[00:00:04]
CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT? YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY.
[CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER A TIME OF 6 0 8, UH, CALLING TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE, UH, APRIL, UH, 19TH MEETING OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ROLL, UM, A COUPLE OF QUICK NOTES ON, UH, THE RULE.
AS MANY OF YOU PROBABLY SAW THE EMAIL FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE ON HOW THESE REMOTE MEETINGS ARE TO TAKE PLACE, UM, FOR A ROLL CALL, YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR VIDEO ON FOR ANY VOTE.
YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR VIDEO ON, UH, AND IT WOULD BE PREFERRED THAT YOU KEEP YOUR VIDEO ON THE ENTIRE TIME.
SO, UH, FOR ROLL CALL, IF EVERYONE COULD GO AHEAD AND TURN YOUR VIDEOS ON, UH, HERE IN THE ROOM, COMMISSIONER STONE, COMMISSIONER DAVIS, MR. BLACKBURN, AND THEN ON THE WEBEX, I SEE COMMISSIONER HARMON.
COMMISSIONER WHITES, UH, COMMISSIONER, BRENNAMAN SEE YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER ANN GORY.
UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON CAN SEE YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH.
UH, COMMISSIONER CHEVERIA I BELIEVE IS ABSENCE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.UH, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP, UH, PAUL ROBBINS, PAUL, IF YOU ARE READY, UH, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HIM AT THE PODIUM, CORRECT? YEP.
I BELIEVE THERE'S A PRESENTATION.
I DON'T MIND DOING THIS NOW A CHAIR, BUT I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE TAKEN UP WHEN THE ITEM WAS UP IN MY MISTAKEN.
YEAH, IT'S A PRETTY SHORT AGENDA TONIGHT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE YOU DO YOUR PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'M PAUL ROBINSON, ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE, AND I'M SUPPORTING TONIGHT'S RESOLUTION TO CREATE A STAKEHOLDERS GROUP THAT WILL SUPPORT A POINT SYSTEM FOR CHEMICAL AVOIDANCE IN AUSTIN ENERGY SCREEN BUILDING PROGRAM.
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF MY SHORT PRESENTATION IS TO DISPEL ANY HINT THAT WHAT IS BEING ASKED IN THIS RESOLUTION IS ILLEGAL.
UH, IN FACT, IT IS CURRENTLY PART OF AUSTIN'S CURRENT SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY GREEN BUILDING POINT SYSTEM, JUST IN A SMALL WAY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION'S GOAL HERE IS TO GREATLY INCREASE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS STRATEGY SLIDE.
UH, AUSTIN'S CURRENT SINGLE FAMILY RATING SYSTEM HAS THREE PLACES WHERE CHEMICAL AVOIDANCE IS ALREADY IN PLACE.
SLIDE ON PAGE 34, VINYL FLOORING IS NOT ALLOWED TO RECEIVE POINTS BECAUSE OF NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN HUMAN HEALTH SLIDE ON PAGE 38 POINTS ARE GIVEN FOR PLUMBING, WINDOWS, INDOORS THAT DO NOT USE PVC SLIDE ON PAGE 41 POINTS ARE AWARDED FOR MORE BENIGN PAINTS AND SEALANTS.
SO LET'S TAKE THESE FEW GOOD EXAMPLES AND ADD, SAY 50 MORE TO THEM.
LET'S CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE, RIVALING, ANYTHING DONE IN THE WORLD.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR YOUR DELIBERATIONS.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
UH, HEARING ON, UH, WE WILL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO,
[00:05:01]
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION OF AUSTIN WATER, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE FOR APPROVAL TO INCLUDE IN THE FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL SPENDING PLAN AS REQUIRED BY FINANCIAL POLICY.UH, WE HAVE, UH, YES, NATASHA.
[1. Approve minutes of the March 22, 2022 Meeting of the Resource Management Commission.]
NUMBER ONE, UH, APPROVED MINUTES OF THE MARCH 22ND, 2022 MEETING OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES WHICH WERE DISTRIBUTED IN THE MEETING PACKET? UH, C HEARING NONE.
[2. Discussion and recommendation of Austin Water Capital Improvement Projects located in the Drinking Water Protection Zone for approval to include in the 5-year Capital spending plan as required by Financial Policy #8.]
WHICH I PREVIOUSLY READ, UH, WE HAVE REC UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM AUSTIN WATER WHO ARE ONLINE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, ABOUT THIS ITEM.UH, SO AT THIS POINT I WILL, UH, COMMISSIONER IS, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR AUSTIN WATER AS CHAIR? I DO I HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK OR, OH, OKAY.
UM, SO, SO THE ITEM, AND ALSO IN THE MEMO, IT TALKS ABOUT CIP PROJECTS FOR NEW WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
AND AFTER ALL THE EXPANSIONS AND SO ON, UM, THERE IS NOTHING IN HERE.
THERE IS TABLE ONE, TABLE TWO, THEY ALL TALK ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS TO BRING THE PLANTS AND, UH, LIFT STATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT NOTHING ABOUT NEW WASTE WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT THAT I DON'T THINK THERE WE'RE BUILDING A NEW TREATMENT PLAN.
UH, SO JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
AND IF A REPRESENTATIVE FROM WATER ALSO, MARK CAN, UM, KIND OF CLARIFY THAT, UM, MY NAME IS AURORA PISANO, FINANCIAL MANAGER FOR AUSTIN WATER.
AND, UH, I AGREE WITH YOUR OBSERVATION THAT WE'RE NOT BUILDING ANY NEW PLANTS.
UM, THIS IS JUST A BROAD STATEMENT TO, UM, IN THE EVENT THAT THERE WAS ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY NEW PROJECTS RELATED TO THE PLANTS, BUT, UM, THE TABLE, YOU MENTIONED, IT DOES ONLY INCLUDE FIVE NEW PROJECTS AND THEN FOUR EXISTING PROJECTS THAT WERE A CARRY OVER FROM THE LAST FIVE-YEAR CIP PLAN.
AND THEY'RE, UM, MARKED WITH AN ASTERICK, UM, ON THAT TABLE, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY, WHICH ARE NEW TO THESE, UM, AGENDA ITEM.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THAT ITEM.
WELL, COMMISSIONER AND GORY MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UH, WE WILL TAKE A VOTE AGAIN, PLEASE TURN YOUR VIDEO ON SO THAT WE CAN GET AN ACCURATE COUNT AND RECORD IT FOR POSTERITY.
GOING DOWN THE LIST, MR. BLACKBURN VOTES.
COMMISSIONER DAVIS, ABSTAINS COMMISSIONER AND GORY.
UH, IF YOU COULD WORK ON YOUR VIDEO FOR NEXT TIME, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
UH, COULD YOU TURN YOUR VIDEO ON PLEASE? YES, I'M IN FAVOR OF IT.
UH, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, A THAT MOTION PASSES ON AN 8 0 2 1 VOTE.
[3. (4/21) [Austin Energy] Approve issuance of a capacity-based incentive to Riverbend Church for the installation of solar electric systems on their facility located at 4214 N Capital of Texas Highway Austin, TX 78746, in an amount not to exceed $217,800.]
NUMBER THREE, UH, SUNOL SYNERGY ITEM PROVE ISSUANCE OF A CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE TO RIVERBEND CHURCH FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A SOLAR SYSTEM AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $217,800, UH, COMMISSIONERS.WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM AUSTIN ENERGY IN THE ROOM TO ANSWER
[00:10:01]
QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT RCA COMMISSIONER STONE MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE AGAIN.
COMMISSIONER DAVIS AND UP IS YES.
COMMISSIONER AND GORY, UH, JOHNSON.
DID YOU HAVE YOUR CAMERA ON? YES, YOU DO.
UH, THAT, UH, ITEM IS APPROVED ON A NINE ZERO VOTE.
UH, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR,
[4. Discussion and possible action on Austin Energy’s Green Building Program regarding building materials. ( Sponsors: Stone, White, and Brenneman)]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON AUSTIN ENERGY'S GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM REGARDING BUILDING MATERIALS.UM, THIS, THERE WAS A RESOLUTION THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED IN, UH, THE, THE MEETING PACKET, UH, WHICH IS, UH, BEEN CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER STONE, COMMISSIONER WHITE COMMISSIONER.
BRENNAMAN UH, TO START THIS ITEM, I WOULD ASK IF ONE OF THE THREE CO-SPONSORS COULD GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF, UH, THE, THE AGENDA ITEM AND, AND, UH, WHAT WE ARE SEEKING TO ACHIEVE HERE.
OR YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER, I'D LIKE TO DEFER TO BELL, YOU HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERED MORE ALEX, UM, W WE'LL CALL THEM, WE'LL CALL THAT A VOLUNTOLD ALL.
WELL, I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS FOLLOWING UP ON, UH, I THINK DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, I THINK IT TWO OR THREE PREVIOUS, UM, MEETINGS REGARDING, UH, EFFORTS OR POTENTIAL EFFORTS FOR THE AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM TO, UM, MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION AND, UH, ENCOURAGING THE USE OF MORE HEALTHY BUILDING MATERIALS.
AND, UM, AND SO THAT IS THE INTENT OF, OF THIS RESOLUTION IS TO, UM, ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT, UM, EFFORTS TO DO, TO DO MORE ON THAT FRONT.
UM, I THINK, UH, STAFF, UH, DID GATHER SOME OF US TOGETHER TO, UM, DISCUSS THE INITIAL PROPOSAL THAT WAS PUT FORWARD.
SO I DO WANT TO CALL OUT THAT I THINK THIS IS SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT THAN, UM, WHAT PAUL HAD INITIALLY, UM, BROUGHT FORWARD FOR US TO CONSIDER, WHICH WAS MORE OF A, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MANDATE TO ELIMINATE A WIDE RANGE OF, UM, PRODUCTS.
THIS RESOLUTION WOULD, UM, FUNDAMENTALLY RECOMMEND A STAKEHOLDER PROCESS.
YOU COME UP WITH A LIST OF SAFE PRODUCTS AND THEN WHERE, UH, NECESSARY PERHAPS ALSO COME UP WITH SOME, SOME THAT SHOULD JUST BE, UH, AVOIDED ENTIRELY, UH, BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST SIMPLY TOO TOXIC AND SHOULD NOT BE A PART OF THE GREEN BUILDING, A GREEN BUILDING.
UM, YEAH, IF YOU CAN SCROLL DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE SO WE CAN MEET THE KIND OF MEAT OF IT.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, THIS JUST KIND OF IT'S FORWARD, UH, SUGGESTED, UH, RECOMMENDED TIMELINE, UM, TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, UM, GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO EVENTUALLY CONVENE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WOULD REPRESENT DIFFERENT, UM, KIND OF ASPECTS OF THE INDUSTRY AND THE ENTITY, AND, UM, WOULD HOPEFULLY HAVE DIFFERENT, UH, EXPERTISE TO BRING INTO THIS, UM, CONVERSATION.
THE INTENTION HERE IS TO REALLY KIND OF LOOK AT THE, FROM, FROM ALL PERSPECTIVES AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION OR, YOU KNOW, A PACKAGE OF SOLUTIONS THAT WILL MAKE THE AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM, UM, EVEN GREATER THAN IT ALREADY IS AND, UH, IMPROVE HEALTH AND THOSE BUILDINGS.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT OVERVIEW.
WAS, HAS THIS RESOLUTION BEEN DISCUSSED WITH STAFF?
[00:15:01]
NO, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE ANYWAY.HOW HAVE THEY BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT? UH, WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS I KIND OF ASSUMED THAT, THAT THEY'RE AWARE WHEN WE PUT THINGS ON YOUR AGENDA, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
UM, I HAVE NOT MADE ANY PARTICULAR OUTREACH IN THAT REGARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF LOUIS OR REBECCA AS GOTCHA.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, MY FEEDBACK ON THIS, IF, IF, IF YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST GOING TO DISCUSS THIS TONIGHT AND I THINK THAT'S FINE.
UM, I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT TAKING ACTION ON THIS SITE IS PREMATURE, UH, GIVEN THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN, UH, DISCUSSED WITH STAFF, UM, IN GENERAL IT WOULD BE, IT, IT IS A BETTER WAY TO MP, TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT, UM, CHANGES TO THESE PROGRAMS. UM, IF WE ARE COORDINATING WITH STAFF AND WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE, AND PART OF THAT IS GETTING SOME STAFF FEEDBACK AND INPUT PRIOR TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PASSING RESOLUTIONS, UH, LIKE THIS.
SO, I MEAN, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO DISCUSS THIS TONIGHT, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS ACTION GOES, I, I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT SUPPORT TAKING ANY ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UH, FOR ANY ACTION ITEM THAT IT COMES BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING AFTER DISCUSSION WITH STAFF.
UH, SO THAT'S MY, AND WHAT THE OTHER OTHER FOLKS SPEAK TO THAT? THAT'S MY INITIAL FEEDBACK, BUT I'LL, UH, TURN IT OVER TO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I WOULD ARGUE.
SO, UH, I, I AGREE WITH YOU, UH, ALSO I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, ON THIS, WHEN WE'RE READY TO TALK ABOUT IT, OR SHOULD WE START? YEAH.
SO UNDER, THEY'D BE AT RESOLVE, UH, NUMBER ONE, THE LAST SENTENCE WHERE IT SAYS AVOID TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS WHEN NECESSARY.
UM, I'M THINKING WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO, UH, REPLACE WHEN NECESSARY WITH SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS NECESSARY TO AVOID TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS.
SO THAT'S ONE POINT AND THE, ON THE ITEM, NUMBER TWO, I THINK WE OUGHT TO ADD THE BOWMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF STAFF TO THE TWO.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT SECOND COMMENT? SO THE SECOND COMMENT IS A, THE WAR HAS TO DO WITH THE WORKING GROUP, AND IT HAS ALSO AN ENERGY BUILDING, A STAFF AND A FEW OTHER, UH, PROFESSIONALS AND EXPERTS.
UH, I WAS, UH, ASKING TO SEE IF WE COULD INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT STAFF.
AND THOSE WERE THE GUYS THAT DO PERMITS FOR ANY KIND OF BUILDING A CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE CITY.
AND, UM, THEY OUGHT TO BE AWARE OF THESE.
I'M SURE THEY ARE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO INCLUDE THEM IN THE DISCUSSION.
ARE THEY INVOLVED IN THE GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION THOUGH? UH, WELL, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY ARE, BUT, UM, IF THERE'S, IF CONTRACTOR OR, OR, UM, ANYBODY WHO IS BUILDING ANYTHING WITHIN THE CITY THAT REQUIRES A PERMIT, THEY HAVE TO GIVE THE PERMIT.
SO THAT WAS JUST A SUGGESTION.
I, UM, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO, WHO, UH, RIDE PERMITS AND BY BELDING, UM, A POOLED BELT BUNDLING CERTIFICATIONS OR, OR, UH, PERMITS TO ACTUALLY START THE WORK.
UM, SO I'M THINKING THEY, THEY OUGHT TO BE AWARE OF WHETHER A CONTRACTOR USING TOXIC MATERIAL OR NOT.
I MEAN, THEY, EVERYBODY IS USING THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN RUBBER CEMENT IS IT'S TOXIC, BUT IT'S USED FOR PLUMBING.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, TO THE SPONSORS, I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT IS PRUDENT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND THESE PRIOR TO ACTION, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, REASONS YOU HAD INFORMATION THAT, THAT POSSIBLY WEREN'T AWARE OF THAT WE WERE JUST MADE, UH, AWARE OF.
[00:20:01]
DON'T WANT THAT.IT'S NOW PRETTY, THE LANES REQUIRE A PERMIT, I GUESS I'M JUST NOT SEEING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN GETTING A BUILDING PERMIT.
AND, UM, AND THEN THEY SCREEN BUILDING THE GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEM.
AM I SORRY IF I'M MISSING SOMETHING, I JUST, I'M NOT SURE.
SO THIS RESOLUTION IS FOUR POINT SYSTEM FOR A GREEN BUILDING, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH SAFE BUILDING MATERIAL.
UM, THE WAY I THINK ABOUT IT AS THAT, WELL, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHETHER THEY SAY YES OR NO TO GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION, UM, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ALLOW YOU TO GO BUILD A GREEN BUILDING WITHOUT THEIR SAY, SO YOU CAN NOT BUILD ANYTHING WITHIN THE CITY AND LET YOU KNOW IF IT'S ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES A PERMIT.
UM, SO THAT THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, UH, THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO INCLUDE IT OR NOT, BUT I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO, TO, UM, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY ALSO HAVE INSPECTION GROUP THAT, UH, THEY GO OUT THERE AND INSPECT THE, UH, THE PROJECTS.
UM, I ALSO HAVE A POINT WITH THAT.
THEY COULD JUST OFFER SOME INSIGHT, UM, AND MAYBE SEE THINGS FROM THE GROUND AND FROM WITHIN THE BUILDINGS.
UM, I THINK THEY COULD BE A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE DISCUSSION IN THAT WORKING GROUP.
JONATHAN, MAY I JUMP IN, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, COMMISSIONER STONE HAS, UH, WAS IN LINE BEFORE YOU, UM, YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, PART OF WHY I AGREED TO SPONSOR THIS RESOLUTION, UM, PAUL ALREADY KNOWS MY STORY OF WOE, BUT I HAVE VINYL FLOORS WITH THE FORMALDEHYDE MORNING LABEL THAT CAME IN EVERY BOX.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE LEARNED UP ON A LOT RECENTLY.
AND WHAT I KNOW IS WE HAVE AN EXISTING PROGRAM WITH THE POINT SCORING SYSTEM ALREADY.
WE WANTED TO PUT TOGETHER A SMALL WORKING GROUP OF PEOPLE TO GET TOGETHER AND BASICALLY UPDATE THAT SYSTEM FOR NEWER MATERIALS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE SINCE THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND SO MY CONCERN IN MAKING THE GROUP LARGER AND LARGER, BECAUSE I MEAN, KAI CAN TELL YOU, I MEAN, WHAT WE ORIGINALLY STARTED WITH WAS A LAUNDRY LIST, AND I TRIED PAIRING IT DOWN BECAUSE YOU END UP HAVING TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN AND NOTHING GETS DONE.
SO, YOU KNOW, INVITING, WE CAN INVITE EVERYBODY AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
I REALLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
I MEAN, I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE, I BASICALLY ORIGINALLY HAD MY LANGUAGE TO JUST SAY, UM, UH, INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS.
IT WAS NICE AND VAGUE IN THAT REGARD, SO THAT, THAT WAY ANYBODY COULD BE INVITED TO IT.
UH, BUT REALLY I LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, WE'RE JUST BASICALLY ASKING PEOPLE TO GET IN A ROOM, COME UP WITH, LOOK AT THE LATEST RESEARCH THAT HAS COME OUT.
AND PAUL HAS SENT US PLENTY OF STUFF FOR US TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT AS A STARTING POINT THERE, AND JUST SAY, WHAT THINGS HAVE COME ONLINE SINCE WHAT NEW BUILDING MATERIALS ARE NOW COMMON, MORE AFFORDABLE THAT WE COULD TRY ADDING IN ADDING THESE INTO THE SYSTEM AND REWARD WITH A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF POINTS THAN SOME OF THE CURRENT STUFF THAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE MY APPROACH WAS IN GENERAL WITH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS IS JUST PUT THE SMART PEOPLE IN A ROOM, LET THEM HAVE A DISCUSSION AND COME BACK TO US WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE ORIGINAL POINT THAT WAS RAISED, UH, UH, IT SHOULD SAY WHEN POSSIBLE, NOT WHEN NECESSARY ON ITEM ONE, AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THAT PROBLEM, BUT I JUST, JUST NOTICED THAT NOW AS WELL, SO.
UH, COMMISSIONER HARMON, UH, STILL WANT IT, THANK YOU.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY SEVERAL POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, BROUGHT UP.
I KIND OF WANT TO SPEAK TO, SO I'LL TRY TO GET THEM ALL IN IF I CAN, UM, EXCUSE ME, FIRST OF ALL, I, I SUPPORT THIS EXPLORATION, UM, INTO TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD, UH, CONVERSATION FOR THIS COMMISSION TO BE HAVING.
UM, AND, UM, I TH I THINK I ALSO AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE ARE PROPOSING RESOLUTIONS TO HAVE RUN THEM THROUGH CITY STAFF OR GOTTEN BUY IN.
[00:25:01]
THAT IS A WORTHWHILE PRACTICE.CAN YOU MAYBE EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND? YEAH, I WILL EXPAND ON THAT.
UH, THAT WAS A MEETING, UH, THAT AT MY REQUEST AND MY SCHEDULING, UH, THAT, UH, WHAT REALLY INVOLVED THE THREE COMMISSIONERS AT THE, I THINK IT WAS A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO THAT HAD, UM, EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE TOPIC.
UH, I GOT THEM TOGETHER WITH MYSELF AND THE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF.
UH, THIS WAS REALLY IN REFERENCE TO PAUL'S ORIGINAL, UH, UH, UH, KIND OF TEMPLATE RESOLUTIONS.
AND I, I GUESS, UM, I, I, IN MY VIEW, THIS WAS RESPONSIVE TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS RAISED BY STAFF AND THAT, SO, YES, THEY DIDN'T REVIEW THIS RESOLUTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE WE HAD THE CONVERSATION AND, AND, AND THEY WANTED TO AVOID ANYTHING THAT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF OVERLY PRESCRIPTIVE.
AND I, I THINK THAT THIS IS INTENDING TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THAT, UM, DESIRE.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THAT BACKGROUND.
AND I GUESS WHAT I, I WAS JUST TRYING TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW REFLECTIVE OR, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW MUCH, UH, STAFF INPUT WAS REFLECTED HERE.
UM, BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING IT, I GUESS I WOULD ALSO, I, IT DOES FEEL LIKE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO BRING A RESOLUTION TO THE COMMISSION THAT HAD BEEN, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT BY STAFF, UM, AND KIND OF ALONG THOSE LINES A LOT, I THINK ONE, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THE BUILDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, I'M SORRY, DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT WOULD COME UP THERE.
UM, BUT MY OTHER QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE POINT SYSTEM ITSELF.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, PAUL MADE COMPELLING POINTS OF, YOU KNOW, THE SIX POINT SYSTEM, UH, AS, AS IT IS NOW EARLIER.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK WE HAVE A, A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AMONG THIS STAKEHOLDER GROUP, INCLUDING THE PRESENTATION FROM GAIL LAST MONTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE THERE THERE'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE, UM, IN THE, THE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF, I GUESS I WAS WONDERING IF THE POINT SYSTEM IS THE GOAL OR REALLY THE GOAL IS, IS KIND OF THE, THE PURPOSE TO IDENTIFY, ENCOURAGE SAFE BUILDING MATERIALS AND AVOID TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS WHEN POSSIBLE, UM, KIND OF THAT, IF THAT'S THE GOAL OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR THIS EXPLORATION, I'M WONDERING IF THAT MIGHT BE MORE, LESS PRESCRIPTIVE, PRESCRIPTIVE THAN UPDATING THE POINT SYSTEM ITSELF.
AND KIND OF FOLLOWING ON THAT, ANOTHER QUESTION, HOW DOES THIS PROPOSED WORKING GROUP PLAY INTO, UH, THE AUSTIN ENERGY BUDGET REQUEST THAT IT ALMOST SEEMS DUPLICATIVE TO ME WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE PUT FORTH THE BUDGET REQUESTS THAT WE SUPPORTED AS A COMMISSION THAT TO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, DO DO SOME OF THIS ANALYSIS.
HOW DOES THIS INTERPLAY WITH THAT? SO WHAT WERE YOU THINKING IS THAT THERE'S ALREADY PRETTY ABUNDANT KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY ON THIS TOPIC.
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT SOME WAY THAT THEY CAN AND USE THAT MONEY IF, IF THEY, IF THEY GET IT IN THE BUDGET, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, COME TO SPEAK TO THIS COMMISSION THAT, THAT HAVE THIS INFORMATION ALREADY.
SO THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH A NEED FOR LIKE PRIMARY RESEARCH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO MUCH GATHERING THE INFORMATION TOGETHER AND FINDING SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME REASONABLE BALANCE FOR HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT INTO A WEEK OR SO.
BUT THE MORE I DON'T END UP WITH AS MUCH, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THEY COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, REFINE AFTER THIS STAKEHOLDER GROUP HAS, HAS MADE SOME INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT IT HAS TO BE IN CONFLICT.
UH, COMMISSIONER, IS ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPONSORS?
[00:30:02]
I JUST HAD A, UH, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK Y'ALL DONE AND THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, ESPECIALLY TO UPDATE POINTS FOR PROGRAM POTENTIALLY.AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SENT YOU THIS WORK IN THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ADD A SMALL, I THINK, FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO ONE OF THE WHEREAS, UH, CLAUSES.
SO THE FOURTH W UH, YEAH, THE FOURTH ONE, UH, WHERE IT'S TALKING ABOUT, UM, NO USE IN APARTMENT ATTRACT HOME CONSTRUCTION, RESULTING IN MORE EXPOSURE FOR LOAN, FOR LOWER INCOME AND MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENTS.
I WOULD JUST REQUEST THAT WE ALSO ADD AND RESIDENTS OF COLOR OR, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO REFERENCE, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS A ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUE, A LITTLE MORE EXPLICITLY.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, I THINK THIS IS, UH, DEFINITELY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I WOULDN'T CONSIDER THAT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO BE HONEST.
UM, IF THIS IS REALLY ABOUT INCOME AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OF ALL SKIN COLORS THAT ARE VARYING LEVELS OF INCOME.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS ABOUT THE FACT THAT LOWER INCOME HOUSING IN GENERAL BRINGS WITH THE CHEAPER MATERIALS.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON HERE.
UM, THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS ON THAT ISSUE.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT THOUGH, IF WE ARE AT THAT POINT, UH, WE ARE NOT AT THAT POINT, NO, LET ME KNOW ON THE TABLE.
AND WE LIKE TO SUGGEST ON THAT LAST POINT.
UM, I, I WONDER IF THERE IS LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN FOLLOW.
THAT'S BEEN LAID OUT BY OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENTS AND RESIDENTS OF COLOR.
UM, IF WE CAN, IF, UM, IF WE CAN FOLLOW THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN FOR THAT GUIDANCE AND BE IN ALIGNMENT.
SORRY, DENNIS, CAN YOU, CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? FORGIVE ME.
I DON'T THINK THAT I WASN'T VERY CLEAR IN THAT ONLY THAT, UM, IF WE ARE, UH, SPECIFICALLY CALLING OUT THAT LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS, MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE MORE VULNERABLE OR MORE LIKELY TO BE, UH, RESIDING IN, UM, RESIDENTS WHERE TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS ARE USED, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE ADOPT OUR LIGHT LANGUAGE TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, IF THAT IS, IF THERE'S STANDARD LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN USE THERE FOR ADOPT FROM THAT PLAN.
UM, I THINK, LOOK BACK RIGHT NOW AND SEE IF, IF, UH, THEN DO YOU REMEMBER, WAS IT LOWER INCOME OR DID WE HAVE A DIFFERENT TERM THAT WE WERE USING, OR WE JUST GENERALLY SAID, UH, LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS SPECIFIC SENTENCE IN THAT CLAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S PRETTY EASY TO INTERCHANGE.
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE ALREADY SAYING RESIDENTS, WE CAN JUST SAY RESIDENTS WHO HAVE TO SAY PEOPLE OR COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD BE COMPLETELY ANALOGOUS.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? YEAH.
DID SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING? ALL RIGHT.
UH, SO HEARING NOTHING, GO AHEAD.
I'M GOING TO MOVE THIS, UH, AS CURRENTLY
[00:35:01]
AS WRITTEN, BUT I I'M HAPPY TO THE AFTER DISCUSSION WE CAN CONSIDER MEMES.CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? I'M MOVING APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION.
A MOTION IS ON THE TABLE TO APPROVE, UH, THIS RESOLUTION.
UH, THAT ITEM IS NOW OPEN FOR DISCUSSION, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS RESOLUTION HAS WRITTEN, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT, UM, UNDER THE THEREFORE SECTION NUMBER, STRIKE THE WORD NECESSARY AND CHANGE IT TO POSSIBLE.
SO AS A REMINDER OF HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS, UH, WHEN WE GET A MOTION FOR AN AMENDMENT, UH, WE WILL TAKE A VOTE ON THAT SPECIFIC MOTION ON THAT SPECIFIC AMENDMENT.
AND THEN, UH, WHETHER IT IS ADOPTED OR NOT, THAT BECOMES THE CURRENT, UH, RESOLUTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR OR ON THE TABLE.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? AND THAT THEREFORE, SECTION ONE, THE LAST WORD NECESSARY, STRIKE IT AND REPLACE WITH POSSIBLE.
SO NUMBER ONE, NECESSARY TO POSSIBLE A REMINDER.
THIS IS A, FOR THESE TYPES OF MOTIONS, THIS IS A MAJORITY VOTE.
UH, SO ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS TO FIVE, SIX.
SO THAT, UH, MOTION PASSES SOUNDED, UH, COMMISSIONER STONE SOUNDED LIKE YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE.
UNDER ITEM TWO, AFTER THE WORD BILL, AFTER THE WORDS BUILDING STAFF AND THE SEMI-COLON PUT CITY OF AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF, AND THEN A SEMI-COLON AFTER THAT, UH, AFTER AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING STAFF, YES.
THEN PUT IN CITY OF SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, STAFF, STAFF, SEMI-COLON AGAIN, THIS IS A MAJORITY RULES MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
ONE, TWO, SOMEBODY IS YOUR HAND UP.
UH, UH, I'M ONLY COUNTING FOR FOLKS.
THIS MAY MAKE THIS EASIER FOR ME.
COMMISSIONER SARMS ONE COMMISSIONER JOHNSON TO COMMISSIONER SMITH, THREE SAM.
FOR MS. ANYONE ELSE? UH, THAT AMENDMENT DOES NOT PASS AS A MAJORITY IN THIS CASE WOULD BE FIVE.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER STONE.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER HAS ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE AMENDMENT THAT I SUGGESTED A LITTLE EARLIER.
SO, UM, IN THE FOURTH, WHEREAS CLAUSE, UM, AFTER, UM, CONSTRUCTION, COMMA, AMENDED TO SAY, UH, RESULTING IN MORE EXPOSURE FOR LOW AND LOWER INCOME AND MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENTS AND RESIDENTS OF CO OF COLOR.
SO BASICALLY JUST ADDING, UM, AND RESIDENTS OF COLOR AFTER THE, WHAT IS PREVIOUSLY THE LAST, UH, OR
[00:40:01]
AFTER RESIDENTS.UH, ON THAT MOTION AGAIN, MAJORITY, UH, IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, COMMISSIONER DAVIS, MR. JOHNSON, COMMISSIONER WHITE, MR. HARMON, MR. BRENNAMAN AND THAT'S FIVE.
SO THAT AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS OR AMENDMENTS JONATHAN, YOU SAID DISCUSSION.
UM, I DID WANT TO GO BACK TO THE POINT SYSTEM FOR JUST A MOMENT.
UM, JUST IS THE, IS THE INTENT OF THE WORKING GROUP TO AMEND THE POINT SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY, OR IS THE WORKING GROUP OPEN TO A BROADER DEFINITION OF THE, OF ITS INTENT? I GUESS, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT DATA? I'M SORRY.
I'M NOT BEING VERY CLEAR TONIGHT.
UM, SO I MEAN, I GUESS I, I HEARD YOU SAY KATIE, THAT ONE OF YOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM THE DISCUSSION WITH AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF IS THE CONCERN THAT, UM, THE, UH, OUTPUT WOULD BE TOO PRESCRIPTIVE.
I'M NOT, I DON'T HAVE, I, I THINK THAT PAUL MADE SOME COMPELLING ARGUMENTS FOR WHY A POINT SYSTEM MAKES SENSE, AND WE HEARD SOME LAST MONTH AS WELL.
UM, I'M NOT, UM, UH, EDUCATED ENOUGH TO KNOW IF THAT'S THE RIGHT TOOL TO UPDATE RIGHT.
TO, TO DISCOURAGE USE OF TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS.
UM, AND SO I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS IDEA AND CREATING THE WORKING GROUP, UM, AMONG THE EXPERTS THAT WE HAVE WITH THIS COMMISSION AND CITY STAFF.
UM, I THINK THAT, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UM, I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED, I KNOW IT'S NOT OUR COMMON PRACTICE, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD ADOPT A PRACTICE OF ANYTHING.
A RESOLUTION AT LEAST GETS PASSED BY THE DEPARTMENTS THAT IT AFFECTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE TO INCLUDE THEM OR NOT, BUT THEY PROBABLY WOULD LIKE TO, TO KNOW IF THEY WERE BEING INCLUDED.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO GENERALLY I THINK I'M, I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS, THAT THE POINT SYSTEM, AGAIN, JUST SORT OF TO, TO, TO UNDERSTAND IS THE INTENT TO UPDATE THE POINT SYSTEM.
IS, IS THAT THE GOAL OF THE WORKING GROUP OR CAN IT BE A BIT MORE BROAD AND LESS PRESCRIPTIVE KNOW, I GUESS I'M NOT ON, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S KIND OF TWO MAIN TOOLS WITHIN THE GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEM, AND IT'S EITHER, UM, YOU KNOW, MANDATES TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING OR NOT DO SOMETHING OR YOU GET POINTS, BUT THOSE THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THE, WHAT THE PROGRAM IS.
THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S MADE UP OF THOSE TWO THINGS.
IF I MISUNDERSTAND SOMEBODY HAS A CORRECTION THERE, PLEASE JUMP IN.
BUT, UM, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE IS PRIMARILY POINTS WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME INSTANCES PERHAPS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, MANDATING AGAINST USE OF CERTAIN MATERIALS, BUT PRIMARILY POINTS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
UM, THE STAFF WAS CONCERNED ABOUT.
WELL, THEY RAISED A COUPLE OF CONCERNS THAT THAT ADDRESSES, I THINK PARTIALLY.
I DON'T WANT THEM IN AN AMENDMENT TO RECOMMEND THEN.
UH, MY COMMENTS SIMPLY WAS IS THAT I LOOK AT THIS BASICALLY AS BEING A TOOL TO STRENGTHEN THE POINTS SYSTEM IS HOW I, HOW I HAVE VIEWED THIS THING.
THE ENTIRE TIME, THE POINT SYSTEM IS USED BY BUILDERS AS A MARKETING TOOL.
AND SO WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO KEEP LEVELING UP THEIR GAME IN TERMS OF FINDING SUSTAINABLE MEANS, UH, UH, OF BUILDING AND MATERIALS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MORE ECO-FRIENDLY FOR US.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THIS REVIEW COMES IN.
AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT I WOULD HAVE ORIGINALLY WRITTEN, IT WOULD HAVE CODIFIED SOMETHING LIKE AN EVERY OTHER YEAR REVIEW OR SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINE, AS NEWER PRODUCTS COME ON BOARD, THIS IS REALLY JUST BE ABLE TO GET SOME SMART PEOPLE IN A ROOM AND SAY, WHAT NEW HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, SINCE WE LAST LOOKED AT THESE POINTS, SINCE WE LAST LOOKED AT THIS POINT SYSTEM, WHAT QUALIFIES AS A ONE-STAR
[00:45:01]
NOW VERSUS A TWO-STAR, AND MAYBE WE NEED TO CHANGE THINGS AND TRY TO MAKE IT SO THAT YOU GOT TO WORK JUST A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO GET THAT TWO STAR RATING THAN YOU DID BEFORE.AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE.
UM, WE CAN'T REALLY PUT PENALTIES IN THIS POINT SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT THERE RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S THE POINT WHEN IT BECOMES PRESCRIPTIVE AND THEN WE PROBABLY RUN A FOUL OF THE STATE.
BUT THE IDEA HERE REALLY IS TO JUST TRY TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ADOPT BETTER PRACTICES OVER TIME.
UH, I WILL JUST REEMPHASIZE MY EARLIER POINT THAT I BELIEVE TAKING ACTION ON THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION IS PREMATURE AT THIS POINT.
UM, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT THIS, THE SPONSORS TAKE THIS BACK, TAKE THE FEEDBACK BACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TONIGHT, UH, MEET WITH THE GREEN BUILDING STAFF WHO ULTIMATELY WILL BE IN CHARGE OF IMPLEMENTING, UH, ANY OF THESE CHANGES AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THIS AND THEIR BUY-IN AS REALLY, IF WE WANT THIS TO BE EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED AND NOT JUST A, UH, A RESOLUTION FOR THE RECORD, UH, THE STAFF BUY-IN IS CRUCIAL.
SO MY, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO NOT TAKE ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT AND INSTEAD, UH, TAKE THOSE STEPS AND THEN BRING THIS BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING.
UH, ANY FINAL COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION ON THE TABLE, JONATHAN, I ONLY WANTED TO ASK WHAT THE RESOLUTION SPONSORS, IF THEY WANTED TO COMMENT ON THAT SUGGESTION TO BRING IT BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING.
I BELIEVE IN LEADING THE CONVERSATION.
I BELIEVE IN LEADING, UM, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU CAN COLLABORATE AND YOU CAN GO BACK TO SOMEBODY, BUT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO SAY SOME TIMES, THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO HEAD, AND WE NEED YOU TO GET ON WITH US.
THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT THIS THING.
AUSTIN ENERGY IS WELL AWARE OF WHAT THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT NOW FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE TO THEM IN ANY FORM.
SO THAT'S WHY I LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, WE CAN MAKE THE ASK.
THEY CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND SAY, WE DON'T THINK WE COULD MEET AN AUGUST ONE DEADLINE, AND THEN WE CAN WORK WITH THEM ON THAT AS APPROPRIATE.
BUT THERE DO THERE, THERE DOES COME A TIME WHEN YOU JUST NEED TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT YOU TO TRY RUNNING WITH THIS ONE.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT I WOULD STILL WELCOME THE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION WITH STAFF.
UM, AND IN FACT, I THINK THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO MAKE THIS WORK.
UM, YEAH, I, I HOPE, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT THAT DOOR IS OPEN FOR US TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EXACTLY HOW THIS CAN WORK.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR, YOUR RESPONSES.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUICK, OR I THINK QUICK CLARIFYING QUESTION.
SO THIS IS THIS ESSENTIALLY JUST ESTABLISHING AN RMC WORKING GROUP.
UH, THE WAY I READ THIS, THIS IS NOT AN RMC WORKING GROUP.
THIS IS A SUGGESTION, UH, TO, FOR COUNCIL TO DIRECT, TO CREATE A STAKEHOLDER WORKING GROUP WITH THE VARIOUS FOLKS LISTED IN, UH, IN NUMBER TWO.
THANKS FOR CLARIFYING, BUT I FORGOT FOR A SECOND.
SO THIS, THIS WOULD BE A BROADER EFFORT THAN, THAN JUST AN RMC WORKING GROUP.
DO WE NEED A COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO DO THAT? UH, WE WOULD NOT NEED A COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO CREATE AN RMC WORKING GROUP.
THAT IS CORRECT, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION DOES.
I THINK YOU'RE ASKING, DO WE NEED A COUNCIL RESOLUTION OR ACTION TO FIRST AFTER EIGHT? THIS IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? YEAH.
STAFF COULD DO THAT AT ANY TIME.
[00:50:04]
YEAH.HAVE YOU ASKED STAFF TO DO THAT? I MEAN, I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO MY CONCERN, RIGHT? THAT IF WE DON'T NEED COUNCIL ACTION TO DO THIS, STAFF COULD DO THIS ON THEM BY THEMSELVES.
WHY WOULD WE NOT START BY ASKING STAFF TO DO THAT? YEAH.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY CAN LIKE NOTHING NOT BEING DONE.
THIS WILL PREVENT THEM, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF MOVING FORWARD.
DOESN'T PREVENT THEM FROM CONVENING MEMBERS OF THEM SEEING IT DOESN'T STOP THEM FROM PUTTING TOGETHER A STAKEHOLDER GROUP PRIOR TO UPS AND COUNCIL.
WE DRAFTED IT THIS SINCE BECAUSE OUR, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS OF US CONDITIONER TECHNICALLY SUPPOSED TO VOTE TO COUNSEL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, I THINK THERE WAS ONE DRAFT OF IT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, MORE, JUST A RECOMMENDATION TO, OF STAFF, BUT TECHNICALLY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL, NOT TO STAFF.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S PERHAPS ONE THING I DIDN'T SAY EARLIER IN MY COMMENTS THAT, THAT SHANE DID THAT.
I, I WANTED TO ECHO HIS, THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE PUT WORK INTO DRAFTING THIS AND PULLING THIS ALL TOGETHER.
I, EXCUSE ME, REALIZE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE BEING KIND OF NITPICKY, UH, HERE WHEN WE'RE ALL TOGETHER, BUT I KNOW IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK TO GET HERE, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT AND TAKING THE LEAD ON IT.
UM, BUT STILL I DO IT, IT FEELS TO ME, IT FEELS LIKE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH STAFF MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE.
UM, IT, IT, IT FEELS LIKE THIS IS A FAIRLY AGGRESSIVE TACTIC IF WE HAVEN'T EVEN ASKED THEM ABOUT CREATING A WORKING GROUP.
I GUESS THE, THE THING THAT I WAS TRYING TO SORT OUT IS IS THIS IS WRITTEN.
SO IT'D BE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WHO'S CREATING THE WORKING GROUP.
AND ARE THEY LEADING IT IN SOME WAY? OR I GUESS WHO'S, THAT'S JUST HOW THE CITY STRUCTURE WORK COUNCIL CAN'T DIRECT A DEPARTMENT TO DO SOMETHING.
THEY DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO DO SOMETHING.
SO IF YOU READ CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS, THEY'RE OLD, THEY'RE ACTING THE CITY MANAGER TO DO SOMETHING, BUT IN FACT THEN IT WAS TO STAFF.
SO, AND SO IT WOULD BE AUSTIN, UH, ENERGY GREEN BUILDING STAFF THAT'S EFFECTIVELY LEADING THE WORKING GROUP.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE FROM MAZDA ENERGY STAFF WOULD BE TELL US WHETHER OR NOT THEY'LL DO THIS WITHOUT US HAVING TO GO TO COUNCIL.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME, ALL SYNERGY STAFF IN THE ROOM.
IT'S LIKE RICHARD, MAYBE SOME COMMENTS.
UH, RICHARD GENESEE VICE-PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS.
AND, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF TO BE ENGAGED, UH, IN A COLLABORATIVE SENSE WITH, UH, RMC COMMISSIONERS TO, UH, UH, CONSIDER, UH, WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS WANT TO DO.
BUT WE, WE FRANKLY HAVE NOT BEEN ENGAGED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY COMMENT, BUT I WOULD, UM, SOMEWHAT FRUSTRATED ABOUT THIS ON EVERYBODY'S SIDE AND THAT WE HAVEN'T MANAGED TO GET FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, A COMMITMENT TO DO THIS AFTER.
I THINK IT'S NOW BEEN FOUR OR MAYBE FIVE MEETINGS WHEN THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
I, I HAVEN'T TO RESORT TO GETTING, GOING TO CITY COUNCIL TO GET Y'ALL TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, THE CHRONOLOGY PHOENIX CYNICAL.
THE CHRONOLOGY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND I'VE BEEN AT EVERY MEETING, UH, IS THAT, UH, MR. ROBBINS PRESENTED SOMETHING AT ONE OF THE FIRST RMC MEETINGS THAT WAS NOT REVIEWED WITH STAFF BEFORE IT JUST WAS PRESENTED, UH, THEN, UH, PER WHAT CHAIR BLACKBURN SAID, BASED ON HIS REQUEST, WE CONVENED, OR HE CONVENED A GROUP, INCLUDING, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF AND SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS THEN, UH, WE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT, EXCEPT WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED AT FUTURE MEETINGS THAT AGAIN HAS
[00:55:01]
NEVER BEEN DISCUSSED WITH AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF.SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SITTING HERE LITERALLY JUST SAYING, WHY IS THE STEP NEVER TAKEN TO ENGAGE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF TO MAKE WHAT RMC WANTS TO DO MORE PRODUCTIVE? THAT WOULD BE MY QUESTION.
AREN'T THESE MEETINGS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE? WELL, THE MEETINGS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE, BUT IF YOU, BUT NOT IN REAL TIME, WE WOULD LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY CONSIDER.
AND CO-DEVELOP CO-CREATE THINGS, NOT AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE RESOLUTIONS ARE ACTUALLY BEING DRAFTED, UH, ON THE SPOT.
SO, I MEAN, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T REALLY, I WOULD WANT THE STAFF TO HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO CONSIDER.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE SEEING WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AS A RESOLUTION.
IF I WERE TO SAY AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, I THINK WE NEED TO CUT THE AUSTIN ENERGY BUDGET BY, I DON'T KNOW, LET'S PICK A NUMBER $50 MILLION.
WOULD YOU BE IN THE NEXT MEETING WITH ARMLOADS OF DATA? EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THAT WOULD BE SUCH A TERRIBLE IDEA.
YOU WOULD HAVE GONE BACK TO YOUR OFFICE AND HAD ALL KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT ITEM AND THAT CRAZY GUY, LOU, AND HOW HE WANTS TO CUT THIS AND DO THAT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND YOU WOULD A WHOLE PLAN READY TO GO.
IT'S YOU HEAR SOMETHING COME UP MULTIPLE TIMES AND YOU ARE READY TO DISCUSS IT IN CASE IT COMES UP THE NEXT TIME.
THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT THIS.
THIS ISN'T SOMETHING NEW TO AUSTIN ENERGY.
AND SO ONCE WE HAD OUR AGENDA PUBLISHED LAST THURSDAY, YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD SOMEBODY HERE AT THE MEETING FROM GREEN BUILDINGS.
WE DO HAVE PEOPLE HERE FROM GREEN BUILDINGS, COMMISSIONER STONE.
AND, BUT MY POINT IS I CAN'T REACT UNTIL I KNOW WHAT THE COMMISSION IS ACTUALLY PLANNING TO DO.
AND MY POINT IS, I WANT TO DO THIS IN A COLLABORATIVE FASHION.
THIS FEELS MUCH MORE LIKE NOT COLLABORATIVE.
IT DOESN'T SOUND, IT DOESN'T FEEL COLLABORATIVE IN ANY SENSE, I THINK SOME QUITE UNDERSTANDING.
SO YOU WANT TO BE COLLABORATIVE, GREAT THINGS LIKE WE ALL WOULD LIKE THAT.
CAN SOMEBODY SPEAK FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, SPEAK TO THIS RESOLUTION? LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU ALL ARE HERE AND THE RESOLUTIONS HERE, WE'RE ALL HERE.
CAN, CAN SOMEBODY SPEAK TO IT? WE, WE CAN SPEAK TO IT, BUT WE'D LIKE TIME TO CONSIDER IT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN IT.
SO WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO, UM, CONSIDER IT MAYBE AS LONG AS YOU ALL HAVE HAD TO DEVELOP IT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO CONSIDERING IT AND RESPONDING TO IT, BUT WE NEED TIME TO DO THAT.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU DIDN'T LOOK AT OUR AGENDA PRIOR TO SHOWING UP AT THIS MEETING? IS THAT WHAT YOUR, NO, I'M SAYING I'M, I'M SAYING I'VE CAME TO THIS MEETING TONIGHT AND IN THIS CASE, YES, I DID NOT SEE THAT PROPOSAL BEFORE I CAME TO THE MEETING.
UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER, WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.
AND I ALSO AGREE WITH, UH, UH, THE GENTLEMAN FROM AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO QUESTION HIM NOW, DID YOU READ THE RESOLUTION OR NOT? THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT? UH, I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, TABLE THIS THE NEXT TIME, GIVE US A NEW DEAN OF, UH, HAD A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME TO, TO REVIEW AND COME BACK WITH, UH, UH, WITH RESPONSES, ANSWERS.
MEANWHILE, SOMEBODY FROM AUSTIN ENERGY CAN TALK TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SINCE THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS IN BUILDING INDUSTRY, UH, TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS TOO.
UH, COMMISSIONER STONE, YOUR, UH, YOUR, YOUR NEXT, UH, YOUR BUTTON PLEASE.
AM I ABLE TO ASK PAUL A QUESTION? UH, UH, NOT ON THIS SIDE OF HIM NOW.
CAUSE I JUST SEE HIS ARM RAISED UP THERE.
LIKE HE'S SHOWING OFF THAT HE CAN USE HIS ARM AND I WASN'T SURE IF HE WAS ALLOWED TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED OR NOT.
SO IF WE TABLE THIS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD COME BACK WITH SOMETHING WE COULD PASS NEXT TIME? I MEAN, IS IT, IT IS, UM, I'M FRUSTRATED THAT WE'RE AT THE SAME POINT WITH BEN, WHERE
[01:00:02]
WE HAVE NOT COME TO A RESOLUTION AFTER WHAT'S NOW IT GETS PUT IN THREE MEETINGS THAT EVERYBODY COULD LIVE WITH.UH, AND WITHOUT HAVING SOME I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING NOWHERE ON THIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION WISHES TO DO.
AND IF WE WERE TO SEND IT, IF WE WERE TO TABLE IT FOR A MONTH OR TABLE IT AND APPROVE IT CONDITIONALLY UNTIL ROSTON ENERGIES HAD TWO WEEKS TO LOOK AT IT, CAN WE JUST GET IT OUT OF HERE? I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S JUST A RHETORICAL QUESTION OR IF THAT'S DIRECTED TO, I GUESS I MADE A SKINNY GUY, YOU BET.
AND, UH, RICHARD HAD THAT RIGHT.
WHAT WERE THE DOES?
UH, ALRIGHT, HOLD ON, HOLD ON A SECOND.
LET'S WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER.
SO QUESTION FROM SMITTY, UH, RICHARD, IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT.
YEAH, MY COMMENT IS I, AS I'VE ALWAYS STATED, I'M OPEN TO SITTING DOWN WITH, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY STAKEHOLDERS OR COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, CHARTING A POSITIVE PATH FORWARD, A COLLABORATIVE PATH FORWARD, BUT NOT, NOT ON THE FLY IT AND, UH, IN THE MIDST OF A MEETING.
SO ABSOLUTELY, UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH.
WE'D BE, I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND, AND REVIEW THIS AND DISCUSS THIS.
IT JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO BE RUDE, BUT IT'S KIND OF IRKING ME THAT YOU KEEP SAYING ON THE FLY, BECAUSE WE POSTED THIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE, INCLUDING YOU.
SO I UNDERSTAND IF YOU DIDN'T READ IT AND THAT'S FINE, BUT LIKE IT'S NOT ON THE FLY WE POSTED AT A HABIT, UH, APOLOGIES FOR THE TERM COMMISSIONER WIDE.
I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO MY LARGER POINT IS I WOULD PREFER TO DO THIS IN A COLLABORATIVE FASHION IN PLENTY OF TIME.
UH, NOT IN, NOT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DAYS THINGS ARE POSTED BEFORE, BUT MY POINT IS I WOULD PREFER TO DO THIS IN A COLLABORATIVE FASHION.
LIKE WHEN THE SPONSORS HAVE THE IDEA OF WHY NOT INVOLVE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF AT THAT POINT.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK YOU TO DRAFT THIS, BUT WHAT WAS, WHY NOT INVOLVE ON ALL THE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF WHEN THIS WAS FIRST CONCEIVED? THAT THAT WOULD SEEM REASONABLE TO ME.
YOU'VE HAD YOUR HAND UP FOR A BIT.
YES, I WAS JUST, UM, I'M CONFUSED.
I THINK, CAUSE I THOUGHT THAT HAVING THE WORKING GROUP THAT'S PROPOSED IN THIS RESOLUTION IS WHERE THE COLLABORATION WOULD TAKE PLACE.
UM, BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY KNOW THAT IMPROVING THE POINT SYSTEM OF THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM IS THE THING THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
AND INSTEAD OF JUST TAKING TIME TO JUST DISCUSS WITH ONE WITH LIKE THE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF AND THEN T TALKING TO SOMEBODY ELSE, TALKING TO SOMEBODY ELSE, JUST, I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH EVERYONE'S TIME TO JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE A WORKING GROUP WITH EVERYONE IN THERE TO SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE, HOW, WHAT IS POSSIBLE.
AND, UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IS FOR.
IT'S NOT TO BYPASS ANYBODY, BUT IT'S MORE JUST TO SAY, LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT IT AND THEN, UH, IN, UH, IN THE BEST WAY WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE INSTEAD OF HAVING ALL THESE SMALL GROUPS.
I, I THINK THERE WERE, I THINK THERE WAS CONFUSION.
AT LEAST I DIDN'T HEAR CLARITY WHEN, UH, COMMISSIONER HARMON HAD BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION BEFORE THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKING GROUP.
WAS IT SPECIFICALLY TO FOCUS ON THE POINT SYSTEM OR WAS IT THE LARGER, UH, ASPIRATION OF TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS IN THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM? AND I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR THE LARGER OBJECTIVE OF HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS IN THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S PROBABLY MULTIPLE WAYS IN WHICH TO DO THAT AND NOT TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THE POINTS SYSTEM.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENT IS THAT IF WE'RE NOT, EVEN IF WE'RE HAVING SOME DEBATE OR LACK OF CLARITY ON THE PURPOSE, THEN I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO INVOLVE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF AND WORK THROUGH WHAT THAT PURPOSE IS BEFORE A RESOLUTION HAS PROPOSED.
[01:05:09]
ALRIGHT, FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, BUT I HAVE ONE MORE FINAL COMMENT ABOUT THIS.
UM, UH, JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT YOU DON'T PUTTING A WORKING GROUP TOGETHER, SUCH AS THIS.
I MEAN, I WAS INVOLVED IN ONE WITH AUSTIN RESEARCH RECOVERY.
IT TAKES TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME ON THE STAFF SIDE IN BILLY DOES, IT'S NOT JUST CALLING SOMEBODY AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU MEET MONDAY? UH, IT'S NOT THAT WAY.
IT'S, IT'S IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO DO THIS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN, I AGREE WITH, UH, RICHARD, UM, UH, BUT WHAT HE'S SAYING, UM, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS HERE THAT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED.
UH, THE TIMELINE IS TO BE CLARIFIED.
CHANCES ARE, UM, THE GOES THROUGH, IF THIS GOES THROUGH AND GO TO COUNCIL AND THEY SAY, YEAH, I'M OKAY WITH IT.
UH, CHANCELLOR, AUSTIN ENERGY IS GOING TO LEAD THIS.
SO THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AS A MIXTURE WITH ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT THEY HAVE TO DO, UH, THE STAFF HAVE TO DO, UM, WHETHER AUGUST 1ST IS GOING TO BE OKAY OR NOT.
NOW I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER STONE EARLIER THAT SAID, WELL, WE GOT TO START SOMEWHERE.
BUT THE REALITY IS HUNDREDS OF THESE KIND OF, UH, RESOLUTION GO TO THE COUNCIL AND HOW MANY OF THOSE, UH, SEE THE LIE, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA SEND SOMETHING TO THE COUNCIL IF, IF THIS GOES TO THE COUNCIL, THAT MAKES SENSE TO THEM THAT THE TIMEFRAME IS OKAY, THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE SO FAR, EVERYTHING IS CLARIFIED.
UM, SO I REALLY DON'T THINK THIS IS READY TO GO, UH, TO, TO, UH, UM, RECOMMEND FOR APPROVAL RIGHT NOW.
UH, I PROBABLY WON'T VOTE FOR IT AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES I THINK AUSTIN ENERGY NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED.
UM, AND THERE'S, AND, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO DECIDE WHETHER, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS POINTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WHETHER THEY CAN DO IT OR NOT, BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
SO QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION CAN DO AS, AS FAR AS CREATING A WORKING GROUP, JUST WITHIN THE COMMISSION TO WORK WITH STAFF ON A POTENTIAL FUTURE WORKING GROUP, OR A WAY TO ADDRESS TOXIC MATERIALS IN BUILDING.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS ADMITTEDLY LESS AMBITIOUS, BUT POTENTIALLY MORE ACHIEVABLE AT THIS POINT? YEAH, JUST FROM A, I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION FROM A PROCEDURAL STANDPOINT.
UM, THERE IS NOT AN AGENDA ITEM OFFICIALLY TONIGHT TO CREATE AN OFFICIAL WORKING GROUP.
HOWEVER, UH, COMMISSIONERS MAY MEET IN, UH, LESS THAN A QUORUM IN AN, IN AN UNOFFICIAL CAPACITY, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WOULD BE A, UH, YOU KNOW, A DEFACTO WORKING GROUP.
AND ACTUALLY THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION THAT A SMALLER NUMBER OF FOLKS, UH, MEET WITH STAFF IN SOME CAPACITY LIKE THAT TO, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS THESE ISSUES AND, AND CRAFT A RESOLUTION THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, NEXT TIME WE GET UP, RICHARD GETS UP HERE, CAN SAY HE SUPPORTS, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I, I LIKE, I THINK ALMOST EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION AND SUPPORTIVE OF GETTING TOXIC MATERIALS OUT OF BUILDINGS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS, IS WORTHY OF ALL THE EFFORT.
AND ALSO, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PUT IN A LOT OF ENERGY AND EFFORT AND REWORKING SOME OF THESE THINGS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT AND SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
AND I'M ALSO WILLING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO WORK WITH THE CO-SPONSORS OR ANYONE IN A, IN A SMALLER GROUP, UH, ALONG THESE LINES AS WELL.
SO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HELPED YOU SAY THAT IT, IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM STAFF IF THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S BEING PUT FORWARD.
I HEAR THAT YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE IT.
UH, YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED US TO REACH OUT DULY NOTED.
I AM JUST WONDERING IF AND RECORD, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THE ROOM.
I CAN'T THINK WHO ELSE IN THE ROOM, BUT IF THERE,
[01:10:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC CONCERNS ABOUT CONVENING IN A STAKEHOLDER GROUP, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT, I KNOW I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.I THINK THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER WHITE, MY PERSPECTIVE ON THIS I'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC CONCERNS, BUT THAT IS WITHOUT FULLY UNDERSTANDING OR HAVING STAFF HAD, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
SO I GUESS MY ANSWER TO THAT WOULD BE, I DON'T HAVE ANY THAT I CAN SHARE AT THIS POINT, BUT THAT'S WITH NO REVIEW WHATSOEVER OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED TONIGHT.
SO THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION ON THE TABLE MADE BY COMMISSIONER WHITE, UM, PRIOR TO TAKING THE VOTE, AS IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS TO TABLE THE ITEM AND, UH, TAKE IT BACK WITH STAFF.
I WOULD GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY.
WOULD YOU BE AMENABLE TO THE MOTION AND TABLING THE ITEM UNTIL A DIFFERENT MEETING? IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHERE THE, THE MAJORITY OF THIS COMMISSION STANDS.
SO, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST VOTE ON IT.
AND IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S NOT A MAJORITY TO MOVE FORWARD TONIGHT, THEN YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD NOT LET THE ISSUE GO AND TAKE IT UP AGAIN, BUT VERY REBECCA AND OR YOUR MR. BURDEN, I THINK WE SHOULD VOTE TO SEE WHERE EVERYONE'S OUT AND, UM, YEAH.
A MOTION ON THE TABLE WHO ADOPT, UH, THE RESOLUTION AS WRITTEN WITH THE TWO AMENDMENTS THAT WERE APPROVED.
A REMINDER OF THIS IS AN OFFICIAL ACTION.
SO REQUIRES A QUORUM SIX VOTES IN ORDER TO PASS, UH, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS AND KEEP YOUR HANDS UP.
COMMISSIONER STONE AND SAY YES.
UH, DID I MISS ANYONE? UH, OH, I'M SORRY.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, UH, COMMISSIONER AND GORY.
UH, CAN YOU GIVE ME A VERBAL TO KNOW? OKAY.
AND SO I HAVE FOUR YESES, UH, ALL THE POSTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
MR. BLACKBURN IS, I KNOW MR. DAVIS IS, I KNOW MR. AND GORRIE IS NO.
UH, COMMISSIONER HARMON IS A NO, THAT IS EVERYONE CORRECT.
UH, THE RESOLUTION FAILS ON A FOUR TO A FOUR TO ONE VOTE.
NATASHA, IS THAT CORRECT? SAY THAT AGAIN? 4, 4, 1, RIGHT.
RESOLUTION FAILS AND A FOUR TO FOUR TO ONE VOTE.
UH, LOOK, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE HAVE A TOPIC THAT WE HAVE ADDRESSED OR DISCUSSED NUMEROUS TIMES.
IT'S IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE THE END OF THIS TOPIC.
I WOULD, THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME GOOD THINGS IN THIS RESOLUTION.
I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT YOU GUYS WORK WITH, UH, THE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY GET THIS TO A POINT WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED, UH, EFFECTIVELY.
UM, IN ADDITION, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVE INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE SPONSORS AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEM AWARE.
UH, YOU ARE WELCOME TO MEET AMONGST YOURSELVES, UH, WITH STAFF AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU JUST TO BE MINDFUL THAT, UH, NO MORE THAN FIVE OF YOU AT A TIME.
AND THAT INCLUDES EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I WOULD NOTE THAT THE PHONE WORKS BOTH WAYS AND THERE HAS BECOME THIS SORT OF DOMINANT
[01:15:01]
ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF, OF THIS COMMISSION AND THE AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF THAT HE DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.AND IT, AIN'T NO BIG DEAL TO PICK UP THE PHONE, YOU KNOW, WHO EACH OTHER ARE AND AUSTIN ENERGY.
IF YOU HAD THIS, SOME PROBLEMS WITH THIS CALL ON THE SPONSORS COULD HAVE AVOIDED ANOTHER MEETING WHERE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS.
AND A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT ON BOTH SIDES AND THE SPONSORS OF THIS RESOLUTION, SAME GOES TO YOU.
THIS ISN'T A WASTE OF OUR TIME.
YEAH, LOOK, I, I WOULD WHOLEHEARTEDLY SECOND THAT, UH, THAT THE COMMUNICATION GOES BOTH WAYS AND MORE COMMUNICATION IS, IS A GOOD THING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FOLKS THAT WILL BE ULTIMATELY IMPLEMENTING THESE PROGRAMS. UH, WE HAVE SHOWN THAT THAT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE WITH, WITH CENTER POINT, UH, AND THEIR EFFICIENCY PROGRAM.
I THINK WE ARE IN PROCESS OF DOING THAT WITH, WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM SHOULD BE NO DIFFERENT MR. SUN, MR. GENESEE.
I WILL BE SUBMITTING A VERY SIMILAR RESOLUTION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I WILL ENCOURAGE YOU AND THE AUSTIN STAFF TO REACH OUT TO, UH, I WOULD SAY COHIBA ME, REBECCA, SINCE WE KIND OF RODE HERD ON THIS THING, BECAUSE IT WILL COME UP AGAIN AND WE'LL WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE WHATEVER ACTION IT WILL BE AT THAT NEXT MEETING.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO PICK UP THAT PHONE AND CALL AND WE'LL ALSO DO THE SAME, BUT NEXT MEETING IS THAT, UH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TO SMITTY'S POINT, WE HAVE LITERALLY SPUN OUR WHEELS.
THIS'LL BE MEETING NUMBER FOUR.
SO THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE NUMBER FIVE.
UM, YOU'RE GETTING NO OBJECTION FOR ME.
I WANT THE COLLABORATION AND THE ENGAGEMENT.
YOU WON'T HAVE TO PICK UP THE PHONE TO REACH ME I'VE AS I HAVE BEEN, I'VE REACHED OUT TO EVERY RMC COMMISSIONER, UH, TO SET UP ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS, BUT, UH, ABSOLUTELY.
[5. Officer Elections.]
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM FIVE, OFFICER ELECTIONS, UH, THERE ARE TWO POSITIONS, UH, UP FOR ELECTION, UH, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR REMINDER.THESE ARE A ONE YEAR TERMS, UH, WITH NO MORE THAN FOUR CONSECUTIVE TERMS TO BE SERVED BY ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL.
UH, WE WILL START WITH THE POSITION OF CHAIR, UH, IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO NOMINATE SOMEONE TO THE POSITION OF CHAIR.
I WILL ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION NOW, UH, COMMISSIONER HARMON.
AND I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE YOU TO CONTINUE AS CHAIR, UH, SECONDARY.
MR. BLACKBURN HAS BEEN NOMINATED AS CHAIR, ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
UH, GIVE ME JUST A SECOND, PLEASE KEEP YOUR HANDS UP.
UH, I'M GOING TO SING A SMITTY.
CAN YOU TURN YOUR CAMERA ON? ALL RIGHT.
UH, WELL IT LOOKS LIKE THE I'S HAVE IT.
UH, SO COMMISSIONER, UH, BLACKBURN IS ELECTED AS CHAIR FOR ANOTHER ONE YEAR TERM.
UH, NEXT POSITION IS VICE CHAIR AT THIS TIME.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF VICE CHAIR, UH, COMMISSIONER STONE, ALL NOMINATE COHIBA WHITE, UH, COMMISSIONER STEIN, NOMINATES, UH, COMMISSIONER WHITE AS VICE CHAIR.
SECOND THAT AS WELL, ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? UH, ALL RIGHT.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
[01:20:01]
UH, AND THE I'S HAVE IT.UH, COMMISSIONER WEITZ IS ELECTED AS CHAIR FOR ANOTHER ONE-YEAR TERM.
UH, IF, IF SHE ACCEPTS, I GUESS I SHOULD ASK.
UH, COMMISSIONER, SORRY, JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR, YOUR PREVIOUS YEAR OF SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO, IF YOU NEED HELP YOU TEST.
[6. Discuss potential future agenda items.]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, DISCUSS POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, UPDATES FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE SHOULD EXPECT SOME, UH, DISCUSSION, UH, WITH STAFF AND PROBABLY A TOPIC ON THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM AS WELL.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN, UH, THAT WE CAN, UH, DISCUSS AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? AND I BELIEVE IT WILL BE, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
UH, I BELIEVE IT WILL ALREADY BE SOMETHING THAT'S PASSED, BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING THE AUSTIN AREA AND G A RATE REQUEST THAT THEY'RE PUTTING THROUGH.
UM, I'M PRETTY SURE WE'LL ALREADY BE PAST THAT WINDOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THIS COMMISSION WOULD STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON IT, BUT IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT, I WOULD LIKE TO, YEAH.
UH, THAT THAT'S A GREAT POINT THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY BIG ITEM JUST FOR THE CITY IN GENERAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE INTERIM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, MORE SPECIFICS AROUND THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN EITHER REQUEST A PRESENTATION OR EVEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME INITIAL DISCUSSIONS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU AND ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE ON THAT TOPIC.
UH, YOU KNOW, JUST FEEL FREE TO SHOOT ME AN EMAIL WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, MORE SPECIFICS THERE, GERMAN, UH, UH, UH, HOLD ON, UH, COMMISSIONER WHITE.
YEAH, I WOULD SECOND THAT REQUEST WHERE, UH, UH, PRESENTATION ON, ON THE UPCOMING RATE CASE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU SEEK OUT A PRESENTATION, SO I THINK WHATEVER, WHATEVER THEY GOT COULD JUST BE, IT WOULD BE FIND REST PROBABLY.
UM, ALTHOUGH PERHAPS WITH SOME EMPHASIS ON PARTICULARLY ANY, UM, ANY POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE VALUE OF SOLAR TARIFF OR ANY OTHER CHARITY THAT WOULD AFFECT BATTERIES OR, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT THAT WOULD BE ABOUT HAVE PARTICULAR FOCUS ON.
UM, AND THE, THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO REQUEST THOUGH, IS, WAS KIND OF JUST AS WE HAVE OFTEN HAD A MONTHLY OPTION TO IN THE PAST, UH, TO, UM, UPDATE REGARDING THE CLIMATE PLAN.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE IS REALLY TRYING TO IMPROVE KIND OF ACTIVITY BETWEEN, UH, THAT COMMISSION ON THE MEMBER COMMISSION, INCLUDING THIS ONE, WHICH I'M REPRESENTING.
UM, SO WHAT JUST, YOU KNOW, ASK THAT MAYBE THAT JUST BE A ROUTINE PART OF OUR AGENDA FOR LIKE A FIVE MINUTE CONVERSATION ON ANYTHING THAT COULD BE RELEVANT FOR THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE TO CONFIRM FROM A CLIMATE PERSPECTIVE.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SENDING ME AN EMAIL, UH, KIND OF JUST LAYING THAT OUT AND WRITING JUST SO I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THERE.
UH, UH, I WANT TO BE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE REQUEST, UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH.
I SAW YOU NEXT, UM, IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND IN THE VARIOUS PRESENTATIONS I'VE SEEN FROM AUSTIN ENERGY ON THEIR UV WORK, WHICH SETS NATIONAL PRECEDENTS.
UM, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF AMBITIOUS GOALS FOR UTILIZATION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THE BATTERIES OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO, UM, INCREASE THE SALES OF ELECTRICITY AND TO MANAGE THE SALES OF ELECTRICITY.
SO IT CAN REDUCE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL GENERATING PLANTS, TRANSMISSION, AND DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO WATCH THE PRESENTATION THAT AUSTIN ENERGY MADE, UM, TO THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION ON THEIR RATE CASE.
AND IN THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION
[01:25:01]
ABOUT, UM, THEIR CONCERNS THAT THE SALES OF ELECTRICITY WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DECLINING, UM, AND THAT THEY WERE WANTING TO RAISE BASE RATES AS A WAY OF DEALING WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE TRANSMISSION OR THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM TO, UH, THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN SALES BECAUSE OF THEIR, THEIR, THE SUCCESS OF THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM.HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION IN THAT SECTION OF THE AGENDA ABOUT THE INCREASE OF SALES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO MEET THE, UH, THAT WOULD OCCUR TO MEET THE NEEDS FOR THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING IN AUSTIN TO MEET OUR CLIMATE GOALS AND THE VEHICLES NOR THERE WERE.
AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO OUR BASE RATES TO INCREASE THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITHOUT A CONCURRENT DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW ELECTRIC VEHICLES MIGHT REDUCE THE NEED FOR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS AND HOW BATTERY STORAGE COULD HELP THE EMBODIED.
AND THOSE ELECTRIC VEHICLES COULD HELP.
I'M SURE AUSTIN ENERGY HAS, AND THEIR MULTIPLE FILES, SOME ANALYSIS THAT COULD EXPLAIN THIS.
AND I WOULD LIKE THEM TO ASK, ASK THEM TO SEND IT TO US AS SOON AS THEY FIND IT OR HAVE PREPARED IT SO THAT WE MAY BE WELL PREPARED TO DISCUSS THIS AT THE BRIEFING AT THE NEXT MEETING.
AND I CERTAINLY WOULD EXPECT THAT THEY WILL GET QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL ON THIS VERY TOPIC.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT ONE READY, IT PROBABLY SHOULD GET ONE.
BUT PLEASE SEND IT TO US AS SOON AS HE GETS SOMETHING TOGETHER OR, OR IT IS ENERGY CAN BUY DISTRIBUTED TO US.
UH, SMITTY, I WOULD KIND OF ASK THE SAME THING I ASK HOW YOU BET IF YOU COULD PUT THAT IN AN EMAIL TO ME, JUST SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE IT GETS TO THE RIGHT STAKEHOLDERS AND THAT WE'RE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
A COUPLE MORE HANDS, UH, COMMISSIONER, BRENNAMAN SEE YOU NEXT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I SUPPORT COHIBAS, UM, IDEA FOR, YOU KNOW, INFORMING US OF WHAT THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION IS DOING.
SO, UM, THANKS MINNIE FOR THAT OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION DID TO EDC.
UM, AND I I'M SURE MOST OF US, MANY OF US WILL BE FASCINATED, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING INTO THE RATE CASE THAT AFFECTS THE, THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE WORK THAT WE DO FROM ENERGY EFFICIENCY OR THE WHAT IS IN THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMISSION FROM ENERGY EFFICIENCY TO, YOU KNOW, DISTRIBUTED SOLAR, ET CETERA.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, JONATHAN, WHO WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE BODY TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT JUST SOME CLARITY.
I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG TOPIC FOR THE EUC.
I KNOW THEY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC, UM, PURVIEW OVERRATES IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE AS A COMMISSION DO.
UM, BUT WE ARE COMING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF EACH OF THOSE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK HOW, HOW THAT'S MADE UP.
I KNOW IT WILL BE OF INTEREST TO A LOT OF US JUST TO KEEP OUR QUESTIONS FOCUSED.
UM, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET JUST SOME SORT OF, AND I GUESS MAYBE I CAN GO TO OUR BYLAWS TO TRY TO INTERPRET, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY WHAT WHAT'S WITHIN OUR PURVIEW FOR THAT DISCUSSION, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, ARE WE, ARE WE PREPARED AS A BODY TO, YOU KNOW, WEIGH IN ON A RAPE CASE? UM, WHICH FEELS COMPLICATED COMPLEX TO ME.
SO JUST THE, THE KIND OF WHAT'S WHAT'S UP TO AUC AND WHAT'S UP DESK.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M ASKING.
UH, I WILL PERSONALLY TAKE I'LL.
UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF THE REQUEST IS JUST AN UPDATE AND OVERVIEW ON THE RATE CASE, UH, THAT CERTAINLY WE CAN RECEIVE JUST TO, YOU KNOW, AN OVERVIEW, UH, AS FAR AS ANY ACTION.
UH, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT NIGHT.
YEAH, SOMETHING ELSE THAT A, IT KIND OF POPPED BACK INTO MY HEAD AND I, I CAN'T PHRASE THIS PROPERLY, BUT, UH, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF TRYING TO ALIGN THE TEXAS GAS, UH, INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO BE MORE LIKE WHAT WE HAD JUST DONE FOR CENTER POINT.
AND WE KICKED IT AROUND A LITTLE BIT, UH, TWO MEETINGS AGO, I BELIEVE IT WAS, AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE ANYTHING WITH IT SINCE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S
[01:30:01]
IT'S READY YET TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I RAISED A HAND AND MENTIONED THAT.SO WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD.
UM, THAT, THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT MYSELF AND A FEW OTHERS HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, IT, IT HAS KIND OF LAPSED FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING, INCLUDING DIRECTLY WITH TEXAS GAS, UH, AROUND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S OF INTEREST TO YOU AND YOU WANNA BE INCLUDED IN SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
UH, BUT LIKE I SAID, I JUST, IT HAS SLIPPED FOR A COUPLE MONTHS.
BUT I'M JUST MORE CONCERNED IF THERE'S A TIMELINESS ASPECT TO IT THAT WE NEED TO BE WORKING TOWARDS SOMETHING.
AND SO I JUST FIGURED I'D BRING UP.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT TIMELINESS IS, UH, THERE THAT I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH OF A TANGENT, BUT THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM HAS A, A CYCLE, UH, WHERE IT'S PASSED AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS, AND THEN IT'S UP FOR REVIEW.
UH, AND WE ARE NOT YET AT A POINT WHERE THAT'S UP FOR REVIEW.
SO I DON'T, THERE'S NOT ANY PRESSING DEADLINES THAT I'M AWARE OF THERE, BUT, UH, THAT MY, MY POINT AND OUR POINT WITH THAT EFFORT IS THAT IN PREPARATION FOR THAT, UH, LET'S GET ON THE SAME PAGE WITH TEXAS GAS USING KIND OF SOME OF THE CENTERPOINT STUFF AS A MODEL, UH, THAT, THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE WITH AS A REVISION.
UH, BUT THAT, THAT IS DEFINITELY AN IMPORTANT TOPIC TO MYSELF AND SOME OTHERS, UH, NINA, DID YOU YEAH, GO ON.
AND I ENDED UP IN PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS ON THIS TOPIC, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO BE PART OF THE FUTURE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, JONATHAN, DO YOU HAVE, OR MAYBE NATASHA, DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE HANDY WHEN OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED QUARTERLY UPDATE FROM TEXAS GAS WOULD BE, UH, IT'S NEXT MONTH, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO THAT TIMELY COMMENT IT IS NEXT.
SO I FEEL LIKE IT'D PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, JUST, UM, UH, ADOPTING THE LEARNING FROM THE WHOLE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD OR EARLIER, I THINK SEVERAL OF US PROBABLY SHOULD TRY TO GET IN A DISCUSSION WITH TEXAS GAS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOON, UH, AND SO THAT WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST IF MET BEFORE THEIR QUARTERLY UPDATE IN THE NEXT MONTH.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THAT REMINDER.
UH, I'LL, I'LL TAKE THAT ONE AS AN ACTION ITEMS AND WE'LL GET THAT ROLLING.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S ATTENDANCE AND FOR THE LIVELY DISCUSSION TONIGHT, A SHORT MEETING, BUT WE ARE SHORTER MEETING, BUT A GOOD, GOOD DISCUSSION.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PARTICIPATION.
UH, SO AT THIS POINT, UH, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN.
UH, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING, AND WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT MONTH.