Oct 13, 2021 Community Technology & Telecommunications Commission

[00:00:05]

OKAY.

[CALL TO ORDER]

THIS IS NEHEMIAH PITS.

THE THIRD I'M THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CALLING TO ORDER A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING HERE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH, 2021.

I AM PRESENT AND I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBER AND NATASHA HARPER MADISON LIGHT TO GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL.

WE'LL START ON THE FAR END HERE AND WORK OUR WAY AROUND.

UH, GO RIGHT AHEAD.

HELLO.

I'M NICOLE THOMPSON REPRESENTING DISTRICT NINE.

HI, STEVEN APODACA REPRESENTING A DISTRICT TWO GOOD EVENING.

JEN RAMOS REPRESENTING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ELLIS IN DISTRICT EIGHT, DAVE LLOYD REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE.

UH, GIVE YOU A BEING.

SO IF YOU GUYS ARE REPRESENTING MAYOR STEVE ADLER AND WE HAVE ONLINE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT AS WELL, UH, ALTHOUGH NOT OFFICIALLY PART OF THE RECORD AND FEEL FREE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES THE H REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

REPRESENTING DISTRICT 10 MAXINE ISLAND REPRESENTING DISTRICT SEVEN.

WONDERFUL, THANK YOU.

UH, WITH THAT, THEN WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER.

I WILL BEGIN WITH OUR AGENDA

[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

THERE'S NO ONE, MY UNDERSTANDING SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

OKAY.

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – September 29, 2021]

I MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED.

I SAY, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED BY MYSELF AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DASGUPTA, UH, WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL HOLD A, UH, WE'LL HOLD UP FOR A SECOND.

SO ACTUALLY ON THAT, UM, MAKE A MINOR CHANGE TO THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, THE POINT UNDER SHOULD BE, SEE WHERE IT SAYS CEO ACTION FOR RACIAL LANGUAGE SHOULD BE CEO ACTION FOR RACIAL EQUITY.

WELL, THOSE WHO ARE IN THE PERMISSIONS ROOM GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MIC BARELY HERE.

SO THE CHANGE WOULD BE CEO ACTION FOR RACIAL EQUITY, JUST A MINOR WORDING CHANGE.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR A MINOR WORDING CHANGE AS COMMISSIONER DUSK, EXCUSE ME.

THE COMMISSION APODACA STATED A CHANGING UNDER FUTURE GEN THE ITEMS CEOS FOR EQUITY ACTION TO CEOS CEO ACTION FOR RACIAL EQUITY ACTION FOR RACIAL EQUITY.

AND, UH, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES WITH THAT CHANGE AND WE HAVE A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR NOW OF APPROVING THE MINUTES WITH THAT CHANGE, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY, SO WE'LL UNANIMOUS AND APPROVING THE MINUTES WITH THE CHANGE AS STATED FOR THE RECORD.

UH, THAT IS SIX OH HERE IN PERSON OFFICIALLY FOR THE RECORD TO VOTE, UH, ALTHOUGH, UH, NINE OH, WITH OUR, UH, HYBRID COMMISSIONERS ONLINE.

[2.a. Digital Inclusion Week Art Competition – Jesse Rodriguez, Interim Program Manager, Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs (discussion and possible action)]

YOU CHAIR PITS.

AND CAN WE PULL UP THE ITEM FOR ? PERFECT.

SO THIS WILL BE A VERY QUICK ITEM.

UH, WE WERE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO HOLD A VOTE TODAY ON THE ART COMPETITION FOR THIS YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD A ROBUST NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AS OF THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE, WHICH WAS ON SUNDAY.

UM, WE HAVE EXTENDED THE COMPETITION DEADLINE THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH.

SO THE, UH, THE COMPETITION WILL BE OPEN THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST.

UM, WE'RE DOING A SECOND ROUND OF MARKETING.

AND SO IF, IF THERE'S ANY PARTICULAR CONTEXTS THAT ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO ADVERTISE TO DIRECTLY, UH, PLEASE SEND THEM TO ME VIA EMAIL.

I'M HAPPY TO ADD THEM TO OUR REACH OUT.

WE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENTLY EXPANDING OUR LIST TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CONTACTS IN THE ISD, IN ADDITION TO THE,

[00:05:01]

UM, SO I DO EXPECT THAT WE'LL GET SOME MORE APPLICATIONS IN, UM, BUT IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, OTHER ADVICE I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO THAT.

UH, IN THE MEANTIME, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND SHOW OFF OUR AWARDEES FOR LAST YEAR.

UM, AND I, I CAN'T SEE IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR AWAY FROM ME TO READ, UH, BUT WE HAVE THREE AWARDEES, UH, CHAIR PITS.

CAN YOU, CAN YOU READ OUR AWARDEES? YEAH, GLADLY, GLADLY.

THANK YOU.

SO, UH, WE HAVE THREE AWARDINGS WE'RE GOING TO BE FEATURING THERE.

AREN'T HERE.

UM, AND THERE SPECIFICS, BUT THERE'S, UH, NOT SPECIFICS, RIGHT? CAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH YOUTH.

UH, SO WE GOT SOME DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, BUT NOTHING PERSONAL.

UH, BUT WE HAVE HERE, OUR FIRST PLACE AWARD WINNER, UH, WAS 12 YEARS OLD AND WON A FIRST PLACE CASH AWARD OF $400 WITH THIS DIGITAL SUBMISSION.

THEY USED ALCOHOL MARKERS AND PIN ON A TAN MIXED MEDIA PAPER OF THE STYLE OF ARTISTS CALLED REALISM AND CHARACTER THAT IS OFTEN USED IN BULLET JOURNALING.

AND REGARDING THE SUBJECT, MATTER OF THE ADDED TO ME, DIGITAL EQUITY MEANS TECH ADAPTED TO FIT DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE'S NEEDS.

EQUITY IS DIFFERENT THAN GIVING EVERYONE THE SAME THING BECAUSE EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY PROFOUND AND THOUGHTFUL FOR A 12 YEAR OLD AND VERY BEAUTIFUL WORK TOO.

SHE CAN SEE.

SO, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR SECOND PLACE AWARD WINNER.

THEY WANT A CASH PRICE OF $200.

THEY WERE 12 YEARS OLD AS WELL, AND ALSO HAD A DIGITAL SUBMISSION.

THE METHOD HERE WAS PRISMACOLOR PENCIL, SHARPIE AND GIMP, WHICH IS A PHOTO LIGHT PROGRAM THEY USED REGARDING THE SUBJECT MATTER.

THEY SAID, MY ARTWORK IS ABOUT EVERYONE.

NO MATTER THE DIFFERENCE, HAVING EQUAL DIGITAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO SUCCEED DIGITALLY.

I SHOWED THIS BY DRAWING DIVERSE PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND THEM USING DIFFERENT KINDS OF TECHNOLOGY TO LEARN AND CREATE THINGS ONLINE.

ONCE AGAIN, VERY THOUGHTFUL FOR A 12 YEAR OLD AND VERY GOOD WORK.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, BY THE WAY, I WANT TO MENTION THAT IT WAS TOUGH MAKING, DECIDING WHO WAS GOING TO WIN AND WHO WAS NOT.

I REMEMBER THAT BEING ONE OF THE PANELISTS, BUT HERE WE HAVE OUR THIRD PLACE WINNER WHO WON A A HUNDRED DOLLAR CASH PRIZE.

THEY WERE 11 YEARS OLD AND THEY MADE A DIGITAL SUBMISSION AND THEIR METHOD HERE, A FIRST MADE A PENCIL SKETCH OF THE PEOPLE, INKED IT, SCANNED IT, AND THEN FINALIZE THE COLORS IN PHOTOSHOP.

AND REGARDING THE SUBJECT MATTER, THEY STATED THIS ART IS ABOUT KIDS CONNECTING DIGITALLY IN THIS PANDEMIC.

EVEN IF THINGS GET HARD.

THIS ALSO REMINDS ME THAT EVERYONE IS HERE FOR YOU AND WE ARE NOT ALONE.

THE STRONG ALSO HAS LOTS OF RACES, CULTURES, AND ETHNICITIES CONNECTING TO EACH OTHER DIGITALLY, NO MATTER WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE OR WHERE YOU COME FROM, VERY THOUGHTFUL.

AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN TELL FROM WHAT THEY DID.

THEY REALLY MIRRORED THE EXPERIENCE FOR A LOT OF US SINCE, SINCE THE PANDEMIC LET ALONE LAST YEAR.

RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT OUR SCREEN LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW.

EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU.

YES.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER DUSK.

I HAVE A SUGGESTION.

OKAY.

WHERE ARE WE ADVERTISING? THIS? THESE THREE PICTURES ARE SO PROFOUND AND THE WORDS THAT GO WITH THEM ARE SO PROFOUND.

YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE 11 OR 12 YEAR OLD, YOU KNOW, SEEING THEM SHOULD BE, UH, ACT, YOU KNOW, BLOW THEM UP AND SHOW THEM IF, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISE THEM IN CITY HALL IN THE, IN THE ATRIUM.

AND THAT'S FINE.

I MEAN, THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

I WENT TO AMAZING.

ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING.

THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK.

UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT ONE ON, BECAUSE WE DID ACTUALLY, AS PART OF THE CONTEST, GET AUTHORITY TO USE THESE ART PIECES IN CITY HALL AND COMMUNICATIONS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

AND SO WE DO HAVE AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO DO SO IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

I THINK JESSE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD TO THAT WITH SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE.

ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA.

THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THIS COMPETITION WAS FOR US TO KIND OF BE ABLE TO USE THESE ARTWORKS IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

UM, THIS WAS OUR, UH, THIS REPRESENTS OUR FIRST, UH, AWARD COHORT.

SO A LOT OF, UH, DEVELOPMENT IN, IN WAYS THAT WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE THESE ARTWORKS.

BUT, UM, CERTAINLY WE WANTED TO THIS YEAR MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH, UH, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES AND OTHER UNITS AT THE CITY.

WE HAVE PLENTY OF ART, UH, HUNG AT CITY HALL THAT I'M CURIOUS IF WE COULD HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE EXHIBIT WITH SOME OF THESE WORKS.

UM, I DO KNOW THAT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH HAS, OR SORRY, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS OFFERED,

[00:10:01]

SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS.

I, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WELCOME ANY BRAINSTORMING ON HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THIS STUFF.

CAUSE IT REALLY IS VERY COOL, UH, IS COMING FROM, YOU KNOW, YOUNG FOLKS, UH, THAT, UH, HAVE WISDOM BEYOND THEIR YEARS.

SO ANY WAY THAT WE CAN KIND OF SPREAD THE WORD, UH, AND, AND SHOW SHOW OFF THIS EXCELLENT WORK.

I, I FULLY AGREE WITH THAT.

IN FACT, YOU KNOW, SPECTRUM NEWS PRESENTS LOCAL NEWS OF LOCAL INTEREST.

THIS MAY BE A TOPIC OF PRESENTATION AND SPECTRUM NEWS.

NO, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

I THINK THIS MENTIONING ONE OF THE CARRIERS, PERHAPS WE SHOULD USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO ALL THE CARRIERS AND TO LET THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THIS ARTWORK AND WE'RE LIKE WANTING TO PROMOTE DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.

UH, AND IN FACT, IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO QUICKLY ENOUGH, MAYBE WE COULD SQUEEZE IN SOME FREE CABLE TV ADVERTISING.

I MEAN, WHO KNOWS, RIGHT.

WHAT'S, WHAT'S ACTUALLY POSSIBLE.

UM, BUT, UM, I THINK WE SEEM ALL SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

UH, YES.

EXCELLENT.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, UH, AN EXCELLENT IDEA.

UM, I JUST TO NOTE, IF YOU'RE TUNING IN FROM, UH, FROM HOME AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENTS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S AWARE THAT THESE WERE THE AWARDS FOR LAST YEAR AND NOT THE AWARDS FOR THIS YEAR.

SO, UH, WE HAVEN'T MADE THE DECISIONS ON THIS YEAR.

WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS COMMISSION AND NEXT YEAR, OR SORRY, NEXT NEXT MONTH AT OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.

UM, AND HAVE THE, UH, UH, THE AWARDS ANNOUNCED FOR THIS COHORT OF, UH, OF THE COMPETITION.

WELL, TO THAT END, UH, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND TO SPEAK TO THE CONTEST, YOU KNOW, THE PARAMETERS AND EVERYTHING AND, AND GO OUT AND DO A RUNDOWN OF THE, OF THE DIETZ? SURE.

SO LET ME SEE IF I CAN PULL THAT, PULL UP MY INFORMATION VERY QUICKLY HERE.

SO THIS, UH, THE ENTRY OR THE DEADLINE, THE NEW DEADLINE FOR THE ENTRY IS OCTOBER 31ST.

THE PROMPT IS DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT MEANS BLANK, AND, UH, THE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE FUNDING AWARDS.

SO WE'LL HAVE A FIRST PLACE, A SECOND PLACE AND A THIRD PLACE FOR THIS COMPETITION.

THE FIRST PLACE IS GOING TO RECEIVE $400.

SECOND PLACE WILL RECEIVE $200 AND THIRD PLACE WHILE WE RECEIVED $100.

UM, THERE, UH, THIS IS INTENDED TO BE FOR CHILDREN AGE 10 TO 18 TO BE ELIGIBLE, TO SUBMIT A PIECE OF ART.

UM, THERE IS A, UM, A DIGITAL SUBMISSION, OR YOU CAN HAND DELIVER THE WORK TO 2209 ROSEWOOD AVENUE, SUITE 2 0 6.

UM, THAT'S THE DUTY CENTER ON EAST 11TH STREET, UH, WHERE, UH, RATHER ROSEWOOD IN NORTHWESTERN IS THE INTERSECTION OF THAT BUILDING.

UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL D I W POSTER@AUSTINFREE.NET.

UM, AND IT'S AS AN IMPORTANT NOTE, UH, AUSTIN FREENET THEE IS A NONPROFIT WHO WORKS IN THE DIGITAL EQUITY SPACE AND THEY'RE A PARTNER IN THIS COMPETITION.

SO THEY'LL, THERE'LL BE DOING, UH, UH, SOME OF THE BACKEND WORK TO SUPPORT THIS.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JESSIE.

WELL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, REGARDING THE CONTEST? UH, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH, AGAIN, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, WE HAD GENERAL SUPPORT FOR WANTING TO, UH, OUTREACH TO CABLE PROVIDERS, UH, REGARDING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, TO FEATURE THIS ARTWORK IN RELATION TO DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A VOTE FOR THAT NECESSARILY.

RIGHT.

BUT JESSICA WILL TAKE THAT ON.

OKAY, GREAT.

WITH THAT.

THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA.

THIS IS REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY THOUGH, AND I HOPE THAT WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATE.

I KNOW, I GUESS BEFORE WE CONTINUE, I DO WANT TO MAKE PART OF THE RECORD, UH, MOM'S INNOVATIONS FROM OUTREACH LAST YEAR, UM, DUE TO TURNOVER, UH, AND CHALLENGES PERHAPS, UH, WITH STAFFING AROUND COVID, UH, IT BECAME IMPORTANT TO GO TO THE CITY WEBSITES, THE SCHOOL WEBSITES, AND TO ACTUALLY CONFIRM WHO THE ART TEACHERS WERE.

SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE IN OUR NEXT ROUNDABOUT REACH THAT WE GET THAT GRANULAR.

AND IT'S, IT IS A LITTLE BIT, IS A LITTLE BIT TIME CONSUMING, BUT BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR, IT SEEMED LIKE THAT ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP WAS ABLE TO BEAR FRUIT.

OKAY.

SO

[2.b. Commission discussion and action on its 2022 meeting schedule (Commission discussion and possible action)]

[00:15:01]

SO JESSE, YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS ONE UP? SURE.

UH, SO THIS, THERE SHOULD BE A QUICK ITEM.

UH, OUR, UH, WE, WE, OH, THE CLERK'S OFFICE, OUR COMMISSION SCHEDULE.

AND SO I HAVE, UH, ATTACHED TO THE CALENDAR INVITE OR IN YOUR PHYSICAL BINDERS IN FRONT OF YOU, THE PROPOSED 20, 22 MEETING SCHEDULE.

UM, AT THIS MOMENT, THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

THIS IS JUST UPDATING THE DATES, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, CORRESPOND TO THE DATES NEXT YEAR.

UM, SO THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES REPRESENTED IN THIS SCHEDULE, BUT IF THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO ADOPT ANY, UH, THIS WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO SO.

RIGHT.

SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY STRONG SCHEDULE CONFLICTS THAT YOU KNOW OF THAT YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO, UH, RAISE NOW AS A POINT OF CONCERN.

YEAH.

SO THIS IS JUST MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW, MARCH THE NINTH INTERFERES WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE PHYSICAL MEETINGS IN PERSON GIVEN HOW DIFFICULT IT WILL BE TO GET DOWNTOWN DURING SOUTH BY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER RAMOS.

UM, IT'S A PERSISTENT CONCERN YEAR OVER YEAR, AND, UH, WE OFTEN MANAGE IT BY MEETING ELSEWHERE AT PUBLIC PROPERTIES.

UH, IS THAT GONNA BE AN OPTION FOR US THIS YEAR? YES, CHIP IS WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A, UH, FULLY IN-PERSON OR HYBRID MEETING AS WE, UH, YOU KNOW, SO CHOOSE FOR THE MARCH 9TH MEETING AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ARRANGE FOR A LOCATION OUTSIDE OF THE CENTRAL, UH, LOCATIONS HERE IN THE PAST.

WE'VE GONE TO, UM, THE AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY, PUBLIC STUDIO, UM, ALSO AT NORTHWESTERN AND, UH, ROSEWOOD.

SO IT'S FARTHER EAST.

UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER POSSIBILITIES IF THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION DOESN'T WORK, BUT, UM, YES, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE OPTION TO, TO MOVE THE LOCATION.

SO THAT'S A HELPS ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN.

AWESOME.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE DATES? IF NOT, THEN I MOVE TO APPROVE THE DATES AS PRESENTED AND WE'LL LOOK FOR A SECOND.

I'LL SECOND, GOT A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER APODACA WITH THAT, THEN LET'S HOLD A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF PROVING, PROVING THESE DATES AS SUBMITTED, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AYE.

YOU WANT TO POST? OKAY.

SO WE'RE UNANIMOUS IN APPROVING THESE DATES SUBMITTED AND NOW HAVE OUR SCHEDULE.

ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO STATE FOR THE RECORD IS THAT THIS MEETING SCHEDULE AGAIN, OFFERED BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE, ESTABLISHES OUR MEETINGS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, WHICH BEGINS IN JANUARY.

SO IF WE WERE TO ANALYZE QUARTERS OF THE YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THIS ACCOUNTING YEAR THAT BEGINS IN JANUARY.

SO WHEN WE'RE ANALYZING SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS FOR THE PROCEEDING YEAR, FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH A CALENDAR QUARTER BEING FROM JANUARY TO MARCH AND SO ON.

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR FOR THE RECORD.

OKAY.

[2.c. Grant for Technology Opportunities Program 2022 Cycle - Jesse Rodriguez, Interim Program Manager, Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs (discussion and possible action)]

THANK YOU, CHAIR PITS.

I'M GOING TO TRY AND GO THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS I CAN IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.

UM, BUT I WANT TO FIRST GIVE JUST A VERY QUICK BACKGROUND, UH, FOR OUR NEWER COMMISSIONERS.

UM, THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IS A, UH, GRANT SERVING NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY DOING DIGITAL EQUITY WORK.

IT, WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.

SO 20 YEARS OF G TOPS AND THE WHOLE WAY WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FROM THIS COMMISSION.

UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IN RECENT YEARS, DOUBLING FUNDS FROM $2,200,000 PER YEAR TO $400,000 PER YEAR.

UM, SO WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF THE COMMISSION SUPPORT AND WE USUALLY WE TAKE, UH, UH, EVERY YEAR WE TAKE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE GRANT PROGRAM, TO THIS COMMISSION SO THAT Y'ALL CAN KEEP TRACK OF, UH, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING EVERY YEAR.

UM, AND TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL, IF THERE'S ANY FEEDBACK ON THOSE ITEMS. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PRESENTATION TODAY IS REPRESENTING THE, UH, THE CHANGES FOR THE NEXT G TOP CYCLE WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS

[00:20:01]

SO I'M GONNA RUN THROUGH THESE FAIRLY QUICKLY, FEEL FREE TO STOP ME IF Y'ALL HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR, ONE OF THESE INNOVATIONS OR THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AS I'M GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, OR IF, IF YOU WANT TO HOLD OFF UNTIL I RUN THROUGH ALL OF THEM, THAT'S FINE AS WELL.

OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION FOR THE REVIEW AND SCORING PROCESS IS TO TRANSITION OUR SCORING TO AN OLYMPIC STYLE SCORING SYSTEM WHERE THE TOP AND BOTTOM SCORES ARE DROPPED.

THIS STEMS FROM CONSISTENT FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, FROM, UH, PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS, UH, WHERE, UH, THE WAY THAT WE PROVIDE THE SCORES BACK TO APPLICANTS IS, UH, EACH APPLICANT WILL SEE THE INDIVIDUAL SCORES OF EACH REVIEWER.

AND MANY TIMES THERE'S A OUTLIER SCORE.

SO ONE REVIEWER JUST TENDS TO SCORE LOWER THAN THE REST, AND THEY SEE THAT ONE LOW SCORE AND IT MAKES THEM FEEL LIKE THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE BAD SCORE WHO COST THEM FUNDING.

NOW IN REALITY, UH, THAT ONE SCORE TENDS TO JUST SCORE EVERYBODY LOW.

UH, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, UH, BIASING THE PROCESS, UH, YOU KNOW, AT ALL, BUT, UH, WE DO TAKE THAT FEEDBACK SERIOUSLY, AND WE WANT TO EXPLORE WAYS THAT WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, GET AT THE SAME OBJECTIVE OF EQUITABLE SCORING, UH, WHILE ALSO MAKING IT NOT FEEL, UH, YOU KNOW, BAD FOR THE APPLICANTS.

AND SO IF WE DROP THE, THE BOTTOM SCORE AND THE TOP SCORE, UM, IT DOES THE SAME THING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHICH IS, UH, NORMALIZING THE SCORES AROUND 80%.

UM, SO THAT THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION.

NUMBER ONE, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER TWO IS, UH, TO ADJUST THE G TOP SCORING SYSTEM TO A MULTI-PHASE, BUT SINGLE ROUND OF SCORING WHERE ALL PANELISTS SCORES, ALL PANELISTS SCORE ALL APPLICATIONS ONCE, BUT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST THEIR, UH, THEIR SCORES DURING THE SCORING PROCESS.

RIGHT NOW, WE GO THROUGH A TWO ROUND PROCESS.

UH, IF WE GO THROUGH THE OLYMPIC SCORING MODEL, WE CAN'T STICK WITH THAT BECAUSE, UH, IF WE DROP THE TOP AND BOTTOM SCORE IN ROUND ONE, UH, THE PANELS WOULD ONLY HAVE THREE SCORES.

AND IF WE DROP THE TOP AND BOTTOM, THAT LEAVES US WITH ONE SCORE.

UM, FOR THAT REASON, WE NEED MORE REVIEWERS REVIEWING ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS AT ALL PARTS OF THE PROCESS IN ORDER TO NOT OVERBURDEN THE REVIEW PANEL WITH WORK.

UH, I NEEDED TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE KIND OF BALANCE THIS CHANGE TO MAKE, UH, THE REVIEW PROCESS NOT BE OVERLY BURDENSOME.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH.

UM, ESSENTIALLY THE STEPS IN THE REVIEW PROCESS WOULD BE THAT HALF OF THE PANELISTS SCORE HALF OF THE APPLICATIONS, UH, IN THIS FIRST STEP AND GENERATE, UH, QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANTS, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE PANEL, STEP TWO, WE WILL CIRCULATE THOSE QUESTIONS TO THE APPLICANTS FOR RESPONSE, THE RESPONSES ARE COLLECTED AND THEN DISTRIBUTED BACK TO THE WHOLE PANEL.

AND THEN ESSENTIALLY, UH, EACH APPLICANT OR EACH PANELIST WILL REVIEW ALL OF APPLICATIONS THAT THEY DIDN'T REVIEW IN THAT FIRST STEP.

SO THE OTHER HALF OF THE APPLICATIONS AND MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THEIR, UH, THEIR SCORING BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT'S RECEIVED IN THE Q AND A, AND THEN THE LAST STEP IS THAT ALL PANELISTS WILL MEET AND DISCUSS THEIR SCORING IN A GROUP SETTING AND MAKE ANY FINAL ADJUSTMENTS, UH, AT THAT SESSION.

AND THAT THAT SESSION WOULD END OR CONCLUDE WITH A FINAL, UH, UH, SET OF SCORES.

WE WOULD PROBABLY ELIMINATE, UH, UNDER THIS SCENARIO WITH THE FINAL DELIBERATION SESSION, WHICH IS KIND OF, UH, OFFERING ANOTHER TWO HOURS BACK, UH, TO THE REVIEW PANELISTS.

SO IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO EASE THE BURDEN ON THE PANELIST AND JUST STICK WITH, UH, SOME TYPE OF A GUIDELINE ON HOW FUNDING IS DISTRIBUTED ON A PERCENT BASIS OR, UH, IN SOME TYPE OF A CORRELATION TO, UH, THEIR SCORE.

THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS TO ELIMINATE THE COLLABORATIVE FOCUS AREA.

THIS ONE IS VERY QUICK.

UM, WE HAD, UH, A COLLABORATIVE FOCUS AREA WHICH OFFERED BONUS POINTS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEMONSTRATED, UM, SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF COLLABORATION WITH OTHER NONPROFITS.

[00:25:01]

AND SO THEY WERE KIND OF UNSURE.

THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, I'M, I'M FUN.

I'M FILING FOR THE CORE PATHWAY.

WE ARE COLLABORATIVE, BUT, UM, I WANT THE CORE PATHWAY.

AND SO THEY WERE CONFUSED BY THIS.

UM, I THINK THAT HAVING COLLABORATION AS A FOCUS AREA IS REDUNDANT BECAUSE COLLABORATION IS ALREADY BUILT INTO THE SCORING CRITERIA FOR OUT ALL APPLICATIONS.

AND SO THE VALUE ADD VERSUS THE COMPLEXITY THAT IT ADDED, I THINK JUST WASN'T WORTH IT.

SO THIS IS A VERY QUICK RECOMMENDATION THERE.

UM, ON TO CONTRACT OVERSIGHT, RECOMMENDATION, NUMBER FIVE IS TO TRANSITION G TOPS CORE TO A TWO PAYMENT MODEL WHERE HALF OF THE AWARD IS MADE UP FRONT.

AND THE SECOND HALF IS CONDITIONED ON THE SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE AT THE, OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE AWARD.

THIS IS A HUGE CHANGE TO THE WAY THAT WE ADMINISTER G TOPS RIGHT NOW.

UH, G TOPS IS A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT.

AND SO MONTHLY, UH, ORGANIZATIONS WILL INCUR EXPENSES AND THEN FILE FOR REIMBURSEMENT AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

UM, THAT AMOUNTS TO UP TO 12 FINANCIAL REPORTS THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS SUBMIT, UH, FOR THEIR GRANT, UM, TRANSITIONING TO THIS WOULD ELIMINATE UP TO 10 OF THOSE.

AND SO THEY WOULD BE, THEY WOULD BE RECEIVING HALF OF THEIR AWARD UPFRONT, UH, AT CONTRACT, UH, UH, OR AS OF THE CONTRACT IMPLEMENTATION DATE.

AND THEN, UH, THEY WOULD FILE A MID-YEAR FINANCIAL REPORT, UM, AND PERFORMANCE REPORT AND, UH, BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THAT SECOND HALF OF FUNDING.

SO THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A CHANGE THAT WILL MASSIVELY REDUCE THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN OF, UH, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE EQUATION FOR STAFF AND FOR AWARDEES.

CONTINUING ON RECOMMENDATION, NUMBER SIX IS TO HOST A FOCUS GROUP OF CONCERNED APPLICANTS TO WORKSHOP.

WHAT PARTS OF THE APPLICATION IS MOST CUMBERSOME, WHERE DUPLICATION AND WHERE DUPLICATION CAN BE ELIMINATED.

UM, WE ALWAYS GET COMMENTS ON OUR FEEDBACK SURVEY, UH, SAYING THIS IS A DIFFICULT APPLICATION TO SUBMIT.

UM, WE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN MAKING SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO THE APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, YEAR OVER YEAR AND MAKING STREAM STREAMLINING THE PROCESS.

BUT THIS, UH, THIS IS A PERSISTENT COMMENT.

SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST HAVE A FOCUS GROUP AND HAVE FOLKS THAT HAVE, UH, GONE THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS POINT OUT TO US WHERE, WHERE THE DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE APPLICATION ARE TO GET SOME KIND OF DIRECT INPUT INTO WHERE WE CAN MAKE THE BEST IMPROVEMENTS.

THE LAST RECOMMENDATION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU ALL TODAY IS TO CARVE OUT $50,000 OF THE LARGER GI TOP TO BUCKET FOR AN EXPERIMENTAL DETOX PATHWAY.

UM, WE, UH, THE LAST THREE YEARS, AGAIN, WE'VE MADE WE'VE, UH, BEEN, WE'VE BEEN THEN INNOVATING WITH DIFFERENT DETOX PATHWAYS.

WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT WHILE PRESERVING THE SUCCESSFUL ONES.

UM, AND SO WE WANT TO SET ASIDE, UH, $50,000 TO, TO, TO BE THAT INNOVATIVE FUND.

UM, 25,000 OF THAT WOULD COME FROM GE TOPS CAPACITY AND 25,000 OF THAT WOULD COME FROM G TOPS CORE.

UM, AS A NOTE, WE'RE GOING TO BE MAINTAINING G TOPS MINI AT ITS PREVIOUS LEVEL OF $50,000.

A G TOPS CAPACITY WOULD GO DOWN TO 25,000 FROM 50,000.

UM, THE REASON WHY WE CHOSE THAT PROGRAM TO, UH, UH, TO REDUCE THE FUNDING FOR IS BECAUSE, UH, EVERY ELIGIBLE APPLICANT, THIS PAST CYCLE RECEIVED FUNDING.

SO IT'S, IT'S RELATIVELY WELL-FUNDED FOR THE DEMAND, UH, THAT, UH, WE'RE SEEING AND, UH, CUTTING IT BACK, UH, WE'LL OFFER OR INTRODUCE SOME COMPETITION BACK TO THE PROCESS.

UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE ALL OF THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I HAVE FOR YOU ALL TODAY.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, OFFER ANY ADDITIONAL DETAIL.

UM, I WILL BE ASKING FOR THE COMMISSION'S, UH, VOTE OF APPROVAL FOR THESE CHANGES.

UM, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE BEFORE THAT.

THANK YOU, JESSE.

UH, ONE, I WANT TO ADD TO THAT, UH, IS THAT I WAS INVOLVED, UH, WITH OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION FELLOW AND JESSE AND A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE, UH, CHANGES, UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, BEING PART OF THE DISCUSSION, UH, IN THE FEEDBACK LOOP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE REP RETROSPECTIVE AFTER,

[00:30:01]

I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT, WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MYSELF TO APPROVE THESE CHANGES AS SUBMITTED AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RAMOS, UNLESS THERE'S CALL FOR ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, EXCUSE ME, APPROVING THE, UH, CHANGES TO G TOPS AS AUTHORIZED HERE IN THE MEMORANDUM.

UH, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY.

WE'RE UNANIMOUS IN OUR APPROVAL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THESE CHANGES, JESSE, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEM IMPLEMENT THANKS COMMISSIONERS.

AND WITH THAT, WE'LL

[2.d. Digital Equity and Inclusion Town Hall (Commission discussion and possible action)]

UH, THIS WILL BE A BRIEF DISCUSSION, UH, BUT, UH, AN EXCITING ONE.

UH, SO WE HAD OUR TOWN HALL THIS PAST WEEKEND, UM, AND I WANT TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING, UH, THERE WAS SOME, UH, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE HAD WITH GETTING ON TO THE, TO THE EVENT, UM, APOLOGIZE FOR THE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF, UH, UH, REGISTRATION NUMBER REQUIRED FOR COMMISSIONERS.

BUT WE DID THAT PURPOSEFULLY REALLY TO ENSURE THAT ANYONE WHO REGISTERED TO SIGN UP AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE CATALOGED RATHER, UH, WE'D BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE NOTE OF WHO THEY ARE AND THEIR PRESENCE, AND THEN ALSO TO MANAGE ISSUES OF A WALKING QUORUM, WHICH WE WERE OBLIGED TO AVOID.

UH, SO THANKFULLY, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF US WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, UH, IT WAS RECORDED AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY COMMISSIONER HAS ACCESS TO IT, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL.

UM, BUT JUST TO SPEAK TO THE EVENT, UH, THE EVENT WAS, UH, VERY SUCCESSFUL IF IT MAY SAY SO MYSELF, UH, IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO LISTEN TO SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES.

UM, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THERE WAS TWO OTHER COMMISSIONERS PRESENT AND I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO REACT AS WELL.

UM, BUT WE HAD ABOUT 11, 11 OR 10 SPEAKERS, UH, ALL SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES.

AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM HERE ON THE RECORD.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING TOWARDS IS TRANSCRIBING THE EVENT SO WE CAN CATALOG ALL OF THE CHALLENGES AND SUCCESS STORIES, AS WELL AS, UH, THE LIVED EXPERIENCES IN GENERAL, AS PART OF OUR REPORT AND FOLLOW UP FOR THE EVENT, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE GETS A COPY OF THAT.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THAT LIVING DOCUMENT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AS A COMMISSION.

UH, AND SPEAKING OF THOSE, SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY COME IN AS BEING INSPIRED BY THE EVENT, UH, FROM SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT PARTICIPATED.

SO I'LL GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO THEIR THOUGHTS ON THAT.

BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO, AGAIN, THANK ALL THOSE INVOLVED.

SO BEGINNING WITH MISSION CAPITAL WHO HOSTED THE EVENT, UH, AND USER'S ZOOM ACCOUNT AND RESOURCES TO DEDICATE FOR MARKETING AND PROMOTING THE EVENT, UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, UNITED WAY AND, UH, THEIR DIRECTOR, THEIR DIRECTOR, PAULA SYLVESTRI, AS WELL AS, UH, HAKA THE HOUSING AUTHORITY COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN, UH, AND, UH, THEIR LEAD THERE, CATHERINE CRAIGO, UH, WHO DOES SO MUCH GREAT WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR REACHING OUT TO THEIR CLIENTS AND GETTING PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES, UH, AND TO GO IN ORDER HERE OF THEIR PRESENTATION.

UH, THANKS.

GO OUT TO, UH, AS STEPHANIE GARCIA TO LEANNA AS, UH, TO MADDIE DAVIS, TO VERY DEANNA OR DEZ, UH, TO LUPA GARCIA, TO IRENE ENSLEY, TO ANNA CLAIRE, UH, TO ASHLEY JOHNSON AND TO DASIA GAYLENE, UH, THEY ALL SHARED VERY IMPASSIONED EXPERIENCES IN MANAGING THE CHALLENGES OF THE DILIGENT, THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, AND ALSO PERSEVERANCE.

I WAS MOST IMPRESSED, I THINK, WITH HOW THEIR STORIES ALL REFLECTED UPON A COMMITMENT TO PROBLEM SOLVING AND TO GETTING THINGS DONE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE DEALING WITH THESE CHALLENGES, UH, THEY WERE CERTAINLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE HELP THEY'VE GOTTEN FROM UNITED WAY AND FROM HACA.

UH, BUT THEY SPOKE TO SOME REAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE, UH, AS A CITY TO STEP UP AND TO MEET THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE.

UH, I KNOW I MADE SOME NOTES.

I PERSONALLY AM GOING TO

[00:35:01]

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALSO OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT, UH, AS WELL AS FOR, UH, ANY OTHERS THAT WERE ABLE TO, UH, FROM THE CITY.

UM, BUT WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, GIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE PRESENT TO SPEAK TO THEIR EXPERIENCES AND THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE EVENT.

AND ONLY BECAUSE OF THE ORDER OF THE, UH, OF THEIR APPEARANCE, I'LL BEGIN WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER STEVEN APODACA.

THANKS, PITS.

UM, YEAH, JUST, JUST A FEW COMMENTS.

UM, CERTAINLY WANT TO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS FROM THOSE FOLKS WHO HELPED PULL THE EVENT TOGETHER WITH IDENTIFYING AND, UH, PULLING IN THE VARIOUS SPEAKERS AND THEIR EFFORTS CERTAINLY WERE NOT LOST.

UM, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE BRAVERY OF THE PERSONS WHO PROVIDED TESTIMONY.

UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE STORIES WERE, UM, WERE CHALLENGING TO, IT'S PROBABLY AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO HEAR ABOUT SORT OF THE, UM, THE SITUATIONS THAT THEY GO THROUGH ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

SO, UM, THE FACT THAT THEY WERE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TELL THEIR STORY IN A PUBLIC FORUM WAS, UM, WAS INSPIRING.

UM, BUT I, I THINK EVERYTHING THAT, THAT THEY HAD MENTIONED WAS IT WAS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE FOR US AS A COMMISSION.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO US TAKING ACTION.

THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMISSION APODACA AND A COMMISSIONER IRELAND WAS ALSO PRESENT.

I WENT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE EVENT.

YEAH, IT WAS REALLY AMAZING TO JUST KIND OF SIT THERE AND LISTEN TO JUST THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR EXPERIENCES, UM, JUST FIRSTHAND, RIGHT.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO SEE THE STRUGGLES THEY'RE HAVING FIRSTHAND AS WELL, RIGHT? LIKE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE A LACK OF, YOU KNOW, WIFI OR WHATNOT, AND THEIR PHONES ARE ACTUALLY CUTTING OUT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR CONVERSATIONS.

SO YOU, YOU ACTUALLY WITNESS HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR THEM TO GO TO SCHOOL OR, UM, YOU KNOW, LOG ON TO DO A SIMPLE TASK.

UM, AND I THINK IT JUST REALLY EMPHASIZED A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, ALREADY HAVE ON OUR ROADMAP TO TRY TO TACKLE OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

AND SO I THINK THAT REALLY SUPPORTED A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK IT WAS JUST REALLY IMPACTFUL THOUGH, TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF A CONVERSATION, UM, WITH THEM AND JUST HAVE, UH, ANSWER QUESTIONS, ASK QUESTIONS, AND JUST REALLY LISTEN TO THEM.

UM, AND SO I, I WALKED AWAY JUST VERY, UM, EXCITED, BUT ALSO JUST MY EYES WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN, RIGHT? YEAH.

YEAH.

VERY WELL SAID.

THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMISSIONER ISLAND.

UH, THE, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, UH, WITH, WITH THAT PARTICULARLY, UH, UH, RECOGNITION OF THE RESILIENCY AND, YOU KNOW, THE COURAGE TO GIVE THE TESTIMONY AND HOW ILLUMINATING IT IS, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY SEE FIRSTHAND SOMEONE WORKED TOWARDS SHARING A TESTIMONY AND THEN HAVE TO LOG AND LOG BACK ON BECAUSE OF AN ISSUE WITH BANDWIDTH IN THEIR AREA, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY RESONANT.

AND, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, KRISHNA ISLAND SPEAKS TO THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON.

SO I FEEL EXCITED ABOUT OUR, UH, ABILITY TO TAKE THESE EXPERIENCES AND TO BUBBLE THEM UP TO ALL THE PARTIES THAT NEED TO BE AWARE OF THEM AND, UH, TO GIVE, UH, OUR LOCAL NONPROFITS, OUR CARRIERS, OUR POLICYMAKERS AND LEADERS, ALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND WAYS TO, TO MAKE, UH, THIS DIVIDE, UH, LESS IMPACTFUL IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

I'D LIKE TO GIVE ANYONE ELSE A CHANCE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVENT.

I KNOW ONE THING TO MAKE CLEAR, UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF EDITING THE RECORDING, TRANSCRIBING IT, AND THEN PRODUCING THE REPORT, ALL THAT, WHICH WILL BE DONE BY OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.

UM, AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE REPORT ITSELF AT THE NEXT WORKING GROUP MEETING AS WELL.

AND WHAT GOES INTO IT SINCE THREE OF THE, UH, OR WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WERE PRESENT.

SO I THINK THAT'LL BE VERY INVALUABLE.

OKAY.

UH, WITH THAT THEN, UH, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA, UH, AGENDA

[3.a. Digital Inclusion, Civic Engagement, and Strategic Technology and Telecom Policy Working Group]

[00:40:01]

UH, AS THE CHAIR, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OFFER THE BRIEFING THERE.

UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, A BIG PART OF OUR FOCUS IN OUR LAST MEETING WAS, UH, THE STRATEGIC OUTCOMES AND ALIGNING OUR OBJECTIVES AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL, UH, TO THOSE OUTCOMES.

AND I FEEL THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT WAS DONE, UH, BY THE WORKING GROUP TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT HOW THE OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE IN SOME CASES COULD BE STREAMLINED, BUT IN MOST CASES ALL HAD RELEVANCE TO THE STRATEGIC OUTCOMES.

UM, I KNOW THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF ONE OF OUR WORKING GROUPS TO THEN PRESENT A COHESIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE FOR THOSE.

AND SO I'D LIKE FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE WE PRESENT THAT AGAIN TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, UH, BUT WE'LL BE THEN IN OUR NEXT WORKING GROUP DISCUSSIONS DRILLING DOWN ON THAT AND ACTUALLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE, UH, BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A FUNCTIONING WORKING GROUP, WE'LL BE DRILLING DOWN ON THAT TODAY, UH, HERE SHORTLY BEFORE WE LEAVE.

UM, SO THAT BEING A MAJOR FOCUS, OF COURSE, UH, ANOTHER MAJOR FOCUS OF COURSE, IS DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK, UH, WHICH WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, UH, OF COURSE THE POSTER CONTEST, WHICH WE'RE PROMOTING AND WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT AND SEEING THE AWESOME DESCRIPTIONS AND, UH, THOUGHT PROVOKING NARRATIVES WRITTEN BY THE ARTISTS.

I THINK, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.

AND THEN WE GET EXCITED TO SEE WHAT CAN BECOME OF THAT WITH OUR DISCUSSIONS, WITH THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE AND OTHER WAYS TO GET THE ARTWORK THEY'VE CREATED AROUND TOWN.

UH, AND THEN OF COURSE THE NEW CONTESTANTS FOR THIS YEAR, UH, WE HAD SEVERAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AND I'D SAY IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL WEEK.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT IS AN OUTCOME OF THAT SUCCESS, AS WELL AS, UH, THE WORK OF A CITY COUNCIL IS A DECLARATION OF DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.

THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE TOMORROW.

SO WE'RE GOING TO OFFICIALLY BE ACKNOWLEDGING DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK 2021, UH, TOMORROW HERE AT CITY HALL.

AND, UH, THAT'S EXCITING OPPORTUNITY OF COURSE, JUST TO CALL ATTENTION TO IT AS A COMMUNITY AND, AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO MENTION THAT, UH, THE G TOPS UPDATES WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH AND IN GREAT DETAIL AND APPROVED.

SO WE LOOKING FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING THOSE CHANGES AND A NEW ROUND OF AWARDEES AS THE, UH, CALENDAR INDICATES THERE'S KEY DATES.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION FROM LAST, UH, MEETING OR DURING OUR SPECIAL CALL SESSION, UM, IS TO LEVERAGE THIS CALENDAR TO REALLY GET AHEAD OF MARKETING FOR G TOPS.

UH, WE'LL NEED TO CONSIDER WHEN, WHEN WE ARE MAKING OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, OF HOW TO ALLOW THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPACT THE CALENDAR, UH, BECAUSE WE REALLY DO WANT TO MAKE THE MOST OF, UH, OF OUTREACH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING TO OTHERS THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH G TOPS AND, AND CERTAINLY, UH, TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE WOULD BE VOLUNTEERS AS PANELISTS THAT DON'T HEAR ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY.

SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE OTHER, UH, WORKING GROUP MEMBERS A CHANCE TO REACT OR TO PROVIDE ANY THOUGHTS.

OKAY.

LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOOD THEN.

UH, SO UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS WORKING GROUP, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA.

OKAY.

MOVING ALONG TO AGENDA ITEM TWO, EXCUSE ME, UH, AGENDA ITEM

[3.b. Knowledge, Information, and Data Stewardship Working Group]

THE KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION AND DATA STEWARDSHIP WORKING GROUP.

SO WE DO HAVE A DOCUMENT TO REVIEW HERE BRIEFLY, UH, BECAUSE IN THE ABSENCE OF A FUNCTIONING WORKING GROUP, THIS IS THE WORKING GROUP, RIGHT? SO, UH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF TO CONSIDER, UH, FUTURE CHANGES.

UH, THERE'S A LIKELY EMINENT, UH, RESIGNATION FROM OUR VICE CHAIR, UH, DAVID ALEXANDER PENDING, UH, BUT IT HASN'T COME IN OFFICIALLY.

SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, UH, IN WHICH CASE WE'LL OF COURSE HAVE TO REELECT A VICE CHAIR, UH, AND HAVE, UH, ANOTHER OFFICER, UH, THEY'LL ALSO MEAN THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO CHAIR THIS WORKING GROUP.

[00:45:01]

UH, I RECALL COMMISSIONER FLOYD OFFERING, UH, TO VACATE HIS SPOT IF SOMEONE ELSE WAS INTERESTED, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GONNA MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR PRESENCE FOR SURE.

UH, AND WITH THAT, IF WE COULD JUST SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND LOOK AT THE OBJECTIVES HERE, SO, UH, LET'S BRIEFLY REVIEW THE OBJECTIVES AND THEN WE'LL DO THE SAME EXERCISE BASICALLY THAT WE'VE DONE WITH EVERY WORK WORKING GROUP TO ALIGN THESE, TO OUR STRATEGIC OUTCOMES.

SO GETTING WHAT THE FIRST HELPING CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNICATES CITY PROGRAMS, RESOURCES, ET CETERA, TEND TO SERVE AREAS AND COMMUNITIES WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE INTERNET TO HELP CITIZENS ENGAGE THE CITY OF BOSTON USING TECHNOLOGY.

UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, UH, AND I KNOW THE SPLIT-SCREEN WAS REALLY HELPFUL LAST TIME, BUT I'LL, I'LL PULL IT UP JUST TO MAKE SURE I MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER.

OKAY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO APPLY.

OF COURSE, I THINK AS WE DISCUSSED RATHER, UH, TOBACCO A LITTLE BIT, WE DISCUSSED IN THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL, HOW DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERY AS A GENERAL CATEGORY.

UM, IF ANY OBJECTIVE RELATES TO DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERY TO CITIZENS, THEN IT'S GOING TO HAVE KIND OF AN ALL ENCOMPASSING EFFECT ON GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND AFFORDABILITY, SAFETY, MOBILITY, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS CULTURE AND LIFELONG LEARNING, UH, BECAUSE OF HOW INTRICATE REALLY AND INTIMATE ALL THOSE ARE TO DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERY AND RIGHT OF WAYS THAT WE DO THAT AS A CITY.

SO THE TOP ONE IS ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT COULD BE SO GENERAL THAT WE COULD SAY IT APPLIES TO ALL OF THEM.

ONE COLLABORATION BETWEEN CITY OF AUSTIN AND UT TO CREATE SPEED UP AMERICA BANDWIDTH MAP.

THAT'S ALL ABOUT TRYING TO ENCOURAGE ROBUSTNESS AND BROADBAND DELIVERY, UH, OBVIOUSLY ALL ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND RATHER THAN TO READ THEM TO EVERYONE, I WOULD LIKE TO BASICALLY START BY REALLY SUGGESTING THAT GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL APPLIES TO, SINCE THIS WORKING GROUP'S FOCUS REALLY IS ON DATA.

THAT'S A GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL PRETTY MUCH APPLIES TO EVERY ONE OF THEM.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND AFFORDABILITY SEEMS TO APPLY AS WELL TO MOST OF THEM SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS WE COULD APPROACH THIS.

UH, WE COULD KIND OF BASICALLY GO IN AND LIKE WE DID AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL, UH, MAKE NOTE OF WHICH ONES WE WANT TO ADD TO EACH, OR WE COULD, SINCE THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THE FIRST OPPORTUNITIES THAT EVERYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY SOAK INTO THESE, WE CAN CIRCLE BACK AND ADDRESS THIS IN A WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION, BUT WE'D HAVE TO, AT THE VERY LEAST AGREE ABOUT WHEN OUR NEXT WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION IS GOING TO BE A COMMISSIONER GARA, MAYBE A RECOMMENDATION TO FLY BY EVERYBODY.

WHAT IF, SINCE WE ARE FINDING, AS WE KEEP GOING THROUGH THESE, THAT WE REALLY COULD SHAPE IT TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE STRATEGIC OUTCOMES.

WE, INSTEAD OF WORKING AT THE OBJECTIVE LEVEL TO DECIDE WHAT THE STRONGEST ONES ARE OF EACH OBJECTIVE STRATEGIC OUTCOME IS OF EACH OBJECTIVE, WE COULD CONSIDER THE OPTION OF, UM, DOING IT AT THE WORKING GROUP PURPOSE LEVEL AND SAYING THIS WORKING GROUPS, MAIN PURPOSE IS GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AFFORDABILITY OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, AND DRILL IN THERE.

AND MAYBE WE