[CALL TO ORDER]
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SO THIS IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
AND WE ARE MEETING, UM, FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A MONDAY IN CITY HALL CHAMBERS.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND, UM, CALL ROLL.
VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA, PRESENT BOARD MEMBER RINALDI, PRESENT, OR MEMBER DECARLO, NOT A BOARD MEMBER.
MORE BOARD MEMBER, FAST PRESENT BOARD MEMBER HAGMAN, PRESENT BOARD MEMBER BARNARD PRESENT BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBER COTTON SEIBEL HERE.
SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED VICE-CHAIR DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMUNICATION? YES.UH, WE DO HAVE SIX INDIVIDUALS VERSUS SINCE COMMUNICATION.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM, ALISON ALTER MAYOR PRO TEM.
I KNOW HOW, UM, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS ALISON ALTER AND I'M PROUD TO SERVE AS MAYOR PRO TEM, UM, FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO REPRESENT DISTRICT 10 ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I GOT MY START IN POLITICS SITTING WHERE YOU ARE, THAT WE WERE OVER IN THE OTHER, IN THE OTHER ROOM.
AND I KNEW THAT YOUR JOB'S TAKEN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR WORK.
UM, THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS CRITICAL FOR QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT IS ONE OF THE POLICY AREAS THAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT AND REALLY DO, UM, FIND THE WORK THAT YOU DO VALUABLE IN THE WORK THAT I DO.
UM, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS TONIGHT FIRST.
I JUST WANT TO REALLY BRIEFLY, SINCE I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT THIS ITEM FIVE, THE DISCUSSION OF THE PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE AND ADDING, UM, OFFICE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL, UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT, UM, THE RESOLUTION THAT I'M PUTTING FORWARD ITEM NUMBER 42, UM, FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT YOU KNOW, AND, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, YOUR CHAIR KNOWS ALL OF THOSE REASONS.
UM, AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ME TO STAY TO ANSWER, ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT THE REAL REASON THAT I'M HERE ACTUALLY IS, UM, TO CELEBRATE THE SERVICE OF ONE OF YOUR MEMBERS.
UM, I WANTED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO THANK YOUR CHAIR, UH, DON LEWIS FOR SERVING AS CHAIR AND AS MY PARK'S BOARD MEMBER AND TO OFFER A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD.
UM, THIS IS KIND OF AN ONGOING AWARD BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT DONE YET.
UM, BUT YOU ARE, YOU ARE GOING TO BE STEPPING OFF AS CHAIR.
UM, AND THIS HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR YOU.
UM, AND ONE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SO COMMITTED TO AND STEERED THE PARKS FOR THREESOME CHALLENGING TIMES WITH COVID.
UM, BUT I'M HOPING, AND I'M REALLY THRILLED THAT ONE OF YOUR LAST MEETINGS WE'RE ABLE TO PUT FORWARD THE PARKLAND DEDICATION EXTENSION TO OFFICE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS, UM, WHICH I KNOW IS SOMETHING THAT'S DEAR TO YOUR HEART, SO THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES WE NEED.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD TO DON LEWIS FOR UNTIRING SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY AS A DEDICATED MEMBER AND CHAIR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
DON LEWIS IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION AS A MEMBER OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD SINCE 2017 AND CHAIR OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD SINCE 2019, DON HAS DEMONSTRATED A CALM UNDER PRESSURE COUPLED WITH A REAL COMMITMENT TO MAKING GOOD PUBLIC POLICY.
COMMENDABLY TREATING ALL PARTIES WITH GRACE AND RESPECT AS A PARKS ADVOCATE.
DON HAS POSITIVELY IMPROVED OUR PARKS, POOLS AND TRAILS WITH A FIERCE DETERMINATION, A STEADY HAND, AND A FIDELITY TO THE COMMON GOOD.
THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION THERE OF THIS 28TH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR, 20 2022 BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND I MAYOR PRO TEM, ALISON ALTER ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR, STEVE ADLER.
AND IF YOU COULD COME DOWN FOR A QUICK PHOTO WITH THE WORD, I WOULD LOVE IT.
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I DO SO HUGE SUPPORTER OF PUTTING COMMERCIAL AS FAR AS THE PARKLAND DEDICATION.
AND OF COURSE THE CONCERN IS WILL WE BE ABLE TO GET THE VOTES ON COUNCIL WITH LEGAL PUSHES BACK AND SAYS, THERE'S NOT AN ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE COMMERCIAL, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE SEEN ADVERTISEMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, COME RIGHT TO THE, YOU KNOW, COME WORK AT ORACLE.
I REMEMBER SEEING THAT A FEW YEARS AGO AND TALKING ABOUT THE TRAIL TO GET THERE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALSO CLOSE AS OCHRE PARK OR CLOSE TO WHATEVER PARK.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PUT THIS FORWARD AND DOES IT OPEN UP PARKLAND DEDICATION ALTOGETHER? AND IF IT DOES, WHERE DO YOU THINK THAT THE END RESULT WILL BE? DO YOU THINK WE'LL LOSE THE CURRENT PARKLAND DEDICATION RATIO AND STILL NOT GAIN PARKLAND IN COMMERCIAL? NO.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A COMMITMENT ON COUNCIL TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED FOR OUR PARKS.
UM, WE DO NEED EACH OF YOU TO BE SPEAKING TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AND THE NEXUS.
UM, THE STEP THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD TODAY HAS, UM, AT ITS CORE, ASKING THE CITY MANAGER TO COME BACK WITH THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AND THAT DRAFT ORDINANCE DOES NEED TO BE WRITTEN WITH A NEXUS.
UM, BUT WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS IN PUTTING THAT TOGETHER FOR THE RESIDENTIAL THAT WE CAN APPLY HERE.
WE SUCCESSFULLY WERE ABLE TO PUT FORWARD HOTEL MOTEL FOR PARKLAND DEDICATION, WHICH WAS NOT OBVIOUS BACK WHEN WE DID THAT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE FORMULAS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE CURRENTLY DRAFTED, RECOGNIZED THAT WE HAVE TO, UM, TAKE CARE OF THE PROPORTIONALITY AND THE NEXUS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, THE PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE IS A KEY WAY THAT WE FUND OUR PARKS.
UM, IT'S ABSOLUTELY CENTRAL TO OUR ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, TO PROVIDE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THE COST OF LAND IS RISING AND THAT COST HITS US AS WELL AS OTHERS.
UM, WE CANNOT, UM, WE CANNOT DO WITHOUT PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LEVELS THAT WE ARE LEAVENING LEVYING ON IT, DO NOT CREATE A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN ON OUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
UM, WE HAVE A TRADITION IN TEXAS OF ALLOWING OUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES NOT TO CONTRIBUTE, UM, PROPORTIONATELY TO OUR TAXES AND TO OTHER THINGS, BY IMPLEMENTING A PARKLAND DEDICATION IN THIS WAY, WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OFFICE AND COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE, WHICH THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHICH THEY USE TO ATTRACT THEIR EMPLOYEES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A WAY FORWARD, UM, IF CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED AND NOT, UM, GOING TOO FAR, THAT STICKS WITH THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER OF THE LAW WITH RESPECT TO THE NEXUS AND WE'LL BRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER.
AND I AM HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN BE AN EXAMPLE ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
OF COURSE, THEY STILL HAVE THE CONCERN RELATING PROPORTIONALITY AND THAT WE REDUCE IT ELSEWHERE.
THEN ULTIMATELY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE MARKET IS NOT GOING TO MEET THAT LEVEL OF EXPENSE REDUCTION.
AND SO WHAT WE'LL END UP HAVING, IF WE WORK, MOVE IT AGAIN, SAFE WAS ON THE RED END.
RESIDENTIAL SIDE WOULD BE AN INSTANCE WHERE WE'LL BE WORSE OFF IN 10 TO 20 YEARS BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE LESS PARKLAND AVAILABLE FOR 1000 RESIDENTS.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HEARTBREAKING FOR ME,
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PARTICULARLY FOR EVERYBODY.WHO'S BEEN A PARK STEWARD INCLUDING YOURSELF.
SO APPRECIATE THE ANSWER AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT COUNCIL DOES.
UM, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU AND EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, TO REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IN SUPPORT OF THIS EFFORT TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF PARKLAND OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE, WHO ARE HERE WORKING, UM, 57, 50 8% OF OUR POPULATION OR OF OUR WORK OF OUR WORKERS COME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.
SO THERE'S A HUGE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO ARE, WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR PARKS AND OUR TRAILS.
UM, AND WE NEED TO FIND MECHANISMS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE COST SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ATTRACT THESE BUSINESSES, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THESE WORKERS.
ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE ON PUBLIC COMMENT SEGMENT OR THE MEETING UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE BOARD IS NOT PROHIBITED OR REBUTTED.
PERMIT IS NOT PERMITTED TO DISCUSS OR ACT UPON ANY ISSUES THAT ARE POSTED ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETINGS THAT ARE NOT GIVEN THE TALK TODAY THAT ARE NOT PERMITTED TO DISCUSS OR ACT UPON ANY ISSUES THAT ARE POSTS THAT ARE NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
THIS MEANS THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE UNABLE TO DELIBERATE.
ASK QUESTIONS, PROVIDE YOU A RESPONSE, OR TAKE ANY ACTION RELATED YOUR COMMENTS.
IF AN ISSUE YOU MENTIONED IS LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, THE BOARD'S DELIBERATION MAY BE DEFERRED TO THE APPROPRIATE TIME OF THE MEETING.
AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE THE SECOND SPEAKER IS MR. KEVIN
HELLO, KEVIN RAIN IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AGAIN.
AND, UH, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO TELL YOU ABOUT AN EVENT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN TWO WEEKS, WHICH IS OUR FIRST EVER ANNUAL OF ANNUAL FITNESS FESTIVAL THAT WE'RE HAVING ON APRIL 16TH.
AND WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE EAST TOWN LAKE NEIGHBORHOOD CITIZENS ASSOCIATION TO HAVE A VERY DIVERSE SET OF PARTNERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS AS A MEANS TO FURTHER ENGAGE, UH, OUR NEIGHBORS IN EAST AUSTIN WITH THE SERVICES, NOT ONLY AARC OFFERS, BUT WE'LL HAVE THE VA, THEIR PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY CLINIC IS GOING TO BE THERE.
UH, THE ZILKER NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER JUST, UH, SAID, THERE'LL BE PARTICIPATING.
SO WHERE THERE'S FIVE PART ORGANIZATIONS ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT.
UH, WE HAVE DRAGON BOAT, WE'LL BE DOING KAYAK TOURS, SPECIFICALLY, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF EAST AUSTIN AND THAT PART OF THE LAKE, UM, WILL BE BASICALLY, IT'S BRINGING THE BOATHOUSE TO EAST AUSTIN AND THE EXTENDED SET OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH, UH, SIERRA CLUB RO FITNESS, THE SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER, BY THE WAY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAND EACH OF YOU ONE OF THESE, IF I MAY, BEFORE I, UH, AND, UM, SO WE DID A, BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, UM, UH, POSTER, UH, REI HAS ALSO DONATED GIVEAWAY PRODUCT FOR IT.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GARCIA'S FOOD TRUCK TIFF'S TREATS IS GOING TO BE THERE.
UH, SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A FUN DAY ABOUT HOW TO REALLY GET PEOPLE'S INTEREST AND AWARENESS ON THE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM THROUGH THE PARK SYSTEM, INCREASE ACTIVATION AND UTILIZATION OF PARK RESOURCES, SUCH AS THE REC CENTER, THE MAC AND OTHERS.
IN ADDITION TO COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS, LIKE THE VA AND PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY CLINIC, AND THEN OUR PARTNERS AT THE BUILD HOUSE, THAT'LL BE THERE AS WELL.
SO I HOPE YOU CAN ALL COME BY, BE GREAT TO SEE YOU.
AND THAT'S WHEN I HAD FOR YOU TODAY.
MAY I HAND THESE OUT OR GIVE THEM TO YOU CHAIR LEWIS OR HOW WOULD CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER? UH, MS. SHARON, THANK YOU.
CAN I GET A SIGNED COPY, GOODY NEW MONEY, MS. SHARON BLYTHE.
UM, I HAVE A LITTLE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.
UH, I'M BEGINNING MORE CONCERN ABOUT THE CEMETERY SITUATION IN AUSTIN MEMORIAL PARK AND EXPLAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT WHAT'S IN YOUR HEART.
THIS IS WHAT'S A CEMETERY IS, IS WHAT'S IN YOUR
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HEART.AND I DON'T SEE MY JOB ON THIS BOARD THAT IT'S IN YOUR HEART TO SUPPORT OUR CEMETERY SYSTEM.
IN FACT, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, ALTER, NEVER MENTIONED CEMETERIES IN HER PRESENTATION.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S YOUR IN YOUR, ON YOUR RADAR, BUT HOPEFULLY AFTER THIS, MAYBE IT WILL BE NEXT SLIDE.
AND THE FAMILIES EXPECT GOOD CARE AND MAINTENANCE.
NOTHING IS MORE UPSETTING THAN TO FIND TRASH.
AND THAT 70 TREES HAVE BEEN REMOVED AT A FAMILY'S REQUEST WAS NOT ADHERED TO FLOODING GRAVES.
AFTER FAMILIES HAVE LEFT TREES PLANTED IN THE WRONG PLACE, IMPROPER USE OF NON CEMETERY RELATED ACTIVITIES AND CARS PARKED ON CEMETERY, GRASS.
THAT'S BEEN OUT IN THE CEMETERY FOR WEEKS NOW.
THEY HAVEN'T BOTHERED TO GO OUT THERE AND PICK IT UP.
ANOTHER SHOT OF TRASH COMING OFF MOPAC THAT GETS INTO THE CEMETERY.
THEY'RE NOT BOTHERING TO PICK THAT UP EITHER.
THIS IS A TREE THAT WAS CUT DOWN RECENTLY.
AND AFTER SHORTLY AFTER THE FAMILY LEFT A GRAVE SITE AFTER A BURIAL, AND THEY STICK THAT WATER HOSE INTO THE GRAVE SITE AND FLOOD THE GRAVE TO TRY TO SINK THAT GRA THAT DIRT, WHAT THEY COULD BUY A MACHINE THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY TAMP DOWN THAT DIRT INTO THE GRAVE INSTEAD OF FLOODING IT.
CAN YOU IMAGINE YOUR DECEASED RELATIVE FLOATING AROUND IN WATER JUST SHORTLY AFTER YOU MARRIED THEM? NEXT SLIDE, HERE'S A SHAUN OF UT USING THE CEMETERY GRASS AS A PARKING LOT.
THE AWESOME STAFF SAYS THIS WAS ALLOWED FOR PROGRAMMING AT THE CEMETERY.
I THINK THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE.
ANOTHER SHOT OF THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE MOVED OVER INTO THE CEMETERY, USING GRAY SITES FOR THEIR FILMING BACK GRASS, A BACKDROP.
THIS IS OUR TREE THAT WAS PLANTED IN THE WRONG PLACE.
THE BLUE CIRCLE IS WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLANTED.
THE ONE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MR. GRAVES, GRA GAZE, UM, SITE.
THERE WAS WHERE THEY PLANTED IT AND IT SHOULD BE MOVED OVER BECAUSE THAT TREE WAS CUT DOWN BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT OR THAT BLUE CIRCLE IS JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND THAT WAS PLANTED TO HONOR MY DECEASED HUSBAND'S GRAVE SITE IN 2010.
HERE'S ANOTHER SHOT OF THAT, WHERE THE WATER BOTTLE IS, IT'S WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLANTED.
AND IT'S WHERE IT WAS PLANTED.
JUST HAVE A HEART ABOUT THE CEMETERY, NOT JUST, DON'T TALK ABOUT THE PARKS.
YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT CEMETERIES TOO, BECAUSE THAT'S IN YOUR PROPOSAL.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. MARK GENTLE.
AND THEN FOLLOWING, MARK WILL BE, UH, MR. BELL BATCH, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW, AND I WISH THAT, UH, YOU WILL STAY ON THE PARKS BOARD FOR AS LONG AS THE, UM, TERMS PERMIT.
YOUR JOB IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN IN THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN BECAUSE OF THE DYNAMICS OF THE DEMAND, NOT JUST LOCALLY, BUT NATIONALLY FOR PARKLAND AND RECREATION.
AND BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE ASSETS THAT AUSTIN HAS THIS PAST WEEKEND WAS SORT OF A FORETELLING OF WHAT'S TO COME, AT LEAST IN ZILKER PARK, AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF VEHICLES, NOWHERE TO GO NOWHERE TO PARK, EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FUN WAS PRETTY WELL TAKEN.
YEAH, WHOEVER IS THE CHAIR AND WHOEVER IS THE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS, THE VOICE OF THE PUBLIC FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WILL MAKE OR BREAK HOW AUSTIN WE'LL PRESERVE ITS OR NOT IT'S PARKLAND.
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AND A VISION.ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION IS THE ITEMS BE SEVEN OFF THE AGENDA OR IS IT GOING TO STAY ON? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO WAIT INTO THAT.
SO I'LL BE VERY BRIEF ABOUT THAT.
DURING YOUR FEBRUARY 22ND MEETING, YOU HAD A VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION ABOUT SURVEY METHODOLOGY, HOW IT WAS TRANSLATED FROM THE ACTUAL SURVEY RESULTS INTO A POLICY ACTION OR DECISION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT PRESENTATION WHILE IT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND THE QUESTIONS WERE OUTSTANDING AND A LOT OF INSIGHT WAS GAINED ABOUT THE METHODOLOGY THAT THEY HAVE FOR THE GATHERING OF DATA.
THERE WAS NOTHING ABOUT THE TRANSLATION OF THE DATA INTO POLICY.
THAT MISSING LINK IS CRITICAL.
IT'S CRITICAL FOR THE MAT, THE VISION PLAN, AND IT'S CRITICAL FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
SO I URGE YOU TO ASK THE DEPARTMENT TO COME BACK TO YOU AND ANSWER THE QUESTION THEY PROMISED TO ASK, ANSWER YOU.
THEY SAID YOU DESERVE AN ANSWER TO THE BASIC QUESTION OF HOW THAT GETS TRANSLATED.
I URGE YOU TO PUT THAT AGENDA ITEM BACK ON SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR IT.
NEXT SPEAKER, MR. BILL BUNCH, GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS SUCH IMPORTANT WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING.
UH, THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY, UH, CHAIR LEWIS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT, EVEN HANDEDNESS.
AND FARNESS IN, UH, REALLY ADDRESSING THESE, THESE MANY TOUGH ISSUES THAT WE FACE WITH OUR PUBLIC PARKS.
UM, I'M BILL BONDS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
I DID PASS OUT TO YOU EARLIER, A DOCUMENT.
THIS IS SOME WORK PRODUCT FROM THE, UH, ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UH, PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE THAT HAS PARTICIPATION FROM SEVERAL OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED HERE.
THERE'S SOME HIGHLIGHTS IN THERE FOR YOU OF THIS WORKING DOCUMENT, WHICH SORT OF SUMMARIZES WHERE WE ARE.
UH, I PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY WITH THIS COMMITTEE ON THE OVERALL ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN PROCESS.
I THINK YOU'LL FIND IT USEFUL IF YOU SPEND SOME TIME WITH IT.
UH, AS YOU'LL SEE, WE HAVE SOME VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE SUBSTANCE, AS WELL AS THE PROCESS OF THE VISION PLAN, UH, AS IT, AS IT, WHERE IT SITS TODAY, THERE'S AN OVERVIEW ON THE FRONT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IS SELF-EXPLANATORY, UM, IT'S ALL, IT'S, WE'VE TRIED TO ORGANIZE IT IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE AS IN COMPREHENSIBLE, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, REGULAR FOLKS.
AND THEN, UH, I'LL JUST DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE 10 TO 11 IS WHERE WE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS, UM, THE, UH, THE PROCESS ISSUES AND THE SERIOUS LACK OF INCLUSIVITY IN THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UH, UP TO THIS POINT, WE KNOW EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THAT RESPECT, UH, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND WE'VE ALL, WE'RE ALL OFFERING SOME SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS ON, ON HOW TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
UM, IN CLOSING, UH, EXCUSE ME, UH, NEXT I WANTED TO JUST SAY, PLEASE SUPPORT PAYING OUR LIFEGUARDS MORE IMMEDIATELY WITH THE BIG BONUS, UH, RAISING THEIR WAGES TO THE $22 LIVING WAGE, UH, UH, MOVING IT UP.
UM, THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF BEING PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH EVERYDAY.
THE POOL'S CLOSED, THE CITY'S LOSING ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF REVENUE.
WE'RE DISAPPOINTING CHILDREN, FAMILIES, TOURISTS, UH, I MEAN, THERE'S JUST NO REASON FOR THIS, THIS ISN'T, YOU KNOW, HAVING A LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE.
WE, THIS IS THREE YEARS IN A ROW NOW, AT LEAST THAT I CAN REMEMBER.
UM, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO REASON FOR THIS.
AND IT'S EASILY SOLVABLE BY SPENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY THAT MORE WILL MORE THAN PAY FOR IT, UH, AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, YOU KNOW, INSTANTLY I THINK, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO GET PAID.
WORKING AT BARTON SPRINGS IS SO MUCH HARDER THAN WORKING AT THE OTHER POOLS.
FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO RECOMMEND THIS SPARKS FOR PROFIT BOOK.
IT IS RELATED TO YELLS AND MISSION IT'S BY TEMPLE UNIVERSITY ASSISTANT PROCESS, PROFESSOR KEVIN LOWEN BY COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS.
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IS ANGELA RICHTER, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.HI, Y'ALL UM, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY TODAY ABOUT THE CITY BUDGET.
UM, WE ALL, AND I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF IT CONTINUING TO INCREASE OUR CITY'S PARKS BUDGET AS OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW.
UM, AS KIMBERLY HAS SAID IN FRONT OF ALL OF Y'ALL BEFORE WE HAVE NOT BEEN MEETING THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF RESIDENTS IN OUR PARKS AND THAT GROWING POPULATION CONTINUES TO PUT MORE DEMAND ON OUR FACILITIES AND ON OUR PROGRAMS. SO, UM, APF DOES SUPPORT INCREASING OUR PARKS BUDGET AGAIN THIS YEAR IN ORDER TO MEET THE MOST SIGNIFICANT UNMET NEEDS OF PARD.
AND IN ORDER TO MEET THE GOALS OF PARDES LONG RANGE PLAN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH ALL OF Y'ALL AS THIS PROCESS MOVES FORWARD.
AND THEN OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS MR. SCOTT COB BARTON SPRINGS AREA.
HE IS GOOD EVENING, MR. COUGH.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME IN, UH, LET ME Y'ALL MAY REMEMBER ON OCTOBER 26, I SPOKE AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING, UH, ABOUT THE RECENT PASSING OF JOAN MEANS KYBELLA ON OCTOBER 11TH.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS HOPING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WAS THAT IT WOULD BE A DAY OF CELEBRATION.
I JUST WANT ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT TO THE POOL ON APRIL 9TH.
I WANT TO THANK PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR ORGANIZING THIS, UH, SPLASH DAY.
ARE THEY GOING TO BE SPEAKERS? SHE'S GOING TO SHOW A FILM, DOCUMENTARY FILM, AND A MEMORIAL MOMENT OF SILENCE MEMORIAL, AND, UH, MOSTLY FOR ANYONE WATCHING AT HOME.
I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT TO THE POOL ON APRIL 9TH, BETWEEN 10 AND 11, 10 TO 12, 10:00 AM, AND 12 NOON TO PARTICIPATE, LISTEN TO THE SPEAKERS.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY INFORMATIVE AND, AND EMOTIONAL EVENT.
THOSE OF YOU DON'T KNOW JOAN ELIZABETH MEANS KYBELLA WAS AN ACTIVIST AND SCHOLAR FROM AUSTIN BORN AT HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL IN EAST AUSTIN.
SHE ATTENDED BLACK SHEER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND KEELING JUNIOR HIGH.
SHE WAS AMONG THE THIRD GROUP OF STUDENTS TO INTEGRATE AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL IN THE LATE 1950S IN HER SENIOR YEAR, SHE WAS A STUDENT IN ACTIVISM THAT LED TO THE INTEGRATION OF BARTON SPRINGS AND ZILKER PARK.
AFTER NOT BEING ALLOWED TO SWIM AT HER HIGH SCHOOL, SENIOR PICNIC PICNIC, SHE WAS THE FIRST BLACK PERSON TO JUMP INTO BARTON SPRINGS POOL AND AN ACT OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN DOING SO.
SHE'S YOU GOT IT, MR. COBB, WE APPRECIATE IT.
AND THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING DAYLIGHTING, UM, IN PUSHING THE NEED FOR RECOGNITION, UH, FLORIDA, WE DO HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER DURING A PUBLIC COMMUNICATION THEY'VE DIALED IN, UH, UNTIL AWAY WITH THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
HI, GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING.
CAUSE NOT SKI WITH AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, YES.
I AM THE RELATIVELY NEW CHIEF MISSION OFFICER AT AUSTIN PARK FOUNDATION, AND I WANTED TO SAY HELLO.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING SOME OF Y'ALL IN PERSON, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO MEET, UM, THE REST OF YOU IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
AND I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE PARKS BOARD AND THE SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
UM, CHAIR LEWIS FOR YOUR AWARD TONIGHT.
UM, I HAD JUST A COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO TOUCH ON.
JUST WANTED TO RECAP OUR IT'S MY PARK DAY, THAT WAS ON MARCH 5TH.
IF THIS WAS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST IT'S MY PARK DAYS, UM, TO DATE, SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR TWICE YEARLY, UM, CITYWIDE VOLUNTEER DAY, WHERE WE HAVE LITERALLY THOUSANDS, ALMOST 3000 THIS YEAR, VOLUNTEERS ACROSS ALL OF OUR PARKS, BIG AND SMALL DOING ALL SORTS OF COMMUNITY INITIATED PROJECTS THAT ARE OF COURSE APPROVED, APPROVED BY CARD.
UM, WE HAD 95 TOTAL PROJECTS THIS YEAR, AS I SAID, ALMOST 3000 VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAD 772 BIG YARDS OF MULCH THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED AMONG OUR TREES, WHICH ARE OF COURSE, AS Y'ALL KNOW, SO IMPORTANT TO US IN OUR HOT CLIMATE.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS WHAT 770 YARDS OF MULCH MEANS, OR HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU CONCEPTUALIZE THAT? AND IT'S ABOUT IT'S, IT'S ALMOST 4,000 BATHTUBS OF MULCH.
SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE AMOUNT OF MULCH IN TERMS OF, UH,
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TRASH THAT WE PICKED UP.WE HAD ABOUT 2000 BATHTUB OF TRASH AND THE LABOR VALUE IF WE WERE TO HAVE PAID EVERYONE RATHER THAN USE THEIR VOLUNTEER SERVICE, UM, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS, UM, TO PAY ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE LABOR, UM, COSTS IT OUT ROUGHLY.
UH, SO ANYWAYS, I JUST WANTED TO, TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL ABOUT, UH, THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO, YOU KNOW, WITH COVID WANING TO BE OUT THERE, BACK UP IN THE HIGH NUMBERS, UM, HELPING OUR PARKS ALL AROUND THE CITY AND, UM, THE, UH, TWO OTHER THINGS I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE WITH THE TRAIN.
SOME OF Y'ALL MAY HAVE HEARD THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE TRAIN OR FRIENDS OF YOU HAVE SAID, UM, THEY'VE SEEN THE TRAIN.
YES, THE TRAIN IS AT BILKER PARK AND WE'RE CURRENTLY TESTING IT.
UM, SO WE HOPE TO HAVE MORE UPDATES SOON.
WE NEED A LOAD TEST AND ALL THAT.
AND THEN LASTLY, JUST A COMMENT REGARDING THE LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE, WE ARE SHARING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LIFEGUARD, UH, JOBS ON OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS.
AND I WAS ALSO JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S BEEN A SHORTAGE IN OTHER CITIES AND IF THAT'S AT ALL RELATED TO JUST GENERATION AND TEENAGERS, THESE DAYS NOT WANTING TO BE AWAY FROM THEIR PHONES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE SUPPORT THE, THE, UM, INCREASED PAY IN, IN LIFEGUARDS AND AT THE SAME TIME, JUST CURIOUS IF ANYBODY HAS LOOKED INTO OTHER CITIES ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ACROSS OUR STATE OR NATION, ALSO TRYING TO RECRUIT TEENAGERS WHEN THEY CAN NOT BE, UM, NEAR THEIR PHONES.
SO ANYWAYS, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
THAT, IS IT CHAIR POINT OF ORDER? YES.
I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU MENTIONED THAT ITEM B SEVEN IS NOT GOING TO BE COVERED TONIGHT.
COULD WE GET AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT? WE DON'T HAVE A PRESENTER OR A PRESENTATION.
IT'S A CONTINUATION OF OUR MEETING FROM LAST MONTH WHEN WE RAN OUT OF TIME AND THE STAFF PRESENTED, AND I BELIEVE THE DIRECTOR STATED THAT SHE FELT SEVERAL OF THE QUESTIONS WERE APPROPRIATE FOR THE CONSULTANT.
AND SO THEY WOULD COME TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT COMING.
I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF MIX-UP.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY TO ADDRESS OUR QUESTION.
CAN IT BE RESET FOR NEXT MONTH? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND ACTUALLY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO, UM, APPROVAL
[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF THE MINUTES.UM, KIMBERLY MCNEALY SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR, WHEN YOU COME TO SEVEN AND YOU WENT TO A FORMERLY POSTPONE IT, IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THAT YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE THE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE PREPARED TO TAKE THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONVERSATION NEXT TIME IT COVERS EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY COVER SO THAT THIS ITEM MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE BOARD.
SO JUST LIKE, UM, MR. GENTLE SAID YOU DESERVE, UH, INFORMATION AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT TO YOU.
SO IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL DIRECTION, WE'D BE HAPPY TO RECEIVE THAT.
SO LET'S, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO ALL THAT, LET'S GO TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
THERE IS ONE ERROR IN THE MINUTES, AND IF YOU WANT TO JUST LOOK AT THEM REAL QUICK, IT'S ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHERE IN THE ORIGINAL MINUTES IT SAYS THAT THERE WAS A VOTE ON THAT.
THERE WAS NOT A MO THERE WAS NOT A VOTE.
THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN AT THAT TIME.
UM, WE DISCUSSED THE ITEM, BUT THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN SO THAT WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE THAT AS A MODIFICATION TO THE MINUTES.
SO UNLESS THERE IS, DOES SOMEBODY HAVE ANY OTHER CHANGE OR MODIFICATION I'VE MOVED TO ADOPT THE FEBRUARY 22ND, 2022 MINUTES AS AMENDED THE CHAIR'S COMMENTS? COULD I GET A SECOND PLACE SECOND AND FIGHT FOR MEMBER MORE ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO AS FAR AS THE AGENDA TODAY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, BECAUSE AS WE, EXCUSE ME PREVIOUSLY SAID, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE THAT WE DO PULL ITEM
[B.7. Presentation and discussion related to the community engagement and outreach efforts for Zilker metropolitan Park Vision Plan. (PARD Long Range Strategies – Urban Public Spaces, Operational Efficiency, Park Access for All; SD23 Outcomes – Health and Environment, Government that Works for All). Presenter(s): Gregory Montes, Program Manager and Justin Schneider, Community Engagement Specialist, Parks and Recreation Department.]
NUMBER.PULL THAT SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE THE SPEAKER AND THE PRESENTATION WITH THE INTENT TO HAVE IT ON THE, UM,
[00:35:02]
AGENDA FOR THE APRIL MEETING.SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO DO THAT.
CAN I GET A SECOND, PLEASE? I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND.
CAN I SPEAK ON THE MOTION? OH YES, OF COURSE.
WELL, I THINK IT'S THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO GIVE COMMENTS.
SO IF YOU'RE REALLY ASKING FOR OUR DIRECTION, I THINK FIRST OFF THE PAST, I BELIEVE THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA IN FEBRUARY.
IT WAS ON THE AGENDA AND MARCH.
SO I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ITEM THAT ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS NEED TIME TO GIVE INPUT ON IN.
SO IF IT COULD BE SET ON THE AGENDA EARLY AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA, SO THAT THERE'S SUFFICIENT TIME FOR DISCUSSION, UM, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT I HEARD AT THE LAST MEETING WAS THAT A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS ARE REALLY QUESTIONS FOR THE CONSULTANTS, NOT FOR STAFF.
SO IF THERE'S SOME DISTINCTION AS TO WHO HAS THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED, LET'S IF POSSIBLE, GET AS MANY STAFF AND CONSULTANTS THAT HAVE THAT INFORMATION HERE TO ANSWER THESE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATING TO, UM, THAT ITEM? NO CHAIR, NO BOARD MEMBERS.
SO A BOARD MEMBER OF FAUST, I WROTE THEM DOWN.
THE ANSWER IS YES, WE RECORDED YOUR DIRECTION AND OBVIOUSLY RECORDED.
SO WE WILL, WE WILL MAKE SURE WE DO THOSE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE REMINDED US OF.
AND I WOULD JUST ADD, LIKE, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL SPEAKERS SIGN UP ON THIS ITEM, BUT WHEN IT'S LAST AT THE MEETING, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO STAY THAT LATE.
SO IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE IT AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA SO WE CAN GET ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK, ABLE TO THANK YOU EXACTLY.
AND THEN WE TEND TO RUN AT A TIME AND PEOPLE, UM, HAVE TO RUSH THEIR COMMENTS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE IF SOMEBODY THINKS OF SOMETHING BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THAT THEY'D LIKE TO ADD TO GO AHEAD AND REACH OUT TO THE DIRECTOR TO LET HER KNOW.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND, UM, ASK FOR A BOAT SINCE WE MOVED AND WE HAD A SECOND, SO ALL IN FAVOR OF, UM, PULLING THAT ITEM.
THERE'S TWO OTHER ITEMS THAT I DO WANT TO ADDRESS ON THE AGENDA.
AND ONE IS THE FIRST ITEM, WHICH
[B.1. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to City Council for approval of Permanent Use and Temporary Use (not to exceed 60 days) of parkland located at Govalle Neighborhood Park and Southern Walnut Creek Trail (5200 Bolm Road). Total mitigation fee is $67,818. (SD23 Strategies – Government that Works for All; Council District(s) - 3). Presenter(s): Karl McArthur, Supervising Engineer, Watershed Protection Department.]
IS ITEM NUMBER ONE UNDER NEW BUSINESS.AND THIS WAS THE CHAPTER 26 DISCUSSION RELATED TO GO VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND SOUTHERN WALNUT CREEK.
UM, I HAD A REQUEST FROM BOARD MEMBER, UM, MORE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THAT GO VALLEY COMMUNITY WERE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS AND GETTING MORE INPUT AND INFORMATION.
AND THEY'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BEFORE IT CAME TO PARKS BOARD FOR A VOTE.
AND SO I DID REACH OUT TO STAFF AND WAS TOLD THAT WE COULD DELAY THIS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY SENSE OF URGENCY ON THE SCHEDULE, BUT I DO BEFORE WE VOTE ON THAT ONE, I KNOW THAT I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE GREG MONTES AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM WATERSHED HERE THAT MAYBE COULD, UM, JUST ADDRESS THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO TO KNOW IF WE DO DECIDE TO MOVE THEM, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE GO VALLEY COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THEY CERTAINLY DESERVE TO, UM, IT'S THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S THEIR PARK.
AND THEY CERTAINLY DESERVE TO, TO BE ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME RESEARCHING IT AND GETTING SOME INPUT.
SO IF SO, IF WE COULD HAVE THOSE TWO PEOPLE, JUST LET US GIVE US ANY KIND OF, UM, PERSPECTIVE ON IF THERE WOULD BE AN IMPACT ON US MOVING THAT TO A LATER DATE.
EVEN IN BOARD MEMBERS, GREAT MONSTERS WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I'M ALSO JOINED BY CARL MCARTHUR, WHO'S SUPERVISING ENGINEER WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
UM, HE IS ACTING AS THE, UH, LEAD, UH, REQUESTER IN CITY DEPARTMENT SPONSOR FOR THIS REQUEST.
UM, I KNOW THAT HE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH, UH, THE APPLICANT THAT HAS REQUESTED THIS.
SO CARL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED, LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT, A QUESTION THAT THE CHAIR ASKED, UM, AS FAR AS THE TIMELINESS OF THE ISSUE, I KNOW
[00:40:01]
THE APPLICANT IS DEFINITELY WANTING TO HAVE IT HEARD TODAY, UM, AND IS CONCERNED THAT IT, IT NOT DELAY THE FINAL APPROVAL OF THEIR SITE PLAN.UM, I KNOW THEY RECENTLY SUBMITTED AN UPDATE ON THEIR SITE PLAN.
COMMENTS WERE DUE FROM ALL THE VARIOUS REVIEWERS BELIEVE LAST WEEK ON THAT SUBMITTAL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH FURTHER THEY HAVE TO GO IN THERE IN THEIR PROCESS TO GET A SITE PLAN.
UM, BUT IF THIS GETS PUSHED TOO FAR AND DELAYS COUNCIL THAT WILL CERTAINLY BEGIN TO IMPACT THEM FAR, WHAT KIND OF WINDOW ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I AM NOT CERTAIN TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME INPUT FROM THE, FROM THE DEVELOPER.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A
IF YES, SIR, IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW WHAT KIND OF IMPACT MADAM CHAIR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS DAVE ANDERSON AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING, UH, THE FLATS ON SHADY.
UM, THERE ARE SPECIFIC, UM, REASONS WE WERE HOPING TO BE HEARD TONIGHT THAT HAVE TO DO WITH FUNDING AND FINANCING OF THE HOUSING PROJECT.
AND I COULD ASK MR. BUCHANAN, NO, IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE ME JUST YOUR OVERVIEW.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SITE FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
WE HAD VERY ROBUST CONVERSATION WITH THE GO VALLEY, UM, UH, COMMUNITY DURING THE ZONING PROCESS, THAT ZONING PROCESS LASTED 12, 14 MONTHS, 18 MONTHS.
UM, AND SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH BOTH MR. MACARTHUR AND WATERSHED STAFF AND MR. MONTEZ AND PARK STAFF ON DEVELOPING A SOLUTION TO THIS THAT WOULD KEEP, UM, THAT WOULD SOLVE THE STORMWATER ISSUES THAT WOULD BE MINIMAL IMPACT TO PARKLAND.
AND I APPRECIATE THIS, BUT WHAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO GET TO IS THE IMPACT OF THE TIME.
IF WE WAIT UNTIL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THE BOTTOM LINE OF A POTENTIAL PROJECT.
SORRY, I WAS JUST GOING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.
I, I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO COME UP, BUT THANK YOU.
UM, W W HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE, OF THE PROJECT FINANCING FROM THE HOUSING AND, AND WITHIN ONE MONTH, IT'S GOING TO COST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR HUD FINANCING, WE WOULD COME OUT OF THE QUEUE, HAVE TO GO BACK INTO THE QUEUE REAPPLY AND, UM, AND THAT WOULD COST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
AND KEITH CAN TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFICS, THE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
WE ARE IN LINE CURRENTLY FOR HUD FINANCING.
WE WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF LINE AND GO BACK IN.
ARE WE ASKING QUESTIONS OR YES, WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HEAR, I WANTED TO HEAR FROM GREG MONTES AND THEN ASK THE QUESTIONS AND THEN WE WILL ASK YOU TO COME BACK UP.
UM, MR. MONTES, GREG, COULD YOU ADDRESS THE ISSUE FROM THE PARK STAFF? UM, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH THE SESSION.
COULD YOU PLEASE ADDRESS THE ISSUE FROM A PARK STAFF AS FAR AS THE DELAY, WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE FROM A PARK STAFF PERSPECTIVE? MADAM CHAIR, THIS IS A REQUEST FROM WATERSHED PROTECTION.
SO FROM A PARTS STANDPOINT FROM OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, WE ARE SIMPLY ADMINISTERING AND ASSISTING WATERSHIP PROTECTION THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF CHAPTER 26, WHICH STARTS HERE TONIGHT WITH PARKS, BOARD RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL.
SO IT'S, IT, IT, UM, THE SCHEDULE DOESN'T IMPACT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT NECESSARILY, BUT, UH, WORKING WITH WATERSHED AND, UH, MR. MR. ANDERSON'S, UH, CLIENT, IT, IT PROBABLY IMPACTED THEM MORE AS HE STATED, BUT FROM A STANDPOINT FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE ARE SIMPLY ASSISTING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ASPECT OF CHAPTER 26.
SO I'M GOING TO OPEN THIS UP FOR QUESTIONS.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, I LIKE TO SEE THE PRESENTATION AND, YOU KNOW, JERRY, IF THAT IS AN OPTION, I MEAN, EVERYBODY'S HERE AND WE'RE GONNA ASK STAFF TO THEM TO COME BACK AGAIN.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE TONIGHT.
IF, IF THE, IF THIS BODY DOESN'T FEEL THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE A VOTE, IT'S POSTED FOR POSSIBLE ACTION,
[00:45:01]
BUT MINIMALLY YOU'LL GET INFORMATION OUT THERE INTO THE COMMUNITY.AND, YOU KNOW, ON MAXIMALLY WE GET HOUSING BUILT QUICKER.
I MEAN, SO, BUT THAT'S THAT'S FOR WHAT COMES OUT OF THIS PROCESS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? WE REMEMBER MORE.
DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? YEAH.
UM, I MEAN, I GUESS JUST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UH, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT TEAM THAT I SPOKE WITH SPOKE WITH TWO DIFFERENT MEMBERS THERE, AND THIS WAS A NEW PROJECT TO THEM.
UH, THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE OVERALL FLATS ON SHADY DEVELOPMENT, BUT NOT THIS SPECIFIC ASPECT OF IT.
UM, ONE OF THEM HAD RESERVATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAD THAT DESCRIBED BAD EXPERIENCES WITH OTHER, ANOTHER TYPE OF RETENTION, DETENTION TYPE CONTROL PROJECT THAT OCCURRED IN THEIR AREA SOME TIME AGO.
UM, AND I CONTACTED MY COUNCILMAN'S OFFICE TODAY, EMAIL AND PHONE, AND UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T HEAR BACK.
SO UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF INFORMATION I HAVE TO GO ON THIS.
UM, WELL REMEMBER, FAST, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? DO YOU WANT IT TO ASK SOMEBODY? OH, OKAY.
EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE VOTE.
I ASSUME SOMEBODY THERE WILL PULL UP THE PRESENTATION FOR ME.
THE AB TEMPERATURE AND FIGURE OUT WHICH WOULD BE ONE WE'RE BRINGING UP.
IT'D BE ONE, THREE IS WHAT I HEAR THAT.
SO I'M GONNA GO FOR, WILL THIS BE THE PDF VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION, CURIOUS PEERS THAT WAY? YES.
AGAIN, I'M CARL MCARTHUR WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
UM, TALK BRIEFLY IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES, HOW I GOT INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, BUT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT USE OF PARKLAND VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND ASSOCIATION WITH FLATS ON SHADY MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I SHOULD'VE MENTIONED THAT THIS IS THE BOGGY CREEK WATERSHED, BASICALLY.
UH, SO THE FLATS ON SHADY, APPROXIMATELY 9.73 ACRE MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THIS IS AIRPORT BOULEVARD OVER ON THE LEFT SHADY LANE KIND OF GOES DIAGONALLY UP TO THE RAILROAD TRACK AND THAT'S BOGGY CREEK THAT RUNS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ACROSS THE SCREEN.
THERE IT'S IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND THE PORTION OF THE SOUTHERN WALNUT CREEK TRAIL.
UH, THE EXISTING SITE DRAINS PRETTY MUCH DIRECTLY TO BOGGY CREEK CROSS PARKLAND.
THE PROPOSED SITE IS PROPOSED TO DO THE SAME, UH, THE SITES LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, GO TO THE NEXT.
SO HOW I INITIALLY GOT INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT, UH, ONCE THEY CAME TO WATERSHED PROTECTION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE REGIONAL STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND THAT PROVIDES AN OPTION THROUGH PAYMENTS TO DETENTION ON SITE AND GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE SITE WITHIN THE OVERALL BOGGY CREEK WATERSHED, IT'S A FAIRLY LOGICAL PLACE FOR OUR S AND P PARTICIPATION.
UM, THAT PARTICIPATION IS STILL IN REVIEW ALONG WITH THE SITE PLAN.
UH, BUT WE EXPECT THAT IT WILL ULTIMATELY BE APPROVED.
UM, LIKE I SAID, GIVEN THE LOCATION WITHIN THE WATERSHED AND THE TIMING OF HOW THINGS WORK, ALLOWING THEM TO DRAIN THEIR WATER OUT WITHOUT DETENTION ONSITE, UM, GETS IT OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE THE PEAK FROM THE BIGGER PART OF THE WATERSHED ARRIVES, AND THEY STILL HAVE TO DO WATER QUALITY AND THEIR TWO-YEAR DETENTION FOR EROSION CONTROL.
UH, THIS IS THE SITE PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
THE PART THAT WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON IS HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, OVER THERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
IT'S THE STORM DRAIN OUTFALL THAT COMES FROM THE WATER QUALITY POND ON THE PROPOSED SITE AND DRAINS THE ENTIRE SITE INTO BOGGY CREEK.
UM, THE STORM RIGHT OUT FALL, IT WILL CONSIST OF APPROXIMATELY 156 FEET OF 60 INCH
[00:50:01]
STORM DRAIN PIPE WITHIN PARKLAND.UM, LET'S SEE THE ALIGNMENT THERE.
IT GOES UNDER THE TRAIL AND OUTFALLS INTO THE BANK OF BOGGY CREEK DEVELOPERS COORDINATED WITH THE, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS BECAUSE THE BOGGY CREEK, UM, FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT OVER THERE WAS A CORPS OF ENGINEER PROJECT.
SO THAT COORDINATION HAS BEEN DONE.
UM, AND THIS WOULD PROVIDE THE ENTIRE DRAINAGE FOR THE WHOLE PROPOSED SITE LIST.
THE SCHEDULE HERE, AND DAVE MAY HAVE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THAT, BUT BASED ON WHEN WE PUT THIS TOGETHER BEST CASE, UM, THE DISRUPTION OF PARKLAND TO CONSTRUCT IT SHOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS, UH, WHEN THAT OCCURS DEPENDS ON WHEN THEY GET THROUGH THE, THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, THAT GIVES THE BEST AND WORST CASE THERE ON THE SLIDE EASEMENT REQUESTS.
AND I'LL HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE THAT, UH, WILL HIGHLIGHT THE EASEMENTS MORE EFFECTIVELY, BUT FOR TEMPORARY USE FORTY SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE SQUARE FEET FOR PERMANENT USE, UH, 62 0 5 SQUARE FEET.
AND THAT WOULD BE A DECLARATION OF USE WITHIN THE PARKLAND, UH, FOR ANY MAINTENANCE OF THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM THAT MIGHT HAVE TO OCCUR.
SO IN ARRIVING AT THAT, UM, THAT FINAL SOLUTION FOR DRAINAGE OF THE SITE, WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF OPTIONS.
UM, FIRST OFF, TRYING TO DRAIN THE SITE AGAINST GRADE TO THE NORTH WEST INTO SHADY LANE, UM, WAS KIND OF A NON-STARTER NON VIABLE OPTION.
IT WOULD BE REQUIRED PUMPING ON SITE, THE STORM DRAIN AND SHADY LANE THAT TAKES THE DRAINAGE TO TRIBUTARY.
ONE BOGGY CREEK DOESN'T HAVE SUFFICIENT CAPACITY TO TAKE THE DRAINAGE FROM THE SITE.
UH, WE'D BE PUTTING ADDITIONAL FLOWS INTO AN ALREADY PROBLEMATIC REACH, UH, BOGGY CREEK TRIBUTARY ONE.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE AGAINST WHERE THE SITE NATURALLY DRAINS.
THE SECOND OPTION THEY LOOK, WE LOOKED AT WAS TO DRAIN IT ACROSS INTO TRIBUTARY.
ONE, TO AVOID PUNCHING A HOLE IN THE BOGGY CREEK FLOOD CONTROL CHANNEL.
THAT'S A LONGER PATH, MORE TREES IMPACTED MORE PARKLAND IMPACTS.
UM, ANOTHER OPTION, UM, WOULD BE TO DETAIN ALL THE FLOW FROM THE SITE ONSITE, UM, AND THEN RELEASE IT.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO RELEASE IT A SHEET FLOW THAT SHEET FLOW WOULD PASS THROUGH THE PARK ON ITS WAY TO BOGGY CREEK, AND THAT WE ALL DEEMED TO BE A MUCH LESS DESIRABLE RESULT, CAUSE IT WOULD BE MORE FLOW OR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
THE PEAK FLOW WOULDN'T CHANGE, BUT THERE WOULD BE MORE FLOW COMING THROUGH PARKLAND, OVERLAND OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, IF THEY HAVE TO DRAIN THE SITE THAT WAY.
AND THEN THE FINAL OPTION THAT I SHOWED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDES, NUMBER FOUR, THAT'S THE SMALL ARROW DOWN THERE AND THAT'S THE MOST DIRECT PATH TO DRAIN THE SITE TO BOGGY CREEK NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION, OUR FIELD OPERATIONS CREWS THAT ULTIMATELY MAY HAVE TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE PUBLIC PART OF THE SITE WITH THE DEVELOPER, UH, TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO BUILD A SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE PRIOR AS LITTLE MAINTENANCE AS POSSIBLE.
UH, SO IN THEIR DESIGN, THEY'VE CONSIDERED A LOT OF FEATURES TO AVOID ROOT INTRUSION IN THE PROPOSED PIPES, UH, TO KEEP THAT PIPE AS PROTECTED AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S GASKET AND WRAP PIPE JOINTS THAT HELPS KEEP THE ROOTS FROM GROWING INTO THE PIPE.
UM, BASICALLY A LOW STRENGTH, CONCRETE BEDDING MATERIAL AROUND THE PIPE ONCE THEY PUT IT IN PLACE AND ALSO HELP KEEP HELPS, KEEP THINGS OUT OF THE PIPE HELPS KEEP IT IN PLACE.
UH, THERE'LL BE AN ACCESS MANUAL MANHOLE ON THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN THE SECOND MANHOLE IN PARKLAND.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT MAINTENANCE IN MORE DETAIL, BUT THE GOAL WOULD BE TO DO ANY REQUIRED MAINTENANCE OF THIS SYSTEM.
UM, ANYTHING ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY IS NATURALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, BUT IF SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE PUBLIC PART OF THE PIPE, UH, GENERALLY THAT WOULD BE CLEARING THE PIPE OUT.
IF SOMEHOW IT CLOGS THE FIRST ROUTE WOULD BE ACCESSING IT THROUGH THE SITE.
THROUGH THAT ACCESS MANHOLE SECOND OPTION WOULD BE ACCESSING IT FROM BOGGY CREEK ITSELF.
AND WE WOULD EXPLORE OBVIOUSLY BOTH OF THOSE OPTIONS BEFORE AND YOU NEED TO GET ON PARKLAND.
SO NEXT SLIDE, AND THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT THE READ THE TEMPORARY, UM, DECLARATION OF USE EASEMENTS AND THEN THE
[00:55:01]
YELLOW, PERMANENT, UM, DECLARATION OF USE, IF WATERSHED DID, ULTIMATELY THEY NEED TO GO IN AND DO SOME MAINTENANCE ON THAT PIPE.THAT'S THE EASEMENT THAT WOULD, WE WOULD NEED FOR THAT.
UM, THEY EVALUATED DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION METHODS, UM, LOOKED AT BORING TO TRY TO KEEP THE TRAIL IN SERVICE AND HAS A MUCH HIGHER COSTS, UM, SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES DUE TO THAT FAIRLY LARGE PIPE, 60 INCH DIAMETER.
AND THERE'D BE ADDITIONAL IMPACTS IN PARKLAND FROM THE BORE PITS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
AND THE TRAIL WOULD LIKELY TO BE, NEED TO BE CLOSED FOR THE ENTIRETY.
IF IT WAS BOARD WITH THE OPEN CUT, THEIR PLAN IS TO REROUTE THE TRAIL TO THE RIGHT SIDE THERE, UM, ROUTED AROUND SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE ON WHILE THE TRAIL IS BEING CONSTRUCTED.
THEN BACK TO THE MAINTENANCE ACCESS CONTROL CONSIDERATIONS THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE LOOKED AT ALL THE OPTIONS WE COULD THINK OF TO GET TO THIS SITE TO AVOID HAVING TO DO MAINTENANCE ON PARKLAND.
UM, THE CONSTRUCTION MEANS, AND METHODS IS ONE WAY TO MINIMIZE THE CHANCE THAT WE WILL EVER HAVE TO DO THAT.
UH, THE OTHER WAY WAS FIGURING OUT WAYS TO GET TO THE SITE WITHOUT GOING ACROSS PARKLAND.
UM, WE LOOKED AT ACCESS THROUGH THE PARK, UH, THROUGH THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF VALLEY PARK, WHICH IS THAT NUMBER ONE, UM, ON THE WALNUT CREEK TRAIL, THERE'S A, CUL-DE-SAC AT THE END OF THE STREETS OVER THERE, THERE'S A BRIDGE ACROSS TRIBUTARY ONE THAT WOULD PREVENT ACCESS THROUGH THAT ROUTE.
UM, LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF CONSTRUCTING A NEW TRAIL, UM, WITH THE BRIDGE OVER TRIBUTARY ONE, UM, JUST OFF OF JANE LANE.
AND I THINK HARVARD HAS EVALUATED THE POTENTIAL FOR TRAIL THERE, BUT THAT, THAT ONE WASN'T GOING TO WORK EITHER.
UM, SO THE MEANS OF THAT PRIMARY MEANS OF ACCESS THAT WE ARRIVED ON WOULD BE THROUGH THE SITE, AS I MENTIONED, AND THERE'LL BE DEDICATING AN ACCESS EASEMENT FOR THAT PURPOSE.
AND THEN THERE'S ACCESS POINTS INTO BOGGY CREEK, UH, FROM WHICH WATERSHED CAN GET THEIR EQUIPMENT TO THE PIPES, TO CLEAN THEM OUT IF NECESSARY, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THAT'S A RED LINES ALONG THERE, SHOW THE ACCESS EASEMENT THROUGH THE PROPERTY.
AND LIKE I SAID, IF THERE'S SOMETHING, AN ISSUE ON THE PROPERTY, IT WOULD BE THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN IT.
IF, UH, IF WATERSHED HAS WATERSHED FIELD OPERATIONS HAS TO STEP IN AND DO SOMETHING, WE WOULD ACCESS FIRST THROUGH THE PROPERTY TO THAT ACCESS MANHOLE AND TRY TO DO ALL THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO THROUGH THAT WITHOUT ANY IMPACT TO PARKLAND.
UM, SO ULTIMATELY THE REQUESTS FOR COMMUNITY ACTION IS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO APPROVE THIS TOTAL MITIGATION AMOUNT SHOWN THERE FOR THE PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY WORKING SPACE.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY IT NEXT SLIDE.
SO CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MYSELF AND FOR DAVE ANDERSON, WHO SPOKE TO YOU EARLIER, THAT'S IT FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH AND SEE, UM, WHAT COMMENTS PEOPLE HAVE OR QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL UM, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
SO I'LL START WITH THE BOARD MEMBER RINALDI.
SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THIS.
IT BASICALLY SOUNDS LIKE IT'S, IT'S A PIPE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN.
UM, AND THEN THE PERMANENT EASEMENT IS TO WATERSHED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO MAINTAIN IT, UM, IN CASE SOMETHING GOES WRONG.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
IS IT GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT ABOVE THE GROUND? HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE PARK USE? THERE THERE'LL BE AN ADDITIONAL MANHOLE IN THE PARKLAND.
THAT WILL BE BASICALLY THE ONLY THING YOU CAN SEE AT THE TALL UNDERGROUND.
IT'LL BE RESTORED ESSENTIALLY BACK TO WHAT IT IS NOW.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, THIS SOUNDS REASONABLE TO ME.
UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING EVERYONE ELSE'S COMMENTS, BUT I THINK THAT IF IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT GOING TO AFFECT
[01:00:01]
THE WAY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO USE THE PARK, UM, I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO HAVE AN EASEMENT SO THAT WATERSHED CAN GO IN AND MAINTAIN THAT.THANK YOU FOR MEMBER COTTON SEIBEL.
UM, I WAS AT MY QUESTION WAS ALONG THE SAME LINES ABOUT WHAT THE MANHOLE AND YOU TALKED ABOUT AN EASEMENT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? HE TALKED ABOUT AN EASEMENT.
I'M WONDERING WHAT SORT OF EASEMENT IS IMPACTING THAT AREA.
SO SINCE IT'S PARKLAND, IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY EASY MINUTES, A DECLARATION OF USE, UM, WHICH IS THE VEHICLE FOR SUCH THINGS ON CITY PROPERTY, BUT THAT WOULD GIVE WATERSHED ACCESS TO GO INTO THAT EASEMENT.
IN CASE WE DID NEED TO GO IN AND DO SOMETHING STRUCTURAL TO THE PIPE, WHICH YOU'RE NOT ADDING A ROAD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT THEY MIGHT DRIVE ACROSS THE GRASS AND THE PARKLAND TO FIX THE MANHOLE.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO, LIKE I SAID, IN THE PRESENTATION, WE'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO MAKE SURE WE WON'T EVER HAVE TO GO IN THERE AND DO STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE ON IT.
BUT IF THEY HAD TO DO STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE, THEY WOULD DO IT WITHIN THAT EASEMENT.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO ACCESS THROUGH PARKLAND AT THAT POINT, BUT OKAY.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY UNITS, HOW MANY UNITS ARE IN THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT I DO NOT KNOW.
DEFER TO DAVE REMEMBER DAVE ANDERSON AGAIN, REPRESENTING APPLICANT 290 UNITS.
AND I ASSUME FROM WATERSHEDS PER SE, NO THANK YOU.
UH, FROM WATERSHEDS PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS ALL PROPERLY FILTERED AND I ASSUME THAT AS ALL RIGHT, THIS IS THE BEST, THE BEST OPTION.
IT'S I THINK ULTIMATELY FOR PARKLAND, IT'S THE BEST OPTION.
THE, THE SHEET FLOW OPTION FROM A DETENTION ON THE SITE IS, WOULD NOT BE ATTRACTIVE TO PARKS.
CAN I JUST ASK ANNE AND GREG, ARE YOU IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT? I AM, UH, WE, WE S WE HAVE HAD MANY MEETINGS WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION, UM, FOR IF NOT A YEAR ALREADY.
I'M TRYING TO, TO LOOK AT MINIMIZING HARM TO PARKLAND FROM THIS PROJECT.
AND, UM, AFTER MEETING WITH KARO AND HIS TEAM OF ENGINEERS THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, UH, THE METHOD THAT'S, UH, OR THE PROPOSAL THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS THE ONE THAT MY PERSPECTIVE IMPACTED THE PARK, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF, YOU KNOW, I DID THE LEAST AMOUNT OF HARM AND DISTURBANCE.
CAN YOU GO TO SLIDE NINE IN CARL'S PRESENTATION? JUST PULL UP THAT MAP PLEASE.
SO I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY BEEN TO THIS SITE, SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET ORIENTED AND I THINK THE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE UNDERSTANDING THE BLUE MARK ON THE SOUTH EAST SIDE IS WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE THIS STORM WATER CONVEYANCE WOULD GO, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
AND THERE'S IN THIS AREA, UM, TO THE NORTHEAST OF THAT THAT'S GREEN AND HAS A NUMBER THREE ON IT.
THAT IS, UM, PARKLAND ALSO GREEN NUMBER THREE.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE.
HAS THE NUMBERS ON IT? IT LOOKS REALLY SIMILAR.
CAN YOU SEE IT WITH THE, OKAY, SO WHERE THAT RED NUMBER THREE IS, IS THAT ALSO PARKLAND? THAT IS OKAY.
SO, AND IS THERE, UM, A TRAIL THAT CONNECTS SORT OF THE LARGER PARK BEHIND THIS PROJECT OVER TO THAT AREA WITH THE THREE ON IT? THERE'S A TRAIL THAT RUNS ALONG BOGGY CREEK.
IT'S THE SOUTH WALNUT CREEK TRAIL, AND IT CONTINUES TO FOLLOW BOGGY CREEK TO THE EAST.
[01:05:01]
IT DOESN'T GO THROUGH THAT PIECE OF PARKLAND UP TOWARD JANE LANE.SO, UM, BUT IT DOES A LOT IF YOU WANTED TO ACCESS THAT AREA.
AND IF THAT AREA WAS EVER, COULD BE SOMEHOW MADE AS MORE ACTIVE PARKLAND, THE TRAIL WOULD STILL BE ACCESSIBLE.
NOTHING, NOTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD IMPACT ACCESSIBILITY.
SO, AND THE, AND THE APPRAISAL FORM DOES FAMILIAR THAT WE GOT DOES REFER TO AS AN EASEMENT.
AND THERE'S NO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO LIKE SURFACE RESTRICTIONS ON THIS EASEMENT THAT WOULD EVER, UM, PREVENT BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THAT LARGER PARK AREA.
I WOULD, WE WE'D LIKE ANYTHING OVER THE EASEMENT TO BE LIMITED TO FLATWORK.
SO TRAIL CONCRETE TRAIL, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD WANT TO A BUILDING ON TOP OF THE PIPE, BUT FLAT WORK WOULD BE FINE.
I MEAN, THE ONLY MY CONCERN WITH THE APPRAISAL THAT IS THAT IT'S JUST THIS, THIS LITTLE STRIP, WHICH IT SHOULD BE, BUT WHERE THIS IS LOCATED, I KNOW WITH OTHER PARKS AND PLANNING, WE FIND DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE COMMUNITY IS BUILT OUT AND THEY WANT MORE PARKS FACILITIES, SOMETIMES THERE'S, UM, PREVIOUS UTILITY EASEMENT, STORMWATER EASEMENTS, OTHER KINDS OF THINGS GOING ON UNDERGROUND THAT PREVENT US FROM USING SOME OF THE PARKLAND.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WITH THIS APPRAISAL, FOR JUST THIS SMALL AREA THAT WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ANY FUTURE IMPACTS AND ACCESS TO THAT LARGER TRACT, THAT SEEMS TO BE UNDEVELOPED IN PARKLAND THAT MAY IN FACT, ONE DAY BE, UM, YOU BE WANTING TO BE USED BY THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WANNA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT FEEL LIKE THIS WON'T CAUSE ANY FUTURE RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF THE UNDEVELOPED PARKLAND.
I, I DON'T THINK AS FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PERSPECTIVE AND THE REST OF THE UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY, YOU'RE REFERRING TO BOARD MEMBER THAT WAS LABELED NUMBER THREE, UM, THAT IS UNPROGRAMMED PARKLAND RIGHT NOW IN THE FUTURE.
IF THERE ARE PLANS TO ACTIVATE THAT SPACE, THIS EASEMENT SHOULDN'T, UH, HINDER OR, UM, HOLD BACK ANY, ANY, UH, ABILITY OF OUR DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP THAT AREA AT ALL.
THIS IS A VERY SMALL, UH, CORNER OF THAT PARK.
UM, IN, AS CARL MENTIONED, WE ONLY HAVE THAT, UH, CURRENT, UH, SOUTHERN WALNUT CREEK TRAIL THERE RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WAS WONDERING, UM, HOW MUCH LAND EXACTLY IS INVOLVED IN THE EASEMENT.
LIKE WHAT SIZE THE LAND IS? UH, LET'S SEE, THAT WAS ON SLIDE 360 400 SQUARE FEET.
THE MOU ALSO HAS THAT LISTED OUT.
UM, TAYLOR, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE.
UM, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ACTUALLY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH.
DID I SEE IT WAS 60 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT? IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? YES.
THAT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM, FROM THE DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPERS ENGINEERS? YES.
UM, COUPLE APPRECIATE BOARD MEMBER OF FALSES QUESTIONS REGARDING RESTRICTION.
THAT PROVIDED SOME GOOD INFORMATION AND ALSO APPRECIATE THE THOROUGH DECISION TREE THAT YOU ALL HAD PRESENTED ON, ON TO COMING TO WHERE YOU'RE AT IN YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
I IMAGINED ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WATER AND WASTEWATER ON, I GUESS THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE, SO WHY HAVE A COUPLE, DID YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF FIRST ONE? IS THERE ANY HERITAGE TREES IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT? AND I SEE MR. ANDERSON SHAKING HIS HEAD.
CAN I GET A VERIFICATION FROM STAFF? YES.
THAT'S PART OF WHY IT'S LOCATED WHERE IT IS.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS,
[01:10:01]
IS THERE ANY, I SEE THE MITIGATION CALCULATION FOR THE WORKSHEET PROVIDED ON THE CHAPTER 26, IS THERE ANY MITIGATION FUNDING NEEDED FOR THE RESTORATION OF OUR, OF THE RECONNECTION OF THE TRAIL OR THE MOVING OF THAT SEGMENT OF THE TRAIL? AND THIS IS A STAFF IF YOU HAVE AT, IF NOT THEN, UM, I CAN SEE MR. ANDERSON WAVING, BUT REMEMBER THE FOMA THAT THE, THE TEMPORARY SPACE, AS WELL AS THE PERMANENT SPACE THAT IS BEING REQUESTED INCLUDES ALL OF THE, UM, DISTURBANCE AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT WITHIN THE TEMPORARY SPACE WILL BE THE, UH, REROUTE FOR THE TRAIL.AND, UM, THERE WAS, UH, A CALCULATION IN THE APPRAISAL THAT, UM, ACCOUNTED FOR THAT.
UM, SO IT, IT SHOULD BE COMPREHENSIVE IN TERMS OF ANY OF THE SPACE IN THE PARK THAT IS BEING USED PERMANENTLY OR TEMPORARILY, AND THE TRAIL REROUTE IS CONSIDERED TEMPORARY.
SO MR. MONTES, SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT, WHEN I LOOK AT THE TEMPORARY USE AREA OF THE 0.107 AT $804, THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE I DON'T SEE IT ACTUALLY LINE ITEMS LIKE WE WOULD NORMALLY SEE ON MITIGATION TO A TRAIL.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MOU, IT DOES, UH, HAVE AN ACCOUNT FOR $804, AND IT GIVES US THE SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR THE TEMPORARY SPACE.
UM, AND THE, THE METHOD IN WHICH THIS WAS CALCULATED WAS THROUGH A THIRD PARTY APPRAISAL BECAUSE THIS INCLUDED A THIRD PARTY, MEANING THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, OUR PRACTICES THAT WE GO OUT AND GET A THIRD PARTY.
AND ACTUALLY THAT IS THE OFFICER REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, GOES OUT AND HIRES A THIRD PARTY APPRAISAL.
SO PARTS STAFF IN THIS PARTICULAR CHAPTER 26 DID NOT CALCULATE THE MITIGATION LICENSED APPRAISER DID THIS.
I, I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION MR. MONTEZ.
I, I KNOW YOU'RE HAVING FLASHBACKS OF THE PAST ON PARKLAND MITIGATION.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I COULD SAY THAT PERSONALLY, I'VE, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE APPROVED THINGS ON CHAPTER 26 THAT WERE, HAD GREATER STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES.
I MEAN, THIS, IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAN AND EASY.
AND I, AND I, AND I REALLY SYMPATHIZE ON THE COMMUNITY IS WANTING TO KNOW INFORMATION AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THIS DAY LIGHTS, A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY CONCERNED.
I'M EXTRAORDINARILY CONCERNED ABOUT IMPACTING, UH, THE BUILDING OF MUCH NEEDED HOUSING STOCK RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, I'D BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, OF MOVING FORWARD.
AND, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR, AND I KNOW BOARD MEMBER MOORE IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT REPRESENTING HIS COMMUNITY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HE WHISPERED OVER TO ME THAT AGAIN, REGARDLESS HE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS ARE LEAST HEARD AND HOPEFULLY SOME MITIGATION.
SO, UM, WHATEVER, HOWEVER WE DECIDE, BUT I'M SORRY THAT THAT'S ALL I HAVE CHAIR.
AND SO I'M GOING TO REMEMBER MORE, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE OR QUESTIONS? AH, THAT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
JUST LOOKING OVER SOME OF THE NOTES.
WHEN, WHEN I TALKED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, UM, YOU ALREADY ANSWERED IT A QUESTION ABOUT HERITAGE TREES, APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENT OR DETAIL YOU CAN PROVIDE ON ANY KIND OF WILDLIFE IMPACT THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN THE AREA? UM, NONE THAT I'M AWARE OF FROM THE WATERSHED PERSPECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE DEVELOPING A LARGE AREA THAT'S CURRENTLY TREAT, BUT IT'S DEVELOPABLE LAND, RIGHT.
AND ALL THE HERITAGE TREES ARE GOING TO REMAIN INTACT.
SO IT'S DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO LEAD TO ANY SIGNIFICANT PORTION FOR OUR PORTION.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE TO SPEAK TO REGARDING, UH, WATER QUALITY CONTROL ISSUES, THE RETENTION DETENTION KIND OF HESITANCY THAT THE ASSOCIATION EXPRESSED JUST BROADLY.
UM, I MENTIONED THE PARTICIPATION IN THE REGIONAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE PURSUING SO THAT, LIKE I SAID, ALLOWS THE WATER TO LEAVE THE SITE BEFORE THE PEAK FROM THE REST OF BOGGY CREEK GETS THERE, WHICH ULTIMATELY OVERALL SHOULD REDUCE DOWNSTREAM FLOODING AS OPPOSED TO MAKING IT ANY WORSE AND PROVIDING ONSITE DETENTION AT THAT SITE MIGHT ACTUALLY MAKE IT WORSE BECAUSE YOU'D HOLD THE WATER ONSITE AND SYNCHRONIZE IT WITH THE WATER COMING FROM THE REST OF THE WATERSHED.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT THEIR, THEIR ANALYSIS REQUIREMENT IS FOR OUR S AND P PARTICIPATION.
[01:15:01]
SO NO, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CONCERNS.LIKE I SAID, THEY'LL STILL BE PROVIDING THEIR FULL WATER QUALITY AND, UM, TWO YEAR DETENTION FOR EROSION CONTROL PURPOSES.
SO IF WE DECIDE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD, SO WE DON'T, UM, GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION AGAIN.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? OR WOULD YOU STILL ENCOURAGE US TO POSTPONE IT? NO, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
UM, WELL I DID HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF REALLY QUICK QUESTIONS CAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON.
UM, AND ONE IS, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T GOING TO IMPACT ANY HERITAGE TREES, BUT WHEN YOU GO PUT THOSE PIPES IN, WHETHER IT BE ANY TREE ROOT SYSTEMS OR ANYTHING DISRUPTED, I HAVE TO DEFER TO DAVE AGAIN, I THINK THERE WOULD BE A COUPLE OF SMALL TREES IN THAT REACH THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED JUST A COUPLE OF SMALL TREES.
WELL, I THINK ACTUALLY MOST OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ADDRESSED AND, UM, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT THAT I THINK AS AUSTIN CONTINUES TO GROW AND, UM, WE TEND TO GET MORE DENSE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS BECOME CLOSER AND CLOSER TO, TO, TO PARKS AND GREEN SPACES.
AND I, UM, IMAGINE THAT WE'LL HAVE MORE OF THESE, UM, CONVERSATIONS TALK ABOUT CHAPTER 26 BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE'LL BE IMPACTS ON THE, THE LAND.
SO I, I HOPE THAT THE BOARD IS JUST GONNA BEAR THAT IN MIND AND, AND BE, AND PROVIDE THE SCRUTINY THAT NEEDS TO HAVE THERE WITH THAT.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, DO I HAVE A, UM, A MOTION FROM ANYBODY REGARDING THIS ITEM TO MAKE IT I'LL MAKE IT? UM, AND I DO AGREE WITH YOU CHAIR.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN'T HELP IS AT LEAST WE HAVE GOOD PARKLAND DEDICATION FEE CALCULATIONS FOR THIS AMOUNT OF UNITS, ASSUMING THAT IT'S NOT SMART HOUSING.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, UH, RECOMMEND, UH, MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL FOR THE PERMANENT USE AND TEMPORARY IS NOT TO EXCEED 60 DAYS OF PARKLAND LOCATED AT GOOD VOLLEY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND SOUTHERN WALNUT CREEK TRAIL, 5,200 BALM ROAD, TOTAL MITIGATION FEE OF 67,818.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, A SECOND? THAT WAS, UM, OKAY.
BOARD MEMBER, UH, HAGMAN ALL IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, PLEASE ALL IN FAVOR.
WELL, SO WE HAVE ALL OPPOSED ANY ABSTENTIONS WHEN ABSTENTION.
SO WE HAVE, LET ME COUNT SEVEN.
TIM, DO YOU HAVE THE ACCOUNT? WHAT ABOUT BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR? DID YOU GET SHE, SHE VOTED, YES.
SO DID YOU GET THAT? WE HAVE ONE ABSTENTION, I BELIEVE.
UM, NOT AN EXTENSION THAT WOULD BE EIGHT TO 0 0 8 0 1, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND I DO HOPE THAT, UM, THAT THE APPLICANT WILL WELL ACCEPT THE INVITATION OF BOARD MEMBER MORE TO BE ABLE TO BE ENGAGED AND TO HELP GET, MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS ARE MET.
AND THAT WAS A POT THAT FOR THOSE VIEWING AT HOME, THAT WAS A SHAKING OF THE HEAD.
[B.2. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding preparations for Parks and Recreation Department’s summer activities including staff recruitment, registration and resiliency strategies. (PARD Long Range Strategies – Program Alignment; SD23 Outcomes – Health & Environment, Culture & Lifelong Learning). Presenter(s): Laura Esparza, Acting Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation Department.]
ITEM, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING PREPARATION FOR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS, SUMMER ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING STAFF RECRUITMENT, REGISTRATION, AND RESILIENCE STRATEGIES.THIS IS AN ITEM THAT, UM, I BELIEVE BOARD MEMBER RINALDI WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION AND, UM, LAURA, AS FAR AS, UH, AND, UH, MADAM CHAIR, WE DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL VERSUS SINCE CHEMO.
AND, UH, MR. COBB, I HAVE YOU FOR B2.
IT'S JUST, YEAH, IT'S THE SAME ONE.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE SYSTEM PUBLIC AGENDA
[01:20:03]
THAT THEY ARE USING A NEW NUMBER ON THE, NO, I SEE THERE'S TWO.I HAVE TWO EXPENSES AS COMMUNICATION WOULD THERE BE TO LISTING THE BACKUP LIKE THIS? OKAY.
TWO, ONE, OR TAKING A REAL QUICK PAUSE REAL QUICK.
SCOTT'S LIKE I'M SIGNED UP ON B2.
SO IT, SO MR. COBB, THIS IS JUST ITEM BEAT TWO, EVEN THOUGH IT'S KIND OF BROKEN DOWN INTO DIFFERENT SECTIONS.
SO IF YOU, DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT FOR WHAT PERFECT.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SPEAKER AFTER, UH, MR. COBB AND, UH, ANDREA HELL WILL BE NEXT.
I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL, AND I SPOKE TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
AND SINCE THEN, I'VE JUST COVERED SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
CAN YOU SHOW THE SLIDE PLEASE? UM, IF YOU'VE HEARD THAT WE'RE ONLY HAVE 26 OPEN-WATER LIFEGUARDS ON PAYROLL RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT ACTUALLY WE ONLY HAVE, WE GOT AN EMAIL LAST WEEK SAYING WE ONLY HAVE FIVE TO NINE WHO ARE, HAVE OPEN AVAILABILITY.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO STAFF, UH, PULL THE SIDES APART IN SPRINGS, WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE NINE PEOPLE WHO WERE CAN WORK AT ANY TIME, EVERYONE ELSE HAS OTHER JOBS, THEY HAVE SCHOOL.
AND SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE UNTIL WE GET ANOTHER 20 OR SO.
AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IN THE SHORT TERM, I THINK, UH, IS TO GET THE CITY COUNCIL TO OFFER BONUSES TO THE REGULAR POLE, LIFEGUARDS WHO MOVE OVER TO BARTON SPRINGS.
I PROPOSED A THOUSAND DOLLAR BONUS IN ADDITION TO THE 500 HIRING BONUS, BREAK IT DOWN $250.
THE HARD PART OF GETTING PEOPLE TO WORK AT BARTON SPRINGS IS THEY DON'T WANT TO GO OVER THERE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT SCARY AND THEY'RE NERVOUS, BUT IF THEY DO GO OVER THERE, THEY LOVE IT.
AND SO IF YOU BREAK IT DOWN $250, THE FIRST TWO WEEKS, YOU'RE GOING TO GET PEOPLE GO OVER THERE INTO SUMMER, GIVE ANOTHER SEVEN 50.
THE OTHER THING IN THE LONG-TERM THAT MAY NOT GO UNTIL THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS WE NEED TO RAISE A LIVING WAGE TO $22 AN HOUR, AND WE NEED TO MAKE MORE ABOUT, UH, REGULAR LIFE GUARDS.
CAUSE THAT CAN CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROBLEM IN THE SPRING.
WHEN WE'RE SHORT, IF YOU HAD REGULAR LIFE WORKING FULL-TIME BENEFITS, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THIS SHORTAGE IN THE SPRING.
CAN YOU GET THIS? IS THAT THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLL HERE ON SATURDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY, YOU SEE THE GREEN ONES 4 1, 5 AND FOUR, WHERE THE ONLY DEEP END LIFEGUARD STANDS OPEN AND THE POOL WAS TOTALLY PACKED.
THE SOUTH LAWN, THE GRASS IN THE FRONT, TOTALLY PACKED HARD TO WALK AROUND MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN THE POOL.
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THERE THAT DAY.
IF YOU'RE ON THAT STAND, YOU HAVE TO WATCH THAT WHOLE POOL TO THE RIGHT.
THERE ARE, THERE HAS BEEN A DEATH IN BARTON SPRINGS AND IT HAPPENED TO THE RIGHT NEAR THAT DAM.
SOMEBODY WAS SWIMMING ACROSS IN 2013.
WHEN WE'RE UP, THERE WERE THREE GUARDS IN THE, IN A, IN A POOL AND IT PULLED THAT IT'S SO BUSY THAT IT WAS LIKE LESS IT'S AS BUSY.
IT WAS LAST SUMMER, THIS PAST WEEKEND, THREE GUARDS, SIX GUARDS TOTAL ON SATURDAY, WE HAD SEARCH AND RESCUE A CHILD WENT MISSING.
WE HAD TO GET IN THE BALL, CLEAR THE POOL, GET IN THE POOL WITH OUR MASK WITH FINS, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO STRETCH ACROSS THE POOL.
WE ONLY HAD THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE IN THE POOL.
YOU CAN'T STRETCH ACROSS THAT POOL.
IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD AT THIS POINT, OPERATE BARTON SPRINGS WITH SIX LIFEGUARDS ON A DAY.
IF WE EVER HAD TO DO CPR, WHICH WE DID ON MEMORIAL DAY, 2021, OVER ON A DOG BEACH, WE HAD TO GO ACROSS THE FENCE.
IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN WITH SIX LIFEGUARDS, YOU'RE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND NEXT SPEAKER, MS. ANDREA HILL.
THANK YOU, MS. HILL FOR JOINING US.
AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES QUICKLY.
I'M ANDREA HILL, A SEMI RETIRED ATTORNEY.
WHO'S WORKED FOR THE POOLS FOR FIVE YEARS.
PART-TIME MOSTLY AT BARTON SPRINGS.
THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THERE SATURDAY.
EVERYTHING YOU DESCRIBED AS CORRECT.
THERE'S EVERY YEAR THOUGH, THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF LIFEGUARDS BECAUSE AQUATICS MANAGEMENT DOES NOT START ADVERTISING UNTIL A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE POOL'S OPEN.
THEY NEED TO ADVERTISE AND TRAIN AND HIRE PEOPLE DURING THE CHRISTMAS BREAK.
THEY CLAIM IT'S TOO COLD TO TRAIN PEOPLE OUTDOORS, BUT I BET THEY COULD BE CREATIVE AND MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT WITH THE WIDE WCA OR SOMETHING TO TRAIN PEOPLE IN THE INDOOR POOLS.
A LOT OF THE PROBLEM IS OUR AQUATICS MANAGEMENT AND IT'S HAPPENED EVERY YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN THERE.
IT'S A LITTLE WORSE THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF COVID AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT A LOT OF IT IS A FAULT OF AQUATICS MANAGEMENT.
ALSO AS MR. COBB SAID AT CITY POOLS, MOST OF THE LIFEGUARDS ARE TEENAGE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS
[01:25:01]
WHO ARE CLASSIFIED AS SEASONAL TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.THAT'S APPROPRIATE AT BARTON SPRINGS.
LIFEGUARDS TEND TO STAY FOR YEARS YET.
THEY'RE STILL CLASSIFIED AS SEASONAL TEMPORARY.
THEY DON'T HAVE A PATH TO BECOME FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WITH BENEFITS.
AND IF YOU WOULD DO THAT, IT WOULD END A LOT OF THE TURNOVER YOU NEED TO MAKE THEM HAVE A PATHWAY TO BE REAL EMPLOYEES.
THIRD, YOU NEED TO PAY PEOPLE AT BARTON SPRINGS, WAY MORE.
THERE LITERALLY ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
I WAS THERE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CAME THROUGH MY GAME.
THEY DESERVE MORE PAY THAN AT THE OTHER POOLS.
THIRDLY, UM, PRIORITIES NEED TO BE ARRANGED.
THEY'VE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THAT SILLY BATHHOUSE RESTORATION, WHICH IS LARGELY NOT WANTED NOR NEEDED.
AND YET THINGS BREAK AND THEY CAN'T REPAIR THEM.
THE MEN'S BATHROOM RIGHT OUTSIDE THE POOL HAS BEEN NON-FUNCTIONAL FOR MORE THAN A YEAR.
THE BATHROOM BETWEEN THE BACK OF THE POOL AND THE
MEANWHILE, I PUT MONEY ONTO THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM TO DESIGN THE BATH HOUSE, WHICH MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT OUR NAME.
AND ALSO WE'D APPRECIATE GETTING A SNACK BAR.
PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING FOR FOOD AND THROUGH THE IDIOTIC METHOD OF TRYING TO GRAB AN ALCOHOL PERMIT AND THAT RESTAURANT TOUR JUST GOT MAD BECAUSE HE COULDN'T SELL ALCOHOL AND HE DIDN'T EVEN OPEN TO SELL FOOD.
PEOPLE WANT CHEAP CRAP FOOD AT THE PARK.
THEY DON'T WANT UPSCALE RESTAURANTS.
THEY WANT A HOT DOG AND ICE CREAM FOR THEIR WHINING KIDS.
AND PLEASE GET A CONCESSION STAND IN THERE THIS YEAR, PLEASE.
THE CITY WILL MAKE MONEY OFF OF IT.
AND ALSO AS MR. COBB SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET MORE LIFEGUARDS, IT'LL BE BETTER FOR SAFETY AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HANDLE MORE PEOPLE AT THE POOL AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE STABLE WORKFORCE AND IT'LL PAY FOR ITSELF.
TRUST ME ALSO, THIS IS A WHOLE ENTIRELY NEW SUBJECT, BUT THE METHOD OF ENTRY TO THE POOL NEEDS TO BE REDONE FOR SURE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.
THANK YOU, LAURA ESPARZA TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
UM, BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU TODAY ON A SUMMER CAMP AND SUMMER AQUATICS.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR MARKETING PLANS AS WELL AND OUR EFFORTS, UM, TO, UM, INCREASE EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN, UM, BOTH SUMMER CAMP AND AQUATICS.
BEAR WITH US FOR A MOMENT WHEN WE, UH, LOOK AT THAT PERSON I'M LAURA, AS FAR AS THAT I'M AN ACTING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UM, OVER THE RECREATION, UM, UNIT, THE COMMUNITY RECREATION UNIT, NORMALLY I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER OF A MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS. SO HERE'S OUR SECOND SLIDE.
SO WE ARE OPENING 22 SUMMER CAMP LOCATIONS.
THAT IS OUR 100% CAPACITY, UH, NUMBER FOUR SUMMER CAMPS IN BOTH RECREATION SITES AND CULTURAL CENTERS.
UH, WE HAVE 10,266 AVAILABLE VENT ILLUSTRATIONS.
AND OF THAT ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THEM HAVE FILLED, UH, WITH 700,345 TO DATE.
UH, SO WE STILL HAVE SOME SPOTS AVAILABLE, UH, HERE OR THERE SCATTERED AROUND THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, MOSTLY A NATURE CENTER IS FULL AND CULTURAL CENTERS ARE FULL.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A FEW SPOTS LEFT IN RECREATION CENTERS AND THIS YEAR WE'RE RUNNING, UH, SIX PLAYGROUND PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THE NUMBERS ON THIS SLIDE HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT IN THE LAST WEEK.
UH, IN THE LAST WEEK, WE'VE HAD
[01:30:01]
A TREMENDOUS PUSH, UM, TO, UM, DO OUTREACH, UH, AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL AS WELL AS TO GO TO RECRUITMENT FAIRS.AND SO TODAY WE NOW HAVE, UH, ABOUT 100, UH, HIRED, UH, FOR SUMMER CAMP.
THAT'S ABOUT 45% OF OUR WORKFORCE.
UH, THE NUMBER OF TOTAL NEEDED, UH, HAS GONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND SO THE NUMBERS NOW ARE THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 45% OF OUR GOAL ACCOMPLISHED, WHICH IS ABOUT ON PAR TO PREVIOUS YEARS, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ASSURE SUCCESS, TO GET TO 100% CAPACITY.
BY THE TIME WE OPEN SUMMER CAMPS AND JOAN IS WE HAVE, UM, OFFERED NEW HIRES, UM, A COMPLETION BONUS OF $500.
IF THEY, UH, WORK THE SUMMER CAMP ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE END, WE SAW IMMEDIATE, UM, RESPONSE TO THIS, AS SOON AS IT WAS ANNOUNCED, UH, WE BEGAN TO, UH, GET MORE APPLICATIONS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, UH, FOR THE DEPARTMENT THIS SUMMER.
SO IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE INSUFFICIENT STAFF, WE ARE READY TO, UH, REASSIGN, UM, FULL TIME, UM, EMPLOYEES, UM, WHILE LEVELS, INCLUDING MYSELF, I WILL BE THERE IN THE CLASSROOM.
IF WE HAVE TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT SUMMER CAMPS, WE LOVE OUR KIDS.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEY'RE COMING BACK AND WE WANT TO BE THERE FOR THEM.
SHOULD WE GO INTO ANOTHER SURGE FOR COVID-19? UM, WE'RE, WELL-PRACTICED IN THE PROTOCOLS AND IN FACT, UH, AUSTIN PARKS, UH, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS, UM, UPDATED THE GUIDELINES FOR COVID-19 PROTOCOLS ARE RIGHT NOW AND IN THE EVENT OF A NEW SURGE.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE READY FOR WHATEVER COMES.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY HEALTHY, UH, VERY PEACEFUL SUMMER.
UM, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PARKS BOARD RESOLUTION THAT WAS, UH, RECOGNIZED BY CITY COUNCIL AND THEY, UH, VOTED, UH, TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY MANAGER THAT, UH, HE EXPLORE THE PROPOSALS THAT YOU MADE IN SUPPORT OF SUMMER CAMP.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, BECAUSE MASSEY IS HERE ON THE CALL AND HE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING FALLS.
UH, WE HAVE 33 OPERATIONAL POOLS AND, UM, WE NEED 750 LIFEGUARDS.
WE ARE DOING A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN 140 WE'VE NOW GOT ABOUT 161 HIRE TO DATE.
UM, AND KEEP IN MIND THAT IN 2018 WE HAD 178 AT THIS POINT IN 2019, WE HAD A TWENTY TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE, WHICH WAS OUR BEST YEAR YET.
UH, SO WE STILL HAVE SOME TIME TO CATCH UP.
WE HAVE NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THERE AND, UH, WE ARE SURVEYING STAFF TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE INCENTIVES.
LUCAS, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THIS, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, LUCAS MASSEY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AND JUST IN REGARDS TO THE SURVEY STAFF TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE INCENTIVES THAT SPECIFIC TO BARTON SPRINGS POOL, UH, HOW COULD WE INCENTIVIZE MORE LIFEGUARDS TO OBTAIN THAT OPEN WATER CERTIFICATION AND WORK AT THAT FACILITY? THANK YOU.
AND SO THIS IS A GLANCE AT OUR MARKETING PLANS.
WHAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED TO DATE, UH, HIRING EVENTS AND TABLING PAID ADVERTISING.
UH, WE'VE GOTTEN A REALLY GREAT RESPONSE FOR MEDIA, UH, WITH SEVERAL NEWS REPORTS, EVEN JOINING, UH, SPRING BREAK WEEK.
UH, OF COURSE WE'RE HITTING SOCIAL MEDIA REALLY HARD.
EVERYBODY'S EXCITED ABOUT THE SUMMER COMPLETION BONUS.
UH, WE'RE DISTRIBUTING FLYERS YARD SIGNS AND BANNERS ARE GOING UP.
SO, UH, WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO, UH, AN EXTRA STRONG PUSH TO GET US TO THE END.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ANOTHER, UH, ROUND OF, UH, MARKETING, UH, BEGINNING, MID APRIL, UH, TO TAKE US INTO THE MAY HIRING SEASON WHEN OF OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES COME ON FOR THE SUMMER.
[01:35:02]
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.THIS YEAR, WE REALLY FOCUSED ON OUR EQUITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE WITH OUR, OUR NEW EQUITY OFFICER, UM, WE ENVISIONED A PARKS DEPARTMENT THAT WAS FULLY ACCESSIBLE, DIVERSE, AND INCLUSIVE.
AND SO TO GET TO THAT VISION, WE REDUCED BARRIERS.
AND WE THOUGHT ABOUT THE BARRIERS THAT PARENTS HAVE FOR INVOLVEMENT SUCH AS, UM, UM, NOT HAVING A COMPUTER AT HOME OR NOT KNOWING HOW TO USE A COMPUTER OR NOT HAVING, UH, UH, TIME, UH, TO, UH, LINE UP, UH, EARLY IN THE MORNING TO SIGN UP FOR SUMMER CAMPS, UH, OR BEING CONFUSED BY OUR APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND SO THIS YEAR WE GAVE TWO WEEKS FOR PARTICIPANTS, UH, WHO QUALIFIED FOR FINANCIAL AID OR ADAPTIVE AND INCLUSION SUPPORT TO REGISTER EARLY, UH, BY PROVIDING ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE, UH, TO THEM IN PERSON OR OVER THE PHONE.
UH, AND THAT RESULTED IN, UH, 16% OF OUR ENROLLMENT, UM, FULFILLED BY FINANCIAL AID PARTICIPANTS AND 2% FULFILLED BY INCLUSION SERVICES.
SO, UM, WHAT WE SAW WAS THAT FINANCIAL AID REGISTRANT'S, UM, INCREASED OVER 2019 AND PARTICULARLY IN SPECIALTY CAMPS LIKE THE
UH, SO WE FELT LIKE THIS WAS A BIG SUCCESS, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, OPENING UP, UM, OUR CAMPS, UH, UH, TO FAMILIES THAT REALLY NEEDED ASSISTANCE.
AND FINALLY, UM, THESE ARE THE, UM, OUTCOMES THAT YOU'VE HAD EXPRESSED IN THE PAST TO EMPOWER AND IN AND RESOURCE PART TO OFFER SUMMER CAMPS AND PREPARE DEMIC AT PRE PANDEMIC CAPACITY, INCLUDING FUNDING.
AND SO COUNCIL HAS PASSED THAT AS MOVED FORWARD TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR EXPLORATION.
WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL, VERY EXCITED THAT THAT IS GOING TO IMPROVE NOT ONLY OUR MARKETING BUDGET, BUT OUR, UM, HOURLY PAID FOR, UM, SUMMER TEMPS FOR SUMMER HIRES.
UM, WE, UH, WE'RE ASKED TO MAKE OUR RESILIENCY PLANS TO ENSURE FULL CAPACITY.
AND SO PART OF THIS IS DONE BY, UH, PLANNING A VERY METHODICAL, UH, MARKETING PLAN, BUT ALSO, UH, WORST-CASE SCENARIO, IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ATTEMPTS AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHICH PROGRAMS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO CURTAIL WHICH HOURS, OR PERHAPS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO CATTAIL IN ORDER TO FOCUS EVERY PERSON WORKING AT A SITE ON SUMMER CAMP? AND SO WE'RE WILLING AND READY TO PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS, UH, TO MAKE IT WORK, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH FOLKS, UH, IN THE CLASSROOM FOR SUMMER CAMPS.
UH, AND WE HAVE ENSURED THAT FIELD TRIPS AND AQUATICS ACTIVITIES WILL REMAIN A PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING WHEN YOU'RE ARE, WE ARE DONE WITH THAT.
WE ARE, UH, GOING TO HAVE FIELD TRIPS AND AQUATICS ACTIVITIES IN SUMMER CAMP THIS YEAR.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE, UH, READY FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
UH, LUCAS MASSEY AND I ARE HERE TO RESPOND GREAT FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WE WILL, WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS.
SO I'LL START WITH YOU BOARD MEMBER, UM, TUCHMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT GREAT JOB ON THE, THE INCLUSION AND SEEING THOSE NUMBERS RISE.
SO I REALLY LIKE THAT YOU PUT SO MUCH THOUGHT INTO, UM, HOW TO REACH THE DISENFRANCHISED AND, UM, SO KUDOS TO YOU ON THAT.
UH, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO.
ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I DID NOT SEE ON YOUR OUTREACH EFFORTS TO RECRUIT, UM, TEMPORARY STAFF WAS, UH, EFFORTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, LIKE MAYBE REACHING OUT TO,
[01:40:01]
UM, OR HIGH SCHOOL ALUMS THAT ARE COMING HOME FROM PORK SUMMER BREAK FROM COLLEGE ELSEWHERE AS THEY'RE COMING HOME.I KNOW MANY OF THEM ARE LOOKING FOR MANY OF THEM COME HOME TO LOOK FOR JOBS IN THE SUMMERTIME.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
UM, IF ANYTHING, ABOUT REACHING OUT TO COLLEGE STUDENTS, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, YOU'RE SPEAKING UP RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE OUR TARGET MARKETS ARE FOR RECRUITMENT AND THAT'S A MARVELOUS, UH, TARGET, UH, FOR OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD IN APRIL.
I'LL MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THAT THAT'LL BE NEW ARTWORK, UH, AND THEN NEW TARGETS, UH, FOR OUR MARKETING.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR? OH, NO, I'M GOOD.
BOARD MEMBER, UM, COTTON CYBIL PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU SAID, BECAUSE I WROTE DOWN HOUSTON TILLOTSON, UT ST ED'S AND ACC.
UM, I THINK IN PARTICULAR OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS, BOTH FOR LIFEGUARDING AND FOR, UM, THE CAMPS, UM, KINESIOLOGY MAJORS ARE A GOOD PLACE TO TARGET AND EVEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
UM, SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS THERE, I WERE JUST ON MY MIND WHEN YOU WERE SAYING THAT.
AND SO THANK YOU TO KIMBERLY FOR BRINGING THAT UP TO YOU.
I ALSO DO APPRECIATE, I HAVE SEEN THE SIGNS.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT.
I'VE SEEN THE ADVERTISEMENTS AROUND THE POOLS FOR THE LIFEGUARDS AND, UM, YEAH, AND, AND ONE OF THE THING I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GUARDS WHO ARE OLDER, AND I THINK THAT SOMETIMES THEY BRING, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE OVERLOOKED IN THE PROCESS THAT PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE, UH, OLDER CITIZENS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR WORK THAT ARE STILL QUITE CAPABLE OF DOING LIFEGUARD ACTIVITIES.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS BOARD MEMBERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST CHIME IN HERE AND SAY, WE DO FREQUENTLY MAKE VISITS TO CAMPUS IN PERSON.
UM, BUT I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF, UH, DEVELOPING A MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT WILL SPECIFICALLY TARGET, UM, THOSE, THOSE COLLEGE STUDENTS.
UM, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT, UH, MRS. SPARTA WHO'S VOLUNTEERED TO, TO SPEARHEAD THAT COMES UP WITH GREAT.
UM, BOARD MEMBER BERNARD, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, YES.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY LIKE OF PAIRING WITH HIGH SCHOOLS FOR POSSIBLE, LIKE CREDIT.
I KNOW SOME HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE, UM, JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS WHERE THE STUDENTS CAN RECEIVE CREDIT AND HAVING A TEENAGE DAUGHTER.
I KNOW LIKE A LOT OF HER FRIENDS ARE LIFEGUARDS.
UM, AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY SUGGESTED TO ME BY ANOTHER PARENT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE COULD DO SOMETHING WHERE THEY GET PE CREDIT OR TRAINING OR FOR ACTUALLY BEING A LIFEGUARD DURING THE SUMMER.
I'M NOT SURE IF LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN EXPLORED AT ALL, BUT JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
UH, BOARD MEMBER, UM, FILES TOO MANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO THE TWO LIFEGUARDS THAT CAME IN, TALKED ABOUT THE LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE AND HOW IT'S AFFECTING THEIR ABILITY TO GUARD BURTON SPRING SAFELY.
UM, AND WHEN THE QUESTIONS ARE OVER, UM, I'M GOING TO HAVE A MOTION, UM, ABOUT THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE ADOPTED.
UM, AND THOSE ADDRESS ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS SEVERAL OF THE, THE CONCERNS RAISED, BUT NOT ALL.
UM, AND I GUESS, THANKS FOR REPORTING ON THE CAMP ENROLLMENTS AND THE LIFEGUARD HIRING TO DATE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S BEEN, UM, A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT AND I HOPE THAT THAT CAN CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THAT'S A DUMB QUESTION.
UH, IT'S ALWAYS JUST THE STATEMENT, BUT YEAH, THANK YOU ALL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALL OUR JUST REFLECTION OF THE LACK OF FUNDING THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A GROWING CITY, UH, THAT LOVES TO BE OUTDOORS.
AND THIS THE IMPACT IS TO, OF COURSE, THE ABILITY FOR OUR KIDS TO LEARN HOW TO SWIM AND FOR THE ATHLETIC AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF, OF EVERYBODY.
AND SO, AND THE AFFORDABLE SUMMER CAMPS YEAH.
THAT MANY FOLKS IN OUR POPULATION USE.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADEQUATELY FUNDING AND CURRENTLY
[01:45:01]
WE'RE NOT.UH, I DO AGREE WITH ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS, UH, RELATING TO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THE NEED TO GO TO, TO IN ORDER TO HAVE WELL-TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED LIFEGUARD STAFF AND TRAINERS, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN NEEDS TO FIND REVENUE TO PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE OF $22 AN HOUR AS RECOMMENDED BY THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, OUR LOCAL 16, 24 SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEY DID NOT ASK ME TO SAY THIS.
UM, WHAT WE KNOW IS I TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FISCAL CONSERVATIVE, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS YOU THINK, OH, I THINK OF LIFEGUARDS.
PART-TIME, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SEASONAL WORK.
YOU GET THE YOUNG KID JOB, AND THAT'S PROBABLY GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, HOA POOL.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THE VOLUME THAT WE HAVE FOR, WE NEED EXPERIENCED LIFEGUARDS, AND WE KNOW THAT THE CERTIFICATION AND THE EXPERIENCE IS CRITICAL WHEN WE HAVE THESE, THESE HEAVILY EXTRAORDINARILY HEAVILY USED POOLS.
AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOLKS THAT VALUE.
AND IF $22 AN HOUR, IS THAT VALUE SEPARATE FROM THE LIVING WAGE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MARKET RATE, THEN THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO BE PAID TO BE PAID IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE STAFF THAT WE NEED NOW, GOING BACK TO AQUATICS ALTOGETHER, JUST WANTED TO DAYLIGHT.
SOME THINGS THAT I FOUND AT THE FEBRUARY, 2022, TEXAS RECREATION AND PARKS SOCIETY CONFERENCE THAT TOOK PLACE.
AND THE CONVERSATION WAS LIFEGUARDS.
SO AS MUCH AS THERE'S A CRITICISM RELATING TO WHAT CITY OF AUSTIN HAS OR DOES NOT HAVE, AS FAR AS NUMBER OF FOLKS, ONE OF THE, I REMEMBER ONE OF THE CITIES STOOD OUT.
HE SAID, WE USUALLY HAVE 25 AS MUCH SMALLER SAY, BUT WE USUALLY HAVE 25 LIFEGUARDS.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK NATIONALLY, JUST AT THE LITERATURE, YOU'RE SEEING THIS EXACT SAME THING, SOME OF IT'S PAY, WE'RE DEFINITELY SEEING THAT IN AUSTIN.
I BELIEVE WHAT THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING IS POOLS WERE CLOSED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND A LOT OF INSTANCES.
AND SO THAT TRAINING, THAT PIPELINE OF FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCED, WHO HAD THEIR TRAINING, WE'VE LOST THAT.
AND SO WE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THOSE PARKS BOARD AND THE COMMITTEES HAVE, HAVE TRIED TO ELEVATE THAT VOICE AND TO, YOU KNOW, RAISE THE ALARM.
AND I APPRECIATE, UH, OUR AQUATIC STAFF FOR HELPING RAISE THAT.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE THIS IS THE REALITY AND WE'RE GOING TO REALLY FACE IT IF WE DON'T KEEP THIS CONCENTRATED EFFORT, UM, FOR THE SUMMER.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS WHERE WE, THE EFFORT HAS TO BE DOUBLED DOWN JUST BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN COOPED UP AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE PINNED DOWN THIS SUMMER.
THIS IS THEIR SUMMER OF FREEDOM AFTER BEING LOCKED IN.
AND SO HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT IT'S THROUGH THAT MARKET, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY PAY FOLKS WHAT THEY'RE WORTH AND, YOU KNOW, AND FOR SOME REASON, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T FEEL THAT 22 IS JUST TOO MUCH FOR SOMEBODY TO WATCH THE LIVES OF THE LITTLE KIDS AND OTHER FOLKS SWIMMING, MAN, THINK ABOUT JUST HELPING THE YOUNGER FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, GIVING A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY TO SAVE AWAY FOR WHETHER IT IS A COLLEGE DEGREE OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GET SOME WORK EXPERIENCE.
NOW, PIGGY BACKING OFF THE CONVERSATION THAT BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR HAD, WHICH WAS GREAT.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR W DIRECTOR LUCAS CLARIFYING, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES BY, GOSH, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOME CREATIVITY RIGHT NOW AND LET'S, CAN WE, CAN WE SEE IF THERE'S NOT AN OPTION TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE SOME OF THAT WHEN WE TALK, WHEN WE REACH OUT TO COLLEGE CLASSES AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE COMPONENT OF THE JOB, THIS ACTIVITY FOR THE SUMMER, UH, KINESIOLOGY ACTIVITY FOR THE SUMMER OR ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY HELPS WITH THEIR ACADEMICS AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHETHER IT'S HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE.
SO LIFEGUARD IS GREAT, BUT IT'S OFTEN NOT THE CAREER PATH FOR MANY FOLKS.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE INSTEAD OF MAKING $20 AN HOUR OR $26 AN HOUR OVER A PIOUS IN DRIPPING SPRINGS.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A REDUCTION, MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY AND BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT I CAN UTILIZE FOR MY RESUME.
I MEAN, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK AND LET'S DO IT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SUMMER CAMPS AND THAT WE HAVE AQUATICS FOR OUR RESIDENTS THIS SUMMER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, JUST ONE QUESTION, GOING BACK TO THE SUMMER CAMP BY THE NUMBERS SLIDE.
I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT ABOUT 900 AVAILABLE SPOTS HEARD IS PREDOMINANTLY IN REC CENTERS.
AND IT JUST GOT ME CURIOUS ABOUT HOW WE DETERMINE WHERE TO PUT THE SUMMER PROGRAMMING, LIKE OUR REC CENTERS, HISTORICALLY LOWER DEMAND COMPARED TO OTHER
[01:50:01]
LOCATIONS THERE IS LOWER DEMAND.UH, AND I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY, UM, MAYBE, UH, LUCAS CAN, HE HAS MORE HISTORY WITH, UM, THIS UNIT.
UM, BUT IT HAS TRADITIONALLY, UM, THEN, UM, OUR NATURE CENTERS AND COMFORTABLE CENTERS SELL OUT WITHIN MINUTES OF A DOWERY ART CENTER SOLD OUT WITHIN 15 SECONDS, UH, AFTER WE OPENED IT UP TO THE PUBLIC, UM, WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES BECAUSE, UH, THERE ARE ALWAYS PARENTS WHO HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THEIR SUMMER CAMP PLANS AND WHO NEED OPTIONS AS WE GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, UH, TO THE SUMMER.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, A WIGGLE ROOM, UH, SOMETHING TO OFFER, UH, PARENTS.
UM, BUT LUCAS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? YES, OF COURSE.
UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MASSEY, UH, FORMER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER RECREATION CENTERS, CULTURAL CENTERS, UM, ET CETERA.
UH, TRADITIONALLY THE, THE MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL CENTERS FO, UH, ARE, ARE TREATED AS KIND OF CITY-WIDE CENTERS AND, UM, MANY ARE CENTRALLY LOCATED.
AND SO YOU, IN MY OPINION, YOU SEE MORE REGISTRATION FROM ACROSS THE CITY, WHICH HELPS FILL UP THESE SMALL NUMBER OF, OF, UH, CULTURAL SITES RELATIVE TO REC CENTERS A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.
UM, WE HAVE ROUGHLY 20 RECREATION CENTERS, UM, SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT TOWN AND THEY FO THEY TEND TO, TO BE MORE NEIGHBORHOOD OR REGIONALLY FOCUSED, UM, IN REGISTRATION AND SOME IN AREAS OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP.
UH, AND SO YOU WILL SEE A DELAYED REGISTRATION IN SOME OF THOSE CASES FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
I'M SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE REGISTRATION AT THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER FOR THOSE SUMMER CAMPS? UH, WELL, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE DOWDY ART CENTER TO SELL OUT IN MINUTES IN THIS CASE.
SO YOU SAID LESS THAN A MINUTE, RIGHT? SO, OKAY.
AND DO YOU IN 15 SEC, SO IN 15 SECONDS AND HOW MANY CAMPS SPOTS IS THAT? OH, I COULDN'T TELL YOU.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
THAT'S PROBABLY LIKE SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS OF.
AND DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER CAMPS TO SELL OUT? OH, VERY SHORT.
IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO IT OPENED IT LIKE 10:00 AM ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, THEN BY 10 0 1, IT WAS FULL.
WELL, I'M GLAD THAT THIS GOT POINTED OUT BECAUSE I'M, WHILE I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE'VE SEEN SO MUCH IMPROVEMENT ON THE INCLUSION SIDE AND PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, THE TWO WEEKS AND THE COMPUTER SUPPORT HELP.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE STILL DON'T HAVE A GREAT SYSTEM FOR THE REST OF THE SPOTS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THAT'S CRAZY.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT IN THE FUTURE, WE LOOK AT A LOTTERY SYSTEM WHERE THERE'S A DEADLINE BY WHICH YOU APPLY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE REMAINING SPOTS THAT AREN'T, AREN'T HELD, UM, FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE CHALLENGES WITH THE REGISTRATION.
AND WE LOOK AT A LOTTERY WHERE YOU APPLY BY A CERTAIN DEADLINE, AND THEN YOU FIND OUT IF YOU GET THE SPOT AND CAUSE I'M, I'M GUESSING THERE'S WHAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CURRENTLY ON WAITING LISTS, WAITING.
THAT'LL FIND OUT IN MAY, IF THEY GET A SPOT ALSO, IN ADDITION TO IT'S SELLING OUT IN 15 SECONDS, THERE'S A WAIT LIST, RIGHT? YES.
I WOULD SAY HUNDREDS, HUNDREDS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU'RE LIKE, YOU'RE NUMBER 267 AND YOU'RE SORT OF LIKE, WELL, DO I BOOK SOMETHING ELSE? DO I PAY A DEPOSIT OR DO I WAIT? AND THEN SOMETIMES YOU ACTUALLY MOVE UP THE WAITING LIST AND YOU FIND OUT IN MAY YOU HAVE A WEEKEND CAMP AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO PLAN THAT WAY FOR, YOU KNOW, CHILDCARE FOR THE SUMMER.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO POPULAR, BUT IT FEELS LIKE WE SHOULD PROBABLY MOVE TO A LOTTERY.
THAT'S REALLY HARD IF IT'S SELLING OUT IN 15 SECONDS TO, TO THAT, FOR THAT TO REALLY BE A FAIR SHOT FOR MANY PEOPLE THINKS, THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, DID YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION? I DO.
THIS IS, I WAS FOCUSED ON THE CAMPS.
UM, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UM, THE POOLS.
SO WHEN THERE WAS A CALL FOR MORE,
[01:55:01]
UM, APPLICANTS TO, TO BE FOR LIFEGUARDS FOR THE SUMMER, UM, I REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER I'VE A SON IN HIGH SCHOOL, REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF MOMS AND PARENTS AND, AND SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR CHILDREN APPLY.AND I SPOKE TO A COUPLE PARENTS WHO SAID THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAD APPLIED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL.
STUDENTS HAD APPLIED, BUT HAD CHOSEN TO, TO WORK AT THE Y INSTEAD, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY COULD WORK OUT ONE POOL.
WHEN ONE PARTICULAR FAMILY HAD TWO CHILDREN WHO WERE TWINS.
AND SHE, HER RESPONSE TO ME WAS THE SAME AGE THEY HAVE TO SHARE CAR.
THE TRANSPORTATION IS JUST IMPOSSIBLE IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, THEY, AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT POOL THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT FROM, FROM WEEK TO WEEK.
UM, AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IF THERE'S A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT MAYBE YOU PAY MORE TO THOSE THAT CAN, THAT ARE MORE ABLE TO, YOU HAVE, UH, HAVE TRANSPORTATION ABLE TO GET AROUND BETTER.
UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT IS, I CAN ASK THAT QUESTION FIRST AND THEN I'LL ASK THE SECOND QUESTION.
UM, YOU ASKED BOARD MEMBER KIND OF IN RESPONSE TO THAT, WE ORGANIZE OUR POOL SCHEDULE BY, BY ZONE OR AREA.
WE HAVE A FAR SOUTH, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL FAR NORTH TYPE OF TYPE OF SYSTEM.
UM, IN WHICH THOSE LIFEGUARDS IN THOSE ZONES CAN REALLY TRAVEL EAST TO WEST.
UM, I THINK AS RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, YOU GUYS, UH, MIGHT, MIGHT AGREE THAT TRAVELING EAST TO WEST TENDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER THAN TRAVELING NORTH AND SOUTH ACROSS THE RIVER, UM, IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVEN'T SET UP IN, IN THAT WAY.
UM, IT'S ALSO CAN BE DIFFICULT, UH, TO RECRUIT LIFEGUARDS FROM CERTAIN AREAS OR CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, HENCE HENCE THE NEED TO, TO HAVE THAT KIND OF SYSTEM IN PLACE.
I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ABSOLUTELY TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
UM, WHEN, WHEN SCHEDULING, UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY KIND OF HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPECIFIC CASE THAT YOU OUTLINED, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR US TO HAVE TWO LIFEGUARDS, UH, FROM THAT FAMILY RATHER THAN ZERO.
UM, BUT THIS, THE, THE SYSTEM WE HAVE IN PLACE, UH, YOU YOU'VE OUTLINED THAT THAT IS CORRECT IF I COULD ADD.
SO KIMBERLY MCNEALY SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR, PART OF THE RESOLUTION THAT THE COUNCIL OFFICE PROVIDED TO US DOES ASK US TO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND TO WORKSHOP THAT AS TO SOMEHOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESOLVE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
SO JUST LIKE YOU BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, I THINK SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY HAVE HEARD SOME OF THE SAME FEEDBACK, AND THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR RESPONSE, UM, TO BRING BACK TO THE, THE COUNCIL OFFICE, UH, AS WE WORKSHOP IT, IF YOU ALL HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS, JUST LIKE YOU DID WITH THE GREAT IDEAS ABOUT THE COLLEGES, WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE THEM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IT'S DEFINITELY ON OUR RADAR FOR US TOO, TO THINK ABOUT.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION REALLY IS MORE OF SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE ANSWERED NOW, BUT I'D LIKE TO SORT OF HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
I WOULD'VE BROUGHT IT UP AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
HAD I BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND ON MONDAY, UM, UH, LAST MONDAY, WHATEVER DAY THAT WAS.
UM, BUT IS THE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY $22 AN HOUR? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT, I GUESS REALLY, IT JUST, WHAT WHERE'S THAT MONEY GONNA COME FROM, UM, IS MY QUESTION.
I I'M ALL FOR, UM, A LIVABLE WAGE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES AND JUST MY, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST THOUGHT IS WE DON'T EVEN PAY OUR, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOESN'T EVEN PAY THEIR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS THAT MUCH, UM, LET ALONE.
SO I JUST DON'T, I JUST WANT, WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM, FROM PEOPLE FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS, YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD WE PAY FOR THAT? SO BOARD MEMBERS, PART OF THE ANALYSIS THAT WE'LL BRING BACK AS, AND THAT RESOLUTION WILL BE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE ASKING.
IF THERE, IF WE WERE TO INCREASE IT A PAY BY A DOLLAR, THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD COST THE CITY.
IF WE WERE TO INCREASE IT BY A CERTAIN AMOUNT, THIS IS WHAT IT COSTS THE CITY.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, THE COMPRESSION IMPACT.
SO NOT ONLY WILL THERE BE, UM, THE PROS AND CONS OF MAYBE PAYING A CERTAIN WORK GROUP, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT WHAT COMPRESSION ISSUES OR UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT THE $20, THE $22, UM, UH, SUGGESTION CAME, UH, AS BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA SIDE, IT CAME FROM A WORKING GROUP WHERE, UH, THE ASKED ME WORKING GROUP, UM, THE UNION HAD DISCUSSED WHAT MIGHT BE A POSSIBLE LIVING WAGE.
SO I THINK IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING
[02:00:01]
THAT I, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT THE UNION, UM, THE WORKING GROUP OF, OF TALKING WITH EMPLOYEES AND ABOUT LIVING WAGE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY, UH, ARE, UH, ASKING THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY BUDGET TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, MORE BROADLY.AND SO BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, DURING CITIZEN COMMUNICATE, SORRY, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AT THE COUNCIL MEETING LAST THURSDAY, THERE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE THAT WAS ADVOCATING FOR $22 LIVING WAGE, UM, FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO I THINK THERE'S MORE TO BE, TO BE SEEN AND THE CITY WILL HAVE TO DO AN OVERALL ANALYSIS, BUT IN OUR WORK WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THAT BUDGET IMPACT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE TO BE INFUSED INTO OUR BUDGET, OR IF THERE WAS NO FUNDING TO BE INFUSED INTO THE BUDGET, WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO STOP DOING WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS? SO WE, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU THAT INFORMATION.
WHEN WE, AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SEND INFORMATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL, I ALSO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE INCLUDED IN THOSE, IN THOSE MEMOS, IN THOSE REPORTS.
SO YOU'LL GET AN ADVANCED, UH, YOU'LL GET A, UM, A COPY OF THAT PRIOR TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
AND CERTAINLY WE COULD CONSIDER, I'M NOT SUGGESTING IT BEYOND THIS AGENDA AND JUST SAYING IT CERTAINLY COULD BE MORE DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA IF, IF THAT WERE THE BOARDS WILL.
UM, WELL, REMEMBER RINALDI, I KNOW THIS WAS THE ITEM THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE BROUGHT UP FOR SURE.
SO DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU.
UM, YEAH, JUST LIKE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THE SUCCESSES WITH HIRING AND WITH INCREASING ASSISTANCE TO THOSE FAMILIES THAT NEED FINANCIAL AID.
UM, THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY, THAT'S A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN THE ACCESS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE PEOPLE HAVE, UM, TO THE DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER WHERE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU'VE DRAMATICALLY INCREASED THE NUMBERS OF, UM, PEOPLE ENROLLED IN THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER PROGRAMMING, UM, JUST ON THE BASIS OF WHO NEEDS FINANCIAL AID.
UM, I DO THINK I'M, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CULTURAL AND THE ARTS CULTURE AND NATURE PROGRAMMING IS JUST IN SUCH HIGH DEMAND THAT THAT IS SELLING OUT IMMEDIATELY.
AND THEN WE HAVE ALL THESE VACANCIES IN THE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE REC CENTER, UH, PROGRAMMING.
I MEAN, IT MAKES ME WONDER IF Y'ALL HAVE EVER CONSIDERED EXPANDING THE CURRICULUM THAT YOU OFFER AT THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER CAMPS OR AT THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER CAMP OR THE OTHER CULTURAL CENTERS TO BE OFFERED AT REC CENTER IS IF THAT'S IN SUCH HIGH DEMAND.
UM, I MEAN, I KNOW I'VE BEEN TO THE DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER AND IT CERTAINLY, IT'S NOT FANCY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WONDER IF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, UH, ELEMENTS OF THAT CURRICULUM THAT COULD BE, UM, TRANSLATED JUST TO A NORMAL REC CENTER AND YOU COULD OFFER THAT THERE, AND SAME GOES FOR SOME OF THAT NATURE BASED PROGRAMMING.
SO, UM, YEAH, I'M, I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR ABOUT THAT, LAURA.
I DON'T, I DON'T SEE YOU TALKING TO, I CAN, I CAN TAKE THIS ONE.
UM, WE, WE, WE DO INFUSE, UH, SPECIALTY INSTRUCTORS FROM, FROM THE ARTS AROUND MAN, THE NATURE REALM INTO OUR RECREATION CENTERS AND OPERATE HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE OR SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING ACROSS, UH, THE DEPARTMENT.
I CAN'T SAY IT'S TO THE EXTENT OF A CULTURAL CENTER, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, THERE ARE COMPONENTS OF EACH OF THOSE PROGRAMS WITHIN, WITHIN THE RECREATION CENTERS AND INCLUDING OUTREACH FROM, FROM STAFF THAT THAT MAY BE, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THE NATURE PROGRAM OR ASSOCIATED WITH THE DOOR, THE ART CENTER.
UM, ONE, ONE FINAL MENTION HERE, AS WE'VE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I DO FEEL, OR I'M SORRY, LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, I DO FEEL WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, MEANING, UH, WE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO INFUSE ADDITIONAL SPECIALTY PROGRAMS AS A, AS AN INSTRUCTOR, DOESN'T HAVE TO COME ONSITE.
THEY CAN TEACH VIRTUALLY, UM, TO OUR, OUR KIDS OUT IN THE RECREATION CENTERS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE SPECIALTY INSTRUCTORS, ARE THOSE, UM, I MEAN, IF, IF THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE SPECIAL SKILLS OR SPECIAL EXPERIENCE, IS THAT KIND OF ON A DIFFERENT PAY GRADE, A DIFFERENT RECRUITMENT STRATEGY THAN THE REST OF THE SUMMER CAMP STAFF? YEAH, I THINK ANYTIME TALKING ABOUT A SPECIALTY INSTRUCTOR, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A PARTICULAR SKILL SET RATHER THAN HIRING AT LARGE.
SO WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WANT TO HIRE AN ARTS INSTRUCTOR THAT HAS A VERY SPECIFIC SKILLSET.
LAURA CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW SHE TARGETS HER GROUP TARGETS, UH, THOSE ARTISTS IN PARTICULAR, UH, NATURE AND SCIENCE.
[02:05:01]
HAVE THE PARK RANGER CADET PROGRAM.WE HAVE THE PARK RANGER PROGRAM, THE AWESOME NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER AND THE CAMACHO CENTER IN EACH OF THOSE STAFF MEMBERS AND LOCATIONS KIND OF DOES PLAY AN INTEGRAL HANDS-ON ROLE.
UM, SO THOSE, THOSE INSTRUCTORS TEND TO WORK ONSITE WITH OUR STAFF OR WE'RE TAKING, UH, I'M SORRY, ONSITE WITH OUR CAMPERS, OR WE'RE TAKING OUR CAMPERS TO THOSE LOCATIONS PERIODICALLY OR A YES.
SO, UM, THE DIRTY EYE CENTER AND THE CULTURAL CENTERS, UM, FOCUS ON THE RECRUITMENT OF ARTISTS, UH, PRIMARILY ADULT ARTISTS, UH, TO LEAD OUR PROGRAMS. AND SO WE HAVE A DIFFERENT TARGET MARKET, I GUESS, FOR OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORT, UM, BY AND LARGE, UM, THEY ARE PAID THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, UM, AS, UH, THE YOUNGER, UM, UH, ATTEMPTS THAT ARE HIRED FOR SUMMER CAMPS, UH, UNLESS THEY HAVE, UM, HIGHER ED DEGREES.
UH, AND WE DO ON OCCASION GET, UM, FOLKS WHO HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE OR EVEN A PHD, UM, IN OUR PROGRAMS. AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, A NICHE MARKET, UH, IN TERMS OF THE, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN BEACH TO WORK IN OUR CAMPS.
AND IT KIND OF FOLLOWS ALONG THE SCENE, UM, PATH WITH THE NATURE CENTER.
UH, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, STUDENTS WHO HAVE HAD TWO YEARS OR MORE OF COLLEGE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE OF SOME KIND, UH, WE'LL OFTEN GET SOMEONE WITH A DEGREE IN, UH, ONE OF THE SCIENCES.
UM, AND SO IT IS, UH, UH, MORE OF A NICHE MARKET THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, BUT THEY ARE, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN CHALLENGING FOR EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, RETURN, UM, INSTRUCTORS TOO, WHO ARE LOYAL TO THE CENTER AND WHO HAVE BUILT UP, UM, UH, RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAFF AND WITH, EVEN WITH THE STUDENTS.
UM, AND SO THEY RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR, THAT HELPS A GREAT DEAL WITH OUR RECRUITMENT ISSUES IN THE CULTURAL CENTERS.
YEAH, IT JUST, IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UM, THERE IS SUCH A TREMENDOUS DEMAND FOR THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE COUPLE OF PARTICULAR TYPES OF CAMPS RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE OFFERINGS THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, COULD BE WORTH EXPLORING HOW TO MORE ROBUSTLY, YOU KNOW, BRING THAT TO THE SUMMER CAMP SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, SINCE, SINCE THAT'S, IT'S CLEARLY WHAT, UM, WHAT MOST OF THE FAMILIES ARE WANTING TO DO.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THAT BACKGROUND.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I, I GUESS THE OTHER THING THAT I'M, THAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT TOO, IS CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO, UM, WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS CAPACITY AND DEMAND FOR SUMMER CAMPS, UM, HOW THAT STACKS UP RELATIVE TO, UM, PRE COVID NUMBERS THAT WE'VE SEEN, AND THEN WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO OFFER LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE DURING COVID WELL, LAST YEAR, UM, DO YOU RECALL, UH, WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, LUCAS? YEAH, I BELIEVE WE WERE AT ABOUT A 50% CAPACITY IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND WE HAD A VARIETY OF HEALTH PROTOCOLS IN PLACE.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WERE OFFERING, UM, CAMP CAMPS AT A LEVEL THAT IS, UH, PRE PRE COVID.
IN 2020, WE DID, UH, JUST ONLINE CAMPS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T REALLY CALL THEM CAMPS.
UM, YEAH, WE OFFERED, UH, YOU KNOW, DAY LONG, FIVE DAY A WEEK, UM, ONLINE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS.
YEAH, I THINK, YEAH, THAT, THAT OBVIOUSLY JUST DOESN'T ADDRESS THE CHILDCARE NEED THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE SO MANY FAMILIES ARE RELYING ON THESE CAMPS FOR.
SO, UM, BUT, BUT I'M REALLY, REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UM, YEAH, THAT, THAT THIS CAPACITY IS GETTING BACK UP.
UM, YEAH, AND I JUST, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH GETTING THEIR SUMMER CAMP CANCELED AT THE LAST MINUTE, BECAUSE THERE'S A COVID INCREASE AND WE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SAFELY ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE IF CONDITIONS CHANGE OR IF, YOU KNOW, UM,
[02:10:01]
AT THE LAST MINUTE, UM, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH STAFF AVAILABLE THAT, THAT, THAT PART HAS BEEN ABLE TO HIRE.AND SO THEN PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR, THEIR SUMMER CAMP AND THEIR CHILDCARE CANCELED AT THE LAST MINUTE.
THAT'S WHAT I, WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT TO AVOID.
UM, SO JUST TO BRING THAT, BRING THAT BACK AROUND TO THE, SORT OF THE ORIGINAL, UM, UH, SCENARIO THAT, THAT KIND OF PROMPTED ME TO, TO BRING THIS UP.
SO, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE REPORTING BACK AND THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
UM, I DO YOU HAVE, UM, UH, I HAD AN AMENDMENT TO OFFER TO ONE OF THE BUDGET RESOLUTIONS ABOUT, UM, THIS STAFFING, UM, ISSUE.
SO I WAS THINKING THAT RATHER THAN ADDRESS IT DURING THIS, UM, TAKING ACTION ON THIS ITEM, IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO BUNDLE IT IN WITH THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THAT, BECAUSE THERE'S A BUDGET ITEM, SO IT'S NOT ABOUT, SO THAT'S WHEN YOU SEE THAT.
SO I WAS THINKING THAT'S HOW I PREFER TO ADDRESS IT.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE LIFEGUARD AND AQUATIC ITEMS SHOULD BE UNDER THE BUDGET ALSO? NO, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, NO, I'M JUST TALKING TO, SHE WANTS TO BE DONE THE RIGHT WAY CAUSE THAT'S A SEPARATE RESOLUTION, RIGHT.
UM, JUST AS A PROCEDURAL, UM, A PROCEDURAL NOTE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT THIS WILL, I'M THINKING THAT THESE WILL BE COMPLETED UNDER THE CORRECT ITEM.
UM, I WAS THINKING THAT THIS WOULD BE ADDRESSED, UM, IN ITEM, SORRY.
THIS WOULD BE, YEAH, IT COULD BE ADDRESSED IN ITEM, UM, B3 OR BEFORE, INSTEAD OF IN B2, ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH I'M, SO YOU KNOW WHAT, UM, WE'RE MOVING IN ALL THE, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA COMBINE THOSE TWO.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAD PLANNED TO DO IN FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? I'M NOT GONNA, I DON'T WANT JUST REAL QUICK CHAIR.
ROBBIE G SECOND ONE IS IF I CAN RECOMMEND STAFF GO BACK TO THE 2017 AQUATICS MASTER PLAN, A TASK FORCE REPORT, AS FAR AS REVENUE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND THEN, AND THAT'S ON AQUATICS AND THEN GO BACK, I THINK TO EITHER 2017, 2018.
AND I RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS BOARD RELATING TO SUMMER CAMPS, AND MAYBE I CAN PUSH BACK UP TO COUNCIL BECAUSE THAT KIND OF, THAT ADDRESSES THE NEED TO FUND THE ADDITIONAL SEATS AND LOOK FOR PARTNERS TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM IN ORDER TO RELIEVE, UM, JUST BASICALLY RE RELIEVE THE NEED.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE THAT A BOARD MEMBER TO CARLOS HAS JOINED THE MEETING VIRTUALLY.
HAS SHE BEEN ON LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM SHE'S BEEN ON FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
SO WE'LL JUST, UM, WE'LL CATCH HER AFTER WE WRAP UP HERE, UNLESS SHE DID ACTUALLY, SHE'S BEEN ON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OVER THIS ITEM OR MEMBER DECARLO WELCOME? UM, I, I, I DO, BUT, UM, I DIDN'T GET TO HEAR A MUCH OF THE DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION, SO, UM, I KIND OF TRUST THAT THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS COVERED THOSE, SO.
AND I W I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS JUST REAL QUICKLY.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU COME UP WITH SOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO, UM, RECRUITMENT.
I THINK I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT'S JUST IMPACTING PARKS, BUT ALL OVER THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF NEED FOR, UM, FOR WORKERS.
AND SO I GUESS WE HAVE TO BE INCREDIBLY PROACTIVE WITH THIS AND START AS SOMEBODY SUGGESTED, START AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE AND COME UP WITH AS MANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AS POSSIBLE.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO, UM, TO DO SO.
I DID WANT TO SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE POOLS AND THAT IS, UM, AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH, WHAT'S BEEN SAID, AND I KNOW THERE'S A BIG NEED FOR, UH, LIFEGUARDS AT BARTON SPRINGS.
AND WE NEED TO PUT EMPHASIS ON THAT, BUT I, I DO FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY THAT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OUR NEIGHBORHOOD POOLS COVERED AND AS MANY OPEN AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY DEPEND ON THOSE POOLS AS FOR ACTIVITIES AND COOLING PLACES DURING THIS INCREDIBLY HOT SUMMER FOR, TO BE ABLE TO USE THOSE AND ASSETS THOSE.
[02:15:01]
WE NEED TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE ADEQUATELY STAFFED AS WELL.AND I KNOW YOU SAID THERE WERE 30, I BELIEVE YOU SAID THERE WERE, UM, 33, 30, 33 OPERATIONAL POOLS.
HOW MANY ARE CLOSED THIS SUMMER? 33 OPERATIONAL.
AND HOW MANY ARE CLOSE? JUST ONE POOL OF ALL OUR POOLS IS CLOSED.
WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT NORTHWEST RIGHT NORTHWEST? OH, YOU DON'T HAVE THE SCHEDULE OF POOLS OUT, JUST REMEMBER LOUIS.
SO WE HAVE FIVE YEAR ROUND SWIMMING POOLS THAT ARE OPERATION AND OPERATION.
UH, WHAT LAURA WAS TRYING TO REFER TO WAS THAT THIS SUMMER GIVEN SPOOL IS NOT OPEN BECAUSE IT'S IN THE, IN THE FINAL STAGES OF PERMITTING SO THAT IT COULD BE REBUILT.
SO THERE IS AN ANTICIPATION THAT IF WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE ALL SWIMMING POOLS, OPERATIONAL INCLUSIVE OF BARTON SPRINGS THERE WOULD BE 33 POOLS THIS SUMMER.
SOME OF THEM NEIGHBORHOODS, SOME OF THEM COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THEM SPECIALTY LIKE, UM, BARTON SPRINGS ARE A YEAR ROUND.
UM, I REALLY DO WANT TO MOVE ON BECAUSE WE, UM, WE HAVE STILL HAVE QUITE A BIT TO COVER, SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE, YES, I HAVE THE MOTION.
I WAS JUST GOING TO HAVE YOU DO THAT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOUR MOTION, UM, BOARD MEMBER, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ERROR BECAUSE WHAT WAS POSTED AS THE BACKUP FOR THIS IS NOT WHAT WAS ACTUALLY ADOPTED BY THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE.
UM, WE MADE, WE CONSIDERED A RECOMMENDATION IN OUR MEETING AND WE MADE SOME CHANGES DURING THE MEETINGS SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDING THAT THERE BE A, UM, A BONUS FOR LIFEGUARDS THAT SWITCHED FROM LIKE THE STANDARD LIFEGUARD AT THE OTHER POOLS AND MOVED OVER TO BE OPEN-WATER CERTIFIED AT BARTON SPRINGS.
WE ALSO RECOMMENDED THE TWO DOLL, UH, THE $22 AN HOUR LIVING WAGE.
UM, AND THOSE CHANGES WERE NOT THE VERSION THAT WAS POSTED.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW TO PROCEED, WHAT YOU GUYS REVIEWED WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE ADOPTED.
AND I DON'T, UM, I JUST HAVE IT ON MY COMPUTER.
COULD YOU JUST GO THROUGH THE SPECIFIC CHANGES WHERE THERE I CAN IT'S IT'S UH, IT'S JUST A LITTLE HARD TO LIKE FLIP BACK AND FORTH, BUT I'LL TRY.
UM, AND SO WE'RE COMBINING THIS WITH B3.
THIS IS HER, THE RESOLUTION IN REFERENCE TO THE, THE LIFE CARDS.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BUDGET WITH THE TWO ITEMS COMBINED.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING ONES FOR THIS BUDGET CYCLE.
ONE'S FOR THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO PULL UP WHAT WAS POSTED AS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, LET'S SEE, IT SAYS ITEM B TO TWO FINANCIAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION LIFEGUARDS.
SO THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE LOOKED AT IN THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE REGARDING SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM, UM, PRACTICES THAT COULD BE ADOPTED TO HELP ATTRACT NEW LIFEGUARDS AND TRAIN ADDITIONAL LIFEGUARDS TO ADDRESS THIS SUMMERS ISSUE AND FUTURE ISSUES.
UM, SO I, WHAT WAS POSTED, I DON'T HAVE A RED LINE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT CHANGES ARE THERE IS, UM, AN ADDITIONAL, LET ME, SORRY, LET ME JUST SWITCH MY WINDOW.
DO YOU WANT TO MAYBE JUST READ IT, JUST READ THE WHOLE THING? YES.
SO NO MEAN BASICALLY WE I'M, I JUST DON'T HAVE A RED LINE, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY.
I'M TRYING TO LIKE READ ALL THESE WHEREAS CLASSES AND FIND THE ONE PLACE WE INSERTED SOME LANGUAGE.
I BELIEVE WE BASICALLY ADDED LANGUAGE THE FINAL, WHEREAS A CLAUSE OR THAT'S NOT THE PLACE EITHER.
UM, FUN WEEK, WE ADDED AWARE AS ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, LIVING WAGE.
I THOUGHT IT'S HARD FOR ME TO FIND IT.
I CAN TELL YOU THE DIFFERENCES, JUST IF YOU GO TO THE THEREFORE, WHY DON'T I READ THAT PART? THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THEREFORE NUMBER ONE, INCREASING PAY RATES TO A STARTING LIVABLE WAGE OF $22
[02:20:01]
AN HOUR FOR STAFF AND AN ADDITIONAL BONUS FOR LIFEGUARDS THAT TRANSITIONED TO OPEN WATER LIFEGUARDS AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL FOR THE SUMMER OF 2022.NUMBER TWO, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF YEAR ROUND FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, OPEN WATER CERTIFIED LIFEGUARDS TO ENSURE CONTINUOUS OPEN OPERATION OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
NUMBER THREE, INCREASING STAFF SUPPORT POSITIONS TO ENSURE LIFEGUARDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR GUARDING BARTON SPRINGS POOL NUMBER FOUR, WAVING TRAINING FEES TO BECOME A LIFEGUARD, NUMBER FIVE, ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS NEEDED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO FULFILL ALL THE ITEMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
AND THE ITEMS DESCRIBED AS UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS FOR AQUATICS IN THE FEBRUARY 28TH, 2022 PRESENTATION GIVEN TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND SIX, ANY OTHER MEASURES FOUND BY AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL OR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TRAINING AND RETAINING LIFEGUARDS AND STAFF IN ORDER TO ENSURE ALL CITY BOSTON POOLS ARE FULLY OPEN AND OPERATIONAL YEAR ROUND OR FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE SEASONS FOR THE FULL USE AND ENJOYMENT BY THE PUBLIC.
SO I THINK THE, I THINK THE CHANGES WERE MOSTLY IN THAT FIRST.
SO WOULD YOU REPEAT IT ONE MORE TIME JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GOT IT? JUST THAT FIRST PART? JUST THAT FIRST ONE, THAT'S ALL.
NUMBER ONE, INCREASING PAY RATES TO A STARTING LIVABLE WAGE OF $22 AN HOUR FOR STAFF AND AN ADDITIONAL BONUS FOR LIFEGUARDS THAT TRANSITIONED TO OPEN WATER LIFE GUARDS AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL FOR THE SUMMER OF 2022.
YEAH, NO, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR WORKING ON THIS.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY AS SOMEBODY WHO SWIMS ALL THE TIME, THESE, THESE GUARDS ARE, THEY HAVE A DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE RETAIN THEM.
THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE GUARDS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME AND THEY'RE, IT'S NOT JUST A JOB WHERE YOU COME AND SCAN THE WATER.
DO THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CLEANING THE POOLS? THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT REGULATING THINGS AT THE POOLS.
AND SO I THINK, UM, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GUARDS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PRECISELY, BUT I WOULD SAY THERE ARE AT LEAST A DOZEN OR MORE THAT ARE LONG-TERM, YOU KNOW, SERIOUS EMPLOYEES.
AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON IS CITY SERVICES THAT ARE SERVICES, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THIS POOL IT'S OPEN IN THE WINTER.
THERE IS ALSO, YOU KNOW, STACEY POOL IS STILL OPEN AND SOME OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF GUARDS THAT ARE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO PUT IN MY 2 CENTS AS A SWIMMER AND ALSO MY 2200, MY $22 AND SEVEN 22 CENTS, WHATEVER IT IS.
BUT I HAVE JUST HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WRITING TO ME THIS LAST MONTH ABOUT THE NEED FOR THIS, THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONCERNED.
AND I HAD, YOU KNOW, A KID HOME OVER SPRING BREAK WHO WAS REALLY MAD THAT BARTON SPRINGS WAS CLASSED THREE DAYS OF SPRING BREAK WEEK.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT IN MY 2 CENTS AND SAY THAT THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF SWIMMING POPULATION AND RECREATIONAL SWIMMERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THIS.
AND WE HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE.
SO DO YOU WANT TO GET A MOTION AND THEN GET UP? YEAH, SO I THINK SO WHAT I PLANNED TO DO WRITTEN OUT WAS TO MOVE A MOVE, UM, THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD ADOPT AND RECOMMEND TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING LIFE GUARDS AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
UM, I THINK THAT MOTION STILL STANDS AND THAT I CAN CLARIFY THIS WITH THE STAFF AFTERWARDS AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THE PROPER YEAH.
THE COUNCIL MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS A BOARD INSTEAD OF LIKE COMMITTEE MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE? YOU'RE GONNA MOVE ON THAT.
SO DO WE HAVE, SO THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE COMMENTS.
DO YOU, UM, UM, BOARD MEMBER, BUT NOW ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT THIS BOARD MEMBER? I THINK SELVIN ADDRESSED BOARD MEMBER RINALDO.
SO I WONDER IF IT'S WORTH ADDING IN, UM, SUMMER CAMP STAFF EXPLICITLY INTO THIS RESOLUTION FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, SO INTO THIS RESOLUTION.
SO, UM, FOR THE ONE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, UM, WITH THIS IS SPECIFICALLY GEARED TOWARDS LIFE, I THOUGHT IT WAS SPECIFIC TOWARD LIFEGUARDS.
I MEAN, THE RESOLUTION THAT'S ON THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE HAS TO DO SPECIFICALLY WITH LIFEGUARDS, BUT THE LANGUAGE OF THE ITEM IS SUCH THAT IT'S ABOUT LIFEGUARDS AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
UH, IT DOES SAY THAT I THINK I USE THE LANGUAGE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL USED,
[02:25:02]
SO IT SAYS, UH, YEAH, SO PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION, GUARDING PREPARATIONS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SUMMER ACTIVITIES THAT HAS SO THAT'S, SO THAT'S THE ITEM THAT WE'RE ON, RIGHT.SO YOU WANT TO HAVE THE SUBSTANCE OF YOUR EMOTIONS IF YOU CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT ARE YOU MOVING TO AMEND MY MOTION? YES.
SO THE, UM, SO THE SUBSTANCE OF MY AMENDMENT WOULD BE THAT, UM, WE COULD ADD IN ANOTHER THEREFOR THAT SAYS, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO PURSUE ALL AVAILABLE MEASURES, TO INCREASE STAFFING TO SUSTAINABLE LEVELS FOR ALL SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING, UM, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING MEASURES, UM, INCREASING PAY RATES FOR SUMMER CAMP STAFF, UM, AND ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS NEEDED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO FULFILL THE ITEMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
UM, AND THE ITEMS DESCRIBED AS UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SUMMER CAMP AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS CAPACITY INCREASE, UM, IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, GIVEN TO THE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FINANCE COMMITTEE AND ANY OTHER MEASURES FOUND BY AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL OR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TRAINING AND RETAINING SUMMER CAMP AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM STAFF.
SO YOU WANT TO AMEND THE, YEAH.
SO JUST ADD THAT, ADD THAT LANGUAGE TO IT SO THAT IT CAN DEAL WITH SUMMER CAMP AND LIFEGUARDS.
SO WE'RE COVERING BOTH OF THOSE.
SO, UM, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO COMMENT ON, WELL, IT NEEDS A SECOND.
IT, CAUSE THIS IS LIKE ANOTHER DISCUSSION WHERE WAS, THERE'S A LINE ITEM THAT WE INCLUDED.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IN THIS RECOMMENDATION, A BOARD MEMBER FOUSE WHERE WE DID TALK ABOUT LIKE SUMMER CAMPS OR ALL STAFF WAS THAT I'M GETTING LOST BUDGET, BUT THAT'S WHERE I WAS LOOKING FOR.
BUT THEN I CAN'T FIND IT IN THE BUDGET, BUT YEAH.
I MEAN, I, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS IN THE, UM, OH, THERE IT IS.
AND SO AGAIN, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS IS FOR THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION IS FOR FYI 22.
AND SO YOU'RE TRYING TO PULL IN THAT CONVERSATION AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT A LIVING WAGE AND I WANT A LIVING WAGE NOW, AND IT'S NOT THE, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE, UM, FRANKLY, I ALMOST WONDER IF YOU, IF YOU DO TWO SEPARATE RECOMMENDATIONS AND JUST GO AHEAD AND DO ONE AND THEN DO THE, DO A SECOND ONE, WHICH IS JUST A RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK I'M FINE WITH DOING THEM AS TWO SEPARATE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EASIEST TO AMEND THE LANGUAGE OF THE RESOLUTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE SINCE THEY KIND OF DEAL WITH THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT WE JUST GOT.
CAN I SPEAK ON THE MOTION, SIR? THANK YOU.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT'S BEEN AN ORDINANCE REALLY DIFFICULT JUST ADMINISTRATIVELY TO GET THESE RESOLUTIONS THROUGH THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE AND PRESENTED THAT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
IT'S JUST, FOR SOME REASON THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN VERY CHALLENGING.
SO AT THIS TIME, SINCE I WASN'T EVEN COMPLETELY FOLLOWING WHAT YOU READ OUT AS AN AMENDMENT, I, IT WOULD, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT NOT JUST GETTING THIS THROUGH.
AND SO YEAH, IF WE CAN DO A SECOND, IF YOU CAN DO A SEPARATE MOTION, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, I ALSO THINK I'M NOT SURE ON THE SUBSTANCE OF YOUR MOTION.
WHAT I HEARD IS THAT SUMMER CAMP IS STAFFED AND OPERATING AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND SO, I MEAN, THIS MOTION WAS LIKE INTENDED TO ADDRESS SORT OF THIS EMERGENCY THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH POOLS AND LIFEGUARD.
I THOUGHT THEY SAID THAT THE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
I THOUGHT THAT THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE AT 45% OF THEIR NECESSARY WORKFORCE FOR SUMMER CAMP STAFF, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT.
LIKE I'M, I'M SO, SO GLAD THAT WE'VE MADE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO REINFORCE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW OR DO I, BECAUSE I ASKED HER TO BE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION CHAIR.
IT'S JUST LIKE WHO HAS THE FLOOR? GO AHEAD.
SO IT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT YOUR AMENDMENT BECAUSE I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THIS ONE MOTION ADOPTED AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, JUST GETTING THIS.
NOT BECAUSE ANYBODY DOESN'T WANT IT JUST SPECIFICALLY GETTING THIS LANGUAGE OKAY.
BEFORE THE BOARD HAS BEEN CHALLENGING.
[02:30:01]
ARE MY COMMENTS TO THE, THE REST OF THE BOARD.AND BOARD MEMBER RENALDI, DID YOU WANT TO, UM, SO I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT, UM, WE CAN DO TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS ON THIS, ON THIS ITEM.
SO WE DID HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION FROM A VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS BOARD MEMBERS? THE POINT OF CLARIFICATION ON THIS MOTION, WHERE WE'RE MAKING THE MOTION TO ASK THE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF $22 AN HOUR, NOT THE RECOMMENDATION TO, TO, TO PAY $22 AN HOUR, I GUESS I WONDER WHY WE'RE ASKING THIS BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO THEIR BUDGET, WHAT WE'D HAVE TO GIVE UP.
UM, SO IT'S, AGAIN, NOT THAT I DON'T SUPPORT THAT IT'S I JUST WANT TO KNOW ABOUT, I JUST WANT THE REALITY OF THAT BECOMING, UM, ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO BEING FEASIBLE, RIGHT? SO THIS IS ADVOCATING FOR $22 AN HOUR, CORRECT? YES.
I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON MARCH 24TH, DIRECTING PART TO LOOK INTO A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS, IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHAT'S GOING TO COME BACK AND WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR THE STARTING LIVABLE WAGE, I THINK AS, UH, A POSITION IN SUPPORT OF THE LIFEGUARDS AND THE STAFF AND THAT IF WE FEEL, IF THIS BOARD FEELS THEY NEED TO MODIFY THAT RECOMMENDATION LATER, AFTER THEY GET MORE INFORMATION, THAT'S DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY, BUT THIS MOTION IS SAYING THAT THAT THAT'S THE, THE, THE CHANGE THAT SHOULD BE MADE.
ARE YOU GOOD BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR? YES.
WE REMEMBERED TO CARLA, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? UM, I DON'T, BUT JUST TO CLARIFY, WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON NOW IS WHETHER THE, UM, PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS GOING THROUGH WITH THIS RESOLUTION OR NOT REBUTTING ON THE BOARD MEMBER, UM, FAUST RECOMMENDATION COMBINED WITH BOARD MEMBER RINALDO, THESE AS AMENDED OR BUTTON ON THAT.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO MAKE TWO SEPARATE IMAGES.
WELL, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON WHAT WE ALREADY, HE ALREADY SECONDED THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT FIRST.
WELL THEN IF, WHY DON'T WE JUST, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S TEDIOUS.
I KNOW THAT IT'S REALLY ANNOYING TO DO THIS, BUT WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO IS PASS RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WHY DON'T BOARD MEMBER FOULS? WHY DON'T YOU READ OUT THE TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED AS BACKUP SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S READ INTO THE RECORD AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO SAY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, WE CAN, UM, WE CAN ADD ON OUR, I CAN, I CAN CONTINUE TO PROPOSE THIS RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE AS A, UM, AS AN AMENDMENT TO THAT.
SO YOU'RE STILL, YOU STILL ARE ASKING TO AMEND HER RESOLUTION RATHER THAN HAVE A SEPARATE RESOLUTION, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.
I MEAN, I, IF, IF THE, IF THE ISSUE IS THAT, LIKE WE HAD THESE ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES WITH GETTING THE CORRECT LANGUAGE POSTED, THEN WHY DON'T WE JUST READ THROUGH THE WHOLE THING HERE SO THAT THAT'S ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD BY YOU READING THAT, UM, IF IT'S WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED ANYWAY.
AND WELL, I UNDERSTOOD THE ISSUE WAS THAT THIS BOARD MEMBER FOSS WAS SAYING THAT THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR LIFEGUARDS AND SHE WANTED TO KEEP IT SPECIFICALLY FOR LIFEGUARDS AND TO DO, AND SHE WOULD INSTEAD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO A SEPARATE ONE, BUT MAYBE I'M CAN I JUST WITHDRAW MY AMENDMENT? AND THEN WE CAN JUST VOTE ON IT SEPARATELY.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING WHEN WE WERE FOUND? SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I INTERPRETED WHAT YOU SAY.
SO DO YOU WANT TO WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION? OKAY.
AND THAT CASE IS THIS DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT WE, UM, AND IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THAT ONE? THIS IS THE ONE THAT BOARD MEMBER FAFSA ORIGINALLY, UM, MOVE, I MEAN, RECOMMENDED JUST ONE, ONE COMMENT, AND THAT IS, WE'LL GET SOME PUSHBACK FROM SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC RELATING TO MAKING RECOMMENDATION FOR 22 AN HOUR.
AND ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS IF THEY'RE WILLING TO DO IT FOR 15 AN HOUR, WE HAVE AN APPLICATION FOR YOU.
SO, UM, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO A VOTE.
SO ALL IN FAVOR OF BOARD MEMBER, PHALLUSES, UM, RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[02:35:04]
UM, WARMER TAYLOR, ARE YOU OPPOSING OR DID YOU VOTE? SORRY.SO WE HAVE, UM, ANY OPPOSED, OKAY.
SO I THINK, UM, WE'RE STILL ON THE SAME AGENDA ITEM.
NOW YOU WANT TO MAKE, WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO BUDGET.
SHE'S GOT A MOTION, ANOTHER MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
THAT WAS WHY, SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT WITH THIS.
SO IN THAT CASE WE'RE MEMBERS.
SO LET ME, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WITH YOUR MOTION.
SO YOU WANT TO TAKE THE SAME LANGUAGE THAT ISN'T YOUR EMOTION GOING TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF REFERENCES TO LIFEGUARDS IN HER MOTION.
SO BASICALLY WHAT I DID, UM, MY RECOMMENDED THE LANGUAGE FOR MY, THAT I'M GOING TO PROPOSE FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION DRAWS ON AN ECHOES, THE SAME TYPE OF LANGUAGE THAT WE JUST HEARD IN THE PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT'S TAILORED TO APPLY TO, UM, SUMMER CAMP AND SEASONAL WORKERS, UM, PER SE, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE OTHER HALF OF WHAT WAS, UM, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THIS AGENDA ITEM.
SO IT WON'T BE, UM, IT WILL NOT REFERENCE LIFEGUARDS AND, UM, TO JUST OFFER SOME BACKGROUND ON THIS, I LIKE, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE IN, YOU KNOW, PURSUING LIKE REALLY EFFECTIVELY GETTING UP THESE NUMBERS OF FOLKS THAT ARE BEING HIRED TO, UM, TO RUN SUMMER CAMPS.
UM, I WOULD OFFER THIS RECOMMENDATION, UM, AS, UM, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY TO REINFORCE THAT IF WE DO RUN INTO ISSUES WITH RECRUITMENT, LIKE FURTHER ON DOWN THE ROAD, I BELIEVE WE'RE STILL SIX WEEKS OUT FROM SUMMER CAMP.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE SUMMER CAMP STARTING AND WE HAVE 45% OF STAFF HIRED IF WE DO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IF THAT STARTS TO SLOW DOWN AND WE DO NEED TO RAISE THE, YOU KNOW, THE PAY THAT WE'RE OFFERING TO FOLKS, I WANT US TO HAVE THAT OPTION ON THE TABLE.
UM, AND I, I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE EMPOWERED, TO DO THAT IF WE NEED TO.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M ALSO, UM, WHY I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE, UM, ADDRESSING THE FISCAL YEAR 20, 22 BUDGET IN THIS, UM, AS PART OF THIS AGENDA ITEM.
SO IS THERE A MOTION? YEAH, SO, UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, UM, RECOMMENDS TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO PURSUE ALL AVAILABLE MEASURES, TO INCREASE STAFFING TO SUSTAINABLE LEVELS FOR ALL SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING INCLUDED, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING MEASURES, ONE INCREASING PAY RATES FOR ALL SUMMER CAMP STAFF TO ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS NEEDED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO FULFILL THE ITEMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
AND THE ITEMS DESCRIBED AS UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS FOR SUMMER CAMP AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS CAPACITY INCREASE IN THE FEBRUARY, 2022 PRESENTATION, UM, GIVEN TO, UH, UH, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THREE, ANY OTHER MEASURES FOUND BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL OR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TRAINING AND RETAINING SUMMER CAMP AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM STAFF.
AND I HAVE A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER DIPLOMAS.
SO DO WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON THIS RESOLUTION OR MEMBER COTTON SEIBEL? DID I MISS IT, OR IS THERE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT PAY, PAY INCREASES? YOU'RE JUST GIVING YOU ALL THE WAY THERE, THERE THERE'S.
I MEAN, UM, Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO OFFER AN AMENDMENT.
IF YOU WANT TO CALL OUT THE $22 AN HOUR SPECIFICALLY, I JUST BEEN SUSTAINABLE.
I JUST WANT US TO HAVE THE OPTION TO REINFORCE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE NEED TO PAY FOLKS MORE, THAT MIGHT, THAT NUMBER MIGHT VARY TO BE.
IS THAT GOING TO CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN HIRED? DO YOU THINK, I MEAN, I WOULD ASSUME THAT IF WAGES WERE RAISED, UM, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WOULD GO UP FOR EVERYBODY, EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ALREADY HIRED.
SO IT'S, I'M NOT PROPOSING THAT WE WOULD, UM, CAUSE THESE JOBS DON'T START UNTIL SUMMER CAMP STARTS.
SO I'M NOT PROPOSING THAT IF YOU SIGNED UP EARLY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE STUCK AT $15 AN HOUR.
AND IF WE HIRE YOU LATER, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A HIGHER WAGE.
UM, BUT IN ORDER TO FILL THE OTHER HALF OF THOSE STAFF SPOTS, WE MIGHT NEED TO, UM, IT, IT MIGHT BE THE CASE THAT IN ORDER TO BE COMPETITIVE, WE HAVE TO OFFER MORE.
DOES THAT ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION BOARD MEMBER OR MEMBER? UM, I AGREE.
UM, YOU'RE SAYING THAT 45% HAVE BEEN HIRED.
I WROTE DOWN 330 PEOPLE ARE NEEDED IN 16 HAVE BEEN HIRED.
[02:40:01]
YEAH.SO FORTUNATELY THE NUMBERS ARE MUCH BETTER NOW.
UH, BOARD MEMBER, THE CARLA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? OKAY.
NO, I JUST, UH, I APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR EFFORTS IN THE NIGHT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE, UM, PAY EVERYBODY EQUITABLY.
SO UNDER THIS IDEA, IS IT KIND OF LIKE A CONTINGENCY THINGS GET TO A CERTAIN POINT AND THEN WAGES ARE ABLE TO BE INCREASED? IS THAT THE GENERAL CONCEPT HERE? I'M NOT PROPOSING A SPECIFIC CONTINGENCY POINT.
UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, IF RECRUITMENT DOES START TO SLOW DOWN, I WOULD LIKE THE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER OFFERING HIGHER WAGES AS A WAY TO SPEED THAT UP AND START RECRUITING AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THEY'LL NEED.
I GUESS I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS HOW THAT WORKS.
LIKE WHO WOULD OFFER IT, WHO HAD ACTUALLY APPROVED THE PAY INCREASE? LIKE HOW HAS, I DON'T KNOW.
SO IT WOULD, SO WE WOULD DO THIS AND IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY.
THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL.
SO THAT WOULD BE, SO, YOU KNOW, THE PARTICULARS OF THAT, I'M NOT PROPOSING IN THIS LANGUAGE, SO THAT WOULD, THAT IMPLEMENTATION WOULD BE UP TO TWO STAFF, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE REINFORCE THAT THIS IS THE SUMMER CAMPS ARE A REALLY IMPORTANT FUNCTION AND THAT IF WE DO NEED TO, UM, SIMILAR TO HOW WE JUST DID FOR A LIFEGUARDS, UM, IF WE DO NEED TO PAY PEOPLE MORE IN ORDER TO DO THIS JOB, THEN THAT'S AN OPTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, I DO HAVE A COMMENT.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK ALL OF THE LANGUAGE WORKS.
UM, YOU REFERENCED, UM, THE, YEAH, I, I BELIEVE YOU SAID, UM, FUNDING IS NEEDED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO FULFILL THE ITEMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
AND THE ITEMS DESCRIBED IN THE UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS IN THE FEBRUARY 28TH, 2022 FINANCIAL COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND, UM, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION BY AQUATICS THAT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED WITHIN THE PRESENTATION, SOME UNDER RESORT UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS.
THOSE ARE NOT PART OF THE, UM, LARGER UNDER-RESOURCED EXPECTATIONS THAT ARE A SEPARATE BUDGET ITEM.
UM, THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY ONLY PART OF THAT AQUATICS PRESENTATION.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY, UM, ITEMS IN THE CAMP PRESENTATION, SO I'M NOT, I CAN YOU DOUBLE CHECK THAT? CAUSE THAT REFERENCE WAS TO SOME ITEMS ABOUT AQUATICS.
OH, UM, YEAH, THE UNDER-RESOURCED I THINK I WAS JUST GETTING CONFUSED WHERE THIS UNDER-RESOURCED SERVE ACCESS EXPECTATIONS APPLIES TO THE FISCAL YEAR 20, 23 BUDGET AND NOT TO 2022.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A COMPLETELY SEPARATE PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE WHAT YOU HAVE RIGHT THERE.
CAUSE SO AT THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE AND TO BE CLEAR LIKE THIS, HER RESOLUTION HAS NOT BEEN THROUGH THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE.
SO THIS WA AT THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE, THERE'S A, A DEPARTMENT UNDER RESOURCE SERVICE XP DEPARTMENT WIDE.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT THERE.
THEN THERE WAS A, UH, MORE SPECIFIC PRESENTATION FROM AQUATICS THAT INCLUDED SOME ITEMS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THAT DEPARTMENT PRESENTATION.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WAS REFERENCING.
WELL, UM, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ONE OF THOSE FOR CAMPS.
SO I THINK YOU NEED TO MAYBE JUST TAKE THAT LANGUAGE OUT.
BECAUSE EVERYTHING IN THAT PRESENTATION, YOU'RE POINTING OUT THE LARGER UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE THAT'S COVERED IN OUR NEXT ITEM.
THAT'S WHAT I'M THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M NOW REALIZING.
SO I JUST GOT CONFUSED ABOUT, I WAS WHEN I WAS REVIEWING ALL OF THESE MANY PRESENTATIONS, I GOT CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS FACING.
SO IT SHOULD BE DELETED BECAUSE IT DOESN'T, THERE'S NOTHING THAT IT IS REFERRING TO SUGGESTING.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THAT A MOTION TO STRIKE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO READ IT OUT? CAUSE I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU READ AND I DON'T THINK IT'S IN WRITING AVAILABLE, SO I, I CAN STRIKE THE LANGUAGE THAT REFERS TO ITEMS DESCRIBED AS UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE SECOND BULLET OF THIS, OF THIS RESOLUTION.
[02:45:01]
TO DO THAT.AND CAN YOU STRIKE LIKE THE WHOLE REFERENCE TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING AND THE DATE BECAUSE IT WASN'T.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I FORGOT THEM.
SECOND TIME IN SEVEN YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
SO, UM, I THINK LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
I, I, UM, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN WRITING TO GIVE TO TIM.
AND IT'S TAUGHT THAT THE DIOCESE AT TIMES I CHAIR, SORRY, I DO HAVE A COMMENT AND I FOUND IT.
CAN I GO AHEAD? AND SO ONE, YOU, YOU KNOW, IT'S POSTED ACTION IS AS THE MOTION ON THE TABLE, WE WILL HAVE THE COMMITMENT TO A LIVING WAGE OR WE DON'T, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT, UM, THAT KIND OF RESIDES WITH ME AND I PERSONALLY HAVE THAT COMMITMENT TO LIVING WAGE.
AND, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE HESITATION, UM, IN THE, I APPRECIATE THE, THE MODIFICATION ON THE MOTION.
AND, UH, I ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED THIS AS A STRAIGHTFORWARD AMENDMENT TO THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW HOW COMPLICATED THIS WAS GOING TO BE.
SO YEAH, AND IT WAS THE, THE, ALL THE DIFFERENT BUDGETS AND EMOTIONS AND EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF IT WAS, DID MAKE IT DIFFICULT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS IT'S WORTHY TO DO.
AND YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO FIND ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY WANT.
I WANTED TO BRING UP VERY CONCERNED OF US NOT RAISING THIS CHALLENGE WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE INTO JULY AND CAMPS ARE BEING CANCELED AND COUNCIL GOES, WELL, WE HAD NO IDEA.
WE HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD FOR THAT.
AND THEN THEY LOOKED TO US AND THE PUBLIC'S PESTS.
AND YOU KNOW, TO ME, W WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE THINK IT COULD BE AN ISSUE, AND THIS IS HOW YOU PREVENT THE ISSUE IS TO BE ABLE TO PAY WHAT WE KNOW IS A LIVING WAGE IN AUSTIN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO THAT'S WHERE MY FEELINGS WANTING TO PUSH AND JUST SUPPORT, UH, THIS AD HOC MOTION AND ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
WE HAVE A SECOND, AND IT'S GOTTEN CONFUSING.
COULD WE POSSIBLY READ THE MOTION THAT AS IT STANDS NOW? HM, YES, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS JUST LOVE TO HEAR ME READ THIS LANGUAGE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UM, I WILL READ IT AGAIN WITH THE, WITH THE STRICKEN LANGUAGE OMITTED SO THAT YOU'LL GET IT FRESH AND CLEAN.
UM, THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO PURSUE ALL AVAILABLE MEASURES, TO INCREASE STAFFING TO SUSTAINABLE LEVELS FOR ALL SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING MEASURES.
NUMBER ONE, INCREASING PAY RATES FOR ALL SUMMER CAMP STAFF, NUMBER TWO, ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS NEEDED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO FULFILL.
UM, OH, THIS IS THE PART THAT I STRUCK, MAN.
NUMBER TWO, ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS NEEDED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UM, TO FULFILL, UM, FULLY STAFFED SUMMER CAMPS, UM, DURING SUMMER 2022, AND NUMBER THREE, ANY OTHER MEASURES FOUND BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL OR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TRAINING AND RETAINING SUMMER CAMP AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM STAFF IT'S EVERY BIT.
WE HAVE A SECOND, AND WE'VE HAD ANY MORE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.
SO ALL IN FAVOR, IT'S UNANIMOUS.
GLADLY GOVERNMENTAL FIGURED OUT.
SO, AND I, I NEED TO NOTIFY, I NEED TO, UM, DO WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION IF WE'RE GOING TO COMBINE TWO ITEMS, TIM, UH, IS THE QUESTION, DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO COMBINE TWO AGENDA ITEMS? I BELIEVE, YEAH.
SO THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE FINANCIAL
[Items B.3 & B.4]
[02:50:01]
COMMITTEE WAS TO, UM, TO HAVE THIS AS ONE ITEM.AND SO, UH, IT DIDN'T COME OUT QUITE THAT WAY ON THE AGENDA.
SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND JUST COMBINE THEM.
SO WE, THAT WOULD BE ITEMS. UH, THANK YOU.
ITEMS THREE AND FOUR SECOND, SECOND.
SO, UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PRESENTATION DISCUSSION, IMPOSSIBLE LIPS FROM ONE PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OF FISCAL YEAR, 2023, BUDGET AND DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FIS FISCAL YEAR, 2022 THROUGH 23.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD, I THINK THERE WERE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
SO IF IT'S BEING CONSIDERED NOW, OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND SO WE HAVE FOR AGENDA ITEM, PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM KNOWN AS BEFORE NOW, B3 IS, UH, SHARON BLIGHT AND SHARON EITHER YOU ARE READING THE, UM, THE AGENDA TODAY CAME ACROSS BEFORE WE USED TO BE BEFORE ONE ABOUT THE CEMETERY, UH, UNMET NEEDS OF $50,000.
THAT IS LIKE TO ME, A UNBELIEVABLY LOW FIGURE.
THAT WOULD BE NOTHING TO THE CEMETERY BUDGET.
THERE WOULD BE NOTHING DONE IF THEY'RE GOING TO JUST ALLOCATE $50,000.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER, I GUESS YOUR FINANCIAL PEOPLE DID.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT IT COSTS THEM ABOUT $50,000 A MONTH RIGHT NOW, WHAT THEY'RE DOING OUT THERE.
AND THEY'RE WANTING $50,000 A YEAR, THAT WOULD BE, UM, COMPLETELY UNDERFUNDED.
AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WOULD BE THEN THEY WOULD RAISE THEIR RIGHTS CHARGE TO THE PUBLIC, TO THE FAMILIES, TO GRIEVING FAMILIES.
THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD MAKE UP A DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT'S A GRIEVANCE EGREGIOUS, CAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING WAY TOO MUCH FOR THOSE SERVICES OUT THERE.
I HOPE I MISINTERPRETED THAT AND WHAT THEY WERE REALLY DOING THERE, BUT THEY'RE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO RAISE HER RATES ON THE, ON THE GRIEVING FAMILIES.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ATROCIOUS.
SO THAT'S IT FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? SO, UH, SO BASICALLY WE HAVE, UM, A PRESENTATION FROM NICHOLAS JOHNSON AND ED MORRIS, IS THAT RIGHT? UH, STAFF, UH, WE HAVE VENETA RICHARDSON HERE TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.
THE ANALYST LISTED, UM, PRESENTED AT THE COMMITTEE, THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE ON LAST WEEK.
SO I TELL THEM I WOULD HAVE THE PRIVILEGE NOW TO DO IT THIS WEEK FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD.
UM, MY NAME IS VANATTA RICHARDSON.
I AM THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET FORECAST UH, TO GET STARTED.
UM, WHAT WE CURRENTLY ARE WITH OUR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022, HERE IS A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF THE DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT BUDGET.
OUR CURRENT APPROVED OPERATING BUDGET IS RIGHT AT $115 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES FUNDING FOR 769 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
[02:55:01]
IS A GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT AND 75% OF OUR FUNDING IS SUPPORTED PRIMARILY BY A TAXPAYER DOLLARS.ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF FUNDING INCLUDE ENTRY FEES, FEES FOR SWIM LESSONS AND FACILITY RENTAL FEES AMONG OTHERS.
THE PIE CHART REPRESENTS THE CURRENT BUDGET CATEGORIZED BY, UH, FOUR MAJOR PROGRAMS. APPROXIMATELY 57% OF PART FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO COMMUNITY SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES THE RECREATION CENTERS, MUSEUMS, CULTURAL ARTS CENTERS, AND AQUATIC FACILITIES.
27% OF OUR FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO PARK PLANNING AND OPERATIONS.
THIS CATEGORY INCLUDES PARK PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY SERVICES, AND ALSO CEMETERY OPERATIONS.
AND THEN 16% OF OUR FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT SERVICES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS.
THIS INCLUDES OVERHEAD TYPE OF SERVICES, SUCH AS INFORMATION, TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES, NEW BUDGET ITEMS, UH, ADDED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 APPROVED BUDGET PROCESS INCLUDES, UM, BUT NOT LIMITED TO $660,000 IN SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING.
UM, IT WAS ADDED TO A BASE BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF NEW LAND ACQUISITION EXPANDED AND REDEVELOPED PARKLAND FACILITIES AND POOLS FOR WHICH RELATED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR 900,000 WAS ADDED TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING.
AND THEN ALSO WE RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SIX ADDITIONAL PARK RANGER POSITIONS.
HERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT OUR, UH, CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET EXPENDITURES.
THIS TIME CATEGORIZED BY MAJOR EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES, OUR PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES ACCOUNT, PLUS 65% OF OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES, 30% OF OUR EXPENDITURES OF A CONTRACTED SERVICES, UM, THAT INCLUDE, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UTILITY SERVICES, UH, MEAL SERVICES, UM, PARENTS SERVICES AND FORESTRY SERVICES.
APPROXIMATELY 5% OF EXPENDITURES ARE FOR COMMODITIES AND CONSUMABLE GOODS, SUCH AS RECREATIONAL SUPPLIES.
THE LINE GRAPH SHOWS HOW WE AS A DEPARTMENT HAS SEEN A STEADY INCREASE TO OUR WORKFORCE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SEVENTY-FIVE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN ADDED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SIX FISCAL YEARS, WHICH REPRESENTS ABOUT A 10% GROWTH IN COMPARISON.
UM, AUSTIN'S POPULATION HAS GROWN OVER 12 AND A HALF PERCENT SINCE 2016 WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, WE RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL 24.5 GENERAL FUND FTES.
11 OTHER POSITIONS WERE ADDED WITH ZERO IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND THROUGH REALLOCATION OF FUNDS, UH, WITHIN OUR CURRENT BASE BUDGET.
THE OTHER 13 AND A HALF FOOT POSITIONS WERE GRANTED THROUGH CITY COUNCIL BUDGET AMENDMENTS, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENTS PARK RANGER UNIT, AND ALSO MAINTENANCE UNITS AS A DEPARTMENT, WE PLAN STRATEGIZE, IMPLEMENT AND EXPAND THE BUDGET IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR STRATEGIC GOALS.
OUR CURRENT STRATEGIC GOALS ARE TO ACTIVATE AND ENHANCE URBAN PARK SPACES TO PROVIDE FLEXIBLE AND DIVERSE PROGRAMMING, ALIGNED, ACCESSIBLE, AND DIVERSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS AND INTERESTS ENSURE THE PARK SYSTEM PRESERVES RECREATIONAL AND NATURAL SPACES TO SERVE AS A RESPITE FROM URBAN LIFE.
AND THEN ALSO TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO PARKS AND FACILITIES FOR ALL NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FISCAL YEAR 2023 PROPOSED BUDGET FORECAST THAT WE TURNED IN, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE'RE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, THIS DATA THAT I'M GETTING READY TO GO OVER REPRESENTS OUR PRELIMINARY FORECAST BUDGET ITEMS THAT WE SUBMITTED,
[03:00:02]
AND THEY ARE PENDING REVIEW WITH THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE.THE PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $3.3 MILLION.
UH, WE RECENTLY, UM, MADE AN UPDATE TO OUR PROPOSAL THAT INCLUDE, UM, THAT INCLUDES A REQUEST FOR 8.5 POSITIONS TO BE INTERNALLY FUNDED WITH ZERO IMPACT ON THE JOURNAL FUND.
SO, UM, ON THE SLIDE, HE HAS SIX HUNDRED SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE 0.25.
THAT WOULD WITH THE 8.5, IT WOULD BE 777.7 POUNDS.
IF WE WERE TO, UM, BE APPROVED FOR IT AGAIN, THAT'S, UM, THOSE POSITIONS WOULD HAVE ZERO IMPACT.
WE'RE FINDING FUNDING WITHIN OUR CURRENT BASE BUDGET.
UM, THOSE OF THE 8.5 TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 8.56 OF THOSE POSITIONS, OR TO ADDRESS THE INCREASE IN DEMAND IN OUR PART PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICE AREAS.
AND THE REMAINING 2.5 POSITIONS WOULD BE TO ADDRESS INCREASED SUPPORT SERVICES DOMAIN 1.4 OF THE 3.3 MILLION IS FOR CITY-WIDE COST DRIVERS, SUCH AS EMPLOYEE WAGE ADJUSTMENT INCREASES, FLEET MAINTENANCE, APPEAL COSTS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES PROVIDED BY OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THE REMAINING 1.9 MILLION OF THE 3.3, UM, IS FOR REQUESTED DEPARTMENT WIDE COST DRIVERS, UH, RELATED TO INITIATIVE INITIATIVES PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, UM, SEVERAL OF THE ITEMS THERE ARE IN THAT REQUESTED, OH, AND UP BUDGET PACKET, CHILD FORECAST PACKAGE, UM, 491,000 IN FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL LIFEGUARDS AND CASHIERS AND TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL SECURITY SERVICES OR BARTON SPRINGS POOL WAS INCLUDED DUE TO THE RECORD INCREASE IN PATRONS AT BARTON SPRINGS, PU WE DON'T ASK IT FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO PROVIDE THE PROPORTIONATE INCREASE IN LIFEGUARD COVERAGE, MORE PATRONS IN THE WATER AND IN THE FACILITY OF COURSE CREATES MORE RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING SAFETY.
SO WE ALSO ARE REQUESTING FUNDING FOR SECURITY SERVICES TO AID IN A DAILY SERVICING OF THE PAYMENT KIOSK AND THE REVENUE DEPOSITING PROCEDURES, ALSO ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR A CEMETERY OPERATIONS AND TERMINAL AND MONUMENT SETTING SERVICES IS BEING REQUESTED IN THE ESTIMATE AMOUNT OF $617,000.
THE CURRENT CONTRACTED INTERMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT ENDS NEXT YEAR.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, CEMETERY OPERATIONS HAS CLOSELY MONITORED AND EXAMINED THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE PRIVATE CONTRACTOR.
AND BASED ON THE LESSONS LEARNED, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED, UH, THAT W THAT TO TAKE OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THOSE OPERATIONS, WE NEED THOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
WE NEED THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UH, WE ALSO ARE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UM, AND THE TUNA 500,000, UM, FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF NEW EXPANDED REDEVELOPMENT, REDEVELOP, PARKLAND, UH, FACILITIES, WHICH WILL COME ONLINE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023, THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING WITH A, UM, THE DIVISIONS OF GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY SERVICES, FORESTRY, AND AQUATICS.
UH, THIS WILL HELP US KEEP UP WITH THE SERVICE DEMAND OF THOSE, OF THOSE, UH, FACILITIES COMING ON BOARD AND PARKLAND AND COMING ONLINE.
UH, LASTLY, BUT NOT LEAST THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX KNOWN AS THE MYC WAS SUBJECT OF, UH, OF AN OFFICE OF THE CITY OF AUDITOR AUDIT IN AUGUST OF 2020.
ONE OF THE FINDINGS STATED THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO ADDRESS, UM, FACILITY AND TECHNOLOGY MAINTENANCE NEEDS AND ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, UH, FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 88,000 IS BEING REQUESTED TO COVER ONGOING MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
WE BELIEVE EACH OF THE SUBMITTED FORECAST BUDGET REQUEST ITEMS
[03:05:01]
THAT JUST DESCRIBED MEET THE DEFINITION OF A BASE COST DRIVER, UH, WHICH ARE DEFINED AS INCREASES THAT ARE ALLOWABLE IF THEY ARE NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE ITEMS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL, DUE TO THE CURRENT FINANCIAL LIMITATIONS RELATED TO PROPERTY TAX CAPS AND THE COVID-19 RESPONSE DEPARTMENTS UNMET NEEDS FOR EXPANDED PROGRAMMING OR SERVICES WERE NOT ALLOWED TO BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE FORECAST BUDGET PACKAGE.HOWEVER, THROUGH COMMUNITY REQUESTS, BOARDS, AND COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS, AND OUR COUNCIL ACTIONS, UH, DEPARTMENTS UNMET NEEDS CAN BE COMMUNICATED AND ADDRESSED DURING OUR BUSINESS AND BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS.
WE IDENTIFY A LONG LIST OF DEPARTMENT NEEDS.
UM, SOME THAT MEET THE DEFINITION OF A BASE COST DRIVER, AND A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T, UM, REPRESENTED THOSE DETAILS.
UM, OF COURSE AT THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE AND A COPY OF THAT PRESENTATION IS POSTED OR HAS BEEN POSTED AS PART OF BACKUP FOR THIS MEETING.
NEXT SLIDE, THE DEPARTMENT'S GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IS 13.3 MILLION.
WE ARE PROJECTING THAT REVENUE COLLECTED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 13.8 MILLION A NET INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 500,000 WHEN COMPARED TO THE BUDGETED REVENUE.
THE NET DIFFERENCE IS MAINLY DUE TO BETTER THAN EXPECTED RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATIONS, UM, LEVEL FOLLOWING SEVERAL YEARS OF, UH, COVID 19 IMPACTED SERVICES FOR A FISCAL YEAR 2023, WE ARE PROJECTING THE DEPARTMENT'S REVENUE TO BE $14.2 MILLION.
THIS ESTIMATE IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE DEPARTMENT WILL COLLECT REVENUE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, AT THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY, CARRIE LANG, THE NEW CITY BUDGET OFFICERS SEND A LETTER TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OUTLINING IMPORTANT FACTORS AFFECTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FYI 23 PROPOSED EDGY.
THE MEMO DISCUSSED THAT THE DEPARTMENTS WERE GIVEN DIRECTION TO REVIEW EXISTING PROGRAMS FOR POTENTIAL BUSINESS PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, AND TO HAVE BUDGET SUBMISSIONS REFLECT A FOCUS ON EQUITY AND IDENTIFYING EFFICIENCIES.
LASTLY, SHE REQUESTED THAT THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD ALSO FOCUS ON THE EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVENESS, AND EQUITY OF EXISTING PROGRAMS. AND AS YOU KNOW, THE, UM, BORISON COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DUE TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE ON OR BEFORE MARCH 31ST.
UM, HERE ARE SOME OTHER, UM, IMPORTANT DATES.
OUR DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET SUBMISSION IS DUE TO THE BUDGET OFFICE.
UM, THE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET WOULD BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL JULY 15TH.
PUBLIC INPUT MEETINGS WILL BE JULY 27TH AND AUGUST 2ND COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION.
SO I SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 9TH AND 11TH, AND THE FYI 2023 BUDGET.
WE HOPE WILL BE APPROVED EITHER ON THE 17TH OR THE 18TH.
AND THAT'S THE, IN THE, MY PRESENTATION.
SO LAST YEAR WE KIND OF, AT THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, WE KIND OF CAME TOGETHER AND KIND OF TRIED TO PULL EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT A RECOMMENDATION KIND OF AT THE LAST MINUTE, AND THIS YEAR WE'VE DONE IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
WE'VE UM, WE CREATED A FINANCIAL COMMITTEE AND WHOSE PURPOSE WAS TO DO SOME DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT ONE WAS TO TRY TO, UM, DEVELOP A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUDGET.
AND THEN WHEN THIS TIME CAME TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE COULD SHARE WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD.
SO I'D LIKE TO START OUT WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE COMMITTEE DID HERE,
[03:10:01]
NOT YOU PRESENTING, BUT YOUR TEAM PRESENTING.SO I'M GOING TO ASK, UM, ANYBODY WHO WAS NOT AT THAT MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE YOU BOARD MEMBER, UM, HUFFMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. RICHARDSON? YEAH, MY, UM, MY QUESTION IS ON PAGE FIVE, YOU MENTIONED AN AMOUNT, UM, COSTS, UM, OH, I'M SORRY.
PAGE FOUR FOR CEMETERY INTERNMENT UNIT INCREASE.
CAN YOU TELL ME THAT AMOUNT AGAIN THAT YOU MENTIONED? IT'S 615,000.
AND SO YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF DETAILS IN THAT, THAT WEREN'T ON YOUR SLIDE.
UM, AND, AND WOULD YOU MIND SAYING THOSE, THOSE BULLET POINTS AGAIN? SURE.
UM, MAJORITY OF IT IS SO THAT WE'LL HAVE RESOURCES TO TAKE OFF A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FUNCTION THAT THE PRIVATE CONTRACTOR IS DOING RIGHT NOW FOR INTERMENT SERVICES, VAST MAJORITY OF IT.
AND THEN, UM, 50,000 OF THAT, WHICH I THINK, UM, DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR, UH, THE MONUMENT RESETTING.
UM, YEAH, IT WAS, I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT AMOUNT.
UM, SO I MEAN, IS NOW AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO ASK ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THAT 50,000 IS COVERING, UM, AND, AND HOW THAT WORKS.
I HAVE MRS. BLYTHE WHO HAS ASKED ME TO ASK SOME PARTICULAR QUESTIONS.
I THINK SHE WAS REFERRING TO, UM, UM, I GUESS, TYPO, UH, CLARIFICATION ON WHAT WAS IN THE UNDER RESOURCE EXPECTATIONS PRESENTATION.
WE ONLY PUT 50,000 WHEN, AND WE DIDN'T PUT THE OTHER AMOUNT, WHICH, UM, PERSONALLY 500 IS.
SO THAT WAS A DIFFERENT PRESENTATION, DIFFERENT PRESENTATION.
BENARD, NO QUESTIONS, BUT REMEMBER SEIBEL, I JUST SAY THANKS FOR THE WORK AND GETTING THIS TOGETHER AND THANK YOU TO THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE FOR DOING THE BACKGROUND WORK ON THIS.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME YOU PUT THEM ON IT.
I THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE? I WASN'T EXACTLY CLEAR ON WHAT THE, UM, MILLENNIUM YOUTH CENTER, UH, WHAT THE FUNDS WERE GOING TO BE DOING FOR THAT CENTER.
SO, UM, WE ARE HAVE REQUESTED OR ESTIMATED, UM, TO SET UP EDDY $8,000 TO ADDRESS SOME ONGOING WHAT WE CALL REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT COSTS THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, UM, I KNOW JUST RECENTLY THEY HAD A MEETING AND ALWAYS GET THE NAME OF THE COMMITTEE OR THE BOARD WRONG, BUT THEY JUST HAD THEIR MEETING WITH A DISCUSS WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE, UM, FOR THEIR UPCOMING BUDGET.
AND SO WE, UH, PUT IT INTO OUR BUDGET TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, IF I COULD JUST ADD TO WHAT MS. BERNARDA SAID, THE AUSTIN ROSEWOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THEY ARE THE BOARD THAT GOVERNS, UM, THE OPERATIONS OF THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX, WHICH IS THE MYC.
AND THEY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON THROUGH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
SO VIA A CULTURAL CENTERS AUDIT OF WHICH THE MILLENNIUM WAS PART OF THAT AUDIT.
PART OF THE FINDINGS IN THE AUDIT TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, THE MAINTENANCE THINGS THAT HAD NOT BEEN ADDRESSED AT THE MILLENNIUM AND MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD AND TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I E THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO THINK ABOUT HOW THEY WERE GOING TO ADDRESS MAINTENANCE NEED AT THAT MAINTENANCE NEEDS AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION.
SO THERE WAS AN AUDIT FINDING THROUGH THAT AUDIT FINDING, UM, WE WORKED, UH, SOME CALCULATIONS AND DETERMINED THAT $88,000 WAS A START, UH, FOR REGULAR SORTS OF REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS, KIND OF ONGOING OPERATING MAINTENANCE.
THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY DOES NOT ADDRESS MANY OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
[03:15:01]
WAY OF EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR, AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE MILLENNIUM DID RECEIVE SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO FIX THE ROOF AND THE, UM, THE HPAC.SO THIS $88,000 IS SORT OF THOSE ONGOING REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE THINGS.
THE ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX HAS A SKATE PARK AND NOT A SKATE PARK, A SKATING RINK, A BASKETBALL COURT BOWLING.
SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE THERE, UM, MAINTENANCE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THOSE THINGS OPERATIONAL IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN, UH, A GENERAL RECREATION CENTER.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT PROVIDES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL AND BACKGROUND.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THEIR, UH, INFORMATION DIRECTOR.
UM, AND THEN I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, PROPOSED, UM, POSITIONS, MORE POSITIONS.
UM, I THINK YOU MENTIONED THE PARK RANGERS, HOW MANY MORE PROPOSED POSITIONS WERE INCLUDED WITH THAT? ALL RIGHT.
WE WERE APPROVED FOR SIX POSITIONS, UM, FOR THIS KRAMPUS GO YEAR, BUT INCLUDING THE 8.5 THAT I MENTIONED, THERE ARE NO PET PARK RANGER POSITIONS BEING REQUESTED AT THIS POINT.
THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
I WANTED TO ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
SO ON PAGE FIVE OF THIS, UM, THE BUDGET OVERVIEW FOR, UM, 20, 23 AND WHERE YOU'RE DISCUSSING THE UNMET NEEDS, UM, YOU'VE MADE REFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT, UM, THE, UM, THE, THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY COUNCIL DID NOT WANT TO CONSIDER SUBMISSIONS AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL IN YOUR BUDGET FORECAST FOR UNMET NEEDS.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, IT SEEMS LIKE THE, THIS PRESENTATION IN FEBRUARY THAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HEARD THE UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS THAT SEEMS TO BE COMMUNICATING THE UNMET NEEDS, AND THEN THOSE ARE THEN COMMUNICATED, YOU KNOW, THEN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE SUPPORTED THEM, UM, SUPPORTED, UM, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE BUDGET.
AND THEN WE TODAY AS A BOARD, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, UM, WE HAVE THESE UNMET NEEDS AND WE WANT THEM TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE BUDGET.
AM I ACCURATE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT I BELIEVE SO.
UM, AND SO WE'RE STILL, WE'RE FREE AS A BOARD TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT'S THAT THEY, THEY, YOU WERE ASKED AS STAFF NOT TO INCLUDE THOSE IN YOUR, IN YOUR BUDGET FORECAST, BUT WE CAN COMMUNICATE THEM THROUGH THESE OTHER CHANNELS.
AND REMEMBER WHEN ALL THE, IF I MIGHT ALSO ADD JEW, THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN OUR PRESENTATIONS.
AND CERTAINLY THAT IS THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVE TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNEW THAT OUR, THE LIST THAT WE HAVE MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND CERTAINLY IT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE AS A BOARD TO ADD, TO, OR SUBTRACT FROM.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, JUST AS, UM, A PROCESS ISSUE FOR THE BOARD TONIGHT, I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALREADY IN THIS SITUATION WHERE, WHAT WAS THE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE POSTED AS BACKUP OR SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VERSIONS THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE'RE COMBINING RECORDS.
WE JUST COMBINED THESE ITEMS. SO I'VE BEEN TO, UM, I'VE BEEN TO BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETINGS WHERE THE LIAISON IS SORT OF, UM, YOU HAVE THE LANGUAGE POSTED ON A SCREEN FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE.
AND THEN THE LIAISON IS, YOU KNOW, TRACKING CHANGES LIVE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, BEING PROPOSED TO THOSE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT LANGUAGE.
SO NOT TO PUT, SORRY TO BE PUTTING STAFF ON THE SPOT HERE, BUT I, IT SEEMS LIKE AN APPROPRIATE OCCASION WHERE MAYBE WE COULD, UM, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE TONIGHT, I THINK THAT COULD REALLY HELP.
CAUSE I'M ALREADY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT ALL THE LANGUAGE WHEN WE JUST WENT THROUGH THAT, THAT RIGOR MY ROLE WITH THE LAST RECOMMENDATION.
UM, SO PUTTING THAT OUT THERE TO SEE IF THAT IS, IF THAT IS POSSIBLE, UH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD RECOMMENDATION, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF WE, IS THAT POSSIBLE, TIM? I'M NOT SURE.
LET ME CHECK WITH OUR AUDIO VISUAL ASSISTANT.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MEMBER RINALDI? UM, NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.
[03:20:01]
YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.AND I APPRECIATE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
WHAT YOU GOT? NO, ACTUALLY I WANT TO THINK I'M A BOARD MEMBER RENEWAL DAY FOR HER, HER CLARIFICATION.
CAUSE THAT WAS ACTUALLY MY QUESTION.
SO DOES ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD, BOARD MEMBER FAST.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE STAFF WAS GOING TO GO OVER THE UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS PRESENTATION, OR IF YOU FEEL LIKE THE BOARD HAS REVIEWED IT ON THEIR OWN, IT IS INCLUDED IN THE MOTION I'M GOING TO MAKE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT NEEDS FURTHER DISCUSSION, BUT I JUST WANT, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
WHAT PEOPLE LIKE FOR THE, SEE THAT AS EVERYBODY ALREADY LOOKED AT IT ON MY OWN, BUT YEAH, I READ THROUGH IT.
SO I THINK WE'RE GOOD BOARD MEMBER FAST WITH, UM, WITH THAT.
SO WE HAVE A VERY WORKING BOARD.
AND SO ON THE BUDGET, ONE OF THE THINGS, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DRESS IT TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO DAYLIGHT IT, UM, IS JUST THE, THE INDICATORS THAT COME OUT IN THE BUDGET SINCE THIS IS A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION AND WE'RE SO FOCUSED ON THE DOLLARS.
AND THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
THAT'S THE PRIORITY, BUT WANT TO KIND OF GO BACK TO PARDON WHERE I HAD SOME FRUSTRATION, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO RELATING TO OUR GOAL, OUR TARGET FOR BEING THEIR METRICS, THE KPIS ASSOCIATED WITH HOW WE'RE PERFORMING AS A DEPARTMENT, AS A STAFF, AS A CITY, AND PARTICULARLY AT INDICATORS, SEE ACCESSIBILITY TO QUALITY OF PARKS, TRAILS, RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, WHERE PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ACCESS TO PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, THE TARGET TARGETED 65% LATEST ACHIEVED 64 NEAR TARGET.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S EVER CHANGED.
SO IS IT REALLY A GOAL IF THAT'S ALWAYS THE GOAL AUSTIN'S PARK SCORE RANKING TARGET IS 35 LADIES CHEAT 37.
I MEAN, WE'VE NEVER PASSED 35.
SO I THINK THERE HAS TO BE SOME GREATER INTENTIONALITY THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS TO DO ON PUTTING REALLY STRETCH GOALS AND NOT THE SAME THING THAT PEOPLE JUST WASH OVER.
WELL, WE'VE NEVER BEEN PAST 35.
SO JUST TRYING TO MIRROR THAT.
UM, SO YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULD SET THE BAR HIGH.
I THINK, I THINK GOING FORWARD, WHETHER IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S THIS PROCESS TODAY, BUT MAYBE IT COULD BE ADDITIONAL MEETING DOWN THE ROAD AND MAKE, IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT FINANCE TAKES ON BECAUSE IT'S ULTIMATELY THE KPI THAT TRACKS TO THE SPEND, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, THE GOALS FOR ACRES PER 1000 UNITS.
SO ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE NOT PUSHED BACK ON, HAVE NOT ADDRESSED, HAVE NOT CHALLENGED, OR WE HAVE, BUT INDIRECTLY DURING A COURSE OF MY CASE, YOU KNOW, THAT IN DAWN'S CASE LESS JUST CLOAK ON ON SEVEN YEARS.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO SHARE A DOCUMENT SO THAT THE BOARD CAN OFFER EDITS IN REAL TIME IF THE CHAIR AND THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO SO, WHAT IS EVERYBODY WANT TO DO THAT? WELL? SO MY CONCERN WAS THAT THE, THE, THE APPROVED LANGUAGE OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THE POSTED LANGUAGE IS THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS POSTED AS BACKUP.
BUT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR CONFIRMED, AND IT WAS IN THE LIFEGUARD ONE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM AT THE ONE THAT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT ALL OF THESE, ALL OF THESE ITEMS FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAD SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE FROM WHAT WAS POSTED.
BUT IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THEN I THINK THIS IS OKAY.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS THE CASE, BUT CLARIFY BOARD MEMBER FELLS.
CAUSE BECAUSE IT WAS WHAT'S POSTED AS B3 THREE ONLINE IS THE, THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION THAT I, OR SOMEBODY WOULD MOVE ADOPTION OF.
AND SO IF PEOPLE WANTED TO OFFER AMENDMENTS TO THAT, THAT IS THE DOCUMENT THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT UP.
SO DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT RECOMMENDATION? HOPEFULLY.
AND DOES ANY, AND SO DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE?
[03:25:04]
UM, YES.I MOVED THAT THE PARKS AND REC RECREATION BOARD ADOPT THE, UM, RECOMMENDATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET.
SO, SO WE CAN, UM, SO LET'S OPEN THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, THIS PARTICULAR MOTION? WOW.
I KNOW WE DID DID, BUT STILL EASILY OUR BOARD.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION IN THAT CASE, UNLESS BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR OR BOARD MEMBER AT THE CARLA, I DIDN'T LOOK OVER AT YOU.
CAN I CLARIFY REALLY QUICKLY? I'M SORRY.
UM, THIS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE, ONE OF THE, WHERE LET ME SEE WHICH THE THIRD, WHEREAS CLAUSE REFERS TO ATTACHMENT A AND I DID THINK THAT THIS HAD A LITTLE, PARANTHETICALLY ALL THAT NOTED WHAT ATTACHMENT A WAS, AND I DON'T SEE THAT.
UM, BUT ATTACHMENT A IS THE FEBRUARY 28TH, 2022 UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS PRESENTATION.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THAT OR QUESTIONS.
NO, I THINK, UM, I THINK I SUPPORT EVERYTHING IN THIS RESOLUTION AND I, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THE REFERENCES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, UM, TO PROVIDE A LIVABLE WAGE TO DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES.
AND I I'M SATISFIED THAT THAT CAN COVER THE, YOU KNOW, SUMMER CAMP STAFF AND LIFEGUARDS AS WE DISCUSSED.
UNLESS WE HAVE SOME, SOMEBODY WANTS TO ADD SOMETHING I'M GOING TO LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
SO ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURE TO REACH OUT TO THEIR COUNCIL PERSON ADVOCATE FOR, UM, FOR AS MUCH FUNDING AS WE CAN GIVE HIS CAUSE WE, WE SURE NEED IT.
[B.5. Discussion and possible action regarding Parkland Dedication Ordinance. Presenter(s): Dawn Lewis, Chair, Parks and Recreation Board.]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE, UH, PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE.SO THIS ITEM AND I APOLOGIZE THAT THE BACKUP WAS SO LATE FOR THIS.
I DUNNO IF ANYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT OR NOT, AND THIS IS ALSO WHAT A MAYOR PRO TEM EITHER.
I HAVE ADLER RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY, UH, ON MY COMPUTER RIGHT HERE.
SO ALTERNATE WAS, UM, DISCUSSING, BUT SO BASICALLY AS EVERYBODY'S PROBABLY AWARE, UM, I FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT OUR PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCES, AND WE'VE HAD PRESENT, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS DURING THE COURSE OF MY TENURE ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAD.
AND THE DIFFERENCE HAS MADE AS FAR AS JUST IN NUMEROUS WAYS, AS FAR AS PARKLAND ACQUISITION AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITHOUT THOSE, THOSE FEES.
AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S, UM, AWARE THAT THESE FEES ARE, UM, EXCUSE ME, THEY'RE ON RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL MOTEL PROPERTIES.
AND SO, AND THEY DO, YOU KNOW, THEY COME INTO OUR CITY AND OF COURSE THEY PUT STRESS ON, UM, OUR PARK SYSTEMS. AND SO, BUT BEYOND THAT, WE ALSO HAVE OUR OFFICE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE ALSO ALL OVER OUR CITY.
AND AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW AND EXPAND, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THESE AND WE ALSO ARE HAVING ALL THESE PEOPLE COME IN AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO HAVE PLACES TO WALK THEIR DOG AND TO USE GREENSPACE TO GO RUN, PLAY EVERYTHING.
SO THERE'S A HUGE NEED FOR CONTINUAL
[03:30:01]
ACQUISITION OF PARKS.THERE'S A HUGE, UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DENSITY IN THERE AND WE ARE ALWAYS STRESSING ABOUT FUNDING.
SO, UM, BECAUSE ALL THESE COMMERCIAL PROJECTS, WHICH SOME OF THEM ARE LOCATED ALONG GREENBELTS AND, AND TRAILS, AND THERE'S NO ONUS ON THEM TO SUPPORT OUR PARK EXPANSION AND PARK INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, WHAT MAYOR PRETEND ALTER HAS SUGGESTED IS THAT WE ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK INTO THIS AND SEE IF WE CAN DEVELOP, UH, A CODE THAT WILL INCLUDE COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE, UM, DEVELOPERS.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO ALSO, UM, THEY WOULD BE, UH, PART, EXCUSE ME, HE WOULD BE IMPOSED ON THEM AS WELL.
SO, AND SO I HAVE CREATED A, UM, A RESOLUTION THAT HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY SAW IT OR NOT.
IT CAME OUT TODAY AND I THINK YOU POSTED YES, YOU DID.
SHE DID KNOW THERE'S I POSTED ALISON'S OR MAYOR PRO TEM ALTERS.
AND THEN I ALSO, UM, SHOULD HAVE HAD, DID YOU PUT MINE ON THERE TOO? I'M NOT SEEING IT.
FOR SOME REASON I'M NOT SO, SO, OKAY.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I'D LIKE US TO GET THROUGH THIS MEETING IN A RELATIVELY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF, AND THE RESOLUTION IS, IS FAIRLY SHORT BECAUSE A MAYOR PRO TEM ALTAR REALLY ADDRESSED A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE IMPORTANT.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST, UM, MOVE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO PASS MY RECOMMENDATION AND SEE IF I CAN.
THANK YOU THE SECOND OVER HERE.
SO IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AS ANYBODY HAVE ANY CONCERNS? IT IS JUST STARTING THE PROCESS.
IT'S NOT SAYING WE DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS, BUT IT'S ASKING THE CITY MANAGER TO GO WORK ON THIS AND WE HAVE IN THE PAST, AND I'M SURE A VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA RECOGNIZED ASSIST.
WE DID ACTUALLY ASKED STAFF TO LOOK INTO THIS AND THEY DID, AND THEY CAME UP WITH A NEXUS TO, UM, TO GET US THERE.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH A SHOT.
IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE HELPFUL.
WE, WE, AS I'VE SAID, MILLIONS OF TIMES, WE CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH FUNDING AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF THESE, IF WE HAVE PEOPLE KIND OF SUPPORT OUR PARKS AND PAY THEIR WAY.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER, ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION OR ANYTHING YOU NEED IT, BUT HE WANTS TO SAY ABOUT THIS VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA.
UH, I DO, BUT IF ANYBODY ELSE CAN GO FIRST, ANYBODY ELSE? NOPE.
SECOND SO JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, UM, YEAH, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE LOOKED AT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND IN FACT, WE'VE MADE A RECOMMENDATION AS A PARKS BOARD BACK IN, UH, 29, FEBRUARY, 2020.
UM, I HAD, UH, A PRESENTATION AND EVEN WITH THAT, IT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE COULD, WE COULD LOOK AT IT.
AND I CAN'T SEE WHERE SOMEWHERE IT'S IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO ADD THIS, THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE NOTATION THAT A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HOW WE WOULD FIX.
SO I'M ALL FOR ADDING TO THE LANGUAGE.
AND WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE PANDORA'S BOX.
AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT THIS, UM, JUST BECAUSE I HAD BEEN ADVOCATING FOR IT FOR EVER, AND IT USED IT AS A TOOL, BUT I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE PANDORA'S BOX.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THE BOARD THAT'S HERE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS MAY STILL BE ON AND THE BOARD, WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AND DO THE ANALYSIS THAT THIS WASN'T WHEN OUR RATIO TO PARKLAND DEDICATION, OUR RATIO TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THOUSAND ACRES AND ACRES PER
[03:35:01]
A THOUSAND RESIDENTS DOESN'T, UM, DECREASE.AND, UM, AND I WILL BE UP IN FRONT OF, OR I WILL BE IN MY WILL AND SOMEBODY LOOKING AT IT AND TESTIFYING THAT THIS IS WHEN YOU KNOW THAT THAT HAD HAPPENED.
SO I'M HOPING THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
AND SO I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE I WANTED DAYLIGHT THAT OUT THERE, AND I'M HOPING THE MORE WE ALL KEEP DAYLIGHT, THESE THINGS THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AND THAT PEOPLE SAY, OH GOSH, NO, THAT'S NOT IT RICH.
WE'RE NOT USING THIS AS A WAY TO REDUCE THE OVERALL INCREASE OF PARKLAND, DEDICATION, OUR PARK PARKLAND, THEY HAVE DEDICATION.
WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION BEFORE I AM CONCERNED THAT LEGAL IS GOING TO COME BACK AND SAY, NO, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT PROPERTY.
CAN'T FIND THE NEXUS TO COMMERCIAL.
I APPLIED THE COUNCIL AND I THINK THAT YOU CAN FIND AN EXCESS IN MY PERSONAL, UH, NON-LEGAL OPINION.
SO, BUT, UM, AND I'M, I'M HOPEFULLY WE ARE THE FIRST JURISDICTION.
ACTUALLY, THERE ARE, THAT'S THE OTHER CRAZY, RIGHT? THERE ARE OTHER JURISDICTIONS ACTUALLY DO HAVE COMMERCIALS, THEN YOU DEFINITELY HAVE OFFICE.
SO I THINK, I DON'T THINK THAT MAYOR PRO TEM ULTRA'S INTENTION IS TO OPEN UP A PANDORA'S BOX.
I THINK SHE'S JUST AS COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE ON THE SAME ROAD.
SHE'S JUST FEELS LIKE IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
AND I AGREE WITH THAT, THAT WE DO REACH OUT AND EXPAND OUR BASE AND TRY TO GET THESE COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE ENTITIES THERE.
BUT I, I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN CHALLENGES WITH PARKLAND DEDICATION AND NOT, I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS, BUT WE, BUT WE'LL SEE.
I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO END ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT WE'LL SEE, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH YES.
WELL, IT'S DEFINITELY, WE'LL JUST JUMP IN AND SAY, I THINK WE CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY, THESE CORPORATIONS ATTRACT ALL THE PEOPLE TO TOWN.
THESE CORPORATIONS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE TRAILS OF PUTTING THE PARKWAYS, THE THINGS THAT DRAW PEOPLE TO AUSTIN.
THE REASONS THAT THEY WANT TO BE IN AUSTIN IS BECAUSE OF THE PARKS.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S NO REASON TO DIS TO EXCLUDE THEM FROM THIS, FROM THIS CONTRIBUTION TO, YEAH, I AGREE.
I JUST HOPE WE, DON'T WHY WE OPENED IT UP, THAT WE DON'T REDUCE RESIDENTIAL AND THAT'S MY FEAR.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I THINK THIS IS SO WORTH GOING DOWN THIS ROAD, SO, OKAY.
SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OH, OOPS.
UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S EXCITING, THAT'S EXCITING AND POSITIVE ABOUT POTENTIALLY EXPLORING THIS FOR, UM, THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS IS, UM, UH, I THINK THAT THIS, THE DRAFT RESOLUTION MAKES A GREAT POINT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAIL CONNECTIVITY AND, UM, GREETING, YOU KNOW, CREATING CONNECTIVITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSPORTATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE, UM, THAT DO HAPPEN ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
AND SO IF WE HAVE A MECHANISM TO ENSURE THAT CONNECTIVITY, UM, WHEN A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED, I THINK THAT'S, UM, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WORTH EXPLORING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DO, I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, UNLIKE HOMEOWNERS WHO DO GET A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, A TAX BREAK FROM THE CITY TO A LIMITED EXTENT, UM, COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS DO PAY THE, YOU KNOW, THEIR FULL PROPERTY TAXES.
SO THERE IS A CASE OF, YOU KNOW, WE ARE FACED WITH THESE LIMITATIONS, UM, THAT ARE IMPOSED BY THIS IS A FEE.
YEAH, YEAH, NO, I KNOW, I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE FULLY TAXING THESE, UM, COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF REVENUE, BUT IT'S, UM, THE LIMITATIONS ARE COMING FROM THE STATE.
SO I THINK, I THINK THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, REQUIRING THEM TO, IF YOU WANT TO USE THIS TERM, PAY THEIR WAY TO THE EXTENT THAT, YOU KNOW, AS POSSIBLE SO FAR.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT'S, UM, YEAH, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE WHAT KIND OF MECHANISMS THERE ARE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, USE THIS AS A TOOL TO GET BETTER CONNECTED PARKS, YOU KNOW, CREATE MORE OF A NETWORK WITHIN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
AND, UM, SO I WILL, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT FOR THAT REASON.
SORRY, I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE RESOLUTION AS DRAFTED.
I DO THINK I WOULD NOTE THAT IT IS TRUE THAT HISTORICALLY THE COMMERCIAL TAX RATES ARE PROPORTIONALLY LOWER THAN RESIDENTIAL.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T SHARE YOUR CONCERN.
[03:40:01]
YOU.THIS DOES A POINT OF INFORMATION.
UH, THE CITY CLERK, UH, DISCOURAGES BOARDS FROM USING THE TERM RESOLUTION TO DESCRIBE, UH, THEIR EMOTIONS.
UH, THEY REMIND US THAT CITY COUNCIL IS THE ONLY BODY CAPABLE OF PASSING RESOLUTIONS.
I GUESS I'M SITTING AT THE DYESS THINKING RESOLUTION.
SO I'LL GO BACK TO RECOMMENDATION.
TYPICALLY WE'LL EITHER MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OR A REQUEST.
AND THEN THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST, UM, ASK THAT WE GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THIS.
SO ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
YOU ARE UP AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM.
[B.6. Discussion and possible action regarding the current and/or potential future Austin Rowing Club agreement(s). Presenter(s): Richard DePalma, Vice-Chair, Parks and Recreation Board.]
WAS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE CURRENT AND OR POTENTIAL FUTURE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB AGREEMENT.AND SO WHAT YOU'LL HAVE AS A COPY, AND THIS IS STEMS FROM WHAT WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING NIGHT IS THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB ACTUALLY SAYS CENTER ON THERE AND BY CLUB AGREEMENT, AND WE'VE ALL HEARD ISSUES.
NO, WE ARE ON ITEM B S UH, B6.
SO THIS IS JUST GOING FROM CONVERSATION WHERE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CONCERN WITH THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB, WHERE IT GOES, WHAT HA YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS TO IT.
AND ALSO THERE'S SOME CONFUSION, NOT CONFUSION, BUT SOME UNFORTUNATE TIMING WHERE WE HAVE THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND THAT'S GOING FORWARD.
AND AT SOME POINT THEY'LL THEY'LL DEMO, THERE'LL BE A LITTLE DEMO.
THE BOATHOUSE WE'RE ASSUMING, UM, BASED UPON ALL CLEAR INDICATORS, AND WE ALSO HAVE A CONTRACT RIGHT NOW WITH THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ONGOING PROGRAMMING OPERATIONS AS A FORM OF A CONCESSION OVER IN THAT SPACE.
SO IT WILL, AT SOME POINT, WELL, IN MARCH 1ST, 20, 23 WILL EXPIRE.
AND SO WHAT THIS RECOMMENDATION DOES, CAN IT GETS THE BALL STARTED.
SO THERE'S NOT A LAPSE IN SERVICE.
SO IF THAT DEMOLITION DOESN'T INCUR UNTIL SAY 2024, IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD TIME FOR GETTING A CONCESSIONAIRE OR A RECOMPETE OR THE CONTRACT WHERE SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GO IN AND PUT UP RESOURCES AND DO THE WHOLE THING.
AND, UM, OR EVEN MY PROPOSAL BEING SUBMITTED BY THE INCUMBENT WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN THE VENT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOUR, WHEN YOUR HOUSE OR IN YOUR VENUE, YOUR VENUE IS GOING TO BE TORN DOWN.
SO THIS IS SAYS IT DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, IT, IT PROVIDES THE BACKGROUND, BUT THEN IT GIVES THE, IT RECOMMENDS TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT UNTIL A DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMITTED ON THE WALNUT CREEK BOAT HOUSE.
AND HE PROVIDES LOCATION OR IN THE EVENT, THEY CAN REROUTE THE BLUE LINE THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, AND IN THAT CASE AND WOULD BE, OR A DETERMINATION DECISION IS MADE THAT THE WALNUT CREEK BOAT HOUSE WILL NOT BE DEMOLISHED.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ONE.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS THE HAND, OR ENTER INTO A PARK OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AGREEMENT FOR THE CURRENT AND FUTURE BOATHOUSE IN RELATED FACILITIES WITH ARC, ONCE AN APPROVED OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE PLAN IS APPROVED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD IN THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
SO THIS SAYS, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DO THE EXTENSION, OR YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A NEW AGREEMENT THAT, THAT BYPASSES THE LENGTH OF THIS, WHATEVER THAT EXTENSION IS.
AND THAT WAS AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF, UH, OR MOUNTAIN BOARD MEMBER, COTTON SEIBEL, AND WHICH I AGREE ON, AND THAT WE INCLUDE THAT IN THERE FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, BUT THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND, AND WITH THAT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE A MOTION AND GRAB A SECOND AND THEN DO A GO AHEAD AND DISCUSSION.
SO BOARD MEMBER COTTON CYBELE DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD SINCE THE CHAIRS OFF THE DYESS, DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE MOTION? YEAH, YOU CAN DO THE MOTION AND I'LL SECOND.
SO I MOVE THAT, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR TO EITHER WANT EXTEND CONTRACT NUMBER AND OUR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 UNTIL A DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED ON THE WALNUT CREEK BOAT HOUSE LOCATED AT 74 TRINITY STREET, OR A DECISION IS MADE THAT THE WALLER CREEK BOATHOUSE LOCATED AT 74 TRINITY STREET WILL NOT BE
[03:45:01]
DEMOLISHED AND, OR TO ENTER INTO A PARKS, A PARK, OPERATION MAINTENANCE AND PROGRAMMING AGREEMENT FOR THE CURRENT AND FUTURE BOATHOUSE AND RELATED FACILITIES WITH ARC.ONCE AN APPROVED OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PLAN IS, IS APPROVED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
BOARD MEMBER OF HOUSE, THE CONTRACT THAT'S IN PLACE.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND A PARK OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE AND PROGRAMMING AGREEMENT? IS IT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO THAT THE TWO EXAMPLES I BELIEVE EXISTS RIGHT NOW, THERE COULD BE MORE, BUT ONE IS THE ONE THAT WE HAVE WITH THE TRAIL FOUNDATION.
THIS IS LIKE THE NEW THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT'S IN PLACE BEFORE IS KIND OF CORRECT.
WHATEVER CONTRACT WAS PUT IN PLACE FOR THAT CONCESSION, BUT NOW WE'RE DOING THESE PARTNERSHIP AGREED IN THIS CASE, WE WOULD, YEAH.
THIS WOULD BE SAYING WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE NATURE, CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP FROM JUST A CONCESSION TO ONE THAT THERE A LONG, YOU KNOW, LONGER-TERM PARTNER.
THE, ONE OF THE THINGS, WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WAS IN THERE WAS THE APPROVED OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PLAN, BUT I ALSO WANT TO SEE, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE ENTIRE THING SIMILAR.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY FROM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HAD MADE IN THE PAST, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH OUR FRIENDS WITH THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB ARE GREAT RIGHT NOW, WHAT IF THEY'RE NOT 20 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT DO WE HAVE A, A PARTNER WHO IS NOT INVESTING IN THE FACILITY? AND THERE'S TWO CONCESSIONS IN AUSTIN THAT KIND OF COME TO MY MIND, PASS CONCESSIONS, NOT THIS ONE, BUT YOU KNOW, WHERE I, I WASN'T SATISFIED AS NEITHER A, A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN OR A BOARD MEMBER THAT THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT GOING INTO IT BASED UPON THE REVENUE FROM THOSE CONCESSIONS COMING IN.
SO THIS WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY TO STILL HAVE ACCESS AND BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
IT'S ALSO SAYING IS YOU CAN DO EITHER ONE AND IT STILL WOULD BE A D A OPTION TO THE DIRECTOR.
AND IS THAT FAIR? A BOARD, A BOARD MEMBER GOTTEN ZIBA YES, I WAS LOOKING AND I COULDN'T FIND IT FAST ENOUGH, BUT I WAS, UH, IN THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE WHEN THE CONTRACTS, UH, SOMEBODY CAME IN, SUMMARIZED EVERYTHING.
AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT HOW MUCH WORK ARC HAS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN GIVING, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AND CREATING, CREATING OTHER, UM, RECREATION FOR AUSTINITES.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE HAVING, YOU KNOW, HAVING THEM AT THE CRUX OF THIS CRAZY, YOU KNOW, NEW TRANSPORTATION THING, POSSIBLY TAKING OUT THEIR BOATHOUSE, I JUST FELT LIKE WE OWE THEM, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE EXTRA CONSIDERATION.
UM, THEY, THEY PROVIDED, PROVIDED A LOT OF BENEFITS TO THE CITY AND TO THE RESIDENTS.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, UM, WORTH TAKING UNDER CONSIDERATION.
FORTUNATELY WE'VE I HAD THE LOTION OR REMEMBER COTTON, OR THE SECOND WE'RE DOING FINISHING UP DISCUSSION, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OVER FOR THE OTHER.
SO DID EVERYBODY DO? YEAH, NO.
I'M SO FAR, UH, BOARD MEMBER OF AS HAD SOME QUESTIONS AND, UM, BOARD MEMBER COTTON SEIBEL HAS COMMENTED ON SOME OF THAT AS, AS I, WE HAVE NOT TAKEN QUESTIONS.
SO BOARD MEMBER, BERNARD, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DON'T REMEMBER, TAYLOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION? I DON'T.
UH, MINE WERE ALREADY ANSWERED.
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
SO WE HAD A, DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? YES, SIR.
SO UNLESS THERE'S, UM, ANYBODY ELSE DOESN'T MEAN TO SAY, WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF BOARD MEMBER? UM, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMAS, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS RAISE YOUR HAND OPPOSED? IT'S UNANIMOUS.
DO WE STILL HAVE TO BE OUT OF HERE BY 10 O'CLOCK? YES.
ALTERNATIVELY, THE BOARD COULD VOTE TO EXTEND.
I KNOW WE COULD, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE I HATE TO ASK PEOPLE TO DO THAT AGAIN.
IT'S 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING,
[03:50:02]
I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN EXTEND AND NOT USE THE WHOLE TIME.AND SO I WOULD, I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW BOARD MEMBER COTTON SEIBEL HAS WAITED A LONG TIME TO GIVE US A PRETTY BRIEF, OKAY.
IF I'M NEXT, AM I NEXT? YOU ARE NEXT.
[C.1. Update from South Central Waterfront Advisory Board. (Cottam-Sajbel)]
YOU COULD PULL UP THE SLIDES AT THE END, THERE ARE SOME SLIDES THAT SHOW YOU THE VISION THAT THERE'S A SLIDE ABOUT THE VISION PLAN AND SOME SLIDES ABOUT THE SOUTH CENTER, CENTRAL WATERFRONT.AND I, SORRY, I HAVE TOO MANY THINGS OPEN ON MY COMPUTER TO PULL UP WHAT I'M.
SO, UM, I, I HAVE BEEN JUMPING AROUND LIKE A MAD ELF TRYING TO GET ATTENTION DRAWN TO THIS.
AND IN THIS DAY AND AGE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE PUBLIC, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO KNOW.
SO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PUD HAS NOW GONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH EVENTUALLY DID APPROVE IT, BUT IT HAS SEVERAL CONDITIONS.
AND I SPOKE JUST THIS WEEK WITH SCOTT GRANTHAM TO CONFIRM WHAT THOSE ARE.
THERE IS A, UM, THERE WERE, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT EIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT BASICALLY WHAT HE WANTED US TO TO POINT OUT IS THAT THERE AT THIS MOMENT, IT'S GETTING READY TO GO BACK TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO WHAT MY REQUEST TO ALL OF YOU TONIGHT IS TO LISTEN CAREFULLY AND PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THIS.
UM, I HAVE SOME PARKS CONCERNS SPECIFICALLY THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED SCOTT, WHY, UM, IT HAD GONE FORWARD AS, UM, UH, UH, WHAT'S THE WORD I JUST BLANKED ON THE WORD SUPPORT SUPERIOR, THAT'S THE WORD? AND, UH, HE SAID, WHAT HAPPENED, UH, IN, AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LEVEL IS THAT THERE HAS BECOME, UH, UM, IT'S, THEY'VE MADE EVERYBODY AWARE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL PLANNING BY ANY ALLEE OF THE PARK PROGRAMMING, THE, UM, THE, UH, IT'S CALLED THE DEVELOPER, THE APPLICANT, THAT'S THE WORD.
UM, ONCE HE'S WORRIED THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PROGRAMMING, BUT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE, BUT THEY ARE TRYING TO SET UP A PARAMETER IN WHICH THERE WOULD BE DISCUSSION BETWEEN PARD AND THE DEVELOPER OF THE PROPERTY TO, TO DISCUSS THIS PROGRAMMING.
AND ULTIMATELY IT WOULD ALSO COME ALSO THROUGH PARP.
SO WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT, UM, THERE IS STILL AN OPEN QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN MY BIG BURNING CONCERN IN THE VISION PLAN.
SO IF YOU'LL SHOW, LET'S GO TO THE SLIDE THAT SAYS VISION PLAN, IF YOU WOULD, AND LET'S START THERE, YOU CAN ACCESS THIS BY JUST TYPING IN VISION PLAN, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
AND YOU'VE GOT THIS WHOLE PRETTY BOOK, LIKE I BROUGHT, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO LOOK AT IT, BUT THERE IS THIS, THIS VISION.
DO YOU MIND IF I GET UP AND POINT TO YOU? OKAY.
SO, BUT THEN I DON'T HAVE A MIC.
YOU CAN, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME THE, CAN THEY HEAR ONLINE? I CAN GIVE YOU THE WIRELESS MICROPHONE.
I'M TRYING TO BE QUICK CHRIST.
SO WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT IN THE VISION PLAN, WHICH IS THE THING THAT THE STAKEHOLDERS WORKED ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, IS THAT THEY IMAGINED THE PARKLAND TO BE OPEN LIKE THIS.
THIS WAS CALLED THE GRAND STAIRCASE, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AN ACCESS FROM YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CONGRESS BRIDGE OVER INTO THE BAT VIEWING AREA, RIGHT? WITH THE STEPS THAT PEOPLE WOULD USE TO VIEW THE BATS.
AND IT WOULD BE THIS ENGAGING, INVITING ATMOSPHERE, MY BIG CONCERN.
AND NOW YOU CAN SWITCH TO THE OTHER SLIDES, IF YOU WOULD, IN THE LATEST OF THE PUD THEY'RE PLANNING INSTEAD WHERE THAT PLAZA IS TO BUILD A BUILDING, IT IS GOING TO BE ADJACENT, VERY CLOSE.
IT'S GOING TO BE DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE YETI STORE AT THE FOOT OF THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE.
AND IT IS, THEY'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL HEIGHT IN THIS BUILDING HARD FOR ME TO SEE IT.
SO CAN YOU, CAN YOU DO THE OTHER ONE? UM, OKAY.
SO UP AT THE TOP, LET'S JUST GO WITH THIS.
DO YOU SEE WHERE THE STEPS HAVE MOVED AND DO YOU SEE THE SORT OF SQUARE? TH THEY'RE PLANNING TO PUT A BUILDING THERE AND THEY WANT TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT AND THE BUILDINGS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GRADED FROM 90 FEET TO FIVE TO 400 FEET.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL HEIGHT UP TO 525 FEET.
AND IT WILL BE RIGHT AT THE SIDEWALK RIGHT AT THE BRIDGE.
AND TO GET INTO THAT, THEN IF YOU'LL SWITCH TO THE OTHER SLIDE THAT HAS NUMBERS WHILE WE'RE SWITCHING SLIDES, UM, WE ARE NOW AT 10 O'CLOCK, SO YOU'LL NEED TO VOTE TO EXTEND.
CAN I VOTE FOR FIVE MORE MINUTES? YES.
WE JUST EXPECT, I'M GOING TO DO, I'M GOING TO WRITE, I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE DO 10 MINUTES OR 15 MINUTES, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL GO AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
[03:55:01]
SECOND, SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.I'M GOING TO USE THIS ONE AND GO FORWARD, BUT YOU SEE HOW THE STEPS HAVE MOVED INTO THE MIDDLE? YES.
MY CONCERN IS THAT WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING IS A SIDEWALK THAT DOES NOT HAVE SIGNAGE THAT DOES NOT SHOW PUBLIC ACCESS.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLOSENESS OF THE BUILDING, IF THEY WANT TO BRING IT UP TO GRADE.
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE THE PARK.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO BE AN INVITING SITUATION FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THIS IS A PUBLIC PARKLAND.
SO MY, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AS WE GO INTO THIS COUNCIL MEETING, THEY'RE ALL DISCUSSING IT.
I KNOW THAT I'VE TALKED TO MY REP ABOUT IT, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS MOVE THOSE STEPS INTO THE MIDDLE OF THEIR COMPLEX.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT AS WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE TRIANGLE OF THE PARK, THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS BUILDINGS, IT LOOKS LIKE A PRIVATE PARK.
THIS IS A PARK THAT WE'VE BEEN USING AS THE PUBLIC FOR, FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIND THIS ACCESS.
AND THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER SLIDE I NEED TO SHOW YOU BECAUSE THIS EXTENSION OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IS GOING TO HAVE A BIKE LANE.
AND WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING NOW IS THAT IF YOU'RE ON YOUR BIKE, YOU CAN'T GET TO THAT PIECE.
YOU HAVE TO COME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BARTON SPRINGS ROAD ON YOUR BIKE, AND YOU GO ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE IN ON THE TRAIL.
DO YOU SEE WHERE THE TURQUOISE LINES ARE? YEAH.
THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS THE TRAIL WITH YOUR BIKE.
IF YOU'RE COMING OVER FROM BARTON SPRING, I MEAN OVER CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
SO I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THESE PARKLAND ACCESSES.
THERE ARE APPARENTLY SOME STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR, UM, BEING ABLE TO FUND THIS.
LIKE THE DEVELOPER HAS NOW BEEN TOLD BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT THEY DO NEED TO FUND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE PROPOSED.
AND SOME OF THE PARKLAND THAT'S NOT EVEN GOING TO BE CONSIDERED TOWARD THEIR PARKLAND DEDICATION.
SO THAT'S GOOD MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, SO WHY IS IT, WHY IS IT DETOURING? WHY IS IT GOING AROUND? BECAUSE THEY WANT THE BIKE LANE TO BE IN THIS ROAD OF THE EXTENSION OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
AND THE OTHER CONCERN THAT SOME PEOPLE ON THE SOUTHWEST ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD HAVE IS THAT THEY WANT THE BIKES TO BE FACING EACH OTHER.
LIKE THE BIKE LANE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, WHICH HAS PROVEN TO BE A CONCERN FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE THEIR DRIVEWAYS AND DRIVERS MAY NOT KNOW TO LOOK BOTH DIRECTIONS FOR BIKES.
PLUS IF YOU HAVE A STROLLER, IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU'RE SWEATY AND YOU'RE RUNNING AROUND THE LAKE AND YOU COME TO THIS, YOU HAVE TO WALK INTO THE MIDDLE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT, INTO THE MIDDLE OF THEIR STORES, WHICH I'M SURE AS A SELLING POINT FOR STORES, BUT IF IT'S BEING USED AS WE'RE USING IT NOW, I MEAN, A LOT OF TIMES I'M ON THE TRAIL AND LIKE NOT MY BEST OUTFITS, RIGHT? I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE SHOPPING CENTER.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING SHUT OFF FROM THAT PIECE OF PARKLAND THAT WE'VE USED AS PARKLAND FOR SO LONG.
SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COME TO CITY COUNCIL.
IT IS NOT OVER TILL IT'S OVER.
AND SCOTT REASSURED ME THAT IT'S STILL UNDER DISCUSSION AND ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE THAT PART HAS NOT CHANGED IN ALL THE DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO INSIST THAT THEY GET TO PUT A BUILDING RIGHT THERE AGAINST THE WALL AGAINST THE CONGRESS AVENUE AND NEXT TO THE BRIDGE CONCERNED FOR BAD REASONS, CONCERNED FOR PUBLIC ACCESS REASONS CONCERNED FOR JUST CLOSING IN THE PARK AND MAKING IT FEEL LIKE PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT IS MY SHORT PRESENTATION.
IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS, TALK TO ME AFTER I CAN SHOW YOU PRETTY, THANK YOU.
REAL QUICK BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING URGENT FROM THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION? UM, NO, ACTUALLY THEY CANCELED THE LAST MEETING, SO, OKAY.
OKAY, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE DIRECTOR'S
[D. DIRECTOR’S REPORT ON PROGRAM AND PROJECT UPDATES AND EVENTS]
REPORT.IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, DIRECTOR MCNEIL, THERE'S MULTIPLE PAGES THAT YOU CAN READ AT YOUR LEISURE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THE EVENT THAT SCOTT COB, UM, UH, PROVIDED TO YOU EARLIER TODAY.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, FOR MS. JONES, ELIZABETH MEANS CAVALLI, UM, OF, UH, APRIL 9TH.
I BELIEVE I'VE ALREADY SENT THE INVITATION, BUT I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT AGAIN, JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT BARTON SPRINGS AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT MEMORIAL.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S A SPLASH.
[E. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND I'LL START WITH YOU BOARD MEMBER RINALDI.DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING, NONE AT THIS
[04:00:01]
TIME.UM, I GAVE A PRESENTATION ON WHAT ARE THE SORT OF STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVE MEASURES THAT THE DEPARTMENT USES WHEN IT PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF COMMUNITY SURVEYS, THE BOARD.
AND I GAVE SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES, UM, THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, UM, WHY THE INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED AS IT WAS, AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY QUESTIONS OR RESPONSES FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT THAT'S THANK YOU.
WE HAVE A MEMO IN THE WORKS FOR YOU, AND THEN I'M PROBABLY MOST LIKELY, I BELIEVE IT'S MOST APPROPRIATE FOR US TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND FINISH THAT CONVERSATION, CAPABLE MEMBER, UH, MORE, NO AGENDA ITEMS, BUT JUST ONE LITTLE REQUEST.
CAN WE PLEASE UPDATE THE PARKS BOARD WEBSITE? IT SHOWS THAT WE STILL MEET EVERY FOURTH, TUESDAY, AND IT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED TO SHOW MONDAYS YET.
UH, JUST LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON ANY CONVERSATIONS, ACTIVITIES GOINGS ON RELATING TO WALL THREE LONG METROPOLITAN PARK, AND THEN THE EXACT SAME THING WITH, UH, JOHN TREVINO PARK IN A MEMO IS FINE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE KEPT UP TO DATE.
WELL, AND YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE OTHER THING, UM, JUST FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION, IT WON'T BE THIS MONTH.
I WOULD NEED IT FOR THIS MONTH, BUT NEXT MONTH I MAY MAKE THE RE REQUEST FOR AN OVERVIEW ON CEMETERIES.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, NO QUESTIONS REMEMBERED BERNARD, UH, NOTHING AT THIS TIME.
REMEMBER, UH, THE CARLA, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
THANKS FOR REMEMBER TAYLOR, NOTHING.
I THINK I JUST HAVE A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO GET, UM, AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH, UM, THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BUTLER LANDFILL TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT, UM, WHAT HAPPENED WITH PROP B AND ORACLE AND THE, THE LAND SWAP WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
AND WILL THEY BE PAYING IF PART OF THAT LAND SWAP WAS THE NEW WAREHOUSE AND ANY TIME WE'RE DOING FACILITIES ON, UH, ON PROPERTY, THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE A VISION PLAN, WILL THEY BE PAYING FOR THE VISION PLAN IN WHICH THAT PROPERTY WILL BE GOING ON? SHE HAD BOARD MEMBERS AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, THERE'S SOME DUE DILIGENCE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE OCCURRING AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
AND I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, BUT I ABSOLUTELY WILL HONOR YOUR REQUEST TO PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION AT A TIME WHEN IT'S MOST APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, THAT'S MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
WE, WE, WHEN WE BUILD, WHEN WE BUILD ANYTHING, WE, WE PLOT THE LAND AND WE MAKE DECISIONS ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND SO PART OF THAT WOULD BE A VISION PLAN IF IT'S GOING ON A UNDEVELOPED PARKLAND.
AND I, AND ALSO I DID REQUEST LAST TIME INFORMATION ON PROPERTY CRIMES AT THE PARKS.
SO WHEN Y'ALL GET AROUND TO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT TOO.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? I DID TO THE PROPERTY CRIMES AT THE PARK THAT I'D ASKED FOR LAST TIME WHEN IT, WHEN I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT WHENEVER YOU GET SOME TIME.