[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.MY NAME IS ALISON ALTER AND I'M CHAIR OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I'M JOINED ON THE DAYAS HERE AT CITY HALL THIS MORNING BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL AND COUNCIL MEMBER ONE TEST AND ON THE VIRTUAL DIOCESE BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, KELLY AND TOVO, UM, IT IS 9 36 ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.
AND I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY.
WITH THE MASK WITH THE MICROPHONE.
UM, THE MAYOR WILL BE OFF THE DIOCESE FOR THIS MORNING'S MEETING.
UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE GOING TO START WITH ITEM ONE.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS THIS MORNING, UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO TAKE UP EACH ITEM IN ORDER, EXCEPT FOR THE EDD ITEM BRIEFING, WHICH WILL BE TAKEN UP LAST TO GIVE US AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, SCHEDULED THIS MEETING UNTIL 12.
I KNOW ONE OR MORE OF MY COLLEAGUES NEEDS TO LEAVE BEFORE THEN.
UM, BUT WE WILL WORK AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AND TODAY'S BRIEFING IS IN SOME WAYS TO GET INFORMATION OUT THERE IN ANOTHER FORUM.
UM, SO I THINK THAT WILL BE OKAY.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Audit and Finance Committee meeting of August 18, 2021.]
ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVING THE MINUTES, MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR UNANIMOUS ON THE VIRTUAL DYESS WITH THE MAYOR OFF OR W2 VIRTUAL AND THE PRESENT.I'S NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO CALL THAT THESE DAYS.
[2. Discussion and possible action regarding the City Technology Purchases Audit.]
IS, UM, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE CITY TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES AUDIT.UM, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAS ASKED TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL TIME FOR MANAGEMENT TO RESPOND TO THE AUDIT.
UM, TO THAT END, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THE CITY TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES AUDIT TO THE NEXT AFC MEETING COUNCIL MEMBER TOPO MAKES THE MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
UM, SEEING NO OBJECTIONS ON THE DYESS, WE WILL POSTPONE ITEM TWO.
[3. Discussion and possible action on the Park and Recreation Department Follow-Up Audit.]
ITEM IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PARK AND REC PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOLLOW UP AUDIT.THIS IS PART OF A SERIES OF AUDITS THAT THE AUDITOR DOES TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT PREVIOUS AUDITS AND MAKE SURE THAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO PRESENT KATIE.
YOU'RE TRYING TO SPEAK, I THINK, BUT WE'RE NOT HEARING YOU.
YEAH, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF COREY IS THERE.
I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO BE THERE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
IF NOT, WE CAN JUST GET STARTED WITH THE SHE, WHAT? UM, I THINK SHE STEPPED OUT TO PRINT SOMETHING, BUT I THINK YOU CAN UP THERE SHE IS.
LET'S SEE IF SHE WANTS SHE'S COMING BACK.
ANNA MORRIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MAKING A CLOSE SECOND.
UM, MS. STOKES, DID YOU WANT TO START OR CAN KATIE GO AHEAD? OKAY.
SHE WANTS TO INTRODUCE IT REAL QUICK.
SO WE'LL BE OFF THE DIES FIRST.
UM, SO THIS ITEM IS OUR PRIORITY, STRATEGIC PLANNING.
FOLLOW-UP THIS TOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TWO DIFFERENT AUDITS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO FOLLOWUP OR SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO STRATEGIC PLANNING.
UM, AND WE'LL BE PRESENTING THE RESULTS TODAY.
UM, ANNA MORRIS IS THE LEAD AUDITOR YOU IS GOING TO PRESENT FOR US, I THINK.
MY NAME IS ANNA MORRIS AND I WAS THE AUDITOR IN CHARGE FOR THE PROJECT.
THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS ACTIONS TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PART RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND CASH HANDLING AUDITS, BOTH AUDITS EVALUATED, HOW TARDE MANAGES ITS RESOURCES AND THE MANY PROGRAMS AND FUNCTIONS THE DEPARTMENT OVERSEES.
UH, PART RESOURCE ALLOCATION AUDIT WAS CONDUCTED IN 2016 TO DETERMINE HOW RESOURCES WERE ALLOCATED FOR PART PROGRAMS AND MAINTENANCE.
AND IF THIS PROCESS RESULTED IN EQUITY FROM A CITY DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE, THE AUDIT RESULTED IN THREE FINDINGS AND FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO MANAGEMENT OF PROGRAM PLANNING, SETTING AND COLLECTING APPROPRIATE FEES, INITIATING POLICY DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO FUNDING PRIORITIES AND TIMELY RESPONSE TO MAINTENANCE REQUESTS.
THE PART CASH HANDLING AUDIT WAS CONDUCTED IN 2017 TO DETERMINE
[00:05:01]
IF PART ACCOUNTED FOR ALL THE MONEY IT RECEIVED.THE AUDIT RESULTED IN TWO FINDINGS AND FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED IMPLEMENTING NEW CASH, HANDLING PROCEDURES AND TRAINING, AND TO REDUCE THE ACCEPTANCE OF PAPER MONEY AT PARDES SITES.
FOR THE PART OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION AUDIT, WE VERIFIED THE DEPARTMENT HAS IMPLEMENTED TWO OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND TWO ARE UNDERWAY.
WE VERIFIED THE DEPARTMENT HAS IMPLEMENTED ALL FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUED IN THE PART CASH HANDLING AUDIT.
WE FOUND THAT ALTHOUGH PART HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO MANAGING ITS RESOURCES, BUDGET CONSTRAINTS MAY CONTINUE TO LIMIT THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY OFFER ITS CURRENT WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES.
X SLIDE, TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
PART HAS CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND PLANNING OVER THE YEARS TO PRESENT OPTIONS TO CITY COUNCIL FOR MAKING HIGH COST SERVICES SUCH AS AQUATICS GOLF COURSES AND CEMETERIES MORE SUSTAINABLE.
HOWEVER, IT WILL REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL INVESTMENT TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN FACILITIES, PARTICULARLY FOR THE CITY'S POOLS.
CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO ADOPT PART'S AQUATIC MASTER PLAN IN 2018 THOUGH.
ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THE FULL PLAN HAS NOT YET BEEN ALLOCATED IN 2018.
A PORTION OF THE FUNDING WAS APPROVED IN $40 MILLION OF BOND MONEY FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO GIVENS, NORTHWEST AND MONTOPOLIS POOLS.
AND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW COLONY PARK AQUATIC FACILITY.
WE ALSO VERIFIED THAT PARK NOW APPROPRIATELY REGISTERS ALL PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS FOR PAID SERVICES, SUCH AS SWIMMING LESSONS AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. WE VERIFY THAT NEARLY ALL PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS HAVE PAID FOR THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVED AND THAT PAYMENT WAS MADE TIMELY.
NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE DETERMINED THE REMAINING TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS AUDIT ARE UNDERWAY.
SOON AFTER WE CONDUCTED THIS AUDIT PART, WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT NEW SUBSIDY PRICING AND COST RECOVERY MODELS.
PART IS IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TO IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT WILL HELP THE DEPARTMENT WITH DECISION-MAKING.
THE DEPARTMENT TOLD US THIS RECOMMENDATION HAS NOT YET BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE STAFF WERE UNABLE TO FIND AN AFFORDABLE READY-MADE SOFTWARE OPTION.
SO THEY NEEDED TO CREATE ONE PART IS ALSO STILL WORKING ON IMPROVING THEIR RESPONSE TO FACILITY SERVICE REQUESTS.
WE DID FIND THE DEPARTMENT HAS REVISED WORK ORDER PROCEDURES COMMUNICATED THE CHANGES TO STAFF AND HAS STARTED TO REDUCE WORK ORDER BACKLOG.
THE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH CTM ON THIS PROJECT AS WELL.
SINCE 2018, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING TO REPLACE THE CURRENT WORK ORDER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH A NEW ENTERPRISE LEVEL SOLUTION.
HOWEVER, THEY ENCOUNTERED SOME TECHNICAL CHALLENGES THAT EXTENDED THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE.
THESE CHALLENGES WERE MOSTLY RESOLVED AS OF SPRING 2021.
THE DEPARTMENT SAYS SOME WORK GROUPS WILL BEGIN USING THE NEW SYSTEM AT THE START OF FISCAL YEAR 22.
NEXT SLIDE WE VERIFY PART HAS IMPLEMENTED ALL FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE CASH HANDLING AUDIT TRAINING FOR CASH HANDLERS HAS IMPROVED, AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS ELIMINATED THE NEED TO OVERREACH TRANSACTIONS, WHICH HAS REDUCED THE RISK OF THEFT.
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO CONDUCTS ROUTINE CASH AUDITS AT PARTS SITES AND MANY SITES WITH HIGH CASH INTAKE, SUCH AS BARCLAYS SPRINGS POOL NOW HAVE CASHLESS PAYMENT OPTIONS, INCLUDING PAY STATIONS AND A MOBILE APP CALLED ATX WIMPS.
NEXT SLIDE IS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP AUDIT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING PARTICULARLY CONTROVERSIAL IN THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF PART WANTED TO, TO RESPOND IN ANY WAY, UH, DIRECTOR MCNEENEY GOOD MORNING.
KIMBERLY, MERELY SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR FOR APPROXIMATE RECREATION, WE CAN PRUNE WITH THE FINDINGS OF THE AUDIT AUDITORS OFFICE.
AND, UM, TO YOUR POINT, THERE WAS NOTHING PARTICULARLY CONTROVERSIAL.
IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT, UM, THERE'S NO SUCH SYSTEMS THAT WE NEED THAT ARE ACTUALLY AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET.
YOU KNOW, COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE THAT WE'RE HAVING TO BUILD OUR OWN SYSTEMS, WHICH HAS DELAYED OUR, OUR ABILITY TO COMPLY OR TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE IMPLEMENTED THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY TO DOING SO.
AND PERHAPS, UM, PERHAPS THIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHARE
[00:10:01]
WITH OTHER ENTITIES IN OUR OWN PROFESSION, SOME INNOVATIVE WAYS TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TAKE CARE OF THESE THINGS.ONCE THOSE SYSTEMS ARE BUILT ON, I'M NOT SAYING I'M GOING TO GIVE AWAY PROPRIETARY INFORMATION, BUT ALL I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT THEY DON'T EXIST IN.
SO THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE WAY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO SHOW ITS TIME AND TALENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, WE'RE MANAGING OUR RESOURCES AND OUR PROGRAMMING EFFICIENTLY.
SO I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO ADD TO MUSLIM'S QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, MIKE NEELY, MAYBE YOU GUYS CAN, UM, LICENSE IT TO OTHERS AND, AND, AND EARN SOME, EARN SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WAY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST MAKE ONE QUICK COMMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE GREATEST CONCERN TO ME IN THIS PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, AUDIT RECAP IS THE CONFIRMATION OF INFORMATION THAT I THINK WE ALL ALREADY KNOW, WHICH IS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES.
IT NEEDS TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR RESIDENTS AT THE LEVEL.
WE WOULD LIKE, UM, WE KNOW THAT OUR RESIDENTS VALUE THEIR PARKS, THEIR POOLS, THEIR TRAILS, AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS. AND THAT PART HAS NOT HAD THE RESOURCES TO MEET THESE DEMANDS OF OUR GROWING CITY.
MANY OF US WHO ARE ON THE DIOCESE TODAY HAVE BEEN STRONG ADVOCATES FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, THE DOCUMENT MAKES SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO OUR AQUATICS FACILITIES.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE OTHER AREAS OF NEED, UM, OUR FIELDS, OUR REC CENTERS ARE THERE PARK ASSETS THAT ALSO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR MAINTENANCE AND ALSO JUST TO MEET DEMANDS OF THE GROWING CITY.
UM, I THINK WHAT THIS DOCUMENT DOES IS REALLY UNDERSCORE THAT WE HAVE WORK AHEAD OF US TO INCREASE OUR FINANCIAL ALLOCATIONS FOR PARD AND TO DETERMINE NEW WAYS TO INFUSE INVESTMENTS IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
AND I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT BUSINESS AS USUAL IS GOING TO WORK ANYMORE.
UM, WE HAVE MANY OF US ON THIS DIET TODAY.
I'VE WORKED REALLY HARD OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS TO INCREASE RESOURCES IN VARIOUS WAYS AND HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT DOING THAT.
UM, BUT THERE'S MUCH MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
I INTEND TO INVEST ENERGY AND TIME INTO TRYING TO FIND NEW WAYS TO ADD TO PARTS FUNDING.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT OTHER COLLEAGUES, UM, WILL BE INTERESTED IN JOINING ME IN THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY, UM, WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE.
UM, SO THANK YOU TO THE AUDITOR, THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR MCNEELY, UM, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT, UM, AND UNDERSTAND THE CLOSURE AND UNDERSTAND WHEN WE DO NEED TO MAKE INVESTMENTS SUCH AS IN THE SYSTEM, UM, THAT SHE DESCRIBED.
UM, DO WE NEED A, WE NEED A VOTE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, OKAY.
SO I GUESS THIS IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF AUDIT, SO WE DON'T NEED TO.
[4. Discussion and possible action regarding the proposed bylaw amendments for the Animal Advisory Commission]
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS FOR THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.I'M GOING TO INVITE VICE CHAIR POOL TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.
I AM BRINGING A MOTION TO, UM, CREATE, UM, A NEW COMMITTEE FOR THE ANIMAL, UM, ADVISORY COMMISSION, UH, AND TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO AMEND THE COMMISSION'S BYLAWS IN SECTION EIGHT, A, UM, I WILL REFER YOU ALL TO A MEMO THAT WE'VE GOT FROM ANIMAL SERVICES, CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES, OFFICER DON BLAND JUST TODAY THAT GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, AND THEN I WILL MAKE THE MOTION CHAIR, UH, WHEN THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE DICE, UM, WHEN YOU MAKE THE MOTION, IF YOU WANT TO JUST REFER FOLKS TO THE AMENDMENT, WHICH I'M ASSUMING IS NOW IN BACKUP THAT'S RIGHT.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ IT INTO THE RECORD.
UM, SO THAT IT'S REALLY CLEAR AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, LEGAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING, UH, THAT WE ARE, UH, USING.
SO MY MOTION, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE NEW STANDING COMMITTEE AS VOTED ON AT THE SEPTEMBER 13 ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING.
AND TO AMEND THE COMMISSION'S BYLAWS IN SECTION EIGHT, A AS FOLLOWS THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION HAS THE FOLLOWING STANDING COMMITTEES ONE, THE COMMITTEE TO SUSTAIN AND ADVANCE NO-KILL SHALL SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO THE FULL BOARD ON ISSUES RELATED TO MONITORING MAINTENANCE AND ADVANCEMENT OF CITY COUNCILS.
NO KILL ANIMAL SHELTERING POLICY.
[00:15:03]
I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR BUZZ UNIT, ACTUALLY, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AT HOME, WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING, WE COULD EXPLAIN MAYBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF WHY THIS ITEM HAS COME UP TODAY AND WHAT WE KNOW THE PURPOSE THAT IT WILL SERVE, BUT, UM, JUST KIND OF EXPLAINING HOW IT WILL HELP THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR COUNTS, REMEMBER BOULEVARD.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, I SEE MR. BLAND IS ON THE VIRTUAL DYESS THERE AS WELL.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A LONG HELD, UM, PREFERENCE FOR NO-KILL.
AND IN FACT, WE ARE A LEADER IN THE NATION FOR OUR NO-KILL POLICIES.
UM, THE MEMO THAT MR BLAND PROVIDED TO US LISTS AT LEAST THREE RESOLUTIONS, TWO OF WHICH I BELIEVE I LED ON, UH, IN 2019 TO ADVANCE THESE LIFE-SAVING DIRECTIVES.
AND WE ARE IN A VERY ENVIABLE POSITION AT 97% LIVE OUTCOMES FROM OUR ANIMAL SERVICES, UM, PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS.
AND WE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THERE WERE, UH, CHANGES TO THE ENVIRONMENT SUCH THAT WE REALIZED THAT WITHOUT CLOSER ATTENTION TO NO KILL THROUGH MONITORING, UM, AND MAINTAINING AND ADVANCING, UH, OUR ANIMAL SHELTERING POLICY, THAT WE MIGHT LOSE SOME OF OUR, UM, STATURE AND STATUS, UH, WITH REGARD TO NO-KILL.
SO THE ADVISORY COMMISSION HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR SOME TIME AND THEY FELT IT WAS NECESSARY AND WISE AT THIS POINT TO BRING A MORE CONCERTED FOCUS AROUND NO-KILL TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT IT DOES AND DOESN'T MEAN.
AND THEN ALSO TO ENSURE THAT WE SHORE UP SUPPORT FOR THE NETWORKS THAT ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF LIGHT OUTCOMES, UM, UH, OFFICER BLAND, UH, OUR ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER, MR. BLAND, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, ANIMAL SERVICES IS COMMITTED AND WE DO HAVE, UH, ALL OF THE COUNCIL ACTIONS AND RESIDENT RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES THAT WE DO FOLLOW.
AND OF COURSE WE HAVE ACM, UH, HAYDEN POWER WHO OVERSEES TO GUARANTEE THAT WE DO FOLLOW THOSE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AND, UH, WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING PROACTIVELY DURING THE PANDEMIC TO ADJUST, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SHOWED THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING NO KILL.
AND I THINK WE HAVE ALL OF THE NECESSARY ITEMS IN PLACE TO KEEP THAT GOING FORWARD.
AND I, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS NOW KILL AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF LIVE OUTCOMES WITHOUT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEHIND US.
SO I THANK THE ANIMAL SERVICES, UH, ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR, UH, COMING TO US WITH THE REQUEST TO HAVE A FOCUSED, UH, STANDING COMMITTEE AROUND NO-KILL COUNCIL MEMBER.
KELLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EXPLAINING THAT, UM, VICE-CHAIR POOL, I GUESS THE, THE PART THAT SEEMS A LITTLE CONFUSING TO ME, AND MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME CLARITY, IS THAT BECAUSE WE ARE MEETING THAT 90% OR GREATER LIVE OUTCOME RATE AT THE ANIMAL FACILITY OR THE ANIMAL, UM, SERVICES OFFICE, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, ARE WE TRYING TO STRIVE FOR BETTER THAN THAT BY DOING THIS COMMITTEE SO THAT WE HAVE EVEN BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THE ANIMALS? I I'LL I'LL I'LL T I ASSUME THAT'S COMING MY WAY, OR MAYBE IT'S TO MR. BLAND, BUT I WOULD ANSWER YES, ABSOLUTELY.
YOU BET, MR. BLAND, UM, ALL I WILL SAY TO THAT IS, UH, WHEN, WHEN YOU ARE AT 97, 90 8%, UH, IT WAS JUST PUBLISHED, UH, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO FROM, UH, AMERICAN PETS ALIVE THAT YOUR, UH, ANIMALS THAT ARE PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS SHOULD BE BETWEEN TWO TO 5%.
AND OURS ARE A LOT LESS THAN THAT.
AND SO WE ARE ALREADY EXCEEDING WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE, YOU KNOW, FOR MOST PEOPLE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, 97, 90 8%, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT, UH, TO ADVANCE TO THAT 100% WITH, YOU KNOW, ANIMALS THAT OF COURSE HAVE
[00:20:01]
BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET BY CARS AND THINGS THAT WE CAN'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER.SO WE, WE STRIVE TO DO THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN WITH OUR RESOURCES AND, UH, SAVE EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO 99 AND A HUNDRED IS, IS, IS POSSIBLE THAT WE WOULD TRY.
UM, SO BEFORE WE VOTE, JUST WANT TO CONFIRM, I GUESS, WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE OR, UM, WITH THE AUDITOR, FOR THE BACKUP, FOR THIS MEETING, IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BOTH THE ACTUAL AMENDMENT, WHICH I'M ASSUMING IS UP ALREADY, UH, AS WELL AS THE MEMO ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT ANIMAL SERVICES IS DOING, UM, IN THIS REGARD THAT THEY JUST SUBMITTED, UM, AND THEN HAVE ALL OF THAT ALSO MOVE FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL MEETING, ASSUMING THIS WILL BE PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR A VOTE NEXT WEEK, UM, AT THE COUNCIL MEETING, DOES THAT WORK? WE HAVE THE
UM, SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY, YOUR HAND WAS UP.
DOES THAT WAS UNANIMOUS ON THE DIOCESE WITH THE MAYOR OFF? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL FOR THANKS.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM SIX.
[6. Briefing on Investment Policy updates.]
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE MOVING ITEM FIVE TILL LATER.UM, SO ITEM SIX IS THE BRIEFING ON INVESTMENT POLICY UPDATES.
UM, MS. THOMAS WILL INTRODUCE THEM, I BELIEVE.
I'M DIANA THOMAS, DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WITH THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, BELINDA WEAVER AND DEBBY FLEMING.
WE'LL BE DOING THE PRESENTATION ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY LONDON.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRISONER EDITION.
THIS IS FOR, UH, AGENDA ITEM, NUMBER SIX, PLEASE.
UH, TERRIBLE WHILE WE'RE PULLING UP THE RIGHT PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANT TO COMMENT THAT DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME WE TAKE UP THE CULTURAL ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION ITEM, I MAY ASK THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PIECE BE TABLED.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S RESPONDING AND PART TWO DIRECTION THAT I PROVIDED DURING THE BUDGET SESSION.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, I'M STAYING ON, I CAN ONLY REMAIN IN AUDIT AND FINANCE UNTIL OUR SCHEDULED 1130 STOPS SO WE CAN SEE WHERE WE GET TO ON IT.
BUT, UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WITH REGARD TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BEFORE THE COUNCIL APPROVES THAT BUDGET.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT TODAY.
AND IF NOT, I'D LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT IN A DIFFERENT SETTING.
UM, WE MAY HAVE TO DO A SPECIAL CALLED AUTUMN FINANCE MEETING TO ADD ADDITIONAL ONE, UM, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE THE HISTORIC FUNDING I BELIEVE WAS SCHEDULED TO GO FIRST, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT AS OF YESTERDAY, THEY MAY HAVE CHANGED IT IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE, RIGHT.
AND THE DIRECTION REALLY WAS TO COME BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
SO THIS MAY JUST BE A PRELIMINARY CONVERSATION AND, UH, UH, DIFFERENT TIME IS SCHEDULED FOR THE FULL WORK SESSION.
AND IN WHICH CASE THAT'S A DIFFERENT, A DIFFERENT MATTER.
BUT IF THIS IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE ONE AND ONLY, UM, ONE, I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO THE DIRECTION, BUT TO, UM, WE MAY BE ABLE TO, WE MAY NEED TO JUST RETHINK THAT.
BEEN TO CONFLICTING DIRECTIONS BECAUSE I THINK CULTURAL ARTS, IT WAS SAID IT WOULD GO TO AUDIT AND FINANCE NEXT.
UM, AND SO THEY MIGHT'VE BEEN COMBINED, UM, BUT WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MOVE THROUGH.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN IS TRYING TO SPEAK.
CAN YOU UNMUTE, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN.
I HAVE THE, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT I HAVE, UH, UH, I'M PARTICIPATING TODAY.
I'M NOT ONLY COMMITTEE, BUT I'M PARTICIPATING TODAY BECAUSE OF THE REPORT BACK FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR CULTURAL ARTS.
AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, STATED THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN, BUT I, I HAVE THE SAME CONFLICT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO HAS AT 1130.
SO, UM, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GET TO THE CULTURAL ARTS,
[00:25:01]
UM, ASPECT OF IT ALSO BY THEN.WELL, WE WILL DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN, UM, TO MOVE THROUGH.
WE HAVE, UM, SOME OTHER ITEMS TO TAKE UP TO TAKE UP FIRST, UM, THAT WE HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THROUGH TODAY AND THAT HAVE BEEN POSTPONED A FEW TIMES.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP THE INVESTMENT POLICY REVIEW.
WHEELCHAIR, CAN I ADD SOMETHING ELSE? UH, I WOULD JUST ASK IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET TO IT, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING IS THE, IS THE, UM, UH, IS THE SOLUTION BECAUSE, UM, THIS IS THE ONLY AVENUE I THINK, FROM WHAT YOU JUST SAID, THAT IT WAS ALREADY PUT BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT'S THE ONLY AVENUE FOR US TO PARTICIPATE.
SO WE DON'T GET TO IT BY 1130.
I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT THERE BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
SO MAYBE WE JUST BRING IT BACK TO THE FULL COUNTY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THROUGH AS MUCH OF THIS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
UM, WE'RE MOVING PRETTY QUICKLY THIS MORNING AND HOPEFULLY IT WON'T BE, IT WON'T BE AN ISSUE.
UM, I DO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE THE ONLY TIME IT WAS MEANT TO BE A CHECK-IN, UM, BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE STILL VERY MUCH DEEP IN THEIR, UM, DELIBERATIONS.
AND SO, UM, I THINK WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST GETTING AN UPDATE REALLY AT THIS POINT, WE'RE NOT OF KIND OF WHERE THE DISCUSSIONS ARE.
WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY, UM, I DON'T THINK ANY, ANY PR FIRM PROPOSALS ARE BEFORE US, THE ARTS COMMISSION JUST MET LAST NIGHT AND HAD SOME UPDATED, UM, INFORMATION.
SO, SO THIS WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE THE TIME TIME, THE ONLY TIME THAT COUNCIL, UM, WEIGHED IN, BUT A CHECK-IN.
UM, BUT WE WILL ADDRESS, UM, TRY TO ADDRESS EVERYONE'S NEEDS AS BEST WE CAN.
SO, UM, IF BELINDA WOULD LIKE TO GO MUST BE BAR.
UM, IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE, UM, THIS IS NOT THE CORRECT PRESENTATION.
IT'S ITEM SIX, IT'S THE BRIEFING ON THE, UP ON THE INVESTMENT POLICY.
SO GOOD MORNING CHAIR, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, BELINDA WEAVER, CITY TREASURER.
AND WITH ME, I HAVE DEBBIE FLEMING, WHO IS DEPUTY CITY TREASURER OVER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO BRIEF YOU ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POLICY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022.
SO THE FOUNDATION OF THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POLICY IS THE PUBLIC FENCE INVESTMENT ACT OTHERWISE REFERRED TO AS THE PFA, WHICH FALLS UNDER CHAPTER 22, 56 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE PFI IS VERY EXPLICIT AND ITS REQUIREMENT OF MUNICIPALITIES, AS IT RELATES TO THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO BE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH ALL PFI REQUIREMENTS LISTED.
HERE ARE THE PFA REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY THE GOVERNING BODY.
THIS PFA REQUIREMENT DETAILS, THE ANNUAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE INVESTMENT POLICY.
EVEN IF THERE ARE NEW CHANGES.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE CHANGES BEING PROPOSED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 22 INVESTMENT POLICY, THREE OF WHICH WE CONSIDER SUBSTANTIVE.
THE REMAINDER OF THE CHANGES ARE MINOR IN NATURE, JUST SMALL EDITS AND TITLE UPDATES.
PRIMARILY THE FISCAL YEAR 22 INVESTMENT POLICY HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY'S INVESTMENT COMMITTEE AND WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL ON OCTOBER 14.
NOW I'LL HAND IT OVER TO DEBBIE TO GO OVER THE PROPOSED SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THE POLICY.
THANK YOU, BELINDA, ON THAT, OUR FIRST PROPOSED CHANGE IS TO THE CERTIFICATION SECTION AND ORIGINATES FROM THE SUGGESTION MADE DURING THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POLICY REVIEW BY THE GOVERNMENT TREASURERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS FROM A CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTION, WHICH THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POLICY DID OBTAIN THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO INCORPORATE THE EXPANDED CERTIFICATION LANGUAGE, WHICH WAS ALREADY IN OUR INVESTMENT PROCEDURES AND INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE INVESTMENT POLICY NEXT, PLEASE.
THE TWO ADDITIONAL PROPOSED CHANGES ARE FOR THE OPERATING FUNDS AND CO-MINGLED CO-MINGLED POOLS FOR TWO CHANGES.
ONE TO EXTEND THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY OF THE POOR OPERATING FUNDS FROM 365 DAYS TO TWO YEARS, AND TO
[00:30:01]
EXTEND THE MATURITY OF THE STATED VINYL OF A SECURITIES PURCHASE FROM THREE YEARS TO FIVE YEARS, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IN A NORMAL YIELD CURVE, YOU WOULD EXPECT TO LOCK IN FUNDS FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AND EARN A HIGHER YIELD.THIS CHART IS A ONE-YEAR HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATION OF THE YIELD DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A US TREASURY THREE YEAR DEAL DESIGNATED BY THE BLUE LINE AND THE US TREASURY FIVE-YEAR YIELD DESIGNATED BY THE PINK LINE.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO EXTEND THE LENGTH OF THE SECURITY PER PURCHASE TO PERIODICALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ADDITIONAL YIELD.
WHEN FIRST LIQUIDITY IS FULLY COVERED.
SECOND, WHEN MARKET CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE AND THE POOL CAN PICK UP YIELD TO DO SO.
AND THIRD, THE NEW OVERALL WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY HAS SUFFICIENT PUSHING THE POOL IS NOT GOING TO CREEP UP CLOSE TO THE PROPOSED NEW WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY LIMIT.
WE ALWAYS WANT TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY IN THE PORTFOLIO FOR CONTINGENCIES.
THE POOL HAS STEADILY INCREASED IN SIZE AS THIS GRAPH OF THE PAST 10 YEARS ILLUSTRATES AS OF AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, THE POOL BALANCE WAS $2.84 BILLION.
THIS IS WHAT IS THE POOL INVESTED IN AS OF AUGUST 31ST? AND AS YOU CAN TELL, WE HAVE A VERY WELL DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO OF US, TREASURY NOTES, TREASURY BILLS, AGENCY NOTES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT BULLS ARE LGI PS, WHICH ARE LIKE MONEY MARKET FUNDS AND PROVIDE DAILY LIQUIDITY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AS OF AUGUST 31ST, OUR WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY ON THE PORTFOLIO WAS 193 DAYS.
LTI PEAS ARE CURRENTLY YIELDING 0.02% IN A TYPICAL MARKET.
AND LGP RATE WOULD BE HIGHER THAN A TREASURY BILL RATE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE TODAY.
THE CITY CAN PURCHASE T-BILLS FOR A HIGHER RATE THAN THE INVESTMENT POOLS AND CURRENTLY DOES.
SO TO FUND KNOWN PURCHASES SUCH AS PAYROLL, SINCE THE FEDERAL OPEN MARKET COMMITTEE IS EXPECTED TO KEEP THE FEDERAL FUNDS RATE AT VIRTUALLY ZERO FOR 2022, HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO INVEST OUT TO THE FIVE-YEAR AREA CAN PROVIDE SOME FIRE RATES FOR THE BULL PORTFOLIO, BUT ONLY IF WE HAVE AMPLE LIQUIDITY CUSHION AND THE MARKET TIMING MAKES SENSE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, TO COMBAT THE PANDEMIC UNPRECEDENTED, MONETARY AND FISCAL STIMULUS, THAT'S BEEN DEPLOYED SINCE MARCH OF 2020, THE FEDERAL OPEN MARKETS COMMITTEE AT THE FEDERAL FUNDS RATE BY 1.5% IN ONE MONTH TO PROVIDE STABILITY TO OUR FINANCIAL MARKETS.
IN ADDITION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BEGAN PURCHASING MONTHLY $80 BILLION IN LONGER TERM US TREASURY NOTES AND $40 BILLION IN MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES TO STABILIZE OUR MARKETS IN KEEP INTEREST RATES LOW, THE FED WILL START LOWERING THE LEVEL OF THESE PURCHASES ARE TAPERING OVER THE COMING MONTHS.
IN FACT, THE FMC IS MEETING TODAY.
WE'LL HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT SOMETIME THIS AFTERNOON DURING THE SUN PRESIDENT AT TIME, THE FED HAS BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE FUTURE.
FIRST INFLATION IS BEING ALLOWED TO RUN AT HIGHER THAN 2% AS SECTIONS OF THE ECONOMY ARE TRYING TO RAMP UP AND RESTART AND HAD HAD MULTIPLE RESTARTS DUE TO COVID SURGEONS.
AND SECONDLY, THE NEED TO ACHIEVE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS FOR FULL EMPLOYMENT BEFORE THE FED SIGNALS A RAISE IN THE FUND AND THE FEDERAL FUNDS RATE SINCE MARCH OF 2020, A ONE YEAR INVESTMENT HAS AVERAGED LESS THAN 0.1%.
AND AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS ARE YIELDING AT 0.02.
THE SHORT END OF THE MARKET WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT VERY LOW LEVELS UNTIL THE FEDERAL FUNDS RATE INCREASES, BUT IT IS EXPECTED TO BE ON HOLD UNTIL SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IS MADE
[00:35:01]
FOR FULL EMPLOYMENT.WE CURRENTLY ESTIMATE THAT 8.7 MILLION PEOPLE CONTINUE TO REMAIN AN EMPLOYED.
SO IT IS WIDELY EXPECTED THAT A RATE HIKE IS AT LEAST ONE YEAR AWAY.
THE REQUESTED CHANGES TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY TO EXTEND THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY TO TWO YEARS AND HAVE FINAL LINK OF A SECURITY PURCHASE TO FIVE YEARS OR TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT OPTIONS TO UTILIZE WHEN THE MARKET TIMING IS FAVORABLE, WHEN ALL LIQUIDITY NEEDS OF THE HAVE BEEN MET OUR INVESTMENT PRIORITIES, CONTINUE TO BE SAFETY FIRST LIQUIDITY, AND THEN HEALED AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, IF YOU CAN TAKE DOWN THE SLIDE SO I CAN SEE IF FOLKS HAVE THEIR HANDS UP, UM, COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I HAVE JUST ONE QUESTION.
UM, WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE INCREASE IN THE POOL OVER TIME, WHAT ACCOUNT? SO ONE OF YOUR SLIDES IS A BAR GRAPH ON PAGE SIX THAT SHOWS HOW THE POOL BALANCES HAVE INCREASED OVER TIME.
TH THAT IS JUST THE GRAPH OF ONLY THE INVESTMENT POOL, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLELY FOR THE EXTENSION OF BOTH THE WHAM AND THE SECURITY AND THE GROWTH IN THE INVESTMENT POOL OVER TIME HAS JUST BEEN KIND OF COUPLED WITH THE GROWTH OF THE CITY.
SO AS THE CITY HAS GROWN, UM, REVENUE IS GROWN.
UH, THE POOL ITSELF HAS GROWN.
OKAY, BUT IT WENT UP 2 BILLION IN 10 YEARS.
IT WAS ABOUT 1.5 BILLION IN ABOUT 10 YEARS.
AND THOSE REVENUE SOURCES COME FROM, UM, PROPERTY TAXES.
THEY COME FROM FEES, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THAT ALL REVENUE SOURCES FOR THE CITY.
UM, SO FOR THE NEXT STEPS ON THIS, UM, THIS WILL BE COMING TO AN OCTOBER COUNCIL MEETING, UM, WITH, I ASSUME, A WRITE-UP FOR WHAT THE EXACT AMENDMENTS ARE FOR THE POLICY WITHIN THAT.
AND THEN THIS, UH, WE'LL BE BACK UP TO THAT, IS THAT THE PLAN THAT'S CORRECT.
AND WITHIN THE RESOLUTION THAT'S APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, IT WILL DETAIL THE, UH, THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY AS WELL AS A BACKUP FOR A RED LINE VERSION OF THE INVESTMENT POLICY.
UM, THIS WAS A BRIEFING, SO WE DO NOT NEED TO TAKE ANY ACTION THIS MORNING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING.
[7. Briefing on the Strategic Facilities Governance Team on Administrative Office Occupancy Plan progress and next steps.]
UM, WE WILL NOW TAKE UP ITEMS SEVEN, WHICH IS A BRIEFING ON THE STRATEGIC FACILITIES GOVERNANCE TEAM ON ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OCCUPANCY PLAN PROGRESS, AND NEXT STEPS.UM, AND I THINK MS. ALAVAREZ IS LEADING THAT GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR HAVING US THIS MORNING TO PROVIDE YOU THIS UPDATE, UM, WHILE THE PULLING UP THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL DO SOME JUST QUICK INTRODUCTIONS.
UM, THE STRATEGIC FACILITIES GOVERNANCE TEAM HAS SEEN SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, UH, CHANGES IN, UH, ITS MEMBERSHIP OVER THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF VARIOUS RETIREMENTS.
UM, GHERKIN
SO I AM NOW FULFILLING THAT ROLE.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO LET MY COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE THEMSELVES BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THE PRESENTATION.
SO DARRYL AND MIKE, UM, DURING ALEXANDER VS A BUILDING SERVICES OFFICER FOR THE BUILDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND MICHAEL GATES, INTERIM OFFICER FOR ALLSTATE SERVICES.
WHEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, WITH US, UM, TO HELP US ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS MIGHT COME UP, ANDY MOORE, WHO IS, UM, IS ON OUR TEAM HERE IN FSP.
WE'RE OVERSEEING ALL OF THE, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TYPE FACILITIES.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND, UH, I'M REALLY REMISS TO NOT BRING NOTE TIM, BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN SUCH AN AMAZING, UM, UM, TEAM MEMBER AND JUST LEADING THESE, THESE NEW PROJECTS FOR SOME PRETTY FANTASTIC FACILITIES.
UM, IF YOU CAN GO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, UM, WE'LL QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH, UM, QUITE A BIT OF CONTENT THIS MORNING.
FIRST, A QUICK REMINDER OF WHAT ARE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR OUR APPROACH TO THE
[00:40:01]
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE NEEDS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, PROVIDE SOME UPDATES ON, UM, THE DEVELOPER ASSISTED FACILITIES PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.UM, THEN AN OVERVIEW OF THE, UH, OFF OF OUR STRATEGIC ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE INVESTMENT, UH, TALK ABOUT TELEWORKING IMPACT OF COVID-19 AND THEN ALSO AN OVERVIEW OF VARIOUS UPCOMING FACILITY PROJECTS WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS.
SO OUR GOVERNING PRINCIPLES, UM, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED ALL OF OUR EFFORTS AROUND OUR STRATEGIC ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE INVESTMENT, UM, APPROACH, UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A SERIES OF PRINCIPLES THAT REALLY EXPRESSED, UM, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS DRIVING ALL OF THESE CHANGES? BECAUSE THE CITY HAS WELL OVER 200 AND OR 200 RUN, TWO TO 50 DIFFERENT FACILITIES OF WHICH A PORTION OF THOSE ARE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PURPOSES.
UM, AS WE LOOK AT OUR OFFICES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WORK ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GOING TO REALLY HELP THEM WITH THEIR PRODUCTIVITY, THEIR EFFICIENCY, UM, BECAUSE REALLY WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET IN THE ORGANIZATION.
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING VERY COGNITIVE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND ENSURE THAT OUR OCCUPANCY COSTS, UM, WE'RE DECREASING THOSE OVERALL AND THAT WE ARE MAKING VERY SMART CHOICES FOR FUTURE INVESTMENTS.
WE ALSO WANT TO WANT TO IMPROVE THAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THAT HAVE INTERFACED WITH THE CITY, UM, IN VARIOUS WAYS.
UM, WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN SIMILAR TO THE MAKING SURE WE HAVE GREAT WORK ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, WE WANT TO USE THAT AS A MEANS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT, UM, FOR OUR WORKFORCE.
AND FINALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING PARTICULARLY FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT IN OUR FACILITY DESIGN AND, AND SET UP, UM, BECAUSE OUR, AS WE HAVE ALL SEEN WITH, UM, THE, THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE TO BE READY TO SHIFT OUR, HOW WE OPERATE AND HOW WE PROVIDE SERVICES, UM, VERY QUICKLY.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FACILITIES ARE DESIGNED IN A WAY TO BE VERY ADAPTIVE.
UH, NOW WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON OUR, UM, TWO MAJOR, UH, DEVELOPER SPECIFIC FACILITIES THAT CAME ONLINE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UM, FIRST ARE PROMOTING A DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
UM, THIS WAS THE FIRST OF, UH, FIRST FACILITY USE FOR THIS NEW APPROACH WHERE WE, UM, CONTRACT WITH A DEVELOPER, UM, TO, TO CARRY OUT THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THESE FACILITIES, WHERE IT PUTS THE RISK ON THE DEVELOPER.
SO THE CITY IS ABLE TO AVOID, UH, THE, THE RISK FINANCIAL AND SCHEDULE VARIOUS RISKS.
AND THEN AT THE END, ONCE THE DEVELOPER HAS DONE BUILDING THAT FACILITY WERE ABLE TO BUY IT BACK FROM THEM FOR OUR PURPOSES.
UM, SO THE RFP FOR THIS FOR RENTING AND BELLMONT CENTRA WAS ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER, 2016.
AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO START GROUNDBREAKING, UM, JUST OVER TWO YEARS LATER.
AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE LAND ACQUISITION AND DESIGN WORK THAT HAD TO TAKE PLACE.
UM, WE WERE THEN ABLE TO CLOSE ALL THE PURCHASE OF THE BUILDING IN MAY OF 2020.
IT INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 264,000 SQUARE FEET AND CAN ACCOMMODATE NEARLY A THOUSAND FTES.
AND, UM, WE, WITH THIS APPROACH, WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO EMBRACE THE VALUES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS IN TERMS OF OUR FACILITIES AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS, SUCH AS THE, WHERE WE HAVE THE LEAD PLATINUM TARGET.
AND SO EVALUATION OF THAT CERTIFICATION IS IN PROGRESS, THE AUSTIN ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING FOUR STAR.
AND THAT ALSO IS IN PROGRESS, ALSO WELLBEING, WELL BUILDING TARGETS.
AND, UM, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR BETTER BUILDER PROGRAM AND LIVING WAGE.
UM, THE OTHER GREAT PART ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING IS THAT EVEN WITH COVID, WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER IT ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET.
YOUR ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR THIS BUILDING WAS $121.5 MILLION.
AND THE ACTUAL COSTS ENDED UP BEING $120.7 MILLION.
UM, SO WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER A BUILDING INCREDIBLY FAST, UM, DESPITE THE PANDEMIC AND UNDER BUDGET.
THE OTHER FACILITY THAT RECENTLY OPENED IS OUR NEW AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS, AND ALSO ENERGY IS ACTIVELY MOVING THEIR STAFF INTO THIS BUILDING.
GROUNDBREAKING WAS AGAIN, JUST A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS LATER IN 2019, IT'S LOCATED IN THE MILLER AREA.
UM, AND WE FINALLY, WE ULTIMATELY CLOSED, UH, IN APRIL OF 2021, OVER 275,000 SQUARE FEET, 1200 FTES, UM, CAN OCCUPIED THIS BUILDING.
IT'S ALLOWING AAE TO, UH, UM, ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR A VARIETY OF LEASE SPACES.
[00:45:01]
A LOT OF STAFF INTO A SINGLE FACILITY, UM, AND SIMILAR TO THE PDC.WE HAVE THE LEAD 80 GREEN BUILDING.
UM, WELL BUILDING BETTER BUILD A PROGRAM AND, AND LIVING WAGE THIS PRO THIS BUILDING WAS ALSO ABLE TO, UH, UM, HIGHLIGHT THE, OF OUR APPRENTICE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
AND SIMILAR TO PDC, WE ALSO WERE ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET, ORIGINAL BUDGET WAS 142.5 MILLION, BUT IT WAS DELIVERED.
THE ACTUAL COST WAS $141.2 MILLION.
UM, THE, AND AGAIN, IT WAS DELIVERED ON TIME, UM, WITH, DURING COVID.
SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR AUSTIN ENERGY TO MOVE INTO THE SPACE.
I KNOW THEY ARE VERY EXCITED AS WELL.
UM, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THEM ON, ON REALLOCATING PRIOR SPACES THAT THEY'RE VACATING, UM, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE MEETING SPACE NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY PASS IT OVER TO MICHAEL GATES TO TALK ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE INVESTMENT OVERVIEW.
SO YEAH, THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF THE THREE PHASES OF THE STRATEGIC ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE INVESTMENT OVERVIEW.
NOW WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE STRATEGIC ADMINISTRATIVE OCCUPANCY PLAN THAT WAS FINALIZED IN AUGUST OF 2019.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY ASSESSING, UH, KEY CITY OWNED ASSETS, THAT BEING REDFORD LANE CAMPUS AND OTC.
AND MY COLLEAGUE WILL TOUCH ON BOTH OF THOSE A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION WE'VE CONDUCTED THE CITY WIDE CENSUS, BASICALLY DETERMINING ALL THE FTES THE CITY HAS AND WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
UH, WE'VE ALSO DEVELOPED ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OR ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITY PERFORMANCE SPECS.
I WILL TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES.
WE'VE ALSO CONDUCTED THE TELEMARK SURVEY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO IMPROVED, UH, OUR ROASTING PROCESSES WITH RESPECT TO INTAKE FOR THE SF GT.
WE'VE GOT A NEW SHAREPOINT SITE.
WE'VE ALSO GOT A DEFINED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AGREED UPON WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ROLLING THAT OUT.
UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON A CHARTER RENEWAL OF OUR CHARTER FIRST OF GT, AND IT'D BE AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO GET THAT OUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE GET THE NEW CHARTER OUT.
SO THAT SHOULD BE COMING SHORTLY.
AND THEN IN PROCESS, UM, THAT FORECASTING OF THE EXPENDITURES OF OUR, UH, OUR ASSETS OVER THEIR LIFE CYCLE.
UM, WE ALSO, IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL BE PERFORMING, UH, BASICALLY GROUND LEASE ASSESSMENTS OF CITY ASSETS AS IF, YOU KNOW, WE NEED REPURPOSE, UM, REDEVELOP, UH, RENOVATE OR MONETIZE THEM.
AND THEN, UH, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, THE TRANSITION FROM LISA AND SPACE, UH, TO CITY OWNED SPACE.
SO WHY NOW, WHY ARE WE, UH, ENGAGING IN THIS PROCESS? UH, THE CITY HAS COLLECTIVELY 759,000 SQUARE FEET OF LEASE SPACE EXPIRING IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE 335,000 SQUARE FEET OF CITY OWNED SPACE, UH, THAT IS AT, OR NEARING FUNCTIONAL OBSOLESCENCE.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE REPURPOSE AND REINVEST, UM, OR MONETIZE THOSE SPACES, UM, AND BETWEEN THE TWO OF THOSE THAT EQUATES TO 4,500 FTES, UH, THAT'LL BE DISPLACED IF GROWTH HOLDS IT'S HISTORIC RATE.
AND I THINK WITH THE INCREASES OF BOUNCED INCREASE FROM 2.5, SIX TO 4% LOOKING AT 5,000 FTES, THAT WOULD BE DISPLACED.
SO HERE'S A TEN-YEAR FORECAST, UH, BASED ON OUR CURRENT SPACE AND THEN KIND OF GROWTH PROJECTIONS.
I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FACILITY, UH, PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS.
UH, ONE OF THE, TO POINT OUT TO YOU, UH, THE CURRENT SPACE USE IS BASED ON A ASSUMPTION OF FUNERAL 91 SQUARE FEET PER FTE, UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT, THOSE SPECS THAT WE ARRIVED AT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT NOW, SO THAT WE CAN TRANSITION THOSE FOLKS INTO MORE EFFICIENT SPACE AND THE STRENGTH IS THE FOOTPRINT FOR EACH FTE.
AND SO LOW WOULD ACTUALLY BE A COMPRESSION, UH, UH, OUR, OUR LEADS, UH, IN THE FUTURE, UH, BASED ON THE 2.5, SIX GROWTH OR 4% GROWTH.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THE NUMBERS THERE, UM, THE BASE SPACE REQUIREMENT AND KIND OF THE GROWTH PROJECTIONS, GETTING THAT DIP FROM A 1.3 MILLION TO 1.1 BECAUSE OF THE MORE EFFICIENT SPACE.
AND THEN ALSO THE LINE DOWN FROM THAT IS IF YOU ALSO, UH, INJECT A 25% TELE-WORK COMPONENT INTO THAT FURTHER COMPRESSION IN THOSE NUMBERS, UH, AS FAR AS THE TELE-WORK, UM, STUDY, UH, IT DID EXCLUDE, UH, APD, UM, WHO'S, UH, THE MISSION DOES NOT LEND ITSELF WELL, UH, TO TELEWORKING OR WORKING FROM HOME.
WE ALSO EXCLUDE CTM THEIR, UH, THEIR MISSION, UM, VERY WELL LENDS ITSELF TO, UH, TELEWORKING MORE COMPOSED.
UM, AND THESE ARE THE NUMBERS WE ARRIVED AT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS IS JUST A LITTLE GRAPHIC TO KIND OF, UH, MAKE THE POINT.
UH, THE CITY SPENDS APPROXIMATELY $23 MILLION A YEAR AND LEASES.
AND SO, UM, IT'S BASICALLY TWICE THE COST, UH, TO HAVE
[00:50:01]
AN FTE LEASED SPACE VERSUS OWN SPACE.UM, AND FOR THAT REASON, IT'S JUST MORE EFFICIENT DOWN ON THE SPACE YOU'RE IN.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE HERE A 30 YEAR PROJECTION, UH, ASSUMING A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT ADMIN OFFICE SPACE BUILT TO SUIT, UM, 1,220 FTES.
AND, UM, SO YOU HAD A 30 YEAR AVERAGE.
I DIDN'T WALK AND SEE COST, UM, ALMOST DOUBLE OVER THAT TIME.
UM, AND THE TOTALS, AGAIN, 373 MILLION VERSUS 704 MILLION.
SO THE NET PRESENT VALUE OF THAT, THE SAVINGS $170 MILLION.
AND SO THIS IS A GRAPHIC KIND OF JUST SHOWING, UH, SHOWING THE MISSION, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.
THE, UH, THE TOP YELLOW LINE THERE SHOWING OUR TOTAL SPACE NEEDS GETTING I'LL MAKE NOTE IN 2023 OF THE SLIDE DOWN THE DIP DOWN AGAIN, JUST TO KIND OF MOVING INTO MORE EFFICIENT SPACE AND ALSO INTRODUCING A TELEWORK COMPONENT TO IT.
UM, THE RED LINE IS THAT THE, THE SIGNAL SPACE WE'D LIKE TO BRING ONLINE, AND THEN, UH, THE, UH, BOTTOM LINE, THE BLUE LINE, THERE IS THE LEAST SPACE THING YOU'LL SEE HERE IN 20 23, 24 ISH, THAT GLIDE PATH DOWN AS WE HOPEFULLY EXIT AS MUCH LEAVE SPACE AS POSSIBLE.
WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO FULLY GET RID OF THE SPACE, BUT, UM, THE GOAL IS TO GET OUT OF IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
I THINK WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, DARRYL LIVING SERVICES.
UM, UH, THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, WE'LL TALK ABOUT TELEWORKING AND JUST THE IMPACT IT HAS, UH, ON OUR WORKFORCE AT THIS POINT NEXT, A GREAT, UH, SO WE DID A SURVEY WITH, UH, THE CVRE AND WE SURVEYED JUST SUPERVISORS, 46 DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND HERE'S COME TO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT.
UM, WE ASKED THEM ABOUT, UH, TELEWORKING, UH, IS IT SUCCESSFUL? 76% SAID IT WAS THAT THEY EVEN SAID THAT 91% SAID THAT IT WAS EITHER IMPROVED OR, OR MAINTAIN, MAINTAIN, UH, THE SAME PRODUCTIVITY.
UM, I THINK WHAT THE REAL TAKEAWAY FROM THIS IS TELEWORKING IS GOING TO BE WAS FOR AWHILE.
THE WORKFORCE THAT WE WERE IN BEFORE THIS, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC IS GONE, WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A HYBRID.
AND FOR US, AS IT STILL KEEPS EVOLVING, WE NEED TO KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE NEXT LIGHT.
UH, AND HERE'S SOME, UH, SOME KIND OF LIKE THE FINAL TAKEAWAYS.
UM, WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO AT LEAST HAVE 20 TO 30% FTES TELEWORKING ON A ROTATING BASIS.
UM, ALSO THE OFFICERS ARE A CRITICAL TOOL IN A TIGHT TALENT MARKET.
SO WITH THE TALENT LOOKING FOR TALENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT OFFICER'S WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN.
I THINK FOR US, THE CENTRALIZATION OF TELEWORKING POLICY IS GOING TO BE A KEY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, TRAVIS COUNTY IS KIND OF HAVE, HAS THEIR PLAN OF WHAT, WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU'RE 75% NATURAL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT AT LEAST IF WE HAVE A CENTRALIZED TELEWORKING POLICY, WE CAN HAVE A BENCHMARK OR BASIS TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM, A CITY OF STATIC OR HIGH INDEX, UM, UH, PROCESS WHAT OUR FACILITY PLANNING IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND THEN HOW FLEXIBLE WE CAN BE FROM A DEPARTMENTAL STAGE, UM, AND ALLOWING A DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP TO KIND OF, KIND OF DICTATE WHAT THEY NEED TO DO FROM A WORKFORCE PERSPECTIVE.
ONCE WE GET THAT CENTRALIZED TELEWORKING POLICY IN PLACE, NEXT LIGHT, HERE'S THIS, UH, JUST PULL SOMETHING OUT TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT OTHER OTHERS ARE DOING.
AND THEN I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM.
GOOGLE PLANS ON A REOPENING AND OCTOBER, THEY CHANGED THEIR PLAN FROM REOPENING IN OCTOBER, 2021 TO JANUARY, 2022.
UH, BUT THEY STILL SEE 20% OF THE WORKFORCE, UH, REMAINING REMOTE, UH, NEW YORK CITY MUNICIPALITIES REQUIRED ALL STAFF TO, TO RETURN TO WORK AS A 13 SEPTEMBER.
UH, AND THEN JUST LOOKING OVER AT MICROSOFT, 80% OF THEIR WORKFORCE WANTS TO CONTINUE WORKING REMOTELY.
SO THEY'RE THE BEST, UH, OPINIONS ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, ACROSS THE NATION.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE FACILITIES, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN PLAY HERE.
UM, JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT AUSTIN ENERGY SERVICE CENTER RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE ACTIVE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE WORKING RIGHT NOW.
UM, JUST GO THROUGH THE RFP REQUIREMENTS, 130,000 SQUARE FEET OF WAREHOUSE SPACE, 20,000 FEET OF EXPANSION, UH, 15,000 FEET OF OFFICE SPACE AND A 15,000 SQUARE FEET OF EXPANSION OPTIONS.
UM, THIS, THIS, UH, I THINK MICHAEL SAID THIS EARLIER, THIS, THIS SERVICE CENTER WILL ALLOW FOR THREE DIFFERENT FACILITIES, UH, TO, TO CONSOLIDATE THREE DIFFERENT FACILITIES,
[00:55:02]
UH, FOR AUSTIN ENERGY AND THE, UH, ENA THE EXCLUSIVE NEGOTIATION AND AGREEMENT HAS, WILL BE SIGNED IF IT HASN'T BEEN SIGNED, IT SHOULD BE SIGNED THIS WEEKEND, I THINK.AND WE CAN, ANDY CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
THEN AFTER THAT, UH, WE ANTICIPATE THE COUNCIL REQUEST FOR NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION, UH, IN NOVEMBER 21 AND ASHLEY FOR THIS FACILITY TO BE COMPLETED, UH, IN, IN 2022, DECEMBER, 2022.
SO PHOEBE ARI DID A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON SEVERAL FACILITIES WITH, IN A CITY OF BOSTON, AND THEY DETERMINE WHETHER IT SHOULD BE RENOVATED, WHETHER IT SHOULD BE REDEVELOPED, WHETHER WE SHOULD JUST REPURPOSE IT OR, OR, OR, OR CARRY DOWN TO START SOMETHING ELSE.
AND ONE OF THOSE FACILITY WITH ONE TEXAS CENTER AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT WE REDEVELOP THIS, THIS, THIS, UH, THIS BUILDING, UH, INSTEAD OF RENOVATING NEXT SLIDE.
AND THAT RECOMMENDATION HERE IS JUST WHAT WE'VE KIND OF SELECTED FOR THAT, UH, IS IT IS TWO TOWERS AND A TOWER FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT IS CENTRALLY LOCATED WITH THE, SOME FEEDBACK FROM SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS IT'LL CHANGE THE CAPACITY FOR ONE TEXAS SENATOR FROM 900 TO ALMOST 2000 FTES.
AND IT IS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IS IT IS IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL, A WATERFRONT DISTRICT, AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, UH, UM, WITH THE EDD AND OTHERS ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO, TO HOPEFULLY TO HAVE THIS INTEGRATED INTO THAT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, BUT I THINK FOR ONE TEXAS CENTER WAS IMPORTANT.
IT IS SOMEBODY SAID WAS THE LINCHPIN IS ACTUALLY THE TRIGGER THAT ONCE IF WE CAN GET THIS DONE, IT DOESN'T SOLVE OUR LEASING PROBLEM PROBLEM, BUT IT DEFINITELY PUTS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THAT LOSING PROBLEM, UH, TO WHERE WE CAN GET OUT OF A LOT OF LEASES, GET INTO OWN PROPERTY, WHICH IS A DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL, NEXT SLIDE.
OR THE NEXT BUILDING THAT WE LOOKED AT IS, IS THE AUSTIN POLICE HEADQUARTERS.
UH, WE KNOW IT'S, UH, JUST OBVIOUSLY OBSOLETE AT THIS POINT.
UH, IT ALSO HAD THERE, WE ALSO HAD TO RESCUE IN FROM CASA TO, TO, TO, TO RELOCATE IT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, UH, RUTHERFORD LANE CAMPUS TO MAYBE, UH, RENOVATE OR, OR REDEVELOP.
UM, THERE ARE PROGRAMMING PRO PROCESSES.
THAT'LL START HAPPENING WITH, UH, APD AND MID, MID OCTOBER.
I THINK IT'S THE 19TH AND 20TH OCTOBER WITH CBR H THEY KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT'S THE BEST FIT FOR THEM.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER PLACE THAT WE CAN INCREASE THAT CAPACITY, UH, FROM EIGHT, 700, UH, TO, TO OVER 1100 PEOPLE THERE.
AND WE CAN PUT A SIGNIFICANT PART OF AP HEADQUARTERS, OUR AP, UM, YEAH, AP HEADQUARTERS RIGHT DOWN THERE IN RLC.
SIX, IT CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
AND WHAT MAYBE HAD HAPPENED IS IT COULD BE A PUBLIC SAFETY OF MAYBE WE NEED FIRE, UH, FIRE DOWN COUNTY EMS DOWN THERE.
SO I THINK HE COULD DO, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT FROM A, FROM A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS NEXT.
SO THIS NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT A CITY AUSTIN SERVICING IT AND WAREHOUSES, AND, AND THIS WAS PRETTY PASSIONATE FOR ME AND THE SERVICE CENTERS RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT FLEET AND AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, UH, THEY'RE CALLED LADY KIT LOCATED IN WHAT A LOT OF OTHER IN, IN SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS ARE, ARE JUST NOT GOOD LOCATIONS FOR, FOR EMPLOYEES TO BE WORKING AT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RETAIN AND RECRUITING, THIS IS GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR US, RIGHT? SOME OF THE AREAS THAT THESE GUYS WORKING IN ARE THESE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE IN EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, THE FLEET SIDE AND ARR, WE'RE LOOKING AT PLACES THAT, YOU KNOW, NO CLIMATE CONTROL, THERE'S NO AIR, THERE'S NO HEAT.
SO THEY'RE WORKING IN VERY ARDUOUS CONDITIONS.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S NO SPACE BECAUSE THEY'RE IN TIGHT SPACES.
SO THE PROCESSES TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, IT'S AN INABILITY FOR THAT.
AND THEN FOR THE NEXT PIECE, YOU KNOW, THESE B THESE ARE FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES, AND THESE EMPLOYEES ENSURE THAT POLICE VEHICLES ARE RUNNING OUR DAILY VEHICLES THAT BSD EVEN USES.
THEY'RE RUNNING, UM, FIRE DEPARTMENT VEHICLE, THEY'RE RUNNING.
THESE ARE THESE, THAT'S WHAT THESE GUYS DO.
THEY ACTUALLY ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF THE CITY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NEED LOOKING AT 50 SERVICE CENTERS AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE SERVICE CENTERS, UH, FOR THE STATE.
[01:00:01]
AT SOME, SOME, SOME, MAYBE SOME MULTI MULTI-SERVICE SERVICE CENTERS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, DEER CALL AFRICAN WAY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT THAT, AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO NOW, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR FIVE OR 10 YEARS, BECAUSE AS THE CITY GROWS, SO WILL THE EMPLOYEES GROW.
SO WILL THE DEMAND FOR VEHICLES, WHETHER THEY'RE ELECTRIC, WHETHER THEY'RE GAS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START LOOKING AT THIS NOW, AND WE DON'T LOOK AT HOW WOULD YOU FIX IT TODAY? HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIX THIS FOR THE FUTURE FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS? BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE JUST CAN'T DO NOTHING WRONG.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ALONG WITH THAT.
WHAT WE THOUGHT OUT SINCE WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, IS THERE A LOT OF, THERE'S A NEED FOR WAREHOUSE SPACE? SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO START LOOKING AT, AT THE WAREHOUSE SPACE AND MAYBE LOOKING AT WAREHOUSES THAT WE CAN ALSO PUT SOME RESILIENCY HUBS IN THERE, IF THEY CAN USE THEM FOR WHEN WE HAVE THESE EMERGENCIES LIKE YURI, THEY JUST OCCURRED BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF SPACE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE.
WE MAY NOT USE IT ALL THE TIME, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE WHEN THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
SO THESE ARE TWO IMPORTANT PIECES THAT I THINK ARE VERY, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTFUL TO THE CITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF HOW THE CITY RUNS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, JUST KIND OF SPEC BOARD OR WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, THE AHE WAREHOUSE, UH, OFTEN ENERGY WAREHOUSE IT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE WORKING AT JOHNNY MORRIS WAREHOUSE AND SERVICE CENTER.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, UH, IN THE WORKS I ONE TEXAS CENTER WE'D LIKE TO GET THAT, UH, MOVING QUICKLY.
UH, CAUSE I SAY, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL TRIGGER AND A LINCHPIN TO THE SUCCESSES OF THE CITY FROM THIS POINT ON WHEN IT COMES TO FACILITY AND BUILDINGS, UH, ROUGH FOR LANE, UM, FOR APD, WE'RE GOING TO START WORKING THAT WITH CVRE OR OUR PARTNER, UH, IN MID-OCTOBER AND THEN THE NEW SERVICE CENTERS.
WE ARE STARTING TO GET THAT MOVING, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE IMPORTANT THAT WE GET SOMETHING DONE FOR THE SERVICE CENTERS, BECAUSE THERE WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE THOSE AREAS FOR THE FRONT LINE EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE RETAINING PIECE, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE TESLAS AND AMAZONS AND THE APPLES THAT ARE COMING, UH, I'M WORKING FOR THE CITY NEEDS TO BE, HEY, THIS IS A GREAT FACILITY, AND I'M GOING TO STICK HERE FOR THAT.
UM, I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO KIND OF STICK TO THE VALUES THAT, THAT WE SAY WE WANT FOR THE CITY AND TO KIND OF PROVIDE THAT TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO HAVING SAID THAT NEXT NIGHT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF US WORLD, THANK YOU.
SO I WANT TO START BY THANKING YOU FOR THIS BRIEFING ON THE ONGOING STRATEGIC FACILITIES, GOVERNANCE PROJECT.
UM, I GOT INVOLVED IN THIS PRETTY QUICKLY AFTER I CAME ON COUNCIL, UM, AND WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE PRIOR TEAM, UM, AND HAVE, AND HOPE THAT, UH, MY OFFICE AND AUDIT AND FINANCE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU.
UM, MOVING FROM LEASE TO OWN SPACE, UM, IS PROJECTED TO YIELD MILLIONS IN SAVINGS OVER THE COMING YEARS.
IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO MOVE, UM, COSTS FROM O AND M TO DEBT, WHICH IN OUR CURRENT ENVIRONMENT WITH THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT CAP IS REALLY CRITICAL.
UM, AND ONE I'LL ALSO HIGHLIGHT, AGAIN, THE OTHER MANY IMPORTANT REASONS WITH RESPECT TO OUR EMPLOYEES, UM, THE HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT, OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN, UM, THE PUBLIC FACING EXPERIENCE AND JUST SORT OF THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE RESILIENCE OF OUR FACILITIES AS WELL.
UM, SO THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT.
IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE THE FANCIEST THING THAT WE DO, UM, AS A CITY OR A CITY COUNCIL, BUT IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR, OF OUR CITY.
UM, I WANT TO GO BACK TO, UM, MAY OF 2020.
I HAD A RESOLUTION THAT ASKED THE CITY MANAGER TO REVISIT THE TELECOMMUTING POLICIES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID AND ADVANCING OUR OVERALL CLIMATE GOALS.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, TRAVIS COUNTY IS MOVING TO 75%, UM, TELECOMMUTING POLICY.
THEY HAVE DOCUMENTED SAVINGS OF A 1.3 MILLION JUST ON UTILITIES, UM, AND ARE LOOKING TO SAVE THEIR, UM, YOU KNOW, ON A MISSION, SOMETHING LIKE 30%.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT EXACTLY, UM, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE FOCUSING ON AS YOUR REMIT, BUT, UM, THE CHOICES THAT WE MAKE WITHIN THIS DO DEPEND ON THAT TELECOMMUTING POLICY, YOU REFERRED
[01:05:01]
TO IT A COUPLE TIMES.CAN YOU, AT THIS POINT, PROVIDE US A SENSE OF THE PLAN FOR GETTING TO THAT MORE CENTRALIZED TELE COMMUTING POLICY AND AS A CENTRALIZED TELECOMMUTING POLICY, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BE BROAD PARAMETERS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, WILL BE SET, UM, CENTRALLY AND THEN FLEXIBILITY, UM, PER DEPARTMENT GIVEN THE WIDE VARIETY OF TASKS THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS DO.
SO CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE PLAN FOR GETTING TO THAT CENTRALIZED POLICY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER? UM, WE'RE JUST NOW DIGGING INTO WHAT WAS WITH WHAT THE INFORMATION IS FROM CVRE.
IT PROVIDED A LITTLE MORE, I THINK FOR US IS TO GET WITH A COUPLE OF, OR TO COLLABORATE WITH A COUPLE OF DEPARTMENTS, HR AND SOME OF THE LEADERSHIP TO KIND OF LOOK AT IT IN ITS TOTALITY AND THEN KIND OF ASSESS, OKAY, WHAT DO WE DO FROM HERE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO LEADERSHIP AT THIS POINT? I KNOW THAT'S A ROUNDABOUT ANSWER, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE BEST PIECE FOR US BECAUSE RIGHT.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE SFG T TEAM.
WE'RE JUST, WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT TO SEE HOW IT WOULD IMPACT OFFICE SPACE AT THIS POINT.
UH, AND IT WILL MAKE AN IMPACT, BUT WE WILL STILL HAVE OFFICES.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S JUST THAT, WHERE CAN WE CAPITALIZE ON SOME SAVINGS OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVINGS DOWN THE ROAD, UM, AT ANSWERING FOR, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT YOUR TEAM PER SE, BUT OBVIOUSLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING, UM, INTIMATELY LINKS UP TO THAT POLICY.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE WHO IS THE REPRESENTATIVE PER SE FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UM, TODAY FOR OUR, FOR OUR MEETING.
UM, PERHAPS MS. ALAVAREZ, YOU CAN CONVEY US.
UM, BUT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME SENSITIVITY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE TELECOMMUTING AS GOD-WILLING WE CAN TRANSITION OUT OF COVID, WE'LL BE SHIFTING THAT.
AND IT WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE CONDUCIVE FOR CONTINUING THE TELECOMMUTING, IF WE'RE NOT GOING BACK AND FORTH, UM, YOU KNOW, TREMENDOUSLY, WHICH IS, I THINK WHAT TRAVIS COUNTY IS TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN CONVEY THE URGENCY FOR GETTING THAT POLICY AND, UM, I THINK, UM, WE WILL PROBABLY INVITE HR IN A COUPLE MONTHS WHEN HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A SPACE ON OUR CALENDAR TO COME BACK AND SPEAK TO US, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS ON THAT, ON THAT POLICY.
UM, IS THAT WORK THE CELL OF OURS? ABSOLUTELY.
WELL, I'LL MAKE SURE HE WOULD CONVEY THAT.
AND I'LL JUST ALSO ADD THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE CURRENT STAGE STAGE FIVES, UM, SITUATION, UH, DEFINITELY DELAYED A LOT OF FOLKS ON, UM, SOME OF THE RE DEGRATION EFFORTS.
UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, BUDDY DEPARTMENTS ARE, ARE BEING FAR MORE GENEROUS, UM, WITH THEIR TELEPHONE TELEWORKING TELECOMMUNICATING TELECOMMUTING, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER STAFF.
UM, BUT WE, AGAIN, LIKE DARYL WAS SAYING, WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH HUMAN RESOURCES, AS WELL AS CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THEN VARIETY OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PILOTING DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR HOTELING AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO MAKE, TELL THEM COMMUNITY AND, UM, JUST THE, UH, THAT NEED OF, UH, HEALTH MEETING AND, UM, WORKING IN AN OFFICE ON OCCASION, UM, MORE EFFICIENT, MORE EFFECTIVE FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, NOT ONLY FOR THE EMPLOYEES EXPERIENCE, BUT ALSO FROM A FACILITIES PLANNING PRODUCTION PERSPECTIVE.
SO, UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO HAVE PREPARED APPROPRIATELY FOR WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU DO WANT TO HAVE THAT COME BACK TO THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE.
SO A FEW YEARS AGO, UM, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS, UM, WITH THE TEAM THAT WAS LED BY GREG
UM, NOW THAT WAS PRE LAUNCH OF THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND E UM, YOUR PROJECTIONS SHOWED ABOUT 170 MILLION.
IS THAT JUST THE DIFFERENCE FROM, OKAY, WELL, WE'RE ALREADY CAPTURING THAT FROM THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN AUSTIN ENERGY, OR WAS THERE SOME MAJOR SHIFT, UM, IN THE CALCULATIONS? AND YOU SAID THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU SAID ARE JUST FOR A GENERAL, ANOTHER 300,000 SQUARE FEET.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TIED TO A SPECIFIC BUILDING, BUT IT'S A GENERAL NUMBER.
UM, BUT MIKE, DO YOU HAVE SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE? THERE IS NOT, THAT'S FINE.
SO THAT WAS JUST FOR 300,000, BUT WE NEED MORE THAN WE NEED MORE THAN THAT.
SO THE SAVINGS WOULD BE GREATER SPACE-WISE YES.
SO YOU RAMPED THAT UP AND YOU EXPECT TO SAY, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WOULD SCALE EXACTLY, BUT IT WOULD DEFINITELY INCREASE.
[01:10:01]
BUT THAT WOULD INCREASE IT.THAT WAS JUST FOR THE 300,000 SQUARE FOOT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS FOR THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE COMPARISON.
THAT, THAT WILL, THAT WILL GET ME THE DIFFERENCE.
I THINK, UM, QUITE A FAR WAY COMES TO MEMBER POOL.
I WAS CURIOUS, UM, IF Y'ALL COULD TELL ME WHICH DEPARTMENTS WERE PART OF THE STRATEGIC ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE INVESTMENT WORK GROUP, OR WHICH DEPARTMENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE ASSESSMENT.
IT IS, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE, UM, SLIDES HERE, THE, UH, DEFINED ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THOSE, THOSE PARTNERS THAT PLAY A ROLE IN, UM, OFFICE INVESTMENTS IN LEASE SPACE? YEAH.
AND SPECIFICALLY, I'M LOOKING TO SEE WHERE THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK WAS INCLUDED IN THIS CONVERSATION.
CAUSE WE WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THOSE, UM, DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES THAT PLAYED A ROLE.
UH, WHENEVER WE GET A REQUEST FOR FACILITIES ACTION, UM, REQUEST FORM, UM, AND SINCE THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, I DO NOT RECALL THEM PLAYING A ROLE.
THESE ARE MAINLY DEPARTMENTS THAT ACTUALLY WILL, WILL ACTUALLY BE INVOLVED, UM, IN, UH, THE DELIVERY OF NEW SPACE, FIRST CITY DEPARTMENT THAT REQUESTS IT.
SO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, I I'M TRYING TO PULL UP HERE, BUT I'M ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THEY WEREN'T A PART OF THAT PROCESS.
SO WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT, UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES IN ORDER TO WORK OUT WHAT OUR NEEDS WERE INTO THE FUTURE, WHERE YOU LOOKING OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL, SPECIFICALLY, NOT THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING, WAS THERE ANY, WAS THERE ANY WORK DONE AROUND THE OFFICES HERE IN CITY HALL? SO, YEAH.
SORRY, WE'RE REFERRING TO, TO TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
WITH CVRE WHO CONDUCTED THE STUDY, UM, KIND OF, OF, UH, OUR SPACE NEEDS AND, UH, THE ADVANTAGES OF ADJACENCIES.
UM, I WOULD HATE TO HAZARD A GUESS OFF THE CUFF.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK THROUGH THAT REPORT AND, UH, IT WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB AND DETERMINE WHICH DEPARTMENTS WERE CONTACTED AND INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, BUT, UH, WOULD HATE TO GIVE YOU ANY, UH, THIS INFORMATION.
SO IF I COULD, UH, HAVE THE GRACE OF, UH, CIRCLING BACK WITH YOU ON THAT, BE GREAT.
MR. GATES AND MS. HOLY, IF YOU COULD CHASE THAT DOWN FOR ME, THE NEED FOR, UM, COMPREHENSIVE, UH, SPACE FOR THE STAFF OF THE CITY CLERK HAS BEEN KNOWN TO THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT STAFF BEING DISPLACED, UM, THE CLERK HAS HAD TO SCROUNGE FOR A MEETING ROOM SPACE IN ORDER TO HOUSE SOME OF HER EMPLOYEES, AND THEY'RE ON DIFFERENT FLOORS HERE IN CITY HALL.
AND THERE'S A CONCERTED INTEREST BY THE COUNCIL TO ADDRESSING THE, UM, THE SITUATION FOR THE CITY CLERK.
PART OF THE SITUATION FOR THE CITY CLERK HAS BEEN ADDRESSED, UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE CLOSING OF THE RESTAURANT THAT WAS NEXT DOOR.
BUT THE STAFF HAD TO DEAL WITH WORKING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE COOKING SMELLS WERE COMING THROUGH THE WALLS AND IT WASN'T PLEASANT.
SO AS, AS I SAID EARLIER, THE, THE NEEDS OF THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED AND THEY'RE LONG STANDING IN MY OPINION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, WHERE THIS EFFORT WITH FACILITIES AND STAFFING AND SPACE PROVISION CAN FIND ROOM FOR, UM, INCLUSION OF THE CITY CLERK'S NEEDS.
AND I AM, AND IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE RIGHT NOW, WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, BUT I DO WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS WORK HERE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE EFFORTS WERE HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AND, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN, UH, AN OVERLAP AND INCLUSION SO THAT WE COULD DEAL WITH SOME OF THE REAL CONCERNS THAT THE CLERK HAS.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER OFFICE WHERE THE STAFF REALLY CAN'T WORK PRODUCTIVELY OR PROPERLY FROM HOME.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL, FOR SURE.
SO I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE MY STAFF WORK WITH YOURS TO SET UP SOME MEETINGS, AND THEN WE CAN DRILL DOWN ON THAT, BUT I'LL BE LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER.
I'LL BE LOOKING, WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR A WAY TO RESOLVE THE LONGSTANDING CONCERNS OF SPACE FOR THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE HERE IN CITY HALL.
IS, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT? UM, I'M SORRY.
[01:15:01]
I, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY HEAR WHAT YOUR, YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT CITY CLERK SPACE.
UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, WE INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF ALL OF OUR, UM, ANALYSIS, UM, IN ADDRESSING SPACE NEEDS OVERALL.
UM, WE'VE DEFINITELY BEEN FOCUSING QUITE A BIT ON LEASE SPACE, BUT WE HAVE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY HALL IS OBVIOUSLY NOT PART OF THE LEASE SPACE.
IT'S PART OF THE OWN SPACE, BUT ITS OWN SPACE CHALLENGES, UM, DEFINITELY EXISTS TO THROUGH OUR PORTFOLIO.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL.
UM, THERE MIGHT BE SOME REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH, UH, FUTURE PLANS IN RELATED TO OTCS REPLACEMENT, BUT WE WILL, WE'LL DEFINITELY INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR WORK.
ESPECIALLY SINCE IF THERE ARE SHIFTS IN CITY HALL TO ACCOMMODATE THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THEN WE NEED TO, UH, PINPOINT WHERE THAT SPACE IS COMING FROM.
AND DOES THAT MEAN THAT THOSE STAFFERS WOULD STAY HERE? WOULD THEY GO TO LEASE SPACE OR OTHER CITY OWNED PROPERTY? SO IT IS ALL PART OF THAT DOMINO EFFECT.
SO THANKS VERY MUCH FOR, UM, FOR THAT.
AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH YOU ALL ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL FOR REASONING, THAT ISSUE, UM, I SHARE YOUR CONCERN FOR, FOR ADDRESSING THE CLERK'S OFFICES NEEDS.
I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CLERK, UM, AND I DO THINK THE TELECOMMUTING DOES HAVE SOME IMPACT AND, UM, AND IT MIGHT NOT BE AN OBVIOUS, UM, BUT I THINK THERE WAS SOME MOVEMENT, UM, IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION WITH THAT, BUT I THINK IT DEFINITELY SHOULD BE, UM, MORE TRANSPARENT IN THIS, IN THIS PROCESS.
I DO WANT TO JUST POINT OUT, I THINK THERE, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PARTS.
THERE'S THE, THE SPACE ANALYSIS, UM, THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CLERKS, UM, WERE COVERED IN, BUT THEN THERE'S THE, THERE'S THE CHANGES TO THE REAL ESTATE PROCEDURES FOR FOLKS WHO ARE GOING OUT TO DO, UM, LEASE SPACE OR TO OWN SPACE, UM, THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY, UM, INVOLVE THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
I THINK THOSE ARE UNLESS I'M MISUNDERSTANDING IT.
UM, I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PROCESS.
UM, AND, AND, AND ABSOLUTELY THE CLERK NEEDS TO BE IN THE FIRST ONE, BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT THEY'RE BUILDING LIKE A PDC OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEY'RE NOT MOVING OUT OF THE SPACE.
SO, UM, ANY OTHER COLLEAGUES WITH QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THANK YOU.
I JUST ALSO WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE FOR RAISING THAT ISSUE.
WE ALSO IN MY OFFICE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLERK'S OFFICE, NOT HAVING THE SPACE THAT IT NEEDS.
AND SO I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT SOME OPTIONS MIGHT BE.
LET ME FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH IT.
WE COULD HEAR YOU A SECOND AGO.
NOT RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED, WE COULD HEAR YOU NOW.
WE DON'T HEAR THAT THOUGH, BUT YOU DO OR DO NOT.
I THINK I'VE, I THINK I PIECED IT TOGETHER BETWEEN THE TWO DEVICES.
UM, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE ONE TEXAS CENTER, TWO THINGS ACTUALLY FIRST MR. GATES, AT ONE POINT YOU TALKED ABOUT MONETIZING ASSETS.
WOULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE POINT THAT YOU WERE MAKING AT THAT STAGE? I THINK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CITY-OWNED FACILITIES IN CITY ON LAND, BUT I WANT TO BE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT.
SO THERE ARE, LET'S SEE HERE, UM, APD HEADQUARTERS, TECHNICS CENTER, UH RBJ OR 11 CHECON, UH, THE OLD MINI BUILDING ON SEVENTH STREET.
UM, AND SO WE TO DETERMINE KIND OF WHAT THE BEST MOVE IS, UH, FOR THE CITY WITH RESPECT TO POSSIBLY KIND OF HOLDING THOSE ASSETS, POSSIBLY MONETIZING THEM UNDER SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, REDEVELOPMENT SCENARIO WITH A THIRD PARTY.
UM, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY IT KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BASICALLY WHAT WE'VE GOT THERE RIGHT NOW, UM, IN TERM OF FTE'S AND, AND, AND PROGRAMMING NEEDS AND EITHER FINDING ALTERNATIVES TO THOSE, UM, ELSEWHERE, UM, AND BASICALLY ALLOWING THOSE TO BE FREED UP FOR REPOSITIONING OR INVESTING IN THOSE PROPERTIES AND HOLDING THEM.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S GETTING AT IS, IS BASICALLY GOING TO BE OPTIONS THAT, UH, THAT WOULD HAVE WITH ALL OF THESE ASSETS THAT ARE DEAR FUNCTIONAL OBSOLESCENCE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS COLLEAGUES, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS VARIOUS TIMES FROM THE DIOCESE AND THEY TEND TO HAPPEN ON A ONE-OFF KIND OF, UH,
[01:20:03]
KIND OF, KIND OF TREND AND, YOU KNOW, I I'VE SEVERAL TIMES, AND I'M REALLY EAGER TO WORK WITH SEVERAL OF YOU AS YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, IN A WORK GROUP FORM TO, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THE POLICIES THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO PUT IN PLACE FOR THE USE OF OUR CITY OWNED ASSETS AS THEY ARE COMING UP FOR THESE CONVERSATIONS.I THINK APPS, UM, I'M REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF USING THEM TO THE FULLEST POTENTIAL AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE, THAT WE ARE LOOKING CAREFULLY AT PROPERTIES, SUCH AS THE RYAN DRIVE TRACT, WHICH FOR YEARS WAS THE RECLAMATION, THE SITE OF THE RECLAMATION PLANT AND PULL YARD STORAGE.
AND AS IT'S BEING TRANSFORMED INTO REUSE, THAT'S MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE FOR, FOR WHAT THAT AREA HAS BECOME AND MUCH MORE VALUABLE IN TERMS OF SERVING AS A COMMUNITY ASSET AND AS A REEL TO MEET SOME OF THE REAL CRITICAL NEEDS.
SO I'M VERY, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT I DO WANT TO BE SURE, YOU KNOW, AS THEY HAVE COME TO COUNCIL IN THE PAST, THEY HAVE TEND TO BE, TEND TO HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON, UM, JUST ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS MONETIZING THE ASSET, UM, THE TRACK DOWN ON THE TRACK THAT, THAT WE'RE NOW USING, UM, FOR URBAN, THAT WE'RE RENTING TO URBAN LEASING TO URBAN ROOTS FOR A FARM FOR EXAMPLE, WAS, WAS BEING WHAT'S ON OUR COUNCIL AGENDA FOR A SALE.
SO I REALLY THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON COUNCIL TO SIT AND TO DEVELOP A POLICY, TO ADD TO THE REALLY GREAT WORK THAT THE STRATEGIC FACILITIES GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IS DOING, UH, IN TERMS OF YOU'VE SET SOME VERY IMPORTANT GOALS AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE USE OF PROPERTY.
I WOULD LIKE THE COUNCIL TO NOW HAVE SOME INPUT INTO THAT AS WELL, IN TERMS OF CRAFTING A POLICY THAT REALLY ASKS TASK SETS IN PLACE, A VERY STANDARD, CONSISTENT PROCESS FOR EVALUATING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE TRACKS FOR A BROADER ARRAY OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
AND SO I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I, I WELCOME, UM, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF UI.
MY STAFF MAY HAVE ALREADY ASKED YOU IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THAT COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT IN ANY CASE, UM, I'M INTERESTED IN DOING THAT WORK TOGETHER WITH REGARD TO ONE, TWO X'S CENTER.
I UNDERSTAND THE RECOMMENDATION YOU'RE MAKING TODAY.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN GETTING SOME MORE DETAILS ABOUT IT.
LET ME JUST NOTE THOUGH THAT THE SOUTH CENTRAL PLAN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A REALLY KEY ELEMENT OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN.
AND I REALLY HOPE WE JUST LOST YA.
I WAS SAYING IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT MAY RESULT IN SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA, BUT THE REALITY IS TO GET TO THAT 25% GOAL, 25% OF THE HOUSING THAT'S REDEVELOPED FOR CONSTRUCTED A NEW IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT IS DESIGNED BY THE PLAN THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED TO BE AFFORDABLE.
AND SO A LOT OF THAT MAY LIKELY NEED TO BE ON ONE TEXAS CENTER.
SO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED MR. GATES, I BELIEVE YOU WERE HANDLING THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION THAT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO USE THAT AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITY, UM, AND TO HAVE A TOWER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE ON THAT AND WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SOME MORE OF THE DETAILS, BUT, BUT I JUST WANT TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS COUNCIL APPROVED A RESOLUTION THAT I BROUGHT FORWARD TO, TO, UM, THAT IN PART ADDED, UM, A PROVISION TO LOOK AT ONE TEXAS CENTER AND REALLY GET, GET SOME SPECIFICS AROUND WHAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT WOULD BE OF ANY POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT.
AND I THINK THAT IS, I THINK THAT IS STILL A CRITICAL AND KEY USE, ESPECIALLY IN THAT AREA.
AND I GUESS AS THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AN ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER PROCEED AT BEGIN, I'D REALLY WANT TO GET SOME MORE DETAIL AROUND THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF MOVING PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE OF ONE TEXAS CENTER TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO REALLY NEEDS LOOKING REALLY CAREFULLY AT WHO AMONG OUR CITY STAFF NEEDS TO BE CENTRAL UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY REQUIRE ALL OF OUR CITY STAFF, 10 OF OUR MOST CONGESTED AREAS IN THE CITY TO DO THEIR JOBS.
AND SO I WONDER THIS SEEMS TO BE A, UM, A DIFFERENT ADDING, UH, A DIFFERENT COMPLEXITY TO THE CONVERSATION OF, UH, THAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY HAD IN TERMS OF TRYING TO SITE EMPLOYEES IN DIFFERENT AREAS ACROSS THE CITY.
I THOUGHT, FRANKLY, UH, AND PERSONALLY, I THOUGHT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SHOULD REMAIN REALLY CLOSE TO ST.
PAUL AND CLOSE TO, UM, THE NEXUS OF OUR, OF OUR DOWNTOWN.
THAT WAS NOT THE DECISION THAT, UM, OUR STAFF RECOMMENDED AND THAT OUR, OUR CITY MANAGER MADE THAT IT IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REVISITING, IT SEEMS TO ME WE'RE GOING IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DIRECTION IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT HAVING AN ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER ON THAT SIDE RATHER THAN IN VARIOUS AREAS.
[01:25:01]
SOME OF, SOME OF THE THOUGHTS.I DON'T KNOW IF OUR STAFF HAS FEEDBACK THEY WANT TO OFFER AT THIS POINT, BUT THAT'S, UM, THAT'S MINE ON THOSE PARTICULAR POINTS COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE THANK YOU FOR THOSE, THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, ONE THING THAT I CAN ASSURE YOU IS THAT WITH ONE TEXAS CENTER, THE PROGRAMMING DESIGN HAS, UH, IS, HAS REALLY HAS NOT ONE B BILLING.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVERSATIONS TO TAKE PLACE TO REALLY THINK THROUGH, UM, WHAT COULD, SHOULD, OR SHOULDN'T, UM, TAKE PLACE ON THAT SITE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO, UH, COORDINATING CLOSELY WITH THE INTERNAL STAFF, UH, RELATED TO SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE PLANS TO GO SPEAK WITH THE, UH, THE SOUTH MUNCHER WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UM, TO JUST TO CONTINUE TO COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH THEM.
UM, BUT WE HEAR YOU ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, SO THE NUMBERS, THOSE DON'T REALLY EXIST PER SE.
YOU HAVE TO, BECAUSE THAT PROGRAMMING DESIGN WORK HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE.
WE DO, AGAIN, WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO MEETING THE NEEDS FROM THE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND, AND, AND MAXIMIZING THAT SPACE TO ITS GREATEST POTENTIAL.
UM, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND THE REST OF COUNCIL ON, UM, ON THOSE NEEDS AND WHAT ULTIMATELY, UM, SHOWS UP ON THAT SITE.
WHAT IS THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT STAGE, THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION AND FOR THE COMMITMENT TO HAVE THE, HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
WHAT IS THE NEXT, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP FOR ONE TEXAS CENTER? SO WHAT ARE THE SERIES OF NEXT STEPS? OKAY, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST LOOKING, UM, WE'RE DETERMINING WHAT IS OUR BEST APPROACH FOR JUST A FACILITY DELIBERATE, UH, FOR THAT SITE PERIOD, UM, THROUGH A DEVELOPER ASSISTED OR, UM, WHICH SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT METHOD, UM, SO, OR DELIVERY METHOD BROADER.
SO ONCE WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THAT, THAT THEN ALLOWS US TO START THINKING THROUGH THAT, THAT PROGRAM BRING INTO IT AND DELIBERATE, IF WE DO, UM, PROCEED WITH ANY DEVELOPER ASSISTED APPROACH, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO, WE WILL TO GO THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH THE PDC AND THE AEO HEADQUARTERS.
UM, BUT UNTIL WE WORKED THROUGH THAT, DETERMINING OUR ULTIMATE DELIVERY METHOD, UM, WE'RE KIND OF AT A, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF A STANDSTILL ON, ON, ON PROCEEDING WITH THOSE DESIGN AND PROGRAMMING EFFORTS.
SO, UH, WE DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'M SAYING.
I THINK I NEED TO PROBABLY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU OR ASK MY STAFF TO DO SO TO GET, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY AROUND WHERE THE COUNCIL INPUT HAPPENS, UM, IN THESE EARLY STAGES, I'M GOING TO BE SURE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT COUNCIL TO REALLY TALK ABOUT OUR VISION FOR THAT SPACE, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING USES BEYOND WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED, WHICH WAS AT THIS POINT, JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO, UM, MAYBE, MAYBE IF BETWEEN, BETWEEN NOW AND WHENEVER SOME OF THOSE NEXT STAGES HAPPEN, WE CAN HAVE, UH, AN ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME, AN ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE THOSE POINTS OF INPUT AND FEEDBACK ARE.
I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'LL NEED TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE BALANCE THE OFFICE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF THE PARTICULAR AREA AND THE COMMUNITY THERE.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE, UM, CONVERSATIONS, UM, SEEING THEM FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON, I'M GOING TO DO ITEM
[8. Identify items to be discussed at future meetings]
EIGHT, WHICH IS FUTURE ITEMS SUPER QUICKLY.SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH QUICKLY JUST TO GIVE FOLKS A IDEA OF OUR PACKED AGENDA.
UM, SO WE HAVE THE DRAFT, UM, CALENDAR YEAR 22 AUDIT PLAN.
UM, WE NEED TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO COERCE AND TO APRS.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BRIEFING ON THE PENSION SYSTEM.
WE HAVE BYLAWS FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND WE HAVE THE CITY TECHNOLOGY PURCHASE AUDIT THAT WE POSTPONED, UM, TODAY, UM, AS WELL AS LIKELY A STORM ERIE AUDIT THE ONE FROM THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE THAT WILL BE COMING BACK.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL AND COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY HAD A RECENT SPECIAL REQUESTS WITH RESPECT TO HOMELESSNESS COSTS, UM, THAT THEY ALSO WANT US TO, UM, SPEAK TO ON THE AGENDA WHEN WE CAN BE CONFIDED IN.
UM, WE HAVE AN OCTOBER MEETING AND A NOVEMBER MEETING, UM, SCHEDULED THEY'RE FAIRLY CLOSE TOGETHER.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHETHER A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING IS EVEN POSSIBLE, BUT IF COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAN PLAN TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANOTHER, UM, OBLIGATION ALREADY TO PLAN TO STAY TILL 12 ON, ON THOSE DAYS, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, UNLESS SOMEBODY, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD TO THAT DIANA OR COREY OR VICE CHAIR? NOPE.
[01:30:01]
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE BACK[5. Economic Development Department update on Cultural Arts Fund and Historic Preservation Fund.]
TO THE EDD ITEM, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE ITEM NUMBER FIVE UM, AND I HAD UNDERSTOOD THE PLAN WAS TO DO THE HERITAGE FIRST, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO LOSE COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO AT 1130.THAT IS CORRECT COUNCIL MEMBER OFFICER.
SO WHY DON'T WE, UM, DO THAT AND WE CAN USE THIS AS AN INITIAL TIME, AND IF WE NEED MORE TIME, WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE OUT, UM, AN APPROPRIATE MECHANISM TO DO THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, PRESENT SOME OF THE CULTURAL ARTS, UM, AS WELL.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE TOO MANY SLIDES HERE FOR THE HERITAGE, UM, AND THAT MAYBE WE CAN AT LEAST GET THE INFORMATION OUT WHILE COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN CAN STILL STILL BE HERE.
UM, THESE ARE BRIEFINGS THERE'S NO ACTION BEING TAKEN TODAY.
UM, SO JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT, UM, GO AHEAD, MISS HILL-ROM.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALSO, AND WE'LL MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH IT.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU IF YOU CAN SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT OR PUT YOUR MICROPHONE CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH.
SO THERE'LL BE A WHOLE RAB DEPUTY DIRECTOR WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND WE'LL MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH OUR PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
TODAY, THE FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE ON HERITAGE TOURISM, AND I'M PLEASED TO HAVE MELISSA ALVARADO HERE WITH ME, WHO IS THE DIVISION MANAGER, AS WELL AS SAYLAH STEPPER, ALONG WITH OUR EQUITY OFFICER, BRIAN OATS AND OUR CONSULTANT, MARGIE REESE WITH M J R.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MELISSA.
GOOD MORNING, MELISSA ALVARADO, HERITAGE TOURISTS CANNOT HEAR YOU.
YOU CAN, I CAN'T SEE YOU TO SEE IF YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE OR WHATEVER WE CAN HEAR JUST THE TINY BIT CAN GET THE VOLUME UP.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW BETTER BUT NOT SUPER STRONG.
WELL, I WILL THAT'S OKAY, GREAT.
UM, WELL LET'S THE ALVARADO HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION MANAGER.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT IS TO PROMOTE TOURISM THROUGH PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS OR THREE PLANNING, EDUCATIONAL AND MARKETING PROJECTS THAT ARE ROOTED IN HERITAGE AND HISTORY.
THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS AN INCLUSIVE CULTURAL AND HERITAGE TOURISM APPROACH.
SO IT TELLS THE MULTI-LAYERED HISTORY OF AUSTIN.
UM, THE STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT GRANTS BE AWARDED TO PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE VICINITY OF THE CONVENTION CENTER OR IN AREAS THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE VISITED BY TOURISTS.
I'LL WALK THROUGH THE DRAFT PROGRAM GUIDELINES, FOLLOWING AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND BUDGET SUMMARY BY EDD ACTING DIRECTORS FOR NOVIA WHOLE WRAP.
SO JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS FUND USES HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND AT THE TIME OF BUDGET APPROPRIATION, IT IS BUILT ON AN ESTIMATE.
SO JUST A REMINDER THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE ESTIMATED THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE $10 MILLION IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, BUT DUE TO COVID, THERE'S A REDUCTION AND WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE APPROXIMATELY 55% OF WHAT IS BUDGETED AS PART OF THE
MS. HOLT REALM, SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
IT'S STILL REALLY HARD TO HEAR YOU.
AND, UM, I KNOW OUR, UM, CTM FOLKS HERE AND CHAMBERS HAS GOT IT TURNED UP AS HIGH AS WE CAN.
COULD YOU JUST LEAN IN A WEE BIT MORE? OKAY.
I HAVE ON A HEADSET, SO I'LL TRY AND USE MY SPORTS VOICE.
SO SPORTS VOICES ABSOLUTELY APPROPRIATE TODAY.
SO AS PART OF THE F BY 22 BUDGET, WE ARE ONLY FOCUSED IN ON TWO ITEMS AT THIS TIME THAT IS FUNDING FOR PARKS AND RECREATION, AS WELL AS THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, WHICH MELISSA WILL NOW GO INTO FURTHER DETAILS.
SO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS RE-IMAGINING ITS CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM FOR ARTS HERITAGE AND MUSIC WITH AN INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON EQUITY AND INCLUSION WHILE MORE EFFECTIVELY PROMOTING TOURISM IN AUSTIN.
UH, BEFORE I PROCEED, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE SAYLAH MULTA CASPER TO GIVE A CONTEXT IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, LOCAL
[01:35:01]
AND NATIONAL, UM, DESIGNATIONS AND PERSPECTIVE SALEM.UM, AND OF COURSE I ABSOLUTELY APOLOGIZE.
UM, BUT I JUST REALLY EXCITED TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HEAR ME.
UM, MY NAME IS SALEM WITH THE CASPER AND I AM A PERFECTIONIST, UM, AND JUST RECENTLY JOINED THE HERITAGE TOURISM OFFICE THIS PAST YEAR.
UH, PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS WORKING FOR THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHERE I WAS A SENIOR FIELD OFFICER AND FOCUSED ON UNDERREPRESENTED, UM, UNDERREPRESENTED HISTORICAL SITES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND SO, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
YOU REVISION AND PRO GRANT, ESPECIALLY AS WE SEE THROUGHOUT UNITED STATES, THAT THERE ARE SO MANY, SO MANY UNDER-RESOURCED, UM, SITES THAT ARE SO WORTH SAVING AND FULL OF RICH HISTORY ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, LGBTQ AND WOMEN, ESPECIALLY.
UM, AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE KEEP GOING BACK TO AS WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION IS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HELP PRESERVE THESE SITES, TO HELP SUPPORT THESE SITES THROUGH THESE RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT JUST THAT THERE ARE SITES WITHIN OUR OWN CITY AND THEN SITES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT ARE LISTED WITHIN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, UM, THAT DON'T NECESSARILY REFLECT OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WILL PASS THIS BACK OVER TO MELISSA.
UM, THE UPDATE TO THE DRAFT GUIDELINES BEGAN WITH RESEARCH AND CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE CENTERED ON BEST PRACTICE BY LEADING PRESERVATION GROUPS, UM, TACKLING VERY SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS, INCLUDING FOR CULTURE IN SEATTLE, COLORADO, THAT DOES PRESERVATION WORK THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHICH HAS BEEN A GREAT ADVOCATE AND RESOURCE.
IN ADDITION, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION WITHIN THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH PRESERVATION, AUSTIN AND ADDITION TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE IN THE PART OFFICE OF HERITAGE TOURISM WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ALL TO DEVELOP AND DETERMINE OPPORTUNITIES AND GAPS THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED TO EXPAND ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE PROGRAM.
UM, WE ALSO TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE EQUITY AND PROGRAM EXPANSION RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE HERITAGE GRANT WORKING GROUP TO COUNCIL IN 2018.
IN ADDITION, UM, MEDU PRESERVATION WORKED ON OUR BEHALF AND CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS WITH EXISTING AND POTENTIAL APPLICANTS TO GATHER FEEDBACK ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS AND EVALUATION OF EXPANDING THE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE THE PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF HISTORIC INTERIORS.
ONE SIDE NOTE THAT THEY LEARNED THROUGH THAT WORK IS THAT, UM, MAINTENANCE AND PRESERVATION WORK OF HISTORIC INTERIORS IS SOMETHING THAT IS COMPLEX.
IT IS, UM, AND IT IS OFTEN DEFERRED WHEN OTHER FINANCES, UM, ARE, ARE NECESSARY TO BE EXPENDED IN OTHER AREAS.
UM, A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION LED BY MJR PARTNERS WAS CONDUCTED FOR THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION LAST AUGUST, UM, FOR INPUT AND FEEDBACK ON THIS OVERALL PROCESS.
AND THEN LATE LAST YEAR, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, HERITAGE ARTS AND MUSIC DIVISIONS, HOSTED JOINT VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND, AND QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS THAT WAS MARKETED BY EACH ONE OF OUR DIVISIONS.
UM, AS, AS WE STARTED, UM, THIS WORK IN AUGUST, WE RELEASED OUR DRAFT GUIDELINES.
WE HOSTED VIRTUAL WALKTHROUGHS, VERY SIMILAR TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH A Q AND A FORMAT.
AT THE END OF THE WEBSITE, WE KEPT A DYNAMIC, UH, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, UM, LIST AND POSTED THAT TO OUR WEBSITE.
IN ADDITION TO A SURVEY THAT WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INPUT.
WE SOUGHT REVIEWS BY OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND OUR EQUITY DEPARTMENT BEFORE BRIEFING THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION GRANTS COMMITTEE, UH, THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE AND THE EQUITY ACTION COMMITTEE INFORMATION WAS ALSO SHORT SHARED, I'M SORRY, WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, BASED ON THE RESEARCH AND THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE INPUT, UM, THE FOLLOWING HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS ARE PROPOSED FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, $2,000,002 MILLION IS PROPOSED FOR THE PROGRAM WITH TWO
[01:40:01]
YEAR REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACT TERMS. THIS WAS A DIRECT, DIRECT FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED IN DECEMBER AT ONE OF THOSE, UM, COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT WE HOSTED, UM, BOTH NONPROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY REGARDLESS IF THEY OWN OR LEASE THEIR HISTORIC BUILDING HISTORIC, UH, I'M SORRY, CAPITAL AND PLANNING PROJECTS MUST BE HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED OR ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION AND HISTORIC CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT EDUCATIONAL OR MARKETING PROJECTS WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE A HISTORIC DESIGNATION.OTHER PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS TO DEVELOP MORE EQUITY AND PRESERVATION INCLUDE INCLUSIVE FUNDING FOR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES AND UNDERREPRESENTED UNDER INTERPRETED HISTORIES AND HERITAGE SITES.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED TO GENERATE AND DEVELOP A SIMPLIFIED ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS, REMOVING ANY PRESERVATION JARGON THAT MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR TO APPLICANTS.
IN ADDITION, WE WILL BE EXPANDING AWARENESS WORKSHOPS PROVIDING EIGHT TO 10 SIMULTANEOUS WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND PROVIDING SUPPORTIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TRAINING.
WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM, WHICH WAS SO SUCCESSFUL, UM, FOR ARPA FUNDED PROGRAMS TO ALSO SUPPORT APPLICANTS IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
AS A DIVISION, WE WILL PRIORITIZE FIRST TIME, APPLICANTS AND AWARDEES WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR TOURISM MARKETING TRAINING.
NEW ELIGIBLE EXPENSES INCLUDE AN OPTIONAL 10% PROJECT MANAGEMENT ALLOWANCE, NOT TO EXCEED $10,000 FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND OPTIONAL $1,000 FISCAL SPONSOR FEE, UM, OPTIONAL ELIGIBLE INSURANCE SPEEDS AND AN INSURANCE WAIVER FOR EVENTS THAT ARE 100% VIRTUAL WITH NO ONSITE VOTE FRONT, ALL PROJECTS MUST MEET THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX STATUTE.
APPLICANTS MAY RESIDE WITHIN THE MSA, BUT PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES MUST OCCUR WITH AN ATTEN ONE DISTRICT ON A HISTORIC SITE.
APPLICANTS MUST ALSO HAVE TWO YEARS OF EVIDENCE PROGRAMMING EXPERIENCE IN AUSTIN.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE ELIGIBLE CAPITAL PROJECTS INCLUDE RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS, SITES, DISTRICTS, AND ASSOCIATED HISTORIC CULTURAL LANDSCAPES, WHICH IS A NEW PROGRAM AREA PROPOSED THIS FISCAL YEAR BASED ON FEEDBACK, ALL CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AGAIN, MUST HAVE THAT HISTORIC DESIGNATION IN PLACE OR BE ELIGIBLE.
THE GROUNDS MUST BE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE AND OPEN TO TOURISTS.
THEY MUST MEET BOTH THE NATIONAL AND THE LOCAL HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
AS THESE PROJECTS MUST BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, EXISTING PRESERVATION PLANS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC INTERIORS OR CULTURAL LANDSCAPES IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM FUNDS PLANNING PROJECTS TO SECURE THE PROFESSIONAL PRESERVATION PLANNING EXPERTISE NECESSARY TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOP SOME PRESERVATION PRIORITIES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THEIR BUILDINGS.
WE WILL BE PRIORITIZING PROPERTIES DEEMED ELIGIBLE WITHIN THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORY.
HISTORIC SURVEY CONDUCTED ON BEHALF OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.
EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS, UH, MUST ACTIVELY CREATE EXPERIENCES FOR TOURISTS TO INTERACT WITH PLACES AND EVENTS, UM, THAT AUTHENTICALLY REPRESENT THE STORIES AND PEOPLE OF THE PAST THAT ARE CENTERED ON OUR SHARED HERITAGE COMMUNITY AND HISTORY.
THESE PROJECTS MUST BENEFIT TOURISTS AND HOTEL GUESTS.
AGAIN, NO HISTORIC DESIGNATION IS REQUIRED, BUT IT MUST OCCUR AT A HISTORIC SITE.
PROJECTS MUST MEET AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING HISTORIC CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA.
THIS IS NEW WITHIN OUR PROPOSED, UM, GUIDELINES, THE DIRECT ASSOCIATION WITH A HISTORIC EVENT, SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE, OR A GROUP OF PERSONS WHO HAD INFLUENCED A LEVEL HISTORY, SIGNIFICANT ERA, HISTORIC CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, AND SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENTS.
SOME OF THE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES UNDER THIS CATEGORY INCLUDE TOURS, UM, FOR HISTORIC HERITAGE LEGACY OR NATURAL RESOURCES, UM, EXHIBITIONS PROGRAMS, DEMONSTRATIONS, CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, UM, IN ADDITION TO EVENTS AND AGAIN, ANY 100% VIRTUAL EVENT, UH, WE WILL WAIVE THAT INSURANCE.
MARKETING PROJECTS ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE TO CONNECT AND MARKET HERITAGE, PARTICULARLY
[01:45:01]
OF UNDERREPRESENTED HISTORIES AND HISTORIC PLACES OR EVENTS.THESE PROJECTS, AGAIN MUST ALSO BENEFIT TOURISTS OR HOTEL GUESTS, UM, WHERE NO DESIGNATION IS REQUIRED.
AS LONG AS THE TWO CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE IS MET.
UM, THIS CAN INCLUDE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECT TYPES FROM BROCHURES AND MAPS TO TRANSLATION OF ANY OF THE ABOVE, UM, WEBSITE ENHANCEMENTS.
IN ADDITION TO TOURISM MARKETING CAMPAIGNS, UM, PROMOTING AUSTIN AS A DESTINATION, NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF INELIGIBLE PROJECTS OR EXPENSES.
UM, I WON'T READ THROUGH THE LIST, BUT, UM, I'LL JUST KINDA TOUCH ON A FEW, UM, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, UM, HISTORIC INTERIOR FURNISHINGS, LANDSCAPING'S NEON SIGNAGE, UNLESS IT HAS BEEN PRE-APPROVED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UM, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ARE INELIGIBLE, UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS, WILL BE UP FOR COUNCIL REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION ON THE 30TH OF THIS MONTH.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING SOME TEMPLATES TO MAKE WAY-FINDING AND INTERPRETIVE PROJECTS EASIER, UH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS THE PROPOSED SCORING CRITERIA, WHICH INCLUDES PRESERVATION OR HISTORIC CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
IN ESSENCE, ASKING THE APPLICANT TO SHARE THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL OR THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT THAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION OR ENTITY WITH LEADERSHIP WHO BELONG TO A SEGMENT OF AUSTIN'S DIVERSE POPULATION THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, INCLUDING BLACK AFRICAN-AMERICAN, INDIGENOUS, HISPANIC, LATINO ASIAN-AMERICAN NEEDLE, MIDDLE EASTERN PACIFIC ISLANDER WOMEN IDENTIFYING LGBTQ PLUS OR DISABILITY COMMUNITIES, TOURISM.
HOW IS THE APPLICANT MARKETING AND REACHING OUT TO ATTRACT HERITAGE TOURISTS AND HOW WILL THEY EXPAND OR ENGAGE NEW AUDIENCES TO THE MOVEMENT OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION OR HERITAGE FEASIBILITY.
THIS IS THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PROJECT TEAM WHO ALL IS INVOLVED IN ENSURING A SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A PROJECT PROPOSAL.
FIRST TIME, APPLICANTS AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS FOR ANYONE WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS, WHO HAS A CREATIVE IDEA AND IS UNCERTAIN.
IF IT WOULD BE, IF IT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM.
WE HOST THOSE VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS EACH TUESDAY FROM TODAY AM UNTIL 12:00 PM.
THESE DRAFT GUIDELINES AND THE WORKING FAQ IS ALSO POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND I'M HAPPY TO ASSIST.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA DID YOU WANT TO START WITH QUESTIONS? DO YOU WANT US TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON A DIFFERENT DAY OR, YEAH, I THINK WITH SIX MINUTES LEFT, THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE FOCUSING TODAY ON DRAFT GUIDELINE CHANGES AND OTHER THINGS I, I HAVE, UM, COLLEAGUES I HAD PROVIDED THE DIRECTION THAT WE AS A COUNCIL, NOT APPROVE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND ALLOCATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022, BECAUSE I BELIEVED WE NEEDED TO DISCUSS THEM AND I STILL DO.
AND I, I, SO I THINK I'LL JUST STOP THERE AND ASK OUR STAFF WHAT THE INTENTION, WHEN, WHEN ARE WE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION AT, UM, THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION, I'VE GOT JUST A SLEW OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU ABOUT THAT.
WE DID NOT ADDRESS IN THE BUDGET, UM, WHICH IS THE REASON WE DIDN'T APPROVE THOSE ALLOCATIONS, BUT THIS YEAR THERE ARE QUITE A FEW ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS BUILT INTO THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND EXPENDITURES.
WE HAVE TWO VERY IMPORTANT IN MY OPINION, AND IN THE OPINION OF THIS COUNCIL, WHICH HAS, HAS DIRECTED THE MANAGER TO PURSUE THE ACQUISITION OF ONE OF TWO VERY IMPORTANT HISTORICAL, UM, STRUCTURES.
AND I BELIEVE WE NEED TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE ALLOCATIONS FOR HOW WE SPEND HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE POTENTIAL ACQUISITIONS.
SO THAT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE RANGE OF RANGE OF QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU AT VERY VERY NITTY-GRITTY DETAILED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES.
I HAVE SOME, I WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON A CONVERSATION ABOUT SHIFTING THE ALLOCATIONS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TO MAKE POSSIBLE
[01:50:01]
THOSE.AND SO, I MEAN, IT'S VERY USEFUL AND INTERESTING TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROPOSED DRAFT GUIDELINE CHANGES.
UM, BUT I GUESS FUNDAMENTALLY, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR PATH FORWARD IS FOR REVIEWING DELIBERATING ON AND PROVIDING YOU WITH THE AFFIRMATION YOU WOULD NEED TO MAKE THE 2022.
WHEN IS THAT CONTEMPLATED TO HAPPEN WITH COUNCIL? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO I'M IN DISCUSSION WITH OUR INTERIM BUDGET OFFICER CARRIE LANG TO HOPEFULLY BRING THAT INFORMATION IN OCTOBER.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE BRING THAT IN OCTOBER.
AND SO IN THE MEANTIME, OUR, I HOPE THEN THAT NONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE PROPOSED TO BE FUNDED THROUGH THE 2022 ALLOCATIONS ARE MOVING FORWARD.
NO, WE HAVE NOT LAUNCHED ANY NEW PROGRAMS, BUT THERE ARE STAFFING ASSOCIATED IN WITH DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PART OF THE BUDGET TO, THERE WERE QUITE A FEW.
IN FACT, I, IT LOOKED TO ME LIKE MORE STAFFING AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS WERE NOW BEING FUNDED THROUGH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND THAN IN PAST YEARS, WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY A CONVERSATION I WANTED TO HAVE BEFORE THE, BEFORE THE, UM, RESPONSIBILITY FOR FUNDING, THOSE SHIFTED TO OUR REALLY SCARCE PRESERVATION DOLLARS.
SO ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED THAT THOSE STAFF ARE, THAT THOSE, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ARE ALREADY BEING PAID FOR THROUGH THE 2022 ALLOCATION AT THIS TIME? IT IS CONTEMPLATED, BUT THERE WERE NO NEW FTES ADDED, UM, EITHER WITHIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I CAN SEND BACK THE QUESTION THAT WE RESPONDED TO DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
YEAH, I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT THAT UP.
I MEAN, IT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I PULLED THIS AREA FOR CONVERSATION DURING THE BUDGET, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, A GOOD, A GOOD DEAL OF A GOOD DEAL OF, UM, I MEAN, I'LL JUST RUN THROUGH SOME OF THE EXPENSES, TWO 50 FOR A MARKETING REP, 93 FOR A PROGRAM COORDINATOR, 108 FOR ANOTHER COORDINATOR, TWO TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES FOR THE BAKERY.
YOU KNOW, THOSE, UM, I W I WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE, IF THEY HAVE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE NEW POSITIONS AND, OR HAVE BEEN FUNDED THROUGH OTHER MEANS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO TRY TO GET THIS FUNDING FREED UP FROM OTHER AREAS OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
AND IN PART THAT WAS TO REALLY HELP FUND PRESERVATION PROJECTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT WAS ALSO, AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT WE NEED STAFF AND WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS AT THESE SITES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TWO PRIORITY STRUCTURES THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO PURCHASE.
AND THE MORE, THE MORE MONEY WE S YOU KNOW, AS WE, IF, IF THE PRESERVATION FUND IS NOW BEING PICKING UP COSTS THAT WERE ELSEWHERE IN THE BUDGET, UM, WE JUST HAVE LESS RESOURCES, UM, FOR THOSE CRITICAL PURCHASES.
SO, SO, UM, AGAIN, I WILL CONSULT WITH CARRIE LANG TO GET ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE AGENDA, BUT AGAIN, THE FTES THAT ARE IN THIS CURRENT YEAR BEING FUNDED BY HISTORIC PRESERVATION OR THE SAME, THERE ARE NO NEW FTES.
ARE THEY, HAVE THEY BEEN FUNDED FOR THE PRESERVATION FUND IN PREVIOUS YEARS? YES.
UM, I MIGHT ADD THAT THE LARGE MAJORITY OF THE, UM, POSITIONS THAT YOU MENTIONED WERE APPROVED, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN 2018 BEFORE THE CREATION OF THIS DIVISION, UM, OR BEFORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, TOOK OVER THE ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT IS WHERE A LARGE PORTION OF THOSE POSITIONS, UM, CAME FROM.
UM, SO AGAIN, I GUESS, EXCUSE ME, MAYBE THE WAY TO HANDLE THIS IS TO, UM, REQUEST WITH A COLLEAGUE THAT WE PUT THIS ON A WORK SESSION AGENDA.
UM, I THINK IT'S IT CERTAINLY.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO, IF, IF, IF YOU ARE MARCHING FORWARD WITH REVISIONS TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, I WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THOSE AND MAYBE THE WAY TO DO IT IS ALONGSIDE THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING CONVERSATIONS THAT I KNOW MANY OF US, UM, ARE INTERESTED IN AS WELL, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE LOOK CAREFULLY, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO MAY NOT BE THE YEARS TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS GIVEN, UM, GIVEN THE NEED TO REALLY SHORE UP OUR RESOURCES WITH REGARD TO ACQUISITION.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT IS A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE PRETTY PRETTY QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY IF STAFF ARE ENGAGING IN
[01:55:01]
CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF PROGRAM THEY WANT AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW THEY WOULD SUGGEST, UM, THE GRANT PROGRAM.LOOK, I'D HATE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
IF, IF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS REALLY TRIM THAT PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
UM, INTERIM BUDGET OFFICER GARY KNIGHT IS LISTENING.
AND SO WE WILL DEFINITELY GET BACK.
THANKS, COUNCIL MEMBER TEMPO, BEFORE YOU GO.
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, JUST NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH CULTURAL ARTS IS THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN UNCERTAINTY WITH RESPECT TO THE HOT FUNDING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT IS PLAYING OUT IN PRESERVATION FUND BUDGET.
AS WE SEE HERE, UM, IT WAS VERY CONSERVATIVELY BUDGETED FOR CULTURAL ARTS, PROBABLY RIGHTLY GIVEN DELTA.
UM, BUT THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BE, UM, DEPOSITED, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH MAY PROVIDE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL, UM, LEEWAY THAT WE NEED.
AND, AND WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEAS OF IDEA OF THOSE SOON.
UM, SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT OBSERVATION.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT OF REALLY DETAILED QUESTIONS THAT PERHAPS YOU CAN TRY AND GET SOME OF THOSE ANSWERED BEFORE WORK SESSION.
AND SO THAT IN WORK SESSION, WE CAN FOCUS ON SOME OF THE POLICY QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN RAISE THE DETAILS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY DO THIS IN WORK SESSION, BUT I THINK THERE'S SOUNDS LIKE, UM, PERHAPS SOME OF THESE, LIKE THE PREVIOUS FUNDING THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, MY RECOLLECTION, AND I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT DURING BUDGET, UM, THAT WE HAD, UM, FUNDED CERTAIN POSITIONS FROM THE GET-GO IN 2018 THAT WERE, WERE CONTINUING.
AND THAT THOSE ARE NOT NEWLY FUNDED BECAUSE THERE, THERE WAS ALSO AT THE TIME, UH, OF, OF MOVING TO THE HOT TAXES, A DESIRE TO COVER CERTAIN PORTION, NOT A HUGE PORTION OF, BUT WHAT WE COULD HAVE COVER WITH RESPECT TO PART, UM, FUNDED HISTORIC RELATED POSITIONS.
AND I BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE ONES LARGELY THAT THAT WERE COVERED.
UM, BUT I THINK SOME OF THOSE DETAILS WE COULD COVER OFF THE DIOCESE FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN REALLY FOCUS IN ON THE IMPORTANT QUESTION YOU'RE RAISING ABOUT THE ACQUISITIONS VERSUS THE NEW PROGRAM AND WHAT THE FUNDING LOOKS LIKE.
AND MAYBE WE CAN GET AN UPDATE ON THE MOST RECENT HOT NUMBERS TO HAVE A FULLER PICTURE.
AND WE DID ASK SOME, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TYPICALLY GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW IS THE LIST OF PROPOSED PROJECTS WITH CITY FACILITIES THAT WOULD BE FUNDED.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS LARGER CONVERSATION, I ALSO ASKED FOR A SENSE OF WHICH PROJECTS WERE FUNDED THROUGH LAST YEAR AND WHETHER ANY OF THOSE COULD BE HALTED.
SO IF WE COULD HAVE THAT, THAT INFORMATION DISTRIBUTED EITHER TO THE AUDIT AND FINANCE OR TO THE WHOLE COMMITTEE, THE WHOLE COUNCIL, THAT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL SO THAT WE SEE IF WE WERE TO APPROVE AS, AS YOU'VE PROPOSED THE ALLOCATIONS AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY, WHAT WOULD BE THE CITY FACILITIES THAT MARCH COHORT, UM, IN TERMS OF GETTING, GETTING THAT FUNDING SO THAT WE KNOW IF WE'RE HAVING THAT POLICY CONVERSATION ABOUT SHIFTING THE ALLOCATIONS, WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT PROJECTS WILL NOT BE MOVING FORWARD IMMEDIATELY.
WE DID NOT PROPOSE ANY CITY FACILITIES IN
SO THEY HAVE A CURRENT PORTFOLIO, UM, PARKS AND REC THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON.
SO THE BALANCE OF FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, UM, TO BE DISTRIBUTED AS COUNSEL SEES.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL CLARIFIED AND SHARED WITH US.
SO, SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, I, I'M GONNA, I HAVE TO LEAVE AND WON'T BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE THING I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO, UM, UM, DIRECTOR SYNOVIA, RAB FOR, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, BAB, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ALL, UM, ARE TAKING SOME MORE TIME, UH, TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY HELPFUL AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, SO I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO, UM, ADDITIONAL BRIEFINGS IN THE FUTURE AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE A BRIEFING IN FRONT OF THE FULL COUNCIL AT A WORK SESSION.
UM, AND, UM, AS YOU GET FURTHER ALONG IN, IN TALKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, THIS IS, UH, FUNDING FOR, FOR CULTURAL ARTS IS VERY CHALLENGING, PARTICULARLY IN OUR CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS ON RESOURCES AND I APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULTIES THAT YOU ALL ARE DEALING WITH.
AND SO I, UH, APPRECIATE, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT.
[02:00:01]
CAUSE REMEMBER ALTAR, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITTEE, UM, LOOKING AT THIS AND, AND I'M SORRY, I WON'T BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE TODAY, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE CONVERSATIONS.UM, AND, UM, I THINK AT THE RIGHT TIME IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN FRONT OF THE FULL COUNCIL, UM, AS, UM, SUNOVION AND HER TEAM WORKED THROUGH, UM, UH, THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO JUST WANTED TO SH TO SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE TODAY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, AND I'M SORRY THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING TO THIS SOON ENOUGH.
WE DID POST ON FRIDAY WHAT THE SCHEDULE WAS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FANTA, DID YOU HAVE A YES.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK COMMENT AND THEN A QUESTION, UM, JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF THE CONVERSATION REGARDING, UM, PREVIOUSLY FUNDED HISTORICAL PRESERVATION PROJECTS, I WANTED TO REQUEST, I'M SURE THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE SOMEWHERE.
UM, BUT IF SOMEONE CAN POINT ME TO WHERE I CAN FIND A LIST OF PREVIOUSLY FUNDED PROJECTS THROUGH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE, UM, PREVIOUS INVESTMENTS THAT THE CITY HAS MADE THROUGH THESE DOLLARS, AS WELL AS INFORMATION AS TO THE CURRENT, OR I GUESS IF YOU, IF THIS IS AVAILABLE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF HISTORICAL SITES THAT ARE DESIGNATED IN THE CITY THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS FUNDING, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND HAVE MORE OF A SENSE OF, OF, UM, ENTITIES AND SITES AND POTENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON HAVEN'T APPLIED.
UM, AND, AND THANK YOU STAFF FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M THRILLED TO HEAR ABOUT EMPHASIS ON UNDER INTERPRETED HISTORIES AND HAVING THAT PART OF OUR CONSIDERATION IN OUR WORK, AS WE LOOK AT OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION EFFORTS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND MY QUESTION IS, UH, DIRECTOR HALT, ROB, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE HOT FAT, THE HOT, UH, FUNDING WAS ABOUT 55% OF WHAT WE PROJECTED IT WOULD BE AT THIS POINT.
AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY IS THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SEPTEMBER IS THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
SO IS THAT PROJECTION BASED ON THE END OF F Y 21? THAT IS THAT IN OTHER WORDS, IS, ARE WE LANDING AT 55% OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD TAKE IN FROM THE HOT TEXAS AT THIS TIME? WE ARE.
UM, BUT AS, UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, WE WILL GO THROUGH A FORMAL CLOSE OF THE FINANCIAL FINANCIALS OF THE CITY AND IT WILL BE VERIFIED AT LEAST THROUGH CLOSE TO FOR CERTAIN.
AND WHEN, WHEN DOES THAT USUALLY, AND WHAT DOES THAT USUALLY COME OUT WITH THE INFORMATION, WHEN IS THAT USUALLY DISCLOSED, UH, FORMALLY THE DIANA THOMAS IS ON AND SHE MAY CLARIFY, BUT WE HAVE TO FORMALLY CLOSE AND SUBMIT OUR REPORTS, I BELIEVE IN MARCH THAT'S YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT WE HAVE A VERY GOOD IDEA BY THE END OF OCTOBER TO SO, BUT THE FORMAL CLOSING IS BY MARCH.
THAT'S QUITE, I MEAN, IT'S SIX MONTHS LATER.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION.
UM, SO I THINK WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, THE CULTURAL ARTS PRESENTATION, UM, AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO STOP AT NOON.
UM, GIVEN THE CONVERSATION THAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE THE PRESENTATION, IF WE HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS, THAT'S GREAT.
UM, BUT I WANT TO DEFINITELY ALLOW YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE INFORMATION.
CAUSE I THINK A LOT HAS BEEN SHIFTING AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REALLY GOOD, UM, OPEN DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMUNITY TO GET INPUT AND FEEDBACK.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ACTIVELY WORKING, UM, TOWARDS NEXT STEPS, UM, BUT ARE NOT THERE YET, BUT I, BUT I WANTED TO, UM, GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US AN UPDATE OF WHERE YOU ARE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, AND MS. HOLT, ROB, IF YOU CAN SPEAK UP, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO HEAR YOU.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT DOING THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.
AND FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK MEGAN WELLS TO START WITH SLIDE FOUR, THE FIRST COUPLE OF SLIDES, WE'RE JUST AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CITY SUPPORT THROUGH, UH, UM, SAVES FUNDING, THE CARES ACT FUNDING.
AND SO IT, MEGAN JUST COULD JUMP RIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION.
MY NAME IS MEGAN WELLS, CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION MANAGER WITHIN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I JUST WANT TO START WITH A REMINDER ABOUT OUR CITY STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 23, THAT LEADS WITH A LENS OF RACIAL EQUITY AND HEALING.
AND WE KNOW THAT RACE IS THE PRIMARY PREDICTOR OF OUTCOMES.
AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO RECOGNIZE, UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS RACISM AT ITS VARIOUS LEVELS, PERSONAL
[02:05:01]
INSTITUTIONAL, STRUCTURAL, AND SYSTEMIC LEADING WITH AN EMBEDDING EQUITY INTO AUSTIN'S VALUE SYSTEM.IT MEANS CHANGING HEARTS AND MINDS TRANSFORMING LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM THE INSIDE OUT ERADICATING DISPARITIES AND SHARING ALL AUSTIN COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE IN THE BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY PROGRESS.
WE USE THIS LENS TO TAKE A DISRUPTIVE STANCE.
OPERATIONALIZED EQUITY GETS TO THE HEART OF HOW THIS WORK HAS DONE, AND I'LL FOCUS ON THAT.
THE EQUITY OFFICE SUGGESTS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS OF NORMALIZING CONVERSATIONS AROUND RACE AND RACIAL EQUITY ORGANIZING AROUND THE WORK TO BE DONE WITH DATA AND OUTCOMES, AND THEN OPERATIONALIZING THE WORK WHICH HAS MAKING CHANGES AND FOCUSING ON PRACTICE THAT DISTILLS THE EQUITY COMMITMENT INTO CHANGES IN ACTION.
THIS SLIDE INCLUDES JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF OPERATIONALIZED RACIAL EQUITY, BUT WE HAVE A LONGER LIST ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV FORWARD SLASH DEPARTMENT OR SLASH CULTURAL DASH FUNDING THAT WE'VE JUST RECENTLY ADDED TO SHOW MANY OF THE WAYS IN WHICH, IN WHICH RACIAL EQUITY CAN BE PRIORITIZED TO SHIFT POWER AGENCY, FINANCIAL RESOURCES, REPRESENTATION, AND DECISION-MAKING WITHIN SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONS THERE.
LIKE I SAID, THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT WE OPERATIONALIZE EQUITY.
WE INTEND TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATION WITH OUR CULTURAL CONTRACTORS ABOUT THE VALUABLE EQUITY DRIVEN WORK THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING AND HOW THE CITY CONTINUED TO CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS WORK.
TO ILLUSTRATE OUR HISTORIC INEQUITIES IN OUR CULTURAL FUNDING SYSTEM, WE NEED ONLY LOOK AT OUR CULTURAL FUNDING DATA ON THIS SLIDE.
WE'RE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DATA OF GROUPS WHO HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING FOR 10 YEARS OR LONGER, WHICH WE'RE CALLING LEGACY GROUPS, LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF CULTURAL FUNDING FROM 1981 TO 2021.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 167 LEGACY GROUPS OUT OF A TOTAL OF 871 CONTRACTORS OVER TIME.
THIS INCLUDES BOTH NON-PROFITS AND SPONSORED PROJECTS.
ONLY 33% OF OUR LEGACY GROUPS ARE LED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WHILE THIS IS TELLING IN THE NEED TO INCREASE FUNDING TO LEGACY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE BI-POD LED.
WE ALSO HAVE MORE WORK AHEAD OF US TO PRIORITIZE BIPAP ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED RELATIVELY LARGE INVESTMENTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME DUE TO OUR OWN POLICIES OF AWARD AMOUNTS, BEING KEPT BY ORGANIZATIONAL BUDGET SIZE.
FOR EXAMPLE, 12 RECEIVING $12,000 A YEAR FOR 30 YEARS IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN RECEIVING MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR 30 YEARS.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL CULTURAL CONTRACTORS OVER TIME, 72% OF ALL GROUPS FUNDED WERE NOT LED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THEY RECEIVED 85, 80% OF TOTAL FUNDING.
ONLY 28% ARE GROUPS LED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THEY RECEIVED 20% OF TOTAL FUNDING.
THIS DATA TELLS US THERE'S A NEED FOR CHANGE.
THE NEED FOR RACIAL EQUITY CENTERED SHIFT, SHIFTING IN THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION SPENDING PROGRAM IS CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED AGAIN THROUGH THE SLIDE SHOWING A MORE RECENT SEGMENT OF TIME SINCE 2015, WHEN WE DO HAVE SELF-IDENTIFYING RACE CODES, AND YOU CAN SEE A CLEAR DISPARITY IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS BETWEEN DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS, EVEN IN
NEXT SLIDE IN COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WE HEARD AND RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SHAPING THE VISION AND GOALS FOR OUR CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM AROUND DIVERSITY, PROSPERITY INCLUSION AND SELF-DETERMINATION WHICH THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THAT YOU'RE CENTERING BOTH ART AND EQUITY.
AND WE'RE MINDFUL OF THE BIG PICTURE OF TRYING TO CELEBRATE AND ELEVATE US AS FULL AND UNIQUE CREATIVE CULTURE.
WE ARE CENTERING EQUITY IN OUR VISION FOR THIS VIBRANT, DIVERSE, CREATIVE ARTS ECOSYSTEM.
WE ARE REBALANCING SUPPORT AGAIN, CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION WE'LL MEASURE OPERATIONAL EQUITY THROUGH REPRESENTATION, REDISTRIBUTION, AND OTHER WAYS THAT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE COMMITTED TO ONGOING EQUITY EFFORTS.
THE ARTS COMMISSION AT THEIR MEETING THIS PAST MONDAY ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP
[02:10:01]
TO BETTER PLUG INTO THIS WORK IN CONVERSATION, BETTER CONNECT VOICES OF COLOR TO THIS PROCESS TO INFORM OUR STEPS FORWARD.LET ME TALK ABOUT HOW THESE VISION AND GOALS MANIFEST THROUGH OUR THREE PROPOSED PROGRAMS, WHICH AGAIN ARE STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
NEXUS WOULD LEVERAGE INVESTMENTS THAT ENCOURAGE NEIGHBORHOOD BASED ACTIVITIES BY SPECIFICALLY FUNDING, COMMUNITY CENTERED COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS, NEW AND EXISTING CONTRACTORS COULD APPLY TO NEXUS THRIVE WOULD LEAVE WITH LEAD WITH RACIAL EQUITY, TO PRIORITIZE, IDENTIFYING AND FUNDING A COHORT OF CULTURALLY SPECIFIC CREATIVE PARTNERS, CONTRACTORS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT, INTENTIONALLY LEVERAGING FUNDING TO DEVELOP ARTS INSTITUTIONS OF COLOR WILL, WILL SEEK TO INCREASE THE STABILITY OF EXISTING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS LED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR.
FINALLY, ELEVATE WOULD BE OPEN TO INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND ANNETTE OR UNINCORPORATED GROUPS WHO ARE OCCURRENCE CURRENTLY EVIDENCING A COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY THROUGH A VARIETY OF WAYS, INCLUDING PROGRAMMING.
THIS WOULD OFFER FLEXIBLE, ORGANIZED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT TO CONTINUE THEIR EQUITY DRIVEN INITIATIVES.
LET ME REITERATE THAT WE ARE STILL OPEN TO FEEDBACK ON THE GUIDELINES AND THE EVALUATION RUBRICS OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND WE DO NOT PLAN TO LAUNCH ANY NEW PROGRAM UNTIL WE HAVE BROUGHT BACK REVISED VERSIONS OF THESE RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
NEXT SLIDE, WE'VE HEARD AN URGE TO PAUSE THIS WORK FROM SOME STAKEHOLDERS, BUT TO CORRECT THESE HISTORIC AND STRUCTURAL DISPARITIES THAT HAVE LED TO INEQUITABLE FUNDING AWARDS FOR DECADES, CHANGES ARE NECESSARY.
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN, IF WE WAIT ANY LONGER TO MAKE THESE CHANGES IN THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAMS, WE ARE PERPETUATING CURRENT INEQUITIES THAT WE HELPED CREATE.
IT WILL KEEP OUT NEW AND DIVERSE APPLICANTS.
MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN DOING THIS CREATIVE WORK FOR YEARS WITHOUT CITY SUPPORT, AND IT WILL STUNT ANY PROGRESS THE CITY'S TRYING TO MAKE TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE CREATIVE COMMUNITY.
STAFF HAS BEEN RUNNING SEVERAL FUNDING SCENARIOS, WHICH I'LL PRESENT THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT IF WE CONTINUE WITH THE STATUS QUO WITH THE FUNDING WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR NEXT YEAR, CONTRACTORS MAY STILL EXPERIENCE UP TO 91% CUTS IN THEIR AWARDS.
OUR FUNDING BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES, ONLY $3.5 MILLION, WHICH IS A 75% DECREASED.
WHAT EXISTING CONTRACTORS HAVE RECEIVED IN THE PAST AT $12 MILLION UTILIZING ANOTHER BRIDGE YEAR OF FUNDING PERPETUATES THE SYSTEMIC RACISM OF THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAM AND PROCESS.
WE ARE NOT PROPOSING THESE SCENARIOS OR RECOMMENDING THEM, BUT WANTED TO SHOW WORK CLEARLY WHY WE'VE RULED THEM OUT.
IF WE MAINTAIN THE EQUITABLE ECONOMIC RESILIENCY FRAMEWORK THAT WE USED IN
AND THERE WOULD STILL BE A SIGNIFICANT AWARD REDUCTION FOR MOST ECONOMICALLY VULNERABLE CONTRACTORS.
IF WE DID AN EQUAL REDUCTION FOR EVERYONE, IT WOULD BE A 47% CUT IN ALL AWARDS.
AND WE KNOW THAT EQUALITY IS NOT THE SAME AS EQUITY EQUITY RECOGNIZES THAT EACH PERSON HAS DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE SHOULD BE ALLOWING RESOURCES AT DIFFERENT LEVELS THROUGH AN EQUITY DRIVEN MODEL.
THE EQUALITY SCENARIO INVOLVES AWARD LEVELS THAT ARE NOT MEANINGFUL FOR THE CULTURAL SERVICES THAT WE'RE CONTRACTING FOR.
AND WE'RE DENYING APPLICANTS WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR AT LEAST TWO FISCAL YEARS TO GRADUATE FROM COMMUNITY INITIATIVES TO ONE OF THE LARGER FUNDING PROGRAMS. I'LL NOW HAND IT OVER TO BRIAN OAKS, CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER, TO WRAP UP THIS PRESENTATION WITH HIS INSIGHTS.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION OF MS. WELLS? OKAY, THANKS.
UM, MS. WELLS, IN THE PORTION OF YOUR PRESENTATION, WHERE YOU WERE GIVING US THE PERCENTAGE OF, UM, APPLICANTS FALLING IN THE VARIOUS, UM, DEMOGRAPHIC CATEGORIES, I WOULD ALSO LIKE NUMBERS ON HOW MANY APPLICANTS PER CATEGORY, UH, YOU HAVE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE UNIVERSE SO THAT WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF 10% OF ONE DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP IS PARTICIPATING IN OUR CULTURAL CONTRACTS, BUT IN THE UNIVERSE OF APPLICANTS, THAT PORTION IS PRETTY CLOSE TO HOW MANY OF THEM RECEIVED FUNDING.
THEN THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFORMATION
[02:15:01]
FOR US TO HAVE, AND THAT IS LACKING.SO PLEASE GO BACK TO YOUR NUMBERS AND BRING US BACK THE UNIVERSE BROKEN INTO APPLICANTS BY THE SAME DEMOGRAPHIC CATEGORIES THAT YOU HAVE.
AND THEN LATER WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT SHARE OF THE FUNDING PIE.
UM, THOSE CATEGORIES ARE ABLE HAVE ACHIEVED HISTORICALLY AND PRESENTLY.
THANK YOU GUYS, MEMBER MR. OAKS.
SO JUST IN CLOSING, UM, I REALLY WANTED TO TELL OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING BECAUSE EQUITY WORK IS REALLY HARD AND DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING WORK TO DO.
UM, IT REQUIRES US TO REALLY DISRUPT PATTERNS AND PROCEDURES THAT WE'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO FOR DECADES.
IT PUSHES US TO REALLY RETHINK SYSTEMS AND REBUILD OUR PROGRAM STRUCTURES TO TRY TO ACHIEVE BETTER OUTCOMES.
IT HUMBLES US AT TIMES BECAUSE WE HAD TO ADMIT THAT MAYBE THE DESIGN PROGRAM, OUR STRUCTURE, UM, DIDN'T CREATE THE TYPE OF ACCESS THAT WE WANTED TO FOR CERTAIN POPULATIONS.
AND IT REQUIRES OVERALL A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CHANGE, WHICH WITHIN THIS REALLY HARD.
AND AT TIMES, UH, IN THE FACE OF THIS CHANGE, UH, WE FACE A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE EVERYONE ISN'T EQUALLY INVESTED IN THE CHANGE AND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN BELIEVE THAT CHANGE NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, PERIOD.
AND YOU FIND YOURSELF WHEN YOU DO EQUITY WORK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT CONSTANTLY.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES THAT CONFRONT US DOING REALLY GOOD EQUITY WORK IS THE NOTION THAT IT'S A ZERO SUM GAME.
THE WORK STALLS OUT REALLY QUICKLY IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BECAUSE THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO WIN OR BENEFIT FROM A PROGRAM OR INITIATIVE, IT MUST COME AT THE LOSS BAR EXPENSE OF THOSE HISTORICALLY THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BENEFITED FROM THE PROGRAM.
UH, WE'VE TALKED TO MANY STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING THIS PROCESS, AND IT'S REALLY BEEN A REOCCURRING THEME THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT.
I FEEL THAT AS WE DO THIS WORK, OUR CHALLENGE IS REALLY AROUND HOW DO WE PUSH OURSELVES TO BREAK AWAY FROM THIS PARADIGM AND VISUALIZE MORE EMERGING MODELS THAT LOOK AT GROWTH AND EXPANSION OF THE LARGER SYSTEM AND THE OPPORTUNITY WE ALL HAVE IN THE LONG RUN TO BENEFIT BECAUSE WE GROW AND WE EXPAND THE PIE.
THERE'S A MORAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPERATIVE TO CENTER EQUITY, BUT I DON'T THINK WE TALK ENOUGH ABOUT THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EQUITY AND THE QUEST OF ADVANCING EQUITY AND HOW IT ACTUALLY SORT OF LEADS TO IMPROVING OUR SYSTEMS, CREATING GROWTH OF OUR ECOSYSTEMS, AND ALSO BUILDING RESILIENCY IN OUR ECONOMY.
MANY OF YOU ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK OF DR.
ANGELA GLOVER BLACKWELL, SHE'S THE FORMER CEO OF POLICY LEAN.
AND WHILE SHE WAS AT POLICY LINK, SHE WROTE EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EQUITY AND THE STRENGTH OF ECONOMIES.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE WELL-BEING AND THE STRENGTHS OF OUR ARTSY ECONOMY, OR SOMETIMES OUR CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION.
THEY LIKE TO SAY THE ECOSYSTEM.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE RESEARCH TELLS US THAT REDUCING AN EQUITY IS REALLY GOOD FOR GROWTH, GREATER ECONOMIC INCLUSION, CORRESPONDS WITH MORE ROBUST ECONOMIC GROWTH.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU HAVE SYSTEMS WOULD MAJOR IN EQUITIES, IT STIFLES AND HINDERS GROWTH AND EXPANSION.
OUR DATA INDICATES A HISTORIC PATTERN OF AN EQUITY AND WHO WAS ABLE TO ACCESS AND DRAW DOWN FUNDING FROM OUR CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS. THE RESEARCH TELLS US THAT THERE'S A BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EQUITY AND GROW THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CLEVELAND ANALYZE THE GROWTH TRAJECTORIES OF 118 REGIONS AND FOUND THAT MEASURES OF BOTH RACIAL INCLUSION AND INCOME EQUALITY WERE POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH A WHOLESALE ECONOMIC GROWTH MEASURES, INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT, OUTPUT PRODUCTIVITY, AND PER CAPITA INCOME.
GLOVER BLACKWELL WRITES THAT BY BUILDING THE CAPABILITIES OF THOSE WHO ARE THE FURTHEST BEHIND, WE ONLY, WE BEGAN TO SOLVE OUR MOST SERIOUS CHALLENGES, BUT WE ALSO CREATE THE CONDITION THAT WILL ALLOW EVERYONE TO FLOURISH.
EQUITY IS NOT A ZERO SUM GAME.
THE MORE WE INVEST AT EACH OTHER, THE BETTER OFF WE'LL ALL BE EQUITY MATTERS TO OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE
[02:20:01]
EQUITY IS THE SUPERIOR GROWTH MODEL.OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE THE CHANGES TO DRIVE BETTER RACIAL INCLUSION, CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS HELPS US GROW AND EXPAND SO THAT WE CAN CREATE A HEALTHIER, MORE RESILIENT ARTS ECOSYSTEM AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LONG RUN, WHAT EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO THRIVE.
AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MEGAN.
UM, SO, UM, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WANNA, UM, MAKE SURE FOLKS KNOW THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION MET ON, UM, BELIEVE IT WAS MONDAY NIGHT.
I SPOKE WITH THE CHAIR, UM, THIS MORNING, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE HAVING SOME REALLY FRUITFUL, UM, DISCUSSIONS THEY HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CONTINUING THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION.
UM, I THINK THE GUIDELINES AND RUBRICS ARE CONTINUING TO BE REVISED AND LOOKED AT.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PIECES THAT, UM, IS A FOCUS IS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY OF THE EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS OR WERE ENGAGED DEEPLY IN THE EQUITY WORK OF, OF, YOU KNOW, CREATING SPACES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS FIVE-PACK ARTISTS TO, TO PRESENT AND WHAT THAT MEANT FOR THOSE ARTISTS, ET CETERA, AND FINDING WAYS TO, TO, TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE THAT, THAT KIND OF WORK.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, BEGINNING TO, TO APPEAR IN THE, IN THE DRAFT PROPOSALS, UM, THE ARTS COMMISSION ELECTED ON MONDAY TO FORM A COMMUNITY EQUITY WORKING GROUP OF ARTISTS AND LEADERS, UM, INCLUDING BIPAP, BLACK, HISPANIC, ASIAN, NATIVE AMERICAN, LGBTQ PLUS DISABILITY, COMMUNITY, AND WOMEN TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION AND MANAGEMENT.
UM, THE, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THIS PRESENTATION AND FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION, THERE'S A RECOGNITION THAT STAFF ARE PROVIDING NOT ONLY THE, THE GUIDELINES BASED ON THE FEEDBACK, BUT ARE ALSO LOOKING AT LAUNCH PLANS AND PROGRAM PRIORITIZATION, UM, AND THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION AFFIRMED A PRIORITY TO GET THE ARPA MONEY OUT THE DOOR.
AND I WILL JUST REMIND FOLKS THAT THE ARPA MONEY, UM, HAS A DIFFERENT SET OF REQUIREMENTS AND ALLOWS US TO THINK ABOUT, UM, INVESTMENTS ALLOWS US TO THINK ABOUT, UM, BOTH THE TRANSITION THROUGH COVID AS WELL AS THE TRANSITION FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM.
UM, ASSUMING THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH CENTERING EQUITY, UM, PROVIDES US A MECHANISMS FOR THAT, AND I'M BELIEVE THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION HAS SOME CREATIVE APPROACHES, UM, THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO REFINE AND LOOK AT, UM, USING AND DEPLOYING THOSE FUNDS, UM, TO HELP OUR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, UM, GET THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF TIME, UM, IN WAYS THAT ALLOW THEM TO DETERMINE WHAT THE BEST USE OF THE FUNDS ARE FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND I THINK THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF THEIR FORMULAS, ET CETERA.
AND, AND I THINK WE NEED TO LET THAT WORK, UM, CONTINUE.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW THE MAYOR WAS OFF THE DIGEST TODAY, AND, AND I KNOW THERE'S A STRONG FEELING AMONG COUNCIL THAT WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TALK ABOUT THIS AND, AND BE ABLE TO BE COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT MOVING THIS FORWARD.
UM, AND WHILE I AGREE WITH THAT, I DO WANT TO THANK THE ARTS COMMISSION AND ALL THE FOLKS WHO WERE WORKING ON THIS ON OUR STAFF.
UM, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LET THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN.
UM, I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD.
IT'S A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION IT'S PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT UNDER COVID CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, BUT I THINK WE ARE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE IT IS, UM, A PRODUCTIVE AND A CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATION, UM, THAT I THINK WILL HELP US, UM, CHART THESE NEXT STEPS WITH THE TRANSITION AND ALLOW US TO BE INNOVATIVE WITH OUR INVESTMENTS AND HOPEFULLY HELP OUR ECOSYSTEM.
WE MIGHT HAVE TIME FOR ONE QUESTION AS SOMEBODY WANTS.
UM, BUT TODAY WAS REALLY ABOUT KIND OF JUST HAVING THAT TOUCH BASE SO THAT, UM, THE ARTS COMMISSION WOULDN'T BE THE ONLY PLACE THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS, UM, WERE HAPPENING AND THAT PEOPLE COULD HEAR ABOUT THEM.
MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE, UM, PORTAL IS OPEN AGAIN OR WILL BE OPEN AGAIN FOR FEEDBACK.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, COLLEAGUES, DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR ANYTHING AT THIS POINT COUNCIL MEMBER? YEAH.
I'D JUST LIKE TO READ, REITERATE MY REQUEST FOR THAT ADDITIONAL UNIVERSE OF INFORMATION, AND IF YOU COULD SEND IT ALONG TO EVERYBODY ON THE COMMITTEE, AND I GUESS MAYBE THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
[02:25:01]
SO WE ALL HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND THEN ALSO POST THAT PLEASE TO THE PUBLIC FACING WEBPAGE AND HAVE ALL THAT DATA BE IN THE SAME PLACE.UM, LAST TIME I LOOKED THERE WAS ALREADY QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR SHARING THAT AND BEING, BEING, UM, TRANSPARENT AS WE, AS WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, AND, AND THAT WE, WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO MOVE, HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AS ANYBODY ON SCREEN HAVE ANY, THAT'S A MEMBER KELLY, COUNCILMEMBER FRONT DESK.
ANY THING ELSE, THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS MORNING.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION, BUT I DO THINK IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TRANSPARENCY AND THAT WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS AND PEOPLE, UM, CAN THINK THROUGH THINGS.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF RECAP HERE SINCE WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION DURING THIS AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, IS THERE AN INTENT HERE FOR US TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION AT A LATER WORK SESSION WITH THE FULL DAY IS, OR AT ANOTHER SPOT? I KNOW WE BRIEFLY TALKED ABOUT DOING A SPECIAL CALLED, UM, COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVEN THAT CUSTOMER KITCHEN, WASN'T HERE TO FULLY PARTICIPATE.
AND I THINK CONTROVERTIBLE ALSO HAS AN INTEREST IN THIS CONVERSATION STILL, NO, BE A WHOLE RAB.
SO, UM, LET ME CONSULT WITH, UH, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, RODNEY GONZALEZ, AS WELL AS INTERIM BUDGET OFFICER CARRIE LANG TO SEE WHEN, UH, WE COULD COME BACK POSSIBLY WITH BOTH AT ONE TIME.
AND, UM, WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU INFORMED.
AND I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, TODAY WAS NOT MEANT TO BE LIKE THE COUNCIL'S DISCUSSION OF THIS.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S SOME REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS GOING ON BETWEEN CAD AND THE, AND THE ARTS COMMISSION AND FOLKS IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY WHO WERE VERY CLOSE TO WHAT THE NEED IS.
AND THEN IT'S NOT ALWAYS BEEN AN EASY CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT DISCUSSION IS REVEALING, UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF NEED IN THE ECOSYSTEM AND, AND, AND, AND IS IMPORTANT AND INTEGRAL TO THE SUCCESS OF WHATEVER PATH WE TAKE.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT MAY BE PREMATURE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU TOLD ME A LITTLE WE'RE GOING TO COME TO COUNCIL NEXT WEEK TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, I THINK IT WOULD BE PREMATURE BECAUSE WE WANT THAT CONVERSATION TO BE A REAL CONVERSATION AND, AND THAT INPUT AND THAT FEEDBACK TO, TO ARISE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT TIMING IS.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT TODAY WAS NOT MEANT TO BE, UM, INTERPRETED AS, AS THE SOLE SOLE TIME FOR THIS, BUT REALLY A TOUCH BASE ALONG THE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THE SOLE TIME.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A TIME FOR US TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD DURING THE BUDGET TIME.
AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT YOU WERE SHARING COUNSEL FOR ALTERNATE.
I SHARE WITH YOU AND RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION HAS DONE.
AND I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR HELPING RAISE AND ELEVATE THIS ISSUE AND BRING ATTENTION TO IT BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE THE ARTS COMMISSION REAFFIRMED WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW AND VOTED ON IN MAY AND EXPRESSING THE URGENCY AND THE NEED TO GET OUT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT DOLLARS.
AND THAT WAS THE RESOLUTION THAT I BROUGHT FORTH IN MAY THAT OUTLINED, UM, US HAVING CONSIDERATION FOR USE OF THOSE FUNDS.
AND SO I AM A LITTLE I'M PERPLEXED AS TO WHY THE DELAY IN HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, UM, HAS TAKEN MONTHS FOR US TO HAVE, UM, BUT I'M PLEASED THAT WE HAVE THE, THE AFFIRMATION FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION AND RECOGNIZING THE, THE HIGH CRITICAL NEED THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND GETTING THESE DOLLARS OUT.
AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND I KNOW THAT, THAT THEY ARE ESTABLISHING THE WORK GROUPS TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO, UM, SO MY QUESTION WAS JUST MORE OF, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH US IS WHEN CAN THEY EXPECT THAT, THAT NEXT CONVERSATION.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IF FOLKS WANT TO CONTINUE, UM, TO VOICE THEIR INPUT AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS, THAT THE MORE IMMEDIATE AND DIRECT CONNECTION WOULD BE THROUGH THE ARTS COMMISSION AND THEIR WORKING GROUP MEETINGS.
UM, I KNOW THEY'RE HAVING COMMUNITY MEETINGS AS WELL AND THEIR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
THANK YOU, UM, STAFF FOR, FOR, UH, PRESENTING THIS MORNING.
UM, IT IS 1205 AND I WILL ADJOURN THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOLKS FOR STAYING A LITTLE BIT LATER TODAY.