[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:06]
MY NAME IS ALISON ALTER AND I'M CHAIR OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I'M JOINED THIS MORNING BY COUNCIL MEMBER, FULL COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE MAYOR IS CURRENTLY OFF THE DIOCESE, LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 9:31 AM.
WE HAVE A REALLY PACKED AGENDA THIS MORNING, SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND MOVE THINGS, UM, THROUGH VERY QUICKLY.
UM, AND UM, THE FIRST THING THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, UM, IS TO TAKE UP OUR MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL TAKE CARE OF CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYONE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE LINE.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Audit and Finance Committee Meeting of January 20, 2021.]
SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR MINUTES.COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY MOVES TO PROVE A MINUTES SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
I AM NO LONGER, WELL, KATHY, ARE YOU FAVOR OF THE MINUTES? I ASSUME.
THAT'S UNANIMOUS ON THE DIOCESE WITH THE MAYOR OFF.
[Citizen Communication: General]
CITIZEN COMMUNICATION IS THE CLERK'S OFFICE READY WITH OUR SPEAKERS? LOOKS LIKE WE'RE READY TO GO.EACH OF YOU WILL HAVE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS.
UM, EACH OF YOU WILL HAVE, UM, THREE MINUTES, THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE THIS MORNING.
I WILL REMIND COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT USUALLY IN COMMITTEE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, UM, BACK AND FORTH WITH THE SPEAKERS.
AND TODAY I'M GOING TO, BECAUSE WE HAVE A DOUBLE MEETING GONNA GONNA HOLD US TO THAT.
START WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER, THE FIRST SPEAKER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU, MARY.
AND, UM, I'M AN, A NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVISTS FROM THE NORTH UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT WAIVING FEES AT THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.
I FOUND HERE BEFORE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
IT'S ABOUT WAIVING FEES FOR INTERPRETATIONS.
UM, THE FEES NOW ARE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND REGULAR CITIZENS CANNOT REALLY AFFORD THAT.
AND SOMETIMES AN INTERPRETATION, UM, IS THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT A PERMIT OR IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE AN AMBIGUITY THAT'S IN THE CODE.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS SUBJECT TO AMBIGUITIES AND WE NEED TO HAVE SOUND ARGUMENTS TO RATIONALLY DECIDE THESE THINGS.
SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU AND I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A RESOLUTION.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THIS UP VERY SOON.
UM, BECAUSE REALLY IT'S AN ISSUE OF FAIRNESS AND EQUITY ACROSS THE CITY FOR CITIZENS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN INTERPRETATION AT THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
IT'S NOT A COMMON THING BECAUSE IT'S VERY LABORIOUS.
THE PAPERWORK IS HORRENDOUS AND THE STAFF HAS TO APPROVE IT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE THERE.
AND I THINK THERE'VE BEEN SOMETHING LIKE FOUR OR FIVE IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.
UM, WE LOST YOU MARRIED WHERE YOU FINISHED OR SOUTH, AS SOON AS SHE FINISHED, OR IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT PERSON, IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE A CONNECTION ISSUE WITH THE SPEAKER.
I WAS JUST IN ANOTHER LINK AND THERE WERE SIX OR EIGHT PEOPLE WAITING FOR THIS MEETING OR THAT OTHER LIKE, SO WE HAVE TWO CHANNELS, I THINK NOW.
YOU MAY ALREADY BE AWARE OF THAT.
THE ONLY OTHER LINK THAT WE GOT WAS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I THINK SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE WAITING ROOM, OR ACTUALLY FROM MY STAFF WAITING FOR THE FOLLOWUP ITEMS, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON IS IN THAT OTHER ONE.
UH, FARRAH IS IN THAT OTHER ONE AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER FUNDUS WAS COMING WELL.
ASK THEM TO, HE'S THE ONE THAT DOES NOT SAY EXECUTIVE SESSION ON IT, I GUESS.
NO, I DIDN'T SAY EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[00:05:01]
ROOM, UM, FOR THIS MEETING.SO YOU GET KIND OF STUCK THERE UNTIL THEY OFFICIALLY MOVE YOU OVER TO THIS ONE.
I WAS STUCK THERE FOR A WHILE AS WELL.
SO I THINK, UM, VANESSA IS VANESSA FONTIS IS ALSO IN NOT LISTED AS AN ATTENDEE RATHER THAN A PARTICIPANT.
SO MAYBE WE CAN MOVE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER THAT WE NEED TO AT THIS POINT.
I SEE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FANTASIES ON HERE.
IF HARPER, MADISON IS ALSO OVER THERE, IF WE CAN MOVE HER OVER.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE WERE WAITING ON ON THE OTHER, THE OTHER, UM, FOLKS, UM, OUR STAFF WAITING TO COME IN AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
UM, SO DID MISS ANGLE WANT TO CONTINUE? WERE YOU ABLE TO FIX THAT? IT LOOKS LIKE A MISS ANGLE DECIDED TO DROP OFF.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT, BUT, UH, IT DID SOUND LIKE SHE WAS CUT OFF MID SENTENCE, SO, UH, I'LL KEEP AN EYE ON HER AND SEE IF SHE COME, UH, COMES BACK HERE IN THE ATTENDEE LIST.
BUT I GUESS UNTIL THEN WE WILL JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR MARY, BUT I'M SURE THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO FINISH HER SPEECH.
UM, I'M ASKING FOR AN AUDIT OF THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BY AUSTIN ENERGY.
WHILE THIS WELL-INTENTIONED EFFORT IS MEANT TO ASSIST LOW INCOME PEOPLE WITH THEIR UTILITY BILLS, IT IS GIVING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF RIGHT PAYER MONEY TO THE WRONG PEOPLE OR THE WRONG PURPOSE.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN AUDIT OF THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SINCE 2012.
THIS IS YOUR PROGRAM NOW, AND YOU SHOULD TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN REPAIRING PROBLEMS THAT CONTINUE, UH, AFTER HAVING LONG BEEN EXPOSED.
UH, THE STAFF THAT RUN THIS PROGRAM ARE WITH EXCEPTIONS COMPLACENT AFTER SIX AND A HALF YEARS OF MY OWN EFFORTS, TRYING TO GET THEM TO CORRECT MAJOR PROBLEMS. I'VE COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT AUSTIN ENERGY WILL NOT GET ITS OWN HOUSE IN ORDER.
SO I'M IMPLORING COUNCIL TO ASK THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT TO DO IT FOR THEM.
PEOPLE LIVING IN 5,000 SQUARE FOOT HOMES WITH SWIMMING POOLS AND TENNIS COURTS ARE STILL RECEIVING MONEY MEANT FOR POOR PEOPLE.
EVEN PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MORE MODEST HOMES COULD HAVE ASSETS THAT SHOULD DISQUALIFY THEM FROM PARTICIPATION, SUCH AS HIGH SALARY, SWIPE MODEL CARS AND EXPENSIVE JEWELRY.
YET FIVE OUT OF SIX AUSTIN PARTICIPANTS ARE NOT INCOME QUALIFIED.
THERE COULD BE THOUSANDS OF UNJUSTIFIED ENROLLEES.
INCOME QUALIFICATION IS THE STANDARD IN THE SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT, A LARGER MUNICIPAL UTILITY THAN AUSTIN.
AND, UH, THAT UTILITIES PARTICIPANT, UH, PERCENTAGE OF PARTICIPATION IS OVER TWICE THAT OF AUSTIN.
SO DO NOT BE MISLED BY THE EXCUSE THAT IN CATION WILL REDUCE PARTICIPATION.
ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT WE ARE REWARDING PEOPLE WHO WASTE ENERGY WITH 15% ACROSS THE BOARD DISCOUNTS.
IF WE ELIMINATED THE 15% DISCOUNT FOR THE TOP TWO TIERS OF ELECTRIC USE, WE COULD MORE, FAIRLY DISTRIBUTE AN EXTRA $60 A YEAR IN TO ALL PARTICIPANTS AND AUSTIN ENERGY IS BLATANTLY AND SUBTLY HIDING INFORMATION THAT CAN ASSIST LOW INCOME RATE PAYERS AND CLARIFY PROBLEMS WITH THIS PROGRAM.
IT HAS SAID, AND, BUT WILL RING WHEN THE MOST DEDICATED PERSON SCRUTINIZING A $30 MILLION A YEAR PROGRAM IS A VOLUNTEER ACTIVIST.
YOU NEED TO GET YOUR PROFESSIONAL TEAM INVOLVED THAT CAN REVIEW THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN HIDDEN, OR THAT HAS BEEN IGNORED AND SCRUTINIZE THIS SCRUTINIZE, THESE MISALLOCATED FUNDS IN DEPTH.
UH, MY NAME IS OLIVIA OVERTURN.
I'M CALLING TO SPEAK ABOUT AGENDA ITEM
[00:10:01]
NUMBER FOUR.I ASKED THAT THE AUDIT FOR THE CITY'S DISASTER RESPONSE TO INCLUDE SPECIFIC WORDING THAT EVALUATES THE USE OF ANY ORG NONPROFIT GROUP FUND FOUNDATION COALITION OR TRUST BY ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OR ANY OTHER STAFF MEMBER CITY STAFF MEMBER DURING WINTER STORM URI DURING THE STORM, THERE WERE SEVERAL POP-UP AND NEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAD NO LICENSE INSURANCE OR BOND, ANY CERTIFICATIONS, ANY IRS STATUS OR ANY PROOF WHY THEY WERE ALLOWED TO UTILIZE THE CITY'S RESOURCES PRIMARILY IN DISTRICTS ONE AND TWO, WHICH INCLUDED THE MILLENNIUM DISTRIBUTION HUB ACCESS TO BOTTLED WATER DISTRIBUTION SITES AND MORE SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TRUSTS WERE STATIONED AT THE MILLENNIUM YET MANAGED TO COMPLETELY IGNORE THE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING HOUSING COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY NEAR THE MILLENNIUM, INCLUDING THE MOUNT CARAMEL APARTMENTS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY ON DAY NUMBER 40 OF NOT HAVING GAS AND STILL HAS INTERMITTENT WATER OUTAGES, A NON-POTABLE WATER DURING THE STORM, SEVERAL BUS WITNESSED LARGE AMOUNTS OF FOOD WASTE, PPE HOARDING, AND BOTTLED WATER BEING TAKEN TO AREAS THAT DID NOT HAVE A BOIL WATER NOTICE.
I PERSONALLY SAW A NEWER UNREGULATED ORGANIZATION DO GOOD ATX ALONG WITH AUSTIN MUTUAL AID, CLOSE TO 50 BAGS OF PRODUCE ON A SIDEWALK AND DOVE SPRINGS AT THE FREE FRIDGE PROJECT LOCATIONS.
AND ANOTHER INSTANCE, THERE IS AN ALLEGATION THAT A MEMBER OF COMMUNITY RESILIENCY TRUSTS WRECKED A BORROWED VAN DURING A TRANSPORTATION OF HOMELESS CITIZENS DURING THEIR HAPHAZARD STORM, REX RESCUES, FURTHERMORE RESTAURANTS, COMPANIES, AND EVERYDAY RESIDENTS WHO DONATED MONEY OR OTHER GOODS TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE JUST NOW FINDING OUT THAT THEIR DONATIONS ARE NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
I'M ASKING THAT THE CITY INCLUDE ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS SPECIFIC AUDIT BY ALSO HAVING COUNCIL MEMBERS PROVIDE A LIST OF ORG, NONPROFITS, FOUNDATIONS, OR ANY GROUP.
THEY PROMOTED ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES TO INCLUDE ORG THAT WERE ALLOWED TO ASSIST COUNCIL AND THEIR STAFF DURING THE WINTER STORM AND CURRENT ORG IN GROUPS THAT ARE STILL BEING USED TODAY THAT ARE ACTING AS LIAISONS ON THIS ONGOING CRISIS.
AND FOR THE RECORD, THIS HAPPENS WITH EVERY DISASTER CRISIS IN THIS CITY.
THEREFORE IT'S CRUCIAL TO INCLUDE THIS IN THE AUDIT.
AND JUST TO REMINDER, THIS IS CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I'M NOT ALLOWED TO RESPOND TO COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCIL OR THE COMMITTEE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON THE LINE? YES, WE HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER.
THANK YOU, TIFFANY WASHINGTON.
I WAS ACTUALLY CALLING TO SPEAK ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN SPEAK ABOUT THAT NOW DURING CITIZENS' COMMUNICATION.
UM, PLEASE SPEAK ABOUT IT NOW WITH THE VIRTUAL SETTING.
WE'RE DOING ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS FIRST.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY CALLING TO SPEAK ABOUT, UM, A DINNER ITEM, NUMBER FIVE, THE AUDIT UPDATE FOR THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX.
UM, THE ATA HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE CURRENTLY RECEIVING, UH, AN UPDATE AND AS A CITIZEN, IT WAS VERY CONFUSING AND VERY PAINFUL FOR ME TO ACTUALLY READ THE FULL AUDIT FROM AUGUST, 2020.
UM, I HAD, I WAS VERY CONFUSED BY THE WAY IN WHICH THE MILLENNIUM IS STRUCTURED AND WHY IT WILL BE THE ONLY CULTURAL CENTER OR COMMUNITY CENTER FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE TO BE STRUCT STRUCTURED IN THE MANNER THAT IS STRUCTURED.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S STRUCTURED AS A PARK OR IF IT'S STRUCTURED AS A RECREATIONAL CENTER, BECAUSE PART IS INVOLVED AND I'M NOT SURE WHY PART IS INVOLVED WITH FACILITY MANAGEMENT IS THE MILLENNIUM HAS A FACILITY MANAGER.
UM, I'M ALSO VERY CONFUSED ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AR CDC AND THE, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN.
I GUESS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN THAT AGREEMENT IS SEEN AS PART.
SO IT'S VERY CONFUSING HOW THE RELATIONSHIPS GO BACK AND FORTH AND WHY THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT PARTIES INVOLVED.
UM, THAT ALSO GIVES ME HUGE PAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO HOW THE MILLENNIUM HAS BEEN FUNDED.
UM, MY, SORRY, MY NAME IS TIFFANY WA WASHINGTON.
I'M AN AUSTIN RESIDENT AND I'M ALSO THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF DOROTHY TURNER.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE MILLENNIUM, IT IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME AND GROWING UP THERE, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN MYTHOLOGY.
YOU'LL NEVER, YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO REPLICATE THAT UNLESS THAT CENTER IS PROPERLY FUNDED AND FULLY FUNDED, THE WAY THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDED WITHIN THE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE SET FORTH, ESPECIALLY THE CITY AND THE AR CDC, BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT CAN ONLY SET THEIR BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND THEN IT'S ON THE AR CDC
[00:15:01]
TO REQUEST THE FUNDS AND LET THE CITY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S NEEDED.AND I FEEL LIKE THAT EXTRA STEP WITH TAR PART IS JUST KIND OF LIKE, WHY ARE YOU HERE? ARE YOU DOING THESE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING? WHAT ARE YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE DUTIES TO THE AR CDC? YOU KNOW, IT'S PART TAKING FOR, FOR BUDGET THAT THE AR CDC IS WE'RE GETTING FROM THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ARE THEY COMPLETELY FUNDING IT? BECAUSE TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE THE MILLENNIUM IS ONLY EVER PARTIALLY FUNDED.
AND THEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE UP THE REST OF THEIR FUNDS FROM THE REVENUE.
I'M SAYING ALL THIS TO SAY, THERE'S NO EQUITABLE FUNDING FOR THE MILLENNIUM.
THIS IS A VERY INEQUITABLE, UM, SYSTEM.
AND SO I DON'T SEE THIS HAPPENING AT ANY OTHER PLACE, INCLUDING THE BAG, THE DOT
SO I, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY TAKE A VERY, VERY SERIOUS LOOK AT THE RELATIONSHIP IT HAS WITH THE MILLENNIUM AND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT MILLENNIUM HAS WITH THE CITIZENS AND, AND THEY DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND THEY FULLY FUNDED, ESPECIALLY DURING THE KOBE.
LIKE WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THAT FACILITY IS NOT BEING OPERATED DAILY BECAUSE, OR TO HIS CURRENT SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOSING MONEY, WE KNOW THAT THEY NEED THE SUPPORT.
AND SO HAVING AN AUDIT COME OUT IN AUGUST, YOU KNOW, DURING COVID, IT, IT WAS SO PAINFUL TO READ.
I THINK THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD REALLY, UM, LISTEN TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, THEIR RESPONSE TO THE AUDIT AND TAKE THE TIME TO ALLOW THEM WITH A NEW WARD THAT THEY HAVE TO, TO MAKE THE CHANGES AND DO THE THINGS THEY NEED TO DO SO THAT THE PEOPLE CAN, CAN GO BACK TO THE, TO THE MILLENNIUM.
THANK YOU AGAIN, MS. WASHINGTON, IF YOU JUST STAY ON FOR ONE SECOND, UM, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE AUDIT AND, AND TRY TO PROVIDE, UM, FURTHER EXPLANATION IF YOU, UM, CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, UH, BELIEVE YOU CAN JUST EMAIL, UM, THE AUDITOR AT, UM, COREY, C O R R I E DOT STOKES, S T O K E S AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV.
THAT WILL BE HAPPY TO GET TOGETHER WITH YOU AND WALK YOU THROUGH THE AUDIT AND WHERE WE, WHERE WE ARE AT, IN THE PROCESS.
IT'S NOT CLEAR FROM THE CONVERSATION TODAY.
UM, FOR MY COLLEAGUES WHO JOINED US A LITTLE BIT AFTER WE STARTED, I APOLOGIZE THAT WE STARTED QUICKLY.
WE ARE TRYING TO, TO, UH, COMBINE TWO MEETINGS AND APPRECIATE BEING MADE AWARE OF YOU BEING IN NEVER, NEVER LAND AND APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHY THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES, BUT APPRECIATE, UM, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET YOU BACK ON QUICKLY.
UM, SO GIVEN THAT WE ARE TRYING TO COMBINE ESSENTIALLY TWO MEETINGS SINCE WE HAD TO CANCEL THE LAST MEETING, UM, DUE TO STORM AFTERMATH, UM, WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND MOVE QUICKLY TODAY.
WE DO HAVE TO SPEND THE LAST ABOUT HALF HOUR IN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE AND DETERMINING WHO WE ARE INTERVIEWING.
UM, SO JUST GOING TO ASK FOLKS TO TRY TO BE, UM, AS CONCISE AND AS, UM, QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
UM, IF WE HAVE, UM, SOMETHING I GUESS WE WILL, BUT HOPEFULLY WE WON'T NEED TO DO THAT.
UM, THE NEXT TWO ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ARE, UM, UH, HOMELESSNESS, FOLLOW-UP AUDIT THAT'S ITEM TWO AND A POLICE FOLLOW UP AUDIT.
UM, BOTH OF THOSE ARE REPORTS BACK FROM THE AUDITOR ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE IN OTHER AUDITS.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TRY AND REGULARLY DO SO THAT WE CAN TAKE STOCK OF HOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF OUR AUDITOR, UM, ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, UM, AND KEEP ACCOUNTABILITY AND KEEP THOSE CONVERSATIONS GOING WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY NEED TO.
[2. Homelessness Follow-up Audit (City Auditor's Office).]
IF YOU WANT TO BRING UP ITEM TWO, PLEASE.SO, SO WE'LL HAVE TWO FOLLOW-UP ITEMS. UM, JUST A REMINDER TO YOU GUYS LAST YEAR, OUR FOLLOW UP, WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, AS A RECOMMENDATION WAS READY TO BE TESTED.
WE TESTED IT AND THIS YEAR WE'RE TRYING TO BE A LITTLE MORE THEMATIC, CAUSE I THINK IT'S MORE VALUABLE TO YOU GUYS AND TO THE PUBLIC, UM, TO KIND OF HEAR ABOUT A WHOLE TOPIC.
SO THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA, UM, IS THE HOMELESSNESS AUDIT SERIES.
AND THIS, WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT, UM, THE HOMELESSNESS AUDIT.
UH, WE DID FOUR OF THOSE IN A ROW.
AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT, UM, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR SOCIAL SERVICES AUDIT THAT HAPPENED TO OVERLAP WITH OUR HOMELESSNESS CONTRACTS.
SO KATIE HOUSTON AND THEN KELSEY THOMPSON, UM, KATIE WAS THE MANAGER AT KELSEY AND WAS THE LEAD ON THIS PROJECT AND THEY WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU AND QUICKLY, WHICH THEY NOW, YES, THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS KELSEY THOMPSON AND I WAS THE AUDITOR IN CHARGE FOR THE HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE
[00:20:01]
FOLLOWUP PROJECT.THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS SPECIAL REPORT WAS TO FOLLOW UP ON THE CITY'S ACTIONS TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE AND CITY SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTING PROCESS AUDITS.
WE INITIALLY DID THE HOMELESSNESS AUDITS BECAUSE COUNCIL IDENTIFIED ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AS A TOP PRIORITY.
AND WE INITIALLY DID THE CITY SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTING PROCESS AUDIT BECAUSE STAKEHOLDERS WERE CONCERNED THAT CONTRACTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS WERE NOT EFFECTIVE OR RESULTING IN DESIRED OUTCOMES.
WE FOLLOWED UP ON THE CITY SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTING PROCESS AUDIT ALONG WITH THE HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE AUDITS, BECAUSE THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE ISSUED REGARDING HOMELESSNESS, UH, OR REGARDING SOCIAL SERVICES IMPACT HOW THE CITY PROVIDES HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE.
HOWEVER, THE CITY SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTING PROCESS INCLUDES MANY OTHER TOPICS OTHER THAN HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS BASIC NEEDS, HEALTH EQUITY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ET CETERA.
AND WE ISSUED 11 FINDINGS AND 13 RECOMMENDATIONS AS A RESULT OF THESE FIVE AUDITS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, OF THE 13 RECOMMENDATIONS WE ISSUED THE CITY HAS IMPLEMENTED THREE.
ONE IS NO LONGER APPLICABLE, AND FOUR ARE STILL UNDERWAY.
AND THE CITY'S IMPLEMENTATION OF FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS IS ON HOLD DUE TO THE CITY'S NEED TO RESPOND TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, FOR THE EMPLOYMENT, FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED, THE CITY ASSESSED THE CAMPING, SIT LIE AND PANHANDLING ORDINANCES TO DETERMINE THE LEGAL RISK THEY POSE TO THE CITY AND CITY COUNCIL MADE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCES FOR THEM TO BE MORE ALIGNED WITH THE CITY'S VISION TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
THE CITY ALSO CREATED THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER POSITION TO COORDINATE EFFORTS.
CITYWIDE, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE STILL UNDERWAY.
THE CITY HAS MADE PROGRESS TO ADDRESS THE QUALITY AND THE ACCURACY OF DATA ABOUT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BY WORKING WITH THE ENDING COMMUNITY HOMELESSNESS COALITION TO IMPROVE DATA COLLECTION AND CREATING THE AUSTIN HOMELESSNESS DASHBOARD TO PROVIDE MORE ACCURATE AND UPDATED DATA TO THE CITY AND THE PUBLIC.
THE CITY IS DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO MEET THE HOUSING NEED AND IS MEETING THE GOAL AND THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT TO SUPPORT THE PRODUCTION OF AT LEAST 50 PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS EACH YEAR.
THE CITY HAS ALSO MADE PROGRESS ADDRESSING CONTRACTS RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE BY GATHERING STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, TO IMPROVE CONTRACTS.
AND WE'LL BEGIN PILOTING CHANGES TO THE CONTRACTS THAT RESULT FROM THE FEEDBACK IN FISCAL YEAR 2022.
HOWEVER, THE CITY CAN CONTINUE TO TAKE ACTION IN THESE AREAS TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE COVID-19 HAS IMPACTED THE CITY'S ABILITY TO MAKE PROGRESS ON FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH WAS ASSIGNED TO COORDINATE THE CROSS DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEREFORE THESE ACTIVITIES ARE ON HOLD DUE TO THE REASSIGNMENT OF KEY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO, TO RESPOND TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC.
AND WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MS. THOMPSON, MS. STOKES, WAS THERE ANY EQUITY STAFF THAT WANTED TO RESPOND TO THIS? I KNOW THERE WAS FOR THE POLICE AUDIT WAS THERE FOR HOMELESSNESS IS THE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UM, BOTH FROM, FROM THE HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY OFFICE, FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, AND FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
BUT I THINK, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAD A PRESENTATION AS MUCH AS THEY ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY OF Y'ALL'S QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN'T ANSWER.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS AUDIT COUNCIL MEMBER AS THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO US.
I NOTICED THAT A LOT OF THESE ITEMS WERE ON HOLD BECAUSE OF COVID.
WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THEM TO GET BACK ON TRACK AND MOVING AGAIN? OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT TIMELINES ARE IN FLUX RIGHT NOW DUE TO THE EVOLVING SITUATION AROUND THE PANDEMIC AND THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF THAT IS ON THE CALL.
MAYBE MORE ABLE TO GIVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON THAT.
OKAY, COULD AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH GIVE US THAT ANSWER OR MAYBE AN IDEA OF WHAT IT MIGHT GET STARTED? AGAIN, I DON'T SEE THEM MOVED OVER YET, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY WILL.
WE'LL BE ANY MINUTE NOW AND WHILE THEY'RE MOVING OVER, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE, UM, THE CONTRACTING AUDIT CAME OUT IN DECEMBER OF 2019.
UM, AND THAT ONE, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE FOR THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MOVE THROUGH AND WITH COVID HITTING IN MARCH, THAT'S NOT AT ALL, UM, SURPRISING THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE ADJUSTED THAT ONE.
AND I WILL JUST NOTE THAT, UM, AT LEAST ONE OF THE ONES THAT'S ON HOLD, UM, ENHANCING THE CAPACITY TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
WE HAVE TAKEN A LARGE NUMBER OF STEPS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS VIA OUR COVID, UM, INVESTMENTS.
[00:25:01]
UM, IT JUST DOESN'T FOLLOW EXACTLY THE AUDIT BECAUSE THE AUDIT WAS, WAS, UM, CREATED IN A CONTEXT THAT DID NOT INCLUDE, UM, THE PANDEMIC, BUT MANY OF THE STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN HAVE BEEN, UM, TO AVOID, UM, AND PREVENT HOMELESSNESS FOR LARGE NUMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY TOO.WERE YOU, WERE YOU DONE? UM, YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STAFF THAT'S ON, BUT, UM, IF YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN BEFORE THEY SPEAK, I HAS BEEN HAVING HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET BACK IN AND SHE TEXTED ME THAT IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS PASS FOR PHONE NUMBER ALONG TO, UM, UH, AB OR SOMEBODY ON CORY STEPH TO CALL ME INITIATE THE CALL WITH MARY SO SHE CAN GET, UM, ON AND FINISH HER COMMENTS TO US.
COREY, CAN I SEND MARY'S, UM, THE NUMBER TO YOU AND THEN YOU CAN PASS IT ALONG TO WHOMEVER.
I TOLD HER THAT WE WOULD TRY TO CALL HER.
UM, ARE YOU THE PERSON ON TO SPEAK TO COPS MEMBER? KELLY'S QUESTION.
SO I AM ON, AND I BELIEVE ADRIAN STIRRUP WILL ALSO BE ON, ON THE PART OF BPH SINCE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THREE OR FOUR ON HOLD, A COUPLE OF WHICH DO, UM, RESPOND, UH, OR, OR APPLY DIRECTLY TO HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION.
AND SO YOU MENTIONED THE WORK AROUND PREVENTION.
I THINK THAT I WOULD MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
THE RISE IN RENT PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN HUGE, HUGE, UH, PREVENTATIVE MEASURE THAT OF COURSE BEEN ADMINISTERED THROUGH HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF THE RIGHT SUPPORTS AND IN PARTICULAR, THE ABILITY TO PAY RENTAL ARREARS AND SOME FORWARD RENT.
SO THAT'S BEEN VERY IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER PIECE I'LL MENTION IS THAT AS WE LOOK AT THE OUTCOMES OF THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE, THE SUMMIT ON HOMELESSNESS, THAT IS ONGOING, UM, ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IS THE NEED TO LOOK AT PREVENTION, BUT IN A VERY TARGETED WAY, UH, BECAUSE NATIONALLY AND SORT OF HISTORICALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THE HOMELESS SERVICE SAYS HAVE STRUGGLED WITH IS TO IDENTIFY WHO REALLY IS ON THE VERGE OF HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT? BECAUSE LOTS OF PEOPLE NEED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IS THAT WE LOOK AT PREVENTION WITH A SPECIFIC GUY, TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS PREVIOUSLY AND, OR VERY SIGNIFICANT, UM, HOUSING STABILITY.
SO THAT'S, THOSE WOULD BE MY COMMENTARY ON PREVENTION AND THEN THE IMPROVING THE COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION, UM, WITH ENTITIES PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT THAT IS CERTAINLY ONGOING, UM, WITH ECHO AND ALL OF THE PROVIDERS, BUT IN A, I THINK A MORE CONCENTRATED WAY, UH, AROUND WHAT THE CITY CONTROLS.
I THINK THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE BSS PLUS PROGRAM, UM, TO THINK THROUGH THE VARIOUS SORT OF STYLES OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND HOW WE CAN, I THINK BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT, UH, NOT HAVING IT BE ONE SIZE FITS ALL, BUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT EVERYONE IS DELIVERING.
UH, AND OF COURSE OUR WORK WITH ECHO IS ONGOING AND THAT COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN STAKEHOLDERS IS ONE OF THEIR PRIMARY PURPOSES.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, MR. UP, DID YOU WANT TO RESPOND? AND I'LL JUST, UM, I BELIEVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE TIMING OF RESTARTING.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S HAVING TROUBLE SPEAKING.
I CAN'T HEAR HER AND NOT EXCELLENT.
I GUESS MY HEADSET IS NOT WORKING ADRIAN STIRRUP AWESOME PUBLIC HEALTH.
IT IS OUR HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO RESUME THE ACTIVITIES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
[00:30:01]
ON AS KELSEY POINTED OUT COVID OPERATIONS.NOW THAT WE SEE PFIZER IS APPROVED FOR KIDS 12 TO 15, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR EFFORTS MIGHT BE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE WE GET OUR KIDS VACCINATED AND READY FOR SCHOOL.
SO AS WE, UM, AS OUR COMMUNITY GETS MORE VACCINE AND WE HAVE MORE PROVIDERS UP AWESOME PUBLIC HEALTH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHIFT BACK TO OUR MORE TRADITIONAL DUTIES.
AND THAT WILL GIVE US THE TIME AND FLEXIBILITY TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES.
BUT BEST CASE, I MEAN, WORST CASE WOULD BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO TURN AND FOCUS ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PROVIDING THOSE EXPLANATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THIS, UM, UH, UH, FOLLOW UP, UH, CAUSE I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL THAT, UH, THIS GOES TO OUR, OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY IN THE CITY.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN SLOWED DOWN.
I JUST WANT TO TICK OFF A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE'RE GEARING BACK UP THAT I'M REALLY ANXIOUS TO SEE, UH, AND THAT'S TO, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE DATA COLLECTION AND THE REPORTING BY ECHO TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE SO THAT WE GET BETTER DATA MORE QUICKLY TO BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK.
UM, I'M REAL INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OUTCOME METRICS IN AND MAKE OUR CONTRACTS PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACTS.
SO THAT THERE'S THAT MEASURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL, UH, THAT, UH, BY THE, THE, THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION WAS TO CREATE THE, UH, HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER.
AND I'M REAL EXCITED THAT WE'VE DONE THAT.
AND, AND I, AND I'M, I'M, I'M REAL THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE IN THAT, IN THAT POSITION.
UH, BUT WE NEED DESPERATELY AS A STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF REPORTS IN THE PAST THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED THE ELEMENTS FOR US, UH, THAT WE NEED TO DO.
BUT WHAT HAS BEEN MISSING HAS BEEN AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, A UH, UH, A CALENDAR FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO BY WHEN, IN ORDER TO MEET THE CHALLENGE AND, AND AN ASSOCIATED SPENDING PLAN, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY, AS A WHOLE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT JUST A CITY RESPONSIBILITY.
WE'RE WE'RE, WE CAN ONLY DO PART OF IT.
THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO PART OF IT, ECO INDEPENDENT AGENCY, GETTING FEDERAL MONEY.
IT NEEDS TO DO PART HAKA, INDEPENDENT ENTITY, GETTING DOLLARS NEEDS TO DO PART OF IT.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE CITY.
AND THEN I HOPE THE BUSINESSES AND THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT
WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING IT OUT JUST AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
ONE THING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT WAS IDENTIFIED, AND IT GIVES IMPORTANT IS THAT WHILE WE'RE SUCCESSFULLY HITTING THE 50 PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS EACH YEAR, THAT WAS CALLED FOR THE HOUSING BLUEPRINT.
UH, I THINK NOW WE KNOW THAT THAT IS JUST WOEFULLY INADEQUATE TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THE, THE MEETING OF THE CHALLENGE OF, OF, UH, ROBUSTNESS.
SO TO, TO REALLY REVISIT THOSE GOALS, UH, THAT ARE CALLED OUT FOR, IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR US TO ACTUALLY GET A BETTER WEBSITE AND A LANDING PAGE.
UH, THE ONE WE HAVE NOW IS STATIC, UH, AND, AND IT'S ALREADY OUT OF DATE, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS KIND OF WITH A STATIC PAGE.
AND, UH, I GUESS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS MORE REAL TIME TRACKING OF, OF FUNDING AND PERFORMANCE IN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, A GEO MAP THAT TELLS US WHERE COMPLAINTS ARE COMING FROM IN THE CITY OR CHALLENGES, AND THEN WHEN WE RESPOND TO THEM SO THAT THEY CHANGE COLORS OR SOMETHING, SO THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF REAL-TIME INTERACTIVE FEEDBACK TO THE COMMUNITY GOING TO, TO THAT PAGE.
UH, AND THEN THE LAST THING I WOULD JUST INPUT A NOTE THAT, UM, UH, WE'VE, UH, NOW KIND OF SEPARATED LOBBYING AND CONTRACTS EVERYWHERE, EXCEPT FOR SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS.
AND THE COUNCIL ASKED THE STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE DO THAT IN THIS LAST AREA OF SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS.
AND I WONDER IF IT'S JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS KIND OF HARSHED WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY.
AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE BEEN POINT ON THE COVID RESPONSE AND SO MUCH OTHER STUFF, BUT I ALSO WONDER WHETHER THAT'S THE RIGHT PLACE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO BE LOBBYING.
UH, AND I WONDER IF IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO TAKE THAT ASSIGNMENT AND GIVE IT TO FINANCIAL SERVICES OR TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT, UH, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO POP THAT OUT AND MOVE THAT FORWARD.
UM, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
I KNOW THAT, UH, COVID HAS REALLY SLOWED US DOWN, BUT THERE'VE BEEN A LOT
[00:35:01]
OF, UH, RESOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING FROM THE COUNCIL, UM, THAT THE HEEL RESOLUTION, UH, CAME FORWARD WITH ACTION.UH, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA IS BROAD, SEVERAL DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF, OF ACTION.
UM, THERE'S THE, THE COMMUNITY NOW WITH ITS OWN KIND OF, OR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH ITS PLAN, WITH IT, WITH A SUMMIT TO HELP ADVANCE THESE, I, WE HAVE THE MONIES THAT ARE COMING IN FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, UH, INTEREST IN THE COUNTY AND COLLABORATING.
I REALLY DO THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE MOMENT IN TIME THAT WE HAVE, WE NEED TO SEE IF WE CAN SEIZE THE, ACTUALLY TAKE THIS CHALLENGE OFF OUR PLATE, UM, UH, IN SOME VERSATILE FEW TO YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU, CHAPO, AND THEN CUT TO MY REPORT.
THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
I JUST WANT TO LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT AS CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC, UH, OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE THIS YEAR, I'M GOING TO BE FOCUSING A LOT OF THAT COMMITTEE'S ATTENTION ON ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS, BEGINNING WITH OUR MEETING NEXT WEEK.
AND SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE, AT THE ITEMS WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING UP NEXT WEEK.
AND I THINK SOME MAYOR THAT YOU JUST INDICATED WERE OF ONGOING INTEREST, WE COULD INCORPORATE INTO FUTURE MEETINGS BEYOND NEXT WEEK, BUT I SEE THAT COMMITTEE AS REALLY BEING, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF KEEP, KEEP ON TOP OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE HOUSING, UH, WHICH GRANTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN PLACE.
AND SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT, UM, THAT I KNOW WE'VE ALL EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN REALLY FOLLOWING.
I THINK, UH, UM, OUR STAFF FOR THEIR CONTINUED HARD WORK ON HOMELESSNESS, I WANTED TO THANK AND AMPLIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THE MAYOR JUST SAID, UM, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE WORK COMING OUT OF THE SUMMIT, WHICH SOUNDS REALLY GOOD.
UM, THE PIECE THAT I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY AMPLIFY IS THAT IT, AND WHAT I REALLY LIKED ABOUT THE SUMMIT WAS IT WAS A CONVENING OF FOLKS FROM ALL SECTORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT CAN'T BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.
WE'VE SAID THAT TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN, BUT IT REALLY DOES BEAR REPEATING.
WE ABSOLUTELY NEED EVERYBODY, UH, ACROSS ALL SECTORS IN THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS PROPERLY.
AND I WANT TO ACTUALLY MAYBE IF THERE IS A WAY TO CREATE A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE DON'T LOOK JUST TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THIS WORK, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NOMINALLY.
WE SEEM TO BE THE HEAD OF IT ALL.
AND I THINK THAT THAT STANDS IN THE WAY OF BRINGING THE LARGER GROUP.
AND SO I ABSOLUTELY ENDORSED THAT AND HOPE TO HELP WORK ON THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE MAYOR THAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS NEED TO BE REVIEWED FOR THE AUNTIE LOBBYING, UH, WHY THEY'RE EXEMPTED.
I KNOW THERE'S A HISTORY TO THAT.
AND I, AND I REMEMBER ASKING THIS QUESTION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, UM, AND I CAN'T QUITE REMEMBER ALL THE SPECIFICS, BUT I HOPE IN THIS SECOND, LOOK, THIRD, LOOK AT THE ANTI LOBBYING ORDINANCE, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WE REALLY SCRUTINIZE THAT CAREFULLY.
AND THEN THAT WILL POTENTIALLY EASE THE CONCERNS THAT ARISE FROM TIME TO TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER WHAT SEEMS TO BE, UH, VIOLATIONS OF OUR CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR ETHICS POLICIES, BUT IN FACT ARE NOT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TO DIG INTO WHY AGAIN, AND THEN EXPLAIN IT TO FOLKS.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THANKS FOR BRINGING BOTH OF THOSE UP.
AND I JOINED YOU IN THAT, IN THOSE CONCERNS.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST, UM, KIND OF PUT A, UH, UH, A PIN IN SOMETHING FOR FUTURE CONVERSATION BECAUSE, UM, LIKE IN THIS REPORT NOTES, THESE THINGS ARE ON HOLD.
UM, AND IN MY VIEW, SOME OF THESE THINGS, UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT.
UM, AND MY HOPE IS THAT IN OUR RESPONSE TO COVID, THAT WE'VE LEARNED FOR INSTANCE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, IMPROVING COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION AND CASE MANAGEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD OF, OF, YOU KNOW, HOW WE WERE APPROACHING, MOVING FOLKS OUT OF THE PRO LODGES, ET CETERA, UM, OR FROM PARTICULAR LOCATIONS, WE WERE EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THE CASE MANAGEMENT.
UM, WE WERE ALSO EXPERIMENTING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO BRING TOGETHER SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED THAT ARE NOW INFORMING HOW WE APPROACH THAT OR POST THESE AUDITS, BUT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT WE'VE LEARNED, UM, FROM COVID, UM, IN INTEREST OF TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO GO THROUGH THAT KIND OF RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT, UH, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UM, WE HAVE HAD BY FORCE, UM, OF NATURE HAD TO EXPERIMENT.
[00:40:01]
I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A LOT AND WE'VE, WE'VE DEEPENED, UM, COLLABORATIONS, AND THAT HAD TO INNOVATE IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND WE SHOULD BE LEARNING FROM WHAT WE'VE DONE, BUT ALSO FROM OTHER CITIES IN THAT REGARD, AS WE, AS WE TAKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, MOVING FORWARD.UM, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS, I'M GOING TO SEE IF MISS ANGLE IS ON THE LINE.
YES, WE DO HAVE HER SINGLE IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE YOUR REMARKS.
I'M VERY SORRY TO SPEAK OUT OF TURN HERE.
UM, AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU HEARD, UM, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS, UM, I'M TALKING IN THE DARK HERE, UM, JUST TO, JUST TO CLOSE, UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT WAIVING FEES FOR INTERPRETATIONS, NOT VARIANCES INTERPRETATIONS, WHICH ARE VERY RARE AT THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS FOR REGULAR CITIZENS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT AN ERROR ON A PERMIT OR TO ADDRESS AMBIGUITIES IN THE CODE.
AND THERE ARE ALWAYS AMBIGUITIES THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED.
SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO ADOPT FEE WAIVERS FOR REGULAR CITIZENS AND MOVE A RESOLUTION, A RESOLUTION FORWARD.
SOON, I'VE SPOKEN TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER GONZALEZ.
HE THINKS IT'S VERY POSSIBLE TO DO WITHOUT A HARDSHIP TO THE CITY TO REDUCE THESE FEES AND WAVE, UM, UM, WITHOUT, WITHOUT MAKING YOU BANKRUPT.
OF COURSE, AND IT WOULDN'T BE A BURDEN.
AND SO, UM, I JUST THINK THIS HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THE SAKE OF FAIRNESS AND EQUITY TO ALL THE CITIZENS.
SO THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN INTERPRETATION IF THEY NEED ONE.
AND I'LL JUST NOTE THAT I KNOW THAT, UM, I KNOW AT LEAST I AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, AND PROBABLY A COUPLE OTHER COLLEAGUES ARE WORKING ON A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD DO THAT, UM, FOR THE FEE WAIVERS, UM, AND ADDRESS, UM, THE SITUATION THAT RE-INTRODUCED, UM, LOOKING AT THIS AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR RAISING THAT IN THIS FORUM.
UM, THE NEXT REPORT UP IS ITEM THREE, AS ON POLICE OVERSIGHT, FOLLOW UP.
CAN I INTERRUPT FOR JUST A MOMENT? YEP.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A SPEAKER FROM THIS MORNING WHO WAS TRAPPED IN A DIFFERENT ROOM, UH, WHO JUST SIGNED IT.
ARE THEY ABLE TO SPEAK NOW? SURE.
GOOD MORNING, MR. WATSON, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN MORNING.
UM, YEAH, THIS HAS BEEN A BELIEVER IN PROCESS THIS MORNING.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I'VE TRIED THIS, THIS NUMBER A FEW TIMES, UM, AS TO I ECHO WHAT OLIVIA OVER TURF AND TIFFANY WASHINGTON HAVE STATED.
WE NEED A COMPLETE, UH, A COMPLETE NEW LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE MILLENNIUM.
THERE'S BEEN QUITE SOME TIME SINCE THE LAST AUDIT.
THERE ARE THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE.
WE'RE ALSO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE MILLENNIUM, UH, VIA ITEM 67, A FEW WEEKS AGO IN THE BLACK AUSTIN COALITION OR THE BLACK LEADERS COLLECTIVE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS SHOWING THE CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE MILLENNIUM SO THAT WE, AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT THE FACILITY MOVING FORWARD.
I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST 50 KIDS AT THE MILLENNIUM, AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE SAME PLACE THAT IT'S, THAT IT USED TO BE.
IT IS CITY CITY RUN CITY MANDATED, UH, WITH SUPPORT FROM, FROM OTHER PARTNERS ON THE SPOT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN MADE PRIVY TO IN THE PAST YOU USE, BUT WE WERE STILL PRETTY MUCH A LOOP AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, WHO WHO'S GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN BUSINESS DEALINGS, MOVING FORWARD ALONGSIDE, UM, MS. SILAS AND THE REST OF THEM AT, AT THE MILLENNIUM.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE JUMPED INTO THIS MEETING, YOU KNOW, AT THE, AT THE ASS CRACK OF IT.
SO I, I, I DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT ITEM WE'RE ON.
I HAD, I HAD REGISTERED TO SPEAK ON EVERY ITEM.
SO, UH, CARL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE SPACE AND THE TIME AT THIS POINT BEING SO FRUSTRATED.
I THINK I'D JUST LIKE TO OBSERVE.
I APOLOGIZE THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET YOU IN
[00:45:01]
SOONER.UM, AS, AS OUR CUSTOM WITH THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, WE TRY TO TAKE THE SPEAKERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING FOR, FOR ALL ITEMS. UM, AND SO WE WERE FITTING YOU IN AS SOON AS YOU WERE ON SO THAT YOU, UM, WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE ON WITH YOUR DAY, IF YOU WERE NOT WATCHING EVERYTHING, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PEPPER, MADISON, I THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ME CHAIR.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IN ADDITION TO, UM, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE REACHING OUT TO MS. WASHINGTON, I WONDER IF THEY SHOULD ALSO REACH OUT TO MR. WATSON.
UM, I PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, UPON THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO INTERPRET WHAT THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE WAS AND WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT AND WHAT ENTITIES ARE CONNECTED TO MOVE THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S CHANGED SO MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND IT STILL REMAINS RELATIVELY COMPLICATED.
SO IT STARTING TO OCCUR TO ME THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO PUT TOGETHER SOME SORT OF DIAGRAM THAT REALLY LAYS OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY WHO'S WHO, WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS, HOW THEY'RE CONNECTED WITH THE PROCESS, AND THEN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK SOME COMMUNITY FOLKS DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT THE, UM, THAT THE BOARD IS, IS A SOVEREIGN BOARD AND NOT CONNECTED NECESSARILY TO MS. SILAS OR THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT SHE WORKS FOR, AND THEN HOW THAT RELATES TO PART.
AND I CAN SEE THE CONFUSION AND FRUSTRATION THERE, UM, BECAUSE IT IS COMPLEX.
AND SO I HOPE THAT WE'LL PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE CAN FOLLOW.
AND I'M SURE THAT THE AUDITOR WOULD BE HAPPY TO ALSO, UM, ENGAGE WITH MR. WATSON TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION.
MS. STOKES, DID YOU COMMENT? NO.
ALL I WAS GOING TO SAY IS WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STRUGGLED WITH THAT AS WELL AS WE WERE DOING THIS WORK LAST SUMMER.
AND, UM, WE DID PUT TOGETHER A DIAGRAM THAT KIND OF SHOWS THIS VERY COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALL OF THE ENTITIES AND THAT'S AN AUDIT REPORT, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH SITTING DOWN WITH ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SIT DOWN WITH US.
WE WILL SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND WALK THEM THROUGH, UM, NOT JUST THE AUDIT REPORT, BUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED HAS HAPPENED SINCE WE ISSUED THAT AUDIT.
AND THEN, UM, TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY HAVE OR CONNECT THEM WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON THE CALL TOO, AND WE'LL HAVE THE ITEM IN A MINUTE, BUT, UM, WE WILL CONNECT THEM TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS, WHICH MIGHT BE US, BUT MIGHT ALSO BE OTHER FOLKS IN THE CITY.
AND I ASSUME YOU CAN GET CONNECTED UP WITH, UM, THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO GET ANY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MR. WATSON AND MS. WASHINGTON.
I WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.
[3. Police Oversight Follow-up Audit (City Auditor's Office)]
WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.UM, THE POLICE OVERSIGHT OF FOLLOW-UP.
SO SIMILARLY, UM, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GROUP OUR FOLLOW-UPS.
SO THIS ONE IS ABOUT POLICE OVERSIGHT.
WE HAD MULTIPLE AUDITS IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UM, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF POLICE OVERSIGHT, WHETHER THAT WAS COMPLAINTS AGAINST OFFICERS, UH, BODY CAMERAS, MENTAL HEALTH INCIDENTS.
UM, SO, SO WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE MADE RELATED TO OVERSIGHT IN ONE FELL SWOOP.
AND, UH, PATRICK JOHNSON WAS THE MANAGER OF THIS AUDIT MARIA STRAP AS THE LEAD.
AND I THINK MARIA WILL BE PRESENTING TO US RIGHT NOW, AND OUR PRESENTATION IS STARTING SO ALL IS WORKING.
SO I KNOW THE PRESENTATION THERE IT IS.
AND GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MARIA
IN THIS PROJECT, WE FOLLOWED UP ON ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN BY THE CITY RELATED TO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SEVERAL PAST POLICE OVERSIGHT AUDITS.
THIS INCLUDED AN AUDIT FROM 2016 ON APDS HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS, TWO AUDITS FROM 2018 ONE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITIZEN POLICE OVERSIGHT, AND ONE ON APDS RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH RELATED INCIDENTS, AND ONE AUDIT FROM 2019 RELATED TO APDS USE OF BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
AND THESE AUDITS, WE ISSUE 20 RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THE STATUS OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EACH OF THESE AUDITS IN THE FOLLOWING SITES, BUT OVERALL, THE CITY HAS IMPLEMENTED 14 RECOMMENDATIONS AND SIX ARE UNDERWAY.
THE FIRST AUDIT WE LOOKED AT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WAS RELATED TO ABDS HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS.
AND THIS AUDIT, WE REVIEWED THE CITY'S PROCESS FOR HANDLING COMPLAINTS AGAINST AUSTIN POLICE OFFICERS.
THE CITY HAS IMPLEMENTED 10, AND ONE IS UNDERWAY.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IN OUR REPORT, BUT OVERALL, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED RELATED TO MAKING THE COMPLAINT PROCESS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND IMPROVING THE PROCESSING OF COMPLAINTS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY DEVELOPED A WEBSITE WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN GO AND LEARN ABOUT THE COMPLAINT PROCESS.
AND THE CITY ALSO CLARIFIED THE COMPLAINT PROCESS TO SPECIFICALLY ALLOW FOR ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS.
[00:50:01]
ONE RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS AUDIT IS STILL UNDERWAY, WHICH RELATED TO ENSURING DATA AND APDS COMPLAINT DATABASE IS ACCURATE, COMPLETE, AND CONSISTENT.APD DID MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO ITS EXISTING DATABASE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WE SAW IN OUR AUDIT, BUT APD IS IMPLEMENTING A NEW COMPLAINT DATABASE IN 2022.
SO WE'LL WAIT UNTIL THAT NEW SYSTEM IS IMPLEMENTED TO TEST AND MAKE SURE THAT CONTROLS IN THE SYSTEM ENSURE THE RELIABILITY OF DATA IN THE COMPLAINT DATABASE.
THE SECOND AUDIT WE LOOKED AT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WAS RELATED TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITIZEN POLICE OVERSIGHT.
IN THIS AUDIT, WE LOOKED AT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITIZEN POLICE OVERSIGHT, AS WELL AS WHETHER ABD HAD IMPLEMENTED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CITY'S CITIZEN OVERSIGHT BODY AT THE TIME, WHICH WAS KNOWN AS THE CITIZEN REVIEW PANEL.
IN THIS AUDIT, WE MADE FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
THREE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE RELATED TO IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITIZEN POLICE OVERSIGHT.
THE CITY HAS MADE PROGRESS ON ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY'S CURRENT AGREEMENT WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION CLARIFIED THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT PROCESS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THEY NOW REQUIRE THAT ANY RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT BODY TO APD ARE MADE PUBLIC.
AND THAT APS RESPONSES TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ALSO MADE PUBLIC.
THE CITY MANAGER ALSO ESTABLISHED THE COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION, WHICH REPLACED THE OVERSIGHT BODY THAT WAS IN EXISTENCE.
WHEN WE CONDUCTED OUR ORIGINAL AUDIT.
THIS GROUP HAS BEEN OPERATING SINCE OCTOBER, 2020, AND THE CITY IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON DEVELOPING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES TO GUIDE THE WORK OF THIS GROUP.
SO WHILE A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON THESE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE'RE UNABLE TO TEST THEM YET.
WE NEED THIS GROUP TO BE OPERATING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCESS IS WORKING AS INTENDED.
THERE WAS ONE RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS AUDIT THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, AND THIS RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATION RELATED TO ENSURING INFORMATION CREATED BY A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT BODY IS PROTECTED AND RETAINED.
THE CITY DID PROVIDE THE NEW COMMISSION WITH TRAINING RELATED TO PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS AND CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENTS, AND ALSO PROVIDED COMMISSION MEMBERS WITH CITY EMAIL ACCOUNTS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION GENERATED BY THE NEW COMMISSION IS ABLE TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE CITY.
THE THIRD AUDIT WE LOOKED AT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WAS RELATED TO APDS RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH RELATED INCIDENTS.
IN THIS AUDIT, WE LOOKED AT WHETHER OR NOT APD WAS EFFECTIVELY RECEIVING AND RESPONDING TO CALLS INVOLVING PEOPLE WHO WERE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH RELATED NEED.
IN THIS AUDIT, WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO TRAINING AND RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR SERVICE.
WE MADE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS, ONE RELATED TO ENGAGING THE PEOPLE MOST INFORMED AND AFFECTED BY MENTAL HEALTH RELATED ISSUES.
AND THE SECOND RELATED TO IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED FROM THAT FEEDBACK.
THE CITY HAS IMPLEMENTED THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION AND IS WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING THE SECOND, THE CITY ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND A CONSULTANT KNOWN AS THE MEADOWS MENTAL HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT PROCESS, SIX RECOMMENDATIONS WERE ISSUED TO ABD.
APD IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH MEADOWS ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE LAST AUDIT WE LOOKED AT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WAS RELATED TO APDS USE OF BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
IN THIS PROJECT, WE LOOKED AT WHETHER APD OFFICERS WERE USING BODY-WORN CAMERAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY POLICY, STATE LAW, AND BEST PRACTICE GUIDANCE.
WE MADE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS AUDIT, INCLUDING TWO HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
AND ONE IS UNDERWAY RELATED TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
APD HAS ESTABLISHED QUARTERLY SUPERVISORY REVIEW OF BODY-WORN CAMERA VIDEOS TO MAKE SURE THAT OFFICERS ARE USING CAMERAS APPROPRIATELY.
APD ALSO ESTABLISHED A TRACKING SYSTEM FOR TRACKING PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS.
THEY RECEIVE FOR BODY-WORN CAMERA VIDEOS AND FOR TRACKING WHETHER OR NOT VIDEOS REQUESTED AS PART OF THOSE, UH, PIRS ARE WITHHELD OR RELEASED.
THE CITY IS MAKING PROGRESS ON THE REMAINING RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE POLICE TECHNOLOGY UNIT, WHICH IS WITHIN APD IS WORKING ON A NEW TOOL THAT WILL ALLOW APD TO TRACK BODY-WORN CAMERA METRICS.
THIS INCLUDES METRICS SUCH AS WHETHER OR NOT ALL CALLS FOR SERVICE, HAVE A BODY-WORN CAMERA VIDEO ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AS THEY SHOULD, AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE VIDEOS ARE THEN CATEGORIZED APPROPRIATELY, WHICH MAKES SURE THAT THOSE VIDEOS ARE MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM FOR AS LONG AS NEEDED.
ONCE ABD HAS, UH, POINTED AUTHORITY FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE BODY-WORN CAMERA PROGRAM AND IMPLEMENTED THIS NEW TOOL, WE'LL GO INTO TEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ISSUES WE IDENTIFIED IN OUR AUDIT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP ON ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
[00:55:01]
FROM THESE AUDITS UNTIL THEY ARE FULLY IMPLEMENTED.THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MS. MUSKEGON IS ON THE LINE AND WANTED TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS.
YES, IT DOES LOOK LIKE SHE IS HERE.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU.
UM, IT WAS A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THE AUDIT STAFF.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE, PARTICULARLY WITH TRANSFORMING THE CRP, THE CITIZEN REVIEW PANEL TO THE COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION.
IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY A HUGE TRANSFORMATION, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF HOW WE ADVERTISE FOR RECRUITMENT.
WE HAD OVER 70 APPLICANTS, WHICH WAS A BIT SURPRISING.
UM, WE SELECTED 10, WHICH ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE GONE WELL AND BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED BY THE MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT.
IN REGARDS TO, UM, TRAINING, WE ALSO HAD POLICE OVERSIGHT CONSULTANTS TRAIN THEM, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING COMMISSIONERS, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF HOW THEY SHOULD REVIEW CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
UM, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT THE WEBSITE.
UM, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL WEBSITE.
THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING, UM, SINCE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, THEY WERE APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER AND THEY HAVE THEIR BYLAWS CURRENTLY.
UM, AND SO FAR THEY'VE SUBMITTED THREE RECOMMENDATIONS TO, UM, APD ONE REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS, ONE REGARDING A CRITICAL INCIDENT THAT THEY REVIEWED.
AND ANOTHER REGARDING WANTING TO BE MORE INVOLVED, UM, IN RESOLUTION 95, THAT WAS PASSED LAST SUMMER IN TERMS OF REVIEWING THE POLICIES RELATED TO THE MAY, THE SUMMER PROTESTS.
UM, SO THEY, THEY ARE VERY ACTIVE.
UM, WE'RE STILL KIND OF WORKING OUT SOME OF THE KINKS IN TERMS OF REVIEW OF, UM, CRITICAL INCIDENTS, BUT, UM, I I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS AND THE 10 COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE SELECTED.
I, I THINK WE HAVE FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THEIR, UM, THEIR PROCESS AND THEIR REVIEW AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.
UM, WAS THERE ANY OTHER STAFF THAT WERE HERE THAT WANTED TO COMMENT BEFORE WE OPENED UP TO QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE? DO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, I DO HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF REAL QUICK QUESTIONS FOR MS. UM, MUSKETT IN, UM, CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH THE OPO, HIS ABILITY TO ACCESS INTERNAL AFFAIRS FILES? UM, IT SAYS THAT THE RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
IS YOUR OFFICE FACING ANY DIFFICULTIES OR ROADBLOCKS IN ACCESSING THE FILES YOU NEED? SO WE HAVE A SHARED DATABASE, UM, IT'S AN INTERNAL, UH, DATABASE THAT WAS CREATED BY CTM.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WE, UM, WE UTILIZE THAT TO ACCESS THE INFORMATION, BUT IT IS RELIANT UPON INTERNAL AFFAIRS INPUTTING THAT INFORMATION INTO THE SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW IT.
UM, SO THAT, THAT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT OF A WRINKLE SINCE WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT ACCESS.
UM, BUT FUNDAMENTALLY WHEN WE DO NEED CASE FILE INFORMATION, WE CAN ACCESS IT THROUGH THAT SYSTEM.
UM, SO I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THE, YOU KNOW, THE FULL LIST OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CONTRACT REFORMS, UM, THAT WAS IN THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE APPROACHING THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AGAIN VERY QUICKLY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
UM, SO MS. MUSKEGON, CAN YOU TELL ME WHETHER YOU BELIEVE THERE ARE AREAS OF THE CONTRACT THAT CAN BE FURTHER MODERNIZED, UM, TO REFORM, YOU KNOW, AND IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR OVERSIGHT EFFORTS? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I, I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SURPRISE ANYBODY.
UM, BUT I THINK PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THIS, THE COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION, I THINK THAT THERE'S, UM, IT'S A LITTLE TOO TIGHT FOR THEM.
I THINK THAT THERE'S ROOM TO, UM, UH, ALLOW THEM MORE AUTHORITY IN TERMS OF THEIR REVIEW OF CASES.
UM, PARTICULARLY CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S REALLY RIGHT NOW LIMITED TO THAT.
AND SO THERE'S PROBABLY ROOM FOR SOME EXPANSION.
UM, IT IS REALLY, REALLY TIGHT IN TERMS OF THEIR CONFIDENTIALITY, WHICH I UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S ROOM TO A LOT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THEY HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE LEEWAY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT COMMUNICATE.
UM, WE ARE, WE HAVE HAD ONE, UM, OPPORTUNITY THERE'S MORE COMING WHERE THEY'RE NOW ALLOWED TO, UM, OBSERVE SUBJECT OFFICER INTERVIEWS.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S AN AREA OF POTENTIAL EXPANSION.
[01:00:01]
YEAH, THOSE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES.UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY VOTE ON THIS REPORT.
UM, JUST, I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR RECOMMENDATION 11, IT SORT OF SAYS THAT IT'S, UM, COMPLETE AND IMPLEMENTED IN MY VIEW, THIS IS STILL UNDERWAY.
WE HAVE DONE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT, UM, THROUGH THE CONTRACT TO IMPROVE OVERSIGHT, BUT THERE IS STILL MORE THAT CAN BE DONE, UM, THAT FOLLOWS FROM THE ORIGINAL AUDIT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT GAINED FROM, FROM PLAYING WITH THE DOCUMENTS SINCE IT'S, IT'S A SPECIAL REPORT AND WE'RE NOT ADOPTING IT.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO FLAG THAT IN MY VIEW, THAT IS STILL UNDERWAY.
UM, WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT, BUT WE HAVE MORE, UM, TO DO, UM, THERE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT LIE OUTSIDE OF THE CONTRACT WHERE WE COULD IMPROVE OVERSIGHT.
UM, ARE THERE OTHERS THAT YOU BELIEVE CAN BE IMPROVED IN THE NEAR TERM TO PROVIDE BETTER OVERSIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY? YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HOPING TO WORK WITH AND RESOLVE INTERNALLY WITH INTERIM CHIEF CHACONE IS I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE EXTERNAL COMPLAINTS INVESTIGATED BY INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
SO WE SENT THEM AN ANALYSIS FIRST QUARTER OF LAST YEAR, WHERE FUNDAMENTALLY ONLY 20% OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE WERE SUBMITTING WERE BEING INVESTIGATED.
AND, UM, I HAVE A STERN ISSUE WITH THAT.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATING MORE COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, NOT LESS.
AND SO THAT, UM, I HAD A MEETING WITH CHIEF CHACONE YESTERDAY, AND SO HE COMMITTED TO WORKING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE AREA OUTSIDE THE CONTRACT THAT ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER LITTLE THINGS THAT, UM, I COULD GO INTO, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
NOW WE TALK PRETTY REGULARLY WITH MS. MUSKEGON ON THESE ISSUES