[00:00:04]
I WILL BE STEPPING IN FOR THE MAYOR TODAY AND RUNNING THE WORK SESSION.
UM, SO WE WILL CONVENE THIS WORK SESSION.
UM, IT'S 9 0 3 ON THE DIOCESE WITH ME IS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
VAILA KELLY, POOLE AND QUANTAS, AND ONLINE.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO, UH, WE'D LIKE TO START BY RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOR A FEW REMARKS ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S WEATHER.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM YESTERDAY, WE HEATED THE WARNINGS OF LOCAL METEOROLOGISTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS.
AS WE PREPARED FOR SEVERE WEATHER, OUR NEIGHBORS IN ELGON ROUNDROCK AND PARTS OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY WERE HIT WITH TORNADOES THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN CENTRAL TEXAS IN NEARLY 10 YEARS.
AND AS DAYLIGHT EMERGED TODAY, COMMUNITIES ARE SURVEYING THE DAMAGE TO THEIR HOMES TODAY.
LIKE MANY OF YOU, I PRAY FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL CENTRAL TEXANS.
THIS IS A TIME TO HELP ONE ANOTHER, JUST NEIGHBORS, HELPING NEIGHBORS AFTER EXPERIENCING A DISASTER.
AND IT HAS ALREADY BROUGHT OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.
I SPOKE WITH OUR HOUSE DISTRICT 1 36 REPRESENTATIVE LAST NIGHT, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE ROUND ROCK CITY COUNCIL AND WITH THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY JUDGE AND SHERIFF, THEY ALL KNOW THAT AUSTIN IS READY TO HELP.
WHEN WE WERE ASKED I ABOVE ALL ELSE, I'M THANKFUL THAT THERE WERE NO LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES REPORTED AND NO LOSS OF LIFE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, AND UH, CITY MANAGER.
I ASSUME THAT, UM, WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY TO ASSIST AS NEEDED.
MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN COORDINATING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO RESPOND, UH, AS, UH, AGGRESSIVELY AND EFFECTIVELY TO THIS, UH, SITUATION.
UH, JUST THIS MORNING WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER OF ROUNDROCK AND REALLY ASSISTING THEM IN WHATEVER THEY NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO ASSESS THOSE DAMAGES AND TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR RESIDENTS.
UM, BUT THIS HAS BEEN AN ALL HANDS ON DECK AND WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN WORSE DAMAGE OR FATALITIES, UH, THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THE STORM.
UM, HE TAKES ON, I BELIEVE THAT MAYOR ADLER IS TRYING TO GET IN ONLINE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT OVER.
I DO NOT SEE MIRA EITHER YET, BUT I WILL LOOK UP FOR SURE.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK OUR, OUR STAFF, OUR CITY STAFF WHO HELPED GET THE WORD OUT IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND REALLY KEPT, KEPT THE PUBLIC INFORMED ABOUT, ABOUT THE LEVELS OF DANGER THROUGHOUT THE STORM.
UM, SO I WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY GO THROUGH WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND DO FOR, UM, THE RUN OF SHOW THIS MORNING.
UM, SO MAYOR ADLER IS GOING TO BE TRYING TO, UM, ZOOM IN WITH US HERE THROUGH WEBEX, UM, IN A FEW MINUTES AND WE WILL TAKE UP THE PULLED ITEMS, WHICH INCLUDE ITEMS, WHICH HE'S SPONSORING.
UM, WE WILL TAKE CARE OF ITEMS, 55 AND 57.
THEN WE WILL MOVE TO THE PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, AND THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, WE WILL LIKELY BE ABLE TO TAKE A LUNCH BREAK, UM, DEPENDING ON OUR TIMING.
UM, AND, UM, MAYOR ADLER HAS REQUESTED TO TRY TO BE AVAILABLE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM THREE, BUT IT'S NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL THREE, SO THAT MAY OR MAY NOT WORK, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE, WE'LL SEE HOW THE DAY UNFOLDS AND WHAT THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL IS.
I WON'T DO IT THAT I'M NOW JOINED ON THE DAYAS ALSO BY COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON.
UM, LET ME JUST SEE IF YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT MAY BE GOING ON WITH MAYOR ADLER SINCE HE WANTED TO BE HERE FOR THESE IT'S DAVY TICKETS STILL DO NOT SEE THE MAYOR ONLINE, WAITING.
I'M CHECKING ONE SECOND, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA OR COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
DID YOU WANT TO LAY OUT YOUR CONCERNS FOR 55 AND 57? I'M ASSUMING HE'S GOING TO BE ON SHORTLY AND HE IS HE'S ON THERE NOW.
UM, MAY I APPROACH HIM? I HAVE SOME AMENDMENTS.
I HAD ASSUMED THAT WE WOULD TAKE UP THE PULLED ITEMS. I HAD THE SAME GROUP TO TAKE UP THE POLITE ITEMS AFTER THE BRIEFING AS WE TYPICALLY DO.
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SO IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE ME A LITTLE BIT TO, TO RECAP THEM OUT.UM, BUT I'LL BE ON THE DIOCESE HERE IN JUST A MINUTE AND CAN MORE READILY THAN WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT I'M GOING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER FOR BOTH OF THOSE TWO.
ALISON, I I'LL BE IN A CAR, UH, AND I COULD COME BACK ON AT, IN LIKE A QUARTER TO 10 OR AT, UH, 10 30, I MEAN, AT A QUARTER TO 10 OR AT NINE 30.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE BRIEFING IS THIS MORNING.
I WANTED TO MENTION TO THE MAYOR IF, IF HE IS TRYING TO BE ONLINE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE ITEM THAT HE'S BRINGING.
I KNOW, I JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE COMMENTS THAT I'M MAKING ARE TODAY, AT LEAST SPECIFICALLY ON THE CRYPTOCURRENCY, UM, RESOLUTION THAT'S COMING BEFORE US.
AND I WAS NOT GOING TO SPEAK TO THE BLOCKCHAIN ITEM, WHICH IS THE ITEM THAT THE MAYOR WAS LEADING ON.
IF THAT, IF THAT'S ANY HELP TO HIM.
SO SEEING AS COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO HAS AMENDMENTS IN CAMP, PRESENT THEM HERE, WHY DON'T WE MOVE TO THE PRESENTATION
[Bl. Update from the Office ofViolence Prevention]
FROM THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION? AND THEN IF WE NEED TO GO BACK FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT, UM, IN ORDER TO ALLOW, UH, MAYOR ADLER TO BE PRESENT FOR AN ITEM THAT HE'S A SPONSOR ON, UM, THEN WE WILL DO THAT.UM, SO GOOD MORNING WITH SMILES.
UH, THIS MORNING WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON OUR OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
THIS IS A RELATIVELY NEW OFFICE, BUT THE WORK BEHIND IT, UH, IS PART OF THE WAY IN WHICH WE ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND WE ARE JUST FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE STAFF THAT ARE LEADING THESE EFFORTS WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ACM HAYDEN HOWARD, WHO WILL INTRODUCE THE TOPIC.
UM, WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE, UM, OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, YOU GOING TO HEAR FROM MICHELLE MILES AND AS YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE, SHE HAS BEEN VERY BUSY.
UM, THE OFFICE IS REALLY TAKING ON THIS FROM A LENS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, REALLY, UM, WORKING AT THIS FROM A, UM, LOOKING AT PREVENTION AND REALLY TRYING TO DO THINGS, UM, BEFORE THEY HAPPEN.
UM, WE ARE REALLY, REALLY WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND, UM, WE HAVE SOME REALLY STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, REALLY, REALLY WORKING ON THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, A FEW CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY FROM A BALANCED PERSPECTIVE.
SO I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO MICHELLE MILES.
MARIN COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE MILES AND I MANAGE THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE KNOWING OF COMMUNITY AND DATA SCIENCE, THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION SEEKS TO INVEST IN THE RIGHT INTERVENTIONS AT THE RIGHT TIME WHILE BUILDING LOCAL CAPACITY FOR DOING THE WORK AND ADDRESSING THE INTERCONNECTED ASPECTS OF SAFETY AND HAS BIPOLAR EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION.
ALL OF WHICH HAS BEEN OUR FOCUS AS WE ARE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE.
THE OPPOSITE ARMS PREVENTION HAS BEEN UP AND RUNNING FOR ABOUT NINE MONTHS WITH A KIND BUDGET OF 2.47, $9 BILLION.
UH, WE HAVE THREE BUDGETED POSITIONS, INCLUDING MINES, UH, AND TWO 10 POSITIONS.
WE HAVE SOME YOUTH CONTRACTS, UM, THAT PROVIDES SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMMING THAT SERVES AT RISK YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND COMMUNITY ART PROJECTS AND AREAS MOST IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE.
DO OUR CONTRACT WITH LOG ARMS FOR LIFE.
WE PROVIDE GUN LOCKS AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE IMPORTANCE OF USING GUN LOCKS OR SECURELY STORING FIREARMS TO PREVENT INJURIES AND DEATHS LAUNCHED DURING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ARE SAFE.
CAMPAIGN IS SPONSORED BY GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO EDUCATING AUSTINITES ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF STORING FIREARMS SAFELY.
THIS CAMPAIGN IS SUPPORTED BY THE SAFE GUN
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STORAGE SAVES LIVES, WEBSITE BILLBOARDS AND BUS ADS, AND SPONSORED BY LOCK ARMS FOR LIFE.THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE TRAVIS COUNTY DA'S OFFICE AND TEXAS GUN SENSE OVP CREATED THE ADDRESS, YOUR STRESS CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HOW THE STRESS RESPONSE, IF LEFT UNCHECKED COULD LEAD TO HARMFUL BEHAVIORS AND PROVIDE STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO REDUCE STRESS LEVELS.
EDUCATION IS PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH OUR ADDRESS, YOUR STRESS WEBSITE, RADIO VIDEO, AND BUS ADS THROUGH OUR CONTRACT WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IN COLLABORATION WITH DR.
CHICO TILLMAN, BOTH OF WHICH ARE NATIONAL EXPERTS ON VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGIES.
THE AUSTIN VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION, PROGRAMMING, AND TARGETED AREAS.
NOW IS THIS DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DRIVING VIOLENT, VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AUSTIN IS ONE OF 16 CITIES SELECTED BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO PARTICIPATE IN A PEER TO PEER LEARNING AROUND EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY-BASED PUBLIC STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO REDUCE GUN AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE.
THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WE'LL BE RELEASING TWO SOLICITATIONS IN APRIL, BOTH OF WHICH WERE RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE.
THE FIRST, UM, SOLICITATION, UH, WOULD BE A COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING, WHICH PROVIDES SERVICES AND LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED AS TRIUMPH HOTSPOTS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HIGHEST RISK FOR GUN VIOLENCE BY USING TRUSTED MESSENGERS TO INTERRUPT VIOLENT BEHAVIORS WHILE FOSTERING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR AND NORM CHANGES THROUGH OUTREACH CASE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY ROUTE ADMITTING GRANTS.
WE'RE LOOKING TO INVEST IN GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO, WHO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY BASED STRATEGIES THAT CREATES SAFETY, HEALING, AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN COLLABORATION WITH, UM, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
WE APPLIED TO A COUPLE OF GRANTS.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THEM YET, BUT WE'LL BE FINDING OUT WITHIN, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS IF WE RECEIVED THEM.
FIRST OF WHICH IS OUR FIREARMS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT, WHICH IS OFFERED THROUGH THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP A STANDARDIZED FIREARMS SURRENDER PROTOCOL, UM, THAT CUTS ACROSS JURISDICTIONS IN AREAS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND WE APPLIED TO THIS GRANT IN COLLABORATION WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID, AND SAY IN ANOTHER GRANT, THE PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, IT WAS, UM, APPLIED FOR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH APD AND IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME IN AND IDENTIFY LOCATION.
AND INVEST IN DEESCALATION, TRAIN THE TRAINER, UM, AND CONFLICT MEDIATION TRAINING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OVP IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR, UM, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AS WE BUILD CAPACITY TO APPLY FOR THOSE GRANTS.
OH, VP IS REALLY INVESTED IN TAKING A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WHICH REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING LOCAL NEEDS, INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED AND USE US USING PROCESS IMPROVEMENT METHODOLOGIES TO ENSURE A SCALE IS BEING ATTAINED.
ALL STRATEGIES MUST BE TAILORED FOR THE COMMUNITY BEING SERVED TO ENSURE EQUITY AND POSITIVE IMPACT.
THESE STRATEGIES ARE DESIGNED TO LOOK AT ROOT CAUSES AND DEVELOP UPSTREAM SOLUTIONS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AS THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS, UM, LOOKING AT ADDRESSING VIOLENCE IN AUSTIN AND ENHANCING PEACE.
WE ARE LOOKING AT A SOCIAL ECOLOGICAL MODEL, WHICH WE'RE CALLING ACTUALIZING PIECE, AND IT'S A, IT'S A STRENGTHS BASED APPROACH AND EMPHASIZES ON GOAL ATTAINMENT OUTCOMES FOR EACH SECTOR OF THE MORNING.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CENTERED AWARENESS, WE'RE LOOKING AT INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE STILL EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT ENHANCE WISDOM AND REDUCE HARMFUL BEHAVIORS ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, CREATING THE FOUNDATION FOR ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE CELL AND THAT TO OTHERS, WITH OUR HEALING PLUS CONNECTION, WE KNOW THAT WE FEEL BEST WITHIN OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND THESE INTERVENTIONS WILL FOSTER HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
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WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THRIVING COMMUNITIES, WE WANT TO HAVE INTERVENTIONS THAT ADDRESS COMMUNITY LEVEL DYNAMICS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE NATURAL INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES, AND WITH OUR ACTIVELY SAFE CITY, WE WANT TO PROVIDE POLICIES, NARRATIVES, AND STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY ON A SOCIETAL LEVEL AND ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HOMELESS, THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT ARE DATA-DRIVEN ACCOUNTABLE WITH PROVEN OF ASSAULT.NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THROUGHOUT THE ELABORATIONS.
UM, WE ARE VERY DEDICATED TO WORK ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND GOVERNMENTAL JURISDICTIONS AND WITH COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR GRANT APPLICATIONS.
UM, OUR INITIATIVES WITH GIVENS PARK, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ENTER TO WORK INTERDEPARTMENTALLY AND WITH COMMUNITY, UM, TO DESIGN AND ENHANCE SAFETY AROUND GIDDENS PARK.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY DA'S OFFICE, LOOKING AT GEN JOINT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIES TO INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION COALITION.
AS WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR IT AND DATA INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, UM, WE HAVE MET WITH SEVERAL INTERNAL, EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, UM, AS WE WERE DEVELOPING OUR DATA ANALYTICS STRATEGY AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT EXISTING CITY RESOURCES TO INCLUDE DASHBOARD DEVELOPMENT AND ACCESS TO SOFTWARE.
UH, WE'VE MET WITH NATIONAL LEADERS, UM, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOMICIDE REVIEW TEAMS AND, UM, LEARN HOW THEY HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE HOMICIDES WHERE THEY'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS DEDICATED TO, UM, INTERVENTIONS AND STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO REDUCE KIND OF VIOLENCE, WHICH IS SHOWN IN OUR WORK TO IMPLEMENT OUR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING, BUT GUN VIOLENCE, PROBLEM ANALYSIS, AND OUR WORK WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AND OUR SAFE GUN STORES SAVE LIVES CAMPAIGN.
OUR VALUE PROPOSITION IS THAT OUR ACTIONS WILL LEAD TO IMPACTS BY INVESTING IN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES.
WE WILL INCREASE SAFETY, IMPROVE TRUST, CREATE BUY-IN AND BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY AND CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN AUSTIN.
AND THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MS. MILES.
UM, BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT TO, UM, NOTE THAT THIS OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION GREW OUT OF A TASK FORCE FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION THAT I SPONSORED IN 2019.
UM, A KEY RECOMMENDATION OF THE TASK FORCE, WHICH WAS CHARGED WITH LOOKING AT HOW YOU REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE IN AUSTIN, WAS TO CREATE AN OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND TO TAKE A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO GUN VIOLENCE IN PARTICULAR, UM, IN THE 2021 BUDGET THAT WE FUNDED IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, UM, I OFFERED AN AMENDMENT TO CREATE THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WHICH IS THE SEED FOR THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW FULLY STAFFED AND FUNDED AT THE LEVELS THAT MS. MILES, UM, MENTIONED.
UM, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TREAT GUN VIOLENCE IN PARTICULAR AS A DISEASE AND TAKE A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH.
UM, THIS DOESN'T SUBSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY APPROACHES THAT COMPLIMENT THIS WORK.
UM, BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IF WE WANT TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE AND TO ULTIMATELY, UH, PREVENT IT.
UM, WHAT I FIND PARTICULARLY USEFUL ABOUT THIS APPROACH IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH IS THE EMPHASIS ON DATA, THE EMPHASIS ON, UM, TAILORING THE PROGRAMS TO WHAT WE NEED IN AUSTIN AND WHERE WE ARE AT AT THE PARTICULAR TIME IN, IN OUR DISCUSSIONS.
UM, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR OTHER QUESTIONS.
I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR MY COLLEAGUES FIRST, UM, MAYOR ADLER.
UH, REMEMBER TIM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, AND MICHELLE, IT SOUNDS GREAT TOO IN THE OFFICE IS BEING SET UP BECAUSE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS IN, IN, IN OUR CITY, WE SAW SOLID AGAIN THIS WEEKEND.
UH, WE HAD ANOTHER VIOLENT EPISODE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WERE, UH, WE HAD AN ABUNDANCE OF POLICE OFFICERS, UH, ON DUTY, UH, STILL HAD A VIOLIN.
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UM, AND APPARENTLY IT WAS TOO, UH, BODIES THAT RAN INTO CONFLICT THAT THE COST OF VIOLENCE AND THE POSITIVE CONFLICT IS INCREASING AS WE HAVE.AND MORE GUNS ON THE STREET, UH, DISAGREEMENTS ARE USED TO ADD THE FISTFIGHTS AROUND AND THEY WILL SEE PENNSYLVANIA WEAPONS.
UM, SO HAVING AN OFFICE LIKE THIS IS CRUCIAL, I JUST WANTED TO THANK PUBLICLY, UH, BY NEW ADMINISTRATION AND, UH, JULIA RODRIGUEZ, UH, IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR, UH, ASKING US, UH, FOR THE CALLING TO SEE IF WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THE, UH, THE WHITE HOUSE IS PUT TOGETHER.
AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY'RE BRINGING TO THE 16 SENIORS ASPEN INCLUDE.
I THINK THE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FOR SOME EXTERNAL FUNDING, PARTICULARLY FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, BUT ALSO IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE COUNTY, UM, ARE REALLY POWERFUL, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN.
AND, AND, UM, THIS IS EXCITING TOO, TO SEE THAT WE'RE AT THIS STAGE AND THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD INTO THE, IN YOU ALSO MAYOR FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH, UH, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE, ARE REALLY JUST GETTING, UM, WE'RE NOT JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT YOU'RE IN YOUR INITIAL YEARS.
AND SO THIS MAY NOT BE SOMETHING YOU'RE FOCUSING ON YET, BUT I DID WANT TO ADD, ASK YOU ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IF YOU, IF YOU CONSIDER THAT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, SINCE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HUGE INTERSECTION BETWEEN THAT AND, UH, DOING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND, UM, UH, AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU IF THAT WAS SOMETHING WITHIN YOUR SCOPE OR PERHAPS MIGHT BE WITHIN YOUR SCOPE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, YOU BROKE UP A LITTLE BIT THERE.
I THINK YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT, UM, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE WORK OF THE OFFICE OF BALANCE FOR THEM.
I WANTED TO SEE IF THAT WAS WITHIN YOUR SCOPE EITHER NOW OR IN THE FUTURE.
IT IS, IT IS ACTUALLY WITHIN OUR SCOPE, UM, THROUGH THE FIREARMS SURRENDER PROTOCOL, UM, GRANT THAT WE APPLIED FOR, WE ARE LOOKING TO LOOKING AT THE NEXUS BETWEEN GUN VIOLENCE AND, UM, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND IT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO HAVE TO CREATE THIS, UM, COMMUNITY-WIDE COLLABORATIVE.
IT'S NOT JUST WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT JURISDICTIONS, IT'S WITH PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS, MOST IMPACTED AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE DOING THE WORK AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND THROUGH THAT, WE WILL BE BUILDING OUT A SYSTEM, LOOKING AT WAYS TO SUPPORT, UM, SAFETY IN, UM, SITUATIONS THAT INVOLVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND AS WE GET MORE ROOTED, UM, AND ESTABLISHED AS AN OFFICE AND GET INTO THE DATA MORE THAT WE'LL START LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN DESIGN INTERVENTIONS, UM, TO HELP PREVENT AND REDUCE, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO AT THIS POINT, AND JUST A QUICK FOLLOW-UP, SO AT THIS POINT, UM, THE OFFICE AND I D I DO THINK IT'S CRITICAL, THE DATA ANALYSIS, UM, AS A MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED, I DO THINK THAT THAT IS, UM, CRITICAL.
AND SO DO YOU, DO YOU ENVISION YOUR OFFICE CONTRACTING FOR SERVICE PROVISION OR IS, IS YOUR OFFICE MORE DATA ANALYSIS AND INITIATING PROGRAMS THAT OTHERS WILL CARRY OUT? UH, WE, WE, I THINK I DO NOT ENVISION US DOING DIRECT SERVICE.
I SEE US WORKING MORE ON THE STRATEGY LEVEL, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY AND CONTRACTING ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORTING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK.
THAT HELPS ME, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT THEN THE LAST QUESTION, UM, I NOTICED THAT THE SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE, SO CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THAT? SO IF, IF YOUR OFFICE IS FOCUSED ON DATA ANALYSIS AND IN BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND, AND PERHAPS, UM, YOU KNOW, INITIATING OR BEING A CATALYST FOR, FOR THE WORK THAT OTHERS ARE DOING, HOW DO YOU ENVISION WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOODS? SO IN THE PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, AROUND WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH APD AND COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT BY EDUCATING THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY ABOUT DEESCALATION, UM, CONFLICT, MEDIATION.
[00:25:01]
UM, NECESSARY, UM, SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO GET IT OUT THERE.SO WITH THE DEESCALATION TRAIN, THE TRAINER TRAINING IS DESIGNED TO TEACH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, DEESCALATION TECHNIQUES AND GIVE THEM THE SKILLS TO GO OUT AND TRAIN OTHERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO DO S DO, TO DO DEESCALATION.
AND SO THAT WAY IT HAS THIS RIPPLE EFFECT TO INCREASE THE SKILLSET WITHIN COMMUNITY, AND THEN TO LEVERAGE THAT LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING TO IMPROVE THE CONFLICT MEDIATION, TO PULL AND TIE IN OTHER INITIATIVES, UM, SO THAT WE CAN AMPLIFY THE WORK.
SO IT'S LESS SO THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR THE AREA THAT WE'RE TARGETING IS, UH, THE CHARLIE SECT APDS CHARLIE SECTOR, WHICH INCLUDES GIBBONS PARK.
AND THE GOAL WOULD BE TO PULL IN THOSE RESOURCES WITH OTHER INITIATIVES WE'RE DOING, LET'S SAY WITH GIVENS PARK TO, UM, TO WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AND THIS UNDERSTANDING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER, ELLIS TOVO AND FUNDED.
UM, I APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION, MS. MILES, COULD YOU GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT COLLABORATION WITH NUMBER ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHETHER THAT'S APD OR SHERIFFS OR CONSTABLES, AND NUMBER TWO GROUPS LIKE SAFE OR SURVIVE TO THRIVE THAT HELP VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS WELL? SO WE'RE WORKING, UM, THROUGH SEVERAL INITIATIVES THROUGH THE APPLICATION FOR, LIKE I SAID, THE FIREARM SAFETY PROTOCOL, WHICH IS RIGHT NOW IS THE INITIAL GRANT IS WITH, UM, THE APPLICATIONS WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID, AND SAY, UM, BUT THE GOAL IS TO EVEN EXPAND IT FURTHER, TO EXPAND THE NETWORK, TO INCLUDE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH COLLECTIVE WORKING COLLECTIVELY FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS, UM, ALL VIOLENCE TO INCLUDE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, AND AS WE BUILD, THAT'S KIND OF THE ARC OF THE WORK IS, IS TO WORK AND TO MOVE AS ONE UNIT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN COVER ALL OUR BASES AND HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS VIOLENCE.
AND IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE PUBLIC SAFETY IS A CONTINUUM FROM PREVENTION ALL THE WAY TO CRISIS INTERVENTION, WHICH INCLUDES LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALL THE WAY IN BETWEEN.
AND, UH, THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CAN LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES AND WORK COLLECTIVELY, UM, TO ADDRESS AND PREVENT VIOLENCE AND USE INTERVENTIONS, UM, WHEN THINGS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, BUT WHERE THERE SO OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVENE, INTERVENE BEFORE SOMETHING MOVES TO A LEVEL OF NEED LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
I, I COULDN'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT ARE EITHER ASSISTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HAVE PROBABLY SEEN SOME STORIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MAY KNOW WELL AHEAD OF TIME THAT SOMETHING MAY BE IMMINENT.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I'M GLAD THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING OUT FOR THOSE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS.
AND, AND I AM ALSO, UM, THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'VE DONE SAFE STORAGE EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS, AND, YOU KNOW, PARTNERED WITH, UH, LOCK ARMS FOR LIFE, WHICH, UM, THE ORGANIZATIONS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ARE FANTASTIC AND REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GET THE WORD OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SAFE, RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP.
SO I KNOW A NUMBER OF US HAVE SPONSORED AND CO-SPONSORED THOSE INITIATIVES ALONG THE WAY, AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE CARRYING THOSE FORWARD COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO AND THEN IT'D BE FUN TO US.
THANK YOU FOR THIS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK.
UM, I AM, I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTFUL AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, JUST THIS LAST WEEKEND WE HAD YET ANOTHER SHOOTING, UM, IN THE DISTRICT I REPRESENT, AND I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISE OF GUN VIOLENCE.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRONG ACTIONS.
WE NEED TO USE ALL OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN, UH, TO CONFRONT THAT INCLUDING CONTINUING TO ARE CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR, UM, MORE SENSIBLE GUN REGULATIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO I HAD TWO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT, AS I TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS DOING IT, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO DESCRIBE, UM, SOME OF THE PROJECTS AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. SO COULD YOU TALK US THROUGH SOME SPECIFICS FOR SOMETHING SUCH AS THE, UH, THE AUSTIN VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROJECT? YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT WILL BE SOME SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS? AND THEN I HAVE A COUPLE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS.
SO IT WAS THE AWESOME VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROJECT, WHICH IS A CONTRACT WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND, UM, DR.
[00:30:01]
UM, IT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY AND THIS COMPREHENSIVE GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY.SO ONE OF WHICH IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, WHICH IS, UM, TARGETING PROGRAMMING IN CRIME HOTSPOTS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HIGHEST RISK.
AND IT'S REALLY USING, IS REALLY TAKEN AS KIND OF AS A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH, UM, TO CONNECT WITH INDIVIDUALS, PROVIDE THEM RESOURCES TO PROVIDE, UM, CASE MANAGEMENT, OUTREACH RESOURCES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO THE, IN THE COMMUNITY GAUGE IS DESIGNED TO CHANGE CULTURAL NORMS AROUND VIOLENCE AND TO, TO HOLD EVENTS AND TO REALLY BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER WHEN IT COMES TO VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
AND THEN WITH THE GUN VIOLENCE PROBLEM ANALYSIS, THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE COMING INTO AUSTIN AND WORKING WITH, UM, APD, UM, SWORN OFFICERS, UM, AND DATA ANALYSTS TO LOOK AT THE QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA, UM, AT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DRIVING CRIME.
UM, THEY KIND OF SAY, UM, AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOT PEOPLE, NOT HOTSPOTS, UM, TO SEE, TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTEXT OF WHICH VIOLENCE OCCURS, UM, AND WHO IS, UM, HAS A PROPENSITY TO, TOWARDS VIOLENCE, AND THEN TO WORK WITHIN A COLLABORATION, TO HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS, TO DO, UH, UH, UH, GOING TO REVIEW, UM, PROCESS, UH, THE HOMICIDE REVIEW PROCESS, AND THEN, UM, IDENTIFY PEOPLE AND THEN ROUTE THEM WITHIN, INTO OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
IT'S KIND OF, UH, THIS, UH, PLANNING PROCESS TO HELP PEOPLE STAY OUTSIDE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO DIRECTOR MILES WILL THAT, WILL THE AUSTIN AUSTIN VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROJECT ACTUALLY FUND SOME OF THOSE INTERVENTIONS, OR IS IT PRIMARILY FUNDING THE STRATEGY WORK? SO THAT THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT IS FUNDING THE STRATEGY.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE FUNDING WITHIN OUR BUDGET TO FUND THE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING.
AND COULD YOU TALK US THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT MIGHT, WHAT SOME OF THE COMPONENTS MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE GIVENS PARK WORK AND, AND ALSO AS PART OF THAT, ALL IN BED, MY SECOND QUESTION WITHIN THIS ONE, SO THAT OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST TIME WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT OTHER KINDS OF THAT, I RECALL, UM, ON COUNCIL THAT WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND INVESTING IN PROGRAMS THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD HELP, UM, HAVE GOOD PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOMES.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF YOUTH PROGRAMS, AND WE HAD A REALLY INTERESTING CONVERSATION AT OUR, OUR COUNCIL RETREAT THAT YEAR.
UM, AND I BROUGHT UP A PROGRAM THAT RANDY AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAD MENTIONED TO ME CALLED ROVING LEADERS, AND IT WORKED WITH YOUTH AND IT, AND IT TARGETED, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT HAD HIGH RATES OF YOUTH VIOLENCE.
AND WE WERE ABLE THAT YEAR OR TWO AS A, AS A PRODUCT OF THAT CONVERSATION TO FUND THAT YOUTH PROGRAM AND HAVE CONTINUED TO DO SO, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, SO IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GIVENS PARK, WHAT SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS OR COMPONENTS OF THAT PROGRAM MIGHT BE? I JUST THINK, I THINK AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS CONCERNED ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE AND THE, AND THE, YOU KNOW, RECENT SHOOTINGS THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, AND SEEN.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE PROVIDE THEM WITH SOME VERY DESCRIPTIVE EXAMPLES OF WHAT THIS WORK LOOKS LIKE.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I SAY COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE WITHIN THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, THE NEXT QUESTION IS LIKE, LIKE WHAT, LIKE, GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES.
SO IF YOU COULD GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE COMPONENTS THAT MIGHT BE PART OF SAY THE GIVENS PARK INITIATIVE, AND THEN IF YOU COULD ALSO ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU PRIMARILY REACHING OUT TO ADULTS THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS AND DIFFERENT, UM, AREAS OF FOCUS, OR ARE YOU ALSO KIND OF, UH, REFLECTING BACK ON THAT STRATEGY OF, OF WORKING WITH YOUTH AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE REALLY HEALTHY, UH, HEALTHY KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT OFFER ALTERNATIVES FOR YOUTH AND IN AREAS WHERE WE'VE SEEN, WE'RE SEEING RISES IN VIOLENCE.
SO REGARDING OUR GIVENS PARK WORK, WE ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES.
SO WE'RE WORKING ACROSS DEPARTMENTALLY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE LOOP AS THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION WITH PARKS AND REC, UM, WITH APD AND WITH COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE PULLING THAT TEAM TOGETHER.
AND SO RIGHT NOW GIVENS PART IS DOING A LOT OF REVITALIZATION.
AND SO AS THEY'RE DOING REVITALIZATION, WE ARE LOOKING AT STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS
[00:35:01]
THAT CAN BE USED TO HELP.SO ONE OF WHICH, UM, WILL BE, UM, THE DEESCALATION AND CONFLICT MEDIATION, UM, TRAIN TO TRAINER TRAINING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY REALLY GRANTS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE INTERVENTIONS, UM, TAILORED FOR GIVENS PART BECAUSE I MEAN, W I MEAN, REALLY WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPING STRATEGY, UM, IT'S MORE ABOUT FINDING OUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY NEEDS AND THE WAY YOU DO THAT IS TALKING TO COMMUNITY.
SO DOING THAT RESEARCH, TALKING, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH APD, WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WHO HAVE EYES AND, AND HAS EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH GIBBONS, WHAT INFORMED THE PROCESS.
SO WHILE IT'S IN THE DEVELOPMENT STAGES, SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES WILL INVOLVE, LIKE I SAID, DEESCALATION AND CHANGE AND CONFLICT MEDIATION, UM, TRAININGS AS, ALSO AS AN OFFERINGS.
SO IT COULD BE BOTH PRO OH, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
IT COULD BE BOTH PROGRAMMING, PROGRAMMING IDEAS, AS WELL AS, UM, POTENTIALLY PHYSICAL CHANGES TO THE SPACE OR OTHER, AN ARRAY OF SOLUTIONS, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DETERMINE WHICH ONES THOSE ARE BEST.
SO THERE'LL BE A, MULTI-PRONGED LIKE, LIKE YOU SAID, CHANGES TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, UM, OFFERINGS, A COMMUNITY, UM, PROGRAMMING, JUST OFFERINGS OF JUST COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES OR DIFFERENT THINGS TO ACTIVATE THE SPACES.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE THOSE SPACES WELCOMING FOR ALL, FOR YOUTH, FOR CHILDREN, FOR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE WANT TO MAKE IT A SAFE PLACE AND, UM, LIVE IT LIVE AND, AND BE THE KIND OF, UH, THE INSPIRATION OF GIVENS PARKER.
GIVEN DAN, UM, JUST THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT PARKS ARE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE DON'T WANT PARKS TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE.
AND TO YOUR OTHER QUESTION ABOUT YOUTH PROGRAMMING, WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD CONTRACTS, UM, THAT ARE, ARE, THAT ARE FOCUSED IN AREAS THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE, AND IT DOES PROVIDE SCHOOLING, UM, AND COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES.
AND IT JUST DOESN'T, UM, PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO THE CHILD THEMSELVES, BUT IT ALSO OFFERS SERVICES TO THE FAMILY UNIT TO SUPPORT THE, UM, TO TAKE A KIND OF A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO SUPPORTING, UM, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
SO WE FIND THAT TO BE VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO PREVENTION, WHETHER IT'S ON THE PREVENTION SIDE OR THE INTERVENTION SIDE.
NOW, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IN AUSTIN IS A LOT OF THE CRIME IS IT'S MORE TARGETED AROUND THAT 18 TO 35 ISH AGE.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DRIVING THE CRIME, BUT IN TERMS OF PREVENTION, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FURTHER UPSTREAM, REALLY INVESTING IN YOUTH AND FAMILIES IS REALLY A CENTRAL FOCUS OF THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE, PRUDENTIAL, BUT ALSO TO A GREATER EXTENT, UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS REALLY ROOTED IN, UM, IDENTIFYING, UH, PREVENTION, UM, STRATEGIES AND SERVICES THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT COMMUNITY.
AND TO THAT END THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AS WE ARE EMBEDDED WITHIN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT WE WILL WORK ACROSS NOT ONLY ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, BUT WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT TO LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES AND OUR COLLECTIVE KNOWING SO THAT WE CAN SERVICES TO COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU LANDED, UM, IN YOUR FINAL COMMENT IS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.
THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, THE PERSPECTIVE YOU'RE BRINGING IS ALSO A LENS THROUGH WHICH WE SHOULD SEE THE PROGRAMS THAT MAY NOT BE DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH YOUR OFFICE, BUT MAYBE TAKING PLACE IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION OR THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT.
AND SO MANAGER, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE, TO THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THIS OFFICE, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THERE CONTINUED TO BE DIRECTOR MILES.
I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT, THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO HELP LOOK TO THOSE OTHER, THOSE OTHER KINDS OF PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE WHETHER WHETHER THEY CAN ALSO, UM, HELP FIT WITHIN THIS MISSION, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK ON YOUR INNOVATION ON THIS ISSUE, COUNCIL MEMBER QUINTUS.
ALSO WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE MS. MILES FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING CERTAINLY NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF THE LEADERSHIP FROM OUR MAYOR PRO TEM AND BRINGING AND CREATING THIS OFFICE AND BRINGING THIS WORK FORWARD.
DO YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UM, JUST WANTING TO HIGHLIGHT PROJECT SAVED.
I THANK YOU FOR LAYING THAT OUT AND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT HOW THAT PROGRAM WILL BE EMBEDDED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALSO WORK TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ON DEESCALATION PRACTICES.
UH, CERTAINLY AM EXCITED TO HEAR
[00:40:01]
HOW, UH, THAT PROGRAM GOES IN ANY DATA THAT IS GLEANED FROM, FROM THAT PROGRAM AND TO SEE, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN EXPAND IT TO OTHER AREAS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, UM, OF PARTICULAR NOTE ON DEESCALATION, I WANTED TO, UM, HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT YOUR, YOUR WORK WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.YOU KNOW, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING OUR OFFICERS RECEIVE DEESCALATION TRAINING AS A CADET WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THE POLICE ACADEMY.
UM, BUT PERHAPS THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE TRAININGS TO OUR OFFICERS, UM, THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREER ON, YOU KNOW, UPDATED DEESCALATION PRACTICES.
SO JUST WANTING TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON ANY STRATEGIES THAT YOU'RE SEEING, THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AS A COUNCIL AND HOW WE CAN PROVIDE MORE DEESCALATION OPPORTUNITIES AND TRAININGS FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND OR IF YOU WANTED TO DAYLIGHT ANY OF THE WORK OR CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING WITH APD ABOUT THIS.
UM, I THINK DEESCALATION TRAINING IS CRUCIAL FOR EVERYONE.
I MEAN, QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE ESCALATED, WE DON'T MAKE OUR BEST DECISIONS.
I MEAN, THIS IS WHY, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE OPPOSITE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS LEADING WITH IS WITH ADDRESS YOUR STRESS, AS WELL AS THE DEESCALATION AND THE CONSTANT MEDIATION.
I THINK THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN MANY DIFFERENT CONTEXTS FOR US TO, TO DEPLOY THESE STRATEGIES, UM, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE COOLER HEADS WHEN WE'RE IN A VERY NSP AND, UM, HEIGHTENED SITUATIONS, UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, HAVING DEEPER CONVERSATIONS WITH APD REGARDING TRAINING, I HAVE NOT HAD THAT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT APD IS DOING AND TO SEE HOW WE CAN, UM, HELP WITH THAT, UM, IF THAT'S NEEDED.
SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH APD, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ANY KIND OF, ANY WAYS THAT WE CAN BE OF SUPPORT AND HELP, UM, APD, BUT AS WELL TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE SAFE AND WE CAN BEHAVE IN WAYS THAT WE, UM, WE COULD FEEL PROUD OF.
AND CERTAINLY I WANT TO SUPPORT YOU IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN THAT WORK.
AND WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU LATER THIS WEEK ABOUT THAT.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT DOWNTOWN SHOOTING THAT WE HAD OVER THE WEEKEND, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE OPPOSITE VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS VERY FOCUSED ON A NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL STRATEGIES.
UM, BUT I'M CURIOUS, ARE THERE STRATEGIES OUT THERE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT ARE PARTICULAR OR SPECIFIC TO AREAS OF HIGH ACTIVITY, LIKE OUR DOWNTOWN AREA, UM, THAT YOU'RE SEEING BEING IMPLEMENTED, UM, ANY MODELS THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AND JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR INSIGHT AS TO WHAT ELSE AND WHAT MORE CAN WE BE DOING TO PREVENT THESE TYPE OF INCIDENTS FROM HAPPENING IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA? I THINK WITHIN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA, I MEAN, WHEN WE HAVE THIS, UM, I MEAN, WE LIVE IN TEXAS AND, UM, TEXAS IS, UH, A VERY, UH, GUN SUPPORTER CULTURE.
UM, AND AT THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WE'RE NOT, ANTI-GUN, WE'RE PRO GUN SAFETY.
AND SO I THINK LEANING INTO MORE, UM, PROGRAM SAFETY, UM, UH, PRACTICES, UM, TO CHANGE NORMS AROUND VIOLENCE, UM, TO DO THINGS IN, IN TERMS OF EDUCATING LIKE THE BAR AREA AND, UH, THE ENTERTAINMENT AREA DOWNTOWN ABOUT, UM, UH, THE ESCALATION.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, WE CAN DO COLLECTIVE MESSAGING, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR DRESSER STRESS CAMPAIGN TO KIND OF GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, UM, MANAGING STRESS LEVELS, UM, SO THAT IT DOESN'T LEAD TO VIOLENT CONFLICT.
I MEAN, THAT IS THAT, THAT IS REALLY THE INTENTION OF THAT STRATEGY OR LEAD TO BEHAVIORS THAT CAN HARM OTHERS BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT, WHEN WE'RE HEIGHTENED, UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE IN A VERY CHARGED ENVIRONMENT, UM, IT CAN LEAD TO, UM, NOT MAKING THE BEST JUDGEMENTS.
AND SO ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN FRONT LOAD AS INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC, UM, IF FRONT LOAD THIS SKILLSET IN THE PUBLIC AND TO INCLUDE NOT JUST WITH THE PUBLIC, BUT WITHIN OUR OWN STRUCTURES WITHIN THE CITY, WITHIN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, I THINK YOU CAN HELP REDUCE VIOLENCE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO LEAD INTO.
I WOULD ALSO DOING CONTINUED RESEARCH TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT COULD BE, THAT CAN BE UTILIZED IN AREAS SUCH AS DOWNTOWN AND THEN THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND CERTAINLY, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU LAUNCHING THE ADDRESS, YOUR STRESS CAMPAIGN.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO GO A LONG WAY IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I CERTAINLY WILL HELP IN SHARING THAT OUT TO OUR DISTRICT, TO COMMUNITY IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
[00:45:01]
UM, THE LAST THING I WANTED TO ASK YOU, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AS PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU INCLUDED YOUR FISCAL YEAR 2020 TO FOCUS ON, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE OFFICE BEING FOCUSED ON STRUCTURE AND CREATING THE PROGRAMS AND, UM, REALLY SETTING THAT STRONG FOUNDATION FOR US.SO I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU LET US IN ON WHAT YOUR OUTLOOK WILL BE MOVING FORWARD? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE AREAS THAT YOU REALLY, UM, BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT AND SUPPORT AND, OR STRENGTHEN AS WE, UM, AS WE STRENGTHEN OUR OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, I MEAN, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK WE NEED TO, IT'LL BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO INVEST IN COMMUNITY MORE.
UH, ONE AREA THAT I WOULD LOVE INVESTMENT IN IS TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTERS, UM, AND TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTERS PROVIDES, UM, MORE THAN JUST PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES IN COMMUNITY.
IT, UM, PROVIDES SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN MOST IMPACTED BY CRIME.
IT PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TO, UM, TO LEGAL SERVICES, HOUSING SERVICES, AND THEIR, UM, ROOTED IN COMMUNITY.
AND THEY PROBABLY CAN'T, THEY CAN PROVIDE SERVICES AT NO COST.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'D BE HAD TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTERS IN AUSTIN.
IT WOULD HELP COMMUNITIES HEAL AND RESTORE.
SO THAT'S ONE AREA OF FOCUS THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, UM, TO LEAVE INTO.
AND THEN ALSO REALLY LOOKING AT OUR DATA THAT I KEEP GOING BACK TO DATA, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE INTERVENTIONS AND TO, UM, INVEST IN AND FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND YOUTH, BECAUSE A LOT OF, UM, YOUTH ARE VERY, UM, STRESS AND FAMILIES ARE VERY STRESSED.
AND WHEN WE HAVE THIS, UM, THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE ARE UNDER, UNDER RESOURCED AND OVERSTRESSED, IT CAN LEAD TO VIOLENCE, SO VIOLENCE AND HARM.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN.
I HAVE A HEART I DON'T LIKE TO CALL, UM, KIDS, YOUTHS, I THINK, UM, OFTEN OFTENTIMES PEOPLE SCAPE HILL, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND, UM, I SAY YOUNG PEOPLE CAN'T VOTE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN'T SIGN THEIR EXCUSE FROM SCHOOL.
THEY CAN'T DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO VIOLENCE, THEY BEAR A BIG BRUNT OF THE BLAME.
AND I THINK FOR AS ADULTS, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE CREATE SAFE SYSTEMS, WE ARE RESOURCE FAMILIES SO THAT KIDS CAN BE, FEEL SAFE, YOU KNOW, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO RESORT TO HARM FOR SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL LIKE THEY CAN RELAX AND BE KIDS AND ENGAGE IN THE THINGS THAT KIDS ENGAGE IN.
UM, SO I, I REALLY WOULD LIKE US TO KIND OF FOCUS ON INVESTING IN FAMILIES AND YOUTH, GOOD MORNING DIRECTOR, STIRRUP AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONTO WHAT MICHELLE SAID.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DATA COLLECTION AND THE STRATEGY WORK THAT THE OFFICE IS, IS UNDERTAKING WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT AS WE, UM, STRUCTURE OUR INVESTMENTS.
AND SO, AS WE LOOK AT OUR YOUTH CONTRACTS, AS WE LOOK AT OUR, SORRY, MICHELLE, AS WE LOOK AT OUR CONTRACTS THAT SERVE YOUNG PEOPLE, AS WE LOOK AT OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONTRACTS, HOW DO WE, UM, INFORM THOSE SOLICITATIONS? SO WE KNOW WHAT THE CITY IS BUYING AND HOW DO WE STRUCTURE THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
SO WE CAN COME BACK TO COMMUNITY AND IT KIND OF MAKE THOSE LINKAGES OF THE WORK OF THE OFFICE, HOW THEY IMPACTED SYDNEY INVESTMENTS AND WHAT THE EFFECT ON OUR COMMUNITY WAS.
AND SO AS WE CONTINUE TO ROUND OUT THAT STRATEGY, THAT THAT'S WHERE I SEE US REALLY COMING INTO FRUITION IN 23 AND FORMING OUR SOCIAL SERVICE INVESTMENTS AND ALSO BEING A CONVENER IN COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK AND SERVING THOSE POPULATIONS AND PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT.
INCREDIBLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH DIRECTOR STIRRUP AND MS. MILES FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I JUST WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE IN THE MISSION AND THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY Y'ALL ARE OFFERING AND PROVIDING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND, UM, MS. SMILES, I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE ABOUT THE TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTERS.
THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT COLLEAGUES THAT IS ON THE AGENDA ON THURSDAY FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND AS YOU SO ELOQUENTLY LAID OUT, IT IS WORTH OUR INVESTMENT AS LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES TO INVEST IN SAFE SYSTEMS AND TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTERS ARE PART OF THAT SYSTEMIC CHANGE THAT WE NEED.
AND PART OF THAT WORK OF INVESTING IN FAMILIES AND PROVIDING CRITICAL SERVICES TO EVERYONE, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION OF TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTERS ON, ON THURSDAY.
[00:50:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER, HYPER MEDICINE.YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME IF THERE'S ANYBODY ON THE LINE.
WHO'S ALLERGIES ARE LIKE ON 10 RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING, ALL THE STUFF, BUT THIS CONVERSATION IS NOT JUST IMPORTANT TO ME BY WAY OF THE CALLS I GET FROM MY CONSTITUENTS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I DO IS I GO AND SIT IN A LARGER ROOMS IN INCOME, RESTRICTED HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.
I WANT, I WANT PROJECT MAMAS TO KNOW THEY HAVE SOMEBODY.
SO I GO AND I SIT IN THERE AND JUST HANGING OUT AND WE CHOP IT UP AND EXCUSE ME, BUT THEN I HAVE TO COME BACK TO Y'ALL AND I'VE TALKED TO THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENT HEADS AND HAVE REFINED SOPHISTICATED CONVERSATIONS.
BUT THEN Y'ALL SAY THINGS LIKE, MAN, MS. MICHELLE MILES, YOU BEING ABLE TO BE SO CONCISE AND SO CLEAR ABOUT THE NEED.
SO ALL MY PEOPLE JUST GOT A BUNCH OF MONEY BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR INCOME TAX RETURNS.
THEY WAS HEARD RICH FOR TWO WEEKS, $8,000 GONE FAST.
I MEAN LIKE IT'S LIKE, IT NEVER HAPPENED.
I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
THERE REALLY HURTS MY FEELINGS.
I PROMISED MYSELF I WAS NEVER GONNA CRY ON CAMERA EVER AGAIN, BUT I WILL SAY DURING THE COURSE OF THIS CONVERSATION, IF WE'RE NOT HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, PEOPLE JUST GOT THE INCOME TAXES, THEY'RE BUYING CARS, THEY CAN'T AFFORD OUTTA YOUR O TWO SENSOR GOES OUT, THEN YOU CAN GET INSPECTED.
THEN YOU CAN'T GET REGISTERED.
LIKE, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT, WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE MORE REFINED AND SOPHISTICATED THAN I AM.
I'M LEARNING WHAT I'M FEELING AWAY BETTER AS NOT HAVING REAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW ALL OF THESE THINGS AFFECT PEOPLE.
SO THE GUY WHO SHOWS UP AT HIS BABY MAMA HOUSE, BECAUSE SHE JUST GOT THE INCOME TAX RETURN, BUT HE SAID, I WANT TO CLAIM THAT BABY.
AND SHE SAID, I DON'T CLAIM THESE TWO.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE HAVING REAL CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK THE CONVERSATIONS SHOULD JUST BE INHERENTLY MORE GENUINE AND MORE CANDID.
HONESTLY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT ON A PANEL THE OTHER DAY AND I SAID SO BAD.
IT HIT US OFF, WENT TO STORM URI.
SO THEN IT WAS A SHARED COMMUNAL PROBLEM, BUT POVERTY.
SO IF IT, IF IT'S NOT A SHARED COMMUNAL PROBLEM, WE'RE THE MOST INCOME SEGREGATED CITY IN THE NATION.
YO, IF WE DON'T START SAYING THAT AND IF IT DOESN'T HIT US ALL, THEN THAT'S A PROBLEM.
BECAUSE IF YOU NOT POOR, IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PER UNIT ITEM, INCOME COSTS, THE B I, YOU SEE MOST PEOPLE DON'T LOOK AT THAT CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
I, I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR ALLOWING ME A LITTLE EXTRA TIME.
[00:55:03]
IF WE DON'T START LOOKING AT HOW DEEPLY EMBEDDED OUR INCOME SEGREGATION IS THE ROOT CAUSE, THE RICH PEOPLE, HEY, THE FIX IS IN WATCH TRADING PLACES.I DARE YOU DO ANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER AVAILA.
UM, MY, MY COMMENTS EVERETT, I DO APPRECIATE, UH, NATASHA'S COMMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, POVERTY STRESS, UH, IS DRIVES KIND OF PANIC AND BAD DECISIONS.
UH, AND IT'S REALLY, I THINK, DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE KIND OF IN ISOLATION, OUTSIDE OF THE, THE KIND OF BROADER SOCIAL FACTORS THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, PUSH PEOPLE TO THE EDGE AND SOMETIMES OVER IT, UNFORTUNATELY AGAIN, LIKE AS WE SAW ON SIX WEEK, BUT MY QUESTION WAS, UH, THE, THE, THE, AGAIN, THE SHOOTING ON SIXTH STREET.
UH, AND I DON'T WANT TO DWELL ON THAT TOO, TOO MUCH, BUT IT'S THE SECOND MASS SHOOTING ON SIXTH STREET IN UNDER A YEAR.
I CAN'T EXACTLY REMEMBER WHEN THE LAST DAY WAS, IT WAS VERY RECENTLY, UH, AND I WAS, I WAS ACTUALLY ON, UH, SIXTH STREET, SATURDAY NIGHT.
WE WERE, UH, WENT TO GO SEE JAMES FROM MCMURTRY, AT STUBS AT 1:00 AM.
AND WE WERE LEAVING, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY WILL, 10 MINUTES, 15 MINUTES, UH, OUTSIDE OF, UH, OF THE SHOOTING.
WE LEFT PROBABLY ABOUT 10 MINUTES, 15 MINUTES OUTSIDE OF THE SHOOTING.
AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN MORE POLICE ON SIXTH STREET.
AND I SAW ON SATURDAY NIGHT, I WAS, I MEAN, MAN, THEY WERE OUT IN FORCE, UH, FOR GOOD REASON, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, BUT IT IT'S, IT'S DISAPPOINTING, I GUESS, CONCERNING THAT, YOU KNOW, DESPITE A MASSIVE AND VERY HIGHLY VISIBLE, UH, POLICE PRESENCE, THEY HAD THE BARRICADES UP, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE IN THE MIDDLE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THE, UH, THE, THE HORSE PATROL, THE MOUNTED PATROL OUT LIKE EXTREMELY, HIGHLY VISIBLE, UH, LOTS OF POLICE OFFICERS, UH, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY NOT 30 YARDS FROM THAT KIND OF GROUP OF POLICE.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A, UH, AN EXCHANGE OF GUNFIRE.
SO, UH, IT, IT JUST, IT, IT, IT MAKES ME DESPAIR A BIT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY THE, THE, YOU KNOW, A STRONG POLICE REACTION LIKE THAT IS NOT A STRONG POLICE PRESENCE IN AND OF ITSELF WAS NOT ENOUGH TO, TO STOP THIS.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD FOUR PEOPLE INJURED ALMOST AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, IN SOUTH BEACH IN MIAMI, THERE WAS A SHOOTING WHERE THREE PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN A VERY, VERY SIMILAR SITUATION.
AND, UM, IT JUST, ANECDOTALLY MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SOUTH BEACH, UH, AND OCEAN DRIVE, AND THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, WITH A FAMOUS KIND OF ART DECO BUILDINGS ARE THE REAL NIGHTLIFE SPOT IN MIAMI IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES THAT SIXTH STREET IS HAVING WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONCE A VERY, STILL IS A VERY POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, BUT THE LEVELS OF GUN VIOLENCE, UH, IN SOUTH BEACH, UH, ARE VERY HIGH AND THERE ARE INCREASING CONCERNS WITH VIOLENCE, UH, IN OTHER ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO ANY THOUGHTS ON, ON JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SHARED, UH, SOLUTIONS? I KNOW MIAMI, I BELIEVE IN PULSE CURFEW, MIAMI BEACH, I BELIEVE IN POLLS, THE CURFEW, UH, RIGHT AFTER THE, THE SHOOTING IN RESPONSE TO IT.
UM, AGAIN, JUST, UH, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IF ANYTHING, LIKE, YOU KNOW, OTHER, UH, CITIES WITH POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS, HOW ARE THEY HANDLING? AND THEN AGAIN, I KNOW THE OFFICE OF PREVENTION GOES BEYOND JUST KIND OF THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, BUT JUST BEING, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING WHAT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY NIGHT, ANY KIND OF NATIONAL TRENDS, IDEAS, UH, RESPONSES THAT, THAT Y'ALL COULD, UH, UH, Y'ALL COULD SPEAK TO WELL, IN TERMS OF NATIONAL TRENDS.
I MEAN, AS YOU POINTED OUT, THERE'S A NATURAL TREND, A NATIONAL TREND OF VIOLENCE INCREASING, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN LIGHT OF POLICE PRESENCE.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT IS, IT IS, IT IS, IS, IT IS A REALITY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THE STRATEGIES, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, LIKE ADDRESS YOUR STRESS, A DEESCALATION OF CONFLICT MEDIATION ARE DESIGNED TO BE UTILIZED, UM, TO BE USED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT SKILLSET WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE SERVICES.
BUT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE, IT IS THROUGH THAT COLLABORATION OF WORKING TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF SAFETY, UM, THAT GOES BEYOND POLICING.
UM, AND THAT REALLY IS DESIGNED AS NOT JUST IN THE MOMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF PLANNING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN AND COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION,
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UM, TO HELP BUILD WITHIN COMMUNITY WITHIN OUR BUSINESS DISTRICT, WITHIN THE CULTURE OF AUSTIN, UM, ATTITUDES AROUND ANTIVIOLENCE RIGHT, THAT WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO ACCEPT IT RIGHT BY NOT HERE, NOT NOW, VIOLENCE IS NOT TOLERATED.WE'RE GOING TO SECURELY, WE'RE GOING TO SAFELY SECURE OUR FIREARMS. WE DON'T ADDRESS OUR, JUST DEAL WITH OUR DISPUTES IN THIS WAY.
UH, BUT THAT'S GONNA TAKE TIME, UM, FOR US TO INFUSE THAT WITHIN COMMUNITY.
AND IT DOES REQUIRE US TO WORK ON THAT LEVEL PERSON, TO PERSON, NOT JUST WITH THE, UM, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO HELP COME UP WITH THOSE SOLUTIONS TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN, BECAUSE THAT WAS AS, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARBOR, MADISON SAID, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, STRUCTURAL THINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, THERE ARE STRUCTURAL RACISM THAT HAS KIND OF BAKED INTO THE CAKE, THEN THESE DISPARITIES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, UM, THERE ARE SOME SO THERE'S DISPARITY THAT OF COURSE LED DOWN TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY, UM, BUT NOT ONLY EXPERIENCING POVERTY, JUST BEING, NOT INVESTED IN AS A KID, AS COMMUNITIES, UH, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY THE DESIGN TO CONTROL BLACK AND BROWN BODIES, UM, POPULATION GROWTH AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
AND SO THROUGH THIS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, WE ARE WANTING TO INFUSE THE COMMUNITY WITH RESOURCES AND CREATE THE STRUCTURES, UM, UM, SO THAT WE CAN UNDO THOSE THINGS AND DECIDE AS A COMMUNITY THAT, BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE WITH THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPEN, UM, IN THE PAST.
AND THERE'S SOME NOT SO GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPEN, AND WE WANT TO LEARN FROM THOSE GOOD THINGS AND AMPLIFY IT, AND, UM, BE ABLE TO INFUSE THAT WITHIN ALL ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THAT PROCESS.
UM, THROUGH THE, UM, THE MECHANISMS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I APPRECIATE WORK.
AND, UH, HE SAID, I THINK THE, THE, THE GUNS, THE, THE WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY, UH, I KNOW NOW IT'S, I MEAN, YOU CAN, IF, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE LAW CORRECTLY, YOU CAN OPEN CARRY ON SIXTH STREET.
UH, AND I JUST THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE, UH, AND JUST A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.
UM, BUT, UH, I KNOW THAT'S OUT OF Y'ALL'S CONTROL, BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER OF VAIL.
I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OFFICE ITSELF WAS INFORMED BY WHAT WE LEARNED FROM OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
UM, BOTH WHEN THE TASK FORCE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, AND THEN WHEN WE PUT FORWARD THE AMENDMENT, UM, AND ALSO IN THE DESIGN AND HOW IT'S FUNCTIONING, IT IS BUILDING OFF OF BEST PRACTICES, UM, FROM OTHER PLACES.
AND I, AND I BELIEVE, UM, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED THE OTHER WEEK WITH SAFER SIX THROUGH IS ALSO INFORMED BY WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM HOW YOU ADDRESS THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE IN OTHER ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.
UM, DID YOU HAVE A REAL QUICK COMMENT THEN? AND THEN I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL.
THANKS MAYOR PRO TEM, BECAUSE I WANT TO JUST SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE OF SIXTH STREET.
SO IN, IN THE SAFER SIXTH STREET, PART ONE THAT WE PASSED IN JULY COUNCIL MEMBER FRONT US, YOU ASKED ABOUT WHETHER THERE ARE STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN LOOK TO FROM OTHER CITIES.
WE ACTUALLY INITIATED IN INITIATING THE SAFER SIX.
WE ASKED OUR STAFF TO DEVELOP AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM, TO CREATE A NIGHTLIFE STRATEGY, UH, AN EXCUSE ME, A NIGHTLIFE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS EXACTLY THAT LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES AROUND THIS, AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR HOW PEOPLE ARE MANAGING THEIR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
AND SO, AND ALSO, UM, THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION WAS STATED AS A PARTY IN THAT, UM, INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM THAT HAS BEEN WORKING IN MEETING.
AND SO I DO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WHETHER AND HOW INTEGRATED YOU ARE INTO THAT PROCESS THAT INVOLVES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW IN THE SAFER SIXTH STREET PART TWO THAT WE JUST PASSED.
WE DID ASK OUR, OUR CITY LEGAL, OUR CITY MANAGER TO SET UP A TIME FOR US TO TALK WITH CITY LEGAL ABOUT, ABOUT ONE THING.
AND I JUST ADDED ANOTHER YESTERDAY.
UM, THE FIRST BEING, WHAT OPTIONS, WHAT LEGAL OPTIONS WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION, LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ESTABLISHMENTS, WHERE THERE ARE REPEATED HISTORIES OF VIOLENCE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THE HOUSTON MAYOR HAS ROLLED OUT IN TRYING TO WORK OUT A PLAN TO CONFRONT THE INCREASING VIOLENCE IN THEIR CITY.
UM, AND SO I'VE ASKED OUR, OUR, WE ALL DID ACTUALLY, UM, IN PASSING MY RESOLUTION, WE ASKED OUR CITY MANAGER TO BRIEF US ON LEGAL OPTIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE
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TO TAKE AGAINST, UH, ESTABLISHMENTS.I'VE ALSO ASKED, I'VE HAD VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS THROUGH THE LAST MONTH ABOUT WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE THAT YOU MENTIONED, COUNCIL MEMBER VELLA, WHICH IS THE PRESENCE OF GUNS ON SIXTH STREET, THE ABILITY TO OPEN CARRY.
AND I KNOW THERE'S AT LEAST ONE OPTION THAT I THINK WE CAN CONSIDER.
AND I'VE ASKED OUR CITY LEGAL TO SET UP A TIME FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UM, WELL OVERDUE BECAUSE EVERY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL, UM, TWO MASS SHOOTINGS.
NOW IN THE LAST YEAR, AS YOU MENTIONED, LESS THAN THE LAST YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS AGAIN ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER.
REIMPLEMENTING A CURFEW ON SIXTH STREET FOR, UM, INDIVIDUALS UNDER 18.
I KNOW WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS OVER THE SUMMER, IT WAS QUITE CONTROVERSIAL AT THE TIME, THERE WAS NOT AGREEMENT ON THE DIOCESE.
AND AT THAT POINT, THE DATA FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT SUGGEST THAT IT WAS WARRANTED.
I DID ASK FOR IT AT, UM, HAVING RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION A FEW WEEKS AGO FROM APA PRESIDENT, KEN CASSIDY, ASKING US TO CONSIDER IT AGAIN.
AND HE CITED AN INCIDENT THAT HAD HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND WITH TWO JUVENILES WHO ARE HOLDING, WHO HAD ILLEGAL GUNS ON SIXTH STREET.
UM, I ASKED OUR POLICE CHIEF TO, TO RUN THE DATA AGAIN, WHICH HE HAS DONE.
UM, AND I SHARED THAT, I BELIEVE WITH YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, CAUSE I KNOW YOU HAD AN INTEREST IN IT AND I, I CAN CERTAINLY SHARE THAT WITH OTHER COLLEAGUES AS APPROPRIATE.
UM, HE INDICATED THAT THE DATA REALLY HASN'T CHANGED AND IT DOES NOT.
UM, IT, THE DATA DOES NOT SUPPORT THE REINSTATEMENT OF A JUVENILE CURFEW ON SIXTH STREET.
SO I DID, I DID WANT TO JUST ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE I KNOW IT CONTINUES TO COME UP.
HAVING SAID THAT I AM REALLY COMMITTED TO EXPLORING EVERY LEGAL OPTION WE HAVE TO, UH, CONSIDER WAYS.
AND I THINK THERE IS AN INNOVATIVE STRATEGY THAT WOULD BE LEGAL, UM, TO, TO REDUCE THE PRESENCE OF GUNS ON SIXTH STREET.
I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, DIRECTOR MILES ON YOUR STAFF.
UM, AND THE WORK THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
THEY'VE GOT SEVERAL INITIATIVES UNDERWAY, AS I UNDERSTAND, TO, UM, CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE PRESENCE OF THE ILLEGAL GUNS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR MS. MILES.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, YOU KNOW, ONE ELEMENT WAS TO LEARN FROM OTHER CITIES WHO HAD IMPLEMENTED OFFICES OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UM, HAD TAKEN THIS PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH.
UM, ONE PART OF IT WAS TO LEARN FROM OTHERS.
THE OTHER PART THOUGH, WAS TO BE REALLY STRATEGIC AND DATA FOCUSED ON WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS IN AUSTIN AND TAKE A VERY TARGETED APPROACH TO HOW WE WERE GOING TO PREVENT VIOLENCE, TO DRIVE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, TREATING THE VIOLENCE AS A DISEASE, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THIS PUBLIC HEALTH BEING VERY SPECIFIC TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT IS WHY IN PART, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST SET OF, OF, OF EFFORTS ARE ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING, UM, THE ENGAGING OF THE EXTERNAL CONSULTANT, SO THAT WHEN WE ARE MAKING INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING THEM IN VARIOUS STRATEGIC WAYS, THE PLAN ALL ALONG WAS TO ROLL OUT A GUN STORAGE PROGRAM AND TO HAVE YOUTH PROGRAMS IN THE INTERIM, AS WE WERE TARGETING, UM, USING THIS DATA, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND OBVIOUSLY THE PANDEMIC HAS EXTENDED AND, AND, UH, WE ARE NOW FULLY STAFFED AND THAT IS ALL GREAT.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO KIND OF WHERE THINGS ARE AT WITH RESPECT TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING, WITH RESPECT TO THE DATA ANALYSIS AND WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED THUS FAR ABOUT THE PARTICULAR PROFILE HERE, UM, IN AUSTIN, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SHARED CHARACTERISTICS ACROSS MANY CITIES, VIOLENCE IS INCREASING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, REGARDLESS OF POLICE, UM, STAFFING LEVELS, ET CETERA.
SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT WE'VE LEARNED THUS FAR UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT PROCESS IS STILL UNDERWAY PLEASE? SO WHAT WE'VE LEARNED THUS FAR AS, UM, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DRIVING, UM, VIOLENT CRIME IN AUSTIN ARE REALLY FOLKS THAT ARE ABOUT 18 TO 35, 36 YEARS OF AGE.
UM, THEY'RE CONCENTRATED IN CERTAIN, UM, HOTSPOT LOCATIONS WITHIN AUSTIN.
UH, SO THERE IS IN THE NORTH, UH, THE ORIGIN ACRES AREA, UM, THE, UH, ST JOHN'S AND ART AREA, UM, THE PLEASANT VALLEY RIVERSIDE AREA, SO THAT THE CRIME IS MORE CONCENTRATED IN THOSE HARD SPOTS.
UM, THEY'RE OLDER FOLKS, NOT YOUNGER FOLKS.
UM, THERE ARE PREDOMINANTLY MALES, UM, AND IN AUSTIN WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A, UM, A SIGNIFICANT GANG PROBLEM.
A LOT OF THE CONFLICTS SEEM TO BE INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THE, OUR, OUR INVESTMENTS, AND LIKE TO GET DRESSED YOUR STRESS AND DIFFERENT THINGS ARE LOOKING AT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN
[01:10:01]
ADDRESS INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTS AND PROVIDE THE RESOURCES WITHIN COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING, GOING TO THOSE TARGETED LOCATIONS, UM, TARGETING INDIVIDUALS, UM, WHO ARE HIGHEST RISK.SO THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE, UM, INVOLVED WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAVE WITNESSED OR EXPERIENCED, UM, OR HAVE SOMEONE CLOSE TO THEM EXPERIENCE, UM, INSURANCE, UM, AND, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN GROUPS, UM, WHO WERE ENGAGED IN, UM, ACTIVITIES THAT CAN LEAD TO VIOLENCE.
SO BASED ON THAT PRELIMINARY, PRELIMINARY DATA, THIS IS WHY WE'RE TAKING THE INTERVENTIONS, UM, THAT YOU'RE UTILIZING THE TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING RIGHT NOW.
AND AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DATA, UM, THAT INFORMATION WILL DRIVE FURTHER ASPECTS OF, UM, VIOLENCE PREVENTION LIKE IT WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR CHILD ABUSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WE BUILD OUT THE OFFICE.
BUT RIGHT NOW FOR US, THE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, THE GUN VIOLENCE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS AND REALLY GETTING DOWN INTO THE NITTY-GRITTY AS TO, UM, WHAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSES OF BAD.
AND WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT CONTRACT FOR THE DATA AND STRATEGIC PLANNING IN TERMS OF WHEN WILL BE COMPLETED? AH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S REALLY BEING FORMED RIGHT NOW.
UM, THERE'S NOT A CONTRACT FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING PER SE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW'S THAT EVER GOING TO DO WITH COMMUNITY AND ACROSS JURISDICTIONS TO DO THAT STRATEGIC PLANNING REGARDING THE CONTRACT, UM, FOR, WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, THAT'S A W AND I'M BACK AT CHICO TILLMAN.
UM, THEY HAVE RE UM, SUBMITTED SOME REPORTS, SOME LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS, SOME INITIAL ANALYSIS OF AUSTIN CRIME DATA.
WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WAITING ON IS OUR GUN VIOLENCE, PROBLEM ANALYSIS, UM, AND ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE, UM, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
SO WHEN WE HAVE THOSE, ALL OF THOSE, UM, UM, DIFFERENT, UH, DELIVERABLES FROM THAT CONTRACT IS GOING TO RESULT IN, UH, UH, UH, UH, A COMPREHENSIVE GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND THIS CONTRACT, UH, IS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, AND IT WILL END BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE THAT COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY BY THEN, AND THEN REGARDING THE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, WE'RE ROLLING OUT A SOLICITATION AND, UM, IN APRIL, UM, AND HOPING TO HAVE THAT CONTRACT THAT BY AUGUST THE FIRST TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING, AND TO TARGET AT LOCATIONS WITHIN AUSTIN.
THANK YOU, UM, CITY MANAGER THAT KIND OF MISSES SOME OF THE, THE, THAT PROJECT COMING BACK AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER MISSES SOME OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO I DO HOPE THAT WE WILL FIND A WAY TO SET ASIDE RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THAT, UM, GUN VIOLENCE, COMPREHENSIVE GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY.
THAT'S BUILDING OFF OF, UM, THESE EXTERNAL STUDIES AND THE COMMUNITY WORK, UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE ARE ABLE, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND NOT HAVE TO WAIT TO THE NEXT, UH, BUDGET CYCLE.
UM, SO I WANTED TO, TO ADD THAT, UM, WE DELIBERATELY PLACED THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, BUT THAT WASN'T TO MEAN THAT IT DIDN'T NEED TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER FUND DOES ASK SOME QUESTIONS EARLIER IN THIS REGARD, BUT I WANTED TO DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS, UM, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND APD, UM, WHO IS THE MAIN CONTACT AT APD.
AND CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW THAT RELATIONSHIP IS WORKING AND HOW UPD HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK AND VICE VERSA? SO WE'RE WORKING WITH APD, AND RIGHT NOW I, I CONTACT, UM, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF, UM, HENDRICKSON, UH, TO LINK ME TO DIFFERENT, UM, UH, CONTACTS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE ARE WORKING TO CONNECT TO DO THAT SO THAT WE CAN, UM, DO OUR GUN VIOLENCE, UH, OUR GUN VIOLENCE PROBLEM ANALYSIS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND CRUCIAL TO THE WORK.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO, UM, AS WE ARE A YOUNG OFFICE, WE ARE WORKING TO REALLY LOOK TO OUR KEY, UM, OUR KEY CONTACTS, UM, WITHIN THE APD ON THE DATA SIDE.
UM, UH, I CON MY CONTACT THERE IS, UM, JASON MATTSON.
[01:15:01]
THAT'S NEW TO APT, UM, CRIME ANALYST SIDE.AND SO WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO, UM, DEVELOP AN MOU BETWEEN THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, APD, UM, FOR, UM, FOR DATA BASSEL BEV BEDS, UM, MORE SENSITIVE.
AND THEN FOR DATA DECKS, DE-IDENTIFY, WE ARE FREELY ABLE TO ACCESS THAT DATA SO WE CAN, UM, RUN OUR DATA ANALYTICS ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE TARGETING SOME PARTICULAR LOCATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HIGH VIOLENCE AREAS.
UM, HOW ARE YOU CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY OR, OR RATHER HOW DOES COMMUNITY CONNECT WITH YOU? AND IF SOMEONE WERE WRITING ABOUT, UM, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AT THIS POINT IN ITS, IN ITS HISTORY, HOW WOULD SOMEBODY WHO WAS LOOKING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE AS DISEASE, TAKE A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH AND BUILD IT OUT OF THE COMMUNITY? HOW WOULD, UM, SOMEBODY WHO WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, OR WANT TO HELP IDENTIFY A CHALLENGE IN THEIR COMMUNITY CONNECT WITH YOUR OFFICE RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN CONNECT WITH US, UM, DIRECTLY.
UM, MY, YOU KNOW, MY EMAIL IS MICHELLE DOT MILES AND AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF WORKING WITHIN THE HOTSPOTS, UM, THE GOAL IS NOT JUST TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING.
THAT WAS, THAT WE'RE RELEASING THIS SOLICITATION FOR THE GOAL IS TO PULL IN ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY THOSE STAKEHOLDERS AND WORK WITH THEM, TO LEVERAGE THE EXISTING RESOURCES, UM, AND RELATIONSHIPS TO CO-CREATE THE WORK, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE LED BY COMMUNITY AND TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE OFFICE AND THE RESOURCES OF THE OFFICE, AND NOT JUST WITHIN THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, OTHER CITY RESOURCES, OTHER COUNTY RESOURCES BY HEALTH SYSTEMS OR WHEREVER.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO HAVE THIS TAKE THIS CO-CREATIVE PROCESS.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE HEAVY HANDED.
THE POINT IS CO-CREATING, THE POINT IS MULTI-DEVICE MULTIDISCIPLINARY.
THE POINT IS COMMUNITY ROOTED.
THE POINT IS TO REALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, IN A WAY THAT'S MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL.
UM, ONE OF THE WAYS WE'LL BE MOST SUCCESSFUL AT THIS AS IF WE BRING IN OTHER UNITS OF GOVERNMENT AS WELL, TO HELP.
UM, I KNOW I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN, UM, AN EVENT THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAD DONE, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THEIR OWN INVESTMENTS IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'VE DONE IS PUT IN A LIAISON TO OUR OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, AND ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THAT COLLABORATION IS THE FIREARMS SURRENDER PROTOCOL.
NOW, YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GRANT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE STILL DOING WORK BEYOND THE GRANT.
AND THAT PROCESS OF PUTTING THAT TOGETHER WAS HELPFUL.
CAN YOU STATE SORT OF THE CHALLENGE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT IT? AND THEN, SO IN TERMS OF THE FIREARMS SURRENDER PROTOCOL GRANT, UH, WHERE, WHERE WE'RE ANXIOUSLY WAITING TO SEE IF IT'LL GET AN APPROVED, APPROVED, AND THE EARLIEST THAT WE'LL BE NOTIFIED WOULD BE APRIL.
RIGHT NOW, WE TOOK A PAUSE CAUSE WE WERE DOING A LOT OF WORK, UM, WORKING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, AND, UH, TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID, UM, TO KIND OF TO DEVELOP THE, UM, THE GRANT APPLICATION, BUT ALSO TO CARRY FORWARD THE WORK.
SO WE DECIDED TO CONVENE AND, UM, LATE APRIL, UM, SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS DEVELOPING, UM, IT, REGARDLESS IF WE GET FUNDED FOR IT, UM, THE, THE CROSS JURISDICTIONAL COMMUNITY WORK AROUND THAT FIREARM SURRENDER PROTOCOL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES, AND, UM, WITH A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY DA AND, AND THE, AND THE DEEP THAT THE LIAISON AS IT HAS BEEN APPOINTED, WHO WAS AMBER GOODWIN, WHO IS A KNOWN NATIONAL EXPERT IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WORK AND GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION WORK.
WE, UM, WE HAVE SCHEDULED WEEKLY MEETINGS WHERE WE DISCUSS VARIOUS STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT WE CAN KIND OF SEED IN THIS INTERNALLY TOGETHER, BUT THEN TO EXPAND OUT, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND ACROSS JURISDICTIONS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY IS, UM, SHARED FUNDING STRATEGIES.
AND WE HAD A MEETING JUST LAST WEEK TO LOOK AT, UM, DIFFERENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION STRATEGIES THROUGH, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND, UM, THROUGH A NATIONAL,
[01:20:01]
UM, THROUGH THE CDC.AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP AND THEN REQUEST FUNDING FOR.
AND THEN ALSO WE'RE DISCUSSING THE, UM, DEVELOPING THE VIOLENCE, UM, PREVENTION, COALITION, UM, AND WHO WERE THOSE INITIAL KEY PARTNERS WILL BE, UM, AND THEN START THOSE MEETINGS AND THEN PULL IN PEOPLE CROSS JURISDICTIONALLY, AS WELL AS, AS WITH, WITHIN COMMUNITY TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ON, UM, HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY, UM, TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE AND AUSTIN, AND WHO ARE THE, WHO, WHO WILL BE THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND HOW WILL WE HAVE THE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM, NOT JUST FROM THE LEADERSHIP LEVEL, BUT ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH, UM, THE WORK GROUP LEVEL DOWN TO THE GROUND LEVEL AND UP THROUGH THE TOP AGAIN, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UM, COMMUNICATION THROUGH GRASSROOTS ALL THE WAY UP TO LEADERSHIP AND FROM LEADERSHIP ALL THE WAY TO GRASSROOTS, SO THAT WE ARE, THAT WE HAVE THAT, THAT CONDUIT OF, OF, UM, EXCHANGING INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE, AND INFORMING THE WORK AND MEASURING THE RESULTS AND THE IMPACTS OF THAT WORK IN A WAY THAT'S, UM, IMPACTFUL FOR CONVENING.
DO ANY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, AND I THINK YOU'LL BE THE LAST ONE AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ITEMS. THANK YOU.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION SO MUCH AS A COMMENT I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO HAD MENTIONED ABOUT THE JUVENILE CURFEW.
WHEN I WAS IN WASHINGTON DC AT NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, I HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO OUR YOUTH COUNCIL AND ASK THEM TO POSSIBLY COME UP WITH SOME CURFEW ALTERNATIVES OR WAYS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DETER THE YOUTH FROM BEING DOWN THERE.
UM, THEY HAVE A LOT OF INSIGHT AND EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE.
AND SO I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.
I'D LOVE TO LOOP YOU IN ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
OKAY, WELL, UM, THANK YOU, UH, MS. MILES AND, UM, OUR FOLKS FROM PUBLIC HEALTH.
THIS WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA, MY REQUEST, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THE AMAZING WORK, UM, AND THE EFFORTS TO PREVENT VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, BELIEVE ME OR OTHER IS BACK ON THE, ON, UM, THE WEBEX AND
[A. Pre-Selected Agenda Items]
WE WILL MOVE NOW TO ITEMS 55 AND 57.UM, AND THESE WERE PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO IS COUNCIL MEMBER POOL COMING BACK, DO YOU KNOW? OKAY.
UM, I THINK GIVEN THE MAYORS OF TIME, I'LL START WITH NUMBER 57.
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I THINK IT IS A VERY INTERESTING RESOLUTION AND AN INTERESTING DIRECTION.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT KATIE IS MY AMENDMENTS, MY SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS.
I NOTICED THAT YOU HAD POSTED VERSION TWO THIS MORNING.
AND SO AT LEAST ONE OF MY SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS, I THINK YOU'VE PICKED UP IN YOUR VERSION.
AND SO, AND THERE MAY BE OTHER POINTS OF OVERLAP AS WELL, BUT OVER THE LAST WEEK, REALLY CENSUS HAS POSTED, I THINK ALL OF US HAVE BEEN GETTING SOME FEEDBACK ON IT AND SOME SUGGESTED CHANGES.
AND SO THE AMENDMENTS THAT I'M BRINGING FORWARD ARE THOSE THAT I WORKED ON, UH, WITH, WITH LOTS OF, UM, ASSISTANCE FROM SOME REALLY GREAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING MIKE SEGAL.
UM, ONCE UPON A TIME WORKED AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, UH, MIKE LEWIS AND, AND I BELIEVE THEY ALSO WORKED WITH, UH, SOME NATIONAL FOLKS WHO, WHO FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL.
AND SO GREAT, THANKS TO THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR HELPING INFORM THE RE THE AMENDMENTS THAT I BROUGHT IN FORWARD BROUGHT FORWARD MAYOR.
I THINK THE EASIEST, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN DISTRIBUTED YET.
SO I'LL TALK YOU THROUGH WHAT I, WHAT SOME OF THEM ARE.
UM, IN THE WAREHOUSES, I HAVE SUGGESTED ADDING TWO AMENDMENTS, THE FIRST SPEAKS TO DECENTRALIZED AUTONOMOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND THE SECOND DOES AS WELL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HELPFUL TO READ THOSE, WHICH I CAN CERTAINLY DO LATER IN, LATER IN THE WHEREAS IS I HAVE ADDED, UM, SUGGESTED ADDING AN AMENDMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT EXPLORING WHAT, UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT MIGHT BE, BECAUSE CERTAINLY ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I THINK ALL OF US HAVE HEARD FROM THOSE WHO ARE WRITING IS THAT BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES DO USE CONSIDERABLE AND HAVE CONSIDERABLE ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
AND SO INVESTIGATING WHAT POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THOSE MIGHT HAVE, I THINK IS APPROPRIATE.
AND THEN THE SECOND, WHEREAS THAT I'M SUGGESTING ADDING TOWARD THE END, ASKS OUR MANAGER TO ALSO EXPLORE INNOVATIONS IN,
[01:25:01]
IN SOME OTHER REALLY INNOVATIVE PUBLIC FINANCE OPPORTUNITIES, PUBLIC DIGITAL, UM, OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS PUBLIC BANKS, PUBLIC PAYMENT PLATFORMS, AND LOCAL COMPLIMENTARY CURRENCIES, YOU HAVE PICKED UP, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S IN YOUR VERSION AS WELL AND AMENDMENT IN THE BAR, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVES TALKING ABOUT INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS THAT USE OPEN SOURCE COOPERATIVE, DEMOCRATIC PRIVACY, PRESERVING NONPROFIT, AND OTHERWISE SOCIALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS PRACTICES.UM, AND THEN I HAVE ADDED A BIT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT PRIORITIZES THOSE, UH, JUST TO REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF STRATEGIES THAT WE WANT TO BE EXPLORING IN.
AND THEN, AND THEN THERE'S SORT OF A BIGGER ISSUE.
SO YOUR RESOLUTION, AS I READ IT WOULD, WOULD INITIATE, WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THAT IN YOUR THIRD, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED WHERE THE CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO CREATE, UM, LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I HAVE THE LANGUAGE EXACTLY RIGHT.
UM, YOU HAD SAID THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO SUPPORT THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES AND FINANCIAL, AND YOU ADDED AND FINANCIAL INNOVATIONS, WHICH I THINK IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH, WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT I'VE SUGGESTED.
AND SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE YOU ADDED IN YOUR VERSION TWO, I HAVE SUGGESTED CHANGING THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO SUPPORT THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT TO THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO STUDY THE CREATION OF, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE STEPPED APPROACH, THE PHASED APPROACH THAT WE TYPICALLY TAKE, AND THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A REPORT BACK, UM, SOMETIME IN THE APPROPRIATE FUTURE PRIOR TO ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD AND CREATE THEM THAT THAT PROVIDES A CHECK-IN FROM THE COUNCIL.
SO I'M SORRY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF YOU QUITE YET.
I DON'T BELIEVE, BUT, UM, OH, IT WAS SUPER, THANK YOU.
UM, I THINK IT IS NOW IN YOUR EMAIL, BUT I HOPE THAT GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW AND I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, I THINK, AS I UNDERSTOOD YOUR RESOLUTION, I THINK IT'S VERY ALIGNED WITH BOTH THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION, BUT ALSO THE, THE REVISIONS THAT YOU MADE IN YOUR VERSION TWO.
SO HOPEFULLY THOSE WILL ALL BE FRIENDLY.
I APPRECIATE, UH, UH, CANCEL THE TOW.
I THINK THAT, UH, THE, THE SAME AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING WERE ALSO AMENDMENTS THAT THEY RASO, UH, BROUGHT TO MY OFFICE, UH, PROBABLY OTHER COUNCIL OFFICES AS WELL.
UM, SO WE HAVE ONE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF US THAT TALKS ABOUT, UH, BLOCKCHAIN, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS WITHIN THAT, THAT, THAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY.
THE OTHER ONE FOCUSES ON CRYPTOCURRENCY, WHICH IS ONE SUCH TYPE OF APPLICATION THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED ON BLOCKCHAIN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT THERE'S SOME CONFUSION, UH, AMONG PEOPLE BECAUSE THIS IS ALL NEW AND IT'S ALL NEW TO ALL OF US, UH, WHERE THOSE TWO THINGS ARE BEING USED INTERCHANGEABLY TO, TO, TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THERE'S ANY NECESSITY FOR INCREASED POWER, UH, FOR BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY USES, I THINK THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH HOW THEY BUY, UH, THE COINS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT FOCUSES REALLY ON BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY.
IT WAS A TECHNOLOGY THAT THE CITY STARTED TAKING A LOOK AT, UH, FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WORKING WITH THE CITY, WE APPLIED FOR A BLOOMBERG GRANT, DIDN'T GET IT, EVENTUALLY GOT ANOTHER GRANT, BUT THE IDEA WAS TO USE THE BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY SO THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE HOMELESSNESS WOULD HAVE CONTROL OF THEIR PERSONAL RECORDS SO THAT, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT CARRYING IT AROUND WITH THEM ALL THE TIME.
THEY WAS GOING TO A CLINIC AND THE CLINIC THAT THEY WOULD GO INTO, WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACCESS ALL OF THEIR RECORDS BECAUSE OF HIPAA REQUIREMENTS.
SO THE CONCEPT WAS WHAT IF WE USE THIS BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES TO ABLE TO GIVE THESE FOLKS OWNERSHIP AND ACCESS TO ALL OF THEIR RESIDENTS, WHEREVER THEY WERE, WHATEVER OFFICE, UH, THE AMENDMENTS THAT, THAT YOU HAVE HAD THAT WE WENT THROUGH AND OF WAS AMENDMENTS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE APPROPRIATE AND VALID.
UH, WE CAN INCORPORATE IT INTO THE, TO THE RESOLUTION.
UH, I THINK THAT THESE ARE TECHNOLOGIES, THE APPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH LAUNCHING TECHNOLOGY.
WE REALLY DON'T KNOW YET, UH, TO THE LARGE DEGREE
[01:30:01]
WE HAVE THOSE KINDS OF USES.UH, THERE'S A, UH, HELIUM THAT IS USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY RIGHT NOW TO, UH, HAVE A DECENTRALIZED WIRELESS COVERAGE SYSTEM.
THAT'S SET UP, UH, IN SOME OF OUR SMALL CITIES, UH, THAT'S, UH, UH, REAL INTERESTING, POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS.
OUR CITY CAME UP WITH A NOTARY EQUIVALENT IN THE BLOCKCHAIN AREA THAT PROBABLY SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR THE BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY WOULD ENABLE, FOR EXAMPLE, AN ARTIST WHO DOESN'T HAVE AN AGENT, UH, AN ARTIST WHO'S TRYING TO GET EITHER, UH, INVESTORS IN THEIR ART, UH, OR IN THEIR CAREERS, THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, UH, IN A WAY THAT IS NOT EASILY DONE TODAY, SOME EXTENSIVELY ON TODAY, I WOULD ENABLE SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO INVEST IN AN HARVEST, UH, WITHOUT HAVING A BROKER.
UH, SO THERE ARE CONNECTIONS TO NEW NAME, NO ONE, THESE ARE TECHNOLOGIES THAT JUST MY DO.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY OPEN.
THERE'S A BIG ADVENTURE OF SORTS MEETING A BLOCKCHAIN.
AN AREA THAT'S GOING TO BRING 10 TO 20,000 TENFOLD WHO ARE SQUIGGLY THIS SUMMER.
I'M EXCITED THAT AT THE PROSPECT OF WHAT BLOCKCHAIN CAN DO, SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT, UH, YOU HAVE PICKED UP THAT WE LOOKED AT AND DIDN'T TAKE UP, UH, I THINK ARE OUR EARLY IN THE PROCESS, WE WANT TO DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGIES AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE.
UH, WE'RE WE'RE WE HAVE CREATORS THAT VOTERS AND WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT KINDS OF SERVICES THEY COULD BRING OR WHAT KIND OF USES.
SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST STUDYING AT THIS POINT FOR A VALUE DETERMINATION.
IT'S, IT'S HAVING OUR CITY PARTICIPATE AND, AND CREATE A HACKATHON WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT OUR CITY DEVELOPED WITH RESPECT TO THAT NOTARY EQUIVALENT TO SAY, HEY, WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY? SO WITH RESPECT TO ITEM 57, IT'S NOT ASKING FOR A FIRST STUDY.
IT'S JUST ASKING FOR OUR CITY TO BE A RECEPTIVE PLACE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP THESE TECHNOLOGIES FOR NEW APPLICATIONS.
AND PERHAPS WE CAN TALK ABOUT BLIND.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE EXHAUSTED OUR QUORUM OR NOT.
UH, IF NOT, WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE MESSAGE BOARD AND I CAN GO THROUGH WHY IT IS THAT WE FIND.
SO WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED, BUT NOT ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT I THINK HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO ME TO, TO MANY OF OUR OFFICES.
IT'S NOT ALL OUR OFFICES, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT REALLY A VALUE JUDGMENT YET, I THINK COULD BE MADE WITH RESPECT TO BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY.
AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS THAT IT CAN BE EMPLOYED AND NEWS.
AND AUSTIN HAS A, AS A PLANT, WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY THAT ARE WORKING TO TRY AND FIND APPLICATIONS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY.
THE JOKE ON THE PROTOCOLS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED IN OUR CITY SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE PART OF, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY ITSELF IS NOT GOOD OR BAD OR, OR RIGHT OR WRONG.
IT'S JUST A NEW TECHNOLOGY AND WE NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN HELPING TO DEVELOP WHAT THOSE APPLICATIONS OR PROTOCOLS MIGHT BE BUILT OFF THAT WE CAN DECIDE LATER FOR VALUE JUDGMENT.
SO WHAT WE USE AND DON'T USE, UH, BUT WE'RE JUST NOT AT THAT POINT YET.
AND AGAIN, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, MY STAFF HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH YOUR STAFF, UM, IN THOSE MEETINGS ABOUT USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO, TO CREATE, UM, WAYS FOR THEM TO, TO ACCESS THEIR PERSONAL IDENTITY.
SO I'M, I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, OF LOOKING TO THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN USE THIS TECHNOLOGY TO REALLY MAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER.
HOPEFULLY WHEN YOU SEE MY AMENDMENTS, YOU'LL SEE THAT NONE OF, NONE OF THESE ARE INSERTING A VALUE JUDGMENT OF ANY SORT.
I THINK THEY'RE VERY, AGAIN, I THINK THEY'RE VERY ALIGNED WITH WHAT YOU'VE JUST DESCRIBED.
IT ALSO DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH THE PARAGRAPH THAT YOU HAVE THE BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT DIRECTS THE MANAGER.
YOU'VE DIRECTED THE MANAGER TO CONSIDER SUPPORTING, PARTICIPATING, OR ORGANIZING THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES THROUGH LIMIT, UM, HACKATHONS, ACCELERATORS.
I DIDN'T AMEND THAT PARAGRAPH AT ALL.
[01:35:01]
UM, YOU'VE ASKED THE MANAGER TO CONSIDER DOING THAT AND FACILITATING IT.IT'S THE PARAGRAPH BEFORE WHERE YOU ARE, WHERE YOU W YOU WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE PRESCRIPTIVE THAN WAS CONSISTENT WITH YOUR SUBSEQUENT PARAGRAPHS.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE I'VE ASKED, UH, AND, AND PERHAPS STUDY IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE TERM.
MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING IN BETWEEN, BUT I THINK WE NEED A CHECK BACK BEFORE WE'RE ASKING THE MANAGER TO CREATE AND DEVELOP, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WHOLE LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED THERE.
MANY OF THEM, I THINK, WILL BE VERY, WILL BE VERY USEFUL, BUT YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD HAVE THEM ACTUALLY DEVELOPING AND CREATING SOME OF THESE THINGS, INCLUDING PUBLIC BANKS AND COMPLIMENTARY CURRENCIES, WHICH I'M SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF, OF EXPLORING.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE READY AT THIS POINT TO GO AHEAD AND CREATE THEM.
SO I WOULD LIKE A CHECK BACK, EVEN IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IN TWO MONTHS, UM, UH, CHECK BACK IN ON THAT.
BUT I DON'T, I THINK THAT YOU MAY BE AT YOUR QUORUM, BUT IF NOT, I'M HAPPY TO HAPPY TO DISCUSS THESE WITH YOU FURTHER.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THE OTHER, I THINK THE OTHER AMENDMENTS ARE VERY IN LINE WITH, UM, ARE VERY IN LINE WITH WHAT, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE HERE AND ARE NOT, UM, ARE CERTAINLY NOT TAKING IT IN A NEW DIRECTION.
WELL, LET ME SEE IF I CAN APPLY ON THE MESSAGE BOARD IF WE ARE FOR BACK, UH, BECAUSE I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I, AND I THINK I KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO LET ME RESPOND ON, AT LEAST ON THE MESSAGE FORWARD AND TO THE, TO THE AMENDMENT THAT YOU PREFER.
UM, I WANT TO TAKE COMMENTS ON 57 BEFORE WE MOVED TO 55, WHERE YOUR COMMENTS ON 55 OR 57.
AND THEN COUNCILMAN, UM, SINCE THE MAYOR'S HERE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 57, UM, THE BLOCKCHAIN ITEM, WHICH I WAS GOING TO HOLD UNTIL THURSDAY, BUT SINCE YOU'RE HERE, I'LL GO AHEAD.
MY SINGLE CONCERN TODAY ON BLOCKCHAIN IS ITS LACK OF A CENTRAL AUTHORITY.
IT MAY BE TAMPER EVIDENT AND TAMPER RESISTANCE RESISTANT, BUT THAT IS ALL THAT IT IS.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME UNIQUE USES FOR THIS OR FOR THE CITY TO PROMOTE ITS USE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, GIVEN ITS RELATIVELY RECENT ENTRY INTO DATA STORAGE OR OTHER DIGITAL ARRANGE ARENAS, I'M REALLY CAUTIOUS RELATING TO THE CITY DIVING INTO ADOPTING OR USING IT.
SO I VERY MUCH WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR FINANCIAL OFFICE STAFF, UH, ON BO AND ANY OTHER EXPERTS AMONG OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF ON THESE PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGIES BEFORE I'M WILLING TO TAKE ANY SPECIFIC DECISIONS ADOPTING EITHER OF THESE ITEMS. I DO WANT TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO, UM, THE CRYPTOCURRENCY PIECE TO NEXT, IF YOU'LL COME BACK TO ME ON THAT OR LET ME KNOW IF, IF, IF YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THAT NOW, BUT BOTH OF THESE ARE INTERTWINED AS THE MAYOR HAS INDICATED, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO, UM, TO PULL THEM APART AND SEPARATE THEM IN WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND.
THESE ARE VERY NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, SKEPTICISM AND QUESTIONS AROUND, UH, THEIR, UM, AUTHENTICITY AND THEIR SECURITY.
AND I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE IS AN INTEREST IN THIS TRUSTED INSTITUTION, WHICH IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, LEAPING AHEAD, UM, TO ADOPT SOMETHING THAT EVEN THE MAYOR OF MIAMI, I THINK HAD FOUND THAT HIS, UM, INITIATIVE IN THIS ARENA DID NOT WORK OUT WELL FOR HIM AT ALL.
UM, MR. SUAREZ, I THINK HAS BACKED AWAY FROM HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
AND I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED HIM MAYOR.
SO, UM, I THINK I READ THAT IN HER RECENT, IN A RECENT ARTICLE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY FEELING ON 57 AND UH, WHEN WE GET TO 55, I'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT TOO.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR US TO SEPARATE THESE FOR A MOMENT.
CAUSE I THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES MAY BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AND IT'S CONFUSING ENOUGH AS IT IS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO KIND OF WRAP, WRAP AROUND.
UM, I WANTED TO GIVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN A CHANCE AND THEN MAY OR OTHER, YOU CAN RESPOND AND THEN COUNCILMAN, UM, I JUST HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION AND A COMMENT ON 57 AND, AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THE MAYOR CAN RESPOND TO OR PERHAPS, UM, A CITY MANAGER I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT OUR STAFF, UH, DID A LOT OF, UH, RESEARCH, UH, WITH, UM, OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE USE OF BLOCKCHAIN FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.
UH, YOU KNOW, BLOCKCHAIN HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW.
UM, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORTS IN THE HEALTHCARE
[01:40:01]
COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER HOW BLOCKCHAIN CAN HELP WITH THE CHALLENGES OF SHARING, UH, HEALTHCARE INFORMATION, UH, MORE READILY.UM, AND, UM, AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO CONSIDER AND TAKE THE NEXT STEPS FROM WHAT WE STARTED WITH REGARD TO THAT ANALYSIS.
AND I'M JUST BEHIND THE CURVE ON THIS AND MAY, OR YOU MAY KNOW, OR MAYBE CITY MANAGER, IF I, IF YOU COULD TELL ME WHERE TO SEE, UM, A REPORT OF THE RESULTS OF THE WORK THAT OUR INNOVATIVE INNOVATION OFFICE HAS DONE AROUND BLOCKCHAIN FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, UH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME.
UM, UH, I, I DO RECOGNIZE IT AS A IMPORTANT INNOVATION IN WITH A LOT OF POTENTIAL.
I JUST LIKE TO INFORM MYSELF MORE ON WHAT WE'VE LEARNED TO DATE.
AND WE DO HAVE OUR INNOVATION, OUR INTERIM INNOVATION OFFICER DANIEL, ON THE LINE AS WELL.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE HIM OVER AND HE CAN SPEAK DIRECTLY TO IT, BUT, UH, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND GET YOU ANY RELEVANT, UH, REPORTS AND, UH, UPDATES THAT WE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO COUNCIL.
AND SO YOU HAVE THAT AT THE READY AS WELL BEFORE THURSDAY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THAT TIME NOW, YOU KNOW, UNLESS OTHERS WANT TO DO THAT.
BUT, UM, BUT I I'M, I'M INTRIGUED AND WAS INTRIGUED WHEN THAT, UH, WHEN THAT, UH, ANALYSIS WAS BEGUN.
UM, IT CERTAINLY FOR OUR HOMELESS POPULATION, IT IS, YOU KNOW, HOUSING IS WHAT IS THE KEY FOR INDIVIDUALS, BUT, BUT SHARING, UM, MORE READILY SHARING HEALTHCARE INFORMATION IS ALSO A KEY POINT.
SO I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT APPLICATIONS ARE POSSIBLE FROM THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, GREAT MAYOR ADLER, AND THEN COME TO MORE OF WHAT DOES, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST TO BE REALLY CLEAR, UH, THE COLLEAGUES FROM THE BEACH OVER THE LAST WEEK, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF INQUIRIES ABOUT 55 AND 57.
ALL OF WHICH SEEMED TO GO TOWARD THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD BE ADOPTING THESE TECHNOLOGIES TO BE USED AT THIS.
AND NEITHER OF THESE RESOLUTIONS DO THAT.
UH, SO, UH, UH, AS OUR POOL, I SHARE SOME OF THE SAME, UH, CONCERNS OR HESITANCIES THAT YOU DO.
AND I WANT US TO LEARN ABOUT THEM SO THAT WE CAN SO THAT WE CAN KNOW, BUT THE FIRST ONE IS DIFFERENT.
SEVEN DOESN'T HAVE US ADOPTING ANY TECHNOLOGY.
IT JUST SAYS IN OUR CITY, WHICH IS THE SAVING THAT, UH, UH, WE'RE WE'RE NEW IDEAS GO TO THERE TO BECOME REAL.
IT'S A SYDNEY THAT HAS A LOT OF DEVELOPERS AND CREATORS PRESENCE.
AND WHAT IT SAYS IS AS A CITY, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE THIS A GOOD PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO DO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE US ADOPTING OR USING ANY TECHNOLOGY FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
SO IT'S IN KEEPING WITH, I THINK, WHO WE ARE AS A, AS A CITY.
UH, AND, AND I PUSHED BACK AT SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE TRYING AT THIS POINT TO TURN IT INTO A DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD BE ADOPTING TECHNOLOGIES FOR PARTICULAR USES AND WE'RE, AND I AGREE THAT THEY'RE PULLED UP.
WE'RE JUST NOT IN THE PLACE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND YET AT 57 AND 55, I THINK WAS, I READ IT WERE BOTH DRAFTED TO NOT DO THAT.
UH, 55, DOESN'T SAY WE SHOULD USE CRYPTOCURRENCY OR FOR ANYTHING.
UH, IT SAYS WE SHOULD BE TAKING A AT IT.
SO THAT, I MEAN, HECK IF WE DECIDE WE'RE NOT GOING TO, WE SHOULD BETTER BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY WE'RE NOT, UM, BEEN INVOLVED AS, AS YOU INDICATE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH MAYOR SUAREZ AND IN MIAMI, A BIG PUSH, UH, IN THE, THE, THE BAT THAT INDUSTRY AND VERTICAL FOR US TO ATOP, UH, AN AUSTIN COIN, UH, AS MIAMI ADOPTED A COIN AND OTHER CITIES ARE TAKING A LOOK AT, UH, BUT I THINK BEFORE WE SHOULD EVER CONSIDER DOING ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THERE'S, THERE'S MORE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGIES AND MORE RESEARCH.
I THINK THEY WERE BOTH CAREFULLY WRITTEN.
SO AS TO NOT HAVE US ADOPTING IT, BUT JUST LOOKING AT IT AND THAT'S ALL THEY DO.
AND IT'S, I THINK A REALLY IMPORTANT THING, LEAD INVOLVEMENT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF, IF THAT IS INDEED THE INTENTION.
[01:45:01]
AND I THINK WITH, UH, THE AMENDMENTS THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO IS BRINGING THAT THAT MAY BE CLOSER, BUT I DO READ ON PAGE TWO, BOTH THE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO ENSURE THAT CITY INVOLVEMENT AND EFFORTS SERVE TO PROMOTE EQUITY, DIVERSITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND INCLUSION IN THIS TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM, AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED.THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO SUPPORT THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES, UH, THAT BENEFIT AUSTINITES IN CITY GOVERNMENT WITH APPLICATIONS THAT COULD INCLUDE WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE RELATED TO, AND THEN YOU LIST, UM, SIX THINGS ON PAGE TWO, A FOREIGN CRYPTOCURRENCIES IS NUMBER FIVE.
SO IF WE DO MAKE THE EDITS, I THINK IT, I THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE EDITS, UH, WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO IS SUGGESTING IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE SPECIFIC DIRECTION OF SUPPORTING THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THESE TWO INITIATIVES SO THAT WE CAN IN FACT DO THE IMPORTANT INVESTIGATIVE WORK AND STUDY IN ADVANCE.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE AMENDMENTS PROVIDED TODAY.
I'M ON VERSION TWO AND BY COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO ON BOTH ITEMS, 57 AND 55, UH, MENTIONED US ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT PUBLIC BANKING, AND I WANT TO OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR US LOOKING AT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR, FOR US TO HAVE A CITY OWNED PUBLIC BANK.
UM, WE KNOW THAT FOR MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY WHO ARE UNDER-BANKED AND UNBANKED THAT HAVING AN OPTION THAT IS SAFE, RELIABLE COST-EFFECTIVE IS IN OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM.
AND SO JUST WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THAT PIECE AND THAT I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THIS AS PART OF THE CONSIDERATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO BRING A PUBLIC BANK TO AUSTIN.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ON 57, JUST TRYING TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THEY THEY'RE RESOLVED FORTUNES.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE LAST THREE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED.
UM, AGAIN, I'M, I'M, I'M HUNG UP ON THE DIFFERENCE ACROSS THESE WHERE IT DOESN'T SAY CONSIDER, UM, IN YOUR MIND MAYOR, WHAT DOES THE THIRD BIT FURTHER RESOLVE, WHICH IS THE DIRECTOR TO SUPPORT THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT MEAN? AND TOGETHER WITH THE PRIOR TO WHAT IS THIS, WHAT DIRECTION ARE WE GIVING TO OUR CITY STAFF, UM, BEYOND BEING OPEN TO CURRENCIES.
AND WHEN THERE'S AN IDEA, EXPLORE IT, ONE SET OF PROTOCOLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER POSSIBLE OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
AND REALLY IT'S SAYING TO THE CITY, THEY PARTICIPATED IN HACKATHONS OR CONTESTS, UH, THAT, THAT ARE STAFFED AND PARTICIPATE IN, IN LEADING MIRROR.
THEY MAY START OUT DOING THIS.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO END UP AND WE DON'T NEXT YEARS, THE NEWS OF THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY.
THERE ARE, IT'S JUST, IT'S BEING OPEN AND BEING SUPPORTIVE.
IT'S NOT ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL BUDGET ALLOCATION TO DO THAT.
IT'S JUST RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE REAL DISTINCT POTENTIALS AND POSSIBILITIES HERE, AND WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
THIS TECHNOLOGY IS WHERE IT'S BEING ADDRESSED IN.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, COMMUNICATING, UH, UH, ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS AND EXPLORE THOSE AND, AND SEE WHETHER THERE ARE RELEVANT APPLICATIONS, UM, AS THE OPPORTUNITIES ARISE AND PERHAPS CREATING SOME CONVERSATIONS TO EXPLORE THAT BASED ON PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE.
AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT LIKE AT THIS POINT, YOU COULD GO OUT AND SAY, WELL, SHOW ME ALL THE APPLICATIONS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE INTERESTED IN THOSE OBLIGATIONS, MAYBE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS HAVE YET TO BE DEVELOPED.
UH, SO THIS IS REALLY TAKING A STEP BACK AND SAYING, THIS IS A, A UNIQUE AND NEW TECHNOLOGY, UH, AND, AND
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OUR CITIES SHOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT TO SEE WHAT, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST, UH, IN OUR CITY, AS WE KNOW, ELBOWS OFFICES INVOLVED, IF THIS ALREADY BEGINNING FOUR YEARS AGO, UH, THERE'S A BIG CONFERENCE THAT'S COMING UP THIS YEAR THAT I HOPE THAT THE CITY STAFF HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT OR WATCH OR LEARN, UH, TO BE GREAT IF, IF WE PARTICIPATED IN HACKATHONS WHERE WE WOULD SAY, OKAY, HERE'S THE CITY PROBLEM.UH, CAN ANYBODY FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THIS TECHNOLOGY TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, UH, IN A WORLD WHERE THAT APPLICATION MIGHT NOT EXIST TODAY? UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY EARLY IN THE PROCESS AND IT JUST SAYS BE OPEN TO AN INVITING THEM WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES MIGHT BE.
I WANTED TO GET SOME OF THAT CLARIFICATION FOR, FOR OUR STAFF IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT'S, WHAT YOU'VE EXPLAINED TO ME, UM, WHEN WE TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT IT.
AND, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD CLARITY ON THE LEVEL OF COMMITMENT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF RESOURCES HERE.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK MR. COLADA A QUESTION OR THE CITY MANAGER JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH CLARITY ON WHAT THIS NUMBER 57 DOES IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, OR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO SURFACE NOW, UM, TO HELP THIS RESOLUTION BE MOST SUCCESSFUL, I'LL START A MAYOR PRO TEM REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND APPRECIATE THE ABILITY FOR THE MAYOR TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, UH, UH, IN THIS DISCUSSION.
AND BECAUSE WE WERE BREAKING UP A LITTLE BIT, MAYOR, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO CLARIFY ON THE MESSAGE BOARD AS WELL, THAT'D BE HELPFUL BEFORE THE THURSDAY.
UM, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. COLADA, WHO WILL BE LEADING THESE EFFORTS FROM THE CITY AS MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE, UM, ALL THAT WE NEED TO, UH, DO OUR WORK AND UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION OF THE RESOLUTION, UM, AS AN EXPLORATORY AND AN OPEN, UM, YOU KNOW, CREATING OPENINGS, UH, AND, AND UNDERSTANDING WHERE POTENTIAL IS MAYBE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT DIRECTION AND WE HEAR A LOUD AND CLEAR, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REASON THAT I'M ASKING, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH RESPECT TO THE RESOURCES IS THAT WE HAVE SOME REALLY BASIC TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE NOT MASTERED LIKE ELECTRONIC TIME SHEETS, UM, AND A HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
AND SO I, I DO WORRY ABOUT US GOING TOO INTO BLOCKCHAIN AND THESE FANCY THINGS WHEN WE HAVE SOME REAL BASIC TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES THAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING OUR ENERGY ON.
AND I, AND I'M, I'M, I'M COMFORTABLE IF THIS IS A OPEN INVITATION TO EXPLORE AND PARTICIPATE IN CONVERSATIONS AND BE ABLE TO SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES AND NOT TO SORT OF SHUT THE DOOR, YOU KNOW, BRIEFLY, BUT THERE ARE SOME REAL, JUST BASIC TECHNOLOGY THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT AS A CITY, UM, ADEPT AT.
UH, IT COMES FROM, I HAVE A KITCHEN AND A COUNCIL MEMBER ENTER.
AND I THINK THERE'S THIS CONVERSATION AND CLARIFICATION'S, UH, ARE VERY HELPFUL.
UH, SO THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THAT.
AND THE MAYOR, I WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS.
UM, OUR, OUR CITY IS A CITY THAT, UM, IS A HUB FOR TECHNOLOGY AND FOR CREATIVE THINKING.
AND THESE ARE, THESE ARE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, AND WE NEED ALL, WE NEED TO ALSO UNDERSTAND, UH, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY CAN HELP US SOLVE PROBLEMS. SO, UM, IN MAY WE'RE TIM, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT SOMETIMES OUR BASIC PROBLEMS, IT'S NEWER TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN HELP US ANSWER THEM.
SO, UM, SO THERE IS POTENTIAL WITH SOME OF THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY, BUT BLOCKCHAIN IN PARTICULAR IS INTERESTING.
THAT COULD HELP US BE, UH, BE MORE, UM, UP TO SPEED ON, ON HOW WE OPERATE SO THAT WE'RE NOT AS PAPER-BASED, UH, WE, A NUMBER OF YEARS, YEARS BACK, I BROUGHT A, UH, AN INITIATIVE TO EXAMINE THE LEVEL OF, OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, FROM A PAPER-BASED AND THE, IN THE INNOVATION OFFICE DID AN ANALYSIS WITH OUR IT DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP A PROCESS FOR CONSIDERING AS WELL AS A LIST OF ALL THOSE ACTIVITIES WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS.
AND I DO THINK THAT I AGREE WITH MAYOR PRO TEM, THAT WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING THOSE, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT AS COUNTER OR AT ODDS WITH, UH, CONSIDERING THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN SOME WAYS THEY CAN BE HELPFUL FOR US IN DOING SO.
SO I DO HOPE ALSO THAT, UM, AND WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, UM, CITY MANAGER, WHERE WE
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ARE ON THAT PROJECT THAT WAS INITIATED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UH, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR, OUR, UM, THAT OUR CITY PROCESSES BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.AND THAT MEANS MEANS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE PAPER-BASED UM, IN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE TIME SHEETS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT, BUT THERE WERE A WHOLE LONG LIST OF THINGS.
AND WE ALSO WENT THROUGH AS PART OF THAT INITIATIVE, WE WORKED WITH OUR COMMUNITY, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH THE, UM, LOCAL, UM, LOCAL TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS TOO, TO HELP US AS A CITY, UM, ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
SO I SEE THIS AS COMPLIMENTARY, NOT AS AT ODDS, AND I DON'T SEE IT AS TAKING AWAY RESOURCES.
UH, BUT I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE AS, UM, AS THE MAYOR PRO TEM DID THAT, WE DO NEED TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS ON, UM, ON ADVANCING, UM, THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR GREATER EFFICIENCIES IN OUR CITY OPERATIONS.
SO, UH, KINDS OF MOMA KITCHEN, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO FURTHER, FURTHER THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REASON I WAS ASKING THE MAYOR TO CLARIFY WHAT THIS INVOLVED WAS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT, IF ANY RESOURCES, UM, WERE, WERE, WERE INVOLVED.
UM, SO THAT INFORMATION, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA.
YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, I, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD BE A READY BENEFIT CHIP BENEFICIAL TO, TO THE CITY OF BOSTON.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TRYING TO GET THE, UH, TIME SHEET DONE FOR SIX YEARS, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MEET THAT GOAL YET.
SO IT'S A VERY CONCERNING, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLOCKCHAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU BASICALLY, UH, YOUR TRANSACTION IS PERMANENT.
UH, NO ONE CAN GO IN THERE AND DELETE IT.
THE BAD THING IS IF SOMEBODY GETS YOUR KEY, THEY COULD WIPE YOU OUT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE, UH, WE, UH, ENDED UP GETTING THAT GRANT IN 2017.
IS THERE ANYONE ON THE STAFF CAN TELL ME THAT, WHAT KIND OF INVESTMENT OR, OR RE RESEARCH, OR WHAT HAVE YOU, HAVE THEY BEEN DOING WITH THAT? WAS THAT GRANT, HAD THERE BEEN ANY PROGRESS OR THAT REPORT THAT YOU HAD TO GIVE US THAT CAN EXPLAIN SOME OF THESE TRANSACTIONS THAT, UH, AND HOW DID IT WORK OUT? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WAS, UH, THROUGH OUR OFFICE AND THE INNOVATION OFFICE.
AND WE PURSUED THAT GRANT, UM, THROUGH THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION.
AND, UH, WE WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER A PACKAGE FOR YOU ALL THAT HAS THE FULL REPORTS AND THE RESULTS OF THAT.
IT WAS AN INVESTIGATION AND BUILDING A PROTOTYPE OF WHAT THAT PLATFORM FOR HELPING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, SECURE THEIR VITAL ID DOCUMENTS, WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE.
WE DID USE BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY FOR A SPECIFIC PIECE OF THAT APPLICATION, NOT FOR THE ENTIRE APPLICATION.
UM, AND, AND IT DOES HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC AND IMPORTANT USE THERE.
AND THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF OTHER, UM, I THINK REALLY SOUND, UH, ADVANCEMENTS, UM, AND DESIGNS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF THE BARTEND SPACE, BUT ARE COMPLIMENTARY, UM, TO, TO HELP WITH THAT CHALLENGE OF, OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, ANYONE THAT THAT'S VULNERABLE TO, TO, TO LOSE IT, TO LOSING OR NEEDING TO SECURE OTHER DOCUMENTS.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE THERE, UH, THAT WILL ALSO, UM, GIVE A BIT MORE FOUNDATION, UM, AND COMMENTARY ON WHERE WE GOT IN OUR PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS.
ALL OF THAT WORK IS, UM, WILLY AVAILABLE, UH, AND, AND AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SHOULD WE, SHOULD WE FIND PARTNERS OR WANT TO DO SO OURSELVES? WELL, WE'LL BE, WELL, WE'D BE ABLE TO ALSO USE THIS FOR TIME TIMECARDS AND OTHER.
UM, I MEAN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT TRANSACTIONS WHO, A UTILITY DEPARTMENT MAN, AND OUR PAYROLL AND ALL THE PAYROLL AROUND EMPLOYEES, INSTEAD OF HIM BEING WRITTEN, CAN THIS TECHNOLOGY HELP US ON IN THAT FRONT? THE WORK THAT WE DID THROUGH THE GRANT DID NOT SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON, UM, TIMEKEEPING AND TIME SHEETS.
AND I, I DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD BE EASILY ADAPTABLE TO THAT APPLICATION.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE MAY BE OTHERS, UH, THAT COULD BE, WELL, I HEARD THAT DURING THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU ALSO, THAT YOU COULD MAKE PAYMENTS TO YOUR UTILITY PAY UNDERGRAD.
I, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE LOOKING INTO? AWESOME.
UH, ON THAT GRANT WORK, WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO MAKING DIRECT PAYMENTS OR TRANSACTIONS.
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UH, IT WAS JUST THE ABILITY TO, UH, TO DISPLAY AND SHARE DOCUMENTS.UM, THERE ARE OTHER, UH, TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE CAN MAKE TRANSACTIONS ON THEM.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO.
IF YOU DID THIS OTHER GRANT, IF THAT WERE A METEOR, IT SEEMED LIKE IT'S SO FAR BEEN GRANT RIBBON, AND IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF GETTING ANOTHER GRANT TO EVEN DO MORE RESEARCH.
WE'RE NOT SEEKING ANOTHER GRANT AT THIS TIME IN THIS SPACE.
UH, BUT I, I BELIEVE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THESE RESOLUTIONS PASS THE, IT'LL BE, WE'LL BE LOOKING INTO YOUR POTENTIAL, UM, AND EXPLORING THOSE SPACES AND UNDERSTANDING THE SPACES BETTER.
WELL, THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION.
UH, SOMEONE HAD THEIR HAND UP COUNCIL MEMBER TWO.
I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO SUMMARIZE THAT AS I HEAR THE DISCUSSION AND MAYOR ADLER, I HEAR YOUR EXPLANATION ABOUT WHAT YOUR INTENT IS IN THAT, IN THAT ONE.
WHEREAS IN THAT ONE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE SOURCES OF CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY WERE INITIATING HERE.
MAYOR PRO TIME, YOU, YOU RAISE THIS AS WELL.
AND SO AGAIN, MAY I WOULD SAY IF YOU DON'T, IF THE LANGUAGE THAT I'VE PROPOSED TO THAT DOESN'T WORK, THEN PERHAPS YOU CAN THINK OF SOME LANGUAGE, BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE ANOTHER SITUATION ON OUR, ON OUR, UM, THAT AROSE FROM A RESOLUTION THAT DIRECTED THE CONSIDERATION OF MULTIPLE PROPERTIES FOR POTENTIAL CULTURAL USE.
AND THAT LED TO A, UM, AN UNDERSTANDING IN, AMONG SOME IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE HAD INITIATED AND, AND COMMITTED TO A USE FOR ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS.
SO I THINK THE LANGUAGE THAT WE USE IN OUR RESOLUTIONS IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND SO IF WE CAN WORK TO GET SOME LANGUAGE IN THAT PARAGRAPH THAT REALLY CAPTURES WHAT YOU INTENDED.
I THINK THAT WOULD, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I THINK IT DOES GO FURTHER THAN PERHAPS YOU INTENDED IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON 57? OKAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, YOU WANTED TO START AND THEN I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER TO VOTE ON COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, CONSIDERING TAKING UP THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, SO MY INITIAL THOUGHTS AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE CRYPTOCURRENCY COMMUNITY WAS THAT IT WOULD ALLOW MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR US TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING CRYPTOCURRENCY AS A FORM OF PAYMENT FOR A MUNICIPAL TAXES, FEES, OR PENALTIES.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER APPLICATIONS OF CRYPTOCURRENCIES THAT COULD BENEFIT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT BEFORE WE GO DOWN THE SAME PATHWAY THAT CITIES LIKE MIAMI OR NEW YORK, DID WE REALLY NEED TO SET THE FOUNDATIONAL TONE FOR IF THAT'S EVEN SOMETHING WE CAN DO HERE AT THIS CITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT FORWARD THIS RESOLUTION.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER POOL EARLIER, YOU HAD MENTIONED SOME SKEPTICISM AND QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
I, I SHARE A LOT OF THAT ALSO, WHICH IS WHY WE DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT A SPECIFIC TYPE OF COIN OVER ONE ANOTHER, WITHOUT FIRST DOING THE RESEARCH HERE THAT I ASKED FOR TO MOVE FORWARD, I BELIEVE THAT THIS ADDRESSES THOSE.
UM, I WANT TO LEARN FROM WHAT THE OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE AND WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN BEING SUCH A TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN CITY AND SO INNOVATIVE, I BELIEVE THE FIRST STEP TO DOING THAT IS TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION AND GET INFORMATION BACK.
AND THEN AT THAT TIME WE CAN, AS A COUNCIL, REALLY DECIDE HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO ADOPT BASED ON WHAT WE, WHAT WE KNOW, I LIKE THAT IT DOESN'T COMMIT US TO ADOPTING CRYPTOCURRENCY AS A FORM OF PAYMENT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT GIVES US THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I SAW YOUR AMENDMENTS COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO.
AND WHILE I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT IT WOULD BE VALID IN THE, BE IT RESOLVED TO CONSIDER THE PUBLIC BANK AS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES.
AND MAYBE, UM, AND YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS AS CITY LEGAL, IF IT'S GERMANE TO THE POSTING LANGUAGE OF THE CURRENT RESOLUTION, OR IF WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THAT.
UM, AND MY QUESTION IS BECAUSE IT DOES BRING ANOTHER ELEMENT TO THE RESOLUTION.
SO I WOULD ALMOST PREFER IF WE MADE THE AMENDMENTS OR ACCEPTED THE AMENDMENTS IN YOUR WHEREAS STATEMENTS AND MAYBE MOVE FORWARD WITH A SEPARATE RESOLUTION FOR A PUBLIC BANK, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO, BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE IF IT'S WITH THE POSTING LANGUAGE, CORRECT.
ATTORNEY TO, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BEFORE THURSDAY AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU BEFORE THEN.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER TOVER, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE THANK YOU.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, YEAH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, KELLY, FOR
[02:05:01]
YOUR, FOR YOUR EXPLORATION OF, OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES AND FOR BRINGING FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE AMENDMENTS, WHICH LIKE THE ONES THAT I'VE PROPOSED FOR THE ONE THAT MAYOR ADLER BROUGHT FORWARD.UM, WE'RE ALSO COMING FROM, COME FROM THE SAME GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND POSSIBLY A FEW OF MY OWN I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND NAIL THAT DOWN.
UM, ONE THING I DO WANT TO, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE POSTING LANGUAGE.
I KNOW THAT THESE HAVE BEEN REPLICATED TO SOME EXTENT IN NUMBER 57.
AND SO WE ARE CAPTURING THOSE, I, I THINK WHEN OVERALL TO KIND OF STEP BACK AND ON THIS ISSUE A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, AS I HEARD FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER THIS LAST WEEK OR SO I, THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF INTEREST IN EXPLORING NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND UNDERSTANDING THEM.
I THINK THE CONCERN REALLY ARISES WITH WHAT, WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING AS THE SEATTLE CITY OF AUSTIN, IF WE SEEM TO BE, UM, AFFIRMING THE USEFULNESS OF ONE WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE OTHERS.
AND SO THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTOOD THE FEEDBACK THAT WE ALSO CONSIDER SOME OF THESE OTHER FORMS OF, OF INTEREST LIKE PUBLIC BANKS, LIKE COMPLIMENTARY CURRENCIES.
AND SO TO ME, IT DOES SEEM TO BE IMPORTANT THAT THEY MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER SO THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING AN WE'RE NOT GIVING A PRIORITY OR, UM, MORE VALIDITY TO ONE FORM VERSUS THE OTHERS.
SO FOR ME, IT REALLY WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED IN THE SAME RESOLUTION.
SO THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ONBOARD WITH CRYPTOCURRENCY, UM, NECESSARILY BECAUSE AT THIS POINT I THINK, I THINK IT IS ENTIRELY EXPLORATORY.
UM, SO, SO THAT'S MY RATIONALE FOR TRYING TO INCLUDE IT IF WE CAN.
AND THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE OTHERS.
I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT BOTH, WHEREAS IS BOTH RESOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HAVE A WHEREAS ABOUT MIAMI AND NEW YORK, AND I'VE HIGHLIGHTED IT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T YET COME UP WITH LANGUAGE AND MAYBE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DIOCESE MIGHT HELP ME OUT WITH THIS.
I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO CITE THOSE AS TWO CITIES THAT ARE, ARE RESEARCHING THE USE, I THINK WE NEED TO MORE FULLY EXPLAIN WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I THINK IT WAS THE MIAMI MAYOR WHO LOST, UM, A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OUT OF HIS PAYCHECK, UM, USING, UH, SORRY, NEW YORK, MAYBE LESLIE CAN FILL ME IN, BUT YOU KNOW, THE EXPERIENCE HASN'T BEEN A, UM, I WOULD SAY AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS TO PUT IT MILDLY.
AND SO I, I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT INCLUDING THAT PASSAGE IN EITHER RESOLUTION WITHOUT REALLY FULLY EXPLANATION EXPLAINING WITHOUT HANDLING IT.
SO THAT'S WHY I'VE HIGHLIGHTED IT, BUT HAVEN'T COME UP WITH ANY LANGUAGE YET COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, AND THEN WENT TO SOME, YEAH, I ALSO PULLED THIS TOO TO MAKE SOME, SOME COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY NOW ON ITEM 55.
AND I DO APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S FOCUS ON INVESTIGATING AND ANALYZING THESE FORMS OF CURRENCY.
AND I DO NOTE THAT ITEM 55 DOES NOT ADOPT THEM FOR SPECIFIC CITY USES.
SO I THANK YOU FOR MAKING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, I WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF MY TWO SPECIFIC AREAS OF CONCERN ON, UM, THE CRYPTOCURRENCY FISCAL CONCERNS AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC CONCERNS ON THE FISCAL MATTER.
UM, UH, WHILE STAFF CAN CERTAINLY EXPLORE AND GATHER MORE INFORMATION, IT'S THE LACK OF OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THESE CURRENCIES, UM, THAT I SEE THAT IS, IS VERY TROUBLING AND I DON'T SEE THAT CHANGING ANYTIME SOON.
I DO THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT TO SEE HOW THE LANDSCAPE IS EVOLVING.
I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE CRYPTO IS TOO VOLATILE, A FORM OF CURRENCY TO RISK TAX PAYER DOLLARS OR EMPLOYEE RETIREMENTS.
UM, IT'S NOT JUST UNREGULATED.
THERE'S AN ELEMENT FOR ME OF GAMING INVOLVED HERE.
THAT LEAVES ME REALLY UNEASY CRYPTO AS A FORM OF PAYMENT OR INVESTMENT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE ROLE OF A MUNICIPALITY WITH REGARD TO SAFEGUARDING THE COMMUNITY'S REVENUES AND THE CITY'S TREASURY WITH REGARD TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC CONCERNS.
UM, AND THIS IS THE AREA WHERE I FIRST WAS ALERTED TO THE DOWNSIDES OF WHAT SEEMED LIKE A PRETTY FANCY FROTHY BUBBLE IN THE TECH COMMUNITY.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF A CRYPTO PLANT RUNS SPECIFICALLY COUNTER TO OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN GOALS.
UM, I WOULD URGE THE S THE CITY IN THE ANALYSIS AND THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS TO LOOK AT WHERE THOSE MINING OPERATIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
AND, UM, LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY THAT IS CONSUMED AND THE IMPACTS ON THE,
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UM, THE AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN BUILT.UM, IT IT'S DOES NOT APPEAR AT THIS POINT TO BE A PRETTY PICTURE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE FOUND CRYPTOCURRENCY ISN'T THE WINDFALL THAT THEY HAD HOPED FOR.
AND, AND THOSE WERE THE EXPERIENCES IN NEW YORK AND MIAMI THAT, UM, A COUPLE OF US AND MYSELF HAVE HAVE NOTED TODAY, AND THAT WE'VE READ ABOUT IN THE NEWSPAPER.
SO I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW GOING FORWARD, WHAT MOODY'S OR STANDARD AND POOR'S THINK OF CRYPTOCURRENCY, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENTS.
I THINK THIS WOULD BE A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT TO, UH, DIG INTO WITH THESE QUESTIONS.
AND THEN I TOO, I'M INTERESTED IN THE PUBLIC BANKING, UM, UH, IDEA, UH, OR ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO CRYPTO AND BLOCKCHAIN SOLUTIONS THAT, THAT HAVE AS A NAME TO HELP WORKING FAMILIES WITH A SAFE AND RELIABLE STORE OF VALUE.
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY A NEED FOR THAT.
UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN HAS POINTED OUT THE NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO RECORDS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE YOUR STANDARD CONVENTIONAL ACCESS TO RECORDS, A FILING CABINET, BE IT ACTUAL PHYSICAL ONE OR, OR IN THE CLOUD OR ON A PHONE SOMEWHERE THAT THAT ISSUE REMAINS AND THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR, FOR DECADES AND IT, IT DOES NEED TO BE RESOLVED.
UM, SO WHAT OTHER ALTERNATIVES, PROGRESSIVE ALTERNATIVES TO CRYPTO AND BLOCKCHAIN SOLUTIONS MIGHT BE OUT THERE THAT DO HAVE THE AIM TO HELP WORKING FAMILIES HAVE A SAFE AND RELIABLE STORE OF VALUE.
SO I FORGOT TO WRITE DOWN WHO WAS NEXT.
I THINK AFTER THE, THE PEOPLE WHO HAD TOLD IT, IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN HARBOR, MADISON KELLY.
I THINK WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU, I THINK IT WAS FUN TEZ AND THEN ELLIS AND THEN KITCHEN.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO FONTAS ELLIS KITCHEN, HARPER, MADISON, AND KELLY.
AND FORGIVE ME IF I GET IT WRONG, BUT I'M GONNA WRITE DOWN THIS STUFF.
JUST GETTING BACK TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT IS GERMANE TO INCLUDE PUBLIC BANKING AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION.
YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TOGETHER AND THAT IT SHOULD BE PART OF OUR CONVERSATION.
SO I WILL BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED TO HEAR, UM, WHAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY, UM, SHARES WITH US, WHETHER OR NOT IT IS JERMAINE.
UM, AND IF NOT, THEN COUNCIL TOBO, I HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER BRINGING THAT BACK AS A STANDALONE RESOLUTION.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO JOIN YOU IN THAT EFFORT.
I ALSO AGREE WITH THAT SENTIMENT BECAUSE I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION AND HOPE THAT IT'S EITHER SEEN AS SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS ON THURSDAY AND INCLUDE IN THESE RESOLUTIONS OR, UM, THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION MOVING FORWARD.
CAUSE I THINK, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, MY THOUGHTS ON THE, THE CRYPTOCURRENCY CONVERSATION ARE THAT I STILL WANT TO HAVE THE INFORMATION, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO BE THE BEST STEWARDS OF OUR PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M CONVINCED THAT THAT'S THE BEST USE OF OUR DOLLARS UNTIL IT'S A BIT LESS VOLATILE.
UM, I HATE FOR US TO BE TRYING TO MANAGE OUR BUDGET AND IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK SO HARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY, UM, HOLDING, UH, A GOOD BOND RATING CAPACITY AND BEING ABLE TO ISSUE BONDS MOVING FORWARD AS A CITY.
AND SO, WHEREAS ON 57, I THINK IT IS VERY GERMANE TO BE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT TECHNOLOGIES ARE OUT THERE.
HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THE BEST TECHNOLOGY IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS USING AS, AS A CITY THAT DRIVES INNOVATION AND, AND CORTES TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES.
UM, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION SINCE THEY'RE BOTH FACT-FINDING MISSIONS.
UM, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S OKAY FOR US TO BE ASKING FOR THIS INFORMATION AND HAVING IT COME BACK TO US, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MUCH OF THE TIME AND RESOURCES PUT INTO THESE WILL BE STAFF TIME AND NOT NECESSARILY REINVESTMENT OF PUBLIC DOLLARS, BUT I KNOW GOING THROUGH MULTIPLE BUDGET CYCLES THAT WE ARE OFTENTIMES LOOKING AT, WHERE IS HALF OF A FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, ANNUAL SALARY GOING TO COME FROM.
AND SO I WOULD HATE TO, FOR US TO BE IN A POSITION AS A CITY WHERE WE HAVEN'T BEEN RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS, I THINK THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR LARGEST COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE CONVERSATION COME BACK, BUT I'M VERY UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF, UM, CITY
[02:15:01]
DOLLARS AND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY TAX COLLECTION BEING SOMETHING WHERE THE, THE DOLLARS DON'T ADD UP FROM WEEK TO WEEK, THAT'S LARGELY VERY CONCERNING TO ME.UM, BUT I DO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THE INFORMATION COME BACK SO WE CAN EVALUATE THAT ONCE WE HAVE THE INFORMATION AT HAND TO MY KITCHEN.
UM, I THINK THAT WHAT'S RELEVANT HERE IS THAT, UM, THAT THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FACT FINDING STUDIES, THE WORDS THAT ARE USED AND I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, KELLY FOR, UM, FOR STYLING IT THIS WAY, BECAUSE REALLY WE JUST, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, I THINK WE, UM, I THINK IT, WE OWE IT TO THIS COMMUNITY AND OURSELVES TO UNDERSTAND THIS TECHNOLOGY AND, UM, AND IT'S ALSO, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY LIMITED AND IT'S DELIBERATELY LIMITED.
THERE IS NO MENTION AT ALL OF INVESTING CITY DOLLARS AND CERTAINLY NOT CONSIDERING PENSIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT IS DELIBERATELY NON-INCLUDED.
UM, AND THE FOCUS IS SIMPLY ON WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES ANY SENSE AT ALL IN THIS ENVIRONMENT OR AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE ACCEPTING CRYPTOCURRENCIES AS PAYMENT.
NOW THAT ALSO HAS THE KIND OF IMPLICATIONS AND CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE RAISED.
SO OF COURSE WE WOULD NOT WANT TO DO THAT WITHOUT WHETHER IT WAS, UM, WHETHER WE WERE INTRODUCING ANY RISK TO, UM, OUR FINANCIAL, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR FINANCIAL STATUS AS A CITY.
SO OF COURSE WE WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, WE NEED TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION.
AND I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND AS OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES AND QUESTIONS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY HAS INCLUDED AN ITEM THAT LISTS THOSE ISSUES, UM, UH, AND SPECIFIES THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AS PART OF THE FACT FINDING STUDY THINGS LIKE, UM, THE IMPACT ON FINANCIAL STABILITY, SECURITY ISSUES, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ISSUES, CONSUMER BENEFITS AND RISK AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
SO, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ITEMS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER POOL MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, MOODY'S THINK ABOUT THIS THAT'S IMPORTANT.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A FACT-FINDING STUDY ABOUT A PIECE OF INFORMATION.
THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A CITY TO UNDERSTAND, AND IT'S LIMITED TO THAT.
AND, UH, AND BEFORE WE EVER TOOK ANY, ANY STEPS DOWN THOSE ROADS, THAT ROAD THERE'D BE A LOT, WE WOULD HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK IT'S TIMELY TO TAKE A STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF UNDERSTANDING THIS INFORMATION COUNCIL MEMBER, HER MADISON WAS NEXT, THEN KELLY, YOU WANT TO WRAP IT UP? OKAY.
SO HARPER, MADISON, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? YEAH.
UM, BEFORE I OFFER THE MIC TO COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, UM, I HAVE, UM, SO I'M, I'M SORT OF, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE NOTION THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER HOW WE ACCEPT DONATIONS OF CRYPTOCURRENCY LIVING IN AUSTIN WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE THAT, UM, AND BE ABLE TO USE DONATIONS FOR, UM, CITY USES POTENTIALLY.
UM, I'M NOT REALLY SURE THAT I NEED A FACT FINDING STUDY TO TELL ME THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FINANCIAL RISK OR THAT THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF USING THIS FOR PAYMENTS AND, AND PROCESSING.
UM, AND SO THERE ARE ALSO TRADE OFFS OF TIME.
AND SO I WANTED TO ASK MR. COLADA, YOU KNOW, I'M ASSUMING THE INNOVATION OFFICE WOULD BE CHARGED WITH THESE BEING THE FIRST STEP OR PERHAPS IT'S, UH, MR. BENNY KNOW WHAT THE FINANCE OFFICE, UM, IF YOU WERE TO TRY AND DO THIS BY THREE MONTHS BY JUNE 16, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP IN ORDER TO GET THAT DONE? GOT THE TRADE-OFF IS THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY, UM, IN, IN THE INNOVATION OFFICE TO DO THIS WORK, ALTHOUGH WE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE TO BALANCE, UM, OTHER WORK, UH, THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING IN, UM, AREAS SUCH AS HOMELESSNESS, RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, ACCESS TO GREEN JOBS, UH, AND, AND, AND MANY OTHER TOPICS.
UM, BUT, UH, THAT, THAT THERE WOULD BE A REBALANCING THERE.
UM, WE DO HAVE RESOURCES, HOWEVER, TO, I BELIEVE DO OUR PART, UM,
[02:20:01]
OF THIS WORK, UH, OVER A THREE-MONTH PERIOD.UM, I LIKE TO GIVE YOU UNTIL THURSDAY OR, OR IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT IN THE Q AND A, UM, I WOULD REALLY LIKE A ANSWER, LIKE, UH, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO, TO THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE SORT OF, I'M NOT QUESTIONING WHETHER YOU'RE CAPABLE OF DOING IT IN TERMS OF THE STAFF CAPABILITIES.
UM, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO BE DOING THAT INSTEAD OF WORKING ON RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY OR INSTEAD OF WORKING ON HOMELESSNESS.
AND I WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE TRADE-OFFS, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYTHING'S GOING TO BE RESOLVED SORT OF IN THIS SPACE BETWEEN NOW AND THREE MONTHS IS GOING TO CHANGE MY MIND THAT THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF RISK OR THAT THERE'S THESE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE CAN DONATE BITCOIN TO THE CITY THAT WE COULD DEPLOY TO HELP OUR HOMELESS OR REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT I'D BE A MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH ACCEPTING.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN PROVIDE AN ANSWER IN Q AND A, UM, AND, OR PRESENT IT TO US ON THURSDAY, UH, WHICHEVER YOU DECIDE WITH THE CITY MANAGER IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TRADE-OFFS WOULD BE, UM, AND WHETHER THE TIMING OF JUNE, UM, MAKE SENSE, GIVEN THE LANDSCAPE OF WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW.
I KNOW THAT OUR INNOVATION OFFICES IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE CURRENT ON THIS TOPIC THAN I AM FOR SURE.
UM, BUT YOU CAN TELL US, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT TIMEFRAME WOULD BE FOR YOU, UM, TO PRODUCE THAT.
UM, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD IS THE SAME ONE I HAD BEFORE.
IS THERE ANY GREATER CLARITY THAT YOU NEED ON WHAT THIS RESOLUTION DOES TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT? IF IT PASSES? THANK YOU FOR THAT.
FOR ME, IT'S, IT'S CLEAR, UM, FROM THE FACT FINDING STANDPOINT, WE'LL OF COURSE BE WORKING WITH, UM, THE MANAGER AND UNDERSTANDING WHICH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND EXPERTISE THAT WE WANT TO BRING IN.
UM, THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF ASPECTS OF THIS THAT WE WOULD WANT, UH, ADDITIONAL INPUTS ON THAT.
BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S, IT'S CLEAR, UM, THE TYPE OF WORK AND FACT FINDING THAT WE'D BE DOING CARE.
I, YOU WERE ASKING THAT, THANK YOU.
UM, JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE, I'M HEARING A LOT OF HESITANCY ABOUT ACTUALLY USING THIS FOR PAYMENTS, UM, BECAUSE OF THE, THE RISKS AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PIECES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES AND IT'S FINE TO MAKE A SYMBOLIC STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE DOING, BUT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES OF HOW OUR STAFF SPEND THEIR TIME AND, AND, AND WHAT, THEY'RE THE TYPE OF PRODUCTS THAT WE GET BACK IN THEIR, THEIR UTILITY.
UM, AND WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE THINGS THAT COME ACROSS OUR AGENDA AS TO HOW WE, HOW WE APPROACH THAT.
UM, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY WANTS TO GO LAST, UM, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER POOL TOGO.
AND WAS THERE ANYONE ON THIS SIDE OR ON THE SCREEN? OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO GENERALLY TO SEND A REALLY STRONG, SINCERE NOTE OF APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THE FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE REACHED OUT, NOT JUST TO ME, BUT TO ALL OF US ON THE DAYAS WITH THEIR, UM, THEIR VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT OUR COMMUNITY TAKES SERIOUSLY THIS TOPIC ON ALL SIDES OF IT.
AND IT, IT REALLY DOES FEEL LIKE A UNIQUELY AUSTIN MOMENT THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DEBATE, THAT WE'RE HAVING IT, UM, IN A REASONABLE FASHION.
AND THAT WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THERE ARE MANY SIDES AND FACETS TO THE CONVERSATION, THE DISCUSSION AND THE DEBATE.
AND, UM, ON THURSDAY, I'LL PROBABLY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC ON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WEIGHED IN, UM, UH, TO HELP INFORM MY RESPONSES AND TO, UM, FLESH OUT MY UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THE CONCERNS.
UM, AND, AND IT'S JUST, THIS IS HOW THIS CITY OPERATES.
IT'S, THIS IS, UH, A REALLY GOOD DISTILLATION OF HOW WE ADDRESS HARD, HARD ISSUES AND TRY TO BRING THE BEST MINDS TO THE TABLE, TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION IN A COLLEGIAL AND COLLABORATIVE FASHION.
AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL COME UP WITH A VERY STRONG SOLUTION, UH, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE CONVERSATION THIS WEEK.
AND I, I JUST THINK ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR, FOR THE TENOR OF THE DISCUSSION AND FOR, UM, THE MAYOR BRINGING THE BLOCKCHAIN ITEM AND COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, BRINGING THE CRYPTOCURRENCY, UM, ITEM, BOTH OF THESE TOPICS HAVE BEEN, UM, THE SUBJECT OF MUCH CONVERSATION AND DEBATE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT IS, IT IS TIME FOR US TO ELEVATE IT TO THE DICE AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
SO I NOTED, UM, WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER POOL WAS DISCUSSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF
[02:25:01]
CRYPTOCURRENCY, THAT THE PASSAGE, THE AMENDMENT THAT I HAD SUGGESTED 4 57 IS NOT, I DID NOT.AND SO COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU WANT TO BRING FORWARD A SEPARATE RESOLUTION OR YOU WANT ME JUST TO BRING FORWARD THE OTHER ONE, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE RESOLVE THAT EITHER WAY IS FINE, BUT I DO THINK IF 55 PASSES IT SHOULD HAVE THAT AMENDMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT TASKS ARE MANAGER WITH LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF CRYPTOCURRENCY.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY ONLINE, UM, 30, 40, IT SAYS ISSUES RELEVANT TO BITCOIN OR OTHER CRYPTOCURRENCY PROTOCOLS AND APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO FINANCIAL STABILITY, SECURITY ISSUES, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ISSUES, CONSUMER BENEFITS AND RISKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CALLING ATTENTION TO THAT.
UM, AND THEN THERE WERE SOME, YEAH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOR INCLUDING THOSE, THOSE ELEMENTS IN THERE.
WHEN I WAS JUST LOOKING FORWARD THROUGH IT AGAIN, I DIDN'T RE I DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY SEE THAT, UM, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC BANKS AND WE'VE HAD A LITTLE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER IT WILL FIT WITHIN THE POSTING LANGUAGE FOR 55, BUT I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT IT IS THAT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ADDITIONS THAT BOTH THE MAYOR AND I SUGGESTED FOR 57.
AND SO THAT MIGHT BE THE BETTER WAY TO EXPLORE IT.
BUT ONE EXAMPLE IS, UH, THE BANK OF NORTH DAKOTA, NORTH DAKOTA, I THINK IS ONE OF THE ONLY STATES THAT ACTUALLY HAS A PUBLIC BANK, BUT IT DOES GET BACK TO SOME, THIS MAY HELP US ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE DISCUSSED A WHILE BACK, POSSIBLY BEFORE MOST OF US WERE ON THIS DIOCESE, UM, ABOUT PUBLIC, ABOUT WHO WE USE AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR OUR BANK AT THAT TIME.
UM, AND I'VE FORGOTTEN WHO, WHO AMONG MY COLLEAGUES, UM, INITIATED THE CONVERSATION, BUT I KNOW MY OFFICE HAS FOLLOWED UP WITH OUR STAFF ABOUT IT.
WE HAD HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER THE CITY OF AUSTIN COULD MOVE TO USING A CREDIT UNION FOR OUR BANKING.
AND, AND THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION WAS NO, UH, AFTER A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION, BUT THIS IS IT.
I THINK THIS IS AN EXCITING AREA TO CONSIDER, UM, FOR ALL OF THOSE REASONS, BECAUSE IT ALSO HELPS US THINK THROUGH WHETHER THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION FOR ANSWERING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD LONG AGO ABOUT WHO WE BANK WITH AND, AND HOW WE MIGHT BETTER USE OUR BANKING INSTITUTION TO REALLY HELP MEET SOME ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY NEEDS.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING, UM, AND MAYBE BEYOND, BEYOND WHAT WE CAN DO HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT I THINK IT'S A VERY WORTHY CONVERSATION TO EXPLORE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
DID YOU STILL WANT TO SPEAK? OH, I WAS JUST GOING TO, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T NEED, I APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYONE'S BEEN SAYING.
UM, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, WHEN STAFF COMES BACK AND LETS US KNOW, UH, YOUR TIMING, IF, IF YOU FEEL LIKE THIS TIMING IS TOO TIRED, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, IF MORE TIME WOULD BE HELPFUL, CAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT IT, WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR YOU TO DO THIS ANALYSIS.
UM, SO I JUST ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, THINK THROUGH HOW MUCH TIME IT WOULD TAKE, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS THAT WE HAVE INFORMATION COMING BACK TO US AND WITHIN A REALISTIC TIMEFRAME.
AND WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE BOTH HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIFFERENT OF IT.
AND THEN IT WOULD TAKE QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION BEFORE WE WOULD IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO, UM, BUT I, BUT I DO THINK, AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT I'VE ALREADY SAID AND OTHERS HAVE SAID, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THE STEP TO DO THIS FACT FINDING STUDY.
AND, AND I TRUST THAT, UM, OUR STAFF AND CITY MANAGER THAT YOU WILL THINK THROUGH WHAT'S REALISTIC IN TERMS OF THE TIME THAT IT WILL TAKE FOR YOU ALL TO DO THAT.
AND I, AND I WILL TRUST YOUR JUDGMENT ON THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS? UM, I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION JUST TO FLAG FOR, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, I MIGHT BRING SOME DIRECTION, I THINK IT WOULD BE ON 57 WITH RESPECT TO OTHER TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE'RE NOT DOING SO WELL ON.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHETHER THAT FITS BETTER AS DIRECTION OR AMENDMENTS.
UM, CAUSE I REALLY DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THINGS LIKE TIME SHEETS AND WEBSITES AND HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AND BASIC TECHNOLOGY BEFORE WE VENTURE TOO FAR, TOO FAR A FIELD, UM, OR AT LEAST KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE THERE, UM, FOR THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
I REALLY APPRECIATED EVERYONE'S COMMENTS TODAY ON THE RESOLUTION.
I THINK I HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, FOR THURSDAY, I WANTED TO MENTION SPECIFICALLY TO COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, UM, THAT THE UPDATED VERSION THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET CO-SPONSORS FOR ON THIS RESOLUTION DIFFERS IN WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED BEFORE YOU LET ME KNOW YOU COULDN'T BE A CO-SPONSOR.
[02:30:01]
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TALKING ABOUT IT NOW.UM, AS FAR AS, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM HIS COMMENTS ABOUT THE INNOVATION OFFICE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS ISN'T A FEASIBLE TIMELINE FOR COMING BACK TO COUNCIL, WHAT WOULD BE ALSO, AND THEN I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT PERHAPS WE SHOULD CONSIDER THIS AS A COUNCIL, LIKE AS A WHOLE, IF WE'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH ONTO STAFF ON ALL THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE BRING FORWARD, NOT JUST THIS ONE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT OVERTAXING STAFF IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF.
UH, THE NUMBER OF KELLY, I, I AGREE WITH YOU AND I HAVE, UM, OFTEN ASKED WHETHER WE SHOULD DO A MORATORIUM ON OUR RESOLUTIONS FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND ALLOW STAFF A LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING SPACE.
UM, BUT WHEN I'VE FLOATED THAT I'VE NOT SEEN MUCH SUPPORT FOR IT, UM, OTHERWISE, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS? BECAUSE MY INTENTION IS THAT WE WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND NOT COME BACK OUT.
OTHER THAN ME CLOSING THE MEETING.
UM, AT SOME POINT ON I'LL TALK ABOUT TIMING IN A SECOND, BUT I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS TO PULL OR ANY COMMENTS ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OUTSIDE OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN, UH, JUST A HEADS UP FOR EVERYONE.
THERE'S BEEN, UM, A MEMO REQUESTING POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM NUMBER 63 A, WHICH IS THE BMI VM U2 ITEM.
IT MAY BE, UH, THERE MAY BE SOME, UM, THE REASON BEHIND THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING HAS TO DO WITH SOME TECHNICALITIES AROUND, UM, UH, PUBLIC NOTICE.
AND SO I'M, I'M, I'VE BEEN CHECKING WITH LEGAL TO SEE IF WE CAN GO FORWARD.
UH, IF WE'RE ABLE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO, IF WE'RE NOT, THEN, THEN IT WOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL, WHATEVER THAT NEXT MEETING IS.
SO, SO THAT'S JUST A HEADS UP FOR FOLKS THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT.
AND WE'RE DOING SOME DOUBLE CHECKING TO SEE IF IT HAS TO BE POSTPONED IF IT DOESN'T, IF YOU CAN, IF IT DOESN'T, IF YOU CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW, YEAH.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT OR NOT.
IT'S GOING TO, IT WILL BE POSTPONED SO LEGALLY IT HAS TO BE POSTPONED.
COUNSEL, WE HAVE NO DISCRETION.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, IF QANTAS, YES.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA.
WOULD THAT, IS THAT BEING POSTPONED OR IS THAT STILL ON THE AGENDA? SO COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT, UM, WE JUST GOT A MEMO TODAY WITH SOME INFORMATION COMPARING THE TWO BUILDINGS THAT WE ASKED.
UM, I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE CONVERSATION, I KNOW THE MAYOR AND I HAVE A CONVERSATION TOMORROW WITH SOME INDIVIDUALS, AND I'M NOT SURE COLLEAGUES WHERE YOU ALL ARE WITH US WITH THIS QUESTION.
SO I DON'T, I'M SORRY THAT I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
MAYBE PRETEND IS IT, IS IT WORTH US PULLING THE ITEM TO HAVE A CONVERSATION TODAY ABOUT THE CORE? SO I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T YET HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE MEMO THAT WE JUST GOT THIS MORNING.
AND SO THAT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO INFORM MY THINKING ABOUT IT.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY WITHOUT THE MAYOR ON THE DAYAS, I WOULD, I WOULD PREFER WAITING FOR THAT CONVERSATION WITH, AND I MAY BE ABLE TO HELP WITH SOME INFORMATION ON THIS.
UM, UM, I HAVE TALKED WITH THE MAYOR ABOUT POSTPONING ITEMS, 13 AND 14, AND, UM, HE, UM, HAD INDICATED THAT HE INTENDED TO MAKE THAT REQUEST, BUT HE'S I GUESS, OUT OF TOWN.
AND SO I MAKE THAT REQUEST ON HIS BEHALF AND, AND ANYBODY ELSE'S, WHO'S INTERESTED IN HAVING A POSTPONE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE ALL RIGHT WITH YOU COUNCIL MEMBER TOPO, HOPEFULLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AS A COUNCIL.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, IF THERE'S, UH, A MOTION TO POSTPONE IT.
I WILL CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT IS, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY A COMMUNITY ASSET AND IT IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN.
SO I APPRECIATE, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING YES, I WILL.
IF THE MAYOR IS MAKING A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST, I'LL CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT.
AND AS A BACKUP CAN PUT ME ON AS THE REQUEST FOR IT, BUT HE AND I HAD DISCUSSED IT YESTERDAY.
I'LL JUST NOTE A MAYOR PRO TEM.
AND I THINK THERE WAS ANSWER TO COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHENS, UH, INQUIRY STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO WALK THROUGH THAT MEMO.
I KNOW IT WAS ISSUED, UH, YESTERDAY EVENING.
AND SO IF THERE'S A SPACE OR TIME OR DESIRE FROM COUNCIL, WE STAND READY TO WALK THROUGH THAT, UH, INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO RECENTLY, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT NON 63? NO, NO.
SO IF THERE ARE NO OTHER ITEMS, SO IT LOOKS
[02:35:01]
LIKE WE HAVE THREE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS, UM, WHICH I'LL GO THROUGH WHEN I SAY WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.UM, AND THEN THE POSSIBILITY OF COMING BACK TO HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, IN A SCHOOL BUILDING AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ITEMS, 13 AND 14, TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION, IF FOLKS DECIDE THEY WANT TO DO THAT.
UM, SO WE HA I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW LONG THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS ARE GOING TO TAKE.
UM, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE TAKE A BREAK UNTIL 1:00 PM AND CONVENE, UH, REMOTELY FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, AND WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THAT.
UM, THE MAYOR HAD HOPED TO BE THERE FOR THE THIRD, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I KNOW I HAVE TO LEAVE AT FOUR, SO I DON'T WANT TO PUSH TOO FAR WITH THAT, BUT MY GUESS IS THAT BY THE TIME WE GET IN THERE AND GET SETTLED AND TAKE THE OTHER TWO ITEMS, WE MAY BE AT TWO 30 ANYWAY, WHICH IS WHEN HE GETS OFF THE PLANE AND HE CAN, UM, DIAL IN REMOTELY, UM, FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN IF THERE IS A DESIRE TO TAKE UP, UM, THE MUNICIPAL COURT, MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT AFTER THAT.
WELL, IF PEOPLE WANT THAT PRESENTATION, I'M GOING TO LET PEOPLE HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO JUST DECIDE WHETHER THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT, UM, PRESENTED SINCE THAT WAS RAISED.
AND SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT AS OF THIS POINT, WE MIGHT COME BACK OUT FOR AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION, IF IT IS THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF YOU DON'T WANT THAT AND, BUT WE HAVE TO LET FOLKS DIGEST THAT AND THEY CAN LET ME KNOW IF THAT IS STILL SOMETHING THAT TWO OF OUR COLLEAGUES WANT TO HAVE LATER COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN.
UH, JUST WANTED TO SUGGEST THAT IF IT WORKS FOR PEOPLE TO MAYBE, UH, SHORTEN OUR LUNCH PERIOD SO THAT IT'S NOT AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES GIVE OR TAKE, BUT CLOSER TO MAYBE 45 MINUTES, IF THAT IS OKAY WITH PEOPLE.
SO MAYBE WE COME BACK AT, UM, INSTEAD OF ONE O'CLOCK, MAYBE WE COME BACK AT 1230 WOULD WORK FOR ME IF PEOPLE NEED MORE TIME, MAYBE 1245.
I WAS TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE, TRYING TO HAVE THE MAYOR THERE FOR THE THIRD EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH IS WHY I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER NOT TO GO IN AND OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT JUST, JUST, UM, TAKE A BREAK, ORDINARILY YOUR METHOD WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT, BUT, UM, I GIVEN THE TOPIC, I WANTED TO TRY TO SEE IF WE COULD MAKE IT SO THAT HE COULD PARTICIPATE IN THAT DISCUSSION, UM, TO THE EXTENT, WELL, OTHERWISE WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE IT AGAIN.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE, I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE TIME AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, NOTICED FOR IT FOR THURSDAY, FOR THE THIRD EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM OVER TOP OF, YOU KNOW, ONE OTHER SUGGESTION, UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION ON THE DOCK.
IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A MOVE TO POSTPONE IT ON THURSDAY, WE COULD ALSO DO THE PRESENTATION ON THURSDAY AND HAVE THE CONVERSATION ON THAT DAY, WHICH GIVES PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE, SEE THE MEMO, HAVE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS I'M AGNOSTIC, EXCEPT THAT I ALSO HAVE A SHORT, I HAVE A SHORT TIME FRAME WHERE I CAN BE HERE TODAY.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING RIGHT UP INTO A LOT WITH MOVING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION UNTIL LATER.
SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO BE THERE FOR THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DECK.
AND AGAIN, I'M, I WOULD SAY THE MAYOR PROBABLY DOES AS WELL, AND I'M NOT SURE ABOUT WHETHER HE WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PRESENTATION LATER IN THE DAY.
IS THAT SOMETHING, DO YOU WANT TO DO THE MISS BELCOURT NOW? I, I'M NOT HEARING THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF I'M HEARING THAT THERE'S FOLKS WHO DON'T WANT TO DO IT, GIVING ME TOO MANY OPTIONS.
I'M FINE WITH US CONSIDERING HAVING THAT PRESENTATION ON THURSDAY, IF THAT'S MORE EFFICIENT TO ENSURE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE DIOCESE AVAILABLE FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
AND I'LL JUST REITERATE THAT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, UH, REVIEW THE MEMO THAT, UH, STAFF SENDS AND REACH OUT WITH ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PUT THEM ON THE Q AND A BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, STAFF IS STILL MOVING THIS FORWARD AND HAS THE ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION ON THE COUNCIL'S AGENDA.
AND WE STAND READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, UNTIL THAT TIME.
SO THEN WE WILL PLAN TO MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THREE ITEMS, UM, STARTING AT ONE, AND IF EVERYONE CAN BE ON TIME AND WE WILL MOVE THROUGH THOSE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO OUR BEST THAT, UH, THE MAYOR CAN BE PRESENT FOR SOME OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM THREE, BUT THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE THROUGH THROUGH OUR MATERIAL.
UM, SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I GO INTO CONES COUNCIL TO CLOSED SESSION? OKAY.
[E. Executive Session ]
WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP THREE ITEMS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5, 5 1 0 7.[02:40:02]
ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO WILDLY SCOOTER CHEATHAM AT ALL VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, MAYOR STEVE ADLER AT ALL.CAUSE NUMBER 22 0 0 1 0 0 9 AND THE 201ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT, TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS, IE TO JENNIFER VERDIN VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN.
CAUSE NUMBER 1 21, CVS 0 0 2 7 1 RP IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS AUSTIN DIVISION II THREE AKUNA AT ALL VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN AT ALL.
CAUSE NUMBER 8 6 1 7 IN THE 201ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS CITY OF AUSTIN AT ALL, VERSUS A CORONET ALL NUMBER OF 1420S THERE'S 0 3, 5, 6 CV IN THE 14TH COURT OF APPEALS, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE ITEMS ANNOUNCED HEARING NONE, THE COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IT IS 1144, JUST A REMINDER TO MY COLLEAGUES.
IF YOU GO DOWN THERE THERE'S WATER DAMAGE.
SO BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T SLIP AND THERE'S ALSO WATER IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR DISCUSSION OF LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO ITEMS UM, I'M MAYOR PRO TEM.
ALISON ALTER TODAY IS MARCH 22ND, 2022.
THE TIME IS 4 0 3 AND THE RECORDING OF THAT'S THE WRONG ONE.
WE ARE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION, CLOSED SESSION.
WE DISCUSSED THE LEGAL ISSUES RELATED ITEMS SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO BE SAYING.
THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH ME.
UM, AND WITH THAT AT 4 0 4 ON TUESDAY, MARCH 22ND, I ADJOURNED THE WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.