[00:00:03]
[Call to Order]
AND START.WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THE, KINDA THE, THE LOGISTICS.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE TODAY, THURSDAY, MARCH 25TH, 2021.
JUST BEING HANDLED, UM, REMOTELY, UM, 10 OH FOUR.
[Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 2)]
GOING TO READ IN SOME CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS ITEM NUMBER 17 ON MARCH 15TH, 2020 IN THE ARTS COMMISSION, UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE SELECTION PROCESS RECOMMENDATION NAMING, UM, UH, ANIMALISTIC WORKS, LLC, AS THE SELECTED ARTISTS FOR THE $100,000 COMMISSION ON ITEM NUMBER 18, MARCH 15TH, 2021.THE ARTS COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE SELECTION PROCESS RECOMMENDATION, NAMING LORI FIC AS A SELECTION OF ARTISTS FOR THE $100,000 COMMISSION ITEM NUMBER 24, UH, AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATION INSTITUTION OF THE AGREEMENT, UM, WITH, UH, MR. XI PANI, CORRECT THE SPELLING OF HIS NAME, ITEM NUMBER 26, UM, PROOF, UH, RESOLUTION APPOINTING US AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, BOARD MEMBERS OF ITS BYLAWS.
UM, IT DELETES A NOTICE THAT WE WOULD BE, UM, UH, CREATING THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 62 IS NOT LISTED IN THE CHANGES OF THE CORRECTION, BUT I WILL NOTE THAT WITH RESPECT TO ITEM NUMBER 62 BOARDS AND COMMISSION, THERE ARE THREE, UH, THAT, UH, I THINK NEED TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD ON ARTS COMMISSION APPOINTMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, UH, HEIDI SCHMALL, BACH, UH, UH, COUNSELOR AND POOL ALSO APPOINTMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, MIKE LEVINE, UH, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION REAPPOINTMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER, RENTA RHEA, UH, JEFFREY THOMPSON.
UH, THE OTHERS ARE ON THE, UH, REVISED, UH, UH, LATE BACKED UP, UH, BUT IN, UH, UM, AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE US, I AM NUMBER 64 HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO APRIL 8TH, 2021.
96, WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ITEM ONE, 15, ITEM 97, WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ITEM ONE 16.
UM, UH, I HAD A NUMBER ONE OH FIVE, UH, HAS A VALID PETITION FILED AN OPPOSITION, UH, TO THE, UH, TO THE, TO THE ZONING CHANGE ITEM.
NUMBER ONE, 11 ADDS AS CO-SPONSORS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RENTER RE UH, UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE 11.
UH, I THINK THERE'S, UM, A POSTING AT THIS POINT, A REVISED VERSION OF THAT THAT INCORPORATES THE, UH, AMENDMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER COZ SAR, UH, THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US AT WORK SESSION AND ALSO THE AMENDMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UH, THAT SHE, UM, UH, PUBLISHED, UH, ON THE, UH, ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, UH, THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED AND I ITEM NUMBER TWO
THERE IS LATE BACKUP IN ITEM 16, 26, 37 47 62 66 67, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 81 82, 89, 93 96, UH, ONE TO TWO, ONE OH THREE, ONE OH FIVE, (106) 107-1081 11 ONE 12 AND ONE 16.
UH, ALSO, UH, WHEN WE GET TO THAT AGENDA, WE'LL READ
[00:05:01]
IT OUT.BUT IN THE HFC ITEM, NUMBER FOUR HAS A REVISED, UH, FOR GRIEVANT.
I HAD A LOT TO TRY AND WORK OUR WAY THROUGH, UH, TODAY.
UH, LET ME GO THROUGH THE OUTLINE REAL FASCINATING.
AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
[Public Comment (Part 1 of 2)]
GOING TO START BY HEARING THE MORNING, UH, SPEAKERS.UM, I THINK WE ANNOUNCED THAT THE MORNING SPEAKERS WOULD HAVE, UM, TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UM, OUR STAFF IS GOING TO START TRYING TO GROUP SPEAKERS BY ITEM NUMBER, UH, SO THAT PEOPLE SPEAK AT YOUR, ON A TOPIC.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET MORE BROUGHT TOGETHER.
IT IS A PROCESS, UH, UM, UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
SO THERE'S NOT A HOPE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PERFECT WITH THAT AS WE START THAT, UH, BUT IS MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO DO THAT AS BEST WE CAN, UH, TODAY, BUT WE'RE GONNA LISTEN TO ALL OF THE MORNING'S SPEAKERS ON EVERYTHING EXCEPT REALLY THE ZONING CASES AND THE SPEAKERS ON THE APD ITEMS, 37 AND ONE 17.
WELL HERE, THE ZONING SPEAKERS, A TWO WE'LL HEAR THE SPEAKERS ON THE POLICE MATTERS AT, UH, SIX O'CLOCK.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN, HEAR FROM ALL THE SPEAKERS THIS MORNING, UH, EXCEPT FOR THE HFC SPEAKERS.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO RECESS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, CONVENE THE HFC MEETING, CALL IT THE ORDER SO THAT WE CAN HEAR THE HFC SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP.
UH, AND THEN WE WILL RECESS THE HFC MEETING AFTER THOSE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN AND WE'LL RECESS.
I HAD TO COME BACK INTO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING SO THAT WE CAN HANDLE THE CONSENT, UH, AGENDA THE SPEAKERS ALREADY.
HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, THE, TO SPEAK.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL START TAKING UP, UH, UH, ITEMS AT NOON.
WE HAVE NINE, UM, CITIZENS, DEDICATION SPEAKERS OF THREE MINUTES.
EACH IT'S INTENDING TO TAKE A LUNCH BREAK AFTER THOSE SPEAKERS ARE ROUGHLY FROM 1230 TO ONE 30 COMING BACK AT ONE 30, PICKING UP ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
WE CAN HANDLE A 2:00 PM, UH, 32 ZONING, UH, SPEAKERS.
UM, AND WE'RE AGAIN, TRYING TO GROUP THEM BY, UH, BY, UH, ITEMS WE'LL WORK THROUGH DINNERS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH, UH, THREE, UH, ITEMS TO SQUEEZE IN, UH, TODAY, UH, DID A BREAK HOPEFULLY IN THE FIVE TO 6:00 PM TIMEFRAME AND, UH, THE SPEAKERS ON THE TWO, UH, APD 37 ONE 17 ITEMS THAT AT SIX O'CLOCK THAT'S GENERALLY THE PATH THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW.
AND, AND THEN, UH, ALISON, UM, MY QUESTION WAS, I, I, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT, UM, I WAS 14 IN 2014 AND 25, UH, THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AT WORK SESSIONS.
WE TALKED ABOUT POSTPONING THEM.
UM, IF WE, SO I WANTED TO, UM, IF PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, I'LL HAVE AN AMENDMENT AND I'LL NEED TO PULL IT.
I THINK WHAT THEY AGREED WE WOULD POSTPONE THOSE ITEMS. DO WE NEED TO PULL IT TO POSTPONE IT OR JUST MARK IT RIGHT NOW? LET'S JUST MARK IT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S 14 AND 25, 14 TO 25 WILL BE POSTPONED.
AND THEN, UH, UH, ALISON, YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT POST GAUDY, I THINK.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THEY'RE GOING TO POSTPONE THEM UNTIL THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
SO APRIL THE EIGHTH FOR THE RECORD, YOU YES.
AND ANN'S GOING TO SURFACE THOSE CHANGES SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN SEE THEM.
UM, AND THEN, UH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, UH, YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT POSTPONING ITEM NUMBER 27.
UM, I HAD ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT WITHDRAWING ITEM 27, AND I HAVE, UM, TWO LINES OF DIRECTION, WHICH I THINK SHOULD BE FINE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
I'D BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION AND WOULD BE FINE WITH IT GOING ON CONSENT AS WITHDRAWN.
SO JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT.
UM, THAT WAY STAFF DOESN'T HAVE TO STAY.
IF YOU JUST HAVE TWO LINES, DON'T GO AHEAD AND DO IT RIGHT NOW.
LET ME FIND, SO I, UM, MOVED TO ON CONSENT, WITHDRAW ITEM 27, UM, AND I INVITE THE MECCA CHAMBERS TO ENGAGE IN A PROCESS OVER THE COMING MONTHS TO ENVISION A PATH FORWARD FOR HOW WE FUND AND WHAT WE EXPECT FROM CHAMBERS AND ADVANCING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN AUSTIN.
UH, THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO PLUG INTO THIS PROCESS WHERE APPROPRIATE AND ABSENT, MEANINGFUL PROGRESS BRING FORWARD THE BASE FUNDING MODEL TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL IN NOVEMBER, 2021.
[00:10:02]
SO BASICALLY THIS IS INVITING THE CHAMBERS TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT MODEL AND APPROACH AND ABSENT THAT, UM, STAFF HAS TO COME FORWARD WITH THE BASE MODEL THEY HAVE, UM, MANAGER IS THE US, YOU, YOU OKAY WITH US? WE ARE, YEAH.SO THAT IS HOW 27 WILL BE HANDLED ON CONSENT TODAY.
WE HAPPY TO SEND THAT LANGUAGE TO AN ORGAN IF SHE WANTS, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND I THINK FOR THE RECORD, IT SHOULD BE, UH, INDEFINITELY POSTPONED SO THAT YOUR DIRECTION IS PART OF THAT ITEM AS OPPOSED TO YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO THE, SO THE, THE ITEM ART CONSENT IS TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE AND TO ADOPT THE DIRECTION LANGUAGE TO, UH, TO THE MANAGER.
UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, JUST A VERY QUICK QUESTION, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF I HEARD YOU, UM, ON ONE 11 THERE'S AMENDMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
ALTRA I SEE THOSE ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
DID YOU ALSO SAY AMENDMENTS BY A COUNCIL MEMBER? BECAUSE SO KEVIN MARK IS SORRY.
I HAD SOME AMENDMENTS THAT WERE POSTED FOR THE WORK SESSION, UH, ON TUESDAY.
AND, UH, I THINK WE HAVE ALSO, UH, POSTED THE VERSION TWO OF ONE 11.
THEN I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS LOOKING AT THE RIGHT AND THAT'S A RED LINE VERSION.
THAT'LL SHOW YOU BOTH THE CASAR ABANDONMENT AS WELL AS THE ALTER AMENDMENTS SET UP AND INCORPORATED.
UM, MAY I HAVE A COUPLE, A COUPLE UPDATES, ONE I'D LIKE TO POSTPONE RATHER THAN PULL AND DISCUSS TWO I'D LIKE TO POSTPONE TO, UM, FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
SO PERHAPS IT'S BEST TO, UH, POSTPONE IT INDEFINITELY AT THIS POINT AND BRING IT BACK AFTER, UH, AFTER I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY MEET WITH STAFF AND TALK ABOUT HOW BEST TO PROCEED IF NO ONE HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE EMBEDDED ARTIST PROGRAM IS, AND THAT RELATES TO THE EDC ITEMS. SO IF WE COULD HANDLE THAT QUICKLY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IT'S A WHOLE, IT'S A BUNCH OF NUMBERS BEGINNING AT 19, I BELIEVE.
THE BEGINNING IT'S 19 THROUGH, UM, 24.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO PULL THEM AND HAVE STAFF WAIT AROUND IF THEY COULD JUST GIVE ME KIND OF A QUICK SUMMARY OF WHAT THE EMBEDDED ARTIST PROGRAM IS AND HOW THAT RELATES TO OUR CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING.
THAT WOULD, I MEAN, OUR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES FUNDING, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO READ THROUGH THE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF EMAILS WE'VE GOTTEN THIS MORNING.
AND SO THIS MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY SOMEBODY ELSE DOING AN AMENDMENT, BUT AT OUR WORK SESSION ON TUESDAY, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, UM, HAVING A, A TIMEFRAME AND SOME MORE DIRECTIVE LANGUAGE WITH REGARD TO NAVIGATORS.
I THINK I SAW COUNCIL MEMBER ALTARS SUGGESTED AMENDMENT.
I DON'T THINK IT DID THAT MAYOR.
DID YOU KNOW, HAS THERE BEEN AN AMENDMENT ABOUT THAT? NO.
I CAN QUICKLY IF WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SPEAKERS FIRST.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR THE MOMENT.
THIS IS KIND OF A DISCOMBOBULATING GUY, SO THERE MAY BE OTHER CONSENT ITEMS, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S IT FOR ME FOR THE MOMENT.
I THINK WE'LL ALL BE IN THAT PLACE.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
AND THEN MAY I GIVE YOU NOW ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? WHAT I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN IS VOTING? NO FOR SURE.
ITEMS 1217, 1829, 30 31 33 47 51 AND 52.
RECORD WE'LL NOTE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, FOR, FOR ONE 11, UH, MARY, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT PROVIDING SOME FURTHER CLARIFICATION DURING DISCUSSION.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF WHEN YOU ANTICIPATED, WE MIGHT DO THAT APPROPRIATELY AND THEN WANTED TO ASK IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR YOUR STAFF AS YOU HAVE DONE SOMETIMES TO PUT THE ROUGH OUTLINE OF THE DAY ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
UM, CAUSE THAT WAS A LOT, UM, TO DIGEST AND FOLLOW.
UM, YOU DID A GREAT JOB SAYING IT, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE IT WRITTEN SO I CAN REFER TO IT.
WE'LL DO BOTH OF THOSE, UH, UH, ASHLEY, YOU'RE WATCHING YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT UP ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
UH, AND, UH, UH, LET'S UH, I ANTICIPATE, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO COMING FORWARD WITH AN AMENDMENT, UH, TO URGE, UH, INITIAL FOCUS ON THE NAVIGATOR.
SO LET'S HAVE DISCUSSION ON ONE LEVEL WHEN THAT COMES UP, BUT HOPEFULLY WE EAT YOU, BUT I'VE BEEN SENT.
UM, I JUST HAD A QUESTION, UH, IN RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER
[00:15:01]
UM, UM, SUGGESTION ON ITEM NUMBER TWO.IT, I'M NOT CERTAIN IF I'M FINE WITH POSTPONING INDEFINITELY.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT, WHAT SHE'S THINKING.
SO PERHAPS WE JUST NEED TO PULL IT.
LET'S PULL NUMBER TWO, AS WELL AS IT'S SHOWN FROM, IF, IF COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN IS FINE WITH POSTPONING IT FOR, UM, ONE MEETING THEN PERHAPS SHE AND I CAN TALK ABOUT, ABOUT THE TIMING ELEMENT, UM, OFF OFFLINE.
THEN LET'S THEN, THEN I MET MY REQUEST TO POSTPONE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING THOUGH.
MY REAL INTENT IS TO POSTPONE IT FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, BUT SHE, AND I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
ANYBODY OBJECT TO HAVING, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, BEING SHOWN AS POSTPONING UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING.
IF NOT, THEN THAT IS THE ACTION ON CONSENT FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.
WE READY TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE SPEAKERS.
THIS IS EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE ZONING CASES AND THE TWO, UH, UH, UH, APD, UH, ISSUES, UM, WHICH WILL BE CALLED LATER IN THE DAY.
AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION SPEAKERS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ALL THE SPEAKERS FIRST.
WE'RE GOING TO RECESS TO HFC, TAKE THOSE SPEAKERS AND COME BACK OUT AND HANDLE CONSENT, UH, COUNCILOR TOVO MAYOR.
WE'RE WORKING TO BATCH PEOPLE TODAY.
I KNOW THAT WAS COMPLICATED AND IT WAS REQUIRED A LOT OF WORK.
AND THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF ALSO, UM, ASHLEY, UM, FOR SURE FOR FACILITATING THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
I DIDN'T FOLLOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS, SO I'M NOT SURE WHEN OUR RAINY FOLKS ARE COMING FORWARD, BUT I DID WANT TO CALL MY COLLEAGUES ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT, UM, SHANNON HOLLY, ON MY STAFF HEIL ALL OF, OF THE CORRESPONDENCE WE'VE RECEIVED FROM RAINY RESIDENTS AND KATIE POWERS DID SEND THAT OUT LAST NIGHT.
I THINK IT'S IN THREE DIFFERENT ATTACHMENTS.
AND WE DID THAT AT THE REQUEST OF SOME OF THE RAINEY RESIDENTS.
I, I, THEY HAD ASKED SEVERAL OF THEM SAID, COULD WE PLEASE FORWARD ON, COULD WE PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL HAD RECEIVED THEIR EMAILS? WHICH OF COURSE WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO EXCEPT IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
SO THAT WAS THE WAY WE HANDLED IT.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, IT'S IN THREE DIFFERENT FILES THAT KATIE POWERS SENT ALONG LAST NIGHT.
SO YOU SHOULD HAVE A RECORD OF, OF, UM, NEARLY A WHOLE OR PROBABLY ALL OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA.
I HAVE TO THAT POINT, UH, UH, CASPER, TOBY, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
UM, THERE'S A BROAD CONVERSATION THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE REALLY ON THE SUBJECT MATTER.
THAT IS PART OF ITEM 16, FOUR 74, 82, UH, 16 AND 74 BEING BASICALLY THE SAME THING, SAME MATTER, UM, UH, AND, UH, 34 BIGGER MATTER AND 82 BACON POWDER.
IT'S MY INTENT TO CALL ALL FOUR OF THOSE ITEMS TOGETHER WITHOUT EMOTION, BUT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT BROADER CONVERSATION AFTER WE FINISHED THAT BROUGHT A CONVERSATION, UH, THEN WE'LL DISCUSS EACH OF THOSE THREE CLAIMS, UH, SEPARATELY.
UH, IT WILL GIVE THE, UH, THE IP APPLICANTS ARE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, UH, DO THAT.
THE OTHER SPEAKERS SPEAKING ON THOSE ITEMS, UH, WE'LL BE SPEAKING, UM, UH, IN THIS MORNING CALL A SPEAKERS.
I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST OF A CHALLENGING SITUATION.
IT IS A LONGEST POLICY DISCUSSION AND I, AND WE HAD LOTS OF STAFF ON THE CALL ON TUESDAY.
I APOLOGIZE THAT THEY WERE WAITING ALL DAY AND DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
BUT THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR CARVING OUT THIS PLAN.
AND AGAIN, THANKS TO SHANNON HOLLY.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ALL OF THAT COMPILATION.
AND WHAT I WANT TO BE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF THE CLOCK AT THE SCHEDULE IS AFTER WE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT MAY VERY WELL BE THAT THE VERY NEXT THING WE DO IS HAVE THE BROAD CONVERSATION ON THOSE FOUR ITEMS, BUT NOT THE SPECIFIC ACTION ON THOSE ITEMS. ALL RIGHT.
IF EVERYBODY'S READY, THEN WE'LL START WITH THE, UH, WITH THE SPEAKERS TWO MINUTES ON THE AGENDA.
UH, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE IN THE QUEUE 26? UH, AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE HFC SPEAKERS.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT DOES INCLUDE THE HFC.
SO WE JUST HAVE HIM BATCHED MAYOR, SO WE WILL TAKE THEM LAST.
AND IN-BETWEEN BEFORE WE TAKE THOSE WHERE, WHEN YOU GET TO THAT PLACE, LET ME KNOW.
CAUSE I'M ON A RECESS, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND CONVENE THE HFC
[00:20:01]
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THAT BATCH.LET'S HEAR FROM, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE SPEAKERS.
THE FIRST WEEK, THE FIRST SPEAKER IS KATHY HENDRICK TURNER.
HI, THIS IS KATIE PINNERS TURNER, AND I WAS GOING TO SPEAK ON ITEM TWO, BUT IT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
SO I WILL SPEAK AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING WHEN ITEM TWO IS ADDRESSED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO US, AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL NEXT SPEAKER IS PAT VAL STAY.
MY NAME IS
I WANT TO START BY EXPRESSING MY APPRECIATION TO COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO FOR BEING THE AUTHOR OF THE BULL HOOK BAN THAT WAS PASSED IN AUGUST OF 2015, AND ALSO FOR PULLING ITEM TWO TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS, SNITCHING.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN FOR HER AMENDMENT, THAT IMPROVED COUNCIL MEMBER TOGO'S PROPOSED ORDINANCE BACK IN 2015, AND ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, MAYOR ADLER, COUNCIL MEMBER COSTAR, AND COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA FOR VOTING FOR THE BULL HOOK BAN.
IN 2015, I AM HERE TO REQUEST AN ORDER TO APPROVE IMPROVE WHAT WAS ALREADY A VERY GOOD ORDINANCE THAT ACHIEVED THE DESIRED EFFECT OF BANNING BULL HOOKS.
YOU NOT PUT AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE THAT WOULD STATE IN WRITING AS CITY POLICY THAT A BASEBALL BAT AX HANDLED PITCHFORK BULL HOOK OR DIVISIVE.
SIMILAR DESIGN MAY BE USED ON A HORSE, KNEW JACK JEN HAD COW, BOTH DEER HOGS, PIGS, SWINE, SHEEP, OR GOAT.
BACK IN 2015, THERE WERE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO TRIED TO WEAKEN COUNCIL MEMBER.
TOGO'S PROPOSED BOTH OF BANDS.
THERE WERE 32 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP IN FAVOR OF THE BULL BAN, ONLY WRANGLING FELD ENTERTAINMENT WRANGLINGS PARENT COMPANY, AND A PRIVATE BUSINESS THAT USES ELEPHANTS SPOKE AGAINST THE BULL HOOK BAN.
PLEASE KEEP MOVING FORWARD ON ANIMAL CRUELTY BY REMOVING THE LANGUAGE IN STATE.
AND THEN THIS WILL BE A GOOD PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
IF YOU APPROVE THIS ITEM WITH C, WHENEVER IT IS, YOU BRING IT BACK UP.
THE GOOD BULL HOOK ORDINANCE PASS IN 2015 WILL BE WEAKER THAN IT WAS BECAUSE IT WILL ALLOW CRUELTY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MARY COLLIE.
THANKS FOR, UM, MY TIME TODAY, I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10 AND I'M TALKING ABOUT ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT MONTH.
I WOULD LIKE TO AGREE WITH WHAT THE IMMEDIATE, UH, SPEAKER, JUST BEFORE ME SAID.
UM, I THINK THAT IF WE WERE TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE WITH THE INCLUSION OF, UM, SECTION C ON IT, IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY WEEKEND PROTECTIONS AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY.
I THINK SEE WHERE IT SAYS IT'S AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE TO PROSECUTION THAT THE ANIMAL IS LIVESTOCK AS DEFINED IN CITY CODE WOULD, UH, MAKE A LOOPHOLE FOR PEOPLE TO, UM, GET OUT, BEING PROSECUTED FOR THIS.
UM, IF THEY USE BULL HOOKS, BASEBALL BATS, I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF SHOCKING TO ME THAT THAT THAT WOULD BE ANY KIND OF DEFENSE ANYWAY.
SO, UM, AX HANDLES PITCHFORKS, ET CETERA.
I THINK SECTION SEAT, SIGNIFICANTLY WEEKENDS THE ORDINANCE.
AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU THAT WHEN YOU BRING IT BACK UP BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, YOU KEEP THE STRONG LANGUAGE REMOVE AT SECTION C FROM THIS AND RETAIN A AND B.
COULD I JUST MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UM, FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TO, AND URGING US NOT TO PASS THIS, WE HAVE AGREED TO POSTPONE IT OFF TODAY'S AGENDA, UM, AT LEAST UNTIL NEXT WEEK AND POTENTIALLY INDEFINITELY.
SO JUST WANTED EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT, UM, THAT THAT IS THE ACTION THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO TAKE WITH THIS ITEM.
THANKS, PAUL SPEAKERS, CYNTHIA DOUGLAS, MS. DOUGLAS, PLEASE
[00:25:01]
END MUTE.I THINK SHE MIGHT BE AWAY FROM THE PHONE, RIGHT? CALL HER BACK.
NEXT SPEAKER IS PAT BOOKED UP.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, BAD BOOT TO HERE.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS.
UH, I HOPE YOU ALL ARE RECOVERING AFTER LAST MONTHS RELIEF EFFORTS.
AND I DO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THING.
THE MAYOR ADLER CITY MANAGER, CRON COUNCIL MEMBERS, HISAR RENTERIA AND ELLIS, AND ESPECIALLY MAYOR PRO TEM HARPER MADISON FOR WORKING WITH OUR MUSICIANS AND EVENT VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE FOOD AND WATER.
THE THOUSANDS OF CENTRAL TEXAS IN NEED ADVERSITY DOES NOT DEFINE CHARACTER.
AND I'M HUMBLED TO KNOW THAT WE COULD ALL COME TOGETHER DURING THIS CRISIS.
UH, I'LL BE BRIEF TODAY, AS YOU BEGIN TO EXPLORE CONVENTION CENTER FUNDING FOR VENUES AND EVEN BEGIN TO LOOK AT NEW FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDING SOURCES AND AS DISCUSSED DURING TUESDAY'S WORK SESSION, PLEASE REMEMBER US, THE MUSICIANS, VENUE, WORKERS, AND EVENT STAFF THAT NOT ONLY MAKE UP THE LARGEST VOTING BLOCK IN THE CITY, BUT APPARENTLY NOW THEY'RE THE LARGEST VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY RELIEF WORKFORCE AS WELL.
UH, WE'RE STILL OUT OF WORK MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER THE CANCELLATION OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND BESIDES THE AUSTIN MUSIC DISASTER RELIEF FUND AND CREATIVE WORKER RELIEF GRANT, WE ARE STILL SCRAPING BY TO SURVIVE.
SO LET'S GET THE LIVE MUSIC FUND UP AND RUNNING WITH STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
AND VENUES AND MUSICIANS ARE READY TO START PLAYING GIGS AGAIN, AND LET'S KEEP THAT MONEY LOCAL.
SO THE MUSICIANS AND LOCAL PROMOTERS ARE SUPPORTED MORE THAN LARGER AGENCIES AND TOURING ACTS LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO WE BUILD AN EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
UH, AS WE SAW LAST MONTH, WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE HERE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AS LONG AS WE CAN AFFORD TO BE HERE.
SO LET'S PUT IN THE WORK JUST LIKE WE'VE ALL BEEN DOING TOGETHER SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.
LET'S STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIPS WE'VE FORGED THROUGH FIRE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND SOMEDAY SOON, LET'S ALL RAISE A GLASS AND SING AT THE TOP OF OUR LUNGS TOGETHER WHEN THE MUSIC BEGINS.
THANK YOU TO THE LAST SPEAKER.
AND PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR MEMBERSHIP, UH, IS REALLY AWARE OF THESE FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DISCUSSION TODAY ABOUT SEEING IF THE CITY CAN ASSIST, UH, UH, FOLKS IN THAT, IN THAT INDUSTRY.
UM, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF MONEY AND, AND WE AUTO ENDEAVORED TO GET EVERYBODY AT OUR CITY THAT'S ELIGIBLE FOR THAT PRIMED AND READY.
SO WHEN THE SBA OPENS UP, UH, APPLICATIONS, OUR WHOLE CITY, UH, IS HARVARD WITH ITS FINGERS ABOVE SAND AND GET HITS, AND THEN WE CAN BE IN THAT LINE AND HE GETS A REALLY GOOD WAY POTENTIALLY TO, TO BRING SOME MONEY IN HERE LOCALLY.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THE VOLUNTEER SUPPORT I SAW YOU AT, AT THE AMERIPRO TIM'S, UM, UH, EVENT THAT YOU HAD AN ARMY PRESENT.
UM, I'M A, UH, UH, AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS MEMBER, UH, AS WELL.
I AM THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ITEM 31 TODAY.
UM, AND WE, UM, RELATION TO THE SAHARA LOUNGE, UM, BEING, UH, DENIED, UH, SAVES FUNDING FOR THE MISSING OF THEIR DIVERSITY AND EQUITY TRAINING, UM, WHICH, WHICH TREADS FIRED SOME A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT AGO.
UM, I HAVE KNOWN EILEEN FOR A WHILE.
UM, WHILE I HAVE NOT PLAYED THERE PERSONALLY AT THE SARAH LOUNGE, I, UM, SHE OPENED HER DOORS, UH, TO ME WHEN I WAS, UH, AN INSTRUCTOR AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF AUSTIN TEACHING COLLEGE STUDENTS TO MAKE FILMS, UM, AND RECORD MUSICIANS THERE.
UH, I GOT TO KNOW HER OVER 11 WEEKS OF, UH, BEING IN THAT BAR.
AND, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT SHE IS AN AMAZING PERSON, VERY DOWN TO EARTH AND UNLIKE OTHER BAR OWNERS AND OFFICERS, SHE ACTUALLY WORKS HER ON BAR.
UH, THE IDEA THAT SHE WOULD BE DENIED, UM, SAVES FUNDING BECAUSE OF A MS. TRAINING, UM,
[00:30:01]
WHEN, UH, SHE, UH, THE PATRONS OF THAT BAR ARE AS EQUALLY AS DIVERSE AS THE MUSICIANS THAT PLAY.THEY'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE LINEUPS, UH, IN TEXAS, I WOULD ARGUE.
UM, IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE, UH, AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN.
I CAN ALSO SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT EVEN THOUGH, UM, EILEEN IS WHITE AND SHE IS A BAR OWNER, UH, THAT SHE ABSOLUTELY WORKS VERY, VERY HARD, VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY, EVEN BEFORE COVID EVEN BEFORE, UM, BLACK LIVES MATTER BECAME A, UM, A MOVEMENT.
UM, SHE HAS ALWAYS WORKED TO INCLUDE AND PRESERVE THE HISTORY AND THE CULTURE OF AUSTIN AT THAT BAR.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CITY COUNCIL CAN DO TO REVERSE THAT DECISION, UM, SO THAT, UM, ACCESS TO THOSE SAVINGS FUNDS, THAT WOULD BE, UM, A GREAT, UM, UM, UM, ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THAT BAR AND FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I KNOW THE REST OF THE TIME, SONYA REESE TODAY, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 31.
THE SAHARA LOUNGE IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE WAY THE AUSTIN, TEXAS VENUES USED TO BE.
MOST OF THE TIME NEIGHBORHOOD, LOCAL VENUES ARE THE FIRST TO BE CAST ASIDE WHEN IT COMES TO GENDER GENTRIFICATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO HAVE A LOUNGE IS ONE OF THE FEW VENUES THAT REPRESENTS DIVERSE MUSIC GROUPS ON THEIR STAGES, AS WELL, AS, RATHER THAN RESIDENCY'S OF AFRICAN NIGHT.
PRESERVATION OF SUCH VENUES ARE KEY TO THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY AND GROWTH OF OUR AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSIC, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, THE SAHARA LOUNGE.
I WAS QUALIFIED FOR THE SAFE BOND.
I AM HERE TO ASK THAT IT BE ALLOWED TO, UH, BE A PART OF PROVIDING EQUITY TRAINING AND STRATEGIC STRATEGIC EQUITY PLAN REVIEWS FOR US AND LIVE MUSIC VENUES.
UH, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AGAIN, UH, JUST AS MY CONTENT'S CONSTITUENT HAD SPOKEN SCOTT STRICKLAND.
I'D JUST LIKE TO, TO FLAG THIS ITEM.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT I HAD RECEIVED AN EMAIL YESTERDAY FROM CODY COWEN ABOUT THIS MATTER AND FORWARDED ON TO RDD STAFF AND, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HALT RAB DID RESPOND TO ME YESTERDAY.
AND IF IT'S OF INTEREST TO THE COUNCIL, MAYBE WE COULD ASK HER TO, TO, UM, SHARE WITH US HER RESPONSE ONCE WE'VE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER IS REQUIRED BY THAT AS WELL.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
UH, I WAS PLANNING TO SPEAK, UH, IN REFERENCE TO USE NUMBER TWO, BUT SINCE IT'S POSTPONE VALID RETURN AT THIS TIME.
HI, UM, MY NAME'S JESSICA ELEY.
I'M THE CO-CHAIR OF THE ECHO VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 40.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR GOOD DESIGNATING THIS TWO AND A HALF ACRES ON TILLARY IS PARKLAND.
UM, YOU'RE PRESERVING A 30 YEAR OLD PECAN GROVE AS A CITY ASSET.
THIS GOES A REALLY LONG WAY TO REPAIRING TRUST WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
JUST TO REMIND YOU, THIS IS THE LAND THAT HAD A BEAUTIFUL OLD STONE HOUSE THAT WAS DEMOLISHED WITHOUT A PERMIT.
UM, BUT MOVING PAST THAT, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS LAND DESIGNATED AS PARKLAND BECAUSE IT OPENS UP A BUCKET OF GRANTS MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US.
IF IT'S PARKLAND, UH, JUST DOWN THE STREET IS A BIG GREEN SPACE, BUT TECHNICALLY IT'S A WATER RETENTION POND AND MANAGED BY WATERSHEDS.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS PREVENTED FROM MAKING ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT LAND.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX THAT WILL GO IN THE TWO AND A HALF ACRES, UH, NEXT TO THE TWO AND A HALF ACRES THAT YOU'RE PRESERVING TODAY AS PARKLAND.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM,
[00:35:01]
I JUST REALLY WANTED TO THANK YOU.I'VE GOT A LONG LIST OF NAMES I WAS GONNA READ, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE A REALLY LONG DAY AHEAD OF YOU, SO I'LL SPARE YOU THAT.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR FOR APPROVING THE PARKLAND OF ITEM NUMBER 40.
SO CARLOS LEONE SOURCED AND FOREMOST, CAUSE ALSO SELL DEALS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AGAINST DR.
MARK S. SCOTT IS INTERIM HEALTH AUTHORITY ITEM 53 TO TRY NOT COUNSELING SOUTH BY CANCELING SOUTH BY BECAUSE OF ALL THE MONEY YOU'D EXPECTED TO BRING AUSTIN.
S SCOTT PUBLICLY SAID EARLY MARCH, 2020, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT CLOSING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OR OTHER ACTIVITIES IS GOING TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY SAFER.
SO THERE WAS MUCH EVIDENCE AT THE TIME OUTSIDE AUSTIN SHOWING THAT NOT SHUTTING SOUTH BY WOULD'VE MADE AUSTIN A DANGEROUS COVID 19 PETRI DISH THAN A SUPER SPREADER EVENT.
WHEN EVERYONE WENT HOME AFTERWARD, HE SAID, THEN THERE IS NOT STRONG EVIDENCE THAT CANCELING MASS GATHERINGS BREAKS THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION, AND THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO EVIDENCE OF AIRBORNE PERSON TO PERSON SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
THE WOOL HAND, CHINA, WHERE THE BIO ENGINEERED BIO WEAPON COVID-19 CAME FROM HAD ALREADY LOCKED DOWN.
IT'S 11 MILLION RESIDENTS FOR MORE THAN A MONTH.
S SCOTT, DIDN'T FLIP TO SHUT SOUTH BY UNTIL FORCED BY MASSIVE PUBLIC PRESSURE, EVIDENCED BY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF US PETITION SIGNING.
AUSTINITES USING COMMON SENSE TO SAY AND DO WHAT WAS RIGHT.
THEN WE FOLLOWED THE CLASSIC HIPPOCRATIC OATH.
S GOT SWORE TOO, BUT VIOLATED BY NOT WILLINGLY REFRAINING FROM DOING WRONG FROM FALSEHOOD NOW BY WRONGLY ADVISING YOU TO NOT FOLLOW GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER 34, WHICH RIGHTLY EASES COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS.
ONE YEAR LATER, BASED ON THE DATA AS SCOTT IS VIOLATING HIS OATH OF OFFICE TO DEFEND, PRESERVE, AND PROTECT THE LAWS OF THIS STATE TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITY.
SO HELP HIM GOD, THOUGH, AS SCOTT NOW SAYS, PEOPLE NEED TO CONTINUE WEARING FACE COVERINGS IN PUBLIC TO AVOID ANOTHER SURGEON CASES I ALLEGE HE HAS NOT MET HIS EVIDENCE-BASED BURDEN TO CONTINUE LEGALLY RESTRICTING OUR DEFAULT NATURAL LAW LIBERTY TO PUBLICLY INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER WITHOUT FACE COVERINGS, WHICH I EXPECT JUDGE LIVINGSTON TO RULE TOMORROW.
MAYOR CABO ADLER IS ALSO A GUILTY GAS LIGHTER SAYING S GOD IS THE EXPERT TO WHOM OUR COMMUNITY AND TRUST OUR PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND THAT BEST SCOTT'S OPINIONS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT THOUGH.
THE TRUTH IS OPPOSITE JUST AS SENATOR DR.
RON PAUL TOLD FOWCHEE THE FRAUD THAT AT THIS POINT MASKS ARE FOR SHOW EXPOSING DEFEAT BASKETS, CONJECTURE BASED POLICY BY REMOVING AND REPLACING HIM.
NOW, SPEAKER, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
PAUL ROBBINS COUNSEL I'M PAUL ROBBINS.
I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE.
MY FIRST POINT SAID, I WANT YOU TO START LETTING CITIZENS SPEAK ON ISSUES IN THE MANNER WE ARE ACCUSTOMED.
YOU ARE LIMITING US TO ONE OR TWO MINUTES WHEN WE FORMERLY HAD THREE MINUTES, AND THIS IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO DEAL WITH COMPLEX ISSUES FURTHER.
YOU'VE BANNED CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AT YOUR COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR A YEAR.
NOW THE GOOD THING ABOUT CONSTRICTING CITIZEN COMMUNICATION IS YOU LIMIT THE TIME.
YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO UNINFORMED AND ABUSIVE PEOPLE, BUT YOU ALSO FAIL TO GET CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT.
IN THE INSUFFICIENT TIME THAT I HAVE LEFT, I WANT TO SPEAK TO THREE SHORTCOMINGS OF ITEMS FOUR, WHICH WE'LL STUDY BACKUP GENERATION FOR SECURITY HUBS TO HELP PEOPLE SURVIVE DISASTERS.
FIRST, I SUPPORT THE CONCEPT, BUT REMIND YOU THAT IN THE HORRIBLE FREEZE THAT JUST OCCURRED ALMOST NO ONE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO SECURITY HUBS.
EVEN IF THE SECURITY HUBS HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH BACKUP GENERATION, SECOND STORAGE BATTERIES ARE PROFOUNDLY EXPENSIVE.
THE WINTER OUTAGE, NOT MANY HOMES OFFLINE FOR DAYS.
A BATTERY BANK OF THIS SIZE MAY BE UNPRECEDENTED EVEN WITH DAILY SOLAR CHARGING, WHICH WILL ALSO BE MORE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE TO INCREASE THE ERASER SIZE TO COMPENSATE FOR BAD WEATHER AND BATTERY CONVERSION LOSS.
YOU MIGHT EVALUATE AN ALTERNATIVE OF USING RENEWABLE DIESEL OR ANOTHER BIOFUEL WITH BACKUP GENERATORS, STEAD AND FOOD.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO HARDEN CITY FACILITIES WITH BATTERIES, MAYBE YOU SHOULD INCLUDE AUSTIN'S EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTERS.
[00:40:01]
MY NAME IS OLIVIA OVERTURN.HOWEVER, I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO, THE MOUNT CARMEL APARTMENTS ARE WITHOUT WATER.
AGAIN, DUE TO A BUSTED WATER LINE BY CONSTRUCTION CREWS.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM AND WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THIS AUDIT FOR ITEM NUMBER 67, THAT EVERY GROUP NON-PROFIT FUNDS FOUNDATION TRUSTS MUTUAL AID AND OTHER GROUP OR PROGRAM THAT PARTICIPATED IN WINTER STORM URI ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE AUDIT DURING WINTER STORM URI.
MANY OF THE NEWER ORGS THAT WERE IN ARE CURRENTLY USED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DISTRICTS ONE AND TWO ARE NOT LEGITIMATE ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY HAVE NO TAX EXEMPT OR FIVE OH ONE C STATUS.
THEY HAVE NO LICENSE INSURANCE OR BOND.
THERE'S NO TRACEABILITY OF HOW THEY USE DONATIONS OR FUNDING.
AND OFTENTIMES ARE THE SOURCE OF DONATION WASTE, INCLUDING WASTE FROM FOOD AND WATER DONATIONS.
STACKS OF WATER BOTTLES REPEATEDLY TAKEN WERE REPEATEDLY TAKEN TO AREAS WHOSE BOIL WATER NOTICE WAS LIFTED WHILE THEY EXTREMELY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND D ONE AND D TWO WENT WITHOUT CONTINUING TO ALLOW UNLICENSED AND UNREGISTERED GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THOSE THAT WERE USING THE WINTER STORM HUB AT THE MILLENNIUM COMPLEX LEAVES THEM ABSENT FROM BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
I FIND IT SURREAL THAT WITH ALL THE ACTIVITY AT THE MILLENNIUM COMMUNITIES LIKE MOUNT CARMEL THAT WERE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO THE MILLENNIUM, HAD NO IDEA THAT THAT WAS B HUB FOR FOOD AND WATER DISTRIBUTION FOR THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
JUST LAST WEEKEND, I WITNESSED A NEWLY FORMED ORGANIZATION DON'T CLOSE TO 50 REFRIGERATED FRESH PRODUCE BAG ON THE SIDEWALK OF THE DUB SPRINGS FREE FRIDGE PROJECT.
IN DISTRICT TWO, WE NEED TO HAVE A NUMBER TO CALL OR A WAIT TO REPORT UNAUTHORIZED USE OF CITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES.
WE DEFINITELY NEED OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO IMMEDIATELY STOP LEANING SO HEAVILY ON ORGANIZATIONS, TRUST AND COALITION WHO ARE NOT LEGITIMATE ON PAPER AND HAVE NO TRAINING.
WE NEED COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STOP RELYING ON ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THEIR OUTREACH AND TO STOP ADVERTISING FOR THEM THROUGH THEIR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERY SINGLE ORGANIZATION, NONPROFIT GROUP COALITION, OR ANY OTHER FOUNDATION OR YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
UM, SO I'M SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR ITEM 67 AFTER ACTION REVIEW AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT 64 WOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL 8TH.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM DOVE SPRINGS AND OTHER HARD HIT AREAS OF THE STORM WHO PLANNED TO SPEAK THEN.
SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU ALL PUT SOMETHING BACK ON THE AGENDA.
SO YOU CAN HEAR FROM THE MEN, UM, I'M HERE THOUGH, TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FULLY IMPLEMENTING RESOLUTIONS, INCLUDING THE RESILIENCE RESOLUTIONS OF 2019 AND 2020.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A THIRD ONE, UH, WITH RESILIENCE IN THE TITLE.
UM, BUT I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THERE ARE STAFF MEMOS THAT WENT TO YOU ALL THERE AND COUNCIL IN 2019 AND 2020 THAT WERE BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR OWN STAFF CHAMPIONS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK ABOUT, UH, YES, DISASTER RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS, BUT MORE THAN THAT, CLIMATE PROOFING AND DISASTER PROOFING OUR CITY, THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE THINGS, UH, LIKE THINGS LIKE BACKING UP POWER AT ULRIC WATER PLANT, UM, ORGANIZING COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAMS, WHICH WOULD HAVE AVOIDED A LOT OF THE ACCUSATIONS YOU'RE HEARING FROM PEOPLE LIKE MISS OVERTURN.
UH, THE GROUP SHE'S TALKING ABOUT IS ACTUALLY A VOLUNTEER GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM THE SPRINGS WHO, UH, HAD TO TAKE A BUNCH OF MEALS.
LIKE MANY OF US DID FROM OTHER DISORGANIZED GROUPS WHO KIND OF DUMPED STUFF ON US.
AND DISTRIBUTION HAD TO BE ORGANIZED, ORGANIZED PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON RESILIENCE, WHETHER IT'S THE CITY BUZZWORD OR JUST IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE MANY EXPERTS AT THIS, BUT THERE WAS TONS OF UNNECESSARY CONFUSION, HEARTACHE, TRAUMA, SECONDARY TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH A DISORGANIZED RESPONSE.
OF COURSE, A LOT OF THE STUFF WAS UNPRECEDENTED, BUT YOU ALL, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER READY FOR THIS STORM.
SURVEYED RESILIENCE HUB LOCATIONS WERE PART OF THESE BACK RECOMMENDATIONS.
COMMUNITY EFFORTS HAVE TANGIBLE DEMANDS.
WE HAVE ACTION PLANS FOR CLIMATE PROOFING, INFRASTRUCTURE ADVANCING DISASTER RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS.
IT'S BEEN DONE PIECEMEAL BECAUSE ONE PERSON IN YOUR EXECUTIVE CITY MANAGEMENT HAS DECIDED TO TAKE IT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION WITH NO TRANSPARENCY OF PROCESS AND NO COMMUNICATION TO YOUR OWN STAFF, LET ALONE COMMUNITY DO THIS BY YOURSELF.
ALL RIGHT, WHAT I WANT IS FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE PUBLIC THE CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER SELECTION, AND FOR YOU ALL TO COMMUNICATE PUBLICLY ABOUT THIS AFTER ACTION REVIEW, THIS IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT THIS IS THE SAME.
THAT WAS GOING TO BE, I THINK, A VERY PUBLIC AFTER-ACTION REVIEW.
[00:45:01]
COUNCILMEMBER TOVO HAS A RESOLUTION IN THAT REGARD AND MAYOR, JUST TO CLARIFY, I KNOW MR. ROBBINS SPOKE AND OFFERED SOME, SOME USEFUL CONVERSATION AROUND THE RESILIENCE HUBS, UM, SORRY, MY DOC.SO HE'S CHIMING IN, BUT, UH, THE ITEM ABOUT CREATING THE RESILIENT HUBS IS POSTPONED UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO WE HAVE TIME, UM, AND I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT, UM, CARMEN KNOWS THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT, TO TALK THROUGH THE RESILIENCE HUBS AT OUR FUTURE MEETING, KATHY MCMORRIS.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY SUCCESS BY SIX LEADERSHIP TEAM AND SUPPORTIVE AGENDA ITEM ONE 11, AND THE RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE A SPENDING FRAMEWORK THAT ADDRESSES PRIORITY CHALLENGES ON A TRANSFORMATIONAL WAY.
THANK YOU, MAYOR MAYOR PRO TEM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR RECOGNIZING THE ESSENTIAL ROLE QUALITY CHILDCARE PLAYS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE ECONOMY, YOUR SWIFT ACTION TO SUPPORT THE CHILDCARE SECTOR DURING THE PANDEMIC WITH CHILDCARE RELIEF FUNDING HELPED MANY PROVIDERS REOPEN OR REMAIN OPEN THROUGHOUT THE CRISIS, BUT THE CHILDCARE SECTOR WAS FRAGILE BEFORE THE CRISIS AND RETURNING TO THE STATUS QUO WILL CONTINUE TO LEAVE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BEHIND.
WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE AND RESILIENT SYSTEM BY INVESTING IN KEY INFRASTRUCTURE, SUPPLEMENTING FUNDING, TO STRENGTHEN EXISTING PROGRAMS AND INVESTING IN NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS, ADDRESS IDENTIFIED GAPS.
OUR RECENT LETTER SIGNED BY MORE THAN 50 TEXAS BUSINESS LEADERS.
NOTED CHILDCARE IS A SMALL SILENT ENGINES THAT DRIVE TEXAS BUSINESSES.
IF OUR YOUNG CHILDREN CAN'T ACCESS QUALITY CHILDCARE, MUCH OF THE TEXAS WORKFORCE CAN'T RETURN TO WORK.
IT IS OFTEN THE MOST OVERLOOKED FOUNDATION OF OUR ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
IT'S THE QUALITY OF PROGRAMS THAT INFLUENCE OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL TRAJECTORY AS THE MOST RAPID PERIOD OF BRAIN DEVELOPMENT TAKE PLACE FROM BIRTH TO AGE FIVE, WITH NEW INVESTMENT IN OUR CHILDCARE INFRASTRUCTURE, WITHOUT NEW INVESTMENT IN OUR CHILDCARE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE WILL RETURN TO BEING A COMMUNITY THAT HAS INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY TO MEET DEMAND IN EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR CHILDREN OF COLOR, NO QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR CHILDREN OF EMPLOYEES WHO WORK NON TRADITIONAL FRAGILE CHILDCARE BUSINESSES, TRYING TO SURVIVE ON VERY SLIM MARGINS AND A CHILDCARE WORKFORCE HAS LOW WAGES.
THERE'S BUILT IN HIGH LEVELS OF FOOD INSECURITY AND POOR MENTAL HEALTH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DECISION TO PRIORITIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL INVESTMENT AND TO RECOGNIZE EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION AS ONE OF THOSE YOU MALLORY DIXON.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, THE, THE INHUMANE AND DOWNRIGHT DISTRESSING WAY APARTMENTS ARE NOW JUST NOW KICKING PEOPLE OUT DUE TO THE QUOTE, QUOTE, UNQUOTE FLOOD THAT HAPPENED OVER MONTHS AGO.
THIS WAS MY HOME FOR OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
MY APARTMENT HAS FLOODED TWICE AND EVEN MY CAR HAS BEEN BROKEN INTO AND THEY DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.
HOWEVER, EVERY TIME WHEN I CALLED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES, I WAS JUST BULLIED TALKED DOWN TO AND BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
THEY MAKE YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE NO POWER.
IT'S SCARY, SAD, AND YOU FEEL HOPELESS THAT YOU HAVE NO ONE ON YOUR SIDE, NOT EVEN YOUR OWN CITY.
IT'S LIKE THE BIG FISH SWIM AND THE LITTLE FISH THINK.
UM, AFTER, ON MARCH 27TH, I HAD SOMEONE WALK INTO MY APARTMENT AND TOLD ME I NEEDED TO MOVE OUT ASAP AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME RELOCATE AND HAD NO UNITS AVAILABLE FOR ME, WHICH WAS A COMPLETE LIE.
THEY SAID THEY HAD A UNIT AVAILABLE STARTING APRIL 2ND.
SARAH, MY MANAGER WAS SO RUDE TO MY MOTHER AND I AND SAID, IT'S UNFORTUNATE FOR EVERYONE, BUT SHE NEEDS TO MOVE OUT AND BUY SOMEWHERE ELSE AWAY.
AND WE WILL NOTE WE WILL NOT HELP HER.
SHE ALSO STATED THAT I MAY WALK AWAY FROM MY LEASE WITHOUT INDEPENDENTLY, WHICH I FIND PRETTY COMICAL SINCE I HAVE, THEY HAVE KICKED ME OUT, BUT I'M STILL SOMEHOW BONDED TO MY LEASE.
EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIVE THERE.
SHE COULDN'T EVEN GUARANTEE I WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK WITHIN 60 DAYS.
I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT SINCE THIS, SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED.
IF IT WASN'T FOR MY MOM DRIVING SIX HOURS TO COME GET ME SINCE I HAVE SEVERELY PISSED AND I'M AT HIGH RISK AND HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY BACK TO NEGATIVE PLACES FOR ME TO RELOCATE WERE LIMITED DUE TO MY DISABILITY.
I WOULD BE A COMPLETELY HOMELESS.
AND I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE I KNOW I NEEDED TO ADVOCATE FOR OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING TO EVERYONE EVERYWHERE BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE NO RIGHTS TO FIGHT OUR COMPLEXES ABOUT THIS.
AND OUR CITY IS NOT ON OUR SIDE.
WHEN AUSTIN TENANT COUNCIL CALL MY MANAGER, SHE TOLD ME, SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS THE RUDEST LADY SHE SPOKEN TO AND WAS NOT EMPATHETIC AT ALL.
NOW, THE ONLY WAY FOR ME TO GET OUT OF MY LEASE WAS THAT I WOULD HAVE TO SIGN AN NDA SAYING I WOULD NOT DISCUSS THIS MATTER ANY FURTHER.
I'M ASKING YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THIS HOW YOU WANT YOUR RESIDENTS TO BE TREATED? WE ALREADY ASKED YOU, WE ALREADY
[00:50:01]
HAVE ASTRONOMICAL HOMELESS SITUATION, AUSTIN.AND THESE APARTMENT ISSUES ARE ONLY GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE.
I WILL BE GOING TO THE LOCAL NEWS AS WELL AS THE VIDEOS.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH OUR OFFICES.
I'M SURE EVERYONE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT.
AND IF YOU'VE SENT IT TO US, UH, WE WILL BE, UM, I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK FOR THAT.
THE POLICY DIRECTOR FOR GOV GO AUSTIN VAMOS.
OFTEN SPEAKING ON ITEMS 67 AND ONE 12, THERE WERE DIRE CONSEQUENCES DUE TO LACK OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE UNEVEN APPLICATION OF THE ROLLING ELECTRICAL OUTAGES LOSS OF UTILITIES WITH LITTLE OR NO RELIEF, UNORGANIZED COORDINATION OF RELIEF EFFORTS, WORDING ON THE BOIL NOTICE, LACK OF CLARITY, LACK ENOUGH CLARITY THAT SOME RESIDENTS STOPPED BOILING WATER TOO EARLY WHEN CONDUCTING THE AUDIT, IDENTIFY GAPS REGARDING DEATH, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, STARTING WITH A LACK OF PROCESS AND TRANSPARENCY FOR GREETING THE POSITION OF THE CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER.
VISIT YEARS OF WORK DONE BY GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE GABA, WORKING WITH BOTH THE CITY AND RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, DATING BACK TO 2019.
GUESTS IDENTIFIED IN THE AUDIT MUST BE PUBLICLY COMMUNICATED TO CITY STAFF AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
THE PROPOSED TASKFORCE WILL INCLUDE LISTENING SESSIONS, BUT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED RESIDENTS AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE PART OF THE AUDIT PROCESS.
CITY STAFF IS PREPARING BUDGET.
AS THE PROCESS MUST INCLUDE A COMMITMENT TO ELEVATE BUDGET PRIORITIES AND REQUESTS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION FOR RESILIENCE, HUBS, DISASTER, PREPAREDNESS, INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MEASURES REGARDING ITEM ONE 12.
SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT, I HAVE BEEN A RENTER FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
THE CITY NEEDS TO HOLD BOTH PROPERTY OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, NOT EITHER OR BOTH ACCOUNTABLE FOR INFORMING, SUPPORTING, AND ASSISTING TENANTS.
OKAY, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE NEXT GROUP, UM, WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE FAR END RAINY ITEMS. CURTIS ROGERS, PLEASE.
WHAT FAR AND RAINY ITEMS CURTIS ROGERS.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, SPECIFICALLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT BORDERS RAINEY STREET ACROSS
I JUST WANT TO SPEAK, UM, AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE FOR THE ORDINANCE GRANTING ADDITIONAL FAR RATIO, ENTITLEMENTS.
YOU KNOW, AUSTIN NEEDS A LOT OF HOUSING NOW AND VOTING FOR THESE.
WON'T PROVIDE THAT OFF THAT HOUSING TODAY, BUT IT WILL PUT MORE HOUSING IN THE PIPELINE BECAUSE WE'LL LIKELY NEED IT.
WHEN THESE THINGS COME ONLINE AND THESE ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE WITH LESS PARKING, WHICH I THINK IS A PLUS BECAUSE LESS PARKING MEANS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BE SUPPORTING MORE OF OUR ASP GOALS.
FEWER CAR OWNERS ALSO MEANS FEWER TRIPS, MORE LOCAL SPENDING CLOSER TO OUR 50 50 MODE SPLIT OUR CLIMATE CHANGE GOALS AND THE EFFORTS TO REDUCE TRAFFIC.
WE NEED MORE HOUSING IN AUSTIN OF ALL TYPES.
THIS MIGHT JUST BE ONE TYPE, BUT IT ALL SUPPORTS OUR HOUSING GOALS.
ABLESON HI, I'M SPEAKING TO ITEM 34.
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO VISUALIZE YOUR HOME IN THE STREET THAT YOU LIVED ON.
AS YOU GREW UP, HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE THERE? IMAGINE 1600 PEOPLE LIVING ON YOUR STREET.
INSTEAD WITH MANY TALL BUILDINGS, IMAGINE 10 CITY BLOCKS.
IT'S 1500 PEOPLE LIVING ON EACH STREET.
NOW PUT ALL 10 STREETS TOGETHER.
SO THERE'S ONLY TWO WAYS IN AND OUT AND IMAGINE A NARROW STREET WITH ONE LANE CARS IN EACH DIRECTION.
I JUST DESCRIBED THE ONE 10TH OF ONE SQUARE MILE CALLED RAINY.
AND THAT IS THE DENSITY OF 15 TO ONE FAR TODAY.
AND OVER THE NEXT MONTH, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO APPROVE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS NOWHERE IN AUSTIN, THREE PROPERTIES WITH FARS OF 21 TO ONE 22 TO ONE 32 TO ONE THAT WILL BE OVER ONE AND A HALF TIMES.
THE MAXIMUM DENSITY CURRENTLY ALLOWED AND DESCRIBE THE BUS AT THE MAC WAS ITS NEEDED EXPANSION AND THOUSAND BAR VISITORS WEEKEND EVENINGS.
ALL THESE PEOPLE CAN'T GET AROUND SAFELY WITH STREETS.
SO NARROW BUSES CAN'T EVEN FIT.
PEOPLE, CROWDING THE BARS AND STREETS WITHOUT SIDEWALKS, FORCING PEOPLE TO WALK IN THE HIGHLY TRAVELED STREETS, THE MERCHANTS WOULD SEE VEHICLES HAVING TROUBLE EITHER.
[00:55:01]
SPEEDILY SERVICING US.WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE GUIDE DEVELOPMENT AND RAINING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
RAINEY HAS BEEN BEFORE YOU CITY COMMISSIONS, THE CITY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
WE HAVE SEVERAL TIMES HAD OVER 50 PEOPLE IN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING SHOWING OUR CONCERNS OVER 30 PEOPLE IN RANDY HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS OF CONCERN OF THE PAST THREE WEEKS HAS MENTIONED MY COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA PEOPLE HAVE READY, ARE FRUSTRATED, UPSET, AND CONCERNED.
WE STILL, YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR HOMES, OUR FAMILIES, OR SAFETY THROUGH ALL OF THESE ENERGIES.
AS A GROUP, YOU HAVE NEVER ACTED ON ANY OF OUR CONCERNS FOR THE SAKE OF THE SAFE PLACE TO VISIT, TO LIVE AND TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN.
WE BEG YOU TO LISTEN TO US NOW, PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE ANY FOREST.
THE BUS 15 TO ONE 15 TO ONE ALLOWS PLENTY OF DENSITY AND HAS BEEN THE MAXIMUM IN AUSTIN FOR MANY YEARS FOR GOOD REASON.
THANK YOU, DUSTIN LADDER BACK, DUSTIN LADDER BACK, GREG ANDERSON AND LAUREN, AND HE TAKES COUNSEL EXCITED TO ALL BE TOGETHER SOON.
I'M A D NINE RESIDENT AND I LIVE DOWNTOWN WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO GROW AND TO WELCOME NEW NEIGHBORS, ITEM 34, ITEM 74 AND 82 ALL LOOK TO REPLACE THREE BARS AND A CLOSED RESTAURANT WITH ONES IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
NEW HOUSING OFTEN MAKES SOME HOMEOWNERS UNCOMFORTABLE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS NIMBYISM IS IDENTIFIED AS A TOP THREAT TO HOUSING AFFORDABILITY NATIONWIDE.
WE NEED MORE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OF SUPPLY, MEANING LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME EARNERS HAVE ALMOST ZERO CHANCE OF BEING ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME.
WE CAN VOTE THESE DOWN AND LIMIT NEW HOUSING AT THE COST OF RAISING TAXES ON THE REMAINING HOMES AND ENCOURAGING DISPLACEMENT ENCOURAGING SPRAWL, OR WE CAN GROW THE TAX BASE BY ADDING THESE RESIDENTIAL TOWERS AND DOING OTHER WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE THANKFULLY WORKING ON IN 2011.
WHEN THE HOUSING IN AUSTIN WAS SURPRISINGLY AFFORDABLE.
UM, THE HOUSING SKEPTIC RHETORIC OF THE DAY WAS LED BY MAKE DEVELOPMENT PAY FOR ITSELF.
SINCE THEN, IT SEEMS TO HAVE MORPHED INTO LET'S EXTRACT AS MUCH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE AND THEN SAY IT'S NOT ENOUGH MILLIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION, NOT ENOUGH MILLIONS FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, NOT ENOUGH MILLIONS IN ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PAID FOR BY THE DEVELOPER, NOT ENOUGH.
THIS ALL LEADS TO HUGE FAILURES IN HOUSING.
WE CAN CONSISTENTLY GIVE IN AND OPPOSE NEW HOUSING, BUT AT WHAT COSTS, UH, AUSTIN IS HURTING FAR TOO MANY WITH ANTI-CHANGE POLICIES.
LET'S AVOID PULLING THE RUG OUT FROM DEVELOPMENT TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING BY TRYING TO CHANGE THE RULES AT THE LAST MINUTE AND SUPPORT HOUSING BY PASSING ITEMS 34 74 AND 82.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT, UM, ITEM 82, THE 1992 RAINY PROJECT.
UM, I THINK WE ALL CAN SEE THERE'S A MAJOR HOUSING SHORTAGE CRISIS.
UM, I LIVE IN VIEWER AND RECEIVE TWO TO THREE COLD CALLS A WEEK FROM BROKERS, UM, ASKING ABOUT SELLING MY HOME AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO BE IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THE WALKABILITY.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I JUST ASK, DID YOU CONTEMPLATE YOUR DECISION THAT YOU CONSIDER THE 20, UM, THE 20 UNITS THAT, UH, 90 92 IS, IS GIVEN TO, UM, BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND YOU KNOW HOW THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE AFFECTED IF YOU, NO.
HELLO? YES, I'M UH, IN SUPPORT OF VITAMINS, UH, 16 AND 74 FOR THE RAINY STREET, UH, REDEVELOPMENT OF SOME, UH, ONE STORY BUILDINGS AND TWO, UM, ALRIGHT, TOWERS THAT WILL ALLOW A HIGHER DENSITY AND, AND, UH, BETTER, BETTER TAXPAYERS FOR THE, UH, CITIZENS OF AUSTIN THAT WILL BENEFIT, UH, THE COMMUNITY.
[01:00:02]
BEAR MAYOR.MAY I ASK MR.
AND, UH, MY GIRLFRIEND LIVES AT 43 RAINY STREET.
MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JAMES STRATTON RESIDENTS, CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN, AND A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND I AM SPEAKING TODAY TO ENCOURAGE A YES, VOTE ON AGENDA ITEM 34 AND ITS COMPANION ITEMS, 74 AND 82 AS A MEMBER OF THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
I VIEW THE DENSITY DEVELOPMENT BONUSES AS AN ESSENTIAL STEP TOWARDS THE CREATION OF A MORE WALKABLE AUSTIN, A WALKABLE AUSTIN AS A HEALTHY AUSTIN AND THE 1000 PLUS HOMES TO BE ADDED BY THESE THREE PROJECTS WILL INCREASE THE ABILITY OF FOLKS TO ENJOY THE FREEDOM OF MOTION GIVEN TO THEM BY THEIR FEET.
THE MORE OF OUR NEIGHBORS WE CAN VISIT NETWORK AND COLLABORATE WITH ON FOOT WITHOUT CAR DEPENDENCY EASES THE DEMANDS ON AUSTIN'S ROADS, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EMERGENCY SERVICES.
WHEN PEOPLE'S HOMES ARE BUILT NEAR THE CULTURE ECONOMY AND VIBRANCY OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AS ITEMS 34, 74 AND 82, ENCOURAGE THE BENEFITS OF A PEDESTRIAN POPULATION UNLOCK AMONG THEM DECREASE POLLUTION TO AIR IN HERE, AS WELL AS GREATER SOCIAL BONDS AMONG NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE NEAR ONE ANOTHER FOR A HEALTHIER FREER, LESS CAR DEPENDENT, AUSTIN, I ENCOURAGE A YES, VOTE ON THESE THREE ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I LIVE DOWNTOWN IN DISTRICT ONE JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE, ABOUT 35 FROM DISTRICT NINE.
UM, ALSO OWN A BUILDING ON, UH, SIXTH STREET IN DISTRICT NINE.
UM, FORMALLY LIVED IN THE RAINY DISTRICT AND I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO ITEM NUMBER 74.
UM, I JUST HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT NOT SUPPORTING PROJECTS SUCH AS THE RIVER STREET RESIDENCES AND THE OTHER PROJECTS IN THAT, UH, THAT AREA ULTIMATELY MEANS, UH, THIS PROJECT IS EXACTLY, I THINK WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS.
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ARE INVESTED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS CITIZENS, NOT JUST, UH, PEOPLE DOWN THERE PARTYING I HAVE IN MY, MY VIEW, RAINEY'S LARGELY BECOME A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE JUST KIND OF FLY IN DRINK, HAVE A BIG DAY OR NOT THEN LEAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE KIDS AND IT'S HARD EVEN WALK UP AND DOWN THE STREETS, EVEN ON THE SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH KINDA SOME OF THE STUFF GOING ON AROUND THERE.
UM, I DO THINK IT CAN STILL BE A GREAT TOURIST DESTINATION, UM, WHILE ALSO CREATING A REAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S LIVABLE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN'T BE DONE WITHOUT BUILDINGS LIKE THIS AND THE OTHER ONES IN THE AREA THAT BROUGHT ALMOST 400 HOUSES FOR PEOPLE THAT WILL BE INVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY, INVESTED IN RAINY AS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS BUILDING'S DESIGNED TO MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO AN ALLEY THAT'S IN REALLY BAD CONDITION AS WELL.
UM, THEREFORE THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY ADDITIONAL CONGESTION.
I BELIEVE THE BUILDING'S GOING TO BE, UH, ASSESSED ACCESS FROM EAST AVENUE.
FURTHERMORE, THE DEVELOPERS, UH, GONNA HELP FIND COMPLETIONS OF THE RAINY TRAILHEAD THAT WILL CONNECT THE HOCK AND BACK TRAIL.
AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE BENEFIT FOR THE ENTIRE CITY AND SOMETHING.
I KNOW MY FAMILY AND I WILL USE, UM, I THINK THERE'S A REALLY STRONG ECONOMIC ARGUMENT TO SUPPORT THE BUILDING AS WELL.
BUT I THINK JUST FOR THE TIME BEING, I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD BENEFIT.
I THINK THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT RAINEY NEEDS AND WHAT THE CITY AT LARGE NEEDS FROM RAINY.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER DIRTY SIXTH AND I THINK IT'D BE A SHAME, UM, IF RAINY DEVOLVED IN TO A NEIGHBORHOOD OF NOTHING BUT JUST BARS, I'M RG ALL TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT, NOT JUST WORKS MANY DIRECT INCALCULABLE CITY BENEFITS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR ITS IMMEDIATE AREA BENEFITS AND WHAT THEY MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE DISTRICT.
AND MY MAYOR, WE HAVE ONE PERSON CALLING IN AFTER IF THEY CALL IN ON THE NEXT GROUP ARE HFC SPEAKERS.
IF YOU CAN GIVE US A MINUTE, SORRY.
WHILE WE HAVE A BREAK, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, I POSTED,
[01:05:01]
UH, AN AMENDMENT, A VERSION TWO TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FOR THIS ITEM 66.UH, I SEE THAT YOU'VE GOT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD TO SAY THAT THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.
AND THE WORK OF YOU AND YOUR CO-SPONSORS ON THIS ITEM, I, WITHOUT OBJECTION, UH, ITEM 66 WILL BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THAT, UH, UH, AMENDMENT VERSION TWO.
THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO EVERYONE AND POSTED, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THE COLOR THAT WE ARE WAITING ON IS THE NOVIA JOSEPH.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'D LIKE TO PROCEED.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND RECESS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, GO TO THE HFC, UH, AND THEN COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL MEETING.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT, LOCATE HER IN THE INTERVENING PERIOD OF TIME, UH WE'LL WE'LL HEAR HER SPEAK THAT.
SO WITH THAT SAD AT 1109, I'M GOING TO RECESS THE, UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING OR FOR THE, UH, OVERTURNED HERE SHORTLY AND ALSO AT 1109.
I'M GOING TO CONVENE THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION MEETING TODAY IS MARCH 25TH, 2021.
UH, IT IS, AS WE SAID, 11, 10 MEETINGS BEING HELD BY VIDEO CONFERENCE.
UH, A FORUM OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS, UH, PRESENT.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, ONE, UH, CHANGE AND CORRECTION TO READ INTO THE RECORD.
THERE WAS LAID BACK UP IN THE ITEM, NUMBER FOUR, UM, REGARDING TO, UH, HEAR FROM SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE AGENDA ITEMS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THESE SPEAKERS, WE WILL RECESS THE HFC.
MAYBE WE'RE BACK INTO THE COUNCIL MEETING.
WE ARE THESE SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS SARAH ANDRE.
HI, ACTUALLY SPEAKING ON AUDIT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THESE OUT OF TURN THAT WAY.
UM, IF YOU DO, I'LL, I'LL PUSH IT.
WELL, I'M, I'M ITEM FOUR ON THE AGE OF THE AGENDA.
WASN'T SURE IF YOU'RE TAKING THESE OUT OF CON ALL ONCE YOU'RE TAKING THEM ALL TOGETHER, YOU'RE FINE TO GO AHEAD.
LIKE ANYBODY THAT'S LIVED HERE THAT LONG.
I THINK THE COST OF HOUSING IN AUSTIN AND THE COST OF LIVING SKYROCKETS.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE VERY WELL VERSED IN AUSTIN'S HOUSING CRISIS.
WE ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED OF LONGTERM AFFORDABLE UNITS.
LIKE THE ONES PROPOSED FOR CITY HEIGHTS.
I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE SOMETHING THOUGH, AS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRACTITIONER, I'VE GOT MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE PUTTING THE PROJECTS LIKE THIS BE TOGETHER.
AND THEY ARE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.
WE HAVE MANY, MANY HURDLES AND THEY ARE VERY HIGH HURDLE TO PULL THIS TOGETHER.
AND SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COMES ACROSS, THERE'S NOT A SPECIAL MAGIC OR A SECRET, UM, WAREHOUSE OF LOW COST ITEMS OR LOW COST LABOR FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEAL.
WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT A MARKET RATE DEAL DOES WITH A LOT MORE SCRUTINY AND CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OR MAY HEAR TODAY.
THE CITY HEIGHTS TEAM HAS SPENT MANY HOURS WORKING WITH AREA RESIDENTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND MORE THAN JUST MADE ORDER AND MAKE IT MORE FRIENDLY TO THE AREA.
AND WE ARE BASICALLY AT THE FINISH LINE HERE.
IT'S BEEN A TWO YEAR MARATHON, AND THIS IS KIND OF OUR FINAL STEP BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO CLOSE AND ACTUALLY START BUILDING THESE UNITS FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
I URGE YOU NOT TO THROW, UH, TWO YEARS DOWN THE DRAIN AND I URGE YOU TO VOTE FOR THIS ITEM AND HELP US CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH, UM, THAT AUSTIN SO DESPERATELY NEEDS.
I'VE REPRESENTED DEVELOPER, UH, FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, CITY HEIGHTS.
UM, WELL ALLOWS SIAM DIMENSIONED, UM, BESIDES
[01:10:01]
BEING ALONE UNDERTAKE, UH, FOR OUR TEAM TO PUT THIS PROJECT TOGETHER TO THE HIGHS, WE'LL PROVIDE 179 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE UNITS.UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING SINCE 2019 ON NOVEMBER, 2019.
THE PROJECT RECEIVED FUNDING, A FUNDING AWARD FROM THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION ON 2020 IN ALL THOSE 2020 CITY HIGHS WITH SAFE, AVOIDING THOSE NUMBERS SOLUTION FROM THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
IN ADDITION, UM, THE PROJECT HAD BLUE TABLE READY, THE APPROVAL OF THE TAX CREDIT APPLICATION IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SEVERAL MEETINGS HAVE OCCUR, UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING SAFETY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE IMPROVING, UM, TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
UM, THE ROLE WILL BE WIDENED WITH, UH, FROM 26 FEET, 40 FEET, Y UH, WE WILL HAVE A DEDICATED LANE, UM, TO ACCESS THE BUILDING, UM, DECELERATION LANE IT'S CALLED, UM, THERE WILL BE SIDEWALKS BUILT, UH, EXTENDING FROM ACROSS THE BUILDING, UH, AFTER THE PSI SIGNAGE, UH, WILL BE ADDED AND, AND, UM, THERE WILL BE PAVEMENT SIGNING AND, UM, WE ARE GOING TO RESTORE THE PAVEMENT AND RESTORE IT.
UM, CITY HEIGHTS, UH, WILL BE AN OUTSTANDING ADDITION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CITY OF ALL THINGS.
I COULDN'T HEAR THE LAST PART OF WHAT THE SPEAKER SAID.
COULD WE ASK HER TO, SHE SAID THEY WOULD BE SIGNING SOMETHING.
I COULDN'T HEAR WHAT SHE WAS SAYING.
MS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
MY NAME IS GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR ADLER AND BOARD DIRECTORS.
MY NAME IS ANA
AND I'M SPEAKING ON AN ITEM FOR THE CONTACT TEAM IS SURROUNDING AREA.
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO RAISE MAJOR PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.
THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE ON US AND THE PICTURE 55 AND OLDER ACTIVE RESIDENTS OF THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, NO PREP, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS CURRENTLY BEING PROVIDED TO THESE RESIDENTS PROPOSITION B COST RATES CITY OF THIS ROAD, BUT WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A START DATE OF THE STUDY.
THIS WILL BE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT BEING BUILT ALONG THE COAST CROPPING.
IT'S BEEN ALMOST SINCE THE MID 1980S FOR WHICH NO SIGNIFICANT ROAD IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN WHICH THE CITY'S TRAFFIC ENGINEERS CONTINUE TO SAVE STEPS.
RECENTLY, WE'VE BEEN DOWN THAT THREE MONTHS AGO IN DECEMBER OF 2020, THERE WILL BE TRAFFIC FATALITY AT THE EXACT LOCATION OF THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
THIS DANGEROUS STRETCH OF ROAD HAS ALREADY CUSSED THEM BACK UPON THEIR BARN, NEIGHBORS.
HOW MANY MORE LABS WILL WE SACRIFICE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? PLEASE ENVISION YOUR PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS AT DISNEY DEVELOPMENT, ED APPROVED THIS.
CAN WE COUNT ON YOU TO HELP US HELP THEM? CAN WE LET YOU KNOW WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE STATE BACKS TO STICK FRANKLIN PARK TO THE RECREATION CENTER, TO THE NEW PENDING PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY, TO THE HEB AND PHARMACY TO THE EL RANCHO MEXICAN GROCERY STORE? WHAT DID WE HAVE ANOTHER WINTER SPORT HURRY? CAN WE LET YOU KNOW THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE ELECTRICITY OR WATER? WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND ASK EACH OF YOU TO PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU WILL HELP US IN WHICH OF YOUR STAFF WILL BE YOUR DESIGNATED CONTACT PERSON.
WE CAN REACH OUT TO, WE WILL DO THIS BECAUSE WE VALUE OUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THESE NEW NEIGHBORS.
IN CLOSING, WE SINCERELY WANT TO THANK OUR COUNCIL MEMBER POINT THIS IN HER STEP, AS WELL AS THE CITY STAFF WORKING IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IN PUPPET QUIRKS, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH US TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE ALREADY CAUSED BY THE DEVELOPER.
[01:15:01]
WE TRULY APPRECIATE THEM AND THEIR EFFORTS I'M AVAILABLE TO BE SHOULD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.NEXT SPEAKER IS RAVALLI CASA HARU.
I'M A TRAFFIC ENGINEER WITH WTI.
I'M CALLING INTO PART OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THAT IS, UH, 4,400 AND APPLE'S CROSSING, UM, AND LOOKING AT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, UH, TO GO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT THAT, WHICH IS THE TURN LANES GOING INTO THE SIDE TO THE LEFT TURN LANE AND RIGHT TURN LANE INTO THE SITE AND THE PROPOSED ALWAYS STOP CONTROL AT UNCLE'S CROSSING AND VIEWPOINT DRIVE.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND IN ADDITION, THE, AS ANOTHER SPEAKER NOTED EARLIER, KNUCKLES CROSSING IS ALSO GOING TO BE WIDENED TO ENSURE IT MEETS THE URBAN STANDARDS.
SO THAT INCLUDES CURB AND GUTTER SO THAT IT MEETS CURRENT CODE AND ALSO BIKE FACILITIES AND SIDEWALK WILL BE PROVIDED ALONG THE SIDE FRONTAGE.
AND IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SITE EGRESS, UM, THE SIDE IS GOING TO BE RESTRICTED TO RIGHT TURNS ONLY.
I BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL THESE, UM, ONSITE AND OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED, THAT THE, THE PROJECT TEAM IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONCERNS ASSOCIATED FROM A TRANSPORTATION PERSPECTIVE ARE BEING ADDRESSED ADEQUATELY.
THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER SCHEER.
GOOD, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE COO OF MCDOWELL HOUSING PARTNERS, AND I'M A PRINCIPAL PARTNER IN THE CITY HEIGHTS DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
UH, AS MY COLLEAGUE HAD SAID BEFORE ME, WE STARTED AT DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES ON CITY HEIGHTS AROUND MIDDLE OF 2019.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE'RE ON THE CUSP OF CLOSING ALL THE REQUIRED TO COMMENCE CONSTRUCTION AND ULTIMATELY DELIVER THESE UNITS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SAY THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS NEVER EASY, BUT IT'S ALWAYS WORTH IT.
WE'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY FROM SPEAKERS ABOUT THE SEVERE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS IN THE CITY AND THE BENEFITS THAT IT DOES DELIVER TO THE CITIZENS.
YOU KNOW, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND DEDICATION FROM A LARGE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS HAS WENT INTO GETTING THE PROJECT TO THIS POINT AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO COMMEND, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF STOPPED, PARTICULARLY FROM, UM, NACD, THE AUSTIN HOUSING, FINANCE CORPORATION DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF.
WHO'VE BEEN, BEEN REALLY ENGAGED AND DILIGENT IN WORKING THROUGH THE MULTITUDE OF PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES THAT GO INTO DEVELOPING AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ASSET.
THEY'VE OPERATED WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND MOST OF ALL, THEY THEY'VE ALWAYS WORKED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEAR COMMENTS ABOUT THE SAFETY AND CONCERNS, UM, MAYBE THERE'S NOT A PERFECT SOLUTION, BUT THEIR SOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TODAY AND THE LINK THAT WE WENT, UM, TO ENSURE THAT, UH, LEVEL OF, OF SAFETY, UM, WHICH I'LL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT HAS REALLY BEEN ABOVE AND BEYOND, UM, KIND OF WHAT'S THE STANDARD LEVEL OF DUE DILIGENCE PERFORMED ON A DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S TODAY WE'RE IN FRONT OF YOU FOR APPROVAL ON THE FINAL BOND DOCUMENT THAT SO WE CAN PROCEED TO CLOSING CITY HEIGHTS HAS ALREADY RECEIVED A RESOLUTION OF APPROVAL FROM THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION FOR TO ISSUE THE STATE REVENUE BONDS.
THIS IS THE FINAL STEP OF HISTORICALLY, THIS IS A VERY ADMINISTRATIVE STEP IN NATURE.
UH, THE APPROVAL AT HAND TODAY SHOULD HAVE NO BEARING ON THE SITE PLAN TO DONATE OR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ITSELF.
WE KNOW, UH, THE OPPOSITION, UM, THAT HAS BEEN TODAY.
WE HAVE MS. JOSEPH ON THE LINE AND, UM, IF APPROPRIATE, SHE CAN, SHE REGISTERED TO SPEAK ON HFC AND CONSENT ITEMS AS WELL.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR HER FOR HFC FIRST, AND THEN SOON AFTER, UM, IF APPROPRIATE FOR THE OTHER ITEMS WE CAN WITH BIG, IT WILL BE APPROPRIATE.
WE'LL RECOGNIZE HER NOW TO SPEAK ON THE HFC.
WE'LL MOVE OUT OF THE HFC MEETING, JUST KEEP HER ON THE LINE.
WE'LL RECONVENE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UH, AND THEN SHE CAN SPEAK TO THOSE ITEMS. GREAT TO KNOW ZENOBIA JOSEPH, THANK YOU.
MIRA COUNCIL MEMBERS AS ENOVIA JOSEPH MAYOR.
DID YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK ON ALL OF MY ITEMS? I APOLOGIZE.
I'M IN CITY COUNCIL AND IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
[01:20:01]
ITEM AND THEN STAY ON THE LINE.AND THEN, UH, IN A MOMENT OR TWO, THEN YOU'LL SPEAK TO THE CITY COUNCIL ITEMS. OKAY.
MY COMMENT IS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO AUSTIN HOUSING, FINANCE CORPORATION, ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
THAT'S THE 4% LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS FOR THE LOPEZ HOUSE SITE.
THE LOPEZ I ACTUALLY SIGNED UP IN FAVOR OF THE 27 UNITS.
OF COURSE, IT'S THAT? UM, EIGHT OH NINE EAST NINTH STREET.
AND THERE THERE'S VERY LITTLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THAT AREA.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE LITERATURE THAT I SENT YOU, OR SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO MR. MITCHELL, UH, TERRY MITCHELL'S PROPERTY, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO IT.
AND THOSE CONDOMINIUMS ACTUALLY RANGE FROM 300,000 TO OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FAMILY HELD OUT A REALLY LONG TIME BEFORE ACTUALLY SELLING OUT AND ALLOWING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO BE BUILT THERE.
SO I WOULD JUST URGE COUNCIL TO PASS THE ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RECESS.
UH, HE HAD 1125, THE HFC, UH, MEETING, UH, WE'LL RETURN TO IT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
I THINK IT'LL BE BRIEF, UH, BUT LET'S KEEP DOING, AS WE SAID THAT WE WOULD, UH, SO AT 1125 HERE ON MARCH 25TH, 2021, WE'RE RECESS MAY HFC MEETING, UH, HERE ALSO AT 1125 OR GOING TO RECONVENE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, YOU'RE ON MARCH 25TH, 2021.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONCLUDE, UH, OUR SIGNED-UP SPEAKERS.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE MARKER.
PLEASE CALL THE LAST SPEAKER IN THE MORNING.
THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MAYOR, CAN YOU JUST LIST THE ITEMS THAT I SIGNED UP FOR? MY COMPUTER IS OUTSIDE.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
ITEM NUMBER 80 IS SPECIFICALLY MAINER APARTMENTS, AND I AM OPPOSED TO THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM UNIVERSITY HEALS LIBRARY.
IT'S THE RIGHT, UM, BY THE HEB OFF OF MAIN OR IN SPRINGDALE.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT IT'S 60% AREA MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, BUT WITHIN LESS THAN A MILE, APPROXIMATELY 0.9 MILES IS A RESERVE THAT'S SPRINGDALE, WHICH IS 60 AREA MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME AS WELL.
WHEN THE LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT ITEMS ARE WEST OF LOOP.
ONE, OFTENTIMES YOU HAVE 80% AREA MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME.
AND SO I DID ASK THE CITY CLERK TO SEND INFORMATION TO YOU.
AND THERE IS AN ITEM THAT'S OFF OF THE ACCESS ROAD ON ONE 83 THAT YOU APPROVED FEBRUARY FOUR, 2021.
AND IT SHOWS MIXED INCOME, 60 TO 80% AREA, MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME.
AND JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, 80% AREA MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME IS APPROXIMATELY $54,700.
AFRICAN-AMERICANS MAKE LESS THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S APPROXIMATELY A TEACHER SALARY OR THE SALARY OF A SOCIAL WORKER.
AND SO IT WOULD HELP IF THERE WAS SOME MIXED INCOME MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IN THESE AREAS.
I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT YOU STOP SEGREGATING THE AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN CORNERS OF THE CITY.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL, UM, AS IT RELATES TO ITEM NUMBER 62, I THINK THAT'S JUST COMMISSIONED BYLAWS.
MY COMMENT IS SIMILAR TO A PREVIOUS SPEAKER, WHICH ASKS FOR A GREATER TRANSPARENCY.
I'VE ASKED YOU TO PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
I WOULD JUST SAY TO THE OTHER SPEAKER, THAT HOUSE BILL 26, 83 BY REPRESENTATIVE CANALIS WAS HEARD TODAY AND STATE AFFAIRS.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THAT BILL IS SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO, UM, THE ELDERLY AND TO ALLOW GREATER ACCESS.
AND SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AS MUCH AS I'M ENGAGED, I'M SITTING IN CITY HALL RIGHT NOW, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO EVEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO DIAL IN.
AND SO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS WOULD NEED MORE HELP.
AND I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING MY COMMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
UH, FOR ALL OF US, ALL THE SPEAKERS, ALL THE SPEAKERS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALICE,
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU MAYOR.I KNOW WE'LL PROBABLY GO BACK TO THE H H F C MEETING.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD PULL 67.
I KNOW THAT I HAD POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASAR, AND JUST THOUGHT WE SHOULD PULL THAT ONE SO WE CAN HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
[Consent Agenda (Part 2 of 2)]
AGENDA AT THIS POINT.UH, IT'S LOOKING TO ME LIKE ITEMS 1634.
THESE ARE THE PULLED ITEMS. I'M SAYING 16, UH, WHICH IS, UH, THEIR MAIN STREET FAR MATTERS, 60 34, WHICH IS THE SAME 37, UH, WHICH WILL BE HEARD AFTER SIX, UM, 39 AND 40, UM, WHICH WE HAVE TO HEAR AFTER THE HFC MEETING, UH, 43 53 AND 67 AND ONE 17, WHICH WILL BE HEARD AFTER SIX 66 IS AS AMENDED WITH THE VERSION TWO AMENDMENT AND ONE 11.
WE'RE USING THE VERSION TWO RESOLUTION, AND THEN THERE'S AN AMENDMENT THAT, UM, UH,
UH, CITY MANAGER SHALL PRIORITIZE STAFFING RESOURCES TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES IN IDENTIFYING AND APPLYING TO APPLICABLE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, STAFFING RESOURCES, DEDICATED TO THIS ACTION SHOW, MIRROR THE NEED AND DEMAND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY FOR THESE SERVICES.
DOES EVERYBODY HAVE A GOOD OBJECTION TO THAT AMENDMENT BEING ADDED TO VERSION TWO OF ONE 11? OKAY.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THEN THAT'S ADDED TO ONE 11 OR REMAIN SERGEANT CONSENT.
UM, ONE LAST TIME, THE CONSENT AGENDA, I THINK AS ITEMS OLD AS 1634 37 39, 40 43, 53 67 AND ONE 17
I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I'VE ACCEPTED A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT ON ITEM NUMBER ONE 12 FROM COUNCIL MEMBER COSAR.
YOU STATE WHAT THAT AMENDMENT IS.
I HAVEN'T DIDN'T FOLLOW THAT ONE.
IT'S ITEM NUMBER ONE, 12 RELATED TO TENANT ASSISTANCE.
WHAT WAS THE AMENDMENT? I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO COVER IT.
UM, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, IT IS TO, UM, INCLUDE AN URGING TO THE CODE DEPARTMENT TO BEGIN TO ACCELERATE, UH, ENFORCEMENTS ON CASES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN UNLIVABLE CONDITIONS AND REPORT LIVING IN THOSE CONDITIONS.
SINCE THE, SINCE THE STORM, NO LOTS OF FOLKS HAVE GOTTEN TO DO REPAIRS.
AND SO IT BASICALLY LAYS OUT THAT, UH, IF THE CODE DEPARTMENT GETS A WRITTEN PLAN THAT THEY FIND ACCEPTABLE FOR REPAIRS, THEN THEY CAN ACCEPT THAT PLAN OR OTHERWISE THAT THEY SHOULD START BEGINNING THE, THE, UH, ACCELERATE THE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN GET REPAIRS DONE, WHERE THEY AREN'T GETTING THEM.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT AMENDMENT BEING ADDED, HEARING NINE THAT GETS ADDED TO ITEM ONE, 12 AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE KITCHEN ON ITEM TWO, I BELIEVE SHE'S WITH US COUNCIL MEMBER.
TOBO HAD PULLED UP ON IT TO LET HER KNOW THAT, UM, I FIND WITH AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT, IF THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTS TO BRING, YOU WERE MUTED.
I THINK THE HELL HAS LIKE TAKEN OUT MY PRINTER, MY COMPUTER, MY EVERYTHING.
I HAD MY VIDEO OFF AND MY MUTE APPARENTLY.
SO, SO JUST TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON THAT.
SO WE'RE BACK TO AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT AT NUMBER TWO, RIGHT.
AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH ABBY.
THE STAFF WANT TO ADDRESS THE, THE INDEFINITE POSTPONING OF THIS ITEM,
[01:30:01]
MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.WE WERE CERTAINLY OKAY WITH THE POSTPONEMENT.
THIS WAS COMING FROM A COMMISSION.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE SOMEBODY BACK AT THAT APPROPRIATE TIME.
I THINK IT, MAYOR, IF I MAY HELP SPENCER, IT IS THE BOARD AND COMMISSION THAT YOU'VE SENT IT BACK TO AND THEY SENT IT BACK TO YOU.
SO I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, IT'S YOUR APPOINTEES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE, THE ITEM MORE SO THAN STAFF.
UH, COLLEAGUES, THE QUESTION IS, DO WE WANT TO POSTPONE THIS INDEFINITELY? IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO POSTPONING THIS ITEM? DEFINITELY.
AND MAYOR, JUST TO CLARIFY, IT IS MY ATTEMPT TO, TO BRING IT BACK.
I THINK WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.
IT JUST IS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO SORT OUT.
NO, WITHOUT OBJECTION THEN ON THE CONSENT ITEM, NUMBER TWO IS GOING TO BE POSTPONED INDEFINITELY.
COLLEAGUES, ANYTHING ELSE? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERNATES, THE MOTION TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS SECONDS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER? I JUST WAS WONDERING IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ONE 11 THAT WE HAD, AND NOW IT NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO IT.
AND THEN MANAGER, WE ALSO HAD A REQUEST FOR STAFF, UH, TO COME FORWARD AND TALK ABOUT THE HEART AND PUBLIC PLACES.
NOW, IF YOU COULD HAVE A STAFF MEMBER READY TO ADDRESS THAT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER TOBY, WE CAN KEEP THOSE, I CONSENT AS WELL.
THANKS TO KATIE POWERS FOR REMINDING ME, I HAD ACTUALLY SUBMITTED A QUESTION THAT GOT ANSWERED ABOUT IT.
SOUNDS GOOD MANAGER, NO LONGER NECESSARY.
WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE 11? UM, YEAH, I THINK, UM, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR PUTTING TOGETHER, UM, THIS RESOLUTION AND I'M PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR IT.
I THINK IT IS A IMPORTANT STEP FOR US TO TAKE AT THIS TIME TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DEPLOY, UM, THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING DOWN FROM THE AMERICAN, UH, RESCUE PLAN AND WAYS TO TACKLE SOME BIG PROBLEMS LIKE HOMELESSNESS AND CHILDCARE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD INSECURITY, AND TO DREAM BIG ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE MADE THESE INVESTMENTS, HOW WE COULD MOVE FORWARD FROM THIS TIME AND BUILD BACK BETTER AS PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS, UM, AND NOT JUST GO BACK TO THE SAME.
UM, I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT FOR MANY OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, ALMOST PROBABLY EACH OF THESE FOUR THINGS, THERE ARE PLANS THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE.
I THINK WE, UM, HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF HOW WE CAN, UM, SOLVE THESE.
UM, I DO NOT THINK THAT THAT DREAMING UP WHAT, UM, WE COULD DO TO ADDRESS THEM.
I'M REALLY HEARTENED BY THE EVOLVING RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, THAT HAS A COMMON PART FOR BEING TESTED IN ADVERSITY, UM, WITH THE PANDEMIC AND WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER.
I THINK WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY, UM, BY COMBINING FORCES TO MAKE HUGE IMPACTS ON THINGS.
UM, I KNOW THAT I AM COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND I ASSUME THAT EVERY COLLEAGUE ON THIS BODY IS, UM, SO I HOPE THAT, UM, WE CAN TAKE THIS STEP AND IF IT TAKES A COUPLE OF EXTRA WEEKS, THAT'S OKAY.
DATE COUNCIL, MEMBER TOGO'S AMENDMENT, UM, TO FOCUS US ON THE NAVIGATION, UM, IN THE INTERIM TO BRING DOWN AS MUCH OF THE OTHER FEDERAL FUNDS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND I WANT TO INVITE THE MAYOR IF YOU WOULD BRIEFLY SPEAK TO SORT OF THE PROCESS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOME FURTHER CLARITY, UM, TO STAFF WHO WORKED REALLY HARD ON THE SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
UM, SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THIS BUILDS OFF OF THAT AND HOW THIS, UM, W WHAT SOME OF OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE IN THE PROCESS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE DEADLINES, ET CETERA, MOVING FORWARD, THANK YOU FOR THOSE, UH, THOSE COMMENTS, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERED FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT THAT'S SAID, UH, EVEN THE RESOLUTION ITSELF, THERE'S A, AN APRIL 12TH DATE, UH, AND TO BE CLEAR, UH, MANAGER, UH, THE LANGUAGE SAYS THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR KIND OF INITIAL, UH, WORK ON THE 12TH.
UH, IT'S NOT AN EXPECTATION THAT THE FRAMEWORK WILL COME BACK ON THE 12TH.
AND I THINK IF IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT IN THE, IN THE WORDING, BUT JUST TO MAKE THAT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR, IT'S NOT AN EXPECTATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE STEPS AND TALK TO THE COUNTY A LOT.
I'VE GOTTEN SOME INDICATIONS FROM, UH, JUDGE BROWN THAT, UH, HE IS EAGER
[01:35:01]
TO, TO ENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION, UH, WHICH I THINK IS REAL SUPPORTIVE AS WELL AS SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES ON THE, UH, ON THE COURT.UH, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL, UM, UH, ON THE TROUGH, JUST TO GIVE US AN UPDATE AND TELL US HOW IT'S LOOKING, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, THE MEMBER BEING ADDED ON, ON MORE IMMEDIATE FACILITATION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE SBA PROGRAMS WILL ACTUALLY CLOSE, UH, OR WILL OPEN, UH, SOMETIME, UH, IN, IN THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF APRIL.
UH, IF WE'RE TO, TO HELP PEOPLE GET ADDED TO THAT.
UM, AND I DID WANT TO ADD, UM, ONE OTHER PIECES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE NAVIGATION, THIS ISN'T EXACTLY A NAVIGATOR PIECE, BUT JUST WANT TO, UM, CALL THIS OUT FOR OUR INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS TEAM.
UM, I HAVE REQUESTED A MEETING OF OUR JOINT COMMITTEE FOR AISD COUNTY AND THE CITY.
UM, THERE IS A REAL DANGER THAT THE STATE IS GOING TO ONCE AGAIN, APPROPRIATE THE SCHOOL FUNDING, UM, FOR ITS OWN TAX PURPOSES, AS OPPOSED TO, UM, INVEST THOSE INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND, OR TO REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE FUNDING, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE EQUITY, UM, REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT IN LINE WITH ALL OF OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND SUPPORT OF OUR SCHOOLS, UM, THAT WERE APPROPRIATE, THAT WE WOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR THOSE FUNDS TO FLOW TO OUR SCHOOLS, TO HELP OUR STUDENTS, UM, GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AND TO NAVIGATE, UM, THIS TIME.
UM, IT DOESN'T REALLY FIT UNDER THE NAVIGATION.
SO I WILL JUST, UM, PROVIDE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS DIRECTION TO CITY MANAGER.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD JUST SAY IS THAT IF CITY MANAGER HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO, UM, HOW THIS MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTED OR CONCERNS, UM, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT THAT, UM, AND OPEN COMMUNICATION SO THAT, UM, WE CAN ACHIEVE THIS GOAL OF BEING VISIONARY.
UM, IT MAY BE A BIT OF AN ITERATIVE PROCESS, UM, AND BUILD OFF OF THINGS IN INTERESTING WAYS.
AND, AND I, FOR 1:00 AM OPEN TO THAT DIALOGUE AS APPROPRIATE MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, I'LL CERTAINLY BE BRINGING THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS.
AND AS THE PROCESS DOES MOVE FORWARD, THE DIALOGUE WITH THE COUNCIL WILL BE CRITICAL IN THAT.
OTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? UH, YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER POINT THIS, YES.
I WOULD BE AMENABLE TO PUTTING 53 BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF I COULD JUST ASK A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.
UM, I WAS JUST HOPING THIS IS ABOUT EXTENDING THE APPOINTMENT OF DR.
S SCOTT AS THE INTERIM HEALTH AUTHORITY.
AND I WAS JUST HOPING THAT MAYBE CITY MANAGER KRONK COULD EXPLAIN WHY THE POSITION ISN'T FILLED YET AND WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS.
AND I MAY HAVE OUR HR FOLKS ALSO JOIN US, BUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, UH, THERE WAS A BUDGET DECISION MADE, UH, IN THE LAST, UH, BUDGET, UH, CREATING A NEW POSITION CALLED THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER.
AND THAT IS WHAT CURRENTLY DR.
UH, AS A RESULT, WE DO STILL NEED TO HAVE A HEALTH AUTHORITY.
UH, HE IS SERVING IN THAT INTERIM ROLE AND HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB AS YOU KNOW, IN OUR COMMUNITY, KNOWS FOR THE LAST, UH, YEAR AND A HALF, UH, IN GUIDING US THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
UH, SO AS HE THEN MOVES INTO MORE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER ROLE, WE WILL STILL NEED TO RECRUIT FOR A HEALTH AUTHORITY.
UM, BUT WE ARE JUST CONTINUING TO HAVE HIM AS INTERIM FOR THE TIME BEING, UH, WE HOPE TO HAVE THIS PROCESS, UH, WRAPPED UP BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE MONTHS OF THIS INTERIM OR WHAT WE'RE FINALLY, WE'RE WORKING ON A MEMO TO JUST DESCRIBE THIS, UH, FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY.
CAUSE I THINK WE'RE GETTING A SIMILAR QUESTION FROM YOU.
AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS, UH, IN A BROADER LIGHT.
AND SO YOU CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT THINK FROM CONSTITUENTS.
I HAVE BEEN GETTING LOTS OF QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TRANSPARENCY WITH THE PROCESS 53, GO BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IT GOES BACK TO THAT AGENDA COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THIS.
I WANTED TO GIVE SOME REMARKS ON THE IFC THAT I HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD FIRST, UH, ITEM NUMBER 66 RELATED TO COVID RESPONSE.
YOU KNOW, THIS MONTH MARKS A GRIM MILESTONE FOR OUR COUNTRY AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY SINCE CODE COVID-19 SHUT THE WORLD DOWN A YEAR AGO IN MARCH, 2020, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED
[01:40:01]
LOSSES ON MANY LEVELS FROM THE ROUTINE OF OUR EVERYDAY LIVES TO AN UNFATHOMABLE AMOUNT.THAT'S MORE THAN HALF A MILLION LIVES ACROSS THE U S THIS PAST YEAR.
BUT AS WE LEARNED EARLY ON THIS PANDEMIC DOES NOT AFFECT EVERYONE.
THE SAME PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC.
THIS WAS CLEAR WHEN IT CAME TO TESTING ACCESS AND THEN LATER ON TO THE RATES OF INFECTION, HALF OF ALL THE DEATHS HERE IN AUSTIN AND IN TRAVIS COUNTY HAVE BEEN LATINOS AND DISTRICTS, WHICH IS OVER 70% HISPANIC, LATINO, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY IS ALREADY 10 YEARS LESS THAN OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE WEST, BUT NEVER HAVE IMAGINED THIS WE'VE LOST PART OF THE FABRIC THAT MAKES AUSTIN SO DIVERSE.
IT PAINS ME TO THINK ABOUT HOW MANY OF THESE DEATHS WERE PREVENTABLE.
WHAT MEASURES COULD WE HAVE TAKEN SOONER TO PROTECT OUR MOST 80% OF THE DEATHS LOCALLY HAVE BEEN FROM BOOKSTORE OVER THE AGE OF 16.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO CHANGE COURSE, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT ITEM 66 WILL DO THAT.
AND WE CAN DO IT BY IDENTIFYING EXISTING RESOURCES AND ALLOCATING FUNDING FROM FEMA ASSISTANCE THAT QUALIFY FOR REIMBURSEMENT BY PRIORITIZING MOBILE VACCINE CLINICS FOR TESTING AND VACCINE ACCESS.
WE ELIMINATE BARRIERS SUCH AS THE D BRINGING THIS ALTERNATIVE TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED.
OUR SENIORS ARE HOMEBOUND INDIVIDUAL AND MINORITY AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THIS LIFESAVING SHOT WITH ALL OF THE ADULTS AND TAXES BECOMING ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE.
IN JUST A MATTER OF DAYS ON MONDAY, WE NEED TO ACT FAST TO ENSURE THAT OUR FOLKS AREN'T LEFT BEHIND THIS RESOLUTION, ALL CALLS ALSO CALLS FOR STAFF ANALYSIS FOR STAFF TO DO AN ANALYSIS, TO BRING INCREASED NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WITHOUT ADEQUATE FOOD ACCESS.
AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE EMERGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTION IN THE SAME WAY AS A NATURAL DISASTER ITEM, 66 WILL ALSO MEET THE NEEDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES, SPECIFICALLY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR RESTAURANTS AND MUSIC VENUES.
IT ALSO OFFERS A WAY FOR US TO CREATE MORE GRANTS FOR THE ARTS.
IT WORKS TO EXPAND EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
THIS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S AN AREA THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED MUCH ABOUT AND AN AREA THAT NEEDS MORE SUPPORT THAN EVER, AND IT WILL CREATE, UM, HOPEFULLY IT'LL CREATE ONLINE PLATFORMS TO CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY TO LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, AND ONE THING TO MENTION THAT ITEM 66 WAS REALLY ROOTED IN COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TRUST DID A SURVEY IN THE LATIN X COMMUNITY AND OFFERED A SLEW RECOMMENDATION TO REALLY TAKES THAT WORK THAT THEY DID.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TRUST, UM, AND TO THE AUSTIN LATINO COMMUNITY, UH, COALITION, THE AUSTIN LATINO COALITION HAS ALSO OFFERED, UM, SOME INSIGHT AND CREATING THIS RESOLUTION.
AND SO, UH, IT'S ANCHORED IN COMMUNITY AND I WANT TO THANK MY CO-SPONSORS MAYOR, PRETEND THAT NATASHA SHARPER MADISON COUNCIL MEMBERS, TOBO ELLIS AND KITCHEN FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
AND, UM, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR, FOR THE, FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT ON THIS ITEM.
ANOTHER ITEM I BRIEFLY WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT I'M BRINGING FORWARD ON ITEM ONE, 12 AS IT RELATES TO TENANT ASSISTANCE.
THANK YOU TO MIKE KASAR MARIA ALTAR AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND HELPING BRING FORTH THIS RESOLUTION.
I KNOW THAT MANY OF US HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AND THE NEEDS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND HOW TO RESPOND TO THE FEBRUARY STORM.
AND AS WE'VE SEEN WITH THE PANDEMIC, THE WINTER FREEZE HIGHLIGHTED A NUMBER OF INEQUITIES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY WHILE MANY WENT WITHOUT POWER AND WATER FOR DAYS, YOU KNOW, WE SAW THAT, UM, THOSE LIVING IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES FELT THE AFTERMATH MUCH LONGER.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF OUR FOLKS LIVING IN MULTIFAMILY UNITS, UM, AS WHAT THEY'RE TECHNICALLY CALLED, UH, WE'RE LEFT WITHOUT WATER WITHOUT RUNNING WATER FOR DAYS, UH, DUE TO BROKEN PIPES.
UM, AND SO I APPLAUD THE MANY LANDLORDS.
WHO'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED.
WE KNOW THAT HISTORICALLY THAT IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
SO IN PASSING THIS RESOLUTION, WE ARE TELLING TENANTS THAT THEIR RIGHTS MATTER JUST AS MUCH AS HOMEOWNERS AND WHILE THERE'S PLENTY OF BACKSTOPS FOR LANDLORDS, THIS STORM ACCELERATED THE NEEDS FOR A TENANT ASSISTANCE ITEM.
ONE 12 HELPS IDENTIFY FUNDING AND RESOURCES.
SO TENANTS WILL BE BETTER PROTECTED AGAINST THE HAZARDOUS LIVING CONDITIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN AS A RESULT OF THIS DISASTER.
AND I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND, AS I VISITED APARTMENTS TO SEE THE DAMAGE THAT WERE DONE IN MY OWN DISTRICT, UM, THE NEED IS SEVERE AND THE WORST PART, THE RESOURCES THAT WE COULD OFFER TO PROVIDE THEM ADEQUATE SUPPORT.
AND SO THIS, UH, RESOLUTION WOULD GO A LONG WAY AND PUTTING US ON A PATH FORWARD TO, UH, TO OFFER, UM, A SLEW OF TENANT PROTECTIONS AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE.
[01:45:01]
BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO MENTION ITEM 65.UH, AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE VF FOR BRINGING THE SPORT.
THIS IS THE, UM, THE TOHONO VIETNAM VETERAN MEMORIAL MONUMENT.
WE PLACED THAT CHICANO PARK, THE EVER DAWN PARK.
UM, THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO ME AS THE DAUGHTER OF A VIETNAM WAR VET AND, UH, AND GRANDDAUGHTER OF A, OF A MILITARY, UH, A MARINE WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR TWO.
UM, I THINK THAT HAVING THIS MONUMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY WILL GO A LONG WAY IN HONORING THE SACRIFICES MADE BY OUR VETERANS.
AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD AND YOU CAN COUNT ON MY SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT THE VETERANS MONUMENT AT CHICANO.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES AND REFRAME THE DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, JOHN'S HER CONCERN? UM, FIRST I WANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, UH, I, I THINK MAYBE IT HAS TO BE ADDED, I'M LOOKING AT THE LANGUAGE, SO MAYBE I'LL JUST GET CONFIRMATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
I'VE POSTED A LETTER THAT I'VE SENT IN TO TECHSTOP ON I 35.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO FORMALIZE THAT MY LETTER WOULD ALSO BE ATTACHED IN X IN THE EXHIBITS.
THERE'S ALREADY A REFERENCE TO THE EXHIBITS TO INCLUDE EVERYBODY'S LETTERS.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT IMPORTANT RESOLUTION THAT I KNOW MATTERS TO EACH OF US.
UM, I, 35 BISECTS MY DISTRICT RIGHT IN HALF, AND IT HAS SERVED, UM, IN MANY WAYS AS A, AS A BARRIER AND A DIVIDER AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, THE, THE DESIGNS THAT I HAVE SEEN, THE PROPOSALS THAT I'VE SEEN FOR 35, UM, THREATENED TO, TO MAKE THAT BARRIER WIDER AND MORE LONG-STANDING FOR GENERATIONS.
AND SO I HAVE, UH, I, I CAN'T SUPPORT THE CURRENT SETS OF DESIGNS AND APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS BEING RAISED BY THE, BY THE COMMUNITY AND THE ISSUES RAISED HERE IN THE RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU TO YOU FOR, FOR WORKING TO MAKE THINGS, THIS VETERANS, ALL OF THE CO-SPONSORS THERE.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO ECHO MY THANKS TO COUNCILMEN AND DIDIA FOR HIS WORK ON THE VETERANS MEMORIAL AND FOR INVITING ME TO CO-SPONSOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FERNANDEZ ON MOBILE VACCINES AND ALL THAT OTHER WORK.
UH, I GOT A TEXT THIS MORNING FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH SAYING IF I DIDN'T HAVE INTERNET, HERE'S A GOOD LINE FOR ME TO CALL.
SO I APPRECIATE THEM DOING THAT WORK.
AND THEN I TURNED ON MY FAVORITE SPANISH RADIO STATION AND THEY WERE ON THE RADIO AS SOON AS I STOPPED LOOKING AT MY PHONE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT CONTINUED OUTREACH.
AND I THINK WHAT'S IN YOUR RESOLUTION.
WELL, WE'LL ONLY MAKE THAT STRONGER.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE AUDIT AND RESILIENCE WORK LATER IN THIS WINNING COUNCIL MEMBER VOTE, BUT THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR WORK THERE AND MAYOR FOR THE RESILIENCE ATX RESOLUTION.
I WANT TO REALLY, I APPRECIATE YOU INCORPORATING MY AMENDMENTS AND JUST REALLY EMPHASIZE TO THE STAFF THAT WHILE WE PRIORITIZE WHERE THE FUNDS GO WITH THE COUNTY, I ALSO REALLY HOPE AND EXPECT.
WE CAN FIND WAYS THAT WE MAKE IT SO THAT EVERY BIT OF FUNDING THAT WE USE, WE TRY TO MAKE THAT LONGER TERM CHANGE WITH IT.
I JUST REALLY THINK THERE'S SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EXAMPLES, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, TO NOT JUST TEACH PEOPLE SKILLS, BUT TO MOVE THEM INTO JOBS WITH UNION PROTECTIONS AND BENEFITS THAT WILL THEN THAT WILL HELP THEM LONG-TERM.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM I DO WANT TO SPEAK TO IS OUR SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS FOR SUBSTANCE USE CARE.
THIS IS WORK THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, BUT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IN A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT WAY.
WE KNOW THAT YOU, EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN WITH AT ABD AND EVERYBODY ON COUNCIL, I KNOW AGREES.
AND IT MAKES SENSE THAT YOU CAN'T ARREST AWAY ADDICTION.
WE HAVE SUBSTANCE USE CHALLENGES, CITYWIDE, BUT WE CAN'T MEASURE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY OR ADDRESSING THOSE CHALLENGES JUST BY ARRESTING MORE PEOPLE.
UM, AND IT'S THROUGH WORK LIKE THIS, WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE STREET MEDICINE AND LONG-TERM RECOVERY AND CARE TO PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE HEALTHY AND MERCY.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE ON THE DIOCESE, UM, WORKING HARD TO REALLOCATE SOME FUNDING THAT PREVIOUSLY WENT TO THINGS LIKE TRYING TO ARREST AWAY THOSE ISSUES TOWARD, UH, TRYING TO GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE AND SOLVING THOSE SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES THAT WE KNOW NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE SAFE AND HEALTHY THROUGH CONTRACTS LIKE THESE.
UM, I'M GOING TO TRY AND GET US TO HANDLE FIVE ITEMS BEFORE WE GET TO A CITIZENS' COMMUNICATIONS.
SO WE GET TO GET SOME STAFF GOING, UH, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I THINK IT IS GOOD THAT WE NOTE SOME OF THE THINGS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, SO THAT THEY JUST DON'T HAPPEN WITHOUT PEOPLE RECOGNIZING IT.
BUT I AGREE WITH THE CARBONS BY MY, UM, HOLLY COUNTS, BARBARA COSAR, I WOULD ALSO NOTE, AND IT SPECIFICALLY ITEMS 49 AND
[01:50:01]
50, UH, WHICH ARE, UM, UH, UH, IMMIGRANT LEGAL SERVICES.I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THE COUNCIL, THE COMMUNITY THAT, UH, THAT FUNDS THAT KIND OF PROGRAM.
UM, I THINK THAT ITEM NUMBER 51, WHICH IS THE CONTRACT WITH, UH, ECUADOR FOR THE MOBILE FOOD SERVICES, UH, IS REALLY NEEDED.
AND I WANT TO THANK AND COMMAND, UH, ASHTON CUMBERBATCH, UH, FOR THAT ORGANIZATION'S INVOLVEMENT TAKING ON AN OLD, UH, UH, A REPURPOSED CAP METRO BUS, UH, TO, TO BE ABLE TO, TO GET RESOURCES TO WHERE THEY'RE MOST NEEDED, I THINK IS GREAT.
UM, AND I, AND I DO WANT TO THANK, UM, UH, CO-SPONSORS ON, UH, ON, ON NORMAL NEVIN.
UH, THEN THERE WERE MONEY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER
UH, BUT SOMETHING THAT, UH, I APPRECIATE COMING TO OUR KIDS SAID THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY BE STRATEGIC WITH, IF THEY A FUNDING LEVEL THAT WE'LL NEVER SEE AGAIN.
AND FRANKLY NO ONE IN OUR POSITION HAS EVER SEEN, UH, TO SEE IF WE COULD ACTUALLY TAKE SOME CHALLENGES OFF THE TABLE, UH, IS AN EXCITING ONE.
I'M ENCOURAGED WITH THE, UH, THERE'S OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, LEADERS, UH, WANTING TO, TO CONSIDER THIS AS WELL.
UM, I JUST THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF THOUGH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT IT DID.
CAUSE I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY USEFUL WORK, UM, UH, FOR US TO HAVE IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS AND PRIORITIES BY THOSE SUBJECT AREAS.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, DO EXACTLY EXECUTED WHAT THE COUNSEL INDICATED IT HAD.
WHAT DID IT HAVE ON THE FIRST GO ROUND? SO I RECOGNIZE THIS IS A CHANGE IN COURSE, BUT, UH, I STILL THINK THAT WORK'S GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE.
AND I STILL THINK THAT A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH WITH THE SUMS, UM, UH, HOPEFULLY MANY OF THEM BY THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT, THAT MIGHT ALSO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, JUST TO THANK, UH, DIANE GRAY AND, UH, THE STAFF THAT'S WORKING, UH, UH, ON THE SUBJECT WITH HOMELESSNESS, UH, AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME MANAGER YOU'RE COMING BACK TO US.
I THINK THAT, UH, IT COULD BE THAT THAT STARTS SURFACING AND DIANE CAN BECOMING THE COUNCIL WITH HER RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT, UM, UH, THE COUNCIL OUGHT TO DO WITH, WITH THAT KIND OF WORK, UH, SO THAT WE CAN CONSIDER THAT AND THE TIMING I AGREE MAY DOVETAIL AND MESH REALLY WELL.
THE THOUGHT THAT, UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY DEAL WITH HOMELESSNESS CHALLENGE IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE CAN'T GO BACK TO THE FAILED STRATEGIES OF THE PAST BECAUSE WE KNOW THOSE DON'T WORK, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE TO DO A DIFFERENTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
SO IT HAS TO, UH, UH, ACTUALLY GET PEOPLE OUT OF ENCAMPMENTS AND OUT OF TENTS BY ALIEN TO A BETTER PLACES.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, ADDITIONAL WAY, UH, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
I I'M REAL SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO CAPITAL
I HAD A COUPLE, A COUPLE OF VERY QUICK COMMENTS TO MAKE, BUT I DO HAVE, I THINK I JUST WANT TO, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, LET ME JUST STEP BACK AND SAY, THERE'S A LOT ON THIS AGENDA AND A LOT OF GREAT WORK AND FRANKLY, UH, SEVERAL, UM, ITEMS THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO HAVE FULLER CONVERSATION AROUND.
AND SO I HOPE WE CAN FIGURE OUT REALLY HOW TO MAKE SPACE IN OUR WORK SESSIONS FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT MAKES OUR THURSDAYS REALLY CHAOTIC.
AND I THINK IN SOME CASES WE WOULD JUST GET TO A DIFFERENT PLACE IF WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I'M SORRY THAT I JUST REALIZED, UM, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ONE 12 AND PERHAPS I CAN REALLY SETTLE THEM VERY QUICKLY BY JUST ASKING MY COLLEAGUE, UM, I THINK THIS IS GREAT WORK AS SOMEBODY WHO REPRESENTS ONE OF THE DISTRICTS THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF RENTERS.
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS WORK.
THE COUNCIL HAS, HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK AND WE DO HAVE SOME PROGRAMS IN PLACE AND DIRECTION TO THE, TO THE MANAGER ABOUT, UM, INCREASING FUNDING FOR TENANT ADVOCACY AND TENANT RIGHTS.
AND I, I THINK I CAN RESOLVE THIS PRETTY QUICKLY WITH JUST TWO QUICK QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INCREASING LEGAL SERVICES AND FUNDING, I ASSUME THAT YOU INTEND FOR THAT WORK TO BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL OF THE OTHER EXISTING, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE COME FORWARD.
THERE'S YOUR RESOLUTION, DOESN'T CITE A LOT OF THOSE EFFORTS.
AND I, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THIS IS BEING DONE IN THE CONTEXT WITH, WITH ALL OF THE OTHER WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OVER MULTIPLE LAST BUDGET CYCLES, UM, TO REALLY FOCUS AND INCREASE OUR, OUR WORK ON TENANT ADVOCACY AND TENANT RIGHTS AND EVICTION PROCEEDINGS,
[01:55:01]
AND, UM, REPRESENTATION FOR EVICTION PROCEEDINGS.AND IT'S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR TO ME HOW THIS IS GOING TO BUILD ON THIS WORK OR CHANGE IT, OR, OR WHAT YOUR INTENTION IS THERE.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE US A QUICK EXPLANATION, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
IT DEFINITELY BUILDS UPON THE WORK THAT COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND, UM, WITH THE WINTER STORM RESPONSE, WE IDENTIFY SOME GAPS IN SERVICES AND A GREATER NEED, UM, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND ADDITIONAL OUTREACH.
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY WITH AUSTIN CODE AND THEIR TEAM AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.
AND, UM, AND SO WE, THIS RESOLUTION REALLY SETS THAT IN MOTION, UM, WHERE THEY CAN COME BACK TO US AND PROVIDE SOME STRATEGIES AND SOME ADDITIONAL DANCE FOR US TO BUILD UPON, UM, WHAT HAS BEEN AVAILABLE.
SO IT IS IN CONJUNCTION AND IT REALLY JUST KIND OF SUPPLEMENTS, UM, THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, EMERGENCY RELOCATION SERVICES WAS AN I, IT WAS AN AREA THAT WE IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, HAVING ALTERNATIVES FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE IN, UM, APARTMENTS THAT ARE DEEMED UNLIVABLE AND, UH, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, TO QUICKLY MOBILIZE TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.
AND SO REALLY IT'S JUST BUILDING OFF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
AND I, AND I AGREE WITH YOU HAVING BROUGHT FORWARD SEVERAL, UM, IFCS RELATED TO EMERGENCY RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
I GUESS WHAT WE MIGHT NEED TO DO IS REALLY NOT, IS REALLY LOOK CAREFULLY AT WHY AT WHAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN TO EMBEDDING THAT WITHIN OUR CODE, BECAUSE WE HAVE PROVIDED DIRECTION TO THE MANAGER IN THE PAST ABOUT HAVING THOSE EMERGENCY RELOCATION, UM, THAT EMERGENCY RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE.
SO AGAIN, I, I THINK THAT, UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
I JUST, UM, NECESSARILY THAT IT, THAT IT FULLY CREATES THE CONTEXT, UM, WITHIN WHICH IT'S OPERATING, BUT I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE EFFORT AND WE'LL SUPPORT IT HERE TODAY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN TALK YOU AND I, AND MAYBE OTHERS CAN TALK ABOUT HOW IT FITS INTO THE, TO THE EXISTING WORK, SO THAT WE'RE SO THAT WE'RE REALLY AT, UM, PUSHING FORWARD AND, AND CLOSING THOSE GAPS, UM, RATHER THAN KIND OF DIRECTING OUR MANAGER BACK TO LOOK AT THOSE SAME AREAS.
AGAIN, THE OTHER THING I DO WANT TO BE SURE OF MANAGER THE FIRST BIT RESOLVED IS, IS ASKING YOU TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS, ALLOWING THE CODE DEPARTMENT TO PROACTIVELY USE AUTHORITY TO SITE LANDLORDS WHO HAVE FAILED TO MAKE REPAIRS.
I WOULD ASSUME YOU DON'T NEED THAT DIRECTION.
THAT WOULD REALLY CONCERN ME IF OUR CODE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROACTIVELY SITE LANDLORDS OF SUBSTANDARD PROPERTIES OR PROPERTIES THAT HAVE HEALTH AND SAFETY REPAIRS THAT ARE NOT BEING MADE.
CAN YOU ASSURE ME THAT OUR CODE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS THAT AUTHORITY? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, AND CERTAINLY I SEE THIS LANGUAGE, THAT'S JUST ENHANCING THE WORK THAT IS ALREADY AUTHORIZED BY OUR DEPARTMENTS COUNCIL MEMBER.
COULD YOU ADJUST THAT LANGUAGE TO REFLECT THAT? I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE PUBLIC THE IMPRESSION THAT OUR CODE DEPARTMENT CAN'T PROACTIVELY SITE LANDLORDS THAT ARE NOT MAKING REPAIRS.
I'M HAPPY TO, TO STRIKE THE WORD PROACTIVELY.
UM, I THINK WHAT IT, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE, I THINK WHAT MIGHT BE MORE ACCURATE, UM, TO STRENGTHEN ITS ABILITY TO CITE, OR I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE COULD PAUSE THERE FOR A MOMENT AND COME BACK TO IT.
I JUST THINK IT'S, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO BE CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT IS, AND WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED AND WHAT OUR CODE DEPARTMENT HAS THE ABILITY TO DO.
SO, SO MAYBE WE COULD, UM, JUST TABLE THIS FOR A SECOND, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHERS, APPARENTLY MEDICAL PHRASE, COMMA AS, AS IS PROVIDED IN THE CODE KARMA.
I MEAN, CATHERINE PORTOBELLO TOPO, IS THAT TO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS? UM, IT'S, IT'S A HELP.
I DON'T, IT'S NOT MY JOB TO CALL ON YOU, BUT IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, THAT'S OUR SUGGESTION.
I JUST WANT TO KEEP IT ON CONSENT AND CAN KEEP GOING.
SO, UH, YOU HAD USED THE WORD STRENGTHEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST WORD IS PERHAPS THAT WERE IN THAT MANNER SUGGESTED WOULD WORK.
SO I THINK WITH ESTABLISHED ON THE RECORD, WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE, SO WE JUST NEED TO ADD A WORD OR TWO, SO, AND MORGAN.
SO YOU COULD AT LINE 38 THROUGH 41, JUST SAY THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO, UM, CONTINUE TO CITE LANDLORDS WHO HAVE FAILED TO MAKE REPAIRS TO DAMAGE CAUSED BY WINTER STORM ERIE, AND JUST DELETE THE STUFF IN BETWEEN.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT CHANGE.
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO THANK MAYOR.
[02:00:01]
MEMBER KITCHEN FOR YOUR WORK ON TXDOT.I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO THE, TO MANY OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR ADLER FOR YOUR WORK ON OUR, AND, AND THANK YOU.
LET ME JUST WRAP UP BY SAYING THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER,
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE, TO THE OUTCOMES OF IT.
UM, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON THE FUNDING.
I, TO REGARD THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY INVEST THESE DOLLARS IN WAYS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO US REALLY BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IT, UM, OVER THE NEXT WEEKS AND REALLY FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT BEST PLAN IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MANAGER.
CONSENT AGENDA IS IN FRONT OF US COUNCIL MEMBER.
I WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, ON THE VETERAN'S MEMORIAL, UH, RAUL ROSA WAS THE ONE THAT CAME TO US AND ASKED TO FIND A LOCATION TO PUT A MEMORIAL THERE.
AND I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THAT.
HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS NOW, AND ALSO I HAVE TO TAKE MY COMMISSIONER A MANUAL, TREMENDOUS FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION TO US.
UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND, THE CONSENT AGENDA THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED TO NOVICE WITH FOLKS ON THE DICE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S SOME ITEMS HERE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PASS WITHOUT DISCUSSION, BE ABLE TO LET A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STAFF GO.
I'M GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN CALL UP ITEM 69, 70 71 72, 73, 75 TO 81.
UM, AND SEE IF WE CAN, UM, MAY LOOK HERE AGAIN, MAKE SURE THAT I HAD THE RIGHT NUMBER, UM, 69, 70, 71, AND THEN THAT WILL ENABLE US TO TAKE UP 39 AND 40 AND THEN 72.
SO THOSE ARE THE ITEMS I'M GOING TO CALL NOW.
[69. Approve amendments to the bylaws for the Airport Advisory Commission.]
IT'S THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE AIRPORT.I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM 69, UM, ITEM 69 APPROVED AS AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS FOR THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION, UM, AND WAS APPROVED BY AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UH, RECENTLY IT, THIS ITEM APPROVES AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS FOR THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION.
THE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT ARE IN BACKUP ARE THE ONES APPROVED BY THE AFC AT OUR MOST RECENT MEETING IN JANUARY.
AND THEY CLARIFY THE PURPOSE AND DUTIES OF THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION, RIGHT? THERE'S BEEN A MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY SECONDS, DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED UNANIMOUS ON THE DIAL 69 PASSES.
I HAD A NUMBER 70 IS FOR THE HEALTH
[70. Approve the appointment of Selena Alvarenga, the jointly nominated appointee, to the Board of Directors of the Austin/Travis County Sobriety Center Local Government Corporation, doing business as the Sobering Center.]
AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, NOT THE SOBER, ET CETERA APPOINTMENT COUNCIL MEMBER.TOVO YOU WANT TO LAY THAT OUT? SURE.
UM, OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, UH, HAS DONE NOW TWO ROUNDS OF INTERVIEWS OF THIS IS FOR THE JOINT APPOINTMENT THAT WE SHARE WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND WE HAD VICE-CHAIR UM, QUINTUS YOU'LL I THINK I'LL ASK YOU TO JUST VERIFY WITH ME.
I BELIEVE THAT THE VOTE WAS UNANIMOUS AT OUR COMMITTEE.
UH, AND SO WE ARE FORWARDING THE RECOMMENDATION, UM, OF, UH, SELENA ALVARENGA FOR WE'RE AN APPOINTMENT ON THE SOBERING CENTER.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, SECOND SIDE MOTION, DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT WAS OPPOSED TO NOVICE ON THE DYESS.
UH, LET'S DO THE, UH, UH, WE'RE GOING TO RECESS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE, UH, AT, UH, 1207.
[Austin Housing Finance Corporation]
UH, AND I AM GOING TO CONVENE OUR RE RECONVENE THE, UH, THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.YOU'RE ON MARCH 25TH, 21, UH, AT 1207.
UH, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE US THROUGH THE AGENDA HERE, THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, MAYBE WE CAN GET YOU GUYS AT A BETTER POSITION.
THIS IS MANDY DE MAYO, AUSTIN HEALTH AND FINANCE CORPORATION.
YOU HAVE FIVE ITEMS ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY, WHICH I AM OFFERING FOR CONSENT.
THE FIRST TWO ITEMS ARE RELATED TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PURCHASE PORTIONS OF TWO H S C PROPERTIES ONE AT 1127 TILLERY STREET AND AT 1212 SLOBBERING LANES.
UM, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS PROVING THE MEETING MINUTES.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS RELATED TO FINAL AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS FOR CITY HEIGHTS, UH, PROPOSED, UH, 179 UNIT SENIOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON KNUCKLES CROSSING.
[02:05:01]
ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THAT THE REVISED RESOLUTION, WHICH WAS POSTED IN LATE BACKUP NEEDS AN ADDITIONAL CHANGE, REMOVE ANY REFERENCES TO AUTHORIZING, UH, THE EXECUTION OF A GROUND LEASE.THERE WILL BE NO GROUND LEASE ON THAT PROPERTY BETWEEN HFC AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPER.
AND THEN FINALLY, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UH, IS AUTHORIZING AN INDUCEMENT RESOLUTION FOR UP TO $9 MILLION FOR A GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, SENIOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CALLED LOVELY STEADY LOPEZ.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? UH, COUNCIL COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN MAKES THE MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, MAYOR I WAS GOING TO PULL AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION.
WHICH ITEM WOULD YOU LIKE TO PULL A NUMBER FOR? UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PULLED ITEM ON THIS AGENDA THAT I'M READY TO MOVE US OUT OF THIS MEETING.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN TAKE A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, EXCLUDING ITEM, PULLING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, MAKING IT NOT PART OF THE AGENDA.
I THINK THAT MIGHT LET SOME PEOPLE GO.
I'M NOT SURE I GOT MY, WHAT I HAVE ON NUMBER FOUR IS PRETTY QUICK, SO.
IS THERE A SECOND? I MEAN, WE WRITE THE MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH ITEM NUMBER FOUR, POLL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS MAKES THE MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER RIGHT THERE VIA SECONDS.
THE MOTION IN FRONT OF US IS THE CONSENT.
NOW YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND TO POLL BEFORE WE MADE THE MOTION.
UM, BUT IT IS IN FRONT OF US NOW AND THE DISCUSSION OR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
LET'S TAKE A VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR.
THOSE OPPOSED TO MADNESS OF, OF THE BOARD.
UH, EVERYTHING IS APPROVED EXCEPT FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
HOW QUICK IS YOUR DISCUSSION ON EVEN NUMBER FOUR? OH, WELL I JUST WANT TO, UH, PUT ON THE RECORD WHAT WAS SAID TO US EARLIER IN TERMS OF THE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE INTENDED TO BE MADE FOR NICHOLS CROSSING, BUT BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SAID BY OUR STAFF, THEY WERE SAID BY SOMEONE WHO WAS, UM, WHO WAS TESTIFYING.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE INTENDED AND WANTED TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD.
IS THAT MADDIE? OH, ALL I WAS GOING TO SAY WAS THAT, UH, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN TEX HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER, UM, MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS TO TALK ABOUT, INCLUDING THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AS, AS, UM, MANY OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC AND SAFETY.
UM, AND YES, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY WIDENING THE ROAD, STOP SIGNS, UH, DIRECTIONAL, UM, UH, IN AND OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, UH, DEDICATED TURN LANE ARE ALL, UM, THINGS THAT, THAT THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH IS MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT I WILL DEFER TO COUNCIL MEMBER
AND I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE TRANSPORTATION STAFF THAT ARE TRYING TO DO GET INTO THE ROOM THAT CAN CONFIRM THAT AS WELL, IF THAT'S OKAY.
IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG CONVERSATION, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO, TO DO IT LATER.
UH
IS THAT, IS THAT THE LIST OF THING? UH, NO, SHE FORGOT ONE ITEM.
UH, WELL, WHAT I, WHAT I HEARD WAS FIRST WIDENING THE ROAD FROM 26 TO 42ND SIDEWALKS.
THIRD, THE TURN LANE THAT SHE MENTIONED, WHICH IS, UM, PARTIAL CENTER TURN LANE TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF THE CURVE.
THE THIRD ITEM, WHAT THE FOURTH ITEM WAS, UH, PAYMENT RESTORATIVE, THE FIFTH ITEM WAS A SIGNAGE.
AND THEN THE SIXTH, THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING STUDY THAT WE APPROVED AS PART OF THE BOND CATCH MY FLIGHT.
WELL, AND I WOULD ADD THE FOUR WAY STOP AT A VIEWPOINT THERE ITEM.
WITH THESE ITEMS. THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM, UH, FROM BETTY, THE MAIL, MAYBE AS A DIRECT AT THE MADDIE, IS THAT THE RIGHT LIST SPENDING? UM, THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
I WILL SAY IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION FOLKS ON THE LINE, AND SO I WANT TO DEFER TO THEM.
UM, BUT WE HAVE ALL BEEN PART OF THE SAME CONVERSATIONS I HAVE.
DID YOU HEAR THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED?
[02:10:01]
LIST THAT WE HAVE.UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO BE SHOWING ABSTAINING ON ITEM FOUR.
I'VE PREVIOUSLY RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE ECONOMICS OF THE INCOME AVERAGING FOR THIS PROJECT, UM, AND WHY I SUPPORT INCOME AVERAGING AND PRINCIPLE.
I'M NOT CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING OUR OPPORTUNITIES WITH HOW THE INCOME AVERAGING CAN RESULT IN SUCH A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF UNITS AT 80% MFI IN THIS PROJECT.
WE WILL BE VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO GIVE MY REMARKS ON WHY I'M VOTING.
OR IF WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK UP AT A LATER TIME, IT WON'T BRING IT BACK UP.
SO WE'RE ABOUT TO TAKE A, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A SARAH MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WITH THE COMMENTS THAT WERE ADDED INTO THE RECORD COUNSEL.
IT MAKES THE MOTION, AS I REMEMBER AT 30 SECONDS DISCUSSION MY
SO WITH THIS ITEM, NUMBER FOUR, AS YOU KNOW, THIS DEVELOPMENT, AS STATED BY STAFF HAS BEEN, UM, GOING AT LEAST FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE ZONING PERS, UH, CAME UP BACK IN 2016 AND, UH, OR THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND IT FIRST CAME UP IN 2016.
SO IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING, AND THIS IS THE FINAL FINAL STAGE OF APPROVING THE FINANCING.
AND SO, UH, FOR MY PART, AS SOMEONE WHO'S NEW, UH, YOU KNOW, NEWLY ELECTED IS THAT I WAS VERY INTENTIONAL AND DELIBERATE ABOUT BRINGING MY COMMUNITY AND CITY STAFF.
SO THANK YOU CITY STAFF, OR FOR ALL OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR ONGOING CONVERSATIONS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF THIS PROJECT, UM, STARTING WITH THE ZONING PROCESS AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND I'M GRATEFUL, ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE STEPPED UP AND SHARE THEIR VIEWS AND CONCERNS AROUND THE CITY HEIGHTS PROJECT.
I'M SO INFORMED BY THEIR FEEDBACK AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING ON NEEDS FOR GREATER SAFETY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TO STAND WITH MY COMMUNITY.
UH, SO I'VE MADE THE DECISION TO VOTE NO OPEN TO FURTHER CONVERSATIONS ON THE MATTER AND SHOULD THIS FINAL FINANCING PROJECT GO THROUGH.
UM, AS IN THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, AS I UNDERSTAND WAS UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED BY THIS COUNCIL, THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL, UM, MY COMMUNITY CAN CONTINUE TO COUNT ON ME TO ENGAGE ON THIS ISSUE AND TO HELP ADVOCATE AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE GREATER SAFETY.
AND TO ENSURE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED, UM, ARE ADDRESSED.
AND SO MOVING FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN THIS AREA.
THINGS LIKE PHARMACIES AND HEALTHCARE CENTERS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
AND THIS ALSO INCLUDES PRIORITIZING SAFETY HAZARDS, SUCH AS ESTABLISHING THE FOUR-WAY STOP AT THE VIEWPOINT THAT WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT NEED.
UM, AND, UH, AND WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE MY COMMENTS.
UH, UM,
THANK YOU FOR WORKING AS A MAYOR.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK THERE'S A NEW SET OF HEADLINES, SPOTLIGHTING AUSTIN'S HOUSING CRISIS.
THAT'S THAT ONE YESTERDAY THAT TALKED ABOUT HOW MUCH OVER ASKING PRICE PEOPLE ARE PAYING.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, I MEAN, MORE THAN ANY OTHER MAJOR CITY THAT THAT'S OF THOSE, UH, NUMBER ONES ON A LIST THAT I DON'T WANT AUSTIN TO HAVE, UM, TO BE KNOWN BY, TO BE KNOWN BY.
SO BEFORE THAT WE LEARNED THAT THE MEDIAN SALES PRICE HERE IN TOWN, UH, WAS AT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, NO ONE SHOULD BE SURPRISED BY RAMPANT DISPLACEMENT OR HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN WHEN WE DON'T DO NEARLY ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE GLARING LACK OF HOUSING SUPPLY IN OUR CITY.
SO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, ISN'T GOING TO BE THE SILVER BULLET.
UM, AND AS COUNCILMAN, BEFORE THIS POINTED IT OUT, UM, IT'S BEEN IN THE MAKING FOR A LONG TIME.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IT COULD BE AN IMPORTANT LIFELINE FOR A FEW FOLKS.
SO, UM, AS FORMER MAYOR LEE LEFFINGWELL FAMOUSLY POINTED OUT, AUSTIN IS FACING A SILVER TSUNAMI, THANKS TO A RAPIDLY GROWING SENIOR POPULATION.
I THINK WE DESPERATELY NEED TO SECURE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE IN FIXED INCOMES ARE ON FIXED INCOMES AND WHO HAVE PARTICULAR NEEDS LIKE OUR SENIOR POPULATION.
THIS PROJECT, I BELIEVE IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I UNDERSTAND CONCERNS ABOUT CONCENTRATION OF LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES EAST AT 35 ALL TOO WELL.
I OVERSTAND, UM, BUT LOOK AT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING MAP AND YOU'LL SEE THAT DISTRICT ONE ENJOYS MORE THAN ITS FAIR SHARE OF INCOME RESTRICTED PROPERTIES.
I WOULD LOVE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BUILD AFFORDABLE UNITS IN OUR CITY'S HIGHEST OPPORTUNITY AREAS, BUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN DRAGGING OUT FOR YEARS, UH, WHILE OUR HOUSING CRISIS HAS ONLY GROWN WORSE, THE ZONING FOR THE SITE IS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
UM, THE SITE PLAN IS IN THE FINAL STAGE OF APPROVAL.
[02:15:01]
WE NEED TO MAKE IT EXPLICITLY CLEAR THAT IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS FUNDING TODAY, WE WON'T BE STOPPING THE PROPERTIES DEVELOPMENT.IT WILL TURN INTO MARKET RATE HOUSING AND LOSE MANY OF THE HARD FOUGHT COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
HARD-FOUGHT AND I'LL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE FOLKS WHO FOUGHT SO HARD AND WORKED SO HARD WITH THE VARIOUS CITY OFFICES AND NEIGHBORS TO GET THIS TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.
UH, I, UH, I GUESS LASTLY, I'LL SAY IT'LL TURN THIS MARKET RATE HOUSING.
UH, IT, IT WILL TURN INTO MARKET RATE HOUSING AND YOU KNOW, HOW I STARTED THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR HOUSING SHORTAGE, YOU KNOW, I, I WANT US TO ALL BE VERY INTENTIONAL.
WE NEED MORE HOUSING, THAT'S ATTAINABLE AT EVERY INCOME LEVEL.
UM, AND I WOULD HATE TO PASS UP ON AN OPPORTUNITY THAT COULD GIVE US RARE, UH, CHANCES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR SENIORS IN A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD, NEAR PARKS AND SCHOOLS AND A GOLF COURSE, UM, UH, PROJECT CONNECT ROUTE, UH, AND THE UPCOMING BURKE STRUMS FOR URBAN TRAIL.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
IT'S ONE OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROPOSALS THAT I THINK WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO PASS UP.
UM, UM, I'M GOING TO JOIN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER OF ONE TESTING VOTING NO ON THIS, UM, ZONING CASE AND THE FUNDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT.
I VOTED NO FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT SHE HAS IN THE PAST.
I AM CHEERED TO SEE THE WORK THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS DOING TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE ACCESS AND, AND THE SAFETY THERE.
THAT WAS SIGNIFICANT IN MY EARLY OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONCENTRATION OF, UM, UH, LOWER INCOME FOLKS IN THIS SAME AREA.
AND, UH, WE HAD PROMISED OUR COMMUNITY YEARS AGO, PREVIOUS COUNCILS HAD, AND HIS COUNCIL HAD THAT WE WOULD DISPERSE THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I RECOGNIZE TO FIND PLOTS OF LAND THAT ARE WITHIN THE, UM, THE PURCHASE PRICE TO ENSURE THAT YOUR BOND HOLDERS AND YOUR INVESTORS MAKE A NICE PROFIT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF THE INDUSTRY.
UM, I WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, UH, SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUE ON THIS WOMAN AND HER OPPOSITION TO IT, AND JUST MAKE NOTE THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, THERE IS A PROJECT THAT HAPPENS IN OUR DISTRICTS THAT WE DON'T SUPPORT IT'S HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST, BUT THEN AFTER THINGS ARE APPROVED AND THEY MOVE FORWARD, YOU DO, AS YOU NOTE, CONTINUE TO YOU, YOU TRANSFORM INTO THE WATCHDOG AND THE MONITOR AND THE OVERSEER TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS THAT WERE VOICED ELOQUENTLY IN ADVANCE, BUT WE'RE NOT, BUT WE'RE NOT EXITED TO, CAN SOMEHOW FIND SOME FOOTING IN THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT.
I DO THAT UP IN DISTRICT SEVEN, UM, PROBABLY MORE OFTEN THAN I WISH I WOULD, BUT, UM, CERTAINLY ON SOME HIGH PROFILE PROJECTS, UH, AND I'M NOW WORKING, UH, TO ADVANCE THEM APPROPRIATELY AND PROPERLY SO THAT EVERYTHING CAN BE A PART OF THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I, I HAVE, UH, I HAVE A SURE FEELING THAT YOU'LL BE DOING THE SAME THING, NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE SAID IT, BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO DISTRICT TWO, AND I APPLAUD THAT INSTINCT KIND OF SUPPORTS YOUR IN AND, UH, CONTINUING TO OPPOSE, BUT SHOULD YOU BE IN SOME ASSISTANCE WHEN THINGS ARE ON THE GROUND AND MOVING FORWARD, I'D BE HAPPY TO OFFER IT.
UM, YEAH, SO THIS IS, UM, I AM, UH, GOING TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE, UH, THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR SAFETY ON THE SUBSTANDARD ROAD ARE GOING TO BE CARRIED OUT AS WE READ INTO THE RECORD.
SO I THINK THAT THAT IS CRITICAL AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PRENTICE, I STAND BY YOU TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
UM, AND, UM, AND YOU CAN COUNT ON ME TO DO THAT.
UM, IT'S A HARD ONE, YOU KNOW, I, I, UM, UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING IN THAT AREA.
UH, BUT I HAVE TO FALL ON THE SIDE OF HOUSING FOR SENIORS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS WITH A YES, BUT AGAIN, AS I SAID BEFORE, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR, UH, AND ON THE RECORD ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THAT SUBSTANDARD ROAD.
AND, UM, SO IT'S MY EXPECTATION THAT THAT WILL OCCUR.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU, MISS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FRONTIERS, TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS AS WELL AS THE OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR,
[02:20:01]
UM, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN FOR PULLING THIS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I THINK THIS REALLY IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO ALL LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF THE DISTRICTS AND MAYBE EVEN CHANGE OUR VOTES.
ORIGINALLY, I HAD BEEN, I'D WRITTEN DOWN THAT I WANTED TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM, BUT BECAUSE WE DISCUSSED IT IN AN OPEN FORUM AND I LEARNED FROM VANESSA HOW SHE FELT ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN HER DISTRICT, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO HER.
AND SO I'LL, I'LL DEFINITELY BE VOTING.
NO, BUT THIS REALLY GOES BACK TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO BROUGHT UP EARLIER, WHICH IS WE DO NEED MORE TIME FOR DISCUSSION ON CERTAIN ITEMS. AND I THINK THAT AS A BODY, WE SHOULD REALLY KEEP THAT FRONT OF MIND.
UM, FOR ME, BECAUSE I DID, I DID NOT SUPPORT THE ZONING.
IT WAS SEVERAL OF US VOTED AGAINST THE ZONING, UM, FOR ALL THE GOOD REASONS COUNCIL MEMBER FRONTEX THAT YOU'VE RAISED.
AND I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR, FOR THOSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO CAME FORWARD TO ADDRESS, TO RAISE THEIR CONCERNS, WHICH WERE REALLY VALID CONCERNS, WHICH LED TO MY NO VOTE.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT AT THIS POINT, UH, AS, AS MAYOR PRO TEM HARPER MEDICINE POINTS OUT IT, THE SITE DOES HAVE THE ZONING AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TO SUPPORT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING, UM, OR THE DECISION BEFORE US TODAY THAT WILL PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF FUNDING TO, TO ENSURE THAT THE UNITS REMAIN AFFORDABLE.
UM, I, AND THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH MY PRACTICE, UM, IN ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL OF, OF SUPPORTING JUST NEARLY EVERY, EVERY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING DECISION THAT'S COME BEFORE US.
SO I THINK YOU JUST GOTTA WAVE.
UM, SO ANYWAY, I'LL BE VOTING YESTERDAY.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO, TO REALLY ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT YOU IN ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS THAT ARE OUR RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA HAVE RAISED ABOUT, UM, MOBILITY AND, AND SAFETY, UM, AND OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR THOSE RESIDENTS TO ACCESS THE KINDS OF AMENITIES THEY NEED.
SO I HAD TO TAKE A VOTE SO WE CAN GET CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, MOTION HAS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED THOSE VOTING NO, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FOR THIS POOL, UH, AND KELLY, THE VOTING AYE, THIS ITEM AND THE COUNCIL FOR ALTAR IS VOTING.
I'M NOT STANDING UP STATING, OKAY.
THREE AGAINST ONE ABSTENTION, SEVEN FAVOR, THIS ITEM PASSES.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE ITEMS OR THE HFC AGENDA.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN THE AAG FC MEETING HERE AT TWO 26.
I'M GOING TO RECONVENE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, MAYBE HERE AT TWO 26 ON MARCH 25TH, 21.
UH, I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO DO ANY OF THIS OTHER QUICK ITEMS BECAUSE WE ARE ALMOST A HALF AN HOUR AND A LATER ON CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
UM, MAYOR PRO TEM, MAN, JUST FOR THE RECORD, YOU SAID TWO 26 IT'S 1226.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE RECORD.
[Public Comment (2 of 2)]
YOU WANT TO CALL THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION SPEAKERS? FIRST SPEAKER IS PAUL ROBBINS.UH, I'VE BEEN AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE IN AUSTIN SINCE 1977.
I AM ASKING YOU TO DIRECT THE CITY AUDITOR TO REVIEW LONG STANDING PROB PROBLEMS WITH CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY AUSTIN ENERGY.
SOME OF THE MONEY FROM THE MONTHLY BILL DISCOUNT PROGRAM IS GOING TO CUSTOMERS WHO OWN MANSIONS IN WEALTHY HOMES.
THIS PROBLEM WAS ORIGINALLY BROUGHT TO COUNCIL'S ATTENTION IN 2015 AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED IN THE SUMMER OF 2018.
WHEN I REVIEWED THE DATA FROM LAST FALL, I FOUND 124 QUESTIONABLE CAP RECIPIENTS, AND I'M SURE THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES.
ONE OWNED A MANSION IN A GATED COMMUNITY ON FOUR ACRES WITH 7,100 SQUARE FEET OF STRUCTURES, A SWIMMING POOL, AND A TENNIS COURT.
I PROVIDED COUNSEL WITH AN AERIAL PHOTO OF THIS ESTATE.
50 OF THESE CUSTOMERS OWNED OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN REAL ESTATE, 28 OWNED STRUCTURES, LARGER
[02:25:01]
THAN 3000 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE.UH, 20 OUT 28 OWNED MORE THAN ONE PROPERTY.
18 HAD EXPENSIVE ADDITIONS, SUCH AS SWIMMING POOLS.
WHY ARE THESE CUSTOMERS GETTING MONEY MEANT FOR THE POOR, UH, AFTER SIX AND A HALF YEARS, IT IS WAY PAST TIME FOR THE OFFICE TO REVIEW THIS AND OTHER PROBLEMS RELATED TO THIS PROGRAM.
WHILE IT IS HARD TO JUSTIFY SOME OF THE MONEY IN THE MONTHLY DISCOUNT PROGRAM, GOING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE.
SOME CAP FUNDING IS ALSO GOING FOR THE WRONG PURPOSE.
FOR INSTANCE, EVEN THOUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS ONE OF AUSTIN.
ENERGY'S MOST IMPORTANT GOALS, CAP ENCOURAGES WASTE IT AWARDS A 15% ACROSS THE BOARD DISCOUNT.
THIS ALSO WORKS AGAINST EQUITY BY TAKING MONEY THAT COULD BE USED TO GIVE A HIGHER DISCOUNTS FOR CUSTOMERS WHO ARE MORE CAREFUL WITH THEIR CONSUMPTION REDISTRIBUTING CAP DISCOUNTS PAID FOR THE TOP TWO TIERS OF ELECTRIC USE WOULD GIVE ALL CURRENT CAP PARTICIPANTS ABOUT $60 A YEAR IN EXTRA DISCOUNTS.
UH, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ENCOURAGING ENERGY CONSERVATION.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PROBLEM THE CITY AUDITOR NEEDS TO ADDRESS.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THE NEED FOR AN AUDIT IN SHARPER FOCUS AT YOUR AUDIT IN AUSTIN ENERGY COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS AT THESE COMMITTEES HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED FOR A YEAR.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EASILY RECTIFIED.
IF I MIGHT JUST ADD THAT WE DO HAVE CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS AT AUDIT AND FINANCE.
UM, NO ONE HAS TAKEN US UP ON THAT PLEASE.
UH, MR. ROBINS TALKED TO THE CLERK ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT LIMITED.
SEEMED LIKE IT WAS CLOSE TO SPEAKER CARLOS LEON.
SO I CARLOS LAEL FIRST AND FOREMOST, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE OLDEST FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AGAINST THE BIDEN OBAMA CABAL ROBBING OF ROBBING US OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TRUE.
2020 LANDSLIDE, VICTORY COUNTING EACH LEGAL LEGITIMATE VOTE ONCE ONLY WITH EQUAL WEIGHTING ONLY LIKE ONE DIVISION'S WEST VIEW.
AUSTIN APPEARS UNDER A HEX EXISTING AS MULTIPLE FALSE FEMINIST ANTI REALITY TV SHOWS IN A DISTORTED CHANGING SPACE AND TIME TWILIGHT ZONE PROTECTED BY SUPERNATURAL EVIL RUN BY UPSIDE DOWN ANTI-HUMAN ALIENS DOING STRANGER THINGS WITH MULTI-VERSE MATRIX SUPPORT FROM INTERDIMENSIONAL AI ABOVE AGENT SMITH'S PAY GRADE MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU PLANTS, FLUX WITH INSANE INFLECTION POINTS AND RIPPLES ONLY THE CHAIRMAN CAN FIX IN REALITY, THE EVIDENCE OF COORDINATED CRIMINAL LARGE-SCALE ELECTION FOG, BIG TECH CENSORSHIP, AND GLOBAL GASLIGHTING IS UNDENIABLY MASSIVE LIKE OBAMA BEFORE BY THE Z ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING THE WHITE HOUSE.
ZOMBIE BIDEN LOST THE ELECTION, BUT IT'S ELIGIBLE TO BE PRESIDENT KENYAN.
OBAMA WON TWO ELECTIONS, BUT IT'S CONSTITUTIONALLY INELIGIBLE TO BE PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE'S NOT A NATURAL BORN US CITIZEN BECAUSE AMENDMENT 20 SECTIONS THREE SENTENCE TWO SAYS IF THE PRESIDENT ELECTORAL I FAILED TO QUALIFY THAN THE VICE PRESIDENT ELECT SHALL ACT AS PRESIDENT UNTIL THE PRESIDENT SHALL HAVE QUALIFIED VP BIDEN, LEGALLY ACTED AS PRESIDENT WHILE OBAMA ILLEGALLY ACTED LIKE A PRESIDENT DURING OBAMA'S EIGHT YEAR FRAUD.
THAT'S WHY DURING THE 2008 VP DEBATE BIDEN SAID, OBAMA INDICATED TO ME, HE WANTED ME WITH HIM TO HELP HIM GOVERN.
SO EVERY MAJOR DECISION HE'LL BE MAKING, I'LL BE SITTING IN THE ROOM TO GIVE MY BEST ADVICE.
DEEP STATE DEMONS BROKE SO MANY LAWS AND STATES THE CAPITOL INCURSION, BUT CALL US MAGA DEPLORABLES, DOMESTIC TERRORISTS FOR RIGHTLY GETTING ANGRY AND FIGHTING BACK TO RETAKE.
IT'S A RAZOR WIRE FENCING AND TROOPS AROUND THE CAPITOL ARE TO AVOID ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROTECT THEM FROM US BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY'RE GUILTY.
THE TREES IN THIS FBI DOES NOTHING TO THEM TRADERS, BUT AGGRESSIVELY PROSECUTES PATRIOTS, PEACEFULLY PROTESTING THERE BECAUSE VOTER ID SUPPRESSES VOTING FRAUD AND SWING STATES LIKE GEORGIA, ARIZONA, AND WISCONSIN ARE UNPACKING THEIR ELECTION FRAUD, GENERATING THEIR FALSE RESULTS THAT US SENATE MUST KILL HR.
ONE BEFORE NATIONALIZED AS ELECTIONS AND CODIFIES ELECTION FRAUD AND PERPETUITY TO RIG ALL FUTURE ELECTIONS AGAINST US SHRED OUR CONSTITUTION AND DESTROY AMERICA.
IT'S NOT FOR THE PEOPLE IT'S AGAINST US.
PEOPLE JUST AS FULL DISCLOSURE ABOUT ALL THE EXTRA TERRESTRIALS ON AND AROUND EARTH PAST AND PRESENT CAN FUEL THE GREAT AWAKENING TO DEFEAT THE GREAT RESET FUTURE FORWARD FOR HUMANITY.
FULL EXPOSURE OF ELECTION FRAUD CAN DO THE SAME FOR US AMERICANS
[02:30:01]
LIKE MY FEBRUARY ONE ELECTION CORRECTION SPEECH TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.THIS TRUTH BEATING TELLTALE HEART WILL GO ON AND ON LOUDER AND LOUDER UNTIL THE DEED IS ADMITTED AND UNDONE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHERE HE BELONGS, GOD BLESS AMERICA, PRESIDENT TRUMP AND US DEPLORABLES AND MAYOR ADLER.
WHAT PART OF 12:00 PM TIME CERTAIN FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND YOU SERVE ME? I DON'T SERVE YOU.
AFTER THAT, I AM SO HAPPY TO BE A DEMOCRAT HUMANITARIAN AND AUSTIN, TEXAS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US AND HOW HARD YOU WORK FOR ALL OF US.
AND THANK GOD THAT BETHEL IS OVER THERE FIGHTING FOR OUR VOTING RIGHTS AT THE TEXAS CAPITOL.
WE WANT TO SEE Y'ALL FACE TO FACE, AND WE'RE SO HAPPY THAT Y'ALL ARE OUT EACH HEALTHY AND THAT YOU WORK YOUR BUTTS OFF FOR OUR CITY.
I JUST WANT TO BEGIN WITH THAT.
I JUST CAME THROUGH 14 FAMILY DEATHS AS A RESULT OF ALL THE MISINFORMATION THAT WE WERE GETTING IN OUR STATE.
WE LOST 14 FAMILY MEMBERS, UM, 10 OF THOSE DUE TO COVID AND WE'LL FEEL LIKE IN A LOT OF WAYS, WE CAME THROUGH A WAR ZONE IS WHAT WE DID.
BUT HOWEVER, MORE THAN MORE THAN THAT, NOW THAT THOSE HERE I HAVE, I AM REALLY INSPIRED TO CONTINUE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR PEOPLE.
AND THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL PROBLEM WITH, UM, UH, UH, THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN TOWED OUT HERE WITH, UH, WITH OUR GOVERNOR.
UM, UM, DAMN DANNY BOY, UH, DANNY, PATRICK, I'M SORRY, THOSE PEOPLE THERE, BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAPPENED TO A LOT OF US AS A COMMUNITY.
UM, CITY COUNCIL, WOMAN, LESLIE POOL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US KNOW THAT THESE VETO LAWS WERE ABOUT THE HEAD, HIT THE GROUND, WHERE WE'RE AWARE OF THAT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START TELLING PEOPLE THAT WE NEED THEM TO VOTE AS WELL.
SO THE OTHER THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON, WHO WAS AMAZING AND WORKS EVEN ON HOLIDAYS OR WEEKENDS FOR OUR PEOPLE HERE AS WELL.
AND I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT, CAUSE WHEN I'M IN A FIELD, SHE'S TALKING TO ME TOO AS WELL.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP IS A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING THE COMPLETE INFORMATION WHEN THEY'RE MAKING A SOAP AS THEIR HOME.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NEED SOME CHECKPOINTS, UM, CITY COUNCILMEN DEODORANT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR PEOPLE AS WELL, UM, THAT WE NEED CHECKPOINTS, THAT, THAT GENERATIONAL WEALTH IS NOT TAKING, BEING TAKEN FROM THE PRIMARY TRANSACTION TO THE THIRD TRANSACTION.
WE GOT KILLED AS FAR AS CHANGES.
AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE MLS REPORT AS WELL TO FIND OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE SOLD OUT DURING 2020 AND 2021, NOT THE THOUGHT OF THE REAL ESTATE AGENTS.
I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
ALSO IN THE AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL, OUR PEOPLE DON'T READ THE AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL.
ANY THOUGHTS IN YET TWO ZIP CODES WERE MARKETED AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, SEVEN EIGHT, SEVEN OH TWO SEVEN EIGHT SEVEN TWO ONE.
YOU CAN GOOGLE THESE ZIP CODES.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULDN'T MARKET TO VULNERABLE ZIP CODES AT A NATIONAL LEVEL AND AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL AND NOT GIVE OUR FAMILY THE CHANCES THAT THEY NEED.
ALSO, WHEN REPRESENTATIVES SPEAK WITH US IN EAST AUSTIN, THEY NEED TO GIVE US THE WHOLE PICTURE.
IF WE'RE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU PUT A PROTECTION IN PLACE, WE'RE BELIEVING THEM.
THEY NEED TO LET US KNOW THAT THAT WAS VETOED.
IN SOME WAY, WE WERE NOT TOLD THAT WE GOING FORWARD.
WE NEED OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO BE FULLY HONEST WITH US AGAIN.
WE CANNOT WAIT TO GET BACK FACE TO FACE.
WE LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT WAY, OLIVIA, OVER TURF.
OLIVIA OVERTURN DISTRICT TWO ON THURSDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2021, THE CITY OF AUSTIN APPROVED A RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING THE CITY'S ROLE IN DISENFRANCHISING BLACK AUSTINITES OR PASS DISCRIMINATORY TACTICS ON THAT VERY DAY.
THE MT CAMERA ALL APARTMENTS OWNED BY EUREKA HOLDINGS SINCE 2008 AND LOCATED IN ROSEWOOD, A HISTORICAL BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD IN DISTRICT ONE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN WITHOUT GAS FOR OVER SIX DAYS.
THE INK WAS NOT DRY ON THIS VERY RESOLUTION TO APOLOGIZE THE BLACK PEOPLE FOR THE CITY'S RACIST PAST.
I WAS AT MOUNT CARMEL APARTMENTS IN THE AFTERNOON OF MARCH 4TH, WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD WHO WAS DEPLOYED BY THE EOC VIA THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE CITY WAS IN FACT AWARE OF THE SITUATION AT MOUNT CARMEL.
MANY RESIDENTS HAD NO IDEA WHO THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER WAS AT THE TIME.
EVEN THEN THEY SCRAMBLED TO EMAIL MPT HARPER, MADISON, AND WERE LEFT IN A STATE OF PANIC, WAITING FOR RESPONSE.
THEY WAITED FOR OVER TWO WEEKS AND TO BE VERY CLEAR, EUREKA HOLDINGS, THE PROPERTY OWNER SINCE 2008 WAS ONE OF THE MAYOR PRO TIM'S LARGEST FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO HER CAMPAIGN BID THREE YEARS AGO, I AM ASKING THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM HARPER, MADISON RECUSED HERSELF FROM ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH THIS SPECIFIC PROPERTY
[02:35:01]
DUE TO OUR ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH EUREKA AND ANY INVOLVEMENT SHOULD BE SEEN AS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.FURTHERMORE, OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FIVE WEEKS, THE RESIDENTS HAVE REMAINED IN LIMBO TO ADD FURTHER INSULT TO INJURY, A SMALL HANDFUL COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS CONTINUE TO MISINFORM RESIDENTS OF THEIR RIGHTS SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT AND POTENTIALLY INHIBITED THE RESIDENTS OVERALL MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH WHILE PROVIDING NO SOLUTIONS OR ANSWERS.
NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
HAD THE CITY STEPPED IN TO NAVIGATE AND COMMUNICATE THE SITUATION WITH THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES.
SURELY THE CITY TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF FORCED PLACEMENT AMONG CHILDREN.
AS THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES ON THE MATTER DATING BACK TO THE HOLOCAUST, SURELY THE IMMEDIATE THING THE CITY COULD HAVE DONE WAS INVEST IN A PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED TRAUMA RESPONSE TEAM TO ASSIST THESE RESIDENTS IN THEIR TIME OF NEED AND PROVIDE TRAUMA-RELATED SERVICES.
THE ENTIRE SITUATION IS DEPLORABLE.
AND AN EXAMPLE OF THE VERY DISCRIMINATION BLACK PEOPLE HAVE LONG FELT IN THIS CITY.
MANY OF THE BLACK RESIDENTS PUBLICLY EXPRESSED THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DISCOUNTED BY THEIR VERY OWN COUNCIL MEMBER WHO SPONSORED RESOLUTION ITEM NUMBER 67 HERSELF.
IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE SYSTEMIC RACISM WITHIN THE CITY'S CORE RUBS THAT DEEP THE CITY ALSO CO-SIGNED ON FORCING RESIDENTS TO USE INCARCERATION LIKE ACCOMMODATIONS ALL WHILE KNOWING THESE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE RELOCATED FROM THEIR HOME.
THE CITY FORCED THE RESIDENTS TO GO THROUGH THE VERY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT HAD REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.
IN THE BEGINNING, I'M ASKING THAT THESE RESIDENTS SPECIFICALLY ARE OFFERED A RENT MORATORIUM WHILE LIVING IN AN UNKNOWN MOTEL.
FOR 90 DAYS, I'M ASKING THAT A FULL INDEPENDENT AUDIT BE CONDUCTED ON THEM AS HANDLING OF THE SITUATION AT MOUNT CARAMEL.
I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOR ASSISTING US WITH FACTS TO PASS FORWARD TO THE RESIDENTS.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE PROCESS BEFORE CLUB PARK CLUB AND JOE MEDINA FOR HELPING PROVIDE SOME RESPITE FOR THESE RESIDENTS DURING THEIR TIME OF NEED.
I'D LIKE TO JUST START BY SAYING A LOT OF WHAT THE PREVIOUS CALLER SAID IS ABSOLUTELY SPOT AND I SHARE THE SENTIMENT, BUT SO MUCH OF IT IS EITHER MISINFORMED OR CATEGORICALLY UNTRUE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THERE'S NOBODY IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO BELIEVES THAT I KNEW THAT MEMBERS OF MY DISTRICT AND AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT I LIVED IN AS A KID, SHE STRUGGLED WITHOUT ONE OF THE MOST BASIC UTILITIES FOR TWO WEEKS WITHOUT RESPONDING.
I'M SO GLAD THAT THAT INFORMATION IS ABSOLUTELY ELIGIBLE FOR A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST.
UM, I FOUND OUT ABOUT MOUNT CARMEL ON THE 2ND OF MARCH AND I FOUND OUT BECAUSE BERTHA DELGADO CALLED MY OFFICE.
THE FIRST TIME I SPOKE TO A MOUNT CARMEL RESIDENT WAS ON MARCH 2ND.
THE DAY I FOUND OUT AND ANGELA BENEVIDEZ GARZA GAVE ME CONTACT INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS.
SO I HAVE BEEN, UM, UNFORTUNATELY SORT OF NEGLECTING THIS AGENDA IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, I'VE SPENT HOURS, HOURS EVERY DAY.
EVEN THE WEEKENDS WORKING ON THE ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE THAT IS MOUNT CARMEL, WHICH BY THE WAY, 30 PLUS DAYS LATER STILL DOES NOT HAVE NATURAL GAS.
ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT SITUATIONS THAT I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN MY TWO YEARS.
UM, AND I ONLY RESPOND TO THIS BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY TAKE OFFENSE TO ANY IMPLICATION THAT I HAVEN'T DONE EVERYTHING THAT IS POSSIBLE AND WITHIN MY POWER AND, AND FRANKLY, WITHIN MY JURISDICTION AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER, NO, I DID NOT KNOW.
AND NOW THAT I DO KNOW I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE GET A RESOLUTION.
THE INFORMATION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S OFFICE PROVIDED, I ALREADY KNEW, BUT HADN'T BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO PROVIDE, SO I DIDN'T, I'M NOT BECAUSE I'M NEGLECTING MY DUTY.
SO I JUST NEEDED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ANYBODY LISTENING, WHO BELIEVES THAT I'VE NEGLECTED MOUNT CARMEL, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE.
THAT'S DISTRICT ONE, THE NUMBER ONE AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV.
AND I'M HAPPY TO GO PLAY BY PLAY WITH YOU.
UM, WHAT I'VE DONE, WHAT MY OFFICE HAS DONE AND WHO I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH DURING THE COURSE OF THIS DISASTER RELIEF EFFORT.
NEXT SPEAKER IS PLEASE COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
AND, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, I WAS NOT TRYING TO STEP ON YOUR TOES AT ALL.
DURING THAT PROCESS I'VE LEARNED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF MY LIVED EXPERIENCES THAT OFTENTIMES IF, IF SOMEONE TALKS TO A CERTAIN PERSON AND FOR SOME REASON THEY
[02:40:01]
JUST DON'T GET ALONG, SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER TO HELP GET THE INFORMATION FROM SOMEONE ELSE.AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO COORDINATING THAT YOU DID REACH OUT TO ME FOR THAT AND I MISSED YOUR MESSAGE.
SO I APOLOGIZE, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL IN THIS.
WE ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY FOR THAT.
THE RESIDENTS OF MOUNT CARMEL AND WE ALL WANT THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME FOR THEM.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LEADING THE EFFORT COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA AND MAYOR.
I WOULD JUST THINK, UM, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM HARPER MEDICINE FOR HER REALLY HER CONTINUED WORK THROUGHOUT THE STORM, UH, TO WORK ON BEHALF OF HER CONSTITUENTS.
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TODAY TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT YOUR WORK ON BEHALF OF MOUNT CARMEL RESIDENTS.
UM, THOSE OF US WHO, WHO ARE AWARE OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, STANDING IN SUPPORT OF IT, I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN VERY PRO TAMRA HOLISTIC HERE, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU AND YOUR OFFICE HAVE BEEN DONE ALMOST ON A DOWN HOURLY BASIS OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
IT'S, UM, QUITE AN EFFORT CAN LEADERSHIP YOU'RE SHOWING ON THIS MATTER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NILAH SANKOFA, UH, GREETINGS.
UM, MY I'M IAN, ARE YOU LACKING IN SANKOFA? I'M A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST, INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTIST DESIGNER, COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL ACTIVIST, AND A RITUAL SPECIALIST RESIDENT IN AUSTIN SINCE 1989.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRING, UM, SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY CONCERNS BEFORE THIS BODY.
UM, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD NOT BEING ABLE TO STAND IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO, UM, SO I HAVE A FEW KEY THINGS IN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT I HAVE, AND SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND ONE OF THE MAIN ONE IS, UM, THE SUMMER BOX WITH OUR PROJECT THAT WAS IN, UM, MAYOR PRO TOWN, UH, UH, UH, HARPER MADISON'S DISTRICT, UM, WHICH STARTED IN THE, AT THE END OF 2018.
AND WASN'T JUST CANCELED THIS PAST JANUARY, 2021.
AND THE REASON THAT I'M BRINGING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS ENTIRE BODY IS WE'VE BEEN, HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING EXTENSIVELY, WAS, UM, UH, MIRACLE TOWN OFFICE AS WELL AS OTHER, UM, UH, CITY OFFICIALS, UH, ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND SO A LOT OF PROMISES WERE MADE, A LOT OF PUBLIC PROMISES WERE MADE AND, UM, THEN THE PROJECT WAS EVENTUALLY CANCELED AND WE WERE KIND OF, AS WE FEEL THOSE, UM, SELECTED AND INVITED, UH, TENANTS, THE COHORTS THAT WE WERE BASICALLY, UM, BRUSHED ASIDE, UM, AND GHOSTED ONCE THE PROJECT WAS CANCELED.
UM, I PERSONALLY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO PREPARING TO MOVE INTO ONE OF THESE SOFT SPACES.
YOU HAVE TO GOOGLE BOXES, OUR PROJECT AUSTIN, AND, UM, LOST WE'VE ALL LOST REVENUES AND FUNDS AND, UM, EXPENSES ON SUPPLIES AND FINISH OUT, UM, PPP EQUIPMENT AND SOUL ON, UM, ONE OF MY 70 PLUS YEAR OLD APPAREL TECHS ENDED UP CONTRACTING COVID, UM, ATTEMPTING TO WORK IN THE SPACE AND AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS UNSAFE FOR HER.
AND, UH, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T IN THE SPACES THAT WE NEEDED TO BE IN.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT MAY BE REALLY, REALLY NEW, UM, OR, UM, UNFAMILIAR TO SOME OF YOU.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S BEEN A CITY PROJECT FOR SINCE 2018 WHEN IT WAS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT, HOW FAR BACK IT WENT TO GET IT APPROVED AND SO ON.
BUT I REALLY, REALLY NEED FOR A CITY COUNCIL, NOT JUST, UM, THE MAYOR PRO TOWN TO ADDRESS CANCELLATION OF THIS PROJECT, UM, WITH THE, THE, THE, THE, THE TENANTS, THE COHORTS IN A MORE EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE WAY, UM, BECAUSE JUST TO CALL US AND TELL US THE COUNSELOR'S PRACTICE PROJECT WAS CANCELED AND, AND, AND MANY PROMISES WERE MADE TO US SPEAKER, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
AND NEXT SPEAKER IS THOMAS WHITMER GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
[02:45:01]
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS MORNING OR THIS AFTERNOON.NOW, UH, I WENT EIGHT DAYS, UH, DURING THE ICE STORM WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO BATHE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO POTABLE WATER.
AND I ONLY REALIZED THROUGH THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN THAT IN 1964, THE COUNCIL OF AUSTIN BOUGHT FAIL SAFE EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD PROTECT THE WATER USERS FROM THE HAPPENSTANCE OF THIS LAST STORM.
SO REALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE BEING PULLED OUT OF HOSPITALS FOR LACK OF WATER FOR BOILERS, UH, AND SUCH KINDS OF THINGS.
NOT BECAUSE IT WAS A STORM, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF MANAGEMENT OF OUR WATER SYSTEM, WHETHER IT'S THE MAYOR WHO DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TURN ON THE SWITCH OR THE COUNCIL OR THE WATER FOLKS.
THE SECOND THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS BACK AGAIN, AROUND FIVE DECADES AGO AT CITY COUNCIL DETERMINED WE SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN BUILDING THE SOUTH TEXAS NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION.
AND WE DIDN'T THEN DETERMINED THAT WE WINTERIZE THAT STATION WHO KNEW, BUT WE STILL OWN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE PORTION OF THAT STATION.
AND WE DIDN'T WINTERIZE IT IN 2021.
THIS COUNCIL, MOST OF YOU PURCHASED OR CONTRACTED FOR ELECTRICITY FROM A WOOD-BURNING UNIT AT NACADOCIOUS THE PINEY FOREST EITHER.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE FOREST FOR THE TREES, THE TREES FOR THE FOREST, BUT THE COST OF THAT ELECTRICITY WHEN IT WAS AVAILABLE WITH EXTREME.
SO WHAT DOES THE CITY COUNCIL DO? THEY BOUGHT THAT PLANT FOR $460 MILLION TURNED IT OFF.
AND APPARENTLY DURING THE ICE STORM, COULDN'T FIND A MATCH AND THEN COMES TO MIND THAT WE CONTRACT, WE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CONTRACTS SETS THE COST, SETS THE DELIVERY FROM SIX SOLAR FACILITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND EIGHT WIND FARMS. WE HAVE NOT DEMANDED IN OUR CONTRACTS, NOT ERCOT OUR CONTRACTS AT ANY OF THESE FACILITIES BE PREPARED FOR WINTER REALIZATION.
AND LAST MONTH, AT LEAST I UNDERSTAND NOW THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS GOING TO CHARGE OUR CO-OP NEIGHBORS $9,000 PER MEGAWATT HOUR FOR ELECTRICITY THAT WE HAD AND WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEM IN THE EMERGENCY.
THESE ARE ALL COUNSEL PROBLEMS. YOU CAN POINT FINGERS AT ANYBODY, BUT YOU DID NOT DO YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
THE LAST SPEAKER IS TIFFANY WASHINGTON.
HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS TIFFANY WASHINGTON.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND I OWN A BUSINESS IN DISTRICT ONE.
I AM A LOCAL FARMER HERE, AND I AM CALLING TODAY BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE WAY THAT THE WINTER STORM UREA EFFECTED MY BUSINESS.
I, AT THIS POINT, AND AT THIS TIME AND UNABLE TO COMPLETE AND FINISH MY SEASON BECAUSE OF THE STORM, ALONGSIDE OF THAT, I WAS COMPLETELY AFFECTED AND APPALLED BY THE RESPONSE TO THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE, UM, TO THE STORM.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY APPALLING TO ME AS A UNITED STATES, NAVY VETERANS AND BORN AUSTINITE, HOW UNORGANIZED AND HOW MISINFORMED SO MANY PEOPLE WERE WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY.
I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MANY ORGANIZATIONS LEFT SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OR WEREN'T THERE, OR DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING, OR HOW MANY ORGANIZATIONS WERE NOT QUALIFIED TO RESPOND.
UM, AND I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THE EARLIER CALLER, OLIVIA, OVER TO HER AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE HAD TO SAY.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE GO BACK TO THE MARCH 4TH RESOLUTION OF THE APOLOGY TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY INSIDE OF THAT RESOLUTION.
IT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE, SINCE THE INCEPTION OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AUSTIN HAS DEPENDENT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF BLACK SLAVES AND BONDED SERVANTS.
AND I NEED TO KNOW WHY THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES NOT HAVE ANY RESOURCES OR SUPPORT FOR BLACK FARMERS.
I NEED TO KNOW, AND I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY I AM THE ONLY BLACK FARMER IN TRAVIS COUNTY, AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND AT LEAST NEARLY A HUNDRED YEARS, AND WHY I WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH RESOURCES SUCH AS WHATEVER OR WHOEVER THE BLACK AUSTIN COALITION IS.
I DON'T KNOW THESE PEOPLE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING SUSTAINABLE, THE APARTMENTS FOR AGRICULTURE AND STUFF.
I DON'T KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CITY OF AUSTIN
[02:50:01]
VETTED THESE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO BE A RESOURCE FOR ME.I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THAT.
AND I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HOW THEY HANDLED SERVICES FOR PEOPLE AT MOUNT CARMEL, WHO ARE CURRENTLY BEING DISLOCATED.
WE HAVE FAMILIES, WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT CHILDREN, ELDERLY, WHO ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES AT THIS VERY MOMENT.
AND TO HEAR A MAYOR PRO 10TH, SAY THAT SHE KNEW THIS MARCH 2ND, BEFORE MARCH 4TH, WHEN THE NATIONAL GUARD HAD TO COME OUT AND TO KNOW SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH GETTING THEM THERE.
AND TO ALSO KNOW THAT FOR THE LAST 30 DAYS, THERE'S BEEN NO GAS AND NOTHING IS BEING HANDLED.
I'M COMPLETELY APPALLED BY HOW THIS IS BEING HANDLED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERS AS TO WHAT WENT ON FOR OUR CONSUMERS TO COME HERE AND I CONTINUE TO SPEAK AND CONTINUE TO SEEK ANSWERS.
IT IS FIVE MINUTES STILL BOND.
WE HAVE A SPEAKERS QUEUED UP TO SPEAK AT TWO.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY FOLKS SPEAKING IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT, UH, MAY LEAVE OR WE WOULD OTHERWISE LOSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN, UH, TAKE OUR LUNCH BREAK, COME BACK HERE.
ONE LIST OF THE SPEAKERS AND THEN DO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, WHETHER YOU NEED US TO DO EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE WE CALL THE SPEAKERS AND TO IT'S UP TO THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL MAYOR.
UH, IT WILL BE GREAT IF WE CAN DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS BEFORE THE DINNER BREAK.
WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
UH, COLLEAGUES, UH, UH, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE TAKE OUR LUNCH BREAK AND THEN COME BACK HERE AND MAYBE WE COULD TAKE THOSE ITEMS THAT I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE.
AND WE COME BACK AT ONE 55 IN THAT FIVE MINUTES.
I THINK WE CAN, UH, DISPENSE WITH, UH, SOME OF THE REMAINING ITEMS THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD HANDLE, UH, UH, QUICKLY 72, 73, UM, UH, MAYOR, ANY CHANCE WE COULD DO THOSE NOW, 75 TO 81.
ARE ANY OF THOSE FAST ENOUGH THAT WE COULD KNOCK THEM OUT IN, IN FIVE MINUTES? WELL, I'M HOPING SO, SO I WAS SACRED WORK.
COME BACK IF Y'ALL, IF Y'ALL WANT TO DO IT BEFORE LUNCH AND SEE IF WE CAN KNOCK THEM OUT, I'M FINE DOING IT THAT WAY.
LET'S CALL THEM UP AND SEE IF WE COULD DO THAT.
[Austin Industrial Development Corporation]
IS THE, UH, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING.UH, I'M GOING TO RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING RIGHT NOW AT 1256.
I'M GOING TO CONVENE THE, UH, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, HERE ON MARCH 25TH, 2021, UH, AT 12:56 PM.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, THREE ITEMS ON AN AGENDA.
UH, THE, UH, QUORUM OF THE BOARD IS, UH, IS, IS PRESENT.
DO YOU WANT TO LAY OUT THE THREE ITEMS ON CONSENT? YES, MAYOR.
SO ELVIA WHOLE RAP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE THREE ITEMS FOR ON CONSENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
APPROVING THE OFFICERS FOR THE AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COURT, APPROVING THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR.
AND THE THIRD ITEM IS APPROVING THE BUDGET.
SO OUR MOTION TO APPROVE THE THREE ITEMS COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO MAKES THE MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL AND THE DISCUSSION MAYOR PRO TEM.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY TO ITEM NUMBER 72, BUT I CAN HOLD OFF IF, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO VOTE FIRST.
UH, YES, LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD.
AND, AND, WELL, THIS IS, THIS IS THE VOTE TO APPROVE THE THREE ITEMS ON 72.
YOU WANT TO SPEAK AFTER WE TAKE THE VOTE.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK, I MEAN, I'M GOING TO VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE SO I CAN MAKE MY COMMENTARY, WHATEVER YOU PREFER.
IS THERE A MOTION TO, BUT I THINK WE JUST HAD THE MOTION A SECOND AGO.
I WAS IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSAGE.
THAT WAS A POSITIVE DATA MISSED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COUNCIL MEMBER, DIRECTOR, HARPER, MADISON.
DO YOU WANT TO VICE CHAIR? DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK BEFORE WE ADJOURN? I'D LIKE TO PLEASE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT PEOPLE CAN SCROLL RIGHT PAST, UM, AND YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF SKIP OVER, BUT I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S IT.
I THINK THIS ITEM COULD SERVE AS A MECHANISM TO HELP, UM, TO IDENTIFY UNDER-UTILIZED PROPERTIES MORE QUICKLY AND REALLY DETERMINE
[02:55:01]
WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS WE CAN GET OUT OF THEM.UM, ADDITIONALLY, I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE AEDC, UM, AND ITS ABILITY TO ALLOW US TO REACT AT MARKET SPEED WHILE REALLY KEEPING THE PUBLIC GOOD FRONT AND CENTER.
WE'RE GLUING ON THE DESKTOP FOR THIS OLD TOOLBOX AND USING IT IN NEW WAYS AND LOOKING FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN THE MEETING HERE AT 1259.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO RECONVENE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE ON MARCH 25TH, 21 AT 1259 COLLEGE.
[Items 75 - 81]
SOME 4%, UH, TAX CREDIT, UH, UH, INDICATIONS OF, UH, NOT OPPOSITION ITEM 75 THROUGH 81.UM, IS ANYBODY GOING TO NEED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO DISCUSS THESE ITEMS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THEM? 75 TO 81? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS MAKES THE MOTION MAYOR PRO TEM SECONDS, AND THE DISCUSSION MAYOR DO NEED TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON EACH YES.
AND TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THANK YOU, APPROVE IT TO OPEN IN 12 MONTHS.
UM, I WOULD JUST, UH, SAY PARANTHETICALLY THERE, THERE WAS A MEMO THAT CAME OUT TO US ON THESE, UH, WERE STAFF INDICATED THAT IT'S WORKING WITH, UH, OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THE AREA TO COME UP WITH A UNIFORM POLICY, UH, THAT MIGHT HELP, UH, PRIORITIZE OUR REVIEW OF THESE CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT WE SET.
UH, I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT HAPPENING.
ANYTHING WE CAN BE DOING TO, TO, TO HELP ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, UH, UH, THAT THAT REACHES DEEPLY.
WE SHOULD BE USING EVERY TOOL AVAILABLE TO US THAT EMOTION, THE SECONDARY, THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED 75 THROUGH, UH, UH, 81, UH, ARE NOW PASSED.
[Items 39 & 40]
UH, WE HAD TWO ITEMS THAT WERE ON CONSENT, UH, COULD HAVE BEEN OUR CONSENT ITEM, NUMBER 39 AND EIGHT, NOVEMBER 40.THAT NEED TO BE VOTED ON AFTER THE, UH, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION MEETING, WHICH WE JUST HAD.
UH, SO WE CAN NOW HANDLE, UH, ITEMS NUMBER 39 AND 40.
SO OUR MOTION TO APPROVE 39 AND 40 ON COUNCIL MEMBER COUNTY BASED OF MOTION.
IS THERE A PSYCHIC, A MAYOR PRO TEM SECONDS? AND HE'S DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR OF 3,040, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAIR.
THOSE OPPOSED TO ADAM IS, UH, ON THE DIAS 39 AND 40, UM, UH, PASS.
UH, I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE MAY TAKE US A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND THEN IT WAS ONE OH ONE.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, EDITOR OR MANAGER, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE, THEY RECOGNIZED IT.
AND BEFORE WE TAKE A BREAK, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST YEAR WAS NOT HAVING OUR TYPICAL MUSIC AND PROCLAMATIONS.
AND I COULDN'T LET THIS MEETING GO BY WITHOUT FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE SERVICE OF OUR POLICE, CHIEF BRIAN MANLEY, AND PRESENT HIM WITH A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE LORD.
AND SO I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO SORT OF RECOGNIZE HIM AND HIS LEADERSHIP.
AS YOU KNOW, LAST MONTH, HE DID ANNOUNCE HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 30 YEARS WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, HE HAS BEEN A LEADER THAT HAS BEEN STEADFAST AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE.
AND AUSTIN HAS REMAINED ONE OF THE SAFEST COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY, UH, OVER THE LAST HANDFUL OF DECADES, WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HIM AS PART OF OUR TEAM AND WE LOOK FORWARD AND I RECOGNIZE, UH, WHAT HE WILL BE DOING NEXT IS UNKNOWN, UH, BUT WISHED HIM THE BEST OF LUCK IN THOSE FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
UH, BUT WITH THIS, I DID HAVE A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, WHICH I WILL READ NOW THAT SAYS FOR HIS 30 YEARS OF UNTIRING SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, HIS DEDICATION TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSION AND POLICING COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING STEADFAST LEADERSHIP AS CHIEF OF POLICE DURING A PERIOD OF PIVOTAL COMMUNITY CHANGE, BRIAN MANLEY IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION.
THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION THEREOF ON THIS 25TH DAY OF MARCH, 2021.
AND I THINK BRIAN CHIEF HAS JOINED US TODAY.
AND SO I DID WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, BUT ALSO CREATE THIS SPACE FOR ALLOWING, UH, COUNSEL, UH, TO HAVE ANY REMARKS THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE.
UM, I DO WANT TO, TO, TO ADD TO THAT CHIEF MADLY, UM, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, IT'S RARE TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT, UH, UH, RISES THROUGH THE RANKS AND IS HERE, UH, UH, FOR AS LONG AS YOU AND HELP SHAPE, UH, UH, UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, SO GIVING
[03:00:01]
YOUR PARTS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY APPROACH TO THE CITY.AND, UH, I JUST WANNA TO COMMENT, UH, AGAIN, HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN THE BOMBER CAME INTO OUR CITY TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINT, UH, A CLOSER VANTAGE POINT, UH, TO NOT ONLY HOW OUR DEPARTMENT WORKS, UH, AND THE, UM, UH, DRAIN NUMBER OF JUST INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WE HAVE ON THE FRONT LINE.
UH, BUT, UH, SEE YOU THE NEED, UH, THE COLLECTIVE FEDERAL AGENCIES IN ADDITION TO THE LOCAL AGENCIES IN A ROLE QUITE FRANKLY, THAT THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY YOURS TO TAKE WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCIES THERE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY NORMALLY JUST STEP IN AND TAKE THAT ROLE, BUT EVERYBODY DEFERRED TO YOU.
UH, AND THERE WAS A REASON FOR THAT.
AND, UH, IT JUST MADE ME VERY PROUD TO WATCH YOU, UH, IN YOUR LEADERSHIP AND OUR FORCE DURING THAT, THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, SO, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I, I TOO WANTED TO JUST UNDERSCORE THE MAYOR'S WORDS OF THANKS, AND TO ADD MY OWN FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR UNTIRING, UM, YEARS OF SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I JOINED THE OTHERS WHO ARE, UH, WISHING YOU THE BEST IN YOUR, IN YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE.
UM, AND I HOPE YOU HOPE YOU GET SOME TIME OFF, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR PASSION AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING THIS COMMUNITY.
OKAY, CHIEF, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
AND, UM, THANK YOU CITY MANAGER FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD.
I KNOW WE WERE LIKE-MINDED AND GETTING IT DONE, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT IT FORWARD.
CHIEF MAINLY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, YOU HAVE ALMOST WORKED FOR THE CITY AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ALIVE, AND THAT SHOULDN'T GO NOTICE, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO HELP THE MORALE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THIS REALLY TRYING TIME HAS, HAS ALSO NOT BEEN GONE UNNOTICED.
AND WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE BLUEPRINT AND PATHWAY THAT YOU'VE PUT FORWARD FOR YOUR ABSENCE.
AND ON A SIDE NOTE, THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME TO, TO HELP KIND OF GUIDE ME IN WAYS THAT WE CAN BETTER, UM, GET INFORMATION FROM, FROM THE MEMBERS OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND ALSO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT, WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES.
WAS THERE A KITCHEN OR ANY COWS BARN POOL, CHIEF MALE, MY WORDS TO THOSE OF MY COLLEAGUES AND SAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY, MANY YEARS OF SERVICE IN PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I, I CAN'T TELL YOU ENOUGH HOW MUCH I'VE BEEN APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH OUR OFFICES, UH, AND WITH OUR OFFICE SO MUCH AS THEIR A POOL.
AND THEN IT COMES FROM
I JOINED MY COLLEAGUES IN THANKING YOU FOR YOUR LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER, THANKS FOR PICKING AUSTIN TO DEVOTE YOURSELF TO AND COMMIT YOURSELF TO.
AND I, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, IN THE TIME THAT YOU WERE INTERIM CHIEF AND THEN TO POLICE HERE IN AUSTIN AND FOR THIS DIOCESE HAVE BEEN REALLY TURBULENT TIMES.
AND I DO THINK THAT IT'S TIMES OF TURBULENCE THAT DO TEST OUR TRUE CHARACTER, AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR STRENGTH OF PURPOSE AND CHARACTER AND HANGING IN THERE AND STAYING TRUE TO THE COURSE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT AND PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT THING THAT YOU DID TO BRIG OVER FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR AND MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THE RE-IMAGINING TO GET US UNDERWAY WITH THAT, AND, UM, TO SET A GOOD PRODUCT KIT FOR ADDITIONAL AND INSIGHTFUL INHUMANE.
AND AUSTIN'S NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU CHIEF, YOU KNOW, YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM EVEN UNDER A JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE AND, AND DOING WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU.
AND I HOPE FOR THE BEST THAT YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD RETIREMENT BEFORE YOU ENDED UP TAKING A MESSAGE BACK.
CHIEF, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? THANK YOU.
UM, CHIEF, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR DEDICATION.
UM, AND I WANT TO WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR NEXT CHAPTER.
[03:05:01]
UM, THIS RETIREMENT IS NOT THE END OF YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY, AND I'M PROUD THAT YOU HAVE, UM, INDICATED THAT YOU'RE CHOOSING TO STAY IN OUR COMMUNITY.AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU TO IMPROVE OUR CITY.
I JUST WANT TO ADD, TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.
AND I DO HOPE YOU GET SOME TIME OFF TO RELAX A LITTLE BIT BEFORE, WHATEVER YOU DO NEXT.
AND NOW, CHIEF, DO YOU HAVE A CHANCE? I, SORRY, YOU'RE MUTED.
W HERE'S LIKE THE BIG OPPORTUNITY AND WE CAN HEAR YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANY TECH SYSTEMS WE GET IT'S WORTH PAUSING FOR A SECOND IN CASE THEY CAN CALL IN? NO, I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN YOU CALL IN BY PHONE, UM, SOMEBODY FROM CTM NEEDS TO MOVE THAT PERSON OVER SO WE CAN ACTUALLY HEAR THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S UNDERWAY.
I KNOW WHEN I'VE CALLED IN, I OFTEN AM NOT ABLE TO TALK.
WE'RE GOING TO PLACE THE PHONE NUMBER AND THE ID IN THE STAFF CHAT THAT DIDN'T DO THROUGH THE, HE TRIED TO CALL IN.
I THINK WE'VE DONE IN SOME OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS AT TIMES IS TO HAVE
[03:10:01]
SOMEBODY TO CALL, MAKE SURE TO MUTE YOUR AUDIO, UH, CHIEF FAMILY, MAKE SURE TO MUTE YOUR AUDIO ON YOUR COMPUTER.MY AUDIO IS MUTED ON THE COMPUTER.
NOW, IS THIS WORKING WELL AFTER ALL THAT EFFORT AND WORK AND A TIME THAT YOU ALL COULD BE DOING OTHER THINGS ON? I SURE HOPE THAT I HAVE SOMETHING PROFOUND TO SAY NOW.
UM, I WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF.
UH, I DO APPRECIATE YOU TAKING A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE ME.
UM, ALTHOUGH, UH, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT, UH, ANY OF MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE JUST, UH, THE, THE BRULEE, THE CULMINATION OF SO MANY PEOPLE THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THROUGH 30 YEARS.
UH, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE AS MANY OF YOU HAVE, UM, IN THOSE 30 YEARS, HOWEVER, WHAT HAS NOT CHANGED IS THE DETERMINATION, THE COMPASSION, THE PROFESSIONALISM, UM, AND, UH, REALLY JUST THE INTEGRITY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH BOTH THOSE IN UNIFORM, IN THOSE NOT.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES TOGETHER, BUT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT EACH AND EVERY TIME IT COMES THROUGH THEM, AND I THINK WE'RE BETTER FOR EACH AND EVERY CHALLENGE THAT WE FACED.
UM, YOU DO HAVE A DEPARTMENT TO BE PROUD OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT SERVE HONORABLY, AGAIN, THOSE IN UNIFORM AND OUR CIVILIAN TEAM THAT WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT.
UM, AND SO I AM PLEASED THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH I AM LEAVING MY FORMAL ROLE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THAT PRIOR TO MY DEPARTURE, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SOME THINGS THAT WERE GOALS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO HIT BEFORE LEAVING, UM, PRIMARILY GETTING THE ORGANIZATION READY TO BEGIN TRAINING AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT UNDERWAY.
AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO THAT WORK BY COUNCIL WORK BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THEN ESPECIALLY SO MANY PROFESSIONALS THAT I HAVE AT THE DEPARTMENT THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, WORKING SO HARD TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
UM, I AM, UM, ABSOLUTELY, UM, THANKFUL FOR BEING GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION.
UM, IT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER AND, UM, I WILL TAKE MANY FOND MEMORIES WITH ME AS I MOVE ON TO WHATEVER MY NEXT VENTURE IS.
UM, AND I WILL TAKE MANY FRIENDSHIPS WITH ME AS WELL.
UM, I WANT TO WISH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, THE BEST IN YOUR FUTURES, UH, KNOWING THAT YOU, UH, WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AND LEAD AND WHAT IS ONE OF THE BEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
AND, UH, AGAIN, JUST REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE A DEDICATED GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY SHOW UP AND GIVE IT THEIR ALL AND DO THEIR BEST IN, UH, IN VERY DIFFICULT TIMES, KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND, UH, BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT.
UM, MR. MANAGER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOUR FAITH IN ME.
UH, I THINK IT WAS ONLY A, A MERE MATTER OF WEEKS, UH, FROM YOUR ARRIVAL HERE IN AUSTIN, THAT YOU AND I WERE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME CRITICAL INCIDENTS INVOLVING OFFICERS, OR UNFORTUNATELY IN THE BOMBINGS THAT, UH, SHOOK OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND, UM, I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL FOR YOU PLACING YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME AND GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO SERVE AS YOUR CHIEF.
AND, UH, AS I'VE STATED BEFORE, I WILL REMAIN, UH, IN THE AREA AND I WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST WHERE I CAN AND THE CONTINUED EFFORTS OF, UH, OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WE, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A PACKED AGENDA AND VERY LITTLE TIME, UH, TO SNEAK INTO LUNCH HERE.
SO, UH, I COULD TALK FOREVER AND I WON'T.
UM, BUT I WILL JUST END WITH, AGAIN, MY THANKS AND GRATITUDE, UH, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, CHIEF, THANK YOU, GOD SPEED.
UH, COLLEAGUES, UH, IT IS, UH, ONE 17.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO RECESS AND TAKE A LUNCH BREAK, COME BACK OUT HERE AND LISTEN TO SPEAKERS WHO WILL BE QUEUING UP, BEGIN TO GET TO, UH, DO YOU WANT TO COME BACK AT TWO BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE OVER 40 MINUTES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO RECESS NOW, ONE 17 COUNCIL WE'LL COME BACK AT TWO O'CLOCK, UH, WE'VE POSTED ONTO THE MESSAGE BOARD, THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE YET TO, UH, CONSIDER.
UH, SO WOULD YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE MESSAGE BOARD COLLEAGUES SEE YOU HERE AT TWO O'CLOCK.
I RECONVENED THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE TODAY, TWO OH SEVEN, UM, MARCH 25TH, 2021.
[Public Comment (3 of 3)]
SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT TWO O'CLOCK.UM, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THOSE SPEAKERS.
UH, WE'LL MAKE A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE ITEMS THAT WERE PULLED, UH, THAT WE CAN HANDLE QUICKLY, WE'LL
[03:15:01]
HANDLE THOSE.UM, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, ON EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE HAVE ONE 13, ONE 1487 AND 43 ARE THE FOUR ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOUR, ONE 13, ONE 1487 AND 43.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK OUT AND HANDLE ANY OF THE ZONING CASES THAT, UH, LOOKED LIKE THEY MIGHT TAKE LONGER.
AND THEN SEE IF WE CAN GET INTO THE, THE, THE ITEMS THAT ARE, THAT ARE LEFT BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP HERE AT TWO O'CLOCK COUNCILOR KITCHEN.
UH, DID YOU WANT TO, UM, RECOGNIZE AND SERVICE? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE THANK MARYANNE NEELY FOR HER SERVICE ON THE CITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UH, SHE HAS RETIRED FROM THAT SERVICE AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS SERVING THE CITY.
AND SO, UM, I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE ENTIRE PROCLAMATION THAT I HAVE FOR HER, BUT I DO WANT TO READ JUST THE FIRST LINE, YOU KNOW, MARIANNE NEELEY SERVED ON THE CITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THROUGH THE DECADES FROM FOR MANY YEARS.
AND SHE WAS MY APPOINTEE TO D FROM DISTRICT FIVE, FROM 2015 TO 22 THINGS.
SHE TRULY HAS BEEN AN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD OVER AREAS CONTAINING SENSITIVE RECHARGE AND CONTRIBUTING LANDS AS WELL AS CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ESSENTIAL TO THE RECHARGE OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
SO SHE HAS PROVIDED LEADERSHIP OVER THE YEARS AND MANY, MANY ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK HER SO MUCH FOR HER SERVANTS.
UM, SHE'S BEEN ON SAY BARTON CREEK ASSOCIATION, BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY, CLEAN WATER ACTION LCRA.
UH, SHE'S A BOARD MEMBER OF ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN CONSERVANCY AND THE BARTON HILLS GARDEN CLUB.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY, THANKS TO HER, UM, AS SHE HAS MUCH DESERVED A RETIREMENT AT THIS POINT, BUT I KNOW THAT SHE WILL CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED, UM, AS ONE OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS.
AND SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO SHARE THIS WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND, AND WITH HER.
UM, AS WE PROCLAIM MARCH 25TH IS MARIANNE NEELEY DAY.
IT'S HARD TO EVEN THINK ABOUT, UM, UH, THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS CONTINUING WITHOUT HER AT THE HELM.
SHE'S BEEN SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THOSE FOR SUCH A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HER ON RETIREMENT AND THOSE KINDS OF RETIREMENTS KIND OF LEAVE YOU BREATHLESS FOR A MOMENT.
AND, UH, SOMEONE HAD THAT HAD SERVED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD WITH, UH, MS. UH, I REALLY WANT TO TAKE HER FOR ALL HER CIRCUMSTANCE.
SO, UH, WE, UH, ACCOMPLISH A LOT WHILE I WAS SERVING WITH HER.
WE RECREATED THE, UH, RETENTION PONDS AND, AND, UH, SO WE DID A LOT OF GOOD THINGS, INCLUDING WHAT MENTIONED THAT SHE IS JUST AN OUTSTANDING PERSON THAT HAD REALLY, REALLY LEFT THE CITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT OR THE SHARED SOME I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
AND I WANT, THEY CUT HER OFF SO THAT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TO WHERE I COULD BE TIRED, STEPH'S REALLY GOOD AT HITTING HIS MUTE BUTTON FOR ME.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT, GO TO THE, UH, SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP AND THE TWO O'CLOCK CUTE.
UH, I THINK ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN 20 IT'S, ABOUT THREE MINUTES, UH, UH, EACH AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
JERRY CLARK, IF YOU WERE RECOGNIZE OUR SPEAKERS, FIRST SPEAKER IS MEGAN MEISENBACH.
THIS IS MAKING MEISENBACH AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 94 AND 95, THE MONTOPOLIS ACRES.
UM, I BELIEVE THE NEIGHBORS HAVE A VALID PETITION AND THEY REALLY DON'T WANT THIS, UM, LAND USE OF MULTIFAMILY AMONG THEIR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO I HOPE OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL, UM, HONOR THEIR WISHES AND HONOR THEIR VAL SALAD PETITION.
THIS IS A SIGN THAT IN MASA AND I AM PRESIDENT
[03:20:01]
OF THE MONTOPOLIS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FAC TECH TEAM, AND THE CONTACT TEAM IS OPPOSING THE REZONING OF 10, 13 TO 10 17 MONTOPOLIS DRIVE.THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS ZONED SINGLE FAMILY THREE.
WHEN WE CAME TOGETHER AND ADOPTED I'M ON TOP OF HIS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IN 2001, WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF COMPROMISING, UH, WITH THE CITY.
AND WE SAID THAT WE WOULD AGREE TO HAVE MORE APARTMENTS, WHICH WE DIDN'T WANT, CAUSE WE ALREADY HAD PLENTY, BUT THAT APARTMENTS WOULD BE ESTABLISHED SOUTH OF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
AND THAT THE HEART OF THE MONTOPOLIS COMMUNITY WOULD BE PRESERVED PRESERVED WITH US BEING A FAMILY ZONING LATELY, WE HAVE BEEN UNDER SIEGE BY DEVELOPERS BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE TOP IS TELSA THAT'S COMING IN, UH, IS BRINGING IN A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTS OF BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD STILL BE IN THE URBAN CORE, BUT ONLY BE 10 MINUTES AWAY FROM TESLA.
AND SO THIS IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OUR MONTOPOLIS COMMUNICATE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, TESSA CHAVEZ WAS THE FIRST COMMUNITY BID GENTRIFY, THEN THE HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEN GO VALLEY JOHNSTON.
AND THE LAST ONE OF COURSE IS MONTOPOLIS, WHICH HAS 33% OF THIS POPULATION LIVING IN POVERTY.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT A 98% PEOPLE OF COLOR COMMUNITY AND IS PREDOMINANTLY SPANISH SPEAKING PEOPLE.
AND THE UT STUDY ABOVE RUDY WOULD THE COUNCIL, UH, COMMISSION THAT IF THEY'RE GOING TO SAVE ANYBODY, THEY SHOULD WORK ON SAVING THE TOPLESS.
AND SO WE ARE ENCOURAGING ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SEE, UH, HONOR OUR VALID PETITION, WHICH WE HAVE AT 45% AND TO KEEP OUR SINGLE FAMILY ZONING INSIDE, UH, THE MONTOPOLIS COMMUNITY.
UH, HELLO, MY NAME'S JOHN DAVIDSON.
I LIVE ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE MONTOPOLIS ACRES, UH, PROPOSED REZONING PROPERTY.
I OPPOSED IT VEHEMENTLY IN LARGE PART BECAUSE THE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE DOING THESE ARE ALL THE CASES IN THIS AREA.
US AS NEIGHBORS HAS HAVE BEEN VILIFIED AS NIMBYS AND AS ANTI HOUSING AND DENSITY.
BUT IN REALITY, A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION INTO THE TYPES OF PERSONALITIES THAT THESE DEVELOPERS ARE, SHOW THEM TO BE IN MANY CASES, FOR INSTANCE, FIVE OH EIGHT, COME AROUND THE CORNER, UH, TO BE AN A BAXTERS AND, UH, PRO-TRUMP, UH, RAPIST MEMES ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRUST THAT DEVELOPER IN THE MONTOPOLIS ACRES CASE, THE DEVELOPER LIVES ON A HUGE PROPERTY IN WESTLAKE, RIGHT BY THREE 60, A 6,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE, SIX CAR GARAGE, ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, BEING TOLD TO PEOPLE THAT THOSE ARE DEVELOPED DEVELOPABLE PROPERTIES.
HE ALSO HAS A PROPERTY TAX PROTEST COMPANY THAT STATES ON ITS WEBSITE.
WE ONLY TAKE CUSTOMERS WITH HOUSES WORTH AT LEAST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO I THINK THAT I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL, IF THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE ANY KIND OF ENTITLEMENTS, THE DEVELOPERS NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF VETTING THE DEVELOPER AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE THE KIND OF DEVELOPERS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN TRUST.
AND FOR THAT PURPOSE, I'M VERY AGAINST THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
HI, I'M URGING, UH, CITY COUNCIL TO OPPOSE THE REZONING AT MONTOPOLIS ACRES.
UM, I THINK IT WILL BE A TERRIBLE FIT FOR THE MONTOPOLIS COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT WILL FOREVER CHANGE THE COMMUNITY IN A NEGATIVE MANNER.
UH, THERE'S SEVERAL REASONS WHY THIS REZONING WOULD BE A BAD IDEA FOR MONTOPOLIS.
UM, NUMBER ONE, IT WILL EXACERBATE THE ALREADY OUT OF CONTROL GENTRIFICATION GOING ON IN MY TOP LIST.
UH, TWO, IT WILL PLOP AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF DENSITY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S NOT BUILT TO SUSTAIN THAT TYPE OF DENSITY.
AND THREE IT'LL CREATE MORE FLASH FLOODING PRESSURE IN AN AREA THAT'S PRONE TO SERIOUS FLASH FLOODING THAT THE CITY'S WATERSHED DEPARTMENT IS ALREADY HAVING A REALLY, REALLY HARD TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE.
UM, FURTHERMORE, I THINK THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO REFORM THE PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS, UH, AT THE MEETING WHERE THEY APPROVED THIS, THEY CITED AS THE MAJOR REASON SUPPORT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ALTERING DEVELOPMENT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS NEAR A BUS STOP.
I MEAN, THAT WAS JUST RIDICULOUS.
UM, I'VE BEEN ATTENDING CONTACT TEAM MEETINGS AND EVERY SINGLE ONE I'VE BEEN TO WHERE DEVELOPER HAS COME TO SELL THE DEVELOPMENTS, THEY DON'T BRING DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR PROJECTS.
THEY BRING INFORMATION ABOUT ZONING CODES.
[03:25:01]
INSULTING TO THE COMMUNITY TO COME TO THE COMMUNITY CONTACT TEAM AND NOT BRING ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE ACTUALLY PLAN TO DO.