Apr 14, 2021 Zero Waste Advisory Commission

UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, THE APPROVAL OF A COUPLE OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES THAT WE HAD.

THANK YOU GUYS.

[1. APPROVAL of the March 11, 2020, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES a). APPROVAL of the January 13, 2020, Regular MEETING MINUTES ]

THE FIRST ONE IS THE MARCH 11TH, 2020 MEETING.

AND, UH, I WILL, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND, OR, UH, ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE TWO SETS OF MINUTES.

I'LL MOVE TO ADOPT THE MEETING MINUTES FOR THE JANUARY MEETING.

JONATHAN MOVES APPROVAL.

I HEAR A SECOND COMMISSIONER.

GOOD TO SO SECONDS.

DO I HEAR ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM, HEARING NO DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE SOMETHING OR WAVE OR SOMETHING.

WONDERFUL GUYS UNANIMOUS.

UH, THE NEXT, UH, NEXT SET OF MINUTES ARE THE, UH, RECENT, UH, WHAT IS THAT? THE MARCH 11TH MEETING AND, UH, LIKEWISE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

I MOVE FOR APPROVAL COMMISSIONER.

GOOD TO, SO WHOSE APPROVAL I HEAR A SECOND.

I'LL SECOND.

THIS TIME, COMMISSIONER BERONA SECONDS.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM? ANY RECUSALS HEARING? NO DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

AND UNANIMOUS AGAIN, FOLKS.

THANKS COMMISSIONERS.

UH, GOD,

[2A.) Discussion and Action: Safe Right‐of‐Way Clearance/Accessibility for Weekly Vehicle Servicing Collection of Garbage, Recycling, and Composting containers from City of Austin Routes—Ron Romero and Bill Huck ]

LET'S SEE.

MOVING ALONG HERE, WE HAVE, UH, OLD BUSINESS ITEMS AND THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT A STAFF YOU WERE GOING TO COME BACK WITH A KIND OF A DETAILED UPDATE ON THE CHALLENGES THAT, UH, THAT, UH, THE DEPARTMENT FACES WITH, RIGHT OF WAY ISSUES, TREES, YOU NAME IT, UH, OTHER CHALLENGES THAT, UH, THAT OUR DRIVERS WOULD HAVE TO FACE IN, OR OUR TRUCKS YOU HAVE TO FACE IN THE COURSE OF A DAILY BUSINESS.

I THINK RON HAD TO LEAD THAT ONE.

YES, SIR.

UH, GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS RON ROMERO.

I AM THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR COLLECTION SERVICES.

UH, WE WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED, UH, FOR YOU GUYS IN THIS PRESENTATION AND, UH, PULL SOME ACCURATE NUMBERS, SOME UP TO DATE NUMBERS, UH, FROM OUR SAFETY OFFICE AND, AND, UH, ALSO FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO START OFF THE PRESENTATION.

I WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT SAFETY MANAGER, WHO IS BILL HUCK.

UH, HE'S GOING TO, UH, PRESENT, UH, THE BULK OF THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, I'LL KIND OF DEFEND THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS WE'LL, UH, WE'LL ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS.

SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR SAFETY MANAGER, BILL HUB, HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? UH, AS RON SAID, UM, WE'LL BE GOING OVER OUR PROCESSES.

, YOU KNOW, UM, THEY'LL, WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU HANG, HANG TIGHT WITH US FOR ONE SECOND, THOUGH.

CAN YOU GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE? HOW ABOUT NOW? BETTER.

BETTER RAPPORT.

UH, RON SAID WHERE I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WILL BE DOWN

[00:05:01]

WHAT DOES HE DO? BILL.

I THINK YOU STILL HAVE AN ISSUES YOU MAY WANT TO KILL YOUR TEAM'S LINKED THAT ANY BETTER, NO SPORTING BRAINS AND EVERYBODY HERE MAKES IT BETTER.

MUCH BETTER.

YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN IS THEY LOVE THEIR TREES.

LET ME, I'M GOING TO MOVE CLOSER TO MY LAPTOP.

MIGHT HAVE IN MY WEDNESDAY.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

UH, SO THERE ARE TWO WAYS THAT WE BASICALLY, UH, NOTIFY OF LOW TREE LANDS ON NOT WHEN WE'RE ON THE RIGHT ONE IS EITHER BY OBSERVATION OF THE DRIVERS IN CELLS OR SAFETY PERSONNEL OR SUPERVISORS LONG ROUTE.

AND THE OTHER UNFORTUNATE WAY IS, UH, WHEN WE ACTUALLY STRIKE A, A LOW HANGING LIMB, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, HERE IS THE ACTUAL CODE THAT, UH, REQUIRES PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, TO KEEP THEIR VEGETATION AT A CERTAIN PINT, UH, WHEN MEETING THEIR TREES ABOVE OUR, OF, OR ABOVE THE SIDEWALK, I GUESS, FOR YOUR OWN, UH, KNOWLEDGE, THE, THE CODE REQUIRES THE TREES TO BE 14 FEET ABOVE THE RIGHT OF WAY FROM THE ROAD AND EIGHT FEET ABOVE THE SIDEWALK.

SO AS WE WILL SEE THAT, THAT'S USUALLY NOT THE CASE WHEN WE'RE GOING INTO AREAS THAT HAVE THE OLDER HERITAGE JOKES AND HERITAGE, THE PONDS, AND THEN THE PROTECTED, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO IF WE MAKE CONTACT WITH A TREE, THE PROCESS IS THAT WE NOTIFY PUBLIC WORKS.

WE SEND IN, UH, EITHER A PHONE CALL OR AN EMAIL WITH A PHOTO OF THE TREE.

UH, THEY DISPATCH ONE OF THEIR TECHNICIANS OUT THERE TO COME IN, UH, CUT THE TREE, REMOVE THE TREE, AND THEN MAKE ANY CORRECTIONS OR, OR, UH, REPAIRS TO THE TREE, ALL THE CITIZENS PROPERTY.

AND WE STAY ON SCENE UNTIL PUBLIC WORKS, ARRIVES, AND ACTUALLY CLEARS THE SCENE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IF WE ARE JUST HAPPENED TO BE ON ROUTE IT WHILE THE DRIVERS ON ROUTE, AND THEY NOTICED THAT A TREATMENT IS ACTUALLY GETTING POSTED THEIR TRUCKS, THEY WILL CALL IT IN TO DISPATCH.

DISPATCH WILL THEN ENTER A THREE, ONE, ONE REQUEST THAT WILL GO TO PUBLIC WORKS.

AND WITH OUR MUTUAL AGREEMENT, WITH PUBLIC WORDS, ALL OF OUR THREE, ONE, ONE REQUESTS FOR LOW VEGETATION OR LOW TRILLIONS ARE ESCALATED TO THE TOP OF THE REST OF THE OTHER THREE, ONE, ONE REQUESTS.

IT MAY HAVE BEEN CALLED IN BY SOMEONE ELSE.

THEN PUBLIC WORKS THAT SIGNS A WORK ORDER TO THAT.

THEY NOTIFY US OF WHAT THAT WORK ORDER IS.

AND THEY GAVE US AN ETA OF WHEN THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE OUT THERE BASED ON THE SEVERITY SO THAT THEY CAN PRIORITIZE WHETHER THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THAT LANDLORD, ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, THREE, ONE, ONE FALLS, AT LEAST IN MINUTES.

AND WHEN THEY GIVE US THAT WORK ORDER, WE ACTUALLY RUN A MONTHLY REPORT TO GO BACK AND DO AN AUDIT ON THOSE WORK ORDERS TO SEE THAT THOSE TREES HAVE BEEN TRIMMED, UH, AND THE WORK ORDERS WERE COMPLETED.

AND IF THEY HAVE NOT, THEN WE'LL SIMPLY JUST NOTIFY PUBLIC WORKS WITH THAT WORK ORDER AND ASK THEM WHAT THEIR ETA IS ON, ON THAT WORK COMPLETION.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO MR. NUMBERS LAST ARE CURRENTLY WE'RE AT 14 LOW TREATMENT INCIDENTS WHERE WE'D MAKE CONTACT WITH LOW TREATMENTS.

UH, THIS FISCAL YEAR, LAST YEAR, WE HAD 21 TOTAL INCIDENTS.

NOW THIS NUMBER, THESE NUMBERS HERE DO NOT REFLECT THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF THREE LENDS THAT WE HAD CALLED IN FOR THE PREVIOUS YEARS.

LAST YEAR, WE HAD 55 LOW TREE LIMBS THAT WE IDENTIFIED FOR WHICH THERE WERE SERVICE ORDERS AND WORK ORDERS, UH, CREATED BY PUBLIC WORKS THAT THEY ADDRESSED AND RAISED THOSE TRUTHS.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT FIVE YEAR THAT WE HAVE SUBMITTED NEXT SLIDE.

AND I THINK RON, YOU'RE GONNA TAKE OVER THIS PART IN IT.

WE WERE GETTING A LOT OF, UH, SERVICE ORDERS IN REGARDS TO TREE LAMBS CONCERNS FROM CITIZENS.

SO, UM, WE HAD THE DIVISION MANAGERS HERE IN OPERATIONS MEET AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AND HOW THE DEPARTMENT COULD BE PROACTIVE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IS WE BEGAN TO, UH, WORK WITH OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT AND SPEC OUR TRUCKS TO BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN THAT 14 FOOT CANOPY.

THAT WAY WE WOULDN'T HAVE SO MANY ISSUES.

[00:10:01]

THEY ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF, OF TRIMMING THEIR TREES BACK.

THEY ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF, UH, OF DOING ANYTHING OF THAT KIND TO RAISE THE CANOPY, UH, IF THERE'S DAMAGE OF COURSE, THAT THEY WILL.

BUT ONE THING THAT WE HAVE, UH, ALSO DONE IS WE'VE CREATED A MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THE FOREST, THE, UH, FORESTRY DIVISION TO, UH, TO PROVIDE THESE TREE TRIMMING SERVICES.

SO WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE WHEN WE SEE THINGS.

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A PROCESS WHERE THEY NOTIFY THE HOMEOWNER, UH, ABOUT BEING IN COMPLIANCE.

AND I THINK ABOUT 75 TO 80% OF THE TIME, THE HOMEOWNER AFTER GETTING THAT OFFICIAL NOTICE, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL BE IN COMPLIANCE.

UH, THE OTHER TIMES THEY WILL NOT.

SO WHAT DO WE DO WHEN THEY'RE NOT, WE TRY TO, UH, GIVE THE MESSAGE TO OUR, UH, THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, BUT, UH, OUR GUYS HAVE GOTTEN SO GOOD AT COMMUNICATING WITH THE CUSTOMERS.

THEY'LL GET OUT OF THE TRUCK, I'LL TALK TO THE CUSTOMER AND THEY'LL SAY, HEY, THIS IS THE ISSUE.

CAN WE MOVE THE CART? WOULD YOU PLEASE PUT THE CART HERE, MAYBE FIVE, 10 FEET FURTHER FROM WHERE YOU USUALLY DO, THAT'S IN THE SAFE CLEARANCE.

SO WE'VE GOT THAT, WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT COMMUNICATION, BUT, UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S, THERE'S MORE THAT WE NEED TO DO.

UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE OUT TO, UH, TO TALK ABOUT REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT CLEARANCE, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, UH, WE'VE GOT THE AUSTIN RESIDENTS WHO ARE VERY GREEN AND WHO LOVED THEIR THREE.

SO, UH, PRETTY MUCH EACH PARTICULAR STOP.

IT HAS AN ISSUE IS, UH, IS LOOKED AT ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, BUT SOME TYPE OF REMEDY COME UP WITH NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, COMMISSIONERS AND CHAIR.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS EITHER FOR MYSELF OR, UH, FOR BILL COMMISSIONERS? ANY QUESTIONS? I I'VE GOT A COUPLE, BUT, UH, I'LL DEFER.

HI, AMANDA.

HI.

UM, HOW HAVE THERE BEEN ANY INJURIES TO PERSONNEL ASSOCIATED WITH THESE INCIDENTS? NO.

NOW, AND JUST FOR THAT, ON THAT NOTE, IF THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE A TREE MAN, IF WE STRIKE IT AND IT HAS NOT BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM THE TREE AND IT'S HANGING DOWN OVER A SIDEWALK, WE WILL CALL OUT APD FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL UNTIL PUBLIC WORKS CAN GET THERE AND REMOVE THAT LIMB.

AND OUR TRUCK WILL STAY ON SITE WITH ALL OF THEIR HAZARD, UH, IDENTIFICATION, EQUIPMENT, TRIANGLES, HYBRID LIGHTS, OR THAT THAT SCENE REMAINS SECURE UNTIL THAT HAZARD IS REMOVED.

WONDERFUL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? YEAH.

WITH, UH, HEROIN.

UM, SO MAY YOU KNOW THE, THE LITTLE BULLETIN THAT COMES OUT WITH THE, THE ELECTRIC, UH, CAN YOU THINK ABOUT PUTTING THAT IN, UH, THE SAND AGAIN, AND ALSO KEEPING THE, I KNOW YOU NEED A DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TRASH CAN AND THE RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING.

SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T DO THAT.

MAYBE YOU COULD, THEY COULD BE REMINDED OF THAT AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT MAKES US A PROBLEM FOR YOU ALL, ISN'T IT? YES.

MA'AM, THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.

UH, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAT WITH, UH, GINA MCKINLEY, RPI IO, UH, UH, DIVISION MANAGER.

SO WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT AND TAKE THAT DOWN.

APPRECIATE THAT.

I HATE THAT YOU HAVE HOW MANY STEPS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH.

THAT'S JUST A LOT OF PERSONNEL HOURS.

ISN'T IT TO HAVE TO DO THAT OF, HEY, THERE ON THE SCENE.

IT IS, BUT I THINK IT SHOWS THE COLLABORATION AND WE HAVE WHAT THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IT'S GOTTEN A LOT BETTER.

IF WE CAN LITERALLY JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY, WE NEED YOU HERE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO THAT LONG BLACK HOLE OF BRINKLEY ONE REQUESTS.

SO USUALLY WITHIN MINUTES, IF NOT, NO MORE THAN OURS, WHICH IS A MUCH BETTER IMPROVEMENT, I WOULD USE STUDENTS FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

I'VE BEEN HERE THAT LONG.

WELL, THAT'S BROAD SERVICE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

YOU KNOW, THE REASON I, I WANTED TO DISCUSS THIS CHALLENGE WAS BECAUSE OF THE FEBRUARY STORMS, GOD, SEEING THE ICE BUILD UP ON THOSE TREES WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

AND TO SEE WHAT MOTHER NATURE, WHAT ICE CAN DO TO A STRONG LIMP TREE IS,

[00:15:01]

IS IMPRESSIVE.

AND I CAN, I COULDN'T IMAGINE I, I WAS ABLE TO FOLLOW A COUPLE OF ROCKS FOR JUST A SHORT DISTANCE AS THEY WERE DODGING A LOT OF THESE LIMITS.

I COULDN'T IMAGINE HITTING THESE GUYS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

I MEAN, IT WOULD LITERALLY STORE THE VEHICLES, INJURED SOMEONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT, OBVIOUSLY WE ALL KNOW IS A TRULY LOVING CITY, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

IT'S WHY, IT'S WHY WE LIVE HERE.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, SOME, SOME CHALLENGES DO ARISE WHEN YOU GET THE, UH, WHEN YOU GET THE FOLKS THAT ARE PERHAPS NOT WILLING.

YOU MENTIONED THAT THE ORDINANCE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT HANDLES OR IS THAT ANOTHER ISSUE THAT THE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T HAVE TO GET INVOLVED? WE LET, WE LET PUBLIC GLORIS, UH, TALK TO THE HOMEOWNER ABOUT THAT.

WE CAN PROCEED WITH WHATEVER YOUR RIGHTS AND THEY NEED TO ENFORCE THAT.

WE DON'T, WE HAVE NOT YET.

I'VE HAD TO GET INTO THE ENFORCEMENT PART OF THAT.

AND I REALLY THINK MOST OF THE HOMEOWNERS PROPERTY OWNERS ARE VERY COMPLIANT.

AND ONCE THEY'RE AWARE THAT WE HAVE THAT AMERICAN FOODS, NOT JUST ARGUABLE, THAT'S GOING TO BE FOR OUR TRUCKS AND OTHER EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

NO, ABSOLUTELY.

ONCE WE EXPLAIN THAT TO THEM AND, UH, I THINK THEY'RE PRETTY, THEY'RE PRETTY COMPLIANT AFTER THAT.

SOME ARE, DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THE DREAMS, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE.

YOU KNOW, BILL, THE BIGGEST LESSON IS WHEN OBVIOUSLY OUR WONDERFUL TROCHE WEREN'T ABLE TO PICK UP THAT GARBAGE AND A WEEK GOES BY, THAT'LL TEACH THEM QUICKLY TRIM THE TREE.

THANK YOU, MELISSA COMMISSIONERS.

IRONICALLY, YOU MENTIONED THE STORM THAT KIND OF TOOK CARE OF SOME OF OUR PROBLEMS OFF SOME ON A LIMB, BUT STILL IT'S NOT THAT WAY.

THE PLATE, THE TREATING RECORD.

WELL, I APPRECIATE THIS COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RON.

KEN BILL.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION COMMISSIONERS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS FOR A BILL OR THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU GUYS.

WE'RE MOVING ALONG PRETTY DARN QUICK HERE.

MELISSA HAD A QUESTION.

OH, I'M SORRY, MELISSA.

GO AHEAD.

UH, THANKS JERRY.

YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN MY PICTURE ON THERE WAVING.

SORRY, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I JUST WANT TO ALSO MAKE A COMMENT.

I HAVE RECENTLY GONE TO THE LADY VERGE, HORSE WALK TRAIL, AND AN ISSUE OVER THERE IS A LOT OF THE OVERTHINKING.

KEEP THOSE PEDESTRIANS CLOSE IN PROXIMITY, WHEREAS WE NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, SOCIALLY DISTANCE ON THAT TRAIL.

AND I NOTICED IT WAS RECENTLY TRIMMED BACK, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY TO ALLOW FOR THE FULL PROXIMITY OF THE TRAIL TO BE UTILIZED.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PART OF Y'ALL'S JURISDICTION OR NOT, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THOSE TYPES OF TRAILS AND ACCESS FOR AUSTINITES ARE ALSO, UM, NEEDING A LOT OF THIS, UH, TREE TRIMMING BACK.

RIGHT.

AND IN REGARDS TO THE TRAILS, WHEN WE DO GET THAT INFORMATION, THAT IS ACTUALLY A PART PARKS AND RECS CARES, UH, JURISDICTION.

UH, SO ANYTHING THAT WE GET IN REGARDS TO, UM, ANYTHING ON THE TRAILS, WE COMMUNICATE OVER THERE WITH THAT TEAM, WITH THE PAR TEAM.

UM, BUT YES, WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME, UH, UH, AFTER THE ICE STORM THAT, THAT A LOT OF THE TRAILS THAT ARE NOW OPENING UP AND HAVE BEEN UTILIZED, UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO CLEAR, UH, CLEAR A PATH THAT EVERYBODY THANK YOU, RON.

MELISSA, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO, THANK YOU.

[3A.) Discussion and Action: Officer Elections‐‐Commissioners ]

I'M MOVING ON THEN TO ITEM A, WHAT IS IT? ITEM THREE A, WHICH IS THE DISCUSSION ACTION OFFICER ELECTIONS SET TIME OF YEAR AGAIN, FOLKS.

I, I MOVED TO NOMINATE JERRY AS OUR CHAIR.

I'LL SECOND.

YOU MAY REGRET THAT.

I CAN'T RIDE A BIKE YET, BUT I THINK WE CAN EXCUSE THAT.

THANK

[00:20:01]

YOU.

SO THIS IS SIMILAR TO A SECOND.

WE HAVE A SECOND AND IT'S JUST ALL ABOUT ELECTING.

JERRY.

CAN YOU USE THE CHAIR AGAIN? RAISE YOUR HANDS.

UH, GOT IT.

AND YOU WANT TO POSE? ALL RIGHT, JERRY, YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO BE YOUR CHAIR AGAIN.

OH, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE CONFIDENCE.

AND I PROMISE I'LL, I'LL MAKE IT QUICKER WITH MEETINGS QUICKER MEETING.

THAT'S MY GOAL.

IT'S MY CAMPAIGN PLATFORM STAFF.

YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THAT TOO.

SO IF YOU, WHAT, OR HAVING SAID THAT A VICE CHAIR AND KATHY I'D LOVE TO SEE YOU WANTED TO HANG OUT.

THAT'S A NOMINATION IS A DOMINATION SUGGEST.

YES, BUT I WANTED TO GET HER PERMISSION FIRST, SO, OH, I SEE.

THAT WOULD BE FINE IF THAT'S OR SOMEONE ELSE COULD DO IT AS WELL.

SO THAT WAS A SECOND BY YAWN.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

YAWN.

I SAID WE DO HAVE A, A NOMINEE.

PERFECT.

AND THEN, UH,

[3B.) Discussion and Action: ARR Forecast – Victoria Rieger ]

I GUESS MOVING ALONG HERE OR LAST ITEM OF BUSINESSES, THE A, WHAT IS IT? THE ARR FORECAST THINK VICTORIA WAS GOING TO GIVE US A, AN UPDATE ON THAT.

VICTORIA SHOULD BE A MUTED.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES.

HELLO, VICTORIA.

HI.

CAN YOU GIVE US YOUR, JUST, CAN YOU HEAR LIKE QUIET? UM, ALL RIGHT.

UH, IS THIS ANY BETTER? OH, YES, IT IS.

MY NAME'S VICTORIA RIEGER AND I'M THE FINANCE DIVISION MANAGER HERE WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY SURES FOR, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THE DEPARTMENT'S FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.

UH, LAST YEAR, THIS COMMISSION EXPRESSED AN INTEREST.

UH, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? OKAY.

I'M BEING TOLD THAT MY VOLUME IS LOW.

IT'S A LITTLE LOW IT'S BETTER THAN BEFORE, BUT STILL A LITTLE LOW.

I'LL I'LL TRY AND SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LOUDER.

SO LAST YEAR THE COMMISSION INDICATED YOU WANTED THE BUDGET PRESENTATION IN YOUR HANDS, UH, PRIOR TO THIS MEETING.

SO IN AN EFFORT TO DO THAT, HOPEFULLY YOU ALL RECEIVED THE PRESENTATION AT SOME POINT LAST WEEK, UH, IN YOUR EMAIL.

UH, AND HOPEFULLY YOU ALL HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT.

UM, CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO, UM, TO ANSWER THOSE AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, UM, BRETT PAGE, WHO HAS BUDGET AND CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS JOINED US TONIGHT AS WELL.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO TODAY I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION, THE CITY'S OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS.

WE'LL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR PERFORMANCE, THE DEPARTMENT'S PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW AS A, BY THE RESULTS OF OUR KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS.

UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST, UH, AND AS PART OF THAT FORECAST, I'LL PRESENT A SUMMARY OF OUR RESIDENTIAL RATES, AS WELL AS TALK ABOUT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SLIDE, PLEASE.

YOU'RE FINE TO GO TO TWO DEPARTMENT OVER, LIKE THAT SHOULD BE YOUR SLIDE NUMBER THREE.

SHE'D BE ON SLIDE NUMBER 30.

WELL, THIS SLIDE, I APOLOGIZE IF YOU DOWN.

UM, IT WAS REALLY JUST A TIMELINE.

UM, I DID WANT TO KIND OF GO OVER THE TIMELINE FOR YOU.

UM,

[00:25:02]

YEAH, THAT ONE.

UM, JUST TO, TO TALK ABOUT THE TIMELINE OF EVENTS, UM, YOU, YOUR, UH, BEGAN, UH, FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

ANYWAY, THE BEGINNING OF, UH, JANUARY, WE HAD A COUPLE OF RETREATS, A VIRTUAL RETREAT SET IS THE FIRST ONE WAS HELD IN DECEMBER, UH, AND INCLUDED A REALLY HIGH LEVEL KIND OF DISCUSSION.

UM, SO TO HELP GUIDE THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OVER THE, OVER THE FIVE YEARS, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL PROGRAM, EXPANSIONS AND STAFFING NEEDS.

THE SECOND RETREAT WAS HELD IN JANUARY, UM, AND THAT DAY WAS, UH, WAS A REALLY GOOD TARGETED, UH, MORE TARGETED GROUP DISCUSSION, UM, WITH ALL THE DIVISIONS ON, ON BARRIERS.

UM, ALRIGHT, OPERATING NEEDS AS WELL AS POTENTIAL ON CAPITAL CAPITAL NEEDS FORECAST, UH, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TONIGHT HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE, TO THE CITY'S BUDGET OFFICE.

UM, AND AS WAS THE CASE LAST YEAR AND IS PROBABLY THE CASE GOING FORWARD IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE OVERALL CITY BUDGET PROCESS IS COMPRESSED.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET TEAM HAS A REALLY TIGHT TIMELINE AND, AND SOME TIGHT DEADLINES TO SUBMIT ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE NUMBERS.

SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF FAST AND FURIOUS FOR US ALL.

UH, I'M GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO, TO MAKE THE, THE APRIL'S SWAG TO PRESENT YOU GUYS WITH THE FORECAST NUMBERS.

WE HOPE TO BE BACK, UH, PLEASE, THE BUDGET IS DUE MAY, UH, MAY 7TH, I BELIEVE.

AND, UH, IT WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, UH, IN JUNE, UH, OR AT THE END OF MAY.

AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU TO PRESENT OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL NOT BE TOO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TONIGHT.

UH, AND THEN, UM, AFTER A SERIES OF WORK SESSIONS AS OCCURS EVERY YEAR, UM, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, AS THEY DELIBERATE THE BUDGET, UM, WE'LL SPEND THE END OF JULY AND INTO AUGUST DOING THAT.

UH, AND THE BUDGET READINGS AND BUDGET ADOPTION OCCURS IN AUGUST.

UH, THE SPECIFIC DATES ARE AUGUST 11TH THROUGH THE 13TH.

SO THE SLIDE YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS OUR DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW THAT IS, UH, CONSISTS OF OUR, UH, KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND THE RESULTS.

UH, HOPEFULLY SOME OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH LOOKING AT THIS, UH, AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR.

IT'S HAS, UM, HAS THREE FISCAL YEAR RESULTS, AS WELL AS PROVIDES A, A PROJECTION FOR WHERE WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO LAND AT THE END OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

AND THAT'S OUR RIGHT HAND COLUMN FOR FISCAL YEAR 21.

AND THAT'S BASED ON, ON CURRENT INFORMATION, UH, YEAR TO DATE, THEY'LL NOTICE, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT GOING OVER EVERY SINGLE THING IN THIS, IN THIS TABLE.

CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AT THE END, WE'LL WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE.

UM, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE, UH, IN THE MIDDLE THERE, THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MEASURE, UH, FOR CURBSIDE SERVICES, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 20, THERE'S AN N A IT'S NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE THE, UH, ANNUAL COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT THE CITY ADMINISTERS WAS NOT CONDUCTED IN FISCAL YEAR 20, UM, DUE TO THAT, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT N A THERE.

UM, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HERE WAS OUR DIVERSION NUMBERS, WHICH IS THE SECOND TO THE LAST ROW.

UH, NOTICE IN FISCAL YEAR 20, WE DID REACH THAT MILESTONE OF 40.4, UH, IN DIVERSION.

UM, WE HAVE BUDGETED 40.7 IT'S TIME.

WE'RE WE'RE, UM, THINKING THIS MAY GO DOWN, BACK DOWN TO, TO 39, UM, AS, UH, OF THE WINTER STORM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BRUSH COLLECTION.

UM, THIS, THIS MAY AT THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, THEY SHOOT BACK UP TO OVER 40.

SO IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT HARD TO TELL RIGHT NOW.

UM, SO WE'LL SEE WHAT THAT NUMBER DOES AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

UM, OKAY.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS ALSO A, UH, A SLIDE THAT YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH.

THIS IS KIND OF OUR, OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST IN A NUTSHELL, UH, I'LL DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE TOP, UH, FORMULA THEIR CURRENT BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 IS 106.8 MILLION ADDED TO THAT IS OUR COST DRIVERS OF APPROXIMATELY HUNDRED THOUSAND, UM, 6 MILLION IN NEW INVESTMENTS TO BRING US TO A TOTAL OF 111 POINTS, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 POS DRIVERS, UH, REPRESENT THINGS SUCH AS WAGE ADJUSTMENTS, FLEET, AND FUEL MAINTENANCE, UH,

[00:30:01]

BAD DEBT, VARIOUS CITY-WIDE ALLOCATIONS, HEALTH INSURANCE, UH, AND DEBT SERVICE BEST MINUTES ARE GOING TO INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS NEW POSITIONS, UH, AND THE TRANSFERS THAT WE MAKE TO THE CAPITAL FUND, WHICH PRIMARILY FUND, UH, VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT FORECAST.

UM, I'LL, I'M THERE, YOU'LL SEE 45 OVER THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST, UH, DUCTING 45 NEW POSITIONS AND THAT COUNTING FOR, FOR GROWTH ROTOR FROM THE DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, FISCAL YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, UH, OF THE 45, WE ARE ASKING FOR 13 NEW POSITIONS, MANY OF WHICH ARE SUPPORT SERVICES STAFF.

SHE REALLY IS IN DIRE NEED.

UM, EVERY YEAR WE TEND TO YEAH, ADD OPERATIONAL STAFF, UH, DRIVERS, THAT KIND OF THING.

UM, AND, AND WE AT THE SUPPORT SERVICES SIDE OF THE, OF THE BUSINESS, UM, LAG A LITTLE BIT.

AND SO NEXT YEAR WE, WE REALLY NEED TO SHORE UP THAT, THAT SIDE OF THE OPERATION, UH, TO MAINTAIN HAT TANNER, RESONANCE OR PAST ALSO INCLUDES A BASE RATE OF, UH, TWO 85 OVER THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

PART OF THAT TWO 85 REPRESENTS A CARRIER PER AREA OVER FROM LAST YEAR RECALL LAST YEAR, AT THIS TIME AT FORECAST TIME, WHEN WE CAME AND SAID, WE WERE GOING TO NEED A $4, UH, INCREASE IN THE BASE RATE, UH, AND THE END OF THAT, UH, PROPOSING, UM, AFTER THERE ARE, BUT, YOU KNOW, PROPOSED BUDGET GOES TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND, AND GETS DELIBERATED THERE, UM, ASKED TO KIND OF SPREAD THAT RATE INCREASE OVER TWO YEARS.

AND SO LAST YEAR WE INCREASED THE INCREASE, THE BASE RATE BY $2 AND 60 CENTS.

THIS YEAR, WE ARE REQUESTING BASE RATE TO INCREASE A DOLLAR 50 FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 OH, OVER THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

UM, YEAH.

AND BASE RATE AGAIN, UH, IS, IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE TO 85.

WE'RE ALSO PROJECTING TO INCREASE, UM, THE PER GALLON, UH, FOR VARIOUS CART SIZES.

UH, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT, UH, IN THE GRAPH YOU'LL SEE A COMBINED EFFECT OF THAT, UH, PACT.

SO IS 32, 25, INCLUDING BATES RATE AND A 64 GALLON CART, WHICH IS A TYPICAL, UH, RATE PAYER.

THEY'LL NOTICE THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 22, REQUESTING THAT DOLLAR 50, THAT CONSISTENT 33 75, AND WE TAKE A YEAR OFF AND THEN WE'D REQUEST, UH, ANOTHER INCREASE, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 24, UH, WHEN HE FIVE, NO, NO RATE INCREASE AT ALL.

AND THEN 26.

UM, SO WE'RE KIND OF STAGGERING, UH, TAKING A STAGGERED APPROACH WITH OUR RATE INCREASES, UH, TO HELP, UH, MINIMIZE THAT, THAT RATE IMPACT FOR THE TAXPAYER.

BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR RATES, UM, IN, IN THE TWO SLIDES.

UM, BUT YOU'LL, YOU WILL FIND THAT OUR, OUR RATES AND FORECAST TO REMAIN UNCHANGED.

AND AS I MENTIONED IN FISCAL YEAR 23 AND 25, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, REALLY JUST KIND OF TALK ABOUT, UH, HOW WE DEVELOP OUR RATES.

UM, AND FOR MOST OF YOU, YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, UM, A YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT PERFORMS A COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF OUR RATES ARE COVERING OUR CURRENT, UH, COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE.

UM, COMPONENTS OF THAT RATE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS INCLUDE, UH, DIRECT AND INDIRECT EXPENSES, ANY REVENUE OFFSETS, FOR EXAMPLE, REVENUE RECEIVED FOR VARIOUS RECYCLING, UM, UH, MATERIAL, UM, AND THE BASIS FOR, FOR THE RAID CALCULATIONS IS OUR PROJECTED CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS SLIDE, PLEASE.

YEAH, SOME OF THE COMPONENTS AGAIN, UH, IN DEVELOPING OUR CUSTOMER COST OF SERVICE MODEL.

SO OUR, OUR DIRECT AND INDIRECT EXPENSES, AND THIS SLIDE KIND OF SHOWS YOU, UM, GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE INCLUDE DIRECT EXPENSES OF 10 COLUMN.

THE DIRECT EXPENSES PRIMARILY IS REPRESENTS, UH, THE OPERATIONS SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

SO COLLECTION AND LITERAL STATEMENT DIVERSION, ALL OF THOSE, UH, FOR BUSINESS OPERATIONS ARE GOING TO SHOW UP ON INDIRECT EXPENSES.

AND, UH, THE SUPPORT

[00:35:01]

SIDE ARE SHOWS UP IN THE INDIRECT EXPENSES.

NOW THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF INDIRECT EXPENSES.

THE INTERNAL ONES ARE GOING TO BE THOSE THAT I JUST MENTIONED, SUPPORT SERVICES, THINGS SUCH AS ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT STAFF.

THERE'S A HUGE CHUNK OF IT.

THAT'S ALSO, UH, COMES FROM THE CITY, UM, UH, CITY ALLOCATED, UH, US THAT, THAT THEY DIVVY UP AMONG, AMONGST ALL DEPARTMENTS, THINGS FOR CITY WIDE SUPPORT, UH, PURCHASING OFFICE, THE BUDGET OFFICE, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, ALLERGY OFFICE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, AND THOSE ARE THE BIG CHUNK OF OUR BUDGET.

SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE COST OF SERVICE MODEL THAT ARR, UH, VISES UH, IN ORDER TO ENSURE FINANCE WITH A MANDATE TO CHARGE CUSTOMERS, YOU KNOW, NO MORE THAN THE COST TO PROVIDE A SERVICE, UH, BACK IN 2012, THE CITY BUDGET STUFF IN, IN TANDEM WITH ARR STAFF DEVELOPED THIS REALLY ROBUST MODEL FOR, UH, DEVELOPING, UH, OUR, OUR COST OF SERVICE AND OUR CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE.

UM, AND OUR RECENTLY IN 2019, UM, SHE'S THE YEAR I ARRIVED.

UM, THE BUDGET STAFF HERE AT AIR ARE PERFORMED A REALLY MORE IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF, OF OPERATIONS AND INTERVIEWED VARIOUS, UH, ALL REALLY ALL DIVISIONS, UM, TO FIND OUT REALLY, UH, TO JUST TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO, INTO THEIR BUSINESS AND REALLY, UM, ENSURE THAT THE WAY WE WERE ACCOUNTING FOR COSTS, UM, STILL IN ALIGNMENT WITH, WITH THE CURRENT COST OF SERVICE MODEL.

AND THEN AGAIN, EVERY YEAR, UM, THE NUMBERS ARE RUN THROUGH THIS COST OF SERVICE MODEL TO ENSURE THAT THAT OUR RATES COVER THE COST TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, HERE A VERY HIGH LEVEL, LOOK AT OUR FUND SUMMARY THAT DID FUND SUMMARY, THIS, UH, LOOK AT THE LEFT-HAND COLUMN CR BEGINNING FUND BALANCE, ADDING IN REVENUES AND TRANSFERS, SUBTRACTING OUT, UH, FORECASTED EXPENSES AND TRANSFERS OUT AND DIFFERENT THAN THE TWO BETWEEN REVENUE AND EXPENSES IS GOING TO BE OUR CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE AND RESULT IN THE BALANCE.

SO A LOT OF NUMBERS ON THIS SCREEN, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THE EXPENSE LINE, AGAIN, THAT FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, WHICH IS THE GRAY COLUMN THAT 111.3 DOES REPRESENT, UH, OR HAS INCLUDED THE 13 POSITIONS, BOSTON OF APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION.

I'LL SEE THE FTE SAYS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM THERE EARLY WE'RE AT FIVE OH ONE, WE'RE REQUESTING AGAIN, 13 POSITIONS THAT'LL PUT US AT FIVE 14, SWEET YOU'RE 22.

UM, AND THEN YOU WERE AT THE REST OF THE FORECAST, UM, PERIOD TO FISCAL YEAR 26, UM, AN ADDITIONAL 32 POSITIONS, UH, FORECAST AT A COST OF 2.8.

UM, CAPITAL CAPITAL.

I'VE HEARD ME MENTIONED THAT, UM, TRANSFER, UH, OPERATING TO CAPITAL TO FUND, UH, EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES EVERY YEAR, UH, IN YEAR 22, THAT, THAT INCREASES, UH, TO 2.5 MILLION TO REALLY, TO WHERE WE, THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE IN TERMS OF, UM, WELL TO, TO, UM, TO FIND REPLACEMENT AND REPLACEMENT VEHICLES, UM, SUSTAINABLE MANNER.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE GOOD NEWS HERE ON THIS SLIDE IS YOU'LL NOTICE THE CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE.

SEE, IN FISCAL YEAR 24, UH, WE HAVE, UH, UH, A BALANCED BUDGET, UM, WHICH IS REALLY ENCOURAGING NEWS.

UM, YOU KNOW, TWO, THREE YEARS AGO, UM, THIS, THIS SLIDE LOOK VERY DIFFERENT.

UM, WE WERE, UM, DELIBERATELY, UM, BUDGETING OVER, NOT OVER BUDGETING, BUT, BUT OUR EXTENT HAS EXCEEDED OUR REVENUE, UH, DELIBERATELY TO TRY.

AND I GUESS OUR, OUR FUND BALANCE, UM, WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A HIGHER THAN, THAN REQUIRED FUND BALANCE.

AND SO NOW THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, ENDING FUND BALANCE IS ESTIMATED AT 10.3 BILLION, UH, BY FISCAL YEAR 24, UH, 8.1, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD, UH, GOOD INDICATION OF, OF WHERE THE DEPARTMENT IS HEADED.

UM, AND THIS GETS US INTO A POSITION WHERE WE CAN START PURSUING

[00:40:01]

SOME OF THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT, THAT, UM, BUT I KNOW THE DIRECTOR AND THE DEPARTMENT WANT TO PURSUE, UH, NEXT SLIDE.

THIS IS OUR RESIDENTIAL RATES SLIDE.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY I'M LOOKING AT THE THREE MAJOR RATES THAT, THAT, UH, COMPRISE OVER 97% OF OURS REVENUE, THE BASE, THE, AND, UH, THE PART FEES YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE CLAIM COMMUNITY FEE.

IT STAYS STEADY AT FOUR 70 RESIDENTIAL SIDE.

UH, I BELIEVE WE'RE, UH, PROJECTING ANY INCREASES ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE EITHER, BUT, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING RESIDENTIAL RATES.

WE'RE ALSO FORECASTING AGAIN, INCREMENTAL INCREASES TO OUR BASE RATE, UH, THE SCHOOL YEAR 22, 24 SIX, AGAIN, A STAGGERED APPROACH, UM, TO, TO INCREASES IN, IN THAT BASE RATE.

THAT'S GOING TO ACCOUNT FOR AGAIN, CONTINUED GROWTH.

YOU GUYS HEAR ME.

AND YOU SEE ME, I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFICULTY HERE.

MY COMPUTER FELL DOWN, TALK FROM MEMORY.

I MEAN, JUST ONE SECOND OF THAT, RIGHT.

IF YOU'RE ON THE LINE, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN.

I'M BACK.

CAN YOU SEE ME AND HEAR ME? YEAH.

OKAY, GREAT.

WE ARE ONTO, UH, SO RESIDENTIAL RATES BACK TO THE RESIDENT RENTAL, RESIDENTIAL RATES RATHER.

UM, I DID WANT TO NOTE, UH, ALSO THE, THE CART FEES YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, ARE PREDICTING OR PROJECTING, UH, FEES IN OUR CART FEES AGAIN, STAGGERED, UH, WITH THE BASE RATE INCREASE, UM, AND THAT'S TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT WITH PROJECTIONS AND IN POPULATION GROWTH, DISTRIBUTION OF PARTS SIZES A MONTH ON CUSTOMERS.

UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

THIS IS OUR LAST SLIDE, ACTUALLY.

AND, AND, UH, THIS IS OUR CAPITAL PROVEMENT SLIDE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY.

HELLO, VICTORIA, MISSION.

SO THIS WILL BE QUICK.

UM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, WE ARE FORECASTING 14 MILLION IN SPENDING.

UH, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, ARR IS FIVE-YEAR CIP PLAN, UH, IS LARGELY DEVOTED, UH, TO, AS I MENTIONED BEYOND BLEND PURCHASE OF PEOPLES AND EQUIPMENT SPENDING ON NEW AND REPLACEMENT VEHICLES IS EXPECTED TO RANGE, UH, ANYWHERE FROM 13 AND A HALF TO $14.4 MILLION PER YEAR TENURED INVESTMENT AND REPLACING, UH, OUR, OUR AGING FLEET, I THINK, IS GOING TO HAVE THE ADDED BENEFIT OF REDUCING OUR MAINTENANCE COSTS, WHICH ARE HUGE.

UH, 10% OF OUR BUDGET SPENT ON, ON FLEET MEANS, UH, SOME OTHER PROJECTS, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON INCLUDE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AND VARIOUS SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS THAT SHOULD BE WRAPPING UP IN A COUPLE OF OUR FACILITIES, KG ASSI, UH, IN THE, OUR, OUR DOC.

UM, THAT IS THE LAST SLIDE.

SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER THEM.

BRIAN, IF YOU'RE ON THE LINE, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, ANY THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS? UM, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, YEAH, JUST, UH, WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO, UH, ANY PROJECTIONS THEN, AND, UH, I GUESS FTE INCREASES, UH, THAT MIGHT BE COMING.

[00:45:01]

IT LOOKS LIKE WE LOST VICTORIA.

CAN YOU, YOU WANT TO STEP IN THERE? YEAH.

GOOD EVENING.

COMMISSIONERS, BRENT PAGE, UH, FINANCIAL MANAGER, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

WAS THERE, WAS THERE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT THE FTE, UM, OR JUST KIND OF THE OVERALL WHERE THE FTE COUNT IS HEADED? YEAH, I, I GUESS OVERALL, AND, AND IT, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU, ARE YOU PROJECTING ANY INCREASE? ARE YOU ASKING FOR AN INCREASE AND IF SO, WHAT ARE THOSE POSITIONS FOR? YES.

UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN FTES, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE IMMEDIATE NEXT YEAR.

UM, WE HAVE 13 NEW FTES BEING REQUESTED, UM, WITH A GOOD CHUNK OF THOSE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICES FUNCTIONS.

UM, AS VICTORIA MENTIONED DURING HER PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN ADDING, UM, SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONS, UH, EMPLOYEES AND OUR, OUR ADMIN HAS CAUGHT UP TO US AND WE NEED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, FILL IN SOME OF THOSE STAFF, UH, WITHIN THOSE OPERATIONS.

UM, AND SO OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE, UH, 45 NEW POSITIONS ACROSS THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST.

THAT'LL BE ADDED FOR VARIOUS POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT, UM, ALL THE WAY FROM OPERATIONS TO, UH, FINANCE, ADMIN, UH, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, ET CETERA.

THANK YOU, CATHERINE.

YOU'RE ON MUTE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES.

SO FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE OUR, WE, WE REPRESENT OUR TYPICAL CUSTOMER AS THE, UH, 64 GALLON CART CUSTOMER WHO ALSO HAS THE BASE FEE.

UH, BRANDON IS THE POPULATION INCREASES IN AUSTIN? UH, WE ARE KEEPING PACE WITH IT PAYING FOR THE SERVICES, OR HOW IS THAT LOOKING NOW? AS FAR AS OUR, OUR RATES GO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE, WE'VE SEEN A, A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE AND OUR CUSTOMER COUNT OVER THE PAST FIVE, 10 YEARS.

UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, WE ARE CONTINUING TO ADD FTES, UH, TO OPERATORS TO GET THE ROUTES COLLECTED.

UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S BEEN KIND OF WHAT SOME OF THE, THE NEW FTES THAT WE'RE REQUESTING THIS IMMEDIATE NEXT YEAR AND THE SUPPORT STAFF ARE FOR US, BECAUSE WITH ALL OF THOSE ADDITIONAL, UM, OPERATORS, UH, AND, AND ADDITIONAL EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE A, MORE OF A NEED FOR, UH, THE SUPPORT SIDE TO PROCESS TRANSACTIONS, UM, ACCOUNT FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME STORM DEBRIS FEMA STUFF.

UM, BUT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH, UH, THE GROWTH, UM, THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS DUE TO, OR WITH ALL OF OUR FTE INCREASES THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

UM, I KNOW THAT I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TOO MUCH FOR THE OPERATIONS SIDE, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A TROUBLE.

UM, AND I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE ADDRESSED IT WITH, WITH, UH, KEEPING THE OPERATORS.

UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THINGS TO DO, UH, TO, TO HELP KEEP OUR OPERATORS AND PARTICULARLY OUR DRIVERS.

THANK YOU, AMANDA.

HI, YEAH.

WAS LOOKING AT THE INCREASES THAT ARE PLANNED.

SO I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE THE BASE INCREASE THE INCREASE IN THE BASE RATE, AND THEN THE INCREASE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE CART SIZE.

AND I KNOW FROM THE PAST, THE IDEA HAS BEEN TO MAKE THE INCREASE, UM, LARGEST FOR THE LARGEST CART SIZE ON THIS ONE, NOTICING THAT EVEN THE SMALLEST CART SIZE IS GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE.

AND I'M WONDERING ARE THE, I'M SORRY, THE 64 OF THE MOST COMMON CART SIZE IS GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE.

AND I'M WONDERING ABOUT THAT NOW THAT WE HAVE COMPOSTING AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE.

UM, IS THERE, IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE TO KEEPING THE SMALLEST CART SIZE, YOU KNOW, FLAT IN RATE AS A WAY TO FURTHER INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THE COMPOSTING PROGRAM, THE ORGANICS RECYCLING PROGRAM? YEAH.

SO THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK I CAN, I CAN SPEAK TO THE OVERALL RATE STRUCTURE.

UM, SOME OF THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT MAY BE A LITTLE MORE POLICY THAT I MAY LET SOMEBODY ELSE SPEAK TO.

UM, HOWEVER, ON THE, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CART SIZES, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE LOOK AT IT.

UM, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN WE INCREASE, WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE AN INCREASE TO OUR BASE FEE, UM, AND OR OUR CART FEES, UH, WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT AS WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE OVERALL.

UM,

[00:50:01]

UM, AND SO IF WE HAVE TO RAISE OUR, OUR BASE FEE ONLY, UM, YOU KNOW, ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS, THE PEOPLE WITH A 96 GALLON CART, THEY SEE A SMALLER PERCENTAGE INCREASE, UM, TO THEIR, THEIR BILL BECAUSE THEY'RE AT A HIGHER DOLLAR AMOUNT AND IT'S A FLAT INCREASE, NOT A PERCENTAGE INCREASE.

UM, AND SO, UH, AND IN THIS FORECAST, WE HAVE A NEED TO INCREASE OUR CART FEES, UM, BECAUSE OUR, UH, EXPENSES THAT ARE COVERED BY THAT REVENUE HAVE CAUGHT UP AND WE'LL SURPASS, UH, THE, THE REVENUE THAT WE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED HAD WE NOT INCREASED THOSE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE.

AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE IN, WE, WE HAVE THE PROPOSED INCREASES TO THE CART PIECE.

UM, AND IT'S, IT'S A TWO-FOLD, UM, REASON WHY WE HAVE THE 96 GALLON AT A HIGHER RATE, UM, OBVIOUSLY AS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MOVE IN, UH, TO THE SMALLER CART SIZES, UM, AS, AS WELL AS IT IS TO TRY AND EVEN OUT THAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE ON A YEAR OVER YEAR BASIS.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, WE HAVE CURBSIDE COMPOSTING ROLLED OUT NOW, UM, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT, UH, THOSE IN THE LARGER CART SIZES WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE SMART CARD SIZES.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY, UM, THIS, THIS INCREASE WILL GIVE THEM MORE FINANCIAL MOTIVATION TO MOVE DOWN.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S THAT, THAT A PERCENTAGE INCREASE PIECE THAT WE WANTED TO SMALLER CART SIZES.

I, I, I SEE THAT.

AND I THINK THAT, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

I'M WONDERING WHY, WHY NOT GO FOR EVEN A MORE, A LITTLE MORE DRAMATIC IF THE 24 COULD STAY A LITTLE FLATTER AND THE 32 COULD STAY A LITTLE FLATTER, RIGHT? CAUSE THE 24 IS GOING FROM THREE 85 TO FOUR 30 OVER THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

AND THE 32 IS GOING FROM FIVE 10 TO FIVE 75.

IS THERE A WAY TO KEEP THOSE A LITTLE MORE LEVEL AND INCREASE THE 64 AND THE S AND THE 96 FURTHER? SO YES.

GET THE 96 FOLKS TO KIND OF APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF SCRIBBLING DOWN AND USING ORGANICS RECYCLING, BUT MAYBE GET THE MOST COMMON CUSTOMERS.

WELL, THE 64 ADD A LITTLE MORE INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO SAVE IF THEY GO DOWN AS WELL.

CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING DOWN WHAT, 10 25 TO 1150.

SO I WONDER I'M JUST, YEAH.

CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, THE INCREASES FOR THE 24 AND THE 32 BEING THERE AT ALL, I SUPPOSE, COMPARED TO THE OTHERS, WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, THEN OBVIOUSLY AS THE TIMES CHANGE AND WE ARE MOVING INTO THE, THE SMALLER, MORE PEOPLE INTO THE SMART CARTS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO PLAN ON HAVING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RATE STRUCTURE IN GENERAL.

WE WE'VE TYPICALLY IN THE PAST KEPT THE, UH, SMALLER THREE CART SIZES, THE 24 32 AND 64 GALLON TRASH CARTS ALL AT THE SAME PER, PER GALLON RATE.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, UM, I FEEL LIKE WHEN WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, PARTICIPATION IN THOSE LOWER RATES, UM, AND, UM, MORE OUT OF THE 96 DOWN, I GUESS, WOULD BE THAT WE COULD, UH, LOOK AT ADJUSTING THOSE IN THAT MANNER AS WELL, WHERE WE FURTHER INCENTIVIZE GOING FROM 64 DOWN TO 32 OR 24.

A PERCENTAGE OF OUR OVERALL MIX.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, KATHY.

UH, SO BRENDA, I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, WHAT AMANDA SAID THAT, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO GO TO THE SMALLER COURT PARKS.

NOW I KNOW THAT DOESN'T BRING AS MUCH REVENUE IN, SO WE'D HAVE TO GO UP ON SOME OTHERS.

ALSO, COULD YOU, UM, LET US KNOW, THE PERCENTAGE ARE PEOPLE ARE, ARE, ARE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE GOING DOWN WITH THEIR CARD SIZES AND YOU SAID IT IS HAPPENING.

SO I KNOW OVER THE LONGER RUN, WE HAVE SEEN A DECREASE IN OUR 96 GALLON, UH, CURRENT CUSTOMERS.

UM, I DO KNOW THAT THAT HAS KIND OF LEVELED OFF, UM, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE 96 GALLON CART BY ITSELF, UM, AND ONE OF THE YEARS.

AND SO, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HOPEFULLY THROUGH THE FINANCIAL MOTIVATION, UM, ALSO ENCOURAGE THOSE LARGER CART SIZES TO MOVE DOWN, UM, ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS.

UM, OUR, UM, OUR LARGER CART SIZES, LIKE I SAID, TH THEY'VE KIND OF LEVELED OFF AS FAR AS THE REDUCTION.

UH, WE'RE STILL SEEING SMALL INCREASES IN, AND, UH, IN THE 32 OR 24 AND 32 GALLON SIZE, UM, ON

[00:55:01]

NOW NOTE THAT AS WE ARE GROWING MORE CUSTOMERS, THEY'RE ALL KIND OF SLOWLY GOING UP A LITTLE BIT.

UM, BUT THE 24 AND 32 ARE SEEING MORE, UH, MORE OF AN INCREASE, UM, IN THOSE SIZES.

AND ARE THEY COMING FROM THE 64? OKAY.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA AS FAR AS ARE THEY TRANSITIONING OUT OF A 96 OR 64 AND TWO AT 32 OR 24? UM, I'LL SEE THE OVERALL NUMBERS, UM, AND UTILIZE THOSE, UH, TO PROJECT OUT WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE, UM, ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

UM, BUT I MEAN, TYPICALLY AT NIGHT, THE 64 GALLON CART IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE CURRENTLY OVER 50%, UM, ABOUT ALMOST 54%, UH, CURRENTLY ARE IN THAT CART SIZE.

UM, AND WE'RE PROJECTING THAT 64 GALLON, UM, NUMBER TWO, SLIGHTLY DECREASED WHILE THE 24 AND 32 ARE INCREASING.

UM, WE HAD A, UM, UH, A LARGER OR MORE DRASTIC DECREASE ON OUR 96 GALLON CART AND PREVIOUS FIVE-YEAR FORECASTS.

UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'VE KIND OF SEEN THOSE, UM, THAT DECREASE IN THAT LARGE CART SIZE, UH, LEVEL OFF A LITTLE BIT.

SO WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF PULLED BACK ON OUR REDUCTION AND, AND, AND, UM, MADE IT MORE MORE TO WHAT WE ACTUALLY EXPECT TO HAPPEN.

SO, UM, WE ARE AT, UM, A LITTLE UNDER 12% OF OUR OVERALL, UM, MIX HAS A 96 GALLON CART.

UM, AND JUST A FEW YEARS AGO THAT WAS HOVERING AROUND 15%.

SO GOOD.

PERFECT, THANKS AND EFFECTIVE PROPERTIES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, THIS IS, OH, GO AHEAD.

UM, JUST, I KNOW THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY BUDGET RELATED, BUT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF YOU SUMMARY SIDE, JUST A COUPLE NUMBERS THAT, UM, LIGHT-FILLED LAST TIME INJURY RATE SEEMS TO BE REMAINING SOMEWHAT HIGH HERE IN THE ESTIMATED NUMBERS AND THE PERCENT OF URL, EFFECTIVE PROPERTIES, REPORTING, ACCESS TO RECYCLING FOR EMPLOYEES AND TENANTS.

UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE GOING DOWN IN SOME CASES STILL HERE IN THE ESTIMATED NUMBERS.

JUST WONDERING IF WE CAN JUST EXPLAIN THOSE NUMBERS.

I KEEP FORGETTING, I THINK YOU MAYBE HAVE HEARD SOME OF THE REASONS, BUT THIS IS DALE.

I CAN, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

AND IF YOU HEAR ME OKAY, THE NEXT IT RIGHT FOR, UH, ACTUAL THAT, THAT'S WHAT YOU REFER TO ALL THE 6.32 THAT IS STRICTLY DUE TO ANY OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE PUT ON LIGHT DUTY OR RESTRICTED DUTY, BECAUSE WE COULD NOT ACCOMMODATE THEM HERE AT WORK, BECAUSE IF THEY PHOTOGRAPHED AS OUR DOC, THEY HAD TO BE TAKEN OFF OF WORK.

SO THAT'S LIKE THAT NUMBER, UH, DUE TO THE COVID.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE PROJECTED THE SAME, UH, FOUR 21, BECAUSE I JUST MULTIPLY THE FIRST POUR RATE.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE GOT 3.53.

AND WE OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE REOPENED, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE EMPLOYEES IN THAT LAST TIME AND THE RIGHT THING TO GO IN AND SIGNIFICANT.

MAYBE SOMEONE SPEAK TO THEM.

THIS IS GINA MAKE HENLEY, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, DIVISION MANAGER.

AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THE URL IS WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING THE NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN OUR EXPECTED ON THE REPORT THAT WE GOT JUST THIS PAST WEEK.

UM, BUT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE IS THAT DUE TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC AND THEN FURTHER STRESS TO BUSINESSES FROM WINTER STORM YURI, UH, THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE FACING FINANCIAL DISTRESS THAT ARE, HAVE EITHER BECOME VACANT OR CLOSED.

UM, AND JUST THOSE ONGOING IMPACTS.

SO THE DENOMINATOR IS KIND OF SHIFTING.

SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON ACTIVELY, BUT WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT AS THINGS AS WE MOVE INTO A MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT, AND ALSO WITH THE ADDITION OF OUR COMMERCIAL COMPLIANCE TEAM, WHERE WE HAVE MORE ENFORCEMENT AND MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, OUT IN BUSINESSES SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING, THAT WE WILL SEE NUMBER BOUNCE BACK AND EVEN PROBABLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN PAST YEARS.

SO WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR THAT AND FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT THOSE ARE THE REASONS THAT IT HAS GONE DOWN A BIT CURRENTLY.

THANKS.

DID YOU EVER, OR I'M SORRY, JOHN? NO, THAT'S NO PROBLEM.

I JUST, UH, I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON MY OTHER QUESTION ABOUT, UH, FTES AND JUST WONDERING IF ANY OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TOWARDS LITERALLY A BIG MEN IN THE COMMUNITY.

[01:00:02]

I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

UM, YES.

UM, AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, YOU MAY REMEMBER WE, WE HAD IT, UH, FOLKS THAT WILL BE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THE HOMELESSNESS CLEANUP, AND THEN ALSO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING ON FOLKS THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE CLEAN CREEKS CLEAN UP, WHICH IS A LITERATE EFFORT, UH, SPECIFICALLY TARGETED AT KEEPING, UH, DEBRIS AND LITTER OUT OF THE CREEKS AND WATERWAYS.

THAT'S GREAT.

I DO REMEMBER THAT.

UM, SO HOW MANY POSITIONS ARE GOING TO BE ADDED FOR THOSE TWO PROGRAMS AND HOW MANY FOR EACH, RIGHT.

DO YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY THERE WERE FOR EACH CATEGORY FOR THOSE GROUPS OR MAYBE AMY? I WAS JUST TRYING TO PULL THAT UP.

ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF, UH, DOING THE VIRTUALLY IS THAT I HAVE MY LAPTOP RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME WHERE I CAN PULL UP ALL THIS DATA.

UM, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, OVER THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST, UH, WITHIN LITERAL STATEMENT, UH, A FEW, LET'S SEE HERE AT LEAST ONE, TWO, THREE, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, ACROSS THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST.

CAN YOU SAY ADDING THREE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? YES.

HOW MANY NEXT YEAR? UM, NEXT YEAR IN 22, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY REQUESTED.

OUR FIRST ONE IS IN 24.

UM, SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE VARIOUS, UH, FTE REQUESTS WITHIN, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR YARD TRIMMING OR I'M SORRY.

I HEARD THAT COMPOST PROGRAM, UM, AND TRASH COLLECTION, UM, YOU KNOW, TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE INCREASES IN POPULATION THAT WE KEEP SEEING.

UM, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE NEED TO ADD EMPLOYEES THERE.

UM, AND SO, YEAH, TH THAT'S WHAT, UH, WE'VE GOT IN THE NEXT YEAR, ON THE OPERATION SIDE AND YOU, AND SO ALL OF THE CREEK CLEANUP, THAT'S ALSO OUT IN THE FUTURE YEARS.

SO WE HAVE, WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET WERE APPROVED THIS PAST YEAR THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FILLING.

UM, AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE'RE, UH, HOLDING OFF ON ADDING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS ON TOP OF THE ONES THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, OF GETTING FILLED.

SO YOU'RE WORKING ON FILLING THE POSITIONS FOR CREEK CLEANUP, BUT NOT, UM, FILLING POSITIONS OR ASKING FOR NEW POSITIONS RELATED TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RELATED, WHAT ARE CLEAN HAPPENING? THESE WERE FILLED AS WELL.

THOSE POSITIONS ARE BEING FILLED IN THE CURRENT BUDGET AS WELL.

YOU HAVE CURRENT POSITIONS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL FOR THE HOMELESS AND AMBULANCE, CORRECT? CORRECT.

THANK YOU, AMY.

CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE OKAY.

WHERE WE ARE WITH THE HIRING PROCESS FOR BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS? SURE.

HI, AMY SLAGLE AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, UH, UH, AS MENTIONED, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, HIRING THAT INCREASED PROGRAM, UH, S UH, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS A SUPERVISOR TO, UH, TO, UH, HANDLE THAT ACCRUE, UH, THAT, THAT POSITION I BELIEVE IS POSTED NOW.

UH, WE SHOULD BE DOING THE INTERVIEWS FOR BOOTS ON THE GROUND HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

UH, WE ARE ALSO, UH, UH, HIRING, UH, FOR THE UNDER PAST CLEANUP.

WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TURNOVER WITHIN THAT GROUPS, UH, GROUP.

WE'VE HAD SOME FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN PROMOTED OUT OF THAT POSITION OR TAKING POSITIONS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.

SO WE'RE STILL WORKING TO, TO GET THEM, UH, GET THAT THE, THAT, UH, THAT GROUP COMPLETELY OUTFITTED.

I APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

HEY, CAN I HAVE A QUESTION HERE? I, YOU KNOW, JUST IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S IN LIGHT OF OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION AND, UH, WHAT'S OCCURRING IN OUR CITY AS FAR AS, UH, A, AN ELECTION COMING UP IN MAY, HOW SENSITIVE ARE THESE PROJECTIONS TO THOSE TYPES OF POLITICAL, UH, CONSEQUENCES.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF, UH, WE DECIDE, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO BAN CAMPING AND WE END UP AS YOU AND I DISCUSSED, WE ENDED UP, UH, RELOCATING SOME OF THESE SITES TO MUCH MORE DIFFICULT PLACES TO GET INTO SERVICE AS A DEPARTMENT TO KEEP LITTER ABATED, AND TO AGAIN, PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS.

HOW SENSITIVE IS THIS BUDGET TO THAT? I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, WE DID HAVE, WE, IT WAS ALWAYS A DISCUSSION ON RESERVE

[01:05:01]

FUNDING.

AND I THINK RIGHT NOW OF, I'M NOT MISTAKEN ON ONE OF THE SLIDES, THE FUND BALANCE WAS PROJECTED TO BE BALANCED IN 2022.

I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

AND THAT'S BASICALLY ONE MONTHS RESERVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE ASSUMING WE HAVE ANOTHER CHALLENGE IN, IN, IN THE COURSE OF OUR DAILY BUSINESS, UH, ANOTHER PANDEMIC HEAVEN FORBID, OR, OR SOME ISSUE, ANOTHER FREEZE OR A POLITICAL DECISION THAT AGAIN, AR YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO, UH, ASSIST MORE IN CLEANUPS AND ABATEMENT AND ALL THIS, ALL THIS OTHER, OTHER ITEMS THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN TODAY.

OBVIOUSLY WE WE'D HAVE FUNDING ASSISTANCE FROM, UH, FROM THE GENERAL FUND, I'M ASSUMING OR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, BUT STILL, I MEAN, I'M, I'M CONCERNED HOW SENSITIVE WE ARE IN OUR GRADUATES.

THANK YOU, CHAIR, KIM SNIPES, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

IT'S, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

UM, AND WE'RE STILL WRESTLING WITH THAT.

THE CURRENT FORECAST IS BUILT TO HANDLE WHAT WE SEE NOW IS STRUCTURED FOR UNDERPASS OVER PAST, YOU KNOW, CLEANUPS THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT.

UM, IF THE CAMPING BAN, UH, PASSES, WHAT WE THINK WILL HAPPEN IS THAT, UH, PEOPLE WILL MOVE BACK INTO THE MORE, UH, INACCESSIBLE AREAS OF THE CITY.

AND OF COURSE, UH, THE THEORY THERE WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE TO GET INTO SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT IN OTHER WORDS, THE COST OF THE CLEANUPS WOULD INCREASE.

UM, AND SO, BECAUSE THIS FORECAST WAS BUILT ON WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FACING, UM, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN, TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COST, THE TRUE COST WOULD BE AT THAT POINT.

UM, FOR SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF CLEANUPS, UM, KEEPING IN MIND THAT A LOT OF THESE, UH, CLEANUP ACTIVITIES ARE JURISDICTIONAL, MEANING THAT IF THEY'RE IN THE PARKS, UH, AREA, ANY PARKS ON PROPERTY, UH, THE BULK OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY FALLS ON THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, OR IF IT'S WATERSHED, THE BULK OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON THEIR PROPERTIES WOULD FALL ON THOSE GUYS AS WELL.

SO, UM, IT'S A BIT OF WAIT AND SEE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT MONTH.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'RE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO IT, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE READY TO PIVOT, TO SUPPORT THE CITY WHERE WE CAN.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE, WHAT IFS SECTION OF THE BUDGET.

AND THAT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY RELATIVELY NEW BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, AS WE BUILT THIS, UM, BUDGET FORECAST, UH, NOT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR THE CAMPING BAN CHANGING ON OUR RADAR.

SO, UH, BECAUSE THAT WAS SO LATE RIGHT THERE.

AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT COULD OCCUR SOONER THAN LATER.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUDGET IS SENSITIVE TO POSSIBLE LEAPS AND BOUNDS, UNFORESEEN LEAPS AND BOUNDS IN THE FUTURE.

AND, AND HAVING SAID THAT, LET'S SEE THE TIMETABLE AGAIN IS MAY CITY MANAGER PRESENTATION.

AND WHEN IS THE FINAL PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET? THAT'S IT FOR ME GUYS? THIS IS VICTORIA.

SORRY ABOUT ALL THOSE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES SO THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS DUE, UM, GETS PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL AT THE END OF JULY BUDGET ADOPTION OCCURS AUGUST 11TH.

THIS RATE INCREASE THIS YEAR, PERHAPS WON'T BE NEEDED NEXT YEAR.

SO THE FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS OR RECONSIDER SOME OF OUR NUMBERS IS WHEN WOULD THAT BE THE END OF MAY? IT WOULD BE ACTUALLY NEXT MONTH BECAUSE OUR, OUR, OUR BUDGET IS DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY.

TYPICALLY WE DON'T CHANGE NUMBERS.

UM, AFTER THAT, UNLESS IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, DIRECTION FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

UM, YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING AGAIN, BACK TO THEIR, THE COMPRESSED TIME TABLE THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, EVERYTHING IS ON A SHORTER TIMEFRAME.

SO CERTAINLY IF, IF THE COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDATIONS, SUGGESTIONS, UM, SOME TO HEAR THOSE, UM, BUT AGAIN, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS.

MY CONCERNS ARE, IT'S EASIER TO, TO, UH, PLAN AND PERHAPS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, A FEW DOLLARS MORE AND BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED THAT WE DIDN'T NEED THIS.

AND THEREFORE YOU KIND OF BUILD A, THE, THE, THE, UH, FUND BALANCE JUST A WEE BIT.

AND AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THAT

[01:10:01]

WE DID SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB.

I JUST DON'T WANT US TO GET CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM HERE THAT, UH, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT MAY MAY ARISE.

AND AGAIN, I KEEP GOING BACK TO THIS, UH, CAMPING BAN AND, UH, THE CHALLENGES THAT ALL JURISDICTIONS ARE GOING TO FACE AND SOLVING THAT ISSUE.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE AGAIN, THAT WE ARE AS A, AS A DEPARTMENT AND AS A COMMISSION, CONSIDERING ALL OF THESE, ALL OF THESE OPTIONS.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE, AND I APPLAUD THAT.

SO ADD ON TO, TO ADD ON TO THAT, IF I MAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE NUMBERS ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT CHANGE IT AFTER MAY CERTAINLY THINGS, THINGS COME UP, UH, IN THE SUMMER.

AND, UH, AT THAT POINT IT DIDN'T ENTER THE, UH, TO GIVE US THE DIRECTION, UH, TO EITHER INCREASE, YOU KNOW, REVISE OUR BUDGET IN SOME WAY.

SO CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT COME UP, UH, THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, EVERY THREE TO DEPARTMENTAL.

KATHY, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UH, YES.

UM, CAN I WAS WONDERING, UM, I READ IN THE STATESMAN TODAY THAT SOME OF THE MONEY THAT'S GOING TO COME TO AUSTIN FROM THIS, AND, UM, WE'RE GOING TO USE QUITE A BIT OF THAT.

I BELIEVE TO HOUSE THE HOMELESS.

UM, I'M WONDERING, UH, IS THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR SENSITIVE TO ARR THAT WE'RE PUT IN THE POSITION TO CLEAN THE CITY AND, UM, FROM THE HOMELESS, ARE THEY SENSITIVE THAT MAYBE WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR THAT? UM, BECAUSE ALSO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I CAN SEE UNDER THE UNDERPASSES AND THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE CARTS AND SOMETIMES IT'S VERY CLEAN AND THEN A LOT OF TIMES IT'S NOT, BUT THEN ALSO THERE'S OTHER ENCAMPMENTS AND THERE'S JUST A LOT OF TRASH ALL AROUND.

UM, SO IS THE CITY SENSITIVE GENERAL TO ROBBING MORE MONEY FOR THIS DEPARTMENT FOR THIS THEY ARE, AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT.

IN FACT, WE MEET WEEKLY TO DISCUSS THE HOMELESS CLEANUP, UM, UM, PLANS AND PROGRAMS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AT A GIVEN LOCATION, AND WHEN IT'S HAPPENING, UM, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO COME TOGETHER AND DISCUSS OPTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE, AS A RESULT OF THE STORM, UH, THE WINTER STORM, UH, WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A LOT OF STORM DEBRIS THAT'S DOWN ON THE GROUND AND AREAS WHERE PEOPLE MAY BE, UH, LIVING IN A GREENBELT AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT FIRES AND, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY MEETING EVERY SINGLE WEEK TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ISSUES.

UH, WE, UH, WE PUT FORTH A PLAN, PUBLIC WORK MANAGES THAT PLAN, AND WE PIVOT AS NECESSARY IF WE, UH, HAVE AN ISSUE AT AN AREA, UH, WE, WE MODIFY THE PLAN AND WE GO AND ADDRESS THOSE AREAS.

AND, UH, ON OUR SIDE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY OUT IN SERVICE, SERVICING DIFFERENT AREAS ON A, SOME OF THOSE AREAS.

WE CAN PROVIDE COLLECTION SERVICES THREE TIMES A DAY.

UH, AND SO NOT ALL OF THEM, RIGHT.

UH, SOME OF THEM, WE DON'T HAVE TO SERVICE THAT OFTEN, BUT SOME OF THEM AS MANY AS THREE TIMES A DAY, SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY MONITORING THESE AREAS AND SENDING OUR FOLKS OUT, UH, TO, TO KEEP THEM AS CLEAN AS WE CAN.

OKAY, GOOD.

AND THEN ALSO, I UNDERSTAND, BEFORE YOU, YOU ALL WERE WORKING WITH SOME OF THE HOMELESS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY WERE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE HOMELESS THEMSELVES TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON USING THE CARTS.

AND WHAT HAVE YOU, IS THAT STILL HAPPENING? IT IS.

UM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT WE PARTNER WITH, UM, AND THEY GO OUT AS PART OF THEIR WORK AND THEY TALK TO FOLKS ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO RECEIVE SERVICES OR JUST TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KEEPING AREAS CLEAN.

AND, UM, UH, AND OUR FOLKS ARE OUT, UH, AS WELL.

AND AS WE GO OUT AND DO OUR WORK, WE'RE MONITORING THE USE OF A GIVEN AREA.

UM, IF THE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING IN AN AREA LI WE MOVED THE ASSETS, MAYBE TO AN AREA THAT IS IN NEED OF THE ASSETS, AND WE KIND OF REAL TIME, WE'RE CONSTANTLY MONITORING THE CONDITIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND MODIFYING OUR APPROACH IN OUR SERVICE.

UH, WE'RE READY FOR THE MATERIALS THAT ARE IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU, KIM.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK WE HAVE ULTIMATELY SEVEN MINUTES LEFT BEFORE SEVEN 30 HARD STOP IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

[01:15:02]

CORRECT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS, KEN.

THANK YOU, STAFF VICTORIA.

THANK YOU, BRENT.

THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, LET'S SEE, MOVING ALONG, I GUESS IT IS THE STAFF BRIEFINGS, KEN YOU'RE YOU'RE ON KEN.

I THINK YOU'RE MUTED.

I DON'T HAVE ANY STAFF BRIEFINGS AT THIS TIME.

UM, BUT,

[5. DIRECTORS REPORT ]

MOVING ON TO A FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, THERE'S A COUPLE OF A COUPLE OF THINGS I'D LOVE FOR US TO PERHAPS TAKE A PEAK AT NUMBER ONE.

I THINK, UH, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

I JUST SAY, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND DIVE INTO THAT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.

UM, I WANT SAY, UH, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR ON YOUR REELECTION.

UM, I WANT TO START BY JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THE RECENT RETREAT.

UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE RETREAT WAS THE DESIRE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND TO HELP MAKE THE INFORMATION MORE UNDERSTANDABLE.

UM, AND SO IN STARTING OUT, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS DO YOU HAVE, UM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR RICHARD MCKEEL, A CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE FROM OUR RECENT SOLICITATIONS REPORT, IT JUST KINDA, UH, GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IN TERMS OF WINTER STORM.

YOU BITCH MCHALE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ARR.

UM, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT AND YOU GET THE SOLICITATION LISTS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE PENDING PROJECTS OR PENDING PENDING SOLICITATIONS THAT ARE ABOUT TO GO OUT, BUT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE IN PARTICULAR, UH, THAT STAFF HAD WORKED ON THAT.

IT WASN'T REALLY ON THAT LIST.

AT LEAST THE NOT THE EMERGENCY VERSION OF IT WAS, UH, OUR STAFF, OUR FINANCE STAFF VICTORIA'S TEAM.

THEY DID A GREAT JOB PUTTING TOGETHER SOME SOLICITATIONS WE NEEDED, UH, TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THE STORM DAMAGE THAT WE HAD.

WE HAD THREE DIFFERENT CONTRACTS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO WORK ON, AND THEY WORKED ON THOSE THINGS PRIOR, SO TIRELESSLY AND GOT THEM DONE AND GOT THEM DONE QUICKLY, UH, FOR HAULING MATERIAL OUT OF THERE FOR OUR REGULAR CURBSIDE OPERATIONS AND THEN A STORM CONTRACTOR AS WELL, UH, FOR SOME OF THE LARGER AREAS WHERE THOSE PARTICULARLY IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF AUSTIN, WHERE THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE AND, UH, ARR JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT PLUS THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, VICTORIA AND HER TEAM, SYDNEY RICHARD'S SON, UH, DID A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER AND GETTING THOSE OUT.

UH, YOU WILL SEE ONE OF THE SOLICITATIONS THAT IS IN THAT DOCUMENT IS FOR, UH, STORM DEBRIS COLLECTION AND MONITORING.

THAT'S ACTUALLY ON THE STREETS RIGHT NOW.

UH, THERE WAS A PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING ON THAT HERE JUST RECENTLY.

SO, UH, THAT'S THE KIND OF CONTRACT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE IN PLACE BEFORE THESE STORMS HIT.

UH, AND IT WAS IN PROGRESS, UH, BUT OUR TEAM WAS ABLE TO, TO, TO WORK ON THE FLY AND GET SOME EMERGENCY CONTRACTS TO KIND OF TIE US OVER.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY A GREAT JOB, UH, TO THEM FOR GETTING THAT WORK DONE.

CAUSE IT'S, IT'S HELPING US IMMENSELY AND SPEEDING UP THE CLEAN OPERATION.

SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THOSE THAT ITEM TO YOUR ATTENTION.

AND, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK, YOU KNOW, RICHARD, I HAVE TO ECHO THAT STAFF PHENOMENAL JOB.

I MEAN, WE, WE, WE DISCUSSED THAT IN MARCH.

I MEAN, NOBODY PLANS FOR A STORM OF THIS NATURE.

YOU GUYS HAD DID A WONDERFUL JOB, KEN, THANK YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU, STAFF, OR FOR ANSWERING THE BELL AND FROM BEING THERE AND, AND THEY DID ALL THIS WHILE THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THE COVID RESPONSE, ALL THE FINANCIALS THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT WITH THE WINTER STORM RESPONSE, ALL THE DATA THAT WE HAVE TO GET AS FAR AS THIS DAMAGE TO OUR BUILDINGS AND, AND COSTS, UH, WHAT OUR EMPLOYEE COSTS HAVE BEEN AS A RESULT OF THAT.

SO THEY'RE WORKING SEVERAL EMERGENCIES THAT MOST JURISDICTIONS WOULD HAVE ONE CENTER ONCE EVERY FIVE OR 10 YEARS PERHAPS, AND MAY HAVE JUST BEEN TENUOUS.

AND LIKE YOU HEARD EARLIER, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN SHORT-STAFFED SO GIVING US ADDITIONAL STAFF TO GET THEM UP TO SPEED AND GET THESE THINGS MOVING.

IT'S REALLY BEEN HELPFUL FOR US.

AND, UM, APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, RICHARD.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS THOUGHTS AGAIN? THANK YOU, RICHARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]

UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I GUESS PERHAPS I'M JUST A, AN INCOMPETENT TECHNOLOGY GUY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I REALLY LIKED THE WAY THAT THE, THE SYSTEMS WORKED PRIOR TO THIS, UH, MANDATORY BOARDS AND COMMISSION CHALLENGES THAT CAME UP AND KEN, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TONGUE IN CHEEK HERE.

[01:20:01]

MEAN, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A FORMAL PRESENTATION AND AN EXPLANATION ON, ON, ON THIS PROCESS.

I KNOW THERE'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE STILL UTILIZING THEIR PERSONAL, UH, EMAIL THAT AGAIN, BY STATE LAW, EVERYTHING IS, IS, IS TRACEABLE.

I MEAN, THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT IS, UH, SUBPOENAED THAT RECORD IS, IS BROUGHT FORWARD, ET CETERA.

I MEAN, WE DO IT AT THE STATE LEVEL.

WE DO IT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

YOU HAVE PERSONAL EMAILS AND YOU HAVE YOUR, UH, YOUR OFFICIAL CAPACITY EMAILS THAT ARE BOTH USED.

I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD PERHAPS GET A, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATION ON, ON HOW WE CAN BALANCE THIS SO THAT WE'RE AT LEAST BEING ABLE TO, TO UTILIZE OUR, OUR DAILY EMAILS THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE ON DUE TO WORK RESPONSIBILITIES OR JUST FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES THAT YOU'RE ON EVERY SINGLE DAY, AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW SHOOTS HAVEN'T CHECKED MY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SITE FOR WHENEVER.

AND IS IT UP THIS WEEK? SO, AND AGAIN, I'M JUST, AGAIN, I TECHNOLOGY IN COMPETENCE AND I'VE HAD SOME ISSUES HERE, OBVIOUSLY TONIGHT IS ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES, BUT NONETHELESS, JUST A THOUGHT THAT WE CAN PERHAPS GET A, GET AN EXPLANATION ON, ON, IS THIS GOING TO BE THE FUTURE OR IS THERE SOME TYPE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MID HAPPY MIDDLE THAT WE CAN, UH, REACH? SO WHEN AGAIN, I'M JUST WINDING GUYS.

THANK AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS.

I APOLOGIZE.

SO I'M HURTING DAMMIT.

SO JEREMY, YOU ABOUT A PRESENTATION ON THAT.

THANKS, KEN.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING TOO IS, UH, AGAIN, BACK TO THE TOPIC, DOES YOUR, I MEAN, THE, THE HOMELESS CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING AND CAN, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF YOU GUYS ARE IN EVERY OTHER WEEK BRIEFINGS WHERE THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS ON HOW WE CAN KEEP THIS PROCESS MOVING IN A HEALTHY AND SAFE WAY FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY? I MEAN, IS IT, CAN WE ACTUALLY REVISIT THAT IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DO WE GET MORE INVOLVED AS A DEPARTMENT? AND IF WE DO BECOME MORE INVOLVED, IS OUR FUNDING MECHANISM IN PLACE TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS.

SO, WELL, I BRING FORWARD A BRIEFING TO KIND OF PAINT A PICTURE OF EXACTLY WHAT OUR INVOLVEMENT IS AND GET BETTER AND JUST PROVIDE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THINGS ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW.

ANY THOUGHTS ON AMANDA? I, I HAVE A QUICK ONE AND YEAH, I, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THE, WHAT JERRY JUST MENTIONED.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, UM, WITH THE HOMELESS SITUATION, THE CURRENT, WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF PROP B, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE PROP DEBO, THE OTHER ITEM THAT IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN PASSING, AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A BRIEFING YET IS, UH, THE RESILIENCE OFFICE, UH, UNDERSTANDING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RESILIENCE OFFICE AND THE CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER IN ARR, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT AREAS ARE THERE OVERLAPPING RESPONSIBILITIES AND AREAS OF INTEREST? I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD INVOLVE INVITING THEM, UH, TO GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION OR IF THAT'S STAFF, YOU KNOW, BRIEFING ON WHAT THEY HAVE INTERACTED WITH THE NATURE OF THE INTERACTION SO FAR, BUT SOMEHOW GETTING A LITTLE MORE UP TO SPEED ON WHAT THAT GROUP IS DOING, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PART OF THEIR CHARGE AS AN OFFICE WOULD IMPACT THIS ISSUE, UM, OF THE HOMELESSNESS WOULD IMPACT SOME OTHER THINGS ABOUT STORM PREPAREDNESS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET ELEMENTS, ALL OF IT WOULD, WOULD SOMEHOW FALL INTO THAT REALM AS WELL.

SO THAT WOULD BE USEFUL TO GET A BETTER PICTURE OF THAT, UM, ENDEAVOR AT THE CITY.

GOOD IDEA.

THANK YOU, AMANDA.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS COMMISSIONERS? OH, THE C AND D MEETINGS.

FIRST MEETING IS GOING TO BE IN, UH, APRIL 23RD ON APRIL 23RD, MAYBE.

UH, UH, WE HAVE A SMALL REPORT AND YES, AND WE CAN HEAR FROM THE STAFF ABOUT THE CNB AND, AND, UM, MAYBE SOME OF THEIR REACTIONS AND SOME LEADERSHIP ON THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

HEY, KEN, CAN I ASK YOU TO BRIEFLY KIND OF SPEAK TO THE ITEM THAT, THAT THE A C AND D ITEM THAT YOU WERE GOING TO HOPEFULLY PRESENT TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE IN THE FUTURE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A GREAT, GREAT

[01:25:01]

OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR THEM? ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED REACHING OUT TO, UH, OTHER CITIES, PRIMARILY WEST COAST CITIES THAT ARE PRETTY FAR ALONG ON THAT SPECTRUM TO GET A SENSE FOR, UH, WHAT IS WORKING IN THEIR PROGRAMS, WHAT THE PROGRAMS LOOK LIKE PROS AND CONS DO'S AND DON'TS, UH, WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL BEING TO LEARN, UM, HOW SOME OF THOSE THINGS MIGHT WORK HERE IN AUSTIN, OR WHAT MIGHT NOT WORK HERE BASED ON THE LAWS HERE.

UM, BUT SO FAR WE'RE PLANNING, UH, TO REACH OUT TO, UH, PORTLAND, UH, SAN FRANCISCO, UH, REPRESENTING OLDER CITIES, UH, BUT ALSO CITIES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING LOTS OF GROWTH, LIKE, UH, LAS VEGAS.

UM, AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON THAT AND, UH, WE WANT TO KIND OF GET, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT PULLED TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE IT PULLED TOGETHER IN TIME FOR NEXT MONTH.

THANK YOU, KEN.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? YES.

GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD, KATHY.

I CAN'T, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO, TO, UH, SEE IF YOU LOOK AT A CITY THAT'S PROGRESSIVE AND THEN THEIR STATE GOVERNMENTS, NOT JUST SEE WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITHOUT GETTING SLAMMED.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID? WHAT I WOULDN'T DO THAT.