[00:00:02]
STANDING BY FOR COMMUNICATION.
THEY SHOULD BE UN-MUTED I DIDN'T WANT TO MUTE.
I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM IF THEY WERE STANDING BY.
AND LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OUR COMMISSIONERS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME AND CONFIRM? I CAN HEAR YOU.
THEN WE HAVE ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS AND WE ARE READY TO BEGIN.
UH, THANK YOU AB FOR GETTING US READY TO GO TODAY.
UH, ALL THE CITY STAFF AS WELL AND EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING, THIS IS THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.
I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO MUTE THEMSELVES, PLEASE.
AND I WILL CALL ON YOU FOR SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE ROLL CALL.
I WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON FROM DISTRICT ONE.
I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE AND THE ORDER OF SUCCESSION, IF YOU COULD JUST GO AHEAD AND ANNOUNCE YOURSELF, UH, OUR MURAL APPOINTEE.
SO THE GALLERY WAS NOT PRESENT COMMISSIONER APADACA POINTED BY, UH, COUNCILMAN VANESSA FUENTES REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO.
MALCOLM YATES REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE, APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, RICHARD RIO.
DAVID ALEXANDER REFERENCE DISTRICT FOUR, APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, GREG.
THANK YOU, DAVE FLOYD REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE.
WANTED BY COUNSELING FOR KITCHEN.
OKAY, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, ANNOUNCE, UH, COMMISSIONER'S FIRST CASE NOT PRESENT TODAY AND THAT TEXAS TO THE CONDITIONER ISLAND, MAXINE ISLAND DISTRICT SEVEN POINTED BY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, LESLIE POOL.
AND MR. RAMOS IS ALSO NOT PRESENT TODAY AND THAT BRINGS US TO CUP COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, BEAVERS NICOLE THOMPSON, BEAVERS REPRESENTING DISTRICT NINE.
UM, APPOINTED BY KATHY TOVO COUNCIL MEMBER, NICK CATHY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND COME, MR. DASGUPTA, UH, ASSUME IT DOES GO DOWN UPLOADED, BUT I, I LISTEN TO ALL OF HER FROM DISTRICT IN.
AND THAT COMPLETES OUR ROLL CALL.
[CALL TO ORDER ]
AND WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA WITH SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATION[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
AND, UH, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.I LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE THEM THE FLOOR TO BE SINUS TO ANNOUNCE YOURSELF.
AND, UH, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES.
AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS TREVOR AND I AM HERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ROLLOUT OF 5G.
AND I WANTED TO FIRST TELL YOU THAT I'M CALLING AND I'M TALKING TO YOU ALL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A FATHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, A ONE-YEAR-OLD AND A THREE-YEAR-OLD.
UM, I AM ALSO CALLING TO, UH, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A, AN ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR THE HEALTH OF MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY.
THE, UM, SO WHY DO I WANT TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT 5G? I KNOW THAT THE WORLD HAS A GUN FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, AS I STARTED LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT 5G, I STARTED LOOKING INTO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? WHAT DOES 5G MEAN? WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THE ROLLOUT ENTAIL? AND I KNOW THE MORE I LEARNED ABOUT ALL OF THE BENEFITS OF 5G, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED, IT'S AN EXCITING TIME FROM A TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION ACCESSIBILITY STANDPOINT.
UM, IT WILL, IT WILL PROLIFERATE INFORMATION AT, AT A RATE THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, IS, IS UNHEARD OF TO THIS,
[00:05:01]
TO THIS DAY, THE, AT THIS, ON THE SAME, SAME SIDE OF THE SAME COIN, DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE SAME POINT, THERE ARE SOME HEALTH IMPLICATIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO EVERYONE TO, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BRING TO THE COMMISSION'S ATTENTION AS ADVISORS TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, MENTIONED TWO THINGS SINCE I KNOW MY TIME IS LIMITED HERE.UM, ONE IS A, A CONDITION THAT WAS CREATED BY THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE ABOUT THE ROLLOUT OF 5G AND SOME RECENT RESEARCH THAT, UM, IS, IS COMING OUT ABOUT, UM, THE CARCINOGENIC PROPERTIES OF WIRELESS RADIATION, UH, AS IT PERTAINS TO THE ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION.
NOW THE, UM, SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BEGIN BY TALKING ABOUT THE NEW HAMPSHIRE.
SO BACK IN 2018 OR THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMISSIONED A, A STATEWIDE STUDY OF 5G TECHNOLOGY AND ROLLOUT AS THINGS WERE EVOLVING AND THEY, THEY SAW THE WRITING ON THE WALL THAT THIS 5G THING WAS COMING.
SO THEY COMMISSIONED THIS STUDY TO DETERMINE WHAT IS 5G, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? AND WHAT IMPLICATIONS DOES IT HAVE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE SPREAD OF TECHNOLOGY, THE PROS, BUT ALSO MAYBE LOOKING INTO THE CONS ON WHAT IMPLICATIONS IT MIGHT HAVE FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
WHAT THEY FOUND WAS IN NOVEMBER, 2020, THEY RELEASED THE FINAL REPORT AND THE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS CONFIRMED THE INADEQUATE INADEQUACY OF FCC LIMITS TO PROTECT HEALTH.
SO THE FCC LIMITS THAT CURRENTLY GOVERN THE, YOU KNOW, THE LIMITATIONS OF HOW MUCH RADIATION, THESE DEVICES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE CAN OUTPUT, UH, THOSE, THOSE, THOSE REGULATIONS, THOSE RESTRICTIONS WERE PUT IN PLACE IN 1996.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THOSE REGULATIONS WERE PUT IN PLACE ON THE BASIS OF STUDY THAN RESEARCH THAT WAS DEVELOPED 20 YEARS PRIOR.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 1970S SINCE THEN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ADVENT OF 5G, THESE DEVICES, AND THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IS MAGNET ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE, MORE POWERFUL AND POTENTIALLY MORE PERILOUS THAN, THAN, UM, WHEN THE INITIAL REGULATIONS WERE PUT IN PLACE.
SO OCTOBER 31ST, 2019 US NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM IN THE UNITED STATES SCIENTISTS PRESENTED ON THE NTP NTP STUDY AND FOUND CLEAR EVIDENCE OF BRAIN CANCER AND DNA DAMAGE IN ANIMALS EXPOSED TO CELL PHONE RADIATION.
UM, THAT LEADS ME TO THE CARCINOGENIC PROPERTIES OF, OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION.
THE SO IN 2011, THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER LOOKED AT THE MOST CURRENT SCIENCE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND CONCLUDED THAT THESE INVISIBLE SIGNALS ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION THAT IS, UM, THEY LABELED IT AS A CLASS TO BE POSSIBLE CARCINOGEN.
NOW, FAST FORWARD IN EARLY 2018, NOT ONE BUT TWO MAJOR STUDIES BY THE NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM REINFORCED THE IDEA THAT THESE EMS ARE CARCINOGEN AND, AND MODELS.
SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME WHEN THESE, WHEN ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION WILL BE PUT UP IN THE CLASS ONE OR FAST TO A, UM, CATEGORY OF CARS OF DEFINITE CARCINOGENS, WHICH IS UP THERE WITH HIS BESTOS UP THERE WITH CIGARETTE SMOKE, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, I KNOW I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO WRAP UP WITH ALL THAT SAID, I'M, I'M TALKING TO YOU GUYS NOT ONLY, UM, FROM A CONCERNED FATHER, BUT ALSO FROM A CITIZEN PERSPECTIVE OF CITIZEN OF THIS GREAT CITY.
UM, MY, MY FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE FOR DECADES, UM, AND I'M LOOKING OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE PROLIFERATION OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT I ASKED THAT WE CONSIDER THE HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF THESE WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES BEING THAT WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BY LOOKING INTO THESE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.
LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT I AM, I LOVE BAKING SOURDOUGH BREAD.
AND SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS MORE, I WILL HAPPILY BRING A LOAF AND WE CAN BREAK BREAD TOGETHER.
SECONDLY, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK TO THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING OR A FUTURE COMMISSION MEETING AND TALK FURTHER ABOUT THE RESEARCH THAT HAVE RESEARCH HAS BEEN COMING OUT OVER THE LAST RECENT YEARS AND, UM, AND HOW WE CAN CONSIDER THAT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, TREVOR, CAN I PLEASE HAVE YOUR LAST NAME SO WE CAN ADDRESS YOU PROPERLY? YES.
MY LAST NAME IS HUSSEY HUSSEY, H U S S E Y.
UH, I'LL LEAVE TO CALL THEM ALL QUESTIONS PLEASE.
THAT'S WHY I CAN MAINTAIN THE AGENDA.
UH, SO I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY JUST SAYING, UH, THANK YOU
[00:10:01]
FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR CONCERNS.UM, I HAVE IMAGINED, AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THERE'S ALREADY QUESTIONS AND OR FEEDBACK.
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY ASKING IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO PROVIDE, UH, A COPY OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE 2020 REPORT THAT YOU WERE REFERENCING SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY, UH, CONSUME THAT FOR OURSELVES.
AND WITH THAT, UH, I'D LIKE TO CONFIRM, UH, HOW MANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? I HEARD COMMISSIONER UTES AND HER COMMENTS IS ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I BELIEVE THAT, UM, MOST, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS CANNOT ACTUALLY DISCUSS ANYTHING IN CITIZEN COMMUNICATION BECAUSE IT WASN'T ON THE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, I WANTED TO JUST ASK SAME THING AS THE CHAIR DID, IS THAT ALL REFERENCES TO ORIGINAL RESEARCH, PLEASE SEND THAT TO EITHER THE CHAIR OR THE, UH, TARA TO, UH, JESSE RODRIGUEZ.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION DOES INCLUDE A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD FOR COMMISSIONERS, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
SO I'D LIKE TO CONFIRM FIRST, IF ANYONE, BESIDES COMMISSIONER EATS HAS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER GATES.
YOU'VE ECHOED MY SENTIMENT, UH, ABOUT THE, THE REQUEST FOR THE RESEARCH, UM, WITH, WITH FAT.
UH, I THINK IT'S VERY INCUMBENT AS YOU CAN TELL THAT AS A BODY, UH, THAT WE RECEIVE AT RESEARCH AND GIVE, BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY INTERPRET THAT DIRECTLY.
ALTHOUGH WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, UH, NATURALLY WE'RE CONCERNED, UH, WITH ANYTHING THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AFFECTS HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS, UH, AS WELL AS THAT AFFECTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TOWN, UH, INNOVATIONS AND THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE FOR PROSPERITY HERE.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, I'M AFRAID WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TABLE A FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, FOLLOW UP ON YOUR OPPORTUNITY PERHAPS FOR FUTURE ENGAGEMENT, UH, WHETHER IT'S OVER SOURDOUGH BREAD AND, OR, UM, ACTUALLY AT A FUTURE MEETING ONCE YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO CONSUME THAT INFORMATION.
I WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK TO A FUTURE MEETING IF I COULD HAVE A FEW, A FEW MORE MINUTES, UM, LIKE WHATEVER YOU GUYS ALLOW, FIVE, 10 MINUTES.
BUT I DO WANT TO CONFIRM AGAIN, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE SPEAKER, UH, TO, TO ADD BEFORE WE, I GUESS, COMMISSIONED DASGUPTA.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, YOU KNOW, AND WE ARE OF COURSE THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, UM, BUT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF HEALTH-RELATED IMPACT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY ON THE, ON THIS COMMISSION WHO CAN COMMENT ADEQUATELY ON IT, SHOULD THIS BE HIGHLIGHTED TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION SO THAT IT HAS BROADER COVERAGE, BROADER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES? UM, MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE SOMEBODY FROM UT LOOKING INTO IT, DENTAL MEDICAL SCHOOL, UH, IS THIS JUST THE BEGINNING, THE FIRST JOB BECAUSE 30, I DON'T THINK WE ARE CAPABLE OF BEING THE LAST STOP.
IS IT MY TURN TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION? YOU'RE WELCOME TO, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE COMMISSIONER, DASGUPTA HEARD, UH, THE INITIAL REQUEST FOR THE ACTUAL RESEARCH AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TABLE OUR RESPONSES AS A COMMISSIONER, WHICH THEREFORE ADDRESSES THE SECOND PART OF YOUR, YOUR STATEMENT, UM, TO BE CLEAR, BUT THEN I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO RESPOND, PLEASE.
I, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE MORE MULTIPLE LEGAL ACTIONS FILED AGAINST THE FCC AGAINST, UM, IN RELATION TO THEIR 1996, UH, GUIDELINES FOR RADIATION.
THE MOST RECENT, I THINK THE MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENT WAS LAST MONTH WHERE A NATIONAL JUDGE WAS TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE FCC, PROBING THEM ON WHY THEY DEVELOPED THESE RECORDS, THESE REGULATIONS THAT THEY DID IN 1996, TO WHICH THE FCC HAD NO GOOD ANSWERS.
AND THE JUDGE WAS QUOTED SAYING, SIR, I AM HIGHLY INCLINED TO RULE AGAINST YOU.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS THEN CAUSE THE FCC TO GO BACK REEVALUATE THEIR REGULATIONS THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE IN 1996, UM, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL OF THE RECENT RESEARCH LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THEN REFORMED, RESHAPED THEIR, THE REGULATIONS.
SO THERE ARE THERE, THERE ARE MANY LARGER MOVEMENTS AND THEN THIS, THIS FIVE MINUTE TALK HERE.
[00:15:01]
THE REASON I'M COMING TO YOU GUYS, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ADVISORS.YOU ACT AS ADVISORS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND HAVE A BIG SAY IN THE COMMUNITY FROM A TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATION STANDPOINT.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO, AGAIN, TALK TO YOU GUYS A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THE RECENT RESEARCH AND THE DEVELOPMENT, RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ON THOSE, THOSE NOT MASSIVE, UH, LEGAL ACTIONS BEING DONE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
UH, ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE AND, AND FOR SHARING YOUR CONCERNS AGAIN, MR. HUSSEY, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, SO WITH THAT, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE IN TOUCH.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THAT REPORT, UH, OF COURSE BEING ABLE TO VALIDATE OTHER REPORT AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO CONSUME THAT AND TO, TO RESPOND AS ADVISORS WITH THAT, WITH THAT INFORMATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH COMMISSIONERS.
THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – June 9, 2021 ]
THERE'S AN ITEM.ONE IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR JUNE 9TH MINUTES OF WHICH WERE INCLUDED AS AN ATTACHMENT IN THE INVITATION FOR THIS CALL FOR ALL COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED WHENEVER Y'ALL ARE READY, MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES AS PRESENTED TO BE.
SO THEN, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONERS FIRSTLY, AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER.
DASGUPTA ALL IN FAVOR FOR APPROVING THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND.
ANYONE OPPOSED ANYONE ABSTAINING? OKAY.
THEN WE HAVE ONE EXTENSION AND MAJORITY VOTE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
UH, I'D LIKE TO CONFIRM, UH, JESSE, FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT, IF COMMISSIONERS, FIRSTLY WILL BE PART OF THIS VOTE, HELLO? TIRPITZ YES, THAT IS A, HE WILL BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE VOTE.
UM, HE JOINED SHORTLY AFTER, UH, THE ROLE WAS COMPLETED.
BUT THAT THEN, UH, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED WITH ONE ABSTENTION 10 IN FAVOR AND EXCUSE ME, UH, ONE ABSTENTION, NOT IN FAVOR AND NOT OPPOSED.
AND WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA THEN TO ITEM.
[2A. Briefing on Communications and Technology Management Structure and Initiatives (Chris Stewart, Chief Information Officer) ]
A AND WE APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE OF OUR NEW CIO, ALTHOUGH NOT NEW TO THE CITY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN OR CITY LEADERSHIP HERE, UH, FOR STEWART, THE BRIEFING ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE AND INITIATIVES.GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMISSION.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH YOU.
THAT'S BEEN A EXCITING TIME SINCE, UH, SEPTEMBER I TOOK OVER THE INTERIM.
I'VE BEEN THE CIO FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR GOSH, I GUESS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MONTHS, NOT OFFICIALLY ON, SO I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND PRESENT ON A QUICK BRIEFING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE COMING UP FOR THIS NEXT YEAR AND SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED.
I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU, UH, CHRIS, WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO HOLD QUESTIONS? UH, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO MANAGE THE INTERACTIVITY OF YOUR PRESENTATION? I'M ACTUALLY GOOD EITHER WAY.
UM, I CAN KIND OF PAUSE BETWEEN, AND IT'S PROBABLY EASIER.
THERE'S A LOT, UM, TO GO OVER.
I HAVE VERY, I HAVE LIKE SIX SLIDES AT MOST.
UM, SO MIGHT BE BETTER JUST IF YOU, IF YOU CHOOSE TO ASK QUESTIONS AS, AS YOU WISH, UM, I CAN DEFINITELY ALLOW FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, TIME AND SPACE.
I'LL TRY NOT TO RAMBLE AND CONTINUE TALKING ENDLESSLY, BUT OUT OF BREATH, UM, IF THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT.
I'LL HAVE TO CONFIRM ONE THING.
UM, BECAUSE I HAVE TO NOW HERE ON THE RECORD, UM, I'D LIKE TO CONFIRM, UH, WERE YOU ABLE TO RECEIVE, UH, ANY ADVANCED NOTICE OF QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD PRIOR TO THIS PRESENTATION? UM, I HAD TWO, UM, COMMENTS FROM TARA THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME, UM, FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE ITEMS THERE WEREN'T DIRECT QUESTIONS THOUGH IS JUST SOME UP THINGS, UM, FOR REALLY A COUPLE OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WE KIND OF WORK WITH.
WELL THEN WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, ASK, UH, FOR THE COMMISSION
[00:20:01]
TO FOCUS YOUR QUESTIONS FOR THE TIME BEING ON THE CONTENT OF THE PRESENTATION.AND IF THERE'S RELATED CONCERNS BASED ON OUR, UH, EXISTING BUSINESS THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED, FOR EXAMPLE, BUDGET REQUESTS THEN FEEL FREE TO, TO VOICE THOSE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.
UH, OTHERWISE, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE CHRIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR FULL AGENDA, UH, TO PERHAPS FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THOSE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT REQUIRE MORE IN DEPTH CONVERSATION AND PERHAPS EVEN WORK GROUP, UH, DISCUSSION.
BUT WITH THAT, THEN I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU, CHRIS, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU AGAIN, CHRIS STEWART, THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND START OFF WITH SOME ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATES THAT WE'VE GOT.
SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I'M DOING RIGHT NOW IS DOING SOME DEPUTY CIO RECRUITMENTS.
SO UNDERNEATH MYSELF AS A CIO, I HAVE THREE DEPUTIES ASSIGNED.
THESE ARE EXECUTIVE LEVEL POSITIONS.
UM, WE ARE REPOSTING ALL THREE AND WE'RE GOING TO HIRE A NEW EXECUTIVE TEAM.
UM, AND THIS CAME OUT FROM A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT GROUP THAT CAME IN SNAP MANAGEMENT TO LOOK AT THE CULTURE OF CTM AND THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP WAS, UM, A TOPIC THAT CAME UP QUITE OFTEN, UM, OR FOLKS WHO REALLY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, LOOK AT SOME LEADERSHIP AND REALLY BE ABLE TO TRUST THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST PEOPLE, UM, AVAILABLE IT'S AUSTIN.
SO WE'D LOVE TO SEE SOME REALLY GREAT LEADERSHIP AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THROUGH THAT PRETTY QUICKLY.
JULY 16TH, I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY IS THE CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPUTY CIO.
UM, YOU SEE HERE THAT JULY 30TH IS OUR ENTERPRISE INFRASTRUCTURE, DEPUTY CLOSING, AND THEN AUGUST 7TH IS OUR ENTERPRISE APPLICATION.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE PROGRAM AREAS THAT WE HAVE, UM, LOOKING FOR SOME REALLY GREAT LEADERSHIP, LOOKING FOR SOME GREAT APPLICANTS.
UH, SO IF YOU ALL KNOW ANYBODY, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO HELP ME OUT RECRUITING THESE, UH, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE MOVING ON THOSE RECRUITMENTS AND GETTING THOSE PERMANENT POSITIONS IN.
SO THAT'S A REALLY BIG TOPIC FOR US RIGHT NOW IS GETTING THIS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.
THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON STRATEGIC DIRECTION.
SO I THINK WITH BRINGING IN A NEW CIO, UM, IT'S AN OBVIOUS QUESTION TO, TO LOOK AT HOW CTM, UM, COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE CITY AS A SUPPORT SERVICE, HOW IT FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS THEIR RESIDENT FOCUSED ORGANIZATION.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CIO.
HOW DOES THE CITY WANT THE CIO TO MANAGE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN? SO THAT'S A CMO LEVEL DISCUSSION WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S KIND OF LEAD US INTO A NEW VISION AND MISSION OF CTM AND THEN HOPEFULLY INTO SOME NEW GOVERNANCE, WE REALLY WANT SOME FRESH GOVERNANCE MODELS TO HELP US GET THROUGH A LOT OF, UM, THE TECHNOLOGY DISCUSSIONS, THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, EVERYTHING WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION, HOW WE UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE THINK SOME NEW GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE MODELS WOULD REALLY HELP US OUT THERE NEXT LINE.
SO A BIG TOPIC OBVIOUSLY, IS IT SECURITY? UM, YOU ALL ARE READING THE SAME THING AS I AM.
IT'S A SCARY WORLD WHERE WE'RE, EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS UNDER ATTACK.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SECURING OURSELVES.
ONE OF THINGS WE'RE DOING IS WE HAVE A, THE CITY OBVIOUSLY HAS AN INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE.
THEY HAVE A, WE HAVE A NEW CEO, A NEW CISCO OF ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
UH, SURELY HERB CAME INTO PLAY.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT AN ACTUAL OFFICE OF INFORMATION SECURITY.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE THOUGH IS NCTM SECURITY PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE EMBEDDED INTO THE ORGANIZATION TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT AND MANAGE AND RUN THESE TECHNOLOGIES THAT W THAT CISCO IS LOOKING IN, THE ISO IS LOOKING AT SAYING, HEY, WE REALLY NEED TO GEAR UP IN A CERTAIN AREA.
WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO CAN ACTUALLY MANAGE THAT.
SO WE'RE RIGHT NOW HIRING A SECURITY OPERATIONS MANAGER WHO WILL BE RECEIVING HOPEFULLY SMITH TO EASIER.
AND
UM, AND ALSO TO WORK WITH THE INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE TO IMPLEMENT, UH, WHAT THEY SEE FIT.
AND WHAT'S GOING TO HELP US BE AT A MORE SECURE PLACE.
SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING IS CYBERSECURITY STRENGTHENING AND AWARENESS.
THERE IS A SECURITY TRAINING PROGRAM THAT THE ISO RUNS EVERY YEAR, UM, THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR, UM, 20, 21.
WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, ADDRESSING NEEDS FROM THE ISO.
SO THEY, THEY LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT AND LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN ADDRESS SOME CONCERNS OR THINGS THAT WE COULD REALLY GEAR UP
[00:25:01]
AND DO BETTER AT FOR INFORMATION SECURITY.WE ARE DOING SOME, SOME EXAMPLES ARE LIKE MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION.
THAT'S A PRETTY, A PRETTY BIG ISSUE THESE DAYS, EVEN FOR ALL OF OUR APPLICATIONS, WE USE, WE LOG INTO OUR BANKS AND WE LOG INTO THINGS DAILY.
IT MULTIFACTORS ARE PRETTY COMMON TOOL TO HELP US BE MORE SECURE.
SO WE REALLY ARE GETTING THAT OUT MORE.
UM, EDR IS AN ENDPOINT DETECTION, UM, PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS US TO SEE OUR DEVICES OUT WHEREVER THEY ARE.
SO THAT'S A GOOD MODEL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT'S THERE AND ALSO FOR SECURITY TO KNOW WHAT'S THERE.
SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF BIG PROJECTS AROUND SECURITY, UH, SAFE AND SECURE BACKUPS OBVIOUSLY ARE, ARE A BIG TOPIC.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RANSOMWARE AND THAT THE FAIL FAILBACK IS ALWAYS YOUR BACKUP.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF BACKUPS THAT THEY'RE SECURE.
WE'VE GOT APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES TO PROTECT OURSELVES.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ISO AGAIN WITH COUNSEL EVEN, UM, ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
WHAT'S THE BEST PROCEDURE, WHAT'S THE BEST PRACTICE FOR THE CITY TO FOLLOW.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY BEEFING UP THOSE AREAS.
UNLESS SOMEONE HAS A QUESTION.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SECURITY.
SO THIS A SECURITY OFFICE, BECAUSE IT HAS CITYWIDE AUTHORITY TO MANDATE STANDARDS TO ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THEY DO, IT'S ACTUALLY WRITTEN INTO CITY CODE THEIR AUTHORITY.
THAT'S UH, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UH, TO CLARIFY ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS THAT TYPICALLY MANAGE THEIR OWN BUDGETS AND HAVE THEIR OWN, UH, EXECUTIVE TEAMS DOES THAT IT DOES THAT INCLUDE THAT AS WELL? CAP METRO, AUSTIN ENERGY, NOT CAP METRO.
THEY'RE NOT CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT SO THE CITY CODES, DATES, UM, ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE ISO HAS AUTHORITY.
SO THAT OF COURSE BEGS THE OBVIOUS QUESTION RELATED TO TECHNOLOGIES.
UH, UH, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION THERE, UH, THAT ARE INTERRELATED WITH, UH, OUR PARTNERS LIKE CAP METRO AND AUSTIN ENERGY.
UH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW STANDARDS WILL BE LEVERAGED THERE TO MAINTAIN SECURITY? I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR HER OFFICE.
THEY'RE NOT A FUNCTION OF CTM.
UM, BUT SHE IS WORKING AS WE DO WITH OUR PARTNERS.
AND PARTNERSHIP IS A BIG WORD.
WE USE QUITE A BIT WHERE WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL TOGETHER IN THIS.
UM, A GOOD EXAMPLE IS SAY THE COUNTY, OBVIOUSLY WE WORK WITH THE COUNTY A LOT.
WE HAVE INTEGRATIONS WITH CANADA, WE HAVE SHARED SYSTEMS. SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE SAME CONVERSATIONS.
WE HAVE COOPERATIVES LIKE GATTON AND GATORS, UM, FOR OUR NETWORK AND OUR RADIO SYSTEM THAT ARE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS.
AND WE DO MEET WITH THOSE, UM, COOPERATIVES AND COLLECTIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
SHIRLEY HAS PRESENTED TO MANY OF THOSE AS WELL TO GIVE HER, UM, HER PERSPECTIVE FROM HER OFFICES VIEW.
YOU KNOW, THERE'VE BEEN TWO VERY CELEBRATED RANSOMWARE INCIDENTS RECENTLY, THERE WAS ONE, AND I THINK A MONTH AGO, OR TWO MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE WHERE IN THE EAST COAST, THE PIPELINE WAS SHUT DOWN.
WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THOSE TWO THAT HAS ALLOWED YOU TO MAKE YOURSELF OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN MORE SECURE PART OF THE TOURING FOR ANY FUTURE ACTIONS? DEFINITELY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED BACKUPS.
THAT'S ALWAYS THAT, UM, THAT LAST COURSE OF ACTION FOR US, WHENEVER THEY, WHENEVER A INTRUDER LOCKS, ALL YOUR FILES AND YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES, YOU PAY YOUR, YOU DON'T PAY, YOU PAY, YOU CROSS YOUR FINGERS AND HOPE THEY CAN UNLOCK IT ALL, OR YOU PAY, AND THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING.
UM, THE, THE BEST OPTION OF COURSE, IS TO RUN BACK TO YOUR OWN BACKUPS, TO BE ABLE TO RESTORE BACK FROM A RECENT TIME BEFORE THEY WERE INFILTRATED AND BE ABLE TO RESTORE EVERYTHING BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS, HOPEFULLY SECURING YOUR ENVIRONMENT.
SO A SECURITY TRAINING IS ONE WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT OUR, OUR END USERS ARE TRAINED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE WAY PEOPLE ARE GETTING IN IS CERTAINLY LOOKING AT ACCOUNTS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND UNMANAGED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT BAD PASSWORD POLICIES, MULTIFACTOR IS ONE.
UM, SO WE'VE IMPLEMENTED QUITE A BIT OF SECURITY, BUT JUST THIS PAST YEAR, EVEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTED, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, UH, ANOTHER ONE, I GUESS, WITH ISO IS WE DO HAVE CYBERSECURITY LIABILITY INSURANCE TO HELP OUT AS WELL.
IF WE EVER DO HAVE A, AN INCIDENT WHERE WE NEED, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDING
[00:30:01]
TO REMEDIATE, TO BRING PEOPLE IN, UM, WE'VE DEFINITELY MADE SURE EVOLVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT'S HAPPENING.WE HAVE GOOD CONNECTIONS WITH OUR LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
SO, UM, THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES AS WELL, WE KNOW WHO TO CONTACT THE INCIDENT RESPONSE IS IN PLACE.
WE HAVE A CYBER SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN FOR THE CITY.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE DONE QUITE A BIT TO MAKE SURE AS A CITY, WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER ON THESE ISSUES.
HOW FREQUENTLY DO YOU BACK UP YOUR DESK SYSTEM? EVERY DAY? EVERY NIGHT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE HAS SET SOME STANDARDS FOR US THAT WE'VE MET, BUT I'D WANT TO DISCUSS THAT IN A CLOSED FORUM.
DO YOU, UM, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY IDENTITY AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLATFORM IN PLACE FOR THIS? YOU'RE STEALING MY SLIDES.
UM, SO WE HAVE I'M IN A CYBERSECURITY COMPANY, SO THAT'S ALWAYS TOP OF MIND BASIC.
UM, BUT THAT IS A, A TOOL THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
I SAW IT VERY MUCH LIKE US TO GET TO A MORE ROBUST, UM, I AM SOLUTION.
I THINK WE CAN PROCEED AT THIS POINT.
SO WE'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK AND WE'RE DOING QUITE A BIT FOR OUR IT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T NEGLECT AND SOMETHING THAT WE'VE MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT EVEN THE COVID YEAR.
CONTINUING OUR NETWORK IS A BIG ONE.
I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR NETWORK MODERNIZATION.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A PROJECT CALLED A NETWORK MODERNIZATION PROJECT THAT JUST ENDED.
AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FEW NUMBERS, UM, THAT TELL A LITTLE STORY ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WORK THAT WAS AND, AND KIND OF WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE ARE NOW.
THE, THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE PROJECT WAS TO REPLACE 750 END OF LIFE NETWORK DEVICES.
AND THAT'S BEEN ACHIEVED AT THE SAME TIME.
WE EITHER REPLACED OR INSTALLED NEW 970 WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS.
UM, 81 FIREWALLS AND FOUR OF OUR CORE SECURITY APPLIANCES HAVE ALL BEEN, UH, REPLACED AND UPGRADED WITH MUCH BETTER, UM, HARDWARE AND TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S THAT PROJECT WAS SUBSTANTIAL.
IT'S A, QUITE A, QUITE A WHILE.
AND AGAIN, THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS LAST YEAR AND A HALF OR SO DOING IT IN UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE WERE IN IS QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT.
SO I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF, OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR DOING THAT.
UM, I'VE GOT CRITICAL NODE, UM, GENERATORS.
SO ONE THING WE FOUND DURING THE SNOWSTORM WAS WHEN AUSTIN ENERGY WAS MOVING IN, SHUTTING DOWN POWER AROUND TOWN, WE LOST SOME OF OUR NETWORK NODES THAT TOOK OUR WHOLE NETWORK DOWN.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH BUILDING SERVICES TO GET SOME GENERATORS AT OUR SUPERNODE SITES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THAT ISSUE ANYMORE.
WHERE IF WE DO LOSE POWER, WE HAVE GENERATOR, WE DON'T LOSE OUR CORE NETWORK AROUND THE CITY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, TACKLE.
THAT'S ALSO A PART OF OUR CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLAN.
THE CITY HAS A CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLAN AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE NODES ARE PROTECTED, UM, AS PART OF THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN OF COURSE, CLOUD FOUNDATIONS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE AND STANDARDS AROUND THAT.
UM, AWS AND AZURE ARE TWO PRIMARY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THE SERVICES THAT WE UTILIZE.
SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK AROUND CLOUD, UM, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, EXCUSE ME, AUDIO VISUAL.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK YOU ALL WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS DEFINITELY AUDIO VISUAL.
UM, AS IT PERTAINS TO CITY HALL, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK THIS PAST YEAR ON VIDEO SWITCHING UPGRADES, AND THAT'S ALLOWED US TO BE IN THIS REMOTE ENVIRONMENT.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GO BACK IN A HYBRID MODE, UM, WE'VE INCREASED OUR CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT A LITTLE BETTER RIGHT NOW, AND THAT WE'RE ALSO PILOTING OTHER VIDEO CONFERENCING SOLUTIONS, UM, TO SEE WHAT'S A BEST FIT FOR THE CITY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL OR A TWO SLOT, TWO SIZE FITS ALL AND WHO KNOWS, WE MIGHT, WE MIGHT UTILIZE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT VIDEOCONFERENCING, UM, WE HAVE THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS TO MEET THE NEEDS FOR, FOR INTEL USE.
AND OF COURSE ALSO FOR RESIDENT FOLK ISSUES, SECURITY AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT LOG AGGREGATION.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ISSUES WHEN YOU'RE A SCRAPE PROFESSIONAL IS WHEN AN INCIDENT HAPPENS.
YOU NEED SOMETHING TO GO BACK TO, YOU NEED EVIDENCE AND LOGGING IS HOW YOU DO THAT IN AN INFRASTRUCTURE WORLD.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE APPROPRIATE LOGGING THAT IT'S SAFE, IT'S SECURE, WE'VE GOT AN APPROPRIATE, UM, DURATION OF LOGS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE, WE CAN HAVE OUR SECURITY PROFESSIONALS COME IN AND REALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
OF COURSE WE USE THEM OPERATIONALLY.
[00:35:01]
WE GIVE SOME EXTREME VALUE WHEN YOU REALLY START TALKING ABOUT SECURITY IN GETTING INTO INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.UM, FTP IS A PROTOCOL WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, LESSEN AROUND THE CITY.
SO WE'RE REALLY TAKING A LOOK AT A LOT OF MIGRATIONS THERE.
WE'VE GOTTEN RID OF ABOUT 400 FTP ACCOUNTS SO FAR.
WE REALLY LIKE KIND OF REDUCING THAT FOOTPRINT, UM, OF AREAS WHERE PEOPLE COULD ATTACK IDENTITY ACCESS MANAGEMENT, UM, THAT WE'VE ALREADY, WE MENTIONED SECURITY WOULD LOVE FOR US TO, TO LOOK AT THIS, UM, AT A CORPORATE LEVEL AND IMPLEMENT MORE AN IDENTITY ACCESS SYSTEM.
AND AGAIN, I TALKED ABOUT, UM, ENDPOINT MANAGEMENT, WE'RE LOOKING AT UNIFIED ENDPOINT MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE KNOW THE STATE OF DEVICES AS EXIST AS THEY'RE ON THE NETWORK WHERE THEY ARE, AND WE'RE ABLE TO CONTROL THEM QUITE A BIT BETTER.
TELEPANY WE STILL HAVE OUR PBX SYSTEM.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MOVING TO A SYSTEMS-BASED TELEPANY SYSTEM.
SO AS YOU CAN TELL IT IN THAT INTEREST, IN THAT ONE AREA OF INFRASTRUCTURE, A LOT OF WORK COMING UP, A LOT'S BEEN DONE.
UM, BUT WE'VE GOT QUITE A, QUITE A LOT ON OUR PLATE FOR THIS YEAR, JUST ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE.
UH, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR A FEW QUESTIONS, UH, AS JESSE HOPEFULLY SHARED AND MADE REFERENCE TO, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF BUDGET REQUESTS RELATED TO AUDIO VISUAL.
UH, CLEARLY THE REMOTE DISSIPATION BUDGET REQUEST IS, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, IN GENERAL, UH, THE, UH, ASSESSMENT OF VIDEO TECHNOLOGIES AND PLATFORMS FOR ENGAGEMENT.
UH, SO REALLY JUST WANTED TO, TO LEAVE IT TO YOU AND, AND ASK IF, IF, UH, YOU WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT OUR RECOMMENDATION AND, AND HOW YOU FELT ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, AT LEAST THE INITIAL GOAL THAT WE HAD TO PILOT AND TO SPIN UP YOUR CAPABILITIES AS BEST AS WE CAN TO SUPPORT THAT EFFORT FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT.
YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE A DEFINITE RIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE MORE THAN LIKELY I WOULD SAY A HYBRID MODE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
I SIGNED THAT, UM, AND AUTHORIZED IT TO GO OFF TO COUNCIL.
AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS IT AT AUDIT AND FINANCE NEXT WEDNESDAY.
I BELIEVE IT IS A TOPIC ON THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE AGENDA.
THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL.
UM, BASED ON OUR ROUND TABLE MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, JUST TO INFORM THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, WHICH WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE IN ADVANCING THAT GOAL.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO AT LEAST ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO IS, UH, AROUND CAPABILITIES, UH, RELATED TO NOT JUST CITY HALL, BUT OTHER CITY FACILITIES THAT ARE EITHER UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR IN PLANNING.
UM, WE'RE HOPING TO, AT LEAST AT THE AUDIT PIRATES COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, BEGIN, UH, AUTHORIZING, IT SOUNDED REALLY CAPABLE OF, AND THAT'S AN INCLUDES FACILITIES ON A TRUCK OR A BIG BILL.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY THOUGHT EVERYBODY GOT THAT, BUT IT KIND OF BROKE UP ON ME THERE FOR ANYONE ELSE.
BUT I THINK I GOT THE GIST OF A CHAIR WE ARE LOOKING AT.
SO WE DO HAVE OTHER THAT HAVE, UM, THIS KIND OF TECHNOLOGY, THE, THE MAIN PART OF IT, UM, FOR MOST OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IS THE ATX N PART.
SO THAT'S THE CHANNEL SIX, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WE NEED THAT CONNECTIVITY TO DO A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
UM, BUT FOR A MEETING LIKE THIS, THAT'S NOT ALL THAT CRITICAL.
SO THERE'S, WE HAVE DIFFERENT FLAVORS AND VERSIONS OF OUR MEETINGS.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES, BUT USE, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY CITIZENS ARE ENGAGED.
UM, SO THERE'S QUITE A, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THERE'S A, THERE'S SEVERAL SOLUTIONS AND WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHICH ONES FIT THE MODEL.
WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO LOOK AT WHAT STATE LAW IS GONNA ALLOW US TO DO.
UM, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CHALLENGE OF COURSE, PRE COVID WAS THERE ALWAYS ALLOWED FOR SOME VERSION OF THIS, BUT MEETING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE OPEN, UM, UH, THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT REQUIREMENTS CAN BE CHALLENGING TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY ON CAMERA AND YOU, YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE'S FACES AND, UM, IT CAN BE A BIT CHALLENGING.
AND IF, IF CERTAIN PEOPLE DROP OFF NOW YOU'VE LOST YOUR MEETING QUORUM AND THE MEETING CAN BE, CAN GO OUT OF, OUT OF WHACK.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT IN THE RIGHT WAY, BUT WE DO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS COMING UP.
UM, IF COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THAT FUNDING THAT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TAKE A BROADER LOOK AT HOW WE CAN EVEN BETTER SUPPORT ALL OF THESE, BUT REGARDLESS, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR JOB IS TO
[00:40:01]
DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO TRY TO SUPPORT YOU ALL IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE IN ANY FORMAT, UM, HOSPITAL THAT KIRK'S OFFICE OBVIOUSLY ALLOWS US TO DO.I APOLOGIZE FOR MY VISUAL CHALLENGES HERE.
JUST RELATE RELATED TO THIS LAST PUSH AND ANSWER PERIOD.
UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, UH, DO ALL LIBRARIES NOW HAVE THEIR PUBLIC INTERNET ACCESS AND WIFI CONNECTIONS, ADD ONE GIG TO THE NETWORK.
I'D HAVE TO CHECK ON ALL I KNOW.
I THOUGHT THE LAST I CHECKED, THE MAJORITY HAD GOOGLE FIBER CONNECTIONS.
UM, I BELIEVE THEY ALL HAVE PUBLIC WIFI.
I JUST, I CAN'T, I COULDN'T SAY IF THEY'RE ALL GOOD, BUT I CAN CHECK WITH, UM, THE LIBRARY CHECK WITH THEIR FOLKS AND, AND GET BACK TO YOU WANT TO, RIGHT.
SO YOU'RE NOT USING, UH, GATLIN FOR THE PUBLIC WIFI.
THEN MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHERE GOOGLE FIBER IS INSTALLED.
THAT IS THE CONNECTION FOR THE PUBLIC WIFI, BUT AGAIN, I WOULD DEFINITELY VERIFY FOR AND GET BACK TO YOU.
AND, UH, LET'S SEE, THE, THE OTHER QUESTION WAS WE HAD ONE OTHER INITIATIVE AND THAT WAS THE, UH, UM, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PUMPING TOWARDS FOUR.
AND IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS THE, UH, UH, RECOMMENDATION BY AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A GIGABASE FOR, UH, COUNCIL VOTES.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, THAT'S ON ANY, UH, SCHEDULED CALENDAR, WHEN I GOT THAT EMAIL FROM, FROM TAR, THAT WAS THE FIRST I HAD HEARD OF AN OFFICIAL, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR QUITE A WHILE, UM, HOW TO DO THAT BETTER, BUT I CAN CHECK WITH THE CITY CLERK, THEY WOULD BE THE ONES WHO WOULD HAVE TO, UM, AT LEAST APPROVE THAT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
MOST LIKELY CTM WOULD BE A BIG PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY CHECK ON IF THEY HAVE PLANS OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY PLAN TO ADDRESS AT ALL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UH, COMMISSIONER GATES, UH, JUST TO BE CLEAR AS WELL.
UH, I ANTICIPATED THERE MIGHT BE DISCUSSION AND SLIDES AROUND, UH, INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE, UH, AND, UH, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DISCUSS OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
SO I W I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF YOU, BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THAT WAS CALLED TO YOUR ATTENTION AT THIS TIME.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS UP TO THIS POINT WITHIN THE CONTENT? OKAY, GREAT.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR APPLICATIONS, UH, PROGRAM AREA, WHICH ENCOMPASSES ALSO OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE AND OUR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT OFFICE, DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH PERMITTING.
UM, AMANDA, IF YOU'VE HEARD OF IT IS THE APPLICATION THE CITY USES, UM, TO WORK WITH OUR DEVELOPERS AND RESIDENTS ON ALL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND IT'S THE WAY THEY, UM, INTERACT WITH THE CITY ON, ON GETTING THINGS DONE.
WE'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK REPLACING WHAT'S CALLED THE ABC PORTAL, UH, WITH A MUCH MORE MODERN PLATFORM.
IT HAS AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLY IMPROVED USER DESIGN USER EXPERIENCE.
AND WE ARE RIGHT NOW MOVING FORWARD WITH A PRETTY MAJOR UPGRADE OF THE AMANDA APPLICATION, WHICH IS CALLED AMANDA BACK OFFICE.
SO WE'RE DOING QUITE A BIT OF WORK, UM, PERMITTING WORKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS.
UM, DSD IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY LARGE CUSTOMER THERE, BUT A LOT OF WORK GOING ON IN THAT ARENA.
OUR GIS FOLKS ARE DOING TREMENDOUS WORK.
THEY ARE, THEY'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING OUR JS PRO, UM, AND RJS ONLINE TO ABOUT 2,500 USERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, THAT INCLUDES QUITE A BIT TO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DIRECT, UM, TRAINING ON HOW TO USE THE NEW PLATFORMS THAT WE MAKE SURE AS WE PUSH THINGS OUT AND PROVIDE THESE TOOLS THAT ARE END-USERS.
I USE THEM AND USE THEM PROPERLY AGAIN WITH GOD.
WE'RE LOOKING AT GEOSPATIAL CLOUD STRATEGIES.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT CUSTOMER JOURNEY AND A LOT OF THAT'S HAPPENING THROUGH OUR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGERS, AND EVEN THROUGH OUR GIS, UM, ORGANIZATION DIRECTLY IS HOW ARE WE UTILIZING JS? IT'S ONE OF THESE SHARED SERVICES WHERE IT'S A DECENTRALIZED MODEL, CTM SUPPORTS THE CORE GIS APPLICATIONS
[00:45:01]
AND CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE, WHERE THE DEPARTMENTS END UP DOING A LOT OF THEIR MAPPING AND ADD, YOU KNOW, UM, A LOT OF THE APPLICATIONS AND DATA MANAGEMENT AROUND, THEY UTILIZE GIS TO THAT END.WE WERE ALSO LOOKING AT THE ENTERPRISE STREET NETWORK.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT WE DO MAINTAIN THAT SHARED, UM, AND ENRICHING THAT, UM, EASEMENTS ARE REALLY WHAT COME IN QUITE A BIT.
WE TALK ABOUT ENRICHING THE STREET NETWORK ON MODERNIZING THAT REALLY MAKING IT MORE USEFUL FOR ALL OF OUR, UM, DEPARTMENTS WERE DOING A LOT OF WORK ON, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD? BUT THOSE ARE LARGE PROJECTS.
THAT'S, IT'S A LOT OF EFFORT TO WHEN YOU START DIGGING INTO EVERY STREET AND THE LABOR THAT LOOKS LIKE, ESPECIALLY AS YOU START GOING UNDERGROUND, EXCUSE ME, IT'S A, YEAH, IT'S A BIG, UM, IT'S A BIG JOURNEY, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS ON, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW DO WE BEST SERVE EVERYONE IN THAT CAPACITY ASSET MANAGEMENT AS A PROGRAM AREA, REALLY FOR THE SAVE AUSTIN, THAT WORD, DOING A LOT OF WORK ON, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON PROJECTS TO IMPLEMENT NEW ASSET MANAGEMENT AND WORK ON IMAGE AND SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, OR REVAMPING AND IMPROVING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS WE'RE WORKING WITH HEAVILY RIGHT NOW, OUR PARKS AND REC, UM, CONVENTION, PUBLIC LIBRARY, WATERSHED SHED, AND PUBLIC WORKS.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THEIR ASSET MANAGEMENT AND THEIR WORK ORDER MANAGEMENT TO CONSOLIDATE INTO THIS CENTRAL, THE LAST SYSTEM.
UM, I DID WANT TO PITCH OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM.
WE ARE LOSING OUR, OUR MANAGER OVER THERE.
UM, JAMES GRAY HAS BEEN HERE FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS RUNNING TO OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
HE'S GOING TO BE RETIRING AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS HERE.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT A NEW MANAGER AND YOU'RE THERE, UM, TO, TO REVAMP OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE AND SEE HOW WE CAN EVEN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES THROUGH THAT AREA.
AND THEN, AND OUR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT TEAM WE ARE HIRING RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ABOUT TO DO SOME CANDIDATE SELECTION ON A NEW MANAGER THERE, UH, WE'VE ADDED ANOTHER PERSON TO OUR SAFETY PROGRAM AREA.
SO THAT'S UNDER RAY ARIANO ACMR ARIANO, AND WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON BUSINESS VALUE FROM CTM.
SO THESE FOLKS WORK DIRECTLY WITH EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT FROM OUR DEPARTMENT MINTS AND THEY DREAM APP, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THEY DOING AS A BUSINESS AND HOW CAN CTM REALLY HELP DRIVE THEIR BUSINESS BETTER? AND SO THE CONCEPT THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED NOT TOO LONG AGO, IT'S A PRETTY NEW, UM, VENTURE FOR US.
BUT I THINK IT'S A REALLY SUCCESSFUL ONE AT ONE THAT OUR, UM, OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE REALLY HAPPY TO WORK WITH AND GET MORE DIRECT ACCESS INTO CTM, INTO THEIR REAL PLANNING OF HOW IT HAPPENS INSTEAD OF PLACING IN A REQUEST.
AND WE ANSWERED THE REQUEST, UM, PLACING IN A PROJECT, YOU KNOW, A BUSINESS NEED, AND WE ANSWER THAT IT'S A, FULL-TIME DIRECT ACCESS IN THE CTM AND INTO IT AS A WHOLE.
SO THAT'S A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THAT PROGRAM AREA.
UH, JUST QUICKLY I'D LIKE TO ASK, UM, IT'S OF COURSE, VERY USEFUL INFORMATION AND IMPRESSIVE.
I'D LIKE TO ASK WITH REGARD TO CITY SERVICES, UM, AS PERMITTING, OF COURSE, IS, IS BEING CALLED OUT, UH, WHICH OF COURSE IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO DISCUSS ANY OTHER CITY SERVICES, UH, AND, AND HOW THEY'RE BEING AFFECTED OR, OR HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH THEM ON, UH, ON CITY SITES AND, AND ACCESS POINTS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO BE OUR DIGITAL SERVICES.
SO IT'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR WEBSITE, THOSE PLATFORMS. UH, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT NEXT.
ISN'T WHAT ELSE ARE QUESTIONS? SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT, WOW, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THE CHAMPIONS TEAM, I THINK I GOT A COMMISSION.
UM, SO I, I NOTICED THAT IN YOUR SLIDES, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES WHERE EITHER SOMEONE IS RETIRING OR SOMEBODY IS, UH, IT'S AN, IT'S AN OPEN POSITION YOU'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT.
UM, IS THAT PART OF NORMAL BUSINESS THEY'RE ALL MEANS LIKE THIS, OR IS THIS SOME EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION AND HOW IS THAT IMPACTING YOUR ABILITY TO GET THE JOB DONE? YOU TOLD ME, OKAY.
THE, THE MAIN CIRCUMSTANCE WAS DURING, UM, COVID FOR THE MOST PART OF THE QUARANTINE, THE CITY HAD ABOUT A 10 MONTH HIRING FREEZE.
SO AS WE WERE LOSING PEOPLE IN NORMAL OPERATIONS, UM, YOU JUST, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR RETIREMENT AND PEOPLE MOVE ON, UM, WE WERE UNABLE TO HIRE THEM.
SO WE HAD A LOT OF ACTING ROLES, ESPECIALLY IN MOST OF OUR MANAGEMENT, UM, CHAIN.
WE HAD SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF ACTING ROLES AND FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN HIRING NOW SINCE ABOUT OCTOBER.
[00:50:01]
UM, I THINK WE'RE UP TO 40 OR SO, UM, HIRING TRANSACTIONS WE'VE MADE SINCE THEN.UH, SO WE'RE REALLY TURNING PEOPLE OVER, UM, AND GETTING THESE ACTING ROLES FILLED AND THAT KIND OF MOVES THINGS AROUND QUITE A BIT.
WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF REORGANIZATION THAT HAS CREATED A COUPLE OF B'S.
UM, GOOD EXAMPLES ARE LIKE THE SECURITY MANAGER, THAT POSITION DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE.
IT'S WHEN I CREATED FROM ANOTHER TITLE, RAISING IT UP TO THAT.
UM, SO SOME OF IT'S JUST NORMAL OPERATIONS, BUT WE ARE QUITE A BIT BEHIND BECAUSE OF, UM, IN, IN LARGE PART TO THAT 10 MONTH HIRING RATES.
I HAVE A QUESTION CONCERNING TECHNOLOGY GOVERNANCE AT THE CITY LEVEL.
SO WHAT THIS SLIDE SHOWS IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND APPLICATIONS OVER A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
SO IS THERE STILL SOME KIND OF A GOVERNING ORGANIZATION THAT DETERMINES PRIORITIES FOR MAJOR PROJECTS THERE USED TO BE, UM, WILL BE CALLED THE, THE D DAG TO DO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS GOT TOGETHER AND TALKED ABOUT PRIORITIZING THOSE, UM, THAT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE, WE DON'T, WE DO, WE DO IT BASED ON, UM, AN INTAKE PROCESS.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY REVAMPING THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND WHAT DOES INTAKE LOOK LIKE? SO WE'RE CALLING IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THING.
THE IT STEERING COMMITTEE IS STILL TECHNICALLY THERE.
WE, WE MEET, UM, A BIG QUARTERLY RIGHT NOW, AND THAT FUNCTION WAS REALLY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS NEEDS AND KIND OF APPROVE WHAT THEY WANTED AS THEIR TOP SEVERAL PROJECTS, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE INTO WHERE WE COME INTO THIS NEW GOVERNANCE MODEL.
I REALLY WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND COMPLETELY REVAMPED THAT.
SO RIGHT NOW I THINK THE GOVERNANCE MODEL REALLY NEEDS, UM, TO BE COMPLETELY UPDATED, UM, TO REFLECT OUR CURRENT, UM, NEEDS AND WANTS.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMISSION COULD HELP ADVOCATE ON A CITY-WIDE BASIS FOR WHATEVER KIND OF SOLUTION THAT YOU FEEL WOULD REALLY HELP.
SO, UH, MAYBE YOU, YOU NEED TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT WHEN YOU COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
AND, UH, HERE, HERE, DEFINITELY ECHO THAT SENTIMENT.
LOOK FORWARD TO WHATEVER YOU GUYS COME UP WITH AND BEING ABLE TO HELP ANY OF THE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SLIDE.
SO THIS IS OUR DIGITAL SERVICES, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A NEW, UM, DIVISION OF CTM THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.
WE HAD DIGITAL SERVICES WAS REALLY THE WEB TEAM.
IT WAS CALLED AND IT WAS KIND OF, IT WAS TUCKED INTO OUR APPLICATIONS TEAM.
IT, IT JUST FELL INTO ONE OPEN APPLICATION AREA, BUT REALLY FELT LIKE DIGITAL SERVICES AS A PROGRAM WAS A MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE MODEL FOR THE CITY TO UNDERTAKE.
SO WE REORGANIZED, UM, PUT WHAT WE CALL A CORPORATE MANAGER.
THAT'S A DIVISION MANAGER LEVEL ADDED SOME IT MANAGERS UNDER THERE AND REALLY TOOK OUR WEB DEVELOPMENT TEAM, OUR WEB TEAM UNDER THERE.
UM, WE PUT THINGS LIKE SHAREPOINT AND ANY OF THE WAYS THAT WE PROVIDE DIGITAL SERVICES.
WE REALLY WANT IT UNDER ONE AREA, SO THAT THEY'RE ALL FOCUSING ON THESE.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, IT'S, UH, IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS AND ADDRESS QUICKLY.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RESOURCE THAT NOW.
SO I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THE ABILITY TO BUILD A CRATE THAT DIVISION, UM, AND WORK ON STAFFING IT AS WELL.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON, IT'S CLEARLY IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CTM, UH, CPIO, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE CONTENT, UM, OF OUR WEBSITE.
AND THEN OF COURSE OUR ADA OFFICE.
UM, AND THAT'S AGAIN WITH THE FOCUS ON THE SITE, BEING A AA COMPLIANT PER THE WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES.
AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING IN THIS NEXT YEAR IS LOOKING AT TRANSLATION AS A SERVICE, AND THAT'S KIND OF THAT SAME AREA.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S ACCESSIBLE AND USABLE.
AND THOSE ARE SOME AREAS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT THE AUDIT AND DIGITALIZATION OF MORE THAN 700 OF OUR PDF FORMS. SO AGAIN, PROVIDING THESE SERVICES IN A MUCH MORE USABLE MANNER, UM, IT REDUCING THE NEED FOR RESIDENTS TO, TO COME ONSITE AT ALL.
UM, WE LOVE IT WHEN THEY DO, WE'VE GOT QUITE A BIT OF, UM, SERVICES FOR FOLKS WHO, WHO WALK IN THE DOOR AND SAY PC OR, UH, MANY PLACES IN THE CITY, BUT A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T WANT TO, THEY WOULD MUCH PREFER JUST TO OPEN UP THEIR COMPUTER AND
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HAVE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES.DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
ALSO, WE'VE GOT, WE'RE WORKING ON RFP RIGHT NOW FOR A CLOUD-BASED PLATFORM, UM, TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE STORAGE, UM, AND HOW TO SERVICE UP OUR DIGITAL ASSETS.
AND IT REALLY SHOULD HELP US, UM, IN THE FUTURE MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, WITH ALL OF THAT WORK.
SO IT'S A MORE CENTRALIZED APPROACH.
UM, AGAIN, MAKING THINGS MORE EFFICIENT FOR US.
SO IF I, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE, WE'RE BUILDING ON THESE, UM, WE'RE IMPROVING SERVICES AND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, OF COURSE, OUR AWESOME TEXAS.GOV SITE, UM, A HUGE WIN FOR US AS IT LAST WEEK, WE UPGRADED FROM DRUPAL EIGHT TO DRUPAL NINE HUGE UPGRADES GOT, ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD AND ADVANCE AND ALLOW THE NEWER FEATURES OF THE PLATFORM.
I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SAY WE DID THAT WITH NEARLY NO SERVICE INTERRUPTION.
UM, BUT WE, THERE WAS ONE SITE THAT HAD A SERVICE INTERRUPTION THAT WAS ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY, UH, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIAL OR FOR THE NUMBER OF THOUSANDS OF SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED FROM OUR WEBSITE.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DID THERE.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE CONTINUING TO ENHANCE FEATURES, UM, ENHANCE SECURITY AND STABILITY OF OUR CITY WEBSITE.
I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK A FEW, UH, TO BEGIN WITH AND, UH, I'M GETTING A, A QUESTION THERE OR SOMEONE'S REACHING OUT.
I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMEONE SAY CHEER PITS.
I'LL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AFTER YOU DO.
THANK YOU GOD, IF YOU MISS YOUR GATES.
UM, I GUESS WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, TO BEGIN WITH IS IF YOU'RE PREPARED TO SPEAK TO, UH, ANY OF THE HISTORICAL, UH, EVOLUTION TO, TO THIS POINT IN THIS CALL, UH, TO BEGIN WITH AND, UH, TO REALLY JUMP INTO ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, UM, I CAN SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RECENT HISTORY SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
UH, WHEN I GOT TO CTM, WE HAD, OBVIOUSLY, I JUST THINKS THAT GO HAS BEEN OUR CITY PLATFORM FOR, FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, WE HAD A TEAM LOOKING AT SOME NEW, SOME WAYS TO PROVIDE NEW SERVICES OR SERVICES IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND THAT WAS CALLED, WE HAD AN ALPHA TEAMS THAT WERE REFERRED TO THEM ADS.
AND SO THEY WERE REALLY LOOKING AT, UM, RESIDENT FOCUSED, UM, DESIGN, UH, RESIDENT FOCUSED, UM, ARCHITECTURE REALLY MAKES SURE THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF, OF RESIDENTS.
THEY LOOKED AT A DIFFERENT PLATFORM AS WELL.
UM, SO INSTEAD OF USING THE CNS DRUPAL, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PLATFORMS, SO THEY HAD STARTED, UM, TESTING AND WHAT WERE REFERRED TO AS THE SANDBOX ENVIRONMENT AND ACTUALLY MOVED LIKE A COUPLE OF SERVICES OVER, ONTO THIS OPPOSITE SITE.
IT WAS ABOUT A THREE-YEAR PROJECT THAT THERE HAD BEEN WORKING ON TO DO THAT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE POLICE MONITOR HAD MOVED OVER.
THERE WAS ONE OTHER DEPARTMENT I BELIEVE MOVED AND THEN SOME KIND OF SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, WERE BEING, UM, THEY WERE TESTING, BUT THEY WERE IN PRODUCTION BEING TESTED.
SO RESIDENTS WERE ACCESSING THESE.
SO WHEN I, WHEN I CAME ON BOARD, I WAS ASKED FROM THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TO THINK A LOOK AT THIS KIND OF ROLE, UM, FUNCTION THAT WE WERE DOING.
WE HAD TWO TEAMS WORKING ON TWO DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR OUR CITY WEB SERVICES.
WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON, ON ONE.
WE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO BE PAYING FOR, UM, TWO DIFFERENT, UM, SYSTEMS WHEN WE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE FUNDING TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. SO WE TOOK, WE DID A LOT OF WORK LOOKING AT BOTH AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS EFFORTS ON OUR AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV PLATFORM.
IT'S WHERE 99% OF OUR SERVICES ARE NOW.
UM, WE KNEW THAT WE COULD GET TO A MUCH BETTER PLACE IN AN AUDIT, I BELIEVE IN 2018, UM, THAT HAD CALLED OUT SOME ISSUES WITH COMPLIANCE, UM, IN PARTICULAR ADA COMPLIANCE SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAD BETTER ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE COULD PRETTY EASILY GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN START TO ADDRESS THEM.
UM, SO HE DID MAKE THE DECISION TO MOVE TO THAT, NOT MOVE, SORRY TO FOCUS ON OUR AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV PLATFORM AND TO, TO MOVE AWAY FROM ALPHA AS A PLATFORM.
BUT WITH THAT SAME RESIDENT FOCUSED, UM, DESIRE TO SERVICE THOSE NEEDS.
SO THE HISTORY FROM SINCE WHEN I GOT HERE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I CAN SPEAK TO YOU.
YOU'RE ON MUTE YOUR, THANK YOU FOR THAT STATEMENT.
UM, TO, IN A BRIEF MOMENT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO SOME OTHERS FOR QUESTIONS.
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UM, I DO KNOW THAT, UH, THERE'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT FOR US TO GAIN UNDERSTANDING AROUND, UH, THE MANAGEMENT OF CITY WEBSITES DURING THE PANDEMIC AS THE WHOLE CITY WAS FORCED TO RESPOND WITH OUR CITIZENS COMMUNITY, THE MIND, REALLY WITH THE BIG UNPARALLELED CIRCUMSTANCES.UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS COMMISSION DID A GREAT JOB.
I THINK, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION OFFICE AND TARA, UH, TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IN THAT TIMEFRAME, UH, WITH OTHER PARTNERS, UH, AISD, UH, OTHER PROVIDERS WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT SPIRIT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, NECESSITY AND INNOVATION AND IN A TIME OF REAL NEED WAS IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR OUR WORK THERE.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT, OF COURSE, UH, YOU WERE ALSO TRANSITIONING AND LEADERSHIP DURING THAT TIME, UH, INTERIM LEADERSHIP AND MANAGING THINGS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, UH, PROACTIVELY, UH, TO THE AUSTIN HEALTH DEPARTMENT SITE ISSUES, UH, BEFORE ANY QUESTIONS ARE ASKED.
I ACTUALLY WAS GOING TO ASK IF I COULD, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT HERE WE WERE, UM, SO THE AUSTIN HEALTH PLATFORM, THE SALESFORCE PLATFORM THAT THEY HAD SPUN UP WITH A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM CTM, UM, HAD STARTED OFF AS A, UH, TESTING, UH, SITE.
SO IT WAS A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD TESTING DONE AND THEN OF COURSE, TRANSITIONED INTO VACCINATION.