Jun 22, 2021 Resource Management

UH, COMMISSIONER FREELAND.

CAN YOU, CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN, YES.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HARMON.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

NO WORRIES.

I'M HERE MR. JOHNSON AND MR. SMITH, NOT HERE.

UH, SO WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

UH, FIRST UP, UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, PAUL ROBBINS, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ALL.

ARE YOU ON OKAY, CHAIR.

HE'S NOT ON.

UH, FAIR ENOUGH.

SO THEN WE HAVE NO, NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

IS THAT RIGHT? NOPE.

NO, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S, I HAVE A CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM ON ITEM NUMBER THREE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE WILL, UM, ADDRESS THAT COMMUNICATION, UH, RIGHT BEFORE THAT ITEM.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

[1.Approve minutes of the April 20, 2021 Meeting of Resource ManagementCommission.]

AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T GET A LOT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATION IN OUR MEETINGS FROM THE PUBLIC AT THE TIME, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE FOLKS AT COUNCIL OFFICES AND, YOU KNOW, THAT FOLLOW THE ENERGY AND WATER ISSUES THAT WE DEAL WITH.

UH, SO, UH, FIRST AGENDA ITEM APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

FIRST UP ARE THE MINUTES FROM APRIL THE 20TH.

UM, YOU GUYS MIGHT REMEMBER THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DEBATE ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT EXACTLY IS REQUIRED TO BE IN THE MINUTES VERSUS, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT, UH, WE MAY LIKE TO BE IN THE MINUTES.

UH, WE DID REACH OUT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO, UH, REQUEST WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR THE, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, CITY GUIDELINES FOR WHAT NEEDS TO GO INTO THE MINUTES, UM, WHICH YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED? UH, I BELIEVE NATASHA FORWARDED YESTERDAY.

UM, I THINK, YEAH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF REQUIREMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S WORTH NOTING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS ARE THREE, THREE THINGS, ONE LISTING NUMBERS AND ATTENDANCE TO STATE THE SUBJECT OF EACH DELIBERATION AND THREE INDICATE EACH VOTE ORDER DECISION OR THEIR ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

UM, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINUTES.

UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS REQUIRED AND, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE DO WANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UH, TO BE INCLUDED THERE, UM, IT WAS POINTED OUT TO ME THAT, UH, THESE MEETINGS ARE RECORDED AND RECORDINGS ARE POSTED ONLINE.

IF THERE IS EVER ANY CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AT ANY MEETING.

AND I WOULD ALSO REQUEST THAT, UH, THAT THE MINUTE THE DRAFT MINUTES DO GO OUT TO THE TWO COMMISSIONER 72 HOURS BEFORE, UH, OUR MEETING.

AND I WOULD REQUEST THAT COMMISSIONERS REVIEW THE MINUTES AT THAT TIME, IF THERE ARE ANY, UM, COMMENTS OR EDITS OR CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE, UM, IN THAT INTERIM PERIOD, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS TO, TO STAFF.

UM, I WILL PAUSE AND OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANY COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION.

WELL, I GUESS I, I MEAN, I THINK I MADE MY VIEW REALLY CLEAR AT OUR LAST MEETING, BUT I GUESS I'LL JUST SAY AGAIN, LIKE, I, I THINK THAT AT LEAST CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF OUR CONVERSATIONS IN WRITING IS IMPORTANT.

UM, BECAUSE LISTENING THROUGH THE VIDEO IS YES, AN OPTION, BUT, UH, NOT THE MOST CONVENIENT THING FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT MIGHT JUST WANT TO SEE REAL QUICK WHAT THE GIST OF THE CONVERSATION WAS ON AN ITEM.

[00:05:01]

UM, THEY DO LOOK TO SEE YOU WHAT WE'RE TAKING ACTION ON OR WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK JUST PUT IT, PUTTING THE BASIC GIST OF THAT IN WRITING IS WHAT WE HAVE GENERALLY DONE.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE WITH THAT.

I THINK IT'S GOOD PRACTICE FOR, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SERVING THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS KIND OF THE WHOLE POINT OF THESE ADVISORY COMMISSIONS AS I SEE IT.

ANYWAY, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, LIKE ANY, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? UM, I WOULD SHARE BLACKBURN, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, MY INTERPRETATION OR MY READ OF THE REQUIREMENTS FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS PRETTY CLEAR, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT, UM, THE PAST, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL MEETING MINUTES HAVE CERTAINLY REFLECTED THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

UM, I, I GUESS I WOULD PUT IT, YOU KNOW, BACK ON US TO SOME EXTENT, UM, AS A COMMISSION THAT IF WE WOULD LIKE STRONGER DOCUMENTATION, I WONDER IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UM, TAKE MORE ACTION, UH, FRANKLY, ON, ON SOME OF THOSE TOPICS THAT, THAT WE FEEL THAT WE WANT DOCUMENTED, UH, FOR THE RECORD MORE, MORE BROADLY, UM, I CAN SEE THE CHALLENGE AND, YOU KNOW, THE ESSENCE OF A CONVERSATION IS KIND OF A TRICKY THING.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I DO THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO TAKE MORE BOLDER ACTION OR VOTES.

UM, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO GO ON RECORD AND, AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE OUR POINTS CLEAR.

UM, AND, BUT I DON'T MEAN TO, TO DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THAT, BUT IT JUST, YOU KNOW, MIGHT I THINK THE READ ON THE, UH, THE READ FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, IS, IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, UH, IT IS CLEAR IN MY OPINION.

OH YEAH, I DON'T DISAGREE.

I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY QUESTION ABOUT, UM, MEETING THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.

THE COMMISSIONERS, ANY ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

UM, COMMISSIONER HARMAN, I WOULD KIND OF, UH, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PIGGYBACK ON WHAT SHE SAID AND, AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REITERATE MY ASS THAT, UH, WE, WE DO GET CAUGHT DRAFT COPIES OF THE MINUTES, UH, PRIOR TO, UH, UM, A MEETING AT WHICH WE'RE EXPECTED TO ADOPT THEM.

AND SO IF THERE ARE COMMENTS AT THAT TIME, UM, IT, IT WOULD, IT WOULD EXPEDIATE THINGS IF, IF WE WERE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS PRIOR TO, TO ANY GIVEN MEETING, UM, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS I WOULD ASK, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 20TH, 2021 MEETING, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER HARMON MOVES TO APPROVE.

DO I HAVE A SECOND ANYONE CAN, SOMEONE WHO WASN'T AT THE MEETING SECOND, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'D BE NATASHA IS, IS THERE ANY PROHIBITION AGAINST THAT SHE CAN AS LONG? UM, SHE CAN SECOND.

I'LL SECOND.

AS LONG AS SHE REVIEWED THE MINUTES.

AND COMMISSIONER FREELAND.

UH, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, WE'LL CALL ROLL.

UH, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR NAME WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.

UH, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN VERSUS CA COMMISSIONER WYATT.

UH, IT LOOKS LIKE COMMISSIONER BRENNAMAN HAS ALSO JOINED US.

UH, DOES THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

SO I BELIEVE NATASHA, THAT IS SUFFICIENT

[00:10:01]

TO APPROVE.

YOU AGREE WITH THAT? I'VE GOT SIX BY MY ACCOUNT.

AGENDA ITEM TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 18TH, 2021 MEETING.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JEN ITEM ONE, UH, IS APPROVED, UM, MOVING ON TO

[2.Approve minutes of the May 18, 2021 Meeting of Resource Management Commission.]

UM, NO INITIAL COMMENTS FROM ME ON THAT.

I WILL OPEN IT TO THE COMMISSION.

ANY COMMENTS ON, UH, THE MAY MEETING MINUTES? YEAH.

UM, THIS IS KIVA.

UM, SO THERE WERE SOME VERY SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS MADE, UM, AT THAT MEETING REGARDING, UH, ENERGY CODE ITEMS. CAN WE AT LEAST GET THOSE INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES? UM, CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC? YES.

UM, , UH, COMMITTED, UH, AT THAT MEETING THAT HE WOULD INITIATE A, UH, PUBLIC PROCESS TO CONSIDER ADOPTION.

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY PARAPHRASING, BUT CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE ELECTRIC READINESS AND EVIE READY ITEMS, UH, SOMETIME LATER THIS YEAR.

UM, AND THAT HE WOULD DO BROAD OUTREACH, INCLUDING TWO, THAT YOU SEE IN THE RMC, BUT ALSO JUST TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.

I THINK THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, UM, COMMITMENT THAT SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES.

COMMISSIONERS.

ANY COMMENTS ON THAT REQUEST? YEAH.

THIS IS SHANE JOHNSON.

I AGREE.

THAT MEANS WE ARE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES.

AND IF, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I THINK THAT WAS ALMOST SORT OF THAT AGREEMENT WAS CONDITIONAL FOR, YOU KNOW, APPROVING YET, OR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THE EXPOS.

UM, SO I, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT BEING INCLUDED.

UH, ANYONE ELSE? YES.

UM, JUST ONE COMMENT, UH, THERE, UM, AND NOT TO GO BACK ON THE COMMENT I MADE A MOMENT AGO, BUT I DO THINK, UM, WE DO HAVE EXAMPLES IN THE EXISTING MINUTES, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE DISCUSS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND WE, YOU KNOW, LIST THE ITEMS ON OUR FUTURE AGENDAS, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A FORMAL ACTION, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE DO DOCUMENT TO RECORD, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BASICALLY, LIKE YOU SAID, KYLA, THE, THE AGREEMENTS THAT WERE MADE OR KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT.

UM, AND SO WHILE I WILL REMAIN THE DESK, NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED BY THE READING FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, I DO THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A HELPFUL ADDITION.

THANKS, DANA.

YEAH, THAT IS WHAT I'M GENERALLY TRYING TO GET AT IS IF, UH, STAFF ARE MAKING SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS TO COME BACK TO US WITH INFORMATION, UM, OR TO INITIATE SOME SORT OF PROCESS, OR IF A COMMISSIONER IS RAISING A VERY SPECIFIC, UH, CONCERN OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, A LOT IN INACTION, BUT, BUT ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC CONCERN RAISED, UM, I JUST, I THINK THAT WE'RE MISSING THE MARK IF WE'RE NOT KEEPING NOTE OF THAT, BECAUSE HOW ARE WE GONNA EVEN REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, LET'S BE REAL.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO ALL GO BACK AND WATCH ALL THESE VIDEOS, BUT WE MIGHT LOOK BACK FROM TIME TO TIME.

AND I DO LOOK BACK FROM TIME TO TIME AT THE DOCUMENTS FROM OUR MEETINGS AND, UM, HAVING THOSE THINGS THERE, UH, TO LOOK BACK TO IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THE CONTEXT OF FUTURE ACTIONS AND FUTURE THINGS THAT MIGHT COME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION.

I'M REALLY NOT TRYING TO MAKE WORK FOR ANYBODY JUST TO MAKE WORK ON THEM, TRYING TO MAKE OUR WORK MEANINGFUL SO THAT THE TIME WE'VE SPENT TOGETHER, ISN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, TO CHECK A BOX AND, AND JUST, I, I, I FEEL LIKE TO SOME EXTENT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S KIND OF LIKE A GRAY AREA FOR WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE, BUT JUST MY, MY TAKE ON, ON THAT, UM, I STILL FEEL LIKE CAPTURING A DISCUSSION OR CAPTURING A CONVERSATION OR THAT THE SENTIMENT OF THE CONVERSATION IS A DIFFICULT THING DO, BUT I THINK THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU JUST BROUGHT UP, LIKE, HERE'S A SPECIFIC COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME.

UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT FEELS KIND OF CLEAR TO ME.

[00:15:01]

SO JUST SO I'M CLEAR, WE'RE, WE'RE REFERRING TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, IS THAT CORRECT? OR THIS IS ITEMS NUMBER SEVEN.

SEVEN, YEAH.

I'M SORRY.

AND THE TWO COMMENTS TO INCLUDE WERE KINDA, CAN YOU RESTATE THOSE? YES.

THE COMMITTED TO INITIATE A PUBLIC PROCESS TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF EMV READY AND WHIPPED PRICK READINESS, UH, AMENDMENTS TO THE ENERGY CODE, UH, SOMETIME THIS CALENDAR YEAR AND TO DO BROAD PUBLIC OUTREACH AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.

UM, SO ANY, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I MAKE A SUGGESTION? ALL RIGHT.

SO I WOULD ASK, UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT, UH, THE, THE MAY MINUTES WITH, UM, AN UPDATE ON ITEM SEVEN TO REFLECT THE TWO POINTS THAT COMMISSIONER WHITE AS PROPOSED? UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE? THIS IS REBECCA BRANDON.

SORRY.

COMMISSIONER WHITE SUPPORT, RIGHT.

UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND, MR. JOHNSON.

SECOND.

SO, ALL RIGHT.

UH, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.

I WILL CALL ROLL, UH, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN BOATS.

YAY.

UH, COMMISSIONER HARMON.

YAY.

COMMISSIONER SHOULD AREA COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.

YAY.

AND THEN COMMISSIONER FRANKLIN.

UH, AND COMMISSIONER FREELAND MIGHT BE ON MUTE.

CAN YOU NOT HEAR ME? WE CAN KNOW.

UM, MAY I MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT, PLEASE? YES, PLEASE.

UM, AND THAT IS ONLY BECAUSE I STILL FEEL LIKE THIS COULD BE A BIT OF A GRAY AREA.

I THINK IT MAY BE HELPFUL FOR US ALL.

UM, IN THESE DISCUSSIONS WHEN, UM, SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS ARE MADE OR, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE THESE THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE REFLECTED JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR, FOR, UM, OUR LIAISON WHO I KNOW WORKS TIRELESSLY TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HAS CAPTURED, LET'S JUST KIND OF MAKE NOTE OF IT, LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, LET THE RECORD SHOW OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST TO, SO THAT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, END UP FEELING LIKE WE HAVE TO CAPTURE THE WHOLE DISCUSSION, BUT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COMMITMENTS ARE REFLECTED AS A SUGGESTION.

MINUTES, WE ARE REFLECTING THE ACTION, NOT THE CONVERSATION.

WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE.

I ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE TWO REQUESTS THEN, UM, DURING THE COURSE OF OUR MEETINGS, IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE IN PARTICULAR THINKS, UH, SHOULD BE REFLECTED, UH, IN THE, IN THE UPCOMING MINUTES TO MAKE NOTE OF IT AT THAT TIME.

UM, AND, AND I, AND, AND, UH, STAFF WILL DOCUMENT THAT, UM, AS WELL AS WHEN THE DRAFT MINUTES COME OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THREE DAYS BEFORE OUR MEETINGS, IF I WOULD ASK THAT EVERYONE AT LEAST READ THROUGH THOSE, UH, BEFOREHAND, AND IF THERE ARE ANY COMMENTS, UH, OR SOMETHING DIDN'T GET REFLECTED, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO POINT THAT OUT.

SO I AM HAPPY WITH THAT PROCESS.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW, LIKE, IS, DO WE HAVE AGREEMENT FROM NATASHA OR YOU, OR WHOEVER WILL BE, UH, DOING THE MINUTES GOING FORWARD? LIKE IS, DO WE HAVE AGREEMENT THAT THAT IS AN ACCEPTABLE PROCESS? I DON'T AGREE.

UM, BASICALLY WE, WHEN WE DO

[00:20:01]

SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE AT AN IMPASSE HERE, BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH MY MANAGER TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NATASHA.

WELL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP AFTER.

UH, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I DID HAVE A QUESTION.

ARE THERE OTHER, UM, COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS AND COUNCILS THAT, LIKE, WHAT DO THEY DO TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH PROMISES AND IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? UM, CAUSE I WAS ON THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND WE HAD PRETTY DETAILED NOTES, BUT IT'S NOT, IT WAS LESS OF A FORMAL, UM, LIKE COMMISSION, LIKE THIS IS SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF MAYBE THIS COMMISSION HAD A SECRETARY OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD TAKE NOTE OF ALL THESE THINGS AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THIS COMMISSION, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS GET PUT ON THE AGENDA AND QUESTIONS AND PROMISES GET FOLLOWED THROUGH JUST A THOUGHT, I MEAN, IS, IS IT, HOW HAS IT DONE ON OTHER COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS? MAYBE WE NEED A SECRETARY.

AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONS THAT I SERVE ON IT IS THE LIAISON THAT, UM, TAKES THOSE NOTES AND SOMETIMES GOES BACK TO THE VIDEO, UH, AND CREATES THE MINUTES.

RIGHT? SO I, I WOULD MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, PER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT FOR THE MINUTES AND THEN VERSUS A, YOU KNOW, REQUEST FROM A COMMISSIONER TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DETAIL.

AND SO IF THERE IS THAT REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL DETAIL, UM, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE IT POINTED OUT DURING, UH, THE OCCURRENCE OF THAT PARTICULAR MEETING SO THAT WE, WE, WE DO HAVE THAT CALLED OUT AS SOMETHING WORTH, INCLUDING I THINK THESE ARE GOOD POINTS.

UM, AND I'LL JUST SAY, I KNOW WE NEED TO MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA.

UM, BUT I THINK IN THE, THE MEETING REQUIREMENTS LANGUAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, NUMBER THREE, WHERE IT SAYS, INDICATE EACH VOTE, ORDER DECISION OR OTHER ACTIONS TAKEN.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOME OF THESE COULD BE CONSIDERED DECISIONS BY THE COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, TOO.

SO I THINK THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE THERE THAT WE COULD SAY THAT THE, IT FEELS LIKE THESE REQUESTS COULD BE APPROPRIATE TO ASK TO HAVE DOCUMENTED.

UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'LL BE SOME ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION BETWEEN, UM, CITY STAFF AND OTHERS TO, TO COME BACK ON WHAT'S APPROPRIATE.

ITEM NUMBER THREE, A STOCK REPORT ON EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS RFP.

WITH THAT.

UH, LET US MOVE ON TO AGENDA

[3.Equitable Participation in Programs RFP Update.]

UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SPEAKER ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, CORRECT? NATASHA.

YES, SIR.

THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, ZENOBIA JOSEPH.

NORTH EAST WEST CONNECTIVITY.

UH, AND ARE, ARE THEY READY TO GO? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS.

I'M SYNOVIA JOSEPH.

MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO SLIDE THREE AND SEVEN, AS IT RELATES TO ADDRESSING THE BARRIERS I WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION, UM, THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 30, 30 DATE PROCESS FOR CAPITAL.

METRO IS PROJECT CONNECT, THE ORANGE LINE AND THE BLUE LINE.

AND I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION BARRIERS.

SO THE ORANGE LINE IS 24 TO 30 YEARS FOR THE REAL NORTH OF US, 180 3 THERE'S

[00:25:01]

THAT WAS ELIMINATED JUNE 3RD, 2018.

SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT BARRIERS, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT TAKES 45 MINUTES PLUS A 30 MINUTE TRANSFER AT BREAKER AND NORTH LAMAR BREAKER AND BURNETT.

AND IT'S 60 MINUTES FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN TO CATCH THE BUS, WHICH IS 10 TIMES LONGER THAN SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL.

WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND OR TO CONSIDER IS THE NEED FOR A TRANSIT CONSULTANT.

AND I CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE A DIESEL COMMUNICATIONS.

THEY HAVE A LONG HISTORY, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THEY ACTUALLY DID THE OUTREACH FOR PROJECT CONNECT.

AND ONE OF THE BARRIERS THAT CONTINUES TO PERPETUATE ON THE NORTHEAST END IS THAT THERE IS NO ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION JOBS BETWEEN SAMSUNG AND APPLE.

AND SO I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT I'VE GIVEN YOU EXTENSIVE INFORMATION.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL THAT AS IT RELATES TO THE BLUE LINE, YOU WILL CALL THAT COUNCIL ACTUALLY REZONE THAT AREA OCTOBER 17TH, 2019.

SO THERE'S AN IMPACT TO UT STUDENTS AND LOW-INCOME HISPANICS.

AND THEN ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2019, THE ORTHOTIST OF THE UPROOTED STUDY MENTIONED THAT COUNCIL DIDN'T LISTEN TO THEIR ADVICE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT DOCUMENTS FROM COUNCIL, YOU'LL SEE THE UPROOTED STUDY QUOTED AT NAUSEUM.

SO I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S A BARRIER.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL, THAT YOU HAVE A SLIDE THAT SAYS CHANGE THE NARRATIVE.

AND SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE TWO FIVE TO PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING DOES PERMIT YOU TO HAVE A SOLE SOURCE CONSULTANT UNDER $50,000.

SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS AS A PILOT, PERHAPS.

AND I WOULD ALSO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT JOYCE JAMES RECEIVED THE $150,000 SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT ON MAY 20TH, 2021 FOR EQUITY TRAINING.

AND THAT WAS THE SECOND ONE SINCE THE MARCH 25TH FULL SOURCE CONTRACT FOR $79,000, WHICH WAS A TOTAL OF $229,000 FOR EQUITY TRAINING.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT UNDERSTANDING EQUITY MEANS MORE THAN SIMPLY PUTTING THE WORD AT NAUSEUM IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS AND IN DOCUMENTS.

I ONCE LISTENED TO A 2020, UH, MOBILITY COMMITTEE HEARING, UH, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN AND EQUITY WAS MENTIONED ABOUT 72 TIMES IN THE TWO HOUR PERIOD.

AND SO I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT I DID BACK IN CHRISTMAS, AROUND CHRISTMAS 2016, WHEN IT WAS CONNECTIONS, 2025, I COLLECTED 574 PETITION SIGNATURES IN 10 DAYS TO SAVE THE ROUTE THAT WAS DEATH AUTOPSY TECH RIDGE, WHICH IS 3 92 AND LAKELINE STATION, WHICH IS THE 3 83 ROUTES BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSES WERE GOING TO BE ELIMINATED AND A HISPANIC LADY ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED AND HELPED ME COLLECT ABOUT A HUNDRED OF THOSE SIGNATURES.

SO I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S SIMPLY PUTTING A BLACK OR BROWN FACE IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS NOT ENOUGH.

IT ACTUALLY TAKES SOMEBODY WHO IS TRUSTED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RECEIVING THE INFORMATION TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING WITH IT BECAUSE ALL TOO OFTEN, AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND HISPANICS ARE SIMPLY CHECK THE BOX.

WE DID OUR OUTREACH GAVE YOU OUR PLAN, AND I'LL JUST CLOSE BY TELLING YOU THAT THE FARMER TRANSPORTATION, SECRETARY FOX, ANTHONY FOX ACTUALLY SAID IT THAT IT'S A MAXIM CALL, DAD DECIDE ADVOCATE AND DEFEND.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN USED IN TRANSPORTATION FOR DECADES AND IN HIS TENURE, HE SAID IT NEEDED TO STOP.

AND I WOULD JUST SUBMIT TO YOU THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MANY GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES USE IN ADDITION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITOL METRO.

SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.

AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND WOULD BE GLAD TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE, UM, AS A SOLE SOURCE CONSULTANT, BECAUSE I'VE DONE THE WORK I RIDE THE ROUTES.

UM, AND THAT'S MY TIME.

I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, NATASHA GOODWINS FOR, UH, FOLLOWING UP WITH ME BECAUSE I HAD A TABLE IN MY MESSAGING TO THE COMMENT TO THE COMMITTEE.

PRESENTATION ITSELF ON NATASHA, WHO, WHO IS GETTING THIS PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU, MR. SO THAT, UH, THOSE COMMENTS ARE REALLY APPRECIATED.

IT'S, IT'S SOMEWHAT RARE FOR US TO, UH, GET SUCH KIND OF DETAILED AND CONCRETE SUGGESTIONS, UH, ON, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN AGENDA ITEMS. AND I KNOW PERSONALLY, I, I, I, I FIND THAT VERY HELPFUL AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, YOU, UH, JOINING US TODAY AND THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND JUST FYI.

THE LINKS ARE AT THE TOP OF THE, THE MEMORANDUM THAT I SENT YOU, IF YOU WANT TO PUT COMMENTS IN THE DEADLINE IS TOMORROW FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES.

SO THANKS AGAIN.

THAT'S UP.

AND LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, SO IT IS RELEVANT AND GERMANE TO YOUR TOPIC.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

I APPRECIATE YOU BEING WORKING SINCE YOU'VE TAKEN THE TIME HERE.

I WILL OPEN IT TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

IF, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MS. JEFFERSON.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN.

UH, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE

[00:30:01]

WE'RE MOVING HER OVER, ALONG WITH THE PRESENTATION.

I WILL YIELD THE FLOOR, UH, WHENEVER YOU'D LIKE TO START.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

UM, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, NATASHA.

UM, AND, UM, I CAN'T SEE THE PRESENTATION YET, SO I'LL JUST START TALKING AND IT'LL EVENTUALLY BE UP THERE.

UM, MY NAME IS LIZ .

I AM THE MANAGER OF DATA ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AT AUSTIN ENERGY, AND IT WAS MY GROUP THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER AND, UM, FIELDING THIS RFP.

UM, MANY OF YOU MAY REMEMBER.

I, UM, I WAS HERE IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF THE RFP RFP BEFORE IT WENT OUT ON THE STREET.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF OUR SUCCESSFUL PROPOSER.

AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SPEAKER THAT SPOKE JUST BEFORE, UM, BEFOREHAND.

I, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT JUST PUTTING EQUITY AND EQUITABLE ON THINGS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MAKE IT, UM, DOES NOT GET US TO THE GOAL OF EQUITY.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO, UM, DO IS TALK ABOUT EQUITY, INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, AND BELONGING.

SO THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S A WHOLE GAMUT OF HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION FOR PEOPLE THAT AREN'T CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING? AND PART OF THAT IS UNDERSTANDING WHY THEY'RE NOT, AND THAT'S WHAT HOPEFULLY THIS RFP IS GOING TO HELP US WITH.

SO IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO THE, THE RE UH, UH, BACKUP JUST ONE.

SO THIS RFP CAME AS A RESULT OF THE, UH, RESOURCE GENERATION AND CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN TO 2030.

THERE WAS A SECTION IN THERE THAT TALKED ABOUT EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS. THE FOCUS OF THIS IS ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS ONLY, UM, WHILE AUSTIN ENERGY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE MANY PROGRAMS, UM, FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR CITIZENS.

THIS PARTICULAR RFP IS FOCUSING ONLY ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, AND AS MENTIONED BY OUR SPEAKER, UH, JUST PREVIOUSLY THE SUCCESSFUL CONTRACTOR FOR THIS, UM, FOR THIS EFFORT IS A DECENT COMMUNICATIONS.

SO, SO SOME OF THE GOALS FOR THIS IS TO, UH, WAS TO FIND A PROVIDER THAT WOULD CONDUCT COMMUNITY BASED MEETINGS.

WE JUST GO BACK ONE NATASHA, PLEASE.

THE PDFS BEING REAL, UH, HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN RIGHT NOW.

WHICH PAGES DID YOU, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? PAGE THREE? UH, I'M.

I'M LOOKING FOR MAYBE SLIDE THREE.

SO WHAT WE, THE INTENT OF THIS IS TO DO, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS FOR COMMUNITIES OF, UM, THAT ARE LIMITED INCOME OR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR OR THOSE THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAMS OR CAN'T AFFORD OUR PROGRAMS. AND WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT ARE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING? AND SOMETIMES A BARRIER CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS NOT AWARE OF THE PROGRAM, AND THEN TO RECOMMEND SOME APPROACHES, TO HAVE A MORE EQUITABLE OUTREACH AND ACCESSIBILITY TO THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, AGAIN, GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN THAT SPECTRUM TO BELONGING.

IS GOING TO INCLUDE BUDGET AND PROGRAM IMPACTS.

SO THIS, THIS RFP IS INTENDED TO CRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.

IT'S GOING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST METHODS FOR THE DELIVERY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAM OFFERINGS AND AGAIN, ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM AND OFFERINGS.

AND THEN ONCE THEIR PROCESSES DONE, WE WILL TAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND FIT THEM WITHIN OUR BUDGET PARAMETERS TO DELIVER THESE PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO ONCE WE BEGIN AND IT'S ESTIMATED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, THEY'LL HAVE 12 MONTHS OF DIESEL.

WE'LL HAVE 12 MONTHS TO CONDUCT THEIR PROCESS.

AT THE END OF THAT, WE'LL HAVE A REPORT THAT REPORT WILL BE GIVEN TO THE EUC, THIS COMMISSION HERE IN CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT REPORT

[00:35:01]

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO THE PROCESS TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS THAT WE HAD A TEAM THAT CONSISTED OF AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF AND THE CITY'S EQUITY OFFICE STAFF.

UM, THIS TEAM CAME TOGETHER TO REVIEW THE VARIETY OF APPLICATIONS OR SUBMISSIONS THAT CAME IN.

AND WE, WE LOOKED AT THEM TO SAY WHICH ONE IS GOING TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS WE LAID OUT IN THE RFP.

ONCE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS TODAY AND THROUGH COUNCIL, WE'LL HAVE A SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT IN OUR 12 MONTH PROCESS WILL BEGIN.

UM, WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU WITH PERIODIC UPDATES ON THE PROCESS, BUT WE WON'T BE COMING BACK WITH ANY PROGRAM DESIGN OR IMPLEMENTATION.

WE'VE FAILED THAT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, TO ALLOW THE CONSULTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND FULLY DEVELOP, UM, THE IDEAS AND THE NEXT STEPS FORWARD.

WE WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT FULL 12 MONTH PROCESS FOR QUALITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO JUST, JUST LIKE THE SPEAKER TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, UM, THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.

UM, THERE'S PHYSICAL BARRIERS, THERE'S SOCIETAL STRUCTURE BARRIERS.

THERE ARE DESIGN BARRIERS.

THERE'S THERE'S RULES, THERE'S PROCESSES THERE, THINGS THAT, THAT, AS WE GO THROUGH LIFE, WE MAY NOT EVEN REALIZE ARE GOING ON, BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE PREVENTING OR IMPEDING PEOPLE FROM ACCESSING THE PARTICIPATION IN OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. SO WE LOOK AT THIS AND THIS IS, THIS IS ONE THAT MANY OF US HAVE SEEN EQUALITY.

WE ALL HAVE THE SAME BOX, WELL, EQUITY, WE GIVE MORE BOXES TO THE ONE, BUT REALLY WE JUST WANT TO BREAK DOWN THE WALLS AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE ACCESS TO PARTICIPATING IN OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. AND AGAIN, IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS BUILDING AWARENESS.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT AWARENESS OF OUR PROGRAMS ACROSS OUR CUSTOMER BASE, BUT IT ALSO COULD BE THAT ACCESSIBILITY TO OUR PROGRAMS THAT THAT MIGHT NOT BE, UM, HAVING ALL OF THE RIGHT LEVELS OF PROGRAMS FOR ALL OF THE LEVELS OF OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO SOME OF THIS WILL BE, UM, THE OUTREACH TO LOOK AT NOT JUST THE PROGRAMS THEMSELVES, BUT THE CUSTOMERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING, LOOKING AT THE SOCIETAL IMPACTS, LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS, KNOWING THAT THOSE INTERSECT AND THOSE OVERLAP SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING PROGRAMS TO OUR CUSTOMERS THAT MEET ALL OF THOSE NEEDS.

AND THEN THIS IS ONE THAT, THAT OUR SPEAKER BEFORE ME TALKED ABOUT CHANGING THE NARRATIVE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IN THE UTILITY AND, AND SOME OF YOU ON THE COMMISSION MAY EXPERIENCE THIS TOO.

WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW, AND WE KNOW OUR OWN LANGUAGE.

WE GET CAUGHT IN, IN THE VERNACULAR THAT IS US.

UM, AND WE SOMETIMES FORGET TO PUT OURSELVES IN OUR CUSTOMER'S SHOES AND THINK ABOUT, WELL, HOW, HOW IS, HOW DID THEY INTERACT WITH ENERGY, ENERGY? HOW DO THEY INTERACT WITH SAVINGS? HOW DO THEY INTERACT WITH OUR PROGRAMS? AND SO THIS HELPS US START TO THINK ABOUT CHANGING OUR MINDSET TOWARDS OUR CUSTOMERS AND CHANGING THE NARRATIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IS NOT ONLY REACHING MORE OF THE LIMITED INCOME COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, BUT ALSO BUILDING THAT TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WHEN, WHEN THEY KNOW THEY NEED SOMEONE IN THE WORLD OF ENERGY, THEY FIRST THINK OF AUSTIN ENERGY.

ARE GOING TO HELP US REACH MORE COMMUNITIES THAN WE'RE REACHING RIGHT NOW.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS RFP, BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AS WE WERE PUTTING THE RFP TOGETHER.

AND AS WE WERE REVIEWING, THE SUBMISSIONS IS THAT THEY HAD TO BE ABLE TO REACH PEOPLE IN REMOTE OR VIRTUAL, UH, CAPABILITIES.

AND SO, UM, THE CONSULTANT CHOSEN HAS EXPERIENCE IN BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

THEY ARE, UH, THEY'VE GOT EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

THEY'VE GOT EXPERIENCE WITH LANGUAGES, THEY'VE GOT EXPERIENCE WITH LIMITED INCOME COMMUNITIES.

THEN THEY'VE GOT EXPERIENCE WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

SO THE, THE CURRICULUM, THE, THE PROGRAM THEY'VE GOT PLANNED, UM, IS WILL COME, WILL, COMES WITH A LOT OF COMPONENTS THAT

[00:40:01]

AND SO WHAT, WHAT OUR GOAL IS, UM, BEYOND REACHING MORE OF OUR COMMUNITIES IS, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS OF TRUST, GETTING MORE OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO PARTICIPATE, AND TO ALSO REALIZE THAT WE CAN BE THEIR ADVOCATE.

WE CAN BE THE ONE THAT HELPS THEM, UM, SAVING ENERGY, SAVING MONEY, BECOMING, BECOMING MORE GREEN, BECOMING MORE SUSTAINABLE WORKING TOWARDS THEIR ENERGY RELATED GOALS.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED.

I, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I HAVE, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH IN THIS RFP PROCESS.

I'M, I'M SO PLEASED THAT, THAT THE EQUITY OFFICE WAS VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH US ON THIS PROJECT.

I THINK IT'S ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND IS, UM, GOING TO TEACH US MORE THAN WE EVER EXPECTED THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN.

AND AT THE END OF IT, UM, REALLY BE ABLE TO REACH MORE OF OUR CUSTOMER BASE THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, COMMISSIONERS OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

THE QUESTION, LIZ, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT'S HEADING TO COUNCIL.

UH, SO I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS WHY ISN'T THIS COMING TO US AS A REQUEST FOR ACTION? UM, I, I'M NOT SURE OF THAT PROCESS, UH, COMMISSIONER WHITE.

IT WENT TO THE EUC YESTERDAY AS A, UH, REQUEST FOR ACTION.

I'M NOT REALLY, I'M NOT REALLY SURE OF THE PROCESS OF WHY IT DIDN'T COME TO YOU.

MY UNDERSTANDING THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR AN UPDATE.

UM, SO I'M, I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER.

I'M SORRY.

UM, AND I GUESS MY SECOND QUESTION IS I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THIS IS JUST ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

MAYBE YOU WERE SAYING THAT BROADLY WAS JUST LOOKING BACK AT THE RESOURCE PLAN AND, YOU KNOW, IT INCLUDED ENERGY EFFICIENCY, DEMAND, RESPONSE, AND SOLAR AS THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE GOING TO BE PART OF THIS WORK.

WILL YOU USE THAT ENERGY EFFICIENCY AS A SHORTHAND, BUT REALLY AS A GLOBAL TERM? YES, YES.

JUST CLARIFYING IT'S NOT OUR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, BUT IT'S THE ENERGY ASSISTANCE OR IT'S THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, DEMAND RESPONSE, RENEWABLE PROGRAMS. YES.

CUSTOMER AND THE SOLUTION PROGRAMS. YES.

I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

IS ANYONE ELSE? OH, I WAS GONNA ASK THE SAME QUESTION.

SO, BUT THAT WAS ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, BEING CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS, PROGRAMS, COMMISSIONER.

UM, HI LIZ.

IF YOU ASK WHAT THEY FEEL ARE INVASIVE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.

UM, ONE QUESTION THAT I KNOW MANY OF US ARE KIND OF WORKING ON, UM, AND, AND FRANKLY, MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE WORKING ON IS REALLY WHEN WE'RE DEFINING EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION.

UM, I THINK THE, THE, UM, RECOMMENDATION FOR ENGAGEMENT HERE IS QUITE CLEAR, UM, HAS AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, ARE YOU GUYS MOVING TOWARDS DEFINING EQUITY METRICS AND WHAT SPECIFIC METRICS YOU'LL BE TRACKING AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM, AND COULD YOU SPEAK, SPEAK TO, UM, SPECIFIC METRICS THAT WE MAY BASELINE AND THEN TRACK AGAINST OVER TIME? SO WE ARE, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

UM, AND THAT MAY COME AS PART OF THIS, UM, RFP PROCESS.

UM, THERE, THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT METRICS YOU COULD TRACK.

UM, WE DON'T, WE HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED THOSE YET.

UM, BUT SOME OF THOSE WE, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS OF BECAUSE THEY CAN, DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU ASK, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, ASKING ABOUT RACE AND ETHNICITY OR INCOME, UM, CAN FEEL VERY THREATENING TO A CUSTOMER, UM, AND SOME MAY WALK AWAY AND THEY, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HEARD THIS FROM CUSTOMERS.

THEY WILL TURN AWAY FROM A PROGRAM

[00:45:01]

SO IF WE, WE DETERMINED THAT THAT CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS ARE, ARE, ARE EQUITY METRICS, THEN WE COULD LOSE CUSTOMERS OR, OR, OR, UM, MINIMIZE OUR CUSTOMER PARTICIPATION SIMPLY BY TRYING TO GATHER SOME DATA OR MEET A METRIC.

UM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL BE COORDINATING WITH THIS CONSULTANT IS, IS HOW DO WE MEASURE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAY IS EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE, UM, DIVERSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, THE OTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, WITH AUSTIN, UM, IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF RACE OR ETHNICITY.

IT COULD BE LANGUAGE.

WE OFTEN THINK OF JUST ENGLISH AND SPANISH QUITE OFTEN, AND IN OUR LANGUAGE APPROACHES, BUT YOU COULD GO TO THE LIBRARY AND FIND THINGS YOU COULD FIND 20, 25, 30 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT ARE AT THE LIBRARY.

SO, UM, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT, WHERE, WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO OUTREACH TO PEOPLE? SO IT, AND I LOVE METRICS AS, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THAT POINT.

WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS HAMPER THE PROCESS BY SAYING HERE'S WHAT THE MEX METRICS ARE GOING TO BE.

I WANT US TO STAY OPEN TO HOW DO WE CAPTURE THAT? UM, WHAT DOES THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE? SO THAT WE DON'T, WE DON'T ACCIDENTALLY KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID TO TALK TO US ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS OR MEASURES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, AND I, I DO, I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT CHALLENGE.

AND I, I AGREE THAT THE LAST THING, UM, THAT I THINK ANYONE OF US WOULD WANT TO SEE IS PUTTING UP ADDITIONAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION BY, YOU KNOW, PROOF OF INCOME OR, OR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT CHALLENGE.

UM, AND I, I, I LIKED, UM, THE APPROACH HERE IN YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT CHANGING HEARTS AND MINDS AND, AND REALLY AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITIES IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT AND, YOU KNOW, EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION.

UM, AND I, I FULLY AGREE THAT THAT'S THE GOAL AT THE SAME TIME.

I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M A DATA PERSON TOO.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IDEA OF W WHILE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS SURE.

THAT WE HAVE SOME WAY TO MEASURE IT, TO MEASURE OURSELVES AND TO MEASURE THE PRO YOU KNOW, THAT THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING, I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

UM, AND SO I'M HOPEFUL.

IT WILL COME AS A RESULT OF THIS RFP PROCESS AND, AND, UH, AND THE ENGAGEMENT.

BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.

I BELIEVE IT WILL BE IT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ENOUGH, WE HAVE ENOUGH DATA PEOPLE AND RESEARCHERS ON THE TEAM THAT IT WE'RE GONNA END UP THERE THEN.

UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AND WE HAVE A BRIEFING REGARDING ALTERNATIVES FOR ED READY, ELECTRIC READY, AND RESIDENTIAL MULTIFAMILY, WATER HEATING, AND NATASHA, WHO IS THE PRESENTER KURT'S DOG.

COMMISSIONER HARMON, UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANYONE, ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, LIZ, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE Q AND A, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

[4.Briefing Regarding Alternatives for EV Ready, Electric Ready, and ResidentialMultifamily Water Heating.]

YOU WERE MOVING HIM OVER, ALONG WITH THE PRESENTATION.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN.

FANTASTIC.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.

UH, I'D LIKE TO START FIRST WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A CLARIFICATION ON THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE BACK IN THE, IN THE MAIN MEETING, UH, SPECIFICALLY WHAT WAS PROMISED THERE WAS TO PROVIDE A FORUM FOR BROADER COMMUNITY TO GIVE DISCUSSION ON ALTERNATIVES AROUND EVIE READY, AND ELECTRIC READY.

THERE WASN'T ANY COMMITMENT TO THESE SPECIFIC PATH FORWARD COMMITTED TO, BUT I'M CERTAINLY COMMITTED TO CONSIDERING ALL OPTIONS.

AND THERE WAS NOT ANY, UH, ASSUMPTION OF ANY OBLIGATION ON BEHALF OF THE RMC WITH REGARDS TO THAT COMMITMENT.

UH, SO THAT WAS AN, AN OPEN-ENDED OFFER, UH, BY AUSTIN ENERGY.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY PLAN TO STAND BY THAT.

UH, AND WITH THAT, UH, I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THAT COMMITMENT.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO SPECIFICALLY THE THREE AREAS I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF THE SCOPE OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE'LL BE JUST, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, AND THEN THE TIMELINE, NEXT SLIDE.

UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO START WITH, UH,

[00:50:01]

THE NEW IECC, THE 21, UH, INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL IN THE JUNE 3RD MEETING AND WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST.

UH, I BELIEVE WE'RE THE FIRST CITY IN, IN TEXAS TO ADOPT THAT, UH, WHILE THERE WAS CITIZENS' COMMUNICATIONS GOING ON RELATED TO THIS ITEM, THERE WAS ALSO DISCUSSION ON THE DIOCESE ABOUT THE IECC AND THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A DESIRE IN THE PUBLIC TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE AREAS OF EVIE READY, ELECTRIC READY, AND ALSO AROUND RESIDENTIAL WATER HEATING.

UH, AND, AND IT WAS MADE FULLY ON THE DICE THAT THERE WOULD BE LIKELY THERE'S LIKELY TO BE A FUTURE ITEM FROM COUNCIL ON THAT.

AND THAT WILL ADD A FEATURE INTO OUR TIMELINE AND OUR DISCUSSION HERE AS WELL.

NEXT SLIDE FOR THE SCOPE OF THE AREAS WE TALKED ABOUT, LIKE I SAID, IT'S EVIE READY, IT'S ELECT ELECTRIC, BETTY.

UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WATER HEATING, PARTICULARLY ON THE MULTIFAMILY SIDE.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE RAN INTO WITH THE ENERGY CODE WAS THAT IT WAS APPARENT TO US THAT IT WAS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THE LEDGE WOULD PASS SOMETHING THAT OUTLAWED ANY KIND OF, OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST A GIVEN UTILITY BY UTILITY TYPE OR, OR, OR A FUEL TYPE.

AND AS SUCH, WE, WE PROACTIVELY ELIMINATED THE REQUIREMENT FOR NATURAL GAS, WATER EATING, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL WATER HEATING, RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION, NEW CONSTRUCTION BASED ON ANTICIPATION OF THAT TURNS OUT HB 17 IS, IS REALIZING THAT, UH, THAT CONCERN AND IS, HAS, IS GOING TO TURN THAT INTO LAW.

SO WE'D BE WHERE WE ARE WITH THE WATER HEATING ISSUE, WHETHER WE ADDRESSED IT IN CODE NOW OR NOT.

SO I THINK US BEING PROACTIVE WITH THAT ACTUALLY HELPED US ADVISE US SOME TIME AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE A GOOD THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION AROUND THIS NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO THERE'S THE OBJECTIVES, WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THESE DISCUSSIONS.

WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE A ROBUST COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THESE SPECIFIC AREAS OF FOCUS WE'D LIKE TO CATALOG THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, SO THAT WE KNOW COMPREHENSIVELY WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.

THEN WE NEED TO TRY AND IDENTIFY THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE BEST USED FOR IDENTIFYING AN ERROR FOR ADDRESSING THOSE CHALLENGES.

AND THEN WE'D LIKE TO DEVELOP A PLAN AND ACTION PLAN AROUND THAT.

SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO COME AWAY WITH IS AN ACTION PLAN FOR AUSTIN ENERGY AND ANY OTHER POTENTIAL PARTNERS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THIS PARTNER TO FURTHER OUR COMMUNITY EFFORTS ASSOCIATED WITH UV READY, ELECTRIC READY, AND LOW CARBON, LOW DEMAND, WATER HEATING FOR RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY.

NEXT SLIDE TO THAT PROCESS.

WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF STEPS WE'VE GOT TO WORK THROUGH.

UH, WE NEED TO CATALOG RELEVANT CITY GOALS.

UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, OF STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE ARTICULATED CITY GOALS.

UH, SOME OF THOSE ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF, OF WORK AS WELL.

SO WE'VE GOT THE AUSTIN ENERGY GENERATION RESOURCE PLAN, WHICH SPEAKS SPECIFICALLY TO AAE, UH, OBJECTIVES.

WE'VE GOT , WHICH HAS SOME VERY CLEAR LITERALLY OUTLINED GOALS.

UH, WE'VE GOT THE EXISTING, UH, CLIMATE, THE ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS ASSUMED TO BE REPLACED BY THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

UH, AND WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME, SOME, UH, TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AS WELL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CATALOG THESE SO THAT WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE NEW CITY GOALS AND CONCERNS AND RELEVANT GUIDELINES FOR THAT TO PROVIDE CONTEXT FOR THIS DISCUSSION.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT PERTINENT STATE AND FEDERAL POLICY AND LEGISLATION, UH, THAT WILL ALSO INCLUDE ENERGY CODES, AS WELL AS PART OF THAT POLICY, BODY.

UH, WE'LL ALSO LOOK TO ALIGNMENT WITH CURRENT AUSTIN ENERGY AND CITY PROGRAMS, BOTH FROM, UH, ARE YOU TOTALLY PROGRAMMED PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, UH, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S OUT THERE AND HOW WE MAY BE ABLE TO FIT, UH, SOME OF THESE, UH, INITIATIVES WITHIN CURRENTLY, UH, PROGRAMS AND ALSO IDENTIFY ANY GAPS OR NEEDS THAT WE NEED TO FILL.

UH, WE'LL ALSO NEED TO HAVE A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.

WE'LL NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR FUNDING LOOKS LIKE FOR THIS, AND THEN WE'LL NEED TO ROLL OUT THE POLICY ONCE WE'VE IDENTIFIED IT, WHERE WE WANT TO GO NEXT TIME.

SO AT TIMES FOR THAT ON THE RESEARCH SIDE OF THINGS, WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN THAT WE PLANNED TO HAVE THE BULK OF THAT WORK COMPLETE IN JULY, UH, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.

WE LOOKED TO BEGIN THAT IMMEDIATELY, WE PRESENTED TO THE EUC YESTERDAY, AND

[00:55:01]

THEY HAD SOME FEEDBACK ABOUT A GROUP THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN AGED IN THIS.

UH, ANY OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY ARE INVITED AND WELCOME TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS.

AND IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE REPRESENTED, UH, I'D WELCOME.

YOU'RE WELCOME SUGGESTIONS EITHER NOW OR IN THE FUTURE.

UH, I DEFINITELY PLAN TO REACH OUT TO COMMISSIONER HARMON TO TALK ABOUT, UH, WHERE WE CAN WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT EQUITY WELL, UH, REPRESENTED IN THIS.

UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION IN THE EARLIER PRESENTATION ABOUT METRICS.

UH, A KEY STEP THAT WE'VE MADE AS A, AS AN ORGANIZATION IS THAT WE RECENTLY HIRED AN EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM MANAGER.

HER NAME IS CARRIE BRANNAN.

SHE JUST STARTED, I BELIEVE LAST WEEK WITH AUSTIN ENERGY.

SHE'S GOING TO BE, UH, WORKING WITH STEWART RILEY OUT OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF'S OFFICE, THIS, UH, AND I WILL WORK WITH HER ON, ON GETTING THERE THE EQUITY PIECE INCLUDED IN THIS AS WELL.

UH, SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON OUR, ON OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT GROUPS AND FORMING THOSE, UH, WE'LL LOOK FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION FOR THESE GROUPS FOR AUGUST THROUGH NOVEMBER IS THE TENTATIVE TIMELINE.

NOW WE'D LOOK TO BRIEF COMMISSIONS, UH, WITH THE SEPTEMBER BRIEFING TO GIVE AN IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE THINK WE'RE HEADED, WHO ALL IS INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION.

BE ABLE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM BOTH THE AUC AND THE RMC AS TO ANY COURSE CORRECTIONS OR ANY PARTIES THAT ARE MISSING, OR ANY OBVIOUS LINES OF THOUGHTS THAT AREN'T BEING REPRESENTED.

AND THEN REPORT ALSO IN NOVEMBER WITH A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE THINK A BRIEFING WOULD LOOK LIKE TO COUNCIL IN DECEMBER.

THIS AGAIN, IS DEPENDENT ON AN ITEM COMING FROM COUNCIL.

IF THAT ITEM DOESN'T MATERIALIZE, OR IF IT'S PUSHED OUT THIS TIMELINE OR HOW WE, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS COULD CHANGE THEM.

SO CAN'T REALLY CONTROL COUNCIL.

SO THERE'S, THERE'S A BIG DEPENDENCY THERE ALSO ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, IT HASN'T GONE FORWARD TO COUNCIL YET FORMALLY.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IF THEY'VE HAD TIME TO WEIGH IT YET AND WHAT KIND OF INPUT THEY MAY HAVE INTO THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

SO WHATEVER INPUT THERE IS IN THEIR REVIEW MIGHT ALSO IMPACT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

SO WE WOULD LOOK TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, TO MONITOR THAT AND UNDERSTAND WHERE IT'S GOING ON, THE FUNDING SIDE OF THINGS.

WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, BASIC CITY PROGRAM BUDGETS, PARTICULARLY AUSTIN ENERGY PROGRAM BUDGETS.

WE'RE REALLY COMMITTED, I THINK, TO THE PATH FORWARD FOR WHAT WE HAVE FOR EXISTING BUDGET FOR FYI 22.

BUT WE MAY BE ABLE TO FIND SOME ROOM FOR SOME, SOME, UH, ACTIVITIES OUT OF THE, OUT OF THAT YEAR'S BUDGET.

IF WE'RE ABLE TO REDIRECT SOME FUNDS, AND THEN WE CAN LOOK INTO 23 FOR ANY DEDICATED FUNDS, UH, ON AN ONGOING BASIS, IF WE NEED TO.

AND THEN WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT GRANT RELATED ACTIVITIES.

WE, WE HOPE THAT THERE'LL BE SOME, SOME GRANT FUNDING RELATED TO THAT, THAT WE CAN DO AS WELL.

AND ON THE POLICY SIDE OF THINGS, UH, THE TIMELINE ON NATURALLY REALLY RELATED TO WHAT THE ACTION PLANS THAT THIS GROUP COMES UP WITH AND WHAT WE AGREE TO AND WHAT THE BEST TIMELINE IS FOR ROLLING THAT OUT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, KURT MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT.

ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE YOU, UH, OPEN UP TO THE COMMISSION, IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I DO AT FIRST.

UH, THANK YOU, KURT, APPRECIATE YOU FOLLOWING UP ON YOUR COMMITMENT AND, UH, YES.

APOLOGIES FOR SLIGHTLY, UH, WORDING THAT COMMITMENT WRONG AS I WAS TRYING TO GET IT, UH, EMBEDDED IN OUR MINUTES.

UH, THIS IS, I THINK WHY WE, WE JUST DID IT AND THAT'S, CAUSE I'M NOT INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO LABEL YOUR COMMITMENT, BUT YES, UH, AS THE CODE IS ONE OPTION.

UM, AND SO JUST TO CLARIFY, AS PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY INCLUDING THOSE ITEMS IN THE CODE AS WELL AS, AS OTHER PATHWAYS, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.

UM, THAT'S GREAT.

UM, HOW WOULD YOU SAY HERE? I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO BE INVITED TO ANY MEETINGS OR WHATEVER ELSE IS INVOLVED IN THIS.

AND I HAD A COUPLE OTHER, UH, SUGGESTIONS, HOPEFULLY, UH, CAITLIN ESSAY WITH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES IS ALREADY ON YOUR LIST, BUT IF SHE'S NOT, I THINK SHE SHOULD BE.

UM, AND, UM, THE, THE FOLKS THAT PECAN STREET, I'M NOT SURE WHO EXACTLY IS THE RIGHT PERSON ON THIS.

UM, BUT THEY'VE DONE PLENTY OF WORK ON ELECTRIFICATION AND SHOULD DEFINITELY BE INVOLVED AND THEY HAVE PLENTY OF DATA.

AND, UM, I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T,

[01:00:01]

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMEBODY LOCAL WITH THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE DONE A BUNCH OF WORK ON ELECTRIFICATION, INCLUDING THE HEALTH BENEFITS IN TERMS OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION.

AND I KNOW THE CITY WORKS WITH THEM PLANNING, SO, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UH, GETTING THEM INVOLVED.

GREAT.

THOSE ARE ALL EXCELLENT IDEAS.

I'M I KNOW FOLKS WITH ALL THREE OF THOSE, SO I CAN DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO THOSE GROUPS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WHITE.

UH, ANYONE ELSE? YEAH.

UM, KURT, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.

AND THEN PLEASE DO ADD MY NAME TO THE LIST OUTREACH LIST, UH, FOR, FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

UM, AND THERE MAY BE ACTUALLY SOME OTHER FOLKS ON OUR STAFF HERE AT TEMP READ THAT I'D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED AS WELL.

AND, UM, CAN THINK OF ANOTHER OTHER, A FEW OTHER, UH, LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY BE GOOD TO, TO ENGAGE.

AND SO I'LL, I'LL SEND YOU A NOTE WITH, WITH THOSE ALSO.

YES, OF COURSE.

UM, NO OTHER COMMENTS, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

ANYONE ELSE? UM, YEAH, I WAS GOING TO ASK HER REAL FAST.

CAN YOU, UH, REPEAT THE NAME OF THE NEW, UH, EQUITY PROGRAM MANAGER? CERTAINLY IT'S CARRIE BRANDON, I BELIEVE IT'S K E R R E E.

LAST NAME B R A N N E N.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

ANY ANYONE ELSE? QUESTIONS FOR KURT? ALL RIGHT, KURT, WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING.

GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, MOVING ON BEFORE WE GET TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, OUR NEWEST COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER DAVIS HAS JOINED.

IS THAT CORRECT? MR. DAVIS, CAN YOU, CAN YOU HEAR US? YOU MIGHT BE ON HAVING A BIT OF TROUBLE HEARING YOU.

CHAIR.

WE HAVE UNMUTED ON OUR END.

UH, WELL IT, UH, YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE HAVING SOME AUDIO PROBLEMS, UH, COMMISSIONER, I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST, JUST WELCOME YOU.

UH, AND WE, UH, WHENEVER WE CAN SOLVE THE AUDIO PROBLEMS, HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A FEW MINUTES TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.

ANY, ANY LUCK.

UH, LAST AGENDA ITEM DISCUSSED POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, WE DO HAVE A FAIRLY FULL, UH, SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

WELL, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN SORT THEM THIS JOB WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT JOB AND COME BACK BEFORE WE ADJOURN,

[5.Discuss potential future agenda items.]

NATASHA, COULD YOU GIVE US THE RUNDOWN OF OUR AGENDA? YES, WE HAVE, UM, COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES AND SHARED SOLAR FOR JULY.

WE ALSO HAVE THE CS BUDGET BRIEFING, AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE TEXAS GAS SERVICE THREE YEAR EFFICIENCY BUDGET.

THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT, UM, I HAVE LISTED FOR JULY.

UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, ANY COMMENTS ON THOSE ITEMS OR ITEMS THAT, UH, ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE UP IN THE FUTURE, UM, ON THOSE ITEMS, UM, SPECIFICALLY THE, THE SHARED SOLAR AND THE, UM, SOLAR INCENTIVES, UH, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE POSTED FOR ACTION.

UH, SINCE I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS THAT ALREADY THE PLAN, I BELIEVE THAT IS THE CASE, BUT TASHA, CAN YOU CONFIRM THOSE ARE RCAS? UM, I THINK IT WAS JUST GOING TO BE A PRESENTATION.

I WOULD HAVE TO CIRCLE BACK, UM, WITH STAFF, BUT I, I THINK THEY'RE JUST PREPARED TO DO A PRESENTATION ON THE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES AND SHARED SOLAR.

ITEMS SO THAT WE CAN TAKE ACTION, YOU KNOW, AS WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY IN THE MEETING, AND IF THAT'S ALL THAT'S GONNA SHOW UP IN OUR MINUTES, THEN I GUESS WE HAVE TO, UM, BE, I THINK, MORE DILIGENT ABOUT TAKING ACTION.

SO IN THAT CASE, I GUESS I'M REQUESTING ADDITIONAL AGENDA

[01:05:01]

UM, I, I, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THOSE NEED TO BE TWO DIFFERENT, UM, AGENDA ITEMS FOR ACTION.

I KNOW THERE'S ALSO AN ISSUE AROUND, UM, METER FEES FOR SOLAR METERS.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT TIM HARVEY IS PREPARED TO TALK TO US ABOUT THAT, BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REQUEST THAT FOR AN ITEM FOR ACTION.

UM, THIS WOULD BE A NEW FEE THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY CHARGED, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, FOR CUSTOMERS WITH GETTING SOLAR.

AND THEN THE, THE LAST THING THAT WAS, IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET, UH, AN UPDATE AND AGAIN, POSTED FOR ACTION ON THE, UH, THE LOCAL SOLAR RFP THAT CLOSED IN, IN, UH, MID, UH, MID NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

IT SEEMS LIKE THAT MUST BE MOVING THROUGH THE PROCESS BY NOW, I WOULD THINK, YES, I DO BELIEVE TIM HAD THAT ON THE LIST OF THINGS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE, I GUESS.

SO JUST GOING BACK REAL QUICK, WHAT EXACTLY, WHAT ACTION ARE YOU REQUESTING? I MEAN, IT MIGHT JUST BE AS SIMPLE AS, YOU KNOW, AND ENDORSING A CHANGE OR MAKING SOME SORT OF RECOMMENDATION TO ALTER WHAT IS PRESENTED TO US.

UM, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING SEEN THE PRESENTATION, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO KNOW RIGHT NOW, BUT I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, TO TAKE ACTION ON, ON EACH OF THOSE ITEMS THAT I JUST LISTED, CAUSE THEY'RE ALL RELEVANT TO THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ADVISING ON.

SO THE AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE POSSIBLE ACTION, AND THE ACTION WOULD BE POTENTIALLY AN ENDORSEMENT OF THE PRESENTATION OR THE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS THAT WILL GO TO COUNCIL.

AND, AND WHETHER IT'S ONE ITEM WHERE ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN FALL UNDER IT OR SEPARATE ITEMS, I DON'T HAVE A STRONG OPINION.

I WOULD JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SEPARATE ITEMS THAN IT WOULD BE SHARED SOLAR, UH, SOLAR INCENTIVES, SOLAR METER FEES, AND, UH, UM, SORRY.

AND THE, UM, I GUESS LOCAL SOLAR OR FP, OR YOU COULD PUT THAT AS LOCAL COMMUNITY SOLAR, HOWEVER, HOWEVER YOU WANNA WORD IT.

UH, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THAT BACK AND, UH, SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME CLARIFICATION.

YOU KNOW, SPENT A LOT OF TIME DIVING INTO, AND I WANTED TO GET THOUGHTS FOR THE REST OF THE GROUP, WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, FIND WAYS TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT, UM, RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT, EQUITABLE ACCESS AND ACCESS TO, UM, ENERGY, EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION, MORE BROADLY.

COMMISSIONER WHITE, UH, COMMISSIONER, IS ANYONE ELSE ON THE FUTURE DESIGN ITEMS? UM, I JUST SAID A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.

UM, BUT BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEW FUTURE ITEM, I DO AGREE.

I THINK KAYLA BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT POSTING LANGUAGE, AND I KNOW WE'VE DONE THIS BACK AND FORTH AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, I KNOW THAT WE DO NEED TO BE VERY, UM, SPECIFIC ABOUT POSSIBLE ACTION WHEN WE INTEND TO TAKE ACTION.

AND SOMETIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO CAPTURE THE NARRATIVE OF THE ACTION THAT WE WANT TO TAKE BEFORE WE KNOW THE CONTENT OF THE PRESENTATION.

UM, AND SO I KNOW THERE'S A, A BIT OF AN ART THERE, BUT I DO PAY BY I SUPPORT YOUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, THERE FOR POSSIBLE ACTION ON THOSE SOLAR ITEMS. SO JUST TO ADD MY, UM, MY SUPPORT THERE FOR THE FUTURE AGENDA, AND THEN, UM, ADDITIONALLY I WANTED TO, UM, AND MAYBE THIS ISN'T EVEN NECESSARILY RECOMMENDATION YET, BUT JUST PERHAPS WANTED TO OPEN IT UP AND GET THE THOUGHTS OF, UM, OF THE COMMISSION.

UM, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED MS. JOSEPH'S, UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, UH, EARLIER AND, UH, THE, THE DETAILED INFORMATION THAT SHE SHARED WITH US.

AND THEN, UM, I HAVE NOT YET HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW THE WHOLE THING, BUT I AM VERY INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC, UM, RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT, UM, AND, UH, EQUITABLE ACCESS.

UM, THERE, I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS TOPIC, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT EVS ED READY, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE CAN TIE TO OUR PURVIEW RELATED TO, UM, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND, AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY MORE BROADLY.

UM, BUT I THINK THIS IS A TOPIC THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, WE HAVEN'T,

[01:10:02]

UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S NOT A FULLY FORMED, UH, THOUGHT IN TERMS OF WHAT THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIFIC FUTURE AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE DETERMINED THAT IT IS IN THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMISSION, I THINK IT'S A TOPIC THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR US TO TAKE UP MORE FORMALLY.

ARE YOU GUYS, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU AGREE, OR DOES IT FEEL LIKE WE'RE OVERSTEPPING OUR BOUNDS WITH THAT ONE? I MEAN, IT, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY SLIGHTLY ON THE EDGE OF, OF WHAT IS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, BUT MAYBE CAPTURED IN THAT WAY AS ENERGY EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION.

I LIKE THAT FRAMING CERTAINLY IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND I, I GUESS PART OF THE REASON THAT I WANT TO BRING THIS UP, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAD A FULL DISCUSSION ON IT.

I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, UM, UH, LIZ'S COMMENTS RELATED TO THE EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, BUT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, THOSE TOPICS WEREN'T NECESSARILY COMPLETELY ALIGNED.

SO I GUESS IF THE COMMISSION, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER, MAYBE IT'S WHAT I'M PROPOSING.

JONATHAN, MAYBE I'LL PUT THIS ON YOU AS CHAIR A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE PERSON CONTROLLING OUR AGENDAS GOING FORWARD.

I CAN PUT TOGETHER PERHAPS A MORE, UM, THOUGHTFUL RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT AGENDA ITEM IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT, UM, REALLY, I JUST KINDA WANTED TO POSE IT FOR DISCUSSION AND GET FEEDBACK FROM THE GROUP.

IF IT FEELS LIKE A DIRECTION WE SHOULD GO MISSIONERS.

ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT AS A POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? YEAH.

DANA LET'S LET'S FOLLOW UP.

I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR ME TO, UH, HAVE SOMETHING A BIT MORE, UH, SPECIFIC.

I, I AM A BIT HESITANT TO ADD THINGS TO JULY AT THIS POINT, BUT, UM, UNLESS YOU FEEL THERE'S A NEED AN URGENT NEED THERE BUT NO THANK YOU.

AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT OUR AGENDA'S ALREADY PRETTY PRETTY PACKED FOR, FOR JULY.

UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK MS. JOSEPH POINTED OUT THAT COMMENTS ARE DUE REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR, UH, THE ORANGE LINE AND BLUE LINE, I THINK IT'S EVEN TOMORROW.

SO I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A SENSE OF URGENCY THERE, BUT IT MAY BE, UM, AND YOU KNOW, PERHAPS WE, AS INDIVIDUALS CAN, CAN LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL APPROPRIATE TO COMMENT ON.

UM, BUT IN, IN THE FUTURE, I THINK WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'LL READ THROUGH THE MATERIAL THAT SHE SHARED WITH US AND, AND MAYBE, UM, IF I CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR HOW I FEEL IT FITS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, I'LL, I'LL SUBMIT THAT TO YOU.

AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS, UH, A LATER MEETING.

YEAH, I TOTALLY AGREE.

LIKE HER COMMENTS WERE GREAT, UH, VERY CONCRETE SPECIFIC.

IT, IT IS HARD TO, UH, KIND OF GIVE DETAILED THOUGHT KIND OF ON THE FLY DURING A MEETING.

RIGHT.

SO I TOTALLY AGREE.

LET'S TAKE THAT BACK AND LOOK AT THEM IN MORE DETAIL.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PERHAPS WELCOME TO KELLY.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE HER VIDEO NOW.

QE KELLY, ARE YOU, CAN WE HEAR YOU? YES.

HI EVERYBODY.

KELLY, UM, NUMBER NEWEST.

UM, I THINK TO SEE IF YOU TAKE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TURN OFF YOUR VIDEO, MIGHT SOUND MORE CLEAR WITH THE AUDIO, HAPPY TO BE HERE.

ALL RIGHT, KELLY, CAN WE TRY THAT ONE MORE TIME? UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WELCOME TO, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UM, THOUGHTS ON THE, UH, RMC OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

I THINK, UM, WE WERE HAVING A BIT OF DIFFICULTY WITH THE AUDIO.

IF YOU COULD TURN OFF YOUR VIDEO, UH, THAT'S THE SUGGESTION TO GET SOME OF THE BANDWIDTH.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, MUCH BETTER.

AM COUNSEL LIVERPOOL'S APPOINTEE TO THIS COMMISSION.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, MY NAME IS KELLY DAVIS.

[01:15:01]

UM, MY GOALS AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU REALLY PUT ME ON THE SPOT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I HAVEN'T FULLY FORMED THOSE THOUGHTS YET, MAYBE, UM, NEXT, UH, NEXT MONTH.

AND I ALSO HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE TODAY.

UM, I HAD THE TIME MIXED UP.

I THOUGHT IT WAS AT SIX, UM, BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE AND DIVE IN AND MEET ALL OF YOU.

AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AS WELL.

UM, UH, YEAH, NO, NO WORRIES.

THAT WE, WE GENERALLY DO TRY TO MEET AT SIX AND I THINK WE'LL TRY TO GET BACK ON THAT SCHEDULE, UM, GOING FORWARD.

UH, AND LIKE I SAID, NO, NO PRESSURE.

UM, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY IF, IF YOU, UH, WANTED TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL REVISIT, UH, IN JULY, BUT THANK YOU.

UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING.