* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:13]
          LET'S BEGIN. 
          [CALL TO ORDER]
HELLO, THIS IS NEHEMIAH PITS. 
          THE THIRD I'M THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CALLING TO ORDER OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING TODAY, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13TH, 2022. 
          WE BEGIN WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP. 
          SO WE WILL PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA 
          [1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March 9, 2022]
WITH A GENERIC ONE, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 9TH, 2022 MEETING. 
          EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THOSE IN YOUR INBOX, ATTACHED TO THIS MEETING INVITATION. 
          I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND, AND THEN WE'LL HOLD THE BOAT. 
          COMMISSIONER CHAMPION. 
          SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER THOMPSON AND COMMISSIONER APODACA. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. 
          AND A SECOND WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED. 
          PLEASE SAY AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND. 
          AYE, AYE. 
          WITH THAT. 
          THEN WE ARE UNANIMOUS WITH THE VOTE OF SIX IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES WITH ZERO ABSTENTIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, STAFF AND COMMUNITY BRIEFINGS 
          [2.a. Briefing from the Housing and Planning Department on the FY 22-23 Action Plan and Community Needs Assessment (Max Horstman, Mandy DeMayo)]
BEGINNING WITH  AND BRIEFING FROM THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON THE FYI 2022. 
          EXCUSE ME, 22 20 23. 
          ACTION PLAN AND COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT BY MAX HORSEMAN AND MANDY D MAIL. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AGAIN TODAY. 
          HELLO, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON THIS AGENDA. 
          UM, I'M JOINED WITH, UM, JAMIE MAE TODAY FROM HOUSING AND PLANNING, STANDING AND FOR MANDY TO MAYO. 
          UM, ALSO IF ESTEBAN GARZA IS AN ATTENDEE IN THIS MEETING, UM, CTM, IF YOU COULD JUST MOVE HIM OVER AS A PANELIST. 
          AND IF I MAY JUST TO SET ONE UP PARAMETER EXPECTATION, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INTERRUPTION. 
          ALL COMMISSIONERS WERE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HOLD ALL QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF ANY SLIDE PRESENTATION, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF OUR REQUIREMENTS TO MAINTAIN QUORUM. 
          SO THEREFORE, DURING PRESENTATION WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND MAKE SURE THE SPEAKERS FINISHED SPEAKING. 
          AND THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND NOW SHE, IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, ACTUALLY HE'S NOT PRESENT YET, SO, UM, AND THEN ONCE YOU START THE PRESENTATION, I'M NOT ABLE TO MOVE ANYONE OVER, SO IT'S UP TO YOU HOW YOU WERE TO PROCEED. 
          ALL RIGHT, WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD. 
          AND IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE PRESENTATION WILL BE, UM, SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY. 
          I HAVE PREVIOUSLY MET WITH THE KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION AND DATA STEWARDSHIP WORKING GROUP, UM, WHO GAVE ME SOME GREAT FEEDBACK ABOUT THE KINDS OF INFORMATION THEY'D LIKE TO SEE OUT OF THIS PRESENTATION. 
          UM, I'M HERE TODAY FROM THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT. 
          AGAIN, MY NAME IS MAX HORSEMAN AND WE'RE BRINGING YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, THE FISCAL YEAR 2223 ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS THE SPENDING PLAN THAT THE CITY SUBMITS TO THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ANNUALLY, UM, THAT QUALIFIES US FOR CONTINUED FEDERAL ENTITLEMENT FUNDING. 
          SO IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE HOPE TO GIVE YOU SOME, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE ACTION PLAN, THE DOLLARS THAT ARE, THAT ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE ACTION PLAN, GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE SERVING THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND OPEN IT UP TO SOME FEEDBACK ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS OR OUR PROCESS. 
          YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW ABOUT, ABOUT THE PRESENTATION. 
          UM, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT ABOUT THE FEDERAL REPORTING PROCESS, REVIEW SOME PERFORMANCE DATA FROM THE RECENT FISCAL YEAR ABOUT HOW OUR DOLLARS ARE REACHING PEOPLE AND REVIEW, UM, GO INTO A DEEPER DIVE OF EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE ACTION PLAN, AND THEN OPEN IT UP TO COMMENT AND FEEDBACK NEXT CYCLES. 
          AND YOU CAN GO ONE MORE. 
          UM, SO THIS IS THE REPORTING SCHEDULE THAT THE CITY OPERATES ON FOR THE ACTION PLAN. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE A FIVE-YEAR REPORTING SCHEDULE WITH THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WHERE WE SUBMIT A CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH IS A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, A PROJECTION OF WHAT WE PLAN TO SPEND OUR DOLLARS ON. 
          UM, AND WHAT PRIORITIES WILL GO 
          [00:05:01]
INTO OUR FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. 
          AND THEN EACH YEAR WITHIN THAT FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, HUD ANNOUNCES FUNDING ALLOCATIONS, THAT WE THEN, UM, SUBMIT AN ACTION PLAN FOR THAT ALLOCATES MONEY TO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEN AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE SUBMIT A PERFORMANCE REPORT THAT ASSESSES HOW WELL WE MET THE GOALS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE ACTION PLAN, UM, AND WHAT DEMOGRAPHICS OF PEOPLE WE SERVED. 
          UM, SO WE'RE GOING INTO THE FISCAL YEAR 2223 ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SOLICITING FEEDBACK FOR RIGHT NOW. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          UM, AND SO THROUGH THE ACTION PLAN, THE CITY ACCEPTS THE FOUR, UH, ENTITLEMENT GRANTS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN. 
          WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS GRANT, HOME, INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS, GRANT, AND THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT, UM, ACROSS ALL FOUR OF THESE GRANTS, WE TYPICALLY RECEIVE AROUND 13 TO $14 MILLION. 
          UM, THAT FUNDING AMOUNT CAN FLUCTUATE A SMALL BIT, BUT TYPICALLY STAYS RELATIVELY CONSISTENT. 
          AND WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO RELEASE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. 
          WE'RE EXPECTING THEM TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UM, SOMETIME IN MID MAY, UM, BUT EACH OF THESE GRANTS HAS DIFFERENT ELIGIBLE USES AND, UM, DATE DATES BY WHICH THE MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT. 
          UM, AND WE'LL GO INTO MORE ABOUT WHAT THESE GRANTS FUND YOU IN A BIT. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO LOOKING BACK AT FISCAL YEAR 2021, UM, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST PROVIDE YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THESE SERVICES ARE GETTING OUT TO THE PUBLIC. 
          UM, SO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE THROUGH FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS, INCLUDING OUR, OUR CARES ACT FUNDED PROGRAMS WAS 3,552 PEOPLE, UM, WITH A TOTAL NUMBER OF LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS SERVED WITHIN THAT BEING 2,688 PEOPLE. 
          AND IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPENT OF OUR ENTITLEMENT GRANTS, OUR ANNUAL GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH THE ACTION PLAN WE RECEIVED, UM, OVER 9,000,700, OR WE SPENT $9,765,000. 
          AND OF THE CARES ACT WE SPENT AROUND 10 MILLION, $196,000. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THIS IS A LOOK AT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING SERVED BY INCOME FOR EACH OF THESE INCOME CATEGORIES. 
          YOU CAN SEE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE WITH SERVED IN THAT EXTREMELY LOW INCOME CATEGORY THAT CAN ENCOMPASS A LOT OF OUR, UM, HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS LIKE RAPID REHOUSING AND SHELTER OPERATIONS. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          THIS IS A LOOK AT WHO IS BEING SERVED IN TERMS OF, UM, RACIAL DEMOGRAPHIC. 
          SO ON THE LEFT, WE HAVE THE POPULATION SERVED AND ON THE RIGHT, WE HAVE THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN 2020 JUST PROVIDED THERE FOR YOUR REFERENCE. 
          UM, SO IN BLUE WE HAVE THE WHITE POPULATION THAT WAS SERVED. 
          ORANGE REPRESENTS THE BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION SERVED. 
          THE ASIAN POPULATION IS REPRESENTED IN GRAY, NATIVE AMERICAN, ALASKA NATIVE PEOPLE REPRESENTED IN BOLD. 
          AND THE OTHER POPULATION REPRESENTED IN GREEN, WHICH ENCOMPASSES PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFIED AS MULTIPLE RACES OR DECLINED TO GIVE THEIR INFORMATION. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THIS IS A LOOK AT, UM, WITHIN EACH OF THOSE RACIAL CATEGORIES, THERE ARE SUBPOPULATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO IDENTIFIED AS HISPANIC OR LATINO. 
          UM, AND SO THIS IS THE MANNER THAT INFORMATION IS REPORTED TO HUD. 
          THE HUD ACCEPTS IT. 
          UM, AND SO WE, WE HAVE HERE IN ORANGE AT THE TOP THERE ON THE LEFT, THE POPULATION SERVED BY OUR PROGRAMS THAT IDENTIFIED AS HISPANIC OR LATINO NEXT SENTENCE. 
          AND THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH LOOKING AT HOW EACH PROGRAM DID MEASURING UP TO THE GOALS THAT WERE SET IN THE ACTION PLAN. 
          SO THIS IS IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR. 
          UM, SO THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN ARE PROGRAMS THAT WERE ABLE TO MEET THEIR GOALS OR EXCEED THEIR GOALS. 
          WE HAVE OUR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OWNERSHIP, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, ASSISTANCE, TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND SENIOR SERVICES. 
          WE'LL GO MORE INTO DEPTH ABOUT WHAT THESE PROGRAMS ENTAIL IN A MINUTE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND HERE WE HAVE THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET THEIR GOALS. 
          UM, THIS YEAR WAS DEFINITELY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC. 
          UM, THE PROGRAMS AT THE TOP ARE HOME, UH, HOUSING, HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. UM, MANY OF THESE WERE PAUSED DURING THE PANDEMIC TO AVOID STAFF, UH, MEETING WITH PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES AND AVOID IN-PERSON CONTACT THAT COULD SPREAD COVID. 
          UM, WE ALSO HAVE OUR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES PROGRAM, WHICH, UM, SHIFTED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND SCALED BACK SOME IN-PERSON OUTREACH, ADJUSTED, HOW THEY WERE DOING THINGS TO ALSO AVOID IN PERSON IN PERSON CONTACTED 
          [00:10:01]
WITH SPREADING COVID-19. 
          WE HAVE OUR TENANTS RIGHTS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH A, A GROUP IN AUSTIN CALLED THE AUSTIN TENANT'S COUNCIL. 
          AND THIS GROUP, UH, GIVES ASSISTANCE TO TENANTS ADVOCATING FOR THEIR RIGHTS WITH THEIR LANDLORD, WHETHER THAT'D BE FOR REPAIR OR UNDER THREAT OF EVICTION. 
          UM, AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE HOUSING ADVOCATES IN THE AUSTIN TENANT'S COUNCIL IS THAT THEIR CAPACITY TO SERVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HAS BEEN REDUCED BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED COMPLEXITY AND SEVERITY OF THE ISSUES FACED BY EACH TENANT THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE HELPING. 
          UM, SO WE'LL SEE, UH, A LOWER NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED THERE, UM, AS THEY HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A EXPANSION OF THEIR STAFF, BUT HAVE GREATER ISSUES THAT THE TENANTS ARE FACING. 
          UM, THEN WE HAVE OUR CHILDCARE SERVICES IN OUR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HAVE ALSO BEEN NAVIGATING THE SHIFTING LANDSCAPE OF NEED IN TERMS OF, UM, PARENTS EXPERIENCING UNEMPLOYMENT AND NO LONGER REQUIRING SERVICES. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THIS IS JUST A LOOK OVER TIME TO SEE WHERE THE CITY HAS BEEN IN TERMS OF SUPPLYING THESE PRETTY CONSISTENTLY, UM, SAME SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. 
          UM, SO WE CAN SEE THAT IT DOES START TO DIP IN FISCAL YEAR 18, 19, AND THEN IT PRETTY DRASTICALLY GOES DOWN IN FISCAL YEAR, 1920. 
          AND IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, WE START TO CRAWL BACK UP WITH OUR SERVICES PROVIDED AND THAT NUMBER THERE, THAT FINAL NUMBER 2,347, UM, DIFFERS FROM THE SLIDE THAT GAVE AN OVERVIEW IN THE BEGINNING AND HOW MANY TOTAL PEOPLE ARE REACHED JUST BECAUSE I TOOK OUT, UM, SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH THE CARES ACT TO JUST GET A LOOK AT ENTITLEMENT FUNDING SERVICES TO MAKE IT COMPARABLE THROUGH THE YEARS. 
          SO THAT'S A LOOK EACH YEAR AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          THIS IS A UPDATE ON OUR CARE ACT SPENDING AS WELL. 
          UM, SO WE RECEIVED A DECENT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE CARES ACT AND WE BUDGETED IT TO THESE VARIOUS PROGRAMS. SOME OF THESE ARE ONGOING LIKE OUR CHILDCARE SERVICES PROGRAM, OUR RAPID REHOUSING AND TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAMS. UM, ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS NEED TO REACH PEOPLE WHO ARE SPECIFICALLY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 THAT'S THE, THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENT OF THE DOLLARS. 
          UM, AND THEN OUR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS HAVE COMPLETED. 
          OKAY, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND I'LL PASS IT OFF TO JAMIE TO GO MORE INTO DEPTH ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE TYPICALLY FUNDED BY THE ACTION PLAN. 
          THANKS, MATT. 
          UM, SO AS MAX WENT OVER AND WE HAD, UH, UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH OUR FEDERAL FUNDS, UH, JUST TO, UH, LISTEN THROUGH THEM REAL QUICK, WE'VE HAVE OUR HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE, WHICH INCLUDES OUR RAPID REHOUSING AS WELL AS OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND, UH, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, OUR SPECIAL NEEDS ASSISTANCE, WHICH, UH, WOULD BE FOR CHILDCARE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, SENIOR SERVICES, RENTERS ASSISTANCE, WHICH WOULD BE OUR, UH, AGAIN, OUR TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE. 
          UM, OUR, BASICALLY OUR VOUCHER, A HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE, WHICH COULD INCLUDE ANYTHING FROM OUR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM, TO THE, OUR HOME REPAIR LOAN PROGRAM, OUR HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE, ALSO OUR HOME, OUR ALSO OUR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          UM, WE ALSO INCLUDE, UH, ART OWNERSHIP, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, WHICH WOULD FALL ALSO UNDER OUR HOUSING DEVELOPER ASSISTANCE. 
          AND THAT'S BOTH RENTER AND OWNERSHIP, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN OTHER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, ACTIVITIES. 
          AND WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO JUST TO DIG INTO EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE, UH, PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAMS, THESE INCLUDE OUR RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OUR TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          WE ALSO FUND OUR OPERATION MAINTENANCE FOR THE ARCH, UH, THROUGH THESE, THROUGH THESE FUNDS. 
          UH, AS YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS IS AS A HIGH PRIORITY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          UM, THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY DOLLARS THAT GO TOWARD HOMELESSNESS. 
          HOWEVER, THESE ARE OUR DEDICATED FEDERAL FUNDS THAT GO TO, OR TOWARDS SOLVING HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          NEXT LINE, WE ALSO HAVE OUR SPECIAL NEEDS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, WHICH INCLUDES HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS, PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH THE HOPWOOD PROGRAMS. AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR CHILDCARE SERVICES, YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN OUR SENIOR SERVICES. 
          THESE ARE ALL MANAGED THROUGH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH. 
          UM, NEXT LINE, NEXT WE HAVE OUR RICHARDS ASSISTANCE. 
          [00:15:01]
AGAIN, THIS INCLUDES OUR TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, NOT JUST HOMELESSNESS FOR THE, BUT ALSO FOR LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS. 
          UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT'S MANAGED THROUGH, UH, OR, OR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          UH, WE ALSO HAVE OUR ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER REMOVAL, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS TO SAY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER REMOVAL, UH, THAT IS BOTH FOR RENTER AND FOR OWNER. 
          UH, THAT IS WHERE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WILL HELP RENTER, UH, EITHER ADD A RAMP TO THEIR HOME, WIDEN A DOORWAY, WIDEN HALLS, SOME SORT OF ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER THAT IS PREVENTING THE RENTER FROM ENJOYING THE FULL, UH, AMENITIES OF THEIR UNIT. 
          UH, THIS PROGRAM HELPS TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS. 
          AND FINALLY, WE HAVE OUR TENANTS RIGHTS ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS A CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH OUR, UH, AUSTIN POPE, SORRY, AUSTIN TENANT'S COUNCIL, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, GUIDANCE ASSISTANCE, AND, UH, ADVICE FOR TENANTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CONFLICT WITH THEIR RENT, WITH THEIR LANDLORD. 
          UH, GENERALLY THIS WOULD BE, UH, IN, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT A LEASE OR, UH, UM, QUESTIONS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT OF ANY SORT OF, UH, RESPONSIBILITY, UH, THAT THE TENANT MAY HAVE, UH, WITH REGARD TO THAT LEASE OR, UH, THAT THE, UH, PROPERTY MANAGER MAY HAVE, UH, FOR THE TENANT. 
          UM, WE DO RELY ON AUSTIN TENANT'S COUNSEL TO PROVIDE THAT GUIDANCE AND TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR US. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          NEXT, WE HAVE OUR HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE, WHICH INCLUDES OUR ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER REMOVAL FOR THE OWNER. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE A, IN A INDIVIDUAL OWNING THEIR HOME. 
          UM, AND, UH, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES FUNDS FOR A NONPROFIT ENTITY TO AGAIN, AT A RAMP SO THAT AN OWNER CAN ACCESS PARTS OF THEIR HOME, THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, PRIOR OR TO, UH, WIDEN DOORWAYS, UH, BUT INSTALL, GRAB BARS IN BATHROOMS ISSUES, UH, THAT WOULD HELP, UH, UH, REMOVE ANY BARRIERS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MOBILITY OR SENSORY IMPAIRMENT FROM THE FULL ENJOYMENT OF THEIR UNIT. 
          WE ALSO HAVE OUR EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR AS WELL AS OUR GOAL REPAIR PROGRAM AND OUR HOME OWNER REHABILITATION LOAN PROGRAM. 
          UM, THE HALLMARK EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR AND GO REPAIR PROGRAM ARE GRANTS THAT ARE AWARDED TO INDIVIDUALS, UH, FOR SMALLER, UH, REPAIR PROJECTS, UH, GO REPAIR PROGRAM, UH, IS UP TO $20,000, UM, EMERGENCY HOME REPAIRS, EVEN LOWER. 
          UH, AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST FOR EMERGENCIES FOR SAFETY OF THE UNIT, SO THAT THE INDIVIDUAL CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY, UH, THE RESIDENTS, THE HOMEOWNER REHABILITATION PROGRAM, UH, IS MUCH LARGER RECORD REPAIR PROGRAM. 
          UH, SO IF A, IF A, UH, UNIT REQUIRES $75,000 OF REPAIRS, UH, LET'S SAY THEY NEED A NEW ROOF, UH, WITH FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES. 
          UM, THERE ARE MULTIPLE ISSUES AT PLAY THAT, UH, WOULD PREVENT THE INDIVIDUAL FROM FULLY ENJOYING THE UNIT. 
          UH, THE HOMEOWNER REHABILITATION PROGRAM, UH, IS A VIABLE, UH, VIABLE PROGRAM FOR THEM. 
          THIS IS A LOAN AS OPPOSED TO A GRANT. 
          UH, SO THERE WOULD BE A LIEN PLACED AGAINST THE PROPERTY IN THE EVENT THAT THE UNIT WOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM A SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR, UH, REHABILITATION LOAN, UH, BECAUSE THE, THE DAMAGES OR THE REPAIRS ARE JUST TOO EXTENSIVE, UH, THAT PROGRAM CAN ALSO HAVE A RECONSTRUCTION PORTION WHERE IN, UH, THE COST OF RECONSTRUCTING A HOME, UH, MAYBE UP TO $250,000, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE ALONE. 
          UH, THAT WOULD BE REPAYABLE, UM, WITH A, AN EXTENDED, UH, AFFORDABILITY PERIOD ATTACHED. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          OUR HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE, UH, PRIMARILY INCLUDES OUR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          THIS PROVIDES, UH, JUST AS IT SOUNDS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR, UH, POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE UP TO, OR BETWEEN $14,999, UH, FOR A, UH, BASE, UH, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE OR UP TO $40,000, UH, FOR, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT SEEK THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE NEXT LINE. 
          AND THEN OUR HOUSING DEVELOPER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS REALLY CHOOSE TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE MARRIED OR SISTERS, IF YOU WILL. 
          THE RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROVIDES A GAP FINANCING OR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, UH, PRIMARILY LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT, UH, DEVELOPMENTS, UH, TO PROVIDE IN EXCHANGE FOR OUR GAP FINANCING. 
          UH, THE DEVELOPER COMMITS TO PROVIDING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF UNITS, UH, BELOW 50% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, UH, 
          [00:20:01]
SO LOWER AFFORDABILITY, DEEPER AFFORDABILITY. 
          UH, WE DO TRY TO TARGET EVEN 30% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME UNITS OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS. UH, THIS IS HOW, UM, MANY, MANY UNITS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARE DEVELOPED AND SECURED FOR A LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY. 
          UH, GENERALLY THESE ARE FOR 40 YEARS OF AFFORDABILITY, THE OWNERSHIP, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, UH, SIMILAR IN THAT IT IS A GAP FINANCING PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPERS, UH, IN EXCHANGE FOR LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY. 
          THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME PERCENTAGE FOR OWNERSHIP HOUSING, UH, WOULD BE LESS THAN 80%, SO THAT LESS THAN 80% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, UH, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, THOSE UNITS GENERALLY CARRY A 99 YEAR AFFORDABILITY RESTRICTION. 
          AND, UM, WE WOULD FUND ANYTHING FROM A SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED UNIT, UH, TO A CONDO. 
          UH, WE ARE VERY FLEXIBLE IN HOW WE USE OUR FUNDS, UH, FOR THOSE DEVELOPMENTS, BUT THE, UH, KEY COMPONENT IS THAT IT WOULD BE FOR LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY FOR INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS. 
          AND FINALLY, WE HAVE DEVELOPER INCENTIVE-BASED PROGRAMS AND THESE INCLUDE AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED, WHICH I'M, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD OF, WHICH PROVIDES, UH, UM, INCREASED ENTITLEMENTS, UH, FOR DEVELOPERS THAT AGREE TO PROVIDE, UH, ON-SITE AFFORDABILITY. 
          THOSE ENTITLEMENTS WOULD INCLUDE, UH, REDUCED, UH, UM, REDUCED PARKING REQUIREMENTS, UH, REDUCED, UH, UM, SETBACK REQUIREMENTS. 
          UM, THIS IS A WAY TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF BUILD A BUILDING OF BUILDABLE SPACE, UM, ON A LOT WITHOUT ACTUALLY REDUCING THE, UH, UM, OR INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER. 
          THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT HAS NOT WAIVED AND, UH, THE AFFORDABILITY UNLOCK PROGRAM, THE DEVELOPER INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ALSO INCLUDE DENSITY BONUSES, UH, T T ODS OR TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTS, UM, AND OUR SMART HOUSING PROGRAM, WHICH IS KIND OF OUR BASELINE DEVELOPER INCENTIVE PROGRAM. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          AND FINALLY, WE HAVE OTHER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROGRAMS. THIS INCLUDES THE FAMILY BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM AND THE COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, OPERATING EXPENSE GRANT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          WE HAVE FOUR, UH, COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, THREE OF WHICH QUALIFY FOR THIS OPERATING EXPENSE AND GRANT. 
          AND THIS GRANT PROVIDES UP TO $50,000 ANNUALLY, UH, FOR OPERATING EXPENSES. 
          UH, THESE CHATEAUS THAT QUALIFY FOR THESE FUNDS ARE BLACK LAND CDC, BLACK SHEAR IN DC AND AHA, UM, WHICH IS, UH, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING AUSTIN. 
          UH, THESE, UH, ENTITIES RELY ON THESE, ON THESE OPERATING GRANTS. 
          UM, AND WE RECENTLY INCREASED THAT, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, IT WAS A $25,000. 
          WE'VE INCREASED THAT UP TO $50,000 NOW IN KEEPING WITH HUD GUIDELINES. 
          EXCELLENT. 
          AND NOW I WILL HAND IT BACK TO MAX. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AWESOME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THAT WAS A DEEP DIVE INTO THE SERVICES THAT WE GET OUT OF OUR ENTITLEMENT FUNDING. 
          SO I HOPE THAT GIVES YOU SOME MORE CONTEXT ABOUT WHERE THESE DOLLARS GO. 
          UM, AND NOW LOOKING AT OUR TIMELINE, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          UM, SO EACH YEAR WE APPLY FOR THESE FUNDS AND WE GO TO THROUGH A SERIES OF MEETINGS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, WITH DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THIS COMMUNITY USE ASSESSMENT PROCESS TO BETTER GAUGE, UH, WHAT THE PRIORITIES SHOULD LOOK FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, UM, AMONG WHAT WE NEED WITHIN WHAT WE PLAN FOR AND TO CONSOLIDATE. 
          AND SO WE ARE WRAPPING UP THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT. 
          NOW WE'VE HAD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, ONE WITH CITY COUNCIL AND ONE WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. 
          UM, AND THIS WILL, I BELIEVE BE OUR LAST, I THINK WE HAD ONE COMMISSION HAD TO RESCHEDULE, UM, BUT WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THEM LATER IN THE MONTH. 
          UM, SO DURING THIS TIME WE WE'VE HAD TO SPEAK OF AUSTIN WEBPAGE UP, UM, WHERE WE'D BEEN RECEIVING COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THE ACTION PLAN. 
          WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THESE VARIOUS AND ORGANIZATION MEETINGS. 
          UM, AND WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE DAYS, IT'S PICK A PAGE TO BE OPEN. 
          IT'S A GREAT WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN LOG IN THEIR COMMENTS, UM, AND VIEW THE COMMENTS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE LOOKED AT AS WELL. 
          SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THIS IS KIND OF A REVIEW OF THE BULK OF OUR, OF OUR OUTREACH AROUND THESE DOLLARS. 
          SO WE'VE, UM, HAD 12 COMMENTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED SPEAK OF AUSTIN PAGE, WHICH IS ADMITTEDLY PRETTY LOW. 
          UM, WE'VE TRIED TO GET THE PAGE OUT THROUGH, UM, PUSHING IT OUT TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMISSIONS. 
          UM, BUT IT'S SAW SOME 
          [00:25:01]
LOW ACTIVITY COMPARED TO THE AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR. 
          UM, AND WE RECEIVED TWO TESTIMONIES AT OUR CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING, THREE PEOPLE TESTIFIED AT OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING. 
          UM, AND THEN WE MET WITH A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU SEE THERE. 
          UM, SO THAT WAS FOR A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT. 
          WE'RE HOPING THAT IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, GOING INTO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UM, NOW THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED, UM, INPUT AND WE'RE PACKAGING THINGS UP INTO A FORMAL DRAFT, WE'LL BE PUTTING OUT THE DRAFT ACTION PLAN, UM, STARTING ON MAY 3RD, GOING UP UNTIL JUDY 10TH. 
          UM, IN THAT TIME PERIOD, WE'LL HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS, ONE WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND MOAN WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSED FUNDING APPLICATIONS. 
          UM, AND THEN WE HOPE TO RECEIVE FINAL APPROVAL OF THE PLAN IN ON JULY 28TH AND SUBMIT THE PLANS FROM SUMMIT LIST. 
          UM, AND DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO VIEW THE PROPOSAL, SUBMIT COMMENTS ONLINE, WE'LL HAVE WE'RE PLANNING TO PUT THE PROPOSAL OUT AT SOME LOCATIONS AROUND AUSTIN AND PAPER AS WELL FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS. 
          UM, WE'RE HOPING TO, TO RECEIVE MORE FEEDBACK, UM, CONFIRMING OR BEING CRITICAL ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THEY NEED TO BE, WHAT DO YOU THREE FUNDED? UM, BUT THAT BASICALLY CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. 
          SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME AND I'LL PASS IT BACK TO THE CHAIR TO BUILD THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION, MAX AND JAMES REALLY APPRECIATE IT, ESPECIALLY FOR JOINING US. 
          AS YOU MENTIONED DURING OUR WORKING GROUP SESSION, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION, DATA STEWARDSHIP WORKING GROUP, I'D LIKE TO OFFER SOME INITIAL FEEDBACK, AS YOU MENTIONED. 
          AND AS I JUST MENTIONED, THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST TIME TAKING THIS PRESENTATION IN, AS YOU DESCRIBED DURING THE PRESENTATION, AND AS WE'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND AND EXPERIENCED HERE AS A COMMISSION, UH, MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO, AND WITH OUR FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY AND TECHNOLOGY, WE ARE NATURALLY EAGER TO PIVOT OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND TO MAKE SURE TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO ROUTE OUT ROUTE OUT, IF YOU WILL, ANY KIND OF INEFFICIENCIES THAT ARE DIRECT CAUSE OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH AS A COMMISSION AND AS A CITY, UH, AMONGST OTHERS, UH, THAT OF COURSE ARE ELIMINATED BY THIS REPORT. 
          I KNOW THAT WE WERE VERY EAGER OF COURSE, TO SEE THE ACTION PLAN. 
          UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, THAT COURSE WOULD INCLUDE, I ASSUME, A MORE IN DEPTH CAPTURE OF THE COMMENTS, THE TESTIMONIES, UH, AND INSIGHTS FROM THE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE COMMISSIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THAT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP TO INFORM OUR ADVISEMENT, A CITY COUNCIL AND CITY GOVERNMENT ON BUDGET. 
          I KNOW THAT BECAUSE OUR FOCUS IS BY AND LARGE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW THE SMART DEVELOPMENT DYNAMICS AROUND THE HOUSING DEVELOPER ASSISTANCE MIGHT IMPACT RIGHT AWAY, PARTICULARLY AS YOU MADE MENTION OF SETBACK ACCOMMODATIONS, AND WE'RE OF COURSE, FOCUSED ON INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS SMALL TRENCHING, SMALL CELL AND FIBER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HOPEFULLY HAVE INSTALLED IN MORE AND MORE PLACES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. 
          OTHER THAN THAT, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS REPORT AND FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND MEETING WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND CAPTURING THIS FEEDBACK, AS YOU ALLUDED TO AS WELL, THERE'S BEEN A DECLINE IN PUBLIC FEEDBACK. 
          AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE ACTION PLAN THAT MIGHT INCLUDE OUR CAPABILITIES AS A COMMISSION AND WAYS TO HELP ONES THAT WE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED, PERHAPS SOME ONES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED SUCH AS THE SPEAK-UP BOSTON WEBPAGE, WHICH OF COURSE WE'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF AS A COMMISSION WITH THAT. 
          I'D LIKE TO GIVE MY PEERS A CHANCE TO OFFER FEEDBACK, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO THAT INDIVIDUALLY, I'M 
          [00:30:01]
GOING TO LOOK FOR A SHOW OF HANDS. 
          I SEE ONE, I SEE TWO, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL YOU OUT IN ORDER FOR YOUR FEEDBACK. 
          AND I GUESS ONE THING I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, TO CLARIFY, UH, IS THAT IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE GIVE THE COMMISSIONER A CHANCE, OF COURSE, TO COMPLETE THE QUESTION AND THEN ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, SINCE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS IS VISIBLE WHEN THEY HAVE THAT INTERACTION, UH, YES. 
          COMMISSIONER GATES. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          MY QUESTION IS, ARE THERE ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPERS ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS TO PROVIDE, UH, INTERNET ACCESS TO RESIDENTS? UM, I'LL TAKE THAT MIX, UM, FOR THE RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          UH, WE DID NOT REQUIRE, UM, UH, CONNECTIVITY TO THE INTERNET. 
          UH, HOWEVER, THAT IS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS DEFINITELY OFFERED THROUGH, UH, THE LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM AS, UH, ONE OF THE BENEFITS PROVIDED TO THE TENANTS, UM, AS WE REVIEW OUR, OUR GUIDELINES AROUND THAT PROGRAM, UH, THAT IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ASSESSING. 
          UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE MAY RUN INTO IS, UH, THE LEVEL OF CONNECTIVITY. 
          UM, JUST AS A, UH, UM, AS A QUICK ASIDE, UM, MY FATHER-IN-LAW'S CELL PHONE RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE IT WAS A 3G, UM, AND VERIZON HAS RETIRED ALL 3G CELL PHONES. 
          UH, SO KEEPING UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING, UH, THAT WE ARE CONCERNED WITH, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT REQUIRING DEVELOPERS TO INSTALL, UH, TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL BE OUT OF DATE, UH, BEFORE THE PROPERTY LEAVES ITS AFFORDABILITY PERIOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GREAT QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. GATES. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER A VICE-CHAIR APODACA. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND YES, UH, ECHO COMMISSIONER YATES, GREAT PRESENTATION. 
          UM, I ACTUALLY HAD TWO QUESTIONS AND TO BE EFFICIENT, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND ASK THEM BOTH. 
          UM, MY FIRST QUESTION YOU, UH, PRESENTED THE SLIDE ON THE POPULATION SERVED VERSUS THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN BY RACE. 
          WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK TO A BIT ABOUT, UM, ANY STRATEGY THERE IS TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN, UM, THE, THE POPULATION SERVED. 
          AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION, UH, ON THE CHART THAT YOU PRESENTED ON THE GOALS VERSUS OUTCOMES, UNDERSTAND UNDERSTANDABLY, THERE WOULD BE, UM, SORT OF A, A, A DROP DURING THE PANDEMIC. 
          SO JUST CURIOUS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND PERHAPS EVEN SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS, DO YOU EXPECT THAT THE, THOSE POPULATIONS SERVE WILL SORT OF GO BACK TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS IMMEDIATELY? OR DO YOU EXPECT THAT THERE'LL BE A GRADUAL, UM, BUILDING OF, OF THOSE FOLKS SERVED? THANK YOU, ASKED YOU TO LIKE ME OR THE FORM. 
          YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND I'LL, I'LL ADD ON. 
          EXCELLENT. 
          UM, SO TO ANSWER THE F THE, THE SECOND QUESTION FIRST, UM, WE HOPE SO, UH, THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME COUNTERVAILING FORCES, UH, UM, WITH RESPECT TO ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS, ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, THAT BEING, UH, THINGS ARE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE. 
          UM, SO OUR, EVERY DOLLAR IS NOT GOING NEARLY AS FAR AS IT USED TO. 
          UM, SO WHEN WE SET THE GOALS, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THAT DOLLAR IS NOT THE SAME DOLLAR. 
          UM, HOWEVER, WE DO SEE SOME, SOME DEFINITELY DEFINITE SIGNS OF, UH, OF, UH, UH, PROMISE, UH, ON THE HORIZON. 
          THAT BEING PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE ARE GETTING BACK INTO, UH, INTO THE OFFICE. 
          WE HAVE, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE NOW. 
          UM, UH, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD WITH OUR HOMER PEER PROGRAMS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, UM, ARE NOT COMPLETELY GONE, BUT ARE DEFINITELY, UH, AMELIORATED A BIT. 
          UM, UH, SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD GET BACK UP IMMEDIATELY. 
          UH, HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GONNA TAKE MAYBE A YEAR OR A COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, JUST TO RAMP ALL THE WAY BACK UP JUST AS WE, YOU KNOW, AS WITH EVERYTHING IN THE PANDEMIC, IT DOESN'T END IMMEDIATELY. 
          UM, IT'S, IT'S A GRADUAL TAPERING OFF. 
          UM, AND YOUR FIRST QUESTION, UH, REFER TO WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS. 
          UM, ONE THING I WOULD NOTE ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS IS, 
          [00:35:01]
UH, THAT OUR, UH, THE POPULATION SERVED THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN OR BLACK COMMUNITY REPRESENTS A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF, UH, HOUSEHOLDS SERVED UNDER OUR PROGRAMS THAN THE OVERALL POPULATION. 
          UM, AND THAT PRIMARILY HAS TO DO WITH, UH, WITH HOUSEHOLD INCOME, WITH, UH, LEVEL OF, UH, UM, ELIGIBILITY TO THE PROGRAMS. UH, HOWEVER WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE POPULATIONS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM OUR PROGRAMS THAT ALSO HAVE, UH, LANGUAGE BARRIERS. 
          SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM TO REALLY BREAK DOWN THOSE BARRIERS AND IDENTIFY WAYS TO, TO BUILD THE BRIDGES, UH, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, DEPLOY THOSE PROGRAMS IN A MUCH MORE, UH, EGALITARIAN FASHION OR, OR MULTILINGUAL FASHION, REALLY. 
          AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE ADMINISTERED VIA SUB-RECIPIENTS AND NON-PROFITS AND SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS. 
          AND SO I THINK, UM, UTILIZING THE REACH THAT THOSE HAVE AND FINDING THE RIGHT ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK WITH, LIKE THE AUSTIN AREA, URBAN LEAGUE, HAVE GREATER REACHES INTO DIFFERENT POPULATIONS THAT, THAT WE WANT TO HAVE MORE DIRECT SURFACE TEAM FOR THAT QUESTION AND QUESTIONS. 
          AND FOR THAT, THOSE RESPONSES, ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF LATE IT TO THAT LAST TOPIC, AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST YEAR WITH THE JUXTAPOSITION OF SERVICE OF POPULATIONS HERE FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, ALONGSIDE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS HERE IN AUSTIN, IT'S BEEN PLEASING TO SEE AMIDST THE PANDEMIC THAT WE'VE HAD DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM COMMISSIONERS HERE ON THIS BODY THAT HAS SPOKEN TO SOME OF THESE DYNAMICS. 
          AS WE LOOK FOR EXAMPLE, POPULATION SERVED BY POPULATION OF AUSTIN BY RACE, VERSUS FOR EXAMPLE, THE ASIAN POPULATION, A PERCENTAGE VERSUS WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING SERVED. 
          WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE VOCAL LEADERS WITHIN THE ASIAN COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HELPED WITH THE COMPLETE COUNT TO HELP WITH THE CENSUS. 
          AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE LEADERS WITHIN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WITHIN OUR REFUGEE COMMUNITIES HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          SO AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ACTION PLAN AND HAVING A FOLLOW-UP WITH THAT AND TO SEEING WHAT THE PLANS ARE TO INCREASE THE LEVEL SET, IF YOU WILL, OF SERVICE DELIVERY COMPARED TO POPULATION. 
          BUT I'D LIKE TO, BEFORE I SAY GOODBYE TO YOU GUYS, AND THANK YOU AGAIN ONE LAST TIME TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FEEDBACK QUESTIONS. 
          YES. 
          COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. 
          I, YES, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. 
          I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE, UM, PROGRAMS SPECIFIC TO THE DEVELOPERS WITH THE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING. 
          AND I'M WONDERING IF, UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THESE ARE PAST THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING FROM HER AND MAYBE, UM, THEY'RE BEING JOINED WITH SOME OTHER FUNDS, ARE THERE ANY INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPERS TO INCLUDE SOME OF THE SMART TECHNOLOGY AND SOME OF THESE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE SEE ARE COMING, ESPECIALLY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, SUCH AS MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S EASY CHARGING STATIONS THERE AND OTHER TYPES OF SMART TECHNOLOGY THAT ARE, ARE COMING, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ANY TYPE OF INCENTIVES FOR THESE DEVELOPERS TO GO AHEAD AND TO CONSIDER THOSE AS THEY ARE, UM, DOING, UM, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, USING THOSE FUNDS TO DO, TO BUILD THESE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN? THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          YES. 
          WELL, YES AND NO. 
          UH, UH, IN OUR, IN THE RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY, UH, OR REQUIRE ANY DEVELOPER TO, UH, TO YOU TO INSTALL AN EVIE CHARGING STATION OR TO, UH, TO, TO, UH, PROVIDE, UH, THE NEST, UH, UM, CLIMATE CONTROL IN EACH UNIT OR THE RING DOORBELL. 
          HOWEVER, UM, WE HAVE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION IS A, AN ARM OF THE CITY WHERE THAT DEPLOYS THESE FUNDS THROUGH THE RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          UM, WE ARE ALSO A DEVELOPER, A CO-DEVELOPER, UH, WITH, UH, SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, WHO HAVE RECEIVED FUNDS FROM, UH, THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION THROUGH THE RENTAL 
          [00:40:01]
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          UH, WE HAVE ONE PROPERTY THAT IS OPENING. 
          UH, WE'LL HAVE A GRAND OPENING, HOPEFULLY THIS MONTH. 
          UM, IT'S ON, UH, OLTORF AND, UH, PLEASANT VALLEY AND IN EACH UNIT, UH, THEY DO HAVE RING DOORBELLS. 
          UM, UH, SO WE HAVE SEEN THAT TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT OUR PORTFOLIOS, BUT WE DON'T, UH, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THAT AS A REQUIREMENT AS OF YET. 
          THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE. 
          APPRECIATE THAT. 
          ANY OTHER FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS THIS TIME? OKAY. 
          WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN, JAMES AND MAX FOR THE PRESENTATION FOR, FOR YOUR WORK AGAIN, MEETING WITH US, UH, IN THE WORKING GROUP SETTING, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO US REENGAGING, AT LEAST IN THE WORKING GROUP SETTING ON THAT ACTION PLAN. 
          THANK YOU, OUR PLEASURE. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OF COURSE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO NOW MOVING 
          [2.b. Economic Development Department on COVID programs and current programs (Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, David Gray, and Susana Carbajal)]
ALONG WITH OUR AGENDA HERE TO AGENDA ITEM TWO B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON COVID-19 PROGRAMS AND CURRENT PROGRAMS BY SILL NOVIA, HALT REV. 
          HI, IT'S SYNOVIA, UH, DAVID GRAY AND SUSANNA, UH, CARBO COBO HALL. 
          SORRY ABOUT THAT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME NOT A PROBLEM. 
          GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS AGAINST ALL NOVIA HAUTE, RAB DIRECTOR SERVICES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND JOIN WITH ME IS OUR ACTING DIRECTOR. 
          DEPUTY DIRECTORS IS ON OUR CARBO HALL, AND WE ARE HERE TODAY JUST TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DIVISIONS ACTIVITIES AND THE RELIEF WE PROVIDED DURING COVID. 
          SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS AND RECRUIT BUSINESSES TO AUSTIN THROUGH ALL OF OUR DIVISIONS. 
          AND OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE A COMPETITIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE ECONOMY FOR ALL NEXT SLIDE. 
          AND SO WE DIVIDE OUR SECTORS INTO THREE AREAS, ARTS BUSINESS, AND MUSIC. 
          UH, WE SUPPORT, AS I MENTIONED AND RECRUIT THROUGH ALL OF THESE DIVISIONS, NEXT SLIDE, I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR ARTS AREA. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION THAT EXECUTES PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT INTEGRATE ARTS INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WELL AS REVITALIZATION STRATEGIES, PROGRAMS INCLUDE CREATIVE SPACE AND CULTURE, CULTURAL ARTS, GRANTS, ARTISTS, RESOURCES, PUBLIC ART, AND MUCH MORE. 
          WE HAVE A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM THAT IS SUPPORTED BY 2%, UM, ORDINANCE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, WHICH FUNDS OUR PUBLIC ART PROGRAM. 
          AND TEMPO IS ONE OF OUR ENTRY-LEVEL PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDES TEMPORARY INSTALLATIONS A YEAR ROUND AND ALL OF THE DISTRICTS. 
          AND THIS YEAR WE ARE ACTUALLY FEATURED IN THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, BRANCHES, THE AIRPORT, AND EVEN CITY PARKS. 
          THE NEXT SLIDE, OUR SECOND DIVISION THAT FOCUSES ON THE ARTS IS OUR HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION, AND IT PROVIDES LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT FOR PROGRAMS AIMED TO AGAIN, ATTRACT TOURISTS AND CONVENTION DELEGATES AND TO DERIVE ECONOMIC BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH HONORING AND PRESERVING AUSTIN AS A PLACE OF PERSONAL HERITAGE, AUSTIN, AS A PROUD, UH, PROUD AND RICH WITH ITS CULTURE AND ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO VISIT HERE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. 
          TOURISM CREATES JOBS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND STRENGTHENS LOCAL ECONOMY, AND AUSTIN, AS AUSTIN CONTINUES TO GROW. 
          IT IS IMPORTANT TO PROTECT HERITAGE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES, WHICH IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS AND TRAVELERS. 
          I CALL IT SOME OF THE SECRET SAUCE AS TO WHY PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE. 
          SOME OF OUR PROJECT INCLUDES PRESERVATION, RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS, SITE AND DISTRICTS. 
          AND WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PLANNING PHASE OF, UM, UH, PLACEMAKING AROUND DISTRICTS. 
          AND SO WE ALSO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION AND MARKETING SUPPORT IN HERE. 
          DOES TOURISM NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          OUR NEXT AREA IS BUSINESS. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          WE HAVE 
          [00:45:01]
A SMALL BUSINESS DIVISION THAT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES AND PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES TO AUSTIN'S LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS, HELPING THEM TO EXPAND THEIR OPPORTUNITIES AT HOME AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. 
          PROGRAMS INCLUDE BUSINESS TRAINING CLASSES, EVENTS, BUSINESS COACHING, AS WELL AS THE FAMILY BUSINESS LOAN, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. 
          THE FAMILY BUSINESS LOAN IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND LOCAL LENDERS TO PROVIDE LOW INTEREST LOANS, TO QUALIFY AS SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND AND COMMIT TO CREATING JOBS THAT BENEFIT LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PERSONS LIVING IN AUSTIN FUNDING IS MADE AVAILABLE AGAIN THROUGH THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECTION 1 0 8 REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAMS AND TO DATE. 
          UM, UM, WE HAVE ISSUED ABOUT 10 LOANS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY MAKES LIVE NEXT. 
          WE HAVE OUR GLOBAL BUSINESS AND EXPANSION DIVISION, WHICH INCREASES JOBS AND INVESTMENT IN AUSTIN THROUGH BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND BY ASSISTING LOCAL BUSINESSES WITH INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION AND TRADE RECRUITMENT TO BRING BUSINESSES TO AUSTIN AND ALSO HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES EXPORT THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO OTHER COUNTRY. 
          IN ADDITION, AUSTIN HAS 14 SISTER CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE, AND THIS IS A FRIENDSHIP TO SHARE CULTURAL EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC PRESENCE TO COMMUNITIES IN OUR LASHLEY INCENTIVES ARE WAY THAT THE CITY CAN ALSO HELP SUPPORT BUSINESSES WHO ARE HIRING AND EXPANDING NEW JOBS HERE IN THIS CITY. 
          WE ALSO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY AROUND ZERO WASTE, WHERE WE TRY TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES IN THAT SECTOR. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          OKAY. 
          WE ALSO CONSIDER REDEVELOPMENT TO BE A PART OF OUR BUSINESS AREA. 
          REDEVELOPMENT FACILITATES, INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND PROJECTS TO REINVIGORATE AUSTIN, EXISTING BUILDING ENVIRONMENT, BIDING NEIGHBORHOODS, AND BUSINESS HUBS INTO CIVIC, URBAN VILLAGES. 
          WE TURNED CITY PROPERTY INTO NEW BUILDINGS AND SPACES LIKE HOUSING, RETAIL, AND RESTAURANTS, AND SOME OF OUR SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS TO DATE INCLUDE SEAHOLM MILLER DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS SECOND STREET. 
          IN ADDITION, WE SERVICE SPECIAL DISTRICTS THROUGH OUR SOLELY AUSTIN PROGRAM, WHICH WORKS THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO WORK TOGETHER, TO CREATE WHAT'S CALLED A MERCHANT ASSOCIATION, AND THIS ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO IMPROVE THEIR AREAS BY ATTRACTING NEW CUSTOMERS OR EVEN IMPROVING OUTSIDE AREAS NEXT LINE. 
          AND FINALLY, OUR AREA OF MUSIC. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          WE HAVE OUR MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, WHICH IS DEFINITELY AN ECONOMIC DRIVER ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. 
          YOU CAN GO OUT AND HEAR LIVE MUSIC THROUGHOUT THE CITY WILL THIS NORTH, SOUTH, EAST OR WEST. 
          AND SO OUR MUSIC DIVISION DEVELOPS AND EXECUTE INITIATIVES THAT ACCELERATE THE GROWTH OF AUSTIN MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. 
          BY FOCUSING AGAIN ON JOB CREATION, TALENT EXPORT, TRADE DEVELOPMENT, AND INDUSTRY REVENUE GROWTH THROUGH OUR ARTISTS DEVELOPMENT, WE HOST PANELS WITH LOCAL INDUSTRY EXPERTS TO HELP MUSICIAN LEARN HOW TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS. 
          WE ALSO ARE NOW, UM, EVEN THOUGH DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHEN WE WERE VIRTUAL, WE, UM, PREVIOUS TO THAT, WE HAD LIVE MUSIC PROCLAMATIONS AT EVERY COUNCIL. 
          I THINK WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS THIS PROGRAM. 
          AND SO THIS PAST WEEK, WE ACTUALLY HAD A PROCLAMATION OR, UM, NANI WHO SUBSEQUENTLY PASSED AWAY THIS WEEK, BUT WE RECOGNIZED HIM, UH, THROUGH PROCLAMATIONS AT CITY COUNCIL. 
          AND AGAIN, IT'S A WAY FOR MUSICIANS TO GET THEIR WORD OUT ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE PERFORMING AND HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THEM. 
          WE ALSO HAVE OUR MUSIC INDUSTRY AND VENUES. 
          WE DO STREET PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS THAT BRING LIVE MUSIC DOWNTOWN WITH LOCAL MUSICIANS. 
          AND FINALLY WE HAVE A LIVE MUSIC FUND THAT WE'LL BE LAUNCHING IN THE FALL OF THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE, UH, FUNDING OR OPPORTUNITIES TO MUSICIANS, TO AGAIN, EXPAND THEIR FOOTPRINT AND TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM OF MUSIC. 
          NEXT LINE, DURING COVID 
          [00:50:01]
EDD WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. 
          UM, WE ACTUALLY STOOD UP NOW, I THINK OVER 20 UNIQUE PROGRAMS, AND THIS IS OUR LANDING PAGE CALLED ATX RECOVERS. 
          IT'S STILL RELEVANT. 
          WE STILL KEEP IT UP TO DATE WITH OUR OFFERINGS OF SUPPORT FROM ALL OF OUR CLIENTS, WHETHER YOU'RE A MUSICIAN, WHETHER YOU'RE A CREATIVE, ET CETERA. 
          AND SO A GREAT PLACE TO GO TO ALSO SEE THE DASHBOARDS RELATED TO OUR RECOVERY PROGRAMS. WE LEAD WITH EQUITY THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR COVID PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE HAD 12 EMERGENCY GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE DISPERSED OVER $60 MILLION, AND HERE'S JUST A LIST. 
          WE SUPPORTED CHILDCARE AS A BUSINESS. 
          UM, THE CREATIVE WORKER, WE EVEN HAD AN EMERGENCY BRIDGE LONG BEFORE THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION EVEN FINALIZE THEIR PROGRAM. 
          WE PROVIDED GRANTS TO MUSICIANS AS WELL AS SMALL BUSINESSES. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          THIS ISN'T A FUN SLIDE. 
          AND WHAT WE ALSO LEARNED ALONG THE WAY IS THAT SOME OF OUR CLIENTS NEEDED ASSISTANCE. 
          SO ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE LISTED HERE, WHAT'S CALLED OUR COMMUNITY CHAMPION, WHERE WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO OUR CLIENTS TO ACTUALLY APPLY NOT ONLY FOR OUR PROGRAMS FOR OTHER PROGRAMS. AND WE HAVE NOW PIVOTED THAT INTO OUR REGULAR PORTFOLIO, THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM. 
          AND SO WHAT EDD IS NOW, WE ARE NO LONGER IN WHAT WE CALLED EMERGENCY, BUT WE'RE CONTINUALLY TO FOCUS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS CHILDCARE BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES. 
          AND EVEN THOUGH ART IS A SEPARATE DIVISION, ALL THE DIVISIONS WORK, UH, AND WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THIS ECONOMY. 
          AND SO, UM, THESE ARE OUR PROGRAMS. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU, I BELIEVE IT WAS ASKED JUST TO GIVE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW. 
          AND SO THESE ARE OUR PROGRAMS AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD, UM, THROUGHOUT THESE SIX UNIQUE DIVISIONS. 
          SUSANNA, DID I MISS ANYTHING VERY THOROUGH? I'LL GET, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. 
          UH, SYNOVIA. 
          THAT WAS GREAT. 
          UH, I DO ADMIT I DO HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE, UH, A CHANCE FOR SOME OTHER PEERS WHO HAVEN'T SPOKEN TODAY, A CHANCE TO ASK FIRST, THAT WOULD BE COMMISSIONER RAMOS, COMMISSIONER GORROW. 
          IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, GIVE ME THE FLOOR. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL WITH THAT, THEN LET ME JUST, UH, IF I COULD FOCUS ON, UH, THE HERITAGE TOURISM COMPONENT BRIEFLY, UH, FIRST OFF, LET ME JUST SAY, I'VE BEEN REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS COMPONENT AS IT REALLY, AS I SEE IT RELATES TO MAINTAINING A LOT OF THE CULTURAL HISTORY FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON, AND YOU MADE MENTION OF THE PLANNING PHASES AND DOING SOME PLACE MAKING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR RIGHT, RIGHT. 
          FOR SPACE DEVELOPMENT. 
          WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK IS AS A FIRST QUESTION, IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE COULD HELP. 
          AND WE ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN WORKING TO AGGREGATE, LIVED EXPERIENCES AND ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT CHALLENGES RELATED TO DIGITAL INCLUSION IN PARTICULAR, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THAT ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT, WE'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T OFFER. 
          SO I'D LIKE TO ASK IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO HELP IN ANY WAY WITH THAT PLANNING. 
          YES, WE ARE. 
          WE HAVE JUST STARTED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SO I CAN PROVIDE TO YOUR LAYERS ON A LINK SO THAT YOU CAN SIGN UP TO OUR WEBSITE AND, UH, WE CAN PROVIDE YOU THE MEETINGS, UM, THAT ARE UPCOMING. 
          BUT COUNCIL, I BELIEVE A MONTH AGO DEVELOPED, UM, APPROVED A PLAN FOR US TO ACTUALLY START DEVELOPING THE BASELINE CRITERIA THAT ARE NEEDED FOR DISTRICTS TO PROPERLY DEVELOP. 
          RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SIX SQUARE. 
          WE HAVE THE FISH STREET MEXICAN-AMERICAN 
          [00:55:01]
CORRIDOR, AND WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN RED RIVER, BUT THERE ARE ALSO POCKETS OF COMMUNITY THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED. 
          AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS HEAR FROM COMMUNITY ON WHAT ARE THOSE BASE CRITERIA THAT ARE NEEDED TO HAVE PROPER DEVELOPMENT OF DISTRICTS. 
          AND SO, YES, WE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE YOU THAT LINK. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND MY NEXT QUESTION REALLY PERTAINS TO THE ISSUES, THE ISSUE OF DIGITAL INCLUSION AS A WHOLE, UH, FRANKLY, AND, UH, A PERSISTENT CONCERN WE HAVE AT THIS COMMISSION ABOUT DEVELOPMENT AND HOW IT MIGHT ADVERSELY AFFECT CONNECTIVITY AND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE BY, UH, LEAVING SOME BEHIND, AS OTHERS ARE MORE ADVANCED THROUGH DEVELOPMENT. 
          I'D LIKE TO ASK IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND FOCUSING ON ANY PROGRAM COMPONENTS. 
          I KNOW WE WERE JUST ALLUDING TO SOME OF THEM, BUT ONES IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU THINK REALLY DO HELP TO ADDRESS THESE KINDS OF DYNAMICS AND CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AS A CITY. 
          SO OUR REDEVELOPMENT DIVISION, UM, AS MENTIONED, BRINGS BACK CITY ASSETS TO THE ROLE. 
          SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A NEGOTIATION AROUND ST. 
          JOHN, UH, DEVELOPMENT LINE DRIVE. 
          AND SO WHEN WE PUT OUT THESE RFPS, THEY'RE DEFINITELY COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WE INCLUDE. 
          AND SO, UH, IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MIXED USE PROPERTY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE SOME HOUSING COMPONENT. 
          AND SO WE CAN DEFINITELY ENSURE THAT, UM, THAT IS FACTORED IN AS, UH, WHEN THEY GO OUT FOR RFP. 
          AND I'M NOT SURE IF SUSANNA WANTS TO ADD, BUT WE DEFINITELY LOOK FOR THAT BECAUSE, UM, WE UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF CITY OF THIS CITY AND WHO HAS, AND WHO DOES IT. 
          AND SO DEFINITELY TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE ARE REDEVELOPING PROPERTIES. 
          DID I FREEZE? NO. 
          THAT'S WE HEARD YOU JUST FINE. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          SORRY. 
          I WANT IT TO GIVE IT SUZANNE A CHANCE TO ADD IT. 
          SHE WANTED TO THANK YOU. 
          NOW IT'S AN OBVIOUS, CORRECT. 
          UH, GOOD AFTERNOON AND GOOD EVENING. 
           ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND ACTING DEPUTY FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HOSTING US TODAY. 
          UH, SO NOVIA DIRECTORS AND OF YOUR HOST, ROB IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. 
          IN ADDITION TO, UH, THESE, UH, CITY PROPERTIES THAT WE'VE BEEN INTERESTED TO, UM, REDEVELOP AND, UM, UTILIZE TO DEVELOP COMPLETE COMMUNITIES. 
          A LOT OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE PASSED BY COUNCIL THAT GIVES US DIRECTION ON THE SUBSTATIONS AND THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THESE PROPERTIES INCLUDE THE INCLUSION OF LEARNING CENTERS, UM, AND, UM, COMMUNITY, UH, SPACES, UH, THAT WOULD BE OFFERED TO THE FAMILIES, UH, AND THE USERS OF THAT SPACE. 
          SO A LOT OF THESE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ARE PURPOSELY, UH, FOCUS FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CREATIVE AND LOCAL, UH, CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AND LOCAL, UM, BUSINESSES AND, AND INCLUSIVE OF CHILDCARE CENTERS, AS WELL AS LEARNING CENTERS IN ORDER FOR THAT, TO PROVIDE THAT THOSE COMPLETE SERVICES THAT COMMUNITIES NEED IN ORDER TO BE, UH, INCLUDED IN, IN, IN, IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT A FOLLOW UP, I KNOW THAT WITH REDEVELOPMENT AND MINE IN PARTICULAR, ESPECIALLY WITH CONNECTIVITY, MIND, UH, LOCATIONS LIKE COLONY PARK ARE CERTAINLY TOP OF MIND. 
          UH, VERY CURIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING YOU MIGHT SHARE, UH, THAT RELATES TO INFRASTRUCTURE OR FIBER BUILD OUT, PERHAPS THROUGH ANY OTHER PARTNERS RELATED TO COLONY PARK OR ANY OF THE OTHER REDEVELOPMENT LOCATIONS. 
          SO WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR, UM, DEVELOPER, UM, FOR COLONY PARK IN COUNCIL, AS DIRECT AS TO COME BACK WITH A FINAL PLAN LATE JUNE. 
          AND SO, AGAIN, AS SUSANNA MENTIONED, WE DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE THE, ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE LACKING IN THAT AREA, AND DEFINITELY WANT TO ENSURE THAT IT IS A COMPLETE COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY DIGITALLY, BUT AROUND FOOD ACCESS AND HEALTHCARE. 
          AND SO THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS AS PART OF THE SIX PILLARS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE COLONY PARK COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          DID I SEE A QUESTION 
          [01:00:01]
FROM A COMMISSIONER GATES? WELL, NO, I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I THINK YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THE QUESTION I HAVE. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          WELL, LET ME JUST CHECK IN WITH ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR SPEAKERS? OKAY. 
          WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. 
          WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING A CHANCE TO FOLLOW UP AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT THE SHARE OF THE FEEDBACK LINK AND LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO INTERACT AND THEN HOPEFULLY, UH, HELP IN THE FUTURE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          OKAY. 
          SO LET'S MOVE ALONG WITH OUR AGENDA TO AGENDA ITEM THREE, SPECIFICALLY 
          [3.a. 2022 Grant for Technology Opportunities Program Award Recommendations – Jesse Rodriguez, Interim Program Manager, Financial Services Department (Commission discussion and possible action)]
THREE A THE 2022 GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS BY JESSE RODRIGUEZ, OUR INTERIM PROGRAM MANAGER WITH THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. 
          TAKE IT AWAY, JESSICA. 
          UH, THANK YOU, CHAIR PITS. 
          I HAVE A, UH, AN UPDATE AND A REQUEST FOR ACTION FOR THE COMMISSION REGARDING THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES, 2022, UH, PROGRAM. 
          UH, WE HAVE BEEN DILIGENTLY AT WORK PULLING TOGETHER, UH, OR GOING THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS, UH, SINCE JANUARY AND, UH, ARE NOW PREPARED TO PRESENT THE, UH, PROPOSED 20, 22 CORE AWARDS OR AWARDEES. 
          UM, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RUN THROUGH THIS MEMORANDUM IN CASE ANY OF Y'ALL ARE, UH, LESS FAMILIAR WITH THE, THE GRANT ITSELF. 
          UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO REQUEST THE COMMISSION'S APPROVAL OF THE 10 20 22 G TOPS CO CORE AWARDS AS, AS SCORED BY THE G TOPS GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE FROM APRIL 5TH, 2020 TO 11 20 22 WITH SPECIFIC AWARD AMOUNT SET BY FORMULA. 
          UM, WE HAVE THREE GOALS FOR THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM. 
          ONE IS TO INCREASE THE USE OF DIGITAL AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY DEVICES. 
          THE SECOND IS TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF DIGITAL AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY. 
          AND THE THIRD IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AND USAGE OF THE INTERNET. 
          DO YOU, TOPS IS A MATCHING GRANT FUND, UH, ONTO THE AWARDEE SCORING AND SELECTION PROCESS. 
          UH, WE ACCEPTED LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY FROM NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH JANUARY 9TH AND GRANT APPLICATIONS WERE ACCEPTED FROM JANUARY 14TH THROUGH FEBRUARY 13TH, THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION APPOINTED A VOLUNTEER GRANT REVIEW PANEL COMPOSED COMPRISED OF SEVEN QUALIFIED COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES. 
          ONE OF THOSE REPRESENTATIVES DID DROP OUT FROM THE PANEL PRIOR TO SQUARING, UH, DUE TO, UH, JUST, UH, CHALLENGES WITH SCHEDULING. 
          UH, THE CITY RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 20 OR 20, OH, SORRY. 
          THAT'S, UH, AN, A TYPO IN THERE, UH, 18 APPLICATIONS FOR A G TOPS 2022 CORPS PRIOR TO FINAL SCORING. 
          THE APPLICANTS WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS THAT WERE GENERATED BY THE COMMITTEE. 
          UH, WE HAD MANY PAGES OF Q AND A THAT, UH, WAS SUPPORTED BY THE PROCESS. 
          UM, THE SCORING CRITERIA UTILIZED BY THE PANEL, UH, OUR ALIGNMENT WITH THE G TOPS GOALS, IMPACT SUCCESS AND FEASIBILITY AND BUDGET AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AFTER THE FINAL SCORES WERE SUBMITTED BY THE COMMITTEE, THE SCORES WERE RANKED, UH, AND BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION LATE LAST YEAR, UH, FOR CHANGES TO G TOPS THIS YEAR, WE, YOU, UH, ADOPTED AN OLYMPIC STYLE SCORING SYSTEM, WHICH, UH, IN WHICH WE DROPPED THE TOP AND BOTTOM SCORES FOR EACH ORGANIZATION, THE REMAINING SCORES WERE AVERAGED TO GIVE THE FORMAL AND FINAL, UH, OR THE FORMAL SCORE. 
          AND THEN BONUS POINTS WERE ALLOCATED AS PROGRAMMATICALLY REQUIRED, UH, GIVING THE FINAL APPLICATION SCORE. 
          UH, THOSE THE FINAL APPLICATION SCORES WERE THEN ENTERED INTO AN ALGORITHM THAT DISTRIBUTED, UH, AWARDS PROPORTIONAL TO THE SCORING OF EACH ORGANIZATION. 
          UH, THIS IS ANOTHER CHANGE BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM, UH, THE PAST CYCLE WHERE, UH, THE LAST REVIEW PANEL, UH, WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD DISTRIBUTE FUNDING, UH, PROPORTIONAL TO THE SCORING. 
          AND, UH, SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST, UH, YEAR, THE INTERIM PERIOD, WE WERE INVESTIGATING WAYS THAT WE COULD DO THAT. 
          UM, DID FIND A WAY THAT WE COULD, UH, HAVE PROPORTIONAL ALLOCATION OF FUNDING BASED ON THE SCORING. 
          UH, AND THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE ADOPTED, UH, THIS YEAR. 
          UH, ONE OF THE SIDE BENEFITS OF DOING THAT IS IT, UH, ELIMINATED A WHOLE FINAL DELIBERATION MEETING THAT THE, THE REVIEW PANEL HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE PAST, UH, THEREBY REDUCING A LITTLE BIT OF THE EFFORT 
          [01:05:01]
REQUIRED, UH, BY THE PANELIST AND THE TIME DATA DEDICATED TO THE PROCESS. 
          THE PARAMETERS THAT ARE CONSIDERED BY THE ALGORITHM ARE, UH, THAT WE HAVE 275,000 IN G TUFTS CORE FUNDS AVAILABLE THIS CYCLE. 
          THE MINIMUM AMOUNT THAT WE ARE, UH, GOING TO AWARD ANY ORGANIZATION IS 70% OF THEIR REQUESTED AMOUNT AND FUND, UH, FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED, PROPORTIONAL TO DIFFERENCES IN SCORING, AND FINALLY THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THAT CAN BE FUNDED CONSIDERING THE FIRST AND SECOND ITEM WILL BE FUNDED, UH, BASED ON THAT, THAT THE, UH, ALGORITHM, UH, PROPOSED NINE, UH, THE, THE FINAL NINE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS HERE PRESENTED HERE IN THE MEMORANDUM. 
          UM, ONE OF THOSE NOT HAVING EVER BEEN FUNDED BY G TOPS CORPS, THE OTHER NINE, OR SORRY, NINE PROGRAMS DID NOT HAVE NOT HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING IN THE PAST. 
          AND ONE PROGRAM HAS NEVER BEEN FUNDED BY G TOP SCORE IN THE PAST FOR A TOTAL OF 10, UH, PROPOSED AWARDEES. 
          THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE LISTED HERE, UH, LATINITAS HAKA SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION, AUSTIN GROUPS FOR THE ELDERLY ANTHROPOS ARTS ELBOW, AND SOME ARE TUNNEL EPISCOPAL MISSION. 
          AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS BREAKTHROUGH AUSTIN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, THE MUSEUM OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT AND GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 
          I HAVE THE, UH, AWARD AMOUNTS LISTED THERE AS WELL AS, UH, AND THE PERCENT THAT, UH, OF THE RE THEIR REQUESTS THAT THAT REPRESENTS. 
          UH, SO WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR THE COMMISSION SUPPORT TO MOVE AHEAD WITH CONTRACTING WITH THESE 10 ORGANIZATIONS, UH, FOR THE G TOPS, UH, 20, 22 CORE CYCLE. 
          AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU, JESSE, FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK ON THE G TUFTS PROGRAM, UH, BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT, UH, HAVING BEEN THE EX-OFFICIO CHAIR OF THE REVIEW PANEL, UH, THAT WE HAD A GREAT, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE DID HAVE ONE, UH, VIEW, UH, MEMBER OF DROP-OFF ONE PALACE DROP OFF, WE HAD A VERY ENGAGED PANEL OTHERWISE, UH, THEY WERE CLEARLY VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE APPLICANTS AND, UH, VERY ENGAGED IN THE, IN THE CONVERSATION. 
          IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE, IF NOT THE SMOOTHEST, UH, REVIEW SESSIONS, MULTIPLE DAY REVIEW SESSIONS THAT I PARTICIPATED IN, IN MY SIX YEARS, UH, AS A COMMISSIONER AND OFFICIAL CHAIR OF THIS REVIEW PANEL, SO OF THIS, UH, GRANT REVIEW TEAM. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, TO ADD THAT, UH, HERE FOR ALL TO CONSIDER AND WITH THAT, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, MY ROLE, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE EVERYONE ELSE A CHANCE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE LOOK FOR EMOTIONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THIS POINT, AND I'M GOING TO LOOK BASED ON THE ORDER. 
          I'M SAYING PEOPLE RAISE THEIR HANDS AND, OR WHO HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK YET. 
          UH, AND I'VE GOT AN ORDER ALREADY IN MIND HERE, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE I'VE GOT IT ALL DOWN, I'VE GOT COMMISSIONER GUIRO. 
          I SEE COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. 
          I SEE COMMISSIONER GATES AS IT, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, GOT THAT, RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          COME CHICAGO POLICE GO RIGHT AHEAD. 
          JESSE. 
          I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN SHARE, WHICH, UM, IS THE ONE PROGRAM THAT HAS NEVER BEEN FUNDED BY, UH, DETOX CORP BEFORE. 
          AND, UM, ALSO JUST GENERALLY, DID WE SEE, UM, SOME AMOUNT, SOME, YOU KNOW, PERCENTAGE, OR DO YOU HAVE A BALLPARK OF HOW MANY APPLICANTS WE GOT THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM BEFORE VERSUS, UM, FIRST-TIMERS THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          GUIRO FOR THE QUESTION, THE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS NEVER RECEIVED YOU TUFTS FUNDING BEFORE AS THE MUSEUM OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT. 
          UM, SO THEY'RE THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS NEW TO G TOPS. 
          UH, AS FAR AS THE REST OF THE APPLICANTS, UH, I CAN GIVE YOU A BALLPARK HERE. 
          WE HAD FOUR APPLICANTS THAT WERE NEW TO GE TOPS, AND, UH, ONE ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATION WAS A PREVIOUS APPLICANT, BUT NOT A PREVIOUS AWARDEE, UH, OUT OF THE TOTAL OF 18. 
          GREAT, THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND A COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. 
          AND, UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE APPLICANTS THAT WERE NEW TO THE, UM, TO THE APPLICATION CYCLE. 
          DID WE SEE THAT? WAS THERE ANY, UM, COMMONALITY IN THE APPLICATIONS AS TO WHY THEY SCORED SO WELL 
          [01:10:01]
THAT THEY WEREN'T CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING? I MEAN, IT'S, IT, WASN'T A LACK IN THE SOPHISTICATION OF THEIR APPLICATIONS. 
          I'M JUST WONDERING, BECAUSE NOT THAT I I'M SLIDING ANY OF THESE APPLICANTS, APPLICANTS THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO AWARD, BUT IF WE'RE SEEING THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING FUNDED YEAR AFTER YEAR, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO TO ASSIST APPLICANTS WHO MAY BE APPLYING EM, AND THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING CONSIDERED. 
          AND THEY'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEREFORE THEY'RE NOT GETTING FUNDED. 
          IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAD SOMEBODY NEW THAT APPLIED AND WAS ABLE TO GET FUNDED THIS CYCLE, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, DID YOU SEE ANY COMMONALITIES, UM, IN, IN THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE EITHER IN A DISCUSSION THAT A ROSE WITH THE REVIEW PANEL, UM, AS TO WHY SOME OF THE APPLICATIONS FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO WEREN'T FUNDED AS TO WHY THEIR APPLICATIONS WEREN'T CONSIDERED, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON FOR THE QUESTION. 
          UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY ONE THING THAT WAS COMMON ACROSS ALL OF THEM. 
          UH, THERE WERE, UH, SOME ITEMS THAT CAME UP WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST GENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH G TOPS, UH, OR, OR THE CASE BEING MADE, UH, CLEARLY HOW IT, IT FITS INTO THE G TOP SPACE, UM, WAS ONE ITEM THAT CAME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES. 
          UM, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UH, GENERAL GRANT WRITING, UH, AND, AND HOW WELL THEY CAN RESPOND TO THE  QUESTIONS IS ANOTHER, UM, I WILL SAY THAT NONE OF THE APPLICATION, LIKE THE RANGE OF SCORES WASN'T VERY LARGE THIS YEAR. 
          SO THERE WEREN'T ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE JUST LIKE WAY OUT OF THE BALLPARK. 
          SO IT, IT WAS, IT WAS MUCH TIGHTER THIS YEAR, UH, THAN IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST. 
          UM, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT WE DO SEE A LOT OF TIMES THAT ORGANIZATIONS ON THEIR FIRST APPLICATION OFTEN JUST, YOU KNOW, DON'T RESPOND TO THE QUESTIONS AS, UH, AS CLOSELY AS, UH, THE, THE REVIEW PANEL WOULD LIKE, BUT THEN THEY COME BACK IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS AND, AND DO MUCH BETTER. 
          UH, AND PART OF THAT IS BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT IS GIVEN DURING THE PROCESS. 
          UM, SO WE, UH, WE ONLY HAD, UH, ONE ORGANIZATION THIS CYCLE THAT WAS A PREVIOUS APPLICANT, UH, AND SO NOT COMPLETELY NEW TO G TOPS, BUT JUST A PREVIOUS APPLICANT. 
          UM, AND THEY WERE ONE OFF OF BEING FUNDED. 
          SO, UM, UH, SO I MEAN, THEY, THEY DID IMPROVE FROM, FROM THEIR PRIOR CYCLE, UM, AND JUST, JUST BARELY OFF. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. 
          UH, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE TO MENTION, BECAUSE I, I SHARE CONCERNS ABOUT US GETTING FRESH APPLICANTS, UH, ENGAGING IN, UH, NEW CHANNELS FOR RECRUITMENT. 
          AND, UH, I KNOW THAT WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, OUR FORTHCOMING PIO. 
          THAT'S GOING TO HELP WITH A DEDICATED, UH, FOCUS ON THIS. 
          UH, ALTHOUGH WE STILL WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT HIRING DECISION BEING MADE AND A OFFER BEING ACCEPTED AND WHATNOT. 
          SO, UH, DID YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT, JESSE? YEAH. 
          ONE MORE, ONE MORE ITEM. 
          UH, I JUST WANTED TO ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE BUILD IN SOME CHURN INTO THE DETOX PROCESS. 
          SO ORGANIZATIONS ARE ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR G TUFTS FUNDING THREE TIMES IN A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, UH, WHICH MEANS IF THEY WERE TO RECEIVE FUNDING THREE TIMES IN A ROW, THEY HAVE TO TAKE TWO YEARS OFF. 
          UM, SO WE DO TRY AND BUILD MORE, UH, OR BUILD TRAINING IN, INTO THE PROCESS. 
          I WOULD CERTAINLY BE INTERESTED OR, UH, YOU KNOW, OPEN TO SUGGESTION ON, UH, IF IT'S ENOUGH PROGRAMMATIC CHURN. 
          SO IF WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, INCREASE OR DECREASE THE, THE NUMBER OF TIMES THEN AN ORGANIZATION WOULD BE ELIGIBLE, UM, THEN THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER. 
          I DO. 
          I, I DO HESITATE TO, YOU KNOW, GO TOO FAR BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE JUST ANCHOR DIGITAL INCLUSION INSTITUTIONS THAT DO JUST HAVE GREAT PROGRAMMING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS, IS RELEVANT AND LOCAL, UH, AND, AND SPECIFIC TO DIGITAL INCLUSION. 
          SO, UH, BUT, UM, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO ANY SUGGESTION. 
          YES, COMMISSIONER, UM, JUST, UH, ON THAT THREAD. 
          UM, UH, MAYBE SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER WHEN WE COME BACK AROUND FOR, UM, G TOPS APPLICATIONS NEXT YEAR AND DECIDING, UM, CRITERIA MAYBE WE COULD ADD IN A, 
          [01:15:01]
UM, A CRITERIA SPECIFIC FOR RETURNING APPLICANTS AND, AND ENGAGING THEIR, UM, UH, I WANT TO SAY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY DURING THEIR PREVIOUS, UM, FUNDS ALLOTMENT. 
          SO FOR EXAMPLE, DID THEY, DID THEY SHOW UP TO, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, A DIGITAL INCLUSION DAY AND PRESENT THEIR, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING WITH OUR FUNDS AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          MAYBE WE COULD TALK MORE ABOUT HOW THEY'VE BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST, UM, ENGAGE THE LARGER COMMUNITY, UM, ABOUT G TOPS, UH, JUST A THOUGHT, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT AND THEN I'LL GIVE COMMISSIONER GATES A CHANCE TO GET A QUESTION. 
          AND, UH, ONE THING THAT WAS KEY, REALLY, I THINK, TO THE SERVICE SERVICING UP OF G TOPS TO THE RESEARCH TEAM OVER AT THE RG K LBJ SCHOOL WAS TO REALLY BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE SOME OF THOSE INSIGHTS. 
          AND WE'RE STILL ACTUALLY WAITING FOR THAT FINAL REPORT. 
          UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S DEFINITELY A KEY RECOMMENDATION, UM, WHICH WE'RE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING TO DEMONSTRATE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS SERVED BY THE ORGANIZATIONS TO HAVE A GREATER THROUGHPUT OF THAT DATA. 
          THE DATA'S BEEN COLLECTED SINCE 2017. 
          HOWEVER, WE NEED TO DO SOME WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DATA CAN BE ANALYZED AS WELL, TO HELP TO INFORM I THINK THIS PROCESS AND, AND, UH, PROVIDE THE SAME KINDS OF INSIGHTS I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT KIND OF IDEA OF COMMISSIONER GUIRO. 
          I THINK THAT WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED IN THE PAST LEVERAGING OUR REPORTS, LEVERAGING OUR TOWN HALLS TO THEN PERHAPS CREATE A MORE INTENTIONAL, SPECIFIC FOCUS TO OUR EVOLVING DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR THE COMMUNITY BEYOND JUST THE BASICS OF ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, ACCESS TO DEVICE AND TRAINING TO USE THEM ALL AFFORDABILITY OF COURSE, IS A MAJOR CONCERN, RIGHT? SO WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSION ABOUT PERHAPS FINDING A WAY TO SERVICE UP AFFORDABILITY AS A WAY FOR NON-PROFITS TO DIRECTLY HELP AND FOR THAT TO BE A BONUS METRIC AS WELL. 
          BUT I THINK THE KEY IS FOR US JUST TO BE VERY, TO TAKE THAT REPORT FROM THE EXPERTS THAT ARE STUDIED IN RESEARCH AND, AND METRICS WITH PHILANTHROPY AND FUNDRAISING, AND THEN TO USE OUR KNOWLEDGE, THEN MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE THE MOST SENSE FOR THE PROGRAM. 
          BUT I LOVE THE IDEAS COMMISSIONER GATES THAT YOU HAVE A QUESTION, AND THEN I'LL GO TO VICE-CHAIR APODACA. 
          YES. 
          MIKE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS MAINLY DO ABOUT THE PROCESS OF OUR COMMISSION ITSELF. 
          AND SO YOU MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE REVIEWERS NEEDED TO DROP OUT, AND THIS CREATES AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN FOR ALL THE REMAINING REVIEWERS. 
          SO I WAS WONDERING IN THIS COMMISSION, WHEN THEY CHOOSE THE REVIEWERS, SHOULD WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE ABILITY OF THESE REVIEWERS TO ACTUALLY SEE THE PROCESS 30? IN OTHER WORDS, ARE THEY OVER COMMITTED IN TERMS OF THEIR OWN JOBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? AND, UH, THE OTHER POINT WOULD BE, COULD WE APPOINT ALTERNATIVES? IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN ONLY HAVE SO MANY REVIEWERS, BUT IF ONE NEEDS TO DROP OUT, COULD WE HAVE WE APPOINT SOMEONE ELSE THAT, UH, UH, THE OTHER REVIEWERS THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE ORIGINAL CUT, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS IT FIRST, THEN I'LL PASS THE JESSIE TO SHARE SOME INSIGHTS ABOUT THE PROGRAM. 
          SO I THINK TO ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION, YES, WE BASICALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FACTORING IN ALL THE THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT THE APPLICANTS. 
          I THINK WE WERE FAIRLY DELIBERATE AND ASSESSING THEM. 
          OF COURSE, WHEN SOMEONE'S COMMITTING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE OFFER UP THE COMMITMENT AND WE MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR, WHAT'S GOING TO BE ASKED OF THE VOLUNTEERS. 
          UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD SOMETHING COME UP UNEXPECTED THAT THEY DIDN'T PLAN FOR. 
          AND THEN THEREFORE IT HAPPENED NOW HAD THAT BEING SAID, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, WE ANTICIPATE THIS KIND OF SCENARIO AND THERE'S SOME INTENTIONALITY BUILT INTO THE PROCESS TO ACCOUNT FOR IT. 
          AND I'LL LET JESSE EXPLAIN THAT. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          AND THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, COMMISSIONER YATES, UM, TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, UH, SHOULD THE COMMISSION CONSIDER THE ABILITY FOR THE, UH, APPLICANTS TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS? UM, I MEAN, AS MUCH AS IS POSSIBLE, I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE THAT THAT'S 
          [01:20:01]
A GOOD PRACTICE. 
          IT'S OFTEN HARD TO PREDICT THAT SORT OF THING. 
          UH, AS CHAIRPERSON MENTIONED IN THIS PARTICULAR, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UH, THERE WAS A KEY PERSONNEL DEPARTURE AT THE REVIEWERS, UH, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYER, UH, AND THEY HAD TO FILL IN, UH, RIGHT AS THE, UH, FINAL SCORING PROCESS WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO PLAY. 
          UH, SO JUST THE TIMING WAS VERY, UH, UH, UH, UNFORTUNATE AND PREVENTED THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO, UH, COMMIT THE TIME REQUIRED FOR THAT FINAL SCORING PROCESS. 
          UM, IF THE REVIEWER HAD DROPPED OUT EARLIER IN THE PROCESS, THEN WE WOULD HAVE, UH, UH, SOUGHT, UH, WE WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN THE RANKED CHOICE, UH, THAT THE COMMISSION, UH, YOU KNOW, DID FOR THE PANELISTS OR FOR THE, FOR THE REVIEW PANEL APPLICANTS. 
          UH, WE WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN TO THE NEXT HIGHEST SCORING, UH, REVIEWER, UH, TO SEE IF THEY WERE ABLE TO STEP IN AND COVER FOR THAT PERSON. 
          UM, AND I DIDN'T NOTE IT IN THE MEMORANDUM, BUT ONE OF THE SEVEN THAT WAS INITIALLY APPROVED, UH, DID INDICATE THAT THERE WEREN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. 
          SO WE WENT THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS AND WENT TO THE NEXT HIGHEST SCORING. 
          UM, SO THAT, THAT IS A PROCESS THAT, UH, WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. 
          UM, AND THAT THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE WOULD HAVE NORMALLY HANDLED THIS SITUATION. 
          IT'S JUST REALLY THE UNFORTUNATE TIMING OF WHEN THEY HAD TO DROP OUT THAT CAUSED THE PANEL NUMBER TO GO DOWN TO SIX. 
          AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THIS IS AS CHAIR PITCHMAN MENTIONED, THIS DOES HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME. 
          UH, WE BUILD IN A LITTLE BIT OF BUFFER. 
          WE HAVE MORE PANELISTS THAN WE TRULY NEED TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS. 
          UM, UH, SO, UH, IT DIDN'T RESULT IN ANY, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ROADBLOCK TO, TO, UH, COMPLETE PANEL SCORING, UM, IN THE FUTURE. 
          I MEAN, I WOULD CONSIDER GOING UP TO A LARGER PANEL, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE UP TO EIGHT OR NINE, NOW THAT WE HAVE THE OLYMPIC STYLE SCORING WHERE WE'RE DROPPING THE TOP AND BOTTOM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ROOM FOR FOLKS TO, UH, RECUSE AND IF WE LOSE ANY DUE TO DROPPING OUT, UH, AND THAT WOULD GIVE US PLENTY OF BUFFER, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T END UP BEING IN A BAD SPOT FOR THIS ONE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. 
          OKAY. 
          THANKS, JESSE. 
          UH, YES. 
          WHY SHARE UP DACA? YEAH, THANK YOU. 
          UM, MY COMMENT WAS IN THE SAME VEIN IS COMMISSIONER GUIRO. 
          UH, I'D BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED TO, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE SIX, EIGHT MONTHS DOWN THE LINE, UH, HEAR FROM THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE AWARD FUNDING TO ON PERHAPS THE SUCCESSES THAT THEY'RE HAVING. 
          UM, I IMAGINE SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS MIGHT BE PROACTIVE AND, AND BRIEF US AHEAD OF TIME, BUT, UM, LIKE TO GET ON THE RECORD, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION AT SOME POINT TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO, UM, TO GIVE US AN UPDATE. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          YES. 
          UH, THERE WILL CERTAINLY BE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES. 
          I KNOW EVERY YEAR, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY ONE THING THAT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF CONNECTING THE DOTS EVERY YEAR AS WE APPROACH DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK. 
          UH, ONE OF THE FIRST OUTREACHES THAT WE PERFORM IS TO G TOPS, AWARDEES, UH, BOTH IN TERMS OF PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE PROMOTING AND THAT THEY WANT TO FEATURE THAT WEEK, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF PRESENTATIONS TO AGAIN, HIGHLIGHT AND TO SHINE A LIGHT ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING, JUST FOCUS ON DIGITAL INCLUSION. 
          SO REST ASSURED EVERY YEAR, WE'LL DEFINITELY EXTEND THAT OPPORTUNITY AND CONVENIENTLY ENOUGH, IT'S ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS FROM NOW. 
          SO WHAT DO YOU KNOW? YEAH. 
          AND, UH, COMMISSIONER APODACA AND COMMISSIONER GUY WROTE, UH, TO, TO BOTH OF YOU. 
          I THINK THIS IDEA HAS COME UP IN THE PAST TO, UM, EITHER HAVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR GRANTEES SO THAT, UM, THEY PARTICIPATE IN, UH, DECA OR, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTE TO DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK. 
          THERE'S, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD FRAME THIS. 
          UM, CERTAINLY THAT I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD IDEAS. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE DEBATED BACK AND FORTH ON LIKE FORMALLY ADOPTING THAT AS A PROCESS. 
          UM, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE'LL, UH, CONSIDER FOR THE NEXT CYCLE, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION AND THE THOUGHT, BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON IT AND WE SHOULD DEFINITELY TAKE IT UP AS AN ACTION WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP. 
          AND THEN REVIEW IT AGAIN HERE AT THE COMMISSION. 
          SURE. 
          YOU KNOW, THE QUESTIONS OR, OR, OR DISCUSSION PURSUANT TO A MOTION AND A SECOND. 
          [01:25:01]
AND ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S EXPLAINED BECAUSE WE GOT SUCH A TIGHT QUORUM AND WE'RE GETTING NOW HERE IT'S EIGHT O'CLOCK, UH, EVERY VOTE THAT WE HAVE ON ACTION ACTUALLY HAS TO BE UNANIMOUS. 
          OTHERWISE IT WON'T BE APPROVED. 
          AND I SAY THAT ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT FOR SIX, A MAJORITY OF OUR COMMISSION, WHICH IS THE QUORUM COUNT FOR ANYTHING TO BE AN OFFICIAL ACTION. 
          SO THAT INCLUDES THE CHORUS APPROVING THESE AWARDEES. 
          THAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE OUR BOARD NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS AS WELL. 
          SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. 
          AND IF, BY SOME CHANCE, IF SOMEONE HAS TO DROP OFF, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY HAVE TO PRESS PAUSE ON THIS MEETING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO GET BACK ON, OR WE'LL JUST HAVE TO END THE MEETING BECAUSE OF THE STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO, UM, A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE AWARDEES. 
          OKAY. 
          I'VE GOT A MOTION APPROVE THESE AWARDEES BY COMMISSIONER GORROW. 
          AND I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY WITH SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RAMOS, I WAS VERY CLOSE THERE WITH VICE-CHAIR APODACA. 
          UH, BUT WITH THAT, THEN WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THESE AWARDEES AS PRESENTED. 
          YOU ALL HAVE THE DIGITAL DOCUMENT. 
          UM, I ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. 
          SO WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL GO OUT AND DO A ROLL CALL, VOTE WITH THE VERBAL AND A SHOW OF HANDS ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THESE AWARDEES AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND. 
          OKAY. 
          WE ARE UNANIMOUS AND APPROVAL SIX TO ZERO WITH ZERO ABSTENTIONS. 
          AND WITH THAT, THEN WE WILL PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA NOW 
          [3.b. Digital Inclusion Town Hall Action – Chair Pitts (Commission discussion and possible action)]
TO AGENDA ITEM THREE B THE DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL ACTION. 
          AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT ON. 
          SO IN LIGHT OF THE TIMEFRAME HERE WE HAVE, UH, I'LL FOREGO A SLIDE PRESENTATION THAT I HAVE, HOWEVER, BRIEF, AND JUST GO AHEAD AND SPEAK TO IT. 
          UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF, OF TRYING TO FULFILL OUR WORK PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY FOR LIVED EXPERIENCES AROUND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. 
          AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE CONDUCTED TWO OF THOSE TYPES OF SESSIONS. 
          WELL, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'VE ALSO FORMED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE LIBRARY COMMISSION TO HOST TOWN HALL, LISTENING SESSIONS AT LOCAL BRANCH LIBRARIES GOING FORWARD. 
          AND WE'VE EARMARKED A COUPLE OF DAYS. 
          SO THIS IS WHERE IT NOW BECOMES MORE OF A, OF AN UPDATE. 
          AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON. 
          SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO DATES SLATED FOR OUR PILOT AND AN ACTIVE PLANNING TEAM SCHEDULED TO MEET TOMORROW, ACTUALLY AT 4:00 PM. 
          AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE. 
          THAT'S NOT PART OF THAT DISCUSSION TO ENGAGE AND WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH QUORUM ISSUES ACCORDINGLY, VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE VICE CHAIR APODACA AS PART OF THAT DISCUSSION. 
          AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE AS WELL. 
          NOW, IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE FOR OUR QUORUM IN ORDER FOR US TO KEEP THE MEETING ACTIVE, ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE EVERYONE, UH, OTHERWISE THE MEETING HAS TO BE PAUSED OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          EXIT CLARIFY. 
          THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION, JUST BE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTION TIME THAT I'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN SEE EVERYBODY. 
          UM, SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS LOCKED IN TWO DAYS, APRIL 30TH, AND MAY 7TH FROM 10 TO TWO AT THE SOUTHEAST BRANCH LIBRARY AND DOVE SPRINGS, WE WILL BE HOSTING OUR FIRST PILOT AND OUR SECOND LISTENING SESSION. 
          WE'RE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH NONPROFITS AND OR HOUSING AUTHORITY AGENCIES TO GET PARTICIPANTS IN THE MEETING THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ACTUALLY LIVE IN THAT AREA SPECIFICALLY TO KEEP THAT SAME TYPE OF FOCUS. 
          AS WE DISCUSSED AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS, WE'VE ENGAGED OUR SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBER AND GOTTEN A COMMITMENT FOR PARTICIPATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER FONTEZ, WHICH WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE PARTICIPATE. 
          [01:30:02]
UH, VICE CHAIR UP DACA WILL ALSO BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT ENGAGEMENT AND MYSELF. 
          WE'RE GOING TO ALSO HAVE A FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT THE SESSIONS REMAIN COMFORTABLE AND FOCUSED AROUND LISTENING. 
          AND SO THEREFORE THAT WE HAVE A RATIO OF OFFICIALS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT REALLY MAKE SENSE AND NO POINT WE WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE THERE'S A BUNCH OF SUITS SITTING AROUND WITH A PEN, LISTENING TO THEM. 
          WE WANT THEM TO FULL ENGAGED AND COMFORTABLE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND TO HELP WITH THAT. 
          WE'VE ALSO ENGAGED MEMBERS FROM THE EQUITY OFFICE AND OTHERS TO HELP US BE VERY INTENTIONAL AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT OUR PROGRAMMING AND HOW WE UNDERTAKE THIS. 
          CERTAINLY INVITE ANYONE TO SIT IN ON, GET, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER ON ONE OF THE PLANNING SESSIONS TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT THAT'S LIKE, BUT THAT'S THE MAIN THING I WANTED TO SHARE TODAY. 
          I DID WANT TO ALSO CLARIFY THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN PARAMETERS THAT HAVE BEEN POINTED OUT FROM THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, EXCUSE ME, FROM THE CITY CLERK, UH, THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO ADHERE TO AS COMMISSIONERS. 
          SO I'LL SPEAK TO THE BYLAWS AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS A POSSIBLE ACTION. 
          ACCORDING TO OUR BYLAWS, ONLY THE CHAIR ELECTED CHAIR IS ABLE TO OFFICIALLY REPRESENT THE COMMISSION AT CITY EVENTS. 
          I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT FROM MY PART, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT AT ANY POINT, ARE YOU AS COMMISSIONERS NOT ALLOWED TO SAY YOU'RE A COMMISSIONER. 
          AND THEN TO THEN THEREFORE BE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS A COMMISSIONER THAT IS AT A CITY EVENT, WOULD IT JUST PURELY MEANS IS WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING, YOU'RE SPEAKING FOR YOURSELF WITH THOSE EVENTS. 
          ALTHOUGH I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR ALSO THAT YOU'RE A CITY COMMISSIONER. 
          SO I THINK YOU SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE TO SPEAK TO YOUR EXPERIENCES ON THE COMMISSION AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, AS A CITIZEN WHO HAPPENS TO ALSO BE A COMMISSIONER WITH THAT BEING SAID, BECAUSE WE ARE PLANNING THESE EVENTS ON A REGIONAL BASIS, AND WE REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO BE THERE WHEN THE EVENT GOES EITHER TO YOUR DISTRICT OR CLOSE TO YOUR DISTRICT. 
          WHAT I'M GOING TO MOVE IS THAT WE VOTE AS A BODY TO ALLOW ANY COMMISSIONER WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE LISTENING SESSIONS TO DO SO. 
          AS LONG AS OF COURSE WE DON'T VIOLATE THE WALKING QUORUM REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN AS A BODY. 
          THAT'S MY MOTION. 
          AND I LOOK FOR A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION CHAIR. 
          I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT MOTION. 
          THANK YOU WITH THAT. 
          THEN WE HAVE A MOTION BY MYSELF AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RAMOS TO ALLOW FOR ANY COMMISSIONER ON THIS BODY TO ATTEND A LISTENING SESSION AND THEIR DISTRICT OR CLOSE TO IT, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T VIOLATE WALKING QUORUM REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND HOLD A VOTE TO APPROVE THAT MOTION AS PAT, EXCUSE ME, AS MOVED AND SECONDED BY VERBAL AND A SHOW OF HANDS ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND. 
          AYE, AYE. 
          AND WITH THAT, WE ARE UNANIMOUS. 
          SO WITH THAT, THEN WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WITHOUT ANY CONCERNS OR ISSUES WITH THE CLERK. 
          VICE-CHAIR APODACA HIS PARTICIPATION IN THE UPCOMING LISTEN SESSIONS ON APRIL 30TH AND SEVENTH AND OUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND MYSELF AT FUTURE SESSIONS. 
          SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 
          AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THESE COLLABORATIONS AGAIN, WE'RE JUST REALLY FOCUSED ON EXECUTING OUR WORK PLAN. 
          SO THIS IS ALLOWING US TO GET DEEPER IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THAT. 
          I HAVE A QUESTION CONCERNING FUTURE SCHEDULING. 
          SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THESE PRESENTATIONS AND TOWN HALLS AT OTHER LIBRARIES IN OTHER DISTRICTS. 
          UH, THAT IS CORRECT. 
          THAT IS THE PLAN, ALTHOUGH WHEN IT COMES TO, AND TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT, THE TIMING AND THE PLANNING EXERCISE, I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE THAT EVERY COMMISSIONER BASICALLY PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP FOR THEIR DISTRICT WHEN THERE IS AN ENGAGEMENT PLANNED AND THEIR PARTICULAR PARTICULAR DISTRICT, WHEN IT COMES TO ENGAGING THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER FOR PARTICIPATION, HOWEVER, A BEST PRACTICE OF BEGINNING WITH THEIR AVAILABILITY AND MIND, I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE THAT WAY. 
          WE DON'T SET A FALSE DATE THAT WE CAN'T MAKE BASED UPON A POLICYMAKER'S LACK OF AVAILABILITY. 
          AND SO THE THOUGHT 
          [01:35:01]
IS TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO BE THERE CAN BE THERE. 
          OH, SURE. 
          YES. 
          COMMISSIONER , UM, JUST WANTED TO OFFER REALLY ANYTHING, ANY HELP ASSISTANCE. 
          UM, I, UH, NOT REALLY HAVING A PARTICULAR DISTRICT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO VOLUNTEER AND WHERE THERE MAY BE GAPS AND OF COURSE I DON'T WANT TO OVERSTEP SOMEONE'S DISTRICT AND CAUSE A WALK-IN CORE, UM, BY JOINING SOMEONE ELSE'S REGION. 
          RIGHT. 
          BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL PLAY IT BY EAR, I SUPPOSE, AS TO WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE OR NOT APPROPRIATE TO JOIN THAT KIND OF THING. 
          AND I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU RAISED THIS BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN A KEY CONTRIBUTOR AT PREVIOUS TOWN HALL ENGAGEMENTS, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, UH, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR. 
          UM, AND IN FACT, I WONDER SINCE WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY MAKE MENTION, I DIDN'T SAY EVERY, EVERY COMMISSIONER AND TO AVOID, SO I THINK WE'RE STILL COVERED IN OUR VOTE TO HAVE YOU PARTICIPATE. 
          UH, AND I THINK THE KEY THING IS THAT WE, WE WILL DO, WE WILL CERTAINLY PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD BY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE COMMUNITY PIECE AND THAT WE'RE NOT OVERWHELMING THEM. 
          HOWEVER, WHAT I ENVISION IS THAT, BECAUSE THIS, THESE ARE TYPICALLY GOING TO TAKE PLACE, I THINK ON THE WEEKENDS THAT IT WILL BE TOUGH FOR SOME COMMISSIONERS TO PARTICIPATE NATURALLY. 
          YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL CHORUS VOLUNTEERING OUR TIME AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY DO WHAT WE CAN DO, RIGHT. 
          BUT WHAT I WOULD DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE IS THAT YOU FEEL WELCOMED AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT BASICALLY ON A FIRST COME. 
          AND THIS IS REALLY THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE POLICY MAKERS IN GENERAL, THAT BECAUSE OF OUR INTENTIONAL FOCUS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT SAFE SPACE, IT'S REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY MAKERS, BECAUSE IT COULD BE THE CASE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER, LET'S SAY WE HAVE ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER COMMIT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SIGN UP, IT MAY MEAN THEN THAT NOR THE COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS CAN, CAN PARTICIPATE. 
          AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO BE UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER AS WE'RE ALL TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE TO, TO BE THAT ACTIVE VOICE THAT LISTENER THE ACTIVE LISTENER FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          I THINK JESS HAS GOT SOME IDEAS ON THIS TOO. 
          JUST A QUICK SUGGESTION COMMISSIONER GUIRO UM, WE ARE HOPE SO THIS SERIES OF TOWN HALLS IS GOING TO START OFF VERY SMALL. 
          WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY GROW, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF SESSIONS, UH, WE'RE HOPING TO ALSO SCHEDULE DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK, UM, IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR. 
          UM, IT MAY BE AMBITIOUS, BUT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF THE MAYOR COULD ATTEND AT SOME POINT DURING DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK OR BE INVOLVED IN, IN ANY OF THE EVENTS DURING DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK, UM, WHERE WE'RE HOPING THAT TO BE A CULMINATION OF, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR EFFORTS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED. 
          SO, UH, JUST AN IDEA ON, ON HOW, UH, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT THAT IN FRONT OF THE MAYOR. 
          YES. 
          THANK YOU, JESSE FOR THAT. 
          YES. 
          MAYOR ADLER WAS INVITED AS WELL EARLIER ON AND NOT THAT WE'D NEVER WANT HIM TO NOT ATTEND, SO ABSOLUTELY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HIM ATTEND ANY AND ALL FUTURE EVENTS. 
          YES. 
          VICE-CHAIR DOCKER THINGS, CHAIRED PITS, UM, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GROUP. 
          I JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT A FEW HIGH LEVEL THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE AT THESE TOWN HALLS. 
          UM, THERE'LL BE A RESOURCING TABLE STAFFED BY, UH, AUSTIN FREE NET AS WELL. 
          DIGITAL NAVIGATOR. 
          WE'RE PLANNING TO BREAK UP INTO LISTENING GROUPS, UM, AT LEAST ONE SPANISH AND ONE ENGLISH FOR THE FIRST ONE, BUT THAT MIGHT CHANGE FOR SUBSEQUENT EVENTS. 
          UM, THEY'LL ALSO BE THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE'RE GOING TO TEST THIS IN THE FIRST ONE TO PARTICIPATE VIA ZOOM. 
          UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. 
          UH, BUT OUR, OUR INTENTION IS TO, UM, TO PROVIDE PARTICIPANTS, UH, THE ABILITY TO, TO GAUGE THAT WAY. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, WE'LL, UH, BE SOLICITING FEEDBACK ON HOW THE SESSION WENT VIA COMMENT CARDS AT THE END. 
          SO AFTER THAT FIRST SESSION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK AND ADJUST, UM, LEADING INTO TO THE SUBSEQUENT SESSION THE WEEK AFTER, UM, CHAIR PITS. 
          IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I FORGOT? I JUST THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD TO GIVE FOLKS WHO WERE NOT, WHO HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING SESSIONS, A FLAVOR OF SORT OF HOW THE SESSIONS WILL BE RUN, 
          [01:40:02]
YOU KNOW, THEY'LL THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          ADD ONE THING, I GUESS I WOULD MAKE SURE TO MENTION HERE SINCE WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY GETTING TO SOME OF THE CONTENT FOR THE SHOW THAT I WITHHELD IS RELATED TO THE ACTIONS. 
          DEFINITELY AS WE HAVE TURNED A CORNER WITH OUR LAST TOWN HALL, THE FIRST AND IMMEDIATE THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS TO DELIVER SERVICES WITH THESE TOWN HALLS, RIGHT? SO IMMEDIATELY WE'LL BE LOOKING TO ADDRESS ANY TECHNOLOGY ACCESS NEEDS THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE IN THE ROOM WITH THE PARTNERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON SITE. 
          AND ONE OF OUR KEY PARTNERS WILL BE AUSTIN FREENET FOR THAT EFFORT. 
          ANOTHER KEY PART WILL BE THE PLANNING TEAM REVIEW AND FEEDBACK LOOP INTEGRATION, WHICH WE'RE COMMITTED TO BECAUSE THIS IS AN EDITED PROCESS. 
          WE'RE LOOKING TO TAKE INSIGHTS FROM THE VERY FIRST PILOT ON THE 30TH AND TO ADOPT THEM TO THE VERY NEXT ONE ON THE SEVENTH, WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF ITERATION OF FEEDBACK. 
          AND FORTUNATELY, WE ALREADY HAVE A MECHANISM IN PLACE FOR GATHERING THAT KIND OF FEEDBACK. 
          OUR LIBRARIES ARE ALREADY EQUIPPED WITH COMMENT CARDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE UTILIZING TO GET SPECIFIC FEEDBACK FROM THE PARTICIPANTS IN ADDITION TO DIRECT OUTREACH, BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING SUCH AN INTIMATE GROUP AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF HANDS-ON, UH, THAT HANDS-ON INTERACTION WITH THIRD. 
          UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REPORT BY MYSELF AT LEAST, BUT ONE THAT INTEGRATES INSIGHTS GAINED FROM OUR WHOLE PLANNING TEAM. 
          UH, AND ONE THAT I'M GOING TO LOOK TO HOPEFULLY EXECUTE ALONG WITH SENIOR PROCESS MANAGER, UH, AMY JOHNSON WITH THE AUSTIN BOOK LIBRARY, AND THEN FINALLY PLANNING OF COURSE, FOR ADDITIONAL TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS, WHICH WILL NECESSARILY INCLUDE LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR, UH, LOCKING IN DATES, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THE BIG PICTURE IN MIND. 
          AND THAT IS AS JESSE ALLUDED TO WORKING TOWARDS AN EVENT IN OCTOBER, UH, WHICH WILL BE MUCH LARGER SCALE DURING DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK. 
          IN FACT, IF THINGS GO AS THEY ARE IDEALLY PLANNED, IT'LL BE A TYPE OF EVENT THROUGH DESIGNATION WHERE ALL COMMISSIONERS CAN ATTEND AND THEREFORE THERE'S NO ISSUE TO WORRY ABOUT WITH A WALKING QUORUM, RIGHT? THAT'S THE TYPE OF EVENT THAT WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE IN OCTOBER. 
          SO I THINK THAT DOES COVER IT ALL, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT AD COMMISSIONER. 
          VICE-CHAIR APODACA. 
          I DO WANT TO ASK, BUT WE DO HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER SECTION OF OUR MEETING DEDICATED TO THIS WORKING GROUP. 
          SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE ACTION THAT WE TOOK, OR THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY AFFECT FUTURE ACTION ON THIS TOPIC, I'LL LOOK FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON IN OUR AGENDA. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          [3.c. Election of Officers (Commission discussion and possible action)]
AND WITH THAT, THEN WE COME TO AGENDA ITEM THREE C ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 
          UH, I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT OF COURSE, TO, TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I WILL BE HONORED AS I HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS TO HAVE YOUR VOTE AS CHAIR AGAIN, AND THROW MY HAT IN THE RING FOR THAT. 
          UH, BUT AS, AS THE AMERICAN WAY AND THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY, I LIKE TO GIVE ANYONE A CHANCE TO LET ME KNOW AND LET THE BOARD KNOW A COMMISSION, THE BODY KNOW IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ALSO RUN FOR CHAIR NOW. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL THANK YOU FOR THE NON-RESPONSE AND FOR THE RESPONSE AND WHAT THAT MEANS. 
          UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THEN AT THIS POINT, ACKNOWLEDGE THE SERVICE OF OUR INTERIM VICE CHAIR, STEPHEN APODACA, AND TO CONFIRM, UH, IF HE WOULD LIKE TO RESUME HIS DUTIES AS VICE CHAIR AND RUN AGAIN. 
          I WOULD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GREAT. 
          GREAT. 
          SO WITH THAT THEN AGAIN, IN THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY, UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR VICE CHAIR? OKAY, WELL THEN THAT, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A COUPLE OF SIMPLE VOTES. 
          LET'S GO AHEAD AND BEGIN, I GUESS, WITH THE CHAIR ELECTION, I'LL GO OUT AND LOOK FOR A SECOND OF MY SELF NOMINATION AND INTENT TO BE YOUR CHAIR AGAIN. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WOULD THAT THEN WE HAVE, 
          [01:45:01]
OF COURSE I NOMINATED MYSELF AND WANTING TO RUN AGAIN. 
          UH, AND IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER . 
          SO WITH THAT, WE'LL DO A VERBAL VOTE AND SHOW OF HANDS ALL IN FAVOR OF ME BEING REELECTED A CHAIR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND. 
          AYE. 
          OKAY, WELL THEN WE ARE UNANIMOUS AT LEAST THE SIX OF US AND REELECTING ME AS CHAIR. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL PROCEED TO OUR NEXT ELECTION. 
          I MOVE THAT VICE-CHAIR APODACA STEVEN UP A DACA, BE REELECTED AND BECOME THE CHAIR. 
          VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION. 
          I'LL LOOK FOR A SECOND. 
          I SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU'VE GOT A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. 
          SO WITH THAT, THEN WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED FOR A VOTE. 
          WE'LL GO OUT AND DO A VERBAL AND SHOW OF HANDS ALL IN FAVOR OF VICE CHAIR, APODACA BEING REELECTED, PLEASE SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OKAY. 
          THEN WE ARE UNANIMOUS SIX IN FAVOR, ZERO ABSTAINING AND ZERO OPPOSED REGULATIONS, VICE CHAIR UP DACA. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WITH THAT, UH, LEXAN OF OFFICERS DOESN'T TYPICALLY INCLUDE NECESSARILY, UH, AN ELECTION OF WORKING GROUP CHAIRS. 
          UH, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AT THE VERY LEAST TO RECRUIT FOR WORKING GROUPS AGAIN. 
          UM, I KNOW THAT MOST OF US ARE PARTICIPATING IN WORKING GROUPS AND WE UNDERSTAND AGAIN, YOUR TIME IS VALUABLE AND AS I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE COME TO REALIZE WE DO ACTUALLY CONDUCT SOME IMPORTANT BUSINESS IN THOSE WORKING GROUPS. 
          SO I JUST MAKE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE OPENINGS ON THE KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION AND DATA STEWARDSHIP WORKING GROUP. 
          AND THERE'S STILL FLEXIBILITY, I THINK, ON THAT MEETING TIME AS WELL TO IMPACT THE TIMING OF THAT, JUST TO PLANT THAT SEED. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WITH THAT, THEN MOVING ALONG WITH OUR AGENDA TO COMMISSION 
          [4.a. Digital Inclusion, Civic Engagement, and Strategic Technology and Telecom Policy Working Group]
UPDATES, AGENDA ITEM FOUR, A THE DIGITAL INCLUSION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY TELECOM POLICY WORKING GROUP ACTING AS CHAIR, I'LL GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE THAT UPDATE. 
          THE BIGGEST AND MOST SUBSTANTIVE UPDATE FOR THE WORKING GROUP IS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF COURSE, OF THE G TOPS AWARDEES. 
          UH, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THEM LISTED IN THE EARLIER PART OF THE DISCUSSION. 
          SO AS PART OF THE RECORD, I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND TO THANK YOU ALL FOR APPROVING THOSE AWARDEES. 
          AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER IN SOME OF THE DISCUSSION ABOUT G TOPS, WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL AS AN ORGANIZATION, AS A COMMISSION HERE ABOUT WANTING TO INTEGRATE FEEDBACK. 
          AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, AS I SUGGESTED EARLIER, AND JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR HERE, UH, WE REACHED OUT OF COURSE, TO THE RG BARB GK LBJ SCHOOL FOR ASSISTANCE IN ANALYZING G TOPS. 
          AND WE'RE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF WAITING THEIR FINAL REPORT. 
          UH, WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF ACTUALLY VISITING WITH WE, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, MYSELF, UH, JESSE, UH, THE INTERIM PROGRAM MANAGER, UH, FOR OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION PROGRAM, UH, COTON HARMAN, OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION FELLOW OR AT SENIOR CONSULTANT NOW, AS WELL AS MANDELA HAWKINS, UH, THE OFFICER FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS, UH, WITH, UH, THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS FROM THE RESEARCH TEAM OVER AT THE LBJ LBJ SCHOOL. 
          AND IT WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL, UH, PRESENTATION. 
          UH, I DON'T WANT TO STEAL THEIR THUNDER BECAUSE IT HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR FINAL REPORT AND IT HELPED TO INFORM OUR DECISION MAKING HERE. 
          WE, OF COURSE ARE ALSO, UM, AS A COMMISSION, VERY FOCUSED ON THE DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS WE JUST DISCUSSED AND HAD FORMAL ACTION ON TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY COMMISSIONER CAN BE PRESENT DURING THOSE EVENTS AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION BY OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR MAYOR AT ANY ONE OF THOSE EVENTS AND ALL FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS AROUND LIVED EXPERIENCE. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE OTHER WORKING GROUP MEMBERS OF THE DIGITAL INCLUSION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC 
          [01:50:01]
TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOM POLICY WORKING GROUP, AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO CHIME IN ON ANYTHING THAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE COVERED OR THAT YOU THINK IS OF A MATTER OF IMPORTANCE. 
          I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE TO CLARIFY THOUGH, BEFORE I OPEN THAT UP, UM, THAT I FEEL AS THOUGH BOTH BRIEFINGS THAT WE HAD TONIGHT, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORT, THEY CONTAIN KEY INSIGHTS REALLY, UH, THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER. 
          AND WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING THEM, I'D SAY ALL ALONG AS WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THESE KIND OF DISCUSSIONS FOR SOME TIME NOW, BUT I THINK THERE'S A REAL NEED FOR US TO USE THIS DATA AND LEVERAGE THESE INSIGHTS. 
          I HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF PARTICIPATING IN A PRESENTATION FOCUSED ON, UH, THE STRATEGIC PLAN OF AUSTIN AND THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN. 
          AND I'VE INVITED, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD PROVIDED THAT PRESENTATION TO COME BEFORE OUR WORKING GROUP FIRST. 
          AND THEN, UH, BASED UPON FEEDBACK FROM THE WORKING GROUP, I WANT TO FIND A WAY TO INTEGRATE THAT CONTENT INTO OUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. 
          IT'S VERY PROFOUND AND VERY POWERFUL AND, UH, CLEARLY RESONANT WITH THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          SO WITH THAT, THEN I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR ANY OTHER FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS TO SHARE WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSION. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR BREVITY WITH THAT. 
          THEN WE'LL GO AND RECEIPT IN OUR AGENDA 
          [4.b. Knowledge, Information, and Data Stewardship Working Group]
TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR B THE KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION AND DATA STEWARDSHIP WORKING GROUP, AND THE ABSENCE OF THE WORKING GROUP CHAIR, COMMISSIONER FLOYD ON GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE A BRIEFING. 
          AS I MENTIONED, UH, THAT WORKING GROUP STILL HAS OPENINGS. 
          AND SO STILL IN RECRUITMENT. 
          SO DEFINITELY WANT TO BEGIN THERE. 
          WE DID MEET YESTERDAY AND HAD, UH, A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHICH WE'D ACTUALLY ALREADY REVIEWED ONCE BEFORE, REALLY JUST AS A PRECURSOR TO THE MEETING TODAY, UH, IN THAT DISCUSSION, UM, THERE WAS DISCUSSION AND CONSENSUS AROUND, UH, A NEED OF COURSE, FOR, UH, SEEING THE ACTION PLAN, UH, TO SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AS A CITY TO, TO ADDRESS THE GAP BETWEEN GOALS AND OUTCOMES. 
          THERE WAS A CONSENSUS AGREED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S A NEED TO MAKE THINGS UP BASED UPON ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED US. 
          I THINK THERE'S CLEARLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US, UM, TO AGAIN, LEVERAGE OUR COMMUNITY PRESENCE, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY IS BEING HEARD. 
          AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND, AND SEEING WHAT UNFOLDS THERE AND REALLY IN PARTICULAR, TO SEEING, UH, THE AGGREGATION OF THE TESTIMONIES AND THE, THE COMMISSION CONSULTATIONS AND WHATNOT, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US AS ADVISORS. 
          UM, I WAS JOINED BY COMMISSIONER VICE VICE CHAIR, APODACA ON THAT CALL. 
          WHO'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP. 
          AND SO AS IS PAR FOR THE COURSE, LIKE TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO ADD TO ANYTHING I MAY HAVE MISSED FROM OUR DISCUSSION OR, UH, THINGS THAT CAME UP IN A WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION THIS PAST TUESDAY FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSION. 
          I DON'T THINK I HAVE MUCH MORE TO ADD THERE CHERRY PITS. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? OKAY. 
          REASON, RIGHT ALONG WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL GO 
          [4.c. Technology, Infrastructure, and Innovation Working Group]
AHEAD AND TRANSITION TO OUR NEXT WORKING GROUP, THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATION WORKING GROUP, UH, AND ONCE MORE, THE WORKING GROUP CHAIRS ARE NOT PRESENT. 
          UH, SO I WILL BEGIN WITH AN OVERVIEW AND THEN PASS IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER YATES, TO DAD, HIS FEEDBACK AND THOUGHTS BEFORE WE HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE WORKING GROUP MEETING AND DISCUSSION THIS PAST 
          [01:55:01]
MONDAY BEFORE LAST WAS A MEETING WITH THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE AND INDIVIDUALS FROM INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ADVANCED SERVICES, AS WELL AS OUR LEGAL TEAM, AS WELL AS OUR WORKING GROUP, WHICH WAS A WEREWOLF TENDED. 
          AND ACTUALLY THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE MEETING ITSELF WAS TO ALLOW FOR A CANDID DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WOULD BE INCLUDED IN A RESOLUTION TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR ADVANCED SERVICES AND RELATED PUBLIC INFORMATION NODES TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE BEEN PROMOTED BY THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE WHO WE'VE HAD VISIT WITH US BEFORE IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THAT WE'VE ALL SEEN, POTENTIALLY IT CAN HAVE TO DIGITAL INCLUSION HERE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          THE FOCUS WAS REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY CONCERNS ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP OR OTHER ENTITIES THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO ENGAGE. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE, THAT THOSE CONCERNS WERE VOICED. 
          THE OUTCOME OF THE MEETING WAS AGREEMENT BY THE MEMBERS PRESENT THAT INCLUDED JASON, JOHN MICHAEL, FROM AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION, AS WELL AS A LEGAL TO ENGAGE IN A FOLLOWUP DISCUSSION AROUND QUESTIONS FOR THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE TO ADDRESS, WE THEN UPLOADED A SHARED DRIVE THAT CONTAINED EVERY DOCUMENT THAT'S BEEN SHARED FROM THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE WITH US AS A COMMISSION AND OR ME, AND WE'VE UPLOADED A BLANK DOCUMENT FOR QUESTIONS. 
          NOW, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BUSY AND THAT THEY HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ADD ANY QUESTIONS YET. 
          SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS THAT WE TAKE THE LEAD AND START TO PUT IN OUR OWN QUESTIONS, EVEN IF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD ANSWERED, UH, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT MYSELF STARTING TOMORROW. 
          AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ELSE TO DO THE SAME, JUST SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP MEETING AND FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ADVANCE OUR WORK TOWARDS A RESOLUTION DRAFT. 
          WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO AS A BODY WHEN IT COMES TO IDENTIFYING ALL OF THE PLAYERS WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE INVOLVED AND ALL THE DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTER POINTS WE WANT FOR THE RESOLUTION, BUT WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE THE REASON WHY WE GOT INVOLVED. 
          WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE OUR FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY AND DIGITAL INCLUSION, AND IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE A NEED AND A VERY IMPORTANT NEED TO ENSURE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES TO THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN IMPACTS EFFECTED COMMUNITIES HERE. 
          AND THAT IT'S REALLY DOES UPLIFT BROADBAND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WITH THAT. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO PASS IT TO COMMISSIONER YATES FOR ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MEETING OR FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT WE COVERED. 
          RIGHT? SO BASICALLY WHAT THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE HAD BEEN ASKING THE, THIS COMMISSION IS TO, UM, GIVE THEM A LETTER OF SUPPORT. 
          AND THEY HAD SENT US A DRAFT LETTER OF SUPPORT THAT INCLUDED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ITEMS, SUCH AS, UH, THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE PACKING TO FIND A PARTNER FOR A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY. 
          AND SO I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE THAT DO NOT REALLY NOT TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE, BUT TO OURSELVES, TO THE COMMISSION IN TERMS OF, WE NEED TO HAVE A SCOPE OF WHAT WE'RE SUPPORTING, AND WE NEED SOME GUIDANCE PROBABLY FROM LEGAL ON WHAT EXACTLY THE LEGAL CONSTRAINTS ARE IN TERMS OF CITY COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. 
          SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED 
          [02:00:01]
TO ASK INTERNALLY, UM, MAINLY DUE TO SCOPE. 
          UM, AND ALSO I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAD MADE A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION IN THAT WE DO NOT ENDORSE A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, BUT WE DO ENDORSE THE CONCEPT. 
          AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, UH, WE'VE GOT TO WORK ON ALSO. 
          SO, UM, I THINK, UH, EVERYONE NEEDS TO LOOK AT THOSE DOCUMENTS AND PROBABLY WE NEED TO, UH, UH, KIND OF REVISE AND NARROW THE SCOPE OF ANY KIND OF LITERACY SUPPORT. 
          SO THAT'S MAINLY MY COMMENTS. 
          YEAH. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMISSIONER GATES TO ADD TO THAT. 
          YES. 
          IT WAS CLARIFIED THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE IS CLEAR IS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON AS A COMMISSION ON THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING OF BUILDING BACK BETTER FUNDING AMONGST OTHER TYPES OF FUNDING, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR BEST EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE USED PROPERLY. 
          SO THE WORST STATEMENTS THAT I'M GOING TO START TEEING UP ARE ONES THAT ARE ROOTED IN A HISTORY, RIGHT? SO, WHEREAS WE HAVE HAD A NEED TO FOCUS ON DIGITAL INCLUSION AS A COMMUNITY HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          AND WE'RE, AS YOU KNOW, THAT HAS BEEN TIED TO A HISTORY OF, UH, LEGACY, UH, BORN FROM OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IN 1918 AND SO ON. 
          UH, THEN GETTING TO THE POINT OF ANALYZING CONCEPTS, LIKE PUBLIC INFORMATION NETWORK NODES, AND HOW THEY CAN BENEFIT DIGITAL INCLUSION IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SHORT OF NAMING NECESSARILY ANY IN PARTICULAR ENTITY OR ORGANIZATION AS RUNNING THAT PROJECT, UNLESS IT TRULY DOES MAKE SENSE. 
          AND THAT'S WHERE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE AUTONOMY INSTITUTE COME IN, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN AND DISCUSSED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WE'VE ALREADY SEEN AND DISCUSSED WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP, A SHOW OF SUPPORT FROM KANT MAYBERRY AND A PARTNERSHIP THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED AROUND DEFENSE AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPERATION. 
          SO THERE'S, THERE'S DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO THEN IN OUR RESOLUTION, UH, OR, OR SHORE SUPPORT TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR AN ENTITY. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE CONCEPTS THAT WE KNOW WE WANT TO SUPPORT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY PROMISED TO OFFER US WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL INCLUSION. 
          SO, UH, YES, VICE-CHAIR APODACA. 
          SO, UM, JUST A QUESTION IS FOLLOWING THIS MEETING IS, IS JESSE GOING TO SPEND OUT THAT REPOSITORY OF, OF THE DOCUMENTS AND THE QUESTIONS, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE, THE DRAFT, UM, RESOLUTION THAT WE CAN START LOOKING AT IT, UH, WE WERE AVOIDING WALKING QUORUM ISSUES UP TO THIS POINT, BUT NOW THAT IT'S ON THE RECORD HERE FOR THE BODY, IT'S SOMETHING HE WILL BE SHARING AS A FOLLOW-UP NO PROBLEM. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WELL, UH, WITH THAT THEN, UH, YES. 
          I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR, UH, FOR THAT. 
          WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA TO A FUTURE 
          [FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA ITEMS. UH, SO TO BEGIN WITH, I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE, UH, THE ISSUE OF BROADBAND STANDARDS AS SOMETHING FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM DISCUSSION. 
          WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION, UH, BETWEEN KAMISHA DASGUPTA AND MYSELF, UH, AND, UH, RHONDELLA HAWKINS OUR OFFICER HERE ABOUT CONCERNS OVER A HUNDRED UP AND A HUNDRED DOWN, AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S ACTUALLY ADEQUATE ADDING ALREADY CONSIDERED THE EXISTING STANDARDS, WOEFULLY INADEQUATE OF 25 AND THREE. 
          I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO ENTER TOO MUCH OF A DISCUSSION ON IT NOW, BUT DEFINITELY PLAN ON THAT BEING ON THE AGENDA FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION, 
          [02:05:01]
REALLY PURSUANT TO A DECISION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FOR US TO ARRIVE AT A STANDARD THAT WE THINK IS NECESSARY AT LEAST TO STRIVE FOR. 
          I WANT TO BE DELIBERATE ABOUT THIS. 
          AND SO, AS I DISCUSSED WITH RHONDELLA ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, I WOULD LIKE TO INVOLVE CARRIERS IN THIS DISCUSSION AS WELL. 
          I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO URGE THEM AND TO PUSH THEM, BUT ALSO TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO, TO SPEAK TO WHAT CAPABILITIES THEY HAVE AND TO GO AHEAD AND MAYBE THRILL US BY LETTING US KNOW THEY WON'T HAVE ANY CHALLENGES AND PERHAPS TO THEN ENCOURAGE LITTLE COMPETITION AMONGST THEMSELVES TO OFFER INCREASINGLY GREATER BROADBAND FOR OUR RESIDENTS. 
          THAT'S ONE BIG ONE. 
          I KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAD SOME FUTURE, SOME PRESENTATIONS THAT WE MIGHT LET ME SEE HERE. 
          I MEAN, MIGHT BE ALREADY CAUGHT UP ON THAT. 
          CERTAINLY OPEN TO DISCUSSION. 
          IF ANYONE HAS ANY THOUGHTS ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS NOW, WELL, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME AND OR JESSE AND OR TO RAISE THEM IN OUR WORKING GROUPS. 
          AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT FROM THERE. 
          ALTERNATIVELY, THERE WILL BE PARTICULARLY WITH THE TIMING. 
          THERE'LL BE AMPLE FOLLOW-UP FROM OUR LISTENING SESSIONS. 
          UH, JESSE HAS ONE. 
          I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT THE, UH, MAY MEETING IS NORMALLY OUR WORK PLAN RETREAT MEETING. 
          OKAY, WELL, THAT'S GOOD. 
          SO THEN WE, UH, CAN BASICALLY LOOK AT FUTURE INDIAN ITEMS AS BEING SOMETHING THAT WILL BE HANDLED, UH, IN AT LEAST FOR THE TYPICAL MEETING AND OUR IN OUR JUNE SESSION, BUT IN OUR WORK PLAN RETREAT, BROADBAND'S BROADBAND, UH, STANDARDS. 
          IT'S ALMOST A PERFECT FIT. 
          SO IT'LL ALMOST TIA MATCH, LET'S SAY FOR A WORK PLAN RETREAT. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK ON THIS ONE, THEN THAT TAKES CARE OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ALL RIGHT, THEN THAT BRINGS US AT LAST TO ADJOURNMENT. 
          I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN AND A SECOND, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO HOLD A VOTE. 
          SURE. 
          OUR PETS, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. 
          OKAY. 
          THEY HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY VICE CHAIR OF THE DACA AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RAMOS WOULD THAT, THEN WE CAN DO A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF GERMAN. 
          PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND. 
          AYE. 
          WE ARE UNANIMOUS IN A GERMAN. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR A GREAT MEETING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.