[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
AND SINCE WE DO HAVE A NEW MEMBER JOINING US TODAY, WHICH IS EXCITING, UH, LET'S JUST GO AROUND AND, UM, INTRODUCE OURSELVES.
AND, UH, IF YOU CAN BE SURE TO MENTION IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING ANOTHER, UH, MORTAR COMMISSION, UM, SAY WHICH ONE AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU, UH, FEEL AS IMPORTANT, UH, TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF? UM, I'M, COHIBA WHITE AND I AM, UH, REPRESENTING THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION AND I WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCIL WOMAN POINTERS FOR DISTRICT TWO.
AND I GUESS I'LL JUST, LET'S JUST PASS IT AROUND, UH, ONE, THE NEXT I'LL PASS IT TO DAVID.
I AM A PARTNER AND DIRECTOR OF MULTIFAMILY AND URBAN FOUNDRY ARCHITECTURE.
I AM THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE DESIGN COMMISSION, WHICH I CHAIR WAS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR, PUT TIM, UH, NEXT, UH, LET'S GO WITH ALEXIS.
I AM A DISTRICT THREE REP OR A COUNCIL MEMBER OF ANDREA AND I AM ON THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION AS WELL, AND I WILL PASS IT TO THE CIO.
UH, I REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS DIANA WHEELER AND I AM THE LIAISON WITH THE UTC URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
AND I AM RELATIVELY NEW THE PAST THREE, FOUR MONTHS.
AND I WAS APPOINTED BY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, LESLIE POOL, AND THAT'S DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND, UM, ON MY PHONE, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING WHO ELSE IS OUT THERE.
CAN SOMEBODY TAKE IT NEXT? I'M SWIPING SOMEBODY.
I'LL PASS IT TO ALBERT ALBERTA.
ALTHOUGH SHE MIGHT BE OTHERWISE OCCUPIED.
UM, SO THAT'LL BRING IT UP, BRING IT AROUND TO, UH, SOLVE IT.
IS THAT, CAN YOU SAY YOUR NAME? YES.
UM, SO BADE ROSA, BUT YOU CAN CALL ME SOUL.
UM, I'M HERE FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, AND I WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLINT THIS AS WELL.
THANKS EVERYBODY FOR GETTING ON THE MEETING TONIGHT.
LET'S, UH, HIT OUR AGENDA STARTING WITH, HAS ANYBODY CALLED IN FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I'M GOING TO CALL HER, UH, RE UH, REPORTER NAMED BEN FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT IS CALLED AND TO JUST LISTEN IN LIVE TO THE MEETING.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE WHAT SPEAKING, BUT IS THERE IN THE BACKGROUND? ALL RIGHT.
UM, OKAY THEN LET'S GO TO HER, HER NEXT VICTIM,
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
NUMBER ONE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.THIS IS FROM OUR JULY 28TH MEETING.
AND, UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, YOU, IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU WERE PRESENT AT THE MEETING TO GO TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, BUT OF COURSE THAT'S AT ANYONE'S DISCRETION IF YOU WANT TO ABSTAIN, BUT, UM, IF YOU WERE AT THE MEETING AND HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS, UH, DEFINITELY SPEAK UP AND IF NOT, WE CAN CONSIDER A MOTION.
UH, THIS IS DIANE AND I READ THE MINUTES AND THEY SEEM GOOD TO ME.
SO I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
THIS IS ALEXIS FROM DISTRICT THREE AND I, UM, WILL AGREE WITH THAT.
I'M MISSING THE WORDING FOR IT.
WE HAVE AN EMOTION REDDIT DIANA SECOND BY ALEXIS.
AND, UH, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE, UM, ANY CORRECTIONS ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKES
[00:05:02]
OR THEY'RE INFORMING.AND IF YOU ARE ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR VIDEO AND RAISE YOUR HAND FOR, I, UH, THAT'S HELPFUL.
IF NOT, I'LL GO AROUND AND CALL ROLL.
SO ALBERTA, UM, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE US YOUR VOTE AND, OR YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING OTHER THINGS, BUT IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, LET ME GIVE HER A SECOND.
UM, IS IT ALLOWED THAT WE COME BACK TO THAT WHEN ALBERTA HAS TRULY JOINED THE MEETING? I THINK WE CAN.
[2.a) Discussion on upcoming in-person JSC meetings (Discussion and/or possible action)]
FIRST UP, AND I KNOW THERE WAS ALREADY A QUESTION ABOUT THIS, SO I'M GLAD IT'S ON OUR AGENDA DISCUSSION ON UPCOMING IN-PERSON MEETINGS AND SLACK.I KNOW YOU HAVE UPDATES FOR US.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS ZACH BOMBER WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, UM, STAFF LIAISON.
AND I THINK I'VE SHARED THE EMAILS WITH EVERYONE, BUT ESSENTIALLY RECEIVED COMMUNICATION FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE THAT, UH, WE WILL STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.
UH, SO THERE'S TWO THINGS GOING ON HERE, STARTING UP DECEMBER 1ST, ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEETINGS NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO PRE PANDEMIC REQUIREMENTS, NO MORE EVENTS, NO MORE VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
UM, THE OFFICER, YOU KNOW, UH, WE NEED TO BE PRESENT A QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO BE PRESENT.
WE NEED TO GO BACK TO FULLY OPERATING IN PERSON.
SO THAT'S DUE TO, UM, UH, LIKE THE GOVERNOR NOT EXTENDING THE SUSPENSION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE FOR NOW.
SO THERE'S THAT ISSUE IN DISCUSSING ALL OF US GOING BACK IN PERSON.
AND THEN THE SECOND ISSUE IS THAT, UM, BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE TO SWITCH BACK TO ALL THESE MEETINGS BEING BACK IN PERSON.
THE SCHEDULE OF ALL THE MEETINGS AT CITY HALL IS EVIDENTLY GOTTEN OUT OF WHACK AND THERE ARE, OH ABOUT LIKE 10 CONDITIONS THAT WERE NOTIFIED THAT THEY WILL, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MEET ON OUR SCHEDULED DATES, UH, FOR THE FOUR DATES REMAINING IN THIS YEAR, WHICH ARE SEPTEMBER 22ND, OCTOBER 27TH, NOVEMBER 17TH, AND DECEMBER 15TH.
THOSE MEETING TIMES AT FIVE 30 AT CITY HALL ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
SO WE WILL NEED TO EITHER, UH, MEET AT ANOTHER TIME, LIKE DURING, DURING THE DAY ON THE FOURTH WINDS OR THE SECOND WEDNESDAY, AND THEN THE THIRD WEDNESDAY, UH, OR WE WILL NEED TO, UH, FIND ANOTHER LOCATION.
SO I HAVE REACHED IT AND THEY GAVE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS.
THEY GAVE US, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY TOWN LIKE CENTER, UM, THEN POTENTIALLY TO THESE NEW BUILDINGS, THE NEW AUSTIN ENERGY BUILDING OF THE NEW FOR MAINLY PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
SO I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THOSE BUILDING, UH, BUILDING MANAGERS TO FIND OUT IF WE COULD HAVE MEETINGS AT OUR REGULAR TIME AT THOSE LOCATIONS, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK YET, UM, AND DO NOT HAVE CONFIRMATION.
SO WITH ALL THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE, THAT WAS WHAT I WANTED TO SORT OF SHARE WITH THE GROUP.
AND THEN, UH, KAYLA, YOU CAN, I GUESS, LEAD THE GROUP AND DISCUSSING THOSE TOPICS.
UM, I GUESS MAYBE I'D JUST LIKE TO KIND OF START BY GETTING SOME GENERAL LEVEL OF FEEDBACK, UM, FROM PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, UM, IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS SAY FROM, IF YOU AREN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, WILLING OR ABLE, UM, TO DO IN-PERSON, UH, MEETINGS AT THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL FOR US TO TALK THAT THROUGH NOW.
[00:10:01]
WE KIND OF KNOW WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE FACING.UM, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, FOR MYSELF, UH, I HAVE, UH, I GUESS NOW ALMOST 14 MONTH OLD BABY AT HOME.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GONE BACK TO BEING PRETTY ISOLATED WITH THIS LATEST SURGE AND THE COVID, UM, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY HE IS NOT BACK TODAY.
UM, SO I DON'T FEEL GREAT ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF, YOU KNOW, MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, WELL, IN PERSON, UM, OF, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK, UH, INTO AN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, UM, RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS KIND OF, DEPENDING ON THE SPACE, UH, AND MAYBE MY DISCOMFORT COULD BE ALLEVIATED IN A, IN A LARGE ENOUGH SPACE WHERE I COULD SPREAD OUT, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OTHER, OTHER PEOPLE, WHAT, WHAT YOUR COMFORT LEVEL IS DAVID? YEAH.
I JUST HAVE ONE CLARIFICATION.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S A CLARIFICATION.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AROUND THIS OBVIOUSLY CITY HALLS TRYING TO SCRAMBLE, BUT I WAS TOLD BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THAT THE REQUIREMENT IS ONLY THAT THE CHAIR AND A CORUM BE PRESENT AND THAT EVERYONE ELSE COULD BE REMOTE.
I KNOW THAT DOESN'T HELP YOUR CASE EITHER, BUT, UH, I AGREE, DAVID, I HEARD THE SAME.
I HEARD AS LONG AS THERE WAS A QUORUM PRESENT, I DIDN'T HEAR THE CHAIR HAD TO BE, BUT I HEARD IF THERE'S A QUORUM PRESENT THAN OTHERS MAY ATTEND VIA WEBEX, BUT THE WORST WOULD BE AS IF YOU HAD LIKE FOUR PEOPLE GET TO A PLACE AND YOU REALLY NEEDED FIVE.
SO THERE HAVE TO BE A D THERE HAS TO BE A DEDICATED QUORUM SO THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE IT A WASTE TIME FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO MEET IN PERSON.
UM, I CANNOT MEET DURING THE DAY BECAUSE I WORK, BUT I COULD BE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT MEET IN PERSON.
AND I WILL SAY I'VE BEEN TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY TLC CENTER AND THE AUSTIN ENERGY, NEW MUELLER BUILDING.
I THINK THAT'S THE ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEWER HEADQUARTERS.
AND THERE IS LOVELY OUTDOOR SPACE AT THE MUELLER, UM, HEADQUARTERS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CONVENIENT FOR ANYBODY.
WE DEFINITELY DEDICATED TO THE SECOND WEDNESDAY IS THAT, I MEAN, I CAN DO THAT, BUT I WASN'T SURE IF WE, I NEED TO KEEP A FIVE 30 TIME SLOT.
I I'M HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WANTS, BUT IF IT'S NOT FIVE 30, THEN I CAN'T BE THERE IN PERSON, BUT I COULD BE, THERE WILL BE A WEBEX, MAYBE THINGS DAVID THINKS DIANA, I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE REST OF YOU, BUT JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION FROM ZACH.
MY READ OF THE EMAIL YOU FORWARDED WAS THAT THERE WASN'T A FIVE 30 SLOT FOR US ON ANY DAY AT CITY HALL, RIGHT? IT'S CITY HALL.
SO WE, WE COULD STICK TO THE DAYS WE CURRENTLY HAVE ON THE CALENDAR AT FIVE 30, POTENTIALLY AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE QUESTION IS JUST, DO WE, OR DO WE WANT TO STICK WITH FIVE 30 IN THOSE DAYS? AND WE'LL JUST WE'LL FIND A PLACE OR ARE THEY OKAY.
LIKE HAVING THE MEETING AT DIFFERENT TIME TO HAVE IT AT CITY HALL, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO KEEP WITH OUR CURRENT DATES AND TIMES, AND JUST TRY TO FIND A BETTER.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION WITH A, IS IT GOING TO BE FIVE 30 THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH? IT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ON WEDNESDAY THE SECOND WEDNESDAY.
WELL, THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE'RE NOW IN THE WHAT, THE LAST MONTH, WEDNESDAY, RIGHT? THAT'S FINE.
WHEN, WHEN WE DID THE MEETING, IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN HE DID THE MEETINGS IN PERSON, WE USED TO MEET, HAVE THEIR MEETINGS AT SIX, UM, TO MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO TRAVEL.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER.
UM, AND TO YOUR QUESTION, DIANA, THE MEETINGS, THE CURRENT CADENCE THAT WE DO IS WE IT'S THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, WHICH IS, BUT TODAY IS, UM, BUT EVERY YEAR, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER GET MESSED UP BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS ARE ON THE FOURTH WEEK.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE USUALLY DO IN NOVEMBER AND IN DECEMBER, WE DO THE THIRD WEEK.
SO IT'S FOURTH, WEDNESDAY IN ALL MONTHS, EXCEPT NOVEMBER, WHICH IS THIRD.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU MORE BROADLY, NOT RELATED TO THIS, UH, JOINT COMMISSION IN PARTICULAR, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT IF THERE'S BEEN ANY GUIDELINES FOR COMMISSIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, ENSURING EVERYONE IS VACCINATED, OR EVERYONE'S WEARING A MASK WHEN WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS.
AND I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THE CONVERSATIONS
[00:15:01]
HAVE GONE WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS, IF YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE LAST I CHECKED, THERE WERE, UH, THERE AT LEAST OVER 40 COMMISSIONS FOR AUSTIN.AND SO I WONDER FOR THE COMMISSIONS WHO AREN'T ABLE TO MEET, WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE, UM, CAUSE I, I WOULD ASSUME WITH SO MANY PEOPLE, THERE MIGHT BE SOME THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ALL MEET TOGETHER.
AND SO I JUST WONDER BASED OFF OF THIS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN SEPTEMBER ONE, WHAT THE CONTINGENCY PLAN IS FOR THOSE, BUT THESE ARE MORE GENERAL QUESTIONS JUST CAUSE I'M CURIOUS.
SO, SO WHAT I'VE HEARD IS, WHAT THEY'RE JUST OFFERING IS THAT IF YOU CAN'T MEET THESE GUIDELINES AND THE GOVERNOR DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING, THEN MEETINGS WILL JUST BE CANCELED.
SO LIKE IF WE CAN'T MEET IT, THEN WE WOULD JUST CANCEL THE MEETING FOR THE NEXT MONTH AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
UM, I HAVE NO, THERE'S NOTHING IN THAT I'VE SEEN ABOUT VACCINES.
UM, BUT UH, IT SAYS IN HERE AT THIS TIME, AN INDIVIDUAL OVER THE AGE OF TWO IS REQUIRED TO WEAR A FACE COVERING WHILE PRESENT ON OR IN CITY PROPERTY.
THANK YOU, OTHERS WHO HAVEN'T SHARED THEIR PREFERENCES OR LIMITATIONS.
UM, IF YOU CAN CONFIRM THAT THE HYBRID, UM, OPTION WILL BE THERE FOR THIS, UM, FOR, FOR THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
I'M JUST WONDERING, BECAUSE I KNOW IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S OFFERED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE FORUM IN PERSON, BUT I HAD HEARD THAT, THAT WOULDN'T BE OFFERED TO MANY OTHER, UM, CITY COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE DOES IT STAND? CAN YOU CONFIRM WHETHER WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT HYBRID OPTION? I, I CAN'T CONFIRM.
UM, WHEN I READ, WHEN I READ THE, ALL OF THE EXACT WORDS IN THE EMAIL LIKE DAVID AND I EVEN HAVE DONE, IT'S SORT OF A PEERS THAT, YEAH, BUT YOU KNOW, IT JUST SAYS REQUIREMENT FOR REPREP PRESIDING OFFICER TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT REQUIREMENT FOR QUORUM OF THE BOARD OR COMMISSION TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
AND THEN IT SAYS ELIMINATING THE OPTION FOR AUDIO TESTIMONY REQUIRING PUBLIC TESTIMONY TO BE IN PERSON.
BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY SAY ANYWHERE.
IT DOESN'T SAY THE WORD HYBRID IN HERE.
IT DOESN'T SAY CLARIFY THAT OTHER MEN, LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY THOSE EXACT WORDS THAT YOU COULD, THAT YOU CAN HAVE A HYBRID MEETING.
RIGHT? COURSE I CAN FORWARD YOU.
THE EMAIL I GOT FROM STEPHANIE HALL, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS HYBRID.
UM, IT, IT DOES SAY THAT PUBLIC TESTIMONY HAS TO BE IN PERSON, UH, BUT IT DOES SAY HYBRID.
UM, AND YES, AND I, I THINK, UM, SOL'S CORRECT THAT IT'S PROBABLY NOT OFFERED TO EVERY BOARD AND COMMISSION, BUT IT WAS OFFERED TO MINE TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
THEN MAYBE THIS, I CAN FOLLOW UP AFTER THIS MEETING WITH STEPHANIE.
UM, SO I JUST WANT US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE LEAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH A, UM, A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE UP FOR.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, OR, I MEAN, I THINK UNLESS THERE IS, UH, A PREFERENCE FOR SHIFTING TO DAYTIME MEETINGS AMONGST A BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE, I, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE NUMBER WHO, WHO CAN DO THE DAYTIME MEETINGS.
SO, UM, SPEAK UP IF YOU HAVE A TONER TO THAT.
BUT, UM, IF NOT, THEN I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN SAY WE'LL STICK WITH FIVE 30 OR SIX.
IS THAT GOOD WITH EVERYBODY? OKAY.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF IMMEDIATE SPACE, ARE PEOPLE GOOD WITH TRYING FOR AN OUTDOOR MEETING SPACE, MAYBE A PREFERABLY ONE THAT IS UNDER COVER IN CASE WE, I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I HAVE YOU'RE SO KIND, YOU'VE ASKED ME A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
COULD WE HAVE THE MEETING OUTSIDE? I SENT THAT MEETING TO, I SENT THAT REQUEST TO STEPHANIE AND SHE DIDN'T RESPOND.
AND THEN I ASKED HER AGAIN AND SHE SAID SHE SENT IT TO LEGAL IS NOT HER BACK FROM LEGAL.
SHE SAID THAT, UH, SHE HAD POTENTIAL CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, NOTING THE EXACT LOCATION OF WHERE YOU WOULD BE IF YOU WERE OUTSIDE.
AND THEN SHE SAID RECORDING, THE AUDIO
[00:20:01]
MIGHT BE AN ISSUE.UM, BUT SHE DIDN'T, SHE HAS NOT CONFIRMED FROM LEGAL A YES OR NO, SIR.
UM, WELL, I CAN, I CAN IMAGINE, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE BOTH BEING CHALLENGES, BUT THEY SEEM LIKE CHALLENGES THAT WE COULD OVERCOME.
UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY POOR, WE PICK LIKE A PAVILION OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL, YOU KNOW, KIND OF OUTDOOR PAVILION SPACES, DAN, AND YOU MENTIONED THE NEW AUSTIN ENERGY SPACE, IS THAT A COVERED AREA.
WE'LL FEEL AUSTIN ENERGY TOWN LAKE CENTER, WHICH IS IF PEOPLE ARE NEEDING DOWNTOWN, IT HAS A BACK PATIO, PATIO, UM, PORCH.
SO WE COULD, YOU KNOW, NOBODY ELSE IS ON IT.
SO WE WOULD TECHNICALLY BE, WE WOULDN'T BE ON THE GROUNDS OF OSTEO GT TLC, WHICH IS ACROSS FROM THE PALMER EVENTS CENTER.
SO IT'S NOT VERY FAR FROM WHERE CITY HALL IS LOCATED, IF THAT'S CONVENIENT FOR PEOPLE.
AND THERE IS A BACK PORCH SPACE WHERE PEOPLE USED TO EAT LUNCH, YOU KNOW, AND PICNIC TABLES, THAT'S PRETTY LARGE.
THE AUSTIN ENERGY SPACE ALSO HAS LOTS OF OUTDOOR OPTIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE RECOVERED.
AND IT DEPENDS ELEMENT IT'S ON MUELLER ROAD AVENUE.
UM, I KNOW THE RECOVERED SPACE, UM, EITHER THAT I KNOW IS GENERALLY UNOCCUPIED IS THE, UM, THERE'S A PAVILION AT THE ROY GUERRERO, UH, PARK.
UM, WHAT I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF THE AUDIO IS THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO HAVE MICROPHONES SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE SPACED OUT AND, AND STILL, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CLEAR AUDIO.
UM, SO I WOULD BE WILLING TO DO A LITTLE SCOUTING TO SEE IF THERE IS LOCATIONS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S EASY ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY WHERE WE CAN SPREAD OUT AND COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, ZACK, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT, UM, IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD OUR MEETINGS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF JOINT SUSTAINABILITY IF WE EVER HAD THE MICROPHONES, UM, THERE, BUT I KNOW THAT FOR AT LEAST ONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS THAT I'VE SERVED ON, THEY HAVE HAD LIKE MICROPHONE SETUPS.
WE HAVE A, I MEAN, WE HAVE LIKE A DIGITAL AUDIO RECORDER THAT LIKE, WHEN WE WE'VE HELD IMMEDIATE, WE HELD ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE USED TO 11TH STREET BEFORE, AND WE JUST SET IT ON THE TABLE AND IT WORKED, BUT IT WORKED BECAUSE YEAH, BECAUSE WE WERE IN A QUIET ROOM, SO YEAH.
THAT'S WHY I THINK LIKE, UM, I THINK WE'LL NEED SOMETHING SOMEDAY DIFFERENT IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT WORK OUTDOORS.
UM, ARE YOU WILLING, DO YOU HAVE CAPACITY TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S MICROPHONES AVAILABLE? WE'LL LOOK INTO IT AND I WILL.
I MEAN, I WILL ALSO, UM, EMAIL STEPHANIE AGAIN.
AND IF, I MEAN, EVEN IF THERE'S NOT AND IT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE PURCHASED, YOU KNOW, UM, YEAH, I CAN, I CAN, I CAN ASSIST IN, IN TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO THIS IN A WAY THAT IS SAFE FOR US.
SO, UM, SO LET, LET ME KNOW IF, IF IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BURDENSOME, ARE YOU GOOD? UH, YEAH, SORRY.
I, I WAS LOOKING AT THIS EMAIL THAT MORE CAREFULLY AND IT SAID THE, AT THIS TIME HYBRID MEETINGS MAY ONLY TAKE PLACE AT CITY HALL.
DAVID, THAT MAKES SENSE THEN WHY UTC COULD OFFER IT BECAUSE I'M SORRY, BECAUSE THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS ABSOLUTELY MEETING AT 5:00 PM ON EVERY FIRST TUESDAY AT CITY HALL.
THAT'S WHY IT'S OFFERED TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE A MEETING AT CITY HALL ALREADY.
UM, SO, SO YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
SO, UM, JUST WANT TO CHECK BACK WITH YOU.
UM, WERE YOU ASKING BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE ATTENDING IN PERSON YOURSELF OR WERE YOU JUST ASKING FOR INFORMATION? UM, YEAH, I WORK WITH, UM, KIDS AND YOUTH AND A LOT OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, SO I WOULD BE WILLING TO, IF WE COULD BE OUTSIDE AND RELATIVELY DISTANCE, LIKE THE PAVILION TYPE SETTING THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE SHOWING UP FOR THAT, BUT INDOORS, UM, NOT SO MUCH,
[00:25:01]
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT'S AT CITY HALL OR, YEAH.UM, SO I THINK THAT'S ONE MORE REASON TO TRY TO PURSUE MAKING A WORK IN, UH, AN OUTDOOR LOCATION.
SO, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE IN AGREEMENT HERE AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE IT WORK AND YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM US.
ZACH, DO YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE FROM US HERE? WHAT I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, DID WE HEAR FROM, WE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY, LIKE WHAT THERE, CAUSE I WAS PERFECTLY TRYING TO GET LIKE AN ACCOUNT.
I DON'T THINK I'M COMFORTABLE IN CLOSED ROTATION THE EVENING TIME AS WELL.
I KNOW YOU ASKED A QUESTION EARLIER, BUT I DIDN'T REALLY HEAR IT STATED, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? OKAY, LET ME BE OTHERWISE OCCUPIED.
UM, IT SEEMS THOUGH THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST, AT LEAST A FEW OF US WHO WOULD MOSTLY FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING IT OUTDOORS.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK.
ARE WE GOOD TO MOVE ON? OKAY, THANK YOU.
IS THAT OKAY? I REALIZE THIS IS LIKE AN EXTRA TASK NOW FOR YOU, SO SORRY.
UM, LET'S UH, UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION, UH, DO
[2.c) Update on Climate Resilience and Resilience Hubs— Marc Coudert, Office of Sustainability – (Discussion and/or possible action)]
ITEM TO SEE NEXT SO THAT MARK CAN DO HIS PRESENTATION ON THE RESILIENCE HUBS AND THE, UH, CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLAN AND, UH, MOVE ON WITH HIS EVENING.SO WHENEVER, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, MARK PRESENTATION AND MARK, TAKE IT AWAY.
MY NAME IS MARK CRUDE AIR FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW, I REPORT TO ZACK AND I PERMANENTLY WORK ON CLIMATE ADAPTATION, AMONGST MANY OTHER THINGS.
UM, TODAY I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON RESILIENCE, HUBS, UH, AND UM, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T SEE THE PRESENTATION, BUT IF YOU DO, PLEASE, SORRY, THERE YOU GO.
SO, UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE WORKED FOR THE PAST 10 OR SO YEARS ON OR EIGHT OR SO YEARS ON CLIMATE ADAPTATION, MOSTLY AS IT RELATES TO CITY OPERATIONS.
AND HISTORICALLY WE'VE LOOKED AT DROPPED FLOOD AND WILDFIRE.
UH, RECENT EVENTS HAVE REALLY SORT OF HIGHLIGHTED IMPACTS TO COMMUNITY THAT WERE SOMETIMES UNANTICIPATED.
IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE THINKING GOING FORWARD.
SO TODAY I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON A COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT CAME OUT IN APRIL TO LOOK AT RESILIENCE HUBS, HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST AND WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO MAKE THEM IN AUSTIN? EXCELLENT.
SO AUSTIN HAS EXPERIENCED, UH, EXTREME WEATHER FOR AS LONG AS AUSTIN'S BEEN AROUND, BUT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE REALLY SEEN A LOT MORE OF THESE EVENTS HAPPENING RANGING FROM THE 2011 DROUGHT AND WILDFIRE TO, YOU KNOW, THE 20 13, 20 15 OVERALL OR HALLOWEEN FLOODS TO MEMORIAL DAY FLOODS.
AND I THINK FEW HAVE BEEN SO ENCOMPASSING AND COMPREHENSIVE AS ONCE YOUR SLUMP HURRY, WHICH HAPPENED LAST FEBRUARY.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT EVENT IS HOW, UH, IN EQUAL OR HOW, UM, MUCH OF AN IMPACT IT HAD ON THOSE PEOPLE WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
SO MOVING FORWARD, WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CENTERING LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES IN THIS PLANNING PROCESS, THAT WE'RE SORT OF AN EQUITY LENS WITH OUR WORK, BUT ALSO WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS WE'RE WORKING WITH, ESPECIALLY INTERNALLY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND STUDENT MOVE, AS MUCH AS WE CAN TOWARDS COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP OF THESE LOCATIONS SO THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER THE NEXT EVENT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN.
[00:30:01]
SO IN RESPONSE TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING EARLIER, COUNSEL AND FOLLOW RESOLUTION ONE THAT INCLUDED THIS RESILIENCE HUB RESOLUTION, AND IT ASKED CITY STAFF TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR RESILIENCE, HUBS, EXPLORE PASSIVE SURVIVABILITY, AS IT RELATES TO POWER AND WATER, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AT THE LOCATIONS.AND I'LL GET INTO THAT IN A SECOND, POTENTIALLY RESILIENCE, UH, POTENTIAL FOR RESILIENCE HELPS TO BE WITHIN A 15 MINUTE BLOCK SHOWED NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT WE SHOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH, UH, ESTIMATES, FOR BUDGET TO FUNDEES RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AND THEN POTENTIALLY LOOK AT ISLAND HUBS IN THE NEAR TERM SO THAT WE COULD GET THIS GOING IMMEDIATELY, AS WELL AS INTER-GOVERNMENTAL MURMURING MEMORANDUM, UH, SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE SHOULD WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS AISD TRAVIS COUNTY AND OTHERS IN ONE OF THE US TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE MECHANISMS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO GOOGLE'S FORWARD.
NOW BETWEEN THE TIME OF THIS COUNCIL RESOLUTION RESOLUTION CAME OUT AND THE TIME THAT WE ACTUALLY WORKED ON IT, UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER ACTIVITIES IN RESPONSE TO BOTH THE WINTER SUMMARY, BUT ALSO, UH, CURRENT DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE HAPPENING NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY.
AND ONE OF THOSE WAS THE REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH WAS LED BY THE EQUITY OFFICE.
THIS WAS A, UH, A DISCUSSION AROUND HOW DO WE RETHINK, UH, THE FUNDING FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HOW DO WE USE THAT MONEY GOING FORWARD? WE REALLY HONED IN ON THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS A WHOLE DISCUSSION IN THAT REPORT AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD HUBS, AND THAT WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PULL THIS INFORMATION INTO OUR WORK AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, TO THE LEFT HAND SIDE, LOOK AT THESE METRICS AS A WAY TO START TO FOCUS THESE PILOTS IN AREAS WITH THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF NEED.
SO WHILE THESE NEIGHBORHOOD PUBS IN THE REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY REALLY WORKS AT HELPING COMMUNITIES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE THOUGHT IT'D BE A GREAT TO SORT OF TIE THE RESILIENCE HUBS TO THESE BECAUSE WHEN THE RESILIENT SUBS ARE ACTIVATED, THEY'RE ONLY ACTIVATED DURING A BIG EVENTS, BUT THESE HUBS COULD BE THOSE LOCATIONS ON A REGULAR DAY TO DAY BASIS.
ANOTHER THING WE PULLED INTO THIS WORK, IT IS GOS AND VAMOS.
AUSTIN CAME OUT WITH A PRESS RELEASE IN RESPONSE TO WHAT YOUR SUMMARY, WHERE THEY IDENTIFIED, UH, ITEMS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THESE, UH, RESILIENCE VIBES GOING FORWARD.
THE ONES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOWS ARE THE ONES THAT WE PULLED INTO OUR WORK.
SO IN THEIR PRESS RELEASE, THEY HIGHLIGHTED THAT AT EACH OF THESE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, WE SHOULD HAVE GENERATORS WITH POWER BACKUP COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES, OUR LINES FOR COMMUNICATION, FIRST AID, MEDICAL, PERSONAL HYGIENE SUPPLIES, WATER STORES.
SO BACKUP WATER AS NEEDED IN ADDITION TO OTHER PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS, SUCH AS TRAINING FOR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TRAINING FOR STAFF AND THAT, UH, WE SHOWED IT, UM, PROVIDE STIPENDS FOR BLOCK LEADERS TO BECOME CERT CERTIFIED CERT IS A, UM, A NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR RECEIVE PREPAREDNESS.
SO WE'VE INCLUDED THIS WORK INTO OUR WORK AS WELL.
SO WHAT IS A RESILIENCE HUB, BUT IT'S REALLY BASIC FORM RESILIENCE, OUR PHYSICAL FACILITIES.
SO THEIR LOCATIONS WITHIN A COMMUNITY, BUT THEY ALSO PROVIDE A NETWORK OF CONDUCTIVITY.
SO THEY ARE NOT ISLANDS IN THEMSELVES, BUT THEY'RE CONNECTED TO OTHER FACILITIES LIKE HEALTH FACILITIES OR SCHOOLS.
SO THEY WORK 10 AND WITH OTHERS AND THEY SHIFT THE POWER TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITIES, THESE LOCATIONS ARE TRUSTED BY THE COMMUNITY, THE PLACES THAT CAN BE WOULD NATURALLY GO TO AND THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS COMFORTABLE THERE.
BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS NOT JUST A BIG SHOCKS, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO DAILY STRESSORS.
SO NOT JUST SAY A WINTER STORM OR A LARGE FLOOD, BUT ALSO ABOUT AIR QUALITY, HEAT, AND DROUGHT AND OTHER STRESSORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
RESILIENCE HUBS ARE NOT REPLACEMENTS FOR TRADITIONAL EMERGENCY PLANNING AND DISASTER RESPONSE.
WE HAVE A HOMELAND SECURITY, MERCY MONITOR AND MANAGEMENT.
THEY HAVE A PROCESS FOR, FOR THIS WORK.
WE ARE NOT REPLACING THAT WORK.
THEY WILL STILL EXIST AND PROVIDE HELP.
YOU ALSO WANT TO STRESS THAT RESILIENCE HUBS ARE NOT REPLACEMENTS FOR SHELTERS.
WE HAVE A SHELTER PLAN, THE CAPITAL AREA'S SHELTER PLAN THAT HAS IDENTIFIED LOCATIONS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE HELPING THOSE.
SO SOME SHELTERS MIGHT BE ABLE TO BECOME RESILIENCE HUBS, BUT NOT ALL RESILIENCE, HUMPS OR SHELTERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, A CHURCH CAN BE A RESILIENCE HUB OR REC CENTER.
THE HEALTH CENTER CAN BE RESILIENCE HUB.
THOSE ARE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE SHELTERS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, THOUGH, WE REALLY TALK ABOUT THIS THROUGH THREE LENSES, THE BOTTOM, RIGHT? YOU'LL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT MOST PEOPLE
[00:35:01]
THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT RESILIENCE, HUBS IS, YOU KNOW, THE BATTERY BACKUP THE SOLAR OR THE WATER, SORT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PIECES OF THAT.BUT WE WANT TO SHARE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS HOLISTICALLY.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE LOOKING AT THE PHYSICAL SITE ITSELF, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION TO IT.
SO THE TOP LEVEL, WHAT IS THAT SORT OF CONNECTION RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THAT LOCATION IS THE COMMUNITY USING IT AS A REGULAR T ON A REGULAR BASIS? DO THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE OWNERSHIP IN IT OR AT LEAST FEEL LIKE IT'S PART OF THE COMMUNITY? SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO AN OUTREACH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT WE'RE OPENING THOSE SPACES FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT WE HAVE SOME KIND OF AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
THE THIRD PIECE ON THE BOTTOM LEFT IS THAT WHEN AN EVENT DOES HAPPEN, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY TO HELP PEOPLE AT THAT LOCATION.
OR WE HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE THAT WE HAVE TRAINING AVAILABLE.
THAT'D BE ABLE TO SUPPLY, AS I MENTIONED IN COVID IS A PRESS RELEASE.
NOW WE HAVE WATER ENERGY, FOOD SHELF, STABLE FOOD MEDICINE, ET CETERA.
SO THIS HAS TO HAPPEN IN TANDEM FOR THIS TO BE OUR SUCCESSFUL RESILIENCE HUB.
SO RESILIENCE HUBS ARE NOT, UM, COMMUNITY FACILITIES THAT ARE ALWAYS RESILIENCE, HUBS, RESILIENCE, HUBS ARE ACTIVATED.
SO THOSE TWO OR 3% OF THE TIME WAS OCCASIONAL HAPPENS.
UH, WE CAN ACTIVATE THE RESILIENCE HUB TO BE THAT LOCATION OR AN EMERGENCY OR FOR A STAGING.
SO THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY IS THAT IF IT'S ACTIVATED, WE QUICKLY GET POWER HAS POWER, HAS WATER HAS COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE STAGING IT FOR MOBILE EMERGENCY.
YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE THE FOOD ON HAND, ONE ON HAND.
WE CAN ACTIVATE THAT BASED ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EXISTING COMMUNITY.
AND WE KNOW WHERE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AT THAT POINT.
WE ALSO WANNA ENSURE THAT THIS HAS AN ONGOING USE.
SO WHEN IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY, THAT IT HAS A NON-ACTIVE FUNCTION BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS MUSCLE MEMORY, THAT THERE GO TO A PLACE AUTOMATICALLY SO THAT WE'RE THERE TO HELP THEM.
SO THESE ARE TOUGH DAY-TO-DAY SERVICES, COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR, AND WE HAVE PROGRAMMING AND EDUCATION AROUND POTENTIALLY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS THAT IT'S A SAFE AND TRUSTED LOCATION.
WE KNOW THAT SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS DO NOT TRUST AUTHORITY.
SO WE WANT TO, THAT THESE LOCATIONS ARE TRUSTED AND ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE ARE SHORTER, THE SHELTERS.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, NOT ALL SHELTERS ARE RESILIENCE HUBS, ALTHOUGH SOME RESILIENCE SUBS CAN BE SHELTER.
SO THESE ARE SORT OF AN OUTLINE OF WHAT WE WANT AT THOSE LOCATIONS.
THE GOOD NEWS THOUGH, IS THAT THERE IS A NATIONAL DISCUSSION AROUND RESILIENCE HUBS.
THERE ARE EXAMPLES IN, UH, BOSTON IN, UM, UH, I THINK THERE'S IN SEATTLE HAS A HANDFUL AND THE UNIT, THE URBAN SUSTAINABLY DIRECTOR'S NETWORK HAS PUT OUT A GUIDELINE ON HOW TO CREATE OR RESILIENCE HOMES.
AND IT WALKS THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THE HAZARD OF CREATING THE TEAM, UH, CREATING A CRITERIA TO EVALUATE AND PRIORITIZE SITES, TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY, TO SELECT THE SOLUTIONS.
AND PHASE FIVE IS TO WALK THROUGH DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOLUTIONS.
AND THEN PHASE SIX IS HOW DO YOU ACTIVATE AND MANAGE IT IN FULL TIME, WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY TO SORT OF THROW SOME ESTIMATED NUMBERS AT THIS, TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO DO THIS NEXT SLIDE.
SO WORKING WITH, UM, CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO TALKING WITH, UH, GLOSS AND VAMOS AUSTIN WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO WORKED ON THE REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE PRESENTED THIS TO THE CONNIE PARK, UH, COMMUNITY SORT OF WALKED THROUGH WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THIS.
AND WE SORT OF, WE CAME UP WITH THESE ESTIMATES BASED ON THE PROCESS, BUT ALSO BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO, UH, FOR THINGS LIKE HAZARD, VULNERABILITY, ASSESSMENT, AND TEAM ENGAGEMENT, WE DECIDED WE NEEDED FUNDING TO DO THE COMMUNICATION, TO PAY STIPENDS TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TO PROVIDE INPUT AND DO MOST SOME OF THIS WORK INTERNALLY AS WELL, OR THE SCOPING PIECE.
A LOT OF THAT FUNDING ALSO IS GOING TOWARDS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, ANY OF THEM, A STIPEND HELPING US IDENTIFY THE SITES AND THOSE SOLUTIONS GOING FORWARD WITH A BOOKLET MONEY GOING INTO IMPLEMENTATION THE IMPLEMENTATION PIECE, UH, PHASE FIVE, ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE FUNDING GOES TOWARDS THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SOLAR, THE BATTERY BACKUP OF WATER, ET CETERA.
AND ONE THIRD OF IT GOES TOWARDS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, NAVIGATORS, UM, PAYING, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO, UM, BE CERT CERTIFIED IN THESE NAVIGATORS IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT FACE SICK.
WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE NUMBERS HERE BECAUSE WE WEREN'T REALLY SURE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO MAINTAIN THESE SITES ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT HOPEFULLY WHEN WE WORK
[00:40:01]
ON THESE PILOT HUBS, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO DO THIS.AS YOU MIGHT'VE HEARD, COUNCIL HAS, UM, WORKED ON HOW TO SPEND THE ARPA MONEY, WHICH IS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING.
AND THEY'VE ALLOCATED AMONGST OTHER PROJECTS, $3 MILLION TOWARDS RESILIENCE FUNDS IN OUR CALCULATIONS.
THIS WOULD GO TOWARDS OUR PILOT PHASE AND DOING TWO PILOTS IN THE NEXT 18 TO 24 MONTHS WITH THE HELP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TO HELP A CITY STAFF AT ABOUT $1.2 MILLION PER HUB.
SO THAT'S TWO HUBS THEN SPENDING, UH, $350,000 ON A CITY-WIDE RESILIENCE HUB PLAN AND THEN $250,000 OR ADMIN COST IN TEMPORARY STAFF TO HELP WITH THIS EFFORT OR A TOTAL OF $3 MILLION NEXT TIME.
SO OUR PLAN RIGHT NOW IS, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR, HAVING THESE PILOT UBS STARTED AND MOSTLY IMPLEMENTED AND TRYING TO LEARN AS MUCH AS WE CAN FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THESE TWO PILOTS SO THAT WE CAN FINISH, START AND FINISH A COMMUNITY WIDE PLAN BY 2023, AND THEN START IMPLEMENTING A CITYWIDE PLAN BY 2024.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MARK.
UM, I HAVE, UH, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL, UH, OPEN IT UP TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION FIRST.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? ALEXIS, GO AHEAD.
UM, AND FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARK FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AND ALSO HELPFUL TO SEE PARTS OF THIS AGAIN, CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RESILIENCE HUB IN SOME OF OUR OTHER MEETINGS AS WELL.
UM, AND GREAT TO HEAR THAT THERE'S A TIMELINE INVOLVED OF WHEN YOU ALL ARE GOING TO START THIS.
UM, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT THREE AND ALSO THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION.
THAT'S PART OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT I COME TO AND THE MINDSET THAT I HAVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE THAT WE'RE ON HERE.
AND TWO OF THE TOPICS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN OUR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION MEETINGS THAT MIGHT HELP WITH YOUR PILOTS IS ONE DURING WINTER STORM, MARY, AS YOU AND MANY OF US KNOW, MANY BUSINESSES STEPPED UP TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO, UM, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, BUT JUST AS A FRIENDLY REMINDER, THE PILOT, UM, AND GIVEN THAT WE'RE STILL IN 2021, WHEN WINTER STORM MARY HAPPENED, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO ENGAGE SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES AND THE LOCATIONS THAT YOU HAVE SET UP TO SAY, HEY, WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO BE OUR PARTNER AND SUPPLY WATER OR FOOD, OR, YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO EVEN LIVE OR CAMP OUT IF NEEDED.
UM, THAT WILL ALSO HELP WITH THE GRANT, WITH THE COST SHARE THAT YOU CAN ADD IN THERE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALWAYS LOVES.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND THING THAT I FOUND REALLY USEFUL, AND I THINK OTHER PEOPLE DID AS WELL, UM, IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO SET UP RESILIENCE HUBS, AND JUST THROUGHOUT AUSTIN IS HAVING SOME SORT OF A PHONE TREE OR COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.
UM, THAT'S WHAT WAS MISSING EARLY ON FOR US.
AND WE KIND OF BUILT A PHONE TREE IN A WAY TO JUST FIGURE OUT WHO'S BEING SUPPORTED, WHO'S RECEIVING FOOD AND SUPPLIES AND WHO ISN'T.
UM, SO IN THOSE PILOTS AND THE 2% OF THE TIME THAT THESE RESILIENCE HUBS ARE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, THAT'D BE AWESOME TO HAVE THEM THERE AS WELL.
UM, SO I HAD MORE COMMENTS, BUT WE'D LOVE TO HEAR TOO, IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'VE ALREADY THOUGHT THROUGH, UM, OR ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL PLANS FOR THE PILOT THAT YOU ALL ARE EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, WE BRIEFLY TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY BUSINESSES, BUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE, WE TEND TO GLOSS OVER TOO QUICKLY.
I THINK, UM, I THINK THAT'S REALLY KEY.
I THINK DEPENDING ON WHERE THOSE TWO PILOTS ARE, WE'LL SORT OF SEE WHO'S AROUND THERE AND WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE.
THE, THE PHONE TREE IS INTERESTING.
UH, ONE IDEA THAT CAME OUT, UM, ONE OR TEASE THE HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR IS HAVE A STIPEND TO PAY A BLOCK LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY WHO KNOWS THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO KNOWS THAT ONE STREET AND THEN B PAY THEM WEEKLY TO TAKE HORSES AND TALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORS.
AND THEN WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, THEY BECOME THE CONTACT.
BECAUSE ONE THING WE LEARNED THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS THAT DURING A MEASURE EVENTS, YOUR FIRST RESPONDER IS NOT GOING TO BE AN AMBULANCE OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S GOING TO BE YOUR NEIGHBORS.
AND WHAT WE KNOW FROM BIG EVENTS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE HOME BOUND, UM, WHEELCHAIR, OR YOU HAVE PETS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MERCY MANAGEMENT TO KNOW WHO'S IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO NEEDS HELP AND HOW THEY WANT IT.
SO HAVING THOSE BLOCK LEADERS IS REALLY, REALLY KEY PHONE TREES
[00:45:02]
ARE A GOOD IDEA IN NEW YORK, THEY'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE WITH THAT.THEY HAD A BUDDY PROGRAM AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A PRIVACY ISSUE, BUT I THINK THAT'S REALLY UP TO EACH COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD BRING UP TO THE COMMUNITY AS AN OPTION.
NO, AND MARK, THAT'S A GOOD POINT TOO.
I THINK THE WORDING THAT I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR IS THE PHONATHONS THAT WERE HAPPENING.
SO THERE ARE, UH, FOR WHOEVER WANTED TO BE INCLUDED ON THE LIST, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LISTS THAT WE COULD CALL OUT AND JUST CHECK ON PEOPLE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COURTESY CALL FROM THE CITY.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE OKAY AND HAVE WHAT YOU NEED.
UM, IT'S GREAT TO HEAR ABOUT THE BLOCK LEADERS TOO.
CAUSE I THINK THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS LOCALLY, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN, UM, HAVE TABS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S ALL RIGHT.
CAN I ASK, IS THERE A, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, BUT HE'S RESILIENT CENTERS.
IS THERE ANY KIND OF, UM, A MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM ESTIMATED PEOPLE SERVED? I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW SMALL YOU COULD GET OR HOW BIG YOU COULD GET, OR ARE THERE ANY STIPULATIONS ABOUT THAT AT ALL? NOT STIPULATIONS, BUT YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATIONS.
YEAH, WE HAVEN'T SET THAT STIPULATION OR THAT RECOMMENDATION YET.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO DO THE PILOT.
WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO THINK BIG.
WELL, WE ALSO KNOW THAT DURING WHAT'S YOUR SUMMARY, A SMALL CHURCH DID A HUGE IMPACT ON A LOCAL COMMUNITY, SO WE WANT TO BE OPEN, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY KEY WHEN WE TALK TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, OF LIKE WHAT PLACE DID YOU NATURALLY GO TO AND WHAT WOULD SERVE YOU BEST AND FOR US TO BE SORT OF OPEN AND THOSE IDEAS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO THINK ABOUT REC CENTERS BECAUSE THEY'RE HUGE AND THEY'RE BUILT FOR THAT, BUT IF THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T WANT TO GO THERE, IT'S NOT THE BEST OPTION.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, I GUESS I, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE WAS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT IN LINE WITH WHAT DIANA WAS ASKING ABOUT.
YOU SEEM TO BE KIND OF, UM, DE EMPHASIZING SHELTER SPACE.
UM, AND I ASSUME THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY SHELTER SPACE AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GENERAL, UM, HOMELESS SHELTER SPACE.
UM, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND HAVING SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAYBE ARE JUST TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, SOME SERVICES OR SUPPLIES.
UM, BUT IT DOES SEEM THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH WINTER STORM URI IS OUR MOST RECENT, YOU KNOW, UM, DISASTER EVENT BECAUSE, UM, WHATEVER SPURRED THIS INTO, UM, MOTION THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING, HAVING A PLACE TO PHYSICALLY GO AND BE WARM WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE NEEDED.
YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY HAD, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORD I HAD ELECTRICITY AND JUST ON THE STREET, THEY DID NOT.
AND LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEPING PEOPLE WARM WAS LIKE AN ACTUAL CHALLENGE AS WELL.
SO, UM, I GUESS MAYBE, MAYBE A QUESTION MAYBE A COMMENT COMMENT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THE P YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL SPACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD BE IN, UM, NOT JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER 30 MINUTES OR SOMETHING.
UM, BUT PERHAPS EVEN OVERNIGHT, MAYBE NOT IN THE MOST COMFORTABLE CONDITIONS, BUT NOT FREEZING TO DEATH IS, UH, POTENTIALLY REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT JUST THE QUESTION WOULD BE LIKE, HOW, HOW MANY OF THESE, AND THIS MAYBE GOES TO THE CAPACITY, LIKE, HOW MANY ARE YOU ENVISIONING IT'S, YOU KNOW, SHELTER PLUS THE OTHER THINGS LIMITATIONS VERSUS NON SHELTER.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THE PILOTS FIRST TO GET A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT CAPACITY WE HAVE AND HOW MUCH IT TAKES TO DO TO, UH, WITH THE IDEAS THAT IN THE SECOND YEAR, WE WOULD DO A, SORT OF A LARGER, COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF THE WHOLE CITY, UH, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, A 15 MINUTE WALK SHED OF ALL NEIGHBORHOODS IS A PRETTY TALL ORDER.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO SORT OF REALLY TAKE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THAT, UNDERSTAND WHERE PEOPLE NEED THEM TO BE AND HOW SORT OF RELATE IT RELATE TO THESE LOCATIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF HOW MANY WE WOULD NEED FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
UM, IT, IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT, AND AS FOR THE, THE CASPI, THAT CAPITAL AREA SHELTER PLAN, UM, YEAH, THAT'S, IT'S, I MEAN, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THEIR OWN, UM, INVESTIGATION OF HOW THAT WORKED DURING, LET'S JUST TRY
[00:50:01]
TO READ AND WHAT LOCATIONS WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER GOING FORWARD.THAT WOULD BE A SORT OF A SEPARATE PROCESS.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WHILE WE'RE DOING A SORT OF AN OPPOSITE APPROACH, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE CASH P THE, THE SHELTER PLAN IS REALLY SORT OF HIGH LEVEL HERE, ALL THE FACILITIES WE COULD USE.
AND THEN WE, YOU KNOW, WE TRIGGER THEM AS NEEDED BASED ON NEED.
WELL, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO START WITH A COMMUNITY FIRST AND THEN BUILD UP FROM THERE.
SO WHILE HOMELAND SECURITY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SORT OF CONTROLS THE SHELTERING ASPECTS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THEM AND THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS GOING FORWARD.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION MORE TO SAY THAT SHELTERING IS A HUGE ISSUE AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER THESE RESILIENCE HUBS ARE GOING TO BE MORE FOCUSED ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY THEMSELVES NEED AT THAT LOCATION.
SO IF THE COMMUNITY SAYS WHAT THEY NEED TO SHELTER, THEN THEY WILL ALSO BE SHELTERS.
UM, I GUESS THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE COST.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US MORE DETAILS ON THE 1.2 MILLION OR SITE, UM, W WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT IS PAYING FOR.
SO IF YOU HAVE THAT BREAK THAT WE, WE DO TO SOME DEGREE.
UM, WE SAT DOWN WITH, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY, ALSO IN WATER PUBLIC WORKS, WHO HAS HER OWN PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROUP.
UH, AND WE WORKED WITH A HANDFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE AND SORT OF WENT THROUGH HOW MUCH WOULD IT CAUSE THE DISLOCATION.
AND WE ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST THEM A DISLOCATION TO PUT IN SOLAR WITH BATTERY BACKUP, WATER AND CENTRAL WATER BACKUP.
UM, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO PUT IN ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLE STATION? BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT WE CAN USE ELECTRIC EBV.
WE'VE HEARD THAT WE CAN USE EVIE FOR PLUGGING IN THINGS LIKE PORTABLE, UM, WASHING MACHINES.
UM, AND THEN WE LOOKED AT SORT OF OUTDOOR SPACES, ET CETERA.
AND THEN FOR EACH LOCATION YOU HAD SORT OF, UH, THINK ABOUT SIX TEST LOCATIONS.
WE ASKED THESE PEOPLE COME BACK WITH ESTIMATES ON HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO DO THIS.
NOW THIS WAS VERY HIGH LEVEL BALLPARK BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO AN ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE FACILITY.
IF IT COULD TAKE SOLAR, HOW MUCH OF WHAT IS CRITICAL LOAD, HOW MUCH OF A SIZE THAT WE NEED.
AND THEN WE HAD THE BULK OF THE PROJECT MANAGERS SAY, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO IMPLEMENT ALL THESE THINGS PLUS CONSTITUENCIES PLUS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL INCREASING COSTS OF MATERIALS.
AND WE CAME UP WITH A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF $600,000 PER SITE, BASED ON THE TEST SITES WE WERE LOOKING AT, AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL $400,000 FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND THAT WAS FOR, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH COMMITTEE MEMBERS, PAYING STIPENDS TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, POTENTIALLY HIRING CONSULTANTS TO DO ASSESSMENTS OF THOSE LOCATIONS.
SO IT ALL SORT OF ROPED INTO A REALLY BIG NUMBER OF $1.2 MILLION.
UM, YEAH, THAT NUMBER SEEMS LARGE TO ME CONSIDERING THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY LIKE A FULL ON SHELTER FOR HOUSING PEOPLE.
UM, I'M DEFINITELY ALL FOR, YOU KNOW, PAYING STIPENDS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE APPROPRIATE, UH, TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, I GUESS.
I, I WOULD, I WOULD BE CURIOUS IF YOU, IF YOU COULD, IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO, TO SHARE THAT, THAT, THAT LIST, THAT BREAKDOWN, UM, WITH US, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHERE I'M COMING FROM IS LIKE, WELL, IF INSTEAD OF TWO, IF WE COULD DO FOUR, THEN YOU KNOW, THAT'S FOUR TIMES THE SERVICE AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD DO NECESSARILY.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT, THAT SEEMS LIKE A BULKY NUMBER, MAYBE WITH A LITTLE EXTRA PADDING ON IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE PART OF THE LIKE ANALYSIS OF THE PILOT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH DID WE GET FOR $3 MILLION? AND, UM, YEAH, I HOPE THAT THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT.
IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, TWO SMALL LOCATIONS THAT ACTUALLY SHELTER PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHAT TOWNSVILLE SEES THEY GET FOR $3 MILLION.
LIKE MAYBE THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM FOR DOING MORE.
I MEAN, SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS IN THIS PROCESS AND IF WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN TWO PILOTS OR $3 MILLION, THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT.
AND, UH, WE COULD EASILY ROLL THAT OUT.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST TOO MANY UNKNOWNS TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT REALLY COSTS.
SO THESE ARE REALLY SORT OF BALLPARK NUMBERS.
[00:55:01]
UM, IF THE STRUCTURE OF THE FACILITY IS IN ONE FULL SHAPE AND CAN HOLD UP AN ARRAY OF SOLAR AND, AND THE ELECTRICAL IS AUTOMATICALLY KNOW WELL SET UP FOR EVERY BACKUP AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS SORT OF FIT IN PLACE.WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT OTHER LOCATIONS FOR THE PILOT OR THE ROLL THAT INTO THE LARGER, COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING EFFORT.
WE CAN SHARE THOSE NUMBERS WITH YOU, BUT JUST KNOW THAT THEY ARE VERY HIGH LEVEL BALLPARK NUMBERS.
SO ALEXIS, DO YOU MIND LETTING SAUL GO FIRST? ALL RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO AFTER ASKING MY QUESTION.
I DO HAVE ANOTHER SOMETHING ELSE I HAVE TO GET TO, UM, BUT I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATED THIS PRESENTATION.
IT WAS AWESOME TO LEARN ABOUT THIS.
IT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT WOULD LOVE TO GET INVOLVED IN, UM, IT'S MUSIC TO MY EARS.
WHEN I HEAR ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY GETTING STIPENDS, THAT'S ACTUALLY A PROGRAM, UM, AT MY WORK THAT WE'VE STARTED AFTER THE WINTER STORM.
AND WE HAVE A PILOT GOING FOR, UM, RENTERS WORKING CLASS RENTERS WHO WERE HIT, UM, BY FLOODING WHEN THEIR FROZEN PIPES BURST.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THESE ARE MY NEIGHBORS AND FOLKS IN MY COMMUNITY.
SO I DEFINITELY SEE, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT THEY BRING AND ESSENTIAL.
IT WAS TO BE ABLE TO DEPEND ON ADVOCATES AND FOLKS WHO HAD THAT ACCESS AND THAT KNOWLEDGE, UM, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, THAT THERE, THAT WAS JUST SO, SO IMPORTANT AND STILL IS.
SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO HEAR ABOUT THIS.
UM, ONE QUESTION I HAD, UM, WHEN I SAW GUEVARA'S BREAKDOWN OR PRESS RELEASE, THAT LIST HAD SOMETHING THAT WASN'T HIGHLIGHTED, AND THAT WAS THE DIRECT ASSISTANCE PART.
UM, I'VE, I'M WONDERING IF, UM, YOU ALL WOULD, WOULD WANT TO GIVE FEEDBACK TO THE CITY OR HAVE ANY KIND OF FEEDBACK PROCESS WHERE, WHERE YOU ALL CAN MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY ON SITE WHO IS ABLE TO SUPPORT, UM, ANY FOLKS THAT COME TO THE RESILIENCE HUBS AND APPLYING FOR DIRECT ASSISTANCE.
WE SAW, UM, AFTER THE WINTER STORM THAT HAVING ACCESS TO FUNDS TO PAY FOR ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT NECESSITIES AND FOR HOUSING, OR, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FINANCIAL COSTS THAT FOLKS INCURRED, UM, WAS SO IMPORTANT AND PEOPLE DID NOT GET ACCESS TO FUNDS EVEN WHEN THE CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, TRY IN TERMS OF HOMEOWNERS.
THERE WERE SOME, THERE WAS FUNDING THAT WAS ALREADY AVAILABLE AND HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE.
BUT FOR RENTERS, WE WERE TOLD BY THE CITY THAT, UM, THERE WASN'T ANY IMMEDIATE FUNDING OTHER THAN THE COVID ASSISTANCE, WHICH OF COURSE CAN'T REALLY DIRECTLY TRANSFER TO FOLKS IMPACTED BY FLOODING AND LOSING THEIR HOUSING FOR THAT REASON.
SO WHEN WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO DISPERSE FUNDS, UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, FOUR MONTHS OR SO AFTER THE WINTER STORM, WHEN FOLKS WERE ALREADY IN A PRETTY DEEP FINANCIAL PIT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER FAMILY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT FOLKS WITH.
UM, AND THAT WAS CITY FUNDING THAT WENT TO EDWIN.
SO ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY, UM, SO, SO HELPFUL IF THERE COULD BE SOME KIND OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RESILIENCE HUBS AND, UM, FUNDING THAT THE CITY CAN SET ASIDE FOR DIRECT ASSISTANCE.
SO I JUST CURIOUS, WAS CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED ALREADY.
UM, WE'VE DEFINITELY HEARD ABOUT THAT THROUGH GLOSS OF ALMOST AUSTIN AND THE, THE AFTER AF AFTER ACTION DISCUSSIONS OF PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE, UH, WE, UM, ARE DEFINITELY OPEN TO IT, BUT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ONLY, WE'RE ONLY TWO WEEKS INTO THIS, SO WE, UM, IT HASN'T COME UP IN CONVERSATION QUITE YET, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO SORT OF CONSIDER GOING FORWARD.
AND I ALSO ASSUME THAT AS B STARTS WITH THE COMMUNITY, I ASSUME THE COMMUNITY ALSO WILL ASK FOR IT.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO IT.
SO I'M THANK YOU SO MUCH, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND THANK YOU ALL.
UM, I, I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT MY, MY COMMENTS TO, UM, IN ANY WAY IMPLY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STIPENDS SHOULDN'T BE A PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I, I GUESS I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE BREAKDOWN IN TERMS OF WHAT IS ENVISIONED, UM, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED.
UM, WE DID NOT HAVE A QUORUM ANYMORE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, ANYBODY WHO KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THIS, THIS, UH, WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE ALONE TO CONTINUE.
IF WE AREN'T TAKING ACTION, A VERY WEAK DAVID DOES KNOW DAVID YOU'RE USUALLY
[01:00:01]
GOOD ON THE RULES.YOU THINK MAY HAVE THE LIGHTER STANDARDS, YOU'LL HAVE A QUORUM.
OKAY, WELL, MARK, I'M GLAD WE GOT TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
CAN I JUST QUICKLY ASK, IS THE ALBERTA? I, THE, I KNOW WE NO LONGER HAVE A QUORUM, BUT WE, EVERYBODY, BUT ALBERTA, ALBERTA VOTED ON THE MINUTES.
SO CAN WE GET HER VOTE ON THE MINUTES NOW OR NO, SHE IS NOT HERE.
UM, BUT JUST MAYBE TO ROUND UP THIS CONVERSATION, ALEXIS, I KNOW YOU HAD A QUESTION.
DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION AND THEN WE WILL ADJOURN? YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UM, I JUST WAS GOING OFF OF YOUR POINT.
AND I'M WONDERING MARK, IF THERE'S ANY BLUEPRINTS FROM OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE HAD MORE DISTRIBUTED RESILIENT SUBS THAT HAVE CUT COSTS.
SO FOR INSTANCE, INSTEAD OF BUILDING, YOU KNOW, A CENTER WORKING WITH BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO BE SHELTERS, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ENSURING THAT YOU WERE KIND OF TALKING BEFORE, WHAT DID YOU CALL THEM? UH, BLOCK LEADERS WHERE YOU COULD DESIGNATE BLOCK LEADERS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC PLACE TO GO TO, BUT THEY COULD BE PAID IN THAT COMMUNITY COULD BE ACCOUNTED FOR DURING AN EMERGENCY.
SO JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, ANY INNOVATIVE MODELS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE DISTRIBUTED THAT YOU ALL HAVE LOOKED AT, UM, THAT MANY, UH, CITIES THAT HAVE RESILIENCE HUBS IN THE UNITED STATES.
I THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY LIKE THREE, MAYBE FOUR.
UH, SO, AND THEY'RE FAIRLY NEW.
THEY'VE ONLY BEEN AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, SO WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY EXAMPLES.
UM, WE'RE ALSO NOT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS, SO WE DON'T HAVE THE BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT OTHER CITIES DO ON THAT SCOPE.
WE DO WANT TO, I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT IDEAS, AND I'M NOT AGAINST THAT.
YOU DO WANT TO SORT OF APPROACH THIS WITHOUT HER SOLUTIONS ARE ALREADY SET IN OUR MINDS.
WE WANT TO SHOW THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING US THOSE IDEAS, BECAUSE I WORRY SOMETIMES THAT I'M LIKE, OH, WE SHOULD DO THIS AND DO THAT, DO THAT.
AND IT'S GOING TO DO ALL THIS MONEY.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I'VE DECIDED FOR THE COMMUNITY WHAT TO DO.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, UH, BEYOND THE RESILIENCE HUBS OR POTENTIALLY WITH THE RESULTS.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE AN, I DIA HAVE A BUDGET.
YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF A POTENTIAL PLAN, BUT YOU ALL ARE STARTING WITH THE INTENTION OF LET'S HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
LET'S SEE WHAT THEY REALLY WANT AND THE NEXT STEPS FROM THERE.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS ARPA-E MONEY, WE DO HAVE TO REPORT ON IT AND SHOW PEOPLE WHERE WE SPENT THE MONEY.
UM, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU TO TAKE MY THING.
UM, ARE YOU WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS IN THIS, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED AUSTIN ENERGY CORRIDOR, BUT I'M THINKING AS LONG AS THE, ANY HOLD THERE, ANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH YOU.
SO, YEAH, WE, UM, I MEAN, WE WERE VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH HOW SYNERGY ALSO WATER, UH, PARKS AND REC BECAUSE THEY OWN A LOT OF REC CENTERS, AWESOME LIBRARY, BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE SORT OF INFORMAL COOLING CENTERS WORK WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH BECAUSE OF THEIR FACILITIES, BUT ALSO THEIR EPIDEMIOLOGISTS.
UM, AND WE ALSO WORKED WITH SORT OF DEPARTMENTS.
WE WOULDN'T NORMALLY WORK WITH LIKE COMMUNICATIONS AND EQUITY OFFICE.
OH, YOU DO WORK WITH THE AWKWARD RP OFFICE OFTEN.
BUT I THINK THE, THE REALLY EXCITING DISCUSSION IS THAT WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH AIS AISD.
UM, NORMALLY THEY, THEY WOULDN'T REALLY CONSIDER THEMSELVES AS SHELTERS EXCEPT FOR AS NEEDED, BUT I THINK THEY'VE CHANGED THAT DISCUSSION.
AND NOW WE WILL TALK TO THEM REALLY OFTEN ABOUT HOW DO WE START TO SHARE THOSE RESOURCES AND THINK ABOUT RESILIENCE, HUBS, NOT JUST CITY LOCATIONS, BUT ALSO AISD LOCATIONS, OTHER COMMUNITY LOCATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT IS, UM, I WAS THINKING ABOUT DEPARTMENTS THAT, UM, THAT ARE THE GO-TO FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN THAT CITY.
UM, SO ANYONE WORKING WITH THE PROPOSAL FOR RIGHTS, FOR HOUSING SOURCES, THINKING ABOUT THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE LIKELY TO EAT THE SHELL.
I CAN GIVE YOU A LIST OF PEOPLE WE WORKED WITH.
I'LL SEND YOU TO BE BUILDING AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AUSTIN LIBRARY.
PLUS IN WATER BUILDING SERVICES, I WAS THINKING PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE NEW NAME FOR NACD
[01:05:01]
ON THAT SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EQUITY OFFICE, ARD PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, OR AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENTS.I WANT TO SHARE PROTECTION, AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IN ADDITION TO A CENTRAL HEALTH IST TRAVIS COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK.
UM, THIS WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION.
UM, AND THEN I'M SORRY, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END OUR MEETING HERE AND, UM, WE'LL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO PICK UP THIS CONVERSATION AGAIN SOON.
AND, UM, DON'T I THINK IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST HERE, SO, UM, MARK, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AGAIN AND SEEING HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR COMMUNICATION FROM ZACH ABOUT, UH, LOGISTICS OR THE NEXT MEETING.