[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
I AM A VICE-CHAIR OF THE ARTS COMMISSION.
I WILL BE ACTING CHAIR TODAY AS OUR FEARLESS LEADER IS HOMESICK.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH ROLE.
UM, I'M GOING TO START WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
COMMISSIONER GARZA, COMMISSIONER SCOTT WALK.
I SAW, I SAW YOUR LIPS MOVE, SO I KNOW YOU'RE THERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, YOUR COMMISSIONER FLORES, COMMISSIONER VAN DYKE.
IF YOU'RE HERE, CAN YOU PLEASE COME ON SCREEN? SAME TO MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO BE COUNTED AS PRESENT.
WE'LL NEED YOU ON SCREEN FOR THE DURATION OF THE MEETING FOR VOTES.
I'LL SKIP OVER TO COMMISSIONER KEATON.
AND LET'S SEE, COMMISSIONER MOCK, ARE YOU WITH US? LET'S SEE.
WE'LL GIVE HER A CHANCE TO COME BACK ON THE DICE, BUT, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT ALMOST EVERYBODY HERE.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE'VE TWO MINUTES.CAN I GET A MOTION TO, FOR SOMEONE TO APPROVE MINUTES FOR JANUARY MOTION? BIPOLE GAR, I'M GOING TO MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES FOR JANUARY 31ST, 2022, FEBRUARY 24TH, 2022 AND MARCH 27TH, 2022.
SECONDED BY A COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
AND COMMISSIONER MACH IS NOW PRESENT.
UH, SO DO WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THAT, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSING MINUTES ON CONSENT.
UH, ANY AGAINST ANY ABSTAINING? OKAY.
[2a. Chair’s Report: Check in - Commissioner Polgar]
MOVING ON TO ITEM TWO A IS THE CHAIR'S REPORT.I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND KICK THAT OVER TO A CHAIR POLL GAR.
UM, SHE WAS UNFORTUNATELY MISSING IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH, UH, WAS CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER.
SO THIS WILL BE HER FIRST REPORT IN A FEW MEETINGS.
AM I ACTUALLY ON NEEDED? GOOD.
AND MY APOLOGIES FOR BEING IN MY HOBBLE, I HAVE THE DREADED COVID AND COULDN'T COME VISIT YOU TODAY.
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT QUICKLY.
I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EVENT THAT IS HAPPENING ACROSS TOWN RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THE CELEBRATION AS ZACH'S THEATER FOR THE SPOG SUPPORT AND TO THANK SENATOR CORNYN FOR HIS SUPPORT OF THAT FUNDING, WHICH I KNOW HAS BEEN CRITICAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY AND ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND I'M SORRY THAT WE CAN'T BE THERE.
THIS HAS BEEN ON THE DOCKET FOR A YEAR, SO I'M SORRY.
UM, BUT WE'RE THERE IN SPIRIT AND, AND CELEBRATING AND SAYING, THANK YOU.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US TONIGHT.
IT'S GONNA BE A LONG CONVERSATION.
I WILL TELL YOU AHEAD OF TIME, UM, FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HEARD THIS, THAT THE SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS HAVE BOTH BEEN MOVED TO NEXT MONTH.
SO WE'LL KICK THOSE FORWARD AND THAT'LL BUY US A LITTLE EXTRA TIME.
UM, BUT JUST AS A FRAMING DEVICE AND CHECK IN JUST TO REMIND HER THAT THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, UM, DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR THE PILOT PROJECTS ARE ONE PIECE IN THE LARGER PUZZLE IN THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR, FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
BUT IN THE WORK THAT'S REALLY HEAVILY LIFTED IN THE JOINT WORKING GROUP WITH ARTS AND MUSIC FOR ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, WE KNOW IT WASN'T SOLVING ALL OF OUR NEEDS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT AND IT'S PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO REMEMBER.
THERE'S ONE PIECE IN THE PUZZLE IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE AND THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER WORK HAPPENING.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL TOUCH BACK ON THAT AS WE GET TO DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE CONVERSATION TODAY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFT, UM, UM, THE WORK THAT THEY PUT OUT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
UM, IT IS CLEAR HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY AND FOCUS, UM, AND DEEP DIVING HAS BEEN, HAS OCCURRED IN THIS WORK IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UM, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE US GET TO THIS STATE STAGE IN THE CONVERSATION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHERE WE GO COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER, MOVING FORWARD, UM, AND HOW WE CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN REBALANCING, UM, AND, AND SERVING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND THE WORK THAT WE DO.
SO THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR THAT.
UM, AND I'M TURNING THIS BACK OVER TO NURSES.
UM, I WAS GOING TO GO, DO WE HAVE COMMISSIONER BARNS IN THE ROOM JUST YET? UH,
[00:05:01]
OKAY.I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HIM THAT HE IS, OH, HE IS IN THE WAITING ROOM.
AND HE WAS PLANNING TO BE HERE.
LET'S, WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
HOPEFULLY RAIN WILL BE JOINING US SOON TO GET BACK ON TECH.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO, UM, I GUESS CARL SETTLES MIGHT BE IN THE WAITING ROOM AS WELL.
WHAT CAN WE DO? LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO ITEM
[2d. Downtown Commission Report – Commissioner Mok]
TWO D THE DOWNTOWN, UH, REPORT WITH COMMISSIONER MOCKS SINCE YOU'RE IN THE ROOM AND WE CAN KEEP MOVING AND THEN MAYBE CIRCLE BACK TO THE OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE IN THE WAITING ROOM STILL.SO MY FIRST MEETING WILL BE IN APRIL AND IT'S FUNNY.
I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT EXCEPT THAT I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING INFORMATION MATERIALS ABOUT, ABOUT DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO, SO I THINK SERVING AS A LIAISON, I GET FIRST HAND INFORMATION, I GUESS, NAVY, MAYBE FIREWORK COMING UP.
SO IN ANY CASE I WILL PROBABLY HAVE MORE TO REPORT AT NEXT MONTH SPRING, UH, MEETING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER MARK.
WELL, I KIND OF WANT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM HERE BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER GARNER, ANY SUGGESTIONS? OH, THE SAME COMMISSIONER OF BARNS IS IN THE ATTENDEE LINE.
DO WE NOT HAVE OUR TECH IS NOT IN THE ROOM? UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A CHANGING OF THE GUARD AND, UH, DON'T HAVE SUPPORT HERE JUST YET.
UM, I WOULD TAKE A MOTION TO MOVE.
UH, OH, HANG ON JUST A SECOND.
WE'RE BEING GRACED WITH THE PRESENCE OF TECH.
LET'S HOLD OFF FOR ONE HOT SECOND AND GO, COME TO SHOW BARS IN THE ROOM.
[2b. Art in Public Places Liaison Report - Commissioner Barnes]
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, UH, REGARDING AN UPDATE FROM AIPP TAKE IT AWAY.UM, UH, SO THERE ARE SEVERAL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND, UM, I KNOW, UM, HEY SUE SAID SENT OUT, UM, THING, CAUSE I MOSTLY, HADN'T BEEN GETTING ALL MY BACKUP THROUGH MY PERSONAL EMAIL.
SO, UM, BUT WE HAD SOME GREAT DISCUSSIONS AT THE AIP CAME MEETING REGARDING THE PROJECTS, UM, THAT ARE BEFORE YOU AND SOME THAT WERE IN MID REVIEW.
UM, I, AGAIN, I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO A MEETING AND HAVE SEEN AIPP IN ACTION.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO MARJORIE TO GET THAT SCHEDULED.
UM, I WAS JUST, AGAIN, DEEPLY IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF DETAIL AND CONCERN BOTH FOR THE ARTIST AND FOR THE, THE WORK AND FOR THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S GOING TO BE VIEWING IT IN ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY ASK AND SUGGESTIONS THAT THEY MAKE FOR THE OTHER ARTISTS THAT ARE PRESENTING.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD CHANCE TO WITNESS THAT IN PERSON, PLEASE DO TAKE THE TIME FOR THAT.
BUT MOSTLY IT WAS JUST SORT OF BUSINESS AS USUAL.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE WORKING GROUP, UM, UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T ABLE TO BE AT THE WORKING GROUP, UM, SESSION THAT HAPPENED, BUT, UM, I'LL LET ONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT WAS IN ATTENDANCE WHEN WE COME TO THAT, UM, SPEAK TO IT, BUT UNLESS MARJORIE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, THAT WOULD BE MY REPORT MARCH.
[2c. Austin Economic Development Corporation/Cultural Trust Advisory Committee Report – Carl Settles]
SETTLES IN THE WAITING ROOM BY CHANCE? I DON'T THINK HE IS, BUT I CAN OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH PLEASE.UM, SO THE FIRST ROUND OF FUNDING REQUESTS WINDOW THAT HAS CLOSED CLOSED AT THE END OF MARCH, UM, I WANT TO SAY THERE ARE 45 APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS, UM, FOR CULTURAL TRUST FUNDING.
[00:10:01]
THE VENUE PRESERVATION AS WELL AS THE CREATIVE SPACE, UM, PORTION OF THAT DIVISION.UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, UM, ARE COVER A WIDE RANGE OF GENRES, UM, AND SOME REALLY INTERESTING SORT OF MIX AND COMBINATIONS OF DIFFERENT, UM, COLLABORATIONS, WHICH IS SUPER COOL.
THE PIPELINE, UM, APPLICATION PROCESS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE OPEN.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THE AEDC AND THE CULTURAL TRUST WE'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN IS GETTING A SENSE OF WHAT THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE IS AND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OUT THERE.
AND, AND EVEN FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO BE SHOVEL READY AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT, WHAT THING, WHAT ITEMS ARE COMING DOWN THE PIKE SO THAT WE HAVE A REAL CLEAR IDEA OF LANDSCAPE PROJECTS AND WHAT WE MIGHT WANT TO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO WITH ANY FUTURE BOND INITIATIVE.
UM, SO ALL OF THAT IS STILL BEING COLLECTED.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A FULL REPORT FROM, FROM CARL WHEN HE'S AVAILABLE TO JOIN US.
THANK YOU, TRIPLE BAR FOR THAT UPDATE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION]
I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND CALL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER FROM THE COMMUNITY, MIRIAM PONAR TESTING TESTING.
YOU CAN SPEAK FROM HERE IF YOU WANT MIRIAM.
UM, MY NAME IS MIRIAM CONNER, I'M WITH PUBLIC CITY, AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE ABOUT THE TRAIL FOUNDATION'S ART AND CULTURAL PLAN.
WE DOING A CELEBRATION ON MAY 14TH BECAUSE WE SUCCESSFULLY HIRED THREE NON-WHITE BLACK BIPAP ARTISTS TO DESIGN A FLOATING WETLAND ON THE LAKE.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE INSTALLED ON MAY 14TH.
SO WE'RE INVITING THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND HELP US PUT MORE THAN 250 PLANTS IN THIS WETLAND.
AND THERE'LL BE A BICYCLE RIDE AND MUSIC AND ALL THESE, ALL THE ACTIVATION STUFF.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK.
PLEASE SEND ALONG FLYERS INFORMATION AND WE WILL GET THAT CIRCULATED.
THAT'S OUR ONLY SPEAKER CITIZENS COMMISSION, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION TODAY.
UM, OUR SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS FROM, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE, UH, CREATIVE CONSORTIUM HAVE BEEN MOVED TO MAY, SO WE CAN GO RIGHT ON INTO STAFF
[4a. Community Navigators Update – Donald Jackson, Economic Development Department Business Process Consultant]
BRIEFINGS.UM, DONALD JACKSON FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS PROGRAM, WHICH WE ARE ALL VERY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT.
OH, WE ARE ON A ROLL TONIGHT, DONALD ONE SECOND.
WE'RE GOING TO GET YOUR PRESENTATION, DANIEL.
YOU MIGHT JUST WANT TO HANG OUT WITH US IN HERE.
YOU'RE GETTING YOUR STEPS IN, HUH? JUST ONE MOMENT.
DONALD, ARE YOU WITH US? I SEE YOU ON YOUR SCREEN, BUT I DON'T SEE YOU.
OKAY, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, I AM, UH, I'M, UH, UH, STAFF IN OUR COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM.
AND I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU ALL A QUICK UPDATE ON THE PROGRAM.
UH, IT'S THE BASIC BACKGROUNDS AND WE'VE PROMOTED IT AND, AND WHERE WE'RE AT AT THIS POINT.
THE INTENT OF THE PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, UH, FOR COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS.
UH, CLIENTS CAN REGISTER FOR NO COST ASSISTANCE FROM COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS, INCLUDING ONE-ON-ONE COACHING VIRTUAL CLASSES AND HELP APPLY FOR GOVERNMENT AND PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT.
UM, THE PROGRAM WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF OUR ARPA FUNDING AND TO BE ELIGIBLE, UH, LOCAL ENTITIES, UH, JUST HAVE TO BE BASED IN THE AUSTIN ROUND ROCK MSA THAT'S INCLUDES BASTROP CALDWELL HAYES, TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON WHO WANTED TO KEEP IT A LITTLE BROAD GIVEN, UH, GIVEN KIND OF THE NEEDS OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE LOCATED.
[00:15:01]
DONALD JACKSON, THIS IS, UH, DANIEL MURPHY WITH THE CTM.UH, CAN YOU PUT YOUR CAMERA ON? CAN I PUT MY CAMERA ON? ALL RIGHT.
I HAVE A BIT OF A GLARE IN MY, UM, ROOM, HOW IT WORKS, UH, EDD AND PARTNERS.
UM, WE'RE INFORMING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE PROGRAM THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS.
UH, INTERESTED CLIENTS, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES OR CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS OR NONPROFITS, UH, CAN REGISTER FOR SERVICES AND ASK, UH, AND, UH, SIGN UP, BASICALLY SIGN UP FOR THEM, UH, USING OUR DEPARTMENTAL SYSTEM CALLED PORTAL, UH, THE, WE WILL REFER CLIENTS TO PARTNERS BASED ON THEIR INTERESTS, UH, OR THEY CAN, IF THEY KNOW A POINT OF THE PROVIDERS, UH, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE, UM, ALREADY, THEY CAN JUST SPECIFY THAT IN THEIR APPLICATION.
UM, AND THEN FOR, AND THEN THE PROCESS, THE PARTNERS WILL DO WHATEVER SERVICES ARE NECESSARY, UH, COACHING, TRAINING WORKSHOPS, ET CETERA, UM, AND THEN LEAVE SERVICE NOTES IN OUR PORTAL SYSTEM AND WE WILL INVOICE THEM FOR IT.
UM, AND THE PROGRAM BEGAN ON THE, ON MARCH 23RD.
SO IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NOW.
UM, AT THIS POINT WE FOUND ABOUT 85, UH, REQUESTS FOR SERVICE.
THIS IS THE LIST OF THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, UNDER CONTRACT, UH, THAT ARE PROVIDING SERVICES CURRENTLY.
UH, RX PARK, TEXAS IS PROVIDING REGISTRATION ASSISTANCE FOR ANYONE, UM, UH, FOR ANY HELP THAT'S NEEDED BY CLIENTS IN, UH, JUST DOING SIGN UPS AND REGISTERING FOR AN ACCOUNT.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE THESE COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS LISTED HERE, AUSTIN REVITALIZATION, AUTHORITY, BUSINESS OF COMMUNITY, LENDERS OF TEXAS ECONOMIC GROWTH BUSINESS INCUBATOR HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS, UH, MISSION CAPITAL ON THE MONEY, FINANCE, UH, VOLT STUDIOS AND VISUAL MATTERS CONSULTING.
UM, WE WANTED TO, UH, IN THIS PROGRAM RATHER THAN JUST HAVE ONE NAVIGATOR, WE WANTED TO GET A, UH, A LARGE NUMBER TOGETHER.
THEY CAN PROVIDE A VARIETY OF, UH, TYPES OF ASSISTANCE WITH, UH, TAILORING TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UH, CLIENT NEEDS.
AND I CAN JUST TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR MARKETING AND HOW DO WE DONE OUTREACH SO FAR? UH, NEXT SLIDE, AS I NOTED THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED ON THE 23RD AT 10:00 AM.
UM, THE, UM, FOR ONE MOMENT, UM, THAT DAY WE DID A PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THE PROGRAM.
UH, THE PROGRAM'S WEBSITE ITSELF IS LIVE FROM OUR WEBSITE THAT HAS, UH, EMBED HAS INFORMATION, I THINK, HUGHES AND A HOW TO VIDEO FOR THE PORTAL APPLICATION.
UM, WE DID ANNOUNCEMENTS IN OUR NEWSLETTER THAT GOES OUT ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH, TUESDAY OF THE MONTH.
WE ALSO DID 30 SECONDS, SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS WITH, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA, ORGANIC AND PAID POSTS.
AND FINALLY, WE SENT AN ANNOUNCEMENT OUT TO A BROAD RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN AND IN THE MSA REGION, UM, THAT INCLUDED, UH, 8,000 CONTACTS OF THE DEPARTMENT FROM NONPROFITS, CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESS.
I JUST SORT OF GOES OVER WHAT I, WHAT I JUST SAID.
WE'RE USING NEWSLETTERS, UH, REASONING, PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS, PAYING ORGANIC POSTS AND SOME MEDIA BUYS.
UH, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LEVERAGING OTHER EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DEPARTMENT TO, UH, HELP ANALYSIS PROGRAM AND, AND, UH, HELP PEOPLE BE INFORMED ABOUT IT.
UH, THE PROGRAM ITSELF CAN RUN THROUGH, UH, FOR THREE YEARS, UH, DEPENDING ON, UH, FUNDING, BUT AS LONG AS THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE, UM, IT COULD, IT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE LENGTH OF TIME IT'S ESTABLISHED FOR, UH, LET'S SAY NEXT SLIDE.
UH, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, IF I CAN.
AND, UM, AND, UH, ANYTHING I DON'T KNOW, I CAN, I CAN TAKE HIM FIND OUT FOR REAL.
ALL OF THAT IS, UM, WONDERFUL TO HEAR REALLY EXCITING STUFF FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR SURE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER POLGAR COMMISSIONER MOCK HAD HER HAND RAISED BEFORE ME.
UM, COMMISSIONER MOCK, PLEASE.
UM, I LOVE THE 80 SOME ASS OR REQUEST.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU HAVE THE PROFILE, YOU KNOW, THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW MANY WOMEN, HOW MANY MINORITY, YOU KNOW, SO, BECAUSE
[00:20:01]
I THINK FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, UH, THE, UH, PROCESS, THE APPLICATION PROCESS, I, I WOULD IMAGINE MOST OF THEM SU YOU KNOW, UH, PROBABLY MINORITY.SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAVE A PROFILE ON, UM, I USED SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING OUT TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL BE GETTING QUARTERLY REPORTING FROM OUR COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS.
IT WILL INCLUDE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, BUT FOR OUR DEPARTMENTAL REPORTING NEEDS AND FOR FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, THAT WILL INCLUDE THAT, BUT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT YET.
UM, IN TERMS OF TRYING TO REACH A BREADTH OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS, WE FOCUSED REALLY HARD ON GETTING COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS, WHO, WHO DO REPRESENT A DIVERSITY IN TERMS OF COMMUNITIES THAT THEY, THAT THEY SUPPORT AND ENGAGE WITH.
BUT, UH, ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION WE'LL, UM, ONCE THOSE REPORTS ARE IN, WE CAN GET MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON, UH, WHO'S UH, WHO'S APPLYING WONDERFUL COMMISSIONER POLGAR AND THEN COMMISSIONER VANDYKE.
WE'VE BEEN REALLY ANXIOUS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM, ARE ALL THE SERVICE PROVIDERS UNDER CONTRACT OR, OR WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE LAST OF THOSE WAS IN THE MIX? GOTCHA.
UM, UH, I DON'T BELIEVE I CAN SPEAK ABOUT ONES THERE.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE, UM, I BELIEVE AT LEAST ONE CONTRACTOR IN WHICH THE, THE, THE CONTRACT IS STILL UNDER, UH, UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE TIMELINE EXACTLY ON THAT.
COMMISSIONER VAN DYKE, AND THEN COMMISSIONER CASTEEL.
UM, CAN YOU GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, THE KINDS OF GROUPS, THE KIND OF CONNECTIONS THAT IF, IF THERE'S NOT, I KNOW IT'S EARLY, IF THE THINGS ARE NOT HAPPENING YET, WHAT KIND OF EXAMPLES DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN OUT OF THIS? WELL, I CAN GIVE EXAMPLES IN TERMS OF WHAT, UM, OUR, OUR NAVIGATORS HAVE TOLD US SO FAR.
THEY'VE ONLY BEEN, UH, KIND OF OPERATING A FEW WEEKS, UM, BUT BROADLY SPEAKING, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, INTEREST IN JUST KIND OF GENERAL SUPPORT AND INFORMATION ON SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING OR PEOPLE TRYING TO REPOSITION THEIR, THEIR KIND OF BUSINESS FOCUS, UM, IN LIGHT OF DIFFERENT COVID CONDITIONS, GETTING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND KIND OF STRATEGIC PLANNING OR FINANCIAL PLANNING, UM, A VARIETY OF THOSE THINGS.
SO ONCE THEY GET ASSIGNED A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR, THEY SET UP, UM, SORRY, SOUND'S COMING DOWN.
UH, ONCE THEY GET, UH, UH, TIED TO A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR, THEY SET UP, UH, SESSIONS WHERE THEY CAN DO COACHING.
THEY CAN ALSO REFER THEM TO WORKSHOPS.
UH, SEVERAL OF THE NAVIGATORS WE HAVE, UM, HAVE OFFERED, UM, BASICALLY DOZENS OF DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS FOR SMALL BUSINESS CLIENTS, UM, AND ALSO, UH, YEAH, ACROSS A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES AS WELL.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? COMMISSIONER VAN DYKE.
I'M CURIOUS IF WE'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND SOMEONE ASKS FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE INFO ON THE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM OR ALREADY HAS A NEED, UM, WHO DO WE DIRECT THEM TO DO WE DIRECT THEM TO THE WEBPAGE OR IS, IS IT, IS YOU MENTIONED THAT ART SPARK IS, IS, WAS AT THE TOP THERE.
DO WE DIRECT THEM TO ART SPARK? UM, WHO'S THE, WHO'S THE BEST POINT OF CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION? UH, DEFINITELY.
I WOULD DIRECT THEM TO THE WEBPAGE THAT HAS INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO SIGN UP AND LINKS TO THE REGISTRATION AND THEN PORTAL, AND ALSO, UH, AND I THINK YOU, AND THEN OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN IF THEY HAVE OTHER INFORMATION, I BELIEVE THERE'S, THERE'S A CONTACT THAT CAN MAKE THEIR, UH, FIRST SPARK IS HELPING FOLKS IN TERMS OF ONCE THEY'RE REGISTERING, UM, APART FROM THE OTHER SERVICES WHERE THEY'RE DOING OTHER SERVICES AS WELL.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING IS HELP IN TERMS OF HELPING PEOPLE APPLY FOR THINGS.
BUT, UM, ONE OF THE SERVICES THERE ARE, THEY ARE DOING FOR US NOW IS IF PEOPLE HAVE DIFFICULTY JUST WITH THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, UH, THEY CAN HELP GUIDE THEM THROUGH THAT.
UM, THIS IS ONE I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THE WEBPAGE IS AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV/OR BACKSLASH COMMUNITY HYPHEN NAVIGATOR HYPHEN PROGRAM.
YOU, DO YOU MIND READING THAT ONE MORE TIME? AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV
[00:25:02]
BACKSLASH COMMUNITY HYPHEN NAVIGATOR HYPHEN PROGRAM.AND I'LL BE SURE TO INCLUDE A LINK TO THAT ALONG WITH ACCESS TO THE BACKUPS, UH, PRESENTATION IN OUR NEWSLETTER, THAT WILL GO OUT.
SO FOR ANYBODY THAT LIKES QUICK ACCESS TO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE COVERED IN THIS, UH, IN OUR MONTHLY SESSIONS, THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO HAVE, UM, JUST QUICK AND IMMEDIATE ACCESS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DONALD, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH REALLY EXCITED THAT THIS IS UP AND RUNNING AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT FIRST QUARTERLY REPORT.
[4b. Hotel Occupancy Tax Update – Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Economic Development Department Director]
ON TO S UH, STAFF BRIEFINGS FOR B OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX UPDATE WITH DIRECTOR, UM, SYLVIA HOLT, RAB.SO THERE'LL BE A WHOLE RAP AND LAURA ODA.
GOD, WE'LL BE MAKING THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
THANK YOU, LAURA, FOR PRESENTING TONIGHT.
AND WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE HER MIC IS ON AS WELL.
UM, I AM THE CULTURAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND I WILL BE DOING THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX UPDATE FOR FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
UH, SO OUR FEBRUARY NUMBERS CAME IN AND OUR, UH, THE TRANSFER TO THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND IN FEBRUARY WAS $812,000.
UM, THAT THE YEAR, THE TOTAL, UM, HOT INPUT FOR THIS FOR UP TO FEBRUARY WAS $56.4 MILLION.
SO AS OF FEBRUARY, WE ARE WE'RE AT 81% OF OUR TOTAL FYI, 22 PROJECTIONS.
AND THEN FOR MARCH, PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON, THE WAY THAT HOT, UM, FUNDS COME IN, IT'S A MONTH DELAY.
UM, SO THE MARCH NUMBERS THAT WE SEE HERE ARE ACTUALLY WHAT CAME IN IN FEBRUARY.
SO THE, THE MARCH REPORTED NUMBERS, UH, FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND WAS $54,326.
AND THE YEAR TO DATE TOTAL FOR HOT WAS 56,972,229.
[00:30:02]
OF OUR PROJECTED BUDGET OF 69.8 MILLION.UM, THERE IS ANOTHER SLIDE THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL SHARE IN THE BACKUP WITH YOU, BUT THE, THE BIG, THE BIG POINT WAS THAT WE'RE AT 82% OF OUR CULTURAL ARTS FUND, UM, ACTUALS.
SO WE HAVE 5.5 MILLION IN HAND RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING SINCE THE TOTAL YEAR PROJECTIONS WERE THE 6.6 FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND.
ANY QUESTIONS? HOPEFULLY I DIDN'T MESS IT UP TOO MUCH.
SYLVIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH, LAURA, DO YOU WISH YOUR GRADE? DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? NO.
UM, CAN WE STOP SHARING SO I CAN SEE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WELL, I'M SURE WE ALL HEARD ABOUT WHAT A MESS THE AIR PARK WAS AND ALL THOSE THREE EVENTS WERE IN TOWN.
SO, UH, SO I PRESUME THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE MARCH OR APRIL, UM, HOTEL.
I MEAN, I'M SURE IF ALL THESE PEOPLE IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD BE A GOOD, UM, HUSBAND CHARITY INCOME, RIGHT.
SO THAT MIGHT IMPACT, UH, THE HOT FUND.
SO, YEAH, EVEN THOUGH I HEARD ABOUT THE MESS AT THE AIRPORT AND I WAS THINKING, OOH, THE HOT FUN WILL BE OKAY THAT, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO TOWN, SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO BE OPTIMISTIC AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND UPLIFTED BY THE MESS.
THOSE ARE ALL GOOD SIGNS, COMMISSIONER FLORES, I'M SORRY.
I'M FORGETTING WHAT IS THE FINAL MONTH FOR THIS, FOR THE TOTAL TO, TO GET TO THE TOTAL.
SO IT WAS SEPTEMBER 30TH AND SEPTEMBER 30TH.
SO BASICALLY FIVE MORE MONTHS.
AND SO AS AMY SAYS, APRIL SHOULD BE HOPEFULLY, UH, SHOW THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND ALL THE OTHER FESTIVAL INCOME HOPEFUL INCOME THAT WILL BE THERE.
IS THERE, UH, I GUESS THERE'S NO WAY TO PROJECT HOW THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS WILL BE.
SO, UH, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ACL OR IS ACL IN SEPTEMBER.
ACL HAPPENS, UH, IN OCTOBER, WHICH WILL SHOW UP IN NOVEMBER REPORTS.
AND AS, UM, AS LAURA MENTIONED, THE SPRING FESTIVAL WILL SHOW UP AND OUR APRIL REPORTS.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO APRIL.
SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING.
UM, SO REALLY WE'RE ONLY ABOUT 1.2 MILLION OFF OF OUR APPROVED BUDGET WITH FIVE MONTHS TO GO.
UM, AND THAT DOESN'T REFLECT THE, THE MARCH NUMBER.
SO, I MEAN, REALLY, IT SEEMS LIKE BARRING ANYTHING THAT'S, WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
I HADN'T FINISHED, BUT CAN I ASK, UH, UH, GO AHEAD.
UM, SO TO BRAD'S 0.1 POINT, I MEAN, 6.2 IS WHAT WE SAID OR NO, UM, 6.6, 6.7 6.6 6.6.
BUT DIDN'T, WE HAVE A PROVISION THAT IF WE DO BETTER THAN WHAT COULD WE DO WITH A HOT, I MEAN, WAS THERE A WAY TO ADD ADDITIONAL? I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT WE DID EXACTLY.
CAN SOMEBODY REFRESH MY MEMORY? I THOUGHT IF, IF THE FUN CAME IN HIGHER, UM, THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT THAT WE COULD DO ADDITIONAL SOMETHING, OR AM I REMEMBERING WRONG? UM, SO I'LL TAKE THIS, LAURA KNOW YOU ARE REMEMBERING, UH, DISCUSSIONS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE COULD AMEND THE BUDGET, BUT I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO BE GETTING A REPORT ON THE, UH, UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND THE GUIDELINES, AND WE WILL HAVE FOR THE DISCUSSION ON WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
SO WE CANNOT INCREASE THE AMOUNT ABOVE A FIVE, A SIX POINT, WHAT IS IT? SIX, 6.67.
UH, TECHNICALLY IF WE DO COME IN ABOVE BUDGET, WE COULD, WE COULD DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT.
NOT THAT WE WOULD, WE COULD DO ONE.
WELL, I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSION ABOUT DOING IT.
[00:35:02]
THE ARTS COMMISSION HAD REQUESTED THAT AS PART OF OUR LANGUAGE, BUT BRETT, UM, IS IT OKAY IF I SPEAK VICE CHAIR, PLEASE GO FOR IT.UM, SO YES, WE DID HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT, WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THEY, IF WE WERE OVER THE AMENDED, UM, AMOUNT.
I ALSO THINK, I DON'T REMEMBER IF ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE OPTIONS WAS ROLLING THAT MONEY OVER INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR, UM, OR PAYING BACK THE EMERGENCY FUNDS AMOUNT, OR IF THAT TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION ANY OF THAT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I, UM, BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT WE SAID ABOVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT THAT WE COULD FUND ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THROUGH ONE OF THE INITIATIVES.
SO I'M SURE THERE'LL BE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, BUT I DO ALSO, I WOULD ALWAYS SAY, I THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE CONSIDERING WHAT WE SHOULD MAYBE A PORTION TO PUT AWAY FOR A RAINY OR DAY.
NOT THAT IT'S NOT RAINING NOW, BUT WE ALWAYS KNOW THAT IT COULD POUR DOWN MORE.
SO CAN I SHARE FLORES? I JUST APPOINTED, UH, CLARIFICATION.
UH, WE ARE, WE WERE FORGIVEN THE BALANCE, SO YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PAYBACK A DEFICIT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR.
SO IT'S FOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY PAYING.
WE USED TO HAVE TO, WE USED TO SAY WITH THAT WE WOULD CLICK AWAY.
THERE WAS THE REQUIRED AMOUNT, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAD AN ADDITIONAL 5% OR SOMETHING THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION HAD SAID, WE ARE GOING TO PUT AWAY FOR A RAINY DAY FUND OR FOR AN ADDITIONAL FUND AFTER THAT.
UM, 2008 OR WHENEVER THAT WAS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I DO REALIZE THAT THING FOUR GAVE US A FORBEARANCE ON THE IDEA OF THOSE OTHER FUNDS.
AND I'M ALSO REMEMBERING A CONVERSATION WHERE WE WERE GOING TO PIVOT TO USING ACTUAL VERSUS PROJECTIONS.
AND SO IT, ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO BE FACTORED IN ONCE WE BRING BACK A FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, UM, THERE ARE VARIANTS COMING UP AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH BUDGETING SHAREHOLDER.
I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR YOU AND THIS, AND THIS IS A REALLY REAL QUESTION OF REFRESHING MY MEMORY.
I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, UM, CO PARENTS COVERED MEMORY.
UM, BUT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT MOVING FROM PROJECTIONS TO ACTUAL HOLES, WE'LL WE GONNA PHASE THAT IN OVER TIME, OR IS YOUR THOUGHT NOW THAT WE WANT TO DO IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE? WE'RE WHERE, WHERE ARE WE IN THAT TIMELINE? OR CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT AT THIS JUNCTURE? SO I WILL SPEAK TO WHAT WAS APPROVED.
SO WHEN WE ENDED LAST YEAR, IT WAS AROUND A NEGATIVE 2.3 ISH.
AS SOON AS THE BOOKS ARE OFFICIALLY CLOSED, WE HAD THE ONE-TIME TRANSFER IN FROM THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND TO BASICALLY CLEAR THAT.
AND THEN WE HAD A PROJECTION OF ABOUT 6.9 MILLION.
AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY BUDGETED WAS ABOUT THREE POINT SOME ODD MILLION, SO THAT WE WOULD THEN HEAR A FORWARD ACTUALS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
NOW THAT, UM, UH, RECEIPTS ARE LOOKING BETTER THAN ANTICIPATED, WE WILL BE REALLY EVALUATING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, KEEPING IN MIND, PIVOTING TO THE ACTUALS VERSUS PROJECTIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS.
ARE YOU STICKING TO HER? OH, OH, SIMON, I'M SORRY.
YOU GUYS ARE VERY SMALL ON THIS LITTLE SCREEN, SO PLEASE FEEL WAVE, UH, IN AN ANIMATED FASHION AND I WILL SEE YOU THAT'S OKAY.
I WAS HAVING TROUBLE, WHETHER I SHOULD SPEAK UP OR NOT.
I JUST WANTED TO LIKE, TRY TO CLARIFY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING TO ACTUALS OF, YOU KNOW, BACKFILL HOT FUNDS.
LIKE THIS IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
I ALL WANTED TO CLARIFY DIRECTORS.
ROB, IS THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE'RE MOVING TO ACTUALS AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE MONEY THAN, THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR.
THEN WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS EITHER LATER TODAY, OR IN A FUTURE MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, ARE WE GOING TO USE THAT EXTRA MONEY THAT WE HAVE, OR ARE WE GOING TO PUT IT IN SAVINGS SO THAT WE CAN USE IT THE FOLLOWING YEAR, OR
[00:40:01]
IF WE'RE GOING TO SPLIT, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF PERCENTAGE.AND I JUST WANTED EVERYBODY AT HOME TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AT SOME FUTURE POINT AND MY INTERNET, UH, BROS, UH, COMMISSIONER CAUSE DEAL.
SO I'M GOING TO HOPEFULLY CAPTURE WHAT YOU SAID.
SO IN THE FUTURE, PROBABLY ONCE THE GUIDELINES ARE FINALIZED, WE WILL BE IN COMBAT TO LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE COLLECTED VERSUS WHAT WE WERE SPEND.
AND HOPEFULLY GO BACK TO AT ONE POINT, THERE WAS A 10 AND A 5% RESERVE, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND DEFINITELY RE-INSTITUTED BOTH OF THOSE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HOLT, ROB, UM,
[4c. Cultural Funding Review Process Update – Meghan Wells, Cultural Arts Division Manager]
MOVING ON TO FOUR C CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS UPDATE WITH MEGAN WELLS, CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION, LAURA, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVING THAT PRESENTATION AS WELL.UM, WE'LL JUST WAIT FOR A TICKET, THE NEXT PRESENTATION LOADED UP.
SO I KNOW THAT I'M JUST GOING TO NOTICE THAT MEGAN AND AMY AND I ARE ALL IN THE SAME ROOM GUYS, I'M IN QUARANTINE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WE ARE, IT'S JUST SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO BE A WHILE.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UH, MAKE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT LAURA IS GOING TO BE CAPTURING BOTH A PROCESS AND THE, UM, SORT OF THE CONTEXT AND PROPOSED GUIDELINES IN THE SAME PRESENTATION.
SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, ON ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.
UH, AFTER THIS PRESENTATION, I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO SPEAK OR SIGN UP AS WELL.
SO, UH, I WILL LET HER, UH, PROVIDE INFORMATION THROUGH THE POWERPOINT AND MAYBE, UH, KEEP YOUR QUESTIONS TILL THE END.
IS THAT OKAY? WE'VE GOT PRESENTER MODE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
AND THANK YOU MEGAN, FOR THAT NOTE.
WHAT DO YOU SEE NOW? DO YOU SEE PRESENTER OR, OH YEAH, WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING.
AND ON OUR SCREEN HERE, WE CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS THE NOTES.
SO HOW WAS EVERYBODY BEN? BLESS YOU, BRETT.
I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A NICE EASTER HAPPY PASSOVER RAMADAN.
I WANT TO KNOW IF, UH, BEHIND, UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO THAT'S, UH, BRIDGE OF THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE CONFIRMED.
THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT PRESENTATION.
UM, WHAT DOES THAT PROMAN SEEM NOW? WE HAD THE SLIDES, BUT NOW IT JUST SWITCHED TO NOTES.
THAT'S THE OLD PRESENTATION AND THE KNITTING NAVIGATOR.
I'M WONDERING IF PRESENT, DANIEL'S STILL A ROOM FOR A, IS DANIEL HANGING OUT OUTSIDE? DID WE NEED THE ASSISTANCE? I THINK HE'S HE, I THINK HE'S DOING TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS.
I THINK HE'S TRYING TO BALANCE, BUT SORRY.
ALL THE THINGS WE'RE AT FORESEE RIGHT NOW.
UM, THIS IS FOR A, THE TITLE OF THIS ONE IS FOR A I DIDN'T GET THAT.
WHAT YOU HAD SAID, MICHELLE, BUT NOW I DO.
[00:45:06]
HI, EVERYONE.LOWER OR THE GUARD WITH THE CULTURAL INVESTMENTS TONIGHT.
I'LL BE GIVING IT UP THERE ON THE COUNTRY.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY YOU GET ONE MONTH OFF AND YOU COME BACK ALL LEXA DAYS AGO.
YOU LIVE PERFORMERS IN THE DIES? NOPE.
UM, TECH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRANGLING.
I WANT A SECOND NET, UH, TROUBLESHOOTING WITH A BILLION EYES LOOKING AT YOU.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE OTHER AGENDA I WAS GOING TO PROPOSE THAT WE APPROVE THE AIPP ITEMS ON CONSENT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TAKE OUT OF ORDER.
UM, UM, I'M OKAY WITH THAT COMMISSIONER BARNES.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING A SUGGESTION.
I WOULD LOVE I'D HAVE TO TAKE A VERBAL VOTE WITH THAT BECAUSE CAN'T OKAY THERE TOO.
IF THERE ARE TWO THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO, ONE IS MOVE IT AND THEN, AND THEN MOVE IT ON.
WE MOVE UP THE AIPP ITEMS FOR CONSENT.
THE COMMISSIONER GRAY SECONDS.
SO YOU GOT TO SHOUT OUT, UM, ALL IN FAVOR.
ANY UPS? ANY MORE? ANY MORE EYES? THANKS.
Y'ALL ANY ABSTENTIONS? ANY AGAINST, OKAY.
AIPP HAS BEEN MOVED UP AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER BARNES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THE SECOND MOTION? I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AIPP ITEMS ON THE AGENDA ON CONSENT.
ANY ABSTENTIONS, ANY AGAINST, UH, COMMISSIONER KEATON? YOU ARE OFF THE DYESS.
IF I CAN'T SEE YOU THERE YOU ARE MY LOVE, UH, OF WHAT WAS YOUR VOTE FOR PASSING ON CONSENT? AIPP CORRECT.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? ANY AGAINST, OKAY.
AIPP HAS BEEN PASSED ON CONSENT.
YOU'VE GOT A FULL MEETING TODAY, SO I REALLY, UM, WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THESE PROJECTS AND I'LL BE LINKING THEM IN OUR NEWSLETTER, BUT I THINK FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY, UM, THAT WAS A SMART MOVE COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO SUGGEST THE POWERPOINT.
IF WE USE THE REHEARSE TIMING, THAT'LL GIVE US A SLIDESHOW WITHOUT THE NOTES.
IF THAT'S HELPFUL TO TECH IN THE ROOM.
WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT HERE NOW.
SO I'M HOPING WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET UP AND RUNNING HERE SHORTLY.
YES, WE'RE GETTING THERE GUYS.
[00:50:02]
STARTED WITH A SLIDE AND OUTS, WHICH TO NOTES AGAIN.WE'RE SEEING THE SLIDES, BUT THE PEOPLE VIRTUALLY ARE JUST SEEING THE NOTES.
I THINK I'M SEEING BOTH, WE'RE SEEING BOTH YEAH, BOTH SLIDES AND NOTES.
UM,
THAT WAS TRICKY FOR EVERYBODY AT SAM'S.
HOW ARE WE TEAM? UH, IN VIRTUAL LAND? CAN YOU SEE THE SLIDE? YES.
WITH THAT, I WILL HAND IT UP TO OVER TO LAURA ODOR GUARD, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, THIS PRESENTATION AND THEN STAFF WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS OR GREAT.
UM, SO I KNOW YOU ALL SAW A PREVIEW OF THE SCRIPT FOR THIS SLIDE, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY IT ANYWAY, DESPITE COMMISSIONER BARNES STEALING MY THUNDER.
UM, BUT GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
I AM LAURA ODEGAARD, UH, CULTURAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND TONIGHT I'LL BE GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS AND DRAFT PILOT GUIDELINES.
SO BEFORE I DIVE IN, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS, TO THE COMMUNITY, TO CITY COUNCIL AND TO STAFF.
THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE OPEN AND VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING TOGETHER OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD A MODEL OF FUNDING THAT WILL OPERATIONALIZE OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY THROUGH A THREE PROGRAM APPROACH.
THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF SEED FUNDING FOR NEW AND EMERGING CREATIVE PROJECTS, BROAD SECTOR SUPPORT FOR ESTABLISHED CULTURAL PRODUCERS AND HIGH IMPACT TARGETED INVESTMENT IN STRENGTHENING THE FUTURE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS OF AUSTIN.
SO THIS ONE WILL BE A REFRESHER TO MOST OF YOU, BUT I JUST WANTED TO FRAME THINGS A LITTLE BIT CULTURAL FUNDING IN AUSTIN, OFFICIALLY DATES BACK TO THE 1950S WHEN FUNDING FIRST BEGAN TO BE ALLOCATED FROM THE CITY TO A HANDFUL OF ARTS GROUPS THAT WERE IN EXISTENCE.
THE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN TWEAKED OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO, BUT NEVER SIGNIFICANTLY REVIEWED OR EVALUATED FOR EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY OR EQUITY, THE NEED FOR RACIAL EQUITY CENTERED SHIFT AND THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION FUNDING PROGRAMS IS CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED THROUGH OUR OWN PROGRAM.
DATA DATA GATHERED FROM PAST AND CURRENT CONTRACTS SHOWS A CLEAR DISPARITY IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS BETWEEN DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS.
SO YOU CAN SEE IN THIS GRAPH HERE, THE LEADERSHIP AND STAFF DEMOGRAPHICS OF FYI 15 THROUGH F Y 21.
AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT STAFF AND LEADERSHIP IS ONLY ONE COMPONENT OF A CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IMPACT, BUT IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
SO IT'S DATA LIKE THIS THAT REVEALS HOW OUR CULTURAL FUNDING SYSTEM HAS BEEN EXCLUSIONARY OVER TIME.
AND I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THOUGH, WE LEAD WITH RACE.
WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERSECTIONALITY IN HOW WE ADDRESS OTHER HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS THE LGBTQ COMMUNITIES AND THE DISABILITY COMMUNITIES.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE ALSO MITIGATING THE CONCERNS BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND CITY COUNCIL AROUND LEGAL RISKS OF LEADING WITH RACIAL EQUITY.
IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT BALANCE.
AND PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE PILOT PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THE IMPETUS TO REVISE THE GUIDELINES HINGED ON SEVERAL FACTORS DATING BACK TO 2017.
SO IN 2017, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION ESTABLISHED THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM, RESPONSIVENESS WORKING GROUP.
IT'S A MOUTHFUL IT'S PURPOSE WAS TO MAKE FUNDING MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY, ADDRESSING SPECIFIC PRIORITIES THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN ALL FUNDING PROGRAM GUIDELINES.
[00:55:01]
SO THIS KIND OF INITIATED THE CONVERSATION TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES IN OUR PROGRAMS. AND FROM THIS DEVELOPED THE IDEA OF BRINGING A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAMS. AND THEN IN 2018, AUSTIN'S EXPANDING POPULATION COMBINED WITH SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM RETENTION AND OUTREACH RESULTED IN INCREASING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN FUNDING PROGRAMS, BUT HOT FUNDS WERE NOT INCREASING IN PROPORTION TO THIS PARTICIPATION.SO AS MOST OF YOU REMEMBER THIS MEANT FUNDING CUTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, IF NOT THE FIRST TIME EVER THIS UNDERSTANDABLY WAS REALLY CONCERNING TO MANY CULTURAL CONTRACTORS.
AND IN SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR, THE COMMUNITY REQUESTED THE ARTS COMMISSION AND STAFF FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ADDRESS FUNDING REDUCTIONS AND COMMUNICATION PAIRED WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING AND SUSTAINING CULTURAL EQUITY.
THESE CONDITIONS PRESENT BOTH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO RE-EXAMINE THE CURRENT FUNDING PROCESS.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY IN 2018, THE CITY'S STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 2023 WAS LAUNCHED REINFORCING THAT THE CITY MUST LEAD WITH A LENS OF RACIAL EQUITY AND HEALING LEADING WITH AN EMBEDDING EQUITY INTO AUSTIN'S VALUE SYSTEM.
IT MEANS CHANGING HEARTS AND MINDS TRANSFORMING LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM THE INSIDE OUT ERADICATING DISPARITIES AND ENSURING ALL AUSTIN COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE IN THE BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY PROGRESS.
WE ARE USING THIS LENS TO TAKE A DISRUPTIVE STANCE TO CRITICALLY TRANSFORM OUR PUBLIC SERVICE IN A WAY THAT ELIMINATES SYSTEMIC BARRIERS AND BIASES.
SO WHAT IS THE GOAL TO BE ACHIEVED THROUGH REVISING THESE GUIDELINES? COUNCIL'S DIRECTIVE TO US AND CONVERSATIONS ON THE DAYAS IN THE FALL WAS TO LEAD WITH EQUITY, BUT ALSO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.
THUS, WE ARE USING THREE PROGRAMS TO SERVE THE ECOSYSTEM EACH WITH AN EQUITY LENS.
TO THE EXTENT WE LEGALLY CAN, NO ARTIST OR ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATION WILL BE INELIGIBLE TO APPLY.
WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THESE PROGRAMS WITH THE IDEA THAT OVER TIME WE CAN SCALE UPWARD AMOUNTS AS UPWARD, WE CAN SCALE UP AWARD AMOUNTS AS HOT RETURNS.
SO THIS APPROACH MAINTAINS A FRAMEWORK WE'VE HISTORICALLY USED TO SERVE VARIOUS CONSTITUENCIES OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND TYPES OF CULTURAL PRODUCERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO PROVIDES ROOM FOR MORE INTENTIONAL GROUPS.
WHO'VE BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO OUR CITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS THAT HAVE NEVER RECEIVED THE INVESTMENT FROM US.
IT'S SIMILAR GROUPS HAVE WE KNOW THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO FIX OR SOLVE THIS SYSTEMIC ISSUE OVERNIGHT, NOR WILL ANY PROGRAM OR FRAMEWORK BE PERFECT.
BUT THIS APPROACH IS WHERE WE FEEL A SOLID PILOT LANDS.
SO THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS TO REVISE.
WHEN THE PROCESS GOT STARTED, A CONSULTANT WAS HIRED TO ASSIST.
SO IN MARCH OF 2019, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ENGAGED MJR PARTNERS LED BY RECOGNIZED ARTS LEADER, MARGIE REESE, TO GUIDE A REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF OUR CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR PROGRAM HISTORY, OPERATIONS STRUCTURE, PEER PANEL, AND MATRIX PROCESSES, AND PARTICIPATION TO ENGAGE A BROAD AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF STAKEHOLDERS IN A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM, EXPERIENCE, GOALS, AND PRIORITIES, AND TO PREPARE A REPORT ON FINDINGS WITH CORRESPONDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE PROGRAMS, STRUCTURES, AND OPERATION.
OUR FIRST COMMUNITY-WIDE MEETING WAS HELD ON JULY 10TH, 2019, AND PROCEEDED IN PHASES THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE.
THEY WERE STRUCTURED BY LISTENING, ANALYZING, AUDITING, DEVELOPING, AND REFINING TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, CONSULTANTS, RESEARCH, AND ADVICE, STAFF ANALYSIS, AND MANY OTHER TYPES OF FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION WERE FULLY CONSIDERED.
SO A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND THESE RANGED FROM LARGE COMMUNITY EVENTS TO SMALL GROUPS TO ONE-ON-ONE LISTENING SESSIONS, THE CONSULTANTS SPOKE WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ADVOCACY GROUPS, EDUCATION, FAITH, OTHER FUNDERS, INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, LIKE AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH IN AUSTIN, PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM EQUITY OFFICE, OF COURSE, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND POLICY STAFF WITH YOU COMMISSIONERS.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WITH OUR CULTURAL CONTRACTORS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT EQUITY PLAYS A LARGE
[01:00:01]
PART EVEN IN THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.SO WE MADE SURE TO ALLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS VARIOUS WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US.
MJR THE ARTS COMMISSION AND EVEN ANONYMOUSLY WE HAD IN-PERSON WHEN IT WAS SAFE MEETINGS, COMMENT CARDS, AND VIRTUAL CONVENINGS FEEDBACK FORMS, AS WELL AS OPEN OFFICE HOURS WITH STAFF OFFSITE, COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
AND EVEN NOW THE ARTS COMMISSION HAS HOSTED DIALOGUES WITH A WORKING GROUP.
SO BUILDING ON THESE THREE YEARS OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, EVALUATION OF PAST PROGRAMS, STRENGTHS, AND WEAKNESSES AND PEER RESEARCH CONDUCTED DURING THE PROCESS STAFF IS PUTTING FORWARD THREE NEW PROGRAMS THAT WILL ENCOURAGE NEW TALENT SUPPORT ESTABLISHED CULTURAL PRODUCERS AND AN INVEST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIVERSE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE ROOTED IN AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.
THIS FUNDING ECOSYSTEM WILL PRIORITIZE EQUITY THROUGH A COMBINATION OF SEED FUNDING, BROAD SECTOR SUPPORT AND TARGETED INVESTMENT.
THE NEW ECOSYSTEM SUPPORT STRUCTURE SEEKS TO ENCOURAGE NEW TALENT SUPPORT ESTABLISHED CULTURAL PRODUCERS INVEST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIVERSE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE ROOTED IN AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.
AS I'M REALIZING, I WROTE THAT TWICE IN THE SCRIPT, SO APOLOGIES, BUT JUST WANTED TO DRIVE THAT POINT HOME.
SO THE NEW ECOSYSTEM SUPPORT STRUCTURE, YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE THREE NEW PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO HONOR THE GOAL OF A HOLISTIC FUNDING ECOSYSTEM.
WE'RE OFFERING A RANGE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES IN SCALE, AS WELL AS CONTRACT LENGTH IN THIS PROGRAM, I'LL START WITH NEXUS.
NEXUS WILL NURTURE NEW AND EMERGING APPLICANTS BY FUNDING CREATIVE PUBLIC PROJECTS.
THIS PROGRAM WILL HAVE THE EASIEST APPLICATION AND CONTRACTING PROCESS PROVIDING AN IDEAL ENTRY POINT FOR APPLICANTS WHO ARE NEW TO CITY FUNDING.
AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INSTITUTIONALLY AND SYSTEMICALLY MARGINALIZED BY TRADITIONAL STRUCTURES AND INSTITUTIONS, IT WILL BE A FLAT AWARD OF $5 AND WE ANTICIPATE 40 TO 50 AWARDS PER CYCLE WITH TWO CYCLES EVERY YEAR.
THE NEXT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS ELEVATE.
SO THE NEXT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS ELEVATE, AND THIS IS FOR BROAD SECTOR SUPPORT.
ELEVATE WILL BE OPEN TO ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS OF ALL SIZES.
THIS FUNDING WILL BROADLY SUPPORT CULTURAL PRODUCERS WHO PUT ON PUBLIC PROGRAMS. ANNUAL CONTRACTS WILL RANGE FROM $7,500 TO $50,000.
AND WE ANTICIPATE UP TO 100 AWARDS PER FISCAL YEAR, AND THEN THRIVE WILL PROVIDE FOCUSED INVESTMENT TO SUSTAIN AND GROW ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN AND REFLECTIVE OF AUSTIN'S DIVERSE CULTURES.
THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO DIRECTLY CORRECT THE HISTORICAL UNDERFUNDING, DISPLACEMENT AND CULTURAL ERASER OF COMMUNITIES WITHIN AUSTIN BY OFFERING SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO SELF DETERMINE AND INVEST IN THEIR OWN SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH THRIVE IS ONLY OPEN TO 5 0 1 C ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE AT LEAST A FIVE-YEAR HISTORY IN AUSTIN.
IT IS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT WITH AWARDS RANGING FROM 70,000 TO 120,000 A YEAR.
AND ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION ABOUT NEXUS THAT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT IT IS FOR SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO WITH BUDGET SIZES UNDER $150,000, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO SOME ACROSS THE BOARD CHANGES AND SOME, SOME THOUGHTS TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL.
SO AGAIN, EVERYONE IN THE ARTS AND CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM SHOULD SEE THEMSELVES SOMEWHERE IN THESE PROGRAMS, NO ONE WILL NEED TO PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS.
NO ONE WILL RECEIVE AWARD BASED ON BUDGET HISTORY, AND AS REQUESTED BY THE COMMUNITY, THIS WILL BE A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
THE GOAL IS NOT TO FUND 99% OF ALL APPLICANTS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE RECEIVED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE TRANSITION PLAN FROM COUNCIL ARPA FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL EXISTING CULTURAL CONTRACTORS WHO HAD NOT RECEIVED OVER 1 MILLION IN RELIEF ALREADY.
THIS RECOMMENDATION CAME FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION TO STABILIZE ORGANIZATIONS AND CREATIVES IN A WAY THAT A PERCENTAGE OF HOT THIS
[01:05:01]
YEAR NEVER COULD HAVE.AND BECAUSE THE FUNDS WERE SO FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS COULD USE IT FOR STABILIZATION.
IF THEY WANTED TO, FOR PROGRAMMING SALARIES RENT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT ON AN EVENT AND COULD FOCUS ON SALARIES.
UM, SO AS A REMINDER, ALL 22 CULTURAL HERITAGE FESTIVAL CONTRACTORS RECEIVED ARPA FUNDS AND ALL, BUT FOUR CORE CONTRACTORS RECEIVED ARPA AWARDS.
SO AS YOU PROBABLY RECALL, THERE WAS A PAUSE IN SEPTEMBER AFTER WE DISCUSSED THINGS WITH COUNCIL AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE MILESTONES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, SINCE THAT TIME.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WAS TO FOCUS ON TRANSPARENCY, IMPACT ANALYSIS.
UM, LIKE LET'S DO ONE AT A TIME.
HOW ABOUT THAT? SO DATA TRANSPARENCY WAS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS, THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
UM, SO TO THAT END STAFF UPDATED THE WEBSITE WITH DASHBOARD INFORMATION, UM, MEETING RECORDINGS, SURVEY RESULTS, REPORTS, DEFINITIONS, AND OTHER RESOURCES.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY'S OPEN DATA PORTAL NOW HOLDS ALL CULTURAL FUNDING HISTORY FOR ALL ORGANIZATIONS OVER TIME.
THERE WAS ALSO IMPACT ANALYSIS DONE BY STAFF WHERE WE'VE REVIEWED ALL EXISTING CONTRACTORS AND ALL POTENTIAL FUNDING LEVELS TO SEE WHERE PEOPLE WOULD FIT IN THE NEW STRUCTURE AND HOW IT WOULD IMPACT THEM.
AND AS A WHOLE NEW COMPETITIVE PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO BE HIGHER AWARDS THAN AN ACROSS THE BOARD CUT FOR ALL EXISTING CULTURAL CONTRACTORS.
ADDITIONALLY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, THE ARTS COMMISSION FORMED A WORKING GROUP WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE GOAL OF THIS WAS TO INVOLVE PEOPLE WHO HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS BEFORE.
UH, SO IT WAS A COMBINATION OF CULTURAL CONTRACTORS AS WELL AS NON CULTURAL CONTRACTORS AND FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON BIPAP, LGBTQ, DISABLED AND WOMEN.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, SINCE SEPTEMBER, THE COMMENT BOX HAS BEEN OPEN ONLINE.
WE'VE HOSTED VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS TWICE A MONTH.
THERE'S BEEN A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER AS WELL AS MANY DIRECT STAFF CONVERSATIONS AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND STARTING TOMORROW, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING ANOTHER FEEDBACK SESSION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE GUIDELINES TO ALL PROGRAMS POSTED ONLINE, AS WELL AS, UH, UM, A FOCUSED FEEDBACK SURVEY FOR, UM, FOR COMMENT.
SO I ALSO WANTED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE TARGETED CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION WAS WHY ARE YOU MOVING FROM PROJECTIONS TO ACTUALS? AND I'M NOT GOING TO DO THE TOPIC JUSTICE, BUT TO BOIL IT DOWN, WE'RE STILL IN RECOVERY MODE AND HAVE LIMITED HOT FUNDS.
WE WANT A NEED TO ERR, ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION, PLUS THIS CHANGE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BY THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS.
IT'S ANOTHER QUESTION WE'VE GOT, HAS BEEN AROUND THE PANEL REVIEW PROCESS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL ABOUT HOW WE'RE FIXING THE PANEL REVIEW PROCESS.
AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS ON A DEPARTMENT WIDE PANEL INTAKE PROCESS RECRUITMENT IS GOING TO BE STARTING IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THAT.
IN CASE YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON A PANEL, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING FORMALIZED TRAINING, UM, NOT JUST A SINGLE TRAINING, BUT MULTIPLE TRAININGS FOR THE PANELISTS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A DETAILED SCORING RUBRIC TO REDUCE SUBJECTIVITY AS WELL AS FEWER NARRATIVE QUESTIONS IN THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING IS WHY ARE YOU GETTING RID OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP? FUN FACT, WE'RE NOT, UM, WE ARE MAKING FISCAL SPONSORSHIP OPTIONAL.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE AREN'T REQUIRING IT ANY LONGER.
IN PREVIOUS PROGRAMS, WE REQUIRED FISCAL SPONSORSHIP FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.
NOW WE'RE SAYING, IF YOU WANT TO USE A FISCAL SPONSOR, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO USE THE FISCAL SPONSOR, YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT, UM, PUT MORE POWER ON THE APPLICANT THEMSELVES SO THEY CAN DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM.
SIMILARLY, UH, WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS IN NEXUS ABOUT COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND WHY ARE YOU REQUIRING THIS? WE ARE NOT REQUIRING COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IN NEXUS.
IT IS OPTIONAL FOR INCREASED FLEXIBILITY.
[01:10:01]
AND AGAIN, AN APPLICANT CAN DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM, FOR COLLABORATIONS.YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS MIGHT BE PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE ARTISTS, CULTURALLY SPECIFIC GROUPS, UM, GROUPS REPRESENTING LGBTQ AND DISABILITY COMMUNITIES.
NON-PROFIT SOCIAL ADVOCACY SIMILAR.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO DEVELOP A PROJECT IN THIS WAY, PLEASE DO.
UM, IF YOU DON'T THAT'S OKAY, TOO.
ANOTHER QUESTION WE'VE HEARD WAS WHY DOES THE THRIVE PROGRAM HAVE MORE DELIVERABLES THAN ANY OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS? IF THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOCUSED ON, ON EQUITY THRIVE, ACTUALLY DOESN'T HAVE MORE DELIVERABLES.
UM, SO ALL COHORT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ARE OPTIONAL.
AGAIN, THE APPLICANT CAN DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE AROUND THRIVE IS ABOUT SELF-DETERMINATION.
AND SO WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE OPTION FOR PEER LEARNING AND NETWORKING BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD FOR YEARS FROM CULTURAL CONTRACTORS THAT PEOPLE WANT.
SO IT IS AN OPTION, BUT IT IS NOT REQUIRED.
UM, RECIPIENTS WILL NOT HAVE TO DO A FINAL REPORT AT THE END OF YEAR ONE.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING CALLED AN INTERIM REPORT JUST TO GET YOUR LAST CHUNK OF FUNDS FOR THAT FIRST YEAR.
BUT IT'S JUST A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR CONTRACT MANAGER ABOUT HOW YOU'RE DOING IN THE PROCESS.
UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN GETTING SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW YOU'RE FIXING INTERNAL ISSUES WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, AND SO TO THAT END, WE'RE STAGGERING, THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE.
SO WE'RE WATER FALLING THE PROGRAMS INSTEAD OF HAVING EVERYTHING OPEN AT THE SAME TIME AND EVERYTHING CLOSED AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH PUT A PRETTY LARGE BURDEN ON STAFF.
WE'RE STAGGERING, THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE, WE WILL HAVE FEWER TOTAL CONTRACTS IN THIS, UM, IN THIS NEW, NEW REALITY.
UH, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON LIMITING THE PRE-CONTRACT MATERIALS REQUIRED.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS ITSELF, AND WE'RE ALSO AUTOMATING A LOT OF THE CONTRACT PROCESSES.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, PILOTING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I GUESS NOW, UM, WITH RELIEF FUNDS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN FROM THOSE THINGS AND IMPROVE IT, MOVING FORWARD.
SO AGAIN, GOING BACK TO, WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE AND HOW ARE WE SOLVING IT? SO WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND PRESERVE THE BENEFITS OF THE CREATIVE SECTOR, AS WELL AS UPHOLD THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM THAT IS 50 YEARS OF INCREASINGLY INEQUITABLE FUNDING DUE TO HISTORIC POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND ACCESSIBILITY.
SO THIS FUNDING ECOSYSTEM WILL ACHIEVE THESE GOALS AND ADDRESS THIS HISTORIC INEQUITY BY PRIORITIZING EQUITY IN OUR FUNDING MODEL, THROUGH A COMBINATION OF SEED FUNDING, BROAD SECTOR SUPPORT AND TARGETED INVESTMENT.
THESE PROGRAMS WERE DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION WITH AUSTIN'S CREATIVE COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
SO IT'S A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS.
THE THREE NEW PROGRAMS STRUCTURE SEEKS TO ENCOURAGE NEW TALENT SUPPORT ESTABLISHED CULTURAL PRODUCERS AND INVEST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIVERSE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE ROOTED IN AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.
AND FINALLY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE OPEN TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIBRANCY OF AUSTIN'S DIVERSE ARTS AND CULTURE.
SO JUST TO REVIEW THE NEXT STEP, SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? SO THIS SLIDE SHOULD LOOK SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR, UM, AS WE'VE SHOWN IT A FEW TIMES, BUT WE ARE HERE IN THE GUIDELINES BLUE ARROW.
UM, SO THIS EVENING WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU IN THE ARTS COMMISSION.
LIKE I SAID, TOMORROW, WE'RE GOING TO PUBLISH THE DRAFT, UM, GUIDELINES FOR ALL THREE PROGRAMS. THERE'LL BE ON OUR WEBSITE AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A FEEDBACK FORM THAT IS GOING TO BE OPEN FROM THE 19TH.
SO TOMORROW UNTIL MAY 10TH AT 11:59 PM.
AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU AS A COMMISSION, UM, AND SHARE WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO REVIEW AND VOTE ON THESE, UM, PILOT GUIDELINES.
SO THIS WILL BE, UM, POTENTIALLY MORE FUN WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT IN BACKUP, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU.
UM, SO PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES.
[01:15:01]
FOR NEXUS ELEVATE AND THRIVE THAT ARE LINKED IN THIS PRESENTATION THAT WILL BE POSTED ON THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PAGE AS WELL AS ON OUR CITY WEBSITE TOMORROW.ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S THE FEEDBACK SURVEY, SO YOU CAN, UM, CLICK ON THE LINK.
UM, IT'S KIND OF A CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE, BUT IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE SAME SURVEY THAT IS ONLY SIX QUESTIONS.
MOST OF THEM ARE MULTIPLE CHOICE.
UM, THERE'S ALWAYS OTHER BOXES.
SO FEEL FREE TO WRITE MORE INFORMATION IF YOU FEEL SO INCLINED.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, I WILL PAUSE, UM, THAT IS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO I WILL PASS IT BACK TO YOU CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, LAURA, A LOT OF AMAZING WORK, UM, AND THINGS YOU GET EXCITED ABOUT BEFORE COMMISSIONER FLORES.
I SEE YOU BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION FOR COMMENTS, WE DO HAVE, UM, A COMMUNITY MEMBER HERE AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, MRS. OROZCO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME DOWN? THANK YOU.
I'M SURE WE'LL BE HEARING FROM YOU AGAIN.
OH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF MEXICO AT THE MUSEUM.
BEFORE I COMMENT ON THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO MEXICO, ARTHUR, TO VIEW AND EXPERIENCE CHICANO ART, MOBY MANTO AND MAS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, A HISTORICAL EXHIBITION OF CHICANO ART DEVELOPED IN THE 1960S TO THE 1980S AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND IN AUSTIN, IN THE COMMUNITY DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE EXHIBIT BOTH HAS ART AND PHOTOGRAPHS, HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS THAT WE GATHERED FROM ARTISTS AND COLLECTORS.
FROM THAT TIME PERIOD ON THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, IT SEEMS TO BE RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE EXHIBITION IN TIME, BECAUSE WHAT HAS HAPPENED THE LAST TWO YEARS ALMOST TAKES US BACK MANY YEARS TO THE 1980S INTO THE 1990S.
WHEN WE WOULD ATTEND EVERY ARTS COMMISSION MEETING TO FIGHT FOR EQUITABLE FUNDING AND EQUITY IN THE ARTS, I FIND IT IRONIC AS WELL AS EXHAUSTING THAT WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE SAME INEQUITIES THAT WE DID 30 AND 40 YEARS AGO, AS I WAS EMAILED BY AN ARTS COMMISSIONER THAT I HAVE PRESENTED AT SEVERAL ARTS COMMISSIONS MEETINGS.
AND THAT YOU HAVE HEARD MY IDEAS MANY TIMES I WILL STATE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE AND HEAR FROM ME AS LONG AS THERE ARE CULTURAL INEQUITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN OUR SYSTEM.
MY MESSAGE TODAY IS SIMPLE AS THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BIPAP COMMUNITY NEEDS TO THRIVE BOTH THE LEGACY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, AS WELL AS A BIPAP EMERGING ARTISTS.
THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN BY DESIGNING A PROGRAM THAT PRESERVES AND GROWS OUR LEGACY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MEXICO AT THE MUSEUM
ORIGINALLY, THE TR THE THRIVE PROGRAM HAD A FUNDING CAP, $175,000.
AT LEAST TO BEGIN WITH MY SUGGESTION IS TO USE THIS FOR THE LEGACY BIPAP LEVEL AND TO USE LARGER OR LARGER AMOUNTS LIKE THE 80,000 FOR THE SMALLER BIPAP AND EMERGING ARTIST ASSESS X SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM WILL BE SUCCESSFUL BY DESIGN AND BY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE CONSTITUENTS AND THE CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.
WE, THE LEGACY BIPAP ORGANIZATIONS HAVE FOR DECADES, YEARS, AND YEARS OF PROVIDING PROGRAMS AND TO RE AND I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE ARTS COMMISSION AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN STAFF TO LOOK AROUND AND VISIT OUR ORGANIZATIONS, ATTEND OUR PROGRAMS, AND TO SEE IF WE REALLY ARE THRIVING.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WHILE WE ARE HERE TALKING ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND OR $175,000 PER YEAR, OTHER CELEBRATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO SHUTTERED VENUES WHILE WE ARE DISCUSSING SMALLER AMOUNTS, THE FUNDING PROGRAM IS NOT 50 YEARS OLD, AND THE INEQUITIES ARE NOT 50 YEARS OLD.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OVER 150 YEARS OLD.
WE SHOULD HAVE AN ARTS PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
NO OTHER CULTURAL ARTS FUNDER IN THE UNITED STATES IS KEEPING BACK FUNDING IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU, THE TOURIST ARE COMING.
THE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN THE DOORS, AND WE DO NOT HAVE FUNDING.
WE NEED TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
WE MUST FUND A PROGRAM THAT IS EQUITABLE.
WE NEED TO FUND OUR BIPAP ORGANIZATIONS TO A DIGNIFIED LEVEL, DO THE MATH, DO THE MATH
[01:20:01]
AND COUNT UP ALL THE YEARS THAT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE FUNDING THAT WE'RE, THAT THE PRIVILEGED RECEIVED.AND YOU WILL FIND THAT IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER 50 YEARS FOR US TO COME BACK AND BE EQUITABLE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE NUMBERS THAT YOU ARE PRESENTING TODAY.
IT IS AN IMPROVEMENT, BUT IT IS.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT CORRECT YET.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT KNOWS HOW TO DO THE MATH, DO THE MATH SO WE CAN HAVE AN EQUITABLE PROGRAM.
UM, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO OLD BUSINESS FIVE, EIGHT DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER FLORES.
I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THE LAST LIE THAT, UH, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK THE QUESTION I WASN'T GOING TO COME IN, BUT, UH, UM, THE, UM, WHERE YOU HAD SHOWED THE LINKS OR THE ACTUAL GUIDELINES IS WHAT WE HAD IN, IN OUR BACKUP, WHAT I READ TODAY.
AND I LAMENT THAT THEY WERE, THEY CAME SO LATE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IT WAS EASTER HOLIDAY WEEKEND, BUT I DID GET THROUGH THEM ALL.
AND I HAVE NOTES ON ALL OF THEM, BUT I WANT TO KNOW IF WHAT I READ THAT WAS GIVEN IN THE BACKUP DIFFERENT FROM THE GUIDELINES THAT YOU WERE SAYING, THE LINKS GO TO JUST ONE MOMENT, LAURA'S COMING BACK UP TO THE STAND.
UM, THEY ARE THE SAME THAT WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE TOMORROW.
THE, EXCEPT WE DID, I DIDN'T FIND IT.
AND MAYBE IT WAS MY FAULT CAUSE I WAS HAVING TROUBLE DOWNLOADING, UH, MATERIALS FROM MY, UH, THE BACKUP MATERIALS.
FOR SOME REASON, MY BROWSER IS NOT TALKING TO WHATEVER THE, THE PAGE, BUT, UH, I DID NOT SEE THE PROGRAM DETAIL REPORT.
SO I WAS ABLE TO DOWNLOAD THEM AND READ THEM.
UH, I DID NOT SEE THE PROGRAM DETAIL EVERY, EACH OF THEM REFERRED TO IT, BUT I, I DID NOT SEE THAT DOCUMENT.
HE'S THIS IS DOUBLE-CHECKING THAT IT WAS IN THE FOLDER, BUT REGARDLESS ALL, ALL FOUR PDFS WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE TOMORROW.
CAN WE SHARE FLORIDA? I'M SEEING THAT IN THE BACKUP.
WELL THEN I MUST'VE MISSED IT OR IT IS A PDF TOO.
SO IT COMES UP ABOVE THE AGENDA.
SO MAYBE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED, BUT IT IS THERE.
I'LL GO BACK AND READ THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THAT WITH ME.
THANK YOU, TRIPLE THEIR, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, WOW.
TO STAFF AND LAURA, THE LONGEST POWERPOINT ON THE PLANET AND JUST BRILLIANT, UM, SO MUCH GOOD INFORMATION.
AND I THINK THE ONE THING THAT I AM SUPER EXCITED ABOUT TOO, IS HOW CLEAR, UM, I CAN, FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD BACK IN AUGUST WHEN THE FIRST ROUND OF DRAFT GUIDELINES WERE RELEASED AND CONVERSATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I CAN CLEARLY TRACK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CONVERSATIONS AND WHERE THAT HAS PLUGGED INTO SHIFTS IN THESE PROGRAMS AND CLARITY IN THE PROGRAMS YOU GUYS HAVE DONE SO MUCH WORK.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU, AND I'M GOING TO CLOSE MY MOUTH BECAUSE I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DIGGING THROUGH DETAILS.
SO LET'S SEE WHAT QUESTIONS WE HAVE IN THAT GREAT COMMISSIONER VAN DYKE.
UM, I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST SLIDE THAT SHOULD, WHAT 50 YEARS OF, UH, INEQUITY, UM, THE HISTORIC DISADVANTAGES.
UM, I'M ASSUMING HE DIDN'T JUST FIND THAT INFORMATION IN ONE PLACE THAT IT MUST TAKE A LOT OF WORK TO PULL THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER.
UM, MY QUESTION THAT I KEEP HAVING AN, I STAY AT ANSWERED SOMETIMES AND NOT, AND OTHER TIMES I KNOW THAT THE CITY IS DIRECTED US TO, UH, UH, FOCUS ON RACIAL EQUITY.
BUT I AM CURIOUS IF THERE'S, IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF A GENDER ON THAT, UH, MEN VERSUS WOMEN, UM, AS FAR AS THE MONEY DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, IS THERE ANYTHING LIKE THAT AVAILABLE? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION OR COMMISSIONER.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY THE, THAT FIRST SLIDE THAT HAD THE, UM, THE INEQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDING THAT WAS FROM FYI 15 THROUGH F Y 21 ONLY.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE MOVED THE ZOOM
[01:25:01]
GRANT SYSTEM AND WE WERE RECORDING THAT INFORMATION IN A MORE STRATEGIC WAY.SO LIKE I MENTIONED, THAT INFORMATION IS PRIMARILY, UM, THE QUESTION IS AROUND LEADERSHIP AND STAFF DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWNS.
SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, INTERNALLY AS STAFF AND WAS WITH THE REST OF THE CITY AS TO HOW WE'RE COLLECTING DATA.
AND SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME AND OUR NEW SYSTEM, OUR NEW APPLICATION SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE VERY STRATEGIC ABOUT ASKING QUESTIONS AROUND, UM, LEADERSHIP, DEMOGRAPHICS, NOT JUST FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC BREAKDOWN, BUT AS WELL AS, UM, AGE, GENDER, UM, LGBTQ DISABILITY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE STARTED ASKING IN OUR RELIEF PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE SOME DATA, UM, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, UM, AROUND, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR SOME OF THESE NONPROFITS, BUT IT'S NOT EVERYONE.
UM, SO WE CAN PULL SOME INFORMATION, BUT IT'S NOT EVERYONE THAT WE FUND AT THE MOMENT.
UH, THE SECOND QUESTION, UM, THE, UM, I FORGET WHICH SLIDE IT WAS, BUT I THINK IT WAS PILOT PROGRAMS THAT MENTIONED ONE OF THE STEPS WAS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE TIME TO ASK THE QUESTION, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? SURE.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD BACK IN, UH, 2018, UH, AND MEGAN SYNOVIA, OR HEY, WAS FEEL FREE TO, TO ADD TO THIS AFTER I'M DONE.
UM, BUT THERE WAS CONCERN THAT EVERYONE THAT APPLIED TO CULTURAL FUNDING WAS RECEIVING FUNDS.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS A CONCERN FOR A LOT OF THE CULTURAL CONTRACTORS THAT HAD BEEN RECEIVING FUNDS FOR YEARS.
AND THEN WE, WHEN COUNCIL WENT TO A 10, ONE DISTRICT STAFF STARTED DOING MORE STRATEGIC OUTREACH TO ALL 10 DISTRICTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, WHICH MEANT MORE PEOPLE WERE APPLYING AND THERE WAS NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED NEW APPLICANTS THAT YEAR, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH HOT FUNDS TO FUND EVERYONE AT THE LEVELS THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN USED TO.
AND SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS A CONCERN THAT WE WERE FUNDING EVERYONE THAT APPLIED, AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY BEST PRACTICES FOR GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR ARTS NON-FUNDING.
UM, SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD ASKED US TO LOOK AT.
YEAH, I WILL ALSO JUST ADD TO THAT A LITTLE BIT THAT, UH, WE WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, UH, IN THE PAST.
I THINK, UM, EVERYONE, UM, SCORED REALLY HIGH AND WHERE OUR THRESHOLD WAS REALLY, UH, REALLY, UH, AT A, AT A POINT WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE FUNDS TO THE MAJORITY OF OUR CONTRACT, OUR APPLICANTS, TO BE CONTRACTORS THIS TIME.
WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERN THAT THIS, THAT OUR CRITERIA WAS TOO BROAD.
OUR FUNDING, UH, WAS, UH, WAS, WAS NOT, UH, TARGETED OR INTENTIONAL ENOUGH TO FUND, UH, ON MERIT AND ON OTHER, UH, OTHER FACTORS.
ARE THERE CRITERIA THAT WOULD, UM, CONTRIBUTE TO THE RICHNESS AND DIVERSITY OF OUR ECOSYSTEMS OR CITY SUPPORT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE FOCUSED OUR EFFORTS, UH, IN THE CRITERIA FOR THESE PARTICULAR PROGRAMS. IT'S A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC, UM, TRYING TO GET TO THOSE, UH, VERY CLEAR DEFINITIONS OF KIND OF WHAT WE'RE SEEKING IN EACH PROGRAM THROUGH THE SCORING PROCESS, COMMISSIONER GRAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND, UH, MAY HAVE MISSED IT AND JUST HAVE A QUESTION JUST WITH REGARD TO THE PROGRAMMING, HOW IT, HOW WAS IT SET UP? AND AGAIN, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT AND JUST THE OVERALL VISION AND THE SUPPORTIVE AN ECOSYSTEM TOGETHER IS, UH, IF THE AVAILABLE FUNDS ARE SO MUCH, IS THERE A PERCENTAGE THAT GOES INTO EACH PROGRAM? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO, CAUSE I COULDN'T FIND ANYWHERE.
AND I THOUGHT THAT, WHY DOES THAT WORK? WHAT IS THE PILOT? YEAH.
WHAT DOES THE PILOT LIKE? YEAH.
SO, UM, AS I THINK AS MENTIONED WITH, UM, WITH THE HOT FUNDS, I THINK THERE'VE BEEN SOME CHANGES.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT $5.5 MILLION RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THIS WAS A CHANGE JUST IN THE LAST WEEK.
ORIGINALLY STAFF WAS LOOKING AT A THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR POT OF MONEY.
AND SO WHAT IS THIS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN A FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR, UM, UNIVERSE? AND SO, SO WE DIDN'T BREAK DOWN.
UM, I MEAN, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO MAYBE I DON'T WANT TO SAY EVERYONE CAN DO THE MATH THEMSELVES, BUT, UM, WE, WE BROKE IT DOWN.
SO THRIVE IS, IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
UM, BUT WE DO WANT TO NOTE THAT AS HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX INCREASES, WE DO WANT TO LOOK AT THE AWARD LEVELS AND ELEVATE AND THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS AND ELEVATE STILL
[01:30:01]
KEEPING IN MIND, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS AND TRYING TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED WITH, WITH OUR ULTIMATE GOALS.UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S AROUND 30 TO 45 AT THE 70 TO $120,000 LEVEL, UP TO A HUNDRED IN THE UP TO $50,000 LEVEL AND THEN $5,000 FOR 40 TO 50 APPLICANTS TWICE A YEAR.
I THINK I'M CLEAR WITH ALL THAT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE DETAILS.
IT'S BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED AT THAT, I THINK, OKAY, IF I TAKE AND I'M NOT PICKING ON ANYTHING, I'M JUST TRYING TO REALLY SEE THAT PIE AND THE CITYWIDE AT WHATEVER PROGRAM IT IS.
IF YOU GO TO THE MINIMUM IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT, ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE MINIMUM AWARD OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS AND TRYING TO IT DOESN'T THE PIE COME BEFORE THE WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL? OKAY.
I FIGURED THAT I FIGURED WE HAVE AN EXCEL SHEET THAT HAS LOTS OF DIFFERENCE.
UM, IF WE MOVE UP THE AWARD AMOUNTS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT IS THE AWARD AMOUNT LOOK LIKE IN ELEVATE IF IT'S HIGHER THAN $50,000, BUT STILL PRIORITIZING THRIVE AS THE HIGHEST LEVEL? THAT'S THE STUFF I WANT.
SO, SO WE HAVE SOME WIGGLE ROOM RIGHT NOW WITH THE 70 TO 120,000 FOR THRIVE.
WHAT IF MORE MONEY CAME IN AND WE COULD FUND THOSE HUNDRED ELEVATE CONTRACTS UP TO 60, 70, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? YEAH, JUST HOW, YEAH, I THINK IT'S JUST WHERE THAT IS GOING.
AND IT'S A HEALTHY, WONDERFUL PIE AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY A BALANCE OF YEAH.
OF THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS THAT WE AS STAFF WANT TO SUPPORT THROUGH, THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS AND HOW MUCH WE CAN INVEST THROUGH A MEANINGFUL AWARD.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE BALANCING ALL OF THE THINGS AT ONCE.
AND, AND LIKE LAURA SAID, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE THAT THIS IS, THESE ARE JUST ESTIMATES AT THIS POINT, AS WE GAIN MORE INSIGHT INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR HOT FUNDS AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE DOWN THE ROAD, WE, WE WE'LL PROBABLY GO BACK TO REVISIT, BUT RIGHT NOW THIS IS WHERE WE ARE WITH THE 5.5 MILLION.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY I'M LOOKING AT OR WHERE IT GOES.
IT'S HOW THRIVE, SUPPORTS, WHATEVER THE PROGRAMS ARE.
HOW DO THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THE, OR, YEAH.
IT'S A GREAT QUESTION FOR SURE.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THINGS WILL ADJUST AS THE, THAT POT ADJUSTS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SORT OF PLAYING WITH DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, BUT AS MORE MONEY COMES IN ANNUALLY, WE CAN EITHER ADJUST THAT MINIMUM AMOUNT.
UM, I THINK LAURA AND MEGAN BOTH MENTIONED THIS, BUT JUST, JUST TO REITERATE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, I MEAN, IT'S HOLISTICALLY KIND OF LIKE WHAT COMMISSIONER GRAY IS TALKING ABOUT, BUT IF THERE ARE INCREASES IN ELEVATE, WE STILL WANT TO KEEP THRIVE IS LIKE THE MAIN PROGRAM.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE PROPORTIONAL INCREASES IF WE'RE INCREASING IN ELEVATE, OUR PLAN IS TO INCREASE IN THRIVE AS WELL.
SO, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT APPLY TO NEXUS AS WELL? FOR THE, FOR THE, IT COULD, IT COULD, WE'RE OPEN TO FEEDBACK STARTING TOMORROW.
I WONDER IF I THINK WE'VE GOT MANY PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE READY AND WILLING, UM, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER BURNS.
UM, I THINK COMMISSIONER FLORIDA HAS HAD HER HAND UP BEFORE.
UH, UM, TWO THINGS, I ACTUALLY RAN SOME SCENARIOS HIGH, LOW 50, 50 DIDN'T NUMBERS.
AND I ACTUALLY CAME OUT WITH CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE, IT CAME OUT TO ABOUT 5.4 MILLION.
SO IT WAS, IT WORKS IN SO MANY OF THESE AND, BUT SO MANY OF THOSE, BECAUSE I WAS JUST GEEKING AROUND WITH THE MATH, UH, AS I WAS LOOKING AT IT.
UH, SO GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE WIGGLE ROOM IN TERMS OF RAISING THE MAXIMUMS ON SOME CAUSE I USE THE MAX ON SOME AND 50, 50 HIGH LOW, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THE OTHER QUESTION WAS JUST PROCESS WISE IN TERMS OF ASKING QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW IS, UM, I WROTE A LOT OF NOTES ON SOME OF THEM.
ARE YOU TAKING SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON PARTICULAR ON EACH OF THE PROGRAMS REGARDING JUST SOMETHING THAT STRUCK ME? OR ARE YOU JUST TALKING ABOUT PROCESS RIGHT NOW? TAKE ANYTHING I GUESS.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW OR DURING THE FEEDBACK JUST RIGHT NOW, YOU ARE WE'RE OPEN.
I MEAN, HOWEVER, Y'ALL WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
I HAD A QUESTION JUST DID THAT BECAUSE THAT, WELL, ONE OF MANY THAT JUMPED OUT OF ME UNDER THRIVE AND I NOTICED THAT WE HAD CAPITAL EXPENDITURES IN THERE AND ALLOWANCE AND PUTTING MONEY IN FOR ACTUAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
AND I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT,
[01:35:01]
I DON'T THINK BECAUSE MAYBE TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT I DIDN'T THINK WE HAD USED HOT MONEY FOR CAPITAL EXPENSES.IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO START NOW? OR SHOULD WE JUST TAKE THAT OFF THE TABLE IN THAT PROGRAM? WE'RE, WE'RE STILL VETTING THAT PARTICULAR CHANGE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT IN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT MARGIE HAD WITH A LOT OF GROUPS WHO SAID THAT CREATIVE SPACE OBVIOUSLY WAS ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST ISSUES.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A POLICY SHIFT.
WE'D HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE VETTED IT FULLY WITH, WITH OUR OTHER TWO HOT, UH, PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT.
UH, WE STILL NEED TO RUN THAT OF COURSE BY OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, BUT IT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION FOR Y'ALL TO HAVE, UM, AS WELL.
AND SECOND, WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF A CREATIVE BUSINESS.
YEAH, IT'S IN, IT'S IN THE DOCUMENT, BUT I'LL SEE IF I CAN PULL IT UP.
I KEPT ASKING MYSELF THAT QUESTION AND LITTLE DID I KNOW THERE WAS DEFINITIONS? I THINK I PULLED THEM UP RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO I DID JUST SIMPLE MATH, BUT I WENT THE OTHER WAY OF SAYING, WELL, IF THE NUMBERS OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, LIKE A MAXIMUM, WE'RE THINKING A MAXIMUM OF A HUNDRED
IF, IF THERE WERE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF APPLICANTS FUNDED AT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF, UM, OF AWARD AMOUNTS.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE PLAYING WITH ALL OF THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF WE COULD GET UP TO THAT 10.9, I GUESS THE, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT COMPETITIVE PROCESS, TWO ORGANIZATIONS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELF SELECT INTO THE PROGRAM.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SAY LIKE, BECAUSE MY BUDGET IS THIS.
I HAVE TO GO INTO THE, THE, THE TOP ONE, BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, IF THIS IS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, IF I MISS THE SCORE CUTOFF BY ONE POINT I'M NOT NECESSARILY THEN DRAGGED TO THE SECOND PROGRAM, I'M JUST OUT.
SO THEY'LL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELF-SELECT WHICH PROGRAM THAT THEY WOULD PAY MY, UM, SELECT INTO OR, OR DECIDE TO APPLY FOR.
UM, THE WAY THAT WE WANT TO, UM, LIKE I SAID, WATERFALL AND STAGGER THE PROGRAMS, THE GOAL WOULD BE TO POTENTIALLY LAUNCH THRIVE FIRST.
UM, AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE BUILDING THE APPLICATION IS, IS SUCH THAT THE QUESTIONS THEMSELVES ARE PRETTY SIMILAR ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO IF AN APPLICANT DID NOT RECEIVE THRIVE FUNDING, THEY WOULD THEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO ELEVATE FUNDING IF THEY WERE INTERESTED AGAIN, THEY'RE SELF-SELECTING IF THEY WANT TO APPLY FOR THOSE FUNDS, UH, AND MOST OF THE APPLICATION COULD POTENTIALLY ALREADY BE COMPLETED BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM ITSELF.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS AS, AS SIMPLE AND AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR, FOR FOLKS APPLYING TO ANY PROGRAM.
UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE'RE STAGGERING, THE RELEASE OF THEM.
AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE TEARS IS I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO AN ACTUAL, SO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AND THAT'S HARD TO KNOW BECAUSE HOT IS A CRUEL OVER A YEAR.
SO, AND LAST WE WERE TOO, NOT FUN FOR A YEAR.
WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY BECAUSE IT'S BUILT UPON EACH YEAR.
ISN'T THAT TRUE? BECAUSE I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IN MY JOB, I KNOW HOW MUCH I'M GOING TO MAKE, UNLESS I DECIDED TO QUIT OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING HAPPENS.
SO WE'RE STILL SORT OF PLAYING WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FUNNY MONEY ONLY BECAUSE WE DON'T, UM, WELL, NOT FUNNY MONEY, BUT WE IT'S NOT IN THE BANK YET, RIGHT? YEAH, IT IS.
OH, WELL, I'LL LET, I'LL LET YOU I'LL LET
SO, AS I MENTIONED, WE, IN THE CURRENT APPROVED BUDGET, WE KNEW, WE THOUGHT WE WERE BRINGING IN ABOUT 6.9.
REMEMBER, AND WE ONLY BUDGETED ABOUT HALF OF THAT.
SO IF WE BRING IN ALL OF IT, WE WILL HAVE ACTUAL TOOL BOARD OF NEXT YEAR, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE STILL MONITORING WHAT'S COMING IN.
AND ONCE WE GET CLOSER TO AN APPROVED GUIDELINES AND HAVE ALL THE FEEDBACK WE'LL BE COMING BACK WITH, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING WITH BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE PIVOTING, BUT YOU MAY HAVE TO USE SOME THAT YOU'VE COLLECTED AND
[01:40:01]
THEN WAIT ON THE, FOR YOU TO COLLECTIONS.AND AGAIN, THAT WEEK WE WOULD DECIDE IF WE ARE GOING TO PUT SOME AWAY INTO A SAVINGS ACCOUNT FOR, AND AGAIN, I DID CERTAINLY HERE, UM, MS. OROZCO'S, YOU KNOW, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT HOLDING BACK MONEY, BUT I DO THINK IT IS, BUT WHO'S US TO BE, UM, PENNY WISE.
SO YEAH, I AGREE, UH, RELATIVE TO THAT, UM, WE ARE IN A FISCAL YEAR AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TIMELINE OF, OF THE GUIDELINES AND THE LAUNCH AND THE APPLICATION PART, WHEN THAT APPLICATION PROCESS STARTS, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THAT'S AFTER THIS FISCAL YEAR ENDS.
SO WE WILL HAVE COMPLETED A FISCAL YEAR WITHOUT UTILIZING HOT FUNDS FOR CONTRACTORS.
SO I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION RELATIVE TO THAT.
SO WE ARE, WE WILL BE DEALING WITH THOSE ACTUALS, WHICH I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND IF THE PROGRAMS ARE, UM, UH, SPLIT UP JUST TO MAKE IT A MUCH MORE SMOOTH PROCESS AND APPLICATION PROCESS AND CONTRACT PROCESS, ET CETERA, ARE THEY ALL GOING TO FALL IN TO THAT PHYSICAL FISCAL YEAR? IN OTHER WORDS, IF SOMETHING IS, IS IF THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS START THIS NEXT JANUARY AND ALL THREE PROGRAMS ARE MEANT TO SLIDE OUT A SLIDE, YOU KNOW, THEY WATERFALL OUT, ARE THEY GOING TO FALL OUT AND IN, AND WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS HAPPENING BEFORE THE END OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? WELL, RIGHT NOW, AND I, I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE WE GET INTO, LIKE, I HOPE, I THINK I WISH, I THINK THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO GET TO A POINT WITH THE TIMELINE, THE STEPS WE HAVE AHEAD OF US STILL.
I'M HOPING WE ARE ABLE TO GET TO A POINT TO LOOK AT LAUNCHING THE APPLICATION FOR ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS LIKELY THAT WOULD BE THRIVE IN THE LATE SUMMER SO THAT WE WOULD BE LAUNCHING THAT PROGRAM, HAVING THE APPLICATIONS BE OPEN, GETTING READY FOR PEER PANELS TO HAPPEN, UM, GETTING THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EVALUATION AND COMING BACK, GOING TO COUNCIL FOR AUTHORIZATION, FOR THE AWARDS OVER THE CITY MANAGERS AMOUNT, ALL THE THINGS THAT KIND OF HAVE TO HAPPEN AFTER WE CLOSE AN APPLICATION WITH THE IDEA THAT PERHAPS IF ALL GOES AS PLANNED, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTRACT OUT THOSE FUNDS IN EARLY SPRING WHILE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE THAT'S HAPPENING, THERE WILL BE OTHER PROGRAMS IN OUR DEPARTMENT ALSO LAUNCHING, BUT THAT WOULD LIKELY BE THE FIRST ONE OUT THE DOOR.
AND WE'RE HOPING, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID TO, TO START THAT, YOU KNOW, LATE SUMMER, SO THAT WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF A JUMP AFTER OUR BUDGET IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER.
SO I HATE TO, I WANT, I WANT HIM TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, BUT I, I, SEVERAL THINGS KIND OF HAVE TO FALL INTO PLACE, BUT WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET THERE.
I THINK MY BROAD QUESTION IS THE MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT BY THE CONTRACTOR WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR.
IT IS AWARDED THAT'S MY BIG QUESTION.
JUST THE LAST TWO DISCUSSIONS AND QUESTIONS AS TO, YOU KNOW, THE HOT FUNDS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT WAS FOR F Y WHAT, AND IF WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING GOES WELL, OR AS YOU WISH, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, WHAT FISCAL YEAR WOULD BE WE LOOKING AT FOR FUNDING.
AND THEN WOULDN'T IT BE A, THEY JUST SAID WE HAD MONEY FROM THIS FISCAL YEAR OF HOT PLUS THE PROJECTIONS FOR THE NET.
THAT WOULD BE, WE'RE LOOKING AT
SO THE NUMBERS, THE 5.5 THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WILL GO TOWARDS FUNDING THE PROGRAMS THAT WE WOULD LAUNCH TO BE AWARDED IN
WE ARE ACTUALLY TAKING MONIES FOR, CAUSE RIGHT NOW IN COLLECTIONS, AREN'T WE DOING
WE'RE COLLECTING
SO YOU WOULD BE ROLLING THAT MONEY.
SO YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE AXLES FOR THAT.
THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE TRANSITION TO ACTUALS THIS YEAR.
THIS IS THE MOMENT WE'RE DOING IT.
SO WHAT IF YOU'RE SAYING THE APPLICATION IS LAUNCHED IN THE SUMMER, BUT
[01:45:01]
FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED IN 2023.I'M JUST GOING TO LIKE, LET'S KICK THIS DEAD HORSE.
THAT MEANS EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE APPLYING AN
THAT'S I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CLARIFY.
AND SO JUST TO GIVE AN ANALOGY OF THE WAY OUR CYCLE USED TO WORK, YOU WOULD APPLY IN MAY.
SO AROUND THIS TIME MAY 1ST FOR, UM, AN ACTIVITY THAT OCCURRED OCTOBER 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH.
SO LIKE FIVE MONTHS OUT IN ADVANCE.
SO LIKE MEGAN WAS SAYING, WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATES, BUT TO COMMISSIONER GREY'S QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WE MAY DO A CALENDAR YEAR.
WE MAY DO, YOU KNOW, A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
THAT'S NOT STARTING OCTOBER 1ST.
UM, BUT THE ESSENCE OF COMMISSIONER GRACE QUESTION, YES, WHATEVER YOU'RE APPLYING FOR, IT WILL BE EXTENDED WITHIN THAT FISCAL YEAR, WITHIN THOSE TWO, THOSE TWO YEARS FOR THE THRIVE CONTRACT.
WONDERFUL COMMISSIONER CHRISTIE'S I THINK A NICE COLOR CODED GRAPHIC WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I GET IT, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE GRAPHICS WE CAN DO THAT.
IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE F IT, FISCAL YEARS ARE ALWAYS COMPLICATED BECAUSE IT'S FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER.
AND THEN THE FISCAL YEAR DATE IS ACTUALLY THE JANUARY THAT FALLS BETWEEN THEM.
AND THEN I HAVE TO DEAL WITH FISCAL YEARS FROM, YOU KNOW, AT THE LEDGE AND THAT'S DIFFERENT.
AND SO IT'S JUST EVERYBODY, IT'S VERY CONFUSING.
SO FOR THE RECORD WE DID, WE HAVE NOT FUNDED OTHER THAN ARPA, WHICH WE DID FUND, AND WE UTILIZE THAT AS A BRIDGE.
WE DID NOT, WE ARE NOT FUN IF Y 22, WE, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE AN FYI 22 FUNDING CYCLE.
I HAD A FA A BUILDUP ON THAT QUESTION AND THANK YOU.
CAUSE I, HAVEN'T GOT TO SAY IT YET FOR ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE ON THIS LONG PROCESS SO FAR.
UM, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ACTUALLY, BUT THE FIRST ONE IS BECAUSE WE'RE BALANCING THIS NEED FOR MOVING TO ACTUALS, WHICH I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND.
AND THE FACT THAT A LOT OF OUR ARTISTS ARE STILL IN CRISIS MODE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, I CAN'T OPEN MY BROWSER WITHOUT SEEING SOMETHING ABOUT HOW THE COST OF LIVING IN AUSTIN IS GOING UP EVERY MONTH.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT WE CAN USE AS WE MOVE INTO ACTUALS FOR HOT OUTSIDE OF HOT? LIKE WE USE OUR ARPA FUNDS.
I KNOW THERE WAS AN NEA RESCUE FUND THAT WE RECEIVED Y'ALL RECEIVED.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS SOME OTHER PART OF ARPA THAT WE HADN'T ALLOCATED YET.
I'M JUST WONDERING FOR FOLKS LISTENING AND LIKE, OH MY GOD, I'M MIGHT NOT SEE ANYTHING FOR
IS THERE ANYTHING? AND THEN I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT GUIDELINES, BUT SINCE THAT ALREADY CAME UP, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE COULD THINK ABOUT THERE TO GET PEOPLE CONTINUE TO, TO HELP MOVE INTO THIS NEW PHASE? WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF THE ARPA FUNDS REMAINING.
WE, WE KIND OF HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A CONTINGENCY.
WE SPENT, WE HAD TO SPEND SOME OF IT ON AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FOR ADMINISTERING THE CONTRACTS THROUGH BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.
BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE $40,000 LEFT IN THAT FUND.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE $500,000 NEA ALLOCATION FROM ARPA.
UH, THAT'S ALSO SLOTTED IN, UH, AMONG ALL THESE PROGRAMS TO GET GRANTED OUT.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO HAPPEN THIS FISCAL YEAR, PROBABLY NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY OTHER ARPA FUNDS THAT THE CITY HAS ALLOCATED FOR ARTS AND CULTURE.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT, BUT SYLVIA, DO YOU WANT TO CHIME IN THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS? THE MILLION? YEAH.
AND THAT, AGAIN, THAT, THAT WOULD, THAT IS, IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS, HOWEVER, THAT'S LIKELY NOT TO BE, UH, READY FOR PRIME TIME.
THIS FISCAL YEAR, EITHER WITH MEGAN DIGGER, WE HAVE A BALANCE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A BIGGER BALANCE THAT WE DID NOT EXPAND WHEN WE, WHEN WE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION, OUR ARPA FUNDING.
UH, I THOUGHT WE HAD HELD SOME BACK THAT WE WERE GOING TO MAYBE TRY TO USE FOR OTHER EMERGENCY PROGRAMS THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR LATER TO DISCUSS WE DID, BUT WE ENDED UP USING THAT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.
NO, NO THERE'S WELL, THERE'S $40,000.
I THINK ORIGINALLY IT WAS, THERE WAS A $200,000, THREE HOT LEFT, AND WE USED 160 OF THAT, LAURA, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
[01:50:01]
CORRECT.AND THAT WAS SET ASIDE SPECIFICALLY IF WE NEEDED IT AND THEN WE NEEDED IT.
SO IT WAS GOOD THAT WE DIDN'T ALLOCATE THE FULL AMOUNT.
I REMEMBER THAT SPECIFICALLY CHEER POLE GUARD, PLEASE.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UM, BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION WITH RETREAT, WHICH IS ABOUT ARPA-E REMAINDER DISTRIBUTION AND WHETHER THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL ASK AND ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY SUPPORT.
SO, I MEAN, CLEARLY, CLEARLY WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO AND WE HAVE TO DO A FAST CAUSE WE'VE GOT TO HELP SOME FOLKS.
UM, BUT WE'LL GET TO THAT AT AN ITEM SIX COMMISSIONER, YOU SMALL POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UH, COMMISSIONER SMALLBERG IN OUR INNER SETUPS THAT LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE NO FUNDING OR HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY FUNDING IN FISCAL YEAR 22 FROM, FROM HEART.
AT THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WE GOT IN LATE, LATE FALL, LAST YEAR OR LATE LAST YEAR, THAT WAS THE FISCAL YEAR 22 THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
SO YEAH, OVER $9 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FUNDING HAS GONE OUT.
AND I GUESS SINCE, SINCE I'M HAVING THE MIKE RIGHT NOW, UH, EARLIER WHEN, WHEN COMMISSIONER GRAY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PIE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE WIGGLE ROOM BETWEEN ELEVATE AND THRIVE, I THOUGHT THAT THAT ANALOGY OF THE PIE IS TRUE.
OR IF WE SAY THE PIE SLICE, BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT THE CONSERVATION CORPS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS MAKES THAT PIE BIGGER.
IF YOU KNOW, WE'RE TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND OF COURSE THE WORK THAT THE WORKING GROUP IS DOING AND FINDING OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING, I MEAN, WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING BEYOND HEARTS.
WE NEED, AS A REMINDER FOR, FOR OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY IS HOT, HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN THE SINGLE SOURCE OF FUNDING.
WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT AND LOOK AT MULTIPLE SOURCES OF FUNDING, COMMISSION FLORES, ANOTHER RANDOM COMMENT IN TERMS OF, SINCE I MENTIONED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, JUST IN THINKING THAT YES, CULTURAL ARTS, UH, CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, COME TO HOT AND COME TO THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, HOWEVER THERE'S PRESERVATION PROJECTS OR FOR, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UH, FOR BUILDINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY, THAT THEY HAVE AND WOULD MAKE IT ALWAYS ACCESS THE 15% AND CULTURAL, CULTURAL PRESERVATION FUNDS THAT, I MEAN, IT'S OPEN TO THEM AS WELL, IF THEY ARE TRYING TO PRESERVE A VENUE OR A HISTORIC LOCATION.
AND SO THOSE FUNDS, UH, THEY COULD CONCEIVABLY GO TO THAT POT AS WELL FOR FUNDING, CORRECT.
COMMISSIONER CHRISTIE, OH, LET ME LET STAFF ADDRESS THAT.
W UH, THERE, THERE IS A POTENTIAL THAT THE, THE WAY THAT THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION LAUNCHES THEIR PROGRAMS AND THE WAY THAT THE HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION LAUNCHES THEIR PROGRAMS, THERE'S GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY A MULTITUDE OF PROGRAMS THAT SOMEONE COULD CHOOSE FROM DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR ORGANIZATION IS, WHAT THEIR SCOPE IS, WHAT THEIR PROGRAMMING IS.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE AS A, AN OFFERING TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING SOURCE.
AND WE'RE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE KIND OF SCAFFOLDING THEM SO THAT YOU HAVE CHOICES TO PICK FROM, DEPENDING ON WHAT APPLIES TO YOU.
COME IN HERE, YOU CAN SEE, OH, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO ADD? THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK.
I SAW THAT, THAT BULLET ON THE SLIDE ON THE TIMELINE, AND THAT'S THAT ONE SLIDE THAT, THAT LAURA DIDN'T TOUCH ON.
BUT I THINK EVERYTHING THAT MEGAN SAID ADDRESSES THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, I MUST SAY THAT AS PAINFUL AS IT IS, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STAFF, UM, THAT HAVE ADDRESSED, YOU KNOW, ALL THE, ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS BROUGHT OUT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT'S SUCH A PROACTIVE APPROACH THAT, THAT, UH, YOU HAVE SET UP THIS NAVIGATOR PROGRAM, UM, SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE CAN GO TO, YOU KNOW, I PRESUME THE ODDEST NAVIGATORS ARE EXPERTS IN DIFFERENT FUNDING, DIFFERENT CITY FUNDING THAT CAN HELP, YOU KNOW, UH, FOLKS TO, YOU KNOW, UH, LOOK INTO DIFFERENT OPTIONS, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, SO I PRESUME THE NAVIGATORS AND THE CULTURAL AS, YOU KNOW, STAFF, UH, UH, WORKING CLOSELY, UM, SO THAT, UM, SO THAT IT WILL HELP, YOU KNOW, ANY AFRICANS TO EXPLORE EVEN OPTIONS.
BECAUSE AGAIN, I MEAN, WE START SLOWLY OPEN UP.
UM, I WAS CITY AFTER THE PANDEMIC, PEOPLE ARE
[01:55:01]
STILL DEALING WITH A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND STRESS, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, THAT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY GO BACK TO THREE YEARS AGO AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THEN IT HAS TO DEAL WITH ALL THESE NEW PROGRAMS, NEW GUIDELINES, NEW APPROACH, AND THEN, UH, DEAL WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, FUNDING, YOU KNOW, FROM THE FEDERAL AND THE ALLOCATION FROM THE CITY.I MEAN, MY HEAD IS SWIMMING, YOU KNOW? UM, SO I, UM, IT'S JUST AN OBSERVATION THAT, UM, IF WE CAN OFFER THEM, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE, UH, UH, ASKING FOR FEEDBACKS, UM, ABOUT THIS ROPE PROGRAMS, IF WE CAN ALSO OFFER, UH, UM, SUPPORTS, YOU KNOW, THE NAVIGATOR SUPPORT AND ALL THE OTHER SUPPORT, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN REALLY, UM, HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING ABOUT ALL THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM, UH, THAT, THAT WILL REALLY HAVE TO, I LIVE IN IS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THIS STRESS, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH I'M, I'M, I'M IN IT, YOU KNOW, SO, SO, UM, I JUST, I, I JUST WANT US TO BE MINDFUL ABOUT, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL, YOU KNOW, IN THIS SURVIVAL MODE, YOU KNOW, SO YOU, WE, WE ADD TOO MUCH, YOU KNOW, INTO THIS ALREADY OVERWHELMING SITUATION.
UM, EVEN WITH THE BEST INTENTION, YOU KNOW, UM, HE WAS STILL AT, UM, THE ALREADY VERY STRESSFUL, YOU KNOW, CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU KNOW, INTO THIS, THIS NEW APPROACH, I'M ALL FOR IT.
AND I THINK I'M JUST SO PROUD OF, OF, OF ALL MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND CITY COUNCIL AND TO MIDI DO SOMETHING ABOUT ACQUITY, YOU KNOW, TRY TO CORRECT ALL THESE HISTORICAL IN ACQUITY.
SO, UM, BUT, BUT I JUST WANT US TO BE MINDFUL ABOUT WHILE WE ARE DOING, UM, SOMETHING INTENTIONAL TO CORRECT THE WRONG AND HOW CAN WE MAKE IT, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT, UM, EASIER, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO, UM, NAVIGATE, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS NEW PROGRAM AND ALL THIS NEW REQUIREMENT OR THIS NEW ELIGIBILITY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS STILL SOMETHING THAT SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN.
SO I'M JUST, JUST, YOU KNOW, PUTTING OUT THERE AND SEE HOW, WHILE WE ASKING PEOPLE FOR FEEDBACK, HOW WE CAN ALSO OFFER, UH, WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT THAT B THEY CAN, UH, LOOK TO LOOK FOR, OR EXPECT, YOU KNOW, FROM ALL OF THE STAFF WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE BEEN IN IT FOR THREE YEARS, YOU KNOW, WHO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM A LOT MORE, YOU KNOW, THEN PEOPLE THAT THEY SEE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, JUST TRYING TO, HOW'S THE STAFF, UM, TO SEE IF THEY CAN ALL, UH, A MORE SUPPORTIVE MECHANISM WHILE WE, UH, UM, ROLLING OUT ALL THESE NEW PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
OH, I, I WAS JUST GOING TO ALSO SAY COMMISSIONER MACH.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT IN THE ONCE SOMEONE HAS FINISHED FILLING OUT THE SURVEY, THERE'S A LITTLE, THANK YOU THAT POPS UP AT THE END OF IT.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE KIND OF SAY HERE'S WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE, BUT WE CAN ALSO PUT IN A LINK TO DIRECT THEM BACK TO THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS AND TO OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES FROM THE CITY IN THAT, UM, BUILT IN ALREADY.
AND WE, WE PLAN TO SUPPORT APPLICANTS, YOU KNOW, IN ALL THE WAYS WE HAVE BEEN, THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
IN FACT, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MORE IN TERMS OF THE SUPPORT.
UH, WE HAVE OPEN OFFICE HOURS THAT WE OFFER.
[02:00:01]
MAKE, UH, MAKE TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH OUR STAFF.WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING LOTS OF PRE-LAUNCH.
YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS IN MORE DETAIL.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING TO DO ALL THAT.
AND SO IF, IF ANYONE ASKS QUESTIONS, WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO COME TO US AT ANY POINT THROUGH ANY CHANNEL AND BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS ANY CONCERNS, QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY PLANNING ON THAT AND WE HEAR YOU AND AGREE.
DO WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, CAUSE WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT PROGRAMS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACC, I'M THINKING ABOUT C-SAT, WHICH IS SOMEWHERE IN THE, IN THE LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE COMING DOWN.
DO WE HAVE A ONE-STOP SHOP OF, HEY GUYS, THESE THINGS ARE COMING.
EVEN IF LIKE THE, THE DATES MAY NOT BE CLEAR, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HELP ON THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS, HERE'S WHAT YOU FIND IT DOES THAT EXIST ANYWHERE NOT, BUT YET WE WILL BE GETTING THAT OUT.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S SEQUENCING ALL OF EDD PROGRAMS BECAUSE AS A REMINDER, OUR SUPPORT SERVICE TEAM IS LIMITED.
AND HANDLING ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS SO WE WILL GET SOMETHING OUT, HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT MONTH IN OUR NEWSLETTERS THAT GO OUT.
I GUESS MY THING IS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOREVER ABOUT OPEN SOURCE, RIGHT? A SINGLE STOP SHOP FOR INFORMATION.
AND THAT FEELS TO ME, LIKE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SHE NEEDS TO MOVE UP ON THE LIST OF PRIORITIES, THAT THAT NEEDS TO GO HIGH ON IT, WE'LL TALK ABOUT.
AND WE STILL UPDATE ATX RECOVERS.COM.
I WOULD SAY THAT IS STILL A GREAT RESOURCES RESOURCE TO GO TO ATX RECOVERS.COM BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY HAS OUR INFORMATION, BUT OTHER INFORMATION IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS MOST CONCERNED ABOUT.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, ALL UPCOMING EDD FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE LIFTED ON ATX RECOVERS.
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AS OUR NEWSLETTER, AMAZING COMMISSIONER FLORES.
I'M GOING VARYING OFF WAY IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.
I WAS LOOKING THROUGH ALL MY LITTLE STICKY NOTES AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD, I SEE THAT YOU PRETTY MUCH MADE ALL THREE OF THE PROGRAMS, PRETTY PARALLEL IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE GUY, YOU KNOW, THE GUIDELINES.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE AMOUNTS ARE DIFFERENT IN THE TARGETED GROUPS ARE DIFFERENT.
AND SO I HAVE A PROCESS QUESTION IN THE SENSE THAT I KNOW INTERNAL STAFF IS GOING TO BE DOING, UH, I KNOW THERE'S PEER REVIEW, PAT PANELS AND NON SOME, THERE'S A STAFF REVIEW PANEL.
LIKE I THINK IT'S THAT'S NEXUS, RIGHT? AND THEN IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION USED TO REVIEW WHATEVER STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, ICON, WHAT DID WE USED TO BE THE OLD COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, WHICH I ENVISIONED IS THAT ALL THE NEW NEXUS AND WHATEVER TYPE THING IS THE COMMISSION STILL, ARE THESE THINGS GOING TO STILL BE BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND THEN APPROVE AS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL? OR IS THE COMMISSION JUST OUT OF THE FUNDING, UH, PRO YOU KNOW, PROCESS ALTOGETHER? IS THERE STILL A STEP WHERE IT'S BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION FOR A VOTE FOR AS A, FOR RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL FOR FUNDING? WELL, WE STILL HAVE TO IRON OUT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
OUR, OUR IDEA RIGHT NOW IS TO, WE'VE COMMITTED TO BRING YOU ALL THE GUIDELINES FOR, FOR AN OFFICIAL VOTE.
UM, GOING PAST THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T ENTIRELY SAY THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK ALL FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMISSION LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE TOGETHER.
UM, BUT I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM MARGIE AND FROM OTHERS, THE STAFF NEEDS TO SET SOME CLEAR BOUNDARIES WITH THE COMMISSION AND BY AND VICE VERSA SO THAT WE CAN BE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT OUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR INTENTIONAL ROLES ARE, WHAT OUR APPROPRIATE ROLES ARE, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH Y'ALL AS WE KIND OF GET, GET CLOSER TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE ON THE ROLLOUT? WELL, I THINK OUR ROLE AS A COMMISSION IS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING FUNDING, CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING.
AND SO I WOULD, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD STILL HAVE SOME ROLE IN WHETHER IT'S A APPROVING OR AT LEAST HAVING QUESTIONS OR HAVING INPUT, UH, TO, UH, REGARDING FUNDING DECISIONS.
BUT, UH, I MIGHT JUST BE A PROCEDURAL MOVE THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD, COULD GIVE, UH, TO, SO THAT OUR ROLE IS STILL, YOU KNOW, NOT PASSED OVER.
UH, THAT'S ALL MY THAT'S, I'LL JUST MAKE THOSE COMMENTS.
NOW WE CAN DISCUSS THAT IN THE FUTURE, I GUESS.
[02:05:01]
TO FOLLOW, UH, THE TRAIN OF THOUGHTS OF LAURELS TRAIN OR PROJECT I'M IN COMMISSION, A FOREST, I JUST DO NOT WANT TO, TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.IF MY COUNCIL MEMBER ASKED ME, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO THAT? I WANT IT TO BE COMFORTABLE TO TELL HER THAT YES WE HAVE.
AND, AND YES, THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION.
BELIEVE YOU'RE BRINGING IT UP TO THE COUNCIL.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE APPROVAL OF THE GUIDELINES IS SUFFICIENT.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UM, LAST WORK FOR ME AND I TRUST THE STAFF EXPERTISE, LESS WORK FOR ME IS FINE.
AS LONG AS I CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN IT WAS, AS OF ME THAT I DO NOT WANT TO BE PERCEIVED AS NOT DOING MY SHOP WHEN WE ARE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.
SO AS LONG AS WE ARE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING, THEN I'M FINE WITH THAT COMMISSIONER CASIO.
BUT, UM, COMMISSIONER GRAY IN THE ROOM HAS HAD HER HAND UP FOR A MINUTE.
UM, AND I SUPPOSE THIS IS ALSO A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE LINE, BUT, UH, THE GUIDELINES BEING ONE, UH, ANCHOR IN THE PROGRAMMING, BUT REVIEW CRITERIA FOR PANELS AND STAFF IS A BIG QUESTION FOR ME.
SO I SEE THINGS DROPPING OFF, BUT I SEE THINGS DROPPING, BUT WHEN CAN WE EXPECT AS A COMMISSION TO SEE WHAT THOSE REVIEW CRITERIA WILL BE IN THOSE PROGRAMS? PROBABLY AS EARLY, AS, AS NEXT MONTH'S MEETING, UM, WE WERE WORKING WITH THE DATA TEAM TO CREATE THE APPLICATION RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW MORNING ACROSS ALL HOT DIVISIONS.
SO HOPEFULLY NEXT MONTH WE'LL HAVE NEXT STEPS AROUND THAT.
THANK YOU, LAURA COMMISSIONER TO YOU.
YEAH, I WANTED A SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER MARKS SENTIMENTS.
LIKE LET'S, LET'S WORK FOR ME AS A COMMISSIONER.
UM, BUT I GUESS I JUST WANT TO SAY, LIKE, CAN WE PUT THAT OFFICIALLY AS, AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? CAUSE I, I NEED MORE TIME TO, TO THINK THROUGH WHAT THAT MEANS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING PANELS AND SORT OF WHAT THAT PROCESS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE WORKSHOP THAT THEY ATTEND OR THE TRAINING, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
THE NEXT FEW ITEMS ARE FOCUSED AROUND THIS.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE WE MOVE ON, COMMISSIONER POLAR IS OUT OF HAND.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY LIKE THERE'S A LOT THAT WERE, WERE LIKE ABSORBING AND PROCESSING AND WE'RE ABOUT TO DIVE INTO SORT OF LIKE, WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS? HOW DO WE BUILD THIS? AND SO IS THIS A TIME TO TAKE A QUICK FIVE MINUTE BREAK FOR THE ROOM? JUST QUIT CHECKING.
I WOULD APPRECIATE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
BIO BRAIN EMOTION TO TAKE A SHORT RECESS.
A K SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GRAY.
BYE UM, BACK TO COMMISSIONER FLORES IS QUESTIONED ABOUT CAPITAL AND IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE FOR THAT SPECIFICALLY AND GIVEN THAT RIGHT NOW IN MY BRAIN JOBS AND STABILITY AND LIVING HERE OR, AND BEING ALIVE AND MAKING ART IN THE SPACE EARLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
MAYBE IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT, MOVING IT INTO A FUTURE POINT WHERE WE HAVE MORE FUNDING, JUST THE PARAMEDICAL, IT'S A SMALL THING, BUT I JUST THINK OUR PRIORITIES SHOULD BE ON, ON SURVIVAL AT THIS POINT.
[5a. Discussion and Possible Action on Cultural Funding Review Process, including i. Staff Presentation of Revised Draft Cultural Funding Program Guidelines ii. Commission Questions and Recommendations iii. Community Engagement and Feedback Process and Schedule]
MOVE INTO 5 83 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK PROCESS AND SCHEDULE.SO WE KNOW THAT THE, UM, FEEDBACK PORTAL WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW.
LINKS ARE POSTED, THERE IS A SURVEY THAT WILL BE HOSTED ON THE WEBSITE OF CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION.
UM, MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR IF YOU'RE NOT, WE SEND OUT A NEWSLETTER AND ALL OF THE LINKS TO THE DRAFT GUIDELINES, AS WELL AS THE FEEDBACK SURVEY WILL BE THERE.
[02:10:01]
OUR FACEBOOK PRESENCE TO SHARE THAT.AND WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP CIRCULATE THOSE GUIDELINES AND THE FEEDBACK PORTAL, THE FEEDBACK PORTAL IS A SURVEY, SIX QUESTIONS VERY QUICK.
THERE IS A RIGHT AND OPTION FOR SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE APPLICABLE.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON THE COMMUNITY TO USE THAT TOOL, TO PROVIDE, UM, FEEDBACK RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT ALSO, UH, IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
UM, WE'RE MOVING INTO A NEW PERIOD OF OUR CULTURAL FUNDING PROCESS.
COME WITH SUGGESTIONS, COME WITH CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK.
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AND STAFF CAN PUT INTO MOTION, UM, AND CAN APPLY HOLD UP TO THE LIGHT.
UM, IT, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MOST HELPFUL PROCESS FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT FEEDBACK LOOP WILL CLOSE.
AND, UH, IN THAT TIME WE WILL BE PICKING UP OUR COMMUNITY CHATS, UM, BY WE, I MEAN THE WONDERFUL CHAIR POLL GAR AND MYSELF, WE WILL BE WITH ATX THEATER THIS SATURDAY AT, UM, OH, UH, A WONDERFUL STUDIO, UH, BAKER, THE OTHER CLOCK AT THE, AT BAKER OR THE FORMER BAKER SCHOOL BAKER CENTER.
UM, WE'RE IN COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS ABOUT WHERE WE CAN BE, UM, HOST THOSE, THE, THE COMMUNITY CHATS REGARDING, UH, THE GUIDELINES.
WE'RE HOPING TO CREATE TOPICS SPECIFIC CHATS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY HONE IN AND DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER ON THINGS LIKE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
UM, AND, UH, THE, THE REQUIREMENTS ELIGIBILITY THAT PEER PANELS TO PEER PANEL THINK, I KNOW IT WAS MISSING ONE OF THE, UH, HIGH SUBJECTS.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HOST A COMMUNITY CHAT AT YOUR SPACE, UH, WE ARE TAKING SUGGESTIONS.
UM, WE'VE GOT A HANDFUL OF GREAT IDEAS IN THE HOPPER PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO US AND SAID THAT THEY'D LOVE TO HOST US.
IF YOU NEED TO REITERATE THAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK AND OFFER THE, UM, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME.
UM, THIS IS COMMISSIONER PAUL GORE AND MYSELF, BUT ALSO OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
AND I I'M, THIS IS MY, MY MOMENT TO TAP MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, UM, IN THESE SPACES TO HAVE DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU, UM, THESE IDEALLY ARE IN PERSON BECAUSE WE BELIEVE STRONGLY IN THAT CONNECTION AND EYE CONTACT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IF COVID NUMBERS CHANGE, WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE TO A VIRTUAL SITUATION, BUT, UM, AND IDEALLY WE CAN MEET SOME MORE OUTDOOR AND LOVELY AND MASK INSIDE IF NEED BE SO HAPPY TO DO THAT.
CAN YOU REPEAT AGAIN WHEN THAT NEXT ONE IS AND THE LOCATION? YES.
AND LET ME JUST PULL UP MY CALENDAR SO I CAN BE CONCISE.
THIS OF COURSE WILL GO OUT ON OUR SOCIAL, BUT IT IS THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 23RD AT 11 O'CLOCK BAKER CENTER, WHICH IS 3, 908 AVENUE B S UH, 77 5 1, AND OUR WONDERFUL FRIENDS OVER AT ATX THEATER.
WE'LL BE HOSTING THAT AND THAT'S GOING TO BE IN-PERSON.
SO WE'D LOVE TO SEE AS MANY OF YOU GUYS OUT THERE.
UM, AS, AS WE CAN COMMISSIONER POLAR TRIPLE GO, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD AS A COMMISSIONER CASTILLO? OH, SORRY.
YOU'RE DOWN AT THE LOWER CORNER OF MY SCREEN CHEMISTRY.
CHRISTINA, PLEASE MOVE ME UP THEN.
UM, FOR THIS SATURDAY, Y'ALL ARE GOING TO WHERE WE ARE GOING TO NEED A HEAD COUNT OF COMMISSIONERS.
CAUSE IT WAS A, ONCE WE HIT SIX WHERE WE'RE AT QUORUM OR, OR ARE WE JUST PUTTING OUT A, A COMMUNITY INTEREST TO COVER ALL OF THESE ENGAGEMENTS? UH, WELL, YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY WE'VE GOT TO LOCKED IN, BUT I WAS GOING TO TAKE A HEAD COUNT.
YEAH, WE SHOULD DO A HEAD COUNT.
UM, WELL WE STARTED, UH, COMMISSIONER ZISMAN HAS STARTED A CALENDAR, UM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY CHATS, BUT WE'VE TAPPED OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE COMMUNITY EQUITY WORKING GROUP WHO SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO HOST FOR US.
UM, UM, WE HAVE A CONVERSATIONS PENDING WITH MEMBERS OF THE JOINT CULTURAL COMMITTEE, SEE, WHO MIGHT BE WILLING IN THAT SPACE TO HOST FOR US.
UM, BUT ANYBODY ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY HAS ONE INTERESTED.
WE WANT TO TRY TO SORT OF FILL THAT OUT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO DO IT.
YES, DEFINITELY DO NOT WANT TO HAVE JUST BELIEVE IT'S ON THE FEW COMMISSION CASTILLO.
ARE YOU RAISING ANY VOLUNTEERING? OH, YES.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO LIKE HEAR FROM STAFF, LIKE, CAN WE DO A COMMUNITY INTEREST THAT WILL COVER ALL OF THE ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE PRESENT AT OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE A COMMUNITY INTEREST FOR EACH EVENT? I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
[02:15:01]
HAVE TO CHECK WITH ANN MARIE OR WE'LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO FIND OUT FOR YOU, BUT I WILL MAKE A NOTE TO, UM, FIND OUT FOR THAT, FIND OUT ABOUT THAT FOR Y'ALL.YEAH, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS LIKE THE EASIEST SOLUTION.
IT'S JUST MAKE ONE, IT LIKE HERE, ALL THE DATES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE POSSIBLY MORE POSSIBLY HAVE CORN, BUT ONLY BE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
UH, I THINK IT WILL HAVE TO BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR EACH EVENT.
SO ONCE THOSE ARE SET, WE WOULD POST THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND THOSE CAN BE POSTED ON IT.
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WITHIN 72 HOURS, ALTHOUGH EARLIER IT'S GOOD.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? CAN YOU CLARIFY LIKE COMMUNITY INTERESTS? THAT MEANS WE CAN HAVE A QUORUM.
WHERE DOES THAT STILL? THIS BASICALLY JUST MEANS THAT YOU'RE LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION IS GOING TO BE IN A PLACE AT QUORUM, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE DISCUSSING ANYTHING RELATED TO ARTS COMMISSION BUSINESS.
UM, IT'S JUST A WAY TO PROTECT YOU.
THAT RAISES A QUESTION BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE DISCUSSING.
SO I THINK THIS WOULD ACTUALLY, YEAH, THANK YOU, EMORY.
UM, CAUSE YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE, UM, UM, I FORGET WHAT THEY'RE CALLED.
UM, BUT THE, THOSE, UM, THOSE MEETINGS ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE ATTENDING, YOU KNOW, AN ARTS EVENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND YOU'RE NOT DISCUSSING BUSINESS OR, YOU KNOW, THE THING WITH SENATOR RECORDING TONIGHT, IF WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD A MEETING AND Y'ALL ALL WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE OR SOMETHING, THAT'S WHAT THOSE COVERS, IT'S NOT SOMETHING.
SO THIS SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD BE LIKE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
SO NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT MORE, YOU'D WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE OR FIVE COMMISSIONERS OR LESS AT THERE.
SO THAT WAY YOU DO NOT HAVE A QUORUM, SEEMS LIKE AT THE DENSITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WANTING TO GET THESE THINGS ROLLED OUT.
AND WITH THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO MAKE THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT WE WANT TO JUST KEEP IT UNDER QUORUM FOR EASE.
UM, THAT BEING SAID THIS SATURDAY AT 11 O'CLOCK, I THINK I'VE GOT ONE, UH, VICTIM.
I MEAN VOLUNTEER THAT IS COMING.
UM, I HAVE MISHA, UH, COMMISSIONER, TRIPLE GUARD, MYSELF.
MR. CASTILLO, ARE THERE ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES? UH, THIS SATURDAY CHEER PULL GUARD.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? NO, I WAS GOING TO SAY, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE COMMITTED TO A TEXT THEATER THAT WOULD AT LEAST BE THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
I CAN SEND OUT THE INFORMATION THROUGH OUR STAFF LIAISON AND UM, WITH FURTHER DETAILS TO GIVE YOU GUYS TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.
AND IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND, UM, EVEN IN THE 11TH HOUR, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU YES.
I NEED MORE ANIMATED MOVEMENT FROM YOU.
SEE, HOW COULD I MISS THAT? UM, IF IT MAKES MORE SENSE THAN I WILL SEED MY SEED FOR THIS SATURDAY, CAUSE I WAS GOING TO VOLUNTEER, LIKE I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST MONTH AND I SAID, IF WE'RE GOING TO GO VISIT THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, LIKE QUALITY OF LIFE, LIKE I CAN SIGN UP FOR THOSE AND I CAN MAKE SURE LIKE WHICHEVER ONES FIT IN MY CALENDAR, JUST GO TO THOSE MEETINGS AND SPEAK DURING COMMUNITY CITIZENS COMMUNICATE AND JUST LET, LET PEOPLE KNOW.
UM, YEAH, JUST PUT ME DOWN WHERE YOU NEED ME.
I MAY, IF YOU COULD TELL US WHEN YOU WENT TO WHICH ONES YOU CAN'T GO TO.
SO THE REST OF US CAN FILL IN THERE.
THAT WOULD BE SUPER I'LL TRY AND ESTABLISH A LIVE DOCUMENT THAT WE CAN KEEP UPDATED SO THAT YOU CAN CHECK IN AS NEEDED.
WHAT, WHAT THINGS ARE MAYBE PENDING OR IN PROCESS, UH, AS DATES, UH, GET CONFIRMED.
SO THE ATX THEATER IS AN ATX THEATER EVENT, RIGHT? IT'S IT'S THEN HOSTING FOR THEIR COMMUNITY AND THAT, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY IT'S NOT OPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE, BUT THE FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON THE THEATER COMMUNITY IN THAT SPACE.
AND THERE'LL BE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO FOCUS ON SORT OF THEIR, THEIR COMMUNITY, THEIR GENRE, THEIR, THEIR PERSONAL LIKE INTERESTS IN NEEDS WITH RESPECT TO THE GUIDELINES.
UM, SO I WANT TO BE MINDFUL BECAUSE WHAT I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT HAPPENING IS I DON'T WANT A MEETING THAT IS FOCUSED ON A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION AND HOSTED BY THEIR ORGANIZATION TO BE SORT OF CO-OPTED BY SOME OTHER THING.
UM, SO IF YOU ARE RUNNING AN ORGANIZATION, YOU HAVE A CONSTITUENCY AND YOU WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SORT OF YOUR FRAMEWORK.
THEN REACH OUT TO US, REACH OUT TO ME, REACH OUT TO COMMISSIONERS THIS MAN AND SAY, HEY, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
CAN YOU PLEASE COME SO THAT WE DON'T SORT OF GET INTO THAT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? JUST I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN ONCE OR TWICE.
IT, THAT WE HONOR THE SPACES AND THE, AND THE HOSTS THAT ARE INVITING US INTO THEIR HOME.
WE'RE THERE FOR NOT TO RUN THEIR MEETING, BUT TO SORT OF BE THERE, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR THAT CONSTITUENCY AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GIVE US FEEDBACK.
[02:20:01]
AND THERE IN LIES, THE INCENTIVE TO HOST, RIGHT.IS THAT WE'LL GIVE YOU THE REINS TO SORT OF DIRECT AND GUIDE THE CONVERSATION YEAH.
AS IT RELATES TO YOUR CONSTITUENCY.
COMMISSIONER GRAY, JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY, ONE IS NEW, NOT EXPERIENCE, THINGS CHANGE, JUST THINKING ABOUT, AND I KNOW IT'S A BIG WARM HOLE, UH, THE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT CULTURAL ARTS AND THIS IS JUST STATING THIS, NOT THAT ANYTHING NOW, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, WHAT WE DO FIND CULTURAL BONDS, AUSTIN CULTURE, ET CETERA.
ONE THING THAT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IS THE CONNECTION POINT OF THAT.
IT'S LIKE, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHAT WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON AND WHEN THEY CAN CONNECT TO THE ARTS COMMISSION, ET CETERA, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE THAT IT'S LIKE NEXT POINT OF CONTACT, UH, YOU KNOW, A CALENDAR OF SOME KIND OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP SOON SO THAT THEY KNOW WHEN THEY CAN, THEY CAN STEP IN THE DOOR.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BIG THING THAT IS MISSING FOR PEOPLE THAT AREN'T ALREADY IN THIS, YOU KNOW, ON SOME LEVEL, ESPECIALLY EVEN GOING BACK TO THINGS THAT I'VE SAID IN THE PAST ABOUT HOW WE REFER TO OUR PROGRAMMING AND OUR ARTS COMMISSION MEETINGS, WE NEED TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, NOT THE MONOGRAPH, JUST LIKE WHAT THE CULTURAL TRUST, THIS, NOT THE EIC, NOT BECAUSE P IT'S GOING OVER PEOPLE'S HEADS.
THE MORE THAT WE CAN REALLY BE TRANSPARENT, EVEN IN THE DETAILS OF ALL THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHICH WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB GETTING TOWARD, THANK YOU STAFF.
THANKS FOR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
BUT AGAIN, SO MANY THINGS ARE SO BEAUTIFULLY CLEAR, BUT HOW TO CONTACT US AND THEIR NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ENGAGED IN WHAT'S GOING ON IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE.
AND AGAIN, JUST, I KNOW I'M JUST SAYING THAT, AND I KNOW THE WEBSITE IS UP.
I KNOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I THINK THAT IS A VALID QUESTION, STAFF.
UM, I KNOW YOU'RE LIMITED IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU CAN DIRECT PEOPLE ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
SO LIKE, WE'LL HAVE THE DATES HOSTED IN A SINGULAR PLACE, BUT YOU ARE LIMITED IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU CAN SEND PEOPLE FROM THE CITY WEBSITE.
I KNOW IT TAKES TIME TO GET THINGS ONLINE AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A BUNCH OF DATES BEING ADDED IN THREE WEEKS.
LIKE, IS THERE, I THINK EVEN YOU'RE LIMITED WITHIN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT YOU CAN SHARE AND PROMOTE, RIGHT.
SO AM I GLEANING THAT YOU GUYS PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HELP PROMOTE WHERE AND WHEN THESE MEETINGS LOOK INTO THAT? OKAY.
I THINK, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE REALLY RIGID PARAMETERS AROUND WHAT CAN BE POSTED AND JUST THE STEPS THAT IT HAS TO GO THROUGH TO GET TO THE WEBSITE, PARTICULARLY SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO EXPIRE WITHIN JUST A FEW WEEKS.
LIKE I KNOW THAT THAT'S MAYBE NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF YOUR GUYS' TIME, BUT WHAT WE SEE, WELL, WHERE IS THE COMPROMISE THERE? CAUSE I DO TO COMMISSIONER GREY'S POINT THAT THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE MAKING OURSELVES AVAILABLE.
THIS THE AVENUE IS OF WHICH WE'RE PROMOTING OUR, UM, UH, CREATIVE AND OUR OWN.
BUT I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF OFFICIAL CAPACITY REPRESENTING, REPRESENTING WHERE WE CAN BE REACHED.
AND I ALSO THINK, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG STAFF OR SOMEBODY WITH A BETTER MEMORY THAN MINE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO ALSO BE MINDFUL OF WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION.
AND WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, THERE IS A VERY FINE LINE, UM, FOR THAT, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE COMMISSION UNLESS IT IS FULLY COMMISSIONED APPROVED.
SO AGAIN, I THINK IF YOU ARE GOING IN AND SOMEBODY IS NOT ABLE TO, LIKE, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE LIKE I'M HERE AND I GUESS WE COULD SAY I'M HERE REPRESENTING, BUT REALLY MY ROLE HERE IS TO LISTEN.
SO I JUST, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT, THAT WE CANNOT SAY THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING THE ARTS COMMISSION, UNLESS IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN FULLY VETTED BY THE COMMISSION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BARNES.
AND I, AND I WOULD SAY FOR ALL OF THESE, I'M CONSIDERING ALL OF THEM LISTENING SESSIONS, LIKE OUR JOB IN THIS NEXT WINDOW IS TO LISTEN AND ABSORB.
WE'VE GOT THE LIST OF QUESTIONS THE STAFF HAS ASKED.
WE WANT THAT INFORMATION TO GET TO STAFF.
UM, AND, AND, AND FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS ARE GREAT.
WE'LL GET FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS, WHICH HAVE, WHICH ARE NOT RELATED TO THE GUIDELINES TOO.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, IN A MEETING, I WAS IN, I DON'T KNOW, ONE OF THE MANY MEETINGS, OUR JOB AS THE ARTS COMMISSION IS NOW.
YES, BUT IT'S ALSO FORWARD LOOKING AND IT'S ALSO, SO WE'RE ALWAYS PLANNING AND ALWAYS LOOKING AND ALWAYS DEVELOPING.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOT BEING ONE SLICE OF THE PIE.
WE'RE ROUGHLY TO BUILD OUT THE REST OF THE PIE.
[02:25:01]
ALL OF THAT WORK WILL BE PART OF IT TOO, BUT WE ARE, WE HAVE OUR LISTENING EARS ON FOR THIS PROCESS.THIS IS NOT ABOUT US COMING AND TELLING YOU WHAT WE THINK THIS IS US LISTENING TO WHAT YOU THINK SUPER IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT IN THAT ABSOLUTELY WORTH CLARIFYING.
COMMISSIONER GRAY ON THAT POINT AGAIN, I THINK WHEN I THINK ABOUT PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, THE ARTS COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
AND I PERSONALLY THINK IF THE CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR ARE HOSTING COMMUNITY CHATS, THAT SHOULD BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND IN A VERY EASILY RESOURCED PLACE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS HOW TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO EVERYBODY.
IT'S A WEBSITE FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION.
I'M JUST NOT SURE WE DON'T CONTROL THAT WEBSITE SO WE CAN TALK TO THE CLERK ABOUT MAYBE USING IT TO HAVE MORE ROBUST CONTENT.
YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW IF AND HOW, BUT LET, LET, LET, LET US DO SOME CHECKING.
I ALSO THINK, AND I KNOW I WAS CONTACTED, UM, BY SOMEBODY FOR COMMENT ABOUT THE MEETING.
AND AGAIN, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL THAT IF MEDIA CONTACTS US, WE CAN SAY, YES, I SERVE.
HOWEVER, THIS IS MY, MY VIEWPOINT.
UM, REALLY IT IS JUST THE CHAIR AND POSSIBLY VICE CHAIR THAT CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF HOW YOU'RE WORDING THINGS, UM, WITH REGARDS TO THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU ALSO DON'T WANT TO SEEM LIKE WE'RE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT, WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S DEFINITELY A FINE LINE BETWEEN SPEAKING YOUR MIND.
NOW MY THOUGHTS GONE, GO, PLEASE GIVE US YOUR, SORRY.
IT WAS JUST THE POINT OF CLARIFICATION THAT THE CHAIRS, THE ONLY SPOKESPERSON AND ANYONE THAT THEY IDENTIFY AS A, AS A SPOKESPERSON.
AND BASED ON ACTION OF THIS BODY TO NOT JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION ON ANYTHING, I WAS JUST TRYING TO BE NICE TO, TO, UM, VICE CHAIR.
IS THIS MAN VERY INCLUSIVE? I ACTUALLY KNEW THAT IT WAS JUST SHAREPOINT.
YOU'RE JUST POPPING BUBBLES ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BOARD TONIGHT.
I THINK THE THING TO TAKE AWAY AND FOR THOSE IN TV LAND, THESE ARE LISTENING SESSIONS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, IF YOU HAVE WELL THOUGHT OUT CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK, THERE ARE PORTALS FOR THAT.
AND SO WE REALLY ARE HERE TO LISTEN.
WE'RE NOT, IT'S NOT OUR ROLE TO GET INTO THE FINE PRINT OF THESE PROGRAMS NECESSARILY, BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR WHERE YOU GUYS ARE AT.
UM, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO BE LISTENING AND JUST TO HEAR YOUR CONCERNS, UM, AND W WHERE THINGS ARE GOING WELL AND WHERE THINGS ARE NOT, AND WHERE, WHERE THERE'S ATTENTION THAT'S NEEDED.
I WAS ACTUALLY POINTING COMMISSIONER MARK, BUT I DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY IT IS JAZZMINE CHAINING, YOU KNOW, UM, AS THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, UM, WE, WE DO, UH, HOPE, UH, HOLDING A PUBLIC OFFICIAL DLT.
SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONDUCT OURSELVES AS SUCH, I DON'T KNOW, YOUR DAD WILL BE SHOUTING MATCH BECAUSE PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS OF PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS WHEN WE WERE THERE AND ATTENDING ALL THESE MEETINGS.
NOW THERE'LL BE A ROLLING OUT THESE THREE NEW PROGRAMS. SO JUST BE MINDFUL ABOUT NOT TO ENGAGE IN ANY HOSTILITY, AND WE CAN ALWAYS WALK AWAY FROM IT AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE, UH, WE SHOULD BE, UM, HOLDING OURSELVES AS AN OFFICIAL APPOINTEE.
I DID CITY AND WE ARE REALLY REPRESENTING, YOU KNOW, UM, THE CITY, THE OFFICE, I MEAN THE GOVERNMENT.
SO I, AGAIN, JUST DISENGAGE IN ANY EMOTIONAL CHARGE SITUATION AND JUST WALK AWAY FROM IT AND SET, YOU CAN ALWAYS BRING IT UP TO OUR MEETING AS A CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, AND I'M NOT GOING TO ENGAGE IN THIS.
[02:30:01]
JUST, JUST A THOUGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMISSIONER MOCK COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.I THINK THAT, THANKS FOR THAT COMMISSIONER MARK.
UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO CLARIFY, SO SAY IF SOMEONE EMAILED ME AND SAID, HEY, MY ORGANIZATION WANTS TO HOST, I'M HOSTING AN EVENT FOR THE TALK ABOUT THE GUIDELINES.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT I THEN HAVE TO FORWARD THAT EMAIL TO Y'ALL SO THAT Y'ALL ARE AWARE AND PUT IT IN THE CALENDAR? UH, SHOULD I LOOK FOR A BUDDY FROM THE COMMISSION SO THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THERE? UH, WHAT ARE Y'ALL THINKING THERE? I MEAN, MY IMPULSE IS TO SAY, LET, LET FOLKS KNOW IF, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ARE THEY WILLING TO OPEN IT UP? NUMBER ONE, SO WE NEED, WE NEEDED THE CODE OF THIS IS OPEN TO ANYBODY.
THIS IS THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, BUT I'D LOVE TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE WE CAN TRACK WHERE WE'VE GONE AND WHO WE'VE TALKED TO.
SO THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE QUESTIONS TOO, IS LIKE, WELL, WHO WAS IN THE MEETING? WELL, THIS IS WHO WE WENT TO T TO TALK TO, RIGHT? THIS WAS THE ORGANIZATION THAT HOSTED THIS EVENT.
UM, SO THAT I THINK IS USEFUL TO, TO CATEGORIZE.
UM, IF IT'S JUST, IF IT'S A SMALL GROUP AND YOU'RE THERE AND YOU CAN, THEN I THINK LET'S POP IT IN THE, IN THE, UM, CALENDAR AND GO, IF YOU WANT COMPANY SENDING OUT, HEY GUYS, I'VE GOT SOME OF THIS GOING ON.
UM, IF IT, IF IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH, IF IT NEEDS TO GET TO EVERYBODY, THEN IT NEEDS TO OBVIOUSLY GO THROUGH, HEY SUE'S.
UM, AND ACTUALLY, YEAH, EVEN IF IT NEEDS, IT'S GOING TO ONE PERSON, YOU SHOULD NOT EMAIL A SELENA AND EXCUSE ME, UH, UH, CHAIR PULL GAR, AND VICE-CHAIRS THIS MAN YOU NEED TO EMAIL ME, UH, DIRECTLY.
THERE IS NOT TO BE ANY DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COMMISSIONERS WHEN YOU ARE NOT, UM, UM, AT AN OFFICIAL ARTS COMMISSION MEETING.
SO JUST SEND ANY OF THAT TO ME, AND I WILL GET IT TO THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES.
IS THAT YOU JUST DID DO A REFRESHER TRAINING.
SO YES, I DID A REFRESHER TRIP.
IT'S, WHAT'S CALLED A WALKING QUORUM.
IF YOU WANT TO A GOOD TECHNICAL, WE HAVE.
SO WE, SO EVEN TALKING TO EACH OTHER ONE ON LIKE INDIVIDUALLY IS KNOW AS AN NO-NO.
YEAH, NO, BECAUSE THE REASONING BEING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN SOMEONE ELSE COULD GET ON THE CHAIN ON THE EMAIL, EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T ON THE INITIAL EMAIL.
AND SO THEN A QUORUM COULD BE AS MORE PEOPLE COME ON AFTERWARDS, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT PERSON'S DECISION WAS.
SO, YEAH, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING DECISIONS IN PUBLIC, NOT MAKING DECISIONS IN PRIVATE.
SO YEAH, JUST SEND THAT TO ME AND I WILL GET IT TO A CHAIR POLL GARDEN.
HAS THIS OFFLINE ABOUT WORKING GROUP.
YEAH, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IF THAT'S FOR ANYTHING, IF I WANTED TO SEND ACA A NOTE ABOUT SOMETHING, IT SHOULD GO TO YOU AND THEN YOU'LL SEND IT TO ACU.
I CAN DOUBLE CHECK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO BE SURE, BUT IN OUR REFRESHER TRAINING THAT WE HAD, UH, LAST WEEK, UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IS LIKE, THERE SHOULD NOT BE INDIVIDUAL EMAILS BETWEEN COMMISSIONERS.
SO I'LL MAKE A NOTE TO CHECK WITH THE, WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
I'LL GET CLARIFICATION AND CLARIFICATION.
IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF WORK FOR YOU HAS IT? WE CHAT A LOT.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CARSON.
UM, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A GOOD AMOUNT.
I WANT TO KEEP US MOVING, UM, INTO OUR DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTIONS ON THE WORKING GROUP AND WORKING GROUP UPDATES.
UM, EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT? WE KEEP MOVING.
[5b. Discussion and Possible Action on Working Groups and Working Group Updates i. Equity Working Group with Community Arts leaders of the BIPOC/LGBTQIA/Disabilities Community/Women with Commissioners Keeton (chair) and commissioners Castillo, Gray, Polgar, Zisman and community members ii. Joint Music/Arts Commission Working Group to identify additional funding resources and strategies beyond HOT with Commissioner Schmalbach (chair), and Commissioners Castillo, Flores, Zisman and members from the Music Commission iii. Joint Working Group for Joint Cultural Committee with Commissioner Castillo (chair), Commissioner Polgar and working group members from the Quality of Life Commissions iv. Public Private Partnership (P3) working group with Commissioners Barnes (Chair), Schmalbach, Flores and Mok v. Quarterly Arts Community Commission Meet-ups Working Group with Commissioners Barnes, Castillo (chair), Garza and Gray vi. Emergency Funding and Proactive Strategies for Future Funding Working Group with Commissioners Flores, Polgar, Schmalbach, Van Dyke, and Zisman (chair) vii. Art Neighborhoods Working Group with Commissioners Gray, Mok, Zisman, and Van Dyke (chair)]
SO FIRST UP IS THE EQUITY WORKING GROUP WITH COMMUNITY ARTS LEADERS OF THE BIPAP LGBTQ DISABILITIES COMMUNITIES WOMEN'S AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, KEATON WHO'S THE CHAIR COMMISSIONERS, COZ DEO GRAY PULL GUARD ZISMAN AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMISSIONER KEATON HAS HAD TO STEP OFF.UM, AND I BELIEVE CHAIR POLAR WILL BE GIVING THE UPDATE FOR THIS WORKING GROUP.
WELL, UM, AND, UH, IT WAS IN THE MINUTES FOR OUR RETREAT, BUT, UM, AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHO WAS ON THAT WORKING GROUP, I WAS JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THE NAMES OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, SO THAT, THAT IS NOW OF RECORD HERE.
AND THE, SO ANYBODY WHO MISSED THE RETREAT THAT WE HELD THE END OF LAST MONTH HAS THIS INFORMATION CURRENT, OUR COMMUNITY ARE LEADERS IN PARTICIPATING IN THE WORKING GROUP ARE, UM, UH, UH, OH MY GOODNESS WORDS.
UM, STEPHANIE LANG, WHEN HE READ RAISIN MACINTOSH, PAMELA OWEN'S ROCK SHOOM, MONICA MALDONADO, ALKA BANNO DANIELLE ALANA'S, MIRIAM CONNOR, ROSHAN
AND THAT WAS, UH, CELIA HUGHES AND LILLIA RAQUEL ALOHA.
SO THAT'S OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, WE HAVE, AT THIS POINT DOES SORT OF OUR FIRST ROUND PREPARATION OF, FOR THAT GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WAS GENEROUSLY OFFERED THEIR TIME AND TALENTS AND INSIGHT INTO THEIR EXPERIENCE IN AS ARTISTS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, AGAIN, THIS WAS A WORKING GROUP THAT WAS FOUNDED, UM, IN ALINA'S WITH OUR COMMISSION GOALS.
[02:35:01]
TO THE SEPTEMBER ARTS COMMISSION COMMISSIONER CASTILLO TALKS ABOUT THIS BACK IN THE FEBRUARY MEETING.UM, AT THIS POINT WE'VE HAD THREE MEETINGS.
WE ALLOWED THE I'M SORRY, WE HAD A MARGIE REESE COME IN AND GIVE A FULL BACKGROUND TO THE GROUP OF ALL THE CONSULTANT WORK THAT STARTED IN 2019.
WE HAVE A FULL WRITTEN REPORT, WHICH WE'LL SHARE OUT TO YOU GUYS AS COMMISSIONERS, WHICH INCLUDES THE SURVEYS THAT THE WORKING GROUP HAS, UM, FILLED OUT, UM, A RECORDING OF, UM, MARGIE REECE'S OVERVIEW, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY USEFUL.
UM, SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THOSE REPORTS WERE THAT PARTICIPANTS WERE GRACIOUS AND HAPPY AND FELT GRATITUDE FOR BEING PERSONALLY INVITED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CONVERSATION.
UM, MANY HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS LEVEL OF INCLUSION SO THAT THEY FELT EMPOWERED IN THAT WAY AND APPRECIATIVE.
UM, THEY APPRECIATED THE DETAIL AND CLARITY THAT MARGIE PROVIDED IN HER PRESENTATION.
UM, SEVERAL THE PARTICIPANTS EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR THE ARPA EMERGENCY FUNDING THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER TODAY, UM, AND, UM, AND NOTED IT AS THE BRIDGE IN THEIR FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY WERE GRATEFUL FOR.
UM, THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT NEEDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, UM, INCLUDING OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT FOR, FOR THEIR WORK, BUT ALSO, UH, NEEDS IN OFFICE AND PERFORMANCE SPACED.
ONE ASKED A SPECIFICALLY ABOUT CITY ARTS FACILITIES BEING FREE FOR CONTRACTORS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS AN INTERESTING QUESTION THAT MADE IT INTO OUR KEY TAKEAWAYS.
UM, LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE GUIDELINES ABOUT THE INCLUSION OF NON-ARTS APPLICANTS FOR CULTURAL ARTS, WHICH WAS IN AN EARLIER DRAFT AND THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS BEING SO HIGH IN THIS MOMENT, WHY OPEN UP OUTSIDE OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY FOR FUNDING.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS, THE SURVEY SURVEYS AND SOME OF THESE FEEDBACK WAS ALREADY GIVEN TO STAFF AND THIS REFLECTED IN THE DRAFTS OF THE GUIDELINES THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, UM, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AND, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THAT BEING AN OPTIONAL OPTION.
UM, ONE REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION, WHICH WE PASSED ALONG TO STAFF WAS WE ASKED, YOU KNOW, DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THESE PROGRAMS? AND ONE MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP SAID, I DO NOT.
UM, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, REALLY BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE DO SEE THEMSELVES IN SPACES, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT'S WELCOMING AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR LANGUAGE IS CLEAR.
UM, I THINK STAFF HAD A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION WITH THAT, UM, WORKING GROUP MEMBER.
UM, UM, I THINK IT HAD TO DO WITH JUST, I THINK IT WAS A LANGUAGE DISCONNECT.
UM, BUT JUST LOOKING AT, AT, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY HOW THESE THINGS WERE, WERE FOCUSED AND THE EQUITY LENS SPECIFICALLY AND WHAT THAT MEANT AND WHAT, AND WHAT WASN'T ALLOWED.
AND IT JUST FELT LIKE THE LANGUAGE WAS MORE CLOSED THAN OPEN.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT W ALSO WE'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH THIS MEMBER AND SEE, NOW THAT WE HAVE THE NEW GIRAFFES, WHETHER THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THAT QUESTION IS ANSWERED, WHETHER THEY STILL FEEL LIKE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PROJECT OR NOT.
SO WE'LL SEE IF WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THAT REGARD.
UM, AND THE, THE WORKING GROUP WILL GET THE PRESENTATION, UM, THAT LAURA ODEGAARD GAVE TODAY AND COPIES OF THE DRAFTS FOR THEIR REVIEW.
AND WE WILL MEET WITH THEM IN CONVERSATION, UM, FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF OUR ACTIVITIES HERE.
ONE REALLY OTHER IMPORTANT NOTE, AND WE'VE ALL SAID THIS, BUT THE WORKING GROUP WAS REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THIS TOO IMPORTANT FOR PARTICIPANTS.
UNANIMOUSLY SAID, HOT FONTS ARE NOT, ARE INSUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT FUNDS ARE LOW AND THERE'S A CALL FOR THE CITY TO STEP UP IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TO SUPPORT US ARTS AND MUSIC ABOVE HOT FUNDING, UM, AND TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OTHER RESOURCES AND AN INTEREST IN ON THE PART OF THE NUMBER OF THOSE ON THE WORKING GROUP TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT WORK, WHICH IS ALSO LOVELY.
UM, THERE WAS AN EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE EQUITY LENS AND FEELING LIKE, UM, THEY FINALLY SAW THEMSELVES AND THEY FINALLY FELT LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR THEM IN THIS, UM, IN THIS NEW STRUCTURE OF CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING.
UM, THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AHEAD ABOUT HOW THE NEW DRAFT GUIDANCE WOULD BE RECEIVED ABOUT WHAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS WOULD BE LIKE.
UM, BUT ALSO, UM, SOME EXCITEMENT ABOUT MOVING THOSE THINGS FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN SOME, SOME AWARENESS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN AS WE'RE WORKING TO IMPROVE EQUITY, WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL IN A COLONIALIST MODEL.
LIKE WE'RE STILL GONNA BE DOING THIS WORK FOR A WHILE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES ARE.
AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE FINDING THE WORK IS ITERATIVE.
UM, AND IN MANY WAYS THE WORK OF THE GUIDELINES IS ALSO THE WORK OF, UM, OF EDUCATION AND REBUILDING AND SORT OF RE RE UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT WHOLE SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS MY COVID BRAIN TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
SO LET ME KNOW, WHAT'S NOT CLEAR.
NEXT STEPS FOR US ARE, AS I SAID, RECONVENING TIER ONE TO TALK ABOUT HERE ARE THE GUIDELINES, HERE'S YOUR RESPONSE.
UM, WE'VE TALKED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT TIER TWO, WHICH ARE SOME LEGACY ORGANIZATIONS WHO STILL FIT THE PROFILE LEADERS OF BIPAP, LGBTQ DISABILITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITIES,
[02:40:01]
AND WOMEN, TO LOOK AT THEIR RESPONSE, TO THESE, TO THE GUIDELINES AS WELL.UM, AND, UH, AND, AND CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT FEEDBACK.
AND THEN FOR THE WORKING GROUP TO THEY'LL KEEP OUR WORK AS WE GO.
SO IT'S PRE PRE GUIDELINES, GUIDELINES REVIEW AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND THE ITERATIVE STEPS AS WE MOVE THROUGH LAUNCH AND WITH WHATEVER OUR FINAL, UM, PROGRAMS ARE.
AND THEN ALSO AT THE END OF IT TO COME BACK AND GO, DID IT WORK? WHAT DIDN'T WORK? WHAT COULD WE MAKE BETTER? JUST CONTINUING THAT COMMUNICATIONS PIPELINE.
UM, I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT HOW MANY OF THESE FOLKS HAVE SAID YES, I WOULD LOVE TO HOLD A CONVERSATION IN MY COMMUNITY, UM, AND OUR ABILITY TO REACH PLACES THAT WE WERE HEARING THAT WE WEREN'T GETTING TO, BUT FINDING A WAY TO ACTUALLY DO THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE WORK TO GO TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING INSTEAD OF EXPECTING PEOPLE TO COME TO US.
CAUSE WE WERE LIKE, WELL, WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT RUSHING, GOING IN AND DOING THE WORK, WHAT I'M ASKED JAIME S YOU KNOW, WHAT A MISS THAT WAS CONCISE AND CLEAR AND WONDERFUL DESPITE YOUR COVID BRAIN, WHICH AGAIN MAKES IT AN ELITE.
YEAH, BUT, UM, I, I WANT TO SAY AGAIN, CAUSE THIS IS NOT OFFICIALLY IN THE REPORT, BUT THE, THE COMMISSION MEMBERS OF THIS WORKING GROUP HAVE DONE YEOMAN'S WORK REALLY ABOVE AND BEYOND.
WE STARTED THIS BACK IN DECEMBER, THIS WORKING GROUP, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT STARTING IN SEPTEMBER, WE FORMED IT IN DECEMBER AND WE DIDN'T GET OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THE, UM, COMMUNITY UNTIL FEBRUARY 8TH, BUT THAT TOOK A LOT OF PLANNING.
AND, UM, AND SINCE THEN TRYING TO STAY CONNECTED AND KEEP, KEEP MEETINGS MOVING FORWARD AND, AND JUST WRANGLE EVERYBODY.
IT'S A TON OF WORK AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND IT'S SUPER EXCITING.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN THAT SPACE.
YEAH, I SAW I SPACED OUT, BUT WITH JUST THE SMALLER SUBSET OF THE WORKING GROUP, I MEAN, IT'S NOT HOW BIG AND THE WORKING GROUP.
SO WE PUT OUT, WE, UM, SUBMITTED 24 INVITATIONS BASED ON OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION THROUGH THE JOINT CULTURAL COMMITTEE.
UM, AND, AND, UM, SO WE SENT OUT 24
UM, AND WE TALKED TO THE RETREAT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE EBB AND FLOW OF WHAT THIS GROUP LOOKS LIKE AND THE PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO PLUG IN AND MOVE.
UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CONVERSATION AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL OF THE WORKING GROUP, THE, OUR, OUR SORT OF LITTLE SMALL SEGMENT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THAT MEANS.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK THERE'LL BE A POINT AT WHICH PEOPLE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN, LESS INTERESTED IN WHATEVER POINT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
I THINK THAT EBB AND FLOW, IT SHOULD BE CONSISTENT.
UH, WHEN DO YOU INCLUDE, AND WHO IS OFFICIALLY ON THE WORKING GROUP? I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE A LIST OR WE'LL JUST READ IT.
AND IT'S ALSO IN THE MINUTES FROM THE RETREAT AND IT WILL BE IN THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH I WILL PROVIDE NOW.
THAT WAS THE LIST OF WHO ATTENDED.
BUT THOSE, THE MEMBERSHIP, RIGHT.
SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, UM, SORT OF STEEP THEMSELVES IN AND WHAT THE WORK HAS BEEN TO THIS POINT.
SEE IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE AT THAT POINT, THAT'S THE LIST.
SO THEY CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT HOW MUCH LIKE, WHETHER THEY WANTED TO STAY IN, OR WHETHER THEY, IT WAS MORE THAN THEY WANTED TO INVEST IN.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION REGARDING THE EQUITY WORKING GROUP, COMMISSIONER MOCK, I JUST WANT TO THING THE COMMISSIONERS ARE DOING THIS.
AND, UM, I THINK IT IS GOOD THAT, UH, AS WE ARE ROLLING OUT ALL THESE NEW PROGRAMS, WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS AND THEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO SHARE WITH THEM WHY WE ARE DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING.
I THINK THAT THAT COMMUNICATION IS, IS IMPORTANT.
WITH THAT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO B2, WHICH IS JOINT MUSIC, ARTS COMMISSION, WORKING GROUP, TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, RESOURCES AND STRATEGIES BEYOND HOT WITH COMMISSIONER, SMALL BLACK CHAIR CASTILLO FLORES THIS AND MEMBERS FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
I ALSO PRE APOLOGY FOR ANY FUZZINESS.
I AM ALSO HOMEBOUND WITH A VIRUS.
SO FILL IN FOR ME, FRIENDS, IF I LEAVE ANYTHING OFF, THERE'S NO ACTION TONIGHT, BUT I'LL, I'LL TRY TO GIVE A DECENT AND BRIEF AS POSSIBLE OVERVIEW OF
[02:45:01]
WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'VE STARTED TO BE WORKING IN, IN SUBCOMMITTEES, AND WE'RE ABSOLUTELY LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, IN WORKING ON THIS WITH US TO JOIN THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, I KNOW I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO A FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING AND WE'LL BE SCHEDULING OUR NEXT MEETING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT ME OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP.
WAIT, IS THAT OKAY? THEY CAN CONTACT ME DIRECTLY, RIGHT? TBD.
WE WILL CIRCLE BACK AS SOON AS WE'LL LET US ALL KNOW VIA EMAIL, LET US ALL KNOW WHERE THINGS STAND ON THAT WHOM TO CONTACT.
UM, WE ARE JUST SOME UPDATES FROM, FROM THE LAST MEETING WHERE WE'RE CONTINUING TO GATHER, UM, MORE INFORMATION SURROUNDING THE, THAT MUNICIPAL PORTION OF THE HOT FROM STR PLATFORMS THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN OUR LAST MEETING.
AND ALSO IN THE LAST MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING, WE STILL NEED MORE INFORMATION BEFORE WE, WE CONSIDER MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO OUR FULL COMMISSIONS.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT WE FEEL THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A MECHANISM TO COLLECT, UM, RELIABLY AND FULLY THAT, THAT PORTION OF HOT FROM STRS, BECAUSE THAT IS A LARGE PROPORTION OF OVERNIGHT STAYS IN THE CITY.
BUT, AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE'RE NOT THAT WE UNDER FULLY UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PICTURE SO THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, RECOMMENDING SOMETHING THAT WOULD LEAD TO, TO POTENTIAL UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
SO WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THAT, UM, ON, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BOTH THE MUSIC AND THE ARTS COMMISSION, UM, WE HAVE OUTLINED A FRAMEWORK AND AN APPEAL FOR POTENTIAL CORPORATE BENEFACTORS AS WE'VE DISCUSSED.
SO, UM, THE, THE FUNDING SEEKING OF THIS GROUP TO START WITH HAS BEEN REALLY THINKING ABOUT, UM, OUTSIDE OF HOT, BUT ALSO OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND HOW WE ACCESS, UM, PRIVATE FUNDS AS A COLLECTIVE.
UM, AND WE'RE CONTINUING OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS OR POTENTIAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AEDC, UM, THE CREATIVE CONSORTIUM THAT WILL BE UPDATING US NEXT THROUGH THE LONG CENTER THAT WE'LL BE UPDATING AS HOPEFULLY NEXT MONTH.
UM, JUST WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMISSIONS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STEER THIS LONGTERM.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE, UM, PARTNERSHIPS IN PLACE THAT CAN CARRY THIS AND MOVE THIS ALL FORWARD IN PERPETUITY AS A, AS A COLLECTIVE AND MOST EXCITINGLY.
I THINK THE JOINT COMMITTEE AGREES THAT THE BACKBONE OF THIS, ALL OF THIS COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO, TO CREATE, UM, MEANINGFUL AND ONGOING SUPPORT, MONETARY SUPPORT, AND OTHER KINDS OF SUPPORT FOR ARTS MUSIC AND CULTURE IS, AND PARTICULARLY FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UM, IS A COORDINATED EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO BE UNITED AND WITH ONE VOICE OF WHY, UM, AUSTIN WOULD NOT BE AUSTIN WITHOUT ITS ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS AND CULTURE BEARERS AND CULTURAL PRODUCERS, AND WE'RE RAPIDLY MOVING FORWARD WITH HOW WE CREATE SUCH A CAMPAIGN AND ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR COLLABORATORS IN THAT EFFORT.
UM, SELENA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT, OR EXCUSE ME, VICE CHAIR, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON ANYTHING TO THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK THE BIG TAKEAWAY FOR THIS MEETING IS THAT WE NEED, WE NEED MORE ATI'S AND BRAINS AND HEARTS IN HELPING US MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD, AND ANYBODY CAN ADD ON, AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, SMALL BUCK, MR. GRAY.
I JUST WANT TO GO BACK UP AND, AND WHAT I'M REMEMBERING IS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ON THAT WORKING GROUP AND IT CAME IN AND THEN I DON'T SEE THE NAME ANYMORE.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE UPDATED WHERE THAT STANDS, BECAUSE I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO BE INVOLVED.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THIS, WE HAD THE, WE PUT A PAUSE ON THAT BECAUSE WE WERE JUST GETTING READY TO SORT OF BREAK UP INTO THESE.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I THINK MAYBE WHAT WE CAN DO THROUGH HIS SUSE IS SEND OUT A LIST OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE NEEDING ENERGY BODIES ON SUBCOMMITTEES.
AND THEN MAYBE FROM THERE, DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD PLAN? COMMISSIONER'S MOBILE.
AND I WOULD NEED TO, SO DOES THE SUBCOMMITTEE HAVE A STANDING COMMITTEE OR A WHATEVER WE'RE CALLING WORK ON COMMITTEES CALLED LIMITED TO FIVE
[02:50:02]
OR WITH, WITH BETTER QUESTION WOULD BE, WOULD WE HAVE TO FORM A SEPARATE GROUP IN ORDER FOR MORE COMMISSIONERS TO WORK ON THIS COMMISSIONER COMES TO YOU? UM, I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AND MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO, UH, DO A FINAL REPORT ON THIS JOINT WORKING GROUP AND ALLOW THOSE OTHER, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN CALLING SUBCOMMITTEES TO FORM US SEPARATE WORKING GROUPS.THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
AND THEN I THINK HAVING A NICE POOL OF, UH, WHAT WILL BE NEW WORKING GROUPS WITH THEMES OR TOPICS, THEN WE CAN REALLY START TO ALSO BRANCH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND TOUCH ON SOME OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSING INTEREST IN WORKING ON WORKING GROUPS WITH US.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BLEND COMMISSIONERS, UM, BOTH FROM MUSIC, ART AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
I THINK TO, TO YOUR QUESTION, UM, WORKING GROUPS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A QUORUM OF COMMISSIONERS.
THEY HAVE TO BE UNDER QUORUM, SO YOU COULDN'T HAVE MORE THAN FIVE.
I THINK HEIDI'S QUESTION WAS LIKE, IF WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP AND THEN SUBCOMMITTEES WITH DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS, DOES THAT NEGATE OR DOES THAT IMPACT QUORUM? BUT I THINK WE CAN CHEMISTRY CASTILLO'S RECOMMENDATION YEAH.
GOES DOES WELL TO CIRCUMVENT THAT ISSUE SOLUTION.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER FLORES? YEAH, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE NOT SUBCOMMITTEE THAT SUB WORKING GROUPS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT COMMITTEE, IT'S NOT A COMMITTEE IT'S AND IT'S, AND THERE IS TWO DEFINITIONS IN OUR BYLAWS.
WE DO WORK IN GROUPS BECAUSE WE DO NOT.
UM, AND NOW IT WOULDN'T EVEN BE A SUBGROUP, RIGHT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STANDARD CLOSING OFF HIS WORKING GROUP AND STARTING, I GUESS.
AND AT ONE POINT YOU'D COME BACK TO THE FULL COMMISSION WITH ALL TIE IT ALL TOGETHER IN A BOW.
SO JUST A QUICK POINT, COMMISSIONER, SMALL LOCK, WE HAVE A VERY LOOSE TEMPLATE THAT I CAN SEND YOU FOR A FINAL REPORT THAT YOU CAN USE.
YOU CAN USE TO SORT OF CORRAL THAT INFORMATION, UM, TO WHICH THAT CAN THEN BE DISTRIBUTED.
UM, SO WE CAN MAYBE PRESENT THAT NEXT MONTH, BUT MAYBE HAVE MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE FIRE WRAPPING UP THE REPORT.
AND THEN ALSO STARTING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE NEXT WORKING GROUPS ARE GOING TO BE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THAT CONVERSATION FLOWING.
MOVING ON TO JOINT WORKING GROUP FOR CULTURAL JOINT, UH, JOINT CONTROL COMMITTEE WITH COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, CHAIR, PAUL GAR, AND WORKING MEMBERS OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH, WE DID MEET THIS PAST MONTH, UH, BUT WE HAVE NOT MET WITH, UH, WITH THE ATTENDANCE THAT WE DID BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS.
SO TRYING TO GET, TRYING TO GET OUR NUMBERS BACK UP SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A FULL DISCUSSION FOR VOTE.
LIKE I SAID, PREVIOUSLY, WE WE'VE GOT A GOOD RECOMMENDATION.
WE JUST WANT TO HAVE, UM, THAT OFFICIAL VOTE WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
NEXT IS THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP P THREE WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONERS BARNS, CHERISH, SMALL BLACK FLORES AND MOCK.
UM, I S YES, COMMISSIONER BARNES.
ARE YOU WITHIN EARS, DISTANCE, PERHAPS NOT COMMISSIONED MOCK IF YOU'RE PREPARED, PLEASE, BY ALL MEANS.
UH, I GUESS COMMISSIONER FOREIGNS AND I WERE AT THE MEETING.
ONE THING THAT I LEARNED, UM, THAT THIS ORDINANCE OF THE 2%, UM, A, UM, BI ALLOCATION, THE ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN THE EIGHTIES WHEN OUR CITY HAD, UM, A LOT LESS RESOURCES.
AND NOW WE HAVE THE SILICON HEEL HEAL.
SO MANY HIGH-TECH COMPANY, A BIG COMPANY MOVING INTO TOWN AND, AND OUR CITY HAS BECOME WEALTHIER THAN BEFORE.
AND I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED AT HOW THIS P THREE WAS SET UP TO BASICALLY SKIRT AROUND THIS 2% API ORDINANCE THAT REALLY OBSESSED ME INSTEAD OF PUTTING MORE RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, TO SUPPORT OUR ARTISTS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE THIS, THIS, THIS P THREE PROGRAM.
SO I THINK AT OUR DISCUSSION, WE ARE GOING, UM, I
[02:55:01]
MEAN THE STAB AND THE API, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY ARE GOING TO DRIVE SOMETHING.UM, IS IT TRUE, MEGAN, THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO AND, UM, AND GO TO THE COUNCIL AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY PROGRAM LIKE THIS, THAT, UM, THAT ANY CITY OWNED FACILITIES, NO MATTER HOW IT IS DONE SHOULD NOT SKIRT AROUND THIS TO PRESENT COMMITMENT FROM THIS AUDIENCE.
SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, I WALK AWAY KNOWING HOW THIS ORDINANCE WAS SET UP IN THE EIGHTIES, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, SO I WAS MORE DISAPPOINTED THAN EVER, UM, AND ALSO ABOUT HOW THE CULTURAL AS STAFF, BUT NOT IN THE LOOP.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE ALL THESE NEW PROJECTS COMING ABOUT.
UM, SO, SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH WHOEVER IS, IS, IS, UH, EXECUTING THIS P THREE PROJECT.
AND, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, THAT WE MAKE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT OUR ARTISTS THROUGH THE API ORDINANCE.
SO COMMISSIONER FOR US, I MEAN, YOU WERE AT THE MEETING AND SO DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? I WAS JUST, THIS IS AGAIN, VERY UPSETTING TO ME.
SO LILY, YOU'RE ON MUTE COMMISSIONER FLORES.
UM, UH, WELL, UNLESS MEGAN WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE, I JUST KNOW THAT WE STILL NEED TO HAVE YET ANOTHER MEETING, BUT AT THE, UH, IN THE INTERIM STAFF WAS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK WITH, UH, I FORGET THE, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, UH, OR AN AND LEGAL, PERHAPS AS TO SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT WE HAD THROWN OUT.
WE, WE CAME UP WITH A BUNCH OF SUGGESTIONS AND OPTIONS OF HOW, UH, WE COULD, UM, PUT FORTH, UH, WAYS THAT WE COULD PREVAIL UPON, UH, FOLKS TO CONTINUE TO HONOR THE 2% COMMITMENT FOR PUBLIC ART IN ANY PROJECTS THAT ARE FOR BUILDINGS THAT ARE GOING TO PROBABLY ULTIMATELY END UP, UH, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, CITY OWNERSHIP.
SO YEAH, YOU'RE WRITING ME, THEY'RE SKIRTING IT, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS, A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, TO, UM, ADDRESS.
AND SO WE HAD A SERIES OF OPTIONS, PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR, I THINK WE ENDED UP WITH THAT.
UH, WE CAN, AND MAYBE PERHAPS WE CAN PRESENT A MENU OF OPTIONS THAT FOLKS COULD, UH, CHOOSE TO, UH, PARTICIPATE TO COMMIT COMPLY.
LET'S JUST SAY, I'LL SAY IT A STRONGER WORD WITH THE 2%, UH, FOR PUBLIC ART.
UH, SO I GUESS WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE ONE MORE MEETING BEFORE WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE AN ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION FIRST AIPP AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO THE COMMISSION.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT, MEGAN? YEAH, I, YEAH.
WELL, I, UM, I'VE TALKED TO MARJORIE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROCESS ON A, ON THE STAFF SIDE.
UH, WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONVERSATION WITH OUR ALLEYS IN THE REDEVELOPMENT DIVISION, SINCE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT TYPICALLY HAVE A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, AND WE WANT TO JUST GET THEIR INPUT BEFORE WE GO PUBLIC WITH ANYTHING THAT MIGHT, UM, BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH OTHER OTHER PROGRAMS THAT THEY DEAL WITH.
SO, YEAH, THERE'S SOME LEGWORK THAT, AND SOME DUE DILIGENCE WE NEED TO DO INTERNALLY, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE MARJORIE AND I ARE GOING TO BE DOING SOME OF THAT STAFF WORK BEFORE WE COME BACK TO THE WORKING GROUP.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
PROBABLY BE ANOTHER FEW WEEKS TO A MONTH BEFORE WE GET BACK ON YOUR CALENDAR, BUT WE HAVE UNTIL OCTOBER TO RETURN A FINAL RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, NOT THAT I WANT TO DELAY, BUT IT'S, WE DO NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, HOMEWORK.
I, I GUESS THE THING THAT I, I WOULD SAY IS, AND, AND STAFF CERTAINLY CAN CORRECT ME.
I DON'T THINK MAYBE I'M COMING FROM A PLACE OF, OF, UM, ASSUMING BEST INTENT.
I DON'T THINK THIS WAS DONE AS A WAY TO SKIRT NECESSARILY THE 2%.
I THINK IT WAS A WAY THAT SYDNEY COULD PROCURE
[03:00:01]
SPACES IN AN EASIER WAY.UM, CERTAIN STAFF, WHAT WAS PROBABLY NOT COMPLETELY THOUGHT THROUGH WAS THAT THIS DOES HAVE IMPLICATIONS TO OTHER THINGS SUCH AS PUBLIC ART.
SO I THINK IT IS OUR, OUR PURVIEW TO HELP BRING THAT TO THEIR ATTENTION AND TO BRING SOLUTIONS TO THEIR ATTENTION THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH THAT WE WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO CONSIDER IN ORDER TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE OTHER ORDINANCE THAT YES WAS ADOPTED, I THINK IN 84 OR 85 OR SOMETIME AROUND THEN.
BUT, UM, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES RIGHT NOW OF, UM, PUBLIC ART AT 2%.
AND, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES SQUEAKY WHEELS GET MORE ATTENTION AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE BEST THING.
SO I THINK WE DO HAVE TO TREAD, UM, VERY, BOTH POLITICALLY AND CAREFULLY AS TO NOT RAISE IYER AND THEN RAISE THE TENSION SO THAT WE MAYBE LOSE OTHER PERCENTAGES FOR THE, FOR THE PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, STATE THAT AS WELL.
SO CAN WE SHARE NOT TO BE INSENSITIVE, BUT IT'S AFTER NINE O'CLOCK I'M LOSING STEAM, WE'VE STILL GOT A COUPLE OF OTHER UPDATES.
LIKE I JUST WOULD LIKE THESE UPDATES TO BE A LITTLE MORE CONCISE, HEARD AND APPRECIATED COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
CAN WE MOVE ON TO, UH, FIVE BA IBV I'M SORRY, FIVE, UH, QUARTERLY ARTS COMMISSION MEETUPS WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONERS, BARNES CASTILLO, CHAIR, GARZA, AND GRAY.
IT'S NOT THAT I WANTED TO GET TO US, BUT, UH, W I THINK WE DID MEET, I ATTEMPTED, UM, THEN THINGS GOT MESSY.
UM, BUT WITH OUR ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR FOR THE GUIDELINES, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO, I'M GOING TO TRY TO WRANGLE THIS UP AGAIN AND SEE IF WE CAN SCHEDULE ONE AS PART OF THAT EFFORT.
NEXT IS EMERGENCY FUNDING, PROACTIVE STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE FUNDING WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONERS FLORES, POLAR SMALL BUCK, VAN DYKE, AND DISMAN CHAIR.
WE HAVE NOT MET, I THINK WE'RE STILL FOCUSED ON THE DRAFT GUIDELINES COMING OUT AND THIS KIND OF CIRCLES BACK TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING TO EARLIER ABOUT THE NEXT FEW THINGS COMING DOWN FROM EDD.
SO WE WILL BE MEETING, I THINK ONCE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SOLID GROUND IN THE GUIDELINES, UH, PROGRESS, I'M SORRY.
UM, SOON AFTER THAT, NEXT ON, THAT IS ART NEIGHBORHOODS WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONERS.
GREY MOCKS HAS BEEN IN VAN DYKE CHAIR.
HEY, UH, WE HAVE NOT MET AGAIN.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I CAN'T DRAG THIS HORSE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
UM, I THINK PART OF IT IS, UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE A DEADLINE.
THERE'S, THERE'S SO MANY DEADLINES THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU FINISH ONE AND THERE'S 10 MORE LINED UP.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON, I FEEL LIKE IT'S 95% DONE.
I REALLY LIKE WHAT WE HAVE, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET BACK AT IT AND GET IT KNOCKED OUT.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE IRONS IN THE FIRE WITH THIS, AND I KNOW WE'RE CONTINGENT ON SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING IN FRONT OF US, SO IT'S GOOD WORK.
THAT BEING SAID, WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX NEW BUSINESS.
WE WENT AHEAD AND MOVED ALL OF THE AIPP ITEMS ON CONSENT, UM, MISCELLANEOUS
[6b. Miscellaneous Discussion and Possible Action Items i. Emergency Funding Priorities A. ARPA remainder distribution/support for prior awardees not supported by prior ARPA emergency funding B. Other Emergency Support]
AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING PRIORITIES, UM, ITEM WHEN A ARPA WERE MADE OR DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT FOR PRIOR AWARDEES, UH, NOT SUPPORTED BY PRIOR ARPA EMERGENCY FUNDING.SO AS YOU, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER, WE HAVE ABOUT $40,000 LEFT OF OUR ARPA DISTRIBUTION THAT, UM, WE CAN USE TO ADDRESS CULTURAL CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS CYCLE AS WE'VE BEEN IN THIS TRANSITION PERIOD.
UM, I DO THINK WE NEED TO BUILD ON THAT AND THAT MAY BE MOVING TO COUNCIL AND ASKING FOR ANOTHER POT OF MONEY TO BE BROUGHT IN FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING COMMISSION OF BOULDER CHAIRPERSON.
I MEAN, WHAT I HAD PITCHED AT THE RETREAT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING THROUGH ALL OF THE EMERGENCY FUNDING WINDOWS AT, WHO HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE MIX, AND WE WERE $9.4 MILLION, RIGHT.
IT'S GONE OUT TO THE DOOR TO ARTS AND CULTURE NONPROFITS, AND THE CULTURAL CONTRACTORS INCLUSIVE, INCLUDING CULTURAL HERITAGE FESTIVAL, UM, GRANTEES OVER THE LAST, SINCE LIKE THE LATE, LATE PART OF WHAT AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER THAT WINDOW.
UM, THE FOLKS THAT HAD BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE QUEUE FOR A WHILE, ALL OUR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, APPLICANTS WHO WERE
[03:05:01]
LOCKED BECAUSE WE SORT OF WENT INTO BRIDGE YEAR MODE THREE YEARS AGO, THEY WEREN'T ELIGIBLE TO MOVE UP INTO CORE.THOSE GUYS ARE IN LIMBO AND THOSE GUYS NOT NECESSARILY MIGHT'VE FALLEN INTO AN INDIVIDUAL GRANT.
THEY MIGHT'VE APPLIED FOR A NONPROFIT, BUT BY AND LARGE, MOST OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH WERE WAITING FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF FUNDING, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT RE RETOOLING EVERYTHING AND THEY'RE GOING WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I WOULD LOVE TO PUT FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION.
I WOULD LIKE IT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL THAT WE SEARCHED FOR A MILLION DOLLARS.
WHY NOT FLAT OUT, UM, ARPA MONEY OR OTHER RESOURCES FOR EMERGENCY SUPPORT TO ARTISTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY FUNDED UNDER OUR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, SINCE WE FROZE THE PROCESS, UM, FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.
AND SO THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION.
I SAID, EMOTION, DO WE NEED A SECOND? WE DO.
I MEAN, CAUSE I MEAN, HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT IF SOME OF THOSE FOLKS DIDN'T GO AS INDIVIDUALS AND, YOU KNOW, AND APPLY, UH, OR AS EVEN UNINCORPORATED GROUPS OR I DUNNO IF THEY WERE ELIGIBLE OR NOT.
I DON'T REMEMBER ALL OF THE ELIGIBILITY, BUT WHA WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THE, UM, DEFINE THE APPLICANT, I GUESS, IN THIS PARTICULAR, UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR ROUND OF FUNDING, SHOULD WE BE SUCCESSFUL IN FINDING, YOU KNOW, THE CITY CAN SCROUNGE AND PULL TOGETHER A MILLION DOLLARS OF ARPA MONEY THAT HASN'T BEEN EXPENDED IN OTHER THINGS, AND TO PUT IT, TO APPLY IT INTO THIS PARTICULAR POOL OF FUNDS.
SO, UM, I THINK WE NEED A BETTER DEFINITION OF WHO WE'RE GOING, GONNA GIVE IT TO, WELL, I THINK WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF ABOUT IDENTIFICATION, RIGHT? WE, WE HAVE THE RECORDS OF WHO'S BEEN FUNDED UNDER ARPA, UM, AND WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I SAY THIS, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE RETREAT, SINCE THE RETREAT, WE HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN HOT AND HOT MONEY.
AND SO IT WAS LIKE, THAT WAS WHAT I WAS THINKING IN MARCH, IS THAT THE BEST, HIGHEST, THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE ONE, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN NEED, RIGHT.
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO SOLVE ALL OF THIS.
WHAT WE HAVE A DOLLAR 75, HOW DO WE MAKE THIS WORK? BUT I JUST, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A HOLE FOR ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, LIKE PULLING, PULLING FOLKS OUT OF THE YEAR.
I THINK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE HEARTLAND THEATER, COLLECTIVE THAT WAS WAITING TO GO TO COURT, I'M WAITING TO GO TO COURT AND WAITING TO GO TO CORE AND THAT THE WIND HAS GOTTEN LARGER AND LARGER AND LARGER AND LARGER.
AND ARE THEY EVEN STILL AROUND ANYMORE? SO MAYBE WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF HOMEWORK ON OUR END TO SEE HOW WE CAN SERVE IT.
BUT BY GOLLY, IF THERE'S ANYTHING LEFT IN THAT OPERA ART WORLD TO SQUEEZE, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GET IT OUT INTO THE HANDS OF ARTISTS IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE HURTING, THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SERVED YET.
GONNA NOTE IF FOR YOU GUYS WHO ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO MUSIC, MUSIC JUST HAD WHAT $2 MILLION TO, TO SERVE INDIVIDUAL MUSICIANS.
THEY HAD APPLICANTS THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN 5.6 MILLION TO SERVE.
SO THE, I MEAN, IT'S JUST DIRE OUT THERE.
WHAT SMALL MATTERS CAN WE MOVE FORWARD ON THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WELL, I UNDERSTAND, AND I WAS SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR IDEA AT, UH, AT THE, AT THE RETREAT, I'M SURE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE FUNDING CYCLES.
SO I GUESS ONE WOULD BE FIRST CAN, YOU KNOW, GET CONVINCING COUNCIL TO SAY THAT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO DEFINE THE UNIVERSE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND MAYBE IT'S JUST INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS WHO HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE ANY FUNDING WHATSOEVER, OR IT'S NOT EVEN JUST INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.
WOULD IT BE, IT WOULD JUST BE SMALL UNINCORPORATED ART GROUPS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS FUNDING WHO ARE STILL OUT THERE THAT WOULD NEED ASSISTANCE.
COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, UH, WHAT SORT OF TIMELINE ARE YOU THINKING CHIRP HOLDER? CAUSE, CAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING FROM, FROM COMMISSIONER FLORES IS LIKE IF MAYBE WE CAN DO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AND JUST DRAFT THE RECOMMENDATION AND DEFINE WHO GETS, YOU KNOW, WHO WE'RE HELPING, THEN MAYBE WE COULD ACTUALLY VOTE ON IT NEXT MONTH.
THAT'D BE GREAT, BUT I WOULD OFFER TO DRAFT SOMETHING AND I'D BE WILLING TO TALK TO STAFF.
AND UM, AND MAYBE ALSO THE, A COUPLE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO LIKE HEIDI, IF YOU WANT TO POP IN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH
[03:10:01]
ME AND WE'LL PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER, A PROPOSAL TO BRING FORWARD THE NEXT MEETING, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.IT SEEMS LIKE WE COULD USE A SIMILAR PROCESS TO HOW WE ALLOCATED THE OPERA FUNDS PREVIOUSLY TO THIS COMMISSIONER.
CASTEEL SO I'M JUST GOING TO STICK AS IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
CAN YOU PLEASE RESTATE THE MOTION? UM, SO MOTION FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER, SMALL BUCK AND I TO CO COLLABORATE ON DRAFTING A PROPOSAL FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.
I'M WORKING WITH STAFF TO DETERMINE WHO HASN'T, HASN'T, WHO HASN'T HAS NOT BEEN FUNDED IN EMERGENCY SUPPORT.
SINCE SHOULD WE SAY THIS HERE, OR HOW FAR DO WE WANT TO LOOK AT ALL? THAT'LL BE PART OF YOUR DRAFTING.
UM, WE'LL BRING IT FORWARD FOR, FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE BODY AT THE NEXT MEETING IN MAY.
SO MOTION BY COMMISSIONER PAUL GAR SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MOT.
I, I, I WONDER FOR UPS ANY ABSTENTIONS, ANY OPPOSE I CAN SEE WE'VE LOST A COUPLE COMMISSIONERS FROM THE DIOCESE AS WELL.
UM, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, I'M SURE WE'VE GOT OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP.
I KNOW STAFF, UM, IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
ITEMS FOR INFORMATION OR I GUESS, UH, OTHER EMERGENCY PORTS BEFORE I MOVE ON.
AND IF I MAY, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, SO THAT'S THERE BECAUSE OF THE, OF WHAT I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, WHICH IS HOT, IS NOT ENOUGH.
THE WORKING GROUP IS WORKING THEIR TAIL OFF.
WE HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO SORT OF KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE AND LIVING IN THIS TOWN AND MAKING ART IN THE INTERIM NUMBER ONE, BUT ALSO, UM, HOW WE MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE, THE ECOSYSTEM WRIT LARGE IS A VALUE AND IMPORTANT AND LOVED AND REVERED AND SUPPORTED.
UM, AND SO LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN SOLVE FOR SHORT-TERM GAIN MEDIUM TERM GAIN LONG-TERM GAIN, UM, THINGS LIKE CHECK BOXES ON YOUR, UH, YOUR, UM, UTILITY BILL TO DONATE X NUMBER OF DOLLARS TO THE CULTURAL ARTS AND MUSIC STRATEGIES TO PUT MONEY IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS OF GOTTA BE A PRIORITY FOR US.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS OUT LOUD IN THIS CONTEXT, WITH ALL THESE OTHER CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING I CAN FEEL.
AND I KNOW THE PRESSURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS UNDER.
THAT'S BEEN DONE BY STAFF, UM, LIKE SO MUCH GOOD WORK AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE, UM, SORT OF MISSED BECAUSE THERE'S FEAR AND PANIC AND SCARE.
UM, WE NEED TO BE, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND GUIDELINES ARE ONE PIE.
WE HAVE A WHOLE PLATE THAT WE'VE GOT TO FILL.
I WANT TO KEEP THE PLATE ON OUR RADAR.
IT'S JUST RELATIVE TO EMERGENCY SUPPORT IS THE EMERGENCY FUNDING AND PROACTIVE STRATEGY WORKING GROUP GOING IN THAT DIRECTION.
I MEAN, IS THERE SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO IN ADDITION TO THAT WORKING GROUP? WELL, MAYBE WE KICK IT THERE, MAYBE WE'LL LET'S YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRAIN WORKING BETTER THAN MINE.
[7. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION]
ITEM SEVEN ITEMS FOR INFORMATION.WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CHAT HAPPENING SATURDAY.
ANYBODY ELSE? WHERE'S YOUR BARNES? IS THAT A HAND? NO.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT WE'RE AT THE END, RIGHT? UM, I JUST WANT TO EXTEND AN INVITATION.
UH, WHAT IF YOU LIKE GOING TO VISUAL ART, OPEN STUDIOS, UM, WEST AUSTIN STUDIO GET TO HER GUT MOVED TO THE FALL, ALONG WITH EAST IT'S OVERWHELMING.
SO, UH, I DECIDED TO START A STUDIO TOUR.
I STARTED WITH MY STUDIO I'M IN COMPLEX THORNTON ROAD STUDIOS WITH A BUNCH OF ARTISTS.
MOST OF THEM GOT ON BOARD AND WE ALSO INVITED, UM, ARTISTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO IF YOU WANT SOME THAT IT'S JUST GRAPHICALLY CLOSED.
MOST OF THEM, THE STUDIOS WILL BE OPEN.
IT WILL BE AT THEIR PLACES WHERE THEY MAKE ART.
UM, SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME OUT.
UH, 14 FIFTH IS WE'RE CALLING IT ART OH FOUR STUDIO TOUR.
UH, CAUSE WE'RE IN THE 7, 8, 704 AREA.
SOUNDS LIKE AN AWESOME NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERING.
[03:15:01]
COMMISSIONER FINTECH, PLEASE SEND ME THE INFORMATION AND I'LL INCLUDE IT IN OUR MARKETING MATERIALS.ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR INFORMATION, FUTURE AGENDA? OH, MICHELLE PAUL, UH, COMMISSIONER POGIL.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THERE'S A BUNCH OF STUFF THAT'S IN REHEARSAL AND ABOUT TO OPEN, UM, LOT OF ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, YOU KNOW, PICK UP YOUR, YOUR AUSTIN CHRONICLE, GO SEE STUFF, UM, TIP THE BAND, MAKE DONATIONS LIKE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO MATTER.
AND I MEAN, THAT'S US, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S EVERYBODY, THAT'S LISTENING EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THAT'S HOW WE KEEP PEOPLE GOING IN THIS INTERIM PERIOD.
AGAIN, CITY OF AUSTIN CAN'T SOLVE ALL THIS STUFF.
ANY PLACE THAT YOU CAN PLUG IN, PLUG IN AND HELP CELEBRATE THE WORK.
[8. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS WE DISCUSSED, UH, THE PROTOCOLS FOR, UH, MOVING, UH, APPROVAL PROCESSES OF COMMISSION TO COUNCIL, I THINK, UH, KRISHA AND I MADE THAT NOTE.ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WE WANT TO CARRY OVER TO NEXT MONTH, INCLUDING THE SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RESCHEDULED? OKAY.
NOT THAT Y'ALL, AREN'T DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I THINK WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO ELECTIONS IN.
YEAH, THEY'RE ON FOR NEXT MONTH.
WE JUST KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE 9 24.
SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE ALREADY ON THE LIST, RIGHT.
HE SAYS, WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT.
I'M OUT OF HERE IN A YEAR, BUT HE'S JUST SAYING TIME TO MOVE, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
HANG ON, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
UM, I, I HATE TO HARP ON THIS, BUT SINCE THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT ARE GOING TO TERM OUT, I WANTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE HELP THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFY, UM, POTENTIAL APPLICANTS OR NOMINEES FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER.
UM, BUT ALSO GIVING, UH, SOMEONE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS AIPP LIAISON AND STILL HAVE COMMISSIONER BARNS AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH THE TRANSITION COMMISSIONER FLORES.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT I'M STEPPING DOWN BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON 12 YEARS, BUT WHERE IS THE PROVISION? BECAUSE I LOOKED ON THE BYLAWS AND COULDN'T FIND IT THAT SAYS THAT YOU CAN ONLY START EIGHT YEARS OR TWO TERMS, TWO, FOUR YEAR TERMS AFTER, YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH WHEN TEN ONE WAS PASSED.
AND SO THAT PUTS ME AT, I BELIEVE THE EIGHT YEARS.
I'M NOT SURE I'VE DONE THE MATH, BUT I THOUGHT THAT'S WHERE I WAS.
AND SO, AND SO WHERE, WHERE IS THAT PROVISION? IT'S NOT IN OUR BYLAWS FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION.
I, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, UM, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I'LL HAVE TO, UH, CHECK TO BE SURE, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S A CITY ORDINANCE.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN YOUR BYLAWS BECAUSE IT, THIS APPLIES TO ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, NOT SPECIFICALLY TO THE ARTS COMMISSION.
SO THEN NONE OF US COULD BE, WELL, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, IT'S IN CITY CODE AND WE CANNOT SERVE EIGHT CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
IF YOU WERE SERVING BEFORE TEN ONE, YOUR GRANDFATHER DIDN'T UM, AND YOU, YOU HAVE TO TAKE TWO YEAR BREAK AFTER YOU'VE SERVED EIGHT CONSECUTIVE YEARS AND PLUS COUNCIL VOTES TO LET YOU SERVE MORE, BUT OH, OKAY.
SO COUNCIL CAN JUST SAY, OH, WHATEVER, WE CAN DO IT.
SO COMMISSIONER BARNES CAN STAY HERE FOREVER.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WE COULD GET SPECIAL PERMISSION.
CAUSE I THINK HE JUST GOT REAPPOINTED.
DIDN'T HE? WELL, MY TERM ENDS IN 2025, SO GOOD.
YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE REAPPOINTED.
CHEETO REACHED OUT AND JUST SAID, WE'D LIKE TO REAPPOINT YOU.
SO YEAH, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE THE CONVERSATION OF SERVING BEYOND EIGHT CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
YOU DIDN'T, DID HE KNOW THAT? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.
I ASSUME THOUGH IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
THEY HAD TO HAVE APPROVED BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT ALL THAT OTHER STUFF.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ASKED ME TO STEP OFF, PLUS YOU CAN STAY AT RUTGERS.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE I'M THE BRUCE WILL LEND SICK OF THE ARTS COMMISSION RIGHT NOW.
WELL, I COULD HAVE BEEN, I'M ALMOST THE, UH, UH, LORNA PENNINGTON, MARTHA.
YOU GUYS WHO ARE REPLACED BACK IN THE DAY, BUT DON'T WORRY.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE, I TH I THINK SOME SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS
[03:20:01]
COULD BE MADE TO KEEP YOU GUYS JUST SAYING, OH YEAH, YOU'RE OFF.UM, THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
IS IT AMY'S FAVORITE PART OF THE MEETING COMMISSIONER BACH? UM, IS IT OKAY FOR, FOR, FOR THE STATUES AND AS THE LIST ABOUT WHOSE TERM IS EXPIRE? WHEN, SO IT'S ON THE ROSTER.
I CAN, YEAH, I CAN GET THAT TO YOU.
IT'S IT'S WHEREVER OUR, ALL OF OUR PERSONAL INFORMATION IS OUR EMAIL AND THE PHONE NUMBER SHOULD BE SO WISH TO INCLUDE THERE.
CAN YOU, THE LINK WE CAN SEND YOU THE LINK TO THAT PAGE.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR A GOOD LONG MEETING.
SO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND PRESENCE.
EVERYBODY FEEL BETTER WEAR MASKS GUYS.