[00:00:04]
IN ON THE DIES AND WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 SHOW, AND I SEE, UH, YOUR BLOCK, BUT I DON'T SEE YOU, YOU WITH US.
AND THEN, UH, ALICE SAID, I THINK IS YET TO JOIN US, BUT THAT DOES GIVE US A CORUM.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
I CALLED TO ORDER TODAY, THE, UH, SPECIAL CALLED, UH, MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11TH, 2021.
UH, THIS, UH, IS TO HANDLE BUDGET ITEMS. UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, AN, A DEVO WITH A HOTEL ITEM AND I ALSO HAVE, UH, TODAY, UH, NOT A PART OF THIS BV, BUT WE HAVE, UH, MUELLER AND A LOSS OF HOUSING, FINANCE, UH, CORPORATION, UH, AND THEN A SERIES OF, OF BUDGET RELATED, UH, ITEMS.
[BUDGET PUBLIC COMMENT]
UH, SORRY TO, UH, BEGIN TODAY WITH THE, UH, SPEAKERS I'M GOING TO, THESE ARE SPEAKERS SPEAKING ON EVERYTHING WE HAVE TODAY.UH, WE'RE CALLING, UH, ALL SPEAKERS TO SPEAK.
UH, I'M GOING TO ASK, I'M GOING TO GIVE TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE IN PERSON, THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK SO THAT, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAY HERE IF THEY DON'T WANT TO, SINCE IT'S IN PERSON, THEN WE'LL GO TO THE FOLKS ON THE TELEPHONE.
AT THE END OF THE TELEPHONE, I WILL COME BACK AND ASK IF ANYBODY SHOWED UP THAT DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING.
AFTER WE HAVE ALL THE SPEAKERS, IT'S THE GENERAL INTENT TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, TO DISCUSS THE, UH, HOTEL PATTER, HAD TO DISCUSS THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.
UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEY'D TAKE ACTION IF ANDY ON THOSE, UH, ON THOSE, UH, ITEMS, UH, AND THEN IT WILL LEAVE US THEN THE, THE BUDGET ITEMS TO DEAL WITH GENERALLY FOLLOWING OUT OF THE PROCESS WE HAVE ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, UH, BUT WHAT WE GET WITH THE STAFF AND IT APPEARS, UH, THAT THE CHOICES WE BAKE THEIR, THEIR BABY, A SUFFICIENT FIVE, JUST TO BE ABLE TO GIVE TO TAXPAYERS, EVEN MORE RELIEF THAT THE MANAGER HAD PROPOSED AND STILL HIT THE, UH, THE, UH, PRIORITIES THAT HAD BEEN INDICATED BY COUNCIL.
BUT WE'LL SEE IF IT ACTUALLY PLAYS OUT THAT WAY.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION THAT I WOULD HAVE THE CLERK THAT THEY HAD, UH, UH, IF IT'S OKAY, I HAVE A LIST OF THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS AND I WOULD BEGIN BY, BY, BY CALLING THEM, OKAY, WE ALL SET.
THESE ARE INCLUDE, UH, SPEAKERS BEING CALLED OR ALL ITEMS WE HAVE TODAY, INCLUDING ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE, WHICH ARE BUDGET FEES.
THE CLASSIFICATION ORDINANCES ITEM SIX, WHICH IS TO RATIFY THE INCREASE OF THE TAX RATE FOR THE BUDGET ITEM 11 AND 12 TO THE ITEMS FOR ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET FOR THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, THE MUELLER LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, CORPORATION.
I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO CALL THOSE MEETINGS TO HOLD THOSE MEETINGS.
WE'LL GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THAT POINT, UH, AS, AS WELL.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW MANY SPEAKERS WE HAVE AND HOW MUCH TIME EACH PERSON HAD RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT DIFFERENT CATEGORIES HAVE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF TIME? WE, UH, UH, ANNOUNCED THAT ALL SPEAKERS WOULD HAVE WHAT BID IT.
WE HAD 110 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SIGN UP TO SPEAK, I THINK 24 IN PERSON.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE SPEAKERS.
LET'S BEGIN WITH THOSE THAT ARE IN PERSON WHO ARE HERE, I'LL CALL YOUR NAME AND THEN WHY DON'T YOU COME ON DOWN IS, UH, UH, ROBERT MCBRIDE HERE, BRIDE.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE CAYMAN, WHAT SUITES PURCHASE, UH, WHICH IS ITEM 13.
AND I'M ASKING PAIGE ELLIS, WHO'S MY COUNCIL MEMBER TO VOTE AGAINST THE PURCHASE OF THE CANDLEWOOD SUITES, REALLY FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES, ONE IT'S IN A HIGH RESIDENTIAL AREA, TWO IT'S IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA, THREE, IT INFRINGES UPON THE BUSINESSES THAT SURROUND THE CANDLEWOOD SUITES, AND THEN THE IDEA OR THE NOTION TO TURN IT INTO A, UH, SHELTER FOR,
[00:05:01]
UM, FOR WOMEN, UH, SEEMS A LITTLE MISGUIDED THEN THAT THE SHELTER WILL THEN BE OUT IN THE OPEN.IT WILL BE IN PUBLIC AND IT WILL DO NOTHING FOR THE SECURITY, THE LADIES OR THE FAMILIES THAT WILL BE USING THIS SHELTER IN THE FUTURE.
YOU SIR, IS, UH, CARRIE ROBERTS, SORRY, CARRIE.
CARRIE ROBERTS CORBY GESTURAL IS ON DECK.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M CARRIE ROBERTS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREATER AUSTIN CRAM COMMISSION AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT.
WE APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSAL TO FUND TWO POLICE CADET CLASSES, BUT EVEN WITH TWO CLASSES FULL CLASSES, WE KNOW THAT DEPARTMENT STILL HAVE A NET LOSS AT THE CURRENT ATTRITION RATES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET RIDER TO AUTHORIZE A THIRD MODIFIED CLASS SIGNALS, THE CITY'S INTENT TO AGGRESSIVELY TRAIN AND RECRUIT OFFICERS, BUT AS COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, AND MANY OF YOU KNOW, IT ALSO PRESENTS SOME CHALLENGES BECAUSE THREE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS ARE USING A FACILITY THAT WAS BUILT MORE THAN A DECADE AGO AND DESIGNED FOR EXPANSION THAT HASN'T HAPPENED.
SO WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO IMPROVE RETENTION, LOWER ATTRITION AND SCALE THE TRAINING.
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT TAKES TIME AND MONEY.
NO ONE OF COURSE COULD HAVE FORESEEN THE EVENTS OF THE LAST TWO YEARS AND NOTABLY THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS THAT STILL THREATENS US.
BUT SOME OF THE ISSUES WE STRUGGLE WITH ARE THE CONSEQUENCES, UNINTENDED AND OTHERWISE OF POLICY DECISIONS.
AND THERE WAS NOTHING ANYONE COULD DO ABOUT A PANDEMIC, BUT THE POLICE STAFFING CROSSES WAS SELF-INFLICTED.
SO WITH RISING CRIME AND SLOW RESPONSE TIMES, I BELIEVE ALL OF US WERE SUPPORTED.
THE HARD CHOICES YOU MUST MAKE TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE.
THANK YOU, MR. JESS DROUGHT CALL CUTOFF IS OUR DECK MORTY MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10 AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER AUSTIN CRIME COMMISSION.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE MOST CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITY OF CITY GOVERNMENT CITY MANAGERS.
KROC'S PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING FOR TWO POLICE CADET CLASSES.
THE ONLY WAY TO LOWER CRIME AND REDUCE RESPONSE TIMES IS TO KEEP RECRUITING AND KEEP TRYING TO NEW OFFICERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S BUDGET BOUGHT HER AUTHORIZED AND A THIRD MODIFIED CADET CLASS IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO CATCH UP REPORTS FROM THE ONE 44TH CADET CLASS HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGING YOU TO CAT THE ACADEMY.
STAFF WORK HARD TO OVERHAUL TRAINING, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY AND CONSULTANTS I MET IN.
I MET MANY IN THE CURRENT CADET CLASS EARLIER THIS SUMMER AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED.
AUSTIN HAS A HIGH RECRUITING STANDARDS.
THAT'S GOOD, BUT ALSO A CHALLENGE.
WE ARE MOVING TO A COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS ITS POLICE FORCE.
WE MUST CONTINUE CADET CLASSES TO ADDRESS THE STAFFING CRISIS IN AMBIVALENT POLICE REFORM AND FIND WAYS TO PROVE INTENTION APPROVING THIS BUDGET IS A VOTE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
THANK YOU, MR. CARTER IS A SUSAN SPATARO HERE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE AND A POLICY ANALYST FOR THE GREATER AUSTIN CRIME COMMISSION.
AS CARRIE SAID, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FACES A STAFFING CRISIS AND THE TWO CADET CLASSES AND THE CITY MANAGER, CROCS PROPOSED BUDGET ARE A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN ADDRESSING THIS CRISIS.
AND AS OUR COMMUNITY PLANS FOR POLICE STAFFING IN THE FUTURE, THESE DISCUSSIONS SHOULD BE INFORMED BY A DATA-DRIVEN MODEL AND NOT OUTDATED METRICS.
RESEARCHERS FROM TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN ARE DEVELOPING MACHINE LEARNING MODEL THAT COMBINES CALLS FOR SERVICE DATA WITH SURVEY RESEARCH ABOUT COMMUNITY VALUES AND EXPECTATIONS.
THIS POLICE STAFFING MODEL WILL HELP DETERMINE THE OPTIMAL RESPONSE TIME TO CALLS FOR SERVICE AND THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS IT'LL TAKE TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
THE RESEARCHERS SHOULD HAVE EARLY DATA IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
THIS TOOL WILL HELP THE CITY MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT HOW MANY OFFICERS WE NEED TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, UH, FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND WE HOPE IT WILL GROUND A FUTURE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLICE STAFFING IN EMPIRICAL DATA.
YOU'LL BE ON DECK AFTER THE SPEAKERS OVER.
UM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE POLICE BUDGET AND I GUESS AS AN ACCOUNTANT, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT DON'T MAKE THIS AN ACCOUNTING ISSUE OR A BUDGET ISSUE.
YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE SERVICES, THE CRIME, THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY SAFE.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS PAGE IN YOUR BUDGET, THE PERSONNEL SUMMARY BETWEEN THE
[00:10:01]
2018 BUDGET AND THIS YEAR IT'S FOUR YEARS BACK.EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT HAS AN INCREASE IN STAFF EXCEPT FOR THE POLICE.
THE POLICE IN SWORN GO DOWN 6% AND NON-SWORN 7%.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET, THE ACTUAL BUDGET, YOU NOW HAVE TRANSFERS OUT BEING 20% OF THE POLICE BUDGET.
YOU NEED TO PLEASE LOOK AT THAT.
I AM ASKING YOU DON'T PLAY A GAME WITH THE STATE.
DON'T PLAY A GAME ON STANDING.
LOOK AT OFFICER'S RESPONSE, TIME SAFETY.
THEY DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS ANYMORE.
IF I CAN HELP ANY OF YOU WITH THAT, I WILL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
THE ANSWER IS, UH, UH, PEPPER PADILLA HERE, SIR.
WHAT YOU COME TO HAVE IS PEPPER BEDINA HERE IS AMY CRAZE BEEN HERE? NO.
UM, IS, UH, UH, CAROLINE RYAN HERE? NO.
WHAT ABOUT, UH, MATTHEW CHORD? WHAT ABOUT, UH, BILL SPELMAN? YOU'LL BE ON DECK.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M A RESIDENT 45 YEAR RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX.
I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE AGAINST ITEM AGENDA, ITEM 13.
I'M A RESIDENT OF ANDERSON MILL FOR 45 YEARS AND LIVED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE CANDLE WOOD HOTEL.
THE REASONS FOR ASKING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE AGAINST OUR, THERE IS NO PUBLIC BUS.
THERE IS NO LOCAL AND THE, THERE IS NO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
AND ALONG WITH OTHER MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS, PARDON ME? WE HAVE EXPERIENCED DRUG PARAPHERNALIA AND THE YARDS AGAINST THE FENCE LINE BEHIND THE OAKWOOD SUITES AREA, CANDLEWOOD SUITES.
PARDON ME? CONCERNS ARE UNWANTED INTERACTIONS WITH CHILDREN AT THE SCHOOLS AND THE NEIGHBORING PLAYGROUNDS.
WE SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY FIRST APPROACH TO SOLVE THIS TYPE OF ISSUE.
IT WAS MR. SPELLED WHERE THE COMPANY TOWN IS, UH, LYDIA WOODROFFE HERE.
WHAT ABOUT, UH, UH, BIANCA RAMIREZ? YOU'LL BE ON DECK, MR. SPELLMAN.
WELCOME BACK TO THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT HERE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN YOU'VE BEEN, IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK MAYOR.
UH, I'M UH, SCHEDULED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 10.
IS THAT AN ORDER RIGHT NOW? YES, IT IS.
WELL, TO KEEP IT TO ONE MINUTE, UH, IT HAS BEEN SOLD THAT IT'S AUSTIN, TEXAS HAS A HOMICIDE PROBLEM.
IT HAS BEEN SOLD OF THIS HOMICIDE PROBLEMS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS.
THAT IS THE FURTHEST THING FROM THE TRUTH.
THE ISSUE IS NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS.
IT IS THAT HOMICIDE RATES HAVE INCREASED BY BETWEEN 30 AND 35% IN CITIES ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
IF YOU LOOK AT CITIES WITH SMALL, MEDIUM OR LARGE NUMBER OF OFFICERS PER THOUSAND OFFICERS, AUSTIN IS IN THE MIDDLE GROUP.
IT TURNS OUT THE SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY INCREASED BY JUST ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT BETWEEN 30 AND 35% ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
IF YOU LOOK AT TEXAS, YOU FIND THAT THE BIGGEST CITIES IN TEXAS INCREASED BY 30 TO 35%, THE REST OF TEXAS INCREASED BY 38%.
THAT INCLUDES SMALL TOWNS OR RURAL TEXAS.
WE HAD A HUGE INCREASE IN HOMICIDE RATES THAT TRANSCENDED THE AUSTIN'S BORDERS.
IF WE INCREASE THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS, THIS WILL DIVERT ATTENTION FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET THE HOMICIDE RATE DOWN.
IT WILL BE PUTTING MORE AND MORE OF OUR ATTENTION, DIVERTING OUR ATTENTION TO MORE OF THE SAME.
WE KNOW FROM AN EXPERIENCE THAT MORE OF THE SAME GETS US MORE OF THE SAME.
IF WE WANT TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THE HOMICIDE RATE, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT DOES THAT MEANS WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE OUGHT TO DO TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT I THINK I'VE EXTENDED MY TIME IN TERMS OF, IN TERMS OF ABSOLUTELY.
HANG ON A SECOND, HANG ON A SECOND.
I SEE YOU AND YOU'LL BE I'LL CALL ON YOU JUST A SECOND IN TERMS OF ABSOLUTE NUMBERS.
HOW IS THE, THE, THE CRIME, UH, HOMICIDES IN AUSTIN AS COMPARED TO OTHER? WE ARE ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES AS WE HAVE BEEN FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.
UH, 80% OF CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE A HOMICIDE RATE HIGHER THAN OURS THAT'S AFTER THE LARGE INCREASE OF 2020, AND THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF 2021.
[00:15:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO THANK, UM, UH, MR. SPELLMAN, I REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE THE EXPERTISE YOU BRING TO THIS SUBJECT.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, IF YOU WOULD EMAIL US, UM, AND SEND US THE INFORMATION THAT YOU JUST SHARED WITH US, IT'S VERY HELPFUL COUNCIL MEMBER.
I HAVE A THREE MINUTE PRESENTATION ON POWERPOINT, WHICH I WILL HAPPILY SEND TO ALL OF YOU.
UM, SO THIS IS THE ITEM FOR US TO EITHER ADOPT TO THIS ORDINANCE OR TO, OR TO NOT ADOPT IT.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON THAT? AND, AND I WOULD NOT ADVISE IT.
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL US? DECIDEDLY? NO, ON ITEM NINE, THAT'S THE ONE TO ADOPT THE, UH, UH, SUGGESTED BALLOT PROPOSITION.
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE OF COURSE, EXCEPT TO VOTE.
IT HAS TO GO BEFORE THE VOTERS IS THAT'S BEEN DULY SIGNED BY ENOUGH PEOPLE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOUR VOTERS TO VOTE FOR IT.
I WOULD SINCERELY URGE YOU TO VOTE, TO TELL THE VOTERS TO VOTE AGAINST THIS.
IT'S DIVERTING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE SPENDING OUR TIME ON, WHICH IS IDENTIFYING WHAT KIND OF A HOMICIDE PROBLEM WE HAVE AND WHAT VERY SPECIFIC RESPONSES THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY NEED TO MAKE IN ORDER TO SOLVE THAT HOMICIDE PROBLEM.
NICE TO SEE YOU BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU, AS YOU WERE WRAPPING UP, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, I MEAN, WE'RE ALL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISING HOMICIDE RATE AND YOU WERE WRAPPING UP, I BELIEVE WITH SOME COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT, WHAT MIGHT BE SOME GOOD AVENUES TO INVESTIGATE FOR PREVENTION OF HOMICIDE.
SO IF YOU COULD GIVE US A COUPLE OF MINUTES OR FOLLOW UP, I HAVE ACTUALLY WRITTEN IT DOWN AND I WILL SEND IT TO YOU, BUT HERE'S THE SHORT VERSION.
IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC REASON FOR THE HOMICIDE RATE GOING UP AND THERE IS, THEN WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT THE REASON IS AND WORK OUR WAY BACKWARDS TO THE PRECURSORS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
IF IT TURNS OUT THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF HOMICIDES ARE DUE TO PEOPLE GETTING DRUNK IN BARS AND THEN TAKING IT OUTSIDE, GETTING INTO FIGHTS AND SHOOTING EACH OTHER, WHICH IS TRUE FOR A LOT OF PLACES, IT MAY BE TRUE FOR US, MAY NOT.
IF IT'S DUE TO FIGHTING IN AND AROUND BARS, THERE'S STUFF WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
UH, CALGARY, ALBERTA, NEW SOUTH WALES, A WHOLE BUNCH OF AUSTRALIAN PLACES HAVE IDENTIFIED THIS AS BEING A HUGE PROBLEM IN AUSTRALIA.
THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
AND MOSTLY INVOLVES WORKING WITH THE BAR OWNERS TO CHANGE THE RULES, TO THREATEN THEM SOMETIMES WITH HAVING THEIR LICENSES PULLED.
IF THEY CONTINUE TO GIVE, UH, DRINKS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY INEBRIATED AND AGGRESSIVE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WORKING WITH BARS IS A WAY OF DEALING WITH FIGHTS IN AND AROUND BARS.
IF YOU'VE GOT A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROBLEM, THERE ARE A BUNCH CITIES.
THE DULUTH MODEL IS THE FAMOUS CASE.
HIGH POINT NORTH CAROLINA IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE CASE OF WORKING WITH SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES.
OTHER CITY AGENCIES WITH FAMILIES DIRECTLY WITH CHURCHES TO TRY AND PREVENT DOMESTIC HOMICIDES, IDENTIFY THAT A HOMICIDE IS IMPENDING OR THAT THE, UH, LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IS RATCHETING UPWARDS.
AND THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO INTERVENE TO PREVENT THAT FROM GOING AS FAR AS HOMICIDE.
UM, IN HIGH POINT NORTH CAROLINA, THEY, UH, TOOK A PROBLEM WHICH HAS PRODUCED 17 DOMESTIC HOMICIDES OVER FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, IMPLEMENTED A PROGRAM INVOLVING CHURCHES, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND FAMILIES DIRECTLY, AND REDUCE THAT FROM 17 TO ONE HOMICIDE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
YOU CAN'T DO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT.
UM, IF THE PROBLEM TURNS OUT TO BE CHRONIC OFFENDERS OF BOSTON, UH, BOSTON'S OPERATION CEASE FIRE GIVES US A REALLY GOOD MODEL TO WORK WITH.
AS FAR AS CHRONIC OFFENDERS IS CONCERNED, BASICALLY THEY TOLD ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO THEY THOUGHT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCREASE IN VIOLENCE IN BOSTON.
WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE, WE KNOW WHAT YOU DID, AND WE GET A WHOLE BUNCH OF HANDLES ON YOU THAT WE'RE NOT USING, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE NOT USING THEM ALL, BUT WE CAN TOW YOUR CAR.
IF WE SEE IT, BECAUSE IT'S, IF IT'S IN PROPERLY PARTS, WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PROBATION RESTRICTIONS WE CAN PUT ON YOUR HOPES AND PAROLE RESTRICTIONS WE CAN PUT ON YOU AND SO ON.
AND BY PULLING ALL THE LEVERS WE NEED TO, IN ORDER TO GET YOU TO CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR, WE CAN GET YOU TO CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR.
IT TURNS OUT IT WORKS BY IDENTIFYING IN ADVANCE, WHO THE CHRONIC OFFENDERS WERE TELLING THEM WHAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO DO, DOING IT IN A MEASURED WAY.
THEY WERE ABLE TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AMONG THOSE CHRONIC OFFENDERS AND CITYWIDE BY 68%.
SO IF WE'VE GOT A CHRONIC OFFENDERS PROBLEM, WE GET, WE CAN GO A BOSTON ROAD.
IF WE'VE GOT A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROBLEM, WE CAN GO INTO LUTH AND HIGH POINT ROAD.
IF IT TURNS OUT WE'VE GOT A FIGHTING INSIDE BARS PROBLEM, WE CAN GO IN A NEW SOUTH WALES ROUTE THERE'S SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY POLICE DEPARTMENTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL OVER THE ENGLISH SPEAKING WORLD, THAT ADDRESS VERY SPECIFIC PROBLEMS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT SPECIFIC PROBLEMS WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH YET.
THAT'S WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE SPENDING OUR TIME ON.
I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT NONE OF THESE SOLUTIONS FOCUS ON PATROL OR RESPONSE TIME.
[00:20:01]
THAT'S NOT A BAD THING.IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE MORE CONTROLS.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE FASTER RESPONSE TIMES, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CORE OF ANY OF THESE SOLUTIONS.
AND IN FACT, THERE'S NO REASON FOR BELIEVING THAT JUST HAVING MORE CONTROLS OR JUST HAVING MORE FASTER RESPONSE TO THE MYRIAD CALLS THAT WE HAVE IS GOING TO HAVE ANY EFFECT AT ALL ON HOMICIDES.
WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE THREE EXAMPLES, AND I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT ARE GREAT ONES FOR OUR OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND COORDINATION WITH OUR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING AP DATA TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
I RECALL THIS IS KIND OF THE AREA THAT YOU WORK IN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
IT VERY MUCH IS ALTHOUGH I NO LONGER WORK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, I RETIRED IN MAY.
SHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS TO MY STUDENTS WILL NOT HAVE TO PUT UP WITH MY CALCULUS CLASS ANYMORE.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS IF YOU, SORRY.
I WAS GOING TO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SPELMAN ON HIS RETIREMENT.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ENGAGED WITH US AS WE TRY TO ADJUST TO THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED TODAY, UM, IN YOUR RETIREMENT.
UM, I DID WANT TO JUST ADD, UM, FOLLOW ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER TOMOS COMMENTS ABOUT THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, AS I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS NOWADAYS WE HAVE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW ARE PRECISELY TO IDENTIFY, UM, THE VERY SPECIFIC CAUSES OF THE VIOLENCE, PARTICULARLY THE GUN VIOLENCE, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THE VIOLENCE IN GENERAL IN OUR CITY, UM, THIS WORK DOES NOT HAVE TO ONLY BE DONE BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING IN LEARNING WITH YOU ON THESE ISSUES, COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE EXPERIENCE OF CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY SHOWS YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE BEST WORK IS DONE WHEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WORKS CLOSELY WITH OTHER CITY AGENCIES, OTHER LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, OCCASIONALLY EVEN WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCIES AND PARTICULARLY WITH THE BUSINESS SECTOR, WITH THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, WITH CHURCHES, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED.
UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR AND, AND TOBO AND OTHERS.
UH, THAT WAS MY GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION.
ARE WE WORKING ON THE ANALYSIS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS PROPOSED? IT SOUNDS TO ME COUNCIL MEMBER ALTRA FROM WHAT YOU SAID, THAT THAT ANALYSIS IT'S UNDERWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER, YOU KNOW, NOT RIGHT THIS MINUTE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE SCOPE OF THAT ANALYSIS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE STAFF THAT'S WORKING ON THOSE ANALYSIS TO PLEASE CONSULT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SPELLMAN, UM, AS THEY PROCEED WITH THAT ANALYSIS.
SO WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION AT A LATER TIME ABOUT THAT.
UH, BUT I REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE, YOU'VE, UH, YOU PROVIDED GREAT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR ON THE OFFICE OF GUN VIOLENCE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF WHAT'S BEING, UH, PURSUED BECAUSE, UM, I'M HEARING COUNCIL MEMBER SPELMAN REALLY APPRECIATE HIS ADVICE AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BOTH FOLLOW IT AND THAT WE ENGAGE HIM IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT.
I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH ANYBODY WHO'S WILLING TO INTERESTED IN WORKING IN THIS ISSUE.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 40 YEARS AND WOULD LOVE TO KEEP DOING IT.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL? WELL, I DIDN'T WANT TO PASS UP THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY HELLO TO AN OLD FRIEND.
HOW, HOW GREAT IT IS TO SEE YOU, UM, IN CHAMBERS COUNCIL MEMBER SPELLMAN.
AND, UM, ALSO I THINK YOU ARE MY, UM, MY ADVISOR UP AT THE LBJ SCHOOL MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S GOOD TO YOU AND I HAVE APPRECIATED YOUR GOOD COUNSEL ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE MATTERS IN THE PAST.
IT HAS BEEN, UH, ALWAYS INSIGHTFUL, NOT ONLY, UH, WHILE I'VE BEEN ON THE DAYAS, BUT BEFORE I WAS ON THE DIVE.
AND, UM, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU, UM, GOING FORWARD, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I HOPE MY ADVICE WAS GOOD MIRACLES.
SO ALSO ON THIS ITEM THAT YOU'RE TESTIFYING ON, THERE'S MULTIPLE PROVISIONS.
ONE IS TWO OFFICERS PER THOUSAND, BUT ANOTHER IS A 35% UNCOMMITTED TIMES SOMETIMES KNOWN AS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIME.
AND SO WHILE THE PRESS HAS OFTENTIMES COVER THIS AT TWO OFFICERS PER THOUSAND, OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR BUDGET OFFICE HAVE SAID, IT'S LIKELY CLOSER TO 2.1, IF NOT 2.35, GIVEN THAT THAT 35% ON COMMITTED TIME MIGHT BE MORE.
COULD YOU SORT OF TALK US THROUGH YOUR, UM, YOUR SENSE OF WHETHER OR NOT IT MIGHT BE MORE THAN TWO PER THOUSAND, GIVEN THE 35% FIRST, THE PROPOSED LAW, UH, ASKS THE POLICE CHIEF, WHOEVER THE POLICE CHIEF IS THE TIME WHEN THE LAW IS PASSED TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEY MEAN BY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIME.
[00:25:01]
ART THAT HAS A FIXED MEANING.AND SO THE POLICE CHIEF HAS A LOT OF FREEDOM TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS IN AND WHAT IS OUT OF THAT BOX.
IF THEY ARE RESTRICTIVE IN THEIR MEANING OF WHAT IS IN THAT OUT OF THAT BOX.
IF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIME IS SOMETHING FAIRLY, FAIRLY NARROW.
THAT MEANS WE MIGHT NEED A LOT OF POLICE OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO GET A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, TIME UP AS HIGH AS 35% MORE IMPORTANT.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT 35% IS NOT GOING TO BE ON TOP OF OUR CONTINUING TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN DOING EXACTLY THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN DOING IT.
IF YOU HAVE MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET, WE KNOW FROM PARKINSON'S LAW WORK EXPANDS TO FILL THE TIME AVAILABLE.
IF YOU'RE RUSHING FROM CALL TO CALL ALREADY, YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY.
YOU WILL BE DOING LESS RUSHING, AND YOU MAY SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON THE CALLS THAT YOU'RE TAKING.
NOW, THAT'S GOING TO REDUCE THE CAPACITY FOR, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIME IN AN UNPREDICTABLE WAY.
THAT MEANS IT MIGHT BE BEYOND 2.2 OR 2.3.
IT MIGHT BE THREE OR LOWER, OR EVEN MORE OFFICERS PER THOUSAND BEFORE WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THAT MAGICAL 35% NUMBER, THE BIGGER ISSUE IT SEEMS TO ME.
SO I THINK WE DON'T REALLY KNOW, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO PREDICT HOW MANY OFFICERS WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HIT THAT 35%.
I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE IS WHAT DO WE MEAN BY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? IF WE ARE JUST READING AND WAVING AND GOING TO MEETINGS.
SO IT'S SHOWING THE FLAG, THAT'S ONE THING.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THEY MEAN BY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF COMMUNITY POLICING MEANS IN PRACTICE.
WHAT IT OUGHT TO MEAN IS ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY WITH A VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
IT COULD BE TALKING TO BAR OWNERS.
IF WE HAVE A BAR PROBLEM, IT COULD BE TALKING TO CHURCHES AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES.
IF WE HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROBLEM AND SO ON, AND THE MORE PRACTICAL PURPOSE WE CAN PUT INTO THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIME, THE MORE EFFECTIVE IT'S GOING TO BE.
SO AGAIN, I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS PROPOSITION IS DIVERTING ATTENTION FROM THE PRACTICAL PURPOSE AND THE PRACTICAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PURPOSE, UH, AND DIVERTING IT TOWARDS JUST MORE MASS, MORE OF THE SAME, BUT WE CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING SOONER OR LATER, WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS TO REDUCE OUR HOMICIDE PROBLEM.
AND WE'LL TALK LATER ABOUT AT 2.35, OUR CALCULATION IS THAT COULD BE $120 BILLION A YEAR, UH, WHICH WOULD BE QUITE A BIT, UH, AND JUST AS A POINT OF INFORMATION, AS WE CLOSE OUT HERE, I THINK WE DO HAVE AMENDMENTS TO, TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR OUR FAMILY VIOLENCE SHELTER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU BROUGHT UP, UH, TO INCREASE THOSE SORT OF GUN VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE AND OTHER WORK HERE IN THE BUDGET.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR ADVICE YOU DO.
AND I WOULD FULLY SUPPORT YOUR PROPOSAL TO INCREASE, TO, UH, ADD TO COMMUNITY, TO ACADEMY CLASSES OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
WE DO NEED THE OFFICER'S BACK.
WE'D SHOULD NOT BE HELD TO A STANDARD OF 2.0 GOING FORWARD FOREVER, BUT WE DO NEED MORE OFFICERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER.
HI, IS, UH, LYDIA WOODRIFF HERE? I BROUGHT DOWN LADY WOODRUFF YESTERDAY.
MARK, WHILE YOU'RE COMING DOWN IS BIANCA ROBERTO'S HERE? YES.
IS, IS, IS LYDIA WOODRUFF HERE? NO.
AND JUST BEFORE YOU SPEAK, MR. RAMIREZ, UH, IS, UH, UH, RUPAUL SHATARA YEAH.
I LIVE NEXT TO CANDLEWOOD WITH MY BOYS AND HOPE TO FOSTER TO ADOPT IN THE FUTURE.
I GREW UP BELOW POVERTY LINE AND SACRIFICE.
SO THEY EXPERIENCED BETTER YET.
YOU MAY VERY WELL CHANGES ENVIRONMENT FOR MANY ETHNIC MINORITIES, STRIVING TO DO THE SAME FROM THE BEGINNING.
YOU BLINDSIDED US BY FAILING TO NOTIFY US AND WE'LL KILL ABOUT THE PURCHASE.
YOU DID IT AGAIN BY OBSCURELY REMOVING ALL PSH TERMINOLOGY FROM THIS ITEM SAFE, WHICH IS STOP ABUSE FOR EVERYONE.
URGE COUNCIL, NOT TO BUY IT SINCE IT IS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
AND DOESN'T AFFORD THE SAME PROTECTIONS AS TRAVIS COUNTY.
MANY OF YOU CLAIM TO BE AGAINST SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION OF DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES ARE BUILDING UP THE MIDDLE-CLASS YET CITY PLACES, THESE HOUSING UNITS IN THOSE SAME EXACT PLACES WITH DENSE MINORITY POPULATIONS WHO ARE STRUGGLING, WHY ARE YOU WILLING TO HAPHAZARDLY CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO NAVIGATE OR MAINTAIN A LOBBY LIVELIHOOD? THE NORMS RECREATE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WILL BE THE PRIMARY TRAJECTORY OUR CHILDREN WILL FOLLOW.
WHY HAVEN'T YOU WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO MEET WITH PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THIS DECISION.
YET WE WILL SEE MANY OF YOU ATTENDING FC SOCCER GAMES WITHOUT MASS OR MASK UP TO MEET WITH OTHERS OR MARCH FOR CERTAIN CAUSES.
WE HAVE VALUE EVEN IF WE ARE BEING DISREGARDED OR TREATED AS THOUGH WE DON'T.
COME ON DOWN IS, UH, UH, FREE TO CHECK HERE.
IS, UH, UH, MARSHALL WATSON HERE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND AS YOUR PRESENT STOP CANDLEWOOD
[00:30:01]
GROUP, I'M OPPOSED TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13.EVEN IF THE NOTION OF BATTERED WOMEN SHELTER SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
CANDLEWOOD DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARDS AND CRITERIA OF BUILDING DIGNITY, EVEN SAFE AUSTIN, WHICH IS THE CITY'S DOMESTIC WIDENS PREVENTION COALITION STRONGLY RECOMMENDED AGAINST THE PURCHASE OF CANDLEWOOD.
THE LOCATION IS FAR AWAY FROM SOCIAL SERVICES THAT CATER TO WOMEN'S SHELTER.
THE PROCESS, THE PROCESS, THIS PROCESS IS BROKEN.
THERE HAS BEEN NO TRANSPARENCY, WHICH IS DIFFICULT WITH REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.
WE UNDERSTAND, BUT CONSIDER ALSO THE PUBLIC NATURE OF THIS PROPERTY AFTER SO MUCH CONTROVERSY.
IT SHOULD BE EASY TO COMMUNICATE WITH US BY NOT NOW WITH NO WORRIES ABOUT LEAKING ANY SENSITIVE OR PROTECTED INFORMATION.
COMMUNICATION IS BROKEN AT AUSTIN CITY HALL.
NO ONE FROM CITY HAS REACHED OUT TO US REGARDING ITEM 13, NOT TO ANY OF THE NEIGHBORS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND OR WILLIAMSON COUNTY ALONG NEAR PECAN PARK BOULEVARD.
IT WAS DRAWN FOR AUSTIN EIGHT MONTHS AGO, AND IT'S STILL WRONG TODAY, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER COAT OF PAINT, YOU TRY TO SLAP ON IT.
THANK YOU, MARSHALL WISELY COME RIGHT UP WHILE YOU'RE COVERING UP HIS JOB, PAUL CAUDALIE, OR YOU'LL BE ON DECK.
MY NAME IS MARCIA WATSON, DISTRICT SIX WILCO.
WE, THE PEOPLE AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE AGENDA 13 OPPOSED OF THE CANDLEWOOD HOTEL.
SO FIRST THIS WAS GOING TO BE A SHELTER FOR COVID HOMELESS.
COVID HOMELESS THAN A SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS AND NOW A SHELTER FOR WOMEN.
IF YOU WATCHED HER HEARD OUR COUNTY JUDGE CARVEL YESTERDAY IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY COURT, HE AND WILCO, WE, THE PEOPLE AND MANY OTHERS ARE NOW AWARE THAT THIS NEW DIRECTION TO HAVE CANDLEWOOD BECOME A WOMEN'S SHELTER IS SIMPLY JUST A BAIT AND SWITCH MAYOR ADLER.
OUR COUNTY IS FULLY PREPARED TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IF THIS GOES FORWARD AS DISCUSSED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS, PURCHASING THIS HOTEL FOR NINE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN SPENDING ANOTHER COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS RENOVATING IT WILL NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE PEOPLE.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE HOMELESS STOP WASTING OUR TIME.
MR. CAUDALIE, WHILE YOU'RE COVERING DOUBT IS BOB BARNES HERE.
YOU'LL BE UP NEXT, MR. CODLING.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JOEL PAULO CONNOLLY.
I IN DISTRICT NINE AND I AM THE ORGANIZING DIRECTOR FOR THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION THIS MORNING.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU RECEIVED A LETTER FROM AJC AND PLANNING OUR COMMUNITIES IN STRONG SUPPORT OF MOVING FORWARD WITH ITEM 13, WHICH IS THE ACQUISITION OF THE SITE CURRENTLY KNOWN AS CANDLEWOOD SUITES, UM, THAT WE SUPPORT THIS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS THAT WERE OUTLINED IN THE LETTER.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME, BUT THE KIND OF OPPOSITION THAT WE ARE SEEING TO THIS IS NOT UNLIKE THE OPPOSITION.
WE HAVE TO ANY FAIR HOUSING ISSUE IN THIS CITY OR ANYWHERE IN AMERICA.
IT'S ALSO AN OPPOSITION THAT WE SEE TO THE APPLICATION OF AMERICANS.
THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
WE KNOW THAT 69% OF AUSTIN'S HOMELESS POPULATION LIVES WITH A DISABILITY.
WE KNOW THAT ALMOST 40% OF AUSTIN'S HOMELESS POPULATION IS BLACK.
SO IT'S HARD TO SEPARATE THIS ISSUE FROM A FAIR HOUSING ISSUE.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY SOME DISTRICTS IN THE CITY SHOULD HAVE TO, UH, SHOULD HAVE SHELTER AND HOUSING SPACE FOR THE HOMELESS.
WHILE OTHER DISTRICTS CAN SORT OF THROW A FIT AND TURN IT DOWN.
THAT'S NOT, UM, HOW WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN TAKE LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
THIS IS THE MOMENT FOR LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP APPLIES WHEN YOU HAVE, WHEN YOU'RE FACED WITH TOUGH CHOICES AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST MAKING DECISIONS OF POLITICAL CONVENIENCE.
THE BARNES IS COVERING DOWN IS A SATURDAY OR BUREAUS MCCALL HERE.
YOU'LL BE UP NEXT, MR. BARNES.
I'M PRESIDENT OF IBC BANK AUSTIN.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON, ON BEHALF OF THE CHART, HARDY FAMILY AND THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PENDING PURCHASE OF THE CANDLEWOOD SUITES HOTEL.
THE CHART ALREADY FAMILY OWNS THE TWO ADJACENT HOTELS TO THE CANDLEWOOD SUITES, THE HAMPTON INN AND THE, AND THE HOMEWOOD SUITES, THE FAMILY BANKS WITH IBC AND IBC AS A LENDER ON THE TWO ADJACENT HOTELS.
IF YOU'VE EVER VISITED THE SITE, YOU WOULD SEE THAT ALL THREE HOTELS SHARE A COMMON ENTRANCE.
THE HAMPTON INN IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO AN APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET FROM THE CRANK CANDLEWOOD SUITES.
A REAL CONCERN TODAY IS THE CURRENT PROCESS.
AFTER MONTHS OF DISCUSSION IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE PURCHASE OF CANDLEWOOD SUITES.
WE ARE SEEING ANOTHER 10TH BY THE CITY
[00:35:01]
TO PURCHASE THE HOTEL WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION OR INPUT CONCERNING THE NEWLY PROPOSED USE AGENDA.ITEM 13 FIRST APPEARED ON COUNCIL AGENDA SATURDAY, AND NOW FOUR DAYS LATER, UH, IT IS COMING UP FOR A VOTE ON COUNCIL.
I WOULD ASK AT A MINIMUM THE PORT COUNCIL TO POSTPONE ANY VOTE ON THIS TODAY AND ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY INPUT.
CHAD, ARE YOU HERE? YOU'LL BE UP NEXT.
HOW TO SPEECH READY FOR YOU ALL THIS MORNING, REFERENCE TO AGENDA ITEM 13.
I'M A VERY STRONG OPPOSITION IN REASONS OF THIS TERRIBLE IDEA, INCLUDING THE SAFETY FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS. WE'RE SURPRISED THOUGH, WE GET ANOTHER KICK IN THE BUD BY CITY OFFICIALS AND INTERIM CHIEF CHECON TO PLACE HOMELESS ON MY MCKINNEY FALLS PARK.
AND ALSO EMMA LONG PARK IS NOT A SOLUTION.
HOW WILL THEY PAY TO GET IN BY THE WAY, AND GET THERE WITH MORE OF MY AND OTHER TAXPAYERS MONEY.
IT IS APPALLING FOR YOU, MAYOR, WHO I STRONGLY SUPPORTED AT ONE POINT AND BELIEVED IN WHEN WE TALKED TO COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE FOR SOLUTIONS THAT YOU CARED AND THAT YOU MEANT IT ALSO DISRESPECTFUL FOR CM QUINTUS AT THE SERVICE ON MONDAY FOR OFFICER TRAILER, WHEN SHE STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE DEFUNDING OF OFFICER'S SAFETY FIRST FOR ALL IS NON-PARTISAN THE WOKE ISN'T PANDERING AND POSTURING.
THANK YOU, MACKENZIE KELLY FOR SUPPORTING ALL OF US, WHAT OUR CITIZENS TRULY WANT AND TO SERVE.
THANK YOU FOR CRANK FOR MR. CONK FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND DON'T LET THEM PASS THE POTATOES, THE POTATOES TO YOU, SIR.
STAND WHAT, WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR CITIZENS FOR ALL OF US, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE SUFFERING IN OUR STREETS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH IS A GOOD ONE COFFEE RIDE DOWN, SIR.
WHAT'S YOUR STORY IS, UH, IS A PEPPER MUDITA HERE.
MY NAME IS SUNDAY CHADRI AND I'M AGAINST AGENDA ITEM 13.
MY FAMILY OWNS AND I MANAGE THE TWO HOTELS IN DISTRICT SIX THAT CANDLEWOOD SUITES SHARES THE DRIVEWAY WITH.
WE HAVE BEEN OPPOSED TO THIS PROPOSAL TO PURCHASE THE KENDALL WITH SWEETS SINCE JANUARY 25TH, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, LACK OF NOTICE, LACK OF COMMUNITY INPUT, LACK OF ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS, LACK OF SERVICES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE AREA.
FURTHERMORE, THE LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION IS VERY VAGUE AND BROAD.
THIS SEEMS LIKE A BAIT AND SWITCH.
WE HAVE BEEN OPPOSED TO A HOMELESS HOTEL FOR SIX MONTHS.
IT'S SAD TO SEE A WOMAN'S SHELTER BECOME POLITICIZED.
LASTLY, ACCORDING TO SAFE, THEY PREFER TO WORK WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
SECONDLY, WILLIAMSON COUNTY DOES NOT AFFORD THE SAME PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS THAT TRAVIS COUNTY DOES.
THOSE WERE ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAD IN PERSON.
WE'RE GOING TO NOW GO TO THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE CALLED THE N THE END OF THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE CALLED DAD.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE IN PERSON.
DID YOU OUGHT TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK NOW, HAD YOU SIGNED UP, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK, COME ON DOWN AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO SPEAKERS ON THE, UH, SPEAKERS ON THE PHONE.
UH, IF I HAVE TO TURN THE CHAIR OVER TO THE MAYOR PART TAB, UH, WE WERE PRETENDING TO TAKE OVER, WE HAVE ONE MORE LIVE SPEAKER AND THEN JUST LET THE CLERK START CALLING THE SPEAKERS ON THE PHONE AND I'LL GET BACK HERE JUST AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.
SO TWO SPEAKERS INSIDE CATHY MITCHELL IS ABOUT TO SPEAK.
ED, WHAT IS IT, DAVID? THE OTHER SPEAKER.
SO THERE'LL BE TWO SPEAKERS IN HERE TO SPEAK, UH, UH, THE GROUP, UH, VERY PRO TAB.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE CHAIR.
HI, MY NAME IS CATHY MITCHELL.
I'M ACTUALLY HERE TODAY ON MY OWN BEHALF.
UH, I HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING ACTIVELY IN THE, UM, ACADEMY REVIEW PROCESS.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, THE PROCESS HAS PROVEN TO BE BOTH VERY FRUITFUL, VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR DONE.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, ALL OF THAT KIND OF COMES TOGETHER TO SAY THAT THE WHATEVER HAPPENS
[00:40:01]
AFTER THIS CLASS, UH, I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAREFULLY LOOK AT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH DURING THE ONE 44TH THAT WE CONTINUED TO ACCOMPLISH.UH, AND, UH, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT THAT IS THAT WE ARE NOT REVIEWING MOST OF THE CURRICULUM.
AS YOU KNOW, WE STARTED VERY LATE.
UH, WE STARTED RIGHT BEFORE THIS CLASS BEGAN.
UH, WE, OKAY, SO ANY QUESTIONS THAT'S REMEMBER ALTAR AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, MS. MITCHELL.
WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK A LOT OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, BUT, UH, CUDA TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO CONTINUE IT.
YOU WANT TO JUST SAY, CAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, UM, WHERE, WHERE WE'VE AT, WHERE WE'RE AT, UM, WITH THE ACADEMY REVIEW.
SO, UM, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REVIEW AND I WENT BACK AND ACTUALLY COUNTED ALL THE ITEMS. WE'VE REVIEWED SIX UNITS.
UH, THERE'VE BEEN MANY, MANY UNITS THAT WE HAVE NOT REVIEWED BECAUSE WE ARE, UH, ABLE TO DO AN EVERY TWO WEEK MEETING.
UH, WE TALK ABOUT THE UNIT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND THEN THERE'S OFTEN, BUT NOT ALWAYS THE ABILITY TO MAKE A FEW OF OUR CHANGES.
UH, AND THEN A LOT OF WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IS LIKELY TO BE A LONGER CONVERSATION.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION ABOUT THE U S CONSTITUTION UNIT.
IT WAS NOT ON OUR REVIEW LIST, UH, BUT WE BROUGHT IT UP AS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND THE SEARCH AND SEIZURE UNIT, RIGHT? LIKE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING TAUGHT ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING TAUGHT ABOUT SEARCH AND SEIZURE.
AND SO THAT RAISED SOME ISSUES, BUT THAT UNIT HAD ALREADY BEEN TAUGHT.
AND SO I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST THE PRACTICAL REALITY OF THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN.
UH, I HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR, I HOPE WITH ALL OF YOU AND OUR WHOLE GROUP, THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A POTENTIALLY GOOD PROCESS, BUT IT MUST CONTINUE THAT WE DO SEE THINGS THAT NEED TO CHANGE IN EVERY UNIT THAT WE REVIEWED.
WE HAVE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS EVEN ON THE UNIT THAT IS BASICALLY ABOUT HOW TO USE YOUR COMMS EQUIPMENT.
UH, SO I, I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT WE REALLY, UH, WE, MY GROUP, THE GROUP, THE VIDEO REVIEW PANEL AND THE ACADEMY REVIEW PANEL WROTE YOU ALL A LETTER THIS WEEK THAT I HOPE THAT YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT.
AND IT WAS BASICALLY TO SAY THAT THE PROCESS FOR EVALUATING IN BETWEEN THESE LIKE 1 44 AND 1 45 IS SOMETHING WE HOPE YOU WILL REALLY TAKE SERIOUSLY.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO JUST BE A CHECKBOX ON A LIST, RIGHT.
SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY FOLKS WERE A LITTLE LIKE NERVOUS.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, KITCHEN WAS NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, KATHY, I, UH, MITCHELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, PARTICIPATION THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS AS YOU KNOW, AND, UM, I AM BRINGING JUST FROM MY COLLEAGUES, I'M BRINGING FORWARD BUDGET DIRECTION THAT RELATES TO, UM, COMPLETION OF THE CURRICULUM REVIEW PROCESS BEFORE BEGINNING THE NEXT, UM, UH, UH, CLASS AS WELL AS COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR AUTHORIZATION BEFORE BEGINNING THE NEXT CLASS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER, UM, ASPECTS OF THAT DIRECTION THAT RELATE BACK TO THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED PREVIOUSLY.
UM, I, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION, MS. MITCHELL, AND ALSO FOR KEEPING US ABREAST OF, OF WHAT YOU WERE EXPERIENCING AND WHAT YOU WERE RECOMMENDING.
UM, I THINK IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO GET, RIGHT.
UM, AND THAT WE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE, UM, UM, WE FULLY COMPLETE AS INTENDED BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR NEXT, UH, CADET CLASS.
I REALLY THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH US ON THE LANGUAGE OF OUR, OF THE DIRECTION.
ANY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO.
IS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY? IT IS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY, MS. MITCHELL, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF MY STAFF WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO YOU TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THOSE ITEMS. I WOULD LOVE THAT.
[00:45:01]
OUT TO DR.CREAGAN AS WELL TO HELP SORT OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT HERE AND GET THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL.
YOU GUYS SEE COUNCIL MEMBER POOL'S HAND, AND IF YOU'RE ON THE DICE, I CAN'T QUITE SEE THE DAY.
SO YOU JUST HAVE TO KIND OF HOLLER UP.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK MS. MITCHELL.
I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION FOR HER, BUT I DID WANT TO SUPPORT, UH, THE, UM, THE COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY JUST MADE.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO TALK WITH DR.
CRANKIN TO, UM, MAKE SURE WE GET SOME REALLY GOOD PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE IN THE US, WE WANT TO HAVE THE BEST CURRICULUM THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, I'M SORRY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER MRS. MITCHELL.
I SAW THAT YOU TESTED SIDE OF THE TESTIFY ON THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS ON, UH, ITEM 10, THE BALLOT MEASURE.
DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS ON THAT OR ARE YOU DEFERRING TO OTHERS? YES.
SO, UM, I DID, I DID SIGN UP ON ITEM 10.
UH, I AM, UH, HOPE THAT YOU OPPOSE ITEM 10, UH, ITEM.
THIS BALLOT INITIATIVE IS ONE OF THOSE COSTS TOO MUCH COSTS TOO MUCH.
THAT'S KIND OF THE, WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
UH, I THINK THAT IT WILL BE INCREDIBLY HARMFUL FOR OUR WORK TOWARDS A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM.
THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU HEARD FROM DR.
SPELLMAN ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING FOR AND ARE REALLY WHAT A LOT OF WHAT YOU DID LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT ADDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS, ADDING, UH, PARAMEDICS, ADDING TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM, THE RANGE OF SERVICES THAT ARE WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY NEED AND IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEMS THAT UNDERLIE THOSE NINE 11 CALLS SO THAT WE CAN SOLVE THEM.
SO PLEASE DO NOT MOVE FORWARD IN.
I KNOW YOU HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ARE AGAINST IT.
REMEMBER THAT WAS ALL MARRIAGE WITH HIM.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES, I ACTUALLY WOULD ALSO LIKE ECHO MY COLLEAGUES APPRECIATION FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
WHO'VE TAKEN THEIR TIME, VALUABLE TIME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROCESS.
UM, I'VE HEARD SOME THINGS THAT SOUNDED PROMISING.
I'VE ALSO HEARD SOME THINGS THAT MAKE ME REALIZE THAT WHILE WE THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A TEMPORARY PROCESS, I BELIEVE THIS KIND OF COMMITTEE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, IN PERPETUITY.
UM, AND I JUST WONDER, UH, UH, MS. MITCHELL, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON, HOW LONG WILL THE COMMITTEE NEED TO BE IN EXISTENCE OR IS THIS, DO YOU AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT THAT WE MIGHT JUST NEED TO ALWAYS HAVE A COMMITTEE REVIEWING OUR CURRICULUM? UM, AYE.
WE CERTAINLY, AS A COMMITTEE, UH, HAVE SAID THAT THE PROCESS NEEDS TO CONTINUE UNTIL WE HAVE REVIEWED THE CURRICULUM, TO THE EXTENT THAT A CURRICULUM IS A LIVING, UH, AND CHANGING AND SHOULD BE A LIVING AND CHANGING PROCESS THAT BY WHICH WE LEARN AND RE YOU KNOW, IMPROVE WHAT WE ARE TEACHING.
I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, I CERTAINLY COULDN'T SPEAK FOR ANY OF US AS TO LIKE BEING PERMANENTLY DOING THIS.
I WOULD, THAT WAS CERTAINLY NOT MY IMPLICATION.
I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION THAT I'M GOING TO DEFER TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS YOU SAID, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT REVIEWING MOST OF THE CURRICULUM, WHICH GIVES ME PAUSE.
YOU'VE ONLY REVIEWED SIX UNITS, SIX UNITS OUT OF HOW MANY, UH, I HAVEN'T COUNTED, BUT, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN COMPLETED WEEKS.
I THINK WE ARE IN EIGHT WEEKS, WE REVIEWED ONE UNIT THAT WAS A WEEK LONG AND ALL THE OTHER OF THE SIX, THE OTHER FIVE WERE EITHER FULL ONE DAY OR SHORTER.
SO THAT SORT OF A WAY TO MEASURE IT WITHOUT MY EYE.
THERE'S MANY SHORT ONES AND SOME LONGER ONES.
UH, BUT WE HAVE NOT REVIEWED MOST OF THE TIME, THE MATERIAL BEING SEEN BY STUDENTS DURING THE TIME THEY HAVE BEEN THERE.
WE'VE PROBABLY REVIEWED TWO WEEKS OUT OF SEVEN OR MAYBE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS OUT OF SEVEN.
THAT'S HELPFUL FOR PERSPECTIVE.
[00:50:01]
TO FLAG THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET RIDERS, UM, RELATED TO THE ACADEMY, UM, AND I'M A, CO-SPONSOR ON COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHENS.UM, I THINK WE DO NEED SOME CONVERSATION, UM, AMONG THE DIOCESE TO SURFACE SOME THINGS.
UM, I HAVE SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS THE LAST FEW DAYS TALKING WITH CHIEF CHACAN AND, AND DR.
UM, AND I HAVE SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS.
UM, I THINK THAT OUR BUDGET RIDERS, UH, DRESS THOSE CONCERNS TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT OUR INTENTIONS AND OUR GOALS ARE AS A COUNCIL, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE CADET CLASSES TO PROVIDE THE OFFICERS THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT AND, AND BE CLEAR ABOUT THE GOALPOSTS.
UM, NOW, UM, SO I JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT WE WILL NEED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATION, NOT BECAUSE I'M NECESSARILY TAKING ISSUE WITH THE BUDGET RIDERS, BUT I THINK WE DO NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
I APPRECIATE THAT MS. MITCHELL, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN TO CITY HALL.
I HEARD THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER IN-PERSON SPEAKER, BUT WHAT I DIDN'T HEAR WAS THE NAME.
CAN SOMEBODY HELP ME WITH THAT PART PLEASE? AMY, MY NAME IS AMY KREISMAN AND THEN YOU'RE ON DECK.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST ITEM NINE.
AND I ALSO, UM, ADAMANTLY AGREE WITH KATHY MITCHELL.
I WAS ACTIVE IN THE QUOTE UNQUOTE, DEFUNDING THE POLICE.
UM, AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE, UM, VERY DELIBERATE, INTENTIONAL DECEPTIVE TACTICS IN GETTING THOSE SIGNATURES FOR THAT PETITION.
I AM EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT IT WAS COMING OUT OF THE LIBRARY WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER, JU A GENTLEMEN ASKED ME IF I'M INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT DEESCALATION OF POLICE AND ALSO MENTAL HEALTH.
DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT SAID, SAVE AUSTIN.
NOW, BANNER ARE, ARE ON THE VEST, BUT I, I SIGNED IT.
I THEN SENT THEM A EMAIL AND A LETTER SAYING, PLEASE, I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH ALL THESE POINTS ADAMANTLY.
AND WE TAKE THAT OFF THE, YOU KNOW, MY NAME OFF THAT PETITION.
I CAN'T, IF THERE'S A BUZZER GOING OFF, I CAN'T HEAR IT.
SO MY APOLOGIES IF THAT'S TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.
I CAN'T REMEMBER BECAUSE I HAVE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE SPEAKER.
WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? AND JUST TELL A LITTLE BIT MORE OF YOUR STORY FOR US PLEASE.
UM, YOUR QUESTION WAS WHAT TO DO NEXT? WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? I HAVEN'T HAD A RESPONSE, BUT I DID LOOK, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T FILL OUT AN AFFIDAVIT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
DO I COLLECT PETITIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES? I, TO SAY THIS PETITION, THIS, THESE TACTICS ARE DECEPTIVE AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BOGUS IN MY OPINION.
AND I'M NOT SAYING, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT TO BE SAID ABOUT THAT AND I WISH I COULD, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE, BUT I HAVE, I HOPE I HOPE THAT SOMETHING WILL BE DONE, BUT THE AWARENESS THAT THE LETTER THAT I RECEIVED FROM SAVE AUSTIN NOW, THE RHETORIC WAS ATROCIOUS.
THE, ALL THE POINTS ON THERE, I AM OPPOSED TO IT.
I CAN GO INTO REASONS AND RATIONALE OF WHY I AM OPPOSED TO ALL THEIR, BOTH THE POINTS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW, BUT I DO SEE THAT THERE IS A POWER PLAY FOR MONEY AND IT'S NOT, IT'S IN, IT'S UGLY.
AND IT'S NOT WITH THE MIND SET OF WHAT IS SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC.
IT'S A POWER DYNAMIC THAT IS REALLY, AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
I REALLY DON'T, BUT I HOPE THAT I WOULD, I WOULD TALK TO THEM THE, THE ORGANIZERS OF THAT AND SAY, HOW MUCH DID YOU HIRE THIS PERSON TO REPRESENT YOU? MISREPRESENT YOU TALK IN SUCH TERMS THAT IS COMPLETELY NOT ON THAT PETITION PETITION.
AND TO THEM, I MEAN, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT I DO SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR DRIVEN RHETORIC THAT IS COMPLETELY NOT FACTUAL.
AND IT'S ALSO DIVISIVE AND DIRECTED TOWARD MAYOR ADLER.
AND OF COURSE YOU, AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY SADDENING.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S FRUSTRATING.
MA'AM THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
DID I SEE YOUR HAND? THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE HAD A MOMENT TO FINISH HER, HER STATEMENT.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO CURIOUS, DID YOU, DID YOU EMAIL THEM AND ASK THEM THAT YOU WANTED YOUR NAME REMOVED AND HAVEN'T HEARD BACK? I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT.
[00:55:01]
YES, YES I DID.AND THEN I ALSO, I KNOW THAT I NEED TO FILL AN APHID DATED WITHIN A TIMELY MANNER, ALL THAT I, AND, AND THERE'S BUREAU IT'S BUREAUCRATIC AND I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO TAKE MY NAME OFF BECAUSE I I'M EMBARRASSED THAT I WAS DUPED BY THIS.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT IF YOU UNDERSTOOD SOMETHING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN, THAN WHAT IT WAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, ISN'T IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS SIGNING PETITIONS TO READ THEM, BUT THIS THAT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
UM, I'M, I'M CURIOUS TO SEE IF YOU HAVE THAT EMAIL AND CAN FORWARD IT TO ME.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT AFTER, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE PETITIONS ARE SUBMITTED, THERE'S NO WAY TO REMOVE THEM.
UM, BUT THAT IS CONCERNING TO HEAR.
AND I'M VERY SORRY THAT THAT HAPPENED TO YOU.
NO, BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I WAS GOING BY AUDITORY CUES AND THEN IT HIT MY GUT IN A CERTAIN WAY BECAUSE I HEARD DEESCALATION.
I JUST DIDN'T EVEN THINK I FELT KIND OF SIDESWIPED OR HOODWINKED BY AT ALL.
I AM VERY SORRY THAT HAPPENED TO YOU.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS OUR LAST IN-PERSON SPEAKER AND THAT WE CAN MOVE OVER TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE ON THE PHONE.
UM, WE DID HAVE TWO REQUESTS FOR A SPANISH INTERPRETATION.
UM, THE COLORS ARE NOT ON THE LINE, SO WE WILL WAIT A FEW MORE AND THEN RELEASE THE INTERPRETER IF THEY DON'T CALL IN.
SO THE FIRST SPEAKER IS THAI
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE THAT MESSAGE IN SPANISH SO THAT THEY CAN CALL IN? IF THEY'RE WATCHING? I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
IF THEY ONLY SPEAK SPANISH, THEY WON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN CALL IN NOW TO GET ON, TO GET THE INTERPRETER.
SOMEONE WHO'S BETTER AT SPANISH THAN I AM IF THEY COULD JUST PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
THE INTERPRETER IS ON THE LINE.
IF SHE CAN MAKE THAT, UM, THAT COMMENT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT JACQUELINE KNOWS WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
JACQUELINE, CAN YOU PLEASE INFORM THE VIEWERS THAT IF THEY REGISTERED TO SPEAK REQUESTING A SPANISH INTERPRETER, UH, TO PLEASE CALL IN OR, UM, WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES.
SO THE FIRST SPEAKER IS TAI LANKY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, PLEASE PROCEED.
UH, THIS TYPE OF BANKING FROM A DISTRICT FIVE, I'M CALLING IN, UH, OPPOSITION TO ITEM 10, UH, AND UM, BASICALLY I URGE THE COUNCIL TO, UH, TAKE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY WE'RE IN, UH, WE'RE INVESTING MORE IN COMMUNITY, UH, SUPPORT, UH, INITIATIVES, SUCH AS THE ONES PRO PRESENTED BY GCU COMMUNITIES OF COLOR UNITED OR AUSTIN JUSTICE COUNCIL OR COALITION.
UH, THE PROPOSED MEASURES IN TOP 10 ARE FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE, PASSIVELY TO BUDGET CUTS AND ELIMINATION OF LIKE SENIOR FACILITY, MENTAL HEALTH CARE PARKS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN IT JUST LEADS MORE TAX INCREASES, UH, HAVING MORE POLICES, JUST A SOCIETAL BANDAID THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE ROOT CONDITIONS THAT EVENTUALLY LEAD TO