[00:00:01]
[CALL TO ORDER]
IT'S SIMPLE.I THINK WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC,
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL]
UH, COMMUNICATION.WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS OR ACTUALLY WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS.
WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS, I SHOULD SAY, IN STAFF.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS BRANDY BURDEN WITH THE ECO NETWORK.
UH, NEXT STEP WOULD BE MADISON MADDEN WITH READ WELL, AND THEN, UH, FOLLOWED, FOLLOWED BY, UH, MARIN RAVELLO.
BUT NONETHELESS, I'M GOING FIRST.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS, THESE ARE THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP.
I, UM, MY NAME IS BRANDY CLARK BARTON AND, UH, MY COMPANY'S ENVIRONMENT, ECO NETWORKING, AND, UM, I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME OUTREACH TO THE LOCAL CHAMBERS AND I'M JUST SHARING A REPORT BACK, UM, THAT AFTER TALKING TO THE AUSTIN CHAMBER, UM, HAD THE HEAD OF THE AUSTIN CHAMBER, THE HEAD OF THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT BUSINESS ALLIANCE LEADERSHIP FROM US AND BLACK CHAMBER GAY LESBIAN CHAMBER, ASIAN CHAMBER, UM, AND LOOKING AT THEIR WEBSITE, UNIVERSALLY OUR, OUR BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN DO NOT HAVE ANY VISIBLE OR ANY ACTIVITY GOING ON IN THE REALM OF SUSTAINABILITY.
LIKE NOTHING, NOT A STAFF PERSON, NOT A COMMITTEE, NOT A SPEAKER SERIES, NOT A GOAL, NOT ANYTHING.
UM, AND SO, UH, AND IN ASKING THE QUESTIONS OF THEM, THEY HAVE BEEN UNIVERSALLY OPEN TO THE IDEA THEY HAVE BEEN LIKE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU CAN TEACH US? IS THERE A PROGRAM? IS THERE A TOOLKIT? UM, AND SO I'M JUST FLAGGING THAT AND SAYING, UM, I KNOW THAT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY HAS BEEN INVESTING IN OUTREACH AROUND THE EURO, AND THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT PART OF SUSTAINABILITY IS, IS THE STUFF CATEGORY.
I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE, THE PORTION OF THE TEAM THAT WAS THE CONSUMPTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES AS PART OF OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
AND SO THE, THE COMING AND GOING OF STUFF IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BIG, UH, PORTIONS OF THIS.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANT TO INVITE PARTNERSHIP FROM ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE EDUCATE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS ARE IN DIALOGUE WITH THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, BUT, UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A BIG, BIG MISSING.
UM, AND SO, UH, ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR BRANDY COMMISSIONERS? BRANDY, THANKS FOR THE EFFORTS.
I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN A TIME PLAYER IN THIS MARKET AND COMPLETELY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MADISON MADDEN.
I'M THE AUSTIN MARKET MANAGER FOR RID WELL, I'M ALSO A ZERO WASTE BLOCK LEADER, CLIMATE ACTIVIST, AUTHOR, AND PRACTITIONER OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE.
MY PASSION AND FOCUS IS HELPING PEOPLE CREATE SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES.
I'M ACUTELY AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR WASTEFUL HABITS AND HOW THEY IMPACT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR HEALTH AS WELL AS HOW COMPLEX THE SYSTEMS ARE THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY HERE FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND EFFORT TOWARDS ZERO WASTE.
RADWELL IS A NEW SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE IN AUSTIN THAT PICKS UP HARD TO RECYCLE AND REUSABLE ITEMS FROM HOUSEHOLDS, DOORSTEPS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY PICKED UP BY CURBSIDE RECYCLING, OUR MEMBERS SORT AND LEAVE ITEMS AND LABELED BAGS.
WE PROVIDE FOR THEM INSIDE THEIR RED WELL BINS ON THEIR PORCH OR BY THEIR FRONT DOOR.
MEMBERS CAN OPT INTO PICKUPS EFFORT EVERY TWO WEEKS, IF THEY HAVE ANY OF OUR CORE OR SPECIALTY COLLECTION ITEMS FOR THAT CYCLE.
CURRENTLY, OUR FOUR CORE ITEMS ARE BATTERIES, LIGHT BULBS, TEXTILES, AND PLASTIC FILM, WHICH IS THIN STRETCHABLE PLASTIC, LIKE GROCERY BAGS, BUBBLE WRAP, SHIPPING PLASTIC, AND AMAZON PRIME MAILERS AMONG OTHERS.
EVERY TWO WEEKS, WE ALSO PICK UP A CATEGORY OR ITEM THAT IS EITHER ON THE NEEDS LIST OF A NONPROFIT OR REUSE ORGANIZATION THIS WEEK.
WE'RE PICKING UP TOWELS AND SHEETS FOR THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY OR AN ITEM THAT WE KNOW TO BE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM FOR LOCAL RECYCLERS LIKE WIRE HANGERS.
WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH TRASH LISTS TO SUPPORT THEIR NEW TRASH LISTS TAKE BACKS PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE CAN RETURN TRASH US REUSABLE, COFFEE CUPS, AND REUSABLE RESTAURANT TAKEOUT CONTAINERS THROUGH RADWELL.
OUR GOAL IS TO HELP RE-IMAGINE AND REDUCE THE EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF WASTE BEING CREATED THROUGH FOOD TAKEOUT AND MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE.
THEY ARE MEANT TO PICK UP WHERE
[00:05:01]
MUNI MUNICIPAL PROGRAMS LEAVE OFF.SO AS CURBSIDE OF ALL, SO WHAT WE, OUR GOAL IS TO AMPLIFY LOCAL ZERO WASTE, SEPARATE EFFORTS AND ASSIST IN ACHIEVING OUR CITY'S ZERO WASTE GOALS BY BEING AN ENTIRELY COMPLIMENTARY AND SUPPLEMENTARY SERVICE THAT EMPHASIZES CONSUMER EDUCATION.
WE ALSO AIM TO KEEP CONTAMINANTS OUT OF THE HOLLER STREAMS, UH, BATTERIES REGULARLY CAUSE FIRES AND PLASTIC FILM CLOGS UP THE RECYCLING STREAM.
FOR EXAMPLE, I ALSO SEE GREAT DEMAND AND POTENTIAL FOR US TO HELP DIVERT MATERIALS LIKE STYROFOAM, A SEPTIC CONTAINERS AND PAINT, NONE OF WHICH BELONG IN OUR LANDFILLS, BUT PRESENT COLLECTION CHALLENGES AS WELL AS SUPPORT WASTE DIVERSION IN THE COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY SECTOR.
THANK YOU TO AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY FOR OUR PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION LAST WEEK.
AND TO EVERYONE WHO'S RECENTLY HELPED US BRIDGE COMMUNICATION AND RESOLVE SOME OF THE INITIAL MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT OUR, I HOPE TO CREATE STRONG AND SUPPORTIVE LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT BENEFIT EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY OUR SHARED MISSION OF QUICKLY AND UBIQUITOUSLY REDUCING WASTE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, UH, FIRST OFF STAFF, THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT AND LITERALLY SHARING, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE METHODOLOGY THAT, UH, WE EMPLOY AS FAR AS BRINGING IN PARTNERS.
AND I, I, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING US IN REACHING OUR ZERO WASTE GOALS, BUT, UH, ANY QUESTIONS COMMISSIONERS FOR, FOR RADWELL JONATHAN AND THEN
I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN RADWELL AROUND TOWN A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES, SO, UM, WAS INTERESTED TO HEAR ABOUT THE SERVICE AND WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KIND OF WHERE THE RECYCLABLES GO.
SO WHERE WHAT'S THE KIND OF, UH, ONCE YOU PICK IT UP, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE ITEMS, UM, SINCE YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY WORKING KIND OF OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM? YEAH, DEFINITELY.
SO WE, FIRSTLY, WE ARE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH THAT PROCESS.
UM, WE WORK WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS FOR EACH OF OUR CATEGORIES, SO WE BRING OUR MEMBERS STUFF BACK TO US AND WE BASICALLY SHIP IT TO OUR PARTNERS.
SO WE DO VERY LITTLE SORTING, BASICALLY JUST SORTING OUT TRASH.
UM, IT GOES, UM, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE.
BUT OUR PLASTIC FILM TYPICALLY GOES TO TREX.
UM, OUR, UH, BATTERIES GO TO COLOR, RECYCLE LIGHTBULBS, GO TO LIGHTING RESOURCES.
UM, LET'S SEE OUR THREADS, UH, GO TO GOODWILL.
UM, AND WE HAVE A LOCAL PARTNERSHIP WITH HOPE, FAMILY THRIFT, BUT BASICALLY JUST A LITTLE BIT WHAT THEY CAN TAKE.
UM, AND WE, OUR COLLECTION, OUR SPECIALTY COLLECTION ITEMS GO DIRECTLY TO THE NONPROFITS OR REORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME BETTER NOW? OKAY.
THAT'S A LITTLE BETTER VOLUME.
ARE YOU GOING TO DEFER TO DEFER THE QUESTION? ARE YOU OKAY? ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS FOR MADISON? I HAVE GONE QUESTION.
WHAT'S THE, HOW ARE YOU GUYS FUNDED? UH, WE ARE FUNDED.
WE HAVE, UM, SO COMPANY REBEL STARTED, UM, IN SEATTLE ABOUT YEARS AGO.
UM, WE'RE FUNDED LARGELY BY TWO INVESTORS THAT WE HAVE AND WE'RE ON, I THINK OUR THIRD OR FOURTH ROUND OF FUNDING AT THIS POINT.
UM, THE, UM, OUR MODEL IS FUNDED ALMOST FULLY BY OUR MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS.
SO WE ARE MATERIAL EXCHANGE ACCOUNTS FOR VERY LITTLE.
UM, SO TREX, WE HAVE A MILD, UM, MONETARY EXCHANGE, BUT IT'S PRETTY MUCH WIPED OUT WITH THE SHIPPING COSTS.
UM, BUT IN SOME OF OUR OTHER CATEGORIES, WE ACTUALLY PAY FOR THE RECYCLING.
SO OUR SERVICE IS FUNDED BY MEMBERSHIP YAWN.
WHAT ARE THE GENERAL RATES FOR THAT, UH, BETWEEN 12 AND $16 PER MONTH, DEPENDING ON THE LENGTH OF SUBSCRIPTION.
SO YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS OR 12 MONTHS, 12 MONTHS IS $12 A MONTH.
THREE MONTHS IS $16 PER MONTH.
[00:10:02]
RIGHT?AND AGAIN, STAFF, THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT AND, AND SMOOTHING THIS WONDERFUL OPERATION OR OPPORTUNITY OUT.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, THEN THE NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, MARION, RANDOM MIRANDA.
I, UH, MIRANDA PERFECTLY FINE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE.
MY NAME IS MIRANDA RAVELLO, OWNER OF PEDIGREE WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES, LLC.
UH, MY COMPANY UPS CYCLE'S PET WASTE BY COMPOSTING IT INTO FERTILIZER.
THIS KEEPS THE POOP IN THE LOOP AND DECREASES THE POL PRINT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE PLAY THAT YOU CAN CUT OFF NOW.
SO YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHY THIS VIDEO HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
I JUST USE THIS TO ILLUSTRATE WAY.
WE'VE ALL HAVE FACED AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.
WELL, NOT EXACTLY LIKE THE LITTLE BOY, BUT YOU GET THE POINT.
SO, UM, WE'VE ALL ENCOUNTERED THIS AT SOME POINT IN TIME WHEN WE'VE ACTUALLY WALKED ON THE GREENBELT TRAILS OR EVEN IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE SINCE I'VE ALREADY INTRODUCED MYSELF.
SO LET'S GET INTO IT AND LET'S TALK ABOUT POOP.
SO HERE'S SOME FACTS IN THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO WE ALL KNOW THAT DOG WASTES CONTAINS BACTERIA, PARASITES, AND PATHOGENS THAT CAN BE HARMFUL TO BOTH HUMANS AND DOGS.
ONE GRAM OF DOG WASTE CONTAINS 23 MILLION COLIFORM BACTERIA, NEARLY TWICE THE AMOUNT FOUND EQUIVALENT TO HUMAN WASTE.
IT COULD ALSO CAUSE AN INCREASE IN ALGAE, ALGAE GROWTH LEADING TO HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS ABOUT ESTIMATED 3% OF LANDFILLS ARE OCCUPIED BY PET WASTE AND 17.4% OF METHANE EMISSIONS OF WHICH PET WASTE IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR.
SO IN 2009, OFFICIALS OF AUSTIN CLOSED BULL CREEK FOR SIX MONTHS DUE TO HIGH BACTERIA, COLIFORM LEVELS IN THE WATER DUE TO DOG WASTE IN 2019, SOME PARK RANGERS FOUND 28 PILES OF BOTH BAGGED AND UNBAGGED POOP AND A QUARTER MILE BETWEEN THE TRAIL HEADING LEADING TO THE TWIN FALLS.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO BE AN ESTIMATE BASED UPON OUR HUMAN POPULATION INCREASED FROM 2022.
SO WE'VE GOT 1 MILLION, 153,280 DOGS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY 864,960 POUNDS OF POOP PER DAY.
AND 157,855 TONS OF POOP PER YEAR.
NOW THAT'S A LOT OF POOP NOW BASED UPON THESE PROJECTED WASTE, IT IS 3,649,120 CUBIC METERS OF METHANE THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS NOW, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE COMPOST THE BROWN AND TURN INTO GREEN.
SO THERE ARE, UH, DIFFERENT WAYS OF ACTUALLY DOING SOME COMPOSTING.
THERE'S FERMI COMPOSTING USING EARTHWORMS TO EAT AWAY AT THE PATHOGENS THAT ARE IN THE WASTE.
GETTING RID OF ALL THE PATHOGENS, LEAVING BEHIND CASINGS THAT CAN STIMULATE PLANT GROWTH.
IT CAN BE USED FOR BOTH DOG AND CAT WASTE.
THERE'S THE CAUTI METHOD, WHICH IS AN ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION METHOD WHERE MICROBES ACTUALLY EAT THE WAY THE PATHOGENS, PICKLE, THE WASTE AND TURN IT INTO A LIQUID OR SOLID ENHANCERS FOR SOIL.
AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR LARGE SCALE COMPOSTING, WHICH IS LIKE PICK-UP OR DROP-OFF PROGRAMS, WHICH IS A VESSEL TUMBLER OR AERATED STOCKPILE PILE, WHICH COULD BE IN AN ENCLOSED EARTH CUBE.
SO ALL OF THESE PROCESSES, UH, ACTUALLY OPTIMIZE BIODIVERSE BIODEGRADATION BY SHREDDING MATERIAL AND TO THE SAME SIZE OR CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE AND OXYGEN LEVELS TO MAKE SURE THAT IS WHAT'S PRODUCED IS A HIGH QUALITY TOXIN-FREE COMPOST.
SO THE NEXT SLIDES ARE JUST PICTURES OF, UM, WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON AND PET WASTE COMPOSTING TODAY.
SO THAT, THAT ONE IS, WELL, THAT'S ALL I GOT THERE.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT'S AN RFQ WHICH ACTUALLY HAS THE STYLE STENOTIC STARTED PILING IN IT.
SO THANK YOU MIRANDA, YOU COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS? THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION.
THE YOUNG MAN MADE THE A SHOW, I GUESS, BUT THEN NONETHELESS COMMISSIONERS, ANY THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MIRANDA? SORRY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, I CAN.
YOU KNOW, UM, JUST TURN IT OFF.
UH, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU KNOW, OF ANY CITIES THAT ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, DOING THESE SORT OF WASTE COMPOSTING, THE CITIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THIS RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A DENVER, COLORADO.
THERE IS THE CITY OF SEATTLE, AS WELL AS A PART OF THERE'S ACTUALLY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING FROM SEATTLE, SEATTLE TO, UH, ALSO, UH, PORTLAND, OREGON.
THAT'S DOING THIS AND OXYGEN AUSTRALIA AS WELL AS NEW ZEALAND AND A TOWN IN THE UK.
THAT'S ACTUALLY DOING THIS AS WELL.
AND EVEN THE BATTERY CITY BATTERY, A CITY IN A NEW YORK CITY, THEY'RE DOING IT.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING THE PET WASTE COMPOSTING AT ONE OF THEIR PET PARKS.
[00:15:01]
ARE THEY USING THIS METHODOLOGY OR WHAT THEY, UH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY USING DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES AND DENVER, THEY'RE USING THE INTERVAL, THE END VESSEL TUMBLER, WHICH IS THAT BIG TUBE THAT YOU SAW, UH, THEY'RE USING THAT NOW AUSTRALIA IS USING THE WARM BEDS AND NORTH CAROLINA IS USING THE EARTH CUBES, WHICH THEY ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE A STATIC PILE INSIDE THE CUBE ITSELF WHERE THEY ACTUALLY TURN IT EVER SO OFTEN MAKING SURE EVERYTHING DECOMPOSES AT THE SAME RATE AND ACTUALLY TURNS INTO FERTILIZER.SO, UH, ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLACES ARE USING DIFFERENT METHODS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AND STARTING A FOLLOW UP ON THAT? I'M JUST WONDERING, UM, ARE THEY ALL RELYING ON PEOPLE DROPPING OFF OR IS THERE PICKUP OUT OF SOMEWHERE? WELL, THERE ACTUALLY IS BOTH PICKUP AND DROP-OFF SERVICES.
THERE'S SOME, UH, I KNOW THERE'S ONE COMPANY IN PARTICULAR THAT IS, UH, CALLED
THEY ACTUALLY DO HAVE THE PICKUP SERVICES WITHIN THE PARKS AS WELL AS DROP OFF SERVICES TOO, BECAUSE THEY ALSO WORK WITH A LOCAL, UH, POOP SCOOPING BUSINESS TOO.
AND THEY ACTUALLY DROP OFF THEIR WASTE TO THEIR COMPOSTING FACILITY.
AMANDA, YOU HAD A QUESTION, YOUR MIKE'S OFF AMANDA, OF COURSE IT IS.
THANK YOU MIRANDA FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WHAT TYPE OF PET WASTE COMPOSTING DO YOU YOU USE IN YOUR COMPANY? WE ACTUALLY USE ALL THE ABOVE.
UM, I DON'T ACTUALLY REALLY DISCRIMINATE.
UH, I HAVE A, FOR ME COMPOSTING A LITTLE BIN ACTUALLY IN MY BACKYARD THAT I ACTUALLY USE FOR MY OWN DOGS.
AND I ALSO USE, UM, THE BOKASHI METHOD AS WELL, BUT THE BIGGER, LIKE THE LARGEST SCALES, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, IT'S USUALLY BEST TO EITHER DO AN EARTH CUBE OR A VESSEL TUMBLER, WHICH THE VESSEL TUMBLER, IT JUST TUMBLES IT FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS, MAKING SURE THERE'S ENOUGH OXYGEN IN THERE AT 140 DEGREES CELSIUS, MAKING SURE IT KILLS ALL THE PATHOGENS AND THAT INCLUDES ROUNDWORMS AS WELL.
SO ONCE YOU GET RID OF ROUNDWORMS, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
AND YOU HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YAWN.
SO I GUESS I'M WONDERING WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS.
IS THIS JUST INFORMATIONAL OR, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOT A COMPANY, UM, WHO'S PROVIDING SERVICES AND PRO I WOULD ASSUME CHARGES SOME SORT OF MONEY TO SOMEONE.
UH, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING? I, I GUESS WE'RE HEARING FROM A COUPLE PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE FILLING GAPS.
WELL, UM, I ACTUALLY DO HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE IT'S FOR LIKE, FOR RESIDENTIAL AND FOR BUSINESS AS WELL.
BUT WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS PROBABLY A PILOT PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST ONE OF THE PARKS THAT ARE ACTUALLY HIGHLY DENSE POPULATED WITH PETS AND ACTUALLY TRYING TO HELP GET RID OF THE PET WASTE THAT'S THERE BECAUSE OF THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE AN INFLUX OF DOGS AS WELL, MAYBE DOING A PILOT PROGRAM AND SEEING HOW A COMPOSTING IT ACTUALLY WORKS INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY SEEING, UM, POOP EVERYWHERE OR, YOU KNOW, OR THE, THE, UH, PET STATIONS OVERFLOWING, SO TO SPEAK.
SO IT'S ALSO, BUT YEAH, MAJORITY OF IT'S FRUITS FOR INFORMATION.
IT SEEMS LIKE IN BOTH CASES, YOU AND THE PREVIOUS PRESENTER THAT WE HAVE SOME GAPS PERHAPS IN WHAT THE, UM, WHAT AR CURRENTLY PROVIDES THAT COULD BE FILLED BY, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU CAN DO AND WHAT, WHAT THE OTHER PROVIDE.
UM, WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AT THE COSTS BECAUSE OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, THE OTHER SUBSCRIPTION WAS WHAT, 12, $14 A MONTH, THAT'S GETTING CLOSE TO WHAT SOME TYPES OF BINS EVEN COST, UM, FOR JUST VERY SUPPLEMENTAL.
SO JUST, IS IT THE RIGHT COST BENEFIT? SO THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK ARR AND OR THE PARKS, UH, GROUPS WOULD, UM, WOULD BE ABLE TO BETTER ASSESS, BUT THAT, THAT SEEMS DEFINITELY WORTHWHILE TO PROPOSE TO THEM AND WE CAN SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
THAT THAT'S BE MY INITIAL THOUGHTS.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE TO SAY I'M REALLY, UH, VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE NUMBER OF BOUTIQUE RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE ENTERING OUR MARKET.
IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LITERALLY HOPEFULLY STRIVE TO REACH THAT, UH, QUICKLY REACH THE GOAL THAT WE SET OUT WITH 10 YEARS AGO IN OUR ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN.
WE'VE HIT SOME, SOME ROADBLOCKS, BUT I THINK THAT, UH, THIS STAFF AND, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS STILL COMMITTED TO THAT GOAL.
AND, AND AGAIN, THE BOUTIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES HERE REALLY CAN ASSIST.
[00:20:01]
TO YARNS THOUGHT AND COMMENT ABOUT COST.AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, UH, THE RED WILL OPPORTUNITY WAS A SUBSCRIPTION FEE.
I GUESS THE, UH, MIRANDA'S, UH, PROGRAM IS SIMILAR.
I'M GOING TO ASSUME IT IS SIMILAR.
I MEAN, BUSINESS COST IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN, UM, RESIDENTIAL COST BECAUSE IT'S BASED UPON HOW MUCH INFLUX OF POOP WE GET.
BUT, UM, OF COURSE I CAN ALWAYS CRUNCH THE NUMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, GET THAT BACK TO YOU IF YOU ACTUALLY ARE THINKING ABOUT A SPECIFIC PLACE, BECAUSE COST IS GOING TO VARY BASED UPON THE LOCATION AND HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BE PICKING UP, OR WHAT'S THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF HOW MUCH WE'RE PICKING UP, BECAUSE WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, BECAUSE WE'VE, I'VE, I'VE TALKED TO TCEQ ABOUT THIS.
AND, UM, WHAT THEY WERE SUGGESTING IS POSSIBLY WEIGHING OUT HOW MUCH WASTE THAT WE'RE COLLECTING BEFORE WE COMPOST IT.
SO WE CAN GET A BETTER IDEA OF HOW MUCH PET WASTE WE'RE GETTING IN A SPECIFIC LOCATION OR, YOU KNOW, IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
SO WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM BETTER BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY HAS ANY IDEA HOW MUCH PET WASTE WE ACTUALLY REALLY HAVE GOING IN AND OUT AND ACTUALLY BEING ACCUMULATED IN THE LANDFILLS AS OF RIGHT NOW, JONATHAN.
UM, MIRANDA, WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY DOING WITH THE FINISHED PRODUCT? SO THE COMPOST, UH, AND IS THAT A, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WOULD GO TO MARKET OR, YEAH, JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT YOUR USE FOR THAT IS.
SO WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING IS FIRST OF ALL, I'VE BEEN HAVING IT TESTED BY TEXAS A AND M LABS, MAKING SURE IT'S PATHOGEN FREE, AS WELL AS GETTING THE NUTRIENT CONTENT OF IT.
YOU KNOW, THE NITROGEN, THE PHOSPHOROUS, AND SOME OTHER NUTRIENT VALUES THAT IS NEEDED, UH, TO HAVE, IF I W LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO SELL FERTILIZER.
SO RIGHT NOW, SINCE I'M LIKE A STARTUP COMPANY, I'VE JUST BEEN, UH, GIVING THE FERTILIZER BACK TO SOME OF THE CLIENTS, IF THEY WANT IT, THEN THEY CAN HAVE IT FOR THE GARDEN BEDS OR THEIR LANDSCAPING AS OF RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE LIKE A HUGE AMOUNT TO START WITH AS OF RIGHT NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THEY WANT.
IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, SINCE YOU'RE HELPING ME OUT SO MUCH, I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS TO YOU FOR FREE AND YOU CAN USE IT FOR WHATEVER PURPOSE YOU MAY HAVE.
AND DO YOU HAVE INITIAL RESULTS ON THE TESTING AND THE SAFETY OF THE, UH, AND PRODUCT? WELL, THE EMPIRE ACTUALLY IS A, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN NO ROUNDWORMS OR GIARDIA OR LEPTOSPIROSIS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT DETECTED BASED UPON THE METHODS THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING FOR COMPOSTING.
AND IT HAS A HIGH NITROGEN CONTENT VALUE, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD FOR PLANTS.
IT ACTUALLY HELPS THEM THRIVE BETTER.
IT MAKES THEM ACTUALLY GROW A LOT BIGGER, THE LEAVES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I'M SORRY, AMANDA, DO YOU HAVE A MIKE? OKAY.
UH, THOUGHT I, I MEAN, I'M INTERESTED IN THIS IDEA OF TRYING TO PILOT SOMETHING IN A PARK.
UM, AND I KNOW WE, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO LOOK AT THE COST, SO I'M GLAD THAT JONATHAN IS BRINGING UP, UM, MAYBE WHAT THE REVENUE WOULD BE FROM GENERATING THIS MATERIAL.
IF WE ARE GENERATING A LOT OF, UM, WASTE COMPOST IN ONE OF OUR CITY PARKS, THEN COULD THAT BE USED TO OFFSET THE COST OF DOING A PROGRAM LIKE THIS? UM, THE PART THAT IS APPEALING TO ME, WELL, SEVERAL THINGS WERE APPEALING TO ME ABOUT THIS ONE IS, UM, AS OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, THIS IS CLOSING A GAP.
THE SECOND IS IN THESE PUBLIC SPACES.
I THINK WE GET ADDITIONAL BENEFIT BECAUSE IT'S TAKING PLACE BECAUSE IT'S A SUSTAINABILITY ACTIVITY, A CLOSED LOOP ACTIVITY, TAKING PLACE IN A PUBLIC SPACE, RIGHT? THE RECYCLING BIN DOWNTOWN REMINDS PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING.
AND I THINK THAT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS IN A PUBLIC PARK WITH A LOT OF DOGS COMMUNICATE SOMETHING TO PET OWNERS, BUT TO OTHERS TOO, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCING OUR WASTE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL BENEFITS THAT WE COULD GET.
AND I'M ALSO WONDERING IF ARD AND OR WATERSHED WOULD BE INTERESTED BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE, UM, WITH WATER QUALITY INTERSECTING HERE.
SO I DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE DETAILS ABOUT SOMETHING SPECIFIC, UH, IF THERE'S A PROPOSAL OR EVEN JUST A PROSPECTUS OF A PROPOSAL, UH, ABOUT A PARK PILOT COMMENTS ON THAT, OR, WELL, I MEAN, IF I WOULD JUST SAY, IF WE WANT TO DO A PROPOSAL OR WHATEVER, I CAN ALWAYS COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL AND SEND IT TO EVERYBODY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE, LIKE, WE CAN DO A SPECIFIC LOCATION OR WHOEVER ELSE NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED, BECAUSE I'M ALL ABOUT THE STUDY.
I'M ALL ABOUT GETTING EVERYONE INVOLVED AND, AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE'S ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE
[00:25:01]
WHEN YOU HAVE AN ANIMAL, IT'S LIKE YOUR SECOND, IT'S LIKE, IT'S YOUR FOR BABY? IT'S YOUR CHILD.AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PICKING UP AFTER THEM.
YOU DON'T MAKE IT LIKE THE DOG.
DOESN'T TRY TO MAKE A DEPOSIT ON YOUR FRONT LAWN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, CAUSE I MEAN, IT NEEDS TO BE PICKED UP, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT, I MEAN, WHAT AMANDA WAS SAYING WAS THAT IT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, REMINDS PEOPLE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR ACTUALLY PICKING UP THE PET WASTE FOR SURE.
BUT I MEAN, IF THERE'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING ABOUT A PROPOSAL, WE CAN DEFINITELY DISCUSS THAT FURTHER.
AND AN INTERESTING QUESTION, CAN PET WASTE BE FLUSHED? PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING IT CAN BE FLUSHED, BUT I WOULDN'T ACTUALLY AGREE WITH IT BECAUSE IT CAN END UP IN, YOU KNOW, THE SEWAGE WATERS AND STUFF AT THE TREATMENT CENTER.
AND THERE'S DIFFERENT OTHER PATHOGENS THAN HUMAN THAN THE OTHER HUMAN WASTE, I GUESS OUR DILLO DIRT IS BASED OR GENERATED.
I MEAN, TH TH THE WEBSITES SAY THAT YOU CAN FLUSH IT OR YOU COULD BURY IT, MAKING SURE IT'S NOT CLOSE TO ANY WATER AND BURY IT, YOU KNOW, CAUSE CERTAIN DEPTH LIKE ABOUT 24 TO 32 INCHES BELOW THE GROUND AND COVERING IT UP.
WHAT I REALLY DO IT, NO, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO A TREATMENT CENTER AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY TREAT THEM.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY TREAT THEIR WATER OR THE SEWAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE THESE ARE DIFFERENT PATHOGENS.
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME TREATMENTS AS LIKE FOR HUMAN WASTE AS THEY WOULD FOR DOG WASTE.
I THINK THAT, UM, AMANDA MESSINA, I HAD A REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT IN AUSTIN.
HAVE YOU TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THIS? I'M SORRY.
WHO WAS THAT AGAIN? YOU KIND OF SKIPPED OUT THERE.
I HAVE, UM, I'VE LEFT MESSAGES, BUT I'VE NOT HAD ANY RESPONSES BACK ON IT.
UM, I'VE, I'VE EVEN CALLED TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY STUDIES BEING DONE ON THAT BACTERIAL COLIFORM THAT ARE IN THE, YOU KNOW, LIKE LADY BIRD, THAT'S ACTUALLY DIRECTLY CORRELATED WITH DOG WASTE OR WITH LAKE TRAVIS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF STUDIES ON IT.
THERE REALLY IS NOT ANY HARDCORE DATA OUT THERE TO CORRELATE DOG WASTE WITH THE INCREASE OF A HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOMS. I SEE.
AND WHAT ABOUT, YOU SAID YOU TALKED TO TCEQ OR THERE, AND THEY WANTED MORE DATA ON THAT.
ARE THEY, AND CAN I GET IN THIS LOOP AT ALL ABOUT, UM, IF IT DOES.
CAUSE I DID TALK TO, UM, ONE, UH, ONE PERSON THERE.
THEY, THEY WERE SAYING THAT THEY DID, UM, UH, THEY ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE PET STATIONS AND THE PARKS.
SO IF WE ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING IN THE PARKS WHERE WE HAD THIS PILOT PROGRAM, THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS SOME, THERE IS SOME GRANT MONEY OR SOME FUNDING THAT CAN BE PUT INTO THIS PILOT PROGRAM.
SO I HAVE AVAILABLE FOR AUSTIN.
WELL MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING, UH, ARR COULD LOOK AT.
THAT IS A GOOD THOUGHT ACTUALLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ERIE? NO, THE QUESTIONS, AMANDA.
TRUST ME, TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE ZOOM MEETING HERE, BUT UH, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: February 9th, 2022, Regular Meeting Minutes]
ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 9TH, 2022 MEETING.I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND OR MOVE.
SO, UM, I'VE NOTICED A FEW STRANGE, UH, TRANSCRIPTIONS.
I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF THE AUTO, UM, SO ON PAGE 11, I ACCESSED THAT COMMISSIONER MUSSINO THAT REPLIED, I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE LITTLE BASEMENT SERVICES.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WAS LEAD ABATEMENT SERVICES.
AND THEN LATER ON, UM, IT HAS COMMISSIONER WHITE.
OH, LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND THIS.
WE HAD ANOTHER INTERESTING, UM, I WAS, I'M GOING TO MISS IT OUT, BUT IT WAS ANOTHER, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE WAY EARTH AND I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE WAIVER INSTEAD OF WAY BIRTH.
SO JUST, UH, THERE MIGHT BE SOME ISSUES WITH THE TRANSCRIPT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORTH ANOTHER READ-THROUGH OR IF WE COULD JUST MAKE THOSE POINT CORRECTIONS, UM, LEAD ABATEMENT AND WAIVER.
UH, WE COULDN'T BLAME SIRI, BUT
[00:30:01]
PROBABLY WON'T DO US ANY GOOD.YOU KNOW, HAVING SAID THAT AND THAT IS A GOOD THOUGHT.
I MEAN TO CORRECT THE A MINUTES, I THINK DWIGHT HAS PROMISED THAT IN THE FUTURE, THE MINUTES ARE GOING TO CONDENSE THEMSELVES.
INSTEAD OF HAVING A NOVEL HERE, WE'LL HAVE JUST THE CONCISE, UH, POINTED, UH, ITEMS THAT WERE ADDRESSED AND THE RESULTS OF THOSE ITEMS. BUT, UH, YEAH, I WILL.
IF THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO DEFER THIS UNTIL SOME CORRECTIONS ARE MADE, WE CAN DO THAT.
I SEE A ONE THUMB UP TWO THUMBS, ALL EVERYBODY.
LET'S UH, LET'S DEFER THIS COMMISSIONERS UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING.
DWIGHT, IS THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE WE GOING TO MOVE THAT ITEM? UH, THE NEXT
[2A. Discussion and Action: Officer Elections- Commissioners- Gerry Acuna]
ITEM IS THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS.AND IS ITEM TWO, A GUYS YOU'RE ON, I NOMINATE JERRY AKUNA THAT'S CHAIR.
DID WE GET A LARGER BUDGET THIS YEAR OR IS THAT STILL TO BE DISCUSSED? STAFF? JUST, UH, WE'LL ALL BENEFIT.
I PROMISE YOU, BUT NONETHELESS GUYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE CONFIDENCE AND HOPEFULLY I WILL NOT LET YOU GUYS DOWN ALL THOSE.
WE HAVE A, UH, EMOTION FOR A CHAIRMANSHIP AND A SECOND BY AMANDA MOVES JONATHAN SECONDS.
I'D LIKE TO KEEP THE TEAM IF POSSIBLE, BUT, UH, MS. GUTU SO SHE'S GOOD AT YELLING AND, UH, GOOD.
IT'S UH, LISTENING TO SOMEBODY LIKE ME EXPLODE EVERY NOW AND THEN, BUT NONETHELESS, I'M JUST BEING SILLY GUYS.
SO WE'VE GOT, UH, WE'VE GOT EMOTION.
WE HAVE INTIMATE, BUT THE THING AND BY THE WAY, I'M HERE EVERY THURSDAY.
SO ANYWAY, LET'S SEE, WE'VE GOT A, WE HAVE A MOTION FOR KATHY AS A VICE-CHAIR SECOND BY JAAN ERIE.
NO QUESTIONS OR, OR CHALLENGES.
[2B. Discussion and Action: Joint Sustainability Committee Representation Selection- Gerry Acuna]
MOVING ON.THE NEXT ITEM IS THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING I THINK RIGHT NOW THAT IS A
MELISSA DID WANT TO CONTINUE ON WITH THAT.
MELISSA IS STILL WAITING TO BE REAPPOINTED AS A COMMISSIONER.
SO WE DO HAVE AT LEAST A ONE OPENING AND I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST MELISSA, BE PUT ON THERE AS A CONTINGENCY.
AND IF SHE IS REAPPOINTED, THEN WE'RE, WE'RE SET AND WE KEEP THE SAME KNOWLEDGE ON, ON THE COMMITTEE.
BUT, UH, SINCE SHE'S NOT BEEN APPOINTED, I THINK WE STILL NEED, UH, ONE MORE REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT.
SO JERRY, ARE YOU SAYING THAT SHE HAS NOT BEEN REAPPOINTED TO THIS CONDITION? CORRECT.
AND SHE'S WAITING FOR, FOR POINTY OR APPOINTMENT? I SHOULD SAY SHE WAS A, A, HER, HER A COUNCIL MEMBER IS NEW, SO THEY ARE TRYING TO FILL THEIR, UH, THEIR ROLES RIGHT NOW.
SO CAN I ASK A CAVE OF SOMETHING PLEASE? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ARE WE SAYING THERE'S ONLY ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM IRR OR THERE ARE TWO, THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE AND THEN AN ALTERNATE IN CASE THAT PERSON CAN'T ATTEND.
AND WHEN ARE THEY MEETINGS? NORMALLY THEY NORMALLY THE FOURTH, A WEDNESDAY AT WHAT? AT WHAT TIME? DURING THE DAY, NO SIX IS A FIXED OR SIX 30.
IT'S MOVED A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT I THINK WE'RE NOW AT SIX.
[00:35:01]
INTERESTED IN, UH, AN ALTERNATIVE IF MELISSA'S GETS THAT POSITION.SO SHOULD WE PUNISH MELISSA BY, BY APPOINTING HER TO THIS, TO THIS COMMITTEE AND, UH, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY SHE WILL BE REAPPOINTED.
AND IF NOT, KATHY, THIS IS YOURS AS THE ALTERNATE COMMISSIONER.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? UH, DEFINITELY SUP SUPPORT ALL OF THAT.
I AM JUST WONDERING, ARE WE TECHNICALLY ABLE TO APPOINT SOMEBODY WHO HASN'T ON OUR COMMISSION CURRENTLY? THE WAY IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME IS SHE IS ON THERE.
SHE HAD TO TAKE HER, UH, WHAT IS IT, THE, UH, ACTUAL, UH, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE, I WANT TO, WHAT IS THE ONLINE CERTIFICATION TRAINING CITY CLERKS TRAINING CENTER.
AND SHE'S BEEN CONFIRMED BY COUNSEL TO THIS COMMISSION, CORRECT.
AND LESS, IN FACT, IT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.
WHAT TO ERR, ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY, PERHAPS KATHY, YOU CAN TAKE THE ROLE AND THEN MELISSA COULD BE A ALTERNATIVE IF WE, I WANT TO DO THAT.
WELL, IT MAY NOT BE FAIR TO HER.
UM, DO WE HAVE TO DO THAT TONIGHT? NOW WE CAN DEFER THAT.
WE CAN DEFER THAT TO, UH, I GUESS TO OUR MAY MEETING, I WILL SAY IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE SOMEBODY REPRESENTED REPRESENTING THIS COMMISSION AT OUR UPCOMING MEETING.
UM, AT THE END OF THIS MONTH ON THE 27TH.
UM, IS THERE, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK ABOUT MAKING THE, I MEAN, I GUESS IT DOESN'T REALLY, IF WE CAN MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS AS YOU SUGGESTED, AND THEN AT THE, I GUESS YOU COULD POTENTIALLY ATTEND, IT SOUNDS LIKE MELISSA PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTEND THEN.
I DUNNO, I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THE TIMELINE AND THE ORDER OF OPERATIONS.
SO WHEN DOES I'M GOOD, JONATHAN, CAN WE JUST GO AHEAD AND APPOINT KATHY AS THE ALTERNATE AND HAVE THE, THE MAIN SEAT VACANT? WE COULD TAKE THAT UP.
AND THAT WAY SHE WOULD BE THE ALTERNATIVE, YOU KNOW, AND SHE WOULD ATTEND THIS MONTHLY MEETING REGARDLESS.
KATHY, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? YES, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
THANK YOU EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION.
SO MAKE IT OFFICIAL THEN KATHY, YOU'RE THE ALTERNATE AND, UH, I GUESS, UH, ARE WE COMFORTABLE NAMING MELISSA AS THE ACTUAL A MEMBER ON THIS COMMITTEE? OR DO YOU WANT TO DEFER THAT AND JUST LEAVE KATHY AS HE, UH, YEAH, I WAS JUST ASKING ANY CASE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU INITIALLY WERE JUST SAYING CHIN, HE HADN'T DONE THE PAPERWORK OR THE TRAINING.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING SHE HADN'T ACTUALLY BEEN A POINT, JEN.
SO I BOUGHT THE SECOND THAT MOTION OR ALRIGHT.
COMMISSIONER IS WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A MOTION MELISSA, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE AND KATHY AS THE, UH, ALTERNATE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS COMMISSIONER.
[2C. Discussion and Action: Amendment to Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) Administrative Rules 4.1 RCA- Jason McCombs]
THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE A, WHAT IS IT? ITEM TWO C, WHICH IS THE AMENDMENT TO THE AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.4.1, I GUESS, OR HI, GOOD EVENING.
COMMISSIONER KEN SNIPES, DIRECT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UM, JASON MCCOMBS IS GOING TO BE COMING UP TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT ITEM AND THEN ALSO STAFF WILL BE COVERING THE NEXT ITEM AS WELL.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, UH, JASON MCCOMBS PROGRAM MANAGER WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UH, THIS ITEM WE HAVE HERE BEFORE US, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S A, AN AMENDMENT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES RELATED TO MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES.
IT'S REALLY JUST SIMPLY CORRECTING AN INCONSISTENCY IN LANGUAGE BETWEEN WHAT'S IN THE CODE AND WHAT RIGHT.
WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR RULES RIGHT NOW, BROADLY SPEAKING, UH, THE CODE THAT'S THE LAW AND THEN THE ADMIN RULES INSTRUCT STAFF ON HOW TO CARRY OUT THAT LAW.
UH, I THINK YOU'LL SEE IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN THE CODE IS SAYING THAT, UM, ANYTHING WITH FIVE DWELLING UNITS
[00:40:01]
OR, UH, GREATER, UM, WILL RECEIVE PRIVATE SERVICE AND THEY BECOME PART OF THE EURO FOURPLEX OR LESS RECEIVES A CITY SERVICE.BUT WHAT WE'VE GOT WRITTEN IN THE RULES IS IN THE CONFLICT IS IT SAYS THREE DWELLING UNITS OR LESS.
AND SO, BECAUSE HE GETS TO, IT'S AN IMPORTANT DEMARCATION LINE.
IT'S AN ERROR THAT WE'VE BEEN AWARE OF FOR AWHILE.
AND WE'VE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THE FIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE UNITS OR MORE BEING UNDER THE EURO.
AND SO REALLY THIS IS JUST TO FIX A, UM, IT'S, THERE'S NO CHANGE TO THE BUDGET OPERATIONS.
IT'S JUST A TEXT ERROR, JUST ALIGNING, UM, LANGUAGE AND BOTH DOCUMENTS.
SO ALL OUR DOCUMENTS ARE IN ALIGNMENT.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU, JASON COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? THAT WAS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD COMMISSIONERS
SO THIS DOES LOOK STRAIGHT, BUT I'M JUST, UH, I'M SURE THAT MAYBE THE REST OF YOU GOT AN EMAIL ABOUT THIS ITEM AND THAT PERSON SEEMED TO THINK THAT THERE WAS, THAT THE INTENT WAS TO, UM, KIND OF STICK WITH, UH, I GUESS THE DUMPSTER SERVICE AS OPPOSED TO CURB SERVICE OR FOURPLEXES.
AND THAT THIS WAS SOMEHOW TIED TO THAT.
I GUESS I'M SEEING THAT HERE, BUT CAN SOME, CAN SOMEBODY SPEAK TO, IS, IS THAT IN ANY WAY LINKED TO THIS? I AM, UH, STAFF, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? I COMMISSIONER AGAIN, KEN SNYDER DIRECTOR OFFICER RESOURCE RECOVERY.
NO, THOSE TWO AREN'T TIED TOGETHER.
THIS IS ABOUT JUST CONSISTENT LANGUAGE ACROSS THE, UM, ACROSS THE CODE AND ALSO THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.
SO THERE'S SOME INCONSISTENCIES REFERRING TO THE EXACT SAME STATEMENTS, BUT DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO CLEAN THOSE THINGS UP.
SO THIS IS JUST AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE.
SO I GUESS JUST TO BE TOTALLY CLEAR, UM, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION IN THE PAST ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WITH DUMPSTER SERVICE FOR FOURPLEXES, UM, WHICH I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DETAILS, BUT IT'S BEING USED IN SOME PLACES.
AND THIS PERSON SEEMED TO THINK THAT SOMEHOW THIS CHANGE WAS, UM, SOLIDIFYING, UH, DUMPSTER SERVICE.
WOULD IT BE YOUR STATEMENT THAT THE ARR WOULD STILL BE LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO INFER THOSE DUMPSTER? THOSE WITH DUMPSTER SERVICE PROVIDED BY ARR TO CART SERVICE? THAT IS CORRECT.
THERE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, A TRANSITION FROM DUMPSTERS TO CARTS.
UM, THOSE, UH, AS A RESULT OF, UH, SEVERAL REQUESTS FROM CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE REACHED OUT TO US TO ASK US TO PERFORM STUDIES IN A COUPLE OF AREAS.
SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT EFFORT, BUT THAT'S NOT QUITE WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
THIS IS JUST ABOUT AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE, CLEANING UP THE LANGUAGE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? QUESTIONS.
UM, WHAT ABOUT THE STRIKE OUT OF THE PAY AS YOU THROW LANGUAGE? IS THAT JUST OLD TERMINOLOGY? UM, THAT'S CORRECT.
JASON, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? YEP, SURE.
IT'S JUST CLEANING UP THE LANGUAGE.
IT'S VERY SPECIFIC, BUT OF OLDER TERMINOLOGY.
IT'S IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, HYPER-FOCUSED ON THE, UH, ON A WELD CALLED THE PAYERS REFORM SYSTEM.
AND SO IT'S, UH, OUR, WE LOOK TO OUR FEE SCHEDULE EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S APPROVED BY COUNCIL FOR SERVICES, NOT THE PAY AS YOU THROW.
UM, AND SO WE'RE JUST ALIGNING WITH THAT.
THANK YOU NEAR THE QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, COMMISSIONERS.
SO JUST TO BE SUPER CLEAR AND SORRY, THIS CHANGE IN LANGUAGE DOES NOT AFFECT ANY FOURPLEXES THAT ARE CURRENTLY GETTING CARTS TO THEN NOW HAVE THEM RECEIVE DUMPSTERS, CORRECT.
JUST WANT TO BE REALLY SURE ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS JUST AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE.
ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR, UM, AOR IS THAT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, WE BRING THOSE TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO AT SOME POINT WE'D LIKE TO COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THESE TYPES OF CHANGES, WHERE IT'S JUST CLEANING UP LANGUAGE THAT WE NOT HAVE TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S ALL, THIS IS ABOUT THE, UM, DUMPSTER TO CARTS.
TRANSITION IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EFFORT.
AND, UM, ASIDE FROM THIS, THIS PARTICULAR EFFORT, SO THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT MODIFYING THE LANGUAGE SO THAT WE'RE USING CONSISTENT LANGUAGE.
[00:45:01]
THANK YOU, KEN COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS HERE? YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION COMMISSIONERS, I GUESS WHAT WOULD THE APPROPRIATE MOTION HERE BE FOR OUR ACTION? IS IT TO GIVE A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION? IS IT TO, I WOULD ASSUME SUPPORTING CHANGE, SUPPORTING THE CHANGE AS NOTED AS A, AS PRESENTED.AND I, I, I MOVED TO SUPPORT THE CHANGE AS NOTED, STATED BY STAFF COMMISSIONER RONA.
DO I HEAR A SECOND COMMISSIONING WIDE SECONDS? YAWN THIRDS.
SO ANYWAY GUYS, ALLAH, HOW WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO ACCEPT THE ITEM AS, AS A CHANGED HEARING? NO QUESTIONS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SCREAM OR DO SOMETHING.
[2D. Discussion and Action: Budget Forecast for FY23- Victoria Rieger]
IS THE BUDGET FORECAST ITEM TWO D BUDGET FORECAST.I THINK VICTORIA IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THAT.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
ALL RIGHT, SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE PRESENTATION IS UP, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
SO GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS VICTORIA RIEGER AND I'M THE FINANCE DIVISION MANAGER FOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE DEPARTMENT'S FILE AFTER THIS EVENING'S PRESENTATION, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE NEXT SLIDE.
SO TODAY I'LL PRESENT THE INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSION ON THE CITY'S OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS.
WE'LL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S PERFORMANCE, UH, OVERVIEW BY THE RESULTS OF OUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND I'LL PRESENT THE DEPARTMENT'S FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.
AND AS PART OF THE FORECAST, I'LL PRESENT A SUMMARY OF OUR RESIDENTIAL RATES, AS WELL AS TALK ABOUT HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM OR CIP AS IT'S KNOWN.
IT'S YOUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS BEGAN WITH ARR R'S INTERNAL BUDGET KICKOFF MEETING IN JANUARY WHERE DETAILED GUIDANCE WAS GIVEN TO THE DEPARTMENT IN PREPARATION FOR THE BUDGET SEASON.
ON MARCH 11TH, WE SUBMITTED OUR FORECAST TO THE BUDGET OFFICE, AND THAT FORECAST IS SCHEDULED TO BE DELIVERED TO CITY COUNCIL.
THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET IS DUE IN MAY FOLLOWED BY THE CITY'S MANAGER'S PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL IN JULY AFTER A SERIES OF WORK SESSIONS, BEGINNING IN AUGUST, THE OFFICIAL BUDGET READINGS AND ADOPTION WILL OCCUR AUGUST 17TH THROUGH THE NIGHT NEXT TIME.
OKAY, SO THIS SLIDE, UM, IF YOU'LL NOTICE IT HAS A BLANK COLUMN AT THE RIGHT HEIGHT, MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DATA AT THE TIME OF POSTING THIS, UM, PRESENTATION, BUT I DO HAVE SOME NUMBERS FOR YOU AND WE CAN FILL IN THOSE BLANKS IF, IF WE NEED TO I'LL GET AN UPDATED PRESENTATION TO YOU.
UM, SO THIS IS, UH, LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT'S PERFORMANCE RESULTS IN THOSE KEY INDICATORS.
THE TABLE PRESENTS THE PAST THREE FISCAL YEAR RESULTS AND PROVIDES A LOOK AT WHAT WE PROJECT FOR FISCAL YEAR 22.
UM, AND AS MENTIONED AT THE TIME OF POSTING, WE DIDN'T HAVE FISCAL YEAR 22 ESTIMATED NUMBERS.
UH, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE REASON FOR THAT BLANK COLUMN.
HOWEVER, BASED ON, ON YOUR TO DATE INFORMATION, AND REALLY THE ONLY NOTABLE, UH, ESTIMATE THAT DEVIATES FROM FISCAL YEAR 21 IS GOING TO BE THE DIVERSION NUMBER.
SO THAT'S THE FOURTH, UH, FOURTH ROW THERE.
UM, WE ESTIMATE THAT WE'LL END THE YEAR AT 40, UH, 0.29, WHICH IS DOWN FROM 41.9696 IN FISCAL YEAR 21.
WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN TRASH AND RECYCLING RESIDUALS, COUPLED WITH SLIGHT DECREASES IN TEXTILES AND RECYCLABLES.
THIS SLIGHT DECREASE IN DIVERSION MAY ALSO BE A REFLECTION OF LESS PEOPLE BEING AT HOME AS THEY RETURNED TO THE WORKPLACE.
[00:50:03]
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MEASURE FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 AND 21 ACTUALS, UH, HAS NO DATA.AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT IS PERFORMED BY THE CITY EVERY YEAR WAS POSTPONED DUE TO DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY PLANS TO, TO RESUME THAT COMMUNITY SURVEY.
UM, I HOPE THAT THEY DO, BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS A SUMMARY OF OUR FORECAST BUDGET, UH, DIRECTING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE, TO THE TOP BUBBLES AREA AT THE TOP.
UM, OUR CURRENT BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 IS 112.3 MILLION COST DRIVERS OF 2.5 MILLION ARE ADDED TO THAT.
PLUS A 1.6 MILLION IN NEW INVESTMENTS AMOUNTS TO OUR FISCAL YEAR 23 FORECAST BUDGET OF 116.4 MILLION.
AND THAT'S A ABOUT A 3.6 INCREASE OVER THE SCHOOL YEAR OF 22.
SO COST DRIVERS, THOSE, THOSE COST DRIVERS REPRESENT ITEMS, UM, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTUAL INCREASES THAT THE DEPARTMENT SEES EVERY YEAR, UH, COMMODITIES INCREASES, WAGE ADJUSTMENTS, FLEET, AND FUEL MAINTENANCE AND VARIOUS CITY ALLOCATIONS THAT GET PASSED THROUGH PAST THREE TO US, THE NEW INVESTMENT NUMBER THAT YOU SEE THERE INCLUDES FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 7 NEW POSITIONS, UH, PLUS VARIOUS PERSONNEL COSTS, UM, OVER THE WALL THAT'S IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
UM, SO THE VARIOUS PERSONNEL COSTS INCLUDE THE DRIVER INCENTIVE PACKAGE, UH, AND HEALTH INSURANCE AS EXAMPLES.
SO OUR FIVE-YEAR FORECAST INCLUDES A TOTAL OF 51 NEW POSITIONS, UH, TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS AND TO KEEP UP WITH CUSTOMER GROWTH, THE DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO INCREASING SUPPORT SERVICES STAFF, UH, WHICH IS GREATLY NEEDED TO BALANCE THE ANNUAL INCREASES IN OPERATIONAL STAFF THAT OCCURS WITH CONTINUED CUSTOMER GROWTH.
THE FORECAST INCLUDES AN INCREASE TO OUR BASE RATE OVER THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD OF THE DOLLAR 35.
WE DO, WE DO NOT PLAN TO INCREASE THE BASE RATE IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
FROM LAST YEAR, WE FORECAST AN INCREASE TO THE BASE RATE IN THE EVEN YEAR, UH, INES YEAR WE'VE CONTINUED WITH THAT SAME PLAN.
SO YOU'LL SEE IT AN INCREASE IN THE BASE RATE IN FISCAL YEAR 24 AND 26, THE DEPARTMENT WAS ASKED TO ASSIST WITH HOMELESS AND CANDIDATE CLEANUPS ON PARKLAND THIS YEAR, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, WE ARE NEEDING TO INCREASE OUR CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 23 BY 15 CENTS.
AND OUR COST OF SERVICE MODEL ALSO CALLS FOR A RATE INCREASES AND ALL CART SIZES IN FISCAL YEAR 24 AND 26.
I'LL TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT WRITING UP DOT OUR RATES IN A BIT, BUT AS THE GRAPH SHOWS OUR FIVE-YEAR FORECAST CHOSE THE TYPICAL RATE PAIR IMPACT, WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY THE GREAT GRAY LINE GOING UP OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
HOWEVER, YOU'LL FIND THAT RATES ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN UNCHANGED IN FISCAL YEAR 25 AND FISCAL YEAR 27 EXCI.
UM, SO HOW DO WE DEVELOP OUR RATES EVERY YEAR? THE DEPARTMENT PERFORMS A COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF OUR CURRENT RATES ARE SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE COSTS OF PROVIDING PARTICULAR SERVICE.
THE COMPONENTS OF RATE DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EXPENSES, INCLUDING ANY REVENUE OFFSETS AND THE BASIS FOR THAT RATE DEVELOPMENT IS OUR PROJECTED CUSTOMER COUNT X, LIKE AS WE DEVELOP OUR RATES, WE FACTOR IN THE TOTAL COSTS OF PROVIDING A SERVICE.
TOTAL COSTS IS GOING TO INCLUDE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EXPENSES.
AND SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE ARE ON THIS SLIDE, UH, DIRECT EXPENSES, UM, OUR COSTS OF EQUIPMENT, FUEL VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPLIES, UM, AND EMPLOYEE COSTS.
ALL OF THE SUPPORT SERVICE SUPPORT FUNCTIONS ARE CLASSIFIED AS INDIRECT EXPENSES AND INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT STAFF.
WE ALSO HAVE A LARGE PORTION OF INDIRECT EXPENSES THAT ARE EXTERNAL TO THE DEPARTMENT, UM, BUT ALSO ADMINISTRATIVE IN NATURE.
THOSE INCLUDE COSTS OF PROVIDING CITYWIDE SUPPORT,
[00:55:01]
UH, FROM OFFICES, UH, SUCH AS CORPORATE PURCHASING BUDGET, UM, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, UM, OR JUST A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES AS WE DEVELOP OUR RATES.AND AS A MATTER OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, OUR DEPARTMENT REVIEWS THE COST OF SERVICE MODEL EVERY YEAR IN AN, UH, IN ORDER TO KEEP COSTS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SERVICES PROVIDED.
SO THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF OUR FUND SUMMARY.
THIS SHOWS OUR BEGINNING FUND BALANCE THEN ADDS IN OUR FORECAST REVENUE, SUBTRACTS, OUR FORECAST EXPENDITURES.
AND THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO IS THE CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE.
AND THE END RESULT, UM, IS OUR PROJECTED ENDING FUND.
NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE THIS FUN SUMMARY SHOWS A BALANCED BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR IN THAT GRAY COLUMN, FISCAL YEAR 23, AND OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD, THE RATE INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, COUPLED WITH THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASES OVER THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST, UH, PUTS THE DEPARTMENT IN A MUCH BETTER FINANCIAL POSITION.
HAVING A BALANCED BUDGET WILL ALLOW US TO BEGIN MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, THAT THE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO PURSUE LOOKING AT THE FTE COUNT AT THE BOTTOM.
YOU'LL FIND THE ADDITION OF SEVEN NEW POSITIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 23 AND AN ADDITIONAL 44 POSITIONS, OUR FORECAST OVER THE FOLLOWING, UH, FOUR YEARS EXCITE.
OKAY, THIS IS THE LOOK THAT THIS IS A LOOK AT THE FORECAST FOR OUR THREE MAJOR RATES, WHICH COMPRISE 93% OF THE DEPARTMENT'S TOTAL REVENUE.
AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE PERFORM A COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS EVERY YEAR TO DETERMINE THE REQUIRED LEVEL OF THOSE RATES.
WE'RE FORECASTING, A MINIMAL RATE INCREASE.
AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, DID THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE IN FISCAL YEAR 23 IN THAT'S THE YELLOW COLUMN THERE, UH, WITH NO FURTHER INCREASES PROJECTED, UH, TO THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FOR YOU FOR THE REMAINING FORECAST PERIOD, WE'RE FORECASTING INCREMENTAL INCREASES TO THE BASE RATE, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 24 AND 26 TO ACCOUNT FOR CONTINUED GROWTH.
WE'RE FORECASTING A RATE CHANGE TO OUR CART FEES, UH, OVER THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT WITH PROJECTIONS AND POPULATION GROWTH, DISTRIBUTION OF CART SIZES AMONG CUSTOMERS, AND BASED ON FORECASTED COSTS OF SERVICE.
OVERALL, OUR TYPICAL RATE PAYER THAT LAST COLUMN THERE HAS DEFINED AS THE RESIDENTIAL CURBSIDE COLLECTION CUSTOMER THAT HAS A 64 GALLON TRASH CART.
WE'LL SEE AN INCREASE OF 15 CENTS AND THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 23, EXCELLENT.
THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM CIP FORECAST INCLUDES 15.7 MILLION IN PLANTS SPENDING.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, AIR RS FIVE-YEAR CIP PLAN IS LARGELY DEVOTED TO THE ONGOING PURCHASE OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, PRIMARILY VEHICLES, UH, SPENDING ON NEW AND REPLACEMENT VEHICLES OVER THE FORECAST.
FIVE YEAR FORECAST PERIOD IS EXPECTED TO RANGE ANYWHERE FROM 13 AND A HALF MILLION TO 15.9 MILLION.
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, ONE THING THAT ISN'T ON THIS SLIDE, UH, BUT IT'S, UH, IMPORTANT.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT HAS SEVERAL CAPITAL PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE A FINANCIAL IMPACT.
UH, SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE ARE THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER IN A POSSIBLE TRANSFER STATION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THE LAST SLIDE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU, VICTORIA COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I ON, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I'M SORRY.
YEAH, I DO A COUPLE, I GUESS IT'S A COUPLE AREAS.
ONE IN LIGHT OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING SOME PRIVATE COMPANIES HERE TALKING ABOUT SUBSCRIPTIONS, WHICH IF I UNDERSTAND OUR CURRENT FEE STRUCTURE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 30 TO 50% SUBSET OF OUR RATE THAT IS THEIR SUBSCRIPTION TO DO SMALL SUPPLEMENTAL CHANGES, AND I'M WONDERING, ARE WE PROPERLY? AND
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THAT'S GREAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FILLING GAPS POTENTIALLY.UM, BUT WOULD IT BE WITH THE PUBLIC, BE BETTER SERVED BY, YOU KNOW, AN INCREASE ON OUR SIDE, WHICH I'M NOT SURE WE CAN GET PAST, BUT, AND, UM, FILLING THAT AT A CITY LEVEL RATHER THAN THROUGH PRIVATE SECTORS.
AND MAYBE THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS BUDGET DISCUSSION, BUT WONDERING IF, IF THAT TYPE OF THING IS TAKEN TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT, VICTORIA.
SO WE, WE'VE NOT BEEN ASKED TO REALLY, UH, DO ANY FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ON THOSE KINDS OF SERVICES THAT THESE PRIVATE ENTITIES ARE OFFERING.
AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IF THE DIRECTOR CHOSE FOR US TO DO THAT, UM, I'M GOING TO LET KEN AND OR RICHARD CHIME IN ON, ON THAT.
THEY, IF THEY'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN, KEN SNIPES DIRECTOR, SUMMER SOCIAL RECOVERY, WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, I THINK, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY HERE HAS BEEN FOR, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, BUSINESSES TO COME IN AND, AND LOOK AT AREAS THAT WERE NOT CURRENT CURRENTLY SERVICING.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ITEMS IN THE, ON THAT WISHLIST THAT WE WILL BE SERVICING AT SOME POINT.
SO, UH, WE'LL CERTAINLY KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP ON THAT.
AND AS IT'S APPROPRIATE, WE CAN LOOP BACK IN AND TALK ABOUT, UH, STUDIES THAT WE'RE DOING TO, TO, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO TAKE ON SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL SERVICES OR ADD SOME OF THOSE ITEMS TO OUR CURRENT SERVICE, UH, SERVICE, UH, SERVICES THAT WE OFFER.
OR EVEN IT MIGHT EVEN BE EDUCATION TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, JUST RECOGNIZING THAT A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT WE ALREADY DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE THINGS, MAYBE IN SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAYS, OF COURSE NOT NECESSARILY PICKING IT UP FROM YOUR DOORSTEP.
AND WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BE MORE CONVENIENT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF SERVICES THAT WE ADD AND WHERE WE ADD THEM.
UH, YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE OFFERED SOME SERVICES CURBSIDE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH HW, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO, UH, IT CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER DIVE INTO, AND, UH, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO DO THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER, I GUESS, LINE OF INQUIRY IS AROUND, UM, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING THERE, AS WELL AS THE, THE FEES, THE EXPENSES SURROUNDING FUEL COSTS.
CLEARLY THIS YEAR, WE HAD A BIT OF A SURPRISE IN TERMS OF THE INCREASE IN FUEL COSTS.
UM, I'M SURE THAT'S ALREADY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE POTENTIAL FOR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS HAPPENING IN YOUR PROJECTIONS.
UM, IN REGARD TO THAT, THOUGH, I KNOW WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT MORE, UM, VEHICLES THAT USE RENEWABLE FUELS, UM, SPECIFICALLY ELECTRIC AND WONDERING HOW MUCH OF THAT, IF ANY, IS INCLUDED IN THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST, SINCE WE ARE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT ACCELERATION IN OTHER SECTORS FOR USE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES, UM, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING OF COURSE THAT IT'S, UM, IT'S A CHALLENGE GIVEN THE ROUTES IN THE AUSTIN AREA AND THE, THE WEIGHT AND SIZE OF THESE VEHICLES.
WE'RE CERTAINLY HAVING EARLY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR OWN GREEN FEET GREEN FLEET PROGRAM.
UH, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO PUSH OUT IN THAT SPACE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE IN OUR SYSTEM TO MAKE IT WORK IN TERMS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES, IT'S A TRANSFER STATION.
SO AS YOU REMEMBER RIGHT NOW, OUR VEHICLES DRIVE QUITE A DISTANCE TO, UH, TO THE LANDFILL AND THEN BACK TO THE ROUTES.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT HAS TO BE ADDED TO OUR SYSTEM BEFORE WE CAN REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UM, THAT SAID, WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER, UH, OTHER OPTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CNG, UH, VEHICLES IN OUR INVENTORY.
UH, AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE UNTIL WE CAN GET THE IDEAL ASSETS ADDED TO OUR SYSTEM.
I, A TRANSFER FACILITY, UH, THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER WOULD ALSO PROVIDE SOME BENEFITS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE LOCATED OF COURSE, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CITY.
AND SO THE, UH, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO SPLIT OUR FLEET IN HALF AND HAVE THE FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, ON THE NORTH SIDE, PRIMARILY FOCUS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CITY.
AND, UH, THE FOLKS THAT, UH, DISPATCH OUT OF THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY, WE'RE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THAT AREA.
SO I GUESS IN A MORE POINTED WAY THEN, IS THAT GIVEN THE CURRENT BUDGET PROJECTIONS, IS THERE ANY ROOM FOR MOVING CERTAIN FLEET EQUIPMENT TO ELECTRIC GIVEN THE CURRENT BUDGET OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS? WELL, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF, UH, PURCHASES, BUT NOTHING WHOLESALE AT THIS POINT.
UM, JUST BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REALIZE THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE TECHNOLOGY RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE, THE TRANSFER STATION IS A MAJOR GAME CHANGER IN TERMS OF, UH, BEING ABLE TO, UH, DRIVE A MUCH SHORTER DISTANCE BETWEEN OUR SERVICE AREAS AND BACK TO THE ROUTES.
AND SO, UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO TIP
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OUR MATERIALS AND GET RIGHT BACK TO THE ROUTES.RIGHT NOW WE SPEND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WINDSHIELD TIME, UH, BECAUSE OUR SERVICE CENTERS ARE PRETTY FAR OUT.
SO WE'RE JUST, IT'S A TIMING WE'RE TALKING YEARS TO GET THE TRANSFER CENTER SET UP IS I WOULD ASSUME.
UH, I MEAN A FACILITY OF THAT TYPE, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE CIP PROJECT.
WE'D HAVE TO FIND A LOCATION AND GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
UH, SO IT IS A LONG PROCESS AND RIGHT NOW, UH, WHAT WE'RE REALLY, WHAT WE'VE REALLY DONE UP TO THIS POINT IS TRY TO IDENTIFY A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES OR POTENTIAL AREAS WHERE IT MAKES SENSE TO TRY TO DO THAT SORT OF THING.
KNOW I CAN I EVEN, WELL, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I ACTUALLY THINK AMANDA HAD HER HAND UP BEFORE.
I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, ABOUT THE BUDGET.
DOES THIS INCLUDE ANY SALARY INCREASE? I SAW THERE WERE SOME NEW POSITIONS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE INCREASED WORKLOAD, BUT ANY INCREASES OR, UH, WAGES AND SALARY.
AND WE, WE HAD TALKED TO A FEW MEETINGS AGO ABOUT JUST THE LARGE ATTRITION AND THE NEED FOR BETTER WAGES.
I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S INCLUDED HERE IT IS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT AND THEN I CAN FOLLOW UP.
THERE IS A, UH, A WAGE INCREASE FACTORED INTO OUR BUDGET.
UM, THE CITY IS CURRENTLY STILL, UH, UH, I GUESS, EVALUATING WHAT THAT FINAL LEVEL WILL LOOK LIKE.
UM, BUT YES, THERE IS, UH, AN OVERALL CITYWIDE, UH, A WAGE INCREASE FACTORED INTO THIS BUDGET.
I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY INTERESTED IN, IN THE DRIVER, UM, PACKAGE, UH, AND I'LL LET KEN SPEAK TO THAT.
SO AS YOU KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE BUMPED UP PAY, UM, THE BASE PAY FOR ENTRY-LEVEL FOLKS FOR, UH, BY ABOUT $2.
UH, WE'VE ALSO ADDED A SIGN ON A BONUS, AND THEN ALSO A RETENTION BONUS FOR THE FOLKS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE PEOPLE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND NOT CONTINUE TO LOSE FOLKS TO, UH, OTHER EMPLOYERS.
UH, WE'VE ALSO ADDED A COUPLE OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, A, UM, REFERRAL BONUS.
SO IF YOU REFER AN EMPLOYEE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND THEY LAST FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS, THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR AN ADDITIONAL BUMP IN PAY OR A SMALL MONETARY AMOUNT, UH, FOR, FOR EACH PERSON THAT THEY REFER TO THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS TO HELP INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SEEING COMING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, SO FAR, I MEAN, IT'S LOOKING LIKE MAYBE WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A CHANGE.
IT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT EARLY TO TELL, UM, BUT WE'LL KEEP THE COMMISSION POSTED ON, ON THOSE ITEMS AND THOSE DEVELOPMENTS AS THEY, AS THEY HAPPEN.
UH, I JUST WANT TO ASK A UP QUESTION TO THAT.
UM, I FEEL LIKE OUR, THE US, UH, KIND OF ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT SINCE THOSE RATE CHANGES WERE, UH, ORIGINALLY, UH, PROPOSED.
AND I WONDER IF YOU ALL HAVE REEVALUATED SOME OF THOSE INCENTIVES OR KIND OF THE SALARIES, UH, SINCE THEN.
CAUSE I FEEL LIKE IN JANUARY WE WERE IN A VERY DIFFERENT POSITION, UH, LIKE INFLATION INTEREST RATES, JUST ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT ECONOMIC METRICS.
SO CURIOUS IF THERE'VE BEEN ANY UPDATES, UM, AND SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, I SAW, I THINK THERE WAS SOME BIG NEWS ABOUT WALMART INCREASING THEIR BASE PAY FOR, UH, CDL DRIVERS AND, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF OTHER, UM, COMPETITORS TO, UH, THAT SAME TALENT POOL.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE RATE WAS A CONCERN EARLY ON, UH, TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, SO JUST CURIOUS IF THERE HAVE BEEN UPDATES THERE, UH, SINCE THAT TIME OR IF WE'RE KIND OF STILL AT THAT LEVEL, WE'LL START WE'LL STIR WAS STILL HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UH, TO BUMP UP, PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, WE STILL HAVE A GAP, UH, COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WE'RE STILL EVALUATING WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO AT WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, BUT STILL BEING MINDFUL OF THE, UH, THE BUDGET AND NOT WANTING TO, UH, UNNECESSARILY INCREASE RATES IF WE DON'T HAVE TO.
UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, ONCE WE DO THAT, THAT IS APPROPRIATE.
AND SO, UM, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT, UH, THE MARKET FOR COMMERCIAL DRIVERS RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY THE HOTTEST THAT IT'S BEEN, AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A RETRACTION IN THAT ANYTIME SOON.
UH, IF ANYTHING, UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS THAT AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WORK FROM HOME, UH,
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WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE DEMAND FOR DRIVERS.SO, UH, WE KNOW WE NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE AND WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO WORK IN THIS SPACE AND CONTINUE TO EVALUATE WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE TO CONTINUE TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR ORGANIZATION.
ALL RIGHT, KATHY, DO YOU HAVE, I'M SORRY, KAI, BUT YOU HAD A QUESTION.
AND, UM, SO MY, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, MY FIRST ONE WAS ABOUT THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE.
AND I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THAT INCREASE WAS TO COVER, UH, CLEANING UP HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ON PARKLAND.
UM, BUT I GUESS I, I SEE A MUCH, A BIGGER GAP THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH LITTER ABATEMENT AND WE'VE, WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS HERE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS ON THAT TOPIC.
AND SO I'M WONDERING, ARE THERE ADDITIONAL STAFF SLATED FOR CLEANUP BEYOND THAT AT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ON PARKLAND? WELL, WE'VE ADDED STAFF RECENTLY, UH, AND CONTINUING TO DO SO TO SUPPORT, UH, OUR CLEAN CREEKS PROGRAM, WHICH TAKES CARE OF A LOT OF THAT WORK.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, WE HAD, UH, WE ADDED STAFF TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE, UH, HOMELESS CLEANUPS EARLIER.
UH, PRIMARILY THEY, THEY HAVE BEEN FOCUSED AROUND SOME OF THE UNDERPASSES.
YOU MAY REMEMBER THE VIOLET BAG PROGRAM AND, AND SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON LITTER AND DEBRIS AND TRASH AROUND ENCAMPMENTS.
SO WE HAVE, WE NOW I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY FILLING THOSE POSITIONS.
UH, SO I MEAN, IT'S A COMMON THEME, UM, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE POSITIONS DON'T PAY A LOT.
UH, THEY'RE NOT THE HIGHEST EARNERS IN THE ORGANIZATION.
UH, THE WORK IS NOT THE MOST GLAMOROUS WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE ENCAMPMENT ENVIRONMENT, IT'S A, IT'S A BIT TOUGH FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE SOME POSITIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING TO HIRE AND WORK TO FILL.
AND, UH, AS SOON AS WE CAN GET THOSE FIELD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL, UM, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE'VE IDENTIFIED POSITIONS, WE FILLED A FEW OF THEM AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK TO FILL THE OTHERS.
THOSE POSITIONS GO TOWARDS CLEAN UP.
THAT IS NOT IN PARKLANDS AND NOT IN CRATES.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT LIKE ON, YOU KNOW, ON THE SIDE OF, YOU KNOW, ON THE SIDEWALK, ON, YOU KNOW, ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IN THE AREA THAT I LIVE ON, THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF TRASH THAT IS JUST HOMICIDE.
SO MAYBE WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, ENDS UP IN THE CREEK EVENTUALLY, BUT LIKE THE, THE PLACE TO STOP IT IS, IS BEFORE INTO THE CREEK, IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THEN WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FOR SURE.
AND I GUESS ANOTHER FOLLOW UP THERE, WHAT IS THE WAY FOR THOSE POSITION, THE WEIGHT WAGE SALARY, UM, VICTORIA, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE ACTUAL WAGE WAS FOR THOSE, UM, WHICH CONCESSIONS EXACTLY FOR THE CLEAN CREEKS? YES.
I'LL HAVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
WELL, THE BASE STARTING SALARY WAS, UH, $15 AN HOUR.
AND, UH, FOR, UH, ENTRY-LEVEL DRIVERS, WE BUMPED THAT UP, UH, TWICE TO $17 AN HOUR.
WE ALSO SHORTEN THE TIME PERIOD THAT IT TAKES FOR PEOPLE TO WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SERIES.
AND SO THAT THEY GET TO A HIGHER EARNING SALARY SOONER THAN THEY WOULD HAVE BEFORE.
I IT'S MORE OF A MERIT-BASED TYPE OF A SCENARIO, AS OPPOSED TO JUST TIME-BASED.
AND I'M ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THOSE WHO WOULD BE LIKE HANDPICKING TRASH FROM VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE CITY, YOU KNOW, IN LINE WITH THE CLEAN COMMUNITY GOALS IS $16 AN HOUR NOW FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE PEOPLE.
I'M GOING TO KEEP ASKING ABOUT THIS UNTIL MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN CREATED WITH TIME-ISH.
WELL, YOU KNOW, LET ME, LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE HAVE THE PROGRAM AND IT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
AND IF IT'S NOT, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT SO WE CAN, UH, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU AND, AND MAYBE SHOW YOU SOME OF THE PROBLEM AREAS.
UM, AND I WILL JUST KIND OF SECOND THE, UM, COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE AROUND, UH, MOVING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE, UH, INCORPORATING, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHERE THERE MIGHT BE SOME ROUTES THAT COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATE
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ELECTRIC SOONER THAN, THAN OTHERS.I'M SURE THERE, THERE, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME ROUTES THAT ARE SHORTER THAN OTHERS.
UM, SO I, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S, UH, AN IMPORTANT THING TO DO SOONER THAN LATER, AND AS WELL AS THE ISSUE OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MATERIALS THAT ARE PICKED UP, UM, PERHAPS NOT IN SINGLES HERE, HIM, BUT, UH, COLLECTED.
UH, THANKS, JONATHAN, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES.
SO SOME OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR, UH, CLEANING UP OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, HAVE WE TRIED TO PARTNER WITH AGENCIES THAT WORK TO, UH, EMPLOY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, OR IS THAT A CONVERSATION THAT HA THAT'S HAVEN'T, IS THAT A CONVERSATION THAT IS HAPPENING? UH, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HELP KIND OF STACKED FUNCTIONS A LITTLE BIT.
WE HAVE, AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE CREATED WAS A STORAGE PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, TWOFOLD ONE, IT'S A REALLY SUPPORTIVE PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WHO IS, UM, IS HOMELESS IS THAT THEY LOSE THEIR THINGS.
THEY'RE THROWN AWAY, THEY'RE STOLEN, ET CETERA.
AND SO WE CREATED WHAT WAS CALLED A, WHAT IS CALLED THE VIOLET KEEPS A STORAGE PROGRAM, UH, AS 400 PLUS STORAGE CARTS FOR PEOPLE.
UH, THEY CAN IDENTIFY THAT THEY NEED THE SERVICE, UH, THEY CAN COME IN AND, UH, AND USE IT, UH, TO STAFF THAT PROGRAM.
I THINK WE'VE HIRED AS MANY, I THINK IT'S SIX PEOPLE THAT ARE PERSONS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THAT RUN THAT PROGRAM, THEY MANAGE THAT PROGRAM.
SO, UM, YES, AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AS WELL, AND LOOKING AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO HIRE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ONLY JUST HOMELESS, BUT FORMERLY INCARCERATED AND, AND OTHER PROGRAMS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING, UH, AS MANY ANGLES AS WE CAN TO TRY TO GET, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO NEED A JOB, UH, EMPLOYED WITH US, UM, IF THEY DESIRE TO WORK WITH US.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, ACTUALLY.
I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET HERE AND, AND WONDERFUL JOB, VICTORIA.
FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION HERE AGAIN, I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND JUST HARP ON, ON THE COMPETITIVENESS OF TRYING TO KEEP OUR, OUR, UH, SERVICES GOING.
I MEAN, TO ME, COMPENSATING EMPLOYEES IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
THEY ACTUALLY APPRECIATE IT VERY, VERY MUCH, WHICH WE, WE ALL, WE ALL KNOW THAT I'M LOOKING AT THE BUDGET HERE AND I, AND IT GAVE VICTORIA PLEASE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE.
YOU KNOW, OUR FORECASTED A BUDGET FOR 2023 IS A 15 CENT INCREASE OVERALL, IS THAT CORRECT? OR DID I MISS, DID I MISS THAT? THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S A 15 CENT INCREASE TO THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY INCREASE WE HAVE AND THEN IT JUMPS BACK UP AND IN, I GUESS, 20, 24 BY, BY A DOLLAR 50, WHICH IS PROBABLY MORE REALISTIC TO, I THINK IT WAS JONATHAN'S COMMENT AND MAYBE ANOTHER COMMISSIONER TO IT.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT IN, IN LIGHT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE, INFLATION AT 8.5% THAT STAFF IS TAKING A PAY CUT TO BEGIN WITH.
I PERSONALLY, AGAIN, WOULD, UH, WOULD LOVE TO, TO START IT A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, UH, RESPONSIBLY HIGHER, AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GO AND PRESENT THIS BUDGET, IT'S PRESENTED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE, FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOLKS IN, OR WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO MAYBE PUT DOWN A NUMBER TO THAT THAT WOULD MORE REFLECT THAT AS A STARTING POINT.
SECONDLY, I, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT, UH, THE GOALS OF, OF HYBRID VEHICLES AND OR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
THE TRANSFER STATION IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO IF ANDS OR BUTS ABOUT IT, THE, THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST HERE.
I WOULD THINK THAT IF WE STARTED THIS PROCESS IN 2023, THAT WITHIN FIVE YEARS, WE COULD PROBABLY GET SOMETHING COMPLETED, ESPECIALLY HAVING IDENTIFIED MAYBE A SPOT OR TWO ALREADY.
NOW THOSE NUMBERS ARE PROBABLY NOT INCLUDED IN THIS FORECAST FIGURE.
I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING, AND I LOOK AT THE COST OF EQUIPMENT HERE, $15.7 MILLION.
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EMPATHIZE WITH, WITH STAFF OR ANYBODY SHOULD WANT TO BUY A DARN TRUCK NOWADAYS.AND THEN PRIVATE SECTOR FOLKS CAN ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, SCREAM AND HOLLER HOW MUCH THE COST OF THESE VEHICLES IS GOING UP.
NOW THIS 20, 23 EXPENSE, AGAIN, THAT'S JUST FOR OUR TRADITIONAL VEHICLES, CORRECT.
THAT'S THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY ELECTRIC OR HYBRID, UH, PURCHASES.
THERE THERE'S SOME, UH, LIGHT FLEET ELECTRIC INCLUDED IN THAT.
AND THEN ALSO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF NOT A HUGE PURCHASE, BUT POSSIBLY UP TO TWO VEHICLES THAT WE WOULD PRIMARILY USE DOWNTOWN, OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE SPECIFIC ROUTES WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK.
UH, SO IT DOES INCLUDE, IT'S JUST A BASE NUMBER, BUT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF INCLUDING SOME OF THOSE VEHICLES IN THERE, UH, ON THAT SIDE, BUT WE'VE ALREADY LINED UP, I BELIEVE ON THE LIGHT FLEET SIDE, UM, SEVERAL ELECTRIC PICKUP TRUCKS, UH, THAT SHOULD BE ARRIVING.
SO, UM, WHERE WE CAN, WE ARE MOVING INTO THAT SPACE, UH, PARTICULARLY AS I SAID, RIGHT NOW, THE LIGHT FLEET MARKET IS THERE.
UH, THE HEAVY FLEET MARKET IS STILL DEVELOPING.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF, UH, VEHICLES OUT THERE THAT AREN'T QUITE READY, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, LONG DISTANCE DRIVING AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE RANGE.
AND, AND SO WE'RE STILL SORTING THROUGH SOME OF THAT, BUT THE MARKET IS CHANGING FAST AND, UH, AND WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF BEING RIGHT THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE GREEN FLEET MOVEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
UH, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO, UH, TO, TO SEE HAPPEN PRETTY QUICKLY.
UH, AND I'VE MADE THAT KNOWN TO STAFF AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE'RE WE WANT TO BE, UH, AT THE FOREFRONT AND PUSH IT OUT ON IT PRETTY QUICKLY, AS SOON AS THE TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE, UH, AND THEN, UH, PUSH THEM FORWARD WITH OUR, WITH OUR TRANSFER FACILITY.
UM, AND JUST A QUICK NOTE ON THE TRANSFER FACILITY, UM, YOU SHOULD, YOU'LL PROBABLY START TO SEE SOME OF THE PLANNING DOLLARS FOR THAT NEXT YEAR, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE ACCOUNTING FUNCTIONS HERE WITH THE CITY IS THAT WE DON'T SHOW THAT, UH, THOSE DOLLARS YET.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE SURPRISED BY, YOU KNOW, THOSE LARGE CIP PROJECTS, BUT THAT PROJECT IS COME IN AND YOU'LL START TO SEE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS AND PLANNING, UH, TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
AND TO GET BACK TO MY MAIN CONCERN HERE, THAT'S THE FRONTLINE WORKER.
I MEAN, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE KEEP THEM COMPETITIVE AND ABLE TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE? LIKE AS EVERYONE ELSE? I MEAN, WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE COMPETING, I THINK JONATHAN MENTIONED WALMART STARTING AT 110,000 A YEAR.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE WAGE OR SALARY FOR, UH, FOR A DRIVER.
CAN WE, CAN WE MATCH THAT? PROBABLY NOT, BUT WE CAN PROBABLY DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN $17 AN HOUR TO BEGIN WITH AS A, UH, AS A FRONTLINE DRIVER.
I MEAN, OUR PRIVATE, UH, PRIVATE EMPLOYERS, YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT A, STARTING AT THE 22 TO $25 AN HOUR RANGE WITH BENEFITS.
SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, HOW DO WE BALANCE IS, AND IN VICTORIA, I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND SAY, THANK YOU FIRST OFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
IT'S WONDERFUL, BUT MY CONCERNS ARE, WE DON'T SHOOT FOR THE STARS.
THEY DON'T LAND ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE MOON.
AND I WANT TO SEE, MAYBE WE CAN GO BACK AND, AND LOOK AT, UH, UH, RAISING A RAIDER TOO.
AND NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT RATING INCREASES.
TRUST ME, WE ALL PAY THAT, BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT CITY NOW THAN IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO, FIVE YEARS AGO.
I MEAN, THIS IS NIGHT AND DAY, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A BALANCE THERE THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR THE, FOR THE WORKER, FOR THE EMPLOYEE.
I MEAN, FOR STAFF, I JUST, ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS AND, AND COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER WHITE TO GO AHEAD.
AND I THINK IT'S DOING BETTER FOR THE WORKER, BUT FRANKLY, IF THERE ARE POSITIONS THAT CAN'T BE FILLED, THEN IT'S, IT'S ALSO A MATTER OF DOING BETTER AUSTIN INCIDENTS, RIGHT.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT FILLING THE POSITION, THE WORK ISN'T GETTING DONE AND, UH, AND, AND WE ALL SUFFER THOSE CONSEQUENCES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST, UM, ASIDE FROM, ASIDE FROM YES, DOING THE RIGHT THING BY THE WORKER, IT'S ALSO JUST LIKE, IF WE WANT THE JOB DONE, WE HAVE TO PAY WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET SOMEBODY TO DO THESE JOBS? LIKE, LET'S, LET'S BE PRAGMATIC ABOUT IT.
UM, BECAUSE WE CAN SAY, WELL, WE DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE THAT EXPENSIVE, BUT YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, WE, AREN'T GONNA, WE, AREN'T GOING TO HAVE FORCED LABOR HERE TO, TO DO THIS WORK.
[01:25:01]
WE'RE GOING TO PAY PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO DO IT FOR THE, THAT OFFER.AND, UM, IF, IF NOBODY IS WILLING TO TAKE THE POSITION, THEN THAT MEANS WE'RE NOT HEARTBREAKING AND NOT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WAY AROUND THAT FACT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, LIKE, WE GOTTA JUST, WE GOTTA DO WHAT IT TAKES TO DO THE WORK.
COMMISSIONER WHITE, ANY OF THE COMMENTS, JOHN, AND THEN KATHY, YES.
KIM I'M PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT JERRY SAID AND ALSO OKAY.
BUT TELL US ABOUT THE CHALLENGE OF, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU FOUND THE RIGHT IT'S GONE UP MAYBE $2 AN HOUR OR SOMETHING POSSIBLY, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT THIS, KNOWING THAT WE'RE NOT COMPETITIVE NOW? SURE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR THAT QUESTION.
UH, WE STARTED OUT WITH A TARGET OF BETWEEN 22 TO $24 AN HOUR.
THAT'S WHERE WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO BE.
UM, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, BEFORE LAST YEAR, THE RATE WAS $15 AN HOUR.
UH, AND SO WE PUSHED PRETTY HARD TO TRY TO MOVE THAT RATE, UH, HIGHER.
UM, BUT OF COURSE THERE'S A CITY THAT CITY IS RESPONSIBLE.
WE HAVE TO LOOK ACROSS THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE AND HAVE A PRETTY FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN WE RAISE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, WE PUSH FORWARD AND THE SUGGESTION WAS, UM, TO APPROVE THE $2 AN HOUR, UH, INCREASE.
WE WERE THE FIRST CITY DEPARTMENT TO DO THAT.
UM, WE WERE ALSO THE FIRST CITY DEPARTMENT TO, UH, APPROVE THE BONUSES SO THAT THE 3000 SIGN-ON BONUS RETENTION BONUS, UH, ONE, I FORGOT TO MENTION EARLIER.
WE ALSO INCREASE THE, UH, SAFETY, UH, BONUS.
SO, UH, THAT WAS PAID OUT, UH, UH, TWO TIMES A YEAR AND WE INCREASED THAT TO QUARTERLY.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO COME UP WITH WAYS TO PUT MORE MONEY IN THE EMPLOYEE'S POCKET.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR, IN THEIR BASE RATE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WOULD PREFER TO SEE AND THEN WHAT I WOULD PREFER TO SEE, UH, BUT IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE HOME, MORE PAY.
UH, SO, UM, BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I DON'T THINK WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO PUSH FORWARD, TO PAY PEOPLE MORE.
UM, I THINK IT'S JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 80 VACANCIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
THE CITY'S CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING THE HIGHEST VACANCY RATE THEY'VE SEEN AT, AT ANY TIME IN THE, IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT JUST US, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR US, UH, IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO DIVE IN ON TO COME UP WITH AS MANY WAYS AS WE CAN TO TRY TO INCREASE PAY, UH, IN, IN THE TOTAL TAKE-HOME VALUE, UH, FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES.
AND AS I SAID BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THE, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE ALL HAVE TO COME TO GRIPS WITH IS THE VALUE FOR A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE IS HIGHER THAN IT'S PROBABLY EVER BEEN.
AND, UH, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PAY WHAT'S COMMENSURATE WITH THE MARKET IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN, TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR SERVICE LEVELS.
THANK YOU, KEN COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER JONATHAN? I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE 4.2, UH, KIND OF CUSHION THAT IS BUILT INTO, UH, THE BUDGET PROJECTIONS AS FAR AS BEGINNING AND ENDING BALANCE.
UM, AND JUST SORRY, 14.2 NOW, UH, AND WONDERING WHERE, OR KIND OF HOW THAT WAS DETERMINED OR THAT NUMBER WAS, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY SELECTED, UM, AS, AS THE OPERATING RESERVE THAT WE WOULD WANT TO MAINTAIN.
THAT'S ACTUALLY, SO THE, THE, THE 14.2, I THINK, OR FRANKNESS SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT, OUR FUND SUMMARY.
SO THAT IS, UM, OUR, UH, BEGINNING AND ENDING FUND BALANCE.
IT'S NOT A NUMBER THAT WE NECESSARILY CHOOSE.
UM, WE DO HAVE AN OPERATING RESERVE.
UH, WE HAVE A FINANCIAL POLICY WHERE WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A RESERVE BALANCE OF EQUAL TO 30 DAYS OF OUR, UH, OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S THAT NUMBER, UM, IS IN THAT $14.2 MILLION.
UM, SO TH TH THE 14.2 IS NOT A NUMBER THAT WE NECESSARILY CHOOSE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST IS, IS THE END RESULT OF HOW MUCH REVENUE DID WE TAKE IN, HOW MUCH DID WE SPEND, WERE THERE ANY ONE-TIME EXPENSES THAT WE NEEDED TO UTILIZE THAT ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR? AND THAT PRIMARILY IS IN ADDITION TO THE OPERATING RESERVE, UH, THE ENDING FUND BALANCE DOES ALLOW US TO, UM, UM, TO FUND SOME OF THOSE ONE-TIME
[01:30:01]
EXPENDITURES, ONE TIME UNFORESEEN, UH, EMERGENCY TYPE EXPENDITURES.DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT, IT DOES BROADLY BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IT'S A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT WE STARTED WITH 12.4 AND, UM, AND KIND OF THE, THE WAY THE BUDGET SHAKES OUT OVER THE YEARS, UH, PROVIDES THAT BALANCED BUDGET.
UM, I WAS ASKING IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC REASON FOR THE 14.2 TO SEE IT, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES SENSE TO MAINTAIN THAT HIGH OF A, OF A, OF A CUSHION OR A CASH RESERVE, OR IF THERE WAS OPPORTUNITY TO USE SOME OF THAT FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE MAINTAIN A, A 10.2, UH, BEGINNING AND ENDING BALANCES THAT ALLOW US TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, UM, EITHER ON THE COMPENSATION SIDE OR ON THE, UH, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC CAPITAL EXPENSES IN THE BUDGET.
UH, THAT WAS MORE MY QUESTION, BUT YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
AND AS I MENTIONED, THAT THAT FUND BALANCE IS, AGAIN, COVERS THE OPERATING RESERVE THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO, TO MAINTAIN AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY FUND ONE-TIME EXPENDITURES.
IT'S NOT REALLY DESIGNED TO, UH, FOR PAY INCREASES OR, OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, MORE EMERGENCY TYPE EXPENDITURES.
UH, AND, AND JUST TO, TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN THE PAST, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT DID, UH, FOREGO, UH, INCREASING RATES BECAUSE OF, UH, THE LARGE ENDING BALANCE AT THE DEPARTMENT DID HAVE, UH, SO THERE WERE SEVERAL YEARS WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO, TO, UH, UTILIZE THAT, UH, FUND BALANCE TO, TO NEGATE THE NEED FOR READING INCREASES.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT, NOT SOMETHING THAT, UM, IS SUSTAINABLE, UM, OVER THE LONGTERM.
AND SO WE'RE MAKING KIND OF THAT SHIFT TO A MORE BALANCED BUDGET, UH, AND INCREASING RATES AS WE NEED TO.
AND COMMISSIONER AS ONE-TIME DOLLARS, IT WOULDN'T BE PRUDENT AS VICTORIA SAID TO USE IT FOR WAGE INCREASES, BUT WE COULD POSSIBLY USE SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR BONUSES OR OTHER ONE TIME TYPES OF DOLLARS.
THANK YOU, KIM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I COMMISSIONERS, I GUESS THIS IS A, THIS IS A DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, AGAIN, I MADE MY 2 CENTS NOW AND I WOULD LOVE TO MAYBE COME BACK WITH A SHARPENED PENCIL AND SEE IF WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PERHAPS INCREASE THE, UH, THE, THE BASE SCALE JUST A LITTLE BIT, THAT'S MY 2 CENTS.
BUT HAVING SAID THAT THIS IS BEING A DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR SUPPORT OF THIS DOCUMENT AS IS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT THE FINAL DOCUMENT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WE'LL BE BACK PROBABLY IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO, TO GO OVER THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, GO AHEAD.
WHAT DID YOU SAY CONSIDERING THIS IS GOING TO A COUNCIL, I GUESS THIS WEEK, RIGHT.
IS, IS WHEN, UH, IT'S PLANNED TO GO, UM, WOULD WE DO SOMETHING LIKE A, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATION AND A, UM, KIND OF FOLLOW UP THAT THE COMMISSION BELIEVES THERE SHOULD BE MORE CONSIDERATION TAKEN INTO A WAGE INCREASE, UH, BASED ON KIND OF MARKET FORCES, UM, AND HAVE THAT BE THE COMMISSION'S, UH, KIND OF OFFICIAL STANCE SINCE I THINK WE ALL FALL WITHIN THAT.
UH, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, APPROVE THIS WITH THE STIPULATION THAT WE CONSIDER A INCREASED WAGE SCALE FOR THE EMPLOYEE.
UM, I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE IF WE ALL FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE MORE MONEY PUT TOWARDS INCREASING WAGES FOR DRIVERS AND FOR THESE OTHER POSITIONS, WELL, WHY WOULD WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS? IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT WE SHOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT THAT THESE NUMBERS BE INCREASED AND THAT'S TRUE.
WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY UNANIMOUS ON THAT, ON THE CONCERN FOR INCREASED WAGES.
AND AGAIN, I LOOK AT THIS, IT'S JUST A PRELIMINARY DOCUMENT THAT WITH THE EXPRESS CONCERN OF THE COMMISSION THAT WE FOCUS MORE ON, ON THE WAGE SCALE THAT PERHAPS VICTORIA, YOU TELL ME, I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT THIS, WAS IT NEXT? UH, THIS MONTH ACTUALLY.
[01:35:01]
FORECAST DOCUMENT IS OBVIOUSLY PART OF THE LARGER CITY FORECAST AND THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE DELIVERED TO CITY COUNCIL THIS FRIDAY.UM, SO THESE NUMBERS ARE KIND OF, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD SET IN STONE IN TERMS OF THE FORK, THE FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST, WE'RE NOW IN THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT, UH, PERIOD.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE WE ACTUALLY PROPOSE, UM, UH, MORE HARD, HARD AND FAST NUMBERS, UM, WITH REGARD TO, TO, UH, TO THE WAGE DISCUSSION.
UM, WE COULDN'T AS, UM, UH, FINANCE OR HAS A DEPARTMENT INPUT NUMBERS FOR WAGE INCREASES THAT AREN'T YET APPROVED BY, UM, THE POWERS THAT BE PARTICULARLY HR AND A GUY HAS TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, A LOT OF THE PACKAGES THAT, UM, KEN TALKED ABOUT THE DRIVER, UM, UH, INSTEAD OF PACKAGE THE SAFETY INCENTIVE, UH, THE $2 INCREASE, ALL OF THAT WENT THROUGH A PROCESS, UM, WITH THE END RESULT, BEING THAT, UH, IT GOT APPROVED BY, UH, OUR CORPORATE HR.
AT THAT POINT, WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING CONCRETE FROM THEM SAYING, YES, WE APPROVED ANOTHER DOLLAR PER HOUR INCREASE TO THESE, UH, CLASSIFICATIONS.
AT THAT POINT, WE ARE ALLOWED TO INPUT NUMBERS INTO OUR PROPOSED BUDGET OR INTO OUR BUDGET FORECAST.
UH, BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT PRIOR TO THAT TAKING PLACE.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS, UH, BODY COULD DO, UH, YOU KNOW, A RECOMMENDATION COULD BE A RESOLUTION OR SOME OTHER, UM, UH, DOCUMENT IN TO EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT OR DESIRE FOR AN INCREASE IN WAGES.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE POTENTIAL AVENUE FOR, FOR MAKING YOUR, UM, UH, DESIRES KNOWN.
UH, WHEN WE COME BACK TO PRESENT THE BUDGET, THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S A DOCUMENT THAT YOU COULD, UM, TAKE ACTION ON IN TERMS OF, UH, YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE IT OR, OR NOT.
UM, BUT THAT, AGAIN, THAT'LL BE IN AT LEAST A COUPLE MONTHS UNTIL, AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE WERE HEADING IN THAT DIRECTION, THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE YOU PRESENT IT A FORECAST, YOU PRESENT IT, UH, SOME COSTS GUESSTIMATES HERE.
WE OBVIOUSLY ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT IN A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREEMENT WITH YOU.
WE, WE KNOW THIS IS GOING TO GO TO COUNCIL FRIDAY, IT'S GOTTA BE THERE.
SO FOR US TO SUGGEST THAT, YES, WE DO RESPECT THE PRESENTATION OF THIS DOCUMENT, BUT WE HAVE A CONCERN AND THAT AGAIN, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO WORD SMITHS AND, UH, QUICK, QUICK A LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN INCLUDE WITH THIS, THAT'D BE WONDERFUL.
BUT I, I WOULD, I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH A RESOLUTION STATING THAT WE ARE NOT CONTENT WITH THE, UH, PROPOSED WAGE INCREASE.
AND THAT'S WHERE I SAID, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS OF, IF YOU WANT TO WORDSMITH REAL QUICK, DOES IT NEED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DETAILED THAN THAT? IT REALLY DOESN'T NOW.
I MEAN, IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S LITERALLY HOW SIMPLE THIS IS.
AND I, I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT, YEAH, AT THIS POINT, UM, ME COMING BEFORE YOU OR THE DEPARTMENT COMING BEFORE YOU TO PRESENT THE FORECAST IS REALLY INFORMATIONAL.
SO COUNSEL REALLY, ISN'T LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS BODY AT THIS POINT, UM, THAT AGAIN OCCURS WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO, UM, BUT, BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE FREE TO, TO, UM, TO COMPOSE A RESOLUTION AND SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, ANY POTENTIAL WAGE INCREASE FOR DRIVERS.
YOU WANT TO KEEP IT AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
UM, SO W CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY, THIS COMMISSION DID NOT MAKE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS AND PUT THOSE INTO THE PORTAL.
RIGHT? WE, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
NO, NOT THAT I KNOW THAT DEADLINE PASSED.
UM, IT WAS, UH, THE DEADLINE TO INPUT ANYTHING INTO THE PORTAL WAS MARCH 31ST.
I BELIEVE THE BUDGET OFFICE SENT THAT EMAIL TO ALL COMMISSIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY.
UM, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE, UH, PERHAPS WE SHOULD,
[01:40:02]
WHATEVER WE CAN, WE CAN STILL TAKE OUR NORMAL COURSE OF ACTION.AND I GUESS I WOULD JUST ADD THAT IN ADDITION TO THE WAGE INCREASES, UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE BUDGET OR BUDGET ALLOCATED EXPANDING ELECTION OF ITEMS. YOU KNOW, WE SEE, UH, FOLKS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR COMING HERE, UH, TRYING TO FILL IN THESE GAPS, BUT THOSE SERVICES ARE ONLY GOING TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE WHO, YOU KNOW, SIGN UP FOR THEM.
UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS QUITE A BIT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AS WELL.
AND, UM, I JUST WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE US GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY, THERE'S SOME ACTION TO, TO EXPAND WHAT, WHAT IS BEING AND RECYCLED DIVERTED FROM THE LANDFILL.
SO WE, WE DO HAVE, I GUESS WE'RE, WE'RE AT A CROSSROADS HERE.
OUR MAIN FOCUS AT THIS STAGE IS THE APPEARS TO BE THE WAGE, A WAGE ISSUE.
CAN WE SIMPLY JUST STATE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PRESENTATION WAS, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENTATION IS AS, UH, AS GIVEN IS IT'S ABOUT, I MEAN, HOW ABOUT SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL, WE, SO THIS IS A BUDGET, THIS IS A FORECAST, RIGHT? CORRECT.
BUT THIS IS A BUDGET FORECAST.
SO I THINK WE APPROVE THIS TENTATIVE BUDGET FORECAST.
HOWEVER, WITH THE STIPULATION THAT S A M I DON'T KNOW, A COMMENT HE MADE DURING THIS PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL, A COMMENT HE MADE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT AN INCREASE OF FURTHER INCREASE IN WAGES, PARTICULARLY TO DRIVERS, IT WILL BE NECESSARY, UM, IN ORDER TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE, GIVEN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT IN AUSTIN.
DOES THAT SEEM ACCURATE? IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY DARN CLOSE.
DO I, CAN YOU RESIDE, RECITE THAT BACK? WELL, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL, YOU KNOW, HER GOING TO WHAT VICTORIA SAID.
I THINK WE WOULD JUST BE MAKING, I MET DONNA EXACTLY AT THIS POINT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT ALL, ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS SHOW A CONCERN FOR THE, A WAGE PORTION OF THIS BUDGET.
MAYBE IT'S NOT APPROVAL, BUT WE HAVE REVIEWED IT AT LEAST.
AND SINCE YOU'LL BE REPORTING IT, VICTORIA, DOES THAT SEEM LIKE, KIND OF APPROPRIATE THING FOR YOU TO ADD ON THAT THIS COUNCIL MADE THAT NOTE? SO JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY, SO THE CITY WIDE FORECAST, UM, DOESN'T THAT USED TO GET PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN A WORK SESSION NOW IT'S, IT LITERALLY IS JUST A REPORT, UH, SEVERAL HUNDRED PAGES, UH, THAT GETS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AND THEN THEY REVIEW IT, SO THEY DON'T ACTUALLY GET A PRESENTATION.
AND JUST OUR COMMENT TO OURSELVES, I GUESS, AT THIS POINT.
I THINK WHAT ONE, ONE OPTION I COULD OFFER, AS YOU KNOW, WE DID JUST PASS THE DEADLINE, THE MARCH 31ST DEADLINE.
I COULD POTENTIALLY READ IT, REACH OUT TO THE BUDGET OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY ARE WILLING TO, TO ALLOW AN ADDITIONAL, UH, ENTRY INTO THAT PORTAL.
UM, UH, I COULD DO THAT AND REPORT BACK TO YOU, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THEY COULD, THEY COULD DO THAT.
OTHERWISE, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION IN WRITING, UH, EXPRESSING YOUR DESIRES TO SEEING A WAGE INCREASE IS PROBABLY THE BEST OPTION.
THANK YOU, VICTORIA COMMISSIONERS AGAIN, BACK TO THE, BACK TO THE QUESTION, WE HAVE AN ITEM DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM.
WE COULD DEFER THIS, NO ACTION TAKEN, AND VICTORIA WOULD PRESENT THIS AS IS, AND THEN I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DEFER IT.
I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE THE STATEMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER REVIEWING THE FORECAST, THIS BODY BELIEVES THAT DUE TO MARKET FORCES, YOU KNOW, MORE CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TOWARDS RATE INCREASES FOR, YOU KNOW, FRONTLINE DRIVERS OR WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, I LIKE IN ADDITION, AND I DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH CABLE STATEMENTS ABOUT, OF THE OTHER PIECES.
AND IF WE WANT TO ADD THOSE COMMENTS, WE CAN, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE ONE THAT THE COMMENT THAT EVERYBODY KIND OF AGREES ON IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY SETTING UP ARR FOR SUCCESS BY THE PROPOSED
[01:45:01]
WAGE INCREASES.AND IF WE CAN MAKE OUR THOUGHTS KNOWN ABOUT THAT TO, UH, THE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A WRITTEN RESOLUTION OR, YOU KNOW, WRITTEN STATEMENT, UM, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE BEST WE CAN DO AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE IT'S IT, THEY'RE GETTING IT RE WHAT, NO MATTER WHAT WE SAY, UH, ON FRIDAY, RIGHT.
AND IT'S IN, WOULD YOU BE AMENABLE TO, I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE ANYBODY INVOLVED IN A WASTE COLLECTION OR COMMUNITY CLEANUP, UM, TO BE A LITTLE MORE BROAD THAN JUST THE DRIVERS, SINCE THERE'S OTHER UNFILLED POSITIONS, THAT THOSE KIND OF LOUVER PAY LEVELS.
WE COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WAGE INCREASES FOR AR STAFF TO HELP MEET, UH, YOU KNOW, VACANCY OR, YOU KNOW, PROLONG VACANCIES OR WHATEVER WE WANT TO TELL ME, MAYBE POSITIONS WITH PROLONGED VACANCIES OR HIGH TURNOVER.
UM, I AM TRYING TO CAPTURE ALL THIS.
DO YOU ALL WANT ME TO READ BACK WHAT I HAVE SO FAR? YES.
UM, IT WAS HIGH VACANCIES AND TURNOVERS, CORRECT? YEAH.
THIS IS A LITTLE CLUNKY, BUT LET'S TRY.
SO WHEREAS THE A Y 23 BUDGET FORECAST, ARR BUDGET FORECAST WAS PRESENTED AT THE APRIL 13TH, 2022 ZAC MEETING.
AND WHEREAS WHILE THE BUDGET FORECAST DID INCLUDE A SMALL WAGE AND SALARY IN CLEAN INCREASE, IT DID NOT INCLUDE A SUFFICIENT INCREASE TO ADDRESS THE NEED TO OFFER A COMPETITIVE WAGE TO DRIVERS AND OTHER ARR HOURLY STAFF.
AND WHEREAS MARKET FORCES INDICATE THAT THE NEED FOR SKILLED DRIVERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE THAT LIMITS AIR'S CA CAPACITY.
AND WHEREAS THERE CONTINUES WITH HIGH VACANCIES AND TURNOVER, BE IT SO RESOLVED THAT'S WHACK RECOMMEND AND A HIGHER PROPOSED WAGE INCREASE IN THE AR 23 BUDGET.
I MEAN, THAT'S, I LIKED THAT COMMISSIONERS.
DOES THAT CAPTURE SCREEN SHARE SO BADLY WITH EVERYONE? I DON'T THINK I HAVE THAT ABILITY OR DO IT.
IT KIND OF CAPTURES WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PRESENT HERE OR THE CONCERN COMMISSIONERS, YOUR THOUGHTS.
SO DO I HEAR A MOTION TO INCLUDE THIS RESOLUTION WITH THE FORECAST? SURE.
AGAIN, MAYBE I'M JUST NOT INTERESTED IN THE PROCESS.
I'M SOMETIMES I'M HEARING YOU TORIA, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS A DISCUSSION, THAT ACTION ITEM, IT SEEMS LIKE CHECK WE DISCUSSED.
NOW SEPARATELY WE HAVE A SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEND TO COUNCIL, WHICH WOULD, UH, WHICH COVERS OUR CONCERN.
SO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE BY YON SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WHITE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO VICTORIA, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE YOU UP ON THAT OFFER TO, UM, SEE IF WE CAN SUBMIT THIS INTO THE BUDGET PORTAL.
SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND HEARING, NO FURTHER COMMENTS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS UNANIMOUS.
[2E. Discussion and Action: Development of a Concise Guide for Third-Party Servicing and Collection Operators- Gerry Acuna]
NEW BUSINESS, I SHOULD SAY IS THE, UH, THE, UH, DISCUSSION AND ACTION OF DEVELOPING A, A CONCISE GUIDE FOR I, WHAT IS IT? THIRD PARTY SERVICING AND COLLECTION OPERATIONS WITHIN A R R A TERRITORY OR JURISDICTION, I SHOULD SAY.I MEAN, WE'VE, UH, TONIGHT WE HAD A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS FROM SOME OF THE, UH, BOUTIQUE PROVIDERS THAT, UH, HAVE ENTERED THIS MARKET.
AND, AND, UH, I WOULD THINK THAT THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE MORE THAN JUST THESE TWO THAT PRESENTED TODAY.
AND HAVING SAID THAT I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE FOR STAFF TO, TO MAYBE LOOK AT WHAT ACTUALLY IS ACTUALLY IS REQUIRED AND WILL BE REQUIRED IN THE FUTURE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ENTER THIS MARKET AND PROVIDE A, A, A DIVERSION OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, WHAT GUIDELINES DO THEY NEED? AND IF WE COULD
[01:50:01]
WORK ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT'D BE AGAIN, JUST, JUST TO HELP MANY, MANY PEOPLE AVOID SOME OF THE PITFALLS THAT, UH, WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PAST A FEW MONTHS, BUT I MEAN, IS THAT POSSIBLE? WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.CAN CHAIRMAN AGAIN, KEN SNIPES, WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, ANY, ANY SORT OF LANGUAGE.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT'S THERE NOW AND ENHANCE SOME OF THE LANGUAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED A BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, I THINK IS STILL PRELIMINARY RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK.
ANY COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER BLAINE.
UM, CAN YOU KNOW, I REALIZED THAT I THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN WORKED OUT, BUT I AM WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS, UH, CEASE AND DESIST, UH, LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO READ WELL AND, AND WHAT PRECIPITATED THAT AND, UM, YEAH.
HOW THAT KIND OF THING CAN BE AVOIDED IN THE FUTURE.
UM, COMMISSIONER, I THINK THE BIG ISSUE FOR US WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MORE DETAIL ABOUT, UH, SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE SERVICE IS OR ISN'T.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BRAND NEW STYLE OF, UM, WASTE HANDLING.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ANYBODY WORKING IN THIS SPACE IS DOING SO IN A WAY THAT REPRESENTS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.
UM, I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, SITUATIONS WHERE WE'VE HAD, I'VE HAD, UH, WORKED WITH, UH, UM, RECYCLERS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAD ISSUES.
AND, UH, IT DID NOT CREATE A GOOD LOOK FOR THE CITY, UH, AT THAT TIME.
SO I THINK PART OF IT WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT I THINK THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATIONS MISUNDERSTANDINGS, I SHOULD SAY, UH, EARLY ON AS TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING WHEN, UH, I THINK SOME THINGS, UH, UH, HAPPENED THAT, UH, WE DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND AND, UH, THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS AT THAT TIME TO STOP, UH, TAKE AN ACCOUNTING FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS GOING ON TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS HAPPENING, WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING TO GAIN SOME ASSURITIES ABOUT THE FACT THAT THINGS WERE BEING HANDLED PROPERLY AND DISPOSED OF PROPERLY TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF, UH, THE FINAL DESTINATION FOR SOME OF THE MATERIALS THAT MIGHT BE PICKED UP.
UH, AND SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHAT PRECIPITATED, UH, THAT A CEASE AND DESIST NOTICE.
UM, SINCE THAT TIME, I THINK WE'VE KIND OF RESOLVED THOSE ISSUES AND ARE IN A, UH, IN A, IN A BETTER PLACE AND, UH, AND HAVE MET AND TALKED.
AND I THINK, UM, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD NOW.
UM, I GUESS JUST A UP I'M, I GUESS I'M A LITTLE, STILL A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHERE THE CITY COMES IN WITH ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, IF A PRIVATE BUSINESS WANTS TO OFFER A SERVICE TO INDIVIDUALS AT THEIR, YOU KNOW, IF THEIR REQUEST, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, DOES THE CITY, DOES THE CITY HAVE OWNERSHIP OVER, YOU KNOW, ANY MATERIAL, BUT, UM, THAT RESIDENTS ARE PRODUCING.
SO I, I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I, I TRULY JUST DON'T, I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY THAT BOUNDARY WAS CORRECT.
SO TYPICALLY THE CITY HAS JURISDICTION OVER RESIDENTIAL WASTE COLLECTION, UH, AND SO, UH, AND THAT'S CODIFIED.
AND SO, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE THING FOR US TO DO AT THAT POINT WAS JUST, AGAIN, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY WAS, WAS GOING ON.
UM, WHAT WAS THE GAP? AND THEN I THINK REALIZING THAT THIS WAS A GAP THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD, UH, THAT COULD BE MET BY, UH, THE SERVICE PROVIDER.
AND SO I, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST AGAIN ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS HAPPENING, WHERE, AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE HAPPENING THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, AND IN A WAY THAT THE CITY IS COMFORTABLE, THAT THESE MATERIALS ARE BEING HANDLED APPROPRIATELY, NOT BEING DISPOSED OF AND INAPPROPRIATELY NOT BEING LANDFILLED NECESSARILY IF THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE RECYCLED.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S THE CONCERN, UH, AND THAT WAS THE CONCERN.
AND, UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS THE PERSON WHO MOST OFTEN THIS IS GOING TO BE LOOKED AT TO HOW WASTE IS HANDLED IN AUSTIN.
UH, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE HAVE A REALLY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHO'S DOING WHAT, HOW IT'S BEING DONE AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE SYSTEM AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE ALL SERVE.
[01:55:01]
BACK TO CREATING A CONCISE GUIDE FOR ANYONE WANTING TO COME IN HERE, WE'LL ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE.AND TO BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION SOONER THAN LATER TO ME IS, IS GOING TO ELIMINATE THIS IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S NOT, THIS, THIS WILL NOT STOP.
WE WILL HAVE MANY, MANY COMPANIES WANTING TO ENTER THIS MARKET TO GIVE THEM A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE EXPECT AS A COMMUNITY, AS A DEPARTMENT WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL AND WE'LL AVOID SITUATIONS LIKE THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN.
SO JUST, UH, I WOULD HOPEFULLY ASK THIS COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THAT DEVELOPMENT OF, AGAIN, JUST A THOROUGH IDEA OF WHAT IT TAKES TO OPERATE A RECYCLING AND OR DIVERSION FACILITY HERE IN THIS CITY.
AND I WOULD LOOK FOR A RESIDENCE OR A GOSH, A, A, UH, MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
WELL, I, I WON'T MAKE THAT MOTION, BUT I I'M THINKING MAYBE I'M JUST BEING SLOW, BUT I, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M TOTALLY UNDERSTANDING, IS IT ILLEGAL FOR ME TO HIRE SOMEBODY OTHER THAN THE CITY TO PICK UP AN ITEM THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY PICKS UP? I BELIEVE IT IS COMMISSIONER.
AND SO BASICALLY IT'S OKAY FOR A PRIVATE COMPANY TO PICK SOMETHING UP AS LONG AS IT'S NOT A MATERIAL THE CITY'S CURRENTLY PICKING UP.
THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE UNDERSTOOD THE, THE ORDINANCE TO READ.
AND, UH, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT, WE CAN DIVE INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
UM, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR BASE QUESTION.
YEAH, I THINK, UM, BUT I, I DO THINK A GUIDE, A GUIDE WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AND I WOULD, UH, SUPPORT WHAT JERRY SUGGESTED THAT IT GUIDE TO ENABLE YOU TO HAVE ANY COURAGE, PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, DIVERSION EFFORTS IN, UM, AND, UH, I GUESS KIND OF PARTNERSHIP OR SUPPLEMENT THOSE DIVERSION, UM, SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY SHOULD BE DEVELOPED.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KATHY, KATHY, YOUR MIKE'S OFFICE.
DID YOU SAY YOU SECOND? I THINK KATHY IS TRYING TO SECOND THIS OUT.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A MOTION OR, OR AN EMOTION AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING, NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[3. DIRECTOR’S REPORT]
AND THE LAST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE DIRECTOR'S REPORTS AND KEN, THIS IS THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.UH, JUST A QUICK NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT, UH, EARTH DAY STARTS NEXT WEEK.
ONE OF THE MAIN FOCUSES FOR US WILL BE ON, UH, REMOVING BATTERIES FROM, UH, THE WASTE STREAM.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE'S AWARE THAT, UH, THE DEPARTMENT HAS HAD SEVERAL VEHICLE FIRES IN THE PAST.
UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY LOST SEVERAL VEHICLES, TOTAL LOSS TO, UH, FIRES.
UH, THE RECYCLING PROCESSES THAT WE PARTNER WITH HERE HAVE ALSO HAD FIRES AT THEIR FACILITIES.
AND SO STARTING NEXT WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A REALLY BIG PUSH, UH, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME, UH, TO, UH, EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT REMOVING BATTERIES FROM THEIR RECYCLING CART TO, TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF THOSE.
SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT ON AND DO THAT, AND WE HOPE TO SEE A BENEFIT FOR BOTH OURSELVES AND OUR PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH, UH, AT THEIR FACILITIES.
UM, UH, ALSO, UH, JUST A QUICK NOTE, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THIS, BUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW IN THE OPERATIONS REPORT THAT OUR CUSTOMER COUNT IS STILL CONTINUING TO GROW.
SO, UH, THE CITY'S GROWING, SO WE'RE NOW AT ALMOST 212,000, UH, RECYCLING AND TRASH ACCOUNT CUSTOMERS.
SO, UH, IF ANYONE NEEDED ANY MORE PROOF THAT AUSTIN IS GROWING THERE IT IS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, WHAT ON THE SATURDAY, APRIL 23RD EVENTS.
IT WHO, UM, WELL, A FEW THINGS.
I THINK THE EARTH WATERLOO EARTH DAY WATERLOO GREEN DAY IS ACTUALLY ON SUNDAY, NOT ON SATURDAY.
[02:00:02]
AND I'M WONDERING, DOES THAT MEAN BATTERY COLLECTION THERE AS WELL? IS THAT LIKE AT THE FORKLIFT DANCE WORKS AND THE WATERLOO WATERLOO GREEN DAY, ARE THOSE BOTH BATTERY COLLECTION EVENTS, NOT SOLELY BETTER COLLECTION EVENTS? THE, UH, FORKLIFT TRASH STANDS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, IS AT THE, UH, AUSTIN, UM, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER AND, UH, IT'S AN EVENT TO, UH, TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM.UH, SO, UH, NOT SOLELY FOR BATTERY COLLECTION.
UH, AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE YOU MENTIONED? I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER.
SO THE WATERLOO EARTH, UH, WATERLOO GREEN DAY IS SUNDAY, NOT SATURDAY AND THEN EARTH DAY ON THE HT CAMPUS IS ON SATURDAY, BUT THEY LOOK, YEAH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, I GUESS.
AND THEN ARE THOSE ALSO BATTERY COLLECTION TABLING, LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON AT THOSE? IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN EDUCATION, UH, EDUCATION DOCUMENTS AND HAVE, UH, A SETUP FOR THAT, UH, AS PART OF THOSE LARGER EVENTS.
CAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONE AT HT, WE ONLY HAVE SIGNAGE AND MATERIALS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE CAN ASSIST WITH LIKE, CAN H T STUDENTS MAN, A TABLE, OR IS THERE SOME WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE PRESENCE THERE RATHER THAN JUST MATERIALS? I THINK SO.
LET ME, WELL, GINA JUST POPPED IN GINA.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO SOME OF THE LOGISTICS OF THAT EVENT? GOOD APING COMMISSIONER.
AND I CAN, WE ARE AT A NUMBER OF EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND JUST WITH OUR STAFF BANDWIDTH, WE CAN ONLY BE AT SOME, SO WITH SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WE'VE GIVEN MATERIALS, BUT I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING AND JUST GET CLARITY ON THOSE EVENTS FOR YOU AND POTENTIALLY SEE IF THERE'S MORE WE CAN DO AT HT WITH YOUR, YEAH.
WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU AND SEE IF WE CAN, IF THERE'S, AGAIN, THERE'S A WAY WE CAN HELP AMPLIFY.
I WILL REACH OUT TO YOU VIA EMAIL.
SO WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE HT CAMPUS AND THEY HAVE, WE'VE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT DOING A BATTERY COLLECTION.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WITH JANICE AT THE HT CAMPUS HQ CAMPUS.
SO WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO WHATEVER WORKS FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
UM, WE WERE GOING TO DO A BATTERY COLLECTION BEFORE WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A BATTERY COLLECTION HAPPENING WITH, UM, ARR.
SO IF WE WANT TO PASS IT ALONG CO COOPERATE ON THAT, BUT THAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE EARTH DAY EVENT AT HT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR, FOR KEN? CAN I DO HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION? YOU'RE ON THE, UH, SOLICITATIONS, THE UPCOMING SOLICITATIONS THAT I THINK YOU AND I TOUCHED ON THAT THE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION SERVICES FOR THE TRAVIS COUNTY AREA.
WELL, IF IT SAYS, IT SAYS THE CITY WILL PROVIDE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE RECYCLING AND OTHER COLLECTION SERVICES FOR TRAVIS COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE INCORPORATED LIMITS OF THE CITY.
WHAT IS, LET ME FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
HI, UH, KEN AND, UM, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
THIS IS ANDY DAWSON CITY, UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UM, WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF RENEGOTIATING OUR CONTRACT WITH, UH, WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AS FAR AS PROVIDING EQUITABLE SERVICES FOR, UM, HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE AND RECYCLING SERVICES AT THE DROP-OFF CENTER.
SO THAT'S, THEY'RE DELIVERING THE MATERIAL TO US AT THE, UH, AT OUR DROP-OFF CENTER.
AND, UH, OH KATHY, I GUESS THE, THERE IS A ORGANIZATIONAL CHART IN THE DIRECTION AND THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
SO FOLKS, YES, WE DO KNOW WHO, WHO NOW.
ONE THING TO NOTE, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD, ABOUT THAT ORG CHART, YOU MAY NOTICE THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO, UH, WE MADE A DECISION TO, UH, FOR A ONE-YEAR ASSIGNMENT SWITCH, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, RICHARD MCHALE AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, TAMMY WILLIAMSON.
SO, UH, WE MOVED, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR MIKAEL OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION AND WE MOVED ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, TAMMY WOODSON OVER TO OPERATIONS.
SO, UH, THE DESIGN OF THAT IS TO GIVE EACH OF THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF CROSS POLLINATE AND SEE HOW THE OTHER SIDE WORKS IN DETAIL, UH, TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BRING NEW IDEAS AND A FIRST PERSPECTIVE.
[02:05:01]
ON THAT IS THAT IT HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED AND WORKING WELL.[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ON.I THINK THIS IS PRETTY MUCH IT.
I THINK THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. AND I WOULD, UH, CAN, I'D LOVE, THERE'S A LIST OF, UH, AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE ON HERE ALREADY.
I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO GET BACK ON THAT TOPIC OF, OF GETTING WITH THE PRIVATE HAULERS AND, AND LOOKING AT THE SYNERGIES THAT EXIST BETWEEN US.
NOW, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT DOING SOMETHING, A TASK FORCE OR WORKING GROUP BACK, UH, AND WAS THAT JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, IF WE CAN BEGIN THAT PROCESS, THAT'S GOING TO REALLY HELP US KIND OF IDENTIFY SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE ALL FACING WITH LABOR ISSUES, TRUCKING, YOU NAME IT.
I MEAN, TO GET TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS ON HOW WE CAN PERHAPS WORK MORE COHESIVELY AND, UH, AND TOGETHER WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES.
I MEAN, CAUSE WE WILL GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GOING TO DIVE IN THERE.
UM, REALLY BRIEFLY THE, EXCUSE ME, THE C AND D UH, SUBGROUP, AS ALSO TALKED ABOUT, UM, TALKING WITH SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS TO UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURES AND PARAMETERS FOR THEM.
UH, SO THAT MIGHT BE AN OVERLAP WHERE WE CAN, UM, YEAH, I GUESS TALK WITH THEM AND THEN UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS.
UM, THAT, THAT IS A GREAT IDEA.
ACTUALLY JUST COVER THE WHOLE GAMBIT COMMISSIONER CATOOSA UM, YEAH.
SO I'M WONDERING, UM, ON THE AGENDA SOON, UH, WE CAN, UM, GET ARR STAFF TO TALK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THEM WORKING ON THE PET WASTE SINCE THERE'S A, UH, SOME GRANT MONEY FROM TCEQ AND LOOK INTO WHETHER THAT'S A POSSIBILITY THEY CAN LOOK INTO AND FARTHER, MAYBE APPLY FOR A GRANT.
ANY OTHER ITEMS OR COMMENTS ON THE, ON, ON THE AGENDA? ALL RIGHT.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE.
SOMEBODY HAS TO RAISE HER HAND.
THANK YOU, JONATHAN AND EVERYBODY'S SECONDS.
AND IT SEEMS THERE IS NO WE LEFT WHERE WE FOUND