Mar 07, 2022 Music

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:04]

IT'S THE ORDER.

IT'S THE MONDAY, MARCH 7TH, 2022 MEETING OF THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION CALLED ORDER AT 6 38.

UM, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO START OUT,

[MUSICAL PERFORMANCE]

THAT'S A PAIGE ELLIS' DISTRICT, SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, AND, UM, SCOTT STRICKLIN, OUR COMMISSIONER FROM, UH, DISTRICT EIGHT IS REALLY SICK TONIGHT.

SO HE'S NOT HERE TO INTRODUCE RAY, UM, BUT HE STILL EMAILED OVER HIS BIO.

AND SO I'M GOING TO READ THAT YOU ALL POPPING IT OPEN OKAY.

AND THIS IS WRITTEN BY SCOTT.

RAY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INFLUENCE OF MINE DATING BACK TO WHEN I WAS FIRST GETTING MY START AS A MUSICIAN HERE IN TOWN, HE'D JUST ROLLED OUT A NEW ALBUM AND WAS MAKING BIG WAVES IN AUSTIN.

AT THAT TIME AS A SOUL RIDER WITH A FULL BAND AND A STRING SECTION, HE'S BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK FOR A WHILE AND HAS DEEP INSIGHTS INTO WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, BECAUSE HE'S DONE THAT VERY, VERY THING MOST OF HIS LIFE.

UH, AND THEN FROM RE IMAGINED BILL, WEATHER'S HEADING OVER TO, TO ABBEY ROAD IN A CADILLAC TO PICK UP BEN HARPER SO THAT THEY CAN CATCH THE TAIL END OF THE REVEREND AL GREEN SERMON 2016, BLACK RECIPIENT RAY PREM IS A SINGER SOUL WRITER BASED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

HIS MAKES HIS MUSIC TAKES YOU BACK TO THE DAYS WHEN SONGS ARE INSPIRING, MEANINGFUL, AND THOUGHT PROVOKING HIS TUNES ARE MELODY BASED SHORT STORIES THAT ANYONE CAN RELATE TO AND IDENTIFY WITH.

IT ONLY TAKES ONE OF HIS MANY SONGS TO BE INSTANTLY HOOKED, FIVE WORDS, SUM IT UP, EAR CANDY FOR THE SOUL.

SO THAT'S A GREAT INTRO.

AND NOW WE'LL, UH, HERE WE HAVE A VIDEO QUEUED UP FOR RE YEAH.

[00:06:30]

I KNOW I SAID, I SAY THIS EVERY MONTH, BUT JUST LIKE SO MUCH TALENT IN THIS TOWN.

SO THAT WAS KEVIN T FROM SOUTHWEST AUSTIN RIPE FROM, AND I'M SORRY, SCOTT, COULDN'T BE HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE SCOTT GETTING THAT QUEUED UP FOR US AND SEND THEM THE DETAILS OVER, EVEN THOUGH HE WASN'T FEELING VERY WELL.

UM, SO WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION]

WE'VE GOT SOME FOLKS HERE IN PERSON AND THEN WE'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE ON THE PHONE.

SO WE'LL DO THE IN-PERSON FOLKS FIRST AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE AHEAD TO, UM, ON AN ANGIE OR ONLINE OR ON THE PHONE.

SO FIRST STEP HUBS, ZACH MORGAN, UM, FROM THE ATX, UM, ATX AND MAP TEAM.

YEAH, THAT'S FINE.

EVENING EVERYONE.

PAT BOOKS, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS.

I WOULD LIKE TO START TONIGHT'S MEETING BY LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM AND LOOKING EVERYBODY IN THE EYES AND, AND EVERYBODY ON SCREEN AND SAYING, THANK YOU.

UH, I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS WORKED SO HARD THESE LAST FEW MONTHS AND YEARS DURING THE PANDEMIC TO HELP US.

UH, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DIVISION IN OUR COMMUNITY LATELY.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MUDSLINGING FALSE INFORMATION.

UM, AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THAT.

AND I THINK THAT, UM, THERE'S SOME REAL COLLATERAL DAMAGE THAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE, UH, WHEN WE STOP COMMUNICATING.

SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER, UH, TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WATCHING TONIGHT THAT WE ALL GO FORWARD IN THAT SPIRIT AND, UH, WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN DOWN THE YEAR, BUT THE WORK THAT WE ALL HAVE TO DO TOGETHER FULFILLS A HIGHER PURPOSE.

UM, HAVING SAID THAT, UH, SWITCH GEARS HERE.

THAT'S A WEIRD WAY TO START A MEETING.

I KNOW, UH, ALSO SHAKA CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND KEY ON THE BIRTH OF MY BELLY.

UM, UH, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL NEWS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S INSPIRING TO HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS.

UH, UM, TONIGHT WE, UM, WE HAVE SOME OF OUR, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR GROUP HERE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG TOPICS OVER THE LAST WEEK IN OUR GROUP HAS BEEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT THE AUSTIN MUSIC DISASTER RELIEF GRANT.

AND, UM, I WANT TO BE VERY SPECIFIC HERE IN SAY THAT, UH, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY POINTING FINGERS AT ANYBODY BECAUSE EVERYBODY WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD ON THIS THING TO GET THAT MONEY TO US.

UM, I THINK THAT THE REAL ISSUE IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEED OUT THERE THAT WE IDENTIFIED AND NOT ENOUGH MONEY, RIGHT? SO, WELL, HERE'S SOME FROM SOME FOLKS DENYING ABOUT SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK, BUT, UM, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS IS GOING TO EXPLORE EVERY AVENUE OF TRYING TO GO GET MORE MONEY.

AND, UM, EVERYONE IS WELCOME AT THAT TABLE.

YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO WORK WITH ME ON THAT.

UH, I HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT WITH, UH, SOME POTENTIAL AVENUES WITH COUNTY FUNDING WE HAVEN'T TAPPED INTO.

SO, UH, LET'S WORK TOGETHER AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[00:10:06]

AND YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND COME UP AND THAT'S PAT, PAT AND ZACH ARE BOTH WITH ATX M MUSICIANS AND SEX PART OF THE, THE MAP TEAM, THE ADVISORY, OH, UH, ZACH MORGAN FULL-TIME MUSICIAN HERE IN AUSTIN.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME FEEDBACK AS A PERSON THAT EARNS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF MY INCOME FROM MUSIC AND MUSIC ONLY.

UM, AND A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO DO THE SAME, UH, I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS A HUGE MISS IN SERVING THESE PEOPLE WITH THIS GRANT.

UM, MOSTLY BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE FROM MY OWN RESEARCH THROUGH THE DATA, IT WAS VERY HEAVILY INDEXED ON INCOME.

THOSE WITH HIGHER INCOME ARE LESS LIKELY TO GET THE GRANT.

OKAY.

I UNDERSTAND THE REASONING BEHIND THAT TO A DEGREE, BUT IF THE GRANT WAS BUILT TO BE RELIEF FOR PEOPLE THAT WERE SEVERELY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC, THOSE WHO EARN A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEIR INCOME FROM MUSIC WERE THE MOST EFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE.

UM, SO FROM, FROM JUST LOOKING AT THE DATA THAT WAS RELEASED, 60% OF A HUNDRED PERCENT INCOME MUSICIANS GOT THE GRANT, MEANING 40% GOT REJECTED.

THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

UM, 60% IS A GOOD NUMBER, BUT TO ME, THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE FRONT OF THE LINE BEFORE ANYONE ELSE.

AND IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THEY WEREN'T.

UM, AND THEN BACK TO THE INCOME THING, LIKE IF YOU WERE ANYWHERE ABOVE THE LOWEST INCOME BRACKET, UM, YOU HAD SOMETHING LIKE A 70% CHANCE OF BEING DECLINED, JUST BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE WERE IN THAT FIRST INCOME BRACKET, WHICH AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WANT TO SERVE THOSE PEOPLE TOO.

BUT IF THE POINT OF THIS IS TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED INCOME SHOULD NOT BE SO HEAVILY INDEXED BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE MYSELF OR MY COLLEAGUES MAKE A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY EARNING AND PLAYING FULL TIME, UH, DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WEREN'T ALSO SEVERELY AFFECTED BY LOSING GIGS, LIKE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF LOSSES PER PERSON.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT ADDS UP, WHEREAS SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING THE GRANTS MAY NOT EARN A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR PLAYING MUSIC BECAUSE THEY HAVE ANOTHER FULL-TIME JOB OR WHATEVER.

UM, AND SO I THINK JUST SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A LOT OF MY, MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES THAT ARE, FULL-TIME A HUNDRED PERCENT MUSICIANS, UH, WE WERE VERY LARGELY DECLINED FOR THIS.

UM, I TOOK LIKE AN INFORMAL POLL OF MY, JUST MY CIRCLE OF PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO AFTER WE GOT RESULTS, 35 APPLIED 28 REJECTED, SEVEN APPROVED.

SO THAT'S 80% OF JUST PEOPLE IN MY CIRCLE THAT WERE REJECTED.

I KNOW THAT'S LIKE A SMALL SAMPLING OF THE TOTAL 3000 PEOPLE, BUT THESE ARE ALL FULL-TIME MUSICIANS THAT EARN A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEIR INCOME FROM PLAYING MUSIC.

AND BASED OFF OF JUST MY OWN INFORMAL POLLING, THEY WERE REALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN GETTING THESE GRANTS OUT.

UM, SO I WOULD JUST SAY LIKE IN HOPES THAT THERE IS MORE MONEY GOING OUT IN THE FUTURE, MAYBE BE THINKING OF OTHER FACTORS THAT AREN'T JUST INCOME BASE.

UM, BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF THAT, LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE AFFECTED BY THIS AND THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE WHO ONLY EARNED MUSIC INCOME, I THINK SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE AND JUST LOOKING AT THE DATA.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT WAS THE CASE.

SO THAT'S ALL I GOT.

THANKS.

THANKS ZACH.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, NEXT WE HAVE SARAH HALL AND THEN SONIA YOU'RE ON DECK.

HI.

HELLO.

HELLO.

UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FIRST FIGURE WORK, UM, GETTING THESE FUNDS OUT.

I'M A MUSICIAN'S ADVISORY PANEL MEMBER IN AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS AS WELL.

UM, AND I'M A HARPIST AND I'VE BEEN PLAYING FULL-TIME AS A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS.

NO MUSICIANS I PERSONALLY KNOW AND HAVE MET OVER MY TIME HERE, UM, WERE ACCEPTED FOR THE GRANT.

UM, HOWEVER, EVERY SINGLE MUSICIAN I KNOW WAS REALLY DEEPLY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND THE WORK THEY LOST BECAUSE OF THAT.

UM, SO I THINK THAT TOO MANY MUSICIANS WHO NEEDED THIS MONEY, UM, AND WERE PERFECT CANDIDATES FOR A PROGRAM LIKE THIS GOT REJECTED.

UM, SO I'D JUST LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT AUSTIN'S MUSICIANS NEED MORE FUNDS FOR THIS PROGRAM, LIKE PAT SAID, UM, ALONG WITH LIKE A MORE ACCESSIBLE WAY TO APPLY QUICKER RESPONSE TIMES, UM, AND JUST MORE TRANSPARENCY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

UH, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN, THAT'S IT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, SARAH.

THANKS FOR COMING DOWNTOWN TO TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN AGAIN, SONIA, YOU'RE UP.

HELLO.

MY NAME IS SONIA DRAVET.

FULL-TIME

[00:15:01]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF Y'ALL'S WORK.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN HARD AND DIFFICULT.

MY 2 CENTS FOR THE EQUITY PART OF THIS, WE DIDN'T, I WAS ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN, UH, GETTING THE GRANT CAUSE I'M AN LGBTQ PERSON OF COLOR AND A WOMAN AND STILL GOT DECLINED.

SO DIFF I DON'T KNOW HOW THE SYSTEM SHOULD WORK.

MAYBE A DATA ANALYZES AND ANALYSIS SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT TO MAKE IT BETTER, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE WERE NOT CHOSEN OUT OF THE GROUP OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE CHOSEN AND IT WAS JUST FRUSTRATING.

THAT'S ALL.

THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING THOUGH.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, SONIA.

UM, AND NEXT WE HAVE NICK HAINES.

OH, OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

GREAT.

UM, SO THEN OUR LAST SPEAKER THAT WE HAVE HERE IN PERSON IS DANIEL AND I CAN'T, I'M NOT SURE.

I CAN'T SEE YOUR LAST NAME, DANIEL WITH THE B, LET US KNOW.

OKAY.

MAYBE YOU'VE WONDERED OUT.

OKAY.

WELL, IF DANIEL COMES BACK IN A WHILE, WE'RE STILL DOING CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, WE'LL FOLD HIM IN.

UM, BUT NOW WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TWO SPEAKERS THAT ARE ON THE PHONE.

SO FIRST IF WE HAVE, UH, ON A , SO IT LOOKED LIKE ON US THERE, UH, DIGGING, UH, THIS IS ON A MUST YET.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

HI.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS ANNA MACIAS.

I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ARTS AND ESPECIALLY MUSIC, AND, UM, I, I WANT TO THANK, UH, ALL THE SPEAKERS UP TO NOW, ESPECIALLY THE ATX MUSICIANS.

UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL YOU DO.

UM, OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I, I, I HAVE THIS PASSION FOR MUSICIANS THAT I AM JUST, I DON'T, I WAS INVOLVED IN MUSIC VERY EARLY ON IN MY LIFE, BUT STOP PLAYING MY INSTRUMENT.

AND IT'S NOT WHAT WE'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND ADMIRE THE ART, UH, WHAT GOES INTO IT.

AND I HAD GREAT ADMIRATION FOR WHAT EVERYONE DOES IN THIS CITY.

UM, I JUST WANTED THANKS TO THE CITY OF BOSTON, UM, WHO IS CONTINUING TO, UH, INTEGRATE, UH, WELL, I WANT TO SAY THAT THE CITY LAWSON, UM, CONTINUES TO CHAMPION THE INTEGRATION OF EQUITY INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.

UM, SUCH AS, UH, PURSUING A FORMAL SHUTTLE, CHANGES, BEING DELIBERATE IN AND FINDING OPPORTUNITIES TO PRIORITIZE EQUITY.

UM, I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AS AN ADVOCATE AND FOR THAT, THE HUNTER MUSIC COALITION, UH, WHO IS RUN BY AGGIE, UM, SAW TANYA WHO RUNS THE, THE ORGANIZATION SINCE 2005.

SHE ASKED ME TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF AS WELL.

AND I'M ALSO THE FORMER CHAIR OF THE AMA AS PART OF THIS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AND CURRENTLY PRESIDENT OF THE, AS WELL AS I BEGAN THROUGH PANAMERA PAN-AMERICAN, UH, RECREATION CENTER.

UM, I DO A LOT OF ADVOCACY WORK, ESPECIALLY IN THE ARTS MUSIC.

AND, UM, I KNOW THAT THAT DURING 2019 AND LAST YEAR, UM, THE CORONA VIRUS HAS CREATED SO MANY UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR THE MUSIC COMMUNITY.

IT'S AFFECTED EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY, UH, LEAVING MANY WITHOUT THE MEANS TO ADJUST YOU, TO DIG YOUR PLATFORMS, UH, COUPLED WITH A LACK OF, UH, LOCAL RECORDING STUDIOS, UM, CATERING TO LATINO ARTISTS, MANY MUSICIANS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO, TO USE THE PROFESSIONAL MOVE FROM THE CITY ENTIRELY TOGETHER WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

WANT TO

[00:20:01]

AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO THAT WITH A MUSIC HUB AT, UH, AT THE MS BUDDY AND THIS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL SCENE CENTER, UH, THAT WOULD PROVIDE, UH, LIKE YOU NEEDED SERVICES AND TRAINING ON HOW TO SUCCEED IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

I THINK THE MAC IS, AND ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'VE MENTIONED ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUPPORT FROM ALL OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THROUGH THE 2018, UH, VOTER APPROVED BOND INITIATIVE THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO BEGIN TO WORK ON EXPANDING OUR CENTER TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

UM, YOU WANT TO SEE A COURSE, YOU WANT TO IMAGINE A BRIGHTER FUTURE MUSIC INFRASTRUCTURE.

UM, OUR GOAL IS TO ALWAYS STAY ON PACE WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND HOPEFULLY MAYBE DEVELOP, DEVELOP A MUSIC RESIDENCY PROGRAM THERE AT THE, AT THE MAC IN PARALLEL WITH THE CREATION OF A MUSIC HUB, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, UM, THAT THAT WOULD REALLY PROVIDE OUR LOCAL LATINO MUSICIANS WITH SERVICES THAT ALLOW THEM TO GROW AND, AND, AND REMAIN IN THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

UH, WE'RE JUST SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE MUSIC AS A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR CITY'S GLOBAL IMAGE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN OUR MUSICAL HERITAGE AND ALSO WITH MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF HOMEGROWN SOUND OR VIRGINIA ORIGINATING FROM OUR LATINO COMMUNITIES AND HAS, UH, PERSISTED IN GAIN THAT'S THE RECOGNITION WHILE NOT BEING FULLY EMBRACED, RECOGNIZED, AND APPRECIATED BY A LOCAL AUDIENCE.

UH, THERE IS ALWAYS BEEN A DISCONNECT LIKE WHAT WE SAID, BUT AS I THINK CONTINUES TO INCREASE THE, UH, PROMINENCE AS A LIVE MUSIC AND PRODUCTION CENTER, LATINO ARTISTS CONTINUE TO LACK THE RESOURCES SUPPORTING TO OTHER MORE MAINSTREAM.

UH DONRUSS I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT, UM, ALL MUSICIANS MATTER, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MEXICAN AMERICAN MUSICIANS BETTER.

IT'S NOT ABOUT BLACK MUSICIANS MATTER, IT'S ALL MUSICIANS MATTER.

AND IT DISTURBS ME GREATLY TO KNOW THAT WE PICKER AS TO, AS TO WHY WE FIGHT OVER THESE FUNDS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT INSECURE YOU, THAT, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE MEXICAN AMERICAN IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES ALWAYS SPEAK OUT.

SO ANGRILY AND FORCEFUL IS BECAUSE THERE HAS AGAIN BEEN A DISCONNECT IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OUR MUSICIANS.

I, UM, I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN, WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND I WOULDN'T REPEAT THIS, BUT THE FIRST TIME AT THE, AS WELL AS THE AP GONE THROUGH PANAMERICA RECREATION CENTER, OR THE STAGE IS FOUNDATION IS CRACKING AND, UM, HAS BEEN THERE FOR OVER 63 YEARS NOW, WE WERE ABLE TO GET FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON AFTER 60 YEARS, 60 YEARS FOR OUR 60 YEAR ANNIVERSARY ANNIVERSARY.

THAT'S HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN FOR, FOR THIS, THE LONGEST RUNNING OUTSIDE CONCERT SERIES TO BE NOTICED.

AND I THANK YOU.

I'M GOING TO KEEP MOVING ALONG.

I REALLY ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE SO MUCH.

UM, AND SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AND TAKE CARE.

OKAY, THANKS.

UM, AND THEN DO WE, UM, I WASN'T CLEAR IF ANNA WAS, IF AGGIE WAS DONATING HER TIME TO ANNA.

OKAY.

SO WE DON'T HAVE AGGIE ON THE LINE AS WELL.

DEFINITELY ON THE LINE.

IT LOOKS LIKE SHE IS NOT OH, OKAY.

THAT'S THERE TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

UM, SO DID AGGIE HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? ARE YOU GUYS ALL SET? OH, WELL, I, I WAS TRYING TO TAKE HER TIME.

SHE WAS GOING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT SHE WANTED ME TO SPEAK FOR, FOR HER ORGANIZATION, THAT THE HUNTER MUSIC COALITION.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

AGGIE.

NO, SHE'S NOT ON THE LIGHT.

OKAY.

AWESOME.

ALL RIGHT.

I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO, I DIDN'T WANT TO, UM, CUT HER OFF IF Y'ALL HAD SOMETHING TO ADD.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I THINK THAT'S ALL OUR SPEAKERS, UNLESS DANIEL IS OVER OR WHAT? YES.

MA'AM.

[00:25:01]

YOU PROBABLY COULDN'T HEAR IT ON THE PHONE, BUT YEAH.

W I THINK Y'ALL GOT YOUR FULL SIX MINUTES.

YEAH.

YOURS IN AN ACTING.

SO, UM, SINCE HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS SPEAKING FOR AGGIE, HOW COULD YOU KNOW, UM, I THOUGHT THAT YOU MENTIONED IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING ANNA, IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO SAY TO WRAP UP OR RIGHT AHEAD.

NO, I GUESS I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, UH, THE HUNTER MUSIC ALLIANCE HAS BEEN TOGETHER SINCE 2005 AND, UH, THEY'RE A STRONG FORCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND LIKE ALWAYS, I, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE DISTANCE ON, UH, ALL THE COMMITTED COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT JUST, UM, TRYING TO TAKE, TAKE, UH, OWNERSHIP OF ANYTHING, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO USE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR LATINO, UM, MUSICIANS ALSO ARE ACKNOWLEDGED BECAUSE FOR MANY YEARS W THEY HAVEN'T BEEN.

AND, UH, WE, WE HAVE, WE JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE ALIVE AND WELL HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND THAT WE RESPECT WHAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES NOW.

AND I HOPE THAT, THAT, UM, THIS COMMISSION, UH, CONTINUES TO RESPECT ALL OF THE MUSICIANS, NOT JUST CERTAIN GROUPS.

THANK YOU.

HEY, THANK YOU, ANA.

UM, OKAY.

I THINK THAT, THAT WRAPS UP CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND, UM, SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

AND SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S HAD A, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE HAD A MOMENT TO LOOK THESE OVER A MOTION TO APPROVE.

OKAY.

I HAVE A SECOND.

OKAY.

SO COMMISSIONER GOLD SECONDS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY MEETING ARE APPROVED.

SORRY.

MOTION.

UH, YEAH, I THINK GRAHAM DID.

YEAH, IT WAS IT DIAGRAM.

IT WAS OKAY.

YES.

SO, YEAH.

MOTION BY MR. REYNOLDS.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GOLD.

UH, OKAY.

THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO

[2a. Update on City rate for musicians from Stephanie Bergara, Artist and Industry Development, Music & Entertainment Division,]

UM, SO OUR FIRST ONE IS LEGAL CONSIDERATION RELATED TO EQUITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDED PROGRAMS. UH, NOPE.

I'M SORRY.

I'M LOOKING AT THE WRONG ONE.

UH, UPDATE ON THE CITY RATE FOR MUSICIANS FROM STEPHANIE BACARA, UH, ARTISTS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION.

I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT RIGHT NOW FOR YOU.

HELLO, MUSHERS AND STEPHANIE, BUT I GOTTA, I HAVE A YES, THANK YOU.

I'M STEPHANIE, BUT I GOTTA, I AM A ARTIST IN INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, WHICH IS PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

AND I'M HAPPY TO FILL YOU GUYS IN, ON OUR UPDATE ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S MUSICIAN COMPENSATION PRACTICES.

SO, UH, IT'S A PRETTY SHORT PRESENTATION, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THIS INITIATIVE, UM, ABOUT JUST ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, WE WERE STARTED TO THE MUSIC DIVISION WAS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OLD, AND WE STARTED TO GET DEEPLY INVOLVED IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WORKING TO HELP REGULARLY RATES OF PAY AT VENUES FOR MUSICIANS.

WE WERE GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT THE RATES OF PAY WERE A LITTLE LOPSIDED AND, UH, THAT'S NOT REALLY A PLACE WHERE THE CITY CAN KIND OF, UH, OVERSEE PRIVATE VENUES PAYING SUBCONTRACTORS.

BUT WHAT WE COULD DO IS ESTABLISH A RATE OF PAY THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS GOING TO PAY THE MUSICIANS.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID IN 2012.

AT THE TIME WE DECIDED THAT THAT RATE THE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION DECIDED THAT RATE SHOULD BE A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER MUSICIAN FOR PER HOUR FOR CITY OF AUSTIN SPONSORED EVENTS.

SO THAT MEANS IF THEY WERE PLAYING AN EVENT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS PAYING THEM, THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO PAY.

THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY PLACE WHERE WE COULD HAVE ANY SAY SO ON THAT COMPENSATION EFFORTS.

UM, SO THAT WAS THE STARTING POINT.

AND THEN IN 2016, A MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MADE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT RATE INCREASE TO $150 PER MUSICIAN PER HOUR.

AGAIN, FOR CITY OF AUSTIN EVENTS ONLY NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO TODAY WE ARE STILL AT THAT $150 PER MUSICIAN, PER HOUR RATES.

UM, AND I PUT AN EXAMPLE IN THERE BELOW.

SO FOR PLAYERS PLAYING A TWO HOUR SET WOULD BE A TOTAL OF $1,200 TO A PERFORMER.

THESE PAYMENTS ARE MADE OUT TO ONE MEMBER OF THE BAND.

SO WE DON'T PAY INDIVIDUAL MUSICIANS.

WE JUST, THE ONE BAND LEADER OR PERSON WHO WE CONTRACT WITH.

AND THEN THEY MAKE THE PAYMENTS.

THEY ALLOCATE THE PAYMENTS ACCORDINGLY TO THEIR PERFORMERS.

UH, THE PAYMENT IS FOR PERFORMANCE TIME ONLY.

SO WE DON'T PAY FOR SET UP OR BREAK DOWN.

IT'S JUST THE TIME THAT THEY'RE PERFORMING.

WE DO NOT ASK MUSICIANS TO PLAY FOR LONGER THAN TWO HOURS.

UM, AND MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THEY DO PLAY FOR TWO HOURS, THERE'S PROGRAMMATIC ANNOUNCEMENTS THERE'S BREAKS.

[00:30:01]

I DIDN'T PUT IT INTO THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, FROM TIME TO TIME, WE DO ACTUALLY BOOK MUSICIANS TO PLAY ONE SONG.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THE MARIN COUNCIL INAUGURATION, UM, A LAND DEDICATION, THINGS LIKE THAT.

IF WE HAD THEM PLAY ONE SONG, WE WILL STILL MEET THAT ONE HOUR RATE.

SO WE WILL NEVER PRORATE IT OR MAKE THEM OR PAY THEM LESS THAN THAT.

IT'LL ALWAYS BE THE MINIMUM ONE 50 PER MUSICIAN PER HOUR AND TWO ON ONE, ONE NOTE, I WANT TO MAKE US THAT $150 IS THE MINIMUM.

THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND I'LL GO INTO THAT LATER, WHO PAY MORE OR WHO OFFER MORE TO THEIR PERFORMERS.

SO, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALSO MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO PROVIDE SOUND EQUIPMENT, WHICH MICROPHONES AUDIO SETUP, OR THESE PERFORMANCES, IF WE CAN NOT DO THAT, WE WILL PAY EXTRA TO HAVE THE MUSICIANS BRING IN.

IT SOUNDED COOLAMON.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S LIKE PROGRAMS LIKE THE BUSKING PROGRAM WHERE AUDIO IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THAT PROGRAM.

SO THE RATE STAYS THE SAME, EXCUSE ME.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO SOME OF THE, JUST A FEW OF THE CITY OF BOSTON PROGRAMS WHERE MUSICIANS ARE COMPENSATED INCLUDE THE STREET PERFORMANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A, THE CITY'S PROGRAM WITH PARTNERSHIP WITH TRAMMELL CROW, IT HAPPENS A COUPLE BLOCKS DOWN THE STREET.

IT IS A NON AMPLIFIED PERFORMANCE.

UM, WE'RE WATCHING IT PRETTY EARLY IN THE SPRING.

THE SCORES COMING FROM ANNOUNCEMENT, THE CAPITAL METRO MUSIC PROGRAM LIVE MUSIC AT THE AIRPORT, ELECTRIC LADYBIRD, WHICH IS A PROGRAM OF THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.

AND YOUR VERY YOUNG MUSIC COMMISSION PERFORMANCES ARE ALL COMPENSATED.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO CURRENT CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING THE CITY OF AUSTIN STANDARD RATE OF PAY INCLUDE MARIN COUNCIL, THE OPPOSITE OF THE CITY MANAGER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS THE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, UM, WHERE WE'RE HOUSED AT THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, PARKS AND RECREATION, AND THE CAPITOL METRO TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.

UM, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO KIND OF JUST CLARIFY THAT THIS IS WHERE WE STAND AND WE ENCOURAGE ALWAYS MUSICIANS TO BE PAID FAIRLY AND TO BE TREATED FAIRLY.

AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UH, HOW MANY SUCH PERFORMANCES DOES, UH, ON AVERAGE THE CITY PERSONS DATE? OOH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

UM, SINCE COVENANT HAS HAPPENED, WE HAVEN'T RUN ANY REALLY IN PERSON PERFORMANCES.

SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THE MUSIC COMMISSION PERFORMANCES, VIRTUALLY PROCLAMATIONS HAVE STOPPED.

UM, THE STREET PERFORMANCE PROGRAM WAS ON A HOLD.

SO IN A NON-CORE ANON COVID YEAR, I'D SAY ANYWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND 60 PERFORMANCES, 40 AND 60 PERFORMANCES ARE BOOKED A YEAR IF I HAD TO GUESS EDUCATED GUESS.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, STEPHANIE.

UM, WE HAD TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LIKE MARKETING FOR THIS PROGRAM AND, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I REFER, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE CITY HAS THE STANDARDIZED RATE OF PAY BECAUSE I REFER TO IT WHENEVER I AM, UH, QUOTING, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL CLIENT CLIENTS AS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, A STANDARD SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW THAT, UH, IT JUST HELPS TO HAVE THAT KIND OF, UM, LEGITIMACY THAT THE CITY OFFERS TO, TO THAT RATE.

AND SO I FEEL LIKE IF MORE MUSICIANS KNEW ABOUT THAT, UM, THEY COULD DO THE SAME THING AND, UH, REALLY START TO KIND OF LIKE, LIKE AS A COMMUNITY, REALLY TRY TO RAISE THAT BAR, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GONNA HAVE TO BE IN IT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, TO BE ASKING FOR THIS RATE.

UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S REALLY, TO BE HONEST, I'M ALSO A, FULL-TIME 100% A WORKING MUSICIAN.

THAT'S HOW I GET ALL MY INCOME.

AND IT'S, IT'S RARE THAT WE, UM, THAT WE PLAY GIGS THAT WHERE THAT'S THE RATE.

SO, UM, SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE AMAZING IF WE HAD MORE KIND OF CONSISTENCY WITH THAT AND MORE PEOPLE ADVOCATING FOR THAT.

SO I WOULD REALLY SUPPORT, UH, SOME MARKETING EFFORTS BEHIND THE, THE CITY, UH, RATE OF PAY JUST TO GET THAT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY MORE.

I'M SORRY, THAT WASN'T REALLY A QUESTION THAT WAS JUST MORE, I KNOW THEN THE EXPECTATION WAS THOUGHTS, NOT THE EXPECTATION WAS OF COURSE, WHEN WE RETURNED TO LIVE LIVE EVENTS WITH THE CITY THAT WE PLANNED TO MAKE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT IN TYING IN WITH ONE OF OUR PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, STREET PERFORMANCE PROGRAM, OR PROCLAMATIONS RETURNING.

SO FORTHCOMING, WELL, I'M, WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE, UM, MARKETING MATERIALS FOR YOU.

HEY, HAS ANYBODY ELSE, ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? AND WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE LATER IN THE AGENDA ABOUT, ABOUT THIS.

SO, UM, I THINK IT KINDA STARTED STRICKLING BROUGHT THAT FORWARD.

SO I'M NOT, WE MAY, WE MAY BUMP IT, BUT, UM, YEAH.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ALL THIS INSIGHTS YOU AS STEPHANIE.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

AND THEN WE'LL

[00:35:01]

[2b. Update on Live Music Fund recommendation by Erica Shamaly, Division Manager, Music & Entertainment Division.]

HELLO, ERICA SHAMLEY DIVISION MANAGER FOR MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME, UH, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON NEXT STEPS AROUND THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.

THE MUSIC COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION WAS POSTED TO THE BCIC SYSTEM FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO HAVE.

SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON UPDATING THE GUIDELINES ACCORDINGLY TO THAT, TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS OF ADDING THE ADDITIONAL USES.

AND SO WE WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER UPDATE IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS TO THE, UH, TO THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THOSE GUIDELINES.

UH, WE WILL ALSO BE UPDATING COUNCIL AND BAYER WITH A MEMO WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING TO BE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S UP TO DATE WITH OUR PROGRESS AND THOSE ELEMENTS THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK.

NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE THE GUIDELINES, BUT ALSO METRICS THAT WE'LL BE MEASURING TO DETERMINE WHAT IS SUCCESSFUL AS FAR AS THESE DOLLARS BEING SPENT, AND AS WELL AS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE, UM, PRESENTATION LAST MONTH FROM NEIL, FAGUS ABOUT THE, UH, EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS AROUND SCORING AND OUR QUESTIONS.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THAT RIGHT NOW, GUIDELINES, METRICS, AND SCORING.

AND WE'LL BRING THAT BACK TO YOU AND UPDATE COUNCIL WITH THE MEMO.

AND THEN, UH, SYNOVIA HOLT RAB AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR WILL GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE FUNDING COMPONENT.

UM, SO ERICA, THE CAN, THE RFP FOR THE THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN NOT GO FORWARD RIGHT NOW.

WELL, WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE, WE CAN, AND WE'VE ALREADY IN DISCUSSIONS WITH PURCHASING AND WITH, UM, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO FAST TRACK THAT AS BEST WE CAN WHILE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD SO THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE THAT CAN SERVE US, YOU KNOW, UH, IN THE LONGTERM.

AND, UM, SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS, UH, WITH THE INTERNALLY WITH FINANCE AND PURCHASING AND WITH OUR EXECUTIVE LEAD TEAM ON GETTING THAT DONE AS QUICKLY AND AS, AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE SYNOVIA CAN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT ON THE TIMING OF THAT RFP, AS IT RELATES ALSO TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE CALCULATING THE BUDGET FROM THIS FISCAL YEAR OR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR USING ACTUALS.

SO SYNOVIA, OH, YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE SHE GOES INTO THE MONEY PART.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

SO, UH, GOOD EVENING STILL NOVIA HAUTE, RAB DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AS ERICA SAID, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, UH, ON EXPEDITING THE RFP PROCESS, BUT PLEASE RECOGNIZE THAT MOST OF THE DEPARTMENTS ARE CAUGHT UP IN THIS CHALLENGE OF STAFFING.

AND SO WE WILL MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

UH, NEXT MONTH WE WILL BE PRESENTING OUR FORECAST TO, UH, COUNCIL AND WE'LL HAVE, UH, FORECAST NUMBERS THAT WE WILL WORK WITH OR DISTRIBUTION OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUN.

AND ALL OF THAT WILL COME IN APRIL.

BUT AGAIN, ASK FOR YOUR PATIENTS THAT AGAIN, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO EXPEDITE.

I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE THAT RFP POSSIBLE.

OKAY.

DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UM, HI.

HI, SYLVIA, ERICA.

UM, I, UM, UH, THE, THE DEPARTMENT WAS GONNA PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AROUND THE, THE, THE, THE QUESTIONNAIRE AS WELL AS THE OUTCOMES FROM THE DISASTER RELIEF FUND THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY INFORM, UH, HOW THE LIVE MUSIC FUND GETS DESIGNED, UM, OR THE, THE QUESTIONS AROUND THAT.

UH, DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION TODAY TO SHARE, UH, TO WIKI, GIVE YOU A FULL UPDATE AT THE NEXT MEETING? UH, CAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, REQUEST THAT'S BEING MADE WITH SOME SAVINGS TO FUND A FEW MORE APPLICANTS THAT WE CAN.

AND SO THAT'S IN A MARCH AGENDA.

SO IN APRIL WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK WITH A FULL REPORT, BUT WITH, WE WERE ABLE TO FUND THE 1,150 APPLICANTS THAT WERE ELIGIBLE FOR $2.3 MILLION THAT LEFT IN THE QUEUE 636 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS FOR ALMOST 3.2, ALMOST $3.3 MILLION LEFT.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE JUST SIMPLY WAS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO FUND EVERYONE.

THANK YOU.

IT WAS ALSO ASKING ABOUT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF, UH, THE QUESTION OKAY.

UH, BECAUSE OF WHAT LEGAL PRESENTED LAST TIME AND, AND THE STAND YOU HAD TO MAKE, YOU HAVE TO BASICALLY TWEAK THE QUESTIONNAIRE OR THE MATRIX TO THEN SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, WHATEVER LEGAL PRESENTED TO KIND OF WORK AROUND SOME OF THAT.

RIGHT.

SO I WAS CURIOUS TO START.

YES.

UM, SO THE DATA DASHBOARD IS ON ATX RECOVERS.COM.

IF YOU GO TO THAT WEBSITE

[00:40:01]

AND AS WE ACTUALLY MET WITH OUR EQUITY OFFICE, UH, AND WITH THE EXECUTIVE LEAD TEAM ABOUT HOW THOSE QUESTIONS WORKED, UH, SO THAT WE COULD SHARE THIS INFORMATION AND DATA WITH THE REST OF THE DIVISIONS AND IT ACTUALLY WORKED PRETTY WELL, UH, IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE, UM, DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION OF THE FOLKS THAT ACTUALLY WERE AWARDED, UM, AND HOW IT RELATED BACK TO THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS WE ASKED, NOT ONLY WAS IT AROUND ECONOMIC DATA AND HOW MUCH MONEY PEOPLE WERE MAKING, BUT ALSO DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A REGULAR BANK ACCOUNT? DO YOU HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE? THESE ARE, UM, AND ALSO DID, UH, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, PPE FOR COVID IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM SAFELY.

SO THERE WERE ADDITIONAL SCORED POINTS BEYOND JUST HOW MUCH YOU WERE MAKING TO STACK ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND JUST, IT LOOKS LIKE, OH, AND ALSO IF YOU WERE IN THE QUALIFIED CENSUS TRACT, UH, FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND SO WE COMBINED THAT WITH THE, UM, HOW MUCH MONEY PEOPLE WERE MAKING TO TRY TO STACK POINTS.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL BREAKDOWN OF DEMOGRAPHICS TO WHO WAS ACTUALLY AWARDED, IT SEEMS THAT THOSE QUESTIONS GOT US THERE AND DIRECTLY THAN JUST SCORING FOR THOSE PARTICULAR IMMUTABLE CHARACTERISTICS.

SO OVERALL QUITE A SUCCESS.

AND THERE'S SOME OTHER QUESTIONS WE WILL BE BUILDING THAT INTO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND QUESTIONS, ANY FUTURE TYPE OF, UH, GRANTING AND, UH, CONTRACTS TYPE OF QUESTIONS.

AND, UM, AND NOT JUST US, BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE'RE SHARING THIS DATA, NOT ONLY WITH OUR SISTER DIVISIONS, BUT WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF SHOWING THE DATA THAT ACTUALLY GOT US THERE.

UH, WHICH WAS, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE.

OKAY.

AND SO YOU THINK AT THE APRIL MEETING, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE YES.

YES.

CAUSE WE ARE JUST HAVE THAT LAST RCA, THEN WE CAN GIVE YOU A FULL PICTURE, BUT IN TERMS OF, UH, THE NEED THAT IS THERE, IT'S STILL $3.3 MILLION, UH, STILL NEEDED ON TOP OF THE 2.3 THAT WAS ALREADY EXPENDED TO GET US, UH, TO FUND ALL ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS IN THAT QUEUE.

IT JUST WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY.

YEAH.

SO, UM, IF, IF, IF THIS, THIS, THIS IS LIKELY AN ISSUE, UH, IT'S A BROADER ISSUE THAN JUST FOR MUSIC, RIGHT? I WOULD THINK IT'S A, THIS IMPACTS OTHER DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS YOU STAYED, UH, IF THERE A BROADER EFFORT, IS THERE A MORE KIND OF STANDARD WAY OF APPROACHING THIS ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS? SO IT'S, IT'S BEING, UH, REALLY THOUGHT THROUGH AND IMPLEMENTED, UM, ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND THEN YOU'LL BE, ARE LOOKING AT THE OUTCOMES AND SEEING HOW DO WE TWEAK IT.

SO THAT WAY IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT SO SPECIFIC TO PERHAPS THAT'S WHY MORE STANDARDIZED.

YES.

AND STILL NOVIA CAN ANSWER TO THIS.

AND WHICH IS WHY THE EQUITY OFFICE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH ALL OF OUR DATA.

SO SYNOVIA.

SO WE HAVE MET WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE, NOT ONLY AROUND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, BUT WITH OUR PROGRAMS. AND WE ARE MEETING REGULARLY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE APPROACHING EACH PROGRAM OR PROJECT CONSISTENTLY IN TERMS OF AN EQUITY LENS.

AND SO IT'S NOT LOST ON US AND WE'RE NOT OPERATING IN A VACUUM, BUT WE ARE WORKING, UH, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE EQUITY OFFICE TO ENSURE NOT ONLY THAT HOUSING IS IN PLACE, BUT, UM, AROUND OUR PROGRAMS. AND WE EVEN HAVE LOOPED IN SMB PR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSISTENT, BUT TO GO BACK TO, UH, UH, THE MUSIC DISASTER RELIEF INCOME WAS JUST ONE COMPONENT.

WE ALSO, AS HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU MOVE? ARE YOU BANKED OR UNBANKED? IF YOU GO INTO THE DASHBOARD AND HOVER, WE OVERLAID THOSE QUESTIONS AROUND EACH COMPONENT.

AND SO YOU CAN GO IN AND TAKE A LOOK.

INCOME WAS NOT THE ONLY, UH, ONLY ITEM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL ABOUT OUR RELIEF PROGRAMS SINCE LAST SUMMER HAVE BEEN OVERSUBSCRIBED, ALL OF THEM AND THIS PROGRAM WAS NO DIFFERENT.

AND SO THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH MONEY AND WE UNDERSTAND THE PAIN, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE JUST DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FIND EVERYONE.

SO, SO I'M CURIOUS, LIKE ONCE WE, ONCE YOU HAVE THE DATA, THE OUTCOMES OF A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, UM, AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE HEARD, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY.

IT, IT SEEMED LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT HAVE COMPLETELY FIT THE CRITERIA AT LEAST BROADLY, I'VE NOT REALLY LOOKED AT, LIKE I SAID, I'VE NOT SAT IN SCOLDED MYSELF, SO I WOULD KNOW, BUT, BUT IT, IT FEELS LIKE SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE MISSED OUT OR AT LEAST FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY DIDN'T THEY QUALIFY? UM, IS

[00:45:01]

SO REMEMBER BASED ON NEIL'S PRESENTATION, WE CAN'T SCORE AROUND IMMUNABLE CHARACTERISTICS.

AND A LOT OF WHAT I HEARD TONIGHT ARE THOSE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE CAN'T SCOPE SCORE FOR.

SO IF YOU WANT TO OVERLAY, IF WE COULD HAVE SPORT AROUND SPECIFIC COMPARED TO WHAT WE, HOW WE SCORE IT, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING, BUT WE CAN DO A DEEPER DIVE, BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THOSE CHARACTERISTICS.

WE COULD NOT SCORE DIRECTLY FOR.

THAT'S WHY BASED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE, WE CHOSE INCOME, BANKED, UNBANKED, THE PRIORITIES, ZIP CODES.

WE ACTUALLY TOOK THE ZIP CODES FROM THE, THAT HOUSING IS FOCUSING ON, ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.

AND ALONG THAT CORRIDOR, WE HAD ALMOST 500 PEOPLE THAT FIT INTO THOSE PRIORITIES, ZIP CODES THAT ARE PROBABLY MORE LIKELY TO BE GENTRIFIED OR PEOPLE TO BE DISPLACED AS PART OF THE RE THE RAIL SYSTEM.

SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT HOW WE OVERLAY, HOW WE'RE WORKING WITH EQUITY OFFICE, UM, IN TERMS OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT LOSS, BUT AGAIN, WE COULD NOT SCORE WITH THOSE IMMUTABLE CHARACTERISTICS.

AND IF WE COULD HAVE, WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN STRAIGHT THERE.

AND SO WE DID THE BEST WE CAN IN TERMS OF THE QUESTIONS.

OKAY.

YEAH.

NO, THANK YOU.

I MEAN, AND NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT I, YEAH, I, I GET, I GET WHAT LEGAL PRESENTED LAST TIME AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY, AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT.

NO, GIVE ONLY, I THINK YOU'RE HITTING ON SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY, I MEAN, WE CAME UP WITH THESE STANDARDS AS BEST AS WE COULD.

AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS IS THAT THEY DID NOT COME OUT, RIGHT.

WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO HAVE A GROUP LIKE SAY AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS, OR, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM TAKE SAMPLE DATA, UH, RUN THAT THROUGH THE CITY'S OLD METHODOLOGY AND THEN PROVIDE THEM WITH WHAT SCORE, UM, THESE VARIOUS SAMPLES DATA WERE.

SO THAT WAY, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT IS GETTING, UH, OVEREMPHASIZED IN THIS THAT, UH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A BLACK BOX.

WE CAN, THEY CAN AT LEAST HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MIGHT MOVE THE NEEDLE.

RIGHT.

UM, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MENTIONED UNBANKED AND INCOME LEVEL.

THOSE TWO ARE OFTEN GO TOGETHER.

SO, UM, UH, IF THAT, THAT MIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT RIGHT THERE MIGHT, MIGHT BE THE, MIGHT BE THE DIFFERENCE AND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S OWN COACHING TO MUSICIANS IS THAT YOU BE, UH, ECONOMICALLY RESPONSIBLE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BANKING.

SO THERE'S, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE TO, UH, TO OPEN UP THE SCORING MECHANISM, NOT JUST TO AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS, BUT, UH, TO A LOT OF, UH, UH, ADVOCACY GROUPS.

SO, SO THAT, THAT WAY WE COULD SEE, YES, THE SCORING WAS PART OF THE GUIDELINES AND WAS POSTED, UH, ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, PRIOR TO THE, UH, APPLICATION OPENING.

UM, I HAVE REQUESTED THAT WE PUT THOSE GUIDELINES, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A REMINDER OF THOSE GUIDELINES IN SCORING BACK ON THE WEBSITE, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A PROCESS OF CLOSING THAT WEB, THAT WEBPAGE DOWN.

SO WE CAN BE SURE THAT, THAT INFORMATION, ALL OF THOSE GUIDELINES THAT INCLUDE SCORING FACTORS ARE INCLUDED ON A WEBSITE, JUST SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GO BACK AND REFER TO IT.

UM, BUT THE KEY FACTOR WAS STACKING THOSE QUESTIONS, STACKING INCOME ON TOP OF INSURANCE ON TOP OF HOW MANY TIMES YOU'VE MOVED ON TOP OF, ARE YOU BANKED OR UNBANKED ON TOP OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO YOU LIVE? AND SO WE'VE LEARNED A LOT, UH, TO TELL US WHAT WAS EFFECTIVE TO GET US THERE.

AND WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS, UM, AS THIS CONVERSATION, SINCE LAW PRESENTED TO NOT JUST MUSIC COMMISSION, BUT TO THE ARTS COMMISSION, TO OTHER COMMISSIONS, OTHER QUESTIONS WE COULD ASK, LIKE, UM, DO YOU SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD? UM, ARE YOU, UH, PRESENTING YOUR PROJECT IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE, CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, THINGS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH LOCATION

[00:50:01]

AND, UM, SO I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON, I THINK, UH, A GOOD SYSTEM THAT WE'VE STARTING TO FIGURE OUT BASED ON THIS NEW GUIDANCE AND HOW WE CAN GET THERE.

AND SO, YES, WE CAN PROVIDE WHAT THOSE SCORING MECHANISMS WERE, UM, JUST SO THAT YOU CAN CRUNCH THAT DATA.

ALL OF THE, EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM WE'VE DONE THROUGH IS, HAS ITS OWN DASHBOARD.

SO YOU CAN, LIKE SYNOVIA SAID HOVER OVER EACH GRAPH, AND YOU CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT HOW OUR PROGRAMS EVOLVED AND HOW THAT AFFECTED FUNDING.

BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE CANNOT RELEASE NAMES.

NO, OF COURSE NOT.

IT'S JUST ALL DAY THAT JUST, OF COURSE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR.

YEAH.

BUT WE CAN PUT THE GUIDELINES IN SCORING BACK UP, WHICH JUST SHOWED YOU HOW MANY POINTS YOU COULD POTENTIALLY GET, LIKE WHAT WAS THE MAX AMOUNT.

AND THEN THAT'S WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH A CUE FROM THE HIGHEST SCORE ALL THE WAY DOWN, SO.

OKAY.

OKAY.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

AND SO THIS WAS ALL FEDERALLY.