES AND THAT'S IT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, THIS, THIS AMENDMENT IS, UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
COUNSELOR KITCHEN, JUST ONE LAST SHOUT OUT.
I, I, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAVE MANY, MANY PEOPLE TO THANK, BUT I, I DO WANT TO THANK, UM, UH, THE MANAGERS AND STAFF AT SAM'S AND SOUTH PARK MEADOWS AND WALMART AND SOUTH PORTMANS.
THEY DONATED, UM, UH, BOTTLED WATER TO US.
UH, I KNOW THERE'S OTHERS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS GOT WATER FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, BUT I WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR DONATING THAT WATER TO US AS WE WERE WORKING TO DISTRIBUTE WATER TO, UM, FOLKS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
ANYTHING ELSE ON COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN'S AMENDMENT THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE KITCHEN AMENDMENT BEING ADDED, RAISE YOUR HAND IF IT GETS ADDED UNANIMOUSLY THAT OBJECTION.
REMEMBER ALTAR IS OFF THE DIAS.
EXCEPT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR IS OFF THE DICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, WHO WAS ALSO OFF THE DIOCESE, OTHERS VOTING.
CATHERINE WERE ALL THIRD HERE AND SHE VOTES ON.
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THANK YOU.LET'S GO THEN TO A COUNCIL MEMBER CELLIES.
UM, SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A REVISED SHEET THAT WENT OUT THROUGH THE EMAIL.
UH, WE WERE TOLD BY LAW THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO DO ONE OF THE THINGS.
SO WE WITHDREW IT FROM OUR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
UM, THEY'RE PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD.
I'D LIKE TO CONDUCT A REVIEW OF FIRST RESPONDER RESPONSE TO THE DISASTER, INCLUDING A REVIEW OF HOW STAFFING LEVELS WERE MAINTAINED AND TO COMPARISON TO OTHER MUNICIPAL EQUIVALENT RESPONSES IN TEXAS, TO INCLUDE STAFF ON DUTY RATIO, TO POPULATION THROUGHOUT THE INCIDENT PLUS OVERTIME EXPENSES.
I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT A PLAN AND RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO BEST ENCOURAGE AUSTINITES TO BE AWARE OF SIMPLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE WAYS TO BE BETTER PREPARED FOR WEATHER CRISES.
I KNOW IN THE PAST, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAD A COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM OF WHICH I WAS A PART OF, AND I FOUND IT TO BE VERY HELPFUL, MORE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS THROUGH HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO DO A REVIEW OF CITY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS TO DETERMINE HOW TO BEST REPOSITION AND DEPLOY SUCH RESOURCES IN A CRISIS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY HAVE ONGOING MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY HAD TO ENDURE.
I KNOW FOR ME, I WAS WITHOUT POWER FOR FOUR DAYS AND IT WAS A STRUGGLE.
AND SO FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME MEANS AS I DO, IT MIGHT BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO OVERCOME SOME OF THE TRAUMA THEY EXPERIENCED.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO CATHERINE OR KELLY URGES.
WE'LL DO ALL THE PIECES YOU'VE DONE.
THE SECOND SECTION THERE, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY RECOMMENDS ADDING THOSE THREE BULLET POINTS, A SORT OF SECOND TO THAT, THOSE AMENDMENTS COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO SECONDS.
NOW, UH, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING MORE WITH RESPECT TO THOSE? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS TOO.
AND I, I HOPE THAT, UM, WHEN WE GET TO TALK ABOUT MY AMENDMENT, UM, I'LL, I'LL PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT FOR HOW I SEE THAT HELPING INFORM SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD, BUT I'M GLAD COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, YOU BROUGHT UP THE CERT PROGRAM COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM.
IS THAT WHAT IT STANDS FOR? I'VE FORGOTTEN NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY, I HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH TALK ABOUT.
AND I, I WAS REMINDED OF THAT OVER THIS LAST WEEK THAT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF, OF THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE, UM, DID HAPPEN ON A NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE, HOW WE PREPARE AND RESPOND TO THE NEXT, UM, THE NEXT KIND OF EMERGENCY, I THINK IT IS THAT LOCALIZED RESPONSE THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL AND SO IN NEED.
AND SO I, I REALLY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS AMENDMENT.
UM, IT CONNECTS TO SOME OF THE WORK THAT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN DOING AROUND FOOD ACCESS, WHICH IS A IFC THAT SOME OF YOU ARE WORKING WITH ME ON, UM, THAT WE HAD INTENDED TO BRING FORWARD IN FEBRUARY.
AND NOW IT'LL LIKE, WELL, NOW IT WILL CERTAINLY BE IN MARCH, BUT ALSO LOOKING TOWARD IDEAS OF WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE INSTITUTIONS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT COULD SERVE, UM, AS COMMUNITY RESILIENCE SPOTS I THINK IS, IS REALLY NECESSARY, CERTAINLY FOR, FOR THIS.
UM, I KNOW SHANNON HOLLY ON MY STAFF HAS SUGGESTED THAT SCHOOLS WOULD BE REALLY IDEAL COMMUNITY RESILIENT HUBS.
AND AS WE SAW IN THIS RESPONSE TO THE EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, AISD IMMEDIATELY CAME THROUGH, UM, IN HELPING WITH THOSE WARMING CENTERS.
AND I'M JUST, I WANNA, I KNOW WE'VE SAID LOTS OF THANK YOU IS DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME, BUT I WANT TO THANK, UM, MATEA SUGATA AT AISD FOR, YOU KNOW, RESPONDING IMMEDIATELY WHEN I CALLED HIM AND SAID, DO YOU HAVE SCHOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THESE AREAS? AND HE WAS ABLE TO CHECK VERY QUICKLY TO SEE WHICH ONES WERE ONLINE AND WHICH ONES WEREN'T AND THAT'S, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND THOSE, UM, POSSIBILITIES FOR WARMING CENTERS.
SO I, I, IT'S A COUPLE OF JUMBLED THOUGHTS.
I KNOW WE'RE ALL OUR MINDS ARE, ARE WORKING IN OUR HANDS AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS THESE DAYS.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY, AND TOO, AS WE START THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, HOW THIS TWEAKS, THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE WORK, THAT'S ALREADY BEGUN, UM, THOSE KINDS OF LOCALIZED EFFORTS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SEARCH OR THROUGH REALLY LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUBS, I THINK IS IT'S JUST A VERY IMPORTANT DIRECTION FOR US TO CONSIDER OR ENHANCE OUR COUNTY WITH RESPECT TO THE EVENTS THAT YOU'VE OFFERED.
THERE'S, THERE'S THE FIRST GROUP OF BULLET POINTS THAT WE'RE ASKING THE MANAGER TO JUMP ON RIGHT AWAY, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT IMPACT, HOW WILL YOU RESPOND TO THE PRESENT CRISIS, GET THIS INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE RIGHT NOW,
[04:25:01]
OPEN UP THIS DATABASE OR PAGE RIGHT NOW, THE LAST BULLET POINT THAT I THINK THAT'S MY TOTAL IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO IN SECOND, START TALKING ABOUT KIND OF LOOKING FORWARD, WHAT DO WE DO BETTER IN THE FUTURE? AND IT LOOKS AS IF THOSE THREE BULLET POINTS YOU'VE JUST MADE, THERE ARE, ARE MORE FORWARD-LOOKING AS OPPOSED TO THINGS THAT HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY.CAN WE, CAN WE, IF WE, UH, PROVES, I THINK WE WILL, THOSE THREE BULLET POINTS.
CAN WE ADD THEM, UH, UNDER THE LAST BULLET POINT THAT WE HAVE? SO IT'S INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, AS PART OF THE REVIEW AND THE FORWARD? WELL, THAT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
UM, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THEN THERE'LL BE INCLUDED THAT WAY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THESE BULLET POINTS.
AND THEN THE THREE WOULD BE THERE.
I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BRINGING UP THE NEED FOR A REVIEW, A FIRST RESPONDER RESPONSE.
UM, I THINK THERE, YOU KNOW, W SO FAR WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT AUSTIN WATER AND AUSTIN ENERGY IN TERMS OF OUR, OUR AFTER ACTION.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT FOR AFD, UM, AND EMS, THERE WERE RESOURCES THAT WERE STRETCHED VERY THIN TOO, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING CHAINS, HAVING TO DEAL WITH, UM, ROADS THAT TXDOT DIDN'T CLOSE DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT WE DEFINITELY HAVE MUCH TO LEARN FROM FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ADDITION.
I'M SURE THAT APD DOES, UM, STUFF I SAW WITH APD, THEY WERE HANDLING BEAUTIFULLY.
UM, BUT I JUST THINK THAT WE REALLY, WE REALLY DO NEED THAT PIECE TO HAPPEN MOVING FORWARD, UM, ON THE ENCOURAGING AUSTINITES TO BECOME BETTER PREPARED FOR WEATHER CRISIS.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT WE HAVE DECLARED A CLIMATE EMERGENCY, AND I THINK IN 2019 ON A RESOLUTION THAT I LED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CALLED FOR THESE PREPARATIONS COUNCIL MEMBER POOL AROUND THE SAME TIME, UM, LED ON A RESOLUTION FOR RESILIENCE PREPAREDNESS.
WE HAVE ALMOST SERINO, UM, IN A POSITION, UH, UM, DOING THAT RESILIENCE WORK.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT, UM, A NEW THOUGHT AND IN TERMS OF WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING AS A CITY.
AND I, AND I, I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY REITERATING IT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO BE REITERATED, BUT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PROVIDED DIRECTION ON THIS MULTIPLE TIMES.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT ON MULTIPLE WAYS, UM, WHEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND THE RESILIENCY ISSUES, UM, THIS IS THE PERFECT STORM, NOT THE ONLY, UM, SITUATION WE WILL FACE.
SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO UNDERSCORE, UH, FOR THE CITY MANAGER, THE IMPORTANCE OF FULLY IMPLEMENTING THOSE RESOLUTIONS, WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, IN PROCESS.
FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THOSE THREE BULLET POINTS, ANY OBJECTION TO THOSE THREE BULLET POINTS, THEN THEY'RE ADDED TO THE LAST BULLET POINT PREFACE WITH INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, YOUR FIRST, UH, AMENDMENT, UH, ON YOUR PAGE WAS, UH, UH, INSERTING WORDS, UH, ALSO IN THAT LAST BULLET POINT.
I JUST WANT TO SEE HOW OTHER CITIES RESPONDED, UTILIZE THEIR AFTER ACTION REVIEWS AND REALLY FOCUS ON AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER AND THEIR ASSOCIATED COMMUNICATION EFFORTS AND EXPENSES DURING THE DISASTER.
LET ME GET A SECOND TO YOUR AMENDMENT REAL FAST, AND THEN I'LL LET YOU THEN DESCRIBE IT.
SO OUR SECOND TO THIS, UH, AMENDMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, TO INCLUDE THIS ELEMENT, I'LL SECOND IT, BECAUSE I THINK IT CAN BE PART AND SHOULD BE PART OF THE REVIEW.
MR. KELLY, YOU WON THE DEFENDANT.
I JUST REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO LEARN FROM OTHER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE EQUIVALENT TO THE SAME SIZE AS OURS, SO THAT WE ARE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL, BUT INSTEAD WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS MAKING OUR NEXT RESPONSE BETTER.
AND IS IT POSSIBLE MEMORY CAUSE WE'RE KELLY TO INCLUDE THIS AS LIKE THE FOURTH BULLET POINT? SO THE REVIEW IS TO INCLUDE WITHOUT LIMITATION ALSO A COMPARISON WITH OTHER TEXAS MUNICIPALITIES.
SO INCLUDING THIS AS, AS ANOTHER SUB BULLET POINT ON NUMBER SIX, IS THERE ANYBODY WHO HAS AN OBJECTION TO THAT? OKAY, SO THERE'LL BE INCLUDED THAT WAY.
I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD OFF ON YOUR LAST ONE, WHICH IS, AS A MEMBER TO COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO IS DEAL UNTIL WE'VE HANDLED COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA IS COUNCIL MEMBER TOTAL.
[04:30:01]
SO I'VE DISTRIBUTED AN AMENDMENT SHEET AND I GUESS IT SHOULD JUST BE SINCE IT'S ITS OWN DEAL, I'LL JUST ADD THAT IT SHOULD BE PREFACED BY BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED STATEMENT.AND THEN I HAVE ONE OTHER ADDITION, UH, TO PUT IN HERE AND THAT IS I'VE CALLED OUT THE N THAT THIS, THAT THE HEARING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CONVERSATIONS TAKING PLACE AT OTHER COUNCIL COMMITTEES, INCLUDING THE AUSTIN ENERGY COUNCIL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
AND I'LL CALL OUT, UM, OUR WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AS WELL THERE AS WELL.
UM, THEY WERE MEANT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE INCLUDED, BUT SINCE SEVERAL PEOPLE MENTIONED THAT I'LL JUST CALL IT OUT EXPLICITLY CATCHAFIRE TURBO MOVES AND ADDITIONAL LAB, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED FLAWS TO CONTINUE, CAN ATTEND THIS LANGUAGE, BUT ALSO ADDING THE WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER SECONDS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA THANK YOU, MAYOR.
SO I WE'VE ALL TALKED THROUGHOUT THE DAY, IDENTIFYING AREAS THAT WORK VERY WELL, SUGGESTING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO SOME EXTENT WE'RE GOING TO, THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE INTERWOVEN.
I KNOW ALL OF US ARE, ARE JUST WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO REALLY RESPOND TO THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND, AND AREN'T GOING TO BE IN A CAPACITY, UM, TO REALLY ANALYZE THE EVENT, UM, AT THE MOMENT.
BUT IT IS, I THINK, CRITICAL TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE UNDERTAKE A PROCESS THAT'S DELIBERATIVE THAT THAT HELPS INFORM RECOMMENDATIONS GOING FORWARD IN IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL BEEN RECEIVING SUGGESTIONS VIA OUR CONSTITUENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHERS, EVERYTHING FROM COMMUNICATION AND PR, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO, YOU KNOW, SHOUT OUTS FOR, FOR OUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND SOME OF THE PROVISIONS THAT THEY TOOK TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, GET OUT THERE, UM, IMMEDIATELY.
SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS THAT WE BE THAT WE SET UP A DELIBERATIVE PROCESS AT COUNCIL FOR HOW, UH, WHAT TOPICS WE WANT TO UNDERTAKE CONVERSATIONS AROUND.
UM, AND SOME OF THOSE MIGHT HAPPEN THROUGH THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
SOME MIGHT HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE GENERAL UMBRELLA, I'M, I'M OPEN TO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THOSE, HOW THOSE HAPPEN.
BUT I, I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE HAD A WORK PLAN AND SOME INVITED TESTIMONY FROM OUR CITY STAFF, AS WELL AS OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AGAIN, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS EMERGENCY RESPONSE, BUT AS SOON AS WE CAN FEASIBLY UNDERTAKE IT SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND, UM, UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND AGAIN, HELP INFORM THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLANS FOR, FOR THE FUTURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ACCOMPANIED BY A COMMUNITY TASK FORCE THAT THAT IS ALSO HEARING DIRECTLY FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.
AGAIN, THEIR EXPERIENCE ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, ELEMENTS OF THE RESPONSE THAT WORKED WELL AND ELEMENTS OF THE RESPONSE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, TO, UM, THAT THEY SAW AS GAPS MOVING FORWARD.
SO AGAIN, I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE MENTIONED, I MEAN, I HAVE MY OWN LIST OF, OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER AS ACTION STEPS, BUT FOR ME, I, I THINK IT MIGHT BE BETTER UNDERTAKEN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THOSE ACTION STEPS ARE.
ONCE WE FULLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DID HAPPEN, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY EFFORTS THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF AS A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT SAY THE EOC WAS INVOLVED IN.
AND SO REALLY GETTING A FULL UNDERSTANDING AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, UM, AND THE COMMUNITY LEVEL OF WHAT SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS WERE AND HOW THEY WERE INTERTWINED, I THINK WOULD HELP INFORM THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE DID SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON COUNCIL, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TOPIC.
UM, BUT LOOKING AT AUSTIN ENERGY RATES WHERE WE KIND OF DIVIDED IT INTO A SERIES OF WORK SESSIONS AND HAD A DIFFERENT TOPIC EACH TIME AND INVITED SPEAKERS AND TIME FOR COUNCIL Q AND A, IT HAD HELPED INFORM THOSE THAT RATE PROPOSAL.
AND I SEE THIS WORKING IN THE SAME WAY, BUT I, I WOULD SAY, UM, WHAT I ENVISION, IF THIS PASSES TODAY IS COMING FORWARD WITH AN IFC AT THE MARCH, I THINK IT'S THE MARCH 25TH MEETING.
I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF YOU ABOUT BEING ON IT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT.
BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INITIATE A COUNCIL DIALOGUE ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, AS SOON AS ANY OF US HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE, WHICH IS NOT THIS WEEK, BUT SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF TOGETHER FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT THAT WORK PLAN TO LOOK LIKE.
UM, YES, I, I, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL NUMBER 12, I APPRECIATE THIS EFFORT.
I, I WANT US TO BE WORKING IN CONCERT WITH THE COMMITTEES.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK, WE'LL BE WORKING ON A MAT WORK PLAN, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON WATER.
SO I LOOK TO, UM, TO COORDINATING THAT EFFORT WITH THE, UH, WORK PLAN THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I MEAN, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAN THE WATER IMPACT TO WHAT ALL IS GOING ON HERE.
JUST DON'T WANT US TO BE DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
THE OTHER THING IS I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE AND I HAD SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR, UM, I
[04:35:01]
I'M WONDERING WHETHER YOU'RE READING THIS AS, UH, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT THE CITY MANAGER COME BACK WITH, UH, AN APPROACH FOR A COMMUNITY TASK FORCE? UH, REGARDLESS MY THOUGHT IS THAT IT, IT ONE, ONE WAY TO APPROACH IT IS TO, UM, PULL TOGETHER A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE REPRESENTING OUR DIFFERENT, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE IMPACTED, UM, AND HAVE THEM PUT A, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE ON A COMMUNITY TASK FORCE.I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD MORE, UM, SPECIFIC IDEAS ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE WOULD BE CREATED, OR IF BY THIS AMENDMENT, YOU'RE THINKING THAT THE, THE CITY MANAGER WOULD COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON CREATING ONE, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OR HELP US IN THAT? YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
UM, SO THESE ARE REALLY STATEMENTS OF WHAT OUR INTENT IS RATHER THAN DIRECTION TO THE MANAGER.
AND SO, UM, I'M INTENDING TO FOLLOW THIS UP WITH AN IFC THAT OUTLINES A PROCESS FOR OUR COUNCIL, AS WELL AS A PROCESS, UM, AND AS SUGGESTED COMPOSITION FOR THAT COMMUNITY TASK FORCE.
SO I, UM, I HAD AIRED THIS WITH, UM, WITH SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, BMI BY, UM, COUNCIL NEWSLETTER AND HAVE GOTTEN SOME SUGGESTIONS BACK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THAT COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, UM, THE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE, SO I'M REALLY OPEN TO HEARING IDEAS, BUT MY INTENT TODAY IS NOT TO KIND OF SORT OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE JUST TO, JUST TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THESE ARE TWO PARALLEL PROCESSES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR COUNCIL UNDERTAKING.
IN ADDITION TO THE REALLY IMPORTANT, CRITICAL WORK THAT THE MANAGER IS GOING TO UNDERTAKE WITH HIS STAFF TO DO, UM, AN AFTER ACTION REPORT.
SO WHILE WE HAVE YOURS PENDING AND I GO BACK TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY, WHO IS ALSO SUGGESTING ONE WAY TO DO IT IN ADDITION TO THE ONE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN JUST SUGGESTED, UM, I WONDER IF RATHER THAN PRESCRIBING IT, THAT'S WHERE RECALIBRATES YOUR AMENDMENTS.
SO YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO, UH, WHETHER, UH, IT'S GOOD JUST TO, TO ORALLY SAY THIS THE WAY HE CANCELED ON OUR KITCHEN JUST DID SO THAT IT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS, AS ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN SETTING.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE TO WHATEVER SYSTEM YOU HAVE.
THAT'D BE ABILITY FOR THE PUBLIC GENERALLY, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THOUGHTS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH CONSIDERING AS WELL.
SO THAT GETS US THEN JUST TO THE TOBO, UH, UH, UH, AMENDMENT WITH THE CHANGES THAT SHE INCLUDED, UH, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE TOBO MINUTE ADS BE A FURTHER RESOLVE, AND THEN THAT'S THE WORD OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, ANY OBJECTION TO THOSE HEARING? NONE, THE TOHO AMENDMENT IS INCLUDED AS WELL.
I THINK THAT THEN GETS US TO CONSIDERATION OF MY AMENDMENT, UM, UH, AS AMENDED, UH, ANY OBJECTION TO THAT AMENDMENT BEING INCLUDED AS AMENDED HEARING, NONE THAT'S PUT INTO THE ITEM.
AND NOW THAT GETS US TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, UH, AS, AS AMENDED.
UH, YES, I THOUGHT MINE WAS ITS OWN VIET FURTHER RESOLVE.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE'VE, WHERE WE HAVE PLACED THINGS.
SO IT WAS, WE JUST NEVER TOOK AN ACTUAL VOTE ON THE THANK YOU.
SO NOW WE'RE NOW TAKING A VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH CONCLUDES MY AMENDMENT AS AMENDED.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDES YOUR AMENDMENT AS AMENDED.
IT'S THE FINAL VOTE ON THE ITEM IN THIS TOTALITY? COUNCILMEMBER COSAR.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO, TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE WORK ON THIS ITEM.
AND THEN ALSO TO JUST COME IN, GENERALLY ON, ON THE LAST FEW DAYS, UH, WERE FAR FROM BEING OUT OF THIS DISASTER.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THE AMENDMENTS IN THE ITEM WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE PERSISTENT ISSUES WE'RE FACING.
UH, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS THAT HAVE HELPED, UH, SO MUCH, UH, DURING THE LAST FEW DAYS, THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY STEPPED UP WHERE OUR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND EVERYDAY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO SAVED LIVES, I DON'T THINK WE CAN SAY IT ENOUGH TO THANK THE LINE WORKERS AT AUSTIN ENERGY WHO WERE IN THE WIND AND ICE AND SNOW, GETTING POWER BACK ON THE AUSTIN WATER STAFF WHO WORKED ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT TO GET WATER WORKING IN OUR PIPES, THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES WHO PULLED FOLKS OUT OF STRAIGHT INTO CARS AND PUT OUT FIRES AND GOT PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL, THE STAFF WHO RAN OUR SHELTERS AND THE VOLUNTEERS THAT PULLED PEOPLE OUT FROM UNDER BRIDGES AND GOT THEM INTO HOTELS, REALLY OUR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND THE CARING AND GIVING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE THE HEROES OF THIS CRISIS.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO BRING SOME VOICE TO THE ANGER AND DISAPPOINTMENT THAT MANY PEOPLE FELT.
[04:40:01]
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND OF EVERYDAY AUSTINITES STANDS IN STARK CONTRAST TO OFFICIALS WHO, UH, DID NOT STEP UP.UM, AND IT IS REALLY JUST UPSETTING THAT PEOPLE WERE IN THIS SITUATION IN THE FIRST PLACE, UH, OFTENTIMES BECAUSE OF DECISIONS THAT DID NOT PREPARE US FOR THIS MOMENT AS A STATE.
UH, AND I JUST REMEMBER THE MOMENT WHEN I SAW THE NEWS ABOUT TED CRUZ FLEEING ON VACATION THAT VERY DAY I HAD BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH A CONSTITUENT WHO WAS TRYING TO MAKE SURE SHE HAD ENOUGH GASOLINE IN HER CAR TO KEEP RUNNING HER SON'S VENTILATOR.
UH, AND, UH, JUST THINK THAT THAT, UH, FRUSTRATION AND ANGER IS REAL IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, SO MANY PEOPLE CHANNELED THAT INTO HELPING THAT SAME NIGHT PEOPLE FROM MY DISTRICT WHO DIDN'T HAVE POWER, UM, THEMSELVES WERE CALLING BLANKETS THROUGH THE SNOW, TO OUR WORK COMING SHELTER THAT WAS OUT OF BLANKETS.
UM, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED TO STAY THERE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THOSE VOLUNTEERS, FRANKLY, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO DO SO MUCH.
UM, BUT THEY REALLY FILLED IN WHERE, WHERE GOVERNMENTS, UH, COULD NOT FILL SOME OF THOSE VOIDS AND ACCOUNTABILITY WILL BE IMPORTANT AT THE STATE LEVEL, UH, AND HERE LOCALLY ESTABLISHING WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER ON COMMUNICATIONS AND ON FELTER AND OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
SO I'M GLAD THAT'S PART OF THE ITEM HERE TODAY, BUT RIGHT NOW THE PRIORITY IS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE DISASTER.
WE STILL HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT WATER PEOPLE, WITHOUT FOOD, PEOPLE CAN'T FLUSH TOILETS OR COOK OR BATHE THEIR BABIES.
PEOPLE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES.
SO AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TO ENSURE EVERYBODY HAS A HOME AND WATER AND FOOD, UH, NO EXCEPTIONS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYONE HAS DONE HERE TODAY TO GET US TOWARDS THAT COUNCILOR COSAR.
I THINK THAT IS KIND OF A THRUST OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
WE ARE STILL MID CRISIS AND MID DISASTER.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE BEGINNINGS OF HOW WE APPROACH THIS LOOKING BACK, UH, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE DETAIL ON THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO THE FURTHER COUNCIL ACTION ON THAT.
BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHOUT WATER TONIGHT AND WITHOUT FOOD.
WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE LINING UP IN DISTRIBUTION STATIONS.
UH, WE STILL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHETHER WE NEED TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHOSE HOMES NEED SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW YET THE FULL EXTENT OF THE DISASTER THAT WE ARE IN.
I HOPE THE KINDS OF SUGGESTIONS THAT THE STAFF MADE AND BROUGHT TO US, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE'LL PROVIDE SOME MEASURE OF IMMEDIATE RELIEF.
UH, I APPRECIATED THE WORK OF COLLEAGUES TO SUGGEST OTHER THINGS MANAGER THAT SHARING.
THEY DON'T WAIT UNTIL A WEEK FROM NOW TO, TO, TO PUT INTO PLACE.
I KNOW THAT JOE, UM, UH, WORK ON THEM RIGHT AWAY, UM, WHEN THE DUST CLEARS AND THE WATER SETTLES, UH, WE'LL FIGURE OUT, WE'LL LOOK BACK.
BUT THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON THE CONTINUANT PROCESS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO.
AND SO EARLIER WE HAD SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD DIDN'T WANT TO, WE WENT TO ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND KIND OF SAY THE THANK YOUS FOR LATER.
SO I'M GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST SAY A FEW QUICK THANK YOUS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, WE'VE MENTIONED SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED, AND THERE WERE SO MANY INDIVIDUAL STORIES OF, OF COUNCIL STAFF, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, JUST WORKING ACROSS DISTRICT LINES AND ACROSS, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD LINES TO REALLY GET ASSISTANCE WHERE IT NEEDED TO ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS STEPPED FORWARD, UM, IMMEDIATELY TO PROVIDE A LITERAL LIFELINE TO THE CONSTITUENT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASSARA MENTIONED, UM, WHO WAS WONDERING IF SHE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH GAS TO POWER, SOME REALLY NECESSARY LIFE-SUSTAINING EQUIPMENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THERE ARE GOING TO BE LOTS OF STORIES LIKE THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE, WHO ARE DOING THAT EXTRAORDINARY WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
UM, AND ALSO JUST TO SAY, TO EXTEND MY, THANKS TO OUR CITY STAFF, I WAS AT THE END OF ONE VERY LONG DAY AFTER I'D BEEN TEXTING.
UM, ONE OF OUR MANAGERS STAFF, I REALIZED IN THE COURSE OF THAT CONVERSATION, THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL HAD NO POWER AND WAS CONTINUING TO DO HIS JOB EXTRAORDINARILY WELL AS HE ALWAYS DOES.
UM, WITHOUT POWER, I'M NOT NAMING NAMES, CAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THESE FOLKS REALLY WANT TO HEAR THEIR NAMES MENTIONED IN THIS CONVERSATION, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR SO MANY OF OUR CITY STAFF, UM, THEY DID THEIR JOBS EXTRAORDINARILY WELL LAST WEEK, UM, RISING TO REALLY UNBELIEVABLE CHALLENGES, MANY OF THEM, UM, AND THEIR FAMILIES UNDERGOING THE HORRIBLE ORDEAL OF NOT HAVING OF NOT HAVING ANY POWER, SOMETIMES NO POWER AND NO LIGHT AND DOING THEIR JOB FROM THEIR CARS OR FROM OTHER PLACES.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SEND, YOU KNOW, A HUGE THANKS ACROSS OUR CITY STAFF.
UM, IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY CITY TEAM FROM OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS TO THOSE WHO WORK ON OUR LINES AT AUSTIN ENERGY TO OUR WATER UTILITY, TO OUR CITY, LEGAL TO EVERY, EVERY
[04:45:01]
ONE OF THE MANY STAFF MEMBERS.AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH ALL HANDS ON DECK, UM, WHO HELPED OUR COMMUNITY AND CONTINUE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY RESPOND TO THIS CATASTROPHE.
AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THIS TIME OF CRISIS.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD AND SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, YOU HAVE THE DEL VALLEY COMMUNITY COALITION, AUSTIN, LATINO COALITION, DO GOOD ATX AND MANY, MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE REALLY STEPPED UP AND MOBILIZED.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE DISASTER FIRST HIT OUR COMMUNITY, UM, OUR SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY MOBILIZE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH DISASTERS BEFORE AND WE'VE HAD SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT WE COULD VERY QUICKLY TAP INTO.
UM, BUT STILL WE KNOW THAT WHEN ANY TYPE OF DISASTER HITS OUR COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN, IT DOES NOT AFFECT EVERYONE EQUALLY.
AND SO MY FOCUS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AROUND FOOD ACCESS AND ENSURING THAT NO ONE GOES HUNGRY AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE FOOD RELIEF FOR OUR FAMILIES IN NEED, AS WELL AS GETTING DRINKING WATER AND WATER RESTORED TO MANY POCKETS OF AUSTIN.
AND SO ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY GRATITUDE FOR EVERYONE, FOR CHECKING IN COLLEAGUES AND OFFERING SUPPORT AND PROVIDING SUPPORT AND, AND ALSO TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO REALLY MAKE AUSTIN STRONGER AND MAKE US A RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I AM ON, I JUST STARTED WEEK SEVEN ON THE JOB AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND CERTAINLY HAVE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS IN THESE FIRST SEVEN WEEKS.
BUT, UM, BUT I KNOW THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
TOVO SORRY TO BACKTRACK, ESPECIALLY SINCE I'VE ALREADY TALKED.
UM, BUT I, WHEN I CALLED OUT CITY STAFF, I WANT TO REALLY SEND AN EXPLICIT.
UM, THANK YOU TO ALL OF, ALL OF THE COUNCIL STAFF WHO HAVE WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK, UM, AS WELL AS MY OWN STAFF AND, AND THEY, UM, WE JUST HAVE A TREMENDOUS GROUP OF PEOPLE, UM, NOT JUST ON MY TEAM, BUT ON Y'ALL'S TEAM WHO HAVE, HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY THROUGH THEIR OWN SITUATIONS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING THAT I'VE HAD WITHOUT JOHN MICHAEL ON MY STAFF WHO HAS, UH, HAS MOVED ON, UH, IN, UH, NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, PROBABLY I'LL, I'LL BRING A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE, UH, MENTIONED, UH, BECAUSE OF HIS SERVICE TO THE CITY AND, UH, LOST IN SOME RESPECTS WITHOUT HIM ALREADY.
UH, BUT, UH, EVEN EVEN OFF THE PAYROLL, HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT.
SO JOHN MICHAEL YOU'LL GET YOUR DUE RECOGNITION, UH, AT THAT NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, READY? I DON'T THINK WE'VE TAKEN A VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER SIX.
THOSE ARE FAVORITE ITEM, NUMBER SIX, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED EVERYONE VOTING.
I DON'T SEE THAT NATASHA THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEMP, UH, AND A COUNCIL MEMBER POOL WHO TOLD US EARLIER THAT SHE COULDN'T BE WITH US, WANTED ME TO MENTION THAT.
HAD SHE BEEN HERE? SHE WOULD HAVE VOTED.
UH, BUT IT PASSES, UH, WITH THOSE OF US THAT, UH, THAT, THAT ARE HERE, UM, UH, MANAGER, UH, PLEASE, UH, UH, THANK YOU OR STAFF, THANK YOU.
AND YOUR STAFF FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, THERE'S STILL NOT A MOMENT FOR EVERYBODY TO REST THE WAY THAT THEY NEED TO BOTH ON THIS WINTER AND POWER DISASTER, BUT ALSO ON THE COVID, UH, DISASTER AS, UH, AS WELL.
AND I WOULD URGE EVERYBODY TO CONTINUE WEARING MASKS AND MOVE THEIR SOCIAL DISTANCING.
I HEARD A RUMOR TODAY THAT THE GOVERNOR MAY HAVE MENTIONED, UH, UH, IN CORPUS CHRISTI THAT HE'S CONTEMPLATING REMOVING THE MASK MANDATE AND IN THE STATE.
UH, AND I HOPE THAT'S NOT TRUE AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T COME UNTIL WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE, UH, DYING.
OH, WELL, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES.
UH, WITH THAT, UH, IT IS, UH, THREE 40 A AND OUR MEETING AS A CHART.