[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
LET'S SEE IT'S 6:05 PM ON SEPTEMBER 28TH.
THIS IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND WE HAVE, UM, KIND OF A MIX OF IN-PERSON AND ONLINE, UM, MEETING.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, START OUT AND CALL THE ROLL.
LET'S SEE, VICE CHAIR DE PALMA RESIDENT, UH, BOARD MEMBER, RINALDI, BOARD MEMBER DECARLO.
OH, SHE'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT LATE.
SO MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS ARE ON OKAY.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER BERNARD PRESENT BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
AND BOARD MEMBER, COTTON SEIBEL, PRESENT AND BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, I THINK SHOULD BE HERE.
I THOUGHT SHE WAS, BUT I GUESS WE LOST HER.
SO WE'LL START OUT WITH A CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
OFFICIALLY, ARE YOU HERE? I AM.
I COULDN'T UNMUTE MYSELF, BUT YES I CAN.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.AND SINCE I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND DO IT SINCE, UH, VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA IS ONLINE AND WE'LL START WITH, UM, HAPPY HARRIS FROM PRESERVATION, TEXAS, AND MR. HARRIS, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR COMMISSION.
I SIT IN THE SAME ROOM ONCE A MONTH.
I'M CHAIR OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
IN ADDITION TO SERVING ON THE BOARD OF PRESERVATION, TEXAS, IT'S DELIGHTFUL TO BE HERE.
IT'S DELIGHTFUL TO SEE AN AUDIENCE.
WE DON'T GET MUCH OF AN AUDIENCE FOR DOWNTOWN COMMISSION BUSINESS.
UH, IN MY CAPACITY AS A DIRECTOR, UH, ON PRESERVATION, TEXAS, I AM DELIGHTED TO PRESENT, UH, THE FOLKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHITE PARK SHELTER HOUSE.
UH, OUR 2021 HONOR AWARD FOR PRESERVATION RESTORATION, REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION.
UH, I HAVE A PARTICULAR FONDNESS FOR THIS PARK.
MY MOTHER WAS CURATOR OF THE NAME MUSEUM FOR MANY YEARS, AND I GREW UP AT THE NE AND PLAYING AT SHY PARK AND SWIMMING IN THE POOL AND DELIGHTED TO SEE HOW ALL THAT'S BEEN MAINTAINED.
THE FRIENDS ARE SHY PARK AND PART HAVE BEEN STEADFAST WARRIORS TO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THAT PARK.
AND THIS IS THE NEXT STEP AND IT'S A FUTURE HISTORY.
AND SO WE ARE DELIGHTED TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO, I HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS.
ONE IS FOR THE FORENSIC SITE PAR AND I HAVE A MEDALLION TO PRESENT TO THEM.
ONE IS FOR AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND I'D BE DELIGHTED TO HOP OVER TO THAT SIDE OF THE DESK AT A MOMENT.
AND THE LAST ONE IS TO THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE DELIGHTFUL MOMENTS.
THIS IS WHEN WE GET TO DO HAPPY STUFF AND APPRECIATE PEOPLE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO.
IT IS RECOGNIZED ACROSS THE STATE.
AND SO THANKS TO EACH OF YOU, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF OUR FRIENDS GROUPS, ESPECIALLY THE FOLKS HERE TONIGHT TO, UH, UH, SUPPORT CHAT PARK.
I THINK WE'LL GIVE YOU
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN MOUNT IT ON THE CABIN, BUT YOU MIGHT TRY.
WE APPRECIATE PRESERVATION TEXAS THING BECAUSE GIVING THING FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
[00:05:01]
IF YOU WANT TO TALK IN THE MIC TOO, WE CAN MAKE SURE EVERYBODY CAN HEAR YOU.I'M ALISON YOUNG WITH FRIENDS OF SHITE PARK AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK HAPPY AND PRESERVATION, TEXAS FOR THIS WONDERFUL AWARD AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT PARD AND AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTED TO GET THIS PROJECT OVER THE FINISH LINE.
PLEASE KNOW THAT I ACCEPTED THE FIRST CERTIFICATE FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I IT TO THEM THIS WEEK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. HARRIS.
SO NICE TO GET TO HAVE THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, MOVING ON THE NEXT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHARON BLIGHT.
THIS DISPLAY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, FOR ABOUT 33 YEARS, I'VE LED TO LET A GROUP OF CITIZENS, UM, TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT AND TRY TO IMPROVE AUSTIN MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY.
AND, UH, I JUST FINISHED A BIG, HUGE TEN-YEAR LONG APART PROJECT WITH TXDOT CTM, RA, UH, TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON IMPROVING AUSTIN MEMORIAL PARK ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND, UH, TO PLANT 55 TREES ALONG THERE, AS WELL AS A FREE IRRIGATION SYSTEM TO THE CITY.
AND THAT THAT PROJECT WAS IN THE CEMETERY VISION PLAN THAT WAS PASSED IN 2015.
UM, AND I WAS GOING TO RETIRE AFTER THAT PROJECT AND JUST GO HOME AND ENJOY MY GRANDKIDS.
UM, BUT SINCE THEN, A COUPLE, FEW WEEKS AGO, 200 THINGS HAVE CROPPED UP AT THE CEMETERY.
A GROUP OF ALLENDALE RESIDENTS, THREE, I BELIEVE, UM, GALA LESSEE POOL, AND DECIDED TO PROPOSE TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO TAKE PART A BIG CHUNK OF THE CEMETERY FOR A PRAIRIE PRESERVATION PROJECT.
UM, UH, SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN NO ENCROACHMENT IN THAT CEMETERY BETWEEN, UM, MADE HIM A TYPO.
IT WASN'T 10 27 IS 1927 AND 19 91, 64 YEARS BECAUSE OF AUSTIN RAMP AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS SAYING NO ENCROACHMENT.
UM, SO, UM, IT'S NOT WORKING NOW.
UH, THE VISION PLAN FOR THE CEMETERY THAT WE'RE WORKED ON, VERY HARD, HARD WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER CITIZENS DOESN'T MENTION IN PRIOR PRESERVATION.
IT CAUGHT THE VISION PLAN COSTS $3 MILLION, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND THE VISION PLAN HAS A PLAN FOR THE EXACT SAME AREA THAT PRAIRIE PRESERVATION ELLENDALE PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE OVER THIS PART OF THE CEMETERY.
UH, WHY ARE WE THROWING THE VISION PLAN AWAY IN THE TRASH WITH THIS? AND IT APPEARS THAT THEY ARE, UM, THE VISION PLAN IMPLEMENT THE VISION PLAN.
THE CEMETERY IS DETERIORATING STATE LAW MANDATES UNDER HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SEVEN 13 DASH ZERO 11.
THAT A MUNICIPALITY HAS CERTAIN THINGS I NEED TO DO TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CEMETERIES, UH, RE REMOVED BREE, UM, STRAIGHTEN THE MARKERS AND OTHER THINGS.
AND, UH, THAT ALL WAS PASSED IN 2008 BECAUSE OF OUR ADVOCACY AT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
UM, HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE PORT-A-POTTIES ARE OUT THERE
[00:10:01]
AND THEY'RE UNSIGHTLY, UH, HUNDREDS OF FALLEN MARKERS, ANOTHER FALLEN MARKER.AND THERE'S REALLY NO REASON FOR THIS PRAIRIE PRESERVATION IN THE SIDE OF THE CEMETERY, BECAUSE ALLENDALE ALREADY HAS THEIR GROWTH ZONE.
I E UM, BUTTERFLY BIRD SANCTUARY OR LONG SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD.
UM, AND THERE'S NO NEED TO MOVE INTO THE CEMETERY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS, WAS TAKEN ALONG SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD JUST YESTERDAY.
THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR THEY'RE PART OF, OF THAT TYPE OF PROJECT.
UM, I HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TO A, A POINT WHERE WE WERE THIS PARKS DEPARTMENT, CITY OF AUSTIN RESPECTS THE, UM, REFLECTS THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE BURIED THEIR LOVED ONES IN THE CEMETERY.
FAMILIES WERE TOLD THAT'S A CEMETERY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE CEMETERY.
BUD PARK CONTINUES TO ENTERTAIN PROPOSALS, NOT IN A VISION PLAN.
UM, A DEDICATED CEMETERY PROPERTY SHALL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR CEMETERY PURPOSES UNTIL THE DEDICATION IS REMOVED BY COURT ORDER.
AND THAT'S UNDER HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SEVEN ELEVEN.ONE 0 35.
UM, WE NEED TO JUST CORRECT THE FLAWS AND WORK ON PROJECTS AND MATTER TO THE OWNERS AND THE FAMILIES AND NOT GET SIDETRACK, BASICALLY BECAUSE OF SOME PROPOSAL THAT THREE PEOPLE IN ALLENDALE WANT TO TAKE OVER A BIG CHUNK OF THE CEMETERY.
WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE VISION PLAN WORKED ON BY CITIZENS IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP TO DO THAT.
UH, NEXT UP IS, UH, MR. KEVIN RAINA'S WITH THE AUSTIN ROWAN CENTER.
KEVIN REIGN IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
WE'RE A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT AND HAVE BEEN SERVING AUSTIN FOR 40 YEARS.
UM, JUST A QUICK RECAP OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
WE JUST CLOSED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
THE WALNUT CREEK BOATHOUSE GENERATED OVER 2 MILLION IN GROSS REVENUE COMING IN AT 2.3 MILLION.
THIS PROUDLY ALLOWED ME TO HAND KIMBERLY DIRECTOR MCNEELY, EXCUSE ME, A CHECK FOR OVER $172,000 LAST WEEK, WHICH IS THE LARGEST PAYMENT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND WE'RE PROUD TO DO SO.
WE INVESTED OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN CAPITAL IN THE BOATHOUSE.
LAST YEAR, WE INVESTED OVER 67,000 IN REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BOAT HOUSE LAST YEAR, FAR EXCEEDING CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS.
AND I GAVE A HANDOUT TO EVERYONE OR SAMMY DID.
UH, JUST GIVING YOU AN NRC OVERVIEWING EVENT.
UH, ONE LAST ROWING STATEMENT IS THIS SATURDAY, WE'RE RUNNING THE 37TH ANNUAL HEAD OF THE COLORADO.
WE HAVE 26 ROWING ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE SOUTHWEST REGION OF THE U S WITH YOUTH COLLEGIATE AND MASTERS COMING TO AUSTIN TO COMPETE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE WALNUT CREEK BOAT HOUSE AND ALL ITS AMENITIES AND PUBLIC BENEFIT WILL BE DESTROYED.
AS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT, A PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS WAS HELD OCTOBER 12TH TO DISCUSS THE BLUE LINE.
TRINITY BRIDGE CROSSING, ALL PUBLIC INPUT WAS SHUT DOWN AND STIFLED FOR ANY INPUT REGARDING DESTRUCTION OF THE BUILT HOUSE FACILITIES, AMENITIES, AND PUBLIC BENEFIT.
THERE WERE NEARLY 200 ATTENDEES IN THE PUBLIC INPUT FORM.
MOST OF WHICH WERE DENIED THEIR VOICE.
THE ATTENDEES WERE TOLD TO HOLD ANY COMMENT OR INPUT UNDER THE AUSPICES.
THERE WOULD BE A FOLLOWUP MEETING WITH CAP METRO TO DISCUSS AND ADDRESS EVERYONE'S CONCERNS.
THE FOLLOWING DAY CAP METRO INFORMED US NO SUCH PUBLIC MEETING WOULD OCCUR.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS THE WAY TO ENGENDER PUBLIC TRUST FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF BEAUTIFUL PARKLAND AND HOW IT CAN BE RECOVERED.
THE SERVICES AND AMENITIES CURRENTLY OFFERED AT THE BOATHOUSE CAN BE RESTORED INTO DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRINITY STORAGE BRIDGE, CROSSING, CREATING A WORLD-CLASS DESIGN AND SET OF AMENITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DIRECTOR MCNEILLY FOR INITIATING A CONVERSATION REGARDING FUTURE POTENTIAL FOR THE BUILD HOUSE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
CONTINUING, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE CAP METRO SHOULD STILL BE HELD TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT THEY COMMITTED TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
CAN I ASK A POINT OF CLARIFICATION? I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU MENTIONED THE COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE PEOPLE HAD SIGNED UP TO PARTICIPATE.
IS THAT SPONSORED BY CAPITAL METRO OR BY, UM, THE ENTITY THAT'S FACILITATING PROJECT CONNECT? I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING I'VE BEEN PART OF THE
[00:15:01]
AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT MEETING WAS IT WAS A CAP METRO SPONSORED MEETING TO RECEIVE FORMAL PUBLIC INPUT AS PART OF THEIR PROCESS.I UNDERSTAND IT'S FEDERALLY REQUIRED AND PROBABLY STATE LAW AS WELL TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DIRECTLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
I THOUGHT WHEN WE VOTED ON PROPERTY AND WE CREATED LIKE THIS NEW ENTITY, A NEW ENTITY T THAT'S GOING TO CITY COUNCIL ON FRIDAY CALLED THE ATP AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION PARTNERSHIP, BUT IT'S NOT YET BEEN VOTED IN, BUT THAT IS ULTIMATELY COMING.
SO MEMBERS OF ATP AND CAP METRO WERE INVOLVED IN THAT OCTOBER 12TH MEETING.
AND IT WAS THOSE MEMBERS THAT STIFLED THE INPUT AND SAID, DON'T WORRY, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING.
AND THEN THE NEXT DAY SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT HAVING THAT MEETING.
CAN I REAL QUICK, RIGHT QUICK.
WHEN WAS THE BOAT HOUSE REDONE? WHAT YEAR? WHAT YEAR WAS THE BOAT HOUSE? WE GOT 2011.
UH, NEXT SPEAKER IS FREDERICK WORKING WITH E R O C NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT YOU.
THANKS FOR COMING THREE MINUTES, PLEASE.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH DIRECTOR MCNEELY AND TO THE BOARD FOR HAVING ME.
I AM AN E ROCK MEMBER, AND, UH, I WAS OPPOSED TO THE CONVERSION OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH INTO A MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENT COMPLEX TO DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING UP SOON.
THE OPPOSITION WAS BASED ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT A COMMUNITY CENTER WOULD BE A MUCH GREATER USE FOR THIS PROPERTY, WHICH AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PRESENTATION I BROUGHT IS AS A PICTURE OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY IN FRONT OF IT.
IT'S A WONDERFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY HAS GREAT HORN DOWN.
THERE'S WONDERFUL HERITAGE TREES AND IT'S, UM, IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT CAN SERVE AS A BRIDGE IN THE SECOND PAGE, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE MAP ABOUT IRAQ AND I LIVED NEAR PARKER AND OLTORF, AND JUST ON THE EAST OF PARKER IS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH MULTI-FAMILY UNITS.
YOU CAN SEE THEM ALL MARKED IN RED.
THERE ALL THOSE MULTI-FAMILY UNITS HAVE NO ACCESS WHATSOEVER TO THE HERITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
AND THAT PROPERTY WOULD HAVE SERVED AS A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND WE, AND AS A BRIDGE, BECAUSE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THAT COMMUNITY ARE OVERWHELMINGLY POOR LINDER.
ELEMENTARY IS THE SCHOOL THAT SERVICES THAT AREA.
THERE ARE 400 KIDS THERE THEY'RE 93% THEM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED IN 78% LATINO.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE FOUNDATION'S COMMUNITY WON'T BUILD THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR US, BUT WE DID PUT TOGETHER A SURVEY TO GET SOME COMMUNITY INPUT AND YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY.
WE PUT THESE LITTLE STICKERS ALL THROUGHOUT THE, UM, BUS STOPS AND IN IRAQ AND OVERWHELMINGLY PEOPLE SAID THEY WANT PARKS AND GREEN SPACE, AND THEY WANT PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE SAFETY BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE, PARAMOUNT'S VERY DANGEROUS AREA.
THERE'S LOTS OF AREAS WITH NO SIDEWALKS, ET CETERA.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING AND YOU'LL SEE, ANOTHER ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IF YOU ACCESS THIS ONLINE, EMBEDDED INTO THIS PICTURE IS A LITTLE VIDEO OF THAT LITTLE GIRL RIDING BACK AND FORTH IN THE PARKING LOT ON THIS TINY LITTLE BIKE ON BURTON AVENUE, SHE'S ABOUT 25 MINUTES WALKING FROM ANY GREEN SPACE.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE WOULD GIVE HER A FIVE MINUTE WALK TO SOME GREEN SPACE.
SO WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH FOUNDATIONS COMMUNITY TO CREATE AN EASEMENT, A PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENT THROUGH THEIR PROPERTY.
AND THEY'RE PLANNING ON PUTTING SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN SOME TRAILS AND MAINTAINING MANY OF THE HERITAGE TREES THERE, AS WELL AS THE WILDFLOWER FIELD.
IT'D BE A WONDERFUL LITTLE WALK IF WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THEY'RE ALSO PROPOSING TO CONNECT TO THE PARK VIA A HIGH, UM, A HYBRID PEDESTRIAN BEACON.
AND, UM, THERE IS AN EXISTING ADA SIDEWALK ON THE BACK END OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS KIND OF A SIDEWALK TO NOWHERE RIGHT NOW THAT WILL CONNECT MARIPOSA DRIVE TO, UM, THIS, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY WAS EIGHT ACRES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX ON.
SO WHAT WE'RE AND WE'VE GATHERED INPUT FROM IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS AND THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS THEY'D ACTUALLY SEE TO LIKE TO SEE TO THE HERITAGE OAKS PARK.
AND THEY'VE SAID LIGHTS AND KIDS PLAY SCAPES, AND MAYBE EVEN A POOL, UM, EXERCISE BARS, PUSHUP BENCH.
YOU CAN SEE THE FULL LIST LISTED OUT THERE.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT PAGE, WHO OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE NEIGHBORS HAVE PROVIDED INPUT.
SO YOU CAN SEE EVERYBODY LIVES REALLY CLOSE TO THE PARK.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ACTUAL NEIGHBORS WANT, UH, OF THAT PART.
AND WHAT WE'RE HERE IS E ROCK ASKING FOR THEM TAKING A VOTE ON THIS.
UH, AND IT'S COME BACK PRETTY OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF THIS PLAN IS TO HELP
[00:20:01]
US SET ASIDE SOME BUDGET TO MAKE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, TO CONNECT MARIPOSA, DRIVE THROUGH A RECREATIONAL EASEMENT, TRAVERSING THE FOUNDATION'S COMMUNITY, MULTIFAMILY COMPLEX INTO THE HERITAGE OAKS PARK AND IMPROVE THAT PART.IT WILL PROVIDE AN OUTSIZED IMPACT TO THIS AT-RISK COMMUNITY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PERSONALLY VERY CLOSE TO ME.
CAUSE I GREW UP IN AT-RISK HOME WITH, TO A SINGLE MOTHER WHO WORKED TWO JOBS AND BASICALLY HAD TO PRAY AND SAY BY ECHO AND DEAL WITH EVERY TIME SHE WENT TO HER SECOND JOB AND JUST HOPE I DIDN'T GET IN TROUBLE.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEPT ME OUT OF TROUBLE WAS THIS LITTLE KIOSK AT A PARK FIVE MINUTES, WALKING FROM MY HOUSE WHERE I COULD GO AND I COULD CHECK OUT GAMES AND I COULD BE THERE WITH SOME LITTLE 14 YEAR OLD THAT THEY PAID MINIMUM WAGE SALARY TO KEEP AN EYE ON EVERYTHING.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A, A SOLUTION THAT COULD WORK IN THIS LITTLE PART TOO.
I KNOW IT'S NOT ON THE OFFICIAL GENDER, ANYTHING, BUT YEAH, I I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AS FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MCNEELY FOR COMING UP THE OTHER DAY TO LOOK AT THE, THE GREEN SHED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. DORGAN AND THIS SCOTT CUP.
IF THERE IS SOMEONE THAT COULD WILLINGLY, I THINK WE SHOULD BE OKAY.
WE ARE GOING TO LET HIM SIT RIGHT HERE.
I JUST TOLD HIM MAYBE PRESENTATION CAUSE SHE DIDN'T GET ONE.
I WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT, UM, IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN I TALK ABOUT PEOPLE.
TAKE YOUR, TAKE YOUR TIME, TAKE YOUR TIME.
I DON'T WANT TO TALK TODAY ABOUT, UH, JOAN CABELLA.
SHE WAS A WOMAN WHO DIED OCTOBER 11TH, COUPLE DAYS AGO.
AND, UH, I'M A LIFEGUARD AT BARTON SPRINGS AND, UH, JOAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZING THIS WOMAN'S IN THE 1960S, LATE FIFTIES AND 1960, THE LED TO THE INTEGRATION AND A BARTON SPRINGS UP AND THINK OF THE PEOPLE WHO WENT TO THE POLE IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY AND THOSE WHO WERE NOT ALLOWED TO WHEN I'M SITTING ON THE STAND.
AND I SEE EVERYONE OUT THERE ENJOYING HIM AND I THINK WELL BASIS TODAY AND REALIZE THAT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE WITHIN THE LIFETIME OF SOME PEOPLE IN AUSTIN.
AND WE LOST ONE OF THOSE WITNESSES THIS LAST WEEK WHEN JOAN PASSED AWAY AND SHE WAS, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR ONE OF THE, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO INTEGRATE THE AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN SHE ORGANIZED SLIMMONS WHEN THE TEACHER, WHEN THE PRINCIPAL TOLD THEM THAT THEY COULD NOT GO TO SWIM AT BARTON SPRINGS FOR THE SENIOR PICNIC.
UM, SO THEY WENT TO CITY COUNCIL AND THEY ORGANIZED THESE SWEAT MANS.
AND EVENTUALLY A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER THAT, UH, BARTON SPRING WAS OPEN FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR EVERYONE IN AUSTIN TO ENJOY ON AN EQUAL BASIS.
AND I'M WASTING MY TIME HERE THREE MINUTES.
BUT, UH, MY IDEA WAS TO HAVE A DAY IN HER HONOR AT THE POOL, WHERE ARE WE WHERE WE WAIVE THE ATTORNEY'S FEES AND LET EVERYONE SWIM FOR FREE FOR ONE DAY, I DON'T BELIEVE I'M AFFECTED BY IT BECAUSE I
[00:25:01]
GREW UP IN HOUSTON.AND THE FIRST ONE BILL I WORKED AT WAS ALSO DID NOT ALLOW PEOPLE OF COLOR TO SWIM.
AND IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO IN THE EIGHTIES.
AND, UH, ONE DAY THESE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE MEMBERS BROUGHT, IT WAS A PRIVATE POLL.
THEY BROUGHT SOME BLACK KIDS TO THE POOL AND, UH, THE MANAGER CLOSED IT DOWN.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY SAY IN THAT, BUT THEN WE MADE OUR SAY THE NEXT DAY WHEN WE WENT ON STRIKE AND WE SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING BACK UNTIL THEY CHANGE IT.
BUT ANYHOW, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU WAIVE THE ENTRANCE FEES ONE DAY NEXT SPRING, AND PROMOTED AS A SWIM IN.
SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER WRITERS, BUT NOW I WASTED MY TIME, THE OTHER ITEMS, RIGHT? OFFICIALLY WE'RE UM, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT ANY.
WE JUST CAN LISTEN, DARREN CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR A FUTURE MEETING.
THE OTHER ITEMS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
SEE IF I CAN GET, UH, YOU REMEMBER THAT? OH YEAH, THERE IS A STATUE OUTSIDE BARTON SPRINGS RIGHT NOW, THREE MEN REPRESENTING.
WE WENT TO THE POLE EVERY DAY FOR 40 YEARS FROM 19, 19, 19 59.
I THINK WE SHOULD PUT UP ANOTHER STATUE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO EVENTUALLY NOW GOOD COME IN BECAUSE OF JOAN AND HER FRIENDS AND THAT REALLY BARTON SPRINGS OF THE PLACE OF JOY.
YOU SEE IT WITH EVERYONE AROUND.
AND SO MAYBE WHAT UP A NEW STATUE COULD BE A GOOD MODEL FOR A STATUE.
THIS IS JOAN ON ONE OF THE SWIM MANS AT BARTON SPRINGS WITH A COUPLE OF HER FRIENDS.
I'M NEVER GOING TO WATCH THIS.
THERE'S SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
SO I THINK, BELIEVE THAT'S ALL FOR GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
SO, UM, I WANTED TO MEET, BUT I KIND OF WANTED TO, TO REARRANGE THE SCHEDULE A LITTLE OF THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE CITIZENS COMMUNICATION ON A COUPLE ITEMS ON THE NON-CONSENT CALENDAR
[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
AND WE NEED TO DO THE MINUTES.HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS AT THIS POINT, I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, I WAS IN A SCHWAB MEETING WHERE OUR WORDING WAS MISINTERPRETED AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CLEAR, UH, THE WAY WE, I WENT BACK AND LISTENED TO SAM GAVE ME THE TAPE I CAN LISTEN TO.
AND I, IT WAS 10 30 AT NIGHT, IF YOU REMEMBER, AND WE WERE FUMBLING AROUND.
AND SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE STRIKE THE WORDING.
SO I'M LOOKING AT PAGE TWO AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MINUTES WHERE IT SAYS THE THIRD TIME NUMBER, ITEM NUMBER 3, 1, 2, 3, 4 PARAGRAPHS DOWN THERE.
IT WAS THE, THE MOTION THAT WE ACTUALLY DID PASS.
AND, UM, IT SAYS BOARD MEMBER CALLED HIM.
SCHEIBEL MADE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT THE SPACE IN PUB, THE 3 0 5 SOUTH CONGRESS PED IS NOT SUPERIOR WITH FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I WONDER IF IT WOULD BE MORE CLEAR IF WE STRUCK THE WORDS TO RECOMMEND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND SAID, BOARD MEMBER CONGRESS, TRIBAL MADE A MOTION THAT THE STATESMAN PUD, THE THREE OR FIVE SOUTH CONGRESS PED IS NOT SUPERIOR WITH FURTHER RECOMMENDATION, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN AGREE IF WE AGREE TO THAT WORDING, WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE ANOTHER VOTE ON THE MOTION.
WE JUST NEED TO TAKE A STANCE ON WHETHER IT'S CLEAR OR NOT.
AND I THINK YOU WANTED TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE WORDING WAS NOT, IS THAT THE SCHWAB MEETING MONDAY NIGHT AND MR. RUSS TOBIN TWICE SAID THAT WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION OF THE PUD.
AND ALTHOUGH I CORRECTED HIM, IT STOOD THAT HE SAID THAT, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MADE OUR, OUR MOTION CLEAR.
AND SINCE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE POD AS A HALF BAKED CHICKEN, I'M THINKING THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY RECOMMEND THAT PUD, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE THIS LONG SERIES OF CONDITIONS.
SO I'M JUST HOPING THAT WE CAN, MAYBE IF WE'RE NOT, IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT,
[00:30:01]
BUT I HAD CHECKED WITH SAM BEFOREHAND ABOUT, WE CAN POSSIBLY STRIKE THAT IF WE ALL AGREE TO STRIKING THOSE WORDS.WELL, I DO AGREE THAT IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT, AND I KNOW THAT OUR SENTIMENT WAS CLEAR TO WHAT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
SO I'M, I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
IF, IF EVERYBODY ELSE I THINK, UM, I WOULD PREFER IF WE COULD ADD, UM, AN ANNOTATION TO THE MINUTES THAT CLARIFIES THE MEANING RATHER THAN CHANGES THE TEXT OF WHAT THE MOTION ACTUALLY WAS.
I THINK THAT THERE'S JUST A LITTLE MORE INTEGRITY IN THAT.
SO IF WE COULD, IS IT POSSIBLE TO ANNOTATE THE MINUTES AND THAT WAY THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A MOTION ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW.
SO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? YEAH.
WE JUST STRIKE THOSE WORDS TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT SAYS BOARD MEMBER, COTTON TRIBAL MADE A MOTION THAT THE STATESMAN PAD, THE 3 0 5 SOUTH CONGRESS POD IS NOT SUPERIOR WITH FURTHER RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN THE REST WOULD STAND AS POS AS, AS APPRENTICE.
YEAH, I THINK, UM, I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH, UM, WITH ADDING A CLARIFICATION IN THE FORM OF AN ANNOTATION TO THESE MINUTES TO, UM, CLARIFY WHAT THE INTENDED MEANING WAS.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DOCUMENT, UM, THE MOTION, YOU KNOW, THE WORDING OF THE MOTION AS PASSED, UM, CAUSE THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE MINUTES, BUT I TOTALLY, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO, UH, CLARIFY THE INTENT ON THE RECORD IN THE MINUTES.
I THINK WHAT SHE SAID IS THIS IS CLARIFYING THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE THAT NIGHT.
SHE LISTENED TO THE RECORDING.
AND IF THIS, THIS IS THE WORDING ON THE RECORDING, BUT WHAT I'M ASKING AND THE REASON THAT WE CAN DO IT ONLINE HERE AND, YOU KNOW, OFFICIALLY READ IT INTO THE MINUTES IS THAT WE ARE STRIKING THIS, THOSE WORDS TO MAKE THE MOTION CLEARER.
WOULD THAT, I THINK SHE'S SAYING THAT IT WAS MISINTERPRETED BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE WORDING AND SHE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTENT OF HER EMOTION IS CORRECT.
SO BY CHANGING THE LANGUAGE, SHE'D BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? SO IT'S SO I'M SORRY.
SO WHAT'S WRITTEN HERE IN THE MINUTES IS THE WORDING THAT WAS, UM, ON THE RECORDING, ON THE RECORDING.
SO ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT WE STRIKE TO RECOMMEND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION SO THAT IT JUST SAYS THAT I MADE A MOTION THAT THE STATESMAN HUD IS NOT SUPERIOR WITH FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS BASICALLY.
SO REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I JUST WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK CAUSE I, OH, I HAVE THIS TENDENCY TO NOT REMEMBER ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ONLINE.
SO IF BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR OR VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA HAS ANYTHING TO ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION, PLEASE, PLEASE DO.
SO, AH, VICE-CHAIR DEPALMA AS MUCH AS I WANT TO JUST GO ALONG JUST FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAKE OF GOING ALONG.
UM, THE CLARITY IS ACTUALLY THE FACT WHAT YOU ORIGINALLY SAID IN THE MOTION, WHICH IS RECOMMENDATION TO THAT.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID, RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THAT'S, THAT'S THE CLARITY.
UM, BUT, BUT RICH, THE PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING IT AS A RECOMMENDATION OF THE POD.
THEY'RE NOT READING THE PART THAT SAYS THAT WE RECOMMEND IS NOT SUPERIOR WITH FURTHER RECOMMENDATION TO LOOK FOR.
WELL, I MEAN, WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE, WE CAN RECOMMEND, UM, A RECOMMENDATION DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING SOMETHING.
IT MEANS THAT WE MAKE A RECORD, WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR OR AGAINST.
I THINK THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THE, THAT, UM, MR. RUSS TOBIN IN TALKING ABOUT THIS, MAYBE MISSPOKE OR MAYBE EVEN I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THAT SHE WAS THERE.
SHE WAS THERE AND SHE DID SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
SO WE SHOULDN'T GUESS IF WE WEREN'T THERE FOR SURE.
I THINK THAT, UM, I, I THINK THAT, UH, LIKE, CAN WE JUST SAY NOT TO RIGHT.
I MEAN CHANGE IT WHERE IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE INFORMATION, SORRY, I JUST DROPPED MY MINUTES.
CAUSE I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UH, BOARD MUTTON OR BOARD MEMBER COTTON CYBIL AND I THINK TOO, SO I GUESS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, I JUST FEEL LIKE THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN HERE IS LIKE, IT'S CLEAR TOO.
IT SHOULD BE CLEAR TO SOMEBODY THAT LIKE KNOWS HOW TO INTERPRET, YOU KNOW, THE MEANING OF A BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION.
SO I THINK IT'S SUFFICIENT FOR THAT PURPOSE, BUT I TOTALLY SUPPORT ANNOTATING THIS TO CLARIFY, UM, THAT WE DON'T, THAT THE CONTENT OF THE, OKAY, MY MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR.
I WOULD JUST SAY, I DON'T THINK, I THINK I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE A MOTION, UM, A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A ELECTION.
SO LET'S JUST SAY, DO YOU GUYS WANT TO DO, SHE HAS A MOTION AND WE HAVE A SECOND.
I MIGHT PERSONALLY, I THINK THIS WAS HER MOTION.
[00:35:01]
BECAUSE SHE'S SEEN THE WAY IT'S BEEN MISINTERPRETED IN PUBLIC AND SHE WANTS TO CLARIFY IT.IF THAT'S HOW SHE FEELS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING CLEARLY, I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT.
SO I WILL THE QUESTION TO THAT.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION RELATING TO THAT? BECAUSE IF IT IS MADE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT THE STATE'S BEEN FID IS NOT SUPERIOR, HOW DOES REMOVING THE PLANNING COMMISSION CHANGE? THE, HOW DOES IT CHANGE? UH, THE, THE PLANNING DIRECTORS ABILITY, NOT TO SAY THAT WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION AND HE HAD SAID, HE SAID HE MADE THAT WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WE DID, WHICH IS THE BODY POLITIC TICKET SAID, NO, IT'S NOT SUPERIOR.
HE SAID, WE RECOMMENDED THE PUD WITH AMENDMENT WITH, WITH CONDITIONS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO TAKE OUT THE WORDING TO RECOMMEND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M JUST SAYING BOARD MEMBER CAUGHT HIM.
SCHEIBEL MADE A MOTION THAT THE STATESMAN PUD, THE 3 0 5 SOUTH CONGRESS PUD IS NOT SUPERIOR WITH FURTHER RECOMMENDATION FOR STAFF TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT.
SO I AM JUST TRYING TO STRIKE THE WORDS TO RECOMMEND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
CAN I JUST MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTE? AND THAT IS THAT I KNOW THAT WE HAD MEMBERS THAT NIGHT THAT WERE NOT COMFORTABLE VOTING ON FOR A DENIAL.
AND A SUGGESTION WAS MADE THAT WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE PUD IS NOT SUPERIOR.
AND IN MY OPINION, THAT NIGHT AND TONIGHT, BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION, IF WE WOULD VOTE TO RECOMMEND A PUD OR VOTE TO DENY A PUD, THAT WOULD BE A CLEAR STATEMENT OF WHAT OUR OPINION IS.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT NIGHT I FELT LIKE THIS IS NOT A, YOU KNOW, PROCEDURALLY ADEQUATE WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS.
SO IF WE CAN JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND, MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WHAT WE'RE ASKED TO DO IS APPROVE IT OR DENY IT AS SUPERIOR BASED ON THE FACTS BEFORE US.
SO YOU JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADD TO THAT.
MY INTENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO APPROVE OR DENY BASED UPON THE FACTS IN FRONT OF ME.
REMEMBER TAYLOR, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, I DON'T.
I, I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND HAVE A VOTE ON THIS.
IN THAT CASE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND UNLESS REMEMBER HAGMAN OR BERNARD HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THIS TOO? SORRY.
IN THAT CASE, UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE DO HAVE A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER COTTONS.
SO AS I SAID BEFORE, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE AND HAVE, SINCE WE DO HAVE CITIZENS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TO, UM, TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THEM HERE LATE.
SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE AHEAD TO THE NON-CONSENT CALENDAR AND THE MINUTES.
AND I, ONE OF THESE DAYS I'LL PROBABLY NOT BE CHAIR ANYMORE, BUT I'LL I'LL REMEMBER WHEN I'M NOT CHAIR.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND LIST VOTE TO APPROVE THE AMENDED MOMENT MINUTES.
CAN I TALK I'LL I'LL DO THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ALL IN FAVOR AND IT'S UNANIMOUS.
[B3. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Director supporting the naming of the ballfield at Pan American Neighborhood Park.]
OKAY, FINALLY, I'M READY TO, UM, TO MOVE ON AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UM, LET'S START WITH THE, UH, UNDER THE NON-CONSENT CALENDAR, THE PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE PARKS OR RECREATION DIRECTOR SUPPORTING THE NAMING OF THE BALL FIELD AT PAN AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.AS EVERYBODY REMEMBERS, WE HAD, UM, A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING WHEN WE HAD ONE APPLICANT.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE OTHER ONE TODAY, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, DIRECTOR MCNEELY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR THE SPEAKERS FIRST? YEAH.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS.
WE WILL START WITH, UH, DEREK CASTILLO.
MR. CASTILLO, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
GOOD GOING TO SEE SOME OF YOU GUYS AGAIN.
UM, WE, I SPOKE BRIEFLY, I GUESS, AT THE LAST MEETING, UM, BUT I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE AND REALLY TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT MY FATHER.
UH, TONY TC CASTILLO IS WHAT THEY CALLED, UH,
[00:40:01]
IN MANY CIRCLES.UM, BUT TODAY YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MYSELF, UM, AND SOME OTHERS, UM, ABOUT HOW HE TOUCHED THEIR LIVES, UM, AND HOW WE FEEL THAT RENAMING THE SOFTBALL FIELD AT PAN-AMERICAN RECREATION CENTER OR PAN-AMERICAN PARK IS FITTING, UH, FOR HIM.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIM BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU WILL FIND ANY INDIVIDUAL IN EAST AUSTIN THAT HAS GIVEN 60 PLUS YEARS OF HIS LIFE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, MY FATHER GREW UP IN EAST AUSTIN, PARTICIPATED IN PAN-AM PROGRAMS AS A KID, VOLUNTEERED AS A TEENAGER, ACTUALLY WORKED AT THE RECREATION CENTER, UM, IN HIS EARLY ADULTHOOD, UH, AS A REFEREE, AS A COACH, AS A VOLUNTEER, UH, THEN WAS ON THE PAN-AM BOARD AND THEN WAS IN THE SEAT LIKE YOURSELVES.
HE WAS PART OF THE, UM, AUSTIN PARKS, RECREATION BOARD AS WELL FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, THIS IS A PLACE THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO HIS HEART.
UM, HE'S PUT A LOT OF BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS IN, INTO THE PARK.
UM, AND IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY TIME WITH HIM AT THE PARK, I WOULD COME HOME SOMETIMES FROM SCHOOL OR WHEREVER I WAS AT.
AND I'D ASKED MY MOM HE'S DOWN OVER THERE.
MOM, NEXT DAY OR TWO LATE WHERE'S DAD.
HE'S AT PAN-AM BY, BUT AFTER A WHILE I DIDN'T ASK BECAUSE I KNEW WHERE WAS OKAY.
AND HE WAS EITHER PLAYING, HE WAS ORGANIZING, UM, OR JUST ENRICHING, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM THERE.
I FEEL LIKE SEEING THAT AS A KID, I MAN, I, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS INSPIRATIONAL BECAUSE HE WAS GIVING BACK TO A PLACE THAT HAD GIVEN HIM SO MUCH.
UM, AND TO THIS DAY, MY DAD CONTINUES TO STAY INVOLVED IN THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
UM, HE'LL BE TURNING 80 NEXT YEAR, THIS SUMMER, UH, HE WAS PART OF, UH, A FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT, UM, AND WHERE HE ORGANIZED A MOVEMENT TO HONOR OLDER, FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS.
THESE ARE GUYS WHO HE PLAYED WITH.
UNFORTUNATELY MANY OF THEM ARE NO LONGER AROUND, BUT IT WAS REALLY HEARTWARMING TO SEE FAMILY COME AND ACCEPT THE AWARD AND UNDERSTAND THAT, WOW, MY FATHER DID SOMETHING REALLY UNIQUE ON THIS FIELD AND HE'S BEING HONORED FOR WHAT HE DID HERE.
UM, AND TO ME, THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF RECREATION.
THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF, OF ATHLETICS.
AND THIS FAN BACK HERE TO ME REALLY EXEMPLIFIES THAT.
IN FACT, TOMORROW, HE'S GOING TO BE PLAYING GOLF TOMORROW WITH A GROUP OF BUDDIES.
UH, IT STARTED AS EIGHT INDIVIDUALS.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, HE'S ORGANIZED THESE GROUPS.
THEY GO PLAY AT A CITY AT A CITY GOLF COURSE AT, AT, UH, UH, JIMMY CLAY.
AND HE'S AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HIM STILL STAYING INVOLVED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR SOME GREAT STORIES TONIGHT, AND I'M EXCITED THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS.
AND AGAIN, WE, WE WOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER YOU, UH, THINKING ABOUT MY FATHER AND RENAMING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CHRIS TO YOU.
NEXT UP IS, UM, MR. ART, RAMIREZ, IS HE OUT SIDE HI, MR. RAMIREZ, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I INT I ATTENDED SAVALA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO PAN-AM AND MARTIN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS DOWN THE STREET FROM PAN-AM AFTER GETTING MARRIED.
WE MOVED OUT OF EAST AUSTIN, BUT EVERYTHING WE LOVE WAS STILL EAST OUR CHURCH, OUR YOUTH LEAGUE THAT OUR SONS PARTICIPATED IN.
AND OF COURSE MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME.
PAN-AM FORTUNATELY, WE GOT BACK AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD.
AND NOW WE ARE RE UH, LIVING JUST FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM THE PAN-AM SOFTBALL FIELD.
I'M THE OWNER OF A VISION GENERAL CONTRACTORS, AND THE MAJORITY OF MY PROJECTS ARE LOCATED IN EAST AUSTIN.
PRIOR TO BEING A BUSINESS OWNER, I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 24 YEARS.
DURING MY LAST FIVE YEARS, I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE THE SITE SUPERVISOR OF THE PAN-AM RECREATION CENTER.
SO I KNOW OF WHAT I SPEAK WHEN I SAY THE RECREATION CENTER, THE SOFTBALL FIELD AND ALL ITS HISTORY, HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF MANY EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS, INCLUDING MYSELF.
AND TODAY, I PROUDLY HERE BEFORE YOU TO OFFER
[00:45:01]
MY FULL SUPPORT OF RENAMING THE PAN-AM SOFTBALL FIELD TO TONY TC CASTEEL FIELD.MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH TC TONY OR TC HAS WE AFFECTIONATELY HAVE CALLED THEM WAS WHEN I WAS 11 OR 12 YEARS OLD.
I VIVIDLY REMEMBER BEING A PARTICIPANT AT THE RENE RAMIREZ CAMP FOR KIDS WHILE THE CAMP WAS NAMED FOR RENEE I US, AND THERE'S NO RELATION.
IT WAS TC WHO WAS THE CAMP ORGANIZER? I REMEMBER THE CAMP BUS PICKING ME UP AND MY FRIENDS AT PAN-AM AND AT THE OLD SALVATION ARMY TO TAKE US TO THE CAMP.
I REMEMBER TC SHOWING ME HOW TO PROPERLY HOLD A GOLF CLUB, HOW TO PLAY BASEBALL.
I REMEMBER IN A BASEBALL GAME AT CAMP, I WAS HIT BY A PITCH.
TC WAS THE UMPIRE AND TC LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, NO BLOOD TAKE YOUR BASE.
SO AS A CAMP PARTICIPANT, I SPENT A WEEK LEARNING THERE ABOUT BASEBALL, GOLF, SWIMMING, BASKETBALL, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD REMAIN WITH ME MY ENTIRE LIFE, TC OVERSAW, ALL KIDS' ACTIVITIES.
AND HE WAS A NATURAL AT HOLDING THE ATTENTION OF THE KIDS LONG ENOUGH TO TEACH NOTABLE SKILLS.
I WAS A BENEFICIARY AND A PRODUCT OF EVERYTHING TC HAD TO OFFER.
I REACQUAINTED MYSELF WITH TC WHEN I PLAYED BASKETBALL AT AUSTIN HIGH, AND HE WAS THE HEAD COACH AT JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
HE WAS HIGHLY RESPECTED AND REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST COACHES AROUND JOHNSON WAS ALWAYS ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS IN THE CITY.
ALSO DURING MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, MY DAD WOULD TAKE ME AND MY BROTHERS TO WATCH MANS FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS COORDINATED BY THE JOKERS ATHLETIC CLUB.
THE, THE JOKER SPONSORED THE TOURNAMENT AND TC WAS THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO HAVE THREE MINUTES.
SOMEONE HAVE TO ASK YOU TO, TO WRAP IT UP, BUT IT WAS GREAT.
AND IF YOU CAN JUST WRAP IT UP REAL QUICKLY, BUT IT'S A WONDERFUL, OKAY.
UM, IN CLOSING TO RENAME A CITY FACILITY IN SOMEONE'S NAME IS A TRUE HONOR.
IT REQUIRES THAT THAT PERSON BE HIGHLY RESPECTED AS A MODEL CITIZEN AND THE DIRECT LINK TO THE FACILITY AND THE TRUE HISTORY RELATED TO THE CITY TO THE FACILITY.
SO AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN EAST AUSTIN GREW UP AT PAN-AM WORKS IN EAST, AUSTIN, WORKED AT PAN-AM AND LIVES IN EAST AUSTIN.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO RENAME THE PAN-AM SOFTBALL FIELD TO THE TONI TC CASTEEL FIELD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR COMING.
UM, NEXT UP, MR. UH, ERNESTO NATO.
MY NAME IS
TONY AND I GO BACK MANY YEARS AND YOU CAN TELL THEM ABOUT PLAYING BASKETBALL AND BEING INVOLVED IN A LOT OF ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE OTHER NIGHT, I WAS WATCHING A OLD DOCUMENTARY, UH, FOREIGN INDIVIDUALS IN HOUSTON.
UH, HE WILL KNOW THEM, READ THAT UP ON THEA, RUBEN MARTINEZ, UH, TWO OTHERS.
THE PUNCHES WHO DON AND MARIO THOUGHT IS.
I KNOW THAT TONY WILL REMEMBER THEM CAUSE WE PLAYED AGAINST EACH OTHER.
AND AT THE END OF THE, OF THE, THE INTERVIEW WITH THESE FOUR GENTLEMEN ALREADY IN THEIR EIGHTIES, LIKE ME, I'M 81.
THEY SAID, WHO IN YOUR LIFE IMPACTED YOU THE MOST? AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO ME THAT WHEN THEY FLIPPED THE PAGE AND PART OF THE PRODUCTION, IT WERE THE FACES OF MY PARENTS.
AND I WAS CAUGHT A TOTAL SURPRISE.
THIS WAS HAPPENED TWO NIGHTS AGO.
I CALL MY DAUGHTER NICOLE AND SAYS YOUR GRANDPA AND YOUR GRANDMA FEATURED IN THIS DOCUMENT DOCUMENTARY, YOU OUGHT TO WATCH IT.
THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY GOOD PEOPLE IN EAST AUSTIN, VERY NOBLE, VERY INVOLVED, VERY CIVIC ORIENTED INDIVIDUALS.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THERE ARE SOME WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN BUSINESS.
OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN POLITICS AND SO FORTH, BUT THERE ARE THOSE ANGELS, THOSE, THOSE SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO CHANGE THE SOCIAL
[00:50:01]
CULTURE AND SOCIAL FABRIC OF A COMMUNITY AND IT'S ENDURING AND IT'S IMPACTFUL.AND SO THAT'S WHERE TONY FITS IN QUIET, UNASSUMING, BUT EFFECTIVE IN HIS WORK.
AND HE DOES IT WITHOUT NATE, THE NEED FOR REWARD.
I MENTIONED HE HAS DONE IT FOR YEARS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, OLDER PEOPLE, FAMILIES IN THEIR ENTIRETY.
AND HE'S CHANGED THE CONSCIOUSNESS AS WE CALL IT CHANGING MINDSETS FROM COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SUFFERED TO COMMUNITIES THAT LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR, DO THEIR DEVELOPMENT IN TO THEIR ASPIRATIONS.
THOSE ARE UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS AND THEY DON'T EXIST IN EVERY COMMUNITY, BUT THEY DO.
AND WE HAVE TO FIND THEM AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY DO AND THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE WORK.
THEY LOVE THE MISSION AND THEY LOVE WORKING, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR THIS COMMITTEE, THIS COMMISSION OF, OF INDIVIDUALS AT THE BOARD LEVEL WILL BE IN NAMING THAT CENTER FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE.
WHO'VE LIVED THERE FOR MANY GENERATIONS.
IT'S NOT, IT SHOULDN'T BE POLITICAL.
IT SHOULDN'T BE BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS SUCCESSFUL AS THE BUSINESS PERSON.
IT SHOULD BE SOMEONE WHO CHANGED LIVES, WHO GAVE HIS HEART OR HER HEART TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND NOW IT'S TIME TO RECOGNIZE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO PEOPLE AND HOW IT CHANGED, HOW THEY SAW THE WORLD.
THIS HAS BEEN A REAL HONOR AND I'M INDEED HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH A GOOD FRIEND, BERNICE AND HIS HORSE, TONY AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE.
UM, NEXT UP, MR. WILLIAM COHEN.
HELLO, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
MY NAME IS BILL COHEN AND I'M THE PRESIDENT AND OWNER OF OUR FAMILY'S 138 YEARS OLD JEWELRY COMPANY, JOE COHEN AND SON JEWELERS.
I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RENAMING THE PAN-AMERICAN CENTER AFTER COACH TONY CASTEEL IN 1980, EXCUSE ME.
I WAS BUSED FROM ANDERSON TO JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
AS A RESULT OF FORCED INTEGRATION.
I PLAYED BASKETBALL AT ANDERSON AND THE COACH AT THE TIME WAS BILL THOMPSON FROM MY 16 YEAR OLD EYES.
COACH THOMPSON WAS A GIANT OF A MAN.
HE MUST HAVE STOOD ABOUT SIX FOOT SIX AND WEIGHED ABOUT 250 POUNDS OR MORE.
COACH THOMPSON'S WIFE HAD WORKED AT OUR JEWELRY STORE.
SO WE HAD A PRIOR RELATIONSHIP.
I REMEMBER COACH THOMPSON TELLING ME YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE COACH CASTILLO AT JOHNSTON.
HE'S AN EAST AUSTIN AND JOHNSTON LEGEND COACH THOMPSON SAID HE WAS A GIANT IN HIS COMMUNITY.
THIS WORD MAY A BIT IS I THOUGHT COACH THOMPSON WAS A GIANT STANDING ABOUT SIX FOOT SIX.
I COULDN'T IMAGINE HOW BIG THIS COACH CASTEEL MUST BE.
IF COACH THOMPSON WAS CALLING HIM A GIANT FAST FORWARD TO THE FIRST DAY OF BASKETBALL PRACTICE AT JOHNSTON AND THE SWINGING DOOR TO THE GYM FLIES OPEN LIKE A STICK OF DYNAMITE, HIT IT.
AND HERE COMES THIS HURRICANE OF A MAN THROUGH THE DOOR.
AND HE SAID, GENTLEMEN, I'M COACH CASTILLO.
AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHAT COACH CHRISTINA HAS DONE FOR THE LAST 65 YEARS.
THIS GIANT OF A MAN IMMEDIATELY WON THE HEARTS AND RESPECT OF SO MANY NEW STUDENTS, BOYS AND GIRLS, WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC, OR OTHER ATHLETES, OR BECAUSE HE OPENED HIS HEART TO US AND GAVE US HIS ALL THE EXACT SAME WAY THAT HE HAS DONE AT THE PAN AMERICAN CENTER AND EAST AUSTIN FOR 65 YEARS, HE TAUGHT ME IN MANY OTHER SO MUCH MORE THAN BASKETBALL.
HE TAUGHT US HOW TO SUCCEED ON AND OFF THE QUARTER FIELD.
HE TAUGHT US RESPECT AND HARD WORK.
HE TAUGHT US TO HAVE PRIDE PRIDE OF THE EAST SIDE.
HE LED BY EXAMPLE AND HE STILL DOES.
IT WAS EASY TO SEE THE RESPECT AND LOVE THAT THE JOHNSTON STUDENTS, FELLOW COACHES, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS HAD FOR COACH CASTILLO.
CASTILLO IS STILL TEACHING, STILL COACHING, STILL GIVING HIMSELF TO US AND TO SO MANY OTHERS, COACH CASTILLO COULD ALSO SHOW US TOUGH LOVE AND LET'S FACE IT.
MANY OF US NEEDED IT BACK IN THE DAY.
HE DID IT BECAUSE HE CARED ABOUT US.
HE WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND HE DID.
HE HAD A FAMILY, HE HAD KIDS OF HIS OWN.
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO POUR HIS HEART AND SOUL INTO COACHING, TEACHING, MENTORING, ALL THESE OTHER KIDS THAT WEREN'T HIS, BUT HE DID.
HE DID IT AT JOHNSTON AND AKINS HIGH SCHOOLS.
HE DID IT AT THE PAN AMERICAN CENTER AND HE'S DONE IT ALL OVER EAST AUSTIN FOR HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
COACH CASTILLO IS NOT A ONE HIT WONDER.
HE'S A LIFETIME ACHIEVER, ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR THE CHILDREN AND RESIDENTS OF EAST AUSTIN.
I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE ELSE BEING MORE DESERVING OF THIS HONOR, COACH CASTILLO'S ROOTS TO THE PAN-AMERICAN CENTER IN EAST AUSTIN, RUN TRUER AND DEEPER THAN ANYONE ELSE THAT I KNOW CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AT THE PAN-AMERICAN CENTER AND ALL THROUGHOUT EAST AUSTIN IN SUCH A POSITIVE AND GENUINE WAY.
HE HAS SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFETIME GIVING OF HIMSELF
[00:55:01]
TO THE PAN AMERICAN CENTER.UM, NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. TONY CASTILLO.
AM I REDOING? AM I ALREADY AT THE BOTTOM? NO.
OH, I MEAN IRENE AND, UH, THERE'S THREE.
ALL RIGHT THEN EVIDENTLY, UM, MS. IRENE, I'LL BE EIGHTH.
MY NAME IS IRENE
I FIRST MET TONY W WHEN WE WERE IN THE SEVENTH GRADE AND WE CONTINUED AS CLASSMATES THROUGH OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL CAREER, TONY STOOD OUT AS A CLASS FAVORITE AT A LEADER.
TONY GRADUATED FROM JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN GRADUATE THEN GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AFTER WHICH HE STARTED HIS CAREER AS AN EDUCATOR AND A COACH.
TONY SOON BECAME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TEACHERS BECAUSE HE KNEW HOW TO BRING KIDS FROM ALL RACES AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS TOGETHER.
HE TAUGHT AND COACHED FOR 33 YEARS.
IN 1986, THE HIGHLIGHT OF HIS COACHING CAREER WAS TAKING HIS VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM TO THE STATE SEMIFINALS AT THE ERWIN CENTER.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY IN EAST AUSTIN CAME TO CHEER ON THE JOHNSTON RAMS. AS THE ERWIN CENTER WAS SOLD OUT IN 1961, TONY HELPED ESTABLISH THE JOKER'S ATHLETIC CLUB, WHICH IS STILL IN EXISTENCE.
SINCE THAT TIME, TONY HAS CONDUCTED YEARLY FAST PITCH AND BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AT THE PAN-AM AND HE IS STILL VERY ACTIVE AND MAINTAIN AND SCHEDULE THESE TOURNAMENTS.
HE MADE SURE THE CONCESSIONS WERE MAN HAD OFFICIALS FOR THE GAMES AND TROPHIES FOR THE WINNERS.
AND YES, TONY STILL PLAYS ON AN OVER FIFTIES TEAM.
TONY HAS ALSO GIVEN A LOT OF HIS TIME TO OTHER ACTIVITIES AT THE PAN-AM.
HE ORGANIZED AND DIRECTED CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVES FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS AT EAST AUSTIN.
HE CONDUCTED MANY BASKET BASEBALL PAPS.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, AFTER ONE OF HIS BASEBALL CAMPS, TONY AND MEMBERS OF THE JOKERS ATHLETIC CLUB RENTED A BUS AND TOOK THE CAMP PARTICIPANTS TO WATCH AN ASTROS GAME IN HOUSTON.
HE COACHED IN YOUTH LEAGUES AND UMPIRED HUNDREDS OF GAMES.
HE ALSO SERVED ON THE PAN-AM ADVISORY BOARD FOR SEVEN YEARS, WITH FOUR OF THOSE BEING PRESIDENT, ALL OF HIS COMMITMENTS AS COMMUNITY LEADER AND HIS INVOLVEMENT IN ORGANIZATIONS ARE TOO MANY TODAY.
TONY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GO-TO GUY.
IF SOMEONE HAS A PROBLEM OR NEEDS ADVICE, NOT ONLY IS HE WELL-KNOWN IN EAST AUSTIN, HE IS LOOKED UPON AS A LEADER AND IS HIGHLY RESPECTED.
MY FRIEND, I CAN THINK I CAN NOT THINK OF ANY PERSON THAT IS MORE DESERVING OF HAVING THE PAN-AM SOFTBALL FIELD AND OUR, THE PAN-AM PARK COMPLEX NAMED IN HIS HONOR.
OKAY, NOW, UM, MS.
AND THEN I HAVE TONY CASTILLO.
UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PRESENTERS THAT YOU HEARD.
UH, I KNOW THEY GAVE, UH, THEIR TIME TODAY.
UH, LET ME SEE, LET ME JUST SAY IT JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF GROWING UP.
UH, WE MOVED TO AUSTIN IN THE EARLY FIFTIES FROM TEMPLE, TEXAS.
UH, I QUICKLY FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A RECREATION CENTER ON 13 KOMAL, AND I WENT THERE AND I CONTINUED TO GO THERE.
AND THAT WAS THE, THE O THE ONLY IS A LATINO AT THAT TIME REGRESSION CENTER IN AUSTIN.
AND THAT WAS BUILT IN 1942 THERE, UH, THE DIRECTOR, THERE WAS A YOUNG, ENERGETIC, UH, RAY GHETTO.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH HIS PARK.
UH, I ATTENDED MAKE THE NINE BLOCK JOURNEY, UH, TO THE PAN-AM,
[01:00:01]
UH, CENTER, UH, WAS INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITIES.I ENJOY PLAYING BASKETBALL AND THE CONCRETE SLAP THAT WAS OUTSIDE, UH, ON OCCASIONS, I WOULD STAY LATER AND WATCH THE MEN'S FAST PITCH GAMES THERE AT HARTFIELD, WHICH WAS CORNER, UH, FROM THE CENTER, AS WELL AS TOUCH MANS FOOTBALL IN SEPTEMBER, LET'S SEE, SEPTEMBER 7TH, 1956, YOU STOPPED AND GOT A GIFT FROM HEAVEN.
MAYOR TOM MILLER INVITED THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON TO COME TO THESE SITE TO SEEK THE DEDICATION OF THE FANISH CENTER.
GREAT DAY, DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF IT, MY LITTLE HOMIES AND I, WHICH SNEAK INTO THE ROUTE, THE, UH, THE GYM AREA AND THE GOALS WERE THEN CONSTRUCTED THERE FIRST.
AND WE SAID, WE'RE MAKING HISTORY TONIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE HISTORY TONIGHT.
I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO SCORE ON THIS SIDE OF THE GOAL.
AND I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO MAKE A FREE THROW ON THE WEST COAST.
AND THE OTHER GUYS CLAIMED THEIR WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, CENTER WAS BILLED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BADLY NEEDED.
I PLAYED, PARTICIPATED, VOLUNTEERED DURING MY HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH YEARS THERE BECAUSE I LIVED A BLOCK AWAY.
UH, AS I ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, I WORKED FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
YOU NAME THE PLAYGROUND AND HE STASHED IT.
DIDN'T WORK AT MONTOPOLIS BECAUSE IT WASN'T BUILT YET THREE MINUTES ALREADY.
WELL, LET, LET ME SAY, LET ME PLEASE, LET ME, LET ME SAY, LET ME SAY CLOSING REALLY QUICKLY.
THIS, THIS, I COPIED DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND THIS, THESE ARE HIS WORDS AND I JUST MODIFIED IT A LITTLE BIT.
AND THIS IS FROM A WOUND VALDEZ, THE ARTISTS, THEY DID THE MURAL AT THE HILLSIDE AT PAN-AM, AND HE SAYS THE CENTER, THE HILLSIDE, THE TENNIS COURTS.
AND OF COURSE THE STUBBLEFIELD OR SYMBOLS, WELL, THE PEOPLE OF EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY NOW, NOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS TRYING TO SURVIVE.
IT'S AVARIO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS OUT.
I BELIEVE THAT'S IT FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION ON THIS? UM, I DON'T, SO, OKAY.
SO DIRECTOR MCNEILLY, DO YOU WANT TO, UH, PRESENT? YES.
SO KIMBERLY MCNEALY FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR.
AND IF WE COULD JUST PULL UP THE PAN-AM PRESENTATION FOR THE BALL FIELD, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU WILL RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE EXACT SAME INFORMATION, UH, THAT TALKS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PARK, RIGHT? THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
IT TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY AND THE SIZE.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST TWO SLIDES, AND THEN I WILL SKIP OVER THOSE SINCE YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THAT AND TALK, UM, I'LL PROVIDE YOU THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT I'VE BEEN, THAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT, UM, MR. CASTILLO'S LIFE, SO, AND HIS NOMINATIONS.
SO WE WILL BE ON PAGE FOUR OF THE PRESENTATION, AND YOU'LL NOTICE ON PAGE FOUR, THE PRESENTATION IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, MR. CASTILLO SERVING AS THE PAN-AM ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER.
AND WE THINK, I THINK WE HEARD A SPEAKER TALK TO THAT AND THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY, HE RECEIVED THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY RECIPIENT FOR THE OUTSTANDING MALE PARTICIPANT.
UM, WE HEARD THAT HE WAS A JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER.
WE KNOW THAT HE WAS THE FAST PITCH FATHER OF THE YEAR.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE SAID THAT.
HE WAS THE FAST PITCH, THE TEXAS FASTPITCH FATHER OF THE YEAR.
UM, HE WAS THEN HE WAS, UH, NOMINATED AS PART OF THE NATIONAL LATIN AMERICAN SOFTBALL HALL OF, UM, HALL OF HONOR INDUCTEE.
UM, HE IS A COMMUNITY LEADER, A SPORTS LEADER, AN EMPIRE, A COACH.
AND HE DID, UH, MOST OF THIS WORK OR ALL OF THIS WORK IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND WE LISTED SOME OF THOSE, UM, SOME OF THE SPORTS IN WHICH HE WAS A LEADER, A, A UMPIRE, A COACH IN, UM, HE WAS AN ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER FOR THE PAN-AM RECREATION CENTER.
AND HE ALSO SERVED AS A TEACHER AND A COACH FOR JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR
[01:05:01]
APPROXIMATELY 33 YEARS.NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UM, IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR, FOR THIS GAMING.
AND REMEMBER, JUST SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE OF THIS IS TO NAME A BALL FIELD, THE BALL FIELD THAT'S AT THE PAN-AM, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
AND THE NAMING APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, IT CONTAINED A BACKUP OF 28 SEPARATE SUPPORTERS, AND THERE WERE A FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS, UM, PROVIDED A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION AND THAT WAS ALL FORWARDED TO YOU IN A PACKET.
SO YOU COULD READ EACH OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND HEAR ALL THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT, UM, ABOUT MR. CASTILLO AND SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WROTE THE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY HERE, HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH MENTIONING IS THAT THE HONORABLE ELIZABETH EARLE FROM CH WHO IS A TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE ALSO EXPRESSED, UM, SUPPORT FOR THIS NOMINATION OF THE BATTLEFIELD.
AND, UM, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, THIS IS AVAILABLE TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION AS A BOARD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.
AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE WAY THAT THE CODE IS WRITTEN IS THAT FEATURES WITHIN A PARK, WHICH WOULD BE A BALL FIELD, WHICH IS A FEATURE WITHIN A PARK.
IT IS AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE DISCRETION OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, AND THE DIRECTOR MAY BRING IT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND THEN HISTORICALLY THAT HAS BEEN THE PRECEDENT THAT HAS BEEN WHAT I HAVE DONE.
UH, WHENEVER THERE HAS BEEN A NAMING OF A FEATURE, I HAVE ALWAYS BROUGHT IT TO THE BOARD.
AND SO THE BOARD CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, UH, IN, IN HOWEVER THEY WANT TO DO THAT.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION FOR MR. DURAN.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION ALSO.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY, YOU CAN MAKE ANY KIND OF RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU WANT, BUT ULTIMATELY THE RECOMMENDATION GOES BACK TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR FOR SOME FINAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
AND WITH THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SHARE BECAUSE WE ALREADY WENT, WE SKIPPED THE FIRST SLIDES CAUSE WE ALREADY KNEW.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND SEE IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT OR, AND, OR HAS ANYTHING TO ADD.
SO I'LL START WITH YOU BOARD MEMBER COTTONS.
UM, OH, I'M ON, UM, I, I REALLY LIKE ALL THE THINGS THAT I HEARD ABOUT MR. CASTILLO.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE, THE ENERGY BEHIND NOMINATING SOMEONE WHO WAS A REGULAR CITIZEN.
SOMEBODY WHO'S A TEACHER OR SOMEONE'S, WHO'S A COACH, SOMEONE WHO'S NOT NECESSARILY FAMOUS.
UM, MY CONCERN IS WE HAVE, I DON'T REMEMBER AREN'T ON OUR NAMING THING.
DO WE HAVE, IS IT A RETIRE OR RETIREMENT? DO I WISH I WISH BOARD MEMBER CARLOS HERE AND SHE'S SHE IS NOT HERE YET.
SO YOUR QUESTION IS, DID WE HAVE A, WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE RECOMMENDED THAT WAS RIGHT.
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, DO WE HAVE IN REQUIREMENTS FOR RETIRED AGE OR WHAT, WHAT WAS SOME OF THOSE THINGS? DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER? THAT KIND OF GOES WITH MY QUESTION AND BECAUSE DIRECTOR MCNEELY REFERRED TO, UM, THE CODE, WHICH GIVES, MAKES THIS A DIRECTOR DISCRETION DECISION AND SHE, BUT I, I'VE NOT, I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN THE CODE CITATION.
YOU KNOW, WE WORKED ON AN ORDINANCE.
I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T JUST BEEN CITED TO SOMETHING WE CAN READ ABOUT THE PROCESS.
RIGHT? WELL, WE DID, WE WENT THROUGH THIS AFTER WE, UM, THE NAMING OF THE GEORGE MARYELLA'S RECREATION CENTER.
WE HAD A WORKING GROUP THAT CAME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NAMING PROCESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE EVER ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT WAS, UM, AS FAR AS NAMING SOMEBODY THAT WAS, THEY HAD TO BE, UM, TO SEE, I CANNOT, I DO NOT REMEMBER BOARD, UH, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA.
DO YOU RECALL WHAT IT WAS A NO.
UM, SO TO GO BACK REAL QUICK, I'M GOING TO ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS HERE.
THE CODE ITSELF IS, UH, CHAPTER 14, ONE DASH 38 PROCEDURE FOR NAMING A FEATURE.
DOES IT REQUIRE ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR IT INDIVIDUAL'S BIOLOGICAL OR BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE INDIVIDUAL BEING NAMED AS FAR AS, AND AS FAR AS THE NAMING ORDINANCE, UH, AMENDMENT THAT THE PARKS BOARD HAD APPROVED AND SENT ON TO COUNCIL, UM, IT HAD NOT BEEN ADOPTED AND, OR HAD BEEN TAKEN UP AND UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE IT WOULD RESOLVE THIS ISSUE REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY, UM, IN THAT CASE, IT DID REQUIRE THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE DECEASED.
SO THERE WAS OTHER REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION,
[01:10:01]
BECAUSE I KNEW WE HAD TO ADDRESS THAT AFTER THE CHORES MORELS.DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY.
SO, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COME AND SPEAK.
IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR ALL YOUR STORIES AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TEAM.
UM, WARDENBURG BERNARD, DO YOU HAVE ANY BOARD MEMBER HAGMAN? JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
YOU'RE UM, YOU JUST REPRESENT AUSTIN SO WELL AND YOUR COLORFUL STORIES ABOUT LIFE AND GROWING UP AND THE CHARACTERS THAT SHAPED EACH OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.
I ALSO APPRECIATE HEARING, UM, ABOUT MR. CASTILLO AND I, AS I SAID WITH THE OTHER FAMILY, I, I VERY MUCH SUPPORT NAMING OUR FACILITIES AND FEATURES AFTER COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT HAVE WORKED IN THE FACILITIES AND WORKED WITH KIDS IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, SO MUCH MORE THAN SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE BUILDERS AND THE DONORS.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE WAY WE CAN HONOR OUR HISTORY HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND IT'S JUST A TOUGH DECISION HOW TO PROCEED WITH THIS.
ABSOLUTELY FOR A MEMBER RINALDI, UM, NO QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ECHO THE, THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT AND SHARED THEIR STORIES TODAY.
THAT WAS, UM, VERY INTERESTING AND REALLY VALUABLE AND MEANINGFUL.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, I AGREE WITH BOARD MEMBER FAUST, UM, UH, WITH, WITH REGARDS TO NAMING, NAMING THESE FACILITIES AFTER, UM, CITIZENS WHO WERE ACTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TO THIS EVENING AND AGREE THAT THIS IS A TOUGH DECISION.
DO YOU HAVE THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER? UH, I MEAN VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA.
AND AS REMARKABLE, YOU KNOW, AS I LATINO MALE AND I OFTEN FIND MYSELF THE ONLY FACE IN A LOT OF THE PARK AND RECREATION, UM, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE TWO FOLKS WHO WERE DONE SO MUCH FOR THE COMMUNITIES.
I'D NEVER HAD TO MEET KIND OF CHANCE TO MEET YOU MR. CASTILLO, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO, AT SOME TIME I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET RABBIT, UH, ROBERT DURAN AND HEARD THE WONDERFUL STORIES AND HEARD IT FIRSTHAND FROM RICHARD AND FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER, WHO, SINCE PASSWORDS WERE MOYA AND FROM GONZALO BARRY, ANTONIO, WHO WE REALLY ALL HAVE LONG CREDITED, UH, YOU KNOW, RABBIT AND WHAT HE DID, WHICH HE, YOU KNOW, RABBITS IS TWO BLOCKS AWAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM THE BALL FIELDS AND JUST HEARING WHAT, HOW THEY CREDITED RABBIT FROG, YOU KNOW, IF NOT FOR HIM, THEN HE WOULD NOT HAVE THE FIRST LATINO STATE.
ROBIN WOULD NOT HEARD THE COMMISSIONER OR MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST IT MADE IT A LOT HARDER.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S IS REALLY CHALLENGING.
I GUESS, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I DO HAVE.
UM, AND JUST SO IT'S CLEAR, I, I, UNTIL THIS CAME UP IN FRONT OF THE BOARD LAST MONTH, I HAD NO, NO KNOWLEDGE ON ANY OF THIS, BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANY ARC RESOURCES OR SCHOOL RESOURCES, I MEAN, FACILITIES NAMED AFTER ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, DO WE KNOW, DO WE KNOW IF ANYTHING ALREADY EXISTS? I GUESS THAT'S FOR BOARD, UH, FOR DIRECTOR NEELEY ON THE PARKSIDE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY FROM THE DISTRICT.
YEAH, I BELIEVE FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I THINK THAT EITHER, UH, THE CASTILLO FAMILY WOULD LIKELY BE ABLE TO CONFIRM THIS, THAT THERE IS A BALL FIELD BEHIND THE CAMACHO RECREATION CENTER THAT IS RUN BY THE CENTRAL AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION.
IT IS NAMED AFTER MR. CASTILLO, UH, UNSOLICITED THAT THAT IS A YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATION THAT WAS THERE.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS AN, UM, IT WAS, UH, BESTOWED UPON HIM.
IT WASN'T A SOLICITATION FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, THAT THEY THEY'VE INSTILLED THAT UPON HIM.
BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY INVITE FROM THE CASTILLO FAMILY WHO MIGHT WANT TO EXPAND UPON THAT BECAUSE THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND THEY MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT, WELL, I WILL SAY TO DO, OH, SIR, KIMBERLY YOU'RE CORRECT.
HE HAD VOLUNTEERED QUITE A BIT OF TIME THERE.
AND, UH, IF YOU RECALL WHERE THAT AREA IS, IT'S OVER THERE BY FIESTA GARDENS THAT THIS DOES A BALL FIELDS THAT ARE THERE.
I WANT TO SAY THERE'S ABOUT, UH, SIX OR SO.
UM, AND SO MY FATHER, UH, THEY WANTED TO HONOR HIM WITH THE NAMING.
THEY HONORED SEVERAL OTHER FOLKS AS WELL.
UM, BUT I WILL ALSO REITERATE, UM, THAT PAN-AM IS WHERE HE IS BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS FOR HAT.
AND IT, TO ME, IT'S VERY FITTING, UM, TO NAME IT AFTER HIM.
[01:15:02]
YOU KNOW, GIVEN, GIVEN THE DIFFICULTY CHAIR ON THIS WHOLE THING, UM, BUT TWO VERY DESERVING INDIVIDUALS, UM, AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE THE DIRECTOR, GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATION IN THIS INSTANCE, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO GO AHEAD AND LET HER WEIGH ALL THE INFORMATION, THE APPLICATIONS IN, MAKE THAT DECISION.AND THEN, AND THEN REPORT BACK AT A FUTURE DATE AS FAR AS WHAT DECISION IS MADE.
BUT I RESPECT THE, THE INTENT OF THE BOARD.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD? SO I CAN, CAN I ADD ONE THING? WELL, WE JUST, UM, I FEEL LIKE WE, I JUST GOT THIS LIKE REFERENCE AND WE SORTA GOT CLARITY ON THE FACT THAT WE HAD ADOPTED SOME NEW POLICIES ON NAMING FEATURES THAT WERE DEVELOPED FROM, WITH QUITE A BIT OF WORK BY THIS BOARD.
THERE WAS A WORKING GROUP AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION, AND WE EVEN, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK IT UP AT TWO OF THESE MEETINGS.
SO, UM, IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE DIRECTOR TO MAKE THE DECISION, BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN ABLE, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS EVEN IF CITY COUNCIL HASN'T ADOPTED THE CHANGES THAT WE ADOPTED AND, AND SENT TO THEM, YOU KNOW, IN MY MIND I WOULD PROCESS THIS, UM, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT WE ALREADY WORKED OUT AS WHAT WE WANTED TO BE THE CRITERIA FOR NAMING FACILITIES.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT IF THE BOARD WAS GOING TO CONSIDER IT.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO ASK, UM, TO BE CLEAR, CAUSE I DID GO TO A, UM, UH, UH, A BUILDING THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OWNS THE OTHER DAY THAT WAS NAMED AFTER MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO I DID JUST WANT TO CHECK WITH, UM, I GUESS ONLY THE CASTILLO FAMILY IS HERE TONIGHT, BUT IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR APPLYING BOTH NAMES TO THE FIELD SOMEHOW.
SO, AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT DIRECTLY MCNEELY WOULD, UM, WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED? OKAY, THANK YOU.
SO, SO IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
I MEAN, IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO GET, TO HEAR THE STORIES THAT YOU TELL AND, AND IT'S AN EDUCATION FOR US, AND IT'S ALWAYS WONDERFUL TO HEAR ABOUT CONTRIBUTIONS THAT, THAT AUSTINITES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES A BETTER PLACE.
AND WE REALLY, UM, APPRECIATE YOU GUYS SPENDING THE TIME TO COME ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE AND, AND, AND TALK TO THAT.
CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU.
I THINK I AGREE THAT WITH, WITH EVERYONE THAT THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY TOUGH DECISION.
I'M SURE EVERYBODY CAN RECOLLECT OUR, WHAT WE HEARD ABOUT MR. DURAN LAST AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND, AND HE WAS ALSO A VERY WORTHY AND DESERVING INDIVIDUAL AND I, I DO WANT, AND I, WE DID MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND I, AND I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE, UM, CRITERIA AND THERE WAS THAT WE RECOMMENDED NOT, UM, NAMING THINGS AFTER PEOPLE WHILE THEY WERE STILL ALIVE.
AND, AND THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION.
AND THIS IS NOT TO SAY ANYTHING, UM, ABOUT YOU MR. CASTILLO, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE DONE WONDERFUL THINGS AND I'M SURE YOU WILL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, BUT WE HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE NOT LIKE, AND SO WE, UM, SO WE DO WANT TO, THAT WAS WHY WE PUT THE, THAT IN THERE.
AND WE DID, I KNOW, I WISH BOARD MEMBER DECARLO WAS HERE BECAUSE SHE DID SPEND SHE AND, UM, FORMER MEMBER, UH, UM, PRINCIPAL LATELY RUNS A BOARD MEMBER.
THE WAS, UH, SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.
AND I, I CERTAINLY KNOW THAT THEY, UH, WOULD BE VERY VESTED IN MAKING SURE WE TRIED TO FOLLOW WHAT THE, WE DID RECORD, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE RECOMMENDED.
SO I'M KIND OF TORN, BUT AT THIS POINT, I, I WANT TO SEE WHETHER MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST SINCE, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A DIFFICULT DECISION AND WE DO HAVE THE OPTION OF JUST THROWING IT BACK AT THE DIRECTOR AND LETTING HER MAKE THE REALLY HARD DECISION THAT MIGHT BE.
UM, YEAH, BUT THE BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I PULLED UP YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS SPECIFIC TO FEATURES, AND CERTAINLY I COULD READ THOSE TO YOU, OR I COULD JUST DEFER TO THE BOARD TO, TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE VOTE.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I, I HAVE THOSE IN FRONT OF ME SPECIFIC TO FEATURES.
IF YOU CARE TO HEAR THEM, DID YOU I'LL ASK A BOARD MEMBER OF FOULS BECAUSE SHE WAS, IT'S PRETTY SHORT.
SO IT'S 14 DASH ONE DASH 38 PROCEDURE FOR NAMING A FEATURE, A PERSON MAY SUBMIT A NOMINATION OR A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR NAMING A PARK FEATURE, A NOMINATION OR ENDORSEMENT MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE DIRECTOR AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION.
THE DIRECTOR CAN PRO PROBLEM PROG RELATE.
I CAN NEVER, I DON'T GET THAT WORD RIGHT.
THEY CAN CREATE A FORMS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
A NOMINATION FOR NAMING A FEATURE MUST INCLUDE
[01:20:01]
IF THE NOMINATION IS AN INDIVIDUAL'S NAME, A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE NAME IS NOMINATED, THEIR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION OR CREDIBLE SERVICE TO THE PARK SYSTEM OR THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND THE INDIVIDUAL'S CONNECTION, IF ANY, TO THE PARK FEATURE OR TO THE ACTIVITIES FOR WHICH THE PARK FEATURE WAS USED.IF THE NOMINATION IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL JUSTIFICATION FOR THE SUGGESTED NAME, IF THE BASIS OF THE NOMINATION IS A CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION, A DESCRIPTION OF THE CULTURALLY GEOGRAPHIC OR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE SURROUNDING AREA OR COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE FEATURE EXISTS.
AND NUMBER FOUR, AN ESTIMATE OF THE COST TO THE CITY FOR THE PLACEMENT OR REPLACEMENT OF SIGNS OR PLAQUES, THE DIRECTOR MAY NOTIFY THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD THAT THE DIRECTOR FINDS THAT THE NOMINATION HAS APPROPRIATE JUSTIFICATION TO NAME THE PARK FEATURE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ENTITY.
SO THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO A PARK FEATURE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT TODAY.
HEARD A LITTLE BIT FROM THE OTHER.
SO AT THIS POINT, DOES, UM, I WOULD BE GLAD TO JUST MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THAT WE, UM, THAT WE SEND THIS BACK TO THE PARKS AND REC RECREATION DIRECTOR TO, UM, TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT WE, AND THAT WE, UM, WE DO FEEL THAT WE HAVE TWO VALUABLE AND WORTHY APPLICANTS FOR THE, UM, THE NAMING.
AND IF THERE WAS A WAY TO DO WHO WAS IT WHO SUGGESTED THAT WE CAN NAME THE FIELD AFTER BOTH OF THEM WAS THAT YOU VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA.
SOMEBODY SUGGESTED THAT, OH, OKAY.
WHICH WOULD ALSO BE ONE WAY TO, UM, OR SOME WAY TO REPRESENT BOTH.
I, IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT, THAT IT WAS JUST THIS ONE FEATURE THAT BOTH, UM, THAT BOTH PARTIES WANTED TO, UM, BE ATTACHED TO.
AND I GUESS CHAIR, I LIKE THAT YOUR, YOUR MOTION AS FAR AS GOING BACK.
UM, IF FOR SOME REASON, YOU KNOW, MR. CASTILLO HAS A NAMED AFTER IT, I CAN CHECK WITH MY FRIENDS OVER AT AISD AND SEE WHAT THEIR, UH, RENAMING POLICY HAS OR THEIR NAMING POLICY.
AND, UH, SEE IF THERE'S ANY FEATURES OVER AT THE NOW LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCE ACADEMY THAT, UM, THAT ALSO BE WORTHY, UM, SINCE HE RETIRED AT HER BECAUSE HE RETIRED AFTER 33 YEARS, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, BUT I'LL NEED SOMEBODY, THEY GET BACK TO ME WHAT OTHER DECISION HAS MADE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
SO THE MOTION PASSES, SO GOOD LUCK, DR.
MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR MEET KNEELING.
THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME OUT HERE.
UH, MOVING ONTO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE PRESENT, UH, I'M LOOKING AT BUILDING THE CHAIR.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU DID THE NON-CONSENT ITEMS. IF YOU VOTED ON THOSE, OR IF ANYONE WANTED TO PULL, THEN I WAS JUST GOING TO PAY HER.
I WAS GOING TO DO THE NON-CONSENT.
I WAS GOING TO DO THE POND AND THEN GO BACK TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR IF THAT'S OKAY.
AND I DO WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS FOR THE POND.
THAT'S NOT MY RECOLLECTION ADDRESSED.
[01:25:04]
I THINK WE DO.DO INVOLVE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE WHOLE PARK.
I WAS JUST GOING TO BE OFF THE DIET.
SHE SHOULD JUST BE OFF FOR THE WHOLE THING.
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, STILL SEVEN, SIX.
TECHNICALLY SOMEBODY CALLED GREG CASAR AND GET HIM TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
WE HAVE THESE QUORUM ISSUES ALL THE TIME.
WELL, IT DOESN'T COUNT AS BEING, I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S WHAT
WHAT I MEAN, WE'RE NOT VOTING, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT
WELL, IF YOU DON'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS AND JUST SIT THERE, IT SHOULD BE FINE.
I THINK TECHNICALLY I'M NOT WIRED, BUT I THINK THAT YOU ARE IN A SPIRIT OF WHAT REFUSAL IS ABOUT.
I WANT IT TO REFUSE, BUT I THINK I FEEL WE'LL BE ON THE DIET.
SO IF THAT'S WHAT IT IS, I DON'T WANT TO HOLD ANYTHING UP HERE.
[B5. Presentation and discussion regarding the pond concept development as part of the vision plan process for Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park.]
SO THIS IS THE PRESENTATION OF DISCUSSING DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PONG CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF THE VISION PLAN PROCESS FOR BEVERLY SHEFFIELD NORTHWEST DISTRICT PARK.AND SO I THINK WE'LL HAVE OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION FIRST.
SO I HAVE, UH, DAVID RISK ALLEN YOU'RE UP.
SHE'LL BE HEADED TO THIS TOP ONE.
[01:30:02]
AND, UH, RETIRED FROM, UH, STATE TEXAS STATE PARKS, WHERE I WAS DIRECTOR OF NATURAL RESOURCES, UH, INCLUDING PLANNING FOR ABOUT THE LAST 12 YEARS.SO I WAS INVOLVED IN PLANNING MOST STATE PARKS SINCE 1972.
SO THAT'S MY QUALIFICATIONS BACKGROUND.
UM, BASED ON THE INFORMATION PRESENTED ON THE ITEMS BEFORE US, WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT, UH, THE POND IS NOW CENTERED AROUND AN EXISTING POND AND PROTECTING EXISTING TREES AND HABITAT PLUS THE ISLAND.
SO WE BELIEVE, UH, GREAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN TERMS OF PROTECTING THE HABITAT, WHICH ISN'T THAT CONIC FEATURE OF THIS PARK.
AND IF YOU CAN LOOK AT THE SLIDE BEHIND YOU, UH, THAT'S THE 1955 NEWSPAPER STORY.
AND THE AUSTIN STATES, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FOUNDING OF THE PARK AND WHAT THE ORIGINAL PLANS WERE.
AND THE IMPORTANT THING IS, IS THE POND, IS THERE DEAD CENTER? UH, SAY, I HAVE TO GO TO THE NEXT, THE NEXT SIDE IS THE REAL ESTATE SIDE.
IT'S A 1940S AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH.
I DON'T HAVE A POINTER, BUT YOU SEE THE U SHAPE.
THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BEEN IN, UH, SHOW CREEK.
AND THE INTERESTING THING IS WHERE MOST OF THE PARK IS NOW IS OPEN PASTURE LAND.
THE POND WAS PUT IN WITH THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK.
UH, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL TOPO BEFORE THE PARK WAS DEVELOPED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE WAS AN ABANDONED SHOAL CREEK THERE.
I LIVED THERE ALL THOSE YEARS, BUT I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE TOPOGRAPHY TILL I GOT THE OLD TOPO MAP OUT.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENED IS WHEN AUSTIN GREW, THIS IS BEFORE SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD, SHOW CREEK BOULEVARD.
THEY STRAIGHTENED THE SHOAL CREEK AND PUT A SEWER LINE DOWN.
IT, THAT WAS THE REASON THEY STRAIGHTENED IT.
AND THAT BIG BEN NOW IS MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN NORTHWEST PARK.
UH, IN 1969, YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS TOPO MAP, THERE IS A VERY PRONOUNCED FEATURE.
AND THAT'S THE POND IN THE POND BACKED UP INTO THE SLUICE OF, THEY USED TO BE A LOT MORE WATER THERE.
UH, THIS IS 84 THAT POND AND THE SOLU WAS STILL THERE.
AND OF COURSE TODAY IN 1986, WHEN THEY DID THE DRY DETENTION POND, THEY CHANGED THE WHOLE PARK AROUND THE POOL, STAYED THE SAME.
THE BASEBALL DIAMOND WAS REORIENTED ACCESS TO SHOW CREEK WAS PUT IN, ACCESS ON ARTISTS WAS PUT IN, AND THIS IS THE CURRENT SHAPE OF THE POND.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE TREES OR OUT IN THE POD.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO SAY THAT KIND OF IS ISN'T IMPLIED IN THE PLANNING IS THE POND ALREADY IS A FUNCTIONING ECOSYSTEM.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS POND IS THE WATER HAS BEEN CUT OFF TO IT.
WHEN THE, WHEN THE 1986, UH, DRY DETENTION POND WAS BUILT, A 72 INCH STORM DRAIN WAS PUT IN THAT RAN DOWN A TRIBUTARY DRAINAGE.
UH, AND THERE WAS A SPRING HERE, WHICH IS SHOWN IN THIS 1973 MAC.
IF YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE SQUIGGLE THERE, THAT'S WHERE THE SPRING IS, IT'S CALLED 1 0 5.
THAT PER REPORT MISTAKENLY REPORTED THAT AS A WELL, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S A SPRING.
AND THAT SPRING IS STILL THERE.
IT'S JUST BURIED UNDER PROBABLY 10 OR 12 FEET OF FILL.
AND THEN THE 72 INCH WATER A STORM DRAIN WAS IMPOSED ON IT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'D LIKE TO DO IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SOME FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS IN THIS PARK IS TO SAY, IF THAT SPRING CANNOT BE RECLAIMED IT'S THERE PROBABLY, BUT THAT WATER NO LONGER GOES TO THE POND.
OR IF IT, IF IT GOES, IT GOES ONLY A MINIMAL, WE THINK MAYBE THERE'S TWO TO THREE GALLONS A MINUTE THAT SPRING PRODUCED 10 GALLONS A MINUTE.
UH, OF COURSE THIS IS THE OPTION.
ONE IN THE PLAN IS BEFORE YOU NOW, UH, WHICH IS THE CURRENT POND.
AND IT'S, IT'S ALREADY LOOKED AT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD WITH THE CURBING.
IT WOULD REQUIRE A LOTS OF ROOT CUTTING TO PUT THAT CURVING IN.
UH, THE ONE THING THAT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN IS THE DREDGING OF THE POND.
IF IT HAS TO BE DEEPENED BECAUSE THE ROOTS OF THOSE TREES GO THROUGHOUT THE POND.
SO IF YOU GO IN THERE AND START DREDGING MECHANICALLY, MORE THAN LIKELY, YOU'RE GOING TO HARM ALL THOSE TREES.
AND SO THE WHOLE OBJECT OF THIS IS TRYING TO PROTECT THEM.
SO YOU CAN REMOVE THAT SEDIMENT, BUT IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE DONE WITH HYDRAULIC GRADUATE, WHICH
[01:35:01]
IS A PRETTY COMMON TECHNIQUE.UH, AND IT'S JUST DONE WITH LIKE A VACUUMING DEVICE AND IT'S A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT IT CAN BE DONE AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO HARM THE ARM, THE TRAY, THE TREE ROOTS.
UH, LET ME SEE IF I CAN MOVE REAL QUICKLY.
THIS IS THE CURRENT POND, UH, THE PLAN CALL FOR DOING A LOT OF ADDITIONAL PLANTING AND SO FORTH.
THE MARGINS OF THE POND ARE WELL STABILIZED WITH CYPRESS ROOTS.
IT DOESN'T NEED ANY STABILIZATION.
AND MOST OF THESE NATIVE PLANTS WERE PLANTED BY VOLUNTEERS.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE REMOVED, THERE'S SOME POISON IVY AND A FEW THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THE POND ACTUALLY FUNCTIONS THE WAY IT IS.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE POND IS IT HAS NO EXTRA WATER SUPPLY BECAUSE THE SPRING HAS PROBABLY BEEN CUT OFF.
AND THE DRAIN IS THAT WE USED TO HAVE FROM THE TRIBUTARY, WENT TO THE SOUTHEAST, GOES ENTIRELY IN THAT STORM DRAIN.
NOW ALL 108 ACRES OF BURNET ROAD DRAINS THROUGH THAT STORM DRAIN.
AND IT GOES UNDER THE PARK AND COMES OUT AT THE ENTRANCE ON PARK AVENUE AND COMES OUT ON SHOAL CREEK.
SO ALL THAT WATER NO LONGER GOES TO THE PARK.
I HAVE ONE MORE STATEMENT IF I COULD FINISH.
UH, UH, SO WE SUPPORT OPTION THREE WITH SIDEBOARDS OPTION TWO, WE REJECT THOSE ARE JUST THE WATER QUALITY PONDS THAT WOULD DO TREMENDOUS DAMAGE.
SO WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT SOME ADDITIONAL STUDIES ARE DO THE PALM BATH IMAGERY.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE CONTOURS OF THE BOTTOM ARE.
WE NEED TO USE THOSE TO GUIDE WHAT WE DO.
THE HYDROLOGY NEEDS FURTHER STUDY THERE'S WATER THERE.
SO WE NEED SOME HYDROLOGICAL STUDIES.
THE FLOOR HAD FALLEN ARE ALSO WELL KNOWN.
THE IN-DEPTH STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AT WORK IN THE POND.
YOU WILL NEVER GET THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IF YOU IT'S LIKE AN IT THAT'S JUST WAY OVERSTATEMENT.
WE KNOW ENOUGH, I THINK, EXCEPT FOR THE HYDROLOGY, THE GEO-TECH WORK HAS BEEN DONE IN 1984 BY SB HOUSTON, THERE ARE 20 BORINGS IN THERE.
SO ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THAT.
GEO-TECH, THAT'S IN A 1984 REPORT.
OKAY, SO, UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE MARY FARRELL HI, MS. FARROW, YOU HAVE WELCOME ME THREE MINUTES.
I'M GLAD TO DAVID HIT THE TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, I AM A CURRENT MEMBER OF, UH, ELLENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, BOARD AND CHAIR OF THE PARKS COMMITTEE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY SHARING A WORD SYMBOL FROM GHANA SANKOFA, WHICH MEANS REACH BACK TO RECLAIM THAT WHICH IS LOST IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD.
TODAY, WE ASK YOU TO REACH BACK AND RECLAIM THE HISTORY OF THE POND AT NORTHWEST PARK.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN 1955 AT A TIME WHEN SHELL CREEK BOULEVARD DIDN'T EXIST IN THE AREA PARKS DIRECTOR, BEVERLY SHEFFIELD HAD A VISION FOR A PARK THAT WOULD YIELD THE CITY'S FIRST OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOL AND OTHER AMENITIES, INCLUDING THE DUCK PALM THAT COULD BE SUPPLEMENTED WITH, AS HE SAID, WELL, WATER FROM LAND THAT ONCE HELD THE CORE WHOSE LIMESTONE HELPED BUILD THE 1853 TEXAS CAPITOL, THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDED AND SHEFFIELD OVERSAW THE PURCHASE OF 31 ACRES FOR WHAT BECAME NORTHWEST PARK.
THE POND CELEBRATED HISTORY LATER INCLUDED YEARS OF SMALL FRY, FISHING DERBIES, WHERE HUNDREDS OF KIDS TOOK PART IN THE CITY SPONSORED AUSTIN AQUA FESTIVAL EVENTS, UNIQUE IN PARTS PORTFOLIO.
THE POND TODAY SERVES AS A VITAL HABITAT FOR FISH, FROGS, TURTLES, BIRDS, OTHER SPECIES, AND CHILDREN AND ADULTS EXPLORE AND CELEBRATE NATURE, BOTH PASSIVE AND ACTIVELY.
THE POND HAS EXPERIENCED STRESSES DUE TO HIGH TEMPERATURES OVER ABUNDANT VEGETATION AND DE OXYGENATION OF THE WATER REPORTS OF FISH KILLS SINCE 1994 INCLUDE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE STAFF SUGGESTIONS THAT THE POND WOULD BENEFIT FROM AERATION KEY NEEDS FROM, FOR THE POND, CONTINUE TO BE AIRATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL WATER AS WELL AS MODERATE MAINTENANCE TO OUR KNOWLEDGE PART HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY PUT FORWARD A BUDGET TO INCLUDE PAWN MAINTENANCE.
AS WE IMAGINE THE FUTURE FOR THE POND, WE URGE YOU TO SAVE THE TREES, THE ISLAND, THE HABITAT, ET CETERA, AND WE ARE PLEASED THAT PART APPEARS TO HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM POND EXPANSION PLANS AND APPRECIATE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STUDIES, BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT OPTION THREE INVITES THE POSSIBILITY OF REMOVING THE POND FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE PARK VISION PLAN.
WE BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE POND AS PART OF THE WHOLE, INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL PROJECT FOR POOL REPLACEMENT, DAM, RESTORATION, SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT, ALL OF WHICH WILL OCCUR SIMULTANEOUSLY.
[01:40:02]
THIS PARK AND ITS POND ARE MUCH AS MUCH MORE THAN A BIT OF WATER TO BE MANIPULATED ON CITY PROPERTY.THE LAND'S BACKGROUND AND ITS FORMER OWNER HAVE RECEIVED HISTORICAL RECOGNITION AND THE POND HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE LIVES OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND COUNTLESS PARK VISITORS.
THERE IS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE FROM NEIGHBORS.
ONE OF WHOM YOU'VE HEARD FROM WHO HAVE RESIDED FOR DECADES NEAR THE PARK AND WHOSE EXPERIENCE AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE COULD BE INVALUABLE TO PART IN THEIR CONSULTANTS.
IF THEY CHOOSE TO RECEIVE THAT AT A TIME WHEN SANCTUARY AND SERENITY OF NATURE IS BECOMING SCARCER AND EVERMORE IMPORTANT, WE ASK YOU TO HONOR THE VISION AND LEGACY OF BEVERLY SHEFFIELD.
NOW THIS PARKS NAMESAKE, PLEASE SUPPORT THIS WONDERFUL PARK AMENITY THAT PRESERVES THE NATURAL HABITAT AND PROVIDES RESPITE EDUCATION AND INSPIRATION FOR CART VISITORS OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS FROM OUR CITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND LET'S, UM, MOVE ON TO THE PRESENTATION FROM CHARLES MAYBERRY.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND, AND PARKS BOARD MEMBERS FOR HAVING US.
MY NAME IS CHARLES MAYOR BARRY WITH THE PARK PLANNING DIVISION OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M JOINED BY DREW CARMEN WITH HARVEY, I PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE.
AND WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE POND AND THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH TO, TO DEVELOP THE FINAL CONCEPT RECOMMENDATION.
THAT WILL BE PART OF THE OVERALL VISION PLAN FOR BEVERLY SHEFFIELD NORTHWEST DISTRICT PARK.
UM, THIS IS, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROCESS SINCE ABOUT MID MARCH, UM, AND, AND HOPE TO HAVE A WRAPPED UP IN NOVEMBER AND COME BACK TO YOU AT THE END OF NOVEMBER AND PRESENT THE FULL PLAN TO YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DREW TO, TO RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
UH, REALLY GLAD TO BE HERE, EVERYONE, UM, LIKE HAS BEEN ALLUDED TO, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT FEATURE IN THIS, UH, IN THE PARK, THE POND, UM, IT'S, IT HAS SUFFERED FROM STAGNANT WATER AND INVASIVE SPECIES AND THE LIKE, UM, BUT IT REALLY PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, AS WELL AS A LOT OF CHALLENGES.
UM, AND WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE FOR THIS POND, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CONCURRENT CONCURRENT PROJECTS, UM, AS WELL.
AND WE REALLY THINK THIS CAN BECOME, UH, AN S STILL BE A GREAT, UH, WATER AND HABITAT RESOURCE, UH, AS WELL AS A DESIGN FOCAL POINT FOR THE PARK, UM, AND PROVIDE, UH, ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PARK AND A PASSIVE RECREATION OPPORTUNITY.
AND JUST FOR SOME MORE CONTEXT, UH, TH THAT'S THE PARK THERE, OR THE POND THERE IN THE, IN THE CENTER, UH, CIRCLE.
UH, SO AS, UH, DAVID ALLUDED TO THAT, WE HAVE THESE THREE KIND OF FOUR PROPOSED OPTIONS.
AND THE REASON WE'RE SHOWING THESE IS THAT, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S CONCURRENT PROJECTS GOING ON THAT HAVE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE POND AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE VISION PLAN DESIGN TEAM IS ALSO MAKING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF TOOK THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT FROM THE DAM PROJECT, WHICH WAS, UH, UH, THIS AS YOU SEE.
AND, UM, WE, UH, THE DESIGN TEAM DECIDED WE, WE NEEDED TO PULL BACK FROM WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AND HAVE KIND OF A MINIMAL DISTURBANCE OPTION, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY JUST ADDING AIR RAIDERS TO THE THREE POOLS OF THE POND AND HAVING VERY SELECTIVE, UH, UH, EXCAVATION FOR DEPTH OF THE POOL.
AND YOU'LL NOTE SELECTIVE IS IN BOLD BECAUSE, UH, IT'S VERY SELECTIVE, UH, IT'S NOT THE EXCAVATION OF THE CHANNELS, UM, OR ANYWHERE THAT MIGHT, UM, UH, CAUSED DAMAGE TO SOME OF THE SURROUNDING VEGETATION.
[01:45:01]
OPTIONS.AGAIN, UH, THESE ARE, UH, TURN THE POND INTO A, UH, UH, A WATER QUALITY FACILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE OUTRIGHT KIND OF SAID, WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THESE THESE HAPPEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW THESE THOUGH, UM, TO KIND OF SHOW THE FULL SPECTRUM OF THE PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.
SO, UH, YOU CAN SEE HOW WE'VE KIND OF COME TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUR, UH, AS THE DESIGN TEAM FOR THE VISION PLAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR THOUGH, THIS, THESE TWO OPTIONS WOULD REMOVE A LOT OF THE BALD CYPRESS AROUND THE TREE, BUT I WANT TO BE, UH, AROUND THE POND, BUT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT, UH, OUR DESIGN TEAM IS NOT RECOMMENDING, WE REMOVE ANY OF THE BALD CYPRESS, UH, SURROUNDING THE POND OR THE INTERNAL ISLAND.
UM, SO JUST, WE WANTED TO SHOW THIS BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS, AND THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS A PROCESS.
UM, SO BECAUSE IT'S A PROCESS, WE INCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT WAS NOT FAVORABLE TO REMOVING ANY OF THE BALD CYPRESS AROUND THE POND, AS WELL AS THE ISLANDS.
SO THROUGH THIS DESIGN PROCESS, WE CAME UP WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AS THE DESIGN TEAM FOR THE VISION PLAN, WHICH YOU CAN SEE HERE IN, UH, UM, FIRST OF ALL, A IN-DEPTH STUDY AND, UH, THAT WILL, SHOULD INCLUDE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT SCOPE OF WHAT THAT STUDY ENTAILS NEEDS TO BE WORKED OUT, UM, WHEN THAT PROJECT, WHEN THIS PROJECT COMES ON OUR WAY, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY PART OF THE VISION PLAN STUDY.
WE JUST MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WE NEED A FULL IN-DEPTH STUDY AND THAT SCOPE NEEDS TO BE WORKED OUT, BUT IT SHOULD INCLUDE A GEOTECHNICAL CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE BORINGS, BUT IT CAN BE RECOMMENDATION FROM A GEO-TECHNICAL ENGINEER ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD DESIGN SOME OF THE, FOR INSTANCE, THE BOARDWALK THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND SOME OTHER CONDITIONS THAT, UH, WE JUST FULLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE POND.
UM, THIS PLAN MAINTAINS THE FOOTPRINT AND PRESERVES ALL THE EXISTING TREES.
LIKE I'VE MENTIONED, WE ARE INCLUDING ADDING AERATION, UH, IN, INTO THE POOLS.
UM, AND WHAT AERATION THAT EXACTLY IS, IS TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, BUT IT SHOULD ACCOUNT FOR MINIMAL DISTURBANCE IN THE POND.
I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE TO GET ELECTRICITY TO IT AND EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT, THAT SCOPE WILL BE WORKED OUT LATER.
UM, WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING, UH, UH, VARIOUS SPECIFIC MIX OF NATIVE GRASS AND WILDFLOWER PLANTINGS SURROUNDING THE POND TO GIVE IT A, UM, AN EDGE A BORDER.
AND THIS IS TO, UM, KIND OF PROHIBIT PEOPLE COMING DOWN TO THE POND, UM, FROM ALL DIFFERENT ANGLES.
THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BOARDWALK, UM, IS AN ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE A GUIDED ACCESS TO THE POND.
SO PEOPLE CAN COME AND EXPERIENCE THE POND FROM THIS BOARDWALK, UM, AND KIND OF ONLY FROM THAT BOARDWALK.
SO WE'RE NOT TRAMPLING OVER ALL THIS VEGETATION.
AND, UH, WE HAVE ONE ACCESSIBLE POINT THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE TO GET TO THE POND.
IF PATHS ARE CREATED THROUGH THE VEGETATION, UM, THOSE AREN'T ACCESSIBLE.
WE WANT A UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE WAY TO GET TO, SO EVERYBODY GET TO THE POND AND EXPERIENCE IT THE SAME WAY.
UM, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE NO FIRMS STABLE OR SLIP RESISTANT SURFACES AROUND THE POND.
SO IT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE AT ALL AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND PUTTING A CONCRETE SIDEWALK RIGHT UP NEXT TO IT IS ISN'T A GOOD OPTION EITHER.
SO WE WANT TO CANCEL IT FOR A BOARDWALK OVER THE EDGE SO WE CAN HAVE, UM, UH, THAT EXPERIENCE UNIVERSALLY.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, A FEW THAT CAN HAPPEN WHILE THE, THE STUDY IS GOING ON, IF WE SO CHOOSE TO CONTINUE WITH THESE, UM, UH, IN THE MEANTIME, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DESIGN TEAM FEELS THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS KIND OF ADDRESS ALL THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE POND BEING ACCESSIBILITY, UM, BEING, UH, BEING AERATION, AND THEN KIND OF EXPANDING THE, UH, EDGE CONDITION HABITAT WHILE ALSO GIVING TIME FOR THIS STUDY TO HAPPEN SO THAT WE CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE DYNAMICS OF THIS POND AND THEN
[01:50:01]
PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON IF OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO HAPPEN.UM, THERE IS THE, UH, ISSUE OF THE PERMANENT POOL ELEVATION AND, UH, UH, THE MAKEUP WATER FOR THE POND.
UM, THAT'S STILL INCONCLUSIVE WHERE THAT WATER COULD OR SHOULD COME FROM.
SO THAT'S WHY THE, THESE STUDIES NEED TO HAPPEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE VISION PLAN, WE DO HAVE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM ACTUALLY OUT THERE THIS WEEK, UM, MAPPING IF THERE IS A SPRING, UM, AND WHERE EXACTLY IT IS AND WHERE THE DELINEATED WETLANDS ARE.
UM, SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S ALL GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE, UH, IN THE FINAL REPORT, WHICH I GUESS IS THE NEXT STEP, UM, WHICH THAT FINAL DRAFT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE, UH, PRESENTED HERE ON NOVEMBER 30TH, UM, FOR, FOR YOUR REVIEW.
THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL I HAVE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK BOARD MEMBER BERNARD IF SHE WANTS TO JUST ADDRESS THIS FIRST, BECAUSE THIS IS HER DISTRICT, AND I THINK SHE'S BEEN MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, SO I'LL LET YOU LEAD.
UM, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PROVIDING THIS REPORT TO US TODAY.
UM, I KNOW YOU, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS IS, UM, POTENTIAL WATER SOURCES OR THE POND.
UM, AND ONE OF THE, I THINK DRAFTS, THERE WAS A WATERFALL FEATURE ALONG THE DAM.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER OPTION THAT HAD BEEN TALKED ABOUT, LIKE, I KNOW THERE'S A POTENTIALLY A, WELL RIGHT NEXT TO THE POND, AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE SPRING, WHICH WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, AND I KNOW YOU SAID THAT THERE'S, THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, UM, OR THIS PAST WEEK TRYING TO MAP THAT SPRING.
UM, SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS FOR, SO JU JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, UM, NONE OF THE ITERATIONS OF THE PLAN THAT CAME FROM THE VISION PLAN TEAM HAD A WATERFALL FEATURE.
UM, I THINK THAT CAME FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, THERE IS, UH, UH, THERE IS WHAT THEY'RE CALLING THE, UH, I THINK THE 1 0 5, UH, WELL SPRING THAT IS LOCATED FROM THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE AT ESSENTIALLY AT THE POND, OR VERY, VERY CLOSE TO IT, NECK NEAR THE DAM.
UM, AND THERE'S, UH, UH, A DRAINAGE THAT KIND OF COMES FROM THE PARKING LOT AROUND TO THE POND, WHICH THAT'S A, UM, UH, DELINEATED WETLAND.
SO, UH, IT'S UNDETERMINED IF THAT'S SPRING-FED OR IF THAT'S JUST THE, UH, LOW LYING AREA WHERE THE WATER TABLE, YOU KNOW, CAN GET, MAKE IT WET.
UM, SO WE HAVE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM AND COMPANY, UH, OUT THERE RIGHT NOW TO DETERMINE IF THAT INDEED IS A SPRING HEAD THAT MAKES IT, THAT WOULD HAVE A FLOW TO THE POND, OR IF THAT'S JUST, UM, UH, LIKE I SAID, THAT KIND OF DELINEATED WETLAND IS, AS WE FOUND FROM THE NATIONAL DATABASE THAT WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH.
UM, SO THE MAKEUP WATER, I GUESS, UM, IT COULD COME FROM A POTABLE LINE.
UM, WE SEE THAT HAPPENED A LOT, UM, THAT THAT COULD BE AN OPTION, AS LONG AS THE TRENCHING OF THE LINE, DIDN'T INTERFERE WITH ANY OF THE ROUTES OF THE BALD CYPRESS.
UM, IT COULD CERTAINLY COME FROM THAT, UM, AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE IF THAT'S A SPRING OR NOT.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING IS THE POOL HAS BEEN DRAINED NOW FOR A YEAR, MAYBE A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF.
AND THE WATER LEVEL HAS REMAINED PRETTY CONSISTENT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND OVER THIS PAST YEAR IN, IN AREAS THAT WE HAD AND, UH, TIMES WHERE WE HAVEN'T HAD RAIN, IT HASN'T BEEN TOTALLY DRY.
SO THE WATER IS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW.
I BELIEVE IT'S COMING FROM THE WELL SLASH SPRING THAT IS LOCATED RIGHT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE NEED A FURTHER STUDY CAUSE THAT'S JUST MY SPECULATION.
I MEAN, WE NEED, UH, WE NEED TO KNOW FROM AN ACTION, I COULD TAKE A WITCHING STICK OUT THERE AND TRY TO FIND IT TOO.
THAT'D BE ACTUALLY KIND OF FUN.
[01:55:01]
WORK IN THE PAST THOUGH.SO, UM, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S A WELL RIGHT BY THE POND, BUT THEN FURTHER AWAY FROM THE POND KIND OF BETWEEN THE PARKING LOT AND THE PLAYGROUND, UM, KIND OF WHERE THE OLD BEND OF SHOAL CREEK USED TO BE.
UH, THERE IS A BUNCH OF BRAGG WEED THAT'S GROWING AND SUPPOSEDLY THAT'S WHERE THE SPRING ONCE EXISTED.
AND YOU CAN SEE LIKE THE REMNANTS OF A LITTLE BRICK WALL THERE.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, IT'S BEEN MARKED WITH LIKE A, UH, A STEAK, UM, WHERE PEOPLE ARE SUSPECTING THAT THERE IS A SPRING.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT AREA TOO, IN ADDITION TO THAT IS THE AREA THAT WE SENT OUT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM OUT TO DO A FULL INVESTIGATION, TO MAKE SURE THAT, TO FIND OUT IF THAT IS INDEED A SPRING OR NOT, UM, OR AT LEAST THE BEST, YOU KNOW, THE BEST THAT THEY CAN CAN DO.
UM, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S BASED ON PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE RECEIVED.
AND SO WE WANTED TO FULLY VET THAT, VET THAT OUT AND SEE IF THAT WAS INDEED THE CASE OR NOT.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
UM, AND THEN WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BOARDWALK, WHERE WOULD THE BOARDWALK THE BOARDWALK BE LOCATED? EXACTLY.
SO, YEAH, SO THE BOARDWALK, UM, UH, THAT THAT'S PROPOSED TO BE ON, I GUESS IT'D BE THE KIND OF WEST SIDE OF THE POND.
UH, IT WOULD BE DESIGNED TO, UM, HAVE AS MINIMAL, UH, FOOTINGS AS POSSIBLE TO BE MORE OF A CANTILEVERED STRUCTURE AROUND, ALONG THE EDGE OF THE POND.
SO THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY, UH, UH, GRADING, UM, FOR THE BOARDWALK ITSELF.
UM, THERE'D BE EXCAVATION FOR THE PIERS FOR THE BOARDWALK, BUT THOSE CAN BE PLACED STRATEGICALLY TO NOT, UH, DAMAGE ANY OF THE SURROUNDING ROOTS.
UM, AND AGAIN, WHAT THIS DOES IS PROVIDE A WAY FOR EVERYONE TO EXPERIENCE THE POND FROM THE, YOU KNOW, UH, SAME, VERY AMENABLE AND ENJOYABLE VANTAGE POINT, UM, AND TRY TO GIVE GUIDED ACCESS RATHER THAN DISTURBING THE REST OF THE POND.
UM, WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH THIS AND OTHER SIMILAR CONDITIONS.
UM, SO I'M KIND OF BASING IT OFF OF THAT.
I WANTED TO JUMP PAUL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
I WANT TO JUMP IN ABOUT THE BOARDWALK, BECAUSE ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE ABOUT YOUR BOARDWALK PLAN IS THAT WHAT I HAVE SEEN FROM THE NEIGHBORS AND HOW THEY USE THE POND, THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY HOW THE POND IS USED NOW BY THE NEIGHBORS, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE MORE APPROACHABLE.
IT SEEMS TO BE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M PICTURING JUST FROM WHAT I'M READING FROM LETTERS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS, YOU KNOW, FISHING ON THE BANK, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO SIT AND PICNIC BESIDE IT.
AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, TRYING TO PROTECT THE EROSION AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF, UM, I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT TAKING THAT AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, NO, AND FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, UM, FIRST THE POND ISN'T ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE CURRENTLY, SO SOME PEOPLE CAN GET TO IT AND SOME PEOPLE CAN NOT.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, THE FIRST KIND OF ORDER OF BUSINESS, UM, AS A DESIGNER IS DESIGNED FOR UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, SO EVERYBODY CAN HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCES UPON WITH, WITH THE BOARDWALK.
THAT WOULD BE, LIKE I SAID, KIND OF THE MAIN GUIDED ACCESS.
UH, THERE ARE STILL ROUTES THAT IN CIRCLE THE POND AND PEOPLE CAN CERTAINLY WALK DOWN TO THE POND IF THEY WANT, UM, OR PICNIC ON THE BANKS AND AREAS, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE ARE MAINTAINED AREAS THAT ARE NEAR RIGHT NEAR THE POND, UM, IN THE VISION PLAN THAT WOULD BE PERFECT TO LAY OUT A BLANKET AND PICNIC ON.
UM, BUT, UH, BUT IN THE END, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S MY JOB TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR EVERYONE.
UM, UH, AND SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GO DOWN TO THE POND, THEY CAN, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE A WAY FOR EVERYBODY TO GET DOWN TO THE POND.
AND I COULD, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TO THAT POND AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE BENCHES AROUND IT AND YOU CAN DEFINITELY WALK AROUND THE EDGES.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ADA S UH, YEAH.
UH, FROM STABLE AND SLIP RESISTANT SURFACES, AND THAT'S ALSO PART OF, ONE THING WE LOOKED AT WAS, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN SELF-EVALUATION, UH, TASKS,
[02:00:01]
SELF EVALUATION DONE BY ALTERA, UM, IN 2016, BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.AND, YOU KNOW, ANY NEW AMENITY THAT WE PUT IN PARKS, THEY NEED, IT NEEDS TO BE TAT TASK COMPLIANT.
AND RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE BENCH, UM, THAT'S, UH, IT'S, I THINK IT'S MEMORIAL BENCH, MAYBE, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT, UH, TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARD COMPLIANT AMENITY.
THERE IS AN AFFIRMED STABLE AND SLIP RESISTANT SURFACE TO GET TO THAT BENCH.
SO, UM, SO WE NEED TO PROVIDE, UH, UH, ACCESSIBLE ROUTES TO OUR AMENITIES.
AND ONE OF THOSE AMENITIES BEING THE POND, THIS IS THE WAY WE CHOSE TO DESIGN THAT ACCESS.
SO MY DAD WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR FOR 40 YEARS, AND I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET TO SOME OF THOSE FEATURES, BUT I ALSO KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS, UM, TO TAKE AWAY OTHER THINGS LIKE I KNOW IN STACEY PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY, AT ONE POINT HAD TAKEN AWAY ALL THE OTHER PICNIC TABLES, WHICH IN THAT PARTICULAR PARK WERE, WERE WIDELY USED AND, AND TOOK IT AWAY AND THEY MADE SMALLER ADA ACCESSIBLE.
AND IN THIS CASE, WHAT I THINK YOU'RE DOING IS FRONT OF THE SAME THING.
AND MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS THAT TAKING AWAY THE ACCESS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, ISN'T REALLY THE GOAL HERE.
YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR EVERYONE ELSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME MOBILITY.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I'M SEEING IN YOUR, IN YOUR PROJECT HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU PLANT ALL THESE EXTRA GRASSES, SO PEOPLE CAN'T WALK ON THEM AND GET DOWN TO THE EDGE, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE BEEN ENJOYING.
IF YOU'VE GOT BENCHES THAT PEOPLE CAN ENJOY WHAT YOU DO MAYBE IS INSTALL OTHER BENCHES THAT ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE THAT PEOPLE CAN ENJOY.
ALSO, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S TAKING, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, I JUST, I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND THINKING WE'RE GOING FROM A REALLY, IT REMINDS ME OF A CHILDHOOD BOOK POEM, KIND OF A POND TO ALL OF A SUDDEN BEING HYPER ENGINEERED, WHICH IS A CONCERN FOR ME IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
SO JUST BE CLEAR, THERE WON'T BE ANY ENGINEERING GOING ON AROUND THE POND.
UM, SO, UH, JUST SAID ABOUT HAVING TO PUT IN BOARDWALK OUT OVER THE POND AND INSERT BY THE BELIEVERS HYBRID.
I MEAN, BY THE, UH, THE EDGE CONDITION OF THE POND, THAT THAT'S, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM IS, IS ANY OF THE EDGE CONDITION ENGINEERING.
UM, I MEAN, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME WAY TO ACCESS THE POND, WE HAVE TO HAVE A ROUTE TO IT.
THAT'S ACCESSIBLE NOW THE, I GUESS, UM, YOUR QUESTION ABOUT, UH, TAKING AWAY, UM, ACCESS, I MEAN, THAT, THAT CAN CERTAINLY BE, UH, UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY NOT PLANT AS MUCH NATIVE, UM, UH, WILDFLOWER AND GRASSES AROUND THE POND, UM, AND LEAVE IT AS MAINTAINED AS MAINTAINED TURF.
UM, THAT THAT'S CERTAINLY AN OPTION.
UM, BUT, BUT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE AN, I FEEL THAT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE ROUTE TO THE POND, AND THAT WAS ALSO A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR, UH, ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST AS WELL.
SO, UH, YEAH, THAT'S, I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M AT WITH THAT.
I'LL JUST I'LL POINT OUT THAT, UM, THIS IS A CONCEPT AND I THINK THAT THIS IS GREAT FEEDBACK.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK THE INTENTION OF THE BOARDWALK IS TO ELIMINATE OTHER ACCESS POINTS IS TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL ACCESS POINT FOR THE MOBILITY CHALLENGED PEOPLE.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE PLAN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE MAINTAIN SOME OF THESE OTHER ACCESS POINTS THAT ARE THERE TODAY.
UM, BUT ALSO TRY TO IMPROVE, YOU KNOW, THE QUALITY OF THE NATIVE VEGETATION AROUND THE POND.
SO I THINK IT'S GREAT FEEDBACK.
SO I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE THING TO ONTO THAT, AND THAT IS, I THINK IF YOU HAVE YOU PLAN FOR JUST ONE SS POINT, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO KIND OF DO THEIR OWN THING, ARE GOING TO CREATE THEIR OWN SS POINTS TO BE, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL, THEY'RE GOING TO CHOMP OVER THE ANIL THOUGH, GRASSES AND FORTH.
SO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE IS PROBABLY A BETTER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
DID YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD WITH ANY OTHER QUESTIONS JUST GOING TO AGREE WITH BOTH, UM, BOARD MEMBERS SAID, I MEAN, THE WAY PEOPLE ENJOY THE POND NOW, IT REALLY IS FROM DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, ACCESS POINTS.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE SWEETEST THINGS ABOUT THE POND IS YOU CAN GO AND THERE'S LITTLE,
[02:05:01]
YOU KNOW, SPACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN SIT AND ENJOY THE POND AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT GETS, IT GETS USED ALL OF THE TIME.UM, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT, LIKE, I THINK THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE AMENITY IN THE PARK SYSTEM.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY OTHER, UM, POND AMENITY LIKE THIS IN OUR PARKS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.
WE DON'T, AT LEAST UPON LIKE THIS ONE WE DON'T HAVE, I MEAN, WE HAVE, WE HAVE PONDS AT MAYFIELD, BUT THOSE ARE CONCRETE LINED PONDS THAT WE, WE STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN.
UM, BUT A MORE NATURAL POND LIKE THIS, IT'S, THAT'S MORE OF AN AMENITY FOR PEOPLE THAT COME TO, WE DO, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHERS THAT I'M AWARE OF THE SOUTHEAST GREENWAY AT MILLER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A CITY PARK YET IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO I THINK IT'S STILL UNDER THE DEVELOPMENT OF COULD TELL US, BUT THAT'S SIMILAR UPON, UM, YOU KNOW, SO I GUESS WE WILL HAVE IT SIMILAR, BUT IT IS A UNIQUE FEATURE THOUGH, FOR SURE.
THAT'S, THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH IT.
AND I THINK WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS JUST GO OVER TO OUR, OUR, OUR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ONLINE.
SO, AND I THINK BOARD MEMBER DECARLO HAS JOINED US.
SO DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I THANK YOU.
UM, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
NO, I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I GUESS THE ONLY COMMENT IS I CAN REALLY APPRECIATE THE LANGUAGE DON'T, YOU KNOW, UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY FROM STABLE SLIP RESISTANT TO MAKING SURE THAT THE WHOLE PART, YOU KNOW, THE PARK AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT ASSETS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY.
UM, BUT I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY'S ROLE, YOU KNOW, DESIRE TO, TO KEEP WHAT THEY KNOW AND THEY SEE WHAT'S FAMILIAR TO THEM WITHIN THIS, THIS MASTER PLAN.
UM, SO I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE WHERE IT GOES AND JUST KEEP KEEPING THE STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGED AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A GREAT PLAN, UH, IN FRONT OF US, ON THE FRONT, ON THE FINAL VERSION.
DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME ON THAT COTTON SEIBEL? OKAY.
COULD IT BE THE VERY ROOTS OF THOSE CYPRESS TREES THAT ARE TANGLED UP AND THWARTING THE EFFORT? NOW I'VE SEEN SOMEBODY BACK THERE SHAKING THEIR HEAD? NO, JUST A THOUGHT.
I THINK IT JUST NEEDS FURTHER STUDY AND TO CONFIRM WHAT THAT LOCATION AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THAT'S IT.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, I WAS, FIRST OF ALL, GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ARE LEANING TOWARDS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT PRESERVES THE MOST OF THE CYPRESS TREES AND ANY OTHER EXISTING VEGETATION.
I'M NOT TOTALLY CLEAR ON WHAT YOU'RE S THE PROCEDURE THAT YOU'RE THINKING.
I THINK WHAT YOU SAID WAS YOU'RE GOING TO COME AT THE END OF NOVEMBER WITH THE VISION PLAN RECOMMENDATION, AND THAT WILL RECOMMEND FURTHER STUDY OF THE POND OR THE FURTHER STUDY OF THE POND WILL BE COMPLETED BECAUSE THE POND IS ONE, ONE PIECE OF THE VISION PLAN IS ONE A MINUTE T OF MANY THAT ARE IN THE PARK.
SO IT'S, IT'S PART OF THIS BIGGER VISION PLAN.
UM, YEAH, AND, AND THE PARKS BOARD RECOMMENDATION WILL BE TO OUR DIRECTOR FOR APPROVAL OF THIS BIGGER VISION PLAN.
AND THEN FROM THERE, THIS, THIS VISION PLAN REALLY CREATES DIFFERENT PROJECTS WITHIN THE PARK DIFFERENT DESIGN PROJECTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE HAVE THE FUNDING, WE'LL, WE'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS POND IS ONE PROJECT, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WILL NEED TO PUT A TEAM TOGETHER TO DO THIS FURTHER STUDY AND REALLY DIG DOWN TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO IMPROVE THIS POND.
SO I GUESS MY CONCERN ABOUT THAT IS THAT RIGHT NOW IN THE VISION PLAN PROCESS IS WHEN WE HAVE THE, UM, ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE REALLY WELL WITH ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THE NEIGHBORS.
WE HAVE THEIR ATTENTION, WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THAT KIND OF OUTREACH, AND I'M NOT CLEAR ON IF THERE'S A STUDY THAT'S LATER THAT'S LATER DONE.
[02:10:01]
THEN PART IS LOOKING AT WHAT TO DO WITH THE POND.I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STAKEHOLDER INPUT PLAN WOULD BE WITH THAT.
AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE IF THERE WAS A WAY, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE NEIGHBORS, UM, THOUGHTS ON THIS ARE, BUT IF THERE WAS A WAY TO PAUSE THE VISION PLAN AND JUST GET IT ALL DONE IN 1, 360 THING, UM, I WOULD FEEL LIKE WE HAD LOOKED AT ALL THE ALTERNATIVES AND EVERYBODY HAD HAD THEIR CHANCE TO GIVE INPUT.
UM, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ALL OF THESE REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL STAKEHOLDERS, KNOWING THAT THERE'S A DESIGNATED PATH FOR THEM IN THIS.
THIS LOOK BACK AFTER THE VISION PLAN IS ADOPTED.
AND WE WILL, WE'LL ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AGAIN FOR THE POND SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT GETS TO THE MORE DETAILED DESIGN.
I THINK IF WE JUST DELAY THE VISION PLAN AND WE'RE DONE, THIS IS AGAIN ONE A MINUTE, HE, OF, OF MANY THAT ARE IN THE PARK.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO DELAY ALL OF THOSE OTHER PROJECTS TO, AND I JUST WANT TO JUMP ONTO THAT.
AND JUST IN AGREEMENT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR VISION PLAN AND OBVIOUSLY THE POND, AS YOU JUST SAID, WAS ONE OF THE AMENITIES, INNOCENT, IMPORTANT AMENITIES.
OBVIOUSLY THE NEIGHBORS, THE STAKEHOLDERS ARE VERY VESTED IN THAT.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT FORTH YOUR VISION PLAN, YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE POND AND SEE HOW THAT FEEDS INTO IT WITH YOUR CHOICES ABOUT ELECTRICITY, WITH YOUR CHOICES, ABOUT HOW TO CARRY WATER AND MAKE SURE WATER'S IN THERE WITH, I MEAN, THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT PIECES THAT ARE ALL GOING TO BE TIED INTO THE VISION PLAN AS A WHOLE.
SO THAT'S WHY, AND I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO DO STUDIES, BUT THERE IS NO TIMELINE FOR THOSE STUDIES.
THERE'S ALSO NO FUNDING FOR THOSE STUDIES AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME.
SO IF, IF YOUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE VISION PLAN AND WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO THIS STUDY, THEN THAT ENTIRE THING WOULD BE ON HOLD.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND THE X ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE ADDITIONAL STUDIES AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO LET'S SAY THAT'S A VERY HELPFUL THING TO KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS APPROVE A VISION PLAN THAT RECOMMENDS SOMETHING BE DONE, AND WE HAVE NO TIMEFRAME AND NO FUNDING.
AND THEN THE POND STAYS HOW IT IS WITH NO PLANS.
RIGHT? SO, SO THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A VISION PLAN, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER VISION PLAN THAT YOU HAVE, RIGHT? EVERY OTHER VISION PLAN THAT HAS COME TO YOU YOU'LL HAVE A VISION OF WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THAT PARTICULAR SPACE.
AND DEPENDING UPON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF THAT PARTICULAR PLAN, IT'S PHASED OUT INTO SMALLER PACKET, SMALLER PROJECTS OR SMALLER OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT? AND THEN THOSE ARE, WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND THOSE.
WE CAN FUND THOSE THROUGH GRANTS.
YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
BUT I THINK WHAT, WHAT CHARLES AND WHAT OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CONSULTING AGENCY IS TRYING TO SAY IS THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE THINGS WITHIN THE VISION PLAN THAT ARE GOING TO BE SEPARATE PROJECTS.
THEY'RE NOT ALL GOING TO HAPPEN AT ONCE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT THIS POND REQUIRES ADDITIONAL STUDY, ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION PRIOR TO MAKING FINAL DECISIONS ON THAT.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, THAT WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WHICH WE'LL HAVE TO FIND.
SO IF WE DECIDE, AND IT'S CERTAINLY YOUR, YOUR PREROGATIVE, NOT TO RECOMMEND THE VISION PLAN, BUT IF YOU DETERMINE NOT TO RECOMMEND THE VISION PLAN, THEN THERE'S THERE'S, WE CAN'T GO ON WITH ANYTHING ELSE.
THAT WAS, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, I DON'T THINK WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT WE WANT TO NOT RECOMMEND THE VISION PLAN WE'RE HERE.
THEY CAME TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO HAVE A VISION PLAN.
WE CAN RECOMMEND THAT'S LIKE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE ON.
SO THAT'S NOT WHAT ANYONE'S SUGGESTING, WHAT I'M SAYING IS IT, IT FEELS INADEQUATE TO ADOPT A VISION PLAN THAT SAYS THIS MAJOR FEATURE, THAT'S AN ECOLOGICAL FEATURE.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S PART OF THE PARK IS GOING TO BE DEALT WITH AT A LATER DATE WITH FURTHER STUDY.
AND WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THAT PROCEDURE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
I MEAN, I WAS HAD SOME VERY SPECIFIC THINGS I WANT TO BE IN THE STUDY.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A VERY, IT'S DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN.
UH, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? WHAT, WHY, I GUESS I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING.
CAUSE I THOUGHT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING IS, IS THAT YOU WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WHEN WE CAME BACK IN NOVEMBER WITH A VISION PLAN DOING SNAP, YOU KNOW, APPROVING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL SCALE, I THINK WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS COULD WE GET THE STUDY FUNDED AND HAVE IT BE PART OF THE VISION WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I DON'T, I CAN'T TELL YOU AT THIS TIME, BUT CERTAINLY WE COULD LOOK INTO THOSE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND SEE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
IT WOULD REALLY DEPEND UPON WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE.
BUT I CAN DO THAT CERTAINLY TO ME THAT, AND I'M SORRY THAT I'M BLANKING ON THE NAME.
THE FIRST GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE WAS TALKING ABOUT SOME PREVIOUSLY EXISTING STUDIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE IN 19.
I WROTE IT DOWN AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE NOW, 1980 IN THE EIGHTIES OR SO.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD USE FROM THAT THAT WOULD AT LEAST GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF BALLPARK IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON
[02:15:01]
CERTAIN LANGUAGE TO CONSIDER THE BOARD MEMBER THAT WAS A GEO-TECH STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN 1984, NOT A HYDROLOGY STUDY.SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE INTERESTING IS SINCE IF THERE'S NO MONEY AVAILABLE WOULD BE ACTUALLY TO LEVERAGE THAT NETWORK THAT THE GENTLEMAN HAS WITH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, YOU DOING, WHO DOES AWARD GRANTS.
UM, THAT'S USUALLY RELATING TO COMMUNITY ASSETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, VERY COMPETITIVE, BUT THAT WOULD BE A AVENUE TO GO FOR FOR OUTS, YOU KNOW, INITIAL FUNDING SURE.
AND A GRANT PROCESS FOR THE PARKS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
THE GRANT PROCESS IS ABOUT A SIX MONTH PROCESS.
SO WE WOULD BE SETTING ASIDE, UM, A VISION PLAN FOR A MINIMUM OF SIX MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY WE'RE GOING GRANTS.
THERE MIGHT BE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
SO I'M, I'M COMMITTING TO YOU TO LOOK AND SEE IF THERE'S OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AND TO LET THIS BODY KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT IF WE JUST WENT THE GRANT ROUTE, RIGHT, WE'RE TALKING A MINIMUM OF A SIX MONTH PROCESS TO EVEN APPLY FOR AND GET PERMISSION TO AUGMENT OUR BUDGET, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND SO THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO ALSO DO THE STUDY.
SO, YEAH, SO JUST FROM OUR, MY PERSPECTIVE, I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I GET A CHANCE TO GO OVER THE REST OF THE COMMENTS THAT I HAD, UM, FROM, SO THE POND IS THE FEATURE THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT, AND YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T MY DISTRICT AND I DON'T KNOW THIS PARK THAT WELL.
UM, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE OTHER PROJECTS IN THE VISION PLAN.
SO THIS, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, SITTING HERE, THE VISION PLAN, THE POND IS THE HEART OF THE THING.
AND IF WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE VISION PLAN.
THAT WOULD, THAT'D BE VERY TO DO I THANK YOU FOR OFFERING.
AND I WOULD APPRECIATE VERY MUCH IF WE COULD PURSUE THE POSSIBILITY OF PAUSING WHILE THIS STUDY IS DONE.
MAYBE LIKE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SOME CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO GET IT DONE FOR LESS MONEY OR PERHAPS MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY.
I WAS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT AS PART OF THE STUDY, YOU KNOW, STEP ONE IS A LITERATURE REVIEW, WHICH INCLUDES INTERVIEWING THE EXISTING NEIGHBORS AND ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS THEY'VE CREATED BECAUSE YOU DO FIND FREQUENTLY THAT SOMEBODY HAS ALREADY COLLECTED A LOT OF THE INFORMATION.
SO IF THE CONTRACTORS CAN HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THAT, DO A LITERATURE REVIEW THAT INVOLVES INTERVIEWING THE NEIGHBORS.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD LOOK AT, AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE THE NEIGHBORS MIGHT HAVE INFORMATION ON, BUT, UM, FOR ANY CONSTRUCTION MOVING FORWARDS IN THE POND, WHAT ARE THE APPROPRIATE TIMES OF YEAR TO BE DISRUPTING ANYTHING, GIVEN THAT WE GOT TO PACK IT WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF BIRDS.
AND SO IS THERE TIMES OF YEAR THAT ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS TO, UM, NOT DISRUPT THE HABITAT? OH, CERTAINLY.
AND THAT'D BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, A STUDY WOULD DO IS FIND WHAT, WHAT ARE THE NESTING, UH, UH, SPECIES THERE, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT TIME OF YEAR WOULD BE BEST TO, YOU KNOW, DO THAT CONSTRUCTION.
UM, I WILL SAY THOUGH THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE VISION PLAN, ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE POND AND ARE DESIGNED SUCH THAT WHATEVER THE RECOMMENDATION IS, UM, FROM FURTHER STUDY, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION THAT COULD TAKE PLACE IN THE MEANTIME, WOULDN'T, UH, INTERFERE WITH WHATEVER ELSE IS GOING, COULD HAPPEN IN THE POND.
IF THAT MAKES SENSE FROM A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE.
SO IT'S THAT I THINK BOARD MEMBER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO FINISH YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND I ALSO THINK ONE THING THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO DO IS THAT FIND OUT FROM THE LARGER STAKEHOLDER GROUP, HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, THE LANE OF VISION, THE COMPLETION OF THE VISION PLAN.
AND WE COULD BRING BACK TO THIS BOARD INFORMATION ABOUT THE STUDY INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS FUNDING WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND THEN INFORMATION OR FEEDBACK FROM THE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT SAY HERE, IT MIGHT BE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, OR ARE WE OKAY WITH THAT RISK? ARE WE OKAY WITH, WITH THE DELAY OR THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE DELAY SO THAT THE BOARD HAS A, UM, A FULL PICTURE OF WHAT THE WHOLE, WHAT THE WHOLE THING WILL LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE WHILE THE POND IS A FEATURE AND AN IMPORTANT FEATURE, THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ALSO PART OF THIS VISION.
AND YOU, I DID WANT TO SAY, I'M NOT TRYING, I ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THIS PROPOSAL AND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DERAIL IT OR ANYTHING.
IT JUST, I WASN'T UNDERSTANDING UNTIL I GOT THE CLARIFICATION THAT THE, IT WASN'T LIKE A 360 VISION PLAN.
LIKE HERE'S EVERYTHING, THAT'S A POTENTIAL PROJECT THAT WE CAN GO SEEK FUNDING FOR THAT IT WAS LIKE PARTS OF THE POND WERE SORT OF ON HOLD SEEKING FURTHER STUDY.
SO I'M NOT, I STILL DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND, LIKE WHICH PARTS COULD MOVE FORWARDS IN WHICH COULDN'T, I MEAN, I DON'T, I JUST KIND OF REALIZED
[02:20:01]
THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS.WELL, THAT'S THE PROCESS, SO YEAH, IT IT'S WORKING.
UM, JUST ONE OTHER COMMENT, SORRY I WANTED TO MAKE, UM, AND I KNOW IT'LL DEPEND ON WHAT YOU LEARNED, BUT IN REGARDS TO MAKEUP WATER FOR THE POND, UM, I DO SERVE ALSO ON OUR, THE INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES TASK FORCE FOR AUSTIN WATER.
AND WHAT WE DO IS, UM, HELP AUSTIN WATER, TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE OUR POTTABLE WATER STRETCH TO MEET OUR GROWING CITY'S NEEDS.
AND SO TO THE EXTENT WE CAN AVOID DRINKING WATER OR POTABLE WATER AS MAKEUP WATER, I WOULD LOVE IT.
IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, GONNA BE RENOVATION OF ANY FACILITIES NEARBY, WE CAN COLLECT RAINWATER AND USE THAT FOR MAKEUP, WATER, THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR CHANGING ANYTHING ELSE IN THE AREA.
HOPEFULLY THE SPRING IS AVAILABLE, BUT, UM, DEFINITELY A PRIORITY TO NOT PUMP POTABLE DRINKING WATER IN THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT IN THE FUTURE AND MONEY TRYING TO, YEAH, I THINK THE OPTIONS THERE WOULD BE THE SPRING, OR I'M NOT, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE ECM.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN USE RECLAIMED WATER FOR MAKEUP, WHICH IS KIND OF WEIRD TO ME, BUT, UM, WE CAN WE'LL LOOK AT EVERY OPTION WE CAN.
DOES HE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I'M GOOD.
AND SOMEBODY CONSIDERED PUTTING IT, LIKE IT SAYS ORIGINALLY, I'M SORRY.
DON'T MEAN TO BELABOR IT, BUT IT ORIGINALLY BACKED UP TO THE CREEK AND I WAS JUST ASKING HOW CLOSE IT IS TO THE CREEK.
AND IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF DRUDGING THE CREEK BACK TO WHERE THERE WOULD BE THAT SLU? UM, NO.
CAUSE THE DAM KIND OF CUTS THAT OXBOW OFF.
SO YEAH, THE DAM IS KIND OF WHAT MADE THAT TURN INTO CREEK MADE IT KIND OF GO AWAY.
AND SO THE SHOW CREEKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAM FROM, UH, THE POND, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY.
IS THAT, AH, I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
I CAN TALK ON THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A GREAT, SO I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AND, AND THAT IS ONE IS THE AIR RATERS.
SO YOU SAID YOU THREE AIR RAIDERS.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE NOISE LEVEL FOR AIR RAIDERS IN MAY? ARE THEY, HOW LOUD ARE THEY? YOU, YOU WON'T, YOU WOULDN'T HEAR THEM.
YOU WON'T HEAR THEM AT ALL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY DID SUGGEST A, YOU KNOW, A WATERFALL AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE PLANNING ON USING SOLAR BASED AIR RATERS OR WHAT KIND OF AREAS.
WELL, THEY WOULD BE, THEY WOULD HAVE AN ELECTRIC LINE TO THEM.
UM, WE'D HAVE A DEDICATED LINE TO THE RAIDERS.
UM, I, I'M NOT SURE, UH, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PLANS FOR THE WATERFALL, BUT THAT WOULD ALSO MEAN INSTALLING SOMETHING WITHIN THE DAM.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IS A WHOLE NOTHER THING, UM, MAKING MODIFICATIONS TO THE DAM.
UH, AND SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'D NEED TO GO THROUGH TCQ FOR, AND, AND IT WOULD HA IT WOULD TAKE A WHOLE NOTHER ENGINEERING, UH, STUDY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STABILITY OF THE DAM ISN'T COMPROMISED BY WHATEVER THAT DESIGN OF THE WATER FALL WOULD BE AND WHERE THAT WATER COMES FROM.
AND AS FAR AS DEEPENING THE POLLEN, IS THAT WHAT YOU ALSO HAVE TALKED ABOUT? I'M SORRY.
AND SO, AND I KNOW THAT THAT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE.
SO, I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY, AS FAR AS LIKE YOUR HYDRAULIC DREDGING OR HOW TH THAT CAN CERTAINLY BE AN OPTION? UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, YEAH, THAT CAN CERTAINLY BE AN OPTION, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S AREAS WHERE THE POND COULDN'T BE ACCESSED, YOU KNOW, BY THE, UH, YOU KNOW, FRONT END LOADER THAT WOULD GET IN THERE AND, AND, UH, PULL THE MATERIAL OUT.
REALLY THE GOAL IS TO DO IT SELECTIVELY, UM, AS THE PRESENTATION SAID, SO AS NOT TO DAMAGE ANY OF THE, UH, TREE ROOTS, FIND ACCESS POINTS TO THE POND THAT WE WOULDN'T BE IN THE DRIP LINE OR CRITICAL ROOT ZONE, EVEN WITH THE MACHINERY GOING OVER IT, YOU KNOW, UM, AND THERE'S CERTAIN PLACES WHERE YOU CAN PUNCH IN, UM, AND DO THAT, UH, OR WE COULD USE A HYDRAULIC.
UM, 'CAUSE, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WENT AND LOOKED AT THIS POND AND I, I WILL SAY THAT, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU LIKE TALKING ABOUT IT AND ARE ENTHUSED ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE.
YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH, WHY THE COMMUNITY CARES SO MUCH ABOUT IT.
AND THE FACT THAT IT IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW WHERE YOU CAN TALK ABOUT MY FIELD PARK, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFERENT OVER THERE WITH THEIR, UM, BOND.
AND IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE REALLY CAN JUST ENJOY IT.
AND IT'S THE CYPRESS TREES ARE GORGEOUS.
IT'S A, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SPOT.
IT'S GOT ALL KINDS OF DIVERSITY.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WOULD REALLY BE,
[02:25:01]
YOU KNOW, JUST AS ENTHUSIASTIC AS THE EVERYBODY ELSE AND REALIZE THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS POND INTO A PLACE THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL.AND I THINK IT WILL COST MONEY, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT WOULD COST TO DO THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT.
SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN GET THERE.
AND I ALSO DO WANT TO SAY I DO.
I KNOW THAT THIS WAS A PROCESS AND THAT AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, THERE WERE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT AND THINKING ABOUT, AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS LISTENING TO THE, WHAT THE, UH, COMMUNITY HAD TO SAY, AND I HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, BECAUSE THERE OBVIOUSLY ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE.
I KNOW THAT A BOARD MEMBER FELLAS MENTIONED SURVEYING SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THAT KNOW A LOT AND APPRECIATE THE PROPERTY, AND WE CAN LEARN SO MUCH FROM THEM AS WELL AS YOU, AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT, UM, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
COULD WE DO A RECESS BEFORE THE NEXT ITEM? YES.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I NEED A RECESS, SO THANK YOU.
SO LET'S COME BACK AND ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES.
LET'S COME BACK AT 8 48 MINUTES CONVENE SO WE CAN, UM, WE CAN GET OUT OF HERE.
SO NOW LET'S, UH, LET'S GO BACK TO THE, UH, BEFORE WE, WE HAVE ONE MORE ITEM IN THE NON, I'M GOING A COUPLE MORE ITEMS ON NON-CONSENT, BUT I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO CONSENT.
SO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT CAN GO TO, SO, UM, AND THE FIRST ITEM UNDER THE WILL, WE HAVE TO, UM, OH, LET ME TALK.
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO PULL EITHER ONE THERE'S ONE IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, REGARDING AN ORDINANCE WAVING UP TO $9,315 IN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ASIAN-AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, CENTER, RENTAL FEES FOR THE ACC AND AUTHORIZING THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH ACC COLLEGE TO PROVIDE CLASSROOMS AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES AND POTENTIALLY OTHER ADULT PROGRAMS. AND THE OTHER ONE, UH, AT M TWO IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN AMENDMENT TO AN EXISTING CONTRACT WITH INTERMENT SERVICES FOR CONTINUED INTERMENT SERVICES AT CITY CEMETERIES, AND TO EXTEND THE TERM BY TWO YEARS.
SO THOSE ARE BOTH ON OUR CONSENT CALENDAR.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO PULL EITHER ITEM ONE OR ITEM TWO FOR DISCUSSION, AND I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY, UM, WANTING TO DO THAT.
WERE YOU GOING TO PULL ONE? I'M SORRY, ITEM TWO.
I AM WONDERING IF, UM, WHEN WE RENEW THOSE CONTRACTS FOR INTERMENT SERVICES, IF THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S PUT OUT TO BID.
IF WE COULD GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON, I MEAN, AND THEN JUST, UM, VOTE ON THE ITEM ONE JUST TO AS CONSENT AND THEN, UH, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
[B1. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the City Council regarding an ordinance waiving up to $9,315 in Parks and Recreation Department Asian American Resource Center rental fees for Austin Community College; and authorizing the negotiation and execution of an Interlocal Agreement with Austin Community College to provide classrooms at the Asian American Resource Center for English as a Second Language classes and potentially other adult education programs free of charge.]
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND JUST VOTE TO APPROVE ITEM ONE.EVERY I MOVED TO DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION? YES.
SECOND BYTE BOARD MEMBER COTTON.
SO WE HAVE, UM, YES, THANK YOU.
[B2. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the City Council regarding the negotiation and execution of an amendment to an existing contract with Interment Services, Inc. for continued interment services at city cemeteries and to extend the term by two years.]
YOU ARE PULLING ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE CEMETERY.AND WE, WE DO HAVE, UH, TANYA, IS SHE, IS SHE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT IS IN COMMUNICATION ON THIS ONE? OH, OKAY.
SO LET'S, UM, LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT QUICKLY AND THEN WE CAN GET YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK, UM, ON THIS, UM, THIS CONTRACTOR HAS BEEN
[02:30:01]
ON BOARD OUT THERE AT OSCE AT THE CENTER CITY CEMETERY SINCE 1991.THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL RENEWALS OF THAT CONTRACT, BUT, UH, MAYBE FOUR YEARS AGO, THE CITY DECIDED TO TAKE IT IN HANDLES.
AND, UM, THEY BOUGHT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF EQUIPMENT TO DO THE INTERNMENTS.
AND, UM, THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD HAVE HIS CONTRACT SHOULD HAVE EXPIRED ONCE.
AND FOR ALL, I BELIEVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2000, UH, 2021.
NOW WE SEE THIS, THEY WANT TO EXTEND IT FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
THE PROBLEM IS THIS CONTRACTOR FOR YEARS AND YEARS HAS BEEN CHARGING THE CITY, THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY, DOUBLE WHAT HE CHARGES PEOPLE TO, TO DO THE SAME WORK, SAY IN ROUND ROCK OR LEANDER.
UM, CURRENTLY THAT CONTRACTOR, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY FEE SCHEDULE, THE CONTRACTOR PUTS IN HIS POCKET.
EVERY TIME HE DIGS A HOLE AND SETS UP A FUNERAL FOR A FAMILY, SELLS THEM A LINER HE'S PUTTING IN HIS POCKET 5,000, $279.
EVERY TIME THAT COMES UP FROM THE FAMILIES TO HIM THROUGH THE CITY CITY, GATHERS IT UP.
AND THEN HE PAYS HIM THAT, AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, THE ONLY THING THAT THE CITY GETS ON THAT WHOLE SPACE SCHEDULE IS $416 FOR MAINTENANCE FEE.
HE'S CHARGING WAY TOO MUCH TO DO THAT TYPE OF WORK.
THAT'S THE CITY WANTED TO TAKE PEGGY HIS HOUSE, BUT THEN NOW THEY'RE SAYING, WELL, WE WEREN'T TRAINED BY HIM.
SO WE CAN'T TAKE IT INSIDE IN HOUSE, BUT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAN TRAIN THEIR WORKERS TO DO THAT WORK TOO.
IT'S NOT A HARD SITUATION TO DO THAT WORK.
UM, SO I AM OBJECTING TO THE PASSAGE OF THIS EXTENSION AND, UM, THEY, THEY NEED TO RETHINK HIS FEE SCHEDULE BECAUSE HE'S JUST CHARGING WAY, WAY TOO MUCH FOR, TO THE SAN AND FAMILIES.
AND IT'S THE FAMILY IS, AND THAT, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE FUNERAL HOME, YOU KNOW, AND THE OTHER THINGS A FUNERAL HOME WOULD DO.
THAT'S AN ADDITION TO THE, TO THE $5,695 ARE GETTING CHARGED.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE $416 THAT GOES TO THE CITY.
SO THIS CONTRACT'S GONE WAY TOO LONG.
IT, UM, THEY TRY TO BID IT OUT THERE WHERE IT'S AN OLD BIDDERS, BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THE INDUSTRY, IT WAS TOLD THAT EVERYBODY IN THE INDUSTRY AROUND THIS AREA KNOWS THAT HE'S GOING TO GET THE CONTRACT ANYWAY.
THAT KIND OF THOUGHT PROCESS IS HURTING THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN AND TEXAS, WHOEVER CHOOSES TO USE THE SERVICES HERE.
AND IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A, IT'S JUST A SHAME THAT FAMILIES ARE BEING CHARGED WAY TOO MUCH BY A CONTRACTOR THAT THE CITY HAS CONTROL OVER.
SO, UM, AND LET'S SEE, SO SORRY, WHO DO WE HAVE FROM THE CITY TO, UM, I CAN ANSWER THE CONTRACT QUESTIONS.
AND I'M SORRY, WHAT, WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN? I'M PAT ROSETTE.
OH, PAT, I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU MASKING YOUR HAIR.
I WAS LIKE, SO PAT, I ASSUME YOU'RE WITH THE CITY.
I AM THE, UH, THE MANAGER AND SUPERVISOR OF CONTRACTS, PURCHASING AND GRANTS HERE AT CARD.
WELL, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS GOES? I MEAN, WHEN I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU HAVE LOOKED FOR OTHER CONTRACTORS TO KIND OF FIND THE FAIREST PRICE FOR R AS THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID, WE DID GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
THE LAST TIME WE EXTENDED THIS AGREEMENT AND WE, AND AS SHE SAID, THERE WERE NO BITTERS AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH AVAILABILITY OF THIS TYPE PROFESSION TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE FOUND WHEN WE WENT OUT TO BID.
NOW, THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF A CONTRACT, SO YOU DON'T NEED TO GO OUT TO BID.
AGAIN, ALL YOU DO IS YOU HAVE AN EXISTING CONTRACT AND COUNSEL SAID, ANYTIME YOU EXTEND THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TO US AND JUST GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL REASONS WHY YOU'RE EXTENDING IT.
AND MS. WALLS DAVIS CAN SPEAK MORE DIRECTLY TO WHAT THE REASONS ARE FOR EXTENDING IT THIS TIME.
BUT AS FAR AS CONTRACTING, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO OUT FOR A BID AGAIN, YOU JUST HAVE TO GO AND PRESENT IT TO CITY COUNCIL.
WE DID TO CCC, AND NOW WE'RE COMING TO PARKER SPORT FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, BUT MS. WALLS
[02:35:01]
DAVIS CAN TALK TO YOU MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF THE CITY AND THE CEMETERY OPERATIONS TO EXTEND THIS CONTRACT TWO MORE YEARS.UM, AND I ASSUME THAT YOU, WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON CONTRACTS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, THE FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR DIGGING A HOLE.
WHAT, WHAT IS CHARGED IN OTHER CITIES MAYBE? AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT COSTS, BUT $5,000 SOUNDS LIKE A LOT FOR JUST A HOLE TO BE DUG.
I, BUT I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE OPERATION OF THE BUSINESS.
I CAN JUST TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW WE GO AROUND, HOW WE GO ABOUT ESTABLISHING THE CONTRACT.
AND, UH, AND WE HAVE PROFESSIONALS AT CORPORATE PURCHASING, AND THIS WAS A CORPORATE PURCHASING WHO LOOK AT ALL THOSE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX IS, AND THEY LOOK AT THESE PROPOSALS AND COMPARE THEM TO THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST VALUE FOR THE CITY.
AND I GUESS IT'S A SHAME THAT WE'VE INVESTED ACCORDING TO OUR SPEAKER, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO BRING THIS SERVICE IN-HOUSE THAT THE CITY WOULD DO IT, BUT YES, STRANDED INVESTMENT.
WE'RE STILL HIRING AN OUTSIDE.
LIKE I, LIKE I SAID, PREVIOUSLY, MS. WALL SAVERS CAN EXPLAIN WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE AROUND THIS.
AND IT'S A LOT OF THE IMPACT THAT ALL OF US HAS FELT ALL OF US HAVE FAILED AS A RESULT OF COVID.
SO I SAY, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. WALL STATUS TO SPEAK TO THOSE.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE CONTRACT, I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER THOSE.
HELLO? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES, YES, YES.
UM, WE WERE DUE TO TAKE OVER THE CONTRACT AND NOVEMBER OF 2021, BUT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE UNABLE TO TRAIN SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THE CONTRACTOR.
SO WE DID NOT FEEL THAT OUR CREW WAS EQUIPPED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER THE IN-HOUSE INTERMENTS.
AND EACH JUST, I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UP ONE THING.
EACH INTERMENT DOES NOT COST $5,000.
ON AN AVERAGE, WE PAID THE CONTRACTOR ABOUT 12 TO $1,300 FOR ONE INTERMENT.
AND FOR THE OUTER BURIAL CONTAINER, WE CHARGE THE PUBLIC $400 FOR THE OUTER BURIAL CONTAINER.
AND THAT IS LOWER THAN ANY OTHER CEMETERY WITHIN THIS AREA.
WHEN WE DID OUR MARKET STUDY TO SOME OF THE OTHER CEMETERIES, WE ARE STILL THE LOWEST CEMETERY WITHIN THE AREA, AS FAR AS COSTS.
I DID WANT TO ASK ONE QUESTION AND THAT WAS, UM, IT IS, SO WE ARE NOT GETTING, WE'RE ONLY GETTING ONE BIDDER FOR THIS CONTRACT.
IS THERE, I MEAN, I KNOW SHE SAID THAT WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
THEY WOULDN'T, THEY KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO GO TO THAT ONE BIDDER AND THEY WOULDN'T EVEN TRY.
IS THAT CORRECT? I CAN'T SPEAK TO EXACTLY WHY WE ONLY GOT ONE BIT WHEN WE WENT OUT LAST TIME.
IT'S JUST NOT A LOT OF WHAT WE CALL GRAVE DIGGERS OR IN TERM OF SPECIALISTS IN THIS AREA.
MOST OF THEM WORK SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CEMETERIES.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT TOO MANY CONTRACTORS IN THE AREA THAT ARE WILLING TO DO THIS TYPE OF SERVICE.
SO ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, OKAY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IS THERE STILL A PLAN FOR THE CITY TO TAKE THIS OVER AT SOME POINT? AND, BUT, BUT THIS IS A EXTENSION FOR TWO YEARS.
SO WE THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE THAT LONG TO GET TRAINING.
WE BELIEVE THAT TWO YEARS WILL GIVE US AMPLE TIME TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN SIDE BY SIDE WITH INTERMENT SPECIALS LISTS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STAFF IS TRAINED.
AND IT ALSO GIVES US TIME TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A STABLE STAFF LEVEL, RIGHT? SO DURING COVID, YOU ALL MIGHT KNOW THAT AS INDIVIDUALS LEFT THEIR POSITIONS, RIGHT, WE WERE ON A HIRING FREEZE.
SO WE ARE STILL DOING A LITTLE BIT OF CATCH-UP TO BE ABLE TO THIS TIMEFRAME GIVES US ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL RESOURCES AND THAT THEY'RE TRAINED UP APPROPRIATELY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ENTER INDIVIDUALS IN A WAY THAT'S SAFE FOR THEM SAFE FOR THE CITIES, SAFER THE FAMILY, SO THAT WE HAVE A PRODUCT AND A, AN END SERVICE THAT PEOPLE CAN, CAN RELY UPON AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.
I WOULD JUST ADD THAT WE HAD A REALLY THOROUGH PRESENTATION OF THIS AT THE CCC SUBCOMMITTEE AT THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS SUBCOMMITTEE, UM, WHERE THEY TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF NAVAIR, NOT, UH, AUSTIN DOESN'T HAVE YOUR
[02:40:01]
ROW BY ROW KIND OF GRAVEYARDS.AND, UM, SO I, UH, YOU KNOW, MS. WALLACE DAVIS WAS TELLING US AND HER OTHER, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO THE OTHER PERSON WAS IN CHARGE OF MAINTENANCE, BUT, UM, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT NAVIGATING THE SPECIFICS OF THE CEMETERIES HERE IN AUSTIN, AND THAT IT'S A SPECIALIZED SORT OF A THING THAT THAT'S WHY THEY FELT THEY NEEDED THE SPECIAL TRAINING.
AND THE EXTENSION WAS BECAUSE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THE GROUNDS.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT, SORRY, WE HAVE, THERE'S A REALLY COOL CEMETERY PLAN.
WE HAVE AN AWARD-WINNING HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE THING THAT IT WARRANTED, YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR MCNEILLY, THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE CEMETERIES IN AUSTIN WON AN AWARD IN 2015.
I DON'T REMEMBER OFF HAND, BUT IT WAS GUIDED BY KIMBERLY OR KIM, NICK NIGHT-NIGHT AND SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS ON THE TEAM.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY SEND YOU A LINK TO THAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT, AND I CAN LET YOU KNOW THE AWARD, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER.
SO ON, SORRY, WHO ELSE HAD ACCOUNT, I GUESS PLEASE ADVISE CHAIR.
NO, I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT AND THE INITIAL TERM BEING THE 13 THROUGH 18, THAT FIVE YEARS WITH THE ADDITIONAL RENEWAL OPTIONS AFTER THAT.
AND SO THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UM, I HATE NOT RE COMPETING CONTRACTS, BUT IF YOU DON'T GET ANY OTHER BETTERS AND THAT'S JUST THE REALITY, AND IF YOU'RE IN THE VENDOR COMMUNITY, AND EVEN AS, AS SPECIALIZED AS THIS SERVICE IS, UM, IF YOU KNOW THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO TAKE OVER THE SERVICE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A TRADITIONAL FIVE-YEAR TERM, AND THEN ALL THE RENEWAL OPTIONS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE IN IT.
AND SO YOU WOULD SAY, YEAH, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL VENDORS.
IT'S JUST THE TWO YEARS, BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY CAPITAL COSTS, YOU'VE NEVER REABSORB IT.
DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD BE CAPITAL COSTS, BUT SO IT MAKES EVERY SENSE.
I MEAN, IT MAKES FOR ME HAVING DONE PROCUREMENT CONSULTING FOR SO LONG, UM, THERE'S NOBODY I KNOW WOULD, WOULD TOUCH THIS ON SUCH A LIMITED SCOPE AND TIMEFRAME.
I LIKE IT COMING BACK IN LINE WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND, AND, UH, OUR, OUR STAFF MEMBER.
NOT THAT I HAVE TO SAY THAT SHE'S CORRECT BECAUSE WE KNOW SHE'S CORRECT, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE, YOU KNOW, THE BURIALS WEEKDAY FEE 1400, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S, THE FEES ARE ALL THERE.
UM, AS PART OF OUR, OUR BUDGET, THAT'S APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
SO, UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SO WITH THAT WE NEED TO, UM, TO VOTE ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM IS ANYBODY WANT TO, UH, SINCE WE'VE HAD DISCUSSED THIS AND WE WANT TO PUT FORWARD A MOTION, SO MOVED.
SO WE HAVE MOVED, WE HAVE A SECOND, UM, ALL IN FE.
OH, THIS IS TO, UM, TO RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT.
[B4. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the Planning Commission for the approval of a Conditional Use Permit required for all site development permits on public land over 1 acre, related to the Waterloo Greenway Creek Delta Project.]
UM, OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE SWINGING BACK TO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA AND WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUIRED FOR ALL SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMITS ON PUBLIC LAND, OVER ONE ACRE RELATED TO THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CREEK DELTA PROJECT.AND LET'S SEE, I'M ASSUMING YOU HAVE LANA DAN KELLER AND DIANA WANG AND CHRIS PERKS.
[02:45:01]
YOU ALL.UM, CHAIR LEWIS AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR HEARING OUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT, BEFORE WE DIVE IN, WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO A REAL QUICK ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS SINCE THERE'S THREE OF US.
UM, I'M LANA DINKLER, UH, WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I'M A PROJECT COORDINATOR THAT WORKS, UH, PRIMARILY ON THE WATERLOO GREENWAY PROJECTS.
AND WE'RE TALKING TONIGHT ABOUT OUR NEXT PHASE OF WORK, THE CREEK DELTA PROJECT.
I AM A PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, AND I AM ACTING AS THE, UH, THE MANAGING PROJECT PROJECT MANAGER FOR, UH, CREEK THE CREEK DELTA PROJECT.
UM, AND I WILL PASS IT ON TO EVENING.
UM, MY NAME IS CHRIS PERKS AND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS MANAGER AT WHAT ARE THE GREENAWAY CONSERVANCY AND MAINLY FOCUSING ON THIS CREEK DELTA PHASE OF WORK.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT, THIS CREEK DELTA UPDATE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE AGENDA, UM, JUST A QUICK HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE WATER BEGINNER PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE'LL DIVE INTO SOME OF THE SPECIFICS OF ABOUT PRE DELTA AND WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT, THE PROJECT ITSELF, AND THEN THE THIRD ITEM, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT FROM THIS BOARD, UH, FOR THE CREEK DELTA PROJECT AND RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UH, THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS REQUIRED OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE WE'RE DEVELOPING ON LAND.
UM, THAT'S PUBLIC ZONING AND IT'S A PROJECT OVER ONE ACRE, AND WE CAN HAVE, UM, WE'LL HAVE MORE DISCUSSION ON THAT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF FINAL ACTION ITEM.
SO WHAT ARE THE GREENWAY IS MADE UP OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PARTIES THAT YOU SEE HERE TONIGHT PRESENTING, UH, THE TWO CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE WATERSHED PROTECTION, UH, AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ALONG WITH A NONPROFIT PARTNER, WHICH IS WHY THE GREENWAY CONSERVANCY.
UH, SO OUR MISSION IS TO CARRY OUT AND DELIVER THIS ENTIRE PROJECT OF THE WATER, THE GREENWAY.
UH, BUT TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PHASE TWO, THE CREEK DELTA, THE CAN SERVIANTS CONSERVANCY ITSELF, UH, ITS ITS OVERALL MISSION AND GOAL IS REALLY TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE, ACCESSIBLE AND EQUITABLE, UH, PARK SYSTEM IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, UH, TRULY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.
SO THIS GUIDES, OUR, OUR PLANNING, OUR DESIGN EFFORTS, OUR OPERATIONS OR MAINTENANCE AND OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, UH, TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO SOME OF THIS COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING.
IS THERE A PICTURES FROM THE RECENTLY OPENED WATERLOO PARK, WHICH OPENED THIS SUMMER? UM, THIS IS ALL FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, WHICH ANYONE CAN COME TO.
IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL SO FAR.
WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE COME TO OUR WEEKLY WORKOUT SERIES, UM, TAKING OUR DIFFERENT TANGO CLASSES IN SALSA CLASSES, UM, AND ENJOYING KIND OF A, THIS IS EQUITABLE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AND A ZOOM IN JUST BRIEFLY, UH, FOR AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF CREEK DELTA PHASE TWO IS THE ORANGE OUTLINE HIGHLIGHTED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
UH, WHAT ARE WE PARKED IS ON THE FAR RIGHT.
UM, SO PRICK DELTA IS THE ORANGE OUTLINE.
IT'S FROM LADY BIRD LAKE TO FOURTH STREET.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE SCOPE OF THIS PHASE OF WORK.
UM, AND WE'LL TALK MORE IN DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THAT INCLUDES, BUT I THINK INTERESTINGLY, UH, THIS PROJECT'S CONTEXT IS JUST IT'S RAPIDLY DEVELOPING.
AND SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD TIME FOR THE PROJECT TO KIND OF BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF ITSELF.
SO IT INCLUDES TRAILS, BRIDGES, UH, SPACES WHERE COMMUNITY GATHERING, UM, WHERE THE COURSE DEALS ULTIMATE GOAL THAT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WILL EVENTUALLY BE CONNECTED ALL THE WAY FROM LADY BIRD LAKE TO 15TH STREET, A WATERLOO PARK.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO DIANA TO TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PROJECT DETAILS.
UM, SO AS, AS CHRIS MENTIONED, THIS IS THE SECOND PHASE OF THE, OF WATERLOO GREENWAY.
AND SO I'M ZOOMED IN FURTHER HERE.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS FOURTH STREET AND ON THE LEFT IS LADY BIRD LAKE.
SO WE ARE DEVELOPING A WALLER CREEK, UM, WITHIN THOSE LIMITS, UM, JUST TO, TO, YOU KNOW, ACKNOWLEDGE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.
THIS WAS, UH, THIS PROJECT WAS IN THE APPROVED WALLER CREEK, UH, DESIGN PLAN, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
UM, THE LIMITS OF THE PROJECT ARE APPROXIMATELY 10 ACRES.
UM, AND THAT'S ABOUT A MILE OF NEW TRAILS, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, UM, CONNECTIONS TO THE RIGHT OF WAY, UM, AS WELL AS WATER QUALITY AND UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THAT'S ONE THING I DID WANT TO MENTION ABOUT THE LIMITS AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IT'S IT'S HATCHED AT THE BOTTOM IS, UM, PALM PARK IS NOT ACTUALLY PART OF OUR PROJECT.
UH, A SECTION OF THAT IS BEING RE REDEVELOPED, BUT, UH, PALM PARK WILL BE A FUTURE SPACE OF OUR PROGRAM.
UM, SO THE CURRENT STATUS, UH, WE ARE PREPARING 100% CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND WE SHOULD HAVE THEM READY BY DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
[02:50:01]
SAY THAT I HAVE THIS I'M USED TO BEING VIRTUAL.UM, SO BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ABOUT WHERE WE'RE STARTING.
SO THIS IS, UM, WHAT THE CREEK LOOKS LIKE NOW.
UH, THIS IS A SECTION, UM, BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH STREET OF WALNUT CREEK.
YOU'LL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SLOPES ARE, ARE HEAVILY DESTABILIZED, UM, ON YOUR, ON YOUR LEFT SIDE, THERE THERE'S A UTILITY THAT IS EXPOSED AND COLLAPSED ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU KNOW, CONCRETE IS KIND OF SLOUGHING OFF.
UM, SO IT'S NOT KIND OF YOUR TYPICAL STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT.
IT REALLY IS MORE OF A RECONSTRUCTION, UM, IN A HIGHLY URBAN AREA.
AND SO W W W WHAT DOES STREAM RESTORATION LOOK LIKE AND WHAT DOES A, YOU KNOW, A TRAIL PROJECT LOOK LIKE IT IN.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS, THIS DOWNTOWN AREA, UM, WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE NATURAL, UH, AND BRING PEOPLE BACK TO THE CREEK.
SO, SO ONE IMPORTANT GOAL WAS REALLY KIND OF MOVING AWAY FROM SOME OF THE HARDER ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS THAT YOU SEE THAT ARE KIND OF STRICTLY FOR FLOOD CONVEYANCE OR RETAINING SLOPES AND, UH, MOVING TOWARDS MORE OF A SOFTER SOLUTIONS.
SO YOU'LL SEE KIND OF SOME OF THESE, THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS HERE, BUT REALLY TRYING TO USE VEGETATION, UH, AND TAKE A SOFTER APPROACH TO STABILIZING OUR BANKS WHILE STILL PROVIDING THAT FLOOD SAFETY.
UM, SO SOME OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THIS PROJECT WAS STARTED, THERE WAS A FRAMEWORK PLAN WHERE WE ESTABLISHED, UH, UH, OUR GOALS, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE PROGRAM.
AND ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CREEK REALLY IS THE LIFELINE OF THE PROJECTS.
SO KIND OF STARTING WITH THE CREEK.
ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT WE USED IS THE FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT, AND THIS IS AN APPENDIX IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.
UM, IT'S A REGULATORY TOOL AND YOU'LL KIND OF SEE THE CHART AT THE BOTTOM AND WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO GET INTO EVERY, EVERY DETAIL THERE.
BUT WHAT WE DID IS WE KIND OF USE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS, UM, AS A BASELINE FOR CREATING A LITTLE BIT OF A RESTORATION TOOLBOX.
SO IT WAS TRANSLATING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE, UH, CRITERIA THAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE INTO ACTUAL, UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT METHODS OR DIFFERENT, UH, DESIGN, UM, FEATURES THAT WE COULD INCORPORATE INTO THE PROJECT.
ANOTHER BIG GOAL HERE WAS WATER QUALITY.
SO TRAIL PROJECTS AREN'T ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE WATER QUALITY, BUT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT, UH, GUIDING PRINCIPLE, UH, FOR, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO THERE WERE, THERE ARE TWO, TWO MAJOR THINGS, AND ONE OF THEM, UH, WE'RE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF IS, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, WHICH IS A LONG, OUR PROJECT LIMITS, UM, ON CONVERTING AN EXISTING WET POND, UH, THAT WAS DESIGNED TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT BEFORE REALLY STANDARDS HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED.
SO THIS WAS, I THINK, BACK IN THE NINETIES AND WE, WE CONVERTED THAT TO A BIOFILTRATION POND AND EXPANDED IT.
SO WE WERE PROVIDING, UM, WATER QUALITY FOR ABOUT 26 ACRES OF DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE ADDING FOUR IN LINE STORMWATER TREATMENT DEVICES, UH, WHICH CAPTURED DEBRIS BEFORE THEY REACHED THE CREEK.
UM, ANOTHER THING IS, IS TREES.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE THOSE SLOPES ARE SO DEGRADED, A LOT OF THE VEGETATION THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SEE IN THAT PICTURE HAD ALREADY BEEN EITHER REMOVED OR DAMAGED.
UM, SO BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO REBUILD THIS, THESE SLOPES, THERE WAS VERY MUCH, UH, AN INTENTION TO REPLACE AND MITIGATE FOR ANY TREES THAT, THAT NEEDED TO BE REMOVED BEYOND WHAT WAS REQUIRED.
SO WE ARE EXCEEDING OUR, OUR MITIGATE MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS.
WE'RE NOT PAYING INTO THE TREE FUND, I THINK WE'RE EXCEEDING BY ABOUT 80 INCHES OR SO.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE, UM, INCORPORATING, UH, IN ENHANCED, UM, TREE PROTECTION.
SO VEGETATION AND SOIL PROTECTION ZONES, UM, THAT ARE AGAIN, BEYOND THE, UH, THE STANDARD CODE, UM, 95%, I BELIEVE, OF, OF THE VEGETATION THAT WE'RE INTRODUCING ALONG THE CREEK IS NATIVE.
UM, SO THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THAT.
AND WITH, WITH ALL OF THIS CRITERIA THAT WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF BUILT AND, AND THE FEATURES THAT WE'VE INCORPORATED, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO, UH, ACHIEVE A SUSTAINABLE SITE CERTIFICATION
[02:55:01]
OF A MINIMUM OF SILVER, BUT WE ARE REACHING FOR GOLD.AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, WITH SITES, IT IS SIMILAR TO A LEAD FOR BUILDINGS.
IT IS NOT PART OF THE LEAD PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT A CATEGORY UNDER THAT, BUT IT IS KIND OF AN EQUIVALENT RATING SYSTEM FOR, UM, PARKS AND SITE DEVELOPMENT SPECIFICALLY.
SO FOR LANDSCAPES, UM, NEC OH, SORRY TO THAT.
UM, SO, SO IN ADDITION TO KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, KIND OF BRINGING VEGETATION AND BRINGING WILDLIFE BACK TO THE CREEK, THE OTHER BIG GOAL OF OUR PROJECT IS TO BRING PEOPLE, UM, UH, TO THE CREEK WITH THE TRAILS.
AND YOU'LL JUST, YOU'LL SEE, THERE'S SO MUCH HAPPENING IN THIS, THIS AREA AS, AS CHRIS TOUCHED ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE BUTLER TRAIL DAWSON CONVENTION CENTER IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING, UH, OF EXPANDING, UM, PALM PARK.
THERE ARE PLANS FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, REDEVELOPMENT AND PALM SCHOOL.
UH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT LABELED HERE, BUT THE MACK, YOU KNOW, PHASE TWO.
UM, SO JUST, JUST A LOT OF CONNECTIONS TO MAJOR DISTRICTS WITHIN OUR CITY AND A LOT OF CHANGE, UM, BOTH ON THE, ON THE PUBLIC SIDE AND ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT BACK TO LANA TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, OUR TRAIL NETWORK.
UM, I GET THE FUN PART WALKING YOU THROUGH SOME COOL VISUALS OF OUR PROJECT.
SO WE'LL START WITH, UH, A MAP AND MOVE TO A RENDERING OF SOME OF OUR, UH, BILL ELEMENTS IN OUR PROJECT.
SO FIRST WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ELEVATED WALKWAY AND BRIDGES.
UM, THE, THE, THE ELEVATED WALKWAY IS THERE IN THE CENTER.
IT STARTS JUST SOUTH OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND IS RIGHT ABOVE THE CREEK ITSELF, KIND OF FLOATING ABOVE THE CREEK.
IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO PALM PARK, LETTING PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS MOVE ACROSS THAT INTERSECTION THAT YOU SEE THE DOTTED LINE OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND RED RIVER WITHOUT HAVING TO TOUCH THAT INTERSECTION.
UM, AT THE STREET LEVEL, UH, SOUTH OF THAT, WE HAVE A SERIES OF WHAT WE CALL LATTICE BRIDGES, UM, MOVING EAST TO WEST, THAT THAT PROVIDED A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS.
AND THEN TO THE NORTH, WE HAVE AN ARCH BRIDGE, OR SOMETIMES WE CALL IT THE CYPRESS GROVE BRIDGE THAT BRINGS PEOPLE FROM THE NEW CAP, METRO DOWNTOWN STATION, AND THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY INTO OUR PROJECT FROM THE NORTH END.
SO A FEW IMAGES OF WHAT THOSE SPACES LOOK LIKE.
UM, THE LATEST BRIDGES, AGAIN, THESE ARE ON THE SOUTH END WHERE THE CREEK BANKS ARE A LOT STEEPER.
AND SO THE BRIDGES THEMSELVES ARE SORT OF UP IN THE CANOPY AS OPPOSED TO DOWN IN THE CREEK.
IT'S KIND OF THE, FEEL, THE FEEL YOU FEELING YOU GET AS BEING UP IN THE TREES THERE, WHEREAS THE ELEVATED WALKWAY, AS I MENTIONED, KIND OF HOVERS JUST ABOVE THE CREEK AND THE ELEVATED WALKWAY AND THIS IMAGE, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT IS ONE YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM, VERY CLOSE TO CREEK LEVEL, THE ONE THAT'S UP THE TOP IS AN EXISTING WALKWAY, AND THAT CONNECTS THE CONVENTION CENTER TO THE FAIRMONT HOTEL ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, IT'S CURRENTLY THERE, IT'S NOT A PART OF OUR PROJECT.
IT DOESN'T CONNECT TO OUR PROJECT, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO REPRESENT IT HERE SINCE, UH, WE'LL BE DOING CONSTRUCTION AROUND THAT.
AND THIS IS OUR LAST BRIDGE, THE ONE AT THE NORTH, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY STANDING FROM THE NORTH AND LOOKING SOUTH.
SO AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER, THERE IS THE TRAILHEAD WHERE YOU'D COME IN FROM THE CAP METRO STATION OR THE SABINE STREET PROMENADE AND CONNECT TO THE TRAIL SYSTEM TO MOVE SOUTH.
SO NOW I'LL MOVE US THROUGH, UM, THE SERIES OF SORT OF DESIGNED SPACES, UM, ALONG THE CREEK, STARTING AT THE SOUTHERN END WITH THE LAGOON OVERLOOK AND THE LEAF DECK.
THIS SPACE IS A VERY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE.
IT'S MEANT FOR KIDS TO GET DOWN IN THE CREEK OR EVEN ADULTS TO GET DOWN IN THE CREEK AND THEN IN THE UPPER CENTER, RIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE A SMALL VIEWING PLATFORM WHERE YOU CAN WATCH THE WILDLIFE OR POTENTIALLY HAVE A SMALL, UM, OUTDOOR CLASS.
LIKE I MENTIONED, IT'S DOWN IN THE CREEK AND IT'S IMMERSIVE RIGHT NEXT TO THAT JUST NORTH OF THE TUNNEL OUTLET FACILITY IS THE LAKEVIEW TERRACE AND EXPLORERS GARDEN.
AND IN CONTRAST TO THE SPACE THAT WE JUST SAW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S VERY CLOSE TO IT, THIS IS A MORE PUBLIC SPACE MEANT TO BE INHABITED IT'S RIGHT OFF THE BUTLER TRAIL.
UM, AND FROM THIS POINT, THIS IS A VIEW, UH, MOVING WEST ALONG THE BUTLER TRAIL TOWARD THE CREEK.
AND FROM HERE, YOU COULD EITHER GO TO THE RIGHT AND YOU'D BE ON LATTICE BRIDGE ONE, WHICH WOULD CONNECT YOU DIRECTLY TO THE MAC PROPERTY, OR YOU COULD VEER LEFT.
[03:00:01]
WOULD TAKE YOU TO A LOT OF SPRINTS TOO.AND SOME OF THE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS THAT FEED INTO THE RAINEY STREET DISTRICT MOVING FURTHER NORTH, WE HAVE A, WHAT WE'VE REFERRED TO AS THE SPRING, OR SOMETIMES WE CALL IT THE BEND.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE TRAIL HERE YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM WHERE THE ELEVATED WALKWAY ENDS AND COMES UP INTO PALM PARK AND KIND OF BENDS AROUND.
UM, THERE'S A DECISION POINT THERE WHERE YOU CAN MOVE RIGHT INTO PALM PARK OR KEEP CONTINUING NORTH ALONG THE TRAIL.
AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE CENTER, THERE IS A SORT OF STORMWATER FEATURE, BUT ONE THAT IS DESIGNED AS AN AMENITY, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S VISUALLY PLEASING AND CAN BE POTENTIALLY INTERACTIVE.
SO THAT'S OUR LITTLE TOUR THAT WILL, UM, END WITH THERE AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UM, AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FOR THAT.
OH, UM, SO I THINK AS CHRIS HAD MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT, UM, WE ARE REQUIRED TO, UH, ACHIEVE AS PART OF OUR SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR ANY, ANY SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT ON PUBLIC LAND THAT IS OVER AN ACRE IN SIZE.
UM, AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE, THAT UNLIKE THE, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR ALCOHOL USE, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THE PARKS SPORTS SUPPORT, BUT WE'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US FEEDBACK AND TO LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE A POSITION THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO TAKE TO, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
I THINK IT'S, UM, A PRETTY COOL PROJECT AND WE WANT TO SEE IT MOVE FORWARD.
UM, IF, IF I CAN HAVE THE SLIDE DECK, PLEASE APOLOGIZE.
SO I THINK AN ACTION IS NOT REQUIRED, BUT WE WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US.
AND THEN FINALLY, JUST TO KIND OF OVERVIEW QUICKLY OF OUR SCHEDULE, AS DIANA MENTIONED, WE'RE CURRENTLY WRAPPING UP OUR A HUNDRED PERCENT CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, UM, THAT WE'LL HAVE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BRIEFINGS AND UPDATES, INCLUDING MOST RECENTLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, WE'VE GONE TO THE MAC ADVISORY BOARD A COUPLE OF TIMES SINCE WE'LL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THEIR, THEIR PROJECT TEAM, THAT'S DOING THAT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE YOU MAY HAVE ALL RECEIVED A COPY OF A MEMO ABOUT THE, THE COORDINATION ITEMS BETWEEN OUR TWO PROJECTS.
UM, NEXT WE BELIEVE WE'LL BE GOING TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION IN NOVEMBER AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN DECEMBER FOLLOWED BY, UM, BIDDING EARLY NEXT YEAR AND CONSTRUCTION NEXT SUMMER.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AT THIS SITE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I AM GOING TO GO AROUND AND ASK QUESTIONS, BUT I DID WANT TO JUST ASK SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY.
I KNOW YOU WENT BEFORE ENVIRONMENTAL, I THINK IN SEPTEMBER, AND I KNOW THAT THEY APPROVED IT.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT CONDITIONS OR ANYTHING THEY ADDED TO THAT APPROVAL OR THEY RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL? THEY, THERE WERE NOT ANY CONDITIONS.
UM, UH, THERE WERE SEVERAL QUESTIONS DURING THE MEETING, BUT, BUT NO CONDITIONS.
SO, UM, WHEN OUR ACCOUNTANT SAID, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE A REALLY NEAT PROJECT.
UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS PARTS WHERE THE VEGETATION HAS COME DOWN TO BE RECONSTRUCTED.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE USING MORE OF THE SOFT, UM, COVER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT WORD I LOST IT ALREADY.
UM, I LIKED THE, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE THREE CROSSING BRIDGES, SO CLOSE TOGETHER.
WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE IN THOSE? THE LATTICE, I THINK YOU CALLED THEM THE LATTICE BRIDGES.
SO WAS THERE A REASON TO HAVE THREE OF THEM SO CLOSE TOGETHER? I THINK THERE'S A, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT CONNECTION POINTS THERE THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SPACED FAR ENOUGH APART THAT I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S, IT PROVIDES MORE CONNECTIONS TO THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FROM, FROM THE BUTLER TRAIL TO THE MAC, UM, AND TO THE RAINEY STREET DISTRICT, AS WELL AS TO, UM, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE FURTHER NORTH THAT WOULD CONNECT CESAR CHAVEZ OVER INTO THE SAME SORT OF AREA OF THE RAINEY STREET DISTRICT.
AS I THINK INITIALLY IN THE DESIGN PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FIVE OF THESE BRIDGES.
AND SO FOR, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER AS THE DESIGN EVOLVED, IT BECAME THREE.
AND YOU DON'T KNOW IF, UM, DIANA CAN SPEAK TO THAT MORE, UM, THAT THE HISTORY THAT I'M AWARE OF, BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT FOR YOU.
AND ONE THING TO NOTE IS ONE OF THOSE BRIDGES IS REPLACING
[03:05:01]
THE EXISTING BUTLER TRAIL BRIDGE.UM, SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE BUTLER TRAIL, AND THEN THERE'S CESAR CHAVEZ, WHICH IS NOT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.
SO THOSE TWO KIND OF SERVE THAT PURPOSE.
I'D HAVE TO CHECK THE DISTANCE, BUT REALLY THAT THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT MID-BLOCK CONNECTIVITY, UM, IT, IT REALLY IS KIND OF NECESSARY TO HAVE SEVERAL CONNECTIONS.
I JUST WAS TRYING TO THINK ABOUT ALONG THAT AREA, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING FROM THE BUTLER TO THE MAP, BUT BUTLER'S RIGHT THERE ON THE SAME PLANE AS THE MAXIMUM.
UH, FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE CREEK, THE ONE OF THE LOUDEST BRIDGES WOULD CONNECT OVER AND THERE, THERE WOULD BE TWO TRAILS.
SO THE EXISTING BUTLER TRAIL, UM, BLACKNESS BRIDGE ONE WOULD TAKE YOU FROM THE WEST BANK TO THE EAST BANK ON THE BUTLER TRAIL OVER TO THE MAC, BUT THERE'LL ALSO BE A NEUTRAL CONNECTION, UM, THAT HOOKS INTO THAT LOT OF BRIDGE ONE AREA AND GOES UP TO THE MAC, UM, SORT OF MID PROPERTIES.
SO INSTEAD OF ON THE LAKESIDE, SORT OF MORE TOWARD THE BUILDING, UM, ENTRANCE THAN THE PARKING LOT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, AND I CAN PULL, MAYBE WE CAN PULL SOMETHING UP IF IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT I'M DESCRIBING.
IT LOOKS LIKE A REALLY NEAT PROJECT.
I LIKE THE STORM MITIGATION, THE BLOCKS THAT LOOK LIKE PEOPLE ARE ON THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, AND I LIKED THE PART WHERE, UM, YOU'RE LEAVING SOME NATURAL AREA FOR PEOPLE TO GET DOWN BY THE WATER, AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT A LOT OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, UH, TAYLOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER, UH, DECARLO.
AND THANK YOU TO, TO STAFF FOR ANSWERING MY, UM, INITIAL PUSH QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL.
UM, REMEMBER BERNARD, NO QUESTIONS.
THEN WHAT REMEMBER HUGGED ME NO QUESTIONS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT STUFF IN THIS PLAN AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION.
UM, AND ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS YEAH, HOW COOL IT IS TO HAVE THIS FEATURE, UM, AT THE SPRING, UH, THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO GET DOWN NEAR THE WATER, BUT, YOU KNOW, PREVENTS EROSION IN THE FORM OF THOSE NATURAL BLOCKS.
THAT'S A REALLY COOL, UM, IDEAS AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS SO DRAWN TO THE WATER.
UM, BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE ISSUE OF, UM, YOU DON'T WANT THERE TO BE A LOT OF EROSION WITH PEOPLE, UH, TRYING TO BE NEAR IT AND, UH, HAVE A GOOD TIME.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, YEAH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND I'M REALLY PROUD THAT THIS IS IN MY DISTRICT.
MOST OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE SITUATION.
SO THIS, UM, CREEK IS CURRENTLY BENEFITING FROM A MASSIVE UNDERGROUND STORM WATER TUNNEL, THAT CHANNELS FLOODWATERS UNDERNEATH THE GROUND.
I ACTUALLY GOT TO GO INSIDE IT.
IT'S 70 FEET TALL INSIDE WHEN IT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, LIKE, BUT I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING AND MAKE SURE THIS FITS.
SO WHEN WE SAY I JUST, SO ALL OF THE WATER THAT GOES INTO WATER WALLER CREEK ABOVE LIKE ACTUALLY THE PARK ITSELF, RIGHT.
THE NEW GREENWAY PARK, MOST OF THAT STORM WATER IS GOING UNDERGROUND IN THIS HUGE, VERY EXPENSIVE TUNNEL.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FLOOD WATER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM 15TH STREET TO THE LAKE RUNOFF INTO THE CREEK, FROM THAT POINT, WE'RE NOT, IS THAT CORRECT? ESSENTIALLY? YES.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, TH THERE IS A PRETTY SIZEABLE WATERSHED, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING SOUTH OF THE TUNNEL INLET THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THIS SECTION OF WALLER CREEK.
UM, JUST ONE THING TO NOTE THERE'S THERE ARE INLETS THAT GO DIRECTLY TO THE TUNNEL AT EIGHTH STREET AND FOURTH STREET AS WELL.
UM, WELL, SO I GUESS ONE JUST COMMENT I WOULD HAVE ON YOUR PRESENTATION WHEN YOU MOVE ON TO OTHER BODIES IS LIKE, I DIDN'T SEE ANY MENTION OF THE STORMWATER TUNNEL.
AND SO TO ME, IT, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO GET THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE USING, UM,
[03:10:01]
ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNIQUES TO TREAT THE, ALL OF THE STORMWATER IN WALLER CREEK, BECAUSE IT'S IT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S NO WATER, QUALITY CONTROLS UPSTREAM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN JUST FLOODING STORM WATER INTO THERE FOR DECADES AS IT DEVELOPED.SO I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK LIKE, YEAH, THAT AUSTIN SO GREAT.
WE JUST GET TO PUT THESE PLANTS AND WE'RE GOING TO READ VEGETATE AND IT'S GREAT.
LIKE, NO, WE SPENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THAT STORM WATER TUNNEL.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, I'D SAY THE HARDEST ENGINEERED THING YOU CAN DO.
UM, SO JUST, JUST KEEP IT IN MIND, GIVING THE FULL CONTEXT, I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR HOW THE WHOLE WATERLOO GREENWAY PROJECT GOT STARTED AND IS PROCEEDING.
UM, SINCE NOT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE BIG, THE WHOLE PICTURE.
UH, AND THEN THAT SAID, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SCHEMATICS LOOK REALLY GOOD AND THERE'S A LOT OF VEGETATION.
UM, THERE IS A LOT OF WALKWAYS AND CONCRETE, AND I'LL SAY I HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT THE NEW PARK.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NICE, IT'S GOT A LOT OF AMENITIES THAT I KNOW PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING.
IT'S GOT A HEAVY TOUCH ON THE CONCRETE AND THE WALKWAYS.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO COME OUT LIKE IT IS IN THE SCHEMATICS WITH, UM, MORE OF THE NATURAL LOOK AND FEEL.
SO I AM THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR, UM, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE WAS JUST ABOUT THE, THE TIMELINE AND THE COSTS, LIKE HOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN, HOW LONG THIS IS GOING TO TAKE, HOW IS HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST AND WHERE THAT MONEY'S COMING FROM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HOW DISRUPTIVE IT WILL BE FOR THE PLACES AROUND IT.
SO, RIGHT RIGHT NOW WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE BETWEEN TWO TO THREE YEARS.
SO I THINK WHEN WE HAVE CONTRACTOR INPUT, WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, DETAIL ON THAT.
UM, THE COST, UH, THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION IS IN THE $50 MILLION RANGE, AND WE'VE GOT, UM, QUITE A FEW FUNDING SOURCES WITH THE LARGEST ONE BEING, UH, THE TIF OR TERS NUMBER 17.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A TAX INCREMENT ZONE THAT CONTRIBUTES, UM, UH, TO DIRECTLY TO THIS PROJECT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE'S WATERSHED PART, OF COURSE, WATERLOO GREENWAY, AND THEN, UM, SEVERAL OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, WHO HAVE INTERESTS IN THIS AREA, CONVENTION CENTER, AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER, UM, ARE, ARE CONTRIBUTING AS WELL, RANGE OF SOURCES.
AND, AND AS FAR AS DISRUPTIONS DURING THIS PROCESS, WHAT, WHERE, WHAT DO YOU ENVISION THE AREAS AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY FOR, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET DOWN TO LADY, THE LADY BIRD LAKE AREA, UM, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, AS WELL AS THE TRAIL FOUNDATION ON BUTLER TRAIL.
SO THE EXPECTATION THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE COMMUNICATING TO TWO BITTERS IS THAT BUTLER TRAIL NEEDS TO REMAIN OPEN DURING THE, UM, ALL OF CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO IT WILL BE COMPLICATED, BUT THE, THE, THE GOAL IS FOR CONTRACTORS TO COME FORWARD WITH THE PLAN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, SO YES, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE LOGISTICALLY, THIS WILL BE A VERY DIFFICULT PROJECT AND WE ARE VERY AWARE OF THAT, BUT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MITIGATE DON, CAN I ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION? ARE YOU DONE? YES.
I HAVE ONE MORE THING, BUT GO AHEAD.
I HAD JUST ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS ALL FUNDED WITH THE, UM, THE TAX MONEY FROM THE TIF TERS I DIDN'T REALIZE.
UM, AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE KNOW HOW MUCH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT MONEY IS ALLOCATED TO THIS, OR IF IT HAS BEEN, I'LL HAVE TO GET YOU THAT THE EXACT AMOUNT OF 90, CAUSE IT'S BEEN ALLOCATED OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO WE CAN CERTAINLY GET YOU THAT AND SEND IT TO YOU VIA EMAIL.
UM, AND SO YOU'RE THINKING THAT, SO THAT THERE WON'T BE DISRUPTION TO BUTLER TRAIL, THAT'S YOUR PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS JUST ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THAT TRYING TO LOOK THE TREE MITIGATION AND TRYING TO, UM, SO HOW MANY TREES DO YOU PLAN TO HAVE TO TAKE OUT FOR THIS PROJECT? WE WOULD, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TREE LIST, IS IT, IT IS A VERY LONG TREE LIST.
SO, UM, WE'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN BB, CAUSE WE ARE BASICALLY RECONSTRUCTING THE SLOPE IN SOME AREAS IT'S KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE TO, TO NOT APPROXIMATE, RIGHT? AND SO, BUT YOU HAVE PLANS TO REPLANT
[03:15:01]
AND WHAT, WHAT KIND OF TREES, UM, AND IF YOU WANT TO START LISTING THEM OFF, I HAVE LOOKED AT THE, AT THE TRUTH PLANTING PLAN, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD LIST OFF ALL OF THE, I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE IT'S, UM, THAT IS IMPORTANT TO DEFINITELY, AND I DO THINK THIS DYNAMIC AND PREVIOUSLY THERE, THE WHOLE PLANT PALETTE IS 95% NATIVE AND THERE'S, THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PLANTING.SO THERE'S A WHOLE PLANTING PLAN FOR TREES, UM, THAT IS VERY COMPLICATED.
AND THEN THERE'S AN UNDERSTORY PLANTING PLAN AND A GROUND COVER PLANTING PLAN.
SO EVERYTHING WILL BE PRETTY WELL COVERED WITH EITHER TREES, SHRUBS, OR GROUND COVER.
AND WE CAN GET YOU THOSE PLANT LISTS.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING A PEAK, I ACTUALLY, I PERSONALLY WOULD BE, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE, OKAY.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, SO I GUESS WE CAN, UM, MOVE FORWARD AND SEE IF, UH, SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THIS ITEM.
AND WE DO NOT, UH, GO AHEAD AND BOARD MEMBER RINALDI.
I MOVED THAT WE, UM, UH, SUPPORT, UH, THE FELT THE PROJECT AND THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR VISA.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND FIVE, FOUR NUMBER.
SO, UM, THE NEXT, WE ONLY HAVE ONE MORE ITEM ON THE NINE CONSENT.
WELL, WE ARE ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO BE HERE TILL 10 30, WHICH IS KIND OF EXCITING.
[B6. Discussion regarding parkland dedication.]
IS THIS ABOUT PARKLAND DEDICATION? AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT VICE CHAIR, UM, DEPALMA AND I WANTED TO, TO BRING TO THE BOARD.SO I'M SURE, UH, EVERYBODY'S AWARE THAT WE, THERE WAS AN ITEM RELATED TO PARKLAND DEDICATION THAT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL THIS WEEK.
SO I JUST WANT TO JUST GO BACK TO KIND OF WHAT WE, THE PARKS BOARD ITSELF WENT THROUGH IN THE PAST.
UM, SO LAST, I MEAN THAT LAST MONTH, EXCUSE ME, WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING.
AND DURING THAT MEETING, WE GOT A, UM, PRESENTATION ON PARKLAND DEDICATION THAT WAS SO WE CAN LEARN ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE ORDINANCE AND HOW CRUCIAL IT WAS TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE LAND, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE MORE EQUITY ACROSS OUR CITY BECAUSE OF THE DEDICATION.
AND WE ALSO, UM, SAW A FILM THAT ALSO LET US SEE EXACTLY HOW THE ORDINANCE HAD IMPACTED OUR CITY.
AND AGAIN, REINFORCE THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
AND THEN THIS MONTH WE GOT A, UM, AN EMAIL FROM SAMMY WITH A COPY OF A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE THAT MENTIONED THAT, UM, STAFF HAD DECIDED TO, UM, ASK FOR A, UM, DELAY OF THE FEES FOR THAT, AND TO KIND OF REVISIT THE PROCESS, THE FUNDING PROCESS, BECAUSE THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT DEVELOPERS BEING UNHAPPY BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE THEY DIDN'T GET ENOUGH NOTICE OR SOMETHING.
AND SO AS EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IT WENT, DIDN'T COME BEFORE US.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A SAYING THAT WE, THE WAY WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, I'VE FOUND KIND OF DISTURBING.
AND, UM, SO IT RAISED SOME CONCERNS.
AND I WANT, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON THE ORDINANCE ON THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IF OTHER PEOPLE HAD ANY, UH, COMMENTS.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ALLOW, UH, VICE-CHAIR DEPALMA TO SPEAK.
I KNOW THAT HE ACTUALLY WAS, UM, PART OF THE WORKING GROUP THAT CAME UP WITH THE, UM, CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE IN 2016 AND, AND BROUGHT TOGETHER THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT, UM, UM, CREATED WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW.
AND IT HAS, UM, OBVIOUSLY AS WE KNOW, IT'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE, SO I'M GOING TO LET YOU SPEAK, UM, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA, AND THEN WE CAN GO AROUND THE ROOM.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE LETTER, THERE WAS THE, A POSITIVE MENTION THAT THE INCREASE REFLECTS THE RISING COSTS OF REAL ESTATE IN AUSTIN, IN WHICH AS THEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE COST OF PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO ACQUIRE NEW PARKLAND.
[03:20:01]
AND SO THAT WAS THE POSITIVE.AND THEN IT WENT INTO THE, THE NOT GIVING COMMUNICATION RELATING TO THIS PROCESS FOR PARKLAND, THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEE INCREASED, WHICH WENT UP TO ABOUT 125%, I THINK IS WHAT WAS APPLE ULTIMATELY CALCULATED? UH, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, WHAT WAS REALLY CONCERNING WAS FOR ME, IT WAS AN ARGUMENT AND, UM, ARGUMENT FROM FOLKS NOT WITH INSIDE THE DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS OUR DEPARTMENT THAT MADE THIS ARGUMENT AT ALL.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FEES AND IF YOU WERE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND YOU ARE DOING BUSINESS WITH DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN OR ANY PUBLIC ENTITY, YOU ARE ALWAYS CHECKING YOUR FEES, YOU'RE CHECKING YOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IF YOU DO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF WORK.
UM, YOU'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW YOUR BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED.
AND THAT'S JUST GOOD BUSINESS.
AND I FRANKLY DON'T KNOW ANYBODY IN THE AEC INDUSTRY WHO DOES PUBLIC SECTOR WORK, THAT DOESN'T CHECK THIS OUT, LOOK AT THEM AT THE CIP AS, AND SO OF COURSE IN THIS AGE, IN CASE IF YOU WERE IN BUILDING A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING IN AUSTIN, UM, I WOULD THINK PART OF YOUR OWN OPERATIONS WOULD BE TO GO IN THIS CASE, PAGE 7 94 OF THE BUDGET, AND TO SEE THE CALCULATION OF THE FEES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SHOCK TO EVERYBODY WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAD THIS FEE INCREASE WHERE WE KIND OF KNEW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
I MEAN, WE KNEW THAT THE PRICE WAS GOING UP AND WE KNEW THAT AS LAND BECAME MORE EXPENSIVE, UM, THAT THE PRICE WAS GOING TO GO UP AND THIS FEED WAS OVER A FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE.
SO, AND GOING TO KIND OF GET OUT THERE, BUT THEN I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK EVEN WITH THE FEE DISCUSSION ON NOTICE, I WAS KIND OF GO, OKAY, YOU KNOW, I CAN GO AHEAD AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAD PROJECTS IN THE HOPPER, UM, AND THEN THAT WAS BASED UPON A FEE THEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S AN ADJUSTMENT THERE, BUT THEN THE M THE MEMO TOOK A STRANGE TURN AND IT WENT TO A BENCHMARK BENCHMARKING STUDY AND THE, TO BRING THE REPORT BACK WITH FINDINGS OF THE BENCHMARKING STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES THAT THE COUNCIL WAS TO CONSIDER BACK IN, UH, IN THE FUTURE IN APRIL, 2022.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE MAYOR, WELL, THERE'S A, WE HAD A LOT OF GREAT COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WEIGHED IN ON THIS.
UM, BUT I LIKED THE MAYOR'S COMMENT ABOUT OPENING PANDORA'S BOX, YOU KNOW, TO DO THE CHAIRS, YOU KNOW, COMMON, AS FAR AS MY INVOLVEMENT IN 2015 AND 16, YOU KNOW, I WAS A NEW, A NEW BOARD MEMBER AND JUST CAME IN IN JULY AND, UH, KIND OF YOU'RE THROWN INTO THIS, YOU KNOW, PARKLAND ORDINANCE.
I HAD A MAJOR ACCIDENT IN OCTOBER, CAME BACK, YOU KNOW, CAME BACK FROM THE ACCIDENT AND KIND OF HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
AND WHAT WE WERE TOLD BY COUNCIL AT THE TIME WAS COME BACK WITH THE COLLABORATION, COME BACK WITH THE BUILD COMMUNITY AND THE NATURAL BUILT COMMUNITY, AND, UM, COME UP WITH, COME UP WITH THAT COMPROMISE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THOSE GROUPS DEAD.
I JUST REALLY JUST KIND OF SAT THERE AND MADE SURE WE GOT IT THROUGH THE FINISH LINE.
WASN'T THE ORDINANCE THAT I WANTED.
I WANTED IT STRONGER JUST TO BE CLEAR FOR ANYBODY WHO'S LISTENING.
I WANTED IT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, WANTED COMMERCIAL IN THERE.
UM, THERE WAS, I THINK, SOME OF THE CALCULATIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT W IT WAS JUST THAT IT WAS A COMPROMISE.
UM, SO I WAS REALLY PROUD WHEN THE MAYOR SAID THIS OPEN, YOU KNOW, W WHY DID THEY, WHY DID THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DO THIS? CAUSE IT OPENED PANDORA'S BOX AND IT DID OPEN PANDORA'S BOX.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WAS REALLY PROUD ABOUT THE MAYOR OF, OF DISCUSSING WAS HIGHLIGHTING HOW OUR FEES, THAT THERE WAS CHALLENGES WITH OUR FORMULA, WHICH IS TRUE.
THIS WAS THE COMPROMISE FORMULA THAT COUNCIL APPROVED.
AND ULTIMATELY IN 2016 WITH, I THINK, SECOND AND THIRD READING.
AND IN SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE MAYOR HAD MENTIONED AGAIN, WHICH I'M VERY PROUD ABOUT SAID USING THE PRICE OF APPLES AND THE PRICE OF ORANGES TO DETERMINE THE PRICE OF BANANAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE CASE OF THE PRICES AND OF ORANGES AND THE PRICES OF APPLES MAKE FOR A CHEAPER PRICE THAN WHAT THE CHEAP, WHAT THE PRICE OF BANANAS WOULD BE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST SO EVERYBODY'S CLEAR THAT AVERAGE OF OUR APPLES AND ORANGES IS A HUNDRED, A LITTLE OVER $166,000 PER ACRE, AS WHAT WE RECEIVE IN PARKLAND DEDICATION.
NOW THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE SPEND FOR OUR PARKLAND, WHICH IS $454, 400 8450 $4,000 PER ACRE.
SO THAT'S THE HUGE INCREASE HOW MUCH WE RECEIVE VERSUS HOW MUCH IT ACTUALLY COSTS
[03:25:01]
US.NOW, WHEN WE DID THAT 9.4 ACRES FOR 1000 RESIDENTS, WE CAN'T DO IT.
WE CAN'T KEEP TO THAT MEASUREMENT WITH THOSE DOLLARS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY THAT THIS WASN'T SOME HUGE, CRAZY JOB.
THIS WAS GETTING TO A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO NOT EVEN REALITY.
THIS IS GETTING SOMEWHAT CLOSER.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS PROUD.
THE COUNCIL ULTIMATELY VOTED TO INDEFINITELY, POSTPONE THIS THERE.
I DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE BRINGING IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
THEY BRING IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
THEN I HOPE THAT THEY WILL HAVE MORE REALISTIC AND GET RID OF THE FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE AND ACTUALLY DO WHAT, WHAT WE MADE.
I GUESS WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS WHAT THE REAL COST OF ACQUISITION OF ONE ACRE OF PARKLAND FOR THAT AREA.
THEY CAN DO A ONE ACRE PARKLAND WITHIN THE MILE, BUT IT'S GOING TO, I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S GOING TO BRING A MUCH HIGHER PRICE THAN WHAT THEY HAD THOUGHT.
NOW, THE QUESTIONS I DO HAVE FOR THE DIRECTOR IS HOW AS A COUPLE, I'M GOING TO GET THEM OUT THERE.
UM, WHY DID THE PARKS BOARD NOT LEARN ABOUT THE MEMO UNTIL IT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE AUSTIN MONITOR ON OCTOBER, OCTOBER 12TH? THAT'S ONE.
HOW DID A PARKLAND DEDICATION MEMBER COME ABOUT? THAT'S TWO.
AND WAS THERE ANY PERSONAL ORGANIZATION ASSETS TO LOOK AT PARKLAND DEDICATION? THAT'S THREE.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND ANSWER, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
SO, UM, KIMBERLY MCNEALY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR.
UM, SO THE REASON WHY THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD DID NOT HEAR ABOUT THIS IS, UM, I HAD, I WASN'T, I WAS INVITED TO A MEETING WITH, UH, OTHER CITY LEADERSHIP AND, UM, AND RICA, UH, WHO EXPRESSED TO ME.
AND THAT WAS, UH, SEPTEMBER 22ND, WHO EXPRESSED TO ME THAT THEY HAD, AS I UNDERSTOOD THEIR CONCERNS, THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN, UM, BUT THEY HAD NOT BEEN COMMUNICATED TO ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE FEE WAS GOING TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT THAT IT WAS GOING TO INCREASE.
AND THAT, THAT WAS, UM, TROUBLESOME TO THEM BECAUSE IT WOULD IMPACT, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THAT, THAT GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS.
AND I WAS ASKED, YOU KNOW, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD COMMIT TO, OR THAT YOU COULD THINK ABOUT TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM, UM, THROUGH THIS, UH, THE, THE PROCESS.
AND COULD I EXPLAIN WHY WE DIDN'T GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN THOSE THAT IN, IN THE FACT THAT THE FEES WERE INCREASING, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DSD WOULD NORMALLY DO.
SO I TALKED WITH OUR STAFF AND WE WENT THROUGH THE FACT THAT AS CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, AND, UH, THE CHAIR HAVE EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS A FORMULA AND THAT FORMULA WAS, WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CREATED FIVE YEARS AGO AND THAT IT'S IN CODE AND IT'S IN THE, UM, IT IS IN THE, UH, PARKLAND, DEDICATION OPERATING PROCEDURES.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HAVING A STAKEHOLDER PROCESS, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE, BUT I DID SAY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE, UM, AS PART OF OUR ECOSYSTEM, RIGHT? THEY'RE PART OF OUR ECOSYSTEM.
THEY'RE A STAKEHOLDER FOR US TO INFORM THEM OF THE FACT THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A FEE INCREASE IN CASE JUST TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THAT.
AND THAT I RECOGNIZED IF THEY'RE TELLING ME THAT THIS IS AFFECTING AFFORDABILITY, I WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
I COMMITTED TO THEM THAT I WOULD MEET WITH THEM ON A QUARTERLY BASIS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THAT WE'RE TALKING BACK AND FORTH AND THAT WE'RE HAVING, UM, WE'RE HAVING DIALOGUE.
AND I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD GO BACK AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW CAN YOU HELP US? BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO, THESE ARE MY WORDS, BUT THIS IS GOING TO WREAK HAVOC ON, ON SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IN PROCESS.
AND SO I WENT AND I HAD, UH, PROPOSED TO MY LEADERSHIP AND ORIGINAL IDEA.
AND THAT ORIGINAL ORIGINAL IDEA WAS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A GRACE PERIOD TO ALLOW, BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD WAS, IS WE'RE IN PROCESS.
AND NOW OUR FINANCIALS ARE A LITTLE BIT, UM, MESSED UP A GRACE PERIOD TO ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, TO CONSIDER, OR TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE 2021 FEES FOR A, A PERIOD OF TIME, A GRACE PERIOD OF TIME, A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THAT WAS KIND OF THE IDEA
[03:30:01]
THAT I HAD.AND THEN THAT WAY THEY COULD GET THEIR FINANCIALS IN ORDER THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS TO KNOW THAT THE FEES WERE INCREASING AND THEY COULD PREPARE FOR, FOR WHATEVER, FOR, FOR JANUARY ONE MOVING ON.
AND, UM, THAT WE COULD, AS IT STAFF, WE COULD BENCHMARK OURSELVES AGAINST WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR PEER CITIES.
YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? AND JUST HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THEM, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE KIND OF LIKE A WHITE PAPER THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE.
AND CERTAINLY WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH, UM, WITH THIS BOARD, WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH, WANTED TO ASK THAT RIGHT, THAT BECOMES PUBLIC RECORD.
AND WHEN I, UH, WHEN I SPOKE TO OUR LEADERSHIP, THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE THING TO CONSIDER.
AND I MADE, UM, EVERYBODY KNOWS I DON'T, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT HAVE A FEE WAIVER.
I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE FEE.
SO IN ORDER TO WAIVE A FEE, IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE TO BRING THAT FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
AND SO I HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL AIDS, CONCEPTUALLY ABOUT THIS ORIGINAL PLAN THAT I JUST TOLD YOU ABOUT TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE SUPPORTED.
AND, UM, I SET FORTH TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BALANCE THE NEEDS THAT LEADERSHIP ARE TELLING ME THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY, THE NEEDS OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND OUR REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE WOULDN'T HAVE COME TO YOU IN SEPTEMBER AND TOLD YOU ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PARKLAND DEDICATION, IF I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN PARKLAND DEDICATION.
AND, UM, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THINGS EVOLVED.
UM, UH, I, I, UM, I CHECKED IN WITH MY, WITH MY LEADERSHIP AND, AND THINGS EVOLVE BEYOND WHAT THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS.
AND HENCE THE ITEMS THAT YOU ENDED UP SEEING, UH, WHERE THE THINGS THAT MOVE FORWARD, UH, THAT, THAT OUR LEADERSHIP THOUGHT OR AN APPROPRIATE THING FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND I'M PART OF I'M PART OF THAT TEAM.
I HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, HOW I THOUGHT THAT THE REACTION WOULD BE.
AND, AND IT WAS STILL THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS THIS WAS, UH, UH, SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE CONSIDERED.
AND SO THEREFORE IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO COUNCIL, UM, AT THE, AT, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OF, OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM OF WHICH I'M PART OF.
UM, SO THE REASON WHY YOU RECEIVED THE INFORMATION ON THE DATE THAT YOU DID, BECAUSE THE DECISION WAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE BRINGING IT FORWARD TO THE OCTOBER 21ST MEETING.
AND SO WHEN THE ARTICLE CAME OUT, I ATTACHED THAT ARTICLE AND THE MEMO THAT I HAD SENT THAT WAS POSTED AT SOME POINT IN TIME, LATE THAT FRIDAY, SO THAT YOU ALL WERE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS HAPPENING.
UM, SO BOARD MEMBER OR, UH, VICE CHAIR DEPARTMENT, DID I ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A THIRD ONE THAT I DID NOT ANSWER.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN TWO, BUT IT DOESN'T LEAD ME TO ANOTHER ONE.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT TOLD YOU, OH, NOT A RECOMMENDED NOT TO BRING IT TO THE PARKS BOARD? NO, NO, NOT, NO.
THERE WAS NOBODY WHO SPOKE TO ME PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO ONE WHO HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH ME AND YOU SAID NOT BRING IT TO NOT BRING IT TO THE PARKS BOARD.
I THINK YOU ASKED ME, DID ANYONE SPECIFICALLY, YOU ASKED ME ANOTHER SIMILAR QUESTION ABOUT, I ASKED YOU ABOUT IT.
HOW DID IT COME ABOUT? AND, BUT IT WASN'T A PERSON ORGANIZATION ASKS YOU TO LOOK AND YOU HAD MENTIONED READ THAT ORGANIZATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S SHOCKING TO ME BECAUSE THERE, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE WHO ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE ALL CERTAINLY SHOULD, AND I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR HOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PROBABLY DIFFERENT THAN A LOT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE LOOKING FOR THAT DENSITY AND, AND TO, YOU KNOW, MORE MULTIFAMILY.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, IN THIS INSTANCE, IF THEY WANTED CERTIFIED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEN PARKLAND DEDICATION IS EXEMPT BY THE CITY OF BOSTON IN TO GET THAT CERTIFIED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS I DON'T THINK IT'S THE LARGEST BAR IN THE WORLD, YOU KNOW? AND SO THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF MY, MY FRUSTRATIONS WITH IT.
AND THEN IF YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S, IF YOU DID SMART HOUSING, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE AFFORDABILITY UNLOGGED, WHICH IS HOW WE INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT BOAT IN HIS PROGRAM TO, I DON'T KNOW IF PARKLAND FEE DEDICATION FEES ARE PART OF THAT PROGRAM OR NOT.
IT COULD BE, I'M NOT SURE, BUT FOR FOLKS WHO WERE SAYING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IT'S MARKET RATE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, I I'M, I'M JUST, AND I, I GUESS I'M TALKING TO AROUND, THERE'S NOT A QUESTION HERE.
I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THE DEVELOPER IS GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT,
[03:35:01]
HERE'S THE MARKET RATE, BUT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T FULLY PAY OUR, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THE INFRASTRUCTURE WITH PARKLAND, WITH ADDITIONAL FOLKS, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT BELOW MARKET RATE.WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE EASE AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFORDABLE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PRICE THAT MARKET RATE FOR, FOR, FOR NEW HOUSING OR FOR RENTALS.
FOR SOME REASON, I KINDA THINK THAT WHETHER IT'S A MULTIFAMILY APARTMENT OR IF IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, OR IF IT'S A CONDO, THEY'RE GOING TO PRICE IT AT WHAT THE MARKET BEARS, RIGHT.
THE THIRD TRAINING TO SAVE THE ADDITIONAL MONIES, I THINK THAT'S GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO, I THINK I JUST, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO IT.
I MEAN, THANK YOU, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING IF THAT'S OKAY.
I'D RATHER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RX, THE PARKLAND DEDICATION ABOUT THE IMPACT DEPARTMENT, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT CHAIR.
AND BOARD MEMBER OR BOARD CHAIR.
I DO AGREE WITH, UH, I, I DO THINK IT'S REGRETTABLE THAT AFFORDABILITY GETS PITTED AGAINST PAR COURTS.
AND WE GRANTED THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS AS, AND THIS WAS NOTED AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER FEES THAT HAVE GONE UP TOO.
SO WHY ARE WE ALWAYS GOING AFTER PARKS WHEN PARKS ARE SO VALUABLE? I WANT TO REAL QUICKLY, BECAUSE THERE'S TWO THINGS.
ONE WE HAVE TO, IF WE GO PAST 10, WE HAVE TO, UM, TO VOTE ON THAT.
AND I THINK, UM, I DON'T WANT TO GO VERY MUCH PAST HIM, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE OTHER PEOPLE IN HERE RESPONSIBILITY.
I MEAN, A CHANCE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT INSTEAD OF JUST VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA AND MYSELF.
SO WE MAY HAVE TO GO A FEW MINUTES PASSES WHAT EVERY BIT WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT.
IN THAT CASE, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO SAY ANYTHING REAL QUICK BEFORE WE, UM, YES.
WHO ELSE? WHO ELSE WILL YOU BE INVITING TO YOUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH RICA ABOUT PARKLAND DEDICATION? THE QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH RICA ARE NOT ABOUT PARKLAND.
WELL, WHO WILL YOU BE INVITING? SO IT'S NOT JUST RICA GETTING A QUARTERLY MEETING TO PLEAD THEIR CASE WITH YOU WITHOUT ANYBODY ELSE, GIVING CONTEXT.
WHO WOULD YOU, WHO WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT I WRITE IN, BUT I'M HERE FOR FEEDBACK.
YOU CAN ABIDE PARKS FOUNDATION.
YOU CAN INVITE US, YOU CAN INVITE SOMEBODY LILLY.
WE CAN CERTAINLY DO WE DO THAT.
WE CAN, WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A LIST.
I JUST, BUT THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY STAKEHOLDER.
THE RESULT OF THE FIRST MEETING WAS TAKING AN ACTION DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL IMPACTS WITH NO KIND OF INPUT FROM ANY STAKEHOLDERS OTHER THAN RICA.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M CONCERNED ABOUT CONTINUING THOSE MEETINGS WITHOUT OTHER PARTIES IN VIEWPOINTS PRESENT.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF A PARKS BOARD MEMBER.
I WOULD APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF A PARTNER LIKE THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, CERTAINLY.
AND THOSE ARE NOT OFF THE TABLE.
UH, WHEN I OFFERED THAT MEETING, IT WAS NOT TO TALK ABOUT PARKLAND DEDICATION.
IT WAS TO BE ABLE TO OPEN THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION SO THAT I COULD BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE.
AND THEY COULD BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE THE DEPARTMENT WAS COMING FROM WITH REGARDS AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IT DID, IT DID EVOLVE INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT MY, PARTICULARLY MY SPECIFIC INTENTION.
AND SO HAVING OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART OF THAT MEETING, UM, TO PARTICIPATE WOULD LIKELY BE VERY HELPFUL.
NOW I WOULD HAVE TO, I DON'T KNOW HOW WELL, YES, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL OR IT WOULD FEEL SUPPORTIVE TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND I WOULD JUST THE PROCEDURES, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GET INTO THE MERITS OF IT, BUT THE, I THINK ANOTHER REASON I DON'T REALLY KNOW YOUR BACKGROUND AND YOUR DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE, IT MAY BE EXTENSIVE, BUT YOU KNOW, MY EXPERIENCE WITH LAND USE LAW AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW IN AUSTIN IS THAT WE HAVE A VERY SOPHISTICATED DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING CAUGHT BY, BY SURPRISE BY FEES.
THEY THEY'RE LOOKING LONG-TERM AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND THAT INCLUDES OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILDERS.
AND SO I FIND THE ARGUMENT THAT IT WAS A SURPRISE, UM, TO BE HARD, TO HARD TO STOMACH.
AND ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS ALL IN THE BUDGET AND WE HAVE A ROBUST PUBLIC PROCESS.
UM, AND IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE EFFORT THAT WE GO THROUGH AS VOLUNTEERS TO COMMUNITY INPUT AND APPROVE THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, AND WE NOW HAVE THIS FINANCIAL COMMITTEE DESIGNED TO DO THAT, BUT TO SPEND ALL THAT TIME AND EFFORT AND THEN TO HAVE IT, UM, YOU KNOW, AFTER APPROVAL TO HAVE A RUN AT PAUSING IMPLEMENTATION IS, UM, IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND.
SO I ALSO, I, AND I SHARED THIS WITH, UM, WITH BOARD CHAIR DEPALMA AND, UM, VICE-CHAIR DEPALMA AND WITH CHAIR LEWIS THAT I AM
[03:40:01]
NOT, UM, I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME TRUST-BUILDING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE PROBABLY WITH THIS BOARD AND WITH SOME OTHERS.UM, THERE'S ALSO SOME CREDIBILITY THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO WORK THROUGH THOSE AND TO BUILD BACK THE TRUST AND TO BUILD BACK THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO I HAVE FOUND TO BE MY SUPPORTERS OVER TIME AND, OR HAVE BEEN OUR SUPPORTERS, NOT SPECIFICALLY MY SUPPORTERS, SUPPORTERS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST.
AND SO I, I FULLY ADMIT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE DISAPPOINTMENT COMES FROM.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE FRUSTRATION COMES FROM.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOW UP TO ME TO BE ABLE TO, UM, INCLUDE, BE INCLUSIVE WITH SOME INDIVIDUALS, UH, OR WHOMEVER IT IS THAT WE DECIDED IS MOST APPROPRIATE.
SHOULD THOSE MEETINGS GO FORWARD AND, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IT'S I ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THAT.
SO THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME WORK FOR ME TO DO WELL, THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOU, UM, TALKING TO US ABOUT THIS, AS YOU CAN TELL, THERE IS A LOT OF, UM, FRUSTRATION.
SO, AND I, WE MAY WANT TO ADDRESS
[E. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
IT DOWN THE ROAD, BUT NOW THAT I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT STAYING TILL 10 O'CLOCK AND IT'S 9 56 REALLY QUICKLY, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO NOT DO THIS IS TO GO AROUND AND GET FUTURE ITEMS REALLY QUICKLY.SO I'M GOING TO START WITH THE BOARD MEMBER RINALDI.
I WOULD LIKE TO GET AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE PROCEDURE COULD BE FOR FULFILLING THE REQUEST TO HONOR JOAN CABELL, UM, HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT SEEKING A WAIVER OF FEES TO ENTER BARTON SPRINGS AND DOING SOME SORT OF RECOGNITION OF HER IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROCEDURE WOULD BE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GET A REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTING FROM AUSTIN CITY LIMITS AND THE PAYMENTS THAT WILL BE MADE TO PART UNDER THE CONTRACT FOR THE FESTIVAL FOR THE 20, 21 YEAR THAT CAN OBVIOUSLY BE IN WRITING.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GET, UM, IN WRITING SOMETHING, WE HAD A MR.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER HIS QUESTION, WHAT RESOURCES MAY BE AVAILABLE OR WHERE THEY COULD GO TO APPLY FOR THOSE FUNDS.
UH
WELL REMEMBER, UM, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER, COMPANY.
I WENT INTO THINK, I ALSO WAS INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING UP ON, UM, MR.
UM, SO I'M GLAD THAT A BOARD MEMBER FAST POCKET UP.
THE OTHER THING I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS IS THE AUSTIN, UM, ROWING CENTER IS RIGHT IN THE PATH OF, UM, THE BLUE LINE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE BEING SHUT OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION AND IT SORT OF A FOREGONE CONCLUSION AND THE IDEAS IN THE EYES OF PROJECT CONNECT.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOME RESEARCH IN THAT AREA AND MAYBE HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE CAN, UM, HOW WE CAN, HOW WE CAN REMEDY SOME OF THAT PROBLEM, BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE A LOT OF PROGRAMS AND WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY BUILDING THAT BUILDING, AND WE SPENT FIVE YEARS PUTTING IN THAT GIANT TUNNEL, BUT I GUESS THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP THE TUNNEL, BUT I LISTENED TO IT EVERY NIGHT FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND THEN, SO I'M JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT MAKING THIS A, YOU KNOW, A PLACE AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO JUST BLOW IT UP.
A BOARD MEMBER, THE CARLO, UH, THANK YOU.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY FUTURE ITEMS, BUT, UM, UH, I DIDN'T WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING ABOUT THE ITEM THAT I MISSED WITH THE NAMING OF THE BALL FIELD.
MY FAVORITE TOPIC, YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, I WAS TRYING TO LISTEN IN BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO SIGN IN AND JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE THAT THE BOARD HAD, UM, PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
UM, THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE REGARDING WHO QUALIFIES HAVING SOMETHING NAMED AFTER THEM OR FOR A PARK OR PARK FACILITY.
UM, AND IT WAS THAT THEY EITHER HAD TO BE DECEASED OR RETIRED FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, SO WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T MAKE ANY FURTHER OR DIDN'T CHANGE ANY OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PARK FEATURES SUCH AS THE BALL FIELD THAT WAS DISCUSSED.
SO JUST WANT TO JUST WANT TO THROW THAT IN THERE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR, BUT THAT THANK YOU.
[03:45:01]
CAUSE WE WERE, UM, ASKING ABOUT THAT.UH, WELL MEMBER TAYLOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS? NO FRUIT, YOUR ITEMS. THANK YOU, SIR.
AND, UH, VICE VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA.
UM, I APPRECIATE BOARD MEMBER TO CARLA BRING IT UP.
I'VE HAD THE FACILITY AND THE FEATURES, SO, UM, I WAS WRONG, BUT AS FAR AS THE, THE CONVERSATIONS, GOSH, Y'ALL ARE SUCH A GREAT BOARD AND THERE'S SO MANY, UH, SO MANY TOPICS I WANTED TO BRING UP AUSTIN ROWING CENTER, DEFINITELY BEING ONE.
I APPRECIATE BOARD MEMBER MCNEELY HAVING, UH, WORKING WITH THE AARC ON TRYING TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION AND ACTIVELY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GETTING AHEAD OF THAT.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION REGARDING THE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, BOARD MEMBER CUT AND CYBIL HAD, HAD MENTIONED ANOTHER ONE IS, WELL, AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW PARTICULAR ON THAT.
ARE WE GOING TO GET REIMBURSEMENT OF THE FACILITY IN THE LAND FROM THE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND HOW, WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UH, THE OTHER ONE IS WHAT THE IMPACT OF PROP A ON PARKS.
SO IF PROP A WERE TO PASS BY THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, IT WILL HAVE PASSED.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? UM, HOW HAVE OUR WHOLE PARKS BE IT, UH, IMPACTED THE NUMBERS I HAD ORIGINALLY SEEN FROM THE CFO.
IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE DEVASTATING TO BOTH EMS FIRE DEPARTMENT, LIBRARY AND PARKS.
SO WANTING TO DETERMINE THAT, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS ON PROPERTY.
UM, PROPERTY, THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS GOING ON ON COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT, UM, IT PROP B PASSES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REZONE IT PRIOR TO IT GOING OUT FOR SOLICITATION, UM, PER THE, THE PROPERTY B UH, PROPOSITION B LANG UH, LANGUAGE.
AND SO WHEN IT'S LOOKING AT THE LAND VALUE, WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S LAND VALUE FOR HIGHEST USE, UM, RATHER THAN WHATEVER.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT, HOW, WHATEVER, HOW IT COMES TO THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANT THE, THE HIGHEST VALUATION FOR IT.
SO WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? HOW CAN WE IMPACT IT? CAUSE I WOULD HATE, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THIS WOULD EVER HAPPEN, BUT I WOULD HATE FOR NOVEMBER 2ND OR WHATEVER, WHENEVER OUR ELECTION IS NOVEMBER 2ND TO HAPPEN.
AND THEN THE SOLICITATION COME OUT LIKE A WEEK LATER, TWO WEEKS LATER, UM, THAT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S GET AHEAD OF IT BEFORE NEW SOLICITATION IS ACTUALLY OUT THERE.
AND SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE MOST FOR OUR PARKLAND IN THE EVENT THAT PROPOSITION P PASSES B.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE PAST WE'RE 10 0 2.
SO, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, PROP B WAS, WAS, IS DEFINITELY CHALLENGING BECAUSE EVERYBODY EXPECTED THE PARKS BOARD TO KNOW ABOUT IT AND UNDERSTAND IT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, THAT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE WERE PREPARED TO ANSWER.
SO WHEN WE DO TALK ABOUT PROPERTY, I'D LIKE TO TRY TO, TO DIG INTO SOME OF THOSE AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A LOT THAT WE HAVE ON.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THE THINGS THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ARE ALSO BEING COVERED.
I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE ROWING CENTER AND ZILKER AND ZILKER BOAT RENTAL CONTRACTS THAT THE RFP PROCESS, BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK I GOT MY ANSWERS CLEARLY.
UM, I DIDN'T GET CLEAR ANSWERS FROM PAT AT THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS MEETING, AND I HAVE REACHED OUT TO HER TO TRY TO GET THOSE AND I STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN THOSE.
SO I I'D LIKE TO, BECAUSE I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE WAY THAT'S GOING.
SO IF YOU FORWARD THOSE QUESTIONS TO ME CHAIR, I'LL MAKE SURE WE GET THEM.
SO WE ARE ABOUT TO, UM, THEY NEED, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END THE MINI ANYWAYS, CAUSE THEY'RE GOING OVER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED YOU TO KNOW THIS MIGHT BE SAMMY'S LAST MEETING.
SHE WAS ABLE TO TAKE A PROMOTION OF OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO, UH, JUST BEFORE YOU ALL GO, PLEASE KNOW THAT, UM, WE MIGHT NOT GET TO SEE HER AGAIN.
SO THANK YOU SAMMY FOR EVERYTHING.
AND ALSO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO USED TO WORK WITH, OR HAVE WORKED WITH APRIL, WHO USED TO BE IN SAMMY'S POSITION, SHE ALSO RECEIVED A PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND WILL BE MOVING UP INTO CML.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAPPEN TO STILL STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM, PLEASE WISH THEM, UM, GOOD LUCK WE'LL HAVE AND ANTHONY.
I'M AN