Sep 30, 2021 City Council Meetings

[00:00:09]

WE HAVE STICKERS.

SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE YET, COME ON, GUYS.

WE ARE LIVE ON ATX PRIESTS IN THE BACK HERE.

WE JUST A FEW MORE COME ON IN.

[1. Proclamation – Hispanic Heritage Month – To be presented by Council Member Fuentes and to be accepted by Paul Saldana, Austin Latino Coalition.]

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME TODAY.

MY NAME IS VANESSA FUENTES, AUSTIN CITY, COUNCILMAN FOR DISTRICT TWO.

IT IS AN HONOR TO STAND HERE WITH YOU ALL, SEEING SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES.

I TRULY FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE'S GOING TO FAMILIA AND IT'S SO GOOD TO START THE MORNING OFF WITH EACH OTHER, TO CELEBRATE AND MARK THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH, WE CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE IMPACTS OF HISPANICS ARE FELT ON A DAILY BASIS.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE.

AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THE DEVASTATING PANDEMIC FROM ESSENTIAL WORKERS TO COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, OUR HENTAI HAS STEPPED UP WHILE SO MANY OTHERS HAVE STEPPED BACK SERVING ON THE FRONT LINES DURING COVID IS A TESTAMENT TO THE GENERATION OF HISPANICS WHO HAVE UPHELD MUCH OF OUR EVERYDAY LIFE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SAW DURING THE WINTER FREEZE.

WHEN WE, WHEN OUR COMMUNITY WAS IN NEED, IT WAS THE LATINO COMMUNITY WHO STEPPED UP, WHO ORGANIZED A DONATION TO WERE MAKING LATE NIGHT CALLS, STANDING UP POP-UP DISTRIBUTION WITH LITTLE LEAD TIME.

UH, WE WERE MAKING SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS GOT WATER, THAT WE GOT FOOD AND, AND, AND GOT DIAPERS FOR OUR CHILDREN.

SO, BUT THIS IS A CELEBRATORY DAY AND I CAN'T HELP, BUT JUST TAKE PRIDE IN NORTH DAKOTA, PRIDE IN OUR CULTURE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE, UH, IN CELEBRATION AND RECOGNITION OF EACH OTHER.

UH, WE STILL HAVE SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT OUR HISTORY IS ONE OF RESILIENCE.

AND TODAY SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE WORK THAT LIES AHEAD OF US.

SO AS DOLORES HUERTA, ONCE SAID, EVERY MOMENT IS AN ORGANIZING OPPORTUNITY.

EVERY PERSON IS A POTENTIAL ACTIVIST.

EVERY MINUTE IS A CHANCE TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

SO TODAY I'M PRESENTING A PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS CELEBRATED FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH, TO MARK THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

WHEREAS GENERATIONS OF HISPANICS IN AUSTIN HAVE, AND CONTINUE TO SHAPE AND UPHOLD EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE, INCLUDING THE HARD-FOUGHT ACHIEVEMENTS, SERVING ON THE FRONT LINES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

WHEREAS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ALSO SERVES AS A REMINDER TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY THAT WE CONTINUE TO FACE VARIOUS SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES, WHICH REQUIRE LOCAL LEADERS TO ADDRESS THROUGH COMMITTED AND DEDICATED WORK, WHEREAS IN RECOGNITION OF THE CRITICAL CONTRIBUTION AND IN CELEBRATION OF THE HISPANIC HISTORY AND OUR TRADITIONS.

NOW, THEREFORE I, VANESSA WENT THIS AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WOMAN, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALTAR RENTERIA, COUNTERPART CASSADA AND MAYOR PRO TEM, NATASHA FROM MADISON AND, UH, THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF STEVE ADLER, THE MAYOR OF BOSTON DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH, 2021 AS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.

YES EXCEPT IN THIS PROCLAMATION, WE HAVE BALSA TANYA, WHO IS AN INCREDIBLE LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAS STEPPED UP AND SERVED OUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS GREAT TIME OF NEED.

HE IS ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTIN LATINO COALITION, AND WE'LL BE OFFERING A FEW REMARKS.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.

MY NAME IS PAUL SALDANIA.

I'M A PROUD NATIVE FOURTH GENERATION AUSTINITE.

I'M A PROUD MEXICAN AMERICAN, A PROUD CHICANO, PROUD.

PROUD, LATINO, YOU NAME IT.

UH, AND I'M PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN LATINO COALITION, UH, WITH US TODAY, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE

[00:05:01]

MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN LATINO COALITION, THE DEL VALLEY COMMUNITY COALITION, UH, ABRA, THE U S HISPANIC CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, THE LATINO HEALTHCARE FORUM, LULAC LARISA ROUND TABLE BILL.

THEN CHINGONA PASS LOS VALDEZ.

LATINITAS ACADEMIC HISPANIC VOTERS COUNT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS THE GREATER AUSTIN HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HISPANIC WOMEN'S NETWORK NETWORK OF TEXAS AUSTIN CHAPTER.

THE YOUNG HISPANIC PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OF BOSTON, THE ABA YOU BOUGHT THE ACTION FUND GLENN MI MADRE, SOMOS, AUSTIN, HISPANIC IMPACT BOND, THE GREATER AUSTIN HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION, THE AUSTIN LATINO X LEADERSHIP LAB AND LA POLITICA.

AND I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT I HAVE MISSED, BUT I'M PROUD THAT ALL OF YOU ARE HERE.

AS THE COUNCIL WOMAN SAID, UH, EACH YEAR AMERICANS OBSERVE NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, OCTOBER, SEPTEMBER 15TH, TO OCTOBER 15TH, BY CELEBRATING OUR RICH CULTURAL HISTORIES, OUR CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS WHOSE ANCESTORS COME FROM MEXICO, FROM SPAIN, FROM THE CARIBBEAN, FROM CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.

YOU NAME IT.

WE COME FROM THERE, SIMPLY PUT, WE'RE NOT A MONOLITH.

LATINOS COME IN MANY SHADES.

AND OUR DIVERSITY SIMPLY ADDS TO THE BIBLE ANCY ABOUT EVEN HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THIS OBSERVATION ACTUALLY STARTED BACK IN 1968 IF HISPANIC HERITAGE WEEK UNDER PRESIDENT LBJ.

AND THEN IT WAS EXPANDED BY PRESIDENT REAGAN IN 1988 TO COVER A 30 DAY PERIOD STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 15TH AND ENDING OCTOBER 15TH.

THE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 15TH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES LIKE COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS NICARAGUA, AND IN ADDITION, AND MAKE ONE IN SHEILA, WE CELEBRATE THE INDEPENDENCE STATE ON THE SSAS AND THE SEA AUTO RESPECTABLY.

ALSO THE OTHER LARISSA NOT COLUMBUS DAY, WHICH IS OCTOBER 12TH FALLS WITHIN THIS 30 DAY PERIOD, AMERICA AND AUSTIN GOT ITS FIRST LOOK AT THE 2020 CENSUS DATA WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

AND WE HAVE SHOWN A PICTURE OF A NATION AND A CITY THAT IS GROWING MORE AND MORE DIVERSE LATINOS ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE U S POPULATION GROWTH.

HALF OF THE POPULATION GROWTH IN TEXAS AND 20% OF THE GROWTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, HISPANIC WORKERS ARE THE ENGINE OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY.

WE HAVE THE HIGHEST EMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG AMERICAN MEN AGED 16 TO 60.

OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE NATIONAL WORKFORCE BY 36%.

AND WE ARE JOB CREATORS.

WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR EIGHT OUT OF THE 10 NEW BUSINESSES IN THE UNITED STATES.

THANKS TO THE LATINAS, LATINOS THAT ARE SOME THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM TODAY.

THANK YOU LATINAS MORE OVER SOME 19 MILLION OF US QUALIFY AS ESSENTIAL WORKERS DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HISPANICS ARE NOT JUST BUSY PRODUCING.

WE'RE BUSY CONSUMING TO DRIVING THE MAJORITY OF GROWTH IN INDUSTRIES FROM CARS TO VIDEO GAMES.

OUR POPULATION HAS A PURCHASING POWER NOW OF 2.3 TRILLION, NOT BILLION TRILLION WITH A T THAT'S AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN THE GDP OF BRAZIL, CANADA, AND RUSSIA.

BUT WHILE WE ARE INCREASINGLY DRIVING BOATING AND BUYER PATTERNS IN AMERICA, WE ARE STILL CRIMINALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN POSITIONS OF POWER IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR, ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.

LATINOS ONLY HOLD A GRAND TOTAL OF 3% OF THOSE SEATS ARE LACK OF REPRESENTATION AND POLITICAL OPPOSITES ALSO DISCONCERTING WHEN COMPARED WITH OUR IMPACTS IN ELECTIONS OF, OF ALL 535 SENATORS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ONLY 8% ARE LATINO.

WIDEN THE LENS.

THE PICTURE IS EVEN MORE GRIM.

LATINOS ONLY REPRESENT ABOUT 1% OF LOCAL AND FEDERAL OFFICES ACROSS AMERICA.

YET WE'RE RAPIDLY GROWING AS A SHARE OF THE ELECTORATE.

IN FACT, EVERY 30 SECONDS, LATINO TURNS 18 AND BECOMES AN ELIGIBLE VOTER.

AND HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, WE REPRESENT 32 AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, WHICH MEANS WE ARE 313,000 STRONG.

AND IN TRAVIS COUNTY WE REPRESENT 34%.

THAT MEANS WE ARE 429,000 STRONG, APPROXIMATELY 220 LATINOS.

220,000 LATINOS ARE CONSIDERED CITIZEN AND VOTING ELIGIBLE VOTERS.

AND ABOUT 1100, 1000 1100 ARE ACTUALLY REGISTERED VOTERS AS A COUNTRY.

AND OUR CITY GETS INCREASINGLY MORE DIVERSE AND AS MUCH NEEDED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE CONTINUES, LATINOS TO NEED TO BE PART OF AMERICA AND OUR CITY'S CONVERSATION ON RACE EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AMERICA, AND AUSTIN'S FUTURE IT'S LATINO IS LATINO AND IT STARTS AND IT'S TIME TO START TREATING US.

LIKE WE MATTER THE STORIES ABOUT LATINO HISTORY EXPERIENCE AND HOW WE HAVE POSITIVELY, POSITIVELY INFLUENCED AUSTIN IS INSPIRING.

THE VERY FIRST CENSUS WAS TAKEN IN AUSTIN 146 YEARS AGO AND GET THROUGH THE FIRST TWO NAMES ON THAT CENSUS, WHERE IT WAS A COUPLE OF NAMES, JOSE AND LIZZIE LOPEZ.

AND IN

[00:10:01]

I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT TAKE INTO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO TALK ABOUT THE COVID PANDEMIC AS COUNCILWOMAN OH, WENT AS ALLUDED TO THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY OF HOW OUR LATINO COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN DECIMATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND HERE IN AUSTIN, AS OF THIS WEEK, WE'VE LOST 1,095 AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS, LATINOS UNFORTUNATELY REPRESENT 50% OF THOSE DEATHS.

THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE LOST 548 LATINOS FROM THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY.

IF WE TRULY WANT TO HONOR THE LIVES AND LEGACIES OF LATINOS, THEN WE MUST SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY NOW TO GET VACCINATED, TO PROTECT, TO PROTECT OUR FUTURE, OUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE, UH, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN'S LATINO COALITION MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM WHO ARE HERE TODAY, OVER THE COURSE OF THE MAJORITY OF THIS PANDEMIC AND FOR OVER 76 WEEKS.

NOW, WE HAVE PROVIDED CULTURALLY RELEVANT, BILINGUAL PUBLIC INFORMATION, INFORMATION, RESOURCES, SUPPORT, INCLUDING COVID TESTING, FOOD, WATER, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FLU SHOTS, AND VACCINATIONS TO OVER 73,000 FAMILIARS HERE IN AUSTIN AND COUNTING.

FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN VANESSA , WHO HAS BEEN WITH US SINCE DAY ONE.

WE VALUE AND APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP, HER ADVOCACY, HER VOICE, HER REPRESENTATION ON THE COUNCIL DIAS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR SUCCESS, NOT JUST FOR LATINOS, BUT FOR ALL AUSTINITES WE ADMIRE YOUR PERSISTENCE, YOUR TENACITY, AND EXTREME, EXTREME, PROUD OF YOUR MOTTO.

GOOD ASK.

YES.

I WANT TO HAVE JILL SAY A FEW WORDS AS WELL.

OKAY.

YOU ALSO, DO YOU WANT TO MEET US? I AM THE CEO OF THE LATINO HEALTHCARE FORUM, BUT I'M ALSO A VERY PROUD MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN LATINO COALITION.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY, REALLY WONDERFUL.

IT JUST FULFILLS MY HEART TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY.

I AM NOT GOING TO GO OVER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL, WOMAN APPRENTICE I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED AND, AND PAUL, BUT, UH, WE ARE A FAMILY SOMEONE'S GOING TO FAMILIAR.

AND SOMETIMES WOMEN, I GET ALONG A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE AND WE WILL CONTINUE BEING TOGETHER.

AND SO DURING THE PANDEMIC, BECAUSE OF THE WORK I DO, I DID NOTICE THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE THOUGHT WERE GOING TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT US DID NOT SUPPORT IT.

BUT THE PEOPLE WHO WE DIDN'T THINK WE WOULD BE SUPPORTING US ACTUALLY CAME OVER AND DID MORE THAN THEY HAD TO SUPPORT US.

AND SO WE MET NEW PEOPLE, NEW SUPPORTERS.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF YOU CONTINUE DOING THE WORK YOU DO.

I MEAN EVERYBODY, ALL OF YOU GUYS, I SEE YOUR FACES.

AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU, AND I KNOW EVERY MORNING YOU GET UP THINKING OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO BETTER FOR OUR LATINO POPULATION.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT.

AND EVERY HE HAS COVID WAS HORRIBLE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER WISH ON ANY OTHER POPULATION, BUT IT GAVE US, IT WAS A HUGE CHALLENGE.

IT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND THINK OF NEW WAYS OF DOING, UH, ADDRESSING OUR ISSUES.

AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR GATHERING AND SUPPORTING PAUL.

I MEAN, I WORK CLOSELY WITH PAUL AND Y'ALL HAVE NO IDEA OTHER WORK.

HE DOES THIS MAN NEVER SLEEPS.

I MEAN, I TALKED TO HIM AT 12 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT AND HE'S UP AT FOUR OR FIVE IN THE MORNING.

AND YOU KNOW, WHAT DRIVES HIM? WHAT DRIVES HIM IS THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.

AND THANK YOU, VANESSA, FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS.

AND I'M JUST SO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.

I FELT, I FELT TOO TO THINK WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED, OF COURSE, THE FIRST ONE WHO STEPPED UP WAS COUNCIL MEMBER AND HIS OFFICE, THE VERY FIRST MEETING, HE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE COMPLAINING, BUT HE WAS THERE AND OFFERED US RESOURCES AND SUPPORT.

HE WAS THERE.

AND THEN AMONG THE PERS, WHO ALSO HELPED US WITH COUNCIL, WOMAN, ALISON ALTER, WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.

AND SHE, WITHOUT HER OFFICE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE INITIAL PPE SUPPLIES.

AND IT WAS A COUNSELOR ALTER AND HER STAFF WHO STARTED THAT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

I HEAR WE HAVE SOME CAFE RIGHT OUTSIDE, AND IF WE COULD JUST TAKE A GROUP PHOTO OUTSIDE IN THE ATRIUM AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW, HAVE A GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU.

OH, WE WANT TO TAKE ONE.

OKAY.

WE FORGOT TO WEAR IT.

AND WE'LL BE DROPPED ON RESOLUTIONS THAT MEXICO DONATED THIS VERY LAME, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA DO THE GROUP PHOTO WITH A BUNDLE IN THE CUP OF SOUP ON THE STAIRS.

WE'LL SPLIT UP AND GET PEOPLE INTO

[00:15:32]

GOOD THING.

WE NEED PONDEROSA BEFORE.

OH, GOOD.

OKAY.

SO YOU IN THE ROOM DRESSED, YOU'RE THE FURTHEST TO THE LEFT HERE.

SO WE THEN Y'ALL COME ON, SQUEEZE IN A COUPLE OF Y'ALL SNEAKED INTO MY EMPANADAS.

I SAW THEM PUT THEM AWAY.

OKAY.

LET ME SAY 1, 2, 3 SMILE.

AND IF YOU CAN'T SEE ME, I WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE YOU IN THE PICTURE AND YOU ON THE END.

YOU'RE NOT YET.

NO, WE DO IT ON THE STAIRS.

YEAH.

WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER ONE OUTSIDE ON THE STAIRS.

Y'ALL ONE MORE.

OKAY.

LESSON LEARNED.

WE DO THIS IN THE CHAMBER.

1, 2, 3.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

WE'LL GET GOING.

NO, I'M GOOD TO GO IF YOU WANT ME TO GO.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD MORNING.

I'M CITY

[2. Proclamation – Code Month – To be presented by Council Member Casar and to be accepted by José G. Roig, Director of the Austin Code Department]

UH, AND I'M PROUD TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY TO, UH, WHERE WE AT HAVE SO MANY FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON THE FRONT LINES, TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO BE IT KNOWN THAT WE'RE AS THE AUSTIN CODE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES FOR THE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELFARE OF RESIDENTS, LIVING IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THROUGH EDUCATION, COLLABORATION, AND ENFORCEMENT OF BUILDING ZONING, HOUSING, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, AND OTHER CODES AND ORDINANCES.

AND WHEREAS OUR STAFF AT AUSTIN CODE ARE DEDICATED WELL-TRAINED AND HIGHLY RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING THE CITY'S OUTCOMES OF BEING SAFE IN OUR HOME AND OUR WORK AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS OUR CODE OFFICERS RESPOND AND PROVIDE ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATING MORE THAN 38,000 CITYWIDE CODE CASES PER YEAR, AND PERFORMING OVER 75,000 INSPECTIONS.

THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU FOR IT.

AND WHEREAS AN INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON PREVENTION, THE AUSTIN CODE DEPARTMENT AIMS TO PROACTIVELY EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZE AND ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO KEEP US SAFE.

NOW, THEREFORE I, GREG GUS ODD COUNCIL MEMBER FOR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR, MY COLLEAGUES DO PRESENT THIS MONTH, OCTOBER, 2021 AS CODE MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THANK YOU, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE IT.

YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? UM, I JUST WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE AND, UH, SPEAK OUR APPRECIATION ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN CODE DEPARTMENT FOR THIS RECOGNITION FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER, CASAR, THE MAYOR AND THE REST OF CITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR DEDICATING OCTOBER AS CODE MONTH, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC, OUR CODE INSPECTORS HAVE CONTINUED THEIR WORK AS ESSENTIAL WORKERS, RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY NEEDS AND DEPLOYING TO LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO INSPECT PROPERTIES, HOMES, AND BUSINESSES TO HELP ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC.

UM, WHATEVER THE FUTURE MAY BRING.

WE'D AUSTIN CODE CODED, DEDICATED TO ENSURING SAFE PLACES TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

AND SO ON BAFFIN CODE DEPARTMENT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING A MORE RESILIENT AUSTIN.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

[Call to Order]

TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021.

[00:20:02]

DON'T DECEIVE YOU.

I AM MAYOR PRO TEM TO TAJ HARBOR MADISON MAYOR OUT THERE WILL BE JOINING US INTERMITTENTLY TODAY.

UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT HIS CAMERA WILL BE OFF MOST OF THE DAY AND I'LL BE CHAIRING THE MEETING TODAY.

THE TIME IS 10:14 AM.

WE ARE HERE IN CITY HALL AND ONE OF US VIRTUALLY, AND WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT COLLEAGUES.

[Additional Item 1]

THERE'VE BEEN A FEW CHANGES.

MY HOPE IS THAT THIS IS THE MOST RECENT ITERATION.

UM, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CALL UP SPEAKERS AFTER THAT.

WE'LL TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THEN KNOCK OUT HASN'T, UM, US AND HOUSING FINANCE ITEMS, AND THEN THE NON-CONSENT ITEMS OR AS MANY NON-CONSENT ITEMS RATHER THAT WE CAN BEFORE CITIZENS CAN USE COMMUNICATION AT NOON WE'LL THEN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF ITEMS RELATED TO TODAY'S AGENDA, BUT WE'LL GIVE IT A LITTLE ADDITIONAL TIME.

MY THOUGHT WAS, IF WE ALL HAVE, UH, A FEW MINUTES TO GRAB SOME FOOD AND, AND HEAD TO OUR RESPECTIVE OFFICES, WE COULD GO AHEAD AND JUMP RIGHT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, TO TAKE CARE OF, UM, I'M SORRY.

SO FOR EVERYONE TO GET THERE, UM, MY APOLOGIES, WELL THEN COME BACK AT TWO TO DO ZONING AND DEPENDING ON WHAT EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS REMAIN, WE'LL EITHER GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER ZONING OR WE'LL TAKE UP THE REST OF THE NON-CONSENT ITEMS. UH, AND WITH THAT, I WILL READ THE CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS.

IN THE RECORD.

ITEM TWO IS RECOMMENDED BY THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION ON A SIX ZERO VOTE WITH COMMISSIONERS AND GURY BRENNAMAN DAVIS AND SMITH ABSENT WITH ONE VACANCY ON THAT COMMISSION.

ITEM THREE IS NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION ON A FIVE TO ONE VOTE WITH COMMISSIONERS AND GURY BRENNAMAN DAVIS AND SMITH ABSENT AND ONE VACANCY, UM, ITEM 22 HAS BEEN CORRECTED, UM, STRIKING THE WORD RENTERS, AND THEN ITEM 27, 27 41 AND ONE 20 HAD BEEN POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 14TH.

ACTUALLY NUMBER 27.

STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE POSTPONED THAT ITEM TO 10 21.

SO WE'LL MAKE THAT CHANGE.

THE OTHERS, THE 14TH ITEM NUMBER 27, THE 10 21 ITEM NUMBER 41 IS POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 14TH.

ITEM 73 HAS BEEN CORRECTED TO SEPTEMBER 30TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2022 COUNCIL MEMBERS, KITCHEN ELLIS.

THE MAYOR MYSELF HAVE BEEN ADDED AS CO-SPONSORS TO ITEM.

NUMBER ONE, 10 COUNCIL MEMBER POOL HAS BEEN REMOVED AS A CO-SPONSOR ON ITEM NUMBER ONE 11, AND THEN WE HAVE LATE BACKUP FOR SEVERAL ITEMS. IF THE RATE OF SPEED IS TOO FAST, LET ME KNOW WE HAVE LATE BACKUP ITEMS FOR NUMBER FOUR, FIVE TWENTY SEVEN FIFTY FOUR SEVENTY THREE, ONE OH ONE OH FOUR ONE TEN ONE SEVENTEEN ONE EIGHTEEN ONE THIRTY FOUR, ONE FORTY THREE, ONE FORTY SEVEN, ONE FORTY EIGHT, ONE FORTY NINE AND 1 51 MAYOR PRO TEM.

I NOTICED THAT ITEM ONE 20 IS POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 14.

DID YOU WANT TO READ THAT INTO, UM, THE CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS? YES.

THANK YOU.

AND THEN ALSO I THINK ITEM FOUR WAS PULLED TO BE HEARD AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.

IS THERE ALSO A LAID BACK? ACTUALLY, I DON'T KNOW THAT ITEM FOUR HAS BEEN PULLED.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTRA WOULD YOU LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER FOUR? YES, I WOULD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THEN ALSO ITEM 1:58 AM, PULL ITEM NUMBER 58.

UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS ON THE ITEMS PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA LIST.

SO I WAS JUST ASKING IF THAT WAS ONE THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED.

I'M SORRY, IF IT WAS ONE THAT I MENTIONED, I CAN'T HEAR YOU IS ITEM 1 58, PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA

[00:25:01]

I CAN LET YOU KNOW, IN ONE SECOND, MAYOR PRO TEM IT'S ON THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS.

I DON'T HAVE IT ON THE LIST OF CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS THAT I'M LOOKING AT.

SO MY APOLOGIES COLLEAGUES, THE LAST ONE THAT I HAVE ON THIS LIST OF CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS IS NUMBER ONE 20 MAYOR PRO TEM.

I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE A EARLIER VERSION BECAUSE ALSO FOR, UM, ONE 11 MYSELF COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA AND COUNCIL MEMBER HAD SIGNED ON TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, LSA, ABORTION ACCESS.

I AM ONE OF 11 COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS COSAR MAYOR ADLER, MYSELF COUNCIL MEMBER, ALTAR COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO AND COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE BEEN ADDED.

AND THEN THAT WAS THE ONE WHERE COUNCIL MEMBER POOL HAD BEEN REMOVED.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.

UH, YES, I HAVE AN AMENDMENT FOR ITEM ONE 10, SO I WANT TO PULL IT, I THINK IT WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE ARTHUR.

IT'S A MINOR AMENDMENT, BUT, UM, BUT I'M GOING TO PULL IT IN, POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.

AND SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN, AFTER I GET THAT DONE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE IT UP QUICKLY.

SO, SO ITEM FOR THE RECORD ITEM, NUMBER ONE, 10 HAS BEEN PULLED AS WELL.

YEAH.

COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.

I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NUMBER FOUR, WE ALSO TALK ABOUT ONE 18.

I WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE TAKEN UP TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY ARE CONDUCTED THEY'RE CONNECTED.

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA, AND I ALSO WANT TO BE SHOWN TO BE SUPPORTIVE AS SPONSORED OR CO-SPONSORED IN THE 1, 1, 1, 1 11.

AND LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER IDENTITY HAS BEEN ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR ON ITEM NUMBER ONE, 11, ANY OTHER PULLED ITEMS? COLLEAGUES.

OH, COUNCIL MEMBER.

I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER.

UH, THANK YOU.

MAYOR PRO TEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO PULL ITEMS THREE.

THESE ARE RELATIVELY SHORT ONES ITEMS 3 83, 84 96.

AND THE, IF IT'S NOT ALREADY BEEN PULLED, UH, THE WATER FORWARD ITEMS AND THAT'S ITEM NUMBER, UH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS ITEM NUMBER THREE.

THE WATER ITEM.

THANKS FOR THAT.

SORRY.

ONE 17 IS NOT ON CONSENT.

YES.

THANK YOU.

IT'S A HEARING.

OKAY.

VERY GOOD.

THANKS THEN.

THAT'S IT.

3 83, 84 AND 90.

SO THE RECORD WILL SHOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TO HAVE A PULL 3 83 84 AND 96.

ANY OTHER PULLED ITEMS? SCALIES.

THANK YOU.

SO, UM, I'M SORRY, MAYOR PRO TEM.

I ALSO, UH, WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AN AMENDMENT ON THE MAYOR'S PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ITEM.

IF THAT'S NOT ALREADY BEEN FILLED AND I APOLOGIZE, I'M HAVING TROUBLE FINDING WHICH NUMBER IT IS.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE THAT NOW? 1 62.

THANK YOU.

AND SO ITEM NUMBER 1 62 HAS BEEN PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO AS WELL.

THAT'S YOUR SHOULD BE SHORT.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH.

COULD WE JUST REVISIT THE ENTIRE FULL LIST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT OUR PAGES? ABSOLUTELY.

THANKS.

SO THE ONE, I THINK WE WERE MISSING WAS NUMBER 1 58, ACTUALLY.

NO, IT SAYS, OKAY, I'LL GO BACK THROUGH THE FULL LIST.

OKAY.

DID IT TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS, ITEM NUMBER TWO, ITEM NUMBER THREE, ITEM NUMBER 2227 IS POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 21ST 41 AND ONE 20 HAD BEEN POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 14.

73 HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE 10.

IT JUST SHOWS THE ADDITIONAL, UM, CO-SPONSORS ITEM NUMBER ONE 11, UM, ADDITIONAL CO-SPONSORS AND COUNCIL MEMBER POOL HAS BEEN REMOVED AS A CO-SPONSOR LATE BACKUP ITEMS. ANYBODY NEED ME TO GO THROUGH THAT LIST AGAIN? ALL RIGHT.

SO JUST THE POLES.

I'M SORRY.

I CAN'T HEAR.

SO THE POLLS ARE 2, 3, 4 22

[00:30:01]

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THAT LIST AGAIN.

IT'S YES.

OKAY.

IF YOU COULD PLEASE, JUST, JUST THE ITEMS THAT WE ARE PULLING FROM CONSENT TO THREE MAY I PUT TIM, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GO THROUGH THE LIST? I HAVE SO I, YES, BUT I, SO FOR THE RECORD I HAVE TWO AND THREE AS POLLED, 22 AS CORRECTED.

YES, THOSE ARE ALL ONCE YOU CAN'T READ YOUR WRITING.

1 10, 4, AND ONE 18 NUMBER 3 83, 84 AND 96.

THANK YOU.

SO TO GO THROUGH THE ONES THAT I HAVE AGAIN, I HAVE 4, 1 18, 3 83, 84 AT 96, AND 1, 1 10 WAS PULLED OFF AND WANTED.

THANK YOU WAS TOO COLD OR NOT.

I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS PART OF THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS, BUT NOT HOLDING.

OKAY.

EVERYBODY FEEL CONFIDENT MOVING FORWARD.

OKAY.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE 11 IN-PERSON SPEAKERS AND 11 REMOTE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP EVERYONE.

I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY.

I THINK THAT, I THINK THERE WERE SOME MORE THAT HAD BEEN CALLED.

I THINK THAT, UH, HADN'T 1 58 AND 1 62.

THE POLL WAS WHAT? 62 POLLS.

I'M SORRY.

I THINK IT WAS MAYOR.

I, I HAVE, UM, 3, 4, 4 83, 3, 4 83, 84 96, 1 58 OR I'M SORRY, 84, 1 10, 1 58, 1 62 AND 96 AND ONE 18.

I'M SORRY IF WE COULD DO THEM CONSECUTIVELY.

I THINK THAT WOULD HELP.

ONE 18 IS NOT ON CONSENT.

OH, I'M SORRY.

AND IS, OR IS NOT COLD? NOT COLD, NOT, I THINK IT'S 3, 4 83, 84 96, 1 TO HIM, 1 58.

AND ONCE THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.

OKAY.

AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING

[Public Comments (Part 1 of 3)]

SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE 11 IN-PERSON SPEAKERS AND 11 REMOTE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.

EVERYONE WILL GET TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.

WE'LL HEAR THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST.

AND THEN I REAMER REMOTE SPEAKERS.

OUR FIRST IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS LEAH BOGGIO.

OH, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.

THANK YOU.

THEN WE HAVE LARRY GRAHAM.

PAUL ROBBINS.

YOU'LL BE UP NEXT.

I'M SORRY, WHAT? YEAH.

YEAH.

OKAY.

GOOD MORNING.

MAYOR PRO TEM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS LARRY GRAHAM I'M WITH TEXAS GAS SERVICE.

I ALSO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS WORKING GROUP, ONE OF FIVE WORKING GROUPS THAT HELPED PUT TOGETHER THE REVISED AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, TEXAS GAS SERVICE IS ONE OF THE MAIN NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO CARE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY WHILE MAINTAINING AFFORDABLE AFFORDABILITY, RELIABILITY, AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT AUSTINITES ENJOY.

WE PARTICIPATED IN ALL OF THE CITY'S CLIMATE EFFORTS THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE PLAN IN 2015, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS IN THE PROCESS.

THE RESULT TODAY IS THAT THE WORK REPRESENTS A SHARED VISION NET ZERO GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

WE COMMEND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, ESPECIALLY ZACH AND LUCHEA AND ALL THAT WORK TO BRING THIS PLAN, UH, TOGETHER TO YOU TODAY, TEXAS GAS SERVICE SUPPORTS THE DRAFT CLIMATE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND TO SHARE

[00:35:01]

WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMMUTE, CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY THROUGHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION.

AND WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO INCLUDE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN THESE INITIATIVES GOING FORWARD.

WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO BRINGING FORTH SOLUTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT REDUCE AND OFFSET EMISSIONS.

WE APPLAUD THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE COMMITTEE FOR ITS EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY FOR ALL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, MR. GRAHAM.

YES.

I WANT TO, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING INVOLVED AND I'M OVER HERE.

I WANNA, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING INVOLVED IN THE PLAN AND THE COMMITMENT OF TEXAS GAS TO HELPING US TO ACHIEVE OUR ACCELERATED GOALS.

UM, WE VERY MUCH NEED YOU AND BUSINESS AT THE TABLE.

AND, UM, THIS PLAN IS A CHALLENGE TO ALL OF US, UM, TO HELP US TO MEET THESE GOALS SO THAT WE HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE HERE IN AUSTIN THAT HAS, UM, AIR WE CAN BREATHE.

UM, I WANT TO JUST, UM, RECOMMIT MYSELF TO WORKING WITH YOU AND TEXAS GAS TO ACHIEVE THE GAS EMISSION REDUCTIONS, UM, THROUGH THE, THE LEAKAGE, UM, CONTROLS AND THE RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS AND ALL THE OTHER MECHANISMS THAT WERE THERE.

UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITMENT TODAY, CAUSE I INTEND TO TAKE YOU UP ON IT AND TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THOSE STEPS THAT THAT WE'VE STARTED.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.

UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY, THANKS TO MR. GRAHAM, BOTH FOR HIS PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP AND AS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN, BUT ALSO PROFESSIONALLY.

I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF THE GAS SERVICE AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT COLLABORATION SO THAT WE CAN GET A REALLY GOOD IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE THESE ISSUES ARE SO, SO VERY IMPORTANT.

AND I KNOW THAT Y'ALL RECOGNIZE THAT I'M HAPPY TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH Y'ALL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M GOING TO READ INTO THE, I'M GOING TO READ INTO THE RECORD ITEM.

NUMBER THREE ON CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS SHOULD SAY NO RECOMMENDATION, NOT, NOT, NOT RECOMMENDATION, NO RECOMMENDATION FROM THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, AS THE MOTION FAILED ON A 5 0 1 VOTE WITH COMMISSIONERS AND GORY BRENNAMAN DAVIS AND SMITH, ABSENT COMMISSIONER STONE ABSTAINING, AND ONE VACANCY.

THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT, MR. ROBBINS, I BELIEVE YOU WERE UP NEXT.

AND AFTER MR. ROBINS, WE HAVE KRISTA GAYLE HOUSING, UH, BEF BEFORE I START, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT CITIZENS THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK BE NOTICED AS TO HOW MUCH TIME THEY HAVE.

I PREPARED A THREE MINUTE SPEECH AND I'M NOW HAVING TO ADJUST IT ON THE FLY.

CAN YOU START MY TIME PLEASE? COUNCIL, PART OF THE RIDDLE OF SOLVING AUSTIN'S CLIMATE EMISSIONS IS WHAT TO ABOUT, OR WHAT TO DO WITH AUSTIN'S NATURAL GAS UTILITIES, THE CARBON EMISSIONS OF TEXAS GAS SERVICE.

THE MAIN PROVIDER IN AUSTIN ARE EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT 20% OF THE EMISSIONS OF AUSTIN ENERGY.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, AUSTIN'S MUNICIPAL UTILITY PLANS TO COMPLETELY ELIMINATE ITS CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2035 AND HAS ALREADY MADE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS.

TEXAS GAS SERVICE HAS NO SUCH PLAN.

UH, THERE'S ALSO A CONFRONTATION WITH EQUITY, AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER WILL SPEND ABOUT $28 MILLION ON DISCOUNTS TO THE POOR TEXAS GAS SERVICE ABOUT $100,000.

SO I'M PROPOSING AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE CURRENT SITUATION, A PRAGMATIC WAY TO FUND RENEWABLE GAS RESEARCH AND EQUITY FOR THE POOR IN A TIME OF INCREASING GAS, UTILITY COSTS AND CLIMATE EMERGENCIES, REPURPOSE EXISTING MISSPENT MONEY, TEXAS GAS SERVICE HAS A QUESTIONABLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM.

CURRENTLY AS MUCH AS $1.9 MILLION IS BEING WASTED ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS THAT DO NOT SAVE MUCH ENERGY.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE GAS COMPANIES REBATES FOR GLASS GAS CLOTHES DRYERS WILL PAY AS MUCH AS $325

[00:40:01]

THE PAYBACK CAN BE AS LONG AS 246 YEARS, LET'S TAKE THE MONEY FROM THIS AND OTHER SIMILARLY WORTHLESS PROGRAMS AND SPEND IT ON RESEARCH FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ASSISTANCE TO THE POOR.

WE COULD CREATE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO AUSTIN.

ENERGY'S CUSTOMER BENEFIT, CHARGE THIS REPURPOSING STRETCH.

I'M GOING TO READ MY LAST SENTENCE COUNCIL.

THE CONSERVATION ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE WILL BE UP FOR YOUR REVIEW IN NOVEMBER, AND I URGE YOU TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS ALTERNATIVE.

THANK YOU MR. ROBBINS.

I, I, I, UM, I HIRED YOU TO GIVE A COPY OF YOUR COMMENTARY TO THE CLERK SO SHE CAN DISTRIBUTE TO ALL OF US AND WE GET TO READ THE FULL THREE MINUTE CONTENT, UH, ALONG WITH THE 400 OTHER EMAILS YOU GET A DAY, I'M HAPPY TO RECEIVE THAT ONE.

UH, I WILL, I WILL EMAIL IT TO HER AND SHE CAN GET IT TO ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

I THINK THE NEXT SPEAKER WAS KRISTA GILHAUSEN AND THEN ON-DECK AFTER KRISTIN IS MARY CASTLE.

I'M SORRY, YOUR NAME IS NOT KRISTEN.

IT IS KRISTA.

THANK YOU.

HI, GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS KRISTA GILHAUSEN AND I'M A GRADUATE STUDENT STUDYING PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMUNITY REGIONAL PLANNING AT UT I'M HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

UM, A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MOST RECENT IPC REPORT.

WE ARE NOT ON TRACK TO LIMIT WARMING TO A 1.5 OR EVEN TWO DEGREES CELSIUS.

IF IN THIS CENTURY, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HUMAN MADE GHG EMISSIONS HAVE DRIVEN UNPRECEDENTED, UNPRECEDENTED WARMING.

SINCE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, WARMING WILL NOT SLOW DOWN UNLESS WE DRASTICALLY REDUCE THESE NET GHG EMISSIONS.

HOWEVER, EVEN WITH DRASTIC REDUCTIONS, WE WILL STILL ALL FEEL THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND AT LEAST THE COMING DECADES AND IN OUR REGION, SPECIFICALLY DROUGHT AND FIRE WEATHER ALREADY INCREASING AND ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INCREASING WITH CONTINUED WARMING.

WE WILL ALSO SEE INCREASED EXTREME PARTICIPATION IN RIVER FLOODING, WHICH HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR AUSTIN.

UM, THE STRENGTH OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN COMES IF IT'S DIVERSITY OF SOLUTIONS WHILE, UM, FRAUGHT WITH SOME POLITICAL CHALLENGES, UM, I WOULD URGE THE CITY OF BOSTON TO STILL MOVE TOWARDS REWRITING ITS LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.

INCREASING HOUSING SUPPLY FOR THE PROVISION OF DENSITY WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT THE CLIMATE.

YOU KNOW, HOUSING TYPES LIKE DUPLEXES, ACCESSORY, DWELLING, UNITS, AND TOWNHOMES CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL.

ADDITIONALLY, TRANSPORTATION POLICIES LIKE PROJECT CONNECT CAN IMPROVE WALKABILITY AND BIKEABILITY AND IMPROVE CLIMATE'S AUSTIN'S CLIMATE BURDEN.

UM, THESE POLICIES INCREASE AUSTIN'S IS OUR ABILITY AS A CITY IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LIVABILITY, TOURISM, AND OTHER AMENITIES.

AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, AUSTIN SHOULD MOVE BEYOND THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE FOOD SYSTEM PLAN.

BUT THIS PLAN DOES GO IN A GOOD DIRECTION WITH SOME POLICIES LIKE GOOD FOOD PURCHASING, INCENTIVIZING PLANT-BASED FOODS AND POLICIES DEDICATED TO LOWERING FOOD WASTE.

UM, WHAT'S MOST WHAT'S MOST WORTH MENTIONING AND IMPORTANT TO ME IS THE PLANT'S EMPHASIS ON EQUITY WHILE IT'S A LOT OF BOULDER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT WENT INTO INFORMING THIS PLAY ON THE POLICIES THEMSELVES ARE WHAT WILL IMPACT UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

THE MOST MARGINALIZED GROUPS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE MOST EFFECTED BY THE LACK OF ACTION ON CLIMATE.

AND THAT'S TRUE FOR PAST AS WELL AND DUE TO STRUCTURAL RACISM AND AUSTIN'S PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORS HAVE INJURED, ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM, FOOD DESERTS, AND A LACK OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ACCESSIBLE PROXIMITY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO IMAGINE WHAT, OH, LET ME FINISH MY LAST SENTENCE.

UM, TAKING ACTION ON AUSTIN'S EQUITY PLAN IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND MAKING IMMENSE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT STEP.

I BELIEVE IT WAS MARY CASTLE.

AND THEN AFTER MARY CASTLE, WE HAVE RICHARD SUBTLE.

I DON'T SEE MR. SUTTLES RAFTER, MS. CASTLE.

WE HAVE HEATHER SIN.

YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES MORNING MAYOR ADLER AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, UM, HARPER, MADISON, THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME TO SPEAK.

MY NAME IS MARY ELIZABETH CASTLE AND I'M THE SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR AT TEXAS VALUES.

I AM ALSO AN AUSTIN RESIDENT IN DISTRICT SIX, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THE RESOLUTION AND AGENDA ITEM ONE 11 EVERY TIME THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSES PRO-LIFE LEGISLATION, THE CITY COUNCIL TRIES TO KNOWINGLY GO AGAINST THAT NEWLY PASSED LAW.

AND THIS RESOLUTION, EVEN AT MIDST, BY TALKING ABOUT YOUR ACTIONS, WHEN THE 2011 BUDGET CUTS OCCURRED, THE ACTIONS YOU TOOK IN THE 84TH SESSION WHEN AFTER HB TWO WAS PASSED AND NOT TO MENTION THE INFAMOUS FUNDING FOR ABORTION SERVICES, YOU APPROVED AFTER SB 22 HAS PASSED.

AND THE 2019 LEGISLATURE, I ASKED THE BOARD TO NOT PASS THIS RESOLUTION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

FIRST, IT WILL LEAD DOWN A PATH TO ONCE AGAIN, VIOLATE SB 22 FROM THE 2019 TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH CREATING LEGAL FUNDS TO HELP ASSIST

[00:45:01]

YOU'RE USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

ONCE AGAIN, UH, THAT WILL ULTIMATELY TO THE PROCUREMENT OF ABORTION.

IT IS STILL NOT SETTLED, WHETHER OR NOT THE FUNDS THAT THIS COUNCIL GIVES TO JANE'S DUE PROCESS IS EVEN LEGAL.

IT IS CURRENTLY BEING LITIGATED.

THE POINT IS, IS THAT AUSTIN RESIDENTS DON'T WANT TO SEE THEIR TAX DOLLARS BEING USED FOR LAWSUITS AND MORE BUREAUCRATIC JOB CREATION THAT IS SO FAR REMOVED FROM THE ISSUES OF DAY-TO-DAY AUSTINITES.

UH, SECONDLY, THE CITY COUNCIL IS CHOOSING TO PLAY POLITICS WITH LIVES, UH, BY SUPPORTING OPPOSITION TO SB EIGHT THOUSANDS OF PRE-BORN LIVES ARE AT RISK.

UM, IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT POLITICAL POSTURING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OPPOSING ANY PRO-LIFE LEGISLATION.

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE IN AUSTIN, SUCH AS HOMELESS WOMEN ON THE STREET, FINDING HOUSING, HELPING YOUNG WOMEN AND MOTHERS FIND A CALLING OR PROFESSION, OR EVEN KEEPING THE AUSTIN CITY STREETS SAFE ENOUGH FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN TO WALK DOWN ON THE DAILY BASIS.

AND YOU MAY THINK THAT SBA DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS CERTAIN PEOPLE, BUT THINK ABOUT THE LIVES YOU'RE AFFECTING AS WELL WITH THAT, I WILL SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF AGENDA ITEM ONE 11.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. CASTLE, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM.

I JUST WANT TO THANK HER FOR COMING TODAY AND SPEAKING SO BOLDLY ABOUT SOMETHING I KNOW YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT.

I'VE SEEN YOU SPEAK BEFORE AND I REALLY APPRECIATED YOU COMING TODAY.

THANKS.

I BELIEVE NEXT STEP WAS HEATHER SIN.

AND AFTER HEATHER, WE HAVE EMILY LEBLANC AND THEN GABINO FERNANDEZ.

HELLO COUNCIL AND MS. FROM MY EAST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UH, I DIDN'T HAVE A FEW EXTRA SECONDS.

I DIDN'T THINK I'D HAVE.

SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT STATISTICALLY, I KNOW AT LEAST ONE OF YOU UP HERE HAS BEEN MOLESTED OR IN DECENTLY ASSAULTED OR RAPED.

UM, WITHOUT STATISTICS, I KNOW EVERY SINGLE ONE OF, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN ONE PERSON WHO HAS, SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN KEEP THEM IN MIND.

UH, WHEN I SAY MY NAME'S HEATHER SIN, I'M HERE TO GIVE A VOICE TO THOUSANDS OF DISABLED WOMEN.

WHO'VE BEEN VICTIMS AND SOME SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND VIOLENCE HERE.

UH, WITH ALL RESPECT, I THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER WITH 1 58 WITH THIS APPOINTMENT.

I THINK WE DESERVE BETTER.

UM, WE, THIS VERY BROKEN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS FAILED AND EVEN HARMED SO MANY OF US.

WE HAVE A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW, TO CREATE SOMETHING GREAT TO EFFECT PROFOUND CHANGE.

BUT THE ONLY OPTION WE'RE BEING GIVEN IS A 20 YEAR PRODUCT OF THAT BROKENNESS AND A PROMISE THAT HE'S DIFFERENT AND HE'S BETTER.

WHAT WE ARE DROWNING IN PROMISES AND PROMISE OF EVIDENCE, PROTOCOL, SURVIVOR PROTOCOL, VICTIM SERVICES, HAVING A SEAT AT THE TABLE, EVEN A CALL BACK FROM A COP, NONE ARE MANIFEST.

SO WHAT IF HE ISN'T BETTER? THAT'S THE SCARY PART.

I DON'T HAVE ANY RECOURSE.

YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RECOURSE.

YOU CAN'T FIRE HIM.

SO I'M HERE AS ONE OF THOUSANDS TO SAY THAT I HOPE YOU CAN DISSENT OR AT LEAST DELAY THIS UNTIL YOU FIND SOMEONE BETTER FOR US UNTIL YOU FIND SOMEONE BETTER FOR ME, WHO CAN HELP ME BECAUSE IN SEVEN YEARS I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY HELP.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

SO I NEED TO MAKE ANOTHER CORRECTION FOR THE RECORD.

UM, SO ON CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS ITEM NUMBER 22, IT SAYS THE WORD RENTERS HAS BEEN STRICKEN, BUT AS STATED FOR ITEM 22, THE WORD RENTERS IS DELETED AND THE NEW WORD IS TENANTS.

SO TENANTS HAS BEEN ADDED IN IT'S PLACE.

EMILY LEBLANC.

YES.

GOOD MORNING.

I'VE COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST DECADE TO ASK YOUR SUPPORT, ASK YOUR SUPPORT FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

I'VE TOLD YOU ABOUT THOUSANDS OF SURVIVORS I'VE WORKED WITH AS A COUNSELOR, AS AN ADVOCATE, NONE OF WHOM HAVE FOUND JUSTICE HAVE STOOD BESIDE SURVIVORS, AS THEY'VE TOLD YOU THEIR STORIES.

WHAT I HAVEN'T EVER TOLD YOU IS THAT I TOO AM A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS, JUST DOING THE MATH I'D SUSPECT.

SOME OF YOU ARE TOO.

AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT WHEN A SURVIVOR TELLS YOU HER STORY, SHE DOES, SHE OPENS A PAINFUL WOUND AT A PERSONAL COST TO HERSELF, OUT OF SELFLESS AND GENEROUS HOPE, NOT FOR HER OWN, BUT FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S FUTURE, HOW YOU RESPOND MATTERS, MAKING GOOD ON YOUR PROMISES MATTERS.

YOU'VE LISTENED AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN, YOU'VE, YOU'VE VOTED TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS.

AND STILL WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENT IS THAT THE UNIT DOES NOT HAVE WHAT IT'S, WHAT IT NEEDS.

AND SURVIVORS ARE FINDING, NOT JUST

[00:50:01]

TURNOVER IS HIGH.

MORALE IS LOW AND TRAINING IS INADEQUATE.

IN FACT, SURVIVORS ARE BEING TOLD BY PATROL OFFICERS THAT THEY CANNOT INVESTIGATE THEIR ASSAULTS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN DEFUNDED.

THE CULTURE HAS NOT CHANGED BECAUSE FRANKLY IT HASN'T HAD TO, THE STATUS QUO HAS BEEN REWARDED TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

AND THE DECISION BEFORE YOU TODAY IS REALLY WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT.

AND ULTIMATELY HOW MANY WOMEN WILL BE RAPED, BEATEN, OR DIE.