Jul 12, 2021 Animal Advisory Commission

SO RYAN, CAN YOU HEAR US AT ALL? DOESN'T THINK SO.

I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK HE'S TRYING TO LOG BACK IN NOW.

THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA.

WE'LL WAIT FOR RYAN TO GET HIM PLUGGED BACK IN.

BRIAN, CAN YOU HEAR YOU BACK IN? YEAH, HE CAME HERE.

SAY SOMETHING, RYAN.

THANKS.

I HAD TO LOG OUT COMPLETELY AND THEN LOG BACK IN AND IT, LET ME HEAR YOU GUYS.

WELL, THAT'S GOOD.

WELL LET'S, LET'S BEGIN THE MEETING THEN BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH TO COVER.

SO LET'S SEE.

LET ME GET THIS.

[CALL TO ORDER]

BRIAN CLINTON, PRESIDENT NANCY NEMER, UH, LISA MITCHELL.

I'M CRAIG NASER COMMISSIONED SHARE CALLING THE AUSTIN ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER AT 3:03 PM.

UH, THE DATE IS JULY 12TH VIA TELECONFERENCING 2021 K.

FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS WELCOME OUR NEW COMMISSIONER HERRERA.

WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION AND, UH, UH, WE WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO WORK WITH YOU FOR A GOOD LONG TIME TO COME.

UH, VIRTUAL MEETINGS REQUIRE A VERBAL ROLL CALL.

SO I AM GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL OF, UM, ATTENDEES HERE.

SO, UM, FRANK NAZER I'M HERE.

KATIE YARROW, PALMER, NEW HOUSE, EDWARD FLURRIES.

EDWARD.

DID WE HEAR YOU? I THINK IT WOULD BE, YEAH, YOU OKAY? WE HEARD YOU THERE.

LOT OF SMACK DOULA HERE.

YOLANDA RODRIGUEZ, PACHECO LOUISE HERRERA HERE.

SO THAT MEANS EVERYBODY.

UH, WE, WE DEFINITELY HAVE A QUORUM.

HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES? OUR CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES SO WE CAN APPROVE THEM, PUT IT THAT WAY.

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

DO I HEAR A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS DRAFTED.

WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

UH, ANY DISCUSSION.

HOW MANY LET'S VOTE? HOW MANY OF VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO I THINK THAT'S, UH, UNANIMOUS.

HERE, I'M GOING TO CHANGE MY LAYOUT SO I CAN, I DON'T KNOW.

[00:05:01]

CAN YOU DO THAT WITH THIS PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN SEE EVERYBODY WANTS, I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S THE GRID VIEW.

IT'S THE GRID VIEW UNDER LAYOUT.

LET ME DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT A LOT EASIER ON ME.

SO, UM, UH, NEXT IS, UH, THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND ANIMAL SERVICES.

CRAIG, FIRST WE NEED TO DO CITIZEN COMMUNICATION PLEASE.

FIRST THEY GOT TO DO THAT.

OH YES.

I'M SORRY.

I SKIPPED THAT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.

BEEN REALLY QUICK FOR JUST ONE SECOND.

WHAT'S WHAT IS IT IF I AM SO PERMITTED, I'D LIKE TO A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM FOUR B IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING STAFF BRIEFING.

SINCE IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE TIME TO COVER IT TODAY.

DO I HEAR A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

THAT LOOKS UNANIMOUS.

SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE

[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]

THAT UP.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO CITIZENS COMMUNICATION AND UH, THE FIRST REGISTERED SPEAKERS.

AMBER ROLLAND, ARE YOU HERE, AMBER? YES.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.

UH, YEAH, MY NAME IS AMBER ROLAND AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AND I WANTED TO SPEAK REGARDING ITEM FOUR B THE, UH, REGARDING THE MEMO TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL ANNOUNCING POTENTIAL NOTIFICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA PER SPACE.

UM, THE SUBJECT OF THE MEMO THAT WAS ACTUALLY SENT TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL WAS, UM, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER SPACE AND CAPACITY CRISIS.

AND IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT EUTHANASIA FOR SPACE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE IN THIS AGENDA AND IN THE MINUTES AND IN ANY DISCUSSION, UM, BE VERY CAREFUL REGARDING THE LANGUAGE SURROUNDING THAT.

UM, THE MEMO FROM CHIEF BLAND ACTUALLY SAID THAT THE SPACE CRISIS MAY CREATE THE NEED FOR STAFF TO ISSUE NOTIFICATIONS FOR POSSIBLE EUTHANASIA NOTIFICATIONS WOULD APPLY TO ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN IN OUR CARE FOR A LONG PERIOD DUE TO BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT CHIEF BLAND IS SUGGESTING IS THAT, UM, BEHAVIORAL EUTHANASIA MAY BE REQUIRED BECAUSE OF THE SPACE AND CAPACITY CRISIS.

AND I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS THE EXTREME IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT IS USED IN THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION OF THIS MEETING REFLECT THE ACTUAL OPERATIONAL, UM, REALITY, UM, THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR, UM, THE SHELTER AND FOR THE STAFF AND FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT UNDERSTAND.

UM, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT IT IS IMPROPER TO, FOR THIS COMMISSION OR THE COUNCIL TO ASSUME FULL COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR EVERY MEASURE TAKEN UNDER NO KILL, UM, OR EVEN FOR A VERY HIGH LIVE RELEASE RATES.

UM, IN FACT, YOU KNOW, UNBIASED PUBLIC SURVEY OR STUDY HAS EVER BEEN CONDUCTED, UM, REGARDING PEOPLE'S, UH, WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS A LEGITIMATE REASON FOR EUTHANASIA.

UM, AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE GIVEN SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF THE ACTUAL DECISIONS FACED BY SHELTER STAFF, MANY REASONABLE AUSTINITES WOULD ACTUALLY IN FACT FAVOR EUTHANASIA IN MANY INSTANCES.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE IN THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS MEETING AND THAT ANY DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THIS TOPIC, UM, ARE VERY CAREFULLY FOCUSED ON WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING SUGGESTED.

AND THAT IS THAT THE PROFESSIONAL AND COMPASSIONATE STAFF AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER BE ALLOWED TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS BASED ON THEIR OBSERVATIONS AND ON THE HISTORY OF ANIMALS AS WELL, AS MUCH AS THEY KNOW ABOUT THEM, UM, TO MAKE EUTHANASIA DECISIONS POSSIBLY MORE OFTEN WHEN THERE ARE SPACE CRISIS, UH, WHEN THERE'S A SPACE CRISIS GOING ON.

UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JEAN DANIELS.

I WAS REALLY SHOCKED TO LEARN ABOUT A C'S THREATS TO EUTHANIZE FOR SPACE.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

UH, I'M JANIE DANIELS AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10.

I AM HOPING THAT DIRECTOR BLEND CAN SHARE HOW MANY STAFF ARE DEDICATED TO RECRUITING FOSTERS AND ADOPTERS.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE SHELTER WHERE MY TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING IS DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO PROVIDE LIVE OUTCOMES BEFORE CALLING FOR SPACE EUTHANASIA WITH THE BUDGET THEY HAVE COMPARED TO OTHER MUNICIPAL SHELTERS.

I HOPE THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE FOCUSED ON GETTING ANIMALS OUT ALIVE AND USING EVERY RESOURCE THEY HAVE ON SITE AND ON STAFF.

[00:10:02]

AND I WOULD ASK FOR AN AUDIT OF THE CITY'S SHELTER THAT IS MADE AVAILABLE PUBLICLY.

SO WE UNDERSTAND WHERE THE BIGGEST NEEDS ARE FOR IMPROVEMENT.

THAN ANY OTHER YEAR, BECAUSE WHEN I COMPARE IT TO PRE PANDEMIC YEARS AND 2019, FOR THAT SAME PERIOD, THEY TOOK HIM 700 MORE ANIMALS THAN THEY HAVE THIS YEAR IN 2018, 200 MORE.

UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SHANNON HOS.

UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A FEW MINUTES TO PASS ALONG A FEW THOUGHTS.

I HAVE A CHOCOLATE LAB THAT WENT MISSING ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS AGO.

I'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN RECOMMENDED.

YOU CAN FOLLOW HIS FACEBOOK STORIES FROM YOUR FRIENDS HOME A FEW WEEKS AGO.

I JUST SEVERED.

YOU COULD ALSO USE 3, 1, 1 LOG REPORTS VIA THE APPLICATION OF THE WEBSITE TO SEE ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA.

I HAVE ALONG WITH A FRIEND OF MINE RESPONDED TO OVER 20 CALLS CHECKING TO SEE THE ANIMALS REPORT.

AND IF THEY MATCH REPPING, SOMETIMES I CAN CALL THE THREE ONE, ONE OPERATOR AND A KINDLY OPERATOR WILL GIVE ME SOME EXTRA INFORMATION.

SOMETIMES THEY JUST TELL ME THEY CAN'T EVEN SEE THE SR NUMBER ON JULY.

FIRST.

THE REPORT CAME IN, UH, TO 3, 1, 1 INSTEAD OF SON HAD REPORTED PICKING UP A CHOCOLATE LAB ON WELLS BRANCH PARKWAY.

AND I IMMEDIATELY CALL 3, 1, 1 TO SEE IF I GET OTHER INFORMATION OR IF THEY COULD REACH OUT TO THE REPORTER AND SEE IF IT WAS THE MASTER BREAKFAST.

I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM.

SO I WENT TO THE ADDRESS AND IT HAPPENED IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES, ALMOST 300 UNITS AT 10 30 AT NIGHT.

I COULDN'T DO A WHOLE LOT AT THAT POINT.

SO THE NEXT MORNING I SENT AN EMAIL TO DAWN BLAND AND THE RECLAIM DEPARTMENT REQUESTING INFORMATION EMAIL.

I RECEIVED BACK AT FOUR 20 THAT AFTERNOON WHEN PAULA, HELLO, SHANNON.

I HAVE REMOVED ON BLAND.

THE THREATS.

THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT TO US.

ANIMAL PROTECTION HAS BEEN DISPATCHED TO PICK UP THIS DOG AND BRING IT TO THE SHELTER, BUT IT'S NOT HERE FROM DO A VISUAL COMPARISON.

THE FIRST THING IN ANIMAL SPECTRUM THREE, WE'LL DO A SCAN FOR A MICROCHIP.

THERE'S CERTAINLY INFORMATION ON THE CHIP IS UP TO DATE.

YOU WILL DEFINITELY BE HEARING FROM US SINCE THE CALLER IS NOT KEEPING THIS DOG IN THEIR CARE, BUT INSTEAD, ONCE IT PICKS UP, IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO REACH OUT TO HIM.

HE JUST WANTS US TO COME SIT, THE DOG GAPS, SLEAZY, WATCHING YOUR PHONE AND EMAIL FOR A MESSAGE FROM US.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE REACHING OUT SOON AFTER FURTHER COMMUNICATION.

I FOUND OUT THAT NO ONE WAS GOING OUT THERE AND SAID, THEY RECOMMENDED THE CALLER.

HANG ON SAM.

AFTER MULTIPLE EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS TO MYSELF AND OTHER CITIZENS.

SO THIS PARTICULAR REPORT, FOUR DAYS LATER, AAC FINALLY TRIED TO REACH OUT, BUT THE CALLER'S NO LONGER RETURNING PHONE CALLS.

SINCE THE INITIAL CALL A CHOCOLATE LAB WAS SPOTTED SIX DAYS LATER BEHIND THE COMPLEX.

I CAN ONLY SPECULATE AT THIS POINT THAT THE LAB WAS RELEASED BY THE CALLER, SHAME ON AAC FOR NOT ASSISTING US SOONER.

THIS DOES NOT HELP OUR PROBLEMS. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL AND THAT'S TO GET ANIMAL EFFECTS, THEIR FAMILIES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME SERIOUS ROADBLOCKS AT THE MOMENT AND SHE WANTS THE PUBLIC TO HELP AND HELP US.

I UNDERSTAND THE SHELTER'S FULL.

YOU NEED THE PUBLIC HEALTH OF HANGING ON TO AN ANIMAL.

SHE'S RECOGNIZED.

MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO HANG ON TO AN ANIMAL FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME.

SO DON'T TELL THE PUBLIC YOU'RE GOING TO PICK UP THE ANIMAL WITHIN 72 HOURS WHEN YOU'RE NOT, OR YOU CANNOT THIS INDIVIDUAL AND KIND OF PICK AN ANIMAL OFF THE STREET.

AND BY THE WORDS OF THE RECLAIM DEPARTMENT, THEY JUST EXPECTED YOU TO GET THE ANIMAL UP.

THE CALLER MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE TIME, THE INCLINATION TO POST SIGNS OR EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND MAYBE THEY JUST DON'T CARE.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS TO FIX SOME OF THIS.

THE FIRST ONE IS ANY FREE ONE-ON-ONE CALL FOR A LOOSE DOG OR A CONFINED PET SHOULD INCLUDE THE DESCRIPTION, VISIBLE TO THE MATCH.

WE CAN RESPOND.

WE CAN HELP GET OUR CATS AND DOGS OFF THE STREET.

THIS REDUCES THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS BEING RE-RELEASED IN THE STREET OR REQUIRING THEM TO GO TO THE SHELTER.

ALSO SAVES TAX PAYER MONEY.

SINCE THE INFORMATION IS ALREADY BEING TAKEN BY THE 3 1, 1 OPERATOR.

THIS IS A SIMPLE FIX AND NOT, I GUESS, UH, WE LOST THE COLOR.

HI, MY NAME IS MACY SHARP.

HI, MY NAME IS MACY SHARP AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE.

UM, I AM ACTUALLY BY TRADE SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN DATA.

AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS MEMO, UM, WE'RE JOHN BLAND SAYS THAT BETWEEN JUNE 1ST AND JUNE 23RD, THEY'VE TAKEN IN 1100 CATS AND DOGS.

I JUST DON'T SEE WHERE THE STRESS IS ANY DIFFERENT

[00:15:01]

AND IN 2017, 300 MORE.

SO WITH THE FACT THAT THEY'VE BEEN MAKING SO MANY EFFORTS TO KEEP ANIMALS WITH THE PEOPLE THAT FIND THEM OR HELP PREVENT SURRENDERS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY INTAKING LESS THAN THAT EXACT SAME PERIOD.

ANY YEAR PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S CHANGED WHY IT CHANGED, WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S A SPACE CRISIS AND THEY'RE THREATENING EUTHANASIA AND THREATENING OUR NO KILL CITY, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF AUSTINITES.

UM, AND AS A PART OF THAT, ONE OF THE BARRIERS TO ADOPTION IS ACTUALLY SPAY AND NEUTER.

THEY HAVE PLENTY OF DOGS WHO HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, BUT HAVEN'T ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO LEAVE THE SHELTER BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SPAYED OR NEUTERED YET.

UM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A BIG PROBLEM.

AND PERHAPS SOLVABLE JUST BY CREATING MORE APPOINTMENTS ON SITE OR WITH WORKING WITH A MANSA PET OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, UM, WITH THE CONTRACT, UM, TO GET THOSE ANIMALS OUT MUCH SOONER THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST TAKING UP SPACE WHEN THEY'VE BEEN ADOPTED.

AND THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME ON TOP OF THE FACT THAT THEY'RE TAKING IN LESS ANIMALS FOR THE SAME PERIOD THAN THEY EVER DID IN ANY YEAR PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

UM, SO FOR ME, A LOT OF THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AND THERE SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SOLUTIONS TO STAY NEUTER AND GETTING ADOPTED ANIMALS OUT THAT COULD HELP THE SITUATION THAT AREN'T BEING DONE.

UM, THANK YOU.

AND GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THE LAST CALLER IS PAT VAL STRAYS.

THANK YOU, CRAIG.

UM, AM I BEING HEARD? OKAY.

UM, MY NAME IS PAT ROSS TODAY.

YES, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.

I SERVED ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION FROM 1992 UNTIL 2008.

AND I HAVE CONTINUED MY VOLUNTEER WORK AND MY ADVOCACY WORK FOR UNOFTEN ANIMAL ISSUES UNTIL THIS DAY, I AM CALLING IN TO SPEAK TO FOUR ISSUES.

UH, ONE THE SPACE CRISIS TO THE APA AUSTIN PETS, ALIVE LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN THREE, THE CITY BUDGET, INCLUDING THE TRAVIS COUNTY PORTION AND THE ANIMAL SERVES DONATIONS FUND AND FOR OPEN INTAKE.

UM, MY FIRST COMMENT IS, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM PREVIOUS CALLERS, AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE MEMO THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED, THERE IS A SPACE CRISIS AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.

AND I AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS CALLER THAT THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL.

THERE'S ALWAYS A SPACE CRISIS IN THE SUMMER, NOT ONLY IN AUSTIN, BUT IN PROBABLY IN EVERY SHELTER IN THE UNITED STATES.

UM, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE HAS REQUESTED A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF PETS THEY TAKE FROM THE CITY.

AND THAT HAS BEEN IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT.

AND THEY'RE ASKING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE MORE PETS FROM OTHER COUNTIES.

THIS REQUEST IS GOING TO GO BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND AUGUST WHEN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT COMES UP FOR RENEWAL.

UM, BECAUSE IT, RIGHT NOW, IT'S ON A THREE MONTH EXTENSION.

I HAVE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

UM, WOULD AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER BE HAVING A SPACE CRISIS IF BOSTON PETS ALIVE OR NIGHT TAKING PETS FROM OTHER COUNTIES AND WE'RE TAKING, YOU KNOW, MAKING AUSTIN PETS AND ANIMALS AT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL SHELTER IT'S FIRST PRIORITY.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMISSION HAVE A THOROUGH DISCUSSION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FOUR ISSUES.

I, I AM.

I AM TRYING TO GET YOU TO DISCUSS, AND I WOULD LIKE THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSING NUMBER ONE, BEING THE SPACE CRISIS.

NUMBER TWO, BEING THE LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN, PETS ALIVE, NUMBER THREE, BEING THE CITY BUDGET, THE COUNTY BUDGET THAT FEEDS INTO THE CITY BUDGET AND THE AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, DONATIONS, BUDGET DONATIONS, FUND BUDGET.

I THINK ALL THREE OF THOSE ISSUES RELATE TO, UH, SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLUDED TO BY PREVIOUS CALLERS.

AND THAT IS THAT AUSTIN IS NO LONGER AN OPEN INTAKE SHELTER AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN DISCUSSED WHETHER THERE ARE SOLUTIONS TO MAKE AUSTIN BE ABLE TO BE BOTH NOTE, BOTH OPENING CAKE AND NO PILL, UM, WITH A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE NO KILL NUMBER SHOULD BE A PERCENTAGE SHOULD BE.

UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE BUDGET? WHAT IS

[00:20:01]

THE IMPACT OF THE LICENSE AGREEMENT? WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE SPACE CRISIS ON OPEN INTAKE AND HOW DO WE WORK ON SOLUTIONS? SUCH AS THE ONE I ALLUDED TO BY THE PREVIOUS CALLER THAT WE TRY TO GET SPAY-NEUTER TO BE DONE MORE QUICKLY, WE TRY TO GET, UH, ALL ANIMALS THAT ARE OUT THERE BEING REHOMED SPAYED AND NEUTERED BEFORE THEY ARE REHOMED.

HELLO? OKAY.

I'M NOT SURE.

WHAT'S CRAIG, I'M GUESSING THEY'RE GETTING CUT OFF AT THREE MINUTE, MARK.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M GUESSING TOO.

UH, THAT'S NEW, BUT ANYWAY, WELL, THANK YOU, PAT.

UM, SO

[2a. Austin Animal Center and Animal Services Reports]

NOW WE ARE GOING TO, UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICE AND ANIMALS, UH, CENTER AND ANIMAL SERVICES REPORT, WHICH IS DON BLAND AFTER THE COMMISSION IS CHASING THEM.

I'LL REVOKE BRIEF WITH THE REPORTS.

SO FOR JUNE, THE LAST OUTCOME PERCENTAGE WAS 95.9%.

YOU HAD ABOUT 1,205 ANIMALS BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER, WHICH INCLUDED 500, 900 DOGS, 640 CATS AND 50 TIME, UH, WILD ANIMALS, THREE BIRDS OF FIVE OPS STOP, FIVE LIFESTYLE.

WE HAD A TOTAL OF 685 ANIMALS THAT WERE ADOPTED FROM THE SHELTER.

APLS WERE ABLE TO RETURN 50 ANIMALS TO THEIR OWNERS IN THE FIELD AND HANDOUT OUT FENCING APPLICATIONS.

UM, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 14, 1,491.

OUR VOLUNTEER HOURS DONATED TO US IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.

UM, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE CURRENTLY 427 ANIMALS IN OUR FOSTER HOMES.

256 ANIMALS WERE TRANSFERRED TO 2 24, UH, VARIOUS BREASTFEED PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE IN VET SERVICES.

WE TREATED ABOUT 194 EMERGENCY CASES.

WE DID 539 SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES, AND A LITTLE LESS THAN 900 VET EXAMS. UM, PRC STAFF WAS ABLE TO HAND OUT 2,400 BASIC ITEMS OF SUPPLIES, INDIVIDUALS, FOOD, BAD LEASHES, AND, AND DEFERRED 24 DOGS WITH BEHAVIOR ISSUES.

UM, THERE WERE 201 ANIMAL BOUNTY FOUND ANIMAL REPORTS THAT WERE REPORTED AND 183 LOSS ANIMALS REPORTED.

WE HAD A HUNDRED NEW, UH, NEW SUBSCRIBERS TO LOS AND FOUND EACH X TEXT PROGRAM.

AND OUR CHAT BOT CONTINUES TO BE A, A FEATURED FUNCTION ON OUR WEBSITE.

WE HAD 2,220 2026 CONVERSATIONS WITH ME MEMBERS WERE LOOKING FOR RESOURCES INFORMATION.

SO SORRY I BREEZED THROUGH THAT, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT IT BRIEFLY.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

THAT PERHAPS WE NEED TO PROVIDE FURTHER SUPPORT OR EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC THAT'S HELPING WITH THIS.

IS THERE ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS JASON'S PART BEFORE I GO TO THE COVID UPDATE? YES MA'AM YEAH.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, DO YOU HAVE THE, HAVE THE 201 FOUND ANIMAL REPORTS AND 183 LAST ANIMAL REPORTS THAT ARE FILED? DO YOU HAVE OUTCOME INFORMATION FROM US ON HOW THOSE CASES MIGHT'VE BEEN RESOLVED OR FOLLOW UP DATA? UM, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.

CAUSE THESE ARE JUST FILED WITH US.

UM, I'LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH PRC AFTER.

I THINK AFTER A FEW WEEKS, WE DO FOLLOW UP WITH JUST THE BASIC, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION WITH INDIVIDUALS TO SEE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO RESOLVE OR WE'RE ABLE TO FIND IT, IDENTIFY THE OWNER FROM THAT LOSS PET.

UM, BUT BECAUSE I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT THAT DATA I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD MAYBE GET SOME OF THAT DATA EXPLAINED BECAUSE THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT CAME, THAT WERE IMPLYING THAT LIKE AFTER THREE DAYS, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE HAD FOUND THE OWNERS OR OTHER LIVE OUTCOMES.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BEING CAPTURED AFTER THOSE ARE FILED OR WHAT PERCENTAGE.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN GET REPORTING ON BECAUSE IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THEY WERE FILED, BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT THAT OUTCOME OF THEM, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED? I KNOW THAT MARK HAS MENTIONED, UH, THAT OF THE STRIKE AND FIND THAT THEY FOLLOW UP ON THAT BY THE TIME THE APS CONTACT THOSE PEOPLE, THAT 50% OF THOSE HAVE ALREADY FOUND THE ANIMAL'S HOME.

THAT WAS, YEAH.

WELL, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I READ SAID THAT WITHIN THREE DAYS, 50% THEY HAD EITHER FOUND THAT HOME OR HAD LOCA HAD ANOTHER LIVE OUTCOME, WHICH TO ME SOUNDS LIKE REHOMING.

AND I JUST WONDERED IF WE COULDN'T GET MORE CLEAR, CONCISE DATA ON THIS ISSUE AS TO HOW, UH, LONG IT'S TAKING TO FOLLOW UP WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHEN WE DO FOLLOW UP, WHETHER THEY WENT TO AN OWNER, IF THEY WENT WERE REHOMED HAD THEY WORKED THE STEPS TO TRY TO FIND THE OWNER, WHAT, I MEAN, TRY TO COLLECTING INFORMATION TO SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS IS OR WHERE THEIR AREAS

[00:25:01]

OKAY, WELL, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH PET RESOURCE CENTER STAFF, UM, ON HOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING ONCE WE WE'VE FILLED AGAIN, WE'RE BRINGING THE ISSUE WITH THE AID NUMBERS AND THE REPORTS.

SO IF WE'RE FOLLOWING UP WITH ANY CONTACT INFO OR HOW IT'S BEING SORT OF RESOLVED IN OUR SYSTEM, THANK YOU.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT'D BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO SAY OUR RESPONSE TIME IS AVERAGING X NUMBER OF HOURS OR X NUMBER OF DAYS.

AND WE'RE FINDING THAT 50% OF THE TIME WE GOING TO CALL THEM BACK, YOU KNOW, LIKE GETTING SOME BUILDABLE STATISTICS REGARDING THIS, I THINK WOULD BE GREAT.

I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH WHATEVER I FIND.

I'VE GOT A QUESTION BEFORE YOU GUYS MOVE ON TO THE COVID UPDATE.

WELL, WE GOT SOME EMAILS OVER THE WEEKEND FROM CITIZENS CONCERN THAT INTAKE IS NOW CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS.

UM, CAN YOU GUYS PLEASE COMMENT ON WHAT THAT ISN'T IN RESPONSE TO AND HOW LONG YOU THINK THE PRACTICE IS GOING TO GO ON IF IT'S IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING SPECIFIC.

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET AN INTAKE APPOINTMENT? WELL, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE OFFICIALLY ARE CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS, BUT UNOFFICIALLY, WE STILL TAKE IN ANIMALS ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN PEOPLE SHOW UP AT OUR PR STATE, UH, IT'S BEEN A STAFFING ISSUE.

UH, WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FILL THOSE STAFFING POSITIONS.

UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THAT, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.

WE'RE EVEN TRYING TO HIRE TEMPORARY SAPS, COME IN IN THERE AND WORK ON THE WEEKENDS.

WE'VE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL AT FINDING PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GO TO WORK, UH, ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.

UH, SO THAT CHANGE WAS MADE AND WE STARTED LOSING STAFF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.

AND WE SUFFERED WITH THAT THROUGHOUT THAT PANDEMIC WITH LOSS OF STAFF AS FAR AS TOKENS RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU'RE BOOKED OUT THROUGH AUGUST 23RD.

UM, WE HAVE, UH, HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING BETWEEN TOMORROW AND AUGUST 23RD, WE HAVE ABOUT $139 61 CATS INSTEAD OF POCKET PETS ARE SLATED FOR OWNER SURRENDER APPOINTMENTS.

WHAT ABOUT GRACE SURRENDER? WHAT ABOUT STRAY INTAKE? SO DURING THE WEEK WE ARE, YOU KNOW, IF INDIVIDUALS BRING GUYS, WE'LL TRY TO WORK WITH THEM TO SEE IF THEY CAN TAKE THE PET BACK.

BUT IF THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY LIKE WHERE WE NEED TO JUST LEAVE THE PET, THEN WE WILL TAKE THE PET OVER THE COUNTER.

UM, DURING THE WEEK, AS I WAS MENTIONING DURING THE WEEKEND, HOW ABOUT THE PRC IS CLOSED? YES.

I MEAN, EVEN IF THEY COME WITH A PATCH, WE'LL TRY TO TALK TO THEM AGAIN, HAVE CONVERSATIONS THEY COULD HAVE, BUT IF THEY LEAVE THE PET THEN YEAH.

WHEN YOU INTAKE IT, CAN I CLARIFY? YOU'RE SAYING THE ENTIRE PRC IS CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS.

YES MA'AM.

SO DOES THAT MEAN IT'S CLOSED FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED RESOURCE ASSISTANCE TO, I NEED PET FOOD OR, WELL, IF THE INDIVIDUAL'S COMMENTS SAY THAT HE DOESN'T SAY STAFF ON SITE, EITHER SUPERVISORS OR WHATNOT, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE THAT WITH THOSE RESOURCES OVER TO THEM OFFICIAL POLICY RIGHT NOW DUE TO STAFFING ISSUES IS THE ENTIRE RESOURCE CENTERS CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS.

YEAH, I WAS BENCHING.

IF WE CAN GET AT LEAST THOSE TEMPORARY POSITIONS, THEN AGAIN, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO OPEN IT UP DURING THOSE TIMES RIGHT NOW, BUT CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS, WE'RE ONLY ABLE TO REALLY FEDERAL DURING THE WEEK.

UM, YEAH, BUT, UH, ON THE WEEKENDS, THE SUPERVISORS ON SITE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE HELPING WITH THAT DEPARTMENT AND THE CUSTOMERS THAT DO SHOW UP.

DO WE HAVE POSITIONS POSTED EVERYWHERE? I ASSUME WE'RE ACTIVELY TRYING TO HIRE.

YEP.

YES, YES.

YEP.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE EMPTY POSITIONS.

JUST TEMPORARY.

IT WAS A TEMPORARY POSITIONS.

WE HAD THOSE, WE HAVE THEM ON INDEED AS WELL.

SO WE HAVE A POST ON OUR CITY WEBSITE AND WE ALSO HAVEN'T CHOSEN OTHER OUTLETS LIKE INDEED AND WHATNOT.

UH, JOANNE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH.

UM, UH, JUST TO COMMENT ON, UM, BUT JOBS, UM, VOLUNTEERS ARE ALSO POSTING ABOUT THE JOBS, UM, GETTING IT OUT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND FRIENDS OF AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER POSTED.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO CAST A WIDE NET TO, UM, GET THOSE POSITIONS FILLED.

UM, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.

NUTS, SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES.

UM, WHY ARE THEY PERFORMED BEFORE WE RELEASE AN ANIMAL? OH, WELL AT LEAST WHEN THEY'RE ADOPTED.

UM, YES, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO PERFORM THE SPAY NEUTER BEFORE IN ORDER FOR THE ADOPTION TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND IS THAT UNDER THE LAW THAT SAYS ANY DOG THAT OUR CAT THAT'S, UM, SORRY, I DIDN'T HAVE THE REFERENCE THAT IS SOLD OR IN THIS CASE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COLLECT A FEE FOR

[00:30:01]

IT.

LEGALLY HAS TO BE ON SPARE NEUTERED BEFORE GUYS SAYS THE RELEASE.

WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT STAY NEAR FOR ONE, UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING MEDICALLY WRONG WITH THE ANIMAL.

AND WHY DOES IT APPLY TO AAC AND NOT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE? GOOD QUESTION.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT A LAW.

THAT'S WHY THERE WAS NO SUCH LAW.

IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING.

IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING TO KEEP HEARING AT THESE MEETINGS, LEGAL CLAIMS THAT ARE FALSE.

WELL, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A CLAIM.

I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT.

I KNOW THE, THE, THE, SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING RYAN.

THE LAW SAYS THAT THEY CAN REQUIRE A CONTRACT TO BE SIGNED.

YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO GET IT RIGHT.

BUT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THOSE DON'T.

MANY OF THOSE DON'T COME TO FRUITION IN THE ANIMALS NEVER GETS PAINTED.

SO DINNER IS MADE THE DECISION THEN PLUS OR SOMETHING.

RIGHT.

AND THAT'S THE REAL ANSWER.

THE ANSWER IS NOT THAT THE LAW REQUIRES IT AND, AND RYAN, IF IT, UM, OKAY, SO IT DOES A REQUIRE IT AND THERE'S NO FOLLOW-UP IF PEOPLE DON'T BRING THE DOC, THEY SIGN A CONTRACT, I GUESS THERE'S A LOT OF REQUIRED A CONTRACT BE SIGNED THAT THE ANIMAL WILL BE SPAY OR NEUTER.

THE LAW.

THE LAW REQUIRES THEM TO SIGN A CONTRACT SAYING THAT THEY WILL STAY NEAR TO THE ANIMAL.

AND I BELIEVE THE LAW REQUIRES, UH, AND I DON'T CAN'T REMEMBER IF I WERE HIRED AS A FOLLOW-UP IN 30 DAYS OR THAT THEY HAVE TO BE DONE WITHIN 30 DAYS.

AND AFTER THAT, THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OF THE LAW.

PART OF IT, IT'S A POLICY.

I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT'S OUR POLICY AND THAT THAT'S NOT THE LAW.

AND WHEN, WHEN IT STATED THAT THAT'S THE LAW, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT CORRECT.

SO IT'S A POLICY.

SO IF THE AGENCY ARE RESCUED, CHOOSES NOT TO FOLLOW UP OR CAN'T FOLLOW UP, IT JUST THE DOGS OR CATS OR DOGS OUT THERE WITHOUT SPARE NEUTER WHILE WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE, BUT, UM, THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SPAYED OR NEUTERED.

UH, THEY AT LEAST WE DON'T KNOW AS THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.

THANKS FOR CLARIFYING.

UH, WAS THERE ANOTHER BOMBER? DID YOU HAVE? YEAH, WELL, I STILL HAD ONE MORE.

I STILL DIDN'T.

I'M SORRY.

MAYBE I MISSED, I DIDN'T HEAR IT, BUT I WAS STILL NOT UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY.

IF I FIND A DOG ON SATURDAY, I SAW ONLINE THAT IT SAYS I NEED TO SCHEDULE AN INTAKE APPOINTMENT.

HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE FOR ME TO GET THAT INTAKE APPOINTMENT? IF IT'S NOT AN OWNER SURRENDER.

I MEAN, TECHNICALLY YOU COULD BREAK THE PET.

I MEAN, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE TELLS ME.

I HAVE TO, IF I'M FOLLOWING WHAT THE WEBSITE SAYS, WHEN WILL I BE OFFERED MY APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY ANIMAL IN FOR FRANTIC? WELL, AND THAT, BECAUSE ACTUALLY WHAT THE HAAS PROGRAM IS DOING IS DEFERRING IN TYPING AND GIVING PEOPLE RESOURCES.

SO WE WANT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE PEOPLE PRIOR TO THEM COMING IN SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE MITIGATE THAT AND SOLVE THEIR ISSUES.

YEAH, I, YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE WAIT FOR ME TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT IF I CAN'T KEEP THE ANIMAL AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT CURRENT WE'RE UP TO.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT WAIT TIME WAS.

I MEAN, YOU WANT TO GO ASK CHELSEA REAL QUICK? YEAH, WE'LL GET THAT ANSWER HERE AND JUST SAY, OKAY, SO THAT WAS ON, ON INTAKE.

CAUSE I HEARD YOU TALK ON, ON HER SURRENDER, THAT STRAYS ARE DIFFERENT.

UM, AND THEN, UH, I GUESS THAT GOES BACK TO, I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DATA OF WHAT WE'RE COLLECTING OF EXACTLY.

WHO'S GETTING WHAT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE I'M, I'M HEARING STILL ABOUT PEOPLE'S PETS BEING REHOMED OR PEOPLE FINDING PETS AND THEN REHOMING THEM AFTER NOT GOING THROUGH ALL THE CHANNELS.

OPEN AT LEAST ONE WEEKEND DAY, IT'LL CLOSE ON WEDNESDAYS, BE OPEN ON SATURDAY, SOMETHING.

I'M TRYING TO GET THAT INFORMATION NOW WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I'VE GOT A FOLLOW UP JOANNE'S COMMENTS ABOUT VOLUNTEERS KIND OF HIT HOME.

I'M HAVE WE LOOKED INTO VOLUNTEER IMPLEMENTATION FOR PRC ON THE WEEKENDS.

I'M JUST, I KEEP IMAGINING ALL, EVERYONE WHO WORKS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, BEING ABLE TO ACCESS CITY FUNDED RESOURCES.

UM, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING PETS IN THEIR HOME IN DIFFERING INTAKES, NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THE PRC ON THE WEEKENDS IS, IS CONCERNING.

HAVE WE LOOKED INTO VOLUNTEERS? CAN, ARE THERE THINGS THAT VOLUNTEERS COULD BE DOING IN THE PRC TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC? I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'VE OFFERED VOLUNTEER POSITIONS IN THE PRC BEFORE WITHOUT MUCH TRACTION.

UM, THE FEW WHO HAVE SIGNED UP AND SHE DO FLESH OUT VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE IT'S AN APARTMENT THAT HAVE A LOT OF REALLY TOUGH CONVERSATIONS OF THE OUTLAY.

AND SO WE'VE HISTORICALLY HAD A REALLY HARD TIME KEEPING VOLUNTEERS IN THOSE POSITION.

HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO SPLITTING, UM, YOU WITH THE AVAILABLE STAFF YOU HAVE, SO THAT WE'RE

[00:35:01]

SO THAT FOLKS WHO WORK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY CAN ACCESS CITY SERVICES.

UH, YEAH.

WE'VE LOOKED AT SORT OF ENTERTAINING THOSE CHANGING SCHEDULES.

UM, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

UH, JUST TO SEE A WEEK, WHAT, WHAT SORT OF COVERAGE WE COULD HAVE, UM, MAINLY JUST TO ENSURE THAT IF PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO COME, THEY'RE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE WHO'S, WHO'S DEFINITELY PRACTICE AND, AND CAN TALK TO INDIVIDUALS, UH, UM, UM, WHATEVER RESOURCES NEEDS IN NEW YORK, THEY HAVE TO BRING US A STRENGTH.

I DID GET AN ANSWER TO YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION.

IT'S ABOUT THE TWO TO THREE DAYS, WAIT FOR STRAINS WITH THEIR TRIAD.

WE TRIAGE THEM BASED OFF IF THEY'RE SACRED DANGER.

THAT'S TWO TO THREE DAYS.

WAIT AFTER I FILL OUT THAT I NEEDED AN APPOINTMENT.

AND THEN IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE SICK OR INJURED, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE BUILD A PRIORITY AND WE ASK THEM TO BRING IT IN SOONER.

LOTTA HAS A QUESTION.

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS HERE BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING AROUND HERE.

UM, FIRST SOMEONE ON THE ASO STAFF THERE, UM, MENTIONED SOMETHING WHEN WE WERE ASKING ABOUT THE STAFFING AT THE PRC AND DON MENTIONED THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO DO IT, UH, THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO HIRE TEMPORARY.

AND DID I HEAR CORRECTLY THAT, SO WHOEVER THAT WAS IN THE BACKGROUND SAID THAT WE HAVE, YOU HAVE NO FULL-TIME POSITIONS OPEN TO PRC.

YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT TEMPORARY.

THAT'S CORRECT.

OR I'M SORRY.

NO, PERMANENT POSITIONS ARE JUST TEMPORARY.

THAT'S CORRECT.

SO IT HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU HAVE, YOU'VE LOST STAFF.

SO IF YOU'VE LOST STAFF, WHEN THOSE POSITIONS BE VACANT AND YOU WOULD BE TRYING TO FILL THEM.

WELL, I THINK THAT THE STAFF WE LOST WERE TEMPORARY STAFF.

WE ONLY HAVE FOUR FTES FOR THE PRC AND ONE SUPERVISOR, IF I'M NOT MISSING, I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

AND SO THE REST THAT WE HAVE, IF THERE ARE TEN FIRST OR A STAFF, AND WE'RE TRYING TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL ONE, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME COVERAGE ON WEEKENDS.

SO YOU HAVE BASICALLY, YOU HAVE FIVE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES FOR THE PRC.

THE REMAINDER OF THEM ARE TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET FILLED.

SO WE HAVE OF THOSE TEMPORARY, WE HAVE THREE, RIGHT.

THREE, WE HAVE THREE CURRENT TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT ARE 20 HOURS A WEEK.

AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL AT 20 YARDS.

AND THEN MY, MY SECOND, MY SECOND FOLLOW-UP QUESTION HAS TO DEAL WITH JOANNE AND RYAN'S, UM, CONVERSATION ABOUT IT NOT BEING A LAW TO SPAY NEUTER.

IT'S A POLICY WHO, WHOSE POLICIES THAT IS THAT A CITY POLICY IS THAT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER IS THAT INDIVIDUAL RESCUES.

WHOSE POLICY IS THAT? THE, IS THE STATE OF TEXAS REQUIRES ANY ANIMAL THAT'S ADOPTED FROM AN ANIMAL SHELTER TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED WITHIN 30 DAYS.

AND A LOT OF SHELTERS HAVE PEOPLE SIGN A CONTRACT THAT SAYS THEY WILL DO THAT WITHIN 30 DAYS.

IT IS THE POLICY OF THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER TO SPAN, NEUTER, EVERYTHING.

THAT'S NOT MEDICALLY ABLE TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED BEFORE THE ADOPTER PICKS IT UP BECAUSE HISTORICALLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE ADOPTED AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG, THEY DON'T BRING THE ANIMAL BACK FARTHER SPAY AND NEUTER.

RIGHT? YEAH.

I, UM, UM, I REMEMBER THEY USED TO CHARGE, THEY USED TO CHARGE AN ADDITIONAL FEE AND THEN IF THE ADOPTER PROVIDED PROOF OF SPARE NEUTER, THEY GOT THAT ADDITIONAL FEE REIMBURSED TO THEM.

UM, AND EVIDENTLY THAT, THAT WASN'T REALLY WORKING, SO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO IT'S, IT'S A STATE POLICY WITHIN 30 DAYS, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER HAS SAID THE PEOPLE AREN'T DOING IT.

WE'RE GOING TO DO IT HERE BEFORE WE SEND THEM OUT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND MY, MY VIDEO IS GOING IN AND OUT WITH SOME OF YOU.

SO, UH, UH, AT THE MOMENT, I CAN'T SEE ANYBODY'S FACE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE STAFF? SORRY, SORRY.

I JUST HAVE ONE MORE WITH SPAY NEUTER.

UM, ARE YOU STILL, UM, LIKE REDOING THE SPAY NEUTERS WHEN YOU CAN, WHEN THEIR SPACE TAKING DOGS IN ARE OUR CATS THAT AREN'T YET ADOPTED AND SPAYING AND NEUTERING THEM.

SO THEY'RE READY TO GO HOME.

SEVEN DAYS, SPAY NEUTERS, AGAIN, WITH THE PANDEMIC, WE LOST FOUR OR FIVE RELIEF FAST.

IT'S GOOD POLICY.

I HAVE A QUESTION TO CRAIG.

GO AHEAD.

UH, IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT, UM, THERE WAS A SOMEWHAT RECENT CHANGE OF NOT DOING SPAY AND NEUTERS ON WEEKENDS.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

WE ARE DOING MORE, UH, DURING THE FIVE DAY WEEK THAN WE WERE EVER DOING WHEN WE WERE DOING

[00:40:01]

WE DON'T HAVE BEDS TO HIRE TO DO THIS.

UM, AND SO WE HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES IN OUR, WHO WE SIGN UP FOR SPAY-NEUTER FOR ONE, WE'RE NOT DOING THEM FOR RESCUE FOR TWO, OR, UM, INSISTING THAT AHS TAKE BACK OVER THAT SPADE NEUTER RELEASE PROGRAM FOR CATS.

WE HAD BEEN DOING ALL THOSE CATS.

WE ALSO PUT BOONE BARN CATS.

UM, AS OF YESTERDAY YOU COULD STILL BOOK AN APPOINTMENT FOR TOMORROW.

SO WE'RE NOT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT GOT STARTED, THAT WE'RE BOOKED OUT FOR TWO WEEKS.

THAT IS NOT A TRUE STATEMENT.

UM, WE JUST DID A 40 DAYS SURGERY ON SUNDAY.

WE'VE BEEN MAKING EXCEPTIONS, TRYING TO GET, WE HAVE 400 SOME ANIMALS OUT AND FOSTER THAT MOSTLY ARE KITTENS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THOSE SPANNED NEUTER BECAUSE THEY'RE ADOPTED.

SO, UM, ANYWAY, THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'VE DONE TO TRY AND RESOLVE IT.

JUST, UH, REAL QUICK, UM, THE COVID UPDATE, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE FULLY OPEN, UH, FOR ADOPTIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT THERE'S SOME BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND ADOPT FOR FOSTER.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I HAVE ONE CRAIG REAL QUICKLY.

GO AHEAD.

I'M JUST DOING THE SPAY-NEUTER CONVERSATION.

A COUPLE OF TIMES THERE'S BEEN, UM, SOME TALK ABOUT A STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN AUSTIN, ABOUT HOW, WHAT THE PERCENTAGE WAS THE PEOPLE COMING BACK FOR THEIR SPAY-NEUTER APPOINTMENTS.

CAN ONE OF YOU ALL SHARE THAT STUDY THAT WAS DONE WITH THE COMMISSION TO SEE THOSE STATISTICS? IT WASN'T A STUDY.

IT WAS, UM, IT WAS THE, I MEAN, IT WAS, IT'S BEEN SIX OR SEVEN YEARS THAT THEY, WE SAID DID IT, THAT WAS, WE WERE HAVING TO GO BACK.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS A STUDY.

I MEAN, WE MIGHT CAN FIGURE OUT THE DATA, BUT IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

SURE.

IF YOU CAN SHARE THAT DATA WITH US JUST SO WE CAN SEE IT, THAT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN, WE CAN TRY AND FIND IT, UH,

[2b. COVID Update]

THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WE'RE MAKING AS IT'S LEFT IS, UH, MOVING OUR HOURS BACK TO SEVEN O'CLOCK AND THAT WILL HAPPEN ON MONDAY THE 19TH.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE COVID UPDATE? OKAY.

THEN LET'S MOVE ALONG TO CRAIG.

GO AHEAD.

SO THE SEVEN O'CLOCK DAWN, IS THAT OPEN HOURS TILL 7:00 PM OR YES.

YOU SAID, YOU SAID SEVEN, 7:00 PM.

AND I HAD A QUESTION ON THE COVID AVOID.

UM, DON, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAD MENTIONED IN EMAIL, I GUESS BACK TO COUNCIL WAS THAT YOU HAVE A PERSON NOW THAT IS DOING A DEDICATED TO OUT OF AREA TRANSPORT.

AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD MAYBE GIVE US A BRIEFING NEXT MONTH ON THAT, ON LIKE THE PROCESS, WHETHER OR NOT THEIR CONTRACTS, WHETHER OR NOT THE PEOPLE, THE, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RECEIVING THEM OR THE OTHER SHELTERS ARE VETTED AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE NO KILL COMMUNITIES, IF YOU COULD KIND OF GIVE US YOUR PARAMETERS FOR THAT PROGRAM AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.

UH, WE'LL MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE, UH, THE MANAGER OVER THAT AREA DISCUSS AND GIVE THAT PRESENTATION, UH, BY GIVING IT TO THE STAFF HERE.

SO THAT'D BE EASY TO SHARE.

LET'S HAVE THE ASO BUDGET, ROBERT BRISEN DEAN CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET OFFICE.

ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, WELL, UH, NANCY HAS NOW JOINED US, UH, WHICH IS GOOD.

SO, UM,

[2c. ASO Budget, Robert Brizendine, City of Austin Budget Office]

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

UH, I HAD A PRESENTATION TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL.

I DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT GETTING MUCH BETTER.

THERE WE GO.

AWESOME.

SO I'LL BE PRESENTING THIS SHORT PRESENTATION ON THEIR BUDGET.

THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME.

UH, I WANNA TO JUST GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND.

SO I'M FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET OFFICE.

I ACTUALLY WORKED WITH, UH, ANIMAL SERVICES THIS YEAR ON THEIR BUDGET.

AND, UH, I WANTED TO DO THAT.

THAT'S NOT THE NORMAL BUDGET OFFICE RESPONSIBILITY.

UH, USUALLY IT'S A PERMANENT STAFF AND USUALLY IT'S AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF WHO WORKED WITH ANIMAL SERVICES TO DEVELOP THEIR BUDGETS.

BUT, UH, THIS YEAR I WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BUDGETING PROCESS AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD A SOFT SPOT AS WE ALL HAVE WITH ANIMAL SERVICES.

I STARTED THERE WITH THE CITY 10 YEARS AGO.

AND SO I WAS WITH ANIMAL SERVICES FOR FOUR YEARS.

AND SO WHEN I MADE THROUGHOUT THIS MINISTRY, I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I SHOULD, UH, WORK WITH THEM AND TRY TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR BUDGET OR TROUBLES.

[00:45:01]

IT'S JUST A FEW SLIDES.

AND THEN AT THE END, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

SO, UH, NEXT SLIDE.

SO THIS IS A HIGH-LEVEL VIEW OF THE BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR.

I USUALLY IT DOESN'T CHANGE TOO MUCH EACH YEAR.

I MEAN, THE DATES OBVIOUSLY CHANGED, BUT THE LITTLE GRAPHIC AT THE TOP SHOWING THE JANUARY THROUGH APRIL, WHICH IS PALSY AND PRINT AND FORECASTING, THEY HAVE MAY THROUGH JUNE, WHICH IS BEZOS BUDGET DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN COUNCIL DELIBERATION AND ADOPTION, WHICH IS JULY THROUGH AUGUST.

THOSE SORT OF TIME PERIODS.

DON'T REALLY CHANGE THAT OFTEN, EXCEPT A FEW COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN I WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS MORE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, THE STATE AFTER PROPERTY TAX AND AT WHAT WE COULD RAISE EACH YEAR.

AND SO IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE ACTUALLY PUSHED THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENTAL PER MONTH.

SO IT USED TO BE IN SEPTEMBER THAT COUNCIL WOULD ADOPT, BUT NOW IT'S AN AUGUST THAT COUNCIL PROVIDES THEIR INPUT.

THEY PASS IMMENSE AND THEN THEY APPROVE THE BUDGET.

UH, AND SO JUST TO GO REAL QUICK ON THE KEY DATES.

SO JANUARY AND JANUARY, THERE WAS A MEMO SENT OUT TO BOARDS OF COMMISSIONS TO PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

UH, THERE WAS AN APRIL 9TH DEADLINE FOR THAT, BUT WE STILL GOT SAMPLES.

AND AFTER THEN, AND THEN, UH, CONCURRENTLY GOING WITH THAT THERE A FINANCIAL FORECAST REPORT SENT TO COUNCIL ON APRIL 16TH.

AND THAT'S DONE EVERY YEAR WHERE WE SORT OF TEE UP THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

I MEAN, THAT COUNCIL NOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT SALES TAX IS LOOKING AT PROPERTY TAXES, LOOKING LIKE WHAT THE ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS ARE LOOKING LIKE AND STUFF IN TERMS OF THEIR REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.

AND THEN IN MAY, WE GOT OUR PRE POST BUDGETS SUBMITTED FROM DEPARTMENTS.

SO I SUBMITTED, UH, ANIMAL SERVICES, PROPOSED BUDGET TO THE BUDGET OFFICE.

AND THERE'S A SEPARATE BUDGET ANALYST WHO HELPED US THROUGH GETTING THROUGH PROPOSED BUDGET WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

AND THEN THE THIN JUNE SENIOR MANAGEMENT DECISIONS ON WHAT TO ADD THE BUDGET.

AND THEN ON JULY 9TH, WHICH WAS THIS FRIDAY, THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTED A PROPOSED BUDGET TO CITY COUNCIL.

SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS ONLINE AND EVERYONE CAN SEE IT.

AND THEN I'LL SHOW A BUDGET PAGE FROM ANIMAL SERVICES LATER.

AND THEN JULY 22ND AND JULY 29TH, THOSE ARE TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS AND THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.

AND THEN ON AUGUST 11TH, WHICH IS A WEDNESDAY THAT'S WHEN COUNCIL WILL BE ADOPTING THE BUDGET.

NOW THEY CAN GO TO THURSDAY AND POSSIBLY FRIDAY.

SO IT'S JUST GENERALLY THAT WEEK THAT THEY WILL PASS THE BUDGET.

EXCELLENT.

NEXT SLIDE KIND OF TEES US UP.

SO THESE, UH, IS QUITE A BUSY SLIDE, BUT LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH IT REAL QUICK.

UH, SO THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND AND, AND THE REASON I WANT TO SHOW THE GENERAL FUND IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MOST OF ANIMAL SERVICES, WELL, ACTUALLY, THAT'S ALL OF ANIMAL SERVICES OPERATING BUDGET IS IN THE GENERAL FUND.

THIS IS SEPARATE FROM THE DONATION FUND.

AND SO THE GENERAL FUND HAS TO BE BALANCED EVERY YEAR.

SO THAT MEANS THAT REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE BUDGETS, PEOPLE BOTH EQUAL $1.2 BILLION.

AND SO MOST OF THAT POWER, SORRY, A HALF OF THAT ABOUT COMES FROM PROPERTY TAX.

AND, AND I'LL MENTION THE, UH, A LITTLE BIT TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT THREE AND A HALF PERCENT PROPERTY TAX CAP THAT THE STATE PASSED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

UH, AND THEN ABOUT A QUARTER IS SALES TAX.

AND THEN WE GET ABOUT 160 MILLION FROM PASTA WATER IN AUSTIN, ENERGY FROM UTILITY TRANSFERS, AND THAT'S BASED ON THEIR ACTUAL REVENUE AND THE PERCENTAGES ON THAT ARE BASED ON ACTUAL PROPOSALS.

SO THAT'S PASSED BY COUNCIL AND THEN THE OTHER THAT NICE NEBULOUS, OTHER CATEGORY THAT'S SURELY FEES AND FINES FROM DEPARTMENTS.

SO ANIMAL SERVICES DOES HAVE SOME FEES, CHARGES FOR SERVICE, SUCH AS LIKE ADOPTION FEES AND OTHER VARIOUS ANIMAL PROTECTION FEES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

UH, SO THAT THAT'S ABOUT 136 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND FROM ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE THERE.

AND SPEAKING OF THE DEPARTMENTS ON THE RIGHT THERE'S THE USE OF FUNDS, SO THAT'S GONNA BE ALL THE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS.

AND THEN I KNOW IT'S A LOT, BUT JUST WE CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT ANIMAL SERVICES, 60 AND A HALF MILLION, THIS IS FOR FYI 22.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE OVER 1%.

AND DO YOU HAVE THE BIGGEST COMPONENT IS POLICE AND THE LAST YEAR IS WE PROBABLY ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT REFORMING POLICE AND RE-IMAGINING IT, BUT AT THE STATE PASSED A LAW THAT IF WE WERE TAGGED AS A DEFUNDING CITY, THAT, UH, WE, THEY COULD LIKE FREEZE OUR PROPERTY TAX CAP, SORRY, I'LL PROBABLY TAX AND FREEZE A LOT OF THINGS.

SO PLEASE HAVE TO BE RESTORED FOR FYI TWENTY-TWO AND PLEASE FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES THAT MAKE UP OVER 60% OF THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THAT IS A BIG COMPONENT OF THE GENERAL FUND.

[00:50:01]

SO REAL QUICK, THERE'S SPEAKING OF THE PROPERTY TAX CAP THAT THE STATE I ASKED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THIS REALLY PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE GENERAL FUND.

AND WHAT IT DOES IS IF THERE'S A PROPERTY THAT IS TAXED AND THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, LIKE TAKING ALL THOSE PROPERTIES THAT KIND OF GIVES US A BASE FOR THE PROPERTY TAX.

AND THAT BASE CAN GO UP THREE AND A HALF OR MORE THAN THREE AND A HALF PERCENT EACH YEAR, EXCEPT BY THE VOTERS.

SO THE VOTERS LAST YEAR THAT THEY VOTED AND THE PROJECT CONNECT.

SO THAT WAS ONE THING THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM THE 300%, BUT THAT'S DEDICATED SOLELY TO PROJECT CONNECT.

SO THAT CAN GO INTO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT.

SO THE CITY IS SORT OF STUCK AT THIS THREE AND A HALF PERCENT, UH, LIMIT EVERY YEAR.

IT CAN GO UNDER COUNCIL, OR YOU CAN MAKE THAT DECISION IF THEY WANT TO GO UNDER THREE AND A HALF PERCENT, BUT IT HAS TO BE AT THREE AND A HALF PERCENT AND ABOUT THE VOTERS HAVE TO APPROVE IT.

AND SO THIS YEAR WE ARE BALANCED AND, BUT NEXT YEAR IT, SO WHEN I SAY NEXT YEAR, I MEAN, FYI, TWENTY-THREE, THAT'S EXPECTED TO HAVE A FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S IN THE GENERAL FUND.

AND UNFORTUNATELY LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $1.2 BILLION BUDGET, THAT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND, IT IS ALL PUBLIC SERVICES.

IT'S NOT PAID FOR BY LIKE, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN ENERGY OR AUSTIN WATER BY RATES SPECIFICALLY BY HOW MUCH PEOPLE USE IT'S FOR OBVIOUSLY VERY USEFUL SERVICES, THE PUBLIC AND IT'S, UH, AND IT'S SUBSIDIZED BY PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX.

SO IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE, WHERE, WHERE DO YOU, YOU KNOW, BALANCE THINGS.

AND IT BECOMES REALLY HARD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE SERVICES ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT IS KIND OF OVERLOOKING AT AN FY 23 IS A FIND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT.

AND THEN IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP.

SO EVERY YEAR, AND THEN GROWS TO 15.6 MILLION.

AND SO WHAT THAT DOES FOR US NOW IS THAT GENERAL FUND.

WE GENERALLY, IF WE HAVE SAVINGS TO FUND THINGS, WE GENERALLY FUND ONE-TIME ITEMS EACH YEAR BECAUSE WITH RUMOR BALANCED THIS YEAR, BUT THEN WE'RE PROJECTING THAT WE WON'T BE BALANCED NEXT YEAR.

IT'S HARD TO ADD POSITIONS TO THE BUDGET UNLESS THEY'RE FUNDED BY A SAVINGS OR FUNDED THROUGH REVENUE OR SOMETHING ELSE, BECAUSE THEN THEY WILL JUST GROW THE DEFICIT.

AND NEXT SLIDE.

SO THIS IS A SCREENSHOT OF ANIMAL SERVICES, BUDGET PAGE, AND THE FY 22 BUDGET.

THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AND THIS DOESN'T COUNT THE DONATION FUNDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF NUMBERS HERE JUST ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE DUE.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE FOR AND A HIGH LEVEL IT'S 16 AND A HALF MILLION IS THE BUDGET.

THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 400,000.

AND I WILL DETAIL WHAT THOSE INCREASES ARE AT A MOMENT.

AND THE REVENUE BUDGET IS 2.4 MILLION.

SO THAT'S AN INCREASE OVER 500,000 AND THAT'S, THAT IS MORE OF A PROJECTION.

SO IF ANIMAL SERVICES WERE TO COLLECT MORE THAN 2.4 MILLION, THAT IS PERFECTLY FINE.

IT'S THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET.

THAT'S LIKE A CAP THAT YOU CAN'T GO FROM A 16.5 AND THE REVENUE INCREASE IS DUE TO, COVID REALLY IMPACTED A LOT OF THE REVENUES, BUT SHADE OPTION PS.

SO WE'RE EXPECTING ADOPTION FEES TO SORT OF COME BACK A LITTLE BIT TO NORMAL FYI, TRYING TO, AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE IN THE INNER LOCAL WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.

AND THEN THE FINAL NUMBER I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE POSITIONS.

SO FTS ARE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS, AND THOSE ARE THE SET AT 114 FOR FY 22.

SO THAT IS NO INCREASE.

AND NEXT SLIDE.

FOR THE EMERGENCY AND SPECIALTY CARE AND AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY, STERILIZATION SERVICES.

AND SO GOING INTO THAT EXPENDITURE BUDGET, UH, SO THE FIRST SECTION ARE THE BASE COST DRIVERS.

SO BASE COST DRIVERS ARE GENERALLY USUALLY THINGS THAT GET FUNDED IN THE FORECAST.

AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE PROVED PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL THAT HAD A, HAD A BUDGETARY IMPACT, OR THEY ARE A CONTRACTUAL INCREASE, OR LET'S SAY IF THERE'S A FACILITIES BUILT THROUGH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, IT'S GOING ONLINE AND THEY NEED TO FUND THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FOR IT, PEDAL TO FURNITURE BASED COST DRIVERS.

SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE EASIER TO GET IN THE BUDGET.

UM, AND THE BIGGEST COMPONENT IS 151,000 AND THAT'S WIDE ALLOCATION.

SO THAT'S LIKE A BIG BUCKET OF LIKE WAGE ADJUSTMENT.

SO THERE'S A 2.2% WAGE ADJUSTMENT FOR ANY POSITIONS HIRED BEFORE APRIL 1ST, UH, THAT INCLUDES INSURANCE AND INCLUDES A PENSION INCLUDES ANY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS LIKE CGM, WHICH IS IT.

SO STUFF LIKE THAT, UH, THERE WAS $98,000 ADDED FOR CONTRACTS

[00:55:01]

SO THAT NEEDS CONTRACTUAL INCREASES.

THERE IS ALSO, WE ADDED ANOTHER 60,000 FOR RABIES AND TITERS VACCINATIONS FOR STAFF.

AND, UH, ANOTHER THING THAT CITY MANAGEMENT ADDED CITYWIDE IS THERE'S GOING TO BE A ONE TIME CIVILIAN COMPENSATION.

SO THERE'S A 2% WAGE INCREASE, BUT THERE'S ALSO THIS ONE TIME CIVILIAN COMPENSATION.

AND I BELIEVE IT'S 30 HOURS AND ABOVE THAT'S $500 HR ACTUALLY JUST COUPLE MINUTES, UM, GUIDELINES ON IT.

SO IT'S NOT $500 RENDERED DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY'RE AT OR WHAT THEY WANT EACH WEEK, 55,000 FOR ANIMAL SERVICES THERE.

AND THEN 39,000 FOR THAT SERVICES FOR INCREASED COST AND THEN SOME EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENTS.

AND THEN TWO THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY IN THE GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET.

SO THESE ARE OUTSIDE OF THE 16.5 MILLION OR $400,000 FOR SURGERY OR RECOVERY KENNELS FOR LARGE DOGS.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT ANIMAL SERVICES NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY REALLY NEEDED.

AND WE FOUND A WAY TO GET IT IN THE BUDGET.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S AN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH CAPITAL BUDGET BECAUSE THEY HAVE A MORE ACTIVE CAPITAL BUDGET RIGHT NOW.

BUT ANIMAL SERVICES THAT IS BORN OVER SENT ACCESS TO THIS MONEY IS NOT GOING TO BE CONTROLLED BY ALL SINGLE ACCOUNTS.

IT'S JUST KIND OF WHERE IT'S SITTING.

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER $200,000 THAT IS REPLAYED ON UPGRADES AND REPAIRS.

AND SO LIKE THE OTHER ITEM, THIS IS ACTUALLY IN BUILDING SERVICES.

AND, BUT ONCE AGAIN, ANIMAL SERVICES, THIS IS THEIR MONEY TO ACCESS AND YOU WERE ABLE TO ADD IT TO EXISTING MONEY THAT IS IN BUILDING SERVICES FOR ANIMAL SERVICES AND NEXT SLIDE.

AND THAT'S IT.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS AND JUST, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME.

UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ROBERT? I HAVE A QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARILY FOR ROBERT.

UM, YOU MENTIONED THE DONATIONS FUND WASN'T INCLUDED IN ANY OF THIS, WHERE, WHERE WOULD THAT BE INCLUDED? SO AGAIN, THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, THERE IS A SECTION CALLED UNBUDGETED SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

AND SO THE REASON IT WASN'T INCLUDED IS BECAUSE THE DONATION FUND IS SINCE IT'S AN UNBUDGETED SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, IT'S NOT PART OF THE NORMAL BUDGETING PROCESS.

AND SO BASICALLY IT HAS MONEY COMES IN, LIKE THE BUDGETS CAN BE CHANGED.

SO FOR INSTANCE, WITH ANIMAL SERVICES OPERATING BUDGET, IT'S AT 16.5 MILLION AND COUNCIL.

SO COUNCIL HAS THE BUDGET, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES.

AND THEN WHEN THEY PASS IT, IF THEY MAKE ANY CHANGES IN THE BUDGET, THAT'S THE FINAL NUMBER FOR ANIMAL SERVICES FOR FY 22.

SO FROM OCTOBER 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, IT CAN'T GO ABOVE WHATEVER COUNCIL PASS, UNLESS THERE'S A BUDGET AMENDMENT, BUT THE DONATION FUNDS, SINCE IT'S, IT'S, I PROVIDE YOU DID, HEY, THE BUDGET CAN BE CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT WITH COUNCIL.

AND SO, AND THEN, AND SINCE, YOU KNOW, REVENUE IS COMING IN ALL THE TIME FOR THAT, IT DOESN'T MAKE AS MUCH SENSE TO LIKE SET A BUDGET RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE COULD SET A BUDGET, WE HAD SET A BUDGET IN OCTOBER, SEPTEMBER, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SET A DIFFERENT BUDGET EACH MONTH IF WE WANTED TO.

SO THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, BUT THAT MAKES SENSE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.

KATIE, ARE THERE ANY METRICS FOR SPENDING LIKE ANNUAL DEPARTMENT GOALS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS? SO EACH YEAR, UH, DEPARTMENTS, THEY WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ON DEVELOPING THEIR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND THEIR MEASURES.

SO THERE ARE METRICS INCLUDED.

WE HAVE NOT BEEN, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR.

WE, THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS DON'T INCLUDE THE KPIS ANYMORE.

THEY ACTUALLY, FOR ON THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL TO ACTUALLY INCLUDE KPIS.

SO THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION ON STRATEGIC OUTCOMES.

SO COUNCIL APPROVED A FEW YEARS AGO, THE STRATEGIC TREE HAS SIX STRATEGIC OUTCOMES THAT ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE ALIGNED TO, AND THERE ARE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THOSE.

AND SO THOSE ARE ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN, UM, IN THAT SECTION.

AND SO I BELIEVE ANIMAL SERVICES WOULD ALIGN MOSTLY WITH HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT, SO THEIR, THEIR KPIS WOULD BE THERE, BUT YES, THEY ARE.

THEY GOT PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.

THE MEASURES ARE OKAY.

I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION.

SO WHAT WE SEE IS FOR THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, WE'VE HAD THE SAME NUMBER OF FTES.

[01:00:01]

WE'VE HAD 114, UH, YET THE COUNTY AND THE CITY HAVE GROWN AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW NOW.

I DON'T KNOW.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THIS IN THE BUDGET IN GENERAL, OR WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE WORK.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WITH A GROWING CITY WITH, AND WE DEAL WITH THE COUNTY TO, UH, HOW DO YOU NORMALLY PLAN FOR THAT? IS THAT DONE JUST WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OR DO YOU HAVE SOME METHOD OF TRYING TO FIGURE THIS IN? SO, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE, UH, THE BIG QUESTION FTES ARE ALWAYS, IT'S ALWAYS A HARD THING EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY.

SO WITH THE GENERAL FUND, SINCE THE REVENUE SOURCES ARE SERVER RESTRICTED, THAT ANY, ANY NEW FTES THAT ARE ADDED AS A BASE COST DRIVER.

SO WHEN I'M, YOU KNOW, SHOWED IN THE PRESENTATION EARLIER, LIKE A BASE COST DRIVER WOULD BE LIKE A COUNCIL, UH, SORT OF A COUNCIL INITIATIVE THAT'S APPROVED AND THAT THEY APPROVED A BUDGET FOR FUNDING FOR PREVIOUSLY CONTRACTUAL INCREASE.

IF THERE'S AN FTE TIED TO THAT, THAT'S USUALLY VERY RARE.

OR IF THERE'S A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT'S COMING ONLINE AND THERE'S A FACILITY, A POSITION COULD BE ADDED THAT WAY.

SO I, FOR EXAMPLE, PARKS AND RECREATION, THERE'S A, WHATEVER THEY SUBMIT THEIR FORECAST.

THEY GENERALLY THEY'LL SUBMIT.

AND YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS, BUT LET'S JUST SAY, EXAMPLE, THEY'LL SUBMIT 10 FTS AND, BUT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE A LOT OF BACKUP.

AND SO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET ANALYSTS, THEY WORK WITH THEM TO SORT OF SCRUB THAT NUMBER.

AND IT USUALLY GETS, YOU KNOW, SCRUBBED DOWN, BUT THAT'S WHEN YOU GET POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE FACILITIES OR PARKS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE THAT HAVE TYPE OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE.

SO THOSE THEY'RE VERY LIKE RESTRICTIVE WAYS THAT POSITIONS GET ADDED THAT WAY.

AND SO UNFORTUNATELY WITH ANIMAL SERVICES, YOU KNOW, THERE IS, YOU KNOW, WITH ANIMAL SERVICES, I THINK PROBABLY THE LAST TIME THAT, UH, PHYSICIANS WERE ADDED WITH THE CAPITAL BUDGET WOULD EITHER BE WHEN THE ANIMAL CENTER WAS OPENED IN 2011, OR THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN SOME THAT WERE ADDED FOR THE KENNEL EXPANSIONS, BUT SINCE ANIMAL SERVICES DOESN'T HAVE LIKE, HAVE LIKE, YOU KNOW, A VERY ROBUST CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THEY'RE USUALLY OUR POSITIONS OUT OF THAT WAY.

AND SO THAT, THAT KIND OF MAKES IT HARDER TO ADD THOSE POSITIONS.

SO THEN WHEN YOU GET INTO ANYTHING BEYOND A BASE COST, YEAH.

CITY COUNCIL OR CITY MANAGEMENT HAS TO MAKE THE DESIGNATION TO ADD FTES.

AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY A REALLY HARD LINE THIS YEAR ON ALL THE FTES.

THERE WERE FTS ADDED FOR SOME DEPARTMENTS, UH, LIKE MUNICIPAL COURT HAD SOME ADDED FOR THE MARSHALL PROGRAM.

I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS ON THAT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT POLICE APD USED TO DO, AND THEY'RE NOT DOING IT ANYMORE.

I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT IS.

SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE FUNDED.

SO THERE ARE VERY FEW THINGS LIKE THAT.

UH, THERE MIGHT BE STAFFING PLANS AND PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY BEYOND THAT, ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE ADDED FOR, YOU KNOW, DEMAND INCREASES, POPULATION INCREASES, STUFF LIKE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY CMS. AND SO THE PROPOSED BUDGETS ARE ALREADY OUT.

SO NOW I'D HAVE TO BE CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE THAT.

AND I KNOW, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE.

I KNOW LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS GROWING, THE COUNTY'S CRYING, YOU KNOW, AS WE HAVE A SPACE, CRISIS IS REALLY DIFFICULT.

UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY LIKE AT THE BUDGET OFFICE, LIKE WE ARE NOT THE POLICY MAKERS.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, WE REALLY HAVE TO LIKE, IT'S A FINE LINE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ADDED THAT NEEDS A BASE COST VERSUS SOMETHING THAT'S A NEW SERVICE OR SOMETHING.

THAT'S A DEMAND INCREASE.

THEN IF IT GOES ON OUR OTHER LINE, THEN IT'S A NEW SERVICE OR DEMAND INCREASE.

THEN CITY MANAGEMENT AND OR CITY COUNCIL HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.

CAUSE THAT, THAT HELPS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EITHER SOMEONE ASKS FOR MORE FTES, LIKE SAY DON BLAND SAYS WE NEED MORE FTES, WHICH I'VE HEARD HIM SAY, BUT THEN THEY DON'T ACTUALLY GET ADDED IN GOING UP UNTIL, I GUESS THE CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHERE WE'RE GOING UP BECAUSE I KNOW THE, THE CITY COUNCIL CAN, CAN MAKE THAT I, YOU KNOW, ADD THE FTS GOING DOWN, BUT ON THE WAY UP, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S DECIDED BY THE CITY MANAGER? UH, EVENTUALLY ULTIMATELY.

SO YES, THAT IS DECIDED BY, AND NOT JUST CITY MANAGERS SAY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

SO DURING JUNE WE PROVIDE THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO COO AND THEY MAKE DECISIONS.

AND SO YEAH, AT THIS POINT OF THE DAY, DIDN'T ADD ANY FTES.

UH, AND FOR, WE DID, ACTUALLY, WHEN I WORKED WITH ANIMAL SERVICES, THERE WERE A FEW OF TEAS THAT WERE SUBMITTED, BUT THEY WEREN'T INCLUDED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MEET THAT BASE COST, UH, DEFINITION, BUT THEY WERE, THEY WERE LISTED AS PART OF WHAT WE CALL

[01:05:01]

UNMET NEEDS.

THERE'S USUALLY AN UNMET NEEDS PROCESS EACH YEAR FOR GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS.

AND THIS YEAR IT WASN'T REALLY DEFINED, BUT THAT LIST OF UNMET NEEDS, WHICH INCLUDED FTS WAS SHARED WITH CMOS.

SO CMO DID HAVE THAT.

AND UH, AND THEN CITY COUNCIL, IF THEY REQUEST IT, THEY, THEY CAN BE PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.

SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S EITHER COE, PROOFS OR CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO APPROVE.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK REAL QUICKLY IN THE BUDGET DISCUSSION IS THE BUDGET DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL.

I'M GUESSING THAT IT IS BASED ON PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC FOR SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

IS THAT CORRECT? SO, SO DO YOU MEAN WHEN, UM, DO YOU MEAN IN DEVELOPING THE BUDGET, DEVELOPING THE 16 WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OPEN? LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST, THERE'S NO ADJUSTMENTS TO, UM, HOURS OF SERVICES PROVIDED.

SO, AND DEFINITELY ANIMAL SERVICES CAN, CAN CHIME IN MORE ON THIS, BUT THERE WAS NO, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION ON THAT.

THERE WE DON'T DO LIKE ZERO-BASED BUDGETING.

SO WE DON'T LIKE GO BACK AND LIKE REDO EVERYTHING AND MAKE, YOU KNOW, MAKE ASSUMPTIONS, UM, GENERALLY, BUT THERE WAS NO PROJECTIONS LIKE FORWARD THAT WOULD BE, THERE WAS NO CHANGES TO THAT.

NO, NOT THAT I KNOW OF.

NO, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT, UH, WE, WE DID, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS THIS YEAR GOING AND, YOU KNOW, WE DID ADD THEM TO OUR REQUESTS.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, I I'VE ASKED Y'ALL FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS NOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN START TALKING TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I DO WANT TO SAY AN IN COMMAND, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, ONE OF THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, BRENDAN'S POSITION THAT WAS, THAT WAS GRANT FUNDED THAT ENDS THIS FISCAL YEAR.

AND THAT POSITION THAT HELPS THE HOMELESS HE'S ALREADY KEPT OUT OF OVER 150 ANIMALS OUT OF THE SHELTER, UH, THAT WILL GO AWAY.

UH, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY HAS PUT THAT TO BRING UP THE COUNCIL.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, SHE, SHE HEARD THE WORD WHO DOES FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO TALK WITH HER BECAUSE SHE DID PUT THAT INTO DISCUSS AT COUNCIL TO GET THAT POSITION AT.

SO IF YOU COULD MENTION IT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TOO.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION AS WE BROUGHT THAT UP, WERE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS DONE IN THE BUDGET FOR ADDING LIKE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NOW WITH HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN THROUGH COVID THROUGH ANY OF THE SUPPORTING PARTNERS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING LIKE IN PARTICULAR LIKE, UM, AUSTIN PETS, I MEAN, AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND OR TRAPPERS FOR, UM, PASS WHERE THERE ANY OF THOSE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET TO TRY TO ASSIST WITH KEEPING THE ANIMALS OUT OF THE SHELTER? NO, IT'S REALLY EASY TO UTILIZE IN BRENDAN'S POSITION.

UM, THAT WAS REALLY, WE ASKED FOR HIM TO TRY TO KEEP IT IN AND MARK MARK'S HAVING TROUBLE LOGGING IN SO THAT HE CAN TEXT ME TODAY.

YOU'VE BEEN UTILIZING BREAD AND ALSO FROM PRC ON SATURDAY SO THAT HE CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS HE MIGHT.

SO THERE WAS NO ITEMS FOR ANY SUPPORT OUTSIDE OF THAT.

NOT OUTSIDE OF THAT EXISTED, JUST TRYING TO GET THAT ONE POSITION THAT WE'RE LOSING WITH THE MADISON GRANT AND THAT'S THE MOST CREDIT ONE, BUT WE DID AS FAR FOR INTEL THE POSITION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, THAT GOOD PRESENTATION IT'S THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS CAN BE, CAN SEE A BYZANTINE, SHOULD I SAY? AND, UH, I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT REALLY HOW IT WORKS AND I THINK YOU'VE HELPED A LITTLE BIT.

SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.

OH, THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ANYTIME.

AND I THINK, YEAH, AND THE BUDGET OFFICE HAS A RESOURCE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS PROVIDE INFORMATION OR HELP, YOU KNOW, COMMISSION MEMBERS OR THE PUBLIC, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT THE SPECIALTY DEPARTMENTS, WE WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS ALL THE TIME ON SORT OF TRAVERSING THAT BYZANTINE PROCESS.

CAUSE IT CAN, IT CAN BE A LOT.

UM, BUT YEAH, RIGHT NOW IT'S CITY COUNCIL, THEY HAVE THE BUDGET, SO THEY WILL MAKE THE DECISIONS.

AND SO LIKE DON MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, IF, YOU KNOW, START SPEAKING TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF THERE ARE THINGS YOU WANT TO SUPPORT IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE THEY WILL BE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.

AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETING PRIORITIES.

SO, UH, IT CAN, IT CAN TAKE OFF, BUT IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH DOING AWESOME.

HAVE VOTED TO MOVE NEW BUSINESS, FOUR B UP, UH, ADD IT SAYS UPDATE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON SHELTER, SPACE CONDITIONS, NOS ANIMAL CENTER MEMO TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL NANCY POTENTIAL NOTIFICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA FOR SPACE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, SO NOW LET'S GO

[01:10:01]

ON, ON THE AGENDA.

UH, WE

[4b. Update, Discussion and Possible Action on Shelter Space Conditions and Austin Animal Center Memo to Mayor and Council Announcing Potential Notifications of Euthanasia for Space]

UH, OKAY.

SO, UH, UH, LET'S SEE.

UH, WE HAVE BACKUP AND I HOPE EVERYBODY'S BEEN ABLE TO READ THE BACKUP AND THE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN, UH, DON BLAND AND THE CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT THIS UP.

WE, UH, HEAR REPORTS FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

SO, UM, UH, HOW DO WE WANT TO START OUT THIS DISCUSSION? DOES ANYBODY, UH, UH, I, I, I JUST THINK IN GENERAL, UM, UH, THE, THE WHAT I CAN, I JUST TELL YOU, WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS FROM CONSTITUENTS AND PARTICULARLY ON, UH, I MONITOR, UM, UH, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THERE SEEMS TO BE, UH, A FEAR OUT THERE IN, IN SOCIAL MEDIA THAT, AND I KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUE, BUT, AND I'VE HAD THE SAY MULTIPLE TIMES, THIS IS NOT TRUE, BUT THERE IS THIS FEAR OUT THERE THAT SOMEHOW, UH, THE SHELTER IS NOW GOING TO KILL DOGS BECAUSE WE'VE RUN OUT OF SPACE.

AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE, BUT SOMEHOW WHEN, WHEN THIS SITUATION, UH, REACHES THE POINT THAT THE SITUATION DID THE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL FIRST, WE DON'T GET TO DISCUSS IT.

THE COMMISSION, UH, EH, A WHOLE LOT OF RUMORS START FLYING.

AND I THINK THIS CAN ACTUALLY WORK TO THE DETRIMENT OF, OF ANYTHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO, INCLUDING SAVING ANIMALS.

SO I THINK THAT'S ONE REASON WHY I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

UM, AND WONDERING, UH, WHAT, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THE SITUATION HAS IMPROVED.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'D BE THE SIX STAFF.

DO WE HAVE A, DO WE HAVE MORE SPACE THAN WE DID WHEN THOSE EMAILS WERE SENT? YES.

UH, SO I MEAN, THAT IS, I GUESS MY GENERAL CONCERN IS THAT, THAT, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT POLICY.

THE, THE SITUATION SEEMS TO BE BETTER, BUT ALL I CAN SAY IS IT'S CAUSED A REAL CONSTERNATION IN THE, UM, PUBLIC AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON OUR SHELTER.

SO, UH, THAT'S WHY WE PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.

UH, RYAN.

OKAY, THANKS.

UM, AND I KNOW PROBABLY THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SPEAK, BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, WHAT TIME ARE WE OFF? WHAT TIME ARE WE OFF IN 15 MINUTES? WE HAVE TILL FIVE O'CLOCK.

IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT A HUNDRED PERCENT CLEAN BECAUSE ANIMALS ARE CONSTANTLY GOING TO THE BATHROOM.

OKAY, GOOD.

UM, THEN I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

UM, UH, SO I WAS, UH, ONE OF THOSE WHO WAS VERY CONCERNED WHEN I SAW THE, THE MEMO GO OUT.

UM, I THINK WE PROBABLY ALL WERE, UM, I CERTAINLY READ IT THOUGH.

I DON'T READ IT AS ANYBODY HAVING MISREAD IT.

UM, THE WAY I READ IT, UH, I THINK IT'S PLAIN WORDS WERE THAT THE, THERE WAS A SPACE CRUNCH AND THAT THE, IF IT WASN'T ALLEVIATED THAT THE SHELTER WOULD HAVE TO MAKE, UM, MAY HAVE TO MAKE SOME OF EUTHANASIA, UM, WHICH OF COURSE WOULD, AS MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT MEANT WAS, WOULD GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, RESCUE GROUPS TO COME FORWARD, TO TAKE THEM.

SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT IT WAS, UM, MISUNDERSTOOD.

I CERTAINLY UNDERSTOOD IT FOR WHAT IT, WHAT IT SAID.

UM, I, I, I WENT TO, I DID AN, AN UNANNOUNCED VISIT OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER, UH, THE SATURDAY FOLLOWING, UM, THE MEMO.

UM, AND I HAVE SOME OBSERVATIONS THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE.

UM, THE FIRST OBSERVATION IS THAT, UM, THE SHELTER LOOKED REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

UM, IT WAS IN, UH, W IT WAS REALLY WELL KEPT.

UM, THE SPACE WAS MO MOSTLY CLEAN.

OF COURSE, IT'S

[01:15:01]

THEY DON'T WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AT A CERTAIN TIME AND ALL GO TO THE BATHROOM AT THE CERTAIN TIME.

AND, UH, SO OF COURSE, SOME DOGS THAT GO INTO THE BATHROOM, SOME CATS HAD GONE TO THE BATHROOM, BUT IT WAS REALLY, AS IT APPEARED TO BE REALLY, UM, WELL CARED FOR, UH, THE ANIMALS ALSO APPEARED TO BE REALLY WELL CARED FOR THE DOGS WERE BY AND LARGE CALM.

UM, WITH THE, UH, IT WAS PROBABLY THE QUIETEST I'VE EVER HEARD, UM, GOING THERE, WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO THE PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF THEM.

UM, THE, UH, THE STAFF WAS UNBELIEVABLY FRIENDLY.

UM, UH, AND THE VOLUNTEERS, UH, THAT I SPOKE WITH, UM, I REALLY WOULD COMMEND ALL OF THEM.

I THINK WE WERE ASKED, UH, IF WE NEEDED HELP FOUR TIMES WHILE WE WERE THERE, IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT SOMEONE COULD DO TO HELP US FOUR TIMES, WHICH FRANKLY IS, UM, PROBABLY THE BEST I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED AT ANY ANIMAL SHELTER.

AND I'VE PROBABLY BEEN TO 20 ANIMAL SHELTER.

UM, SO, UM, KUDOS TO THE STAFF, UM, AND THE VOLUNTEERS FOR DOING WHAT, FROM AN OBJECTIVE, MAYBE EVEN CRITICAL VIEWER, UM, WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD JOB.

AND I THINK THEY DESERVE, UM, DESERVE THE KUDOS FOR THAT.

UM, THERE WERE THINGS THAT, UM, I THOUGHT THAT WERE, WERE PROBLEMATIC.

UM, ONE WAS THAT AS YOU WALK TO THE SHELTER, THE FIRST THING I SAW WAS INTAKE CLOSED SET SLASH SUNDAY.

UM, AND WHILE I KNOW KIND OF WHAT THAT MEANS, UM, THE PUBLIC MAY NOT, UH, KNOW WHAT INTAKE MEANS.

UM, AND SO SOMEBODY WALKING OVER THERE MAY THINK, UM, OH, IT'S CLOSED.

UM, IT, YOU KNOW, AND LEAVE.

UM, I WAS ALSO, I WAS ALSO VERY DISAPPOINTED AT HOW EMPTY THE SHELTER WAS.

THERE WERE VERY FEW PEOPLE THERE ON A SATURDAY AT 1130 OR NOON WHEN I GOT THERE VERY FEW, NOT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT NO STAFF, BUT LIKE VERY FEW VISITORS THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN 12, UM, WHICH WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTING AND UPSETTING GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT SPACE CRUNCH.

UM, UM, THE, UH, CAT AREA WAS MOSTLY, WAS PROBABLY A THIRD EMPTY, JUST SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT.

I THINK WITH RESPECT TO THE PRICES THAT IT'S NOT ALL ANIMALS.

UM, THE CAT AREA WAS PROBABLY ABOUT A THIRD EMPTY AND THERE WERE, THERE WERE CAT ROOMS THAT HAD NO CATS IN THE MIDDLE, OR MAYBE ONE IN A GIANT ROOM.

UM, THE SMALL DOGS AREA, I BELIEVE I SAW A SINGLE DOP, SMALL DOG AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.

UM, MOST OF THOSE KENNELS WERE EMPTY.

UM, MANY OF THEM THAT WERE THERE, ALL THE ONE HAD A ALREADY ADOPTED SIGN ON IT.

UM, AND, UH, THE BIG DOG AREAS, UM, THEY WERE FULL, UM, BUT NOT OVERCROWDED FROM WHAT I SAW.

AND THAT WAS THE PUBLIC FACING, UM, AREA AT BIG DUCK AREAS.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'RE ALSO, NON-PUBLIC FACING BIG DOG AREAS THAT AT LEAST ONE PERSON TOLD ME WERE ALL EMPTY, BUT I DO NOT KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE, UM, BECAUSE, UM, I DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THEM AND I DIDN'T REQUEST ANY SPECIAL ACCESS OR SPECIAL PERMISSION TO GO ANYWHERE THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TO US AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.

SO, UM, BUT BY AND LARGE, I MEAN, I THINK THE, THAT EVERYBODY DESERVES CREDIT FOR, UM, WHAT I SAW, WHICH WAS A GOOD SHELTER.

UM, THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF, UM, ADOPTION OF MESSAGING.

THERE WAS NO FOSTER MESSAGING.

UM, NO ONE EVER SAID TO ME, UH, IF YOU DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT LIKE AN ANIMAL, PLEASE FOSTER IT.

UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE AN ANIMAL FOR A WALK? UM, SO WHILE THE STAFF WAS VERY FRIENDLY AND PROFESSIONAL AND IT WAS WELL KEPT, UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY, THERE WAS NO SENSE OF URGENCY THAT WE NEEDED TO GET ANY ANIMALS OUT.

AND THERE WAS ZERO URGENCY, UM, THAT WE NEEDED TO GET ANY ANIMALS OUT.

UM, NO ONE ASKED ME TO FOSTER, NO ONE MENTIONED THAT FOSTERING FOSTERING WAS A POSSIBILITY.

SO I THINK WE COULD WORK ON IF WE'RE IN A SPACE CRISIS, AND WE'RE WORRIED THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH ANIMALS OUT, THAT WE CAN WORK ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH VISITORS, UM, TO TRY TO, UM, ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET ANIMALS OUT.

UM, THERE, THERE WASN'T REALLY ANY OF THAT, AT LEAST IN MY, UH, ANECDOTAL, UM, LIMITED EXPERIENCE OF, OF VISITS,

[01:20:01]

UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE SPACE, THE SPACING ISSUES.

AND I ASSUME IT'S MOSTLY RELATED TO BIG DOGS BECAUSE THAT WAS BOTH WHAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE MEMO.

AND THAT WAS FROM, UH, AT LEAST, UM, TIM POORLY PROXIMATE VISIT.

THAT SEEMED TO BE WHERE, UH, THINGS WERE FULL ISH.

UM, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SOME THINGS.

UM, UH, I WAS, I THINK I UNDERSTOOD DON TO SAY THAT, UH, HOURS WERE OPENING BACK UP TO BE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.

UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE NO-KILL PLAN, UH, EVENING HOURS WERE A PART OF THE NO KILL PLAN THAT WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL.

AND SO IT BEING CLOSED AT SIX.

UM, AT LEAST I UNDERSTOOD UNLESS I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT WE'LL BE BACK OPEN TO SEVEN, WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD THING, BUT IF WE'RE, WHEN WE ARE OPEN LESS TO THE PUBLIC, WE SHOULD EXPECT FEWER OF THEM TO ADOPT.

THAT'S A, THAT'S A CAUSAL CONNECTION.

UM, I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE, BUT SOMEONE CAN CONFIRM THAT, UM, WE'D HAVE SHORTER VOLUNTEER HOURS NOW.

UM, AND, UH, IF THAT'S TRUE, UM, YOU KNOW, A BIGGER, MORE ROBUST VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IS PART OF THE NO PILL PLAN THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED.

AND SO IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, CONCERNING THAT THERE MIGHT BE NEW LIMITATIONS ON VOLUNTEERING THERE.

UM, THE, NO SPAY-NEUTER ON WEEKENDS.

UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO FACTOR THAT IN AS A CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SPACE CRUNCH, IF, UH, IF YOU HAVE DOGS OR CATS THAT ARE ALREADY ADOPTED, BUT HAVE TO SIT THERE, UM, THEN THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A SPACE CRUNCH.

UM, YOU NEED TO GET THEM OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

UM, AGAIN, SOMEONE TOLD ME OFF THE RECORD THAT, UM, HAD THOSE, UM, HAD THAT NOT BEEN THE CASE.

WE MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD A SPACE CRUNCH AT ALL.

UM, SO WE HAVE TO SERIOUSLY LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A SHELTER THAT MIGHT BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE, THE, IN CAUSING THE SPACE CRISIS THAT WE'RE THEN USING TO JUSTIFY PERHAPS EUTHANIZING, UM, BEHAVIOR DOGS, UM, THE RESOURCE CENTER BEING CLOSED ON WEEKENDS.

THE RESOURCE CENTER AGAIN IS PART OF THE NO-KILL PLAN.

AND, UM, UH, I CERTAINLY, AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN THERE WAS ANYBODY THERE TO HELP ME, UM, IT LOOKED TO BE COMPLETELY CLOSED.

UH, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT IS OF TURNING SOMEBODY AWAY AT THE DOOR WHO WANTS HELP.

UM, IT MAY BE THAT THAT ENDS UP BEING ANOTHER STRAY THAT HAS TO COME IN.

UM, SO I THINK, UH, THAT'S CONCERNING, ESPECIALLY WITH A LOT OF QUESTIONING ABOUT HOW THERE'S NO FTE TO FUND OR, OR WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SPREADING EMPLOYEES OUT OVER THE WEEKENDS.

WE'RE ONLY LOOKING FOR TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.

AND BY THE WAY, I JUST LOOKED UP THE CITY'S JOB SITE WHILE WE WERE ON HERE.

AND THERE'S NO JOB POSTING ON THE CITY'S JOB SITE FOR, UM, THOSE POSITIONS.

UM, AND THEN, UM, THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT, UM, I'M, I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO OUT OF STATE OR OUT OF REGION TRANSPORT, UM, FOR OUR, FOR OUR ANIMALS.

ALL OF THE DATA SHOWS THAT WE HAVE, UM, MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES THE DEMAND FOR ANIMALS AND AUSTIN, AS WE DO THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS COMING INTO OUR SHELTER.

UM, WE PRIDE OURSELVES AT BEING, UM, THE SAFEST PLACE IN AMERICA TO BE A HOMELESS PET.

AND THERE ARE VERY FEW PLACES WHERE THE ANIMAL SHELTER WHERE THE OPEN ADMISSION ANIMAL SHELTER, UH, HAS A BETTER SAVE RATE THAN OURS.

AND SO THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD BE SENDING OUR ANIMALS TO PLACES WITH A LOWER SAVE RATE, OR WHO COULD EVEN POTENTIALLY DISPLACE ANIMALS IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT WOULD'VE OTHERWISE BEEN SAVED IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME.

THE FACT IS OUR INTAKE IS AS LOW AS IT HAS EVER BEEN IN THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN RIGHT NOW.

UM, AND THAT HAS TRENDED DOWN EVERY YEAR, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S, IT'S LOWER, ESPECIALLY NOW DUE TO COVID.

ALTHOUGH I THINK IT'S STARTING TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, WE HAVE AMONG THE LARGEST SHELTER BUDGETS, UH, IN THE COUNTRY FOR A MUNICIPAL ANIMAL SHELTER.

UM, WE CERTAINLY HAVE PROBABLY, I WOULD ALMOST, I WOULD BE VERY SURE THAT WE HAVE THE LARGEST ANIMAL SHELTER BUDGET PER INTAKE, UM, IN THE COUNTRY AND WE SHOULD HAVE, UH, THE BEST SERVICES.

UM, AND SO I'M, I'M, I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT, UH, WE, IT APPEARS TO ME FROM VISITING.

WE HAVE VERY GOOD STAFF, WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE THERE.

UM, I'M, I'M CONCERNED WITH THE POLICY DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING, UH, TO, TO POTENTIALLY CAUSE A CRISIS OURSELVES.

UM, WE'VE HAD FAR MORE ANIMALS THAN THE PAST,

[01:25:01]

AND WE'VE MANAGED TO GET THEM OUT.

UM, WE'RE NOT MESSAGING WAYS TO GET ANIMALS OUT.

WE'RE JUST TELLING THE PUBLIC TO KEEP THEM OUT.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I VERY MUCH, UH, WAS CONCERNED THAT IN THE MESSAGING THAT WENT OUT WITH REGARD TO THE SPACE CRISIS, BUT THE PRIMARY MESSAGING WAS NOT HELP US GET THEM OUT.

IT WAS HELP US NOT GET IT AGAIN.

AND I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE CLOSE, WE'RE CLOSE TO THE, TO THE POINT WHERE, UM, WE'RE FAILING TO SERVE THE PUBLIC NEED FOR OUR HELP.

UM, SO THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS AT THE END OF THIS.

AND I, I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO TALK, BUT MY, MY, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE CREATE A WORK GROUP, UM, ON THE SPACE ISSUE.

SO, AND MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT PALMER, UH, IF SHE'LL ISSUE, IF SHE BEEN WILLING TO DO IT, WOULD HEAD IT UP AND CHOOSE, UM, A WORK GROUP OF OUR CHOOSING PALMER HAS JUST, YOU ALL KNOW, IN THE PAST BEEN INVITED TO THE SHELTER ON MANY OCCASIONS TO HELP THEM SOLVE A PAST SPACE CRUNCHES.

AND, UM, SO SHE HAS A WHOLE LOT OF KNOWLEDGE OF THIS AREA.

SHE'S, UM, VOLUNTEER.

SHE'S BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT AAC SINCE, UM, I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANT TO DATE YOU PALMER PRO A REALLY LONG TIME.

UM, AND SHE KNOWS THE INS AND OUTS.

SHE KNOWS THE PROCESSES.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY PROPOSAL IS THAT WE CREATE A WORK GROUP SO THAT WE CAN PROPOSE, UM, SOME SOLUTIONS TO THE SPACE CRISIS.

ONE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS FROM, UM, FROM DAWN TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE WERE COPIED ON SAID THE COMMISSION HAS NEVER ADDRESSED ANY ISSUES.

AND WHILE I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE, I THINK THAT THAT WAS TO ME A VERY MUCH AN INVITATION TO ADDRESS IT.

AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD WITH THE WORK GROUP, BUT, UM, I'LL LET OTHER PEOPLE SPEAK.

SO THERE NOW IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

SO DO I HEAR A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? THE MOTION IS TO START A WORKING GROUP TO DEAL WITH THIS SPACE ISSUE.

IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND? OKAY.

WHO IS THAT? I DIDN'T PALMER.

SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.

AND SO NOW MORE DISCUSSION.

ANYBODY ELSE I WANT TO SPEAK UP HERE? I CAN'T SEE ANYBODY'S FACE NOW.

SO YEAH, GO AHEAD.

LOUDER.

BUT THEY POSTED THE POSITION MANY TIMES THEY INTERVIEWED, THEY COULD NOT PROCURE ANY OF BEHAVIORS FOR WHAT, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WANTED TO PAY.

I HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION HERE, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE MEMO, UM, IT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE CHALLENGE WOULD MAKE, CREATE THE NEED FOR STAFF TO MAIN CREATE THE NEED TO ISSUE MINIFICATION FEES IN ASIA.

THAT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT THEY WOULD APPLY TO ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE CARE FOR A LONG PERIOD DUE TO BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS.

SO, UM, MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOU DOING AS A STAFF AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER TO ADDRESS THE DOGS WITH BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS? ARE THEY BEING WORKED WITH, UM, BY YOUR BEHAVIOR TEAM TO POSSIBLY MITIGATE THOSE BEHAVIOR CONCERNS OR, UM, MODIFY THEM WELL, UM, THOSE ANIMALS, THE MOST, MOST OF THOSE ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DECLINED BY ALL THE OTHER RESCUE PARTNERS.

AND WE HAVE CONTINUED TO, WE DON'T HAVE A BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION STAFF.

UH, WE HAVE BEHAVIOR AND ENRICHMENT STAFF THAT WORK WITH THOSE ANIMALS TO TRY TO, UH, GET THEM ADOPTED, GET THEM INTO FOSTER WITH WHAT RESOURCES WE DO HAVE.

UH, THESE, THESE ARE ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN AND BEEN HERE, UH, FOR 600, 500 DAYS, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE, KEEP OUR STAFF SAFE AND WORK ON GETTING THOSE ANIMALS AND A POSITIVE OUTCOME.

UH, OKAY.

WELL, IT, IT WAS MY, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT PART OF THE NO-KILL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN INCLUDED BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAM.

SO THAT WAS NEVER ADAPTED BY AAC.

AND THERE'S NO INTENTION TO ADAPT THAT PROGRAM.

NO, IT WAS NOT, THERE WAS NOT A BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAM IN THERE.

UH, WE'VE ALWAYS RELIED ON OUR RESCUE PARTNER FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAM.

THERE WAS, UH, IN THEIR FAR BEHAVIOR AND THAT'S WHERE THE BEHAVIOR AND ENRICHMENT TEAM WAS FORMED FROM A BEHAVIOR, HIS POSITION.

SO THE, THERE WAS A BEHAVIORS POSITION IN THE NOKIA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

AND YOU RE ALLOCATED THAT TO STAFF FOR B ENRICHMENT AND BEHAVIOR TEAM.

IS THAT RIGHT? I, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING BACK IN 2012, WHENEVER IT WAS BEFORE I GOT HERE, THAT THAT WAS, THERE WAS A BEHAVIORS POSITION THAT WHEN THEY HIRED THE MANAGER OVER THE BEHAVIOR ENRICHMENT TEAM, THAT'S, THAT'S FILLED THAT POSITION,

[01:30:01]

SO THEY ENDED UP NOT HIRING A CERTIFIED BEHAVIORS OR A PHD BEHAVIORS AND CREATING A TEAM OF ENRICHMENT PEOPLE.

AND BRIAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD DR.

LUN EARLIER WHEN SHE TALKED THAT WE DID DO SURGERIES ON SUNDAY AND THEY DID 40 THIS PAST SUNDAY, AND THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO DO, YOU KNOW, 42 NEXT SUNDAY.

SO SUNDAY IT'S ONLY SATURDAY THAT SURGERIES ARE NOT BEING DONE.

THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

I DID NOT HEAR THAT.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, CAN I SAY SOMETHING TO THIS POINT, UM, IN RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 11, 0 6 2 3 DASH 0 9 6, WHICH HAD TO DO WITH NO KILL AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

UM, THIS IS WHERE THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ADOPTED, UM, HAVING A NONPROFIT AT T AT T LAC.

AND IN ONE SECTION, IT SAYS, ENSURE THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN STAYS AT 90%, WHICH IS NOW 95% LIVE OUTCOME RATE BY FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON THE ADOPTION OF ANIMALS FROM THE CITIES AT RISK LIST, MEANING THAT ALL OF THE GROUPS HAVE PASSED ON THEM AS TO COMPLIMENT RATHER THAN BE REDUNDANT TO CITY SERVICES.

SO IT KIND OF SAYS TO ME, AGAIN, NOT A LAWYER, UM, THAT, AND THEN IT SAYS, USE THE CITY ON FACILITY ONLY FOR ANIMALS THAT COME FROM CITY SHELTER IN ORDER TO DIRECTLY IMPACT THE CITY'S LIVE OUT FROM RANK THAT WAS ADJUSTED, UM, TO ALLOW, UM, THAT FACILITY WHO'S AT TWO LACK TO PULL FROM, UM, SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND ALSO GAVE, UM, SOME, UH, WIGGLE ROOM, UH, BY THE SHELTER DIRECTOR, UM, TO, UH, SIGN OFF THAT ANIMALS CAN COME IN AND CAN BE THERE, UM, FOR A MAXIMUM OF 21 DAYS.

AND, UH, UM, AND IT SAYS OCCUPY AND USE THE FACILITY IMMEDIATELY FOR ADOPTIONS ONLY UPON THE CITY'S, UH, EVACUATION OF THE FACILITY TO PREVENT AN INCREASE IN THE EUTHANASIA AT THE SITE.

UM, SO I THINK AT THE TIME A NO-KILL WAS ADOPTED AND I WASN'T PART OF THIS.

SO, UM, YOU CAN EDUCATE ME.

UM, THE WHOLE REASON WE HAVE A GROUP AT, TO LACK WAS THAT KNOWING THAT THE CITY DID NOT HAVE A BEHAVIOR TEAM, COULD NOT MODIFY AND, UM, USE THIS FACILITY FOR AN, A GROUP THAT ACTUALLY CAN'T DO IT, AND I HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING, UM, AND SOMEONE CAN CERTAINLY TELL THEM WHERE IT IS IF I'M MISSING IT, THAT, UM, CHANGED THAT, UH, ANYONE WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT.

TREY, I CAN A LITTLE BIT, I MEAN, THE, THE, UH, THE, I, I AGREE WITH YOU, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY.

I AGREE WITH YOU, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE, THAT THE, UM, AND I WASN'T ON THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME, BUT I WAS ATTENDING ALL THOSE MEETINGS THAT, UH, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF KEEPING AN ADOPTION CENTER, UH, AT, UH, T BACK IT WAS TO, UM, SERVE, UH, THE CITY'S, UM, ANIMALS.

I'VE ALWAYS AGREED WITH THAT.

I WOULD NEVER BACK AWAY FROM AGREEING WITH THAT.

AND THAT WAS CERTAINLY MY UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THE, UM, THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THAT.

UH, I DON'T THINK AT ALL THAT IT'S TRUE THAT, UM, ANY OF THOSE INSTRUMENTS, UH, COMMUNICATED AN INTENT THAT THE CITY NOT HAVE ITS OWN BEHAVIOR PROGRAM.

UM, THAT'S NOT TRUE AT ALL.

UM, THE, THE NO KILL PROGRAM, THE NO KILL PLAN THAT WAS PASSED DID, UM, RECOMMEND A BEHAVIORIST.

AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE, UH, AS STAFF SAYS THAT THAT BECAME AN IMPOSSIBILITY, UM, BECAUSE IT TURNED OUT THAT BEHAVIORIST, UH, IS A TECHNICAL TERM OF ART.

UM, AND IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO HIRE SOMEBODY WHO COULD MEET THE DEFINITION OF A BEHAVIORIST, UM, WITH, WITH A CAPITAL B.

UM, SO IN LIEU OF THAT IN, IN PAST, UM, ADMINISTRATIONS, THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED A BEHAVIOR PROGRAM THAT WAS IN LARGE PART INTENDED TO REHABILITATE DOGS WHO NEEDED HELP.

UM, AND I MEAN, I ATTENDED, UH, PLAYGROUPS THERE AND THE PRIMARY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REASONS TO HAVE PLAYGROUPS WAS, IS TO GIVE DOGS ENRICHMENT, BUT ANOTHER REASON TO HAVE PLAY GROUPS IS TO HELP REHABILITATE DOGS.

AND SO, UM, I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PHRASING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BEHAVIOR PROGRAM.

UM, THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE NO KILL PLAN FROM THE BEGINNING.

PREVIOUS DIRECTORS HAVE BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD A BEHAVIOR PROGRAM.

UM, AND, UM, I'M SAD TO SEE THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT BEING CHARACTERIZED

[01:35:01]

THAT WAY.

WOW.

I GUESS WHEN I THINK OF A BEHAVIOR PROGRAM, I THINK OF SAY AUSTIN PETS, ALIVE PROGRAM, WHERE THEY HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO COME IN AND TRAIN DOGS, UM, ON THE WEEKENDS, UM, CERTAINLY THERE IS A BEHAVIOR TEAM THAT DOES PLAY GROUP AND PLAY GROUP IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE, UM, FOR THOSE DOGS.

UH, I THINK IT HELPS, UM, I MAINTAIN A SPREADSHEET FOR A MEDIA GROUP AND A LOT OF THE DOGS WHO ARE PLAYGROUP DOGS GET TO GO HOME BECAUSE, UM, THEY, UH, NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SOCIAL AND DOG FRIENDLY.

UM, AND THERE IS THE ORANGE STAT CREW, WHICH IS A GROUP OF OKAY, VERY, VERY, VERY HARD ON BEHALF AND KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.

UM, THEY'RE A GREAT GROUP, BUT AS FAR AS, UM, HAVING TAKING A SPECIFIC DOG AND CHANGING ITS BEHAVIOR, WHO'S NOT IN PLAYGROUP.

UM, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS THAT.

UM, AND I DON'T SEE HOW THERE COULD BE.

UM, AFTER THE TEAM WHO DOES PLAYGROUP IS OUT DOING PLAYGROUP, UM, THEY THEN HAVE TO TAKE THE DOGS.

WE DON'T GET TO CHERRY PICK DOGS AT THIS, AT THE SHELTER.

WE GET THE DOGS WHO COME IN AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DOGS WHO ARE COMING IN AND THE BEHAVIOR TEAM IS CONSTANTLY EVALUATING THOSE DOGS, LOOKING AT THEIR BEHAVIOR, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT COLOR THEY ARE TRYING TO PAIR DOGS.

UM, THAT'S ALSO A BIG PART OF THEIR DAY.

SO THERE JUST ISN'T THE STAFF THERE, UM, EVEN FUNDED TO DO IT IF THEY COULD DO IT.

AND THERE ARE DOGS, UM, I'VE NEVER SEEN AGAIN BECAUSE I MAINTAINED THE SPREADSHEET.

UM, SO MANY DOGS IN THE SIX HUNDREDS, THOSE ARE THE DOGS.

YOU DIDN'T SEE WHEN YOU WERE THERE, RYAN, UM, THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO, IT'S LIKE A WHOLE AREA OF VOLUNTEERS CAN'T GET IN THERE.

UM, UH, NOT EVEN ALL THE STAFF CAN GET IN THERE.

AND THERE WERE SOMETIMES 1320 DOGS IN THERE.

DOGS WERE TRIPLED AND SWEETS THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

UM, SO IT'S A COMPLICATED PROBLEM, BUT I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT THE BEGINNING, UH, OF NOCO WHAT THE PLAN WAS FOR THESE ANIMALS.

AND IT SEEMED TO BE HAVING A FACILITY AT A, AT A NONPROFIT AT TWO LAC WHO WOULD HELP WITH THESE DOGS.

UM, SO THERE IS A TEAM AND THEY DO DO A LOT WITH PLAYGROUP, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ANIMALS WHO DON'T GO, HI, I HAVE A QUESTION THAT MAY HELP THIS.

AND THAT QUESTION IS WHICH PARTNER GROUPS DO WE HAVE THAT WILL TAKE THESE PROBLEM DOGS.

HE'S LARGE DOGS WHO ARE BEHAVIOR OR HAVE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.

APA AND FINAL FRONTIER.

THAT'S THE ONLY TWO THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY.

SO IF WE DO NOT HAVE, IN FACT, A BEHAVIORAL PROGRAM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT MAKES SENSE THAT THESE TWO GROUPS ARE IMPORTANT GROUPS TO BE A PART OF OUR NO KILL SOLUTION.

UH, I MEAN, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER WAY AROUND THAT.

SO, SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T PROVIDE IT OURSELVES, WHICH IT DOESN'T THINK LIKE WE CAN, AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE BUDGET'S GONNA ALLOW IT, UH, THEN THESE TWO PARTNER GROUPS ARE, ARE, IF, IF THEY WON'T, IF WE DON'T MAINTAIN OUR RELATIONSHIP, A GOOD, REALLY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET SOME OTHER GROUPS TO FILL IN THAT GAP OR ELSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THESE DOGS REMAINING IN THE SHELTER.

I THAT'S JUST LOGIC.

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE POLITICAL HERE.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT LOGICALLY LOOKS LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

UH, YEAH.

JOANNE, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.

UM, BUT, UM, ANOTHER AREA, UM, AND, UM, IF, UH, PALMER, DESERT OR WORKING GROUP, I THINK THIS WILL BE AN AREA TO LOOK AT IS THE PERCEPTION BY ADOPTERS FOR DOGS WHO COME IN, WHO ARE NERVOUS OR HAVE, UM, SOMETIMES OFTEN JUST A MINOR BITE ON THEIR RECORD, OR THEY COME IN SCARED AND THEY KIND OF GET LABELED AS A BEHAVIOR DOC.

SO, UM, DON MENTIONED THE TRANSPORT MANAGER, SARAH.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT VOLUNTEERS ARE DOING WITH HER IS WE'RE WEARING GOPROS AND GOING OUT AND SHOWING THIS IS THE DOG.

WHEN IT COMES TO ME, THIS DOG IS SUPPOSED TO BE SHY, BUT HE'S, YOU KNOW, JUMPING AT ME AND FRIENDLY.

AND THEN I TAKE THE DOG FOR A WALK.

I SHOW ITS INTERACTION WITH THE OTHER DOGS.

I WALK HIM PAST THE KENNEL AND I DO VERY, VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT ADOPTERS AND FOSTERS MAY WANT.

SO, UM, BUT THERE ARE DOGS WHO NEED ADDITIONAL.

KIND OF SOME OF THE AREAS TO LOOK AT.

SO IN REGARDS TO THE WORKING GROUP, I THINK THAT THE MOTION IS STILL OPEN ON THE TABLE, RIGHT.

AND JOANNA, WHAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT WITH, UM,

[01:40:01]

SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M THINKING BACK WHEN, WHEN YEARS AGO, WHEN I USED TO HELP, WHEN THERE WERE SOME SPACE ISSUES, THERE WERE MULTIPLE REPORTS THAT WE WOULD KIND OF, UM, LOOK AT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHERE COULD ROOM BE CREATED.

AND I'M THINKING THAT IF WE STARTED ALONG WITH THOSE THAT MAY HELP THE COMMISSION KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT AREAS MAY NEED SOME HELP OR SUPPORT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I'M HAVING TROUBLE FOLLOWING EXACTLY WHAT'S CAUSING THE SPACE PROBLEM WHEN THE INTAKE IS AS LOW AS IT IS AND THE ADOPTION NUMBER, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T HAVE A FULL PICTURE.

SO A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS THINKING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO RECEIVE WOULD BE A WEEKLY REPORT FOR WHOEVER'S ON THE WORKING GROUP OF ALL ANIMALS THAT HAVE HOLDS ON THEM, BROKEN DOWN BY HOLE TYPE AND LENGTH OF STAY.

AND WHAT I'M HOPING TO CAPTURE HERE WOULD BE ANIMALS THAT ARE ON RESCUE HOLD OR A ADOPTION HOLD CAUSE THEY'RE WAITING FOR SPAIN NEUTER, BUT BASICALLY ANIMALS THAT ARE ON THAT HAVE A TRACK OUT OF THE SHELTER.

BUT FOR SOME REASON THEY'VE NOT YET LEFT AND WHY HAVEN'T THEY LEFT? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PUZZLED THROUGH TO GET THEM TO LEAVE ANOTHER, UM, THOUGHT WAS TO GET A REPORT WITH ALL CURRENT DOGS ON LOCK AND MAYBE EVEN ON THE ORANGE DOT, BUT, AND THEIR LENGTH OF STAY TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, HOW THOSE ARE MOVING THROUGH AND THEN INTAKE OF LARGE DOGS FOR THE WEEK AND THEN OUTCOME OF LUGGAGE DOGS FOR THE WEEK AND TRANSFERS TO FOSTER.

SO I'M KIND OF THINKING THAT SOME REPORTS THAT HELP CAPTURE MOVEMENT OR NON-MOVEMENT WOULD BE MY, MY THOUGHT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR THE WORKING GROUP TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT OR NOT FIGURE OUT, BE ABLE TO SEE, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE SUMMER.

EITHER NEED A STIR OR THE FOSTERS I'D HAVE TO BE RETURNED.

SO THERE ARE, UM, SOMETHING'S BREAKING UP.

I CAN'T HEAR YOU GO AHEAD.

UH, PALMER, I WAS GOING TO SAY THE REPORT THAT YOU GET DAILY SHOWING OUR, UH, SPACE COUNT ISSUES, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOWS A NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE AND THE NUMBER OF KENNELS WE HAVE OPEN, IF YOU'LL LET US KNOW WHO'S ON YOUR WORKING GROUP, WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY GET THAT DAILY, JUST LIKE YOU DID WELL, THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT ACTUALLY DONE ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT I THINK WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

AND MAYBE IT'S JUST KIND OF MY OLD SCHOOL BRAIN FROM WHEN I USED TO HELP WITH THIS IS STILL GETTING A, GET A COPY OF THE VIRTUAL KENNEL BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE FORMULAS, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH WHICH KENNELS ARE PUBLIC AND WHICH ONES AREN'T PUBLIC, BUT THE VIRTUAL KENNEL IS A HELPFUL, UH, REPORT TO BE ABLE TO SEE, AND OF THESE REPORTS.

I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH IT SUPPORT AND WITH TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT, I DO HAVE A, UH, OFFER FROM SOMEONE THAT IS WITH PET HEALTH, WITH CHAMELEON AND PET POINT, SINCE THEY'RE ALREADY YOUR VENDOR AND YOUR POINT PERSON THAT THEY WILL COME IN FOR FREE AND GET THESE REPORTS SET OR SHOW YOU HOW TO DO THEM.

SO IT DOESN'T CREATE ANY ADDITIONAL WORK FOR YOUR STAFF.

THAT'S GREAT.

GOOD.

SEND THAT INFORMATION TO JASON, OR I WILL SHARE IT WITH CHRIS AND HE CAN COORDINATE THAT.

UH, I'LL WAIT AND SAY MY COMMENTS AND Y'ALL GO AHEAD.

KEEP GOING.

UH, WE MUST SAY WE HAVE TILL FIVE O'CLOCK, SO WE DON'T, CAN'T GO TOO MUCH LONGER HERE.

UH, BUT WE, CAUSE WE HAVE TO DISCUSS SOME THINGS AT THE END OF THE MEETING ABOUT A POTENTIAL SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.

SO RYAN, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE MORE THINGS.

UM, ONE IS THAT I ASKED APA FOR A LIST OF THE DOGS THAT THEY HAD DECLINED ON.

UM, AND SO FAR, AT LEAST AT THE TIME THAT I ASKED, WHICH WAS AFTER THE MEMO CAME OUT, UM, IT APPEARED TO BE THAT THERE WERE 10, UM, DECLINED FOR, UM, PRETTY SEVERE BITE HISTORIES.

UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO PUT, UH, UH, WE DO PUT PRESSURE ON THE SHELTER TO SAVE EVERY DOG, BUT, UM, I DO ALSO WANT TO JUST, UH, KEEP, I WANT TO BE FAIR, UH, AND THAT SOME OF THESE REALLY DO HAVE WHAT I THINK AN OBJECTIVE PERSON WOULD CONSIDER PRETTY SCARY BITE HISTORIES.

UM, THERE WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, THERE WEREN'T 50 OR A HUNDRED DECLINED BY APA.

THERE MIGHT BE NOW, BUT AT LEAST AS OF THE TIME THAT THE MEMO WENT OUT, UM, I COULD FIND 10.

UM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, I MEAN, THAT'S THE HARDEST, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE HARDEST PROBLEM TO SOLVE, UM, FOR ANY CITY IS, IS WHAT TO DO WITH LARGE DOGS WITH BITE HISTORIES.

MY GOAL WOULD BE IS THAT WE DON'T USE A SPACE CRISIS TO DEAL WITH IT, UM, THAT WE GOT TO DO WHATEVER'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THOSE DOGS.

[01:45:01]

UM, AND WHATEVER THAT IS, WE SH THAT SHOULD BE OUR, THAT SHOULD BE OUR SYSTEM AND THAT WE SHOULDN'T WAIT UNTIL THERE'S A SPACE CRISIS TO KIND OF, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.

AND THEN, UM, SO ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL VIEW IS THAT WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD HAVE WHATEVER PROGRAM WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOR BEHAVIOR DOGS AND NOT ALL OF THE BEHAVIOR DOGS.

I BITE HAVE SIGNIFICANT BICYCLE HISTORIES, BUT THE, BUT, UM, THE ONES THAT DO, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A SYSTEM THAT DOES WHATEVER WE BELIEVE IS BEST FOR THEM AND NOT KIND OF NOT BE FORCED TO DEAL WITH IT WHENEVER THERE'S A SPACE ISSUE.

AYE.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS, CONCERNS, QUESTIONS.

WELL, IF NOT, THEN LET'S CALL FOR A VOTE TO SET UP THIS, UH, GREAT WORKING GROUP.

COULD I MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, FIRST OF ALL, UH, TO GO BACK TO RYAN, THE BEHAVIOR TEAM SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, GOT STARTED BEING CALLED AND BEHAVIOR TEAM FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THOSE POSITIONS ARE ANIMAL ENRICHMENTS AND THE JOB DESCRIPTION STILL TO THIS DAY ARE THE SECOND ONES THAT WERE ORIGINALLY SET FORTH AND THERE, UH, FOR ANIMALY RICHMOND SPECIALIST AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE, THEY DO NOT REQUIRE ANY SKILLS OR ANY CERTIFICATIONS IN TERMS OF BEHAVIOR OR DOG TRAINING.

SO SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, WE STARTED CALLING THAT A BEHAVIOR TEAM WHEN REALLY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE ENRICHMENT TEAM AND THEY WERE NEVER SET TO DO BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.

SO THAT, THAT JUST FOR YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE I STARTED ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS AND DUG INTO THOSE AND THE ORIGINAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT WERE PUT OUT FOR THAT TEAM, OR IT'S STILL THE ONES WE'RE USING FOR TODAY.

SO THAT THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT TOO.

ALSO, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT IT WAS, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT WE PROBABLY WEREN'T FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES AND DOING ADOPTIONS.

AND I JUST WANT TO REPORT ON A LITTLE DATA HERE REAL QUICK.

UH, I LOOKED AT 2017 OR, OR IN WITH JASON AND, UM, IN 2017 WE HAD A 51% ADOPTION RATE IN AUSTIN.

UH, THAT SAME YEAR SAN ANTONIO HAD A 23%.

DALLAS HAD A 37% IN LOS ANGELES, HAD A 37% IN, IN 2019, WE MOVED IT UP TO 57% AND IT DROPPED TO 47% DURING THE PANDEMIC.

BUT SO FAR YEAR TO DATE, WE'RE AT 59% ADOPTION RATE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST IT'S EVER BEEN FOR THIS FACILITY.

SO WITH ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN PUTTING IN ALL THE TECHNOLOGY WE'VE BEEN PUTTING IN, WORKING WITH OFFICE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, TO GET ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY IT'S PAYING OFF AND WE'RE SEEING ADOPTION PERCENTAGE BUILT UP SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, DURING THIS TIME.

SO WHILE OUR ADOPTIONS WENT UP, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT I THINK IS AFFECTED US MOST WAS ALL OUR OTHER RESCUE PARTNERS ARE FULL, THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE PULLING FOR SPACE.

SO OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, SUPPLY LINE FOR ONE WEEK GOT FULL, WAS FULL AND THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR THESE ANIMALS TO GO.

SO I THINK IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A COMBINATION, YOU KNOW, THE PERFECT STORM THAT IS JUST AFFECTED EVERYBODY.

AND OF COURSE ALL THE SHELTERS IN THE SOUTH ARE EXPERIENCING, YOU KNOW, UH, INTAKE RIGHT NOW TOO.

IT WAS KITTEN SEASON PEPE SEASON, ALL THAT THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.

SO THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY ON THAT.

UH, THANK YOU.

AND SO NOW LET'S HAVE A VOTE ON FORMING THIS WORKING GROUP, UH, HOW MANY VOTE TO APPROVE FOR ME THIS WORKING GROUP WITH PALMER NEW HOUSES AHEAD OF IT? I THINK THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

UH, WHO WANTS TO BE ON THIS WORKING GROUP WITH PALMER? OKAY.

NANCY AND LADA AND PALMER.

THAT'S GOOD.

THAT'S VERY GOOD FOR A START.

OH, UH, OKAY.

LOUIS AND JOANNE.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD GROUP RIGHT THERE.

AND ALSO THEN, UM, DON CAN END JASON, CAN I EMAIL YOU A LIST OF THE REPORTS AND THEN I'LL SEE.

AND IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO PROGRAM OR RUN THEM, THEN WE'LL EITHER WAY I'LL SEND YOU THE CONTACT AT PET HEALTH.

THAT'D BE GREAT.

WE CAN ADD THIS TO OUR FRIDAY.

SO NOW WE HAVE A BUNCH OF OTHER ISSUES THAT WE DIDN'T GET TO IN SOME OF THEM, ONE OF THE THINGS IS APA IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE US A REPORT EVERY THREE MONTHS, AND THEY'RE A LITTLE LATE AND

[01:50:01]

UM, THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING WOULD BE FRIDAY AT SIX.

NOW THE CITY WANTS TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A QUORUM.

SO HOW MANY AT THIS MEETING CAN MAKE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING THIS FRIDAY AT SIX I'M I'M 50 50.

SO THERE'S A, WELL, I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN IN MY POWER TO BE THERE, BUT I HAVE SOME TRAVEL THAT DAY.

SO, WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AT LEAST SEVEN AND, AND I WOULD URGE YOU IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN DO IT TO MAKE IT BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.

IT WAS ON OUR AGENDA.

UH, SO, UH, I THINK THAT WE'LL GO AHEAD WITH THAT MEETING THIS FRIDAY AT SIX.

UM, AND I WANT TO, I GUESS THEN, UH WE'RE UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE HAVE TO DO AT THE END, THE MEETING? YES.

WHAT'S THE AGENDA THEN THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE MEETING ON FRIDAY.

COULD WE DISCUSS THAT ON WHAT CARRIES FORWARD TO THE REGULAR MEETING AND WHAT'S GOING ON THE SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA? OKAY.

WELL, I THINK WHAT, WHAT ON THE SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA WOULD DEFINITELY BE THE APA REPORT BECAUSE I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR THAT.

UH, I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE THE, UH, PARTNERS, UH, AGREEMENT THAT'S THAT'S ON THERE JUST BECAUSE WE STILL MAY HAVE SOMEONE WANNA SPEAK TO THAT, BUT WE'RE PROBABLY WILL MAKE NO DECISION BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PARTNER'S AGREEMENT YET.

WE WANT TO SEE THAT AGREEMENT BEFORE WE MAKE ANY KIND OF FINAL DECISION ABOUT IF WE DO ANYTHING OR NOT.

UH, WHAT ELSE IS ON THE AGENDA? HANG ON, LET ME TAKE A LOOK.

CAUSE I'M NOT, CAN WE GO OVER AN ORDER? LIKE HOW IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT.

AND THEN ALSO QUESTION JASON AND DON, DO YOU THINK WE COULD GET THEIR REPORTS LIKE TOMORROW, A FIRST RUN OF THIS SO WE COULD VISIT ABOUT WHOEVER'S ON THE WORKING GROUP.

IF THEY HAVE TIME WE COULD VISIT ABOUT IT ON FRIDAY OF THE REPORTS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

YES, WE GET THOSE.

SO THE OLD BUSINESS WOULD UPDATE DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS, MONTHLY RELEASE RATES.

DO WE WANT TO CARRY THAT FORWARD? I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ON THE EMERGENCY MEETING.

NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

EITHER UPDATE, DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON MONTH REPORTING OF DATA.

I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE WELL, PALMER HAS HER HANDS UP.

I'M SORRY.

REAL QUICK.

I'M WONDERING TOO, I GET THAT.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE DATA AVAILABLE.

CAN I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, TO REQUEST THE REPORTS? I WOULD.

I I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS KIND OF A DONE DEAL.

CAUSE I THINK THAT THE WORKING GROUP NEEDS THEM.

HOW DO I, HOW DO I GO ABOUT THAT? YOU MAKE A MOTION.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN FOR THE, AT THE NEXT MEETING ON FRIDAY.

UM, AND THEN ONGOING MEETINGS THAT THIS WORK GROUP, UH, REVIEW AND DISCUSS BY, UH, LET ME THINK OF THE WORDING.

THE WORKING GROUP WILL WE'LL DISCUSS THE REPORTS AND I CAN GO THROUGH THEM AGAIN.

THE WEEKLY REPORTS RECEIVED FROM THE SHELTER THAT WE FEEL NEED TO BE REVIEWED REGARDING THIS ISSUE.

HOW, HOW ABOUT THIS? UH, HOW ABOUT, HOW ABOUT WE VOTE TO IMP TO EMPOWER THE WORK GROUP TO REQUEST, UH, INFORMATION ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION.

THIS SPECIAL CALL MEETING WOULD BE, UH, WOULD BE THE APA REPORT AND THE, UH, THE, UH, UPDATE DISCUSSION POLICY ACTION REGARDING AWESOME POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ANIMAL CRUELTY, DIVISION, AND AN UPDATE ON THE WORKING GROUP WE JUST FORMED TODAY.

THAT'S GOOD.

DO I HEAR A SECOND? OKAY.

WE HAVE A SECOND NANCY ALL IN FAVOR.

ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.

SO THAT WOULD MEAN WHAT, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING WITH OFF-LEASH DOGS ON FRIDAY, UM, THAT WE WON'T DO MICROCHIPPING.

UH, SO ONLY THINGS THAT WILL BE ON THIS.

OH YES.

WE DO WANT TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS HANDLE ANIMAL CRUELTY DIVISION BECAUSE THAT'S TIME LIMITED.

I THINK WE NEED TO DISCUSS THAT WE NEED, UH, AND THEN WE NEED TO DISCUSS, UM, THE, UH, THE PARTNER, THE PLACEMENT PARTNER TRANSFER AGREEMENT.

NOT MUCH.

YES, GREG, THIS IS RYAN.

UH, THAT WAS THE ITEM THAT I PROPOSED GIVEN THAT, UM, THAT CITY LAW HAS SAID THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE, UM, A, UH, A NEW PARTNER TRANSFER AGREEMENT THIS MONTH.

I'M I'M OKAY WITH LEAVING IT ON IF PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT OTHERWISE I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO, TO INCLUDE THAT AT THE EMERGENCY MEETING.

I'M HAPPY TO HAVE PEOPLE TELL ME OTHERWISE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IF IT'S NOT READY, WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT THIS FRIDAY.

WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.

[01:55:01]

SO THE, THE AGENDA FOR

[5. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

WOULD THAT, DOES THAT AGREE? DOES EVERYBODY AGREE WITH THAT? OKAY.

I CAN'T SEE EVERYBODY.

SO, I MEAN, LOOK, YEAH.

PALMER, WE PUT THE WORKING GROUP THAT WE FORMED TODAY FIRST.

AND THEN CAN WE ALSO BE CLEAR THAT ANY OTHER ITEM THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE ON FRIDAY'S MEETING THAT WE DIDN'T GET TO TODAY WILL CARRY OVER TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING.

AND I ALSO LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDE FOR THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING THAT I HAD WANTED TO GET A STAFF UPDATE ON, UM, THE TRANSPORT OUT OF, UM, AUSTIN, AND THEN ALSO INFORMATION REGARDING THE ACTIVITY AND OUTCOME FOR THE REPORTS FOR LOST AND FOUND PETS.