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[City-Community Reimagining Public Safety Task Force]
THIS IS THE APRIL 15TH MEETING OF THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE.I AM VALERIE HARRIS AND I AM YOUR PRODUCTION LEAD FOR TONIGHT.
WE HAVE A FEW THINGS TO GO OVER BEFORE THE TASK FORCE BEGINS.
IT'S ME IT'S BEFORE THE TASK FORCE BEGINS ITS WORK TONIGHT.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LISTEN IN SPANISH, PLEASE LOOK FOR THE INTERPRETATION ICON AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR ZOOM SCREEN AND SELECT SPANISH.
ONCE YOU'RE IN THE LANGUAGE CHANNEL, YOU WILL HEAR THE INTERPRETER'S VOICE A LITTLE LOUDER THAN THE ENGLISH SPEAKERS VOICE.
IF THAT IS DISTRACTING, YOU CAN SELECT MUTE OR ORIGINAL AUDIO.
SO ALL YOU WILL HEAR IS THE INTERPRETER SPEAKING IN SPANISH.
ALSO, PLEASE TYPE THE LETTERS E S IN FRONT OF YOUR ZOOM NAME TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE LISTENING IN SPANISH.
MARIO, WOULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT THIS IN SPANISH FOR ME? SORRY ABOUT THAT.
SO ONCE AGAIN, FOR EVERYONE JUST SETTLING IN, THIS IS THE REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE MEETING, AND I'M VALERIE, THE PRODUCTION LEAD JOINING ME ON THE PRODUCTION TEAM IS MARIANNA COREY AND SALT SOULE.
WE ALSO HAVE JACQUELINE ELIZABETH AND ALEX IN THE SPANISH CHANNEL AND LAUREN AND SEAN ARE OUR ASL INTERPRETERS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS MEETING.
THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS WILL CONDUCT BUSINESS, BUT WILL NOT TAKE FEEDBACK FROM THE AUDIENCE AND WILL NOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS LIVE.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO ADD, OR YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS YOU MAY SHARE, UM, YOU MAY SEND AN EMAIL OR GO TO THE REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE PAGES, UM, ON OUR AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV WEBSITE.
THIS SCREEN IS BEING SHARED NOW WITH THE EMAIL ADDRESS AND THE, UM, WEB ADDRESS FOR BOTH THE ENGLISH PAGE AND THE SPANISH PAGE.
IF YOU HAVE TECHNICAL ISSUES AND YOU GET DROPPED OUT, YOU CAN LOOK ON THE AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO JOIN THE MEETING IN THE, TO JOIN THE, TO REJOIN THE WEBINAR.
SO WE ARE ALSO STREAMING LIVE ON FACEBOOK, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS TUNE IN TO WATCH THE LIVE STREAM THERE ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN FACEBOOK PAGE, AND THAT'S AT FACEBOOK.COM/AUSTIN, TEXAS, THAT G O V.
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AND WITH A REMINDER THAT WE ARE RECORDING THIS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, I GIVE YOU OVER TO THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY PASSWORDS.MY NAME IS
UH, I'M A MOTHER AND A MIDWIFE, AND I'M ALSO A REPRESENTATIVE FOR CCU COMMUNITIES OF COLOR UNITED FOR RACIAL JUSTICE.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HER AND ADA, AND I WANT TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THIS MEETING A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE PARTICIPATING MANY, HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING, UH, OUR, OUR REGULAR MEETINGS, OR MAYBE FOR SOME OF YOU.
THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, BEFORE WE JUMP INTO TODAY'S AGENDA.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW HOW WE GOT HERE.
WHAT TONIGHT IS AN IMPORTANT MEETING BECAUSE WE, AS THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE WILL FINALIZE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER NEXT TUESDAY.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN AUGUST, BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT, BEFORE THEN THIS PROCESS BEGAN FROM FOR MANY YEARS, THE ISSUE OF POLICE VIOLENCE HAS BEEN AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITIES IN PARTICULAR BLACK FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR, BOTH LOCALLY IN AUSTIN AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
MANY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND DECADES, BUT IN AUSTIN FOR THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN PUSHING CITY COUNCIL TO REALLY RETHINK HOW OUR GENERAL BUDGET IS ALLOCATED IN AUSTIN.
AND WHY, AND QUESTION, THE REASON WHY SUCH A HUGE PERCENTAGE HAS GONE TO POLICING VERSUS OTHER AREAS SUCH AS HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
THOSE THAT KIND OF WORK OVER YEARS AND YEARS ACTUALLY CULMINATED THIS PAST YEAR IN THE NATIONAL UPRISINGS, UH, THAT HAPPENED IN 2020, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY, REALLY PUSHING, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFETIME.
I THINK THIS IS A HISTORIC AND A HISTORIC MOMENT FOR, FOR MANY OF US, DO WE SEE ON A LARGE SCALE, A DEMAND THAT WE DEFUND POLICE AND THAT WE RETHINK HOW WE KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN DECIDED TO CREATE THIS RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE.
IT HAS COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES ON ONE OF THEM AND THERE'S MANY MORE.
AND IT ALSO HAS CITY REPRESENTATIVE, CITY STAFF REPRESENTATIVES.
AND TOGETHER, SINCE AUGUST, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR OUR CITY TOGETHER.
WE STARTED BY SAYING BEFORE WE MAKE ANY PROPOSALS, WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW DID WE GET TO THIS PLACE IN TERMS OF HOW INSTITUTIONS FUNCTION.
AND WE LOOKED AT THE HISTORY OF POLICING IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN AUSTIN, STARTING WITH COLONIZATION AND ENSLAVEMENT AND GOING ALL THE WAY TO 2020, UH, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE THEN DECIDED TO CREATE GUIDING VALUES, UH, TO SERVE AS OUR COMPASS OF HOW WE WILL REIMAGINE AND HELP GUIDE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AFTER THAT WE DEVELOPED WORKING GROUPS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN MEETING NOW FOR MONTHS, WE ACTIVELY HAVE NINE WORKING GROUPS RIGHT NOW, AND EACH WORKING GROUP HAS OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE TASK FORCE, WORKING WITH US TO DEVELOP THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TONIGHT.
UH, WE WILL FINALIZE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT LAST MEETING WE HAD PROPOSALS, BUT WE'VE ALSO ENGAGED IN LISTENING SESSIONS, BOTH SMALL ONES AND WITHIN WORKING GROUPS, AND ALSO A CITY-WIDE LISTENING SESSION LAST SATURDAY, WHERE WE HAD A FLOOD OF TESTIMONIES OF LOCAL RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED BY POLICING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IMMIGRATION.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO PULL ALL OF THAT TOGETHER HERE, UH, IN A VERY LONG MEETING.
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL PARTICIPATE WITH US.
AND I WILL PASS THE MIC TO MY CO-CHAIR BRIAN OAKS.
AND WELCOME EVERYONE TO TONIGHT'S MEETING.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY, BUT WE ARE REALLY SO EXCITED TO FINALLY RECEIVE THE FINAL PROPOSALS FROM ALL THE WORKING GROUPS FOR TONIGHT.
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TO RECOGNIZE, UM, THE TIME, THE DEDICATION, THE PASSION, THE COMMITMENT OF ALL THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS.AND ALSO, AS PAULA SAID, ALL OF THE OTHER MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN WORK GROUPS THAT WERE NOT ON THE TASK FORCE, BUT STILL PUT IN HOURS, UH, OF THEIR VOLUNTEER TIME TO HELP US BUILD AND DEVELOP THESE PROPOSALS THROUGH THE GUIDING VALUES THAT WERE, UH, ESTABLISHED BY THE TASK FORCE.
ONE OF THE GUIDING VALUES OF OUR TASK FORCES THAT WE REALLY ROOT OURSELVES IN THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
AND SO IT'S BECOME OUR CUSTOM NOW TO REALLY DO A LANDING KNOWLEDGEMENT, UH, FOR OUR MEETINGS.
SO LET US ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY ON THE LAND OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, THE TOCCOA, THE APACHE DIAZ, LETA DEL PUEBLO, THE LIPAN APACHE TRIBE, THE TEXAS BAND OF THE
THESE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MANY GENERATIONS AND CONTINUE TO BE SYSTEMATICALLY RAISED BY POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT WE MOVED THEIR HISTORIES FROM THIS PLACE.
LET US ALSO HONOR THE ENSLAVED BLACK PEOPLE WHO BUILT THE WEALTH AND FOUNDATION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN HISTORY TELLS US THAT THIS CITY IS FIRST GRADE AND BUILDINGS WERE BUILT BY THIS STOLEN LABOR.
LET US RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE HISTORIES OF TEXAS.
AND THE UNITED STATES IS COMPLICIT WITH THE INSTITUTION OF RACISM.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE DIFFICULT HISTORIES, PERSISTENT PRESENT DAY RACIAL INEQUITIES AND WHAT WE CALL DISPARATE OUTCOME, LET US COMMIT TO UNDOING RACISM IN EVERY RESPECT OF SPACES OF OUR WORK.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR FACILITATOR.
RC, THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRIAN AND BOLA.
I ALSO GO BY RC OR HOSANA FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS.
I WILL BE YOUR FACILITATOR TODAY.
I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN SO WE CAN BRIEFLY GO OVER THE OPERATING AGREEMENTS FOR THE EVENING.
UM, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO THE VALUE OF PRIORITIZING THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED, UM, IN OUR PRACTICE OF THESE OPERATING AGREEMENTS TONIGHT.
AND I WILL REMIND US THAT AS THE FACILITATOR, I'M HERE TO GUIDE OUR CONVERSATION WITHIN ITS PURPOSE AND TOWARDS ITS OUTCOMES IN THE MOST EASE EASEL, AND JUST WAY POSSIBLE.
I AM GOING TO ASK EVERY TASK FORCE MEMBER AND EVERY PARTICIPANTS, COOPERATION AND SHARING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SUCCESS OF TODAY'S SESSION.
AND I APOLOGIZE, IT SAYS LISTENING SESSION, BUT I'M REFERRING TO OUR, OUR TASK FORCE MEETING TODAY THAT WE COMMIT NOT ONLY TO BEING HEARD, BUT TO ENSURING THAT OTHERS ARE HEARD, THAT WE'LL SHARE TIME, THAT WE WON'T INTERRUPT EACH OTHER, AND THAT WILL VALUE AND PRIORITIZE THOSE OF US WHO DON'T OFTEN GET HEARD WHEN CITYWIDE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.
AND I'M GOING TO PUT A FINER POINT ON THAT TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A HUGE TASK AHEAD OF US.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, IT CAN BE DAUNTING, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IF EACH OF US IS REALLY, UH, DEEP IN OUR DISCERNMENT OF WHAT WE'RE SHARING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T REPEAT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SAID, AND THAT OUR PURPOSE IN SPEAKING IS TO MOVE THE CONVERSATION FORWARD.
I KNOW THAT WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL TONIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU AND MOVE US INTO OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS TO DEBRIEF, UM, THE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION FROM SATURDAY.
AND, UM, I WANT TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS FROM SATURDAY.
UM, I THINK IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, UH, RE-IMAGINING EXERCISE AND, UM, I'M HOPEFUL THAT ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO DID SPEAK AND THE, THOSE WHO GAVE TESTIMONY, BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO, UM, GET ON THE MIC ARE, UM, AWARE OF THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE GIFT CARD FROM GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP.
UM, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE DROP SOME INFORMATION ON, UM, HOW, WHO YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT AND HOW TO DO IT IN CASE YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO GET, UM, THAT GIFT CARD AND YOU DID TESTIFY OR SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY ON SATURDAY.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR, INVITE ANY TASK FORCE MEMBERS WHO WANT TO SHARE ABOUT SATURDAY,
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I'LL GO FIRST, MONICA GUZMAN, SHE, HER HERS WITH GOV GO AUSTIN, VAMOS AUSTIN.IT WAS AMAZING TO HAVE SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS PRESENT, UM, OBVIOUSLY EMOTIONAL AS WELL.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO GET THAT WAY TONIGHT, BUT IT WAS.
AND, AND, UH, I'M SO GLAD THAT TOGETHER, THE TASK FORCE WORKFORCE MEMBERS, EVERYBODY THAT WE KNOW OUR NETWORKS, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HELP LIFT THE VOICES AND GET THEM TO THE MIC AS IT WERE SO THEY CAN BE HEARD.
AND THERE'S SO MANY MORE THAT HAVE YET TO BE HEARD, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT GETS DONE.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT SPOKE.
I JUST LIKE TO SAY HOW IMPRESSED I CONTINUE TO BE BY THE, BY THE PEOPLE, EVEN IN SPITE OF FEELING INCITED, NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE HANDS OF THE CITY, IN SPITE OF SEEING RECENT THINGS THAT HAVE GIVEN PEOPLE EVEN MORE REASON TO FEEL LESS SAFE AT THE HANDS OF THE CITY.
IT'S ALWAYS EMPOWERING FOR ME TO SEE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE STILL SHOW UP AND LET THEIR VOICES BE HEARD, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH DISRESPECT THEY, THEY RECEIVE PHARMACY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, DAVID AND I DID WANT TO MENTION, AND I S I SEE YOUR HAND, AMANDA, UM, THAT WE RAN OUT OF.
WE HAD WAY MORE FOLKS WHO WANTED TO JUSTIFY THAN TIME.
UM, WE DID EXTEND OVER AN HOUR, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, IN ORDER TO, TO MAKE THIS THE MOST DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, WE REALLY WOULD HAVE NEEDED SO MUCH MORE TIME IN SO MANY MORE AVENUES TO CAPTURE ALL OF THAT COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND ALSO ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO JOIN US ON.
AND SO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AMANDA, AND THEN CHRIS.
YEAH, I, I THINK I ECHO, UM, WHAT OTHER FOLKS HAVE SAID.
I THINK IT WAS DEEPLY, DEEPLY PROFOUND, AND I KNOW FOR ME AND MY WORKING GROUP, IT REALLY HELPED HER RECENTER US ON OUR VALUES.
AND, UM, AND SO I THINK IT REALLY HELPED, UM, TO HEAR KIND OF THOSE DETAILS.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A LOT OF STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE MAYBE HAVE HER, AND, BUT I THINK JUST THE EXTENT AND THE INTEREST OF PEOPLE LIKE BEING ABLE TO LEAD IN THIS AS WELL.
LIKE IT, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH FOLKS TO BUILD OUT SOME OF THEIR SPECIFIC, UM, ASK THAT THEY HAD OF US AND OF THE CITY.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, I ALSO WAS THINKING IT WOULD BE MAYBE REALLY GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE LIKE A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, UM, OF OUR MEETINGS.
I MEAN, OUR MEETINGS ARE SUPER LONG RIGHT NOW, ANYWAY, SO MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S NOT AS, UM, THESE BUBBLE, BUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, 20 MINUTES, HALF AN HOUR BEFORE JUST TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE REALLY GREAT.
UM, IF NOT JUST BUILDING IN MORE, UM, LISTENING SESSIONS, UH, FOR THAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PLUG PEOPLE INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY CAN BE A PART OF, UM, WHAT, WHAT THEY THINK NEEDS TO REALLY, REALLY BE CHANGED.
THANK YOU, AMANDA, CHRIS, AND THEN A DONG, UH, YEAH.
UM, I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A WORK CAMP TONIGHT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS INCREDIBLY MOVING IN AND, UM,
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AND I'M, I'M JUST SO IN AWE OF JUST HOW INCREDIBLY PROFOUND AND, AND ELOQUENT AND MOVING, UH, PEOPLE CAN BE.UH, AND SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR CITY ARE IN PARTICULARLY FOLKS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SO MUCH, UH, HARM AT THE HANDS OF, OF SYSTEMS THAT ARE, ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO HARM THEM.
AND, AND I'M REALLY, I'M REALLY TIRED.
UH, I'M, I'M TIRED OF THE FACT THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT AND SEE VIDEOS LIKE ADAM TOLEDO AND, AND THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO MOVE PEOPLE AND DO THINGS.
IN FACT, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD BE ON THIS TASK FORCE AND JUST MAKING THE DECISIONS, UH, BECAUSE, UH, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TELL THEIR STORIES ANYMORE.
UH IT'S ANYWAY, I I'M JUST, I JUST VERY THANKFUL TO THEM, UM, AND TO EVERYONE THAT, INTO THIS TASK FORCE FOR, FOR CREATING THAT SPACE AND, AND I'M, AND I'M SORRY, I'M REALLY, I'M REALLY SORRY THAT, SO THAT, THAT FOLKS FOR FOLKS THAT DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY NEEDED TO.
THANK YOU, CHRIS, AND THANK YOU FOR LIFTING UP THE NAMES, UM, AND, AND LIFTING UP THOSE FOLKS DONE.
I AGREE WITH, UM, AMANDA, AROUND, UM, MAKING MORE SPACE WITH YOUR, UM, PEOPLE'S VOICES.
NOT JUST WANT IT TO SAY THAT NEED THAT.
UM, IT WAS VERY POWERFUL AND, UH, FOR ME, FOR THE WORKING THIS GROUP, BUT ALSO, UM, FOR WORK IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE AT MY ORGANIZATION AS WELL, I TOOK A LOT OF NUGGETS AROUND, UM, SOME VARIOUS PARTICULAR CHANGES.
WE DID START TO WORK ON AS WELL.
UM, UM, EVERYONE HAS PUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK, UM, AND BOUGHT INTO MOVING THINGS FORWARD.
AND, UM, AND ALL OF THE PLANNING MEETINGS COULD BE AS POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT AS THE ONE WE HAD ON SATURDAY.
WE'D GET A LOT DONE A LOT QUICKER, PAYS A LOT.
AND THERE WASN'T A NOTE JUST FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.
IT WAS A LITTLE, YOUR VOLUME WAS A LITTLE LOW, SO SHE COULD BE CLOSER TO THE MIC IN THE FUTURE WITH THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO, UNLESS THERE'S, I SEE YOUR HAND.
AND THEN AFTER YOUR COMMENT, WE'LL MOVE INTO THE REVIEW OF THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WANT US TO START THAT SEGMENT WITH THE SURVIVORS, UH, SERVICES AND PREVENTION WORKING GROUP THAT DID NOT GET TO FINISH THEIR PRESENTATION LAST TIME.
SO PAULA, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN AMANDA, THANK YOU, PAULA CCU.
SHE, HER ADA, I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE LITTLE PIECE, WHICH WAS THAT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK DONE TO EVEN CREATE A SENSE OF, UM, SEMI TRUST FOR PEOPLE TO COME ON SATURDAY.
SO IF THE CITY HAD JUST PUT OUT, LIKE WE'RE DOING A CITY-WIDE LISTENING SESSION, HERE'S THE COME, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE TURNOUT THAT IT WAS THE REASON WHY THE TURNOUT WAS THERE WAS THAT A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY GROUPS INVOLVED, ALL OF US, UM, ENCOURAGED OUR FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE AND, UM, KIND OF VOUCHED FOR THIS SPACE TO SAY IT IS WORTH IT.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE THAT, THAT IT ISN'T JUST THE FORMAL CITY AND LISTENING SESSION, BUT IT'S THE, IT'S THE RELATIONSHIPS, UM, THAT AND TRUST THAT HELPS PEOPLE EVEN MAKE THAT SMALL STEP OF A BRIDGE.
THANK YOU, PAULA AND AMANDA, JUST BEFORE YOU, UM, GO INTO YOUR FINISHING YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S A LENGTHY DOCUMENT.
I WANT TO REMIND ALL OF THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS SO THAT THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS KNOW AT HOME THAT THERE'S A LONG NUMBER, A NUMBER OF LONG DOCUMENTS, UM, THAT, UH, WE HAD VERY LITTLE TIME TO REVIEW.
UM, AND JUST WANTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS SEGMENT TO FINISH THE PRESENTATIONS, TO ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, POPCORN STYLE OF ANY OF THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS
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SO FAR.AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER SEGMENT WHERE WE'LL DO ANY SUGGESTIONS, AMENDMENTS, AND THEN VOTING.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL IN PREPARATION FOR THE APRIL 20TH PRESENTATION ON TUESDAY TO CITY COUNCIL, WHICH WILL BE OUR LAST SECTION OF OUR AGENDA TODAY.
AND I'LL REMIND YOU MY PRONOUNS.
ARE THEY THEM THEIRS? AND I WANTED TO SHARE AS WE MOVE INTO THIS AND BRING INTO THE SPACE, UM, THE WISDOM OF A GREAT TEXAN, BARBARA JORDAN, AND, UM, HER SPIRIT OF HARD WORK, UM, IN THE FACE OF ENORMOUS CHALLENGE.
AND THIS QUOTE THAT I FOUND I CAME ACROSS THIS WEEK REALLY SPOKE TO ME.
SHE SAID THE TRANSITION FROM DREAMS AND RHETORIC TO FACT IS NOT AN EASY ONE.
THE PATH IS FRAUGHT WITH TRAVAIL.
AND SO WITH THAT, I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND WORK HARD AND MAKE MAGIC TONIGHT.
SO AMANDA, THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, THE EXTRA TIME.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, I THINK LAST TIME I TALKED ABOUT KIND OF THE GUIDING VALUES, UM, WE DID EXPAND ON SOME OF THAT AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE JUST TO KIND OF READ, UM, UH, THIS SENTENCE OR THIS PARAGRAPH, BECAUSE IT REALLY KIND OF PLAYS INTO ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE EXPECTATIONS OUR WORKING GROUP HAS, WAS TO, UM, COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATION AROUND VICTIM SERVICES, WHETHER TO DECOUPLE, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, OUR WORKING GROUP IS AWARE THAT MUCH OF THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY AND VICTIMS, UM, HAS CENTERED ON THE POSSIBILITY OF DECOUPLING, UH, VICTIM SERVICES AND ABD AND THIS WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION ON THAT MATTER MAY BE FOUND.
UM, I'LL TALK ABOUT IT LATER ON IN THE DOCUMENT, BUT WE REALLY WANTED TO, UM, UH, RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY THINK MORE BROADLY ABOUT SERVICES FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS IN AUSTIN.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT VICTIM SERVICES AS CURRENTLY CONFIGURED IS REALLY JUST ONE SMALL PIECE OF A LARGER PIE.
UM, AND RATHER THAN TRYING TO DIVIDE UP THIS ONE SLICE, UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY SHOULD EXPAND THE ENTIRE POOL OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY TO SURVIVORS AND HEALING.
UM, AND FOR THE RESTORATION OF REPAIR AND HARM, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING BEING DEDICATED TO RESOURCES OUTSIDE OF THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM WITHOUT, UM, DEUCING, UH, FUNDING FOR EXISTING EXISTING VICTIM SERVICES.
SO JUST KIND OF TO REITERATE THAT WE, WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO THINK A LOT BIGGER.
UM, WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE GENERATIONAL VIOLENCE AND COMMUNITY HARM CAUSED BY OUR SYSTEMS OF POLICING MEANS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN AUSTIN THAT CANNOT AND WILL NOT ACCESS THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM FOR REMEDIES.
AND SO THIS WORKING GROUP, UM, YOU KNOW, ASK THAT THE CITY FUND A PROLIFERATION OF SERVICES, UM, THAT NOT ONLY GIVE ACCESS TO, UM, DIFFERENT SERVICES, BUT ALSO, UM, UM, THAT DON'T REQUIRE ANY KIND OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THAT SYSTEM.
UM, SO, UH, WE IDENTIFIED, UM, I THINK AS IDENTIFIED BY DEATH PROBATE PER PATROL AND SURVEILLANCE WORK GROUP, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT KIND OF UPROOTING HARMFUL, UM, CULTURE'S PIECE.
UM, AND WE THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF EVEN LOOKING AT THE SYSTEM, UM, THAT WE HAVE LIKE VICTIM SERVICES, HOW DO WE UPROOT THAT CULTURE AS WELL? UM, AND OF COURSE THAT, UM, JUST, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THESE SERVICES ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, AND OF COURSE, UM, ARE RAN BY COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF THAT, THAT THOSE SERVICES.
UM, SO THE FIRST SECTION WE HAVE IS THAT, UM, COMMUNITY-BASED, UM, SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS AND, UM, SOME OF THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS CAME UP WITH A BEAUTIFUL, UM, GRANT PROGRAM AND WHERE WE CALLED IT COMMUNITY ROOTED SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE IDENTIFY THAT MAYBE ORGANIZATIONS OR THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, THESE ORGANIZATIONS MAY NOT EXIST YET.
UM, AND WE DEFINITELY KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, UM, BUT WE WANTED TO REALLY SHAPE A GRANT, A COMMUNITY-BASED GRANT PROGRAM, UM, THAT LOOKS AT SAFETY AND IMMEDIATE WELLBEING FOR PEOPLE WHO'VE EXPERIENCED HARM HEALING AND REPAIR FROM HARM AND PREVENTION, SOME HARM, UM, AND WE WANTED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC AND HOW
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WE HOOK THAT BRANCH, UM, IS ADMINISTERED.AND WE HOPE FOR, UH, 350,000 PER YEAR TO FUND, UM, COMMUNITY GROUPS.
AND, UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS ABOUT WHERE THIS COULD BE HOUSED MAYBE FROM THE EQUITY OFFICE OR THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, BUT IF YOU REVIEW THE DOCUMENT, YOU HAVE, THERE'S A LOT MORE KIND OF DETAILS ABOUT ELIGIBILITY ENSURING THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH A LOT OF HOOPS IN ORDER TO APPLY, UM, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE MORE COMMUNITY SPECIFIC OPTIONS, LGBTQ, UM, IMMIGRANTS, YOUTH, UH, FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, SO THAT IS, I THINK ONE OF OUR MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO RECOMMENDED TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER MODELS, UM, THAT REALLY COMES OUT OF A CRIME SURVIVORS FOR SAFETY AND JUSTICE AND ALLIANCE FOR SAFETY AND JUSTICE.
UM, YES, SORRY ABOUT THE SPEED.
UM, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, CREATED THE TRC MODEL AND I BELIEVE IT'S BASED OUT OF CALIFORNIA, BUT WE HAVE A LOCAL TEXAS CHAPTER THAT, UM, REALLY PROMOTES, UM, BASICALLY TRAUMA CENTERS ARE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, UM, TRAUMA INFORMED THERAPY AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS OF ALL VIOLENT CRIME.
AND THEY DON'T NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT THEY'RE, CO-LOCATED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THAT COMMUNITY AND LIVE BY THOSE COMMUNITIES.
AND I THINK IT WOULD FIT REALLY WELL WITH OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORTH.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHEN OFTEN, AND USUALLY THEY HAVE, UM, RELATIONSHIPS WITH HOSPITALS.
I THINK I MENTIONED THAT, UM, I DID MENTION THE SEX WORKER OUTREACH SERVICES.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT IS 460,000, UH, FOR THE FIRST YEAR AND TWO 60 K UM, AFTER THAT FOR OUTREACH SERVICES AND THEN FURTHER ENGAGEMENT, UM, COMMUNITY BASED ECONOMIC SERVICES.
SO, OH, YOU DOWN VERBALLY BECAUSE I, AND I, I THINK I ALMOST DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
YOU SAID THE SEX WORKER OUTREACH.
AND I DID MENTION THIS LAST MEETING, UM, BUT THAT IS TO CONDUCT SURVEYS, UM, ABOUT VIOLENCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES AND STRENGTHEN THE DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE, PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMMING.
UM, UH, SO THAT COULD LOOK LIKE A BAD DATE LIST, UM, PAID PEER MENTORSHIP AND MUTUAL AID STREET OUTREACH AND HARM REDUCTION, PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN AGAINST STIGMA FOR SEX WORKERS, UM, AND DRUG USING POPULATIONS OF THE SERVICE PROVIDERS GET THAT.
AND THEN CULTURAL COMPANY COMPETENCY TRAINING FOR LEGAL MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.
UM, AND THEN GOING ON TO ECONOMIC SERVICES, I THINK JUST TO REINFORCE THE IMPORTANCE OF MUTUAL AID AND MAKING SURE THERE'S, UM, LARGER BUCKETS OF MONEY IN DIFFERENT PLACES, AGAIN, DECENTRALIZING SERVICES FOR, UM, FOLKS NEEDING TO ESCAPE HARM OR, UM, KIND OF EARLY INTERVENTION FOR HARM, AND YOU NEED A BUS TO GET ADDED TO OUR, WHATEVER IT COULD BE.
SO ONE OF THE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY FUNDED IS CALLED BRIDGES TO SAFETY AT THE SAFE ALLIANCE, AND WE REALLY RECOMMEND HAVING OTHER BUCKETS.
UM, MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD MODEL, UM, AS AN EXAMPLE, BUT HAVING THOSE KINDS OF READILY IMMEDIATE FUNDS THAT ARE NOT REIMBURSEMENT BEADS, SO IT DOESN'T REQUIRE SOMEONE TO ALREADY SPEND THAT MONEY, UM, IN ORDER TO GET REIMBURSED AND DOESN'T REQUIRE A POLICE REPORT.
I AM WORKING ON MY SPEED, SORRY.
AND, UM, AND THAT RECOMMENDATION, UM, WOULD BE LOOKING AT INSTEAD OF ONE SITE FOR THAT FUNDING, EXPANDING THAT TO SIX SITES.
UM, AND THAT WOULD COST ABOUT 450,000 A YEAR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, I THINK IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT TYPE OF FUNDING MORE, UM, BROADLY AVAILABLE, REALLY, UM, MAKING SURE THERE'S NOT A BUNCH OF WAYS TO, FOR PEOPLE TO QUALIFY.
UM, AND, UM, YEAH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S FAIR THAT WHEN WE ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY-BASED HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AND I MENTIONED THIS LAST WEEK, UM, BUT
[00:35:01]
I THINK IN OTHER PEOPLE HAVE, UM, MENTIONED THIS AS WELL.THAT HOUSING IS SO KEY TO SAFETY AND THE FEELING OF SAFETY AND JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAL FROM TRAUMA WHEN YOU'RE IN CRISIS AND YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO LIVE.
SO, UM, I THINK MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY IS A HIGH PRIORITY.
UM, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THAT.
SO WHEN WOULD BE, UM, UH, FOR FUNDING, ESPECIALLY SPECIFICALLY FOR BLACK TRANS INITIATIVES AROUND THE CITY, UM, FOR A HOUSING TRUST, UM, AND THAT WAS THROUGH BLACK TRANS LEADERSHIP OF AUSTIN, UM, AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR 600,000, UM, TO, TO CREATE, UM, THAT HOUSING TRUST.
UM, WE ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA NEED DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING AVAILABILITY, AND A LOT OF TIMES IN CRISIS, WE FOCUS ON SHELTER.
AND SO EXPANDING TO REALLY LOOK AT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, UM, AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT, THAT THERE'S THIS CONTINUATION OF HOUSING.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, IS A BIG ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK ALTOGETHER THINKING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT VARIETY OF HOUSING NEEDS, UM, AND DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR TRANSITIONAL AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES, THAT FUNDING RECOMMENDATION IS 15 MILLION A YEAR.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S A PRETTY GOOD DEAL.
UM, UH, WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO VIOLENCE, PREVENTION IS A BIG, UH, AN IMPORTANT PIECE AND OFTEN A PIECE THAT PEOPLE DON'T FUND AS READILY AS THEY SHOULD, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SHOW THE SAME OUTCOMES.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SPECIFIC FUNDING TO, UM, ENGAGE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, ALL THE TOUGH PEOPLE, BUT DEFINITELY YOUNG PEOPLE.
SO, UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF GREAT PROGRAMS THAT ARE SCHOOL-BASED, UM, WHETHER THEY'RE INTER ENGAGING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, LIKE LGBT YOUTH OR KIDS THAT, UM, UH, PARENTS THAT ARE INCARCERATED OR FORMERLY INCARCERATED.
UM, BUT THESE PROGRAMS ALSO OF COURSE BUILD COMMUNITY WITHIN PEOPLE, BUT ALSO HELP IN, UM, KIND OF THE SKILLS AROUND, UM, EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, UM, WE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS AND THEY'RE NOT TOO, THEY'RE NOT VERY EXPENSIVE.
THEY REALLY TAKE AROUND, YOU KNOW, SEVEN, I THINK THE ONES THAT WE LOOKED AT LOOKED ABOUT LIKE 15,000 PER SCHOOL, UH, TO IMPLEMENT.
SO, UM, THE CITY PUTTING AROUND 500,000 INTO IMPLEMENTATION FOR PREVENTION BASED SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES.
AND THEN WE, UM, SO THOSE ARE OUR COMMUNITY-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE INTERNAL CITY OF AUSTIN RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, OUR FIRST WAS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH REFERRAL FUND RIGHT NOW WITH SOME SERVICES AND, UH, AND A HOST OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE, UM, ACCESS TO EMDR FUNDS, WHICH IS TO TRAIN COMMUNITY-BASED THERAPISTS TO, UM, LEARN EMDR TRAINING FOR FREE, WHICH IS A CRISIS, UM, RESPONSE OR CRISIS BASED THERAPY.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF SESSIONS AND IT HELPS WITH TRAUMA RECOVERY, UM, TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM TO INCLUDE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEALING MODALITIES AND ACTUALLY, UM, PAY, UM, HEALERS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO'VE EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE FOR FREE.
AND SO THE IDEA WOULD BE THEY KIND OF TAKE THAT FUND OUT OF, UM, JUST VICTIM SERVICES AND THAT GROUP OF FOLKS, AND TO MAKE THAT KIND OF FUNDING WIDELY AVAILABLE TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT WE CAN PAY HEALERS, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE MORE, UM, UH, WHATEVER WE THINK OF AS LIKE, UM, EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT.
I FORGOT WHEN I'M LOSING MY WORDS, BUT THAT KIND OF, UM, DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE HEALING SERVICES THAT CAN REALLY KIND OF BE MORE CULTURALLY RESONANT THAN THEIR THERAPY.
UM, SO THAT'S THAT PROGRAM AND THEN SAFETY FOR SEX WORKERS.
WE DO RECOMMEND THAT, UM, THE CITY RELEASED INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED AND STOP ARRESTING INDIVIDUALS FOR PROSTITUTION AND SOLICITATION AND THE CITY SHOULD ADVOCATE FOR THE COUNTY.
[00:40:01]
AND FOR THE EXPUNGEMENT OF RECORDS, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED, UM, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE LIKE, HEY, LET'S, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE SEX WORKERS ARE SAFE? I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO GET TO, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH FOLKS AND SEX WORKERS THAT ARE ENGAGING WITH THIS SYSTEM.AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF HARM.
UM, THE STUDY SHOULD ALSO ADVOCATE TO END PHOENIX COURT AND INSTEAD FOR, FOR INDIVIDUALS TO LOCAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THEIR NEEDS.
UM, AND IF THOSE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS DON'T EXIST, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE HOPE TO USE, YOU KNOW, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE REALLY PEER BASED.
UM, I THINK THE GOAL IS TO GO TOWARDS FULL DECRIMINALIZATION, RIGHT.
UM, AND, UM, THERE ARE SOME GOOD MODELS.
SO BALTIMORE, UM, HAS STOPPED ARRESTING AND PROSECUTING LOW, UH, MINOR OFFENSES, UM, LIKE, UH, PROSTITUTION, DRUG POSSESSION TO PRESS PASSING OPEN CONTAINER, UM, PUBLIC URINATION,
UM, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS I HAVE WORKED DETAILS, UM, AND THE DOCUMENT, BUT I THINK AUSTIN REALLY TAKING THE LEAD ON MOVING TOWARDS DECRIMINALIZATION OF THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
UM, AND REALLY, I'M JUST SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH IMPORTANT AND VITAL INFORMATION.
AND IT'S REALLY AT THE HEART OF THE TRANSFORMATIVE PROCESS THAT THE WHOLE TASK FORCE IS INVOLVED IN, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ABLE TO GET TO OTHER GROUPS AND THE QUESTION, SO, UM, DO YOU HAVE LIKE MAYBE A SUMMARY THAT CAN BE DONE IN ONE OR TWO MINUTES OF WHATSAPP? GREAT.
SO THE NEXT ONE IS OPPOSITE VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
WE WERE ASKED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON HOW THAT ORGANIZATION COULD OPERATE OR THAT DEPARTMENT COULD OPERATE.
AND WE DO SEE IT AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE WITH THE WORK OF THEIR, UM, THE TASK FORCE, UM, AND MAYBE HOW SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES AND GRANT PROGRAMS. SO, UM, AND I, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT OFFICE FOCUSES ON PEER VIOLENCE.
UM, AND THERE ARE SOME GREAT, UM, PROGRAMS AND OTHER CITIES AND OTHER WAYS THAT OPPOSITE VIOLENCE PREVENTION OPERATES.
SO DEFINITELY CHECK OUT OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS THERE, 500 K TO BUILD COMMUNITY CAPACITY ASSETS, DO DEEP COMMUNITY LEVEL WORK AND MAKE THAT A CONTINUOUS PART OF WHAT THAT OFFICE DOES.
UM, AND, UM, YEAH, SO I'LL, I'LL, THAT'S IT FOR THAT WAY.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS DONE.
VICTIM SERVICES RE REITERATING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO MAKE SURE VICTIMS ARE NOT BEING, UM, NOT EXPERIENCED ADDITIONAL HARM WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO I THINK, UM, NEEDING FOR, UH, VICTIM SERVICES, IF, UH, DECOUPLED FROM APD TO RETAIN PHYSICAL CO-LOCATED PATIENT AND ACCESS TO, UM, THE DATABASES THAT APD USES, SO THAT VICTIMS STILL HAVE THAT ADVOCACY THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
I'M ALSO RECOMMENDING THAT DAY, UM, DEDICATE, UM, SOMETIME WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE TO, UH, TO GO THROUGH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND, UM, WHAT WAS FOUND IN THEIR EQUITY ASSESSMENT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN, UM, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND TRAINING AND THE CADETS AND ONGOING TRAINING.
UM, THAT'S TRAUMA-INFORMED, AND THAT IS ALL OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WANT TO INVITE THE, UM, NOW THE PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, GROUP HAD REQUESTED, UM, FOR THERE TO BE ADDITIONAL TIME TO, UM, SUPPLEMENT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
MY PRONOUNS ARE HE HIM? HIS AND I AM A WORKING GROUP MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORK GROUP AND THE EQUITY REINVESTMENT WORK GROUP.
UM, AFTER THE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION ON SATURDAY, UM, I'M SORRY, MY DOG IS ASKING ME TO BE LOUD.
[00:45:01]
NEED TO EXPAND THE BASE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, TO MAKE IT MORE HOLISTIC AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD.UM, SO WE ADDED QUITE A FEW THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO REVIEW TODAY WITH Y'ALL, UM, THE FIRST, UM, SO I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER THE ONES THAT WE HAD ALREADY DISCUSSED, BUT RATHER THE NEW ONES.
UM, LAST TIME WE HAD INTRODUCED THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING HUB AS A CONTINUATION OF THAT, WE WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO ENTER A PARTNERSHIP WITH TRAVIS COUNTY CENTRAL HEALTH AND DELL MEDICINE AND OPEN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS THAT OFFER LOW COST AND SLIDING SCALE INTEGRATED CARE CLINICS, WHICH WOULD OPERATE AS HOME BASIS FOR THAT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKFORCE.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO OPEN FIVE OF THOSE LOCATED IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS, CONCENTRATED IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT TO COMBAT THE SYSTEMIC VIOLENCE OVER POLICING AND TARGETED GENTRIFICATION OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LIVING.
UH, THE SECOND STEP WOULD BE TO DEVELOP A CONTRACT WITH DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND OR CENTRAL HEALTH, WHICHEVER IS THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY TO FUND AND SUPPORT ROTATING TEAMS OF PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS AND NURSES, UM, STUDENTS AS WELL TO OPEN APPOINTMENT SLOTS FOR CARE FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS WORTH OF TIME A MONTH, ANY PER CENTER.
UM, THESE SPACES COULD ALSO BE USED BY, UM, ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE TARGETED OUTREACH WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, OFFERING SERVICES, SUCH AS HARM REDUCTION, SEX WORKER OUTREACH, UM, AMONG OTHERS, UM, LOCATED AT THESE CENTERS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY MEDICAL SUPPLY CLOSETS THAT WOULD OFFER LOW COST MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR RESIDENTS, UNABLE TO AFFORD FULL-PRICE SUPPLIES.
UM, THERE IS A LIST OF SUPPLIES THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IN THE RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE.
THESE SHOULD BE SLIDING SCALE BETWEEN ZERO TO $15 AN ITEM AND NO ITEM IDENTIFICATION OR RED TAPE SHOULD BE, UM, SET IN MOTION IF PEOPLE NEED THOSE SUPPLIES.
YES, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS FOOD ACCESS AND, UM, OR LACK THEREOF.
AND WE'RE ASKING FOR A FREE FOOD PANTRY AND COMMUNITY FARMS AND COMMERCIAL KITCHENS TO BE CO LOCATED AT THE CENTERS.
UM, WE ASK THAT THE CITY BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL, UM, PRODUCE, I'M SORRY.
WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE IN HERE, UM, WITH LOCAL GROWERS AND WHOLESALERS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FRESH FOOD AND PRODUCE, UM, AND THE COMMERCIAL KITCHENS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR LOW COST TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO START SMALL BUSINESSES AND, OR, UM, ALSO BE USED AS EMERGENCY IN EMERGENCY PLANS FROM THE CITY TO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH RESTAURANTS OR OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE HOT MEALS.
WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED THE LACK OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AVAILABLE TO PREDOMINANTLY MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS, SUCH AS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, QUEER AND TRANS FOLKS, BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE IMMIGRANT AND UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THE HIRING OF 50 CLINICIANS THAT WOULD BE PLACED AROUND THESE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND OFFER FREE TELE-HEALTH AND IN-PERSON OFFICE VISITS.
WE'RE ALSO CALLING FOR THE CITY TO BUILD AT LEAST THREE NEW COMMUNITY SOLAR FACILITIES WITH THE INTENTION OF PLUGGING THESE COMMUNITIES INTO RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND REDUCE UTILITY COSTS AND INCREASE RELIANCE
[00:50:01]
ON RENEWABLE ENERGY.WE ALSO, AS A WORK GROUP HAVE IDENTIFIED THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
HOW CAN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR PEOPLE EVEN BEGIN TO CONSIDER OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES? WHEN WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE POPULATION CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE MUST PRIORITIZE GETTING PEOPLE INTO HOUSING FIRST.
AND THEN ONCE THAT STABLE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSITION HAS BEEN SUPPORTED, THEN ADDITIONAL SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED, UM, TO SUPPORT NEEDS AND ENSURE HOUSING CAN BE LONG LASTING.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND PROMISES TO GET PEOPLE OFF OF WAIT LISTS.
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS NO LONGER TRANSITIONAL WHEN THERE ARE STRUCTURES, WHEN THERE ARE NO STRUCTURES READY TO ACTUALLY PERMANENTLY HOUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THE CITY NEEDS PERMANENT HOUSING THAT IS LOW COST AND PRIORITIZE TO BE GIVEN TO PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY HOMELESS.
AND I'VE BEEN PUT ON WAIT LISTS FOR UPWARDS TO FOUR YEARS.
UM, WE ARE CALLING ON THE CITY TO BUILD NEW BUILDINGS TO HOUSE PEOPLE WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, TO COORDINATE ENTRY INTO HOUSING, PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES WITH CASE MANAGERS AND TRAUMA INFORMED TEAMS. THERE'S SOME MORE LANGUAGE IN THE DOCUMENT ABOUT SPECIFIC PROCEDURES.
UM, WE'RE ALSO CALLING FOR, UH, THE EQUITY OFFICE, UM, UH, OR THE CITY TO SUPPORT THE EQUITY OFFICE IN APPOINTING A RENT GUIDELINES BOARD THAT WOULD INCLUDE SEVERE SEVERAL DIRECTLY IMPACTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DEVELOP HOUSING MARKET INFORMED SEALING RATES BASED ON SIZE AND STYLE OF HOUSING AND TO INTRODUCE RENT CONTROL, WHICH IS ALSO OUTLINED IN OUR DOCUMENT.
AND, UM, WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING FOR THE PROMOTION OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THROUGH A FRAMEWORK CALLED POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, EFFECT HAVE EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN A YOUNG PERSON'S COMMUNITY AND USE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACHES THAT CENTER ON SIGNIFICANT AREAS IN YOUTH LIFE, SUCH AS EDUCATION, ART AND LEADERSHIP.
UM, THIS WOULD ENCAPSULATE INCREASING FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, ENSURING UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL EDUCATION AND TAKING POLICE OUT OF SCHOOLS.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS MAKING CAP METRO FREE FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AND EXPANDING PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR HEALTHCARE ACCESS.
UH, ONE WOULD BE TO EXPAND METRO ACCESS, UM, AND THE CITY SHOULD BUY ADDITIONAL BUSES FOR METRO ACCESS, HIRE BUSES, HIRE DRIVERS, AND AIM TO ELIMINATE THAT METRO ACCESS WAITLIST.
SECOND OF ALL, ANY MAP MEDICARE, MEDICAID TANF BENEFIT RECIPIENTS SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE FREE MONTHLY BUS PASSES UPON ENROLLMENT IN ANY CURRENT ENROLLEES SHOULD GET THAT MAIL TO THEM EVERY MONTH.
UM, WE ALSO URGE THE CITY TO WORK WITH TRAVIS COUNTY TO DEVELOP A LOCAL MEDICAID EXPANSION PROGRAM, EXPAND COVERAGE OF THE MAP PROGRAM AND INCLUDE MAP USERS AND POTENTIAL USERS IN THAT PROCESS OF DECIDING WHAT WOULD BE COVERED.
UM, I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAME ON SATURDAY AND SHARED AND SPOKE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.
WE ARE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS, NOT ONLY FOR THESE TWO WORKING GROUPS, BUT HOPEFULLY TASKFORCE MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS, UM, FILL OUT THE TEMPLATES.
WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, GET A SENSE, UH, SO THAT IN THE NEXT SESSION, AFTER OUR BREAK, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO VOTE.
SO FOR THE NEXT, ROUGHLY 10 TO 15 MINUTES, WE'LL SEE HOW MANY QUESTIONS THERE ARE.
WE'RE GOING TO ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ONLY.
UM, THIS IS INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD TO VOTE, CHRIS.
[00:55:01]
JUST INCREDIBLE GRATITUDE TO, UH, TO EVERYBODY THAT WORKED ON BOTH OF THESE.AND, UM, MY APOLOGIES AS EVEN AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT GROUP, I WASN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FINAL ROUND.
AND SO I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR, FOR OUR GROUP, UM, IN PARTICULAR, UH, AS IT RELATED TO THE RENT CONTROL QUESTION, UH, AND TO, UH, AND, UM, ABOUT THE, THE BUS PASSES.
UM, I WANT TO, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY KIND OF WHAT, UM, WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS AROUND RENT CONTROL AND THEN, AND THEN I GUESS, UM, AS, AS FAR AS THE, THE FREE BUS PASSES, UM, WAS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT YOU MENTIONED, UH, W WAS, WAS THAT SORT OF THE CRITERIA FOR LOW INCOME? WE DIDN'T ENVISION ANY SORT OF OTHER ADDITIONAL, UM, PEOPLE BEING INCLUDED IN THAT.
CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY ON BOTH ROADS? SO, UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO MAKE AMENDMENTS ON THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR LOW INCOME AS A WORKING GROUP.
WE IDENTIFIED JUST OBVIOUSLY THAT MAP RECIPIENTS SHOULD JUST EASILY BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAD DECIDED ON IMPLEMENTING, BUT I BELIEVE THAT I THINK WE'D ALL BE HAPPY JUST TO MAKE IT FREE, LIKE FOR EVERYONE.
UM, SO HAPPY TO DISCUSS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, FOR RENT CONTROL, WE MODELED A LOT AFTER WHAT NEW YORK DOES, SO I CAN KIND OF GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON WHAT IS IN THE DOCUMENT.
UM, WE DISCUSSED HAVING, UM, THE APPOINTMENT OF A BOARD THAT WOULD DETERMINED CEILING RATES BASED ON THE SIZE OF STYLE AND HOUSING.
SO WHEN A TENANT LEAVES, THE LANDLORD CAN ONLY RAISE THE RENT THAT SET LIMITS, UM, AND THEN EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR AFTER THAT, UM, THE LIMIT OR THE RENT AMOUNT CAN ONLY BE INCREASED BY AN AMOUNT BETWEEN ZERO AND 4.5% ANNUALLY, WHICH WOULD BE DETERMINED THAT RATE WOULD BE DETERMINED THROUGH A VOTE ON THE RENT GUIDELINES BOARD.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A PROVISION IN THERE THAT IF A RESIDENT HAS BEEN LIVING IN, IT'S GONE, UM, IF A RESIDENT HAS BEEN LIVING IN THEIR DWELLING AND RENTING CONSISTENTLY SINCE 1980, THE RENT SHOULD NOT EXCEED A MAXIMUM BASE RENT, UM, WHICH WOULD BE DETERMINED BY THE RENT GUIDELINES BOARD, BUT COULD ALSO BE APPEALED BY RESIDENTS IF NEED BE THAT WOULD ONLY COVER THE LANDLORD'S COSTS FOR UPKEEP OF THE UNIT AND RENT WOULD THEN ADDITIONALLY ONLY INCREASE INCREMENTALLY BASED ON THE ANNUAL PERCENTAGE SET BY THE RENT GUIDELINES REVIEW BOARD.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK OBVIOUSLY I'M 100% IN SUPPORT AND I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT.
UM, MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS RENT CONTROL IS ILLEGAL AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UM, BUT, UM, I, I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD PRECLUDE US FROM MAKING THAT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU OUTLINING THE DETAILS ON THAT, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE BUS THING.
I MEAN, MY ONLY THING IS JUST LIKE NO RED, SO SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU JUST, CAN YOU, CAN YOU REALLY KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO JUST CLARIFYING QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE'RE PRESSED FOR TIME? SURE.
I'LL JUST SAY I, UM, I, I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
I ALSO FAVOR MAKING THE BUSES TOTALLY FREE, BUT THAT'S IT.
UH, SHE, HER FROM ARCHIE, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, UH, YOU WERE MENTIONING MAPS, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE MEDICAL ACCESS PROGRAM FROM CENTRAL HEALTH, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, SO ARE, IS EVERYONE, SO I WANT TO JUST MENTION THAT I LOVE ALL OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK THEY'RE ALL PERFECT AND GREAT.
UM, ARE WE AWARE THAT THAT IS LIKE, UH, UH, THE JURISDICTION OF LIKE CENTRAL HEALTH RATHER THAN THE CITY OF HEALTH OR CITY OF AUSTIN? YES.
SO THE REC THE LANGUAGE IN OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO URGE THE CITY TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EXPANDING IT, UM, MAP USERS AND POTENTIAL USERS IN THAT CONVERSATION.
[01:00:01]
IS THERE ANY OTHER LANGUAGE ABOUT WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO CHANGE THOSE LAWS OR I GUESS QUALIFICATIONS? THAT IS THE EXTENT WE DID TALK.WE DID REFER TO TALKING TO THE COUNTY OR, UM, COORDINATING WITH THE COUNTY IN THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE, UM, COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS.
OH, ANY, AND THIS, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THESE ARE, THIS IS THE TIME FOR US TO ASK QUESTIONS OF ANY OF THE WORKING GROUPS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HEARD LAST WEEK, THAT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO, UM, GET IN LAST WEEK NOW IS THE TIME TO ASK THOSE KATE, HI, THANK YOU, KATE.
GRAZIANI SHE? HER HERS, UM, THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
I WANTED TO ASK IF THE BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK GROUP SUBMITTED RECOMMENDATIONS UM, THE BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK GROUP, UH, DOES NOT HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE STILL WORKING TO FINALIZE THEM, BUT WE WILL PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT WHEN WE CONCLUDE OUR SURVEYS OF OUR BUSINESS SURVEYS AND OTHER RESEARCH THAT WE'RE DOING.
AMANDA, DID I SEE YOUR HAND UP? I THINK KATE READ MY MIND.
YEAH, JUST, UH,
I THINK THAT THE, THE VOTE TODAY IS SUPPOSED TO BE RIGHT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ALL HAD ACCESS TO.
WE ALL WORKED SUPER HARD, UH, TO, TO PROVIDE THIS RECOMMENDATIONS AND IT'S A TIMELY MANNER AS POSSIBLE THEN, UM, I DON'T SEE HOW WE COULD BE ASKED THEN TO, TO VOTE OR INCLUDE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, EVEN IN THE COUNCIL PRESENTATION AS PART OF THE TASK FORCE, WHEN WE OURSELVES HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEM OR DISCUSS THEM, LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM, FROM OTHER FOLKS AS WELL HERE AS HOW WE COULD MOVE AS, AS TO HOW WE COULD MOVE WITH THAT.
AND CHRIS JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM YOU, YOUR HAND WAS UP FROM BEFORE.
UM, AND I SEE HAILEY ECHOING ALICIA'S QUESTION, AND THERE IS SOME COMMENTARY IN THE CHAT ABOUT ALL RECOMMENDATIONS BEING SENT FORWARD TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE COUNCIL BODY NUTRIA.
I BELIEVE I SENT THAT OUT AS I WAS READING, UH, SEPARATE TO THIS QUESTION COMING UP.
I WOULD, UM, WITH DUE RESPECT, SAY THAT ALL RECOMMENDATION SHOULD COME TO THIS TASK FORCE AS A BODY BEFORE THEY MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE, UM, HAD AGREED ON.
AND WE ALSO SAID IF PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE TIME, THEN WE COULD PERHAPS TAKE THEM UP AT A LATER DATE, BUT I DO THINK IT IS DIFFICULT TO MOVE A, AN OFFICIAL TASK FORCE, SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM THE TASK FORCE THAT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN OR VOTED ON BY THE TASK FORCE.
SO IF IT IS NOT READY, I THINK WE HAVE SAID THAT THAT IS OKAY.
AND THAT WE SHOULD PERHAPS, UM, AT A SEPARATE MEETING, THINK ABOUT HOW TO INCORPORATE, UM, THAT WORK SO THAT THE BODY CAN VOTE ON IT WOULD BE MY INITIAL THOUGHT.
AND IF YOU COULD, I THINK I ADJUSTED MY MIC IN A WAY THAT MIGHT HELP.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? NO, TOO LOUD.
UM, WHEN YOU SWITCHED BACK FROM TEAMS AND ZOOM, SOMETIMES IT MESSES UP YOUR SETTING.
SO, UM, I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD CONSIDER PERHAPS OF THE, UH, WORK GROUP WORK THAT IS COMPLETE AND HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
UH, DOES IT ALL HAVE TO MOVE AND IN ONE BUNCH, OR CAN IT GO IN PHASES? LIKE WHATEVER'S COMPLETE AND READY AND WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT
[01:05:02]
AND CONSIDER, COULD WE MOVE THAT FORWARD? AND THEN WHAT STILL BEING WORKED ON, THEN WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT AND WHEN IT'S READY, THEN WE MOVE THAT FORWARD VERSUS HOLDING IT ALL UP.I WANT TO INVITE OUR CO-CHAIRS TO MAYBE SPEAK ON THIS, UM, IN TERMS OF PROCESS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, FUTURE WORK.
SO MY, MY UNDERSTANDING FOR TODAY, UM, IS THAT WE HAD OUR DEADLINE FOR NOON TODAY FOR THE FINAL, UH, WORK GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO BE COMPLETED SO THAT WE COULD, UH, VOTE ON THEM COLLECTIVELY AS A TASK FORCE.
AND SO THAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ACTUALLY REPRESENT, UH, THE WILL AND THE BODY OF THE TASK FORCE, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, I WISHED THAT WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A NOTICE AS CHAIRS AHEAD OF TIME THAT THE BUSINESS WORK GROUP, UH, WAS HAVING SOME CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF, UH, MEETING THE DEADLINES.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST THAT I'M HEARING OF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT, BUT I'LL ALSO, UH, INVITE, UH, CO-CHAIR, UH, FOLLOW ROJAS TO, TO, TO GIVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS AS WELL.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I DON'T WANT TO GO ON, BUT I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BRIAN.
I THINK WE, WE, WE MADE DEADLINES AND WE F BECAUSE WE WANT TO PRESENT AS A TASK FORCE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 20TH, TO CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, NOT AS INDIVIDUAL WORKING GROUPS.
SO THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT IS TO GATHER ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TOGETHER MAKE SOME DECISIONS.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK I SAW YOUR, UM, CHAT FAIR, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE VOTING IS LIKE, WE WANT TO RATIFY TOGETHER A PACKAGE OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE REPRESENT THIS WHOLE TASK FORCE FOR NEXT WEEK.
SO, UH, SO I THINK THAT MEANS THAT IF ONE WORKING GROUP HASN'T, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO THAT, THEN IT WON'T BE PART OF OUR FULL, UH, TASKFORCE RECOMMENDATION PACKAGE.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ABOUT FIVE TO SIX MORE MINUTES ON QUESTIONS, CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
AND THEN MY PROPOSAL HAD BEEN TO GO THROUGH EACH WORKING GROUP IN THE NEXT SEGMENT AND, UM, VOTE UP OR DOWN, UM, ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, AS A GROUP THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY PROPOSAL TO ALL OF YOU FOLLOW YOU'RE MUTED.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ALICIA, YOUR HAND IS UP FOR A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON ONE OF THE WORK GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT PRIOR TO THAT, A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON THE PROCESS ITSELF, I AM WONDERING, UM, YOU, UM, YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT RIGHT NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS OR MAKE AMENDMENTS BRING UP QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE NOW WE'LL MAKE AMENDMENTS IN THE NEXT SECTION.
THAT'S WHY WE'LL GO THROUGH TA UH, WORKING GROUP BY WORKING GROUP IN THE NEXT SEGMENT.
SO IF THERE AREN'T ANY MORE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, WE'LL JUST DO ONE LAST WEEK.
WE'LL GO INTO OUR 10 MINUTE BREAK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK.
WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION AND VOTE ON WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL PUT THE ORDER OF THE TASK FORCES INTO THE CHAT SO THAT FOLKS KNOW WHAT ORDER WE'RE GOING IN.
SO WE'LL RETURN AT, UH, SIX 56 CENTRAL TIME.
[01:20:06]
OUR[01:20:07]
TASK[01:20:07]
FORCE MEMBERS TO RETURN FROM OUR 10 MINUTE BREAK.THE PROCESS WILL BE, UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH INDIVIDUAL WORKING GROUP.
UM, THERE WILL BE TIME TO MAKE ANY SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS AND THEN VOTE.
UM, SO THAT WILL BE THE EXTENT OF THE DISCUSSION AND VOTE, UM, ON EACH WORKING GROUP AND COLE.
UM, IT OCCURRED TO ME DURING THE BREAK THAT I WASN'T ENTIRELY CLEAR WHAT I MEANT.
SO THE BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK GROUP IS NOT GOING TO BE MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO PUT FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON OUR WORK GROUP REPORT.
SO I, I THINK I DIDN'T QUITE CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THAT.
SO I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THE CONVERSATION THAT CAME AFTERWARDS, BUT I THINK THAT'S ON ME FOR NOT COMMUNICATING THAT CLEARLY.
CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT THE REPORT IS? UM, JUST RESEARCH THAT WE'VE DONE AND, UM, KIND OF A COMPOSITION OF THE SURVEYS THAT WE'RE DOING JUST BROADLY, HOW PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACTS BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT REPORT WILL BE COMPLETE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE ON AN EXACT DATE, BUT, UM, IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE TASK FORCE.
I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT PROCEDURE.
I DIDN'T, I, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE, THE WORK GROUP THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS WORKING ON A REPORT, BUT AS FAR AS PRESENTING IT TO COUNCIL, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WAS GOING TO GO.
SO THE FIRST GROUP, UM, FOR DISCUSSION IS THE BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP.
THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO PUT FORTH.
SO ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION NEEDED ON THIS WORKING GROUP? OKAY.
WE'LL MOVE INTO, OH, LET'S SEE A COMMENT.
SO THE, UM, MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKING GROUP HAS ASKED IF, UH, WE CAN SKIP THEM AND MOVE TO THE NEXT GROUP, WHICH WOULD BE THE EQUITY RE-INVESTMENT WORKING GROUP.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THE PRESENTER OR PERSON FOR THAT WOULD BE PAULA.
UM, SO PAULA, ARE YOU PREPARED TO FEEL ANY, UM, AMENDMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS? YES, I PRESENTED IT TWICE.
SO I THINK YOU ALL, I HOPE ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROPOSAL.
ANY DISCUSSION NEEDED OR SUGGESTIONS, ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE EQUITY RE-INVESTMENT WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO CHECK IN, BECAUSE I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, RESPECT Y'ALL'S PROCESS HAVING COME IN LATE IN THIS AND NOT BEING IN AUSTIN WITH Y'ALL, UM, WANTED TO DOUBLE-CHECK AND ASK, DO YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH EACH GROUP AND THEN DO THE VOTING AFTER? OKAY.
SO LET'S MOVE INTO THE PATROL AND SURVEILLANCE WORKING GROUP.
I JUST HAD A THOUGHT THAT FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING US COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MAYBE WE CAN JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION, UM, THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROPOSALS OF ALL OF OUR WORKING GROUPS THAT WE PRESENTED AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN READING THEM, I THINK WE DO HAVE, DO WE HAVE A WAY TO SHARE THEM RIGHT NOW ON THE WEBSITE OR THROUGH FACEBOOK, OR, YOU KNOW, DIRECTING PEOPLE TO THEM SO THAT THIS CONVERSATION MAKES SENSE TO OTHERS? IS THERE SOMEONE WHO COULD PUT THE LINK IN THE CHAT AND COMMENT IN THE FACEBOOK
[01:25:01]
LIVE? I THINK I NEED CLARITY.UM, WITH CPIO IT'S SO CLARITY.
WHAT LINK TO THE, TO THE DOCUMENT, TO THE FOLDER WHERE ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL DOCUMENTS LIVE, OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE LINKS TO THE DRAFT? THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE POSTED ON THE RPS WEBSITE, SO THOSE ARE ALL THERE.
SO THERE'S A FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR FOLKS.
SO SOMEONE JUST DROPPED THE LINK TO THE WEBSITE, INTO THE CHAT.
SO FOLKS CAN VISIT THAT THERE, AND YES, WE CAN DROP THAT INTO THE FACEBOOK CHAT.
UM, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THOUGH, UH, DROPPING THE LINK TO THE GOOGLE FOLDER THERE WHERE YOUR, WHERE YOUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LIVING RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALICIA, AND I'M SORRY TO HAVE INTERRUPTED WITH THIS.
I JUST WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW OTHERS MIGHT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW ALONG.
HERE'S THE LINK IN THE CHAT AND SOMEONE WILL PUT IT ON THE FACEBOOK.
IT'S OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION WAS OUR, OUR DRAFT OF LAST WEEK THAT HAVE HAD SOME ADDITIONS.
UM, BUT AT LEAST IT CAN HELP PEOPLE HAVE A WAY TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH US.
SO THERE IS A REQUEST FROM ONE OF THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS.
UM, IF FOLKS COULD HIGHLIGHT ANY CHANGES MADE TO THE DRAFT, FOLLOWING THE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION.
SO WE DID RECEIVE THAT FROM THE TWO GROUPS THAT PRESENTED TODAY, UM, WHICH IS VIOLENCE, UH, SURVIVORS, UH, SERVICES AND PREVENTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
SO JUST WANT TO DO ONE SWEEP ON YOUR TA ON YOUR WORKING GROUP BOLA.
WERE THERE ANY CHANGES? NO, WE, WE, IF YOU ARE, REMEMBER WE HAVE TWO, UM, ALLOCATIONS OF FUNDING.
ONE IS FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND IT'S 11 MILLION AND THEN NEXT FISCAL YEAR, IT'S UP TO 40 MILLION OR SO I THINK WE JUST ZEROED IN ON THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT WE WANT ALL OF THE MONEY TO GO TO DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE ONLY FOR, FOR THIS TIME.
I THINK THAT WE MIGHT HAVE KIND OF, UM, BEEN MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT WHAT THIS FISCAL YEAR THE EQUITY REINVESTMENT IS GOING TO.
THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY SLIGHT CHANGE.
AND THEN I WOULD ASK A QUESTION OF OTHER WORKING GROUPS.
IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF ALL YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.
AND WHEN I WAS READING THROUGH THEM, SOME OF THEM DIDN'T HAVE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
SO WHEN YOU SPEAK TO IT, IF IT'S EASY, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL ASK, UM, ELISIA, ARE YOU READY OR WOULD YOU LIKE US TO MOVE TO ANOTHER GROUP? OKAY.
ALICIA IS STILL HAVING TECHNICAL CHALLENGES HERE.
UM, SO YEAH, UM, I, I DO HAVE ANOTHER MEMBER, UM, OF THE REIMAGINED PUBLIC, UH, MEANINGFUL REMIT, MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY