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[CALL TO ORDER ]
2021 MEETING OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.AND I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, UM, UH, MONA, WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH TO TAKE ROLL? YES, CHAIR, COMMISSIONER SHARE.
YEAH, I KNOW WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER CANOPY, COMMISSIONER GOMEZ, PRESIDENT VICE CHAIR, LAYMAN ROSEN, COMMISSIONER TEMPLETON, PRESENT COMMISSIONER LEVINE, PRESENT COMMISSIONER
MEISENBACH MEGAN, I HEARD YOU EARLIER.
ARE YOU STILL WITH US? COMMISSIONER HEIM STAFF, COMMISSIONER TAYLOR, PRESENT COMMISSIONER, WHETHER BE PRESENT AND COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ HERE.
THANK YOU, NELLY WITH HIS COMMISSIONER MAZDA AND BOX.
DOES HER SCREENSHOT, JOHN? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE STILL HAVE FORM MAKE IT AS I'M MUTED.
SHE IS PRESENT I'M ON THE PHONE.
[1. Approval of Minutes of the June 17, 2021 Meeting Minutes. Discussion and Possible Action (5 minutes)]
ITEM OF THE EVENING IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 17TH, 2021 MEETING.I HOPE EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM.
UH, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? NOT HEARING ANY, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES I MOVE TO APPROVE MINUTES? UM, AND THEN A SECOND.
UH, THANK YOU ALL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
OPPOSE HEARING NONE MOTION CARRIES.
[2.a. Downtown Public Safety: Presentation by Commander Jeff Greenwalt and Downtown District Officer Justin Cummings, Austin Police Department. ]
ITEM OF BUSINESS IS A DISCUSSION OF DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SAFETY.AND I BELIEVE I SAW COMMANDER GREEN WALTZ ON AND COMMANDER.
ARE YOU JOINED BY DISTRICT OFFICER PADILLA? NO, SIR.
UH, WE WENT OVER THE STATISTICS TOGETHER AND HE'S UNAVAILABLE TO BE HERE, BUT I'M SPEAKING ON BOTH OF OUR BEHALFS.
WELL, WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HEAR, HAVE YOU THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
ADAM HAS A POWERPOINT THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE HIM JUST GO THROUGH IT'S IT'S NOT A LONG ONE, BUT I DID WANT TO PUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF STATISTICS UP JUST FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE.
I'M NOT A BIG POWERPOINT PERSON.
I PREFER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
UM, HIM AT THAT FIRST, UH, PAGE OF THE POWERPOINT, I WILL GO.
THAT'S ONE OF THEM RIGHT THERE.
SO WE CAN GO ONTO THE SECOND ONE.
ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE HERE IS TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE GUN VIOLENCE SPECIFICALLY.
IT IS, UM, UM, A SAFE FORUM AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT ONE OF THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WE HAD WAS ABOUT THE GUNS AND THE FIREARMS THAT ARE BEING USED DOWNTOWN AND WHAT THE STATISTICS HAVE LOOKED LIKE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO, I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT AUSTIN IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME KIND OF NATIONWIDE TREND THAT VIOLENT CRIME HAS BEEN ON THE RISE IN 2020, IN 2021 AND A FEW EXTRA SLIDES.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT SOME POTENTIAL REASONS WHY THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF SPECULATION.
THERE'S SOME EDUCATED GUESSES, BUT I THINK THAT IT MIGHT BE A FEW YEARS BEFORE THE, THE CHRONOLOGISTS CAN REALLY PUT TOGETHER SOME SOLID REASONS AND HARDCORE, UM, REASONING ON WHY THAT'S THAT'S REALLY HAPPENING.
BUT I DO HAVE SOME KIND OF ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE I WANT TO SHARE ABOUT WHY THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING.
AND I ALSO HAVE KIND OF A MENTAL ASTERIX TO THIS POINT, UH, FOR TWO REASONS, ONE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, YES, AUSTIN IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING AS EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT
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PERSONALLY AS A WAY TO EXPLAIN THE WAY THE PROBLEM IS NOT BEING A BIG DEAL.AND I ALSO WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I'VE BEEN HERE FOR, I'VE BEEN LIVING IN AUSTIN FOR 25 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN A POLICE OFFICER HERE FOR 20 YEARS, AND IT'S ONLY RECENTLY THAT I'VE EVER HEARD ANYBODY, WHETHER THEY'RE IN POLICING OR IN POLITICS OR IN NEWS, OR JUST AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME RECENTLY THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING ANYBODY COMPARE AUSTIN TO ANY OTHER BIG CITY IN TERMS OF CRIME, WE'VE ALL BEEN LIKE TO LIVE IN THE BEST PLACE TO POLICE.
WE'VE BEEN A BIG CITY WITH ONLY SMALL TOWN PROBLEMS. AND IT'S ONLY BEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE'RE STARTING TO HEAR PEOPLE COMPARE US TO PLACES LIKE HOUSTON OR BALTIMORE OR HEY, IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE ELSE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S HAPPENING HERE.
UM, SO I PUT THAT THERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S HAPPENING, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THAT, UM, WHAT WE BEEN AND WHAT WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE PAST IS A LITTLE BIT ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, IN TERMS OF VIOLENT CRIME, WE'VE BEEN A SAFER PLACE TO LIVE.
AND THAT'S THE GOAL OF THIS DEPARTMENT IS TO GET US BACK THERE.
UM, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THIS YEAR ALONE IN 2020 1, 22 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SHOT DOWNTOWN.
UH, 14 OF THOSE WERE IN THAT ONE LARGE INCIDENT ON JUNE 12TH.
UH, BUT THERE HAD BEEN EIGHT SEPARATE SHOOTING INCIDENTS WHERE THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE OR MORE GUNSHOT VICTIMS. AND THAT UNFORTUNATELY AVERAGES OUT TO A LITTLE BIT OVER ONE PER MONTH, SOMEBODY GETTING SHOT DOWNTOWN.
AND OF COURSE OVER THE COURSE OF 2021 YEAR TO DATE THAT HAS TOTALED FOR PEOPLE TO CEASED AS A RESULT OF THE GUNSHOT WOUNDS, YOU CAN SLIP THE SLIDE.
WE BROKE DOWN THE CRIMES THAT ARE OCCURRING WITH GUNS INTO TWO SEPARATE CATEGORIES.
YOU CAN BREAK THEM DOWN INTO MULTIPLE CATEGORIES, BUT JUST TO KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, WE WERE LOOKING AT, UH, VIOLENT GUN CRIMES.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO BE WHAT ARE CONSIDERED A MINOR POSSESSION CASES OR, UM, AN INSTANCE WHERE SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE SHOT THE GUN INTO THE AIR, BUT NOBODY GOT INJURED.
SO THE TYPES OF CRIMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON THIS SLIDE, WHERE IT SAYS VIOLENT GUN CRIMES ARE GOING TO BE HOMICIDES, ROBBERIES, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, DEADLY CONDUCT INCIDENTS, WHERE PEOPLE ARE EITHER ROBBING EACH OTHER OR SHOOTING AT SOMEBODY OR POINTING A GUN AT SOMEBODY WHERE SOMEBODY IS A COOPERATIVE VICTIM AND IS EXPLAINING THAT THEY WERE FEARFUL FOR THEIR LIVES OR SOMEBODY RECEIVED A GUNSHOT WOUND OR SOMEBODY IS DECEASED.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UH, 2016, UM, A TOTAL OF 26 THE WHOLE YEAR.
UH, LIKE I SAID, IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS SOMEBODY, UM, YOU KNOW, POINTING A GUN AT SOMEBODY AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE WAS FEARFUL FOR THEIR LIFE.
OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN A ROBBERY WHERE SOMEBODY WANTED A GUN AND STOLE SOMEONE'S WALLET, OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN NATIONAL SHOOTINGS.
AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE YEARS, WE ARE LOOKING AT SLOWLY MORE AND MORE.
IF YOU LOOK AT 2021, THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT QUITE YEAR TO DATE.
THEY GO TO THE END OF JUNE, JUST THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS AND WE'RE AT 27 ALREADY.
NOW I THINK IT'S AN EASY KIND OF NATURAL THING TO DO IS TO JUST DOUBLE THAT NUMBER TO SAY, IF WE WENT ON THIS SAME PROGRESSION, WE'D BE AT ABOUT 54 AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT, UH, THAT MAY BE MORE, IT MAY BE LESS, BUT THE TREND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WOULD BE AROUND 50 54, IF WE CONTINUED ON THAT PACE.
SO WE ARE LOOKING IN 2021 AT MORE CRIMES INVOLVING GUNS THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
CAN I INTERRUPT JUST REAL QUICK, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MISS IT.
IS IT, DO YOU HAVE A, UH, QUARTER BY QUARTER BREAKDOWN SO THAT IF, IF, UH, QUARTER ONE WAS, UM, WHAT IN QUARTER TWO WAS QUITE SO IT SO WE CAN SEE WHAT THE TREND IS THERE.
ALSO, WE CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
THEN I HAVE TO SEND OUT LATER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW.
SO THIS SLIDE IS GOING TO, UM, INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO WOULD CONSIDER A D AN UNLAWFUL DISCHARGE WHERE SOMEBODY SHOOTING THE GUN, IF WE SPACE.
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LIKE I SAID, RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE SPECULATING AS TO WHY THAT'S HAPPENING.I DON'T LIKE TO HAVE EVERY SINGLE BULLET POINT OF POSSIBILITIES BECAUSE, UM, IF IT'S, IF IT'S JUST SOMEBODY'S GUESS I DON'T REALLY LIKE TO MEMORIALIZE THAT IN A POWERPOINT, BUT I DID PUT UP SOME OF THE MORE EDUCATED, HARDCORE, UM, REASONINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE KNOW ARE AT LEAST CONTRIBUTING, UM, TO THE INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME IN GENERAL.
AND I WILL SAY THAT THE FIRST ONE, UH, STARTED AS ANECDOTAL, WHERE WE FELT LIKE AS A POLICE COMMUNITY, THE CRIMINALS WERE LESS AFRAID OF PUNISHMENT.
UH, THERE'S A NATIONWIDE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM PUSH, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE SENDING PEOPLE FROM A PUNISHMENT AWAY FROM PRISON, AWAY FROM JAIL.
I WAS DOING A LOT OF MORE, UM, PROBATION AND BOND AND REDUCE SENTENCING.
AND WE FELT LIKE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, WHAT WE'RE HEARING NOW FROM THE CRIMINALS THEMSELVES.
AND FROM A LOT OF THE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS THAT WE TALKED TO DOES THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE SO THAT THERE IS, AND THEY KNOW THAT THEIR COMPETITORS AND THE DRUG PARADES AND THE DRUG MARKETS ARE CARRYING GUNS.
SO THEY HAVE TO CARRY GUNS AS WELL.
SO IT'S KIND OF A DOMINO EFFECT THAT HAS STARTED WITH NO FEAR OF ANY SORT OF PUNISHMENT, UM, FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN GENERAL, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, KIND OF A DUAL PRONGED PROBLEM OF RELEASING VIOLENT OFFENDERS BEFORE I WAS PROMOTED TO COMMANDER HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I WAS THE LIEUTENANT OVER THE HOMICIDE AND THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT UNITS.
SO I HAVE A LOT OF KIND OF FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE OF SEEING THE SAME OFFENDERS OVER AND OVER.
NO, WE CAN'T GET TO ANYBODY FOR THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT THAT DID TO THE JAIL SYSTEM.
I DON'T WORK FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW THEY HAD A, UH, FULL TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS BEST FOR THE INMATES AND WHAT THEY COULD DO OR COULDN'T DO.
SO I'M NOT CASTING ANY BLAME WHATSOEVER, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TO BE RELEASED FROM AFTER THEY WERE ARRESTED AND BEFORE THEIR TRIAL, BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH COVID.
SO I KNOW THAT THAT, UM, WAS PART OF THE, THE ONGOING LOG IN A MORE COMPLEX ISSUE THAT WE SAW.
WE'VE BEEN SEEING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, THERE'S A NATIONWIDE PUSH FOR BAIL REFORM.
UM, THERE IS, UH, SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS TO BE MADE ON WHY WE SHOULD BE MAKING THAT REFORM.
AND I DO SUPPORT ARTS OF IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN REGARDS TO GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT A THREAT TO SOCIETY, IF THEY'RE NOT A PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT, THEN THEY SHOULD BE JAIL ON A PROMISE TO APPEAR AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT A FLIGHT RISK OR A SAFETY THREAT.
BUT, UM, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SAFETY THREATS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS WHO ARE BEING RELEASED ON A PR BOND.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW A PUBLIC, UH, PR BOND IS STANDS FOR PUBLIC RECOGNIZANCE BOND, IT BASICALLY MEANS YOU GET OUT OF JAIL FOR ZERO MONEY ON THE PROMISE THAT YOU'LL APPEAR.
IN THE MEANTIME, SOMETIMES THEY'LL PUT AN ANKLE MONITOR ON SOMEBODY, OR SOMETIMES THEY'LL, THEY'LL MAKE THEM PROMISE TO STAY WITHIN A GEOGRAPHIC AREA, BUT THEY GET OUT OF JAIL ON A PROMISE TO APPEAR AGAIN.
SO THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY OR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE VERY MUCH SUPPORTED, UH, MY MESSAGE THAT IF ANYBODY IS A PUBLIC THREAT, THEY NEED TO STAY IN JAIL.
AND THE PROSECUTORS WORK WITH US VERY, VERY CLOSELY ON THAT.
AND WE PUSHED THAT, UH, ENDEAVOR TO THE JUDGES AND WE TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT IN TEXAS, THE WAY THE LAW IS WRITTEN, ANY DEFENSE LAWYER CAN SUBMIT A MOTION FOR A PR BOND TO ANY JUDGE IN THE COUNTY.
AND IF THAT JUDGE SIGNS IT, THAT PERSON GETS OUT OF JAIL, NO MATTER WHAT THEY WERE UNDER ARREST FOR, UH, IT CAN BE HOMICIDE AND THEY CAN LITERALLY TAKE THE MOTION FOR A PR BOND TO A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE WHO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CASE AND THAT THE JP SIGNS, THE PR BOND, THEY GET OUT OF JAIL.
THERE'S A HANDFUL OF DEFENSE LAWYERS WHO WILL DO THIS OVER AND OVER, NO MATTER WHAT THE CRIME IS.
AND THERE'S A HANDFUL OF JUDGES IN TRAVIS COUNTY WHO WILL SIGN THE PR BOND, NO MATTER WHAT THE CHARGE IS.
SO THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN, UM, ARRESTED FOR ROBBERIES AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, AND THEN THEY GET OUT OF JAIL AND THEY GO BACK AND THEY GET ARRESTED AGAIN.
AND THEN THEY GET OUT OF JAIL AND THEY GET ARRESTED.
AGAIN, WE HAVE HOMICIDES WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO SOLVE THE CRIME BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE WEARING THIS THE VERY SAME ANKLE MONITORS THAT THE JUDGE MADE THEM WEAR WHEN THEY GOT OUT.
UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN RESTED UP TO SIX OR SEVEN TIMES FOR VIOLENT GUN CRIMES, AND THEY JUST KEEP GETTING OUT OVER AND OVER.
SO THAT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM THAT WE'VE SEEN.
I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING AGAIN.
AND CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO FORGET, I'M NOT IN THE SITUATION WHERE WE CAN TAKE NOTES AND THEN GO BACK.
BUT YOU SAID THAT THE JUDGES AND THE ATTORNEYS ARE, HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT, THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING THAT SO THAT ACTUALLY CAN BE TAKEN EITHER NOT VOTE THEM OUT OR, UH, SOMEHOW GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
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THAT THIS IS CAUSE, CAUSE IF THEY GET RELEASED AND SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS, THE, THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GETS, YOU KNOW, BLAMED FOR IT.IT'S LIKE, WHY DIDN'T THEY DO, WHY DIDN'T THEY DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING ENOUGH EVIDENCE OR WHATEVER.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK LOOP LOOK LIKE AND COMMUNICATION ABOUT WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT'S BEEN A QUESTION THAT I HAVE BEEN, UM, TRYING TO FIND A WAY FORWARD, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONAL AND RESPECTFUL WAY TO BRING THAT INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD BE.
I KNOW THAT IT'S ALL PUBLIC INFORMATION.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT GOING TO START LISTING, YOU KNOW, THE NAMES OF JUDGES AND PUT THAT OUT THERE AND INVOLVED IN, UH, A POLITICAL DISCUSSION.
BUT ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT, UM, THAT IS, THAT IS HAPPENING IS ALL PUBLIC.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL NEWS STORIES AND THAT DUTY VEGGIES AND THEY DO NAME SPECIFIC INCIDENTS OF CRIMINALS GETTING OUT OF JAIL AND COMMITTING MORE CRIMES AND WHAT THE VICTIMS HAD TO GO THROUGH.
UM, SO IF YOU GOOGLE, YOU KNOW, THE PR BOND ISSUE AND PEOPLE GETTING OUT ON BOND HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THERE'S AT LEAST TWO OR THREE THAT I CAN THINK OF NEWS STORIES.
UM, OTHER THAN GETTING IT OUT THERE THROUGH THE NEWS, I DON'T KNOW PERSONALLY WHAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE AS, AS A, AS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY, WE CAN'T CAST A POLITICAL OPINION OR, OR MAKE IT SEEM LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO INFLUENCE VOTES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
OFFICER GREENWALD, HOW SUPPORTIVE IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS SAID GARZA WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOW SUPPORTIVE IS HE YOU ON THE PR BOND ISSUE OR IN GENERAL IN GENERAL? UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO SAY THERE'S, UM, HE'S MADE IT A VERY STRONG POINT IN HIS CAMPAIGN TO HOLD POLICE OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE.
AND I THINK WHEN A POLICE OFFICER VIOLATES THE LAW, THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE, BUT IT IS, UH, VERY OBVIOUS AT THIS POINT THAT HE'S, UM, MADE THE PROMISE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HE'S DEFINITELY TRYING REALLY HARD TO DO.
MEANWHILE, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER VIOLENT CRIMINALS WHO ARE NOT BEING PROSECUTED AND ARE GETTING OUT OF JAIL.
SO IT SEEMS A LITTLE FLIP FLOP TO ME.
UM, BUT, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THERE'S A TIME TO APPRECIATE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I'VE SEEN HIM COME OUT AND SAY THAT HE APPRECIATES THE HARD WORK THAT WE DO AND THE JOB THAT WE DO.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE SAME NOTE, HE'S GOING TO HOLD THOSE RESPONSIBLE, WHO HE THINKS NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S JUST, UH, THERE THERE'S TIME WILL TELL IF THOSE INDICTMENTS THAT HE'S GETTING ARE TRULY INDICTED WORTHY, OR IF IT'S JUST PART OF A, UM, A LARGER PLAN OF, UM, OF WHAT HE HAS TO JUST INDICT AS MANY OFFICERS THAT THEY CAN, THE POLICE DO TO HELP THE POLICE FORCE.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, I, THAT, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER, I GUESS, POWERPOINT I COULD BRING TO THE TABLE.
WE APPRECIATE, UM, CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, I THINK IN A SEPARATE CONVERSATION THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS DOWNTOWN IS THE, UM, THE ANGER THAT THEY FEEL IN THAT I'M NOT MAKING UP THE WORDS MYSELF.
I'M JUST KINDA QUOTING THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TALKING TO ME AS BUSINESS OWNERS, DOWNTOWN, THE ANGER THAT THEY FEEL THAT THERE'S THE REVOLVING DOOR IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THAT IF SOMEBODY WERE TO BE PASSING IN THEIR BUSINESS OR STEALING FROM THEIR BUSINESS OR THREATENING THEIR EMPLOYEES OR TURNING OVER TABLES OR SCARING THEIR CUSTOMERS AWAY, THAT THERE IS NO FEAR OF REPERCUSSION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTING TO VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW, THEY DON'T FEAR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND THAT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S AN UNDERLYING, UH, MAYBE THERE'S AN UNDERLYING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE OR AN UNDERLYING ADDICTION PROBLEM THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED FIRST.
AND I SUPPORT 100%, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR FELLOW HUMANS, IF THERE'S A MENTAL HEALTH ADDICTION PROBLEM OR A HOUSING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING PEOPLE IN JAIL, WE CANNOT TICKET AND WE CANNOT ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF THAT PROBLEM.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO WON'T ACCEPT THAT HELP OR HAVE NOT ACCEPTED THAT HELP OVER TIME.
AND THAT JAIL IS A TOOL IN OUR TOOL BELT THAT NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR WHEN THE TIME COMES AND OUR OFFICERS DOWNTOWN.
NO, THE SMALL HANDFUL OF PEOPLE, THEY HAVE TOLD ME THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, WHO OVER AND OVER HAVE REALLY BEEN THE BULLIES AND HAVE BEEN THE, UM, THE INSTIGATORS OF VIOLENCE.
AND WHEN I MEET WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS, THEY ALSO KNOW THE SAME NAMES.
IT'S THE SAME SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT HELP, OR IF THEY DO GET REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, IT MIGHT HELP FOR A DAY OR TWO, OR THEY DON'T FINISH THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
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THEY HAVE EXPRESSED THAT ANGER THAN THAT, THAT THAT'S, THAT THOSE TOOLS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM US.I TRULY BELIEVE THAT, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS TOUGH AS A COUPLE OF YEARS AS IT HAS BEEN.
WE SIGNED UP TO DO THIS JOB BECAUSE WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE.
WE WANT TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.
WE WANT TO MAKE IT A SAFER PLACE.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GO TO JAIL, BECAUSE THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED, THAT PERSON NEEDS A JAIL.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM US, THAT OPTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM US IN SOME INSTANCES.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF WONDERING, AND SCRATCHING OUR HEADS AS TO WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE BUSINESS OWNERS COMPLAINING THAT CITIZENS ARE COMPLAINING.
AND WE KNOW THAT THIS CHARGE IS NOT GOING TO GO.
SO WHEN YOU KIND OF SUMMARIZE, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO SPEAK THEIR, UM, THEIR TRUTHS, THEIR, THEIR BELIEFS, TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD.
IT ONLY GOES SO FAR WHEN IT COMES FROM OUR MOUTH, UM, SPEAK UP AND EITHER AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH WHAT I'M SAYING.
UM, BUT OPINIONS BE KNOWN SO THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE INFLUENCERS, THE ONES WHO ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS ON, ON REFORM AND WHO GETS INTO JAIL AND WHO GETS OUT OF JAIL, KNOW HOW YOU FEEL AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU SUPPORT THAT OR NOT.
LET'S, UH, THAT'S A GREAT SEGUE INTO YOUR SLIDE ON THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND ADDRESSING THAT.
SO BACK IN APRIL, UH, WHEN I WAS IN THE HOMICIDE AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT UNIT, WE WERE HAVING A CRAZY INCREASE IN THE VIOLENT CRIMES IN THE, THE GUN VIOLENCE.
AND SO WE DEVELOPED A PROGRAM CALLED THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM OR VIP FROM THE INVESTIGATION STANDPOINT, WE WERE SEEING THE SAME PEOPLE OVER AND OVER COMMITTING CRIMES, UM, COMMITTING VIOLENT CRIMES, OFTENTIMES WITH GUNS.
IT WAS ALMOST A, UM, UM, SADLY IRONIC SITUATION.
WHEN YOU WOULD SEE THE SUSPECT'S NAME COME UP, OR WE GET THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE OF THE SUSPECT AND SOMEBODY IN THE ROOM WOULD INEVITABLY GO WELL, THAT'S SO-AND-SO, I RESTED HIM LAST MONTH FOR A ROBBERY.
UM, SO WE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON THE REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS WHO ARE USING GUNS.
WE INTRODUCED OUR, UM, ORGANIZED CRIME DIVISION, OUR OCD DIVISION, WHO COULD REALLY SPEND THE EXTRA TIME TO FOCUS ON THOSE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND KISS THEM WITH THE GUNS.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY PARTNER TOGETHER WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PARTNER TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE A FOCUS ON PROSECUTING THOSE CASES THAT WERE THE MOST EGREGIOUS.
AND IN SOME CASES GO FEDERAL ON THE MOST EGREGIOUS CASES.
AND JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS, THEY'VE SEIZED OVER 100 GUNS AND MADE OVER AS A VIOLENT CRIMINAL ASSOCIATES OF WILDLY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
THEY ARE KNOCKING IT OUT OF THE PARK AND DOING A LOT OF REALLY GOOD THINGS.
SO A FEW WEEKS AGO, UM, I REACHED OUT TO OCD AND ASKED IF THEY COULD EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE A DOWNTOWN COMPONENT.
WE HAVE A LARGE CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE ON A FEW DAYS OF THE WEEK AND A FEW HOURS OF THE DAY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF GUNS IN A SMALL GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
AND WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS, UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
OCUS THE, THE PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY FOR DOWNTOWN.
SO IT'S, IT'S AT A DRIVEN MEANING THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN DAYS OF THE WEEK OR CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS DOWNTOWN THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO INCREASE THE CHANCES THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND A GUN OR DRUGS, OR FIND PEOPLE WITH WARRANTS, OR FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE UP TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
THAT'S JUST FROM THE YEARS AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE CALLS THAT WE SEE DOWNTOWN IS BEHAVIOR DRIVEN, MEANING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO START, UM, STOPPING RANDOM PEOPLE.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY, VERY SPECIFIC METHODS METHODOLOGY THAT WE USE WHEN WE LOOK FOR WHO WE WANT TO, UM, FIND IN TERMS OF, UH, LOOKING FOR THE GUNS THAT ARE DOWNTOWN.
OUR GOAL IS TO GET THE GUNS OFF THE STREET BEFORE THEY'RE USED.
UM, WHEN I SAY BEHAVIOR DRIVEN, WE CAN'T GO INTO SPECIFIC DETAILS, BUT, UM, THERE ARE, UM, SOME THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN SOMEBODY'S CARRYING A GUN, THEY TEND TO ACT A CERTAIN WAY.
THEY TEND TO DRESS A CERTAIN WAY TO COVER UP THE BULKINESS TO COVER UP THE HEAVINESS.
AND, UH, IRONICALLY THE BOUNCERS DOWNTOWN, SOME OF THEM WILL, WILL FRISK PEOPLE AT THE FRONT DOORS OF THE CLUBS AND THE BARS.
AND IF SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO GET INTO THE BAR WITH A GUN ON THEIR HIP, THEY WILL TRY TO SHIELD IT AWAY.
AS THEY'RE BEING, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GUNS DOWNTOWN, JUST WATCHING THE FRISKING PROCESS.
AND WHEN SOMEBODY IS OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING FROM THE BOUNCER, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD CLUE THAT WE NEED TO KEEP WATCHING AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OF FOOT.
UM, OUR NIGHT, UH, UNITS IN TOWN OR NIGHTTIME PATROL UNITS IN THEIR SPARE TIME HAVE SEIZED 4 55 GUNS THIS YEAR ALONE, JUST PROACTIVELY GOING OUT AND TRYING TO FIND THOSE GUNS.
SO WHAT WE DO IS, UM, MAKE IT A MULTIPLE UNIT.
WE'RE GONNA INTRODUCE THE CRIME UNIT ALONG WITH THE TROLL, INSTEAD OF JUST DOING IT IN THEIR SPARE TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT TAKING CALLS OR NOT DEALING WITH THE FIGHTS
[00:25:01]
AND THE BAR CLOSING AND THE WRECKS AND THE DRUNKS ON SIXTH STREET.THEY'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH THE ORGANIZED CRIME, UM, OFFICER, AND THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FOCUS THEIR ENTIRE SHIFT ON FINDING AS MANY GUNS AND STOPPING AS MANY PEOPLE FROM COMMITTING THOSE CRIMES AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN THE ORGANIZED CRIME UNIT IS FOLLOWING UP WITH THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS JUST LIKE ON THE OTHER PART OF THE VIP PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE, UM, BEING LOOKED AT VERY, VERY CLOSELY THAT THERE'S NOT A QUICK PR BOND, THAT THERE'S NOT A QUICK DISMISSAL THAT I THINK THE LAST ONE YOU CAN GO TO IS JUST THE QUESTIONS.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
COMMANDER, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, WELL THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WHAT, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT WE'RE GOING EASIER ON CERTAIN CRIMES OR CERTAIN CRIMINALS, IS THAT BECAUSE OF ALEXA PROMISES OR WERE THERE POLICIES THAT SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TOOK SOME OF THE TEETH AWAY FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR ABILITY TO PROSECUTE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OR WAS IT JUST THAT SOME JUDGES THAT ARE, UH, MORE LENIENT TOWARDS A PR BOND? YEAH.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THE JUDGES.
I THINK IT'S A NATIONWIDE KIND OF, UM, TREND WITH, WITH DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND COUNTY ATTORNEYS THAT ARE, YEAH.
AND I THINK THERE'S AN OWNER I'M GOING TO MAKE, PLEASE MAKE SURE I'M NOT TRYING TO SINGLE ANYBODY OUT HERE.
UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD EFFORTS AFOOT TO SAY, HEY, DO WE REALLY NEED TO PUT SOME PEOPLE IN JAIL? JAIL IS NOT THE RIGHT PLACE FOR EVERYBODY.
IF, AS, UM, YOU KNOW, A FIRST TIME OFFENSE OR A NONVIOLENT MISDEMEANOR OR THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR THEY'RE IN NEED OF ADDICTION SERVICES.
THERE'S A REALLY GOOD PROGRAMS OUT THERE.
AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AS A SOCIETY.
AND AS A, AS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING PEOPLE TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE, VIOLENT PEOPLE REPEAT BY PEOPLE WERE GETTING OUT AND THAT'S HAPPENING NATIONWIDE.
YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT IN THE NEWS, IT'S HAPPENING IN NEW YORK, IT'S HAPPENING IN LA, IT'S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN.
AND THE ONLY REASONING THAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU READ ABOUT IT IS THAT THERE IS A PUSH FOR BAIL REFORM.
AND, UH, THERE WAS A PUSH TO NOT HAVE PEOPLE BE IN PRISON AS LONG BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING REHABILITATED THERE.
SO THEY NEED TO BE BACK OUT ON THE STREETS TO TURN THEIR LIFE AROUND.
BUT SOME PEOPLE HAVE PROVEN THROUGH THEIR PAST ACTIONS THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TURN THEIR LIFE AROUND, THAT THEY COULD BE A POTENTIAL REPEAT OFFENDER OR A VIOLENT CRIMINAL OR A CAREER CRIMINAL.
AND WHEN WE FIND THOSE PEOPLE, WE HAVE A DUTY AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIETY, WE HAVE A DUTY TO PUT THEM IN JAIL, TO PROTECT THE REST OF THE SOCIETY.
THE NUMBERS HAVE GONE THROUGH FINALLY BUYS AND SEEING THE SAME NAMES OVER AND OVER.
IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN TO A VICTIM, YOU KNOW, THAT THEIR LOVED ONE HAS BEEN SHOT OR KILLED OR CONCERN.
AND THAT PERSONS WHO DID IT WAS, WAS JUST ARRESTED THE WEEK BEFORE FOR SOMETHING ELSE OR THAT THEY WERE GETTING CONVICTED.
AND ALL THEY GOT WAS SIX MONTHS.
WHEN, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS AGO, THE SAME TYPE OF CRIME MIGHT'VE GOT SIX YEARS.
IT'S JUST A TREND THAT WE'RE SEEING.
UH, YOU MIGHT HEAR VARIOUS REASONS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
UM, I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO DISSECT EACH CASE AND LOOK AT IT FOR WHAT IT IS AND DOGGONE, IT REALLY DESERVES IT.
THEY NEED TO BE IN JAIL OR THEY NEED TO BE IN PRISON THE REST OF THE TIME LET'S WORK ON GETTING AND MAKING THEM A BETTER PERSON.
I HAD SOME QUESTIONS IF YOU, IF THERE'S TIME.
UM, UM, I ACTUALLY HAD A COUPLE OF, WELL, I HAD LOTS OF POINTS IN QUESTIONS ACTUALLY, BUT, UM, UH, ONE IN PARTICULAR, COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO YOU ON THE SLIDE THAT YOU WERE TALKING POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIMES? I NOTICED THAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT ANY CHANGES IN OPEN CARRIER.
PERMITLESS CARRY THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT AND ALSO THE, TO WHAT THE CHANGES IN, IN OPEN CARRY PERMITLESS CARRY THAT ARE COMING UP IN THE NEXT, I THINK SEPTEMBER 1ST IS WHEN THE NEXT ONES, HOW THAT MAY IMPACT THINGS, BECAUSE IT, IT FELT LIKE, UH, APPOINTED OMISSION.
I MEAN, UH, SO I WAS HOPING YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT GOOD QUESTION.
UM, SO I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA TO SHOW THAT THAT HAS DIRECTLY CAUSED AN INCREASE IF THERE'S INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT IS, THAT IS EVIDENTIARY.
THEN I APOLOGIZE FOR ADMITTING IT, MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, UM, DEALING WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, ARRESTING PEOPLE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS SIX YEARS.
I WAS A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATOR AS A DETECTIVE AND FOR TWO YEARS I WAS IN SEX CRIMES.
AND THEN I CAME BACK AS A LIEUTENANT OVER HOMICIDE FOR TWO YEARS.
SO INTIMATELY A LOT OF CASES SEEING WHAT PEOPLE DO BOTH BEFORE THOSE LAWS WERE PASSED
[00:30:01]
WHILE THEY WERE BEING DISCUSSED.AND THEN AFTER THOSE LAWS WERE PASSED, WHAT MY EXPERIENCE IS IS THAT CRIMINALS DON'T CARE WHAT THE CRIMINALS WILL CARRY THE GUN WHEN THEY WANT TO CARRY THE GUN.
AND THAT THOSE LAWS THAT ARE BEING PASSED ALMOST ALWAYS AFFECT THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AND WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO OR WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
SO THE CRIMINALS WHO WANT THE GUNS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST, UM, YOU KNOW, A DRUG ROBBERY, OR THEY'RE GOING TO GO BUY A LARGE AMOUNT OF DRUGS AND THEY'RE FEARFUL, THE OTHER PERSON MIGHT HAVE A GUN.
SO THEY WANT TO HAVE A GUN FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY IN THAT INSTANCE, OR SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO GO OUT AND ROB PEOPLE, THOSE PEOPLE CARRYING GUNS, NO MATTER WHAT OUR LAWS SAY BECAUSE THEY'RE CRIMINALS.
AND THEN MY OTHER POINT THAT I HAD WAS THAT YOU MENTIONED THE RELEASE OF VIOLENT OFFENDERS DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT AND I'LL FORWARD IT OVER TO THE COMMISSION, BUT THE STATE OF TEXAS AND GOVERNOR ABBOTT ACTUALLY PROHIBITED THE RELEASE OF VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
THERE'S AN ACTUAL ORDER THAT WAS ISSUED ON MARCH 29TH, 2020.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT THAT WAS, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN HAPPENING NATIONALLY, BUT AS FAR AS THE STATE OF TEXAS, THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT IT WASN'T THE CAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC THAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS WERE BEING RELEASED.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A POINT OF CONTENTION THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ON, ON ROUTE TO BEING PAROLED THAT ACTUALLY WEREN'T BEING RELEASED.
UM, AND WEREN'T BEING FAST TRACK TO PAROLE TO, TO PAROLE STATUS DURING.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT ONE POINT, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THAT WAS BE TRUE.
THE PRISONS THAT MAY BE TRUE WITH THE PRISON SYSTEM AND PAROLE, BUT IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ARRESTED AND SITTING AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AWAITING TRIAL, THEY ALMOST, OR JAIL, UM, THEY, THEY HAD TO REDUCE THEIR NUMBERS OF PEOPLE AND THEY DID SO DRAMATICALLY.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT PR BONDS AND THEY GOT LOWER BONDS AND THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.
THEY HAD TO, THEY, THAT WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE, THEY WERE KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE AND EVERYBODY WAS IN A TIGHT SPOT FOR THE PANDEMIC.
BUT THAT WAS PART OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WOULD TAKE ISSUE WITH THE DRAWING LINES BETWEEN RELEASING VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
UM, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE.
AND THEN I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION JUST IN TERMS OF HOW SOME OF THESE STATS WERE THAT THERE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU GUYS ARE CATEGORIZING CRIMES HAS CHANGED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS? CAUSE YOU GUYS ARE USING A NEW SYSTEM NOW, CORRECT.
THERE'S A NEW, LIKE THE WAY CRIMES ARE CATEGORIZED, RIGHT.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HOW WE REPORT IT TO THE FBI? YES.
BECAUSE NOW THE, THE, THOSE, THOSE STEPS STATISTICS ARE BEING DRAWN A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY NOW.
WON'T HAVE EXACT DETAILS ON THAT.
I KNOW WE DID GO TO A NEW REPORTING SYSTEM AND IT GETS, IT GETS VERY CONFUSING WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STATISTICS THAT GO TO THE FBI, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH HOMICIDES, APD COUNTS THEIR NUMBERS WITH HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE KILLED, BUT IF IT ENDS UP IN A SELF-DEFENSE CASE THAT DOESN'T GO TO THE FBI.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONWIDE NUMBERS, IN TERMS OF, UM, THE, UH, THE, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE ACRONYM THAT THEY USE, THE IVERS NUMBERS, THEY, THEY WILL LESS THAN WHAT WE REPORT LOCALLY.
SO THERE ARE SOME TIMES SOME DIFFERENCES AND TO DRAW THE, THE MINUTE DETAILS OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, I WOULD HAVE TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH AND GET BACK TO YOU.
SO I APOLOGIZE, BUT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THERE, THERE WAS A CHANGE AND DEPENDING ON WHAT SET OF NUMBERS YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND HOW IT'S DEFINED, THERE ARE OFTEN INACCURACIES.
AND THE, AND THE REASON I WAS ASKING IS BECAUSE I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHETHER OR NOT SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU WERE USING, UM, HOW, HOW MUCH VARIANCE THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN BASED ON THE NEW, THE NEW CATEGORIES OF CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS PROPERTY.
AND I THINK WHAT'S THE LAST CATEGORY SOCIETY.
I'M JUST WONDERING HOW, LIKE, THAT BREAKDOWN MIGHT'VE AFFECTED ANY OF THOSE NUMBERS.
SO THESE NUMBERS WERE PULLED BY THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT PRIME ANALYST, AND THEY WERE NOT PULLED THE FBI NUMBERS.
THEY WERE SIMPLY PULLED TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ADD A GUNSHOT WOUND IN AUSTIN IN THAT SPECIFIC, UM, GEOGRAPHIC AREA, WHICH WAS DOWNTOWN OR WHAT WE CALL GEORGE SECTOR.
SO THEY BASICALLY RAN A REPORT YEAR BY YEAR AND GEORGE SECTOR TO SEE HOW MANY CASES, IF SOMEBODY RE WOUND OR HOW MANY TIMES DID SOMEBODY SEES A GUN.
SO THEY WERE KIND OF AN INTERNAL, UM, RUN SET OF NUMBERS.
I WAS JUST, I'M ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF HOW SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, UM, LINE UP TO SOME OF THE REPORTING THAT WE SEE FROM CHIEF GAYE.
UM, I WAS WONDERING, AND AGAIN, I'M SORRY ABOUT MY IGNORANCE ON THIS, BUT NO PROBLEM.
IF THE VIP PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IS FOCUSING ON HOW MANY GUNS WERE SEIZED.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN YOU WERE REAL CAREFUL ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR STUFF AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NOT PROFILING GOING ON, BUT
[00:35:01]
IF, IF EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO CARRY GUNS, THEN YOU GUYS WILL BE ABLE TO CAPTURE A LOT OF GUNS IF YOU WANT TO, BECAUSE THERE'LL BE VISIBLE AND THERE'LL BE CARRYING IT WITHOUT ANY HESITATION AS TO WHY, AND IF THEY HAVE A LICENSE AND IF THEY HAVE A, UH, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.UM, SO HOW DO YOU EXPECT THAT TO IMPACT THAT THE DATA ON THAT, UM, ON WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THERE, CAUSE IT'S GONNA, YOU, YOU COULD GET A BUNCH OF GUNS IF YOU WANT IT TO.
CAUSE THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE WALKING AROUND WITH THEM QUESTION AND I SHOULD HAVE, I SHOULD HAVE DISTINGUISHED THAT THOSE ARE GUNS THAT WERE BEING CARRIED ILLEGALLY.
UM, IF SOMEBODY IS LEGALLY CARRYING A WEAPON, THEN WE DON'T SEIZE IT.
AND WE DON'T REPORT THAT IN THOSE STATISTICS THAT YOU SAW.
SO IF SOMEBODY HAS A GUN ON HIM, AS THE LAW STANDS NOW, UM, THEY HAVE TO EITHER BE CARRYING WITHOUT A PERMIT.
AND WE HAPPEN TO FIND THEM WITHOUT THAT PERMIT, OR THEY HAVE TO BE CONDUCTING ANY OTHER TYPE OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, MORE TRAFFIC TYPE STUFF.
SO AS WE WORKED TO SEE SOMEBODY SELLING DRUGS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THEN WE FIND OUT WE HAVE, THEY HAVE A GUN NOW THERE'S CRIME INVOLVED.
EVEN IF THEY HAVE A CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSE AND MIGHT HAVE BEEN CARRYING LEGALLY, IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE DRUGS AND THAT'S GOING TO BE NEAR TO THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN AFTER SEPTEMBER 1ST, SOMEBODY CAN CARRY A GUN, WHETHER THEY'RE OPEN CARRY OR PERMITLESS, AND IT MAY NOT BE A CRIME.
UM, BUT ONCE THERE'S MORE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY AND THEN WE HAVE A CRIME INVOLVED IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING DOWNTOWN IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTOXICATED.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF DRUG ACTIVITY INVOLVED IN THESE DISTURBANCES THAT CAUSE THE ROBBERIES AND A LOT OF THESE, UM, DISTURBANCES THAT CAUSE THE INJURIES.
SO IN ORDER TO GET A GUN IN CHARGE, SOMEBODY WITH ANY SORT OF CRIME, THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER CRIMINAL ELEMENT THAT'S INVOLVED WITH IT.
UM, OR THEY HAVE TO BE A FELON.
UH, IF THEY'RE CONVICTED OF A FELONY, THEN THEY'RE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO HAVE THAT GUN.
SO THERE'S, IT'S A TRICKY SITUATION THAT WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE THAT SLOPE, BUT IT'S A GOOD POINT OF DISTINGUISHMENT BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, LAST WEEKEND, UM, THERE WAS A CALL, UM, IN, UM, DOWNTOWN WHERE WE, IN THAT ONE INSTANCE, IN THAT ONE SINGLE INCIDENT, WE FOUND THREE GUNS.
TWO OF THEM WERE ILLEGALLY BEING CARRIED.
THE THIRD PERSON HAD A PERMIT.
IT WAS NOT CONDUCTING ANY OTHER ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.
SO THEY GOT THEIR GUN BACK AND THEY GOT TO GO.
AND SO WE RUN THE STATISTICS THAT WOULD COUNT AS TWO GUNS BEING SEIZED OR BEING INVOLVED WITH ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.
AND THAT THIRD ONE WOULD NOT COUNT.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD THING FOR YOU GUYS TO DO, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS DOING THAT BECAUSE OUR CONCERN, AT LEAST MY CONCERN IS DOUBT AND COMMISSIONER IS TO WHAT, HOW WILL EVERYBODY WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, CARRYING A GUN, HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT TOURISM AND YOU KNOW, WILLINGNESS OF PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR CITY AND, AND BEING AFRAID, UH, INSTEAD OF SIXTH STREET BEING A DRAW, IT COULD END UP THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO GO THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL BE DRINKING AND THERE'LL BE CARRYING GUNS LIKE THE WILD, WILD WEST.
SO IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING, UH, NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO, UM, IN THIS KIND OF GOING TO BE A FEW MONTHS, OR MAYBE A YEAR OUT, BUT KIND OF THE OP OF THE SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE FEARING NO RE NO FEAR OF RETRIBUTION OR PUNISHMENT FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IF THEY DECIDE TO COME DOWNTOWN AND THEY ARE COMMITTING A, A LAW, WHETHER IT'S DRUGS OR DRUNKENNESS OR AWI OR, OR FIGHTING OR WHATEVER IT IS, AND THEY HAVE THEIR GUN WITH THEM TO MAKE IT AN UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON.
WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND THEM.
AND WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS GOING TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
SO THE NEXT TIME THEY COME DOWN, OR THE NEXT TIME THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT COMING DOWN, WHERE THEIR FRIENDS ARE TALKING ABOUT COMING DOWN, WE WANT THERE TO BE A CONVERSATION AMONGST THESE, THESE POTENTIAL INCIDENCES TO SAY, HEY, DON'T BRING YOUR GUN DOWN THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE SERIOUS.
WE WANT THE FLIP SIDE TO HAPPEN.
INSTEAD OF PEOPLE SAYING, HEY, YOU CAN BRING YOUR GUN TO WIRE WHERE YOU WANT, BECAUSE NOBODY CARES RIGHT NOW.
WE WANT THEM TO SAY, HEY MAN, THEY'RE SERIOUS ABOUT IT.
LOOK AT ALL THESE SEIZURES, LOOK AT THESE STATISTICS.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW SO-AND-SO WHO WAS CAUGHT WITH A GUN DOWN THERE WHILE HE WAS SELLING DRUGS AND THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TOOK IT SERIOUSLY.
AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.
AND IT IS MORE THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE KINDS OF EXAMPLES.
I THINK LESS PEOPLE WILL CARRY DOWNTOWN.
SO COMMANDER, LET ME, UH, ALONG THOSE LINES, LET ME ASK YOU CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY.
PEOPLE COME DOWN TO SIXTH STREET OR WHEREVER WITH GUNS AND THEY BECOME INTOXICATED OR THEY'RE INTOXICATED WHEN THEY ARRIVE OTHERWISE LAW ABIDING.
WHAT IS THE PENALTY FOR THAT PERSON? IF THEY ARE PICKED UP UNDER A REPUBLICAN TOXIFICATION WITH A FIREARM, UM, THE WAY THAT I READ THAT STATUTE, I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND READ IT AGAIN.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOU CANNOT CARRY IF
[00:40:01]
YOU'RE GOING TO BE INTOXICATED AND THAT MAKES IT A CLASS, A MISDEMEANOR, UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON.I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE, ALTHOUGH YOU HATE TO HAVE THAT SORT OF MESSAGING, BECAUSE THAT WOULD IMPLY AN INHERENT DANGER DOWNTOWN, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY, UM, IS, UH, UH, COULD BE A PROVOCATIVE, UH, UH, DISINCENTIVE FOR CARRYING A GUN DOWNTOWN IN REGARDS TO THEIR DRINKING.
IF THEY'RE DRINKING OR THEY PLAN TO DRINK, WELL, YOU DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST IT'S INHERENTLY DANGEROUS DOWNTOWN, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, FOLKS NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING, REGARDLESS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY OR ANY OF THE OTHER LAX GUN LAWS THAT WE HAVE THESE DAYS THAT YOU CAN'T BE INTOXICATED AND CARRY A AGAIN AROUND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT IS FROM EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ON THAT TOPIC.
YEAH, I WAS, I WAS, AS YOU WERE SAYING THAT I WAS THINKING, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S ANOTHER WEAPON THAT WE'VE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE WHO ARE DRUNK FROM USING IT AND THAT'S PEOPLE'S CARS.
CAUSE THEY CAN KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE IF THEY'RE DRIVING WHILE THEY'RE DRUNK.
I JUST WONDER IF WE'RE GOING TO CREATE A PROGRAM WHERE AT A BAR, IF YOU'VE HAD ONE TOO MANY AND YOU'RE CARRYING A GUN THAT YOU CAN GIVE THE BARTENDER YOUR GUN SO THAT IF YOU DO GET BUSTED THAT, UH, THAT IT WILL BE WITHOUT A GUN.
IT'S JUST, UH, IT JUST KIND OF WAS A FUNNY THOUGHT, BUT IT'S LIKE, OH, I WONDER.
YEAH, THAT WAS QUICK SPECIFIC.
A QUICK FOLLOWUP QUESTION, JUST ABOUT, UM, THE GUN POSSESSION AND NON-INJURY CRIMES NUMBERS.
DO YOU HAVE AN IDENTITY OR A SENSE OF WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WERE, UM, IN THOSE GUNS WERE FOUND IN AUTOMOBILES? NO.
UM, I THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD AMOUNT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AROUND HALF, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, THE OVERWHELMING MINORITY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND HALF OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FOUND WITH THEM.
SOME OF THOSE ARE BECAUSE WE, WE GO TO A DISTURBANCE AND WE FIND A GUN OR THERE'S ALREADY GUNSHOTS AND WE'VE STOPPED SOMEBODY.
SOME OF THEM ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A SIMPLE DWI ARREST.
AND THEN WE FIND A GUN AFTERWARDS OR WE STOP OR BECAUSE IT'S GOING THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE-WAY STREET.
UM, WE MAKE AN ARREST FOR WARRANT AND WE FIND A GUN.
THOSE SORTS IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SO IT COULD BE EITHER OR CAUSE THOSE FIGURES ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO, UM, IN TERMS OF RESIDENCES BEING LIKE, I, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A PICTURE OF WHERE THOSE, THOSE GUNS, WHERE THE GUNS WERE.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RESIDENTS IS IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY FEW.
THAT'S EITHER GOING TO BE COOL OR IT'S GOING TO BE ON A PERSON.
SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF RESIDENCES.
PEOPLE WALKING AROUND ON SIXTH STREET VERSUS SOMEBODY GETTING PULLED OVER FOR DRUNK DRIVING AND THERE BEING A GUN FOUND IT.
I MEANT, I MEANT, I MEANT AROUND HALF AND HALF VEHICLE VERSUS PEDESTRIAN.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT RESIDENCES AT ALL.
IF THEY'RE ALREADY RESIDENCES, THERE'S GOING TO BE A VERY SMALL MINORITY.
COMMISSIONER, YOU COMMISSIONER HAD A QUESTION.
UH, COMMANDER GREENWELL FIRST, LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND ALL OF YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR GROUP AS WELL.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY ESSENTIAL.
UM, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP AND WE MAY NOT HAVE A LOT OF TIME FOR THIS, BUT, UH, YOUR DANCE VERY BRIEFLY ON THIS ISSUE OF DATA-DRIVEN.
AND I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT, UH, IS SORT OF THE CUTTING EDGE OF WHERE POLICING IS.
AND, UH, THERE'S A BALANCE, OBVIOUSLY DEPARTMENTS ARE HAVING TO MAKE BETWEEN, UH, INFORMATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN ALSO PUBLIC PRIVACY OF INDIVIDUALS.
UH, I GUESS THE, THE REAL QUESTION IS, IS, ARE YOU SEEING THIS AS A VEHICLE THAT YOU INCREASINGLY BE ABLE TO WORK FROM? AT LEAST SOME OF THE EARLY CLAIMS HAVE BEEN THAT, UH, ONE OF THE OTHER ADVANTAGE OF, IN ADDITION TO PUTTING THE FOURTH IS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE IS ALSO MAXIMIZING THE REALITY OF HAVING FEWER FORCES.
SO I WONDER IF IS COMING INTO PLAY OR THAT SOMETHING IS PART OF THE PLAN.
UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE INTRODUCING NEW ELEMENTS.
YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THAT ASPECT OF THE DATA ANALYSIS AND LEARNING HOW TO DO THAT.
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, DO YOU SEE THIS AS A WAY OF LEVERAGING, UH, WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY RIGHT NOW, A DEPLETED NUMBER OF, UH, UH, OFFICERS THAT WERE AVAILABLE? UM, I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY A TALKING POINT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
[00:45:01]
WITH THE DOWNTOWN AREA BECAUSE WE STAFF AT A A HUNDRED PERCENT, NO MATTER WHAT, WE SIMPLY CAN'T HAVE ANY LESS.AND THE OTHER PATROL COMMANDERS ARE ALL CARRYING VACANCIES THAT THEY HAVE TO HIRE OVERTIME FOR, OR JUST HIT THE STREETS WITH FEWER OFFICERS, IF YOU KNOW, AN UNUSUAL AND KIND OF A SAD SITUATION THAT THE CITY IS FACING RIGHT NOW.
UM, THERE SHOULD BE MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS EVERY NIGHT, BUT THERE'S NOT, BUT DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THE LARGE CROWD, BECAUSE OF THE, HOW QUICK, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN AND HOW VIOLENT IT CAN BE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS THERE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE FULL STAFFING.
AND OFTENTIMES WE STAFF TO OVER A HUNDRED.
AND IF IT'S A BUSY SATURDAY NIGHT WHERE THERE'S A HOME FOOTBALL GAME OR A, A FESTIVAL OR A PARADE, WE'LL NOT ONLY REQUIRE OUR SHIFTS TO BE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT WE'LL TELL HIM TO HIRE TWO EXTRA PEOPLE.
SO, UM, I THINK YOU MAKE A VALID POINT WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
UM, I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT, UM, IN KIND OF A LUCKY, FORTUNATE SPOT, BUT I'VE GOT THE PEOPLE I NEED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, BUT IN TERMS OF THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, WE'RE GOING TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE, UM, ON TOP OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE SO THAT THEY CAN FOCUS ON THIS AND THIS ALONE.
I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE DISTRACTED WITH BAR CLOSING OR FIGHTS IN THE STREET OR DWAI OR ANY CALLS THAT MIGHT COME IN.
I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO JUST DRIVE STRAIGHT FORWARD AND LOOK DOWN AT, UM, WHAT THEY CAN GET IN TERMS OF PREVENTING THE GUN VIOLENCE AND NOT BE DISTRACTED.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS YET? I HAVE A QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS COMMISSIONER.
WE, WE DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO AND, UH, ABSOLUTELY HELPING WITH DOWNTOWN, UH, QUESTION, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO THE, UH, PRIMARY AREAS WHERE THESE ARE, WHERE GUN VIOLENCE IS AN ISSUE AND AS, AND ALSO, UM, TALK ABOUT TIME OF DAY AS WELL AS DAYS.
SO IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY BUSIER WHEN THERE'S MORE DRUNKS OUT.
THERE'S MORE GUNS OUT IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY NIGHTS, 10 TO FORAY IS THE TIMES AND DAYS THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT, BUT THAT'S MAINLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT IT'S BETWEEN FIFTH AND SEVENTH STREET BETWEEN CONGRESS AND 35 IS THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT WHERE PEOPLE ARE OUT IN A HIGH CONCENTRATED AREA.
A LOT OF GUN VIOLENCE IS HAPPENING ALONG SEVENTH STREET IN PARKING.
PEOPLE ARE KIND OF LINGERING AND LOITERING IN THE PARKING LOTS, EITHER JUST HANGING OUT PARTYING.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO A BAR AND BUY ALCOHOL, OR THEY'RE DOING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL IN THE PARKING LOTS IN THE SHADOW OF DARKNESS.
AND ALSO IN SOME OF THE PARKING GARAGES WHERE THERE'S JUST NOT A LOT OF LIGHT AND POLICE ACTIVITY.
SO WE ARE ABLE TO USE THIS TEAM TO GO AND KIND OF INFILTRATE THOSE AREAS AND BE THERE AND SHOW A POLICE PRESENCE, DISRUPTIVE ACTIVITIES AS BEST WE CAN AND NOT BE DISTRACTED BY EVERYTHING ELSE IS OUR INTENTION.
SO, SO WE NEED TO GO OUT BEFORE 10 O'CLOCK OR GO HOME BEFORE 10 O'CLOCK THE REST OF THE WORLD.
ANYBODY ELSE? I'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION WITH, IN REGARD TO DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, Y'ALL WERE KIND ENOUGH TO COME DO A BRIEFING ON THE HOMELESS SITUATION IN YOUR OUTREACH TO THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY DOWNTOWN.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD UPDATE US ON THAT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S GOING FANTASTIC.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES, FIRST OF ALL, HATS OFF TO THEM, I'VE NEVER BEEN A DR.
I'VE NEVER DONE THAT TYPE OF WORK BEFORE.
THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.
THEY DON'T JUST GO OUT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK FOR A FIVE MINUTES SOLUTION.
THEY REALLY, REALLY TALK TO PEOPLE, GET TO KNOW PEOPLE, GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.
THEY KNOW PEOPLE, THEY KNOW THEIR BACKSTORIES.
AND OVER THESE FOUR MONTHS WHERE WE'RE DOING THIS EDUCATION OUTREACH, THEY HAVE GAINED VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.
THEY HAVE, UH, BROUGHT PEOPLE TO THE NEXT PLACE WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.
UM, THEY THEY'RE S THEY'RE GETTING MORE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE THAN I EVER THOUGHT THEY WOULD BEFORE PEOPLE ARE, UM, WORKING WITH THEM.
THEY'RE CLEANING UP CAMPS TOGETHER, THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES AND THE, THE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESS TOGETHER, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING IT IN PART OF THEIR, UM, TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR LIFE STORIES AND WHY THEY'RE IN AUSTIN AND WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
NEXT, WHAT WE DISCOVERED WAS THAT, UM, IN THIS SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE OUTREACH THAT THEY'RE DOING DOWNTOWN AND OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY AND THE LARGE CAMPS.
SO THERE'S NOT AN ALL ENCOMPASSING HOMELESS ANSWER, BUT IN THE, THE MAJOR CAMPING AREAS THAT YOU'VE SEEN, WHERE ALL THE TENTS ARE ALL OVER THE CITY OF AUSTIN,
[00:50:02]
APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20% OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE TALKING TO HAVE SAID THAT THEY CAME TO AUSTIN BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY HEARD ABOUT HOW WE P WE TREAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.THEY CAME HERE FOR THE SERVICES AND THE LAX ENFORCEMENT, AND THAT NOW THEY'RE READY TO GO BACK HOME OR WHEREVER THEIR NEXT PLACE IS, OR THEY JUST CAN'T.
SO THEY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE AUSTIN AREA TO GET TO THEIR NEXT PLACE IN LIFE, WHETHER THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE A OR FRIENDS OR SUPPORT GROUP, OR IS WHERE THEY'RE FROM, OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT REASONS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
UM, BUT THERE WAS A FAIRLY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO JUST FLAT OUT, YOU KNOW, I'M READY TO GO, I'M READY TO LEAVE AUSTIN AND GO BACK TO WHERE I WAS OR WHERE I WANT TO GO NEXT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE TO ME AS SOUNDING NUMBERS.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT HIGH.
AND WE NEVER WOULD HAVE FOUND THAT OUT IF WE HADN'T HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND, AND TALK TO PEOPLE.
BUT, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ARREST IN SOME PEOPLE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME HOLDOUTS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, RDRS ARE DOING A BANG UP JOB OF REALLY TALKING TO PEOPLE AND CONVINCING THEM TO GO TO A SAFE PLACE.
THAT'S, THAT'S SANCTIONED BY THE CITY AND, UH, AND GET TO THE NEXT PLACE.
UM, WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO IN HELPING TO MAKE OUR DOWNTOWN SAFE AND INCLUSIVE FOR EVERYBODY, AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION.
UH, BUT WE ARE GONNA, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON AND LET YOU HAVE THE REST OF YOUR EVENING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR A VERY ENGAGING CONVERSATION.
[2.b. Convention Center Strategic Outlook: Presentation by Trisha Tatro and Katy Zamesnik, Austin Convention Center Department (ACCD) ]
UH, THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS WE'VE GOT IS THE CONVENTION CENTER, STRATEGIC OUTLOOK, AND WE HAVE TRISHA TATRO ANDUH, I AM TRICIA, TAITRA THE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT.
I'M JOINED BY KATIE SMS, NICK, OUR ACTING CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
UH, WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF PRESENTING YOU ALL WITH AN UPDATE, UM, ON THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION PLANS THIS EVENING.
AND WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION IF AVI HAS IT.
IF YOU COULD MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, BEFORE WE DIVE INTO, UH, THE EXPANSION UPDATE, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A RECAP AS TO HOW WE GOT HERE.
UM, THE IDEA FOR AN EXPANSION HAS BEEN CONTEMPLATED FOR NEARLY A DECADE.
AND FIRST FORMALLY DECLARED IN 2015 WITH THE PUBLICATION OF OUR DEPARTMENT, LONG RANGE MASTER PLAN.
IT RECOMMENDED A NON-CONTIGUOUS EXPANSION TO THE WEST, A RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS CARRIED OUT THROUGH SUBSEQUENT STUDIES BETWEEN 2015 AND 2017 AT COUNCIL'S DIRECTION.
THE UT CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STUDIED A POTENTIAL EXPANSION, AND ALSO CONCLUDED THAT A WEST EXPANSION WAS THE ONLY VIABLE OPTION.
COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE, OF AN ADDITIONAL 2% HOT TAX IN LATE 2019 IN SUPPORT OF AN EXPANSION.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE CONVENTION, THE CONVENTION CENTER STAFF WORKED TOWARD A MASTER PLAN UPDATE AND AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY TO CONFIRM THE VIABILITY OF AN EXPANSION.
THESE REPORTS CONCLUDED THE FOLLOWING.
IT ESTIMATED THAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO AUSTIN AT THE COMPLETION WOULD BE $300, $300 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY, IT WOULD PROVIDE OVER $14 MILLION IN TAX REVENUE TO THE CITY AND SUPPORT OF OVER 1700 ADDITIONAL JOBS EXPANSION OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONGOING INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE WATERLOO GREENWAY, THE PUMP DISTRICT AND PROJECT CONNECT WOULD TRANSFORM THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF DOWNTOWN INTO A COMMUNITY CENTRIC DESTINATION.
AND THE EXPANSION WILL GREATLY EXPAND THE AVAILABLE RENTAL SPACE FOR THE EXISTING CONVENTION CENTER AND ALLOW THE CONVENTION CENTER TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN, IN OUR MARKETPLACE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020 COUNCIL, THERE WE GO.
COUNCIL APPROVED THE CITY TO ENTER INTO AN EXCLUSIVE NEGOTIATING AGREEMENT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO THE WEST OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WHILE BOTH SIDES WORK WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY TO REACH A DEAL THAT WOULD
[00:55:01]
WORK.ULTIMATELY THE FINAL PROPOSAL WAS UNABLE TO DELIVER THE PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS NEEDED BY THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE COST EXCEEDED WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED SINCE THE DECISION TO END THE NEGOTIATIONS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH OUR CONSULTANTS TO DEVELOP A PROOF OF CONCEPT.
EARLY DISCUSSIONS ARE INCREDIBLY PROMISING, UH, PARALLEL TO THAT.
WE ARE WORKING TO UPDATE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT MODEL AND THE FINANCING PLAN FOR THE NEW EXPENSE EXPANSION PLAN.
AND ALSO, UH, GIVEN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM COVID OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
OUR EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE SHOWN THAT RE-IMAGINING THE CONVENTION CENTER CAN STILL PROVIDE A LARGER FACILITY ON A MORE COMPACT FOOTPRINT.
IT WILL ALLOW FOR A FASTER CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLETION TIMELINE.
IT WILL ALLOW FOR A TEAR DOWN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE CURRENT FACILITY IN ALL DIRECTIONAL PHASES.
IT WILL EASE CONGESTION AND OPEN UP THE STREETS AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
IT WILL ALLOW FOR AN UNDERGROUND BUILD AND NAVIGATION OPTIONS.
IT WILL ALIGN FULLY WITH THE PALM DISTRICT RESOLUTION.
IT WILL COMPLIMENT THE EFFORTS OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY, AND IT WILL ALIGN WITH FUTURE PROJECT CAPITAL METRO BLUE LINE, UH, WITH THE DIRECT LINE TO THE AIRPORT AND A STATION AT THE CONVENTION CENTER IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE PROJECT DELAYS AND BUDGET IMPACTS, WE TOOK FORTH AND RCA ON JUNE 10TH, 2021 TO CITY COUNCIL AND REQUESTED THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE USE OF THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK METHODOLOGY OF CONTRACTING AS THE PROPERTY, AS THE PROPER DELIVERY METHOD FOR A CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION IN TANDEM TO THIS ITEM, COUNCIL ALSO PASSED A RESOLUTION WHICH PROVIDES FURTHER DIRECTION FOR ELEMENTS TO INCLUDE IN THE RFQ FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES.
AND IT DIRECTS THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, THE PALM DISTRICT, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, AND THE WATERLOO GREENWAY BE INCLUDED IN THE EVALUATION PANEL FOR THE RFQ IN ADDITION TO CITY STAFF.
SO THESE ARE THE RESULTS OF THE WORK DONE TO RETHINK AND REIMAGINE THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
THESE MINIMUM TARGETS ON THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN WILL ALLOW US TO BUILD AN EXPANSION THAT WILL SEE US THROUGH THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES AND CONTINUE ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH OUR PEER SETS AND REACH THE NEXT TIER OF BUSINESS.
SO YOU WILL SEE OUR CURRENT SPACE FOR EXHIBIT HALLS, MEETING ROOMS AND BALLROOMS WHAT OUR MASTER PLAN TARGET WAS.
AND THEN THE NEW MINIMUM PROGRAMMING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, FOR THE EXPANSION WITHIN OUR EXISTING FOOTPRINT.
THE CONVENTION CENTER IS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING A PROJECT THAT DELIVERS ON THE ABOVE DOCUMENTS.
WE CONSIDER THESE TO BE OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE EXPANSION.
WE BELIEVE THAT COMBINED THEY WILL GIVE THE DEPARTMENT, THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY, THE PROJECT THAT IT DESERVES.
SO WHAT'S NEXT THIS FALL, WE ANTICIPATE REALLY ISSUING THE RFQ FOR ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH THE GOAL TO HAVE APPROVAL OF THE SELECTED FIRM TO COUNCIL IN THE SPRING OF 2022, A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE ISSUANCE OF THE RFQ, WE WILL ISSUE AN RFP FOR THE SELECTION OF A CONTRACTOR TO PERFORM GENERAL CONTRACTOR SERVICES.
WE ANTICIPATE REQUESTING COUNCIL APPROVAL FOR THE SELECTED FIRM IN THE SUMMER OF 2022 IN TANDEM WITH THE, UM, INITIATION OF THE DESIGN FOR THE EXPANSION.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE RELATED TO THE PRESENTATION AND, UM, OUR EXPANSION PLAN OVERALL.
[01:00:02]
UM, AS YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY AND OTHER NEW CONVENTION CENTERS AND RELATED FACILITIES, YOU SEE A MAJORITY OF THEM OR A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM ARE USING THE P THREE CONCEPT WHERE THEY GO OUT TO THE MARKET AND ASK FOR PROPOSALS FROM THE PRIVATE MARKET AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE CAN DO HERE? AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS GOING TO BE TO US TO ULTIMATELY REDUCE THE COST? I WOULD SAY VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT UT IS DOING RIGHT NOW AT THE MOODY CENTER WHERE THEY'RE GETTING A WHOLE STADIUM AND NOT PAYING ANYTHING.AND IN 35 YEARS, THEY'RE GOING TO OWN IT FREE AND CLEAR.
UM, THIS CONVENTION CENTERS CURRENTLY SITS ON, I BELIEVE IT WAS AT SIX SQUARE BLOCKS OF DOWNTOWN PROPERTY, UNENCUMBERED BY TIGHT RESTRICTIONS OR ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, MAJOR OVERLAYS.
AND IT JUST SEEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE SOME WAY TO COMBINE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO DO IT WITH A P THREE TO LET THE PRIVATE MARKET TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THOSE, UH, ENTITLEMENTS, BUT LET THE CITY ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT BY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THEIR COSTS AND ULTIMATELY, MAYBE EVEN HANDLING THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHY, WHY HAVEN'T WE LOOKED IN THAT DIRECTION AS WELL.
I KNOW YOU LOOKED WEST, BUT THAT WAS EXPANSION WEST.
WHY AREN'T YOU LOOKING THAT WAY ON THE EXISTING PROPERTY? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.
UH, UH, WE DID TAKE, UH, THE TIME TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND LOOK AT ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED OR AVAILABLE TO DELIVER ON AN EXPANSION PROJECT.
UH, WE DID LOOK AT THE P THREE DEVELOPMENT WHEN WE WERE LOOKING TO EXPAND TO THE WEST PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE DID NOT OWN ANY OF THE LAND TO THE WEST.
UM, WE CURRENTLY OWN ALL OF THE LAND THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER SITS ON.
UM, AND WHEN WE, UH, WE HAVE A VERY TIGHT BUDGET FOR THIS PROJECT AND WHEN TAKING A LOOK AT, UM, AND WE HAVE A VERY TIGHT TIMELINE FOR THIS BUDGET, UM, WE HAVE NEEDED AN EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, SO WHEN WE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THAT WE OWN OUR OWN LAND, UH, THERE, UH, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT, THAT IT WOULD BE MOST ECONOMICAL AND, UH, THE FASTEST WAY TO, TO REDEVELOP THE EXISTING CONVENTION CENTER WOULD BE THROUGH THE CMR METHODOLOGY.
HOWEVER, THERE, THERE IS A PORTION OF THE LAND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTENDING TO REDESIGN, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER BECAUSE WE ARE, UH, LIMITED TO OUR EXISTING FOOTPRINT, UH, THAT DOES MEAN THAT WE WILL NEED TO GO EITHER SUB GROUND AND VERTICAL IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE SPACE.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE UT STUDY, UM, AND THROUGH THE PUMP DISTRICT RESOLUTIONS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME VERY SPECIFIC, UM, GOALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REACH, WHICH IS OPENING SOME OF THE MAIN STREETS BACK UP SO THAT THERE'S, UM, EASTERN WEST CONNECTIVITY AGAIN.
UM, AND SO THERE, THERE IS GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME P THREE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE, WITHIN THIS EXISTING SITE, WHICH WOULD OPERATE AS A SEPARATE PROJECT, UM, FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, EXPANSION PLAN ITSELF.
SO THIS, THE INTENTION OF THIS WOULD BE, UH, TO BE, UH, TO HAVE TWO P TWO, UH, WAYS TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT, TO REACH THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY'S BENEFIT AND THE, THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THIS LAND.
SO THEN WHY WOULDN'T YOU, UH, SOLICIT THE THREES FOR THE ENTIRE CONVENTION CENTER PROVIDING THEY COULD ALSO PROVIDE THE, OR FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE EXPANSION.
WE BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD BE MORE COSTLY.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, THE CONVENTION CENTERS, UM, ALL OF THE STAFF THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS WITH FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO, UM, AN EXAMPLE THAT YOU USED OF THE MOODY CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM RUNNING AND OPERATING THAT FACILITY AND IN GIVING IT TO UT 30 YEARS LATER, UM, WOULDN'T BE A VIABLE OPTION FOR US AT THIS POINT, UM, BECAUSE WE DO EMPLOY ALL OF OUR OWN EMPLOYEES, RIGHT.
BUT WHAT IF THEY WERE RUNNING AND OPERATING ALL THE PRIVATE FACILITIES, NOT THE CONVENTION CENTER ITSELF, THE CITY WOULD STILL BE OPERATING.
THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT.
YEAH, WE, WE WOULD NOT BE OPERATING.
[01:05:04]
WE WOULD, IT'D BE GETTING IT READY FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND THEN ISSUING A SOLICITATION FOR THAT REDEVELOPMENT.IT WOULD NOT BE POTENTIALLY A LONG-TERM GROUND LEASE.
UM, AND JUST TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON TRISHA'S POINT ABOUT THE ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE IN THE BEGINNING TO COME TO THE THEME, OUR METHODOLOGY IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE HAVE AN IN-HOUSE DEPARTMENT THAT TAKES A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS THAT OF THINGS OF THIS NATURE.
AND THEY WERE THE ONES THAT DID THAT ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THAT THIS WAS THE MOST APPROPRIATE PATH FORWARD.
WELL, I, I, LIKE I SAID, I WAS JUST WONDERING, IT JUST SEEMS THAT THAT'S NOT THE PATH THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USING AROUND THE COUNTRY RECENTLY.
AND, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SEEN MORE INFORMATION ON WHY THAT PATH WASN'T PURSUED AT LEAST A LITTLE FURTHER OR SIMULTANEOUSLY, BUT, OKAY, THANK YOU.
AM I ON THIS THING? OKAY, GREAT.
UM, YEAH MEAN GIVEN THAT LIKE NONE OF THE PROJECTIONS FROM THE FIRST CONVENTION CENTER CAME TO FRUITION FOR TRUE.
WHY, WHY ARE WE TO ACCEPT THESE CURRENT PROJECTIONS? AND THEN NOW YOU HAVE THE MOODY CENTER TO COMPETE AGAINST.
UM, I JUST FIND IT HARD PILL TO SWALLOW GIVEN THE, UH, THE, THE OUTLOOK OF CONVENTIONS AND EVERY MAGAZINE I'VE READ ABOUT CONVENTION SUGGESTS THAT IT'S A, IT'S AN INDUSTRY IN DECLINE AS IT WAS BEFORE PAN DEMIA AND WILL PROBABLY BE AFTER.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHY WE'RE, WE'RE STILL CHARGING AHEAD FORWARD, EVEN THOUGH THE ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED AND WE'RE BASING IT ON ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE NEVER PROVEN OUT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND NOW WE SAY, WELL, WE NEED IT TO BE, IT NEEDED TO JUST BE BIGGER IN ORDER TO GET MORE BUSINESS.
I'M JUST FINDING IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE TO BELIEVE CURRENT PROJECTIONS IF THE LAST ONES WERE SO OFF, AND THEN ALSO, IF YOU COULD ALSO, AND I'LL JUST ASK THESE TWO QUESTIONS NOW AND YOU ALL CAN JUST ANSWER.
AND ALSO THE MAYOR WHO WAS PUSHING PRETTY HARD FOR THIS TO BE SOME SOMETHING HAVING TO DO WITH HELPING HOMELESSNESS.
AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE, UM, THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT HELPING THE UNHOUSED SITUATION HERE WITH THIS CONVENTION CENTER.
SO I'M WONDERING IF THAT PROMISE IS GONE OR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS ANYMORE, OR WHAT, THANKS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER THE BEST, FIT THE QUESTION AS BEST AS I CAN.
UM, I CAN NOT SPEAK TO, I MEAN, FROM ALL THE, FROM ALL OF THE INFOR, SO I'VE BEEN INTERIM IN THIS JOB FOR 16 MONTHS, WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
UM, ALL OF THE STUDIES THAT I HAVE READ, UH, YOU KNOW, SEEM TO BE PRETTY ACCURATE.
UH, THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE THAT WE GAVE THIS PAST SUMMER, UM, YOU KNOW, WAS AN UPDATE TO ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE PREVIOUSLY, AND THEY STUCK, IT STILL SHOWED THAT THE ECONOMICS WERE THERE AND THAT THERE WAS A STRONG DEMAND FOR CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
UM, WE ARE ADDITIONALLY DOING, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL WORK, UH, WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, UM, LOOKING AT THE EFFECTS OF COVID, UM, ON THE OUT THE OUTCOME OR THE OUT YEARS RELATED TO HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, BUT FROM EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE SEEING WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, THERE'S STILL A VERY STRONG DEMAND, UM, FOR CONVENTIONS IN THE CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY.
UH, WE HAVE SEEN, UM, ALREADY AN INCREASE IN OUR BOOKINGS, UH, POST COVID FOR, UM, THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, FUTURE YEARS.
UM, THERE WERE CERTAINLY PENT UP DEMAND, UM, GIVEN THE FACT THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN HOME FOR OVER A YEAR, UM, AND OUR INDUSTRY IS COMING BACK.
UM, THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED OR IS ACCURATE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO PRODUCE, UH, FOR AN EXPANSION MOVING FORWARD SHOWS THAT, UM, SHOWS THAT INFORMATION.
SO WE DO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A VERY LARGE PROJECT AND A LOT OF MONEY, UM, THAT, THAT WOULD GO INTO THIS FREE, UH, RE TRANSFORMATION OF, UH, THIS QUADRANT OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND SO WE FEEL WE'VE VERY STRONGLY, YOU KNOW, STAND BY OUR NUMBERS AND, AND, UH, BY THE, THE RESEARCH AND THE WORK THAT OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE DONE, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE HOMELESSNESS, UM, I BELIEVE YOU'RE PROBABLY REFERENCING THAT THE MAYOR, UM, HAD TALKED ABOUT ATP, WHICH IS A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
UM, BUT THAT WOULD, UM, THAT HAS, THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATION AND THERE HAS BEEN WORK BEING DONE ON THAT, UH, FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, WHICH WOULD, UM, HAVE THE HOTELS, UH, INCREASED THE TAX VOLUNTARILY, INCREASED THE TAX THAT THEY PUT ON, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO STAY IN THE HOTELS AND A PORTION OF THAT MONEY, UM, AFTER IT WAS USED
[01:10:01]
FOR MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS OF, UH, AUSTIN AND THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR BUSINESS, UM, SOME PORTION OF THAT MONEY WOULD THEN BE FREE AND FAIR AND ELIGIBLE, UM, FOR THE, FOR USE, UH, AS THE CITY SEES FIT.UM, THE MAYOR, I BELIEVE AS IDENTIFIED HOMELESSNESS, UM, THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE STILL ONGOING.
UM, AND, UH, I THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH THE UPDATE THAT I HAVE AT THIS TIME.
SO THEY HAVEN'T ACTUALLY GIVEN ANY MONEY YET.
WE BOUGHT, IT TAKES SOME TIME WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, ON AN OVERALL PLAN.
IT USUALLY TAKES, UM, A FEW YEARS TO GET UP AND GOING A FEW YEARS TO GET UP AND GOING TO GET HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX MONEY TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS A FEW YEARS.
AND WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT A FEW YEARS AGO, RIGHT? YES, YOU'RE CORRECT.
UM, IT, IT TAKES GETTING ALL OF THE HOTELS ON BOARD.
UM, THEY HAD TO HIRE A CONSULTANT, THEY HAD TO WRITE THE PROGRAMMING.
UM, THEY HAD TO RESEARCH HOW IT WAS DONE IN OTHER CITIES.
UM, AND SO THERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS T-PIN TO COVID.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CITIES WHERE TENDERS ARE PROFITABLE? CONVENTION CENTERS ARE PROFITABLE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
JUST WONDERING FOR A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, THAT'S ALL LIKE, I KNOW LA IS, BUT THEN YOU ALSO LEASE IT OUT TO LIKE ANOTHER COMPANY TO RUN AND THEY PAY RENT IN HAWAII, HIS NAME.
YEAH, I CAN GO AHEAD AND FEEL THAT ONE.
THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE GET ASKED QUITE A BIT.
UM, AND THEN THE ANSWER IS, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT JUST, DO WE HAVE A COST RECOVERY MODEL? THE ANSWER IS NO, AND THAT IS BY DESIGN THE WAY THAT OUR COSTS, THE WAY THAT OUR COST OF SERVICE IS DONE IN OUR BUSINESS MODEL IS DONE IS IT IS IN SUCH A WAY SO THAT WE MAXIMIZE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
THERE IS A VERY STRONG ANALYSIS DONE FOR EVENTS WHEN WE GIVE DISCOUNTS, WHICH IS THE NORM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY.
WE DO END UP IN THE BLACK, BUT IF YOU LOOK STRICTLY AT HOTEL, OR IF YOU LOOK STRICTLY AT THE OPERATIONAL REVENUE, YOU ARE CORRECT, AND THAT YOU WILL FIND THAT AS THE CASE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, SO IT IS, IT'S MISLEADING TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE CENTERS AREN'T PROFITABLE.
UM, THEY, THEY CERTAINLY PROVIDE A MUCH LARGER BENEFIT THAN JUST THE, JUST THE REVENUE THAT THEY GENERATE THEMSELVES.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT OPERATING FUND? I'M WONDERING, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US AS CLEARLY AS POSSIBLE, CAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THIS, HOW YOU, I KNOW THAT LIKE YOU, YOU GET HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX MONEY TO LIKE OPERATE THE PLACE, RIGHT.
AND THEN YOU CHARGE WHAT FOR CONCESSIONS OR WHEN PEOPLE RENT THE PLACE OUT OR, YOU KNOW, JUST USE THE HALL AND THEN THAT MONEY GOES TO ANOTHER FUND.
IS THAT RIGHT? AND HOW MUCH IS IN THAT FUND? I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOU IN WRITING, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMISSION, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE, SOME CLARITY ON HOW OUR OPERATIONAL, UH, REVENUE FLOWS.
WE HAVE FACILITY, WE HAVE FACILITY AND WE HAVE CONCESSIONS, UM, AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER, SOME OTHER TYPES OF REVENUE, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE YOU ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IN WRITING.
AND INCLUDE THE TOTALS OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN ALL THOSE ACCOUNTS, IF YOU WOULD.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TEMPLETON.
WELL, I JUST, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT THE EXISTING CONVENTION CENTER WILL BE COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED OR IS IT JUST GOING TO BE EXPANDED ON? I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED THE EXISTING DIMENSIONS, THE EXISTING CONVENTION CENTER ITSELF.
UM, WASN'T BUILT TO SUPPORT ANY ADDITIONAL WEIGHT ON THIS CEILING.
UM, AND IN ORDER FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH THE SQUARE THAT WE NEED, UH, WE WOULD NEED TO, UM, EITHER IN PHASES OR ON A SINGLE PHASE, UH, COMPLETELY TEAR DOWN THE EXISTING CONVENTION CENTER AND BUILD IT AND ITS EXISTING FOOTPRINT.
AND HOW OLD IS THAT CONVENTION CENTER THAT WE'RE GOING TO TEAR DOWN? THE, UH, ORIGINAL CONVENTION CENTER WAS BUILT IN 1992 AND THE EXISTING, THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER WAS BUILT IN, OPENED IN 2002.
CAN I TEAR IT DOWN? IT WAS BUILT NO TO THE EXPANSION WAS, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.
UM, IS THERE ANY, UH, MOTION, ANY ACTION
[01:15:01]
THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO TAKE THIS EVENING? I DON'T KNOW.CAN WE MOVE TO PUT THIS ON PAUSE AND RECONSIDER? ARE THERE COMMITMENTS THE NEED FOR A NEW CONVENTION CENTER IN LIGHT OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND NEW, UM, FACILITIES THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN TOWN? LIKE THE MOODY CENTER? I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY, UM, IN A FORM AND APPROPRIATE MOTION TO MAKE, UM, DO WORDSMITH THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I HADN'T, I DIDN'T THINK I'D GET THIS UPSET ABOUT THIS, BUT I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT FLABBERGASTED GIVEN THE, YOU KNOW, POST AND DEMIA AND TEARING THIS WHOLE THING DOWN.
IT'S STILL FUNCTIONAL BUILDING AND I DON'T KNOW, WE CAN DO IT NEXT MEETING, I GUESS, BUT YEAH, WELL, IT'S A, IT'S A POSTED ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF YOU WANT TO, IF THERE'S EMOTION THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE, THIS WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO IT.
WELL I WOULD, I HAVE TO WORK THE METHOD, I GUESS I WOULD, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE, UH, WE RECONSIDER, UH, MOVING FORWARD ON THIS CONVENTION CENTER UNTIL WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT, IF YOU WANT TO HELP ME PUT THAT TOGETHER.
I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BEFORE THIS MEETING.
UM, I THINK THEY NEED TO CLARIFY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, W WE ARE STILL VERY EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS, COUNCIL HAS NOT APPROVED AN EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UH, THEY'VE ONLY APPROVED THE METHODOLOGY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND TRY TO GET A DESIGN FIRM ON BOARD, UM, SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN LOOKING AT WHAT A DESIGN OF A CONVENTION CENTER WOULD BE.
UM, SO NO FUNDING HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THIS.
NO, NO, NO APPROVAL OF FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, UH, CAME TO AN END ROAD WITH THE WEST LANDOWNERS AND NOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, REIMAGINING WHAT OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE TO EXPAND THE CONVENTION CENTER WITHIN ITS EXISTING FOOTPRINT.
BUT I MEAN, EVERYBODY KNEW THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO SELL THAT LAND.
IT WAS LIKE THE WORST KEPT SECRET IN TOWN THAT NOBODY WANTED TO SELL THEIR LAND OVER THERE.
SO, I MEAN, I JUST FEEL LIKE Y'ALL ARE SPINNING YOUR WHEELS AND SPENDING OUR MONEY ON THINGS THAT AREN'T MAKING OUR CITY BETTER.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A HUGE CRISIS WITH HOMELESSNESS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE, WE JUST HEARD THE POLICE TALK ABOUT OUR CRIME ISSUES HERE.
LIKE THOSE ARE THINGS I'D RATHER SEE ADDRESSED RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW I'M NOT ANGRY AT YOU, TRISHA.
I GET YOU'RE DOING YOUR JOB, BUT LIKE I'M, I'M HERE ON THIS COMMISSION, I THINK IN ORDER TO SERVE THE BEST NEEDS OF OUR TOWN.
AND I DO NOT REMOTELY DOES SO COMMISSIONER, UM, YOU MAY WANT TO WARM THE MOTION TO ASK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECONSIDER, UM, CONSIDER A FUTURE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO DATE, INCLUDING THE UT STUDY, THE MASTER PLAN, UPDATE OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, UM, THAT ALL THAT INFORMATION IS ALL POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
UM, AND, AND CERTAINLY WE CAN PROVIDE THE LINKS TO IT COMES TO MEETINGS THAT RAISE THE ADDITIONAL 2 CENTS FOR, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION PROJECT, UM, AND KIND OF ALL OF THE ATTENDANT, UM, BENEFITS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE WHATEVER INFORMATION, UM, TO THIS PERMISSION TO KIND OF HELP YOU GET A LITTLE BIT MORE UP TO SPEED ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROJECT.
UM, IF, UM, IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE US TO DO SO, WE CERTAINLY WILL APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? HOW ABOUT THIS? CAN I, CAN I REQUEST THAT WE PUT THOSE BACK ON THE AGENDA NEXT MONTH AND I'LL HAVE A MORE REFINED EMOTION? WE CAN CERTAINLY WAIT ONE SECOND.
I'VE GOT A MOTION TO CONTINUE.
IS IT APPROPRIATE THAT WE HAVE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT AGENDA? YOU MAY MAKE A CHAIR, YOU MAY MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONED FURTHER CONGRESS DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM.
I KNOW WE COULD MOVE TO TABLE IT.
UM, BUT, UM, THE SPECIFIC ITEM WOULD BE TO, UM, BRING IT BACK FOR THE AUGUST MEETING.
SO WHAT IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE MOTION WOULD BE TO TABLE THIS ITEM, UH,
[01:20:01]
AND FOR, TO APPEAR ON OUR AUGUST, UM, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AGENDA? YES, I, THAT THAT'S MY, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION I'M OKAY.DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION HEARING, CALL THE QUESTION ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
PLEASE SAY NAY, NOT HEARING ANY NAYS.
THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, S UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING, UM, CONVENTION SITTER STAFF OVER HERE FOR SOME TIME.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMING THIS EVENING.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, UM, UH, CRITICAL ISSUE FOR DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND SO, UM, I HOPE THAT WE CAN COUNT ON YOU GUYS TO COME BACK TO OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, STAFF, IF WE COULD WORK WITH THEM ON SCHEDULING THEM FOR THE AUGUST MEETING, IF YOU ALL WILL BE AVAILABLE.
AND IF WE COULD GET, UM, WHATEVER DOCUMENTS YOU FEEL WOULD HELP US IN THIS DISCUSSION, UH, BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
I W I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, THANK, UH, CITY STAFF FOR, UM, THEIR TIME TONIGHT AND BEFORE WE CONFIRM THEIR PARTICIPATION ON THE, IN THE AUGUST 17TH MEETING, JUST TO BE RESPECTFULLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THEIR SCHEDULES, WHICH HAVEN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT YET.
WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR COMING INTO US TONIGHT.
IT OBVIOUSLY IS SOMETHING OF CONCERN TO THE COMMISSION AND, UM, I HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK OUT TO, UH, AT LEAST SOMEBODY ATTENDANCE FOR THE NEXT MEETING MEETING, UH, AND IN THE INTERIM THAT WE CAN GET THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, IF THAT WOULD BE OKAY.
WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU NEED PRIOR TO THE NEXT MEETING.
OKAY, PATRICIA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU AND KATIE'S TIME THIS EVENING.
[2.c. Downtown Commission Annual Internal Review Report ]
THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW REPORT.UH, YOU HAVE RECEIVED THAT IN YOUR EMAIL, I BELIEVE.
ARE WE ABLE TO PULL THAT UP? UH, CHEER, UNFORTUNATELY I'D HAVE TO WORK WITH, UH, CTM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO IF COMMISSIONERS DO HAVE THE FILE THAT I PREVIOUSLY SENT, IF YOU COULD PULL IT UP, THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT? THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS REGARDING ORIENTER OUR ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW.
WE'LL CHANGE THAT I HAD ASKED TO BE MADE WAS, UM, UH, UH, A BULLET POINT BE ADDED UNDER ITEM THREE LIST OF THE BOARD'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEW CALENDAR YEAR.
AND IT WAS TO MONITOR AND SUPPORT EFFORTS TO REGARDING DOWNTOWNS OR EMERGENCE FROM THE PANDEMIC.
MONA, HAD YOU GOTTEN MY, MY ONE CHANGE? I DID RECEIVE THAT CHAIR AND I HAVE MADE THAT REVISION.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW? OKAY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND SECOND ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
UM, WHILE WE'RE ON THIS ITEM, THERE IS, UM, UNDER THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW REPORT, UH, THERE IS, UM, A MOTION THAT I'M GOING TO BRING TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP, UM, THAT WILL ADDRESS THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN WAS INITIALLY A TEN-YEAR PLAN AND ITS TENURE ANNIVERSARY DATE IS DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, 2021.
AND SO IT'S HAD A NICE TEN-YEAR RUN.
UM, I'VE ASKED IF THERE WAS A, UH, A, A REPORT CARD
[01:25:01]
ON COMPLETION OF THE ITEMS IN THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS SET UP A WORKING GROUP TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WAS LAID OUT IN THE PLAN, WHAT WAS DONE AND WHAT HASN'T SUCCEEDED, UM, WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE, UH, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL REGARDING, UH, CHANGES THAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION FEELS IS NECESSARY TO THE PLAN.
REMEMBER THAT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN IS ONE OF OUR PRIMARY REASONS FOR EXISTENCE.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR FROM, UM, THE PLANNING FOLKS ON ANY TIMETABLES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S, I HAVEN'T CHECKED MY EMAIL HERE IN THE LAST HOUR OR SO, BUT, UM, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE A TIMETABLE ON THAT.
THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THE PALM PARK OR THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN WILL BE PLAN, WILL BE A OR OF ANY CHANGE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, MAN.
BUT I THINK WE, AS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, WE NEED TO, UH, TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IT, TO SEE WHAT'S BEEN DONE AND WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE AND MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WE CAN TO COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS JUST THAT AS A REMINDER, THE WORKING GROUP CAN HAVE NO MORE THAN SIX PEOPLE ON IT.
SO IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE TO THE QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS NOW? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, I WOULD DEARLY LOVE VOLUNTEERS FROM, UH, AMONGST YOU, UH, AND, UH, UH, I'LL HAVE, UH, STAFF SEND OUT A QUERY ABOUT WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO SERVE.
UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO JUMP ON FAIRLY QUICKLY, GIVEN THAT THE ANNIVERSARY IS IN DECEMBER AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT ACTIONS ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN AND WHEN, AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO HAVE SOME INFLUENCE ON THAT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
UH, DO WE HAVE, I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A WHOLE BUSINESS SCHEDULED, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ITEMS FROM STAFF ON THE AGENDA, UH, CHAIR, NO ITEMS FROM STAFF AT THIS MEETING.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, UH, MAY HAPPEN IN THE NEXT MONTH IS THAT WE MAY RETURN TO CITY HALL.
UM, THE ORDER HAS BEEN LIFTED AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
AND, UM, UH, THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS WORKING ON SCHEDULING IN-PERSON MEETINGS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WILL EITHER BE ALL IN PERSON OR ALL REMOTE THAT THEY WON'T DO A HYBRID VERSION.
UH, AND SO, UH, IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO RUN REMOTE MEETINGS.
IT'S ALSO BEEN A BLESSING FOR MANY OF US, UH, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE AT LEAST, UH, BY SEPTEMBER, IF NOT BY AUGUST, WE WILL BE RETURNING TO CITY HALL UNLESS STAGE FOUR CHANGES SOMETHING.
I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD, I HAVEN'T FOLLOWED IT CLOSELY TODAY, BUT APPARENTLY THERE WAS SOME NEWS, UM, WITHIN CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNICATION ABOUT, UM, MASS SQUARING AND, UM, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH MIGHT INDICATE THAT MEETING IN PERSON MIGHT BE PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WILL CERTAINLY KEEP YOU ABREAST OF THAT.
WELL, IT DOES APPEAR THAT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, WE WILL BE RETURNING TO CITY HALL, I THINK.
UM, BUT WE'LL KEEP EVERYBODY APPRISED AS, AS QUICKLY AS WE KNOW IT NOW,
[3. Old Business – Items from representatives of collaborating commissions including nonvoting members: ]
UM, ON OLD BUSINESS, UM, LET'S GET A UPDATES FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS.UH, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER HANAUER PLAY-DOH IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
UM, THE WORKING GROUP THAT WE, UH, SOLICITED, UH, AND GOT A GREAT RESPONSE IS NOW, UH, BEEN SELECTED FOR REDOING THE COMPREHENSIVE PRESERVATION PLAN OF THE CITY.
AND, UH, I'M WORKING WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
[01:30:01]
STAFF IN DIRECTING THAT EFFORT.AND, UH, WE'RE JUST, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT FACILITATORS AND YOU SHOULD PROBABLY BE HEARING SOME THINGS AS SOME OF THESE TOPICS WORK THROUGH A MUCH BROADER, UH, CONSENSUS GROUP.
UM, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING.
OBVIOUSLY WE CONTINUE WITH A VERY, UH, CROWDED AGENDA.
WE'RE STILL, UM, DEALING WITH MANY DEMOLITION REQUESTS AND IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING CHALLENGE.
SO WERE WE ON THE COMMISSION OR WELCOMING, UH, MORE PERSPECTIVES AS WELL? UH, ONE THING I WILL SAY, UH, EXPERIMENT, UH, HARRIS IS THE, UM, IF, IF I WERE TO VOLUNTEER IS ONE OF THE NON-VOTING MEMBERS FOR YOUR DOWNTOWN PLAN WORKING GROUP, UH, THAT I WOULD IMAGINE I CAN DO THAT AND NOT AFFECT THE QUORUM, BUT THAT'S MAYBE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WE CAN ALSO HAVE.
I THINK, UH, THE HISTORIC ELEMENTS OF THE DAFT AND AUSTIN PLAN ARE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT.
SO COMMISSIONER STAFF, THAT ASSUMPTION IS CORRECT BY THE WAY.
WELL THEN I GUESS I'M GOING TO BE KIND OF, THAT MEANS, THAT MEANS ALL OF OUR COLLABORATING COMMISSIONERS MIGHT WANT TO JUMP IN ON THIS COMMISSIONER WEATHERBY, PLEASE.
REAL US ON THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
WELL, WE HAD OUR MOST RECENT COMMISSION EATING, UH, TODAY FROM THREE TO 4 45.
SO IT'S FRESH IN MY MIND TODAY.
THE ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT THAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN IS DURING OUR MEETING, WE HAD AN UPDATE ON THE PLANS FOR PROJECT CONNECT AND THEY MENTIONED, UH, NOT IN ANY DETAIL, BUT JUST, UH, JUST VERY BRIEFLY THAT THE, THERE WAS A MAJOR TUNNEL REDESIGN THAT WAS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN LONG TERM, BUT, UH, THEY WILL BE D IT'S STILL A PROPOSAL THAT'S STILL IN PLAY.
AND IT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT ARE NOW BEING SCHEDULED, UH, JULY THE 27TH THROUGH AUGUST THE 27TH.
AND THOSE WILL ALL BE VIRTUAL.
THEY HAD PLANNED A IN-PERSON AT THE LIBRARY AT THE END OF THAT PERIOD, BUT THAT GOT CANCELED YESTERDAY, I BELIEVE, OR THE REASONS THAT YOU'VE JUST DISCUSSED, BUT IT DOES SEEM TO BE SOMETHING THAT THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'D LIKE TO DEAL WITH THAT, BUT I DID WANT TO BRING THAT UP AS THE ONLY THING I THOUGHT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST.
UH, COMMISSIONER TETON, COMMISSIONER KEATON IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
THE ARTS COMMISSION IS MEETING RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND I BELIEVE WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING A NEW LIAISON SOON.
UM, WE WERE SCHEDULED TO HAVE OUR JOINT MUSIC COMMISSION, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING YESTERDAY, BUT WE DID NOT MAKE WARREN.
UH, AND SO IT HAD TO BE CANCELED.
UH, ONE THING THAT WAS SUGGESTED WAS THAT THERE'D BE A JOINT WORKING GROUP.
UH, THEY HAVE ONE, UH, THAT'S RUNNING RIGHT NOW WITH THE ARTS COMMISSION AND IT'S, I BELIEVE THEY SAID TWO MEMBERS FROM EACH COMMISSION.
UH, SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER.
UM, AND IF, IF THERE ARE TWO COMMISSIONERS WHO MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO COMMISSIONERS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN BEING ON THAT, UH, GROUP TO COLLABORATE WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
OR MANONO, UM, COMMISSIONER TAYLOR AS COMMISSIONER TAYLOR WITH US THIS EVENING.
UH, COMMISSIONER TAYLOR HAS APPEARED TO HAVE DROPPED OFF.
UM, I THINK WE, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAD ANYTHING PARTICULAR.
WE, WE JUST KIND OF HAD A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH.
WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM APD JUST ON, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, OUR QUARTERLY UPDATE ON CRIME STATS.
AND THEY NOTED THAT THERE WERE SOME JUMPS IN MURDER, LIKE, UM, LIKE YOU GUYS SAW TONIGHT, BUT OVERALL CRIME CRIME IS DOWN AND STILL, UM, CITYWIDE AND IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO A PRETTY ROBUST DISCUSSION, UM, WITH
[01:35:01]
LIEUTENANT DAVIS ON, UM, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROP B AND PUBLIC SAFETY'S ROLE, UM, IN THAT, UM, IN THAT ENFORCEMENT.AND WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING SOME FOLLOWUP DISCUSSIONS NEXT MEETING ON AUGUST 2ND, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO LIKE WATCH ALONG, UM, WE'RE GOING TO DO SORT OF A, UH, CONTINUED CONVERSATION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS JUST ON HOW SOME OF THAT IMPLEMENTATION IS BEING RECEIVED SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF GET BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.
UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
I THINK THE OTHER BIG THING THAT WE'RE, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ON AUGUST 2ND IS GOING TO BE A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE JUST TO SEE HOW, UM, THE LATEST LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAS IMPACTED PUBLIC SAFETY, BOTH, UM, WITH REGARDS TO BUDGET, UM, UH, THE, THE, THE CHANGES TO PERMITLESS CARRY, UM, THAT ARE GOING TO BE STARTING IN SEPTEMBER.
AND I THINK THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN AUGUST, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO WATCH LONG.
AND I HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP THINGS ON MY LIST, UM, TO FORWARD TO YOU GUYS, JUST FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS DONE EARLIER TODAY, I'M GOING TO FORWARD ON SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOU GUYS, AND THEN I WILL FORWARD ON A FEW THINGS FROM OUR LAST MEETING.
I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT I GOT AN EMAIL, I BELIEVE TODAY FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TOGO'S OFFICE, THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE HAVING A PUBLIC SAFETY FORUM ON JULY 26TH, UM, FROM EIGHT 30 TO 10:00 AM AT THE STATE SIDE AT THE PARAMOUNT, UH, AND THE SPEAKERS ARE GONNA BE, UM, FOR THE PANELISTS ARE GOING TO BE, UH, INTERIM CHIEF, UH, CHICAGO HOME, UH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY GUARDS AND TRAVIS COUNTY ATTORNEY GARZA.
SO IF, IF, IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN THAT AGAIN, IT'S ON THE 26TH, FROM EIGHT 30 TO 10:00 AM AT THE STATE SIDE AT THE PARAMOUNT, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND THE DA WILL ALSO BE PRESENT FOR THAT.
SO THAT'S ONE REASON I'VE NOT THOUGHT TO MENTION IT TO FOLKS.
[4. Potential Future Agenda Items The Commission may discuss and identify future agenda items, topics, or presentations ]
THERE ANY AGENDA ITEMS THAT COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, ON FUTURE AND FUTURE MEETINGS? I HAVE ONE COMMISSIONER.UH, AS WE, AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE CITY IS LOOKING AT, OR HAS BEEN DIRECTED TO CITY STAFF HAS BEEN DIRECTED TO LOOK AT THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
UM, RAS, WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM, WE WERE VERY INVOLVED WITH, UH, OVERSEEING IT AS WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN, IN WHAT, WHAT, IF ANY BASIS FOR MODIFICATIONS TO THE EXISTING PROGRAM THAT WERE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED.
AND WE, WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY OF THAT, BUT, UH, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER CHANGES THEY'RE RECOMMENDING ARE BASED ON MARK ON THE MARKET AND NOT SOME OTHER MYSTERY FACTOR THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MAY BE MORE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED THAN MARKET MOTIVATED.
WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE THEM SCHEDULED, UH, TO ADDRESS THAT THIS MEETING, UH, AND THEY HAD TO BUMP US OUT AND, UH, MONA PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK THE PLAN IS FOR THEM TO COME BACK ON THIS VERY ITEM IN AUGUST THAT'S THAT'S CORRECT CHAIR.
AND, UM, THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE, UM, NOT GOING FORWARD TO COUNCIL IN JULY AS ANTICIPATED.
SO THEREFORE THEY COULD COME TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING PRIOR TO ANY FUTURE, UM, COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM ACTION.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION ON A COUPLE OF REALLY CRITICAL ITEMS FOR DOWNTOWN.
UM, I DO HOPE THAT SOME OF YOU ALL WILL, UM, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO JOIN THE WORKING GROUP ON THE DOWNTOWN OFFICER PLAN.
UH, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE ITEMS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN IS THE DENSITY BONUS.
UH, AND SO, UH, AND OF COURSE, HISTORIC ELEMENTS.
[01:40:01]
THERE THERE'LL BE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT THERE.UM, AND THERE'LL BE, UH, I HOPE SOME GOOD WORK DONE THAT WILL ENGAGE A NUMBER OF YOU.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW.
OH, BUT PLEASE EITHER LET MONA OR MYSELF KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING.
UH, AND WE'LL TRY TO GET THAT UP AND RUNNING, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE WE'LL ADJOURN.