Jul 07, 2021 Environmental Commission

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:03]

OUR REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, JULY 7TH, 2021 AT 6:01 PM.

VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING.

I'M GOING TO DO ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER KRILL HERE.

COMMISSIONER THOMPSON HERE.

COMMISSIONER BARRETT, MADAM CHAIR.

SHE HASN'T JOINED US YET.

OKAY.

UH, COMMISSIONER COIN, I BELIEVE IS OUT COMMISSIONER RANDBURG, COMMISSIONER GUERRERO HERE.

COMMISSIONER BRIMER HERE.

AND COMMISSIONER BEDFORD.

MADAM CHAIR, COMMISSIONER VIPER IS ALSO ABSENT.

ALL RIGHT.

COMMISSIONER BRISTOL HERE.

EXCELLENT.

WE'VE GOT SIX.

OKAY.

LET'S BEGIN.

OUR AGENDA.

I DON'T IS ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? THERE IS NO GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION TODAY.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

A ONE, A

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION]

UH, FROM JUNE 16TH, 2021.

DOES ANYONE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES? SO MOVED SECOND BY ROMBERG.

THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? UH, I SECOND COMMISSIONER BRIMER.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

BRIMER WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, DELETED OR ADDED.

IF NOT, UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AT THIS TIME.

AYE.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S UNANIMOUS.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, I'VE BEEN TO

[2a. Update from Jose Guerrero, Assistant Director, Watershed Protection Department]

WELCOME, GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONERS.

AND YOU HEAR ME? YES.

GREAT.

WELL, I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I'M ANNOUNCING AFTER 37 YEARS OF SERVICES, CITY OF AUSTIN, MY RETIREMENT EFFECTIVE AT THE END OF JULY, JULY 31ST, UH, AFTER 37 YEARS OF SERVICE, I AM IN AWE OF THE VERSATILITY AND CRAFT OF OUR FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION, UH, IN CARRYING OUT WPS MISSION WPD MISSION AND PROTECTING LIVES AND PROPERTY IN AUSTIN.

THE WORK OF OUR MEN, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF FOG CARRY OUT EVERY DAY IS WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD.

OUR OPEN WATERWAYS DIVISION, CLEAN OUR CREEKS RESPOND TO A FLARE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM CALLS TWENTY FOUR SEVEN THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DAY OPERATION.

LIKEWISE, OUR CLOSEST TO THE CREWS DO THE SAME, UH, UH, ALSO RESPOND TO OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH, I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH HOW THEY RESPOND TO RECENT SINKHOLES IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND THEN IT FALLS BACK YARDS, UH, IN, IN CASES.

AND SO QUICK RESPONSES, GREAT TEAMWORK AND EFFORTS ARE NEEDED.

I'M AWE OF WHAT THEY'VE, UH, SERVICES THEY'VE DONE ARE POSITIVE VISION WAS CREATED IN THE LATE NINETIES, UH, TO INSPECT AND MAINTAIN PONDS.

UH, THE REALITY IS IF YOU CAN JUMP INTO BARTON SPRINGS, THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOBS AND MAINTAINING OUR WATER QUALITY ASSETS AND PERFORMING THAT IMPORTANT FUNCTION.

UH, 2014, WE CREATED A WALNUT CREEK, UH, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TEAM FOR OUR TUNNEL FACILITIES, OUR ANNELID AND OUTLET.

UH, THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB IN KEEPING THAT SYSTEM UP AND RUNNING, FREEING UP, UH, AREA FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF A GRANT, A CHAIN OF PARKS.

THE OPENING OF WATERLOO PARK WILL BE COMING UP SOON.

I HOPE YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO THAT AND KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT, BUT ALL OF THAT IS DUE THANKS TO THE, THE TUNNEL THAT IS, UH, OPERATED AND RESTART COLLATING WATER THROUGH THE LOWER WALNUT CREEK IN EASTERN DOWNTOWN.

MY HOPE IS THAT THIS WILL, THIS, THIS ONE FACILITY COULD MEL, THE EAST-WEST DIVIDE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, WE HAVE A BIG STAFF THAT ARE, THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR OPEN SPACE, OUR CONSERVATION LANDS.

UH, THEY WORK VERY HARD AT, UM, GUIDING THE CREATION AND SYSTEMS, UH, OF THE SYSTEM OF OPEN SPACE, HUBS AND LINKS THAT SUPPORT CONSERVATION AND ASSOCIATED OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL AND OTHER HUMAN VALUES THAT OUR CITIZENS DEMAND.

UH, WE HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTIONS AND EVALUATION TEAM THAT WORK 24 7

[00:05:01]

UH, MAKING HOUSE CALLS, INSPECTING THOSE INITIAL DRAINAGE COMPLAINTS.

UH, THEY HAVE WORKED OUT THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE TO OUR CITIZENS.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE A SMALL ENGINEERING STAFF THAT RESPOND AND SUPPORT ALL OF OUR FIELD OPERATIONS, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND SOLUTIONS IN A WAY THAT IS VERY PROFOUNDLY IMPORTANT.

I LITERALLY JUST ARRIVED BACK FROM A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, UH, WHERE I LEARNED AND SAW THE GENERAL GRANT'S PSYCHIATRY IN THE KINGS CANYON SUPPORT NATIONAL NATIONAL PARK AND LEARNED THAT THEY'RE UNIQUELY, UH, ONLY ON THE WESTERN SLOPE.

SO THE SIERRA NEVADA, UH, WE'RE SMALL WATERSHEDS, DIRECT WATER STRAIGHT TO THEM.

AND THROUGH THE POOREST SOILS IN THE GROUNDWATER, THEY'RE FED TO GROW TO ENORMOUS SCALES.

SO I, UH, GOT A LOT FROM THAT WATERSHED, UH, EXAMPLE THAT, THAT I LEARNED FROM AT THE PARK THERE, UH, AGAIN, WATER WATERSHED IN HIS LIFE.

WATER IS LIFE GIVING HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND WHAT IS LIE TO ME, TO ME, LIFE IS LOVE AND, AND, AND OUR WATERSHED STAFF HAS A LOT OF LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR EACH THAT IS YOU NOT ONLY FOR EACH OTHER, BUT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, AS YOU DO AS WELL.

AND SO, UH, AS THEY, AND YOU MUST CONTINUE THE BIG EDUCATION EFFORTS AND RESPONSIBILITY IN PROTECTING OUR WATERSHEDS, PROTECTING OUR CREEKS, UH, PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS FROM THE CREASING, PROTECTING OUR, OUR CREEKS FROM THE CITIZEN.

UH, WHAT I WANT TO SHARE ONE STORY, UH, IN, IN CLOSING, UH, I ALSO LEARNED, UH, ONE OF THE BIG REASONS I'M RETIRING IS TO RECONNECT THAT A PROFOUND NEED TO RECONNECT WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

UH, I EVEN HAVE A SLEDDING CANADA.

AND SO, UH, I LOST AN UNCLE IT'S VERY DEAR TO ME.

UH, AND I BOUGHT ONE OF THOSE TRIBUTE TREES FOR HIM.

AND I GOT THE EMAIL THAT THE TRIBUTE TREE WAS GOING TO BE PLANTED IN THE CHECK WHEN ME GONE NICOLET FOREST AND UPSTATE WISCONSIN.

AND THERE I GO TO RESEARCH THAT A FOREST WHERE I LEARNED THAT THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF THE GREAT BLUE HERONS NEST AND ROOST IS, IS IN THESE A HUNDRED FOOT TALL PINES.

AND BALSAMS IN THAT FOREST 300,000 ACRES WERE DEVASTATED BY WINDSTORM IN 2019.

SO THIS IS WHY THEY WERE DIRECTING REPLANTING EFFORTS THERE.

AND SO I WAS VERY COMFORTED THAT, UH, BY UNCLE'S TREE AGAIN, HIS NAME IS DIEGO GODSON WOULD ROOST GREAT BLUE HERONS FOREVER.

AND AS SPANISH GRAY BLUE HAIR OR GRIME, GOD SAYS AS SOON AS, UH, AT A VAN, THEN THOSE BLUE HAIR HAS PASSED THROUGH BOSTON PASS THROUGH THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY WHERE HE WAS FROM AND ON DOWN TO MEXICO AND THEN SOUTH AMERICA AS WELL.

AND SO THAT JUST, THAT JUST GAVE, GAVE TO ME THE PROFOUND SENSE OF WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR WORK IS HERE IN THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.

I REMEMBER SEEING A GREAT BLUE HERON, A GRAND GOT ASIDE SOON AT ONE OF OUR JOB SITES IN SHOAL CREEK, BUILDING A EROSION CONSTRUCT CONTROL STRUCTURE THAT I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE THE FIELD ENGINEER ON.

UH, I WOULD BE REMISSED IF I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ANOTHER ONE OF MY COWORKERS, CLAUDIA CASTILLO, HOWEVER, RETIRED AT THE END OF MAY.

HE WAS ONE OF THE WORKERS ON THAT PROJECT WITH ME, UH, AFTER 37 YEARS OF SERVICE.

AND THERE WAS ONE OTHER GENTLEMAN, JAY, JOHN JERELL, WHO ALSO, UH, IS, UH, AT 37 YEARS, BUT HE'S STILL WITH US.

HE'S OUR, UH, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT AND FIELD OPERATIONS IS A CLOSED SYSTEMS GROUP.

UH, SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS WELL.

UH, BUT, BUT THE CHALLENGE, YOU ALL, TO KEEP THAT EDUCATION GOING TO OUR CITIZENS, DEMAND FROM OUR STAFF TO GIVE YOU BRIEFINGS OF THE INFORMATION ON WHAT WE'RE, WHAT THE WORK WE'RE DOING, UM, AND CONTINUE THAT EDUCATION, UH, FOR OUR CITIZENS IN THIS TIME AND NEED SPECIFICALLY, PARTICULARLY AFTER THIS PANDEMIC.

SO I WOULDN'T, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US OVER THE LAST YEARS.

UM, AND, UH, I WISH YOU WELL, AND, AND I I'M HERE FOR ONE MORE MONTH, SO I, I HOPE TO, UH, UH, SEE A LOT OF CHAT WITH YOU A LOT, A LOT OF YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND CONGRATULATIONS, AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR MANY YEARS AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.

UH, I REMEMBER, UH, KNOWING ABOUT YOU, UH, MANY YEARS BEFORE I EVEN CAME ON THIS COMMISSION, UH, SOMEONE NAMED DR.

MAXWELL WOULD ALWAYS MENTION YOU IN OUR CONVERSATIONS AND DR.

MAXWELL GREATLY ADMIRED YOU, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPRESSED BY YOUR WORK.

AND SO, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH LATER.

UH, COMMISSIONER CRUEL HERE, A I WANTED TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 37 YEARS OF SERVICE.

UM,

[00:10:01]

THEY, UH, THEY, THEY MUST HAVE LET YOU JOIN THE CITY BEFORE CHILD LABOR LAWS, UH, UH, BUT WHERE'S THE BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.

AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MISS THE END.

YOU HERE.

THANK YOU, ANDY.

IT'S COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, LINDA.

I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GUIDANCE WHENEVER I REALLY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.

IF I EVER ASKED YOU, YOU WOULD DIRECT ME IN THE RIGHT WAY.

AND THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH US WHEN WE COULD HARDLY COPE WITH WHATEVER WE FELT LIKE WE COULDN'T DO IN THE BEST WAY SO MANY TIMES, BUT YOU ALWAYS TRIED TO SEND THIS AND CHANNEL THAT ENERGY IN A GOOD WAY.

SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, PAM SO MUCH A LOT.

THANK YOU.

TH THIS IS, UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

I'M SURE THE CITY HAS CHANGED A LOT IN THE LAST 37 YEARS, BUT, UH, IT'S IN A BETTER PLACE HAVING, HAVING YOU, UH, PROVIDE ALL YOUR SERVICE AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

PLEASE DO NOT BE A STRANGER, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

UH, WE, WE MAY NEED MOVING FORWARD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND DON'T GO TO CANADA TOO MUCH IN THE ONE.

TRY TO STICK, STICK THAT TO THE SUMMER TRIPS.

THANK YOU, KEVIN.

I'M WAITING FOR THAT BORDER TO OPEN.

IT'S STILL CLOSED.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DID.

WE WILL MISS YOU AND TAKE GOOD CARE.

THANK YOU.

GOODBYE, EVERYONE COMING TO SIZE.

WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO TO ITEM

[2b. Update on Watershed Protection Department Realignment—Jorge Morales, Director, Watershed Protection Department]

WE HAVE THE DIRECTOR THIS EVENING PRESENTING FOR HIM.

MIRALIS GOOD EVENING, SIR.

REALLY CHAIR AND GOOD, GOOD EVENING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

AND, UM, I WANTED TO GO AFTER JOSE CAUSE I WANTED HIM TO SHARE THE NEWS AND MAYBE IT'LL MAKE SENSE FOR THE REALIGNMENT CUMBERSOME.

WE'RE GOING TO, I'M GOING TO SHARE A HIGH LEVEL WITH YOU AS WELL, BUT JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, I BECAME A DIRECTOR ABOUT 20 MONTHS AGO.

CAN YOU ALL STILL HEAR ME CLEARLY? CAUSE I KNOW MY COMPUTER SEEMS TO BE LOSING IN AND OUT.

OKAY.

I WILL CONTINUE TO TALK EVEN THOUGH MY FACE DISAPPEARS ON THE SCREEN, BUT WITH MY, MY VIRTUAL BACKGROUND, BUT I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

BUT, UM, WHEN I JOINED THE DEPARTMENT, UH, IN, AT THE END OF OCTOBER, 2019, I HAD MEETINGS WITH ALL OF MY EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS, RIGHT? AND IN THE FIRST WEEK I REALIZED I WAS ABOUT TO LOSE THREE EXECUTIVES OF THE FOUR.

SO, UH, I, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THREE OF THEM WERE INTENDED TO RETIRE IN MY FIRST YEAR.

SO, UM, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WASN'T EXPECTING, BUT, UH, LAST MEETING YOU HAD CHRIS, UH, OR ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER GIVE HIS FAREWELL SPEECH.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO ASK COLE SAID TO DO THE SAME.

AND SO I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT ALTHOUGH CHRIS THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO RETIRE IN 2020, UH, WE ALL THOUGHT A LOT OF THINGS OF 2020 UNTIL THE PANDEMIC HIT.

AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT BOTH OF THEM CHOSE TO STICK AROUND AND, AND SUPPORT OUR DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE CHANGES THAT WERE COMING.

AND SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN PLANNING FOR THIS JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, UM, FROM THE MOMENT I KNEW THAT THE EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS WERE GOING TO BE LEAVING.

I WANTED TO SEE HOW WE STRUCTURED OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM TO BETTER SUPPORT THIS DEPARTMENT AS WE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

AND THAT'S THE THEME I'VE USED AS WE'VE ENGAGED THIS SINCE LAST YEAR.

UH, SO PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.

UM, AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT IS THE REALIGNMENT THAT WE STARTED AS OF THIS WEEK.

UM, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS IN JULY OF 2020.

AND SO, UH, ONE MIGHT THING.

WHY WOULD YOU START REALIGNING PROCESS DURING THE PANDEMIC? SO WHY NOT? RIGHT.

UH, SO THE PANDEMICS TAUGHT US A LOT OF THINGS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S TAUGHT US THAT WE HAVE TO BE RESILIENT AND TO BE RESILIENT, YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR IT.

YOU CAN'T JUST THINK IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

AND SO THIS PROCESS ACTUALLY STARTED, UH, THAT DAY, THE EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS TOLD ME THEY WERE LEAVING.

I WAS LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

AND SO MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED DURING THAT PANDEMIC.

THAT'S MADE US A STRONGER ORGANIZATION, BUT IN THE END I FELT THAT EXECUTIVE STRUCTURE NEEDED TO BE REALIGNED.

SO THAT WAS STEP ONE.

AND SO AS YOU ALL MAY RECALL, CHRIS HARRINGTON WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER AND HE OVERSAW THE PLANNING AND POLICY DIVISIONS OF A RATHER SMALL TEAM OVER THE LAST YEAR, UM, MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE HIM INTO AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH THE TITLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER AS WELL, TO GIVE THEM MORE ROLES OF RESPONSIBILITIES.

SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER THAT WITH YOU.

UH, SO WE DID, UH, HE ENGAGED THE DEPARTMENT AND WE HAD OVER 75% OF OUR EMPLOYEES GIVE FEEDBACK EITHER THROUGH

[00:15:01]

SO IT'S BEEN A VERY ENGAGING PROCESS AND, UM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS SOONER, BUT THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.

WE HAD THE WINTER STORM, WE HAD OTHER STUFF.

AND FOR ME TO FORMALIZE THIS PROCESS, I HAD TO GET APPROVAL THROUGH MY CORPORATE HR PROCESS.

AND SO WE FINALLY GOT APPROVAL.

SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS LAST QUARTER OF FY 21.

SO KAYLA WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU IF YOU COULD PULL UP THAT HIGH LEVEL ORG CHART.

SO I CAN USE THAT AS A, A TALKING POINT FOR, FOR DESCRIBING THE CHANGES.

THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMISSIONERS.

WHAT I'M GOING TO USE THIS AS HIGH LEVEL ORG CHART TO WALK YOU THROUGH IT.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WAS MOVED TO THE HR DIVISION THAT USED TO BE UNDER SUPPORT SERVICE TO REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME AS A DIRECTOR, I FELT AS A NEW DIRECTOR, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE PERSONNEL MATTERS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

SO THAT ACTUALLY STARTED SINCE OCTOBER OF 20, 20, 20 10, 20 YEARS.

AND SO THE HR MANAGER REPORTS TO ME, I ALSO HAVE THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT THOMAS BROWSER WHO HIRED SHORTLY AFTER I STARTED.

AND, UH, SARAH GARVEY, WHO'S A BUSINESS PROCESS CONSULTANT, I, AS A DEPARTMENT, WE'RE GOING TO BE EVALUATING PROCESSES.

AND SO I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A BUSINESS PROCESS CONSULTANT.

SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT JOURNEY AND THAT'S PART OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH AS A DEPARTMENT.

SO ONCE AGAIN, UH, LAST YEAR I DID REQUEST TO CREATE MY EXECUTIVE STRUCTURE FROM THREE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, UH, TO BE FOUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS AND, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER STILL HOLDING THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES ON.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO START WITH THE FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ON THE FAR LEFT, SINCE CHRIS LEFT US LAST WEEK, RIGHT.

I, AS A FRIDAY, I HAD TO MOVE MY EXECUTIVE TEAM AROUND TO SUPPORT WHILE I HIRE THAT POSITION.

AND SO I'VE ASKED SARAH HARTLEY, WHO IS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, HE'S NOW SHE BECOME THE SENIOR MOST AFTER , UH, OF OUR EXECUTIVE.

SO I'VE ASKED HER TO ASSIST IN OVERSEEING THE NEW GROUP THAT CHRIS WAS OVERSEEING, WHICH IS, UM, GOING TO BE FOR THE NEXT 90 DAYS BECAUSE I'D BEGUN THE HIRING PROCESS.

AND SO I DO HOPE TO MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY ON, UH, HIRING THE REPLACEMENT FOR, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER SLASH ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

AND, UM, THAT SHOULD BE POSTING PRETTY SOON IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND WE'LL BE COMPETING NATIONALLY.

UM, SO SARAH ARTLEY WILL BE OVERSEEING THAT GROUP.

SO IN ORDER FOR HER TO SLIDE OVER AND ASSIST INTERIM ROLE, I'VE ASKED, UH, NEWPORT GODFREY, WHICH MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, AND SHE'S OUR FINANCIAL MANAGER AND SHE'S PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION EVERY TIME WE PRESENT OUR BUDGET.

AND SO I'VE ASKED THE NEWPORT TO STEP INTO THE INTERIM ROLE FOR THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SUPPORT SERVICES.

AND SO A NEW BUBBLE WILL BE IN THAT ROLE FOR THE NEXT 90 DAYS AS WELL.

SO SUPPORT SERVICES, WE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE OTHER CHANGES, BUT IN THE END, THE MAIN CHANGE THAT WE ADDED TO THIS SUPPORT SERVICES IS, AND YOU DIVISION CALLED DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION.

ONE OF THE FINDINGS AFTER EVALUATING THOROUGHLY, OUR DEPARTMENT IS THAT HAS, WE HAVE GROWN AS A DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVEN'T KEPT PACE WITH THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT SERVICES ADMINISTRATORS SPECIFICALLY.

AND SO WE'RE CREATING THIS DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS A DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES THAT SUPPORTS THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, A CENTRALIZED HUB, WHERE THEY SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT.

AND SO WE ARE ACTUALLY AS PART OF OUR BUDGET THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE HAD QUITE A BIT OF SUPPORT SERVICES ROLES THAT WE'VE PUT INTO OUR BUDGET BECAUSE WE FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE AS WELL, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING, BUT THAT IN THE END WAS THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT OCCURRED IN SUPPORT SERVICES THROUGH THIS REALIGNMENT AND REORGANIZATION.

UH, THE OTHER THING WAS THAT I MOVED TO HR DIVISION OUT TO REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME.

UM, SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT GROUP, WHICH IS CHRIS'S WHOLE GROUP, THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, WE'RE FOLLOWING IT RIGHT NOW, PLANNING, PLANNING, MONITORING, COMPLIANCE.

SO IF YOU WILL, A LOT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, UH, UH, SERVICES HAVE BEEN PUT UNDER THE, UM, THE OVERVIEW OF THIS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

SO PLANNING PROVISION, UM, IS THE DIVISION.

THAT'S HELPING THEM WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING AND THEY THEY'VE HELPED WITH A LOT OF THINGS ALREADY.

SO THAT TEAMS FAITH STAYED HOME.

UM, WE DID CREATE A NEW DIVISION FOR, FOR MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE AS WELL.

AND, UM, THAT BRINGS TOGETHER SEVERAL GROUPS THAT WERE PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT DIVISION, ERM, UH, WHILE EXTRACTING OUT THE ENGINEERING FUNCTIONS.

AND SO SOME OF THE ENGINEERING FUNCTIONS HAVE MOVED TO THE GROUP UNDER MIKE KELLY.

I'LL EXPLAIN IT IN A LITTLE BIT.

BUT THE OTHER THING WE DID IS THE REGULATORY FUNCTIONS, UH, THAT SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, A FLOODPLAIN REVIEW, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, SOME OF THESE FUNCTIONS ARE GOING TO BE HOUSED OUT OF THE PLANNING, UH, THE REVIEW THAT PDC OFFICE THAT'S OVER THERE BY THE NEW OFFICE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

SO WE DO WANT TO BE A

[00:20:01]

WE CALL TO GET FLOOD PLAIN OFF HIS DRAINAGE REVIEW AND FLOOD, UH, RE UH, SCORING.

AND SO THAT DIVISION IS LED BY KEVIN CHUNK.

AND SO HE'S A MANAGING ENGINEER.

SO HE'S GONNA HAVE, UH, ENGINEERS THAT DO A LOT OF THE FLOOD, PLAIN REVIEWS, DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

SO THAT GROUP THAT MOVE OVER UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THIS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, HE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY TEAM, WE MADE THIS CHANGE EARLY THIS YEAR.

SO IF YOU ALREADY INTERACTED WITH, WE CREATED A DEPUTY OFF ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER ROLE THAT LIZ JOHNSON'S IN THAT POSITION.

AND SO FOR THIS INTERIM PERIOD, LIZ WILL BE THE FACE OF, OF THE LIAISON COMING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

UH, I, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE OTHER EXECUTIVES WILL ALSO BE HERE TO SUPPORT, BUT LIZ IS GOING TO BE THE MAIN LEAD FOR THIS INTERIM PERIOD.

WHEN WE DO HIRE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, THAT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WILL CARRY THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER TITLE AND WE'LL BE HERE JUST LIKE CHRIS WAS SUPPORTING, UH, THE COMMISSION.

UM, IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE DEPUTY ROLE, THAT'S ALREADY VERY ENGAGED WITH THE COMMISSION.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WE DID IN THE, IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES.

WE HAVE THE DEPUTY CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, AND WE'VE CREATED A NEW SUPERVISOR ROLE TO HELP SUPERVISE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWERS THAT ARE SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS, UH, AS PART OF OUR WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING IN THE CITY.

HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW? AND THERE'S A LOT OF HAPPY WITHIN THE CITY ON CITY PROJECTS, AS WELL AS THE STATE, THE COUNTY AND THE DEVELOPMENT.

SO WE HAVE INCREASED THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS AND SO WE NEEDED A SUPERVISOR TO HELP OVERSEE THOSE ROLES.

SO THIS WAY THE DEPUTY IS NOT HAVING TO DO A LOT OF THAT ROLE.

RIGHT.

UM, SO IN A NUTSHELL, PRINCE WENT FROM HAVING ABOUT 20 DIRECT REPORTS UNDER THE PLANNING AND POLICY.

AND NOW IT'S ABOUT A HUNDRED FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OF AN ENVIRONMENTALIST, UH, BIOLOGISTS SCIENTISTS, REGULATORS THAT ARE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER SLASH ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

AND THAT'S A PRETTY HUGE CHANGE.

AND SO WHEN WE RECRUIT FOR THIS POSITION, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RECRUITING FOR.

UM, AND SO I I'VE, I WILL BE GETTING ASSISTANCE FROM SOME FOLKS AS WE GO THROUGH THAT RECRUITMENT PROCESS.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT'LL BE COMING SOON.

I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MIKE KELLY AND MIKE KELLY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTORS THAT I HAD HIRED AS A DIRECTOR, UH, WHEN MIKE PERSONETT RETIRED LAST YEAR.

UM, SO HIS TEAM IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED OF ENGINEERS AND SUPPORT GROUPS THAT ARE GONNA HELP US MOVE FORWARD.

A LOT OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN WATERSHED.

SO HE, HE HAS TWO DIVISION MANAGERS THAT WE, UM, ALREADY HAVE MORGAN BUYERS AND REMISSIONS SWAMINATHAN.

UH, THOSE MANAGING ENGINEERS ARE OVERSEEING SEVERAL TEAMS THAT OUR DESIGN TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE GOING TO DESIGN AND OVERSEE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

WE ALSO CREATED A NEW SECTION FOR FIELD ENGINEERING.

ONE OF THE FEEDBACKS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN AND WE RECOGNIZE IS THAT FIELD OPERATIONS THAT JOSE SPOKE TO A WHILE AGO, UH, IT'S OUR LARGEST OPERATION GROUP IN THE DEPARTMENT AND THEY GO OUT AND REPAIR INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT OFTENTIMES THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORT FROM THE ENGINEERING TEAM.

SO WE CREATED A NEW DIVISION, A NEW SECTION FOR FIELD ENGINEERING OF ENGINEERS THAT WILL BE FOR PRIMARY PURPOSES OF FORWARDING FIELD OPERATIONS, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.

AND SO THAT TEAMS IN, UH, IN PLACE AS WELL, AND WE'VE ALREADY HIRED THAT SUPERVISING ENGINEER, JENNA RENFRO, WHICH HAS ALSO PRESENTED TO THIS TEAM IN THE PAST.

AND SO SHE'LL BE OVERSEEING THAT GROUP DIRECTLY SUPPORTING FIELD OPERATIONS OUT OF THE TEAMS THAT ARE UNDER MIKE KELLY, UH, THE LAST BUT NOT LEAST GROUP IS THE WALNUT CREEK DISTRICT.

UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH A WALLET, WATERLOO GREENWAY, AND THE, UH, SUPPORTING THE IMPROVEMENTS DOWNTOWN.

SO WE'VE CREATED A TEAM OF PROJECT MANAGERS THAT WILL BE OVERSEEN BY SUPERVISING PROJECT MANAGER.

AND SO THAT POSITION WILL BE POSTED, BUT THERE WE'LL SEE A LOT OVERSEE.

A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN WATERSHED WAS IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.

AND SO THAT'S THE OTHER TEAM THAT'S UNDER MIKE KELLY.

SO OVERALL THAT TEAM, WE'RE CALLING IT PROJECT DESIGN AND DELIVERY, A LOT OF ENGINEERS, UH, PROJECT MANAGERS AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE HAVE FROM CAPITAL AND SMALL SCALE PROJECTS.

SO WHEN WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY THAT COSTS, I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF, UM, UH, ASSETS THAT FAILED OVER THE PANDEMIC.

AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ENGINEERS TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THE, OF THE DEPARTMENT AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST CISCO SECRETARY RAILS POSITION AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, HE'S OUR MOST TENURED, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THIS DEPARTMENT WAS 37 YEARS.

BUT AS AN EXECUTIVE, HE'D BEEN IN THAT ROLE FOR MANY YEARS AS WELL.

AND SO HE HAS OVERSEEING THIS LARGEST LARGER GROUP.

UM, AND WE DID BREAK THE DIVISIONS.

IT USED TO BE A LARGE DIVISION.

SO OVER THE LAST YEAR WE CREATED FOUR DIVISIONS WITHIN OPERATIONS.

AND SO WE HAVE HIRED SOME OF THOSE DIVISION MANAGERS AS WELL.

UM, AS PART OF THESE CHANGES, UH, THE, THE, UH, TEAM OVERSEES GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ON MAINTENANCE.

WE HAVE CLOSED SYSTEMS, MOSTLY THE PIPE SYSTEMS

[00:25:01]

SO WAS HIS PONDS AND LAND MANAGEMENT AS WELL.

AND OF COURSE THE DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS, THE WALNUT CREEK TONNER AND OTHER DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS THAT WE OVERSEE.

ONE TEAM THAT WE DID MOVE OVER TO FUEL OPERATIONS IS A FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM.

UH, THIS IS A TEAM THAT MONITORS THE STORMS AND HELPS ACTIVATE FIELD OPERATIONS.

AND SO WHEN THEY HAVE TO GO CLOSE, CLOSE, LOW WATER CROSSINGS, OUR FIELD OPERATIONS GOES OUT TO DO THAT, AND THEY COORDINATE THE EFFORTS ON WORKING WITH THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.

SO THAT FUSE TEAM IS NOW REPORTING DIRECTLY TO JOSE GUERRERO, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

AND SO THAT MAKES UP THE, UH, OPERATION OF GROUP.

AND SO ALL IN ALL, WE ATTEMPTED TO BALANCE OUR DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE, UH, UNDER FOUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.

AND WE ALSO TRIED TO CREATE NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE AS WE GREW AS A DEPARTMENT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UH, WE DIDN'T QUITE GROW IN THE LEADERSHIP ROLE.

SO SPAN OF CONTROL WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I RECOGNIZED IN MY FIRST 90 DAYS.

AND SO WITH THIS CHANGE, WE HAVE CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW LEADERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.

SO WE ARE ACTIVELY POSTING ALL THOSE POSITIONS.

I'VE CHALLENGED MY LEADERSHIP TEAM, JUST LIKE I'M CHALLENGING MYSELF TO RE RECRUIT THE TWO ASSISTANT DIRECTORS THAT ARE VACATED IN JULY.

I'VE CHALLENGED THE DEPARTMENT TO HIRE THESE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEW REALIGNMENT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERS, UH, SUPPORTING OUR DEPARTMENT.

UM, ONE OF THE FOCUSES THAT I HAVE ASKED THE DEPARTMENT TO DO SINCE I JOINED IS TO MAKE SURE WE'VE WE, UH, FOCUSING ON EQUITY, EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY.

SO THIS REAL ALIGNMENT, THAT'S BEEN THE ANCHOR OF WHAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO AND MAKING SURE WE'RE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IT AS PROMPTLY, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THE DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE AS A GROWING CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE RETAIN THE GREEN IDENTITY OF THIS COMMUNITY.

AND SO WAS THAT THAT'S THE HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF, OF THE REALIGNMENT THAT WE'RE DOING.

AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT.

I HAVE ASKED SOME FOLKS TO STEP IN, INTO SOME INTERIM ROLES WHILE WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THIS, UH, PHASE OF HIRING POSITIONS AND HOPING BY FY 22, STARTING OCTOBER, THAT WE'LL HAVE PERMANENT LEADERS IN PLACE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION.

WAS THAT MADAM CHAIR, I WILL TURN IT BACK TO YOU AND SEE IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS, PLEASE.

DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS RUSSELL, UM, FIRST OFF, UM, THANK YOU FOR SUCH A THOROUGH AND GOOD, UH, PRESENTATION AND, UM, ISN'T IT EXCITING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO BE TALKING ABOUT HIRING POSITIONS INSTEAD OF WHO YOU'RE GOING TO CUT AND MY OFF.

UM, SO, UM, WELL DONE WELL DONE.

UM, DO YOU SEE, PROBABLY NEEDING TO KEEP SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS OPEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN NORMAL BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE HIRING CRAZINESS THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, OR DO YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA ON, ON YOUR TIMEFRAME FOR THAT? A GREAT QUESTION COMMISSIONER AND YES, WE ARE BEING FLEXIBLE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PANDEMICS AFFECTED EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

UH, BUT, UM, I DIDN'T GO INTO THE WEEDS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO CREATE SOME OF THESE LEADERSHIP ROLES, WE DID RECLASSIFY SOME VACANCIES THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, ON A HOLD.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M FOCUSING THE FIRST 90 DAYS IN HIRING THE LEADERSHIP ROLES, BUT WE HAVE OTHER VACANCIES THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO HIRE ALONG THE WAY AS WE'RE HIRING THESE LEADERS.

AND WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH THAT, ESPECIALLY SINCE, UH, THERE'S OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE COMPETING FOR SIMILAR POSITIONS.

AND SO WE HAVE TO PUT IT OUT THERE AND COMPETE IT IN MDN.

IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH APPLICANTS, WE'LL EXTEND THE, UH, THE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THE POSITIONS.

BUT I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT AS, AS WE'RE TURNING THE PAGE ON THE PANDEMIC AS WELL, SEND YOU NORMAL, BUT WE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE PEOPLE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

I'VE GOT A GOOD 20 SOME PEOPLE, IF NOT MORE, THAT WE HIRED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

SO I'M BEING HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFULLY HIRE PEOPLE, QUESTION.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION.

HI, THIS IS BRETT.

THANK YOU, JORGE FOR PRESENTATION.

I WAS WONDERING, ARE THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY FOR THE CITY REALIGNING AS WELL? ARE THEY RESTRUCTURING AS WELL? UM, OR IS THIS, WAS THIS SOMETHING

[00:30:01]

UM, THE MOST OBVIOUS ONE WAS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT THE REQUEST FROM THE COUNCIL, RIGHT? THERE'S BEEN SOME RESTRUCTURING GOING ON THERE, BUT, UH, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED WITH ME SOME TWEAKS THEY'VE BEEN DOING AS WELL.

UM, PART OF WHAT WE DID WAS, UH, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 30 YEARS.

SO WE'RE STARTING OUR STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN, UH, THE STRATEGIC UPDATE, I'M CALLING A MASTER PLAN TO REFRESH YOU ALL.

AND SO, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE READY AS THE COMMUNITY IS CHANGING, EVOLVING, AND FOR US TO BE PREPARED, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE , WHICH CON UH, CITY MANAGER CRUNK ALSO ALIGNED HIS EXECUTIVE TEAM TO THAT.

SO I DID FEEL IT WAS IMPORTANT COMING INTO THE DEPARTMENT THAT WE ALSO TAKE THOSE ANCHOR RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE LAID OUT IN STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 2023, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED IN A WAY THAT WE CAN BETTER MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THE SIX OUTCOMES THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTED.

AND SO I BELIEVE THIS STRUCTURE WILL HELP US TO ACHIEVE THAT, BUT WE WILL BE MEASURING OURSELVES.

AND IF WE NEED TO MAKE TWEAKS, WE'LL MAKE MORE TWEAKS.

BUT, UH, PART OF THIS WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HELP BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN ACHIEVING SOME OF THOSE OUTCOMES.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

UM, TO WORK TO MIRALIS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS THAT, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS LIZ IS GOING TO BE DOING A DUAL ROLE, UH, IN HER POSITION.

SHE'S GOING TO BE DOING CHRIS'S ROLE.

AND THEN THE DEPUTY ROLE SHE HAS NOW IS THAT CORRECT.

CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THIS MEETING, FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONERS, WHEN YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE SHE IS THE PERSON THAT IS IN THE WEEDS WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.

AND SO SHE'LL BE SUPPORTING, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

UH, SARAH HARTLEY IS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR THAT I'VE ASKED TO SLIDE INTO THE ROLE TO HELP CARRY THE, UM, EXECUTIVE ROLE OF THE, UM, OF THE OPERATIONAL GROUP.

SINCE WE MOVED INTO REALIGNMENT A WEEK AFTER, WELL, LITERALLY YOU LEFT ON FRIDAY AND WE MOVED INTO REALIGNMENT THIS WEEK.

AND SO I'VE ASKED SARAH HARTLEY TO BE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE NEXT 90 DAYS UNTIL WE HIRE THAT POSITION.

SO, SO LIZ WILL CONTINUE TO DO HER ROLE AS A DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, BUT INSTEAD OF INITIALLY, UH, UH, MADAM CHAIR HAD, UM, SAID, THOUGHT OF ROTATING THE EXECUTIVES TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.

BUT YOU REALLY, WHEN YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU NEED THAT TECHNICAL PERSON.

AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, UH, LIZ JOHNSON IS THE BEST SUITED ONE, RIGHT? THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

WHO DO WE DIRECT THE CITIZENS TO DURING THIS TIME, UM, AND EMAILS THAT COME THROUGH.

SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND, UH, I WILL BE HERE FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING, BUT I WILL LEAN ON EIGHTH AND KAYLA, IF ANYTHING COMES UP, BUT, UM, AT EACH ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS, WE STILL ALL HAVE AN EXECUTIVE HERE, BUT THE DEPUTY WILL BE ABLE TO ASK FOR MORE OF THE TECHNICAL CODE QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT STEP.

AND, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT ADDITION TO OUR MEETINGS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING.

ITEM

[3a. Name: Norris Boat Dock, SP-2020-0223DS Applicant: Stephen Hawkins, Aqua Permits, LLC Location: 1875 Westlake Dr. (District #10)]

THIS IS IN DISTRICT 10.

UH, IT'S UH, STAFF GOING TO GO FIRST ON THIS PRESENTATION, OR IS THE APPLICANT GOING TO MOVE FORWARD? MADAM CHAIR, WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THE STAFF PRESENTATION FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT AFTER.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, SCOTT.

WE'RE GETTING YOUR PRESENTATION LOADED UP RIGHT NOW.

CHEERS, SCOTT.

OURS IS UN-MUTED

[00:35:03]

CAN YOU HEAR US? AND ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK MADAM CHAIR? IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH SCOTT'S TECHNOLOGY.

SO I RECOMMEND THAT WE GO AHEAD AND JUST MOVE TO ITEM THREE B.

ALL RIGHT.

SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PLAN.

WE WILL COME BACK TO THREE, A LET'S MOVE FORWARD TO THREE B UM, CROSSROADS, BUT JUST SIX S P DASH 2021 TESTING.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? OH, THERE WE GO.

GOD, IS THAT YOU THAT'S GOD? YES, THAT IS SCOTT.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

I GOT, NOW I LOST AUDIO SCOTT.

WE CAN HEAR YOU.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN'T HEAR YOU, BUT I CAN, YOU CAN HEAR ME.

OKAY.

OKAY, SCOTT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, AND THEN WE'RE COMING BACK TO YOU.

CAN YOU HEAR US NOW? NOW I CAN HEAR YOU.

OKAY.

SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT YOU JUST LOVE COVID.

OKAY.

LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN.

UH, COULD EVEN COMMISSIONERS, UH, MY NAME IS SCOTT HEIFERS.

I'M THE LARGEST PROTECTION MANAGER AND CHALLENGES FOR WATER PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.

I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT, UH, THE NORRIS BOAT DOCK, UH, VARIANCE REQUESTS, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL, THE HYDROGEOLOGIC REVIEWER FOR THIS CASE, LINDSAY STOCK, LINDSEY TO DOW COULDN'T BE HERE.

SO I'LL DO MY BEST TO FILL IN FOR HER.

UM, SO THIS IS CASE SP 2020 ZERO ZERO, I'M SORRY, SP 20 20 0 2 2 3 D S UH, IT'S NORRIS SPOKE DOCK.

IT'S LOCATED AT 1875, UM, WEST LAKE DRIVE.

UM, IT'S A PRETTY SHORT PRESENTATION.

I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH KIND OF THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS, THE PROPERTY DESCRIPTION, SOME BACKGROUND, AND THEN, UM, SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES OF THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE, AND THEN ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE STAFF'S FINDINGS OF FACTS THAT ARE LOCATED IN YOUR BACKUP.

UH, THEY'RE IN, UH, YOU KNOW, 2 0 2 1 0 7 0 7 0 0 3.

A PAGE THREE IS WHERE THEY START.

I WON'T GO THROUGH THOSE POINT BY POINT SINCE THE APPLICANT AND STAFF HER IN AGREEMENT.

UM, BUT WE'LL KINDA JUST GO DOWN AND GIVE YOU A SUMMARY OF THE CASE AND, UM, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UH, ESPECIALLY CONDITIONS, SCOTT.

UM, YOU GUYS LET US KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY TO ADVANCE SLIDES.

OKAY.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UH, SO HERE'S THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THE SITE.

IT'S BASICALLY NORTH OF TOM MILLER DAM.

UM, AND IT'S, YOU CAN DO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO IT'S BASICALLY LOCATED IN THE BRIE KEKE WATER B CREEK WATERSHED.

UM, AS WE SAID, AS IN COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10, AND IT'S ALSO CLASSIFIED BEE CREEK WATERS IS ALSO CLASSIFIED AS WELL, SUPPLY RURAL, AND THERE IS JUST ONE CANYON RIM ROCK THAT'S ONSITE.

IT ACTUALLY IS ONSITE AND EXTENTS OFFSITE THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST.

AND I'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A LITTLE BIT IN THE PRESENTATION.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE'S A SIMILAR OTHER VIEW OF THE SITE.

UM, IT'S ACTUALLY LOCATED IN KIND OF THE ON LAKE AUSTIN IN THE BACKWATER AREA FOR BEE CREEK.

UM, THE BOAT DOCK ITSELF IS COURSE ON THE LAKE SHORE LINE, WHICH IS BASICALLY IN THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO THERE'S AN EXISTING HOUSE.

OF COURSE, THERE'S A SLIDE, AN AERIAL SHOWING THE EXISTING HOUSE, UH, THE SITES IN RED, THE GRIM ROCK IS THAT RENT LINE THAT YOU SEE KIND OF IN THE CENTER, LOWER PORTION OF THE SLIDE AND THE EXISTING BOAT DOCK OF COURSE, IS ALONG THE SHORELINE.

UH, YOU KNOW, VERY BOTTOM OF THAT SLIDE, NEXT SLIDE.

SO

[00:40:01]

YOU CAN SEE THE RIM ROCK IS LOCATED AROUND ELEVATION FIVE 30 AND OUR EXTENTS, YOU KNOW, OFFSITE TO THE PROPERTY, TO THE EAST.

AND WE HAVE SOME PICTURES IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION OF THAT LATER, WE'LL SHOW YOU THAT NEXT SLIDE.

SO THE REQUEST HERE IS FOR THEM TO DEMOLISH THE EXISTING BOAT DOCK AND TO REPLACE IT IN PLACE WITH A NEW BOAT DOCK, THAT WORK IS OCCURRING DOWN GRADIENT OF AN EXISTING CANYON RIM ROCK.

AND THAT'S NOT ALLOWED BY CODE.

THERE'S NO CONSTRUCTION LAW WITHIN 150 FEET OF A CF OR WITHIN SEF BUFFER.

SO THE VETERANS QUEST TONIGHT IS FROM LDC 25, 8 TO 51 C TO BE, TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF THAT BOAT DOCK.

NEXT SLIDE.

UM, SO THESE VARIANCES ARE TYPICALLY GRANTED ADMINISTRATIVELY, BUT THERE IS A PROHIBITION IN CODE, UM, THAT SAYS THAT YOU CANNOT GRANT A MINISTRATIVE VARIANCE WITHIN 500 FEET OF LAKE AUSTIN, WHICH IS WHY IT'S YOUR TONIGHT.

AND SO HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO LOOK OVER THOSE PARENTS, THAT VARIANCE REQUEST AND THOSE SPECIAL CONDITIONS, AND SEE IF YOU AGREE WITH STAFF OR IF YOU WISH TO ADD ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO THAT RECOMMENDATION.

NEXT SLIDE AND AS I SAID, SO THAT THE REQUEST IS TO ALLOW FOR A CONSTRUCTION AT THE BOAT DOCK WITHIN 150 FEET OF A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.

IN THIS CASE, A CANYON RIM ROCK.

NEXT SLIDE, I BELIEVE IS GOING TO BE OUR PICTURES OF OUR RIM ROCKS.

SO HERE'S KIND OF THAT SECTION OF ROOM ROCK.

THAT'S KIND OF CLOSEST TO THAT EASTERN PROPERTY LINE.

YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A FENCE THERE AND IN THE BACKGROUND, MR. POINTER HERE.

YEAH.

AND THAT THERE'S A RAIL THAT ACTUALLY IS THE EXISTING PATHWAY OR ACCESS TO THE BOAT DOCK.

UM, THIRD PLAN USING THAT EXISTING ACCESS.

THEY'RE NOT CONSTRUCTING A NEW ONE.

THEY'RE JUST BASICALLY GOING TO RECONSTRUCT THE BOAT DOCK.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE'S A VIEW OF LOOKING, LOOKING BACK UP TOWARDS THE HOUSE.

THERE'S A SLIGHT OVERHANG IN THE RIM ROCK, AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE NONE REVIEW THE RIM ROCK.

AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WE'LL SHOW THE NEXT, UH, YEP.

IT WAS SHOT.

THE NEXT SECTION OF THE GRIM ROCK THERE ACTUALLY EXTENDS OFFSITE.

THAT'S THE BLACK FENCE IS THE FENCE LINE THAT SEPARATES THIS PROPERTY FROM THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST.

AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE SILVER POLES ARE, LOOK LIKE TO BE A TRAM ON THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE'S KIND OF A TOP-DOWN VIEW.

UH, THE ORANGE BOX SHOWS WHERE THE LIMITS THAT CONSTRUCTION ARE AND WHERE THE EXISTING BOAT DOCK IS THAT WILL BE REMOVED AND REPLACED.

UH, THE PURPLE LINE SHOWS KIND OF THE LOCATION OF THE BRIM ROCK.

SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S QUITE IT'S DOWN GRADIENT IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, ABOUT A HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM THE RIM ROCK.

AND THOUGH I COULD HAVE SAID, THERE'S, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REDO THE SHORELINE ACCESS ARE GONNA USE THE EXISTING ACCESS THAT'S THERE.

NEXT SLIDE.

UH, SO, UM, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THIS VARIANCE UNDER, UH, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE FINES IN FACT HAVE BEEN MET, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THERE'D BE A SPECIAL CONDITION THAT ALL CONSTRUCTION BE COMPLETED BY BARGE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THE LAST SLIDE.

AND I GO TO THE NEXT ONE.

I THINK IT JUST SAYS QUESTIONS.

YEP.

AND WITH THAT, I CAN TAKE QUESTIONS NOW OR WE CAN DO IT AFTER THE APPLICANT PRESENTS.

YES.

MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE AUSTIN JACOBSON, THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES, AUSTIN.

WE'RE READY FOR YOU.

OKAY.

HI, I'M AUSTIN JACOBSON.

I'M WITH AQUA PERMITS.

UM, OUR OWNER AND FOUNDER

[00:45:01]

SO I'VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY TO, UM, TO MEET WITH YOU ALL TODAY.

UH, SCOTT DID A GREAT JOB PRESENTING THIS.

THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE I CAN ADD TO IT.

UH, WE WILL BE COMPLETING ALL WORK BY BARS, SO NO MATERIALS WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE SITE, UM, BY THE ROAD OR THROUGH THE SITE ITSELF.

UM, IT IS DOWNGRADE, SO NOTHING WILL BE, UM, INTERFERING WITH THE RIM ROCK.

AND, UM, LET ME THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE.

UH, BUT LETTING US UP THE HILL, THE HOUSE IS UPHILL FROM THERE.

AND, UM, YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT IT.

WE WON'T BE ENCROACHING ON ANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.

AND LIKE I SAID, THE CONDITION WANTS TO DO ALL WORK BY BARGE AND THAT IS OUR PLACE.

MADAM CHAIR.

I ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION THAT HANK BARLEY, THE ENVIRONMENT REVIEWERS ALSO PRESENT TONIGHT.

SO IF YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS, HE IS ALSO HERE TO ASSIST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONERS A QUESTION.

I HAVE ONE LINDA, UM, MAY I, OH, OKAY.

AT THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION, THERE WAS ONE MORE SLIDE.

AND IT SAID THAT THERE WAS A SYCAMORE THAT WAS REMOVED.

DID YOU, DID THEY AGREE TO LIKE, UM, IT WAS REMOVED PRIOR TO THE REVIEW PROCESS AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT SIZE IT WAS.

DID YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT MITIGATION OF THAT OR IS THAT IN PART OF THE LANDSCAPING PLAN? UM, I DID NOT, UH, HANK, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, DO YOU KNOW THAT WAS ADDRESSED? TREES ARE NORMALLY NOT THE PURVIEW OF, OF THE HYDROGEOLOGISTS IT WOULD BE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWER.

UM, I'M THE APPLICANT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD IN THAT WE DID A TOTAL MITIGATION, UM, OF THREE INCHES, UH, IN YES, THAT SYCAMORE.

IT WAS A 15 AT SYCAMORE, UM, THAT I WANTED TO, UH, TO LET HER KNOW THE SIZE OF IT.

THANK YOU, MR. BRISTOL.

YEAH.

UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOROUGH, UM, REPORT.

AND, UM, SO, UH, I ASSUME LIKE THE ELECTRICAL AND, UM, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S ALREADY RUNNING DOWN TO THE CURRENT DOG, NONE OF THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE EITHER OR IMPACT WHERE IT IS.

RIGHT.

I MEAN, BASICALLY THEIR LIMITS CONSTRUCTION BASICALLY CONFINES THEM TO THAT BOX AROUND THE EXISTING, UM, DOCK.

SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAP INTO WHAT EXISTING ELECTRICAL IS THERE.

HELLO? UH, HANK MORLEY HERE.

CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YEAH.

OKAY, GREAT.

SORRY.

I WAS TRYING TO RESPOND EARLIER AND SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY AUDIO.

UM, ANYWAYS, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY SAY THAT I, I HAVE, I AM NOT ACTUALLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWER FOR THIS PROJECT.

I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, PAMELA ABBY, TOTALLY.

UM, WHO ISN'T HERE THIS EVENING.

UM, SO I ACTUALLY DON'T REALLY KNOW ANY OF THE DETAILS OF, UH, THE TREE OR THE LANDSCAPING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.